cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic Total Proctocolectomy with End Ileostomy

The indication for laparoscopic total proctocolectomy with end ileostomy is similar as that for the open version. It is performed for ulcerative or Crohn’s colitis refractory to medical management or for familial polyposis syndromes, when sphincter preservation is not desired or not feasible. This chapter describes indications, essential steps, variations, and complications of this procedure. It provides a detailed template operative note for the procedure.
Enforceability of Certain Promises, Particularly Unilateral and Pre-Closing Promises: Secular and Shari'ah Concepts

The purpose of this paper is to introduce, preliminarily explore, and generate discussion regarding select issues relating to enforceability of, primarily, unilateral promises and pre-closing promises. General principles applicable to unilateral and pre-closing promises in common law and Shari'ah-based systems are considered, including in the project finance context. The paper explores elements, factors, and principles relevant to making a determination as to whether to enforce a particular unilateral promise (wa'd) under Islamic shari'ah, and whether secular law doctrines (such as promissory estoppel, quantum meruit, and others) can assist in the necessary analysis. The paper explores a range of pre-closing discussions, promises, offers, and documents across the entire continuum of pre-closing negotiations. Documents that are considered include term sheets, general terms and conditions, letters of intent, agreements in principle, memoranda of understanding, letters of understanding, heads of agreement, agreements to agree, understandings, agreements, and contracts. A case study of a complex project financing of a electricity generation project is presented for illustrative purposes. The case study involves multiple parties (governmental and commercial) from multiple jurisdictions and contracts governed by the laws of multiple jurisdictions. The contracts involve a bilateral investment treaty, an investment preference agreement, governmental support agreements, a framework agreement, an implementation agreement, letters of support, and customary input and off-take agreements, including intermediary term sheets that were course-of-negotiation predecessors to the foregoing agreements.
Spiritual Formation and the Warfare between the Flesh and the Human Spirit

In response to the common assumption of perpetual moral and spiritual failure in human life, this article offers a view of personal transformation and, in particular, of the role of the human will ...
ANALYZING CORPORATE EXPANSION TO INTERNATIONAL MARKETS: THE CASE OF GERMANY, UNITED KINGDOM, CANADA, MEXICO AND CHINA

In this study, the authors utilized the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) decision-making model to select the optimal market for international expansion for ABC Corporation located in Ohio[1]. The benefits of exporting to nine different countries: Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Netherlands, China, United Arab Emirates, Australia and Brazil were analyzed. For the sake of more precise and in-depth research, preliminary studies performed on these nine countries were used to determine the top five markets: China, Mexico, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom. Preliminary research included multiple factors about these nine countries. Market size, market growth rate, market consumption capacity, market intensity, market receptivity, commercial infrastructure, trade barriers, contribution margins, country risk and the growth rate of construction were the qualitative and quantitative criteria specifically considered. The importance of each criteria and sub-criteria were determined with export market experts and company decision makers. The AHP analysis enabled the authors to determine the best possible export market for the company by evaluating the data from China, Mexico, Canada, Germany and the United Kingdom. The robustness of the results was tested using sensitivity analysis. Sensitivity analysis results were then discussed with the decision makers. The best market was selected and alternative markets were presented with degrees of preference. Managerial implications of the study and future research directions will be discussed. [1] Company name has been disguised for confidentiality reasons. -This paper received “Best Student Achievement in International Business Award for Graduate Students”, Youngstown State University, Williamson College of Business, April 18, 2018. -Acknowledgement: This project allowed our group to become better researchers, taught us how to use AHP methodology in real - life decision making and allowed us to network with colleagues around the world. This was a fantastic experience for all of us and it will not be forgotten. Being able to represent Youngstown State University at the MCDM, 2017 Conference was an honor. We learned and did things that students cannot learn in the classroom. Working alongside Dr. Karpak allowed us to have a hands - on experience with the project and she was there when questions needed addressed. We feel that our research benefitted ABC and allowed them to gain a better understanding of what market they should export to. We are beyond grateful for this experience and glad that we were selected to go to Ottawa, Canada and to now be submitting our research to the IJAHP journal. The authors also thank the export expert Mr. Mousa Kassis, CGBP, Director, Ohio Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Export Assistance Network, Williamson College of Business Administration of Youngstown State University, for identifying ABC Company and giving his expert judgments on criteria evaluations.
Equiripple-Stopband Multiplierless FIR Filters by Chebyshev Sharpening of Two-Sample Averaging

Odd-length linear-phase prototype FIR filters were recently sharpened with scaled Chebyshev polynomials. Here the approach is extended to even-length prototypes and applied to a two-tap averaging filter, and passband normalization in either case is greatly improved for wide-stopband designs. This paper also presents an alternate sharpened-filter structure suitable for decimation or interpolation filtering or for antenna-array weighting. Either structure can generally be made multiplierless.
Software Quality Control and Assurance

Abstract The discipline of software quality assurance has grown during the past few years from a largely test oriented process to one which emphasizes the importance of front end defect prevention and removal. It has become evident that software quality assurance requires the development of a methodology for production of software which is as error free as possible, maintainable and produced within cost and schedule. This paper describes the methods which may be employed to assure that these goals are met. The principal techniques described are the use of high order structured design languages and the use of the design and code inspection process. In addition to the application of error prevention and removal processes, the developed product must be properly controlled to prevent unauthorized modification and to facilitate documentation of any necessary changes. This level of software control can be achieved through the proper use of a serie of controlled libraries requiring specific approval of changes and a means to provide library access for read only to everyone but the library maintainer. A mechanism to achieve this is described. Finally, a means is described to allow the developer or customer to easily assess the effectiveness of the inspection process and to determine in advance when a project is in need of management attention to preserve schedule and contain cost.
Nicotinic Receptors: Autonomic Neurons

This article focuses on the role of nicotinic acetycholine receptors (nAChRs) in the control of organ systems innervated by the autonomic nervous system. As the main mediators of fast synaptic transmission in ganglia, nAChRs are key molecules for the processing of neural commands directed to the peripheral organs. The article also briefly summarizes the function of nAChRs found in organ and tissues that do not receive direct autonomic innervation. The contribution of nicotinic cholinergic mechanisms to normal physiology and disease is discussed in the light of the results available from the analysis of null mutations targeted to the nAChRs subunits expressed in the autonomic nervous system and peripheral organs.
Casuistry and the Case for Business Ethics

I started doing research on casuistry in the mid-1980s, when I was a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard Business School. Despite the fact that I have written and used many cases in my courses, I have never been sold on the use of cases as the only means of teaching business ethics. My colleague at Harvard, Kenneth Goodpaster, suggested that I look into casuistry. I did some poking around but then dropped the subject. A few years later, I was invited to give a Ruffin Lecture at the Darden School and I used that opportunity to delve into casuistry. By then, I had the benefit of Albert Jonson and Stephen Toulmin’s book, The Abuse of Casuistry: A History of Moral Reasoning (1988). Casuistry fit with my interest in history and the role of imagination in ethics. Studying it helped me understand what it was that bothered me about the case method. My research for this paper took me from Plato’s commentary on the sophists, to the Jesuits, the English Casuists, the early advice column writers in magazines, the “scruple shops” at Oxford, and the 18th century texts used to teach about ethics and business at Yale.
Isobar Analysis of γ p → η p

An analysis of the available data below 2.24-GeV c.m. energy for the process $\ensuremath{\gamma}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\eta}p$ yields values of $G\ensuremath{\equiv}\ensuremath{\Gamma}(R\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\gamma}p)\ensuremath{\Gamma}(R\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\eta}p)$ for several $s$-channel resonances, $R$. By varying the details of the direct-channel isobar model it is found that the values of $G$ are reasonably model-independent. When these values are combined with information from other reactions it is possible to calculate electromagnetic widths for the important resonance states in this process. These include essential contributions from ${S}_{11}$ and ${P}_{11}$ states; in addition, admixtures of ${P}_{13}$, ${D}_{13}$, ${F}_{17}$, and ${G}_{17}$ resonances are also needed in order to obtain a good fit to the data. An excellent fit is found by including some recently conjectured stray baryonic states which do not couple significantly to the $\ensuremath{\pi}N$ channel.
On the scope and limits of generalizations in the social sciences

This article disputes the common view that social science explanations depend on discovery of lawlike generalizations from which descriptions of social outcomes can be derived. It distinguishes between governing and phenomenal regularities, and argues that social regularities are phenomenal rather than governing. In place of nomological deductive arguments, the article maintains that social explanations depend on the discovery of causal mechanisms underlying various social processes. The metaphysical correlate of this argument is that there are no social kinds: types of social entities that share a common casual constitution giving rise to strong regularities of behavior. The article turns next to a consideration of the character of social causation and argues for a microfoundational interpretation of social causation: social causal powers are embodied in the constraints and opportunities that institutions present to individual agents. Finally, it is noted that these arguments have consequences for the credibility of social predictions: it is argued that predictions in social science are generally unreliable.
Nonenzymatic glucose sensing using metal oxides – Comparison of CuO, Co3O4, and NiO

Abstract The current status of commercial electrochemical glucose sensors relies on enzymes for quantitative sensing. The sensing performance of enzymatic glucose sensors depends on the stability and catalytic activity of enzymes which degrades over time. Therefore, recent research thrust in this area is on exploring the possibility of developing nonenzymatic glucose sensors using alternative materials that can catalyze the glucose oxidation reaction. Transition metal oxides have emerged as potential candidates for catalytic application in nonenzymatic glucose sensors. They are quite economical and can be easily synthesized in nanocrystalline state which is ideal for electrochemical sensor development. In this paper, we report the fabrication and characterization of nonenzymatic glucose sensors using three different metal oxides, Copper Oxide (CuO), Cobalt Oxide (Co3O4), Nickel Oxide (NiO). It was found that all three metal oxides demonstrate good glucose sensing capability, however, their performance varies due to their different electronic conductivity, electrochemical activity and catalytic behavior towards glucose. Among all three, CuO was found to exhibit the highest sensitivity and selectivity for glucose oxidation.
Stochastic risk-sensitive market integration for renewable energy: Application to ocean wave power plants

Abstract With the expected increase of intermittent renewable energy resources on the electric power grid, short-term reserve markets can prove to be a critical reliability asset. This paper introduces and tests a potential market structure that includes a short-term reserve market for renewable resources where the realized energy is drawn within the bounds of the hourly capacity offered. The study presents a risk-aware stochastic model that determines, based on the day-ahead offer derived using a classic newsvendor formula, the best intraday offers for a renewable energy power plant. The stochastic approach takes into account the uncertainties of energy production and market prices. The proposed risk-sensitive model aims to maximize the renewable power plant’s revenues and minimize potential risks of loss in a multi-product multi-timescale market setup. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed formulation, we study the case of a hypothetical 750-kW wave power plant coupled with energy storage. The study shows that the risk of profit loss is not uniformly distributed across the risk-aversion factor space. We also find that the introduction of the short-term reserve market results in a wider range of conditional value at risk while inducing 5% profit increase and a lower profit reduction across the risk range. In addition, the study reveals that the short-term reserve market is profitable for both the system operator and the wave energy power plant considered.
Sources of clinically significant neonatal intensive care unit phthalate exposure.

In the United States each year, more than 300,000 infants are admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICU) where they are exposed to a chemical-intensive hospital environment during a developmentally vulnerable period. Although multiple studies have demonstrated elevated phthalate biomarkers in NICU patients, specific sources of NICU-based phthalate exposure have not been identified. In this study, premature newborns with birth weight <1500 g were recruited to participate in a prospective environmental health cohort during the NICU hospitalization. Exposure to specific NICU equipment was recorded daily during the NICU hospitalization. One hundred forty-nine urine specimens from 71 infants were analyzed for phthalate metabolites using high-performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. In initial analyses, exposure to medical equipment was directly related to phthalate levels, with DEHP biomarkers 95–132% higher for infants exposed to specific medical equipment types compared to those without that equipment exposure (p < 0.001–0.023). This association was mirrored for clinically relevant phthalate mixtures whether composed of DEHP metabolites or not (p = 0.002–0.007). In models accounting for concurrent equipment use, exposure to respiratory support was associated with DEHP biomarkers 50–136% higher in exposed compared to unexposed infants (p = 0.007–0.036). Phthalate mixtures clinically relevant to neurobehavioral development were significantly associated with non-invasive respiratory support (p = 0.008–0.026). Feeding supplies and intravenous lines were not significantly associated with clinically important phthalate mixtures. Respiratory support equipment may be a significant and clinically relevant NICU source of phthalate exposure. Although manufacturers have altered feeding and intravenous supplies to reduce DEHP exposure, other sources of exposure to common and clinically impactful phthalates persist in the NICU.
Structural studies by nuclear magnetic resonance—XVIII

Abstract Conformations and configurations were assigned to several aliphatic N-methylhydrazones from analysis of their 60-Mc NMR spectra. Interpretation of the vicinal spin-spin coupling constants, J H 1 Hα , of the syn isomers (N-methylamino cis to hydrogen) of the aldehyde N-methylhydrazones in terms of rotamers I and II gave ΔH° values that are similar to those found in hydrazones, oximes, and oxime O-methyl ethers. The anisotropic effects of the CN double bond, the association between solute and solvent, several aspects of the chemical shifts, and other problems related to configurational isomerism about the CN double bond are discussed.
Milli-Scale Biped Vibratory Water Strider

This paper examines a centimeter-scale robot that relies on surface tension to move over a fluid, inspired by water strider insects. The millirobot in this work is 3D printed and actuated in vibrational resonance by an added piezoelectric strip. A simple empirical parametric analysis is performed, complemented by finite element modeling of robot structural vibration modes, to identify robot geometries producing motion over the water surface. Expanded results for the highest velocity robot iteration are presented, with some preliminary evaluation of general robot capabilities. This study is intended to help begin understanding how and why the robot moves in certain ways and give suggestions to future robot designs.
Molecular phylogeography of Tumidotheres maculatus (Say, 1818) and Zaops ostreus (Say, 1817) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Pinnotheridae) in the western Atlantic, with description of a new species and synonymy of Epulotheres Manning, 1993

The commensal crab genus Tumidotheres is reportedly represented along the western Atlantic coast by Tumidotheres maculatus, with populations distributed from temperate to tropical waters in North a...
Chapter 14 – LiveOcean

This chapter describes LiveOcean, a project to help mitigate the financial impact of ocean acidification on the shellfish industry in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Underlying the practical details of building this system on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform are a number of design considerations addressing recurring themes in the deployment of modest-scale scientific data management systems. The most important of these is modularity: Building systems incrementally from independent components with minimal interdependence. This approach prioritizes function and helps avoid overtaxing development resources. It also enables a desirable outcome: The use of four-dimensional ocean forecast information beyond the original purpose. Such extensions may include carbon cycle research, harmful algal bloom (HAB) prediction, maritime operational support, anticipation of fishing conditions and nutrient upwelling events, and more, in addition to unanticipated uses of the forecast data.
Parents’ Plans to Communicate About Sexuality and Child Sexual Abuse with Their Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The current study examined intended plans of parents of children (3–18 years) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to communicate with them about sexuality topics including sexual abuse. Participants included 87 parents/guardians who completed an online survey. Results revealed that parents are concerned about the sexual victimization of their children with ASD. While many have spoken to their children about some aspects of sexuality education, most feel ill-equipped to handle such discussions. Characteristics of ASD may make prevention programming difficult, and parents worry about ways to teach their children about sexuality issues. Limitations and implications of the findings are discussed. Recommendations for sexuality education programming, including child sexual abuse prevention, for this population are provided.
Good Manufacturing Practices and Other Programs in Support of the Food Safety System

Good manufacturing practices or GMPs set the foundation for all types of food safety systems. The United States Code, a document where all U.S. federal regulations are written, refers to GMPs as “current Good Manufacturing Practices”, and these regulatory documents set the minimum regulatory requirements for food companies to comply. Regardless of which terminology is used, GMPs can be defined as broad, general statements that describe activities that develop the basis for food safety. These types of statements often lead to more focused policies or procedures that describe an activity in more detail. “All employees should wash their hands” is a great example of a broad statement that may be included in a company’s GMPs. This statement does not address how the employee should wash their hands, but it does set a foundation or expectation of worker hygiene standards. Statements, like the aforementioned example, lead to more detailed programs that would describe how a company’s employees should wash their hands. GMPs and these detailed programs are a major component that support the entire food safety system. GMPs are a component of both USDA and FDA regulated foods and set forth a limited but important component of the food safety support systems. Although GMPs encompass the requirements that government regulatory agencies can enforce, a food processing facility’s program should rise above the limited scope of GMPs and include broader aspects of control. Many food companies seek to market their products at various retail outlets that audit these procedures. Without a solid foundation, significant food hazards will not be properly controlled and may disrupt the trust that is built between food manufacturers, retailers, and consumers alike. Food safety lies in the development of a good foundation or set of GMPs that are built upon to encompass all aspects of the food safety system and promote the safe production of wholesome food for consumers to enjoy.
Palliative Care Consultation and Effect on Length of Stay in a Tertiary-Level Neurological Intensive Care Unit.

Background: Patients admitted to an acute care setting with a devastating brain injury are at high risk for morbidity and mortality. These patients and their families can benefit from the psychosoc...
Design, Development, and Initial Testing of Asset-Based Intervention Grounded in Trajectories of Student Fraction Learning:

One of the most relentless areas of difficulty in mathematics for children with learning disabilities (LDs) and difficulties is fractions. We report the development and initial testing of an interv...
On the Request-Trip-Vehicle Assignment Problem

The request-trip-vehicle assignment problem is at the heart of a popular decomposition strategy for online vehicle routing. In this framework, assignments are done in batches in order to exploit any shareability among vehicles and incoming travel requests. We study a natural ILP formulation and its LP relaxation. Our main result is an LP-based randomized rounding algorithm that, whenever the instance is feasible, leverages mild assumptions to return an assignment whose: i) expected cost is at most that of an optimal solution, and ii) expected fraction of unassigned requests is at most $1/e$. If trip-vehicle assignment costs are $\alpha$-approximate, we pay an additional factor of $\alpha$ in the expected cost. We can relax the feasibility requirement by considering the penalty version of the problem, in which a penalty is paid for each unassigned request. We find that, whenever a request is repeatedly unassigned after a number of rounds, with high probability it is so in accordance with the sequence of LP solutions and not because of a rounding error. We additionally introduce a deterministic rounding heuristic inspired by our randomized technique. Our computational experiments show that our rounding algorithms achieve a performance similar to that of the ILP at a reduced computation time, far improving on our theoretical guarantee. The reason for this is that, although the assignment problem is hard in theory, the natural LP relaxation tends to be very tight in practice.
Retirement Patterns and the Macroeconomy, 1992-2010: The Prevalence and Determinants of Bridge Jobs, Phased Retirement, and Re-Entry Among Three Recent Cohorts of Older Americans

Purpose of the Study: Older Americans contemplating retirement today face a very different economic environment than prior cohorts did. This article examines whether the retirement patterns of older Americans have changed as a result. Design and Methods: Using data from 10 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we examine the prevalence of bridge jobs, phased retirement, and labor market reentry among 3 recent cohorts of older Americans, from 1992 through 2010. Determinants of retirement transitions are examined using bivariate comparisons and multivariate logistic and multinomial logistic regression models. Results: We find that traditional one-time, permanent exits from the labor force continue to be the exception rather than the rule and that the retirement patterns of the Early Boomers, those on the cusp of retirement during the recent Great Recession, appear to be diverging from those of earlier cohorts. The Early Boomer women, in particular, were more likely than those in previous cohorts, the HRS Core and the HRS War Babies, to move to a bridge job prior to exiting the labor force completely and both Early Boomer men and women were more likely to leave their career jobs involuntarily, with layoffs being a key factor. Implications: The “do-it-yourself” approach to retirement planning — with individuals managing a large portion of their retirement finances — is now common among older Americans. This change in the retirement environment, combined with a significant and persistent cyclical downturn, may have long-lasting effects and suggests that the concept of retirement in the United States will continue to evolve.
Exploring the Parasocial Impact of Nano, Micro and Macro Influencers

Social media influencers (SMIs) are figures who have cultivated an online following by commercializing their social media content, establishing credibility, and building parasocial relationships (PSR) with their followers. SMIs can be categorized by their follower count: mega ( 5k). The purpose of this study is to investigate (1) how PSR and influencer credibility vary across nano, micro, and macro SMIs, (2) how credibility in different levels affects the development of PSR, and (3) how PSR affects brand attitude. The findings of this study show that credibility is linked to PSR development among SMIs but is not significantly different across SMI levels. PSR is also found to be significantly higher among nano-influencers than the micro and macro levels, and positively influences brand attitude. The study extends existing research on follower count and offers new theoretical and practical insights into nano-influencer marketing.
Preventing the Next Financial Failure Post–COVID–19

While the U.S. economic position today is unlike any period in modern U.S. history, understanding the cyclical nature of financial regulation and economic behavior patterns delivers valuable insights for mitigating risk in the current environment. Spanish philosopher George Santayana is credited for the aphorism, "those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," but analyzing the last 100 years reveals patterns during periods of recession and recovery identified in this paper as the cycle of financial stability and the funnel of economic emergency. Historical patterns, economic data, and evaluation of current U.S. regulation indicate the looming threat of financial failure following the COVID-19 pandemic, making the crisis of 2020 a recession triggering event that ultimately leads to greater economic disaster. The U.S. has experienced economic crisis several times throughout history, but today's unique challenges require a different financial regulation approach. The absence of technology policies, lack of data privacy regulation, deregulated areas of the financial industry, and the nebulous industry/agency relationship create hurdles for ensuring financial stability. Without correcting financial regulation, introducing digital assets and technology conglomerates to the financial sector will result in unknown global pressure exacerbated by legislative deficiencies, drastically increasing systemic financial risk. Leveraging results from comprehensive analysis, the U.S. can prevent impending financial failure through effective financial regulation and ensure stability as the nation recovers from a deep recession and national debt crisis due to consecutive, compounding economic disasters.
Implementation of a hybrid angiography–CT system: increased short-term revenue at an academic radiology department

To analyze the financial impact following implementation of a hybrid Angio–CT system at a tertiary care academic medical center. Aggregate case types and volumes were compared 24 months before and 12 months after a hybrid Angio–CT system replaced a traditional interventional C-arm angiography suite at an academic medical center. Procedure revenues from this 36-month study period were derived from five payors mixes (Medicare, Medicaid, commercial insurance, out-of-pocket and managed care program) and Medicare-rate adjusted to each individual payor types. Average case volume per month increased 12% in the hybrid Angio–CT suite when compared to the previous traditional angiography suite (P < 0.05). The variety of IR procedures in the hybrid Angio–CT suite also expanded to include more complex interventional radiology and interventional oncology procedures; the breadth of cases performed in the hybrid Angio–CT suite were associated with CPT codes of higher rates (average CPT value/case increased from $2,334.61 to $2,567.25). The estimated average annual revenue of the hybrid Angio–CT suite increased 23% as compared to previous traditional angiography suite. A hybrid Angio–CT system is a financially feasible endeavor at a tertiary care academic medical center that facilitated higher complexity procedure codes and increased procedure-related revenue.
The multiplier ideals of a sum of ideals

We prove that if a, b ⊂ O X are nonzero sheaves of ideals on a complex smooth variety X, then for every γ ∈ Q + we have the following relation between the multiplier ideals of a, b and a + b: I(X,γ.(a+b)) ⊆ Σ I(X,α.a).I(X,β.b). α+β=γ A similar formula holds for the asymptotic multiplier ideals of the sum of two graded systems of ideals. We use this result to approximate at a given point arbitrary multiplier ideals by multiplier ideals associated to zero dimensional ideals. This is applied to compare the multiplier ideals associated to a scheme in different embeddings.
Incidence of Plasmids in Marine Vibrio spp. Isolated from an Oil Field in the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico

Presumptive marine Vibrio spp. were collected from an operational oil field and control site located in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Of 440 isolates analyzed for the presence of extrachromosomal deoxyribonucleic acid elements or plasmids by using the cleared lysate and agarose gel techniques, 31% showed distinct plasmid bands on agarose gels. A majority of the plasmids detected were estimated to have molecular masses of 10 x 10 or less. Multiple plasmids were observed in approximately half of the plasmid-containing strains. A number of isolates contained plasmids with similar banding and mobility patterns. The oil field area had noticeably more plasmid-containing strains (35 versus 23% in the control site) and a greater number of plasmids per plasmid-containing strain (an average of 2.5 plasmids, versus 1.5 in the control site). Oil field discharges might have resulted in increased plasmid incidence and diversity.
Economic systems analysis and assessment : cost, value, and competition in information and knowledge intensive systems, organizations, and enterprises

PREFACE. Chapter 1 Introduction to Economic Systems Analysis and Assessment: Cost, Value, and Competition in Information and Knowledge Intensive Systems, Organizations, and Enterprises. 1.1 Inroduction. 1.2 A Framework for Systems Engineering and Management. 1.3 Theory of the Firm. 1.4 Theory of the Consumer. 1.5 The Interaction of the Theories of the Firms and Consumers: Microeconomic Models of Economic Activity. 1.6 Welfare or Normative Economics. 1.7 Program and Program Management Economics. 1.8 Contemporary Issues Concerning Information and Information Technology Economic. 1.9 Economic Pitfalls in the Engineering of Systems. 1.10 Summary. Chapter 2 Production and the Theory of the Firm. 2.1 Introduction. 2.2 The Production Function. 2.3 Multiproduct Firms and Multiproduct Production Functions. 2.4 Classical Theory of the Firm. 2.5 Imperfect Competition. 2.6 Summary. Chapter 3 The Theory of the Consumer. 3.1 Introduction. 3.2 Economic Utility Theory and Its Axioms. 3.3 Property of Utility Functions. 3.4 The Fundamental Problem of the Consumer. 3.5 Sensitivity and Substitution Effects. 3.6 Summary. Chapter 4 Supply-Demand Equilibria and Microeconomic Systems Analysis and Assessment Models. 4.1 Introduction. 4.2 Basic Supply-Demand Equilibrium for a Single Good. 4.3 General Supply-Demand Equilibrium Conditions. 4.4 Extensions to General Equilibrium to Include Market Interdependencies. 4.5 Microeconomics Models. 4.6 Summary. Chapter 5 Normative or Welfare Economics, Decisions and Games, and Behavioral Economics. 5.1 Introduction. 5.2 Pareto Optimality Under Perfect Competitive Conditions. 5.3 External Effects and Imperfect Competition-Public Goods. 5.4 External Effects and Imperfect Competition-Nonindependent Production and Consumption. 5.5 Welfare Maximization and Social Choice. 5.6 Summary. 5.7 Selected Bibliography. Chapter 6 Cost-Benefit and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis and Assessments. 6.1 Introduction. 6.2 The Time Value of Money. 6.3 Identification of Costs and Benefits. 6.4 The Identification and Quantification of Effectiveness. 6.5 A Guide to Cost-Benefit Analysis. Chapter 7 Cost Assessment. 7.1 Model-Based Parameters for Productivity. 7.2 Early Models for Estimation of Costs, Including Effort and Schedule. 7.3 The Constructive Cost Model. 7.4 Summary. CHAPTER 8 APPROACHES TO INVESTMENT VALUATION. 8.1. Microeconomics. 8.2. The Investment Problem. 8.3. Investment Valuation. 8.4. Summary. CHAPTER 9 REAL OPTIONS FOR INVESTMENT VALUATION. 9.1. Nature of Options. 9.2. Option Pricing Theory. 9.3. Option Calculator. 9.4. Strategic Metrics. 9.5. Investment Decision Making. 9.6. Value-Centered R&D. 9.7. Summary. CHAPTER 10 CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES. 10.1. Introduction. 10.2. Evolutionary Economics. 10.3. Path Dependence and Network Effects. 10.4. Intellectual Capital. 10.5. Value of Information. 10.6. Investing in Humans. 10.7. Summary. INDEX.
Associations between self-reported health conscious consumerism, body-mass index, and attitudes about sustainably produced foods

An evaluation was made of theassociations between self-reported healthconscious consumerism, body-mass index (BMI),and consumer beliefs, attitudes, intentions,and behaviors regarding sustainably producedfoods. Self-administered surveys were completedby adult consumers (n = 550) in threemetropolitan Minnesota grocery stores. Selecteddemographic and psychographic differencesbetween health conscious consumers andnon-health conscious consumers were evaluated.Compared to non-health conscious consumers,health conscious consumers were more likely tobe female, older, more educated, higher incomeearners, more active, healthier, and possess ahealthier body mass index. They also held moresupportive beliefs, attitudes, and intentionswith regard to sustainably produced foods. Inconclusion, some consumers are interested insupporting sustainable production practices andtheir support may be linked to improvedpersonal, environmental, and communityhealth.
Economic Development Versus Environmental Protection: Executive Oversight And Judicial Review of Wetland Policy

Economic Development Versus Environmental Protection: Executive Oversight and Judicial Review of Wetland Policy.
A multi-Api course in computer graphics

The choice of what to cover in a computer science major course is governed by both the objectives of the course, and the overall goals of the major. We describe a set of design decisions that have resulted in a project-oriented course in Computer Graphics that uses four different graphics APIs: Windows GDI, DirectDraw, Java 2D, and OpenGL.
Decreased Frequency of Somatic Hypermutation and Impaired Affinity Maturation but Intact Germinal Center Formation in Mice Expressing Antisense RNA to DNA Polymerase ζ

To examine a role of DNA polymerase zeta in somatic hypermutation, we generated transgenic mice that express antisense RNA to a portion of mouse REV3, the gene encoding this polymerase. These mice express high levels of antisense RNA, significantly reducing the levels of endogenous mouse REV3 transcript. Following immunization to a hapten-protein complex, transgenic mice mounted vigorous Ab responses, accomplished the switch to IgG, and formed numerous germinal centers. However, in most transgenic animals, the generation of high affinity Abs was delayed. In addition, accumulation of somatic mutations in the V(H) genes of memory B cells from transgenic mice was decreased, particularly among those that generate amino acid replacements that enhance affinity of the B cell receptor to the hapten. These data implicate DNA polymerase zeta, a nonreplicative polymerase, in the process of affinity maturation, possibly through a role in somatic hypermutation, clonal selection, or both.
Runtime execution monitoring (REM) to detect and prevent malicious code execution

Many computer security threats involve execution of unauthorized foreign code on the victim computer. Viruses, network and email worms, Trojan horses, backdoor programs used in denial of service attacks are a few examples. In this paper, we present an architectural technique, which we call runtime execution monitoring (REM), to detect program flow anomalies associated with such malicious code. The key idea in REM is the verification of program code at the hash block (similar to a basic block) level. This is achieved by pre-computing keyed hashes (HMACs) for each hash block during program installation, and then verifying these values during program execution. By verifying program code integrity at the hash block level, REM can monitor instructions whose behavior is typically exploited by malicious code, such as branch, call, return instructions. Performance degradation with REM averages 6.4% on our benchmark programs, which can be reduced to under 5% by increasing the size of the L1 instruction cache.
Big anatomy: he new views from integrated anatomy, development, and genes (338.6)

Comparative anatomical data are increasingly sought after to guide computational genomics work, to develop evo-devo hypotheses, and to inform interpretation of organismal evolution in light of mole...
Simultaneous Liver—Kidney Transplantation

In 2014, simultaneous liver kidney transplants (SLK) accounted for 8.2 % of all liver transplants performed in the USA. Prior to introduction of the model of end stage liver disease (MELD) system, SLK accounted for 2.5 % in 2001 and only 1.7 % in 1990. Transplant centers have struggled to balance the moral and ethical aspects of SLK in the setting of organ scarcity with an algorithm that best qualifies patients for such treatment options. Few centers have even ventured into DCD territory for SLK. Advancement in immunosuppression protocols and treatment of HCV and HIV have impacted SLK over the years. Simulation modeling has allowed us to analyze the future impact of our decisions that are made today. All of these advancements have given, and will continue to give new perspectives to SLK. The purpose of this review article is to highlight these advances and bring to light the studies that have made this transplant option successful.
Introduction: Reflections of Senior Therapists

This introduction to this issue of JCLP: In Session ("Reflections of Senior Therapists") focuses on the multifaceted ways in which adult development influences what it means to be a psychotherapist and to do the work of psychotherapy. This issue brings together first person narratives written by a group of eminent psychotherapists as well as an empirical report, based on a major international survey, on the challenges, demands, and rewards experienced by senior therapists. Taken together, these essays provide a compelling case that not only can practicing psychotherapy during the later years of one's life continue to be fulfilling and meaningful, but also the lessons learned along the journey can make one an even wiser and more effective therapist than previously. Learning to do psychotherapy, like adult development itself, is not a process that at some point comes to an end, but one that is resumed again and again in every decade. These essays provide a rich array of information, insight, and guidance regarding the personal and professional experience of practicing therapy during every era of adulthood, including one's senior years.
Soil bacterial community structure remains stable over a 5-year chronosequence of insect-induced tree mortality.

Extensive tree mortality from insect epidemics has raised concern over possible effects on soil biogeochemical processes. Yet despite the importance of microbes in biogeochemical processes, how soil bacterial communities respond to insect-induced tree mortality is largely unknown. We examined soil bacterial community structure (via 16S rRNA pyrosequencing) and community assembly processes (via null deviation analysis) along a five-year chronosequence (substituting space for time) of bark beetle-induced tree mortality in the southern Rocky Mountains, USA. We also measured soil microbial biomass and soil chemistry, and used in situ experiments to assess inorganic nitrogen mineralization rates. We found that bacterial community structure and assembly―which was strongly influenced by stochastic processes―were largely unaffected by tree mortality despite increased soil ammonium (NH4+) pools and reductions in soil nitrate (NO3-) pools and net nitrogen mineralization rates after tree mortality. Linear models suggested that microbial biomass and bacterial phylogenetic diversity are significantly correlated with nitrogen mineralization rates of this forested ecosystem. However, given the overall resistance of the bacterial community to disturbance from tree mortality, soil nitrogen processes likely remained relatively stable following tree mortality when considered at larger spatial and longer temporal scales—a supposition supported by the majority of available studies regarding biogeochemical effects of bark beetle infestations in this region. Our results suggest that soil bacterial community resistance to disturbance helps to explain the relatively weak effects of insect-induced tree mortality on soil N and C pools reported across the Rocky Mountains, USA.
The valuation of options for alternative stochastic processes

Abstract This paper examines the structure of option valuation problems and develops a new technique for their solution. It also introduces several jump and diffusion processes which have not been used in previous models. The technique is applied to these processes to find explicit option valuation formulas, and solutions to some previously unsolved problems involving the pricing of securities with payouts and potential bankruptcy.
Occupancy of the cholinergic receptors in relation to changes in the endplate potential.

Abstract The acetylcholine receptors at the endplate region of the surface fibers of skeletal muscle have been studied using intracellular microelectrode and autoradiographic techniques. The results show that the receptor-occupancy and receptor-inhibition relationship at the motor endplate is incompatible with a reserve of ‘spare receptors’ greater than about 20% of the total.
Phytol metabolites are circulating dietary factors that activate the nuclear receptor RXR.

Abstract RXR is a nuclear receptor that plays a central role in cell signaling by pairing with a host of other receptors. Previously, 9-cis-retinoic acid (9cRA) was defined as a potent RXR activator. Here we describe a unique RXR effector identified from organic extracts of bovine serum by following RXR-dependent transcriptional activity. Structural analyses of material in active fractions pointed to the saturated diterpenoid phytanic acid, which induced RXR-dependent transcription at concentrations between 4 and 64 microM. Although 200 times more potent than phytanic acid, 9cRA was undetectable in equivalent amounts of extract and cannot be present at a concentration that could account for the activity. Phytanic acid, another phytol metabolite, was synthesized and stimulated RXR with a potency and efficacy similar to phytanic acid. These metabolites specifically displaced [3H]-9cRA from RXR with Ki values of 4 microM, indicating that their transcriptional effects are mediated by direct receptor interactions. Phytol metabolites are compelling candidates for physiological effectors, because their RXR binding affinities and activation potencies match their micromolar circulating concentrations. Given their exclusive dietary origin, these chlorophyll metabolites may represent essential nutrients that coordinate cellular metabolism through RXR-dependent signaling pathways.
Chemotherapy for diffuse aggressive lymphomas.

Excerpt To the editor: Although Fisher and associates (1) have proclaimed ProMACE (prednisone, methotrexate, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and epipodophyllotoxin VP-16)-MOPP (mechlorethamine, vinc...
Treatment of Herpes Simplex Virus Stromal Keratitis Unresponsive to Topical Prednisolone 1% With Topical Cyclosporine 0.05%

Purpose To assess the efficacy of topical cyclosporine 0.05% (Restasis) in patients with herpes simplex virus nonnecrotizing stromal keratitis unresponsive to topical prednisolone. Design Prospective case series. Methods Patients with herpes simplex virus stromal keratitis (n = 12) that was unresponsive to topical prednisolone acetate 1% for at least four weeks were evaluated at a single site. Eyes were treated with topical cyclosporine twice a day and begun on a rapid prednisolone taper. Visual acuity, slit-lamp appearance, intraocular pressure, and corneal sensitivity were evaluated every two weeks for at least three months. Results Stromal keratitis resolved with cyclosporine in 10 of 12 patients after one month. The mean lesion area decreased more with cyclosporine than with prednisolone (2.0 mm with cyclosporine compared with 0.25 mm with prednisolone). After stopping cyclosporine therapy, four patients had recurrence of stromal keratitis. Conclusion This series suggests that herpes simplex virus stromal keratitis can be treated effectively with topical cyclosporine, particularly in cases that are not responsive to topical prednisolone.