cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An empirical investigation into the effects of web search characteristics on decisions associated with impression formation

It is now common knowledge that information on the World Wide Web is used by people to acquire facts before making decisions--a key activity being forming impressions about other people. Given this, an interesting question arises as to whether and how such impressions may be biased by the characteristics of the information source itself. For instance, in the case of search results about a person, do the quantity and order of results affect the impression formed about the person in question? The question takes on significance considering that these factors may affect decisions of considerable importance and tangible consequence such as those regarding employment, for example, and at the same time, such factors are largely outside the control of the individuals affected. In this paper we refer to searchable digital information about a person on the Web as ePersona, and the impression formed about the person based on the perception as ePerception. Using Web search results, we studied the impacts of order and quantity of results on ePerception using an experiment. Our findings suggest that the order or ranking of results about a search target impacts the impression formed about that target. We also found that the quantity of search results alone does not seem to impact the impression formed.
Comparison of near-infrared, fourier transform-infrared, and fourier transform-raman methods for determining olive pomace oil adulteration in extra virgin olive oil

The adulteration of extra virgin olive oil with cheaper oils is a major problem in the olive oil market. In this study, near-infrared, mid-infrared, and Raman spectroscopic techniques were used to quantify the amount of olive pomace oil adulteration in extra virgin olive oil. The concentration of olive pomace oil in extra virgin olive oil was in the range between 0 and 100% in 5% increments by weight. Of the methods studied, Fourier transform-Raman spectroscopy gave the highest correlation with a correlation coefficient of 0.997 and a standard error of prediction of 1.72%. The spectroscopic techniques have the potential to become a tool for rapid determination of adulteration in extra virgin olive oil, because they are casy to use and cost-effective.
Creating an empowering culture: examining the relationship between organizational culture and perceptions of empowerment

Abstract A study of front line employees in four textile plants located in the Southeastern United States is used to examine how organizational culture may support empowerment efforts. Our results indicate that organizational cultures that were perceived as being more collective and more doing-oriented were related to significantly greater perceptions of empowerment. Power distance was related to empowerment and organizational commitment in unexpected ways. Implications for both theory and practice are discussed.
Adaptation of a simple flow cytometric assay to identify different stages during apoptosis.

Apoptosis occurs under many different physiological and pathological conditions, and it reflects a genetically encoded suicide program that can be triggered by different stimuli in susceptible cells. We adapted a flow cytometric assay for the detection of apoptosis based on differential staining of viable cells with two different DNA binding dyes, propidium iodide (PI) and Hoechst 33342 (Ho342). Apoptosis was induced in different cell lines by γ irradiation, an anti-FAS monoclonal antibody, or ganciclovir in Herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase-expressing cells. We could identify three different populations that appeared sequentially after the induction of apoptosis. Cells corresponding to these populations were sorted and assessed for evidence of apoptosis as determined by alterations of nuclear morphology and detection of endonucleolytic activity. This analysis revealed a PI− population with subtle apoptotic changes and increased Ho342 fluorescence compared with untreated cells. Extensive apoptotic alterations were observed in a PI+ population that increased over time following the induction of apoptosis. A third population was characterized by an intermediate intensity of PI fluorescence and decreased Ho342 fluorescence compared with the other populations. This population appeared late after treatment and consisted of apoptotic bodies. Taken together, these data suggest that distinct stages of apoptosis can be identified by differential staining of cells Ho342 and PI. This assay should be useful for the detection and further characterization of cells at different stages in the apoptotic process. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Utility of a Language Screening Measure for Predicting Risk for Language Impairment in Bilinguals.

Purpose This study evaluated the accuracy of an experimental version of the Bilingual English Spanish Oral Screener (BESOS; Pena, Bedore, Iglesias, Gutierrez-Clellen, & Goldstein, 2008) for predict...
A Closer look at calcium absorption and the benefits and risks of dietary versus supplemental calcium.

AbstractObjective: To perform a thorough search of the literature on calcium research and specifically address the topic of calcium absorption. Methods: PubMed and Ovid were the main engines used for primary literature searches; textbooks, review articles, and book chapters are examples of the other sources used for supplemental information. Results: Regarding calcium absorption, it seems apparent that the absorption efficiency of all calcium salts, regardless of solubility, is fairly equivalent and not significantly less than the absorption efficiency of dietary calcium. However, dietary calcium has been shown to have greater impact in bone building than supplemental calcium. This is likely due to improved absorption with meals and the tendency of people to intake smaller amounts more frequently, which is more ideal for the body's method of absorption. In addition, the cardiovascular risks of excessive calcium intake appear to be more closely related to calcium supplements than dietary calcium; this rela...
THE REMARKABLE MOLECULAR CONTENT OF THE RED SPIDER NEBULA (NGC 6537)

Millimeter and sub-millimeter molecular-line observations of planetary nebula (PN) NGC 6537 (Red Spider) have been carried out using the Sub-Millimeter Telescope and the 12 m antenna of the Arizona Radio Observatory in the frequency range 86-692 GHz. CN, HCN, HNC, CCH, CS, SO, H2CO, HCO+ and N2H+, along with the J = 3 → 2 and 6 → 5 lines of CO and those of several isotopologues, were detected toward the Red Spider, estimated to be ~1600 yr old. This extremely high excitation PN evidently fosters a rich molecular environment. The presence of CS and SO suggest that sulfur may be sequestered in molecular form in such nebulae. A radiative transfer analysis of the CO and CS spectra indicate a kinetic temperature of T K ~ 60-80 K and gas densities of n(H2) ~ 1-8 × 105 cm–3 in NGC 6537. Column densities of the molecules in the nebula and their fractional abundances relative to H2 ranged from N tot ~ 1016 cm–2 and f ~ 10–4 for CO, to ~7 × 1011 cm–2 and f ~ 8 × 10–9 for the least abundant species, N2H+. For SO and CS, N tot ~ 2 × 1012 cm–2 and 1013 cm–2, respectively, with f ~ 10–7 and 2 × 10–8. It was also found that HCN/HNC 2. A low 12C/13C ratio of ~4 was measured, indicative of hot-bottom burning. These results, coupled with past observations, suggest that molecular abundances in PNe are governed principally by the physical and chemical properties of the individual object and its progenitor star, rather than nebular age.
Dabigatran: Is There a Role for Coagulation Assays in Guiding Therapy?:

objective:To determine the usefulness of coagulation assay monitoring for dabigatran etexilate in certain high-risk clinical situations.DATA SOURCES:Literature retrieval was accessed through MEDLINE (1948-February 2013), Web of Science (1980-February 2013), International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1977-February 2013), and Google Scholar using the terms dabigatran, dabigatran etexilate, BIBR 1048, BIBR 953, direct thrombin inhibitor, therapeutic monitoring, and atrial fibrillation. In addition, abstracts presented at the 2011-2012 American Society of Hematology, American College of Cardiology, International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis, and European Society of Cardiology annual meetings were reviewed. A search of Clinicaltrials.gov was performed to identify relevant ongoing or completed research.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:All English-language articles identified from the data sources were evaluated for inclusion. Priority was placed on all data derived from controlled clinical studies.DATA...
Prioritizing Quality Improvement in General Surgery

Background Despite growing interest in quality improvement, uncertainty remains about which procedures offer the most room for improvement in general surgery. In this context, we sought to describe the relative contribution of different procedures to overall morbidity, mortality, and excess length of stay in general surgery. Study Design Using data from the American College of Surgeons' National Surgery Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP), we identified all patients undergoing a general surgery procedure in 2005 and 2006 (n=129,233). Patients were placed in 36 distinct procedure groups based on Current Procedural Terminology codes. We first examined procedure groups according to their relative contribution to overall morbidity and mortality. We then assessed procedure groups according to their contribution to overall excess length of stay. Results Ten procedure groups alone accounted for 62% of complications and 54% of excess hospital days. Colectomy accounted for the greatest share of adverse events, followed by small intestine resection, inpatient cholecystectomy, and ventral hernia repair. In contrast, several common procedures contributed little to overall morbidity and mortality. For example, outpatient cholecystectomy, breast procedures, thyroidectomy, parathyroidectomy, and outpatient inguinal hernia repair together accounted for 34% of procedures, but only 6% of complications (and only 4% of major complications). These same procedures accounted for Conclusions A relatively small number of procedures account for a disproportionate share of the morbidity, mortality, and excess hospital days in general surgery. Focusing quality improvement efforts on these procedures may be an effective strategy for improving patient care and reducing cost.
Malignant Hypertension: Effect of Therapy on Renin and Aldosterone

Plasma renin activity (PRA) and aldosterone secretion rate (ASR) were measured in 22 patients in balance on a 100 mEq sodium diet during the malignant phase of hypertension and at intervals during long-term follow-up on pharmacological therapy. Three patients had normal PRA and ASR during malignant hypertension. Eighty-six per cent of patients had an increased ASR, but only in 36% was PRA concomitantly increased during malignant hypertension (one patient developed elevated PRA in the postmalignant period). PRA fell to normal in 87% of patients after antihypertensive therapy. ASR fell to normal on drug therapy in six patients, and in all of these there was a period during the postmalignant phase in which ASR was increased while PRA was normal or suppressed. In addition to this group with reversible hyperaldosteronism, all but two of the remaining patients with elevated ASR had periods during which ASR was increased at the same time that PRA was normal or suppressed. These data raise the possibility that either a nonrenin aldosterone-stimulating hormone is secreted in malignant hypertension or that excessive stimulation of the adrenal by angiotensin can lead to persistent hyperfunction of aldosterone-secreting cells with a quantitatively deranged feedback control. One patient had an aldosterone-secreting adenoma and had manifestations of the hyperaldosteronism antedating the development of malignant hypertension.
Synthesis and copolymerizations of 3,3‐difluorocyclobutene‐1‐carbonitrile

3,3-Difluorocyclobutene-1-carbonitrile (DFCB) was synthesized via cycloaddition of 1-chloro-2,2-difluoroethylene and acrylonitrile, followed by dehydrochlorination with 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane in tetrahydrofuran. Unlike cyclobutene-1-carbonitrile, this monomer did not homopolymerize either under radical or anionic conditions. As an electron-poor monomer it copolymerized in the presence of free radicals with electronrich monomers such as styrene in good yield. It also copolymerized with electron-poor monomers such as acrylonitrile, although in lower yields. The extent of incorporation of DFCB in the copolymers also depended on the electronic characteristics of the comonomers: high incorporation occurred with electron-rich monomers, low incorporation with electron-poor monomers. One extremely electron-poor monomer, trimethyl ethylenetricarboxylate, did not copolymerize with DFCB.
Development and Analysis of a Mathematics Aptitude Test for Gifted Elementary School Students.

This paper describes the development and preliminary analysis of a mathematical test targeted for high mathematical ability elementary school students, the Stanford Education Program for Gifted Youth (EPGY) Mathematical Aptitude Test (SEMAT). A version was administered to 248 students, 9–11 years old, in EPGY. The SEMAT was developed because no other satisfactory test was designed or normed for this population. Most standardized tests assess mathematics proficiency for the general population so that gifted students' scores cluster in the few top percentiles. The SEMAT discriminated among this extreme upper end. Item response theory determined proficiency estimates, which were then used as scores to predict various outcomes in EPGY. The SEMAT proved to be a strong predictor of acceleration in EPGY.
Is procalcitonin better than C‐reactive protein for early diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia in children?

Early diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia plays a pivotal role in the management. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of procalcitonin (PCT) as compared with C-reactive protein (CRP) for the early diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia in children. In total, 92 children consisting of 46 patients of bacterial pneumonia were admitted in the Military hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan and equal number of controls were included. Patient's investigations were carried out at admission. PCT and CRP were analyzed on Vidas analyzer and Immulite 1000, respectively. Out of 46 pneumonia patients, 28 were male and 18 female, with a median age of 4 years. PCT levels were significantly high median (range) of 2.69 ng/ml (0.30-13.00) vs. 0.45 ng/ml (0.10-2.00) in controls. Serum CRP levels were moderately elevated with median (range) 6.5 mg/l (0.30-60) vs. 0.30 mg/l (0.30-5.0) in controls. The area under receiver characteristic curves for PCT and CRP were 0.89 (95% CI=0.83-0.96) and 0.79 (95% CI=0.70-0.88), respectively. In total, 38 patients were diagnosed to have bacterial pneumonia with PCT (sensitivity 83% at cutoff > or = 1 ng/ml) and 26 children with CRP (sensitivity 57% at cutoff > or = 6 mg/L). PCT has better diagnostic accuracy than CRP and can be utilized for early diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia in children.
Clustering web images with multi-modal features

Web image clustering has drawn significant attention in the research community recently. However, not much work has been done in using multi-modal information for clustering Web images. In this paper, we address the problem of Web image clustering by simultaneous integration of visual and textual features from a graph partitioning perspective. In particular, we modelled visual features, images, and words from the surrounding text of the images using a tripartite graph. This graph is actually considered as a fusion of two bipartite graphs that are partitioned simultaneously by the proposed Consistent Isoperimetric High-order Co-clustering(CIHC) framework. Although a similar approach has been adopted before, the main contribution of this work lies in the computational efficiency, quality in Web image clustering and scalability to large image repositories that CIHC is able to achieve. We demonstrate this through experimental results performed on real Web images.
Angiotensin II Receptor Blockers in Heart Failure

Heart failure remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, despite major advances in therapy. Angiotensin II, the principal mediator of the renin-angiotensin system, exerts both short-term (e.g., hemodynamic, renal) and long-term (e.g., inflammation, cardiac remodeling) effects in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disease. The effects of angiotensin II appear to be more completely inhibited by angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), which act at the subtype 1 receptor level, than by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors because pathways other than that of ACE contribute to the generation of angiotensin II. Evidence demonstrates that ARBs, when added to conventional treatment for patients with heart failure, are associated with a reduction in morbidity and mortality as well as an improvement in quality of life. Clinical trials of ARB therapy indicate that these agents are generally well tolerated, both alone and in combination with other neurohormonal inhibitors. The current role of ARBs in heart failure is as an alternative for patients who cannot tolerate therapy with an ACE inhibitor. A number of ongoing clinical studies are likely to further define or expand the role of ARBs in the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Unit load (belt) conveyor operating design and cost

A conveyor cost estimation methodology is developed which takes into account the two major costs of operating unit load conveyors: maintenance and power. A programmable calculator program (CONVEY) Is developed to assist the plant engineer in determining new operating conditions for the belt, such as motor size, belt tension, gear and sprocket ratio. CONVEY also computes power consumption for specified belt operating parameters.
ToolClips: an investigation of contextual video assistance for functionality understanding

We investigate the use of on-line contextual video assistance to improve the learnability of software functionality. After discussing motivations and design goals for such forms of assistance, we present our new technique, ToolClips. ToolClips augment traditional tooltips to provide users with quick and contextual access to both textual and video assistance. In an initial study we found that users successfully integrated ToolClip usage into the flow of their primary tasks to overcome learnability difficulties. In a second study, we found that with ToolClips, users successfully completed 7 times as many unfamiliar tasks, in comparison to using a commercial professionally developed on-line help system. Users also retained the information obtained from ToolClips, performing tasks significantly faster one week later.
Diabetes and benign prostatic hyperplasia progression in Olmsted County, Minnesota

Abstract Objectives To examine the association of diabetes and progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia in a prospective population-based sample of residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, with serial surrogate measures of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Methods A cohort of 2115 white men aged 40 to 79 years was randomly selected from an enumeration of the 1990 Olmsted County, Minnesota population (55% participation rate). Participants completed a previously validated baseline questionnaire that assessed lower urinary tract symptom severity from questions similar to the American Urological Association Symptom Index. The questionnaire also asked whether they had ever been diagnosed by a physician as having diabetes. Participants also voided into a portable urometer to measure the peak urinary flow rate. A 25% random subsample underwent transrectal ultrasonography to determine the prostate volume, and the prostate-specific antigen level was determined. Dynamic follow-up was performed biennially for 12 years with the measures repeated at each visit. Results Of the 2115 men 111 had diabetes at baseline. The men with diabetes had a significantly greater median annual percentage change in the American Urological Association Symptom Index (0.40 versus 0.15, P = 0.04) and a trend toward a greater median annual percentage of change in the peak urinary flow rate (−4.7% versus −2.9%, P = 0.06) compared with those without diabetes. However, no significant difference was found in the annual percentage of change in the prostate volume or serum prostate-specific antigen level. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that the presence of diabetes may be more closely associated with the dynamic components of lower urinary tract function than with benign prostatic hyperplasia progression, per se.
Herbert W. Conn: Formative decades of microbiology and evolutionary biology

The Wesleyan Biology Department conference room showcases several portraits of distinguished biologists from its history, including one depicting Herbert W. Conn (1859–1917) as a dashing young man sporting a double-breasted suit, pince-nez, and a perfect Van Dyke beard. Conn made outstanding contributions to both microbiology and evolutionary biology, showing how bacteria share fundamental properties with more familiar animals and plants, and thus making microbes more comprehensible to lay people and scientists alike. His breadth of knowledge comes through in the many books and articles he published, reflecting his intellectual command of several biological disciplines.
Economic analysis of influenza vaccination and antiviral treatment for healthy working adults.

Outcome Measures: Cost in U.S. dollars, including the value of symptom relief and medication side effects, which was assigned a monetary value through a conjoint analysis that used a “willingness-to-pay” approach. Results: In the base-case analysis, all strategies for influenza vaccination had a higher net benefit than the nonvaccination strategies. Vaccination and use of rimantadine, the most cost-beneficial strategy, was $30.97 more cost-beneficial than nonvaccination and no use of antiviral medication. The health benefits of most antiviral treatments equaled or exceeded their costs for most scenarios. The choice of the most cost-beneficial antiviral strategy was sensitive to the prevalence of influenza B and to the comparative workdays gained by each antiviral therapy. Conclusions: Vaccination is cost-beneficial in most influenza seasons in healthy working adults. Although the benefits of antiviral therapy for persons with influenza infection appear to justify its cost, head-to-head trials of the various antiviral therapies are needed to determine the optimal treatment strategy.
On Mosco convergence of convex sets

We present a natural topology compatible with the Mosco convergence of sequences of closed convex sets in a reflexive space, and characterise the topology in terms of the continuity of the distance between convex sets and fixed weakly compact ones. When the space is separable, the topology is Polish. As an application, we show that in this context, most closed convex sets are almost Chebyshev, a result that fails for the stronger Hausdorff metric topology.
Residual Serum Thrombin Activity

A simple test for residual thrombin activity of serum is described. This test is believed to reflect the over-all antithrombin activity of the specimen. These results are not altered by silicone vs. glass handling. The test is influenced by the presence or absence of contact with a fresh clot; by deficiencies in prothrombin or fibrinogen; by aging of plasma specimens and possibly by streptokinase administration in vivo, and by pancreatic disease. The full significance of alteration in this test remains to be determined.
Knowledge representation in fuzzy logic

The conventional approaches to knowledge representation, e.g., semantic networks, frames, predicate calculus and Prolog, are based on bivalent logic. A serious shortcoming of such approaches is their inability to come to grips with the issue of uncertainty and imprecision. As a consequence, the conventional approaches do not provide an adequate model for modes of reasoning which are approximate rather than exact. Most modes of human reasoning and all of commonsense reasoning fall into this category.
Imperfectly Conducting Dipoles

For many purposes the conductivity σ of copper is sufficiently high so that no significant differences exist between the distributions of current and the admittances of copper antennas and the physically unavailable but mathematically convenient perfectly conducting antennas. The discussion and the tables in Section 2 assume σ = ∞ or z i = r i + jx i = 0, where z i is the internal impedance per unit length. In this section the properties of cylindrical antennas with nonzero values of z i are considered. The basis of the results presented is given in three papers.1,2,3 The impedance per unit length of the cylindrical antenna is conveniently expressed in terms of the dimension-less real parameter $$\Phi_i = 2\lambda r^i/\zeta_0$$ where r i is the resistance per unit length, λ is the wavelength in air, and ζ0 ≐ 1207π ohms. Typical graphs of the distributions of current along cylindrical antennas that are a half wavelength and a full wavelength long when perfectly conducting are shown in Figs. 3.1 and 3.2, with Φi as the parameter. Typical graphs of the admittance of resistive dipoles are shown in Fig. 3.3, and graphs of the impedance in Fig. 3.4. The efficiency is shown in Fig. 3.5. Tables 3.1 and 3.2 give numerical values of the admittance and the impedance, respectively, of resistive dipoles for a wide range of values of h/λ and Φi.
Exploring Donotion-related Knowledge Attitudes, Beliefs and Distrust Among African Americans

Abstract Within the field of organ donation, multiple studies have shown differences in patterns of trust, however, it is unclear which elements are significantly related to donation decision making among African Americans. This study sought to disentangle the construct of trust by parceling out measures related to the healthcare system, the donation/allocation system, and the physician; and determine the relationship of these dimensions to attitudes toward organ and tissue donation. Cross-sectional survey data were gathered from 585 African American adults residing in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Results indicate that varying dimensions of trust function differently in their influence on attitudes toward donation. Our findings suggest that trust is critical to donation decision-making and should be measured with a multidimensional approach, particularly among racial/ethnic groups with complex histories with the healthcare system. This study underlines the need for a more tailored, individualized approach to promoting organ and tissue donation among African Americans. Acknowledgements We also thank Rianot Amzat, Mohua Basu and Rhonda DeLaremore for their assistance with data collection, cleaning, entry, and analysis.
Skin rash and microscopic hematuria in a 10-year-old Caucasian male

Objective: Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) is an acute, systemic, vasculitis with IgA-dominant immune deposits. With the emphasis on educational value of HSP, which is the most common form of vasculitis in children, we report an actual case from a 10-year-old boy. Method: The patient presented with the chief complaint of a skin rash. His illness history, family medical history, physical examination, and relevant laboratory findings were summarized, followed by a question and possible answer format discussion. Results and Conclusion: With the significant elevation of red blood cells in his urine and moderate to severe deposition of IgA in kidney biopsy, the patient was diagnosed with HSP nephritis. Renal symptoms, such as proteinuria and hematuria, are mostly the last to develop and determine the long-term prognosis in HSP patients. The patient is currently undergoing steroid treatment, which is the primary intervention for HSP as it spontaneously resolves in most of affected children. * Abbreviations : HSP : Henoch-Schonlein purpura HSPN : Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis UTI : urinary tract infection PT : prothrombin APTT : activated partial thromboplastin time Ig : immunoglobulin ESR : erythrocyte sedimentation rate CRP : C-reactive protein ANA : antinuclear antibody ANCA : antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody EULAR : European League Against Rheumatism PRES : Pediatric Rheumatology European Society CKD : chronic kidney disease GalNAc : immunoglobulin(IgA)1 that has exposed N-acetylgalactosamin HIV : human immunodeficiency virus MRSA : methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus ; NAnot applicable; HPF : high power field LPF : low power field, dsDNAdouble-strand DNA MCV : mean corpuscular volume MCH : mean corpuscular hemoglobin MCHC : mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration RDW : red blood cell distribution width
A Histochemical Approach to the Differentiation of Lichen Planus from Lupus Erythematosus

A histochemical technic utilizing a maleimide-derived fluorochrome for the detection of disulfide bonds in subepidermal hyaline bodies is described. Lichen planus and the skin lesions of lupus erythematosus, which may have similar clinical, histologic, and immunofluorescent presentations, tend to demonstrate different patterns of reactivity with this reagent. This technic, then, may be used to distinguish between these two cutaneous disorders.
UI-Timer 1.0: An Ultrafast Path-Based Timing Analysis Algorithm for CPPR

The recent TAU computer-aided design (CAD) contest has aimed to seek novel ideas for accurate and fast common path pessimism removal (CPPR). Unnecessary pessimism forces the static timing analysis tool to report worse violation than the true timing properties owned by physical circuits, thereby misleading signoff timing into a lower clock frequency at which circuits can operate than actual silicon implementations. Therefore, we introduce in this paper UI-Timer 1.0, a powerful CPPR algorithm which achieves high accuracy and ultrafast runtime. Unlike existing approaches which are dominated by explicit path search, UI-Timer 1.0 proves that by implicit path representation the amount of search effort can be significantly reduced. Our timer is superior in both space and time saving, from which memory storage and important timing quantities are available in constant space and constant time per path during the search. Experimental results on industrial benchmarks released from TAU 2014 CAD contest have justified that UI-Timer 1.0 achieved the best result in terms of accuracy and runtime over existing CPPR algorithms.
The Strategic Choice of Vocational Education Development in Western China

Vocational education development has already became an important national policy of our country.This article elaborated the special function of the vocational education development in western China and ponit out that it could not be substituted in western human resources development.The paper summarized the vocational education innovation practice in western provinces recent years;proposed the guidelines which transforms the western vocational education development,and put forward a strategic choice that could impetus the west vocational education so as to realize its breakthrough by system innovation.
Association of nadir oxygen delivery on cardiopulmonary bypass with serum glial fibrillary acid protein levels in paediatric heart surgery patients.

Objectives Protecting the brain during cardiac surgery is a major challenge. We evaluated associations between nadir oxygen delivery (DO2) during paediatric cardiac surgery and a biomarker of brain injury, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Methods Blood samples were obtained during a prospective, single-centre observational study of children undergoing congenital heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) (2010-2011). Remnant blood samples, collected serially prior to cannulation for bypass and until incision closure, were analysed for GFAP levels. Perfusion records were reviewed to calculate nadir DO2. Linear regression analysis was used to assess the association between nadir DO2 and GFAP levels. Results A total of 116 consecutive children were included, with the median age of 0.75 years (interquartile range: 0.42-8.00) and the median weight of 8.3 kg (5.8-20.0). Single-ventricle anatomy was present in 19 patients (16.4%). Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) was used in 14 patients (12.1%). On univariable analysis, nadir DO2 was significantly associated with GFAP values measured during rewarming on CPB (P = 0.005) and after CPB decannulation (P = 0.02). On multivariable analysis controlling for CPB time, DHCA and procedure risk category, a significant negative relationship remained between nadir DO2 and post-CPB GFAP (P = 0.03). Conclusions Lower nadir DO2 is associated with increased GFAP levels, suggesting that diminished DO2 during paediatric heart surgery may be contributing to neurological injury. The DO2-GFAP relationship may provide a useful measure for the implementation of neuroprotective strategies in paediatric heart surgery, including goal-directed perfusion.
Spinor-Quaternion Analysis in Relativity Theory

Not long after Dirac discovered that to maintain the Schrodinger form of quantum mechanics, in a way that would be consistent with the symmetry requirements of special relativity theory, it is necessary to extend from the complex scalar wave function formulation to a spinor formulation, Einstein and Mayer [4] asked the following question: “Is it possible that the appearance of the ‘spinor variable’ in Dirac’s electron equation was in fact necessitated by the imposition of relativistic covariance, and does not depend on the quantum mechanical nature of the description per se?” To answer this question, these authors investigated the minimum-dimensional representations of the symmetry group of special relativity theory — the Poincare group.
High-resolution ensemble projections of near-term regional climate over the continental United States

We present high-resolution near-term ensemble projections of hydro-climatic changes over the contiguous U.S. using a regional climate model (RegCM4) that dynamically downscales 11 Global Climate Models from the 5th phase of Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project at 18km horizontal grid spacing. All model integrations span 41 years in the historical period (1965 – 2005) and 41 years in the near-term future period (2010 – 2050) under Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 and cover a domain that includes the contiguous U.S. and parts of Canada and Mexico. Should emissions continue to rise, surface temperatures in every region within the U.S. will reach a new climate norm well before mid 21st century regardless of the magnitudes of regional warming. Significant warming will likely intensify the regional hydrological cycle through the acceleration of the historical trends in cold, warm and wet extremes. The future temperature response will be partly regulated by changes in snow hydrology over the regions that historically receive a major portion of cold season precipitation in the form of snow. Our results indicate the existence of the Clausius-Clapeyron scaling at regional scales where per degree centigrade rise in surface temperature will lead to a 7.4% increase in precipitation from extremes. More importantly,more » both winter (snow) and summer (liquid) extremes are projected to increase across the U.S. These changes in precipitation characteristics will be driven by a shift towards shorter and wetter seasons. Altogether, projected changes in the regional hydro-climate can have substantial impacts on the natural and human systems across the U.S.« less
Multivariable Sensors for Ubiquitous Monitoring of Gases in the Era of Internet of Things and Industrial Internet

Modern gas monitoring scenarios for medical diagnostics, environmental surveillance, industrial safety, and other applications demand new sensing capabilities. This Review provides analysis of development of new generation of gas sensors based on the multivariable response principles. Design criteria of these individual sensors involve a sensing material with multiresponse mechanisms to different gases and a multivariable transducer with independent outputs to recognize these different gas responses. These new sensors quantify individual components in mixtures, reject interferences, and offer more stable response over sensor arrays. Such performance is attractive when selectivity advantages of classic gas chromatography, ion mobility, and mass spectrometry instruments are canceled by requirements for no consumables, low power, low cost, and unobtrusive form factors for Internet of Things, Industrial Internet, and other applications. This Review is concluded with a perspective for future needs in fundament...
Measuring Diploma Diplomacy

The Marshall program was, first and foremost, an act of diplomacy: it was born out of the politics of the US–UK alliance and was intended to sustain and nourish it. Gratitude for the Marshall Plan was the catalyst, but the Scholarship program won out over the other suggestions precisely because it held enduring political value. UK Government officials spoke of “dividends,” “lasting value,” “favourable effects,” and “advantages in the long run.”
Research and Theory as Necessary Tools for Organizational Training and Performance Improvement Practitioners

Human Performance Technology (HPT) is the applied study and practice of improving organizational performance through training and non-training interventions. For practitioners working in this area that identify themselves as an HPT practitioner, organizational training and performance (OTP) specialist, or instructional designer—offering the right intervention set requires understanding of how humans work and function internally and within organizations that are bounded by environmental, societal, and economic realities. The HPT field is rooted in a multi-disciplinary knowledge base and has its own models and theories, which are generally developed by practitioners to guide their practice. Because HPT follows a systematic, data-driven process akin to action research, HPT practitioners are applied researchers even if they do not see themselves as such. What we need is more collaboration between scholars, practitioners, professional associations, and businesses to create a culture of engagement and involve everybody in the validation of applied research and theory development.
Effects of Parking Provision on Automobile Use in Cities: Inferring Causality

Many cities include minimum parking requirements in their zoning codes and provide ample parking for public use. However, parking is costly to provide and encourages automobile use, according to many site-specific studies. At the city scale, higher automobile use is linked to traffic congestion, environmental degradation, and negative health and safety impacts, but there is a lack of compelling, consolidated evidence that large-scale parking increases cause automobile use to rise. In this study, the Bradford Hill criteria, adopted from the field of epidemiology, were applied to determine whether increases in parking should be considered a likely cause of citywide increases in automobile use. Prior research and original data from nine U.S. cities dating to 1960 were relied on. It was found that an increase in parking provision from 0.1 to 0.5 parking space per person was associated with an increase in automobile mode share of roughly 30 percentage points. It was also demonstrated that a majority of the Bra...
THE MEDIATOR OF CELLULAR IMMUNITY VI. EFFECT OF THE ANTIMITOTIC DRUG VINBLASTINE ON THE MEDIATOR OF CELLULAR RESISTANCE TO INFECTION

The antimitotic drug vinblastine (Vbl) has a profound impact upon the specifically sensitized lymphocytes that transfer cellular resistance to Listeria monocytogenes. A 12-h pulse of the drug given to prospective donors during the first week of an immunizing Listeria infection inhibits the delivery of protective lymphocytes to the thoracic duct and their subsequent movement into an inflammatory exudate induced in the peritoneal cavity. The effect of Vbl is clearly related to its antimitotic activity, not to an effect on lymphocytes regardless of their position in the division cycle. This conclusion was drawn from an autoradiographic analysis of cells in the lymph of Vbl-treated rats and from failure of the drug to abrogate a known function of small lymphocytes, namely, their ability to initiate a graft-vs.-host reaction. The results imply that large lymphocytes, the rapidly proliferating cells in central lymph, are the principal effector cells responsible for transmitting resistance to L. monocytogenes and provide a plausible explanation for their rapid turnover and short circulating life-span.
Myeloid differentiation and retinoblastoma phosphorylation changes in HL-60 cells induced by retinoic acid receptor- and retinoid X receptor- selective retinoic acid analogs

The ability of subtypes of retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and retinoid X receptors (RXRs) singly and in combination to elicit myeloid differentiation, G1/0-specific growth arrest, and retinoblastoma (RB) tumor suppressor protein dephosphorylation was determined in the human myeloblastic leukemia cell line HL-60 using subtype-selective retinoic acid (RA) analogs. RA analogs that selectively bind only to RARs (Am580 and/or TTNPB) or to RXRs (Ro 25–6603, SR11237, and/or SR11234) did not elicit the above-mentioned three cellular responses. In contrast, simultaneous treatment with both an RAR-selective ligand (Am580 or TTNPB) and an RXR-selective ligand (Ro 25–6603, SR11237, or SR11234) induced all three cellular processes. An RAR alpha-selective ligand used with an RXR-selective ligand generated the same responses as did all-trans RA or 9-cis RA, which affect both families of receptors, suggesting an important role for RAR alpha among RAR subtypes in eliciting cellular response. Consistent with this finding, the RAR alpha antagonist, Ro 41–5253, reduced the level of the cellular responses elicited by treatment with an RAR alpha-selective ligand plus RXR-selective ligand. The coupling of the shift of RB to its hypophosphorylated form with G1/0 arrest and differentiation in response to ligands is consistent with a possible role of RB as a downstream target or effector of RAR alpha and RXR in combination.
Complexity of online gender confirmation resources surpass patient literacy

ABSTRACTBackground: Increasing transgender health care coverage has resulted in easier access to gender confirmation surgery. Patients considering surgery consistently access medical information online to improve knowledge regarding surgical options, complications, recovery, and life after transitioning. As a result, national health institutes recommend that patient educational materials be written at a sixth-grade–reading level. The purpose of this study is to assess the complexity of online gender confirmation surgery information.Methods: An Internet search was performed using the key phrase “transgender surgery”. Health care and non–health care websites were evaluated for pertinent articles regarding gender confirmation surgery. Readability analyses were conducted using Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Gunning Fog Index, Coleman-Liau Index, Simple Measure of Gobbledygook Index, and Automated Readability Index. A two-tailed z test was used to compare means; significance was set at p ≤ 0.05.Results: A total o...
Towards publishing secure capsule-based analysis

Computational engagement with the HathiTrust Digital Library (HTDL) is confounded by the in- copyright status and licensing restrictions on the majority of the content. Because of these limitations, computational analysis on the HTDL must either be carried out in a secure environment or on derivative datasets. The HathiTrust Research Center (HTRC) Data Capsule service provides researchers with a secure environment through which they invoke tools that create, analyze, and export non-consumptive datasets. These derivative datasets, so long as they do not reproduce the full-text of the original work, are a transformative work protected by Fair Use provisions of United States Copyright Law, and can be published for reuse by other researchers, as the HTRC Extracted Features Dataset has been. Secure environments and derivative datasets enable researchers to engage with restricted data from focused studies of a few dozen volumes to large- scale experiments on millions of volumes. This paper describes advances in the Capsule service through a case study of how the HTRC Data Capsule service has advanced our activities on provenance, workflows, worksets, and non-consumptive exports through a topic modeling example. We also discuss the potential applications of this Capsule-based model to other digital libraries wrestling with research access and copyright restrictions.
HYPERCALCEMIC CRISIS IN A PATIENT WITH A HUGE MEDIASTINAL ATYPICAL PARATHYROID ADENOMA

Objective: To describe a patient who presented with hypercalcemic crisis and severe hyperparathyroidism who had urgent surgery. She was found to have a huge mediastinal atypical parathyroid adenoma...
Genetic analysis of Streptococcus mutans virulence

CLARKE (1924) first isolated and described a streptococcus from a human carious lesion and inferred that it was a potential causative agent of dental caries. He named the organism Streptococcus mutans. This observation went unnoticed for some 35 years until ORLAND (1959) demonstrated that enterococci could cause dental caries in germ-free rats and FITZGERALD and colleagues (FITZGERALD and KEYES 1960; FITZGERALD et al. 1960) found that maximum cariogenicity in germ-free animals was observed following infection with streptococci of the type originally described by CLARKE. It was subsequently demonstrated that S. mutans is the principal etiological agent of dental caries in humans (see NEWBRUN 1978). S. mutans only colonizes humans following tooth eruption during the 1st year of life, with most humans being colonized during early childhood (STILES et al. 1976).
Plane Poiseuille Flow of Incompressible Bipolar Viscous Fluids

In Sect. 1.4 we introduced the model of an incompressible, nonlinear, bipolar viscous fluid; this model, which is consistent with the basic principles of continuum mechanics and thermodynamics, as delineated in Sect. 1.4, is based on the following constitutive hypotheses for the Cauchy stress tensor τ ij and the first multipolar stress tensor τ ijk
Harmonic Functions Redux

In this chapter a treatment of the Dirichlet problem for sets in the plane is presented. This topic will be continued in Chapter 21 when harmonic measure and logarithmic capacity are introduced and applied. Some material from Chapter 10 must be restated in the more general setting needed for the more extensive study of harmonic functions. In Chapter 10 all functions considered were continuous; here measure theory will be used to broaden the class of functions. The attitude taken will be that usually results from Chapter 10 will be restated in the more inclusive context, but proofs will be furnished only if there is a significant difference between the proof needed at present and the one given for continuous functions.
Superposition Effects in Differential Entropy and Kullback-Leibler Information

The use of amplitude-based probability densities as distinct from ordinary probability densities means linear combinations of amplitudes introduce both weighting and interference effects. Some inequalities arising from both these effects in differential entropy and Kullback-Leibler information are established.