cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Total Neoadjuvant Therapy (TNT) in Rectal Cancer

This review summarizes the relevant literature on the use of total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. It highlights the most notable literature published and briefly discusses future directions. Recent randomized trials evaluating TNT show improved rates of pathologic complete response and patient treatment tolerance with this approach. The rationale for TNT includes the poor patient tolerance of adjuvant chemotherapy and the persistent risk of distant disease in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, despite improvements in local control. Randomized trials have focused on short-term pathologic endpoints. Ongoing phase 3 trials are evaluating long-term disease-related outcomes, allowing for a more thorough evaluation of this treatment paradigm. TNT may also facilitate organ preservation in appropriately selected patients.
Initial growth of northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) colonies at the South Farallon, San Miguel, and Bogoslof Islands

Understanding the colonization or recolonization of breeding sites used by colonial animals is fundamental to metapopulation theory and has practical applications in conservation biology. Historically, pinniped species were heavily exploited worldwide, resulting in some breeding colonies becoming extirpated. As populations recover, some abandoned sites may be recolonized or new sites can be colonized. We analyzed aerial and ground survey data on pup counts from 3 islands (South Farallon, San Miguel, and Bogoslof) (re)colonized by northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus), using classical and Bayesian state-space modeling approaches to describe population growth rates during their initial 21 years, with particular focus on the South Farallon Islands. We used information from tagged animals that immigrated to the South Farallon Islands from San Miguel Island to describe the age and sex structure of the founding recolonizers of the South Farallon Islands. We also examined the evidence for the generality of Roux's (1987) description of fur seal population recovery using a literature review of published fur seal population growth rates. We found the 3 colonies had different annual population growth rates (South Farallon = 34%, San Miguel = 45%, Bogoslof = 59%), but all were growing at rates among the fastest observed for fur seals worldwide. Immigrants from San Miguel to the South Farallon Islands were younger and femalebiased relative to the tagged population at San Miguel Island. The general framework described by Roux (1987) was an effective description of observed fur seal population recovery. Our results inform our understanding of the initiation and growth of pinniped breeding colonies.
Numerical modeling and experimental verification of mold filling and evolved gas pressure in lost foam casting process

A simple mathematical model is developed to describe a lost foam casting process. Different aspects of the process, such as liquid metal flow, transient heat transfer, foam degradation and gas elimination were incorporated into this numerical model. Fluid velocity, temperature distribution within molten metal and pressure building-up in the mold cavity are predicted as a function of filling time and filling height. The model was verified by comparison of the predicted velocity profiles, temperature fields and back-pressures with the experimental data conducted in this work. Both coated and uncoated foam patterns were used in experimental part of this study. A good agreement between the predictions and the experimental data was found.
A management/grading system for teaching design in mechanics of materials and other courses

A plan for class management and grading in Mechanics of Materials with design is offered for tworeasons: (1) Teaching design in a topic-packed analysis course like Mechanics of Materials placesdemands upon instructors beyond the traditional course and this paper offers suggestions on how tocope. (2) At Penn State, the Engineering Science and Mechanics Department traditionally seeks adegree of conformity between sections and offers a common final exam, hence there are some rulesthat instructors must follow to maintain this policy. The paper is the result of experience and treatsmethods for selecting teams, guiding students through learning the design process, structuring thedesign report and assigning grades to individuals within a team. The plan is aimed at effective, yetefficient teaching, is open to continuous improvement and applicable to other courses.
Understanding on the association between informal caregiver characteristics and cognitive function of adults with cancer: a scoping review protocol

Introduction Adults with cancer frequently report symptoms such as decline in cognitive function throughout the trajectory of illness. Patients with cognitive deficits need support and assistance from their informal caregivers and often rely on them to manage their symptoms based on their degree of deficits. Patients spend a significant amount of time with their informal caregivers and become interdependent with each other. In spite of their interdependence, it is unclear whether patients’ cognitive outcomes (ie, cognitive function) are associated with their informal caregivers. Therefore, the body of literature related to the association between caregiver characteristics and cognitive function of adults with cancer needs to be fully mapped with assessment for knowledge gaps. Methods and analysis Methods for this scoping review was informed by the framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley. Seven electronic databases will be searched: (1) PubMed (MEDLINE), (2) CINAHL, (3) Embase, (4) PsycINFO, (5) Scopus, (6) Sociological Abstracts and (7) ProQuest dissertation abstracts. In addition, the search for grey literature will include the conference abstracts available through Embase, Scopus and Sociological abstracts as well as dissertations available in ProQuest dissertations. All retrieved citations will be independently screened by two authors and eligibility will be determined based on inclusion and exclusion criteria at title and abstract level. Studies meeting inclusion criteria, will be screened at full text level by two reviewers followed by abstraction of included studies. Eligible studies will be collated, summarised and reported using the data charting form that research team developed. Ethics and dissemination This scoping review does not require ethics approval. Results of this scoping review will be disseminated via conference presentation and/or publication in a scientific journal.
High-resolution seismic tomography of Long Beach, CA using machine learning

We use a machine learning-based tomography method to obtain high-resolution subsurface geophysical structure in Long Beach, CA, from seismic noise recorded on a “large-N” array with 5204 geophones (~13.5 million travel times). This method, called locally sparse travel time tomography (LST) uses unsupervised machine learning to exploit the dense sampling obtained by ambient noise processing on large arrays. Dense sampling permits the LST method to learn directly from the data a dictionary of local, or small-scale, geophysical features. The features are the small scale patterns of Earth structure most relevant to the given tomographic imaging scenario. Using LST, we obtain a high-resolution 1 Hz Rayleigh wave phase speed map of Long Beach. Among the geophysical features shown in the map, the important Silverado aquifer is well isolated relative to previous surface wave tomography studies. Our results show promise for LST in obtaining detailed geophysical structure in travel time tomography studies.
Performance studies for dental implants: Methodological approach

Abstract This chapter proposes a methodological approach to investigate the biological performance of dental implants. The rationale for the decision on animal and experimental models is discussed. The general structure of an animal trial protocol coupled with essential guidelines on organizational issues is given. The related portfolio of convergent analytic methods and the manner to implement them is proposed.
Identifying a Fine Line between Food Insecurity and Food Acquisition Stress: A Mixed Methods Exploration

This study introduces the concept of Food Acquisition Stress (FAS), the stress associated with food acquisition among those who do not necessarily screen positive for food insecurity. This study us...
Biochemical and energy requirements of gonad development in regular sea urchins

Abstract The importance of understanding energy allocation to developing gonads in regular sea urchins can be summarized in a simple question: “what is the greatest yield of gonad tissue mass one can obtain with the lowest ration of food?” In considering the growth and development of gonadal tissue as a harvestable resource, the balance between yield and ration can best be described in terms of the chemical constituents that limit gonad growth, i.e., the biochemical components in the shortest supply (ration) restrict development of the gonad tissues (yield). In this chapter, we consider the metabolic activities in the gonad of regular sea urchins in relation to an individual's diet to identify the tissue constituents that have the highest anabolic costs and are thus the most likely to restrict or limit tissue production. Although whole-animal, energy metabolism (respiration and biochemical pathways) has been well studied in large regular sea urchins, we focus specifically on what little is known about the metabolic activities in gonads of regular sea urchins
Energy Efficient User Association, Power, and Flow Control in Millimeter Wave Backhaul Heterogeneous Networks

This paper studies the problem of energy efficiency (EE) maximization via user association, power, and backhaul (BH) flow control in the downlink of millimeter wave BH heterogeneous networks. This problem is mathematically formulated as a mixed-integer non-linear program, which is non-convex. To get a tractable solution, the initial problem is separated into two sub-problems and optimized sequentially. The first is a joint user association and power control sub-problem for the access network (AN) (AN sub-problem). The second is a joint flow and power control sub-problem for the BH network (BH sub-problem). While the BH sub-problem is a convex optimization problem and hence can be efficiently solved, the AN sub-problem assumes the form of a generalized assignment problem, which is known to be NP-hard. To that end, we utilize Lagrangian decomposition to propose two polynomial time solution techniques that obtain a high-quality solution for the AN sub-problem. The first, referred to as Technique A , uses dynamic programming, the subgradient method, and a heuristic. The second, named Technique B , uses the multiplier adjustment method, the sorting algorithm, and a heuristic. Simulation results are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed energy efficient user association, power, and BH flow control algorithms as compared with benchmark user association schemes that incorporate the BH sub-problem algorithm, in terms of the total AN power, BH power, and overall network (AN plus BH) EE. The computational complexity and practical implementation of the proposed algorithms are discussed.
Design, Optimization, and Study of Small Molecules That Target Tau Pre-mRNA and Affect Splicing

Approximately 95% of human genes are alternatively spliced, and aberrant splicing events can cause disease. One pre-mRNA that is alternatively spliced and linked to neurodegenerative diseases is tau (microtubule-associated protein tau), which can cause frontotemporal dementia and parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17) and can contribute to Alzheimer's disease. Here, we describe the design of structure-specific lead small molecules that directly target tau pre-mRNA from sequence. This was followed by hit expansion and analogue synthesis to further improve upon these initial lead molecules. The emergent compounds were assessed for functional activity in a battery of assays, including binding assays and an assay that mimics molecular recognition of tau pre-mRNA by a U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) splicing factor. Compounds that emerged from these studies had enhanced potency and selectivity for the target RNA relative to the initial hits, while also having significantly improved drug-like properties. The compounds are shown to directly target tau pre-mRNA in cells, via chemical cross-linking and isolation by pull-down target profiling, and to rescue disease-relevant splicing of tau pre-mRNA in a variety of cellular systems, including primary neurons. More broadly, this study shows that lead, structure-specific compounds can be designed from sequence and then further optimized for their physicochemical properties while at the same time enhancing their activity.
Navigating Space for Personal Agency: Auxiliary Routines as Adaptations in Toxic Organizations

Many workers experience organization dysfunction stemming from leaders. Yet organization members have limited responses; they can directly or indirectly confront senior leaders, engage individual s...
Optimal Operation of a Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle with Battery Thermal and Degradation Model.

We propose a control method to optimally use fuel and battery resources for power-split plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) under the case of pre determined driving route and associated energy demand profile. We integrate a battery thermal and degradation model and formulate a mixed-integer convex problem which can be approximately solved with standard efficient solvers. In simulation, we demonstrate that our controller can manage battery operation and state to avoid severe battery degradation, and balance fuel usage with battery degradation depending on ambient temperature or energy demand profiles of the routes. Under various scenarios, the results are validated by the Autonomie software [1] and compared with conventional existing CDCS controller and the earlier related work [2], which only optimized to achieve minimal fuel use and neglects the battery degradation. Lastly, we show our controller is efficient enough to be computed on the on-board vehicle computer and applied in real-time.
Leveraging the Variance of Return Sequences for Exploration Policy

This paper introduces a novel method for constructing an upper bound for exploration policy using either the weighted variance of return sequences or the weighted temporal difference (TD) error. We demonstrate that the variance of the return sequence for a specific state-action pair is an important information source that can be leveraged to guide exploration in reinforcement learning. The intuition is that fluctuation in the return sequence indicates greater uncertainty in the near future returns. This divergence occurs because of the cyclic nature of value-based reinforcement learning; the evolving value function begets policy improvements which in turn modify the value function. Although both variance and TD errors capture different aspects of this uncertainty, our analysis shows that both can be valuable to guide exploration. We propose a two-stream network architecture to estimate weighted variance/TD errors within DQN agents for our exploration method and show that it outperforms the baseline on a wide range of Atari games.
A Positive Step Toward Occupational Licensing Reform: The ALLOW Act

By eliminating or reducing the suffocating restrictions that licensing often imposes, the ALLOW Act would promote competition, encourage innovation, protect consumers, and promote compliance with federal antitrust law. Title I would enable the spouse of a service member to travel from one state to another and use on any military base whatever license he or she received elsewhere. Title II would revise the District of Columbia licensing laws to eliminate unnecessary licensing requirements. And Title III would allow federal park tour guides to operate free from any state licensing law. Each title would take a small but valuable step toward granting parties greater freedom to pursue a chosen line of work.
Race and major post‐operative pulmonary complications following elective inpatient pediatric otolaryngology surgery

BACKGROUND Compared to their white peers, black children are more likely to experience serious respiratory complications in the perioperative period. Whether a racial difference exists in the occurrence of late postoperative respiratory complications is largely unknown. Here, we evaluated a multi-institutional cohort of children who underwent various elective otolaryngology procedures to examine the racial differences in major postoperative pulmonary complications. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of elective inpatient otolaryngology cases from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (2012-2018). We used propensity score matching of black to white patients to compare the risk of postoperative pulmonary complications, defined as the occurrence of either pneumonia, unplanned reintubation, or prolonged postoperative mechanical ventilation. RESULTS The matched cohort was comprised of 4786 black and white patients (2 393 of each race). Black children were more likely to develop postoperative pulmonary complications compared to white peers (29.3% vs. 24.2%; odds ratio: 1.38; 95% confidence interval: 1.20, 1.59; P-value < .001). Furthermore, black children were almost two times more likely to require unplanned postoperative reintubation, relative to their white peers (2.6% vs. 1.3%; odds ratio: 2.07; 95% confidence interval: 1.33, 3.22; P-value < .001). Similarly, black children were estimated to have 37% relative greater odds of requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation (28.6% vs. 23.7%; 95% confidence interval: 1.19, 1.58; P-value < .001). Finally, being of black race conferred greater odds of requiring prolonged hospital length of stay, relative to being of white race (38.6% vs. 34.5%; odds ratio:1.24; 95% confidence interval: 1.09, 1.42; P-value = .004). CONCLUSION Black children undergoing elective otolaryngological surgery are more likely to develop major postoperative pulmonary complications.
Voter Discrimination and Deliberative Democracy in the Technological Era

In structuring its constitution, the United States ("US") put tremendous weight into the idea of giving future generations a government whose form and function can meet societal challenges. Thomas Jefferson, in one of his famous letters concerning the longevity of governance structures, said, "each generation" should be granted the "solemn opportunity" to update government with "periodic repairs, from generation to generation, until the end of time." For much of US history, this has meant creating voter protections, improving access to polls, and keeping an eye on gerrymandering. However, generations of political passivity has caused democracy in the United States to stagnate. Currently, countries around the world, in all stages of development, are experimenting with ways to update their democratic institutions to provide deliberative structures that actualize their citizens' contributions by taking advantage of cutting-edge information and communications technology ("ICT"). Updating governance structures to meet modern challenges is accomplished by re-imagining citizens' relationship with their government from one based on dominance and subservience to one that enshrines impartiality, accountability, transparency, and deliberation--the four basic functions of democracy. This paper lays out the theoretical and philosophical argument for updating US democracy to take advantage of ICT and lays out practical steps that can be taken, with limitations and power dynamics in mind.
Helping analysts trace requirements: an objective look

This work addresses the issues related to improving the overall quality of the requirements tracing process for independent verification and validation analysts. The contribution of the paper is three-fold: we define requirements for a tracing tool based on analyst responsibilities in the tracing process; we introduce several measures for validating that the requirements have been satisfied; and we present a prototype tool that we built, RETRO (REquirements TRacing On-target), to address these requirements. We also present the results of a study used to assess RETRO's support of requirements and requirement elements that can be measured objectively.
Guidelines for selecting practical MPEG group of pictures

The repeated pattern of I, P and B frames in an MPEG stream is known as the Group of Pictures (GOP). Current GOP choices are made using intuition and informal guidelines without the support of theoretical or practical evidence. This paper studies the impact of the choice of GOP by evaluating the effects of GOP on both static MPEG videos and MPEG videos streaming over a lossy network. The static analysis involves encoding raw video images into MPEG files with various GOP patterns to compare and contrast static properties such as the frame size, file size and quality. The streaming analysis varies the GOP length and pattern to study the impact of GOP on a model of the streaming bitrate and playable frame rate. The results consistently suggest two guidelines: 1) the number of B frames between two reference frames should be close to 2, except when limited to less than 2 by time constraints; 2) the number of P frames should be 5 or fewer as there is little performance gain in setting the number of P frames in the GOP larger than 5.
What comes after most semiconductor fabs are "outsourced" to Asia? Major challenges in educating future RF/analog IC designers in the U.S

What comes after most state-of-the-art semiconductor fabs are moved to Asia? Would this trend fundamentally change the educational needs of students in the U.S. majoring in electrical engineering (E.E.)? This paper lists several major challenges for educating future RF/analog integrated circuit (IC) designers in the U.S in light of this "outsourcing" trend. The outline of a 3-quarter graduate-level RF/analog IC design series (ECE265ABC) that the author has been privileged to teach at UC San Diego (UCSD) is discussed to address some of those specific challenges.
Non-negligible effects of cloud vertical overlapping assumptions on longwave spectral fingerprinting studies

[1] In order to monitor and attribute secular changes from outgoing spectral radiances, spectral fingerprints need to be constructed first. Large-scale model outputs are usually used to derive such spectral fingerprints. Different models make different assumptions on vertical overlapping of subgrid clouds. We explore the extent to which the spectral fingerprints constructed under different cloud vertical overlapping assumptions can affect such spectral fingerprinting studies. Utilizing a principal component-based radiative transfer model with high computational efficiency, we build an OSSE (Observing System Simulation Experiment) with full treatment of subgrid cloud variability to study this issue. We first show that the OLR (outgoing longwave radiation) computed from this OSSE is consistent with the OLR directly output from the parent large-scale models. We then examine the differences in spectral fingerprints due to cloud overlapping assumptions alone. Different cloud overlapping assumptions have little effect on the spectral fingerprints of temperature and humidity. However, the amplitude of the spectral fingerprints due to the same amount of cloud fraction change can differ as much as a factor of two between maximum random versus random overlap assumptions, especially for middle and low clouds. We further examine the impact of cloud overlapping assumptions on the results of linear regression of spectral differences with respect to predefined spectral fingerprints. Cloud-relevant regression coefficients are affected more by different cloud overlapping assumptions than regression coefficients of other geophysical variables. These findings highlight the challenges in constructing realistic longwave spectral fingerprints and in detecting climate change using all-sky observations.
Psychosocial and metabolic function by smoking status in individuals with binge eating disorder and obesity

Individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) report smoking to control appetite and weight. Smoking in BED is associated with increased risk for comorbid psychiatric disorders, but its impact on psychosocial functioning and metabolic function has not been evaluated. Participants were 429 treatment-seeking adults (72.4% women; mean age 46.2±11.0years old) with BED comorbid with obesity. Participants were categorized into current smokers (n=66), former smokers (n=145), and never smokers (n=218). Smoking status was unrelated to most historical eating/weight variables and to current eating disorder psychopathology. Smoking status was associated with psychiatric, psychosocial, and metabolic functioning. Compared with never smokers, current smokers were more likely to meet lifetime diagnostic criteria for alcohol (OR=5.51 [95% CI=2.46-12.33]) and substance use disorders (OR=7.05 [95% CI=3.37-14.72]), poorer current physical quality of life, and increased risk for metabolic syndrome (OR=1.80 [95% CI=0.97-3.35]) and related metabolic risks (reduced HDL, elevated total cholesterol). On the other hand, the odds of meeting criteria for lifetime psychiatric comorbidity or metabolic abnormalities were not significantly greater in former smokers, relative to never smokers. Our findings suggest the importance of promoting smoking cessation in treatment-seeking patients with BED and obesity for its potential long-term implications for psychiatric and metabolic functioning.
The performance of the gene expression messy genetic algorithm on real test functions

The paper reports the performance of an experimental version of the recently introduced gene expression messy genetic algorithm (GEMGA) (H. Kargupta, 1996) for different classes of real test problems. A more recent version of GEMGA can be found elsewhere. The GEMGA has a strong computational and biological foundation. It emphasizes the role of gene expression in evolution and it searches for relations among genes using transcription like operators. The particular version of GEMGA used in this work is an O(A/sup k/(l+k)) sample complexity algorithm for the class of order-k delineable problems (H. Kargupta, 1995) (problems that can be solved by considering no higher than order-k relations).
High energy nuclear interactions of cosmic ray particles close to the top of the atmosphere

A study of the altitude and latitude dependence of the various cosmic ray components provides information on the nature of high energy nuclear interactions of cosmic ray particles close to the top of the atmosphere. Counter telescopes have been flown with plastic balloons to a maximum altitude of 94000 ft. Intensity vs. pressure curves have been obtained at geomagnetic latitudes of λ=55°, 41° and 28° for the total cosmic radiation and for the components capable of traversing 4, 7.5 and 12 cm of lead. The energy spectrum of primary cosmic ray particles has been derived from the extrapolation of the intensity of the total radiation to the top of the atmosphere. The integral momentum spectrum of the total primary radiation is given byN(>pc/Ze)=0.48(pc/Ze)−1.0. Subtracting the known contribution of primary α-particles and heavier nuclei the spectrum of primary protons becomesP(>pc/e)=0.43(pc/e)−1.0. Results indicate that the radiation originating from primaries in the energy range of 1 to 4 GeV (cutoff energies at λ=55° and 41°) is predominantly of a nucleonic nature. The absence of an electronic component can be explained by assuming that, close to the top of the atmosphere, electrons originate predominatly from the decay of neutral mesons and that in this energy range the probability of producing mesons is quite small. In sharp contrast, the soft component originating from primaries in the range of 4 to 8 GeV (cutoff at λ=41° and 28°) multiplies rapidly in the atmosphere. This large transition effect in air with a maximum at about 10 cm Hg pressure is characteristic of electron showers. It is concluded that the probability of producing neutral mesons singly reaches nearly its saturation value at energies of the primary radiation between 4 and 8 GeV. At energies higher than 8 GeV this effect is even more pronounced due to the contribution of the plural production of mesons. In order to study the production of mesons in the interaction of cosmic ray particles with a liquid Hydrogen target, a counter experiment was carried out at an altitude of 90,000 ft. During the first half of the experiment, an average of 1.6 g/cm2 of Hydrogen was interposed between the counters. The Hydrogen was then ejected and data obtained during the remaining portion of the flight at altitude. From the narrow angular distribution of the events originating in liquid Hydrogen (total angular spread ∼15°), sharply different from those originating in the walls of the Dewar container (minimum angular spread ∼50°), it is concluded that they were produced by very high energy primary particles. It is estimated that the events in Hydrogen resulted mostly (80%) from the interaction of primary protons of an average energy of 50–100 GeV in which a minimum of four mesons were produced. Penetrating showers in lead have been investigated at λ=55° and 28°. Between these two latitudes, at an atmospheric pressure of 1.5 cm Hg, the ratio of the radiation producing penetrating showers amounts to 1.5, as compared to 2.9 for the hard component and 4.1 for the total radiation.
Earthquake safety evaluation of sanitary landfills

Abstract Earthquake ground motions at municipal solid waste landfills must be specified according to the level of hazard or criticality of the site along with the type of engineering analysis that is to be performed. Today's landfills, when built to regulatory standards, are unlikely to be critical, but older landfills can be seriously hazardous. Consequently, the hazards are graded as: (1) none to negligible; (2) low; (3) moderate; and (4) great. For non-critical sites, motions may be obtained from a probabilistic map but a deterministic map, if available, is preferred as part of a non-sites-pecific investigation; however, for critical sites, a deterministic, site-specific evaluation should be made. Motions must be specified appropriately for the type of analysis, whether it is for foundation liquefaction, stability of slopes, integrity of barriers, earth pressures, or the design of appurtenant structures.
What is the best option for failed sphincter repair

Aim This study aimed to evaluate the outcome of various procedures for patients with fecal incontinence following failed sphincteroplasty. Method Patients who underwent surgery for failed sphincteroplasty from January 2000 to June 2011 [corrected] were identified. They were assessed using the Fecal Incontinence Quality of Life (FIQoL) scale and the Cleveland Clinic Florida-Wexner Fecal Incontinence Score (CCFFIS). Results Fifty-nine patients [97% females; median age 52 (25-81) years] were identified. They underwent either repeat sphincteroplasty (RS; n = 33), artificial bowel sphincter (ABS; n = 11) or sacral nerve stimulation (SNS; n = 15). The median follow-up was 31 (3-138) months. The RS group had a significantly wider external sphincter defect and had undergone fewer previous sphincteroplasties. The most common complication was infection. The incidence of complications was significantly higher after ABS (73%) compared with RS (24%) and SNS (33%) (P = 0.01). Seventeen (29%) patients required re-operation for complications or failure, with a lower rate in the RS group (P = 0.004). There was no difference in the rates of device removal after ABS or SNS. Ten (17%) patients underwent further surgery or re-implantation of the device with no difference between the groups. At follow-up, five (45%) ABS and 10 (67%) SNS patients retained a functioning device (P = 0.4). The mean postoperative CCFFIS decreased from 17.5 to 11.5 in the RS group, from 18.7 to 8.6 in the ABS group, and from 17.6 to 9.1 in the SNS group (P ≤ 0.02 for all). There were no differences in the improvement of CCFFIS or FIQoL scores among groups. Conclusion RS, ABS and SNS are associated with similar improvements in continence after failed sphincteroplasty. Due to increased complications and re-operation with ABS and SNS, RS may be the first step in managing these patients.
Recent Developments in Young-Earth Creationist Geology.

Young-earth creationism has undergone a shift in emphasis toward building of historical models that incorporate Biblical and scientific evidence and the acceptance of scientific conclusions that were formerly rejected. The RATE Group admitted that massive amounts of radioactive decay occurred during earth history but proposed a period of accelerated decay during Noah’s Flood to fit the resulting history into a young-earth timeframe. Finding a mechanism for the acceleration and dealing with the excessive heat and radiation it would generate posed major problems for the project. Catastrophic plate tectonics was proposed to explain continental movements in a short timeframe and serve as a trigger for Noah’s Flood, but other creationists rejected the idea citing hopeless chronological problems. Creationists have also sought to explain the order of the fossil record and the Ice Age in a young-earth timeframe. An examination of these efforts demonstrates the anti-scientific nature of using the Bible as a non-negotiable framework for earth history.
Relaxation kinetics of ribonuclease T1 binding with guanosine and 3′-GMP

Abstract Temperature-jump relaxation kinetic studies were undertaken at 25°C with ribonuclease T 1 (RNase T 1 ) alone and in the presence of guanosine (Guo) and 3′-guanylic acid (3′-GMP). No relaxations were observed in the absence of ligands and only one process was observed in their presence which reflected a simple on-off reaction in both cases. Apparent association rate constants, k on , and dissociation rate constants, k off , were evaluated at several pH values and their ratios, k on / k off , were contrasted with independently determined values of the equilibrium association constant K a eq . The value of k on / k off for Guo was significantly greater than K a eq , whereas K a eq was significantly greater than k on / k off for 3′-GMP. The simpliest interpretation of the result for Guo is that free RNase T 1 undergoes a relatively slow undetected isomerization and Guo can bind only with one isomer. 3′-GMP can be considered to bind with the same preference, but in this case the initial enzyme complex undergoes a relatively slow undetected isomerization. These results are consistent with a recent NMR study which suggested that RNase T 1 binding with Guo and 3′-GMP are coupled to slow exchange processes in a ligand dependent manner (Shimada, I. and Inagaki, F. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 757–764). It is tentatively concluded that binding of Guo and 3′-GMP at the active site of RNase T 1 is limited to a sub-population of conformers involving the base-recognition site and that the phosphomonoester group of the nucleotide can engage in additional conformationally linked interactions at the adjacent catalytic site.
Evolutionary transcendence and design

At a recent conversation of the International Systems Institute (ISI), the following trigger question was proposed: “What is a design culture that would enable transcendence?” This essay arose in that context. Such a culture would embody characteristics that are arguably the universal principles of transcendence in the universe. These universal rules/processes/stages are most easily identified in the processes of physical and biological evolution. They can be abstracted from the work of Prigogine, Eigen, and Maturana and Varela. This article presents a sketch of basic evolutionary principles, examples of evolutionary transcendence, and a corresponding list of group characteristics that enable transcendence.
A Fourier reconstruction algorithm with constant attenuation compensation using 180° acquisition data for SPECT

In this paper, we develop an approximate analytical reconstruction algorithm that compensates for uniform attenuation in 2D parallel-beam SPECT with a 180-degree acquisition. This new algorithm is in the form of a direct Fourier reconstruction. The complex variable central slice theorem is used to derive this algorithm. The image is reconstructed with the following steps: first, the attenuated projection data acquired over 180 degrees are extended to 360 degrees and the value for the uniform attenuator is changed to a negative value. The Fourier transform (FT) of the image in polar coordinates is obtained from the Fourier transform of an analytic function interpolated from an extension of the projection data according to the complex central slice theorem. Finally, the image is obtained by performing a 2D inverse Fourier transform. Computer simulations and comparison studies with a 360-degree full-scan algorithm are provided.
Empirical Bayes calculations of concordance between endpoints in environmental toxicity experiments

Hierarchical models are considered for estimating the probability of agreement between two outcomes or endpoints from an environmental toxicity experiment. Emphasis is placed on generalized regression models, under which the prior mean is related to a linear combination of explanatory variables via a monotone function. This function defines the scale over which the systematic effects are modelled as additive. Specific illustration is provided for the logistic link function. The hierarchical model employs a conjugate beta prior that leads to parametric empirical Bayes estimators of the individual agreement parameters. An example from environmental carcinogenesis illustrates the methods, with motivation derived from estimation of the concordance between two species carcinogenicity outcomes. Based on a large database of carcinogenicity studies, the inter-species concordance is seen to be reasonably informative, i.e. in the range 67–84%. Stratification into pertinent potency-related sub-groups via the logistic model is seen to improve concordance estimation: for environmental stimuli at the extremes of the potency spectrum, concordance can reach well above 90%.
Radical formation during vacuum drying of Wyoming subbituminous and Morwell brown coals

The weight loss on drying a Wyoming subbituminous coal containing 50% moisture and a Morwell (Australia) brown coal containing 59% moisture (based on drying at 110°C) was correlated with changes in radical concentration, g-factor and linewidth of the electron paramagnetic resonance spectra, infrared spectra and elemental analyses. Both coals exhibited a substantial increase in readical concentration on drying at temperatures from 20 to 150°C. Elemental analyses showed that the Wyoming coal lost H2O and CO2 on extended drying. The loss of CO2 was substantiated by infrared spectroscopy. These observations are consistent with the high carboxyl content of this coal revealed by structural studies.
Robotics for Gait Training After Spinal Cord Injury

Locomotor training can help people with spinal cord injury to regain some mobility. However, the amount of hands-on therapy that patients can receive is limited, as economic pressures are inherent in the health care system. Therefore, worldwide efforts are being made to automate locomotor training. Automation has the potential to make therapy more affordable and thus more available for more patients and for more time. This article reviews efforts to automate locomotor training. We suggest that developing robotic devices that assist only as needed during step training is an important direction for future research.
A note on the calculation of average working set size

Finite-length reference string of arbitrary structure are considered, and an exact expression for average working set size in terms of “corrected” interreference interval statistics is derived. An example is discussed; upper and lower bounds are obtained; and the average working set size function is shown to be efficiently obtained for a set of page sizes, in a single pass of the reference string.This work follows the developments of a paper by Denning and Schwartz, who consider infinite-length reference strings which satisfy certain statistical properties and who derive an expression relating the asymptotic average working set size to the asymptotic missing page rate function under working set replacement.
A giant crocodylomorph from the Upper Triassic of New Mexico

A new genus and species of giant crocodylomorph from the Upper Triassic of New Mexico is described.Redondavenator quayensis n. gen. et n. sp. (Crocodylomorpha: Sphenosuchia) has a very long posterior process of the premaxilla that fits between the nasal and the maxilla, and a long postglenoid process on the coracoid. These synapomorphies place it within the Crocodylomorpha.Redondavenator also has a System of grooves and pits that cover the anterior portions of the maxillae, the entire premaxillae, and the anterior part of the nasal. Possible foramina among the network of grooves and pits on the anterior portion of the skull may represent a rudimentary sensory System that is common to many extinct and ail extant crocodilians. Its exact phylogenetic position could not be determined from the preserved material, but key characters suggest a phylogenetic position near the base of Sphenosuchia.
Hadar biostratigraphy and hominid evolution

ABSTRACT Mammalian megafauna from Ethiopia's mid-Pliocene Hadar Formation is compared with those from sites in eastern and southern Africa. The presence of archaic taxa in the lower Hadar succession gives more support to an older (3.6 my) rather than younger (3.0 my) age for the KMB Basalt. Makapansgat is biochronologically younger than nearly all of the Hadar Formation. Chronological placement of the Australopithecus afarensis fossils from Hadar has no bearing on the validity of the species.
Electrowetting on Superhydrophobic Surfaces : Present Status and Prospects

Electrowetting devices with an initial superhydrophobic water contact angle (>150°) have now been demonstrated on a variety of structured substrates. These substrates are more complex than a conventional superhydrophobic surface since electrowetting requires an electrical conductor that is coated with a high-performance dielectric and a hydrophobic fluoropolymer. Substrate structures that have been studied include silicon nanoposts and nanowires, carbon nanofibers and nanotubes, and polymer microposts. Even though these structured surfaces are geometrically diverse, there are several consistencies in electrowetting behavior for all these platforms. As an electrowetting bias of 10's of volts is applied between a saline drop and the substrate, the macroscopically observed contact angle is typically decreased from >150° to ∼100°. As the voltage is increased an electromechanical force promotes capillary wetting between the substrate structures, and the saline drop transitions from the Cassie state to the Wenz...
Stochastic interactions increase cooperation in a spatial Prisoner's Dilemma

This article implements the spatial Prisoner's Dilemma PD as an agent-based model. Many previous models have assumed that agents in a spatial PD interaction exclusively and deterministically within their von Neumann neighborhood. The model presented here introduces stochastic interactions within a subset of the von Neumann neighborhood. This implementation allows a direct comparison of the effect of stochastic interactions relative to deterministic interactions on the level of cooperation that emerges in the system. The results show that when holding the total number of interactions agents participate in each round constant, allowing agents to interact stochastically increases cooperation in the system relative to deterministic interactions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 21: 82-92, 2015
Research of factors influencing construction productivity

Productivity rates are among the most essential data needed in the construction industry. The accuracy of productivity rates is crucial for the determination of direct relationships between these rates and subjects such as estimating, cost control, scheduling, and resource management, among others. Past experience in the construction industry has shown that great variation in production rate values for the same construction item is attributed to the effects of project conditions which are commonly called influence factors. This paper describes the development of a statistical model that illustrates the quantitative relationships between influence factors and the productivity rates. The application of such a model will enable the user to estimate productivity rates with a higher degree of accuracy in future projects.
A note on weak θ-refinability

Abstract A space is weakly θ-refinable if every open cover U of X has an open refinement V = ∪{V(n): n⩾ 1} such that given xϵX, one of the collections V(n) has finite, positive order at x. Several equivalent properties of a space are given and are used to prove that: (a) if X is weakly θ-refinable and has closed sets Gδ then X is subparacompact; (b) any quasi-developable space (in the sense of Bennett) is weekly θ-refinable; (c) a space is quasi-developable if and only if it has a θ-base, (d) a linearly ordered topological space is paracompact if and only if it is weakly θ-refinable. Examples are given which show that weak θ-refinability is strictly weaker than the notion of θ-refinability introduced by Worrell and Wicke.
Heat-transfer analysis in loss-of-coolant accidents

Abstract A computer program has been written for the comprehensive analysis of core-pressure-vessel heat transfer during a loss-of-coolant accident. The program, NURLOC-1.0, is based upon a generalized procedure for numerically solving the two-dimensional heat-conduction equation over multi-connected regions with various complicating factors specific to this application. The numerical procedure consists of solving the explicit finite-difference form of the conduction equation at mesh intersections. Boundary conditions and heat-generation rates are set by models that characterize various complex chemical and physical processes which can occur during an accident. The processes considered in NURLOC-1.0 include boil-off of residual coolant water, metal-water reactions, radiative exchange, and material transport as a result of melting in addition to the usual conditions of convection, fission-product-decay heating, and delayed-neutron heating.
A Remark on the Sobolev Regularity of Classical Solutions of Strongly Elliptic Equations

We prove that C2,α(Ω) solutions of problem (1.2) below are in Hm+2(Ω) for all m ∈ ℕ, if f and the coefficients are in Hm (Ω) n C0,α (Ω) Previously, this result was explicitly known only if m> n/2 (or if m = 0). A similar result holds for the quasi-linear equation (1.11) below.