cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vascular laboratory cost analysis and the impact of the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale payment system

Abstract Purpose: This study compares the actual cost of performing noninvasive laboratory studies with reimbursement under the previous Medicare Part B system and under current resource-based relative value scale (RBRVS) guidelines. Methods: We calculated the cost to operate our own laboratory and estimated national costs for small- and large-model laboratories. Reimbursement under Medicare Part B was calculated for each Current Procedural Terminology code from average Medicare reimbursement allowances and national case volumes in 1990, which were obtained from the Health Care Financing Administration. All data were expressed as dollars per hour of study time to allow universal comparison of costs and reimbursement among tests that require differing lengths of time for completion. Results: Technical costs for laboratory time ranged from $143 to $173 per study hour. The largest components of laboratory expenses were fixed costs, including personnel (37% to 46%), equipment (30% to 42%), and facilities (6% to 8%). Variable costs such as billing (9% to 10%) accounted for most of the remainder. More efficient allocation of equipment resulted in lower costs in large laboratories, whereas continued use of depreciated equipment resulted in lower costs in our own laboratory ($127/hr). Conclusions: We project that technical reimbursement under RBRVS will be $82/hr nationally and $80/hr locally, whereas global reimbursement (technical plus professional) will be $116/hr and $110/hr, respectively. On the basis of 1990 case volumes, the RBRVS system will decrease national global reimbursement by at least 35% compared with the previous Medicare Part B system. Under the new system, technical reimbursement will decrease by an estimated 27% nationally, whereas professional reimbursement will decrease by 52%. Revenue under RBRVS will not meet the cost to perform studies either nationally or locally. Technical reimbursement is 37% to 54% below actual technical costs, and even global reimbursement is 13% to 34% less than technical costs. Our analysis revealed that costs will exceed reimbursement despite maximization of operating efficiency. This analysis applies to outpatients only. A case mix including inpatients will further reduce reimbursement, because only the professional component is allowed. By setting reimbursement of vascular laboratories below actual costs, the new RBRVS system may ultimately reduce the availability of noninvasive vascular testing for elderly patients. (J VASC SURG 1993;17:267-79.)
The impact of retirement on the drinking patterns of older adults: a review

Abstract Objective Due to the aging of the population, there is renewed focus on the public health issues of middle-aged and older adults. One area of such focus is unhealthy drinking, and researchers seek to understand the unique developmental risk and protective factors among those entering older adulthood. Retirement has been hypothesized as a contributing factor in the onset and maintenance of unhealthy drinking in late life. This review describes the relevant theories and critically reviews empirical evidence that explores the relationship between alcohol and retirement drawn from both the industrial and organizational psychology and substance misuse literatures. Method Using four research databases, thirteen studies published in the last 25 years that investigated the relationship of retirement and alcohol use and met specific selection criteria were reviewed. Results The literature suggests that retirement may not have a strong direct impact on drinking behaviors or problems, but attributes of the process (e.g. retirement voluntariness) of transition to retirement and individual attributes, such as having a history of problem drinking, may facilitate or inhibit drinking. Conclusions Future research should delve into the social context of drinking in retirement with a goal of understanding the aspects and conditions of retirement that increase risk of alcohol problems. Investigation should also examine heterogeneity in retirement drinking patterns with a goal of identifying subpopulations that are at greater risk.
Effect of Mercerization on the Relation Between Single Fiber Mechanical Properties and Fine Structure for Different Cotton Species

Five G. barbadense species obtained from Egypt (Dendara, and Gizas 75, 76, 77, and 80), one American G. barbadense cotton (Pima S-5), and one American G. hirsutum cotton (Deltapine Smooth Leaf) were studied. Mercerization appeared to decrease the crystallinity of the G. hirsutum cotton more than that of the G. barbadense types. The mercerization treatment also appeared to have swollen the G. hirsutum fibers by a greater amount. The large increase in breaking load of the Deltapine Smooth Leaf cotton, which occurred on mercerization, may be due to the lower crystallinity and smaller crystallite lengths induced in these fibers by this treatment. The breaking load of the G. barbadense fibers either increased by smaller amounts than that obtained with the G. hirsutum sample or it fell.Mercerization appeared to reduce the brittleness of the Egyptian G. barbadense varieties; however, the changes were small and with Dendara, insignificant. For Pima S-5, brittleness did not change, and with Deltapine Smooth Leaf, ...
Dealing with Scale in Landscape Analysis: An Overview

(2000). Dealing with Scale in Landscape Analysis: An Overview. Geographic Information Sciences: Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 1-5.
Acquisition of free-operant avoidance with a response-contingent stimulus

Eight rats were given six 2-h sessions on a S-S = R-S = 15-sec free-operant avoidance schedule. For four Ss, each response was immediately followed by a 0.5-sec auditory stimulus; no exteroceptive stimulus followed responses for the other four Ss. No statistically significant differences were found between groups in terms of response rate. Ss with the response-contingent stimulus significantly reduced shock frequency over sessions. Response-contingent stimuli do influence the course of acquisition in free-operant avoidance. The possibility of the stimulus functioning as a secondary reinforcer was considered.
Molecular Localization of Zinc in Rat Milk and Neonatal Intestine

The molecular localization of zinc in rat milk and pup intestine was determined by gel chromatography. Commerical gels were found to give low recoveries of zinc and also caused anomalous elution patterns. Treatment of the gel with sodium borohydride corrected these problems. With treated gels, all of the zinc in rat milk eluted with high molecular weight proteins (MW greater than or equal to 30,000). In neonatal intestine, zinc eluted in two major peaks with molecular weights 30,000 and 6,000-8,000, respectively. However, incubating intestinal homogenates at 37 degrees for 30 minutes produced a redistribution of zinc with a new major low molecular weight (less than or equal to 1,500) peak. These results demonstrate the importance of sample preparation and chromatographic conditions when studying trace element ligands and also suggest that rat milk is not analogous to human milk in regard to zinc binding.
Assisting individuals with brain injuries to return to work: new paradigms of support

The Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1992 and current trends in services funded by the Act hold promise for supporting individuals with severe brain injuries who desire to return to work. This article discusses those service trends in relation to Vocational Rehabilitation consumers with brain injuries.
Electrocatalytic upgrading of model lignin monomers with earth abundant metal electrodes

Guaiacol (2-methoxyphenol) and related lignin model monomers undergo electrocatalytic hydrogenolysis/hydrogenation (ECH) to cyclohexanol with RANEY® Nickel electrodes in aqueous solution. Aryl ether (C–O) bond cleavage is followed by reduction of the aromatic ring at ambient pressure and 75 °C. Related arene-OR cleavages occur at similar rates regardless of R-group size. Protons are supplied by anodic water oxidation on a stainless steel grid coated with cobalt-phosphate catalyst, inexpensively replacing the conventional platinum anode, and remaining viable in constant current electrolyses of up to 16 hours. The overall method addresses two key barriers to energy upgrading of low specific energy biomass into fuels and chemicals: deoxygenation and hydrogenation. By directly and simply coupling energy from renewable electricity into the chemical fuel cycle, ECH bypasses the complexity, capital costs and challenging conditions of classical H2 hydrotreating, and may help open the door to truly carbon-retentive displacement of fossil petroleum by renewables.
Reliability and reproducibility of dens fracture classification with use of plain radiography and reformatted computer-aided tomography.

Background The classification system of dens fractures by Anderson and D'Alonzo has been widely used in clinical studies. Of the three types of fractures, Type II and Type III are of particular importance because the distinction between them may affect treatment decisions. The purposes of this study were to assess whether this classification is reliable and reproducible and to determine whether computed tomography can improve its reliability and reproducibility. Methods Plain radiographs and spiral computed tomography images of dens fractures in eleven patients were assessed, and the fractures were assigned a classification of Type II or Type III at two readings, separated by six months, by two spine surgeons and three neuroradiologists. Kappa coefficients of agreement between the raters as well as the reproducibility of the classifications made by the individual raters were calculated independently for the fracture classifications based on the plain radiographs and those based on the reformatted computed tomography scans. Results The kappa coefficient for classifications based on plain radiographs was 0.30 and 0.25 (fair agreement) at the first and second readings, respectively. For classifications based on computed tomography scans, the corresponding kappa coefficients were 0.46 (moderate agreement) and 0.67 (substantial agreement). The kappa coefficients for intrarater reliability among the five raters averaged 0.56 (moderate agreement) when computed tomography scans were used and 0.28 (fair agreement) when plain radiographs were used. Conclusions Substantial variation with regard to the classification of dens fractures was found within our group of raters. Greater agreement occurred when reformatted computed tomography scans rather than plain radiographs were used as the basis for classification. When classifying dens fractures according to the system of Anderson and D'Alonzo, one should consider using reformatted computed tomography scans and reaching a consensus with multiple raters.
Spectral band and detector optimization for atmospheric sounding interferometers

In the specification and selection of spectral bands and detectors for optical remote sensing instruments, important consideration must be given to the primary scientific applications of the data. In this study, the line-by-line atmospheric code FASCODE and a Lincoln-developed detector model are used to identify the spectral band extent and peak location for Hg/sub 1-x/Cd/sub x/Te detector responsivity that result in the highest sounding sensitivity to atmospheric temperature and water vapor. The goal of this work was to minimize the background photon level that contributes to noise by reducing the spectral band extent and to relocate the peak detector response to the spectral region of greatest interest. An optimization score for each wavelength was computed as the product of terms accounting for sensitivity to the parameter of interest (temperature or water vapor) and insensitivity to the other, normalized by the product of the detector noise and the vertical height of the atmospheric contribution function. By examining the optimization score as a function of wavelength, reduced spectral coverage was seen to be possible without sacrificing sounding sensitivity. These reductions, along with the movement of the detector peak to above the spectral band low wavenumber edge, allowed an improvement of 15 to 33% in noise level and 10 to 15% in sounding performance as compared to the original specification. >
Fluorescence properties of polycrystalline Tm3+-activated Y3Al5O12 and Tm3+-Li+ co-activated Y3Al5O12 in the visible and near IR ranges

Abstract The photoemission properties of polycrystalline powder Tm 3+ -activated Y 3 Al 5 O 12 and Tm 3+ - Li + co-activated Y 3 Al 5 O 12 were studied in the visible and near-IR ranges at 300 K. The polycrystalline materials were obtained through a novel combustion synthesis technique that yields chemically homogeneous and small particle size( 3+ -activated Y 3 Al 5 O 12 showed that the intensity of the blue emission is weak compared to the red emission. With the addition of Li + as a coactivator, the intensity of the blue emission increased by as much as 87%; however the red and IR emissions also increased. Efficiency measurements showed that the phosphor reached a maximum of 0.21 Im/W at a voltage of 11.7 kV and current of l μA/cm 2 . The optimal composition for maximum blue emission was found to be Y 2.93 Tm 0.07 Al 5 O 12 doped with 1.0 at% Li.
DOES BODY SIZE AFFECT A BIRD'S SENSITIVITY TO PATCH SIZE AND LANDSCAPE STRUCTURE?

Abstract ABSTRACT Larger birds are generally more strongly affected by habitat loss and fragmentation than are smaller ones because they require more resources and thus larger habitat patches. Consequently, conservation actions often favor the creation or protection of larger over smaller patches. However, in grassland systems the boundaries between a patch and the surrounding landscape, and thus the perceived size of a patch, can be indistinct. We investigated whether eight grassland bird species with different body sizes perceived variation in patch size and landscape structure in a consistent manner. Data were collected from surveys conducted in 44 patches of northern tallgrass prairie during 1998–2001. The response to patch size was very similar among species regardless of body size (density was little affected by patch size), except in the Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido), which showed a threshold effect and was not found in patches smaller than 140 ha. In landscapes containing 0%–30% woo...
Effect of maternal hypercholesterolemia on fetal sterol metabolism in the Golden Syrian hamster

The fetus obtains a significant amount of choles- terol from de novo synthesis. Studies have suggested that maternal cholesterol may also contribute to the cholesterol accrued in the fetus. Thus, the present studies were com- pleted to determine whether diet-induced maternal hyper- cholesterolemia would affect fetal sterol metabolism. To ac- complish this, maternal plasma cholesterol concentrations were increased sequentially by feeding hamsters 0.0%, 0.12%, 0.5%, and 2.0% cholesterol. At 11 days into a gesta- tional period of 15.5 days, cholesterol concentrations and sterol synthesis rates were measured in the three fetal tis- sues: the placenta, yolk sac, and fetus. In the placenta and yolk sac, the cholesterol concentration increased signifi- cantly when dams were fed as little as 0.12% cholesterol ( P � 0.0167), and sterol synthesis rates decreased in dams fed at least 0.5% or 2% cholesterol, respectively ( P � 0.0167). In the fetus, changes in fetal cholesterol concentra- tion and sterol synthesis rates occurred only when dams were fed at least 0.5% cholesterol, which corresponded to a greater than 2-fold increase in maternal plasma cholesterol concentrations. When the cholesterol concentration in the fetal tissues in each animal was plotted as a function of ma- ternal plasma cholesterol concentration, a linear relation- ship was found ( P � 0.001). These studies demonstrate that sterol homeostasis in fetal tissues, including the fetus, is affected by maternal plasma cholesterol concentration in a gradient fashion and that sterol metabolism in the fetus is dependent on sterol homeostasis in the yolk sac and/or placenta.— McConihay, J. A., P. S. Horn, and L. A. Woollett. Effect of maternal hypercholesterolemia on fetal sterol me- tabolism in the Golden Syrian hamster. J. Lipid Res. 2001. 42: 1111-1119.
The Digital Signature Dilemma

The last ten years have seen an enormous amount of legal, regulatory, and technological activity aimed at designing a proper electronic equivalent to handwritten signatures. One such design, that of cryptology-based (or digital) signatures, has succeeded over other solutions to the point where, in certain legal systems, such as those of the Member States of the European Union, electronic signatures are almost exclusively understood to be based on public-key cryptography. Yet, several archival institutions (including the National Archives of Canada, Australia and the US) have expressed ambivalence at the prospect of preserving digitally signed records. This paper argues that discrepancies between technical, legal and archival responses to the problem of long-term preservation of digitally signed documents are founded on diverging understandings — physical vs. contextual — of electronic authenticity.
UV resistance of polystyrene co-butyl acrylate (PSBA) encapsulated lignin–saponite nanohybrid composite film

Abstract Protecting biological systems and organic materials from high ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a significant issue for engineering materials in both terrestrial and space applications. In this study, the synthesized composites of polystyrene butyl acrylate (PSBA) encapsulated lignin based nanohybrid were evaluated as UV resistant cladding materials for both applications. The UV transmittance of the composite films and their physical, thermal, and chemical degradation after prolonged exposure to high UV radiation (10 Earth days and 30 Mars equivalent days) at low temperatures of 3.4 °C were examined. The results showed that the composite films blocked the UV radiation and there was no significant effect of UV radiation on film integrity, mechanical and thermal properties of the composite films when they were exposed to high intensity UV radiation (132 W/m2) within 24 h. Further, FTIR spectra of the composite films before and after UV radiation demonstrated that the films did not have notable oxidation degradation, although the glass transition temperature was slightly decreased with increased exposure time.
Risk factor burden in midlife: is it water under the bridge?

The contribution of traditional cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors such as smoking, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertension and diabetes to long-term cardiovascular risk is well established.1 For decades, it has been observed that a single measurement of one of these risk factors is associated with a graded, dose-dependent increase in CVD risk across the lifespan. It has also been observed that a single measurement of these risk factors in early life is also associated with long-term cardiovascular risk.2 How can it be that a single measurement of a risk factor at the age of 20 can translate into a consistent increase in risk despite all of the potential downstream changes in risk factors, including treatment? Atherosclerosis is a lifelong disease. The early data from Vietnam War casualties demonstrated that atherosclerosis is apparent in young adulthood.3 And these early forms of atherosclerosis are not random; in the Bogalusa Heart Study, atherosclerosis at the time of autopsy was strongly associated with the presence of traditional risk factors prior to traumatic death in young adults.4 More recent data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development In Young Adults study demonstrate that the cumulative exposure to dyslipidemia prior to age 35 years is associated with an increased risk for coronary artery calcium in middle age, even after accounting for subsequent changes in lipid levels.5 Thus, atherosclerosis is a cumulative …
Photochemical Aging of α-pinene and β-pinene Secondary Organic Aerosol formed from Nitrate Radical Oxidation

The nitrate radical (NO3) is the dominant nighttime oxidant in most urban and rural environments and reacts rapidly with biogenic volatile organic compounds to form secondary organic aerosol (SOA) and organic nitrates (ON). Here, we study the formation of SOA and ON from the NO3 oxidation of two monoterpenes (α-pinene and β-pinene) and investigate how they evolve during photochemical aging. High SOA mass loadings are produced in the NO3+β-pinene reaction, during which we detected 41 highly oxygenated gas- and particle-phase ON possessing 4 to 9 oxygen atoms. The fraction of particle-phase ON in the β-pinene SOA remains fairly constant during photochemical aging. In contrast to the NO3+β-pinene reaction, low SOA mass loadings are produced during the NO3+α-pinene reaction, during which only 5 highly oxygenated gas- and particle-phase ON are detected. The majority of the particle-phase ON evaporates from the α-pinene SOA during photochemical aging, thus exhibiting a drastically different behavior from that o...
Bringing climate models into agreement with observations of atmospheric absorption

Abstract A comparison of the output of two data assimilation models with a quasi-global, multiyear set of monthly mean observations shows that the models underestimate the amount of solar energy absorbed in the atmosphere by 15–30 W m−2, out of a total of ∼80 W m−2. In addition, observations show a much stronger dependence of absorption on column water vapor than models. Here the author analyzes absorption measured between two aircraft on a clear day during the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Enhanced Shortwave Experiment (ARESE) and finds a similarly strong dependence of absorption on water vapor. This common feature, in disparate types of observations, suggests the possible existence of appreciable continuum absorption in the water vapor spectrum. Various formulations of continuum absorption are tested against the aircraft observations and against the monthly mean dataset. In both cases, the addition of continuum absorption brings the models substantially closer to the observations, especially i...
Consolidating Rural Pennsylvania Local Government: A Taxpayers Choice

This paper presents a case for the amalgamation of local government municipalities in parts of the US and, in particular, rural Pennsylvania (PA). It presents a case by first examining recent international trends in local government management including council consolidations (or mergers) and second, by showing that municipalities in rural PA are, for the most part, too small to: 1) be democratically effective, 2) attract and retain quality management, and 3) deliver the services their constituents expect. This paper concludes by suggesting that the present structure of local municipalities in rural PA is out of date and reform is needed.
Dynamics of Water Dissociative Chemisorption on Ni(111): Effects of Impact Sites and Incident Angles

The dissociative chemisorption of water on rigid Ni(111) is investigated using a quasiclassical trajectory method on a nine-dimensional global potential energy surface based on a faithful permutation invariant fit of $\ensuremath{\sim}25\text{ }000$ density functional theory points. This full-dimensional model not only confirms the validity of our earlier reduced-dimensional model with 6 degrees of freedom, but also allows the examination of the influence of impact sites and incident angles. It is shown that the reactivity depends on the site of impact in a complex fashion controlled by the topography of the potential energy surface rather than the barrier height alone. In addition, the reaction is promoted by momenta both parallel and perpendicular to the surface, as predicted by the recently proposed sudden vector projection model.
Transcatheter Arterial Embolization with n-Butyl Cyanoacrylate for the Treatment of Acquired Uterine Vascular Malformations

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the technique and outcomes of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) with n-butyl cyanoacrylate (NBCA) for the treatment of acquired uterine arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). A retrospective review identified five women treated for suspected acquired uterine AVMs with TAE at our institution. Four women (80 %) presented with heavy or intermittent vaginal bleeding after obstetric manipulation. One woman (20 %) was treated for an incidental AVM discovered on ultrasound after an uncomplicated cesarean section. Three women underwent one embolization procedure and two women required two procedures. Embolization material included NBCA in six procedures (80 %) and gelatin sponge in one procedure (20 %). Embolization resulted in angiographic stasis of flow in all seven procedures. Four women (80 %) presented with vaginal bleeding which was improved after treatment. One woman returned 24 days after unilateral embolization with recurrent bleeding, which resolved after retreatment. One woman underwent two treatments for an asymptomatic lesion identified on ultrasound. There were no major complications. Three women (60 %) experienced mild postembolization pelvic pain that was controlled with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Three women (60 %) had pregnancies and deliveries after embolization. TAE is a safe alternative to surgical therapy for acquired uterine AVMs with the potential to maintain fertility. Experience from this case series suggests that NBCA provides predictable and effective occlusion.
An Algebra with Singular Zero

(1925). An Algebra with Singular Zero. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 32, No. 7, pp. 370-375.
Mechanics Analysis of Decontaminating Peeled-up Film

SMDW peeled-up coating contamination solution is a sort of material forming film which presses and clearns-up radioactive fallout in the emergency action about a nuclear accident. Mechanics performances of the formed film have important influence on the film peeling-up and contamination effect. This paper analyzes the performance of peeled-up coating contamination solution and mechanics performances of the film.
Optimal Sequences for Chirped-Pulse-Stimulated Vibrational Motion

Calculations on impulsive Raman scattering with sequences of preresonant pulses show that variable chirp rate and center frequency can enhance vibrational amplification and decrease electronic absorption.
Stability and Spine Pedicle Screws Fixation Strength-A Comparative Study of Bone Density and Insertion Angle.

Abstract Study Design Analysis of insertion angle and bone density on the pedicle screw fixation strength with a novel testing protocol that accounts for the articular processes. Objective To analyze the relationship between pedicle screw fixation strength and bone mineral density for different transverse screw insertion angles. Summary of Background Data The stability of the screw can become compromised by demineralization of the vertebral bone due to diseases such as osteoporosis. A weakening of the bone-screw interface, and therefore, a decrease in the fixation strength of the screw, leads to an increased probability of instrument failure, most commonly by screw loosening or screw pullout. Methods Using the ASTM F543 as reference, we performed pullout tests with an Instron mechanical testing machine of a posterior fixation construct mimicking two pedicle screws connected at a distance of 40 mm as suggested by the ASTM F1717 on four densities of polyurethane foam in accordance with the ASTM F1839-08 standard to simulate bone densities ranging from osteoporotic (5 pcf) to higher than normal (20 pcf) in four transverse insertion angles. Results A linear regression with two independent variables was found to be Y = −354.8812 + 91.8102 × X1 − 6.8747 × X2 (X1 = density [pcf], X2 = angle [degrees]), with a correlation coefficient of 0.95 for all the experimental data. Conclusions Pedicle screw insertion angle and bone density are critical to pullout strength. However, in osteoporotic bone, the insertion angle has only a marginal influence on pullout strength. Level of Evidence V.
International Trade and Composition of Capital Across Countries

Composition of capital is systematically related to income levels: rich countries have higher shares of equipment in their physical capital than poor countries. I examine the quantitative significance of productivity and trade for capital composition. Rich countries have more equipment capital because they have an absolute advantage in equipment and enjoy efficiency gains from specialization according to comparative advantage. Absence of equipment trade reduces the share of equipment in rich countries to two thirds. Poor countries have less equipment capital because they are inefficient at producing equipment and face large trade costs to export their comparative advantage good in exchange for imported equipment. Removal of these trade costs reduces differences in the share of equipment to approximately one fourth.
Knowledge and Analogy

Since we name as we know, there is always a priority of knowledge with respect to that mode of signification called the analogy of names. Moreover, in the realm of knowledge, there is a use of the term “analogy” which must be distinguished from its use as signifying a type of name. Thus, we speak of reasoning from analogy, coming to know something by an analogy with something else. Such knowledge sometimes occasions an analogous name, at others does not; consequently it must be distinguished from the analogy of names. In drawing this distinction, we shall be calling into question Cajetan’s interpretation of the role that proportionality plays in the analogy of names. As a sign of the difficulties inherent in his interpretation, we can recall his subdividing of proportionality, which for him is analogy par excellence, into proper and improper. The former is an analogous name, the latter, curiously enough, is not, although he seems to feel that it has as much claim to the title as what he calls attribution. This suggests that the proportionality is not itself constitutive of the analogous name. Given the difficulty involved in ascertaining the status of metaphor in Cajetan’s interpretation, we believe that one of the merits of this chapter is that it provides a clear-cut distinction between metaphor and analogous names. Moreover, knowledge from analogy will be seen as that which can occasion either a metaphor or an analogous name.
Passivation and performance optimization using an extremum seeking co-simulation framework with application to Adaptive Cruise Control systems

In this paper, we apply an input-output transformation passivation method developed in our previous work to an Adaptive Cruise Control system and analyze the system's performance. A co-simulation framework that makes use of an online optimization method called extremum-seeking is used to determine the passivation parameters. It is known that systems with input-output time-delays are not passive. Additionally, time-delays are unavoidable in automotive systems and commonly emerge in software implementations, communication units, as well as driver's behavior. We show that by using our passivation method, we can passivate a time-delay system and improve its overall performance by using an extremum-seeking co-simulation framework. To validate our work, we present simulation results in CarSim and Simulink.
Altered expression of retinoblastoma 1 in Hirschsprung's disease.

Abstract Purpose The retinoblastoma 1 (RB1) tumor suppressor is a critical regulator of cell cycle progression and development, and has been widely documented to be inactivated in human cancer. A recent study using RB1 knockout mice suggested a new role for RB1 in the normal regulation of the enteric nervous system (ENS), because of knockout mice showing ENS abnormalities and severe intestinal dysmotility. The aim of our study was to investigate the expression of RB1 in the normal human colon and in Hirschsprung's disease (HD). Materials and methods HD tissue specimens (n=10) were collected at the time of pull-through surgery, while colonic control samples were obtained at the time of colostomy closure in patients with imperforate anus (n=10). Immunolabeling of RB1 was visualized using confocal microscopy to assess protein distribution, while western blot analysis was undertaken to quantify RB1 protein expression. Results Immunohistochemistry revealed RB1 co-localized with platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha-positive (PDGFRα + ) cells, nitrergic neurons and glia in controls and the ganglionic region of HD, with a marked reduction in the aganglionic HD specimens. Western blotting revealed a marked decrease in RB1 protein expression in the aganglionic region of HD colon compared to ganglionic and normal controls. Conclusion We provide evidence of the presence of RB1 expression in the human colon in HD. As RB1 is known to colocalize with nitrergic neurons, the decreased expression of RB1 in the aganglionic bowel is most likely a secondary phenomenon because of the deficient nitrergic innervation in HD.
Performance characterization of a new high resolution PET scintillation detector

We present measurements of a new high resolution PET scintillation detector. The detector is capable of recording the 3-D coordinates, energy, and arrival time of the individual photon interactions in the scintillation crystal. The incident radiation interacts edge-on with the crystal array. This new detection concept is very different than the standard block design. Measured energy, time and spatial resolution of the detector modules are reported.
Management of a Shared Autonomous Electric Vehicle Fleet: Implications of Pricing Schemes:

The market potential of a fleet of shared autonomous electric vehicles (SAEVs) is explored by using a multinomial logit mode choice model in an agent-based framework and different fare settings. The mode share of SAEVs in the simulated midsize city (modeled roughly after Austin, Texas) is predicted to lie between 14% and 39% when the SAEVs compete with privately owned, manually driven vehicles and city bus service. The underlying assumptions are that SAEVs are priced between $0.75/mi and $1.00/mi, which delivers significant net revenues to the fleet owner–operator under all modeled scenarios; that they have an 80-mi range and that Level 2 charging infrastructure is available; and that automation costs are up to $25,000 per vehicle. Various dynamic pricing schemes for SAEV fares indicate that specific fleet metrics can be improved with targeted strategies. For example, pricing strategies that attempt to balance available SAEV supply with anticipated trip demand can decrease average wait times by 19% to 23%...
Stability of Mindlin–Timoshenko plate with nonlinear boundary damping and boundary sources

Abstract Presented here is a study of long-term behavior of Mindlin–Timoshenko (RMT) plate systems, focusing on the interplay between nonlinear viscous boundary damping and boundary source terms. This work complements [28] which established local well-posedness of this problem, and global well-posedness when the boundary damping dominates the boundary sources (in an appropriate sense). The current paper develops the potential well theory for the RMT system: global existence for potential well solutions without restricting the boundary source exponents, and explicit energy decay rates dependent on the boundary damping exponents. This work along with [26] , [27] , [28] provides the fundamental well-posedness and stability theory for MT plates under the interplay of damping and source terms acting either in the interior or on the boundary of the plate.
96. Genomic Integration Profile of AAVHSC Vectors in Human CD34+ Long-Term Engrafted Hematopoietic Stem Cell Xenografts in Immune-Deficient Mice

Adeno-associated virus vectors (AAV) are proving to be promising and powerful for gene delivery due to their ability to safely transduce both non-dividing and dividing cells. While AAV mainly persists in episomal copies in non-dividing cells, genomic integration has been reported including in CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Characterizing the vector integration profile is important to ensure safety since genomic integration has the potential for inducing insertional mutagenesis and genotoxicity. The absence of genotoxicity of AAV has been documented in multiple studies. Our lab has recently described the isolation and gene transfer properties of human HSC derived AAVs (AAVHSCs) (Smith LJ, et al. Mol Therapy 2014). To test the ability of the AAVHSCs to transduce long-term engrafted HSCs, we transduced human CD34+ cells with AAV vectors encoding a luciferase transgene prior to transplantation into irradiated immunodeficient NOD/SCID mice. Through serial bioluminescent imaging, we found that the AAVHSCs supported higher levels of expression than AAV2, 7 and 8. Of the AAVHSC serotypes tested, AAVHSC17 was found to support the highest level of transgene expression in vivo, for at least six months post-transplantation. Since vector genomes were found to persist in both long-term engrafted CD34+ cells as well as their differentiated hematopoietic progeny, we hypothesized that the vector genomes likely persisted as chromosomal integrants since episomal copies would have been lost during mitosis. Here, we evaluated the vector genome integration profile in the long-term engrafted CD34+ HSCs transduced with AAVHSC17. High molecular weight DNA was extracted from flow sorted human CD34+ cells isolated from engrafted mouse marrow and sonicated to fragment the DNA before ligation of double stranded DNA adaptors. Using LM-PCR we amplified AAV-chromosomal sequences using AAV-specific and adaptor-specific primers, and further enriched vector-chromosome junctions with nested PCR. The PCR generated library was then used for paired-end Illumina sequencing. The sequence reads were paired using CLC Genomics Workbench. High-throughput analysis resources including PLAN, BLAST (NCBI), and ENSEMBL were used to determine the locations of the AAV-chromosomal junctions. AAV integration was found to occur randomly throughout the genome, including the X and Y chromosomes. Similar to previous studies, AAV integration junctions were largely found in non-coding and intronic regions. Integration was also found to occur within microsatellite repeat regions and GC rich regions. Thus far, no integration events have been found in coding regions or near oncogenes. Due to the lack of detectable genotoxicity resulting from AAV integration in CD34+ HSCs and the ability to support long term in vivo transgene expression, we conclude that these vectors are well-suited for stem cell gene delivery.
Temporal Slice Registration and Robust Diffusion-Tensor Reconstruction for Improved Fetal Brain Structural Connectivity Analysis

Diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging, or DWI, is one of the most promising tools for the analysis of neural microstructure and the structural connectome of the human brain. The application of DWI to map early development of the human connectome in-utero, however, is challenged by intermittent fetal and maternal motion that disrupts the spatial correspondence of data acquired in the relatively long DWI acquisitions. Fetuses move continuously during DWI scans. Reliable and accurate analysis of the fetal brain structural connectome requires careful compensation of motion effects and robust reconstruction to avoid introducing bias based on the degree of fetal motion. In this paper we introduce a novel robust algorithm to reconstruct in-vivo diffusion-tensor MRI (DTI) of the moving fetal brain and show its effect on structural connectivity analysis. The proposed algorithm involves multiple steps of image registration incorporating a dynamic registration-based motion tracking algorithm to restore the spatial correspondence of DWI data at the slice level and reconstruct DTI of the fetal brain in the standard (atlas) coordinate space. A weighted linear least squares approach is adapted to remove the effect of intra-slice motion and reconstruct DTI from motion-corrected data. The proposed algorithm was tested on data obtained from 21 healthy fetuses scanned in-utero at 22–38 weeks gestation. Significantly higher fractional anisotropy values in fiber-rich regions, and the analysis of whole-brain tractography and group structural connectivity, showed the efficacy of the proposed method compared to the analyses based on original data and previously proposed methods. The results of this study show that slice-level motion correction and robust reconstruction is necessary for reliable in-vivo structural connectivity analysis of the fetal brain. Connectivity analysis based on graph theoretic measures show high degree of modularity and clustering, and short average characteristic path lengths indicative of small-worldness property of the fetal brain network. These findings comply with previous findings in newborns and a recent study on fetuses. The proposed algorithm can provide valuable information from DWI of the fetal brain not available in the assessment of the original 2D slices and may be used to more reliably study the developing fetal brain connectome.
Novel therapies for renal cell carcinoma.

The treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma presents a daunting challenge to medical, surgical and radiation oncologists. Although patients with localized renal cell carcinoma can be effectively treated by surgery with a 5 year survival of up to 88%, the treatment options are limited for patients with advanced disease with the 5 year survival rate under 10%.1’2Furthermore, systemic chemotherapeutic agents have had little impact on the natural history of this disease. A comprehensive review by Yagodaet at 3 encompassed 4542 patients enrolled in 83 clinical trials published from 1983 through 1993. Among the 4093 evaluable patients, a 6% overall response rate was determined which was comprised of 53 (1.3%) complete responses and 192 (4.7%) partial responses. This dismal level of antitumor activity is comparable to the reported rate of spontaneous objective responses observed for placebo treated patients entered in a randomized study.4
An Improved Trap for Monitoring Stink Bugs (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in Apple and Peach Orchards

Capture of stink bugs (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in apple orchards with yellow pyramid traps baited with Euschistus spp. (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) aggregation pheromone, methyl (2E,4Z)-decadienoate, was 4 fold greater when traps were topped with a 3.8-L jar with a 1.6 cm diameter opening and trimmed wire edging than with a 1.9-L jar with a 5 cm diameter opening with no wire edging. Stink bug capture in the 3.8-L jar top was unaffected by the presence or size of an insecticide ear tag, indicating that this improved design led to increased captures by reducing escape. Sixty-four percent fewer stink bugs escaped from 3.8-L jar tops with the improved capture mechanism than from the 1.9-L jar tops. Green stink bug, Acrosternum hilare (Say), was more susceptible to the presence of the insecticide ear tag than the brown stink bug, Euschistus servus (Say), with dusky stink bug, E. tristigmus (Say), exhibiting high mortality in traps with and without ear tags. Among baited and unbaited pyramid traps with different visual stimuli, fewer captures were recorded in black pyramid traps than in clear, yellow, green or white pyramid traps. Similar numbers of brown stink bugs were captured in yellow pyramid traps deployed on the ground between trees or on horizontal branches within trees in the orchard border row. Captures of dusky and green stink bugs were greater in the tree pyramid, especially from August to mid-October. Relationships between stink bug capture and injury will need to be determined before this trap can be incorporated as a decision-making tool in pest management programs.
Merged expertise, mutual benefits: Using a cross-disciplinary, same-campus research team to investigate academic libraries

A cademic librarians have provided support to research teams on their campuses for many years. The main types of support discussed in the library literature include literature searching, citation management, data management, and information literacy instruction. Supporting research teams has been recommended as outreach, liaison work, and as part of the embedded librarians movement. Martin Kesselman and Sarah Watstein, for example, state, “In academic settings, embedded librarians are in collaborative learning environments. They are on research teams.” Librarians’ contributions to these teams will usually relate to what librarians are well trained to do: “captur[e] group knowledge” and “acquir[e] and organiz[e] internal and external information.” 1
The Philosophical Context of a Health Model of Social Work

The development of the social work profession has been deeply influenced by a scientific world view whose tenets conflict with the philosophical tenets of the profession. The author discusses the n...
I don't know---I'm just genius!: distinguishing between the process and the product of student algebraic reasoning

This paper reports on a semiotic-cultural analysis of two high-school minority seniors' participation in a mathematics instructional intervention conducted at a school for academically at-risk students. Focusing on the students' speech acts, gestures, and artifact production during their successful collaborative engagement in an algebraic pattern-finding task, I adopt and adapt Radford's (2003) framework to evaluate the quality of each student's actual learning as implicated by their discursive contributions. By analyzing each student's utterances as either "to" a semiotic mode (generalization) or just "in" the mode, and then overlaying these coded utterances, I show how one student's participation, which appears to mark a developing algebraic command, in fact blinds the teachers to underlying discontinuity in the student's meaning construction. The study illuminates critical tradeoffs in the design and facilitation of collaborative problem solving.
Nipple discharge in women. Is it cause for concern

Nipple discharge is one of the most common breast complaints in women. Galactorrhea (milky discharge) may occur during pregnancy or breast-feeding or as a result of drug therapy, hypothyroidism, or hyperthyroidism. Nonbloody discharge is most common and is usually benign. Bloody discharge should be considered a sign of cancer until proved otherwise. Persistent galactorrhea and nonbloody discharge can be treated by transecting the mammary ducts. Simple mastectomy may be appropriate in patients with persistent bloody discharge who have a strong family history of breast cancer.
A Study on Placement of Social Buttons in Web Pages

With the explosion of social media in the last few years, web pages nowadays include dierent social network buttons where users can express if they support or recommend content. Those social buttons are very visual and their presentations, along with the counters, mark the importance of the social network and the interest on the content. In this paper, we analyze the presence of four types of social buttons (Facebook, Twitter, Google+1, and LinkedIn) in a large collection of web pages that we tracked over a period of time. We report on the distribution and counts along with some characteristics per domain. Finally, we outline some research directions.
The Society of Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy

In this chapter, I comment on the organization of the Society for Phenomenology and Existential Philosophy (SPEP) and on SPEP as an organization by describing its inspirations as an “Openness Toward and Being Other,” its enthusiasm in terms of “Eyes Wide Open,” some dangers and shortsightedness it faced as “Eyes Wide Shut,” the relation of continental philosophy to phenomenology as “Continental Drift,” and the understanding of SPEP as a phenomenological movement as “Edging Beyond Itself.” I conclude with some reflections on the Phenomenology Research Center.