cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The global carbon cycle and the biosphere

Abstract Industrialization and changes in the landscape have disturbed natural geochemical cycles of carbon and other elements significantly for several centuries. Fossil fuel emissions are the main contributor, along with deforestation and cement production. Projection of future trends in atmospheric CO2 and global carbon flows, under human disturbance, requires understanding of the natural exchanges between atmosphere, marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and geosphere pools. Regulation of the rates of flux in the global carbon cycle occur in enumerable biogeochemical processes, but overall through major feedbacks in the biogeochemical cycle of carbon through weathering, photosynthetic fixation, respiratory metabolism, and the ocean calcium carbonate buffering system. Mathematical computer models have become the means by which the complex, biogeochemical processes of atmosphere, land, and oceans can be represented, quantified, and used to describe the past, present, and future dynamics of the Earth's carbon cycle.
Antecedents and relative performance of sourcing choices for new product development projects

Abstract Given the complexity of sourcing choices in R&D, driven by conflicting points of difference, scholars have struggled to formulate clear theoretical predictions about which sourcing choices lead to superior performance. Our study contributes to the elucidation of this question by studying both the antecedents and performance consequences (project cost and duration) of alternative sourcing choices in the context of new product development, thus bridging two rarely intersecting streams of research to discover unique insights. We draw from the transaction cost economics (TCE) and organizational learning theory to account for the interdependence of cost- and non-cost related factors in firms’ sourcing choices. Results from our empirical analysis, using data on clinical trials in the global biopharmaceutical industry, show that greater project complexity, project stage uncertainty, and prior sourcing experience determine the sourcing choices a firm makes. We also establish that alternative sourcing choices vary in their ability to minimize project cost versus project duration, and show that prior experience with a sourcing choice is an important moderator of project performance, in addition to being one of the determinants of sourcing choice.
Black Students’ Perceptions of School Ethnic-Racial Socialization Practices in a Predominantly Black School:

Ethnic-racial socialization describes messages and practices that teach youth about their racial and/or ethnic group membership and the role of race in society. Despite a wealth of research on fami...
Flap Reconstruction for Deep Sternal Wound Infections: Factors Influencing Morbidity and Mortality.

Background Deep sternal wound infections (DSWI) often require flap reconstruction to obliterate dead space and provide healthy soft tissue coverage. A better understanding of risk factors for complications after DSWI flap reconstruction may improve operative management. Methods A retrospective study (2007-2018) was conducted of all patients with DSWI after cardiothoracic procedure referred to a single reconstructive surgeon for flap reconstruction. Patient and operative factors were reviewed, including procedure types and outcomes. Predictors of morbidity and mortality rates were analyzed. Results A total of 119 patients requiring flap reconstruction for DSWI met inclusion criteria. Unilateral (49.6%) or bilateral (40.3%) pectoralis muscle flaps were performed most frequently, followed by vertical rectus abdominis myocutaneous (VRAM) (4.2%), omental (4.2%), and omental/pectoralis flap combination (1.7%). Superficial surgical site infection (SSI) was the predominant postoperative complication (17.6%). Debridement/revisional procedures were required in 19 patients (16%), and flap failure occurred in 5 (4.2%). Overall 30-day mortality was 15.1%. End-stage renal disease (P = .002), congestive heart failure (P = .049), low albumin (P = .004), cardiopulmonary bypass time (P = .0001), need for open chest (P = .020), and high American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status Classification (P = .003) were associated with higher mortality. By multivariate analysis, multidrug resistance was predictive of any postoperative complication (odds ratio [OR], 5.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-23.2; P = .018), VRAM was predictive of SSI (OR, 9.6; 95% CI, 1.4-66.4; P = .022), and end-stage renal disease (OR, 8.57; 95% CI, 1.06-69.1; P = .044) was predictive of higher mortality. Conclusions Pectoralis muscle flaps are the workhorse for complex sternal wound coverage, but complications after flap reconstruction for DSWIs remain high. In particular, end-stage renal disease, VRAM reconstruction, and multidrug-resistant infection may predict a complicated postoperative course in these patients.
Morbidity and Mortality in Critically Ill Children. I. Pathophysiologies and Potential Therapeutic Solutions.

Objectives Developing effective therapies to reduce morbidity and mortality requires knowing the responsible pathophysiologies and the therapeutic advances that are likely to be impactful. Our objective was to determine at the individual patient level the important pathophysiological processes and needed therapeutic additions and advances that could prevent or ameliorate morbidities and mortalities. Design Structured chart review by pediatric intensivists of PICU children discharged with significant new morbidity or mortality to determine the pathophysiologies responsible for poor outcomes and needed therapeutic advances. Setting Multicenter study (eight sites) from the Collaborative Pediatric Critical Care Research Network of general and cardiac PICUs. Patients First PICU admission of patients from December 2011 to April 2013. Interventions None. Measurements and main results Two-hundred ninety-two patients were randomly selected from 681 patients discharged with significant new morbidity or mortality. The median age was 2.4 years, 233 (79.8%) were in medical/surgical ICUs, 59 (20.2%) were in cardiac ICUs. Sixty-five (22.3%) were surgical admissions. The outcomes included 117 deaths and 175 significant new morbidities. The most common pathophysiologies contributing to the poor outcomes were impaired substrate delivery (n = 158, 54.1%) and inflammation (n = 104, 35.6%). There were no strong correlations between the pathophysiologies and no remarkable clusters among them. The most common therapeutic needs involved new drugs (n = 149, 51.0%), cell regeneration (n = 115, 39.4%), and immune and inflammatory modulation (n = 79, 27.1%). As with the pathophysiologies, there was a lack of strong correlations or meaningful clusters in the suggested therapeutic needs. Conclusions There was no single dominant pathophysiology or cluster of pathophysiologies responsible for poor pediatric critical care outcomes. Therapeutic needs often involved therapies that are not close to implementation such as cell regeneration, improved organ transplant, improved extracorporeal support and artificial organs, and improved drugs.
Understanding Merleau-Ponty’s Concept of Dehiscence in the Context of Precarity

Merleau-Ponty’s concept of dehiscence describes the existential moment of “coming to consciousness” entailed in the embodied experience of new vision, a moment that enables a new beginning for thinking, dreaming, perception, and selfhood. The fragility of embodied consciousness in this crisis moment is amplified during a situation of increasing precaritization. This essay concludes with a reflection on the concept of otium – a space and time of “studious leisure” in which to contemplate change – which was initially proposed by Cicero in the realm of education, but reconsidered by Bernard Stiegler in the context of contemporary life
Laser powder bed fusion of Al–10 wt% Ce alloys: microstructure and tensile property

The increasing potential for additive manufacturing technology continuously drives the need for printable materials, including novel aluminum alloys. Ce is considered an economically feasible addition that is beneficial to corrosion resistance and high temperature performance of aluminum alloys. In this study, a binary Al–10Ce alloy was additively manufactured by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) using gas-atomized powders for the first time. Initial investigation was carried out to determine the optimal LPBF parameters for the Al–10Ce alloy, which was found using the laser power of 350 W and scan speed of 1400 mm/s. Alloy samples with nearly full density and outstanding printability were obtained. Room temperature tensile tests of the as-built Al–10Ce alloy yielded 222 ± 2 MPa in yield strength, 319 ± 1 MPa in tensile strength and 10.8 ± 0.1% in elongation. This is superior to the cast counterpart reported in the literature. A uniform microstructure was observed throughout the alloy, and it primarily consisted of extremely fine-scale eutectic Al and Al11Ce3 intermetallic ribbons, arranged in a skeleton pattern. This fine microstructure would have originated from the rapid cooling inherent to the LPBF process, and strongly suggests the presence of the Orowan strengthening mechanism. This study demonstrated that the binary Al–10Ce alloy is a promising base composition with good printability that brings new possibilities for future ternary and higher-order alloy design for LPBF.
MAGICAL: An Open- Source Fully Automated Analog IC Layout System from Netlist to GDSII

Editor’s note: This article presents MAGICAL, which is a fully automated analog IC layout system. MAGICAL takes a netlist and design rules as inputs, and it produces the final GDS layout in a fully automated fashion. — Sherief Reda, Brown University — Leon Stock, IBM — Pierre-Emmanuel Gaillardon, University of Utah
Prototype ultrasound transducer / system for intraoperative image-guided brachytherapy: proof-of-concept in a breast cancer patient

Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) involves the application of high dose radiation (HDR) to adjacent tissue following surgical resection of a tumor. Recently, it was shown that X-ray CT provides clinically useful image guidance to better verify the presence of air voids, or adjacency to skin or bone, that determine optimal, and safe, dosing. As a lower cost, safer and real-time alternative, we assembled a prototype ultrasound device to provide real-time intraoperative image guidance, viewed from within the minimally invasive HDR applicator, as a substitute for X-ray CT. Sequences of offset 2D image planes were interpolated to a 3D grid image data set. Imaging resolution was spatially variant (approximately 0.5 mm axial, 2 mm azimuth). We successfully conducted a single human patient study, involving a breast cancer resection, in an intraoperative setting. Despite a number of practical challenges relating to the dimensions and materials of the components employed, the prototype device worked satisfactorily. Air voids were readily evident in the reconstructed images. In addition to breast cancer, the method has applicability in other cancers involving tumor resection - e.g. prostate cancer.
The Environmental Constituents of Flourishing: Rethinking External Goods and the Ecological Systems that Provide Them

It seems intuitive that human development and environmental protection should go hand in hand. But some have worried there is no framework within environmental ethics that suitably conjoins them. I...
Role of Acyl-Coenzyme A:Cholesterol Acyltransferase 1 in Lipogenesis in Adipocytes

Dysregulated lipogenesis in adipose tissue contributes to obesity and its metabolic disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms regulating lipogenesis in adipocytes are not fully understood. Acyl-...
Expertise against politics: Technology as ideology on Capitol Hill, 1966 - 1972

Exploration of three thematic problems--the meaning of 'technology', technology as historical destiny, and the compatability of technology with democratic politics--must be a part of any effort to develop an overview of the significance of technology for twentieth-century American ideology. Ambivalence toward technology has become a well-established theme in studies of the mechanization of America. Various aspects and examples with respect to technology as ideology are presented in this historical perspective.
Immune Recognition and Host Cell Response during Chlamydia Infection

Innate immune cells possess multiple germ line-encoded receptors that have evolved to broadly distinguish between self and nonself. These receptors are called pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs), and they detect conserved structures called microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) that are present on microbes. Although there is a finite number of PRRs, they are used in various combinations to recognize different intracellular pathogens, and even different species of Chlamydia. Chlamydia infection leads to expression of beta interferon (IFN-β) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in infected cells. This chapter reviews the various PRRs that recognize chlamydiae and the ensuing cellular signaling pathways that result in cytokine induction. Initially, there is recognition at the surface of the host cell, but the majority of recognition occurs intracellularly. The Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are responsible for the recognition of unique MAMPs, such as bacterial lipoprotein, which initiate an immediate cytokine response upon infection. The evolution of inflammatory pathway appears to be driven by viruses as the host cell incorporates multiple means of inducing IFN-β to limit viral replication. A number of studies described in the chapter used human or mouse cell lines or mouse macrophages but not primary cervical epithelial cells. Although cell lines and mouse macrophages provide clues about the specific use of receptors and signaling pathways, the results have to be confirmed with the cells that are infected in the natural host. Additional DNA sensors need to be discovered in the coming years and more will be learned about cell type-specific use of the TLRs.
Information Visualization Research: Citation and Co-Citation Highlights

An overview of the entry is given. The techniques used to prepare the InfoVis contest entry are outlined. The strengths and weaknesses are briefly discussed.
Trade Liberalization and Poverty: What We Know and Don't Know

Strong opinions about the impact of globalization on poverty are not always backed by robust factual evidence. As argued in this paper, however, it is not all that easy to lay our hands on robust facts. Quantitative analyses of trade liberalization appear highly sensitive to basic modelling and parameter assumptions. Altering these could turn the expectation that, for instance, Africa's poor stand to gain from further trade opening under the Doha Round into one in which they would stand to lose. Most studies agree though that trade opening probably adds to aggregate welfare, but gains are small and unevenly distributed.
Crack Sizing Using a Neural Network Classifier Trained with Data Obtained from Finite Element Models

Ultrasonic inspection of riveted joints carried out by human operator is cumbersome and time consuming. An automated signal classification system would provide better reliability and accuracy in the determination of crack size and orientation. In this paper, we discuss a neural network designed for use in ultrasonic signal classification. The network can give classification results in a short time which makes possible real time ultrasonic inspection. An automated crack sizing system was presented earlier for similar applications [1] and the present paper is an extension of that work. The latest improvement is the use of numerically obtained ultrasonic data to train the neural network classifier (NNC).
Arsenic Targets Tubulins to Induce Apoptosis in Myeloid Leukemia Cells

Arsenic exhibits a differential toxicity to cancer cells. At a high concentration (>5 μm), As2O3 causes acute necrosis in various cell lines. At a lower concentration (0.5–5 μm), it induces myeloid cell maturation and an arrest in metaphase, leading to apoptosis. As2O3-treated cells have features found with both tubulin-assembling enhancers (Taxol) and inhibitors (colchicine). Prior treatment of monomeric tubulin with As2O3 markedly inhibits GTP-induced polymerization and microtubule formation in vitro but does not destabilize GTP-induced tubulin polymers. Cross-inhibition experiments indicate that As2O3 is a noncompetitive inhibitor of GTP binding to tubulin. These observations correlate with the three-dimensional structure of β-tubulin and suggest that the cross-linking of two vicinal cysteine residues (Cys-12 and Cys-213) by trivalent arsenic inactivates the GTP binding site. Furthermore, exogenous GTP can prevent As2O3-induced mitotic arrest.
Role of botrocetin in platelet agglutination: formation of an activated complex of botrocetin and von Willebrand factor

Botrocetin (venom coagglutinin) induces binding of von Willebrand factor (vWF) to platelet glycoprotein Ib (GPIb), resulting in platelet agglutination. A mechanism whereby botrocetin causes vWF to change to an active platelet-agglutinating form is proposed. Incubation of native vWF with botrocetin yielded an increasingly active vWF with slower migration in two-dimensional immunoelectrophoresis but with no apparent change in vWF multimer pattern. The “activated” vWF eluted mainly in the void volume (Vo) (Bio-Gel A-15m column chromatography). Botrocetin eluted in the included volume (Vi). Vo peaks appeared to contain a vWF- botrocetin complex, based on bioassays and immunoassays. 125I- Botrocetin mixed with vWF eluted in two peaks: in the Vo, coincident with active vWF, and in the Vi. With von Willebrand disease (vWD) plasma lacking vWF, 125I-Botrocetin eluted in the Vi only. It did not bind to platelets without vWF. In aggregometric studies, antibodies (Ab) against botrocetin, vWF, and GPIb prevented botrocetin-induced platelet agglutination and caused dissolution of preformed platelet agglutinates. Immunostaining of aggregates with antibotrocetin Ab revealed a positive reaction. Botrocetin appears to act in a two-step manner, first binding with vWF to form a complex, which then binds to GPIb to cause agglutination. All three components, vWF, botrocetin, and GPIb, appear to be required for maintenance of stable platelet agglutinates.
Stress system changes associated with marijuana dependence may increase craving for alcohol and cocaine.

Objective To date, little research exists defining bio-behavioral adaptations associated with both marijuana abuse and risk of craving and relapse to other drugs of abuse during early abstinence.
The Injection, Acceleration, And Dynamical Influence Of Interstellar Pickup Ions At The Solar Wind Termination Shock

The interaction of interstellar pickup ions with the solar wind termination shock is reviewed and assessed. The pickup ions mass and momentum load the wind and increase its pressure, effects which decrease the strength of the shock and its distance from the Sun. The pickup hydrogen may contribute substantially to the “reflected” ion population, which should provide most of the dissipation at the supercritical quasi-perpendicular shock. A fraction of the pickup ions impinging on the shock is “injected” into the process of diffusive shock acceleration to form the anomalous cosmic ray component. An injection mechanism which accounts for the apparent absence of solar wind ions in the anomalous component is “shock surfing”, in which pickup ions which approach the shock slowly may be trapped between the upstream Lorentz force and the shock potential and accelerated in the motional electric field beyond the energy threshold for diffusive shock acceleration. However, the simplest interpretation of shock surfing would favor less massive pickup ion species, in contradiction with Voyager observations of anomalous component composition. A possible extension of the shock surfing mechanism is considered, as well as other injection mechanisms. Finally, the pressure of the anomalous component may modify the structure of the termination shock, which in turn may influence injection rates.
Abstract 11839: Obesity Related Heart Rate Changes among Young Hispanic Women with Metabolic Syndrome

Introduction: Visceral adiposity and metabolic syndrome have an earlier onset among Hispanic women due to genetic susceptibility. This study aimed to determine the association between changes in BMI, body weight and heart rate (HR) among Hispanic women aged 31-49years who met the ATP III criteria for metabolic syndrome and Obesity. Hypotheses: 1. There is a positive relationship between changes in BMI and Basal Heart rate 2. Patients with higher BMI will have a higher heart rate. Methods: In this retrospective study conducted in a community clinic, patient records meeting eligibility criteria were screened for three complete readings of anthropometric measurements and Vital signs. The readings taken when the patients had elevated temperature, respiratory rate, Blood pressure or when they were on Beta blockers were excluded. Final sample consisted of 61 records. Results: The sample BMI varied from 25 to 55 (Mean 34; SD 6) and the body weight ranged from 118lbs to 282lbs (Mean 188lbs; SD 35). The BMI change...
Artificial immune systems for epistasis analysis in human genetics

Modern genotyping techniques have allowed the field of human genetics to generate vast amounts of data, but analysis methodologies have not been able to keep pace with this increase. In order to allow personal genomics to play a vital role in modern health care, analysis methods capable of discovering high order interactions that contribute to an individual’s risk of disease must be developed. An artificial immune system (AIS) is a method which maps well to this problem and has a number of appealing properties. By considering many attributes simultaneously, it may be able to effectively and efficiently detect epistasis, that is non-additive gene-gene interactions. This situation of interacting genes is currently very difficult to detect without biological insight or statistical heuristics. Even with these approaches, at low heritability (i.e. where there is only a small genetic signal), these approaches have trouble distinguishing genetic signal from noise. The AIS also has a compact solution representation which can be rapidly evaluated. Finally the AIS approach, by iteratively developing an antibody which ignores irrelevant genotypes, may be better able to differentiate signal from noise than machine learning approaches like ReliefF which struggle at small heritabilities. Here we develop a basic AIS and evaluate it on very low heritability datasets. We find that the basic AIS is not robust to parameter settings but that, at some parameter settings, it performs very effectively. We use the settings where the strategy succeeds to suggest a path towards a robust AIS for human genetics. Developing an AIS which succeeds across many parameter settings will be critical to prepare this method for widespread use.
Nowcasting with Google Trends

Since launching Google Trends we have seen extensive interest in what can be learned from search trends. A plethora of studies have shown how to use search trends data for effective nowcasting in diverse areas such as health, finance, economics, politics and more. We give an overview of Google Trends and Nowcasting, highlighting some exciting Big Data challenges, including large scale engineering, effective data analysis, and domain specific considerations. An extended summary will be available at http://goo.gl/FbYh9
Evaluation of a Hemagglutination Test for Amebiasis, Using a Commercial Antigen

Summary A hemagglutination test for amebiasis using commercial Moan antigen supplied by Mobac Laboratories has been evaluated. Following detailed directions supplied with the antigen, the same degree of agglutination occurred whether the tanned red cells employed were sensitized with Mobac antigen or left nonsensitized. No relationship was detected between agglutination and presence or absence of ameba antibody in the known rabbit serums. Positive reactions appeared to be due to heterophil or Forssmann type antibodies rather than to ameba antibodies.
Combining Value Estimates to Increase Accuracy

The estimates provided by discounted cash flow, the method of comparables, and market prices usually disagree. Combining two or more of these value estimates makes sense because every bona fide estimate provides information and because relying on one estimate ignores the information content of the others. How, then, should financial analysts combine different value estimates to form a more accurate estimate than that provided by any one method? Drawing from Bayesian decision theory, the Delaware Block Method, and forecasting research, this article suggests five rules of thumb for combining two or more value estimates into a superior value estimate.
Free latissimus dorsi flap transfer for subtotal scalp and cranium defect reconstruction: report of 7 cases.

Object: The purpose of the paper is to review the results of free latissimus dorsi transfer for scalp and cranium reconstruction in case of large defects with exposed brain tissue, deperiosted cranial bone, and dura that cannot be reconstructed with local flaps or skin grafts. Methods: Free latissimus dorsi transfer was carried out in an interdisciplinary approach involving neurosurgery and plastic surgery in seven patients with subtotal and total scalp defects (two reconstruction after tumor removal, two reconstructions after longstanding osteitis, 2× tissue break down after irradiation, 1× defect reconstruction after high voltage injury). There were three male and four female patients. The age ranged from 36 to 72 years. Reconstruction was carried out with a muscle flap (1×) or a myo-cutaneous flap (6×) in combination with a split thickness skin mesh (1:1.5) graft, done in a single-stage procedure. In a retrospective clinical study the following criteria were evaluated: 1) flap healing, 2) esthetic result, and 3) complications. All flaps healed primarily, and all wound remained closed without any signs of infection. Complete wound healing was achieved after 4–8 weeks, depending on the healing of the skin grafts. Secondary skin grafting was necessary in two patients, revision of the donor site in two patients. From an esthetic point of view four patients complained about the appearance of the retroauricular skin island. After removal of the skin island 6 months after the initial operation, all patient judged the result as good or acceptable. Conclusion: Besides the free omentum flap, the free latissimus dorsi transfer is the only option for coverage of subtotal or total scalp defects. Compared to the omentum flap, the latissimus dorsi offers more tissue, has less donor site morbidity, and secondary surgery such as cranial bone reconstruction is possible. Contrary to most authors, our preferred donor vessels are maxillary artery and the external jugular vein. To avoid any vascular compression we are using a myo-cutaneous flap. The skin island must be removed secondarily. In patients were no bone reconstruction is possible or planned, the deepithelialized skin paddle can be used for correction of a contour defect. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2007.
The invention of the programmable implantable medication system

The author describes the genesis of his idea for a programmable implantable medication system and the problems encountered in going from idea to the first prototype. He discusses the funding, development, and marketing of his device. He provides some observations on the process of getting medical inventions into public use. >
Realization of a modified Z-transform

Abstract The modified Z -transform is defined anew and then approximated by means of linear interpolation. A feedback device realizes another approximant. Motivation for the feedback device is effected by means of numerical transforms. Two examples are given.
ON WIDE DIAMETER OF CAYLEY GRAPHS

Because of its applications in network theory, the wide diameter of graphs has been studied extensively in recent years. It is still an open problem to compute the wide diameter of Cayley graphs. This paper investigates the wide diameter of Cayley graphs of ℤm, the cyclic group of residue classes modulo m. It is proved that the k-wide diameter of the Cayley graph Cay(Zm, A) generated by a k-element set A is d + 1 for k = 2 and ≤ d + 1 for k = 3, where d is the diameter of Cay(ℤm, A).
Reliability-based optimal design using sample average approximations

An algorithm for reliability-based optimal design is developed using sampling techniques for estimating the failure probability. The algorithm applies a new method for sensitivity calculations of the failure probability. Initially, the estimates of the failure probability are coarse. As the algorithm progresses towards an optimal design, the number of sample points is increased in an adaptive way leading to better estimates of the failure probability. The algorithm is proven to converge to an optimal design. The applicability of the algorithm is shown in an example from the area of highway bridge design.
Employment and satisfaction trends among general surgery residents from a community hospital.

Background Physician satisfaction is an important and timely issue in health care. A paucity of literature addresses this question among general surgeons. Purpose To review employment patterns and job satisfaction among general surgery residents from a single university-affiliated institution. Methods All general surgery residents graduating from 1986 to 2006, inclusive, were mailed an Institutional Review Board–approved survey, which was then returned anonymously. Information on demographics, fellowship training, practice characteristics, job satisfaction and change, and perceived shortcomings in residency training was collected. Results A total of 31 of 34 surveys were returned (91%). Most of those surveyed were male (94%) and Caucasian (87%). Sixty-one percent of residents applied for a fellowship, and all but 1 were successful in obtaining their chosen fellowship. The most frequent fellowship chosen was plastic surgery, followed by minimally invasive surgery. Seventy-one percent of residents who applied for fellowship felt that the program improved their competitiveness for a fellowship. Most of the sample is in private practice, and of those, 44% are in groups with more than 4 partners. Ninety percent work less than 80 hours per week. Only 27% practice in small towns (population These graduates wish they had more training in pancreatic, hepatobiliary, and thoracic surgery. Eighty-three percent agreed that they would again choose a general surgery residency, 94% of those who completed a fellowship would again choose that fellowship, and 90% would again choose their current job. Twenty-three percent agreed that they had difficulty finding their first job, and 30% had fewer job offers than expected. Thirty-five percent of the graduates have changed jobs: 29% of the residents have changed jobs once, and 6% have changed jobs at least twice since completing training. Reasons for leaving a job included colleague issues (82%), financial issues (82%), inadequate referrals (64%), excessive trauma (64%), and marriage or family reasons (55% and 55%, respectively). One half to three fourths of the graduates wished they had more teaching on postresidency business and financial issues, review of contracts, and suggestions for a timeline for finding a job. Conclusions Although general surgical residencies prepare residents well technically, they do not seem to be training residents adequately in the business of medicine. This training can be conducted by attendings, local attorneys, office managers, and past residents with the expectation that job relocations can decrease and surgeon career satisfaction can increase.
NOAA‐B satellite mission unsuccessful

The NOAA-B environmental monitoring satellite, launched from the Western Space and Missile Center in California on May 29, is expected to remain in orbit only about 6 months. Difficulties, developed during the launch, caused the satellite to go into a highly elliptical rather than a planned circular orbit of 470 miles. During the launch one booster engine in the Atlas-F launch vehicle developed only 75% thrust. Attempts by NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to correct the orbit were unsuccessful. In its elliptical orbit, the spacecraft cannot operate effectively. A replacement satellite, NOAA-C, will be launched in about 5 months
Interracial homicide: A macrostructural-opportunity perspective

Using data for 154 cities, we test a model of the determinants of interracial homicide that is informed by both Blau's macrostructural theory and elements of the general criminal opportunity perspective. Consistent with Blau's theory, in a multivariate analysis the relative frequency of interracial homicide is positively related to racial heterogeneity, population size, and population density, and inversely related to racial residential segregation and racial socioeconomic inequality. We also find that the level of employment is positively related to the rate of interracial homicide. This result is consistent with the hypothesis, derived from routine activities theory, that the dispersion of activities away from primary group locations and toward more racially heterogeneous settings increases the volume of intergroup contacts. Overall, our analyses reveal that a macrostructural-opportunity perspective offers considerable insight into the determinants of intercity variation in the racial patterning of homicide.
Do changes in mood and concerns about weight relate to smoking relapse in the postpartum period

The majority of women who quit smoking during pregnancy will resume smoking during the postpartum period. Little is known, however, about the predictors of postpartum relapses to smoking. Changes in mood and increases in concerns about weight are common during the postpartum period, and these factors may affect women's postpartum smoking behavior. In this paper, we present a model of the relationship among mood, weight concerns and postpartum smoking. Data from previous postpartum relapse prevention trials are reviewed and evidence of a connection between changes in mood and weight concerns to postpartum relapse is presented. Directions for future research on the prevention of smoking relapses during the postpartum period, and the roles of mood and weight concerns in smoking relapse are presented.
Consumer privacy rights: CPR and the age of the Internet

In recent months several high‐profile breaches of consumer privacy have raised public concern about data gathering on the Web. The issue of privacy has led to lawsuits by consumers and consumer advocacy groups and investigations by government regulations. As businesses wrestle with the question of where to draw the line when it comes to collecting and using customer information, they continue to invest in new technologies to gather and analyze customer data to improve their marketing effectiveness. This paper will address the issue of consumer privacy rights and make recommendations for various stakeholders to assure consumer privacy rights in the age of the Internet.
POLLINATOR CHOICE AND STABILIZING SELECTION FOR FLOWER COLOR IN DELPHINIUM NELSONII.

Bright colors are characteristic of the flowers of many higher plants. For the last century these colors have been interpreted as adaptations by which flowers signal their presence to animal pollinators (Darwin, 1876; Muller, 1883; Plateau, 1899; Clements and Long, 1923; Kugler, 1943; Daumer, 1958; Heinrich, 1975; Jones, 1978; Kevan, 1978). If this is correct, the exact color(s) found within populations of single species, and the array of colors represented in an assemblage of sympatric species, may be explicable largely as evolutionary consequences of pollinator foraging behavior. Several plant species in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado exhibit polymorphisms well suited for studies of relationships between flower color, pollinator behavior, and plant fitness. Although flowers of these species are normally brightly colored, we have noticed rare individuals whose flowers are white or pale. Such color changes are likely to have a genetic basis, as we shall discuss later. Species with such flower color polymorphisms include Delphinium nelsonii Greene (Ranunculaceae), Lupinus argenteus Pursh (Leguminosae), Ipomopsis aggregata (Pursh) V. Grant (Polemoniaceae), Iris missouriensis Nutt. (Iridaceae), and Linum lewisii Pursh (Linaceae). The low frequencies of "albino" individuals in populations of these species suggest an equilibrium between their production by spontaneous mutation and some form of selection against them (cf. Crow and Kimura, 1970; Harding, 1970). Selection against albinos could take at least two forms. Mutations causing reduced flower pigmentation might be associated with physiological or developmental changes (e. g., reduced ovule number, stigma size, or receptivity) which lower intrinsic fecundity. Alternatively, pollinators might discriminate against albinos and thus exert stabilizing selection for flower color. In this paper we describe experiments and observations with one of the species listed above, Delphinium nelsonii, a small perennial herb whose flowers are normally deep blue. Near the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL) in west-central Colorado, D. nelsonii is pollinated primarily by broad-tailed hummingbirds (Selasphorus platycercus Swainson) and bumblebee queens (B ombus appositus Cresson, B. flavifrons Cresson, B. californicus F. Smith, and B. nevadensis Cresson) (Waser, 1978; Price and Waser, 1979). We present evidence that paleor white-flowered albinos are rare in populations near the RMBL; that selection against albinos occurs in the form of reduced seed sets relative to normal blueflowered individuals; that intrinsic fecundity of albinos is not lower than that of normal individuals; that both hummingbirds and bumblebees discriminate against albinos in a way sufficient to explain their low seed sets and consequent rarity; and that discrimination may be due to difficulty pollinators experience in extracting nectar from albino flowers.
Endogenous Estradiol and Its Association with Estrogen Receptor Gene Polymorphisms

We evaluated potential associations between single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variants of the estrogen receptor genes ESR1 and ESR2 and circulating estradiol (E2) concentrations in women of 4 races/ethnicities. The study population was drawn from participants in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). A total of 1,538 African American, Caucasian, Chinese, and Japanese women from SWAN participated in the Sex Steroid Hormone Genetics Protocol by providing blood for sex steroid hormone analyses and consenting to lymphocyte transformation from which DNA was extracted and genotyped. We evaluated 4 ESR1 SNPs (ESR1 rs9340799, ESR1 rs2234693, ESR1 rs728524, and ESR1 rs3798577), and 3 ESR2 SNPs (ESR2 rs1255998, ESR2 rs1256030, and ESR2 rs1256065). Mean E2 level was 196.0 +/- 4.0 pmol/L in women who were premenopausal and perimenopausal (with blood drawn on days 2 through 5 of the menstrual cycle follicular phase); however, mean E2 levels in Chinese and Japanese women were lower (155.7 +/- 10.6 pmol/L and 170.0 +/- 10.3 pmol/L, respectively) than in African American (196.4 +/- 8.1 pmol/L, P <0.05) or Caucasian women (210.7 +/- 5.9 pmol/L, P <0.002). The ESR1 rs3798577 CC genotype was associated with lower circulating E2 concentrations in African American women (P <0.07) and explained about 1% of the variation in circulating E2 concentrations. In Japanese women, the GC genotype of ESR2 rs1255998 was associated with significantly lower circulating E2 concentrations that explained about 4% of the variation. Circulating E2 concentrations were not strongly or consistently associated with selected polymorphisms for the estrogen receptor genes. The 2 strongest associations explained <4% of the total variation in the circulating E2 concentrations.
A Bayesian approach to the group versus individual prediction controversy in actuarial risk assessment.

Recent attempts to indict the use of actuarial risk assessment instruments have relied on confidence intervals to demonstrate that risk estimates derived at the group level do not necessarily apply to any specific individual within that group. This article contends that frequentist confidence intervals are inapposite to the current debate. Instead, Bayesian credible intervals are necessary—in principle—to accomplish what commentators are concerned about: describing the precision of an actuarial risk estimate. After illustrating both the calculation and interpretation of credible intervals, this article shows how such intervals can be used to characterize the precision of actuarial risk estimates. It then explores the legal implications of wide and overlapping intervals. Contrary to what detractors claim, the fact that risk estimate intervals overlap is not a germane to legal (logical) relevance, and therefore actuarial risk estimates cannot be per se “inadmissible” on this basis.
The complement anaphylatoxin receptors are not required for the development of experimental autoimmune uveitis

Abstract To determine if complement anaphylatoxin-mediated inflammation contributes to the development and progression of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU), we induced disease in wild type and complement anaphylatoxin receptor-deficient mice (C3a receptor −/− , C5a receptor −/− and C3aR −/− /C5aR −/− ) and evaluated the eyes three weeks post-induction. No differences in disease severity or in disease incidence were seen between wild type controls and anaphylatoxin receptor-deficient mice. Our data indicate that C3a and C5a-mediated functions are not critical to the development of EAU.
124: Metabolism of 17-hydroxyprogesterone caproate by human hepatic and placental microsomes

PLACENTAL MICROSOMES RU YAN, TATIANA NANOVSKAYA, DONALD MATTISON, GARY D.V. HANKINS, MAHMOUD AHMED, University of Texas Medical Branch, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Galveston, Texas, Obstetric-Fetal Pharmacology Research Units (OPRU) Network, Center for Research For Mother and Children NICHD, Bethesda, MD, Bethesda, Maryland OBJECTIVE: Administration of 17 -hydroxyprogesteronecaproate (17-P) is associated with prevention of preterm deliveries in 30% of the patients. However, the mechanism of action of 17-P and whether it is a drug or prodrug remains unclear. Recently, we demonstrated that 17-P is not hydrolyzed by human hepatic and placental homogenates. The aim of this investigation is to determine whether 17-P is metabolized by human hepatic and placental microsomes by a pathway that does not involve its hydrolysis by esterases. STUDY DESIGN: Crude microsomal fractions from human livers and term placentas were ued. A dual radioactive labeled 17 -[3H]-hydroxy progestrone [14 C]-caproate was utilized. The metabolites formed were separated and identified by HPLC/MS and their amounts determined by scintillation spectrometry. RESULTS: Hepatic and placental microsomes catalyzed the formation of several hydroxylated derivatives of 17-P that retained the tritium and 14C atoms. In human liver, the metabolites formed were divided into the following three groups according to the extent of their hydroxylation as revealed by their mass: mono-, diand tri-hydroxylated 17-P which accounted for 63, 37 and 1% of the total formed, respectively. The major mono-hydroxylated compound formed by the liver accounted for 38% of the total metabolites formed. In human placenta, only monohydroxylated metabolites were formed. Two of these metabolites accounted for 16% of the total and were not formed by hepatic microsomes. The rates of metabolites formation by the placenta were approximately 7% of that by the liver. CONCLUSION: Human liver CYP isozymes metabolize 17-P to mono-, diand tri-hydroxylated compounds while in the placenta only mono-hydroxylated compounds are formed. Two of the metabolites formed by the placenta are not formed by the liver. At this time, it is unclear whether one or more of 17-P metabolites could contribute to its reported physiological effect. Supported by the Obstetric Pharmacology Research Network (OPRU/NICHD).
Reference Relations for the Evaluation of the Materials Properties of Orthorhombic YBa2Cu3Ox Superconductors

Several expressions, suitable as reference relations, pertaining to the composition and temperature dependencies of the properties of orthorhombic YBa 2 Cu 3 O x superconductors have been derived from statistical assessments of collections of data from independent experimental studies. Relations are given for (1) the critical temperature vs oxygen content, (2) the lattice parameters at room temperature vs oxygen content, (3) the lattice parameters at fixed oxygen content vs temperature, (4) the anisotropic thermal expansion vs temperature, (5) the isotropic polycrystalline thermal expansion vs temperature, and (6) the mass density vs temperature.
Reconstructed Streamflows for the Headwaters of the Wind River, Wyoming, United States

Abstract: Tree rings offer a means to extend observational records of streamflow by hundreds of years, but dendrohydrological techniques are not regularly applied to small tributary and headwaters gages. Here we explore the potential for extending three such gage records on small streams in the Wind River drainage of central Wyoming, United States. Using core samples taken from Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), pinon pine (Pinus edulis), and limber pine (Pinus flexilis) at 38 sites, we were able to reconstruct streamflows for the headwaters of the Wind River back to 1672 AD or earlier. The streamflow reconstructions for Bull Lake Creek above Bull Lake; the Little Popo Agie River near Lander, Wyoming; and Wind River near Dubois, Wyoming explained between 40% and 64% of the observed variance, and these extended records performed well in a variety of statistical verification tests. The full reconstructions show pronounced inter-annual variability in streamflow, and these proxy records also point to the prevalence of severe, sustained droughts in this region. These reconstructions indicate that the 20th Century was relatively wet compared to previous centuries, and actual gage records may capture only a limited subset of potential natural variability in this area. Further analyses reveal how tree-ring based reconstructions for small tributary and headwaters gages can be strongly influenced by the length and quality of calibration records, but this work also demonstrates how the use of a spatially extensive network of tree-ring sites can improve the quality of these types of reconstructions.
Characterization of plastic deformation in a disk bend test

Abstract A disk bend test technique has been developed to study deformation mechanisms as well as mechanical properties. In the disk bend test, a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) disk size specimen of 3 mm diameter ×0.25 mm thick is clamped around its rim in a circular holder and indented with a tungsten carbide ball of 1 mm diameter on its back face. AISI 316LN austenitic stainless steel and 9Cr–2WVTa ferritic/martensitic steel were selected as test materials. A model was developed to determine the average plastic strain and surface plastic strain in the disk bend test. The deformation regimes of the plastic strain versus deflection curves corresponded to those of the load versus deflection curves. The stress state of the disk bend deformation was analyzed for the two test materials and compared with those of other mechanical tests such as uniaxial tensile, compact tension, and ball indentation tests. Slip line features at the deformed surface and the corresponding TEM microstructures were examined for both tensile and disk bend specimens. Differences and similarities in deformation between the disk bend and the tensile tests are described.