cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Utilizing Secondary and Public Data to Examine Relationships Between Watershed Land Cover and Biotic Integrity in the Lake Erie Tributaries

Since the late nineteenth century draining of the Great Black Swamp, the watersheds of the Lake Erie Direct Tributaries (the Tribs) in Northwest Ohio have undergone massive agricultural development and patchy residential and urban growth. Landscapes of these watersheds are currently dominated by large plots of homogeneous cultivated land with patches of urban and residential development and minimal amounts of forest. The effects of intensive agricultural land use and drainage modifications are reflected in the Tribs’ degraded fish communities and loss of riparian habitat. This study attempted to identify the relationships between fish community quality, habitat quality, and land cover variables using secondary data collected from 1993 to 1996 by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) and a maximum likelihood land cover classification of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) imagery. Multiple regression analyses indicated that agriculture is a significant predictor of fish community quality and habitat quality in the Tribs. However, as this area continues to develop residential and urban land cover types may play a larger role in stream quality.
Chemistry and Technology of Step-Growth Polyesters

Polyesters are one of the world’s most important classes of polymers. Polyesters can be prepared in solution, interfacially, and in melt-phase reactions. The synthetic process of choice depends on monomer and polymer stability, production volumes, and so on. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), the polyester with the highest production volume, has broad applications ranging from synthetic fibers to containers for food and beverages. It is the most widely recycled polymer with PET from containers recycled to fiber and composite applications. Other semicrystalline and amorphous polyesters and copolyesters are important commercial polymeric materials discussed in this chapter. The recent resurgence of interest in all-aliphatic polyesters is documented.
From Elementary School to Midlife: Childhood Personality Predicts Behavior During Cognitive Testing over Four Decades Later.

Abstract The current study uses a prospective, longitudinal design and lifespan perspective to understand how child personality relates to directly observed adult behavior during cognitive testing. Teacher assessments of child Big Five personality in elementary school were correlated with directly observed behaviors during a videotaped cognitive test four decades later. Past work suggested Openness and Conscientiousness may relate to task-relevant academic behaviors. Childhood Openness was associated with several behaviors, even after controlling for participant’s cognitive performance. Childhood Conscientiousness was also related to behavior, but not as expected. Other Big Five ratings were not reliably related to behavior. The study examined personality stability in a unique way and suggests a further examination of how Openness in children manifests in later behavior.
Solving Schrodinger equation for excitons in multilayered media

For the modeling of electron-hole interactions occurring in atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides, the Keldysh approximation has been used in the recent literature. This work first explains how the exact Coulomb interaction energy can be evaluated for electron-hole pairs in a general multilayered medium and compares approximate and exact potentials. Then the influence of using approximate or exact Coulomb potential in a Schrodinger equation solver is discussed.
Approaches for Identifying and Understanding Bias in Test Items

The notion that some items in a test may be biased against certain minority or cultural groups has become a matter of substantial concern for both test users and test developers. Numerous approaches for the study of item bias have been advanced and researched in recent years (e.g. Berk, 1982). The most promising approaches today use item response models. Still, there are two methodological shortcomings in the item bias literature. First, researchers have found little correspondence between items identified as biased when judgmental methods are used. This result is both surprising and distressing because some convergence among valid item bias detection methods is expected. Factors in this result are inappropriate item bias detection methods and/or judgmental review methods that fail to distinguish between cultural bias and cultural stereotyping. Second, while item response models appear to have considerable potential for detecting biased items, many researchers have used the less-defensible one-parameter model or resorted to significance tests on the item parameter estimates in the two or more groups of interest. Unfortunately, the use of the one-parameter model results in a confounding of model-data fit problems with item bias detection, and the size of the examinee groups confounds the significance test results.
Strained W(SexS1–x)2 Nanoporous Films for Highly Efficient Hydrogen Evolution

A W(SexS1–x)2 nanoporous architecture (NPA) was developed by facile anodic and chemical vapor deposition treatments. The ternary W(SexS1–x)2 NPA offers significant advantages toward high-efficiency hydrogen generation: (i) Nanoporous morphology provides more electrochemically active sites to split water. (ii) Lattice mismatch and disordering in the mix-phased W(SexS1–x)2 film introduce more defects to enhance the catalytic activity. (iii) Conducting 1T phase formed in the strained W(SexS1–x)2 facilitates the electron transfer during catalytic reactions. Therefore, an onset overpotential of 45 mV and a Tafel slope of 59 mV dec–1 were achieved using the as-prepared W(SexS1–x)2 NPA.
Equivalent and Inequivalent Formulations of Classical Mechanics

In this paper, I examine whether or not the Hamiltonian and Lagrangian formulations of classical mechanics are equivalent theories. I do so by applying a standard for equivalence that was recently introduced into philosophy of science by Halvorson and Weatherall. This case study yields three general philosophical payoffs. The first is a specific plea for clarity in our discussions of equivalence, while the second and third concern how we should interpret what our physical theories say about the world.
The role of LpxA/C/D and pmrA/B gene systems in colistin-resistant clinical strains of Acinetobacter baumannii

Abstract Objective To study LpxA/C/D and pmrA/B gene systems role in colistin resistant clinical strains of Acinetobacter baumannii . Methods Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) was employed to observe changes in the cell wall, inner and outer membranes. GC-Chromatography was applied to quantify the fatty acid content as a result of changes in the LPS in clinical A. baumannii strains. Furthermore, the isolates were subjected to molecular biology approaches employing Real-Time PCR to evaluate the mRNA expression levels of pmrA and pmrB . Colistin-resistant and colistin-dependent A. baumannii isolates were further screened by PCR amplification to determine mutations in lpxA, lpxC and lpxD genes responsible for lipid A biosynthesis. Results Transmission Electron microscopy of six A. baumannii isolates showed that 2 colistin-resistant (Col-R) and 2 colistin-dependent (Col-D) A. baumannii had decreased integrity of the outer and inner membrane and lost uniformity in the periplasmic space compared with 2 susceptible (Col-S) Acinetobacter baumannii strains. GC-Chromatography indicated that there was a trend of decreased saturated and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis, especially long carbon chain (16:0, 17:0 and 18:0 carbon chains) and almost no alcohol substitution on the low carbon chain fatty acid (increased modification on the long chain fatty acid and the loss of most unidentified fatty acid peaks) in Col-D and Col-R strains in comparison with Col-S and ATCC19606 strains. The expression data from RT-PCR of PmrA/B two-component regulatory system suggest that upregulated gene expression in 4 Col-R and 3 Col-D strains may lead to a modification in and/or loss of lipid A. Lipid A biosynthesis genes sequencing results revealed deletion of 11 bp nucleotides and change of one nucleotide in lpxA , and a nucleotide point mutation and insertion in lpxC and lpxD of Col-D and Col-R strains resulting in defective lipid A production and outer membrane lipid synthesis. Conclusion Mechanisms of colistin resistance in clinical strains of A. baumannii show that colistin may not serve as an antibiotic of the last resort for treating MDR A. baumannii infections when other antibiotics are ineffective. The mechanisms of colistin resistance should provide an impetus for future research on the development of newer alternative therapies to treat emerging MDR A. baumannii .
A population-based study of prognosis and survival in patients with second primary thyroid cancer after Hodgkin lymphoma.

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) survivors are at increased risk of thyroid cancer (TC). We sought to determine whether increased risks of high-risk pathology or mortality are seen with thyroid cancer after HL (HL-TC) compared with first primary thyroid cancer (TC-1). From the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registry, we compared patient and tumor characteristics as well as survival outcomes between HL-TC and TC-1 and fit a multivariable Cox model to assess for a possible association between HL history and overall survival after TC. Among 139,297 TC-1 and 174 HL-TC patients, history of HL was not associated with anaplastic or sarcoma TC. Multivariable analyzes showed that history of HL was not associated with a difference in risk of death after TC (hazard ratio: 0.96, 95% confidence interval: (0.81, 1.13), p = .61). Despite a significantly increased risk of TC among HL survivors, prior HL is not associated with more aggressive pathologic subtypes or worse prognosis.
SRC: towards a location-based graph database system

Graph has become a powerful tool to model real life data. There are companies building their products based on graph data model, such as Facebook and LinkedIn. Moreover, thanks to location-aware devices, spatial data can be collected quickly with cheap price and spatial-aware services are popular in our daily lives, such as Google Map. GeoSocial graph integrates social graph model with spatial locations, which has already triggered many interesting applications. It also brings the challenges to efficiently searching the spatial graph data. In this paper, we propose an augmented R-Tree structure, Riso-Tree, which can achieve up to 100x better performance than state-of-the-art methods in solving location-based graph queries.
Wiederaufbereitung der Feinberge am Steirischen Erzberg

Die Nutzung aller Materialien, die im Bergbau gewonnen werden, ist seit je her ein wichtiges Ziel in der Rohstoffindustrie. Durch neue Technologien werden auch immer mehr von vorhandenen Reststoffen wieder aufbereitbar, oder es werden Moglichkeiten gesucht und gefunden, um diese einer anderen Verwendung zuzufuhren. Auch die VA Erzberg GmbH beschaftigt sich intensiv mit diesem Thema und hat in den letzten Jahren eine Aufbereitungsanlage installiert, um auch feinere Erzkornungen zu verarbeiten. Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist, einen Prozess zu entwickeln, um das Material aus den bestehenden Schlammteichen, welche uber Jahrzehnte bespult wurden, erneut aufzubereiten, um vorhandenes Resterz zu gewinnen und so die Lebensdauer der primaren Lagerstatte zu verlangern. Im Zuge der Kooperation mit der VA Erzberg GmbH wurde eine Gewinnungs- und Aufbereitungsmethode erarbeitet, bei der das Material im Schlammteich mittels Schwimmbagger in eine Suspension versetzt, zur neuen Feinerzaufbereitungsanlage gepumpt und dort erneut dem Prozesszyklus zugefuhrt wird. Durch Beprobungen am Magnetscheider auf Trennverhalten und Eisenausbringen bei kleinen Korngrosen wurde die mogliche Durchfuhrung dieses Prozesses bestatigt. Die Beurteilung der Projektwirtschaftlichkeit zeigte, dass der Einsatz der Feinberge nicht nur ressourceneffizient, sondern auch finanziell empfehlenswert ist.
The dangers of disaster-driven responses to climate change

Low-probability, high-consequence climate change events are likely to trigger management responses that are based on the demand for immediate action from those affected. However, these responses may be inefficient and even maladaptive in the long term.
Shot Noise Measurements in Diffusive Normal Metal-Superconductor (N-S) Junctions

We report on the measurements of non-equilibrium noise indiffusive normal metal-superconductor (N-S) junctions. Weobserve that at bias voltages less than the gap voltage theshot noise is doubled compared to the normal diffusiveconductor, in agreement with theoretical predictions. We alsoobserve that the crossover from the thermal to shot noiseoccurs at bias voltages smaller than for the normal conductor,in qualitative agreement with theory.
Transcriptional regulation at the neural plate border.

The neural crest (NC) is usually defined as a cell type arising at the border of the neural plate and the epidermis in vertebrate embryos. While accurate, this definition implies that the border exists as a distinct boundary, which is not really the case. Like other domains in the early embryo, the NC is not a sharply delimited territory, but rather is an overlapping zone of specification that has characteristics of both epidermis and neural plate, with additional characteristics of its own. This can be seen in the spatial pattern of regulatory factors that have been implicated in NC induction, many of which are shared.1 For example Msx1 and AP2 are also expressed in the epidermis, at lower levels, and c-myc is likewise transcribed in neural plate in addition to NC. Nor is this limited to regulatory factors. The epidermal keratins, which constitute the intermediate filament cytoskeleton of epidermal cells are also expressed in NC, at a lower level than the epidermis. This can be seen by in situ hybridization (Fig. 1A) as a region of relatively weak but significant signal in the cranial neural crest region. Another indication of the fuzzy nature of NC comes from lineage mapping experiments in the chick embryo, which show that cells fated to differentiate as NC, neural plate, epidermis and placodal derivatives are all intermingled in the neural-epidermal boundary region.2 Nor is there always a clear gap visible between neural plate and epidermal gene expression domains, for example in a double in situ with epidermal keratin and the pan-neural marker NCAM the two domains are contiguous (Fig. 1B). Expression of keratin genes is also evident in animal caps that have been dissected from embryos injected with BMP antagonists, such as chordin, along with a canonical Wnt signal molecule, such as Wnt3a.
TOTAL BODY IRRADIATION FOR THE TREATMENT OF LYMPHOMA IN A GUINEA PIG (CAVIA PORCELLUS)

Abstract A 5-year-old intact male guinea pig was evaluated for a 2-week history of “red eyes.” Sniffling and lethargy had been noticed for several days as well. Physical examination findings included increased expiratory effort and bilateral chemosis. Several peripheral lymph nodes were markedly enlarged. Fine needle aspiration of the enlarged lymph nodes was consistent with lymphoma. The first total body irradiation with 1 Gray (Gy) resulted in a good response as evidenced by a decrease in lymphocytes and reduced sizes of the enlarged peripheral lymph nodes. The second total body irradiation with 1.2 Gy was performed 49 days after the first total body irradiation because of tumor progression. This resulted in a less noticeable response compared to the first response, including slight shrinkage of the affected lymph node. Thus, the patient was euthanized 4 weeks after the second total body irradiation. This is the first report that describes radiation therapy for spontaneously occurring lymphoma in a guinea pig.
A kernel-independent treecode based on barycentric Lagrange interpolation.

A kernel-independent treecode (KITC) is presented for fast summation of particle interactions. The method employs barycentric Lagrange interpolation at Chebyshev points to approximate well-separated particle-cluster interactions. The KITC requires only kernel evaluations, is suitable for non-oscillatory kernels, and it utilizes a scale-invariance property of barycentric Lagrange interpolation. For a given level of accuracy, the treecode reduces the operation count for pairwise interactions from $O(N^2)$ to $O(N\log N)$, where $N$ is the number of particles in the system. The algorithm is demonstrated for systems of regularized Stokeslets and rotlets in 3D, and numerical results show the treecode performance in terms of error, CPU time, and memory consumption. The KITC is a relatively simple algorithm with low memory consumption, and this enables a straightforward OpenMP parallelization.
Toughening stretchable fibers via serial fracturing of a metallic core

Tough, biological materials (e.g., collagen or titin) protect tissues from irreversible damage caused by external loads. Mimicking these protective properties is important in packaging and in emerging applications such as durable electronic skins and soft robotics. This paper reports the formation of tough, metamaterial-like core-shell fibers that maintain stress at the fracture strength of a metal throughout the strain of an elastomer. The shell experiences localized strain enhancements that cause the higher modulus core to fracture repeatedly, increasing the energy dissipated during extension. Normally, fractures are catastrophic. However, in this architecture, the fractures are localized to the core. In addition to dissipating energy, the metallic core provides electrical conductivity and enables repair of the fractured core for repeated use. The fibers are 2.5 times tougher than titin and hold more than 15,000 times their own weight for a period 100 times longer than a hollow elastomeric fiber.
ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN CYTOKINES AND CORTICAL THICKNESS IN PATIENTS WITH LATE-LIFE DEPRESSION

Introduction Late-life depression (LLD), defined as depression that occurs after the age of 60 years, is associated with a poor quality of life, cognitive impairment, and increased morbidity and mortality. Immune factors are now recognized as involved in the pathophysiology of depression. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between plasma cytokine levels and cortical thickness in patients with LLD. Methods Blood samples and structural magnetic resonance imaging scans (Siemens 3T Prisma) were acquired in 29 older adults (≥60 years old) with major depression (62% female; mean age, 70.7 (7.3) years; mean MADRS 15.9 (3.2)). Associations between plasma cytokine levels (log-transformed) and cortical thickness were evaluated in a multivariate analysis using partial least squares. Cytokines with detectable levels in at least 27 of the 29 subjects (exotaxin, IFN-a2, GRO, MDC, IL-12(p70), sCD40L, IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1b, TNF-a, and VEGF) were included in the analysis. Results The first latent variable was significant (accounting for 32% of the cross-block covariance, p=.036) and reflected negative correlations between exotaxin, IL-8, IP-10, MIP-1b, and TNF-a levels and cortical thickness in numerous brain regions, including cingulate, insular, temporal, orbitofrontal, and prefrontal cortices (Figure 1). Conclusions Patients with LLD who have high plasma levels of exotoxin, IL-8, IP-10, MIP-1b, and TNF-a have less cortical thickness in brain regions previously implicated in depression than patients with LLD who have lower levels of these chemokines and pro-inflammatory cytokines. The affected brain regions have functions in self-referential processes, emotional regulation, social cognition, and attentional switching. Thus, the observed reductions in cortical thickness may contribute to the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral disturbances in LLD. Recently, chemokines have been implicated in many neurobiological processes and are considered to play a role in linking peripheral and central inflammation. The present results further support the importance of chemokines and proinflammatory cytokines in depressive pathophysiology. This research was funded by Sponsored by NIMH R01 MH097892, NCCIH AT009198, MH086481; Alzheimer's Research & Prevention Foundation, Allergan, PCORI; Advisory Board: Alzheimer's Research & Prevention Foundation; Royalties for books from Oxford University Press and Hopkins University Press.
Use of Flavored E-Cigarettes Among Adolescents, Young Adults, and Older Adults: Findings From the Population Assessment for Tobacco and Health Study:

Objectives:The use of flavored electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is common among e-cigarette users, but little is known about the potential harms of flavorings, the extent to which the concurren...
Optimizing the cost, LEED credits, and time trade-offs using a genetic algorithmic model

Over the last century, the complexity of construction projects has increased exponentially and its factors (e.g., time, budget, and quality) have generated complicated trade-offs. This research foc...
Proteinase-3 Deficiency Contributes to Thrombotic Risk in PNH

Abstract PNH is an acquired clonal disorder of hematopoietic stem cells due to a somatic mutation of the PIG-A gene, resulting in a membrane deficiency of glycosylphosphatidyl inositol-anchored proteins (GPI-AP). The mechanism of thrombosis, the most serious complication of PNH, has not been sufficiently clarified. GPI-AP functions include enzymatic activities and maintenance of lipid rafts (LR) integrity. Some GPI-AP also serve as a scaffold for various proteins. Therefore deficiency of GPI-AP has consequences for the expression of some non-GPI-AP. For example, GPI-anchored NB1 (CD177) glycoprotein co-localizes with membrane-bound proteinase 3 (mPR3) on granulocytes. We demonstrate that anti-CD177 antibody co-precipitated PR3 and the PNH phenotype results in a concomitant loss of mPR3 expression despite the fact that PR3 does not have a GPI tail. Among other functions, PR3 can modulate thrombus formation by cleavage of the thrombin receptor (TR) downstream from the thrombin cleavage site, decreasing thrombin-mediated platelet activation. We show that pre-incubation of platelets with purified PR3 resulted in a significant inhibition of platelet activation in response to thrombin, as measured by flow cytometric analysis of P-selectin and PAC-1 expression, while PR3 itself did not affect platelet function. However, PR3 failed to inhibit platelet activation induced by ADP and/or TRAP42-55 agonist, suggesting that PR3 renders TR inactive to thrombin while thrombin-independent activation is not affected. Membrane deficiency of PR3 on granulocytes may contribute to unopposed platelet activation promoting a procoagulable state inherent to PNH. Consequently, we investigated PR3 expression in PNH; when we applied surface/intracellular cytometry and Western blotting for PR3 in patients (N=20), mPR3 was present on the surface of wild-type but absent on GPI-deficient granulocytes. However, intracellular levels of PR3 were equal in both cell types. Association of CD177 and mPR3 was further supported by analysis of LR purified from PNH granulocytes. Immunoblots preformed following density gradient separation, showed a complete loss of LR-associated PR3 and CD177 in PNH cells while PR3 was present in cytoplasmatic fractions. Similar observation was made when another related neutrophilic protease, cathepsin G (CTSG) was studied and found in cytoplasmic fractions in PNH cells, but was detected only in LR derived from normal cells. When we tested the levels of plasma PR3 in patients with PNH (N=40) and controls (N=69), we demonstrated that secreted PR3 is derived from the membrane bound fractions as circulating levels of PR3 were significantly decreased in PNH patients when compared to healthy and hematologic controls with unrelated conditions (p=.0023 and p
How weather, distance, flight time, and geography affect consumer willingness to fly in autonomous air taxis

Abstract Background : Many studies have investigated passengers’ willingness to fly (WTF) or ride in autonomous aircrafts and vehicles. With the emergence of urban air mobility, it is important to consider consumer perceptions of autonomous air taxis and passengers’ willingness to fly in various conditions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine what external factors may influence consumers’ willingness to fly on autonomous air taxis in various weather, time conditions, and geographical locations. Methods : Across two studies, 782 participants were presented with a definition of autonomous air taxis, and then, a hypothetical scenario involving an air taxi that included four variables: rain versus no rain (Weather), 5-minute flight versus 30-minute flight (Time), over land or water (Terrain), and over urban or rural terrain (Population Density). Results : The data from the study suggest that both American and Indian passengers were more willing to fly in good weather conditions versus rainy weather, over land versus over water, and on short flights versus longer flights. Conclusions : As urban air mobility becomes more well-known, it is important to understand consumer opinions and educate them on emerging technology. This in turn can aid industries in developing marketing strategies to help increase awareness of new technologies in the future.
The Evolution of Cybersecurity within the American Financial Sector

Collectively speaking, America’s financial institutions form the backbone of the global financial system—which is heavily reliant on information technology (IT) systems. These financial IT systems orchestrate virtually every aspect of financial operations—from executing billions of dollars in daily transactions to generating financial audit reports to managing consumer services. Because of the criticality of these operations, the integrity and security of the financial data contained on these IT systems is paramount. To maintain this essential data security, highly robust and resilient IT systems and well-maintained/secured networks are required. This chapter traces the development of modern American cybersecurity requirements back approximately 50 years—beginning with anti-money laundering in the early 1970s through the United States’ latest national-level cyber doctrine in 2018.
Analysis and Implementation of a cm-Scale Switched Capacitor Converter for Low Power, Kilovolt-Range Applications

This paper explores the design and implementation of a cm-scale switched capacitor (SC) converter with a kilovolt range output, such as could be used for driving electrostatic, piezoelectric, or dielectric elastomer electromechanical transducers. The design uses a two-stage power conversion approach: a first stage, two-channel series parallel (SP) converter boosts a low-voltage input (e.g. stacked Li-ion cells) by 16x; a second stage symmetric ladder converter boosts the differential series-parallel output by ~10x, providing capabilities to reach voltages in the kV range. The first stage uses a pseudo-soft-charging switching scheme to reduce charge sharing loss and recover energy in parasitic (e.g. bottom-plate) capacitances without the use of an inductor. The implementation optimizes the use of discrete components and represents a scalable design while maintaining a small form factor. The first stage integrated circuit is implemented in 650V SOI CMOS with a die area of 10 mm2; the second stage printed circuit board design uses discrete components with board area < 50 mm2. The converter provides conversion ratio VCR up to 150, peak efficiency ~ 80%, and output power up to 50 mW. Efficient regulation is demonstrated by using a mixture of frequency and digital adjustment of the first stage switching sequence.
Modern Lower Extremity Bypass Outcomes by Anesthesia Type in the Veteran Population.

BACKGROUND Lower extremity bypass (LEB) revascularization can be performed under general (GA) or neuraxial anesthesia (NA). Studies show that the use of NA may decrease morbidity, 30-day mortality, and hospital length-of-stay (LOS). The goal of our analysis is to examine the differences in postsurgical outcomes following LEB between patients who undergo GA compared to NA in the Veteran Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) database. METHODS After IRB approval, the VASQIP database was assessed for patients who underwent LEB between 1998-2018. Only infrainguinal bypass procedures and anesthesia type classified as "general," "epidural," or "spinal" were included. The neuraxial cohort includes both spinal and epidural anesthesia patients. The Risk Analysis Index (RAI), a validated measure of frailty, was additionally calculated for each patient. Chi squared, paired t-test, and binary logistic regression were used to compare the cohorts. RESULTS During this period, 22,960 veterans underwent LEB recorded in VASQIP. Compared to those who underwent surgery under GA, patients with procedures performed using NA were older (66.4 ± 9.6 years vs. 65.3 ± 9 years respectively; P <0.001) and more frail (average RAI score 25.7 ± 7.0 vs. 24.9 ± 6.7; P < 0.001). Operative time was shorter in the NA group (4.1 ± 1.7 hrs vs. 4.7 ± 3.0 hrs; P < 0.001) and fewer cases were emergent (1.55% vs. 4.13%; P <0.001). Patients in the GA group had higher rates of postoperative prolonged ileus (0.31% vs. 0.00%; P = 0.03), pneumonia (1.60% vs. 1.06%; P = 0.025), deep wound infection (2.67% vs. 2.61%; P = 0.01), sepsis (1.68% vs. 0.79%; P < 0.001), reintubation (1.80% vs. 1.30%) (P = 0.04),and number of packed red blood cell (pRBC) transfused intraoperatively (0.39 ± 1.21 units vs. 0.22 ± 0.79 units; P <0.001). There was no significant difference in rate of graft failure, return to the OR, myocardial infarction, death, or LOS. In regression analysis, those undergoing NA were less likely to require pRBC transfusion intraoperatively (OR: 0.43; 95% CI: 0.31-0.61; P < 0.001), however no other outcomes reached statistical significance. CONCLUSION Although younger and less frail, veteran patients undergoing GA for lower extremity revascularization had higher rates of postoperative ileus, pneumonia, deep wound infection, sepsis, and need for transfusion as compared to those undergoing NA. There was no significant difference in the rate of other major complications, myocardial infarction, death or LOS. After adjustment, only intraoperative transfusion remained statistically significant, likely reflecting longer and more complex cases for those that undergo general anesthesia rather than the effect of anesthetic choice itself.
Preliminary Examination of Archaeological Remains from Fort Johnson and Cantonment Davis Two War of 1812-Era Military Posts at the Des Moines Rapids of the Mississippi River

In September 1814, Brevet Major Zachary Taylor established Fort Johnson on the eastern bluffs of the Mississippi to assert American control over the mouth of the Des Moines River and points northward. Completed in a matter of weeks, the fort and its works were razed in late October of the same year when the troops ran out of provisions and retreated downriver to the St. Louis area. The following October, a temporary winter camp called Cantonment Davis was established near the fort ruins as a staging ground for building Fort Edwards, a subsequent military trading post. This article presents highlights from the archaeological search for the fort/cantonment location and recent excavations undertaken at the site, with a special focus on the armaments-related assemblage.
The process of infection with bacteriophage φX174: XV. Bacteriophage DNA synthesis in abortive infections with a set of conditional lethal mutants

Mitomycin C treatment of a mutant bacterial strain defective in its host-cell reactivation system will effectively suppress bacterial DNA synthesis while at the same time allowing normal growth of bacteriophage φX174. In contrast, mitomycin C-treated wild-type cells will not support φX growth. Using such mitomycin C-treated HCR− cells, it has been possible to study the incorporation of tritiated thymidine (or thymine) into viral DNA during abortive infections with several conditional lethal mutants of φX. Mutants representing each of the six known complementation groups have been studied. It has been found that mutants from three of the six groups form and reproduce the replicative form but are unable to synthesize infective or non-infective progeny single-stranded DNA. Mutants from two groups form and reproduce replicative form and also produce single-stranded progeny DNA. Mutant strains from one group form, but are unable to replicate, replicative form; nor do they synthesize single-stranded viral DNA.
Chorismate mutase-prephenate dehydratase. Evidence for distinct catalytic and regulatory sites.

Abstract Chorismate mutase-prephenate dehydratase catalyzes the first two reactions specific for phenylalanine synthesis in Salmonella typhimurium. Both activities are subject to feedback inhibition by phenylalanine. Experiments with modifying reagents (bromopyruvate and p-mercuribenzoate), a product analogue (2,4-dihydroxybenzoate), and mutationally altered enzymes provide evidence for functionally distinct catalytic sites and a regulatory site distinct from the catalytic sites. The following evidence argues for functionally distinct sites for chorismate mutase and prephenate dehydratase activities. (a) Treatment with bromopyruvate or p-mercuribenzoate selectively inactivates prephenate dehydratase. (b) Prephenate dehydratase is selectively inhibited by 2,4-dihydroxybenzoate. (c) A mutant enzyme from a phenylalanine auxotroph is found to lack prephenate dehydratase activity while retaining chorismate mutase activity. A regulatory site for phenylalanine distinct from the catalytic sites is suggested by the following. (a) Treatment of chorismate mutase-prephenate dehydratase with bromopyruvate or p-mercuribenzoate desensitizes chorismate mutase to inhibition by phenylalanine. (b) A mutant chorismate mutase-prephenate dehydratase isolated from a 4-fluorophenylalanine-resistant strain is insensitive to inhibition by phenylalanine. It is suspected that this enzyme still binds phenylalanine because of its affinity for phenylalanine-substituted Sepharose. Other experiments, however, suggest some relationship between the catalytic site for prephenate dehydratase and a regulatory site for phenylalanine.
A New Statistical Model for Predicting Customer Octane Satisfaction Using Trained-Rater Observations

Customer-determined and rater-determined octane number requirements have historically been compared by the Coordinating Research Council (CRC) using the N + 1 and Quantified approaches. However, these analysis techniques oversimplify the relationship between customer and rater octane number requirements because they do not consider the bivariate and nonnormal nature of the data. Based on a new statistical technique designed specifically for the analysis of bivariate nonnormal data, a model of the relationship between customer and rater octane number requirements has been developed. The model utilizes data from the 1978 CRC Customer/Rater Octane Number Requirement Program and was verified by "prediction" of the results from a similar CRC program conducted in 1975.
Three essays on commodity futures and options markets

Long-term futures prices would have value as price forecasts and as a way to structure long-term swaps and insurance contracts. However, the longest time to maturity for agricultural commodity futures is less than four years. Agricultural commodity markets generally exhibit mean reversion in spot prices and convenience yields. Spot markets also exhibit seasonality. We develop and implement a procedure to generate long-term futures curves from existing futures prices. Data on lean hogs and soybeans are used to show that the method provides plausible and statistically significant results.Fair value of option premium is also affected by price mean reversion and seasonality. Standard option pricing models assume proportionality between price variance and time to maturity. This proportionality is not a valid assumption for commodities whose supply response brings prices back to production costs. The model proposed here incorporates mean reversion in price levels and includes a correction for seasonality. Our model suggests that the inappropriate use of these other models will result in overpricing of long-term options in renewable commodity markets. The empirical analysis lends strong support to our model.We also investigate the relationship between futures price return volatility and the contract's time to maturity. The Samuelson hypothesis predicts that futures price return volatility will increase as the futures contract approaches its expiration date. In prior tests of this hypothesis, researchers have used linear regression to show this relationship generally holds. We develop a term structure model that predicts that this pattern is generally non-linear, if the Samuelson effect exists. We use data on ten commodities to test the hypothesis using our model and the linear model. The evidence suggests that our model can better explain the term structure of futures return volatility on metals, livestock and energy markets.
Nutrition in Multifetal Pregnancy

All multifetal pregnancies can be considered high risk due to frequent obstetrical complications associated with this type of pregnancies. Nutritional assessment with current dietary recommendations and specialized antenatal care are important for a good outcome. Maternal weight and weight gain are also important factors, but nutritional supplements, assessment of calorie intake, and adjustments as needed are crucial as well. Confounding variables must be considered, particularly when examining outcomes. This chapter addresses some of the important components that can contribute to a healthy outcome in multifetal pregnancy. Future research and knowledge is needed in this challenging area. A multidisciplinary approach to antepartum and even preconceptional care will help optimize the outcome.
Assume-Guarantee Reasoning for Hierarchical Hybrid Systems

The assume-guarantee paradigm is a powerful divide-and-conquer mechanism for decomposing a verification task about a system into subtasks about the individual components of the system. The key to assume-guarantee reasoning is to consider each component not in isolation, but in conjunction with assumptions about the context of the component. Assume-guarantee principles are known for purely concurrent contexts, which constrain the input data of a component, as well as for purely sequential contexts, which constrain the entry configurations of a component. We present a model for hierarchical system design which permits the arbitrary nesting of parallel as well as serial composition, and which supports an assume-guarantee principle for mixed parallel-serial contexts. Our model also supports both discrete and continuous processes, and is therefore well-suited for the modeling and analysis of embedded software systems which interact with real-world environments. Using an example of two cooperating robots, we show refinement between a high-level model which specifies continuous timing constraints and an implementation which relies on discrete sampling.
Continuous cofinal maps on ultrafilters

An ultrafilter $\mathcal{U}$ on a countable base {\em has continuous Tukey reductions} if whenever an ultrafilter $\mathcal{V}$ is Tukey reducible to $\mathcal{U}$, then every monotone cofinal map $f:\mathcal{U}\ra\mathcal{V}$ is continuous when restricted to some cofinal subset of $\mathcal{U}$. In the first part of the paper, we give mild conditions under which the property of having continuous Tukey reductions is inherited under Tukey reducibility. In particular, if $\mathcal{U}$ is Tukey reducible to a p-point then $\mathcal{U}$ has continuous Tukey reductions. In the second part, we show that any countable iteration of Fubini products of p-points has Tukey reductions which are continuous with respect to its topological Ramsey space of $\vec{\mathcal{U}}$-trees.
Competition and quality in home health care markets.

Market-based solutions are often proposed to improve health care quality; yet evidence on the role of competition in quality in non-hospital settings is sparse. We examine the relationship between competition and quality in home health care. This market is different from other markets in that service delivery takes place in patients’ homes, which implies low costs of market entry and exit for agencies. We use 6 years of panel data for Medicare beneficiaries during the early 2000s. We identify the competition effect from within-market variation in competition over time. We analyze three quality measures: functional improvements, the number of home health visits, and discharges without hospitalization. We find that the relationship between competition and home health quality is nonlinear and its pattern differs by quality measure. Competition has positive effects on functional improvements and the number of visits in most ranges, but in the most competitive markets, functional outcomes and the number of visits slightly drop. Competition has a negative effect on discharges without hospitalization that is strongest in the most competitive markets. This finding is different from prior research on hospital markets and suggests that market-specific environments should be considered in developing polices to promote competition.
Social Cognition and the Problem of Other Minds

John R. Shook rejects traditional philosophical and psychological approaches to the problem of other minds, which unjustifiably isolate internal mind from external world and wrongly prioritize individualistic and reductivist explanations for cognition. Both philosophical considerations and recent social neuroscience point the way toward a thoroughly social approach to the development of mentality in the context of cooperative interaction. Key features of cognition such as joint attention, intentionality, and agency naturally emerge in young childhood through participation in group activities. Understanding of other minds gradually emerges right along in step with the development of one’s own mind, so the philosophical “problem” of knowing other minds is sociologically dissolved.
The terminal speed of single drops or bubbles in an infinite medium

Abstract This paper synthesises previous studies of the terminal speed of single drops or bubbles to provide a universal calculational procedure.
Manganese Injection into the Rat Striatum Produces Excitotoxic Lesions by Impairing Energy Metabolism

There is compelling evidence that excessive exposure to manganese (Mn) produces neurotoxicity, especially in the basal ganglia, resulting in a dystonic Parkinsonian disorder. Several experimental or clinical observations suggest that Mn neurotoxicity could involve impairment of energy metabolism. We examined the neurotoxic effects of Mn following local intrastriatal injection. Three hours after the injection of 2 mumol of MnCl2 into rat striatum, ATP levels were reduced to 51% of the control side and lactate level were increased by 97%, indicating an impairment of oxidative metabolism. Neurochemical analysis of the striata 1 week after Mn injection showed changes consistent with a N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) excitotoxic lesion. Dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and substance P concentrations showed dose-dependent significant decreases, but concentrations of somatostatin-like immunoreactivity and neuropeptide Y-like immunoreactivity were unchanged. The lesions were blocked by prior removal of the cortico-striatal glutamatergic input or by treatment with the noncompetitive NMDA antagonist MK-801. These findings indicate that Mn neurotoxicity involves a NMDA receptor-mediated process similar to that we have previously found with two characterized mitochondrial toxins, aminooxyacetic acid, and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium. Our results show that Mn may produce neuronal degeneration by an indirect excitotoxic process secondary to its ability to impair oxidative energy metabolism.
Synthetic seismograms in heterogeneous media by one-return approximation

When reverberations between heterogeneities or resonance scattering can be neglected but accumulated effects of forward scattering are strong, the Born approximation is not valid but the De Wolf approximation can be applied in such cases. In this paper, renormalized MFSB (multiple-forescattering single-backscattering) equations and the dual-domain expressions for scalar, acoustic and elastic waves are derived by a unified approach. Two versions of the one-return method (using MFSB approximation) are given: One is the wide-angle dual-domain formulation (thin-slab approximation); the other is the screen approximation. In the screen approximation, which involves a small-angle approximation for the wave-medium interaction, it can be seen clearly that the forward scattered, or transmitted waves are mainly controlled by velocity perturbations; while the backscattered or reflected waves, by impedance perturbations. The validity of the method and the wide-angle capability of the dual-domain implementation are demonstrated by numerical examples. Reflection coefficients of a plane interface derived from numerical simulations by the wide-angle method match the theoretical curves well up to critical angles. For the reflections of a low-velocity slab, the agreement between theory and synthetics only starts to deteriorate for angles greater than 70°. The accuracy of the wide-angle version of the method could be further improved by optimizing the wave-number filtering for the forward propagation and shrinking the step length along the propagation direction.
Response of Leukocytes to Colonies of Streptococci Growing in Tissue-culture Media.∗

ConclusionsObservations made on 2 strains of β streptococci show that rabbit's granulocytes exhibit positive chemotropic response to both strains. There is a progressive toxic depression of phagocytosis varying with the number of organisms present. For the strains investigated true negative chemotropism does not play a part in the depression of phagocytosis.
Determining Complements and Compromises for Inclusion

Describes issues concerning complements for educational service delivery and compromises from which educators can develop or extend plans for inclusion
Funcion de lo Fantastico en La Increíble y Triste Historia de la Cándida Eréndira y de su Abuela Desalmada de Gabriel García Márquez

(1984). Funcion de lo Fantastico en La Increible y Triste Historia de la Candida Erendira y de su Abuela Desalmada de Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Symposium: A Quarterly Journal in Modern Literatures: Vol. 38, No. 4, pp. 321-330.
The relationship of nitrogen source and in vivo nitrate reductase actiity to root formation in Euphorbia esula cell suspension cultures

Root formation and in vivo nitrate reductase (NR) activity were determined in leafy spurge cell suspensions. Cells grown in B5 media with 1 mg L−1 2,4-D were transferred to B5 media without 2,4-D, but containing either high (92:8) or low (15:85) ratios of nitrogen as NO3−-N:NH4+-N. In older cell lines root formation occurred only in the low NO3−medium with =<30 roots per flask. In younger cell lines root numbers were greatest in the high NO3−medium (1000 to 3000 per flask). Cells grown in low NO3−medium were about one-third the final dry weight as those in high NO3−medium. Root length was consistently greater for cell lines of all ages in the low NO3−medium. Developmental profiles of NR activity were similar in cell lines of all ages, whether or not roots were formed. NR activity was lower, however, in cultures grown in low NO3−medium compared to high NO3−medium. There was no consistent relationship between NR activity and root initiation. Therefore, nitrate reductase does not appear to be a primary target for regulation of leafy spurge growth by chemical application.
Induction and dielectric heating

The success of dielectric and induction heating in wartime production indicates their continued successful use in peacetime industry for many applications which ordinary heating processes have not accomplished. Though the methods of heat generation are vastly different, both types of heating are based on disturbance of the molecular structure. Each, however, has its individual field of application, with induction heating intended primarily for metals, while dielectric heating is applied primarily to nonconductors.