cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Processing of Aggregate Continuous Queries in a Distributed Environment

Data Stream Management Systems (DSMSs) performing online analytics rely on the efficient execution of large numbers of Aggregate Continuous Queries (ACQs). In this paper, we study the problem of generating high quality execution plans of ACQs in DSMSs deployed on multi-node (multi-core and multi-processor) distributed environments. Towards this goal, we classify optimizers based on how they partition the workload among computing nodes and on their usage of the concept of Weavability, which is utilized by the state-of-the-art WeaveShare optimizer to selectively combine ACQs and produce low cost execution plans for single-node environments. For each category, we propose an optimizer, which either adopts an existing strategy or develops a new one for assigning and grouping ACQs to computing nodes. We implement and experimentally compare all of our proposed optimizers in terms of (1) keeping the total cost of the ACQs execution plan low and (2) balancing the load among the computing nodes. Our extensive experimental evaluation shows that our newly developed Weave-Group to Nodes (\(WG_{TN}\)) and Weave-Group Inserted (\(WG_{I}\)) optimizers produce plans of significantly higher quality than the rest of the optimizers. \(WG_{TN}\) minimizes the total cost, making it more suitable from a client perspective, and \(WG_{I}\) achieves load balancing, making it more suitable from a system perspective.
Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexuality from a Cross-Cultural Perspective

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) persons require cultural humility and informed health care from their healthcare providers. Providers need to understand the distinct differences and intersections of each sexual identity and be aware of the health disparities characteristic of this population. Providers should become knowledgeable of appropriate questions to ask regarding the patient’s sexual identity, relationships, and sexual behavior during the assessment stage, and should concurrently consider how their own understanding, biases, and stereotypes can affect and/or guide diagnosis and treatment. Although the past several decades have witnessed greater acceptance of LGB globally, and more so in Western cultures, providers need to continue to build knowledge and awareness regarding the needs and health disparities of the LGB community.
FUGA, Y FUGACIDAD: LOS EXILIOS ESCRITURALES DE JOSÉ MARÍA VARGAS VILA (1860-1933)

La produccion textual de Jose Maria Vargas Vila se publica toda fuera de Colombia. Este articulo estudia como su vision del pais desde afuera produce nodos argumentativos que ofrecen un punto de co...
Person-centered profiles of parasympathetic physiology, anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms in mothers and fathers of young children

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is a biomarker of mental health, but RSA-symptom relations in parents of young children are understudied. We examined how anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, resting RSA, and RSA reactivity during challenging parent-child interactions clustered in a community sample of mothers (N = 126) and fathers (N = 87) of 3-year-olds and whether profiles predicted child emotional and behavioral dysregulation at age 4. Mothers fit four profiles (Typical, Mild Risk, Moderate Risk/Withdrawal, and Moderate Risk/Augmentation), suggesting that RSA reactivity was distinct by predominant symptom type at higher levels of risk: specifically, heightened RSA withdrawal was associated with a higher probability of anxiety symptoms and RSA augmentation was associated with a higher probability of depressive symptoms. Fathers fit three profiles (Typical, Mild Risk, and Moderate Risk) where Moderate Risk was characterized by RSA augmentation and a higher probability of both anxiety and depressive symptoms. Mild risk profiles showed heightened resting RSA for mothers and fathers but no differences in RSA reactivity. Both mild and moderate risk profiles predicted higher child dysregulation 1 year later compared to typical profiles. Findings offer preliminary evidence that parasympathetic physiology covaries with symptoms differently for mothers and fathers and that parental profiles of physiology and symptoms inform children's developmental psychopathology.
What is the Eisenhardt Method, really?:

This essay sharpens and refreshes the multi-case theory-building approach, sometimes termed The “Eisenhardt Method.” The Method’s singular aim is theory building, especially with multiple cases and...
Shaping Possibilities: A Design Science Approach to Developing Novel Strategies

The goal of strategy is not only to address a given environment, but also to change it to a firm’s advantage. In this article, we maintain that design science provides a useful theoretical foundati...
The influence of mechanical Circulatory support on post-transplant outcomes in pediatric patients: A multicenter study from the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) Registry

BACKGROUND Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) is increasingly being used as a bridge to transplant in pediatric patients. We compare outcomes in pediatric patients bridged to transplant with MCS from an international cohort. METHODS This retrospective cohort study of heart-transplant patients reported to the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) registry from 2005-2017 includes 5,095 patients <18 years. Pretransplant MCS exposure and anatomic diagnosis were derived. Outcomes included mortality, renal failure, and stroke. RESULTS 26% of patients received MCS prior to transplant: 240 (4.7%) on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), 1,030 (20.2%) on ventricular assist device (VAD), and 54 (1%) both. 29% of patients were <1 year, and 43.8% had congenital heart disease (CHD). After adjusting for clinical characteristics, compared to no-MCS and VAD, ECMO had higher mortality during their transplant hospitalization [OR 3.97 & 2.55; 95% CI 2.43-6.49 & 1.42-4.60] while VAD mortality was similar [OR 1.55; CI 0.99-2.45]. Outcomes of ECMO+VAD were similar to ECMO alone, including increased mortality during transplant hospitalization compared to no-MCS [OR 4.74; CI 1.81-12.36]. Patients with CHD on ECMO had increased 1 year, and 10 year mortality [HR 2.36; CI 1.65-3.39], [HR 1.82; CI 1.33-2.49]; there was no difference in survival in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients based on pretransplant MCS status. CONCLUSION Survival in CHD and DCM is similar in patients with no MCS or VAD prior to transplant, while pretransplant ECMO use is strongly associated with mortality after transplant particularly in children with CHD. In children with DCM, long term survival was equivalent regardless of MCS status.
Body-loop related MRI radiofrequency-induced heating hazards: Observations, characterizations, and recommendations

Purpose To assess RF-induced heating hazards in 1.5T MR systems caused by body-loop postures. Methods Twelve advanced high-resolution anatomically correct human body models with different body-loop postures are created based on poseable human adult male models. Numerical simulations are performed to assess the radiofrequency (RF)-induced heating of these 12 models at 11 landmarks. A customized phantom is developed to validate the numerical simulations and quantitatively analyze factors affecting the RF-induced heating, eg, the contact area, the loop size, and the loading position. The RF-induced heating inside three differently posed phantoms is measured. Results The RF-induced heating from the body-loop postures can be up to 11 times higher than that from the original posture. The RF-induced heating increases with increasing body-loop size and decreasing contact area. The magnetic flux increases when the body-loop center and the RF coil isocenter are close to each other, leading to increased RF-induced heating. An air gap created in the body loop or generating a polarized magnetic field parallel to the body loop can reduce the heating by a factor of three at least. Experimental measurements are provided, validating the correctness of the numerical results. Conclusion Safe patient posture during MR examinations is recommended with the use of insulation materials to prevent loop formation and consequently avoiding high RF-induced heating. If body loops cannot be avoided, the body loop should be placed outside the RF transmitting coil. In addition, linear polarization with magnetic fields parallel to the body loop can be used to circumvent high RF-induced heating.
Variation-aware Analog Circuit Sizing with Classifier Chains

In this work, a simulation-based optimization framework is proposed that determines the sizing of components of an analog circuit to meet target design specifications while also satisfying the robustness specifications set by the designer. The robustness is guaranteed by setting a limit on the standard deviations of the variations in the performance parameters of a circuit across all process and temperature corners of interest. Classifier chains are utilized that, in addition to modeling the relationship between inputs and outputs, learn the relationships among output labels. Additional design knowledge is inferred from the optimal ordering of the classifier chain. A case study is provided, where an LNA is designed in a 65 nm fabrication process. The corners of interest include the combination of the three temperatures of 20°C, 80°C, and 120°C, and the five process corners of typical-typical, slow-slow, fast-fast, slow-fast, and fast-slow. The adoption of classifier chains and the ensemble of classifier chains provides an improvement in the prediction accuracy as compared to the utilization of binary relevance. A qualified design solution is generated that satisfies both the performance and robustness specifications within 5 executed iterations of the design loop.
Neuromonitoring During Spine Surgery

Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) is an increasingly used tool aiming to detect abnormal neural function and to prevent adverse outcomes in acute care environments. IONM application for traumatic spine injuries can add a specialized depth to the understanding of a patient’s functional status, in a real-time manner. Successful IONM implementation requires excellence in the areas of clinical application, technologist competence, information technology systems, and physician interpretation. The intraoperative modalities of transcranial electrical motor evoked potentials (TCeMEPs), short-latency somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs), and spontaneous and triggered electromyography (sEMG and tEMG) can be accurately applied to aid the surgeons’ intraoperative decision making and postoperative care. Future IONM challenges in spinal surgeries include the establishment of more rigorous evidence-based guidelines and better cost-to-benefit ratio.
Brief report: Executive functions in adolescent offspring of mothers with a history of depression

Abstract Deficits in executive functions (EFs) have been documented among individuals with unipolar depression, but controversy exists as to whether such deficits are state-dependent or are trait markers that precede disorder onset. The present study examined whether maternal history of unipolar depression was associated with deficits in EFs in early adolescent offspring, a finding that would support a trait marker conceptualization of EF deficits. Participants were a diverse sample (N = 493) of adolescents and their mothers recruited through local schools. Measures included semi-structured diagnostic interviews of mother and adolescent, mother-report forms assessing demographic information, and tests of executive function. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between maternal depression diagnosis and adolescent offspring performance on tests of EF. Maternal lifetime history of depression was not associated with offspring EF task performance. Findings are not consistent with the conceptualization of impaired executive functions as trait markers of unipolar depression.
Heterozygous Mapping Strategy (HetMappS) for High Resolution Genotyping-By-Sequencing Markers: A Case Study in Grapevine

Genotyping by sequencing (GBS) provides opportunities to generate high-resolution genetic maps at a low genotyping cost, but for highly heterozygous species, missing data and heterozygote undercalling complicate the creation of GBS genetic maps. To overcome these issues, we developed a publicly available, modular approach called HetMappS, which functions independently of parental genotypes and corrects for genotyping errors associated with heterozygosity. For linkage group formation, HetMappS includes both a reference-guided synteny pipeline and a reference-independent de novo pipeline. The de novo pipeline can be utilized for under-characterized or high diversity families that lack an appropriate reference. We applied both HetMappS pipelines in five half-sib F1 families involving genetically diverse Vitis spp. Starting with at least 116,466 putative SNPs per family, the HetMappS pipelines identified 10,440 to 17,267 phased pseudo-testcross (Pt) markers and generated high-confidence maps. Pt marker density exceeded crossover resolution in all cases; up to 5,560 non-redundant markers were used to generate parental maps ranging from 1,047 cM to 1,696 cM. The number of markers used was strongly correlated with family size in both de novo and synteny maps (r = 0.92 and 0.91, respectively). Comparisons between allele and tag frequencies suggested that many markers were in tandem repeats and mapped as single loci, while markers in regions of more than two repeats were removed during map curation. Both pipelines generated similar genetic maps, and genetic order was strongly correlated with the reference genome physical order in all cases. Independently created genetic maps from shared parents exhibited nearly identical results. Flower sex was mapped in three families and correctly localized to the known sex locus in all cases. The HetMappS pipeline could have wide application for genetic mapping in highly heterozygous species, and its modularity provides opportunities to adapt portions of the pipeline to other family types, genotyping technologies or applications.
The Numerical Solution of Axisymmetric Free Boundary Porous Flow Well Problems Using Variational Inequalities

The free boundary problem for a fully penetrating well of radius r and filled with water to a depth hw, in a layer of soil of depth H, radius R and permeability k(x,y) can be formulated as follows: Find ϕ ∈ C1[r,R] and \({\text{u}} \in {\text{C}}^2 (\Omega)\; \cap \;{\text{C(}}\overline \Omega {\text{)}}\) such that (kux)x + (kuy)y =0 in Ω, u(R,y) = H for 0 < y < H, un(x,0) = 0 for r < x < R, u(r,y) = hw for 0 < y < hw, u(r,y) = y for hw < y < ϕ (r), un(x, ϕ (x)) = 0 and u(x, ϕ (x)) = ϕ (x) for r < x < R, where Ω = { (x,y: 0 < y < ϕ (x)}. The results of Benci [Annali di Mat. 100 (1974), 191–209] are used to derive a variational inequality and to prove existence and uniqueness. The problem is approximated using piecewise linear finite elements and 0(h) convergence of the approximate solutions is proved using recent results due to Brezzi, Hager, and Raviart.
A randomised trial of medical qigong for cancer patients

Oh B, Butow P, Mullan B, Clarke S, Beale P, Pavlakis N, Kothe E, Lam L, Rosenthal D. Impact of medical Qigong on quality of life, fatigue, mood and inflammation in cancer patients: a randomized controlled trial. Ann Oncol 2010; 21: 608–14.
22 Phylogenetic Footprinting

Publisher Summary Phylogenetic footprinting is a method for identifying functional elements in a genome by their conservation across evolutionary lineages. This approach facilitates the identification of any functional sequence, but is most often used to identify sequence elements that regulate gene expression. The chapter discusses the use of phylogenetic footprinting to identify gene regulatory elements in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The use of phylogenetic footprinting to identify gene regulatory sequences is still in its infancy. Investigators have been using sequence comparisons for many years to identify genes and the functional sequences of proteins. There are two major considerations for phylogenetic footprinting. First, it is critical to compare the genomes of species that are appropriately diverged. The greater the evolutionary distance between the compared sequences, the more the non-functional sequences will diverge, increasing the definition of the conserved sequences. However, as the sequences to be compared become more diverged, it becomes increasingly difficult to align them, making it difficult to identify orthologous conserved sequences. Second, orthologous genes from the species being compared must be regulated similarly for phylogenetic footprinting to be successful.
Improvement of high speed 4-WS vehicle handling performance by sliding mode control

This paper presents a new sliding mode control of four wheel steering of an automobile for handling improvement. The sliding mode four wheel steering (SM4WS) not only improves the directional stability and controllability but also provides good disturbance rejection for unexpected side wind. The SM4WS makes vehicle response faster than conventional 2WS without suspension and tire modification. The linear three-degree-of freedom vehicle handling model is used to investigate the vehicle handling performance. In simulation of the J-turn, the yaw rate overshoot reduction of a typical mid-size car improved by 40% compared to a 2WS case. Although the lateral deviation of SM4WS is almost the same as that of 2WS the yaw rate reduction was approximately 20% to that of 2WS system. The simulation of the J-turn maneuver shows that the proposed scheme gives faster yaw rate response and smaller side slip angle than the 2WS case. When the rear tire pressure is lower than normal condition, the car becomes less understeer and is worse in directional controllability. But, SM4WS is insensitive to such parameter variations because of the robustness properties of the sliding mode control.
University Outreach and Engagement: Responding to a Changing World

Rapid and dramatic demographic and technological changes present the nation with enormous challenges for educating students, growing the economy, and responding to society's needs. America's colleges and universities have a central role to play in all of these critical areas-serving as agents of change as they themselves change institutionally in response to new and changing markets, multilevel partnerships, and serious challenges to institutional funding. Their effectiveness will be determined by how well they engage students, business and industry, public agencies and schools, communities, and others. This article focuses on best practices and strategies for successful institutional outreach and engagement.
Real-Time quality control of tracked ultrasound

The overwhelming majority of intra-operative hazard situations in tracked ultrasound (US) systems are attributed to failure of registration between tracking and imaging coordinate frames. We introduce a novel methodology for real-time in-vivo quality control of tracked US systems, in order to capture registration failures during the clinical procedure. In effect, we dynamically recalibrate the tracked US system for rotation, scale factor, and in-plane position offset up to a scale factor. We detect any unexpected change in these parameters through capturing discrepancies in the resulting calibration matrix, thereby assuring quality (accuracy and consistency) of the tracked system. No phantom is used for the recalibration. We perform the task of quality control in the background, transparently to the clinical user while the subject is being scanned. We present the concept, mathematical formulation, and experimental evaluation in-vitro. This new method can play an important role in guaranteeing accurate, consistent, and reliable performance of tracked ultrasound.
Relative contribution of spring- and summer-spawned bluefish cohorts to the adult population: effects of size-selective winter mortality, overwinter growth, and sampling bias

Length distributions of juvenile bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) are bimodal, consisting of spring- and summer-spawned fish. Research during the 1990s from the northeastern United States suggested that the summer cohort contributes little to the adult population and that overwinter mortality may limit their survival. We examined length distributions of juvenile bluefish from before and after winter and found that the mean length of the summer cohort increased during winter. Based on a winter-growth experiment and temperatures from the two winters examined, changes in mean length were due to size-selective mortality for one year class and growth for the other. Despite evidence for winter mortality, summer-spawned bluefish were commonly caught at age 1. We reexamined the relative contribution of each cohort to the adult population using archived scales from North Carolina fisheries. Cohort origin of adults was determined by back-calculating length at age 1. One-third of adults consisted of summer-spawned fis...
SUBTLETIES AND SURPRISES

This review of nuclear beta decay with regards to an understanding of the weak interaction covers the continuous distributon of the beta spectrum, polemics between Meitner and Ellis as told by Pauli, the puzzle of the continuous distribution of the beta spectrum, Pauli's proposal of the neutrino, and Fermi's theory of beta decay. Also, a prosperous era of beta spectroscopy, some unique forbidden beta spectra, the Puppi triangle, overthrow of the law of parity in weak interactions, the genetic tree of the beta interaction, universal Fermi interaction, theoretic formulation of the universal (V-A) Fermi interaction, conserved vector current (CVC) hypothesis, weak magnetism term, and reanalysis of the /sup 12/B and /sup 12/N beta spectra are recounted. Included are quotations and some anecdotes illustrating the subtleties and surprises of beta decay development. 31 references. (JFP)
The Determination of Triglycerides in Plasma and Tissues

A simple method for the determination of plasma and tissue triglycerides is described. This procedure involves the extraction and saponification of triglycerides, the oxidation of the glycerol moiety to formaldehyde, and the conversion of formaldehyde to a yellow-colored compound, 3,5 diacetyl-1-4 dihydrolulidine, the intensity of which is determined spectrophotometrically. The recoveries of triglycerides added to plasma and tissues have been satisfactory. Plasma samples obtained from normal human subjects are found to have triglycerides in the range 83-200 mg./100 ml. From the standpoint of sensitivity, simplicity, and time required, this technic is believed to be an improvement over previously described procedures for triglyceride determination.
Does the IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol work well in multihop wireless ad hoc networks

The IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol is the standard for wireless LANs; it is widely used in testbeds and simulations for wireless multihop ad hoc networks. However, this protocol was not designed for multihop networks. Although it can support some ad hoc network architecture, it is not intended to support the wireless mobile ad hoc network, in which multihop connectivity is one of the most prominent features. In this article we focus on the following question: can the IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol function well in multihop networks? By presenting several serious problems encountered in an IEEE 802.11-based multihop network and revealing the in-depth cause of these problems, we conclude that the current version of this wireless LAN protocol does not function well in multihop ad hoc networks. We thus doubt whether the WaveLAN-based system is workable as a mobile ad hoc testbed.
Signals and systems demonstrations for undergraduates using Android-based localization

This project aims to contribute to education research using mobile apps to demonstrate how signals and systems concepts are used in sensor network localization. An educational demonstration of sensor localization on mobile devices is described with the mobile devices acting as nodes of a sensor network. In our approach, we are developing an app that uses a modified version of time-difference of arrival (TDOA) using audio signals and commercial Android devices. At a high level, the app can be used to illustrate how triangulation can be used to localize devices, which is a concept that is used in GPS. Students are exposed to signal processing concepts such as correlation and the fast Fourier transform (FFT), and their utility in sensor localization. The use of FFT-based convolution for computing correlations is also demonstrated. Since the app has been developed for Android devices, it can be made widely available and has the added benefit of appealing to students that are eager to use educational apps on their mobile phones. Assessments will be performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the app in education. The work engages NSF REU and REV students who are involved in developing and testing the app.
Mortality based on the presenting electrocardiogram in patients with myocardial infarction in the troponin era.

Abstract Background Studies reporting short-term mortality in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) based on the initial electrocardiogram (ECG) are often limited by requiring an ischemic ECG for inclusion. Because few patients with normal or nonspecific findings were included, outcomes in these patients are less clear, especially in the troponin era. Methods Consecutive patients diagnosed as having MI using troponin I (TnI) over a 6-year period were included and classified into 8 mutually exclusive groups based on the initial ECG using standard criteria. Patients were included in only 1 group. The MI size was estimated using multiples of peak creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), and 30-day mortality rate was assessed. Results Among 1641 patients with MI, patients with ST elevation represented only 22% of all MIs. Patients with ST elevation had the largest MI size, with 2 of 3 having a peak CK-MB greater than 10 times normal. In contrast, most of the patients representing all the other ECG groups had a peak CK-MB less than 5 times normal, with approximately 1 of 3 having no CK-MB elevation and were diagnosed by TnI elevation alone. Patients could be separated into a high-risk group (ST elevation, ischemia, other, or left bundle-branch block), in which mortality rate exceeded 9% (mean, 14%), and a lower-risk group (prior MI, left ventricular hypertrophy, nonspecific changes, and normal), in which the 30-day mortality rate averaged 6% ( P Conclusions Specific ECG findings other than ischemia portend poor outcomes in patients with MI. Once MI is diagnosed, patients are no longer low risk.
Unstable resonators for annular gain volume lasers

Experimental performance of several different unstable resonators with annual cylindrical mode volumes is reported. Laser output beam quality and its sensitivity to resonator component misalignments and figure errors are described. Near diffraction-limited beam quality was obtained from an annular cylindrical He–Xe laser employing a half-symmetric unstable resonator with an intracavity axicon.
Normal solid stress in fluidized beds

A probe was developed to isolate and measure the effective particle phase normal stress, or solid pressure, in gas-solid flows. Measurements of solid pressure were obtained in a laboratory-scale bubbling fluidized bed for Geldart Group A, B, and D particles for a variety of flow conditions. The variations of time-averaged solid pressure with superficial gas velocity were examined to characterize the solid stress behavior for the bubbling bed and packed bed regimes, and to determine the minimum fluidization point. Various statistical quantities were calculated from the transient solid pressure data to characterize further the state of the fluidized bed. Solid stress constitutive relations derived from the application of dense gas kinetic theory to particulate flows were used along with the experimental results to obtain values for the effective solid shear viscosity in the bubbling regime. The calculated solid viscosity values were compared with previously reported values (measured by different means) for bubbling beds.
Spatial normalization of diffusion tensor fields

A method for the spatial normalization and reorientation of diffusion tensor (DT) fields is presented. Spatial normalization of tensor fields requires an appropriate reorientation of the tensor on each voxel, in addition to its relocation into the standardized space. This appropriate tensor reorientation is determined from the spatial normalization transformation and from an estimate of the underlying fiber direction. The latter is obtained by treating the principal eigenvectors of the tensor field around each voxel as random samples drawn from the probability distribution that represents the direction of the underlying fiber. This approach was applied to DT images from nine normal volunteers, and the results show a significant improvement in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) after spatial normalization and averaging of tensor fields across individuals. The statistics of the spatially normalized tensor field, which represents the tensor characteristics of normal individuals, may be useful for quantitatively characterizing individual variations of white matter structures revealed by DT imaging (DTI) and deviations caused by pathology. Simulated experiments using this methodology are also described.
Theory of thin film transistor operation

Abstract An approximate theory of the thin film transistor is presented. It is proposed that the large observed transconductances of thin film transistors made from polycrystalline CdS films are the result of changes of carrier mobility as well as carrier concentration. It is proposed that mobility changes occur because of changes in the amount of ionized impurity scattering or because of changes in the heights of intercrystalline barriers. The frequency dependence of the transconductance is analyzed by considering the effect of traps. It is shown that the magnitude and phase of the small signal a.c. transconductance allows one to infer which physical mechanism is responsible for the conductivity modulation.
Bridge to surgery using partially covered self-expandable metal stents (PCMS) in malignant biliary stricture: an acceptable paradigm?

Background and aim Partially covered self-expanding metal stents (PCMS) have been extensively used for palliation of malignant distal biliary stricture. Many centers have been using them as a bridge to surgery (BTS) regardless of resectability with or without eventual neoadjuvant therapy. We analyzed the outcome of all patients receiving PCMS and subsequently referred for surgery in our institution.
GerO, a Putative Na+/H+-K+ Antiporter, Is Essential for Normal Germination of Spores of the Pathogenic Bacterium Clostridium perfringens

The genome of the pathogen Clostridium perfringens encodes two proteins, GerO and GerQ, homologous to monovalent cation transporters suggested to have roles in the germination of spores of some Bacillus species. GerO and GerQ were able to transport monovalent cations (K(+) and/or Na(+)) in Escherichia coli, and gerO and gerQ were expressed only in the mother cell compartment during C. perfringens sporulation. C. perfringens spores lacking GerO were defective in germination with a rich medium, KCl, L-asparagine, and a 1:1 chelate of Ca(2+) and dipicolinic acid (DPA), but not with dodecylamine, and the defect was prior to DPA release in germination. All defects in gerO spores were complemented by ectopic expression of wild-type gerO. Loss of GerQ had much smaller effects on spore germination, and these effects were most evident in spores also lacking GerO. A modeled structure of GerO was similar to that of the E. coli Na(+)/H(+) antiporter NhaA, and GerO, but not GerQ contained two adjacent Asp residues thought to be important in the function of this group of cation transporters. Replacement of these adjacent Asp residues in GerO with Asn reduced the protein's ability to complement the germination defect in gerO spores but not the ability to restore cation transport to E. coli cells defective in K(+) uptake. Together, these data suggest that monovalent cation transporters play some role in C. perfringens spore germination. However, it is not clear whether this role is directly in germination or perhaps in spore formation.
Implementation of evidence-based practices: Applying a goal commitment framework

Background The implementation of evidence-based practices translates research findings into practice to reduce inappropriate care. However, this process is slow and unpredictable. The lack of a coherent theoretical basis for understanding individual and organizational behavior limits our ability to formulate effective implementation strategies. Purpose The study objectives are (a) to test the goal commitment framework that explains mechanisms impacting outcomes of major depressive disorder (MDD) screening guideline implementation and (b) to understand the effects of implementation outcomes on provider practice related to MDD screening. Methods Using data from the Determinants of Clinical Practice Guideline Implementation Effectiveness Study, the national sample included 2,438 clinicians from 139 Veteran Affairs acute care hospitals with primary care clinics. We used hierarchical generalized linear modeling to assess the following implementation outcomes: agreement with, adherence to, improvement in knowledge of guidelines, and delivery of best practices as a function of clinician input into implementation, teamwork, involvement in quality improvement activities, participative culture, interdepartmental coordination, frequency, and utility of performance feedback. We then estimated self-reported MDD screening practices as a function of these four implementation outcomes. Findings Results showed that having input into implementation, involvement in quality of care improvement, teamwork, and perceived value of performance feedback were positively associated with implementation outcomes. Provider self-assessed guideline adherence was positively associated with the likelihood of appropriate MDD screening. Implications Factors related to increased goal commitment positively predicted key implementation outcomes, which in turn enhanced care delivery. This study demonstrates that the goal commitment framework is useful in assisting managers to assess factors that facilitate implementation. In particular, participation, feedback, and team work equip organizational participants with better information about implementation targets, thereby increasing adherence. Instituting or improving systems or programs to facilitate timely, appropriate performance feedback and provider participation may help enhancing organizational change and learning.
Drug shortages: the cycle of quantity and quality.

Shortages of pharmaceutical drugs pose a serious and growing threat to public health. Although the number of drugs in shortage in the United States in any given year is very small, the number of prescription drug shortages in the country nearly tripled between 2005 and 2010. Drug shortages are becoming more severe as well as more frequent. The affected medicines include cancer treatments, anesthesia drugs, and other drugs that are critical to the treatment and prevention of serious diseases and life-threatening conditions. (The White House, Office of the Press Secretary, Executive Order 13588–Reducing Prescription Drug Shortages (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/10/31/executive-order-reducing-prescription-drug-shortages)). Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2013); 93 3, 245–251. doi:10.1038/clpt.2012.235
Transparent conducting films of CdSe(ZnS) core(shell) quantum dot xerogels

A method of fabricating sol-gel quantum dot (QD) films is demonstrated, and their optical, structural and electrical properties are evaluated. The CdSe(ZnS) xerogel films remain quantum confined, yet are highly conductive (10(-3) S cm(-1)). This approach provides a pathway for the exploitation of QD gels in optoelectronic applications.
A Novel Bread Making Process Using Salt‐Stressed Baker's Yeast

By adjusting the mixing order of ingredients in traditional formula, an innovative bread making process was developed. The effect of salt-stressed Baker's yeast on bread dough of different sugar levels was investigated. Baker's yeast was stressed in 7% salt solution then mixed into dough, which was then evaluated for fermentation time, dough fermentation producing gas, dough expansion, bread specific volumes, and sensory and physical properties. The results of this study indicated that salt-stressed Baker's yeast shortened fermentation time in 16% and 24% sugar dough. Forty minutes of salt stress produced significant amount of gas and increased bread specific volumes. The bread was softer and significantly improved sensory properties for aroma, taste, and overall acceptability were obtained.
Fracture of the femoral tunnel after an anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Abstract Fractures after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructive surgery are rare. Patella fractures can occur as a complication after bone-patellar tendon-bone autografts, and few case reports of tibia fractures have been published. Although reports of femur fractures have been published, the causes are attributed to stress risers other than the femoral tunnel. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of a femoral tunnel serving as a stress riser after an ACL reconstruction with bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft. The patient's fracture resulted from minimal trauma and required surgical fixation.
The Molecular Basis of Sjögren-Larsson Syndrome: Mutation Analysis of the Fatty Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Gene

Sjogren-Larsson syndrome (SLS) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by ichthyosis, mental retardation, spasticity, and deficient activity of fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase (FALDH). To define the molecular defects causing SLS, we performed mutation analysis of the FALDH gene in probands from 63 kindreds with SLS. Among these patients, 49 different mutations—including 10 deletions, 2 insertions, 22 amino acid substitutions, 3 nonsense mutations, 9 splice-site defects, and 3 complex mutations—were found. All of the patients with SLS were found to carry mutations. Nineteen of the missense mutations resulted in a severe reduction of FALDH enzyme catalytic activity when expressed in mammalian cells, but one mutation (798G→C [K266N]) seemed to have a greater effect on mRNA stability. The splice-site mutations led to exon skipping or utilization of cryptic acceptor-splice sites. Thirty-seven mutations were private, and 12 mutations were seen in two or more probands of European or Middle Eastern descent. Four single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found in the FALDH gene. At least four of the common mutations (551C→T, 682C→T, 733G→A, and 798+1delG) were associated with multiple SNP haplotypes, suggesting that these mutations originated independently on more than one occasion or were ancient SLS genes that had undergone intragenic recombination. Our results demonstrate that SLS is caused by a strikingly heterogeneous group of mutations in the FALDH gene and provide a framework for understanding the genetic basis of SLS and the development of DNA-based diagnostic tests.
The Envelope Glycoproteins of Dengue 1 and Dengue 2 Viruses Grown in Mosquito Cells Differ in Their Utilization of Potential Glycosylation Sites

We have previously isolated and characterized two dengue (DEN) 2 viruses mutant in their fusion-from-within (FFWI) phenotype in the insect cell line C6/36. Both viruses lost a potential glycosylation site (Asn-153) in the envelope (E) glycoprotein. To determine whether the change in FFWI phenotype was due to a change in E-glycoprotein glycosylation, we characterized the patterns of glycosylation on the E-glycoprotein of wild-type DEN 1 and DEN 2 viruses. The E-glycoproteins were isolated from purified virus grown in Aedes albopictus C6/36 cells, by use of high-performance size-exclusion chromatography. The tryptic maps of wild-type glycosylated and enzymatically (PNGase F) deglycosylated E-glycoproteins were compared by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. The DEN 1 virus E-glycoprotein was found to have two peaks in the tryptic map that exhibited shifts after deglycosylation, whereas the DEN 2 virus E-glycoprotein had only one. Besides the potential glycosylation site at Asn-153, both DEN 1 and DEN 2 virus E-glycoproteins have another potential site located at Asn-67. Amino-terminal sequencing of the shifted peaks revealed that DEN 2 virus E-glycoprotein is glycosylated only at Asn-67; however, DEN 1 virus E-glycoprotein is glycosylated at both Asn-67 and Asn-153. These DEN virus serotypes are thus heterogeneous in their use of glycosylation sites. We also determined by a lectin-binding assay that the attached carbohydrates for both viruses were likely to be of the high-mannose type.
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis induced by intranasal heroin use

locus ceruleus, since experimental bilateral pontine lesions that involve the peri-locus ceruleus produce REM sleep behavior disorder in animals (l6). Bisoprolol is a lipophilic agent that penetrates the blood-brain barrier and blocks pontomedullary b-receptors (3). We conclude that bisoprolol may induce REM sleep behavior disorder and that physicians who prescribe this antihypertensive agent should be aware of this possibility if patients report sleep disturbances shortly after the start of therapy.
Expression of Primary Cilia on Liver Stem and Progenitor Cells: Potential Role for Mechanosensing in Liver Development

The primary cilium is a non-motile organelle that projects out from the plasma membrane of many cell types in the body. It consists of an axoneme with microtubules arranged in a 9+0 arrangement that extends from the mother centriole contained within the basal body. Once thought to be a non-essential organelle, it is now known that primary cilia have an important role in embryonic and post-natal development, as well as maintenance of adult tissues. Mutations affecting primary ciliary development result in a class of serious diseases known as ciliopathies [1, 2]. Recent research suggests that the primary cilia/ centrosomes might play a role in embryonic stem cell differentiation through cell cycle regulation and their association with the Hedgehog signaling pathway [3, 4].Copyright © 2013 by ASME
A three-stage theory of international expansion: the link between multinationality and performance in the service sector

It is generally assumed that the performance of a firm improves with greater multinationality. Yet recent empirical studies have shown both a U-shaped relationship (which suggests an initially negative effect of international expansion on performance, before the positive returns of international expansion are realized) and an inverted-U-shaped relationship (which suggests that international expansion beyond an optimal level is again detrimental to performance, and results in a negative slope). This paper proposes a new unified three-stage theory of international expansion that incorporates both concepts in a sigmoid hypothesis. It then tests this on data from 11 service industries, highlighting the difference between knowledge-based and capital-intensive service sectors.
Ionic Raman Effect. I. Scattering by Localized Vibration Modes

A theory is presented of the Raman scattering of infrared light by the modulation of the ionic contribution to the polarizability of a crystal by the displacements of the atoms from their equilibrium positions. It is applied to the calculation of the scattering efficiency for the scattering of light by the localized vibration modes due to ${\mathrm{H}}^{\ensuremath{-}} U$ centers in Ca${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$. The results of these calculations indicate that such scattering should be readily observable when a CO or He-Ne laser is used as the source of incident light.
Factors contributing to taste and quality of commercially processed strained carrots

Commercially processed strained carrots were obtained from three different processing locations over a 1-year span. Selected carrot lots exhibited both desirable and undesirable sensory attributes based on informal evaluations, while additional carrots were chosen based on postharvest storage factors that may have influenced overall quality. Physicochemical analysis was conducted to determine factors influencing carrot taste and color attributes that could be utilized for retail quality assessment. Quantitative sensory analysis was performed on a subset of the production lots representing a diverse range in chemical composition. Basic taste attributes indicated that concentrations of 6-methoxymellein (6-MM), soluble phenolics and organic acids in relation to high moisture content were critical factors for strained carrot taste. Strained carrot color could not be attributed to processing location or chemical composition and was likely due to raw product variation between cultivars. Variation between each processing location was greater than variation within each location, and overall differences between lots was attributed to 6-MM and soluble phenolic acid concentrations. By screening raw carrots for indications of stress induced chemical constituents, an understanding of those factors contributing to commercially processed strained carrot taste can be obtained.
A System of Formal Logic Without an Analogue to the Curry $W$ Operator

The system of formal logic to be presented in this paper has the following main properties:(1). The Mengenlehre paradoxes do not arise in it.(2). It seems to be free from other contradictions.(3). It does not resort to a theory of types.(4). It uses negation and material implication and does not weaken the principle of excluded middle.(5). It contains no analogue to the Curry W operator; consequently, given a propositional function ϕ, a propositional function Ψ cannot always be found such that, for all x, ϕ(x, x) and Ψ(x) are equivalent propositions.(6). It employs a universal quantifier, G, such that (x)f(x), (x)f(x, x), (x)f(x, x, x), …, would be respectively expressed thus, G(f, f), G(f, f, f), G(f, f, f, f), ….(7). It employs Schonfinkel's functional notation, so that f(x1, x2, …, xn) will be written as (( … ((fx1)x2) …)xn) and abbreviated to (fx1x2… xn) and, when no ambiguity results, to fx1x2…xn.(8). A theory of integers and real numbers cannot, apparently, be deduced from it.(9). A form of the axiom of choice is provable in it.
Baroclinic generation of streamwise vorticity in a stratified shear layer

The existence of an organized streamwise vortical structure, which is superimposed on the well known coherent spanwise vorticity in nominally two-dimensional free shear layers, has been studied extensively. In the presence of stratification, however, buoyancy forces contribute to an additional mechanism for the generation of streamwise vorticity. The purpose of the current investigation is to force the three-dimensional instability in the stratified shear layer. In this manner, we experimentally observe the effect of buoyancy on the streamwise vortex tube evolution, the evolution of the buoyancy-induced instability, and the interaction between these two vortical structures. It is found that streamwise vortices resulting from vortex stretching are weakened in regions of locally stable stratification. Buoyancy-induced vortex structures are shown to form where the unstable part of the interface is tilted by the streamwise vortex tubes. These vortices strengthen initially, then weaken downstream, the time scale for this process depending upon the degree of stratification. For initial Richardson numbers larger than about 0.03, the baroclinically weakened vortex tubes eventually disappear as the flow evolves downstream and the baroclinically generated vortices dominate the three-dimensional flow structure.