cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plasmon drag effect, theory and experiment

The proposed hot-electron-mediated plasmonic pressure model explains the observed relationship between plasmon drag emf and absorption, emphasizes its quantum plasmonics nature and allows for correct calculation of the emf in metal for the first time.
Novel ureteroscope illumination designs

Limitations of current ureteroscope illumination configurations include presence of shadows and hot spots in images, further degraded by stone debris during laser lithotripsy, which may result in a decrease in stone ablation efficiency, increase in surgical operation time, and potential collateral tissue trauma. Previous studies have reported accidental ureteral tissue perforation from Nitinol stone basket wires during Holmium laser lithotripsy, due in part to poor visibility. Although saline irrigation is routinely used during ureteroscopy to flush stone debris and improve visibility, sub-optimal illumination may still compound these problems. Current illumination geometries and sources are inadequate to produce necessary uniform illumination for optimal visibility and safety during ureteroscopy. By moving away from single and double point source geometry and towards a ring configuration, illumination becomes more uniform in both axes, reducing shadows and increasing depth discernibility. Uric acid and calcium oxalate based stones were chosen for illumination and reflection spectroscopy. Porcine ureters were used as soft tissue samples for comparison. The percent difference in reflection between ureter and stones was greater than 40% for the wavelength ranges of 470-540 nm, and 600-700 nm, making these spectral regions most suitable for high contrast illumination, possibly through narrow band imaging techniques via multiple laser sources and/or optical filters. These improved ureteroscope illumination designs and approaches may potentially reduce complications due to limited visibility during laser lithotripsy and hence increase patient safety.
The Emergency Department Setting

Consultants may be called to an emergency department for a variety of reasons. Most requests are like those from a general hospital ward. However, two issues are notable: a broader definition of psychiatric emergencies and greater concern about patient rights. These issues stem from an emergency department’s lack of a buffer from its surrounding community: patients come as they are, whether pushed, or just 26
ALPHA: a toolkit for Automated Local PHylogenomic Analyses.

Summary The evolutionary histories of individual regions across a genomic alignment-called 'local genealogies'-can differ from each other, due to processes such as recombination. Elucidating and analyzing these local genealogies are important for a large number of inference tasks, including those pertaining to species phylogenies, evolutionary processes and trait mapping. In this paper, we present a toolkit for automated local phylogenomic analyses, or ALPHA. The purpose of this toolkit is to provide a wide array of functionalities for automated inference of local genealogies as well as analyses based on these local genealogies. The toolkit uses sliding windows to construct local genealogies and can compute a wide array of local phylogeny based statistics, such as the D-statistic. The toolkit comes with a graphical user interface and several import/export functionalities. Over the last few decades, much emphasis in phylogenomics has been put on developing tools for inferring species phylogenies. This toolkit complements those efforts by emphasizing the 'local' aspect of phylogenomics. Availability and implementation ALPHA is freely available for installation and use, including source code, at https://github.com/chilleo/ALPHA.
A systematic review of the nasal septal turbinate: An overlooked surgical target.

Abstract Objective The nasal septal turbinate (NST) is a conspicuous structure located in the anterior nasal cavity that impacts the internal nasal valve. Its structure and function is often thought to be poorly characterized, and it is rarely addressed surgically. The authors perform a systematic review in an attempt to synthesize what has been learned of this structure and to evaluate its potential as a treatment target. Methods A query of the Medline, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane databases was undertaken in search of studies evaluating the NST. This qualitative systematic review was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Study quality and risk of bias were assessed with established criteria. Results Of the initial 1069 hits from the four databases, 16 articles were ultimately included in the review, which varied in quality and risk of bias. The included articles consisted predominantly of radiographic and histopathologic studies. Four studies evaluated NST treatment outcomes. The NST represents a fusiform-shaped region of erectile tissue, similar in structure and function to that of the inferior turbinates. Preliminary treatment outcomes suggest the NST represents an important surgical target in nasal airway surgery. Conclusion When evaluating nasal obstruction patients, surgeons should assess the NST and consider addressing it surgically.
A Large-Deflection FBG Bending Sensor for SMA Bending Modules for Steerable Surgical Robots

This paper presents the development of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) bending sensor for shape memory alloy (SMA) bending modules. Due to the small form factor, low cost, and large-deflection capability, SMA bending modules can be used to construct disposable surgical robots for a variety of minimally invasive procedures. To realize a closed-loop control of SMA bending modules, an intrinsic bending sensor is imperative. Due to the lack of bending sensors for SMA bending modules, we have developed an FBG bending sensor by integrating FBG fibers with a superelastic substrate using flexible adhesive. Since the substrate is ultra-thin and adhesive is flexible, the sensor has low stiffness and can measure large curvatures. Additionally, due to the orthogonal arrangement of the sensor/actuator assembly, the influence of temperature variation caused by SMA actuation can be compensated. The working principle of the developed sensor was modeled followed by simulations. After experimentally evaluating the developed model, the sensor was integrated with an SMA bending module and cyclically bi-directionally deflected. The experimental results proved the relatively high measurement accuracy, high repeatability, and large measurable curvatures of the sensor, although hysteresis was observed due to friction.
Cryo-EM structure of the human Mixed Lineage Leukemia-1 complex bound to the nucleosome

SUMMARY Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL) family histone methyltransferases are the key enzymes that deposit histone H3 Lys4 (K4) mono-/di-/tri-methylation and regulate gene expression in mammals. Despite extensive structural and biochemical studies, the molecular mechanism by which the MLL complexes recognize histone H3K4 within the nucleosome core particle (NCP) remains unclear. Here, we report the single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the human MLL1 core complex bound to the NCP. The MLL1 core complex anchors on the NCP through RbBP5 and ASH2L, which interacts extensively with nucleosomal DNA as well as the surface close to histone H4 N-terminal tail. Concurrent interactions of RbBP5 and ASH2L with the NCP uniquely align the catalytic MLL1SET domain at the nucleosome dyad, allowing symmetrical access to both H3K4 substrates within the NCP. Our study sheds light on how the MLL1 complex engages chromatin and how chromatin binding promotes MLL1 tri-methylation activity.
FEA based Separation of Torque Components in Interior Permanent Magnet Machines

Understanding the torque behavior of Interior Permanent Magnet (IPM) machines is critical for the motor design and the end application. The net torque is sum of mean torque and pulsating torque. Pulsating torque is an undesirable effect causing mechanical vibration and premature aging of drivetrain. Based on electromagnetic sources, the torque is separable into cogging torque, reluctance torque and mutual torque. This research presents a method to decompose these components with the aid of two synthesized machines derived from a reference IPM using Finite Element Analysis (FEA). By comparing superposed torque profile with reference motor’s profile, the method is validated on an 18-slot 4-pole machine with I-type and V-type rotor magnets, operating under varying current commands. In the design stage, the two synthesized machines enable independent control of the magnet flux linkage and saliency ratio to achieve targeted performance. The second utility is in torque ripple minimization, for which trends in the dominant harmonic of each torque component are obtained as functions of pole arc to pole pitch ratio and slot opening to slot pitch ratio. Experimental results for the reluctance torque are provided by testing on a fabricated synchronous reluctance (SyR) prototype.
A novel approach to quantitatively synthesize subgroup findings from multiple trials.

e14081Background: The identification of characteristics that stratify patients according to the likelihood of treatment response is a key goal of precision oncology research. Within randomized tria...
Party Competition and Coalitional Stability: Evidence from American Local Government

For decades, political scientists have argued that competition is a fundamental component of a responsible party system, such that when one party dominates politics, legislative coalitions destabilize and democratic accountability suffers. In this paper, I evaluate these predictions in an important but largely unexplored legislative environment: American local government. Using an original collection of roll-call records from 151 municipal councils, I show that legislative behavior is more one-dimensional when elections are partisan and the electorate is evenly balanced between the parties. When either of these features is absent, however, elite behavior remains unstructured, with coalitions shifting over time and across issues. These differences across institutional and competitive contexts suggest that partisan elections—and the party organizations that nearly always come with them—are critical for translating electoral insecurity into organized government, raising questions about the capacity for electoral accountability in a growing set of one-party dominant governments across the country.
Public Oversight and Reporting Credibility: Evidence from the PCAOB Audit Inspection Regime

This paper studies the impact of public audit oversight on financial reporting credibility. We analyze changes in market responses to earnings news after public audit oversight is introduced, exploiting that the regime onset depends on fiscal year-ends, auditors, and the rollout of auditor inspections. We find that investors respond more strongly to earnings news following public audit oversight. Corroborating these findings, we find an increase in volume responses to 10-K filings after the new regime. Our results show that public audit oversight can enhance reporting credibility and that this credibility is priced in capital markets.Authors have furnished an Internet Appendix, which is available on the Oxford UniversityPress Web site next to the link to the final published paper online.
HPAStainR: a Bioconductor and Shiny app to query protein expression patterns in the Human Protein Atlas.

The Human Protein Atlas is a website of protein expression in human tissues. It is an excellent resource of tissue and cell type protein localization, but only allows the query of a single protein at a time. We introduce HPAStainR as a new Shiny app and Bioconductor/R package used to query the scored staining patterns in the Human Protein Atlas with multiple proteins/genes of interest. This allows the user to determine if an experimentally-generated protein/gene list associates with a particular cell type. We validated the tool using the Panglao Database cell type specific marker genes and a Genotype Expression (GTEx) tissue deconvolution dataset. HPAStainR identified 92% of the Panglao cell types in the top quartile of confidence scores limited to tissue type of origin results. It also appropriately identified the correct cell types from the GTEx dataset. HPAStainR fills a gap in available bioinformatics tools to identify cell type protein expression patterns and can assist in establishing ground truths and exploratory analysis. HPAStainR is available from: https://32tim32.shinyapps.io/HPAStainR/.
Qur'ān Quotations Preserved in Papyrus Documents, 7th-10th Centuries and the Problem of Carbon Dating Early Qur'āns: Andreas Kaplony and Michael Marx (Eds), 2019, [Documenta Coranica, volume 2], Leiden and Boston: E. J. Brill, xvi + 247 pp., €119.00USD $137.00 (hardback), ISBN 9789004358911

Qur'ān Quotations Preserved in Papyrus Documents, 7th-10th Centuries and the Problem of Carbon Dating Early Qur'ān is a collection of six articles that resulted from the French-German Coranica proj...
Case 36: An Epidural Pump in Labor in a Low-Resource Environment. Watch Out

You have been in a small hospital in Sierra Leone on the West African coast for 3 months. The hospital has a busy obstetric service of about 6000 deliveries a year. Epidural anesthesia is used often, but the hospital does not have any epidural pumps. An overseas anesthesia colleague has sent you a used epidural pump (Painsmart IOD, model #360–1101, Curlin Medical, Huntington Beach, CA 92649). You decide to use this pump on the next patient who requests an epidural for labor pain. Within the hour, a 22-year-old female (70 kg, 5′8″) is asking for an epidural for labor pain. She is a para 3 and has had epidurals in the past without any problems. Previous medical history is noncontributory and she has had no surgeries. The epidural is inserted uneventfully, and she is started on a continuous epidural infusion of 0.2% ropivacaine at a rate of 8 ml/hr. with patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) bolus setting at 6 ml/30 min. You are using the newly arrived pump. The pump is placed on an IV pole, 10 inches (30 cm) above the level of the patient’s heart. This is your usual procedure in your home country of Norway. The reason for the placement of the pump above the heart is so that the staff do not have to bend down to change the settings. The patient delivers a healthy boy 3 hours later. After the episiotomy repair, you instruct the nurse to turn the pump off. The language you use to communicate with her is in French, with which you are proficient. Thirty minutes later, there is no motor block present. The patient received a total of 40 ml of ropivacaine. She is very satisfied with your epidural and thanks you profusely. As she has consented for a tubal ligation, later that day, the epidural catheter is left in situ but, as mentioned, the pump is turned off.
Continuity, Fragmentation, and Adam Smith.

Continuity, Fragmentation, and Adam Smith Over time, myriad developments in health care have multiplied the places and people available to provide care to patients. Viewed through the lens of class...
From Juvenile Offender Institutions to Residential Treatment Centers: Evidence of the Shifting Paradigm to Improved Youth and Community Outcomes

Hundreds of thousands of youth are held every year in U.S. juvenile justice detention centers and incarceration facilities. Increasingly it is known that these facility placements are at best ineffective and at worst lead to additional youth recidivism outcomes. What is most concerning, though, is that a majority of these incarcerated youth have one or more mental health/substance abuse disorders, special education disabilities, or maltreatment victimization histories-comorbid situations that negatively impact their involvement with the juvenile courts. In this article the authors summarize the epidemiology of these youth problems within the juvenile justice system. The authors then compare the outcome evidence for the youth placed in juvenile justice facilities with those placed in residential treatment centers, finding significant advantages to addressing the problems through rehabilitative efforts. Recognizing that there are a small number of serious youthful offenders who will need placement, their analysis finds that the juvenile courts must continue (or in many instances begin) reshaping their detention and incarceration facilities reliance on punishment toward a rehabilitative residential model.
Stability in waking-sleep states in neonates as a predictor of long-term neurologic outcome.

Thirty-three full-term neonates were ranked blindly on a scale ranging from the least to the highest "risk" for future neurologic complications on the basis of available perinatal biographies, tests, and examinations performed during the newborn period. Four prolonged polygraphic-behavioral recordings were obtained one week apart beginning at ten days after birth. Five waking and sleep states were scored in each session as percentages of total observation time, giving a total of 20 scores for each baby to be subjected to analysis of variance. These measures also provided individual profile consistency or variability in maintaining waking-sleep states over the selected period of postnatal time. The whole cohort, except three infants who could not be followed adequately, was then reexamined periodically over a period ranging from 3 to 4 years (±6 months) for neurologic and developmental assessments. Except for two scores that produced a low level of statistical significance (P
The weird world of bi-directional programming

Programs generally work in just one direction, from input to answer. But sometimes we need a program to work in two directions: after calculating an answer, we want to update the answer and then somehow calculate backwards to find a correspondingly updated input. Of course, in general, a given update to the answer may not correspond to a unique update on the input, or to any at all; we need an “update translation policy” that tells us which updates can be translated and how to choose among translations when there are many possibilities. The question of how to determine such a policy has been called the view update problem in the database literature. Many approaches to this problem have been devised over the years; most have taken existing database query languages (such as SQL) as their starting points and then proposed ways of describing or inferring update policies. More recently, several groups have begun working to design entirely new languages in which programs are inherently bi-directional – i.e., in which every program can be read from left to right as a map from inputs to answers and from right to left as (roughly) a map from updated answers to updated inputs. Moreover, bi-directionality in these languages is treated compositionally: each primitive works in both directions, and the two directions of compound programs can be derived from the two directions of their subcomponents. This talk charts some interesting regions of the world of bidirectional programming and bi-directional language design, using as a touchstone our experiences at the University of Pennsylvania in the context of the Harmony project, where bi-directional languages – one for transforming trees and another for relational data – play a crucial role in the architecture of a universal data synchronizer.
OBSTACLE DETECTION AND SAFEGUARDING FOR A HIGH-SPEED AUTONOMOUS HYDRAULIC EXCAVATOR.

Hydraulic excavators are large, powerful machines which are often operated in high-production settings. Successful automation of excavators for mass excavation tasks require safeguarding algorithms which do not negatively impact productivity. We present a two-level sensor-based safeguarding approach which utilizes obstacle detection to prevent collisions and motion detection to halt operation when unanticipated vehicles or people approach the excavator.
Access networks for personal communication systems

This work addresses the important issue of how to avoid installing big and expensive base stations in the small microcells of future personal communication networks. To this end, the capabilities of fiber and coax technologies are quantified and the feasibility of a hybrid fiber/coax access network is studied. A PCN access network is proposed which uses subcarrier multiplexing (SCM) in conjunction with a simple WDM configuration. We provide a comprehensive capacity analysis for the subcarrier multiplexed optical link (SCMOL) which is the communication link between each passive radio base station (PRBS) and the central base station (CBS). Dynamic range requirements of the cellular radio environment are explicitly quantified and explained in terms of the dynamic range of SCMOL considering all the major noise sources.
Design and Initial Testing of Omniguide Traveling-Wave Tube Structures

We propose to use the photonic band gap (PBG) structures for the construction of a traveling-wave tube (TWT) at W-band. The development of wide-band mm-wave TWT amplifiers is underway at Los Alamos National Laboratory. A TWT would present a wide bandwidth source for remote mm-wave spectroscopy. PBG TWT structures have great potential for very large bandwidth and linear dispersion. In addition, being cheap to fabricate, the PBG structures enhance the commercial transferability of the W-band TWT technology.
Bioactive Constituents of the Genus Hernandia

Abstract Plants in the genus Hernandia of the family Hernandiaceae have been used ethnobotanically to treat malaria, postpartum hemorrhage, and morning sickness. Additionally, crude extracts of H. moerenhoutiana and H. voyronii have been reported to exhibit certain antioxidant, antimalarial, cytotoxic, and spasmolytic activities, as well as to inhibit platelet aggregation and prostaglandin biosynthesis. Of the approximately 24 species in this genus, about a quarter have been subjected to detailed phytochemical investigation, namely, H. cordigera, H. guianensis, H. ovigera, H. ovigera var. mascarenensis, H. peltata ( H. nymphaeifolia ), H. sonora, and H. voyronii. From over 130 compounds obtained from these species, the major secondary metabolites are represented by various classes of isoquinoline alkaloids and lignans, along with minor constituents of other alkaloidal (isoindole and pyridine) types, as well as benzenoids, flavonoids, monoterpenoids, and sterols. Some of these isolates have been found to exhibit various biological activities, such as antiplasmodial action, antiplatelet aggregation, cytotoxicity, inhibition of Epstein-Barr virus early antigen activation induced by 12- O -tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate, and inhibition of the transformation of JB6 mouse epidermal cells. The biologically active constituents of the genus Hernandia are discussed in detail.
Electrochemistry of mixed-metal interfaces: Chemisorption and electrochemical reactivity of thiophenols at Au90Pt10 electrodes

Abstract The surface electrochemical properties of thiophenolic compounds chemisorbed at a smooth polycrystalline Au 90 Pt 10 alloy electrode have been studied in comparison with those at the pure monometal electrodes. 2,5-Dihydroxythiophenol (DHT) and pentafluorothiophenol (PFT) were used as model compounds since these are strongly chemisorbed on Au and Pt, and their electrochemical reactivities [reversible redox activity, hydrodesulfurization (HDS), and anodic oxidation] in the chemisorbed state depend strongly upon the composition of the electrode surface. Experimental measurements were based on thin-layer electrochemical methods. The major findings are as follows: (i) The packing density and the mode of binding (through the -S group) of DHT and PFT at Au 90 Pt 10 are the same as at the pure Pt and Au electrodes, (ii) Substrate-mediated DHT-DHT interactions which occur on Pt but not on Au are promoted, albeit to a small extent, at the alloy interface, (iii) The extent of HDS is greater at Au 90 Pt 10 than at Au but much lower than at Pt. (iv) HDS of DHT at Au 90 Pt 10 unlike that at Pt, is not accompanied by hydrogenation and/or hydrogenolysis of the pendant aromatic ring; that is, HDS at the alloy surface is selective towards simple cleavage of the C-S bond. (v) Irreversible oxidation of DHT chemisorbed at Au 90 Pt 10 yields two distinct anodic peaks; the first appears to be associated with oxidation involving the Pt surface sites, whereas the second is suggestive of oxidation involving Au surface atoms, (vi) Chemisorbed PFT, which on pure Pt is inert towards anodic oxidation, undergoes irreversible oxidation at Au 90 Pt 10 similarly but not identically to that at pure Au. (vii) Based upon the separate Pt-oxide and Au-oxide reduction peaks, the surface composition of the Au 90 Pt 10 alloy is the same as that in the bulk. (viii) On the unoxidized alloy surface, the distribution of the Au and Pt sites is predominantly homogeneous, (ix) Phase separation occurs after the alloy surface is oxided; reduction of the surface oxide appears to restore the homogeneity of the bimetallic interface, (x) Under the conditions of the reactions studied, no surface roughening or segregation occurred at the alloy electrode. The present results reflect the complex interplay between the relative surface activities and catalytic reactivities of the Au and Pt sites at the Au 90 Pt 10 interface.
A hybrid model approach for forecasting future residential electricity consumption

Abstract Urban energy management nowadays has put more focus on residential houses energy consumption. Lots of machine learning based data-driven approaches have the abilities to characterize and forecast total energy consumption of commercial data. However, a paucity of research applying data-driven methods have been tested on the hour ahead energy consumption forecast for typical single family houses in the US. With the advances in smart metering, sub meter usages forecast in household-level is also getting more and more popular on smart building control and demand response program. The situation here inspires us to develop a hybrid model to address the problem of residential hour and day ahead load forecasting through the integration of data-driven techniques with a physics-based model. In this article, we report on the evaluations of five different machine learning algorithms, artificial neural network (ANN), support vector regression (SVR), least-square support vector machine (LS-SVM), Gaussian process regression (GPR) and Gaussian mixture model (GMM), applied to four residential data set that contains smart meters. Both total and non-air conditioning (AC) power consumption are forecasted for hour ahead and 24-h ahead. The variation of patterns captured from non-AC part is further input as internal heat gain to a physics-based model. The model uses a 2R-1C thermal network and an AC regression model. By utilizing this hybrid approach, we get AC load prediction and non-AC energy forecast simultaneously. Total energy consumption is further produced by summing up the two sub meters forecast for hybrid model. The results from new modeling are compared with those from pure data-driven techniques. The final result showing improvements of coefficient of variance between the best data-driven model and hybrid model are 6–10% and 2–15% for hour ahead and 24-h ahead, respectively.
The Year the Stars Fell: Lakota Winter Counts at the Smithsonian

Reviewed Medium: book Year: 2007 Pages: 377 Publisher: University of Nebraska Press ISBN: 978-0-8032-2211-3 (hard cover). Prices: $45.00 USD(hard cover).
Science Translator: An Interview with Louisa Stark

The Genetics Society of America’s Elizabeth W. Jones Award for Excellence in Education recognizes significant and sustained impact on genetics education. The 2015 awardee, Louisa Stark, has made a major impact on global access to genetics education through her work as director of the University of Utah Genetic Science Learning Center. The Center’s Learn.Genetics and Teach.Genetics websites are the most widely used online genetic education resources in the world. In 2014, they were visited by 18 million students, educators, scientists, and members of the public. With over 60 million page views annually, Learn.Genetics is among the most used sites on the Web.
Carboplatin Skin Testing: A Skin-Testing Protocol for Predicting Hypersensitivity to Carboplatin Chemotherapy

PURPOSE: A high incidence of moderate to severe hypersensitivity reactions (HRs) is noted in patients who have been treated with multiple courses of carboplatin. Presently, there is no reliable way to predict which patients may be at risk for this potentially severe adverse reaction. We developed a skin-test protocol to identify patients at high risk for HR to carboplatin chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients undergoing more than seven courses of carboplatin received a 0.02-mL intradermal injection of an undiluted aliquot of their planned carboplatin infusion 1 hour before each course of the agent. A positive skin test was prospectively defined as that resulting in a wheel of at least 5 mm with a surrounding flare. We recently reported a 27% incidence of HRs in patients receiving more than seven courses of carboplatin. These patients served as historical controls for the current study. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients with recurrent ovarian or primary peritoneal carcinoma receiving carboplatin were sk...
SPATIAL VARIABILITY OF LANDSCAPE PATTERN CHANGE FOLLOWING A PONDEROSA PINE WILDFIRE IN NORTHEASTERN NEW MEXICO, USA

Forest fires have profound impacts on the spatial distribution of vegetation type and density. This research analyzes the impacts of the 2002 Ponil Fire in New Mexico on landscape patterns using a moving-window analysis of landscape metrics. Categorically derived landscape metrics and a measure of fire severity—the Normalized Burn Ratio—are used to produce a quantitative, spatial distribution of landscape change. While gross land-cover change summaries and landscape-metric changes indicate a more heterogeneous landscape following the fire, the moving-window approach demonstrates the oversimplification of landscape-scale metrics and summaries. The moving-window approach indicates that the majority of areas in the landscape were unchanged in mean patch size, whereas mean (and median) patch size increased according to landscape-level measures. Contrary to expectations, average patch density and richness were also nearly unchanged. The moving-window approach is particularly helpful in analyzing large fires wi...
SINGLE-CENTRE RANDOMISED TRIAL OF RITODRINE HYDROCHLORIDE FOR PRETERM LABOUR

106 women between 24 and 33 weeks' gestation and in preterm labour, rigidly defined to include cervical dilatation plus regular uterine contractions, were randomly allocated to receive either intravenous ritodrine hydrochloride or no tocolytic treatment. Ritodrine treatment significantly delayed delivery for 24 hours or less but did not significantly modify the ultimate perinatal consequences of preterm labour.
Protective association of colonoscopy against proximal and distal colon cancer and patterns in interval cancer

Background The protective effect of colonoscopy against proximal colorectal cancer is variable and depends on the detection and complete removal of precancerous polyps. Objective To estimate the efficacy of colonoscopy in a medical center with open-access screening colonoscopy since 1998. Design Nested case-control study with incidence density sampling. Setting University-affiliated Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Patients Colorectal cancer (CRC) cases and control subjects selected from screening age patients matched by age, gender, and date of first primary care visit. Main Outcome Measurement Colonoscopy preceding the CRC diagnosis date. Results A total of 20.2% of CRC cases had a colonoscopy in the preceding 10 years compared with 49.0% of control subjects (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11-0.34). Colonoscopy was strongly associated with decreased odds of both distal CRC (aOR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.07-0.34) and proximal CRC (aOR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.11-0.58). The fraction of cases attributed to interval cancers was 10.5%. Missed lesions predominantly localized to the cecum and rectum, and recurrent lesions clustered in the hepatic flexure. Cecal intubation rate was 93% (98% in adequately prepped patients), and the adenoma detection rate was 45.2% in the control group. Limitations Single-center, retrospective case-control design. Conclusion In an open access colonoscopy program characterized by a high cecal intubation rate and adenoma detection rate, colonoscopy was strongly associated with reduced odds of both distal and proximal CRC. Among interval cancers, missed lesions clustered in the cecum and rectum and recurrent lesions in the hepatic flexure.
TOWARD A METHODOLOGY FOR EVALUATING INSTRUMENT-PANEL CONTROLS

Although there is a relatively large body of literature which documents evaluations of driver performance with instrument-panel (IP) controls, there does not exist a standard methodology which can be applied to obtain dynamic and objective performance data. Because of this, it is difficult to compare and integrate the findings from different evaluations. To address this problem, the G.M. Systems Engineering Human Factors Department has developed two implementations of a methodology which show promise — the “Video Method” and the “Automated Method.” Both implementations are identical with respect to the experimental tasks performed by the subjects and the types of objective data which can be obtained. The implementations differ, however, with respect to the method by which task completion times and errors are obtained. The Video Method relies upon frame-by-frame video analysis to obtain task completion times, while the Automated Method employs instrumented controls. A computer records driver control inputs...
Comparing and optimizing transcriptome assembly pipeline for diploid wheat

Gene expression and transcriptome analysis are currently one of the main focuses of research for a great number of scientists. However, the assembly of raw sequence data to obtain a draft transcriptome of an organism is a complex multi-stage process usually composed of preprocessing, assembling, and post-processing. Each of these stages includes multiple steps such as data cleaning, contaminant removal, error correction and assembly validation. In order to implement all these steps, a great knowledge of different algorithms, various bioinformatics tools and software is required. In this paper, we generate multiple transcriptome assembly pipelines by using different tools and approaches in the process. Analyzing these pipelines, we can observe that using the error correction method with Velvet Oases and merging the individual k-mer assemblies with highest N50 produce the most stable base for further transcriptome biological analysis.
Effect of Adding Formaldehyde, Glutaraldehyde, or Dimethylolurea to Alfalfa before Ensiling

Abstract Formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, or dimethylolurea were sprayed on alfalfa wilted to approximately 35 and 62% dry matter at rates of 1, 3, and 4g of formaldehyde; 1.7, 5.0, and 6.7g of glutaraldehyde; and 2.5, 5.0 and 10g of dimethylolurea/100g of crude protein. Treatment of alfalfa with formaldehyde resulted in marked inhibition of silage fermentation as characterized by large amounts of residual water-soluble carbohydrates and low amounts of lactic acid, free NH 3 -N, and amino acids. The effects with glutaraldehyde and dimethylolurea were similar but to a lesser extent. Addition of formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde resulted in similar reductions of rumen degradable nitrogen as estimated by in situ techniques. However, fiber digestion tended to be less for glutaraldehyde than formaldehyde silage. Addition of these additives to alfalfa containing 62% dry matter resulted in almost complete inhibition of silage fermentation. Presence of surface mold on the 62% dry matter-treated silages suggest that the silage was unstable.
The Songs of Five Species of Passerina

A total of 1404 advertising songs of five species of Passerina, P. leclancherii, P. ciris., P. versicolor, P. cyanea, and P. amoena, were analyzed by measurement of sonagrams. Songs of P. amoena, P. cyanea and P. versicolor characteristically have compound elements, i.e., elements composed of more than one syllable, whereas the songs of P. leclancherii and P. ciris typically include only simple elements, elements of only one syllable. Songs of P. amoena, P. cyanea and P. leclancherii have essentially no repetition of elements. Student's t-test of the means of the frequency of each species indicated that the frequency ranges of amoena and leclancherii were very significantly different from each other and from those of cyanea and ciris. The frequency ranges of cyanea and ciris, however, were not significantly different from each other. In general the arrangement of the five species according to similarities in song structure parallels the morphological grouping of the species.
Preparation and Properties of Nitrate-Deficient Gadolinium Nitrate Solutions

Because of the high neutron absorption cross sections of some gadolinium isotopes, gadolinium salts in solution are used to control nuclear reactivity in aqueous systems. The present studies concern the preparation and analysis of nitrate-deficient solutions, the effect of time and gamma radiation on their stability, and the determination of the solubility of gadolinium hydroxide in H2O and D2O.
Molecular Dynamics Study of Two-Component Systems: The Shape and Surface Structure of Water/Ethanol Droplets

Molecular dynamics simulations have been performed at T = 260 K on three different sized ethanol/water droplets with a mole fraction of ethanol x = 12%. The calculations were initiated from near spherical configurations taken from simulations of the bulk mixture with the same composition. The results are discussed in comparison to the microphysical models used in nucleation theories. For the droplet having a comparable size to the so-called “critical” cluster, all the ethanol molecules repartition to the surface. The shapes and surface structure of the droplets have been characterized and exhibit increasing fluctuations with decreasing size. These two observations may help explain the present discrepancy between the predicted and calculated rates of nucleation for ethanol/water droplets.
Rare chemical constituents of amelia (Virginia) pegmatite dikes, and their mineral sources

Students of Igneous phenomena have long since become familiar with the occurrence of rare minerals in pegmatitic bodies. The great local concentration of rare elements in pegmatite minerals provides a remarkably good opportunity for the Investigation of deep-seated rock constituents, for it is reasonable to suppose that these same elements are widely distributed in minute amounts through the parent rocks to which they are genetically related; but their concentration in pegmatite bodies affords a record of their presence that is lacking in other rocks. The unusual number of rare minerals of the Amelia, Virginia, pegmatites has long attracted attention, and the rare elements of the more abundant minerals which have been investigated in the laboratories of the United States Geological Survey afford an unusual opportunity to study the rare constituents of a pegmatite. This famous locality for rare minerals is situated 38 miles southwest of Richmond, just south of Appomattox River, on the Piedmont plateau.
Huntingtin-interacting protein 1 is overexpressed in prostate and colon cancer and is critical for cellular survival

Huntingtin-interacting protein 1 (HIP1) is a cofactor in clathrin-mediated vesicle trafficking. It was first implicated in cancer biology as part of a chromosomal translocation in leukemia. Here we report that HIP1 is expressed in prostate and colon tumor cells, but not in corresponding benign epithelia. The relationship between HIP1 expression in primary prostate cancer and clinical outcomes was evaluated with tissue microarrays. HIP1 expression was significantly associated with prostate cancer progression and metastasis. Conversely, primary prostate cancers lacking HIP1 expression consistently showed no progression after radical prostatectomy. In addition, the expression of HIP1 was elevated in prostate tumors from the transgenic mouse model of prostate cancer (TRAMP). At the molecular level, expression of a dominant negative mutant of HIP1 led to caspase-9–dependent apoptosis, suggesting that HIP1 is a cellular survival factor. Thus, HIP1 may play a role in tumorigenesis by allowing the survival of precancerous or cancerous cells. HIP1 might accomplish this via regulation of clathrin-mediated trafficking, a fundamental cellular pathway that has not previously been associated with tumorigenesis. HIP1 represents a putative prognostic factor for prostate cancer and a potential therapy target in prostate as well as colon cancers.
Comparison of Continuous and Sequencing Batch Operated Biofilters for Treatment of Gas-Phase Methyl Ethyl Ketone

Although biofiltration has been used successfully to remove and biodegrade a wide variety of gas-phase organic contaminants generated by industrial facilities and environmental remediation efforts, the ability of conventional biofilters to maintain high removal efficiency during short-term, unsteady-state, elevated loading conditions is limited. A promising alternative for improving biofilter performance during transient elevated loading conditions while minimizing the disadvantages of conventional treatment technologies is utilization of adsorption packing media and implementation of sequencing batch operating strategies. In the studies described herein, a continuous-flow biofilter (CFB) and a sequencing batch biofilter (SBB) were operated for more than 300 days to treat a methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) contaminated gas stream. The packing medium for both biofilters consisted of activated carbon coated polyurethane foam cubes. Both biofilters exhibited stable long-term performance with greater than 99% remova...
Right ventricular mesothelioma with pulmonary obstruction.

A patient with cardiac malignant mesothelioma is described. Surgical resection and radiation therapy resulted in a good palliation for more than a year. Despite the generally poor results of treatment, an earlier consideration of the diagnosis should improve the outlook.
The Effect of Forced Choice on Choice

Abstract Whereas most academic and industry studies of consumer preferences and decision making involve forced choice (i.e., participants are told to choose one of the presented product or service alternatives), buyers usually also have the option not to select any alternative. An implicit assumption in the experimental practice of forcing choice is that the no-choice option draws proportionately from the various available alternatives, such that the qualitative conclusions are unaffected. However, the authors propose that the no-choice option competes most directly with alternatives that buyers tend to select when they are uncertain about their preferences. Building on this general proposition, the authors show that the introduction of the no-choice option strengthens the attraction effect, weakens the compromise effect, and decreases the relative share of an option that is “average” on all dimensions. They also examine the mechanisms underlying the impact of having the option not to choose and the condi...
Signalling systems for individual recognition: an information theory approach

Abstract This paper develops a quantitative method for measuring the information capacity of an animal's ‘signature system’, i.e. the set of cues by which individuals are identified. The information measure (Hs) is derived by applying Shannon's measure for the information in a continuous variable to a simple linear model. The model is essentially the analysis of variance model II (random effects), and is implicit in the many ANOVAs and discriminant function analyses that have been done on the signature systems of animals. For multivariate measurements, a principal components transformation of the data permits the information in the independent components to be added to give the total information. An analysis of illustrative data sets reveals a close correlation between Hs and the probability of a correct classification of an individual (P) obtained by discriminant function analysis. Hs has the advantage, however, that it is a population estimate whereas the value of P is tied to the number of individuals in the sample. The information analysis approach may prove valuable for comparative analyses where evolutionary hypotheses predict one species to have a better developed signature system than another.
The mechanism of thiazolium catalysis

Abstract Contrary to recent reports, the catalysis of the benzoin condensation is first order in thiazolium ion, even based on the data recently reported by others. Thus there is no need to propose an unusual anion intermediate in the reaction.
How Do Precepting Physicians Select Patients for Teaching Medical Students in the Ambulatory Primary Care Setting

OBJECTIVE: To study how clinical preceptors select patients for medical student teaching in ambulatory care and to explore key factors they consider in the selection process. DESIGN: Qualitative analysis of transcribed interviews. SETTING: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. PARTICIPANTS: Nineteen physicians (14 general internists and 5 general pediatricians) who serve as clinical preceptors. MEASUREMENTS: Responses to in-depth open-ended interview regarding selection of patients for participation in medical student teaching. MAIN RESULTS: Preceptors consider the competing needs of the patient, the student, and the practice the most important factors in selecting patients for medical student teaching. Three dominant themes emerged: time and efficiency, educational value, and the influence of teaching on the doctor-patient relationship. These physicians consciously attempt to select patients whose participation in medical student teaching maximizes the efficiency of the clinical practice and optimizes the students’ educational experiences, while minimizing any potential for harming the relationship between preceptor and patient. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may help validate the frustration preceptors frequently feel in their efforts to teach in the outpatient setting. Becoming more cognizant of the competing interests—the needs of the patient, the student, and the practice—may help physicians to select patients to enhance the educational experience without compromising efficiency or the doctor-patient relationship. For educators, this study suggests an opportunity for faculty development programs to assist the clinical preceptor both in selecting patients for medical student teaching and in finding ways to maximize the efficiency and educational quality of the outpatient teaching environment.
Hybrid method for understanding black-hole mergers: Head-on case

Black-hole-binary coalescence is often divided into three stages: inspiral, merger, and ringdown. The post-Newtonian (PN) approximation treats the inspiral phase, black-hole perturbation (BHP) theory describes the ringdown, and the nonlinear dynamics of space-time characterize the merger. In this paper, we introduce a hybrid method that incorporates elements of PN and BHP theories, and we apply it to the head-on collision of black holes with transverse, antiparallel spins. We compare our approximation technique with a full numerical-relativity simulation, and we find good agreement between the gravitational waveforms and the radiated energy and momentum. Our results suggest that PN and BHP theories may suffice to explain the main features of outgoing gravitational radiation for head-on mergers. This would further imply that linear perturbations to exact black-hole solutions can capture the nonlinear aspects of head-on binary-black-hole mergers accessible to observers far from the collision.