cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Volume Testing of Statistical Software -- The Statistical Analysis System (SAS)

Solutions for two complex file management problems are proposed using the Statistical Analysis System (SAS). SAS is an integrated system for data management, statistical analysis, data reduction and summarization, color graphics, and report writing. Several fundamental concepts of SAS are reviewed and four methods of solution are suggested. Detailed descriptions of each of the problem solutions are presented, including the input/output volume at each stage (a reasonable performance metric for comparing similar systems). Comparisons among the four methods are discussed, and program listings for each solution are included.
Utility of CD30, Ki-67, and p53 in assisting with the diagnosis of mycosis fungoides with large cell transformation.

INTRODUCTION Mycosis fungoides (MF) with large cell transformation (LCT) is an advanced stage of cutaneous lymphoma with a poor prognosis. Identification of LCT is critical and especially challenging when the number of large abnormal lymphocytes is near but below 25%. We propose that Ki-67 and p53 may be useful in making this diagnosis. METHODS We identified 17 patients with advanced stage (T3 or T4) MF without LCT and 38 patients with a biopsy-confirmed new diagnosis of MF with LCT treated at our institution's cutaneous lymphoma clinic from 2012 to 2016. Seventeen patients underwent 22 biopsies with advanced stage MF (control), and 38 patients with 46 biopsies of MF with LCT were included in this study. RESULTS The MF cohort had an average CD30 expression of 4%, while the MF-LCT cohort had an average CD30 expression of 22% (P < 0.05). The MF cohort had an average Ki-67 staining of 13%, while the MF-LCT group had an average Ki-67 staining of 57% (P < 0.05). Forty-seven percent of the MF-LCT group was positive for p53; on the other hand, none of the MF control group showed increased p53 expression (P < 0.05). DISCUSSION While CD30 shows some value in delineating large cell transformation, Ki-67 and p53 appear to be useful immunohistochemical markers in the diagnosis of LCT.
Erosion characterization of SiC and Ti3SiC2 on DIII-D using focused ion beam micro-trenches

Abstract Plasma-facing materials in future large-scale fusion reactors must be designed to withstand high heat fluxes from extreme off-normal events such as edge localized modes and unmitigated plasma disruptions. The erosion rates of possible tungsten-alternative materials are tested under high heat flux conditions at the DIII-D National Fusion Facility. High-purity β-3C CVD silicon carbide was exposed alongside MAX phase ceramic Ti3SiC2 to both L- and H-mode plasma discharges in the DIII-D divertor. Samples survived average heat fluxes ranging from 2–10 MW/m2 over 16 s. A new micro-trench erosion measurement technique was successfully implemented and measured Ti3SiC2 and SiC erosion rates of 0–9 nm/s and 27–73 nm/s, respectively. Additionally, average ion impact angle estimates for an incident B-field angle of ∼1.5° from surface parallel were made using micro-trench impact patterns. Measurements ranged from θ = 24o–34o with respect to Bt and ϕ = 51.5o–55o below the surface normal.
Combination Olaparib and Temozolomide in Relapsed Small Cell Lung Cancer

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive malignancy in which inhibitors of PARP have modest single-agent activity. We performed a phase I/II trial of combination olaparib tablets and temozolomide (OT) in patients with previously treated SCLC. We established a recommended phase II dose of olaparib 200 mg orally twice daily with temozolomide 75 mg/m2 daily, both on days 1 to 7 of a 21-day cycle, and expanded to a total of 50 patients. The confirmed overall response rate was 41.7% (20/48 evaluable); median progression-free survival was 4.2 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.8-5.7]; and median overall survival was 8.5 months (95% CI, 5.1-11.3). Patient-derived xenografts (PDX) from trial patients recapitulated clinical OT responses, enabling a 32-PDX coclinical trial. This revealed a correlation between low basal expression of inflammatory-response genes and cross-resistance to both OT and standard first-line chemotherapy (etoposide/platinum). These results demonstrate a promising new therapeutic strategy in SCLC and uncover a molecular signature of those tumors most likely to respond. SIGNIFICANCE: We demonstrate substantial clinical activity of combination olaparib/temozolomide in relapsed SCLC, revealing a promising new therapeutic strategy for this highly recalcitrant malignancy. Through an integrated coclinical trial in PDXs, we then identify a molecular signature predictive of response to OT, and describe the common molecular features of cross-resistant SCLC.See related commentary by Pacheco and Byers, p. 1340.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1325.
Abstract 909: Determining the Role of the Co-chaperone BAG3 at the Cardiac Myofilament

Bcl-2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) is an adaptor protein often associated with protein quality control. In the heart, decreased BAG3 expression is linked to dilated cardiomyopathy. Mutations to B...
Financial Impact of Universal Precepting in Family Medicine Residency Clinics.

Background and objectives Precepting methods have significant impact on the financial viability of family medicine residency programs. Following an adverse event, four University of Minnesota Family Medicine residency clinics moved from using Medicare's Primary Care Exception (PCE) and licensure precepting (LP) to a "universal precepting" method in which preceptors see every patient face to face. Variation in the implementation of universal precepting created a natural experiment of its financial impact. Methods Universal precepting was implemented in October 2013 across four residency programs. Billing codes were measured 1 year before and 2.5 years after implementation by clinic and residency year. Results There were significant financial differences between clinics based on original precepting method and implementation quality of universal precepting. The clinic moving from PCE to universal precepting with excellent implementation increased higher-level billing (99214) by 8%-10%. Clinics moving from LP demonstrated wide variation ranging from an 18% increase to a 13% decrease, consistent with the implementation quality. Conclusions Clinics transitioning from PCE to universal precepting can see a significant increase in 99214 billing. Clinics transitioning from LP to universal precepting are at significant financial risk if poorly implemented, but may see increased 99214 billing with effective implementation. This suggests that both implementation quality and original precepting method impact 99214 billing rates when transitioning to universal precepting.
Relationship Between Recreational Marijuana Use and Bowel Function in a Nationwide Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES:Although the endogenous cannabinoid system modulates bowel function, our understanding of the impact of recreational marijuana (MJ) use on bowel motility is limited. This study examines the effect of MJ on self-reported bowel function among a large cohort of US adults.METHODS:We identifie
IL-17A Softens the Skin: Antifibrotic Properties of IL-17A in Systemic Sclerosis.

IL-17A is abundant in scleroderma skin, but its pathologic role has remained unclear. In the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, Dufour et al. (2020) demonstrate a new role for IL-17A as an antifibrotic agent in scleroderma through modulation of keratinocyte responses to transforming growth factor-β and shifting of fibroblast responses from profibrotic to antifibrotic.
A large ventricular fibroma requiring surgical resection in a symptomatic 3-month-old infant

Cardiac Fibromas are primary cardiac tumours more common in children than in adults. Surgical intervention is often not required except in the case of limited cardiac output or significant arrhythmia burden. We present a symptomatic 3-month-old infant who had successful surgical intervention for a giant right ventricle fibroma found on prenatal imaging.
Beyond Doom and Gloom in Petroaesthetics: Facing Oil, Making Energy Matter

This essay argues that one of the factors holding back civilization-wide transitions to renewable energy is the widespread tendency to render petroleum and other hydrocarbons abject and abstract. Fossil fuel industry representations do this by hiding the true costs of petroculture behind the virtualization Energy; environmentalist framings do it by relying too much on petroaesthetics of doom (i.e., apocalyptic imagery) and gloom (i.e., Gothic visualizations of oil spills and rusting extractive infrastructure). The scarcity of representations of hydrocarbons that acknowledge both their life-giving and life-destroying properties, their powerful nonhuman agency in mediating practically every human and nonhuman relationship in the modern world, makes it hard to imagine alternatives to petroculture. Recently, artists have begun subverting petroaesthetic conventions in ways that counter the abstraction and abjection of hydrocarbons, including by using crude oil as an artistic medium in its own right. The oddly playful bitumen sands photographs of Louis Helbig, the bitumen-based “petrographs” of Warren Cariou, and the weird, enthralling “oilscapes” of Kathleen Thum are interpreted as meaningful challenges to the petroaesthetic status quo—provocations that matter in every sense of the word. Beyond merely promoting energy transitions, these images perform transitions as they empower viewers to see hydrocarbons as media with which all living things are deeply entangled.
Experimental and Computational Studies of Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation via Ketonization and Aldol Condensation over Site-Isolated Zirconium Catalysts

We report here the preparation and investigation of isolated Zr centers supported on a high surface area silica for the conversion of carboxylic acids to internal ketones by ketonic decarboxylation...
Professional Development to Promote Active Learning in the Flipped Classroom: A Faculty Perspective

This article describes a professional development project that sought to increase active engagement in higher education classrooms. Flipped pedagogy was the focus of the professional development, a...
Ipilimumab and Nivolumab in Rare Tumors S1609: Neuroendocrine-Letter.

Patel and colleagues report the results of the basket trial (DART) studying the checkpoint inhibitors combination, ipilimumab plus nivolumab, in a cohort of patients with neuroendocrine neoplasms (NEN; ref. [1][1]). We commend the authors for their efforts enrolling patients with such an uncommon
Sugary drink warnings: A meta-analysis of experimental studies

Background Policymakers worldwide are considering requiring warnings for sugary drinks. A growing number of experimental studies have examined sugary drink warnings’ impacts, but no research to our knowledge has synthesized this literature. To inform ongoing policy debates, this study aimed to identify the effects of sugary drink warnings compared with control conditions. Methods and findings We systematically searched 7 databases on June 21, 2019, and October 25, 2019. We also searched reference lists of relevant articles. Two investigators independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts to identify peer-reviewed articles that used an experimental protocol to examine the effects of sugary drink warnings compared to a control condition. Two investigators independently extracted study characteristics and effect sizes from all relevant full-text articles. We meta-analyzed any outcome assessed in at least 2 studies, combining effect sizes using random effects meta-analytic procedures. Twenty-three experiments with data on 16,241 individuals (mean proportion female, 58%) were included in the meta-analysis. Most studies took place in Latin America (35%) or the US or Canada (46%); 32% included children. Relative to control conditions, sugary drink warnings caused stronger negative emotional reactions (d = 0.69; 95% CI: 0.25, 1.13; p = 0.002) and elicited more thinking about the health effects of sugary drinks (d = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.29, 1.01; p 0.10). Moderation analyses revealed that health warnings (e.g., “Beverages with added sugar contribute to obesity”) led to greater reductions in hypothetical sugary drink purchases than did nutrient warnings (e.g., “High in sugar”; d = −0.35 versus −0.18; Qb = 4.04; p = 0.04). Limitations of this study include that we did not review grey literature and that we were unable to conduct moderation analyses for several prespecified moderators due to an insufficient number of studies. Conclusions This international body of experimental literature supports sugary drink warnings as a population-level strategy for changing behavior, as well as emotions, perceptions, and intentions. Protocol Registry PROSPERO ID 146405.
Editorial Commentary: Biologically-Enhanced Patch Augmentation: The Perfect Marriage of Mechanical Stability and Biology for Rotator Cuff Healing? Unfortunately, Not Yet

Abstract Recurrent rotator cuff tears are a frequent cause of shoulder disability. To repair a rotator cuff, the surgeon faces both mechanical and biological challenges. Patch use as a scaffold for rotator cuff repair is well-described, as is biological augmentation, with clinical indications and efficacy being the subjects of ongoing study. However, a clinical report of dermal allograft patch augmentation combined with attempts at supercharging the biology is novel. This technique would benefit from controlled, prospective studies, with tight inclusion criteria.
Langerhan's cell histiocytosis - The diagnostic problems by FNAC

FNAC smears from 19 selected cases of lytic lesions of bone which were clinically, radiologically and histogically confirmed to he Langerhans cell histiocytosis were selected for study of cell population by differential count in the smear. Radiologically two types of lesions were observed, lytic lesion and lytic lesion with sclerotic border (aged lesion). The differential count revealed a predominance of eosinophils closely followed by neutrophils; mononuclear giant cells with nuclei like that of Langerhans cells comprised 10% only, though this cell is the characteristic cell for Langerhans cell histiocytosis. A correlative differential count in two radiological types (lytic lesion and the lytic lesion with sclerotic border) revealed that lytic lesions were more densely populated by eosinophils against the aged lesions having more of neutrophils, multinucleated giant cells and foamy giant cell. Thus the diagnostic problem by FNAC arises when one observes : the neutrophil cell population exceeds the eosinohpil population. scanty mononuclear giant cells, and more of foamy giant cells. FNAC findings need to be correlated with clinical and radiological findings to arrive at a diagnosis, in absence of special stains and EM facility.
Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy enables quantification of potassium channel subunit dynamics and stoichiometry.

Voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels are a family of membrane proteins that facilitate K+ ion diffusion across the plasma membrane, regulating both resting and action potentials. Kv channels comprise four pore-forming α subunits, each with a voltage sensing domain, and they are regulated by interaction with β subunits such as those belonging to the KCNE family. Here we conducted a comprehensive biophysical characterization of stoichiometry and protein diffusion across the plasma membrane of the epithelial KCNQ1-KCNE2 complex, combining total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy and a series of complementary Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy (FFS) techniques. Using this approach, we found that KCNQ1-KCNE2 has a predominant 4:4 stoichiometry, while non-bound KCNE2 subunits are mostly present as dimers in the plasma membrane. At the same time, we identified unique spatio-temporal diffusion modalities and nano-environment organization for each channel subunit. These findings improve our understanding of KCNQ1-KCNE2 channel function and suggest strategies for elucidating the subunit stoichiometry and forces directing localization and diffusion of ion channel complexes in general.
Safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with preexisting autoimmune disorders.

e14568Background: In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been approved for a growing number of cancer types. Approximately 10-30% of cancer patients have a concomitant diagnosis ...
Gender differentials in labour source and utilization among rural rice farmers in Enugu State, Nigeria

In the light of the need to continue to supply food to the ever-growing Nigerian population which anchors on human labour productivity, this study analysed gender differentials in labour utilization and productivity among rice farmers in Enugu State, Nigeria. Data were collected through a multi-stage sampling technique and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviation, Z-test and multiple regression. The result showed that a combination of family labour and hired sources contributed most of the labour supplied for rice production for female (71.6%) and male (88.3%) rice farmers in the area. It is evident from the result that male rice farmers were more productive than their female counterparts. Labour utilization of the male farmers was positively influenced by distance, farm size, land ownership, credit and education, and for female farmers; was positively influenced by distance, farm size, age, and credit and negative by household size and extension. Also labour productivity of the male farmers was positively influenced by distance, farm size, age and credit and negative by land ownership, while labour productivity of the female farmers was positively influenced by distance, farm size, age and credit and negative by land ownership. The study therefore recommends that farmers utilize their family labour efficiently in order to reduce the hired labour, thereby, leading to a decrease in the cost of rice production and increase in farm revenue. Also government and stakeholders should assist farmers through timely and adequate input supply and access to more land, creating effective services (especially credit) and enabling environment, for efficient utilization of agricultural inputs on farms, which will lead to enhanced productivity among the rice farmers.
Prediction of Response to Very Low Dose Radiotherapy (4 Gy) in Mature B-Cell Lymphomas Using Metabolic Tumor Volume.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) Numerous studies established the role of palliative very low dose radiotherapy (VLDRT) of only 4 Gy in 2 fractions for indolent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). While objective response rates to VLDRT are excellent, we have no clear biomarkers of depth and durability of response. Radiosensitivity to VLDRT is not clearly linked to clinical features, such as tumor grade, histology, and PET SUV. Our group has recently demonstrated that pre-treatment tumor size may predict response to VLDRT; however, this remains an imperfect predictor. Radiomic features like baseline metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) stratify patient response to chemotherapy for some NHLs. Therefore, we aimed to determine if these features could predict response to VLDRT in indolent NHL. MATERIALS/METHODS Between 2005 and 2018, 250 patients with follicular or marginal zone lymphoma were locally irradiated to 299 sites using 2 Gy x2. Response was assessed within 1.5-6 months of VLDRT (n = 231), and local failure (LF) was assessed over a median follow-up of 29 months. Out of the 299 sites, 254 had a PET/CT scan performed prior to radiotherapy. Scans were imported into MIM, and pre-radiotherapy disease was contoured with liver for normalization. PET parameters including MTV and TLG were extracted. Lesion size was analyzed using 4 cm and 6 cm as predetermined cutoffs. Lesion response was analyzed using multivariate logistic LASSO regression to account for predictor multicollinearity and area under the curve (AUC) analysis. To analyze time to LF, we performed Cox proportional hazards multivariate regression using ridge regression. PET parameters were divided in quartiles, and for significant predictors, optimal cutoffs were determined using maximally selected rank statistics. Estimates are shown with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS A complete response (CR) was seen in 156 (68%) lesions and LF was seen in 81 (27%) lesions after VLDRT. Using size alone had similar predictive value for response (AUC: 0.64 (0.59,0.70)) compared to MTV (AUC:0.70 (0.62,0.77)) and TLG (AUC:0.68 (0.61,0.75)). For lesions less than 6 cm, size, MTV and TLG had comparable predictive value for response (AUC: 0.58 (0.51,0.64), AUC:0.65 (0.56,0.75), and AUC:0.66 (0.57,0.75), respectively); however, through multivariate modeling we determined that TLG was not as robust as MTV, and MTV > 75th percentile was an improved predictor of no CR versus size ≥4 (OR: 0.26 (0.11,0.57) vs 0.77(0.30,2.08), respectively) with no interaction noted. Likewise, in a multivariate model of LF, MTV was shown to be a better predictor than size for lesions 4 cm (HR:1.31 (0.80, 2.15)). CONCLUSION In stratifying response and local control for patients receiving VLDRT for indolent lymphomas, MTV may aid in patient selection. It remains to be seen whether higher order PET radiomic parameters can further improve the accuracy of PET-based radiotherapy outcome prediction.
Field Corn Response to Sulfur Fertilization

Materials and Methods Trial location was Field H, which has a Fruitfield coarse sand soil with 1 percent organic matter and soil pH of 7.4. A spring soil test reported 326 lb/acre phosphorus (very high), 208 lb/acre potassium (medium), and 20 lb/acre of sulfur (low) in the topsoil. Spring tillage included chisel plowing and disking. Pioneer P1395AM1 hybrid corn seed was planted on May 5. Plant emergence was uniform and final stand counts averaged 32,500 plants/acre. Weed control was achieved by applying Lumax herbicide crop pre-emergence and row cultivation on June 10 just before canopy closure. Potash (0-0-60) fertilizer was broadcast at a rate of 200 lb/acre on April 26. Nitrogen (N) fertilizer was applied in split applications in the form of dry urea (May 12 and June 10) and liquid UAN (through irrigation July 2 and 11) and totaled 200 lb N for the season. Plots were arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. A treatment plot consisted of six corn rows 50 ft long with data taken from the center two rows. Calcium sulfate (21% Ca, 17% S) was used as the sulfur source and banded between plot rows at rates equal to 10, 20, and 40 lb/acre sulfur on May 18. Plant tissue sampling occurred on July 17 when corn was at the R1 growth stage by collecting leaves that were opposite and below the primary ear. Plant samples were sent to A&L Analytical Laboratories, Memphis, TN, for nutrient concentration determinations. The center two rows of each plot were harvested on October 11 for grain yield determinations.
The Use of Fly Ash-Stabilized Sand Mixtures as Capping Materials for Landfills

An investigation was made to study the suitability of using coal fly ash-stabilized sand mixtures as capping materials for sanitary landfills. Sand mixtures stabilized with 15 and 20% Class C fly ash were investigated. Compaction, permeability, unconfined compressive strength, freeze-thaw, and wet-dry tests were conducted on both mixtures. Results indicate that fly ash-stabilized sand blends can be used as capping materials in areas where fine-grained soils are not available. Data indicate that the 20% fly ash-stabilized sand mixture will yield a better performance than sand mixtures stabilized with 15% fly ash. Increased strength, reduced permeability, and increased resistance to freeze-thaw and wet-dry cycles are some of the benefits obtained by using the high fly ash content.
Chemoprevention of Oral Premalignant Lesions

Publisher Summary Oral precancerous lesions have been relatively well studied in the chemoprevention research. Oral precancerous lesions are used as intermediate end point biological markers to help screen potential chemopreventive agents that might have utility in the prevention of oral and pharyngeal cancers. Chemoprevention of these lesions has direct clinical relevance and can also be used to screen agents that may have efficacy in the prevention of oral, pharyngeal, or other cancers. This chapter introduces various types of oral premalignant lesions, discusses design and interpretation issues of relevance to chemoprevention trials in this clinical setting, and reviews the results of chemoprevention trials of oral premalignancy. Several agents that have been evaluated for chemopreventive efficacy in oral precancerous lesions include various retinoids, β-carotene, the algae Spirulina fusiformis, vitamin E, selenium, tea, protease inhibitors, and bleomycin. Some of these agents have established efficacy in terms of regressing oral precancerous lesions, demonstrating proof of the principle behind chemoprevention of oral premalignancy. However, these same agents have limitations to their widespread use for this purpose. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the validity of oral precancerous lesions in predicting the efficacy of agents for oral-cancer prevention and discusses the challenges that lie ahead with regard to identifying suitable agents with clear evidence of efficacy but without significant toxicity.
Translation Limits Synthesis of an Assembly-Initiating Coat Protein of Filamentous Phage IKe

Translation is shown to be downregulated sharply between genes V and VII of IKe, a filamentous bacteriophage classed with the Ff group (phages f1, M13, and fd) but having only 55% DNA sequence identity to it. Genes V and VII encode the following proteins which are used in very different amounts: pV, used to coat the large number of viral DNA molecules prior to assembly, and pVII, used to serve as a cap with pIX in 3 to 5 copies on the end of the phage particle that emerges first from Escherichia coli. The genes are immediately adjacent to each other and are represented in the same amounts on the Ff and IKe mRNAs. Ff gene VII has an initiation site that lacks detectable intrinsic activity yet through coupling is translated at a level 10-fold lower than that of upstream gene V. The experiments reported reveal that by contrast, the IKe gene VII initiation site had detectable activity but was coupled only marginally to upstream translation. The IKe gene V and VII initiation sites both showed higher activities than the Ff sites, but the drop in translation at the IKe V-VII junction was unexpectedly severe, ∼75-fold. As a result, gene VII is translated at similarly low levels in IKe- and Ff-infected hosts, suggesting that selection to limit its expression has occurred.
Graph Sparsification via Refinement Sampling

A graph G'(V,E') is an \eps-sparsification of G for some \eps>0, if every (weighted) cut in G' is within (1\pm \eps) of the corresponding cut in G. A celebrated result of Benczur and Karger shows that for every undirected graph G, an \eps-sparsification with O(n\log n/\e^2) edges can be constructed in O(m\log^2n) time. Applications to modern massive data sets often constrain algorithms to use computation models that restrict random access to the input. The semi-streaming model, in which the algorithm is constrained to use \tilde O(n) space, has been shown to be a good abstraction for analyzing graph algorithms in applications to large data sets. Recently, a semi-streaming algorithm for graph sparsification was presented by Anh and Guha; the total running time of their implementation is \Omega(mn), too large for applications where both space and time are important. In this paper, we introduce a new technique for graph sparsification, namely refinement sampling, that gives an \tilde{O}(m) time semi-streaming algorithm for graph sparsification. Specifically, we show that refinement sampling can be used to design a one-pass streaming algorithm for sparsification that takes O(\log\log n) time per edge, uses O(\log^2 n) space per node, and outputs an \eps-sparsifier with O(n\log^3 n/\eps^2) edges. At a slightly increased space and time complexity, we can reduce the sparsifier size to O(n \log n/\e^2) edges matching the Benczur-Karger result, while improving upon the Benczur-Karger runtime for m=\omega(n\log^3 n). Finally, we show that an \eps-sparsifier with O(n \log n/\eps^2) edges can be constructed in two passes over the data and O(m) time whenever m =\Omega(n^{1+\delta}) for some constant \delta>0. As a by-product of our approach, we also obtain an O(m\log\log n+n \log n) time streaming algorithm to compute a sparse k-connectivity certificate of a graph.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an independent risk factor for multi-vessel coronary artery disease: a case control study

The risk for cardiovascular (CV) disease is increased in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but data on the burden of coronary atherosclerosis in patients with RA are lacking. We conducted a retrospective case-control study of Olmsted County (MN, USA) residents with RA and new-onset coronary artery disease (CAD) (n = 75) in comparison with age-and sex-matched controls with newly diagnosed CAD (n = 128). Angiographic scores of the first coronary angiogram and data on CV risk factors and CV events on follow-up were obtained by chart abstraction. Patients with RA were more likely to have multi-vessel coronary involvement at first coronary angiogram compared with controls (P = 0.002). Risk factors for CAD including diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and smoking history were not significantly different in the two cohorts. RA remained a significant risk factor for multi-vessel disease after adjustment for age, sex and history of hyperlipidemia. The overall rate of CV events was similar in RA patients and controls; however, there was a trend for increased CV death in patients with RA. In a nested cohort of patients with RA and CAD (n = 27), we measured levels of pro-inflammatory CD4+CD28null T cells by flow cytometry. These T cells have been previously implicated in the pathogenesis of CAD and RA. Indeed, CD4+CD28null T cells were significantly higher in patients with CAD and co-existent RA than in controls with stable angina (P = 0.001) and reached levels found in patients with acute coronary syndromes. Patients with RA are at increased risk for multi-vessel CAD, although the risk of CV events was not increased in our study population. Expansion of CD4+CD28null T cells in these patients may contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis.
Introduction to computing for future elementary and middle-school teachers

In this paper, we describe the design of a section of Introduction to Computing that is specifically tailored for education majors. The course design preserves the general goals of familiarizing students with computer-related concepts, history, ethics, and basic applications, but adds a specific focus on the use of computers in the classroom. Instead of teaching about spreadsheets in general, for example, we show how spreadsheets can be used by teachers for their own gradebooks and in the classroom for data collection and analysis projects. Instead of teaching about computer ethics in general, we discuss the ethics of computer use in the classroom.This course was designed in the spring and summer of this year and is being offered for the first time in the Fall of 2001. In addition to the design, therefore, we also describe some preliminary results based on our experience with the "alpha" version of the course in the classroom. Our experience so far suggests that if you have a large group of students with the same or similar majors, focusing the course on their major can greatly improve both the teachers' and the students' experience with the course.
Technological Change in Meat and Poultry-Packing and Processing

Nonparametric procedures are used to compare technological change in SIC 2011, meatpacking, and SIC 2015, poultry slaughter and processing. There has been a greater increase in total factor productivity in poultry than in the red meats. Evidence also suggests recent differences in the bias of this technological change, with production changes being labor using in poultry and biased towards greater efficiency in the use of live animal inputs in meatpacking.
Low-threshold narrow-linewidth lnGaAsGaAs ridge-waveguide DBR lasers with first-order surface gratings

Distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) lasers in the InGaAs/GaAs/AlGaAs material system are attractive sources for many applications including LIDAR systems, wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) local area networks, and CThM2 pump sources for amplifiers and solid-state lasers
Development of the marsupial shoulder girdle complex: a case study in Monodelphis domestica

During their embryogenesis, marsupials transiently develop a unique structure, the shoulder arch, which provides the structural support and muscle-attachments necessary for the newborn's crawl to the teat. One of the most pronounced and functionally important aspects of the shoulder arch is an enlarged coracoid. The goal of this study is to determine the molecular basis of shoulder arch formation in marsupials. To achieve this goal, this study investigates the relative expression of several genes with known roles in shoulder girdle morphogenesis in a marsupial-the opossum, Monodelphis domestica-and a placental, the mouse, Mus musculus. Results indicate that Hoxc6, a gene involved in coracoid patterning, is expressed for a longer period of time and at higher levels in opossum relative to mouse. Functional manipulation suggests that these differences in Hoxc6 expression are independent of documented differences in retinoic acid signaling in opossum and mouse forelimbs. Results also indicate that Emx2, a gene involved in scapular blade condensation, is upregulated in opossum relative to mouse. However, several other genes involved in shoulder girdle patterning (e.g., Gli3, Pax1, Pbx1, Tbx15) are comparably expressed in these species. These findings suggest that the upregulation of Hoxc6 and Emx2 occurs through independent genetic modifications in opossum relative to mouse. In summary, this study documents a correlation between gene expression and the divergent shoulder girdle morphogenesis of marsupial (i.e., opossum) and placental (i.e., mouse) mammals, and thereby provides a foundation for future research into the genetic basis of shoulder girdle morphogenesis in marsupials. Furthermore, this study supports the hypothesis that the mammalian shoulder girdle is a highly modular structure whose elements are relatively free to evolve independently.
Particle adhesion and removal in model systems—IX: Detachment of rod-like β-FeOOH particles from steel

Abstract The diffusional detachment of rod-like β-FeOOH particles deposited on steel in a packed column was studied as a function of the pH and the ionic strength of the rinse solution. Significant removal was observed over the pH range 10–13. The kinetics of the process could be interpreted by assuming a two-population model of adhered particles. The difference in the behavior of the latter was attributed to the morphology of the steel surface. The used model made it possible to evaluate the probabilities of particle escape into the bulk and their rearrangement on the surface. In the latter case irreversible bonding could occur.
Identifying the activities affected by chronic nonmalignant pain in older veterans receiving primary care.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the specific types of activities affected by chronic pain in older persons and the extent to which older individuals modify, perform less frequently, or terminate activities because of pain. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Primary care practice at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center in New England. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred forty-four patients (aged 65-90) with chronic nonmalignant pain. MEASUREMENTS: Open-ended questions were used to identify the activities affected by pain; participants' responses were subsequently organized into distinct categories (e.g., climbing stairs under higher-order physical activities and going out to dinner under social/recreational activities). Participants were also asked to indicate whether they had modified, performed less frequently, or terminated these activities because of pain. RESULTS: Participants had a mean age ± standard deviation of 75.4 ± 5.2, were mostly male (84%), and had an average pain intensity score of 6.2 ± 1.9 on a 0- to 10-scale. Two hundred three participants (83%) reported that pain affected one or more higher-order physical activities, and the corresponding percentages for the categories of social/recreational activities, instrumental activities of daily living, and basic activities of daily living were 74%, 57%, and 3%, respectively. The proportions of participants who modified, performed less frequently, or terminated one or more activities because of pain were 71%, 69%, and 22%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Assessing the effects of chronic pain across multiple functional domains is indicated in older primary care patients, particularly higher-order physical and social/recreational activities. Inquiring about whether the activities are modified, reduced, or terminated may also help to expand understanding of pain-related disability in older persons.
AIDS Education for Adolescents

This paper reviewed 42 published evaluations of AIDS education programs for adolescents. Most of the interventions lasted for less than 3 hours and involved films, lectures, group discussions, or r...
Formal Development of General Relativity

We shall not manipulate tensors very extensively in this book. Nevertheless tensors are indispensable for any genuine understanding of GR. Even the field equations cannot be expressed without them. In this section we sketch out the basic tensor theory as far as we shall need it. That includes the metric tensor, the geodesic equations, the absolute derivative, and the curvature tensor. The reader may skim it lightly at first, and refer back to it as need arises.
The Formation of Sulfides During Alteration of Biotite to Chlorite-Corrensite

Transmission electron microscopy/analytical electron microscopy (TEM/AEM) were utilized to study pyrite and sphalerite inclusions in chlorite or mixed-layer chlorite-corrensite from an analcimized ash bed in the Etalian stage (Middle Triassic), South Otago, New Zealand. These sulfide inclusions occur as elongated crystals up to 1 × 15 µm in size, within lens-shaped voids between separated, deformed (001) layers of (primarily) chlorite and mixed-layer chlorite-corrensite grains of typical detrital shape or chlorite packets in chlorite-mica stacks (intergrowths of chlorite and phengite packets) up to 40 × 150 µm in size. Relict biotite layers within chlorite, mixed-layer chlorite-corrensite and berthierine have textures implying replacement of the former by the latter, whereas in other unaltered samples only fresh biotite was observed. Anatase occurs in otherwise Ti-free chlorite, whereas relict biotite contains significant Ti (0.3 moles per 22 oxygen atoms). No sulfide minerals have been found in fresh biotite and phengite. Mass balance considerations indicate that S and Zn were introduced via pore fluids and that the Fe was provided by the decomposition of biotite to secondary phyllosilicates. The alteration of biotite and the reaction of biotite to form chlorite and pyrite is controlled by aH+/aK+ as well as oxidation of reduced S species or reduction of oxidized S species from solution. Simple calculations with the observed compositions of chlorite and biotite suggest that some of the Fe in biotite was actually removed in solution rather than precipitated in pyrite and chlorite. Similar textures are abundant in ferroan phyllosilicates elsewhere, implying that the mechanism may apply widely to precipitation of sulfides in phyllosilicates during early diagenesis of sediments.
Computing and the Crisis: The Significant Role of New Information Technologies in the Current Socio-economic Meltdown

Normal.dotm 0 0 1 145 832 School of Informatics 6 1 1021 12.0 0 false 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} 0 false 21 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Normale Tabelle"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} 0 false 21 18 pt 18 pt 0 0 false false false /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Normale Tabelle"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} There is good reason to be concerned about the long-term implications of the current crisis for the reproduction of contemporary social formations. Thus there is an urgent need to understand it character, especially its distinctive features. This article identifies profound ambiguities in valuing assets as new and key economic features of this crisis, ambiguities traceable to the dominant, “computationalist” computing used to develop new financial instruments. After some preliminaries, the article identifies four specific ways in which computerization of finance is generative of crisis. It then demonstrates how computationalist computing is linked to other efforts to extend commodification based on the ideology of so-called “intellectual property” (IP). Several other accounts for the crisis are considered and then demonstrated to have less explanatory value. After considering how some commons-oriented (e.g., Free/Libre and/or Opening Source Software development projects) forms of computing also undermine the IP project, the article concludes with a brief discussion of what research on Socially Robust and Enduring Computing might contribute to fostering alternative, non-crisis generative ways to compute.
Work Zone Safety: Perceptual Countermeasures to Speeding using Synchronized Warning Lights:

A driving simulator study of perceptual countermeasures to speeding is described. Perceptual countermeasures (PC) manipulate the drivers' visual scene to help them moderate their driving speed with...
Complex scenes and situations visualization in hierarchical learning algorithm with dynamic 3D NeoAxis engine

We applied a two stage unsupervised hierarchical learning system to model complex dynamic surveillance and cyber space monitoring systems using a non-commercial version of the NeoAxis visualization software. The hierarchical scene learning and recognition approach is based on hierarchical expectation maximization, and was linked to a 3D graphics engine for validation of learning and classification results and understanding the human – autonomous system relationship. Scene recognition is performed by taking synthetically generated data and feeding it to a dynamic logic algorithm. The algorithm performs hierarchical recognition of the scene by first examining the features of the objects to determine which objects are present, and then determines the scene based on the objects present. This paper presents a framework within which low level data linked to higher-level visualization can provide support to a human operator and be evaluated in a detailed and systematic way.
Tiltmeter data inversion with continuous non-uniform opening distributions: a new method for detecting hydraulic fracture geometry

Abstract Tiltmeter technology has long been an important fracture diagnostic tool. Tiltmeters are extremely good at determining fracture azimuth and dip. However, details about fracture opening variations have not been exploited in the past, partly because of a lack of data resolution to justify more work. The work presented here extends tiltmeter inversion modeling by solving for a non-uniform fracture opening distribution (fracture opening can vary with height and length). This more detailed fracture geometry can give clues to fracture growth processes such as asymmetric wing development and multi-zone fracture propagation. Theoretical calculations show the type of fracture geometry variation that can be imaged, and the technique is demonstrated interpreting field data from a shallow reservoir in California. The motivation for extending tiltmeter analysis methods is to take advantage of newly developed field instruments that can be installed at greater depth to image fractures to as deep as 10,000 ft.
Indexing spatiotemporal archives

Spatiotemporal objects – that is, objects that evolve over time – appear in many applications. Due to the nature of such applications, storing the evolution of objects through time in order to answer historical queries (queries that refer to past states of the evolution) requires a very large specialized database, what is termed in this article a spatiotemporal archive. Efficient processing of historical queries on spatiotemporal archives requires equally sophisticated indexing schemes. Typical spatiotemporal indexing techniques represent the objects using minimum bounding regions (MBR) extended with a temporal dimension, which are then indexed using traditional multidimensional index structures. However, rough MBR approximations introduce excessive overlap between index nodes, which deteriorates query performance. This article introduces a robust indexing scheme for answering spatiotemporal queries more efficiently. A number of algorithms and heuristics are elaborated that can be used to preprocess a spatiotemporal archive in order to produce finer object approximations, which, in combination with a multiversion index structure, will greatly improve query performance in comparison to the straightforward approaches. The proposed techniques introduce a query efficiency vs. space tradeoff that can help tune a structure according to available resources. Empirical observations for estimating the necessary amount of additional storage space required for improving query performance by a given factor are also provided. Moreover, heuristics for applying the proposed ideas in an online setting are discussed. Finally, a thorough experimental evaluation is conducted to show the merits of the proposed techniques.