cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient-reported sexual quality of life after different types of radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy: Analysis of a population-based prospective cohort

Background Although patients with prostate cancer face many treatment options, to the authors' knowledge the comparative effects of different surgical and radiotherapy (RT) options on sexual function are unclear. Methods In the current study, a population-based cohort of 835 men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer from 2011 through 2013 was recruited throughout North Carolina in collaboration with the Rapid Case Ascertainment system of the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry. All men were enrolled prior to treatment and followed prospectively using the validated Prostate Cancer Symptom Indices (PCSI) instrument. This analysis compares the sexual dysfunction scores of the PCSI among patients who received external-beam RT (EBRT), EBRT with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), brachytherapy, nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy (RP), and non-nerve-sparing RP. Propensity scores were used to balance patient characteristics across groups, and multiple imputation was used for missing data. Results EBRT and brachytherapy resulted in similar PCSI scores through 24 months. Compared with those receiving EBRT, patients treated with EBRT with ADT and RP with or without nerve sparing were found to have worse PCSI scores at all posttreatment time points. Preservation of useful sexual function at 24 months was associated with treatment type, baseline score, and age. Predicted preservation rates were 14.1% to 70.7% for EBRT, 8.4% to 52.3% for EBRT with ADT, 4.7% to 45.3% for nerve-sparing RP, and 4.8% to 34.5% for non-nerve-sparing RP. Conclusions The findings of the current study indicate that RT alone results in the best preservation of sexual function, and brachytherapy provides similar outcomes. RT with ADT and nerve-sparing RP yielded similar outcomes, whereas patients treated with non-nerve-sparing RP experienced the worst sexual function. These results help patients to make decisions among the specific types of surgery and RT they face based on each individual's diagnosis.
Generalized Log-sine integrals and Bell polynomials

Abstract In this paper, we investigate the integral of x n log p ( sin ( x ) ) for natural numbers n and p . In doing so, we recover some well-known results and remark on some relations to the log-sine integral Ls n + p + 1 ( n ) ( θ ) . Later, we use properties of Bell polynomials to find an expression for the derivative of the central binomial and shifted central binomial coefficients as finite sums of polygamma functions and harmonic numbers.
Evaluation of Truck-Mounted Automated Flagger Assistance Devices in Missouri: Case Study

AbstractTo improve work zone safety by replacing human flaggers, a new Automated Flagger Assistance Device (AFAD) developed by the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) was investigated thr...
From Strangers to Friends: Tie Formations and Online Activities in an Evolving Social Network

We study how strangers become friends within an evolving online social network. By modeling the co-evolution of individual users' friendship tie formations (when and with whom) and their concurrent online activities, we uncover important drivers underlying individuals' friendship decisions and, at the same time, quantify the resulting peer effects on individuals' actions. We estimate our model using a novel data set capturing the continuous development of a network and users' entire action histories within the network. Our results reveal that similarity (homophily) with a potential friend, the properties of a potential friend's network, and her domain expertise all play a role in friendship formation. Via prediction exercises, we find that stimulating anime watching is the most effective site-wide intervention which leads to the highest overall site traffic and the largest number of active users and that recommending a friend of a friend as a potential friend is the most effective strategy in stimulating friendship tie formation. In contrast to the common finding for static networks, our results indicate that seeding to users with the most friends is not the most effective strategy to increase users' activity levels in an evolving network.
Evaluating the Effects of Professional Development on Urban Mathematics Teachers TPACK Using Confidence Intervals.

The purpose of this study was to use meta-analytic thinking to evaluate the results of a three-week professional development on mathematics teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK). The study aims to elucidate the necessity of technology professional development activities to support mathematics teaching and learning in urban schools. This study utilizes mean difference confidence intervals as measures of the effectiveness of a professional development intervention in an urban school district in the U.S. This article presents a practical application of meta-analytic thinking to better contextualize the results through direct comparisons to similar studies. The results of this study suggest that the professional development increased mathematics teachers’ perceptions of their pedagogical knowledge, technological knowledge, pedagogical content knowledge, and technological content knowledge. The study results indicate that despite smaller overall effect sizes the results observed in this urban intervention were not statistically significantly different from most prior research in this area. Because of the chosen research approach, the research results have practical as well as empirical implications for the development and delivery of professional development in urban schools. This article contributes to the literature by providing a contextualized assessment of PD effects and by placing these effects in a broader scholarly context.
A preliminary investigation of question type used during response card activities on establishing concept formation in an introductory college class

Research has demonstrated that only approximately 63% of students beginning college complete a bachelor’s degree within six years. Active student responding (ASR) represents one behavior analytic p...
On Machine Learning-Based Short-Term Adjustment of Epidemiological Projections of COVID-19 in US

Epidemiological models have provided valuable information for the outlook of COVID-19 pandemic and relative impact of different mitigation scenarios. However, more accurate forecasts are often needed at near term for planning and staffing. We present our early results from a systemic analysis of short-term adjustment of epidemiological modeling of COVID 19 pandemic in US during March-April 2020. Our analysis includes the importance of various types of features for short term adjustment of the predictions. In addition, we explore the potential of data augmentation to address the data limitation for an emerging pandemic. Following published literature, we employ data augmentation via clustering of regions and evaluate a number of clustering strategies to identify early patterns from the data. From our early analysis, we used CovidActNow as our underlying epidemiological model and found that the most impactful features for the one-day prediction horizon are population density, workers in commuting flow, number of deaths in the day prior to prediction date, and the autoregressive features of new COVID-19 cases from three previous dates of the prediction. Interestingly, we also found that counties clustered with New York County resulted in best preforming model with maximum of R2= 0.90 and minimum of R2= 0.85 for state-based and COVID-based clustering strategy, respectively.
Local Respiratory Viral Surveillance Can Focus Public Health Interventions to Decrease Influenza Disease Burden.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory viruses are an important cause of nonbattle injury disease and contribute to the top seven reasons for medical encounters. In the absence of vaccines that provide complete protection against these viruses, viral surveillance can identify disease burden and target virus-specific preventative measures. Influenza infection, in particular, has significant adverse effects on force readiness. METHODS: We tracked the frequency of 16 respiratory viruses at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center tested for during routine patient care using multiplex polymerase chain reaction and rapid antigen testing. We collected data on the date and location of the testing, as well as the age of the individual tested from two consecutive respiratory viral seasons. RESULTS: During the first year of data compilation (2017-2018), 2556 tests were performed; 342 (13.4%) were positive for influenza A and 119 (4.7%) were positive for influenza B. After influenza, the most common families of viruses identified were rhino/enterovirus (490 [19.2%]). During the second year (2018-2019), 4,458 tests were run; 564 (12.7%) were positive for influenza A and 35 (0.79%) were positive for influenza B, while rhino/enterovirus was identified in 690 (15.4%). Influenza peaked early during the 2017-2018 season and later during the 2018-2019 season. Importantly, during the 2017-2018 season, the vaccine was less effective for the H3N2 strain circulating that year and viral surveillance quickly identified a hospital-specific outbreak and a larger disease burden. This was in contrast to the 2018-2019 vaccine which exhibited higher effectiveness for circulating strains. CONCLUSION: Our data highlight the seasonality of respiratory viruses with a focus on influenza. By tracking respiratory viruses in Department of Defense communities, we may be able to predict when influenza may cause the greatest burden for distinct organizational regions and prescribe with greater precision preventative protocols by location, as well as rapidly determine vaccine efficacy. Our current data suggest that when vaccine strains are mismatched, rapid upfront targeting of antivirals may be warranted, but when the vaccine strains are better matched, late season peaks of disease may indicate waning immunity and should be monitored.
Outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in patients with cognitive dysfunction

IMPORTANCE The impact of pre-existing cognitive dysfunction on outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains unclear. OBJECTIVE To study the association between dementia and post-TAVR outcomes. DESIGN Cohort study with propensity-score matching was conducted using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. EXPOSURES History of dementia at the time of undergoing TAVR. MAIN OUTCOMES All-cause in-hospital mortality, stroke, bleeding requiring transfusion, acute kidney injury, post-procedural vascular complications, post-procedural pacemaker implantation, length of stay, in-hospital delirium, and discharge disposition in patients with and without dementia undergoing TAVR. RESULTS Of 57,805 patients undergoing TAVR, 2910 (5.0%) had a diagnosis of dementia. Propensity-score matching yielded 2895 matched pairs of patients. TAVR was associated with an increased risk of bleeding requiring transfusion (14.7% vs 8.6%, odd ratio (OR) 1.82 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26-2.63]; p < 0.01), discharge to a rehabilitation facility (45.8% vs 31.6%, OR 2.27 [95% CI 1.67-3.08]; p < 0.001), in-hospital delirium (7.4% vs 3.6%, OR 2.13 [95% CI 1.26-3.61]; p < 0.01), increased length of stay (6.75 ± 0.07 days vs 6.11 ± 0.06 days, slope = 1.11 [95% CI 1.03-1.19]; p < 0.01), but comparable in-hospital mortality (2.1% vs 2.6%, OR 1.26 [95% CI 0.57-2.79]; p = 0.57] in patients with dementia compared with patients without dementia. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This study found that patients with dementia undergoing TAVR had a longer hospital stay as well as higher rates of discharge to a rehabilitation facility and in-hospital delirium, which may indicate debility and functional decline during hospitalization; however, in-hospital mortality and other outcomes were comparable between the two groups. TAVR candidates should be subjected to a comprehensive geriatric and cognitive assessment to help risk-stratify them for potential post-procedural functional decline. Prospective studies aimed at standardizing cognitive scoring and evaluating the post-procedural quality of life are needed.
A GPU-Accelerated ray-tracing method for determining radiation view factors in multi-junction thermoelectric generators

Abstract A robust computational framework was developed and implemented to numerically resolve the radiation view factor, F i j , within three-dimensional geometries, and, in particular, thermoelectric generators (TEGs). The proposed numerical methodology utilizes a graphics processing unit-accelerated ray-tracing algorithm to capitalize on the parallel nature of the view factor formulation. The shadow effect, resulting from interference with the TEGs conductive interconnectors and thermoelectric legs, was accounted for via the Moller-Trumbore ray-triangle intersection algorithm with back-face culling enabled. The effect of interconnector thickness, thermoelectric leg height-to-width ratios, TEG packing density, and the number of junctions on F i j is explored for various TEG configurations. Validation is performed against analytical values for planar and non-planar geometries, in addition to a point-in-polygon intersection algorithm for single-junction TEGs. Results indicate that for a constant packing density, F i j asymptotically decreases with increasing distance across the TEG’s hot- and cold-sides. For an increasing packing density and constant distance across the TEG’s junction, F i j decreases. In a multi-junction device, F i j was found to asymptotically increase with junction number, implying that for large multi-junction TEG designs, a simpler model may serve to accurately predict the view factor. The code developed herein is open-source and can be found at https://github.com/AasherH/GPU-Accelerated-View-Factor-Calculator .
Does autonomous moral reasoning favor consequentialism

This paper addresses an important issue that has been commonly debated in moral psychology, namely the normative and metaethical implications of our differing intuitive responses to morally indistinguishable dilemmas. The prominent example of the asymmetry in our responses is that people often intuitively accept pulling a switch and deny pushing as a morally permissible way of sacrificing an innocent person to save more innocent people. Joshua Greene traces our negative responses to actions involving “up close and personal” harm back to our evolutionary past and argues that this undermines the normative power of deontological judgments. I reject Greene’s argument by arguing that our theoretical moral intuitions, as opposed to concrete and mid-level ones, are independent of direct evolutionary influence because they are the product of autonomous (gene-independent) moral reasoning. I then explain how both consequentialist and deontological theoretical intuitions, which enable us to make important moral distinctions and grasp objective moral facts, are produced by the exercise of autonomous moral reasoning and the process of cultural evolution. My conclusion will be that Greene is not justified in his claim that deontology is normatively inferior to consequentialism.
Imaging of dynamic actin remodeling reveals distinct behaviors of head and trunk mesoderm in gastrulating Xenopus laevis

Gastrulation involves coordinated movements of cells, facilitating mesoderm and endoderm internalization and proper patterning of tissues across the germ layers. In Xenopus laevis, head mesoderm migrates collectively along the blastocoel roof fibronectin network towards the animal pole. Meanwhile, the trunk mesodermal cells migrate over each other in convergent thickening and convergent extension movements elongating the body axis. The behaviors of cells in these regions are investigated mainly in tissue explants taken from the respective head or trunk mesodermal regions. How cells behave at the transitional zone between these territories is not described in detail. To learn about cell behaviors around this junction, we imaged cell movements in an explant that encompassed the head and trunk mesoderm. We observed that head mesoderm migration on fibronectin employed lamellipodial protrusions at the leading edge and dynamic actin remodeling in the trailing cells. Trunk mesodermal cells underwent mediolateral cell elongation and intercalation to form the notochord. Lateral edges of the notochord were defined before the anterior edge. Our movie reveals distinct mesodermal cell behaviors occurring simultaneously in different regions of gastrulating embryos. This study highlights the power of applying modern microscopy tools to revisit classical experiments, permitting a greater understanding of the cellular dynamics that shape the embryo.
Closed microbial communities self-organize to persistently cycle carbon.

Abstract–Cycles of nutrients (N, P, etc.) and resources (C) are a defining emergent feature of ecosystems. Cycling plays a critical role in determining ecosystem structure at all scales, from microbial communities to the entire biosphere. Stable cycles are essential for ecosystem persistence because they allow resources and nutrients to be regenerated. Therefore, a central problem in ecology is understanding how ecosystems are organized to sustain robust cycles. Addressing this problem quantitatively has proved challenging because of the difficulties associated with manipulating ecosystem structure while measuring cycling. We address this problem using closed microbial ecosystems (CES), hermetically sealed microbial consortia provided with only light. We develop a technique for quantifying carbon cycling in hermetically sealed microbial communities and show that CES composed of an alga and diverse bacterial consortia self-organize to robustly cycle carbon for months. Comparing replicates of diverse CES, we find that carbon cycling does not depend strongly on the taxonomy of the bacteria present. Moreover, despite strong taxonomic differences, self-organized CES exhibit a conserved set of metabolic capabilities. Therefore, an emergent carbon cycle enforces metabolic but not taxonomic constraints on ecosystem organization. Our study helps establish closed microbial communities as model ecosystems to study emergent function and persistence in replicate systems while controlling community composition and the environment.
SU-E-P-20: Personnel Lead Apparel Integrity Inspection: Where We Are and What We Need?

Purpose: In recent years, tremendous efforts have been devoted to radiation dose reduction, especially for patients who are directly exposed to primary radiation or receive radiopharmaceuticals. Limited efforts have been focused on those personnel who are exposed to secondary radiation while fulfilling their work responsibilities associated with diagnostic imaging and image-guided interventions. Occupational exposure is compounded in daily practice and can lead to a significant radiation dose over time. Personnel lead apparel is a well-accepted engineering control to protect healthcare workers when radiation is inevitable. The question is, do we have a nationally established program to protect personnel? This study is to investigate the lead apparel inspection programs among the USA. Methods: A series of surveys of state regulations, the University Health System Consortium, and federal regulations and regulations determined by accrediting bodies were conducted. The surveys were used to determine the current status of lead apparel programs regarding integrity inspections. Based on the survey results, a thorough program was proposed accordingly. Results: Of 50 states, seventeen states and Washington D.C. require lead apparel integrity inspections within their state regulations. Eleven of these states specify that the inspection is required on an annual basis. Two of these states require leadmore » apron integrity checks to be performed semi-annually. Eleven out of the two hundred academic medical centers surveyed responded. The results show that the method (visually vs. fluoroscopy) used to conduct lead apparel integrity checks differ greatly amongst healthcare organizations. The FDA, EPA, CRCPD and NCRP require lead apparel integrity checks. However, the level of policies is different. A standard program is not well established and clearly there is a lack of standardization. Conclusion: A program led by legislative (state or federal government) and with specific frequency, methods, tracking and criteria is needed to ensure the integrity of personnel lead apparel.« less
12(S)-Hete-Induced Microvascular Endothelial Cell Retraction is Mediated by Cytoskeletal Rearrangement Dependent on PKC Activation

Endothelial cells lining the vascular vessels used to be considered as a passive player in physiological hemostasis and many pathological processes. The past decade, however, has seen numerous challenges to this concept and now it is well appreciated that endothelial cells are actively involved in regulating a variety of biological processes including hemostasis and inflammation (1–3). In addition, experimental and clinical observations have pointed to the crucial role of endothelial cells in dissemination of blood-borne cancer cells (4–8). The importance of endothelial cells stems from the fact that they not only serve as a mechanical barrier to the passage of blood cells and components, they also possess versatile secreting functions and express various cell surface adhesion receptors that are directly involved in cell-cell interactions. Endothelial cells elaborate, among others, a variety of connective tissue components (e.g., collagen, fibronectin, thrombospondin and proteoglycans), proteolytic enzymes (e.g., elastase and collagenase), procoagulants (e.g., Factor V, tissue factor, etc), and growth factors and cytokines (e.g., PDGF and ECGF; IL-1, IL-8, etc) (1). Endothelial cells also carry out active arachidonic acid metabolism. The most prominent arachidonate metabolites of endothelial cells are prostacyclin (PGI2) derived from the cyclooxygenase pathway, and 13- hydrxyoctadecaenoic acid (13-HODE) derived from the lipoxygenase pathway. Additionally, endothelial cells also metabolize arachidonic acid to 12(S)-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid [12(S)- HETE] through the action of 12-lipoxygenase (15). It is well documented that prostacyclin derived from endothelial cells and thromboxane (TxA2) derived from platelets play an important regulatory role in maintaining the adhesivity of the vascular wall. Our recent experimental data suggest that another pair of eicosanoids, i.e., 12(S)-HETE from platelets and 13-HODE from endothelial cells, also modulate the adhesive state of the blood vessel wall (9, 10). Modulation of endothelial cell adhesiveness by various eicosanoids is achieved through cell surface adhesion molecules. The identification and characterization of a large number of adhesion molecules on endothelial cells represent one of the most important breakthroughs in the studies of the mechanism of endothelium-leukocyte and endothelium-tumor cell interactions. Moreover, endothelial cell adhesion molecules (Table 1) also play an essential role in maintaing the integrity of the monolayer.
Numerical Solution of Problems of Cyclic Plasticity

Computational problem of cyclic plasticity which leads to reliable results for use in engineering faces formidable difficulties. These difficulties relate to the following aspects a) The aim of computational analysis. b) The selection of the constitutive model and assessment of its reliability for the given goals. c) Mathematical formulation of the problem and analysis of its properties, such as existence and uniqueness of the solution, its dependence on the selected model, regularity of the solution, etc. d) Numerical solution of the mathematical problem, its convergence, a priori and a posteriori error estimation of the data of interest, adaptive approaches etc.
Chapter 6 – Specific Applications

Publisher Summary The chapter describes the new generation of mass spectrometers. It presents a condensed version of different studies describing unique applications of mass spectrometry. The concept that there are endogeneous compounds associated with sleep has a long and complicated history, during which a large variety of substances have been proposed. Applying the sensitivity of modern analytical techniques to the study of sleep, a fresh, purely chemical approach is taken in attempting to identify molecules of the central nervous system. Chemical degradation techniques were first employed on synthetic fatty acid amides, identifying ozonolysis as conducive to the analysis of these agents. It is interesting to note that by allowing these analyses to be done, analytical technology is broadening the traditional view of lipid molecules as passive structural elements of cellular architecture, and increasing the awareness of the active roles these agents play in transducing cell signals and modifying cell behavior.
The Institution and the Virtue

Dini Metro-Roland and Paul Farber defend the institution of public schooling on the grounds that it is performing its civic education function fairly well, and that abandoning public schools will lead to a fragmentation of civil society. They acknowledge that the institution of public schooling is imperfect, but insist it must be strengthened and focused on the civic role rather than abandoned. The issue as I see it is whether the institution fits the virtues it is charged with promoting.
Appendix E: Dictionary Operators and Methods

This documentation was generated from the Python documentation available by typing help(dict) in the Python shell.
Tax Legislation in the Contemporary U.S. Congress

This paper identifies and analyzes a recent trend toward “clean” federal tax legislation. Existing explanations of the tax-legislative process account for the regular, highly particularistic tax legislation prevalent during the 1980s and the early 1990s using legislator-motivation and traditional policy models. But a new tax-legislative process, characterized by alternating periods of tax gridlock and strikingly non-particularistic tax legislation, emerged during the late 1990s. This paper argues that tax gridlock and non-particularistic tax legislation are best understood as companion phenomena, and it examines three general determinants of recent tax-legislative outcomes. First, exogenous events, particularly macro-economic and macro-political developments, typically provide the central policy objective for any item of major tax legislation. Second, the voting behavior of individual legislators on tax legislation corresponds closely to generally accepted understandings of legislator motivations. Third and most importantly, several legislative-organizational developments within Congress – specifically, the emergence of sharp coalitional polarization and strong coalitional cohesion, the re-establishment of centralized chamber management, and the relaxation of restrictions on the federal budget – combined to produce the new tax-legislative process during the late 1990s and the 2000s. This paper does not offer a positive theory of the tax-legislative process or make predictions about tax-legislative outcomes. Rather, it builds on existing accounts to provide an updated and more nuanced explanation of the tax-legislative process in the contemporary Congress.
Non-destructive Tracing of a Product Life Cycle Through Geometry Extraction from Radiographs

Tracing the internal changes seen by a product assembly during its useful life cycle without disassembling or destructively testing the product provides many challenges. When an assembly is disassembled for evaluation, the effect of component interaction is lost, particularly if operations such as press-fitting have been used in the assembly process. It is undesirable to destructively evaluate a product when it is still in its useful life cycle. Los Alamos National Laboratory is developing a process in which radiographic information is used to characterise an entire assembly for life cycle evaluation and the geometric information is extracted for input into a Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) software package. Digitized radiographs have been reconstructed into solid models using FotoG™ geometry extraction techniques and ProENGINEER™ solid modelling capabilities. Executed simultaneously, FotoG™ translates the extracted geometry into a format useable by the ProENGINEER™ software. Once the solid model is constructed, it is used for creation of finite element analysis input, virtual environment model creation, and tooling design. The creation of the finite element model allows us to forestall future problems using predictive analyses. Virtual environment creation provides us with the capability of creating a learning environment for technicians performing maintenance or disassembly of problem units. And tooling design provides us the capability to safely transport severely damaged assemblies in the event of an accident scenario.
Comparison of ten sailboat propellers

This study investigated the performance characteristics of ten different commercially available propellers typically seen on auxiliary sailboats. Included in the testing were two feathering propellers, three folding propellers, one self-pitching propeller, and four fixed-bladed propellers. All propellers were of the same pitch and diameter. Testing at the MIT Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratory consisted of three common boating situations: forward boatspeed, forward rotation (normal forward operation); forward boatspeed, reverse rotation (backing down); and forward boatspeed, no rotation (drag under sail). It was found that all ten propellers performed generally well in forward operation, but that large differences in performance existed in reverse and in drag. The text of this report is written with the lay audience in mind.
A case of successful technology transfer to health care: Total quality materials management and just‐in‐time

Describes one approach to meeting the healthcare cost reduction challenge through the hospital materials management function. Highlights the value of taking a proactive stance to meet the challenge; transferring technology across industry sectors, such as employing a just-in-time inventory management system in clinical areas of hospital materials management, and adopting a win-win managerial philosophy. Features a case study to demonstrate the ideas in practice.
What Is Stress

Stress is a word that is used throughout the world, and it has many meanings. There is “good stress” and “bad stress.” Some would prefer to use “stress” to refer only to the experience and consequences of a situation when one is unable to cope physically or psychologically with the challenge (Cohen et al. 2007; Lazarus and Folkman 1984).
Food microstructure and rheology.

Abstract: Well-defined geometries, in which the flow fields can be analyzed for shear rates and shear stresses, can be used to determine the viscous and viscoelastic behavior of foods and dispersions of food polymers. A large-gap vane-in-cup geometry with at least four vanes can be used to determine values of yield stress. These tests require millilitres of a sample. Microrheology is based on using embedded micron-sized probes. The mean square displacement (MSD) of probe particles suspended in a sample is measured by dynamic light scattering as a function of time. From the generalized Stokes–Einstein relationship, the frequency dependent viscoelastic moduli are obtained from the MSD.
Low energy limit of effective chiral theory of mesons

Based on an effective chiral theory of pseudoscalar, vector, and axial-vector mesons, the coefficients of the chiral perturbation theory are predicted. There is no new parameter in these predictions.
Evaluation of a new fluorimetric DNA-DNA hybridization method.

Standardized procedures must be followed when characterizing, officially describing, and validly naming novel bacteria. For species descriptions, DNA–DNA hybridization still is needed for whole-gen...
Satisfaction of contract provider agencies with a State's Child Welfare Agency

Abstract In a time when more and more services are being “outsourced” by state agencies to private service providers, few studies have examined the relationship between the public agencies and contract providers from the perspective of the latter. Administrators of all provider agencies holding contracts with a Midwestern state's child welfare agency received a survey asking them about their experiences with and perceptions of the state agency. The relationship between the state agency and its contract provider agencies appeared to be generally positive. Respondents were particularly satisfied with their primary contact person from the state agency. Respondents from smaller agencies and from agencies serving relatively more minority clients, however, reported significantly lower satisfaction on some measures. Problems cited by this Midwestern state's contract providers centered on the frequency and quality of their interactions with the state agency (especially communication problems), and the timeliness of their payments. Consistent with these findings, interaction quality and timeliness of payments emerged as the most important predictors of contract providers' willingness to continue their relationship with the state agency.
Not one click for security

Conventional wisdom holds that security must negatively affect usability. We have developed SCoopFS (Simple Cooperative File Sharing) as a demonstration that need not be so. SCoopFS ad- dresses the problem of sharing files, both with others and with ourselves across machines. Although SCoopFS provides server authentication, client authorization, and end-to-end encryption, the user never sees any of that. The user interface and underlying infrastructure are designed so that normal user acts of designation provide all the information needed to make the desired security decisions. While SCoopFS is a useful tool, it may be more impor- tant as a demonstration of the usability that comes from designing the infrastructure and user interaction together.
Superconductors in strong magnetic fields: de Haas-van Alphen effect.

We consider superconductors in strong magnetic fields in the mixed state when the orbital quantization of the electrons is important. By averaging over the Abrikosov vortex lattice, solutions are obtained for the Green's function and gap parameter in the quantum case. These solutions are appropriate to describe phenomena on a scale large compared with the vortex-line separation and are independent of the detailed vortex configuration. These results are used to calculate the de Haas--van Alphen oscillations in the free energy in the mixed state. The effects of spin splitting and a layered structure are discussed.
End-to-surface reaction dynamics of a single surface-attached DNA or polypeptide.

The dynamics of surface-attached polymers play a key role in the operation of a number of biological sensors, yet its current understanding is rather limited. Here we use computer simulations to st...
Characteristic Variation in the Plasma Proteins in Essential Hypertension

High resolution sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis has disclosed a variation of the plasma proteins in patients with essential hypertension. The presence of this plasma protein anomaly is usually associated with a family history of essential hypertension.
Imaging the low compressibility strips formed by the quantum hall liquid in a smooth potential gradient

Abstract We locally image the low-compressibility strip corresponding to integer Quantum Hall filling factor ν=2 and find that its width appears significantly larger than that predicted by theory. We explain this result by a disorder-induced finite density of states in the cyclotron gap.
Risk factors for mortality after spinal cord injury in the USA.

Cohort study. First, to examine three sets of risk and protective factors for mortality after spinal cord injury (SCI), with an emphasis on health and secondary conditions. Second, to extend earlier work with several methodologic enhancements and addition of new predictors. Twenty hospitals designated as SCI Model Systems (SCIMSs) of care in the United States. Altogether, 8183 adults with traumatic SCI who received at least one follow-up evaluation between November 1995 and October 2006 from one of the SCIMSs were included in the study. There were 76 262 person–years and 1381 deaths at the end of June 2011. Mortality status determined by National Death Index and Social Security Death Index searches. Three successive sets of risk factors were evaluated with a logistic regression model on person–year observations to estimate the chance of dying in any given year. Several biographic and injury, socio-environmental and health factors were significantly related to the odds of mortality. A history of pneumonia or kidney calculus was associated with greater odds of mortality, whereas deep vein thrombosis was not. Poor general health, decline in health over the past year, hospitalization and a grade 3 or 4 pressure ulcer were also related to mortality. Consistent with a mediating effect, odds ratios declined with the addition of each successive set of factors. The relationship of biographic and injury characteristics with mortality after SCI is mediated by socio-environmental and health factors. Assessment of these variables enhances our ability to identify individuals at risk for excess mortality.
When gesture-speech combinations do and do not index linguistic change

At the one-word stage children use gesture to supplement their speech (‘eat’+point at cookie), and the onset of such supplementary gesture-speech combinations predicts the onset of two-word speech (‘eat cookie’). Gesture thus signals a child's readiness to produce two-word constructions. The question we ask here is what happens when the child begins to flesh out these early skeletal two-word constructions with additional arguments. One possibility is that gesture continues to be a forerunner of linguistic change as children flesh out their skeletal constructions by adding arguments. Alternatively, after serving as an opening wedge into language, gesture could cease its role as a forerunner of linguistic change. Our analysis of 40 children – from 14 to 34 months – showed that children relied on gesture to produce the first instance of a variety of constructions. However, once each construction was established in their repertoire, the children did not use gesture to flesh out the construction. Gesture thus ...
An approximate Kaiman filter for ocean data assimilation: An example with an idealized Gulf Stream model

A practical method of data assimilation for use with large, nonlinear, ocean general circulation models is explored. A Kalman filter based on approximation of the state error covariance matrix is presented, employing a reduction of the effective model dimension, the error's asymptotic steady state limit, and a time-invariant linearization of the dynamic model for the error integration. The approximations lead to dramatic computational savings in applying estimation theory to large complex systems. We examine the utility of the approximate filter in assimilating different measurement types using a twin experiment of an idealized Gulf Stream. A nonlinear primitive equation model of an unstable east-west jet is studied with a state dimension exceeding 170,000 elements. Assimilation of various pseudomeasurements are examined, including velocity, density, and volume transport at localized arrays and realistic distributions of satellite altimetry and acoustic tomography observations. Results are compared in terms of their effects on the accuracies of the estimation. The approximate filter is shown to outperform an empirical nudging scheme used in a previous study. The examples demonstrate that useful approximate estimation errors can be computed in a practical manner for general circulation models.
Carbon-13—Rich Diagenetic Carbonates in Miocene Formations of California and Oregon

Carbon unusually rich in C13(δC13 = +5.4 to +19.0 per mil relative to the Peedee belemnite carbonate standard of the University of Chicago) is characteristic of certain diagenetic limestones and dolomites in the Miocene Monterey Shale of California and the Nye Mudstone of Oregon. This heavy carbon may have originated through low-temperature equilibration between CO3- - and CO2 in migrating carbonated waters or between CH4 and CO2 in natural gas. Light carbon (δC13 = -5.6 to -18.2 per mil) derived through nonequilibrium oxidation of organic matter also occurs in the carbonate of Monterey Shale in some localities, but at most places it is much less common than heavy carbon.
The quantitative and qualitative analysis for biliary lipids in the prairie dog Cynomys ludovicianus.

Abstract 1. 1. The quantitative analysis of biliary lipids has been well characterized, however, there is little data related to the qualitative and quantitative analysis of phospholipids and conjugated bile salts for the prairie dog. 2. 2. Gallbladder and hepatic bile were collected and the bile salts in each sample were analyzed by first fractionating them into unconjugated, glycoconjugated, and tauroconjugated bile salts. These fractions were further resolved by using HPLC techniques. 3. 3. The data has shown that cholate exists predominately as the tauroconjugate and is the major bile salt, whereas chenodeoxycholate is rarely conjugated. 4. 4. The qualitative analysis of biliary phospholipids by thin layer chromatography has shown a remarkable similarity to that of humans. Phosphatidylcholine was found to be the major phospholipid followed by phosphatidylethanolamine with trace amounts of lysophosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine.
Evaluating Relationship Between Passive Knee Envelope and a Dynamically Simulated Walk

The motion patterns of the human knee joint depend on its passive motion characteristics, which are described by the ligamentious and articular constraints. Since active motions, like walking and squatting are believed to fall within a passive envelope, the basis for the understanding of the knee joint kinematics lies in the description of its passive constraint characteristics [1]. The link between the knee passive envelope and the kinematics during various dynamic activities has not been studied. It is unclear how the articular geometry and muscle activations of the knee influence the contribution of ligament constraints during dynamic activities. To explain the relationship between knee passive envelope and dynamic activities completely, new methodology must be developed. The objective of the present study was to estimate the effects of variation in passive knee envelope on the tibiofemoral kinematics during dynamically simulated gait using a multivariate analysis technique, principal component (PC) analysis.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Localized Cell and Drug Delivery for Auditory Prostheses

Localized cell and drug delivery to the cochlea and central auditory pathway can improve the safety and performance of implanted auditory prostheses (APs). While generally successful, these devices have a number of limitations and adverse effects including limited tonal and dynamic ranges, channel interactions, unwanted stimulation of non-auditory nerves, immune rejection, and infections including meningitis. Many of these limitations are associated with the tissue reactions to implanted auditory prosthetic devices and the gradual degeneration of the auditory system following deafness. Strategies to reduce the insertion trauma, degeneration of target neurons, fibrous and bony tissue encapsulation, and immune activation can improve the viability of tissue required for AP function as well as improve the resolution of stimulation for reduced channel interaction and improved place-pitch and level discrimination. Many pharmaceutical compounds have been identified that promote the viability of auditory tissue and prevent inflammation and infection. Cell delivery and gene therapy have provided promising results for treating hearing loss and reversing degeneration. Currently, many clinical and experimental methods can produce extremely localized and sustained drug delivery to address AP limitations. These methods provide better control over drug concentrations while eliminating the adverse effects of systemic delivery. Many of these drug delivery techniques can be integrated into modern auditory prosthetic devices to optimize the tissue response to the implanted device and reduce the risk of infection or rejection. Together, these methods and pharmaceutical agents can be used to optimize the tissue-device interface for improved AP safety and effectiveness.
CSGRqtl: A Comparative Quantitative Trait Locus Database for Saccharinae Grasses

CSGRqtl is a comparative genomic database that facilitates the cross-utilization of information among members of the Saccharinae clade of grasses, and between Saccharinae and other taxa. CSGRqtl is developed as a specific data mining resource for Saccharinae crops, weeds, and models, complementing and supplementing another database, Gramene (Ware et al., 2002), that includes a variety of mapping data for a broad spectrum of grass taxa. To facilitate data comparisons, a plant trait ontology defined by Gramene is applied to categorize Saccharinae QTLs. Using the Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (S.bicolor) genome sequence as a central reference, CSGRqtl provides approximate physical positions for QTL likelihood peaks. In order to facilitate QTL mapping and further study of the functions and evolution of candidate genes that may underlie QTLs, CSGRqtl integrates gene annotations, genetic markers and paleo-duplicated regions, and provides a series of query functionalities to navigate different data components, on the basis of QTL alignments. The goals of CSGRqtl are to provide both for practical needs of crop improvement by serving as a toolbox for QTL visualization and manipulation, and to facilitate investigation of fundamental questions about similarities and differences in the genetic control of traits across paleo-duplicated ‘subgenomes’ and across the genomes of divergent taxa. Availability: http://helos.pgml.uga.edu/qtl/
Sensory experience and family process: perceptual styles tend to run in but not necessarily run families.

The science of family systems has begun to develop concepts and methods for objectively assessing important characteristics of families. Thus we now have ways of measuring differences among families with respect to cohesiveness, flexibility, clarity of communication, and shared views of social reality. We know practically nothing, however, about the origins of these differences among families. One possibility is that the skills or personal attributes of one or more individual members influences the characteristics of the family as a whole. This paper explores the hypothesis that the perceptual styles of individual members — the ways they organize their experience of their personal stimulus world — influence the shared perceptions the family develops of the social world in which it lives. We explored relationships between nine measures of perceptual style and problem-solving measures of the family's shared perception of its social world. The findings showed many similarities among members of the same family on several measures of perceptual style. However, perceptual style had only a few relationships with family performance in the problem-solving task.
Optimal State Estimation with Correlated Multiplicative and Additive Noise and its Application to Measurement Differencing

The design of mean square optimal, linear, unbiased state estimators is considered for stochastic systems which are acted upon by multiplicative and additive noises which are correlated with each other. The results are applied to a measurement differencing scheme for signal models with white multiplicative and colored measurement noise.