cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Minimum clinically significant VAS differences for simultaneous (paired) interval serial pain assessments

We conducted two studies to determine whether the minimum clinically significant difference in the visual analog scale (VAS) for nearly simultaneous and brief-interval serial assessments of pain is less than that for pain assessment at 20- to 30-minute intervals, using a 10-cm VAS. The first study was a blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled paired trial comparing the pain of intravenous cannulation in both hands (20-minute application of a eutectic mixture of local anesthetics v placebo) of study subjects. The second study was a non-blinded, randomized, paired trial of different treatments for jellyfish stings. In the first study, 37 of 40 subjects indicated that one hand experienced more pain than the other. Eleven of these 37 subjects (30%) indicated differences in VAS values of 1.0 cm or less, with a minimum value of 0.5 cm. In the second study, for all the VAS-based pain comparisons, VAS differences of ≤0.5 cm (other than zero) occurred 183 times, and in 171 of these instances (93%) subjects were able to recognize that there was a difference. On the basis of these findings, the minimum clinically significant VAS difference for paired comparisons that are simultaneous or occur within 5 minutes of each other is about 0.5 cm or less. This value is less than the 1.3-cm value determined for serial 20- to 30-minute pain comparisons. It is likely that other types of pain comparisons may have different minimum clinically significant VAS differences.
Subfailure overstretch induces persistent changes in the passive mechanical response of cerebral arteries.

Cerebral blood vessels are critical in maintaining the health of the brain, but their function can be disrupted by traumatic brain injury (TBI). Even in cases without hemorrhage, vessels are deformed with the surrounding brain tissue. This subfailure deformation could result in altered mechanical behavior. This study investigates the effect of overstretch on the passive behavior of isolated middle cerebral arteries (MCAs), with the hypothesis that axial stretch beyond the in vivo length alters this response. Twenty nine MCA sections from eleven ewes were tested. Vessels were subjected to a baseline test consisting of an axial stretch from a buckled state to 1.05*in vivo stretch (λIV) while pressurized at 13.3 kPa. Specimens were then subjected to a target level of axial overstretch between 1.05*λIV (λz=1.15) and 1.52*λIV (λZ=1.63). Following overstretch, baseline tests were repeated immediately and then every 10 minutes, for 60 minutes, to investigate viscoelastic recovery. Injury was defined as an unrecoverable change in the passive mechanical response following overstretch. Finally, pressurized MCAs were pulled axially to failure. Post-overstretch response exhibited softening such that stress values at a given level of stretch were lower after injury. The observed softening also generally resulted in increased nonlinearity of the stress-stretch curve, with toe region slope decreasing and large deformation slope increasing. There was no detectable change in reference configuration or failure values. As hypothesized, the magnitude of these alterations increased with overstretch severity, but only once overstretch exceeded 1.2*λIV (p<0.001). These changes were persistent over 60 minutes. These changes may have significant implications in repeated TBI events and in increased susceptibility to stroke post-TBI.
Characteristics of personnel at graduate science education centers: Implications for the future of the profession

Biographical and professional information for all 168 faculty members employed at the 35 largest graduate centers for science education was collected and analyzed. This is a report of the analysis and a discussion of the implication for the profession. The graduate faculty at major U.S. centers is homogeneous as to age, sex, rank, academic preparation, previous experience, research productivity, and professional involvement. The stability (or slight decline) in number of new personnel employed at research centers, and the multipurpose features of most centers are viewed as major problems. There are few examples of cooperative efforts among the 168 and few examples of clearly defined research efforts over an extended period of time.
Depletion and enrichment history of subcontinental lithospheric mantle: An Os, Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic study of ultramafic xenoliths from the northwestern Wyoming Craton

Abstract Elemental and isotopic compositions of spinel peridotite, pyroxenite and glimmerite xenoliths in Eocene minette dikes from the Highwood Mountains and Eagle Buttes, Montana, U.S.A., reveal a prolonged, yet episodic, history of melt removal and addition within the shallow lithospheric mantle of the Archean Wyoming Craton or its modified margin. Ancient, but highly variable, enrichment in incompatible elements is indicated by extreme Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic compositions ( 87 Sr 86 Sr = 0.705 to 1.02 ; ϵ Nd = −9 to −43; 206 Pb 204 Pb = 15.8 to 23.2 ). Very low 187 Os 188 Os (0.110 or less), corresponding to Re depletion model ages ( T RD ) of 2.7 to 2.9 Ga in some of the peridotites reflects melt removal during the Archean. At least one product of Archean melt migrating through this mantle section is preserved as a websterite xenolith that gives 2.7 Ga model ages for both the SmNd and ReOs isotopic systems. The majority of xenoliths, however, define PbPb and SmNd isochrons of mid-Proterozoic age and have ReOs T RD ages of 2 Ga or less. The mid-Proterozoic age could reflect either the time of formation of these peridotites in the shallow mantle or a time of severe overprinting of the incompatible element budget of pre-existing material by interaction with migrating fluids and/or melts. Glimmerite veins within one harzburgite sample yield 1.8 Ga monazite UPb ages and probably represent the products of crystallization of the fluid/melt responsible for the incompatible element enrichment. The material introduced in the Proterozoic was derived from much older, presumably Archean, crustal materials as shown by marked negative Eu anomalies in many samples and highly evolved initial Sr and Nd isotopic compositions. The data highlight the complex chemical evolution experienced by mantle lithosphere and suggest a coupling between the timing of processes affecting the lithospheric mantle and those recorded in the overlying crustal section.
The Structure of the Inner Corona

IT was my good fortune to observe the total eclipse of 1878 at the very exceptionally favoured station of Pike's Peak, at an elevation of 14,000 feet, and in the clearest air.
Directors' Characteristics and Committee Membership: An Investigation of Type, Occupation, Tenure, and Gender

This study examined the composition of corporate board committees. The characteristics of occupation, type, tenure, and gender are examined in relationship to directors' membership on the four boar...
Access to Business Research Resources through Academic Library Web Sites: A Survey

This study is an examination of access to business research resources through academic library websites, including research databases, catalog services, research guides, and business librarians. The websites of 114 academic libraries serving top business programs in the United States were studied. Results reveal a wide range of access to business research databases among the schools studied (anywhere from 11 to 100 business databases available). More than 95% of the schools provided business research guides, and nearly all schools provided at least some contact information for business librarians.
Coherent electron transport through freestanding graphene junctions with metal contacts: a materials approach

In this article we highlight recent work in which we computed the spin unpolarized coherent electron transport through two terminal nanoscale graphene/metal junctions using equilibrium Green's functions coupled to Density functional theory, capturing in detail the important electronic effects created at metal/graphene interfaces. In those calculations the metal contacts may or may not bind covalently to graphene. Along the way, connections to other models for coherent transport on graphene junctions with metal contacts are given as well. As it may be known, the computation of the electronic dispersion at the interface between graphene and binding metals in a transport setup is extremely time-consuming, and it is perhaps for this reason that effects of metals are neglected or are captured only qualitatively in the theoretical and computational modeling of graphene devices. It thus seems to us that a methodology to go past this stumbling block may be well-received. We outline an approach to obtain tight-binding parameters describing the electronic dispersion at interfaces between titanium leads and graphene. The deployment of those tight-binding parameters is new, and it constitutes the main contribution on the present paper.
Evaluation of probability point estimate methods

Abstract In modern engineering designs and analyses, computer models are frequently used. Due to the presence of uncertainties associated with the model inputs and parameters, which are treated as random variables, analysis is feasible if the methods employed do not require excessive computations yet produce reasonably accurate results. Point estimate methods are such schemes that are potentially capable of achieving the goals. Assuming normal distributions to the random variables, three point estimate methods (Rosenblueth's, Harr's, and a modified Harr's method) were evaluated in this paper for different numbers of random variables and different model types. Results of this evaluation indicated that the proposed modified Harr's method yielded comparable, if not better, performance than the other two methods. Also, performance evaluation indicated that additional statistical information, other than the commonly used first two moments, should be incorporated, if available, to enhance the accuracy of uncertainty analysis.
Planar and fibre textures induced in isotactic polypropylene on equibiaxial hydrostatic deformation

Abstract Wide-angle X-ray scattering studies on equibiaxially deformed isotactic polypropylene (i-PP) have been carried out. The equibiaxial deformation is achieved by uniaxial compression below the melting point at 60 and 140°C. The study proves the equibiaxiality of the deformation with the observation of two types of crystal textures referred to as planar and fibrillar. These textures are quantified by relating the intensity distribution for a (110) reflection to the orientation distribution of the crystals. The signature of the fibre-like texture in the intensity distribution (of a given (hkl) reflection) is obvious; the manifestation of the planar texture requires a closer analysis of the pole figure. An ‘exact method’ of formulation is used to estimate the relative fractions of the two textures. The quantitative change in the relative fraction as a function of compression ratio is explained in terms of a qualitative model based on slip systems. The mechanism of the texture developed in i-PP as a function of compression ratio is discussed in the light of crystal slip systems and the order-disorder transition during the deformation process. The latter phenomenon is shown to be a favourable route to obtaining a high chain orientation and a larger amount of the planar texture relative to the fibrillar texture.
Drought susceptibility in emergent wetland angiosperms: a comparison of water deficit growth in five herbaceous perennials

Freshwater wetlands often exist as transitional areas between terrestrial uplands and deep open water. Thus they are fundamentally sensitive to changes in hydrology. Some of the more dramatic changes in wetland water supply occur during extensive droughts, where both precipitation and soil water table markedly decline. While it is generally understood that herbaceous wetland macrophytes are more sensitive to decreased water availability than wetland trees, the degree of susceptibility among wetland herbs remains relatively unexplored. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate plant growth responses of five herbaceous wetland species (monocots Carex alata, Juncus effusus, and Peltandra virginica, and dicots Saururus cernuus, and Justicia americana) to simulated drought conditions (up to 6 weeks in a 1-in-25-year precipitation low with receding soil water tables). Of the five species studied, three (J. americana, S. cernuus, and J. effusus) had no survivors after 6 weeks of simulated drought. J. americana, appeared to be the most sensitive to water deprivation with a 67% decrease in plant phytomass and an 85% decrease in leaf area with only 2 weeks of drought, and complete mortality after 3 weeks. While P. virginica also had significant decreases in biomass, leaf area, relative growth rate (RGR) and unit leaf rate (ULR), in as little as 2 weeks of drought, no noticeable decreases in survival were observed. In contrast, when J. effusus experienced between 2- and 4-weeks of water deprivation, there were significant increases in RGR, ULR, phytomass, leaf area, and shoot:root ratios. S. cernuus and C. alata remained relatively unaffected following 4 weeks of drought; however by the fifth week, there were significant declines in leaf area for both species. In general, this study provides experimental evidence on how herbaceous macrophytes grow under drought conditions. This basic understanding is fundamental if we are to develop better working models on how wetlands will respond to changing environmental conditions that lead to decreased water supply.
The Effect of the Language for Thinking Program on the Cognitive Processing and Social Adjustment of Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Processing speed plays an important role in numerous facets of life functioning. Language, academic achievement, and behavior are all associated with processing speed; however, researchers have yet to investigate the effect of interventions, particularly language-based interventions, on the processing speed and the behavioral functioning of students with emotional and behavioral disorders. This study examined the effects of a language-based intervention program, Language for Thinking, on the processing speed and emotional and behavioral functioning of students with emotional and behavioral disorders served in self-contained settings. At posttest, the authors found significant reductions on the Child Behavior Checklist: Teacher's Report Form, along with statistically significant gains on the Woodcock-Johnson III NU Tests of Cognitive Abilities Processing Speed Cluster. The authors discuss the limitations and present the implications for future research.
Effect of Ginkgo biloba extract on lopinavir, midazolam and fexofenadine pharmacokinetics in healthy subjects.

ABSTRACTObjective: Animal and in vitro data suggest that Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) may modulate CYP3A4 activity. As such, GBE may alter the exposure of HIV protease inhibitors metabolized by CYP3A4. It is also possible that GBE could alter protease inhibitor pharmacokinetics (PK) secondary to modulation of P-glycoprotein (P‑gp). The primary objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of GBE on the exposure of lopinavir in healthy volunteers administered lopinavir/ritonavir. Secondary objectives were to compare ritonavir exposure pre- and post-GBE, and assess the effect of GBE on single doses of probe drugs midazolam and fexofenadine.Methods: This open-label study evaluated the effect of 2 weeks of standardized GBE administration on the steady-state exposure of lopinavir and ritonavir in 14 healthy volunteers administered lopinavir/ritonavir to steady-state. In addition, single oral doses of probe drugs midazolam and fexofenadine were administered prior to and after 4 weeks of GBE (following washou...
Psychiatric disorder and suicide in the military, then and now: Commentary on Frueh and Smith

Consulting archival medical data from the American Civil War, Frueh and Smith found little evidence of mental disorders, no evidence of reexperiencing symptoms suggestive of posttraumatic stress disorder, but a notable rate of suicide. In this commentary, I suggest reasons why the archives contain so few traces of combat-related disorders despite the massive trauma experienced by soldiers in the Civil War, and I draw implications for military personnel returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Recurrent catheter-induced coronary artery spasm

Catheter-induced spasm has generally been considered to represent an iatrogenic phenomenon without important clinical significance. This report describes two patients who developed catheter-induced spasm in the proximal segment of the right coronary artery in separate studies performed in different laboratories by means of different catheter techniques. One of these patients developed right coronary spasm on three occasions and, in addition, developed catheter-induced spasm of the left main trunk during two different studies. These observations would add support to the hypothesis that a predisposition to coronary artery spasm may exist in certain individiuals. Catheter-induced spasm deserves attention, since it may provide a means of identifying spasm-prone individuals.
Polarimetric segmentation of SAR imagery

This paper considers the problem of clutter segmentation in fully polarimetric, high-resolution, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery. The goal of segmentation is to partition an image into regions of homogeneous terrain types (grass regions, tree regions, roads, etc.). Three approaches to segmentation are examined: (1) the optimal polarimetric classifier, (2) the optimal normalized polarimetric classifier, and (3) the polarimetric whitening filter (PWF) classifier. Segmentation performance results are presented for typical high-resolution, polarimetric SAR data gathered by the Lincoln Laboratory 35-GHz airborne sensor.
Neutron widths in 9Be

Abstract The reaction 7 Li( 3 He, p) 9 Be(n) 8 Be has been used to measure branching ratios for the neutron decay of 9 Be levels at 4.65, 6.76, 11.29 and 11.81 MeV to the ground and first excited states of 8 Be. The protons were detected in a surface barrier detector, the neutrons in a plastic scintillator 23 to 102 cm from the target. The neutron flight time was measured using the detection of the associated proton as the time zero. A two-dimensional analysis of neutron flight time versus proton energy was performed. Branching ratios were found to be 9 Be(4.65 MeV) to 8 Be(g.s.), 13±4%; 9 Be(6.76 MeV) to 8 Be(g.s.), ≦2%; 9 Be(11.29 MeV) to 8 Be(g.s.), ≦2%; 9 Be(11.81 MeV) to 8 Be(g.s.), ≦ 3%; 9 Be(11.29 MeV) to 8 Be(2 + ), 14±4%; 9 Be(11.81 MeV) to 8 Be(2 + ), 12±4%. The branching ratio for 9 Be(6.76 MeV) to 8 Be(2 + ) was found to lie between 41% and 69%. the corresponding reduced widths are found to be in fair agreement with the expectations of the shell model for negative-parity states and with the 8 Be+n model of Barker for positive-parity states.
The Mediterranean fruit fly in California: evidence for multiple introductions and persistent populations based on microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA variability

Microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variability data were used to study outbreaks of Mediterranean fruit fly in California in the years 1992-94 and 1997-99. A total of 359 flies caught in monitoring traps during these years were examined at three polymorphic mtDNA restriction sites and two microsatellite loci. Composite genotypes obtained through analysis of these markers indicate at least five independent introductions of medflies into California between 1992 and 1998. Whereas the majority of specimens displayed a single mtDNA haplotype (AAA), variation of microsatellite alleles among these flies suggests at least one additional introduction in 1993 into southern California. Flies displaying the AAB haplotype sampled in 1992 both in northern and southern California shared microsatellite alleles absent in AAA flies although lacking others commonly found in AAA specimens, thus supporting the hypothesis of an independent introduction of these flies from a different source. In contrast to earlier infestations, a few specimens caught in southern California in 1993 and again in 1998 showed both mtDNA and microsatellite patterns consistent with a Hawaiian origin. Single flies collected in Santa Clara County in 1997 and in El Monte, Los Angeles County & in 1999 most likely represent a sixth and seventh distinct introduction, respectively.
Coupling, Q-factor, and Integration Aspects of Microsphere Applications

With suggested applications varying from microlaser and cavity QED through optical locking of diode lasers to modulators and sensors, high-Q silica microspheres with whispering-gallery (WG) modes so far remain the subject of tabletop feasibility demonstrations. Despite the uniquely high quality-factor and submillimeter dimensions suitable for tight packaging, this novel type of high-finesse cavity still has to be adapted to fiber- and integrated-optic hardware. In the visible and near infrared-band experiments (633-850nm) measuring the ringdown time tau of free oscillations, Q = (0.6 to 0.8 ) x 10(exp 10) has been obtained in silica spheres of diameter -800 microns (corresponding tau = 3 to 4 microseconds). It was proved that under normal laboratory conditions, quality-factor is subject to deterioration within several-minute scale down to (2 ... 3 ) x 10(exp 9). The responsible mechanism was identified as adsorption of a monolayer of atmospheric water, so that preservation of the ultimate Q requires manipulation in dry environment, or fast packaging into sealed devices. Larger Q can be expected closer to minimum of attenuation in fused silica alpha = 0.2 dB/km; Q greater than or equal to 1 x 10(exp 11) at lambda=1.55 microns, with corresponding energy storage time tau approx. 0.1ms. Experiments are currently underway to determine whether this high Q can be realized experimentally. The evident difficulty is that OH-related optical absorption has its peaks located near the reported minimum of attenuation in silica. We can also mention here that some of proposed fiber materials, yet not ready for fiber drawing, have been predicted to have smaller attenuation than fused silica and may be suitable for microsphere fabrication (sodium-magnesium silicate glass, alpha = 0.06dB/km). WG modes possess very small radiative loss (it does not prevent Q-10(exp 20) and more) and therefore are electromagnetically isolated and cannot be excited by free-space beams. If no modification (such as grating) is made on the sphere surface, the coupling has to he provided by an appropriate near-field device. A systematic theoretical approach has been recently developed to quantify the performance of near-field couplers for WG modes. Efficient coupling can be obtained upon fulfillment of two main conditions: (1) mode matching and (2) sufficient coupling strength to provide the buildup of a WG mode with a given intrinsic loss. In other words, the wave in the coupler has to be phase-matched and sufficiently overlapped with the WG mode to provide enough buildup in the cavity. If the coupling efficiency is characterized by the fractional depth K(sup 2) of the resonance dip in intensity transmittance observed upon varying the frequency of the exciting wave in the coupler.
Signal transduction by heme-containing PAS-domain proteins.

The most common physiological strategy for detecting the gases oxygen, carbon monoxide, and nitric oxide is signal transduction by heme-based sensors, a broad class of modular proteins in which a h...
The Hilbert Series of Measures of Entanglement for 4 Qubits

We determine the Hilbert series of measures of entanglement for 4 qubits. Various techniques of constructive invariant theory are applied to prove the formula.
Video colposcopy improves adherence to follow-up compared to regular colposcopy: a randomized trial

To assess and compare rates of adherence to follow-up in women undergoing video or regular colposcopy. Sixty patients with abnormal Pap smears were randomized to undergo video or regular colposcopy. All participants were given the same instructions and a follow-up appointment. If a patient did not keep her appointment and did not reschedule, this was considered a failure. Multivariate logistic regression was used for assessment of predictors of follow-up. The follow-up rate was significantly higher in the video colposcopy group compared to the regular colposcopy group (80 vs. 50%, p=0.014). After adjusting for results of previous and referral Pap smears, and previous treatment, multivariate analyses indicated that women undergoing video colposcopy were almost five times more likely to return for follow-up than women undergoing regular colposcopy (odds ratio=4.9, 95% confidence interval=[1.24, 19.39]). Colposcopy clinics with patient population similar to ours may consider the use of video colposcope.
Human gene targeting by viral vectors

Stable transduction of mammalian cells typically involves random integration of viral vectors by non-homologous recombination. Here we report that vectors based on adeno-associated virus (AAV) can efficiently modify homologous human chromosomal target sequences. Both integrated neomycin phosphotransferase genes and the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase gene were targeted by AAV vectors. Site-specific genetic modifications could be introduced into approximately 1% of cells, with the highest targeting rates occurring in normal human fibroblasts. These results suggest that AAV vectors could be used to introduce specific genetic changes into the genomic DNA of a wide variety of mammalian cells, including therapeutic gene targeting applications.
Pseudodissection of the coronary artery: A variation caused by interventional tools

During PTCA immediate decisions often must be made on the basis of a less than optimum data set. We present a combination of factors which produce an incorrect perception of a coronary artery dissection. This potential must be understood by the interventionalist to avoid misdiagnosis and inappropriate therapeutic maneuvers. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Variation in quality of care among older men with localized prostate cancer

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess the racial and ethnic disparities in outcomes and their association with process-of-care measures for elderly Medicare recipients with localized prostate cancer. METHODS: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare databases for the period from 1995 to 2003 were used to identify African-American men, non-Hispanic white men, and Hispanic men with localized prostate cancer, and data were obtained for the 1-year period before the diagnosis of prostate cancer and up to 8 years postdiagnosis. The short-term outcomes of interest were complications, emergency room visits, readmissions, and mortality; the long-term outcomes of interest were prostate cancer-specific mortality and all-cause mortality; and process-of-care measures of interest were treatment and time to treatment. Cox proportional hazards regression, logistic regression, and Poisson regression were used to study the racial and ethnic disparities in outcomes and their association with process-of-care measures. RESULTS: Compared with non-Hispanic white patients, African-American patients (Hazard ration [HR], 1.43; 95% confidence interval [CE], 1.19-1.86) and Hispanic patients (HR=1.39; 95% CI, 1.03-1.84) had greater hazard of long term prostate specific mortality. African-American patients also had greater odds of emergency room visits (odds ratio, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.2-1.7) and greater all-cause mortality (HR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.3-1.5) compared with white patients. The time to treatment was longer for African-American patients and was indicative of a greater hazard of all-cause, long-term mortality. Hispanic patients who underwent surgery or received radiation had a greater hazard of long-term prostate-specific mortality compared with white patients who received hormone therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Racial and ethnic disparities in outcomes were associated with process-of-care measures (the type and time to treatment). The current results indicated that there is an opportunity to reduce these disparities by addressing these process-of-care measures. Cancer 2011. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Demonstration of chlamydial RNA and DNA during a culture-negative state

Trachoma is a common blinding disease of humans caused by ocular infections with Chlamydia trachomatis. The cynomolgus monkey is a valuable primate model for the detection, pathobiology, and treatment of this infection. We have used this model system to compare the relative ability of tissue culture, direct fluorescence cytology, a modified polymerase chain reaction, and RNA blotting to detect C. trachomatis following primary infection and reinfection over 34 weeks. Six cynomolgus monkeys were given a primary ocular chlamydia infection, and 20 weeks later they were reinoculated with the same organism. All animals showed brisk inflammatory responses to the primary infection and milder inflammatory reactions to reinfection. All four diagnostic techniques detected chlamydia at 1 week after primary infection, but both nucleic acid detection methods suggested that organisms were present longer after primary infection than did either tissue culture or direct fluorescence cytology (16 weeks for RNA blotting versus 12 weeks for tissue culture). Following reinoculation at 20 weeks, the period of C. trachomatis detection by tissue culture or direct fluorescence cytology (4 weeks) was much shorter than after primary infection. In contrast, nucleic acid detection was positive for up to 5 weeks longer than tissue culture or direct fluorescence cytology. Both polymerase chain reaction and RNA blotting, which involved no amplification step, indicated the presence of organisms during the culture-negative period. These data suggest that live chlamydiae may remain at a site of infection and produce inflammation beyond the time at which standard microbiological techniques are able to detect them.
Using a Simulation to Illustrate Crosscutting Concepts Through a Disease Model

Using Pompe disease as a context affords the opportunity for students to consider multiple biological concepts and embraces the Next Generation Science Standards Disciplinary Core Ideas Structure and Function (LS1.A) and Inheritance of Traits (LS3.A) as well as Crosscutting Concepts Structure and Function and Cause and Effect. These crosscutting concepts are very much interrelated as we consider progression of disease from the molecular to the organismal level. The concepts are repeatedly emphasized, providing “explicit instructional support” for students to “develop a cumulative, coherent, and usable understanding of science and engineering.” DNA, proteins, enzymes, genetics, and human disease are taught together through the story of patients with Pompe disease as students engage in a simulated clinical assay and genetic analysis and present their findings in grand rounds. The activity is one of multiple lessons sequenced to scaffold student understanding of clinical and translational science, starting with a first-person perspective of a father who loses his infant son to Pompe and concluding with a role play based on actual events surrounding approval of human clinical trials of gene therapy for Pompe disease.
Modularity in design of products and systems

Modularity refers to the use of common units to create product variants. This paper aims at the development of models and solution approaches to the modularity problem for mechanical, electrical, and mixed process products (e.g., electromechanical products). To interpret various types of modularity, e.g., component-swapping, component-sharing and bus modularity, a matrix representation of the modularity problem is presented. The decomposition approach is used to determine modules for different products. The representation and solution approaches presented are illustrated with numerous examples. The paper presents a formal approach to modularity allowing for optimal forming of modules even in the situation of insufficient availability of information. The modules determined may be shared across different products.
Bayesian survival trees for clustered observations, applied to tooth prognosis

Tooth loss from periodontal disease or dental caries decay afflicts most adults over the course of their lives. Survival tree methods for correlated observations have shown potential for developing objective tooth prognosis systems; however, the current technology suffers either from prohibitive computational expense or unrealistic simplifying assumptions to overcome computational demands. In this article Bayesian tree methods are developed for correlated survival data, relying on a computationally feasible, yet flexible, frailty model with piecewise constant hazard function. Bayesian stochastic search methods, using a Laplace approximated marginal likelihood, are detailed for tree construction, and posterior ensemble averaged variable importance ranking and amalgamation procedures are developed. The proposed methods are used to assign each tooth from the Veteran Administration VA Dental Longitudinal Study to one of five prognosis categories and evaluate the effects of clinical factors and genetic polymorphisms in predicting tooth loss. The prognostic rules established may be used in clinical practice to optimize tooth retention and devise periodontal treatment plans.
Lyapunov exponents for higher dimensional random maps

A random map is a discrete time dynamical system in which one of a number of transformations is selected randomly and implemented. Random maps have been used recently to model interference effects in quantum physics. The main results of this paper deal with the Lyapunov exponents for higher dimensional random maps, where the individual maps are Jablonski maps on the n -dimensional cube.
An echogenic mass after composite aortic root replacement.

g W From the Departments of *Anesthesia and Critical Care and †Surgery, assachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA. Address requests for reprints to Theodore Alston, MD, Department f Anesthesia and Critical Care, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 ruit Street, Boston, MA 02114. E-mail: talston@partners.org © 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. 1053-0770/08/2201-0034$34.00/0 doi:10.1053/j.jvca.2007.04.017
Born to Run: How Law Schools Can Meet Law Firm Expectations for New Litigators

This is a tough time for the legal profession. Law firm revenue is mostly stagnant. Law school enrollment is down to 1975 levels. Jobs for recent law graduates are scarce by historical standards. Just 55% of law school graduates of the Class of 2011 had a law-related job nine months after graduation. The legal profession lost 1,000 jobs between December 2012 and December 2013. For litigators, the number of trials is shrinking'" About 97% of all civil cases settle. In 2009, only 1.7% of all federal court civil cases were tried by a jury. One might even question whether entry into the legal profession is worth it after considering the typical law graduate's indebtedness from student loans and the extremely difficult job market. Notwithstanding this dire picture, clients will still sue and bc sued, competent litigators of all kinds will still be needed, and the judicial system will not grind to a halt. Thus, this Article is directed to the hearty bunch of new law school graduates who will practice as litigators and their respective law schools. Both should want to increase the value of a law degree so that the litigators and trial lawyers of tomorrow can not only survive, but flourish, even in this difficult environment.The fates of new law graduates and their law schools are intertwined and symbiotic. Law graduates want their alma maters to be highly ranked, helpful in job placement, have taught them practical skills, and have prepared them for their new careers. Law schools want to enroll qualified students, achieve high job-placement rates for their graduates, attract financial and other support from alumni and other donors, and enhance their prestige. The dual goals of both student and school have a common solution, especially when focusing on the preparation of new Iitigators: making the new graduate an attractive recruit and as "practice-ready" as possible upon entry into his or her first job. This Article will focus on the skills needed by the new litigator and what law schools can (and some would say must) do to achieve the respective objectives set forth above. By way of example, I will draw upon my teaching techniques and classroom activities in three classes that I have been teaching for several years at two different law schools as well as my experience teaching continuing legal education to lawyers for over thirty years.
The xlogx condition for general branching processes

The x log x condition is a fundamental criterion for the rate of growth of a general branching process, being equivalent to non-degeneracy of the limiting random variable. In this paper we adopt the ideas from Lyons, Pemantle and Peres (1995) to present a new proof of this well-known theorem. The idea is to compare the ordinary branching measure on the space of population trees with another measure, the size-biased measure.
Using simulation to analyze R&D value creation

As the front-end to product and system lifecycles, research and development activities serve as engines of value creation. By nature, though, R& D involves significant uncertainty. As such, it often is viewed as an investment problem, whereby funds are invested in ventures under risk, with the hope of achieving future value. This paper investigates the use of organizational simulation to analyze the R&D investment problem, focusing on ways to increase value created from R&D. Based on a process-focused model of R&D systems, initial results indicate that using a real options framework to valuate R&D outperforms traditional discounted cash flow (DCF) methods in total value created, but that DCF methods are preferred for return on R&D investment. To complement the process-focused R&D system model, a product-focused model of R&D is specified and integrated with the process-focused model.
Discretization of Road Networks for Safety Evaluation with Consideration of Intersection Impact Zones

The goal of safety management is to reduce the number and severity of crashes in transportation networks. One of the methods of safety management is identification of roads that experience an excessive number of crashes by comparison of the actual number of crashes with exposure-based predictions. The identification task typically includes division of the road network into intersections and segments in such a way that independent prediction of safety at these components can be defended. However, evidence provided by recent research shows that the assumption of independence can be violated and lead to biased safety predictions. This study proposed a refined road network discretization and an accounting for the safety impact of intersections on nearby short segments. The latter was accomplished by inclusion of variables for the distance to the intersection in the safety performance functions for segments. Three network discretization methods, including the one proposed, are presented and discussed on the ba...
Individual participation in organizational information commons: The impact of team level social influence and technology-specific competence

This research extended earlier public goods research on individual incentives to use an organizational information commons that was based in Marwell and Oliver's (1993) collective action model. A revised theoretical model that incorporated team-level social influence and technology-specific competence was proposed. The model was tested using online survey data from 150 individuals in 13 work groups across 5 organizations. The research demonstrated that perceived team member behavior and technology-specific competence were positively related to individual use of intranets, over and above the collective level influences modeled in earlier research. These findings supported a more "socialized" model of individuals' motivations to participate in organizational information sharing via collective repositories and suggested that management could boost levels of intranet usage through group level social influence and technology-specific training.
Nanostructure-Mediated Launching and Detection of 2D Surface Plasmons

Au nanoparticles deposited on a metallic film act as nanoantenna receivers and transmitters for the coupling of free-space radiation into, and out of, 2D surface plasmons. Nanosteps, sub-10-nm gaps between metallic films of differing thickness, can also launch and detect surface plasmons. Here we use both types of structures to locally launch propagating surface plasmon waves and probe their properties. Nanoparticle-launched surface plasmons emerge as two lobes of nominally 90 degree angular width, propagating along the direction of incident polarization. Alternatively, plasmons can be launched unidirectionally, by asymmetric illumination of a nanoparticle receiver.
CCA for joint blind source separation of multiple datasets with application to group FMRI analysis

In this work, we propose a scheme for joint blind source separation (BSS) of multiple datasets using canonical correlation analysis (CCA). The proposed scheme jointly extracts sources from each dataset in the order of between-set source correlations. We show that, when sources are uncorrelated within each dataset and correlated across different datasets only on corresponding indices, (i) CCA on two datasets achieves BSS when the sources from the two datasets have distinct between-set correlation coefficients, and (ii) CCA on multiple datasets (M-CCA) achieves BSS with a more relaxed condition on the between-set source correlation coefficients compared to CCA on two datasets. We present simulation results to demonstrate the properties of CCA and M-CCA on joint BSS. We apply M-CCA to group functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data acquired from several subjects performing a visuomotor task and obtain interesting brain activations as well as their correlation profiles across different subjects in the group.
Transfer learning of classification rules for biomarker discovery and verification from molecular profiling studies

We present a novel framework for integrative biomarker discovery from related but separate data sets created in biomarker profiling studies. The framework takes prior knowledge in the form of interpretable, modular rules, and uses them during the learning of rules on a new data set. The framework consists of two methods of transfer of knowledge from source to target data: transfer of whole rules and transfer of rule structures. We evaluated the methods on three pairs of data sets: one genomic and two proteomic. We used standard measures of classification performance and three novel measures of amount of transfer. Preliminary evaluation shows that whole-rule transfer improves classification performance over using the target data alone, especially when there is more source data than target data. It also improves performance over using the union of the data sets.
The Effect of Aspect Ratio on the Frequency Response of Asphalt Concrete in Impact Resonance Testing

A comprehensive study was conducted to investigate the influence of aspect ratio (height/diameter) of laboratory specimens on the frequency response of asphalt concrete when tested with impact resonance (IR). Testing was conducted over a range of air voids and temperatures. The IR test, performed in longitudinal mode over 100 cylindrical asphalt concrete specimens, demonstrated that the test is repeatable and reproducible. It was observed that the test response was greatly dependent on the specimen length regardless of the aspect ratio, but the dependency was not noted for specimens with the same diameter of larger aspect ratios. Specimens with the same aspect ratio but different size delivered different resonant frequencies. The test results indicated that the frequency response increased as the aspect ratio increased approximately up to 0.7, and then it decreased with a nonlinear trend as the aspect ratio increased beyond 0.7, indicating the tendency of the frequency response reaching a plateau as the aspect ratio increased. It was inferred from test results that there was a threshold aspect ratio at which the fundamental longitudinal frequency mode was not the dominant frequency mode. Velocity calculations from measured resonant frequencies indicated that the true material properties could be attained at an aspect ratio of as low as 1. Based on the results of this study, testing specimens with a diameter of 150 mm and a height of 170 mm commonly used for producing dynamic modulus test specimens, provided proper size and aspect ratio for testing with IR.
Similarity Analysis in Transpired Turbulent Boundary Layers Subject to Forced Convection and External Pressure Gradients

The problem of forced convection transpired turbulent boundary layers with external pressure gradient has been studied using similarity analysis of the equations of motion. A new blowing parameter has been determined from the equations of motion. Meanwhile, the scalings for the velocity and temperature profiles have been found in both inner and outer variables. Three major results were obtained: First, for adverse pressure gradient (APG) boundary layers with suction, the mean deficit profiles collapse with the free stream velocity, U,, but into different curves depending on the strength of the blowing parameter and the upstream conditions. Second, the dependence on the blowing parameter, the Reynolds number. and the strength of pressure gradient is removed from the outer flow when the mean deficit profiles are normalized by the Zagarola/Smitsl scaling, Um6./6. Third, the temperature profiles also collapse into a single curve using the new inner and outer malings proposed by Wang and C a s t i l ~ o , ~ which produce the true asymptotic profiles even a t finite Pbclet number.
Experimentally Induced Changes in the Cell Complex of the Blood of Periplaneta Americana (Blattidae: Orthoptera)

Insect blood corpuscles have been variously classified by different workers, Cuenot (1897), Hollande (1907), Berlese (1909), Tillyard (1917), but as Muttkowski (1924) has pointed out the names proposed can be reduced fairly well to a unified system. Muttkowski himself recognized but two general types among insect blood cells, the large lightly staining corpuscles and the smaller darker staining cells. He called the large cells amebocytes and the smaller ones chromophils and stated that the two types were connected by a series of intermediate corpuscles thus tending to show that all were derived from one primary cell element. He gave as his opinion that the amebocytes which he found to be highly vacuolated were old degenerating cells and that, the chromophils were more embryonic in nature and in the course of their cycle of life gave rise to the other kinds of cells found in insect blood.