cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determining benchmarks for evaluation and management coding in an academic division of general surgery.

Abstract Background Academic divisions of general surgery are facing ever-increasing financial pressures. Cost-cutting is a common approach to maintaining profitability, but strategies to increase revenue should not be ignored. One specific avenue for enhanced revenue generation in general surgery is that of coding for evaluation and management (E&M). Although this is the financial lifeblood for many of the consultative services in departments of medicine, E&M coding is an often neglected and misunderstood component of surgical care. Study design The financial records for the Division of General Surgery were reviewed for the period of January 2001 to June 2003. Specifically, charges and receipts for inpatient procedures and hospital visits (CPT codes 99231, 99232, and 99233) were determined. The analysis was limited to surgeons with a primary clinical focus based at the University hospital rather than the neighboring community or Veteran's Affairs hospitals. In addition, ICD-9 and All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Groups (APR-DRG) data were analyzed to determine the surgeon-specific number of inpatients and inpatient-days with more than one ICD-9 code or secondary ICD-9 codes, or both, or an APR-DRG severity of illness score of 2, 3, or 4. These categories were defined to determine the number of inpatient-days for which E&M coding could be billed for management of secondary medical diagnoses. Results Analysis demonstrates that actual E&M charges were 40% to 47% of predicted minimums for E&M charges for the period under study. In theory, this result translates into an annual gain in receipts of $400,000 to $600,000. Conclusions We conclude that the ICD-9 and APR-DRG models may serve as benchmarks to determine the limits for E&M revenue stream, and E&M coding may represent an underutilized source of revenue among academic departments of surgery.
Decision making for social sustainability: A life-cycle assessment approach

The need for sustainable development requires organizations to consider the economic, environmental, and social repercussions of their actions. While the economic effects, and increasingly the environmental consequences, of engineering design and business decisions are evaluated, little attention has been devoted to understanding the social impacts. It has been recognized that corporate decisions are linked to social sustainability indicators, and the need exists to better understand these links. This research represents a first step toward modeling the relationships between corporate decision alternatives and lower-order human needs (e.g., physiological requirements) and higher-order needs (e.g., belonging).
Self-reported use of different forms of aggression in late adolescence and emerging adulthood.

Two studies investigated the psychometric properties of a self-report measure of commonly recognized forms of aggression (FOA) that could be used to efficiently gather aggression data in large samples. EFA and CFA in Study 1 suggested that a five-factor model (Physical, Property, Verbal, Relational, and Passive—Rational) best represented the data across high school and college students. However, factor analyses in Study 2 using an ethnically diverse university sample revealed a four-factor solution (combining Physical and Property items). As a confirmation of the construct validity of FOA, physical and property aggression were lower, and verbal and passive—rational aggression were higher in college versus high school students. Gender differences were observed across FOA subscales, except relational aggression. FOA subscales correlated as expected with other anger and personality scales. Overall, the data revealed adequate psychometric properties for the FOA and suggest that current category distinctions (...
Development of PZT and PZN-PT based unimorph actuators for micromechanical flapping mechanisms

This paper focuses on the design, fabrication and characterization of unimorph actuators for a microaerial flapping mechanism. PZT-SH and PZN-PT are investigated as piezoelectric layers in the unimorph actuators. Design issues for microaerial flapping actuators are discussed, and criteria for the optimal dimensions of actuators are determined. For low power consumption actuation, a square wave based electronic driving circuit is proposed. Fabricated piezoelectric unimorphs are characterized by an optical measurement system in quasi-static and dynamic mode. Experimental performance of PZT-5H and PZIV-PT based unimorphs is compared with desired design specifications. A 1-DOF flapping mechanism with a PZT-SH unimorph is constructed, and 180/spl deg/ stroke motion at 95 Hz is achieved. Thus, it is shown that unimorphs could be promising flapping mechanism actuators.
A knowledge-based system to develop a plan of action for eliminating transmission line overloads

To avoid severe outages of major transmission facilities and loss of generation under emergency situations, a knowledge-based system has been built to develop a plan of action for eliminating multiple transmission line overloads within an interconnected power system. The primary corrective strategies for alleviating excessive loading of transmission lines are to shift generation and to shed loads. The proposed knowledge-based system consists of two programs. The analysis program (i.e. the power flow program) is coded in FORTRAN. It is used for checking the feasibility of the immediate steps in the plan of action. The decision-oriented program is coded in sigma-Prolog. It is used for performing symbolic computation. Results obtained with this system are presented. >
The Role of Metal Ion Solubility in Leaching of Nuclear Waste Glasses

From the results of a variety of experiments it can be concluded that reaction of the matrix is the fundamental process that occurs in the leaching of PNL 76-68 glass. This reaction has two aspects. Without solubility restrictions, congruent leaching behavior occurs at all pH values and leachant compositions. When this reaction raises solution concentrations of certain elements to the level at which new solid phases form, these phases will regulate the solution concentration. These solid phases are dominant constituents of the leached layer. For the leaching of PNL 76-68 glass, the solubilities of these reaction products regulate the solution concentration as if the solution is in equilibrium with pure Fe(OH)3 (amorphous), Zn(OH)2 (amorphous), Nd(OH)3, SrCO3 or CaCO3. The experimental conditions, in particular the pH value, that govern the formation of solid reaction products and control of the solution concentrations can be identified.
Nitric oxide is a preconditioning mimetic and cardioprotectant and is the basis of many available infarct-sparing strategies

Ischemic preconditioning is a powerful infarct-sparing intervention. Intensive investigations have revealed many of the signaling steps used to elicit this protection. One of the steps involves activation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) by phosphorylation, with the production of NO and subsequent activation of guanylyl cyclase, production of cGMP, activation of protein kinase G, opening of mitochondrial KATP channels, and generation of reactive oxygen species. The latter act as second messengers to activate critical kinase cascades that trigger entrance into the preconditioned state. Thus, NO exposure before ischemia can act as a powerful preconditioning mimetic. Elevating NO just prior to or at reperfusion can still be an effective cardioprotective strategy. Activation of NOS or production of NO can be done pharmacologically with exogenous agents to trigger this cascade. Many of these strategies are already available and safe.
Switching Control in Adaptive State Feedback Tracking of Systems with Actuator Failures

This paper studies the problem of designing fault-tolerant adaptive controllers via state feedback for LTI with actuator failures. An unilateral switching scheme is proposed to deal with the scenario that there have no enough actuators to realize the original planed state tracking task, two different controller parameters update laws are designed, and the proper one will be activated according with the failure pattern. Asymptotic state tracking are guaranteed if the actuator failure do not destroy the plant-model matching condition and the closed-loop system are asymptotic stable even in the fault cases that the plant-model matching condition cannot be satisfied. Simulations are carried out in order to verify the validity of the proposed control method.
Arsenic management through well modification and simulation

Arsenic concentrations can be managed with a relatively simple strategy of grouting instead of completely destroying a selected interval of well. The strategy of selective grouting was investigated in Antelope Valley, California, where groundwater supplies most of the water demand. Naturally occurring arsenic typically exceeds concentrations of 10 μg/L in the water produced from these long-screened wells. The vertical distributions of arsenic concentrations in intervals of the aquifer contributing water to selected supply wells were characterized with depth-dependent water-quality sampling and flow logs. Arsenic primarily entered the lower half of the wells where lacustrine clay deposits and a deeper aquifer occurred. Five wells were modified by grouting from below the top of the lacustrine clay deposits to the bottom of the well, which reduced produced arsenic concentrations to less than 2 μg/L in four of the five wells. Long-term viability of well modification and reduction of specific capacity was assessed for well 4-54 with AnalyzeHOLE, which creates and uses axisymmetric, radial MODFLOW models. Two radial models were calibrated to observed borehole flows, drawdowns, and transmissivity by estimating hydraulicconductivity values in the aquifer system and gravel packs of the original and modified wells. Lithology also constrained hydraulic-conductivity estimates as regularization observations. Well encrustations caused as much as 2 μg/L increase in simulated arsenic concentration by reducing the contribution of flow from the aquifer system above the lacustrine clay deposits. Simulated arsenic concentrations in the modified well remained less than 3 μg/L over a 20-year period.
Access To Conventional Medical Care And The Use Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in the United States has greatly increased during the past decade. Using survey data from the 2002 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), we show that adults who did not get, or delayed, needed medical care because of cost in the prior twelve months were also more likely than all other adults to use CAM. Recent increases in CAM use could be the result of not only the desire for individual empowerment and patient dissatisfaction with conventional medicine, as has been claimed, but also of increases in the relative cost of conventional health care.
The association between climate teleconnection indices and Upper Klamath seasonal streamflow: Trans-Niño Index

This research investigates large-scale climate features affecting inter-annual hydrologic variability of streams flowing into Upper Klamath Lake (UKL), Oregon, USA. UKL is an arid, mountainous basin located in the rain shadow east of the crest of the Cascade Mountains in the northwestern United States. Developing accurate statistical models for predicting spring and summer seasonal streamflow volumes for UKL is difficult because the basin has complex hydrology and a high degree of topographic and climatologic variability. In an effort to reduce streamflow forecast uncertainty, six large-scale climate indices—the Pacific North American Pattern, Southern Oscillation Index, Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), Multivariate El Ni˜ no-Southern Oscillation Index, Ni˜
Balloon Observations of the Electric Field Over South Pole: Convection Patterns

During the 1985–86 austral summer, eight balloon flights were launched from Amundsen-Scott Station, South Pole, Antarctica by the University of Houston in order to measure the ionospheric electric field in the vicinity of the polar cusp and the polar cap. One objective of this work was to determine the average daily ionospheric plasma convection patterns near the polar cusp as measured by the balloon experiment. The solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field conditions during the campaign period have been obtained using IMP 8 satellite data. IMP 8 was in the solar wind during four of the balloon flights. The balloon data have been binned separately as functions of Kp, interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) B z and IMF B y . The intent is to determine if there are any differences between data obtained in this way and data obtained from other techniques. The overall patterns show the expected two-cell convection pattern. In detail, the various individual patterns show subtle but interesting departures from previous results.
Mites Phoretic on Ips pini (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) in Wisconsin Red Pine Stands

ABSTRACT We sampled the bark beetle Ips pini (Say) in Wisconsin red pine stands to describe its phoretic mite community. Nearly 78% of adult beetles carried phoretic mites, with an average of 12.78 ± 0.76 individuals and 1.69 ± 0.05 species per beetle. Phoretic mites from flying beetles represented over 13 families. Five species of mites showed relatively close associations, being present on at least 10% of adult beetles. The most common mite species included one from each of the major guilds on bark beetles, the scavenger/fungivore Histiostoma spp. (41.5% of beetles), the egg predator Iponemus confusus (Lindquist) (41.1% of beetles) and the nematode predator Dendrobebps quadrisetus (Berlese) (32.8% of beetles). Beetles in northern Wisconsin had more diverse phoretic mite communities than those in central or southern Wisconsin. Beetles collected late in the season (July-August) carried more individuals and species of mites than those collected early in the season (May-June). The method we used to collect ...
Endogenous hepatic glucocorticoid receptor signaling coordinates sex-biased inflammatory gene expression

An individual's sex affects gene expression and many inflammatory diseases present in a sex-biased manner. Glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) are regulators of inflammatory genes, but their role in sex-specific responses is unclear. Our goal was to evaluate whether GR differentially regulates inflammatory gene expression in male and female mouse liver. Twenty-five percent of the 251 genes assayed by nanostring analysis were influenced by sex. Of these baseline sexually dimorphic inflammatory genes, 82% was expressed higher in female liver. Pathway analyses defined pattern-recognition receptors as the most sexually dimorphic pathway. We next exposed male and female mice to the proinflammatory stimulus LPS. Female mice had 177 genes regulated by treatment with LPS, whereas males had 149, with only 66% of LPS-regulated genes common between the sexes. To determine the contribution of GR to sexually dimorphic inflammatory genes we performed nanostring analysis on liver-specific GR knockout (LGRKO) mice in the presence or absence of LPS. Comparing LGRKO to GR(flox/flox) revealed that 36 genes required GR for sexually dimorphic expression, whereas 24 genes became sexually dimorphic in LGRKO. Fifteen percent of LPS-regulated genes in GR(flox/flox) were not regulated in male and female LGRKO mice treated with LPS. Thus, GR action is influenced by sex to regulate inflammatory gene expression.
Eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven: Constructing the Celibate Priest

This paper looks at the way sexual teachings and power transactions are interconnected, so that misogyny, homophobia, and a penitential code regulating sexuality enforced through confession provide the scaffolding for a hierarchical system, run by celibate males. It is a system that feminist theologian Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza (1999) has termed “Kyriarchy” or “the rule of the emperor/master/lord/father/husband over his subordinates” (p. 114). The paper reviews the historical evolution of the Church's teachings on sex and gender that have not only created the context for the recent pedophilia scandal, but, have pervaded Western thinking about these matters.
A 21-year-old man with progressive gastrointestinal stasis, hepatomegaly, and a neurologic disorder

Presentation of Case A 21-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of chronic nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, progressive weakness, and suspected polyneuropathy. The patient was well until the age of 14 years, when he experienced the sudden onset of abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. An emergent laparotomy showed edema and hyperemia of the ileal mesentery; adhesions of several loops of small bowel were observed, and a small amount of pus was seen in the pouch of Douglas; all mesenteric lymph nodes were reported to be enlarged. A specimen of the lymph nodes was obtained; microscopical examination of the specimen revealed . . .
Digital Divide, Racial and Ethnic Inequality In The

Currently in the United States low-income groups and people of color are falling behind regarding access to, and adoption of, various information and communication technologies. This situation is known as “the digital divide.” As our contemporary society increasingly develops new technologies, from smartphones to smart watches, those who adopt them find themselves in a far better position when applying to colleges and universities for scholarships and employment, when contacting families and friends, or when trying to secure access to doctors—whereas those on the other side of the digital divide, that is, those with less access, face the reality of falling even deeper into technological as well as economic inequality. This is why low-income and rural Americans, who comprise a large portion of the people of color in the United States, make up the majority of persons on the wrong, and negative, side of the digital divide. Keywords: government, politics, and law; policy; race and ethnicity; society; technology
Experimental capabilities of 0.4 PW, 1 shot/min Scarlet laser facility for high energy density science.

We report on the recently completed 400 TW upgrade to the Scarlet laser at The Ohio State University. Scarlet is a Ti:sapphire-based ultrashort pulse system that delivers >10 J in 30 fs pulses to a 2 μm full width at half-maximum focal spot, resulting in intensities exceeding 5×1021 W/cm2. The laser fires at a repetition rate of once per minute and is equipped with a suite of on-demand and on-shot diagnostics detailed here, allowing for rapid collection of experimental statistics. As part of the upgrade, the entire laser system has been redesigned to facilitate consistent, characterized high intensity data collection at high repetition rates. The design and functionality of the laser and target chambers are described along with initial data from commissioning experimental shots.
Predictor of 90-Day Readmission Rate for Hepatic Encephalopathy.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of our study was to identify clinical parameters associated with readmissions within 90 days in patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE). METHODS We reviewed electronic medical records of patients admitted between January 1, 2010 and September 30, 2013 at University Medical Center, Lubbock, Texas. Inclusion criteria were admission to the hospital with diagnosis of HE in patients older than 18 years. We compared the patients with readmission within 90 days with patients with no readmission using routine clinical data. RESULTS A total of 140 admissions met inclusion criteria; 35% were white, 59.3% were Hispanic, and their mean age was 55.6 ± 10.5 years. The median admission Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score was 15.5 (4-38). Univariate analysis demonstrated that a history of diabetes mellitus, a history of hypertension, prior transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement, a history of prior HE, and the use of lactulose posthospitalization were associated with increased readmission rates and the presence of gastrointestinal bleeding was associated with decreased readmission rates (P < 0.05 for each factor). Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that history of hypertension (P = 0.02) predicted an increased readmission rate. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates that hypertension increased the risk of readmission in patients with HE. More intensive interventions in these patients may decrease readmission rates and improve outcomes.
Clinical and Echocardiographic Factors Associated With In-Hospital Mortality in Patients With Infective Endocarditis Affecting the Native Tricuspid Valve.

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a highly morbid disease, for which most outcomes data come from patients with left-sided valvular lesions. Echocardiographic findings such as vegetation size and prosthetic valve involvement have been identified as important predictors of mortality in left-sided IE, but predictors of outcomes in right-sided IE are less well characterized. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify clinical and echocardiographic findings predictive of mortality in tricuspid valve (TV) IE. We retrospectively reviewed all echocardiograms showing TV vegetations that were performed at the Massachusetts General Hospital from January 1, 2003, to December 31, 2013. We identified 105 patients who had echocardiographic evidence of TV vegetations and a definite clinical diagnosis of IE based on the modified Duke's criteria but did not have intracardiac device–associated vegetations. Of the 105 patients, 88 survived until discharge. Clinical and echocardiographic factors that positively correlated with in-hospital mortality included age (p = 0.002), immunosuppression status (p = 0.016), blood urea nitrogen level (p = 0.029), Candida causative organism (p = 0.025), left ventricular ejection fraction 40 mm Hg (p = 0.040). Of these factors, immunosuppression status, blood urea nitrogen level, and RV systolic dysfunction were independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality. In conclusion, RV systolic dysfunction may serve as an echocardiographic marker to aid clinicians in identifying high-risk patients with right-sided IE for more aggressive therapy.
Abstract 3566: Glycosylation of the TNFR1 death receptor controls cell fate

Activation of the TNFR1 death receptor by TNFα can induce cell survival or cell death signaling, however, the mechanisms regulating this TNFR1 signaling switch are poorly understood. TNFα-induced apoptosis is reported to require higher-order clustering and internalization of activated TNFR1, whereas surface retention of the activated receptor has been shown to promote survival signaling mediated by NFκB and MAPKs. Studies from our group have identified a novel glycosylation-dependent mechanism that controls this signaling switch. Specifically, we have found that TNFR1 localization and activity are regulated by the addition of a distinct sugar, an α2-6 linked sialic acid, by the enzyme ST6Gal-I, a Golgi sialyltransferase whose expression is upregulated in many cancer types. The sialylation effect on TNFR1 was examined in epithelial and monocytic cancer cell lines with forced overexpression or knockdown of ST6Gal-I, as well as in primary monocytes obtained from mice with ST6Gal-I knock-in or knockout. Data from these models indicate that α2-6 sialylation of TNFR1 blocks TNFα-induced apoptosis, and the suggested mechanism underlying this inhibition of apoptosis is the sialylation-driven inhibition of TNFR1 oligomerization and internalization, as observed through immunoblotting, immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry. Considering sialylated TNFR1 is retained on the plasma membrane following activation, we hypothesize that ST6Gal-I functions to not only block TNFR1-mediated cell death but also divert the cell9s activity to favor survival. Supporting this hypothesis, cells with elevated levels of ST6Gal-I exhibit heightened expression and activation of many pro-survival factors, such as NFκB, MAPKs and AKT, in addition to decreased activation of caspase-3. Since levels of ST6Gal-I are elevated in multiple tumor cell populations, our group proposes that ST6Gal-I protects tumor cells against TNFα-induced apoptosis within the inflammatory tumor microenvironment. As preliminary support for this concept, peritoneal ascites fluid was collected from ovarian cancer (OC) patients, and the acellular, cytokine-rich fraction was incubated with OC cell lines with or without forced ST6Gal-I expression. Expression of ST6Gal-I conferred strong protection against cell death induced by soluble ascites. Based on these collective findings, we postulate that sialylation of TNFR1 by ST6Gal-I diverts the cellular response to TNFα from apoptosis to survival, providing a mechanism by which tumor cells can evade immune cell killing. Citation Format: Andrew Holdbrooks, Matthew J. Schultz, Zhongyu Liu, Daniel Bullard, Susan L. Bellis. Glycosylation of the TNFR1 death receptor controls cell fate. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 3566.
Reflections: The Michigan Four and Their Study of American Voters: A Biography of a Collaboration

The publication of The American Voter in 1960 revolutionized the study of American voting behavior. Its University of Michigan authors, Angus Campbell, Philip E. Converse, Warren E. Miller, and Donald E. Stokes, were to share thousands of citations, but they were four different people, with different backgrounds, different personalities, and different career trajectories afterwards. This paper presents a chronological biography of The American Voter, from assembling the research team, through writing the book, to its aftermath, and ending with brief perspectives on each author.
Predicting fates in models of neurodegenerative disease: longitudinal measures of protein homeostasis in live neurons

Abnormal aggregation and deposition of proteins may be common features of neurodegenerative diseases. A prevailing hypothesis is that misfolded proteins stress the capacity of the protein homeostasis system and result in neurodegeneration. However, protein dyshomeostasis has been difficult to investigate by conventional approaches. To overcome these obstacles, we developed a new strategy that combines robotic microscopy and longitudinal analysis to quantitatively measure the relationship between intermediate disease-associated changes in a neuron and its ultimate fate at a single-cell level. Importantly, the method distinguishes between pathogenic, incidental, and coping mechanisms, and any particular mechanism, positive or negative, can be assessed for its prognostic power. With this method, we can construct predictive quantitative and temporally dynamic multivariate models of neurodegeneration that are useful for developing rational therapeutic strategies. Surprisingly, we found that neurons that form protein deposits called inclusion bodies (IBs) survive longer than those without IBs. Thus, IBs seem to be a coping mechanism. Recently, we used photoswitchable proteins and automated microscopy to measure protein clearance in live neurons. By measuring huntingtin (htt) metabolism in single neurons and relating it to each neuron’s fate, we found that the stress experienced by a neuron’s protein homeostasis system in response to mutant huntingtin (mhtt) predicted neurodegeneration better than the dose of mhtt it received. Our findings suggest a simple unifying model: polyglutamine expansions cause neurodegeneration by adopting conformations that stress the capacity of the protein homeostasis system, and strategies to promote protein homeostasis may be broadly neuroprotective.
Structural health monitoring of inflatable structures for MMOD impacts

Inflatable structures for space habitat are highly prone to damage caused by micrometeoroid and orbital debris impacts. Although the structures are effectively shielded against these impacts through multiple layers of impact resistant materials, there is a necessity for a health monitoring system to monitor the structural integrity and damage state within the structures. Assessment of damage is critical for the safety of personnel in the space habitat, as well as predicting the repair needs and the remaining useful life of the habitat. In this paper, we propose a unique impact detection and health monitoring system based on hybrid nanocomposite sensors. The sensors are composed of two fillers, carbon nanotubes and coarse graphene platelets with an epoxy matrix material. The electrical conductivity of these flexible nanocomposite sensors is highly sensitive to strains as well as presence of any holes and damage in the structure. The sensitivity of the sensors to the presence of 3mm holes due to an event of impact is evaluated using four point probe electrical resistivity measurements. An array of these sensors when sandwiched between soft good layers in a space habitat can act as a damage detection layer for inflatable structures. An algorithm is developed to determine the event of impact, its severity and location on the sensing layer for active health monitoring.
Modeling of Metabolic Systems Using Global Optimization Methods

Abstract This paper considers the metabolic engineering problem of dynamic modeling in complex biological systems. New areas under consideration include dynamic system modeling of metabolic systems using a Generalized Mass Action (GMA) representation. The modeling problem will be presented as a nonconvex global optimi zation problem to be solved using deterministic optimization techniques. Advanced control and estimation methods can be devised based on the input-output model of the nonlinear dynamic system. A five-state fermentation pathway is considered using global optimization techniques for modeling and a discrete-time GMA formulation.
Using integer partitioning to determine unique configurations for the information age combat model

This paper addresses the number partitioning problem as it relates to the modelling of distributed network operations, as envisioned in the information age combat model (IACM). The approach proposed in this paper is an automated integer partitioning framework implemented using Mathematica and visual basic. This methodology allows the formation of unique configurations by implementing a matrix-based approach proposed by Fidanci (2010). Finding the unique combination is extremely helpful because it aids IACM simulation attempts by eliminating the significant redundancy associated with combat configurations, and therefore, making simulations much more computationally efficient. The results of the integer partitioning and the formation of unique combinations are subsequently used in a combat simulation model of the IACM. Most importantly, the methodology proposed is generalisable and can be adapted to partition any number of distributed networks, symmetric or asymmetric, for systems applications, within the boundaries of current computing technology and time constraints.
Comparing Employed and Unemployed Welfare Recipients: A Discriminant Analysis

Based on data from the 1973 Minnesota AFDC Characteristic Study, 348 female AFDC recipients were classified according to whether they were employed or unemployed. T-tests and a discriminant analysis were performed to determine which of several demographic and economic variables distinguished the employed group from the unemployed group. The best discriminators were found to be those related to economic condition, such as value of personal and real property, liquid assets, and monthly income. Little difference was found between employed and unemployed women on the demographic variables. The implications of these findings for the argument that personal motivation or individual differences account for unemployment in AFDC recipients are discussed. In a study of public attitudes toward welfare, Kallen and Miller (1971) found that 75% of their respondents agreed with the following statements: "There are too many people receiving welfare who should be working" and "I don't see any reason why a person able to work should get welfare money." Since two-thirds of *An earlier draft of this paper was presented at the 1980 meetings of the Southern Sociological Society, Knoxville, Tennessee. These data were collected by the State of Minnesota's Department of Public Welfare and in cooperation with the University of Minnesota Family Studies Center's training program in Family Impact Analysis. The author expresses appreciation to that department and particularly to its Director of the Office of Evaluation, Webster Martin, for his cooperation and assistance in making this data available. The author also wishes to thank Gerald McDonald for his helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper.
Donald E. Hawkins: transferring knowledge into practice

As a colleague of Don Hawkins for the past 18 years, I am pleased to document his many scholarly contributions to the field of tourism. I first met him in 1997 through a telephone call where he con...
HISTORIA DEL CÁNCER COLORRECTAL HEREDITARIO NO POLIPÓSICO (HNPCC)

RESUMEN Cancer colorrectal No Poliposo Hereditario (HNPCC or “Sindrome de Lynch”), implica variantes patogenicas en los genes de reparacion del mal pareamiento de bases del ADN (MMR), es la condicion hereditaria mas frecuente que predispone a adenomas colorrectales y cancer colorrectal. En esta revision se describe la historia de HNPCC, desde los primeros casos clinicos, la informacion clinica mas sistematica, los criterios clinicos y finalmente, al descubrimiento de los propios genes MMR en 1993, incluidas las caracteristicas claves de la inestabilidad de los microsatelites (MSI). este papel central del analisis de los microsatelites de los canceres colorrectales implica una tendencia creciente hacia la “prueba universal” para evidenciar la MSI, ya sea por metodos de PCR o por inmunohistoquimica (IHQ). Aunque si bien, la prueba universal no ha sido completamente adoptada alrededor del mundo, nosotros ya estamos evolucionando hacia uso mas rutinario de “paneles” de multiples genes para la deteccion de mutaciones de linea germinal en genes MMR. Bajo estas circunstancias, uno puede razonablemente preguntarse si la comprension del desarrollo historico de las caracteristicas clinicas de HNPCC es incluso relevante. Como este articulo espera demostrar una apreciacion del escenario del HNPCC, esta no seria completa sin una perspectiva historica, incluyendo el papel importante del Dr. Henry Lynch sobre toda una vida de trabajo en este campo.
The future of achalasia therapy: expanding the minimally invasive armamentarium and risk of secondary gastroesophageal reflux.

Achalasia is a primary motor disorder of the esophagus characterized by insufficient lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxation and loss of esophageal peristalsis (1). Patients often present with progressive dysphagia, regurgitation, chest pain and weight loss.
Suppressing off-axis scattering using deep neural networks

We developed a method that uses deep neural networks (DNNs) to suppress off-axis scattering in ultrasound images. This approach operates in the frequency domain and networks were trained using the simulated responses from individual point targets. The network inputs consisted of the separated in-phase and quadrature components observed across the aperture of the array. The output had the same structure as the input and an inverse short- time Fourier transform was used to convert the processed data back to the time domain. In this work, we examined the noise handling characteristics of the DNN beamformer and also the relation between final image quality and the loss function for training networks.
The Energy of the Swing

In the early days of golf, the golf swing could not have possibly been considered in terms of the concepts used in this chapter. The concepts of work and energy, as used in mechanics, did not exist in the 15th century when golf was being played in Scotland. The words “energy” and “work” first appeared in the present context in 1807 and 1826, but the ideas behind these words developed earlier. It took about 100 years from the first glimmer of these ideas before we find the statement of the principle of conservation of energy in 1847. This principle as applied to all forms of energy is one of the fundamental ideas of physics. The ancients knew that hands rubbed together became warm, but this effect was one of the mysteries.
Measuring the Effect of Visual Exposure and Saliency of Museum Exhibits on Visitors’ Level of Contact and Engagement

This paper examines visitors’ movement patterns at the Broad Museum designed by Zaha Hadid. Characterized with free, open, and generally unbound spaces, visitors explore a curated exhibition at their own pace, route, and agenda. Unlike most other public environments, a museum lends visitors greater choice and control, and does not hold the social or spatial expectations of other facility types that might subject the visitor’s path of travel. In this study, 72 visitors were observed. A space syntax-based visibility graph analysis (VGA) was then performed to compute the visibility exposure and the spatial position of each exhibit within the museum. Negative binomial regression was used to look at the effects of spatial variables on visitors’ wayfinding, contact, and engagement with the pieces. Results showed that both the amount of visibility area around each exhibit, and its spatial position measured using space syntax techniques explained why visitors established a contact with the piece and their wayfinding behavior. Interestingly, however, the saliency of exhibits along with spatial variables were both strong predictors for why people arriving in groups split to engage with that particular exhibit. The simulation used in this study could be useful in curatorial decisions.
The Inherited Cancer Registry (ICARE) Initiative: An Academic-Community Partnership for Patients and Providers

Genetic testing for inherited cancer predisposition can reduce cancer associated morbidity and mortality.1-3 Given that 5 to 15 percent of cancer may be due to inherited predisposition,4-9 identifi...
Birds of the Same Feather? Exploration and Exploitation Alliances and Institutional Ownership

We examine 17,563 strategic alliance formations among 652 pharmaceutical firms from 1990-2012. We categorize each alliance as either exploitation or exploration, while categorizing institutional sh...
Online Harassment and Its Implications for the Journalist–Audience Relationship

Amid growing threats to journalists around the world, this study examines the nature of online harassment, the types of journalists most likely to experience it, and the most common forms of respon...
Third Trimester Fetal Heart Rates in Antibody-Mediated Complete Heart Block Predict Need for Neonatal Pacemaker Placement.

Congenital complete heart block (CCHB) affects 1 in 20,000 newborns. This study evaluates fetal and neonatal risk factors predictive of neonatal pacemaker placement in antibody-mediated complete heart block. The Children’s Hospital Los Angeles institutional fetal, pacemaker, and medical record databases were queried for confirmed SSA/SSB cases of CCHB between January 2004 and July 2019. Cases excluded were those with a diagnosis beyond the neonatal period, diagnosis of a channelopathy, or if maternal antibody status was unknown. We recorded the gestational age (GA), birth weight (BW), fetal heart rates (FHRs) of the last echocardiogram before delivery, specific neonatal ECG and echocardiogram findings, age at pacemaker placement, and mortality. Of 43 neonates identified with CCHB, 27 had confirmed maternal antibody exposure. Variables associated with neonatal pacemaker implantation were FHRs < 50 bpm (p = 0.005), neonatal heart rates < 52 bpm (p = 0.015), and neonatal left ventricular fractional shortening (FS) percentages < 34% (p = 0.03). On multivariate analysis, FHR remained significant (p = 0.03) and demonstrated an increased risk of neonatal pacemaker placement by an odds ratio of 12.5 (95% CI 1.3–116, p = 0.05). The median GA at which the FHR was obtained was 34 weeks (IQR 26–35 weeks). Neonatal pacemaker placement was highly associated with a FHR < 50 bpm, neonatal HR < 52 bpm, and neonatal FS < 34%. FHRs at 34 weeks GA (IQR 26–35 weeks) correlated well with postnatal heart rates and were predictive of neonatal pacemaker placement.
A review of research in the Quality Management Journal: Influential resources, key themes, and emerging trendss

The Quality Management Journal (QMJ) was established in 1993 to stimulate dialogue between academics studying quality and business leaders actively working to improve it, when the literature on qua...
The Effect of Mission Location on Mission Costs and Equivalent System Mass

Equivalent System Mass (ESM) is used by the Advanced Life Support (ALS) community to quantify mission costs of technologies for space applications (Drysdale et al, 1999, Levri et al, 2000). Mass is used as a cost measure because the mass of an object determines propulsion (acceleration) cost (i.e. amount of fuel needed), and costs relating to propulsion dominate mission cost. Mission location drives mission cost because acceleration is typically required to initiate and complete a change in location. Total mission costs may be reduced by minimizing the mass of materials that must be propelled to each distinct location. In order to minimize fuel requirements for missions beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO), the hardware and astronauts may not all go to the same location. For example, on a Lunar or Mars mission, some of the hardware or astronauts may stay in orbit while the rest of the hardware and astronauts descend to the planetary surface. In addition, there may be disposal of waste or used hardware at various mission locations to avoid propulsion of mass that is no longer needed in the mission. This paper demonstrates how using location factors in the calculation of ESM can account for the effects of various acceleration events and can improve the accuracy and value of the ESM metric to mission planners. Even a mission with one location can benefit from location factor analysis if the alternative technologies under consideration consume resources at different rates. For example, a mission that regenerates resources will have a relatively constant mass compared to one that uses consumables and vents/discards mass along the way. This paper shows examples of how location factors can affect ESM calculations and how the inclusion of location factors can change the relative value of technologies being considered for development.
Importance of vascular endothelial growth factor A in the progression of experimental neuroblastoma

Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and its receptor tyrosine kinases located on endothelial cells seem to play an important role in the multistep pathway of angiogenesis. SU5416 is a small molecule which inhibits angiogenesis by acting as an inhibitor of VEGF receptor-2 tyrosine kinase. We have developed a reproducible murine model for neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer, based on s.c. xenotransplantation of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. We found that SH-SY5Y cells expressed VEGF-A on both the mRNA and protein levels, that plasma concentrations of VEGF-A were significantly elevated in animals with neuroblastoma with a volume > 1.4 ml, and that there was a correlation between VEGF-A levels in plasma and tumor size in untreated tumor-bearing animals. Treatment with SU5416 reduced the growth of neuroblastoma tumors by 65% without apparent toxicity. SU5416 treatment also suppressed tumor angiogenesis, despite an increase in plasma VEGF-A levels per ml tumor volume during therapy. Our experimental data suggest that the angiogenesis inhibitor SU5416 may be beneficial in the treatment of solid tumors of childhood such as neuroblastoma.
Principles of Organization of the Dorsal Lateral Geniculate Nucleus.

the nature of the lines of isorepresentation across LGN layers. At the time of our paper, I had transitioned from a postdoctoral fellow to a new Assistant Professor in the Laboratory of Neurophysiology, headed by Clinton Woolsey, at the University of Wisconsin. The laboratory was a great place to be, with Woolsey and Jerzy Rose, both members of the National Academy of Sciences, and other outstanding faculty, including Wally Welker, who influenced me greatly. Other postdoctoral fellows included Mike Merzenich and Mary Carlson; both became collaborators with me on a number of subsequent papers. The Anatomy Department was just down the hall with Ray Guillery, Maxwell Cowan, and Pete Ralston as faculty, Ken Sanderson as a postdoc, and Margaret Wong Riley as one of the graduate students. Semir Zeki was also there for about 1 year as visiting faculty. In addition, John Allman had joined with me in my small laboratory space, to complete studies on the visual cortex of owl monkeys for his PhD in anthropology from the University of Chicago in 1970. John and I continued these studies in the Laboratory of Neurophysiology until I left for Vanderbilt at the end of 1972. The timing of the invited review on the LGN was fortuitous because I had just finished a study of geniculocortical relations Our paper on the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) was a result of one of us (Kaas) being invited to give a talk on the LGN in the Symposium on Basic Thalamic Structure and Function at the Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn in 1971. I was an unexpected contributor to this symposium of experts on the thalamus as I was a new assistant professor who had published nothing on the LGN. However, my former PhD advisor, I.T. Diamond, had been invited, and he insisted to the organizers that I was working on the LGN (somewhat true) and was an expert (a gross exaggeration). After several attempts by Diamond, the organizers relented under his pressure, and I was invited. All talks were scheduled to be papers in a special issue of the newly formed journal, Brain, Behavior and Evolution , under the editorship of Walter Riss. After listening to the other talks, I felt that some were too focused on the author’s recent results and not enough on basic issues of thalamic organization and function. On the plane back from the symposium, I rethought the purpose of the planned review and concluded that it should cover what new investigators to the field, as I was, should know. The basic issues at that time included understanding the variable lamination patterns of the LGN across species, the overall retinotopy of the nucleus, and Published online: May 14, 2015
Identification, sequence analysis and expression studies of novel anther-specific genes of Arabidopsis thaliana

Relatively little is known about pollen development at the molecular level. For the purpose of gaining understanding of the molecular control of pollen development, a number of Arabidopsis cDNA fragments were isolated using subtractive hybridizations. DNA and RNA hybridizations and sequence analyses indicate that we have isolated cDNAs representing 13 genes. Sequences for 8 of these genes are novel, while those for the remaining 5 genes have substantial similarity to genes previously reported as anther- or pollen-specific. RNA in situ hybridizations with 5 genes revealed that four of them are tapetum-specific with differing temporal expression patterns during pollen development and one is pollen-specific within the flower. Sequence analysis of full-length cDNAs showed that one of the novel genes, ATA7, encodes a protein related to lipid transfer proteins. Another gene, ATA20, encodes a protein with novel repeat sequences and a glycine-rich domain that shares a predicted structure with a known cell wall protein. The full-length ATA27 cDNA encodes a protein similar to the BGL4 beta-glucosidase from Brassica napus. The ATA27 protein is predicted to have an ER retention signal and an acidic isoelectric point, suggesting that it may be localized to the ER lumen. This may be a means of compartmentalization from its substrate(s). Our studies demonstrate that subtractive hybridizations can be used to identify previously unknown genes, which should be valuable tools for further study of pollen and anther development and function.