cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ROB/CN: An Efficient Reliable 1-Hop Broadcast Using CSMA/CN in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

In wireless mobile ad hoc networks, many important communications are based on the global broadcast that relies on a reliable 1-hop broadcasting in which a message from the source node is guaranteed to be delivered to all nodes within the source node's transmission range. Recently, a noble algorithm called CSMA/CN is proposed that utilizes collision notification to improve the network throughput. This paper presents an improved MAC protocol called ROB/CN (Reliable 1-Hop Broadcast Using Collision Notification) that achieves a guaranteed reliable 1-hop broadcast using CSMA/CN. In most previously proposed algorithms, if a transmission undergoes a collision, then the transmission should be restarted all over again, whereas in ROB/CN, the retransmission is not necessary if the collision is caused by only a small number of transmissions. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Policy Succession and the Next Cross-Strait Crisis

This article argues that China's policy on Taiwan is likely to evolve toward political engagement as a result of the multiple actions of policy actors rather than politicians on both sides.
Three-Dimensional Radiative Transfer with Polarization in a Multiple Scattering Medium Exposed to Spatially Varying Radiation

Abstract The present investigation of three-dimensional radiative transfer accounts for polarization and multiple scattering by using the vector transport equation. The intensity vector is comprised of the four Stokes parameters, which are functions of three coordinates describing position and two angles specifying direction. Scattering is characterized by a general phase matrix for randomly oriented particles with a plane of symmetry. The medium is finite in the z-direction and infinite in the x- and y-directions. The incident radiation is polarized and spatially varying on the upper boundary. The vector transport equation is converted, using a double Fourier transform, to an ordinary integro-differential equation with a complex coefficient. The problem of collimated radiation incident on the upper boundary of a cylindrical medium is shown to be of fundamental importance. The analysis is greatly simplified by expressing the transformed intensity vector in a form that depends on only one transform variable. Using superposition, a linear Fredholm integral equation of the second kind is developed for the 4 × 4 generalized source matrix. The bidirectional reflectance and transmittance of a scalar analysis are replaced by 4 × 4 reflection and transmission matrices. The emergent radiation can be determined from these matrices for incident radiation of any polarization. Symmetry relationships are developed using successive orders of scattering and symmetry properties of the phase matrix.
Effects of in utero ethanol exposure and maternal treatment with a 5-HT1A agonist on S100B-containing glial cells

Abstract This laboratory previously showed that in utero ethanol exposure severely impairs the development of the cell bodies and projections of serotonin (5-HT) neurons, and that maternal treatment with a 5-HT1A agonist prevents many of these abnormalities. Others demonstrated that stimulation of fetal astroglial 5-HT1A receptors increases production and release of S100B, a glial trophic factor that is essential for the development of 5-HT neurons. The present study investigated a potential mechanism by which ethanol hinders development of 5-HT neurons, and by which maternal 5-HT1A agonist treatment prevents this damage. This study tested the hypothesis that in utero ethanol exposure reduces the number of S100B immunopositive glia and that maternal 5-HT1A agonist treatment prevents ethanol-associated changes in S100B. To test our hypothesis, we determined the effects of in utero ethanol exposure and maternal treatments with the 5-HT1A agonists ipsapirone and buspirone on S100B immunopositive glial cells. On gestation day 20 (G20), S100B immunopositive cells were quantified in the midline raphe glial structure (MRGS), a large transient structure that contains substantial numbers of S100B-positive glial cells and that spans the dorsal raphe, median raphe, and B9 complex of 5-HT neurons. S100B immunopositive glial cells were also determined in an area proximal to the dorsal raphe in postnatal day 2 (PN2) rats. In utero ethanol exposure significantly reduced S100B immunopositive glial cells in the MRGS at G20 and in the dorsal raphe at PN2. In addition, treatment of pregnant rats with a 5-HT1A agonist between G13 and G20 prevented the ethanol-associated reduction in S100B immunopositive glial cells. These studies demonstrated that part of ethanol’s damaging effects on developing 5-HT neurons is mediated by a reduction of S100B and that some of the protective effects of maternal 5-HT1A agonist treatment are related to the actions of these drugs on glial cells.
Four yrs of experience with an environment for implementing information systems

This paper summarizes over 4 yrs of experience in the use of a comprehensive environment for developing and maintaining interactive information systems. The environment evaluated uses an integrated design database to generate applications. The structure of the system is briefly presented, and an evaluation of its operational use is described in four categories: comprehensiveness, productivity, expressiveness, and transportability. Features of the environment that improve performance are identified.
Mappings of finite distortion: minors of the differential matrix

We extend the basic results on mappings of subexponentially integrable distortion to the cases where the usual distortion function is replaced by various weaker versions based on the minors of differential matrix.
Ambient Displays: Turning Architectural Space into an Interface between People and Digital Information

We envision that the architectural space we inhabit will be a new form of interface between humans and online digital information. This paper discusses Ambient Displays: a new approach to interfacing people with online digital information. Ambient Displays present information within a space through subtle changes in light, sound, and movement, which can be processed in the background of awareness. We describe the design and implementation of two example Ambient Displays, the ambientROOM and Ambient Fixtures. Additionally, we discuss applications of Ambient Displays and propose theories of design of such interfaces based on our initial experiences.
Merchandising Dental Care Products Through Dental Practitioners

Abstract This study examines the marketing of dental care products through dental practitioners' offices. This paper reports the findings of an experimental study designed to explore the role of price and brand names on consumers' attitude and intention to purchase. The results reveal favorable attitudes and intentions to purchase dental care products through the dentist's office.
Leveraging Open Source solutions for secure government systems

Recent updates to federal government and Department of Defense (DoD) security policies have opened the door to the official use of Open Source Software (OSS) as a solution set for the development of secure enterprise systems. New policies published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the DoD have significantly changed the guidelines associated with deployment of industry-standard OSS security solutions, including: ● Linux - including the NSA sponsored “Security Enhanced Linux” product ● OpenSSL - a full-strength general-purpose cryptography ● Tripwire and Open Source Tripwire® - A change Monitoring and Analysis and auditing product
Influence of Lipid Components of Mycoplasma laidlawii Membranes on Osmotic Fragility of Cells

Razin, S. (University of Connecticut, Storrs), M. E. Tourtellotte, R. N. McElhaney, and J. D. Pollack. Influence of lipid components of Mycoplasma laidlawii membranes on osmotic fragility of cells. J. Bacteriol. 91:609–616. 1966.—Lipid composition of Mycoplasma laidlawii membranes could be significantly changed by variations in the growth medium. The effect of these changes on the osmotic fragility of the cells was studied. Cholesterol, incorporated into the membrane from the growth medium, had no significant effect on osmotic fragility. Carotenoids, synthesized by the cells from acetate, were likewise without effect. Unsaturated long-chain fatty acids increased markedly the resistance of M. laidlawii to osmotic lysis and promoted growth. The fatty acids of the growth medium were incorporated mainly into membrane phospholipids. The ratio between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in membrane lipids depended on that of the growth medium.
A Note on a Question of Erdös and Graham

We give a quantitative proof that, for sufficiently large $N$, every subset of $[N]^2$ of size at least $\delta N^2$ contains a square, i.e., four points with coordinates $\{(a,b),(a+d,b),(a,b+d),(a+d,b+d)\}$.
Draft Genome Sequence of Cellulophaga sp. E6, a Marine Algal Epibiont That Produces a Quorum-Sensing Inhibitory Compound Active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa

ABSTRACT The genus Cellulophaga is composed of obligate aerobic Gram-negative bacteria commonly found in association with marine algae. We report the approximately 4.42-Mbp draft genome sequence of Cellulophaga sp. E6, which inhibits N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C12-HSL)–mediated quorum sensing (QS), lasB transcription, and biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Tidal Migrations of Intertidal Salt Marsh Creek Nekton Examined with Underwater Video

Nekton tidal migration patterns were examined in oligo-mesohaline intertidal salt marsh creeks using underwater video observations collected throughout multiple tidal cycles (i.e., fl ood-ebb) during summer 2005-2006. Underwater video observations indi- cated that species composition and abundances varied with tide stage. Three intertidal salt marsh species (Fundulus heteroclitus, Morone americana, Menidia menidia) were the most abundant species observed. In general, resident species were most abundant in early fl ood and late ebb tide stages, whereas transient species were most abundant around slack high tide. F. heteroclitus displayed a consistent symmetrical tidal migration pattern and primarily occurred in early fl ood and late ebb tide stages. M. americana occurred throughout fl ood and high tides, but were largely absent from intertidal creeks during ebb tide. M. menidia was observed during all tide stages, but displayed no distinct migration patterns. The results of this study highlight the advantages and disadvantages of using underwater video for exam- ining small-scale tidal migrations of nekton in intertidal salt marsh creeks.
INFLAMMATION OF THE RAT PROSTATE EVOKES RELEASE OF MACROPHAGE MIGRATION INHIBITORY FACTOR IN THE BLADDER: EVIDENCE FOR A VISCEROVISCERAL REFLEX

ABSTRACTPurpose: Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), a proinflammatory cytokine, is found in preformed stores in bladder epithelium. We examined the effects of prostatic inflammation on micturition frequency, bladder histology and bladder MIF content as a model in which to study viscerovisceral reflexes mediating pelvic visceral inflammation.Materials and Methods: Cystometry was performed in urethane anesthetized male rats. Formalin or saline was injected into the ventral lobe of the prostate to induce inflammation. Cystometry continued 1 hour after injection. The bladder, ventral lobes of the prostates and lumbosacral spinal cord were then removed, and protein levels and gene expression of MIF, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and nerve growth factor (NGF) were examined. Edema was verified histologically in the bladder and prostate.Results: Intraprostatic formalin produced almost immediate bladder hyperreflexia, which was maintained during the observation period. Bladder edema was noted during histolog...
Targeting the UPS as therapy in multiple myeloma

The coordinated regulation of cellular protein synthesis and degradation is essential for normal cellular functioning. The ubiquitin proteasome system mediates the intracellular protein degradation that is required for normal cellular homeostasis. The 26S proteasome is a multi-enzyme protease that degrades redundant proteins; conversely, inhibition of proteasomal degradation results in intracellular aggregation of unwanted proteins and cell death. This observation led to the development of proteasome inhibitors as therapeutics for use in cancer. The clinical applicability of targeting proteasomes is exemplified by the recent FDA approval of the first proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib, for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Although bortezomib represents a major advance in the treatment of this disease, it can be associated with toxicity and the development of drug resistance. Importantly, extensive preclinical studies suggest that combination therapies can both circumvent drug resistance and reduce toxicity. In addition, promising novel proteasome inhibitors, which are distinct from bortezomib, and exhibit equipotent anti-multiple myeloma activities, are undergoing clinical evaluation in order to improve patient outcome in multiple myeloma. Republished from Current BioData's Targeted Proteins database (TPdb; http://www.targetedproteinsdb.com ).
Internal Iliac Artery Embolization in the Stent-Graft Treatment of Aortoiliac Aneurysms: Analysis of Outcomes and Complications

PURPOSE To analyze the complications of internal iliac artery (IIA) embolization in conjunction with stent-graft treatment of aortoiliac aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS Seventy-one patients with aortoiliac ( n = 47) or iliac ( n = 24) aneurysms were treated with endoluminal placement of stent-grafts. Thirty-two patients (31 men, one woman; mean age, 73 years; range, 56–88 years) had embolization or occlusion of one ( n = 27) or both ( n = 5) IIAs. Status of the IIAs and the collateral circulation was assessed by retrospective review of angiographic images. Follow-up consisted of a standardized patient questionnaire and review of radiologic and medical records. RESULTS The mean follow-up time was 35 months (range, 5–64 months). Eleven of the 47 patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) (23%) and 19 of the 24 patients with iliac aneurysms (79%) required IIA embolization. One patient with AAA and another with iliac aneurysm had unintentional occlusion of an IIA by extension of the stent-graft over their origins. A total of seven patients had bilateral occlusion of the IIAs after the procedure. Additionally, the inferior mesenteric arteries (IMAs) of two other patients with AAA were also embolized. In six patients, all three vessels were occluded after placement of the stent-grafts. Symptoms were reported in nine of the 20 (45%) patients with iliac aneurysms and in three of the 12 (25%) patients with AAA. Symptoms consisted of buttock claudication (nine of 32, 28%), new sexual dysfunction (two of 16, 12%), and transient urinary retention (3%). Seven of the claudicants had resolution of symptoms after a mean interval of 14 months (range, 1–36 months). There were no instances of bowel ischemia, neurologic sequelae, or buttock necrosis related to these procedures. CONCLUSION Embolization of the IIA is associated with symptoms in a significant number of patients. While symptoms are transient in most patients, they can be problematic. Efforts should be made to preserve the pelvic circulation if possible.
Politics, schadenfreude, and ingroup identification: The sometimes happy thing about a poor economy and death

Political campaigns are often characterized by the various events occurring that move the tide in favor of one candidate or another. Each event, depending on which candidate it favors or harms, produces either happiness or sadness for those who care about the outcome. This research examined whether such reactions would hold for events that are misfortunes for other people and even when they negatively affect society more broadly regardless of political party affiliation. Ingroup (i.e. political party) identification was examined as an important moderating variable. In four studies, undergraduate participants gave their emotional reactions to news articles describing misfortunes happening to others (e.g. poor economic news and house foreclosures). Party affiliation and the intensity of ingroup identification strongly predicted whether these events produced schadenfreude.
Design and characterization of the 600 V IGBT with monolithic over-voltage protection

A 600 V IGBT with a monolithic overvoltage protection circuit has been developed to provide protection against overvoltage stress. The device operates under normal operating conditions just like a conventional IGBT but is able to sustain much higher avalanche energy under the abnormal operating condition of voltage overshoot. Nearly 400% increase in maximum avalanche energy has been achieved with the new design. The device is fabricated with a conventional IGBT process without adding any extra cost. The device structure, modeling, fabrication and characteristics are discussed in detail.
SYMPOSIUM: Defining Race: Colorblind Diversity: The Changing Significance of "Race" in the Post-Bakke Era

In 1954, fifty-eight years after the Plessy v. Ferguson decision, the Supreme Court was afforded another opportunity to reverse the “separate but equal doctrine” in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (Brown I). Brown I was a consolidation of five civil rights cases from the District of Columbia, Delaware, Kansas, Virginia, and South Carolina that attempted to change race relations in America by affording African Americans a piece of the pie. A few other cases soon followed Brown I. In 1963, Goss v. Board of Education of Knoxville proclaimed that any program that structurally appeared to maintain segregation would be held unconstitutional. And in 1964, Griffin v. Prince Edward County School Board announced that pretense integration of black children would also violate the Constitution. Despite the Court’s signature announcement of equality of “Negroes,” Brown I has not completely altered the inequalities of the past. For that reason, race-conscious policies instituted not only by admissions departments in colleges and universities but also in primary and secondary educational institutions are needed to level the playing field. Since Brown I, there have been a number of statutes, court cases and policies that have continued to struggle over the use of race-conscious policies in the goal for racial equality. The Author traces the development of the law and discusses the social context of race and diversity.
Estimating the relative utility of screening mammography

Background. The concept of diagnostic utility is a fundamental component of signal detection theory, going back to some of its earliest works. Attaching utility values to the various possible outcomes of a diagnostic test should, in principle, lead to meaningful approaches to evaluating and comparing such systems. However, in many areas of medical imaging, utility is not used because it is presumed to be unknown. Methods. In this work, we estimate relative utility (the utility benefit of a detection relative to that of a correct rejection) for screening mammography using its known relation to the slope of a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve at the optimal operating point. The approach assumes that the clinical operating point is optimal for the goal of maximizing expected utility and therefore the slope at this point implies a value of relative utility for the diagnostic task, for known disease prevalence. We examine utility estimation in the context of screening mammography using the Digital ...
Modulation of Cytokine-Induced Cyclooxygenase 2 Expression by PPARG Ligands Through NFκB Signal Disruption in Human WISH and Amnion Cells

Cyclooxygenase (COX) activity increases in the human amnion in the settings of term and idiopathic preterm labor, contributing to the generation of uterotonic prostaglandins (PGs) known to participate in mammalian parturition. Augmented COX activity is highly correlated with increased COX2 (also known as prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2, PTGS2) gene expression. We and others have demonstrated an essential role for nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB) in cytokine-driven COX2 expression. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG), a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily, has been shown to antagonize NFkappaB activation and inflammatory gene expression, including COX2. We hypothesized that PPARG activation might suppress COX2 expression during pregnancy. Using primary amnion and WISH cells, we evaluated the effects of pharmacological (thiazolidinediones) and putative endogenous (15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-prostaglandin J2, 15d-PGJ2) PPARG ligands on cytokine-induced NFkappaB activation, COX2 expression, and PGE2 production. We observed that COX2 expression and PGE2 production induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) were significantly abrogated by 15d-PGJ2. The thiazolidinediones rosiglitazone (ROSI) and troglitazone (TRO) had relatively little effect on cytokine-induced COX2 expression except at high concentrations, at which these agents tended to increase COX2 abundance relative to cells treated with TNF alone. Interestingly, treatment with ROSI, but not TRO, led to augmentation of TNF-stimulated PGE2 production. Mechanistically, we observed that 15d-PGJ2 markedly diminished cytokine-induced activity of the NFkappaB transcription factor, whereas thiazolidinediones had no discernable effect on this system. Our data suggest that pharmacological and endogenous PPARG ligands use both receptor-dependent and -independent mechanisms to influence COX2 expression.
Fast fault-tolerant parallel communication for de Bruijn networks using information dispersal

Space-efficient information dispersal algorithm (IDA) is applied to fault-tolerant parallel communication in the de Bruijn network. Let N=d/sup n /denote the size of the network. The author's routing scheme runs in 2.n+1 time using constant size buffers (if the routing information is not counted). For d=(n ln n) (hence n approximately ln N/ln ln N), its probability of successful routing is at least 1-N/sup -ln/ /sup N/2/. The scheme runs within the said time bound without queueing delay and tolerates O(N) random link failures with probability at least 1-N/sup -ln/ /sup ln/ /sup n/12/. >
Estrogen Induces Estrogen-related Receptor α Gene Expression and Chromatin Structural Changes in Estrogen Receptor (ER)-positive and ER-negative Breast Cancer Cells

Estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is closely related to the estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ). The ERRα gene is estrogen-responsive in several mouse tissues and cell lines, and a multiple hormone-response element (MHRE) in the promoter is an important regulatory region for estrogen-induced ERRα gene expression. ERRα was recently shown to be a negative prognostic factor for breast cancer survival, with its expression being highest in cancer cells lacking functional ERα. The contribution of ERRα in breast cancer progression remains unknown but may have important clinical implications. In this study, we investigated ERRα gene expression and chromatin structural changes under the influence of 17β-estradiol in both ER-positive MCF-7 and ER-negative SKBR3 breast cancer cells. We mapped the nucleosome positions of the ERRα promoter around the MHRE region and found that the MHRE resides within a single nucleosome. Local chromatin structure of the MHRE exhibited increased restriction enzyme hypersensitivity and enhanced histone H3 and H4 acetylation upon estrogen treatment. Interestingly, estrogen-induced chromatin structural changes could be repressed by estrogen antagonist ICI 182 780 in MCF-7 cells yet were enhanced in SKBR3 cells. We demonstrated, using chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, that 17β-estradiol induces ERRα gene expression in MCF-7 cells through active recruitment of co-activators and release of co-repressors when ERRα and AP1 bind and ERα is tethered to the MHRE. We also found that this estrogen effect requires the MAPK signaling pathway in both cell lines.
What's Values Got to Do With It? Thriving Among Mexican/Mexican American College Students

The authors examined traditional Mexican/Mexican American and perceived U.S. mainstream cultural values as predictors of thriving. One hundred twenty-four (37 men, 87 women) self-identified Mexican/Mexican American college students participated in the study. The traditional Mexican/Mexican American cultural values of family support and religion were significant positive predictors of thriving. In addition, the perceived U.S. mainstream cultural value of competition negatively predicted thriving, and the perceived U.S. mainstream cultural value of material success positively predicted thriving. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed. Los autores examinaron valores culturales tradicionales mexicano-americanos y percibidos como dominantes en los Estados Unidos como indicadores de prosperidad. Ciento veinticuatro (37 hombres y 87 mujeres) estudiantes universitarios que se identifican como mexicanos o mexicano-americanos participaron en el estudio. Los valores mexicano-americanos de apoyo familiar y religion fueron indicadores significativamente positivos de prosperidad. Ademas, el valor percibido como dominante en EE. UU. de competitividad fue indicador negativo de prosperidad, y el valor percibido como dominante en EE. UU. de exito material fue indicador positivo de prosperidad. Se discuten las implicaciones y limitaciones del estudio.
Transport and release in nano-carriers for food applications

Abstract Encapsulation of active compounds such as nutraceuticals or preservatives increases their concentration, bioavailability and stability in food products. Nanoparticle carriers are an effective encapsulation method that provides protection from environmental degradation agents and control over the rate of compound release. This review focuses on the parameters affecting transport in a number of nanoparticle types used in (or with the potential for) food and beverage applications: Emulsions and Pickering emulsions, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN), nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC), liposomes, and colloidosomes. Emphasis is placed on the effect of medium conditions, nanoparticle structure and size, and the role of the shell.
The ABCs of Unauthorized Border Crossing Costs: Assembling, Bajadores, and Coyotes

In efforts to avoid detection by border enforcement agents, undocumented migrants from Latin America often risk life and limb to enter the U.S. Most commonly, they walk two to four days through an inhospitable desert in hopes of being picked up and whisked away to their final destination. Cost in human lives not withstanding, the price of this venture correlates to increased border enforcement. Interviews with repatriated migrant women on the border helps uncover this economic “underbelly” of transnational movement in what I dub the ABCs of migration costs: those related to assembling, bajadores (border bandits), and coyotes.
Finite-size effects in the Nagel-Schreckenberg traffic model

We examine the Nagel-Schreckenberg traffic model for a variety of maximum speeds. We show that the low-density limit can be described as a dilute gas of vehicles with a repulsive core. At the transition to jamming, we observe finite-size effects in a variety of quantities describing the flow and the density correlations, but only if the maximum speed V_{max} is larger than a certain value. A finite-size scaling analysis of several order parameters shows universal behavior, with scaling exponents that depend on V_{max}. The jamming transition at large V_{max} can be viewed as the nucleation of jams in a background of freely flowing vehicles. For small V_{max} no such clean separation into jammed and free vehicles is possible.
Rethinking Constitutional Change

This article examines the so-called “New Deal Constitutional Revolution” and comments in particular on the work of Barry Cushman who maintains that neither the election of 1936 nor Franklin Roosevelt’s “Court packing” plan caused a “switch in time” in 1937. Severely challenging “externalist” explanations, Cushman maintains that the individual justices remained doctrinally consistent. This article argues that, in spite of the importance of “internalist” considerations and arguable consistencies in the jurisprudence of the Justices, several factors suggest the limits of Cushman’s thesis and point to the likelihood that “external” factors also played an important role in the Court’s decisions in 1937. Most important, it points to reasons to believe that Justice Roberts, the critical “swing” Justice in those decisions, did in fact shift his views in voting to uphold pivotal New Deal measures, and it stresses the critical importance of doctrinal areas where Justices enjoy relatively open areas for the exercise of discretion.
Anesthetic considerations for patients with Bardet–Biedl syndrome: a case series and review of the literature

SummaryBackground Bardet–Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a rare genetic condition with manifestations that can impact anesthetic and perioperative care. There is a void of literature describing the perioperative anesthetic management in this complex patient population. Objectives The purpose of this retrospective series was to describe the perioperative care of patients diagnosed with BBS at a large academic tertiary referral center with experience in caring for these patients. Methods All patients receiving anesthesia during the time between July 10, 1997 and Jan 1, 2015 were identified. Anesthetic and perioperative records were reviewed in detail for demographic, echocardiographic, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data. Results We identified 12 patients with BBS undergoing 40 anesthetics at our institution. The study identified a high risk for difficult airway with need for advanced airway techniques (67% of patient's ≥18 years of age required either awake fiberoptic or video laryngoscopy techniques), cardiac abnormalities, renal impairment, morbid obesity, and intellectual disability as the main syndrome manifestations of interest to the anesthesiologist. No patient had perioperative complications directly related to BBS; however, each underwent thorough perioperative evaluation with emphasis on the systemic comorbidities associated with the syndrome. This report illustrates that patients with BBS can safely undergo anesthesia, but a detailed and often multidisciplinary preoperative evaluation is prudent.
Revolutionary Summer: The Birth of American Independence. By Joseph J. Ellis. (New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 2013. Pp. x, 219. $26.95.)

This book joins a growing number of studies that explore the independence movement during the American Revolution. In particular, the author focuses on the summer of 1776, when independence was deb...
COMPARATIVE MORPHOMETRIC ADAPTATION OF THE HOUSEFLY AND THE FACE FLY IN THE UNITED STATES.

While the primary aim of morphometric analysis of geographic variation is to elucidate adaptation, selection is generally implicated through correlations of morphometric and environmental trends (e.g., Atchley, 1971; Johnston and Selander, 1971; Power, 1969). Because phenotypic trends can be invariably associated with some combination of environmental variables, these results provide only limited evidence of environmental action (e.g., Bryant, 1974; Felsenstein, 1975). When direct genetic tests are infeasible, an alternative approach is to compare geographic trends in closely related species, since parallel geographic variation in areas of sympatry would provide stronger evidence for adaptation to environment. Multivariate patterns of covariation among characters are presumed evidence of genetically based developmental processes (e.g., Blackith, 1960; Atchley, 1971) and comparative morphometrics in particular could offer an assessment of the selective basis and probable generality of these patterns. The major difficulty, of course, is finding suitable sympatric species with similar morphologies. The housefly, Musca domestica L, and the face fly, M. autumnalis DeGeer, occupy sympatric distributions in the United States, with the distribution of the northern limited face fly contained within the broader limits of the widespread housefly. Even though the face fly only frequents areas with cattle, the distributions of the two species do overlap locally and they can be found within a short distance of each other and occasionally on the same
Recovery of UAV Coordination Robustness Lost by Slow Information Update Rates

In this work, two UAVs are tasked to coordinate their position while tracking a moving target in wind. The coordination guidance algorithm relies on communications and therefore variable communication input/output rates and drop outs leads to poor coordination performance. To recover robustness of the coordination guidance algorithm, two observers are used to estimate the remote UAV states between communication updates. The flrst observer is derived based on the analytic relations of a circular orbit about a moving target. The second observer is based on a kinematic aircraft model and also captures applicable dynamics and limits. The results are shown on Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulations.
Further Notes on Antlers in Female Deer of the Genus Odocoileus

With the exception of reindeer, female deer do not possess antlers. However, antlers occur sporadically in other genera, especially in Capreolus and Odocoileus . In the former, the size and condition of the generally abnormal antlers has been correlated to some degree with the condition of the reproductive tract, the largest antlers occurring in does that are either true hermaphrodites or pseudohermaphrodites and are infertile. Small deformed antlers in velvet are usually found in does that possess ovaries and often reveal signs of a previous pregnancy. The present investigator described the reproductive tracts of three antlered does of the genus Odocoileus (Wislocki, 1954). In two animals the ovaries were completely normal and in the third, atrophic, but in all three there was unmistakable evidence of their having previously been fertile and having borne young. In each case the antlers were very small, abnormal, and in velvet. As a result of the publication of those observations, the writer has received communications from several conservation officers in the United States, supplying him with specimens and accounts of other antlered does. The material and notes received seem sufficiently interesting to warrant a further brief communication on the subject of antlered does. This study was aided by a grant of the Eugene Higgins Trust of Harvard University. The data include reports of four deer, three of which are similar to the antlered does recently described by Wislocki. The fourth, however, is particularly interesting because it is either a true hermaphrodite or pseudohermaphrodite and in either event, the first of its kind to be noted in the genus Odocoileus . The four cases are presented below: 1. (1) A whitetail doe collected in Massachusetts on December 6, 1954, estimated to be five and a half years old, with a velvet-covered spike antler on the right side, …
Aging, Nutrition and Lifestyle

Finding the cure for aging and the fountain of youth has been a quest that attracted the human race for centuries. In recent decades the field of aging research has focused on defining why we age and a plethora of cellular aging theories have emerged since. It has recently become apparent that not only the age-related increase in cellular damage and the decrease in antioxidant defense, but also a decreasing efficiency of cellular quality control may exacerbate the accumulation of cellular “garbage”. It seems plausible that the quest for a cure of aging includes the cellular quality control mechanism autophagy, and possible ways to restore or boost its function in order to clean up the accumulating cellular waste. This chapter will focus on lifestyle interventions, namely dietary interventions and exercise that have been described or that are proposed to attenuate the decline and increasing insufficiency of autophagic housekeeping with advanced age.
How Voters Decide: Overview of Experimental Procedures

In this appendix we provide many of the nuts and bolts details of different experiments that we have conducted using our new dynamic process-tracing methodology and the presidential campaign simulation created to go with it. We begin with a description of the subjects who participated in the experiments and the methods by which they were recruited. We then discuss the general procedures that were followed in actually running the experiments. We conclude with a little more detail on the eight mock candidates who “ran” in our mock campaigns. SUBJECTS As mentioned briefly in Chapter 3, our requirements for participation in our experiments were only two: (1) Subjects had to be eligible to register and vote in U.S. elections (i.e., they had to be U.S. citizens at least 18 years of age), and (2) subjects could not be currently enrolled in a college or university. In practice, the studies also required subjects to be literate, as much of the experimental material was presented in written form. Our subject recruitment procedure differed between the first three experiments, when we had funding to pay subjects, and the last, when we did not. For the first three experiments, we could pay each subject $20 for participating – which, as will be detailed later, lasted about two hours – and some subjects were obtained by advertisements in local newspapers or community bulletin boards.
Monday Night Football and the Racial Roots of the Network TV Event

Launched in 1970, American Broadcasting Company’s (ABC) Monday Night Football made live prime time sports television viable when most sports broadcasts were relegated to weekends. It did so in part by packaging games for a crossover viewership. To this end, it suppressed racial divisiveness that might splinter the mainstream audience it sought. ABC parlayed Monday Night Football’s widespread popularity into prime time TV events beyond sports broadcasts that grew out of the programming flows it established and reflected its racial politics, including the made-for-TV melodrama Brian’s Song (1971) and the miniseries Roots (1977). Like Monday Night Football, these marquee TV events courted a crossover audience in part by downplaying racial discord. Although overlooked in scholarship that historicizes and critiques network television’s racial politics, Monday Night Football established intersecting representational conventions and programming norms that informed the mediation of race on some of U.S. television...
Development of nano machining techniques to bridge the terahertz gap

Research conducted in parallel with the construction of various vacuum electronic devices, including a 220 GHz Sheet Beam Traveling Wave Tube (SBTWT), a 263 GHz SBTWT, and two 346 GHz Backward Wave Oscillators (BWOs), has demonstrated that data garnered from the manufacturing process helps improve the performance, reduce the time to build, and lower the cost of subsequent devices. The data collected from metrology, microscopy, and manufacturing control are also critical to improving future device builds and provide powerful insight into the nature of fabricating high performance vacuum electronics.
1976 Marginal Value Theorem

Animals forage in order to maximize their net return from the environment. In patchy habitats, the marginal value theorem helps to predict when animals will depart a food patch and search for new foraging areas.
Hybrid Energy Harvesting Cooperative Spectrum Sensing in Heterogeneous CRNs

Energy Harvesting and Energy Efficient (EEH) Cognitive Radio Networks (CRNs) is one of the key technologies to meet the next generation wireless network demands for high energy and spectrum efficiency. EEH-CRNs can enable selfsustaining green communications by reducing the energy cost and harvesting the ambient energy sources while capitalizing the idle spectrum simultaneously. In this paper, we first propose a hybrid EH-SU model to harvest energy from both renewable sources, e.g. solar, and ambient radio frequency signals. A general hybrid cooperative spectrum sensing (CSS) scheme is then considered with and without energy half-duplex (EHD) constraint which prevents SUs from charging and discharging the battery at the same time. As an alternative to common homogeneity assumption, we propose a heterogeneous EEHCSS scheme to exploit heterogeneous sensing and reporting channel characteristics of SUs. After formulating the energy state evolution under stochastic energy arrivals, a convex myopic EEH-CSS policy optimization framework is then developed to jointly obtain the optimal harvesting ratio, sensing duration and detection threshold of each SU to maximize the total achievable throughput subject to collision and energy-causality constraints. Obtained results show that the proposed heterogeneous approach delivers %45 and %230 more throughput than the homogeneous one with and without EHD constraint, respectively. Furthermore, if the EHD constraint is mitigated, proposed heterogeneous approach provides %400 and %240 more throughput than the EHD constrained homogeneous and heterogeneous EHE-CSS schemes, respectively.
Triage of patients for attenuation-corrected stress-first Tc-99m SPECT MPI using a simplified clinical pre-test scoring model.

Stress-only Tc-99m SPECT MPI saves time and reduces radiation exposure while a normal study has a benign prognosis. However, no guidelines exist as to which patients should undergo stress-first MPI. The purpose of this study was to validate a previously published pre-test prediction scoring model and refine the stress-first triage process further if possible. We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent an attenuation-corrected Tc-99m SPECT MPI over a 39-month period. Based on 17-segment model semi-quantitative scoring, a successful stress-first MPI was defined as a summed stress attenuation-corrected score ≤ 1. Based on results from multivariate analysis, the previously published prediction score (comprised eight clinical and demographic variables) was compared to triage based on coronary artery disease (CAD) status alone and with the addition of other highly associated variables. Logistic regression and Chi-squared analyses were used to determine the magnitude of variable effect and to compare model results. A total of 2,277 patients were included, and the prediction score successfully stratified patients into low-risk (91.1% successful stress-first), intermediate-risk (79.4%), and high-risk (50.7%) groups. Comparing the use of the prediction score to the use of a history of CAD as the only triage factor, 69.0% of patients would be accurately triaged using the prediction score with a cutoff of 7 (maximized sensitivity and specificity), while 78.6% were correctly triaged with CAD status alone (P < .0001). The addition of variables highly associated with a successful stress-first protocol (congestive heart failure [OR 3.4] and an abnormal resting ECG [OR 2.1]) to CAD status further enhanced triage accuracy to 81% (P < .0001). While the previously described prediction score effectively identifies patients who can successfully undergo stress-first MPI, it is cumbersome. Triaging based solely on CAD status and with the addition of other key variables is practical and provides improved predictive accuracy for successful stress-first MPI. Utilizing this simplified pre-test scoring model may allow for wider adoption of stress-first imaging protocols which have clear advantages over traditional rest–stress protocols.
Dizziness, malpractice, and the otolaryngologist.

Abstract Purpose To assess malpractice claims related to the management of dizziness in otolaryngology in order to improve care and minimize the risk of litigation. Materials and methods This is a retrospective review of the LexisNexis “Jury Verdicts and Settlements” database. All lawsuits and out of court adjudications related to the management of dizziness by otolaryngologists were collected. Data including patient demographics, plaintiff allegation, procedure performed, and indemnities were analyzed. Results Of 21 cases meeting inclusion criteria, 17 were decided by a trial jury and four were resolved out of court. Jury verdicts favored the plaintiff 53% of the time and a payout was made in 57% of cases overall. Average payments were higher for jury verdicts in favor of the plaintiff ($1.8 million) as compared to out of court settlements ($545,000). Two-thirds of cases involved surgery, most commonly stapes surgery. Legal allegations, including physical injury, negligence, and lack of informed consent failed to predict the legal outcome. Conclusions Appropriate examination, testing, and referrals within a timely manner are crucial in the management of dizzy patients to avoid misdiagnoses. It is imperative that patients undergoing ear surgery are appropriately counseled that dizziness is a potential complication. The analysis of malpractice literature is complementary to clinical studies, with the potential to educate practitioners, improve patient care, and mitigate risk.
Smoking Behavior Changes in the Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Period and Risk of Mortality During Thirty‐Six Years of Prospective Followup

Objective: We investigated whether rheumatoid arthritis (RA) diagnosis influences smoking behavior changes and whether these changes were associated with mortality. Methods: We identified an incident RA cohort in the Nurses' Health Study (NHS, 1976-2012). Behavioral data were collected through biennial questionnaires. We created a comparison cohort, matching RA cases to women without RA by age and calendar year at the index date of RA diagnosis. To investigate smoking behavior changes in the early RA period, sustained cessation was defined as permanently quitting within four years of RA/index date. We used Cox regression to obtain HRs for mortality, comparing sustained smoking cessation to continued smoking. Results: Among 121,701 women in the NHS, we identified 938 with incident RA matched to 8,951 non-RA comparators. Among current smokers, 40.0% with RA permanently quit smoking in the early RA period compared to 36.1% of comparators (OR for sustained cessation 1.18, 95%CI 0.88-1.58). There were 313 (33.4%) deaths in the RA cohort and 2,042 (22.8%) among comparators. Compared to continued smoking, sustained cessation was associated with similarly decreased mortality in both the RA (HR 0.58, 95%CI 0.33-1.01) and comparison (HR 0.47, 95%CI 0.39-0.58) cohorts. Women with RA had higher mortality for >5 post-RA pack-years (HR 3.67, 95%CI 2.80-4.81) than comparators with >5 post-index pack-years (HR 1.88, 95%CI 1.62-2.17; pinteraction<0.001, reference: ever smoker non-RA women with 0 post-index pack-years). Conclusion: Sustained smoking cessation within four years of RA diagnosis reduced mortality risk, with a similar effect observed among non-RA comparators. Smoking >5 pack-years after RA diagnosis significantly increased mortality beyond the risk of non-RA comparators. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Population, Food Security, and Climate Change: Africa’s Challenges

Nearly 220 million people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), or almost one in every four, lacks adequate food for a healthy and productive life. The poor performance of the agricultural sector as well as a future of more frequent drought due to climate change combined with continued rapid population growth have renewed concerns about future food security in SSA, particularly in areas that regularly experience recurrent drought and food security crises. This chapter looks at projected growth in future food needs and their relationship with population growth. It also examines the role of improving the status of women in addressing food security. Finally, the chapter examines the relationship between food security and progress toward a first demographic dividend.