cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geometric strategies for attainment of identical outflows through all of the exit ports of a distribution manifold in a manifold system

The focus of this investigation is to identify strategies whose application is capable of perfecting manifold design to achieve the same rate of mass outflow through each of the exit ports of a distribution manifold. A quantitative systematic study based on numerical simulation is performed in which each of eight proposed strategies is evaluated with regard to its capability for producing the same per-exit-port mass outflow. Each of the strategies is geometric in nature and is characterized by geometrical parameters which can be varied systematically in order to attain outflow uniformity. A quantitative metric, the standard deviation from uniformity of the individual outflows through the exits of the distribution manifold, was used to identify the degree of mass outflow uniformity that was achieved by the use of the various parameter values which characterize each strategy. The end result of the study is the identification of the certain strategies that are most effective for the attainment of the goal of outflow uniformity. These are: (a) enlargement of the cross-sectional area of the distribution manifold (Section 4.1), (b) variation of the cross-sectional areas of the outflow channels (Section 4.5), (c) linear tapering of the cross-sectional area of the distribution manifold, and (d) non-linear tapering of the cross-sectional area of the manifold by means of quarter-elliptical contouring of the manifold wall (Section 4.3).
Service science: at the intersection of management, social, and engineering sciences

Services industries comprise about 75% of the economy of developed nations. To design and operate services systems for today and tomorrow, we need to educate a new type of engineer who focuses not on manufacturing but on services. Such an engineer must be able to integrate 3 sciences - management, social and engineering ‐ into her analysis of service systems. Within the context of a new research center at MIT ‐ CESF (Center for Engineering Systems Fundamentals) ‐ we discuss how newly emerging service systems require such a 3-way integrated analysis. We deliberately select some non-standard services, as many business services such as supply chains have been studied extensively.
Intraoperative urinary cyclic AMP monitoring in primary hyperparathyroidism.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the utility of intraoperative urinary cyclic 3'5' adenosine monophosphate (UcAMP), an indicator of parathyroid (PTH) hormone end-organ activity, as a "biochemical frozen section," signaling the real-time resolution of PTH hyperactivity during surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: The unsuccessful initial neck exploration for primary hyperparathyroidism, leaving the patient with persistent hyperfunctioning parathyroid tissue, results in part from the surgeon's inability intraoperatively to correlate a gland's gross appearance and size estimation with physiologic function. Preoperative imaging, intraoperative imaging, and intraoperative histologic/cytologic surveillance have not resolved this dilemma. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients underwent a prospective intraoperative UcAMP monitoring protocol. The patients all had a clinical diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism and an average preoperative serum calcium of 12.0 +/- 0.3 mg/dl. UcAMP was assayed intraoperatively using 20-minute nonequilibrium radioimmunoassay providing real-time feedback to the operating team. RESULTS: All patients had an elevated UcAMP confirming PTh hyperactivity at the beginning of the procedure. One patient, subsequently found to have an supernumerary ectopic adenoma, had four normal glands identified intraoperatively, and his intraoperative UcAMP values corroborated persistent hyperparathyroidism, the UcAMP of the remaining 26 patients decreased from 7.0 +/- 1.1 to 2.7 +/- 0.7 nm.dl GF (p < .00005) after complete adenoma excision, and they remain normocalcemic. The protocol provided useful and relevant information to the operating team, and aided in surgical decision-making, in 10 of the 27 cases (37%). CONCLUSION: Intraoperative biochemical surveillance with ucAMP monitoring reliably signals resolution of PTH hyperfunction. It is a useful adjunct to the surgeon's skill, judgment, and experience in parathyroid surgery.
Arenavirus Infection Induces Discrete Cytosolic Structures for RNA Replication

Arenaviruses are responsible for acute hemorrhagic fevers with high mortality and pose significant threats to public health and biodefense. These enveloped negative-sense RNA viruses replicate in the cell cytoplasm and express four proteins. To better understand how these proteins insinuate themselves into cellular processes to orchestrate productive viral replication, we have identified and characterized novel cytosolic structures involved in arenavirus replication and transcription. In cells infected with the nonpathogenic Tacaribe virus or the attenuated Candid#1 strain of Junin virus, wefind that newly synthesized viral RNAs localize to cytosolic puncta containing the nucleoprotein (N) of the virus. Density gradient centrifugation studies reveal that these replication-transcription complexes (RTCs) are associated with cellular membranes and contain full-length genomic- and antigenomic-sense RNAs. Viral mRNAs segregate at a higher buoyant density and are likewise scant in immunopurified RTCs, consistent with their translation on bulk cellular ribosomes. In addition, confocal microscopy analysis reveals that RTCs contain the lipid phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate and proteins involved in cellular mRNA metabolism, including the large and small ribosomal subunit proteins L10a and S6, the stress granule protein G3BP1, and a subset of translation initiation factors. Elucidating the structure and function of RTCs will enhance our understanding of virus-cell interactions that promote arenavirus replication and mitigate against host cell immunity. This knowledge may lead to novel intervention strategies to limit viral virulence and pathogenesis.
Self-Enhancement Tendencies Among People With High Explicit Self-Esteem: The Moderating Role of Implicit Self-Esteem

Consistent with recent research on initials-preferences, we assumed that people's preferences for their initials reflect an implicit form of self-esteem that buffers them against challenges to their self-worth. Accordingly, we proposed that high self-esteem persons who demonstrated weak initials-preferences would be particularly likely to engage in compensatory self-enhancement activities. Results of two studies revealed converging support for this prediction: Among people high in explicit self-esteem, those with weaker initials-preferences displayed more unrealistic optimism, stronger preferences for an excessively positive personality profile, and smaller actual-ideal self-discrepancies. Findings are discussed in terms of the distinction between secure high self-esteem—which is generally linked with psychological health—and fragile high self-esteem—which is generally associated with personal and interpersonal difficulties.
Trace element behavior in hydrothermal experiments: Implications for fluid processes at shallow depths in subduction zones

Chemical evaluation of fluids affected during progressive water-sediment interactions provides critical information regarding the role of slab dehydration and/or crustal recycling in subduction zones. To place some constraints on geochemical processes during sediment subduction, reactions between decollement sediments and synthetic NaCl-CaCl2 solutions at 25–350°C and 800 bar were monitored in laboratory hydrothermal experiments using an autoclave apparatus. This is the first attempt in a single set of experiments to investigate the relative mobilities of many subduction zone volatiles and trace elements but, because of difficulties in conducting hydrothermal experiments on sediments at high P-T conditions, the experiments could only be designed for a shallow (∼ 10 km) depth. The experimental results demonstrate mobilization of volatiles (B and NH4) and incompatible elements (As, Be, Cs, Li, Pb, Rb) in hydrothermal fluids at relatively low temperatures (∼ 300°C). In addition, a limited fractionation of light from heavy rare earth elements (REEs) occurs under hydrothermal conditions. On the other hand, the high field strength elements (HFSEs) Cr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Ti, and Zr are not mobile in the reacted fluids. The observed behavior of volatiles and trace elements in hydrothermal fluids is similar to the observed enrichment in As, B, Cs, Li, Pb, Rb, and light REEs and depletion in HFSEs in arc magmas relative to magmas derived directly from the upper mantle. Thus, our work suggests a link between relative mobilities of trace elements in hydrothermal fluids and deep arc magma generation in subduction zones. The experimental results are highly consistent with the proposal that the addition of subduction zone hydrous fluids to the subarc mantle, which has been depleted by previous melting events, can produce the unique characteristics of arc magmas. Moreover, the results suggest that deeply subducted sediments may no longer have the composition necessary to generate the other distinct characteristics, such as the B-δ11 B and B-10Be systematics, of arc lavas. Finally, the mobilization of B, Cs, Pb, and light REEs relative to heavy REEs in the hydrothermal fluids fractionate the ratios of B/Be, B/Nb, Cs/Rb, Pb/Ce, La/Ba and LREE/HREE, which behave conservatively during normal magmatic processes. These results demonstrate that the composition of slab-derived fluids has great implications for the recycling of elements; not only in arc magmas but also in mantle plumes.
Pressureless Densification of Zirconium Diboride with Boron Carbide Additions

Zirconium diboride (ZrB 2 ) was densified (>98% relative density) at temperatures as low as 1850°C by pressureless sintering. Sintering was activated by removing oxide impurities (B 2 O 3 and ZrO 2 ) from particle surfaces. Boron oxide had a high vapor pressure and was removed during heating under a mild vacuum (∼150 mTorr). Zirconia was more persistent and had to be removed by chemical reaction. Both WC and B 4 C were evaluated as additives to facilitate the removal of ZrO 2 Reactions were proposed based on thermodynamic analysis and then confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis of reacted powder mixtures. After the preliminary powder studies, densification was studied using either as-received ZrB 2 (surface area ∼ 1 m 2 /g) or attrition-milled ZrB 2 (surface area ∼ 7.5 m 2 /g) with WC and/or B 4 C as a sintering aid. ZrB 2 containing only WC could be sintered to ∼95% relative density in 4 h at 2050°C under vacuum. In contrast, the addition of B 4 C allowed for sintering to >98% relative density in 1 h at 1850°C under vacuum.
Interannual, seasonal, and retrospective analysis of the methane and carbon dioxide budgets of a temperate peatland

[1] Three years (2009–2011) of near-continuous methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes were measured with the eddy covariance (EC) technique at a temperate peatland located within the Marcell Experimental Forest, in northern Minnesota, USA. The peatland was a net source of CH4 and a net sink of CO2 in each year with annual carbon budgets of −26.8 (±18.7), −15.5 (±14.8), and −14.6 (±21.5) g C m−2 yr−1 for 2009–2011, respectively. Differences in the seasonal hydrometeorological conditions among the three study years were most pronounced during 2011, which was considerably warmer (+1.3°C) and wetter (+40 mm) than the 30 year average. The annual CH4 budget was +11.8 (±3.1), +12.2 (±3.0), and +24.9 (±5.6) g C m−2 yr−1 for the respective years and accounted for 23%–39% of the annual carbon budget. The larger CH4 emission in 2011 is attributed to significant warming of the peat column coupled with a high water table position throughout the entire growing season. Historical (1991–2011) CH4 emissions were estimated based on long-term hydrometeorological records and functional relationships derived from our 3 year field study. The predicted historical annual CH4 budget ranged from +7.8 to +15.2 (±2.7) g CH4-C m−2 yr−1. Recent (2007–2011) increases in temperature, precipitation, and rising water table at this site suggest that CH4 emissions have been increasing, but were generally greater from 1991 to 1999 when average soil temperature and precipitation were higher than in recent years. The global warming potential (considering CO2 and CH4) for this peatland was calculated based on a 100 year time horizon. In all three study years, the peatland had a net positive radiative forcing on climate and was greatest (+187 g C m−2) in 2011. The interannual variability in CH4 exchange at this site suggests high sensitivity to variations in hydrometeorological conditions.
Drivers of Male Perpetration of Family and Intimate Partner Violence in Cape Town

This paper examines the drivers of male perpetration of violence against adultfamily members and intimate partners in Cape Town, South Africa. Data on 1,369 young men from the Cape Area Panel Study are analyzed and significant causal pathways are examined for the full sample and for disaggregated samples of African and coloured respondents. Socioeconomic disadvantage plays a role in a culture of patriarchal violence, but its effects are largely mediated by behavioural factors such as routine alcohol consumption and having concurrent sexual partners, and norms of acceptance of violence against women. Different factors emerge as predictors of violence in the African and coloured samples. The findings of the quantitative analysis are illustrated with evidence from 45 qualitative interviews that address the role of violence in family and gender relations in Cape Town. Economic interventions are of uncertain efficacy given South Africa‘s difficulties since the end of apartheid in improving economic opportunities for the poor; thus interventions targeting norms and behaviour hold the most promise for reducing family and intimate partner violence in the near term.
Reciprocal Image Features for Uncalibrated Helmholtz Stereopsis

Helmholtz stereopsis is a surface reconstruction method that exploits reciprocity for the recovery of 3D shape without an assumed BRDF model, and it has been shown to yield high quality results when the cameras and light sources are carefully calibrated. In many practical cases, however, accurate off-line calibration is difficult (or impossible) to achieve. We address this issue by exploring widebaseline matching in Helmholtz stereo images. We identify two classes of local image interest regions (features) that can be reliably detected and matched between views in a Helmholtz stereo dataset; and by exploiting reciprocity, we show how these regions can be used to recover both geometric and radiometric calibration information. When used in conjunction with existing methods for dense reconstruction, this provides an automated shape recovery pipeline that operates independent of reflectance and does not require the acquisition of additional calibration images off-line.
Looking for two targets at the same time : one search or two ?

A considerable amount of evidence suggests that, under conditions of high discriminability, subjects are able to process multiple elements in a visual display simultaneously when searching for a single target among distractors. Relatively little emphasis, however has been placed on the question of whether subjects can search for and detect multiple targets simultaneously. This latter question is the focus of the present report. In two experiments, we compare performance in single-target and multiple-target detection tasks in order to investigate whether or not multiple targets can be detected simultaneously. In Experiment 1, subjects searched for one or two targets that were defined by color. In Experiment 2, subjects searched for a color and/or a letter target. When the two targets were presented in the same location (e.g., a red X when Target 1 was red and Target 2 was an X), they seemed to be detected simultaneously. Implications for object-based processing of visual information are discussed.
Cross-Cultural Influences on Work and Nonwork Contributors to Quality of Life

The relative contributions of work and nonwork variables to quality of life were studied with a sample of 311 employed, white, Hispanic, and black Americans and Mexican nationals. Multiple regression and hierarchical regression analyses found no significant relationship between ethnic group membership and quality of life. As hypothesized, home life and family nonwork variables accounted for more unique variance in quality of life than did the work variables of job satisfaction, job stress, and job level. Self-esteem explained unique variance in quality of life across the sample.
A BAC transgenic mouse model to analyze the function of astroglial SPARCL1 (SC1) in the central nervous system.

Extracellular matrix associated Sparc-like 1 (SC1/ SPARCL1) can influence the function of astroglial cells in the developing and mature central nervous system (CNS). To examine SC1’s significance in the CNS, we generated a BAC transgenic mouse model in which Sc1 is expressed in radial glia and their astrocyte derivatives using the astroglial-specific Blbp (Brain-lipid binding protein; [Feng et al., (1994) Neuron 12:895–908]) regulatory elements. Characterization of these Blbf-Sc1 transgenic mice show elevated Sc1 transcript and protein in an astroglial selective pattern throughout the CNS. This model provides a novel in vivo system for evaluating the role of SC1 in brain development and function, in general, and for understanding SC1’s significance in the fate and function of astroglial cells, in particular. V C 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
In vitro fungicidal activities of voriconazole, itraconazole, and amphotericin B against opportunistic moniliaceous and dematiaceous fungi

The NCCLS proposed standard M38-P describes standard parameters for testing the fungistatic antifungal activities (MICs) of established agents against filamentous fungi (molds); however, standard conditions are not available for testing their fungicidal activities (minimum fungicidal or lethal concentrations [MFCs]). This study evaluated the in vitro fungistatic and fungicidal activities of voriconazole, itraconazole, and amphotericin B against 260 common and emerging molds (174 Aspergillus sp. isolates [five species], 23 Fusarium sp. isolates [three species], 6 Paecilomyces lilacinus isolates, 6 Rhizopus arrhizus isolates, 23 Scedosporium sp. isolates, 23 dematiaceous fungi, and 5 Trichoderma longibrachiatum isolates). MICs were determined by following the NCCLS M38-P broth microdilution method. MFCs were the lowest drug dilutions that resulted in fewer than three colonies. Voriconazole showed similar or better fungicidal activity (MFC at which 90% of isolates tested are killed [MFC(90)], 1 to 2 microg/ml) than the reference agents for Aspergillus spp. with the exception of Aspergillus terreus (MFC(90) of voriconazole and amphotericin B, >8 microg/ml). The voriconazole geometric mean (G mean) MFC for Scedosporium apiospermum was lower (2.52 microg/ml) than those of the other two agents (5.75 to 7.5 microg/ml). In contrast, amphotericin B and itraconazole G mean MFCs for R. arrhizus were 2.1 to 2.2 microg/ml, but that for voriconazole was >8 microg/ml. Little or no fungicidal activity was shown for Fusarium spp. (2 to >8 microg/ml) and Scedosporium prolificans (>8 microg/ml) by the three agents, but voriconazole had some activity against P. lilacinus and T. longibrachiatum (G mean MFCs, 1.8 and 4 microg/ml, respectively). The fungicidal activity of the three agents was similar (G mean MFC, 1.83 to 2.36 microg/ml) for the dematiaceous fungi with the exception of the azole MFCs (>8 microg/ml) for some Bipolaris spicifera and Dactylaria constricta var. gallopava. These data extend and corroborate the available fungicidal results for the three agents. The role of the MFC as a predictor of clinical outcome needs to be established in clinical trials by following standardized testing conditions for determination of these in vitro values.
Bounds on Effective Coefficients

I mentioned the use of symmetries for showing that the effective conductivity of a checkerboard is isotropic, or simply diagonal in the Mortola–Steffe conjecture; it follows from using mirror symmetries in Lemma 21.1.
Symmetry Study for Delta- Operator-Based 2-D Digital Filters

The complexity in the design and implementation of two-dimensional (2-D) filters can be considerably reduced if we utilize the symmetries that might be present in the frequency response of these filters. As the delta-operator formulation of digital filters offers better numerical accuracy and lower coefficient sensitivity in narrowband filter designs when compared to the traditional shift-operator formulation, it is desirable to have efficient design and implementation techniques in gamma-domain which utilize the various symmetries in filter specifications. With this motivation, we comprehensively establish the theory of constraints for delta-operator formulated discrete-time real-coefficient polynomials and functions, arising out of the many types of symmetries in their magnitude responses. We also show that as sampling time tends to zero, the gamma-domain symmetry constraints merge with those of s-domain symmetry constraints. We then present a least square error criterion based procedure to design 2-D digital filters in gamma-domain that utilizes the symmetry properties of the magnitude specification. A design example is provided to illustrate the savings in computational complexity resulting from the use of the gamma-domain symmetry constraints
Refraction and Shoaling of Nonlinear Internal Waves at the Malin Shelf Break

Abstract This paper applies a numerical model to explain the refraction and shoaling of nonlinear internal waves observed at the Malin slope for a sequence of tidal cycles in the summer of 1995. The model is first order in dispersion and second order in nonlinearity and is based on the extended Korteweg–de Vries (EKdV) equation. The EKdV model is applied along a set of rays and includes the effect of variable depth. The model predicts that an initial long-wavelength wave, which lies in water of depths between 500 and 900 m, develops into a set of internal solitary waves as it passes across the shelf break and onto the continental shelf, in agreement with observations. The extent of refraction is small because the internal waves are high frequency, and in this case the refraction is not strongly dependent on the nonlinear adjustment to phase speed. In the observations, the internal-wave amplitude, measured in terms of near-surface currents or thermocline displacement, initially grows as the wave crosses th...
EFFECT OF A NEEM BIOPESTICIDE ON REPELLENCY, MORTALITY, OVIPOSITION, AND DEVELOPMENT OF DIAPHORINA CITRI (HOMOPTERA: PSYLLIDAE)

The biological effects of a neem-based biopesticide, containing 4.5% azadirachtin, were assessed against the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, a recently introduced insect pest and potential disease vector of citrus in the United States. Over the concentration range 11-180 ppm azadirachtin, no mortality of adult psyllids was observed when exposed to treated plants. Adult psyllids demonstrated a small but significant repellent effect from treated plants in a choice experiment, but showed no preference to oviposit on treated or untreated plants. Psyllid nymphs were susceptible to azadirachtin at very low concentrations and activity perhaps was due to developmental inhibition. At a concentration of 22.5 ppm azadirachtin, ecdysis was not observed past 4 days after treatment and all nymphs were dead within 7 days. The densities of psyllid nymphs on treated plants exposed to a greenhouse population were significantly reduced by concentrations as low as 10 ppm azadirachtin. Over the range of concentrations used in these experiments, the product caused no phytotoxicity to tender foliage of either citrus or orange jasmine plants. Field trials are warranted to determine suitability of neem-based biopesticides for inclusion in citrus integrated pest management programs.
The Personal History of an Émigré

Even though I am just now beginning, I am still preparing, and I’ll still be preparing after saying what I have prepared.
Matrix Lie Groups: An Introduction

This article presents basic notions of Lie theory in the context of matrix groups with goals of minimizing the required mathematical background and maximizing accessibility. It is structured with exercises that enhance the text and make the notes suitable for (part of) an introductory course at the upper level undergraduate or early graduate level. Indeed the notes were originally written as part of an introductory course to geometric control theory.
Culture of mouse embryos during neurulation

A comparison between static versus rotator culture systems and a variety of media (rat serum, new born calf serum, DMEM and Waymouth's) was made in an attempt to promote in vitro growth of mouse embryos from the beginning of neurulation (headfold stage) to the closure of the neural tube and formation of the limb buds (48 h). The results demonstrate that good development can be achieved for 48 h using a rotator system and that 80% of embryos cultured on rotators show growth and differentiation similar to that obtained for the same time period in vivo. Static cultures are less successful and embryos grown in this system show lower protein content and somite numbers than those maintained on rotators. Undiluted rat serum is superior to all other media tested and supports better growth and development as monitored by total protein and developmental abnormalities.
Bloch wave approach for the analysis of sequential bifurcations in bilayer structures

A wide variety of surface morphologies can be formed by compressing a bilayer comprising a thin film bonded to a compliant substrate. In particular, as the applied strain is increased, secondary in...
A robust and real-time image based lane departure warning system

Lane departure warning (LDW) systems have gained a lot of interest over the last few years. EuroNCAP regulations mandate European car makers to have LDW system to get star rating. In this paper, we propose a simple image-based implementation of LDW system optimized for the Texas Instruments (TI) C66x Digital Signal Processor (DSP). We show that our solution is able to overcome certain challenges faced in prior methods and consumes only 2.3 mega cycles/frame of the DSP, leaving the rest of the DSP for other applications. We also share some results of our implementation.
Protestant-Catholic Relations in Costa Rica

American Catholicism was condemned as "utterly debased and idolatrous."1 The Roman Catholic hierarchy, for its part, branded the missionaries as heretics, evildoers, and threateners of national unity and equated them with Communism, spiritualism, and materialism as threats to the future of Latin America.2 Lies, hypocrisy, bad faith, ignorance, and bribery were declared to be the main means by which these "invaders" sought to spread their faith.3 Attitudes such as these made conflicts between the two faiths
The Effect of Enflurane on the Tracheal Smooth Muscle Contracted with Electrical Field Stimulation in the Guinea Pig

Background: Inhalation anesthetics have been known as bronchodilators, and there are reports that enflurane has some relaxing effects on tracheal smooth muscles. However, there are not so many reports on the ACh release in the postganglion nerve endings. We tried to evaluate the effect of enflurane on the contraction of the tracheal smooth muscle in the postganglion nerve ending in guinea pigs. Methods: Isolated tracheal preparations of guinea pigs were used and contractions were induced by electrical field stimulation (3 Hz & 30 Hz). In the pilocarpine- enflurane group, pilocarpine ( M) was administrated and enflurane (1 MAC and 2 MAC) was administered. In the gallamine-enflurane group, gallamine ( M) was administrated and enflurane (1 MAC and 2 MAC) was administered. In the enflurane 1 MAC group and 2 MAC group, contractions were induced by electrical field stimulation before and after administration of enflurane. The percentile contraction to the contraction induced by acetylcholine ( M) were evaluated. Results: The potentiation of the contraction which was induced by electrical field stimulation was observed by enflurane administration and with prior administration of pilocarpine ( M), with prior administration of gallamine ( M). There was no potentiation of contractions, but potentiation of the contraction was observed with enflurazne (2 MAC, 30 Hz). Conclusions: Enflurane potentiates the contraction induced by electrical field stimulation in guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle. These findings seem to be related with prejunctional M2 receptor in the postganglionic nerve endings.
Discussion on Application of Digital Oscilloscope in College Physics Experiment

The digital oscilloscope and analog oscilloscope were used in several physics experiments. Based on the experiments,the digital oscilloscope has the advantages of fast response time,the function of store and analysis. The application of Digital Oscilloscope can lead to the reform of experimental teaching mode. The teaching effect of physics experiment course would be improved.
Voting for Your Health - an Escape from the Health Insurance Trap

Pooling health risk through insurance has led to cost explosion because centralized third-party payers with deep pockets cannot deny even cost ineffective medical treatment for life-and-death cases without arousing a sense of tragedy and inviting legal challenges. If the same total health budget is distributed equally on a per capita basis, funding decisions for treatment can then be voted on in a decentralized manner. Because unfunded treatment would be a result of majority choice and not bureaucratic decision, both a sense of tragedy and legal challenges can be avoided. Such voting can be coordinated by mutual-aid health unions which serve as fund-raising agencies and consumer advocates.
Substructure discovery in the SUBDUE system

Because many databases contain or can be embellished with structural information, a method for identifying interesting and repetitive substructures is an essential component to discovering knowledge in such databases. This paper describes the SUBDUE system, which uses the minimum description length (MDL) principle to discover substructures that compress the database and represent structural concepts in the data. By replacing previously-discovered substructures in the data, multiple passes of SUBDUE produce a hierarchical description of the structural regularities in the data. Inclusion of background knowledge guides SUBDUE toward appropriate substructures for a particular domain or discovery goal, and the use of an inexact graph match allows a controlled amount of deviations in the instance of a substructure concept. We describe the application of SUBDUE to a variety of domains. We also discuss approaches to combining SUBDUE with non-structural discovery systems.
Marketing Orientation in Small Firms in Developing Countries: An Empirical Study In India

Studies have claimed that in general small firms do not have a strong market orientation and follow a more reactive approach to marketing. In developing countries especially those witnessing considerable turbulence in the hitherto stable environments of protected economies due to liberalization and globalization, small firms are viewed as completely lacking in market planning and at best only reactive when stable markets are threatened. This paper content analyzed the market orientation in 23 small enterprises in India in order to verify the validity of this claim and to identify how the market orientation in small firms can be strengthened.
Choosing Among Alternatives

The purpose of this chapter is to show how spreadsheets can be used systematically to process a set of goals to be achieved, alternatives for achieving them, and relations between goals and alternatives in order to choose or explain the best alternative, combination, allocation, or predictive decision-rule.
Finite volume solution of 2-D hyperbolic conduction in a heterogeneous medium

ABSTRACTFinite volume method that has been shown to be an effective tool for the study of non-Fourier conduction in one-dimensional heterogeneous material is extended to two-dimensional (2D) heterogeneous materials. The accuracy of 2D numerical formulation is examined by comparing the numerical results with the exact solutions for a homogeneous material with constant thermal properties. The effects of temperature-dependent properties due to both heating and cooling of the medium on the wave propagation are investigated. Transient energy balance shows significant effects of finite thermal wave speed on the transient behavior of internal and wave energy changes in the system. The effects of finite thermal wave speed on the entropy production for the cooling case are examined by invoking the second law of thermodynamics. The 2D transient temperature distributions in a heterogeneous medium show the expected effects of flux lagging constant on the thermal wave propagations through heterogeneous material.
The association between mammographic calcifications and breast cancer prognostic factors in a population‐based registry cohort

BACKGROUND Mammographic calcifications can be a marker of malignancy, but their association with prognosis is less well established. In the current study, the authors examined the relationship between calcifications and breast cancer prognostic factors in the population-based Carolina Mammography Registry. METHODS The current study included 8472 invasive breast cancers diagnosed in the Carolina Mammography Registry between 1996 and 2011 for which information regarding calcifications occurring within 2 years of diagnosis was reported. Calcification-specific Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) assessments were reported prospectively by a radiologist. Tumor characteristic data were obtained from the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry and/or pathology reports. Multivariable-adjusted associations between the presence of calcifications in the breast affected by cancer and tumor characteristics were estimated using logistic regression. Statistical tests were 2-sided. RESULTS The presence of calcifications was found to be positively associated with tumors that were high grade (vs low grade: odds ratio [OR], 1.43; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.10-1.88) or had an in situ component (vs without: OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.81-2.55). Calcifications were found to be inversely associated with hormone receptor-negative status (vs positive status: OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.57-0.93), size >35 mm (vs ≤8 mm: OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.37-0.61), and lobular tumors (vs ductal: OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.22-0.69). The association between the presence of calcifications and an in situ component was limited to BI-RADS category 4 and 5 calcifications and was absent for BI-RADS category 2 or 3 calcifications (P for heterogeneity <.01). The association with tumor size was found to be strongest for BI-RADS categories 3 and 4 (P for heterogeneity <.01). CONCLUSIONS Calcifications were found to be associated with both unfavorable (high grade) and favorable (small size, hormone receptor positivity) prognostic factors. Detailed analysis of the biological features of calcifications is necessary to understand the mechanisms driving these associations. Cancer 2016. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Evaluating the Interpretations and Use of Curriculum-Based Measurement in Reading and Word Lists for Universal Screening in First and Second Grade.

Abstract Universal screening in elementary schools often includes administering curriculum-based measurement in reading (CBM-R); but in first grade, nonsense word fluency (NWF) and, to a lesser extent, word identification fluency (WIF) are used because of concerns that CBM-R is too difficult for emerging readers. This study used Kane's argument-based approach to validation as a framework to evaluate the interpretations and use of scores resulting from screening 257 first- and second-grade students. First, scores from three word lists (decodable WIF, high-frequency WIF, and whole-word NWF) were examined as indicators of reading achievement. Then, the use of these word list scores was evaluated regarding their ability to classify at-risk readers accurately and as supplements to CBM-R during the winter universal screening period. Participants were also concurrently administered a norm-referenced measure of early reading skills and global reading achievement. Results suggested that the word lists were good in...
Neuron Activity Extraction and Network Analysis on Mouse Brain Videos

Modern brain mapping techniques are producing increasingly large datasets of anatomical or functional connection patterns. Recently, it became possible to record detailed live imaging videos of mammal brain while the subject is engaging routine activity. We analyze a dataset of videos recorded from ten mice to describe how to detect neurons, extract neuron signals, map correlation of neuron signals to mice activity, detect the network topology of active neurons, and analyze network topology characteristics. We propose neuron position alignment to compensate the distortion and movement of cerebral cortex in live mouse brain and the background luminance compensation to extract and model neuron activity. To find out the network topology as an undirected graph model, a cross-correlation based method is proposed and used for analysis. Afterwards, we did preliminary analysis on network topologies. The significance of this paper is on how to extract neuron activities from live mouse brain imaging videos and a network analysis method to analyze topology that can potentially provide insight on how neurons are actively connected under stimulus, rather than analyzing static neural networks.
Treatment of Myelodysplastic Syndrome with Azacitidine and Erythropoietin.

Abstract PURPOSE: Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a group of clonal bone marrow disorders leading to bone marrow failure and acute myeloid leukemia. With better understanding of the biology of MDS, newer treatment options like therapy with the hypomethylating agents, azacitidine and decitabine have proven beneficial. Major randomized controlled trials by CALGB and others have demonstrated the efficacy of azacitidine. Growth factor use was prohibited in these trials. However, in the community, most patients have continued to get growth factor support along with azacitidine therapy. Since there is lack of evidence backing such clinical practice, we attempted to review response to therapy in patients receiving combination therapy with azacitidine and erythropoietin. METHODS: We identified MDS patients treated with concomitant azacitidine and erythropoietin at our institution over the last five years. Data collected from retrospective chart review of these patients was statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Sixteen patients with concomitant azacitidine and erythropoietin therapy were identified. Complete remissions were seen in 31%(5/16) of the patients. Induction of partial remissions in our study was 25% (4/16). Thirty one percent (5/16) of patients had hematologic improvement not meeting criteria for partial remission. Thirteen percent of patients (2/16) did not benefit at all from azacitidine and erythropoietin support. The median number of cycles received for adequate response was six. A total response (complete remission, partial remission and hematological improvement) of 87%(14/16,) was seen with combination therapy, which is significantly higher than previously published total response of 44–60%. CONCLUSION: Azacitidine with erythropoietin support provides important clinical benefits for patients with MDS. There was a trend towards a higher rate of complete and partial responses in these patients than reported earlier in patients who received azacitidine alone. Randomized controlled studies will be needed to validate this further. Comparison of response to therapy in high risk MDS: Responses *CALGB-9221(azacitidine) **Combined analysis(azacitidine) Study patients treated with azacitidine and growth factors Complete Remission 7% 10–17% 31% Partial Remission 16% Rare 25% Hematological Improvement 37% 23–36% 31% Total response 60% 44% 87% *JCO May 15 2002: 2429–2440. JCO Aug 20 2006: 3895–3903.
Biosynthesis and Intracellular Targeting of the Lysosomal Aspartic Proteinase Cathepsin D

Lysosomal proteinases participate in cellular protein turnover and in the degradation of proteins which enter the cell by endocytosis. To serve this physiological role, a lysosomal enzyme must not only be synthesized with a functional catalytic site, it must move along a precise intracellular pathway to reach its site of action. Transport to lysosomes is not a default pathway but rather requires that biosynthetic forms of the lysosomal enzymes be recognized by specific intracellular processing enzymes and receptors in a complex sequence. If a lysosomal enzyme undergoes a mutation that prevents correct cellular target-ing, it will either be degraded or secreted from the cell. The resulting absence of a specific enzymatic activity within the lysosomes usually produces a fatal lysosomal storage disorder.
Lipid-Coated Gold Nanoparticles and FRET Allow Sensitive Monitoring of Liposome Clustering Mediated by the Synaptotagmin-7 C2A Domain

Synaptotagmin (Syt) family proteins contain tandem C2 domains, C2A and C2B, which insert into anionic membranes in response to increased cytosolic Ca2+ concentration and facilitate exocytosis in neuronal and endocrine cells. The C2A domain from Syt7 binds lipid membranes much more tightly than the corresponding domain from Syt1, but the implications of this difference for protein function are not yet clear. In particular, the ability of the isolated Syt7 C2A domain to initiate membrane apposition and/or aggregation has been previously unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that Syt7 C2A induces apposition and aggregation of liposomes using Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) assays, dynamic light scattering, and spectroscopic techniques involving lipid-coated gold nanoparticles (LCAuNPs). Protein–membrane binding, membrane apposition, and macroscopic aggregation are three separate phenomena with distinct Ca2+ requirements: the threshold Ca2+ concentration for membrane binding is lowest, followed by apposit...
A Digitally Controlled Fully Integrated Voltage Regulator With On-Die Solenoid Inductor With Planar Magnetic Core in 14-nm Tri-Gate CMOS

A fully integrated digitally controlled two-phase buck voltage regulator (VR) with on-die solenoid inductors with a planar magnetic core is demonstrated in 14-nm tri-gate CMOS for fine-grained power delivery/management domains of high power density in system-on-chips while enabling ultra-thin (z-height) packages. The VR achieves 1-A/mm2 power density for 400-mA load current with a measured peak efficiency of 84% at 100-MHz switching frequency including a digital PWM with >9 bits (8 ps) of resolution.
Fast quantitative parameter maps without fitting: Integration yields accurate mono-exponential signal decay rates.

Purpose To develop a computationally fast and accurate algorithm for mono-exponential signal modelling and validate the new technique in the context of R2* mapping for iron overload assessment. Methods An algorithm is introduced that directly calculates R2* values from a series of images based on integration of the mono-exponential signal decay curve. The algorithm is fast, because fitting is avoided and only arithmetic computations without iterations are applied. Precision and accuracy of the method is determined in comparison to the conventional log-linear (LL), nonlinear least-squares-based Levenberg–Marquardt (NLM), and squared nonlinear Levenberg–Marquardt (SQNLM) methods, which rely on iterative curve fitting. Results In simulations, the signal integration based method consistently had the same or better accuracy than the LL, NLM, and SQNLM algorithms for R2* values ranging from 50 s−1 to 1200 s−1. In phantoms and in vivo (12 participants), this method was robust over a wide range of R2* values and signal-to-noise ratios. Computation times were approximately 100, 1460, and 930 times faster than those of the LL, NLM, and SQNLM methods, respectively. Conclusions The fast signal integration method accurately calculates R2* maps. It has the potential to replace conventional, mono-exponential fitting methods for quantitative MRI such as R2* parameter mapping. Magn Reson Med, 2017. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
High Purity Water for Semiconductor Manufacturing

Ultrapure water is an essential chemical and material for the production of semiconductor devices. Impurities in the process water such as bacteria, organics, ionic contaminations and particles are a potential cause of reduced device yield and reliability failures.
The rib cage stiffens the thoracic spine in a cadaveric model with body weight load under dynamic moments.

Abstract The thoracic spine presents a challenge for biomechanical testing. With more segments than the lumbar and cervical regions and the integration with the rib cage, experimental approaches to evaluate the mechanical behavior of cadaveric thoracic spines have varied widely. Some researchers are now including the rib cage intact during testing, and some are incorporating follower load techniques in the thoracic spine. Both of these approaches aim to more closely model physiological conditions. To date, no studies have examined the impact of the rib cage on thoracic spine motion and stiffness in conjunction with follower loads. The purpose of this research was to quantify the mechanical effect of the rib cage on cadaveric thoracic spine motion and stiffness with a follower load under dynamic moments. It was hypothesized that the rib cage would increase stiffness and decrease motion of the thoracic spine with a follower load. Eight fresh-frozen human cadaveric thoracic spines with rib cages (T1–T12) were loaded with a 400 N compressive follower load. Dynamic moments of ± 5 N m were applied in lateral bending, flexion/extension, and axial rotation, and the motion and stiffness of the specimens with the rib cage intact have been previously reported. This study evaluated the motion and stiffness of the specimens after rib cage removal, and compared the data to the rib cage intact condition. Range-of-motion and stiffness were calculated for the upper, middle, and lower segments of the thoracic spine. Range-of-motion significantly increased with the removal of the rib cage in lateral bending, flexion/extension, and axial rotation by 63.5%, 63.0%, and 58.8%, respectively (p
Optimization of uncertain and dynamic high-rise structures for occupant comfort: An adaptive kriging approach

Abstract Performance requirements concerning serviceability often govern the design of high-rise structures. While various methods have been proposed for obtaining optimal systems that meet serviceability constraints set on the performance of non-structural components, e.g. the cladding system, methods are still lacking for optimizing under constraints aimed at ensuring occupant comfort. This is especially true for systems whose performance is assessed within modern performance-based design frameworks that consider a full range of uncertainties, including wind loads modeled as stochastic processes. This paper is focused on the development of a novel optimization framework for overcoming these limitations. The method is based on constructing an adaptive kriging metamodel of the probabilistic performance metric of interest in the low-dimensional modal space of the system. By then relating this space to the design variables, an approach is defined that can handle a wide class of occupant comfort metrics within high-dimensional spaces of design variables and uncertain parameters.