cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An approach to scalability study of shared memory parallel systems

The overheads in a parallel system that limit its scalability need to be identified and separated in order to enable parallel algorithm design and the development of parallel machines. Such overheads may be broadly classified into two components. The first one is intrinsic to the algorithm and arises due to factors such as the work-imbalance and the serial fraction. The second one is due to the interaction between the algorithm and the architecture and arises due to latency and contention in the network. A top-down approach to scalability study of shared memory parallel systems is proposed in this research. We define the notion of overhead functions associated with the different algorithmic and architectural characteristics to quantify the scalability of parallel systems; we isolate the algorithmic overhead and the overheads due to network latency and contention from the overall execution time of an application; we design and implement an execution-driven simulation platform that incorporates these methods for quantifying the overhead functions; and we use this simulator to study the scalability characteristics of five applications on shared memory platforms with different communication topologies.
Analysis of leaky bucket access control mechanism with batch arrival process

A rate-based access control mechanism for high-speed networks, based on the buffered leaky bucket scheme, is studied. The study assumes an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) environment, where only fixed size packets or cells are transmitted. The leaky bucket scheme is based on the use of transmission tokens for each cell accessing the network. How often tokens are generated and the maximum number of tokens that can be accumulated are the parameters used to match the access control mechanism to the requirements of the cell arrivals patterns. A batch arrival process is considered to represent such arrival patterns. The distribution of batch sizes is arbitrary, while the time between arrivals of successive batches is taken to be geometrically distributed. Using matrix analytic techniques, the queue length distribution at the access point is obtained. >
Disk diffusion susceptibility test development for the new glycylcycline, GAR-936.

The in vitro activity of GAR-936, a new semisynthetic glycylcycline, was evaluated in comparison with two tetracyclines and the disk diffusion susceptibility test was assessed. Nearly 700 recent clinical isolates were tested by reference broth microdilution and disk diffusion (two disk contents) methods. Among the Enterobacteriaceae, GAR-936 was generally two- to 16-fold more active than other tetracyclines. All enteric bacilli MIC90 results were or = 8 micrograms/mL). GAR-936 demonstrated excellent activity against all Gram-positive cocci with Enterococcus spp. (including vancomycin-resistant isolates) inhibited at 0.25 microgram/mL (GAR-936 MIC90, 0.12 or 0.25 microgram/mL) and the oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains were inhibited at < or = 0.25 microgram/mL. GAR-936 demonstrated good potency against several non-fermentative bacteria, but possessed limited activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MIC50, 8 micrograms/mL). In vitro susceptibility test methods were developed (disk diffusion versus reference MIC results) and tentative breakpoints were proposed. Using susceptibility criteria of either < or = 2 or < or = 4 micrograms/mL, GAR-936 in vitro susceptibility tests demonstrated rare significant serious inter-method discords (< or = 1.2%) and an absolute agreement between test results of 92.3 to 96.2%. These results indicate that GAR-936 has potent in vitro activity against a wide range of clinically important rapidly growing pathogenic bacteria, and that this novel glycylcycline candidate for clinical use should be further developed.
C 4 I 3 Architectural Foundation for Real-Time Supervisory Control of Teleoperation

This paper presents a paradigm for designing a supervisory control simulation model for teleoperated tasks. The architecture is conceptualized for real-time environment with command and control (C2) tasks operating synchronously. We demonstrate the application in a mining teleoperation domain.
An explicit cloud physics parameterization for operational numerical weather prediction

Abstract In anticipation of computers that will be able to run weather forecasting models on very fine grids fast enough for real-time purposes, an algorithm for representing water phase change and precipitation processes was developed. The design criteria guiding this development are sufficiency (i.e., providing the required services), computational efficiency, and compatibility within four-dimensional data assimilation systems. The implication of the last criterion is that the model's moisture variables need to be consistent with observable or inferable cloud properties. The algorithm is compared with a well-documented research microphysics algorithm in terms of computing efficiency and agreement with observations. The weather forecasting model runs much faster using the new package instead of the research algorithm. The agreement between the new algorithm and the research algorithm is much better than the agreement between the observations and the results from either algorithm, which suggests that erro...
Retrospective Comparison of Open versus Endovascular Procedures for Takayasu Arteritis

Objective. To compare the outcomes between vascular surgery and endovascular procedures in a cohort of patients with Takayasu arteritis (TA). Methods. A retrospective cohort study was conducted of patients with TA who underwent vascular interventions at a tertiary center between 1984 and 2009. The American College of Rheumatology criteria for TA were used to select patients. Disease activity was assessed according to the Kerr criteria. Data are reported using descriptive statistics and Kaplan-Meier methods for complication rates. Results. The cohort included 66 patients with TA who underwent 119 vascular procedures (surgery 93; endovascular repair 26). The most frequent indication for vascular surgery and endovascular procedure was arm claudication (surgical group 43%, endovascular repair group 31%). In 59% of the vascular surgical procedures and in 38% of endovascular procedures, the disease was active within 1 month of intervention. The most frequent arterial lesion requiring intervention was the aorta (28%) in the vascular surgery group and the subclavian (35%) in the endovascular repair group. Early complications occurred after 15 surgeries and 4 endovascular repair procedures (p = 0.93). Late complications occurred after 34 surgical procedures and 10 endovascular repair procedures (44% vs 66%, respectively; p = 0.33). The majority of complications in both groups were restenosis. Hypertension, dyslipidemia, and higher doses of corticosteroids were associated with an increased risk of postprocedural complications and restenosis. Conclusion. In patients with TA, both open surgical and endovascular revascularization procedures are associated with high failure rates and frequent operative complications. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors, corticosteroid dose, and active disease are risk factors for restenosis after revascularization procedures.
Follow-up Studies of Patients Treated by X-Ray Epilation for Tinea Capitis

Tinea capitis is one of the most common fungal diseases of children. It has been a major public health problem in many countries and is especially prevalent in low socioeconomic groups (1). In the United States, tinea capitis was relatively uncommon until a major epidemic occurred throughout the country during World War II (2). Treatment for ringworm of the scalp by X-ray epilation was introduced by Sabouraud in 1904 and standardized by Kienbock in 1907 (3) and Adamson in 1910 (4). The purpose of the epilation was to permit effective fungal decontamination of the scalp. Before the Adamson-Kienbock X-ray procedure was introduced, epilation was done manually. Exposure of the scalp produced complete epilation in approximately two to three weeks which lasted one to two months (5). X-ray epilation proved to be much superior to the alternative forms of topical therapy and was widely used until the introduction of griseofulvin in 1958. No accurate figures exist for the total number of children treated by X-ray epilation during the one-half century of its use. On a worldwide basis, it is possible that as many as 200,000 children have received this form of irradiation (1).
Phase I and pharmacologic study of PN401 and fluorouracil in patients with advanced solid malignancies

PURPOSE: To assess the feasibility of administering PN401, an oral uridine prodrug, as a rescue agent for the toxic effects of fluorouracil (5-FU), and to determine the maximum-tolerated dose of 5-FU when given with PN401, with an 8-hour treatment interval between these agents. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with advanced solid malignancies were treated with escalating doses of 5-FU, given as a rapid intravenous infusion weekly for 3 consecutive weeks every 4 weeks. PN401 was administered orally 8 hours after 5-FU administration, to achieve sustained plasma uridine concentrations of at least 50 μmol/L. Initially, patients received 6 g of PN401 orally every 8 hours for eight doses (schedule 1). When dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) was consistently noted, patients then received 6 g of PN401 every 2 hours for three doses and every 6 hours thereafter for 15 doses (schedule 2). RESULTS: Twenty-three patients received 50 courses of 5-FU and PN401. Among patients on schedule 1, DLT (grade 4 neutropenia complicated ...
Abstract 4273: C-kit expression promotes prostate cancer cell migration and invasion through Brca2 downregulation

In many human cancers, expression or activity of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) c-kit is often associated with increased malignancy. In prostate cancer (PCa), we reported an association between expression of c-kit and clinical progression, with the highest expression seen in castrate-resistant metastatic bone specimens. We also found de novo c-kit expression in experimental intraosseous tumors formed by otherwise c-kit negative PCa cells. However, the biological consequences of c-kit expression and activation in PCa cells remain unknown. Here, we show that c-kit overexpression in PC3 and C4-2B PCa cells significantly enhances their migratory and invasive ability in vitro. Consistent with this result, we found that expression and activation of c-kit in PCa cells decreased the expression of E-cadherin and increased the expression of vimentin, suggesting an epithelial mesenchymal transition-like phenomenon. Furthermore, activation by c-kit ligand in PC3 and C4-2B cells transfected with c-kit lead to phosphorylation of Akt. This contributes to the enhanced invasiveness of c-kit-expressing PCa cells, as demonstrated by an inhibitory effect by PI3K/Akt inhibitors LY294002 and Wortmannin. In an attempt to identify genes differentially expressed in c-kit-expressing and -non-expressing PCa cells, we used a microarray containing 84 genes, representing growth factor receptors, transcription factors, cell cycle, and DNA repair genes. The analysis of the array demonstrated a consistent down-regulation of Brca2 in both c-kit-expressing PC3 and C4-2B cells, further validated by qRT-PCR and immunoblotting. Re-introduction of Brca2 into c-kit-expressing PCa cells suppressed c-kit-enhanced invasiveness to levels similar to those shown by c-kit-non-expressing cells, and led to reduced phosphorylation of Akt. Our results provide evidence that c-kit expression in PCa cells, an event which is induced upon interaction with the bone microenvironment, promotes tumor migration and invasion through an Akt-dependent mechanism regulated by Brca2 down-regulation. The identification of this novel signaling axis and its importance in PCa migration and invasion reveal potential therapeutic targets for regulating the expansion of PCa metastatic lesions in bone. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4273. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4273
Differential white blood cell counts as a preliminary screen for severe combined immunodeficient congenic mice.

Severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice are becoming increasingly popular as research animals; as a consequence, more efforts to produce congenic strains carrying the scid gene are underway. In an attempt to conserve time and resources in this endeavor, we used peripheral blood differential white blood cell counts as a preliminary screen to eliminate the homozygous (+/+) wild type and heterozygous (scid/+) animals from intercross generations. The results of our investigation confirm that blood smears can be used as a screen at four weeks of age to identify animals having an inversion of the granulocyte:mononuclear cell ratio. Mice not having an inversion of this ratio, i.e., mononuclear cells exceeding 50%, can be eliminated from the colony. This screen permits elimination of a large portion of the intercross generation one month earlier than other methods that rely on detection of serum immunoglobulin. The screen is highly sensitive and specific. We do not propose that this screen be used as a definitive test but as a tool to eliminate the majority of animals that are not homozygous at the scid locus.
Controlling Policy by Controlling Process

In this paper, the ability of a federal appellate court to control agency policy by imposing process requirements upon the agency is analyzed under two administrative law regimes: the deference doctrine, where appellate courts are strictly limited in their ability to interfere with agency decision making, and the non-deference doctrine, where courts have greater reign in scrutinizing agency decisionmaking. The emphasis on the judiciary's ability to affect regulatory process complements earlier scholarship in positive political theory that focused mainly on Congress' ability to use administrative process to control agency behavior. A formal model of judicial control is developed to allow for comparative statistics considering different legal doctrines, shifting judicial preferences, and changing agency resources. An examination of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals' battle over the deregulation of oil pipelines is undertaken to illustrate the insights of the model.
Working Conditions in Self-Contained Settings for Students With Emotional Disturbance:

Students with emotional disturbance (ED) depend upon special education teachers (SETs) to use evidence-based practices (EBPs) to promote their well-being. SETs, in turn, depend upon school leaders to provide working conditions that support learning and implementation of academic and social EBPs. We conducted an integrative narrative review of research examining working conditions SETs experience serving students with ED in self-contained schools and classes, to better understand whether SETs in these settings experience conditions necessary to effectively implement academic and social EBPs. Our findings suggest that conditions necessary for learning and implementing EBPs are seldom present in these settings. In addition, the extant research on SETs’ working conditions in these settings is largely disconnected from research investigating teachers’ use of EBPs.
Regulation of nitric oxide synthases by intracellular oxidants

The activity of nitric oxide synthases (NOS) is dynamically regulated by calcium-calmodulin, and further modulated by a wide range of differentially-targeted reversibly oxidized protein kinases and phosphoprotein phosphatases. This presentation will review the roles of intracellular oxidants in the regulation of NOS activity in vascular endothelial cells and cardiac myocytes and will present the results of recent studies using informative hydrogen peroxide biosensors and novel chemogenetic approaches.
Eye Movements and Reading Behavior of Younger and Older Users: An Exploratory Eye-Tacking Study

Baby boomers and millennials form two major user groups that tend to exhibit different behaviors when viewing online information. Because important online information is often communicated via text, understanding the differences in the way textual information is scanned by these two user groups allow designers to better meet the needs of each group. Our results showed that saccadic amplitudes were strong predictor of user age groups when they were reading a relatively long and difficult text passage. These results help to improve online reading experience by examining metrics that can unobtrusively capture and compare the overall reading experience of younger and older users. The results are also relevant to research in designing advanced decision tools that use eye tracking to detect cognitive effort to respond to user needs.
Ambiguous relative orbits in sequential relative orbit estimation with range-only measurements

Abstract This paper describes a manifold of ambiguous spacecraft relative orbits that arise in sequential relative orbit estimation. The development herein assumes linear relative dynamics, a circular reference orbit, and range-only measurements. Using a formulation based on relative orbit elements, the ambiguous orbits are categorized into two cases: mirror orbits, which conserve the size and shape but transform the orientation of the true relative orbit, and deformed orbits, which both distort the shape and change the orientation. A special case, that of central ambiguous relative orbits, which are geometrically symmetric relative to the chief's local-vertical-local-horizontal frame is also discussed. The multiplicity of mirror ambiguous orbits, deformed ambiguous orbits and central ambiguous orbits are shown to be three, four and infinity, respectively. Numerical results using an extended Kalman filter are provided to confirm the existence of these ambiguous orbits. Furthermore, the observability is studied analytically with a nonlinear observability criterion using Lie derivatives. It is also shown by numerical results that the inclusion of nonlinearities in the filter model can help resist the tendency of an extended Kalman filter to converge to the ambiguous relative orbits. Finally, the persistence of these ambiguous orbits under unmodeled chief eccentricity error and J2 perturbation is studied.
Health Behavior Research and School and Youth Health Promotion

Adolescents are frequently considered among the healthiest of all Americans, with nearly the lowest mortality rate of all age groups (Coira, Zill, & Bloom, 1994). They also have morbidity rates for chronic medical and psychiatric disorders that are low in comparison to those in the adult population (Gans, 1990). A closer look reveals that morbidity and mortality rates do not adequately portray the health status of most adolescents. A far greater number of American adolescents are threatened by what has been called “social morbidities,” which include unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, homicide, suicide, injuries related to violence, and substance abuse. Adolescents also may develop unhealthful and persistent behavior patterns such as poor dietary intake, low levels of physical activity, and tobacco use. These social morbidities and unhealthful behavior patterns not only threaten adolescents’ current physical health status, but also are linked throughout the life span to adult chronic diseases and ultimately to adult mortality.
Assessment and Students with Disabilities: Issues and Challenges with Educational Reform

The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act seeks to correct achievement gaps that are most prevalent among students in specific subgroups including those with disabilities, linguistic and cultural diversi...
Waveband routing and wavelength assignment in hybrid hierarchical optical networks

Hybrid hierarchical optical crossconnects enhance the performance/cost ratio of optical networks by providing transparent (optical) switching of sets of wavelengths (wavebands) in addition to opaque (electrical) switching of individual wavelengths. In this paper, we study the waveband routing and wavelength assignment (WRWA) tasks in hybrid hierarchical wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks with optical crossconnects that can route multiple granularity (wavelengths and wavebands) at the same time. We propose a waveband routing and wavelength assignment algorithm, which is designed to minimize the number of wavelength conversions. We compare several different algorithms for sorting traffic requests, which are used in the off-line version of the algorithm when all requests are known in advance. Our results demonstrate a significant cost reduction that could be achieved by employing hybrid hierarchical optical crossconnects instead of optical crossconnects with opto-electronic fabric that can process a single granularity only.
Principles of Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is an elegant material growth technique that is most simply described as a very refined form of vacuum evaporation or physical vapor deposition, with exquisite control over material purity, interface formation, alloy compositions, and doping concentrations. The major feature that enables these qualities is the extremely clean ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) environment in the material growth system. UHV conditions typically feature very low (<10−14 Torr) partial pressures of background impurity gases, leading to extremely low background impurity levels in the resultant materials. In MBE, noninteracting molecular beams of constituent materials are evaporated or sublimed and allowed to chemically interact on a heated substrate. The beams do not interact in the gas phase because they possess mean free paths much longer than the typical 20–30 cm source-to-substrate distance due to the UHV conditions. The use of pure solid-source material (e.g., highly purified gallium metal instead of an engineered precursor molecule like trimethylgallium) allows for not only very pure epitaxial growth but also much simplified chemistry when the source material reaches the substrate. MBE is extremely good at producing very sharp interfaces. The effusion cells that produce the molecular beams of source materials are typically paired with a mechanical shutter that can quickly start or stop the beams in much less time than it takes to grow an atomic layer of material. The temperature of the source, which is very reproducible and stable, controls the flux generated from the effusion cells. This makes the generation of specific fluxes of constituent materials simple to control for accurate alloy compositions and doping concentrations. The UHV environment also lends itself to the incorporation of various in situ monitoring techniques that can be used during growth, including reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), low-energy electron diffraction (LEED), and mass spectrometry. When combined with non-UHV specific techniques like spectral ellipsometry, laser reflectance, pyrometry, and band edge thermometry, MBE becomes a very powerful tool for the study of basic science and the production of very high-quality materials and devices.
Inter- and Intrarater Reliability of the Thumb Grasp and Pinch Assessment for Children Following Index Pollicization for Congenital Thumb Hypoplasia.

Purpose The Thumb Grasp and Pinch (T-GAP) assessment quantifies functional hand use in children with congenital thumb hypoplasia by categorizing grasp and thumb use patterns during assessment activities that encourage a variety of grasp and pinch styles. This study aims to demonstrate interrater and intrarater reliability results of the T-GAP. Methods A retrospective review was performed of children who had undergone index finger pollicization for congenital thumb hypoplasia and subsequent evaluation with videotaping of the T-GAP assessment. Following a training period, 4 occupational therapists scored 11 T-GAP videos on 2 separate occasions, separated by at least 2 weeks. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), standard error of measurements, minimum detectable change (MDC), and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated. Results The T-GAP raw scores were 16 to 55, demonstrating a range of mild to severe hand grasp differences. The ICCs for the interrater reliability trials were 0.887 and 0.901. Intrarater ICCs were all above 0.88. The MDC for each trial was 8.1 and 6.7 points. Pearson correlation coefficients calculated for each rater and each pair of raters were above 0.8 in all cases. Conclusions Interrater and intrarater reliability testing results for the T-GAP were excellent in all cases; this strongly suggests that results from T-GAP assessments are reliable. The high ICCs suggest that raters can classify and score children’s hand function consistently. Clinical relevance This study, in conjunction with previous work, suggests that the T-GAP may be an ideal approach to assessing the outcomes of pollicization and provide a means of ongoing assessment of children’s grip and pinch function.
Training and development in endoscopic full thickness resection

Abstract Endoscopic full thickness resection (EFTR) is an evolving procedure along the spectrum of lesion resection. It encompasses a wide range of various clinical applications and indications, with evolving devices for resection and defect closure. The rapidly changing landscape of EFTR over the past years, alongside the potential for new developments, necessitates a better understanding of this field and its’ required training. This review summarizes a brief history of EFTR over time, while highlighting the goals and steps of training for this emerging procedure.
Introduction to a Postnational History of Contemporary Basque Literature (1978–2000): Remnants of the Nation

A sophisticated introduction to contemporary Basque literature that chronicles its growth and success after the death of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco.
Vibrational and electronic ultrafast relaxation of the nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond

Two dimensional electronic spectroscopy and transient grating measurements were performed, for the first time, on nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond. These measurements reveal energy transfer and vibrational pathways with consequences for spin coherence.
Recent Developments; Recognition of Specific Secondary Metabolites as Ultimate Carcinogens

This chapter provides an overview of the recent developments and recognition of specific secondary metabolites as ultimate carcinogens. K-region arene oxides are the bioactivated intermediates responsible for the cytotoxic and carcinogenic effects exhibited by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons which ultimately bind to cell nucleophiles is a highly attractive hypothesis; however, it became apparent to many that intermediates other than simple K-region arene oxides may play a more significant role in carcinogenesis than previously recognized. Indeed, K-region oxides had been shown to be more active mutagens and more effective in inducing malignant transformations than the parent hydrocarbons with mammalian and bacterial cells in culture. However, prior in vivo studies conducted by subcutaneous injection and topical skin application confirmed that the carcinogenic activity of K-region oxides is considerably less than that of the corresponding parent hydrocarbons. It has been suggested that the lower positive response may be attributed to transport and inactivation phenomena in which the intact organism is capable of deactivating the oxide prior to encounter with the critical target macromolecular nucleophile within the cell. In the early 1970s, the concept emerged that the ultimate carcinogens or mutagens could prove to be secondary metabolites, incorporating more complex functionality than the oxirane ring, and that attention should not be restricted solely to the K-region; however, the link between K-region oxides—and possibly secondary metabolites—and bioactivity still remains a matter of debate, and work in this area should continue despite the positive findings to be described in allied areas.
Modern and Stateless: A Case Study of the International, Racialised Modernity of the Peruvian Nikkei in Seiichi Higashide’s Adios to Tears

This article discusses the process of Japanese emigration to Peru in the early-twentieth century, culminating in their extraordinary rendition from the same country at the hands of the United State...
Chapter 11 - Effect of High-Energy Radiation on Lignocellulose Conversion

The practice of high energy irradiation of biomass to increase its utility is reviewed. The effects of high energy radiation on lignocellulosics with respect to changes in chemical and physical properties, sugar yield, digestibility to acid and enzymatic hydrolysis, and possible utilization of irradiated biomass were investigated. The primary effect of irradiation on cellulose is chain cleavage with ensuing decomposition of the formed carbohydrates resulting in formation of acid and reducing groups. The solubility of irradiated cellulose is increased in water and in alkaline solution. Solubilized products include a homologous series of cellodextrins and other low molecular weight compounds but very little glucose. The radiation effect on cellulose is generally noticeable at or above 1 Mrad and is proportional to the radiation dose. The possible use of nuclear wastes in the form of Cs-137 in conversion of lignocellulose is also discussed.
What is the evidence for supervision best practices

Clinical supervision is integral to clinical training, but it is unclear to what extent currently recommended supervision practices are supported by empirical evidence. We reviewed professional sup...
Protocol for single-cell ATAC sequencing using combinatorial indexing in mouse lung adenocarcinoma.

Summary Single-cell ATAC sequencing using combinatorial indexing (sciATAC-seq) enables the identification of chromatin accessibility profiles at single-cell resolution with a dual-barcoding approach during transposition and library construction. Unlike commercial droplet-based approaches, sciATAC-seq is a cost-effective, extensible strategy that permits flexibility in the experimental scale via multiplexed barcoding across samples or perturbations. In contrast, droplet-based approaches have higher cell recovery and may be advantageous when cell input is limited. The step-by-step sciATAC-seq protocol described here is amenable to diverse cell types and fixed samples. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to LaFave et al. (2020) .
Impact of the 2015 Health Information Technology Certification Edition on Interoperability among Hospitals.

OBJECTIVE Most nonfederal acute care hospitals use electronic health records (EHRs) certified by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. In 2015, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology finalized the 2015 Health IT Certification Edition and adoption by hospitals began in 2016. We examine the impact of the 2015 Edition on rates of interoperable exchange among nonfederal acute hospitals. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study applies a standard difference-in-differences design and a recently developed fixed effects estimator that relaxes the assumption of treatment effects being constant across groups and time. In the analysis, we identify separate effects of the 2015 Edition for hospitals that switched EHR developers and forecast hospitals' interoperability over 2015 Edition adoption rates. RESULTS The adoption of the 2015 Edition increased hospitals' rates of interoperable exchange and especially benefited hospitals that switched EHR developers in the post-implementation period. Forecasting results indicate that if all hospitals adopted the 2015 Edition, 53% to 61% of hospitals would engage in interoperable health information exchange compared with the current rate of 46%. DISCUSSION Hospitals' levels of interoperability have been rising over the last few years. Adoption of newer technology improved hospitals' interoperability and accounts for up to 12% of the rise in interoperability. CONCLUSIONS Certified technology is one mechanism to ensure providers use recent and safe technologies for interoperable exchange. Adoption of certified EHRs improves the nation's interoperable exchange; however, it has a clear limited effect. Other mechanisms are necessary for achieving comprehensive interoperable exchange.
Multiplex Imaging of Rho GTPase Activities in Living Cells.

Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensors are popular and useful for directly observing cellular signaling pathways in living cells. Until recently, multiplex imaging of genetically encoded FRET biosensors to simultaneously monitor several protein activities in one cell was limited due to a lack of spectrally compatible FRET pair of fluorescent proteins. With the recent development of miRFP series of near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent proteins, we are now able to extend the spectrum of FRET biosensors beyond blue-green-yellow into NIR. These new NIR FRET biosensors enable direct multiplex imaging together with commonly used cyan-yellow FRET biosensors. We describe herein a method to produce cell lines harboring two compatible FRET biosensors. We will then discuss how to directly multiplex-image these FRET biosensors in living cells. The approaches described herein are generally applicable to any combinations of genetically encoded, ratiometric FRET biosensors utilizing the cyan-yellow and NIR fluorescence.
Vertical Foramina in the Lumbosacral Region: CT Appearance

Several computed tomographic (CT) examples of vertically oriented foramina in the neural arches of the lumbosacral vertebrae are presented, The literature is reviewed briefly, and the possible clinical and embryologic significance of these foramina is discussed.
The Relationship Between Ethical Ideology and Ethical Behavior Intentions: An Exploratory Look at Physicians' Responses to Managed Care Dilemmas

Within the past few years, managed care health insurance programs have become commonplace. With managed care programs, however, physicians are facing increasing ethical pressures. This paper examines the relationship between physicians' behavior intentions with respect to four managed care ethical scenarios and their responses to Forsyth's (1980) Ethics Position Questionnaire (EPQ). This is one of the first papers to compare this scale to behavioral intentions in the workplace. We provide a literature review of the ethical dilemmas that doctors face under a managed care system and conduct a national random sample of general practitioners and surgeons regarding the four managed care ethical dilemmas. The results show that the doctors surveyed are significantly more idealistic than relativistic. In relating the EPQ to the ethical scenarios, however, there was no support for the proposition that ethical ideology was related to the ethical behavioral intentions. This suggests more research is needed to establish the links between ethical positions, attitudes, and behavioral intentions. Finally, there were little differences in EPQ scores by practice or demographic variables, the only significant result being that general surgeons are significantly more idealistic than family practitioners.
Efficient packet replication and switching of multicast traffic by shared-crosspoint packet switches

Multicast traffic is expected to increase in packet-oriented networks by the inclusion of broadcast and multimedia-on-demand services. In addition to the high performance for unicast services, combined input-crosspoint buffered (CICB) packet switches have intrinsic properties that are favorable for switching and replication of multicast packets. In this paper we study the performance of CICB packet switches, including those with dedicated and shared crosspoint buffers (SMCB), both under multicast traffic. Furthermore, we propose arbitration schemes for shared-buffer packet switches to handle multicast traffic and study their performance on switching-replication efficiency. We show that the SMCB switch efficiently handles multicast traffic with uniform distribution of fan outs, and that its achievable throughput is comparable to that of a CICB switch. This property, combined with the efficient memory utilization, makes the SMCB switch an attractive solution for unicast and multicast networks.
Attitudes of College Women toward High School Physical Education Programs

Abstract A revision of the Plummer attitude inventory and a background information questionnaire were administered to 1,126 freshman college women enrolled in the private four-year colleges in Iowa in September 1964. Attitude scores were determined and comparisons were made on the basis of background information. Significant differences in attitude toward physical education were found between those earning interscholastic athletic letters and those not earning letters, those participating in organized physical activity programs outside of school and those not participating in such programs, those from farms and those from cities, those from small high school graduating classes and those from large high school graduating classes, those who chose teaching careers and those who chose other careers, those who ratedselves above average in physical skills and those who ratedselves below average in physical skills, and those who enjoyedr high school physical education programs and those who did not. Significant ...
Recovery of coral reef rugosity from stereo image pairs

Summary form only given. Small (cm-m) scale topography of the seabed is important for a number of applications. For example, ecologists are concerned with roughness on this scale (rugosity) because it is an important characteristic of habitat complexity that can be correlated to species diversity, fish abundance, and past disturbance events such as hurricanes. Systematic measurements of rugosity through time can be used to determine changes in habitat due to accretion and erosion of the substrate.
Will Governments Fix What Markets Cannot? The Positive Political Economy of Regulation in Markets with Overcondent Consumers

A standard theoretical and empirical claim in the behavioral industrial organization literature is that market forces may not always eliminate the negative welfare consequences of biased consumer behavior, even in competitive markets. In this literature, government regulations are often proposed that would succeed in raising social welfare in the face of consumer biases and could therefore serve as substitutes for market forces. It is not obvious, however, that a self-governing group of citizen-consumers would choose to enact this welfareimproving policy. We show that in the case of markets for goods with add-ons (Gabaix and Laibson, 2006) the instances in which markets or government will fail to correct for consumer biases (in our model, consumer overcondence about add-on services such as overdraft fees) are similar. In the same cases in which markets are inecient due to the prevalence of biased consumers, voters will not demand eciency-enhancin g regulations. Consumer biases have two eects: they produce deadweight losses, and they redistribute income from biased consumers to less-biased consumers. The distributional consequences often both prevent equilibrium competition by rms from enhancing eciency and prevent equilibrium policy choices by citizens from regulating away inecient trade.
What Are the Characteristics That Explain Hospital Quality? A Longitudinal Pridit Approach

Health outcomes vary substantially between high- and low-quality institutions, meaning the difference between life and death in some cases. The prior literature has identified a number of variables that can be used to determine hospital quality, but methodologies for combining variables into an overall measure of hospital quality are not well developed. This analysis builds on the prior investigation of hospital quality by evaluating a method originally developed for the detection of health-care fraud, Pridit, in the context of determining hospital quality. We developed a theoretical model to justify the application of Pridit to the hospital quality setting and then applied the Pridit method to a national, multiyear data set on U.S. hospital quality variables and outcomes. The results demonstrate how the Pridit method can be used predictively, in order to predict future health outcomes based on currently available quality measures. These results inform the use of Pridit, and other unsupervised learning methods, in fraud detection and other settings where valid and reliable outcomes variables are difficult to obtain. The empirical results obtained in this study may also be of use to health insurers and policymakers who aim to improve quality in the hospital setting.
Infusion of Pure Cholecystokinin in Humans: Correlation Between Plasma Concentrations of Cholecystokinin and Gallbladder Size

This study was undertaken to correlate changes in the plasma concentration of cholecystokinin with changes in gallbladder volume, during and after infusion of cholecystokinin in humans. Cholecystokinin-33, 99% pure, was administered intravenously for 1 h at the rate of 0.58 μg/kg · h to 5 fasting adult men. Plasma for radioimmunoassay of cholecystokinin was collected before and during the cholecystokinin infusion, and for 40 additional minutes. Gallbladder volumes were determined from sonograms obtained from a phased-array real-time ultrasound scanner. The mean basal concentration of cholecystokinin in plasma was 88.5±3.9 pglml. Mean peak cholecystokinin concentration of 366.2±32.0 pg/ml was achieved 8 min after the start of the infusion. The mean resting gallbladder volume was 23.0±2.9 cm3. Maximal gallbladder contraction was achieved at 10 min, at which time the mean gallbladder volume was 3.4±0.5 cm3. After the cessation of cholecystokinin infusion, plasma cholecystokinin returned to basal concentrations after 12 min and the gallbladder refilled within 40 min. The correlation coefficients between plasma cholecystokinin and gallbladder size, determined by linear regression analysis, were −0.7649 (p
Ultramicroelectrode ensembles: Part V. Sealing defects between the ensemble elements and the host membrane with octadecyltrichlorosilane

Abstract : We have recently developed a new procedure for preparing ensembles of ultramicroelectrodes. This procedure entails filling the pores of a microporous host membrane with a conductive material. Nuclepore filters, with linear, cylindrical pores, were used as the host membranes. We have used this approach to prepare ultramicroelectrode ensembles based on Platinum and carbon paste electrode elements. The Pt-based ensembles were prepared by electrochemically depositing the metal into the pores of the host membrane. This was accomplished by attaching the Nuclepore membrane to an electrode surface, immersing this electrode into a solution of chloroplatinic acid, and repeatedly scanning the potential of this electrode through the Platinum hexachloride (2-) reduction wave. Deposition was continued until Pt was deposited through the pores, and well past the membrane/solution interface. The membrane surface was then sealed by vacuum-impregnating with molten polyethylene and polished to reveal the disk- shaped Pt ultramicroelectrode elements. Keywords: Electrolytes, Chlorodimethyl silane, Octadecyltrichlorosilane.
Reasoning about Independence in Probabilistic Models of Relational Data

Bayesian networks leverage conditional independence to compactly encode joint probability distributions. Many learning algorithms exploit the constraints implied by observed conditional independencies to learn the structure of Bayesian networks. The rules of d-separation provide a theoretical and algorithmic framework for deriving conditional independence facts from model structure. However, this theory only applies to Bayesian networks. Many realworld systems, such as social or economic systems, are characterized by interacting heterogeneous entities and probabilistic dependencies that cross the boundaries of entities. Consequently, researchers have developed extensions to Bayesian networks that can represent these relational dependencies. We show that the theory of d-separation inaccurately infers conditional independence when applied directly to the structure of probabilistic models of relational data. We introduce relational d-separation, a theory for deriving conditional independence facts from relational models. We provide a new representation, the abstract ground graph, that enables a sound, complete, and computationally ecient method for answering d-separation queries about relational models, and we present empirical results that demonstrate eectiveness.
Physiology and Pathophysiology of the Venous System

Venous physiology and pathophysiology are described in relationship to two main functions of the peripheral veins – venous volume and venous return. These two interconnected functions are determined by basic physiological characteristics of venous vessels such as compliance, capacitance, and resistance. Special attention is paid to the role of the valves as modulators of venous function. Pathological changes in the vein wall in primary and postthrombotic disease and the resultant changes in venous function are described, but the details of the molecular mechanisms are left for further reading.
Ultrafast Glimpses at Water and Ice

Water, a seemingly simply molecule, displays some unusual properties: The most widely known is the density minimum at 4 degrees Celsius above the freezing point. In his Perspective Heilweil explains how modern ultrafast spectroscopic techniques and molecular dynamics simulations help to understand the molecular microdynamics that lead to these unusual properties. Coupling between molecular vibrations and intermolecular hydrogen bonds play an important role, although the exact details of these processes remain controversial.
Local pathways of seizure propagation in neocortex.

Publisher Summary Partial seizures of the neocortex can be initiated by the relatively small and localized collections of neurons. Anticonvulsant drugs are very successful for treating most cases of partial epilepsy, but they produce unwanted side effects in the large majority of the brain that is not epileptic. For some patients, drugs simply fail to control seizures adequately. In selected cases, surgery can be a dramatically effective and selective therapy for partial seizures. Unfortunately, the inherent uncertainties of mapping both pathology and function in the cortex often lead to a removal of important, nonepileptic tissue. A better understanding of the cellular basis of epilepsy might lead to more targeted therapeutic strategies. One tactic for preventing the onset of partial seizures is to disconnect, in a literal sense, the offending neurons and so, prevent their paroxysmal collusion. Multiple subpial transection is currently being used, on a limited and usually adjunct basis, to treat some forms of partial seizure disorders. Understanding the optimal requirements for preventing and containing focal seizures by disconnection will require a detailed knowledge of the structure and function of local neocortical circuits. This chapter summarizes selected research on the neurons, axons, synaptic connections, and epileptiform activity of the neocortex to illuminate the substrates that mediate seizure propagation.