cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Ultrasound-Guided Biopsies and Prostatectomy Specimens: Predictive Accuracy of Gleason Score and Tumor Site

Objective: To critically evaluate the accuracy of sextant biopsies in predicting Gleason score and the site of tumor location in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer treated by radical perineal prostatectomy. Methods: The case records of 289 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer who underwent radical perineal prostatectomy were reviewed, comparing the Gleason score and tumor site location as determined by sextant ultrasound-guided core biopsies with the Gleason score and tumor distribution within the surgical specimens. The prostatectomy specimens were further characterized by extent of disease as organ-confined, specimen-confined or margin-positive. Results: The Gleason score was identical in 126 (43.5%) patients. An upgrading in the surgical specimen occurred in 118 (40.8%) cases, a downgrading in 43 (14.8%). Overall, 193 (66.7%) patients had a unilateral positive biopsy, while 96 (33.2%) patients had bilateral positive biopsies. Sixty-four (33.1%) patients with a unilateral positive biopsy had cancer confined to one side of the gland, while 127 (65.8%) showed bilateral disease; 142 (73.5%) patients had organ-confined tumors versus 51 (26.4%) patients with capsular penetration. In the 96 patients with bilateral positive biopsies, 64 (66.6%) patients had intracapsular cancer versus 32 (33.3%) patients with either specimen-confined or margin-positive disease. The overall rate of positive margins was 14%. Fifty-one (61.4%) of the 83 patients with non-organ-confined disease had posterolateral capsular penetration in the region of the superior pedicle of the neurovascular bundle, while 28 (33.7%) patients had apical capsular penetration, in the region of the inferior neurovascular pedicle. Conclusions: The ability of sextant ultrasound-guided biopsies to estimate the pathological grading is satisfactory: when we consider a difference of ± 1 in the final Gleason score, the overall correlation is 80%. In 66% of the cases, sextant biopsies predicted unilateral disease when bilateral disease existed. A unilateral positive biopsy does not predict unilateral disease.
Microclimate and potential for late blight development in irrigated potato

Abstract Application of irrigation water can improve potato growth and tuber yield during periods of deficit rainfall. A variety of water application techniques exist; however, little is known of their relative impacts on potato late blight potential. The effects of sprinkler, sub-surface drip, and surface drip irrigation treatments on microclimate and potential for late blight development were evaluated on Russet Burbank potato over three growing seasons in central Maine. Leaf wetness, air temperature, relative humidity (RH), rainfall and soil temperature were recorded each year. The potential for late blight was assessed with a late blight simulation model. Leaf wetness and RH peaked during night hours, while canopy and soil temperatures were lowest during the same hours. Comparison of observed and simulated blight development revealed a good prediction of potato late blight by the simulation model. The onset of simulated blight severity and final predicted disease level differed among years. Slight differences in simulated disease levels were sometimes observed between irrigated and non-irrigated treatments; however, irrigation application method did not consistently impact microclimatic parameters associated with late blight development. These results indicate that microclimate conducive to late blight development was less impacted by irrigation treatments than by local macroclimatic conditions.
Operative treatment of nonunions of the surgical neck of the humerus

Twenty patients underwent surgical reconstruction for nonunion of fractures of the surgical neck of the humerus. Average time from injury to surgery was 10 months (range 4 to 14 months). The operation consisted of bone grafting combined with humeral head replacement in 10 cases and open reduction and internal fixation in 10 cases. Results, at an average follow-up of 51 months (range 24 to 124 months), were excellent in five (25%), satisfactory in six (30%), and unsatisfactory in nine (45%). Twelve nonunions resulted from fractures initially treated with closed reduction; repair of these nonunions achieved 67% excellent or satisfactory results. Eight nonunions resulted from fractures initially treated with internal fixation; repair of these nonunions achieved only 38% excellent or satisfactory results. Fifteen complications, 11 of which necessitated reoperation, occurred. Surgical reconstruction for nonunions of the surgical neck of the humerus usually results in significant improvement in pain but much more modest improvement in active motion and function. Surgery should be reserved for patients with significant symptoms and disability.
Adhesion of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli to immobolized intestinal mucosal preparations: a model for adhesion to mucosal surface components

Abstract The ability of enterotoxigenic strains of E. coli to adhere to immobilized mucosal components prepared from the large and small intestines of mice was examined in vitro. Various strains of E. coli were labeled with (3H)-acetate and incubated in tissue culture plates containing immobilized mucosal components or bovine serum albumin. E. coli strains which were positive for K88 or K99 antigen, and one E. coli strain isolated from a human urinary tract infection, were shown to adhere readily to large and small intestinal mucosal preparations, but not to bovine serum albumin. E. coli K-12 and a variety of enterotoxigenic strains isolated from humans, including a CFA/1 positive strain, demonstrated little or no ability to adhere to any of the preparations. E. coli adhesion to the mucosal preparations was shown to be mannose-resistant for all E. coli strains tested, but was inhibited by growth of the organisms at 18°C. Adhesion of each of the K88 or K99 positive strains was inhibited by homologous antiserum, but not by heterologous antiserum or normal rabbit serum. The data indicate that the mucosal preparations employed contain receptors for specific bacterial adhesins, and suggest that the use of such preparations may provide an alternative to the use of whole cells both as a source of receptor and as a means of investigating the adhesive properties of E. coli.
Feature correlation method for enhancing fermentation development: A comparison of quadratic regression with artificial neural networks

Abstract A systematic methodology for improving the efficiency of fermentation process development is presented. It consists of the “smallest composite” experimental design and subsequent feature correlation and analyses. The methodology is applied to a simulation of tylosin fermentation. By looking at the whole parameter space of the simulation, the interesting behavior of a neural net changing from lower order to higher order during training is examined. The results show that, different sizes of neural nets within a certain range give an equally good prediction by using the “stopping training” technique, while quadratic regressions are sensitive to the size of the data sets.
3-dB bandwidth enhancement via strong optical injection-locking of a quantum dot DFB @ 1310 nm

Optical injection-locking in quantum dot distributed-feedback lasers is investigated as a function of injection strength and detuning. The stability boundaries of the laser are also examined.
Comparison of participatively set and assigned goals in the reduction of alcohol use

The effects of setting goals on goal commitment, self-efficacy for goal achievement, and goal achievement in the context of an alcohol use intervention were examined using an experimental design in which participants were randomized to participatively set goals, assigned goals, and no goal conditions. One hundred and twenty-six heavy-drinking college students received a single cognitive-behavioral assessment/intervention session and completed measures of goal commitment, self-efficacy for goal achievement, and alcohol use. Results were consistent with, and expanded upon, previous research by demonstrating that having a goal for limiting alcohol consumption was predictive of lower quantity and frequency of alcohol use relative to not having a goal. Participation in goal setting yielded greater goal commitment and self-efficacy for goal achievement than assigned goals, but did not result in significantly greater reductions in alcohol use relative to assigned goals. Goal commitment and self-efficacy explained unique variance in the prediction of alcohol use at follow-up. Findings support the importance of goal setting in alcohol interventions and suggest areas for further research.
Surfactant Proteins in Innate Host Defense of the Lung

Surfactant proteins A and D (SP-A and SP-D) are members of the collectin family of host defense proteins that are expressed in epithelial cells lining the lung. SP-A and SP-D interact with surfactant lipids in complex ways to determine the structure of tubular myelin, and the ratio of surfactant subfractions that, in turn, influences surfactant uptake and metabolism, respectively. SP-A and SP-D play critical roles in host defense of the lung against diverse viral, fungal, and bacterial pathogens. The collectins bind to the surfaces of microbes via carbohydrate-dependent interaction, aggregating, opsonizing, and enhancing clearance of the organisms by alveolar macrophages in the lung. Pulmonary surfactant proteins A and D play dual roles in pulmonary homeostasis, determining the structure of alveolar lipids and mediating the innate host defense system of the lung.
Basketball, Beta, and Bayes

The answer is 1/99, as the reader may enjoy showing. Indeed, the probability that Shanille hits k of her next 98 shots is 1/99 for all k with 0 < k < 98; we will prove this later as a corollary to a more general result. The fact that the number of later hits is uniformly distributed on {0, 1, ..., 981 may seem unexpected, but it reflects the fact that the starting conditions-one hit and one miss-convey very little information. In Bayesian jargon, as we will see, these starting conditions would be called noninformative, not because they convey no information whatever but because they lead to a uniform distribution on the outcome space. Let's generalize the problem slightly. Suppose Shanille begins with a hits and b misses, and then takes n additional shots. We will consider two associated random variables:
Rising dose study of safety and tolerance of flunarizine

In a recent NIH-sponsored parallel-group placebo-controlled blinded study of flunarizine for the treatment of partial-onset seizures, the flunarizine serum concentration was controlled to a constant level among patients in order to reduce response variability. Flunarizine was found to exhibit modest anti-epileptic efficacy. A potential criticism of this study is that the chosen controlled concentration was too low to determine optimal efficacy. As a participating center in this study we investigated the effect of higher doses of open-label flunarizine on seizure frequency in 16 patients with refractory partial seizures. Following the completion of the blinded placebo/flunarizine phase, all patients were initiated at the flunarizine dose calculated to result in a serum concentration of 60 ng·ml−1. The dose was subsequently increased each 8–12 weeks to a maximum of 2.7 times the initial dose. On the initial maintenance flunarizine dose, seizure control was improved, with an average seizure reduction of 47% compared to pre-blinded-phase baseline. When higher doses were administered, adverse reactions were more common yet improved seizure control did not occur in most patients. These findings complement those of the concentration-controlled NIH study and suggest that appropriate flunarizine doses were utilized in that study.
Tissue segmentation and classification using graph-based unsupervised clustering

Automated segmentation and quantification of cellular and subcellular components in multiplexed images has allowed for a combination of both spatial and protein expression information to become available for analysis. However, performing analyses across multiple patients and tissue types continues to be a challenge, as well as the greater challenge of tissue classification itself. We propose a model of tissues as interconnected networks of epithelial cells whose connectivity is determined by their size, specific expression levels, and proximity to other cells. These Biomarker Enhanced Tissue Networks (BETN) reflect both the individual nature of the cells and the complex cell to cell relationships within the tissue. Performing a simple analysis of such tissue networks managed to successfully classify epithelial cells from stromal cells across multiple patients and tissue types. Further experiments show that significant information about the structure and nature of tissues can also be extracted through analysis of the networks, which will hopefully move towards the eventual goal of true tissue classification.
Looking for invisible phenotypes in cell wall mutants of Arabidopsis thaliana

Thousands of gene products are required to construct plant cell walls. The collection of insertional mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana provides a resource to begin functional analysis of these gene products using genetically defined materials. Infrared spectroscopy combined with linear and non-linear algorithms for multivariate analysis provides a tool to probe cell wall phenotypes at the molecular level, whether or not plants display a visible phenotype.
Could a big gut be too costly for muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus) in their first winter

Abstract Young mammalian herbivores are more vulnerable to harsh winter conditions than adults, especially among large circumpolar species like the muskox ( Ovibos moschatus ). We compared feeding responses of muskox calves (body mass 95 kg) with those of mature, non-reproductive females (body mass 227 kg) in mid-winter when air temperatures fell to −40 °C. Food intakes (1.8–2.2 kg digestible dry matter (DM) d −1 ), digesta fill (27–32 kg wet mass) and digestibility of hay (52–58% of DM; 49–55% of gross energy) were similar between age groups even though calves were much smaller than adults. Calves fed more frequently (12 vs. 8 feeding bouts per day) and thus spent more time feeding each day than adults (387 vs. 343 min per day). High mass-specific food intakes of calves indicate higher requirements for maintenance of body tissue than adults, which could be related to a larger intestinal tract in young muskoxen. Notably, cows and calves maintained a constant body mass throughout, indicating that they were feeding at maintenance levels and that the relatively higher intakes of calves were not related to growth. Together, these data suggest that limited food availability due to snow cover or high animal density may reduce the survival of muskoxen in their first winter.
Allocating Time to People and Pets: Correlates With Income and Well-Being in a Midwest Community Sample

Abstract The authors investigated the allocation of social time to self, family, friends, and pets; they explored the associations between these time allocations and 2 measures of well-being in a group of 173 community-dwelling men and women, 35 to 55 years old. Results indicated that time allocation was strongly related to income, that individuals with high incomes spent more time with family, and that time spent with pets was second only to time spent with family. Time allocations were related to a measure of negative mood for men. Time allocations were independent of positive and negative well-being measures for women, but time spent with pets was related to negative mood in men. The findings are discussed in relation to the emerging importance of income and time use in middle-aged persons.
Planning for future digital libraries programs

This panel will discuss alternatives for follow-on Federal program activities to the Interagency Digital Libraries Initiative - Phase 2 (DLI-2). The current Digital Libraries Initiative - Phase 2 awards receive final funding increments in FY 2003. The National Science Foundation and other interested agencies wish to begin informal planning for potential follow-on activities to DLI-2 at this time. As in the past, sponsoring agencies look to the various stakeholder communities to assist in the creation of funding programs that are responsive to values, needs and opportunities.Panelists will present viewpoints as to the most important topical elements and effective program structures in light of the continuing rapid evolution of digital libraries technologies, computing and communication infrastructures and dramatic increase in networked digital content. Audience remarks will be encouraged, particularly suggestions for enabling broad community involvement in the planning dialogue.
High-resolution imaging of brain 5-HT1B receptors in the rhesus monkey using [11C]P943

The serotonin 5-HT(1B) receptors regulate the release of serotonin and are involved in various disease states, including depression and schizophrenia. The goal of the study was to evaluate a high affinity and high selectivity antagonist, [(11)C]P943, as a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for imaging the 5-HT(1B) receptor. [(11)C]P943 was synthesized via N-methylation of the precursor with [(11)C]methyl iodide or [(11)C]methyl triflate using automated modules. The average radiochemical yield was approx. 10% with radiochemical purity of >99% and specific activity of 8.8+/-3.6 mCi/nmol at the end-of-synthesis (n=37). PET imaging was performed in non-human primates with a high-resolution research tomograph scanner with a bolus/infusion paradigm. Binding potential (BP(ND)) was calculated using the equilibrium ratios of regions to cerebellum. The tracer uptake was highest in the globus pallidus and occipital cortex, moderate in basal ganglia and thalamus, and lowest in the cerebellum, which is consistent with the known brain distribution of 5-HT(1B) receptors. Infusion of tracer at different specific activities (by adding various amount of unlabeled P943) reduced BP(ND) values in a dose-dependent manner, demonstrating the saturability of the tracer binding. Blocking studies with GR127935 (2 mg/kg iv), a selective 5-HT(1B)/5-HT(1D) antagonist, resulted in reduction of BP(ND) values by 42-95% across regions; for an example, in occipital region from 0.71 to 0.03, indicating a complete blockade. These results demonstrate the saturability and specificity of [(11)C]P943 for 5-HT(1B) receptors, suggesting its suitability as a PET radiotracer for in vivo evaluations of the 5-HT(1B) receptor system in humans.
Helixform Bevel and Hypoid Gears

The Helixform process is a recent development in the art of gear cutting. Gears made by this method are classified as nongenerated which means that the workpiece remains at rest while the teeth are being cut. Cutting the gear without generation is a process especially adapted to high production and accurate machining and is the method used to manufacture most automotive spiral bevel and hypoid gears. Pinions which match nongenerated gears are of course produced with generating motion, that is, the tools cutting the teeth of the pinion are mounted on a machine element which, while the teeth are being cut, turns in concord with the turning of the pinion on its axis.
The Vocabulary of Sports in French

Author's Summary— As French dictionaries and textbooks pay but scant attention to the vocabulary of sports, the lists of sport terms given below are a modest attempt to make such material available to teachers and to sport-loving students.
The effects of autocorrelation among errors on the consistency property of OLS estimator

In a linear regression model even when the errors are autocorrelated and non-normal the ordinary least squares (OLS) estimator of the regression coefficients ( ) converges in probability to β. But the effects of autocorrelation among errors on this rate of convergence are unknown. In this paper, we investigate these effects for the case of a linear trend model. It is shown that the rate of convergence becomes faster if the autocorrelation is negative while it becomes slower if the autocorrelation is positive as compared to when the errors are independent. Thus, if the autocorrelation among errors is negative the consistency of is achieved by the same sample size (even less) as needed when the errors are independent. But if the autocorrelation is positive the sample size needed to achieve the consistency of increases with the intensity of autocorrelation and it can be extremely large for high positive autocorrelations.
Patients with evidence of coronary endothelial dysfunction as assessed by acetylcholine infusion demonstrate marked increase in sensitivity to constrictor effects of catecholamines.

BACKGROUNDStudies in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization have demonstrated that normal coronary arteries dilate and atherosclerotic arteries constrict in response to exercise and the cold pressor test, but the mechanisms are unknown. These vasomotor responses are mirrored by the vasomotor response to the endothelium-dependent agent acetylcholine. Exercise and the cold pressor test are associated with adrenergic stimulation and increased circulating catecholamines. The present study tested the hypothesis that coronary arteries with intact endothelial function are relatively resistant to the constrictor effects of catecholamines, whereas arteries with loss of endothelial function have increased sensitivity to catecholamine-induced constriction.METHODS AND RESULTSThe vasomotor function of the coronary endothelium was assessed by serial acetylcholine infusions (final concentration, 10(-8) to 10(-6) M) in 30 segments in 15 patients with minimal or no evidence of coronary atherosclerosis. The acetylchol...
Effects of alloying elements on elastic properties of Ni by first-principles calculations

Abstract The effects of alloying elements (Al, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hf, Mo, Nb, Pt, Re, Ta, Ti, W, Y and Zr) on the elastic constants (cij’s) of Ni have been investigated using first-principles calculations within the generalized gradient approximation. The results are compared with the available experimental data and analyzed based on the volume changes and electron density. It is found that the shear modulus decreases with increasing volume caused by alloying addition and the bulk modulus (B) is related to the total molar volume (Vm) and electron density (n) with the relationship, n ∝ B / V m . The melting temperatures of Ni–X dilute solutions calculated from the available thermodynamic databases have been compared to those obtained from the empirical relationship with the elastic constant c11. The calculated elastic constants show good relationships with the mechanical properties such as 0.2% flow stress and give us a guideline to understand and develop Ni-based superalloys.
2. Which anatomical changes at the cubital tunnel could be associated with ulnar nerve entrapment? An ultrasonographic study

The aim of this study was to evaluate which anatomical changes detectable during the ultrasonography (US) exam, could be associated with the ulnar nerve entrapment (UNE) at the elbow. We enrolled all consecutive patients with “definite” diagnosis of monolateral UNE referred to our outpatients clinic with request for US examination of the affected elbow. The definite diagnosis was based on electrodiagnostic results. The US examination was carried out with static and dynamic scans, with particular attention for the anatomical changes of the nerve at the cubital tunnel of both arms. The ultrasonographist evaluated the presence of anatomical abnormalities (ganglions, osteophytes, osseous fragments and accessory muscles), the position of the nerve during the dynamic scans (normal, subluxation or luxation) and measured the cross sectional area (CSA) of the nerve at the site of the maximum enlargement. The logistic regression (SPSS 17) was carried out using the contralateral arm as control. We enrolled 44 patients (mean age 51 yo, range 21–83, SD ±15, 19 female). Among all the variables taken into consideration, the only one that correlated with the presence of UNE was the CSA. For every mmq of increased CSA the odds ratio for having UNE was 1.44. This preliminary data suggests that anatomical changes are not determinant for the presence of UNE.
The effect of cooling rate on the strength of brazed joints

Experimental data are presented on the influence of cooling rate on the strength and deformation of thin Ag-4 pct Pd brazed joints in Fe-3 pct Si. It is observed that increasing the cooling rate (via water quenching vs furnace cooling) from the braze temperature can cause a drastic reduction in the strength of cylindrical butt brazed joints with a thickness to diameter ratio less than 0.02. The decrease in fracture strength is attributable to residual stresses and plastic strain caused by rapid cooling. The nature of the fracture process is unaffected by the cooling cycle and is always observed to be ductile failure caused by the growth and coalescence of microscopic shrinkage voids. Using hydrostatic annealing treatments, it is possible to restore the strength of rapidly cooled joints to values above those for furnace-cooled joints. This increase in strength is associated with a decrease in the volume fraction of microvoids accompanying the hydrostatic anneal.
Propensity of activated sludge to amplify or attenuate tetracycline resistance genes and tetracycline resistant bacteria: A mathematical modeling approach

The overall goal of this study was to quantify the propensity of the activated sludge (AS) process at three wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) to amplify or attenuate tetracycline resistant bacteria (TRB) and tetracycline resistance genes (TRG). Accordingly, the abundance and fraction of TRB and seven TRG in different unit operations of these WWTP were analytically measured and modeled using a mass balance approach widely used for AS design. Based on the model, the AS process of the different WWTP neither amplified nor attenuated the TRB and TRG fractions. Of the TRG tested, the ribosomal protection genes, tet(O) and tet(W) were the most abundant, along the treatment train of the WWTP, on all sampling dates and sampling locations. Significant amounts of TRB and TRG were discharged in the effluent streams. Notably, in selected samples, the fraction of TRB increased in response to ultraviolet disinfection of treated wastewater compared to chlorination. This study therefore implicates wastewater treatment processes as significant point sources of tetracycline resistance determinants to the environment, and provides a mathematical basis to compute the production capacity of these determinants in the AS process.
Initial studies on cultured embryonic chick lens epithelial cells infected with a temperature-sensitive Rous sarcoma virus.

Abstract Primary cultures of lens epithelial cells from 6-day-old chick embryos were infected with a temperature-sensitive Rous sarcoma virus (Schmidt-Ruppin strain, ts-68). After one month in culture, uninfected control cells had an epitheliod morphology and synthesized small amounts of δ-crystallin; by contrast, infected cells at the permissive temperature for src gene expression (and thus for transformation) had a fibroblastic appearance and showed no detectable synthesis of δ-crystallin. A hybridization test with δ-crystallin cDNA indicated that the transformed cells contained 10–100 times less δ-crystallin mRNA than the uninfected cells. The virally-infected cells adopted an epithelial-like appearance when cultured at the nonpermissive temperature for expression of the src gene, but did not initiate δ-crystallin synthesis or accumulate δ-crystallin mRNA.
Seasonal and interannual variability of phytoplankton pigment in the Laccadive (Lakshadweep) Sea as observed by the Coastal Zone Color Scanner

Based on Coastal Zone Color Scanner data from November 1978 through December 1981, the seasonal cycle of phytoplankton pigment in the upper part of the euphotic zone is established for the offshore Laccadive Sea. Year-round, the pigment content is low and the seasonal range is small, following the pattern of the nutrient-poor Arabian Sea to the west. Apparently, indigenous phytoplankton blooms are absent. July and August, however, were poorly studied because of cloud cover. Interannual differences during the northeast monsoon and the spring intermonsoon periods are minor. The abundant phytoplankton caused by the upwelling off India during the southwest monsoon remains essentially restricted to the shelf, but there are occasional large, zonal outbreaks into the Laccadive Sea, as well as others advected to the south of India. Visual inspection of the raw CZCS scenes for June through November 1982–1985, with almost no data until August or even September, shows such outbreaks of pigment-rich water to be common. Inspection of monthly SeaWiFS images for 1997 through part of 2001 confirms the absence of indigenous phytoplankton blooms.
A finite element for edge-cracked beam columns

The stiffness matrix is derived for a finite element representing a beam column with rectangular cross section and a single edge crack. The element has zero length, and the standard nodal degrees of freedom associated with beam-column elements. To illustrate its capabilities, the element is used to model propagation of multiple cracks in a self-loaded fixed beam.
A Context-Restrictive Model for Program Evaluation?

The reader will note that the confidence level underlying these concluding remarks is quite high; in particular, Lynch claims that his model, while needing further refinement, is sufficiently developed to be ready for wider use. While it is clear that Lynch deserves considerable credit for his attempt to construct an adaptable evaluation instrument—as antidote to the craft of evaluating language programs on a case-by-case basis—the model (at least as presented and exemplified in Lynch's article) seems to be oddly, and perhaps dangerously, self-limiting. I will argue, therefore, that further refinement of the model would be advisable before further use. As a matter of practice, ESL program evaluation is a wellestablished ongoing activity in our profession, most typically orchestrated through curriculum committees, retreats, or self-study task forces. While formal external evaluations of ESL programs may be less common than with many other kinds of academic units on U.S. campuses, they certainly occur. Elsewhere, organizations like the British Council have well-established policies for periodic external evaluation of ESL projects and programs. The perceived rationale for all this expensive activity is that it provides objective, reliable and expert judgments on particular programs as well as offering reasoned recommendations for possible changes in objectives, activities, and/or personnel. It is of course true that this rationale is idealistic both in terms of its assumption of reduced bias (Beretta, 1986) and in terms of its expectation that cogent recommendations will actually be implemented. On the other hand, it is equally the case that evaluators are typically chosen because they are supposed to bring into the evaluation a sufficiently broad
Pricing and queueing

We consider a pricing in a single observable queue, where customers all have the same valuation, V , and the same waiting cost, v. It is known that earning rate is maximized in such a model when state-dependent pricing is used and an admissions threshold is deployed whereby arriving customers may not join the queue if the total number of customers exceeds this threshold. This paper is the first to explicitly derive the optimal threshold. We use our explicit formulation to obtain asymptotic results on how the threshold grows with V.
Echolucency of the Carotid Artery Intima‐Media Complex and Intima‐Media Thickness Have Different Cardiovascular Risk Factor Relationships: The Women's Interagency HIV Study

Background Adults infected with HIV have increased atherosclerosis potentially associated with both HIV and non‐HIV associated factors. We characterized risk factors for atherosclerosis as measured by noninvasive vascular imaging. Methods and Results We used B‐mode ultrasound to examine levels and correlates of echogenicity and vessel wall thickness of the carotid artery intima‐media complex in 1282 HIV‐infected and 510 HIV‐uninfected women of the Women's Interagency HIV Study. Levels of gray scale median (GSM, a measure of echogenicity) did not vary between HIV infection groups. In both groups, smokers had increased GSM, whereas age, diabetes, elevated blood pressure, and high BMI were associated with lower (rather than higher) GSM. Each of these non‐lipid CVD risk factors, especially age and blood pressure, was also associated with higher levels of carotid artery intima‐media thickness (cIMT). Higher serum triglyceride levels were associated with lower GSM in both HIV‐infected and HIV‐uninfected groups. Additional lipid risk factors for low GSM including high LDL cholesterol and low HDL cholesterol levels were identified in HIV uninfected but not in HIV infected women. In contrast to findings for GSM, among the lipid parameters only LDL cholesterol level had an association with cIMT, which was observed only in the HIV uninfected group. Conclusions Lipid and non‐lipid risk factor associations with echolucency of the carotid artery and the thickness of the common carotid artery intima‐media layer suggest that these measures capture different aspects of atherosclerosis.
Highly sensitive phage-based biosensor for the detection of β-galactosidase

Development of real-time sensor based on the target-specific probe that make possible sensitive, rapid and selective detection and monitoring of the particular antigen molecules could be of substantial importance to the many applications. Because of its high specificity to the target molecules, excellent temperature stability, and easy production, bacterial phage might serve as a powerful biorecognition probe in biosensor applications. Here, we report extremely sensitive and specific label-free direct detection of model antigen, -galactosidase (-gal), based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy. The -gal specific landscape phage 1G40 has been immobilized on the gold surface of SPR SPREETA TM sensor chip through physical adsorption [V. Nanduri, A.M. Samoylova, V.Petrenko, V. Vodyanoy and A.L.Simonian, Comparison of optical and acoustic wave phage biosensors, 206th Meeting of The Electrochemical Society, Honolulu, Hawaii, October 3–8, (2004)]. Another non-specific to the -gal phage, a wild-type phage F8-5, was used in the reference channel. The concentration-dependent binding of -gal in both channels were assessed by monitoring the sensor optical response as a function of time under different experimental conditions, and the concentration of-gal was computed in differential mode. Concentrations of-gal between 10 −12 M and 10 −7 M could be readily detected, with linear part of calibration curve between 10 −9 M and 10 −6 M. When -gal was pre-incubated with different concentrations of free 1G40 phage prior to exposure to the biosensor, concentration-dependent inhibition was observed, indicating on biosensor high specificity toward -gal. Apart from a flow through mode used to deliver the samples to the surface for the SPR sensor, batch mode sensing was also employed to study the binding of -gal to immobilized phage on the SPR sensor surface. Experiments using a flow through mode provided more consistent results in the full dose range and showed higher sensitivity as opposed to the batch mode studies. The mean Kd and binding valences for the flow through mode studies was 1.3 ± 0.001 nM and 1.5 ± 0.03, in comparison to 26 ± 0.003 nM and 2.4 ± 0.01 for the batch mode studies. The average thickness of phage 1G40 adlayer deposited through flow through and batch mode was 3 ± 0.002 and 0.66 ± 0.001 nm, respectively. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Growth and persistence of Hawaiian volcanic rift zones

Hawaiian volcanic rift zones are modeled by representing the rifts and adjacent volcano flanks as long ridges with the geometry of flattened triangular prisms. The intrusion of dikes along the axis of a rift requires a mechanism to generate the appropriate dike-trapping stress field within the prism. Possible factors that affect the state of stress in the prism include multiple dike intrusion along the ridge axis, faulting, and gravitational sagging of the topography. In extreme models with very steep slopes and high Poisson's ratio, corresponding to the gelatin models of rift zones by Fiske and Jackson (1972), results of finite element calculations indicate that gravity-induced stresses are sufficient to trap a dike into propagating within the prism and parallel to the rift zone as proposed by Fiske and Jackson. However, the mechanism does not work for gently sloping flanks or a more acceptable Poisson's ratio of about 0.25. Additionally, trapping stresses in the gravity-loading and density stratification models will not persist after a few dike injection episodes. Therefore in mature Hawaiian rift zones with possibly thousands of dikes, additional processes must act to control the stresses that permit continued dike intrusion and rift persistence. It is proposed that accommodation to dike emplacement occurs by slip on deep faults, possibly of the type proposed for the 1975 Kalapana, Hawaii, earthquake. As suggested by others for this earthquake, the faults could coincide with the contact of the volcano with the seafloor within the weak seafloor sediments. Such faulting not only provides a means for the flanks to adjust continuously to intrusions but also generates the stress patterns needed to constrain future dikes to propagate along the rift axis. Other possible faulting mechanisms, such as shallow gravity slides and normal faulting of the flanks, do not appear to favor rift zone persistence. In this model the horizontal stress generated by a standing column of magma at the time of dike emplacement, the stresses in the ridges, and the fault strength are coupled. This results in a feedback between the maximum height that magma can rise along the rift, fault friction, and fault width. Through this feedback the slope of the volcano flank is controlled by the fault friction. When applied to Kilauea Volcano, the model yields an estimate for the coefficient of fault friction as high as 0.39 assuming normal hydrostatic pore fluid pressure. An implication of this model, supported by other studies, is that rift intrusion and lateral spreading could be major contributors to volcano growth.
Efficient non-myopic value-of-information computation for influence diagrams

In an influence diagram (ID), value-of-information (VOI) is defined as the difference between the maximum expected utilities with and without knowing the outcome of an uncertainty variable prior to making a decision. It is widely used as a sensitivity analysis technique to rate the usefulness of various information sources, and to decide whether pieces of evidence are worth acquisition before actually using them. However, due to the exponential time complexity of exactly computing VOI of multiple information sources, decision analysts and expert-system designers focus on the myopic VOI, which assumes observing only one information source, even though several information sources are available. In this paper, we present an approximate algorithm to compute non-myopic VOI efficiently by utilizing the central-limit theorem. The proposed method overcomes several limitations in the existing work. In addition, a partitioning procedure based on the d-separation concept is proposed to further improve the computational complexity of the proposed algorithm. Both the experiments with synthetic data and the experiments with real data from a real-world application demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can approximate the true non-myopic VOI well even with a small number of observations. The accuracy and efficiency of the algorithm makes it feasible in various applications where efficiently evaluating a large amount of information sources is necessary.
The Shoe That Didn't Drop: Explaining Banking Stability During the Great Depression

This article attempts to account for the exceptional stability exhibited by the banking systems of Britain, Canada, and ten other countries during the Great Depression. It considers three possible explanations of stability—the structure of the commercial banking system, macroeconomic policy and performance, and lender of last resort behavior—employing data from 25 countries across Europe and North America. The results suggest that macroeconomic policy—especially exchange-rate policy—and banking structure, but not lenders of last resort, were systematically responsible for banking stability.
Combined L 2 -L 1 -norm regularization in fluorescence diffuse optical tomography

The inverse problem of fluorescence diffusse optical tomography (FDOT) is often highly ill-posed, which needs regularization techniques. In this paper, we propose a combined l 1 -l 2 -norm regularization method to address the ill-posed FDOT inverse problem. Compared with the traditional Tikhonov regularization, the proposed method is able to effectively remove the noise in the reconstructed image without much over-smoothness. The performance of the proposed method is demonstrated in 3D numerical simulation.
Myoclonic ocular jerks

A 39-year-old woman with a familial trait for myoclonic jerks of the neck presented with spontaneous 5- to 40-degree single jerks of the eyes, usually upward, each producing a brief interruption in fixation. Eye movement recordings showed the myoclonic ocular jerks to be saccades with variable intersaccadic intervals. Treatment with 6.0 mg per day of clonazepam reduced her symptoms.
An ECG compression algorithm for full disclosure in a solid-state real-time Holter monitor

In a real-time Holter ECG analyzer, a limited amount of solid-state memory is available for storing the 24 hours of data required for full disclosure capability. In the analyzer discussed here, 25 hours of a single channel of ECG data had to be stored in 1.5 Mbyte of RAM. Meeting the necessary data-compression goals while maintaining adequate waveform fidelity was not possible using standard data-compression techniques. The authors developed an ECG compression method for full disclosure data that meets the design requirements without imposing much of a computation burden on the real-time device. The method makes full use of the high degree of redundancy in the ECG signal. In addition, it uses filtering and subsampling techniques that, while inherently distorting, do not distort the waveform in such a way as to alter the clinical interpretation that can be made from a minaturized full disclosure report format. A quantitative analysis of the distortion is included. >
Thinking about Champions

Highlights of Volume 92 of the Journal of Chemical Education are discussed, and contributors to the Journal are acknowledged.
THERMODYNAMIC HUMIDITY CONTROL THROUGH ARCHITECTURE

Abstract The two principal components that ultimately decide bioclimatic comfort in human shelter and settlement are temperature and vapor pressure. Appropriate manipulation of both or either of these components can establish acceptable comfort conditions. This paper investigates the potentials for vapor pressure ammelioration (humidity control) to attain body comfort. Diagnostic bioclimatology determines comfort needs and quantifies the extent of moisture extraction, or addition, neccessary for comfort attainment in varying degrees of vapor pressure for overheated circumstances. Typical situations will be identified for comparative analysis and prescriptive remedies. Solar generated thermodynamic building systems will demonstrate cooling achievements through katabic and anabatic actions in arid areas that are hot, warm or temperate. Similarly, nonmechanical thermodynamic dehumidification systems in building can provide acceptable comfort levels in humid warm and temperate areas. Principles of alternative methods for employing dessicant systems, evaporative, conductive, radiative and convective cooling techniques are discussed for further cooling in overheated and uncomfortable climate conditions. Some notable examples are demonstrated.
Andrology: Puberty-Fertility-Andropause

From boyhood to old age, males undergo changes in their levels of androgens, with resulting changes in stature, appearance, reproductive capacity, and physiologic function. During puberty, a dramatic surge in sex hormones initiates several significant events: the development of pubic hair and genital growth, the maturation of gametes, and the growth spurt. Extremely early or late onset of puberty may require evaluation by an endocrine specialist due to concern for an underlying pathology. Men become fertile following puberty, although 15 % of couples experience trouble conceiving, with half of cases involving a male factor. A careful medical evaluation, with semen, hormone, and occasionally genetic testing, may help diagnose a pre-testicular, testicular, or post-testicular etiology. A specialist may offer medical or surgical treatment directed at the underlying condition. Furthermore, assisted reproductive techniques may improve pregnancy outcomes. After the third decade, testosterone levels decline at a slow but steady rate. Andropause refers to a total testosterone level below 300 ng/dL with impaired libido and sexual function and/or nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, decreased strength, and diminished neurologic function. After reversible causes are ruled out, testosterone supplementation therapy (TST) may be offered. Despite recent debate regarding the impact of TST on cardiovascular health and prostate cancer, most experts feel the benefits of TST outweigh the risks in the correctly selected patient.
Experimental demonstration of precise holograms using complex light modulation

We generated a fully complex hologram by utilizing a combination of amplitude and phase spatial light modulators. A digital micromirror device (DMD) was used to produce the amplitude profile, and a liquid crystal spatial light modulator (SLM) produced the phase profile. A band-limited 4-f imaging system imaged the DMD onto the SLM to create a fully complex modulated wavefront, which reconstructed a holographic image at the desired location. We utilized backwards diffraction calculations, error-diffusion, and amplitude beam-shaping to design a hologram with small reconstruction error.