cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Entrepreneurship and neighbourhood among African Americans in Cleveland, Ohio

While African Americans in the USA have been eager to start businesses, the neighbourhood context can work against business success. In this paper, black businesses in the Cleveland metropolitan area are compared with the racial, social, and crime characteristics of the neighbourhoods within which they are located. Results indicate that black businesses are found in neighbourhoods that experience higher levels of violent crime. Such businesses are more likely to experience burglary and to have a stronger perception of crime. This research underscores some of the difficulties experienced by minority businesses and identifies potential areas of vulnerability.
Race and Ethnic Variation in Proximal Femur Structure and BMD Among Older Men

Femoral neck dimensions and vBMD from QCT were compared among 3305 black, Asian, Hispanic, and white men ≥65 yr of age. All had similar stature-adjusted mean femoral neck volume, but black and Asian men had thicker cortices and higher trabecular vBMD, which may increase bone strength. Introduction Hip fracture rates among elderly U.S. black and Asian men are lower than rates among white men. Structural characteristics or volumetric BMD (vBMD), which confer advantages for femoral neck bone strength, may vary by race/ethnicity. However, this topic has not been studied in detail.
The influence of beam position and swimming direction on fish target strength

Henderson, M. J., Horne, J. K., and Towler, R. H. 2007. The influence of beam position and swimming direction on fish target strength. - ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 226-237.Fish orientation is consistently identified as a major influence on fish target strength (TS). Generally, orientation is defined as the tilt angle of the fish with respect to the acoustic transducer, whereas a more accurate definition includes tilt, roll, and yaw. Thus far, the influences of roll and yaw on fish TS have only been examined cursorily. We used in situ single-target data to create fish tracks, to estimate fish tilt and yaw, and correlated these estimates with TS. The results show that tilt, yaw, and beam position have a significant influence on fish TS. To investigate further how yaw and beam position affect TS, we calculated the expected backscatter from each fish within simulated fish aggregations using a backscatter model. The TS of individual fish at 38 and 120 kHz varied by as much as 11 and 19 dB with changes in yaw and beam position. Altering the fish’s tilt, yaw, and beam position resulted in TS differences of 14 and 26 dB at 38 and 120 kHz, respectively. Orientation had a minimal influence on an aggregation’s average TS if the aggregation had a variable tilt-angle distribution and was dispersed throughout the acoustic beam.
Microstructure based fatigue life predictions for thick plate 7050-T7451 airframe alloys

Abstract The purpose of this work was to test a microstructure based fatigue life prediction Monte-Carlo model for potential use in quantifying fatigue quality and reliability of metallic structural alloys. The model used was of the crack growth type with the sizes of crack initiating pores, local crack geometry and crack tip texture as random variables. The model was verified using data for 7050-T7451 plate alloy fatigue tested in smooth sample configuration at σ max of 241 and 276 MPa and R =0.1. The mechanical testing was supplemented with characterizations of the size distributions of the fatigue performance limiting bulk porosity and measurements of the actual sizes of the fatigue crack initiating pores. Predicted fatigue lives were in good agreement with the experimental results and the model identified the size distribution of the crack initiating pores as the dominant variable controlling fatigue performance. The distributions of those pores were predicted from the bulk pore size data using the statistics of extremes. The developed approach proved effective in incorporating microstructural information in modeling fatigue and could be used in ranking fatigue quality and reliability of materials based on microstructural data.
Acromegaly: A Consideration of Its Course and Treatment Report of Four Cases with Autopsies

In the final analysis it is long personal familiarity with, and a critical discriminating attitude toward, a wealth of clinical material that add a modicum of authoritative information to the sum of our knowledge of a given disease. Lack of opportunity to fulfill these requirements probably accounts for the fact that very little has been added to our knowledge of acromegaly since the comprehensive work of Cushing and Davidoff (1–5) was published nearly 15 years ago. Although many of their conclusions were hypothetical at the time, they have since been substantiated in the light of newer knowledge concerning the pituitary gland. Their analysis included 100 verified cases, a truly sizeable series considering the rarity of the disease. Up to 1938, Atkinson (6, 7, 8), after diligent search of the literature and with the aid of the British Consular Service all over the world, had been able to uncover only 1606 cases of acromegaly which he tabulated in a unique monograph.
Interferon therapy in primary care.

Abstract Interferons are proteins produced by human blood cells in response to stimulation (viral infection). The natural roles of interferons are host defense and modulation of the immune system. Therapeutic uses are based on these roles. Interferon-α has been widely used for malignancies, skin conditions, viral infections, and myeloproliferative disorders. Interferon-β is a standard treatment for relapsing multiple sclerosis. Interferon-γ therapy is currently used for chronic granulomatous disease and skin lesions (human papilloma virus related and keloids), but further research is ongoing. Side effects of interferon therapy are common and limit utility. Flulike symptoms are reported by more than 75% and depression by 10–40% of interferon users. Severe adverse effects are less common but may be life threatening, including autoimmune diseases, thrombotic-thrombocytopenic purpura, and acute renal failure. Limited use of interferon therapy during pregnancy has been described, with successful maternal and neonatal outcomes. Use of interferon therapy during early pregnancy is not an indication for termination.
Exposure to 1 ppm ozone attenuates the immediate antigenic response of canine peripheral airways.

The effect of oxidant exposure on the immediate airway response to immunologic challenge is controversial. We investigated the response of canine peripheral airways to antigen aerosol, 1–3 h and 24 h after a 5‐min exposure to 1 ppm ozone. In dogs that were natively sensitive to Ascaris suum antigen, resistance to flow through the collateral system (R cs ) was measured using the wedged bronchoscope technique. In eight dogs, four sublobar segments of each lung were wedged: two were exposed to ozone for 5 min and two (control) received air with 5% CO2. Ozone caused a mean (±SE) increase in R cs of 75 ± 15%, which returned to baseline after 1–3 h. The increase in R cs elicited by subsequent administration of antigen aerosol (25 μl, 0.27 mg protein/ml) to the ozone‐exposed segments (312.0 ± 70.6%) was attenuated by 22% compared to controls (398.9 ± 83.0% p < .05). In another series of experiments (n = 5), segments were exposed to ozone or air and challenged with antigen 24 h later and a significant attenuation...
Sex differences in paradoxical sleep: influences of estrus cycle and ovariectomy

Abstract Previously, we reported that paradoxical sleep (PS) is sexually dimorphic in mice and rats. Since some early studies indicate that PS is suppressed during proestrus night, it is important to know whether the estrus cycle and accompanying circulating ovarian hormones could explain the sexual dimorphism of PS. To examine this, sleep patterns of male rats were compared with those of normal cycling female rats and ovariectomized females in a 12:12 h light/dark cycle. Slow wave sleep and total sleep time are indistinguishable between the males, cycling females and ovariectomized females. However, normal males display significantly more PS than cycling females during both daytime and nighttime (average of all estrus stages). On the other hand, while ovariectomy has no visible effect on daytime sleep - the sexual dimorphism of PS is unchanged by ovariectomy - during nighttime, ovariectomy produces a selective increase of PS, eliminating the sex difference during the night. In sum, normal cycling females show no change in daytime sleep patterns across the estrus cycle, but have significantly less PS during proestrus nights than during metestrus and diestrus nights. The results indicate that the sex difference in nighttime PS is due to the suppression of PS by ovarian hormones during proestrus and, to a less extent, estrus nights. The sex difference in daytime PS, on the other hand, appears to be independent of circulating ovarian hormones.
Rings Whose CS Modules Are Countably Σ-CS

Abstract A module M is called a CS module if every submodule of M is essential in a direct summand of M. In this paper, among other results, we prove that for a ring R with finitely generated right socle the following are equivalent: i) For every CS right R-module M, M (ℕ) is CS; ii) R is a right artinian ring with all uniforms Σ-quasi-injective.
Sex control and ploidy manipulations in yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and walleye (Stizostedion vitreum)

In both yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and walleye (Stizostedion vitreum), females grow significantly faster and reach a larger ultimate size than males. In addition, reproductive development in both of these species can have a significant negative impact on somatic growth and fillet yield. Accordingly, methods for producing monosex female populations and for inducing sterility, have important potential applications for both commercial fish culture and fisheries management. Of the several available methods for producing monosex female populations in fishes (such as yellow perch and walleye) in which females are homogametic, the preferred method (described herein) may be to treat juveniles with androgens to induce phenotypic sex inversion of genetic females, and to subsequently use sperm from these females to fertilize normal eggs. Initial efforts at inducing sterility focused on the direct use of either heat or hydrostatic pressure shocks to produce triploid yellow perch and walleye. The gonadal development of triploid yellow perch and walleye of both sexes is retarded compared to that of diploids, and triploid yellow perch can have higher fillet yields than diploids. The direct use of heat and pressure shocks to induce triploidy in yellow perch, however, has negative effects on growth that are independent of ploidy status. One way to circumvent this problem is to produce triploids by crossing fertile tetraploids with diploids. To date, methods of producing viable tetraploids (beyond the larval stage) have been developed for yellow perch but not for walleye.
Is routine carotid ultrasound surveillance after carotid endarterectomy worthwhile

Background Periodic ultrasound studies are routinely performed after carotid endarterectomy with the aim of detecting recurrent stenosis or progression of contralateral disease. The frequency with which these studies should be performed and their clinical utility is at present un-clear. Our experience with ultrasound surveillance after carotid endarterectomy was reviewed. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of our carotid registry as a follow-up on patients who had undergone primary endarterectomy between 1982 and 1995. The database was searched for events referable to the contralateral carotid artery including incidence of contralateral endarterectomy, progression of contralateral stenosis, and development of new neurologic symptoms. Data was analyzed by life-table methodology. Results A total of 562 patients underwent 660 endarterectomies during the study interval with a postoperative stroke rate of 3.6% and a mortality of 1.1%. Of these, 496 patients had data available on the contralateral artery. There were 384 patent, nonoperated contralateral arteries available for long-term clinical follow-up, of which 276 had serial Doppler examinations. At the time of initial presentation, 30% of patients (141 cases) had greater than 50% diameter stenosis in the contralateral artery including 45 occlusions. There were 67 contralateral endarterectomies performed within 6 months of the original surgery. An additional 15 endarterectomies were performed within 24 months of the original surgery and only 16 subsequent endarterectomies were performed up to the 8-year follow-up. Progression of contralateral stenosis from less than to greater than 50% occurred in 10.1% of the patient population. The rate of disease progression was 5.1% at 3 years, 17.8% at 5 years, and 30% at 7 years. Stroke-free survival in patients without progression was 94.7% at 3 years and 93.3% at 5 years. Conclusions Significant contralateral disease occurs in about one third of patients, most of whom are candidates for early contralateral end-arterectomy. In patients who present with minimal contralateral disease, the incidence of progression is low over time. Follow-up duplex examinations on a biennial schedule is sufficient to detect clinically significant disease progression in these patients.
Experimental pain and opioid analgesia in volunteers at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea.

Background Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by recurrent nocturnal hypoxia and sleep disruption. Sleep fragmentation caused hyperalgesia in volunteers, while nocturnal hypoxemia enhanced morphine analgesic potency in children with OSA. This evidence directly relates to surgical OSA patients who are at risk for airway compromise due to postoperative use of opioids. Using accepted experimental pain models, we characterized pain processing and opioid analgesia in male volunteers recruited based on their risk for OSA.
Sex of child preferences among college students

In both 1985 and 1988, college student preferences for the sex of an only child were examined using social surveys. For both years, it was found that male students strongly prefer a male child, but that female students moderately prefer a female child. Gender of respondent accounted for most of the sex preference difference. The sex role attitude of agreement with having the wife retain her own name was the only other variable significantly related to sex preference. It is argued that differing male-female role expectations for women as wives and mothers partly explained the gender differences in sex preference for a child.
Brittle and quasi-ductile damage at large strain rates

The present study suggests that molecular and particle dynamics simulations can provide the basis for estimates of qualitative and quantitative aspects of damage in materials with inferior cohesive strength subjected to high strain rate loading. Two examples demonstrate that the traditional continuum models are of limited value in modeling of the class of considered problems.
Accelerated hazards regression model and its adequacy for censored survival data.

Summary. The accelerated hazards regression model is introduced to study the relationship between survival times and covariates through a scale change between hazard functions. The model is also compared with several other popular classes of regression models for censored survival data in statistical literature. Test statistics are proposed and studied to assess the model's adequacy. Actual data from a randomized clinical trial of biodegradable carmustine polymer for treatment of brain cancer are analyzed to demonstrate the potential application of the regression model and the proposed test statistics.
The in vitro synthesis of estrogen-dependent proteins by the baboon (Papio anubis) oviduct

This study was undertaken to determine the effect of estradiol and progesterone on the synthesis of oviduct-specific proteins and to determine if there were changes in the synthesis of these proteins in different regions of the oviduct. Ovariectomized females were either untreated, treated with estradiol for 7 or 14 days, or primed with estradiol for 14 days and then treated with estradiol plus progesterone or progesterone alone for either 7 or 14 days. Oviducts were incubated in the presence of labeled methionine or glucosamine for 24 h at 37 C, and the culture medium was then analyzed by one- and two-dimensional (2-D) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, followed by fluorography. A family of macromolecules [mol wt (Mr), 100,000-130,000] was only present in the animals treated with estradiol for 7 or 14 days. 2-D analysis demonstrated that two proteins, one basic and one acidic, were the major estradiol-responsive proteins in the 100,000-130,000 Mr region. In addition, an acidic protein in this region increased in intensity with estradiol treatment. All three proteins incorporated methionine and glucosamine. Since a steroid-responsive gradient is known to exist in the oviduct, oviducts were divided into fimbria, ampulla, and isthmic regions and cultured separately. 2-D analysis of the medium indicated that the ampulla synthesized both the acidic (Mr, 100,000-120,000) and basic (Mr, 120,000-130,000) proteins, whereas the acidic protein was dominant in the fimbria and the basic protein was dominant in the isthmus. Another acidic protein (Mr, 110,000) was only present in the fimbria and ampulla. This study clearly demonstrates that the estradiol-treated baboon oviduct synthesizes several proteins that were not detectable in the ovariectomized or progesterone-treated animal. Also, the different regions of the oviduct have different synthetic capabilities for these proteins. The electrophoretic characteristics of these proteins are similar to those we have observed at midcycle in the intact baboon and human oviduct.
Properties of Heavy Unstable Particles Produced by 1.3-Bev π − Mesons

A propane bubble chamber has been exposed to a ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ beam of 1.3-Bev kinetic energy. The reactions ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{\ensuremath{-}}+{K}^{+},$ ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{0}+{\ensuremath{\theta}}^{0},$ ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{0}+{\ensuremath{\theta}}^{0},$ can be experimentally distinguished from carbon events. Results based on the first 55 such events are presented. The center-of-mass production distribution of the ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ is peaked forward, that of the ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{0}$ backward. No large anisotropies in the angular correlation of production and decay were found, so that we have no evidence for spin in excess of \textonehalf{} for any of the three particles: ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{0}$, or ${\ensuremath{\theta}}^{0}$. A study of the relative abundance of single and double $V$ production indicates that both ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{0}$ and ${\ensuremath{\theta}}^{0}$ have either long-lived "states" or neutral decay modes. A statistical analysis gives ${\overline{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{0}}={{0.3}_{\ensuremath{-}0.12}}^{+0.15}$, ${\overline{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}_{{\ensuremath{\theta}}^{0}}={{0.3}_{\ensuremath{-}0.12}}^{+0.19}$, for the normal charged decay probabilities (${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}+p$; ${\ensuremath{\theta}}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}+{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$) of the ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}^{0}$ and ${\ensuremath{\theta}}^{0}$, respectively. One event was analyzed to obtain the energy released in ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ decay. ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}+n+Q$; $Q=118\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.6$ Mev. The ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ lifetime on the basis of 16 decays is (${1.4}_{\ensuremath{-}0.5}^{+1.6}$)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$ sec.
An isoparametric finite-element Stokes flow test problem

Two-dimensional Stokes flow of an incompressible Newtonian fluid about a horizontal cylinder situated next to a moving wall is presented and suggested as a nontrivial benchmark problem. Both the primitive variable Galerkin finite-element and the exact solutions are generated on a sequence of refined meshes. Error norms and convergence rates are presented for the C(o) bilinear-velocity/C(-1) piecewise constant-pressure and the C(o) biquadratic-velocity/C(-1) linear-pressure quadrilateral elements.
L-shaped resonant microring (LRM) modulator

A high-speed silicon L-shaped resonant microring modulator, enables directly integrated electrical contacts, 5-μm diameter, 5.3-THz free spectral range, is demonstrated error-free operation up to 30-Gb/s with 1.76-dB insertion loss and 2.8-dB power penalty.
Sustainable agriculture: Policy options and prospects

Complex policy issues and tradeoffs will arise in crafting the 1990 or 1991 Farm Bill. Efforts to advance progress toward sustainable agriculture production systems could arise in the farm bill's commodity, conservation, and research titles. Key definitional issues are highlighted here, as well as water quality issues and the impact of ongoing GATT negotiations in the context of increasing global demands on American agriculture.
PARMA: a parallel randomized algorithm for approximate association rules mining in MapReduce

Frequent Itemsets and Association Rules Mining (FIM) is a key task in knowledge discovery from data. As the dataset grows, the cost of solving this task is dominated by the component that depends on the number of transactions in the dataset. We address this issue by proposing PARMA, a parallel algorithm for the MapReduce framework, which scales well with the size of the dataset (as number of transactions) while minimizing data replication and communication cost. PARMA cuts down the dataset-size-dependent part of the cost by using a random sampling approach to FIM. Each machine mines a small random sample of the dataset, of size independent from the dataset size. The results from each machine are then filtered and aggregated to produce a single output collection. The output will be a very close approximation of the collection of Frequent Itemsets (FI's) or Association Rules (AR's) with their frequencies and confidence levels. The quality of the output is probabilistically guaranteed by our analysis to be within the user-specified accuracy and error probability parameters. The sizes of the random samples are independent from the size of the dataset, as is the number of samples. They depend on the user-chosen accuracy and error probability parameters and on the parallel computational model. We implemented PARMA in Hadoop MapReduce and show experimentally that it runs faster than previously introduced FIM algorithms for the same platform, while 1) scaling almost linearly, and 2) offering even higher accuracy and confidence than what is guaranteed by the analysis.
Implementing a 4000 meter HDTV camera system

Summary form only given, as follows:- The video systems on MBARI's Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), Ventana and Tiburon, are the single most important data source. Real-time images are uplinked for scientific observation, used as data for post mission processing, and provide visual information for the pilots operating the vehicles. Advances in digital electronics and data compression algorithms combined with the United States Governments desire to remain competitive in the international television market has resulted in the approval in 1996 of a new television format, the Digital Television (DTV) standard, that provides a five times increase in video image resolution. The MBARI High Definition Television (HDTV) project is a development effort that is implementing this emerging technology on their ROVs. In order to use DTV 1920 X 1080 standard HDTV equipment on an ROV several technical problems had to be addressed. The major design challenges were uplinking the very high data rate video signal, maintaining the extremely high resolution imaging though the camera housing optical dome correction optics, and repackaging a commercially available camera for 4000 meter ocean depths. The development of the optical uplink for the 1.485 Gb/sec HDTV serial data was constrained by the requirement of having all camera related functions use a maximum of one optical fiber, which provides a direct link from the camera housing itself to the ship based ROV control room. The original camera image quality is preserved to the digital HDTV recorder by conforming to the SMPTE 292M digital video standard for the entire transport and recording system and remaining in the optical domain as much as possible. This is accomplished by placing the optical transceivers within the remote camera housing.
Design and implementation of a lumped-element multipole HTS filter at 15 MHz

We have designed a three-pole bandpass filter operating at 15 MHz. The parameters of the filter include high Q, narrow band, low insertion loss and a return loss of 20 dB. The filter was fabricated from double-sided YBCO thin film on a two inch LAO substrate. The design utilizes individual HTS lumped elements (interdigital capacitors and meander line inductors) to realise the poles of the filter. The design and modeling of the filter are discussed in detail. Experimental results from the S-parameter measurements will be presented. Good agreement has been found between the simulation results and experimental data.
Open-label aripiprazole in the treatment of acute bipolar depression: a prospective pilot trial.

Abstract Background Increasing evidence indicates that some second-generation antipsychotics are efficacious in bipolar depression, but there are few data on this illness for the novel agent aripiprazole. Methods Aripiprazole response was prospectively assessed for 8 weeks with the Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), the Clinical Global Impression Scale Modified for Bipolar Illness (CGI-BP), and the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) in 31 bipolar patients with acute depression inadequately responsive to 1 mood stabilizer. Side effects and body weight were also evaluated. Outcome measures were analyzed with repeated measures ANOVAs. Results Patients showed a significant decrease in mean MADRS total and CGI-BP-Depression Severity scores, but only 14 (45%) completed the 8-week trial. Thirteen (42%) patients met criteria for response (≥ 50% reduction in MADRS total score), 11 (35%) patients met criteria for remission (final MADRS total score ≤ 12), and 9 (29%) patients discontinued aripiprazole for side effects, most commonly akathisia (N = 4). As a group, patients showed statistically insignificant weight gain (0.8 ± 2.5 kg) over the 8-week trial. Conclusion Aripiprazole was associated with beneficial effects on mood in some patients with bipolar depression, but also had a high discontinuation rate, primarily due to side effects. Double-blind, placebo-controlled studies are necessary to determine aripiprazole's efficacy, tolerability, and safety in bipolar depression.
Introduction to the Limnology and Oceanography Special Issue on Autonomous and Lagrangian Platforms and Sensors (ALPS)

This issue is devoted to recent developments of autonomous and Lagrangian platforms and sensors (ALPS) and their uses for solving a broad range of interdisciplinary aquatic problems. The collective papers treat a variety of problems that generally require measurements spanning a continuum of temporal and spatial scales. ALPS platforms in this issue include surface drifters, profiling and other types of subsurface floats, gliders, unmanned boats, autonomous underwater vehicles, and instrumented animals. ALPS platforms can provide access in difficult environments (e.g., under ice and in high-sea states). They are also important for emerging networked ocean and lake observing systems that require continuous measurements and near-real-time data. This introductory paper provides historical perspectives, background, motivation for the issue, and a tabular summary of papers in the present collection.
SANS determination of chain conformation in perpendicular-aligned undecablock copolymer lamellae

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements were conducted on mixtures of deuterated and normal compositionally symmetric CPCPCPCPCPC (or (CP)10) undecablock copolymers, containing poly(cyclohexylethylene) (C) and poly(ethylene-alt-propylene) (P) blocks. Deuterium labeling was achieved by hydrogenating and deuterating the same (SI)10 undecablock precursor. SANS patterns obtained from shear-aligned specimens could be separated into molecular scattering and domain scattering. The overall undecablock radii of gyration, extracted using the Guinier relation, indicate that the undecablock chains adopt a three-dimensional random walk in the perpendicular-arranged lamellae.
The Role of Component Commonality in Product Assortment Decisions

We consider a firm that produces multiple variants of a product. Products are assembled using a combination of common and dedicated components. We characterize the optimal assortment and derive the optimal inventory levels for the common and dedicated components under various bill-of-material configurations. We investigate the effect of commonality on product variety and compare its benefits under different demand characteristics. Commonality always leads to increased profits, but its effect on the level of product variety depends on the type of commonality. If all common components are used for the production of the entire set of products, then the optimal variety level increases relative to the system with no commonality. However, if the common components are used by a subset of the final products, then the optimal variety level may decrease with commonality. We find that the effects of commonality on profit and variety level are stronger under a demand model in which product demands are more variable and exhibit pairwise negative correlation relative to a model with independent demands.
Altered distribution of adiponectin isoforms in children with Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS): association with insulin sensitivity and circulating satiety peptide hormones

Summary Objective Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a genetic syndrome characterized by relative hypoinsulinaemia and normal or increased insulin sensitivity despite profound obesity. We hypothesized that this increased insulin sensitivity is mediated by increased levels of total and high molecular weight adiponectin and associated with changes in levels of satiety hormones. Design, patients and measurements We measured total adiponectin and its isoforms [high molecular weight (HMW), middle molecular weight (MMW) and low molecular weight (LMW) adiponectin] and satiety hormones in 14 children with PWS [median age 11·35 years, body mass index (BMI) Z-score 2·15] and 14 BMI-matched controls (median age 11·97 years, BMI Z-score 2·34). Results Despite comparable BMI Z-scores and leptin levels, the PWS children exhibited lower fasting insulin and HOMA-IR (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance) scores compared to obese controls. For any given BMI Z-score, the PWS children showed higher concentrations of fasting total and HMW adiponectin and higher HMW/total adiponectin ratios. The HMW/total adioponectin ratio was preserved in children with PWS at high degrees of obesity. In PWS children, fasting plasma total adiponectin, HMW adiponectin and HMW/total adiponectin ratio correlated negatively with age (P < 0·05), HOMA-IR (P < 0·01), BMI Z-score (P < 0·05), insulin (P < 0·01) and leptin (P < 0·05). In addition to higher fasting ghrelin concentrations, the PWS children showed significantly higher fasting levels of total peptide YY (PYY) and gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) compared to obese controls. Conclusions Relative to controls of similar age and BMI Z-score, the PWS children had significantly higher levels of total and HMW adiponectin, and increased ratios of HMW/total adiponectin. These findings may explain in part the heightened insulin sensitivity of PWS children relative to BMI-matched controls.
Role of the amino groups and C-terminal of sperm-whale myoglobin in the antigen-antibody reaction.

Role of the Amino Groups and C-Terminal of Sperm-Whale Myoglobin in the Antigen–Antibody Reaction
Integrating transfer learning in synthetic student

Building an intelligent agent, which simulates human-level learning appropriate for learning math, science, or a second language, could potentially benefit both education in understanding human learning, and artificial intelligence in creating human-level intelligence. Recently, we have proposed an efficient approach to acquiring procedural knowledge using transfer learning. However, it operated as a separate module. In this paper, we describe how to integrate this module into a machine-learning agent, SimStudent, that learns procedural knowledge from examples and through problem solving. We illustrate this method in the domain of algebra, after which we consider directions for future research in this area.
Dynamic Administration: The Collected Works of Mary Parker Follett

The article reviews the book “Dynamic Administration: The Collected Papers of Mary Parker Follett,” edited by Henry C. Metcalf and L. Urwick.
Serum deprivation induces SV40 early promoter activity

Proliferation and the expression of proliferation-associated genes are modulated by changing the serum concentration in the media of cultured cells. To determine if activity of the SV40 early promoter is modulated by serum, we examined the expression of SV40 early promoter driven marker genes in murine BALB/c 3T3T cells following serum deprivation or serum stimulation. SV40-promoter-regulated beta-galactosidase and chloramphenicol acetyl transferase genes were studied following either transient or stable transfection. The results show that serum deprivation of growing cells induces SV40 promoter activity while serum stimulation of quiescent G0 cells suppresses it. Kinetic analyses show a significant induction of the SV40 promoter activity during the first 2 days of serum deprivation which is maintained at a high level for 15 days. The induction of reporter gene expression by serum deprivation was selective for the SV40 early promoter because such an effect was not observed using the Rous sarcoma viral promoter. Nuclear run-off assays further show that the transcription controlled by the SV40 early promoter is approximately twofold greater in cells rendered quiescent by serum deprivation for 72 h than in growing cells cultured in medium containing serum. These results suggest that one reason SV40 T transformed cells commonly fail to undergo quiescence following serum deprivation is that the SV40 promoter is induced.
A construction of OFDM 16-QAM sequences having low peak powers

Using a realization of 16-QAM as set addition of two scaled versions of the 4-PSK constellation, we construct 16-QAM sequences having low peak-to-mean envelope power ratios (PMEPR) from 4-PSK Golay sequences. Various upper bounds on the peak envelope powers of these sequences are established. Transmission using these sequences provides twice as much rate as transmission using complementary Golay sequences with a maximum PMEPR of 3.6 (5.56 dB).
A phase I pharmacodynamic study of GTI-2040, an antisense oligonucleotide against ribonuclotide reductase, in acute leukemias: a California Cancer Consortium study

We performed a phase I study of GTI-2040, an antisense oligonucleotide against ribonucleotide reductase mRNA, on a novel dosing schedule of days 1-4 and 15-18 by continuous infusion to examine efficacy and tolerability in patients with leukemia. A dose of 11 mg/kg/d was safely reached. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) at the higher levels included elevated troponin I and liver function enzymes. There were no objective responses to GTI-2040 in this study; 7/24 patients were able to complete the predetermined three infusion cycles. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies were performed, indicating a trend towards increasing intracellular drug levels and decreasing RRM2 gene expression with increasing doses. This dose schedule may be considered if appropriate combinations are identified in preclinical studies.
Paranasal Sinus Balloon Catheter Dilation for Treatment of Chronic Rhinosinusitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

ObjectiveParanasal sinus balloon catheter dilation (BCD) represents a commonly used tool in the management of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) for which the indications, utilization, and outcomes have ...
Zvi Griliches and the Economics of Technology Diffusion: Linking innovation adoption, lagged investments, and productivity growth

The scientific legacy of Zvi Griliches' contribution to the economic analysis of the diffusion of technological innovations is the subject of this paper. It begins with an examination of the relationship between Griliches' pioneering empirical work on the introduction and adoption of hybrid corn and the subsequent development of theoretical models and econometric research on the microeconomic determinants of diffusion. Next, it formalizes the way that the dynamics of diffusion observed at the aggregate level is shaped by structural conditions at the micro-level â€“ on both the supply and the demand sides of the market for products embodying technological innovations, both of which were addressed by Griliches (1957). It then points out the reflections of those processes in lagged behavior of aggregate investment in durable capital-embodied innovations â€“ often regarded as an independent subject of Griliches' analytical and econometric research. The latter connection, and its link with productivity changes stemming from embodied technical change, are made explicit by the model of micro-to-macro relationships affecting the total factor productivity (TFP) growth rate that is presented in the third major section of the paper (and the Appendix). The three foregoing dynamic phenomena - diffusion, durable investment lags, and TFP growth â€“ were the topics of Griliches' three most widely cited journal articles, respectively. The connections among them have not been generally noticed by economists, and, indeed they remained implicit in his writings until late in his career, when he emphasized the diffusion-productivity nexus as a key proximate determinant of the pace of economic growth â€“ a perception whose importance remains insufficiently appreciated in current policy discussions that focus attention on "innovation" as the driver of intensive growth. Having directed attention to the microeconomics of technology adoption underlying the 'transitions' during which the diffusion of major innovations generate surges in innovation-embodying capital formation, and to the consequent waves in the TFP growth rate at the industry and sectoral levels, should be seen as prominent among the important and enduring contributions that Zvi Griliches made to modern economics.
A REVIEW OF MASTEROMETRY

From 1953 to 1959 the well-known Spanish paleontologist M. Crusafont Pairo (now Professor of Paleontology at the University of Barcelona) published a number of studies of carnivore evolution in collaboration with J. Truyols Santonja. (Crusafont and Truyols, 1953, 1956, 1957, 1958a, 1958b; Crusafont, 1959.) Their new approach to this subject was called masterometry (masterometria in Spanish). Although a summary of one of their two main methods was published in Evolution (Crusafont and Truyols, 1956), the full details of their work, published in Spanish in journals of somewhat limited world circulation, are still not as widely known as they should be. Lehman (1962) has referred to their Evolution paper as evidence for typology and orthogenesis.1 A technique devised by Crusafont and Truyols is currently being used in some research on fossil carnivores (unpublished manuscripts and personal communications). The purpose of the present review is again to call attention to these techniques, which might be more widely utilized, and at the same time to question such theoretical inferences as were drawn from them by Lehman. All of Crusafont's and Truyols' publications on this subject have been studied, but this review refers especially to the most detailed treatment in Crusafont and Truyols (1957). That work consists of two studies of the same subject and materials using dif-
P1-S2.76 Sexual concurrency among Latino migrant men in New Orleans

Background Sexual concurrency and migration have both been implicated in the spread of HIV/STI. Migrant men are highly mobile, but their level of sexual concurrency has not been well studied. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of and factors associated with sexual concurrency and to examine condom use within concurrent relationships among a group of newly arrived Latino migrant men (LMM) in New Orleans. Methods LMM enrolled in an ongoing cohort study, who had at least one female sexual partner during follow-up were interviewed a three time points over 6 months. Concurrency was calculated by asking start and stop date of each sexual relationship as well as intention to continue. Partnerships that had overlapping dates were considered concurrent. The association between selected individual and environmental factors and sexual concurrency was examined using generalised estimated equations (GEE). Results At baseline, LMM (n=90) were mostly Honduran (77.9%), employed (80.0%), worked in construction (55.6%), were uncircumcised (88.9%), were living with family (51.1%) and did not have a main sex partner (74.4%). Their mean age was 35.4 (SD 10.6) and they had been in New Orleans for average of 4.70 years (SD 0.89). During follow-up, 30 (33.3%) had at least one concurrent relationships, 10 (11.1%) had only concurrent relationships, and 59 (65.6%) had no concurrent relationships. In 239 observations, sexual partnering and consistent condom use was: concurrent (18.0%/53.5%), multiple but non-concurrent partners (5.9%/78.6%), and monogamous (50.6%/30.8%), while 25.5% were abstinent. Factors associated with sexual concurrency included: younger age, drug use, and living in crowed housing while belonging to organizations or sport team was protective. Of these 43 concurrent events, 21.0% included a risky partner (ie, female sex worker or casual partner) and main partner and 65.2% had at least one non-Latina partner. Of the 29 concurrent relationships that included a FSW, 5 (17.2%) did not use a condom with the sex worker. Conclusion This sample of LMM exhibited high rates of concurrency with a potential for bridging. Drug prevention and interventions that promote social connectedness are needed to reduce concurrency among this mobile group.
Risk Assessment of Deliberate Contamination of Food Production Facilities

The deliberate contamination of food is well recognized as a major public health threat. A food supply chain offers several possible targets for the intentional insertion of a biological or chemical toxin by a perpetrator, which can result in significant morbidity and mortality. We assume that both manager (defender) of the food production facility and perpetrator (attacker) select actions at each of a possibly countable number of decision epochs, based on possibly inaccurate real-time observations of the other agent. The defender’s objectives are to maximize long-run expected total discounted system productivity and to minimize the long-run expected total discounted consequence of an attack. The attacker’s objective is to maximize its reward, which combines the long-run expected total discounted consequence of an attack with a penalty if the attack is unsuccessful. We model this problem as a leader–follower, two-agent partially observed Markov game. We show that system risk is dynamic, determine the impact of observation accuracy on facility productivity and risk, thus providing a measure of the value of information, and perform a sensitivity analysis on key parameters. We present an illustrative example involving a liquid egg production system.
Electric Field Optimization of the Supporting Insulator of 500 kV DC GIL

The surface flashover of supporting insulators of DC gas insulated transmission line(GIL) GIL is mainly induced by surface charge accumulation.The distribution of interior electric field of DC GIL is mainly controlled by conductivity and geometry of insulator made of epoxy resin.Therefore,a model of 500 kV DC GIL is established in this paper,and the influences of geometry,volume conductivity,and surface conductivity of supporting insulators of GIL on electric field distribution are analyzed with the software COMSOL.The results show that the electric field distribution of semi-conical insulators is the optimum,the volume conductivity of the insulators exerts weak influence on the electric field distribution,and the electric field distribution on insulator surface of DC GIL can be controlled and optimized by controlling the surface conductivity of the insulators.
Human development and reconsideration of ensoulment.

Human embryology is now in danger of being rewritten as a stratagem statement of current socio-legal, but also of late, even theological, issues. Unless the errors are corrected now, we will be in danger of entering a protracted period of false concepts concerning our own development.
Reforming health insurance: realistic options and hard choices.

ABSTRACT: The persistently high number of people reporting that they have no health insurance has precipitated a number of new comprehensive proposals to extend coverage to most Americans. Such proposals must find solutions to fundamental problems that have thus far eluded policymakers, including the role of government regulation, how much to spend, and who should pay. The experience of the 1990s suggests that an effective policy would offer more choices of health plans through the private market, limit unnecessary government regulation, and provide appropriate subsidies to individuals.
Stent versus nephrostomy: is there a choice?

AbstractWhen temporary or palliative urinary diversion is necessary the Gibbons ureteral stent has reduced markedly the need for nephrostomy. Of 48 patients 41 (85 per cent) had successful insertion of stents. Only 1 of these patients had to undergo nephrostomy at a later date. Complications have been minimal and the patients’ tolerance has been excellent.
Effect of profound hearing loss on a central auditory nucleus

The present study was designed to investigate the type and extent of degeneration occurring in the human central auditory system subsequent to profound hearing loss. The authors have examined the size of one population of neurons in the 0ventral cochlear nucleus in seven subjects with profound hearing loss (audiometric responses poorer than 90-100 dB HL). Six normal subjects, ages 35-78, were used as controls. Cell size in the hearing-impaired subjects ranged from normal to reduced by more than 50 percent. Two factors appear to contribute to the variability in cell size reduction. The correlation coefficient (Spearman r s ) of cell size with duration of profound deafness was -0.48, indicating a moderate tendency for neurons to become smaller with longer periods of deafness
LEG processor for education

Open core processors allow students to explore digital design through experimentation and practice. The LEG processor described in this paper has a simple design that makes it accessible to students. The LEG processor is compatible with the ARMv5 instruction set and includes a memory management unit that allows it to boot Linux 3.19 in simulation, a combination not found in other open core processors known to the group. In addition, LEG includes a testing suite that allows students to quickly verify modifications and extensions to the processor. This paper describes LEG's microarchitecture, testing framework, and potential use in an educational or classroom setting.