cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nuclear waste spectrum as evidence of technological extraterrestrial civilizations

Abstract We consider the possible observational consequences of galactic civilizations which utilize their local star as a repository for radioactive fissile waste material. If a relatively small fraction of the nuclear resources present in the crust of a terrestrial-type planet were processed via breeder reactors, the resulting stellar spectrum would be selectively modified over geological time periods provided the star has a sufficiently shallow outer convective zone. Consideration of surface convective mixing and stellar lifetimes restricts the possible candidate stars to the approximate spectra range A5-F2. The abundance anomalies resulting from the slow neutron fission of plutonium-239 and uranium-233 are presented and it is argued that these anomalous distributions are unlikely to be duplicated by natural nucleosynthesis processes. Relative to solar system abundances, the elements praseodymium and neodymium are found to be the most overabundant. These elements, along with the radioactive elements technetium and plutonium, could be used to identify A5-F2 candidate stars in a preliminary spectral survey.
Prenatal Diagnosis of dup(3q) syndrome

There are numerous reports on the duplication of the long arm of chromosome 3, ranging from 3ql2 to 3qter. Although the duplicated segments vary in size, a defined clinical phenotype, dup(3q) syndrome, has been investigated by us and others. A 22 year old G4P0030 (1SPAB, 2ELAB) Caucasian was referred at 31 weeks gestation for fetal anomalies on sonogram including hydrocephalus, bilateral polydactyly, and a possible CHD Amniocentesis was performed and showed an unbalanced chromosomal rearrangement: 46,XX,der(9)t(3;9) (q26.1;p24).ish. 46,XX,der(9)t(3;9)(q26.1;p24) (WCP3+WCP9+), and a positive acetylcholinesterase. Parental chromosomes showed that the father was a carrier of a balanced rearrangement: 46,XY,t(3;9) (q26.1;p24). The baby was bom at 42 weeks gestation following prostaglandin induction due to failure to progress. She weighed 4264 grains and cried spontaneously with APGAR scores of 8/8 at 1 and 5 minutes. The major dysmorphic features included: up-slanting palpebral fissures, synophyrs, prominent alveolar ridge, hypertelorism, down-turned corners of the mouth, short neck with redundant skin folds, bilateral postaxial polydactyly, a deep sacral dimple and an anteriorly displaced anus with low rectal stenosis. During the surgical correction of the rectal stenosis, a pre-sacral teratoma was excised. The telomeric DNA segment (9p24-pter) lost due to the translocation is generally associated with chromosomal capping rather than phenotypic expression. The clinical manifestations consistent with dup(3q) syndrome are being presented. To our knowledge, teratoma has not been described before as part of the dup3q phenotype.
Portfolios in Large-Scale Alternate Assessment Systems: Frameworks for Reliability

IDEA 97 legislated a greater emphasis on school, district, and state accountability in special education policy in an effort to ensure the inclusion of all students with disabilities in large-scale assessments. While such reform has been taking place in general education for over a decade, large-scale assessment and accountability efforts are new to special education. The reliability of educational assessments is of utmost importance for those developing alternate assessments for students with significant disabilities unable to participate in general state and district assessments. By drawing from related literatures, we provide a template to assist policy makers in developing and refining reliable large-scale alternate assessments. We also draw upon Kentucky's 10-year experience with its alternate assessment and recent work with several states that are in the process of developing their alternate assessment systems.
Toxicity and Efficacy Results From a Phase I Dose-Escalation Study of Single-Fraction Stereotactic Radiation Therapy for Liver Metastases

to normal tissues near the RT site but were reduced by 46 Gy until normal tissue constraints were allowed. The primary endpoint of this study was the tumor response according to the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors criteria after RT following incomplete TACE in unresectable HCC. Secondary endpoints were patterns of failure, progression-free survival (PFS), time to tumor progression (TTP), overall survival (OS) rates at 2 years, and treatment-associated toxicity. Survival was calculated from the start of RT using the Kaplan-Meier method. Any factor that influenced prognosis in univariate analyses were subjected to multivariate analyses using the Cox proportional hazards regression model. Results: Between August 2008 and December 2010, 31 patients were enrolled. RTwas delivered with a median total dose 54 Gy (range, 46-59.4 Gy) in 1.8 to 2 Gy per fraction. Most patients (29 patients, 93.5%) received RT with a total dose 54 Gy. A best objective in-field response rate was achieved in 83.9% of patients with complete response (CR) in 22.6% of patients and partial response (PR) in 61.3% of patients within 12 weeks post-RT. A best overall response rate was achieved in 64.5% of patients with CR in 19.4% of patients and PR in 45.1% of patients. The 2-year IFPFS, PFS, TTP, and OS rates were 45.2%, 29.0%, 36.6%, and 61.3%, respectively. The Barcelona-Clinic Liver Cancer stage was identified as significant independent prognostic factor for PFS (P Z 0.023). Overall, 22 patients (59.1%) had treatment failures. Hepatic in-field failure occurred in 10 patients (32.3%), hepatic out-of-field failure occurred in 11 patients (35.5%), and extrahepatic failure (distant metastasis) occurred in 13 patients (41.9%). The lung was the most common site for distant metastases. Classic radiation-induced liver disease was not observed. There was no treatment-related death or hepatic failure. Conclusions: Three-dimensional-CRT following incomplete TACE achieves a promising objective response rate and is a safe and practical treatment option for patients with unresectable HCC. Acknowledgment: This work was supported by a grant (0620390) from the National RandD Program for Cancer Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea. Author Disclosure: C. Choi: E. Research Grant; W. Koom: E. Research Grant; T. Kim: None. S. Yoon: None. J. Kim: None. H. Lee: None. T. Nam: None. J. Seong: E. Research Grant;
A report of the task force on career competencies in oral communication skills for community college students seeking immediate entry into the work force

This study reports the results of the SCA Task Force on Career Competencies which investigated the oral communication skills needed by community college students entering careers. The report summarizes relevant literature and the results of surveys of (1) state instructional offices and (2) community college career advisory committee members in various occupational areas. Findings indicate a strong need for group communication and receiver‐oriented skills such as listening. The respondents reinforced the need for oral communication skills for entry‐level personnel.
Synthesis of ZSM-35 using trimethylcetylammonium hydroxide as a template

Abstract Zeolite ZSM-35 was synthesized using trimethylcetylammonium hydroxide as an organic template. Phase purity of the sample was checked by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis using a nitrogen atmosphere in combination with the N2 adsorption measurements gave valuable information about the state of the organic template in the zeolite framework.
CONDENSING MAPPINGS AND THE LERAY-SCHAUDER BOUNDARY CONDITION

is sufficient to guarantee existence a fixed point for T. (This fact is due to Petryshyn [l] who observed that it follows quickly from Nussbaum’s degree theory. For an elegant non-degree-theoretic proof, see [2].) In this paper, by introducing a condition weaker than (L-S) we examine more closely the rela- tionship between the existence of fixed points for
Predicting the stability of low volume road embankments in contingency areas

Abstract The US Army often operates heavy vehicles in rural areas, operating on low-volume roads having limited load carrying capacity. Many of these roads, such as the ones on the outskirts of Baghdad, have been raised to prevent flooding from nearby canals or irrigated fields. Sections of the roads have collapsed under the weight of armored vehicles, resulting in injuries and even fatalities. For the selected area studied, 2½% of the low-volume road sections were determined to be high risk given typical wheel loads of heavy vehicles for soil strength conditions modeled as low. The goal of the research was to develop a method for rapidly evaluating the stability of a road based on soil conditions, wheel load, and the dimensions of a vehicle. A model for road stability was developed to assist in performing analysis of the canal roads outside of Baghdad. This analysis was then used to create maps and charts characterizing road stability to assist the drivers. The procedure described in this paper can be used to evaluate elevated roads in other parts of the world.
Magnetic Nanoclusters with Hydrophilic Spacing for Dual Drug Delivery and Sensitive Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Magnetic Block Ionomer Clusters (MBIClusters) with hydrophilic ionic cores and nonionic coronas have been prepared that have ultrahigh transverse NMR relaxivities together with capacities for incorporating high concentrations of polar antibiotic payloads. Magnetite-polymer nanoparticles were assembled by adsorbing the polyacrylate block of an aminofunctional poly(ethylene oxide-b-acrylate) (H2N-PEO-b-PAA) copolymer onto magnetite nanoparticles. The PEO blocks extended into aqueous media to keep the nanoparticles dispersed. Amines at the tips of the H2N-PEO corona were then linked through reaction with a PEO diacrylate oligomer to yield MBIClusters where the metal oxide in the precursor nanoparticles were distinctly separated by the hydrophilic polymer. The intensity average spacing between the magnetite nanoparticles within the clusters was estimated to be ∼50 nm. These MBIClusters with hydrophilic intra-cluster space had transverse relaxivities (r2’s) that increased from 190 to 604 s−1 mM Fe−1 measured at 1.4 T and 37 °C as their average sizes increased. The clusters were loaded with up to ∼38 wt% of the multi-cationic drug gentamicin. MRI scans focused on the livers of mice demonstrated that these MBIClusters are sensitive contrast agents.
Creatine metabolism in skeletal muscle. V. An intracellular abnormality of creatine trapping in dystrophic muscle.

SummaryRadioactive creatine was given parenterally to normal and to dystrophic mice of Bar Harbor Strain 129 either 1 hr (short-term 14C-creatine) or 1 week (long-term 14C-creatine) before their extensor digitorum longus muscles were removed for study in vitro. After short-term 14C-creatine and under aerobic conditions, part of the radioactivity was lost more rapidly from dystrophic muscles than from normal muscles; but, under anaerobic conditions, the losses of radioactivity from normal and dystrophic muscles were similar because the rate of loss from normal muscles accelerated. After long-term 14C-creatine and under aerobic conditions, losses of radioactivity from both groups of muscles were small; but, under anaerobic conditions, part of the radioactivity was lost more slowly from dystrophic muscles than from normal muscles. These findings are evidence of an intracellular abnormality in the metabolism of creatine in dystrophic muscle.We are indebted to Mrs. Judy M. Dacus for technical assistance.
Limitations of the accuracy of polarized-neutron diffractometry

Abstract The magnetic force on a neutron as it enters a high-field magnet can influence the results of polarized-neutron diffraction experiments. The position of the Bragg peak is slightly different for neutrons in the two spin states and the peak intensity is slightly different. The magnitudes of these effects are calculated and experimental evidence confirming the peak shift calculation is presented. Suggestions for experimental procedures to minimize these effects are presented. The discussion is directed toward experiments in which flipping-ratio accuracies approaching 5 × 10 −5 are desired.
Angle estimation with adaptive arrays in strong mainbeam interference fields

A method of estimating the angle of arrival of a signal at an array antenna in a strong mainbeam interference environment is outline. The development is based on a maximum likelihood estimator and leads naturally to adaptive sum and difference beams which null the strong main beam interference. A measurement of the interference covariance matrix is presented in this paper. And an angle-scan algorithm, which has two principles, is shown to perform well in the presence of main beam interference with the experimentally derived data.
Soluble transferrin receptors and tissue oxygenation in non anaemic cystic fibrosis patients

Abstract Background Chronic pulmonary disease and progressive tissue hypoxia are major causes of morbidity and mortality in cystic fibrosis (CF). Normally the body adapts to tissue hypoxia by increasing the red cell mass and decreasing the Hb-O 2 affinity. These adaptations are commonly observed in patients with cyanotic heart disease and individuals living at high altitude. However, patients with CF not only have an impaired erythroid response to hypoxia, but also are frequently anaemic. Methods In order to evaluate erythroid marrow activity and tissue oxygenation in 37 patients with CF we measured: the haematological and blood chemistry parameters; including red cell indices, ferritin, erythropoietin (Epo) and soluble transferrin receptors (sTfR) levels; arterial blood gases, P 50 and oxygen release to the tissues (O 2 R ) and the 2,3-BPG levels. Results The main results showed that a) patients with CF have a mild degree of tissue hypoxia which is expressed by the moderately decreased of P 50 and O 2 R values and the relative increase of Epo level, b) 2,3-BPG synthesis in patients with CF is normal and c) sTfR levels are significantly increased (3-fold normal) in patients with CF compared to normal controls. Conclusions The above observations indicate that erythroid marrow activity in patients with CF is increased.
ROADTRIPS: Case-Control Association Testing with Partially or Completely Unknown Population and Pedigree Structure

Genome-wide association studies are routinely conducted to identify genetic variants that influence complex disorders. It is well known that failure to properly account for population or pedigree structure can lead to spurious association as well as reduced power. We propose a method, ROADTRIPS, for case-control association testing in samples with partially or completely unknown population and pedigree structure. ROADTRIPS uses a covariance matrix estimated from genome-screen data to correct for unknown population and pedigree structure while maintaining high power by taking advantage of known pedigree information when it is available. ROADTRIPS can incorporate data on arbitrary combinations of related and unrelated individuals and is computationally feasible for the analysis of genetic studies with millions of markers. In simulations with related individuals and population structure, including admixture, we demonstrate that ROADTRIPS provides a substantial improvement over existing methods in terms of power and type 1 error. The ROADTRIPS method can be used across a variety of study designs, ranging from studies that have a combination of unrelated individuals and small pedigrees to studies of isolated founder populations with partially known or completely unknown pedigrees. We apply the method to analyze two data sets: a study of rheumatoid arthritis in small UK pedigrees, from Genetic Analysis Workshop 15, and data from the Collaborative Study of the Genetics of Alcoholism on alcohol dependence in a sample of moderate-size pedigrees of European descent, from Genetic Analysis Workshop 14. We detect genome-wide significant association, after Bonferroni correction, in both studies.
An automatic algorithm for detection of infestations in X-ray images of agricultural products

An automatic recognition algorithm was developed and tested for detection of certain defects or contaminants in X-ray images of agricultural commodities. Testing of the algorithm on wheat kernels infested with larvae of the granary weevil, Sitophilus granarius (L.) yielded comparable results to those obtained by human subjects evaluating digitized X-ray film images (14.4% overall error vs. 15.6% for human subjects). Further tests on X-ray images of olives infested with the Olive Fly, Bactrocera oleae (L.), yielded a total error of 12% for large infestations and over 50% for the smallest infestations with false positive results below 10%. Testing of alternate training strategies showed that for this type of algorithm, which uses a form of discriminant analysis with a generally “fuzzy” decision boundary, best results are obtained when training with samples that map far away from the boundary, then applying the derived decision function to all samples to be classified.
Detection of Newly Described Astrovirus MLB1 in Stool Samples from Children

The prevalence of the recently identified astrovirus MLB1 in a cohort of children with diarrhea in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, was defined by reverse transcription–PCR. Of 254 stool specimens collected in 2008, 4 were positive for astrovirus MLB1. These results show that astrovirus MLB1 is circulating in North America.
Meta-analysis of the clinical outcome of carbapenem monotherapy in the adjunctive treatment of intra-abdominal infections

Abstract Background The carbapenems, a class of β -lactam antimicrobials with efficacy against both aerobic and anaerobic organisms, have demonstrated potential as monotherapeutic regimens in the treatment of serious intra-abdominal infections. Clinical trials have been conducted in the past decade to compare carbapenem monotherapy versus combinations of antibiotic therapy. We report here a meta-analysis of 10 such trials. Data sources An 11-year Medline search (from 1985 through 1996) of the English-language literature identified clinical trials that compared the outcomes of carbapenem monotherapy, either imipenem/cilastatin or meropenem, versus another antibiotic regimen in intra-abdominal infections in human subjects. Ten randomized, prospective trials were found, with a total of 1,227 clinically evaluable patients. A meta-analysis of these clinical trials was performed to determine the difference in clinical outcomes between carbapenem monotherapy versus other antibiotic regimens. We found a difference in response rates of −1.6% (95% confidence interval [CIJ −5.7% to 2.5%) and a response ratio of 0.99 (95% CI, 0.90 to 1.09), indicating no statistical significant difference. Conclusions A meta-analysis of 10 clinical trials from 1985 through 1996 has revealed no statistical significant difference in clinical response between carbapenem monotherapy and combinations of antibiotic therapy in intra-abdominal infections. We noted, however, that the earlier studies reported more favorable response ratios for carbapenems than later publications. This may have been due to the selection of less effective comparators in earlier studies. We conclude that carbapenem monotherapy is as effective as combinations of antimicrobials for the treatment of intra-abdominal infections.
Mussel Adhesion: Finding the Tricks Worth Mimicking

ABSTRACT The byssus is a holdfast structure that allows the marine mussel (Mytilus) to adopt a sessile mode of life even in the most wave-swept habitats. The success of byssus as an adaptation for attachment is at least in part responsible for the fouling caused by these organisms, but it has also provided inspiration for the design of underwater adhesives and coatings. A valuable bio-inspired concept emerging from mussel adhesion is that of polymers with catecholic and phosphate functionalities for robust underwater surface coupling. Prepolymer processing by complex coacervation for good spreading and functional gradients is also likely to find applications.
Caveolin-1 up-regulation during epithelial to mesenchymal transition is mediated by focal adhesion kinase.

Emerging evidence has shown that caveolin-1 is up-regulated in a number of metastatic cancers and can influence various aspects of cell migration. However, in general, the role of caveolin-1 in cancer progression is poorly understood. In the present study, we examined alterations in caveolin-1 expression during epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the ability of caveolin-1 to alter cancer cell adhesion, an aspect of cell motility. We employed two EMT cell models, the human embryonic carcinoma cell line NT2/D1, and TGF-β1-treated NMuMG cells, which are derived from normal mouse mammary epithelia. Caveolin-1 expression was substantially up-regulated in both cell lines following the induction of EMT and was preceded by increased activation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and Src, two known tyrosine kinases involved in EMT. We hypothesized that caveolin-1 expression could be influenced by increased FAK phosphorylation, to which Src is a known contributor. Examination of FAK+/+ and FAK-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts revealed that in cells devoid of FAK, caveolin-1 expression is strikingly diminished. Using FAK and superFAK constructs and the novel FAK inhibitor PF-228, we were able to demonstrate that indeed, FAK can regulate caveolin-1 expression. We also found that Src can contribute to increases in caveolin-1 expression, however, only in the presence of FAK. From the culmination of this data and our functional analyses, we conclude that caveolin-1 expression can be up-regulated during EMT, and further, once expressed, caveolin-1 can greatly influence cancer cell adhesion.
Community Protection Policies and Repeat Sexual Offenses in Florida

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of sexual offender management policies on sex crime repeat arrest rates in Florida. Aggregate data for the period 1990 to 2010 were provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The repeat offense rate was defined as the proportion of arrests each year that were committed by individuals with a previous conviction in the same crime category. The average yearly repeat offense rate for sex crimes was 6.5%, which was consistently and significantly lower than rates for other crimes: 8.3% for non-sex assaults, 15.1% for robbery, 29.8% for drug offenses, and 11.6% for DUI. The average annual sexual repeat arrest rate prior to and after the implementation of sexual offender registration laws in 1997 was 4.9% and 7.5%, respectively, indicating a statistically significant increase. The average annual repeat arrest rates for non-sex assaults, robberies, drug crimes, and DUIs also increased after 1997. No significant differences were found when comparing the average annual percent change for sexual re-arrest (+3.47%) with non-sexual assault (+3.93%), robbery (-.73%), drug offenses (+1.59%), and DUI (+1.14). Sex crime repeat arrests in Florida do not appear to show a decline attributable to sex offender management policies implemented since 1997.
A Voronoi method for the piano-movers problem

We describe work in progress toward a polynomial-time algorithm for the classical movers' problem With 6 degrees of freedom. Rotations are represented as a certain 3-dimensional subset of the space of quaternions. This representation gives rise to algebraic constraints on the allowable configurations of the moving object. We define a generalized Voronoi diagram in the configuration space and show that a subset of the diagram, consisting of zero and one dimensional manifolds, can be constructed in polynomial time, and paths found along it. While this subset of the diagram is not always sufficient for path planning, the triangulation of 1- dimensional manifolds can be used as the basis of a complete path planning algorithm by adding other 1-manifolds.
Matroid bounds on the region of entropic vectors

Several properties of the inner bound on the region of entropic vectors obtained from representable matroids are derived. In particular, it is shown that: I) It suffices to check size 2 minors of an integer-valued vector to determine if it is a valid matroid rank; II) the subset of the extreme rays of the Shannon outer bound (the extremal polymatroids) that are matroidal are also the extreme rays of the cone of matroids; III) All matroid ranks are convex independent; and IV) the extreme rays of the conic hull of the binary/ternary/quaternary representable matroid ranks inner bound are a subset of the extreme rays of the conic hull of matroid ranks. These properties are shown to allow for substantial reduction in the complexity of calculating important rate regions in multiterminal information theory, including multiple source multicast network coding capacity regions.
Particle microelectrophoresis of calcium‐deficient hydroxyapatite: Solution composition and kinetic effects

Concurrent work demonstrates that the zeta potential of bone is multivalued and systematically alterable by changes in sample preparation, steeping fluid composition, and steeping time. Since bone mineral is a mixture of carbonated calcium-deficient hydroxyapatites, and since the zeta potential of calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA) is altered by pH and time in HNO3-KOH solutions, the zeta potential of CDHA in physiologic Neuman's fluid (NF) compared with that seen in bone could reveal important information on the contribution of the mineral phase to the zeta potential of bone. In addition, such information may be valuable in designing and evaluating calcium-phosphate ceramics for increased bone ingrowth. Results demonstrate that the zeta potential of CDHA in NF is negative. With increasing calcium in NF, the zeta potential magnitude of CDHA decreases and inverts to positive values given sufficient calcium concentration and steeping time. This result is opposite to that seen in bone, suggesting that exposed CDHA is not the predominant bone microsurface and implicating a bone surface protein component. With increasing phosphate in NF, the zeta potential magnitude increases to more negative values. While low concentrations of fluoride showed no effect, the possibility of an effect with higher concentrations is still to be determined. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Postdetection EGC diversity receivers for binary and quaternary DPSK systems over fading channels

Binary and quaternary differential coherent phase-shift keying schemes are widely used in digital wireless systems. In this paper, we derive a simple expression for the bit error rate performance of such schemes under postdetection equal-gain combining and fading channels. The analysis is based on a convergent infinite series for the probability density function of sums of random variables that has been derived using a Fourier series approximation method. Several fading conditions including arbitrarily correlated Nakagami-m, and independent Ricean slowly varying channels are investigated. The analytical study is also accompanied by using simulation techniques.
Scattering by two spheres in contact: comparisons between discrete-dipole approximation and modal analysis

This paper applies two different techniques to the problem of scattering by two spheres in contact:modal analysis, which is an exact method, and the discrete-dipole approximation (DDA). Good agreement is obtained, which further demonstrates the utility of the DDA to scattering problems for irregular particles. The choice of the DDA polarizability scheme is discussed in detail. We show that the lattice dispersion relation provides excellent improvement over the Clausius–Mossoti polarizability parameterization.
Effects of Particle Crushing in Stress Drop-Relaxation Experiments on Crushed Coral Sand

Stress relaxation and stress drop-relaxation tests have been performed to complement a test series performed to study strain rate, creep, and stress drop-creep effects on crushed coral sand. Drained experiments with constant effective confining pressure of 200 kPa were performed in which triaxial specimens of crushed coral sand were loaded to initial stress differences of 500, 700, and 900 kPa, followed by stress drops of 0, 100, 200, 300, and 400 kPa at which points the axial strains were kept constant while the axial stress relaxation and the volumetric strains were observed. The stress drops produced delays in initiation of stress relaxation that were proportional with the magnitudes of the stress drops. The experiments show that sands do not exhibit classic viscous effects, and their behavior is indicated as "nonisotach," while the typical viscous behavior of clay is termed "isotach." Thus, there are significant differences in the time-dependent behavior patterns of sands and clay. A mechanistic picture of time effects in sands is proposed.
Lumbar arthrodesis for the treatment of back pain

Lumbar arthrodesis is a commonly performed operative procedure for the treatment of low-back pain; however, the indications, techniques, and results remain controversial and unclear. The frequency of spinal arthrodesis for the treatment of back pain is increasing in the United States, as are criticism of the procedure and the study of available information on its outcomes. The concept of spinal arthrodesis is based on experience with other regions of the body in which arthrodesis has been used to treat painful joints by eliminating motion. Initially, spinal arthrodesis was used for the treatment of infectious conditions, deformity, and trauma of the spine. On the basis of these successful experiences and because of technical advances in imaging, operative procedures, implants, and bone-grafting, the indications for spinal arthrodesis have been expanded in an attempt to control pain attributed to abnormal or unstable motion between one vertebra and an adjacent vertebra or pain due to mechanical degeneration of the intervertebral disc. Much information on arthrodesis of the lumbar spine has been published, but most investigators have used nonstandardized criteria for inclusion of patients who were operated on for various diagnoses and whose outcomes were assessed with nonvalidated methods. Nevertheless, careful review of the available data may assist in determining which treatments are reasonable, which are unreasonable, and which are (or should be) considered investigational155. Under ideal circumstances, spinal arthrodesis should be performed only after a specific pathoanatomical diagnosis has been identified as being responsible for the patient's symptoms. In addition, the natural history of the diagnosis and the appropriate timing of operative intervention should be understood. By limiting abnormal motion or removing the intervertebral disc, lumbar spinal arthrodesis can potentially minimize or eliminate the source of pain. Procedures that result in minimum disruption of tissue and restore the normal biomechanics and physiological …
Effects of High Sodium Intake on Plasma Volume and Physical Fitness in Patients with Postural Tachycardia Syndrome and Healthy Females

Background: Patients with postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) oftenhave lowblood volumeand are advised to increase sodium intake to restore intravascular volume. However, the benefit of a high-sodium diet has not been systematically examined in POTS. Methods: We studied 12 female POTS patients (mean± SD; 34 ±9 years, BMI 23 ± 3 kg/m) and 8 female healthy control subjects (HC; 29 ± 4 years, BMI 24 ± 3 kg/m) randomly assigned to 6 days of low (LS; 10 mEq/day) or high sodium (HS; 300 mEq/day) diet and then crossed-over. Procedures performed on Day 6 included: posture study, plasma volume (PV) measurement by I-albumin, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) using a supine bicycle ergometer, and cardiac output (CO) and stroke volume (SV) assessments by the inert gases rebreathing technique in the flat and tilted head-up positions. Results: PV was significantly higher after HS than LS in POTS patients (PV: 2706 ± 110 ml vs. 2390 ± 89 ml, P b 0.001). Orthostatic tachycardia was reduced in POTS with HS (49 ± 16 bpm vs. 63 ±11 bpm, P = 0.001), but still increased compared with HC (49 ± 16 bpm vs. 23 ± 11 bpm, P = 0.001). Upright SV was significantly higher after HS than LS in POTS (35 ± 11ml vs. 25 ± 7ml, P = 0.023) but remained lower than HC (35 ± 11 ml vs. 52 ± 16ml, P = 0.033). Upright CO and VO2max did not differ significantly between POTS for either LS or HS. Conclusions: HS diet caused a reduction in orthostatic tachycardia, and increased PV and SV in POTS patients. Patients with POTS experienced improvement in their condition in association with higher sodium intake, but did not ‘normalize’ compared with HC.
Feeding and Mortality of Sitophilus granarius (L.) Adults During Simulated Winter Farm Bin Temperatures

After gradual cold-temperature acclimation, granary weevils, Sitophilus granarius (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), fed on cut wheat kernels, but not on undamaged kernels, at 4.4°C. Mortality was greater for weevils confined with single, uncut kernels than for those confined with cut kernels, and males died sooner than females.
Latinos in special education: Equity issues at the intersection of language, culture, and ability differences

Th e purpose of this chapter is to synthesize the scholarship on Latino students placed in special education and to discuss equity questions that are raised in this literature. Because Latino students constitute a minority1 group that has occupied a lower position in society, it is important to examine equity issues in the provision of educational services for this population. Our analysis is complicated by the fact that special education was created in response to civil rights concerns for students with disabilities. Th us, the question is oft en raised as to why placement in special education is deemed an equity concern for Latino students. Equity issues have been debated in this context for at least 40 years due to the disproportionate representation of racial minority students in special education (Donovan & Cross, 2002). Equity issues include questions about student misidentifi cation (i.e., over-or underrepresentation), and equally important, concerns about the long-term consequences of special education placement (e.g., persistent low achievement, high drop out rate, reduced access to higher education, lower occupational outcomes; Artiles, Trent, & Palmer, 2004).
New liquid silicone rubber products for electronics applications

This paper discuss five new silicone liquid rubber products for electrical use and relates their application to energy, environmental, and safety concerns. The products described are a potting material, and an adhesive sealant which have UL yellow card listing as 94 V-0 flame resistant materials by UL-94 test methods. A potting gel for automotive electronics use is discussed as well as a heat-curing, one-component, adhesive-sealant. The last material described is a room temperature curing modest cost silicone potting material.
Electrophysiology of lead intoxication : effects on voltage-sensitive ion channels

Neuronal function depends on the activity of a variety of voltage-sensitive, ion-specific membrane channels, including channels permeable chiefly to sodium, potassium, and calcium. The plasma membranes of many neurons contain several types of each class of channel. In general, heavy metal ions exert little effect on voltage-sensitive sodium or potassium channels, but inhibit ion flow through voltage-sensitive calcium channels (VSCC). The literature abounds with descriptions of different types of calcium channels in vertebrate neurons. These descriptions suggest that there are many physiologically and pharmacologicaly distinct calcium channels, some of them possibly cell-type specific
Novel Separation Method on a Chip Using Capillary Electrophoresis in Combination with Dielectrophoresis

We propose a new methodology for the separation of the constituents of complex chemical and biological mixtures using electrophoresis combined with dielectrophoresis on a chip and laser induced fluorescence detection. We use a network of closely spaced interleaved microelectrodes to facilitate the use of dielectrophoresis as an electrical gradient “stationary phase” for bulk separations. Our new method combines the potential of dielectrophoretic separations with integrated chip electrophoreis, which offers the advantages of high throughput and of precise control of a small amount of sample volume using electroosmotically driven, high-efficiency separations of a number of chemicals and molecules.
Biomimetic Cross-Reactive Sensor Arrays: Prospects in Biodiagnostics.

Biomimetic cross-reactive sensor arrays have been used to detect and analyze a wide variety of vapour and liquid components in applications such as food science, public health and safety, and diagnostics. As technology has advanced over the past three decades, these systems have become selective, sensitive, and affordable. Currently, the need for non-invasive and accurate devices for early disease diagnosis remains a challenge. This review provides an overview of the various types of biomimetic cross-reactive sensor arrays (also referred to as electronic noses and tongues in the literature), their current use and future directions, and an outlook for future technological development.
Kinetic and mechanistic study of bimetallic Pt-Pd/Al2O3 catalysts for CO and C3H6 oxidation

Abstract Low temperature combustion (LTC) diesel engines are being developed to meet increased fuel economy demands. However, some LTC engines emit higher levels of CO and hydrocarbons and therefore diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) efficiency will be critical. Here, CO and propylene oxidation were studied, as representative LTC exhaust components, over model bimetallic Pt-Pd/γ-Al2O3 catalysts. During CO oxidation tests, monometallic Pt suffered the most extensive inhibition which was correlated to a greater extent of dicarbonyl species formation. Pd and Pd-rich bimetallics were inhibited by carbonate formation at higher temperatures. The 1:1 and 3:1 Pt:Pd bimetallic catalysts did not form the dicarbonyl species to the same extent as the monometallic Pt sample, and therefore did not suffer from the same level of inhibition. Similarly they also did not form carbonates to as large an extent as the Pd-rich samples and were therefore not as inhibited from this intermediate surface species at higher temperature. The Pd-rich samples were relatively poor propylene oxidation catalysts; and partial oxidation product accumulation deactivated these catalysts. Byproducts observed include acetone, ethylene, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, formaldehyde and CO. For CO and propylene co-oxidation, the onset of propylene oxidation was not observed until complete CO oxidation was achieved, and the bimetallics showed higher activity. This was again related to less extensive poisoning, less dicarbonyl species formation and less overall partial oxidation product accumulation.
Kiewiet, D. Roderick and Mathew D. McCubbins, The Logic of Delegation: Congressional Parties and the Appropriations Process.

(1992). Kiewiet, D. Roderick and Mathew D. McCubbins, The Logic of Delegation: Congressional Parties and the Appropriations Process. Congress & the Presidency: Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 82-86.
Giving Credit Where Credit’s Due Why It’s So Hard to Do in Psychological Science

More than a century of scientific research has shed considerable light on how a scientist's contributions to psychological science might be best assessed and duly recognized. This brief overview of that empirical evidence concentrates on recognition for lifetime career achievements in psychological science. After discussing both productivity and citation indicators, the treatment turns to critical precautions in the application of these indicators to psychologists. These issues concern both predictive validity and interjudge reliability. In the former case, not only are the predictive validities for standard indicators relatively small, but the indicators can exhibit important non-merit-based biases that undermine validity. In the latter case, peer consensus in the evaluation of scientific contributions is appreciably lower in psychology than in the natural sciences, a fact that has consequences for citation measures as well. Psychologists must therefore exercise considerable care in judging achievements in psychological science-both their own and those of others.
Encyclopedia of Political Economy

(2003). Encyclopedia of Political Economy. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 37, No. 4, pp. 1185-1188.
Design of Socioeconomic Development Policies via Fuzzy Decision-Making Model

Abstract The design of socioeconomic development policies is discussed. The development is in terms of life quality indicators covering social, economic, environmental, etc. aspects. It is evaluated with respect to effectiveness and stability. The effectiveness is how well the constraints on investments, and the goals on life quality indicators and the resulting social satisfactions are fulfilled. The stability is how smooth the basic development indicators evolve. The optimal investments are sought to attain the best effectiveness and stability. Due to an inherent “softness” of the problem, a fuzzy model is used for solution. Next step is the determination of the optimal policy meant as values and softness of constraints and goals, investment partitioning rules, and general attitudes(e.g., safety-first, balanced growth). An optimal policy is sought among some scenarios.
The sweet tooth of the circadian clock

The endogenous circadian clock is a key regulator of daily metabolic processes. On the other hand, circadian clocks in a broad range of tissues can be tuned by extrinsic and intrinsic metabolic cues. The bidirectional interaction between circadian clocks and metabolism involves both transcriptional and post-translational mechanisms. Nuclear receptors exemplify the transcriptional programs that couple molecular clocks to metabolism. The post-translational modifications of the core clock machinery are known to play a key role in metabolic entrainment of circadian clocks. O-linked N-acetylglucosamine modification (O-GlcNAcylation) of intracellular proteins is a key mediator of metabolic response to nutrient availability. This review highlights our current understanding of the role of protein O-GlcNAcylation in mediating metabolic input and output of the circadian clock.
Li-ion Battery State of Health Estimation based on an improved Single Particle model

Health-conscious battery management is one of the main facilitators for widespread commercialization of Li-ion batteries as the primary power source in electrified transportation and portable electronics and as the backup source in stationary energy storage systems. The majority of the existing Battery Management Systems (BMSs) define battery State of Health (SOH) in terms of internal resistance increase or battery capacity decay and use various open-loop criteria based on the battery cycle number and/or operating conditions to determine its SOH. However, considering the wide range of operating conditions and current profiles for Li-ion batteries, the use of a closed-loop SOH estimation approach based on the measureable quantities of the battery along with a battery model is of great importance. In this work, the battery internal resistance increase which can be attributed to various chemical and mechanical degradation mechanisms is considered as the measure of the battery SOH. In order to estimate the SOH, a modified reduced-order electrochemical model based on the Single Particle (SP) Li-ion battery model is proposed to improve the traditional SP model accuracy. This model not only incorporates an analytical expression for the electrolyte-phase potential difference, it is also capable of accurately predicting the battery performance over a wide range of operating currents by considering the effects of the unmodeled dynamics. Finally, this model integrated with an adaptive output-injection observer to estimate the SP model states and the output model uncertainties, can be used to estimate the internal resistance increase during the battery lifetime. The modeling and estimation results are validated via a comparison to the full-order electrochemical model simulations.
DNA strand scission by activated bleomycin group antibiotics.

The bleomycins (BLMs) are a family of antitumor antibiotics used clinically for the treatment of squamous cell carcinomas and malignant lymphomas (1–4). Bleomycin A2 is the major constituent of the clinically used mixture of bleomycins. Although biochemical studies have indicated several loci that may contribute to the overall therapeutic effects obtained with bleomycin, the accumulated evidence suggests that the primary effect is at the level of oxidative DNA degradation (5). DNA degradation mediated by bleomycin is metal ion dependent; with the exception of Co·BLM (6), DNA degradation by metallobleomycins also requires oxygen (5,7). It is believed that the degradative event is actually mediated by a ternary complex consisting of bleomycin, a metal ion and oxygen. There are several mechanistically interesting facets of BLM-mediated DNA degradation, including the observed sequence selectivity for 5’-GT-3’ sequences (7–9) and the fact that double-strand cleavage occurs at a frequency greater than that expected from the random accumulation of single-strand breaks (10,11).
What Would Boyer Do

Few have had as great an impact in as many areas of higher education as the late Ernest Boyer. Today's educators, faced with issues that were embryonic or nonexistent in Boyer's day, are well serve...
Literate Data Analysis with Stata and Markdown

In this article, I introduce markstat, a command for combining Stata code and output with comments and annotations written in Markdown into a beautiful webpage or PDF file, thus encouraging literate programming and reproducible research. The command tangles the input separating Stata and Markdown code, runs the Stata code, relies on Pandoc to process the Markdown code, and then weaves the outputs into a single file. HTML documents may include inline and display math using MathJax. Generating PDF output requires access to LaTeX and a style file from Stata but works with the same input file.
Predicting sentinel node status in melanoma from a real-world EHR dataset

Melanoma is the fastest growing cancer worldwide, and 1 in 50 Americans will develop it in their lifetime. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis is one of the most important prognostic indicators for melanoma survival. We present several machine learning models for predicting SLN metastasis using data from a real-world dermatology electronic health record (EHR) system. The class label is the result of a sentinel lymph node biopsy, an elective procedure that can be performed for newly-diagnosed melanoma patients to determine if there is metastasis in the nearest lymph node. We show that a simple model, using solely Breslow thickness, can achieve predictive performance (AUC=0.769) comparable to a logistic regression model using 5 features (AUC=0.772, p=0.518). Current clinical recommendations are to perform a biopsy for patients with melanomas thicker than 1mm, however, when applying this 1mm threshold to the simple thickness model, it achieves 0% sensitivity for melanomas <1mm. Using a random forest model, we achieve 78.9% sensitivity (p<0.001) for melanomas <1mm. Our study shows that the probability of sentinel lymph node positivity is indeed linearly correlated to the tumor thickness (R2=0.934), and that machine learning models can effectively detect thin melanomas that warrant an SLN biopsy.