cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding Patent “Privateering”: A Quantitative Assessment

Since 2011, several papers and articles have speculated about the motivations, activities, and possible anticompetitive effects of hybrid patent assertion entities (PAEs), or more pejoratively, “patent privateers.” Patent privateers are non-practicing entities that obtain patent enforcement rights from practicing entities, assert those patents in litigation or licensing, and then share the earnings with the original patent holder. Most prior work has assumed that privateers are essentially extorting money from firms by making weak infringement claims employing weak patents. Under a more classical law-and-economics approach, we would expect patent privateers to acquire valuable patents to reduce litigation risk and justify patent enforcement. But to date, there has been no quantitative analysis on this form of patent holder to support or disprove either of these theoretical viewpoints. This paper is a first step toward filling that gap in the analysis by conducting an empirical assessment of patent lawsuits filed between 2010 and 2013. While several studies have provided useful analysis on who litigates patents and which patents are more likely to be litigated, we add new variables and insights to the analysis. First, our dataset identifies the business models of the parties involved, including hybrid PAEs. Second, we include data on patent reassignments, which allows us to identify when a hybrid PAE takes (partial) possession of a patent. Third, for making comparisons between litigated and unlitigated patents, our dataset includes a set of unlitigated patents that match our litigated patent dataset on several key variables. In this work, we explore three interesting questions: (1) what patent characteristics predict a patent’s acquisition by a hybrid PAE? (2) do hybrid PAEs acquire patents that are more likely to be litigated? and (3) does reassignment to a hybrid PAE affect the time when a patent is first asserted in litigation? We find that hybrid PAEs tend to acquire patents in Information Technology and Surgery & Medical Instrument fields more often than patents in other technology areas. Hybrid PAEs also obtain relatively higher quality patents than average, but objective quality metrics generally are on par when compared to patents litigated by firms with other business models. Our analysis also suggests that hybrid PAEs prefer patents with a broader scope of protection. Reassigning a patent to a hybrid PAE is generally associated with higher odds that the patents will be litigated. And finally, patents held by hybrid PAEs at some point in their lifespan experience their first litigation later than those never held by a hybrid PAE. In short, our analysis suggests that patent privateers appear to be focused on improving the possibility of successful patent monetization by focusing on acquiring higher quality patents with a broader scope of protection. This research is consistent with the law and economics theory that hybrid PAEs acquire valuable patents and not the extortion theory that they acquire weak patents.
COMPASS: A Pilot Trial of an Early Palliative Care Intervention for Patients With End-Stage Liver Disease

Abstract Context Palliative care interventions have shown promise in improving quality of life and reducing health-care utilization among patients with chronic organ failure. Objectives To evaluate the effect of a palliative care intervention for adults with end-stage liver disease. Methods A randomized controlled trial of patients with end-stage liver disease admitted to the hepatology service at a tertiary referral center whose attending hepatologist indicated they would not be surprised if the patient died in the following year on a standardized questionnaire was performed. Control group patients received usual care. Intervention group patients received inpatient specialist palliative care consultations and outpatient phone follow-up by a palliative care nurse. The primary outcome was time until first readmission. Secondary outcomes included days alive outside the hospital, referral to hospice care, death, readmissions, patient quality of life, depression, anxiety, and quality of end-of-life care over 6 months. Results The trial stopped early because of difficulties in accruing patients. Of 293 eligible patients, only 63 patients were enrolled, 31 in the intervention group and 32 in the control group. This pace of enrollment was only 25% of what the study had planned, and so it was deemed infeasible to complete. Despite stopping early, intervention group patients had a lower hazard of readmission (hazard ratio: 0.36, 95% confidence interval: 0.16–0.83, P = 0.017) and greater odds of having more days alive outside the hospital than control group patients (odds ratio: 3.97, 95% confidence interval: 1.14–13.84, P = 0.030). No other statistically significant differences were observed. Conclusion Logistical obstacles hindered completion of the trial as originally designed. Nevertheless, a preemptive palliative care intervention resulted in increased time to first readmission and more days alive outside the hospital in the first six months after study entry.
Preacher, Shepherd, Judge: The Role of the Outlaw Prophet in American Film

U.S. understandings of violence and non-violence are often expressed in stereotypically simplistic terms by Americans and their critics. The maverick cowboy anti-hero who answers to his own code of honor, enforced by redemptive violence, is a quintessential symbol of this American ethos. An exploration of this theme in Pale Rider, Pulp Fiction and The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, which center on the tension between violence and non-violence through an outlaw protagonist and his use of Judeo-Christian scriptures, suggests that the true complexity of the American popular moral theology of violence and non-violence is being addressed in film. This article is available in Journal of Religion & Film: http://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/jrf/vol12/iss2/4
Estimation of intraocular pressure in normal canine eyes utilizing the newly introduced TonoVet Plus and TonoPen Avia, and their comparison to the established TonoVet

PURPOSE To evaluate the IOP values obtained from normal canine eyes, by means of the TonoVet Plus (TVP) and TonoPen Avia (TPA), and compare them to an established tonometer, the TonoVet (TV). METHODS Tonometry was performed bilaterally in 50 healthy dogs, age 1-11 years. The rebound tonometers (TV and TVP) were used first (in a random order), and then, one drop of tetracaine hydrochloride was applied to each eye, and approximately one minute later the IOP was estimated using the TPA. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) was calculated for each tonometer and a paired Student's t test was used to compare the IOP values between tonometers. A P value ≤ .05 was considered significant. The agreement between tonometers was assessed by a Bland-Altman plot. RESULTS The mean ± SD (range) IOP values were 15.0 ± 3.2 mm Hg (7-22), 19.2 ± 3.1 mm Hg (11-25), and 12.8 ± 2.9 mm Hg (6-19), for the TV, TVP, and TPA, respectively. The IOP values obtained by each tonometer were significantly different compared to the other two (P < .0001). There was a good agreement with fixed bias between all tonometers. CONCLUSIONS The average IOP values of the TVP were significantly higher than those of the TV, which were significantly higher than those of the TPA, in normal canine eyes. Knowing the normal IOP values for these tonometers and the bias between them will help the clinician with the interpretation of IOP values obtained by these devices and compare between them.
17 – Hydraulic Fracturing

Publisher Summary Hydraulic fracturing is a well-stimulation technique that is most suitable to wells in low- and moderate-permeability reservoirs that do not provide commercial production rates even though formation damages are removed by acidizing treatments. Hydraulic fracturing jobs are carried out at well sites using heavy equipment including truck-mounted pumps, blenders, fluid tanks, and proppant tanks. A hydraulic fracturing job is divided into two stages: the pad stage and the slurry stage. In the pad stage, fracturing fluid is injected into the well to break down the formation and create a pad. During the slurry stage, the fracturing fluid is mixed with sand/proppant in a blender and the mixture is injected into the pad/fracture. This chapter presents a brief description of hydraulic fracturing treatments covering formation fracturing pressure, fracture geometry, productivity of fractured wells, hydraulic fracturing design, and post-frac evaluation.
Primum non nocere: Utility and outcomes of pediatric breast ultrasound.

Abstract Purpose To assess the use and outcomes of ultrasound for the evaluation of breast signs and symptoms in pediatric females. Methods A retrospective database review identified all patients ≤18-years-old who underwent breast ultrasound at an academic institution over a 20-year period. Each symptomatic site was designated a case and analyses were performed on each case. Imaging findings were obtained from the radiology reports. Clinical and pathology data were obtained from the medical records. Descriptive statistics were performed. Results The final cohort comprised 124 cases in 101 patients. Mean age was 15 years (range 1–18). The most common indication for ultrasound was a palpable lump (71%). Thirty-seven cases (30%) demonstrated no sonographic correlate to the symptom; 36 (29%) had a benign correlate. The most common benign correlates were abscess/phlegmon and cyst. All cases of abscess/phlegmon had infectious symptoms. Fifty-one cases (41%) demonstrated a sonographic mass that was not characteristically benign. Of these indeterminate masses, 27 were recommended for biopsy, 13 for short-interval follow-up, and 6 had no recommendation. Of 27 biopsied masses, 63% were fibroadenomas. No symptoms were due to malignancy. Therefore, the NPV of ultrasound was 100% and the PPV 0%. Conclusion In this cohort of pediatric and adolescent patients, malignancy was never the cause of breast symptoms. Imaging yielded false positives with a biopsy recommendation in 22% of cases. Ultrasound provided value in evaluating infectious symptoms. Given the extreme rarity of breast cancer in this population, surveillance may be a safe alternative for most indeterminate lesions.
The complex role of EZH2 in the tumor microenvironment: opportunities and challenges for immunotherapy combinations

Immune dysfunction in the tumor microenvironment occurs through epigenetic changes in both tumor cells and immune cells that alter transcriptional programs driving cell fate and cell function. Onco...
Understanding Experiences of Moral Distress in End-of-Life Care Among US and UK Physician Trainees: a Comparative Qualitative Study.

Moral distress is a state in which a clinician cannot act in accordance with their ethical beliefs because of external constraints. Physician trainees, who work within rigid hierarchies and who lack clinical experience, are particularly vulnerable to moral distress. We examined the dynamics of physician trainee moral distress in end-of-life care by comparing experiences in two different national cultures and healthcare systems. We investigated cultural factors in the US and the UK that may produce moral distress within their respective healthcare systems, as well as how these factors shape experiences of moral distress among physician trainees. Semi-structured in-depth qualitative interviews about experiences of end-of-life care and moral distress. Sixteen internal medicine residents in the US and fourteen junior doctors in the UK. The work was analyzed using thematic analysis. Some drivers of moral distress were similar among US and UK trainees, including delivery of potentially inappropriate treatments, a poorly defined care trajectory, and involvement of multiple teams creating different care expectations. For UK trainees, healthcare team hierarchy was common, whereas for US trainees, pressure from families, a lack of guidelines for withholding inappropriate treatments, and distress around physically harming patients were frequently cited. US trainees described how patient autonomy and a fear of lawsuits contributed to moral distress, whereas UK trainees described how societal expectations around resource allocation mitigated it. This research highlights how the differing experiences of moral distress among US and UK physician trainees are influenced by their countries’ healthcare cultures. This research illustrates how experiences of moral distress reflect the broader culture in which it occurs and suggests how trainees may be particularly vulnerable to it. Clinicians and healthcare leaders in both countries can learn from each other about policies and practices that might decrease the moral distress trainees experience.
Bulk modulus measurement at mHz frequencies and high-pressure using synchrotron x-ray radiation.

We report an experimental protocol for measuring the frequency dependence of the bulk modulus carried out in a synchrotron x-ray facility based multi-anvil high-pressure apparatus. An oscillating pressure perturbation characterized by x-ray diffraction produces a volume strain measured by imaging. Together, these yield the bulk modulus of the sample. Here, we report data at 3 mHz as an example of the possibility of providing these data for the frequency range of 1 mHz–100 mHz.
Forest Restoration in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

A series of international initiatives have set ambitious goals for restoring global forests. This review synthesizes natural and social science research on forest restoration (FR), with a focus on ...
Inequality and Risk Management: Evidence from a Lab Experiment in Ghana

Wealth inequality has been growing throughout the world in recent decades. In this article I explore the impact of inequality on risk-management decisions in a developing country context. I use a lab-in-the-field experiment that introduces exogenous variation in inequality to investigate the impact of inequality on risk-sharing and insurance uptake decisions. I find that inequality does influence formation of risk-sharing agreements and demand for insurance.
Polonium: Organometallic Chemistry

The organometallic chemistry of polonium has received limited research effort. The element is very rare, and all of its isotopes are radioactive. Radioactivity causes rupture of the bonds between carbon and polonium. Also, because polonium is a heavy metal, chemical bonding to carbon is thermodynamically very weak. It is rare for an organometallic compound of polonium to be isolated in weighable quantities and characterized using the conventional techniques of organic chemistry. The identification of organopolonium compounds relies largely on chromatographic behavior and on the use of tellurium compounds having analogous chemical structures as reference compounds. Keywords: pitchblende; radioactivity; Bi organometallics; β-decay; alkyl; aryl
Convergence analysis of distributed subgradient methods over random networks

We consider the problem of cooperatively minimizing the sum of convex functions, where the functions represent local objective functions of the agents. We assume that each agent has information about his local function, and communicate with the other agents over a time-varying network topology. For this problem, we propose a distributed subgradient method that uses averaging algorithms for locally sharing information among the agents. In contrast to previous works that make worst-case assumptions about the connectivity of the agents (such as bounded communication intervals between nodes), we assume that links fail according to a given stochastic process. Under the assumption that the link failures are independent and identically distributed over time (possibly correlated across links), we provide convergence results and convergence rate estimates for our subgradient algorithm.
The formation of active species for oxidative dehydrogenation of propane on magnesium molybdates

Pure and mixed magnesium molybdate phases (MoO3, MgMoO4, and MgMo2O7) have been examined for the oxidative dehydrogenation reaction of propane. The results are very sensitive to the stoichiometry and method of preparation. The catalysts exhibiting superior activity and selectivity are characterized by a unique temperature-programmed reduction peak that is not present for the poorly active or selective catalysts. Mixtures of MgMoO4 and MoO3 or MgMoO4 and MgMo2O7, materials that perform poorly by themselves, show significant improvements in performance upon heating. The solid-state interactions leading to these improvements correspond to the appearance of the characteristic reduction peak. The results suggest that the beneficial synergistic effects seen with mixtures of inactive phases are due to formation of a new phase or species, rather than remote communication between phases (e.g., oxygen spillover).
The role of the sulfhydryl groups of tropomyosin and troponin in the calcium control of actomyosin contractility.

Abstract Methods for preparing troponin and tropomyosin from ethanol-extracted muscle are presented. Examination of these proteins by disc electrophoresis indicated that the troponin preparation is homogeneous. If precautions were taken to assure that the —SH groups of tropomyosin were not permitted to oxidize during preparation or electrophoresis, tropomyosin appeared to be nearly homogeneous. Traces of troponin, however, appeared in all samples. Neither troponin nor tropomyosin was found to make actomyosin superprecipitation sensitive to the removal of Ca++. Combined, they were effective. A moderately wide range of troponin to tropomyosin ratios (between 1:1 and 3:1) were found to provide optimal sensitization of actomyosin. At a troponin to tropomyosin ratio of 1.3:1, 35 µg of this protein mixture inhibited by 85% 200 µg of actomyosin. The ability of troponin to collaborate with tropomyosin in the sensitization of actomyosin was lost to varying degrees if the troponin —SH groups were allowed to react with p-chloromercuribenzoate or N-ethylmaleimide or if the —SH groups were not protected during preparation. In contrast, the function of tropomyosin was found not to correlate with the state of its —SH groups. Troponin was found to be a potent calcium-binding substance, possessing 24 µmoles of high affinity calcium-binding sites per g. The high affinity site had an apparent affinity constant of approximately 2.4 x 106 m-1. It is hypothesized that the binding of calcium to this site inactivates troponin and that this is the mechanism whereby calcium activates myofibrillar contraction. It is concluded that tropomyosin does not possess a similar class of calcium-binding sites. The affinity of troponin for calcium was unaltered by reaction of its —SH groups. The number of high affinity calcium-binding sites was, however, doubled to approximately 40 µmoles of sites per g by reaction of troponin with —SH reagents.
ALAPTF: A NEW TRANSITION FAULTMODEL AND THE ATPG ALGORITHM

The paper presents a new transition fault model called As late As Possible Transition Fault (ALAPTF) Model. The model aims at detecting smaller delays, which will be missed by both the traditional transition fault model and the path delay model. The model makes sure that each transition is launched as late as possible at the fault site, accumulating the small delay defects along its way. Because some transition faults may require multiple paths to be launched, the simple path-delay model will miss such faults. Results on ISCAS'85 and ISCAS'89 benchmark circuits shows that for all the cases, the new model is capable of detecting smaller gate delays and produces better results in case of process variations. For all circuits, on an average, 30% of the time the transition reaches later than traditional models. The algorithm proposed also detects robust and non-robust paths along with the transition faults and the execution time is linear to the circuit size.
A generic and efficient E-field Parallel Imaging Correlator for next-generation radio telescopes

Modern radio telescopes are favouring densely packed array layouts with large numbers of antennas ($N_\textrm{A}\gtrsim 1000$). Since the complexity of traditional correlators scales as $\mathcal{O}(N_\textrm{A}^2)$, there will be a steep cost for realizing the full imaging potential of these powerful instruments. Through our generic and efficient E-field Parallel Imaging Correlator (EPIC), we present the first software demonstration of a generalized direct imaging algorithm, namely, the Modular Optimal Frequency Fourier (MOFF) imager. Not only does it bring down the cost for dense layouts to $\mathcal{O}(N_\textrm{A}\log_2 N_\textrm{A})$ but can also image from irregular layouts and heterogeneous arrays of antennas. EPIC is highly modular, parallelizable, implemented in object-oriented Python, and publicly available. We have verified the images produced to be equivalent to those from traditional techniques to within a precision set by gridding coarseness. We have also validated our implementation on data observed with the Long Wavelength Array (LWA1). We provide a detailed framework for imaging with heterogeneous arrays and show that EPIC robustly estimates the input sky model for such arrays. Antenna layouts with dense filling factors consisting of a large number of antennas such as LWA, the Square Kilometre Array, Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array, and Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment will gain significant computational advantage by deploying an optimized version of EPIC. The algorithm is a strong candidate for instruments targeting transient searches of Fast Radio Bursts (FRB) as well as planetary and exoplanetary phenomena due to the availability of high-speed calibrated time-domain images and low output bandwidth relative to visibility-based systems.
Regional diastolic functional images utilizing time-domain analysis of gated radionuclide ventriculograms.

Early quantitative investigations of left ventricular function concentrated primarily on the systolic portion of the cardiac cycle. Recent studies suggest that signs and symptoms in cardiac failure previously attributed to impaired systolic performance may be due in part to altered diastolic properties of ventricular function,1-3 and that abnormalities in diastolic performance may appear earlier than do systolic abnormalities.“, 5 Thus, altered diastolic function may be a significant early indicator of coronary disease. Radionuclide gated blood pool ventriculography has been shown to be useful for assessing ventricular function. Initially, analysis consisted of the visual inspection of a closed loop cinematic presentation, permitting easy comparison with radiographic contrast ventriculograms. Advanced techniques now employ computerized mathematical models to analyze various aspects of regional ventricular performance through the use of parametric images derived from the composite frame data. Typically, one fits a mathematical function, defined by one or more parameters, to the time-activity curve of each picture element (pixel) of the digitized study. A parametric, or functional, image is formed by displaying a value at each pixel location corresponding to the value of the parameter associated with the time-
Initial position of aminoacylation of individual Escherichia coli, yeast, and calf liver transfer RNAs.

Transfer RNAs from Escherichia coli, yeast (Sacharomyces cerevisiae), and calf liver were subjected to controlled hydrolysis with venom exonuclease to remove 3'-terminal nucleotides, and then reconstructed successively with cytosine triphosphate (CTP) and 2'- or 3'-deoxyadenosine 5'-triphosphate in the presence of yeast CTP(ATP):tRNA nucleotidyltransferase. The modified tRNAs were purified by chromatography on DBAE-cellulose or acetylated DBAE-cellulose and then utilized in tRNA aminoacylation experiments in the presence of the homologous aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase activities. The E. coli, yeast, and calf liver aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases specific for alanine, glycine, histidine, lysine, serine, and threonine, as well as the E. coli and yeast prolyl-tRNA synthetases and the yeast glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase utilized only those homologous modified tRNAs terminating in 2'-deoxyadenosine (i.e., having an available 3'-OH group). This is interpreted as evidence that these aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases normally aminoacylate their unmodified cognate tRNAs on the 3'-OH group. The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases from all three sources specific argining, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, and valine, as well as the E. coli and yeast enzymes specific for methionine and the E. coli glutamyl-tRNA synthetase, used as substrates exclusively those tRNAs terminating in 3'-deoxyadenosine. Certain aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, including the E. coli, yeast, and calf liver asparagine and tyrosine activating enzymes, the E. coli and yeast cysteinyl-tRNA synthetases, and the aspartyl-tRNA synthetase from yeast, utilized both isomeric tRNAs as substrates, although generally not at the same rate. While the calf liver aspartyl- and cysteinyl-tRNA synthetases utilized only the corresponding modified tRNA species terminating in 2'-deoxyadenosine, the use of a more concentrated enzyme preparation might well result in aminoacylation of the isomeric species. The one tRNA for which positional specificity does seem to have changed during evolution is tryptophan, whose E. coli aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase utilized predominantly the cognate tRNA terminating in 3'-deoxyadenosine, while the corresponding yeast and calf liver enzymes were found to utilize predominantly the isomeric tRNAs terminating in 2'-deoxyadenosine. The data presented indicate that while there is considerable diversity in the initial position of aminoacylation of individual tRNA isoacceptors derived from a single source, positional specificity has generally been conserved during the evolution from a prokaryotic to mammalian organism.
Heart rate and physiological thermoregulation in a basking turtle, Pseudemys scripta elegans

Abstract 1. 1. The physiological capacity of Pseudemys scripta elegans to alter The rate of body temperature change was determined by comparing rate of heating ( T a = 40°C) to rate of cooling ( T a = 5°C). 2. 2. Living turtles usually heated faster than they cooled while dead turtles heated and cooled at the same rate, which was slower than the rate of living turtles. 3. 3. Physical activity was accompanied by increased heart rate. 4. 4. Heart rate was faster during heating than during cooling. 5. 5. Evidence suggests that although heart rate was involved in the thermorelationship of the turtle, it was probably not the major factor causing the faster rate of T b change during heating than during cooling.
Modulation of RTX cytotoxicity by thymidine and dipyridamole in vitro: implications for chemotherapy.

Purpose: The cytotoxicity of the thymidylate synthase (TS) inhibitor raltitrexed (RTX) is reversed by supraphysiologic thymidine concentrations. Dipyridamole (DP) blocks thymidine salvage (uptake) and potentiates several chemotherapeutic agents in vitro. The purpose of this study was to determine whether DP is capable of potentiating RTX cytotoxicity in the presence of physiologic thymidine concentrations. Methods: We examined the effect of DP on RTX cytotoxicity in the presence of various physiologic thymidine concentrations in eight colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines by colony formation assay, and in p53-defective HL60 S and p53-competent HL60 SN3 promyelocytic leukemia cells by a tetrazolium reduction-based assay. Results: In WiDr colon adenocarcinoma cells the cytotoxicity of 1.0 μM RTX (4 h) varied from 0% to >99% within the reported range of human serum thymidine concentrations from 500 to 93-fold within this range. Free DP concentrations of 10 to 20 nM, achievable with oral dosing, potentiated RTX at thymidine concentrations up to 100 nM. Potentiation at higher physiologic thymidine concentrations of ≥200 nM required DP concentrations of at least 50 nM, or about twice the steady-state DP concentration obtainable from oral and intravenous dosing, but well within that obtainable by intraperitoneal infusion. Maximal potentiation required 72 to 120 h of DP exposure. DP also potentiated RTX in the absence of exogenous thymidine in six of eight colon cell lines and HL60 S and SN3 cells suggesting a second, nonthymidine salvage-dependent mechanism of potentiation. Conclusions: Clinically achievable free DP concentrations potentiated RTX cytotoxicity within the range of physiologic serum thymidine concentrations. RTX/DP or DP analogue-based combination therapy should, therefore, be considered for clinical trial. Serum or tumor thymidine concentration determinations may aid in identification of patients likely to respond to TS and nucleoside salvage inhibitors versus alternate, non-TS-directed therapies.
An LOCV-based static timing analysis considering spatial correlations of power supply variations

As the operating frequency of LSI becomes higher and the power supply voltage becomes lower, the on-chip power supply variation has become a dominant factor which influences the signal delay of the circuits. The static timing analysis (STA) considering on-chip power supply variations (IR-drop) is therefore one of the most crucial issues in the LSI designs nowadays. We propose an efficient STA method to consider on-chip power supply variations in the static timing analysis by utilizing the spatial correlations of IR-drop. The proposed method is based on the widely-used technique in STA considering OCV (on-chip variations), which is called LOCV (Location-based OCV) technique, and therefore our method is easy to be incorporated into the existing timing analysis flow. The proposed method is evaluated by using test data including H-tree clock structure with various on-chip IR-drop distributions. The experimental results show that the proposed method can reduce the design margin with respect to power supply variations by 6–85% (47% on the average) compared with the conventional practical approach with a constant OCV derating factor, while requiring no additional computation cost in the static timing analysis. Thus the proposed method can contribute to a fast timing closure considering on-chip power supply variations.
Direct targets of phosphoinositide 3-kinase products in membrane traffic and signal transduction

Phosphoinositide 3-kinases are a family of lipid kinases that phosphorylate the 3' position of the inositol ring on phosphatidylinositol and higher-phosphorylated polyphosphoinositides. The multiplicity of cellular functions influenced by the activity of these enzymes has captured the attention of researchers working on two important fields of cell biology--signal transduction and membrane traffic. This review discusses how the recent identification of proteins that interact directly with 3'-polyphosphoinositides has revealed novel potential interconnections between these fundamental cellular processes.
Variability of electrophrenic diaphragm twitch stimulation over time in normal subjects.

Abstract Transcutaneous electrophrenic twitch stimulation is a potentially powerful way to assess diaphragm contractile function in response to interventions which may alter respiratory muscle strength and endurance. At present, the variability of the transdiaphragmatic twitch pressure (PdiT) over a several hour period is not well described. The present study examines the reproducibility of PdiT amplitude and the twitch occlusion technique of assessing maximum transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdimax) in seven normal adults stimulated intermittently every hour for a total 4-h period. In one subject, data were obtained on two occasions separated by a 2-month interval. Among all subjects, the PdiT amplitude expressed as a percentage of the Pdimax was highly reproducible over 4 h (coefficient of variation 5.3). Peak PdiT was inversely related to graded voluntary Pdi (r=−0.0996) and the relationship was virtually identical over 4 h (r=−0.999, P=0.96). These data show that PdiT at functional residual capacity and the twitch occlusion relationship are highly reproducible.
Evaluating the trade‐off between military spending and investment in the United States

Using tests of a single equation model and cointegration techniques, this paper finds no evidence of a long run trade‐off, and some evidence of a short‐run trade‐off, between military spending and investment in post‐World War II United States data. The short‐run trade‐off is confined to the 1949–1971 period, and may be the result of the sharp expansion and contraction of military outlays in connection with the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In addition, cointegration techniques are used to identify a possible long‐run trade‐off between military spending and consumption.
Long term sequelae of frostbite

Frostbite injury in the hands and feet of a child can have long-term sequelae, Premature fusion and abnormal growth can occur in the epiphyseal cartilage.
Reduction of electron channeling in EDS using precession.

Abstract We demonstrated that EDS measurement can be significantly improved by precessing the electron beam, thereby reducing electron channeling effects. For a SrTiO 3 specimen orientated along the [001] zone axis, the measured strontium to titanium atomic ratio was 0.74–0.80 using conventional EDS methods, and the ratio was improved to ∼0.99 by precessing the electron beam for angles greater than 22.54 mRad. In ALCHEMI-like experiments in which the specimen was tilted to near two-beam condition, the strontium to titanium ratio was insensitive to the deviation from the Bragg condition using a precessed electron beam. Similar reduction of electron channeling effects was also observed in precession-assisted EDS measurements for an L2 1 -ordered Fe 2 MnAl intermetallic alloy tilted to the [011] zone axis as well as near two-beam conditions.
Changing transfusion practices in hip and knee arthroplasty

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to examine changes in perioperative transfusion practices after the introduction of autologous blood conservation strategies into routine clinical practice. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:The existing medical records of all patients undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasty at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, who resided in Olmsted County, were reviewed over three periods: 1981–82 (232 procedures), 1987–88 (269 procedures), and 1993–94 (398 procedures). RESULTS:The proportion of patients receiving any perioperative red cell (RBC) units significantly decreased (from 85% in 1981–82 to 65% in 1993–94). The timing of transfusion also changed; the proportion of RBC units transfused in the preoperative or intraoperative periods decreased from 68 percent in 1981–82 to 38 percent in 1993–94, with the balance of RBC units transfused in the postoperative period. Although the number of RBC units utilized per procedure in the intraoperative period significantly decreased, the number of RBC units transfused in the postoperative period significantly increased (from 0.6 +/− 1.0 to 1.1 +/− 1.4 units per procedure in 1981–82 and 1993–94, respectively, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Although blood conservation strategies have been successful in reducing RBC transfusion intraoperatively, avoidance of intraoperative transfusion may in some cases postpone, rather than prevent, transfusion.
A Microcomputer-Based Fluid Infusion System for the Resuscitation of Burn Patients

Fluid replacement therapy, essential in the treatment of burn patients, continues to be a difficult clinical responsibility. Inherent variability of individual patient response to conventional burn fluid formulas and the practical limitations involved in manually adjusting fluid infusion rates on a continuous basis combine to hamper proper fluid administration. A microcomputer-based fluid infusion, data acquisition, and control (FIDAC) system has been developed to optimize fluid volume restoration and maintenance in the clinical treatment of burn and trauma patients. The FIDAC system provides real-time measurement of infused fluid and urine output, the display and routine recording of fluid balance parameters, and closed-loop control of fluid resuscitation. The system has been evaluated through a series of animal tests and is currently in clinical use at the University of Utah Medical Center Intermountain Burn Unit.
Program characteristics and readmission among older substance abuse patients: comparisons with middle-aged and younger patients.

Older substance abuse patients were compared to middle-aged and younger patients before, during, and after an index episode of inpatient care in 1 of 88 substance abuse treatment programs. Associations between program characteristic and readmission rates adjusted for key differences in the types of patients in different programs varied by age group. Among older patients, more structured program policies, more flexible rules about discharge, more comprehensive assessment, and more outpatient mental health aftercare were associated with lower casemix-adjusted readmission rates. More intensive treatment was associated with higher-than-predicted readmission. By contrast, among younger patients, more family involvement in assessment and treatment, community consultation, and treatment emphasizing the development of social and work skills were associated with lower casemix-adjusted readmission rates. The findings suggest that intensive, directed treatment may be more effective for younger substance abuse patients, whereas a more supportive treatment regimen in a well-organized program and prompt outpatient aftercare may be especially helpful for older patients.
Scheduling with concurrency-based constraints

Abstract This paper considers scheduling problems with timing constraints of the forms k ≥ 3 processors. (This contrasts with the case of just k = 2 processors. Approximation results for k ≥ 3 processors are also obtained. Finally, we consider a problem that arises in practice on the Tera architecture, proving an NP-completeness result and providing an approximation algorithm.
Parity violation, and comparisons between quark-schemes and M-schemes in unified gauge theories

Abstract We compare and contrast quark-schemes and M-schemes as viable approaches to the unification of strong, weak and electromagnetic interactions, and establish intimate correspondences between them. We show, contrary to recent claims, that the M-scheme does not lead to large parity and hypercharge violation. Parity and hypercharge violation are arbitrary and adjustable to any small value.
Calibrated Precision Matrix Estimation for High-Dimensional Elliptical Distributions

We propose a semiparametric method for estimating a precision matrix of high-dimensional elliptical distributions. Unlike most existing methods, our method naturally handles heavy tailness and conducts parameter estimation under a calibration framework, thus achieves improved theoretical rates of convergence and finite sample performance on heavy-tail applications. We further demonstrate the performance of the proposed method using thorough numerical experiments.
Attenuation of drug-induced bait shyness to a palatable solution as an increasing function of its availability prior to conditioning.

Different groups of rats were familiarized with a saccharin solution for 1, 3, 10, or 20 days prior to conditioning. Saccharin ingestion was then followed by intraperitoneal cyclophosphamide injection. Control S s consumed saccharin as a novel flavor and were similarly injected with either cyclophosphamide or isotonic saline. As revealed by extended extinction tests, the strength of resultant saccharin aversions was inversely related to preconditioning saccharin familiarity. One day of saccharin preexposure failed to influence initial aversion magnitude, but resulted in an increased rate of extinction. Contrastingly, 20 days of flavor preexposure completely blocked aversion formation, while intermediate preexposures resulted in orderly and graded degrees of aversion attenuation.
Internal globus pallidotomy in dystonia secondary to Huntington's disease

INTRODUCTION AND METHOD The prototypic motor feature of Huntington's disease (HD) is chorea, but parkinsonism and involuntary movements such as dystonia and myoclonus can also be present. Pallidotomy has been shown to be an effective treatment for medically refractory Parkinson's disease (PD). We performed bilateral microelectrode guided-stereotactic pallidotomies targeted at globus pallidum internus (GPi) to treat a 13-year-old patient diagnosed with Westphal variant of HD with intractable generalized dystonia and parkinsonism. RESULTS Intraoperative microelectrode recordings of GPi cells showed a relatively low firing rate, 29 + 14 Hz, with most neurons showing pauses. Acutely, after surgery, limb dystonia mildly improved but trunk dystonia persisted. Postoperative follow up 3 months later showed minimal clinical improvement in dystonic features with marked worsening of spasticity. CONCLUSION In our case, bilateral pallidotomy produced modest palliative functional improvement in dystonic features. Cellular firing patterns were markedly different than in PD and were similar to those found in dystonia.
The mydriatic response of mice to atropine.

The time after subcutaneous injection at which atropine produces most mydriasis in male mice increases with increased body-weight. If the response is measured when it is greatest, and is expressed as a percentage of the maximum mydriatic response obtainable in mice of the weight-range used, the mydriatic response to a dose of atropine is constant in male mice weighing from 16 to 50 g. The time-courses of the mydriatic response to atropine in mice of widely differing weights are parallel to the time-courses of the atropine concentration in the cardiac blood of the mice of the same weight-range given a high dose of atropine subcutaneously. The mydriatic response to atropine is found to be increased at times of poor ambient lighting (such as dusk): if however the mice are tested under conditions of artificial lighting (supplemented by daylight when present), the mydriatic response to a standard dose of atropine is nearly constant at all times from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Branchial Na, K-ATPase and osmoregulation in the purple shore crab, Hemigrapsus nudus (Dana)☆

Abstract The purple shore crab, Hemigrapsus nudus, controls its hemolymph osmolality over a wide range of external salinities: it is a strong hyperosmoregulator in 25%, 50% and 75% sea water (SW) and is isosmotic in 100% SW. The role of branchial sodium + potassium-activated, magnesium-requiring adenosine triphosphatase (NA, K-ATPase) in osmoregulation was investigated by assaying enzyme-specific activity (SEA) in gills from crabs acclimated for 14 d in the four sea water media. Assay conditions were characterized for optimal ESA with crude homogenates of gills; ion and cofactor requirements were found to be similar to those of other crustacean Na, K-ATPases. Branchial ESA was highest in crabs acclimated for 2 weeks in 50% SW and was significantly correlated with the osmotic gradient across the body wall in 50%, 75% and 100% SW. Gills 6, 7 and 8 had the highest ESA in all media and possessed approximately 70% of the total branchial Na, K-ATPase activity, but all gills showed significant, approximately twofold increases of ESA in 50% SW compared with values in 100% SW. The time courses of increased branchial Na, K-ATPase ESA and decreased hemolymph osmotic pressure in crabs transferred from 100% SW to 50% SW are consistent with both increased in vivo activity of existing enzyme in the short term and a longer-term synthesis of new enzyme by the gills which is measured by our in vitro assay.
Cooperative control of virtual objects using haptic teleoperation over the internet

The feasibility of performing remote assessment and therapy of patients over the internet using robotic devices is explored. Using a force feedback device, the therapist can assess the range of motion, flexibility, strength, and spasticity of the patient’s arm grasping a similar robotic device at a remote location. In addition, cooperative rehabilitation strategies can be developed whereby both the patient and therapist cooperatively perform tasks in a virtual environment. To counter the destabilizing effects of time delay in the force feedback loop, a passive wave variable architecture is used to encode velocity and force information. The control scheme is validated experimentally over the internet using a pair of InMotion2 robots located 500 miles apart.
Bayesian predictive inference of a finite population proportion under selection bias

Abstract We show how to infer about a finite population proportion using data from a possibly biased sample. In the absence of any selection bias or survey weights, a simple ignorable selection model, which assumes that the binary responses are independent and identically distributed Bernoulli random variables, is not unreasonable. However, this ignorable selection model is inappropriate when there is a selection bias in the sample. We assume that the survey weights (or their reciprocals which we call ‘selection’ probabilities) are available, but there is no simple relation between the binary responses and the selection probabilities. To capture the selection bias, we assume that there is some correlation between the binary responses and the selection probabilities (e.g., there may be a somewhat higher/lower proportion of positive responses among the sampled units than among the nonsampled units). We use a Bayesian nonignorable selection model to accommodate the selection mechanism. We use Markov chain Monte Carlo methods to fit the nonignorable selection model. We illustrate our method using numerical examples obtained from NHIS 1995 data.
Empirical equation for the accurate prediction of retention in planar chromatography

Abstract Either a second order or a third polynomial equation accurately predicts R F in a mobile phase which is a binary mixture of a strong and weak solvent. The mole fraction of the strong solvent is used as the independent variable. The p -nitrobenzyl esters of fifteen dansyl amino acids were used as model solutes for planar chromatography, using each of five different mobile phases on silica gel layers. For either of the polynomial equations, a minimum of 98% of the predicted R F values, at mole fractions not used for establishing the equations, are within 0.05 or less of an R F unit (when compared to the experimental R F ), and 90% of the predictions are within 0.03 or less of an R F unit.
Implementing Decision Analysis on Digital Computers

ABSTRACT Recently developed computer programs have greatly enhanced the application of decision analysis, especially in accounting for risk and uncertainty factors. Monte Carlo simulation and decision tree programs are now available from a wide variety of sources for both batch and time-sharing. The major programs, their features and capabilities, are summarized here. A table showing cost, computer requirements and where and how to obtain further information, is also included.