cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid extirpation of a North American frog coincides with an increase in fungal pathogen prevalence: Historical analysis and implications for reintroduction

As extinctions continue across the globe, conservation biologists are turning to species reintroduction programs as one optimistic tool for addressing the biodiversity crisis. For repatriation to become a viable strategy, fundamental prerequisites include determining the causes of declines and assessing whether the causes persist in the environment. Invasive species-especially pathogens-are an increasingly significant factor contributing to biodiversity loss. We hypothesized that Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), the causative agent of the deadly amphibian disease chytridiomycosis, was important in the rapid (<10 years) localized extirpation of a North American frog (Rana boylii) and that Bd remains widespread among extant amphibians in the region of extirpation. We used an interdisciplinary approach, combining interviews with herpetological experts, analysis of archived field notes and museum specimen collections, and field sampling of the extant amphibian assemblage to examine (1) historical relative abundance of R. boylii; (2) potential causes of R. boylii declines; and (3) historical and contemporary prevalence of Bd. We found that R. boylii were relatively abundant prior to their rapid extirpation, and an increase in Bd prevalence coincided with R. boylii declines during a time of rapid change in the region, wherein backcountry recreation, urban development, and the amphibian pet trade were all on the rise. In addition, extreme flooding during the winter of 1969 coincided with localized extirpations in R. boylii populations observed by interview respondents. We conclude that Bd likely played an important role in the rapid extirpation of R. boylii from southern California and that multiple natural and anthropogenic factors may have worked in concert to make this possible in a relatively short period of time. This study emphasizes the importance of recognizing historical ecological contexts in making future management and reintroduction decisions.
Iran, Corrections in

Iran's secular criminal justice system was formed under the Pahlavi dynasty and its two monarchs, Reza Shah (1925–41) and Mohammad Reza Shah (1941–79). After 1926, prison conditions improved and facilities were modernized. The first large penitentiary was erected in Tehran in 1929. The 1979 Islamic Revolution brought an end to the Pahlavi dynasty (1925–79). The Iranian Supreme Judicial Council issued a proclamation to all courts, directing that all non-Islamic legislation was suspended. After the 1980s, the former rehabilitative approach of the secular government was replaced with a punitive system. Iran's Prisons Organization operates under the judiciary. The latest administrative code governing prisons was adopted in 2005. This regulatory code has six classifications for places in which prisoners are to be held: detention centers, admission centers, closed prisons, semi-closed prisons, open prisons, affiliated industrial and agricultural institutions, and juvenile correctional facilities. As of December 2014, Iranian prisons contained 225,624 prisoners, a ratio of 290 per 100,000 of the national population. Keywords: corrections; prison overcrowding; solitary confinement
A 960pW Co-Integrated-Antenna Wireless Energy Harvester for WiFi Backchannel Wireless Powering

Leveraging the ubiquitous WiFi infrastructure to wirelessly power sensors can enable perpetually powered sensors for several monitoring and asset-tracking IoT applications. Small form factor is often desirable to ensure unobtrusive sensors. However, typical 2.4GHz WiFi output power of <+20dBm implies ∼−30dBm (μW) incident power (assuming free space path loss) at a ∼3m range. This presents a fundamental trade-off since small antenna area can further restrict the wireless power available to the rectifier/harvester. In addition, the time-varying nature of RF wireless powering implies that the energy-harvesting approach must accommodate cold start. In this work, we address the challenge of simultaneously achieving small form factor, μW-scale wireless input sensitivity, and operation at relatively high frequency (2.4GHz) by co-designing the antenna, rectifier, and DC-DC converter, achieving −36dBm input sensitivity for a 0.8V output in primary operating mode and −33dBm sensitivity from cold start with overall 1.97cm2 area (including antenna). In contrast to prior work, the proposed wireless harvesting approach optimally extracts energy from the wireless beacon even with < −30dBm (μW) incident power levels. The harvester consumes 960pW quiescent power while supporting cold start. The feasibility of the proposed approach is demonstrated by harvesting energy from a commercial WiFi node.
Learning Game-theoretic Models from Aggregate Behavioral Data with Applications to Vaccination Rates in Public Health

In this paper, we undertake the challenging task of uncovering independencies of public-health behavioral data on populations' vaccination rates collected by government officials in the United States. We use computational game theory to model such data as the result of distributed decision-making at the reported granularity level (e.g., nations and states). To achieve our task, we posit the view of aggregated behavioral data as jointly randomized, or mixed, strategies of multiple agents. We propose a novel general machine-learning approach to learn game-theoretic models within a given hypothesis class of games from any potentially noisy dataset of mixed strategies. We illustrate our framework using publicly available data on vaccination rates in the continental USA.
Can We RISE to the Challenge of Youth-Onset Type 2 Diabetes?

Over the past three decades, type 2 diabetes (T2D) in adolescents has become steadily more prevalent (1), raising the specter of increasing rates of premature micro- and macrovascular disease as affected youth move into adulthood. While T2D in adolescents is clearly linked to obesity, there is otherwise no explanation for the sudden appearance of what had previously been an adult condition in young people. Despite a steadily growing body of evidence descriptive of T2D in youth (2,3), there is a paucity of information comparing diabetic phenotypes in adults and teenagers. This issue of Diabetes Care contains three papers from the Restoring Insulin Secretion (RISE) Consortium (4–6) that provide the most direct examination of this question yet, with the potential for new understanding of T2D. Present understanding of the pathophysiology of T2D holds that insulin resistance, generally a consequence related to increased adiposity, requires hyperfunction of pancreatic β-cells to maintain glucose tolerance. People whose β-cells cannot make this compensation progress to steadily worsening states of dysglycemia over time (7). Moreover, although insulin resistance does not necessarily cause β-cell failure, hyperglycemia and its associated metabolic disturbances do, such that insufficiently treated diabetes begets more severe diabetes (8). There is evidence in adults with prediabetes that interventions to alleviate insulin resistance (9) or minimize hyperglycemia (10) reduce progression to worse glucose tolerance. Similarly, intensive glucose lowering in adults with T2D can improve hyperglycemia and mitigate the typical course of disease (11). These findings provide the rationale for the RISE Consortium’s efforts (12). The RISE design paper, published in 2014, provides details of this project (12). Three intervention protocols were established, two in adults and one in children, all testing whether β-cell function and metabolic control could be effectively altered by specific interventions. All three studies recruited and randomized …
Ureteroscopy for Ureteric Stones

Endoscopic stone treatment technique and the use of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy have revolutionized the interventional management of ureteric stones. While extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is truly noninvasive in nature, complete freedom of stone and resolution of symptoms in one treatment session are not predictable; therefore, the minimally invasive endoscopic surgical approach—over time—has become more attractive to many urologic surgeons. In particular, the downsizing of the ureteroscopes and the development of flexible ureteroscopes have facilitated access to the entire course of the ureter. In addition, with the advent of the holmium laser technology, stone fragmentation and vaporization can be achieved in practically all cases. Newer data approximate the success in terms of freedom of stones and resolution of symptoms to almost 100 % over the entire course of the ureter. These techniques have proven safe, efficient, and reproducible and with adherence to detail complications can be kept to a minimum. In this chapter, we provide a comprehensive review of present techniques for interventional management of ureteric stones with detailed description of safe endoscopic treatment techniques.
Something Less than Reconciliation: The Ambitious Vocabulary and Syntax of Governance During Transformation

Fifteen years after South Africa became New South Africa, its Truth and Reconciliation Commission still stands as the iconic mechanism for governmental transition. Yet, there is evidence that South Africa's commitment to its people, represented by the TRC and its 1993 constitution has not been realized - ironically, since the TRC has been so widely praised and imitated. Part of the problem is "reconciliation", itself, doesn't serve the purpose of creating a new and functional government. In fact, it seems clear that few besides - and maybe not even - architects Nelson Mandella and Desmond Tutu themselves really understood the roadmap from reconciliation towards governmental transition envisioned by the Interim Constitution. Mandela and Tutu operated more out of idealism, promoting truth and reconciliaton through "human rights talk" that did not include adequate consideration the "political talk" (dialogue & compromise) that is necessary to constitutional democracy. Martin Loughlin's theory of public law (The Idea of Public Law 2003) presents a useful framework for discussing transition from absolutism to democratic constitutional government, what Loughlin terms "relational sovereignty." This framework is useful because it directly contemplates the conflict between "human rights talk" so emphasized in truth commissions and the political relativism necessary to modern representative constitutional democracies. This paper reviews the apparent promises embodied in the reconciliation concept, the management of reconciliation by the TRC, and the failure of the new government to adopt the recommendations or to continue with reparations. The "new" South Africa's use of "reconciliation" as the cornerstone of the new government's vocabulary and syntax of rule created a predetermined destination - that apparently the government thought it needed in order to restore the public trust - but, which in practice possibly shut out the political discourse needed for a healthy government. This is unfortunate because constitutional politics is a democracy’s answer to constituencies' distrust. What emerges from this exploration is the notion that the need to establish the mechanism of relational sovereignty through the legitimate operation of public law is as great as the need to address victims and deal with perpetrators in governmental transition. The recent founding of an opposition party to the ANC seems to be embracing this idea. However, questions remain whether the international human rights community will recognize the short comings of the TRC in order to improve future transitional efforts. Calls for a truth commission in the United States to deal with human rights abuses in the War on Terror, make such an examination timely and urgent.
PVM 3 beyond network computing

PVM (Parallel Virtual Machine) is a byproduct of the heterogeneous network research project going on at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee. It is a software package that permits a user defined collection of serial, parallel, and vector computers to appear as one large distributed memory computer. PVM's popularity is quickly making it the worldwide de facto standard for distributed computing. Applications, which can be written in FORTRAN or C, can be parallelized by using simple message-passing constructs common to most distributed-memory computers. By sending and receiving messages, subtasks of an application can cooperate to solve a problem in parallel. This paper describes the features of the latest release of PVM (version 3.1) and explains the major new research areas we are beginning to explore in heterogeneous network computing. The new features of PVM version 3 open many new opportunities to go beyond simple network computing, but several technical and social issues must be addressed before we can make the next big leap in distributed computing.
Press, Passion, and Portsmouth: Narratives about "Crying" on the Campaign Trail

This study examined newspaper coverage of a Hillary Clinton campaign event held in Portsmouth, New Hampshire during the 2008 presidential primary. During the event Senator Clinton's eyes welled up ...
Understanding Material Characteristics through Signature Traits from Helium Pycnometry

Although helium pycnometry is generally the method of choice for skeletal density measurements of porous materials, few studies have provided a wide range of case studies that demonstrate how to best interpret raw data and perform measurements using it. The examination of several different classes of materials yielded signature traits from helium pycnometry data that are highlighted. Experimental parameters important in obtaining the most precise and accurate value of skeletal density from the helium pycnometer are as high as possible percent fill volume and good thermostability. The degree of sample activation is demonstrated to affect the measured skeletal density of porous zeolitic, carbon, and hybrid inorganic–organic materials. In the presence of a significant amount of physisorbed contaminants (water vapor, atmospheric gases, residual solvents, etc.), which was the case for ZSM-5, MIL-53, and F400, but not ZIF-8, the skeletal density tended to be overestimated in the low percent volume region. In ad...
DNA Damage-Dependent Apoptosis

DNA damage caused by endogenous and exogenous agents represents a serious survival challenge for cells. The cell-cycle checkpoints and DNA repair mechanisms are activated to allow more time for effective repair. However, if these mechanisms fail or the damage is irreparable, then apoptosis is induced to eliminate cells carrying DNA lesions and preserve genomic integrity. This chapter discusses how DNA damage-dependent apoptosis is induced and executed.
Cytologic Evaluation of Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography–Positive Lymph Nodes Sampled by Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration: Experience at a Large Cancer Center

Context.— Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is routinely used to evaluate mediastinal lymph nodes (LNs), especially for cancer staging. There are limited ...
Immunotherapy disparities in metastatic melanoma.

9525Background: Historically, patients with advanced malignant melanoma had a dismal prognosis with an estimated median overall survival of nine months. Therapy response rates and long-term surviva...
The Structures and Characterization of Two New Oxides of the Sr4PtO6 Type: NaCa3IrO6 and NaCa3RuO6

NaCa3IrO6 (I) and NaCa3RuO6 (II) crystallize with trigonal (rhombohedral) symmetry in the space group R3c, Z = 6, for Ia = 9.272(3) A, c = 11.214(1) A; for IIa = 9.244(3) A, c = 11.201(1) A. NaCa3IrO6 (I) and NaCa3RuO6 (II) are isotypic to compounds of the Sr4PtO6 structure type. The structures have been solved by means of single crystal X-ray diffraction data analysis with the reliability factors for I of R = 0.032 and Rw = 0.039; and the the reliability factors for II of R = 0.024 and Rw = 0.031. The structure consists of infinite chains of alternating face-sharing MO6 octahedra, where MIr or Ru, and NaO6 trigonal prisms. The chains are separated by the calcium cations. Strukturen und Charakterisierung von zwei neuen Oxiden vom Sr4PtO6-Typ: NaCa3IrO6 und NaCa3RuO6 NaCa3IrO6 (I) und NaCa3RuO6 (II) kristallisieren mit trigonaler (rhomboedrischer) Symmetrie in der Raumgruppe R3c, Z = 6, I: a = 9,272(3) A, c = 11,214(1) A, II: a = 9,244(3) A, c = 11,201(1) A. I und II sind isotyp zu Verbindungen vom Sr4PtO6-Typ. Die Strukturen wurden mittels Rontgen-Einkristallstrukturanalyse gelost mit einem R-Wert von 0,032 und Rw = 0,039 fur I bzw. R = 0,024 und Rw = 0,031 fur II. Die Struktur besteht aus unendlichen Ketten von flachenverknupften MO6-Oktaedern mit MIr bzw. Ru und trigonalen Prismen von NaO6. Die Ketten sind getrennt durch Calcium-Kationen.
From Favorable Histology to Relapse: The Clonal Evolution of a Wilms Tumor:

Favorable histology (FH) Wilms tumor (WT) is one of the most curable of all human cancers, yet a small minority of patients fail treatment. The underlying biological pathways that lead to therapy r...
A General Framework for Human-Machine Digitization of Geographic Regions from Remotely Sensed Imagery

Digitization of geographic regions, such as bodies of water, from remotely sensed imagery is a highly demanded yet arduous task. Though many automatic approaches for such digitization exist, they are typically geared towards specific regions of interest and sensing platforms, requiring complex workflow specification, parameter tuning, and/or manual training set creation. Moreover, the automatic digitization is performed all at once, making correction overwhelming when the result is not fully accurate. In this study, a general-purpose methodology that aims to greatly reduce the burden of geographic region digitization is proposed. This methodology specifies an interface for a human-machine team that exploits an incremental approach via online and active learning. With no prior training data or workflow definition, an effective pixel-level classifier is built in stride with a human user's adjustments to the machine's automatic vertex placement via novel interactive piecewise-linear contours. Several contour implementations specifically tailored towards geographic regions are presented along with results showing the effectiveness of each implementation. These contours work by spatially constraining the placement of vertices such that a machine implementation may effectively classify and train on pixel-level data for vertex placement after human verification or correction. An implementation of the methodology that uses a K nearest neighbors classifier and a simple instance-based estimation of uncertainty is presented along with several automatic vertex insertaion and placement strategies. Results show that the presented implementation succeeds in helping the user effectively annotate with no prior training data, yielding a vertex placement accuracy of 84% overall. Finally, conclusions and current research directions initiated from our findings are discussed.
The effects of use agreements on airport efficiency

Abstract Bilateral contracting is integral to the working relationship between airports and airlines. In the U.S., the three common types of airport use agreements are the residual method, the compensatory method, and the hybrid method. Under a residual agreement, the financial risk of the host airport is borne by the signatory airlines, and in return, the signatory airlines pay reduced user fees. Under a compensatory agreement, however, airports bear their own financial risks in the absence of a signatory airline. A hybrid agreement combines the features of residual and compensatory agreements. For example, under a hybrid agreement, airports usually bear their own financial risks in terminal operations while the signatory airlines take over the financial risks in airfield operations. The aim of this paper is to determine whether these three types of business agreements affect airport operational efficiency. Using 2009 to 2016 yearly data of 59 U.S. hub airports, we find that airports with residual-type agreements tend to have lower operational efficiency. This implies that, although under a residual agreement, the signatory airlines pay favorable airport fees and charges, increased airport inefficiency may undercut any potential benefits of the agreement.
Effect of steviol glycosides as sugar substitute on the probiotic fermentation in milk gels enriched with red beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) bioactive compounds

Abstract In this study, the effects of steviol glycosides as sugar substitute on the probiotic fermentation and gelation properties of milk gels enriched with red beetroot (Beta vulgaris L.) bioactive compounds and natural colourants were studied. As a result, the viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus was maintained within probiotic and therapeutic levels (>9 log cfu mL−1), due to the possible prebiotic effect of stevia and biologically metabolized compounds of red beetroot, during storage of the probiotic milk gels. In conclusion, fermented gels with total phenolics, anthocyanins, total antioxidant capacity (DPPH and FRAP) of red beetroot bioactive components and sweetened with steviol glycosides showed a significant increase in bacterial growth of L. acidophilus and acceptable sensory and colour (L*, a*, b*, ΔE*, C*, h*) characteristics with enhanched textural gel matrix. Therefore, fermented milks with stevia as an alternative non-caloric sweetener and naturally coloured red beetroot may be an alternative for therapeutic dairy product having positive synergistic interactions providing a rich deliver probiotic bacteria.
A versatile twin-microscope system for light-sheet imaging

Recent developments in light-sheet microscopy techniques has led to its cutting-edge application across a range of fields, from developmental biology to behavioral neuroscience. Its low photodamage propensity allows biological dynamics to be imaged for a duration of several hours up to days; however, a tradeoff exists between such extended imaging sessions and imaging throughput, which in practice directly limits analysis workflows and the resulting time to biological discovery. Here, we present an economical instrument that can image multiple sample types simultaneously. Unlike any existing light-sheet microscope, our instrument, the flex-SPIM, shares both an ultrafast laser and a bank of continuous-wave lasers between two independently controlled light-sheet microscope-twins. Harnessing the power of modern lasers yields a substantial reduction in the cost of the light source over standard dual systems, and a doubling in imaging throughput relative to a single system. Each microscope-twin (i) operates in both one-photon and two-photon excitation modes, (ii) delivers one to three light-sheets via a trio of orthogonal excitation arms, (iii) provides sub-micron to micron imaging resolution, (iv) is multicolor compatible, and (v) permits upright and/or inverted light-sheet detection. We offer a detailed description of the flex-SPIM design to aid instrument builders who wish to construct and use a similar system. We then demonstrate the instrument’s versatility for biological investigation by performing fast imaging of the beating heart in an intact zebrafish embryo, deep imaging of thick patient-derived tumor organoids, and gentle whole-brain imaging of neural activity in behaving larval zebrafish.
SCOTUS 18-1048 - Brief of Amici Curiae Professor Benjamin G. Davis and Professor Nader M. Ibrahim Ph.D. in support of Respondents

GE ENERGY POWER CONVERSION FRANCE SAS, CORP., FKA CONVERTEAM SAS, v. OUTOKUMPU STAINLESS USA, LLC, ET AL., Amici Curiae pro-international commercial arbitration brief against applying equitable estoppel under the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards.
Coronavirus Related Mortality in the Geriatrics Ambulatory Practice.

BackgroundOlder adults often have atypical presentations of common diseases and COVID-19 is no exception. Presentations range from asymptomatic to overwhelming symptoms that result in hospitalizati...
Interaction of Normal and Antineuronal IgGs with Neurons in Rat Brain Slice Cultures: Comparison of IgG Uptake, Clearance, Intraneuronal Binding to Target Antigens, and Production of Neuronal Death (P2.403)

Objective: To compare neuronal uptake, clearance, binding, and cytotoxicity of normal immunoglobulins to that of paraneoplastic and other antibodies reactive with intracellular neuronal proteins. Background: Although neurons have been believed to exclude immunoglobulin G (IgG), we and others have demonstrated that paraneoplastic IgG antibodies can enter neurons and bind to intracellular antigens. In this study we compared binding, uptake, clearance, and cytotoxicity of normal immunoglobulins, paraneoplastic autoantibodies, and antibodies directed against other intraneuronal proteins. Design/Methods: Rat brain slice cultures were reacted with normal IgG, normal IgG Fab or Fc fragments, paraneoplastic IgGs including anti-Yo, anti-Hu, anti-Ri, and anti-Ma, or antibodies to other intraneuronal proteins. Cultures were studied for IgG uptake, clearance or persistence of IgG after its removal from culture media, and production of neuronal death. Results: Neurons readily incorporated IgG. Uptake required the IgG Fc region. Neurons rapidly cleared normal IgG whereas IgGs reactive with intraneuronal proteins bound intracellularly and were retained. Intracellular binding of anti-Yo, anti-Hu, and anti-Ma2 was followed by cell death. Anti-Ri antibody and other antibodies directed against intraneuronal proteins were taken up and bound intracellularly, but binding of these antibodies did not affect neuronal viability. Conclusions: Neurons incorporated IgG regardless of antibody specificity. Neuronal IgG uptake required the Fc portion of the IgG molecule rather than the immunospecific Fab portion. Normal IgG was cleared from neurons, but IgGs reactive with intraneuronal proteins bound to their target antigens and were retained. Neuronal death did not result from intraneuronal accumulation of IgG but, rather, required antibody binding to specific antigens. The ability of IgG to enter neurons and bind to target antigens has implications for paraneoplastic neurological disease and also for other autoimmune conditions involving antineuronal antibodies. Neuronal antibody uptake could also be of importance in antibody-induced modulation of infections by viruses or other agents capable of replicating within neurons. Study Supported by: United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the Western Institute for Biomedical Research Disclosure: Dr. Greenlee has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity for Associate Editor for Medlink. Dr. Clawson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hill has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wood has nothing to disclose. Dr. Liu has nothing to disclose. Dr Clardy has nothing to disclose. Dr. Carlson has nothing to disclose.
Implementation of an Evidence-Based Intervention with Safety Net Clinics to Improve Mammography Appointment Adherence Among Underserved Women.

The Peace of Mind Program is an evidence-based intervention to improve mammography appointment adherence in underserved women. The aim of this study was to assess effectiveness of the intervention and implementation of the intervention in safety net clinics. The intervention was implemented through a non-randomized stepped wedge cluster hybrid study design with 19 Federally Qualified Health Centers and charity care clinics within the Greater Houston area. A multivariable generalized estimating equation logistic regression was conducted to examine mammography appointment adherence. A survey assessing Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research constructs was also conducted with clinic staff prior to adoption and eight weeks post implementation. One-sided t-tests were conducted to analyze mean score changes between the surveys. A total of 4402 women (baseline period = 2078; intervention period = 2324) were included in the final regression analysis. Women in the intervention period were more likely to attend or reschedule their mammography appointment (OR = 1.30; p < 0.01) than those in the baseline period receiving usual care. Women who completed the intervention were more likely to attend or reschedule their mammography appointment than those who did not complete the intervention (OR = 1.62; p < 0.01). The mammography appointment no-show rates for those in the baseline period, in the intervention period, and who completed the intervention were, respectively, 22%, 19%, and 15%. A total of 15 clinics prior to adoption and eight clinics completed the survey at 8 weeks post implementation A statistically significant mean score decrease was observed in Inner Setting and in two Inner Setting CFIR constructs, Culture-Effort, and Implementation Climate. While the intervention improved mammography appointment adherence, there are opportunities to further integrate Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research constructs. Trial registration: Clinical trials registration number: NCT02296177.
Peirce and the Law of Distribution

In the spring of 1880, not long before leaving for Europe on scientific business for the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, Charles Peirce sent a paper entitled “On the Algebra of Logic” to The American Journal of Mathematics 1 (hereafter referred to as AJM-1880; I will similarly refer to two other papers published in that journal). Peirce had just taken up a lectureship at The Johns Hopkins University and in November 1879 wrote to his father that he was taking great pains with his lectures. But Peirce retained his assistant-ship in the Coast Survey and for the next 5 years conducted two careers, one as a lecturer in logic at The Johns Hopkins, the other as a scientist, already with 20 years of service for the Coast Survey, where since 1872 he had been in charge of measuring gravity. During those years Peirce was a frequent commuter on the B & O Railroad between Baltimore and Washington.
The Effect of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone on Blood Glucose, Insulin, Luteinizing Hormone, and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Levels

Sixteen women volunteers with menstrual irregularities were studied with an intravenous injection of 100 microgram of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GNRH). Serial blood samples were obtained for 2 hours after the injection and assayed for their concentration of glucose, insulin, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). There was a significant increase in the levels of both gonadotropins following the injection, with the peak for LH occurring at 30 minutes and the peak for FSH occurring at 90 minutes. There was a slight decrease in the glucose level at 45 minutes and in the insulin levels at 60 and 120 minutes. Because GNRH causes only minor changes in these parameters of carbohydrate metabolism, it would appear to be safe to use in women with ovulatory abnormalities secondary to diabetes mellitus.
Constraint programming with arbitrarily large integer variables

In the standard Constraint Programming (CP) framework, an integer variable represents a signed integer and its domain is bounded by some minimal and maximal integer type values. In existing CP tools, the integer type is used to represent domain values, and hence domain bounds are inherently limited by the minimal and maximal signed integer values representable on a given platform. However, this implementation of integer variable fails to satisfy use cases where modeled integers can be arbitrarily large. An example of such CP application is the functional test generation where integer variables are used to model large architectural fields like memory addresses or operand data. In addition, in such applications, the set of standard arithmetic operations on an integer variable provided by the traditional CP framework does not represent the whole range of operations required for modeling. In this paper, we define a new type of integer variables with arbitrarily large domain size and a modified operation set. We show how this variable type can be realized on top of a traditional CP framework by means of global constraints over standard integer variables. The ideas presented in this paper can also be used to implement a native variable of the introduced type in a CP tool. The paper provides experimental results to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
How will changes in globalization impact growth in south Asia

The current global crisis may change globalization itself, as both developed and developing countries adjust to global imbalances that contributed to the crisis. Will these changes help or hinder economic recovery and growth in South Asia? This is the focus of this paper. The three models of globalization--trade, capital, and economic management--may not be the same in the future. Changes in globalization could change the composition of trade flows, capital flows, and economic management, which in turn, could accelerate or restrain growth. South Asia is somewhat peculiar and different from other regions in how it has globalized, although there is a lot of diversity within the region. Its trade characteristics are different. India's growth has been spearheaded by exports of modern services and less by goods exports. Modern service trade tends to be more resilient compared with goods trade. Globalization of services is still at an early stage. So, as consumers pull back in the United States, service trade is likely to be less impacted compared to goods trade. Trade also contributes to growth through knowledge spillovers, externalities, and learning. The global crisis has not reduced the stock of global knowledge. Changes in capital flows are also not likely to have a big impact on growth in South Asia, as South Asia's investments are largely driven by domestic savings. Its dependence on foreign capital is low. South Asia has attracted capital flows that are less volatile. Remittances, which are more resilient, have been the dominant form of capital inflows, exceeding foreign direct investment and other inflows.This global downturn calls for counter-cyclical economic management. But South Asia has limited room for fiscal stimulus, given high debt-to-gross domestic product ratios. Nevertheless, reduced commodity prices have created some fiscal space that can be used for growth enabling infrastructure and safety nets. As South Asia undergoes structural transformation, the region is well positioned to bounce back with global economic recovery.
Small Business Entrepreneurship in the High Technology Services Sector: An Assessment for the Edge Cities of the U.S. National Capital Region

The Washington D.C., National Capital Region is surrounded by a series of edge cities. These edge cities developed rapidly in the 1980s and are tied to extensive commercial and retail centers within the larger urban field. Economically they focus on the delivery of high technology information-oriented services and are populated by small and medium sized firms. The region has been recently titled "The Capital Netplex" because of its concentration on advanced information network technologies. An examination of the intra-regional differential associated with firm size, start up rates and industrial composition is evaluated. An assessment of the economic impact of the Netplex firms on the regional economy and selected policy issues are examined.
The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature

Steven Pinker analyses what words actually mean and how we use them, and he reveals what this can tell us about ourselves. He shows how we use space and motion as metaphors for more abstracted ideas, and uncovers the deeper structures of human thought that have been shaped by evolutionary history.
Music, Race, and Nation: Música Tropical in Colombia

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Peter Wade Year: 2000 Pages: xi + 323 Publisher: University of Chicago Press Prices: $20.00 US / £13.00
Operating Leverage and Corporate Financial Policies

Using a measure of operating leverage that directly reflects the importance of fixed operating costs in firms’ cost structures, we show that high fixed cost firms have lower leverage ratios and also much larger cash holdings than low fixed cost firms. This conservative behavior is not solely a result of a trade-off between operating leverage and financial leverage, since even high fixed cost firms without any debt in their capital structure have significantly larger cash holdings than similar low fixed cost firms. We show that the conservative financial policies allow high fixed cost firms to limit the amount by which they have to cut investment if sales are low. Our evidence also suggests that the financial conservatism of high fixed cost firms is value-maximizing. We conclude that operating leverage is an important determinant of financial policies and helps explain why many firms have very low net leverage ratios.
Cancer and treatment effects on job task performance for gynecological cancer survivors.

Background Over 91,000 new cases of gynecological cancers are expected to be diagnosed in 2013 in the US alone. As cancer detection technology and treatment options improve, the number of working-age cancer survivors continues to grow. Objective To describe US gynecological cancer survivors' perceptions of the effects of cancer and treatment on their job tasks. Participants 104 adult gynecological cancer survivors who were working at the time of their cancer diagnosis, treated at a University-based women's health clinic, diagnosed in the previous 24 months, and spoke English. Methods Women completed written surveys to describe their work experiences following diagnosis. Clinical characteristics were obtained through medical record review. Descriptive statistics and cross tabulations were performed to describe characteristics and associations. Results Fifteen percent of women had chemotherapy and radiation treatment; 48% had only chemotherapy, 9% only radiation therapy, and 28% had neither. Survivors described the frequency of performing seven job tasks, such as 'intense concentration', 'analyzing data', and 'lifting heavy loads.' Women who had undergone radiation treatment were more likely to indicate limitations for physical tasks; women undergoing chemotherapy were more likely to report limitations in more analytic tasks. Only 29% of women noted an employer-based policy facilitated their return-to-work process. Conclusions Cancer and treatment have important effects on job performance and may vary by type of treatment. Employer-based policies focusing on improved communication and work accommodations may improve the return to work process.
The Existence of M and N Matrices in the Generalized Formulation for MIMO QFT

Considered in this paper is the question of for what type of multivariable systems is the generalized formulation effective in conditioning the SISO equivalent plants that are pivotal in MIMO QFT design. It is shown by example that for some plant cases there is no benefit to be gained by using the generalized formulation. However, this does not necessarily suggest that no such M and N matrices exist which give desirable SISO equivalent plants. The Smith-McMillan form is used to derive a result for a general nominal MIMO plant. We show that, for any nominal MIMO plant with no unstable blocking poles there exists a pair of M and N matrices such that the resulting conditioned plant yields stable equivalent SISO plants.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Formation of freshwater Fe-Mn coatings on gravel and the behavior of 60Co, 90Sr, and 137Cs in a small watershed

Iron and manganese oxide coatings are actively forming on stream substrates in the White Oak Creek watershed in East Tennessee. Although oxidizing conditions are required for Fe-Mn oxide precipitation, coatings accumulate only if dissolved iron and manganese exceed 50 μg/L. Below this, coatings are lost by abrasion as fast as or faster than they form. Annual rates of formation of 3 mg/g on substrate (gravel) were observed. Manganese is dissolved from coatings between Eh values of 100 to 300 mV and below 1 mg/L dissolved O2 at pH 6.5 to 7.5. Iron oxides can be precipitated under these conditions. Uncontaminated gravels with oxide coatings (composed of illite, quartz, and feldspar) adsorbed radionuclides rapidly from waters below MPC (Maximum Permissible Concentration) levels. Contaminated gravels placed in uncontaminated waters lost 60Co by abrasion in oxidizing conditions and by dissolution of manganese coatings in reducing conditions. Exchangeable 90Sr was completely lost after one month whereas nonexchangeable 90Sr was lost more slowly; 137Cs was totally retained by the gravels. Gravels such as these can be used to monitor the radionuclide content of waters in the environment.
Rapid oral challenge-desensitization for patients with aspirin-related urticaria-angioedema.

Abstract Background: Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), commonly known as aspirin, is indicated in the treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD). Many patients are denied treatment with ASA because of a history of ASA or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)–induced urticaria or angioedema. Objective: We sought to develop a safe and practical protocol to allow the administration of ASA to patients with a history of ASA- or NSAID-induced urticaria-angioedema. Methods: Eleven subjects with a history of ASA- or NSAID-induced urticaria-angioedema were challenged-desensitized by oral protocols based on rapidly escalating doses of ASA. Most had CAD, one had a history of pulmonary embolism, and one had refractory chronic sinusitis and asthma. Starting doses ranged from 0.1 to 10 mg and were administered at intervals of 10 to 30 minutes. Dosing was individualized for each patient but followed this general sequence (in milligrams): 0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, 10, 20, 40, 81, 162, 325. Results: Nine patients tolerated the procedure without adverse effects and continued taking ASA for periods ranging from 1 to 24 months, without development of urticaria or angioedema. A patient who had a history of chronic idiopathic urticaria in addition to aspirin-induced urticaria had chest tightness during the protocol. Another patient who had continuing urticaria and angioedema associated with antithyroid antibodies developed angioedema several hours after completing the protocol. Conclusion: In patients with historical ASA- or NSAID-induced urticaria-angioedema reactions but who did not have urticaria and angioedema independent of ASA/NSAID, rapid oral challenge-desensitization to ASA was performed safely and permitted patients with CAD and other diseases to receive treatment with ASA. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000;105:997-1001.)
On chilling oocytes and secrets in sperm

Those of us in the northern climes are anxiously awaiting the first signs of spring after another protracted winter. Imagine, if you will, what it feels like to be a vitrified human oocyte suspended in the hypercooled space of cryoprotectants going though the rude awakening we call “thawing”! Our opening article in this issue revisits the ongoing debate over the reliability and safety of human oocyte cryopreservation as we know it today, and where this field may find itself several years from now. How much longer will we have to wait for the arrival of spring or a consensus on the clinical utility of oocyte cryopreservation? Or, in the parlance of JARG, what new horizons have yet to dawn that will put this debate safely and soundly into the menu of ARTs that our patients will be offered?
Reduction of service time variation in patient visit groups using decision tree method for an effective scheduling

Patient dissatisfaction has long been a recognised problem in current outpatient healthcare delivery systems especially with patient wait time. Many solutions have tried to improve the service quality from the view points of cost reduction and increasing utilisation of medical staff. However, the uncertainty of physician treatment time has been one of the primary concerns for effective scheduling. This paper demonstrates an analytical concept on improving quality of service for a clinic from the aspects of reducing costs and waiting by reclassifying patient visit groups in order to reduce the variability of physician service uncertainty. A case study from an orthopaedic surgery clinic is presented to illustrate the classification method by using a decision tree technique and how the redesign of scheduling better manages the variability of treatment times, helps alleviate the wait time for both patients and physicians, reduce overall costs of waiting and overtime, and consequently, improve the overall service quality.
Increased frequency and severity of developmental deformities in rough-skinned newt (Taricha granulosa) embryos exposed to road deicing salts (NaCl & MgCl2)

Road-side aquatic ecosystems in North America are annually polluted with millions of tons of road deicing salts, which threaten the survival of amphibians which live and breed in these habitats. While much is known of the effects of NaCl, little is known of the second most-commonly used deicer, MgCl(2), which is now used exclusively in parts of the continent. Here we report that environmentally relevant concentrations of both NaCl and MgCl(2) cause increased incidence of developmental deformities in rough-skinned newt hatchlings that developed embryonically in these salts. In addition, we provide some of the first quantification of severity of different deformities, and reveal that increased salt concentrations increase both deformity frequency and severity. Our work contributes to the growing body of literature that suggests salamanders and newts are particularly vulnerable to salt, and that the emerging pollutant, MgCl(2) is comparable in its effects to the more traditionally-used NaCl.
Atrial fibrillation: from cells to computers

See article by Workman et al. [11] (pages 226–235) in this issue. Atrial fibrillation is one of the commonest arrhythmias encountered in clinical practice. The incidence of this arrhythmia increases with age and it is responsible for substantial morbidity, mortality [1]. Numerous studies have been performed to elucidate the cellular and molecular events associated with this rhythm. Our conceptual framework for understanding this rhythm disturbance is based on the pioneering work of Gordon Moe [2]. Atrial fibrillation is thought to be due to repetitive activation of the atria by multiple reentrant wavelets. Subsequent experimental work confirmed the key elements of the hypothesis of Moe [1]. The exact origin and the behavior of such wavelets is a source of intense ongoing investigation utilizing experimental and computational approaches. The cellular ionic changes that allow repetitive activation of the atria at such high rates have been the focus of several studies. Several investigators have demonstrated that the ERP of the atrium shortens even after a brief duration of atrial fibrillation. The demonstration of the phenomenon of ‘electrical remodeling’ provided the impetus for some detailed studies of atrial electrophysiology [3]. Single cell recordings from human atrial myocytes (from explanted hearts during orthotopic cardiac transplantation and excised atrial appendages) have been studied in great detail to determine the ionic currents that regulate the atrial action potential. Electrical remodeling is a dynamic phenomenon and reflects rapid physiological changes in the electrical behavior of atrial cells [3,4]. Ionic currents that regulate the atrial action potential have been studied in this setting to determine the mechanisms that are responsible for the shortening of the atrial ERP. Changes in inward and outward membrane currents have been characterized in both human and animal studies of atrial fibrillation [4,5]. Findings from these studies include: (i) … * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-319-384-6105; fax: +1-319-384-6247 kalyanam-shivkumar{at}uiowa.edu