cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact and the art of motivation maintenance : The effects of contact with beneficiaries on persistence behavior

We tested the hypothesis that employees are willing to maintain their motivation when their work is relationally designed to provide opportunities for respectful contact with the beneficiaries of their efforts. In Experiment 1, a longitudinal field experiment in a fundraising organization, callers in an intervention group briefly interacted with a beneficiary; callers in two control groups read a letter from the beneficiary and discussed it amongst themselves or had no exposure to him. One month later, the intervention group displayed significantly greater persistence and job performance than the control groups. The intervention group increased significantly in persistence (142% more phone time) and job performance (171% more money raised); the control groups did not. Experiments 2 and 3 used a laboratory editing task to examine mediating mechanisms and boundary conditions. In Experiment 2, respectful contact with beneficiaries increased persistence, mediated by perceived impact. In Experiment 3, mere contact with beneficiaries and task significance interacted to increase persistence, mediated by affective commitment to beneficiaries. Implications for job design and work motivation are discussed.
A Dual-Network Testbed for Wireless Sensor Applications

A dual-network Cyber-physical Networking (CPN) testbed developed at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln is described. The CPN testbed consists of two geographically disparate wireless sensor networks connected by a traditional TCP/IP network and enables peer-to-peer communication between each sensor in the network. The functionality of the testbed is enhanced by a range of software tools that support remote programming and network monitoring, and real-time visualization of sensor data. The resulting architecture supports easy deployment and evaluation of applications for both traditional and interconnected wireless sensor networks. To demonstrate the features of this testbed, a novel ping application was developed and deployed as a proof-of-concept application for peer-to-peer communication in geographically separated wireless sensor networks. Experimental evaluations of the ping application yield insight into the communications overhead that can be expected in future applications of peer-to-peer interconnected sensor networks.
Thrombolytic therapy for patients with myocardial infarction who are older than 75 years. Do the risks outweigh the benefits

Thrombolytic therapy represents a major advance in the care of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) that has developed over the past 2 decades. In a meta-analysis of the 9 largest randomized trials conducted between 1982 and 1992 and involving 58 000 patients, this treatment was shown to reduce 35-day mortality, particularly in patients younger than 75 years who had evidence of ST-segment elevation or bundle-branch block and who were treated within 12 hours of the onset of symptoms.1 Among the 5754 patients in these trials who were ≥75 years, thrombolytic therapy was associated with an absolute reduction in mortality of 1% (1 life saved for every 100 patients treated), a reduction that did not approach statistical significance. Given the powerful evidence of benefit in younger patients (including those between 65 and 74 years) and the potential benefit in older patients, guidelines for the care of AMI from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology have supported the use of this treatment for patients ≥75 years who present with ST elevation within 12 hours of symptom onset as a class IIa indication, ie, one for which the “weight of evidence/opinion is in favor of usefulness/efficacy.”2 Contrary to this perspective, an observational study by Thiemann et al3 in this issue of Circulation indicates that thrombolytic therapy is not beneficial and could actually be harmful in patients older than 75 years. These investigators assessed the 30-day mortality among patients aged 65 to 86 years in the United States who were treated for an AMI during 1994 and 1995. In a primary analysis of 7864 patients who met clinical inclusion criteria for thrombolytic therapy, they compared those who did and who did not receive this treatment. Their findings are quite surprising. Among the >5000 patients aged 65 …
Surgical Management of Articular Cartilage Defects in the Knee

The treatment of isolated cartilage lesions of the knee is based on several underlying principles, including a predictable reduction in the patient's symptoms, improvements in function and joint congruence, and prevention of progressive damage. Surgical options for cartilage restoration are described as palliative treatments, such as debridement and lavage; reparative, such as marrow stimulation techniques; or restorative, such as osteochondral grafting and autologous chondrocyte implantation. The choice of an appropriate treatment should be made on an individual basis, with consideration for the patient's specific goals (such as pain reduction or functional improvement), physical demand level, prior treatment history, lesion size and location, and a systematic evaluation of the knee that considers comorbidities, including alignment, meniscal status, and ligament integrity. It is important for the physician to be familiar with the indications, surgical techniques, and clinical outcomes of the available treatment options for chondral defects of the knee.
Arbitrage, Options and Endangered Species

I model the impact of mitigation banking accompanied by Safe Harbor provisions on a land-owner’s choices about supporting a population of an endangered species. The Safe Harbor provision is equivalent to a free call option on a population with market value, and mitigation banking can allow a landowner with an endangered species to arbitrage between land without and with permission to develop. A land-owner whose land is not zoned for development may therefore stand to beneÞt from the discovery of an endangered species on
Offshore Breakwaters in Laboratory and Field

Small scale model tests for single and multiple offshore breakwaters were performed in a spiral wave basin to examine the effects of their geometric parameters on the morphological change in their vicinity. The model results are compared with physical model studies reported by others and with offshore breakwaters in the field. All the horizontal lengths are nondimensionalized with respect to the offshore distance of the breakwater from the original shoreline, X\dB. Three dimensionless variables, X\u*\db(=X\db/X\dB), L\u*\dB(=L\dB/X\dB), and G\u*\dB(=G\dB/X\dB), are found to be important, in which X\db, L\dB, and G\dB are the surf zone width, the length of breakwater, and the gap spacing between adjacent breakwaters, respectively.
Acousto-optic fiber-optic frequency shifter using periodic contact with a copropagating surface acoustic wave

The phase-matching condition required for efficient acousto-optic polarization coupling limits the operation of some types of fiber-optic frequency shifters to relatively low frequencies (1–2 MHz). Collinear phase matching can occur at higher frequencies if the acoustically induced coupling is made spatially periodic. Using this technique, a frequency shifter operating at 5.6 MHz (2.8 times the usual collinear phase-matching frequency) has been demonstrated. A maximum coupling efficiency of 26% was achieved using 32 W of electrical input power. A 3-dB modulation bandwidth of 110 kHz resulted for the design described here. Unwanted spectral components were suppressed by 24 dB.
A Complex-Systems Approach to Organizations

The physical sciences have developed new theories of nonlinear behavior of complex systems. Defining characteristics of complex systems include (a) being composed of many variables that interact strongly to determine system behavior, (b) sensitivity to initial conditions, and (c) stability across time. Two complex-system concepts, phase spaces and attractors, provide insight into the evolution of system behavior and make prediction of future behavior possible. It is proposed that complex-systems research has application to the study of organizations and social behavior. Organizational attractors exist and seem to be both sensitive to initial conditions and stable. The discussion of concepts from complex systems, and their application to organizations, provides insight into how organizational research should be conducted. If organizations are assumed to exhibit nonlinear behavior, more historical, longitudinal, and qualitative research methods should be used to provide context-specific descriptions of orga...
Graaskamp and Business Enterprise Value: It’s in the Profit Centers

This chapter explores a major premise of the teachings and practices of James Graaskamp. It explores the concept of entrepreneurial profits and their impact on the value of an individual piece of real estate. He believed that the profit centers within a real estate enterprise often created a substantial part of the value of an asset and that the income must be attributed correctly to its different sources within a real estate venture. In this chapter, we use a case-study approach and analyze the financial statements of an operating luxury hotel over the period 1991 to 1996 to examine this fundamental concept of real estate value and explore the impact of separating the various income streams. Results indicate that, on average, nonrealty assets (furniture, fixtures, and equipment; intangible assets; profit centers) account for 32 percent of the going concern value of this operating downtown luxury hotel.
Monolayer slip effects on the dynamics of a lipid bilayer vesicle in a viscous flow

The dynamics of a closed lipid bilayer membrane (a vesicle) in a linear viscous flow is investigated. The model accounts for the transport of lipids along each monolayer and intermonolayer friction, as well as the membrane fluidity, incompressibility and resistance to bending. Assuming a nearly spherical vesicle, the leading order analysis results in a nonlinear coupled system of equations for the dynamics of the shape and the bilayer density difference. Multiple solution states are found as a function of viscosity ratio and the monolayer slip coefficient. The dynamics and stability of these solutions is discussed.
Tissue plasminogen activator was cost-effective compared to streptokinase in only selected patients with acute myocardial infarction

Abstract Objective We sought to explore the patient-specific cost-effectiveness in a community-based sample for a therapy for which the average cost-effectiveness in a clinical trial has been well-described. Study design and setting Based on a validated multivariate model, we generated predictions of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of t-PA compared to streptokinase on 921 consecutive patients who received thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction. Results The average cost-effectiveness of t-PA was $40,140 per life-year saved. For the quartile of patients most likely to benefit, the incremental cost-effectiveness of t-PA was $15,396. However, only 44% of patients who received thrombolytic therapy had an estimated cost-effectiveness ratio below $50,000 per year of life saved; the ratio was greater than $100,000 in 37% of treated patients. Patients in the lowest quartile of expected benefit are, overall, more likely to be harmed than to benefit from t-PA. Conclusion Compared to the pattern of thrombolytic agent choice observed, targeting t-PA to the half of patients most likely to benefit could save 247 lives and $174 million nationally per year.
Id2, Id3 and Id4 overcome a Smad7-mediated block in tumorigenesis, generating TGF-β-independent melanoma

The role for the inhibitors of differentiation (Ids) proteins in melanomagenesis has been poorly explored. In other cell types, Ids have been shown to contribute to cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis and, along with a number of other genes, are direct downstream targets of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β pathway. Expression of Smad7, which suppress TGF-β signaling, or synthetic TGF-β inhibitors, was shown to potently suppress melanomagenesis. We found that endogenous Id2, Id3 and Id4 expression was elevated in 1205Lu versus 1205Lu cells constitutively expressing Smad7, indicating Ids may play a role in melanomagenesis. Therefore, the effects of Tet-inducible expression of Id2, Id3 or Id4 along with Smad7 in TGF-β-dependent 1205Lu human melanoma cells were explored in vitro and in vivo. 1205Lu cells formed subcutaneous tumors in athymic mice, whereas cells expressing Smad7 failed to form tumors. However, 1205Lu cells expressing Smad7 along with doxycycline-induced Id2, Id3 or Id4 were able to overcome the potent tumorigenic block mediated by S7, to varying degrees. Conversely, Id small interfering RNA knockdown suppressed anchorage-independent growth of melanoma. Histology of tumors from 1205Lu cells expressing Smad7 + Id4 revealed an average of 31% necrosis, compared with 5.2% in tumors from 1205Lu with vector only. Downstream, Ids suppressed cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, and re-upregulated invasion and metastasis-related genes matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), MMP9, CXCR4 and osteopontin, shown previously to be downregulated in response to Smad7. This study shows that Id2, Id3 and Id4 are each able to overcome TGF-β dependence, and establish a role for Ids as key mediators of TGF-β melanomagenesis.
Maternal Smoking During Pregnancy and Offspring Birth Weight: A Genetically-Informed Approach Comparing Multiple Raters

Maternal smoking during pregnancy (SDP) is a significant public health concern with adverse consequences to the health and well-being of the fetus. There is considerable debate about the best method of assessing SDP, including birth/medical records, timeline follow-back approaches, multiple reporters, and biological verification (e.g., cotinine). This is particularly salient for genetically-informed approaches where it is not always possible or practical to do a prospective study starting during the prenatal period when concurrent biological specimen samples can be collected with ease. In a sample of families (N = 173) specifically selected for sibling pairs discordant for prenatal smoking exposure, we: (1) compare rates of agreement across different types of report-maternal report of SDP, paternal report of maternal SDP, and SDP contained on birth records from the Department of Vital Statistics; (2) examine whether SDP is predictive of birth weight outcomes using our best SDP report as identified via step (1); and (3) use a sibling-comparison approach that controls for genetic and familial influences that siblings share in order to assess the effects of SDP on birth weight. Results show high agreement between reporters and support the utility of retrospective report of SDP. Further, we replicate a causal association between SDP and birth weight, wherein SDP results in reduced birth weight even when accounting for genetic and familial confounding factors via a sibling comparison approach.
Integrated VCSEL/Detector Arrays for 2-Dimensional Optical Systems

Vertical-cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) arrays [1] are promising sources for emerging 2dimensional (2-D) optical systems such as free space optical interconnects, optical display and projection, confocal microscopy, and smart pixel applications.
Fever of unknown origin (FUO) in a renal transplant recipient due to drug fever from sirolimus

A variety of medications may cause drug fever. Drug fevers may persist for days to weeks until diagnosis is considered. The diagnosis of drug fever is confirmed when there is resolution of fever within 3 days after the medication is discontinued. Only rarely do undiagnosed drug fevers persist for over 3 weeks to meet fever of unknown origin (FUO) criteria. FUOs due to drug fever are uncommon, and drug fevers due to immunosuppressive drugs are very rare. This is a case of a 58-year-old female renal transplant recipient who presented with FUO that remained undiagnosed for over 8 weeks. We believe this is the first reported case of an FUO due to drug fever from sirolimus in a renal transplant recipient.
Abstract P070: The Relationship Between Weight and Fruit and Vegetable Consumption, Assessed by Serum Carotenoids and Self-Report: Results from the PREMIER Trial

Background: Increased intake of fruits and vegetables (F/V) may protect against adiposity, but effects on weight have been inconsistent. Our objective was to examine the relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and weight, using direct and indirect measures of dietary intake: self-reported 24-hour recall and serum carotenoid levels. Methods: Participants from the PREMIER lifestyle intervention trial were included in this analysis (n=554). Dietary measures included 24-hour dietary recalls and serum carotenoid levels, from a fasting blood sample. The outcome was weight in pounds. Nested linear mixed models were used to examine the association between F/V and weight. Results: Mean F/V increased from 4.6 (SD 2.4) to 5.6 (SD 3.2) (p= Conclusions: Greater fruit and vegetable consumption was associated with decreased body weight. Results were consistent for both objective and self-reported measures of fruit and vegetable intake.
The influence of triamcinolone acetonide on joint stiffness in the rat.

Triamcinolone acetonide under the conditions of this experiment greatly diminished or inhibited the occurrence of stiffness in normal rat joints immobilized three weeks. The animals had evidence of sonic systemic effect with the dosage utilized.
Moving frontier analysis: An application of Data Envelopment Analysis for competitive analysis of a high-technology manufacturing plant

Competitive analysis of plants is fundamental to enhancing the competitiveness of manufacturing firms. Moving Frontier Analysis (MFA), proposed in this paper, is a new application of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to conduct competitive analysis of a high-technology manufacturing plant. The development and application of MFA was done in collaboration with the management of a US merchant semiconductor manufacturing firm. A wafer fabrication plant of the firm served as the research site for this study. MFA provides a means to determine (i) the gap between a plant's best performance and the best of competition, and (ii) whether or not it will be possible to close this performance gap, and if so, the time it will take to do so. From an implementation standpoint, competitive analysis using MFA can be conducted even if (i) accurate and detailed data on comparable plants of competitor companies are not available, and (ii) the operations of competitors' plants are dynamically changing. An application of MFA for conducting competitive analysis of the wafer fabrication plant is presented. This application illustrates how MFA makes it possible to estimate (i) the unit cost of production for the best of competitors' plants using aggregate operational information on industry best practices, and (ii) the time it will take for the plant's unit cost of production to catch up with the best of competition using the technologies in operation.
Rapid quasi-brittle tearing of a thermoelastic strip

The displacement-controlled rapid tearing of a thermoelastic strip is modeled as steady-state propagation of a quasi-brittle crack. The strip satisfies the fully-coupled equations of thermoelasticity, and the small-scale plastic effects are represented by a Dugdale inelastic zone which also serves as a heat flux source. An asymptotic analysis gives expressions for the zone length, COD and dynamic fracture toughness. These expressions show, upon comparison with non-thermal results, the importance of fully-coupled thermoelastic effects, and that all the problem characteristic lengths, which range over several orders of magnitude, are prominent features. Zone heat flux values, based on experimental results for near-crack temperature gradients, are then used for calculation purposes. The calculations show that, independent of a particular fracture criterion, thermal effects noticeably increase inelastic zone size and dynamic fracture toughness.
Subjective Acceleration of Time: Death Anxiety and Sex Differences

24 male and 50 female undergraduates reported that time seemed to pass more rapidly at the present than when they were one-half and one-quarter their present ages. Sex differences in the rate in which time seemed to pass were observed. Also, the results partially support Lemlich's (1975) hypothesis. Time perception did not correlate significantly with death anxiety.
The foundation of Mycoplasma pneumonia antigen-detecting kit of ELISA.

Objective Using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) for the detection of Mycoplasma pneumonia(MP).Methods Monoclonal antibodies for MP were prepared and used for the ELISA assay.Clinical samples were then tested for MP using this established ELISA method.The sensitivity and specificity of the prepared ELISA kit were evaluated using diluted MP,H3N2 and H1N1 subtypes of influenza A virus,influenza B virus,type-1 and 3 para-influenza virus,type-3 and 7 adenovirus,and Chlamydia pneumoniae.Results The prepared ELISA kit can positively detect diluted(1 /212) MP.Crossing reaction to other tested pathogens was not observed.Conclusion The designed ELISA kit can be used for the clinical diagnosis of the Mycoplasma pneumonia.
Setting Scheme of Zero-sequence Current Compensation Coefficient for EHV/UHV Multi-circuit Transmission Lines on Same Tower

For EHV/UHV multi-circuit transmission lines,zero-sequence mutual-inductions between lines impact zero-sequence current compensation coefficient and measurement impedance,as well as the setting range of earth-fault distance protection in different operation modes.The effects of the mutual-inductions between lines on the zero-sequence current compensation coefficient in different operation modes are analyzed with theoretic derivation,and the setting scheme of zero-sequence current compensation coefficient for earth-fault distance protection of EHV/UHV multiple-circuit transmission lines on same tower is proposed.A system with 1 000 kV/500 kV quadruple circuit transmission lines on same tower is simulated with real-time digital simulator(RTDS) to verify the correctness of the proposed scheme.
Discussion on chemical factors affecting immunity

In the battle of antagonizing to virus infections, it is particularly important to raise human boy's activity of autoimmunity function of the human body, to reduce its sensitivity to infectious disease and strengthen its resistance. In view of chemistry, the chemical principle and factors that affect the immune mechanism are analyzed. Strengthening autoimmunity could resist the adhering, field planting, breeding of bacteria and virus infections in human cells. The functional chemical factor with strengthening immunity can increase the organism's prophylactic power and resistance against various diseases, while maintaining self physiological balance. People can do their best to mobilize immunity system to ensure all normal cells in a "very healthy" state. If immunity system becomes stronger, the inroads of virus infections would be decreased to a minimum.
Influence of Military Science of Sun Tzu on the War Form in Information Age and Its Enlightenment

Modern warfare has entered information age.Military theories,forms and approaches are experiencing a completely new reform.Military Science of Sun Tzu,traditional military science,provides the reform with abundant salutary lessons,and becomes one of the classics attracting world attention of military theorists.The strategy of winning an overall victory with stratagem at the core and the strategic idea of plotting and creating situation has profound enlightenment to different levels of the understanding of the definition of modern warfare nature,change of strategic idea and tactics.
Dynamic Similarity Design Method of Distortion Experimental Model for Multiaxial Rotor System

A dynamics similarity design method of distortion experimental model for multiaxial rotorbearing system was proposed on the basis of the Riccati transfer matrix method and the critical speed sensitivity of system parameters. The prototype system spindle was simplified into distortion model upon the sensitivity,then the distortion model was revised and designed into dynamics similarity scaled model. Taking air compressor high-pressure rotor as an example,the critical speed and the inherent characteristics were calculated upon the Riccati transfer matrix method. By comparing the characteristics of the prototype with that of the scaled model,the validity and practicability of the proposed method were verified.
The Application of Global Positioning System in Modern Farming Mechanization

This paper introduces the development and parts of Global Positioning System (GPS). According to the status of precision agriculture and agriculture mechanization, the relationship between GPS and modern farming mechanization are discussed.
Effect of stiffening rings on the characteristics of the vibration and sound field radiated by an axisymmetric shell

In order to investigate the characteristics of the vibration and sound field radiated by a cylindrical stiffened shell with two spherical end caps,a 3D model of finite element-boundary element method for computing the sound field radiated by an axisymmetric shell with stiffening rings in water has been established,and the effects of the height,the width and the number of the ring stiffeners on the RMS(root mean square) vibratory velocity,sound radiated power,radiation efficiency,normal sound intensity at driving point and pressure directivity of sound field radiated by it have been investigated.The data of the model in vacuum obtained from finite element methods code Ansys are put into boundary element methods code Sysnoise and used for computing the parameters of the coupled sound field.The results show that the curve peaks of the RMS vibratory velocity,radiated sound power,radiation efficiency,normal sound intensity at driving point will shift to different places when the width,or the height or the number of the stiffening rings increases.With the increase of the width,or the height or the number of the stiffening rings,the normal sound intensity at driving point and sound radiated power increase,the RMS vibratory velocity decreases,and the radiation efficiency increases.In the frequency region 0～800 Hz,the influence of the width and the height of the rings on the sound field directivity pattern are nearly same.
Sleep and HIV Disease

Although not the fatal illness it once was, HIV/AIDS remains a life-threatening illness. The worldwide prevalence of HIV/AIDS at the end of 2010 was estimated to be 34 million, which includes 3.4 million children who are less than 15 years of age. The incidence of HIV infection decreased from 3.1 million in 2001 to 2.7 million in 2010. The annual number of deaths worldwide is steadily declining since peaking in 2005 at 2.2 million.
The influence of the DinEX service quality dimensions on casual-dining restaurant customers’ satisfaction and behavioral intentions

ABSTRACTThe following empirical study examines the effects of specific service quality dimensions from the DinEX model on customers’ satisfaction and behavioral intentions. The originality of DinEX over other restaurant service quality instruments is primarily its focus on dimensions such as social connectedness and homophily, which represent social constructs that portray an internal sense of belonging and the tendency for people to affiliate with similar others. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed in an independent casual-dining restaurant located in the southeastern United States and a sample of 209 respondents was obtained. Results show that food healthfulness and food quality have an influence on customers’ satisfaction, which in turn affects their behavioral intentions. The implications for practitioners are discussed in detail.
Authenticity, relevance, and connectedness: Graduate students' learning preferences and experiences in an online reading education course

Abstract This study examined Master's in Reading Education students' learning experiences and preferences in an online two-course sequence designed to foster social learning and the application of knowledge through teacher action research. Interviews, discussion forum posts, and end-of-year course effectiveness surveys served as data sources. When sharing course aspects that facilitated learning, students most frequently referred to (a) synchronous and asynchronous interactions and collaboration with classmates and the instructor and (b) authentic assignments that built on one another, aiding the successful completion of action research projects that were relevant to their current interests and teaching contexts. The strength in online course effectiveness was in communication and collaboration, shared feelings of membership in the online learning community, and the authenticity of assignments and course activities.
Secrets Behind Keeping Your Block Catheter Working

A 20-year-old man was brought to the emergency room after being hit by an industrial garbage truck going 20–30 mph. The driver of the truck was emergently braking, but hit the patient as he was running and stumbling in unpredictable directions while attempting to cross the street. The patient admitted to having used cocaine and consuming several drinks of alcohol prior to the event.
Development of a comprehensive framework for video-based safety assessment

In most of the traffic safety studies, both the identification of high-risk locations and the assessment of safety improvement solutions are done through the use of historical crash data. This study proposes an alternative approach that makes use of traffic conflicts extracted from traffic video recordings for safety assessment. State-of-the-art computer vision techniques are used to extract vehicle trajectories automatically from 70 hours of traffic video data at two intersections. More specifically, a modified implementation of the Kanade-Lucas-Tomasi (KLT) feature tracker is used to extract the feature points and track those feature points frame by frame. The spectral embedding and the Dirichlet process Gaussian mixture model (DPGMM) are employed to cluster feature points that belong to the same object. The combination of each vehicle's individual trajectory with all the others' trajectories is then screened to identify all the possible vehicle pairs involved in conflict risk. Traffic conflict risks are identified after the time to collision (TTC) is computed for each vehicle pair. Hourly number of conflicts are found to follow a negative binomial distribution similar to number of crashes. A strong correlation is observed between the traffic conflicts and actual crashes, and thus the validity of using conflict data extracted from videos for safety assessment can be confirmed. The proposed approach has potential transferability and can be implemented by transportation agencies in other cities.
Relative Initial Weight Is Associated with Improved Survival without Altering Tumor Latency in a Translational Rat Model of Diethylnitrosamine-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Transarterial Embolization

Abstract Purpose To test the hypotheses that ( i ) heavier rats demonstrate improved survival with diminished fibrosis in a diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and ( ii ) transarterial embolization via femoral artery access decreases procedure times versus carotid access. Materials and Methods One hundred thirty-eight male Wistar rats ingested 0.01% DEN in water ad libitum for 12 weeks. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was used for tumor surveillance. Rats underwent selective embolization of ≥ 5 mm tumors via carotid or femoral artery catheterization under fluoroscopic guidance. Rats were retrospectively categorized into 3 groups by initial weight ( 400 g) for analyses of survival, tumor latency, and fibrosis. Access site was compared relative to procedural success, mortality, and time. Results No significant differences in tumor latency were related to weight group ( P = .310). Rats weighing P 400 g median, 1.0; P = .015). No significant difference was found in periprocedural mortality based on access site; however, procedure times were shorter via femoral approach (mean, 71 ± 23 vs 127 ± 24 min; P Conclusions Greater initial body weight resulted in improved survival without prolonged tumor latency for rats with DEN-induced HCCs and was associated with less severe fibrosis. A femoral approach for embolization resulted in decreased procedure time. These modifications provide a translational animal model of HCC and transarterial embolization that may be suited for short-term survival studies.
Specifying Hard Real-Time Software: Experience with a Language and a Verifier

Abstract An evaluation is presented of two products of the University of Texas SARTOR project: a graphical language called Modechart, which is designed to specify the functional and timing behavior of hard real-time systems, and a verification tool which is designed to prove that a set of Modechart specifications has selected timing properties. A set of Modechart specifications and two timing assertions are presented for a real-world example, a nontrivial function extracted from an existing avionics system. Based on NRL’s experience with specifying and verifying this and other examples, some recommended enhancements to Modechart and the verifier are described.
Parallels between Tolstoy's life, writing and Hindu philosophical thought

Tolstoy was always interested in other religions and was attracted to the ancient religions of the East. He wished to relinquish worldly pleasures and seek seclusion like a true Brahman, who in his old age gives up family and material benefits to devote himself completely to go in search of inner peace and achieve salvation. Tolstoy himself sees a correspondence between his life and Hindu way of life. In my article, I show that this quest was not isolated or applied only to his life, but existed through out Tolstoy’s writing career, as many of his heroes in his novels and short stories also resolved issues concerning morality, duty, life, and death as prescribed in Hindu scriptures, especially the Bhaghawat Gita.
Artisans and the Marketing of Ethnicity: Globalization, Indigenous Identity and Nobility Principle In Micro-Enterprise Development

As a constructed category of human difference, ‘ethnicity’ has given way to ‘culture’ in its shared genealogy in the new millennium. Public knowledge about such phenomena as ‘ethnic cleansing’, debates on immigration, and the use of ethnicity as both a dependent and independent variable in research and policy are central realities in the domestic and foreign policies of many nations. The social psychology of group affiliation, nationalism, and the use of ethnicity (as well as gender) in workplace diversity, or the deployment of ethnicity in electoral politics continues to perplex and complicate human social interaction.
Generations of the Female Vampire: Colonial Gothic Hybridity in Florence Marryat’s The Blood of the Vampire

This chapter examines Florence Marryat’s psychic vampire novel The Blood of the Vampire (1897), and how issues of racial hybridity combine with the Colonial Gothic to influence Marryat’s characterization of the protagonist Harriet Brandt. Harriet’s mixed-race Afro-Caribbean and English ancestry put her at odds with the British society in which she desperately tries to find acceptance. Harriet is a victim of the vampirism that affected her black grandmother and biracial mother, women who were also victimized by the oppressive white colonial plantation system in Jamaica. Marryat’s portrayal of Harriet Brandt is compared to her earlier imagining of a biracial woman from the West Indies, Lola Arlington, the main character in Marryat’s A Daughter of the Tropics (1887). Both Harriet Brandt and Lola Arlington represent femme fatales who ultimately fall victim to the prejudice surrounding their racial pasts.
Cheilectomy of the Hip

Cheilectomy is an excellent procedure for salvaging decompensated hips in childred aged 10 to 14 years when certain indicators are present: coxa magna and plana, a completely ossified epiphysis, an open physis, and a well preserved cartilage space. Accurate assessment in these cases is extremely important, since a combination of surgical procedures may be necessary. The cheilectomy will correct deformities of the femoral head only; if inadequacies exist in the acetabulum, a pelvic osteotomy must be performedwhile transfer of the greater trochanter is required when the trochanter exhibits cephalad movement or the femoral neck is short. Postoperative treatment is the most critical element of the process, requiring careful and thorough evaluation of results and immediate attention to any loss in the patient's range of motion. Although the relative newness of the procedure presently makes impossible any claims about its permanent efficacy, follow-up reports in patients who have undergone the surgery indicate that the cheilectomy can yield long term beneficial results. And in the decompensated hip, even if the problems are alleviated for only a 10 to 15 year period, the surgery has been worthwhile.
Discontinuous crack growth in polyethylene under a constant load

The kinetics of slow crack growth were measured in a polyethylene copolymer in a notched tensile specimen under constant load. The microscopic changes in the crack morphology were linked to the crack opening displacement and to the crack advance. The jump distance during the discontinuous crack growth decreased as the applied stress decreased. The jump distance decreased as the temperature decreased because the yield point was increasing. These observations are explainable by the Dugdale theory. The initiation time for fracture depends on the rate of disentanglement of the fibrils in the craze and occurs in the fibrils adjacent to a tough skin at the base of the craze. The crack grows until it meets fibrils whose strength matches the value of the stress intensity at which point the crack is arrested. Re-initiation of fracture occurs when the fibrils at the root of the crack have been sufficiently weakened by the process of disentanglement. Thus, the overall kinetics depend on (1) the rate of disentanglement of the fibrils, (2) the gradient in the fibrilla strength between the base and the tip of the craze, (3) the value of the stress intensity, and (4) the yield point of the matrix.
A single-cell survey of the human first-trimester placenta and decidua.

The placenta and decidua interact dynamically to enable embryonic and fetal development. Here, we report single-cell RNA sequencing of 14,341 and 6754 cells from first-trimester human placental villous and decidual tissues, respectively. Bioinformatic analysis identified major cell types, many known and some subtypes previously unknown in placental villi and decidual context. Further detailed analysis revealed proliferating subpopulations, enrichment of cell type–specific transcription factors, and putative intercellular communication in the fetomaternal microenvironment. This study provides a blueprint to further the understanding of the roles of these cells in the placenta and decidua for maintenance of early gestation as well as pathogenesis in pregnancy-related disorders.
Up to a Sign. The Insidious Effects of Energetically Inaccessible Conical Intersections on Unimolecular Reactions.

ConspectusIt is now well established that conical intersections play an essential role in nonadiabatic radiationless decay where their double-cone topography causes them to act as efficient funnels channeling wave packets from the upper to the lower adiabatic state. Until recently, little attention was paid to the effect of conical intersections on dynamics on the lower state, particularly when the total energy involved is significantly below that of the conical intersection seam. This energetic deficiency is routinely used as a sufficient condition to exclude consideration of excited states in ground state dynamics. In this account, we show that, this energy criterion notwithstanding, energy inaccessible conical intersections can and do exert significant influence on lower state dynamics. The origin of this influence is the geometric phase, a signature property of conical intersections, which is the fact that the real-valued electronic wave function changes sign when transported along a loop containing a...
Tellurometer Operations in Topographic Mapping

The U.S. Geological Survey uses the Tellurometer principally to in crease the speed and reduce the costs of control surveys for topographic mapping. Increased accuracy is a welcome byproduct. In this application, it largely replaces triangulation and transit-and-tape traverse. Most of our Tellurometer work consists of traverse, with angles measured by a onesecond optical theodolite. Second-order accuracies are obtained at lower costs than for previous third-order work. All traverses are tied to the basic geodetic net. Where geodetic azimuth ties are not readily available, azimuths are obtained from Polaris observations. Our basic traverse operations are supplemented, where appropriate, by a small amount of trilateration, numerous side shots or radial measurements from strategically located control stations, and triangulation intersections of conspicuous points. The Tellurometer is also used effectively for testing the accuracy of finished maps.This report presents some statistical data on quantities, accuracies, and costs, developed during about one year of operations of four field parties.Data-reduction problems included development of a visual aid for interpreting Tellurometer coarse readings and a plastic computer for obtaining the semivelocity of the radio wave in the atmosphere as a function of wet- and dry-bulb temperatures and barometric altitudes. Vertical-angle measurements are used to reduce Tellurometer distances to horizontal and to sea level, and to compute elevations. The resulting geographic positions and elevations are adjusted by simple proration or by least squares, as appropriate.
Imaging reconstruction with engineered point spread functions (Conference Presentation)

A Point Spread Function (PSF) engineered imaging system provides functionality at the expense of image distortion. Deconvolution and other post-processing techniques may partially restore the image if the PSF is known. We compare how various phase mask functions (e.g., vortex, axicon, cubic, and circular harmonic) may functionally protect a sensor from a coherent beam, and we discuss the subsequent trade-off between peak irradiance and the integrated modulation transfer function (Strehl ratio). Both experimental and numerical examples demonstrate that the peak irradiance may be suppressed by orders of magnitude without intolerable loss of image fidelity. The design of an optimal phase mask that accomplishes this task is made difficult by the nonlinear relationship between peak irradiance and Strehl. Results from experimental and numerical optimization schemes like simulated annealing, differential evolution, and Nelder-Mead will be compared.
Cross-bedding related anisotropy and its interplay with various boundary conditions in the formation and orientation of joints in an aeolian sandstone

Abstract Previous research revealed that the cross-bedding related anisotropy in Jurassic aeolian Aztec Sandstone cropping out in the Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, affects the orientation of compaction bands, also known as anti-cracks or closing mode structures. We hypothesize that cross-bedding should have a similar influence on the orientation of the opening mode joints within the same rock at the same location. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the relationship between the orientation of cross-beds and the orientation of different categories of joint sets including cross-bed package confined joints and joint zones in the Aztec Sandstone. The field data show that the cross-bed package confined joints occur at high-angle to bedding and trend roughly parallel to the dip direction of the cross-beds. In comparison, the roughly N–S trending joint zones appear not to be influenced by the cross-beds in any significant way but frequently truncate against the dune boundaries. To characterize the anisotropy due to cross-bedding in the Aztec Sandstone, we measured the P-wave velocities parallel and perpendicular to bedding from 11 samples and determined an average P-wave anisotropy to be slightly larger than 13%. From these results, a model based on the generalized Hooke's law for anisotropic materials is used to analyze deformation of cross-bedded sandstone as a transversely isotropic material. In the analysis, the dip angle of cross-beds is assumed to be constant and the strike orientation varying from 0° to 359° in the east (x ), north ( y ), and up ( z ) coordinate system. We find qualitative agreement between most of the model results and the observed field relations between cross-beds and the corresponding joint sets. The results also suggest that uniaxial extension ( e zz > e xx = e yy = 0) and axisymmetric extension ( e xx = e yy e zz and e xx = e yy > e zz ) would amplify the influence of cross-bedding associated anisotropy on the joint orientation whereas a triaxial extension ( e xx > e yy > e zz ) would mitigate this influence. We suggest that the potential implication of different categories of joint sets (i.e., cross-bed package confined joints and joint zones) forming in response to the variation of the boundary conditions (axisymmetric extension and triaxial extension, respectively) and the interplay with the rock anisotropy is significant. These results have important implications for fluid flow through aeolian sandstones in reservoirs and aquifers.
Can Multimedia Tools Promote Big Data Learning and Knowledge in a Diverse Undergraduate Student Population

Background and purpose Multimedia tools are an integral part of teaching and learning in today's technology-driven world. The present study explored the role of a newly-developed video introducing the emerging field of big data to a diverse undergraduate student population. Particularly, we investigated whether introduction of a multimedia tool would influence students' self-perceived knowledge related to various big data concepts and future interest in pursuing the field, and what factors influence these. Methods Students (n = 331) completed a survey on-line after viewing the video, consisting of Likert-type and quantitative questions about students' learning experience, future interest in big data, and background. The dataset was analyzed via ANOVA and multiple linear regression methods. Results Gender, major, and intended degree were significantly associated with students' learning experience and future interest in big data. Moreover, students who had no prior exposure to big data reported a better learning experience, although they also reported less likelihood to pursue it in the future. Conclusion Multimedia tools may serve as an effective learning tool in introducing and creating interest in a diverse group of students related to introductory big data science concepts. Both similarities and differences were observed regarding such behaviors among different student sub-groups.