cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparison of common bile duct pressures after botulinum toxin injection into the sphincter of Oddi versus biliary stenting in a canine model.

Abstract Background: Botulinum toxin A (Botox) functionally paralyzes the sphincter of Oddi in both animals and humans, resulting in reduced pressures. No study, however, has specifically addressed common bile duct (CBD) pressures after Botox injection into the sphincter of Oddi with regard to treating biliary leaks and fistulae. The goals of this present study are to compare, versus biliary stenting, the change in CBD pressures after Botox injection into the sphincter of Oddi, as well as to evaluate the timing of onset and duration of these effects on sphincteric relaxation. Methods: After midline laparotomy in 20 mongrel dogs, a pediatric umbilical catheter was inserted into the CBD via a small chloecystotomy and attached to a water-perfused pressure transducer. After baseline CBD pressure readings, a lateral duodenotomy was performed. A total of 100 units of Botox was injected with an endoscopic sclerotherapy needle into all four quadrants of the ampulla. The dogs were randomly divided into four groups to undergo repeat laparotomy at either postoperative day 1 (group I), postoperative day 3 (group II), postoperative day 7 (group III), or postoperative day 14 (group IV). At the time of second laparotomy, a pressure-sensing catheter was reinserted into the CBD and pressures recorded. Each dog then underwent transpapillary biliary stenting with a 7 Fr. × 5 cm Cotton-Leung biliary stent and CBD pressures were again recorded. Results: CBD pressures were significantly lower as compared with baseline for all groups after Botox injection and after biliary stenting ( P P Conclusion: Botox injection into the sphincter of Oddi results in significant CBD pressure reduction within 24 hours and continues for 14 days. Also, after postoperative day 3, there is no significant difference in the reduction of CBD pressure from baseline between Botox injection and biliary stenting. Based on these findings, Botox injection into the sphincter of Oddi may be a beneficial alternative to biliary stenting for the treatment of biliary leaks and fistulae.
Experimental evidence for low lying shells from photonuclear cross sections

Abstract Systematic measurements of photonuclear cross sections above the giant resonance as a function of atomic number A have been performed in the nuclear s-d shell. Structure is found in the cross section for all nuclei measured. The energy for the higher energy peaks is well represented by a family of straight lines of the form: E p = mA + 8 MeV with differing slope m . One of these lines agrees well with the position of the (1s) binding energy as measured in (e, e'p) experiments. This agreement strongly suggests that the structure represents single nucleon excitation of 1s particles to the continuum analogous to the photoelectric effect in atoms.
Geodetic constraints on areal changes in the Pacific–North America plate boundary zone: What controls Basin and Range extension?

Using ∼1500 geodetic velocities we model the present-day spatial patterns of areal changes inside the Pacific–North America plate boundary zone. From this model we show that between the central Gulf of California and the Queen Charlotte Islands there is no significant net change in surface area. This zero net areal-change result allows us to relate regions of areal growth to areas of equivalent contraction elsewhere within the plate boundary zone. We find that areal growth of the Basin and Range province (BRP) and its eastern margin (∼5.2 ± 0.1 × 10 3 m 2 /yr) is balanced by areal reduction near northwestern California between 38°N and 42°N. The San Andreas fault system south of 38°N and the plate boundary zone north of ∼42°N (including the Juan de Fuca and Gorda Ridge systems) each have no significant net areal change. Our results suggest a kinematic relationship between extension in the BRP and contraction near the northern California Coast Ranges and Klamath Mountains. From these observations we propose that, although BRP extension may be caused by internal forces, the southernmost Cascadia subduction zone provides a “window of escape” that acts as a stress guide to BRP extension as well as northwestward Sierra Nevada motion. Such a dynamic model is consistent with independent findings that (1) the least principal horizontal stress orientations in the BRP are toward northern California, (2) extension directions in the BRP have changed orientation to track the northward migration of the Mendocino triple junction, and (3) the southernmost Cascadia subduction zone is a relatively weak plate boundary.
The computer as a laboratory instrument: Experiments for a third-year laboratory in Electrical Engineering☆

Abstract This paper describes a series of three experiments developed for the Junior laboratory course required of all Cornell Electrical Engineering undergraduates. These experiments are designed to illustrate the use of small computers as laboratory equipment directly interfaced with electronic experiments.
Cholesterol Modulates SNARE Mediated Hemi- and Full-Fusion

Cholesterol is essential for exocytosis in secretory cells, but distinguishing contributions from lateral organization and dynamics of membrane proteins and stabilization of fusion pores by intrinsic curvature and other mechanical effects of cholesterol have been elusive. The direct effect of cholesterol on fusion pore formation was examined between synaptobrevin 2 (VAMP 2) containing proteoliposomes and an acceptor SNARE complex containing planar supported bilayer using both membrane and content fluorescent markers. This revealed that increasing cholesterol in either the planar supported bilayer or in the synaptobrevin proteoliposome decreases the amount of hemi-fusion and increases the amount of full-fusion with minimal effects on the fusion kinetics.
Generation of exploratory schedules in closed loop for enhanced machine learning

The work presented here is an extension of previous work, where estimation of the parameters of a plant was incorporated through exploratory schedules (ES), which are reference input trajectories designed to enhance the learning of system parameters. ESes were earlier generated off-line and used in an open-loop fashion. Moreover, these ESes were used between actual control tasks, therefore limiting the process of estimation during idle time. Here the authors attempt to generate ESes in a closed-loop manner. Such trajectories in general may not be the desired trajectories, resulting in larger tracking errors. However, ESes offer faster convergence to the system parameters and therefore yield smaller long-term tracking errors. The automation for the design of ESes requires on-line modification of the desired trajectory to enhance learning at the expense of poorer initial tracking.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Graduates’ Reflections on an Online Doctorate in Educational Technology

In recent years online education doctorates have become more prevalent to accommodate the growing need for distance academic preparation. Due to the newness of these degree programs, there is a dearth of information in the literature on learner perspectives of effective online teaching and learning strategies. The authors of this paper are recent graduates of the online Doctor of Education program in Educational Technology at the University of Florida. They convey their own experiences using supporting research and the three components of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) model (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000)—social, cognitive, and teaching presence—to examine this online doctoral program. The insights in the paper are intended to promote dialogue on the student perspective and make recommendations to further the initiation and development of online education doctorates.
Pulse oximetry for monitoring during ward analgesia: Epidural morphine versus parenteral narcotics

A pulse oximeter was used to monitor oxygen saturation in 20 women following cesarean delivery. The patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Group A received conventional parenteral narcotics for relief of post-operative pain and group B received epidural morphine. All patients were monitored overnight, and data were stored continuously. There were no statistically significant differences in the low saturation values between the two groups. However, the group A desaturation episodes occurred an average of 2.7±1.9 hours after the parenteral narcotics were administered, and the group B desaturation episodes occurred an average of 13.7±5.9 hours after the epidural morphine was administered.
Influence of the future

Abstract Fundamental issues concerned with time, both the possible connection of the thermodynamic and cosmological arrows and the possibility of retrocausality, are analyzed using a two-time boundary value formulation. Ways in which the future fate of the universe could leave observable traces today are suggested. Finally, if the definiteness of quantum measurement arises from the occurrence of “special states” then the best existing candidate to justify the presence of those states is the demand for nonentanglement in the far future and far past.
Novel Mutation in a Patient with Cholesterol Ester Storage Disease

Cholesterol ester storage disease (CESD) is a chronic liver disease that typically presents with hepatomegaly. It is characterized by hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, high-density lipoprotein deficiency, and abnormal lipid deposition within multiple organs. It is an autosomal recessive disease that is due to a deficiency in lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) activity, which is coded by the lysosomal acid lipase gene (LIPA). We describe the case of a 5-year-old south Asian female incidentally found to have hepatomegaly, and subsequent workup confirmed the diagnosis of CESD. DNA sequencing confirmed the presence of a novel hepatic mutation. It is a four-nucleotide deletion c.57_60delTGAG in exon 2 of the LIPA gene. This mutation is predicted to result in a premature translation stop downstream of the deletion (p.E20fs) and, therefore, is felt to be a disease-causing mutation.
Flow strength and size effect of an Al-Si-Mg composite model system under multiaxial loadings

In the present work, using an Al-Si-Mg composite model system, a series of experiments were conducted to further investigate the effect of microstructural parameters on the flow strength of particulate reinforced MMCs. In addition to the simple tension and torsion tests, biaxial tension-torsion tests were performed to obtain the yield surface, showing the isotropic nature of plastic deformation in these materials. Experimental results are also compared with the prediction of a recently developed theoretical model.
An exotic subversive: Africa, Africans and the Soviet everyday

The Leninist argument, that the class struggle of the European proletariat was intertwined with the liberation of the `toiling masses of the East', led to an official ideology of Soviet internationalism in which Africans occupied a special place. Depictions of the evils of racism in the US became a staple of Soviet popular culture and a number of black radicals, among them Langston Hughes, Paul Robeson and Claude McKay, flocked to the Soviet Union in the 1920s-30s, inspired by the belief that a society free of racism had been created. While there was some truth to this view, people of African descent in the Soviet Union nevertheless experienced a condescending paternalism, reflected also in their cinematic portrayal and in popular literature and folklore. With the onset of the cold war, young Africans were encouraged to study in Russia, where they received a mixed reaction and, on account of occasional conflict with the authorities and Soviet cultural norms, became symbols of dissent against official Sovi...
Potential for a Rye Cover Crop to Reduce Nitrate Loss in Southwestern Minnesota

Cover cropping practices are being researched to reduce artificial subsurface drainage NO 3 -N losses from agricultural lands in the Upper Mississippi watershed. This study was designed to investigate the influences of fall planting date and climate on cereal rye (Secale cereale L.) biomass and N uptake in the spring, and to assess subsurface drainage NO 3 -N loss reductions. A soil-plant-atmosphere simulation model, RyeGro, was developed and used to predict rye cover crop establishment and growth, soil water balance, N cycling, and drainage NO 3 -N losses from mid-September through May in southwestern Minnesota. An imbedded stochastic weather generator provided model climate inputs. Inclusion of a rye cover crop sown on 15 September reduced N losses by 11.1 kg N ha -1 or 45% for a corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] crop rotation. Fall sowing dates of 1, 15, and 30 October resulted in reductions of 7.8, 5.8, and 4.6 kg N ha -1 , respectively, by the end of May. Desiccation of the rye on 1 May resulted in reductions of 4.5, 2.2, 1.2, and 0.7 kg N ha -1 , for the 15 September and 1, 15, and 30 October sowing dates, respectively. Cover cropping practice provides promising opportunities for reductions in N losses for cropping rotations wherein the primary crops are harvested before mid-September and planted after mid-May. We predict that a winter rye crop can reduce drainage NO 3 -N losses on average 7.4 kg N ha -1 for southwestern Minnesota if planted on 15 September and desiccated on 15 May.
CYTOPLASMIC BIOSYNTHESIS OF LIGHT‐HARVESTING POLYPEPTIDES IN THE GREEN FLAGELLATE MANTONIELLA SQUAMATA (MICROMONADOPHYCEAE)1

The biosynthesis of the light-harvesting complex (LHC) polypeptides of the green flagellate Mantoniella squamata (Manton et Parke) Desikachary (Micromonadophyceae, Chlorophyta) was examined by in vivo polypeptide labeling and immunoprecipitation of in vitro translation products. Using protein synthesis inhibitors, the LHC polypeptides were shown to be synthesized on 80S cytoplasmic ribosomes and not in the chloroplasts of cells. Poly (A)+ RNA was isolated and proteins were synthesized by a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system, with antisera raised against M. squamata LHC used for immunoprecipitation from the translation products. One polypeptide 3-5 kDa larger than mature LHC polypeptides was immunoprecipitated. These studies indicate that although the LHC of M. squamata is quite different from the LHC of most green plants, the LHC polypeptides are synthesized as precursors in the cytoplasm of the cell and suggest that the genes encoding these polypeptides are located in the nucleus.
Temperature dependence of the electromagnetic response function for strong- coupling amorphous Bi films

The temperature dependence of the electromagnetic response functionI(0, 0,T) has been inferred from the temperature dependence of the kinetic inductance of thin, amorphous Bi films. For normalization purposesI(0, 0, 0) has been calculated from tunneling data with the microscopic strong-coupling theory. The results are not consistent with scaled weak-coupling theory, but instead exhibit strong-coupling effects. The calculated value ofI(0, 0, 0) is approximately 40% below the BCS value for a weak-coupling superconductor, qualtiatively in agreement with determinations ofI(0, 0, 0) for Pb by Kerchner and Ginsberg. The temperature dependence ofI(0, 0,T) differs in the opposite direction from the BCS dependence as that observed for Pb.
The Territorial Imperative: Pluralism, Corporatism and Economic Crisis

List of figures List of tables Preface 1. Introduction 2. Power-dependence and regional economic crisis 3. Central governments and regional policy 4. The British regions 5. The German Lander 6. The territorial imperative: political logic interprets problem logic List of abbreviations Bibliography Index.
teacher inquiries into gay and lesbian families in early childhood classrooms

Gay and lesbian issues are often silenced in teacher education programs. Such silencing has serious consequences for teachers who feel unprepared to discuss such issues in their classrooms. Challenging the silence regarding gay and lesbian issues that often permeates early childhood classrooms, we share a teacher's critical inquiry into teaching gay and lesbian issues through teacher action research. We posit that while gay and lesbian issues need to be an intrinsic part of teacher education classes, practising teachers may create the opportunity to take steps toward addressing diversity, fully including gay and lesbian issues in their classrooms. We propose that the case presented may provide a practical possibility for teachers to find ways to fully include all students in their literacy practices.
Comparison of Extractants for Removal of Lead, Zinc, and Phenanthrene from Manufactured Gas Plant Field Soil

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAHs and heavy metals found at former manufactured gas plant MGP sites are of major environmental concern. An investigation is made into evaluating the capability of various extractants including surfactants, cosolvents, chelating agents, acids, and cyclodextrins for removing phenanthrene, lead, and zinc from a contaminated MGP soil. The determination of the most promising extracting solutions is critical for the development of effective treatment technologies such as soil washing/flushing and electrokinetic remediation. MGP contaminated soil was silty sand with 11% organic matter containing higher levels of phenanthrene and two heavy metals lead and zinc. Several batch tests were conducted using the soil with different extracting solutions at various concentrations to enhance the removal efficiency and to optimize the concentration of each extractant. The test results showed that both surfactants Igepal CA-720 and Tween 80 at a wide range of concentrations were effective for the removal of phenantherene from the soil. Only selective cosolvents and cyclodextrins n-butylamine and HPCD at higher concentrations were found to be effective in the solubilization of phenanthrene. Selective acids citric acid and phosphoric acid were found to be effective in the removal of heavy metals, while chelating agents EDTA and DTPA resulted in a moderate heavy metal removal. Overall, none of the selected extractants removed both heavy metals and PAHs; therefore, sequential extraction schemes using the selected extractants were investigated. The sequential use of 5% Tween 80 followed by 1 M citric acid was found to remove over 90% phenanthrene and over 70% lead and nickel each from the MGP soil.
Maternal Fetal/Placental Interactions and Abnormal Pregnancy Outcomes

Cytotrophoblast cells from the placenta invade the maternal spiral arteries during normal pregnancy. This results in a striking increase in luminal diameter and causes the vessels to lose their smooth muscle enabling the expansion of vascular capacity necessary to support fetal growth. Preeclampsia, growth restriction, recurrent abortion, and preterm birth in many cases are caused by abnormal implantation with failure of this process. Of these implantation abnormalities, preeclampsia is well known to be associated with later life cardiovascular disease.1,2 Furthermore, several persistent metabolic and cardiovascular differences are present in women with preeclamptic compared with normal pregnancies. The data relating the other implantation disorders to later life cardiovascular diseases are less compelling. It is possible, however, in large population studies, to document increased cardiovascular mortality in women with pregnancies complicated by these disorders.1,3 In this issue of Hypertension , Germain et al4 clearly demonstrate that similar abnormalities of endothelial function are present 11 to 27 months postpartum in women who had previous pregnancies complicated not only by preeclampsia but also by recurrent abortion. There is reduced flow-induced endothelial-mediated vasodilatation, reduced circulating NO, and higher cholesterol in both groups. They present the reasonable conclusion that endothelial dysfunction may predispose to abnormal implantation and incomplete placental bed vascular remodeling. This is counter to an idea that I have previously advanced, including in a recent review in this journal.5 The concept of a 2-stage model of preeclampsia with the first stage being abnormal implantation and placental bed vascular remodeling and the second the maternal syndrome was presented. In it, it was posited that abnormal …
A high-speed impedance controlled output driver using pre-drive control for standard CMOS technology

This paper describes a high-speed output driver circuit architecture that incorporates impedance control to allow matching the impedance of the output driver to the impedance of a printed circuit board trace. The impedance is set via an external resistor. Unlike many existing impedance controlled output drivers, the output impedance is not controlled by varying the number of output fingers included in the output, but instead by varying the pre-drive signals provided to the output stage. The impedance of the output as the output switches is examined and the signal integrity of the output driving a typical transmission line is presented.
The epidemiology and classification of bulimia nervosa

Background. We sought to determine whether there was empirical support for the diagnostic thresholds of DSM-IV bulimia nervosa (BN) and whether an empirically derived typology resembled the diagnostic categories of DSM-IV.Methods. Detailed information about bulimic behaviours were assessed via personal interview in a population-based sample of 1897 Caucasian female twins. We assessed the lifetime prevalence of the component bulimic behaviours and DSM-IV and DSM-III-R BN. Latent class analysis of nine separate bulimic symptoms was used to develop an empirical typology of bulimic behaviour.Results. Although the lifetime prevalences of bingeing (23·6%) and vomiting (4·8%) were relatively common, DSM-IV BN was distinctly uncommon (0·5%). The criterion that specified the frequency and duration of bingeing and vomiting was an important limiting condition. Analysis of alternative thresholds found little support for the DSM-IV thresholds requiring an average of twice per week for 3 months. Latent class analysis yielded an interpretable four class solution that had little overlap with the DSM-IV typology.Conclusions. As in other studies of unselected samples of women, the lifetime presence of bulimic behaviours are relatively high. Our results suggest that the DSM-IV approach to categorizing bulimic behaviour inadequately captures the spectrum of lifetime bulimic behaviours in the general population.
Myocardial infarction-stroke association.

1996;27:1201–6. [17] van der Meer P, Lipsic E, Westenbrink BD, et al. Levels of hematopoiesis inhibitor N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline partially explain the occurrence of anemia in heart failure. Circulation 2005;112:1743–7. [18] McClellan WM, Flanders WD, Langston RD, Jurkovitz C, Presley R. Anemia and renal insufficiency are independent risk factors for death among patients with congestive heart failure admitted to community hospitals: a population-based study. J Am Soc Nephrol 2002;13:1928–36. [19] Go AS, Yang J, Ackerson LM, et al. Hemoglobin level, chronic kidney disease, and the risks of death and hospitalization in adults with chronic heart failure: the Anemia in Chronic Heart Failure: Outcomes and Resource Utilization (ANCHOR) Study. Circulation 2006;113:2713–23.
Intermetallic reaction between electroplated indium and silver layers

Reaction of indium (In) and silver (Ag) during the electroplating process of indium over thick silver layer was investigated. It is found that the plated In atoms reacts with Ag to form AgIn 2 intermetallic compound at room temperature. Indium is commonly used in electronic industries to bond delicate devices due to its unique ductility and low melting temperature. In this study, copper (Cu) substrates were electroplated with 60µm thick Ag layer, followed by electroplating In layer with thickness of 5µm and 10µm, respectively, at room temperature. To investigate chemical reaction between In and Ag, the microstructure and composition on the surface and cross section of samples were observed using scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). X-ray diffraction method (XRD) was also employed for phase identification. All of results clearly indicate that indium atoms react with underlying Ag to form AgIn2 during the plating process. After the sample was stored at room temperature in air for one day, AgIn 2 grew to 5µm in thickness. With longer storage time, AgIn 2 continued to grow until all indium atoms were consumed. The indium layer, thus, disappeared and could barely be detected by XRD.
El mouse as a model of focal epilepsy: a review.

The El mouse is a model of hereditary sensory precipitated temporal lobe epilepsy. All adult El mice given rhythmic vestibular stimulation (e.g. tossing, rocking) during development will experience tonic-clonic convulsions when given similar stimulation as adults. The seizures have prodromal, convulsive, and postictal stages. EEG and 2-deoxyglucose studies have localized the seizures to the temporal lobe, with onset in the hippocampus. El mice have a decreased threshold for convulsion by electrical or pharmacologic stimulation. A variety of anticonvulsant medications eliminate El mouse seizures, including phenytoin (PHT), phenobarbital (PB), valproate (VPA), and ethosuximide (ESM). Anatomic studies have shown subtle differences in the thalamus and hippocampus of El mice. Immunohistochemistry of the El mouse hippocampus has revealed changes in peptidergic and gabaergic cell populations. Numerous biochemical differences have been found between El and nonconvulsive mice, including increased acetylcholine (ACh), dopamine (DA), GABA, serotonin (5-HT), and decreased norepinephrine (NE).
A low-power asymmetric source driver level converter based current-mode signaling scheme for global interconnects

Global interconnects pose a significant challenge to the dense very deep submicron (VDSM) system-on-chips (SoC), due to increasing wire delay and its variations. Hence, interconnection techniques which decrease delay, delay variation and ensure signal integrity, play an important role in future technologies. In this regard, current-mode low-swing interconnection techniques provide an attractive alternative to conventional full-swing voltage-mode techniques in terms of delay, power and noise immunity. In this paper, we present a new current-mode low swing interconnection technique that reduces the delay and delay variations in global interconnects. Simulation results indicate significant savings in power, reduction in delay and increase in noise immunity compared to other techniques.
The agent-structure problem in international relations theory

While neorealism and world-system theory both claim to be “structural” theories of international relations, they embody very different understandings of system structure and structural explanation. Neorealists conceptualize system structures in individualist terms as constraining the choices of preexisting state agents, whereas world-system theorists conceptualize system structures in structuralist terms as generating state agents themselves. These differences stem from what are, in some respects, fundamentally opposed solutions to the “agent-structure” or “micromacro” problem. This opposition, however, itself reflects a deeper failure of each theory to recognize the mutually constitutive nature of human agents and system structures—a failure which leads to deep-seated inadequacies in their respective explanations of state action. An alternative solution to the agent-structure problem, adapted from “structuration theory” in sociology, can overcome these inadequacies by avoiding both the reduction of system structures to state actors in neorealism and their reification in world-system theory. Structuration theory requires a philosophical basis in scientific realism, arguably the “new orthodoxy” in the philosophy of natural science, but as yet largely unrecognized by political scientists. The scientific realist/structuration approach generates an agenda for “structural-historical” research into the properties and dispositions of both state actors and the system structures in which they are embedded.
Learning OWA operator weights from data

We investigate the issue of obtaining the weights associated with the ordered weighted operator (OWA) aggregation in the situation when we have observed data on the arguments and the aggregated value. This provides a procedure to learn the decision maker's level of confidence from previous decisions. We next introduce a family of OWA operators called exponential OWA operators. >
Frequency dependence of apparent ultrasonic backscatter from human cancellous bone.

This study examines the frequency dependence of apparent ultrasonic backscatter from human cancellous bone as quantified by the apparent backscatter transfer function (ABTF). The term 'apparent' means that the backscatter signals are not compensated for the frequency-dependent effects of diffraction and attenuation. Backscatter measurements were performed in vitro on 22 specimens of bone using five transducers ranging in centre frequency from 1 to 10 MHz. The ABTF was measured at multiple sites and spatially averaged. The resulting spatially averaged ABTF (in dB) generally was a monotonically decreasing, quasi-linear function of frequency over the analysis bandwidth of the study (0.6–9.1 MHz). The apparent backscattered power tended to decrease with specimen density and become more strongly frequency dependent. Three parameters were determined from the spatially averaged ABTF. Apparent integrated backscatter (AIB) was determined by frequency averaging the spatially averaged ABTF. The frequency slope of apparent backscatter (FSAB) and the zero frequency intercept of apparent backscatter (FIAB) were determined from the slope and intercept of the spatially averaged ABTF, respectively. AIB and FSAB demonstrated moderate to good linear correlations with specimen density (|r| = 0.570–0.933). Correlations with density were weaker for the intercept-based parameter FIAB (|r| = 0.299–0.676).
High resolution characterization of soil biological communities by nucleic acid and fatty acid analyses

Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) and length heterogeneity-polymerase chain reaction (LH-PCR) analyses were used to generate ‘fingerprints’ of FAMEs and eubacterial 16S rDNA sequences characteristic of agricultural soil communities. We hypothesized that pooling data from two methods that characterized different components of soil biological communities would improve the resolution of fingerprints characterizing the effects of contrasting tillage and ground cover practices. By using supervised classifications of FAME and LH-PCR, a discriminant analysis procedure distinguished soils from contrasting tillage and ground cover management and predicted the origin of soil samples. Used independently, FAME provided higher resolution of tillage, ground cover, and field location than LH-PCR, but LH-PCR was effective at identifying field location. Pooling data from both methods did not enhance the predictive power. A comparison of linear discriminant analysis, quadratic discriminant analysis, and nonparametric density estimation demonstrated that minimizing assumptions about data distribution improved the capacity of FAME analysis to resolve differences in soil types. Use of a purely statistical Bayesian method to select a subset of fatty acids (FA’s) as variables in discriminant analyses identified FA’s that represented signature FA’s for specific groups of organisms. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Assessing quality of hybridized RNA in Affymetrix GeneChip experiments using mixed-effects models.

SUMMARY The technology for hybridizing archived tissue specimens and the use of laser-capture microdissection for selecting cell populations for RNA extraction have increased over the past few years. Both these methods contribute to RNA degradation. Therefore, quality assessments of RNA hybridized to microarrays are becoming increasingly more important. Existing methods for estimating the quality of RNA hybridized to a GeneChip, from resulting microarray data, suffer from subjectivity and lack of estimates of variability. In this article, a method for assessing RNA quality for a hybridized array which overcomes these drawbacks is proposed. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by the application of the method to two microarray data sets for which external verification of RNA quality is known.
Integrins Direct Cell Adhesion in a Substrate-Dependent Manner

The relationship between substrate properties and cell behavior is complex, including roles for both mechanics and biochemistry. Here we investigate the role of viscous dissipation on cell adhesion behaviors, using polymer films of tunable lateral mobility. We find that fibroblasts selectively use \(\alpha _v \beta _3\) and \(\alpha _5 \beta _1\) integrin receptors to control their spreading area and polarization on low and high mobility films, respectively. In addition, the dynamics of cell spreading and polarization are well described by a semi-empirical sigmoidal relationship. Analysis of cell dynamic behavior reveals that spreading dynamics are controlled by the availability of integrins, whereas the polarization dynamics are controlled by intracellular signaling. The result that cells preferentially use specific integrin receptors in response to substrate mechanical properties has broad implications for processes in dynamic environments such as wound healing and cancer metastasis.
Visualizing Community Resilience Metrics from Twitter Data

The recent explosive growth of smart phones and social media creates a unique opportunity to view events from various unique perspectives. Unfortunately, this relatively new form of communication lacks the structural integrity, accuracy, and reduced noise of other forms of communication. Nevertheless, social media increasingly plays a vita role in the observation of societal actions before, during, and after significant events. In October 2012, Hurricane Sandy making landfall on the northeastern coasts of the United States demonstrated this role. This work provides a preliminary view into how social media could be used to monitor and gauge community resilience to such natural disasters. We observe, evaluate, and visualize how Twitter data evolves over time before, during, and after a natural disaster such as Hurricane Sandy and what opportunities there may be to leverage social media for situational awareness and emergency response.
Interactive mesostructures

This paper presents a technique for interactively deforming and colliding with mesostructures at a per-texel level. It is compatible with a broad range of existing mesostructure rendering techniques including both safe and unsafe ray-height field intersection algorithms. This technique integrates well with existing physics engines and is able to reduce traditional 3D geometrical deformations (vertex-based) to 2D image space operations (pixel-based) that are parallelized on a GPU without CPU-GPU data shuffling. Additionally, surface and material properties may be specified at a per-texel level enabling a mesostructure to possess varying attributes intrinsic to its surface and collision behavior; furthermore, this offers an image-based alternative to traditional decals. This technique provides a simple way to make almost every surface in a virtual world responsive to user actions and events. It requires no preprocessing time and storage requirements of one additional texture or less. The algorithm uses existing displacement map algorithms as well as existing physics engines and can be easily incorporated into new or existing game pipelines.
Introducing the Food Fraud Initial Screening model (FFIS)

Abstract Food Fraud is illegal deception for economic gain using food. There are many types of fraud including adulterant-substances, tampering, theft, diversion and gray marketing, simulations, misbranded, and intellectual property rights product counterfeiting. The concept is beginning to be addressed by laws, regulations, standards, and certifications. Regardless of the presence of an actual health hazard, Food Fraud incidents can: negatively impact sales, brand equity, market capitalization; violate regulations such as Sarbanes-Oxley; and even lead to the criminal prosecution of corporate leaders. Emerging regulations and industry standards are requiring risk and vulnerability assessments of Food Fraud as a prerequisite to countermeasures and decision-making systems. These assessments and risk management systems are not familiar food safety tools. It is effective and efficient to utilize an enterprise risk management (ERM) framework, such as developed by the Committee of the Sponsoring Companies of the Treadway Commission (COSO). ERM risk assessment occurs into two stages: (1) a qualitative initial screening followed by (2) a more detailed quantitative assessment. All types of Food Fraud can result in enterprise-wide risks so an enterprise risk management system must cover all types of vulnerabilities. The model developed in this paper addresses the unmet need of the first stage referred to here as the Food Fraud Initial Screening (FFIS).
Biology and management of ependymomas

Ependymomas are rare primary tumors of the central nervous system in children and adults that comprise histologically similar but genetically distinct subgroups. The tumor biology is typically more associated with the site of origin rather than being age-specific. Genetically distinct subgroups have been identified by genomic studies based on locations in classic grade II and III ependymomas. They are supratentorial ependymomas with C11orf95-RELA fusion or YAP1 fusion, infratentorial ependymomas with or without a hypermethylated phenotype (CIMP), and spinal cord ependymomas. Myxopapillary ependymomas and subependymomas have different biology than ependymomas with typical WHO grade II or III histology. Surgery and radiotherapy are the mainstays of treatment, while the role of chemotherapy has not yet been established. An in-depth understanding of tumor biology, developing reliable animal models that accurately reflect tumor molecule features, and high throughput drug screening are essential for developing new therapies. Collaborative efforts between scientists, physicians, and advocacy groups will enhance the translation of laboratory findings into clinical trials. Improvements in disease control underscore the need to incorporate assessment and management of patients' symptoms to ensure that treatment advances translate into improvement in quality of life.
How Acts Means

In his gospel, Luke is caught up in the power of metaphor, in Jesus’ assertions that the kingdom of heaven is here. In Acts, on the other side of Jesus’ ascension, Luke is left with here where the kingdom of heaven just was. If the miracles of Acts suggests that the kingdom of heaven keeps popping out again, what Luke narrates in Acts is his discovery/rediscovery of this kingdom, outside of metaphor, fact by fact. Acts makes meaning for us as we begin to see how we might connect what is right in front of us to the kingdom of God.
PCI Device Drivers Design Based on Linux Platforms

Firstly,starts with the basic concepts and characteristics of FA card;then,it analyzes the basic working principles for PCI bus;at last,a work to program and debug a simple device driver for the FA card is accomplished..
Chaotic Hysteresis and Systemic Economic Transformation: Soviet Investment Patterns

Economies making a transition from centrally planned socialism to market capitalism can experience chaotic hysteresis. This can arise from elements of the previous system persisting even as institutions are transformed with the system possibly experiencing chaos during this conflict. A model of investment cycles accompanied by technological stagnation shows this phenomenon which can be viewed from a cusp catastrophe perspective. Empirical tests of Soviet investment and construction data provide incomplete support for the cusp structure with chaos. Nonlinear structures are found with bifurcation effects for all cases and possibly chaotic dynamics for five-year lagged construction data.
Categorical Perception Beyond the Basic Level: The Case of Warm and Cool Colors

Categories can affect our perception of the world, rendering between-category differences more salient than within-category ones. Across many studies, such categorical perception (CP) has been observed for the basic-level categories of one's native language. Other research points to categorical distinctions beyond the basic level, but it does not demonstrate CP for such distinctions. Here we provide such a demonstration. Specifically, we show CP in English speakers for the non-basic distinction between "warm" and "cool" colors, claimed to represent the earliest stage of color lexicon evolution. Notably, the advantage for discriminating colors that straddle the warm-cool boundary was restricted to the right visual field-the same behavioral signature previously observed for basic-level categories. This pattern held in a replication experiment with increased power. Our findings show that categorical distinctions beyond the basic-level repertoire of one's native language are psychologically salient and may be spontaneously accessed during normal perceptual processing.
On the observed WMg II–L[O II] correlation in Sloan Digital Sky Survey QSO spectra

This paper investigates the effect of differential aperture loss with Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) fibres and examines whether such selection bias would result in the observed correlation between rest-frame absorption equivalent width of Mg ii absorbers, Wr(2796), and mean associated [O ii] luminosity, , in SDSS QSO spectra. We demonstrate based on a Monte Carlo simulation that the observed Wr(2796) versus correlation of Mg ii absorbers can be well reproduced, if all galaxies found in deep surveys possess extended Mg ii haloes and if the extent of Mg ii haloes scales proportionally with galaxy mass as shown in previous studies. The observed correlation can be explained by a combination of (1) the known Wr(2796) versus ρ anticorrelation in galaxy and Mg ii absorber pairs, and (2) an increasing aperture loss in the 3 arcsec diameter SDSS fibre for galaxies at larger ρ. Galaxies at larger projected distances produce on average weaker Mg ii absorbers and weaker (or zero) in SDSS QSO spectra. We show that such a correlation diminishes when larger fibres are adopted and is therefore not physical. While under a simple halo model the majority of Mg ii absorbers do not directly probe star-forming discs, they trace photoionized halo gas associated with galaxies. We show that because of the scaling relation between extended gas cross-section and galaxy mass, the number density evolution of the Mg ii absorber population as a whole provides a good measure of the cosmic star formation history.
Manufacturing data analytics using a virtual factory representation.

Large manufacturers have been using simulation to support decision-making for design and production. However, with the advancement of technologies and the emergence of big data, simulation can be utilised to perform and support data analytics for associated performance gains. This requires not only significant model development expertise, but also huge data collection and analysis efforts. This paper presents an approach within the frameworks of Design Science Research Methodology and prototyping to address the challenge of increasing the use of modelling, simulation and data analytics in manufacturing via reduction of the development effort. The use of manufacturing simulation models is presented as data analytics applications themselves and for supporting other data analytics applications by serving as data generators and as a tool for validation. The virtual factory concept is presented as the vehicle for manufacturing modelling and simulation. Virtual factory goes beyond traditional simulation models ...
Response by Bress et al to Letters Regarding Article, “Potential Deaths Averted and Serious Adverse Events Incurred From Adoption of the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) Intensive Blood Pressure Regimen in the United States: Projections from NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey)”

We thank Dr Koh for his comments and agree that clinical practice guidelines should evolve as new knowledge becomes available. For example, a recent network meta-analysis of 42 blood pressure–lowering trials including 144 220 patients found significantly lower risks of all-cause mortality among participants who achieved systolic blood pressure 120 to 124 mm Hg in comparison with all other achieved systolic blood pressure groups including 130 to 134, 140 to 144, 150 to 154, or 160 mm Hg or more.1 Specifically, randomized groups who achieved a mean systolic …
Biosurveillance Based on Test Orders from Veterinary Diagnostic Labs

The threat of disease epidemics resulting from zoonotic pathogens is a valid concern for public health authorities and others involved with healthcare of people and animals. A significant number of epidemics over the past two decades have resulted from infection by a zoonotic pathogen. Detection of these outbreaks has typically relied upon the identification of human cases in spite of the fact that humans are a primary reservoir for a small percentage of zoonotic pathogens. Detection of an outbreak of zoonotic disease in animals before it has reached outbreak status in humans could provide the opportunity for earlier interventions that greatly reduce human morbidity and mortality. This chapter discusses test orders made to veterinary diagnostic laboratories as a potential source of data for bio-surveillance efforts and provides sample methods for evaluating these data. Examination of these data has provided promise of their utility for such surveillance systems and demonstrated the ability to detect outbreaks of certain diseases earlier than traditional reporting methods.
Black Lives Matter, gentrification and the security state in the San Francisco Bay Area:

In the Fall of 2014, Black Lives Matter protests erupted across the United States and the San Francisco Bay Area became the site of nightly demonstrations that deployed a range of disruptive practi...
Reoperative Surgical Planning and Adjunct Localization Studies

Pathology of the parathyroid glands is fairly prevalent in the United States. Each year, approximately ten cases of primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) per 100,000 people are diagnosed in those younger than 40 years. The incidence is estimated to be four times higher in patients older than 60 years of age [1]. Surgery for primary HPT, performed by an experienced surgeon, is curative in more than 95% of cases [2]. In contrast, the success rate for low-volume surgeons is only 70% [3]. Consequently, the hyperparathyroid state may not be cured for a number of patients following surgery. Those not cured either remain hypercalcemic in the immediate postoperative period or redevelop hypercalcemia after a period of normocalcemia. Hypercalcemia persisting or recurring within 6 months after initial parathyroidectomy is referred to as persistent HPT. Hypercalcemia recurring more than 6 months after an apparently curative initial parathyroidectomy is referred to as recurrent HPT. Regardless of terminology, in both cases, the patient is at continued risk of metabolic complications from hypercalcemia and may continue to have discomfort from the associated symptoms. Despite advances in preoperative imaging and adjunctive intraoperative tools, the incidence of persistent or recurrent HPT has been reported to be as high as 30% [4–6].