cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Missed Opportunities: Integrating Palliative Care into the Emergency Department for Older Adults Presenting as Level I Triage Priority from Long-Term Care Facilities.

Abstract Background Early integration of palliative care from the emergency department (ED) is an underutilized care modality with potential benefits, but few studies have identified who is appropriate for such care. Objective Our hypothesis is that patients aged 65 years or older who present to the ED as level I Emergency Severity Index from a long-term care (LTC) facility have high resource utilization and mortality and may benefit from early palliative care involvement. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of patients aged 65 years or older who arrived in the ED of an academic suburban southeastern level I trauma center from an LTC facility and triaged as level I priority. The ED course, hospital course, and final outcomes were analyzed. Results Of the 198 patients studied, 54% were deceased 30 days after discharge, with only 29.8% alive at 12 months. Admitted patients had a median hospital length of stay of 5 days and 73% required intensive care. Formal palliative care intervention was provided in 40.4%, occuring a median of 4 days into hospitalization and leading to 85% downgrading their advanced directive wishes, and discharge occuring a median of 1 day later. Few formal palliative care interventions occurred in the ED (9.1%). Conclusions Elderly patients from LTC facilities presenting with severe acute illness have high mortality and seldom receive early palliative care. Introduction of palliative care has the ability to change the course of treatment in this vulnerable population and should be considered early in the hospitalization and, where available, be initiated in the ED.
Placing Metal in the Bowl: Does Rim Alkylation Matter?

In-depth theoretical analysis of the consequences of methylation of the rim sites of corannulene is completed. The full set of derivatives ranging from parent C20H10 to fully substituted C20(CH3)10 has been evaluated, revealing consistent trends along the series. The controlled one-electron chemical reduction of selected methylated corannulenes, such as monomethyl- (C20H9(CH3)), sym-pentamethyl- (1,3,5,7,9-C20H5(CH3)5), and decamethylcorannulene (C20(CH3)10) has also been investigated. Cesium metal was used as a reducing agent to access endo complexes having cesium ion placed inside the concave cavity of the monoreduced bowls. Two products, [{Cs+(18-crown-6)}{C20H9(CH3)−}] (1) and [{Cs+(18-crown-6)}{C20H5(CH3)5–}] (2), have been crystallized in the presence of 18-crown-6 ether and crystallographically characterized to confirm the concave cesium ion coordination. The direct structural comparison of 1 and 2 with the complex of unsubstituted corannulene, [{Cs+(18-crown-6)}{C20H10–}] (3), has been conducted. ...
Ebola Virus Isolation Using Huh-7 Cells has Methodological Advantages and Similar Sensitivity to Isolation Using Other Cell Types and Suckling BALB/c Laboratory Mice

Following the largest Ebola virus disease outbreak from 2013 to 2016, viral RNA has been detected in survivors from semen and breast milk long after disease recovery. However, as there have been few cases of sexual transmission, it is unclear whether every RNA positive fluid sample contains infectious virus. Virus isolation, typically using cell culture or animal models, can serve as a tool to determine the infectivity of patient samples. However, the sensitivity of these methods has not been assessed for the Ebola virus isolate, Makona. Described here is an efficiency comparison of Ebola virus Makona isolation using Vero E6, Huh-7, monocyte-derived macrophage cells, and suckling laboratory mice. Isolation sensitivity was similar in all methods tested. Laboratory mice and Huh-7 cells were less affected by toxicity from breast milk than Vero E6 and MDM cells. However, the advantages associated with isolation in Huh-7 cells over laboratory mice, including cost effectiveness, sample volume preservation, and a reduction in animal use, make Huh-7 cells the preferred substrate tested for Ebola virus Makona isolation.
Structured priors for sparse probability vectors with application to model selection in Markov chains

We develop two prior distributions for probability vectors which, in contrast to the popular Dirichlet distribution, retain sparsity properties in the presence of data. Our models are appropriate for count data with many categories, most of which are expected to have negligible probability. Both models are tractable, allowing for efficient posterior sampling and marginalization. Consequently, they can replace the Dirichlet prior in hierarchical models without sacrificing convenient Gibbs sampling schemes. We derive both models and demonstrate their properties. We then illustrate their use for model-based selection with a hierarchical model in which we infer the active lag from time-series data. Using a squared-error loss, we demonstrate the utility of the models for data simulated from a nearly deterministic dynamical system. We also apply the prior models to an ecological time series of Chinook salmon abundance, demonstrating their ability to extract insights into the lag dependence.
Real-world use and survival outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

e14111Background: Little is known about the real-world use and survival outcomes of immune checkpoint inhibitors among elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: Using the S...
The NASA/Goddard Balloon Borne Lidar System

A balloon borne LIDAR system for the measurement of trace constitutents of the stratosphere has been built and operated by the Goddard Space Flight Center obtaining ozone measurements in the altitude region from 21 to 36 km and hydroxyl radical measurements in the 33 to 36 km region. These species were measured as part of NASA’s program to investigate the seriousness of man-made stratospheric ozone depletion via high altitude aircraft exhaust or the release of chlorofluorcarbons into the lower atmosphere.
Association between epigenetic age acceleration and depressive symptoms in a prospective cohort study of urban-dwelling adults.

Abstract Objective This study tests associations of DNA methylation-based (DNAm) measures of epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) with cross-sectional and longitudinal depressive symptoms in an urban sample of middle-aged adults. Methods White and African–American adult participants in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span study for whom DNA samples were analyzed (baseline age: 30–65 years) we included. We estimated three DNAm based EAA measures: (1) universal epigenetic age acceleration (AgeAccel); (2) intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (IEAA); and (3) extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (EEAA). Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 20-item Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale total and sub-domain scores at baseline (2004–2009) and follow-up visits (2009–2013). Linear mixed-effects regression models were conducted, adjusting potentially confounding covariates, selection bias and multiple testing (N = 329 participants, ∼52% men, k = 1.9 observations/participant, mean follow-up time∼4.7 years). Results None of the epigenetic age acceleration measures were associated with total depressive symptom scores at baseline or over time. IEAA – a measure of cellular epigenetic age acceleration irrespective of white blood cell composition – was cross-sectionally associated with decrement in “positive affect” in the total population (γ011± SE = −0.090 ± 0.030, P = 0.003, Cohen's D: −0.16) and among Whites (γ011 ± SE = −0.135 ± 0.048, P = 0.005, Cohen's D: −0.23), after correction for multiple testing. Baseline “positive affect” was similarly associated with AgeAccel. Limitations Limitations included small sample size, weak-moderate effects and measurement error. Conclusions IEAA and AgeAccel, two measures of EAA using Horvath algorithm, were linked to a reduced “positive affect”, overall and among Whites. Future studies are needed to replicate our findings and test bi-directional relationships.
Posttraumatic Stress and Depression in the Aftermath of Environmental Disasters: A Review of Quantitative Studies Published in 2018.

As interest in the mental health consequences of environmental disasters increases, this review aimed to summarize peer-reviewed studies published in 2018 on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms after such events. Notable trends in the past year of research included studies focusing on vulnerable populations (e.g., persons with preexisting physical health conditions), assessing the cumulative impact of exposure to multiple disasters, exploring pathway leading to PTSD and depression symptoms, and evaluating the effectiveness of post-disaster interventions. Over 100 articles were identified, focused on 40 disasters that occurred between 1982 and 2017. Prevalence estimates ranged from 0 to 70.51% for PTSD and 1.9 to 59.5% for depression. Consistent predictors of adverse outcomes included female gender, socioeconomic disadvantage, high disaster exposure, and low psychosocial resources. Further research that expands upon recent advances in the literature is critical given the large proportion of the world’s population exposed to disasters and the increasing incidence of such events.
Fate-mapping post-hypoxic tumor cells reveals a ROS-resistant phenotype that promotes metastasis.

Hypoxia is known to be detrimental in cancer and contributes to its development. In this work, we present an approach to fate-map hypoxic cells in vivo in order to determine their cellular response to physiological O2 gradients as well as to quantify their contribution to metastatic spread. We demonstrate the ability of the system to fate-map hypoxic cells in 2D, and in 3D spheroids and organoids. We identify distinct gene expression patterns in cells that experienced intratumoral hypoxia in vivo compared to cells exposed to hypoxia in vitro. The intratumoral hypoxia gene-signature is a better prognostic indicator for distant metastasis-free survival. Post-hypoxic tumor cells have an ROS-resistant phenotype that provides a survival advantage in the bloodstream and promotes their ability to establish overt metastasis. Post-hypoxic cells retain an increase in the expression of a subset of hypoxia-inducible genes at the metastatic site, suggesting the possibility of a ‘hypoxic memory.’ Hypoxia is known to promote tumor progression. Here, the authors evaluate hypoxic cells using a fate mapping approach and identify a distinct gene expression profile of cells exposed to intratumoral hypoxia and show that post-hypoxic tumor cells have an ROS-resistant phenotype enabling metastasis in vivo.
Characterization of a cryptic PML-RARA fusion by mate-pair sequencing in a case of acute promyelocytic leukemia with a normal karyotype and negative RARA FISH studies

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a time-critical hematologic neoplasm that is amenable to targeted therapy [1]. While the diagnosis of APL can be suspected based on the clinical presentation, ...
The Combined Effects of Gravitational and Thermocapillary Driving Forces on the Interactions of Slightly Deformable, Surfactant - Free Drops

By an asymptotic approach previously employed for gravitational or thermocapillary motion alone, collision efficiencies are calculated for slightly deformable drops in combined gravitational and thermocapillary motion with negligible inertia and thermal convection. The constant imposed temperature gradient may be aligned with gravity in either the same or opposite direction. In the dimensionless parameter space, deformation becomes important at a smaller drop size ratio when the temperature gradient and gravity are aligned in the same direction, because the driving force is larger and induces dimple formation earlier. For the same reason, in a physical system of ethyl salicylate (ES) drops in an unbounded matrix of diethylene glycol (DEG), deformation becomes important for smaller drops when the driving forces have a parallel, rather than anti-parallel, arrangement. In developing the population dynamics for slightly deformable drops, a new, simplified expression for the collision efficiency for spherical drops in the absence of van der Waals forces is presented, which successfully separates the contributions of the two driving forces. Two collision-forbidden regions can occur for opposed driving forces leading to a shark-fin shaped collision efficiency curve for two slightly deformable drops. As shown in population dynamics, if the drop distribution is broad enough, it is possible for drops to jump the first collision-forbidden region.
Sum factorization for fast integration of DPG matrices on prismatic elements

Abstract Higher order finite element (FE) methods provide significant advantages in a number of applications such as wave propagation, where high order shape functions help to mitigate pollution (dispersion) error. However, classical assembly of higher order systems is computationally burdensome, requiring the evaluation of many point quadrature schemes. When the Discontinuous Petrov-Galerkin (DPG) FE methodology is employed, the use of an enriched test space further increases the computational burden of system assembly, increasing the relevance of improved assembly techniques. Sum factorization—a technique that exploits the tensor-product structure of shape functions to accelerate numerical integration—was proposed in Ref. [10] for the assembly of DPG matrices on hexahedral elements that reduced the computational complexity from order O ( p 9 ) to O ( p 7 ) (where p denotes polynomial order). In this work we extend the concept of sum factorization to the construction of DPG matrices on prismatic elements by expressing prism shape functions as tensor products of 2D simplex and 1D interval shape functions. Unexpectedly, the resulting sum factorization routines on partially-tensorized prism shape functions achieve the same O ( p 7 ) complexity as sum factorization on fully-tensorized hexahedra shape functions (as products of 1D interval shape functions) presented in Ref. [10]. Throughout this work we adhere to the theory of exact sequence energy spaces, proposing sum factorization routines for each of the 3D FE exact sequence energy spaces—H1, H(curl), H(div), and L2. Computational results for construction of the DPG Gram matrix on a prismatic element in each exact sequence energy space are presented, corroborating the expected O ( p 7 ) complexity. Additionally, construction of the DPG system for an ultraweak Maxwell problem on a prismatic element is considered and a partially-tensorized sum factorization for hexahedral elements is proposed to improve implementational compatibility between hexahedral and prismatic elements.
Kleeblattschädel in Pfeiffer syndrome type II

Abstract Pfeiffer syndrome is an uncommon autosomal dominant disorder that results in craniosynostosis of multiple calvarial sutures with resulting abnormal facies and turribrachycephaly. Presented here is a case of Pfeiffer syndrome type II demonstrating a cloverleaf skull configuration and multiple facial and skull base abnormalities characteristic of the disorder. The constellation of findings consistent with Pfeiffer syndrome type II described here provides imaging depictions helpful to the radiologist who may be able to suggest genetic testing for this disorder.
Focusing with saw-tooth refractive lenses at a high-energy X-ray beamline

The Advanced Photon Source 1-ID beamline, operating in the 40–140 keV X-ray energy range, has successfully employed continuously tunable saw-tooth refractive lenses to routinely deliver beams focused in both one and two dimensions to experiments for over 15 years. The practical experience of implementing such lenses, made of silicon and aluminium, is presented, including their properties, control, alignment, and diagnostic methods, achieving ∼1 µm focusing (vertically). Ongoing development and prospects towards submicrometre focusing at these high energies are also mentioned.
Genetic diversity of the complementary sex-determiner ( csd ) gene in two closed breeding stocks of Varroa -resistant honey bees

Honey bee (Apis mellifera) breeding programs that use a closed mating system are particularly vulnerable to low genetic diversity. Inadequate diversity at the complementary sex-determiner (csd) locus is problematic and potentially catastrophic in honey bee populations because it causes low brood viability. In typical commercial populations, queens are open mated and csd diversity is fostered by high rates of introgression. In this study, we examine genetic diversity within the highly variable region (HVR) of csd in two stocks bred for resistance to Varroa destructor: Pol-line and Hilo, both of which use closed mating systems. We sampled 47 Pol-line colonies and 41 Hilo colonies and found 60 protein alleles that were condensed into 35 allele groupings by sequence similarity. We found that proportionately, HVR diversity levels were comparable with those in other closed breeding populations as well as open-mated populations of A. mellifera worldwide. Distinct patterns are observed among Pol-line and Hilo csd protein alleles in both the phylogeny and allele frequency distributions, suggesting early divergence of the two stocks. When compared with an African outgroup, both stocks shared alleles with the outgroup, suggesting ancestral lineages are present and not all diversity is due to new mutations. Periodic monitoring of csd diversity is recommended for closed breeding programs. The csd diversity data reported here are currently being used to make breeding decisions in these two mite-resistant populations of honey bees.
Drivers of Finished-Goods Inventory in the U.S. Automobile Industry

Automobile manufacturers in the U.S. supply chain exhibit significant differences in their days of supply of finished vehicles (average inventory divided by average daily sales rate). For example, from 1995 to 2004, Toyota consistently carried approximately 30 fewer days of supply than General Motors. This suggests that Toyota's well-documented advantage in manufacturing efficiency, product design, and upstream supply chain management extends to their finished-goods inventory in their downstream supply chain from their assembly plants to their dealerships. Our objective in this research is to measure for this industry the effect of several factors on inventory holdings. We find that two factors, the number of dealerships in a manufacturer's distribution network and a manufacturer's production flexibility, explain essentially all of the difference in finished-goods inventory between Toyota and three other manufacturers: Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors.
Demonstration as a Reading Intervention for Exceptional Learners

We reviewed research on antecedent demonstration, modeling, or prompting interventions designed to increase reading accuracy, rates of accurate reading, and generalized reading performance in stude...
Cosmetics and Injectables

Facial rejuvenation encompasses correction of facial rhytides and volume attrition by cosmetic surgical or non-surgical procedures. Facial ageing is an ongoing natural process which is influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The fundamental principle of facial rejuvenation is to reverse or hault these changes with surgical or non surgical methods to improve the tissue descent, restore the lost volume, and improve the quality of skin.
Effects of aging on clinical outcomes in patients receiving genotype-guided P2Y12 inhibitor selection after percutaneous coronary intervention

STUDY OBJECTIVE To compare the clinical effectiveness of genotype-guided P2Y12 inhibitor selection following PCI in older patients (≥70 years) and younger patients (<70 years). DESIGN AND SETTING Single-center, retrospective, cohort study. Risk of major adverse cardiovascular or cerebrovascular events (MACCE), defined as stent thrombosis, ischemic stroke, transient ischemic attack, non-fatal acute coronary syndrome, or cardiovascular death during 12 months after PCI, was compared across genotype and antiplatelet therapy groups by proportional hazards regression in patients ≥70 years and <70 years. PATIENTS 1,469 patients who underwent PCI and had CYP2C19 genotype testing at a single academic medical center. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS The study population was comprised of 402 (27.4%) ≥70 years (older group) and 1067 (72.6%) <70 years (younger group). Alternative P2Y12 inhibitors (prasugrel or ticagrelor) were used less often in the older group than the younger group in patients with a CYP2C19 no function allele (55% vs. 67%; p = 0.02) and in patients without a no function allele (10% vs. 35%, p < 0.001). For patients treated with clopidogrel, MACCE was significantly higher in no function allele carriers compared to those without a no function allele in the older group (19.2% vs. 12.7%; adjusted HR 2.32; 95% CI 1.07-5.05; p = 0.03) and the younger group (17.4% vs. 10.4%; adjusted HR 2.01; 95% CI 1.17-3.46; p = 0.01). In patients without a no function allele, MACCE risk was similar with clopidogrel compared to prasugrel or ticagrelor in the older group (adjusted HR 0.99; 95% CI 0.44-2.21; p = 0.98) and the younger group (adjusted HR 1.12; 95% CI 0.72-1.74; p = 0.61). CONCLUSION This study suggests important clinical benefits of CYP2C19 genotype-guided antiplatelet therapy after PCI in both younger and older patients.
Fundamental groups and group presentations with bounded relator lengths.

For $r \geq 3$, a graph is said to be an $r$\textit{-sieve} if the $2$-dimensional CW-complex obtained by attaching a $2$-cell along each loop of length $\leq r$ is simply connected. A Cayley graph $\Gamma (G,S)$ is an $r$-sieve precisely when $G$ admits a presentation $G = \langle S \vert R \rangle$ with $R$ consisting of words of length at most $r$. Let $G$ be a finite group and $S \subset G$ a set of generators such that the corresponding Cayley graph $\Gamma$ is an $r$-sieve. We give an explicit upper bound for diam$(\Gamma ) $ of the form $ O(r \sqrt{ \vert G \vert) }$, and when $G$ is abelian, another one of the form $O( r^2 \vert S \vert \log \vert G \vert ) $. We then use these results to obtain upper bounds on the diameter of universal covers of compact Riemannian manifolds. Using Fourier analysis, we show that if an $r$-sieve is the Cayley graph of a finite abelian group $G$, then the first nontrivial eigenvalue $-\lambda_1$ of the graph laplacian satisfies $\lambda_1 \geq 2 - 2 \max \{ 0, \cos \frac{2 \pi}{r} \}$.
Diagnostic sensitivity and risk of malignancy for bile duct brushings categorized by the Papanicolaou Society of Cytopathology System for reporting pancreaticobiliary cytopathology.

BACKGROUND The Papanicolaou Society of cytopathology developed a six-category system for pancreaticobiliary cytology specimens. Each category is associated with a definition, diagnostic criteria, estimated risk of malignancy and management recommendations. Risks of malignancy are well defined for specimens obtained by fine-needle aspiration but are less well defined for brushing specimens. METHODS Diagnoses of 232 brushing specimens of the pancreatic and bile ducts were correlated with diagnoses from subsequent surgical or cytologic specimens. Sensitivity for the brushing technique was calculated. Risk of malignancy was calculated for each category using the original definitions for nondiagnostic and negative categories and for those of a modified system. RESULTS Diagnostic sensitivity was 60%-64%. Risk of malignancy for the nondiagnostic, negative, atypical, suspicious for malignancy, and malignant categories was 28%, 28%, 61%, 91%, and 91%, respectively, when the original category definitions were used. CONCLUSIONS Diagnostic sensitivity for duct brushings is low in comparison to fine-needle aspiration. Risk of malignancy is comparable to that of needle aspiration for the negative, atypical and suspicious categories but lower for the malignant category. There is a stepwise increase in malignancy risk as one moves from the negative to the atypical to the suspicious for malignancy categories.
Moving Beyond Total Words Written: The Reliability, Criterion Validity, and Time Cost of Alternate Measures for Curriculum-Based Measurement in Writing

Curriculum-based measures of written expression have traditionally used total words written or correct word sequences as indices of students' skill levels. Although there are validity data to suppo...
A Low‐Cost Orientation Estimator for Smart Projectiles Using Magnetometers and Thermopiles

An orientation state estimator is proposed for smart weapons applications using feedback from wide field-of-view thermal sensors and magnetometers. The state estimation system possesses several key advantages over current designs in that it maintains low cost, lacks moving parts, and is free from reliance on GPS or other state feedback. In order to enhance robustness against disturbances that reduce thermopile performance, the filter incorporates heuristics feedback, leveraging preflight predictions of the projectile flight path. Realistic simulations demonstrate estimation performance during conditions in which terrain and weather phenomena distort or obscure the horizon. The article begins with a discussion of sensor modeling techniques and descriptions of how weather and terrain effects are captured. Then, an Extended Kalman filter is developed to estimate Euler angles and projectile spin rate. Example results, incorporating realistic sensor errors and environmental disturbances, demonstrate estimator performance. Monte Carlo results verify filter robustness and effective use of heuristics feedback. Copyright © 2012 Institute of Navigation.
Vascular hemophilia; a familial hemorrhagic disease in males and females characterized by combined antihemophilic globulin deficiency and vascular abnormality.

The coagulation and vascular aspects of the von Willebrand syndrome have been studied in seven children. Six of the children demonstrated a severe defect in the coagulation mechanism which was found to result from a marked deficiency in antihemophilic globulin. The latter deficiency was found in boys and girls, was familial, and apparently occurred in a manner distinct from the sex-linked recessive inheritance of classical hemophilia. Morphologic capillary abnormalities were noted in the nail-beds of the fingers and in the bulbar conjunctivae of children with and without associated deficiency of antihemophilic globulin. Administration of fresh plasma resulted in correction of both bleeding time and coagulation defects in a patient with the combined vascular-coagulation abnormality. The vascular abnormality was found to be independent of deficiency of antihemophilic globulin or any of the known platelet factors. Classification of the von Willebrand syndrome into at least two groups was recommended: patients with vascular defect plus AHG deficiency (vascular hemophilia), and patients with vascular defect and normal coagulation status (pseudohemophilia).
A rad-hard, low-noise, high-speed, BiFET charge preamplifier for the Superconducting Supercollider

An integrated low-noise, radiation-hard, high-speed charge preamplifier prototype, designed for a 10-pF detector cell for warm liquid calorimetry experiments, is presented. An industrial junction-isolated BiFET process, with an 80-MHz f/sub T/ for the p-JFETs and 260-MHz f/sub T/ for the n-p-n transistors, was selected to minimize noise level, as necessitated by such a low detector capacitance. Results of performance tests for total radiation doses of up to 1.4-Mrad gamma rays and 2*10/sup 13/ neutrons/cm/sup 2/ are presented. >
Altered transcriptional patterns affecting several metabolic pathways in strains of Salmonella typhimurium which overexpress the fructose regulon

Expression of beta-galactosidase in transcriptional fusions with the pps gene (encoding phosphoenolpyruvate [PEP] synthase), the aceBAK operon (encoding malate synthase, isocitrate lyase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase kinase, respectively), and the phs operon (encoding either thiosulfate reductase or a regulatory protein controlling its expression) was studied in Salmonella typhimurium. beta-Galactosidase synthesis in these strains was repressible either by growth in the presence of glucose or by the presence of a fruR mutation, which resulted in the constitutive expression of the fructose (fru) regulon. Five enzymes of gluconeogenesis (PEP synthase, PEP carboxykinase, isocitrate lyase, malate synthase, and fructose-1,6-diphosphatase) were shown to be repressed either by growth in the presence of glucose or the fruR mutation, while the glycolytic enzymes, enzyme I and enzymes II of the phosphotransferase system as well as phosphofructokinase, were induced either by growth in the presence of glucose or the fruR mutation. Overexpression of the cloned fru regulon genes (not including fruR) resulted in parallel repression of representative gluconeogenic, Krebs cycle, and glyoxylate shunt enzymes. Studies with temperature-sensitive mutants of S. typhimurium which synthesized heat-labile IIIFru proteins provided evidence that this protein plays a role in the regulation of gluconeogenic substrate utilization. Other mutant analyses revealed a complex relationship between fru gene expression and the expression of genes encoding gluconeogenic enzymes. Taken together, the results suggest that a number of genes encoding catabolic, biosynthetic, and amphibolic enzymes in enteric bacteria are transcriptionally regulated by a complex catabolite repression/activation mechanism which may involve enzyme IIIFru of the phosphotransferase system as one component of the regulatory system.
Notes on the life history of Napaeozapus

General collecting and study of small mammals from central and northern New Hampshire has resulted in an accumulation of data based upon the capture of 221 specimens of Napaeozapus insignis insignis (Miller). Most of the collecting has been the result of brief and sporadic trips, chiefly to Pinkham Notch situated in extreme northeastern Carroll County, at an altitude of 2,025 feet. This mountain pass lies at the eastern base of the Presidential Range. However, a few trap lines were established at nearby points in the range where ecological conditions seemed favorable for the animal and were, at the same time, not unduly different from those within Pinkham Notch itself. The general topographic, floral and faunal features are so well known as to obviate the necessity of detailed descriptions except as they seem to apply to this particular species of rodent. The Presidential and Carter ranges, whose slopes form the narrow defile known as Pinkham Notch, are irregularly sculptured by several ravines, with Tuckerman and Huntington ravines the most prominent. The forested floors of both ravines are occupied by several small streams that that have their origin from springs located on the upper slopes of Mount Washington. From here, they pursue steep and rocky courses through a dense forest growth composed predominantly of black and white spruce, balsam fir, and yellow birch. The edges of these streams, both within the ravines and those in Pinkham Notch proper, are lined with alders. The flora in Pinkham Notch consists of scattered black and white spruce and a more extensive growth of sugar maple, beech, and yellow birch that attains an average height of about sixty feet. The lower zone of vegetation consists of sapling sugar maples, yellow and black birches, and hobble-bush, while the normally moist ground supports isolated patches of ferns, grass, …
Trends in Treatment and Survival in Older Patients Presenting with Stage IV Colorectal Cancer

Trends in the use of modern chemotherapeutic regimens, primary tumor resection, and the timing of chemotherapy and resection in older patients with stage IV colorectal cancer have not been evaluated. We used Cancer Registry- and Medicare-linked data (2000–2009) to describe time trends in resection of the primary tumor and receipt of chemotherapy in patients ≥66 presenting with stage IV colorectal cancer (N = 16,168). The mean age was 77.8 ± 7.3 years; 53.8 % were women and 82.9 % were white. Primary cancer sites were colon in 83.4 % and rectum in 16.6 %. Resection of the primary tumor decreased from 64.6 to 57.1 % (P < 0.0001) from 2001 to 2009. Systemic chemotherapy was given to 45.1 % of the patients. While the use of chemotherapy was stable over time (P = 0.48), the use of modern regimens containing oxaliplatin or irinotecan increased from 40.9 to 75.4 % (P < 0.0001). Bevacizumab use increased from 0.10 to 54.2 % (P < 0.0001). Survival improved by 4 % per year even after controlling for treatment and tumor location (HR = 0.96, 95 % CI 0.95–0.97). Survival in older patients with stage IV disease is improving over time. Surgical resection is still performed in the majority of patients. Resection rates decreased while modern chemotherapy was rapidly adopted perhaps suggesting a shift in practice patterns.
Kernel-level single system image for petascale computing

Scientific computing users typically prefer UNIX or UNIX-like operating systems as their runtime for managing software and hardware resources. These UNIX-like systems were originally designed for a single processor as well as for a broad range of programming and usage models. Although UNIX-like systems have successfully been modified to work in SMP or NUMA configuration, their internal structures remain relatively the same over the years. As we move toward the era of petascale computing, these UNIX-like systems are no longer suitable. For instance, the relative cost of supporting generic usages and system services will increase by a magnitude and thus affect the overall system performance; there are insufficient system services to globally manage parallelism, processes, and resources; users may not see the petascale system as a single powerful machine but rather as a set of multiple independent servers. A single system image (SSI) operating system is essential for efficiently manage parallelism, resources and processes as well as providing parallel processing transparency for a system possibly equipped with hundred thousand of processors. However, the success of a petascale SSI operating system goes beyond technical challenges. In particular, it must look very much like the normal UNIX, run unmodified software, scale incrementally, and equip with built-in high availability supports. This position paper focuses on these issues and discusses the development of a petascale SSI, based on an existing kernel-level SSI system, OpenSSI.
The Origins of Individual Differences in Occupational Status and Educational Level A Study of Twins Reared Apart and Together

Sources of influences on educational and occupational achievement were investigated using the powerful combined twin/adoption design. Analyses for education were based on 331 pairs of twins reared apart (TRA) and 375 pairs of twins reared together (TRT) Analyses for occupation were based on fewer pairs Maximum-likelihood model-fitting analyses revealed that environmental effects unique to the individual. environmental effects shared by the two twins in a pair and genetic effects all were important for individual differences For both education and occupation, environmental effects were more important among women and genetic effects were more important among men For education there were differences in the relative importance of the effects when the analyses were performed separately for cohorts under and above age 60 Consistent with a social change hypothesis, environmental influences were more important among older individuals than among younger, and, conversely, genetic influences seem to have a greater i...
Laparoscopic-assisted single-port appendectomy in children: it is a safe and cost-effective alternative to conventional laparoscopic techniques?

Aim. Laparoscopic-assisted single-port appendectomy (SPA), although combining the advantages of open and conventional laparoscopic surgery, is still not widely used in childhood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and the cost effectiveness of SPA in children. Methods. After institutional review board approval, we retrospectively evaluated 262 children who underwent SPA. The appendix was dissected outside the abdominal cavity as in open surgery. For stump closure, we used two 3/0 vicryl RB-1 sutures. Results. We identified 146 boys (55.7%) and 116 girls (44.3%). Median age at operation was 11.4 years (range, 1.1–15.9). Closure of the appendiceal stump using two sutures (cost: USD 15) was successful in all patients. Neither a stapler (cost: USD 276) nor endoloops (cost: USD 89) were used. During a follow-up of up to 69 months (range, 30–69), six obese children (2.3%, body mass index >95th percentile) developed an intra-abdominal abscess after perforated appendicitis. No insufficiency of the appendiceal stump was observed by ultrasound. Five of them were treated successfully by antibiotics, one child required drainage. Conclusion. The SPA technique with conventional extracorporal closure of the appendiceal stump is safe and cost effective. In our unit, SPA is the standard procedure for appendectomy in children.
EVOLUTION OF THE NEW PARADIGM

In medicine, all is in change around us. For those physicians in primary care, there has been a shift in focus from inpatient to outpatient, from disease to wellness and in the inclusion of prevention and cure and to look at all dimensions of human condition when seeking remedies. The new sciences lead the physician to practice from a base of multiple perspectives. This article underscores paradigm shifts, their causes and consequences, and how these changes have led to a new paradigm in thinking in primary care.
Analogy of electronic pacemaker and ventricular parasystole with observations on refractory period, supernormal phase, and synchronization.

The artificial pacemaker has been compared to a physiologic ventricular parasystolic focus. In hearts being driven by a pacemaker, in the absence of atrioventricular (AV) block, capture (interference) phenomena are constantly seen. While variations in QRS complexes have been observed when the external pacemaker stimulus occurs early in the T-wave period of a sinus conducted beat, no sequence of aberrant beats has been observed. One patient showed occasional sinus beats interpolated between ventricular beats arising from the artificial pacemaker, and these occurred at a very narrow time band suggesting that AV conduction was permitted by phenomenon of a supernormal phase. At a later date this patient showed also retrograde conduction believed related to a supernormal phase during recovery of junctional tissue penetrated by an impulse entering from above, though the impulse itself was blocked. Records of two patients are used to illustrate grossly aberrant QRS complexes produced by the stimulus of the elect...
Classical microscopic calculations of high-energy collisions of heavy ions

Nonrelativistic classical microscopic (equations of motion) calculations have been made for collisions between nuclei mostly with 50 nucleons each and for relative velocities of $0.5c$ and $0.8c$ (nonrelativistic laboratory energies of 117 and 300 MeV/nucleon, respectively). The trajectories of all the nucleons are calculated with two-body forces between all pairs of nucleons. The potentials are sums of attractive and repulsive Yukawa potentials of reasonable ranges and are adjusted to give reasonable binding and kinetic energies and to fit the $\mathrm{NN}$ cross section ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}$ appropriate for the viscosity and thus for shock phenomena; ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}$ strongly emphasizes transverse momentum transfers. Ensemble averages are taken over (10) initial distributions and care is taken to monitor---the relativelv minor---effects of evaporation of the individual noninteracting nuclei. Central collisions corresponding to small impact parameters $b$ (less than about a nuclear radius $R$) are "explosive" and seem fairly well equilibrated at maximum compression and subsequently. There is some similarity to development of shocks. After an initial penetration of about a mean free path, there is rapid dissipation of the collisional translational energy with associated large internal energies and large compressions (to somewhat less than twice normal density), followed finally by an explosive expansion; the angular distributions are roughly isotropic for quite small $b$ but show some transverse peaking for very small $b$. For small $b(\ensuremath{\lesssim}0.5R)$ and for $v=0.5c$, but not for $0.8c$, we find large fused residues with $A\ensuremath{\approx}60$. Transparency and nonequilibrium effects develop rapidly with increasing $b$ and are somewhat more important for $v=0.8c$ than for $0.5c$. For $b\ensuremath{\gtrsim}R$ (noncentral collisions) the nuclei retain much and for $b\ensuremath{\gtrsim}1.5R$ most of their initial identity, suffering relatively little immediate mass loss with, however, quite appreciable loss of collisional translational energy for $b\ensuremath{\approx}R$.NUCLEAR REACTIONS HI classical nonrelativistic microscopic calculations; mostly ${A}_{1}={A}_{2}=50$; $E=117, 300$ MeV/nucleon.
Assessment of Seismic Performance of Buildings with Incorporation of Aftershocks

AbstractAftershock ground motions are essential for the study of aftershock synthesis into seismic risk. However, the number of available aftershock records is limited, which necessitates that the methods for synthesizing aftershocks to be developed. This paper aims to propose a methodology to synthesize aftershocks based on the information of the mainshocks, which is able to incorporate the uncertainties of ground motions and can be utilized in seismic risk analysis. The proposed method is illustrated by application to risk analysis for two nonductile RC frame buildings and is validated by comparing with the results obtained from using as-recorded mainshock-aftershock (MS-AS) sequences. The results calculated when only mainshocks are considered are also studied to investigate the MS-AS effects. The paper shows that the synthesized MS-AS sequences using the proposed method can yield results statistically close to the as-recorded sequences. The results also reveal that only considering the mainshock will u...
Simulation and sensitivity analysis of carbon storage and fluxes in the New Jersey Pinelands

A major challenge in modeling the carbon dynamics of vegetation communities is the proper parameterization and calibration of eco-physiological variables that are critical determinants of the ecosystem process-based model behavior. In this study, we improved and calibrated a biochemical process-based WxBGC model by using in situ AmeriFlux eddy covariance tower observations. We simulated carbon dynamics of fire-dominated forests at tower sites and upscaled the tower site-based simulations to regional scale for the New Jersey Pinelands using LANDSAT-ETM land cover and DAYMET climate data. The Extended Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test approach was used to assess the higher-order sensitivity of model to critical eco-physiological parameters. The model predictions of CO2 net ecosystem exchange (NEE) and gross ecosystem production (GEP) were in agreement with the eddy covariance measurements at the three tower sites in 2005. However, the model showed poor fit in 2006, grossly overestimating NEE and the ratio of ecosystem respiration to GEP because the model did not reflect the carbon loss caused by severe defoliation related to an outbreak of gypsy moths in that year. The model simulations indicated that wildfire reduced annual NEE in pine/scrub oak forest, while prescribed burning in oak/pine and pine/oak stands led to temporary increase in NEE for a period 1-2 years post burning. The uncertainty and sensitivity of the model carbon simulations were mainly attributable to the 2nd- and higher-order interactions between carbon allocation parameters, specific leaf area and fire mortality intensity.
The reduction of abnormal behaviors in individually housed rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) with a foraging/grooming board

A new environmental enrichment device, termed a "foraging/grooming board," was presented to 8 individually housed rhesus monkeys for the explicit purpose of reducing the level of aberrant behaviors manifested by these animals. The device, consisting of a piece of plexiglass covered with artificial fleece, had particles of food treats rubbed into it and was attached to the outside of each animal's home cage. All animals foraged from the board to the point that a significant reduction in the level of abnormal behavior was noted. Most animals also groomed the fleece covering the board, utilizing the same motor patterns that would be directed toward grooming another monkey. These boards are inexpensive to construct and easy to sanitize, and do not require placing animal facility personnel at risk to maintain them.
Natural and Implicit Interaction Systems

A responsive mirror system lets shoppers visually compare multiple clothing items side by side without changing their behavior.
Online and Face-to-Face Library Instruction: Assessing the Impact on Upper-Level Sociology Undergraduates

Online information literacy instruction: Can it impact learning as effectively as face-to-face instruction? Using a quasi-experimental design, this study examined that in relation to upper-level sociology students; it also considered whether library instruction affected participants’ perceptions of learning formats’ (i.e., online or face-to-face) effectiveness and the academic library's place in their research. Using a pretest/posttest design, no significant learning difference was found between the two instructional delivery formats. However, data suggested that instruction did impact online participants’ perceptions of the academic library as a place for research. Implications of this research and future directions for inquiry are discussed.
Analysis of loss of adhesive function in sperm lacking cyritestin or fertilin beta.

We produced mice lacking the sperm surface protein cyritestin (ADAM 3) and found mutant males are infertile. Similar to fertilin beta (ADAM 2) null sperm (C. Cho et al., 1998, Science 281, 1857-1859), cyritestin null sperm are drastically deficient in adhesion to the egg zona pellucida (0.3% of wild type) and to the egg plasma membrane (9% of wild type). Thus sperm from male mice with a gene deletion of either ADAM have a loss of adhesive function in at least two steps of fertilization. We found deletion of either ADAM gene resulted in the loss of multiple gene products. This loss of multiple gene products (sperm membrane proteins) appears to result from a novel, developmental mechanism during sperm differentiation. Because the altered sperm protein expression must be responsible for the fertilization defects, our data suggest new models for the molecular basis of the affected steps in fertilization.
Offshore systems development

Abstract Many companies are increasingly shifting software development operations to offshore sites in countries like Ireland and India. This paper examines the offshore computing phenomenon in the context of a complex systems project. The extent to which offshore computing can be carried out in different phases of the system development is explored. The utilization of various telematic technologies to facilitate this is examined. A framework for offshore project and site selection is presented.