cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gd and Ce impurities in the LaX/sub 3/ compounds (X = In,Sn,Pb): A nuclear-magnetic-resonance study

The behavior of Gd and Ce impurities in the $\mathrm{La}{X}_{3}$ ($X=\mathrm{I}\mathrm{n},\mathrm{S}\mathrm{n},\mathrm{P}\mathrm{b}$) compounds has been investigated using the host-$^{139}\mathrm{La}$ NMR properties as a microscopic probe. The suppression of the superconducting-transition temperature ${T}_{c}$ by these impurities was measured for La${\mathrm{Pb}}_{3}$. For the Gd impurities, the NMR properties (linewidth $\ensuremath{\Delta}H$ and spin-lattice relaxation rate ${T}_{1}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$) of the $\mathrm{La}{X}_{3}$ compounds have been used to determine the $s\ensuremath{-}f$ exchange constant $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ which varies from 0.008 eV in La${\mathrm{Pb}}_{3}$ to 0.032 eV in La${\mathrm{In}}_{3}$. These values of $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$ are substantially smaller than those found in the cubic Laves-phase compound La${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$. In contrast to the results obtained with Gd impurities in La${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$, the La NMR spin-lattice relaxation remains exponential when Gd impurities are substituted for La in the $\mathrm{La}{X}_{3}$ compounds. This indicates that the nuclear-spin diffusion barrier around the Gd sites is much smaller in the $\mathrm{La}{X}_{3}$ compounds than in La${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}$. The enhancement of the La relaxation rate by the rare-earth impurities is best accounted for by the longitudinal-dipolar mechanism. In the case of Ce impurities in the $\mathrm{La}{X}_{3}$ compounds, there is a dramatic variation in the magnetic behavior with $X$. In La${\mathrm{Sn}}_{3}$, Ce is nonmagnetic; and in La${\mathrm{In}}_{3}$, Ce appears to be magnetic with a very small value for $\ensuremath{\Gamma}$. For La${\mathrm{Pb}}_{3}$, the NMR data indicate paramagnetic behavior, while the magnitude of the ${T}_{c}$ suppression with Ce can be accounted for by Kaiser's treatment of a nonmagnetic localized state.
Theory-Based Evaluation: Past, Present, and Future.

Theory-based evaluation examines conditions of program implementation and mechanisms that mediate between processes and outcomes as a means to understand when and how programs work.
Computer control for automated flight test maneuvering

The application of an experimental flight test maneuver autopilot test technique for collecting aerodynamic and structural flight research data on a highly maneuverable aircraft is described in this paper. This technique, which was developed to increase the quality and quantity of data obtained during flight test, was applied to the highly maneuverable aircraft technology (HiMAT) vehicle. A primary flight experiment was to verify the design techniques used to develop the HiMAT aerodynamics and structures. This required the performance of maneuvers for collection of large quantities of high-quality pressure distribution, loads, and wing and canard deflection data. Flight data obtained while executing these research maneuvers are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of this new technique.
PTH-mediated inhibition of the renal transport of phosphate

Phosphate homeostasis is maintained primarily by regulation of the rates of excretion of phosphate in the urine. Of the many mechanisms that regulate the urinary excretion of phosphate, the effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH) is considered to be of critical importance. This review focuses on recent studies that have begun to define a somewhat surprising but well orchestrated sequence of biochemical and biophysical events linking PTH1 receptors to the phosphate transporters through the scaffolding protein Sodium-hydrogen Exchanger Regulatory Factor-1 (NHERF-1) to affect hormone-mediated regulation of renal phosphate transport. Greenwald and Gross first documented that parathyroid gland extract increased the urinary excretion of phosphate [1]. This seminal paper, published in 1925, initiated an almost 85 year search to define the mechanism by which PTH inhibits phosphate transport in the kidney. Agus and coworkers reported in 1971 that the reabsorption of phosphate filtered at the glomerulus occurs exclusively in the proximal convoluted portion of the nephron and that PTH inhibits this process [2]. They also documented that cAMP, the only known second messenger at that time, inhibited the proximal tubular transport of phosphate. In 1991, Murer and colleagues ushered in the molecular understanding of phosphate transport when they cloned a number of apical membrane localized sodium-dependent phosphate transporters including Npt2a (NaPi IIa), the major phosphate transporter in the kidney of rodents [3]. This group would then document that phosphate transport in renal proximal tubule cells correlated with the abundance of Npt2a in the apical membrane of proximal tubule cells and that PTH decreased its abundance [4]. It was assumed that the downstream protein kinase cascades initiated by PTH, phosphorylated specific serine and/or threonine residues in Npt2a although an initial mutational analysis failed to identify known endocytic motifs that affected the trafficking of Npt2a in response to PTH [4]. In 2002, two independent lines of investigation converged on the finding that Npt2a was bound to apical membrane scaffolding PDZ-domain containing proteins including NHERF-1 and that NHERF-1 null mice exhibited hypophosphatemia and renal phosphate wasting [5,6]. Later studies would indicate that NHERF-1 bound 35 to 50% of the apical membrane Npt2a transporters and functioned as an Npt2a membrane retention signal to extend the time of Npt2a expression at the apical membrane surface of renal proximal tubule cells [7]. It would then be demonstrated that PTH did not inhibit the transport of phosphate in the absence of NHERF-1 indicating that Npt2a bound to NHERF-1 was uniquely the pool of the transporter that was subject to hormonal regulation [8]. Thus, it would appear that PTH, acting through the PTH1 receptor, inhibits phosphate transport in the renal proximal tubule by a NHERF-1 dependent mechanism.
A rise in systolic blood pressure during adenosine stress myocardial perfusion imaging does not increase the likelihood of an abnormal scan

Abstract Background: The normal physiologic response to vasodilators, such as adenosine, is a fall in systolic blood pressure (SBP). However, in some cases, a patient's SBP rises rather than falls during adenosine stress myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). It has been anecdotally suggested that this paradoxical response may result from a heightened adrenergic state due to adenosine-induced ischemia. We sought to assess whether ischemia is more common among patients whose SBP rises during adenosine stress MPI. Methods: Scan findings and SBP responses for 866 consecutive patients (age = 65.7±12.6 years; 356 men) undergoing adenosine stress MPI were assessed. Adenosine (140 μg/kg/min) was infused for six minutes (no concomitant exercise). MPI was performed using either a 201 Tl stress / redistribution or a dual isotope ( 201 Tl rest / 99m Tc stress) protocol. Scans were interpreted by experienced readers. Results: A rise in SBP ≥10 mmHg was seen in 61 (7%) patients, while 227 (26%) had a flat response (ΔSBP MPI Result SBP Decreased SBP Flat SBP Increased Male Female Male Female Male Female % with any ischemia 42 29 34 25 29 27 % with no ischemia 58 71 66 75 71 73 Conclusion: A rise in SBP during adenosine infusion is not associated with a higher likelihood of ischemia in patients undergoing adenosine stress MPI. In fact, there is a trend toward less ischemia among men who demonstrate such a paradoxical response. It is unlikely that a rise in SBP during adenosine stress MPI is due to an adrenergic surge in response to ischemia. The finding of more ischemia in men with a fall in SBP may help to account for the observation that men with exaggerated SBP responses to adenosine have a higher risk of cardiac death.
On the Topological Evolution of the Coronal Magnetic Field During the Solar Cycle

Using an axisymmetric model that includes the effects of flux emergence and surface transport processes, we calculate the evolution of the photospheric magnetic field over the solar cycle and derive a corresponding sequence of coronal configurations by means of a potential-field source-surface extrapolation. By identifying magnetic neutral points and tracking changes in the total flux within each topological domain, we construct an overall picture of how open and closed flux is transported as the coronal field reverses its polarity:
A Vision-Based Automatic Safe Landing-Site Detection System

An automatic safe landing-site detection system is proposed for aircraft emergency landing based on visible information acquired by aircraft-mounted cameras. Emergency landing is an unplanned event in response to emergency situations. If, as is usually the case, there is no airstrip or airfield that can be reached by the unpowered aircraft, a crash landing or ditching has to be carried out. Identifying a safe landing-site is critical to the survival of passengers and crew. Conventionally, the pilot chooses the landing-site visually by looking at the terrain through the cockpit. The success of this vital decision greatly depends on external environmental factors that can impair human vision and on the pilot's flight experience, which can vary significantly among pilots. Therefore, we propose a robust, reliable, and efficient detection system that is expected to alleviate the negative impact of these factors. We focus on the detection mechanism of the proposed system and assume that image enhancement for increased visibility and image stitching for a larger field-of-view (FOV) have already been performed on the terrain images acquired by aircraft-mounted cameras. Specifically, we first propose a hierarchical elastic horizon detection algorithm to identify the ground in the image. Then, the terrain image is divided into nonoverlapping blocks, which are clustered according to a "roughness" measure. The adjacent smooth blocks are merged to form potential landing-sites, whose dimensions are measured with principal component analysis and geometric transformations. If the dimensions of a candidate region exceed the minimum requirement for safe landing, the potential landing-site is considered a safe candidate and is highlighted on the human machine interface. At the end the pilot makes the final decision by confirming one of the candidates, and also by considering other factors such as wind speed and wind direction, etc. Preliminary experimental results show the feasibility of the proposed system.
Hair patterns of the pinna of white and Negro males.

Three basic hair patterns of the scalp are recognized. These are totopilose, indentato-pilose, and indentato-circulo-pilose. The indentato-pilose has the highest incidence in both white and Negro males, and the totopilose is over four times more common in the Negroes than in the whites. The indentato-pilose has high correlation with the pecto-sterno-infraclavicular chest hair pattern in both groups.
Validation and verification of integrated model simulations of a thirty meter telescope

The Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics has developed Integrated Modeling tools for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) project. This simulation software, implemented in MATLAB, models the telescope optical system, structural dynamics, and the segmented primary mirror and secondary mirror active optical control systems. For the TMT project, the integrated model was used to assess the effect of wind loading on the telescope in terms of delivered image quality. The simulation includes a state-space model of the telescope structural dynamics derived from an ANSYS finite element model, a linear optics model derived from a ZEMAX prescription, and wind loading forces derived from PowerFLOW computational dynamics software. The overall complexity of the model necessitates rigorous validation and verification procedures to ensure that the simulation data structures properly represent the original design, and that the calculations performed by the system are reliable. In this paper we discuss the validation and verification of the model data structures, structural configuration, optical configuration, coordinate system transforms, linear optics model, Zernike calculations, and wind loading model. As a case study, we present the verification, validation, and simulation results of the Thirty Meter Telescope Reference Design.
Cutaneous metastasis: a clinical, pathological, and immunohistochemical appraisal.

Background: Cutaneous tumor metastasis may be the first manifestation of cancer, but more often is a harbinger of advanced disease that portends an ominous prognosis. All skin accessions over the past 10 years from a large Veterans Administration (VA) hospital were reviewed. Methods: Archived histories, glass slides, and the immunohistochemical battery (IHC), were assessed to determine diagnostic accuracy. Results: Of the 100,453 cases reviewed, there were a total of 77 cases (75 males and 2 females) of cutaneous metastasis from the lungs (28.6%), metastatic melanoma (18.2%), gastrointestinal tract (14.2%), genitourinary tract (10.4%), head and neck (9.1%), hematologic (5.2%), breast (5.2%), and miscellaneous (<2%). Metastasis represented the first indication of an internal malignancy in 7.8% of cases. The cutaneous sites of involvement included the head and neck (28%), the trunk (40%), the extremities (18%), and multiple sites (14%). The age range was 38–83 years, with a mean of 62 years. The average time interval between diagnosis of internal malignancy and cutaneous presentation was 33 months (range: <1 month−22 years), and the average survival following diagnosis was 7.5 months (range: <1 month−8 years). In a cohort of subjects, a truncated immunohistochemical battery consisting of CK-7, CK-20, and S-100 was consistent with the expected staining pattern of the primary source of cutaneous metastasis in 83.33% of the patients. Conclusions: Excluding the potential for age and gender bias in this study conducted in a VA setting, cutaneous metastases represent an uncommon, deadly, and late-developing occurrence in many patients. Compared with previous studies, lung carcinoma remains the most common of the cutaneous metastases, with a relative rise in the incidence of metastatic melanoma. The immunohistochemical battery of CK-7, CK-20, and S-100 is a helpful adjunct in narrowing the differential diagnosis of the primary site of a large proportion of cutaneous metastases, particularly tumors with an epithelioid appearance such as carcinomas and melanomas.
Complete Heart Block Mimicking Seizure Disorder

Two patients are described who presented with seizures. Electrocardiogram revealed com plete heart block with ventricular asystole last ing four to 10 seconds in each case. These Stokes-Adams episodes were controlled with temporary transvenous pacing. Although there was full clinical recovery in each case, both patients continue to have right bundle branch block (RBBB) and left anterior hemiblock (LAH) 1½ years after their initial presentation.
Employee to employer communication skills: balancing cancer treatment and employment.

Background Cancer patients face difficulties in accessing legally mandated benefits and accommodations when they return to the workplace. Poor employer–employee communication inflates these difficulties. Although proven methods to facilitate physician–patient communication exist, these have not been applied to the workplace. Thus, we aimed to assess the feasibility and utility of applying these methods to educate patients about their workplace rights and provide them with communication skills training to aid their conversations with their employers. Methods A DVD was produced to educate patients and facilitate workplace communication. Participants consisted of 28 solid tumor cancer patients (14 women and 14 men) who completed primary cancer treatment in the past 12 months and were employed at the time of diagnosis. Participants watched a communication skills training DVD and completed a telephone interview. The interview elicited information about workplace experiences and evaluation of the DVD training program. Results The physician–patient communication skills training model utilized was successfully translated to the employer–employee setting. All but one participant found the DVD useful and easy to understand and indicated a high degree of confidence in using the communication skills to help them ask for workplace accommodations. All participants agreed that it would help newly diagnosed patients in discussions with their employers. Conclusion Our data provides promising preliminary evidence that patient communication skills training can be applied to the workplace setting and is a welcomed aid to newly diagnosed cancer patients in their discussions with employers regarding the impact of treatment on their work performance and needs for accommodations. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Diversity Combining over Rayleigh Fading Channels with Symmetric Alpha-Stable Noise

This paper addresses the bit error rate performance of diversity combining schemes for a single-user communication system operating over Rayleigh flat fading channels subject to impulsive alpha-stable noise, which is known to arise due to network interference from a Poisson field of interference sources. Under this setting, a theoretical benchmark receiver is analyzed, the maximum possible diversity order attainable is derived to be Lα/2, where L is the number of antennas and α is the characteristic exponent of the noise. Moreover, trade-offs between the diversity gain and the array gain have been identified. The conventional linear matched filter receiver (also known as maximum ratio combining in the Gaussian case) has been shown to have a diversity order of α/2, thereby not benefiting from spatial diversity. Closed form expressions for the diversity gain and array gain of post-detection combining have been derived. As an improvement to conventional combining schemes, the optimum maximum likelihood detector is derived. A simpler high SNR approximation of the detector is shown to not depend on the noise parameters, and is compared to the generalized Cauchy detector under stable noise. Monte-Carlo simulations are used to supplement our analytical results and compare the performance of the detectors.
Technical and Economic Impacts of Pre-Shredding the MSW Feed to Moving Grate WTE Boilers

Chemical rate and heat transfer theory indicates that the combustion performance and productivity of a moving grate waste-to-energy boiler should be enhanced by means of pre-shredding of the MSW, thus reducing the average particle size, homogenizing the feed, and increasing its bulk density by an estimated 30%. However, the capital, operating and maintenance costs of the shredding equipment should be low enough so that existing or new WTE facilities consider pre-shredding of the MSW. In cases where MSW is transported to a central WTE from a number of Waste Transfer Stations (WTS), pre-shredding may take place at the WTS, thus increasing density and decreasing transportation costs. This is a mechanical engineering study that examined the evolution and present state of shredding equipment since 1994 when the last WTE shredder in the U.S. was installed at the SEMASS facility. The quantitative benefits realized through the pre-processing of MSW by means of modern shredding equipment are evaluated both for the traditional high speed hammermills and the new generation of low-rpm, high-torque shredders. The combustion characteristics of shredded MSW were analyzed and compared to those of the “as-received” material that is presently combusted in mass burn WTEs. The emphasis of the project has been on equipment that can be integrated in the traditional flowsheet of a WTE and serviced readily. The most important criterion in the final design will be that the economic and energy benefits of pre-shredding be clearly greater than the conventional operation of combusting as received MSW.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Structure of nanocrystalline palladium and copper studied by small angle neutron scattering

The structure of nanocrystalline palladium and copper, made by inert gas condensation and compaction, was studied using small angle neutron scattering (SANS), optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of annealing and warm compaction were also examined with these techniques. The SANS results were interpreted using a maximum entropy routine, combined with knowledge of the Archimedes density and hydrogen concentration determined by prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA). Similar hydrogen concentrations were detected by SANS and PGAA. This hydrogen content, which was approximately 5 at.{percent} in samples compacted at room temperature, was reduced by both annealing and warm compaction. Defects in several size classes were observed, including missing grain pores ({approx_equal}1{endash}50 nm diameter) and defects of micrometer size. Warm compaction produced a lower number density of pores in nanocrystalline palladium, which led to increased density. The observed structure was correlated with Vickers microhardness and fracture surface morphology. {copyright} {ital 1996 Materials Research Society.}
Evaluation of additive for reducing gaseous emissions from swine waste

Additives can reduce gaseous emissions from swine waste lagoons and pits. We have demonstrated for the first time that an additive has the potential to reduce methane emission from an anaerobic swine lagoon. ManureMax®, a humate product was evaluated for its ability to reduce gas and odor emissions from swine anaerobic lagoon and barn flush-water. Four treatments, Control (no additive), Low (label dosage), Medium (50% higher than label dosage), and High (200% higher than label dosage) were applied to inclined pipes installed in a swine lagoon. While the Medium and High treatments were not effective, the Low treatment reduced methane, 2-butanone, and tetrahydrofuran concentrations by 34 % , 44 % , and 57%, respectively vs. the Control in the pipe headspace. Surface treatment was effective on methane for four weeks. ManureMax® was ineffective in reducing nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide concentrations in the headspace. It is unclear why only the Low treatment reduced concentrations of these gases in the lagoon though at least one study also reported similar findings with additive dosage. The Low treatment reduced chemical oxygen demand and total phosphorus in the lagoon supernatant probably due to chelation, flocculation, and/or oxidation. Applying treatments to pipes installed in a lagoon could be cost-effective way to compare treatments in replicated, mesocosm-scale studies in a lagoon. In the lab, all ManureMax® treatments reduced accumulation of three short-chain volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in the headspace of incubated glass bottles but only the High treatment reduced toluene accumulation (by 26%). The ability of ManureMax® to degrade long- and branch-chain VFAs requires further evaluation and its odor reduction potential should be tested using olfactometry . Keywords: h og, m esocosm-scale, m ethane, 2-butanone, t etrahydrofuran, v olatile fatty acids, t oluene
The collisionless macroscopic Kelvin‐Helmholtz instability: 1. Transverse electrostatic mode

The electrostatic limit of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability in a collisionless plasma is investigated for a magnetic field perpendicular to the velocity flow. A two-fluid eigenvalue analysis of the transverse electrostatic Kelvin-Helmholtz instability is performed using the Chew-Goldberger-Low hydromagnetic equations with first-order finite Larmer radius corrections, establishing that the transverse electrostatic mode reduces to the incompressible transverse MHD mode in the limit of zero ion gyroradius. The linear growth rates are determined and a strong stabilization of the instability for (k-perpendicular) (rho sub i) of 0.2 or greater is observed. The nonlinear stage of the instability displays large vortices whose size is many times the initial velocity shear length. At saturation the simulation is dominated by the longest-wavelength mode permitted in the system. The simulation results can be understood in terms of a simple model which assumes that saturation occurs when the angular frequency of the vortex motion reaches the linear growth rate of the instability.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Circulatory Dynamics in Pseudotumor Cerebri and Response to Steroid Therapy

Progress in our understanding of pseudotumor cerebri, or benign intracranial hypertension (BIH), is traceable from the original descriptions of Quincke48 and Nonne44 through the case analyses of Davidoff and Dyke,12 Dandy,11 Sahs and Hyndman, 51 Foley,16 Bercaw and Greer,2 Greer,19, 20 Buchheit et al., 5 Johnston and co-workers,29–31 and Weisberg and co-workers.59–63 Diagnostic criteria that have evolved include increased intracranial pressure (ICP) in association with intermittent headache, visual obscurations and diplopia, and an otherwise normal neurological examination with the exception of visual-field defects in some patients. Diagnostic studies fail to reveal an intracranial mass, and the only characteristic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) finding is a low total protein in approximately 50% of cases. Some patients with this syndrome have been described with isolated focal neurological deficits3,5,28 and atypical head and eye pain syndromes.6 False localizing signs such as a 6th-nerve paresis can also be present.
Relationship of time dose factors to tumor control and complications in the treatment of Cushing's disease by irradiation.

Abstract The records of the Radiotherapy Division of the Radiology Department of Vanderbilt University Hospital were reviewed for the period 1952–1970. During those 19 years 45 patients with a well-documented diagnosis of Cushing's disease were treated initially by external irradiation of the pituitary. All of the patients were treated with megavoltage equipment using photons. When the results of irradiation are compared against total doses of radiation, it is evident that the control rate is unsatisfactory at doses less than 4000 rad and the maximum benefits of irradiation are evident in the 4500–5000 rad dose range. It is also clear that the complication rate increases as the dose exceeds 4800 rad. If the various treatment regimens of irradiation are converted to “equivalent” doses by the Nominal Standard Dose (NSD) or Time-Dose-Fractionation (TDF) methods, the relationship between “dose” and efficacy of therapy and complications is demonstrated. In order to reduce the possibility of treatment-related morbidity, the use of three or more small (4 × 4 cm) treatment portals or rotational techniques is recommended to a pituitary dose of 4600–5000 rad treating 5 days a week for 5–6 weeks.
PhysioPursuit: A Trivia-Type Game for the Classroom

A classroom game, based on a trivia-type game format, to help students prepare for the cumulative final exam in a physiological psychology course was designed. Details of game construction and play are described.
Low Cost Organic Packaging For Silicon Based mm-wave Wireless Systems

Liquid crystal polymer is utilized as a unique packaging material for millimeter-wave applications. It is used as a multi-chip module platform for a 36 GHz voltage controlled oscillator. The VCO is embedded in a laser-micromachined cavity on LCP and wire bonded to corresponding transmission lines. Measurements are made before and after packaging for comparison of oscillation performance. A figure of merit based on phase noise is used to assess the overall performance before and after packaging. The figure of merit before packaging was calculated to be -173.7 dBc/Hz. After packaging, there was a 13.4 dB degradation in the figure of merit. Specifically this is caused by mismatch introduced by the bond wires that increases phase nod current consumption. Also, the inductive parasitics of the bond wires was found to decrease the tuning range of the oscillator by an order of magnitude.
Midterm outcomes and quality of life following percutaneous coronary intervention in nonagenarians.

The midterm clinical and functional benefits of percutaneous coronary intervention in patients aged ≥90 years have not been clearly defined. From January 2005 to June 2009, 173 patients aged ≥90 years underwent diagnostic cardiac catheterization, of whom 90 underwent percutaneous coronary intervention. There were 45 men (50%) and 45 women (50%), with a mean age of 92 years (range 90 to 101). Of these, 24 patients (27%) presented with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, 31 (34%) with non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, 28 (31%) with unstable angina pectoris, and 2 (2%) with stable angina pectoris; 5 patients (6%) were studied for preoperative risk assessment. A total of 127 lesions were successfully treated using 102 drug-eluting stents and 37 bare-metal stents, with a mean of 1.5 stents per patient. Postprocedural complications included renal insufficiency in 5 patients (5.6%), heart failure in 6 patients (6.7%), and cardiogenic shock in 2 patients (2.2%). Seventy-seven patients (85.6%) experienced no postprocedural complications. In-hospital mortality was 7.8%, and actuarial survival was 61.5 ± 5.2% at 24 months and 31.6 ± 6.1% at 48 months. The SF-36 Health Survey was administered at follow-up, and results demonstrated a quality of life similar to that of the general population corrected for age and gender. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that percutaneous coronary intervention in nonagenarians can be accomplished with low mortality and morbidity and excellent midterm results. Moreover, functional improvement in nonagenarians supports enhanced quality of life comparable to that of the general population.
Nutrition and The Risk of Oral and Pharyngeal Cancer: The Evidence for Any Association Remains Weak and Clinical Significance Remains Limited

Article Title and Bibliographic Information Nutrient-based dietary patterns and the risk of oral and pharyngeal cancer. Edefonti V, Bravi F, La Vecchia C, Randi G, Ferraroni M, Garavello W, Franceschi S, Talamini R, Boffetta P, Decarli A. Oral Oncol 2010;46:343-8. Reviewers Andrei Barasch, DMD, MDSc, Mark Litaker, PhD Purpose/Question Is there an association between patient diet and the risk for oral/pharyngeal cancer? Source of Funding Government and foundations: Italian Association for Cancer Research (AIRC), the Italian League against Cancer, and the Italian Ministry of Education (PRIN 2005, PRIN 2007). Type of Study/Design Case-control study Level of Evidence Level 2: Limited-quality, patient-oriented evidence Strength of Recommendation Grade Not applicable
Satellite observations of spatial and interannual variability of lightning and radar reflectivity

The authors use satellite data to examine the relationship between lightning and upper-level radar reflectivity. They find correlations between average flash rates and upper-level reflectivities over both land and ocean, although both flash rates and reflectivities are much lower over ocean than land. Analysis of the data using Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOFs) shows similar EOFs for averaged lightning and reflectivity. In contrast, the EOFs of the anomalies of lightning and reflectivity have different spatial patterns; however, both have principal component time series that are correlated with the Southern Oscillation Index and, hence, El Nino. Differences in behavior of the lightning and reflectivity anomaly EOFs and principal components suggest that El Nino plays a smaller role in lightning anomaly than precipitation anomaly.
Transmission Dynamics of Borrelia burgdorferi s.s. During the Key Third Day of Feeding by Nymphal Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae)

Nymphal Ixodes scapularis Say are the principal vectors of Lyme disease spirochetes (Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto) in the eastern United States. Physicians frequently face the decision of whether or not to administer prophylactic antibiotics to human tick bite victims in Lyme disease endemic regions, based on the overall probability that such bites will result in infection with B. burgdorferi s.s. We evaluated the transmission dynamics of B. burgdorferi s.s. during the key third day of nymphal I. scapularis feeding, when the risk of transmission rapidly increases. The cumulative probability that 50% of infected ticks transmitted B. burgdorferi s.s. occurred at 68 h of tick attachment and our overall estimate that a human tick bite would result in transmission of B. burgdorferi s.s. was 2.4%.
Fraud risk management: A small business perspective

Abstract Small businesses face big challenges when it comes to managing fraud risks. Financial strain, rapid growth, and a lack of resources and expertise create ample opportunity for motivated fraudsters to take advantage of small businesses. In this article, we draw upon insights from our years as fraud investigators to offer seven practical recommendations to help small business leaders prevent and detect fraud in this unique environment. These strategies can help even the smallest company make a big difference when it comes to fraud risk management.
Design and Implementation of a Soil Matric Potential-based Automated Irrigation System for Drip Irrigating Fraser Fir

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. tensiometers, Abies fraseri, Christmas tree, data logger SUMMARY. Irrigation of fraser fir (Abies fraseri) in Christmas tree production is gaining importance in the upper midwestern United States because of the intensive planting of this species out of its natural range. However, current scheduling practices rely on empirical observations with no monitoring of soil moisture and no useofautomatedirrigationsystem.Thegoalofthisprojectwastodesign,construct, and implement a tensiometer-based automated irrigation system for fraser fir Christmas tree plantations that would (1) use existing technologies, (2) apply water based on changes in soil moisture content, (3) provide operational flexibility, and (4) interface with a computer for system changes, data collection, and system modifications. Soil tensiometers equipped with 4- to 20-milliampere transducers were installed at two drip-irrigated tree farms. Water on demand was controlled by soil moisture tension levels that triggered the stimulation of a relay wired to solenoids delivering irrigation water to the various treatments. The system functioned according to the design as expected. However, several issues associated with the need for regular maintenance of tensiometers, computer programming, and system wiring created some challenges regarding the reliability and transferability of similar system to commercial facilities.
Building a hybrid DEVS and GRASS model using a composable cellular automaton

Modeling and simulation is pervasive throughout many different disciplines. As computing technology has provided more capability, the systems being modeled and simulated have grown larger and more complex. Often times, these large systems are managed as interacting subsystems. When it is necessary for the simulation to allow disparate subsystems to maintain their independence, then a hybrid model of the subsystems should be used. Furthermore, to ease the burden of verification and validation of simulation results, a proven system theoretical modeling specification should be used. However, many communities have already adopted nonsystem theoretical software solutions and established a group of domain experts familiar with these tools. This paper provides two things: a formal approach to building a hybrid model, and a discussion of how to incorporate a nonsystem theoretical software implementation into a proven framework. The first is done through the implementation of a Knowledge Interchange Broker (KIB) as an Interaction Model (IM). The second is accomplished by exemplifying the use of the IM in an agent-environment hybrid model. In the hybrid model, the agent is implemented in the Discrete-event System (DEVS) specification and the environment is implemented in the Geographical Resources Analysis Support System (GRASS) using a Composable Cellular Automaton (CCA) specification. This concept has been successfully applied to both example models and an interdisciplinary research project where the interactions between human activities and landscape processes are studied.
The School District Boundary Problem

Many scholars identify local educational governance as a root cause of inequality of educational opportunity in America. Advocates of educational reforms as disparate as school choice and the regionalization of school districts seem to agree that because localities are overwhelmingly stratified by race and class, localism causes inequity.This Article argues that, for reasons of both political economy and normative political theory, American education should embrace its tradition of localist governance. Local control remains the best hope for effective academic education and the only hope for effective democratic education.Increasing equity in the distribution of educational opportunity therefore requires the reconstitution, not the abandonment, of the local educational polity. This Article proposes that to do so, school district boundary lines be subject to periodic redistricting, under procedures similar to those used for electoral districting. At the end of each period, boundaries would be redrawn to minimize interdistrict variance in wealth. Between redrawings, districts would remain autonomous. This arrangement would strengthen voice and weaken exit, thus not only preserving but enhancing the robust localism that theorists of democracy and democratic education argue is crucial to educational governance. It would preserve allocative and productive efficiency. And, given institutional features of American state government, it would be judicially manageable, politically feasible, and bureaucratically implementable.
Predicting student performance on post-requisite skills using prerequisite skill data: an alternative method for refining prerequisite skill structures

Prerequisite skill structures have been closely studied in past years leading to many data-intensive methods aimed at refining such structures. While many of these proposed methods have yielded success, defining and refining hierarchies of skill relationships are often difficult tasks. The relationship between skills in a graph could either be causal, therefore, a prerequisite relationship (skill A must be learned before skill B). The relationship may be non-causal, in which case the ordering of skills does not matter and may indicate that both skills are prerequisites of another skill. In this study, we propose a simple, effective method of determining the strength of pre-to-post-requisite skill relationships. We then compare our results with a teacher-level survey about the strength of the relationships of the observed skills and find that the survey results largely confirm our findings in the data-driven approach.
Open Problem: Is Averaging Needed for Strongly Convex Stochastic Gradient Descent?

Stochastic gradient descent (SGD) is a simple and very popular iterative method to solve stochastic optimization problems which arise in machine learning. A common practice is to return the average of the SGD iterates. While the utility of this is well-understood for general convex problems, the situation is much less clear for strongly convex problems (such as solving SVM). Although the standard analysis in the strongly convex case requires averaging, it was recently shown that this actually degrades the convergence rate, and a better rate is obtainable by averaging just a suffix of the iterates. The question we pose is whether averaging is needed at all to get optimal rates. We consider the problem of stochastically optimizing a convex functionF over a convex domain W using stochastic gradient descent (SGD). The algorithm makes use of an oracle, which given some w2W, returns a random vector ^ whose expectation is a subgradient ofF (w). For example, consider the linear SVM optimization problem over a training setf(xi;yi)g m ,
The Use of Self-Retained Ureteral Stents in the Management of Urologic Complications in Renal Transplant Recipients

AbstractNineteen self-retaining ureteral stents were used to manage postoperative ureteral obstruction and fistulas in 12 renal transplant recipients. In 3 patients with ureteral obstruction and 2 with a fistula placement of the self-retaining stents for 4 to 6 weeks allowed the complication to resolve. In 3 patients with ureteral obstruction placement of the self-retaining stents allowed for stabilization of the condition and reduction of immunosuppression therapy before an open surgical repair. In 6 patients self-retaining ureteral stents were used to protect the high risk anastomosis done at an open surgical repair of a complication. Placement of a self-retaining ureteral stent may be the best choice in the early management of ureteral obstruction and fistulas in transplant recipients.
Basic advances in serotonin pharmacology.

Paroxetine is a phenylpiperidine compound that selectively inhibits neuronal serotonin uptake in man. In this study, the efficacy of paroxetine was compared with that of placebo in the treatment of 66 outpatients with the diagnosis of moderate-to-severe major depression. The research was a 6-week, prospective, double-blind design after a 1-week placebo baseline phase. Paroxetine was associated with a consistent pattern of greater improvement on the primary efficacy scales, but the differences were not statistically significant. Paroxetine did produce significantly greater improvement than placebo for patients whose illness had lasted more than 1 year, and there was a significant reduction in suicidal ideation. Significantly fewer dropouts were due to lack of efficacy in those patients treated with paroxetine compared with those in the placebo group. Paroxetine was well tolerated. There was no difference between paroxetine and placebo in the rate of adverse effects or in the number of patients who dropped out because of adverse effects.
Melanoma: etiology, treatment, and dental implications

Melanoma is one of the most serious skin cancers. It arises from neural crest-derived melanocytes located in the epidermis or dermis of the skin. Melanoma also can arise from melanocytes located in other regions of the body such as the eye, meninges, digestive tract, mucosal surfaces, or lymph nodes. There are no proven causes of melanoma but the most commonly associated factor is episodic exposure to the sun. Melanoma is a common cancer that has been increasing in incidence for the last 35 years. The median age at the time of diagnosis is 53 years. It is much more common in whites than in people of color. Five-year survival rates for melanoma of the skin have been increasing since 1976. There are four types of melanoma: superficial spreading melanoma, nodular melanoma, lentigo maligna melanoma, and acral lintiginous melanoma. Clinical signs indicating possible melanoma are asymmetry, border irregularity, color variation, increase in diameter, elevation, ulceration, and bleeding of pigmented lesions. Histopathologic findings (tumor thickness, tumor invasion), surface ulceration, spread to lymph nodes, and distant metastases are used to project patient prognosis. Treatment consists of surgical excision, lymph node dissection, limb perfusion, regional chemotherapy infusion, radiation, intralesional immunotherapy, systemic chemotherapy, and/or interferon-alpha, depending on the staging of the melanoma. Oral melanomas are rare; however, approximately 20% of all melanomas are found in the head and neck region. The role of the dentist is to be alert for changes in pigmented lesions of the oral mucosa and skin of the head and neck. Lesions suspected of melanoma must be biopsied, which usually involves referral of the patient.
High-Cost Patients: Hot-Spotters Don't Explain the Half of It.

Understanding resource utilization patterns among high-cost patients may inform cost reduction strategies. To identify patterns of high-cost healthcare utilization and associated clinical diagnoses and to quantify the significance of hot-spotters among high-cost users. Retrospective analysis of high-cost patients in 2012 using data from electronic medical records, internal cost accounting, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. K-medoids cluster analysis was performed on utilization measures of the highest-cost decile of patients. Clusters were compared using clinical diagnoses. We defined “hot-spotters” as those in the highest-cost decile with ≥4 hospitalizations or ED visits during the study period. A total of 14,855 Medicare Fee-for-service beneficiaries identified by the Medicare Quality Resource and Use Report as having received 100 % of inpatient care and ≥90 % of primary care services at Cleveland Clinic Health System (CCHS) in Northeast Ohio. The highest-cost decile was selected from this population. Healthcare utilization and diagnoses. The highest-cost decile of patients (n = 1486) accounted for 60 % of total costs. We identified five patient clusters: “Ambulatory,” with 0 admissions; “Surgical,” with a median of 2 surgeries; “Critically Ill,” with a median of 4 ICU days; “Frequent Care,” with a median of 2 admissions, 3 ED visits, and 29 outpatient visits; and “Mixed Utilization,” with 1 median admission and 1 ED visit. Cancer diagnoses were prevalent in the Ambulatory group, care complications in the Surgical group, cardiac diseases in the Critically Ill group, and psychiatric disorders in the Frequent Care group. Most hot-spotters (55 %) were in the “frequent care” cluster. Overall, hot-spotters represented 9 % of the high-cost population and accounted for 19 % of their overall costs. High-cost patients are heterogeneous; most are not so-called “hot-spotters” with frequent admissions. Effective interventions to reduce costs will require a more multi-faceted approach to the high-cost population.
Measurement artifacts in sonometry of cancellous bone: The relative impact of phase cancellation and interference on measurements of phase-distorting phantoms

The goal of the present study is to demonstrate the relative effects of interference in the field and phase cancellation at the surface of a receiver on measurements of three increasingly more complex phantoms. Distinct from phase cancellation occurring at the surface of a phase-sensitive receiver, which results in an irrecoverable loss of energy, loss due to interference is only ostensible. Both apparent sources of loss have been shown by our lab to result in negative dispersion measured in cancellous bone. The transmitting transducer consisted of a single-element, planar, 2.9 cm diameter transducer centered at 500 kHz. The through-transmitted signals were received by a 0.6 mm diameter membrane hydrophone that was raster scanned in 0.04 mm steps over a 5.8 cm by 5.8 cm grid coaxial with the transmitting transducer. Signals received by the pseudo-array were processed offline to emulate a phase insensitive receiver of increasing aperture. Apparent attenuation coefficients were determined as functions of frequency for each configuration. Results suggest the potentially confounding role of time- and frequency-domain artifacts on measurements and illustrate the advantages of two-dimensional receiving arrays in determining the slope of attenuation (nBUA) for the clinical assessment of osteoporosis. This work was supported in part by NSF CBET 0717830 ldquoScholar in Residence at the FDArdquo and NIH HL 040302.
Forced Linear Equations

Publisher Summary This chapter presents three projects that use forced linear equations. The first project connects the physics of forcing transients and steady state behavior with the mathematical solution of forced linear equations. The second project explains the buzz in an old car around 45 mph and the third project shows how to filter out an un-wanted signal. One of the important traditional applications of differential equations is in understanding physical oscillators. Mechanical oscillators like the suspension of car or electrical oscillators like the tuner in radios often can be described by linear differential equations with an applied force such as the bumps in the road or a transmitted radio signal. These forces introduce time-dependent terms in the equations and make them nonautonomous. Still, the autonomous (or homogeneous) solutions play an important role in understanding the forced oscillations. These homogeneous solutions are transients physically.