cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Remote Monitoring to Reduce Heart Failure Readmissions

Rehospitalization for heart failure remains a challenge in the treatment of affected patients. The ability to remotely monitor patients for worsening heart failure may provide an avenue through which therapeutic interventions can be made to prevent a rehospitalization. Available data on remote monitoring to reduce heart failure rehospitalizations are reviewed within. Strategies to reduce readmissions include clinical telemonitoring, bioimpedance changes, biomarkers, and remote hemodynamic monitoring. Telemonitoring is readily available, but has low sensitivity and adherence. No data exist to demonstrate the efficacy of this strategy in reducing admissions. Bioimpedance offers improved sensitivity compared to telemonitoring, but has not demonstrated an ability to reduce hospitalizations and is currently limited to those patients who have separate indications for an implantable device. Biomarker levels have shown variable results in the ability to reduce hospitalizations and remain without definitive proof supporting their utilization. Remote hemodynamic monitoring has shown the strongest ability to reduce heart failure readmissions and is currently approved for this purpose. However, remote hemodynamic monitoring requires an invasive procedure and may not be cost-effective. All currently available strategies to reduce hospitalizations with remote monitoring have drawbacks and challenges. Remote hemodynamic monitoring is currently the most efficacious based on data, but is not without its own imperfections.
Comparison and contrast of two general functional regression modelling frameworks

In this article, Greven and Scheipl describe an impressively general framework for performing functional regression that builds upon the generalized additive modeling framework. Over the past number of years, my collaborators and I have also been developing a general framework for functional regression, functional mixed models, which shares many similarities with this framework, but has many differences as well. In this discussion, I compare and contrast these two frameworks, to hopefully illuminate characteristics of each, highlighting their respecitve strengths and weaknesses, and providing recommendations regarding the settings in which each approach might be preferable.
Phase II study of neoadjuvant dose-dense methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (ddMVAC) chemotherapy in patients with muscle-invasive urothelial cancer (MI-UC): Pathologic and radiologic response, serum tumor markers, and DNA excision repair pathway biomarkers in relation to disease-free survival (DFS).

4530 Background: Neoadjuvant (NA) ddMVAC in patients (pts) with MI-UC is associated with significant pathologic response (PaR) and radiologic response (RaR). We examined the frequency of PaR and Ra...
Usefulness of the Mitral Regurgitation Severity Index to Assess the Severity of Chronic Mitral Regurgitation

Existing metrics for grading mitral regurgitation (MR) are limited and fraught with high interobserver variability. We developed and evaluated a Doppler-based, semiquantitative novel index (Mitral Regurgitation Severity Index [MRSI]) of MR severity. In a total of 125 patients (70 in the derivation cohort and 55 in the validation cohort), MRSI was calculated as a ratio of time velocity integral of mitral inflow (continuous-wave Doppler-TVI MV) to the time velocity integral of the left ventricle outflow (pulse-wave Doppler-TVI LVOT). Inter-rater agreement for MRSI and predictive ability of the MRSI were then assessed. In the derivation cohort, MRSI differed significantly between patients with severe MR (2.6 ± 0.51) and mild-moderate (nonsevere) MR (1.4 ± 0.18) and a cutoff of ≥1.8 was associated with optimal diagnostic accuracy. In the validation cohort, MRSI exhibited excellent agreement between a level II and a level III reader with a mean difference of -0.14 (95% confidence limit of agreement: -0.80 to 0.53), correlation coefficient of 0.88 (p <0.001), and 16% CV; and using the cut point of 1.8, it exhibited good inter-rater reproducibility with a kappa coefficient of 0.72 (p <0.001). In conclusion, MRSI appears to be a simple, quantitative, practical, color-independent metric to differentiate severe MR from nonsevere MR.
Studies of the interactions between (311) defects and type I and II dislocation loops in Si+ implanted silicon

Abstract Silicon wafers were implanted with Si+ at doses of 2 × 1014 and 1 × 1015 /cm2. Annealing treatments were done at temperatures between 700°C and 1000°C for times between 15 min and 16 h, both with and without an SiO2 cap. Plan-view TEM micrographs were taken and the density of interstitials trapped in both the (311) defects and the type I and II perfect loops were measured. The results showed that for the 2 × 1014 /cm2 Si+ dose, which is below the amorphization threshold, the dominant defect at 700°C is the (311) defect with a much smaller concentration of type I loops. The total trapped interstitial concentration in both kinds of defects was around 7 × 1013 /cm2 for 700°C 1 h anneals. The (311) defects begin dissolving after several hours at 700°C but their dissolution rate is slower than previously reported by Stolk et al. [MRS Symp. Proc. 354 (1995)] for lower dose (5 × 1013 /cm2) implants. It is not believed that this slower dissolution rate is due to the increased dose. The reduced dissolution rate does not change with capping and may be due to a difference in furnace calibration methods. The type I loops show some growth during the (311) dissolution but quantitatively less than half of the released interstitials appear to be trapped by the type I loops. For the 1 × 1015 /cm2 sample amorphization occurs and both type II (end of range) loops and (311) defects are observed for 700°C anneals. The total number of trapped interstitials for 700°C 1 h anneals is also around 7 × 1013 /cm2. However, the ratio of (311) to loops has switched such that the dominant defect is the type II loop. Upon annealing, the (311) defects again show a reduced dissolution rate and the type II loops are in the growth regine. Increasing the anneal temperature to 800°C results in further growth of the type II loops and all of the (311) defects have either dissolved or unfaulted. The growth of the type II loops appears to be greater than can be quantitatively accounted for by the (311) defects. In addition there is a high level of strain in the lattice that cannot be accounted for by the (311) defects. Both of these results imply there may be an additional source of interstitials besides the (311) defects for amorphizing implants.
Timocreon's Encomium of Aristides

TIMOCREON FR. 727 PMG, the famous lampoon on Themistocles, has at tracted more attention from historians than from literary critics. As poetry the piece has not been admired; it is judged to lack elegance and wit. Meanwhile, little agreement appears on the difficult details which could determine its meaning as an historical source by fixing its date: Leto's presence and Themistocles' "inn keeping" at the Isthmus.' Analysis of the generic background of the poem will not solve the historical problems it presents, but it may provide a clearer context for them, while answering the literary questions the piece proposes may win it more respect. The poem (assuming that the quotation at Plutarch Them. 21 is the complete poem, as seems likely) is unusual in several ways. It is apparently triadic in struc ture, and its meter is dactylo-epitrite-features which have puzzled commen tators, since this structure and meter are elsewhere the sign of choral lyric and this
Detecting Every Genital Papilloma Virus Infection: What Does It Mean?

Approximately 20 years have elapsed since the discovery that human papillomaviruses (HPV) are associated with genital squamous neoplasia. Nearly 10,000 articles, chapters, and books on the subject have been written. The focus of attention has varied to include studies of molecular mechanisms of papillomavirus-induced genital neoplasia, profiles of the pathology of this process, epidemiology, and clinical management. Conclusions reached in many of these studies have depended heavily on the methods by which papillomavirus nucleic acids were detected.
Role of G protein-coupled receptors-microRNA interactions in gastrointestinal pathophysiology

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) make up the largest transmembrane receptor superfamily in the human genome and are expressed in nearly all gastrointestinal cell types. Coupling of GPCRs and their respective ligands activates various phosphotransferases in the cytoplasm, and, thus, activation of GPCR signaling in intestine regulates many cellular and physiological processes. Studies in microRNAs (miRNAs) demonstrate that they represent critical epigenetic regulators of different pathophysiological responses in different organs and cell types in humans and animals. Here, we reviewed recent research on GPCR-miRNA interactions related to gastrointestinal pathophysiology, such as inflammatory bowel diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, and gastrointestinal cancers. Given that the presence of different types of cells in the gastrointestinal tract suggests the importance of cell-cell interactions in maintaining gastrointestinal homeostasis, we also discuss how GPCR-miRNA interactions regulate gene expression at the cellular level and subsequently modulate gastrointestinal pathophysiology through molecular regulatory circuits and cell-cell interactions. These studies helped identify novel molecular pathways leading to the discovery of potential biomarkers for gastrointestinal diseases.
Reliability and agreement between DXA-derived body volumes and their usage in 4-compartment body composition models produced from DXA and BIA values

Two research groups recently produced equations for estimation of body volume from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans. These body volume estimates can be used for body composition evaluat...
Evaluation of matrix elements for arbitrary beta.

Simple expressions are obtained for diagonal matrix elements {l angle}{ital n},{ital l}{vert bar}{ital r}{sup {beta}}{vert bar}{ital n},{ital l}{r angle}, for arbitrary {beta} and fixed {ital l}, where {ital l}={ital n}{minus}1, {ital n}{minus}2, {ital n}{minus}3, {ital n}{minus}4, {ital n}{minus}5, {ital n}{minus}6, and {ital n}{minus}7. Off-diagonal matrix elements are also calculated for the special cases {l angle}{ital n},{ital l}{vert bar}{ital r}{sup {beta}}{vert bar}{ital n},{ital l}{plus minus}1{r angle} and {l angle}{ital n},{ital l}{vert bar}{ital r}{sup {beta}}{vert bar}{ital n},{ital l}{plus minus}2{r angle}. The expressions are valid for any real {beta}{ge}{minus}({ital l}+{ital l}{prime}+2).
Abstract 119: Tempol Pre-treatment Restores Isoflurane Preconditioning in the Aged Cardiomyocytes: Involvement of Pink1/Parkin-mediated Mitophagy

Background: Aging is associated with chronic oxidative stress and impaired cardiac preconditioning. Four-week pre-treatment with TEMPOL, an antioxidant, improves mitochondrial functions and restore...
Spatiotemporal control of laser intensity

The controlled coupling of a laser to plasma has the potential to address grand scientific challenges1–6, but many applications have limited flexibility and poor control over the laser focal volume. Here, we present an advanced focusing scheme called a ‘flying focus’, where a chromatic focusing system combined with chirped laser pulses enables a small-diameter laser focus to propagate nearly 100 times its Rayleigh length. Furthermore, the speed at which the focus moves (and hence the peak intensity) is decoupled from the group velocity of the laser. It can co- or counter-propagate along the laser axis at any velocity. Experiments validating the concept measured subluminal (−0.09c) to superluminal (39c) focal-spot velocities, generating a nearly constant peak intensity over 4.5 mm. Among possible applications, the flying focus could be applied to a photon accelerator 7 to mitigate dephasing, facilitating the production of tunable XUV sources. By combining a chromatic focusing system with chirped laser pulses, the spatiotemporal distribution of the laser pulse is controlled in the focal region. The focal spot propagates over nearly 100 times its Rayleigh length at any velocity.
New Black Sea Terminal of Port Kulevi and it Navigating Features

In May, 2007 in Georgia the new Black Sea Terminal (including the complex of a railway junction, capacities for storage of oil) was opened in the port Kulevi. The creation of the named terminal in Georgia was necessitated by following factors: 1) the necessity of search and the creation of new alternative ways of safe transportation of oil to Europe; 2) a favourable geographical position of Georgia - Asia, the Near East and Europe crossroads; 3) the resence of already existing means of communication between Georgia and oil-producing regions - Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. In choosing the port and terminal location, it was necessary to be guided first of all by maintenance of safety navigation and minimum expenses from the point of view of an economic profit. That is why special attention was paid to searching for a natural reservoir with an exit in the sea. This article deals with the questions of construction of the oil terminal, maintenance of port Kulevi with means of the navigating aids and features of entering and leaving vessels.
Intercalating docetaxel between novel hormone therapies (NHT) abiraterone and enzalutamide in metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC): Does it resensitize patients to the second NHT agent?

e16550Background: Prior studies with Enza and Abi have suggested decreased response rates and progression free survival when these agents are used sequentially. This suggests that there are mechani...
National Survey Assessment of the United States' Pediatric Residents' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Newborn Screening.

A pediatrician’s approach to newborn screening (NBS) impacts patient care. Some physicians have reported not being well prepared to inform families about a positive NBS and recommend further follow-up. The knowledge and approach of categorical pediatric residents (RES) in the United States regarding NBS is not known. They were anonymously surveyed via listserv maintained by American Academy of Pediatrics. A total of 655 responses were analyzed. The mean composite knowledge score (CKS) was 17.7 (SD 1.8), out of maximum 21. Training level (p = 0.001) and completing NICU rotation (p < 0.001) predicted higher CKS. Most RES agreed that NBS is useful and pediatricians play an important role in the NBS process, however, only 62% were comfortable with counseling. Higher level RES were more likely to follow NBS results in clinic (p = 0.0027) and know the contact agency for results (p < 0.001). Most RES wanted more NBS training during residency and were not aware of clinical algorithms like ACTion sheets developed by American College of Medical Genetics. We concluded that although RES have sufficient knowledge about NBS, there is a need for earlier RES education on available tools for NBS to enhance their comfort level and improve practices such as educating parents about the NBS process.
Examining Food Addiction and Acculturation Among a Hispanic Bariatric Surgery–Seeking Participant Group

This study examined food addiction (FA) and acculturation among a Hispanic bariatric surgery–seeking sample. University hospital. Four hundred forty-four (n = 215 English-speaking; n = 229 Spanish-speaking) Hispanic adults seeking bariatric surgery completed established self-report measures examining food addiction and acculturation. 35.8% met criteria for FA, which was significantly associated with acculturation level to the USA. Participants who endorsed greater acculturation also endorsed a significantly higher level of FA symptoms compared with those who endorsed less acculturation. Acculturation level was significantly associated with FA and BMI. FA rate in this bariatric surgery–seeking Hispanic patient group is similar to rates reported among bariatric candidates of varying ethnic backgrounds. Our results suggest a relationship between FA symptom expression and acculturation to the USA. Improving understanding of the onset and progression of severity of FA symptoms may have clinical implications for Hispanic patients seeking bariatric surgery.
A Lexicographic Product Cancellation Property for Digraphs

Abstract : There are four prominent product graphs in graph theory: Cartesian, strong, direct and lexicographic. Of these four product graphs, the lexicographic product graph is the least studied. Lexicographic products are not commutative but still have some interesting properties. This paper begins with basic definitions of graph theory, including the definition of a graph, that are needed to understand theorems and proofs that come later. The paper then discusses the lexicographic product of digraphs, denoted G o H, for some digraphs G and H. The paper concludes by proving a cancellation property for the lexicographic product of digraphs G, H, A, and B: if G o H = A o B and /V(G)/ = /V(A)/, then G = A. It also proves additional cancellation properties for lexicographic product digraphs and the author hopes the final result will provide further insight into tournaments.
Systemic Therapy of Central Nervous System Metastases of Breast Cancer

Historically, systemic treatment options for patients with breast cancer brain metastases have been very limited. This review focuses on important considerations for systemic therapy as well as ongoing clinical trials evaluating novel agents. For patients with hormone receptor-positive brain metastases, endocrine therapy or chemotherapy options can be considered. The role of CDK4/6 inhibitors is being explored in ongoing trials. Patients with HER2-positive disease have a number of treatment options, including ado-trastuzumab emtansine (TDM1) or lapatinib-capecitabine, and there is emerging evidence of the efficacy of neratinib- and tucatinib-based chemotherapy combinations in the CNS. Triple-negative tumors may respond to chemotherapy. Although much progress remains to be made, a number of effective systemic treatment options are emerging, particularly for patients with HER2-positive disease. Ongoing clinical trials will help define the role of novel agents.
Multiplane fused deposition modeling: a study of tensile strength

A conventional three dimensional (3D) printer utilizes horizontal planar layering to produce 3D printed parts. The development of a higher degree of freedom 3D printing platform allows for vertical...
PAStime: Progress-aware Scheduling for Time-critical Computing

Over-estimation of worst-case execution times (WCETs) of real-time tasks leads to poor resource utilization. In a mixed-criticality system (MCS), the over-provisioning of CPU time to accommodate the WCETs of highly critical tasks can lead to degraded service for less critical tasks. In this paper, we present PAStime, a novel approach to monitor and adapt the runtime progress of highly time-critical applications, to allow for improved service to lower criticality tasks. In PAStime, CPU time is allocated to time-critical tasks according to the delays they experience as they progress through their control flow graphs. This ensures that as much time as possible is made available to improve the Quality-of-Service of less critical tasks, while high-criticality tasks are compensated after their delays. In this paper, we integrate PAStime with Adaptive Mixed-criticality (AMC) scheduling. The LO-mode budget of a high-criticality task is adjusted according to the delay observed at execution checkpoints. Using LITMUS-RT to implement both AMC and AMC-PAStime, we observe that AMC-PAStime significantly improves the utilization of low-criticality tasks while guaranteeing service to high-criticality tasks.
Physics-based reduced-order model of supercapacitor dynamics

This paper furthers the development of physics-based reduced-order models (PRBROMs) of electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs, also known as supercapacitors or ultracapacitors) by extending the operating range over which the models are accurate and by adding a thermal model. A PBROM is parameterized for a 100F Maxwell BCAPO100-T01 EDLC over the operating range of OV through 2. 7V, between -20o C and 40o C. Results are presented showing voltage predictions and the variation in internal model parameter values versus EDLC charge state. The new method gives better predictions than a previous method that worked only close to a specific voltage/temperature operational setpoint.
Current controversies in neurology subspecialty education: Insight from clinical neurophysiology.

Neurology subspecialty training and certification are in the midst of rapid transformation, with steady expansion in subspecialty fellowship and certification options and increased requirements over the past 15 years. This includes new epilepsy, neuromuscular medicine, and sleep medicine certification and training via the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and >200 new fellowship programs in 8 subspecialties accredited by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties (UCNS) since 2006.1 In response, the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) has published a position statement with a proposed unified fellowship timeline.2 This period has also seen the advent of Maintenance of Certification (MOC) for ABPN specialties and subsequent changes in the MOC process. In this context of rapid change and controversy in subspecialty education and certification, the article by Juul et al.3 on the recent history and current status of clinical neurophysiology (CNP) is particularly timely.
Impact of a specialty trained billing team on an academic otolaryngology practice.

Abstract Purpose To determine how the incorporation of specialty specific training for coders within a focused billing team affected revenue, efficiency, time to reimbursement, and physician satisfaction in an academic otolaryngology practice. Materials and methods Our academic otolaryngology department recently implemented a new billing system, which incorporated additional training in otolaryngology surgical procedures for medical coders. A mixed model analysis of variance was used to compare billing outcomes for the 6 months before and 6 months after this new approach was initiated. The following metrics were analyzed: Current Procedural Terminology codes, total charges, time between services rendered and billing submission, and time to reimbursement. A survey of department physicians assessing satisfaction with the system was reviewed. Results There were 4087 Current Procedural Terminology codes included in the analysis. In comparing the periods before and after implementation of the new system, statistically significant decreases were found in the mean number of days to coding completion (19.3 to 12.0, respectively, p Conclusions The implementation of additional specialty training for medical coders in the otolaryngology department of a large medical system was associated with improved revenue cycle efficiency. Additionally, this model appears to improve physician satisfaction and confidence with the coding system.
Complication rates of bilateral total hip versus unilateral total hip arthroplasty are similar.

Abstract Objective Utilize a nationwide database to identify and compare the differences between patient demographics and clinical outcomes for patients undergoing simultaneous bilateral total hip arthroplasty (THA) and unilateral THA. Methods A nationwide administrative claims database was utilized; In-hospital, 90-day, and 1-year post-discharge rates of local and systemic complications were collected and compared with multivariate logistic regression. Results Incidence of prosthetic joint infection was significantly lower in the bilateral cohort. Length of stay was significantly shorter in the unilateral THA cohort. Conclusion Surgeons should consider simultaneous bilateral THA a safe and effective procedure for low risk patients with appropriate comorbidities.
Procedure for optimal implementation of automatic tube potential selection in pediatric CT to reduce radiation dose and improve workflow

It is important to employ radiation dose reduction techniques in pediatric computed tomography (CT) to reduce potential risks of radiation-induced malignancy. Automatic tube potential (kV) selection tools have been developed and become available on many CT scanners, which select the optimum kV based on the patient size and clinical task to improve the radiation dose efficiency. However, its use in pediatric CT has been mostly empirical, following manufacturer's default recommendation without solid demonstration for quality improvement. This study aimed to implement an automatic tube potential tool (CAREkV, Siemens Healthcare) into routine pediatric CT practice, using the "Plan-Do-Study-Act" quality improvement process, in place of an existing kV/mAs technique chart. The design of this quality improvement project involved Plan-Do-Study-Act stages. Plan and Do stages identified the criteria for optimal automatic kV selection; a range of phantoms representing typical pediatric groups were scanned on a dual-source 128-slice scanner using a fast-pitch scanning mode. The identified CAREkV settings were implemented into the CT protocol and evaluated after a 6-month period. In the Study stage, an objective evaluation of the image metrics and radiation dose for two similar patient cohorts using CAREkV and the technique-chart, respectively, were compared. The kV selected, image quality and radiation dose determined by CAREkV were comparable to those obtained while using the technique-chart. The CAREkV was successfully implemented into our pediatric abdominopelvic CT practice. By utilizing the "PDSA" process optimal image quality and radiation dose reduction were achieved with an automatic kV selection tool to improve CT workflow.
Agrivoltaics and weather risk: A diversification strategy for landowners

Abstract Farms are facing increasing pressure from shrinking margins, extreme weather, and increased competition for land use, including from energy producers. There is evidence to suggest that co-locating solar power production and agriculture, known as agrivoltaic systems, may be a means to reduce concern over the latter. A model is developed to test whether co-location can reduce weather-related financial risk for a landowner, a largely unexplored question, while improving profitability. Stochastically generated weather variables and commodity prices are used to simulate net revenues for a solar only plot, a farm only plot, and an agrivoltaic plot. Application to four test cases (alfalfa/soybeans in Oregon and soybeans/strawberries in North Carolina) illustrate the potential impact of agrivoltaics. Results from the scenarios evaluated indicate that co-location can increase annual net revenues relative to a farm-only scenario by 300–5000%. For crops subject to considerable risk via weather and market conditions, such as strawberries, co-location diversifies income streams, reducing revenue volatility and lifting worst case net revenues by 48–53%. In this sense, agrivoltaics may also be a partial substitute for federal crop insurance. While the locations and cases considered here were limited, this framework is applicable to any location or crop and results suggest that agrivoltaics have the potential to increase farmers’ revenues and improve financial stability during volatile weather and market conditions.
The effect of species, size, failure mode, and fire-scarring on tree stability

Abstract Understanding of wind disturbance remains predominantly at a phenomenological rather than a mechanistic or predictive level. Although wind-damage surveys in forests have identified broad trends among species, sizes, and stand structures, most of these variables are unavoidably confounded in descriptive studies. To provide improved insights into the impacts of wind on forests, static winching studies allow direct measurement of wind resistance with minimal confounding of potentially influential tree features. Here we report results from a static winching study of loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ) and tulip poplar ( Liriodendron tulipifera ) on the Georgia Piedmont. This study is one of only a few that directly compares tree stability (and by extension, windfirmness) between two species across a wide size range, and is apparently only the second to directly compare a conifer to a hardwood species. Because previous fires scarred some of the trees, we opportunistically recorded fire scar presence and size along with the primary predictor variables of tree size and species. Because the calculation of critical turning moment – an indication of tree stability – relies on several field measurements that are often estimated, we included a sensitivity analysis to determine the most sensitive parameters in the calculation of critical turning moment. Our analysis of critical turning moments of winched trees revealed that tree stability increased with tree size. Surprisingly, critical turning moment did not differ between species. Moreover, fire scars were associated with a non-significant trend toward reduced tree stability, a trend that may have been significant with a larger sample size. These findings suggest that interspecific differences in tree damage documented by post-event damage surveys may be due more to variation in wind load among trees, than to innate interspecific differences in tree windfirmness.
Tetranucleotide microsatellites for the barnacle Megabalanus coccopoma (Darwin, 1854)

Abstract The barnacle Megabalanus coccopoma is indigenous to the tropical Pacific Ocean, but was recently introduced to the coastal waters of the southeastern U.S.A. As part of a larger effort to investigate the population dynamics of this introduction, we designed 13 microsatellite primers specific to M . coccopoma and developed the accompanying polymerase chain reaction (PCR) conditions. We tested these primers on 42 individuals of M . coccopoma collected from two sampling locations in coastal Georgia, USA. The 13 loci developed showed means of 24.5 alleles per locus, 0.93 expected heterozygosity, 0.67 observed heterozygosity, and 0.91 polymorphic information content. The high variation observed within these microsatellite loci makes them useful tools for testing hypotheses related to population genetics, including source-sink dynamics for range expansions and rates of self-fertilization and outcrossing.
Effects of 6-month supplementation with β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate, glutamine and arginine on vascular endothelial function of older adults.

Effects of 6-month supplementation with β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate, glutamine and arginine on vascular endothelial function of older adults
Super-simple simultaneous single-ballot risk-limiting audits

Simultaneous risk-limiting audits of a collection of contests have a known minimum chance of leading to a full hand count if the outcome of any of those contests is wrong. Risk-limiting audits are generally performed in stages. Each stage involves drawing a sample of ballots, comparing a hand count of the votes on those ballots with the original count, and assessing the evidence that the original outcomes agree with the outcomes that a full hand count would show. If the evidence is sufficiently strong, the audit can stop; if not, more ballots are counted by hand and the new evidence is assessed. This paper derives simple rules to determine how many ballots must be audited to allow a simultaneous risk-limiting audit to stop at the first stage if the error rate in the sample is sufficiently low. The rules are of the form "audit at least ρ/µ ballots selected at random." The value of ρ depends on the simultaneous risk limit and the amount of error to be tolerated in the first stage without expanding the audit. It can be calculated once and for all without knowing anything about the contests. The number µ is the "diluted margin": the smallest margin of victory in votes among the contests, divided by the total number of ballots cast across all the contests. The initial sample size does not depend on any details of the contests, just the diluted margin. This is far simpler than previous methods. For instance, suppose we are auditing a collection of contests at simultaneous risk limit 10%. In all, N ballots were cast in those contests. The smallest margin is V votes: The diluted margin is µ = V/N. We want the audit to stop at the first stage provided the fraction of ballots in the sample that overstated the margin of some winner over some loser by one vote is no more than µ/2 and no ballot overstates any margin by two votes. Then an initial sample of 15:2/µ ballots suffices. If the sample shows any two-vote overstatements or more than 7 ballots with one-vote overstatements, more sampling might be required, depending on which margins have errors. If so, simple rules that involving only addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division can be used to determine when to stop.
Mechanisms of Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia. The prevalence of AF is increasing as the median age of the population is on rise. Incidence of AF increases with age, as one in five individuals over age 85 has AF. Several clinical conditions are associated with AF, most importantly ischemic heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, and heart failure.
Chapter 10 Membrane Fusion Intermediates

Publisher Summary This chapter is focused on nonlamellar, highly curved structures that may be involved, or may represent structures that are involved, in the pathway(s) of membrane fusion. Both theoretical and experimental evidence is now accumulating for highly curved phospholipid assemblies acting as intermediates for both lipid vesicle and biological membrane fusion reactions. The packing of membrane lipids into the structure of these putative intermediates may significantly influence the ability of membranes to fuse. Considerable information is available from simple lipid systems that assist in defining the nature of that influence. Much of the energetic problem in forming these putative intermediates arises from the necessity of filling unusually shaped volumes by the terminal region of the lipid hydrocarbon chains. Determining the way these packing problems are solved can be expected to reveal much about the mechanism of both lipid vesicle and biological fusion mechanisms.
The “Logic” of Specialization

(2010). The “Logic” of Specialization. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 81, No. 8, pp. 16-25.
Marketing Supplementary Food Products in LDCs

Abstract Developing country governments as well as a number of international agencies have become directly involved in the past two decades in the production and marketing of supplementary food products. This article discusses the Moroccan government's involvement in introducing a weaning food targeted for elaborates on the factors which contributed contributedm to the failure of this and other similar ventures, while drawing attention to the important low-income Moroccan children. It role that marketing plays in launching socially desirable food products in developing country environments.
Segmentation of prostate ultrasound images using an improved snakes model

We have applied an improved deformable 2D snakes modeling technique to the segmentation of prostate ultrasound images. Special measures were taken to deal with the high speckle noises and complex shapes of prostate boundaries. Median filtering proves to be effective in removing speckle noises, and by dynamically changing the rigidity parameters of the snakes model, our implementation has shown satisfactory preliminary segmentation results. We also have experimented with the gradient vector flow (GVF) snakes model with various edge detectors, and a combined LOG & Sobel operator is shown to perform the best in determining the edge map gradient field for the GVF.
Stabilization of nested systems with uncertain subsystem communication channels

This paper addresses the design of stabilizing controllers for a nested control system where the controller is realized in a distributed manner, considering uncertainty not only in the controller-to-plant and plant-to-controller channels but also in the nest-to-nest, subcontroller-to-subcontroller communication. An input-output approach is taken. Two appropriate controller architectures that stabilize the entire system with the various components subject to uncertainty and noise are addressed. We present controller synthesis procedures to address deterministic uncertainty and stochastic uncertainty, that model packet-loss in the Internet.
Steroids. II. The synthesis of some α-oximino and α-diazo derivatives of 4,4-dimethyl-3-ket osteroids11Part I of this series: Cava, M.P. and Moroz, E.: J.Am.Chem.Soc., 84, 115 (1962).

Abstract A number of 2-oximino- and 2-diazo-3-ketosteroids have been synthesized starting from 4,4-dimethyl-cholest-5-en-3-one and 17β-hydroxy-4,4-dimethylandrost-5-en-3-one. Among these compounds are the first recorded examples of A-ring steroidal α-diazoketones.
26 Sequence-specific DNA looping by mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM)

Mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) is an abundant human mitochondrial High Mobility Group Box (HMGB) protein. Similar to several human nuclear HMGB proteins, TFAM has two HMGB domains that...
Statistical analysis and modeling of variations of the earth's magnetic field

Power spectral analyses of the dipole moment of the earth's magnetic field inferred from ocean sediment cores and archeomagnetic data from time scales of 100 yr to 4 Myr have been carried out. The power spectrum is proportional to 1/f where f is the frequency. These analyses compliment previous work which has established a 1/f^2 spectrum for variations at time scales less than 100 yr. Power spectral analyses of inclination and declination inferred from lake sediments from time scales of 10 yr to 30 kyr have also been performed. The spectra are constant above time scales of 3 kyr, proportional to 1/f^2 from time scales of 500 yr to 3 kyr, and constant again below time scales of 500 yr. The 3 kyr time scale is associated with the decay time of the quadrupole moment. We test the hypothesis that reversals are the result of variations in dipole intensity with a 1/f spectrum which occasionally are large enough to cross the zero intensity value. Synthetic binormal time series with a 1/f power spectrum representing variations in the earth's dipole moment are constructed. Synthetic reversals from these time series exhibit statistics in good agreement with the reversal record. 1/f noise behavior is reproduced with a model of magnetic diffusion in the earth's core driven by dynamo action modeled as a random amplification or destruction of the local magnetic field.
Periconceptional vitamin use and leukemia risk in children with Down syndrome: A children's oncology group study

BACKGROUND Periconceptional vitamin supplementation reduces the risk of neural tube defects, and possibly may reduce the risk of certain childhood malignancies, including acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Because children with Down syndrome (DS) experience a 20-fold higher risk of leukemia than the general population, the authors evaluated whether periconceptional vitamin supplementation reduced the risk of leukemia in children with DS. METHODS From 1997 to 2002, 158 children ages birth–18 years with DS and acute leukemia (n = 61 children with acute myeloid leukemia [AML] and n = 97 children with ALL) were enrolled through the Children's Oncology Group in North America. Children with DS alone (n = 173) were identified through the cases' pediatric clinics and frequency matched to cases on age. Mothers of cases and controls completed a telephone interview that included questions regarding vitamin supplement use in the periconceptional period and after knowledge of pregnancy. RESULTS A decreased risk of leukemia was observed with vitamin supplementation in the periconceptional period (odds ratio [OR] = 0.63; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.39–1.00). When stratified by leukemia type, the reduced risk was observed for ALL (OR = 0.51; 95% CI, 0.30–0.89), but not for AML (OR = 0.92; 95% CI, 0.48–1.76). Compared with vitamin use in the periconceptional period, use only after knowledge of pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of leukemia (OR = 1.61; 95% CI, 1.00–2.58). This was observed for both ALL and AML. CONCLUSIONS These data added to a growing body of evidence that suggests that periconceptional vitamin use may be protective in the development of certain childhood cancers. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
Performance movement at a crossroads: information, accountability and learning

Public managers all over the world have sought to strengthen governmental operations by establishing performance measurement regimes. Ironically, the apparent success of the performance regimes may have helped ensure agency compliance with measurement requirements at the expense of real improvements in performance. Here we suggest that at least one of the reasons for this may be that the characteristics of performance management instituted by many central government policymakers -- public transparency and the use of performance metrics for making high stakes budgetary and personnel decisions -- may serve to inhibit the learning potential of performance information. How this occurs and what might be done to at least partially reconcile the performance agenda of elected officials and agency learning are the subjects of this paper.
Factors predicting additional disease in the axilla in patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy

BACKGROUND. The utility of sentinel lymph node (SNL) biopsy (SLNB) as a predictor of axillary lymph node status is similar in patients who receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy and patients who undergo surgery first. The authors of this study hypothesized that patients with positive SLNs after neoadjuvant therapy would have unique clinicopathologic factors that would be predictive of additional positive non-SLNs distinct from patients who underwent surgery first. METHODS. One hundred four patients were identified who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, had a positive SLN, and underwent axillary dissection between 1997 and 2005. At the time of presentation, 66 patients had clinically negative lymph nodes by ultrasonography, and 38 patients had positive lymph nodes confirmed by fine-needle aspiration. Eighteen factors were assessed for their ability to predict positive non-SLNs using chi-square and logistic regression analysis with a bootstrapped, backwards elimination procedure. The resulting nomogram was tested by using a patient cohort from another institution. RESULTS. Patients with clinically negative lymph nodes at presentation were less likely than patients with positive lymph nodes to have positive non-SLNs (47% vs 71%; P 5 .017). On multivariate analysis, lymphovascular invasion, the method for detecting SLN metastasis, multicentricity, positive axillary lymph nodes at presentation, and pathologic tumor size retained grouped significance with a bootstrap-adjusted area under the curve (AUC) of 0.762. The resulting nomogram was validated in the external patient cohort (AUC, 0.78). CONCLUSIONS. A significant proportion of patients with positive SLNs after neoadjuvant chemotherapy had no positive non-SLNs. The use of a nomogram based on 5 predictive variables that were identified in this study may be useful for predicting the risk of positive non-SLNs in patients who have positive SLNs after chemotherapy. Cancer 2008;112:2646–54. � 2008 American Cancer Society.
Probing the Gas-Phase Folding Kinetics of Peptide Ions by IR Activated DR-ECD

The effect of infrared (IR) irradiation on the electron capture dissociation (ECD) fragmentation pattern of peptide ions was investigated. IR heating increases the internal energy of the precursor ion, which often amplifies secondary fragmentation, resulting in the formation of w-type ions as well as other secondary fragments. Improved sequence coverage was observed with IR irradiation before ECD, likely due to the increased conformational heterogeneity upon IR heating, rather than faster breakdown of the initially formed product ion complex, as IR heating after ECD did not have similar effect. Although the ECD fragment ion yield of peptide ions does not typically increase with IR heating, in double resonance (DR) ECD experiments, fragment ion yield may be reduced by fast resonant ejection of the charge reduced molecular species, and becomes dependent on the folding state of the precursor ion. In this work, the fragment ion yield was monitored as a function of the delay between IR irradiation and the DR-ECD event to study the gas-phase folding kinetics of the peptide ions. Furthermore, the degree of intracomplex hydrogen transfer of the ECD fragment ion pair was used to probe the folding state of the precursor ion. Both methods gave similar refolding time constants of ∼1.5 s−1, revealing that gaseous peptide ions often refold in less than a second, much faster than their protein counterparts. It was also found from the IR-DR-ECD study that the intramolecular H· transfer rate can be an order of magnitude higher than that of the separation of the long-lived c/z product ion complexes, explaining the common observation of c· and z type ions in ECD experiments.
Video-rate structured illumination microscopy for high-throughput imaging of large tissue areas.

We report the development of a structured illumination microscopy instrument specifically designed for the requirements for high-area-throughput, optically-sectioned imaging of large, fluorescently-stained tissue specimens. The system achieves optical sectioning frame-rates of up to 33 Hz (and pixel sampling rates of up to 138.4 MHz), by combining a fast, ferroelectric spatial light modulator for pattern generation with the latest large-format, high frame-rate scientific CMOS camera technology. Using a 10X 0.45 NA objective and a 7 mm/sec scan stage, we demonstrate 4.4 cm2/min area-throughput rates in bright tissue-simulating phantoms, and 2 cm2/min area-throughput rates in thick, highly-absorbing, fluorescently-stained muscle tissue, with 1.3 μm lateral resolution. We demonstrate high-contrast, high-resolution imaging of a fluorescently-stained 30.4 cm2 bovine muscle specimen in 15 minutes comprising 7.55 gigapixels, demonstrating the feasibility of the approach for gigapixel imaging of large tissues in short timeframes, such as would be needed for intraoperative imaging of tumor resection specimens.
The intellectual contribution of Condorcet to the founding of the US Republic 1785–1800

Condorcet has often been thought of as a dreamer, and a mathematician without much influence on social thought. I shall argue here that Condorcet's “Jury Theorem” had an influence on Madison, in the crucial Federal decision of 1787. There are two possible avenues of influence—one through Franklin, who was a close friend of Condorcet in Paris in 1776–1785, and one through Jefferson, who also knew Condorcet well, and sent Madison transcriptions of Condorcet's work. Urken and McLean came to the conclusion that Madison was unimpressed by Condorcet's work. (But they looked for the wrong kind of influence). Indeed, Condorcet's influence may have been more pronounced on Jefferson, who based his views on debt, usufruct and economic growth on Condorcet's optimism as expressed in the Esquisse. Oddly enough, historians have focused on the influence of Hume on Madison. In fact, Hume and Condorcet were in search of a similar calculus—decision-making under risk.