cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrophysiologic characteristics and catheter ablation of ventricular tachyarrhythmias among patients with heart failure on ventricular assist device support

Background Ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VT) are common among ventricular assist device (VAD) recipients, yet electrophysiologic (EP) characteristics and catheter ablation outcomes remain uncharacterized. Objective To evaluate the EP characteristics and catheter ablation outcomes for VTs among heart failure patients on VAD support. Methods The Cleveland Clinic registry of consecutive patients undergoing VAD placement in 1991–2010 with medically refractory, symptomatic VT referred for EP study and catheter ablation. Results Among 611 recipients of VAD (mean age 53.3 ± 12.4 years, 80% men), 21 patients (3.4%) were referred for 32 EP procedures, including 11 patients (52%) presenting with implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy (13 shocks, 26 antitachycardia pacing). Data from 44 inducible tachycardias (mean cycle length 339 ± 59 ms) demonstrated monomorphic VT (n = 40, 91%; superior axis 52%, right bundle branch block morphology 41%) and polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (PMVT)/ventricular fibrillation (n = 4, 8%). Electroanatomic mapping of 28 tachycardias in 20 patients demonstrated reentrant VT related to intrinsic scar (n = 21 of 28, 75%) more commonly than the apical inflow cannulation site (n = 4 of 28, 14%), focal/microreentry VT (n = 2 of 28, 7%), or bundle branch reentry (n = 1 of 28, 3.5%). Catheter ablation succeeded in 18 of 21 patients (86%). VT recurred in 7 of 21 patients (33%) at a mean of 133 ± 98 days, and 6 patients (29%) required repeat procedures, with subsequent recurrence in 4 of 21 patients (19%). Conclusions Catheter ablation of VT is effective among recipients of VAD. Intrinsic myocardial scar, rather than the apical device cannulation site, appears to be the dominant substrate.
Sugarcane Photosynthesis, Transpiration, and Stomatal Conductance Due to Flooding and Water Table

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is the primary crop on the Histosols of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), where periodic floods and undesirably high water tables are increasing in occurrence and duration. Improved understanding of the physiologic responses of sugarcane to these conditions could help develop strategies to sustain high yields. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of periodic flooding followed by drainage to different depths on single-leaf net photosynthetic rate (Ps), transpiration (Ts), and stomatal conductance (SC) of sugarcane. In 2000 and 2001, two sugarcane genotypes were planted as split plots in 12 lysimeters filled with Pahokee muck soil. Responses of Ps, Ts, and SC to four water-table treatments were measured for four 21-d cycles each year. Three treatments consisted of 7-d flooding followed by 14-d drainage to depths of 16, 33, or 50 cm. The fourth treatment was a continuous 50-cm water table. Analyses of individual cycles and analyses repeated over cycles generally identified neutral or positive responses of Ps, Ts, or SC to flood. Drained water-table depth did not consistently affect Ps, Ts, or SC, but when differences occurred, 16 cm was often a favorable drainage depth. These neutral and sometimes positive responses to short-duration flood or long-duration high water tables support previous reports of acceptable and sometimes enhanced yields from sugarcane exposed to high water tables. Previous findings were supported that time of formation of stalk aerenchyma in sugarcane may be a key factor for sustaining high yields after exposure to flood.
Hydrocarbons in Hydrothermal Vent Fluids: The Role of Chromium-Bearing Catalysts

Fischer-Tropsch type (FTT) synthesis has long been proposed to account for the existence of hydrocarbons in hydrothermal fluids. We show that iron- and chromium-bearing minerals catalyze the abiotic formation of hydrocarbons. In addition to production of methane (CH4aq), we report abiotic generation of ethane (C2H6aq) and propane (C3H8aq) by mineral-catalyzed hydrothermal reactions at 390°Cand 400 bars. Results suggest that the chromium component in ultramafic rocks could be an important factor for FTT synthesis during water-rock interaction in mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems. This in turn could help to support microbial communities now recognized in the subsurface at deep-sea vents.
When is a museum a public museum? Considerations from the point of view of public finance

This article considers the scope and types of support given through the system of museum public finance in the USA as well as the attitudes to support this system reflects. This examination provides a deepened understanding of the significance of ties between museums and government that are mediated by dollars. The degree of directness through which government dollars are delivered to a museum tells us something important about the museum’s public status. But several other contextual factors also influence this status; money has dimensions of significance that can only be understood by looking at characteristics of the institutions, mechanisms, and systems through which it moves. In other words, money, in a policy system, does not express strictly numerate relations. The article concludes by pointing up ways that an acknowledgement of this multivalence of money can be valuable for developing nuanced theory about the relationships between cultural economics and cultural policy.
Cytologic determinants of well-differentiated thyroid cancer.

Objective Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is the preferred diagnostic study for evaluating thyroid nodules. Despite its accuracy, many patients undergo thyroidectomy for benign nodules. This study was undertaken to identify risk factors that might increase the specificity of FNAB. methods Medical records of 422 patients who underwent thyroid surgery between 1986 and 1996 were reviewed. All patients had FNAB prior to surgery. results Of the 422 patients, 36% had benign cytology, 46% had indeterminate cytology, and 13% had cancer. In the indeterminate group, 29% of patients had cancer at surgery. Of patients with papillary cytology, 84% had malignancies. Five percent of FNABs were nondiagnostic. Neither age, gender, nor tumor size was associated with increased specificity of FNAB. conclusion There is no subpopulation of patients with indeterminate FNAB cytology at increased risk of having well-differentiated thyroid cancer.
Constitutive activation of Notch3 inhibits terminal epithelial differentiation in lungs of transgenic mice

Notch3 is a transmembrane receptor and a member of the Notch signaling pathway essential for cellular differentiation in a variety of developing tissues in both invertebrates and vertebrates. Emerging data support the role of the Notch signaling pathway in tumorigenesis. We have previously demonstrated the expression of Notch3 in a subset of lung adenocarcinomas. To further elucidate the role of Notch3 in development of lung cancer, we established a transgenic mouse model in which the intracellular domain of Notch3 is expressed using the surfactant protein C promoter/enhancer. Constitutive expression of Notch3 in the peripheral epithelium in the developing lung resulted in altered lung morphology and delayed development, leading to perinatal lethality in these transgenic mice. Cell-specific markers and electron microscopy examination showed that the majority of the epithelial cells are undifferentiated, with some maturation of type II pneumocytes. No type I alveolar cells were evident. Metaplasia of undifferentiated cells in the terminal airways was also observed. Although the mice did not live long enough to assess tumor development, these findings demonstrate that ectopic expression of Notch3 in airway epithelium potentially contributes to the multistep evolution of lung cancer through the inhibition of terminal differentiation.
External validity of first-trimester algorithms in the prediction of pre-eclampsia disease severity.

Objective To compare disease features in women with pre-eclampsia between those who are correctly identified (true positive) and those who are missed (false negative) when applying first-trimester prediction algorithms for pre-eclampsia to a prospectively enrolled population. Method Six first-trimester early (requiring delivery < 34 weeks' gestation) pre-eclampsia algorithms were applied to a prospective cohort of singleton pregnancies enrolled at first-trimester screening. Maternal outcomes, neonatal outcomes and severity parameters for pre-eclampsia were compared between true-positive and false-negative predictions. Results Twenty of 2446 (0.8%) women developed early pre-eclampsia, with 65% of these developing severe features and 20% HELLP syndrome. At enrollment, true-positive cases were more likely to be African–American and chronically hypertensive, while false-negative cases were more likely to be Caucasian. At delivery, true-positive cases were more likely to have pre-eclampsia superimposed on hypertension, severely elevated blood pressure and creatinine level > 1.1 mg/dL. False-negative cases were more likely to have HELLP syndrome (all P < 0.05). Conclusion In an urban population with a high prevalence of chronic hypertension, patients who are correctly identified by first-trimester screening models are more likely to develop pre-eclampsia superimposed on chronic hypertension with severely elevated blood pressure and evidence of renal failure. In contrast, patients who are missed by these algorithms are more likely to have HELLP syndrome. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and the algorithm adjustments that may be necessary to better predict pre-eclampsia phenotypes. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Catalytic Deoxydehydration of Glycols with Alcohol Reductants

Top shelf dehydration: Ammonium perrhenate catalysts combined with benzylic alcohol reductants are used for the efficient deoxydehydration of glycols to olefins. The olefin and aldehyde products can be easily separated and isolated. It is also demonstrated that the catalyst can be recovered and reused because of its low solubility in aromatic solvents.
A backtrack‐inducing sequence is an essential component of Escherichia coli σ70‐dependent promoter‐proximal pausing

RNA polymerase of both bacteria and eukaryotes can stall or pause within tens of base pairs of its initiation site at the promoter, a state that may reflect important regulatory events in early transcription. In the bacterial model system, the σ 70 initiation factor stabilizes such pauses by binding a downstream repeat of a promoter segment, especially the '-10' promoter element. We first show here that the '-35' promoter element also can stabilize promoter-proximal pausing, through interaction with σ 70 region 4. We further show that an essential element of either type of pause is a sequence just upstream of the site of pausing that stabilizes RNA polymerase backtracking. Although the pause is not intrinsically backtracked, we suggest that the same sequence element is required both to stabilize the paused state and to potentiate backtracking.
Performance of a thermal-infrared radiosity and heat-diffusion model for estimating sub-pixel radiant temperatures over the course of a day

Abstract Temperature/emissivity estimation from remotely measured radiances generally assumes that scene elements represented by pixels in fact have a single emissivity spectrum and are isothermal. Thus, estimated temperatures and emissivities are the effective values that would be found if these simplified assumptions were met. In reality, the physical scene is neither homogeneous nor isothermal, and the effective values are not strictly representative of it. How much in error are they? In order to estimate this, a radiosity model used for predicting effective emissivity spectra and radiant temperatures for rough surfaces has been developed. Here we compare the computer model results to analytic model results in order to verify that the computer model is working properly. We validate the model against spectra measured in the field using a hyperspectral imaging spectrometer and a centimeter-scale DTM of the test scene acquired using a tripod-based LiDAR. The discrepancies between analytical and modeled values are less than 0.01%. Modeled emissivity spectra deviate from the measured by no more than 0.015 emissivity units. Modeled kinetic temperature on average deviates from measured by less than 1 K over the course of a day.
A power efficient persistent storage consolidation algorithm for cloud computing

Persistent data storage is a necessity in local cloud computing architectures. This research investigates how these architectures can reduce their energy consumption by dynamically scaling the number of storage nodes needed to accommodate user's needs. While a user is actively using cloud computational resources, their accommodating persistent data is stored on hot storage nodes that are powered on. Inactive users have their persistent data stored on powered down, cold storage nodes. Design of the proposed cloud architecture considers network throughput and storage capacity of storage nodes a priority. This paper introduces a persistent data consolidation algorithm with decreased power consumption. As the cloud architecture increases in size, the power savings are compounded. Also, since consideration is given to decreasing power consumption, this paper addresses the data latency tradeoff of the proposed consolidation scheme.
Efficient pipelined ADCs using integer gain MDACs

Power consumption of pipelined ADCs is a strong function of the number of bits resolved per stage, particularly for high-performance ADCs. Despite this, conventional design techniques continue to use interstage gain levels of 2N which leave significant gaps in the design space, limiting the extent of optimization. This paper discusses a design method for arbitrary integer-valued interstage gain which retain all benefits of conventional schemes while optimizing power consumption. To demonstrate the practical benefits, a prototype 16-bit 20 Msps ADC with a target power consumption of 200 mW is designed using the proposed techniques.
Entrainment of central pattern generators to natural oscillations of collocated mechanical systems

Rhythmic movements during animal locomotion are controlled by the neuronal circuits called central pattern generators (CPGs). The intrinsic frequency of a CPG in isolation is often different from that of observed movements, but appears to entrain to a natural mode of body oscillation through sensory feedback to achieve efficient locomotion. The objective of this paper is to reveal the feedback control mechanism underlying the entrainment of CPGs. Motivated by musculo-skeletal biomechanics, we consider the class of mechanical systems for which actuators, sensors, springs and dampers, are all collocated. Our main result provides a condition under which a CPG-based controller approximately achieves a selected mode of natural oscillation with a bound on the entrainment error.
Singular Value Decomposition and Pseudo-Inverses

The singular value decomposition was probably first introduced by J. W. Gibbs and pseudo-inverses probably by E. H. Moore. The importance of these concepts in numerical algebra (in particular in statistical applications) has been emphasized notably by I. J. Good and by G. H. Golub. There are many ways of defining these objects, and we choose one of those appropriate in the present context.
Effects of acquired brain injury on adaptive choice and the role of reduced sensitivity to contingencies.

The present investigation examined the proposal that brain injury reduces sensitivity to consequences. On a laboratory task, controls and subjects with brain injury made repeated choices between a small amount of money and a larger amount of money followed by a post-reinforcer delay of 3, 12, 18, or 24 seconds. Increasing delays lowered reinforcement densities (i.e. money available per minute) associated with large reinforcers. Consequently, choosing large reinforcers became less adaptive. Results showed subjects with brain injury made less adaptive choices and earned significantly less money than controls, because of a preference for large reinforcers with low reinforcement densities. Maladaptive choice was not attributable to deficits in discriminating reinforcer magnitudes or delays. Results suggest individuals with brain injury may remain sensitive to consequences but fail to discriminate among significant response-consequence relations (i.e. contingencies). This view, emphasizing basic learning processes, may account for some problems in skill acquisition and adaptive choice.
Non-linear operating point statistical analysis for local variations in logic timing at low voltage

For CMOS feature size of 65 nm and below, local (or intra-die or within-die) variations in transistor Vt contribute stochastic variation in logic delay that is a large percentage of the nominal delay. Moreover, when circuits are operated at low voltage (Vdd ≤ 0.5V), the standard deviation of gate delay becomes comparable to nominal delay, and the Probability Density Function (PDF) of the gate delay is highly non-Gaussian. This paper presents a computationally efficient algorithm for computing the PDF of logic Timing Path (TP) delay, which results from local variations. This approach is called Non-linear Operating Point Analysis for Local Variations (NLOPALV). The approach is implemented using commercial STA tools and integrated into the standard CAD flow using custom scripts. Timing paths from a 28nm commercial DSP are analyzed using the proposed technique and the performance is observed to be within 5% accuracy compared to SPICE based Monte-Carlo analysis.
Utility Structure of a Medical Decision-Making Problem

This paper investigates the utility structure of decision outcomes in the treatment of cleft lip and cleft palate. Utilities are assessed by questionnaire from 119 individuals representing 13 clinical specialties, as well as members of the families of cleft lip and palate children. The results of the survey demonstrate the validity of certain utility independence assumptions used to simplify the assessment of multiattribute utility functions. We found significant differences in utilities among clinicians, grouped according to their specialty and the treatment facility to which they are affiliated. Members of the families of cleft lip and palate children also differed with certain clinical specialty groups. The paper concludes with a discussion of the differences in the assessed utility functions and their implications for clinical decision making.
Timing Models and Local Stopping Criteria for Asynchronous Iterative Algorithms

Asynchronous iterative algorithms can reduce much of the data dependencies associated with synchronization barriers. The reported study investigates the potentials of asynchronous iterative algorithms by quantifying the critical parallel processing factors. Specifically, a time complexity-based analysis method is used to understand the inherent interdependencies between computing and communication overheads for the parallel asynchronous algorithm. The results show, not only that the computational experiments closely match the analytical results, but also that the use of asynchronous iterative algorithms can be beneficial for a vast number of parallel processing environments. The choice of local stopping criteria that is critically important to the overall system performance is investigated in depth.
Teaching clinical reasoning as a thinking frame.

OBJECTIVE Clinical reasoning concepts can be viewed as descriptions of mental operations or as a thinking frame--a structure to organize and support clinical thinking. This study examined an approach for teaching clinical reasoning as a thinking frame to occupational therapy students. METHOD A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design was used with a convenience sample of 10 undergraduate occupational therapy seniors. All participants (a) acquired the thinking frame of clinical reasoning concepts through explicit instruction and (b) practiced that thinking frame with an external aid--the Clinical Reasoning Case Study Format. The accuracy of participants' definitions of clinical reasoning concepts before and after this learning experience were examined to assess their acquisition of the thinking frame. The content of clinical reasoning case studies were examined to assess students' application of the thinking frame to clinical situations. RESULTS Wilcoxon signed rank tests done on presemester and postsemester definitions ratings indicated that the latter were rated significantly higher than the former for (a) narrative reasoning (p = .008), (b) procedural reasoning (p = .005), (c) interactive reasoning (p = .006), (d) pragmatic reasoning (p = .008), and (e) conditional reasoning (p = .01). The content of participants' clinical reasoning case studies indicated that they were able to apply clinical reasoning concepts. CONCLUSION The results suggest that using a clinical reasoning thinking frame to organize clinical observations is an effective way to help entry-level occupational therapy students learn and apply clinical reasoning concepts.
Narrative development in bilingual kindergarteners: can Arthur help?

This study examined the effects of the children’s TV program Arthur on the development of narrative skills over an academic year for Spanish-speaking English-language learners. In October, February, and June of their kindergarten year, children were asked to tell a story, in English, prompted by 3 pictures. Before the 2nd and 3rd assessments, half of the 108 children were randomly assigned to view Arthur 3 times a week during school hours, and the other half, which formed the control group, viewed the children’s program Between the Lions on the same schedule. Individual growth modeling analysis showed that children who viewed Arthur had steeper growth trajectories than those who viewed Between the Lions. Boys displayed better English narrative skills than girls but no difference in narrative growth rate. The results suggest that certain educational TV programs can assist in some aspects of the language development of bilingual children.
Helping students respond to stressful interactions with cancer patients and their families: a pilot program.

Abstract This pilot program was designed to help medical students improve their ability to respond to the psychological needs of cancer patients and their families. Third‐year students on the hematology/oncology rotation were offered a series of seminars dealing with the psychological and social impact of cancer on patients and their families. The goal of these seminars was to help the students develop working knowledge, understanding, and skills for dealing with cancer patients and families. The seminars used didactic input, videotaped interactions, and guided discussion. Experienced counselors, with the help of an oncologist, led the seminars. Findings from this pilot program suggest that medical students can benefit from specific training in the psychosocial aspects of cancer.
The Effects of Acarbose Treatment on Intimal Hyperplasia in a Rat Carotid Endarterectomy Model of Diet-Induced Insulin Resistance

Background: Increased carotid restenosis due to revascularization therapy is associated with insulin resistance. We hypothesize that glucose control using acarbose may attenuate intimal hyperplasia in rat carotid endarterectomy model of diet-induced insulin resistance. Methods: Rats were fed low-fat complex carbohydrate (control) or high-fat sucrose (insulin resistance) for 4 months. Three days preoperatively, some high-fat-sucrose rats were on acarbose, remainder of the rats received placebo. Rat carotids were assessed with duplex pre-and postoperatively. Acarbose and placebo continued for 2 weeks. Glucose, insulin, blood flow velocities and intimal hyperplasia were determined. Results: High-fat sucrose plus acarbose attenuated intimal hyperplasia. Post-drug high-fat sucrose glucose decreased. Blood flow velocities postoperatively elevated above baseline. High-fat sucrose increased blood flow velocities postoperatively, which was attenuated with acarbose. Conclusion: Glucose control by acarbose in rat ca...
Radiosensitization of the RIF-1 murine flank tumor by desmethylmisonidazole (Ro 05 9963) during interstitial brachytherapy.

Abstract We have investigated the interaction of the nitroimidazole radiosensitizer desmethylmisonidazole (Ro 05 9963) with interstitial radiation using a clonogenic cell assay as the endpoint. Removable I-125 sources were implanted at right angles to the outer surface of globular RIF-1 tumors grown in the flanks of C 3 H He mice. Desmethylmisonidazole was administered by continuous intraperitoneal infusion at a rate of 2.7 mg/gm body weight/24 hr. Tumor and serum drug levels were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. Tumor drug levels of 40–100 μm/gm tumor tissue were achieved consistently. No appreciable cytotoxicity was produced by desmethylmisonidazole alone, but a radiosensitization effect with a dose modifying factor of 1.6 was found.
A meta-analysis comparing the biochemistry of primary hyperparathyroidism in youths to the biochemistry of primary hyperparathyroidism in adults.

Context: The distinctive presentation of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) in adults and youths suggest that PHPT is a fundamentally different disease in these two groups. Objective: To understand the difference in PHPT between adults and youths we compared the biochemistry of PHPT in these two groups. Design: This study is a systematic review and meta-analysis of retrospective studies published 1966–2014 on PHPT. Data Sources: All studies were obtained through Medline (1966–2014). Study Selection and Data Extraction: Only studies that included post-surgical subjects and that explicitly described biochemical results from more than one decade were included. Data were extracted from each article to generate the mean and SE for multiple biochemical parameters. Data Synthesis: We analyzed 16 studies describing 268 unique youths and 2405 adults with PHPT. Youths with PHPT had significantly (P < .05) greater serum and urinary calcium than adults with PHPT (3.2 ± 0.1 mmol/L vs 2.8 ± 0.0 mmol/L for serum calcium...
Priority, One Server, Arbitrary Service (M/G/1//P)

This chapter explores a system where the service discipline is preemptive priority. The system has one-server, infinite capacity, exponential inter-arrival times and arbitrary service times. An example is a clinic where some patients need immediate emergency treatment and others do not. The emergency patients override the non-emergency patients. The probability on n units, and the basic performance measures of the system are developed. Examples are presented.
Be Careful What You Wish For: The Problems with Using Empirical Rankings to Select Supreme Court Justices

This Comment is a response to Professors Stephen Choi and G. Mitu Gulati’s “Choosing the Next Supreme Court Justice: An Empirical Ranking of Judicial Performance,” an article that presents an imaginative and well-timed challenge to the current judicial nominations culture, which insists in maintaining that nominees are selected for their excellence when they are actually chosen for their ideology. Attempting, as much as possible, to eliminate criteria that might reflect ideological bias, the authors examine factors that are readily quantifiable rather than dependent on subjective judgment. Thus, they look at a judge's productivity measured by opinion output; opinion quality measured by favorable citation; and judicial independence measured by the number of dissenting and concurring opinions combined with opinions written in opposition to a judge of the same political party.In Part I, I discuss some of the problems that I have with the specifics of the ranking system that Choi and Gulati employ to evaluate judicial performance. My purpose here is not to raise every technical objection one might have to their methodology. Choi and Gulati already recognize that their system may need tweaking, and I am sure they will continue to make adjustments as their thinking evolves. My intention in Part I, rather, is to highlight some elements of the authors' system that may be counterproductive to their goals or that might otherwise lead to unintended and unfortunate results.Part II presents a harder critique. It begins with a nod to the authors' suggestion that a credible ratings system could become a factor in the Supreme Court nomination and confirmation processes. It questions, however, whether the insertion of such a ranking system would be a beneficial development. Part II.A contends that, at best, an ostensibly objective ranking system would most likely become a tool for politicians to accomplish ideological goals rather than, as the authors contend, a device to uncover hidden ideological agendas. Part II.B, in turn, argues that, if taken seriously, the ratings system may actually reduce the caliber of judicial nominees by imposing a model of judicial excellence for appointees that may not reflect the qualities needed at the Supreme Court level. Part III then offers a brief conclusion.
The Division of Surplus in Efficient Combinatorial Exchanges

In a combinatorial exchange, agents can express their desire to buy, sell, or trade combinations or packages of items. Though the combinatorial exchange paradigm provides one of the most general frameworks for a centralized market mechanism, the concept is difficult to apply in practice, because no individually rational mechanism can simultaneously satisfy both budget-balance and incentive compatibility constraints. Further, examples show that even when truthful revelation can be “bought” within budget, the outcome may violate core constraints, which preclude profitable renegotiations by sub-coalitions of players.This paper proposes a new algorithmic approach for determining budget-balanced payments in an efficient combinatorial exchange, with payments that match competing counter-offers. The approach is characterized by a commitment among the sellers to cooperate, and then share the profits realized by a single, merged seller. Based on several numerical and generic examples, we compare this new method to the two prominent alternative algorithms discussed in the recent literature, showing some substantial benefits of this new variation.
Construction of Lipschitz solutions to an Eikonal type equation on annulus

Abstract Motivated by a minimization problem in micromagnetics, we study the Lipschitz solutions to a boundary value problem of an Eikonal type equation on an annulus with a parameter. Exact condition on the parameter is given for the existence of solutions. Under this condition the solutions are constructed by gluing the local characteristic solutions near the boundary with certain special solutions of the Eikonal equation away from the boundary.
The SPRT Control Chart for Standard Deviation Based on Individual Observations

AbstractWhen the production rate is low or only one observation is available at each time that a sample is to be taken, the traditional control chart for monitoring the process variation is the moving range chart. In this paper, we propose a chart based on the sequential probability ratio test (SPRT) for detecting increases in process variability, which can have some impact on process capability and product quality. Critical values for the control chart are presented. To demonstrate an application of the SPRT chart, an example using real manufacturing data is presented.
A New Synthetic Route to Alkyl Terminated Silicon Nanoparticles.

This paper describes the preparation of alkyl terminated silicon nanoparticles that are air and moisture stable by the oxidation of magnesium silicide with bromine and then the subsequent termination with an alkyl Grignard reagent. The nanoparticles have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy.
Attitudes Toward Management Theory as a Factor in Managers’ Relationships With Their Superiors

The article presents a study testing the hypothesis that high rated subordinate managers have attitudes toward management concepts and theories more similar to those of their superiors than do thei...
A New Technology for Physically Simulating 3D Free Floating and Rotating of an Object in Zero-Gravity Environment

This paper presents a novel simulation technology for physically simulating an object to freely float and/or rotate in 3D space. The simulation technology compensates the gravity effect in all the 6 degrees of freedom (DOFs) using springs and a multi-DOF mechanism, which keeps the potential energy of the entire system unchanged for all the configurations within the workspace of the mechanism. A simulation platform designed based on the technology is a passive mechanical system and thus, such a device is inexpensive, reliable, and very easy to use and maintain. A hardware prototype of such a zero-gravity simulation platform has been designed, built and tested. It has shown that a satellite mockup on the platform can freely float and tumble freely in all three axes for a very long time just as it would do in orbit. If the system is scaled up, it can be used to test free floating and tumbling of a satellite or another space object in 3D space for scientific studies or engineering tests of various on-orbit service technologies such as tracking, estimating, rendezvousing and docking, robotic capturing, or other service tasks. It can also be equipped with actuators for testing propulsion and attitude control techniques.
Contribution of Hypercapnia and Hypoxia to the Vascular Response to Ischaemia

1. Hypoxia, induced by 7–12% oxygen breathing, produced vasodilatation in the intact or in the phenoxybenzamine and propranolol treated forearm of human volunteers when arterial blood P O 2 decreased below 45 mmHg, or when deep forearm venous blood P O 2 decreased below 35–40 mmHg. 2. Circulatory arrest of the forearm following alpha and beta adrenergic receptor blockade was followed by greater increases in blood flow and greater decreases in forearm vascular resistance during CO 2 breathing than during room air breathing. The increased flow following ischaemia was maintained at a high level until CO 2 administration was stopped. 3. The vasodilator response following ischaemia of the human forearm, produced by digital occlusion of the brachial artery, was compared to that produced by hypercapnia or hypoxia or a combination of the two, produced by breathing the appropriate gas mixtures. The forearm was pre-treated with phenoxybenzamine and propranolol to produce alpha and beta adrenergic receptor blockade. For equal increases in deep forearm venous blood P CO 2 the vasodilator response to hypercapnia averaged 60% of that following ischaemia. For equal decreases in deep forearm venous blood P O 2 the vasodilator response to hypoxia averaged 26% of that produced by ischaemia. The vasodilator response to ischaemia was not modified by breathing 100% oxygen to maintain the deep forearm venous blood P O 2 at a level above that seen with the circulation free during room air breathing. Combined hypoxia and hypercapnia of equal severity as those produced by ischaemia resulted in a vasodilator response which averaged 64% of that produced by ischaemia.
Effect of Noninvasive Ventilation Delivered by Helmet vs Face Mask on the Rate of Endotracheal Intubation in Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) with a face mask is relatively ineffective at preventing endotracheal intubation in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Delivery of NIV with a helmet may be a superior strategy for these patients. Objective To determine whether NIV delivered by helmet improves intubation rate among patients with ARDS. Design, Setting, and Participants Single-center randomized clinical trial of 83 patients with ARDS requiring NIV delivered by face mask for at least 8 hours while in the medical intensive care unit at the University of Chicago between October 3, 2012, through September 21, 2015. Interventions Patients were randomly assigned to continue face mask NIV or switch to a helmet for NIV support for a planned enrollment of 206 patients (103 patients per group). The helmet is a transparent hood that covers the entire head of the patient and has a rubber collar neck seal. Early trial termination resulted in 44 patients randomized to the helmet group and 39 to the face mask group. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who required endotracheal intubation. Secondary outcomes included 28-day invasive ventilator–free days (ie, days alive without mechanical ventilation), duration of ICU and hospital length of stay, and hospital and 90-day mortality. Results Eighty-three patients (45% women; median age, 59 years; median Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation [APACHE] II score, 26) were included in the analysis after the trial was stopped early based on predefined criteria for efficacy. The intubation rate was 61.5% (n = 24) for the face mask group and 18.2% (n = 8) for the helmet group (absolute difference, −43.3%; 95% CI, −62.4% to −24.3%; P P P = .02). Adverse events included 3 interface-related skin ulcers for each group (ie, 7.6% in the face mask group had nose ulcers and 6.8% in the helmet group had neck ulcers). Conclusions and Relevance Among patients with ARDS, treatment with helmet NIV resulted in a significant reduction of intubation rates. There was also a statistically significant reduction in 90-day mortality with helmet NIV. Multicenter studies are needed to replicate these findings. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT01680783
The Use of Targeted Marker Subsets to Account for Population Structure and Relatedness in Genome-Wide Association Studies of Maize (Zea mays L.)

A typical plant genome-wide association study (GWAS) uses a mixed linear model (MLM) that includes a trait as the response variable, a marker as an explanatory variable, and fixed and random effect covariates accounting for population structure and relatedness. Although effective in controlling for false positive signals, this model typically fails to detect signals that are correlated with population structure or are located in high linkage disequilibrium (LD) genomic regions. This result likely arises from each tested marker being used to estimate population structure and relatedness. Previous work has demonstrated that it is possible to increase the power of the MLM by estimating relatedness (i.e., kinship) with markers that are not located on the chromosome where the tested marker resides. To quantify the amount of additional significant signals one can expect using this so-called K_chr model, we reanalyzed Mendelian, polygenic, and complex traits in two maize (Zea mays L.) diversity panels that have been previously assessed using the traditional MLM. We demonstrated that the K_chr model could find more significant associations, especially in high LD regions. This finding is underscored by our identification of novel genomic signals proximal to the tocochromanol biosynthetic pathway gene ZmVTE1 that are associated with a ratio of tocotrienols. We conclude that the K_chr model can detect more intricate sources of allelic variation underlying agronomically important traits, and should therefore become more widely used for GWAS. To facilitate the implementation of the K_chr model, we provide code written in the R programming language.
Oak regeneration guidelines for the central Appalachians

This article presents the first explicit guidelines for regenerating oaks in the central Appalachians. The objectives of this paper are (1) to describe the research foundation on which the guidelines are based and (2) to provide users with the instructions, data collection forms, supplementary tables, and decision charts needed to apply the guidelines in the field. The principal research foundation for the guidelines is a set of quantitative models that estimate, in advance of harvest, a stand’s potential to regenerate oak stocking from advance regeneration and stump sprouts. Regeneration potential is measured by the predicted stocking by oak species, expressed as a percentage of full (100%) stocking, in the new stand in its third decade (21‐30 years) after overstory removal. An understory classification system is used in conjunction with the models to help identify potential barriers to regeneration development. Model results and other data on current stand conditions are used in the decision charts to identify prescriptions for achieving a strong component of oak regeneration after stand harvest. Overstory removals are recommended when the stand’s oak regeneration potential is adequate to meet management goals. Otherwise, prescriptions designed to enhance seedling-origin oak regeneration potential are recommended.
Modelling potential conservation easement locations using physical and socio-economic factors: A case-study from south-east Michigan

Abstract Conservation easements are an important tool for land stewardship by managing existing land use on private lands while allowing for continued private ownership and management. Conservation easements have been used to address a variety of conservation goals such as preserving wetlands for wildlife or constraining urban growth to conserve agricultural landscapes. Since conservation easements serve not just environmental but also social goals, understanding the pattern-process relationships of conservation easement placement can help illustrate current landscapes compared to future scenarios potential by linking current locations across the social and physical landscape. This paper examines the relationships of two types of conservation easements (i.e. environmental and farm) and projects similar potential locations based on just the physical landscape compared to both physical and social landscape by adapting the ecological model, Maxent, to land use modelling. Our results found that current conservation easement locations are modelled equally well using only environmental variables as social and environmental variables together. However, a comparison between projected potential conservation easement locations based on environmental versus socio-economic and environmental factors revealed little difference for environmental conservation easement, but a substantially different distribution for open space conservation easements. These results indicate potential areas to expand open space conservation easements that will serve different socio-economic groups than current locations and demonstrate the potential utility of this methodology for modelling current and future landscapes using the Maxent approach.
Incidence and Risk Factors for Hypertension during Induction Chemotherapy for Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Background : The most common form of cancer in children is acute leukemia, with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) comprising approximately seventy-five percent of these. The initial month of therapy (induction) for all children with ALL includes high dose steroids. One of the side effects of these steroids is hypertension. Objective : To determine the incidence and risk factors of hypertension during induction chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children. Methods : Retrospective analysis was performed of data collected from all children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at Hershey Medical Center (HMC) in 2004 and 2005 (n = 37). Each blood pressure from presentation through the four weeks of induction was recorded. To minimize the effect of a single high blood pressure measurement, median systolic and diastolic pressures were determined for each of the four weeks of induction therapy. These pressures were compared to published age matched norms. For each patient and each week of therapy, the percentile ( 99) was determined. Results : Thirty-seven children (21 male, 16 female) met study criteria, with a median age of five. Thirteen of these patients received prednisone and twenty-four received dexamethasone. Overall, 95% of children had mean systolic or diastolic pressures >90 th percentile, 81 had pressures >95 th percentile, and 51% were above the 99 th percentile for at least one week of induction. By contrast, only 32%, 19%, and 11% had pressures at these levels at initial presentation. The incidence of significant hypertension increased significantly during the four weeks of induction. Only three children (10%) with pressures above the 95 th percentile were clearly noted in the medical record to be hypertensive, and only two children (6.7%) with pressures this high were treated. Conclusions: Hypertension is common and underrecognized during induction chemotherapy for childhood ALL. The incidence of hypertension increases weekly during induction chemotherapy.
High-strength, thermally stable nylon 6,6 composite nanofiber separators for lithium-ion batteries

Electrospun nylon 6,6 composite nanofiber membranes containing TiO2 or SiO2 nanoparticles were fabricated, and their physical and electrochemical properties were assessed for use as high-strength, thermally stable separators for lithium-ion batteries. Experimental results demonstrated that TiO2/nylon 6,6 and SiO2/nylon 6,6 nanofiber membranes not only displayed good mechanical strength and excellent thermal stability, but also showed improved electrochemical properties compared to commercial polypropylene membrane separator. Larger liquid electrolyte uptake, higher ionic conductivity, higher electrochemical oxidation limit, and lower interfacial resistance with lithium were obtained for TiO2/nylon 6,6 and SiO2/nylon 6,6 nanofiber membranes. Among all membranes studied, SiO2/nylon 6,6 nanofiber membranes showed the highest ionic conductivity and lowest interfacial resistance with lithium owing to their highest porosity and well-dispersed nanoparticles. In addition, Li/LiCoO2 and Li/LiFePO4 cells containing these composite nanofiber membranes demonstrated high cell capacities, good cycling performance, and superior C-rate performance at room temperature.
PIDBA (Paleoindian Database of the Americas): Call for Data

ABSTRACTThe organizers of PIDBA (the Paleoindian Database of the Americas) ask for help in updating information!
NF-κB inhibitors that prevent foam cell formation and atherosclerotic plaque accumulation

The transformation of monocyte-derived macrophages into lipid-laden foam cells is one inflammatory process underlying atherosclerotic disease. Previous studies have demonstrated that fullerene derivatives (FDs) have inflammation-blunting properties. Thus, it was hypothesized that FD could inhibit the transformation process underlying foam cell formation. Fullerene derivatives inhibited the phorbol myristic acid/oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced differentiation of macrophages into foam cells as determined by lipid staining and morphology.Lipoprotein-induced generation of TNF-α, C5a-induced MC activation, ICAM-1 driven adhesion, and CD36 expression were significantly inhibited in FD treated cells compared to non-treated cells. Inhibition appeared to be mediated through the NF-κB pathway as FD reduced expression of NF-κB and atherosclerosis-associated genes. Compared to controls, FD dramatically inhibited plaque formation in arteries of apolipoprotein E null mice. Thus, FD may be an unrecognized therapy to prevent atherosclerotic lesions via inhibition of foam cell formation and MC stabilization.