cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting firm failure in the software industry

Firm failure rate in the software industry is significantly higher than other industries. Due to the wide use of software products and services, failure in the software industry has implications on the industry itself as well as the economy at the local, national and global levels. This study compares the classification performance of thirteen approaches in terms of predicting firm failure in the US software industry. Seven measures are used to evaluate the classifiers’ performance. We use synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE), SMOTEBoost and SMOTEBagging to account for the data imbalance issue. In order to give managers enough time to develop strategies and take the necessary actions to reduce the likelihood of failing, we use 20 financial indicators collected 4 years before the last available date about each firm. Our findings show that embedding SMOTE into boosting and bagging algorithms is better than preprocessing data using SMOTE before learning the classifier. According to the sensitivity analysis, research and development expense is the most significant predictor of firm failure followed by net sales and total revenue. Our results can be used by managers as a decision support tool to identify high-risk firms at an early stage and take the necessary actions to prevent a firm from failing. The early prediction of firm failure will allow software firms to modularize their products or services into specific “features” and offer them as “digital services” using new business models or combine these services with partner firms’ services to create new products and address evolving customer expectations. Moreover, the early prediction of firm failure in the software industry calls on firms, both new and those in the growth stage, to componentize their design for adaptability and to build agility in the way firms use their resource mix to address both market gaps as well as operational gaps.
Integrated Deep Trench Capacitor in Si Interposer for CoWoS Heterogeneous Integration

To accommodate the exceedingly demanding power integrity (PI) requirements for the advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and high performance computing (HPC) components, high-K (HK) based deep trench capacitors (DTC) have been integrated the first time in the silicon interposer with through silicon via (TSV) and fine-pitch interconnects for chip-on-wafer-on-substrate (CoWoS) integration. A specific capacitance density (C s ) of up to 340 nF/mm2 is achieved over a large capacitor array, providing a total capacitance (C t ) of up to 68 μF per interposer die. The HK dielectric has intrinsic time-dependent dielectric breakdown (TDDB) lifetime of > 1,000 years at an operation voltage (V cc ) of 1.35V, and a normalized leakage current (I LK ) density LK & V bd tailing) were observed. The high capacitance, low leakage, large area and reliability-proven Si-interposer integrated DTC, or iCap, provides superior PI performance and therefore greatly enhances the merit of using CoWoS for the next-generation heterogeneous wafer level system integration (WLSI).
Seed Banks, Seed Germination, and Implications for Conservation of the Endangered, Fire-Dependent Shrub, Arctostaphylos morroensis

Conservation of obligate-seeding shrubs from Mediterranean-climate regions is an international conservation priority. Morro manzanita (Arctostaphylos morroensis) is one such shrub whose persistence may depend on germination and establishment from soil-stored seeds following fire. However, fire has been virtually eliminated from its remaining habitat. Thus, conservation of A. morroensis may depend on actions that stimulate germination to establish new populations. We characterized seed banks in different-aged stands and examined viability and germination of A. morroensis seeds in response to various cues, including heat and charred wood. We found that seed density varied greatly among sites, although not increasing with stand age as predicted. Rather, the oldest stand had especially low seed densities and viability. Viability of A. morroensis seeds was low—on average ∼4%—limiting germination. Surprisingly, ∼40% of viable seeds germinated with no fire treatments. Neither heat nor charred wood alone enhanced germination; however, when combined the two resulted in highest germination. Seeds soaked in water prior to heat-and-charred-wood treatments had significantly reduced germination, suggesting that prescribed burns conducted in the wet season would result in a poor germination response. Characterization of the seed bank and determination of the cues stimulating germination can provide information vital to the maintenance of this and similar obligate-seeding species.
Connective Use in Academic Writing by Students With Language Learning Disabilities From Diverse Linguistic Backgrounds

The aims of the current project included to (a) describe the use of connectives in written language samples by fifth grade students, (b) examine differences in connective use between groups who dif...
Leading a Digital Transformation in Pharmacy Education with a Pandemic as the Accelerant

The global COVID-19 pandemic has not only posed a challenge to education but created an opportunity to spearhead a digital transformation and the novel delivery of a Pharm.D. curriculum. The process to transform the curriculum in a sustainable and iterative manner involved multiple steps including: (1) Communication, (2) Maintaining faculty engagement, (3) Allowing outside the box thinking, (4) Providing resources and tools and (5) Creating accountability and timelines. At our institution, we have been interested in digital transformation since completing our interview of global leaders. We began our journey using the current COVID-19 pandemic as an accelerant for change. Digital transformation in any industry is not a simple undertaking. However, with planning, aligned organizational interests, consistent and regular communication, provision of resources and tools, engaging faculty and creating accountability and timelines with deliverables the implementation can be successful. When the global pandemic wanes and educational institutions commence in-person classes, having undergone the stages of digital transformation, we will be able to embrace these changes and transform education, not having to reproduce pre-pandemic educational systems.
Can Low Retirement Savings Be Rationalized

Simple presentations of the life cycle model often suggest a constant level of real consumption in retirement. Similarly, financial planners commonly suggest that people save for retirement in such a way as to enable them to maintain a level retirement standard of living equal to their standard of living while working. However, constant consumption with age is only optimal under the precise and unlikely condition that the subjective rate of time preference is equal to the real interest rate. Most people exhibit a positive rate of pure time preference and additionally discount the future by both mortality and morbidity risks. In comparison, the real interest rate is roughly zero percent and the term structure of interest rates suggests that this condition is likely to persist. These considerations suggest that optimal consumption in the life cycle model declines with age. This finding has major implications for optimal retirement saving. For instance, we find that for many, perhaps most, people in the bottom half of the lifetime earnings distribution, it is optimal to spend out their retirement wealth well before death and to live on Social Security alone after that. Very low earners may find it optimal to not engage in retirement saving at all. Institutional subscribers to the NBER working paper series, and residents of developing countries may download this paper without additional charge at www.nber.org.
Assessing the efficacy of mild traumatic brain injury management.

Abstract Objective Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is frequently found on computed tomography (CT) after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) prompting transfer to centers with neurosurgical coverage and repeat imaging to confirm hemorrhage stability. Studies suggest routine repeat imaging has little utility in patients with minimal ICH, no anticoagulant/antiplatelet use, and no neurological decline. Additionally, it is unclear which mTBI patients benefit from transfer for neurosurgery consultation. The authors sought to assess the clinical utility and cost effectiveness of routine repeat head CTs and transfer to tertiary centers in patients with low-risk, mTBI. Methods Retrospective evaluation of patients receiving a neurosurgical consultation for TBI during a 4-year period was performed at a level 1 trauma center. Patients were stratified according to risk for neurosurgical intervention based on their initial clinical evaluation and head CT. Only patients with low-risk, mTBI were included. Results Of 531 patients, 119 met inclusion criteria. Eighty-eight (74.0 %) received two or more CTs. Direct cost of repeat imaging was $273,374. Thirty-seven (31.1 %) were transferred to our facility from hospitals without neurosurgical coverage, costing $61,384. No patient had neurosurgical intervention or mTBI-related in-hospital mortality despite enlarging ICH on repeat CT in three patients. Two patients had mTBI related 30-day readmission for seizure without ICH expansion. Conclusion Routine repeat head CT or transfer of low-risk, mTBI patients to a tertiary center did not result in neurosurgical intervention. Serial neurological examinations may be a safe, cost-effective alternative to repeat imaging for select mTBI patients. A large prospective analysis is warranted for further evaluation.
Forward: After Guantanamo

Overview of articles contained in this volume about the wide range of issues arising from the Bush Administration’s War on Terror.
Risk of Complications in Children With Type 1 Diabetes and Covid-19

Background: There is some data available in adults which suggests that Type 1 diabetes may be associated with higher risk with Covid-19 (1). Limited data has been available in pediatric Type 1 diabetes with Covid-19. Methods: We used TriNetX, with a large COVID-19 database, collecting real-time electronic medical records data. We compared children (0–18 years) who were diagnosed with Covid-19 with and without Type 1 diabetes. This database collected information from 54 health care organizations. Results: Mortality rate in children with Covid-19 and Type 1 diabetes was 0.618% (10/1618). Mortality rate in children with Covid-19 without Type 1 diabetes was 0.102% (257/251517). Relative risk of mortality for children with Covid-19 and Type 1 diabetes was 6.05 with a p value of < 0.0001. Endotracheal intubation rate in children with Covid-19 and Type 1 diabetes was 0.618% (10/1618). Endotracheal intubation rate in children with Covid-19 without Type 1 diabetes was 0.071% (178/251517). Relative risk of endotracheal intubation for children with Covid-19 and Type 1 diabetes was 8.73 with a p value of < 0.0001. Pneumonia rate in children with Covid-19 and Type 1 diabetes was 0.804% (13/1618). Pneumonia rate in children with Covid-19 without Type 1 diabetes was 0.562% (1414/251517). Relative risk of pneumonia for children with Covid-19 and Type 1 diabetes was 1.43 with a p value of < 0.1959. Septic shock rate in children with Covid-19 and Type 1 diabetes was 1.05% (17/1618). Septic shock rate in children with Covid-19 without Type 1 diabetes was 0.293% (737/251517). Relative risk of septic shock for children with Covid-19 and Type 1 diabetes was 3.59 with a p value of < 0.00001. Conclusion: Mortality rate, endotracheal and septic shock were increased in children with Type 1 diabetes and Covid-19 versus children with Covid-19 and no Type 1 diabetes. Further studies with larger sample size are needed to study complication rate of Covid-19 and Type 1 diabetes. References 1) Associations of type 1 and type 2 diabetes with COVID-19-related mortality in England: a whole-population study. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 2020 Oct;8(10):813–822. doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(20)30272-2. Epub 2020 Aug 13.
Prospective Validation of the Use It or Lose It Paradigm: Secondary Analysis of Sub-Acute Dietary Outcomes by Eat and Exercise Status During Oropharyngeal Radiotherapy.

Purpose/Objective(s) The investigators’ 2013 use it or lose it study suggested functional benefit of two pharyngeal activities during head and neck radiotherapy (RT) – maintenance of oral intake (EAT) and swallowing exercise. EAT and EXERCISE independently associated with better odds of resuming a regular diet in long term survivorship and shorter duration of gastrostomy (FT) dependence. The prior work is limited by the retrospective nature of the dataset and historically far higher FT utilization. Our aim was to validate the previous work in a contemporary cohort of oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) survivors treated with RT using prospectively acquired validated outcome measures. Materials/Methods Endpoints included subacute diet after RT per the performance status scale for head and neck cancer (PSS-HN; solid food diet coded as ≥60 and no FT) and length of FT-dependence in days. Primary independent variables included oral intake (PO) at the end of RT (nothing per oral/NPO; partial PO; full PO) and swallow exercise adherence. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression models were analyzed adjusting for tumor location, baseline diet, chemotherapy and N and T stage. Results Analysis included 595 patients treated with primary radiotherapy (RT; 19% 111) /chemoradiation (CRT; 73% 434) or primary TORS + CRT (8% 50) for OPC (base of tongue/glossopharyngeal sulcus [46% 276]; tonsil [44% 263]; other [9% 56]). At the end of RT 9% of patients were NPO (55), 19% partial PO (115), 71% full PO (425). Statistically significant (P Conclusion These prospective registry data validate prior work that indicate independent benefit of EAT and swallowing EXERCISE adherence during RT on subacute functional outcomes. Patients who maintained full PO and/or exercise were more likely to eat solid foods by 3-6 months after treatment, while patients who EAT during treatment expectedly have the shortest feeding tube dependence.
Revisiting Reid on Religion

This paper answers two interpretive questions surrounding belief in God in Thomas Reid's philosophy, the status question and the detachability question. The former has to do with the type of justif...
Assessment of an Explicit Algebraic Reynolds Stress Model

This study assesses an explicit algebraic Reynolds stress turbulence model in the in the three-dimensional Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solver, ISAAC (Integrated Solution Algorithm for Arbitrary Con gurations). Additionally, it compares solutions for two select configurations between ISAAC and the RANS solver PAB3D. This study compares with either direct numerical simulation data, experimental data, or empirical models for several different geometries with compressible, separated, and high Reynolds number flows. In general, the turbulence model matched data or followed experimental trends well, and for the selected configurations, the computational results of ISAAC closely matched those of PAB3D using the same turbulence model.
Using odor cues to elicit a behavioral and hormonal response in zoo-housed African wild dogs.

Olfactory enrichment, like odor cues, can positively affect behavior, reproductive success, and stress physiology in zoo-housed species. Our goal was to determine if odor cues were enriching to the African wild dog (AWD; Lycaon pictus), a species with a complex social structure and a highly developed sense of smell. Our objectives were to: (1) examine changes in activity levels and stress hormone physiology in response to fecal odor cues from natural competitor and natural/unnatural prey species; and (2) determine whether these odor cues could function as effective enrichment for zoo-housed AWDs. Over a 6-month period, fecal samples were collected from two males (AWD 1: dominant, AWD 2: subordinate), fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) were validated using an ACTH-challenge, and hormones were analyzed for FGMs by enzyme immunoassay. Behavioral observations were conducted using scan-sampling, and contact and proximity were recorded. AWDs were presented with three fecal odor cues: LION (competitor), CATTLE (unnatural prey), and GAZELLE (natural prey). Only the GAZELLE cue elicited an increase in activity (10.6%) in both individuals and increased positive social behaviors with higher frequencies of affiliative, submissive, and dominant behavior. AWD 1 demonstrated lower (P < 0.05) FGMs than AWD 2 both before and after all odor cues, and FGMs decreased (P = 0.08) in AWD 2 after all cues. We conclude that exposure to natural prey odor cues may be used as effective enrichment for AWDs, and that changes in stress hormone physiology in response to odor cues may be dependent on social rank in this species. Zoo Biol. 33:144–149, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Geriatric sexual conformity: assessment and intervention

The interactional relationship between the elderly and society constitutes an important focus in health care. Negative cues of society toward the sexuality of the elderly, render the aged susceptible to changes in sexual role behaviors and gender identity. Geriatric sexual conformity is an example of a socialized non-sexual role. Role theory provides a useful framework for explaining geriatric sexual conformity as a case of role insufficiency. Role theory in conjunction with Annon's P-LI-SS-IT model for brief sexual therapy offers a basis for specific sexual counseling interventions for the elderly and significant others.
Enterohepatic chelating agents—I: General principles and examples

Abstract The principles involved in the design of enterohepatic chelating agents , which facilitate the biliary rather than the renal excretion of toxic metal ions are outlined. The syntheses of some novel chelating agents designed to exhibit such behavior are presented. The basic features exploited in the design of such enterohepatic chelating agents are those which (1) make the chelating agent large enough and sufficiently non-polar to prevent renal filtration, and/or (2) provide it with a structure which allows it to participate in the enterohepatic circulation of the bile acids and their derivatives. The altered electric charge subsequent to metal ion chelation is the major factor acting to prevent the continuing enterohepatic recycling of the metal chelate complex. These agents promote the fecal rather than the urinary excretion of the toxic metals and hence should ameliorate the nephrotoxicity which is a not unusual accompaniment of those chelating agents which facilitate the renal excretion of toxic metals.
TwoSpot: A Cloud Platform for Scaling Out Web Applications Dynamically

Cloud computing is an emerging technology with a high impact on the operation and development of applications. Scalable web applications in particular can benefit from the advantages of Platform-as-a-Service solutions as they simplify development and maintenance. Unfortunately most of these offerings are a kind of one-way road as they lock the applications in the platform and vendor. This paper describes the TwoSpot platform we have developed to provide broader access to the advantages of Platform-as-a-Service and Infrastructure-as-a-Service functionalities by applying open and standards-based technologies.
Geophysical Applications of Long-Baseline Radio Interferometry

Effective wide-bandwidth techniques for making precision phase-delay measurements (errors ≲ 0.1 nsec) over intercontinental baselines are under development by an MIT and Lincoln Laboratory group. The point sources of radio radiation for such interferometric measurements can be either natural (e.g., quasars) or artificial (e.g., beacons placed in synchronous orbit or on the Moon). Possible applications of this technique include: precision determination of global geodetic ties; measurements of tidal oscillations, crustal-block motions (including continental drift), and Earth polar motion and rotation; refinement of values for the precession and nutation constants and for the rate of change of the obliquity of the ecliptic (the latter when combined with ‘times-of-arrival’ observations of pulsars); measurements of the shape of the sea surface; determination of the geopotential and its time dependence; and global time synchronization at the subnanosecond error level. In this paper we describe the basic technique, the limitations on accuracy, useful antenna systems and sources of radiation, geophysical applications, and briefly, the recent experiments performed by the MIT and Lincoln Laboratory group.
Roles of the Tn21 merT, merP, and merC gene products in mercury resistance and mercury binding.

Abstract The mercury resistance (mer) operon of the gram-negative transposon Tn21 encodes not only a mercuric reductase and regulatory genes but also two inner membrane proteins (MerT and MerC) and a periplasmic protein (MerP). Although the merT, merP, and merC genes have been implicated in Hg(II) transport, the individual roles of these genes have not been established. We created in vitro precise deletion and frameshift mutations that eliminated each of the genes singly and in combination. Our results show that both merT and merP are required for Hg(II) binding but that merC is not. Both merT and merP are required for full expression of Hg(II) resistance, but loss of merP is less deleterious than loss of merT. Furthermore, mutations eliminating both merT and merP decrease resistance more than the single mutations do. In contrast, mutating merC had no effect on Hg(II) resistance. Both the merT and merP mutations increase the threshold Hg(II) concentration for induction of merA-lacZ transcriptional fusions and cause an increase in the maximal expression level. In contrast, the merC mutation had little effect on the threshold inducing concentration of Hg(II) but decreased the level of expression. Our results show that merT and merP alone are sufficient to specify a mercury transport system. The role of merC remains obscure.
Companions and interactions in the NGC 6946 system

ABSTRA C T We report the results of a survey of the H i environment of NGC 6946 in a search for gas-rich companions to the galaxy. Such gas-rich companions could include material left over from the galaxy assembly process which could persist into the current day around an isolated galaxy such as NGC 6946. NGC 6946 is prolifically forming stars, has a nuclear starburst, and has widespread high-velocity clouds associated with the disc. All of these features could be explained by the accretion of low-mass H i clouds by NGC 6946. Our survey recovered two previously detected dwarf galaxies associated with NGC 6946, but otherwise found no signatures of interactions in the NGC 6946 system. The companions are small enough, and distant enough from NGC 6946 that they should have minimal effect on the main galaxy. Some tidal debris may be expected due to interaction between the two dwarf galaxies, but none is observed. This could be because it is at low column densities, or because the dwarf galaxies are more separated than they appear on the sky. This study of the system suggests that NGC 6946 is a gravitationally bound system with two dwarf galaxies in stable orbits about the larger primary galaxy.
The U.S. and the WTO: Lessons Learned for Trade Litigation and Global Governance

This reviews WTO litigation and concludes that a truly new legal system has developed. One that is at the core of the WTO system and critical to international trade trelations.
Azande Logic Versus Western Logic

In Knowledge and Social Imagery, David Bloor suggests that logical reasoning is radically relativistic in the sense that there are incompatible ways of reasoning logically, and no culturally transcendent rules of correct logical inference exist which could allow for adjudication of these different ways of reasoning. Bloor cites an example of reasoning used by the Azande as an illustration of such logical relativism. A close analysis of this reasoning reveals that the Azande's logic is in fact impeccably Aristotelian. I argue that the conclusions Bloor can legitimately draw from his case study are not controversial and do nothing to make plausible the thesis of logical relativism. The thesis that the knowledge we claim to possess is culturally relative in some philosophically significant sense has gained increasing prominence in recent years. Relativism has for some time been a concern of many sociologists of knowledge and philosophers of science.' More recently it has entered into the heart of debates about the purpose and future direction of philosophy as a whole. The moves toward 'post-analytic' philosophy and 'cultural hermeneutics' prominently include the assertion that knowledge must be viewed relativistically. The relativist claims not just that different cultures or historical eras will know different propositions, but also that there is no culturally transcendent concept of knowledge which will allow objective adjudication of a given knowledge-claim. Not only is a knowledge-claim sufficiently legiti
Localization for Intermittently Connected Ad Hoc Networks

We consider localization for intermittently connected networks. Traditional localization approaches rely on network infrastructure such as access points (AP) as reference nodes or anchors, and do not work well when infrastructure is sparse. We propose a new class of localization scheme, where mobile nodes act as anchors for each other. Each node maintains an anchor table, storing its encounter history with APs and mobile nodes. When two nodes meet, they share their encounter history with each other, and jointly estimate the current location to form a new anchor. This dramatically increases the number of anchors for a mobile node, and reduces the localization error when position estimation is triggered by a user application. Both anchor formation and position estimation are formulated as a maximum likelihood (ML) estimation problem, by exploiting constraints of node location based on encounter history and mobility profile of nodes. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate properties of the ML estimator. We performed simulations and showed that localization error is independent of the anchor table size under a random walk mobility model. Thus, it suffices to store the most recent anchor, which simplifies implementation and is conducive to privacy. More importantly, localization error decreases as node density increases, and approaches the transmission range of mobile nodes when node density is sufficiently high
Nucleation Rate Surface Topologies for Binary Systems

Recent experiments have found that two nucleation rate surfaces can be observed for two different critical embryo phases (solid and liquid) near the triple point of the condensing species. Direct experimental evidence was presented of the existence of two independent nucleation rate surfaces with one of them existed over metastable vapor−liquid-phase equilibrium lines. These results force more careful consideration of the role of metastable phase equilibria in the topology of nucleation rate surfaces. In the present study, the topology of the nucleation rate surface for a binary vapor in which partial solubility of the condensed components is considered. Schematic multiple surfaces over the phase diagram with a eutectic point, presenting two-channel nucleation, are constructed. Vapor−liquid nucleation in a carrier gas in most cases is a binary system with partial solubility of condensate. It is reasonable to propose that multiple nucleation rate surfaces are common phenomena for many systems. Sulfur hexaf...
The Internet as a K–12 educational resource: emerging issues of information access and freedom

Abstract The paper explores issues likely to emerge as K-12 educators incorporate wide-area networking (WAN) into the curriculum and become both consumers and providers of materials on the Internet. Issues arising with regard to schools as information consumers include decisions that must be made regarding student access to resources (both data and people) which include those that large segments of the community will find objectionable or potentially harmful. Issues arising from the fact that schools using WAN are likely to become information providers also have several aspects. One aspect concerns legal issues revolving around school boards as publishers of on-line resources. Another concerns student on-line behaviors that may reflect negatively on the school and on the community, and how schools will deal with those behaviors without penalizing students educationally. This paper describes some approaches for dealing with these concerns based on what others have done and on experiences in a large-scale K-12 wide-area networking project called Common Knowledge: Pittsburgh.
Phase II study of low-dose decitabine in combination with imatinib mesylate in patients with accelerated or myeloid blastic phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia

BACKGROUND. Resistance to imatinib is a frequent clinical problem in advanced phase chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). A Phase II study was performed on low-dose decitabine, a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, in combination with imatinib in patients with CML in accelerated phase (AP) and myeloid blastic phase (BP). METHODS. Patients received decitabine 15 mg/m2 intravenously daily, 5 days a week for 2 weeks, and imatinib 600 mg orally daily. Global DNA methylation was measured by long interspersed nucleotide element (LINE) bisulfite/pyrosequencing. RESULTS. Twenty-eight patients were enrolled (25 with imatinib resistance; 18 in AP, 10 in BP). A total of 91 cycles (median, 2.5 cycles per patient) was administered. Complete hematologic responses, partial hematologic responses, and hematologic improvement were observed in 9 (32%), 1 (4%), and 2 (7%) patients. Major and minor cytogenetic responses were observed in 5 (18%) and 3 (11%) patients. The hematologic response rate was higher in patients without BCR-ABL kinase mutations (10 of 19, 53%) than in those with mutations (1 of 7, 14%). Median duration of hematologic response was 18 (range, 4 to 107+) weeks. Myelosuppression was the major adverse effect, with neutropenic fever in 9 patients (32%). LINE methylation decreased from 71.6% ± 0.9% (mean ± standard error of the mean) to 60.4% ± 2.0% on Day 5, 60.5% ± 1.8% on Day 12, and returned to 68.8% ± 1.4% at peripheral blood recovery. A decrease in LINE methylation tended to be greater in nonresponders than in responders on Days 5 and 12. CONCLUSIONS. Combination therapy with decitabine and imatinib is well tolerated and active in advanced phase CML without BCR-ABL kinase mutations. Cancer 2007 © 2007 American Cancer Society.
African clawed frog skin compounds: Antipredatory effects on african and North American water snakes

Etude, chez Xenopus laevis, des effets antipredateurs des composes de la peau sur les serpents d'eau africains et nord-americains
Simulation of branched serial first-order decay of atrazine and metabolites in adapted and nonadapted soils.

In the present study a branched serial first-order decay (BSFOD) model is presented and used to derive transformation rates describing the decay of a common herbicide, atrazine, and its metabolites observed in unsaturated soils adapted to previous atrazine applications and in soils with no history of atrazine applications. Calibration of BSFOD models for soils throughout the country can reduce the uncertainty, relative to that of traditional models, in predicting the fate and transport of pesticides and their metabolites and thus support improved agricultural management schemes for reducing threats to the environment. Results from application of the BSFOD model to better understand the degradation of atrazine supports two previously reported conclusions: atrazine (6-chloro-N- ethyl-N 0 -(1-methylethyl)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine) and its primary metabolites are less persistent in adapted soils than in nonadapted soils; and hydroxyatrazine was the dominant primary metabolite in most of the soils tested. In addition, a method to simulate BSFOD in a one-dimensional solute-transport unsaturated zone model is also presented. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2011;30:1973-1981. # 2011 SETAC
Considerations in the development of a high-power rectifier locomotive

HIGH-POWER rectifier locomotive design considerations center, first and foremost, around the traction motor. To compensate for the cost of the rectifier equipment, the d-c traction motor must be of a design that enjoys high production and consequent low cost. To be competitive in road performance with contemporary locomotives powered by modern 25-cycle a-c commutator motors, which have the inherent ability to deliver high power at high speeds, the motor selected for the rectifier locomotive must have comparable characteristics. The peak outputs required per motor for short periods on a passenger locomotive are around 1,500 horsepower. It is the ability to deliver power of this magnitude per axle that permits the modern straight electric locomotive to maintain the high-speed schedules that characterize electrified railroads along the Eastern seaboard. In high-speed passenger service it is desirable that the rectifier locomotive be able to duplicate or exceed the performance of present locomotives equipped with 25-cycle commutator motors.
Integration of pulp and paper technology with bioethanol production

Despite decades of work and billions of dollars of investments in laboratory and pilot plant projects, commercial production of cellulosic ethanol is only now beginning to emerge. Because of: (1)high technical risk coupled with; (2) high capital investment cost relative to ethanol product value, investors have not been able to justify moving forward with large scale projects on woody biomass. Both issues have been addressed by targeting pulp and paper industry processes for application in bioethanol production, in Greenfield, Repurpose and Co-Location scenarios. Processes commercially proven in hundreds of mills for many decades have been tailored to the recalcitrance of the biomass available. Economically feasible cellulosic bioethanol can be produced in Greenfield application with hardwoods, but not softwoods, using kraft mill equipment. Both types of wood species can profitably produce ethanol when kraft mill or newsprint assets are Repurposed to a biorefinery. A third situation which can generate high financial returns is where excess kraft pulp is available at a mill which has no excess drying capacity. Each scenario is supported by laboratory simulation, engineering and financial analysis. While pretreatment is critical to providing access of the biomass to enzymes, capital investment per unit of ethanol produced can be attractive, even if ethanol yield is modest. Three guiding principles result in attractive economics: (1) re-use existing assets to the maximum extent; (2) keep the process as simple as possible; (3) match the recalcitrance of the biomass with the severity of the pretreatment.
Array-based technology and recommendations for utilization in medical genetics practice for detection of chromosomal abnormalities

Laboratory evaluation of patients with developmental delay/intellectual disability, congenital anomalies, and dysmorphic features has changed significantly in the last several years with the introduction of microarray technologies. Using these techniques, a patient's genome can be examined for gains or losses of genetic material too small to be detected by standard G-banded chromosome studies. This increased resolution of microarray technology over conventional cytogenetic analysis allows for identification of chromosomal imbalances with greater precision, accuracy, and technical sensitivity. A variety of array-based platforms are now available for use in clinical practice, and utilization strategies are evolving. Thus, a review of the utility and limitations of these techniques and recommendations regarding present and future application in the clinical setting are presented in this study.
The specificity of the auxin transport system

In an effort to examine the specificity of the auxin transport system, the movement of a variety of growth substances and of auxin analogues through corn coleoptile sections was measured in both the basipetal and acropetal directions. In contrast to the basipetal, polar transport of the auxins indoleacetic acid (IAA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, no such movement was found for benzoic acid or for gibberellin A1. A comparison of the α- and β-isomers of naphthaleneacetic acid showed that the growth-active α-form is transported, but not the inactive β-analogue. Both the dextro (+) and leavo (-) isomer of 3-indole-2-methylacetic acid showed the basipetal movement characteristic of IAA, the dextro isomer being more readily transported than the (-)-form. In this instance, too, the transport was roughtly proportional to the growth promoting activity. The antiauxin p-chlorophenoxyisobutyric acid inhibited auxin transport as it inhibited auxin-induced growth. These results agree with the hypothesis that processes involved in auxin transport are closely linked to or even identical with the primary auxin action.
The EEG Changes during Cardiac Arrest: A Case Report:

This case report of a patient with an irreversible cardiac arrest shows that the amplitude of the EEG, rather than its duration, when it becomes discontinuous, has a closer relationship with a diminished heart rate to a final arrest. These data may be helpful in determining the extent of cerebral demise of patients with a deteriorating cardiac function.
The relationship between first-trimester subchorionic hematoma, cervical length, and preterm birth

Objective The objective of the study was to evaluate the association between a sonographically diagnosed subchorionic hematoma (SCH) in the first trimester and subsequent midtrimester cervical length and preterm birth. Study Design In this cohort study, 512 women with an SCH on their first-trimester ultrasound were compared with 1024 women without a first-trimester SCH. All women underwent routine transvaginal cervical length measurement between 18 and 22 weeks. Women with multifetal gestation, cerclage, or a uterine anomaly were excluded. A multivariable linear regression was performed to assess the independent association of SCH with cervical length, and a logistic regression was done to determine whether the presence of SCH was associated with preterm birth independent of the cervical length. Results In a univariable analysis, the presence of a SCH was significantly associated with a shorter mean cervical length as well as a cervical length less than the 10th percentile (4.27 cm vs 4.36 cm, P = .038; 1.9% vs 0.5%, P = .006, respectively). Preterm birth also was more common in women with an SCH (12.5% vs 7.3%, P = .001). Even after adjusting for potentially confounding factors, a significant negative association existed between the presence of an SCH and cervical length (centimeters) (linear regression coefficient, –0.08; 95% confidence interval, –0.17 to –0.005). In a multivariable regression, SCH remained associated with preterm birth, even with cervical length entered into the equation as a covariate (adjusted odds ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.09–2.32). Conclusion First-trimester SCH is associated with both a shorter cervical length and preterm birth. Our data suggest, however, that mechanisms other than cervical shortening may be involved in preterm birth among women with SCH.
Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis induced by itraconazole.

mones and pregnancy have been reported to either improve or exacerbate autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune bttllous diseases also are modulated by pregnancy. Herpes gestat ions occurs during pregnancy and puerperium, and pemphigus vulgaris can develop or be exacerbated during pregnancy or immediately postpartum. 9 On the other hand, patients with linear IgA disease improve during pregnancy. 10 Although one patient has been discussed in whom E B A developed on the second day after her third delivery, 11 there are few observations on the influence of pregnancy on EBA. In our patient, the onset o f EB A in connection with systemic estrogen and progesterone treatment and the exacerbation in her first month of gestation and during the luteal phase o f her menstrual cycle implicate progesterone as a key factor. Another possibility is that hormonal factors accelerate not the autoimmune response but bulla formation through, for example, augmentation of protease activity.
The Roter interaction analysis system (RIAS): utility and flexibility for analysis of medical interactions.

Abstract The Roter interaction analysis system (RIAS), a method for coding medical dialogue, is widely used in the US and Europe and has been applied to medical exchanges in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Contributing to its rapid dissemination and adoption is the system’s ability to provide reasonable depth, sensitivity, and breadth while maintaining practicality, functional specificity, flexibility, reliability, and predictive validity to a variety of patient and provider outcomes. The purpose of this essay is two-fold. First, to broadly overview the RIAS and to present key capabilities and coding conventions, and secondly to address the extent to which the RIAS is consistent with, or complementary to, linguistic-based techniques of communication analysis.
Prognostic value of symptoms during a normal or nonspecific electrocardiogram in emergency department patients with potential acute coronary syndrome.

Abstract Objectives: Emergency department (ED) patients with symptoms concerning for acute coronary syndrome(ACS) and a normal electrocardiogram (ECG) are at risk for adverse cardiovascular events. The authorshypothesized that patients with a normal or nonspeciﬁc ECG during symptoms have a lower risk forACS than do those who are asymptomatic.Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of ED patients with potential ACS. Outcomes were acutemyocardial infarction (AMI), ACS, and 30-day cardiovascular events (death, AMI, revascularization).Fisher’s exact test, t-tests, and logistic regression were used for data analysis.Results: Of 2,593 patient visits, 2,007 patients had normal or nonspeciﬁc ECG ﬁndings. There were 1,196who had symptoms during ECG, whereas 811 did not. Patients with symptoms at ECG acquisition wereyounger (49.9 vs. 55.2 years; p 0.99), ACS (10.1% vs. 11.5%; p = 0.34), and 30-dayadverse outcomes (both 5.3%; p > 0.99). After adjustment for baseline cardiovascular-risk factors, oddsratios for patients with symptoms at the time of ECG acquisition were not signiﬁcantly different for any ofthe outcomes: AMI (1.1; 95% conﬁdence interval [CI] = 0.6 to 1.9); ACS (1.1; 95% CI = 0.8 to 1.4); or 30-dayevents (1.2; 95% CI = 0.8 to 1.9).Conclusions: Patients who are symptomatic during acquisition of a normal or nonspeciﬁc ECG have ratesof adverse cardiovascular events similar to those of patients without symptoms. Clinicians should not relyon the absence of ECG abnormalities during symptoms to help exclude ACS.ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2006; 13:1034–1039
Process signal classification for aluminum cells

The control of the aluminum reduction process is typically done based on measurements of cell voltage and current. Both signals are very noisy. Voltage fluctuations come from numerous sources such as CO2 bubble generation, current fluctuations, metal pad motion, anode movement, electrical arcing, and changes in alumina concentration. The latter is an important control variable, but its effects on cell voltage are small and are often swamped by the signals from other sources. To date, control system designers have attempted to deal with this problem by extreme low-pass filtering and by suspension of all anode movements and alumina feed operations during the measurement period. This strategy is fairly effective, but leads in most case to sub- optimal cell operation most of the time. Research at West Virginia University and Century Aluminum seeks to improve upon the traditional strategies by incorporating knowledge about the process and prior cell control actions in the data analysis operation. For example, selective bandpass filtering and model-based feature detection strategies can be used to identify and isolate various portions of the composite signal. This paper discuses the methods being developed and the results of their application to this critical industrial process.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Collapse of 9 solar mass stars

General relativistic hydrodynamical calculations of the collapse of O + Ne + Mg cores of a 9 solar mass star are reported. Collapse is induced by rapid electron captures as the O + Ne + Mg is burned to nuclear statistical equilibrium. The high entropy in the core after burning leads to a large abundance of free protons which readily capture electrons. This leads to large neutrino losses and a correspondingly small infalling homologous core. The hydrodynamic shock thus forms at a small mass point. The shock stalls before reaching the edge of the O + Ne + Mg core and thereby fails to produce a successful supernova explosion by the direct mechanism. No enhancement in the shock energy due to nuclear burning is found.
Circannual variation of cell proliferation in lymphoid organs and bone marrow of BDF1 male mice on three lighting regimens.

BDF1 male mice, which had been raised for several generations on a lighting regimen of LD 12:12, were studied. Experiments were conducted over 24h spans during winter, spring, summer, and fall. For 3–4 weeks prior to each study, one-third of the animals were kept on a lighting regimen of 8h of light alternating with 16h of darkness (LD 8:16), one-third was kept on a regimen of LD 12:12, and one-third was kept on a regimen of LD 16:8. Subgroups of mice on all three lighting regimens were killed at 4h intervals over a 24h span. At 20 minutes prior to sacrifice, the animals received 5 μCi of 3H-thymidine/0.2 ml/20 gm body weight intraperitoneally. The thymidine uptake in DNA (DPM[3H]/μg DNA) was studied as an index of cell proliferation in the thymus, inguinal lymph node, spleen, femur, and a segment of the lumbar vertebral column. A circannual variation of 3H-Uiymidine uptake in DNA was found in all organs irrespective of the lighting regimen under which the animals were kept. The timing of the circannual v...
The Representation of Knowledge in Minds and Machines

Human knowledge can be represented as a propositional network in which the meaning of a node is defined by its position in the network. That is, the relationship between a node and its neighbours determines how this node is used in language understanding and production, i.e., its meaning. The propositions that make up such a network are predicate-argument structures with time and location slots. Schemas, frames, and production rules can be expressed in the same formalism. Implications for this contextual view of meaning are discussed. Since the construction of such a propositional network depends on hand coding and is therefore impractical, an alternative automatic statistical procedure is explored that yields a high-dimensional semantic space. Vectors in this space correspond to nodes in the propositional network, in that the meaning of a vector in the Latent Semantic Analysis space is given by its neighbouring vectors in that space. Les connaissances humaines peuvent etre representees sous la forme d'un...
Pulsations of semiconductor lasers with a proton bombarded segment: Well-developed pulsations

We present an analytic theory of well-developed pulsations in semiconductor lasers with a proton bombarded segment. A rate equation model is used with the proton bombarded region modeled as a fast saturable absorber. We obtain a closed form solution for the pulse shape, width, and energy, as well as the pulsation rate. The pulses can be as short as the diode roundtrip time (∼10 ps). A simple pulsation condition is derived; it agrees with the previously determined small signal instability criterion. Pulsation does not require absorber cross section larger than gain cross section.