cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for Primary Lung Cancer

The standard of care for early-stage (node negative) non-small cell lung cancer has historically been surgical resection. However many patients presenting with this diagnosis have comorbidities that preclude oncologic resection. Over the past two decades, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has emerged as a novel radiation modality with significant applications in the inoperable, early-stage lung cancer population. SBRT involves delivery of very high doses of radiotherapy over five or fewer fractions while stringently minimizing dose to critical normal structures. This requires treatment platforms that provide very precise and reproducible means of achieving treatment setup accuracy and accounting for respiratory motion while ensuring reliable verification at the time of delivery. A large number of retrospective and prospective studies published over this interval have established the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of SBRT in such patients using a variety of dose regimens and technologies. To date, lung SBRT results demonstrate excellent local control with very little acute toxicity and suggest improved overall survival compared to historical controls of fractionated radiotherapy. This has led it to be deemed the standard for care for inoperable patients. With evolving experience, there are suggestions that it may be considered for managing operable patients with early-stage disease, since similar outcomes are seen for patients receiving SBRT when matched with surgical patients of the same stage and characteristics.
Functional genomic characterization of the FTO locus in African Americans

Background: SNPs in the first intron of the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene represent the strongest genome-wide associations with adiposity [body mass index (BMI)]; the molecular basis f...
Development of a double-antibody sandwich ELISA for sensitive detection of Yersinia pestis.

We developed a biotin-streptavidin-based sandwich ELISA for the sensitive and specific detection of Yersinia pestis. In this assay, the F1 capsular protein and Y. pestis were captured by anti-F1 mouse monoclonal antibody followed by detection with biotinylated-anti-F1 rabbit polyclonal antibody and HRP-conjugated streptavidin. The developed F1 ELISA could detect not only the F1 protein up to 29 and 17 pg/ml but also Y. pestis up to 177.8 and 129.2 CFU/ml in PBS buffer and human serum, respectively. In addition, the F1 ELISA did not show any cross-reactivity with various proteins and bacterial strains.
The association of hospital teaching intensity with 30-day postdischarge heart failure readmission and mortality rates

OBJECTIVE To investigate risk-adjusted, 30-day postdischarge heart failure mortality and readmission rates stratified by hospital teaching intensity. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SETTING A total of 709 221 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries discharged from 3135 US hospitals between 1/1/2013 and 11/30/2014 with a principal diagnosis of heart failure. STUDY DESIGN Hospitals were classified as Council of Teaching Hospitals and Health Systems (COTH) major teaching hospitals, non-COTH teaching hospitals, and nonteaching hospitals. Hospital teaching status was linked with MedPAR patient data and FY2016 Hospital Readmission Reduction Program penalties. Index hospitalization survival probabilities were estimated with hierarchical logistic regression and used to stratify index hospitalization survivors into severity deciles. Decile-specific models were estimated for 30-day postdischarge readmission and mortality. Thirty-day postdischarge outcomes were estimated by teaching intensity and penalty categories. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Averaged across deciles, adjusted 30-day COTH hospital readmission rates were, on a relative scale ([COTH minus nonteaching] ÷ nonteaching), 1.63 percent higher (95% CI: 0.89 percent, 2.25 percent) than at nonteaching hospitals, but their average adjusted 30-day postdischarge mortality rates were 11.55 percent lower (95% CI: -13.78 percent, -9.37 percent). Penalized COTH hospitals had the highest readmission rates of all categories (23.99 percent [95% CI: 23.50 percent, 24.49 percent]) but the lowest 30-day postdischarge mortality (8.30 percent [95% CI: 7.99 percent, 8.57 percent] vs 9.84 percent [95% CI: 9.69 percent, 9.99 percent] for nonpenalized, nonteaching hospitals). CONCLUSIONS Heart failure readmission penalties disproportionately impact major teaching hospitals and inadequately credit their better postdischarge survival.
PD-0028 Prediction of Intractable Ascites and Prognosis after Surgery in Gastric Cancer Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

ABSTRACT Introduction To determine the rate of occurrence of intractable ascites in patients with gastric cancer and cirrhosis; to examine which factors of the MELD score and Child class are associated with the occurrence of intractable ascites and whether these factors may be used as markers to determine the extent of lymph node dissection for gastric cancer patients with liver cirrhosis; and to determine the effect of intractable ascites on prognosis. Methods This retrospective analysis was completed by surveying 160 patients diagnosed with cirrhosis before or during surgery among 9100 patients who had undergone radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer between October 1994 and December 2005 at Samsung Medical Center. Results Intractable ascites occurred in 9 of 160 patients. There was a significant difference in the extent of lymph node dissection (D1/D2; p = 0.04) and Child class (p = 0.04) with respect to the occurrence of intractable ascites. In Child class B, intractable ascites occurred in none of the 12 patients undergoing D1 dissection and in 5 of 12 patients undergoing D2 (p = 0.03). The three-year survival rate of all patients was 71%. The occurrence of intractable ascites significantly reduced the three-year survival rate (without 73% vs. with 33% (p Conclusion With respect to gastrectomy in patients with liver cirrhosis, D2 dissection may be performed on patients with Child class A. However, patients with Child class B who underwent D1 dissection had a decreased occurrence of intractable ascites with an improved prognosis. The MELD score is not useful in determining the extent of lymph node dissection.
A second monoclinic polymorph of {bis-[5-methyl-3-(trifluoro-meth-yl)pyrazol-1-yl]borato}{tris-[5-methyl-3-(trifluoro-meth-yl)pyrazol-1-yl]borato}cobalt(II): a structure containing a B-H⋯Co agostic inter-action.

The title compound, [Co(C10H10BF6N4)(C15H13BF9N6)], is a polymorph of the previously reported neutral cobalt(II) complex [Stibrany & Potenza (2010). Acta Cryst. E66, m506–m507], which contains one each of the monoanionic ligands, bis­[5-methyl-3-(trifluoro­meth­yl)pyrazol-1-yl]borate (Bp) and tris­[5-methyl-3-(trifluoro­meth­yl)pyrazol-1-yl]borate (Tp). A distorted octahedral coordination geometry of the CoII atom results from ligation of an H atom, which is part of an agostic B—H⋯Co inter­action [H⋯Co = 2.12 (3) A], and by five imine N atoms, two from a Bp ligand and three from a Tp ligand. Weak intra- and inter­molecular C—F⋯π inter­actions with F⋯centroid distances ranging from 3.025 (4) to 3.605 (4) A are observed.
Zooming In or Zooming Out: Entrants’ Product Usage Breadth in the Nascent Drone Industry

Faced with demand uncertainty in a nascent industry, entrants need to strategically consider which customer segments to serve, and what specialized product features can address customers’ preferenc...
An Update of the Virion Proteome of Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus

The virion proteins of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) were initially characterized in 2005 in two separate studies that combined the detection of 24 viral proteins and a few cellular components via LC-MS/MS or MALDI-TOF. Despite considerable advances in the sensitivity and specificity of mass spectrometry instrumentation in recent years, leading to significantly higher yields in detections, the KSHV virion proteome has not been revisited. In this study, we have re-examined the protein composition of purified KSHV virions via ultra-high resolution Qq time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHR-QqTOF). Our results confirm the detection of all previously reported virion proteins, in addition to 17 other viral proteins, some of which have been characterized as virion-associated using other methods, and 10 novel proteins identified as virion-associated for the first time in this study. These results add KSHV ORF9, ORF23, ORF35, ORF48, ORF58, ORF72/vCyclin, K3, K9/vIRF1, K10/vIRF4, and K10.5/vIRF3 to the list of KSHV proteins that can be incorporated into virions. The addition of these proteins to the KSHV virion proteome provides novel and important insight into early events in KSHV infection mediated by virion-associated proteins. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD022626.
Interferon Resistance of Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Variants

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants with enhanced transmissibility, pathogenesis and resistance to vaccines presents urgent challenges for curbing the COVID-19 pandemic. While Spike mutations that enhance virus infectivity may drive the emergence of these novel variants, studies documenting a critical a role for interferon responses in the early control of SARS-CoV-2 infection, combined with the presence of viral genes that limit these responses, suggest that interferons may also influence SARS-CoV-2 evolution. Here, we compared the potency of 17 different human interferons against 5 viral lineages sampled during the course of the global outbreak that included ancestral and emerging variants. Our data revealed increased interferon resistance in emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, indicating that evasion of innate immunity is a significant driving force for SARS-CoV-2 evolution. These findings have implications for the increased lethality of emerging variants and highlight the interferon subtypes that may be most successful in the treatment of early infections.
REGEN-COV protects against viral escape in preclinical and human studies

Summary Monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 are a clinically validated therapeutic option against COVID-19. As rapidly emerging virus mutants are becoming the next major concern in the fight against the global pandemic, it is imperative that these therapeutic treatments provide coverage against circulating variants and do not contribute to development of treatment emergent resistance. To this end, we investigated the sequence diversity of the spike protein and monitored emergence of minor virus variants in SARS-COV-2 isolates found in COVID-19 patients or identified from preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies. This study demonstrates that a combination of non-competing antibodies, REGEN-COV, not only provides full coverage against current variants of concern/interest but also protects against emergence of new such variants and their potential seeding into the population in a clinical setting.
Assessment of Effective Clinical Preceptors as Perceived by Nursing Students in National Hospitals, Cambodia

The purpose of this study was to identify the effective nursing clinical preceptors in Phnom Penh National Hospitals and examine the significant difference in hospital and universities’ types. Both preceptors and students have reported experiencing constrained relationships, tension, and anxiety, which led to failure results or frustrating experiences in clinical teaching and learning. The stratified sampling of 166 was invited. A cross-sectional design survey was used. The Nursing Clinical Teacher Effectiveness Inventory was used to collect data. The current study Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient for all items was 0.945. The findings were given as effective clinical preceptorship had a moderate (3.02, .85). The interpersonal relationship (3.51, 0.88), evaluation (3.39, 0.93), personal traits (2.80, 0.83), nursing competencies (3.39, 0.93), and teaching ability (2.70, 0.81). in addition, nursing students perceived the effective clinical preceptors differently from university to another one, at least Chenla university was significantly different with International University (F = 3.505, p < 0.05); and different hospital were different perceptions (F=4.169, p<0.001). Conclusion, interpersonal relationship, formative evaluation, giving suggestions and correcting mistakes without belittling was perceived to be important characteristic. It is necessary to integrate clinical teaching skills into clinical preceptors.
Intraoperative fractures in shoulder arthroplasty: risk factors and outcomes.

Background The incidence of shoulder arthroplasty in the United States continues to increase, and while the risk of intraoperative complications such as fracture remains relatively low, there has been little investigation into whether certain patient-specific risk factors predispose to this complication. This study characterizes the incidence of intraoperative fracture during shoulder arthroplasty and additionally hypothesizes that certain risk factors may exist in addition to potentially leading to worsened near-term outcomes. Methods An institutional database of shoulder arthroplasties (N = 1773; 994 anatomic, 779 reverse) was retrospectively reviewed, and the operative reports for each case were examined for documentation of an intraoperative fracture, including during which surgical step the fracture took place. Various preoperative and intraoperative factors were tested for comparative significance (P Results Twenty-one (1.2%) intraoperative fractures were documented, a majority of which occurred in reverse shoulder arthroplasties compared to anatomic procedures (overall incidence: 2.5% vs. 0.2%, P Conclusion Intraoperative fractures are a rare complication (1.2%) in shoulder arthroplasty, with reverse shoulder arthroplasty, revision cases, and female gender associated with an elevated overall risk. While these patients had a longer inpatient hospitalization, the substantially higher rates of 90-day readmission and discharge to SNF/rehab did not reach significance in our limited institutional cohort. The aforementioned incidence and risk factors serve as crucial evidence for use during the preoperative counseling process with patients as part of a shared decision-making model.
Iowa U.S. Senate Campaign: Confirmation of Party Realignment in the Hawkeye State

The 2020 U.S. Senate race in Iowa, between one-term incumbent Joni Ernst (R) and challenger Theresa Greenfield (D), was a gauge of whether the Hawkeye State’s traditionally moderate politics had shifted decisively rightward in wake of President Donald J. Trump’s surprise victory there in 2016. With Republicans holding a 53–47 Senate majority, the Iowa contest was among a small number whose outcomes were unpredictable, and thus considered crucial in determining party control of the Senate. The race between two candidates with rural roots proved to be shockingly expensive, brutally ideological, and ultimately not very close. Ernst’s convincing reelection confirmed a realignment in Iowans’ political inclinations, signaling likely Republican dominance for at least the intermediate future.
Perspectives on cancer chemoprevention research and drug development.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the nature of carcinogenesis and provides an overview of the progress in this field, and presents successful strategies in chemoprevention. Chemoprevention is the use of agents to slow the progression of, reverse, or inhibit carcinogenesis. Chemopreventive agents modulate cancer risk at the molecular, cellular, tissue, and clinical levels. The mechanisms of these agents are defined by activities seen at the molecular and cellular levels, while chemopreventive efficacy is evaluated at the tissue and clinical levels. The chapter discusses principles of molecular target-based chemopreventive drug discovery and early development of five prototypical agent classes that showed significant chemopreventive activity, and reviews the rationale for their development. The chapter discusses the specific classes to the generality of molecular target- and empirical-based screening assays useful for discovery and early development of candidate chemopreventive agents. The rationale and methods for the development of a sequential drug development program, built on the rational mechanism-based and empirical agent discovery approach, are summarized. This program identifies and evaluates intermediate biomarkers as surrogate end points for cancer incidence. The chapter reviews the need for, the progress of, and the promise of chemoprevention at major cancer targets and describes a strategy for effectively using surrogate end points in defining chemopreventive efficacy. The chapter concludes with a discussion of major issues and challenges of chemoprevention drug development, and the tremendous opportunity it promises for reduction of the human cancer problem.
Healthcare Disparities in Critically Ill Patients

Numerous international governments and federal funding agencies have placed the elimination of healthcare disparities on a spate of agendas targeted for completion in the next 10 to 20 years. Disparities in ICU patients are often less recognized, as efforts to identify and eliminate disparities frequently focus on common clinical conditions. Greater efforts are required to characterize the magnitude of healthcare disparities in critically ill patients and to seek the root causes of these disparities. The elimination of healthcare disparities will require different interventions depending on the type of disparities, the underlying cause(s) and the type of healthcare system in which they occur.
One-class collaborative filtering with random graphs

The bane of one-class collaborative filtering is interpreting and modelling the latent signal from the missing class. In this paper we present a novel Bayesian generative model for implicit collaborative filtering. It forms a core component of the Xbox Live architecture, and unlike previous approaches, delineates the odds of a user disliking an item from simply being unaware of it. The latent signal is treated as an unobserved random graph connecting users with items they might have encountered. We demonstrate how large-scale distributed learning can be achieved through a combination of stochastic gradient descent and mean field variational inference over random graph samples. A fine-grained comparison is done against a state of the art baseline on real world data.
Transfer reactions involving boron—XIX : Oxidation studies involving mono- and bisboronic acid derivatives of the phenylethyl and styryl systems☆☆☆

Abstract The oxidation of the 1- and 2-phenylethaneboronic esters (4 and 1), α- and β-styreneboronic esters (5 and 2), 2-phenylethane-1,1-bisboronic ester (3), and 1-phenylethane-1,2-bisboronic ester (6) with basic hydrogen peroxide and Fenton's reagent has been extensively studied. Compounds 1, 2, 4 and 5 undergo normal oxidations with basic hydrogen peroxide to give the expected alcohols and carbonyl compounds. Similar treatment of 3 gives a number of products of which the CC bond cleavage products benzaldehyde and benzyl alcohol predominate (up to 60% and 20% respectively). Basic hydrogen peroxide oxidation of 6 similarly produces a number of products including benzaldehyde and acetophenone. Compounds 2, 3, 4 and 6 react with Fenton's reagent to produce a number of products including CC bond cleavage and elimination products. Mechanisms are proposed for these oxidation reactions based on the known radical reactivity of compounds 1, 3, 4 and 6, the known chemistry involving Fenton's reagent, and oxidation studies of selected model systems with Fenton's reagent. The following important conclusions may be drawn from this study: (1) Reactions with basic solutions of hydrogen peroxide may produce radical reactions involving hydroxyl and/or hydroperoxyl radical; (2) Reactions with Fenton's reagent involve both hydroxyl and hydroperoxyl radicals (the latter believed to be predominating) in addition reactions with olefins and radical combination reactions.
1 – An Eerie Sense of Deja Vu

This chapter presents some generic characteristics of visual information systems, and makes a brief analysis of their users. There are a number of characteristics of images that contribute to the peculiar nature and methods of image databases; among these, a broad distinction can be made between semiotic and technical characteristics. The semiotic characteristics of an image are given by the forms of the significant relation between the image data and the possible meanings of the image as interpreted by the user. In other words, semiotic characteristics have to do with the interpretation of an image as a sign , a message directed from the creator of the image to its user. Image databases are a land of comixture and interaction between the computer vision and database communities. Furthermore, the chapter considers the technical characteristics of images, and how they have shaped the field of image databases so far. Image databases do not match symbolic representations of the meaning of images, but rely on a more loosely defined notion of similarity between images. By and large, image databases are not autonomous systems, but work in strict interaction with a user sitting in front of them. In addition to this, the chapter discusses what the users really need. A study of image databases cannot be made without questioning the application scenarios and modalities of usage that typical databases encounter. Many decisions in the development of a database system depend on the application scenarios it faces, and a successful deployment of a new technology depends in large part on a successful characterization of the social and organizational context in which the technology is employed.
Minor hemoglobins in erythrocytes; demonstration and analysis by paper electrophoresis.

Two minor hemoglobins present in normal human erythrocytes have been separated by paper electrophoresis. The concentration of the component which was more positively charged than the bulk hemoglobin ranged between 1.5 and 6 per cent of the total hemoglobin. The concentration of the other, more negatively charged, component could not be measured on account of incomplete separation, but was estimated to range from very low values to 5 per cent. Globin added to the buffer was found to suppress the irreversible adsorption of hemoglobin on the filter paper and thus to eliminate "tailing."
Chloroform Extract of Reclaimed Rubber

Abstract 1. For any given reclaim, increased chloroform extract means greater softness and plasticity, but different types of reclaim with equivalent chloroform extracts may have widely different plasticities, or with the same workability may have widely different chloroform extracts. 2. While longer time of heat treatment at a given temperature increases the chloroform extract, increased temperature raises it decidedly. At elevated temperature (263° C) there is a transformation of chloroform-soluble into acetone-soluble material. 3. Within practical operating temperature limits, the milling and straining operations do not affect the chloroform extract. Increased number of passes through a refiner increases the chloroform extract. This fact is of importance in the chloroform determination. Cool refining gives a product with higher chloroform extract than hot refining. 4. The chloroform extract is unaffected by slow or rapid cooling of finished reclaim slabs. The slow-cooled reclaim, however, is somewhat d...
Type II collagen-induced autoimmune endolymphatic hydrops in guinea pig

Endolymphatic hydrops was induced in guinea pigs by immunizing them with native bovine type II collagen. Histopathologic changes consisted of moderate extension of the Reissner's membrane, spiral ganglion degeneration, atrophied organ of Corti, and mild atrophy of the surface epithelium in the endolymphatic duct. These findings suggest that an immune response directed against type II collagen--a type of collagen found in the membranous labyrinth, subepithelial layer of the endolymphatic duct, spiral ligament, and enchondral layer of the otic capsule--may induce endolymphatic hydrops.
Advanced endoscopic imaging for Barrett's Esophagus: current options and future directions.

Barrett’s esophagus is the precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma, one of the most rapidly increasing cancers in the United States. Given the poor prognosis of late-stage adenocarcinoma, endoscopic surveillance is recommended for subjects with Barrett’s esophagus to detect early neoplasia. Current guidelines recommend “random” four-quadrant biopsies taken every 1–2 cm throughout the Barrett’s segment. However, this only samples a minority of epithelium and has been shown to miss areas of endoscopically- inapparent neoplasia (high grade dysplasia or cancer). Recent efforts have focused on developing novel diagnostic imaging technologies to detect the subtle epithelial changes associated with dysplasia and neoplasia in Barrett’s esophagus. Some of these modalities serve as “red flag” technologies designed to detect areas of abnormality within large surface areas. Other technologies serve to characterize areas of visible abnormality, offering a higher spatial resolution to confirm/exclude the presence of neoplasia. This review summarizes several available and evolving imaging technologies used in the endoscopic diagnosis and surveillance of Barrett’s associated neoplasia.
Fine Structure of O 2 + Measured by Electron Time-of-Flight Spectroscopy

A high-resolution electron time-of-flight spectrometer has been used in a transmission experiment to study resonances in $e$-${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ scattering corresponding to vibrationally excited levels of the ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ $^{2}\ensuremath{\Pi}_{\mathrm{g}}$ ground state. A doublet structure, due to spin-orbit coupling, is observed. The fine structure of ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ is measured to be 0.020 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.002 eV, and the energy of the center of the ${v}^{\ensuremath{'}}=4$ resonance doublet is measured to be 0.091 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.005 eV.
Effects of L-tryptophan and restraint stress on hypothalmic and brain serotonin turnover, and pituitary TSH and prolactin release in rats

Abstract The dose response and time course effects of L-tryptophan and restraint stress on the metabolism of serotonin and release of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and prolactin (PRL) were tested in male rats. Both treatments increased serotonin turnover in the hypothalamus (H) and remaining brain tissue minus the cerebellum (brain) as determined by enhanced accumulation of serotonin following monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibition. L-tryptophan but not restraint stress elevated levels of tryptophan in the cerebellum. Both L-tryptophan and restraint stress inhibited TSH release and stimulated PRL release. These findings indicate that enhanced rates of serotonin turnover produced by L-tryptophan and physical restraint are associated with inhibition of TSH and stimulation of PRL release from the anterior pituitary.
Functionalized congeners of 1,4-dihydropyridines as antagonist molecular probes for A3 adenosine receptors.

4-Phenylethynyl-6-phenyl-1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives are selective antagonists at human A3 adenosine receptors, with Ki values in a radioligand binding assay vs [125I]AB-MECA [N6-(4-amino-3-iodobenzyl)-5‘-N-methylcarbamoyl-adenosine] in the submicromolar range. In this study, functionalized congeners of 1,4-dihydropyridines were designed as chemically reactive adenosine A3 antagonists, for the purpose of synthesizing molecular probes for this receptor subtype. Selectivity of the new analogues for cloned human A3 adenosine receptors was determined in radioligand binding in comparison to binding at rat brain A1 and A2A receptors. Benzyl ester groups at the 3- and/or 5-positions and phenyl groups at the 2- and/or 6-positions were introduced as potential sites for chain attachment. Structure−activity analysis at A3 adenosine receptors indicated that 3,5-dibenzyl esters, but not 2,6-diphenyl groups, are tolerated in binding. Ring substitution of the 5-benzyl ester with a 4-fluorosulfonyl group provided enh...
GM Counter Deadtime Dependence on Applied Voltage, Operating Temperature and Fatigue

Abstract This paper utilized standard two-source method and the simple non-paralyzing model assumption to examine a GM counter's deadtime dependence on applied voltage, operating temperature, and fatigue. Both 60Co and 137Cs sources were used for deadtime measurements. The results gathered suggest the presence of three distinct regions of deadtime behavior. At low voltages, the deadtime decreases as the voltage increases (Region I) followed by a region of stable deadtime plateau (Region II) and finally a region of increasing deadtime with increasing voltage. Region II is the best region for operating with a minimum deadtime which is not sensitive to the applied voltage. Typical deadtime values for GM counters were between 100 and 300 μs; the deadtime values in Region II were within this range. The results examined in this study also indicate a strong temperature dependence of deadtime, with a correlation coefficient of 0.93. The GM counter deadtime for various fatigues (aging) were investigated for three fatigue levels with a correlation coefficient of 0.48. The experimental results confirm that deadtime increases as both temperature and fatigue increase. The fundamental nature of deadtime seems to be different for voltages lower than the stable deadtime plateau (Region II) and for voltages higher than the plateau.
Privacy-Aware Design Principles for Information Networks

Privacy has become a critical topic in the engineering of networked systems. Electronic surveillance, both covert and overt, has a negative impact on both the individual and society, and the public's perception of engineered systems that forsake the privacy issue is increasingly negative. Engineers and computer scientists thus have a moral obligation to avoid design choices that are unnecessarily privacy invasive. To fully illustrate this point, we provide an overview of the philosophical, legal, moral, and epistemological literature on the subject of privacy and related implications of its invasion. We then introduce a series of privacy-aware design principles that lead to less invasive information technologies. We develop a smart grid/demand response case study to illustrate the impact of the proposed design rules that protect individual privacy and promote understanding of ethical issues underlying the need for privacy for individuals and society.
Bottles as models: predicting the effects of varying swimming speed and morphology on size selectivity and filtering efficiency in fishes.

SUMMARY We created physical models based on the morphology of ram suspension-feeding fishes to better understand the roles morphology and swimming speed play in particle retention, size selectivity and filtration efficiency during feeding events. We varied the buccal length, flow speed and architecture of the gills slits, including the number, size, orientation and pore size/permeability, in our models. Models were placed in a recirculating flow tank with slightly negatively buoyant plankton-like particles (∼20–2000 μm) collected at the simulated esophagus and gill rakers to locate the highest density of particle accumulation. Particles were captured through sieve filtration, direct interception and inertial impaction. Changing the number of gill slits resulted in a change in the filtration mechanism of particles from a bimodal filter, with very small (≤50 μm) and very large (>1000 μm) particles collected, to a filter that captured medium-sized particles (101–1000 μm). The number of particles collected on the gill rakers increased with flow speed and skewed the size distribution towards smaller particles (51–500 μm). Small pore sizes (105 and 200 μm mesh size) had the highest filtration efficiencies, presumably because sieve filtration played a significant role. We used our model to make predictions about the filtering capacity and efficiency of neonatal whale sharks. These results suggest that the filtration mechanics of suspension feeding are closely linked to an animal9s swimming speed and the structural design of the buccal cavity and gill slits.
Children in self-care: An examination of research confounds

Abstract Families using self-care, in-home, and out-of-home child care arrangements were compared on a number of demographic variables. Certain variables (e.g., family income; marital status) were, as expected, related to the type of child care in use. However, one unexpected trend also was identified: regardless of the type of child care arrangement reported by parents, as the age of children increased across the out-of-home, in-home, and self-care family groups so too did the number of hours children spent at home alone. This trend is discussed in relation to two confounding areas of which researchers should be aware when conducting school-age child care needs assessment surveys and conducting self-care studies: (a) the context within which the self-care decision is made; and (b) the reasoning that goes into making the self-care decision.
The management of genitourinary fistula in the third millennium

Background A vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) is an abnormal fistulous tract between the bladder and vagina, causing continuous loss of urine via the vagina. VVF is a relatively uncommon condition, but there is a drastically higher prevalence in the developing world. Furthermore, iatrogenic postoperative VVF is most common in developed countries, compared to mainly obstetric trauma in developing countries. In this review we focus on the development of current management techniques for VVF.
Changes in Soil Temperature Associated with Reforestation in Central New York State

Central New York State has experienced extensive reforestation during the past hundred years, significantly altering many natural systems. In order to begin to assess the impact of reforestation on soil organic carbon, soil temperature was measured within four different land cover types representing various stages of secondary succession following agricultural abandonment. Over forty thousand soil temperature observations were summarized by pedothermic period in order to characterize seasonal differences between cover types and to determine how mean annual temperature changes during reforestation. Forested sites were cooler during the spring and summer, and slightly warmer in the fall. During the winter field locations were significantly warmer that the forested sites, perhaps due to more complete snow cover, which acts to insulate the soil from cold winter air. In addition, soil temperature variability and vegetation were negatively correlated; as vegetation cover increased, variability in soil temperatu...
Dax Redacted: The Economies of Truth in Bioethics

Most ethicists have paid little attention to the rhetorical features of case presentations. In order to examine the constructed nature of bioethics cases, this paper examines the literary characteristics of four presentations of Donald "Dax" Cowart's story. By comparing tellings of the same case, a pattern of redaction is revealed by which the tellers conceal the very features that would challenge the perspectives taken in their arguments. In conclusion, the issue of the applied nature of bioethics is examined.
Chilling of tissue before glutaraldehyde fixation preserves fragile inclusions of several plant viruses.

Glutaraldehyde—osmium fixation showed the presence of crystalline inclusions of brome mosaic virus (BMV), turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV) [and its protein], and potato virus X (PVX) in host tissues provided the tissue was vacuum-infiltrated with buffer and chilled a minimum of 2 hr before chilled glutaraldehyde was allowed to diffuse in. Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) inclusions could only be preserved if osmium tetroxide postfixation was omitted. Cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV) crystalline inclusions were not observed with this method. Glutaraldehyde did not fix gelatin at concentrations below 2.5% unless the protein was first gelled at 5°C. Bovine serum albumin was not crosslinked by glutaraldehyde at concentrations of less than 3% at 5°C or of 4% at 25°C. Attempted fixation of low concentrations of gelatin and bovine serum albumin by glutaraldehyde at 5 or 25°C paralleled preservation or nonpreservation, respectively, of viral crystalline inclusions of TYMV, BMV, PVX, and TMV in expanded leaf tissue. The inability of glutaraldehyde to crosslink low concentrations of protein has consequences for the interpretation of the intracellular ultrastructural location of virus or virus-related products in expanded leaf tissues. It is proposed that a minimum protein concentration is required for glutaraldehyde to fix cells and that this minimum protein concentration decreases with decreases in temperature.
Comparing applesnails with oranges: the need to standardize measuring techniques when studying Pomacea

Although invaders come in all shapes and sizes, several mollusks have recently achieved notoriety as both economically and ecologically costly invaders. Applesnails of the genus Pomacea get their name from reaching the size of an apple. Native to South America, the species P. insularum has recently established reproducing, and potentially invasive, populations in Texas, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. In contrast to the widely invasive golden applesnail (P. canaliculata), few studies of the channeled species P. insularum exist. In studying similar invasive applesnail species, scientists use several methods of measurement. We have explored the relationships among shell height, operculum width, and weight among juvenile and adult P. insularum and tested their inter-measurer reliability. We also investigated the use of shell height, shell length, and operculum width measurements in P. canaliculata studies and observed whether or not those studies defined their measurements. We found that operculum width served as a significantly more reliable measure among researchers. Furthermore, operculum width better predicted weight than shell height. The majority of articles that measured P. canaliculata did not define their measurements, which may cause problems when comparing studies between native and exotic populations or when comparing the two species. We recommend that future studies of P. insularum use operculum width to measure snails and explore a possible sex dimorphism in the operculum width of adult P. insularum.
Using Sterol Substitution to Probe the Role of Membrane Domains in Membrane Functions.

Ordered membrane lipid domains rich in sphingolipids and sterols (“lipid rafts”) are thought to be important in many biological processes. However, it is often difficult to distinguish domain-dependent biological functions from ones that have a specific dependence on sterol, e.g. are dependent upon a protein with a function that is dependent upon its binding to sterol. Removing cholesterol and replacing it with various sterols with varying abilities to form membrane domains or otherwise alter membrane properties has the potential to help distinguish these cases. This review describes this strategy, and how it has been applied by various investigators to understand cellular functions.
Risk tables for parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease.

Abstract We applied the incidence rates of parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease (PD) from Olmsted County, MN (1976–1990) to a hypothetical cohort undergoing the mortality rates observed in Minnesota, and computed the lifetime risk and the remaining lifetime risk of developing parkinsonism and PD. These risks were compared to cumulative incidences that do not take competing risks of death into account. The lifetime risk of developing parkinsonism from birth was 4.4% for men and 3.7% for women (ratio = 1.2). The corresponding risk of developing PD was 2.0% for men and 1.3% for women (ratio = 1.5). Because of the opposite effect of higher incidence and higher mortality rates in men, the lifetime risks were only slightly higher in men than in women. Lifetime cumulative incidences were consistently higher than lifetime risks; this difference was more pronounced in men and in older subjects. Lifetime risk estimates are useful in clinical practice, epidemiologic research, and public health.
Agency without Avoidability: Defusing a New Threat to Frankfurt's Counterexample Strategy

Many believe that we are not morally responsible for what we cannot help doing. Call this ‘the Traditional View of Responsible Agency.’ Some forty years ago, Harry Frankfurt (1969) challenged this view, thereby initiating a new stage of the free-will debate. In contrast to the previous stage, in which debate centered on how best to accommodate the Traditional View, contemporary theorists have focused on whether this view should be accepted at all. If the link between moral responsibility and avoidability is severed, an important threat to compatibilism is neutralized. In the wake of Frankfurt's challenge, a tremendous literature has sprung up, with many ingenious responses matched by equally thoughtful extensions of Frankfurt's original argument. Quite recently, an altogether new line of response has been proposed. This new approach, versions of which have been advanced by Maria Alvarez (2009) and Helen Steward (2009), attempts to support the Traditional View indirectly, by appealing to the conditions for action, rather than to the conditions for moral responsibility per se.
Stereoselective conversion of allylic alcohols to N-acyl-trans-4,5-dialkyloxazolidines

Abstract The stereoselective synthesis of N-acyl- trans -4,5-dialkyloxazolidines (precursors to threo -β-amino alcohols) through a procedure involving amidomethylation of a 2° allylic alcohol followed by mercuric-ion inititated cyclofunctionalization is reported.
Likelihood methods for cluster dark energy surveys

Galaxy cluster counts at high redshift, binned into spatial pixels and binned into ranges in an observable proxy for mass, contain a wealth of information on both the dark energy equation of state and the mass selection function required to extract it. The likelihood of the number counts follows a Poisson distribution whose mean fluctuates with the large-scale structure of the universe. We develop a joint likelihood method that accounts for these distributions. Maximization of the likelihood over a theoretical model that includes both the cosmology and the observable-mass relations allows for a joint extraction of dark energy and cluster structural parameters.
Calculated Pulse Widths and Spectra of a Single Sonoluminescing Bubble

A sonoluminescing bubble has been modeled as a thermally conducting, partially ionized, two-component plasma. The model shows that the measured picosecond pulse widths are due to electron conduction and the rapidly changing opacity of the plasma and that these mechanisms are also responsible for the absence of an “afterglow” subsequent to the sonoluminescence flash while the hot bubble expands and cools. The calculated spectra for sonoluminescing nitrogen and argon bubbles suggest that a sonoluminescing air bubble probably contains only argon, in agreement with a recent theoretical analysis.
The Use of Singular Value Variance-Decomposition Proportions in FT-IR Analysis of Gases and Vapors

Issues in the application of spectral least-squares methods to Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry are discussed with emphasis on collinearity problems in vapor and gas reference spectra. Excessive collinearity may degrade the accuracy and reliability of prediction. Several methods that detect and diagnose collinearity are developed and tested with the use of numerical experiments. The condition number is based on the singular values in the reference spectra matrix and provides a stable and composite measure of collinearity. Variance-decomposition proportions and auxiliary regressions identify the spectra that form dependencies. Application of the methods to spectra of common vapors and gases shows complex and potentially degrading dependencies that would not be seen by examining correlation coefficients or other statistics measuring only pair-wise dependencies. A method to estimate the precision of results for specified signal-to-noise ratios and degree of collinearity is evaluated.
Cooperativity of thiol-modified myosin filaments. ATPase and motility assays of myosin function.

The effects of chemical modifications of myosin's reactive cysteines on actomyosin adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities and sliding velocities in the in vitro motility assays were examined in this work. The three types of modifications studied were 4-[N-[(iodoacetoxy)ethyl]-N-methylamino]-7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3- diazole labeling of SH2 (based on Ajtai and Burghart. 1989. Biochemistry. 28:2204–2210.), phenylmaleimide labeling of SH1, and phenylmaleimide labeling of myosin in myofibrils under rigor conditions. Each type of modified myosin inhibited the sliding of actin in motility assays. The sliding velocities of actin over copolymers of modified and unmodified myosins in the motility assay were slowest with rigor-modified myosin and most rapid with SH2-labeled myosin. The actin-activated ATPase activities of similarly copolymerized myosins were lowest with SH2-labeled myosin and highest with rigor-modified myosin. The actin-activated ATPase activities of myosin subfragment-1 obtained from these modified myosins decreased in the same linear manner with the fraction of modified heads. These results are interpreted using a model in which the sliding of actin filaments over myosin filaments decreases the probability of myosin activation by actin. The sliding velocity of actin over monomeric rigor-modified myosin exceeded that over the filamentous form, which suggests for this myosin that filament structure is important for the inhibition of actin sliding in motility assays. The fact that all cysteine modifications examined inhibited the actomyosin ATPase activities and sliding velocities of actin over myosin poses questions concerning the information about the activated crossbridge obtained from probes attached to SH1 or SH2 on myosin.
Phoenix Light Rail Vehicle Front End Design Review With Crash Energy Management Bumper

December 27, 2008 marked the grand opening of METRO Light Rail transit service linking the cities of Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa, Arizona. In Phoenix, this event harkened back to an era with similar streetcar service that ceased operations in 1948. After a 55 year absence, final design of the modern system commenced in 2003, and the acute need to address safety concerns with a new generation of valley residents began. This 20.4 mile (32.6 km) system contains 28 stations, runs on reserved rights of way, >95% in city streets, and contains over 149 street traffic intersections, highway ramps and slip-ramps. In an effort to lessen injuries and damage to the public, train crew and light rail equipment, the Agency’s consultant recommended several key changes to the typical North American light rail system design. Included was an unprecedented change to the front end of the light rail vehicles with an industry first, crash energy management (CEM) bumper. This report discusses the design and functionality of the Phoenix LRV front end and bumper from concept through revenue service.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
The Elusive Maya Marketplace: An Archaeological Consideration of the Evidence

The modeling of ancient Maya economies has been a dynamic area of archaeological research in the past few decades, but in most cases there has been little attention on how goods actually changed hands. Through an overview of the literature, this paper considers marketplace exchange as one mechanism of distribution. Researchers have proposed a number of physical features and artifact characteristics that may be expected in association with marketplace activity, and new methods of data collection have been offered that can be used to build a case for marketplace exchange. What remains is the challenge of developing strategies to identify ancient Maya marketplaces convincingly through archaeological excavation.