cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Colliding Winds in Massive Binary Systems

Stellar winds are a well-observed phenomenon, and in massive stars this process may result in significant mass loss from the system with dramatic evolutionary ramifications. In close binary systems of massive stars, the individual stellar winds will collide and form a shock front between the stars. The existence of this shock can be established through orbital phase–related variations in UV wind features and optical emission lines. High-density regions in the wind (near the photospheres and the shock region) will produce Ha and He i emission which can be used to map out the mass-flow structure of the system. The existence of a shock front between the stars may influence the balance of mass loss versus mass transfer in massive binary evolution since matter lost to one star as a result of Roche lobe overflow may hit the shock and be deflected before it can accrete onto the other star. I report here the results of an all-sky, high-resolution spectroscopic survey of massive binaries and identify those systems which show evidence of excess emission. Data were obtained in both the southern and northern hemispheres, and spectra from two other groups of observers, Gies and Kaper and their collaborators, were also included. The results are compared with two independent surveys of massive stars and show that binaries have a higher incidence and intensity of emission when compared to single stars of similar spectral type. Seven systems in my survey (plus four identified by earlier surveys) show significant phase-related variations in emission. I identify these as likely colliding-wind candidates. For three systems, HD 149404, HD 152248, and HD 163181, I present a simple model of the mass distribution and flow based on Ha, He i l6678, and in some cases, the UV resonance lines. Figure 1 shows, as an example, Ha profiles of the O8.5 I 1 O6.5 III binary HD 149404 plotted against heliocentric radial velocity. The profiles are arranged in order of orbital phase. Each spectrum is placed so that the continuum equals the phase of observation. The lower frame shows a gray-scale representation of the profile variations. Ha is composed of two broad emission components which appear to show clear orbital motion, as indicated by the opposite patterns in the gray-scale S diagram. However, the patterns are not those expected from the orbital motion of the stars. Analysis of the radial velocity curves suggests that these features arise in the gas flows or focused winds from the stars interacting with a shock region.
Receptivity to Alcohol Marketing Predicts Initiation of Alcohol Use

Purpose This longitudinal study examined the influence of alcohol advertising and promotions on the initiation of alcohol use. A measure of receptivity to alcohol marketing was developed from research about tobacco marketing. Recall and recognition of alcohol brand names were also examined.
NHERF1/EBP50 controls lactation by establishing basal membrane polarity complexes with prolactin receptor.

The development of the lactating mammary gland is a complex multifactorial process occurring in mammals during pregnancy. We show here that this process requires NHERF1/EBP50 (Na/H exchanger regulatory factor 1/ERM-binding phosphoprotein 50) expression and that successful lactation depends on NHERF1 allele copy number, with rates of 50 and 20% in NHERF1(+/−) and (−/−) mice, respectively. The prolactin receptor (PRLR)-STAT5 signaling provides the central axis triggering the differentiation of secretory mammary alveolar cells. In successfully lactating glands, NHERF1 is massively upregulated and forms complexes with PRLR, but also with β-catenin, E-cadherin and ezrin at the alveolar basal membrane, establishing basal polarity. In NHERF1-deficient glands, the basal polarity is disrupted, the PRLR levels and basal membrane localization are abolished, and the downstream STAT5 activation collapses with consequent reduction of milk protein synthesis. NHERF1/EBP50, a protein deregulated in breast cancer, thus emerges as an important physiological mediator of milk secretion, by engagement of PRLR in multimeric complexes at the alveolar basal membrane with subsequent network activation leading to cell differentiation.
24: Use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate for prevention of perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in highly viremic pregnant women: a case series

24 Use of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate for prevention of perinatal transmission of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in highly viremic pregnant women: a case series Pai-Jong Stacy Tsai, Ann Chang, Marguerite Bartholomew John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women’s Health, Honolulu, HI OBJECTIVE: In women with high HBV DNA levels, the use of antenatal anti-viral medication in addition to hepatitis B vaccination and immunoglobulin (HBIG) for the neonate has been shown to further reduce the vertical transmission rate. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of tenofovir prophylaxis to reduce maternal HBV DNA levels and vertical transmission in highly viremic women. STUDY DESIGN:We performed a retrospective chart review of mothers positive for hepatitis B surface antigen who delivered between 2006 and 2012. We identified women with positive hepatitis Be antigen and HBV DNA levels > 6 log 10 copies/mL who were treated with tenofovir in the third trimester of pregnancy. RESULTS: There were 22 women identified. The majority were of Micronesian or Asian ethnicity. All of the women had normal aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase levels. All were negative for hepatitis C antibody and human immunodeficiency virus infection. Tenofovir was started in the third trimester with a median duration of 6 weeks. There was a reduction in mean HBV DNA levels from baseline 7.17 0.90 log copies/mL to 5.8 1.17 log copies/mL after treatment. Only 1 woman reported a side effect, which was nausea and vomiting. There were 5 (22.7%) preterm deliveries and 5 (22.7%) cesarean deliveries. All infants received hepatitis B vaccination and HBIG at delivery. Postnatal hepatitis B surface antigen testing at 9-12 months was available for 12 infants, all of which were negative. CONCLUSION: This is the second published case series to date on the use of tenofovir prophylaxis in HBV mono-infected, highly viremic mothers. This series suggests the use of tenofovir in the third trimester reduces maternal HBV DNA levels, and is well-tolerated.
Bohm trajectories for wave propagation

We obtain the equations of motion for the density and phase of a propagating pulse in analogy to the Bohm formulation. We define the group velocity operator and show how it can be used to obtain the fluid-like velocity. We consider propagation with dispersion and attenuation.
Differentially weighting linear models in organizational research: A cross-validation comparison of four methods

Abstract Four methods of estimating regression weights for a two-variable linear model of reenlistment intentions were compared in 51 samples of National Guardsmen. Ordinary least squares, Bayesian m -group regression, equal weighting, and pooled sample least squares were used. Weights were estimated in one-half of each sample and then applied to data in the other half. Weight derivation samples sizes ranged from 8 to 38. Cross-validation r was used as the index of model or equation stability. Results support earlier findings that least squares weights are relatively unstable in small samples. The Bayesian method showed a slight superiority to equal weighting, but was slightly less stable than pooled sample weights. Future research and implications for using these regression techniques in testing behavioral models as well as applications to test validation problems are discussed.
The Community Panels Project: Citizens' Groups for Social Science Research and Monitoring

A collaborative project in the Northeast region of the United States explored the potential for community-based data collection and analysis to help address the scarcity of social science data on the fishing industry and fishing communities. Community panels were established in six fishing ports in Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Each panel was comprised of 10 to 12 individuals, a cross section of harvesters, processors, shoreside business owners, and other members of the fishing communities. The panels identified issues of concern to their ports, and with the help of coordinators and the principal investigators, gathered data through interviews and focus group meetings, then drafted and reviewed reports. The project was successful in addressing topics of immediate concern in the region such as the impacts of changes in fishery management plans, particularly on fishing industry infrastructure. Although more time consuming than data collection by a sole applied anthropologist, the collaboration between social scientists and community stakeholders led to the incorporation of local knowledge that might otherwise have been missed. Furthermore, participants in the project learned about each other's values and goals. Such information is significant, an important aspect in negotiating decisions that will affect the future.
SERUM POTASSIUM AND CREATININE CHANGES FOLLOWING UNSTENTED BILATERAL URETERAL REIMPLANTATION IN CHILDREN

ABSTRACT Purpose: We assess the incidence of electrolyte and creatinine changes following unstented bilateral ureteral reimplantation and attempt to identify associated risk factors. Materials and Methods: A total of 107 consecutive children with bilateral vesicoureteral reflux underwent bilateral unstented ureteral reimplantation. Study exclusion criteria were plication or tapering of any ureter, age less than 1 year and/or baseline serum creatinine greater than twice normal for age. Postoperatively serum electrolytes and creatinine were assessed by venous puncture until values normalized. The presence of nausea, vomiting, urinary retention and oliguria were recorded. Results: Of the patients 46 females and 10 males 1.0 to 10.9 years old met the study criteria and had complete data available. Four patients (7.1%) had postoperative potassium greater than or equal to 5.0 mmol/l (range 5.0 to 5.3), including 3 (75%, p = 0.0238) who received potassium supplemented intravenous fluid postoperatively. Eight (14.3%) patients had postoperative creatinine greater than 1 mg/dl (range 1.3 to 2.3) and concurrent hyperkalemia with increased creatinine occurred in 2 (25%, p = 0.0295). Nausea and vomiting beyond postoperative day 1 were noted in 6 patients (75%, p = 0.0122). Neither oliguria nor urinary retention reached statistical significance in correlation with increased potassium and/or creatinine. However, urine retention approached statistical significance in patients with increased creatinine (p = 0.0747). No adverse effects from hyperkalemia were noted. Conclusions: Adverse effects from hyperkalemia following unstented bilateral ureteral reimplantation are uncommon. Potassium containing intravenous fluids should be avoided in the early postoperative period. Routine serum electrolyte determination may be helpful in patients undergoing unstented bilateral ureteral reimplantation when persistent nausea, emesis or urinary retention is present.
TU‐D‐AUD‐07: The Design and Performance of a Simplified Independent Tomotherapy Treatment Planning System

Purpose: A simplified helical‐tomotherapy independent planning system (SHIPS) is developed for independent verification of the TomoTherapy Hi‐ART (TomoTherapy Inc. Madison, WI) treatment scheme and to provide an alternative method to produce helical tomotherapy plans. The SHIPS software is designed to be simple, so the program can run a desktop PC, straightforward, so the delivery scheme is intuitive, and streamlined, to speed the treatment planning process. Treatment plans created with SHIPS may be used in cases where the Hi‐ART's inverse planner may be unnecessarily complex. We present the design of SHIPS and compare its results against forty Hi‐ART treatment plans. Several SHIPS derived tomotherapy plans are presented. Methods and Materials:SHIPS produces a treatment delivery scheme based on patient geometry and contours, prescription, delivery settings (e.g. pitch, field size, and modulation factor), and measured beam data. SHIPS calculates a leaf‐sequencing pattern (a treatmentsinogram), gantry rotation period ( GRP ), couch speed ( CS ), couch travel length ( CTL ), monitor units ( MU ), and time of treatment ( T ). Treatment plans used to compare against SHIPS consist mostly of prostate patients with some head and neck, pelvis, lung, and phantom cases. SHIPS is used to create example prostate, breast, and braintreatments.Results: SHIPS can produce conformal tomotherapy plans for imbedded (i.e. prostate), distal/convex (i.e. breast), and large/shallow (i.e. brain) targets in less than 30 seconds. When compared against Hi‐ART treatment schemes, the average deviation of the calculated CTL, T, CS , and MU are, respectively, 0.08%, 0.05%, 0.37%, and 0.74%. Conclusion: SHIPS bypasses the Hi‐ART's optimizer producing independently derived plans, quickly. SHIPS can be used for quality assurance of the entire treatment planning process. Treatment parameters generated from SHIPS agree within 1% of the Hi‐ART values. SHIPS challenges the degree of which the Hi‐ART's complex inverse‐planning is necessary.
Oxidation Prevention and Electrical Property Enhancements of Copper-filled Electrically Conductive Adhesives for Electronic Packaging and Interconnection

This paper describes a novel manufacturing process and packaging applications of electrically conductive adhesives (ECAs) incorporated with copper (Cu) powders as electrically conductive fillers for environmentally friendly, low cost, high current capability/low contact resistance and improved reliability. Especially, we have studied isotropic conductive adhesives (ICAs) and anisotropic conductive adhesives (ACAs) using copper fillers for flip chip assembly. We have developed and characterized the Cu-filled ECAs by using an organic functional coating for oxidation prevention of Cu fillers, which are compatible to conventional Ag-filled ICA and Au coated polymer or Ni-filled ACA applications. The effect of the type of organic functional coating materials and the concentration on the electrical conductivity, the thermal stability and the reliability of Cu-filled ICAs were investigated for the potential alternatives of conventional silver-filled ICAs. The surface characteristics of organic functional thin films on copper surfaces such as their hydrophobicity, functionalization and thermal stability were also evaluated to compare the performance of antioxidant behaviors of different organic functional coating materials for Cu-filled ICAs. The low contact resistance and the stable contact resistance of Cu-filled ICA at high temperatures were achieved by addition of optimized concentrations of organic functional coating agents. Improved thermal stability and enhanced reliability of Cu-filled ICAs under high temperature and humidity condition were achieved by using high molecular weight and hydrophobic organic functional coating materials. . The bulk resistivity of ~10-4 Omegacm of Cu-filled ICAs was achieved by a bimodal filler loading. The most important finding was the enhanced electrical properties of ACA interconnection by use of copper powder coated with an organic functional thin film layer. Three combinations of conductive fillers used in this study, which include Au-coated polymer ball, Au-coated Ni ball, and organic functional coating treated Cu ball in 5 mum diameter. The treated Cu ball-filled ACA showed the lowest contact resistance, 1.0 times10-5 Ohm, higher current carrying capability and higher thermal stability of ACA joints compared with the conventional Au-coated polymer ball and Au-coated Ni ball-filled ACAs.
A modified Benedict-Webb-Rubin equation of state for methane using recent experimental data

Abstract A 33 term modified Benedict-Webb-Rubin equation of state is presented for methane. The adjustable parameters in the equation of state have been estimated using recent experimental data and least squares techniques which include the thermodynamic equilibrium conditions for the co-existing liquid and vapour phases. Comparisons of the new equation of state and an older modified Benedict-Webb-Rubin equation of state to experimental data are given.
Varenicline: A review of the literature and place in therapy

Evidence regarding the health consequences of smoking is undeniable, yet 21% of the American population continues to smoke. In addition to behavioral modifications, first-line treatment options include nicotine replacement therapies and bupropion SR. Varenicline, which was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), offers a novel mechanism of action for smoking cessation. This article reviews current first-line smoking cessation aids and evaluates the clinical trials pertaining to the efficacy and safety of varenicline. Additionally, the authors attempt to establish the role of varenicline in smoking cessation therapy and determine whether varenicline should be used prior to other first-line smoking cessation aids, particularly considering the lower costs of generic alternatives. At present, clinical studies have not established the efficacy of varenicline after repeated courses, following bupropion failures, or in various unstudied populations. Relatively poor study outcomes emphasize the need to provide patients with behavioral counseling throughout each quit attempt and for 1 year past the quit date.
Comparison of vertically and horizontally polarized radar antennas for target detection in sea clutter — An experimental study

An experimental study of small target detection in sea clutter using vertically and horizontally polarized radar antennas is presented. The experimental study is performed to detect a person in water (PIW) and a fast rescue craft (FRC). The vertically and horizontally polarized X-band radar data were recorded simultaneously from a mobile radar platform located at Cape Spear, Newfoundland, Canada. Two commercial marine radars with grazing angles less than 1° were used. The analysis of the experimental data shows that the vertically polarized antenna is equally effective for detecting small targets at close range and low sea states as a horizontally polarized antenna.
Inhomogeneous localization of polar eigenmodes in fractals.

A pattern of localization, called inhomogeneous localization, is found for dipolar eigenmodes (surface plasmons or eigenstates of the corresponding Schr\"odinger equation) of fractal clusters. At any given frequency, individual eigenmodes are dramatically different from each other, their sizes vary in a wide range, and their internal geometry may be topologically disconnected and singular at the small scale. These properties differ principally from the results reported for vibrational eigenmodes of fractals, which is attributed to the long-range interaction and non-Goldstonian nature of the polar modes. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Auditory evoked potential development in early childhood: A longitudinal study

Abstract Serial recordings of auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) to clicks were obtained using a vertex-mastoid derivation from 16 normal children during sleep over an age span from near birth to age 3. The AEP components studied were: N 0 (38 ± 10 msec), P 1 (79 ± 24 msec), N 1 (109 ± 39 msec), P 2 (186 ± 35 msec), N 2 (409 ± 97 msec), P 3A (554 ± 116 msec), P 3B (757 ± 121 msec) and P 3 (728 ± 128 msec). Amplitudes and latencies of the components were calculated and regressions of the measures on age were computed for the group as a whole, for each subject and for subsets of the data based on sleep stage, sex, order of stimulus presentation and a rearing/race factor. For the group as a whole the latencies of P 1 , P 2 , N 2 , P 3 , and P 3B decreased with age. The amplitudes of P 1 N 1 and the N 2 P 3 waves increased with age. Most change occurred during the first year of life. In general, the changes with age were also found to hold across all of the factors examined, although individuals varied widely in the degree to which they conformed to the trends found for the data as a whole. The amount contributed by each of the factors mentioned above to the total variance was estimated. The proportions varied for different EP components but, in general, age, sleep state, and subject factors other than rearing/race and sex accounted for most variance. One half to 5/6 of the unexplained variance in AEP latencies and amplitudes (i.e., that not due to age, sleep state, etc.) occurred across rather than within subjects. For both the group as a whole and for individual children, P 2 and N 2 latencies were found to exhibit the greatest stability across time. The results of the longitudinal study reported here were in good agreement with those of a previous study from this laboratory which utilized a cross-sectional design.
Collagen fibrillar structure in mineralized and nonmineralized tissues

Abstract The four most important recent developments have been the following determinations: first, that collagen molecules have considerable flexibility so that in regions devoid of glycine—proline—proline or glycine—proline—hydroxyproline in each chain, substantial helix distortion can be allowed; second, that this flexibility is reflected by considerable azimuthal disorder in radially-packed fibrils, with the azimuthal order specified, principally, in the cross-linked overlap zones; third, that mineral crystal size and order are tightly linked to the perfection of the collagen packing, although in bone the crystal c-axis may be tilted by as much as ±20° from the fibril axis; and fourth, that the process of mineralization may cause rearrangement of the cross-linkages in the collagen overlap zones.
MATLAB-Graphical User Interface to study partial shading of PV array characteristics

The photovoltaic (PV) arrays can be affected by several factors such as temperature, shading, solar insolation, and the array configuration. In some cases, PV arrays can be completely or partially shaded by obstacles such as clouds and trees or manmade structures. The PV characteristics become complex with the shading effect on the system. Therefore to achieve the maximum power possible, it is important to understand and predict such occurrences. This paper presents a MATLAB Graphical User Interface (GUI) for studying the PV array characteristics under partial shading.
Gauging Length: Recognition of Small Interfering RNAs

The first crystal structures of small interfering RNA (siRNA)-protein complexes revealed an elegant caliper-like principle of length selection of siRNAs.
Congestive heart failure disease management in Medicare-managed care ☆

Background In 2001, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services began 2 initiatives that encouraged Medicare-managed care plans to introduce congestive heart failure (CHF) disease management programs. Our study was designed to describe the use, structure, and content of these programs. Methods In 2003 to 2004, we invited the representatives of Medicare-managed care plans with ≥750 enrollees to participate in a survey by mail or telephone. Results Representatives of 120 plans, 84 (70%) responded. Of the plans, 92% had CHF programs, 45% of which were instituted in 2001 or later, and 42% of which were handled externally by commercial vendors. Vendor use was more common in large programs (>30 000 Medicare enrollees) than in small programs ( P = .05), in national than local programs (50% vs 21%, P = .03), and in for-profit than not-for-profit programs (45% vs 21%, P = .03). Although 87% of CHF programs focused on improving patient self-management, a smaller fraction engaged practicing physicians (eg, 23% provided feedback to physicians concerning whether care was consistent with CHF guidelines). Conclusions In Medicare-managed care plans, there is widespread use of CHF disease management. However, the programs used primarily focus on patient self-management and not on engaging physicians on medication management and compliance with guidelines. Our findings raise the concern that these programs will not be able to achieve the quality improvement and cost savings previously demonstrated in clinical trials of CHF disease management.
The long-wave instability in heated or cooled inclined liquid layers

A thin liquid layer flowing down an inclined plane exhibits a long-wave interfacial instability at a critical value of the Reynolds number. Past work on this problem has shown that heating or cooling the layer does not significantly change the characteristics of this instability. We show that this is not correct when the Prandtl number of the liquid is large and that both heating and cooling from below can destabilize the layer depending on the interfacial heat-transfer conditions. The mechanism for this unstable behaviour involves the direct expansion of the liquid as it experiences a temperature perturbation produced by the deformation of the interface. When the layer is heated from below, this additional effect changes the critical angle at which longitudinal, buoyancy-driven rolls are preferred relative to the long-wave interfacial instability.
Learning Disabilities and the Vestibular System

Though "learning disabilities" is recognized to be an umbrella term for a collection of diverse disorders, research studies too frequently treat the LD group as homogeneous, comparing its functioning with that of a normal control group. This study examines a subpopulation of LD youngsters, those with disorders in the vestibular system which responds to gravity and changes in one's rate of movement. While the outcomes themselves are interesting, the structure of the research approach has distinct advantages over the "LD versus normal comparison" approach. - G.M.S.
Finite difference-time domain analysis of power deposition pattern of an array of interstitial antennas

The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) technique is used for accurately determining the power deposition patterns in 3D models of inhomogeneous tissue. Near-field radiation from an array of interstitial antennas has been used to calculate the incident fields. Results for both uniformly and stepped insulated antennas are presented and compared with previously obtained data using the method of moments. The advantages of the FDTD method in accurately modeling inhomogeneous tissue and, in particular, dielectric interfaces are illustrated. The results are of interest in connection with the use of interstitial antennas in microwave hyperthermia for cancer treatment. >
Forecasting emergency department crowding: a prospective, real-time evaluation.

Objective: Emergency department crowding threatens quality and access to health care, and a method of accurately forecasting near-future crowding should enable novel ways to alleviate the problem. The authors sought to implement and validate the previously developed ForecastED discrete event simulation for real-time forecasting of emergency department crowding. Design and Measurements: The authors conducted a prospective observational study during a three-month period (5/1/07–8/1/07) in the adult emergency department of a tertiary care medical center. The authors connected the forecasting tool to existing information systems to obtain real-time forecasts of operational data, updated every 10 minutes. The outcome measures included the emergency department waiting count, waiting time, occupancy level, length of stay, boarding count, boarding time, and ambulance diversion; each forecast 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours into the future. Results: The authors obtained crowding forecasts at 13,239 10-minute intervals, out of 13,248 possible (99.9%). The R2 values for predicting operational data 8 hours into the future, with 95% confidence intervals, were 0.27 (0.26, 0.29) for waiting count, 0.11 (0.10, 0.12) for waiting time, 0.57 (0.55, 0.58) for occupancy level, 0.69 (0.68, 0.70) for length of stay, 0.61 (0.59, 0.62) for boarding count, and 0.53 (0.51, 0.54) for boarding time. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting ambulance diversion 8 hours into the future, with 95% confidence intervals, was 0.85 (0.84, 0.86). Conclusions: The ForecastED tool provides accurate forecasts of several input, throughput, and output measures of crowding up to 8 hours into the future. The real-time deployment of the system should be feasible at other emergency departments that have six patient-level variables available through information systems.
Identification of Constitutive Material Model Parameters for High-Strain Rate Metal Cutting Conditions Using Evolutionary Computational Algorithms

Advances in plasticity-based analytical modeling and finite element methods (FEM) based numerical modeling of metal cutting have resulted in capabilities of predicting the physical phenomena in metal cutting such as forces, temperatures, and stresses generated. However, accuracy and reliability of these predictions rely on a work material constitutive model describing the flow stress, at which work material starts to plastically deform. This paper presents a methodology to determine deformation behavior of work materials in high-strain rate metal cutting conditions and utilizes evolutionary computational methods in identifying constitutive model parameters. The Johnson–Cook (JC) constitutive model and cooperative particle swarm optimization (CPSO) method are combined to investigate the effects of high-strain rate dependency, thermal softening and strain rate-temperature coupling on the material flow stress. The methodology is applied in predicting JC constitutive model parameters, and the results are comp...
A conserved histidine modulates HSPB5 structure to trigger chaperone activity in response to stress-related acidosis

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are essential 'holdase' chaperones that form large assemblies and respond dynamically to pH and temperature stresses to protect client proteins from aggregation. While the alpha-crystallin domain (ACD) dimer of sHSPs is the universal building block, how the ACD transmits structural changes in response to stress to promote holdase activity is unknown. We found that the dimer interface of HSPB5 is destabilized over physiological pHs and a conserved histidine (His-104) controls interface stability and oligomer structure in response to acidosis. Destabilization by pH or His-104 mutation shifts the ACD from dimer to monomer but also results in a large expansion of HSPB5 oligomer states. Remarkably, His-104 mutant-destabilized oligomers are efficient holdases that reorganize into structurally distinct client-bound complexes. Our data support a model for sHSP function wherein cell stress triggers small perturbations that alter the ACD building blocks to unleash a cryptic mode of chaperone action.
Is Ignorance Bliss? A Reconsideration of the Folk Wisdom

The validity of the proverb that "ignorance is bliss" is tested via analysis of data from the 1974 and 1976 General Social Surveys. A shortened version of a previously validated indicator of general intelligence, when correlated with measures of happiness, life satisfaction, and anomia, is found to be significantly related to all three; only the correlation with anomia, however, is of an impressive magnitude. Intelligence is then used as one predictor of psychological well-being in a series of multivariate models. The multiple regression and partial correlation results indicate that intelligence has no independent impact on either happiness or life satisfaction, but that it is a good predictor of anomia. But the impact of intelligence on anomia is negative, indicating that even when the effects of all the other variables in the analysis are controlled, more intelligent people tend to be less anomic. Overall, these results point toward rejection of the maxim that "ignorance is bliss.."
The Accuracy of Multidetector Computerized Tomography for Evaluating Tumor Thrombus in Patients With Renal Cell Carcinoma

Purpose: New advances in computerized tomography, including multidetector computerized tomography with 3-dimensional reformatting has recently called into question the absolute need for magnetic resonance imaging for evaluating renal cell carcinoma with suspected venous involvement. We assessed the accuracy of multidetector computerized tomography for predicting tumor thrombus and the level of venous involvement in patients with renal cell carcinoma.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical and pathological features in 41 patients with renal cell carcinoma who underwent staging multidetector computerized tomography before surgery. Multidetector computerized tomography findings regarding the presence and level of tumor thrombus were compared to findings at surgery and at final pathological evaluation. All multidetector computerized tomography studies were read by a single radiologist (EKF) before surgery.Results: When excluding patients with segmental venous involvement only, the concorda...
Influence of dietary folic acid on the developmental toxicity of methanol and the frequency of chromosomal breakage in the CD-1 mouse

The proposed increased use of methanol (MeOH)-based fuels raises the concern for an increased risk for MeOH toxicity. MeOH, which is detoxified in part via a folate-dependent pathway, is known to be teratogenic in rodents. Previous observations have implicated maternal folate status as a critical modulator for the developmental toxicity of MeOH. The current study extends these findings, examining the effect of maternal dietary folate intake on fetal folate stores, as well as identifying a possible marker for the prediction of the developmental toxicity of MeOH. Virgin female CD-1 mice were assigned to diets containing either 400 (marginal) or 1200 (control) nmol folic acid (FA)/kg, and and 1% succinylsulfathiazole for 5 weeks prior to mating and throughout breeding and gestation. From gestation day (GD) 6 through 10 dams were given by gavage deionized, distilled water (dH2O) or MeOH at 2.5 g/kg body weight, twice daily. On GD 18, mice were weighed and killed and the liver, kidneys, and gravid uteri removed and weighed. Implantation sites, live and dead fetuses, and resorptions were counted; fetuses were weighed individually and examined for cleft palate and exencephaly. The marginal FA dietary treatment resulted in low maternal liver (50% reduction) and red cell folate (30% reduction) concentrations, as well as low fetal tissue folate concentrations (60 to 70% reduction) relative to the adequate FA dietary groups. Marginal FA treatment alone resulted in cleft palate in 13% of the litters; there were no litters affected with cleft palate in the adequate FA-control group. Marginal FA-MeOH treatment resulted in a further increase in the litters affected by cleft palate (72% of litters affected). The percent of litters affected by exencephaly was highest in the marginal FA-MeOH group. The frequency of micronuclei in maternal and fetal reticulocytes, a marker for chromosomal abnormalities, was not influenced by either the marginal FA diet or by MeOH treatment. These results show that marginal folate deficiency in pregnant dams significantly increases the teratogenicity of MeOH.
MLC++: a machine learning library in C++

We present MLC++, a library of C++ classes and tools for supervised machine learning. While MLC++ provides general learning algorithms that can be used by end users, the main objective is to provide researchers and experts with a wide variety of tools that can accelerate algorithm development, increase software reliability, provide comparison tools, and display information visually. More than just a collection of existing algorithms, MLC++ is can attempt to extract commonalities of algorithms and decompose them for a unified view that is simple, coherent, and extensible. In this paper we discuss the problems MLC++ aims to solve, the design of MLC++, and the current functionality. >
Guideline for infection control in health care personnel, 1998

I. Infection control issues for health care personnel: An overview A. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 291 B. INTRODUCTION 292 C. INFECTION CONTROL OBJECTIVES FOR A PERSONNEL HEALTH SERVICE 292 D. ELEMENTS OF A PERSONNEL HEALTH SERVICE FOR INFECTION CONTROL 293 1. Coordination with other departments 293 2. Medical evaluations 293 3. Personnel health and safety education 293 4. Immunization programs 296 5. Management of job-related illnesses and exposures 298 6. Health counseling 301 7. Maintenance of records, data management, and confidentiality 301 E. EPIDEMIOLOGY AND CONTROL OF SELECTED INFECTIONS TRANSMITTED AMONG HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL AND PATIENTS 302 1. Bloodborne pathogens 302 Affiliations: National Center for Infectious Diseases, National Immunization Program, National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.
The Death Masque of Socrates: Nabokov’s Invitation to a Beheading

To all appearances, Vladimir Nabokov is as unlikely a student of classical literature as one might imagine. A fierce modernist, possessed of even less knowledge of Greek and Latin than Shakespeare, and steeped in a profound hatred for Plato, how could he possibly have written a virtual roman a clef based on a consistent set of intertextual allusions to a classical author in any of his works of fiction? But this is precisely what we have in Invitation to a Beheading, one of Nabokov’s earliest novels (first published in Russian in 1935-6 and later translated into English in 1959). Invitation’s protagonist Cincinnatus finds himself in prison awaiting his execution. His crime: “gnoseological turpitude,” evidently a crime against reality itself. From the beginning, his identity slowly stands revealed in all its spelaean clarity, while he just as slowly detaches himself from the metaphysical distortions of the fictional universe that would shape his world. The novel is many things. But it is above all a reflection on the philosophical constraints of fiction itself, and a vivid object lesson in the uses of classical reception in literature.
A method for the parameterization of cloud optical properties in bulk and bin microphysical models. Implications for arctic cloudy boundary layers

Computationally efficient and numerically accurate methods for computing band-averaged cloud optical properties for radiative transfer interactions with various microphysical parameteriza- tions are described. Parameterizations for bulk microphysical models employing generalized gamma distribution representations of the size spectra and binned representations, in which the size spectra fluctuate with time, are discussed. It is shown that simple exponential fits and look-up tables may be used with minimal computational cost and high accuracy for bulk microphysical models. Binned microphysical representations may be parameterized using mean properties for each bin, if averaged appropriately. The implications for the radiative scheme are discussed in comparison with the computed . radiative budget of fallrspring season mixed-phase Arctic stratus clouds ASC . Compared to liquid clouds of the same water path, mixed-phase ASC absorb and reflect less radiation, and . transmit more radiation to the surface. This results in greater cooling warming of the surface, by y2 . up to 60 W m , in the infrared solar by mixed-phase clouds. The radiative properties of mixed-phase clouds show a significant sensitivity to crystal habit for clouds with ice water paths R 25 g m y2 . Surface net fluxes and cloud absorption may vary by up to 15 W m y2 , depending on the ice habit. It is also shown that mixed-phase clouds are more sensitive to the choice of ice . effective radius r than liquid clouds are to r . Using values of from the literature, it is shown e,i e that the surface net fluxes can vary by as much as 50 W m y2 depending on the value of r . e,i
Carotid endarterectomy performed after progressive carotid stenosis following angioplasty and stent placement. Case report

✓ Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is the treatment of choice for asymptomatic and symptomatic disease causing greater than 60% internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis. Recently, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) with stent placement has been investigated as a therapeutic option for the treatment of ICA stenosis. In this report the authors document CEA performed after PTA with stent placement and describe the pathological findings. A standard CEA was performed. The surgical intervention was more difficult secondary to the following variables: the length of the exposure necessary to dissect out the metallic stent, the difficulty with opening and cutting the artery, and the care required to remove the stent to avoid vessel wall perforation. Pathological examination of the specimen demonstrated classic atherosclerotic changes revealing persistence of native disease. The metallic stent was embedded within the plaque. Many questions remain unanswered regarding the physiological and biological changes that...
Counting Cataloging: Moving Beyond Statistics to Measure the Value of Cataloging

Given the budgetary and technological changes facing academic libraries, it has become necessary for librarians to become self-advocates, describing and defending the work they do. Most research in this area is dedicated to public services, with little focus on technical services. A survey conducted in the fall of 2009 found that catalogers in the sample state of New Jersey collect detailed productivity statistics to illustrate their value. This paper analyzes the statisticsgathering process and makes suggestions for developing these methods into a strong assessment model. Quality control assessment is the tool catalogers need to describe their worth to library stakeholders.
Current account determination in the intertemporal framework: an empirical analysis

Traditional analysis of the determination of the current account balance of a country is based on static Keynesian models of saving and investment. In the early 1980s, several authors challenged the appropriateness of the traditional model by arguing that the observed movements in the current account balance of a country are the outcome of saving and investment decisions by economic agents. Saving and investment decisions are inherently dynamic in nature in the sense that they involve intertemporal choice which is affected by current as well as expected future movements in economic variables. Therefore, static models in general, and Keynesian models in particular, are incapable of accommodating the dynamic nature of the decisions involved in saving and investment. These authors present explicit dynamic optimizing framework in which they distinguish between the effects of transitory and permanent changes in income and relative price on the current account balance of a country;Despite their elegance, empirical testing of the intertemporal models of current account determination has been limited by our inability to identify the transitory and permanent components in observed economic time series. However, recent developments in time series econometrics provide ways in which one may attempt to decompose an observed nonstationary time series into a transitory and a permanent component. Such a decomposition opens the opportunity to empirically test whether real world data support the predictions of the intertemporal models of current account determination. In this study, two different methods have been used to obtain such decomposition of nonstationary economic variables. Cointegration analysis has been used to examine the long-run relationship among the variables. Then Vector Autoregression (VAR) technique is used to investigate the short-run dynamic behavior of current account balance in response to shocks to transitory and permanent components in income and real exchange rate. The analysis is performed for two countries: the United States vis-a-vis the rest of the world, and Japan vis-a-vis the rest of the world. The results of the empirical analysis are inconclusive. Results for Japanese data are more supportive of the intertemporal models than those for U.S. data.
Automatic Estimation and Removal of Noise from a Single Image

Image denoising algorithms often assume an additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) process that is independent of the actual RGB values. Such approaches cannot effectively remove color noise produced by today's CCD digital camera. In this paper, we propose a unified framework for two tasks: automatic estimation and removal of color noise from a single image using piecewise smooth image models. We introduce the noise level function (NLF), which is a continuous function describing the noise level as a function of image brightness. We then estimate an upper bound of the real NLF by fitting a lower envelope to the standard deviations of per-segment image variances. For denoising, the chrominance of color noise is significantly removed by projecting pixel values onto a line fit to the RGB values in each segment. Then, a Gaussian conditional random field (GCRF) is constructed to obtain the underlying clean image from the noisy input. Extensive experiments are conducted to test the proposed algorithm, which is shown to outperform state-of-the-art denoising algorithms.
Comparison of external costs of rail and truck freight transportation

In this article we estimate external costs for four representative types of freight trains. For each type of freight train, we estimate three general types of external costs and compare them with the private costs experienced by railroad companies. The general types of external costs include: accidents (fatalities, injuries, and property damage); emissions (air pollution and greenhouse gases); and noise. Resulting private and external costs are compared with those of freight trucking, estimated in an earlier article. Rail external costs are 0.24 cent to 0.25 cent (US) per ton-mile, well less than the 1.11 cent for freight trucking, but external costs for rail generally constitute a larger amount relative to private costs, 9.3-22.6%, than is the case for trucking, 13.2%.
Resection of Solitary Metastasis: Approach to Palliative Treatment of Hepatic Involvement With Choroidal Melanoma

• Local resection was performed as palliative treatment of solitary hepatic metastases from choroidal melanoma in two patients. One patient survived three years after partial hepatectomy, and the second patient was in excellent clinical condition one year after hepatic resection despite radiologic evidence of possible recurrent metastases elsewhere. Our review suggests that local resection of solitary hepatic metastases may constitute an effective approach to palliation of hepatic involvement with uveal melanoma and may possibly lead to longer survival.
Computing with subthreshold leakage: device/circuit/architecture co-design for ultralow-power subthreshold operation

This paper presents a novel design methodology for ultralow-power design using subthreshold leakage as the operating current (suitable for medium frequency of operation: tens to hundreds of millihertz). Standard design techniques suitable for super-threshold design can be used in the subthreshold region. However, in this study, it has been shown that a complete co-design at all levels of hierarchy (device, circuit, and architecture) is necessary to reduce the overall power consumption while achieving acceptable performance (hundreds of millihertz) in the subthreshold regime of operation. Simulation results of co-design on a five-tap finite-impulse-response filter shows /spl sim/2.5/spl times/ improvement in throughput at iso-power compared to a conventional design.