cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A theoretical and empirical evaluation and extension of the Todaro migration model

Abstract This paper postulates that it is theoretically and empirically preferable to base internal labor migration on the relative difference in rural-urban real income streams and rates of unemployment, taken as separate and independent variables, rather than on the difference in the expected real income streams as postulated by the very influential and often quoted Todaro model. The paper goes on to specify several important ways of extending the resulting migration model and improving its empirical performance.
Surgical treatment of Chiari I malformation: indications and approaches

Chiari I malformation is a well-described entity characterized by hindbrain herniation through the foramen magnum. Although the exact origin of congenital Chiari I malformation is unknown, it appears to be caused by a mismatch between the volume of the posterior fossa neural elements and the posterior fossa cranial content. Several theories have been proposed to describe the resultant pathophysiology of this mismatch. It is clear, however, that abnormal cerebrospinal fluid flow and velocity play a role in the symptoms and signs associated with this disorder. The authors will review the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and treatment options for patients with Chiari I malformation.
Dynamic Fracture Under Normal Impact Loading of the Crack Faces

Results of experiments on crack-face impact are presented. The transient stress-intensity factor variation of a crack has been traced by the Stress-Intensity Factor Tracer (SIFT) [1] under time-stepwise uniform pressure loading of the crack faces. To see the effects of various waves generated by the loading, part of the crack faces was left free of traction within the distance l0 from the crack tip. The crack-face impact loading was produced by an electromagnetic force induced by a square pulse of an electric current flowing through a copper strip inserted in the saw-cut crack of a Homalite 100 plate specimen. The current flowed in opposite directions in the two portions of the copper strip, between the crack faces, causing them to repel each other. The short-time and the long-time behavior of the transient stress-intensity factor variation under the impact loading have been carefully investigated. Brittle dynamic initiation of crack extension and the stress-intensity variation of a running crack have been also examined. The experimental results have been compared with theoretical predictions based on Freund’s crack-face concentrated load solution [2] . The agreement between the theory and the experiment is excellent. In this study, the various waves generated by the loading are shown to play different roles in transmitting the load to the crack tip. In addition, confirmation is given that the SIFT is excellent in tracing the stress-intensity factor regardless of the crack-tip motion.
Taken into custody: girls and convent guardianship in Renaissance Florence

This study examines the widespread practice of placing girls in the temporary care of convents in Renaissance Florence, a practice called serbanza. During the turbulent years from 1480 to 1530, guardianship became one of the most important social services offered by female religious communities, which sheltered girls in increasing numbers. Serbanza was the major form of extrafamilial care for young girls of the middling and artisan classes, as well as for the vulnerable rich, before the advent of large-scale custodial institutions in the later sixteenth century. Based on extensive archival records, this study documents how patterns of guardianship changed in response to political turmoil and concerns over female honour. I argue that convent guardianship formed part of the institutional and experiential foundation of female culture that cut across lines of neighbourhood and class, and introduced girls to a distinctive kind of constructed community. Boarding girls on a regular basis also raised important issues for internal monastic governance and ecclesiastical supervision. Nuns balanced the financial and social benefits of guardianship against the disruption of monastic routines and the disapproval of clerical officials. These tensions were resolved only by the reorganization of convent life and the development of new custodial institutions under Cosimo I. (pp. 177–200)
Lessons from mitochondrial DNA mutations

Abstract The small, maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has turned out to be a hotbed of pathogenic mutations: 13 years into the era of ‘mitochondrial medicine’, over 100 pathogenic point mutations and countless rearrangements have been associated with a variety of multisystemic or tissue-specific human diseases. MtDNA-related disorders can be divided into two major groups: those due to mutations in genes affecting mitochondrial protein synthesis in toto and those due to mutations in specific protein-coding genes. Pathogenesis is only partially explained by the rules of mitochondrial genetics and remains largely uncharted territory. Therapy is still woefully inadequate, but a number of promising approaches are being developed.
The Imprecise Dirichlet Model for Multilevel System Reliability

In this paper we expand on recent advances in Bayesian inference for multilevel data in fault trees and Bayesian networks. As a first example, we compare the Bayesian fault tree and incomplete data approaches to statistical inference for multilevel data in fault trees. As a second example, we consider two a priori representations of uncertainty about the parameters of a Bayesian network: a multinomial- Dirichlet model and an extension of the imprecise Dirichlet model. We calculate the a posteriori uncertainty after updating with data using Markov chain Monte Carlo and compare the results.
Axial asymmetry of water diffusion in brain white matter

The diffusion tensor (DT) is a three-dimensional (3D) model of diffusivity in biological tissues. In white matter (WM), the major eigenvector, which is the direction of greatest diffusivity, is generally assumed to align with the direction of the fiber bundles. The distribution of major eigenvectors in WM has been investigated using color-based maps and WM tractography (WMT). However, anatomical patterns in the medium and minor eigenvector directions have largely been ignored in DTI studies of the human brain. In this study, the patterns of medium and minor eigenvectors in the brain were investigated using both color-based maps and WMT. Specific WM structures, such as the corona radiata, internal and external capsules, sagittal stratum, cingulum, and superior longitudinal fasciculus, demonstrated coherent patterns in the medium and minor eigenvector directions. These patterns were consistent across subjects. The orthogonal or axial diffusion asymmetry may be explained by merging, diverging, or crossing fiber geometries. The effects of orthogonal diffusion asymmetry on WMT were also investigated. This study shows that WM axial asymmetry causes anisotropic dispersion patterns in the estimated tract trajectories. The medium and minor eigenvector patterns may be useful for elucidating the local dispersion distributions of WM tracts.
Variable effect of toxic shock toxins from different sources on neutrophil function in vitro.

Toxic shock syndrome toxins (TSST) are 23–30 kD proteins that have been isolated from incubation media of strains ofStaphylococcus aureus cultured from patients with toxic shock syndrome (TSS). Injection of TSST into animals produces many of the symptoms that characterize TSS including shock, fever, and multiple organ failure. We found that addition of increasing concentrations of TSST-1-VP1035-16A, but not TSST-PEC, TSST-SEC, staphylococcal enterotoxin A or B, progressively decreased human neutrophil bactericidal activity againstS. aureus, 502A in vitro. TSST-1-VP1035-16A, but not the other toxins, also decreased superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide concentrations in mixtures containing neutrophils and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) in vitro. The results indicate that various preparations of TSST have different effects on neutrophil function in vitro and, accordingly, may have different effects in other in vitro and in vivo models of TSS.
Nonlinear Equilibration of Two-Dimensional Eady Waves: A New Perspective

Abstract The equilibration of two-dimensional baroclinic waves differs fundamentally from equilibration in three dimensions because two-dimensional eddies cannot develop meridional temperature or velocity structure. It was shown in an earlier paper that frontogenesis together with diffusive mixing in a two-dimensional Eady wave brings positive potential vorticity (PV) anomalies deep into the atmosphere from both boundaries and allows the disturbance to settle into a steady state without meridional gradients. Here we depart from the earlier explanation of this equilibration and associate the PV intrusions with essentially the same kind of vortex “roll-up” that characterizes the evolution of barotropic shear layers. To avoid subgrid turbulence parameterizations and computational diffusion, the analogy is developed using Eady's generalized baroclinic instability problem. Eady's generalized model has two semi-infinite regions of large PV surrounding a layer of relatively small PV. Without boundaries, frontal ...
Prognostic factors responsible for survival in sex cord stromal tumors of the ovary—A multivariate analysis

Abstract Objective. To evaluate prognostic factors that impacts the survival of women with sex cord stromal tumors of the ovary (SCST). Methods. Cases were identified from tumor registry databases at three academic institutions between 1975 and 2003. Patient characteristics, surgical treatment, adjuvant therapy, pathologic and follow-up information were collected from hospital charts and clinic records. Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to identify predictors of outcome. Results. Eighty-three women (median age: 49 years) with SCST of the ovary, including 73 with granulosa and 10 with Sertoli–Leydig cell tumors were identified. Fifty-one were stage I, 8 stage II, 10 stage III, 3 stage IV, and 11 patients were unstaged. The median and 5-year disease-specific survival of women with stage I–II vs. III–IV was 180 months and 85% compared to 58 months and 48%, respectively ( P = 0.012). Furthermore, age P = 0.003), premenopausal status ( P = 0.013), tumor size P = 0.003), lack of lymph node invasion ( P P = 0.002) were all significant predictors for improved survival. Of the patients who received adjuvant treatment, chemotherapy did not impact survival ( P = 0.11). Twelve of 51 stage I patients underwent fertility-sparing surgery with three recurrences. In multivariate analysis, age Conclusions. Age
THE RECENT REGULATORY RESPONSE TO CORPORATE ECONOMIC CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES: OBSERVATIONS AND COMMENTS

Corporate economic crime, including accounting and auditing fraud and inappropriate behaviour by directors on the boards of US corporations, has resulted in stockholder financial losses and the loss of confidence in investing in the US stock market. We observe the modern corporation with its absentee ownership and professional management team and discuss its inherent incentives to commit management crime. In spite of financial reporting, audits and the use of boards of directors to represent stockholders, management misbehaviour persists. We conclude that the failure of these potential remedies is due to a lack of independence from management in their execution. We comment on some of the provisions of the Sarbanes–Oxley Act, enacted in 2002, and their potential to mitigate some of these conflict of interest conditions.
Hemisphere Asymmetry in Sympathetic Control of the Human Myocardium

Hemisphere asymmetry in sympathetic control of myocardial performance was studied in healthy human subjects using lateralized film presentation for selective sensory stimulation of the hemispheres and impedance cardiography for the evaluation of cardiac output, systolic time intervals and myocardial contractility. Results revealed a clear and consistent right hemisphere predominance in sympathetically mediated control of various components of myocardial performance. There is reason to assume that the obtained hemisphere differences in autonomic control of the heart are self-reliant processes not depending on emotion-related hemisphere asymmetry. As far as we know, this is the first study examining the distinct roles of the cerebral hemispheres in neural control of ventricular myocardial functions.
An exploratory nationwide survey of child care workers

The following nationwide survey of child care workers was undertaken because of the lack of definitive information in the profession. Child care workers are moving away from mere custodial type of care and are moving toward becoming professional therapeutic agents in the child's total milieu. As the move toward professionalization in child care work progresses, it becomes obvious that a profile of child care workers is a necessity. In order to promote the advancement of child care, demographic data along with job related concerns of those working in the field need to be substantiated. These data need to be made available in order to allow the various Child Care Associations around the country to use their time and resources most efficaciously to upgrade the profession.
Rotary DNA motors.

Many molecular motors move unidirectionally along a DNA strand powered by nucleotide hydrolysis. These motors are multimeric ATPases with more than one hydrolysis site. We present here a model for how these motors generate the requisite force to process along their DNA track. This novel mechanism for force generation is based on a fluctuating electrostatic field driven by nucleotide hydrolysis. We apply the principle to explain the motion of certain DNA helicases and the portal protein, the motor that bacteriophages use to pump the genome into their capsids. The motor can reverse its direction without reversing the polarity of its electrostatic field, that is, without major structural modifications of the protein. We also show that the motor can be driven by an ion gradient; thus the mechanism may apply as well to the bacterial flagellar motor and to ATP synthase.
Maturation of the flight motor pattern without movement inManduca sexta

The development of the flight motor pattern was studied by recording acutely with fine wire electrodes inserted in the thoracic muscles of pharate moths of known age and by recording chronically for up to 8 days with implanted electrodes. Externally visible morphological characteristics by which the age of a pharateManduca sexta can be established were identified (Table 1).
IP Spoofing Detection Approach(ISDA) for Network Intrusion Detection System

A new approach for detecting spoofed IP level, called IP spoofing detection approach (ISDA), is proposed. The purpose of this approach is maximally to keep effective parts and remove forged parts of source IP addresses under flooding attacks and dynamically configure flow aggregation scheme for flow-based network intrusion detection to build the most effective intrusion detection approach. Our work concentrates on developing an overall framework, which includes building flow aggregation schemes for flow-based network intrusion detection system (FNIDS), detecting IP address spoofing level and using fuzzy logic method automatically to activate the most appropriate flow aggregation scheme. Finally, the performance of applying our proposed architecture against flooding DDOS attacks is evaluated by using DARPA 98 data. Results show the significant improvement for FNIDS after applying the IP address spoofing detection algorithms.
P01-524 - The effect of racial bias on the prescribing practice of a newly established psychiatric unit

Introduction Psychotropic medication prescribing can be a powerful indicator of racial bias. However, despite extensive research, mostly conducted with outpatients in developed western countries, findings are inconsistent. Objectives In response to prior studies reporting racial bias in inpatients with schizophrenia, comparing for doses of drugs between native and non-native inpatients, the authors investigated whether discrepancies in use of medication can be explained by negative ethnic bias. Aims To test for differences in prescribing for psychiatric inpatients fulfilling criteria for either schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders or major depressive or bipolar I disorder, focusing on use of drugs and including the use of SSRIs-SNRIs and mood stabilizers. Methods In a naturalistic study of consecutive voluntary admissions we overall controlled for 12 confounding variables. Prescribing practice was compared between the groups for five outcomes: Use of polypharmacy, use of typical antipsychotics, atypical antipsychotics, SSRI's-SNRI's and mood stabilizers. Results Use of polypharmacy and use of atypical antipsychotics were not associated with ethnicity. On the other hand, non-Greeks were less likely to receive SSRIs-SNRIs, less likely to receive mood stabilizers and more likely to receive typical antipsychotics, compared to Greeks. Conclusions Ethnicity did not seem to influence Greek psychiatrists’ prescribing. It appears that in this country, which has started receiving immigrants only recently, racial stereotypes are not firmly established. Other explanations are also discussed as ethnicity can influence psychiatric practice in many, often subtle ways. Future research might investigate racial bias in regard to disorders other than schizophrenia.
A public choice model of the role of multinational firms in international relations

Abstract Multinational firms play a crucial role in the transmission of international policies across sovereign states. The present paper models the international policy equilibrium when conflict arises between two states, in which one state wishes to modify the policy choices of another state, and both the governments and their policy choices are subject to a self-interest maximization process on the part of voters, firms and government agents. Multinational firms are able to engage in lobbying activity in both their home countries and host countries in order to maximize firm-level profits. The analysis examines cases of both democratic and autocratic host countries.
Maybe the quark-parton model can survive electron-positron annihilation☆

Abstract Using a covariant parton model we show that scaling in e + e − annihilation is extremely cunctative.
Residual deformation of active structures with SMA actuators

Abstract In this paper, a three species thermomechanical constitutive model for Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators, based on previous work by Boyd and Lagoudas (Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on Plasticity and its Current Applications, Baltimore, MD, 19–23 July, 1993) is developed. The three species that contribute to the specific free energy of SMA are: self-accommodated martensite, detwinned martensite and austenite. The total martensitic volume fraction is decomposed into two parts: self-accommodated and detwinned martensite. The dissipation potentials, utilized for the evolution of the volume fractions of the two parts of martensite, are explicity given for 1-D. The concept of critical stress associated with detwinning of self-accommodated martensite, is introduced to incorporate the observed phenomenon during cooling of SMA actuators. The constitutive model described above is well suited for applications in active structures, because the maximum amount of the detwinned martensitic volume fraction is related to the current stress and temperature of the SMA actuator. This maximum amount of volume fraction can be reached during cooling in a constrained structural environment and is determined by the evolution of the internal variables. A prototype structural example, which is a flexible cantilever beam with an externally attached SMA actuator, is used to demonstrate the capability to predict the residual deformation and stress upon cooling.
Using Typologies to Interpret Study Abroad Preferences of American Business Students: Applying a Tourism Framework to International Education

The authors describe research that applies a tourist framework to study abroad attitudes and preferences. A total of 371 university business students in the Southern region of the United States completed a survey that included the International Tourist Role scale and study abroad attitudes and preferences. These students were grouped into one of 4 international tourist typologies: familiarity seekers, controlled exposure seekers, spontaneous dissimilarity seekers, and cultural dissimilarity seekers. Identifying the combination of travel preferences held by members of these 4 typologies can help business educators and study abroad professionals design, develop, and market study abroad programs for business students.
Evidence for the presence of cGMP-dependent protein kinase-II in human distal colon and in T84, the colonic cell line.

Abstract Heat-stable enterotoxin (STa) stimulates intestinal Cl− secretion by activating guanylate cyclase C (GCC) to increase intracellular cyclic GMP (cGMP). In the colon, cGMP action could involve protein kinase (PK) G-II or PKA pathways, depending on the segment and species. In the human colon, both PKG and PKA pathways have been implicated, and, therefore, the present study examined the mechanism of cGMP-mediated Cl− transport in primary cultures of human distal colonocytes and in T84, the colonic cell line. Both cell preparations express mRNA for CFTR, Na+-K+-2Cl− cotransporter (NKCC1), GCC and PKG-II as detected by RT-PCR. The effects of STa and the PKG-specific cGMP analogues, 8Br-cGMP and 8pCPT-cGMP, on Cl− transport were measured using a halide-sensitive probe. In primary human colonocytes and T84 cells, STa, the cGMP analogues and the cAMP-dependent secretagogue, prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), enhanced Cl− transport. The effects of 8Br-cGMP and 8pCPT-cGMP suggested the involvement of PKG, and this was explored further in T84 cells. The effects of 8pCPT-cGMP were dose-dependent and sensitive to the PKG inhibitor, H8 (70 μM), but H8 had no effect on PGE1-induced Cl− secretion. In contrast, a PKA inhibitor, H7 (50 μM), blocked PGE1-mediated but not 8pCPT-cGMP-induced Cl− transport. 8pCPT-cGMP enhanced phosphorylation of the PKG-specific substrate, 2A3, by T84 membranes in vitro. This phosphorylation was inhibited by H8. These results strongly suggest that cGMP activates Cl− transport through a PKG-II pathway in primary cells and in the T84 cell line of the human colon.
Sensitization of cocaine-stimulated increase in extracellular levels of corticotropin-releasing factor from the rat amygdala after repeated administration as determined by intracranial microdialysis

Using intracranial microdialysis, the effect of repeated cocaine (30 mg/kg i.p.) versus saline administration for 10 consecutive days upon basal and stimulated release of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) was examined in the central amygdaloid nucleus (CeA) of anesthetized rats. No significant differences in basal CRF levels between daily cocaine and saline treated groups were found. However, after cocaine challenge (10 mg/kg i.p.) the increase in CRF overflow was significantly greater in cocaine- as opposed to saline-pretreated rats (266 +/- 55.4% versus 149 +/- 8.5% of basal levels). Local administration of 4-aminopyridine produced a significant increase in CRF efflux (195 +/- 58.5%) in daily cocaine-treated rats with only a weak response in the control group (127 +/- 30.9%). These data demonstrate that repeated administration of cocaine enhances cocaine-induced release of CRF in the rat CeA. The sensitization of CRF release may play a significant role in psychostimulant-induced sensitization phenomena.
Casimir interactions between scatterers in metallic carbon nanotubes

We study interactions between localized scatterers on metallic carbon nanotubes by a mapping onto a one-dimensional Casimir problem. Backscattering of electrons between localized scattering potentials mediates long-range forces between them. We model spatially localized scatterers by local and nonlocal potentials and treat simultaneously the effects of intravalley and intervalley backscattering. We find that the long-range forces between scatterers exhibit the universal power-law decay of the Casimir force in one dimension, with prefactors that control the sign and strength of the interaction. These prefactors are nonuniversal and depend on the symmetry and degree of localization of the scattering potentials. We find that local potentials inevitably lead to a coupled valley scattering problem, though by contrast nonlocal potentials lead to two decoupled single-valley problems in a physically realized regime. The Casimir effect due to two-valley scattering potentials is characterized by the appearance of spatially periodic modulations of the force.
Trading cost premiums in capital asset returns—a closed form solution

Abstract This paper presents a closed form solution to the Amihud-Mendelson model that incorporates bid-ask spreads into the required rate of return on capital assets. Return premiums are shown to be concave in the cost of trading. Two types of liquid assets are defined; quoted and non-quoted, and the applicability of the model to the two types is discussed.
A compact 4-element dual-band GPS array

A compact 3.5″ 4-element dual-band GPS array was designed for adaptive nulling applications. An important feature of this design is antenna miniaturization via slots (inductive) loading. This design concept can, of course, be applied to other narrow-band antennas. Simulated results were given exhibiting good performances when the antenna is functioning in isolation and in-situ of the array.
Aging and Health Status of Elderly in Latin America and the Caribbean: Preliminary Findings

Aging in Latin America and the Caribbean will not proceed along known paths already followed by more developed countries. In particular, the health profile of the future elderly population is less predictable due to factors associated with their demographic past that may haunt them for a long time and make them more vulnerable, even if economic and institutional conditions turn out to be better than what they are likely to be. This paper answers a set of questions regarding the nature and determinants of health status among the elderly in Latin America and the Caribbean using SABE (Survey on Health and Well-Being of Elders), a cross-sectional representative sample of over 10,000 elderly aged 60 and above in private homes in seven major cities in Latin America and the Caribbean. We examine health outcomes such as self-reported health, functional limitations–Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL’s), obesity (ratio of weight in kilograms to the square of height in centimeters), and self-reported chronic conditions (including diabetes). The findings include: (a) Countries differ in self-reported health but exhibit much less differences in terms of functional limitations. The number of chronic conditions increase with age and is higher among females than among males; (b) On average SABE countries display levels of self-reported diabetes (and obesity) that are as high if not higher than those found in the US; (c) There is evidence, albeit weaker than expected, suggesting deteriorated health and functional status in the region; (d) There is important evidence pointing toward rather strong inequalities (by education and income) in selected health outcomes. Preliminary findings from SABE confirm that Latin America and the Caribbean display peculiarities in the health profile of elderly, particularly with regard to diabetes and obesity. It is important that new policy initiatives begin to seriously target the region’s elderly, especially with an emphasis on the prevention and treatment of diabetes and obesity.
Novel techniques for location-cloaked applications

Location cloaking has been shown to be cost-effective in mitigating location privacy and safety risks. This strategy, however, has significant impact on the applications that rely on location information. They may suffer efficiency loss; some may not even work with reduced location resolution. This research investigates two problems. 1) How to process location-cloaked queries. Processing such queries incurs significant more workload for both server and client. While the server needs to retrieve more query results and transmit them to the client, the client downloading these results wastes its battery power because most of them are useless. To address these problems, we propose a suite of noval techniques including query decomposition, scheduling, and personalized air indexing. These techniques are integrated into a single unified platform that is capable of handling various types of queries. 2) How a node V can verify whether or not another node P indeed locates in a cloaking region it claims. This problem is challenging due to the fact that the process of location verification may allow V to refine P ’s location within the region. We identify two types of attacks, transmission coverage attack and distance bounding attack. In the former, V refines a cloaking region by adjusting its transmission range to partially overlap with the region, whereas in the latter, by measuring the round trip time of its communication with P . We present two corresponding counter strategies, and built on top of them, propose a novel technique that allows P to participate in location verification while providing a certain level of guarantee that its cloaking region will not be refined during the process.
Erythrocyte G protein as a novel target for malarial chemotherapy

Background Malaria remains a serious health problem because resistance develops to all currently used drugs when their parasite targets mutate. Novel antimalarial drug targets are urgently needed to reduce global morbidity and mortality. Our prior results suggested that inhibiting erythrocyte Gs signaling blocked invasion by the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Methods and Findings We investigated the erythrocyte guanine nucleotide regulatory protein Gs as a novel antimalarial target. Erythrocyte ‘‘ghosts’’ loaded with a Gs peptide designed to block Gs interaction with its receptors, were blocked in b-adrenergic agonist-induced signaling. This finding directly demonstrates that erythrocyte Gs is functional and that propranolol, an antagonist of G protein–coupled b-adrenergic receptors, dampens Gs activity in erythrocytes. We subsequently used the ghost system to directly link inhibition of host Gs to parasite entry. In addition, we discovered that ghosts loaded with the peptide were inhibited in intracellular parasite maturation. Propranolol also inhibited blood-stage parasite growth, as did other b2antagonists. b-blocker growth inhibition appeared to be due to delay in the terminal schizont stage. When used in combination with existing antimalarials in cell culture, propranolol reduced the 50% and 90% inhibitory concentrations for existing drugs against P. falciparum by 5- to 10-fold and was also effective in reducing drug dose in animal models of infection.
Spectral domain optical coherence tomography imaging of spectacular ecdysis in the royal python (Python regius)

Objective To describe using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), digital slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and external photography, changes in the ophidian cuticle, spectacle, and cornea during ecdysis. Animals Studied Four normal royal pythons (Python regius). Procedures Snakes were assessed once daily throughout a complete shed cycle using nasal, axial, and temporal SD-OCT images, digital slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and external photography. Results Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) images reliably showed the spectacular cuticle and stroma, subcuticular space (SCS), cornea, anterior chamber, iris, and Schlemm’s canal. When visible, the subspectacular space (SSS) was more distended peripherally than axially. Ocular surface changes throughout ecdysis were relatively conserved among snakes at all three regions imaged. From baseline (7 days following completion of a full cycle), the spectacle gradually thickened before separating into superficial cuticular and deep, hyper-reflective stromal components, thereby creating the SCS. During spectacular separation, the stroma regained original reflectivity, and multiple hyper-reflective foci (likely fragments from the cuticular-stromal interface) were noted within the SCS. The cornea was relatively unchanged in character or thickness throughout all stages of ecdysis. Slit-lamp images did not permit observation of these changes. Conclusions Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) provided excellent high-resolution images of the snake anterior segment, and especially the cuticle, spectacle, and cornea of manually restrained normal snakes at all stages of ecdysis and warrants investigation in snakes with anterior segment disease. The peripheral spectacle may be the preferred entry point for diagnostic or therapeutic injections into the SSS and for initiating spectacular surgery.
Temporal trends and risk factors for extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli in adults with catheter-associated urinary tract infections

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli cause up to 10% of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI). We report changes in ESBL prevalence among CAUTIs in an adult acute care hospital from 2006-2012 and describe factors associated ESBL-production among E. coli CAUTI. Data on patients ≥18 years discharged from a 647-bed tertiary/quaternary care hospital (2006-2012), a 221-bed community hospital (2007-2012), and a 914-bed tertiary/quaternary care hospital (2008) were obtained retrospectively from an electronic database (N = 415,430 discharges). Infections were identified using a previously validated electronic algorithm. Information on medical conditions and treatments were collected from electronic health records and discharge billing codes. A case-control design was used to determine factors associated with having a CAUTI caused by an ESBL-producing E. coli versus a non-ESBL-producing E. coli. Changes in yearly proportion of ESBL E. coli CAUTI at the 647-bed tertiary/quaternary care hospital were evaluated. ESBL increased from 4% in 2006 to 14% in 2012, peaking at 18% in 2009. Prior antibiotic treatment and urinary tract disease significantly increased odds of ESBL. This study provides evidence that treatment with beta-lactam and non-beta-lactam antibiotics is a risk factor for acquiring ESBL-producing E. coli CAUTI, and the prevalence of this organism may be increasing in acute care hospitals.
Statistical analysis of shear wave speed in the uterine cervix.

Although cervical softening is critical in pregnancy, there currently is no objective method for assessing the softness of the cervix. Shear wave speed (SWS) estimation is a noninvasive tool used to measure tissue mechanical properties such as stiffness. The goal of this study was to determine the spatial variability and assess the ability of SWS to classify ripened versus unripened tissue samples. Ex vivo human hysterectomy samples (n = 22) were collected; a subset (n = 13) were ripened. SWS estimates were made at 4 to 5 locations along the length of the canal on both anterior and posterior halves. A linear mixed model was used for a robust multivariate analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) were calculated to describe the utility of SWS to classify ripened versus unripened tissue samples. Results showed that all variables used in the linear mixed model were significant ( p <; 0.05). Estimates at the mid location for the unripened group were 3.45 ± 0.95 m/s (anterior) and 3.56 ± 0.92 m/s (posterior), and 2.11 ± 0.45 m/s (anterior) and 2.68 ± 0.57 m/s (posterior) for the ripened ( p <; 0.001). The AUCs were 0.91 and 0.84 for anterior and posterior, respectively, suggesting that SWS estimates may be useful for quantifying cervical softening.
Surgical anticipatory stress manifests itself in immunocyte desensitization: Evidence for autoimmunoregulatory involvement

The immunocyte behavior (conformational changes and locomotion in response to signal molecule challenge) in patients about to undergo elective cardiac surgery was studied to elucidate the effect of psychological anticipatory stress on the immune system. Granulocytes and monocytes from 10 patients and 35 non-surgical controls were examined. Computer-assisted microscopic image analysis, capable of measuring cellular conformational and velocity changes, was used to measure the responsiveness of these immunocytes to peptidergic and cytokine stimulation. Immunocyte desensitization would appear to account for the reduction in their abilities to respond to chemotaxic challenge associated with the pre-cardiac surgery state. Their abilities to respond to D-Ala2-Met-enkephalinamide (DAMA) were observed only at much higher concentrations than previously reported (10-11 M vs. 10-9 M prior to surgery). This finding, together with the observed decrease in adrenocorticotropin levels compared to non-surgical controls, suggests that neutral endopeptidase activity was elevated just prior to surgery. Indeed, neutral endopeptidase activity is statistically elevated in the pre-cardiac surgery state. Furthermore, glucocorticoid levels remained constant, within normal resting limits, in both groups. Thus, surgical anticipatory stress may manifest itself, in part, as a desensitization of various immunocytes. Thus, a psychological anticipatory stress response may be a precipitant of the desensitization. Although this desensitization seemed not to involve the entire hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, the data suggest that psychological anticipatory stress may initially involve and influence autoimmunoregulation.
A digital phase-locked loop for frequency detection

A digital phase-locked loop is introduced, which is specifically developed for frequency detection. The digital oscillator is realized with a coupled-form digital filter structure and a Hilbert transform is used for phase detection. The quadrature of the input signal is formed from two samples of the actual input signal. In this paper explicit formulas are derived for the noise variance in the frequency detector and for the acquisition time. The results of the digital phase-locked loop are compared with those of an adaptive digital filter with a resonator in the feedback loop.
PASTE: patient-centered SMS text tagging in a medication management system

Objective To evaluate the performance of a system that extracts medication information and administration-related actions from patient short message service (SMS) messages. Design Mobile technologies provide a platform for electronic patient-centered medication management. MyMediHealth (MMH) is a medication management system that includes a medication scheduler, a medication administration record, and a reminder engine that sends text messages to cell phones. The object of this work was to extend MMH to allow two-way interaction using mobile phone-based SMS technology. Unprompted text-message communication with patients using natural language could engage patients in their healthcare, but presents unique natural language processing challenges. The authors developed a new functional component of MMH, the Patient-centered Automated SMS Tagging Engine (PASTE). The PASTE web service uses natural language processing methods, custom lexicons, and existing knowledge sources to extract and tag medication information from patient text messages. Measurements A pilot evaluation of PASTE was completed using 130 medication messages anonymously submitted by 16 volunteers via a website. System output was compared with manually tagged messages. Results Verified medication names, medication terms, and action terms reached high F-measures of 91.3%, 94.7%, and 90.4%, respectively. The overall medication name F-measure was 79.8%, and the medication action term F-measure was 90%. Conclusion Other studies have demonstrated systems that successfully extract medication information from clinical documents using semantic tagging, regular expression-based approaches, or a combination of both approaches. This evaluation demonstrates the feasibility of extracting medication information from patient-generated medication messages.
The Strategic Signaling of Capabilities by Service Firms in Different Information Asymmetry Environments

This study investigates how firms in high or low information asymmetry environments obtain performance benefits from their capabilities. Using data obtained from a sample of 234 service firms, the ...
Cell fate: Transition loses its invasive edge

Two studies provide evidence that epithelial tumour cells do not need to transition to a mesenchymal-cell state to form metastases, but that this process does contribute to drug resistance. See Article p.472 & Letter p.525 It has been suggested that epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), in which epithelial cells depolarize and adopt a fibroblast-like morphology, is a requirement for metastasis to occur. Other studies imply that the importance of EMT relies on cell-culture-based manipulation of EMT regulators. In this issue of Nature, two groups present results that suggest that EMT is not a prerequisite for metasasis. Dingcheng Gao and colleagues trace the fate of cells that have undergone EMT in mouse model for breast-to-lung metastasis. They find that although some cells undergo EMT in a primary epithelial tumour, the lung metastases mainly contain cells that have not undergone EMT. However, cells that have undergone EMT appear more resistant to chemotherapy. A microRNA that targets key EMT regulators is shown not to affect metastasis, but to reduce survival of EMT cells following chemotherapy. Raghu Kalluri and colleagues delete Twist or Snail — transcription factors that induce EMT — in a mouse model for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. This leads to an increase in cell proliferation, and a greater sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agent gemcitabine, with no effect on invasion and metastasis.
Primary care physicians' use of an informed decision-making process for prostate cancer screening.

PURPOSE Leading professional organizations acknowledge the importance of an informed decision-making process for prostate cancer screening. We describe pri- mary care physicians' reports of their prescreening discussions about the poten- tial harms and benefi ts of prostate cancer screening. METHODS Members of the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network responded to a survey that included (1) an indicator of prac- tice styles related to discussing harms and benefi ts of prostate-specifi c antigen testing and providing a screening recommendation or letting patients decide, and (2) indicators refl ecting physicians' beliefs about prostate cancer screening. The survey was conducted between July 2007 and January 2008. RESULTS Of 426 physicians 246 (57.7%) completed the survey questionnaire. Compared with physicians who ordered screening without discussion (24.3%), physicians who discussed harms and benefi ts with patients and then let them decide (47.7%) were more likely to endorse beliefs that scientifi c evidence does not support screening, that patients should be told about the lack of evidence, and that patients have a right to know the limitations of screening; they were also less likely to endorse the belief that there was no need to educate patients because they wanted to be screened. Concerns about medicolegal risk associ- ated with not screening were more common among physicians who discussed the harms and benefi ts and recommended screening than among physicians who discussed screening and let their patients decide.
Tongue oximetry in children with extensive thermal injury: comparison with peripheral oximetry.

We undertook a prospective study of standard peripheral pulse oximetry versus a modified pulse oximeter probe applied to the tongue in order to determine the efficacy of this alternative monitoring site in children with thermal injuries. Ten patients with a mean age (± SD) of 7.5 ± 4.5 yr were studied on 15 occasions. The mean weight +- SD) was 31.4+- 13.7 kg and percent surface area burn (± SD) was 56+- 21%. A total of 1,992 min of anaesthesia time was monitored. Both sites functioned simultaneously 47% of the time; the lingual but not the peripheral site functioned 28% of the time and only the peripheral site and not the lingual functioned 22% of the time. Neither site functioned 3% of the time. The tongue oximeter provided 563 min more monitoring time than the peripheral sites. The tongue oximeter also functioned in children with peripheral vasoconstriction when the peripheral sensor failed and was less susceptible to electrocautery interference. The tongue oximeter is a reasonable adjunct but not a substitute for peripheral oximetry since its application is limited to paralyzed, intubated patients.
How can we trust a policy system to make the best decision

Policy-based systems are becoming increasingly common; the emerging areas of autonomic (Horn; Kephart and Chess, 2003) and on demand (Kephart and Walsh, 2004) computing are accelerating the adoption of such systems. As the requirements on policy-based systems become more complex, traditional approaches to the implementation of such systems, such as relying entirely on simple "if [condition] then [actions]" rules, become insufficient. New approaches to the design and implementation of policy-based systems have emerged, including goal policies (Kephart and Walsh, 2004; Bandara et al., 2004), utility functions (Kephart and Walsh, 2004), data mining, reinforcement learning, and planning. Unfortunately, these new approaches do nothing to reduce administrators' skepticism towards policy-based automation - how is an administrator to believe that a policy-based system will help his systems perform better? Unless policy-based systems are trusted at least as much as traditional systems, it is unlikely that the acceptance of the policy-based systems will increase. In this report, we describe an approach by which a policy-based system can win the trust of its users, and can continuously adjust itself to make better decisions based on the users' preferences.
BREEDING SYSTEM, COLONY STRUCTURE, AND GENETIC DIFFERENTIATION IN THE CAMPONOTUS FESTINATUS SPECIES COMPLEX OF CARPENTER ANTS

All social insects live in highly organized societies. However, different social insect species display striking variation in social structure. This variation can significantly affect the genetic structure within populations and, consequently, the divergence between species. The purpose of this study was to determine if variation in social structure was associated with species diversification in the Camponotus festinatus desert carpenter ant species complex. We used polymorphic DNA microsatellite markers to dissect the breeding system of these ants and to determine if distinct C. festinatus forms hybridized in their natural range. Our analysis of single-queen colonies established in the laboratory revealed that queens typically mated with only a single male. The genotypes of workers sampled from a field population suggested that multiple, related queens occasionally reproduced within colonies and that colonies inhabited multiple nests. Camponotus festinatus workers derived from colonies of the same form originating at different locales were strongly differentiated, suggesting that gene flow was geographically restricted. Overall, our data indicate that C. festinatus populations are highly structured. Distinct C. festinatus forms possess similar social systems but are genetically isolated. Consequently, our data suggest that diversification in the C. festinatus species complex is not necessarily associated with a shift in social structure.