cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Observations concerning the treatment of long-range interactions in molecular dynamics simulations

Molecular dynamics simulations of pure water employing two different empirical water models have been used to study the effects of different methods for truncation of long-range interactions in molecular mechanics calculations. As has been observed previously in integral equation studies, “shifting” these interactions on an atom-by-atom basis was found to produce artificial structuring in the water and affect diffusion rates. In cases where some form of short-range truncation must be used, the ST2 switching function applied on a group-by-group basis was found to be the most realistic procedure. If atom-based shifting must be employed, a cutoff distance greater than or equal to 12.0 A was found to be required to produce realistic results. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Examination of the Sex Difference on a Symbol Digit Substitution Test

Factors that may contribute to the sex difference on a symbol-digit substitution test were investigated. Aspects of motor ability were determined to be involved in the sex-related difference in per...
Irregular uterine bleeding in adolescents.

Mary a 17 1/2-year-old adolescent comes to your office with the complaint of menorrhagia for the past 2 1/2 months. She was seen in the emergency department more than 2 weeks ago for the same complaint and Ortho Novum 1:35 was prescribed (one pill four times a day for 4 days one pill three times a day for 3 days one pill twice a day for 1 week then one pill daily). The bleeding persisted. In the emergency department her hemoglobin was 12.3 and her hematocrit was 36.7. These results do not differ from previous results. Mary says she complied with the prescribed hormone therapy. She denies having nausea vomiting or abdominal cramps. She says her bleeding has persisted and is heavy at times causing her to use up to seven pads daily. Her average use is three pads daily. She has intermittent cramping that is relieved with 400 mg of ibuprofen and rest. Mary denies any epistaxis bleeding gums or history of easy bruising. (excerpt)
Captopril Normalizes Insulin Signaling and Insulin-Regulated Substrate Metabolism in Obese (ob/ob) Mouse Hearts

The goal of this study was to determine whether inhibiting the renin-angiotensin system would restore insulin signaling and normalize substrate use in hearts from obese ob/ob mice. Mice were treated for 4 wk with Captopril (4 mg/kg·d). Circulating levels of free fatty acids, triglycerides, and insulin were measured and glucose tolerance tests performed. Rates of palmitate oxidation and glycolysis, oxygen consumption, and cardiac power were determined in isolated working hearts in the presence and absence of insulin, along with levels of phosphorylation of Akt and AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Captopril treatment did not correct the hyperinsulinemia or impaired glucose tolerance in ob/ob mice. Rates of fatty acid oxidation were increased and glycolysis decreased in ob/ob hearts, and insulin did not modulate substrate use in hearts of ob/ob mice and did not increase Akt phosphorylation. Captopril restored the ability of insulin to regulate fatty acid oxidation and glycolysis in hearts of ob/ob mice, ...
Aromaticity of Tri‐ and Tetranuclear Metal–Carbonyl Clusters Based on Magnetic Criteria

Recently, the sigma-aromaticity model proposed for cyclopropane by Dewar was employed to account for the stability of Group 8 trinuclear metal-carbonyl compounds [M(3)(CO)(12)] (M=Fe, Ru, Os). This paper further examines this hypothesis and provides the first quantitative evidence for the sigma-aromatic/antiaromatic nature of the [M(3)(CO)(12)]/[M(4)(CO)(16)] species based on structural and nucleus-independent chemical-shift analysis. In addition, the extent of electron delocalization in tetrahedral [M(4)(CO)(14)] and butterfly [M(4)(CO)(15)] is analyzed and compared to prototype cycloalkanes. While remarkable analogies exist between metal-carbonyls and cycloalkanes, transition metals provide additional overlap possibilities that affect both the ring strain and the magnetic properties of metal-carbonyl rings and cages.
High-speed, model-free adaptive control using parallel synchronous detection

A VLSI implementation of an adaptive controller performing gradient descent optimization of external performance metrics using parallel synchronous detection is presented. Real-time model-free gradient estimation is done by perturbation of the metrics' control parameters with narrow-band deterministic dithers resulting in fast adaptation and robust performance. A fully translinear design has been employed for the architecture, making the controller operation scalable within a very wide range of frequencies and control bandwidths, and, therefore customizable for a variety of systems and applications. Experimental results from a SiGe BiCMOS implementation areprovided demonstrating the broadband and high-speed performance of the controller.
Antitumor activity and preliminary phytochemical examination of Tagetes minuta (Compositae).

Abstract: A random collection antitumor screening program revealed that the whole flowering plants of Tagetes minuta were significantly active against the Lewis lung carcinoma in vivo . In the present phytochemical examination of this plant, the flavone glycosides quercetagetrin and patuletrin were isolated in addition to the monomethyl ester of fumaric acid and syringic acid.
Electro dermal Lability: An Attempt to Measure Its Psychological Correlates

Differences in electro dermal lability (frequency of spontaneous fluctuations in skin resistance) have been shown to predict certain types of behavior. Further, electro dermal lability has in some cases been related in psychometric measures of personality. The purpose or this experiment was to develop a self-report inventory which would predict electro dermal lability. A pool of 478 items was administered to 120 male undergraduate students. These students were subsequently tested for electro dermal lability level. Corelational and X2 analyses were employed to identify items which were significantly related to electro dermal lability. Then these items were subjected m linear discriminate function analysis to determine their optimal weighting. Although 34 items were initial) identified as significant predictors, split-sample analyses suggested that the predictors would nut replicate. Previous findings which have suggested a relationship between Electro Dermal lability and personality variables such as anxiety were discussed. It was concluded that although electro dermal lability is a reliable predictor of certain responses, it is not readily related to traditional self-descriptive psychometrics. The interpretation supports the view (hat autonomic functions are independent of self-awareness.
Cognitive Abilities and Lipomyelomeningocele

Summary.-Ten children with lipomyelomeningocele were evaluated with the WISC -R, the Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised, the Developmental Test of Visualmotor Integration, and the Child Behavior Checklist. These children were consecutive referrals to a birth defects clinic. Unlike their meningomyelocele counterparts, as a group these children appear to be average in their intellectual, academic, and behavioral characteristics. However, they edub~ted low average perceptual motor skills, a feature more commonly seen in men~ngomyelocele. Disturbances in embryologic formation of the spinal canal and cord beginning after 28 days' gestation can result in lesions located at the caudal end of the neural tube. They are covered by skin, are less obvious externally than meningomyeloceles (spina bifida), and are referred to as occult lesions. One type of defect is lip~myelomenin~ocele, in which a soft tissue mass composed of fat and fibrous elements is present under the skin in the lumbosacral area and extends into the spinal-canal through a spinal defect (Rudolph, 1991). Studies of the cognitive abilities of children with lipomyelomeningocele could not be identified in a comprehensive literature search of psychological and developmental pediatric references extending back to 1968. In contrast, a number of recent studies of the cognitive abilities of children with meningomyelocele have been published (Friedrich, Lovejoy, Shaffer, Shurtleff, & Beilke, 1991; Thompson, Fletcher, Chapieski, Landry, Miner, & Bixby, 1991; Wills, Holmbeck, Dillon, & McLone, 1990). These findings consistently point to children with meningomyelocele as having cognitive abilities below the population average but within the normal range on most tests. In addition, a pattern of deficiencies related to a visual-perceptual-organizational cognitive function, e.g., perceptual motor skills and arithmetic, was found, as well as an inverse relationship between intelligence and the level of the lesion.
Tumor-Ablative Surgery, Microvascular Free Tissue Transfer Reconstruction, and Postoperative Radiation Therapy for Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

Objective The objectives of this study were to determine whether the combination of complex tumor-ablative surgery and microvascular free tissue transfer reconstruction delays the onset of postoperative radiation therapy, whether free tissue transfers are lost after a course of radiation therapy, and what patterns of tumor recurrence and survival rates are present in patients who undergo this type of multidisciplinary treatment. Design A retrospective review was conducted in 37 patients who underwent tumor-ablative surgery and reconstruction between November 1987 and August 1991. Material and Methods Of the 30 men and 7 women who underwent tumor-ablative surgery, microvascular free tissue transfer reconstruction, and postoperative radiation therapy, recurrent or T4 primary tumors were treated in 84%. Sixty-two percent of the patients had nodal metastatic disease. The median dose of postoperative irradiation was 60 Gy (range, 32.4 to 76.8). Follow-up in all patients was until death (21 patients) or for a median of 17.5 months (range, 4.1 to 43.2). Results The median duration of overall survival and the 2-year overall survival rate were 17 months and 46%, respectively. For cause-specific survival, the median duration and 2-year rate were 17 months and 50%, respectively. Local recurrence developed in 8 patients, neck recurrence in 10, and distant metastatic disease in 11. No microvascular free tissue transfers failed. Conclusion Radiation therapy can begin in most patients within 8 weeks postoperatively, microvascular free tissue transfers seem to tolerate postoperative radiation therapy well at the doses administered, and the rates of local and neck control are reasonable relative to the advanced stage of the cancers treated.
The Arctic Forest of the Middle Eocene

AbstractLush forests, dominated by deciduous conifers, existed well north of the Arctic Circle during the middle Eocene (∼45 Ma). The Fossil Forest site, located on Axel Heiberg Island, Canada, has yielded a particularly rich assemblage of plant macro- and microfossils, as well as paleosols—all exquisitely preserved. Methods ranging from classical paleobotany, to stable-isotope geochemistry, have been applied to materials excavated from the Fossil Forest and have revealed layers of diverse conifer forests with a rich angiosperm understory that successfully endured three months of continuous light and three months of continuous darkness. Paleoenvironmental reconstructions suggest a warm, ice-free environment, with high growing-season-relative humidity, and high rates of soil methanogenesis. Methods to evaluate intraseasonal variability highlight the switchover from stored to actively fixed carbon during the short annual growing season.
The effects of glucocorticoids on human eosinophils

It is readily apparent that eosinophils are important targets of steroid effects. Disruption of the cytokine network by glucocorticoids can indirectly diminish eosinophil generation, survival, and function. In addition, glucocorticoids appear to have direct effects on the survival, and perhaps on the function, of these cells. Rapid advances in our knowledge of the biochemistry of signal transduction, as well as the interaction between cell surface receptors and RNA transcription machinery, will allow detailed analysis of the mechanisms by which the function and life cycle of eosinophils are influenced by glucocorticoids.
Dissolved gas dynamics in perennially ice‐covered Lake Fryxell, Antarctica

We use the concentrations of noble gases (He, Ne, and Ar), helium isotopes, and tritium to characterize the mechanisms and rates of ventilation for Lake Fryxell, Antarctica, as well as the physical processes controlling dissolved gases. The upper oxic zone is ventilated on timescales of several decades. The anoxic bottom waters are weakly ventilated, with a turnover time of ∼3,800 years. In the upper euphotic zone, helium and neon are greatly undersaturated with respect to solubility equilibrium with the atmosphere, whereas argon is greatly supersaturated owing to equilibrium partitioning of the gases between ice, water, and air inclusions in the ice. In the bottom waters, the inert dissolved gas concentrations may be remnants of a near-desiccation event that occurred ∼2,000 years B.P., consistent with current paleoclimatic theories.
Electron paramagnetic resonance spin label titration: a novel method to investigate random and site-specific immobilization of enzymes onto polymeric membranes with different properties

The immobilization of biological molecules onto polymeric membranes to produce biofunctional membranes is used for selective catalysis, separation, analysis, and artificial organs. Normally, random immobilization of enzymes onto poly- meric membranes leads to dramatic reduction in activity due to chemical reactions involved in enzyme immobilization, multiple-point binding, etc., and the extent of activity reduction is a function of membrane hydrophilicity (e.g. activity in cellulosic membranepolysulfone membrane). We have used molecular biology to effect site-specific immobilization of enzymes in a manner that orients the active site away from the polymeric membrane surface, thus resulting in higher enzyme activity that approaches that in solution and in increased stability of the enzyme relative to the enzyme in solution. A prediction of this site-specific method of enzyme immobilization, which in this study with subtilisin and organophosphorus hydrolase consists of a fusion tag genetically added to these enzymes and subsequent immobilization via the anti-tag antibody and membrane-bound protein A, is that the active site conformation will more closely resemble that of the enzyme in solution than is the case for random immobilization. This hypothesis was confirmed using a new electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin label active site titration method that determines the amount of spin label bound to the active site of the immobilized enzyme. This value nearly perfectly matched the enzyme activity, and the results suggested: (a) a spectroscopic method for measuring activity and thus the extent of active enzyme immobilization in membrane, which may have advantages in cases where optical methods can not be used due to light scattering interference; (b) higher spin label incorporation (and hence activ- ity) in enzymes that had been site-specifically immobilized versus random immobilization; (c) higher spin label incorporation in enzymes immobilized onto hydrophilic bacterial cellulose membranes versus hydrophobic modified poly(ether)sulfone membranes. These results are discussed with reference to analysis and utilization of biofunctional membranes. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
The Protein-to-Creatinine Ratio for the Prediction of Significant Proteinuria in Patients at Risk for Preeclampsia: a Meta-Analysis

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic accuracy of the protein-to-creatinine ratio from random urine collections to confirm the presence of proteinuria in women being evaluated for preeclampsia. Study design: Eligible studies, published between January 1966 and April 2010, were retrieved through general bibliographic databases. Accuracy of the protein-to-creatinine ratio was estimated compared with a 24- hour urine collection. Pooled estimates of diagnostic measures were calculated. A random-effects bivariate model was employed. Results: Twenty-four trials with 3,186 aggregate participants met inclusion criteria. Pooled sensitivities and specificities were 91.0% (95%CI 87.0 - 93.9) and 86.3% (95% CI 78.4 - 91.7) re - spectively. Pooled positive likelihood ratio was 6.7 (95% CI 4.1, 10.9) and pooled negative likelihood ratio 0.10 (95%CI 0.07, 0.16). Meta-regression analysis found that test accuracy was not affected by any of the co-variables explored. Conclusion: A random urine protein-to-creatinine ratio provides useful evidence to rule out the presence of significant proteinuria in patients at risk for preeclampsia. It appears that a cut-off value of > 0.30 is associated with the best accuracy. Condensation: The protein-to-creatinine ratio from a random urine sample provides useful evidence to rule out the presence of significant proteinuria in patients at risk for preeclampsia.
Mentoring Undergraduate Scholars: A Pathway to Interdisciplinary Research?

Interdisciplinary research is a valuable approach to addressing complex real-world problems. However, undergraduate research mentoring is discussed as an activity that happens in disciplinary silos where the mentor and student scholar share a disciplinary background. By transcending traditional academic divisions, we argue that mentors can train a new generation of scholars who think innovatively and create integrative research questions. We examined a sample of undergraduate students and their faculty mentors to determine the extent to which interdisciplinary research teams exist at George Mason University. Results indicated that interdisciplinary research teams are rare and faculty rank was their main predictor. University administrations can make specific choices regarding recognition and support for interdisciplinary undergraduate research mentoring that also advance institutional mission and values.
Do Institutional Investors Amplify or Dampen Noise Shocks to Stocks

We examine whether institutional investors amplify or dampen mispricing induced by noise trading. Stock recommendations in the Wall Street Journal’s Investment Dartboard Column (IDC) stimulate noise trading that generates mispricing. The mispricing decreases with institutional ownership, which is consistent with the model of Kyle, Ou-Yang, and Wei (2010) and indicates that institutions dampen noise trading-induced mispricing. Institutions dampen mispricing by selling stealthily when wealth-constrained noise traders buy on IDC recommendations. Furthermore, stealth selling increases with information asymmetry. Our findings are robust to controls for liquidity and clustering, and alternative measures for institutional ownership and mispricing.
Design of Drip Irrigation Submain

Simplified submain design charts were developed which can be used to design submain size very quickly; when the submain slope is larger than 0.5%, the submain size can be simply read from the chart by using the total discharge and submain slope; when the submain slope is less than 0.5%, the submain will be considered as zero slope. The submain size can be designed by using the total discharge and an L/H-value (length and pressure head ratio) from the chart. These charts allow a maximum of 20% variation in pressure in the submain. When the field shape is not rectangular, such as a trapezoid or triangular shape, the design can be made by adjusting the total discharge so the design chart made for rectangular fields can be used directly. As the submain length is usually relative short, the submain size is designed for a single size and submain slope is assumed to be uniform and down slope.
Geiger-Müller Counter Measurements of Reflected Mo K α X-Rays from Powdered Zinc

Volz has used the formula $n={n}_{0}\mathrm{exp}(\ensuremath{-}\frac{{n}_{0}}{2.78{n}_{m}})$ where $n$ is the observed counting rate of the system, ${n}_{0}$ is the rate of production of pulses in the counter and ${n}_{m}$ is the maximum possible random counting rate. It was found that ${n}_{0}$, calculated from $n$ and corrected for background count, varied as the inverse square of the distance from a gamma-ray source. Further, the absorption coefficient of Mo $K\ensuremath{\alpha}$ rays in aluminum was found to have the correct value when measured by means of this formula. Thus the formula was satisfactory. The absolute $F$ values were obtained by comparison of the ($11\overline{2}2$) reflection from zinc with the (420) reflection from KCl. This gives $F(11\overline{2}2)=13.9$. Brindley, using Cu $K\ensuremath{\alpha}$ rays, obtains $F(11\overline{2}2)=12.0$. The difference is caused by dispersion. The $F$ values for other reflections very closely agree with those found by Brindley for Cu $K\ensuremath{\alpha}$ rays, when his values are corrected for dispersion. The very weak (0004) reflection, which was not obtained by Brindley, was found to have an $F$ value of about 10.6. Jauncey and Bruce's values of the amplitudes of the thermal vibrations parallel and perpendicular to the $c$ axis fit these results better than do Brindley's.
Determination of Biotin with Lactobacillus arabinosus

SummaryThe microbiological determination of biotin, using Lactobacillus arabinosus as the test organism, was studied. The existence of a water-soluble, avidin-combinable, form of biotin in certain ...
Measurement Techniques for Shock Movement Capture on a NACA 0012 in Unsteady Compressible Flow

The Ohio State 6” × 22” Unsteady Transonic Wind Tunnel was used to study different methods of experimentally capturing the time-varying location of a shock wave on a NACA 0012 airfoil. The unsteady wind tunnel enables a freestream Mach number oscillation of 0.51 ± 0.1 for a Reynolds number range of 17 – 43 million per meter. Fast-response pressuresensitive paint (PSP) and particle image velocimetry (PIV) were evaluated for their ability to capture time-accurate location of the oscillating shock wave. Unsteady surface pressure and temperature measurements were made using a fast-response bi-luminophore pressuresensitive paint with a single-shot intensity-based technique. This method allows for high spatial resolution surface pressure and temperature maps. Phase-locked planar particle image velocimetry data were also acquired in this experiment, demonstrating an ability to resolve a moving shock. These advanced diagnostic tools enable detailed understanding of the impact of time-varying compressibility both on and off the airfoil surface. The information obtained with each of these techniques is compared in terms of spatial resolution and accuracy with data acquired via surface pressure taps. A NACA 0012 airfoil was tested at 9, 10 and 11 degrees angle of attack and at low reduced frequencies.
Status Quo and Prospect of Fault Diagnosis Technology for Transmission Lines

The article elaborates on recognition of fault causes and the location method of transmission lines and emphatically analyzes disadvantages in current technologies,on the basis of which it points out the research direction of fault diagnosis technology for transmission lines: recognition of lightning strikes rests with research on electromagnetic transient characteristic of travelling wave current,recognition through differences of high-frequency signals and transformation from theoretical research into practice.As for fault location,it is considered to change the way of arrangement and reduce the influence from wave speed change so as to monitor wave front at the beginning of faults more accurately and improve location precision.
Using Mutual Information to Identify Regions of Analysis for Prosodic Analysis.

This paper presents a novel technique for empirically identifying regions of analysis for time/value information. The technique relies on analysis of mutual information between the contour, and some variable of interest. We present the use of this technique in the analysis of prosody in American English speech, where we identify valuable regions of analysis for the classification of phrase ending intonation. We also use the technique to investigate the most informative region of analysis for pitch accent detection.
Duchenne/Becker muscular dystrophy: A SHORT OVERVIEW OF THE GENE, THE PROTEIN, AND CURRENT DIAGNOSTICS

The goal of this review is to provide a concise overview of the current state of knowledge of both the gene which, when defective, results in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and the normal and abnormal protein products of this gene. The diagnostic tools, both prenatal and postnatal, which have resulted from this research will also be presented. More comprehensive discussions of many aspects of this review can be found elsewhere.
Army family physician satisfaction

Introduction: As numbers of family physicians decrease in the Army, the Army needs to know how satisfied they are with being family physicians and military officers. What variables are associated with these satisfactions? Methods: This was a cross-sectional mailed survey of Army family physicians (N = 334). The response rate was 82% (N = 274). The survey included questions with a Likert scale and was analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis, one-way analysis of variance, and logistic regression. Results: Ninety-two percent were satisfied with being family physicians and 74% were satisfied with being military officers. The variables associated with satisfaction were rank (positively associated) and percent time in patient care (negatively associated). Conclusions: Army family physicians are more satisfied with being family physicians than they are with being military officers. They are, however, satisfied with both professions. The Army, as an organization, may want to explore how its system of rewards interplay with rank and amount of time in patient care to make them predictive of satisfaction.
Robust principal component analysis with side information

The robust principal component analysis (robust PCA) problem has been considered in many machine learning applications, where the goal is to decompose the data matrix to a low rank part plus a sparse residual. While current approaches are developed by only considering the low rank plus sparse structure, in many applications, side information of row and/or column entities may also be given, and it is still unclear to what extent could such information help robust PCA. Thus, in this paper, we study the problem of robust PCA with side information, where both prior structure and features of entities are exploited for recovery. We propose a convex problem to incorporate side information in robust PCA and show that the low rank matrix can be exactly recovered via the proposed method under certain conditions. In particular, our guarantee suggests that a substantial amount of low rank matrices, which cannot be recovered by standard robust PCA, become recoverable by our proposed method. The result theoretically justifies the effectiveness of features in robust PCA. In addition, we conduct synthetic experiments as well as a real application on noisy image classification to show that our method also improves the performance in practice by exploiting side information.
A Revised Weighting Scheme for Indicators of Effective Exchange Rates

The Fund in its operational work makes extensive use of indicators of nominal and real effective exchange rates. For the smaller industrialized countries and most developing countries the indicators have typically used weights based on aggregate trade flow data. Such weighting schemes have a number of shortcomings. This paper describes an alternative methodology for calculating the weights used in the indicators which attempts to improve their informational content.
Proteinuria and haematuria as predictors of schistosomiasis in children

SUMMARYExamination of urine samples from 922 children from Epe and surrounding communities in south-western Nigeria indicated a 13% prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium infection. Children, 10–14 years of age, accounted for 65% of the disease prevalence. Approximately 79% of the study population was negative for proteinuria, while 52·6% of children with 30 mg% proteinuria were positive for S. haematobium infection. However, 96% and 100% of all children who, respectively, had 30 mg% and 100 mg% proteinuria, in addition to haematuria, were found to be positive for the schistosome infection. This finding indicates that the use of haematuria and proteinuria as a combined diagnostic index significantly increased the sensitivity and specificity of the individual tests. Bacteriuria was found in 8·5% of infected children, compared with 5·2% of the control group. Streptococcus faecalis and E. coli were the two bacteria isolated from the urine specimens.
Knowledge in a Scientific Community

In earlier chapters various social aspects of scientific knowledge have been explored. These have been aspects which allow for social evidence to provide scientific knowledge to an individual. The focus in this chapter, however, moves beyond the study of individualistic characteristics of scientific knowledge by looking at science itself as an epistemic system. The thoroughgoing social nature of science leads to some characteristics which make it an epistemic system particularly well suited for adding to the store of scientific knowledge. In particular, the social nature of science leads to a division of cognitive labor. This division of cognitive labor both makes it so that trust plays an integral role in the generation of scientific knowledge and so that scientific progress is enhanced by the scientific community hedging its bets by scientists pursuing a wide variety of research projects utilizing a variety of methods. Although the individual scientists who make up the scientific community are not perfect, various social institutions in science help to make good use of their baser motivations.
Arterio-Venous Transit Time a Method to Measure Venous Velocity

To understand the motion of venous blood in patients having generalised incompetency of venous valves (IW)of lower extremity deep and superficial venous system.
Continuous leaf optimization for IMRT leaf sequencing

Purpose Conventional step-and-shoot intensity modulated radiation therapy leaf sequencing methods, where a nonhomogeneous fluence map is converted to a set of apertures and associated intensities, assume that target fluence is stratified into a fixed number of discrete levels and/or aperture leaf positions are restricted to a discrete set of locations. These assumptions induce a deviation from the planned fluence map and/or reduce the feasible region of potential plans, respectively. A continuous leaf optimization (CLO) framework is developed as a postprocessing methodology to improve upon conventional leaf sequencing so that the resulting plan avoids these two main drawbacks. Methods The CLO model directly represents leaf positions and aperture intensities with continuous variables with the goal of reproducing some target fluence profile. Fluence through leaf edges is modeled using the error function, and continuous fluence is approximated using a 0.1 mm discretization across the aperture opening. Conventional leaf sequencing methods provide feasible solutions to the CLO model, and a first-order descent algorithm is used to converge onto a locally optimal solution. Results As a proof-of-concept, the authors test this framework on 1D (single leaf pair) fluence maps. The CLO model was applied to conventional leaf sequencing and direct aperture optimization solutions. Consistent improvements to existing leaf sequencing methods were found when tested on 232 generated instances of potential target fluence. In addition to improvements in matching the target fluence, the CLO model was able to keep MUs at similar values to the initial conventional sequence. Conclusions The CLO model can improve upon existing leaf sequencing methods by avoiding the restrictions of fluence stratification and discretized leaf positions. This study lays the foundation for future models and solution methodologies that can incorporate continuous leaf positions explicitly into the treatment planning model.
Enacting Knowledge Strategy Through Social Media

We examined how employees at two firms enacted their organizations’ knowledge-based strategies within new enterprise social networking sites. Through longitudinal and comparative analysis of 166 in...
N2 Disease Discovered at Thoracotomy: Resect or Abort?

The reported incidence of finding N2 node involvement at thoracotomy which was not anticipated varies from 2%1 to 25%.2–4 However, with good quality staging, it should be less than 10%.1,5 Nevertheless, when N2 node involvement is found intraoperatively, the decision whether to proceed with resection or abort the procedure is difficult. This is the subject of this chapter
A Comparison of College Students’ Reported Fruit and Vegetable Liking and Intake from Childhood to Adulthood

Objectives: Fruit and vegetable intake (FVI) is below recommendations and fruit and vegetable liking (FVL) is associated with intake. Greater understanding of college student FVL and FVI is needed; therefore, the study objectives were to compare reported FVL and frequency of FVI in adulthood to recollection of FVL and frequency of fruit and vegetable offering (FVO) in childhood and identify factors related to FVL and FVI in college students.Methods: A retrospective survey was administered via e-mail to randomly selected college students (18–25 years) from 2 Northwestern universities (n = 676). McNemar's chi-square tests were used to evaluate differences in FVL and FVI scores. Spearman's rank identified an association between current FVL and FVI scores and their recollection of FVO as a child. Pearson's chi-square tests were used to examine differences in FVL and FVI scores within the demographic factors age, gender, year in school, urban/rural, body mass index (BMI), childhood overweight, breastfed, and f...
Bacterial community composition and carbon metabolism in a subtropical riverscape

To better understand the interaction between the abundance and composition of bacterial communities, physicochemical conditions, and bacterial metabolic function, we studied the patterns of bacterial community composition and metabolic function in relation to nutrients, land use, and network position in a large subtropical river. Composition varied across the watershed, and with variation in nutrients in particular. Although these changes were partially driven by overall abundance, bacterial groups responded to nutrients differently across the watershed. Most groups were correlated with suspended particulate materials, yet, abundance of β-proteobacteria was highest with elevated nitrate, and abundance of Actinobacteria was highest with elevated soluble reactive phosphate. Land use weakly influenced composition. Landscape position influenced composition, with downstream mainstem riverine sites differing from more upstream and tributary sites. Both production and respiration were influenced by temperature and organic carbon, but we found that production and growth efficiency were not directly related. Production peaked at intermediate levels of abundance, but no groups were correlated with production. Respiration by free-floating bacteria was positively correlated with proportional abundance of α-proteobacteria, γ-proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. Finally, we found that land use was a relatively weak influence on community composition, but that variation in nutrients was relatively important for both composition and function.
Uncertainties in Forecasting the Response of Polar Bears to Global Climate Change

Several sources of uncertainty affect how precisely the future status of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) can be forecasted. Foremost are unknowns about the future levels of global greenhouse gas emissions, which could range from an unabated increase to an aggressively mitigated reduction. Uncertainties also arise because different climate models project different amounts and rates of future warming (and sea ice loss)—even for the same emission scenario. There are also uncertainties about how global warming could affect the Arctic Ocean’s food web, so even if climate models project the presence of sea ice in the future, the availability of polar bear prey is not guaranteed. Under a worst-case emission scenario in which rates of greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise unabated to century’s end, the uncertainties about polar bear status center on a potential for extinction. If the species were to persist, it would likely be restricted to a high-latitude refugium in northern Canada and Greenland—assuming a food web also existed with enough accessible prey to fuel weight gains for surviving onshore during the most extreme years of summer ice melt. On the other hand, if emissions were to be aggressively mitigated at the levels proposed in the Paris Climate Agreement, healthy polar bear populations would probably continue to occupy all but the most southern areas of their contemporary summer range. While polar bears have survived previous warming phases—which indicate some resiliency to the loss of sea ice habitat—what is certain is that the present pace of warming is unprecedented and will increasingly expose polar bears to historically novel stressors.
Effect of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy on Shunt Outcomes in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Matched Cohort Pilot Study

OBJECTIVE The aim of this retrospective, matched cohort study is to determine the effect of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) on shunt-related complications and long-term functional outcomes in endovascularly treated aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) patients. MATERIALS AND METHOD We retrospectively analyzed an institutional database of aSAH patients from 2000-2015. Patients who underwent endovascular treatment with stent-assisted coiling (DAPT cohort) were matched in a 1:4 ratio to those who underwent coiling alone (no-DAPT cohort) based on the presenting patient and aneurysm factors. A favorable outcome was defined as a modified Rankin scale of <2. Statistical analyses were performed to compare the shunt-related and functional outcomes between the DAPT and no-DAPT cohorts. RESULTS After applying the selection criteria and performing the matching process, the overall study cohort comprised 25 aSAH patients who underwent endovascular treatment, including five in the DAPT and 20 in the no-DAPT cohorts. The mean age, World Federation of Neurological Surgeons grade, aneurysm size, and follow-up duration of the overall study cohort were 52.3 years, 2.9, 7.4 mm, and 32.7 months, respectively. The mean time from aSAH to shunt placement was significantly higher for patients in the DAPT cohort (5.6 vs. 0.7 months; p=0.026). The shunt complication rates (p=0.562) and functional outcomes at last follow-up (p=0.924) were not significantly different between the two cohorts. CONCLUSION Patients receiving DAPT after the stent-assisted coiling of acutely ruptured aneurysms do not have an increased risk of shunt-related complications or unfavorable long-term functional outcomes compared to endovascularly treated aSAH patients not taking DAPT. These results suggest that further study is warranted.
Abstract P053: Cardiovascular Health is Associated With Incidence of Elevated C-Reactive Protein Over 18 Years of Follow-up: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study

Introduction: In 2010, the American Heart Association (AHA) established “Life’s Simple 7” a composite of metrics aimed at defining cardiovascular health (CVH). Seven positive health factors (blood cholesterol, blood pressure, and fasting plasma glucose) and behaviors (diet quality, physical activity, smoking, and body mass index) are emphasized within the construct, each being scored into ideal, intermediate, or poor categories. While multiple studies have explored the association between the individual components of CVH and markers of inflammation and atherogenesis, none have examined total CVH score as a predictor of elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Purpose: To assess the hypothesis that CVH score is inversely associated with future elevated CRP levels. Methods: Black and White men and women (N=1096) from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in young Adults (CARDIA) study were examined at 4 different examinations across 18 years (1992, 2000, 2005,2010). At each examination, CRP and the components of CVH were measured. A 14-point CVH score was determined by summing points for each CVH metric at ideal (2 points), intermediate (1 point), and poor (0 points) levels. Three categories of CVH score were created: low (0-7), moderate (8-11), and high (12-14). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to test the association of both categorical and continuous CVH score with incidence of elevated CRP (>3.0 mg/L) over up to 18 years of follow-up. All models were adjusted for sex and race, and the following time-varying covariates: age, and current level of education. Results: Over the 18-year period, the incidence of elevated CRP was 33.6 per 1000 person years. Baseline CVH was associated with lower risk (hazard ratio (HR): 0.83; 95% CI: 0.80 to 0.86) of elevated CRP per 1point increment in CVH. When compared to the high CVH group at baseline, both low (HR: 2.80; 95% CI: 2.16 to 3.65) and moderate (HR: 1.63; 95%CI: 1.35 to 1.96) CVH groups had elevated risk of elevated CRP. Time-varying CVH was associated with a lower risk (HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.85 to 0.91) of elevated CRP per increment in CVH score. In models that entered CVH category as a time-varying covariate, both low (HR: 2.84; 95% CI: 2.08 to 3.87) and moderate (HR: 2.09; 95% CI: 1.56 to 2.79) CVH categories were associated with over twice the risk of elevated CRP compared to the optimal CVH group. Conclusions: Lower CVH is associated with elevated risk of elevated CRP during the transition from young adulthood to middle age.
Analyzing compute vs. storage tradeoff for video-aware storage efficiency

Video content is quite unique from its storage footprint perspective. In a video distribution environment, a master video file needs to be transcoded into different resolutions, bitrates, codecs and containers to enable distribution to a wide variety of devices and media players over different kinds of networks. Our experiments show that when 8 master videos are transcoded into most popular 376 formats (derived from 8 resolutions and 6 containers), transcoded versions occupy 8 times more storage than the master video. One major challenge with efficiently storing such content is that traditional de-duplication algorithms cannot detect significant duplication between any 2 versions. Transcoding on-the-fly is a technique in which a distribution copy is created only when requested by a user. This technique saves storage but at the expense of extra compute cost and latency resulting from transcoding after a user request is received. In this paper we develop cost metrics that allow us to compare storage vs. compute costs and suggest when a transcoding on-the-fly solution can be cost effective. We also analyze how such a solution can be deployed in a practical storage system using access pattern information or a variant of ski-rent [1] online algorithm when such information is not available.
Structural and electronic properties of Ga 2 O 3 -Al 2 O 3 alloys

Ga2O3 is emerging as an important electronic material. Alloying with Al2O3 is a viable method to achieve carrier confinement, to increase the bandgap, or to modify the lattice parameters. However, the two materials have very different ground-state crystal structures (monoclinic β-gallia for Ga2O3 and corundum for Al2O3). Here, we use hybrid density functional theory calculations to assess the alloy stabilities and electronic properties of the alloys. We find that the monoclinic phase is the preferred structure for up to 71% Al incorporation, in close agreement with experimental phase diagrams, and that the ordered monoclinic AlGaO3 alloy is exceptionally stable. We also discuss bandgap bowing, lattice constants, and band offsets that can guide future synthesis and device design efforts.
Iofetamine hydrochloride I 123: a new radiopharmaceutical for cerebral perfusion imaging.

Iofetamine hydrochloride I-123 permits cerebral blood perfusion imaging with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). SPECT is more widely available than positron emission tomography, and complements anatomic visualization with X-ray computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging. Iofetamine is an amphetamine analog that is rapidly taken up by the lungs, then redistributed principally to the liver and brain. The precise mechanism of localization has not been determined, but is believed to result from nonspecific receptor binding. Brain uptake peaks at 30 minutes postinjection and remains relatively constant through 60 minutes. The drug is metabolized and excreted in the urine, with negligible activity remaining at 48 hours. When compared with CT in stroke patients, visualization may be performed sooner after symptom onset and a larger zone of involvement may be evident with iofetamine. Localization of seizure foci and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease may also be possible. As CT has revolutionized noninvasive imaging of brain anatomy, SPECT with iofetamine permits routine cerebral blood flow imaging. 36 references.
Blood Formation in the Pregnant Mouse

Pregnancy in mice was accompanied by increased erythropoiesis which was most marked in the spleen and was reflected peripherally by increased percentages of circulating erythrocytes. During the last four or five days of pregnancy, there was an equally significant drop in erythropoiesis to normal or below normal values and this occurred despite a falling hematocrit. It is suggested that the changing oxygen requirement of the fetuses may be the primary determinant of these erythropoietic changes.