cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coronary artery disease progression in patients without significant stenosis on coronary computed tomographic angiography

Abstract Background Patients who present to the emergency department (ED) with symptoms of potential acute coronary syndrome (ACS) can be safely discharged home after a coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) with a negative result. However, the duration of time for which a negative coronary CTA scan result can be used to inform decision making when patients have recurrent symptoms is not known. Objective We examined patients who received more than 1 coronary CTA for evaluation of ACS to determine whether they had disease progression. Our main outcome was whether any patient had a maximal stenosis cross the threshold from noncritical ( Methods We performed a structured comprehensive record search of all coronary CTAs performed from 2005 to 2010 at a tertiary care health system. Low-to-intermediate risk ED patients who received 2 or more coronary CTAs, at least 1 from an ED evaluation for potential ACS, were identified. Patients who were revascularized between scans were excluded. We collected demographic data, clinical course, time between scans, and number of ED visits between scans. Record review was structured and done by trained abstractors. Our main outcome was progression of coronary stenosis between scans, specifically crossing the threshold from noncritical to potentially critical disease. Results Overall, 32 patients who received repeat imaging were identified (median age, 45 years; interquartile range, 37.5-48; 56% female; 88% black). The median time between studies was 27.3 months (interquartile range, 18.2-33.2). Twenty-two patients did not have stenosis in any vessel on either coronary CTA, 2 studies showed increasing stenosis of less than 20%, and the rest showed "improvement" due to better imaging quality. No patient initially below the 50% threshold subsequently exceeded it (0%; 95% confidence interval, 0-11.0%). No patient had acute myocardial infarction or revascularization either between scans or within a year after the repeated imaging. Conclusion Repeated imaging potentially may not be warranted within 2 years of a negative coronary CTA result. The low rate of progression from subcritical to critical disease is consistent with observations in patients who have had prior negative cardiac catheterizations.
A multisubstrate Ca2+ and cyclic nucleotide independent kinase from vascular smooth muscle: Modulation of activity by polycations

Abstract A multisubstrate Ca2+ and cyclic nucleotide independent kinase (Mr = 47,000) was purified from bovine aortic smooth muscle. Phosphorylation of glycogen synthase by this enzyme was polycation modulable. Low concentrations of polylysine (0.04–0.16 μM) stimulated phosphorylation 2–7 fold, whereas higher concentrations suppressed phosphorylation. Glycogen synthase converted to its glucose 6-PO4 dependent form following phosphorylation in either the presence (7 mol 32P/mol synthase) or absence (4 mol 32P/mol synthase) of polylysine: extent of conversion correlated to extent of phosphorylation. Seven of 14 potential substrates tested were phosphorylated: kinase activity was greatest for phosvitin followed by casein, the receptor protein from type 2 cAMP-kinase, histone H2b, phosphorylase kinase, glycogen synthase, and myocardial myosin light chains. Phosphorylation of phosvitin or synthase was inhibited by heparin ( 1 2 maximally by 0.5 μg/ml without salt and 37 μg/ml with 150 mM NaCl). The results suggest that the enzyme may participate in regulating arterial glycogen metabolism and that such regulation may be modulated by polycationic and polyanionic effectors.
Outcome and Utility of Scoring Systems in the Management of the Mangled Extremity

Background The role of scoring systems as predictors of amputation and functional outcome in severe blunt extremity trauma was examined. Methods: All severe extremity injuries treated over a 10-year period were scored retrospectively using four scoring systems: Mangled Extremity Syndrome Index (MESI), Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS), Predictive Salvage Index (PSI), and Limb Salvage Index (LSI). Results Twenty-three upper (UE) and 51 lower extremity (LE) injuries were evaluated. Sensitivity and specificity, respectively, were MESI 100% and 50%, MESS 79% and 83%, PSI 96% and 50%, and LSI 83% and 83%. For each system, there were no differences between patients with good and poor functional outcomes. Conclusion All of the scoring systems were able to identify the majority of patients who required amputation. However, prediction in individual patients was problematic. None of the scoring systems were able to predict functional outcome.
Reconciling disparate twentieth-century Indo-Pacific ocean temperature trends in the instrumental record

Accurately characterizing natural versus forced sea surface temperature variability in observations is needed to validate and verify climate models used for projections of future climate change. This study successfully resolves previous large discrepancies in estimated tropical Indo-Pacific twentieth-century trends between observationally based sea surface temperature reconstructions.
Enhancing Discovery of Web Services through Optimized Algorithms

This paper describes research in methods to discover Web Service Description Language (WSDL) documents. This work extends current discovery research through use of the Google Web service, UDDI category searching, and private registry querying with preliminary experiments resulting in 97% success. The goal is to find WSDL documents for a given domain name, parse the desired service document to obtain invocation formats, and automatically invoke the Web service. Contributions of this research will support enhancements of HTML-dependent search tools by providing access to data inaccessible through surface HTML interfaces.
Self-reported delinquency as an evaluation measure: Comparative Reliability and Validity of Alternative Weighting Schemes

The present research investigates the relative efficacy of several of the more prominent weighting schemes frequently noted in the delinquency literature. This article presents the initial methodology involved in the construction of a self-report instrument of delinquent behavior as well as the comparison of ten frequency and seriousness weighting schemes. Reliability was assessed through internal consistency and test-retest methodology. Validity was assessed through multitrait-multimethod analysis as well as by the relationship of the self-report data to official court and police data sets. Results reveal that the inclusion of weighting schemes did not strengthen the instrument or add to its applicability, suggesting that the more concise and efficient method of single categorical weights is a sufficiently powerful method of assessing self-reported estimates of delinquent behavior.
Microelectronic packaging for retinal prostheses

An innovative parylene-based high-density chip-level integrated interconnect (CL-I/sup 2/) packaging system for retinal implants id discussed. The implications of this CL-I/sup 2/ technology for retinal prosthesis packaging effort are far-reaching. This technology obviates the need for a technician to create electrical and mechanical connections one by one. Instead, the technology is limited only by standard photolithography and standard microfabrication techniques, providing the capability for a reduction of an order of magnitude or more in the center-to-center pad distances that can be accommodated in the process. High-density electrode arrays are thereby feasible, because the fabrication process places no limit on the number of output pads that can reasonably be connected to the array.
Cost of Female Intrasexual Aggression in Terms of Offspring Quality: A Cross‐Fostering Study

Growing evidence that female ornaments and armaments may be important for female reproductive success suggests that a reevaluation of the costs of these potentially sexually selected traits is also necessary. Here, I examine whether intrasexual aggression, a trait favored during direct female‐female competition for nesting sites in tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), is costly in terms of the quantity or quality of offspring. I compared measures of female aggressiveness to clutch size, and I also cross-fostered offspring just after hatching to explore a possible causal link between female aggression and nestling mass, an established proxy for offspring quality. High levels of aggression in females were not associated with the quantity of offspring, but instead more aggressive females had offspring of lower quality. While several causal factors appear to influence offspring quality, the mechanism most consistent with this cost of aggression is a trade-off between female aggression and aspects of maternal care. Site differences may create variation in how selection shapes female aggression, but the finding that more aggressive females had lower-quality control offspring indicates that this cost may work counter to selection favoring aggressive behavior in the context of competition over nestboxes.
Are Psychological Models of Adult Development Still Important for the Practice of Adult Education

This article examines the longstanding assertion that psychological models of adult development are useful for practitioners of adult education. Earlier andmore recent psychological models of adult development are described. A critique of these models provides evidence to seriously question their importance in adult education. Concerns over the practical implementation of the models, such as helping practitioners to better understand how adults change, are raised in order to stimulate debate on the subject.
Family dynamics in families with very low birth weight and full-term infants: a pilot study

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine differences in family health across six dimensions of functioning between families with a very low birth weight infant (VLBW) and families with a full-term infant. An epidemiologic model and Barnhill's (1979) system theory of healthy family dynamics provided the organizing framework for the study. Sixteen families with a VLBW infant and 25 families with a full-term infant were assessed for differences in family health across Barnhill's six dimensions. Independent t-tests showed no significant differences on the five dimensions of infant behavioral style. While a 2 x 3 MANOVA showed no significant differences on any of the measures by family, the Turkey HSD post hoc tests for main effect found significant differences related to the mothers' position within the family, Specifically, the position the mother maintains in the family significantly contributes to certain dimensions of family health.
Quality of Life Assessment versus Clinical Outcome Measures: An Example

The utility of quality of life assessments as a means of determining the cost effectiveness of a new therapeutic intervention cannot be overstated. Nonetheless, under certain circumstances such an approach may be misleading given the conditions under which the analysis was conducted and, more importantly, the intent of the original therapeutic trial. One example of such a situation involving the use of an intravenous immunoglobulin (IGIV) preparation (GAMMAGARD®, Baxter Healthcare, Glendale, CA) for the prophylaxis of infections in patients with either chronic lymphocytic leukemia or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-cell lymphoproliferative disease) is reported here. An initial multicenter, double blind, placebo-controlled trial of monthly injections of IGIV demonstrated a significant reduction in the incidence of bacterial infections, the goal of the study. On the other hand, a subsequent, independent review of the data concluded that IGIV might not result in improved quality or length of life.Since the origina...
Downregulation of Endothelial MicroRNA-200b Supports Cutaneous Wound Angiogenesis By Desilencing GATA Binding Protein 2 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2

Objective— MicroRNAs (miRs) regulate angiogenesis by posttranscriptional silencing of target genes. The significance of angiostatic miR-200b in switching on skin wound angiogenesis was tested. Methods and Results— Wounding caused imminent and transient downregulation of miR-200b in dermal wound-edge endothelial cells. Derailing this injury response by lentiviral delivery of miR-200b in vivo impaired wound angiogenesis. Computational prediction, target reporter luciferase assay, and Western blot analysis provided first evidence that miR-200b targets globin transcription factor binding protein 2 (GATA2) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2). Overexpression of GATA2 or VEGFR2 in endothelial cells rescued the angiostatic effect of miR-200b in vitro. Downregulation of miR-200b derepressed GATA2 and VEGFR2 expression to switch on wound angiogenesis, which was disrupted in diabetic wounds. Treatment of endothelial cells with tumor necrosis factor-α, a proinflammatory cytokine abundant in diabetic wounds, induced miR-200b expression, silenced GATA2 and VEGFR2, and suppressed angiogenesis. These outcomes were attenuated using anti-miR-200b strategy. Neutralization of tumor necrosis factor-α in the diabetic wounds improved wound angiogenesis and closure, which was accompanied by downregulation of miR-200b expression and desilencing of GATA2 and VEGFR2. Conclusion— Injury-induced repression of miR-200b turned on wound angiogenesis. In mice with diabetes mellitus,excessive tumor necrosis factor-α induced miR-200b blunting proangiogenic functions of GATA2 and VEGFR2.
Forecasting artificially-triggered avalanches in storm snow at a large ski area

Abstract At ski areas, a majority of avalanches fail in storm snow. Using thousands of observations from avalanche control work at Mammoth Mountain, CA, USA, a large coastal ski area, I analyzed important predictors of avalanche activity. New (24 h) precipitation increased avalanche activity, while changing temperatures and different wind patterns had no effect. If slopes remained undisturbed for one day after snowfall, the number and size of avalanches as well as the explosive yield (avalanches per shot) were all significantly reduced. I also examined a smaller dataset of Extended Column Test (ECT) results and their relation to avalanche activity. ECT propagation was a powerful predictor; days with ECTs that propagated had significantly more avalanches and larger sizes. Days with propagating ECTs also had significantly greater new snow amounts, with a threshold value of 0.29 m of new snow, very close to the 0.31 m threshold from Atwater's 10 factors. That new precipitation above a threshold causes greater avalanche activity is not a new finding; the new finding is that ECT propagation (versus non-propagation) also has a similar new snow threshold. Thus, I suggest that ECT propagation is an important tool to predict explosively-triggered avalanches in storm snow.
Recent trends in nanopores for biotechnology.

Nanopore technology employs a nanoscale hole in an insulating membrane to stochastically sense with high throughput individual biomolecules in solution. The generality of the nanopore detection principle and the ease of single-molecule detection suggest many potential applications of nanopores in biotechnology. Recent progress has been made with nanopore fabrication and sophistication, as well as with applications in DNA/protein mapping, biomolecular structure analysis, protein detection, and DNA sequencing. In addition, concepts for DNA sequencing devices have been suggested, and computational efforts have been made. The state of the nanopore field is maturing and given the right type of nanopore and operating conditions, nearly every application could revolutionize medicine in terms of speed, cost, and quality. In this review, we summarize progress in nanopores for biotechnological applications over the past 2–3 years.
Should Payroll Taxes Be Repealed

This article argues that serious consideration should be given to the repeal or payroll taxes, i.e., of FICA and SECA, and of the 3.8% tax on net investment income, and Social Security and Medicare benefits funded with personal income tax revenues. There is no sound reason not to do so, apart from politics, and repeal would focus Congress on the regressive structure of taxes imposed on labor income and eliminate the complexity (and distortion with respect to, e.g., the choice of entity to carry on a business) of three separate taxes.
Maximizing the Post-Approval Safety of Flibanserin: A Role for Regulators, Clinicians, and Patients

In August 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made the controversial decision to approve flibanserin (Addyi®) for women experiencing hypoactive sexual desire disorder. A number of factors contributed to disagreements regarding the FDA's decision, including the product's two prior failed FDA reviews, the unmet need of women with this disorder, extensive advocacy and politicization surrounding the product's relevance to women and sexual health, the potential for widespread off-label use, and the product's tenuous risk/benefit profile. Despite that, attention now shifts to maximizing the safe use of the product, including the optimal means to avoid numerous drug-drug interactions as well as the concomitant use of alcohol, both of which potentiate the risks of dizziness, hypotension, and syncope. Although the FDA has implemented a comprehensive Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies program to maximize the product's safe use, patients, clinicians, and regulators must exhibit heightened vigilance early in the product's post-market life.
Giant Spin Hall Effect and Switching Induced by Spin-Transfer Torque in a W / Co 40 Fe 40 B 20 / MgO Structure with Perpendicular Magnetic Anisotropy

Tomorrow's spintronic MRAM and logic processors could exploit the physics of the spin Hall effect for switching bits, but the materials engineering is challenging. The authors have realized robust perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) in a layered structure combining the elusive, metastable $\ensuremath{\beta}$ phase of tungsten and a ferromagnetic thin film. The large spin-orbit coupling in $\ensuremath{\beta}$-W yields, after suitable annealing, a very low critical current density for magnetization switching. The authors' structures furthermore are easily fabricated, making them even more technologically promising.
Interpretation at the Controller’s Edge: Designing Graphical User Interfaces for the Digital Publication of the Excavations at Gabii (Italy)

This paper discusses the authors’ approach to designing an interface for the Gabii Project’s digital volumes that attempts to fuse elements of traditional synthetic publications and site reports with rich digital datasets. Archaeology, and classical archaeology in particular, has long engaged with questions of the formation and lived experience of towns and cities. Such studies might draw on evidence of local topography, the arrangement of the built environment, and the placement of architectural details, monuments and inscriptions (e.g. Johnson and Millett 2012). Fundamental to the continued development of these studies is the growing body of evidence emerging from new excavations. Digital techniques for recording evidence “on the ground,” notably SFM (structure from motion aka close range photogrammetry) for the creation of detailed 3D models and for scene-level modeling in 3D have advanced rapidly in recent years. These parallel developments have opened the door for approaches to the study of the creation and experience of urban space driven by a combination of scene-level reconstruction models (van Roode et al. 2012, Paliou et al. 2011, Paliou 2013) explicitly combined with detailed SFM or scanning based 3D models representing stratigraphic evidence. It is essential to understand the subtle but crucial impact of the design of the user interface on the interpretation of these models. In this paper we focus on the impact of design choices for the user interface, and make connections between design choices and the broader discourse in archaeological theory surrounding the practice of the creation and consumption of archaeological knowledge. As a case in point we take the prototype interface being developed within the Gabii Project for the publication of the Tincu House. In discussing our own evolving practices in engagement with the archaeological record created at Gabii, we highlight some of the challenges of undertaking theoretically-situated user interface design, and their implications for the publication and study of archaeological materials.
Growth of Pt Particles on the Anatase TiO2 (101) Surface

Growth of Ptn (n ≤ 37) clusters on the defect-free TiO2 anatase (101) surface has been studied using ab initio pseudopotential calculations based on density functional theory. Several initial configurations for clusters of 1, 2, 7, 10, and 37 atoms were relaxed to determine the most stable structures. All final optimized structures are three dimensional, suggesting that formation of island-like particles is favored over planar monolayers, as verified experimentally using Pt atomic layer deposition and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. Diffusion barriers of a single Pt adatom on TiO2 were calculated to understand the mobility of Pt atoms on the TiO2 surface. Activation barriers of 0.86 and 1.41 eV were calculated for diffusion along the [010] and [101] directions, respectively, indicating that Pt atoms are relatively mobile along the [010] direction at moderate temperatures. The energy barriers for a Pt atom to escape from an 11- and a 37-atom Pt cluster on (101) anatase are predicted to b...
Diphosphine Isomerization and C−H and P−C Bond Cleavage Reactivity in the Triosmium Cluster Os3(CO)10(bpcd): Kinetic and Isotope Data for Reversible Ortho Metalation and X-ray Structures of the Bridging and Chelating Isomers of Os3(CO)10(bpcd) and the Benzyne-Substituted Cluster HOs3(CO)8(μ3-C6H4)[μ2,η1-PPhCC(PPh2)C(O)CH2C(O)]†

The coordination and reactivity of the diphosphine ligand 4,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)-4-cyclopentene-1,3-dione (bpcd) with Os3(CO)10(MeCN)2 (1) has been explored. The initial substitution product 1,2-Os3(CO)10(bpcd) (2b) undergoes a nondissociative, intramolecular isomerization to furnish the bpcd-chelated cluster 1,1-Os3(CO)10(bpcd) (2c) over the temperature range of 323−343 K. The isomerization reaction is unaffected by trapping ligands, yielding the activation parameters ΔH⧧ = 25.0(0.7) kcal/mol and ΔS⧧ = −2(2) eu. Thermolysis of 2c in refluxing toluene gives the hydrido cluster HOs3(CO)9[μ-(PPh2)CC{PPh(C6H4)}C(O)CH2C(O)] (3) and the benzyne cluster HOs3(CO)8(μ3-C6H4)[μ2,η1-PPhCC(PPh2)C(O)CH2C(O)] (4). Time−concentration profiles obtained from sealed-tube NMR experiments starting with either 2c or 3 suggest that both clusters are in equilibrium with the unsaturated cluster 1,1-Os3(CO)9(bpcd) and that the latter cluster serves as the precursor to the benzyne-substituted cluster 4. The product composition...
Dynamic program analysis based on partitioning and summarization

Traditional dynamic program analysis relies on exploring all possible paths of program execution. In reality, however , programs have a large number of, or even infinitely many, paths. Since it is not feasible to explore all paths, precise analysis is limited to simple cases. Concolic testing method combines symbolic analysis and concrete values of variables obtained by executing programs. Though it improves applicability of traditional approaches, concolic testing is still limited by the number of explorable paths. To address this problem, this paper proposed a method here based on executing partitions of a program and automatically generating summaries for those partitions. This method extends concolic testing, improving its perfor-mance and making it applicable to certain programs with unbounded paths.
Model simplification and loss of irreversibility

In this paper, we reveal a general relationship between model simplification and irreversibility based on the model of continuous-time Markov chains with time-scale separation. According to the topological structure of the fast process, we divide the states of the chain into the transient states and the recurrent states. We show that a two-time-scale chain can be simplified to a reduced chain in two different ways: removal of the transient states and aggregation of the recurrent states. Both the two operations will lead to a decrease in the entropy production rate and its adiabatic part and will keep its nonadiabatic part the same. This suggests that although model simplification can retain almost all the dynamic information of the chain, it will lose some thermodynamic information as a trade-off.
Interleukin-12 inhibits murine graft-versus-host disease

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a potent immunostimulatory cytokine and an inducer of type-1 T-helper cell activity and of cytotoxic T lymphocyte and natural killer cell function. We report here the paradoxical observation that a single injection of 4,900 IU of recombinant murine IL-12 inhibits acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in a fully major histocompatibility complex (MHC) plus multiple minor antigen-mismatched bone marrow transplantation (BMT) model (A/J-->B10). The protective effect was enhanced by administration of T-cell-depleted host-type BM cells, and complete donor-type lymphohematopoietic reconstitution was observed in most animals. Treatment with a protective course of IL-12 led to increased serum interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) levels as compared with those for GVHD controls at early time points, when IFN-gamma was produced predominantly by host-type natural killer cells, but led to almost complete inhibition of the later GVHD-associated increase in serum IFN-gamma levels, when IFN-gamma is produced predominantly by CD4+ T cells. Furthermore, IL-12 treatment was associated with marked alterations in the kinetics of donor T-cell expansion. Reductions in donor CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were observed in the spleen on day 4 post- BMT, but a marked increase in donor CD8+ cells was observed on day 7. Unlike broadly immunosuppressive methods for inhibiting GVHD, which are associated with loss of antileukemic effects, IL-12 has the potential to mediate antileukemic effects of its own; therefore, the GVHD- inhibitory effects of IL-12 described here suggest a potential application for this cytokine in clinical BMT.
Trends in gram-positive bloodstream organism resistance: a seven-year audit of five glycopeptides and other drugs at a large university hospital.

SummaryGram-positive pathogens (n = 525) isolated from blood-stream infections were tested by a reference broth microdilution method to establish antibiotic susceptibility trends (1985 to 1991). Cefazolin, ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, novobiocin, oxacillin, rifampin, teicoplanin, vancomycin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, daptomycin and two investigational glycopeptides (LY264826 and MDL62873) were investigated. Strains were selected without bias (first two isolates each month/species; no patient duplicates) as follows: 132 Staphylococcus aureus, 129 Staphylococcus epidermidis, 72 Staphylococcus haemolyticus, 130 Enterococcus faecalis and 62 other enterococci. All isolates were susceptible to vancomycin and teicoplanin except for Staphylococcus haemolyticus which had a resistant teicoplanin MIC90, of 64μg/mL. The susceptibilities to vancomycin and teicoplanin were unchanged over the monitored period. Daptomycin, LY264826 and MDL62873 also demonstrated consistent activity; MDL62873 being superior with a MIC9...
The subspecies ofHomo erectus

ClassifyingHomo erectus into subspecies can be based on either temporal or geographical differences, but there is no accepted system for using both. This can be done with subspecies names consisting of two elements — a prefix ofneo, meso, orpaleo to indicate grade, followed by a geographical term ofeuropus, africus, sinicus, orindicus to indicate line. Thus Rhodesian isHomo erectus neoafricus, Ngandong isHomo erectus neoindicus, Peking isHomo erectus mesosinicus, ER 3733 isHomo erectus paleoafricus, etc.
Pattern-Based Evaluation of Breast Core Needle Biopsies

This chapter discusses a pattern-based approach to evaluating breast core biopsies. This is an alternative method which can be particularly helpful in the core biopsy setting due to several challenges. First, the core biopsy yields a specimen consisting of multiple tissue cores which are often fragmented and of limited amount. Second, the specimen constitutes only a sampling of the entire lesion in many cases which may or may not contain the necessary diagnostic features. Lastly, even common and easily recognizable histologic findings may be misinterpreted due to the first two reasons. The major patterns discussed herein are small glandular proliferations, spindle cell proliferations, and cystically dominated lesions. In addition, unique traits of secretions and calcifications often associated with certain lesions seen in core biopsies will be reviewed.
Vehicle miles (not) traveled: Fuel economy requirements, vehicle characteristics, and household driving

Abstract A major concern with addressing the negative externalities of gasoline consumption by regulating fuel economy, rather than increasing fuel taxes, is that households respond by driving more. This paper exploits a discrete threshold in the eligibility for Cash for Clunkers to show that fuel economy restrictions lead households to purchase vehicles that have lower cost-per-mile, but are also smaller and lower-performance. Whereas the former effect can increase driving, the latter effect can reduce it. Results indicate that these households do not drive more, suggesting that behavioral responses do not necessarily undermine the effectiveness of fuel economy restrictions at reducing gasoline consumption.
Pennies for Milk: Using a First-Hand Descent Into Randomness to Illustrate the Risks of Regression to the Mean for Marketing Researchers and Managers

The authors describe the Pennies for Milk exercise, a participative classroom experience in which students generate a regression to the mean effect within the context of simulated household milk purchases. Regression to the mean is a ubiquitous threat for marketing researchers and managers but is often hard for students to understand. The Pennies for Milk exercise provides students with an intuitive understanding of regression to the mean and gives instructors a segue to discuss marketplace phenomena likely to be governed by such effects. Details for implementing the exercise are provided, as is a summary of key instructional foci.
A novel functional gene associated with cold tolerance at the seedling stage in rice

Identification and cloning of cold-tolerant genes that can stably express under different cold environments are crucial for molecular rice breeding for cold tolerance. In the previous study, we identified a cold-tolerant QTL at the seedling stage, qCTS-9 which could be detected under different cold environments using a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from a cold-tolerant variety Lijiangxintuanheigu (LTH) and a cold-sensitive variety Shanhuangzhan 2 (SHZ-2). In this study, eight candidate genes within the qCTS-9 interval were identified through integrated analysis of QTL mapping with genomewide differential expression profiling of LTH. The qRT-PCR assay showed that only Os09g0410300 exhibited different expression patterns between LTH and SHZ-2 during cold stress, and significantly positive correlation was found between cold induction of Os09g0410300 and seedling cold tolerance in the RI lines. Five SNPs and one InDel in the promoters of Os09g0410300 were detected between LTH and SHZ-2, and the InDel marker ID410300 designed based on the insertion-deletion polymorphism in the promoter was significantly associated with seedling cold tolerance in RIL population. Further, Os09g0410300 over-expression plants exhibited enhanced cold tolerance at the seedling stage compared with the wild-type plants. Thus, our results suggest that Os09g0410300 is the functional gene underlying qCTS-9. To our knowledge, it is a novel gene contributed to enhance cold tolerance at the seedling stage in rice. Identification of the functional gene underlying qCTS-9 and development of the gene-specific marker will facilitate molecular breeding for cold tolerance at the seedling stage in rice through transgenic approach and marker-assisted selection (MAS).
Safety and Value of Bronchoalveolar Lavage and Lung Biopsy in Children with Leukemia: A Single Institution Experience.

Abstract Abstract 2153 Patients with hematological malignancies are at risk of developing life threatening opportunistic pulmonary infections. The value of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and lung biopsy (BX) in the management of these patients is debatable. While some believe these procedures are relatively safe and often provide valuable information that can guide management in these patients, others question the benefit of the procedures or are concerned about the potential complications of the procedures. We reviewed the St Jude experience with bronchoalveolar lavage and lung biopsy in children with leukemia to assess the benefit and safety of these 2 procedures. Review of medical records from January 1, 1997 through December 31, 2007 identified 183 potential episodes of BAL or BX in patients with leukemia who were younger than 22 years at time of procedure. In 30 patients who had multiple procedures, only the initial procedure was included. A total of 64 patients were included, 36 (56.3%) of which had lung biopsy and 28 (43.7%) who had BAL. (See Table 1 for Demographics). There was a trend of better yield with BAL as compared to BX (67% versus 44%, p=0.079). Better BAL yield was observed in: males versus females (88% versus 42%, p=0.017), ALL versus AML (79% versus 44%, p=0.097), non-neutropenic versus neutropenic children (90% versus 56%, p=0.098). Both procedures resulted in change in antimicrobial coverage (78% in lung biopsy, 89% in BAL). Although both procedures were relatively safe, patients with BX had more complications as compared to BAL. Bx resulted in new oxygen need in 4 patients, increased oxygen need in 1 patient, intubation in 2 patients, and bleeding in 1 patient. BAL resulted in new oxygen need in 2 patients and increase in need in 7 patients, but no intubation or bleeding was related to this procedure. In summary, BAL and BX have a reasonable safety profile and contributed to the management of pulmonary infections in children with leukemia. Compared to BX, BAL was associated with higher yields and less complications. Table 1 . Demographics Variable BAL (28) BX (36) Sex M/F 16/12 19/17 Mean Age 11 years 11 years ALL patients 19 12 AML patients 9 24 Neutropenia (ANC≤500) 18 21 Intubated prior to procedure 13 4 Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Analysis of GMO food products companies: financial risks and opportunities in the global agriculture industry

One of the biggest issues facing the global agriculture industry is the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in crops and food products. This study compares financial performance of major GMO food companies to other industries. Findings indicate that GMO companies had an average higher return on equity but also a higher level of risk. In addition, the study presents positive and negative perspectives toward GMO foods, along with a discussion of the risks and opportunities. Agricultural studies indicate that applying GMO technology is likely the most effective way to feed many of the world's hungry. In addition, research supports the safety and nutritional benefits of GMO food products. However, concerns expressed by GMO opponents have been effective in limiting GMO acceptance by the public. Research indicates that the inconsistency between negative public opinion and positive scientific evidence supporting GMO crops is at least partly the result of misrepresentations about GMOs. The ultimate acceptance or rejection of GMO foods will greatly affect food producers, distributors, retailers, and consumers.
Le Jeu Des Noms De Personnes Dans Le Conte Du Graal

Scholars have not failed to comment upon the fact that Chretien de Troyes treats with much care the names of his characters, both main and secondary. The poet himself invites us to reflect upon personal names and their etymologies, along with cognomens, aliases, recognitions, divulgations, and the loss and recovery of names, in his first four narratives. This is particularly true in his last romance, of which naming constitutes an element deserving closer study than it has received. Here Chretien goes well beyond his handling of the matter in, e.g., Yvain and the Charrete; he repeatedly draws attention to the Welsh hero's name, first unknown, then "guessed" by him and deeply expressive of his actions and nature. Gauvain's name too, as revealed or concealed, forms an important psychological element. Beyond this, the romance gives prominence to names and cognomens in general, laying stress on the ways a character may make himself known, acknowledge the existence of others, and even come to self-knowledge.
Challenges in Sentiment Analysis

A vast majority of the work in Sentiment Analysis has been on developing more accurate sentiment classifiers, usually involving supervised machine learning algorithms and a battery of features. Surveys by Pang and Lee (Found Trends Inf Retr 2(12):1135, 2008), Liu and Zhang (A survey of opinion mining and sentiment analysis. In: Aggarwal CC, Zhai C (eds) In: Mining text data. Springer, New York, pp 415463, 2012), and Mohammad (Mohammad Sentiment analysis: detecting valence, emotions, and other effectual states from text. In: Meiselman H (ed) Emotion measurement. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 2016b) give summaries of the many automatic classifiers, features, and datasets used to detect sentiment. In this chapter, we flesh out some of the challenges that still remain, questions that have not been explored sufficiently, and new issues emerging from taking on new sentiment analysis problems. We also discuss proposals to deal with these challenges. The goal of this chapter is to equip researchers and practitioners with pointers to the latest developments in sentiment analysis and encourage more work in the diverse landscape of problems, especially those areas that are relatively less explored.
Taphonomy of Microbial Biosignatures in Spring Deposits: A Comparison of Modern, Quaternary, and Jurassic Examples

Abstract On Earth, microorganisms commonly enhance mineral precipitation and mediate mineralogical and chemical compositions of resulting deposits, particularly at spring systems. However, preserva...
Nekhoroshev estimates for commuting nearly integrable symplectomorphisms

In this paper, we prove the Nekhoroshev estimates for commuting nearly integrable symplectomorphisms. We show quantitatively how ℤ m symmetry improves the stability time. This result can be considered as a counterpart of Moser’s theorem [11] on simultaneous conjugation of commuting circle maps in the context of Nekhoroshev stability. We also discuss the possibility of Tits’ alternative for nearly integrable symplectomorphisms.
Skills transfer to sinus surgery via a low‐cost simulation‐based curriculum

BACKGROUND Surgical skill development outside the operating room aims to improve technique and subsequent patient safety. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between technical and cognitive skills with cadaveric endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) performance and change in ESS performance before and after implementation of a dedicated ESS simulation-based and knowledge-based curriculum. METHODS A before-after study design was implemented among 10 medical students and 10 junior otolaryngology residents. Participants completed a knowledge-based, multiple-choice ESS pretest and watched an ESS prosection video. Participants performed 9 tasks on a previously validated low-cost, low-technology, nonbiologic sinus surgery task trainer followed by cadaveric maxillary antrostomy and anterior ethmoidectomy. Participants then completed a simulation-based and knowledge-based ESS curriculum followed by a repeat cadaveric maxillary antrostomy and anterior ethmoidectomy. Performance was graded with a 5-point global rating scale (GRS) and a 5-point ESS-specific checklist. RESULTS We observed a stronger correlation between the multiple-choice, knowledge-based, ESS pretest scores and cadaveric ESS GRS score (r = 0.73) than between task trainer performance and cadaveric ESS GRS score (r = 0.43). We also noted a significant increase in precurriculum vs postcurriculum mean ± standard deviation (SD) cadaveric ESS checklist scores for both medical students (1.18 ± 0.25 vs 2.58 ± 0.57; p = 0.0002) and residents (2.09 ± 0.78 vs 2.88 ± 0.54; p = 0.023). The greatest improvements for residents were in performance of uncinectomy, enlargement of maxillary os, and identification of the bulla. CONCLUSION These findings provide evidence supporting the use of ESS training curricula outside the operating room.
Transcutaneous electrical stimulation on the anterior neck region: The impact of pulse duration and frequency on maximum amplitude tolerance and perceived discomfort.

Maximum amplitude tolerance (MAT) has been known as a primary factor determining the depth of electrical current penetration. However, the effect of varying transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TES) parameters on MAT and discomfort level is poorly understood. Furthermore, limited information exists regarding the biopsychological factors that may impact MAT and discomfort. The primary aims of this study were to compare the effects TES protocol with varying levels of pulse duration (300 μs vs 700 μs) and frequency (30 Hz vs 80 Hz) on the MAT and discomfort in healthy older adults. The exploratory aim of this study was to examine relationships between submental adipose tissue thickness, pain sensitivity and gender with MAT and discomfort. Twenty-four healthy older adults participated in this study. Transcutaneous electrical stimulation was delivered to the submental region. Maximum amplitude tolerance and discomfort were measured for each condition. Furthermore, submental adipose tissue thickness and pain sensitivity were measured for each subject. Maximum amplitude tolerance was significantly increased for the TES protocols with short-pulse duration [F (3, 69) = 38.695, P < .0001]. Discomfort was similar across different TES protocols. Submental adipose tissue thickness (r = .30, P < .003) and pain sensitivity (r = -.43, P < .0001) were related to MAT. Pain sensitivity rating was also related to discomfort (r = .45, P < .0001). In conclusion, using TES protocols with short-pulse duration may increase the MAT. Higher amplitude stimulation may increase the impact on deep swallowing muscles. In addition, submental adipose tissue thickness and pain sensitivity are potential biopsychological factors that may affect MAT and discomfort.
No Gods, No Masters, No Coders? The Future of Sovereignty in a Blockchain World

The building of the blockchain is predicted to harken the end of the contemporary sovereign order. Some go further to claim that as a powerful decentering technology, blockchain contests the continued functioning of world capitalism. Are such claims merited? In this paper we consider sovereignty and blockchain technology theoretically, posing possible futures for sovereignty in a blockchain world. These possibilities include various forms of individual, popular, technological, corporate, and techno-totalitarian state sovereignty. We identify seven structural tendencies of blockchain technology and give examples as to how these have manifested in the construction of new forms of sovereignty. We conclude that the future of sovereignty in a blockchain world will be articulated in the conjuncture of social struggle and technological agency and we call for a stronger alliance between technologists and democrats.
Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography in forensic science: A critical review of recent trends

Abstract Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC × GC) has become accepted as one of the most powerful separation techniques in several application areas. In forensic investigations, however, it has not yet been entirely established due to limitations regarding standardized methodology, data interpretation and consistency of results. Nevertheless, GC × GC allows for target analysis, compound class analysis and chemical fingerprinting of samples and is therefore increasingly applied in forensic analytics. In this review, recent and significant advances in GC × GC for application to forensic studies including human scent, arson investigations, security-relevant substances and environmental forensics are discussed. The discussion includes a brief overview of the latest trends and evolutions with regard to the various forensic applications and data evaluation as well as limitations. This leads to the conclusion that the full potential of the comprehensive data sets can only be achieved by implementing standardized analysis and data processing methods.
Cyanide insensitive respiration in mammalian cells: an artifact of mycoplasmal contamination.

Oxygen consumption by mammalian cells occurs primarily in the mitochondria although alternate oxidation pathways are also present. The resistance (often high) of these alternate pathways to metabolic inhibitors like CN− determine the residual oxygen consumption in the presence of the inhibitor. In many plant cells and microorganisms the cyanide insensitive pathway can account for an appreciable fraction of the total oxygen consumption.
Mathematical Programming Models for Third Generation Wireless Network Design

This chapter develops a series of optimization models for third-generation (3G) cellular network design leading up to a comprehensive model including the selection of base stations and mobile telephone switching office (MTSO) locations, and the assignment of mobiles to base stations. The models also consider the design of a backbone network connecting the base stations, MTSOs, and public switched telephone network (PSTN) gateways. These models take as input demand for cellular service in a given planning area, a set of candidate tower and MTSO locations with corresponding costs, costs for provisioning links between the candidate tower and MTSO locations as well as costs for linking the MTSOs to PSTN gateway nodes. Based on these inputs and propagation data for the planning area, the comprehensive model can be used to determine the optimal selection of radio towers, MTSO locations, backbone network topology, and the service capacity of the resulting radio network. For problem instances of practical interest, the model leads to large, difficult integer programs that require special solution techniques. Nevertheless, researchers have reported finding high-quality solutions, in reasonable amounts of CPU time, to problems with hundreds of candidate tower locations supporting tens of thousands of simultaneous cellular phone sessions. This chapter surveys strategies that have been developed to achieve these results.
Monte carlo approach to estimating coating service lifetime during weathering

Change in a coating surface, or bulk, during weathering is the accumulation of repeated, random, nanoscale erosion or chemical events that may be modelled using Monte Carlo techniques. Multiphase coatings, including pigments, may be simulated, as well as polymers that change their sensitivity to degradation during weathering. The results of the Monte Carlo model are compared with those of macroscopic properties, such as, gloss, fracture toughness, and wetting contact angle. Simulated properties change through the lifetime of the coating in ways that are consistent with published results. Seemingly complicated changes in properties may be described by repeated simple, random processes.