cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Systemic Therapy for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Cytokines

Immunotherapy with cytokines (interferon and interleukin-2) have been the primary systemic therapy option for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma until very recently. Despite the improved outcomes demonstrated by VEGF targeted therapies, these agents do not produce complete remesions or cures. At present, high-dose interleukin-2 remains the only therapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma that has the potential to produce durable CR’s and apparent cures, albeit in a small proportion of highly selected patients. Clinical study of combinations of cytokines and VEGF targeted therapy are ongoing. Immunotherapy continues to be an important part of the therapeutic armamentarium for renal cell carcinoma and deserves further development.
A New Cold Neutron Imaging Instrument at NIST

Abstract The NIST neutron imaging program will build a new imaging instrument in the NCNR guide hall at the end of the neutron guide NG-6, beginning operation in summer of 2015. The NG-6 guide has a spectrum that is strongly peaked at a neutron wavelength of 0.5 nm, with a fluence rate of 2 × 10 9 cm -2 s -1 before a bismuth filter that is cooled by liquid nitrogen. The instrument will be developed in a phased manner and with an emphasis on maintaining a flexible space to conduct experiments and test new instrument concepts. In the initial phase of the instrument, the available space will permit a flight path of about 9 m, and will provide a platform for standard neutron radiography and tomography, wavelength selective imaging with a double crystal monochromator, and phase imaging based on a Talbot-Lau interferometer. The novel feature of the instrument will be the incorporation of Wolter optics to create a neutron microscope. Initially, prototype optics will be used in the microscope configuration to assess optic characteristics and image acquisition techniques. In the final form, the microscope will enable users to acquire images with ∼10 μm resolution 10-100x faster than current practice, and with a 10x magnifying optic to acquire images with ∼1 μm spatial resolution with image acquisition time similar to that for current images with ∼10 μm resolution.
Research in Early Childhood Education for Sustainability: International Perspectives and Provocations:

Julie Davis and Sue Elliott (Eds), Routledge, 2014, 337 pages, $51.95 (paperback [Amazon]). ISBN-13: 978-0415854498
Introduction to the Special Issue: The Science of Prospection:

Psychology's main theories explain human behavior by pointing to the past: childhood experiences, socialization, reinforcement history. Yet recent evidence has suggested that people do not spend mu...
Understanding the ecology of the public speaking course

ABSTRACTThis essay explores the nested interdependencies and feedback systems that help explain why the “basic” or introductory communication course can only evolve slowly and with difficulty. It considers differences between the basic course and first year composition, and the challenges for bringing them into a closer alignment around a civic theme.
Eight-Year Study and Charter Legitimacy:

Current school reform debates often connect schools' autonomy, such as that of charter schools, to opportunities for pedagogical innovation. Scholars like Lubienski (2003, 2004) have argued that, a...
Belong Anywhere? How Airbnb Is Dismantling Generations of Civil Rights in the Name of Progress

Airbnb makes it easier for ordinary people to become hoteliers, transforming their homes into rental spaces, and merging and blurring the divide between public and private accommodations. Through ethnographic interviews with more than 20 New York City Airbnb hosts, I've found that rather than the inclusive, everyone's welcome credo promoted on the Airbnb website, many hosts actively screen their prospective customers, resulting in a throw-back to the pre-Civil Rights era when discrimination and segregation in public accommodation and housing were considered legal. As Airbnb expands, it is effectively reintroducing discrimination into the hotel and housing business.
Introducing Essential Oils into Pediatric and Other Practices at an Academic Medical Center

Aromatherapy is an integrative intervention that uses essential oils to address symptom management, potentially as a first-line intervention or as a complement to other medical treatments. Aromatherapy is gaining widespread acceptance and increased scientific evidence of efficacy. Integrative and holistic nursing care uses integrative therapies such as aromatherapy and the principle of moving from a less invasive intervention to a more invasive intervention according to patient needs, symptoms, and preferences. Aromatherapy is often provided as a minimally invasive, independent, and integrative nursing intervention. This article describes the process used to introduce essential oils into practices at a large Midwestern academic medical center.
Supplementation with macular carotenoids reduces psychological stress, serum cortisol, and sub-optimal symptoms of physical and emotional health in young adults.

Purpose: Oxidative stress and systemic inflammation are the root cause of several deleterious effects of chronic psychological stress. We hypothesize that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities of the macular carotenoids (MCs) lutein, zeaxanthin, and meso-zeaxanthin could, via daily supplementation, provide a dietary means of benefit.Methods: A total of 59 young healthy subjects participated in a 12-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effects of MC supplementation on blood cortisol, psychological stress ratings, behavioural measures of mood, and symptoms of sub-optimal health. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of three groups: placebo, 13 mg, or 27 mg / day total MCs. All parameters were assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Serum MCs were determined via HPLC, serum cortisol via ELISA, and macular pigment optical density (MPOD) via customized heterochromatic flicker photometry. Behavioural data were obtained via questionnaire.Results: Significant baselin...
Three Interacting Dimensions in the Development of Mathematical Knowledge

I present a framework that relates three critical dimensions of mathematical knowledge building: the individual characteristics of the learner, the social aspects of learning, and the role of context. Next, I introduce a modeling activity for middle school students. Finally, I analyze a discussion that occurred while one group of students was testing and revising their model to demonstrate that the interaction of the three dimensions was fundamental to the development of the students mathematical knowledge.
The evolving role of ankyrin-B in cardiovascular disease

Over the past decade, ankyrin-B has been identified as a prominent player in cardiac physiology. Ankyrin-B has a multitude of functions, with roles in expression, localization, and regulation of proteins critical for cardiac excitability, cytoskeletal integrity, and signaling. Furthermore, human ANK2 variants that result in ankyrin-B loss of function are associated with "ankyrin-B syndrome," a complex cardiac phenotype that may include bradycardia and heart rate variability, conduction block, atrial fibrillation, QT interval prolongation, and potentially fatal catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying ankyrin-B function at baseline and in disease is still not fully developed owing to the complexity of ankyrin-B gene regulation, number of ankyrin-B–associated molecules, multiple roles of ankyrin-B in the heart and other organs that modulate cardiac function, and a host of unexpected clinical phenotypes. In this review, we summarize known roles of ankyrin-B in the heart and the impact of ankyrin-B dysfunction in animal models and in human disease as well as highlight important new findings illustrating the complexity of ankyrin-B signaling.
Financial burden is associated with worse health-related quality of life in adults with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1.

Background Health-related quality of life and financial burden among patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 is poorly described. It is not known how financial burden influences health-related quality of life in this population. We hypothesized that the financial burden attributable to multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 is associated with worse health-related quality of life. Methods United States adults (≥18 years) with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 were recruited from the AMENSupport MEN online support group. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, and financial burden were assessed via an online survey. The instrument Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System 29-item profile measure was used to assess health-related quality of life. Multivariable linear regression was used to identify significant variables in each Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System domain. Results Out of 1,378 members in AMENSupport, our survey link was accessed 449 times (33%). Of 153 US respondents who completed our survey, 84% reported financial burden attributable to multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1. The degree of financial burden had a linear relationship with worse health-related quality of life across all Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System domains (r = 0.36–0.55, P $100/month out-of-pocket on prescription medications (46%) were associated consistently with impaired health-related quality of life (s = 3.75–6.77, P Conclusion This study characterizes the financial burden in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1. Individuals with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 report a high degree of financial burden, negative financial events, and unemployment. Each of these factors was associated with worse health-related quality of life.
The Role of Family and Marital Communication in Developing Resilience to Family-of-Origin Adversity

ABSTRACTTo explain recovery from adverse experiences, researchers have focused on resilience as a process occurring within individuals. This study extends existing research by positioning resilience as an interpersonal process in which people communicatively interpret and respond to adversity. Married participants who experienced significant adversity in their family of origin (n = 193) reported on their familial and marital communication and personal characteristics. Overall, resilience was influenced by the unique and combined influences of individual, marital, and family factors. Individuals’ optimism and efficacy emerged as predictors of resilience, and communicated support from a marital partner was particularly important for those lower in optimism. People from families with a balance of cohesion and flexibility and strong communication were more resilient, regardless of the amount of adversity they experienced. In unbalanced families, supportive marital communication served in a compensatory role t...
The bottom line: MRI and CT findings of unusual rectal and perirectal pathology

Although common nonspecific symptoms (i.e., rectal bleeding, pelvic pressure, and change in bowel habits) are associated with rectal cancer, occasionally these are related to a different underlying disease. Over the past few years, considerable progress has been made in imaging of the rectum. Specifically, new magnetic resonance techniques and capabilities provide impressive high-resolution assessment of the rectal wall and enable evaluation and characterization of the perirectal tissues. This paper reviews imaging findings of uncommon causes of rectal and perirectal pathology that may be clinically confounded with rectal cancer. Radiologists need to be aware of uncommon pathologies in this region in order to facilitate optimal management decisions.
Relationship between time management in courses with online interactive textbooks and students' performance

The study aims to explore the relationship between time management in courses with online interactive textbooks and students' performance. The study was done in two computer science courses — a second-year course on discrete mathematics for computer science and a first-year programming course. Each course used a required online interactive textbook on the course topic. Students had reading assignments that consisted of reading specified sections from the textbook and doing interactive activities from these sections. In discrete mathematics course reading assignments on a topic were due before the class period in which the topic was discussed. In the other course reading assignments were due after the material was discussed in class. For each student, we measured whether they tended to finish reading assignments early or late. We studied the relationship between this tendency of students and their academic performance in the courses. We found that students who tended to do their reading assignments early performed statically significantly better than students who tended to do their reading assignments late in discrete mathematics course where reading assignments were due before topics were discussed in class. In the other course, there was no statistically significant difference in performance among these groups of students.
The role of top-down knowledge about environmental context in egocentric distance judgments.

Judgments of egocentric distances in well-lit natural environments can differ substantially in indoor versus outdoor contexts. Visual cues (e.g., linear perspective, texture gradients) no doubt play a strong role in context-dependent judgments when cues are abundant. Here we investigated a possible top-down influence on distance judgments that might play a unique role under conditions of perceptual uncertainty: assumptions or knowledge that one is indoors or outdoors. We presented targets in a large outdoor field and in an indoor classroom. To control visual distance and depth cues between the environments, we restricted the field of view by using a 14-deg aperture. Evidence of context effects depended on the response mode: Blindfolded-walking responses were systematically shorter indoors than outdoors, whereas verbal and size gesture judgments showed no context effects. These results suggest that top-down knowledge about the environmental context does not strongly influence visually perceived egocentric distance. However, this knowledge can operate as an output-level bias, such that blindfolded-walking responses are shorter when observers’ top-down knowledge indicates that they are indoors and when the size of the room is uncertain.
A software engineering schema for data intensive applications

The features developed by a software engineer (system specification) for a software system may significantly differ from the features required by a user (user requirements) for their envisioned system. These discrepancies are generally resulted from the complexity of the system, the vagueness of the user requirements, or the lack of knowledge and experience of the software engineer. The principles of software engineering and the recommendations of the ACM's Software Engineering Education Knowledge (SEEK) document can provide solutions to minimize these discrepancies; in turn, improve the quality of a software system and increase user satisfaction. In this paper, a software development framework, called SETh, is presented. The SETh framework consists of a set of visual models that support software engineering education and practices in a systematic manner. It also enables backward tracking/tracing and forward tracking/tracing capabilities - two important concepts that can facilitate the greenfield and evolutionary type software engineering projects. The SETh framework connects every step of the development of a software system tightly; hence, the learners and the experienced software engineers can study, understand, and build efficient software systems for emerging data science applications.
A Theoretical Analysis of Several Electrode Placements on the Scalp for Recording Averaged Evoked Potentials

In the following discussion, theoretical data will be presented comparing the relative effectiveness of mono-polar and closely spaced bi-polar electrodes in localizing the position of a region of evoked cortical activity. The basis for comparison of the two electrode systems is the ability to reject signals produced by sources of electrical activity other than those cortical sources directly below the recording electrode(s). It is assumed that the maximum sensitivity of the two systems is a relatively unimportant consideration since sensitivity is effectively increased by commonly used averaging techniques.
The Health Impacts of Brownfields in Charlotte, NC: A Spatial Approach

Brownfield redevelopment in Charlotte, North Carolina has been a success in terms of leveraging private investment, increasing tax bases, and creating job opportunities. Little is known, however, about the potential health impacts of these brownfield sites in the city. This research intends to fill this gap by examining the effect of brownfield sites on neighborhood Low Birth Weight (LBW) rate. The health impact is measured as a function of proximity to brownfield sites, inactive hazardous site density, population’s economic status, and the community’s socio-economic attributes. The analyses show that being close to brownfield sites is not significantly related to having a higher rate of Low Birth Weight, but the density of brownfields in the census block group is related to a higher LBW rate. The Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR) model reveals that there is a considerable spatial variation in the strength of the health impacts. The local health department has indicated lack of capacity to examine the variation in community health status. The findings of this study can serve as the starting point for local health professionals to identify communities that are impacted by brownfields the most, and therefore more actively participate in brownfield redevelopment.
Example-Based Problem Solving Support Using Concept Analysis of Programming Content

This paper presents two different approaches to example-based problem solving support in the domain of programming based on concept analysis of the learning content. The goal of these approaches is to offer students a set of most relevant remedial examples when they have trouble solving a problem. The paper reviews earlier work and introduces a global and a local approach for selecting examples that are similar to the problem in terms of concept coverage and structure of the content, respectively. It also reports results of a lab study conducted to explore the effectiveness of each approach.
Radiotherapy for Orbital Pseudotumor: The University of Florida Experience.

Background: To evaluate outcomes after definitive radiotherapy for orbital pseudotumor. Methods: We reviewed adult patients treated between 1971 and 2012. Results: 20 patients with 8.0-year median ...
Popular Structural Equation Modeling Programs for Behavior Genetics

Behavior genetic modeling is a prominent application of multi-group structural equation modeling (SEM). It decomposes phenotypic variance into genetic and environmental sources by leveraging the co...
Comparative health systems immersion in South Korea: A constructivist competency-based approach to educating master's nursing students.

Abstract Nursing education is being challenged to rapidly evolve in order to meet the complex and systemic health care demands facing societies globally. International immersion is one educational strategy promoted to help prepare nursing students to meet these challenges. The Comparative Health Care Immersion Course in South Korea was created to educate entry-level master of science in nursing (MSN) students studying to become Clinical Nurse Leaders (CNL) to meet the complex systems level challenges facing health care organizations in the United States. Teaching adults in a cross-cultural setting required a complex philosophical and andragogical approach weaving together cultural constructivism, cultural attunement, anti-imperialism, critical theory, and experiential learning.
ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS AND SITTING PATTERNS IN OLDER ADULTS

Neighborhood characteristics are associated with self-reported sedentary behavior (SB) in older adults. However, self-report measures are not able to accurately assess total sitting time nor detailed patterns of SB. This analysis explores the relationship between device-based SB variables from activPAL and neighborhood characteristics (demographics) in the ACT cohort. Neighborhood characteristics were assessed with the modified Physical Activity Neighborhood Environment Scale (PANES; scored 1.0-4.0, higher score, higher walkability). Data were analyzed using linear regression models adjusted for demographic factors. Higher PANES score was associated with higher daily steps (+1180 daily steps/point on PANES, p<0.001) and sit-to-stand transitions (+2.7 daily transitions/point on PANES, p=0.004). Confirming other studies, neighborhood walkability promotes physical activity. A novel finding was that sitting interruptions, which can only be assessed with devices, were also associated with higher neighborhood walkability, while total sitting time was not.
ARID1A mutation to define an immunologically active subgroup in patients with microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer.

215Background: AT-rich interactive domain 1A (ARID1A) is a chromatin regulator mutated in human cancers, frequently resulting in truncation and loss of expression of this protein. ARID1A recruits M...
Examination of the indirect effect of childhood emotional trauma on internalizing symptoms through distress intolerance

Extant studies document a prospective link between early childhood trauma and internalizing symptoms, such as anxiety and depression. Less is known regarding specific cognitive-affective mechanisms...
Barcelona: Cities in World History

From all the squares, buildings, and neighborhoods described in this book, I would like to call attention to one, el Mercat del Born (the Born marketplace), now the Center of Culture and Memory of ...
Pulses: Milling and Baking Applications

The application of pulses in bakery items is an ideal complement to cereal and starch ingredient use in gluten-free and non-gluten-free products. The addition of pulses to cereal-based products improves nutrition by providing complimentary amino acid to cereal grains and increasing fiber and protein of gluten-free products. This review highlights milling and bakery applications of pulses. In some cases, the information available was reported three decades ago. However, many of these published documents are still relevant today and will serve as a starting point for those interested in milling and incorporation of pulses into bread. The application data for cakes and cookies is relatively new compared to milling information. In general, pulses can be milled effectively using pin, hammer, and roller mills. The resulting flours can be incorporated into bakery products as a whole flour or protein, starch, or fiber fraction. This review highlights some applications. Information regarding particle size effects of pulses in cakes and cookies has been provided. There is no general trend about the impact of particle size on bakery products given that baking systems evaluated impact how particle size influences product quality. The level of pulse fortification also impacts quality, and thus no general recommendation can be made with regard to the usage level for all bakery products. However, pulse fortification of 10% appears to produce acceptable pan breads, while 100% pulse flour can be used in cookies. Therefore, the usage level will be system dependent and research to identify optimal percentages may be needed. The applications presented in this review focus on pea, chickpea, lentil, and beans such as navy, pinto, and black. However, the use of other pulses may be suitable for bakery applications.
Challenges in Evaluating Seismic Collapse Risk for RC Buildings

The development of fragility functions that express the probability of collapse of a building as a function of some ground motion intensity measure is an effective tool to assess seismic vulnerability of structures. However, a number of factors ranging from ground motion selection to modeling decisions can influence the quantification of collapse probability. A methodical investigation was carried out to examine the effects of component modeling and ground motion selection in establishing demand and collapse risk of a typical reinforced concrete frame building. The primary system considered in this study is a modern 6-story RC moment frame building that was designed to current code provisions in a seismically active region. Both concentrated and distributed plasticity beam–column elements were used to model the building frame and several options were considered in constitutive modeling for both options. Incremental dynamic analyses (IDA) were carried out using two suites of ground motions—the first set comprised site-dependent ground motions, while the second set was a compilation of hazard-consistent motions using the conditional scenario spectra approach. Findings from the study highlight the influence of modeling decisions and ground motion selection in the development of seismic collapse fragility functions and the characterization of risk for various demand levels.
Approaching zero thermal emissivity in thermophotovoltaic cells

A thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cell is specially designed to minimize the absorption of radiation below its lowest bandgap. This ensures that the unused power is returned to the hot thermal emitter, which keeps it from being wasted. This approach is termed photon recycling because the energy is recycled until it is emitted at a high enough frequency to be efficiently converted. To facilitate this process, we recently created a cell architecture that has a thin air layer behind the light-absorbing semiconductor. The resulting air-bridge cell (ABC) reflects back almost all of the low-energy photons. In this talk, I will discuss the development of an InGaAs ABC that achieved a record-high peak conversion efficiency of 32% and our recent efforts to improve performance.
Discussion: The Meno Paradox

An argument of Michael Polanyi ([3], pp. 21–24) for the necessity of ‘tacit knowledge’, based upon the paradox of the Meno is refuted correctly by Michael Bradie [1] who observes that the paradox, in Polanyi’s version, rests on the false premise that “if you know what you are looking for, there is no problem”. Bradie’s refutation is based on an example, but he does not explain how the example works or why Polanyi’s premise is generally fallacious. It is the purpose of this note to describe some classes of conditions under which Polanyi’s premise will be false. I have given the argument less formally elsewhere ([4] and [5]), but will try to make it more precise here.
Thermoelectric properties of Nb/sub 3/Sb/sub x/Te/sub 7-x/ compounds

Niobium antimony telluride, Nb/sub 3/Sb/sub x/Te/sub 7-x/, was synthesized and tested for thermoelectric properties in the Thermoelectrics group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The forty atoms per unit cell of Nb/sub 3/Sb/sub 2/Te/sub 5/ and its varied mixture of atoms yield a complicated structure, suggesting that Nb/sub 3/Sb/sub 2/Te/sub 5/ and related compounds may exhibit low thermal conductivity and hence a higher ZT value. Nb/sub 3/Sb/sub x/Te/sub 7-x/ compounds were synthesized and subsequently analyzed for their Seebeck voltage, heat conduction, and electrical resistivity. Results indicate that Nb/sub 3/Sb/sub 2/Te/sub 5/ is a heavily doped semiconductor whose thermoelectric properties are compromised by compensating n-type and p-type carriers. Attempts to dope in favor of either carrier by varying the Sb:Te ratio yielded samples containing secondary metallic phases that dominated the transport properties of the resulting compounds.
The kaleidic world of entrepreneurs: Developing and grounding a metaphor for creative imagination

Purpose – Austrian economics figures centrally in organizational entrepreneurship research. However, researchers have focussed almost entirely on the Austrian school's “gales of creative destruction” and “entrepreneurial discovery” metaphors, which are rooted in equilibrium assumptions and thus downplay the more subjective and dynamic aspects of entrepreneurship. The purpose of this paper is to question such assumptions, proposing instead a “kaleidic” metaphor drawn from the radical subjectivist strand of Austrian economics. The paper develops, grounds, and enriches the theoretical concepts this metaphor embodies in order to advance the general understanding of entrepreneurship as a radically subjective, disequilibrium phenomenon, as well as the specific knowledge of entrepreneurs’ career and venture experiences. In doing so, the paper highlights creative imagination as a wellspring of entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs a case study design to inductively develop the theoreti...
Hydrometallation : IV. Hydroalumination of alkynes by hai(NR2)2 compounds catalyzed by Cp2TiCl2

Abstract Bis(dialkylamino)alanes react with alkynes in the presence of a catalytic amount of Cp 2 TiCl 2 in benzene solvent to produce hydroalumination products in high yield. Two terminal and five internal alkynes were studied and the addition was found to take place in a cis manner. The reaction is stereospecific and provides a convenient and economical route to alkenylaluminum compounds.
Multiplierless algorithms for high-speed real-time onboard image processing

This paper presents a new approach for restoring noisy images with a substantial number of missing samples. The system proposed is based on the linear prediction theory. The filters used are multiplierless since they have power-of-2 coefficients. This makes the algorithms fast and low cost for VLSI implementation. The system is composed of two stages. In the first one, the lost samples are recovered using the Least Mean Square (LMS)-like algorithm in which the missing samples are replaced by their estimates. In the second phase, noise is removed from the image using a genetic algorithm based linear predictor. This algorithm yields power-of-2 coefficients of the filter. The results are very promising and illustrate the performance of the multiplierless system.
Image processing for aberration removal

Results in estimation theory are applied to the problem of removing aberrations caused by imaging systems. Recursive models for the object image brightness function and the image sensor performance are developed.
What Happened to Children in Detention?: Caring for Children in a Juvenile Justice System After a Disaster

I have seen a lot of this country's natural disasters, having lived through hurricanes in Long Island, New York, snowstorms in Albany, New York, and tornadoes in Birmingham, Alabama. However, nothing could prepare me for the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina. In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where I am the medical director for a long-term juvenile correctional facility, the damage from Hurricane Katrina was more collateral, as opposed to the direct hit that New Orleans, Louisiana, suffered. Nonetheless, we received the brunt of the hurricane's aftermath. My facility, the Jetson Center for Youth (JCY), is located approximately 80 miles northwest of New Orleans. Louisiana has 2 other long-term facilities, Bridge City Center for Youth on New Orleans's west bank of the Mississippi River, and Swanson Center for Youth in Shreveport (more than 280 miles from landfall). In the past 2 years, youth from the Bridge City facility had been evacuated to JCY twice in anticipation of hurricanes. Fortunately, both evacuations were false alarms but, as it turns out, useful trial runs. As we had done in the past, 48 hours before we expected the hurricane to reach landfall, 120 youth from Bridge City were evacuated to JCY. The Bridge City youth were kept apart on the Baton Rouge campus. They were housed in empty dormitories, gymnasiums, and the infirmary, where care was provided to the kids in a coordinated, rehearsed fashion. Leadership personnel prepared to stay overnight at JCY in case transportation and communication became impossible after the hurricane reached the coast. The night before we expected the hurricane to hit, the director of nursing and I decided to stay overnight at JCY. The evening was uneventful. I slept in my office without any interruptions. The rest of the staff, including nurses, was able to make it to work by 7 am … Address correspondence to Ronald A. Feinstein, MD, FAAP, 3147 E Lakeshore, Baton Rouge, LA 70808-2852. E-mail: rfeins{at}lsuhs.edu
A plant pathogen causes extensive mortality in an invasive insect herbivore

We investigate a plant-microbe-insect interaction where a plant pathogenic microor- ganism is utilizing an invasive insect herbivore as an alternate resource, and test the hypothesis that the microorganism is affecting the population dynamics of the herbi- vore on its woody host plant. 2 We investigated the presence of necrotic lesions formed by an unknown microbe on galls induced by the Asian chestnut gall wasp Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae), a global pest on Castanea hosts. We hypothesize that colonization by this plant-associated microbe impacts survival and invasiveness of the gallmaker and, using Koch's postulates, we evaluate its effects on the gallmaker and on the gallmaker's primary natural enemy. 3 Morphologically identical colonies were isolated from galls and insects, and DNA sequences matched with the fungal genus Colletotrichum, a causal agent of plant-pathogenic anthracnose. Inoculations generated comparable symptoms. After the formation of superficial lesions, the pathogen rapidly penetrates galls, colonizing insect tissue in gall chambers and causing extensive larval mortality. Minimal effects were evident on the associated parasitoid Torymus sinensis Kamijo (Hymenoptera: Torymidae). 4 We report a plant pathogen utilizing a gall-inducing arthropod at the same time as sparing its parasite and expand reports of Colletotrichum impacting insects. We shed light on a complex of interactions influencing an important invader.
Estimation of relative fitnesses from relative risk data and the predicted future of haemoglobin alleles S and C

Epidemiological studies of genetic differences in disease susceptibility often estimate the relative risks (RR) of different genotypes. Here I provide an approach to calculate the relative fitnesses of different genotypes based on RR data so that population genetic approaches may be utilized with these data. Using recent RR data on human haemoglobin β genotypes from Burkina Faso, this approach is used to predict changes in the frequency of the haemoglobin sickle-cell S and C alleles. Overall, it generally appears that allele C will quickly replace the S allele in malarial environments. Explicit population genetic predictions suggest that this replacement may occur within the next 50 generations in Burkina Faso.
Liquidity Traps: an Interest-rate-based Exit Strategy: Liquidity Traps

This paper analyzes a potential strategy for escaping liquidity traps. The strategy is based on an augmented Taylor-type interest-rate feedback rule and differs from usual specifications in that when inflation falls below a threshold, the central bank temporarily deviates from the traditional Taylor rule by following a deterministic path for the nominal interest rate. This path reaches the intended target for this policy instrument in finite time. The policy we study is designed to raise inflationary expectations over time while at the same time maintaining all of the desirable local properties of the Taylor principle in a neighborhood of the intended inflation target. Importantly, the effectiveness of the potential exit strategy studied in this paper does not rely on the existence of an accompanying fiscalist (or non-Ricardian) fiscal stance.
Synchronization and Phase Noise Reduction in Micromechanical Oscillator Arrays Coupled through Light

Synchronization of many coupled oscillators is widely found in nature and has the potential to revolutionize timing technologies. Here, we demonstrate synchronization in arrays of silicon nitride micromechanical oscillators coupled in an all-to-all configuration purely through an optical radiation field. We show that the phase noise of the synchronized oscillators can be improved by almost 10 dB below the phase noise limit for each individual oscillator. These results open a practical route towards synchronized oscillator networks.
Crystal structures and hydrogen bond analysis of three arenesulfonate salts of l -alanine, glycine, and l -serine

Single crystal X-ray structures are presented for three amino acid arenesulfonate salts:l-alanine 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonate hydrate (1), 2∶1 glycine 1,5-naphthalene-disulfonate dihydrate (2), andl-serine 4-hydroxybenzenesulfonate (3). Hydrogen bond patterns of each salt are analyzed systematically by using hydrogen bond graph set notation. First-, second-, and selected third-level graph set motifs of the three salts are presented and discussed. Hydrogen-bonded diad, chain, ring, ribbon, and two-dimensional sheet patterns are identified in these structures. Even though the three salts contain apparently similar types of hydrogen-bonding interactions, their graph sets are quite different.
Energy-aware memory allocation framework for embedded data-intensive signal processing applications

The storage requirements in data-intensive signal processing systems (video and image processing, artificial vision, medical imaging, real-time 3-D rendering, advanced audio and speech coding, etc.) have an important impact on both the system performance and the essential design parameters—the overall power consumption and chip area. Therefore, the optimization of the memory subsystem is an important step in the early stages of the system-level exploration. This work proposes an energy-aware memory allocation methodology for embedded data-intensive signal processing applications. Starting from the high-level behavioral specification of a given application, the framework proposed in the thesis performs the assignment of the multidimensional signals to the memory layers—the on-chip scratch-pad memories (SPM) and the off-chip main memory—the goal being the reduction of the dynamic energy consumption in the hierarchical memory subsystem. Based on the assignment results, the framework subsequently performs the mapping of signals into both memory layers such that the overall amount of data storage be reduced. The multidimensional signal processing applications are algorithmically specified in high-level programming languages, the main data structures being multidimensional arrays. The major contributions of the Ph.D. thesis are (1) a formal model (operating with multidimensional polyhedra and linearly bounded lattices) for the reduction of the dynamic energy consumption in the hierarchical memory subsystem of embedded data-intensive signal processing applications, and (2) a novel methodology (using inter-array memory sharing) for mapping the multidimensional arrays from the high-level algorithmic specifications into the physical memory. This software system yields a complete allocation solution: the exact storage amount on each memory layer, the mapping functions that determine the exact locations for any array element (scalar signal) in the specification, and an estimation of the dynamic energy consumption in the memory subsystem.
The surgical management of benign intracranial meningiomas and acoustic neuromas in patients 70 years of age and older.

Abstract Over a 22-year-period (1967–1989) 80 patients 70 years of age and older underwent surgery for resection of a benign intracranial tumor. This group included 56 meningiomas and 24 acoustic neuromas. Forty-five of the tumors were completely excised, whereas 35 were partially removed. Tumor regrowth was documented in seven patients during the follow-up period, five of whom underwent additional surgery for resection of recurrent tumor. Thirty-six (64.3%) of the patients with meningiomas had only a minimal or no preoperative neurologic deficit, whereas twenty (35.7%) had a major deficit. Fifty-three (94.6%) patients who underwent surgery for resection of their meningioma made a good recovery (48 were improved or unchanged and five had minimal nonincapacitating worsening), one (1.8%) was worse, and two (3.6%) died. Fourteen (58.3%) of the patients with acoustic neuromas had only a minimal or no preoperative neurologic deficit, whereas 10 (41.7%) had a major deficit. Twenty-two (91.7%) of the patients who underwent surgery for resection of their acoustic neuroma made a good recovery (18 were improved or unchanged and four had minimal nonincapacitating worsening), two (8.3%) were worse, and none died. We conclude that, when indicated, surgery for intracranial meningiomas and schwannomas can be offered to patients 70 years of age and older with acceptable morbidity and mortality.
Electronic structure and magnetism in transition metal compounds: VNi3, MnPd3 and MoPd3☆

Abstract The electronic structures of VNi 3 , MnPd 3 and MoPd 3 are studied in the paramagnetic phase using the method of orthogonalized linear combination of atomic orbitals. The Stoner criterion is applied to predict magnetic ordering in these compounds. VNi 3 has a very low density of states at the Fermi level and therefore does not satisfy the Stoner criterion for magnetic ordering. This is in agreement with the magnetic susceptibility data. Magnetic ordering predicted for MnPd 3 is in agreement with the observed antiferromagnetic phase transition in this compound. The Stoner criterion is not satisfied for MoPd 3 and no experimental data are available for the ordered phase.
Origin of variegated redbeds in the Cathedral Bluffs tongue of the Wasatch Formation (Eocene), Wyoming

ABSTRACT Variegated redbeds in the Cathedral Bluffs Tongue of the Wasatch Formation are the result of syndepositional chemical and hydrological conditions in alluvial-plain sediments that were favorable for both the formation of hematite in clay-rich mud rock and the removal of iron oxides from silt-rich mud rock. These mud rocks consist of depositional couplets of green cross-laminated clayey siltstone overlain by red horizontally laminated silty claystone, and were formed by processes active in subhumid tropical savanna floodplain alluvium. Red color of silty claystone is produced by hematite in the matrix and hematite coatings of grains, whereas green color in clayey siltstone is caused by interstratified illite-montmorillonite and chlorite. Hematite probably formed from the dehydration of ree iron hydroxides that coated clays in the muddy alluvium. Green layers of couplets, although rich in clay, contain little iron oxide, indicating that iron has been removed and (or) concentrated in red layers. Sedimentologic evidence suggests that a combination of mechanisms produced patterns of red pigment in mud rock of the depositional couplets. These mechanisms are: (1) original depositional variation in iron concentration associated with textural differences in the floodplain sediment, and (2) early postdepositional depletion of iron in the lower silt-rich and iron-poor part of the couplet and vertical migration of iron from green to red layers. This process took place when the siltstone part of the couplet was saturated with water, but before the sediment was buried to sufficient depth to be below the regional groundwater table. Stratigraphic and sedimentologic evidence also requires that the iron distribution that defines present green and red pigment patterns was established soon after deposition and before the next couplet was deposited. In addition, movement of ground water, once the sediment was buried below the regional water table, must have been negligible, because variegated patterns would have been destroyed by vertical and lateral fluid movement. Variegated redbeds in the Cathedral Bluffs Tongue were deposited on a gently sloping alluvial plain adjacent to Lake Gosiute. The beds consist of upward-fining couplets of green cross-laminated clayey siltstone overlain by horizontally laminated red silty claystone. Each couplet represents an episode of deposition from decelerating sediment-laden flood waters, followed by desiccation and a period of nondeposition. The floods, which covered parts of the alluvial plain between stream channels, were associated with a seasonally wet and dry subhumid climate. Successive depositional couplets are not necessarily annual deposits, and may be separated by long intervals of time.
Molecular Cloning and Expression of Rat Liver 3α-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase

Complementary DNA clones encoding 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3αHSD) were isolated from a rat liver cDNA λgt11 expression library using monoclonal antibodies as probes. The sizes of the cDNA inserts ranged from 1.3–2.3 kilobases. Sequence analysis indicated that variation in the DNA size was due to heterogeneity in the length of 3′ noncoding sequences. A full-length cDNA clone of 1286 basepairs contained an open reading frame encoding a protein of 322 amino acids with an estimated mol wt of 37 kDa. When expressed in E. coli, the encoded protein migrated to the same position on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels as the enzyme purified from rat liver cytosols. The protein expressed in bacteria was highly active in androsterone reduction in the presence of NAD as cofactor, and this activity was inhibited by indomethacin, a potent inhibitor of 3αHSD. The predicted amino acid sequence of 3αHSD was related to sequences of several other enzymes, including bovine prostaglandin F synthase, human chlor...
Modified differential evolution: a greedy random strategy for genetic recombination

Abstract Over the past three decades Evolutionary Algorithms have emerged as a powerful mechanism for finding solutions to large and complex problems. A promising new evolutionary algorithm known as Differential Evolution (DE) was recently introduced and has garnered significant attention in the research literature. This paper introduces a modification to DE that enhances its rate of convergence without compromising solution quality. DE was recently shown to outperform several well-known stochastic optimization methods on an extensive set of test problems. Our Modified Differential Evolution (MDE) algorithm utilizes selection pressure to develop offspring that are more fit to survive than those generated from purely random operators. We demonstrate that MDE requires less computational effort to locate global optimal solutions to well-known test problems in the continuous domain.
Does a structured patient education program improve glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Does a structured patient education program improve glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus?