cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Binary B-trees for virtual memory

A class of binary trees is described for maintaining ordered sets of data. Random insertions, deletions, and retrievals of keys can be done in time proportional to log N where N is the cardinality of the data-set. Binary B-trees are a modification of B-trees described previously by Bayer and McCreight. They avoid the storage overhead encountered with B-trees and are suitable for processing in a one-level store.
Contour dynamics for numerical fluid-flow calculations

Abstract The numerical solution of problems in fluid dynamics is discussed in terms of a Dynamics-of-Contours (DOC) methodology. Elements of the flow are represented by contour points (or lines or surfaces) that move relative to the fluid in a manner that rigorously conserves mass, momentum and energy, and also represents the transient dynamics. The principal advantage of this technique is that it automatically gives fine resolution of flow features in regions of detailed structure, and coarse resolution where not much is occurring. Several examples are presented to illustrate the results of test problems.
Ab Initio Characterization of the Electrochemical Stability and Solvation Properties of Condensed-Phase Ethylene Carbonate and Dimethyl Carbonate Mixtures

A central challenge in the refinement of lithium-ion batteries is to control cathode-induced oxidative decomposition of electrolyte solvents, such as ethylene carbonate (EC) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC). We study the oxidation potentials of neat EC, neat DMC, and 1:1 mixtures of EC and DMC using the newly developed projection-based embedding method, which we demonstrate to be capable of correcting qualitative inaccuracies in the electronic densities and ionization energies obtained from conventional Kohn–Sham density functional theory (DFT) methods. Our wave function-in-DFT embedding approach enables accurate calculation of the vertical ionization energy (IE) of individual molecules at the CCSD(T) level of theory while explicitly accounting for the solvent using a combination of DFT and molecular mechanics interactions. We find that the ensemble-averaged distributions of vertical IEs are consistent with a linear response interpretation of the statistics of the solvent configurations, enabling determinatio...
A conspectus of Mexican and Central American Picramnia (Simaroubaceae)

A complete checklist with synonymy and notes is provided for the Mexican and Central American species ofPicramnia. A key to all taxa of the region is included. Four new taxa (Picramnia guerrerensis, P. hirsuta, P. deflexa, andP. antidesma subsp.nicaraguensis) are described and illustrated, and a new combination (Picramnia antidesma subsp.fessonia) is made.
Wood-Based Activated Carbons as Adsorbents of Hydrogen Sulfide: A Study of Adsorption and Water Regeneration Processes

Wood-based carbon was studied as a hydrogen sulfide adsorbent in three adsorption/regeneration cycles. The regeneration was done using a constant amount of either hot or cold water. The performance of carbon and efficiency of its regeneration were evaluated on the basis of the amount of hydrogen sulfide adsorbed and on the selectivity of the carbon surface for oxidation of H2S to sulfur oxides. The latter, as the products of surface reactions, made the regeneration feasible. To check the effect of aging/surface oxidation the tests were carried out on fresh and 3-year-stored carbon samples. The results obtained showed that the surface of fresh carbon can be regenerated to some extent, whereas in the case of aged materials the water regeneration is inefficient due to the deposition bulky sulfur polymers resistant to oxidation at temperatures up to 100 °C. Both hot and cold water treatment results in similar degree of regeneration of the carbon surface.
Bandwidth provisioning and pricing for networks with multiple classes of service

Network service providers purchase large point-to-point connections from network owners, then offer individual users network access at a price. Appropriately provisioning (purchasing) and allocating (pricing) connections remains a difficult problem due to increasing demands and network dynamics. However, connection management is more complex with the deployment of Quality of Service (QoS). This paper describes a scalable connection management strategy for QoS-enabled networks. The management technique maximizes profit, while reducing blocking experienced by users. Important issues regarding demand estimation, connection duration, and pricing intervals, are addressed and analyzed. Simulation results are also provided to demonstrate the viability of the proposed system.
A Perfectly Matched Layer Absorber Formulation for Haar Wavelet Based MRTD

A PML absorber formulation for Multiresolution Time Domain (MRTD) schemes with Haar wavelets of arbitrary order of resolution is provided in this paper. Validation studies prove the efficiency of the absorber which yields sufficiently low reflections even under coarse sampling conditions, demonstrating a better performance compared to conventional FDTD PML absorbers.
Effect of oxygenation, pH and hyperthermia on RSU-1069 in vitro and in vivo with radiation in the FSaIIC murine fibrosarcoma.

Abstract We have evaluated the combination of the radiosensitizing and bioreductive alkylating agent RSU-1069 with hyperthermia and radiation in an attempt to improve the potential effectiveness of hyperthermai and radiation against locally advanced malignancies. In vitro studies in FSaIIC murine fibrosarcoma cells demonstrated that 1 h exposure to RSU-1069 was more cytotoxic toward hypoxic than normally oxygenated cells at 37°C and pH 7.40 and was only minimally more cytotoxic at hyperthermic temperatures. At pH 6.45, however, RSU-1069 became significantly more toxic toward hypoxic cells and its cytotoxicity was markedly increased at hyperthermic temperatures. In contrast, the ability of this agent to radiosensitize hypoxic FSaIIC cells significantly diminished at pH 6.45. Hoechst 33342 diffusion selected FSaIIC tumor subpopulation studies revealed that hyperthermia and RSU-1069 were more toxic towards dim (hypoxic) cells, while radiation was more toxic towards bright (normally oxygenated) cells. A combination of all three modalities resulted in an equal and significant kill of hypoxic and oxygenated cells. These results suggest that the combination of RSU-1069, local hyperthermia and radiation has considerable clinical potential.
Imatinib inhibits T-cell receptor mediated T-cell proliferation and activation in a dose-dependent manner

The tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib (imatinib, STI571, Glivec, and Gleevec) is increasingly used in patients undergoing allogeneic transplantation for leukemia. However, little is known regarding its potential immunoregulatory effects. Here, we investigate the effect of imatinib on T-cell receptor (TCR)–mediated activation of human T cells. Following stimulation with the anti-CD3 antibody 12F6, proliferation of activated T cells was almost completely inhibited by 10 μM imatinib. Furthermore, antigen-triggered expansion of CD8+ T cells in response to immunodominant cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) peptides was significantly reduced. Up-regulation of the activation markers CD25 and CD69 in response to TCR cross-linking was suppressed by imatinib at a mean inhibitory concentration 50% (IC50) of 5.4 μM and 7.3 μM, respectively; interleukin 2 (IL-2) production was also impaired. Analysis of the TCR-induced signaling cascade showed that imatinib substantially reduced tyrosine phosphorylation of ZAP70 and LAT in response to activation through the TCR. Sequence comparisons of all 90 tyrosine kinase genes in the human genome for homology in the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) binding pocket identified LCK, which is required for ZAP70 activation, as a likely target for imatinib. The IC50 for LCK inhibition by imatinib was 0.6 μM to 0.8 μM in an in vitro tyrosine kinase assay. In summary, imatinib can interfere with T-cell activation in vitro, and its impact on the frequency of opportunistic infections and graft-versus-host or graft-versus-leukemia reactions after transplantation should be investigated in clinical trials.
Privatization or Reform? Public Enterprise Management in Transition:

Introduction: the rise and decline of public enterprise This article addresses the following questions: Why has privatization become so pervasive? Is privatization a good policy? Is there a limit to privatization and has it worked? Are there alternatives to privatization? What is the current status of public enterprises? Can public enterprise management be reformed for high performance and accountability? The article warns about the long-term negative consequences of sweeping privatization, which it sees not as a simple economic policy but rather as a global ideological strategy of capitalism, pursued by concentrated corporate elites and designed to reverse the older strategy of state intervention in the economy pursued through much of the 20th century for reasons of social and economic justice. The article suggests alternatives to sweeping privatization, including serious reforms in the management of public enterprise, which the author believes is not doomed — its resurgence will come for sure, if not very soon. Public enterprises have played a pivotal role in building the infrastructures necessary for national development, in facilitating private sector development and operation, and in enhancing social and economic justice around the world. They have been the engines of economic and social development in both industrialized and developing nations. They were considered essential for national and economic development almost everywhere in capitalist and mixed economies as well as in the socialist nations. Despite their significant contributions, however, they have, since the 1980s, become the target of relentless privatization decisions by conservative/right-wing governments of the West, which have imposed their approach on developing and less-developed nations as well. Unfortunately, some liberal governments of industrialized nations have also pursued privatization in an undiscriminating way. The waves of privatization have sounded a serious alarm among concerned citizens, communities and professionals in public, non-profit and non-governmental organizations. Scholars and experts in government and administration
Analysis of Disorder in Pulsatile Flows With Application to Poststenotic Blood Velocity Measurement in Dogs

Digital techniques for performing analyses of disorder in a pulsatile flow are presented. Examples are taken from in vivo, hot film anemometer measurements of blood velocity in the descending thoracic aorta of dogs with a controlled degree of stenosis imposed. It is found that flow disorder, as described by this analysis, is a sensitive indicator of the presence of mild constrictions in the vessel under study. Implications to the recognition of localized, occlusive vascular disease are discussed.
The Social Construction of a Legitimate Presidency

A recognized strength of modern constitutional democracies is their ability to insure legitimate political succession through the use of elections.For a review of the contribution of democratic theory to the succession problem, see: Peter Calvert, “The Theory of Political Succession” in The Process of Political Succession, ed. Peter Calvert (London: Macmillan, 1987), 245–66. We do not challenge this assessment; rather, we suggest that the process of producing a legitimate leader is a complex social construction with numerous variations. The pathway to political legitimacy can be conceived thus as a passage through a series of “gateways” and “rituals” that, when successfully confronted, confer political authority. The public, the press, and political elites participate in the process of conferring legitimacy on the “winner.” The 2000 presidential election is a prime illustration of this process because its contested nature clarifies and highlights gateways that have been less visible in other elections. We present an analysis of the social construction of legitimacy in the post-election and early weeks of George W. Bush's presidency, including examples of strategies designed to negotiate successful passage through these rituals. Finally, we note the capacity of these rituals to produce legitimate successions even when irregular events pose a challenge to democratic theory.
Seeking patterns in dream content: a systematic approach to word searches.

This paper systematizes the word search potential of DreamBank.net (Domhoff & Schneider, 2008a, 2008b) by formulating and testing a set of word strings that can be used as default analytic categories in future investigations. The word strings are applied to the 981 dream reports of college students gathered by Hall and Van de Castle (1966) and the 136 dream reports of an 80-year old male gathered by Bulkeley (2008a). The results show a basic compatibility with the frequencies identified by Hall and Van de Castle’s labor-intensive method of content analysis employing teams of human coders. These findings support the expanded use of word search technologies for the scientific study of dream content and its relation to forms of waking consciousness.
Cyclophosphamide, vincristine, adriamycin, and dimethyl-triazeno imidazole carboxamide (CYVADIC) for sarcomas of the female genital tract

From 1976 to 1981, 26 patients with sarcomas of the female genital tract were treated with combination chemotherapy consisting of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, adriamycin, and dimethyl-triazeno imidazole carboxamide (CYVADIC). Twenty-three percent achieved an objective response including complete response in 11.5%. The 23% response rate was achieved in patients who had extensive prior treatment with other chemotherapeutic regimens and/or radiation therapy. Therefore, the use of CYVADIC as first-line chemotherapy for sarcomas of the female genital tract not amenable to surgery or radiation therapy may result in significantly higher response rates than the 23% in the present series.
Assessment of Suny Upstate Medical University's Child Telepsychiatry Consultation Program

Objectives:The project assesses the child telepsychiatry services provided by SUNY Upstate psychiatrists to several county mental health clinics in central New York State.Method:Data for 45 patients was extracted from pre-consultation forms completed by the referring clinic and post-consultation summaries completed by the Upstate psychiatrists that occurred between July 13, 2009 and May 12, 2010. The study identified characteristics of patients for whom telepsychiatry consultations were sought, why they were sought, and reviewed recommended changes in therapy and medication provided by the telepsychiatry consultant.Results:Analysis of the data showed that there was a large variation in patient characteristics such as age (from age 3 to 17), current living situation, and psychological symptoms. In addition to a family history of mental illness (80%), the most common symptoms were physical aggression (60.0%), defiant/oppositional behavior (57.8%), and attentional problems (55.6%). The most common reason for...
Pharmacokinetics, metabolism, and excretion of the antidiabetic agent ertugliflozin (PF-04971729) in healthy male subjects.

The disposition of ertugliflozin (PF-04971729), an orally active selective inhibitor of the sodium-dependent glucose cotransporter 2, was studied after a single 25-mg oral dose of [14C]-ertugliflozin to healthy human subjects. Mass balance was achieved with approximately 91% of the administered dose recovered in urine and feces. The total administered radioactivity excreted in feces and urine was 40.9% and 50.2%, respectively. The absorption of ertugliflozin in humans was rapid with a Tmax at ∼1.0 hour. Of the total radioactivity excreted in feces and urine, unchanged ertugliflozin collectively accounted for ∼35.3% of the dose, suggestive of moderate metabolic elimination in humans. The principal biotransformation pathway involved glucuronidation of the glycoside hydroxyl groups to yield three regioisomeric metabolites, M4a, M4b, and M4c (∼39.3% of the dose in urine), of which M4c was the major regioisomer (∼31.7% of the dose). The structure of M4a and M4c were confirmed to be ertugliflozin -4-O-β- and -3-O-β-glucuronide, respectively, via comparison of the HPLC retention time and mass spectra with authentic standards. A minor metabolic fate involved oxidation by cytochrome P450 to yield monohydroxylated metabolites M1 and M3 and des-ethyl ertugliflozin (M2), which accounted for ∼5.2% of the dose in excreta. In plasma, unchanged ertugliflozin and the corresponding 4-O-β- (M4a) and 3-O-β- (M4c) glucuronides were the principal components, which accounted for 49.9, 12.2, and 24.1% of the circulating radioactivity. Overall, these data suggest that ertugliflozin is well absorbed in humans, and eliminated largely via glucuronidation.
Algal turf scrubber (ATS) floways on the Great Wicomico River, Chesapeake Bay: productivity, algal community structure, substrate and chemistry1

Two Algal Turf Scrubber (ATS) units were deployed on the Great Wicomico River (GWR) for 22 months to examine the role of substrate in increasing algal productivity and nutrient removal. The yearly mean productivity of flat ATS screens was 15.4 g · m(-2) · d(-1) . This was elevated to 39.6 g · m(-2) · d(-1) with a three-dimensional (3-D) screen, and to 47.7 g · m(-2) · d(-1) by avoiding high summer harvest temperatures. These methods enhanced nutrient removal (N, P) in algal biomass by 3.5 times. Eighty-six algal taxa (Ochrophyta [diatoms], Chlorophyta [green algae], and Cyan-obacteria [blue-green algae]) self-seeded from the GWR and demonstrated yearly cycling. Silica (SiO2 ) content of the algal biomass ranged from 30% to 50% of total biomass; phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon content of the total algal biomass ranged from 0.15% to 0.21%, 2.13% to 2.89%, and 20.0% to 25.7%, respectively. Carbohydrate content (at 10%-25% of AFDM) was dominated by glucose. Lipids (fatty acid methyl ester; FAMEs) ranged widely from 0.5% to 9% AFDM, with Omega-3 fatty acids a consistent component. Mathematical modeling of algal produ-ctivity as a function of temperature, light, and substrate showed a proportionality of 4:3:3, resp-ectively. Under landscape ATS operation, substrate manipulation provides a considerable opportunity to increase ATS productivity, water quality amelioration, and biomass coproduction for fertilizers, fermentation energy, and omega-3 products. Based on the 3-D prod-uctivity and algal chemical composition demonstrated, ATS systems used for nonpoint source water treat-ment can produce ethanol (butanol) at 5.8× per unit area of corn, and biodiesel at 12.0× per unit area of soy beans (agricultural production US).
Microbiota and Autoimmunity: Exploring New Avenues

Given the recognized role of the commensal microbiota in regulating host immunity to pathogens, it is not surprising that microbiota are also capable of regulating autoimmune responses. The underlying mechanisms of autoimmune regulation by the microbiota are just beginning to emerge. Here, we discuss possible pressure points toward the development of autoimmune diseases that can be influenced by the microbiota. Besides acting on the adaptive and innate arms of the immune response, the microbiota can affect the targets of autoimmunity directly, even during development in utero, and be involved in regulation of autoimmunity via interactions with hormones.
Search for a Category Target in Clutter

An airport security worker searching a suitcase for a weapon is engaging in an especially difcult search task: the target is not well-specied, it is not salient and it is not predicted by its context. Under these conditions, search may proceed item-byitem. The experiment reported here tested whether the items for this form of search are whole familiar objects. Our displays were composed of color photographs of ordinary objects that were either uniform in color and texture (simple), or had two or more parts with different colors or textures (compound). The observer’s task was to detect the presence of a target belonging to a broad category (food). We found that when the objects were presented in a sparse array, search times to nd the target were similar for displays composed of simple and compound objects. But when the same objects were presented as dense clutter, search functions were steeper for displays composed of compound objects. We attribute this difference to the difculty of segmenting compound objects in clutter: compared with simple objects, bottom-up grouping processes are less likely to organize compound objects into a single item. Our results indicate that while search rates in a sparse display may be determined by the number of objects, search rates in clutter are also affected by the number of object parts.
The sequential prison

We are trapped in a sequential prison. We use sequential character strings to write sequential programs to control sequential computers. No wonder concurrency remains elusive. How did we come to be here? The high cost of vacuum tube logic forced sequence upon early computer builders. Sequential character strings were the economic way to describe what sequential computers should do. Sequential programs controlled the expensive part of the machine, namely logic. The lethargic pace of logic circuits masked the cost of moving data over distance, allowing programming languages to ignore the cost of communication. Today, the time delay and energy cost of communicating over distance dominate modern computers; logic is essentially free. Why then, do programming languages continue to control logic and largely ignore communication? It will take a broad effort to escape our sequential prison, requiring changes in hardware, programming notations and the ways in which they are expressed. Most importantly, it will require recognizing that we are in sequential prison, and planning for an escape.
Pseudo-advective relaxation to stable states of inviscid two-dimensional fluids

The continuous transformation of one flow into another of higher or lower energy while preserving the potential vorticity of all particles can be accomplished by advection with an artificial velocity field. Since isolated extremal energy states are stable states, this method can be used to find stable stationary flows on a prescribed isovortical sheet
Active Noise Control in Jets from Conical and Contoured Supersonic Nozzles with Plasma Actuators

An active noise control work in jets from contoured and conical supersonic axisymmetric nozzles (henceforth contoured and conical jets, respectively) with plasma actuators is conducted. The Mach 1.65 contoured nozzle is designed by using the method of characteristics for shock-free jet. The Mach 1.65 conical nozzle has converging and diverging conical sections with a sharp throat. Eight actuators, distributed uniformly around the nozzle exit, are used and the jet is forced with azimuthal modes of 0-3, and ±4 and at forcing Strouhal numbers ranging from 0.18 to 4.0. Far-field acoustic is measured by a linear microphone array covering polar angles from 25 to 80q relative to the jet axis. At a far-field polar angle of 30q, more noise reduction is observed at a higher azimuthal mode of 3 or ±4 in both jets. The maximum reduction in overall sound pressure level is 1.5 and 2.6 dB for the contoured and conical jets, respectively. At a polar angle of 80q (near sideline), the reduction in noise level is negligible. In the conical jet, there is a competition for energy between the naturally-occurring structures and those generated by forcing, similar to the process taking place in forcing an imperfectly-expanded supersonic jet. At moderate forcing Strouhal numbers, the structures generated by forcing prevail and thus the naturally-occurring structures are suppressed or weakened. This seems to be responsible for the reduced or suppressed screech tones in the conical jet.
Endoplasmic reticulum protein HSP47 binds specifically to the N‐Terminal globular domain of the amino‐propeptide of the procollagen I α1(I)‐chain

Hsp47, an endoplasmic reticulum-resident heat shock protein in fibroblasts, has gelatin-binding properties. It had been hypothesized that it functions as a chaperone regulating procollagen chain folding and/or assembly, but the mechanism of the hsp47-procollagen I interaction was not clear. Hsp47 could bind to both denatured and native procollagen I. A series of competition studies were carried out in which various collagens and collagen domain peptides were incubated with 35[S]-methionine-labeled murine 3T6 cell lysates prior to mixing with gelatin-Sepharose 4B beads. The gelatin-bound proteins were collected and analyzed by gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. Collagenase digested procollagen I had the same effect as denatured intact procollagen, indicating that the propeptides were the major interaction sites. The addition of intact pro alpha 1(I)-N-propeptide at 25 micrograms/ml completely inhibited hsp47 binding to the gelatin-Sepharose. Even the pentapeptide VPTDE, residues 86-90 of the pro alpha 1(I)-N-propeptide, inhibits hsp47-gelatin binding. These data implicating the pro alpha 1(I)-N-propeptide domain were confirmed by examination of polysome-associated pro alpha chains. The nascent pro alpha 1(I)-chains with intact N-propeptide regions could be precipitated by monoclonal hsp47 antibody 11D10, but could not be precipitated by monoclonal anti-pro alpha 1 (I)-N-propeptide antibody SP1.D8 unless dissociated from the hsp47. GST-fusion protein constructs of residues 23-108 (NP1), 23-151 (NP2), and 23-178 (NP3) within the pro alpha 1 (I)- N-propeptide were coupled to Sepharose 4B and used as affinity beads for collection of hsp47 from 3T6 cell lysates. NP1 and NP2 both showed strong specific binding for lysate hsp47. Finally, the interaction was studied in membrane-free in vitro cotranslation systems in which the complete pro alpha 1(I)- and pro alpha 2(I)-chain RNAs were translated alone and in mixtures with each other and with hsp47 RNA. There was no interaction evident between pro alpha 2(I)-chains and hsp47, whereas there was strong interaction between pro alpha 1(I)-chains and nascent hsp47. SP1.D8 could not precipitate pro alpha 1(I)-chains from the translation mix if nascent hsp47 was present. These data all suggest that if hsp47 has a "chaperone" role during procollagen chain processing and folding it performs this specific role via its preferential interaction with the pro alpha 1 (I) chain, and the pro alpha 1(I) amino-propeptide region in particular.
Resource Allocation for Homeland Defense: Dealing with the Team Effect

The federal government's allocation of resources for defense against potential attacks generally involves depending on a multitiered organization consisting of federal, state, and local agencies for information on the risks faced in their jurisdictions and the costs and benefits of defensive actions they may take. These agencies then receive resources, ideally based on the collectively reported risks and resource needs. With private information about local risks and defensive actions and limited resources at the federal level, there are ample opportunities for agencies to take advantage of such a system for their benefit. This yields a suboptimal allocation of limited defensive resources. In this paper we describe this allocation problem formally as a game between a single principal (e.g., Congress) and agents representing more local agencies. This differs substantially from the treatment of the attacker--defender problem in the literature, where the defender is treated as a single, unified decision maker. We show that ignoring the within-team defender interactions in modeling the attacker--defender game leads to a suboptimal resource allocation. Existing results from agency theory are applied to this problem together with new results and insights into the interactions between an attacker and a multilevel defender.
A dual-feed series microstrip patch array

A dual series-fed, four microstrip patch array antenna that utilizes planar design for ease of fabrication and signal routing is presented. The natural tendency of a series fed array to have beam tilting over frequency is circumvented by using opposing, anti-symmetric balanced feed points. This approach makes this element suitable for low cost frequency-hopped phased array antennas. An approach for inter-element matching to evenly distribute power to each element is also described. The antenna operates at 4.85 GHz with approximately 600 MHz of bandwidth.
Improving guideline adherence for the diagnosis of ADHD in an ambulatory pediatric setting.

Background.—The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has published clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, implementation of guidelines has been notoriously difficult to achieve in the wider context of changing individual physicians' clinical practice. Objective.—Implement a formalized diagnostic protocol for ADHD and study whether this protocol improved adherence of pediatric residents and faculty to published guidelines for the diagnosis of ADHD. Methods.—Quasi-experimental retrospective record review of 63 pediatric patients evaluated for ADHD by pediatric residents and faculty in an outpatient pediatric clinic before (n = 25) and after (n = 38) implementation of a formal diagnostic process for ADHD. The key elements of the new diagnostic process include completion of a semistructured interview and mandatory rating scales for home and school. The published AAP guidelines include 1) documentation of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM) IV criteria; 2) evidence of core symptoms obtained directly from home and 3) from school; and 4) assessment for coexisting conditions. Adherence was assessed to each criterion individually (yes/no) and was summarized in a single score. Results.—Only 4% of clinicians and nurse practitioners diagnosing children in the before group adhered to all 4 AAP guidelines, compared to 82% in the after group (P Conclusion.—A significant improvement in adherence to AAP guidelines was obtained for all providers through implementation of a structured diagnostic approach to ADHD.
A team player: the disintegrin domain of ADAMTS13

Abstract In this issue of Blood, de Groot and colleagues identify novel interactions between the disintegrin domain of ADAMTS13 and the A2 domain of VWF. This provides another piece in the puzzle of how this domain of ADAMTS13 works in concert with other domains to bind and process VWF.
B/SiOx Nanonecklace Reinforced Nanocomposites by Unique Mechanical Interlocking Mechanism

More interestingly, it has been conﬁrmedthat the nanonecklaces have an unusual reinforcing effect forepoxy due to the mechanical interlocking between beads andpolymer matrix, which in turn enhances the interfacial bondbetween the ﬁllers and the epoxy matrix. Epoxy with only0.5wt % nanonecklaces showed an increase in the elasticmodulus value by 32.3% and nanoindentation hardness by61.9% when compared to the neat epoxy. The reinforcementeffect of this kind of nanonecklaces in epoxy nanocomposites iseven better than normal carbon nanotubes.
A rapid scintigraphic technique for studying the behavior of trace metal compounds in soils and plant systems

Abstract A Picker Nuclear Dynacamera has been used to study the behavior of trace toxic metal compounds in soil and plant systems. To demonstrate the use of this camera system in studying environmental problems, short lived isotopes of some of the more common heavy metal pollutants Cd, Zn, and Cu were made by charged particle activation using the UCLA medical cyclotron. These isotopes were purified and added to the surface of soil columns as the nitrates, oxides or sulfides. The columns were then leached sequentially with water, EDTA and/or DTPA. The Picker Scanning Camera was used for real time detection of movement and flow patterns of metal isotopes within soil. After the initial adsorption at the surface, the metals from all sources were resistant to leaching by water. The metals when applied to the soils as the nitrates were easily mobilized with either EDTA or DTPA and moved as a unit with the advancing front. The metals in the oxide form were only slowly mobilized by these chelates. Therefore, it r...
Recruiting, retaining and transitioning computing undergraduates the STAIRSTEP way

Lamar University's Students Advancing through Involvement in Research Student Talent Expansion Program is designed to recruit, retain and transition undergraduates in five Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics disciplines. The program was supported by a five-year grant from the National Science Foundation that started in 2009 and is currently supported by the university. This paper focuses on the computer science arm of the program. During the five years of National Science Foundation support, 100 percent of participants in STAIRSTEP Computer Science were retained as majors. Their grades in major courses were consistently higher and drop rates consistently lower than cohorts of students from the five-year period prior to inception of the program. Incoming enrollments in the Computer Science Department grew dramatically, as did undergraduate majors and degrees awarded. This paper briefly describes the strategies used in the STAIRSTEP model and describes in detail how activities supporting the strategies were implemented in the Computer Science Department. A formal assessment documents the positive impact that the program has had on the department and its students. The paper includes suggestions for others who may want to adopt these methods and discusses successes and challenges in sustaining the program in the absence of external support.
Seismic Monitoring of Permeability Reduction Due to Biopolymer Formation In Unconsolidated Materials

Summary In this study, we investigate the P-wave seismic signature of microbial biopolymer production in unconsolidated sediments. We performed a column experiment that involved the stimulated growth of Leuconostoc mesenteroides in a sucrose-rich media; in these conditions, L. mesenteroides produces large quantities of dextran, a viscous biopolymer. During the experiment, we monitored changes in permeability, P-wave velocity, and P-wave attenuation using the ultrasonic pulse transmission method. Permeability reductions from 5.3 D to 230 mD were observed after 20 days of growth due to generation of insoluble biopolymer filaments and biomass. Measured Pwave signatures indicate that while biopolymer accumulation generates a negligible change in P-wave velocity, a clear attenuation signature, as measured by amplitudes and centroid frequency, can be produced.
The rules of the game in the study of ancient history

“The Rules of the Game,” expounded in ten remarkably bold theses, can easily be read as a synthetic retrospective or introduction to the formidable oeuvre of Arnaldo Momigliano. Indeed, this piece served as the opening chapter to his Introduzione bibliografica alla storia greca fino a Socrate (Florence: La Nuova Italia, 1975), and its subsequent reprints as an independent essay in several Italian journals and anthologies signal its importance for Momigliano. In this provocative and occasionally brilliantly witty essay, Momigliano sets forth his programmatic views on the ethos of the historian, as well as on the historical method and its applications in the study of ancient history. Here, as elsewhere, Momigliano is interested in detailing the link between ancient documents and their historical interpretations in later millennia. Ancient sources, he cautions, do not capture ancient realities transparently or completely, but are mediated documents whose historical value hinges, within certain limits, on the historian's analytical questions, inflected as they inevitably are by different ideological commitments. For this reason, he places special emphasis on the comparative method, stressing difference rather than similarity, and advises that historians with various areas of expertise collaborate, a point underscored throughout the essay. What is more, the essay contains the salutary reminder that the historian ought to attend not only to the surviving documents but also to the conspicuous silences and lacunae in the evidence.
The Impact of Library Resources and Services on the Scholarly Activity of Medical Faculty and Residents

Librarians at an academic medical center library gathered data to determine if library services and resources impacted scholarly activity. A survey was developed and sent out to faculty and residents asking how they used the library during scholarly activity. Sixty-five faculty members and residents responded to the survey. The majority of respondents involved with scholarly activity use the library's services and resources. PubMed is the most frequently used database. The positive results show the library impacts the scholarly activity of medical faculty and residents.
Surgical Outcomes of a Combined Surgical Approach for Apical Prolapse Repair

Introduction We aimed to evaluate the safety, efficacy and surgical outcomes of combined laparoscopic/vaginal prolapse repair by two surgeons. Material and Methods A retrospective chart review of all patients (n = 135) who underwent apical prolapse repair from February 2009 to December 2012 performed in a collaborative manner by a Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgeon and a Urogynecologist. Demographic data (age, body mass index [BMI], race, gravidity, parity) and surgical information (estimated blood loss, operative time, intraoperative complications, readmission and reoperation rates, presence of postoperative infection) were collected. Results The majority of patients were postmenopausal (58.91%), multiparous (mean parity = 2.49) and overweight (mean BMI = 27.71). Nearly 20% had previous prolapse surgery. The most common surgical procedure was laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomy (LSH) with sacrocervicopexy (59.26%), and the most common vaginal repair was of the posterior compartment (78.68%). The median operative time was 149 minutes (82–302), and the estimated blood loss was 100 mL (10–530). Five intra-operative complications, five readmissions and four reoperations were noted. Performance of a concomitant hysterectomy did not affect surgical or anatomical outcomes. Conclusion Combination laparoscopic/vaginal prolapse repair by two separate surgeons seems to be an efficient option for operative management.
Regulation of Brain Dopamine Turnover Rate: Pharmacological Implications

The ability of brain dopaminergic neurons to maintain the concentration of their transmitter at steady state in the face of continuous changes of their activity patterns depends critically upon the way in which metabolic enzymes, storage mechanisms, and regulatory dopamine receptors are organized in dopaminergic synapses (Costa, 1973; Costa and Meek, 1974, Glowinski 1973; Carlsson et al.,1972a). There is incomplete information concerning this organization, and there are only scant details concerning their molecular arrangements and interactions. Thus, the current understanding makes the study of dopaminergic function a most ambitious undertaking. Indeed, the problem would appear to be insuperable unless conceptual models can be made available to deal with the gaps in our knowledge.
Non-linear least squares estimation via network gossiping

Various estimation problems can be formulated as non-linear least squares (NLLS) problems, which can be solved using the Gauss-Newton algorithm. In this paper, we use gossiping to implement the Gauss-Newton algorithm in a fully distributed fashion, and show the convergence of this Gossip-based Gauss-Newton (GGN) algorithm. As an example, we show by simulations that the GGN algorithm is effective and robust in solving power system state estimation, and that the Mean Square Error (MSE) performance remains comparable to the centralized scheme and degrades gracefully even with random link/node failures.
Understanding the Role of Chain Flexibility in Amyloid Protein Aggregation through Rationally Designed Protein Sequences

The aggregation of amyloid proteins is associated with a myriad of medical conditions including Alzheimer's disease (AD), diabetes, and Parkinson's disease. While attributable to different amyloid proteins, these proteins all share a common feature: a periodic glycine motif (GxxxG). This glycine motif, associated with increased backbone flexibility, is extended in a number of familial mutations that significantly increase severity of AD. A better understanding of the role that chain flexibility plays in protein aggregation will allow for new and innovative protein engineering strategies for nanotech development as well as give insight into therapeutic strategies.In this study, the glycine motif is targeted via either extension, by introduction of additional periodic glycine, or contraction, by replacement of glycine with a bulky or constrained amino acid. Modifications that extend periodic glycine include those that align with familial AD mutations. To examine how these alterations to the glycine repeat motif impact aggregation kinetics, aggregation was monitored via thioflavin-T fluorescence and fit using a novel kinetic equation that accounts for unique features observed at late stages of aggregation. Aggregation products were visualized using transmission electron microscopy to examine morphological features. In addition, aggregates were fractionated by size exclusion chromatography for size analysis via light scattering and morphology analysis via surface hydrophobicity. Results indicate that increased chain flexibility correlates with faster nucleation as well as a larger quantity of small, intermediate aggregates that exhibit reduced fibril morphology with unchanged surface hydrophobicity. Taken together with observations that smaller aggregates are more physiologically active, these results support the hypothesis that increases in protein chain flexibility, including that associated with familial mutations, may contribute to disease progression.Future work will extend studies to other amyloid proteins, such as amylin and chaplin H.
Non-adherence behaviors among young women on adjuvant endocrine therapy for breast cancer.

526Background: Young age at diagnosis (dx) is a predictor of worse prognosis in patients (pts) with luminal breast cancer (BC). Poorer adherence to endocrine therapy (ET) among younger women may contribute to this disparity. Aim: To assess non-adherent behaviors and associated factors among young women with stage 1-3 hormone receptor (HR)+ BC taking ET. Methods: This study is a part of a multi-center, prospective cohort of pts with dx of BC at or under age 40. On a survey 30 months after dx, among pts reporting taking ET, adherence was measured using a 3-item Likert-type scale (Do you ever forget to take your ET? If you feel worse when you take your ET, do you stop taking it? Did you take your ET exactly as directed by your doctor?). Pts reporting any non-adherent behavior during the last 3 months were classified as non-adherers. Variables with a p-value <0.20 were included in a multivariate logistic model. Results: Among361 pts eligible for this analysis, 174 (48%) reported some non-adherent behaviors in...
Extreme pressures IV. Compressoelectric effect : spontaneous emission of electrons

A new solid state mechanoelectric phenomenon, the "compressoelectric effect", has recently been predicted (L. Levitt, Lett. Nuov. Cim, 12, 537 (1975)) from the theoretical increase in the Fermi energy of a metal with increasing density, due to applied pressure :deF = (h2 /3m) (3No z/8πA)2/3 p-1/3 dp(where z, A, and p are the valence, A.W., and density of the metal). In general, the Fermi energy under stress, [math], is a simple function of the density: [math]/eF = (p'/pO )2/3 . Therefore there exists some high density, pc , at a corresponding high pressure, pc , for which [math] must become so large that spontaneous "compressoelectric emission" of electrons from a metal surface will occur. This will be possible only when the Fermi energy, [math], becomes larger than the internal potential of the electrons, and [math] eint = eF + Oe, where O is the work function at ordinary pressure. When the critical value [math] is attained we have, therefore, pc /Po = [1 + (Oe/eF )]3/2 . If it is assumed that eint is constant, then O must be a decreasing function of p: — d O = 2eF βdp/3e, where β is the isothermal compressibility. For spontaneous electron emission we have Vc = Oe = eF [(Pc /Po )2/3 -1]. The critical pressure, pc, for spontaneous emission depends on the compressibility, β, which, at extreme pressures (> 104 atm) we have previously shown to be β = v/Bp = A/B pp, for all solids where B (in cm3 ) is a constant characteristic of the solid.
Role of brachytherapy in the management of desmoid tumors

Abstract From 1977 to 1982, fourteen patients with desmoid tumors underwent surgery and brachytherapy. Surgery ranged from biopsy to complete or partial excision of the tumor. Most of these patients had locally advanced tumor or positive margins. A high recurrence rate is expected in such a group if treated by surgery alone. In twelve out of fourteen patients the treatment was considered curative when all disease sites could be encompassed. In the remaining two patients the treatment was considered palliative because the tumor encroaching on to the spinal cord was left untreated. Ten out of twelve curatively treated patients have remained free of recurrence at a minimum of 2 year follow-up. Five of them were followed from 4–6 years. In the palliatively treated group, one patient is alive with active disease at 18 months. Three patients developed complications with wound healing. This experience suggests that surgery and brachytherapy treatment for desmoid tumor results in higher local control than expected from surgery alone in this selected group of patients.
Sleep disordered breathing in pregnant women: maternal and fetal risk, treatment considerations, and future perspectives.

Introduction: Numerous physiologic and anatomic changes during pregnancy exacerbate or unmask obstructive sleep apnea in women. Left untreated, upper airway flow limitation during pregnancy may lea...
Comparing Urban and Rural Quality of Life in the State of Washington

In the USA, Washington is a highly urbanized state with about three quarters of its population residing in just seven of thirty-nine counties. In the 1970s, urban residents were less satisfied with their quality of community life (QOL) compared to residents in rural communities. This presented somewhat of a paradox because urban residents had better overall objective conditions, such as higher levels of education and income. In this chapter, QOL in Washington is revisited to determine if the urban–rural paradox has persisted and which factors influence perceived differences in QOL. Data on the objective indicators of QOL in Washington indicate that the gap has widened between urban and rural counties since the 1970s, in which urban counties have become more advantaged. The authors conducted the 2008 Washington Community Survey (WCS), a general public household survey, to obtain measures of subjective QOL in urban and rural communities, as well as demographic characteristics. Survey results show that the trend in perceived QOL has reversed, with urban residents more satisfied with the QOL in their community compared to rural residents in Washington. In addition, the authors identify several community- and individual-level characteristics that significantly influence the perceived QOL in each region and propose a way of crafting state policies that accommodates urban–rural differences in the state.
Enabling Open-Science Initiatives in Clinical Psychology and Psychiatry Without Sacrificing Patients’ Privacy: Current Practices and Future Challenges:

The psychological and psychiatric communities are generating data on an ever-increasing scale. To ensure that society reaps the greatest utility in research and clinical care from such rich resourc...