cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On a 50% savings in the computation of the centroid of a symmetrical interval type-2 fuzzy set

Computing the centroid of a type-2 fuzzy set (T2 FS) is an important operation for such sets. For an interval T2 FS, the centroid can be computed by using two iterative procedures that were developed by Karnik and Mendel [2]. In this paper, we prove that if the footprint of uncertainty for an interval T2 FS is symmetrical about the primary variable y at y = m, then the centroid is also symmetrical about y = m and its defuzzified value equals m. As a consequence of this, computation of the centroid for such a T2 FS is reduced by 50%, and the importance of obtaining a non-symmetrical interval T2 FS prior to defuzzification is demonstrated.
Radiographic Diagnosis of Hip Dysplasia in the Young Dog

Despite considerable research and the application of screening programs during the past three decades, the incidence of canine hip dysplasia (CHD) remains disturbingly high. Mild CHD is underdiagnosed by subjective evaluation of adult dogs, and moderate CHD is underdiagnosed by subjective assessment of immature dogs. Coxofemoral subluxation measurement methods hold promise for increasing the accuracy of CHD assessment, especially in 4-month-old dogs. Many radiologists have greater confidence in the PennHip method than in subjective hip assessment alone for dogs 6 months of age or younger. The incidence of CHD is unlikely to be dramatically reduced until CHD registries are open to the public and CHD examination is required for purebred dog registration.
Bulk organic solvent‐water systems as a possible model to predict alkyl p‐aminobenzoate partitioning in liposomes

Abstract This study compares the bilayer–water distribution coefficients of a homologous series of n –alkyl p –aminobenzoates in liposomes with their respective distribution coefficients in octanol–water, oleyl alcohol–water, and hexane–water systems. The data indicate that the bilayer–water distribution coefficient is quite sensitive to changes in solute structure and to the structural organization of the bilayer and that octanol, oleyl alcohol, and hexane are able to reflect the partitioning changes that occur in the liposomal bilayer with respect to increasing the alkyl chain length of n –alkyl p –aminobenzoates. For this particular homologous series, the hexane–water system tended to underestimate the bilayer–water distribution coefficients, whereas octanol–water and oleyl alcohol–water systems overestimated solute partitioning into the bilayer. The similarity of the lipid environment, with respect to solute partitioning, in the organic solvent system and that in liposomes can be ascertained by using the Collander relationship.
Direct Assessment Of The Phase Matching Properties Of New Nonlinear Materials

Direct measurements of the phase matching properties of small (submillimeter) crystals of some new second and third harmonic generators is discussed. Such measurements represent an intermediate level of characterization between powder tests and detailed dispersion and d coefficient determinations. Since crystals as small as 300 microns may be studied, a decision to pursue a material can be made at an early stage of crystal growth. Representative data on some new fluoride harmonic generators is presented.
Dimers of the neuropeptide Y (NPY) Y2 receptor show asymmetry in agonist affinity and association with G proteins.

In conditions precluding activation of G proteins, the binding of agonists to dimers of the neuropeptide Y (NPY) Y2 receptor shows two components of similar size, but differing in affinity. The dimers of all NPY receptors are solubilized as ∼ 180-kDa complexes containing one G protein α β γ trimer. These heteropentamers are stable to excess agonists, chelators, and alkylators. However, dispersion in the weak surfactant cholate releases ∼ 300-kDa complexes. These findings indicate that both protomers in the Y2 dimer are associated with G protein heterotrimers, but the extent of interaction depends on affinity for the agonist peptide. The G protein in contact with the first-liganded, higher-affinity protomer should have a stronger interaction with the receptor and a larger probability of activation.
Comparative analysis of strand-specific RNA sequencing approaches

Background Standard RNA sequencing approaches generally require double-stranded cDNA synthesis, which erases RNA strand information. Synthesis of a randomly primed double-stranded cDNA followed by addition of adaptors for next-generation sequencing leads to the loss of information about which strand was present in the original mRNA template. The polarity of the transcript is important for correct annotation of novel genes, identification of antisense transcripts with potential regulatory roles, and for correct determination of gene expression levels in the presence of antisense transcripts. Different strand-specific RNA-seq approaches have been developed to preserve information about strand polarity with different level of performances. Material and methods Using Illumina Deep Sequencing Technology, this work investigates the performance of two different directional RNA-Seq (strand-specific RNA-seq) strategies. One is based on direct ligation of adaptors to the RNA ends and the other is based on the labeling and excision of the second strand cDNA. The RNA-seq workflows present in this work have been improved over current more laborious RNA-seq methods. Their low RNA input and streamlined workflows make them compatible with high throughput and automation. We also analyze the effect of different RNA fragmentation methods (divalent cations plus heat versus enzymatic fragmentation). Results We will provide a comparative full data analysis of different strand-specific RNA methods (library performance, complexity, continuity of gene coverage, strand specificity, rRNA background). Conclusions Our results show improved methods for high-quality strand-specific RNA-seq library construction amenable to large-scale library construction and automation.
Using politeness to model the psychosocial dynamics of power in organizational interaction

Purpose – The purpose is to show how actors' relative power or parity is dynamically instanced in discrete speech behaviors that are exchanged throughout everyday organizational interaction. Design/methodology/approach – Politeness theory, rooted in the dramaturgical theories of Erving Goffman, details a set of linguistic indices used to show regard for others' face. This conceptual paper draws on politeness theory to model the unfolding of power relations within face-to-face verbal interchange in organizations. The paper presents a number of propositions suggesting how power differentials (or parity) are reflected in a set of common speech behaviors used to defray threats to face throughout organizational interaction. Findings – This article extends and applies politeness theory to organizations by exploring specific motives and linguistic outcomes of high and low power actors, describing the behavioral egalitarianism associated with organic organizations, and suggesting how the demand characteristics of...
Size, Technology, Environment and the Structure of Organizations

Literature pertaining to the structural influence of size, technology, and environment is reviewed. Results indicate similar structural predictions are offered by each of the three contingency variables. The roles of measurement, unit and level of analysis, variable and effect independence, and variable dominance in research inconsistencies and future research directions are considered.
Employee Creativity: The Role of Leadership

The article focuses on a research by Pamela Tierney, Steven Farmer, and George Graen on the role of leadership in employee creativity. Their research found that employee characteristics, supervisor characteristics, and the relationship between employees and their supervisors plays a significant role in determining the level of creative performance of employees. The study revealed some interesting associations between employee personal characteristics, leader-employee relationships, and creative performance. They found that employees higher in innovative cognitive style and intrinsic motivation often had higher creativity ratings than those who were lower in these characteristics.
Transferable intermolecular potentials for carboxylic acids and their phase behavior

Transferable step potentials are characterized for 39 carboxylic acids. The reference potential is treated with discontinuous molecular dynamics, including detailed molecular structure. Thermodynamic perturbation theory is used to interpret the simulation results and to provide an efficient basis for molecular modeling and characterization of the attractive forces. Four steps are used for representation of the attractive forces with only the first and last steps varied independently. The two middle steps are interpolated such that each site type is characterized by three parameters: the diameter, σ, the depth of the inner well, e1, and the depth of the outer well, e4. The depths of the attractive wells are optimized to fit experimental vapor pressure and liquid density data. Generally, the vapor pressure is correlated to an overall 43% average absolute deviation (% AAD) and the liquid density to 5% AAD. The deviations tend to be largest for the higher molecular weight acids. These deviations are larger than the errors previously encountered in characterizing organic compounds, but carboxylic acids present exceptional challenges owing to their peculiar dimerization behavior. Simultaneous correlation of vapor pressure, vapor compressibility factor, and phase equilibria of water + carboxylic acids place several constraints on the nature of the potential model, with the parameters of the present model representing a reasonable tradeoff. In other words, our model represents minimal deviations for vapor pressure, vapor compressibility factor, and phase equilibria of all acids simultaneously while varying the parameters σ, e1, e4, eCC(dimerizing site bonding energy), eAD(acceptor-donor bonding energy), and KHB(hydrogen bonding volume) for the acid O and OH site types. The present model is characterized by one acceptor and one dimerizing site on the carbonyl oxygen and one acceptor and one donor site on the hydroxyl oxygen. The acceptor and donor are capable of interacting with water while the dimerizing site is not. With this model, the saturated vapor compressibility factor of acids with seven or fewer carbons is near 0.5 while higher carbon ratios lead to a compressibility factor approaching 1.0. To compensate for the high vapor pressure deviations of the transferable potential model, a correction is introduced to customize the molecule-molecule self interaction energy. This adaptation results in deviations of 3.1% for vapor pressure of the pure acid database. To validate the behavior of the model for carboxylic acids in mixtures, 33 binary solutions were considered. Acids in this database ranged from formic to hexadecanoic. The average absolute deviation in bubble pressure for aqueous acid systems is 4.4%, 10.5% for acid + acid systems, and 4.7% for acid + n-alkane systems without a customized interaction correction. When applying the correction, deviations were 2.4% for aqueous systems, 2% for acid systems, and 2.8% for acid + n-alkane systems. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010
The Geographic Distribution of Rhagoletis pomonella (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the Western United States: Introduced Species or Native Population?

ABSTBACT The apple maggot fly, Rhagoletis pomonella Walsh (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a major pest of commercially grown domesticated apple (Malus domestica Borkhausen) in North America. The shift of the fly from its native host hawthorn (Crataegus mollis) to apple in the eastern United States is often cited as an example of incipient sympatric speciation in action. However, R. pomonella is also present in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States where it infests apple, native black hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii), and introduced English ornamental hawthorn (C. monogyna). It is believed that R. pomonella was introduced to the Portland, OR, area via larval-infested apples from the east. The fly subsequently spread through the region, shifting onto black hawthorn and ornamental hawthorn as additional hosts as it spread. It is also possible, however, that R. pomonella is native to black hawthorn in the Pacific Northwest and switched to infest apple and ornamental hawthorn after the introduction of the...
A neuro-fuzzy-based on-line efficiency optimization control of a stator flux-oriented direct vector-controlled induction motor drive

Fuzzy logic-based online efficiency optimization control has been described previously for an indirect vector-controlled induction motor drive. The purpose of this paper is to extend the same control to a stator flux-oriented electric vehicle induction motor drive and then implement the fuzzy controller by a dynamic back propagation neural network-based controller. The principal advantage of fuzzy control, i.e., fast convergence with adaptive step size of the control variable, is retained. The neural network adds the advantage of fast control implementation, either by a dedicated hardware chip or by digital signal processor (DSP)-based software.
‘X’-ing out enemies: Time magazine, visual discourse, and the war in Iraq:

This article examines Time magazine’s visual discourse in its coverage of Iraq War insurgent Abu Musab al-Zarqawi’s death. Time marked the event by using the same visual trope — a head crossed out ...
Paleoelevation records from lipid biomarkers: Application to the tropical Andes

New results from two novel lipid biomarker–based proxies help to constrain the late Cenozoic surface elevation history of the Eastern Cordillera in the tropical northern Andes of Colombia. Previous well-known studies have suggested rapid latest Miocene–Pliocene (6–3 Ma) uplift on the basis of an abrupt shift in pollen species assemblages within sedimentary basin fill of the elevated Bogota Plateau. From resampling of these original study localities, we provide a revised chronology based on magnetic polarity stratigraphy, and we evaluate paleotemperatures using the MBT′/CBT indices (methylation of branched tetraethers/cyclization of branched tetraethers) and hydrogen isotopic composition (δD) of leaf waxes as two independent proxies of past surface elevation. Reconstructed paleotemperatures from the MBT′/CBT proxy show a more gradual cooling trend from ca. 7.6 Ma to present, consistent with less than 1000 m of elevation gain since latest Miocene–Pliocene time and in agreement with geologic evidence for accelerated shortening and exhumation at this time. The leaf wax isotopic data, on the other hand, lack a systematic trend, potentially due to fractionation changes associated with uplift-induced turnover in floral populations. Such changes could obscure isotopic variations in meteoric water, suggesting that leaf-wax isotopic compositions may not provide a direct proxy for elevation in this particular situation involving uplift in a heterogeneous tropical environment. More promising in this case is the MBT′/CBT proxy, which may offer a suitable alternative to carbonate-based paleoelevation proxies in tropical regions where year-round high precipitation rates prevent formation of soil carbonates.
Delivering Food Safety, Food Quality, and Sustainable Production Practices: The Label Rouge Poultry System in France

evident. Aside from seeking cost efficiencies, the two motives most important in the formation and coordination of supply chains are (a) identifying and preserving quality traits and (b) controlling risks from adulteration and contamination. These two motives, and the consequent need for traceability, will become even more central to the development of supply chains once significant logistics and coordination costs are eliminated. Additionally, one can expect that some supply chains will also form around being "green"; environmental management, sustainability, and other production system attributes will be used to differentiate supply chains and their products from one another.
Marine biological production from in situ oxygen measurements on a profiling float in the subarctic Pacific Ocean

Evaluating the organic carbon flux from the surface ocean to the interior (the marine biological pump) is essential for predictions of ocean carbon cycle feedback to climate change. One approach for determining these fluxes is to measure the concentration of oxygen in the upper ocean over a seasonal cycle, calculate the net O2 flux using an upper ocean model, and then use a stoichiometric relationship between oxygen evolved and organic carbon produced. Applying this tracer in a variety of ocean areas over seasonal cycles requires accurate O2 measurements on autonomous vehicles. Here we demonstrate this approach using an O2 sensor on a profiling float that is periodically calibrated against atmospheric pO2. Using accurate data and a model that includes all physical and biological processes influencing oxygen, we determine an annual net community production of 0.7 ± 0.5 mol C m−2 yr−1 in the northeast Pacific Ocean (50°N, 145°W) from June 2012 to June 2013. There is a strong seasonal cycle in net biological oxygen production with wintertime fluxes caused by bubble processes critical to determining the annual flux. Approximately 50% of net autotrophic production during summer months is consumed by net respiration during the winter. The result is a biological pump in the subarctic Pacific Ocean that is less than that determined by similar methods in the subtropics to the south. This estimate is significantly lower than that predicted by satellite remote sensing and global circulation models.
Reflex association of feeding and defecation in young birds. (Troglodytes Aedon).

In connection with the problem of visceral reflexes, it is of interest to record an observation on young house wrens (Troglodytes aedon). A brood of six nestlings ranging in age from three to six days was orphaned, and for several hours were fed insects and worms by means of small forceps.When disturbed, the young bird, if hungry, extended the head and opened its beak. As soon as a morsel of food was swallowed, the bird became very active, scrambling and jostling until it had pushed its head down toward the center of the nest and elevated the anus just over the edge of the nest, in which position defecation always occurred. At once the bird became quiet and could not be induced to take food again for a period of from one and one-half to three minutes. Defecation in this position always followed the taking of food.Ornithologists have long known that in many species the parent birds carried away excreta after every trip to a nest with food. A parent wren was observed to repeat this operation on an average o...
Predation of Range Caterpillar, Hemileuca oliviae (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) at Various Stages of Development by Different Species of Rodents in New Mexico During 1980

The hypothesis that differences in woodland and grassland rodent fauna were responsible for the absence of range caterpillar, Hemileuca oliviae Cockerell, in woodlands adjacent to infested grasslands was tested by field and laboratory experiments. There was little predation by any species on range caterpillar larvae. Three species exhibited active predation on eggs and pupae. Two of these species, Peromyscus maniculatus (Wagner) and Onychomys leucogaster (Wied-Neuwied), were found in grasslands inhabited by the range caterpillar. The third species, Peromyscus truei (Schufelt), was common in woodlands and showed particularly avid predation of range caterpillar pupae. The greater density and predation rate of this species over the grassland species was probably an important factor limiting the survival of range caterpillar in woodlands even when favorable host plants were present.
Treatment options for patients with kidney failure.

Nurses need to help patients with chronic kidney disease make informed decisions about future interventions.Keywordschronic kidney disease, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, continuous cycler-assisted peritoneal dialysis, dialysis, end-stage renal disease, hemodialysis, kidney failure, kidn
Confined-but-Connected Quantum Solids via Controlled Ligand Displacement

Confined-but-connected quantum dot solids (QDS) combine the advantages of tunable, quantum-confined energy levels with efficient charge transport through enhanced electronic interdot coupling. We report the fabrication of QDS by treating self-assembled films of colloidal PbSe quantum dots with polar nonsolvents. Treatment with dimethylformamide balances the rates of self-assembly and ligand displacement to yield confined-but-connected QDS structures with cubic ordering and quasi-epitaxial interdot connections through facets of neighboring dots. The QDS structure was analyzed by a combination of transmission electron microscopy and wide-angle and small-angle X-ray scattering. Excitonic absorption signatures in optical spectroscopy confirm that quantum confinement is preserved. Transport measurements show significantly enhanced conductivity in treated films.
Topography-based surface tension gradients to facilitate water droplet movement on laser-etched copper substrates.

This paper describes a method for creating a topography-based gradient on a metallic surface to help mitigate problems associated with condensate retention. The gradient was designed to promote water droplet migration toward a specified region on the surface which would serve as the primary conduit for drainage using only the roughness of the surface to facilitate the movement of the droplets. In this work, parallel microchannels having a fixed land width but variable spacing were etched into copper substrates to create a surface tension gradient along the surface of the copper. The surfaces were fabricated using a 355 nm Nd:YVO4 laser system and then characterized using spray testing techniques and water droplet (2–10 μL) injection via microsyringe. The distances that individual droplets traveled on the gradient surface were also measured using a goniometer and CCD camera and were found to be between 0.5 and 1.5 mm for surfaces in a horizontal orientation. Droplet movement was spontaneous and did not req...
Effect of Fluid Viscosity on the Sensitivity of Reservoir Rock Flowing Velocity

The sensitivity of fluid velocity of reservoir rock is a basis of rational development of hydrocarbon reservoirs. The flow velocity sensitivity of reservoir rock of different consolidation strength and different porosity is studied by using standard brine water, neutral kerosene, refined oil of different viscosities as a flowing medium. The result shows that with the increase of fluid viscosity, the critical speed of the reservoir rock of middle and low permeability and medium and strong consolidation decrease , thus the critical speed of a weak consolidation and high permeability reservoir rock and its velocity sensitivity damage level increase.
Intraoperative Care of Patients at Risk of Neurologic Injury

The pathophysiology of disease states that place the patient at risk are reviewed and specific management schemes are developed. Additionally, anesthetic drugs and adjuvants are discussed with regard to their use in patients at risk of neurologic injury.
Nonparametric dynamic screening system for monitoring correlated longitudinal data

ABSTRACTIn many applications, including the early detection and prevention of diseases and performance evaluation of airplanes and other durable products, we need to sequentially monitor the longitudinal pattern of certain performance variables of a subject. A signal should be given as soon as possible after the pattern has become abnormal. Recently, a new statistical method, called a dynamic screening system (DySS), was proposed to solve this problem. It is a combination of longitudinal data analysis and statistical process control. However, the current DySS method can only handle cases where the observations are normally distributed and within-subject observations are independent or follow a specific time series model (e.g., AR(1) model). In this article, we propose a new nonparametric DySS method that can handle cases where the observation distribution and the correlation among within-subject observations are arbitrary. Therefore, it significantly broadens the application area of the DySS method. Numer...
A local basal area adjustment for crown width prediction

Nonlinear crown width regression equations were developed for 24 species common to the upper Luke States of Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Of the species surveyed, 15produced statistically significant (P < 0.05) local basal area efSect coeflcients showing a reduction in crown width with increasing stand density. No relation between shade tolerance and crown width was apparent, indicating the speciesdependence of this parameter. Using adjusted R2 as a guide, nonlinear crown width models adaptedfor local basal area (NLCW& improvedpredictionfor20 24 species over a model lacking this component (NLCW). The ecological~significance of the improvement shown for some species may be minor, but for others the difference was kubstantial (often 8%). North. J. Appl. For 18(1):22-28.
Decreasing Stress in the Master's Level Nursing Student: A Stress Management Education Session

Stress in the nursing professional and in nursing students is well documented in the literature. However, the extent to which it occurs and the means of coping with stress vary. Family responsibilities, finances, and academia have been identified as main stressors for graduate school nurses. It is important to establish coping mechanisms that address the two hemispheres of stress, due to the physiological and psychological effects on the body. The purpose of this study was to develop a stress management education session for Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) students enrolled in their initial clinical rotation at Rhode Island College (RIC). The education session consisted of a review of stress and coping methods, followed by the instruction of two stress management techniques: paced-breathing meditation (PBM) and relaxation/diaphragmatic breathing. A pre and post survey researcher developed method was utilized to evaluate the effects of the intervention on perceived stress levels. A convenience sample of six students participated in the intervention, course evaluation and pre-survey, and five students responded to the post-survey. The intervention did result in an overall mean reduction of PSS-10 scores of 2.2 points, indicating a decrease in perceived stress.
Site Principal Investigators in Multicenter Clinical Trials: Appropriately Recognizing Key Contributors.

The success or failure of multicenter clinical trials will remain dependent in large part on the engagement of the site principal investigator (PI). Site PIs play an important role in trial selection, site activation, and study execution, including the development and implementation of a strategy to maximize enrollment, optimize data quality, and ensure patient retention. It is notable that the legal, regulatory, financial, and workload burden for site PIs has grown considerably over time (Figure).1 In contrast, the benefits for serving as a site PI have become less evident. As a result, increasing dissatisfaction exists among physicians involved as site PIs in multicenter trials and there is less interest in trial participation. In this article, we outline current responsibilities and challenges faced by the site PI and propose new strategies to improve the engagement and recognition of site investigators moving forward. Figure. Legal and operational activities traditionally associated with site PIs1 and potential strategies to improve the engagement and recognition of site investigators. CME indicates continuing medical education; MOC, maintenance of certification; and PI, principal investigator. The roles and responsibilities of site PIs in a large clinical trial relative to those of the trial’s overall study leadership can be likened to the stage crew and principle actors in a theater production. The stage crew spends hours with set preparation and the logistics of production, which ultimately the actors will benefit from and receive recognition for. Similarly, the site PIs and their research team identify and recruit patients, conduct study procedures, complete necessary study documentation/reporting, and retain patients for outcomes assessments. However, the overall trial leadership most commonly reports the major trial results and receives national and international recognition. Specific examples of the workload of the clinical …
Geophysical expression of buried range-front embayment structure: Great Sand Dunes National Park, Rio Grande rift, Colorado

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (GRSA, Colorado) lies along the eastern margin of the San Luis Basin and the tectonically active Sangre de Cristo fault system that are part of the northern Rio Grande rift. GRSA lies within a prominent embayment in the range front where two separate sections of the Sangre de Cristo fault system intersect. Fault scarps are observed along both intersecting fault zones within older basin-fill alluvium, but have been obscured by the actively migrating dunefield. The dune sand is also strongly magnetic, locally limiting the usefulness of aeromagnetic methods for mapping concealed structure. This study uses airborne geophysical methods, primarily airborne gravity gradient data, along with constraints from geologic mapping and limited subsurface data and groundwater modeling, to interpret the subsurface basin geometry and range-front structure of the embayment. Using forward modeling of the gravity gradient data and locations of faults inferred from gravity gradient and aeromagnetic lineaments, several previously unrecognized tectonic elements are interpreted adjacent to the range front. Some of the largest rift-­related fault offsets are demonstrated to be basinward of the normal fault zones mapped at the surface along the range front of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, along faults concealed under the dunefield and subparallel to the two fault sections. A fault-bounded structural bench, likely composed of Proterozoic rocks, underlies most of the high dunefield at depths of 500 m to 1 km. The bench is truncated on its southwest margin by a northwest-trending, southwest-dipping normal fault. A northeast-trending, northwest-dipping normal fault with ∼600 m of estimated relief lies under the southern margin of the dunefield and bounds a structurally higher bench of Proterozoic rocks concealed at <400 m depth near the range front. The northwest- and northeast-trending geophysical lineaments generally correspond well with the trends of faults mapped at the surface, and with both pre- and syn-rift structures in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Aeromagnetic anomalies are explained by variations in the magnetization of pre-rift rocks, and the strongly magnetic dune sand.
AN INSTRUMENT TO MEASURE SPINAL RANGE OF MOTION

ABSTRACT Software and test administration procedures have been developed to determine lumbar spine range of motion with a three dimensional coordinate digitizer, previously developed in our laboratory. It consists of a mechanical arm with four segments joined together by instrumented hinge-type joints. The tip of the arm can be moved easily to any point on the surface of the spinal column and a minicomputer calculates the xyz-coordinates. With the new technique, measurements are taken at the S1-L5 and L1-T12 sections of the spine when the subject is in fully flexed and fully extended positions. Full lumbar range of motion is evaluated by subtracting the total angular movement of the S1-L5 area from the total movement of the L1-T12 area. Comparisons between computer-assisted and conventional goniometer measurements were done. Test-retest reliability for lumbar spine range of motion in 10 males 20–25 years old was good for instrumented (r>0.81) as well as manual (r>0.85) goniometers. The correlation coeffient between instrumented and manual goniometer measurements is r>0.79. These values compare favorably with those reported elsewhere.
Mechanism of precipitation in a Cu-2.5 pct fe alloy

The precipitation process in a Cu-2.5 pct Fe alloy was studied experimentally by means of X-ray diffraction and hardness measurements and light and electron microscopic observations. It was concluded that γ-Fe and α-Fe precipitate simultaneously, γ-Fe dominating in the early stages. During later stages, the particles of γ-Fe dissolve, providing the copper lattice with iron atoms which diffuse to the more stable α-Fe particles. The α-Fe particles continue to grow until all evidence of the γ-Fe is gone.
Epistemological closed questions: A reply to Greco

ABSTRACT According to G.E. Moore’s ‘Open Question’ argument (OQA), moral facts cannot be reduced or analyzed in non-normative natural terms. Does the OQA apply equally in the epistemic domain? Does Moore’s argument have the same force against reductionist accounts of epistemic facts and concepts? In a recent article, Daniel Greco has argued that it does. According to Greco (2015), an epistemological version of the OQA is just as promising as its moral cousin, because the relevant questions in epistemology are just as ‘open’ as those in ethics. In this paper, I offer a two-part reply to Greco. First, I argue that his argument in favor of the openness of epistemology is not persuasive. Second, I offer a case against the openness of epistemology. Unlike claims linking natural and moral properties, claims linking natural and epistemological properties do give rise to closed questions. An epistemological OQA is therefore not as promising as its moral cousin.
Addition of doxycycline to ciprofloxacin for infection prophylaxis during autologous stem cell transplants for multiple myeloma

The most commonly used antibacterial prophylaxis during autologous stem cell transplants (ASCT) for multiple myeloma (MM) involves a fluoroquinolone, such as ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin. We assessed the impact of adding doxycycline to ciprofloxacin as routine antibacterial prophylaxis in these patients. We retrospectively reviewed electronic medical records and our ASCT database to analyze rates and types of bacterial infections in MM patients who underwent ASCT in our institution. Among 419 patients, 118 received ciprofloxacin alone (cipro group), and 301 ciprofloxacin and doxycycline (cipro-doxy group). Neutropenic fever (NF) developed in 63 (53%) and 108 (36%) patients of the cipro and cipro-doxy groups, respectively (p = 0.010). The number of documented bacteremic episodes was 13 (11%) and 14 (4.7%) in the two groups, respectively (p = 0.017). Antimicrobial resistance and Clostridium difficile infections were uncommon. Transplant-related mortality was 1% in both groups. The addition of doxycycline to standard prophylaxis with ciprofloxacin seems to reduce the number of NF episodes and documented bacterial infections in patients with MM undergoing ASCT, without increasing rate of serious complications.
The E3 ubiquitin ligase Triad1 influences development of Mll-Ell-induced acute myeloid leukemia

Chromosomal translocations involving the MLL1 gene characterize a poor prognosis subset of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), referred to as 11q23-AML. Transcription of the HOXA9 and HOXA10 genes is enhanced in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in these leukemias. We previously found the ARIH2 gene was repressed by HoxA9 in myeloid progenitors, but activated by HoxA10 during granulopoiesis. ARIH2 encodes the Triad1 protein, an anti-proliferative E3 ubiquitin ligase. In the current study, we investigate the role of Triad1 in leukemogenesis induced by an MLL1 fusion protein (Mll-Ell). We found Mll-Ell increased expression of HoxA9, HoxA10, and Triad1 because HoxA9 represses only one of two ARIH2 cis elements that are activated by HoxA10. Although Triad1 antagonized the generally pro-proliferative effects of the Mll-Ell oncoprotein, we found blocking HoxA9 and HoxA10 phosphorylation shifted the balance to ARIH2 repression in Mll-Ell+ cells. We investigated the significance of these in vitro results in a murine bone marrow transplant model. We found Triad1 knockdown significantly shortened the latency to development of AML in mice transplanted with Mll-Ell-transduced bone marrow. And, Triad1 expression fell during the prolonged AML latency period in mice transplanted with bone marrow expressing Mll-Ell alone. Our studies identify Triad1 as a leukemia suppressor in 11q23-AML. This suggests defining relevant Triad1 substrates may indicate novel therapeutic targets in this disease.
Growth in Speechmaking

O’Brien explains how presidential administrations have given more and more public speeches out of Washington, DC in the last 70 years. Many early administrations would only travel outside of the DC area on midterm and reelection years. However, in the last 30 or so years, these speeches have become far more common though cyclical patterns generally remain with presidents focusing more attention when election contests are imminent. These public speeches outside of Washington, DC also can function as the canary in the coalmine for diagnosing troubled administrations. Second-term Nixon largely abandoned speechmaking. Second-term George W. Bush stopping giving campaigning speeches after midterms. However, the large overall increases in public speechmaking outside of DC makes permanent campaigning look increasingly evident.
Immune Dysfunction in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are complex and heterogeneous with a spectrum of diverse symptoms. Current estimates suggest that ASD affects approximately 1% of children and is a major public health issue. Despite decades of research, little is known about factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of the disorder, although both genetic and environmental factors have been implicated. A number of published findings have identified numerous immune abnormalities in subjects with ASD and their families, both at the systemic and cellular levels. In addition, genetic studies have also uncovered a number of candidate genes that link immune function with ASD. Collectively these findings point to a pivotal role for immune-dysregulation in the pathogenesis of ASD. A better understanding of the involvement of the immune response on early brain development and how this is altered in ASD will have important therapeutic implications.
Why Health Professionals Should Speak Out Against False Beliefs on the Internet

Broad dissemination and consumption of false or misleading health information, amplified by the internet, poses risks to public health and problems for both the health care enterprise and the government. In this article, we review government power for, and constitutional limits on, regulating health-related speech, particularly on the internet. We suggest that government regulation can only partially address false or misleading health information dissemination. Drawing on the American Medical Association's Code of Medical Ethics, we argue that health care professionals have responsibilities to convey truthful information to patients, peers, and communities. Finally, we suggest that all health care professionals have essential roles in helping patients and fellow citizens obtain reliable, evidence-based health information.
Biology and targeting of the Jumonji-domain histone demethylase family in childhood neoplasia: a preclinical overview

INTRODUCTION Epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulatory control play fundamental roles in developmental morphogenesis, and, as more recently appreciated, are heavily implicated in the onset and progression of neoplastic disease, including cancer. Many epigenetic mechanisms are therapeutically targetable, providing additional incentive for understanding of their contribution to cancer and other types of neoplasia. Areas covered: The Jumonji-domain histone demethylase (JHDM) family exemplifies many of the above traits. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of the functions and pharmacologic targeting of JHDMs in cancer and other neoplastic processes, with an emphasis on diseases affecting the pediatric population. Expert opinion: To date, the JHDM family has largely been studied in the context of normal development and adult cancers. In contrast, comparatively few studies have addressed JHDM biology in cancer and other neoplastic diseases of childhood, especially solid (non-hematopoietic) neoplasms. Encouragingly, the few available examples support important roles for JHDMs in pediatric neoplasia, as well as potential roles for JHDM pharmacologic inhibition in disease management. Further investigations of JHDMs in cancer and other types of neoplasia of childhood can be expected to both enlighten disease biology and inform new approaches to improve disease outcomes.
Contour Variability in Thyroid Eye Disease with Compressive Optic Neuropathy Treated with Radiation Therapy.

Abstract Purpose Few studies have evaluated the methodology by which radiation therapy (RT) for thyroid eye disease and compressive optic neuropathy is performed. The objective of this study was to retrospectively review our experience from a radiation planning standpoint and to determine whether current treatment methods provide adequate dose to target and collateral structures. Methods A retrospective review of 52 patients (104 orbits) with bilateral thyroid eye disease and compressive optic neuropathy treated with RT (20 Gy in 10 fractions) at our institution. RT plans were analyzed for target volumes and doses. Visual fields, color plates, and visual acuity were assessed pretreatment and at last available follow-up post RT. A standardized, anatomic contour of the retro-orbital space was applied to these retrospective plans to determine dose to the entire space, rather than the self-selected target structure. Results Compared with the anatomic retro-orbital space, the original contour overlapped by only 68%. Maximum and mean dose was 2134 cGy and 1910 cGy to the anatomic retro-orbital space. Consequently, 39.8% of the orbits had a mean dose 21 Gy 5%). There was no significant association of improvement in color plates (P = .07), visual fields (P = .77), and visual acuity (P = .62), based on these dose differences. When beam placement was retrospectively adjusted to include a space of 0.5 cm between the lens and the anterior beam edge, there was a 39.4% and 20.3% decrease in max and mean dose to the lens. Conclusions Without a standardized protocol for contouring in thyroid eye disease, target delineation was found to be rather varied, even among the same practitioner. Differences in dose to the anatomic retro-orbital space did not affect outcomes in the follow-up period. Although precise contouring of the retro-orbital space may be of little clinical consequence overall, a >0.5 cm space from the lens may significantly reduce or delay cataractogenesis.
Combining Statistical Shape Model and Principal Component Analysis to Estimate Left Ventricular Volume and Ejection Fraction.

Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) assessment is instrumental for cardiac health diagnosis, patient management, and patient eligibility for participation in clinical studies. Due to its non-invasiveness and low operational cost, ultrasound (US) imaging is the most commonly used imaging modality to image the heart and assess LVEF. Even though 3D US imaging technology is becoming more available, cardiologists dominantly use 2D US imaging to visualize the LV blood pool and interpret its area changes between end-systole and end-diastole. Our previous work showed that LVEF estimates based on area changes are significantly lower than the true volume-based estimates by as much as 13%,1 which could lead to unnecessary and costly therapeutic decisions. Acquiring volumetric information about the LV blood pool necessitates either time-consuming 3D reconstruction or 3D US image acquisition. Here, we propose a method that leverages on a statistical shape model (SSM) constructed from 13 landmarks depicting the LV endocardial border to estimate a new patient’s LV volume and LVEF. Two methods to estimate the 3D LV geometry with and without size normalization were employed. The SSM was built using the 13 landmarks from 50 training patient image datasets. Subsequently, the Mahalanobis distance (with size normalization) or the vector distance (without size normalization) between an incoming patient’s LV landmarks and each shape in the SSM were used to determine the weights each training patient contributed to describing the new, incoming patient’s LV geometry and associated blood pool volume. We tested the pro- posed method to estimate the LV volumes and LVEF for 16 new test patients. The estimated LVEFs based on Mahalanobis distance and vector distance were within 2.9% and 1.1%, respectively, of the ground truth LVEFs calculated from the 3D reconstructed LV volumes. Furthermore, the viability of using fewer principal components (PCs) to estimate the LV volume was explored by reducing the number of PCs retained when projecting landmarks onto PCA space. LVEF estimated based on 3 PCs, 5 PCs, and 10 PCs are within 6.6%, 5.4%, and 3.3%, respectively, of LVEF estimates using the full set of 39 PCs.
Pricing (and Bidding) Strategies for Delay Differentiated Cloud Services

We consider a cloud provider that seeks to maximize its revenue by offering services with different trade-offs between cost and timeliness of job completion. Spot instances and preemptible instances are examples of such services, with, in both cases, possible service interruptions delaying a job’s completion. Our focus is on exploiting heterogeneity across jobs in terms of value and sensitivity to execution delay, with a joint distribution that determines their relationship across the user population. We characterize optimal (revenue maximizing) pricing strategies and, in the case of spot instances, optimal bidding strategies as well as identify conditions under which bidding at a fixed price is optimal. We show that correlation between delay sensitivity and job value needs to exceed a certain threshold for a service offering that differentiates based on speed of execution to be beneficial to the provider. We further assess the results’ robustness under more general assumptions, and we offer guidelines for users and providers.
Critical Illness and the Frailty Syndrome: Mechanisms and Potential Therapeutic Targets

Frailty is a syndrome characterized by decreased reserves across multiple physiologic systems resulting in functional limitations and vulnerability to new stressors. Physical frailty develops over years in community-dwelling older adults but presents or worsens within days in the intensive care unit (ICU) because common mechanisms governing age-related physical frailty are often exacerbated by critical illness. The hallmark of physical frailty is a combined loss of muscle mass, force, and endurance. About one-third of ICU patients have frailty before hospitalization, which increases their risk for both short- and long-term disability and mortality. While there are several valid ways to measure clinical frailty in patients before or after an ICU admission, the mechanistic underpinnings of frailty in critically ill patients and ICU survivors have not been thoroughly investigated. Furthermore, therapeutic interventions to treat frailty during and after time in the ICU are lacking. In this narrative review, we examine studies that identify potential biological mechanisms underlying the development and propagation of physical frailty in both aging and critical illness (eg, inflammation, mitochondrial myopathy, and neuroendocrinopathy). We discuss specific aspects of these frailty mechanisms in older adults, critically ill patients, and ICU survivors that may represent therapeutic targets. Consistent with complexity underlying frailty, this syndrome is unlikely to result from an excess of a single harmful mediator or deficit of a single protective mediator. Rather, frailty occurs in the presence of an incompletely understood state of multisystem dysregulation. We further describe knowledge gaps that warrant clinical and translational research in frailty and critical care with an overall goal of developing effective frailty treatments in critically ill patients and ICU survivors.