cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimization of Project Schedules in the Critical-Chain Project-Management Max-Plus-Linear Framework

Focusing on projects with uncertain task duration times, we aim to minimize the makespan of a project under the framework of the critical-chain project management approach. In existing frameworks, no attention has been paid to optimality under the “good enough” goal. However, in situations where there are only limited available resources, it is clear that the processing sequence of tasks greatly affects the makespan of the project. Hence, we structure an optimization problem to obtain an exact optimal solution. A discrete algebraic system called max-plus algebra plays is key to calculate the objective-function value. We adhere to seek an exact solution, for which a branch-and-bound technique is relied upon. Through numerical experiments, we find that the computation time highly depends on the structure of precedence constraints and assignment of resources. The developed solver is able to obtain an optimal solution within practical time standards if the number of tasks is not greater than 20.
Stress Electrocardiography vs Radionuclide Myocardial Perfusion Imaging among Patients Admitted for Chest Pain: Comparison of Teaching and Nonteaching Hospital Services.

OBJECTIVES The American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation's Choosing Wisely initiative has identified the routine use of stress cardiac imaging among lower-risk patients as an expensive test that should be questioned by both physicians and patients. The objectives of this study were to determine how often patients hospitalized for chest pain are assessed with stress electrocardiography (stress ECG) compared with radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging (rMPI) and to evaluate whether the cardiac testing guidelines of the American Heart Association and the Choosing Wisely campaign are being followed. We also sought to determine whether there were differences in practice patterns between a teaching and a nonteaching hospital service. METHODS We conducted a retrospective chart review of 842 consecutive patients admitted with the primary diagnosis of chest pain to a 900-bed university-affiliated teaching hospital in Dayton, Ohio. After exclusions, we analyzed records from 111 teaching service and 94 nonteaching service patients. We assessed whether patients were evaluated with stress ECG or rMPI and compared the teaching service with the nonteaching service. RESULTS The nonteaching service obtained rMPI more often than the teaching service (94% vs 51%, P < 0.001) and stress ECG less frequently than the teaching service (1% vs 12%, P < 0.003). Both groups may have overused rMPI, choosing it over the less costly alternative of stress ECG testing 71% of the time. CONCLUSIONS Adherence to the Choosing Wisely recommendations for the appropriate use of stress ECG is suboptimal among both teaching and nonteaching physicians. Choosing stress ECG, when appropriate, could translate into substantial cost savings and reduce potentially harmful radiation exposure.
Characterizing red blood cell age exposure in massive transfusion therapy: the scalar age of blood index (SBI)

Background The mortality of trauma patients requiring massive transfusion to treat hemorrhagic shock approaches 17% at 24 hours and 26% at 30 days. The use of stored RBCs is limited to less than 42 days, so older RBCs are delivered first to rapidly bleeding trauma patients. Patients who receive a greater quantity of older RBCs may have a higher risk for mortality. Methods and materials Characterizing blood age exposure requires accounting for the age of each RBC unit and the quantity of transfused units. To address this challenge, a novel Scalar Age of Blood Index (SBI) that represents the relative distribution of RBCs received is introduced and applied to a secondary analysis of the Pragmatic, Randomized Optimal Platelet and Plasma Ratios (PROPPR) randomized controlled trial (NCT01545232, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01545232). The effect of the SBI is assessed on the primary PROPPR outcome, 24-hour and 30-day mortality. Results The distributions of blood storage ages successfully maps to a parameter (SBI) that fully defines the blood age curve for each patient. SBI was a significant predictor of 24-hour and 30-day mortality in an adjusted model that had strong predictive ability (odds ratio, 1.15 [1.01-1.29], p = 0.029, C-statistic, 0.81; odds ratio, 1.14 [1.02-1.28], p = 0.019, C-statistic, 0.88, respectively). Conclusion SBI is a simple scalar metric of blood age that accounts for the relative distribution of RBCs among age categories. Transfusion of older RBCs is associated with 24-hour and 30-day mortality, after adjustment for total units and clinical covariates.
Stochastic Local Search for Solving Floating-Point Constraints

We present OL1V3R, a solver for the SMT floating-point theory that is based on stochastic local search (SLS). We adapt for OL1V3R the key ingredients of related work on leveraging SLS to solve the SMT fixed-sized bit-vector theory, and confirm its effectiveness by comparing it with mature solvers. Finally, we discuss the limitations of OL1V3R and propose solutions to make it more powerful.
Mach’s Views on Physical Space and Time and Their Grounding in Perceptual Space and Time

Here are presented the essential features of what Mach considered the four important types or ideas of space and time. These are referred to as ‘perceptual,’ ‘geometrical,’ ‘physical space and time’ and ‘mathematical manifolds.’ Although the first is foundational, we consider how in Mach’s view each further type is in a sense a more general abstraction, freed from particular limiting characteristics of the preceding type. What is most significant is his view of the fourth, in which the most fundamental and essential feature of space is as a relation of immediacy and of time as a relation of mediacy. Some of the important (and often overlooked) implications of this are discussed, along with suggestions regarding their possible relevance to contemporary physics.
American Society of Retina Specialists Clinical Practice Guidelines: Management of Nonproliferative and Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy Without Diabetic Macular Edema:

Purpose Nonproliferative (NPDR) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) without diabetic macular edema (DME) affect millions of individuals living with diabetes throughout the world. There is increasing data on various management strategies for such patients, but there is limited consensus on how the data should be adopted into clinical practice. Methods This literature review and editorial presents and synthesizes the current evidence for various management paradigms for NPDR and PDR without DME. Results Retina specialists are an integral member of the diabetes management team, and should encourage patients on the importance of glycemic and cardiovascular optimization for both systemic and retinopathy risk factor reduction. The diabetic retinopathy severity scale (DRSS) is now an approvable endpoint for clinical trials in the United States, therefore becoming more clinically relevant. For PDR without DME, the Diabetic Retinopathy Study (DRS) and the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) established the standard of care with panretinal photocoagulation (PRP). Laser parameters have since evolved to include less intense and earlier intervention. Studies have recently demonstrated that anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment of PDR is effective at regressing neovascularization and improving DRSS levels in many patients. Further evidence is required to determine optimal treatment frequency, duration, and retreatment criteria, in the real world. There are concerns for adverse events in patients being lost to follow up during anti-VEGF treatment. For NPDR without DME, the standard of care has been a wait-and-watch approach. Data within the DRS and the ETDRS suggest that PRP for severe NPDR can be an option for select patients as well. Multiple clinical trials have now demonstrated that anti-VEGF treatment can improve the DRSS score in NPDR. Further studies are required to assess whether this positively affects long-term visual outcomes, and whether the benefits outweigh the risks in the real world for routine use. Conclusions There is cumulative evidence demonstrating the efficacy of various treatment options for NPDR and PDR without DME. Currently, patients would most likely benefit from thoughtful management strategies that are tailored to the individual patient.
QSO ABSORPTION SYSTEMS DETECTED IN Ne VIII: HIGH-METALLICITY CLOUDS WITH A LARGE EFFECTIVE CROSS SECTION*

Using high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ultraviolet spectra of the z em = 0.9754 quasar PG1148+549 obtained with the Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) on the Hubble Space Telescope, we study the physical conditions and abundances of Ne VIII+O VI absorption line systems at z abs = 0.68381, 0.70152, 0.72478. In addition to Ne VIII and O VI, absorption lines from multiple ionization stages of oxygen (O II, O III, O IV) are detected and are well aligned with the more highly ionized species. We show that these absorbers are multiphase systems including hot gas (T 105.7 K) that produces Ne VIII and O VI, and the gas metallicity of the cool phase ranges from Z = 0.3 Z ☉ to supersolar. The cool (104 K) phases have densities nH 10–4 cm–3 and small sizes ( 0.1 L* galaxy and a large effective absorption cross section ( 100 kpc), and indeed, we find a star-forming ~L galaxy at the redshift of the z abs = 0.72478 system, at an impact parameter of 217 kpc. Multiphase absorbers like these Ne VIII systems are likely to be an important reservoir of baryons and metals in the circumgalactic media of galaxies.
Complications of Endoscopic Surgery for Adolescent Endometriosis: Prevention, Recognition, and Management

The surgical management of adolescent endometriosis requires a multidisciplinary approach. Communication between all different specialties is essential for a successful outcome. Preoperative preparation including explanation of procedure, risks, benefits, and possible complications should be included in the informed consent. There are several laparoscopic entry techniques to access the peritoneal cavity. Complications of laparoscopic access have been reported with all different techniques. The best and safest technique depends on the expertise and experience of the operating surgeon. Complications can be minor and managed easily or they can be severe, such as vascular or gastrointestinal injuries that can result in death or severe morbidity. The anesthesiologist plays an important role in the management of adolescents with endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain. These patients may be debilitated and have multiple comorbidities. Many of them may have been receiving analgesics and opioids for a long time. Postoperative pain control is essential for a better recovery. The presence of adhesions can add to the complexity and complications of laparoscopic procedures. The role of adhesions as a cause of abdominal pain has long been a subject of debate. Incidental findings during laparoscopy may require the assistance of a pediatric or general surgeon. Meckel’s diverticulum, for instance, can cause complications and has been occasionally reported to harbor endometriosis. The role of appendectomy in the management of endometriosis and chronic pelvic pain has been controversial. Endometriosis of the appendix has been extensively reported. Moreover, the appendix itself may be the cause of the pain or create other complications.
Stochastic Superiority Equilibrium in Game Theory

The definition of best response for a player in the Nash equilibrium is based on maximizing the expected utility given the strategy of the rest of the players in a game. In this work, we consider s...
Morally Motivated Networked Harassment as Normative Reinforcement

While online harassment is recognized as a significant problem, most scholarship focuses on descriptions of harassment and its effects. We lack explanations of why people engage in online harassmen...
Aconitate decarboxylase 1 suppresses cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice.

Abstract Immunometabolic changes have been shown to be a key factor in determining the immune cell response in disease models. The immunometabolite, itaconate, is produced by aconitate decarboxylase 1 (Acod1) and has been shown to inhibit inflammatory signaling in macrophages. In this study, we explore the role of Acod1 and itaconate in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. We assessed the effect of global Acod1 knockout (Acod1KO, loss of endogenous itaconate) in a transient ischemia/reperfusion occlusion stroke model. Mice received a transient 90-min middle cerebral artery occlusion followed with 24-h of reperfusion. Stroke lesion volume was measured by MRI analysis and brain tissues were collected for mRNA gene expression analysis. Acod1KO mice showed significant increases in lesion volume compared to control mice, however no differences in pro-inflammatory mRNA levels were observed. Cell specific knockout of Acod1 in myeloid cells (LysM-Cre), microglia cells (CX3CR1, Cre-ERT2) and Endothelial cells (Cdh5(PAC), Cre-ERT2) did not reproduce lesion volume changes seen in global Acod1KO, indicating that circulating myeloid cells, resident microglia and endothelial cell populations are not the primary contributors to the observed phenotype. These effects however do not appear to be driven by changes in inflammatory gene regulation. These data suggests that endogenous Acod1 is protective in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.
Benchmarking e-government: improving the national and international measurement, evaluation and comparison of e-government

This paper is aimed at those involved - in planning, in undertaking, in using or in evaluating - the benchmarking or measurement of e-government. It draws on models of e-government and current practice of benchmarking e-government to answer four questions:Why benchmark e-government?What to benchmark?How to benchmark?How to report?It provides a series of recommendations based on good practice or innovative practice, backed up by a set of conceptual frameworks and statistical findings. Checklists are provided for those planning and for those evaluating e-government benchmarking studies.
Quality of CTL Therapies: A Changing Landscape

The identification and cloning of tumor-associated antigens (TAA) has led to clinical trials using vaccines designed to boost the host anti-tumor immune response. Impressive clinical responses have also been documented in melanoma patients treated with these tumor-reactive T cells. These studies and others indicate the potential of T cells for their use in the adoptive therapy of cancer. However, technical issues related to the generation of a large number of tumor-specific T cells have significantly restricted the use of this promising approach. Moreover, only limited success has been achieved in terms of tumor regression or patient survival in numerous other immunotherapy trials. Evidences suggest that various tumor-escape strategies such as defects in antigen presentation, tumor-induced immunosuppression, induction of T-cell death, T-cell receptor dysfunction, the presence of tolerogenic dendritic cells and regulatory T cells undermine the effectiveness of adoptively transferred T cells. Thus, a better understanding for eliciting effective anti-tumor immunity that leads to cancer regression in all patients is needed. Herein, we discuss the recent developments aimed at overcoming the constraints that exist and are changing the landscape for effectively employing adoptive T cell therapy to treat cancer.
Transmission Channels, Risk Sharing, and EMU Dispersions

First, using a small theoretically founded general equilibrium model fitted to the data by Bayesian techniques, the article assesses the contribution of interest rates and housing prices to dispersions within the European Monetary Union (EMU). It finds that the different behavior of interest rates just before and after the introduction of the euro has contributed significantly to growth dispersions in the EMU. However, this has been a one-off shock whose effects, particularly on construction, should decline over time. Second, the article analyzes the contribution of the financial system to sharing country-specific risks in a panel framework. It finds that further financial sector integration in the EMU could do much more to insure countries against shocks and increase consumption smoothing.
Network Nation: Human Communication Via Computer

A visionary book when it was first published in the late 1970s, The Network Nation has become the defining document and standard reference for the field of computer mediated communication (CMC). This revised edition adds a substantial new chapter on "superconnectivity" (invented and defined in the unabridged edition of the Online Dictionary of the English Language, 2067) that reviews the developments of the last fifteen years and updates the authors' speculations about the future.Hiltz and Turoff highlight major current organizational, educational, and public applications of CMC, integrate their theoretical understanding of the impact of CMC technology, address ethical and legal issues, and describe a scenario in 2084. They have also added a selected bibliography on the key literature.Starr Roxanne Hiltz and Murray Turoff each hold the position of Professor of Computer and Information Sciences at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. They are also members of the faculty of the Graduate School of Business at Rutgers University, Newark.
Combination chemotherapy of advanced non-Hodgkin lymphoma with bleomycin, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (BACOP).

Seventy-three patients with advanced non-Hodgkin lymphoma were treated with bleomycin, Adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine (Oncovin) and prednisone (BACOP), administered intensively during a 7-wk induction course followed by intermittent cycles every 3 wk for a total of 28 wk. The objective response in 44 evaluable nonleukemic patients with diffuse histology was 86%, with 66% achieving a complete remission (CR), varying from 80% for diffuse poorly differentiated lymphocytic (DPDL) to 56% for diffuse histiocytic (DH) lymphoma. In patients with nodular histology 89% (8/9) achieved a CR with a projected 75% of patiients in CR at 14 mo. Median follow-up from time of CR for nodular histology was 17 mo. The projected median duration of CR in diffuse histology was 14 mo. with median survival 14 mo. Patients with a partial response survived a median of 7 mo, compared to 3 mo for nonresponders. Of 29 patients with diffuse histology, 17 (59%) have remained disease free for 5–34 mo with a median follow-up of 12 mo. Survival beyond 20 mo has been projected for 42% of patients with diffuse histology (58% with DPDL and 32% with DH). The central nervous system (CNS) was involved in a total of 11/44 (25%) patients with diffuse histology, including 5 with primary CNS relapse. BACOP resulted in a higher CR rate and longer survival than a previous three-drug program (COP), especially in patients with diffuse histology.
Traveler: the apiary observatory

Observing and debugging concurrent actor programs on a distributed architecture such as the Apiary poses new problems not found in sequential systems. Since events are only partially ordered, the chronological order of events no longer corresponds to their causal ordering, so the execution trace of a computation must be more structured than a simple stream. Many events may execute concurrently, so a stepper must give the programmer control over the order in which events are stepped. Because of the arrival order nondeterminism of the actor model, different actors may have different views on the ordering of events. We conquer these problems by recording the activation ordering, the transaction pairing, and the arrival ordering of messages in the Apiary and displaying the resulting structures in Traveler's window oriented interface under user control.
Combined coding and delay-throughput analysis for fading channels of mobile satellite communications

This paper presents the analysis of using the punctured convolutional code with Viterbi decoding to improve communications reliability. The punctured code rate is optimized so that the average delay is minimized. The coding gain in terms of the message delay is also defined. Since using punctured convolutional code with interleaving is still inadequate to combat the severe fading for short packets, the use of multiple copies of assignment and acknowledgment packets is suggested. The performance on the average end-to-end delay of this protocol is analyzed. It is shown that a replication of three copies for both assignment packets and acknowledgment packets is optimum for the cases considered.
Impaired Immunity in AIDS

The inability of CD4+ T cells of HIV-1-infected patients to mount an effective immune response is widely believed to explain the increased susceptibility of these patients to opportunistic infections. Although the full explanation for T-cell dysfunction in HIV-1 infection is not yet understood, at least two fundamentally distinct mechanisms are thought to contribute: depletion of CD4+ T cells and qualitative CD4+ T-cell dysfunction independent of T-cell depletion. Many HIV-1-infected patients manifest reduced T-cell responses to recall antigens prior to measurable CD4+ T-cell depletion, and among the proposed explanations for this phenomenon are gp120-mediated interference with T-cell activation by way of inhibition of CD4-class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) determinant interactions, gp41-mediated inhibition of protein kinase C-dependent T-cell activation, formation of gp41 cross-reactive antibodies that react with MHC class II determinants, transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)-mediated immunosuppression, and decreased functions of antigen-presenting and antigen-processing cells (macrophages and bone marrow-derived dendritic cells). Despite their detection in most HIV-1-infected patients, these qualitative T-cell defects do not herald the onset of life-threatening disease. The appearance of severe clinical manifestations of AIDS, particularly opportunistic infections, occurs primarily in patients whose CD4+ T-cell count is significantly reduced. Depletion of CD4+ T cells may be a direct consequence of HIV-1 infection that occurs as a result of syncytia formation, autoantibody-mediated cytolysis, gp120-specific antibody-dependent cytolysis, and/or gp120-specific T-cell mediated cytolysis. The thymus is severely affected in patients with late-stage disease, and although there is no proof that the failure of the thymus to regenerate new T cells contributes to T-cell depletion in patients with AIDS, the likelihood seems high that this is the case. Indeed, if prolonged suppression of HIV-1 replication can be achieved with newer anti-HIV drugs or combinations of drugs, reconstitution of a normal immune system seems likely, provided that the capacity to regenerate T cells has not been irrevocably lost as a consequence of viral infection. In summary, available evidence indicates that HIV-1 uses a complex array of mechanisms to disrupt T-cell mediated immunity, but because most of these involve a direct role for HIV-1 proteins, such mechanisms are likely to be reversible if suppression of HIV-1 replication can be achieved.
Origami Structured Compliant Actuator (OSCA)

As a perhaps unintended consequence of their design, soft actuators typically store significant elastic energy as they expand under fluid pressure. Certain applications rely on a limited power budget. For example, we are interested in transmitting body power from a less impaired joint to assist in generating motions of an impaired joint. Thus stored elastic energy is not useful in our application. In this paper, we introduce the Origami Structured Compliant Actuator (OSCA), in which a fluid chamber is surrounded with rigid faces connected through hinges that guide the expansion of the chamber. The OSCA design ensures that no elastic energy is stored and expansion in off-axis directions is in fact converted to on-axis forces or torques. The OSCA design also features a kinematic singularity that gives rise to a significant mechanical advantage over certain ranges of motion. The typical advantages of soft actuators such as backdriveability, lightweight construction, and compatibility with a fluid transmission are preserved. We present the design of a bending actuator as an example of OSCA. Experimental results from prototypes support the model-based performance predictions.
Position control of a flexible cable gantry crane: theory and experiment

Cranes are commonly used at construction sites and shipyards to transport heavy payloads. The swinging of the payload during and after transit poses a major safety and site efficiency problem. The objective of this research is to design implementable stabilizing controllers for a distributed model of the crane system. The governing partial differential equations of a horizontally-translating gantry, flexible cable, and payload are derived. A control law, based on Lyapunov theory, is developed to dampen the vibrations of the payload using the gantry motor, gantry position and velocity sensors, and a cable departure angle sensor. An exact modal analysis of the closed loop system is performed assuming constant tension and no damping. A Galerkin approach is used to incorporate spatially varying tension and damping. Design of the control gains is demonstrated using a root locus approach. The theory is successfully tested on an experimental mockup of the gantry crane system. The controller significantly reduces the time required for the payload oscillations to damp out.
High order nonlinear solver

An eighth order method for finding simple zeros of nonlinear functions is developed. The method requires two function- and three derivative-evaluation per step. If we define informational efficiency of a method as the order per function evaluation, we find that our method has informational efficiency of 1.6.
Understanding the impact of diode parameters on sneak current in 1Diode 1ReRAM crossbar architectures

This paper discusses the impact of the bidirectional diode parameters on the read failures in 1ReRAM 1Diode (1D1R) crossbar array memory architectures. Our studies show that while a diode is integral for the successful read operation, the maximum achievable crossbar memory capacity is a strong function of the reverse saturation current of the diode. An acceptable reverse saturation current target for diodes should be 0.1 A/cm2 for 10 nm × 10 nm ReRAM cell for high density memory. For multi-level-cell (MLC) operation, read failure for multiple high resistance states is limited by the reverse saturation current of diode while the line resistance of crossbar arrays plays significant role for read failure of multiple low resistance states.
Structural Models for the Substrate−Catalyst Adduct in Hydrodenitrogenation Catalysis: Oxygen vs Sulfur Ligation

A comparison between models for the substrate−catalyst adduct in hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) catalysis is made with respect to oxygen vs sulfur ancillary ligands. Reacting [η2(N,C)-NC5tBu3H2]Ta(OAr)...
On the effect of temperature-dependent sex determination on sex ratio and survivorship in crocodilians

The sex ratio of alligators and crocodiles is strongly biased towards females, often as high as 10 females to 1 male. Skewed sex ratios (that is, ratios other than 1:1) are commonly found in species exhibiting environmental sex determination. In crocodilians the temperature of egg incubation is the environmental factor determining sex. If the temperature is cool, around 30 °C, the hatchlings are all female. Warmer temperatures, around 34 °C, hatch all males. The probability that any particular individual female will successfully reproduce herself is low due to high mortalities of eggs, hatchlings and immatures. However, the crocodilia have great survivorship: no (classified) species of alligator or crocodile has become extinct despite extensive hunting and loss of habitat. We develop a nonlinear age-structured model for the population dynamics of alligators and crocodiles based on key life-history data. From our modelling we conclude that: (i) sex ratio is constrained by survivorship considerations; and (ii) temperature-dependent sex determination in crocodilians is a compromise providing the advantages of sexual reproduction while maintaining an unbalanced sex ratio.
Evidence for a major conformational change of coat protein in assembly of fl bacteriophage

RECENT structural studies1,2 indicate that the DNA of filamentous bacteriophages is enclosed in a sheath of α-helical coat protein. In the course of phage biosynthesis this protein is tightly bound to the membrane of the host (Escherichia coli)3,4. We present here the results of circular dichroism (CD) studies strongly suggesting that the protein has a quite different conformation in its membrane-bound state, so that a major conformational change must accompany incorporation into the virus.
Stability in Styrene/HD Miniemulsions Containing a RAFT Agent

Styrene miniemulsions stabilized by sodium lauryl sulfate surfactant and hexadecane costabilizer were prepared and polymerized with the RAFT (reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer) agent cumyl dithiobenzoate. The instability noted by others in controlled radical miniemulsion polymerizations via RAFT was seen in these reactions as well and was investigated to determine the nature of this instability. Clues were found in the phase-separated emulsions and latexes as they evolved during polymerizations. Methods of improving the stability provided additional information along with some control studies excluding the RAFT agent. Instability was attributed to an initial Ostwald ripening leading to large micron-size droplets with a relatively low concentration of the RAFT agent and hexadecane, which separated as an oil layer upon centrifugation. At the other end, the Ostwald ripening created small droplets containing high concentrations of the RAFT agent, and these coagulated to form droplets significan...
Model uncertainty and health effect studies for particulate matter

There are many aspects of model choice that are involved in health effect studies of particulate matter and other pollutants. Some of these choices concern which pollutants and confounding variables should be included in the model, what type of lag structure for the covariates should be used, which interactions need to be considered, and how to model nonlinear trends. Because of the large number of potential variables, model selection is often used to find a parsimonious model. Different model selection strategies may lead to very different models and conclusions for the same set of data. As variable selection may involve numerous test of hypotheses, the resulting significance levels may be called into question, and there is the concern that the positive associations are a result of multiple testing. Bayesian Model Averaging is an alternative that can be used to combine inferences from multiple models and incorporate model uncertainty. This paper presents objective prior distributions for Bayesian Model Averaging in generalized linear models so that Bayesian model selection corresponds to standard methods of model selection, such as the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) or Bayes Information Criterion (BIC), and inferences within a model are based on standard maximum likelihood estimation. These methods allow non-Bayesians to describe the level of uncertainty due to model selection, and can be used to combine inferences by averaging over a wider class of models using readily available summary statistics from standard model fitting programs. Using Bayesian Model Averaging and objective prior distributions, we re-analyze data from Birmingham, AL and illustrate the role of model uncertainty in inferences about the effect of particulate matter on elderly mortality. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
User fees for health care in developing countries: A case study of Bangladesh

Abstract In designing country health care programs to achieve the goals of the Alma Alta declaration of ‘Health for All’, developing countries have been confronted with the problem of increased health care needs and decreased available resources. Health economists have proferred several possible solutions to this fiscal shortfall, including cost-recovery measures through the imposition of user fees for curative services at government health facilities. Health care providers have been noticeably absent from discussions of the many possible implications of these fees; consequently, resultant programs and policies may be economically sound but may fail to place a sufficient emphasis on features designed to maintain and improve the health of the population. In the present paper we examine the possible impact of user fees on the health of individuals residing in Bangladesh, one potential candidate country for user fees. We note evidence that the existing government health care system appears already to be providing care to two of the most medically vulnerable groups in Bangladesh, the poor and women, and provide evidence that such fees may seriously interfere with maintaining this patient profile. We discuss the significant public health role that curative care provides for the individuals, their families and the wider community. We suggest that additional questions should be asked by health care providers, anthropologists and economists prior to institution of user fees in the government system and that such measures should first be introduced in an experimental format with a rigorous and comprehensive impact evaluation.
Dependence of Photic Cortical Effects of Aversive Central Gray Stimulation on Reticular Activation

Possible sources of reduction in photic cortical evoked potential amplitude due to conditioning aversive stimulation (ESB) of central gray were examined. Macropotential recordings were led simultaneously from lateral geniculate body (lgb), area 17, and area 18 of albino rat. Conditioning aversive ESB of central gray reduced potential amplitudes in 1 gb and throughout visual cortex, in addition to producing intense ECoG activation. Paralysis and barbiturate sedation abolished effects in lgb; these data implicated peripheral factors. However, only sedation abolishes ESB effects on cortex. Furthermore, central gray ESB subliminal for escape but not for ECoG activation, as well as ESB applied to neutral reticular sites, also reduced cortical amplitudes in a manner similar to the effect of aversive ESB. Therefore, it is more likely that the activating properties of ESB, rather than the aversive quality, are responsible for the amplitude reductions.
Pentagonal and Icosahedral Order in Rapidly Cooled Metals

The discovery of an alloy of aluminum and manganese with sharp Bragg diffraction spots and an icosahedral point group symmetry was announced last year. The icosahedral symmetry appears to be an intrinsic property of the material and not an artifact of twinning. There are remarkable similarities between the observed diffraction patterns and aperiodic tesselations of space called Penrose tiles. The relation between the experiments and Penrose tiles, as well as phenomenological descriptions of the icosahedral aluminum-manganese alloy as a superposition of incommensurate density waves, are reviewed. Other types of exotic crystallography are also discussed.
Repair of uv damage to DNA of implantation-stage mouse embryos in vitro

Abstract Unscheduled DNA synthesis after UV irradiation is demonstrated in late pre-implantation stage and early post-implantation stage mouse embryos by autoradiographic techniques. There was no significant difference in the capacity of morula and blastocyst nuclei to carry out unscheduled DNA synthesis. Irradiated trophoblast nuclei had significantly more grains than irradiated morula or blastocyst nuclei and inner cell mass nuclei had significantly fewer grains. These observations indicate that early mammalian embryos possess enzymes required for excision repair of UV-damaged DNA.
Influence of Improved Magnetic Alloys on Design Trends of Electrical Instruments

Small panel-type electrical indicating instruments are recognized as an and power control equipment, which is so essential in all military and naval operations on land, in the air, and on the sea. Such instruments are required to be small, compact, light in weight, and reliable measuring devices; and one of the major factors in the realization of these requirements is the efficient utilization of improved magnetic materials for permanent magnets. This paper describes properties of a new magnetic alloy and compares its characteristics with other permanent-magnet materials used in small panel electrical indicating instruments of the permanent-magnet moving-coil type. The use of a new cobalt-molybdenum-iron alloy as a permanent magnet material in an indicating instrument and its influence on design trends are discussed. The resulting improvement in overall instrument performance by the use of this new material is summarized, with particular reference given to mechanical factor of merit which is a measure of instrument reliability.
Potent antimicrobial agents against azole-resistant fungi based on pyridinohydrazide and hydrazomethylpyridine structural motifs

Abstract Schiff base derivatives have recently been shown to possess antimicrobial activity, and these derivatives include a limited number of salicylaldehyde hydrazones. To further explore this structure–activity relationship between salicylaldehyde hydrazones and antifungal activity, we previously synthesized and analyzed a large series of salicylaldehyde and formylpyridinetrione hydrazones for their ability to inhibit fungal growth of both azole-susceptible and azole-resistant species of Candida. While many of these analogs showed excellent growth inhibition with low mammalian cell toxicity, their activity did not extend to azole-resistant species of Candida. To further dissect the structural features necessary to inhibit azole-resistant fungal species, we synthesized a new class of modified salicylaldehyde derivatives and subsequently identified a series of modified pyridine-based hydrazones that had potent fungicidal antifungal activity against multiple Candida spp. Here we would like to present our synthetic procedures as well as the results from fungal growth inhibition assays, mammalian cell toxicity assays, time-kill assays and synergy studies of these novel pyridine-based hydrazones on both azole-susceptible and azole-resistant fungal species.
Improving rehabilitation outcomes in unilateral neglect

Unilateral neglect is a complex and disabling condition that occurs in as many as 80% of people after right hemisphere stroke. The neglect syndrome is characterized by an absence of awareness or failure to respond to stimuli on the side opposite the brain lesion, which cannot be attributed to primary sensory or motor dysfunction. The behavioural consequences of neglect are devastating and can severely limit a person’s ability to regain functional independence. Moreover, the presence of neglect has been shown to be a predictor of poor response to rehabilitation.
Electron trapping in polar-solvated zeolites.

Of current interest in our laboratory is the nature of photoinduced processes in the cavities of zeolites completely submerged in polar solvents, or polar-solvated zeolites (PSZ). The present study addresses the nature of electron trapping in PSZ with emphasis on the zeolites NaX and NaY. Free electrons were generated by two-photon, pulsed-laser excitation of either pyrene or naphthalene included in zeolite cavities. Trapped electrons were monitored by diffuse transmittance, transient absorption spectroscopy at visible wavelengths. In anhydrous alcohols, electron trapping by Na44+ ion clusters was observed in both NaX and NaY. The resulting trapped electrons decayed over the course of tens of milliseconds. No evidence for alcohol-solvated electrons was found. More varied results were observed in solvents containing water. In NaX submerged in CH3OH containing 5% or higher water, species having microsecond lifetimes characteristic of solvated electrons were observed. By contrast, a 2 h exposure of NaY to 95...
Female gametophyte development and double fertilization in Balsas teosinte, Zea mays subsp. parviglumis (Poaceae)

Over the course of maize evolution, domestication played a major role in the structural transition of the vegetative and reproductive characteristics that distinguish it from its closest wild relative, Zea mays subsp. parviglumis (Balsas teosinte). Little is known, however, about impacts of the domestication process on the cellular features of the female gametophyte and the subsequent reproductive events after fertilization, even though they are essential components of plant sexual reproduction. In this study, we investigated the developmental and cellular features of the Balsas teosinte female gametophyte and early developing seed in order to unravel the key structural and evolutionary transitions of the reproductive process associated with the domestication of the ancestor of maize. Our results show that the female gametophyte of Balsas teosinte is a variation of the Polygonum type with proliferative antipodal cells and is similar to that of maize. The fertilization process of Balsas teosinte also is basically similar to domesticated maize. In contrast to maize, many events associated with the development of the embryo and endosperm appear to be initiated earlier in Balsas teosinte. Our study suggests that the pattern of female gametophyte development with antipodal proliferation is common among species and subspecies of Zea and evolved before maize domestication. In addition, we propose that the relatively longer duration of the free nuclear endosperm phase in maize is correlated with the development of a larger fruit (kernel or caryopsis) and with a bigger endosperm compared with Balsas teosinte.
Spectrally sensitive wavelet processing of multispectral imagery for use with an acousto-optical tunable filter camera

Acousto-optic tunable filters have ben well documented throughout the last 30 years. Unfortunately, although the filtering characteristics of these system have been explored until recently little has been done with regards to the data analysis or exploring the advantages of processing multi- spectral information. Here we use the wavelet transform to process multiple banded images like ones acquired in an acousto optical system. We demonstrate the uses of spectrally sensitive wavelets to detect a small object presents by suing an arbitrary low-resolution image in a high clutter background.
Oxidation of anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene by immobilized laccase from Trametes versicolor

Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are known to be toxic, mutagenic and/or carcinogenic, and their contamination of soils and aquifer is of great environmental concern. Laccases (E.C. 1.10.3.2) are phenoloxidases that catalyze the oxidation of PAHs in the presence of mediator compounds that act as “electron shuttle” between the free enzyme and the substrate. However, the oxidative potential of immobilized laccase-mediator system for in vitro reaction with PAHs in contaminated waters has not been studied. Laccase from Trametes versicolor was immobilized on kaolinite, and its potential to oxidize anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene in a sole-substrate system in the presence of 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) was investigated. Results indicated that immobilization improved stability of laccase to temperature, pH, inhibitors and storage time compared with the free enzyme. The immobilized laccase-mediator system was as efficient as the free enzyme in oxidizing the PAHs tested. After 24 h of incubation, immobilized laccase–ABTS system oxidized more than 80% of the initial 70 μM of PAHs present. In the presence of ABTS, immobilized laccase oxidized PAHs on continuous basis with only a slight decrease in activity. In view of the pollution of soils, sediments and waste waters by PAHs, the results presented indicate a new opportunity for application of immobilized laccase in bioremediation.
Adaptability of non-formal education strategies in rural development

Abstract With increased attention to the role of non-formal education in rural development in recent years, innovations in program strategies have been widely borrowed and transplanted. While there have been occasional successes in this endeavor, there is evidence of widespread misapplication of strategies. These have resulted primarily from a misunderstanding of either the strategy itself or the context into which it was being transferred. This examination of four cases of attempted transfer suggests that adaptation, rather than adoption or transplantation, occurs in successful applications of exogenous strategies. A conceptual framework is developed to assist field practitioners and educational administrators in understanding the logic of an exogenous strategy, and in evaluating its local applicability. Suggestions are offered for how this framework can be used.
Osborn (J) Wave Appearance on the Electrocardiogram in Relation to Potassium Transfer and Myocardial Metabolism during Hypothermia

The genesis of the J wave during hypothermia has been attributed to injury current, delayed ventricular depolarization and early repolarization, tissue anoxia, and acidosis. To our knowledge, no studies have addressed the appearance of the J wave in relation to the myocardial K+ transfer and metabolism during hypothermia. Dogs (n = 9) were progressively cooled, blood samples were taken from the aorta and coronary sinus, and myocardial tissue samples were obtained for adenosine triphosphate (ATP), creatine phosphate (CP), and glycolytic intermediate determination. In every instance, the appearance of the J wave was preceded by a net loss of K+ from the myocardium. In one dog, there was no myocardial K+ loss and the J wave was absent. The J wave appeared when the esophageal temperature was between 27° and 24°C (26.6 ± 0.73°C). At that temperature, the animals were hypotensive and bradycardic, but arterial oxygen partial pressure, carbon dioxide partial pressure, and pH were within the physiologic range at that temperature. The myocardial ATP and CP from the hypothermic dogs was lower compared with the value obtained from dogs at 37°C (p
Liver transplantation: Toward a unified allocation system.

The multiple indications for liver transplantation make prioritization for organ allocation a hotly debated topic. Evidence is building that the current allocation system favors patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and should be replaced with one based on transplant benefit and not just survival.
Maiming mitochondria in familial ALS.

A population of neurons in patients with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis have multiple abnormalities, including protein aggregation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Two studies now reveal interactions between these two defects.