cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance of cubic convergent methods for implementing nonlinear constitutive models

Performance of six cubic convergent methods are compared.Cubic methods are used to solve nonlinear equations in constitutive models.Some cubic convergent methods are efficient than the Newton-Raphson method.Some cubic convergent methods are also relatively insensitive to initial guess.Hybrid methods are proposed to reduce the sensitivity to initial guess. Suitability of nonlinear root-solvers whose convergence rates are better than the quadratic Newton-Raphson method and that do not require higher derivatives is examined for solving nonlinear equations encountered in the implementation of constitutive models. First, the performance of six cubic convergent methods is demonstrated by means of examples. These cubic methods are used in place of the Newton-Raphson method to solve the nonlinear equations in the J 2 plasticity and Gurson plasticity constitutive models. Few cubic methods are found to be computationally efficient and relatively insensitive to the initial guess when compared to the Newton-Raphson method for the considered models.
Human-like Time Series Summaries via Trend Utility Estimation.

In many scenarios, humans prefer a text-based representation of quantitative data over numerical, tabular, or graphical representations. The attractiveness of textual summaries for complex data has inspired research on data-to-text systems. While there are several data-to-text tools for time series, few of them try to mimic how humans summarize for time series. In this paper, we propose a model to create human-like text descriptions for time series. Our system finds patterns in time series data and ranks these patterns based on empirical observations of human behavior using utility estimation. Our proposed utility estimation model is a Bayesian network capturing interdependencies between different patterns. We describe the learning steps for this network and introduce baselines along with their performance for each step. The output of our system is a natural language description of time series that attempts to match a human's summary of the same data.
Imaging of Vascular Malformations

Recent advances in imaging have allowed a better understanding of imaging features and classification of vascular anomalies. This article focuses on imaging of vascular malformations; describes the updated classification system and clinical and imaging characteristics of the different subtypes; and discusses the associated syndromes, differential diagnosis, and available treatment options, including the role of imaging in management.
Mechanisms of nicotine-induced resistance to treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy

e22008 Background: Nicotine (NIC), used for smoking cessation in cancer patients, is associated with increased tumor growth, angiogenesis, migration, invasion, growth factor production, and inhibit...
Monitoring change in a dynamic environment: spatiotemporal modelling of calibrated data from different types of fisheries surveys of Pacific halibut

Monitoring distributional shifts in Arctic and subarctic fish species as environmental conditions change can be difficult due to sparse or infrequent surveys. Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolep...
Medical Student Assessment in the Time of COVID-19.

Background Medical student education in the era of the COVID-19 outbreak is vastly different than the standard education we have become accustomed to. Medical student assessment is an important aspect of adjusting curriculums in the era of increased virtual learning. Methods Students took our previously validated free response clinical skills exam (CSE) at the end of the scheduled clerkship as an open-book exam to eliminate any concern for breaches in the honor code and then grades were adjusted based on historic norms. The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) shelf exam was taken with a virtual proctor. Students whose clerkship was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic were compared to the students from a similarly timed surgery block the previous 3 years. Primary outcomes included CSE and NBME exam scores. Secondary outcomes included clinical evaluations and the percentage of students who received grades of Honors, High Pass, and Pass. After the surgery clerkship was completed, we surveyed all students who participated in the surgery clerkship during the COVID-19 crisis. Results There were 19 students during the COVID-interrupted clerkship and 61 students in similarly timed clerkships between 2017 and 2019. Prior to adjustment and compared to historic scores, the COVID-interrupted clerkship group scored higher on the CSE, NBME exam, and performance evaluations (median, CSE:75.2 vs 68.7, shelf:68.0 vs 64.0, performance evaluation mean: 2.96 vs 2.78). The percentage of students with an honors was marginally higher in the group affected by COVID (42% vs 32%). Out of 19 students surveyed, 9 students responded. Seven students stated they would have preferred a closed-book CSE, citing a few drawbacks of the open-book format such as modifying their exam preparation, being discouraged from thinking prior to searching online during the test, and second guessing their answers. Conclusions During the initial outbreak of COVID-19, we found that an open book exam and a virtually proctored shelf exam was a reasonable option. However, to avoid adjustments and student dissatisfaction, we would recommend virtual proctoring if available.
Pitch Your Discipline

The first introduction course has been evaluated as Bloom’s Taxonomy’s stage of Remembering and Understanding phase of education. This assumption has resulted in teaching under the transmission model, in which the teacher is obligated to have facts that are then forced into the empty vessel of students. By the end of the semester, the vessel regurgitates these facts in essay or exam format. With this understanding, the professor is only emphasizing the importance of memorization and neglecting long-term memory and life-long learning for the upper division level courses. Yet, how many possible political science students did we lose along the way with this methodology? This paper asserts the necessity reforming the teaching methodology to move higher along Bloom’s Taxonomy (Applying, Analyzing, Evaluating, Creating) within the introductory level courses in order to “pitch your discipline.” Through presenting various teaching pedagogical practices, this paper will provide a clearer picture of how to create an engaging classroom that would inspire future students to enter into the discipline of political science.
Association of HLA mismatch and MTOR inhibitor regimens with malignancy and mortality after kidney transplantation

Abstract Background The association of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (MTORI) with malignancies and mortality in kidney transplant recipients (KTR) with different degrees of human leukocyte antigen mismatch (HLA-mm) at transplant has not been previously studied. Methods Our observational cohort study included 166, 256 adult KTRs in 2000–2018. Immunosuppression in the first post-transplant year were MTORIs in 13,056 (7.85%) and non-MTORIs in 153,200 (92.15%). We used Cox multivariable regression models to determine the cause-specific hazard ratio (HRcs) of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC),solid organ malignancies (SOM)] and all-cause death (deathac); and the HR of the composite outcomes of NMSC or deathac and SOM or deathac associated with MTORI versus non-MTORI regimens in the overall study sample and the 0, 1–3, and 4–6 HLA-A, B and DR mm subgroups. Results NMSC risk was lower with MTORI than non-MTORI in all HLA-mm subgroups [(0 mm, HRcs = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.46–0.97, 1–3 mm, HRcs = 0.73; 95% CI = 0.61–0.87, 4–6 mm, HRcs = 0.69; 95% CI = 0.62–0.76)]. SOM risks were similar between regimens in the 0 HLA mm subgroup (HRcs = 1.10 (95% CI = 0.78–1.57) and lower with MTORI than non-MTORI in the 1–3, and 4–6 HLA-mm subgroups, [(HR = 0.84; (95% CI = 0.71–0.99), and (HR = 0.86; 95% CI = 0.78–0.94); respectively]. Risks of deathac and composite outcomes (NMSC or deathac and SOM or deathac) were higher with MTORI than non-MTORI in almost all HLA-mm subgroups. Conclusion MTORIs are associated with protection from NMSC and SOM in almost all HLA-mm subgroups ca; however, their association with increased all-cause mortality in adult kidney transplant recipients needs further investigation.
Targeted verbal cues can immediately alter gait following stroke.

Background: Physical therapists use verbal cueing extensively during gait rehabilitation. Nevertheless, little is known about the ability of individuals post-stroke to make immediate changes to tar...
Angiotensin II type 1 receptor agonistic autoantibody blockade improves postpartum hypertension and cardiac mitochondrial function in rat model of preeclampsia.

Women with preeclampsia (PE) have a greater risk of developing hypertension, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and renal disease later in life. Angiotensin II type I receptor agonistic autoantibodies (AT1-AAs) are elevated in women with PE during pregnancy and up to 2-year postpartum (PP), and in the reduced uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP) rat model of PE. Blockade of AT1-AA with a specific 7 amino acid peptide binding sequence (‘n7AAc’) improves pathophysiology observed in RUPP rats; however, the long-term effects of AT1-AA inhibition in PP is unknown. Pregnant Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups: normal pregnant (NP) (n = 16), RUPP (n = 15), and RUPP + ‘n7AAc’ (n = 16). Gestational day 14, RUPP surgery was performed and ‘n7AAc’ (144 μg/day) administered via osmotic minipump. At 10-week PP, mean arterial pressure (MAP), renal glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and cardiac functions, and cardiac mitochondria function were assessed. MAP was elevated PP in RUPP vs. NP (126 ± 4 vs. 116 ± 3 mmHg, p < 0.05), but was normalized in in RUPP + ‘n7AAc’ (109 ± 3 mmHg) vs. RUPP (p < 0.05). PP heart size was reduced by RUPP + ’n7AAc’ vs. RUPP rats (p < 0.05). Complex IV protein abundance and enzymatic activity, along with glutamate/malate-driven respiration (complexes I, III, and IV), were reduced in the heart of RUPP vs. NP rats which was prevented with ‘n7AAc’. AT1-AA inhibition during pregnancy not only improves blood pressure and pathophysiology of PE in rats during pregnancy, but also long-term changes in blood pressure, cardiac hypertrophy, and cardiac mitochondrial function PP. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13293-021-00396-x.
First-order phase statistics in Laguerre-Gauss speckles

We present a statistical analysis of the phase of random fields generated by scattering of Laguerre-Gauss beams. The standard deviation of the speckle phase is studied using the formalism of equiprobability density ellipses.
Single- versus multi-port robotic partial nephrectomy: a comparative analysis of perioperative outcomes and analgesic requirements.

Evidence supporting the safe use of the single-port (SP) robot for partial nephrectomy is scarce. The purpose of this study was to compare perioperative outcomes for patients undergoing robotic assisted SP vs multi-port (MP) partial nephrectomy (PN) in a time-matched cohort. All patients with clinically localized renal masses who underwent robotic PN from January 2019 to March 2020 were evaluated. Patients were stratified according to SP vs MP approach. Postoperative analgesia was administered in accordance with department-wide opioid stewardship protocol and outpatient opioid use was tracked. Total of 78 patients underwent robotic PN with 26 patients in the SP cohort. The majority of renal masses had low-complexity (53, 67.9%) R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry scores, without a significant difference between the two cohorts (p = 0.19). A retroperitoneal approach was performed in 16 (20.5%) patients overall, though more commonly via the SP robotic approach (13 vs 3, p < 0.001). Mean operative time for SP cases was 183.9 ± 63.5 min vs 208.6 ± 65.0 min in the MP cohort (p = 0.12). Rate of conversion to radical nephrectomy was 3.8% vs 9.6% for SP vs MP cases, respectively, (p = 0.37). The majority of patients were discharged on postoperative day one (67.9%) irrespective of operative approach (p = 0.60). There were no differences in inpatient milligram morphine equivalents administered (MME, p = 0.08) or outpatient postoperative MME prescribed (p = 0.21) between the two cohorts. In this retrospective single-institution study, SP robotic approach offers similar short-term perioperative outcomes to MP platforms for minimally invasive, nephron-sparing surgery. Using the SP system was not associated with a reduction in postoperative opioid analgesic requirements.
Comparisons of Angus, Charolais, Galloway, Hereford, Longhorn, Nellore, Piedmontese, Salers, and Shorthorn breeds for weight, weight adjusted for condition score, height, and condition score of cows

Breed differences for weight (CW), height (CH), and condition score (CS) were estimated from records (n = 12,188) of 2- to 6-yr-old cows (n = 744) from Cycle IV of the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center's Germplasm Evaluation (GPE) Program. Cows were produced from mating Angus and Hereford dams to Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Shorthorn, Galloway, Longhorn, Nellore, Piedmontese, and Salers sires. Samples of Angus and Hereford sires were 1) reference sires born from 1962 through 1970 and 2) 1980s sires born in 1980 through 1987. The mixed model included cow age, season of measurement and their interactions, year of birth, pregnancy-lactation code (PL), and breed-group as fixed effects for CW and CS. Analyses of weight adjusted for condition score included CS as a linear covariate. The model for CH excluded PL. Random effects were additive genetic and permanent environmental effects associated with the cow. Differences among breed groups were significant (P < 0.05) for all traits and were maintained through maturity with few interchanges in ranking. The order of F 1 cows for weight was as follows: Charolais (506 to 635 kg for different ages), Shorthorn and Salers, reciprocal Hereford-Angus (HA) with 1980s sires, Nellore, HA with reference sires, Galloway, Piedmontese, and Longhorn (412 to 525 kg for different ages). Order for height was as follows: Nellore (136 to 140 cm), Charolais, Shorthorn, Salers, HA with 1980s sires, Piedmontese, Longhorn, Galloway and HA with reference sires (126 to 128 cm). Hereford and Angus cows with reference sires were generally lighter than those with 1980s sires. In general, breed differences for height followed those for weight except that F 1 Nellore cows were tallest, which may in part be due to Bos taurus-Bos indicus heterosis for size.
Building seismic response attenuation using robust control and architectural cladding

Robust control methods are used to design a hybrid control system that includes an active tensioning (bracing) system and a passive control system consisting of rigid cladding panels connected to the building with ductile (hysteretic) connection elements. Mu-synthesis control design methods are shown to yield controllers that remain stable and effective in the presence of significant stiffness changes in the structure (plant) introduced by the addition of the passive hysteretic damping. Controller stability is achieved in exchange for reduced nominal performance and increased controller complexity. The result is an overall 84% reduction in the peak response from the uncontrolled, undamped system.
Differential translation of the Na,K-ATPase subunit mRNAs

Abstract Expression of the Na,K-ATPase alpha and beta subunit genes is influenced by a complex series of regulatory pathways. For example, unequal amounts of subunit mRNAs are detected in several tissues, both at rest and upon mRNA induction, even though equal quantities of subunit proteins exist. We therefore studied mRNA stability and translational efficiency of wild type, deletion mutant, and chimeric subunit mRNAs in a cell-free translation system, to examine the possible role of post-transcriptional events in regulating subunit expression. alpha 1 mRNA translated less efficiently than beta 1 mRNA and competed less efficiently for rate-limiting translation factors. Deletion of the 5'-untranslated region of alpha 1 mRNA significantly increased its translation efficiency. Conversely, the alpha 1 5'-untranslated region impaired translation of beta 1 mRNA when attached upstream of the beta 1 coding sequence. This region is G/C-rich, and has a complex mRNA secondary structure. We propose that differential translational efficiency may contribute to the equal biosynthesis of subunit proteins in those tissues in which subunit mRNAs either exist in unequal amounts or are differentially induced.
Power Quality Monitoring in U.K. National Grid electricity transmission system

Power Quality Monitoring System continuously monitors numerous sites in the National Grid's electricity transmission system in England and Wales. This kind of systems represents a significant costly investment by utilities. The monitoring of power quality in the network on transmission systems is increasingly seen as being critical as evidenced by the increase in number of directly connected customers to the transmission system; that is large offshore and onshore wind farms and HVDC inter-connectors. This pattern of growth is set to continue in the foreseeable future. The importance of monitoring the power quality in the network is important not only from a compliance perspective, but also to identify the performance and health of the network. The monitoring system is capable of storing a huge amount of data and the management of this data for efficient presentation to an engineer helps in making informed decisions. Therefore, this paper will present (1) the design, architecture, implementation and testing leading to going live for National Grid Power Quality Monitoring System, (2) the processing, extraction and compilation of the data for presenting to an engineer for appropriate actions where there are compliance issues.
Predicting Daily Stock Returns: A Lengthy Study of the Hong Kong and Tokyo Stock Exchanges

If stock markets are efficient then it should not be possible to predict stock returns, i.e., no explanatory variable in a stock market regression model should be statistically significant. In this study, we find results indicating that daily effects exist in stock market returns. These daily or calendar effects previously shown to exist by others clearly indicate the purpose of this study. Researchers often equate stock market efficiency with the non- predictability property of time series of stock returns. We explore whether this line of argument is satisfactory and aids in furthering our understanding of how markets operate. We focus on one definition of capital market efficiency and on the experience of these principles in analyzing the performance of Hong Kong and Tokyo stock exchanges. We observe that stock returns (which include closing prices and dividends) are predictable and there are explanations for short-term predictability. Hong Kong and Japan are the focus of this study because of the maturity of their financial markets and the availability of clean data on these markets from a reputable and available source.
Factors affecting morbidity after conversion of laparoscopic colorectal resections.

Background The impact of conversion on postoperative outcomes of laparoscopic colorectal surgery remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to assess whether a conversion results in increased postoperative morbidity and mortality, and to evaluate whether any specific factors affect the outcomes of converted procedures. Methods Outcomes of procedures requiring conversion among patients undergoing elective laparoscopic colorectal resection between 1992 and 2011 were compared with those for operations completed laparoscopically. Subset analyses were also performed to evaluate the selective impact of patient-, disease- and treatment-related factors and the timing of conversion during surgery on outcomes. Primary endpoints were postoperative mortality and morbidity. Results Of 2483 patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal resection, 270 (10·9 per cent) required conversion to open surgery. The 30-day postoperative mortality rate was comparable after laparoscopically completed and converted procedures (0·4 versus 0 per cent respectively; P = 0·610). Factors significantly associated with morbidity after conversion were smoking, cardiovascular co-morbidity, previous abdominal operations (particularly colectomy or hysterectomy) and adhesions. Overall morbidity was not affected by conversion (27·0 per cent at 30 days in both groups; P > 0·999). However, patients experiencing morbidity tended to have had earlier conversions: median (range) 40 (15–90) min into surgery versus 50 (15–240) min for those who did not develop morbidity (P = 0·006). The risk of reoperation for postoperative morbidity was higher following conversion because of complications (13 versus 2·9 per cent; P = 0·024). Conclusion Conversions of laparoscopic colorectal resection are not associated with increased overall morbidity, regardless of the timing of conversion.
Post Thrombolytic Care

The administration of streptokinase following acute myocardial infarction effectively lyses occlusive thrombi superimposed on atherosclerotic lesions and thereby allows for reperfusion of a previously occluded vessel. When given early in the course of myocardial infarction either intravenous or intracoronary streptokinase may have a favorable effect on both subsequent mortality and the extent of myocardial dysfunction. However, the clinical course following the administration of streptokinase for myocardial infarction is not only influenced by the presence and extent of myocardial necrosis but also by factors related to thrombolytic therapy. Thus the patient who has received thrombolytic therapy after myocardial infarction is exposed to several additional risks. In this review we will discuss these additional factors that influence the clinical course of these patients. Much of the data that we will present has been derived from patients who have received intracoronary streptokinase, yet are relevant to patients who have received intravenous streptokinase.
Interactive Multimedia Design and Production Processes

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to provide information on the multimedia design and development process used by the practitioners in the field. It sought to inform students who wish to pursue a career in multimedia of the skills and knowledge needed and instructors who teach multimedia related courses of the process employed by practitioners so as to help better prepare students for the job market. Extensive interviews were conducted with the experienced multimedia developers who assumed various roles and were involved in developing multimedia educational materials. The findings of the study were presented through the following aspects: (1) how the multimedia production process works, (2) the roles and responsibilities of people who work in the field, (3) the factors contributing to successful multimedia development, (4) tips and techniques in multimedia development offered by practitioners, and (5) the popular hardware and software used. Implications of the findings and suggestions for how students...
Multiagent Coordination Optimization: A control-theoretic perspective of swarm intelligence algorithms

In this paper, a new swarm optimization algorithm, called Multiagent Coordination Optimization (MCO) is developed, which is based on the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and cooperative control of multiple agents, to optimize general nonlinear objective functions for unconstrained optimization problems. The standard PSO algorithm needs a local optimal position to achieve the global optimal position, which is generated by the minimum objective value between the current local optimal position and current actual position. Different from this, here we use a consensus-based term to calculate the local optimal position for MCO, which is widely studied in the network consensus problem. More importantly, the global convergence result for MCO is presented by aid of some tools from dynamical systems and control theory. We propose two deterministic dynamic models to approximate the intrinsic, averaging dynamics of MCO. Some standard objective test functions are used to evaluate the performance of our algorithm and the proposed dynamic models. Finally, by using this algorithm, we solve an optimal distributed linear averaging problem and a sensor network based parameter estimation problem for threat localization.
Destructive aggregation : Aggregation with collision-induced breakage

Mean-field population balance equations are used to describe the evolution of particle size distributions in a wide variety of systems undergoing simultaneous aggregation and breakage. In this paper we develop a population balance that includes aggregation combined with collision-induced particle breakage for arbitrary fragment distribution functions, provided that this distribution function depends only on the total mass of the particles undergoing a collision. We then develop a specific distribution function for arbitrary two-body collisions by postulating that each collision produces a transition-state aggregate having the morphology of a linear polymer. The behavior of the resulting equation is then analyzed for the case in which the collision kernel is a constant, and partial analytical solutions are derived and compared to corresponding Monte-Carlo simulation results. The computer simulations are then used to validate a proposed scaling law for the steady-state particle size distribution. Lastly, the behavior of the aggregation with collision-induced-breakage population balance equation is compared and contrasted with the behavior of an analogous aggregation with linear-breakage population balance equation.
Deposition of Titanium−Vanadium Oxide Thin Films on Organic Self-Assembled Monolayers: Role of Complexing Agents†

Titanium−vanadium oxide films were co-deposited from aqueous solutions on organic self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with alkylammonium or amine surface functional groups. The chemical composition of...
Steady state heat transfer to blood flowing in the entrance region of a tube

Abstract In the present work we have obtained the numerical solutions of the momentum and energy equation for blood flowing in a tube. It is assumed that the non-Newtonian behavior of blood can be expressed through the Casson equation. The numerical procedure used is that of Patankar and Spalding [1]. The results have been obtained for the two cases, (i) the uniform surface temperature and (ii) the uniform surface heat flux and for the yield number Y(= τ y D u μ ) = 0,0.1, 1, 2, 5, 10 m and 20 .
Ultrasounds and social attraction in rats: Concomitants or determinants?

If the ultrasonic vocalizations uttered by rodents during a variety of social activities serve as a primary channel of social communication, then eliminating the ability to detect them should affect social interaction. Pairs of rats deafened by two different techniques (Experiment 1, ossicular displacement and ear plugging; Experiment 2, auditory over-stimulation) were as gregarious when freely interacting in an open field as normal rats, indicating that ultrasonic vocalizations are not the source of social attraction for this species. In addition, the temporal patterning of social contacts between deaf pairs and normal pairs was virtually identical, indicating that ultrasounds may not serve a necessary communicative or regulatory function in social interaction. It seems possible that the function of rats’ ultrasonic vocalizations may be more expressive than communicative.
A Theory of Competition Among Pressure Groups for Political Influence

This paper presents a theory of competition among pressure groups for political influence. Political equilibrium depends on the efficiency of each group in producing pressure, the effect of additional pressure on their influence, the number of persons in different groups, and the deadweight cost of taxes and subsidies. An increase in deadweight costs discourages pressure by subsidized groups and encourages pressure by taxpayers. This analysis unifies the view that governments correct market failures with the view that they favor the politically powerful: both are produced by the competition for political favors.
Comparative Potency Method for Cancer Risk Assessment: Application to Diesel Particulate Emissions1

An estimation of the human lung cancer “unit risk” from diesel engine particulate emissions has been made using a comparative potency approach. This approach involves evaluating the tumorigenic and mutagenic potencies of the particulates from four diesel and one gasoline engine in relation to other combustion and pyrolysis products (coke oven, roofing tar, and cigarette smoke) that cause lung cancer in humans. The unit cancer risk is predicated on the linear nonthreshold extrapolation model and is the individual lifetime excess lung cancer risk from continuous exposure to 1 μg carcinogen per m3 inhaled air. The human lung cancer unit risks obtained from the epidemiologic data for coke oven workers, roofing tar applicators, and cigarette smokers were, respectively, 9.3 × 10−4, 3.6 × 10−4, and 2.2 × 10−6 per μg particulate organics per m3 air. The comparative potencies of these three materials and the diesel and gasoline engine exhaust particulates (as organic extracts) were evaluated by in vivo tumorigenicity bioassays involving skin initiation and skin carcinogenicity in SENCAR mice and by the in vitro bioassays that proved suitable for this analysis: Ames Salmonella microsome bioassay, L5178Y mouse lymphoma cell mutagenesis bioassay, and sister chromatid exchange bioassay in Chinese hamster ovary cells. The relative potencies of the coke oven, roofing tar, and cigarette smoke emissions, as determined by the mouse skin initiation assay, were within a factor of 2 of those determined using the epidemiologic data. The relative potencies, from the in vitro bioassays as compared to the human data, were similar for coke oven and roofing tar, but for the cigarette smoke condensate the in vitro tests predicted a higher relative potency. The mouse skin initiation bioassay was used to determine the unit lung cancer risk for the most potent of the diesel emissions. Based on comparisons with coke oven, roofing tar, and cigarette smoke, the unit cancer risk averaged 4.4 × 10−4. The unit lung cancer risks for the other, less potent motor-vehicle emissions were determined from their comparative potencies relative to the most potent diesel using three in vitro bioassays. There was a high correlation between the in vitro and in vivo bioassays in their responses to the engine exhaust particulate extracts. The unit lung cancer risk per μg particulates per m3 for the automotive diesel and gasoline exhaust particulates ranged from 0.20 × 10−4 to 0.60 × 10−4; that for the heavy-duty diesel engine was 0.02 × 10−4. These unit risks provide the basis for a future assessment of human lung cancer risks when combined with human population exposure to automotive emissions.
Lidar and Electro-Optics for Atmospheric Hazard Sensing and Mitigation

This paper provides an overview of the research and development efforts of the Lidar and Electro-Optics element of NASA's Aviation Safety Program. This element is seeking to improve the understanding of the atmospheric environments encountered by aviation and to provide enhanced situation awareness for atmospheric hazards. The improved understanding of atmospheric conditions is specifically to develop sensor signatures for atmospheric hazards. The current emphasis is on kinetic air hazards such as turbulence, aircraft wake vortices, mountain rotors, and windshear. Additional efforts are underway to identify and quantify the hazards arising from multi-phase atmospheric conditions including liquid and solid hydrometeors and volcanic ash. When the multi-phase conditions act as obscurants that result in reduced visual awareness, the element seeks to mitigate the hazards associated with these diminished visual environments. The overall purpose of these efforts is to enable safety improvements for air transport class and business jet class aircraft as the transition to the Next Generation Air Transportation System occurs.
Pilot dose‐finding and safety study of bivalirudin in infants <6 months of age with thrombosis

Summary. Background: Thrombosis is not uncommon in children with serious medical conditions. Unfractionated heparin, the most commonly used anticoagulant in the acute management of thrombosis, has significant pharmacologic limitations, especially in infants. Newer anticoagulants have improved properties relative to heparin, and this may enhance the outcome in children.Objective: To determine dosing, and to assess the safety and efficacy of bivairudin for infants with thrombosis.Methods: Infants <6 months old were chosen for this pilot study as they may most benefit from a direct thrombin inhibitor because of their physiologically low antithrombin levels. This was an open label, dose-finding and safety study. Patients received one of three bolus doses and one of two initial infusion doses with subsequent dosing adjusted utilizing the activated partial thromboplastin time. Safety was assessed by specific bleeding endpoints. Efficacy was determined by reassessing the initial imaging study at 48–72 h and by measurement of molecular markers of thrombin generation.Results: Sixteen patients completed the study. All three bolus doses resulted in therapeutic anticoagulation, as did both initial infusion doses. A dose–response effect was noted for the continuous infusion but not the bolus dosing. Two patients met the study criteria for major bleeding, both with gross hematuria, which resolved with a reduction in the bivalirudin infusion rate. In terms of efficacy, 37.5% of patients had complete or partial resolution of their thrombosis by 48–72 h. There was a significant decrease in all three molecular markers of thrombin generation.Conclusion: This study demonstrates the potential utility of bivalirudin in the pediatric population.
Nanosecond Dynamics of Acetylcholinesterase Near the Active Center Gorge

Abstract To delineate the role of peptide backbone flexibility and rapid molecular motion in acetylcholinesterase catalysis and inhibitor association, we investigated the decay of fluorescence anisotropy at three sites of fluorescein conjugation to cysteine-substitution mutants of the enzyme. One cysteine was placed in a loop at the peripheral site near the rim of the active center gorge (H287C); a second was in a helical region outside of the active center gorge (T249C); a third was at the tip of a small, flexible ω loop well separated from the gorge (A262C). Mutation and fluorophore conjugation did not appreciably alter catalytic or inhibitor binding parameters of the enzyme. The results show that each site examined was associated with a high degree of segmental motion; however, the A262C and H287C sites were significantly more flexible than the T249C site. Association of the active center inhibitor, tacrine, and the peripheral site peptide inhibitor, fasciculin, had no effect on the anisotropy decay of fluorophores at positions 249 and 262. Fasciculin, but not tacrine, on the other hand, dramatically altered the decay profile of the fluorophore at the 287 position, in a manner consistent with fasciculin reducing the segmental motion of the peptide chain in this local region. The results suggest that the motions of residues near the active center gorge and across from the Cys69-Cys96 ω loop are uncoupled and that ligand binding at the active center or the peripheral site does not influence acetylcholinesterase conformational dynamics globally, but induces primarily domain localized decreases in flexibility proximal to the bound ligand.
Hospital and Medical Care Use by Nursing Home Patients: The Effect of Patient Care Plans

Although there has been increasing attention to the ethical and legal issues involved in the patient's right to have treatment or hospitalization withheld, there have been few empirical evaluations of programs designed to accomplish that end. Over a 7-year period, a medical group cared for 110 patients in a skilled nursing facility. After assessing the patients' wishes and the opinions of the personal physicians and nurses, care plans were made specifying whether each one was to receive maximum, intermediate, or comfort care. The hospitalization rate was found to be 79% lower for the patients receiving comfort care. Multiple admissions were unusual. Those patients made no use of outpatient consultants or major diagnostic procedures and had only 14% as many roentgenograms as the patients receiving maximum care. Whereas acute medical and surgical problems and related physician visits were more frequent for the comfort care groups, specific treatment of those problems was withheld far more often. Mortality was twice as great among the comfort care patients, and nearly all of these deaths occurred in the nursing home. It was concluded that the patient's decision to avoid active management can be honored by specific patient plans carefully communicated to all physicians sharing responsibility for that person's care.
Improving tandem mass spectrum identification using peptide retention time prediction across diverse chromatography conditions.

Most algorithms for identifying peptides from tandem mass spectra use information only from the final spectrum, ignoring non-mass-based information acquired routinely in liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analyses. One physiochemical property that is always obtained but rarely exploited is peptide chromatographic retention time. Efforts to use chromatographic retention time to improve peptide identification are complicated because of the variability of retention time in different experimental conditionsmaking retention time calculations nongeneralizable. We show that peptide retention time can be reliably predicted by training and testing a support vector regressor on a small collection of data from a single liquid chromatography run. This model can be used to filter peptide identifications with observed retention time that deviates from predicted retention time. After filtering, positive peptide identifications increase by as much as 50% at a false discovery rate of 3%. We demonstrate that ou...
Integrated acousto-optic and magneto-optic devices for optical information processing and communications

A variety of hybrid surface acoustic waves (SAW)-based integrated acousto-optic (AO) Bragg cell device modules including power and interferometric RF spectrum analyzers, space switches, tunable filters, frequency shifters and modulators, analog algebraic processors, programmable correlators, and other multichannel device modules have been realized previously in common LiNbO3 substrate up to 1.0 X 3.7 cm2 in maximum size. The prospects for realization of their counterparts in monolithic integrated format in a common substrate of InGaAsP material system are significantly enhanced recently. In the meantime, the magnetooptic (MO) Bragg interactions between guided optical waves and magnetostatic waves in yttrium iron garnet- gadolinium gallium garnet substrates have resulted in miniaturized MO Bragg cell modulators in analogy with the guided-wave AO Bragg cell modulators. Recently, the performance of such MO Bragg cell modulators has been significantly improved and the modulators have been integrated with ion-milled waveguide lenses to realize hybrid integrated MO device modules. Such MO modulators have been utilized to demonstrate a number of novel applications. In this paper, a review of some of the most recent advances in integrated AO and MO device modules and applications together with some unpublished new results are presented.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Public perception and participation in water reuse

The Water Environment Research Foundation in the United States funded an interdisciplinary and integrative social science study on public perception and participation in water reuse within the US. It employed a three-phased research protocol consisting of 1) literature review and three comprehensive case studies, including interpretive white papers from five different social science disciplines and public health and environmental engineering scientists, 2) a multi-stakeholder workshop to promote integrative, interdisciplinary analysis of the literature and case study findings, and 3) peer-review among twenty-one social science and water resource management experts. The case studies included examples of potable and non-potable reuse, with elements of success and failure. Five themes were identified as critical to building and maintaining public confidence in water resource management and water reuse decision-making: managing information for all stakeholders; maintaining individual motivation and demonstrating organizational commitment; promoting communication and public dialog; ensuring a fair and sound decision-making process and outcome; and building and maintaining trust. The study produced guidance for water resource professionals with a strategy for assessing the community context and developing a principle-based approach to public outreach, education and participation.
MAINTAINING A MINORITY LANGUAGE: A CASE STUDY OF HISPANIC TEENAGERS

Maintaining A Minority Language: A Case Study of Hispanic Teenagers. John Gibbons and Elizabeth Ramirez. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters, 2004. Pp. x + 240. £25.95 paper.On reading the title of this volume, the reader might assume that the study involves teenagers in a large urban area of the United States. Potential readers will be surprised to realize that this book is about Hispanic teenagers in Sydney, Australia, and the efforts of these teens and their families to maintain their Spanish language. The authors, Gibbons and Ramirez, argue that the understanding of minority language maintenance and shift “requires the examination of the degree of acquisition of various elements of proficiency, including spoken language, basic literacy skills, grammar and high register” (p. l). Thus, having set a rather rigorous benchmark for themselves, they proceed to study 106 Hispanic teenagers to determine the degree of maintenance of Spanish among them as well as their attitudes toward their bilingualism.
Surface imprinted thin polymer film systems with selective recognition for bovine serum albumin.

Molecularly imprinted polymers are synthetic antibody mimics formed by the crosslinking of organic or inorganic polymers in the presence of an analyte which yields recognitive polymer networks with specific binding pockets for that biomolecule. Surface imprinted polymers were synthesized via a novel technique for the specific recognition of bovine serum albumin (BSA). Thin films of recognitive networks based on 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) as the functional monomer and varying amounts of either N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) or poly(ethylene glycol) (400) dimethacrylate (PEG400DMA) as the crosslinking agent were synthesized via UV free-radical polymerization and characterized. A clear and reproducible increase in recognition of the template BSA was demonstrated for these systems at 1.6–2.5 times more BSA recognized by the MIP sample relative to the control polymers. Additionally, these polymers exhibited selective recognition of the template relative to competing proteins with up to 2.9 times more BSA adsorbed than either glucose oxidase or bovine hemoglobin. These synthetic antibody mimics hold significant promise as the next generation of robust recognition elements in a wide range of bioassay and biosensor applications.
The influence of object conceptions on the mechanical intuitions of children and adults

Abstract This research examines how initial conceptualizations of objects and space exert an influence on predictions about the physical world but simultaneously lead the naive to misconstrue a dynamic event. In four investigations, children (kindergartners, third graders, and sixth graders) and adults predicted where an oscillating screen would contact an object occluded by the screen's motion, a task adapted from the infant literature which is used to assess early knowledge of the solidity constraint on object motion. Participants demonstrated remarkable proficiency in anticipating the point of contact despite the formal geometric complexity of the event. However, although predictions were close approximations of the parameters objectively determinable for the event, responses were universally biased; participants systematically underestimated the distance the screen would travel to contact the object. Participants' responses were never in violation of the principle: One object cannot pass into the space occupied by another. Children and adults used different strategies to achieve their predictions, so the pattern of misconstruals across task parameters were developmentally related; however, the direction of the misconstrual was developmentally invariant. The findings are evaluated in terms of how initial knowledge of objects constrains intuition about physical events.
Early myointimal hyperplasia after balloon catheter embolectomy: Effect of shear forces and multiple withdrawals

Abstract Arterial stenosis occurring after balloon catheter embolectomy may be caused by myointimal hyperplasia (MIH). This study investigated the effects of shear force and repeated catheter withdrawals on the development of MIH after embolectomy. The procedures were performed in the common carotid and common femoral arteries of 18 anesthetized dogs. During catheter withdrawal, the balloons were filled gradually to produce shear forces rising smoothly from 50 to 200 gm. Four weeks after embolectomy, the vessels were perfusion-fixed in situ with 2% glutaraldehyde and were excised. The thickness and circumferential extent of MIH were measured in cross sections from segments of the vessels exposed to shear forces of 50, 100, and 200 gm. Sixty-nine of 72 arteries remained patent. Low shear force (50 gm) consistently elicited less MIH than did higher shear forces (p
Survey of results on k -ordered graphs

Abstract For a positive integer k, a graph G is k-ordered if for every ordered set of k vertices, there is a cycle that encounters the vertices of the set in the given order. If the cycle is also a hamiltonian cycle, then G is said to be k-ordered hamiltonian. This was a concept that was introduced by Ng and Schultz. There has been a series of results involving degree conditions, generalized degree conditions, neighborhood conditions, and forbidden subgraph conditions that imply k-ordered or k-ordered hamiltonian. There have also been results dealing with the same type of conditions for bipartite graphs. Results of this nature will be surveyed.