cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Outcomes and Safety of the Combined Abdominoplasty-Hysterectomy: A Preliminary Study

Abdominoplasty (ABP) at the time of hysterectomy (HYS) has been described in the literature since 1986 and is being increasingly requested by patients. However, outcomes of the combined procedure have not been thoroughly explored. The authors reviewed the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database and identified each ABP, HYS, and combined ABP-HYS performed between 2005 and 2012. The incidence of complications in each of the three procedures was calculated, and a multiplicative-risk model was used to calculate the probability of a complication for a patient undergoing distinct HYS and ABP on different dates. One-sample binomial hypothesis tests were performed to determine statistical significance. There were 1325 ABP cases, 12,173 HYS cases, and 143 ABP-HYS cases identified. Surgical complications occurred in 7.7 % of patients undergoing an ABP-HYS, while the calculated risk of a surgical complication was 12.5 % (p = 0.0407) for patients undergoing separate ABP and HYS procedures. The mean operative time was significantly lower for an ABP-HYS at 238 vs. 270 min for separate ABP and HYS procedures (p < 0.0001), and the mean time under anesthesia was significantly lower at 295 vs. 364 min (p < 0.0001). A combined ABP-HYS has a lower incidence of surgical complications than separate ABP and HYS procedures performed on different dates. These data should not encourage all patients to elect a combined ABP-HYS, if only undergoing a HYS, as the combined procedure is associated with increased risks when compared to either isolated individual procedure. However, in patients who are planning on undergoing both procedures on separate dates, a combined ABP-HYS is a safe option that will result in fewer surgical complications, less operative time, less time under anesthesia, and a trend towards fewer days in the hospital. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
The Washington Correspondent in the Progressive Era: The New York Times' Charles Willis Thompson

Abstract The article traces the early career of Charles Willis Thompson, New York Times' Washington correspondent and political commentator during the first two decades of the twentieth century, a formative period in American politics, economy, and world affairs. Thompson stood out for his dogged reporting and colorful analysis, skills that were valued by Adolph Ochs, the Times' new owner, and Carr Van Anda, its new managing editor. Thompson used these talents and relationships as he navigated between his responsibility as the “people's lobby” and his obligation to those political leaders on whom he depended for information. He managed this challenge by appreciating the difficult job of public officials and conveying that understanding to readers, a formula for press and politics often wanting in today's political coverage.
MRI: first-line imaging modality for pregnant patients with suspected appendicitis

The purpose of our study was to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of ultrasound (US) as compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in pregnant patients with suspected appendicitis for visualization of the appendix, accuracy at diagnosing acute appendicitis, the ability of each modality to identify alternate diagnoses of pain and whether gestational age (GA) has an association with appendix identification rates. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 140 pregnant patients with suspected appendicitis to determine the efficacy of US and MRI to identify the appendix, diagnose or exclude acute appendicitis, identify alternative etiologies for clinical presentation, and the affect of GA on identification of the appendix. Imaging results were correlated with surgical pathology in patients who underwent surgery. The electronic medical record was used to assess clinical outcomes in patients who did not undergo surgery. The appendix was visualized in 7% (8/117) of US exams and in 80% (91/114) of MRI exams. Alternate etiologies of pathology were determined in 3% (3/117) of US exams and 12% (14/114) of MRI exams. The sensitivity and specificity of MRI for acute appendicitis were both 100% and 98%, respectively, as compared to 18% and 99%, respectively, with US. GA did not affect MRI or ultrasound visualization rates of the appendix. Given the low likelihood of visualization of the appendix at US, the excellent accuracy of MRI and the ability of MRI to identify alternate diagnoses, we suggest that at certain institutions MRI may be considered a first-line imaging modality for pregnant patients of any GA with suspected appendicitis.
System Reliability Analysis: Foundations

System reliability analysis problems arise in many practical engineering areas. Some of these include communication networks, electrical power systems, water transmission systems, nuclear power reactors, and transportation systems. We will illustrate some of the ideas basic to a system reliability analysis via our experience in analyzing a proposed Satellite X-ray Test Facility (SXTF). This facility would test space satellites relative to an electromagnetic radiation environment. This research was supported by the army Research 0ffto under Contract No. DAAG29-81-K-0160 with the university of cilifornia. Reporduction in whole or in part is permitted for any purpose of the united states Government.
Stable Cooperative Multiagent Spatial Distributions

This paper introduces a mathematical model of the behavior of a group of agents and their interactions in a shared environment. We represent environmental spatial constraints that allow us to model range-limited sensing, motion, and communication capabilities of the agents. We derive general sensing, coordination, and motion conditions on the agents that guarantee that an "ideal free distribution" (IFD) of the group of agents will emerge across the environment. We show the impact of group size on the distribution of agents, and consider the emergent distribution for different classes of environments. Finally, we show how this theory is useful in solving a multivehicle cooperative surveillance problem.
Mutations in VP1 of poliovirus specifically affect both encapsidation and release of viral RNA

The phenotypic defects of two type 1 Mahoney poliovirus mutants, termed VP1-101 and VP1-102, were caused by two different small deletions in the region of the RNA genome encoding the amino terminus of the capsid protein VP1. This portion of VP1 was unresolved in the three-dimensional structure of the poliovirion, buried within the virion, and likely to interact with the viral RNA. Both VP1-101 and VP1-102 showed a diminished ability to enter CV1 but not HeLa cells; both mutants formed plaques on CV1 and HeLa cells that were smaller than wild type. Neither the rate of binding to cells nor the rate of subsequent receptor-dependent conformational change of the mutant poliovirions was affected. However, both mutants displayed delayed kinetics of RNA release compared with wild-type virus. One of the mutants, VP1-102, also displayed a defect in viral morphogenesis: 75S empty capsids formed normally, but 150S particles that contained RNA accumulated much more slowly. We suggest that the VP1-102 mutation affects RNA encapsidation as well as RNA release, whereas the VP1-101 mutation affects only RNA release. Therefore, RNA packaging and RNA release are genetically linked but can be mutated separately in different VP1 alleles, and both processes involve the amino terminus of VP1.
Dietary Supplement Use Among the Undergraduate College Population

Over the past decade, the prevalence of dietary supplement use in the United States has increased among the general adult population. Purpose: To determine the relationship among dietary supplement use, academic major, health information source, and motivation for use in the undergraduate college population. Methods: Undergraduates at Case Western Reserve University were invited to participate in this study. A survey was administered through REDcap, a secure web-based database, to interested participants. The survey included questions on (i) gender, (ii) intended academic major, (iii) dietary supplement use, (iv) rational for use, and (v) sources of information on dietary supplements. Results: In total, 238 undergraduates completed the survey with 71% reporting dietary supplement use. Nutrition majors and pre-health majors were as likely to use dietary supplements as other academic majors (odds ratio=1.11, 95% CI for odd ratio= 0.63- 1.98). Main motivations for use were to improve or maintain overall heal...
Multi-agent differential graphical games

Multi-agent systems arise in several domains of engineering and can be used to solve problems which are difficult for an individual agent to solve. Strategies for team decision problems, including optimal control, N-player games (H-infinity control, non-zero sum), and so on are normally solved for off-line by solving associated matrix equations such as the coupled Riccati equations or coupled Hamilton-Jacobi equations. However, using that approach players cannot change their objectives online in real time without calling for a completely new off-line solution for the new strategies. Therefore, in this paper are brought together cooperative control, reinforcement learning, and game theory to present a multi-agent formulation for online solution of team games. The notion of graphical games is developed for dynamical systems, where the dynamics and performance indices for each node depend only on local neighbor information. It is shown that standard definitions for Nash equilibrium are not sufficient for graphical games and a new definition of “Interactive Nash Equilibrium” is given. We give a cooperative policy iteration algorithm for graphical games that converges to the best response when the neighbors of each agent do not update their policies, and to the cooperative Nash equilibrium when all agents update their policies simultaneously. This is used to develop methods for online adaptive learning solutions of graphical games in real time.
Creating opportunities for training California's public health workforce.

Introduction:Today there are significant challenges to public health, and effective responses to them will require complex approaches and strategies implemented by a qualified workforce. An adequately prepared workforce requires long-term development; however, local health departments have limited f
Noise power spectral characteristics of a sealed inductively coupled plasma for atomic emission spectroscopy

Abstract The absolute noise power spectra of atomic emission signals from a sealed inductively coupled plasma (SICP) discharge for flowing and static modes demonstrate that noise below 5 Hz was lower than observed in a conventional 40.68 MHz ICP discharge. No distinct frequencies were observed above 200 Hz that were not power line dependent. The noise arising from the formation of vorticies in the plasma discharge is absent and white noise levels are lower for the SICP than a conventional 40.68 MHz ICP. This novel noise power spectrum should permit high precision and low detection limits in the SICP compared to conventional ICP-AES.
Do Finance Professors Invest Like Everyone Else

Comparing the results of the Fed’s Survey of Consumer Finances with those of a survey of finance professors at U.S. universities, the authors found that finance professors are significantly more likely than others to invest in equities. They also found that finance professors are less prone to behavioral biases because their decision not to invest in equities is based on neither the outcome of their past investments nor their short-term expectations of the market. See comments and response on this article.
Ab initio study of lithium transition metal fluorophosphate cathodes for rechargeable batteries

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations using plane-wave methods were performed for Li2TMPO4F, LiTMPO4F, and TMPO4F (TM = V, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) to address their feasibility as high-voltage cathode materials (>3.5 V relative to Li metal) for Li ion batteries. We computed their structures, average open circuit voltages, and thermal stabilities for step-wise lithiation/delithation (discharge/charge) reactions. The calculations suggest that associated unit cell volume changes are sufficiently small on average that they should not be a significant detriment to the mechanical stability of the cathode. In the nickel case, the calculated volume change deviates from the series by increasing during the first delithiation step. Furthermore, the volume increases for all these materials during the second delithiation step. The relative volume expansion in the series during delithiation appears related to the degree of mixing between metal d-orbtials and ligand p-orbitals. Predicted average open circuit voltages indicate that these Li-based transition metal fluorophosphates, most of which have yet to be successfully synthesized, are worthy of experimental pursuit as high-voltage cathodes, except for the lower predicted voltage for the reaction Li2VPO4F to LiVPO4F. However, examination of the relative thermal stability of possible undesirable decomposition products such as LiF suggests that in these materials Li extraction efficiency and the reversibility may be low in all but the vanadium phases.
Effects of alloxan, streptozotocin or D-mannoheptulose upon serum free fatty acid and serum glucose levels in goldfish, Carassius auratus L.

Abstract 1. 1. The effects of three mammalian diabetogenic agents were studied in 709 goldfish maintained under constant environmental conditions. 2. 2. Control (vehicle injected) fish show a rapid and temporary decrease in serum free fatty acid (FFA) levels. 3. 3. Alloxan (600 mg/kg) or streptozotocin (50 mg/kg) produce an initial serum FFA drop, elevation and subsequent return to control levels. Serum FFA descent lags but both serum FFA maximal elevation and subsequent normalization precede the respective serum glucose alterations, suggesting a rapid FFA turnover. 4. 4. d -Mannoheptulose (2 g/kg) appears not to be diabetogenic at the intervals studied but may stimulate release of endogenous insulin as serum FFA and serum glucose levels were lowered with serum glucose recovery occurring prior to that of serum FFA. 5. 5. The induced serum FFA alterations support the hypothesis that the goldfish endocrine pancreas has a significant role in lipid metabolism.
Spectral Theory of the Linear-Quadratic and H" Problems*

Abstract An overview of the spectral theory of the linear-quadratic and H ∞ problems is presented. Originally, the spectral theory of the linear quadratic problem emerged out of the problem of characterizing the finite-time escape of the Riccati differential equation as a condition on the spectrum of a Toeplitz-plus-Hankel operator. Later and following an independent line of thought, the spectral theory of the H ∞ problem emerged as a Toeplitz-plus-Hankel operator characterization of the smallest achievable tolerance in feedback design. This common Toeplitz-plus-Hankel operator structure shared by the linear-quadratic and H ∞ problems is elucidated by mapping the usual H ∞ frequency-response specification into the time domain, leading to an inequality bound on a quadratic functional precisely induced by the Toeplitz-plus-Hankel operator. With this deep linear-quadratic- H ∞ connection at hand, we derive a linear-quadratic solution to the H ∞ problem, and show that such issues as the Adamjan-Arov-Krein problem, pole-zero cancellation in optimal H ∞ compensation, etc. can be fruitfully attacked using simple linear-quadratic arguments.
Altered mechanisms of endothelium-dependent dilation in skeletal muscle arterioles with genetic hypercholesterolemia.

With most cardiovascular disease risk factors, endothelium-dependent dilation of skeletal muscle resistance arterioles is compromised, although with hypercholesterolemia, impairments to reactivity ...
ADHD Assessment: A Comparison of Negative versus Positive Symptom Formats.

This study examined effects of negative versus positive symptom formats on the assessment and subsequent classification of ADHD in children in public schools. Symptoms associated with the disorder based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) were presented to parents and teachers of referred children according to both types of formats. Informants were then asked to indicate whether the symptoms described the child's behavior over the last six months. Overall, the negatively phrased symptoms appeared to generate response bias which resulted in an increased percentage of children meeting the DSM-IV criteria for ADHD. Additionally, the decision reliability or classification agreement between the two formats was low, suggesting the possibility of confirmation bias in the assessment process. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Density and distribution of water boatmen and brine shrimp at a major shorebird wintering area in Puerto Rico

The Cabo Rojo salt flats are an important wintering area for migratory shorebirds. Their quality is intimately related to prey availability, as prey are needed to meet energetic requirements. Understanding prey dynamics is, therefore, a key element of shorebird conservation plans. To this end, we monitored the density and distribution of water-boatmen (Trichocorixa spp.) and brine shrimp (Artemia spp.) in relation to water salinity from September to November of 1994 and 1995. Salinity ranged from 4 to 292 ppt, and gradients were related to hydrological alterations (e.g., salt extraction) and connection to the ocean. Brine shrimp were restricted to areas of highest salinity (≥ 106 ppt), whereas water-boatmen to areas of lowest salinity ( 100 ppt. Lowering water salinity did not result in osmolal related mortality. Results underscored the sensitivity of water boatmen to high salinity, particularly when the difference in salinity between the ‘source’ and ‘destination’ localities widened. Water boatmen density increased in one lagoon as salinity decreased from 65 to 47 ppt. On the basis of our experiments, local adult survivorship improved and immigration and subsequent survival of adults, if any, was not hindered. The density of nymphs also suggested that hatching occurred concurrently. The foraging value of the salt flats can be enhanced by maintaining salinity at < 65 ppt in selected management units and minimizing differences in salinity concentrations among them.
Beyond monogamy: territory quality influences sexual advertisement in male burying beetles

Abstract Abstract. Burying beetles, Nicrophorus defodiens , reproduce on vertebrate carcasses, and the number of beetles of either sex on a carcass is known to be highly variable. Field and laboratory studies were conducted to examine how sexual advertisement by males is affected by resource quality and number of mates, and to determine the reproductive output of males in different breeding associations. Carcass size had a strong influence on the reproductive benefits of polygyny to males, and on male sexual advertisement. In the field, polygynous groups produced more young and a greater brood mass than monogamous or polyandrous groups when using a large carcass (40-60 g). On a small carcass (15-18 g), however, no differences in reproductive output between the three breeding associations were found. In light of these findings, advertisement for mates was monitored when males were provided: (1) a small carcass and one female; (2) a large carcass and one female; and (3) a large carcass and four females. Most males that were paired with a female on a large carcass released pheromone even after copulating with the resident female. Pheromone emission was rare, however, in males that were paired with a single female on a small carcass, or in males that were given access to four females. Male N. defodiens thus assess both resource quality and number of mates when deciding whether to emit pheromone, and this decision appears to agree with the reproductive interests of males but not necessarily that of resident females.
Cerebral glucose metabolism after portacaval shunting in the rat. Patterns of metabolism and implications for the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy.

Abstract The regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose was measured in normal and portacaval shunted rats and the effects of unilateral carotid infusions of "threshold" amounts of ammonia were assessed. 8 wk after shunting the glucose metabolic rate was increased in all 20 brain regions sampled. Effects on subcortical and phylogenetically older regions of the brain were most pronounced with a 74% increase observed in the reticular formation at the collicular level. Increases in the cerebral cortex ranged from 12 to 18%. Unilateral infusions of ammonia did not affect behavior but altered the electroencephalogram and selectively increased the glucose metabolic rate in the thalamus, hypothalamus, and substantia nigra in half of the animals, a pattern similar to that seen after a portacaval shunt, suggesting hyperammonemia as the cause of postshunt increases in glucose metabolism. Visual inspection of autoradiograms, computed correlation coefficients relating interregional metabolism, and principal component analysis suggest that normal cerebral metabolic and functional interrelationships are altered by shunting. Ammonia stimulation of the hypothalamic satiety centers may suppress appetite and lead to cachexia. Reductions in the ammonia detoxification capacity of skeletal muscle may increase the probability of developing future episodes of hyperammonemia, perpetuating the process. Direct effects of ammonia on specific brain centers such as the dorsomedial hypothalamus and reticular activating system may combine with global disruptions of cerebral metabolic-functional relationships to produce the protean manifestations of portal-systemic encephalopathy.
Development of a turbulence model based on recursion renormalization group theory.

An anisotropic turbulence model for the local interaction part of the Reynolds stresses is developed using the recursion renormalization group theory (r-RNG)---an interaction contribution that has been omitted in all previous Reynolds stress RNG calculations. The local interactions arise from the nonzero wave number range, 0k${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{c}}$, where ${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{c}}$ is the wave number separating the subgrid from resolvable scales while the nonlocal interactions arise in the k\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0 limit. From \ensuremath{\epsilon}-RNG, which can only treat nonlocal interactions, it has been shown that the nonlocal contributions to the Reynolds stress give rise to terms that are quadratic in the mean strain rate. Based on comparisons of nonlocal contributions to the eddy viscosity and Prandtl number from r-RNG and \ensuremath{\epsilon}-RNG theories (\ensuremath{\epsilon} is a small parameter), it is assumed that the nonlocal contribution to the Reynolds stress will also be very similar. It is shown here, by r-RNG, that the local interaction effects give rise to significant higher-order dispersive effects. The importance of these new terms for separated flows is investigated by considering turbulent flow past a backward facing step. On incorporating this r-RNG model for the Reynolds stress into the conventional transport models for turbulent kinetic energy and dissipation, it is found that very good predictions for the turbulent separated flow past a backward facing step are obtained. The r-RNG model performance is also compared with that of the standard K-\ensuremath{\varepsilon} model (K is the kinetic energy of the turbulence and \ensuremath{\varepsilon} is the turbulence dissipation), the \ensuremath{\epsilon}-RNG model, and other two-equation models for this back step problem to demonstrate the importance of the local interactions.
A framework for diagnosing changes in evolving data streams

In recent years, the progress in hardware technology has made it possible for organizations to store and record large streams of transactional data. This results in databases which grow without limit at a rapid rate. This data can often show important changes in trends over time. In such cases, it is useful to understand, visualize and diagnose the evolution of these trends. When the data streams are fast and continuous, it becomes important to analyze and predict the trends quickly in online fashion. In this paper, we discuss the concept of velocity density estimation, a technique used to understand, visualize and determine trends in the evolution of fast data streams. We show how to use velocity density estimation in order to create both temporal velocity profiles and spatial velocity profiles at periodic instants in time. These profiles are then used in order to predict three kinds of data evolution: dissolution, coagulation and shift. Methods are proposed to visualize the changing data trends in a single online scan of the data stream, and a computational requirement which is linear in the number of data points. In addition, batch processing techniques are proposed in order to identify combinations of dimensions which show the greatest amount of global evolution. The techniques discussed in this paper can be easily extended to spatio-temporal data, changes in data snapshots at fixed instances in time, or any other data which has a temporal component during its evolution.
A Markov model of school versus work choices of black and white young men

This paper examine the actual school versus labour force participation choices made over time by a nationally representative sample of black and white youths and focuses on the way in which personal and economic factors alter the distribution of such choices. The empirical analysis involves using a multinominal logit model to predict the cells in Markov transition probability matrices. Next the sensitivity of the probability predictions to variation in selected predetermined variables is examined. With this procedure, we are able to better understand the way in which, say a change in the local unemployment rate alters the relative choices made by a youth regarding school enrollment, labour force participation or some combintion. A secondary goal of this paper is to compare empirical results obtained for white and black youths using a procedure implied by Coleman et al.(1972). 2
Physician confidence and interest in learning more about common geriatric topics: a needs assessment.

OBJECTIVE: To assess physicians' confidence in and interest in learning more about 18 specific geriatric topics. DESIGN: Written survey. SETTING: Annual meetings of the American College of Physicians (ACP) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). PARTICIPANTS: Seven hundred and fifty-eight physicians (547 ACP members, 211 AAFP members). MEASUREMENTS: For each topic, participants rated their confidence in performance, their peers' need for education, and their interest in learning more, using a five-point Likert scale. RESULTS: Survey participants were on average 16 years out of medical school and 61% were in a community primary care practice that included many geriatric patients on a primarily fee-for-service basis. High levels of interest in learning more about dementia, functional assessment, urinary incontinence, and sensory impairment were found. A substantial correlation (r = .44, P < .0001) between the proportion of seniors reported in the physicians' practice and confidence in performance in the areas surveyed was identified. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide useful information on the physician-learner's perception of needs, which is important in the design of effective continuing education efforts in geriatrics.
Middle Managers’ Strategic Role in the Corporate Entrepreneurial Process: Attention-Based Effects

This article examines the strategic role of middle managers in the corporate entrepreneurial process from an attention-based perspective. By integrating literatures from multiple disciplines, the authors delineate the attention-based effects on how middle managers provide the impetus for different types of entrepreneurial opportunities (i.e., exploratory vs. exploitative initiatives). Specifically, middle managers, constrained by the attention structures of the firm, likely prescreen entrepreneurial opportunities from lower organizational levels and attend primarily to those that align with the strategic orientation of the firm. This tendency may be moderated by the presence of other players, middle managers’ structural positions, and the availability of slack resources. Moreover, in their efforts to sell initiatives to top management, middle managers may leverage “policy windows”—patterned regularities and irregularities in and around the organization—to exploit existing attention structures to their adv...
The FHIT gene product: tumor suppressor and genome “caretaker”

The FHIT gene at FRA3B is one of the earliest and most frequently altered genes in the majority of human cancers. It was recently discovered that the FHIT gene is not the most fragile locus in epithelial cells, the cell of origin for most Fhit-negative cancers, eroding support for past claims that deletions at this locus are simply passenger events that are carried along in expanding cancer clones, due to extreme vulnerability to DNA damage rather than to loss of FHIT function. Indeed, recent reports have reconfirmed FHIT as a tumor suppressor gene with roles in apoptosis and prevention of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Other recent works have identified a novel role for the FHIT gene product, Fhit, as a genome “caretaker.” Loss of this caretaker function leads to nucleotide imbalance, spontaneous replication stress, and DNA breaks. Because Fhit loss-induced DNA damage is “checkpoint blind,” cells accumulate further DNA damage during subsequent cell cycles, accruing global genome instability that could facilitate oncogenic mutation acquisition and expedite clonal expansion. Loss of Fhit activity therefore induces a mutator phenotype. Evidence for FHIT as a mutator gene is discussed in light of these recent investigations of Fhit loss and subsequent genome instability.
Studies on the interfaces and adhesion mechanisms in reinforced diamond composite coatings

Abstract Metal-reinforced diamond composite films produced by a three-step process are studied by examining the nature and interaction of the three types of interfaces present in the composite: diamond-substrate, binder-substrate and diamond-binder. Diamond composites were deposited on tungsten substrates with nickel or CuTiAg alloy binders. It is found that a diffusion bond formed between the binder and the substrate. In addition, carbide-forming elements are found to segregate to the diamond-binder interface. The binding state of the diffused elements was studied by examining the fine structure of the Auger spectra. Carbon at the interface between the binder and the diamond is found to have carbide-type bonding which should improve the adherence of the binder to the diamond.
Tumor promoters induce membrane changes detected by fluorescence polarization.

Abstract The probe, 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) was used to determine if tumor promoting agents alter cell membranes. The active tumor promoters TPA (12-0-tetra-decanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate), PDD (phorbol-12,13-didecanoate) and PDB (phorbol-12,13-dibenzoate) were found to decrease fluorescence polarization of DPH in rat embryo cells, whereas the inactive tumor promoting compounds phorbol and 4α-PDD failed to induce this change.
The influence of geometric occlusal carvings on the masticatory effectiveness of complete dentures

Abstract A study of 20 edentulous subjects was made to evaluate the effect of 4 cuspless geometric occlusal patterns on the chewing efficiency of complete dentures and to compare the masticatory effectiveness of these grooved patterns with similar patterns of raised metal inserts. Results of the tests showed no significant difference in effectiveness among the patterns tested. However, after a year of experience with a given pattern, masticatory efficiency was significantly improved. After three months of experience with metal insert patterns, the patients showed a definite improvement in masticatory performance. Dentures with occlusal configurations on both upper and lower posterior tooth segments seemed to be more effective than dentures with one or both opposing segments free of occlusal markings.
Prolegomena to a Catholic Theology of God between Heidegger and Postmodernity

New opportunities for discourse about God have arisen, along with new challenges to the mainstream Catholic theology of God. In order to take advantage of these opportunities, a truly contemporary Catholic theology of God must critically appropriate three ‘events’ which have affected its approach to the subject matter: (1) Heidegger's periodizing critique of ontotheology; (2) the ‘contemporary’ viewed as the arena of contention between modern and postmodern claims; (3) the presence of the Kingdom of God and the revelation of the nature of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ, which alter our understandings of time and being. The present essay sketches a program for an authentically Catholic response to the issues raised by these occurrences, emphasizing the Catholic commitment to incarnation and sacramentality and the necessary effort to retrieve redemptive images of God from modernity, despite the present tendency of some postmodern theologians and philosophers to dismiss aspects of the past as unusable.
An estimate of the potential market for equipment to produce biomass fuels for on-farm use

Abstract This paper examines the potential U.S. market for equipment to produce fuels from biomass on farms or in cooperatives for on-farm use. Penetration of on-farm biomass fuel production into the agricultural energy market depends upon: the demands for different fuels in various regions of the country, reflecting different crops and operations; the availability of crops and other feedstocks in each of these regions; the availability of conversion technologies; and the relative cost to farmers of purchasing fuels and producing them locally. Using a linear programming model, we estimate that agriculture in each of four regions could supply its own energy demands from on-farm biomass conversion, although this resul would require processing of large shares of some feedstocks in some regions. This information yields estimates of the size of the conversion equipment market. Realization of this market would require large increases in the prices paid for enery from commercial sources, however.
Effective strategies for long-term statin use

Long-term statin use achieves a significant reduction in mortality (24% to 42%) for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) that is equal to or greater than that seen with other secondary prevention medications, including aspirin, β-blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. In patients with diabetes, the reduction in mortality exceeds that seen with tight glycemic control or any other treatment for diabetes. Several studies have found that almost all patients with atherosclerosis are considered candidates for statin treatment. The scientific evidence needed to revise the national guidelines has been provided by showing that initiation of statins before hospital discharge results in (1) a marked increase in long-term treatment rates, (2) improved long-term patient compliance, (3) more patients reaching levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol 83,000 lives per year in the United States.
TASS: The Toolkit for Accurate Scientific Software

The Toolkit for Accurate Scientific Software (TASS) is a suite of integrated tools for the formal verification of programs used in computational science, including numerically-intensive message-passing-based parallel programs. While TASS can verify a number of standard safety properties (such as absence of deadlocks and out-of-bound array indexing), its most powerful feature is the ability to establish that two programs are functionally equivalent. These properties are verified by performing an explicit state enumeration of a model of the program(s). In this model, symbolic expressions are used to represent the inputs and the values of variables. TASS uses novel techniques to simplify the symbolic representation of the state and to reduce the number of states explored and saved. The TASS front-end supports a large subset of C, including (multi-dimensional) arrays, structs, dynamically allocated data, pointers and pointer arithmetic, functions and recursion, and other commonly used language constructs. A number of experiments on small but realistic numerical programs show that TASS can scale to reasonably large configurations and process counts. TASS is open source software distributed under the GNU Public License. The Java source code, examples, experimental results, and reference materials are all available at http://vsl.cis.udel.edu/tass .
Stimulating the flow of innovations to the U.S. automotive industry

Abstract This is a report of a study of barriers, facilitators, and incentives to innovation among suppliers to the U.S. automotive industry. It follows and is integrated with two earlier studies on this subject by one or both of the present authors. One gathered data on a sample of innovations from a number of suppliers to identify the kinds of barriers and facilitators they encountered in their attempts to innovate for the automotive industry. The second focused on possible incentives for research aimed at increasing and improving the technology base for the automotive industry. The current study combined both aspects and probed, in more depth than was possible in the first set of case studies, the possibility of government incentives helping to ease or eliminate barriers to innovation at the project level. Twenty-eight innovation project cases were examined in three large automobile supplier companies. Data were gathered by a combination of face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews, and one mailed questionnaire. The barriers mentioned most frequently in connection with this sample of projects were 1) problems in selling and developing products for automotive market, 2) government actions, 3) cost (e.g., development, capital), 4) high-volume product requirements, and 5) general historical trends (e.g., resistance to change). On the other hand, respondents mentioned the following facilitators most frequently as stimulating innovation to the auto industry: 1) the nature of the automotive market and the customer, 2) the capabilities of the supplier and recent trends in the supplier's environment, 3) government actions, and 4) competition. Respondents' suggestions of a number of potential government actions were combined and analyzed with the results of the two earlier studies, and five general classes of incentives were selected as possible experimental variables in a proposed set of administrative experiments to be conducted among suppliers to the automotive industry. The five experimental or independent variables (incentives) were 1) cooperative research, 2) research grants and contracts, 3) technical information, 4) cost sharing, and 5) demonstrations. In addition, a large set of behavioral or decision events, derived from the first study in this series, was presented and candidates for dependent or outcome (performance) variables to be measured for specific experiments were discussed.
Specific Area Osseous Effects of X Radiation

A 0.5-cm diameter X-ray beam of a specified quality, directed at the mandibular molar region of adult male albino rats, was shown to destroy osteocytes in increasing amounts according to the radiation quantity used. The interval between exposure and the time rats were killed for examination appeared irrelevant. Osteocytic death seemed to be a function of exposure time.
The Rorschach and the assessment of impulsivity

The validity of the Rorschach as an instrument to assess impulsivity was examined in a sample of 55 adolescent psychiatric inpatients. The Rorschach variables considered to be related to impulsivity (D, Adjusted D, M, Afr, X + %, FC:CF+C, and L) were used to predict performance on the Gordon Diagnostic System (GDS). Only the discriminant function for the GDS Delay Task (which assesses the ability to formulate response strategies and to benefit from feedback) was statistically significant, with a 76.36% correct classification of subjects. The Rorschach variables with the highest correlations within the discriminant function were D, FC:CF+C, and M. The results of this study appeared to provide some support for the utility of the Rorschach in the assessment of impulsivity. Language: en
Syntheses of reactive fluorescent stains derived from 5(2)-aryl-2(5)-(4-pyridyl)oxazoles and bifunctionally reactive linkers

Several bifunctionally reactive linkers containing halide or sulfonate ester groups were prepared. The linkers were used to quaternize 5-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-(4-pyridyl)oxazole and 2-(6-chromanyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)oxazole to produce fluorescent stains that contained a reactive group such as an isothiocyanate, an N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester, a maleimide, or an oxirane. The stains were derivatized with either 1-propylamine, 1-propanethiol, or piperidine, as appropriate, to help in characterization. The stains may serve as more photostable alternatives to fluoresceins or coumarins.
A container off hire allocation model with prioritization for shipping lines

The container off hire allocation problem occurs in the context of the marine and inland container repositioning for liner shipping industry. It involves transportation demand forecasting, container inventory planning, vessel and voyage scheduling as well as redelivery priorities of various container types. In this paper, the process and influence factors of the problem are described. Then a basic optimization model is proposed to minimize the total operational cost under the limitation of return quantities/rates to each node in the off hire process. Finally, computing results are illustrated by numerical analysis.
Comparison of error rates and performance on Wechsler's Coding and Digit Symbol subtests and the Symbol-Symbol test for children and adults.

Performance on Digit Symbol, Coding, and similar symbol-substitution tests are known to be influenced by a wide variety of reversible and nonreversible organic syndromes and learning disabilities. Recently, questions regarding the interchangeability of different symbol-substitution tests have been raised. The present study compared the performance, i.e., number of substitutions completed accurately and number of errors, of 37 adults, 32 adolescents, and 45 children on the Wechsler symbol-substitution tests of Digit Symbol and Coding with their performance on the recently designed Symbol-Symbol test. Analysis indicated that, while Symbol-Symbol performance is highly correlated with Wechsler scores on symbol-substitution tests, significant differences in error rates and speed of performance suggest that the Symbol-Symbol test cannot be considered an equivalent symbol-substitution test. Further investigation of the properties and the potential uses of the Symbol-Symbol test with clinical populations must be undertaken.
Temperature dependent activation of the alternate complement pathway by an IgG cryoglobulin

A patient with chronic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis is presented whose serum contains a monoclonal IgG3 cryoglobulin. The presence of persistent hypocomplementemia suggested the possibility that the cryoglobulin, upon cold-induced precipitation, was capable of activating the complement system. Because visible cryoprecipitation commenced in vitro at 30 degrees C, the patient's serum and normal serum had been added the isolated cryoglobulin were repeatedly cooled to 30 degrees C and rewarmed to 37 degrees C. This reproduction of the in vivo counterpart of blood circulating through an extremity exposed to the cold resulted in activation of C3-proactivator (properdin factor B), C3 cleavage, and a 78% reduction in total hemolytic complement. This study demonstrates that IgG is capable of activating complement via the alternate pathway and reveals a mechanism through which this can occur in vivo; namely, by means of temperature dependent polymerization. In addition, we postulate that episodic complement activation initiated by the cryoglobulin contributed to the development of glomerulonephritis in this patient.
On the minimum requirements for independent recovery in distributed systems

Abstract We examine the necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of networks that are capable of independent recovery from machine failures. We show some networks which can achieve independent recovery from a single machine failure. Machines in such a network are allowed to wait at some point to receive messages from more than one machine. We show that without this feature, no network is capable of independent recovery from even a single machine failure.
Fibrinolysis use among patients requiring interhospital transfer for st-segment elevation myocardial infarction care a report from the us national cardiovascular data registry

Importance Guidelines for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) recommend timely reperfusion with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) or fibrinolysis. Among patients with STEMI who require interhospital transfer, it is unclear how reperfusion strategy selection and outcomes vary with interhospital drive times. Objective To assess the association of estimated interhospital drive times with reperfusion strategy selection among transferred patients with STEMI in the United States. Design, Setting, and Participants We identified 22 481 patients eligible for pPCI or fibrinolysis who were transferred from 1771 STEMI referring centers to 366 STEMI receiving centers in the Acute Coronary Treatment and Intervention Outcomes Network Registry–Get With the Guidelines database between July 1, 2008, and March 31, 2012. Main Outcomes and Measures In-hospital mortality and major bleeding. Results The median estimated interhospital drive time was 57 minutes (interquartile range [IQR], 36-88 minutes). When the estimated drive time exceeded 30 minutes, only 42.6% of transfer patients treated with pPCI achieved the first door-to-balloon time within 120 minutes. Only 52.7% of eligible patients with a drive time exceeding 60 minutes received fibrinolysis. Among 15 437 patients with estimated drive times of 30 to 120 minutes who were eligible for fibrinolysis or pPCI, 5296 (34.3%) received pretransfer fibrinolysis, with a median door-to-needle time of 34 minutes (IQR, 23-53 minutes). After fibrinolysis, the median time to transfer to the STEMI receiving center was 49 minutes (IQR, 34-69 minutes), and 97.1% underwent follow-up angiography. Patients treated with fibrinolysis vs pPCI had no significant mortality difference (3.7% vs 3.9%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.94-1.36) but had higher bleeding risk (10.7% vs 9.5%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.02-1.33). Conclusions and Relevance In the United States, neither fibrinolysis nor pPCI is being optimally used to achieve guideline-recommended reperfusion targets. For patients who are unlikely to receive timely pPCI, pretransfer fibrinolysis, followed by early transfer for angiography, may be a reperfusion option when potential benefits of timely reperfusion outweigh bleeding risk.
Surface tension of freestanding partially fluorinated liquid-crystal films.

The surface tension of freestanding liquid-crystal films has been measured as a function of film thickness and temperature. The data are independent of film thickness from over 100 down to only two molecular layers (\ensuremath{\approxeq} 50 \AA{}) and no temperature dependence could be detected. The results obtained on recently synthesized partially fluorinated materials indicate that the film-vapor interfaces consist of roughly equal proportions of ${\mathrm{CF}}_{3}$ and ${\mathrm{CH}}_{3}$ terminal groups. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.