cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the needs for MaaS platforms to handle competition in ridesharing mobility

Abstract Ridesharing has been emerging as a new type of mobility. However, the early promises of ridesharing for alleviating congestion in cities may be undermined by a number of challenges, including the growing number of proposed services and the subsequent increasing number of vehicles, as a natural consequence of competition. In this work, we present optimization-based approaches to model cooperation and competition between multiple ridesharing companies, in a real-time on-demand setting. A recent trend relies on solving the integrated combination of Dial-A-Ride Problems (DARP), which compute the cost of assigning incoming requests to vehicle routes, plus Linear Assignment Problems (LAP), which assign vehicles to requests. While the DARPs, are solved at the level of the vehicles of each company, we introduce cooperative and competitive approaches to solve the LAP. The cooperative model, which could make use of Mobility as a Service platforms, is shown to solve the LAP to optimality following closely results from the literature, and limiting the amount of information the companies are required to share. We investigate how a realistic model of competition deviates from this optimality and provide worst case bounds. We evaluate these models with respect to a centralized model on one-week instances of the New York City taxi dataset. Model variants coping with noise in the travel time estimations, bias in the assignment costs, and preferences in the competitive case are also presented and validated. The computational results suggest that cooperation among ridesharing companies can be conducted in such a way to limit the degradation of the level of service with respect to a centralized model. Finally, we argue that the competition can lower the quality of the ridesharing service, especially in the case customer preferences are accommodated.
Can We Abandon Saw Wedge Resection in Lapidus Fusion? A Comparative Study of Joint Preparation Techniques Regarding Correction of Deformity, Union Rate, and Preservation of First Ray Length

The traditional joint preparation technique for Lapidus fusion involves wedge resection using a saw to achieve correction of intermetatarsal angular deformity. The main drawback of this approach is undesirable shortening of the first ray, which can predispose to second ray overload that may preclude the procedure for a subset of patients or may necessitate second metatarsal shortening osteotomy. The goal of this study was to determine whether a first ray length-preserving joint preparation technique (curette and bur) achieves equivalent correction of deformity and fusion rate without first ray shortening compared with the standard saw wedge resection technique. A retrospective review of consecutive cases from January 2007 to August 2014 identified 62 patients who underwent 65 Lapidus fusions for hallux valgus correction with crossed-screw fixation. All patients treated from 2007 to 2010 had saw wedge resection, whereas all patients treated from 2011 to 2014 had curette and bur joint preparation without use of a saw. The mean intermetatarsal angle correction was 9.06° (range 5° to 14.7°) in the saw wedge resection group and 8.11° (range 2.8° to 15.5°) in the curette and bur group, a difference that was not statistically significant. The mean amount of first ray shortening was -3.14 (range -6.1 to 0) mm in the saw wedge resection group and -0.86 (range -2.3 to 4.2) mm in the curette and bur group, a result that was statistically significant. Osseous union was confirmed radiographically at 10 weeks postoperatively in all cases. These findings suggest that first ray length can be preserved using a more conservative joint preparation technique regardless of preoperative deformity, without compromising correction of deformity or union rate.
A Joint Model for Predicting Structural and Functional Brain Health in Elderly Individuals

This paper presents a machine-learning-based joint model of brain age and cognitive performance, and demonstrates its superior performance relative to isolated models. Previous studies have chosen to study those two measures of brain health separately for two reasons: 1) although cognition can be measured regardless of an individual's health, brain-age ground-truth can be defined only for healthy individuals; and 2) while brain-age models are developed using neuroimaging data alone, modeling of cognitive performance additionally requires measures of cognitive reserve and biomarkers of cognitive disorders. However, those two measures are biologically related to each other, because they both depend on brain structure. Hence, we developed a joint model by 1) explicitly defining the commonalities and differences between them in a graph, and 2) converting that graph into a multitask-learning model to facilitate learning from population-level data. Our model took as inputs structural neuroimaging data and information related to cognitive reserve and disorders, and predicted brain age and cognitive performance in terms of a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score. We implemented linear and nonlinear joint models and compared them against isolated models. Our results indicate that joint modeling substantially improves the accuracy of the modeling of individual measures, relative to isolated models.
Civics Education for Students With Learning Disabilities and Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Significant disparities in civics achievement between students with disabilities and their peers constitute an urgent need to support and improve civics education and outcomes for students receivin...
Sex education and STI fatalism, testing and infection among young African American men who have sex with women.

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between institution-delivered sex education given under real-world conditions and sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates, STI fatalism, ...
Nudging spirituality in environmental behavior

Abstract It is often said that human population and urban growth are the main concerns in environmental degradation. Growing human populations require more food and development, but does it interfere with the sustainability of Earth's ecosystem, or is human population growth detrimental to human welfare, due to limited resources on our planet? Human welfare encompasses a wide variety of factors, and cannot truly be improved by an increase in consumption. Consumerism produces a cycle, in which people work more to earn more to consume more. In a world where happiness is determined by wealth and property (what is purchasable), fundamental changes in the perspective of the individual are necessary in order to decrease the consumption of the limited resources and preserve the natural environment. These changes need not be radical or weird, rather, they could be introduced gradually and address the root of our current destructive manner. First, we must understand the cause of our current human predicament. Why are we now more alone, more selfish, consumer-oriented, destructive, and irresponsible? Then, to control this selfish human instinct to exploit, we need to find fundamental solutions, one of which is proposed in this paper.
The link between syllabic nasals and glottal stops in American English

Examples of syllabic nasals in English abound in phonological research (e.g., Hammond, 1999; Harris, 1994; Wells, 1995), but there is little explicit discussion about the surrounding consonant environments that condition syllabic nasals. This study examines the production of potential word-final syllabic nasals in American English following preceding consonants including oral stops, glottal stops, fricatives, flap, and laterals. The data come from a laboratory study of read speech with speakers from New York and other regions, a corpus of read speech with speakers from the Pacific Northwest and Northern Cities, and a spontaneous telephone speech corpus. Acoustic analysis indicates that [n] is only prevalent after [ʔ], with some extension to [d] or [ɾ]. Variation in rates of [n] versus [ən] is found across the speakers in a group, not within individual speakers. An articulatory sketch to account for the prevalence of [n] after coronal and glottal stops is laid out. To link this realization to the presence of the [ʔ] allophone in pre-syllabic nasal environment, previous analyses of acoustic enhancement proposed for glottally-reinforced [tʔ] in coda position (e.g., Keyser & Stevens, 2006) are extended to the syllabic nasal case.
2018 Leet Symposium: Fiduciary Duty Corporate Goals, and Shareholder Activism—Introduction

On November 1, 2018, the Case Western Reserve University Law Review held the 2018 Leet Symposium, bringing together a group of nationally respected corporate law scholars to explore the current state of play between traditional shareholder wealth maximization and modern shareholder environmental and social activism. The Symposium also included a panel on the difficult role of in-house corporate counsel in a world where serving as a zealous advocate for the corporation may conflict with in-house counsel’s compliance function. This issue contains Articles that were presented on the occasion, together with the prepared remarks of the keynote speaker, SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce.
New Battles and Battlegrounds for Mandatory Arbitration After Epic, New Prime, and Lamps Plus

The Supreme Court’s recent decisions interpreting the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) in the employment context generally prioritize arbitration over workers’ labor law rights. The majority in Epic Systems upheld mandatory individual employment arbitration agreements despite their conflict with the labor law right to act in concert. The same majority in Lamps Plus presumed that the parties intend individual arbitration absent reference to group arbitration. However, in a rare unanimous decision, the Supreme Court in New Prime exempted transportation workers from FAA coverage, even where the workers are independent contractors rather than employees. These decisions resolved some disputes about the breadth of the FAA but other questions remain unresolved. For example, do the confidentiality provisions so often associated with arbitration provisions unlawfully interfere with employees’ federal labor law rights? Are state laws on employment arbitration subject to preemption? Some state courts and legislatures continue to seek ways to protect workers who are disadvantaged by mandatory individual arbitration provisions, and others outline procedures for arbitration even for those transportation workers who are categorically exempt under the FAA. State laws regulating employment arbitration may fail in the face of preemption arguments, as the Court’s slim conservative majority appears intent on upholding individual arbitration provisions at all costs. Nevertheless, California persists in allowing representative suits under its Private Attorney General’s Act (PAGA) and state courts continue to consider traditional contract defenses such as lack of mutual assent and unconscionability as arguments to bypass onerous arbitration provisions. The Court’s New Prime decision will reinvigorate the battle over what it means to be “engaged in interstate commerce” to qualify for the FAA’s transportation worker exemption, with workers for Uber and Lyft leading the charge as they seek to avoid mandatory individual arbitration. In contrast, businesses will undoubtedly argue that even transportation workers who are exempt under the FAA still must arbitrate under state law provisions that do not exempt transportation workers. The authors recommend that Congress amend the FAA to exclude all workers affecting interstate commerce, and clarify the role of state law regulating employment arbitration. State legislation should provide guidance on what makes arbitration truly voluntary and fair, as well as afford employees a real choice on collective action and forum, and whether to maintain confidentiality about the dispute.
"This is part of emergency medicine now": A qualitative assessment of emergency clinicians' facilitators of and barriers to initiating buprenorphine.

Objectives Despite evidence demonstrating the safety and efficacy of buprenorphine for the treatment of emergency department (ED) patients with opioid use disorder (OUD), incorporation into clinical practice has been highly variable. We explored barriers and facilitators to the prescription of buprenorphine, as perceived by practicing ED clinicians. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with a purposeful sample of ED clinicians. An interview guide was developed using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and Theoretical Domains implementation science frameworks. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed in an iterative process. Emergent themes were identified, discussed, and organized. Results We interviewed 25 ED clinicians from eleven states in the United States. Participants were diverse with regard to years in practice and practice setting. While outer setting barriers such as the logistical costs of getting a DEA-X waiver and lack of clear follow-up for patients were noted by many participants, individual-level determinants driven by emotion (stigma), beliefs about consequences and roles, and knowledge predominated. Participants' responses suggested that implementation strategies should address stigma, local culture, knowledge gaps, and logistical challenges, but that a particular order to addressing barriers may be necessary. Conclusions While some participants were hesitant to adopt a 'new' role in treating patients with medications for OUD (MOUD), many already had, and gave concrete strategies regarding how to encourage others to embrace their attitude of "this is part of emergency medicine now."
A Convex Quasistatic Time-stepping Scheme for Rigid Multibody Systems with Contact and Friction

Motion planning for robotic manipulation makes heavy use of quasistatic models, but these same models have not yet proven useful for simulation. This is because in many multi-contact situations, the quasistatic models do not describe a unique next state for the system. A planner is able to use these models optimistically (checking only for feasibility of a motion), but simulation requires more.In this work, we enable quasistatic models to uniquely determine contact forces by modeling actuated robots as impedances instead of prescribed motions. Using this model with a well-known convex relaxation for Coulomb friction, time-stepping of quasistatic models can be formulated as a convex Quadratic Program (QP). This convex relaxation does admit mild non-physical behavior between relatively-sliding objects, but through simulations of various complexity, we show that the proposed quasistatic time-stepping scheme generates mostly physically-realistic behaviors, and scales well with the complexity of the simulated systems.
Pain, numbness, or both? Distinguishing the longitudinal course and predictors of positive, painful neuropathic features vs numbness after breast cancer surgery.

Introduction Both positive (burning, stabbing, and allodynia) and negative (numbness) neuropathic symptoms may arise after surgery but likely contribute differently to patients' postoperative pain experience. Numbness has been identified as divergent from positive neuropathic symptoms and therefore excluded from some neuropathic assessment tools (Neuropathic Pain Scale for PostSurgical patients [NeuPPS]). Objectives In this prospective longitudinal study of patients undergoing breast surgery, we aimed to delineate the time course of numbness and its coincidence with NeuPPS and to contrast the association of surgical, psychosocial, and psychophysical predictors with the development of negative vs positive neuropathic symptoms. Methods Patients reported surgical area sensory disturbances at 2 weeks and 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Association of baseline demographic, surgical, psychosocial, and psychophysical factors with NeuPPS and numbness across time was investigated using generalized estimating equation linear and logistic regression. Results Numbness was consistently reported by 65% of patients; positive neuropathic symptoms were less common, often decreasing over time. Neuropathic Pain scale for PostSurgical patients and numbness co-occurred in half of patients and were both associated with greater clinical pain severity and impact, younger age, axillary surgery, and psychosocial factors. More extensive surgery and chemotherapy were only associated with numbness. Conversely, other chronic pain, lower physical activity, perioperative opioid use, negative affect, and lower baseline pressure pain threshold and tolerance were only associated with NeuPPS. Patients reporting numbness alone did not endorse substantial clinical pain. Conclusions Differentiation of predictors, prevalence, and time course of numbness vs NeuPPS in breast surgical patients revealed important distinctions, suggesting that their independent assessment is worthwhile in future studies of postsurgical pain.
On premixed flame propagation in a curved constant volume channel

The objective of this study is to perform an experimental and numerical investigation of a stoichiometric methane/air premixed flame propagating in a curved constant volume channel. The mixture, initially at rest, had temperature 296 K and pressure 102.65 kPa. In the experimental study, a high speed camera and a pressure sensor captured the evolving flame shape and recorded the temporal pressure history during burning. In the numerical study, the commercial computational fluid dynamics package ANSYS Fluent was used to solve the two dimensional, compressible reacting flow and transport equations for 50 species using the San-Diego combustion mechanism under the same conditions as the experiments. It was found that the premixed flame propagating in the curved and converging channel exhibits different features than previously reported in straight or 90° bend channels. There was a definitive curvature effect on tulip flame development. The conversion of the convex tulip flame back into a concave flame revealed the influence of channel geometry on flame evolution: this conversion does not occur in straight channels. The experiments showed that the rate of pressure change eventually becomes negative mainly due to heat losses which engender correspondingly slower flame propagation during the final stage of the tests. The analysis of the numerical results revealed the effect of the interaction between flame front, pressure field and flame-induced flow on flame evolution during all five stages of flame evolution.
Multicopper manganese oxidase accessory proteins bind Cu and heme

Multicopper oxidases (MCOs) catalyze the oxidation of a diverse group of metal ions and organic substrates by successive single-electron transfers to O2 via four bound Cu ions. MnxG, which catalyzes MnO2 mineralization by oxidizing both Mn(II) and Mn(III), is unique among multicopper oxidases in that it carries out two energetically distinct electron transfers and is tightly bound to accessory proteins. There are two of these, MnxE and MnxF, both approximately 12kDa. Although their sequences are similar to those found in the genomes of several Mn-oxidizing Bacillus species, they are dissimilar to those of proteins with known function. Here, MnxE and MnxF are co-expressed independent of MnxG and are found to oligomerize into a higher order stoichiometry, likely a hexamer. They bind copper and heme, which have been characterized by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and UV-visible (UV-vis) spectrophotometry. Cu is found in two distinct type 2 (T2) copper centers, one of which appears to be novel; heme is bound as a low-spin species, implying coordination by two axial ligands. MnxE and MnxF do not oxidize Mn in the absence of MnxG and are the first accessory proteins to be required by an MCO. This may indicate that Cu and heme play roles in electron transfer and/or Cu trafficking.
An ontology-based approach to heterogeneous verification of embedded control systems

This paper presents an ontology-based approach to heterogeneous verification of embedded systems, that is, the integration of verification results from different tools and different models of embedded system applications. We present an overview of our proposed framework and explain the key components. We then describe an initial ontology for embedded control applications and its mapping to a knowledge base. We illustrate this initial framework using an example of an automotive power window controller. The concluding discussion describes our current work and future research directions.
Deterministic annealing for clustering: Tutorial and computational aspects

The deterministic annealing (DA) method, used for the solution of several nonconvex problems, offers the ability to avoid shallow local minima of a given cost surface and the ability to minimize the cost function even when there are many local minima. The method is established in a probabilistic framework through basic information-theoretic techniques such as maximum entropy and random coding. It arises naturally in the context of statistical mechanics by the emulation of a physical process whereby a solid is slowly cooled and at zero temperature assumes its minimum energy configuration. In this paper, we first present some background material on the DA method and its connections to statistical physics and rate-distortion theory. A computational complexity analysis is then presented for a given temperature schedule. The case study focuses on the geometric cooling law T(t) = ρT (t−1); 0 < ρ < 1, where T(t) is the temperature at time t.
Climax of the Covenant vs Apocalyptic Invasion: A Theological Analysis of a Contemporary Debate in Pauline Exegesis

Focusing on the work of N.T. Wright, J. Louis Martyn and Douglas Harink, in this article I offer a theological analysis of the debate between salvation-historical and apocalyptic readings of Paul as a debate in Christology. I argue that in the end both these positions are christologically deficient in ironically similar ways: both positions conceive of Christ as accidental to the divine intent for creation, a notion that falls short of the robust Christology Paul adheres to. I offer an alternative that preserves both the notions of a salvific history and an apocalyptic revelation, but is also imbedded in what I call a supralapsarian Christology.
Dietary Branched-Chain Amino Acids and Protein Selection by Rats

Consumption by rats of high protein diets is associated with elevated plasma and brain concentrations of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA). We examined the possibility that changes in BCAA concentrations in blood and brain might serve as modulators of protein consumption. After young rats had adjusted to selecting between a 10% or 25% casein diet and a 50% casein diet, a mixture of BCAA was included in the diet containing the lower amount of protein (10% + BCAA, 25% + BCAA). Supplementation of the 10% or 25% casein diets with BCAA and subsequent elevation of BCAA concentrations in plasma and brain were associated with increased selection of protein in rats given the 10% + BCAA/50% casein diet choice, but not in rats offered the 25% + BCAA/50% casein diets. When no alternative diet was available, addition of BCAA to a 15% casein diet depressed food intake, and rats given a choice between a 15% casein diet with or without added BCAA selected almost exclusively the diet without added BCAA. Although BCAA concentrations were high in plasma and brain in all experiments, concentrations of methionine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan and histidine were low in brain in experiments in which rats altered their diet or protein selection after BCAA addition. High concentrations of BCAA in plasma and brain were not consistently associated with changes in protein selection.
Mitoquinone exerts antioxidant effects independent of mitochondrial targeted effects in phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate stimulated polymorphonuclear leukocyte superoxide release (667.3)

MitoQ is a mitochondrial-targeted coenzyme Q antioxidant analog that dose-dependently restored cardiac function and reduced infarct size in isolated perfused rat hearts subjected to ischemia reperf...
A Self‐Consistent Model of Helium in the Thermosphere

We have found that consideration of neutral helium as a major species leads to a more complete physics-based modeling description of the Earth's upper thermosphere. An augmented version of the composition equation employed by the Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamic General Circulation Model (TIE-GCM) is presented, enabling the inclusion of helium as the fourth major neutral constituent. Exospheric transport acting above the upper boundary of the model is considered, further improving the local time and latitudinal distributions of helium. The new model successfully simulates a previously observed phenomenon known as the “winter helium bulge,” yielding behavior very similar to that of an empirical model based on mass spectrometer observations. This inclusion has direct consequence on the study of atmospheric drag for low-Earth-orbiting satellites, as well as potential implications on exospheric and topside ionospheric research.
Analyzing the I-V characteristics of thin gate oxides using multiple regression

The I-V characteristics of metal oxide semiconductors has long been a subject of research by many scientists in the field of microelectronics. It is generally accepted that the current conduction in the thin gate oxide is due to the Fowler-Nordheim tunneling emission. However, there is quite a variation in the electrical properties and the Fowler-Nordheim tunneling parameters reported by researchers. This is partially due to the presence of oxide charges which affects the I-V characteristics of the gate oxide and thereby the extracted parameters. The current conduction in the thin gate oxide is complicated; different mechanisms may dominate at different voltage regions. In this study, multiple regression analysis is utilized to determine the basic conduction process and to clarify the discrepancies in the literature.
Renal cell adaptation to oxalate

Renal manifestations of chronic hyperoxaluria include nephrolithiasis and, when extreme, interstitial scarring and progressive loss of function. Exposure of cultured renal cells to oxalate has been reported to cause cell death, as well as proliferation. The current study was performed to assess the time course and cell-type specificity of these responses. Proximal (LLC-PK1) and distal [cIMCD and primary human renal (HRC1)] renal epithelial cells, as well as interstitial KNRK cells, were exposed to oxalate (0.5–2.0 mM) for 24–72 h. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured using the fluorescent probe DCF, and cell number was determined with CyQuant reagent. HSP-70 expression was assessed via real time PCR and quantitative Western blot. In response to all oxalate concentrations (0.5–2.0 mM) and lengths of exposure (15 min–2 h), cultured proximal and distal renal epithelial cells and renal fibroblasts generated ROS. After 24 h, cells demonstrated initial cell death and decrease in cell numbers, but by 48–72 h adapted and grew, despite the continued presence of oxalate. This response was associated with increased expression of HSP-70 mRNA and protein. Renal cells in vivo may possess adaptive mechanisms to withstand chronic hyperoxaluria, including increased expression of chaperone molecules such as HSP-70.
Synthesis and characterization of new polymers exhibiting large optical nonlinearity. II. Processible copolymers containing diacetylenic segments

La polycondensation du dichlorure de terephtaloyle avec l'hexa-2,4-diyne-1,6-diol donne le polyester correspondant de masse moleculaire variant entre 4000 et 840000 et soluble dans le DMF et le DMSO. Sa reticulation thermique donne un polymere contenant des segments conjugues dont la susceptibilite optique non lineaire est 3,2•10 −10 esu
Jots: reflective learning in scratch

This paper presents early work on the "Jots" system, integrated with the Scratch programming environment, which aims to help learners reflect on their learning processes. The design of the software tool and associated pedagogical strategies is presented in the context of a map of reference frames, which are levels of analysis that learners move between as they reflect. The design of a study to evaluate and further develop the system is described.
Prenatal urinary matrix metalloproteinase profiling as a potential diagnostic tool in fetal obstructive uropathy.

Abstract Background/Purpose The diagnostic evaluation, patient stratification, and prenatal counseling for congenital obstructive uropathy remain sub-optimal. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression profiles are emerging as a valuable diagnostic tool in assorted disease processes. We sought to determine whether congenital obstructive uropathy impacts MMP expression in fetal urine. Methods Fetal lambs (n = 25) were divided in two groups: group I (n = 12) underwent a sham operation and group II (n = 13) underwent creation of a complete urinary tract obstruction. Gelatin zymography panels for 4 MMP species were performed on fetal urine in both groups at comparable times post-operatively. Statistical analysis was by the Fisher's exact test ( P Results Overall fetal survival was 80% (20/25). A variety of significant differences in MMP expression between the two groups were identified. The following profiles were present only in obstructed animals: any MMP other than MMP-2 ( P = .029), including any MMP other than 63 kDa and 65 kDa ( P = .009); 2 or more MMPs excluding MMP-2s (0.029); and 3 or more MMPs ( P = .029). Conclusions Limited matrix metalloproteinase expression is present in the urine of normal ovine fetuses. Fetal obstructive uropathy impacts urinary MMP expression in various distinguishable patterns. Prenatal urinary MMP profiling may become a practical and valuable diagnostic tool in the evaluation of congenital obstructive uropathy.
Measuring Confidence for Basic Domains of Vocational Activity in High School Students

These studies report the development and psychometric evaluation of a version of the Expanded Skills Inventory designed for use with high school students. The resulting inventory contains 14 eight-item scales measuring self-efficacy with respect to dimensions of vocational behavior comparable in specificity to the Basic Interest dimensions of the Strong Interest Inventory. The self-efficacy, or confidence, measures were internally consistent and were related to the appropriate Holland confidence theme and to parallel measures of vocational interest. Patterns of gender and ethnic group differences were generally consistent with previous research findings.
Constructing quasi-equilibrium initial data for binary neutron stars with arbitrary spins

In general neutron stars in binaries are spinning. Recently, a new quasi-equilibrium approximation that includes a rotational velocity piece for each star has been proposed to describe binary neutron stars with arbitrary rotation states in quasicircular orbits. We have implemented this approximation numerically for the first time, to generate initial data for neutron star binaries with spin. If we choose the rotational velocity piece such that it equals the Newtonian rigid rotation law, we obtain stars with fluid 4-velocities that have expansion and shear of approximately zero, as one would expect for quasi-equilibrium configurations. We also use the new approach to construct and study initial data sequences for irrotational, corotating, and fixed rotation binaries.
Connecting to Internet.

Usenet is yet another way to network around the world and initiate a discussion on the topics of your choice.
Analyzer interconnections for power swing curves

THE CALCULATION of power-system swing curves generally is performed by using one of several point-by-point techniques in conjunction with an a-c network analyzer. The technique is well known and while greatly simplified by use of the network analyzer is still laborious and time-consuming. At least one analogue for the automatic and continuous determination of swing curves has been devised and several have been proposed. This digest illustrates a method for direct determination of swing curves by interconnection of a network analyzer with a differential analyzer.1
Heterogeneity of minicircles in kinetoplast DNA of Leishmania tarentolae

Kinetoplast DNA, the mitochondrial DNA in trypanosomatids, consists of thousands of DNA circles which are joined in a network. Leishmania tarentolae networks contain 10,000 covalently-closed minicircles, each about 840 base-pairs in length, and less than 50 maxicircles, each about 30,000 base-pairs in length. Minicircles in kinetoplast DNA networks from many species are heterogeneous in nucleotide sequence, and in this paper we describe our studies on L. tarentolae minicircle heterogeneity. Using restriction enzyme analyses we have found that there are three major minicircle sequence classes in this species. Class I minicircles comprise 70% of the total, class II comprise 15%, and class III comprise 7%. The remainder of the minicircles are in minor sequence classes. We have isolated full-length linear restriction fragments from the three major classes and have analyzed the relationship of class I and class II sequences. Each of these two classes contains a population of molecules which appears to be homogeneous based on restriction enzyme mapping, kinetics of reassociation, and thermal chromatography of the reannealed molecules. Similarities in the restriction maps of class I and class II minicircles suggested that they may have related sequences, and we have confirmed this homology by hybridization studies. Thermal chromatography of the heteroduplexes formed between class I and class II minicircles indicates that they differ in about 10 to 15% of their sequences.
Effects of a silica spin-on interlayer and heating mode on the joining of zirconia and MaCor™

Abstract Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has been used to assess the role of thin spin-on interlayers and the effects of heating mode, joining temperature, and time on microstructure development in the process of joining zirconia and MaCor™. Sintered polycrystalline partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) specimens and commercial machinable glass ceramic (MaCor™) have been joined with or without a thin (∼400 nm) amorphous silica interlayer. After joining at different temperatures, times, and with and without the silica interlayer, the interface between zirconia and MaCor™ showed similar interfacial microstructures, with all of the interfaces showing intimate bonding between the zirconia and MaCor™, without any additional interfacial phases. Experiments indicate that joining requires higher nominal temperatures when carried out using conventional heating rather than microwave heating.
The power of nonspecific effects in healing: Implications for psychosocial and biological treatments

Abstract We evaluate the hypothesis that the power of nonspecific effects may account for as much as two thirds of successful treatment outcomes when both the healer and the patient believe in the efficacy of a treatment. Five medical and surgical treatments, once considered to be efficacious by their proponents but no longer considered effective based upon later controlled trials, were selected according to strict inclusion criteria. A search of the English literature was conducted for all studies published for each treatment area. The results of these studies were categorized, where possible, into excellent, good, and poor outcomes. For these five treatments combined, 40 % excellent, 30 % good, and 30 % poor results were reported by proponents. We conclude that, under conditions of heightened expectations, the power of nonspecific effects far exceeds that commonly reported in the literature. The implications of these results in evaluating the relative efficacy of biological and psychosocial treatments is discussed.
Commentary to 'A publication ranking score for pediatric urology: quantifying thought leadership within the subspecialty'.

urology in the United States, with a methodology adapted from a previously described academic urology ranking system (Kutikov A et al.) [4]. The authors present this ranking system as an adjunct to the clinical-oriented ranking score of the USNWR. As stated by the authors, no ranking system is perfect, and nothing evokes more reactions and emotions (both positive and negative) from physicians and parents than these rankings. However, the authors utilized objective data from available sources to produce a ranking score that reflects publication production and contributions to thought leadership, which is often geared toward a different audience than the USNWR rankings. Will a higher publication score lead to better surgical outcomes and help to define who is a better surgeon for a patient? It is possible. In the end, we await better quality indicators that have been validated and field-tested that can be used to effectively compare physicians and institutions for those with the luxury of patient choice. The authors have argued that thought leadership and publication record should be considered as part of the “wise choice”.
Computing canonical heights with little (or no) factorization

Let E/Q be an elliptic curve with discriminant Δ, and let P ∈ E(Q). The standard method for computing the canonical height h(P) is as a sum of local heights h(P) = λ∞(P) + Σ P λp(P). There are well-known series for computing the archimedean height λ(P), and the non-archimedean heights λ p (P) are easily computed as soon as all prime factors of Δ have been determined. However, for curves with large coefficients it may be difficult or impossible to factor Δ. In this note we give a method for computing the non-archimedean contribution to h(P) which is quite practical and requires little or no factorization. We also give some numerical examples illustrating the algorithm.
Performance of a monolithic pixel detector

Abstract A monolithic pixel detector implementing both the detecting element and the readout circuitry in the same piece of high-resistivity silicon and its performance detecting high-momentum muons is described. A four plane detector was placed in a 300–600 GeV/c muon beam at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. The most-probable signal for a minimum-ionizing particle was observed to be 65 times the single-channel, root-mean-square noise in the beam test. A spatial resolution of 2.0 μm was obtained in the direction of 34 μm pitch. In the direction of 125 μm pitch an individual pixel had two distinct, charge-collecting regions: a 75 μm region in the center of the pixel and 25 μm wide regions on each edge where charge diffused into the adjacent pixel. The spatial resolution was 5.3 μm and 75/√12 μm in the edge and central regions, respectively.
Multistage Adaptive Vector Quantization With Least Squares Approximation

In this paper, we propose an image coding scheme, multistage adaptive vector quantization with least sqaures approximation. In this scheme, an image of size 2n x 2n is first partitioned into 2m x 2m blocks (m<n). Each pixel in the block undergoes a normalization by subsracting the block mean and then dividing by the block deviation. The resulting values of each block are approximated by a 2 x 2 matrix with least squares method. If the error of approximation is greater than a preset threshold value, then the 2m x 2m block is further partitioned into four 2m-1 x 2m-1 - blocks, and each of those blocks is also approximated by a 2 x 2 matrix with least squares method. This procedure is continued from the top level of 2m x 2m blocks to the bottom level of 4 x 4 blocks. To achieve a more efficient transmission, the vector quantization is applied to the 4 or 8 dimensional vector set on level-by-level basis. The residual errors due to quantization at each level are fedforward and included in the next level. Thus, it is possible to reprocess at the lower levels, the information lost at the higher level. The simulation results demonstrate that very well reconstructed images can be obtained at the bit rate as low as 0.7 bits/pixel.
Menin-MLL inhibitors reverse oncogenic activity of MLL fusion proteins in leukemia

Translocations involving the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene result in human acute leukemias with very poor prognosis. The leukemogenic activity of MLL fusion proteins is critically dependent on their direct interaction with menin, a product of the multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN1) gene. Here we present what are to our knowledge the first small-molecule inhibitors of the menin-MLL fusion protein interaction that specifically bind menin with nanomolar affinities. These compounds effectively reverse MLL fusion protein-mediated leukemic transformation by downregulating the expression of target genes required for MLL fusion protein oncogenic activity. They also selectively block proliferation and induce both apoptosis and differentiation of leukemia cells harboring MLL translocations. Identification of these compounds provides a new tool for better understanding MLL-mediated leukemogenesis and represents a new approach for studying the role of menin as an oncogenic cofactor of MLL fusion proteins. Our findings also highlight a new therapeutic strategy for aggressive leukemias with MLL rearrangements.
Work-related use and positive livelihood outcomes among mobile phone users in Asia

This study set out to investigate the effects of psychological mechanisms on using mobile phones for work-related communication, and subsequently to prove that people at the bottom of the pyramid in Asia who use their phones strategically reap positive livelihood-related outcomes. Grounded in the theory of reasoned action and technology acceptance model it looks at the relationship between perceived self-efficacy, usefulness, ease of use, social influence, monetary value and gender on usage for strategic communication, and resultant benefits. Based on the Teleuse4@BoP survey, the study focuses on mobile phone owners only (N=4926), and runs a series of binary logistical regressions and ordinary least-squares regressions to predict hypotheses. I found that the positive relationship between perceived usefulness and strategic usage of mobile phones for work-related communication is stronger among people who have irregular incomes. Social influence is negatively related to strategic usage of mobile phones for work-related communication. Perceived monetary value is negatively related to strategic usage of mobile phones for work-related communication. The negative relationship between gender and strategic usage of mobile phones for work-related communication is stronger among people who have jobs that require mobile phone use. And strategic usage of mobile phones for work-related communication is positively related to livelihood-related positive outcomes, holding other things constant. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Innovations in motoneuron synchrony drive rapid temporal modulations in vertebrate acoustic signaling.

Rapid temporal modulation of acoustic signals among several vertebrate lineages has recently been shown to depend on the actions of superfast muscles. We hypothesized that such fast events, known to require synchronous activation of muscle fibers, would rely on motoneuronal properties adapted to generating a highly synchronous output to sonic muscles. Using intracellular in vivo recordings, we identified a suite of premotor network inputs and intrinsic motoneuronal properties synchronizing the oscillatory-like, simultaneous activation of superfast muscles at high gamma frequencies in fish. Motoneurons lacked spontaneous activity, firing synchronously only at the frequency of premotor excitatory input. Population-level motoneuronal output generated a spike-like, vocal nerve volley that directly determines muscle contraction rate and, in turn, natural call frequency. In the absence of vocal output, motoneurons showed low excitability and a weak afterhyperpolarization, leading to rapid accommodation in firing rate. By contrast, vocal activity was accompanied by a prominent afterhyperpolarization, indicating a dependency on network activity. Local injection of a GABAA receptor antagonist demonstrated the necessity of electrophysiologically and immunohistochemically confirmed inhibitory GABAergic input for motoneuronal synchrony and vocalization. Numerous transneuronally labeled motoneurons following single-cell neurobiotin injection together with electrophysiological collision experiments confirmed gap junctional coupling, known to contribute to synchronous activity in other neural networks. Motoneuronal synchrony at the premotor input frequency was maintained during differential recruitment of variably sized motoneurons. Differential motoneuron recruitment led, however, to amplitude modulation (AM) of vocal output and, hence, natural call AM. In summary, motoneuronal intrinsic properties, in particular low excitability, predisposed vocal motoneurons to the synchronizing influences of premotor inputs to translate a temporal input code into a coincident and extremely synchronous, but variable-amplitude, output code. We propose an analogous suite of neuronal properties as a key innovation underlying similarly rapid acoustic events observed among amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
Fluorometric oxidase assays: pitfalls caused by action of ultraviolet light on lipids.

A number of fluorometric assays of hydrogen peroxide-producing oxidases are based on the formation of highly fluorescent products from homovanillic acid or related compounds by horseradish peroxidase. We report the observation that under continuous uv illumination at the wavelengths used for excitation in these methods, brain or muscle homogenates produce fluorescence increases in the absence of any exogenous enzyme substrate; when uv light is excluded, such increases are negligible. Arachidonic and linolenic acids also produce this effect. For this reason, measurements of H2O2 based on this principle are valid only if this nonspecific effect has been excluded, and should preferably be carried out as end-point rather than continuous assays. It is believed that the effect of uv light on the reaction is due to formation of H2O2 and/or oxygen free radicals, and polyunsaturated lipids appear to be involved as intermediates. Thus, the homovanillic acid-horseradish peroxidase system may prove useful in investigations of the effect of uv on the production of oxygen free radicals and lipid peroxidation.
A comparison of international guidelines for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia.

Purpose of review Clinical practice guidelines for the prevention of febrile neutropenia in patients receiving cancer chemotherapy utilizing the myeloid growth factors have been developed by several major international professional organizations. This review provides updates on the current status of these guidelines and summarizes recent reported studies currently under review by guideline panels which may alter guideline recommendations. Recent findings Whereas the consensus guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) are updated annually, previous evidence-based recommendations from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) are currently undergoing an update in their evidence base and recommendations. These updates will consider and base new recommendations on recent important studies related to the efficacy, safety, and cost of these agents in the prevention of neutropenic complications including febrile neutropenia. New information relating to the risk of second malignancies and the ability of the myeloid growth factors to sustain or increase chemotherapy dose intensity and improve overall survival is reviewed. Summary Current guideline recommendations for the prevention of febrile neutropenia are reviewed along with recent published results likely to alter future guideline recommendations on the use of these agents.