cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase 2 open-label study of weekly docosahexaenoic acid-paclitaxel in cutaneous and mucosal metastatic melanoma patients

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)-paclitaxel has a unique pharmacokinetic profile that allows high concentrations of paclitaxel to be delivered to melanoma cells for prolonged periods compared with paclitaxel. We investigated the response rate and safety of weekly DHA-paclitaxel in metastatic melanoma patients. We enrolled chemotherapy-naive patients with metastatic nonchoroidal melanoma using the two-stage Fleming design. At least one response was needed in the first stage to proceed to the second stage. DHA-paclitaxel (500 mg/m/week by 1-h intravenous infusion) was administered for 5 weeks every 6-week cycle until disease progression, intolerable toxicity, or treatment refusal. Response and toxicity were assessed every 6 weeks and weekly, respectively. Thirty patients were enrolled. The patients' median age was 67 years (range: 29-86 years). The median number of treatment cycles was 2 (range: 1-6 cycles). Three patients (10%) had partial responses; one lasted 4 months, and two lasted 5.6 months. Fifteen patients (50%) had stable disease with a median duration of 2.8 months (range: 2.6-8.9 months). The median survival was 14.8 months. Neutropenia (10%) and musculoskeletal pain (10%) were the most common grade 3 and 4 toxicities, and fatigue (73%), skin rash (70%), and diarrhea (60%) were the most common side effects. As a single-agent therapy, DHA-paclitaxel was well tolerated in metastatic melanoma patients. Its efficacy as a first-line therapy for metastatic melanoma does not exceed that seen with other single-agent chemotherapies such as dacarbazine. Further evaluation of DHA-paclitaxel in combination with other chemotherapy or targeted agents could be considered.
Simple Demountable Hollow Cathode for Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy

A simple demountable hollow cathode for atomic absorption spectroscopy has been developed which involves very little cost and is simple to construct. The performance of the demountable lamp was compared with commercial lamps for the elements zinc, chromium, and nickel. The lamps were found to be almost identical with respect to stability, precision of data, detection limits, and analytically useful ranges for these three elements. It is felt that use of this demountable hollow cathode can greatly extend the number of elements which can be determined by atomic absorption for a laboratory unable to invest in commercial hollow cathodes.
Aberrant signaling pathways of the lung mesenchyme and their contributions to the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a chronic lung disease in infants born extremely preterm, typically before 28 weeks' gestation, characterized by a prolonged need for supplemental oxygen or positive pressure ventilation beyond 36 weeks postmenstrual age. The limited number of autopsy samples available from infants with BPD in the postsurfactant era has revealed a reduced capacity for gas exchange resulting from simplification of the distal lung structure with fewer, larger alveoli because of a failure of normal lung alveolar septation and pulmonary microvascular development. The mechanisms responsible for alveolar simplification in BPD have not been fully elucidated, but mounting evidence suggests that aberrations in the cross-talk between growth factors of the lung mesenchyme and distal airspace epithelium have a key role. Animal models that recapitulate the human condition have expanded our knowledge of the pathology of BPD and have identified candidate matrix components and growth factors in the developing lung that are disrupted by conditions that predispose infants to BPD and interfere with normal vascular and alveolar morphogenesis. This review focuses on the deviations from normal lung development that define the pathophysiology of BPD and summarizes the various candidate mesenchyme-associated proteins and growth factors that have been identified as being disrupted in animal models of BPD. Finally, future areas of research to identify novel targets affected in arrested lung development and recovery are discussed.
Event-triggered optimal regulation of uncertain linear discrete-time systems by using Q-learning scheme

In this paper, an event-triggered optimal adaptive regulation of an uncertain linear discrete time system is proposed. This scheme solves the optimal control in a forwardin- time and online manner by using both dynamic programming and Q learning. First, the time varying action dependent value or the Q-function is estimated online by an adaptive value function estimator (VFE) with event-based state vector and a time dependent basis function. The estimated value function parameters are subsequently used to generate the optimal control gain matrix. Further, aperiodic tuning law for the VFE parameters is proposed not only to estimate the parameters but also handle the terminal constraint. The parameters are tuned only at the event-trigger instants thus reducing computation when compared to the traditional optimal adaptive control. Above all, an adaptive event-trigger condition to decide the event-trigger instants and guarantee stability of the closed-loop system is analytically derived based on the optimal performance criterion via Lyapunov direct method. Nonetheless, the existence of a non-trivial minimum inter-event time is analyzed. Further, it is shown that the parameters converge asymptotically provided the persistency of excitation condition on the regression vector is ensured. Finally, the analytical design is validated with the simulation results.
Contextual Variation and Memory Retrieval at Six Months

In 2 experiments we asked whether training in multiple contexts could eliminate context-dependent memory retrieval at 6 months as it does for adults. We found that 24-hour retention was disrupted when infants were trained in one context and tested in another but not when they were trained in multiple contexts prior to testing in a novel context (Experiment 1). After a long delay, however, training in multiple contexts did not facilitate memory retrieval in a novel context: An otherwise effective retrieval cue (the training mobile) did not alleviate forgetting 3 weeks later when it was presented in a novel context (Experiment 2). These findings demonstrate that multiple learning contexts can override the debilitating effects of an altered context on memory retrieval at 6 months, but only over the short term. The resistance of older memories to retrieval in novel contexts after long periods of disuse may be adaptive, insuring that potentially inappropriate or irrelevant memories will not be expressed.
Prioritization of Ecosystem Services Research: Tampa Bay Demonstration Project

The Tampa Bay Ecosystem Services Demonstration Project (TBESDP) is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Ecosystem Services Research Program. The principal objectives of TBESDP are to (1) quantify the ecosystem services of the Tampa Bay watershed, (2) determine the value of ecosystem services to society, (3) predict the supply of ecosystem services under future scenarios of population growth and climate change, and (4) apply this knowledge through models and tools that will support the best informed environmental decisions possible. The scope and complexity of this project required intensive effort to establish which services can be quantified by applying existing models, data, and scientific literature and which services will require supporting research. Research priorities were assessed by: (1) developing and refining conceptual models of major ecosystems in the Tampa Bay region, (2) gathering input from stakeholders about the relative importance and values of various ecosystem services, (3) preparing and reviewing a bibliometric analysis of the volume of scientific literature relevant to the ecosystems and services of interest, and (4) evaluating an integrated analysis of importance, value, and availability of scientific information. This analysis led us to focus on two research priorities, seagrass-habitat functions as support for fishery production, and wetlands as regulators of water quality.
A nearly circumferential hyoid bone.

JT is a 28-year-old African American man with a history of symptomatic cholelithiasis and hypertension. He was seen in our surgery clinic and was scheduled to undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The patient underwent successful induction and paralyzation with propofol and succinylcholine. Despite multiple attempts at intubation, the vocal cords could not be visualized, and the surgical procedure was aborted. Upon close examination of the neck, a mass was appreciated. The patient was supported by bag mask ventilation and was taken to the recovery room without incident. The patient was referred to the otolaryngology clinic with an outpatient neck computed tomography (CT) for evaluation of the mass. There were no abnormal neck lesions detected on CT; however, an elongated hyoid bone (Fig. 1) was discovered nearly encircling the patient’s trachea. The hyoid bone was restricting visualization of the vocal cords when the blade was inserted by preventing mobilization of the glottis. The patient underwent awake, fiberoptic intubation in the operating room with our team standing by in case emergency surgical airway access was necessary. The rest of the case went without incident, and the patient was extubated without difficulty. The patient was seen in surgery clinic and had full resolution of his abdominal pain. The cartilage of the second branchial arch forms the lesser cornu of the hyoid bone. The cartilage of the third arch forms the greater cornu of the hyoid. The greater cornua project backward from the lateral borders of the body. It appears that in this patient, the posterior lateral aspect of the greater cornu is exceptionally long with ligamentous attachments affixing it to the body of the fifth cervical vertebra. This makes it impossible to elevate the glottis out of the posterior pharynx, explaining the difficult intubation. An extensive review of the literature has not yielded a congenital malformation of the hyoid bone similar to this. There are 2 instances of elongation of the greater cornu, causing pain and requiring surgery [1,2]. Neither malformation encircled the glottis and both were symptomatic, whereas our patient was asymptomatic. A review of hyoid morphology by Papadopoulos et al [3] reveals a large variance from bnormalQ anatomy. It is entirely possible that more asymptomatic individuals such as the one described exist, however have not yet been found. In assessing this patient preoperatively, none of the normal markers of a difficult intubation such as micro
Competence in Language at 24 Months: Relations with Attachment Security and Home Stimulation

This study explored the interrelations among attachment, home stimulation, and language development in 58 toddlers (36 medically high risk and 22 low risk) at 24 months of age. The results indicated that there were additive effects of attachment and home stimulation on language competence, especially on receptive abilities. Mothers who had established secure relationships and provided stimulating home environments had children with the highest language scores.
40Ar39Ar dating of the Skaergaard intrusion

We report the first 40Ar39Ar data for the Skaergaard Intrusion, based on analyses of hornblende and biotite from a Transgressive granophyre from Upper Zone A (UZa) of the Layered Series. Hornblende separates heated in a resistance furnace and laser-heated single crystals of biotite from the granophyre give plateau ages that are consistent with isochron ages of 55.48 ± 0.30 and 55.40 ± 0.14 Ma respectively (2σ internal uncertainty), with initial 40Ar39Ar ratios of 292.4 ± 19.0 and 291.1 ± 7.2. If uncertainties in the ages of 40Ar39Ar standard fluence monitors are considered (external uncertainties), 2σ errors are 0.76 and 0.72 Ma, respectively. Resistance heating analysis of biotite separated from a gabbro from Lower Zone A (LZa) of the Skaergaard Layered Series indicates that the sample has been extensively contaminated by Ar inherited from old crust and does not constrain the intrusion age, apart from indicating that it is less than approximately 57 Ma old. The Ar cooling ages are consistent within uncertainty with both pluton cooling models presented by Norton and Taylor [1], but the data agree best with their model (S2) which assumes a smaller permeability (10−13 cm2). Combination of the new ages and the Norton and Taylor cooling models constrains the emplacement and final crystallization of the Skaergaard magma chamber to be at 55.75 ± 0.30 Ma and 55.65 ± 0.30 Ma, respectively. Evidence for late-crystallizing quartz and tridymite near the Sandwich Horizon (SH), combined with phase-equilibria constraints on the near-solidus crystallization temperature of the SH (975 ± 25°C), require the pressure of SH solidification to be 60 ± 15 MPa. This means that the Tertiary basalts and sediments overlying the Kangerdlugssuaq region were 3.2 ± 0.8 km thick at 55.65 ± 0.30 Ma. Assuming that the 6–7 km thick Tertiary section exposed further east along the East Greenland coast is representative of that which accumulated above the Skaergaard, we infer that the Skaergaard emplacement occurred during the Main stage of the East Greenland flood basalt event, after approximately half of the Tertiary section had erupted. The onset of coastal flexure in the Kangerdlugssuaq region was after 55.48 ± 0.76 Ma.
Biological Effects of Phosphate on Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes

This study sought to examine the expression of genes implicated in phosphate transport and pathological calcification in osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) and investigate the biological effects of phosphate. Results revealed that several genes, which were implicated in phosphate transport and pathological calcification, were differentially expressed in OA FLS and RA FLS. Phosphate stimulated the expression of matrix metalloproteinse-1, matrix metalloproteinse-3, cyclooxygenase-2, and interleukin-1β in a dose-dependent manner. Phosphate also induced OA FLS cell death but not RA FLS cell death at higher concentration. Calcification inhibitors, phosphocitrate (PC), and ethane-1-hydroxy-1,1-diphosphonate (EHDP), effectively inhibited these detrimental biological effects of phosphate. These findings suggest that abnormal expression of genes implicated in phosphate transport and pathological calcification may contribute to the progression of OA through the induction of extracellular matrix-degrading enzymes, proinflammatory cytokines, cell death, and calcium deposits. Calcification inhibitors such as PC and EHDP are potent inhibitors of these detrimental biological effects of phosphate.
Endophthalmitis isolates and antibiotic sensitivities: A 6-year review of culture-proven cases

Abstract Purpose To investigate the spectrum of organisms causing culture-proven endophthalmitis and their sensitivities to commonly used antimicrobial agents. Design Retrospective, noncomparative, consecutive case series. Methods Medical records were reviewed of all patients with culture-proven endophthalmitis at a single institution between January 1, 1996, and December 31, 2001. Endophthalmitis categories included postoperative, posttraumatic, endogenous, and miscellaneous (for example, keratitis). The outcome measures included intravitreal isolates identified, antibiotic sensitivities, and category of endophthalmitis. Results In all, 313 organisms were isolated from 278 patients during the study interval. The most common organisms identified were Staphylococcus epidermidis in 27.8% (87/313), Streptococcus viridans group in 12.8% (40/313), other coagulase-negative staphylococci in 9.3% (29/313), Staphylococcus aureus in 7.7% (24/313), and Propionibacterium acnes in 7.0% (22/313). Overall, 246 of 313 (78.5%) isolates were gram-positive organisms, 37 (11.8%) were gram-negative organisms, and 27 (8.6%) were fungi. For gram-positive organisms, sensitivities were the following: vancomycin 100%, gentamicin 78.4%, ciprofloxacin 68.3%, ceftazidime 63.6%, and cefazolin 66.8%. For gram-negative organisms, sensitivities were the following: ciprofloxacin 94.2%, amikacin 80.9%, ceftazidime 80.0%, and gentamicin 75.0%. Fungal isolates were Candida species (9/313), Aspergillus species (9/313), and other molds (9/313). Among the endophthalmitis categories, the most frequent organisms were the following: (1) acute-onset postoperative: S epidermidis , 46.9%; (2) delayed-onset postoperative: S epidermidis , 22.7%; (3) delayed-onset bleb-associated: fastidious gram-negative rods, 20.4%; (4) posttraumatic: S epidermidis , 20.8%; (5) endogenous: Aspergillus species, 20.8%; and (6) miscellaneous: molds (other), 36.4%. Conclusions In considering antibiotic treatment of endophthalmitis, it is important to recognize that no single antibiotic provided coverage for all of the microbes isolated from eyes with endophthalmitis. Combination therapy is recommended as the initial empiric treatment of suspected bacterial endophthalmitis. Appropriate history and characteristic clinical features may justify the use of initial antifungal agents. Knowledge of the most frequent causative organisms in various categories will help direct appropriate initial therapy.
When Black + Lesbian + Woman ≠ Black Lesbian Woman: The Methodological Challenges of Qualitative and Quantitative Intersectionality Research

The notion that social identities and social inequality based on ethnicity, sexual orientation, and sex/gender are intersectional rather than additive poses a variety of thorny methodological challenges. Using research with Black lesbians (Bowleg, manuscripts in preparation; Bowleg et al., Journal of Lesbian Studies, 2008; Bowleg et al., Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology 10:229–240, 2004; Bowleg et al., Journal of Lesbian Studies, 7:87–108, 2003) as a foundation, I examine how these challenges shape measurement, analysis, and interpretation. I argue that a key dilemma for intersectionality researchers is that the additive (e.g., Black + Lesbian + Woman) versus intersectional (e.g., Black Lesbian Woman) assumption inherent in measurement and qualitative and quantitative data analyses contradicts the central tenet of intersectionality: social identities and inequality are interdependent for groups such as Black lesbians, not mutually exclusive. In light of this, interpretation becomes one of the most substantial tools in the intersectionality researcher’s methodological toolbox.
The second generation FETI methods and their application to the parallel solution of large-scale linear and geometrically non-linear structural analysis problems

The FETI algorithms are a family of numerically scalable domain decomposition methods. They have been designed in the early 1990s for solving iteratively and on parallel machines, large-scale systems of equations arising from the finite element discretization of solid mechanics, structural engineering, structural dynamics, and acoustic scattering problems, and for analyzing complex structures obtained from the assembly of substructures with incompatible discrete interfaces. In this paper, we present the second generation of these methods that operate more efficiently on large numbers of subdomains, offer greater robustness, better performance, and more flexibility for implementation on a wider variety of computational platforms. We also report on the application and performance of these methods for the solution of geometrically non-linear structural analysis problems. We discuss key aspects of their implementation on shared and distributed memory parallel processors, benchmark them against optimized direct sparse solvers, and highlight their potential with the solution of large-scale structural mechanics problems with several million degrees of freedom.
Preliminary investigation of electrothermal vaporization sample introduction for inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

The coupling of an electrothermal vaporization (ETV) apparatus to an inductively coupled plasma time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ICP-TOFMS) is described. The ability of the ICP-TOFMS to produce complete elemental mass spectra at high repetition rates is experimentally demonstrated. A signal-averaging data acquisition board is employed to rapidly record complete elemental spectra throughout the vaporization stage of the ETV temperature cycle; a solution containing 34 elements is analyzed. The reduction of both molecular and atomic isobaric interferences through the temperature program of the furnace is demonstrated. Isobaric overlaps among the isotopes of cadmium, tin, and indium are resolved by exploiting differences in the vaporization characteristics of the elements. Figures of merit for the system are defined with several different data acquisition schemes capable of operating at the high repetition rate of the TOF instrument. With the use of both ion counting and a boxcar averager, the dynamic range ...
A Technique for Embedding SPICE in a Simulink Environment for MEMS Simulations

Computer simulations are powerful tools in the designer’s toolbox, giving an estimate of what the device will actually do once realized. Two such tools, Simulink and SPICE are commonly used to design, simulate, and verify models in the mechanical and electronic domains, respectively. Challenges can arise, however, when attempting to simulate behaviors of hybrid systems that possies both electronic and mechancial subsystems. For example, in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) designs, variable capacitors are frequent methods for sensing and actuating. While straightforward to model in Simulink, MEMS are not intuitive to model in SPICE, where the control electronics are simulated. On the other hand, SIMULINK is a less mature tool than SPICE for simulating electronic behaviors — SPICE already posseses large libraries of electronic device models. Thus, current MEMS designers lack a straightforward method to simulate and verify variable capacitors in a transient electronic circuit in SPICE, since the entire mechanical system must be converted from Simulink and verified. This paper presents a technique for embedding NGSPICE, an open-source SPICE implementation, inside a Simulink model via a S-function block, enabling a full system model for transient responses to be realized. A Level 2 M-file S-function block implements the calling and parsing of the associated electronic subsystem circuit file. The required modifications for the circuit file to the Simulink model are described. Validation testing using a low-pass filter type circuits with constant and variable capacitance are presented. Some examples are presented and discussed.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Centrality based visualization of small world graphs

Current graph drawing algorithms enable the creation of two dimensional node-link diagrams of huge graphs. However, for graphs with low diameter (of which "small world" graphs are a subset) these techniques begin to break down visually even when the graph has only a few hundred nodes. Typical algorithms produce images where nodes clump together in the center of the screen, making it hard to discern structure and follow paths. This paper describes a solution to this problem, which uses a global edge metric to determine a subset of edges that capture the graph's intrinsic clustering structure. This structure is then used to create an embedding of the graph, after which the remaining edges are added back in. We demonstrate applications of this technique to a number of real world examples.
Development of a human information processing model for cognitive task analysis and design

High costs and long cycle times of software development are factors hindering the analysis and design of the complete cognitive aspects related to task performances. Reusable software has been proposed as a solution to the problem of high software development and maintenance costs. One of the paradigms for reusable software, object-oriented modelling, has emerged as an important method for specifying, creating and reusing software modules. Using Unified Modelling Language, this paper develops an object-oriented cognitive task analysis and design (OOCTAD) model based on human information-processing theory. First, human task performance-related cognitive aspects are classified into modules and logically linked together; secondly, cognitive aspects within these modules were further decomposed into packages and classes based on object-oriented technology. Finally, one case study was presented to compare and contrast different cognitive analysis models to illustrate the advantages of the OOCTAD model developed...
Parametric sensitivity and runaway in tubular reactors

Parametric sensitivity of tubular reactors is analyzed to provide critical values of the heat of reaction and heat transfer parameters defining runaway and stable operations for all positive-order exothermic reactions with finite activation energies, and for all reactor inlet temperatures. Evaluation of the critical values does not involve any trial and error.
Adaptive output consensus tracking of uncertain multi-agent systems

In this paper, we consider the adaptive output consensus tracking of a class of higher-order parametric strictfeedback systems with mismatched uncertainties. The consensus reference is taken as a virtual leader, whose output is available to the leader of the group. The proposed approach is based on the estimation of consensus reference and decentralized tracking control, where each agent communicates with their neighbors, estimates the consensus reference, and make a control decision based on the estimated consensus reference. Challenges of the approach include the design of decentralized adaptive tracking control assuming each agent has knowledge of the consensus reference in the presence of mismatched uncertainties, and the design of estimators that allow agents to make correct estimations of the consensus reference. Sufficient conditions are given to ensure output consensus tracking is achieved. Simulation results show satisfactory performances.
Cytomegalovirus sinusitis in a child with chronic myelogenous leukemia following bone marrow transplantation.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a common opportunistic pathogen. CMV sinusitis has been described in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients, but not in other immune compromising conditions. In this report, we describe CMV sinusitis in a child with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) following bone marrow transplantation. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011;56:1140–1142. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Online appointment sequencing and scheduling

We formulate and solve a new stochastic integer programming model for dynamic sequencing and scheduling of appointments to a single stochastic server. We assume that service durations and the number of customers to be served on a particular day are uncertain. Customers are sequenced and scheduled dynamically (online) one at a time as they request appointments. We present a two-stage stochastic mixed integer program that uses a novel set of non-anticipativity constraints to capture the dynamic multi-stage nature of appointment requests as well as the sequencing of customers. We describe several ways to improve the computational efficiency of decomposition methods to solve our model. We also present some theoretical findings based on small problems to help motivate decision rules for larger problems. Our numerical experiments provide insights into optimal sequencing and scheduling decisions and the performance of the solution methods we propose.
An empirical study of inflation distortions to EVA

Proponents of economic value added (EVA) argue that changes in the metric accurately measure changes in the performance of a firm or business unit through time and therefore can represent a reliable measure of managerial effectiveness. However, inflation distorts EVA through the operating profit, the cost of capital, and the capital base and these distortions have the potential to result in inefficient investment and compensation outcomes. Using an inflation-corrected EVA metric, I measure the sensitivity of EVA to the level of, and changes in, inflation for a large sample of US stocks and find evidence of significant inflation induced distortions.
Neuroproteomics: the hunt for biomarkers of neurotrauma. Andrew Ottens talks to Nicole Nogoy.

Neuroscience as a whole is a rapidly advancing field of research and a small part of this field is an area termed ‘neuroproteomics’. Since the nervous system, its function and its continued viabili...
Computing danger zones for provably safe closely spaced parallel approaches

The use of a differential game and an optimal control theoretic approach for computing danger zones for this particularproblemisnew.Thespaceoutsidethedangerzoneisdeemedprovablysafe,implyingthatduringblunder situations, emergency evasive maneuvers starting from outside the zone are guaranteed to be safe within limits on themaneuverseverity ofboth theblundering and evading aircraft. In addition,these zonescan becomputed online in real time with knowledge of the current state. The algorithm also provides the minimum runway spacings for independent approaches and the minimum longitudinal separation between aircraft for dependent approaches. Thealgorithmforcomputingthezoneshasbeenvalidatedwithoveronemillionsimulationruns,wheretheadjacent aircraft performed various blunder trajectories. The validation shows that the algorithm could successfully alert and prevent collisions in 100% of the simulations ran.
Revisit the Debate on Intermediation, Disintermediation and Reintermediation due to E-commerce

The existing literature opposing disintermediation adopts a very realistic but broad definition of intermediary functions, making the outcome of their arguments obvious, i.e. intermediation will always exist in one form or another. Supporters of disintermediation take a more focused definition of an intermediary, i.e. an economic player that buys from the seller and sells to the buyer and reduces their transaction costs of trading by doing so. It is difficult to reconcile the debate from these opposite ends because of the lack of a common definition of intermediaries. In this paper we have used the definition adopted by supporters of disintermediation to show that disintermediation due to web-based e-commerce is never a possibility. The paper uses a two-stage extensive form game with simultaneous moves in the first stage to analyse the effect of web-based e-commerce on intermediated offline channel structures. The model is solved for the Nash equilibrium. Depending on the relation between the mark-up of e...
The subprime crisis and its role in the financial crisis

This paper discusses some of the key characteristics of the U.S. subprime mortgage boom and bust and discusses the causes, particularly related to the relationship between subprime mortgage defaults and housing prices. We observe that housing prices and mortgage defaults had distinctly localized trends, but those trends ceased by 2005 when several states studied in this paper (Arizona, California and Nevada) began to move together. Furthermore, we observe the seriously delinquent subprime mortgages increased much more rapidly than was anticipated by historically-based econometric models. As such, this paper offers a partial explanation for how financial institutions misunderstood the declining house prices and increasing subprime default.
The P > V sign in corrections: is it a useful diagnostic tool?

Doubt has been cast recently on the usefulness of the Wechsler P > V sign test because of a failure to find significant correlations between it and many personality traits measured by the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and the Milton Clinical Multiaxial Inventory. This article takes issue with this doubt and argues that intellectual imbalance in either direction; that is, V>P or P>V, is a useful predictor of the probability of becoming delinquent. It is also shown that P>V was not an artifact of (a) lower overall IQ, (b) lower verbal IQ, or (c) socioeconomic status (SES) among a sample of 513 male juvenile delinquents. Finally, it appears that, once a youth becomes delinquent, the frequency and severity of delinquent involvement can be predicted by the degree of P>V discrepancy, holding SES and race constant. Keywords: Juvenile justice Language: en
Neighborhood contexts, health, and behavior: understanding the role of scale and residential sorting

Recent reviews in sociology, public health, and urban planning suggest small- scale geographic variations in urban environments are associated with an individual's health, behavior, and well-being. However, estimation of these 'neighborhood eff ects' are complicated. One complicating factor is residential sorting: individual characteristics such as race, age, and socioeconomic status are associated with behavior and health and these same individual-level factors are often geographically clustered within neighborhoods. This residential sorting leads to a correlation between individual and environmental determinants of behavior and health and poses problems for statistical inference. A second complicating factor is uncertainty about the geographic dimensions of a person's neighborhood. We explore these two potential confounders through a simulation experiment that generates synthetic cityscapes and synthetic behaviors for geolocated individuals. The simulation is used to develop a model of how residential sorting, urban structure, and the geographic defi nition of an individual's neighborhood aff ect our understanding of the association between the urban environment and behavior. We fi nd that residential sorting does not systematically aff ect the magnitude of neighborhood eff ect estimates, however, the misrepresentation of the geographic dimensions of an individual's neighborhood leads to systematic bias in estimates of neighborhood eff ects. Unlike previous research on the modifi able areal unit problem we fi nd a systematic relationship between the defi nition of geographic units of analysis and the magnitude of regression coeffi cients.
The Eect of Transient Nozzle Flow on Detonation Tube Impulse

Impulse generation with gaseous detonation requires conversion of chemical energy into mechanical energy. Because of the poor performance of straight detonation tubes compared to conventional propulsion systems and the success of using nozzles on rocket engines, the eect of nozzles on detonation tubes is being investigated. The first experimental investigation measuring impulse by gaseous detonation in tubes with nozzles operating in varying environment pressures using the ballistic pendulum technique is presented. Converging, diverging, and converging-diverging nozzles were tested to determine the eect of divergence angle, nozzle length, and volumetric fill fraction on impulse. The largest increases in specific impulse, 72% at an environment pressure of 100 kPa and 43% at an environment pressure of 1.4 kPa, were measured with the largest diverging nozzle tested that had a 12 half angle and a length of 0.6 m. There are two regimes of nozzle operation depending on the environment pressure that is observed from these data. The experimental data are compared to calculations of the impulse obtained by steady flow expansion through the nozzle with finite rate kinetics.
Recombinant cDNA Probe from Bluetongue Virus Genome Segment 10 for Identification of Bluetongue Virus

Genome segment 10 of bluetongue virus (BTV) serotype 11 UC8 strain was cloned and subse- quently hybridized to viral double-stranded RNA extracted from 90 field isolates of BTV serotypes 10, 11, 13, and 17; the prototype strains of BTV 2, 10, 11, 13, and 17; the prototype strain epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV) serotype 1; and 4 field isolates of EHDV serotype 2. The 90 field isolates were obtained from different counties in California, Louisiana, and Idaho during the years 1979, 1980, and 1981. The cloned genetic probe hybridized with all the BTV samples tested, showing different degrees of cross-hybridization at the stringency conditions used in this study. This indicated that BTV genome segment 10 has conserved nucleotide sequences among the BTV serotypes 2, 10, 11, 13, and 17. No cross-hybridization signals were detected between the cloned genome segment 10 of BTV 11 UC8 strain and the prototype strain of EHDV serotype 1 and the field isolates of serotype 2. This probe recognized a wide variety of BTV isolates. The genus Orbivirus of the family Reoviridae is di- vided into 12 serological groups, 2 of which are blue- tongue virus (BTV) and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV). Bluetongue virus and EHDV sero- groups cross-react in some serological tests and are considered a cluster of viruses. 7 Bluetongue virus is the prototype virus of the genus Orbivirus and contains a genome of 10 double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) segments 24 that code for 10 viral polypeptides. The complete nucl eotide sequences of RNA SlO of BTV serotype 10 13 and Australian BTV serotype 1 8 have been determined. In both cases SlO consisted of 822 base pairs and showed regions of nucleic acid se- quence conservation. 8 Molecular hybridization studies on the relationships between different strains and se- rotypes of BTV and EHDV have been done using RNA/RNA and DNA/RNA hybridization tech-
Psychiatric symptoms, functional impairment, and receptivity toward mental health treatment among obstetrical patients.

Objective:To examine psychiatric symptomatology and associated functional impairment among pregnant women; and to examine the obstetrical patient's receptivity to discussion of and intervention reg...
Identification and Characterization of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Replicase Proteins

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) encodes proteins required for RNA transcription and genome replication as large polyproteins that are proteolytically processed by virus-encoded proteinases to produce mature replicase proteins. In this report, we generated antibodies against SARS-CoV predicted replicase protein and used the antibodies to identify and characterize 12 of the 16 predicted mature replicase proteins (nsp1, nsp2, nsp3, nsp4, nsp5, nsp8, nsp9, nsp12, nsp13, nsp14, nsp15, and nsp16) in SARS-CoV-infected Vero cells. Immunoblot analysis of infected-cell lysates identified proteins of the predicted sizes. Immunofluorescence microscopy detected similar patterns of punctate perinuclear and distributed cytoplasmic foci with all replicase antibodies and as early as 6 h postinfection. Dual-labeling studies demonstrated colocalization of replicase protein nsp8 with nsp2 and nsp3 in cytoplasmic complexes and also with LC3, a protein marker for autophagic vacuoles. Antibodies directed against mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) virions and against the putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (Pol) detected SARS-CoV nucleocapsid and nsp12 (Pol), respectively, in SARS-CoV-infected Vero cells. These results confirm the predicted protein processing pattern for mature SARS-CoV replicase proteins, demonstrate localization of replicase proteins to cytoplasmic complexes containing markers for autophagosome membranes, and suggest conservation of protein epitopes in the replicase and nucleocapsid of SARS-CoV and the group II coronavirus, MHV. Further, the results demonstrate the ability of replicase antibodies to detect SARS-CoV-infected cells as early as 6 h postinfection and thus represent important tools for studies of SARS-CoV replication, inhibition, and diagnosis.
Relative availability of satellite imagery and ship-based sampling for assessment of stormwater runoff plumes in coastal southern California

Abstract Information about the size and intensity of urban runoff plumes in the ocean has traditionally been collected through ship-based surveys, but sampling from ships in the nearshore zone is weather-dependent because of the rough sea conditions that often accompany storms. High-resolution satellite imagery is an alternative approach for assessing plume properties, but the availability of satellite imagery can also be weather-dependent. Here we compare the logistical availability of ship-based sampling and the quality of satellite imagery for assessing rainstorm-mediated freshwater plumes. The availability of ship-based sampling was assessed by correlating deployment success of three local ships with wind and wave data and then applying those relationships to a longer wind and wave data record. The quality of satellite imagery was assessed by correlating cloud cover and expert opinion about the usefulness of Level 2 SeaWiFS imagery, then analyzing those relationships with respect to cloud cover found in Level 3 AVHRR, SeaWiFS, and MODIS imagery. In the 10 days following storm events, ships were found to be capable of deployment for sampling about 70% of the time, while SeaWiFS produced high quality images only about 23% of the time. The days for which satellite imagery and ship-based data were available often differed, yielding complementary, rather than redundant, information. As a result, plume data were available for about 80% of the study period using one of the methods. The probability of obtaining usable satellite imagery was lowest on the day of a rainstorm and increased during the next 5 days, whereas the probability of obtaining ship-based data was highest on the day of the storm and typically declined in the days following a storm. MODIS sensors provided better coverage than SeaWiFS or AVHRR due to better spectral, spatial, and particularly temporal resolution (twice a day), thereby significantly improving information about plume dynamics.
Half-duplex Cooperative Transmission for the Relay Channel with Flow Optimization

This paper describes an approach for half-duplex cooperative transmission to achieve cooperative diversity in a classical three-node relay channel. Assuming availability of channel state information at the source and relay, the approach makes use of this information to optimize distinct flows through the direct link from the source to the destination and the path via the relay, respectively. It is shown that such a design can effectively obtain diversity advantage of the relay channel in both high-rate and low-rate scenarios. When the rate requirement is low, the proposed design gives a second-order outage diversity performance approaching that of full-duplex relaying. When the rate requirement becomes asymptotically large, the design still gives a close-to-second-order outage diversity performance. The design also achieves the best diversity-multiplexing tradeoff possible for the relay channel.
Behavior of bridge outrigger knee joint systems

Abstract The catastrophic collapse of the Cypress Street Viaduct during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake emphasized the vulnerability of older elevated freeway bridge structures. One part of a joint Caltrans/University of California at Berkeley research project is the investigation of outrigger knee joints found in elevated freeway bents. This project has two principal goals: to evaluate the behavior of the existing outrigger knee joint systems under a combined transverse and longitudinal loading, and to design and experimentally verify upgrading strategies and repair techniques suitable for application on the existing elevated freeways. The primary focus of this paper will be to present the behavior of the as‐built and upgraded systems, but an overview of the design method and the analytical tools used in the upgrade will also be presented.
PathoQC: Computationally Efficient Read Preprocessing and Quality Control for High-Throughput Sequencing Data Sets

Quality control and read preprocessing are critical steps in the analysis of data sets generated from high-throughput genomic screens. In the most extreme cases, improper preprocessing can negatively affect downstream analyses and may lead to incorrect biological conclusions. Here, we present PathoQC, a streamlined toolkit that seamlessly combines the benefits of several popular quality control software approaches for preprocessing next-generation sequencing data. PathoQC provides a variety of quality control options appropriate for most high-throughput sequencing applications. PathoQC is primarily developed as a module in the PathoScope software suite for metagenomic analysis. However, PathoQC is also available as an open-source Python module that can run as a stand-alone application or can be easily integrated into any bioinformatics workflow. PathoQC achieves high performance by supporting parallel computation and is an effective tool that removes technical sequencing artifacts and facilitates robust downstream analysis. The PathoQC software package is available at http://sourceforge.net/projects/PathoScope/.
Geyser preplay and eruption in a laboratory model with a bubble trap

article i nfo Boiling Eruption Conduit Preplay We present visual observations and temperature measurements from a laboratory model of a geyser. Our model incorporates a bubble trap, a zone in which vapor can accumulate in the geyser's subsurface plumbing, in a ver- tical conduit connected to a basal chamber. Analogous features have been identified at several natural geysers. Weobserve threetypesof eruptions:1) rising bubblesejecta smallvolume of liquidina weak spout(smallerup- tion);2)boilingoccursintheconduitabovethebubbletrap(mediumeruption);and3)boilingoccursinthecon- duitandchamber(large eruption).Inthelasttwocases,boilingintheconduitcausesarapidhydrostaticpressure dropthatallows for the rise anderuptionofliquidwaterina vigorousspout.Boiling initiatesatdepth rather than propagating downward from the surface. In a single eruption cycle, multiple small eruptions precede every medium and large eruption. At least one eruption cycle that culminates in a medium eruption (i.e., a quiescent period followed by a series of small eruptions leading up to a medium eruption) precedes every eruption cycle thatculminatesinalarge eruption.We findthatthe transferof fluidwithhighenthalpytotheupperconduitdur- ingsmallandmediumeruptionsisnecessarytoheattheupperconduitandpreparethesystemforthefullboiling required for a large eruption. The placement of the bubble trap midway up the conduit allows for more efficient heatingoftheupperconduit.Ourmodelprovidesinsightintotheinfluenceofconduitgeometryoneruptionstyle and the importance of heat transfer by smaller events in preparing the geyser system for eruption.
Can we predict mitral valve repair rates by individual surgeons' mitral volume?

Mitral valve repair is desirable and superior to replacement in nearly all instances of mitral disease. The excellent long-term results have facilitated changing the indications for mitral surgery.1 Mitral patients can potentially be referred earlier, in a lower functional class or even when asymptomatic, before left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and dilation occur. This synopsis considers clinical and individual surgeon factors that predict mitral repair, which could lead to higher repair rates and improved outcomes.2