cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Judaism and Jewishness in the USSR: Ethnicity and Religion

American Jews often treat their religion and ethnicity as coterminous. In the Soviet Union religion and ethnicity are formally more distinct, through in most people's minds the two are closely related. American society generally considers Jews both an ethnic and religious group. There is a strong correlation between religion and ethnicity among other groups—for example between Irish and Polish ethnicity, on the one hand, and Catholicism, on the other. But since Catholicism is a universal religion—to say “Irish” or “Polish” is usually is to say “Catholic”—the converse is not true, since to say “Catholic” may also imply French, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian or many other ethnicities.
Genome Stability of Lyme Disease Spirochetes: Comparative Genomics of Borrelia burgdorferi Plasmids

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne human illness in North America. In order to understand the molecular pathogenesis, natural diversity, population structure and epizootic spread of the North American Lyme agent, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, a much better understanding of the natural diversity of its genome will be required. Towards this end we present a comparative analysis of the nucleotide sequences of the numerous plasmids of B. burgdorferi isolates B31, N40, JD1 and 297. These strains were chosen because they include the three most commonly studied laboratory strains, and because they represent different major genetic lineages and so are informative regarding the genetic diversity and evolution of this organism. A unique feature of Borrelia genomes is that they carry a large number of linear and circular plasmids, and this work shows that strains N40, JD1, 297 and B31 carry related but non-identical sets of 16, 20, 19 and 21 plasmids, respectively, that comprise 33–40% of their genomes. We deduce that there are at least 28 plasmid compatibility types among the four strains. The B. burgdorferi ∼900 Kbp linear chromosomes are evolutionarily exceptionally stable, except for a short ≤20 Kbp plasmid-like section at the right end. A few of the plasmids, including the linear lp54 and circular cp26, are also very stable. We show here that the other plasmids, especially the linear ones, are considerably more variable. Nearly all of the linear plasmids have undergone one or more substantial inter-plasmid rearrangements since their last common ancestor. In spite of these rearrangements and differences in plasmid contents, the overall gene complement of the different isolates has remained relatively constant.
The Solid Angle Subtended by the Main and Shadow Cones of Cosmic Radiation

For the calculation of the longitude and latitude effects, as well as the time variations, of charged primary cosmic radiation, the knowledge of the solid angle subtended by the main and shadow cones for all latitudes and energies is essential. This solid angle is calculated over a wide range of energy and latitude from the results of Lema\^{\i}tre and Vallarta, and from those of Schremp, and the results given in the form of several graphs.
Determination of maxillomandibular force generated during deglutition

Abstract A device, which has been developed to measure the maxillomandibular force that is generated during deglutition, has shown that the amount of force increased as the vertical dimension of occlusion increased. The amount of force recorded ranged from 150 to 600 Gm. for one subject and from 150 to 1450 Gm. for the other subject. A linear relationship existed between the amount of force and the vertical dimension of occlusion at the lower occlusal levels. However, this relationship was lost at the greatest openings. No pattern was found in the relationship between the swallowing force and the vertical dimension, which would have provided a method of determining the occlusal vertical dimension for complete denture patients.
Ectomycorrhizal colonization of loblolly pine seedlings during three growing seasons in response to ozone, acidic precipitation, and soil Mg status

Abstract A three-year study was initiated in 1987 to evaluate the impact of O3, acidic precipitation, and soil Mg on ectomycorrhizal colonization of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings. Thirty-six open-top chambers equipped with a rainfall exclusion/addition system were utilized to administer three levels of O3 (subambient, ambient, or twice ambient) and two precipitation acidity levels (pH 3·8 or 5·2) to seedlings growing in 24-liter plastic pots containing soil having either 35 or 15 mg kg−1 of exchangeable Mg. Seedlings exposed to the twice ambient O3 treatment exhibited smaller percentages of total ectomycorrhizal short roots at the end of each year of the study, but trends were statistically significant in 1989 only. Changes in number of specific ectomycorrhizal morphotypes in response to O3 were not consistent from year to year. Acidic precipitation treatments had no effect on number or percent of mycorrhizal short roots, and responses of two morphotypes to soil Mg treatments were probably due to differences in the soil environment rather than a result of changes in aboveground processes. Temporal shifts in morphotype frequencies were observed for seedlings in all treatments and indicate that mycorrhizal succession occurred during the study period.
Imposing structure on Smith-form decompositions of rational resampling matrices

Imposing structure on the Smith form of an (integer) periodicity matrix N=U/spl Lambda/V leads to efficient multidimensional (m-D) DFT implementations (Guessoum, 1984). For nonsingular integer and rational matrices, the authors introduce algorithms to generate U (or V) matrices with minimum norm and /spl Lambda/ matrices whose diagonal elements exhibit minimum variance. Such structure simplifies nonuniform m-D filter-bank design (Gardos et al. 1992). >
Adaptive receiver-driven streaming from multiple senders

This paper presents the design and evaluation of an adaptive streaming mechanism from multiple senders to a single receiver in Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networks, called P2P Adaptive Layered Streaming, or PALS. PALS is a receiver-driven mechanism. It enables a receiver peer to orchestrate quality adaptive streaming of a single, layer-encoded video stream from multiple congestion-controlled senders, and is able to support a spectrum of noninteractive streaming applications. The primary challenge in the design of a streaming mechanism from multiple senders is that available bandwidth from individual peers is not known a priori, and could significantly change during delivery. In PALS, the receiver periodically performs quality adaptation based on the aggregate bandwidth from all senders to determine: (i) the overall quality (i.e number of layers) that can be collectively delivered by all senders, and more importantly (ii) the specific subset of packets that should be delivered by individual senders in order to gracefully cope with any sudden change in their bandwidth. Our detailed simulation-based evaluations illustrate that PALS can effectively cope with several angles of dynamics in the system including: bandwidth variations, peer participation, and partially available content at different peers. We also demonstrate the importance of coordination among senders and examine key design tradeoffs for the PALS mechanism.
Tracking the Apollo Lunar Rover with interferometry techniques

Apollo 16 and 17 Lunar Rover position history while transporting astronauts over the lunar surface has been determined to a resolution of better than 1 m and uncertainties of less than 25 m utilizing a specialized very-long baseline interferometry (VLBI) tracking technique. This paper describes the technique, discusses the National Aeronautics and Space Administration worldwide tracking system used to obtain data, discusses the data, and presents results.
The Effect of Low Temperatures on the Virulence of Metarhizium anisopliae (DAT F-001) to the Subterranean Scarab, Adoryphorus couloni

Abstract Metarhizium anisopliae DAT F-001 spores are able to germinate on Czapek-dox agar at all temperatures from 2 to 25°C. The effect of temperature on the virulence of M. anisopliae DAT F-001 for Adoryphorus couloni was tested by exposing third-instar larvae to a concentration of 4.1 × 106 spores/g in sand-peat mixes at temperatures of 5, 10, 15, and a fluctuating 15/5°C regime. DAT F-001 was pathogenic at all temperatures and the LT50 values ranged from 36.1 days at 15°C to 188.9 days at 5°C. There was no difference in virulence of the fungus for A. couloni at either a 19°C constant or a fluctuating 15/5° temperature.
Does Powdered Sugar Work as a Varroa Control

During his placement at Florida University Dr Fakhimzadeh has been investigating the effectiveness of dusting bees with sugar powder as a form of Varroa control. Here he attempts to resolve the beekeepers' dilemma of whether it is a feasible solution or not.
Poster Abstract: Cyborg-Insect Networks for Mapping of Unknown Environments

Cyborg-insect networks are systems that take advantage of existing biological platforms such as cockroaches [2] by attaching small instrumented payloads for sensing and motion control. These agents can be used in applications such as mapping and exploration of environment for emergency response (e.g., search and rescue operations after earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, etc.) These agents can gain access to locations that may not be reachable otherwise by moving underground through smaller locations. The power limitations of such platforms place restrictions on sensing, communication, and motion control. Hence, traditional mapping and exploration techniques may not perform well under these adverse conditions. We propose a robust approach to obtain a topological map of an unknown environment using the coordinate free sensory data obtained from these cyborg-insect networks. In order to minimize control input, we take advantage of the natural behavior of insects in order to estimate a topological model of the environment based only on neighbor-to-neighbor interactions.
“Like the Ministering Angels”: Ritual and Purity in Early Jewish Mysticism and Magic

Students of religion are aware that the same ritual act can have many meanings depending on the cultural context. As Walter Kaelber observes, “Viewed cross-culturally, a given ascetic form may have different, even opposite objectives.” Accordingly, the same detail may have entirely opposite meanings in different ascetic regimens. Thus for the biblical Daniel and his ascetic heirs, beans were an ideal food, probably because they are dry and not susceptible to impurity; but for Pythagoreans and others, they were to be avoided perhaps because in certain Mediterranean populations, they presented an actual medical danger. These factors alert us to the principle that understanding a ritual system in its cultural context is vital. They also encourage us to read rituals and actions as we read texts–coding their creators' statements about what they value in a religious system and what they aspire to be.
Effect of female brooding behaviour on male mate choice in Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica

Abstract Brooding behaviour is a likely cue to a female's reproductive status and therefore a potentially important factor in male mate assessment. We induced brooding behaviour in adult female Japanese quail by exposure to foster chicks for five 20-min trials over 3 days. In two experiments, we assessed the influence of this brooding behaviour on male mate choice in Japanese quail using an established mate choice paradigm. In each experiment we gave males a choice between two females presented simultaneously and measured preference by the time spent in proximity to each. In the first experiment, a male's preference for the initially preferred female significantly decreased after he had seen her brooding three chicks. In the control condition, male preference for an initially preferred female remained relatively consistent over consecutive trials if he did not see her brood chicks. These results suggest that females who are brooding chicks are less attractive to male Japanese quail. Further evidence from the second experiment substantiates this finding, and strongly suggests that males are averse to behavioural cues from maternal females, rather than the mere presence of chicks. Copyright 2003 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Educational Aspirations and Parental Stress on College

Acceptance and adjustment will be correlated inversely-but only loosely so-with the percentage of Negroes in the population. Other factors will often be more crucial in given instances. Some of the best and some of the worst transition situations will develop in areas where the ratio of Negroes to whites is very high. (G. Johnson, C. Johnson, Williams and Ryan.) Acceptance and adjustment will be correlated inversely-buit o ly loosely so-with popular attitudes and the degree of prejudice in an area. Other factors will frequentl be more crucial in given instances. (Clark, Long, Williams and Ryan.)
Does skepticism towards medical care predict mortality

Objectives.Attitudes towards medical care have a strong effect on utilization and outcomes. However, there has been little attention to the impact on outcomes of doubts about the value of medical care. This study examines the impact of skepticism toward medical care on mortality using data from the
Cost-effectiveness analysis of fixation options for intertrochanteric hip fractures

Background Intertrochanteric hip fractures are a major source of morbidity and financial burden, accounting for 7% of osteoporotic fractures and costing nearly $6 billion annually in the United States. Traditionally, "stable" fracture patterns have been treated with an extramedullary sliding hip screw whereas "unstable" patterns have been treated with the more expensive intramedullary nail. The purpose of this study was to identify parameters to guide cost-effective implant choices with use of decision-analysis techniques to model these common clinical scenarios. Methods An expected-value decision-analysis model was constructed to estimate the total costs and health utility based on the choice of a sliding hip screw or an intramedullary nail for fixation of an intertrochanteric hip fracture. Values for critical parameters, such as fixation failure rate, were derived from the literature. Three scenarios were evaluated: (1) a clearly stable fracture (AO type 31-A1), (2) a clearly unstable fracture (A3), or (3) a fracture with questionable stability (A2). Sensitivity analysis was performed to test the validity of the model. Results The fixation failure rate and implant cost were the most important factors in determining implant choice. When the incremental cost for the intramedullary nail was set at the median value ($1200), intramedullary nailing had an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $50,000/quality-adjusted life year when the incremental failure rate of sliding hip screws was 1.9%. When the incremental failure rate of sliding hip screws was >5.0%, intramedullary nails dominated with lower cost and better health outcomes. The sliding hip screw was always more cost-effective for A1 fractures, and the intramedullary nail always dominated for A3 fractures. As for A2 fractures, the sliding hip screw was cost-effective in 70% of the cases, although this was highly sensitive to the failure rate. Conclusions Sliding hip screw fixation is likely more cost-effective for stable intertrochanteric fractures (A1) or those with questionable stability (A2), whereas intramedullary nail fixation is more cost-effective for reverse obliquity fractures (A3). These conclusions are highly sensitive to the fixation failure rate, which was the major influence on the model results.
Emerging application opportunities for SiGe technology

Bandgap-engineered SiGe HBTs are fully-Si-manufacturing compatible, and can be fabricated in a BiCMOS platform on 200 mm wafers at high yield. SiGe HBTs are capable of extremely high frequency operation, exhibit very low broadband and 1/f noise, and high transconductance per unit area, all at very modest lithographic nodes (e.g., 200 GHz / 285 GHz fT / fmax at 130 nm), making them near-ideal devices for high-speed, mixed-signal circuits. In this work we discuss new technology trends, ultimate performance limits, and emerging application opportunities in SiGe technology.
Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty for the treatment of limb threatening ischemia : Do the results justify an attempt before bypass grafting?

Abstract Purpose: Results of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) in selected cases have been reported to be equal or superior to those of arterial bypass graft surgery, with a lower morbidity and mortality. We performed PTA of stenotic or occlusive lesions in patients with limb-threatening ischemia, hoping to improve our overall success and decrease morbidity in this group of patients. The results of PTA in the limb-salvage setting was evaluated. Methods: From 1992 to 1995, 307 PTAs were performed in 257 patients. One hundred sixty-one (63%) patients had diabetes mellitus, and 32 (12%) patients had renal failure. All patients were evaluated by means of pulse volume recordings and ankle brachial indices at 1 and 6 weeks after PTA and at 3 month intervals thereafter. Seventeen patients (9%) were lost to follow-up. The continued success or failure of PTA was defined by means of noninvasive vascular laboratory criteria, patency by means of pulse examination, the need for subsequent bypass grafting across the index lesion, and limb salvage. Results: The 1-year patency rates for external iliac PTAs (56%) were significantly lower ( P Conclusion: Common iliac artery PTA is justified in most cases in which it is feasible. However, when PTAs are performed below the inguinal ligament, the results are markedly worse. One-year patency rates of PTA in this group of patients with threatened limbs are inferior to the patency rates of arterial bypass grafts, even when these bypasses are performed with a prosthetic material. PTA should not be considered as a primary treatment modality for patients with infrainguinal arterial occlusive disease who also have limb-threatening ischemia, except in unusual circumstances. (J Vasc Surg 1998;28:1066-71.)
Implementing clinical preventive medicine: time to fish or cut bait.

of cancer screening in 24 community-based pri­ mary care practices. Their results again confirm that rates of offering cancer-screening tests are low. In part, the poor results could be the result of including controversial tests or tests of unproved benefit, which practitioners might reasonably and rationally exclude from their preventive protocols. The authors appear to have used the American Cancer Society guidelines as their standard and studied tests such as the digital rectal examination, prostate-specific antigen, and breast self-examina­ tion, which are of unproved benefit. They also looked at breast cancer screening for women younger the age of 50 years and used an annual mammography interval for women older than 50 years, both of which are controversial. 2 Even if we look only at those tests and screening intervals that are uniformly recommended, how­ ever, the results leave much to be desired. Only 63.8% of women with a cervix had a Papanicolaou smear within 3 years, 55% of women older than 50 years had had a mammogram within 2 years, and no more than 46% of persons older than 50 years had either had flexible sigmoidoscopy within 5 years or fecal occult blood testing within the past year. The results are probably optimistic and over­ state the amount of cancer screening going on in the general community. The study only looked at charts of active patients, defined as having at least 2 visits to the practice in the past 2 years. Inactive patients are likely to be less compliant with cancer screening. Eighty-eight practices were invited to
Suppression of subpixel sensor jitter fluctuations using temporal whitening

Sensor jitter introduces non-white noise fluctuations in imagery of cluttered scenes. These fluctuations are a major source of interference in the detection of weak time-dependent signals, which may be associated with a subject's appearance, motion, or brightness modulation. Due to the presence of sensor pattern noise and uncertainty in the scene's subpixel spatial structure, standard frame-to-frame registration methods have limited ability to model and remove these fluctuations. A simple temporal whitening approach, applicable to a wide variety of imaging systems, is found to be highly effective for suppressing subpixel jitter effects, leading to dramatic (up to several orders of magnitude) improvement in signal detection ability.
Technical Decision Making with Higher Order Structure Data: Higher Order Structure Characterization During Protein Therapeutic Candidate Screening

Protein therapeutics differ considerably from small molecule drugs because of the presence of higher order structure (HOS), post-translational modifications, inherent molecular heterogeneity, and unique stability profiles. At early stages of development, multiple molecular candidates are often produced for the same biological target. In order to select the most promising molecule for further development, studies are carried out to compare and rank order the candidates in terms of their manufacturability, purity, and stability profiles. This note reports a case study on the use of selected HOS characterization methods for candidate selection and the role of HOS data in identifying potential challenges that may be avoided by selecting the optimal molecular entity for continued development.
A numerical method for simulating discontinuous shallow flow over an infiltrating surface

SUMMARY A numerical method based on the MacCormack finite difference scheme is presented. The method was developed for simulating two-dimensional overland flow with spatially variable infiltration and microtopography using the hydrodynamic flow equations. The basic MacCormack scheme is enhanced by using the method of fractional steps to simplify application; treating the friction slope, a stiff source term, point-implicitly, plus, for numerical oscillation control and stability, upwinding the convective acceleration term. A higher-order smoothing operator is added to aid oscillation control when simulating flow over highly variable surfaces. Infiltration is simulated with the Green‐Ampt model coupled to the surface water component in a manner that allows dynamic interaction. The developed method will also be useful for simulating irrigation, tidal flat and wetland circulation, and floods. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Three-month depot of goserelin acetate: clinical efficacy and endocrine profile

Objectives. To compare the pharmacodynamics and tolerability of the new goserelin acetate 10.6mg depot with the 3.6-mg depot in patients with advanced prostate cancer during the first 3 months of therapy. Methods. One hundred sixty patients were randomized in two comparative studies to receive either the 10.8-mg goserelin acetate depot every 12 weeks or the 3.6-mg goserelin acetate depot every 4 weeks for 12 weeks and then the 10.8-mg depot every 12 weeks thereafter. Data for pharmacodynamic assessments were collected prospectively, whereas clinical response data were collected retrospectively. Results. Serum testosterone profiles of the 10.8-mg goserelin acetate depot and the 3.6-mg goserelin acetate depot were similar; testosterone levels in both groups fell below castrate levels by day 21 after administration. Decreases in serum prostate-specific antigen level after 3 months of therapy were also similar in both groups: 94% with the 10.8-mg depot and 92.5% with the 3.6-mg depot. For all patients, the median time to progression was 152.7 weeks and the median time to death was 2 13.6 weeks. The safety profile of the 10.8-mg goserelin acetate depot was similar to that of the 3.6-mg depot; hot flashes was the most common adverse event. The incidence of injection site reactions was very low (2 [0.3%] of 614 administrations). Conclusions. The new 10.8-mg depot was pharmacodynamically equivalent to the current 3.6-mg depot and was well tolerated, both locally and systemically. The observed times to progression and survival were as expected in this patient population. The 10.8-mg goserelin-acetate depot provided a dosing schedule that was convenient for the patient and the physician, and it has the potential to reduce health care costs while maintaining the quality of life in patients being treated for advanced prostate cancer. Copyright 1996 by Elsevier Science Inc. UROLOGY 48: 894-900, 1996.
Potential Therapeutic Agents

Acquired hearing loss, which can develop after noise insult or ototoxic drug treatment, is a significant clinical, social, and economic issue. A major advance in our understanding came with the discovery that intense metabolic activity in the inner ear drives the formation of free radicals (short-lived, unstable, highly reactive clusters of atoms) in multiple types of cells in the inner ear after both noise and drug insult. Animal studies have now shown that free radicals formed during and after metabolic stress importantly contribute to acquired hearing loss. These new mechanistic insights provided for the first time a rationale for directly treating the inner ear to prevent hearing impairment. Consequently, use of free radical scavengers, or antioxidants, to prevent acquired hearing loss became a clinically relevant research goal. Many laboratories have now demonstrated that a variety of free radical scavengers reduce the potential for acquired hearing loss in animal subjects. Scientific data, supporting the use of these agents to prevent environmentally acquired hearing loss, is reviewed. Translational investigations are now essential to confirm the potential utility of these agents in the human inner ear. This article reviews the pharmacological otoprotective agents in or approaching clinical trials to prevent noise-, aminoglycoside-, and cisplatin-induced hearing loss.
Neocorynurella, a New Genus of Augochlorine Bees from South America (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

Neocorynurella Engel gen. n., a new sweat bee genus of the tribe Augochlorini (Halictidae), is described and figured from high altitudes in Colombia and Venezuela. The genus is distinguished from other augochlorine genera by the following combination of characters: galeal comb absent, epistomal sulcus obtuse, mouthparts not narrowed, preoccipital ridge rounded, pronotal dorsal and lateral ridges not carinate, pectinate inner hind tibia1 spur, strong basitibial plate, truncated marginal cell, and penis valve without a ventral prong. Two species are currently recognized in the group, Neocorynurella SPPleyi Engel et Klein sp. n. and N. viridis Engel et Klein sp. 11. Modified key couplets are provided for Eickwort's key to the genera of Augochlorini in order to facilitate recognition of the new genus. The position of Neocorynurella in augochlorine phylogeny is briefly discussed.
Surface plasmon enhanced light emission from CdSe quantum dot nanocrystals

We obtained very bright light emission from CdSe quantum dots (QDs) by using surface plasmon coupling. Both the photoluminescence intensities and decay rates are dramatically increased when QDs are located on evaporated gold films.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone for the Treatment of West Syndrome in Children

OBJECTIVETo review the current literature on the efficacy and safety of low-versus high-dose adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) regimens, low-dose ACTH regimens, and comparison of ACTH with oral corticosteroids or vigabatrin for the treatment of West syndrome.DATA SOURCESA literature search was performed using MEDLINE, PubMed, and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1975-November 2012) to identify studies for inclusion. In addition, reference citations from identified publications were reviewed. The following search terms were used: infantile spasms, West syndrome, adrenocorticotropic hormone, corticotropin, symptomatic West syndrome, cryptogenic West syndrome, pediatric, children, infant, adolescent, and neonate.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTIONStudies included in this article evaluated low-dose versus high-dose ACTH, low-dose ACTH, and ACTH compared with vigabatrin and oral corticosteroids. Data reporting the efficacy and adverse effects of ACTH, vigabatrin, and oral corticosteroids were extracted...
Waves due to an oscillating and translating disturbance in a two-layer density-stratified fluid

Wave generation due to the steady translational motion of an oscillatory disturbance in a two-layer density-stratified fluid is studied. In the context of linearized two- and three-dimensional potential flow, explicit expressions for the Green functions are derived and limiting cases discussed. Of special interest are the waves in the far field. The number and amplitudes of these waves depend on the characteristics of the disturbance (location, speed and oscillation frequency) and the ocean (stratified layer density and depth ratios). These dependencies are elucidated in concrete examples. An interesting finding, for example, is that, for constant frequency, there are critical speeds (as functions of density and depth ratios) at which the specific amplitudes attain maxima. For the more general problem and as an independent validation, an efficient numerical scheme for the problem based on a spectral method is developed. Direct simulation results compare well with analytical predictions in the near- and far-fields and offer a powerful tool for practical problems with general time-dependent motions of one or more bodies.
Indications for renal fine needle aspiration biopsy in the era of modern imaging modalities.

Background: Renal fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) has become an uncommon procedure in the era of renal helical computed tomography (CT), which has high diagnostic accuracy in the characterization of renal cortical lesions. This study investigates the current indications for renal FNAB. Having knowledge of the specific clinico-radiologic scenario that led to the FNAB, cytopathologists are better equipped to expand or narrow down their differential diagnosis. Materials and Methods: All renal FNABs performed during a 6 year interval were retrieved. Indication for the procedure was determined from the clinical notes and radiology reports. Results: Forty six renal FNABs were retrieved from 43 patients (14 females and 29 males with a mean age of 52 years [range, 4-81 years]). Twenty one cases (45.6%) were performed under CT-guidance and 25 cases (54.4%) under US-guidance. There were four distinct indications for renal FNAB: (1) solid renal masses with atypical radiological features or poorly characterized on imaging studies due to lack of intravenous contrast or body habitus (30.2%); (2) confirmation of radiologically suspected renal cell carcinoma in inoperable patients (advanced stage disease or poor surgical candidate status) (27.9%); (3) kidney mass in a patient with a prior history of other malignancy (27.9%); and (4) miscellaneous (drainage of abscess, indeterminate cystic lesion, urothelial carcinoma) (14.0%). 36 patients (83.7%) received a specific diagnosis based on renal FNAB cytology. Conclusions: Currently, renal fine needle aspiration remains a useful diagnostic tool in selected clinico-radiologic scenarios.
A Phylogenetic Test of Ehrlich and Raven's Theory of Escape and Radiation in Insects that Feed on Toxic Plants, Based on Nearctic Depressaria Moths (Gelechioidea: Elachistidae: Depressariinae), with Discussion of the Evolution of Genitalia

Abstract A classic “escape and radiation” coevolutionary model of host shifts is examined in moths of the genus Depressaria Haworth 1811 that feed on plants of varied toxicity. A phylogeny is constructed using morphological data analyzed under the parsimony criterion, the first modern phylogeny of the subfamily that includes New World and Old World species. The results of this analysis suggest that Depressaria is monophyletic, as are historical species groups of Depressaria. Patterns of host-plant usage do not support an escape and radiation model but rather suggest that feeding on plants containing toxic furanocoumarins may be the ancestral conditions for Depressaria. Thus, a model of escape from control and colonization of more toxic hosts does not apply above the species level. Other phylogenetic results indicate Himmacia Clarke 1941 may be a basal lineage of Depressariinae and Semioscopis Hubner 1825 is not a member of this subfamily. In spite of some apparently very specialized larval features, we co...
Educational priorities for tomorrow's agribusiness leaders

This article presents the results of AGRI-MASS, a national survey of agribusiness managers. This project was designed to rank order 74 personal and professional characteristics required for successful careers in agribusiness. The authors discuss the role of Universities and the international priorities for developing successful careers in agribusiness management. The role of agribusiness industry and government in developing effective agribusiness programs is also discussed.
Mechanistic studies of addition of nucleophiles to arene oxides and diol epoxides: Candidate ultimate carcinogens

Potential energy surfaces for the SS1 and SS2 attack of water on protonated benzene oxide and benzene diol epoxide have been calculated using the mindo/3 method. Calculated enthalpies of activation are consistent with the known experimental behavior of related arene oxides and epoxides. The potential surfaces calculated here, plus prior calculations of internal rearrangements, allow the conclusion that diol epoxides preferentially undergo intermolecular reactions with nucleophiles, most likely by an SN2 mechanism, while arene oxides preferentially undergo internal rearrangement via carbocation formation. This difference in behavior could help explain why diol epoxides, rather than arene oxides, are found to form adducts with nucleic acids. The large positive charge found on the pentacoordinated carbon atom in the SN2 transition state could account for the correlations observed between calculated diol epoxide carbocation stability and carcinogenic potency of parent polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
Zoned not planned

There is a long and active tradition of land use planning in the United States, and planners have tried to subordinate regulation, primarily zoning, to prior planning. However, this project has met with only limited success. Americans prefer to make small-scale, ad hoc land use decisions. The reasons include the tradition of plans as blueprints for unlimited growth, the legal ability of local governments to ignore the regional impacts of their decisions, America’s preference for sprawling suburbia, the marginal status of plans in zoning law, and the chilling impact of the Supreme Court’s takings jurisprudence.
Designing the User Experience for C4ISR Systems in the U.S. Army

A unique set of challenges exist for implementing user-centered design principles in the context of military acquisition over and above those typically encountered by user experience designers. This paper focuses on the tools and techniques that we have utilized to help ensure that a positive user experience (UX) will result when Soldiers and systems interact under harsh conditions on the battlefield. Insights gained from applying these techniques to system design and evaluation early in the acquisition process and the impact that their use has had on training and system design are discussed.
Preoperative Predictors of Spinal Infection within the National Surgical Quality Inpatient Database

Background Surgical-site infections (SSIs) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality, increasing the length and cost of hospitalization. In patients undergoing spine surgery, there are limited large-scale data on patient-specific risk factors for SSIs. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was reviewed for all spinal operations between 2006 and 2012. The rates of 30-day SSIs were calculated, and univariate analysis of selected preoperative risk factors was performed. Multivariate analysis was then used to identify independent predictors of SSIs. Results A total of 1110 of the 60,179 patients (1.84%) had a postoperative wound infection. There were 527 (0.87%) deep and 590 (0.98%) superficial infections. Patients with infections had greater rates of sepsis, longer lengths of stay, and more return visits to the operating room. Independent predictors of infection were female sex, inpatient status, insulin-dependent diabetes, preoperative steroid use greater than 10 days, hematocrit less than 35, body mass index greater than 30, wound class, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, and operative duration. Conclusions Analysis of a large national patient database revealed many independent risk factors for SSIs after spinal surgery. Some of these risk factors can be modified preoperatively to reduce the risk of postoperative infection.
Advanced Boiling Water Reactor (ABWR) First-of-a-Kind Engineering (FOAKE) Program

In keeping with the theme of this conference, this paper presents a brief summary of what we see as the current energy needs trend and the role nuclear energy can plan to satisfy a part of this future electrical energy need. It will also briefly touch on the technical benefits GE’s Advanced Boiling Water Reactor brings to this fulfillment of the energy picture and then describe in more detail the various programs GE has underway that directly support and are a part of the industry’s strategic plan for building new nuclear power plants. It will especially describe GE’s efforts on the utility/DOE FOAKE program and the goals that are necessary to demonstrate the viability of nuclear power for the future. The competition is clearly driven by economics. Other issues like the environment, safety and licensing, waste management all play a key role, but cost is the key.
Biofilm delays wound healing: A review of the evidence

Biofilm is the predominant mode of life for bacteria and today it is implicated in numerous human diseases. A growing body of scientific and clinical evidence now exists regarding the presence of biofilm in wounds. This review summarizes the clinical experiences and in vivo evidence that implicate biofilm in delayed wound healing. The various mechanisms by which biofilm may impede healing are highlighted, including impaired epithelialization and granulation tissue formation, and reduced susceptibilities to antimicrobial agents and host defenses. Strategies to manage biofilm and encourage progression to wound healing are discussed; these include debridement and appropriate antimicrobial therapies which may be improved upon in the future with the emergence of anti-biofilm technologies.
Small-Signal Frequency Response Theory for piecewise-constant two-switched-network dc-to-dc converter systems

Small-Signal Frequency Response Theory is a theory for calculating the output spectrum of ideal dc-to-dc converter systems, i.e. systems with system coefficients piecewise constant in time, for a given spectrum of the signal injected into the control-input, in the small-signal limit. This theory, unlike other methods, can be applied to both resonant and PWM converters, and gives analytic results in closed form for ideal converters. This paper discusses the special case of ideal two-switched-network converter systems in PWM, programmed, and bang-bang operation. For the examples under study, theoretical prediction and experimental results are found to differ by at most 2dB in amplitude and 10 degrees in phase at most frequencies up to three times the switching frequency. Examples are given in this paper for which the theory gives the correct prediction, while other methods fail.
Extension of a Modern Lifting-Line Method to Transonic Speeds and Application to Multiple-Lifting-Surface Configurations

A modern lifting-line analysis method has been realized and validated against wind tunnel data for two aircraft models and a wing at transonic speeds and multiple-liftingsurface congurations at low speeds. The extension of the method to transonic speeds was made possible by the use of compressible, viscous airfoil data. Results for the multiplelifting-surface cases demonstrated good agreement with the wind tunnel data below stall. Transonic aircraft model predictions agreed well for modest angles of attack but deviated from the wind tunnel results as the Mach number increased above 0.75. Discrepancies present in the comparisons are discussed. The method produced results with accuracy suitable for a conceptual design study while requiring a fraction of the time and resources necessary for high-delity tools, such as Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes computational uid dynamics methods.
A Novel Application of Gamification for Collecting High-Level Design Information

This paper presents a novel application of gamification for collecting high-level design descriptions of objects. High-level design descriptions entail not only superficial characteristics of an object, but also function, behavior, and requirement information of the object. Such information is difficult to obtain with traditional data mining techniques. For acquisition of high-level design information, we investigated a multiplayer game, “Who is the Pretender?” in an offline context. Through a user study, we demonstrate that the game offers a more fun, enjoyable, and engaging experience for providing descriptions of objects than simply asking people to list them. We also show that the game elicits more high-level, problem-oriented requirement descriptions and less low-level, solution-oriented structure descriptions due to the unique game mechanics that encourage players to describe objects at an abstract level. Finally, we present how crowdsourcing can be used to generate game content that facilitates the gameplay. Our work contributes towards acquiring high-level design knowledge that is essential for developing knowledge-based CAD systems.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Lapping behavior as a function of the reinforcement schedule on another manipulandum

Lapping behavior of rats was investigated as a function of the ratio reinforcement schedule on another manipulandum in an operant learning situation. The data indicated that this member of the operant chain was an increasing function of the size of the ratio, although the dipper behavior was experimentally independent of the requirements of the schedule.
A New Model for Offering Construction Education on MOOC Platforms

A new instructional medium called a massive online open course (MOOC) recently has become prevalent. Millions of learners from all over the world enroll in these available and affordable courses. Thousands of courses have been offered by distinguished institutes and instructors on a variety of evolving MOOC platforms. However, construction education has yet to take advantage of this popular medium. This paper offers a guideline for construction education to provide successful MOOC courses. Construction educators already are familiar with new educational technologies and active learning pedagogies. Combining these two familiar approaches can be a starting point for offering successful courses in MOOC. This paper suggests using team-based and problem-based learning approaches along with the MOOC delivery to increase the success and completion rate, which has been problematic in MOOC courses.
Is Memory Disaggregation Feasible?: A Case Study with Spark SQL

This paper explores the feasibility of entirely disaggregated memory from compute and storage for a particular, widely deployed workload, Spark SQL [9] analytics queries. We measure the empirical rate at which records are processed and calculate the effective memory bandwidth utilized based on the sizes of the columns accessed in the query. Our findings contradict conventional wisdom: not only is memory disaggregation possible under this workload, but achievable with already available, commercial network technology. Beyond this finding, we also recommend changes that can be made to Spark SQL to improve its ability to support memory disaggregation.
Amyloid-related serum component (SAA)--studies in acute infections, medullary thyroid carcinoma, and postsurgery.

Abstract Longitudinal studies of serum SAA (amyloid-related serum component) levels were done on a group of 17 patients hospitalized for acute bacterial infections, and the results were compared to another group of 24 patients undergoing elective surgical procedures. In the former, striking initial elevations were seen, resolving rapidly with therapy and clinical status; failure of response in two patients could be correlated with ongoing or recurrent infection. By contrast, the latter group manifested little variation in SAA level. Of all the acute-phase parameters tested, only the WBC (white blood cell count) could be related to variations in SAA. Levels obtained in patients and relatives of patients with the familial form of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid were generally normal. The possible significance of this finding is discussed in view of theories claiming the amyloid associated with this entity to be light-chain-related, “A” protein, or prohormone in nature. SAA was found to be present at low levels in CSF (cerebrospinal fluid), though no correlation to age could be made at the level of resolution of the radioimmunoassay. Simultaneous serum levels ranged up to 30 times the CSF levels. A small group of patients with elevated CSF levels were also noted to have acute infections, some without evidence of meningeal irritation.
Diet and the Susceptibility of Helicoverpa zea (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera) to a Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus

The effects of host plant foliage on the susceptibility of Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) to Heliothis baculovirus (HzNPV) was examined in three separate laboratory bioassays. Larvae were administered viral suspensions, equivalent to three polyhedral inclusion bodies per insect, within 6 h of molting to the third instar for all bioassays. In the first bioassay, H. zea larvae were fed one of the following: artificial diet, cotton, grain sorghum, soybean, or tomato foliage for 24 h before and after administration of a viral suspension on the respective foliage. Larvae fed cotton were significantly less susceptible (36% mortality) than those fed either tomato or artificial diet (75% and 65% mortality, respectively). In the second bioassay, larvae were reared on artificial diet, dosed on plant foliage disks, and returned to artificial diet. No significant differences in virus-induced mortality were observed among the cotton (61%), tomato (61%), or artificial diet (63%) treatments. In a final bioassay, larvae, reared on artificial diet, were fed foliage 24 h before and after receiving virus on artificial diet disks. No differences in virus-induced mortality were observed among the cotton (69%), tomato (66%), or artificial diet (69%) treatments in the final bioassay. Overall results suggest that interaction(s) involving host plant foliar constituents and larval midgut conditions were responsible for the reduced mortality of insects fed and dosed on cotton.
Radio frequency based reverse engineering of microcontroller program execution

This paper investigates a methodology for reverse engineering the sequence of operations executed by a microcontroller unit (MCU). Unintentional radio-frequency (RF) emissions are collected from a device and compared with a library of reference signals using a matched filter to identify operations. The reconstructed program sequence can be used to detect rogue device operation.