cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preoperative cardiac risk management

Numerous strategies exist for preoperative cardiac testing before patients undergo vascular operations. Potential adverse effects of evaluation and cardiac intervention should be considered before undertaking screening studies. We recently analyzed the adverse outcomes of preoperative cardiac evaluation and intervention before vascular operations in patients treated at the Denver Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. During the 12 month study period, 161 patients were scheduled to undergo major vascular operations; 153 patients came to operation. The decision to pursue a cardiac evaluation was made without a defined protocol. Forty two men, aged 68+/-9 years underwent comprehensive preoperative cardiac evaluations Sixteen (38%) patients had untoward events related to cardiac evaluation, including eight patients (19%) who refused vascular surgery after cardiac screening and/or intervention. Other complications included prosthetic graft infection, pseudoaneurysms (2), sternal wound infections (2) amputations (2), renal failure and brain anoxia. Extensive cardiac evaluation prior to vascular operations can result in morbidity, delays, and refusal to undergo vascular surgery. The underlying indication for vascular operations and the local iatrogenic cardiac complication rates must be considered before ordering special studies.
Convergence of the completely separated bipolar expansion of r 12−1

A proof of the convergence of the double infinite series form of the radial factor in the bipolar expansion of r is given. It consists of demonstrating the validity of the required term-by-term integrations.
Gender, Race, and Homicide: Precarious Gesture and Bringing the Generalized Other Back In

Work on homicide has increasingly moved to cultural analysis that reframes basic sociological concepts like structure and value. In addition, symbolic interactionist work has increasingly focused on cultural structures. This study contributes to both efforts, framing homicide as variation in performances for group boundary production, that is, for the social distribution of prestige. Does gender and race identity represent different ways of performing homicide? The study uses Supplementary Homicide Reports, 2009 of the Unified Crime Reports data that the US Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation prepares. The study examines four direct effects of boundary production, namely black male, black female, white male, and white female statuses. It includes five performance regularities, gender and race, age, relationship to victim, condition of the homicide, and weapon used. The cross-classified analyses show cultural boundaries that associate with gender and race statuses. The study tests urban and southern residences of homicidal offenders using enter hierarchical logistic regressions and finds support for the hypothesis that cultural performances produce boundaries for geo-economic and geo-historical identifications.
Impact of retention on trans-column velocity biases in packed columns

The heights equivalent to a theoretical plate of a weakly and strongly retained compounds were measured on two packed columns having different average mesopore sizes. The measurements were carried out in two different cases, with access to the mesopores by the sample molecules blocked (filled with n-nonane) or not. The experimental results demonstrate that the eddy dispersion terms of both columns are significantly smaller for porous than for nonporous particles. Two simultaneous phenomena explain this observation. First, packed columns are radially heterogeneous which causes significant trans-column velocity biases warping the bands. Second, radial dispersion contributes to mass transfer across the column, relaxing the radial concentration gradients that are caused by these velocity biases. The impact of these biases is minimized when the pores of the particles are not blocked; it decreases with increasing residence time and radial dispersion coefficient of the solutes. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009
Trans-presentation of IL-15

Comment on Blaser et al, page [2463][1] Recent studies suggest that the effects of IL-15 are enhanced when IL-15–secreting cells also express the IL-15Rα receptor subunit. Trans -presentation of IL-15 promotes localized immunologic functions that are distinct from IL-2. Interleukin-2 (IL-2)
Kniest dysplasia : Dr. W. Kniest, his patient, the molecular defect

Kniest dysplasia is a severe chondrodysplasia caused by the defective formation of type II collagen. We report about Dr. Kniest, who first described the condition in 1952, and his patient, who, at the age of 50 years is severely handicapped with short stature, restricted joint mobility, and blindness but is mentally alert and leads an active life. Molecular analysis of the patient's DNA showed a single base (G) deletion involving the GT dinucleotide at the start of intron 18 destroying a splice site of the COL2A1 gene. This is in accordance with molecular findings in other patients with Kniest dysplasia and confirms, in the original patient, that the disorder is caused by small inframe deletions often due to exon skipping as a result of COL2A1 splice site mutations.
Bipolar staining of gram-negative bacillus in cerebrospinal fluid.

![Figure][1] A 36-year-old woman was diagnosed with a sellar-suprasellar craniopharyngioma and underwent transsphenoidal resection of the tumor. A lumbar drain was placed to minimize intracranial pressure and was removed on postoperative day 6. On postoperative day 9, the patient began to
Observing home wireless experience through WiFi APs

We present a measurement study of wireless experience in a diverse set of home environments by deploying an infrastructure, we call WiSe. Our infrastructure consists of OpenWrt-based Access Points (APs) that have been given away to residents for free to be installed as their primary wireless access mechanism. These APs are configured with our specialized measurement and monitoring software that communicates with our measurement controller through an open API. We have collected wireless performance traces from 30 homes for a period in excess of 6 months. To analyze the characteristics of these home wireless environments, we have also developed a simple metric that estimates the likely TCP throughput different clients can expect based on current channel and environmental conditions. With this infrastructure, we provide multiple quantitative observations, some of which are anecdotally understood in our community. For example, while a majority of links performed well most of the time, we observed cases of poor client experience about 2.1% of the total time.
Time-frequency-guided quadratic filters

Time-frequency distributions (TFDs) of Cohen's class often dramatically reveal complex structures that are not evident in the raw signal. Standard linear filters are often not able to separate the underlying signal from background clutter and noise. The essense of the signal can often be extracted from the TFD by evaluating strategic slices through the TFD for a series of frequencies. However, TFDs are often computationally intense compared to other methods. This paper demonstrates that quadratic filters may be designed to capture the same information as is available in the specific slices through the TFD at a considerably lower computational cost. The outputs of these filters can be combined to provide a robust impulse-like response to the chosen signal. This is particularly useful when the exact time series representation of the signal is unknown, due to variations and background clutter and noise. It is also noted that Teager's method is closely related to TFDs and are an example of a quadratic filter. Results using an ideal matched filter and the TFD motivated quadratic filter are compared to give insight into their relative responses.
The diagnosis of preterm labor and the prediction of preterm delivery.

Clinical approaches to the diagnosis of PTL and the prediction of PTD are complicated by the absence of a gold standard for the pathogenic process leading to PTD. There is also substantial overlap between the signs and symptoms of PTL and impending PTD, and the normal processes of pregnancies destined to remain uncomplicated (e.g., our inability to convincingly differentiate PTL from Braxton-Hicks contractions). Our emphasis on the diagnosis of PTL rather than the pathogenic process preceding PTD also results in failure to detect the 50% of spontaneous PTDs in which uterine contractions follow PPROM. Thus, clinical predictors of incipient PTD including cervical change, uterine contractions, vaginal bleeding, risk scoring schemes, and fetal breathing activity, either have poor sensitivity or specificity, or are accurate only at late stages in the pathogenic process. The most promising approaches to the detection of impending PTD are laboratory indices of the putative pathogenic processes including: maternal serum or plasma CRH, salivary E3, serum collagenase and cervicovaginal cytokines, granulocyte elastase, and FFN levels. However, even if these indices prove sensitive, specific, and early predictors of PTD, they will be useful only if more appropriate therapies are found to treat patients. The latter will depend on addressing the primary causes of chorionic-decidual cell activation (e.g., infection, stress, utero-placental ischemia, hemorrhage, endocrinopathies).
Effects of ionizing radiation on osmoregulation in fish Oncorhynchus kisutch

Abstract 1. 1. Decreased survival occured for juvenile coho salmon following doses of X-radiation ⩾ 1000 r when transferred from hypo-osmotic to a hyperosmotic environment (0%–30% salinity). 2. 2. Survivors which had remained in salt and fresh water 60 days post-irradiation were sacrificed for plasma sodium, chloride and osmotic concentrations. Increased levels (P 0·01) were noted between the control (0 r) and the irradiated (⩾1200 r) group of saltwater fish; while no significant elevations occured between irradiated and non-irradiated fish remaining in fresh water. 3. 3. Sites of histopathological changes in saltwater fish were found principally in the extrarenal system (gills, caecae and intestine) with severe damage noted in the gill lamellae. No damage was apparent in the kidney. 4. 4. No histopathological changes were noted in fish receiving the same anount of irradiation but which remained in fresh water.
Cost of potential emerald ash borer damage in U.S communities, 2009-2019

Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire), a phloem-feeding beetle native to Asia, was discovered near Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario in 2002. As of March 2009, isolated populations of emerald ash borer (EAB) have been detected in nine additional states and Quebec. EAB is a highly invasive forest pest that has the potential to spread and kill native ash trees (Fraxinus sp.) throughout the United States. We estimate the discounted cost of ash treatment, removal, and replacement on developed land within communities in a 25-state study area centered on Detroit using simulations of EAB spread and infestation over the next decade (2009-2019). An estimated 38 million ash trees occur on this land base. The simulations predict an expanding EAB infestation that will likely encompass most of the 25 states and warrant treatment, removal, and replacement of more than 17 million ash trees with mean discounted cost of $10.7 billion. Expanding the land base to include developed land outside, as well as inside, communities nearly double the estimates of the number of ash trees treated or removed and replaced, and the associated cost. The estimates of discounted cost suggest that a substantial investment might be efficiently spent to slow the expansion of isolated EAB infestations and postpone the ultimate costs of ash treatment, removal, and replacement.
The Risks of Not Adjusting Performance Measures for Sociodemographic Factors

The National Quality Forum recently convened on whether to risk-adjust health care performance measures for sociodemographic factors in addition to clinical factors present at the initiation of car...
A −189 dBc/Hz FOM T wide tuning range Ka-band VCO using tunable negative capacitance and inductance redistribution

An ultra wideband LC voltage-controlled oscillator (LC-VCO) operating in the Ka-band with equally spaced sub-band coarse tuning characteristics is proposed and characterized. A tunable negative capacitance (TNC) circuit technique is used to cancel the fixed capacitance in the LC-tank to extend the tuning range (TR). A digitally-switched varactor coarse tuning structure with an inductance redistribution technique is utilized to reduce VCO gain (KV) and retain uniform spacing between tuning curves. The proposed VCO structure and a baseline VCO are fabricated in a 130 nm CMOS process. Compared to the reference VCO, the proposed VCO achieves a 34% increase in TR with maximum KV of 450 MHz/V. The measured worst-case phase noise is -100.1 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset across the TR from 30.5 GHz to 39.6 GHz. The power dissipation of the VCO core is 11 mW from a 1.2 V supply. The TNC-based VCO achieves a FOMT of -189 dBc/Hz, which is the highest reported at the Ka-band.
Spatial probability learning by experimentally naive cats and monkeys

A group of 18 cats and eight monkeys learned a 70:30 spatial probability problem in the WGTA, and 16 cats were trained in the Grice box. Half the subjects in each group were pre- trained on 15 spatial reversals before testing on the probability learning task. The remaining animals received no prior training. Reversal pretraining did not facilitate or retard probability learning in any set of subjects. All subjects learned to maximize. Although the cats tested in the Grice box required significantly more training than those trained in the WGTA, the performance of the two groups of cats and the monkeys was quahtatively similar. The performance of naive cats appears to be essentially the same as that of other naive mammals.
Balanced and Unbalanced Growth

"They was all one to me. Well, all but two was all one to me. And they, Strange enough, was two who kept recurring. Christopher Fry: A Phoenix Too Frequent. I. The rival doctrines, 621. — II. The doctrines confronted, 626. —III. The role of external economies, 630. — IV. Dialogue of doctrines and history; a postscript, 634. — V. Conclusion, 639.
Possible Radio Afterglow of a 1989 Gamma-Ray Burst

We report on 3.6 cm observations which we interpret as the radio afterglow of an undetected gamma‐ray burst which occurred in 1989 December.
Rapid characterization of linear and star-branched polymers by concentration gradient detection

Schema et description de l'appareil utilise. Emploi de PS lineaire et en etoile dans le chlorure de methylene
Relationship between Online Word-of-Mouth Communication and Consumer Behavior

Online word-of-mouth communication was studied using a model that focuses on consumers' informational behavior in terms of "information retrieving" and "information sending." This model was previously used in studies of the basic mechanisms of the winner-takes-all phenomenon and consumption concentration. We applied the model to online word-of-mouth communication by assuming heterogeneity across consumers in terms of individual informative actions. Consumers were assumed to communicate with other consumers selectively using one of three policies: random selection, similar-level selection, and higher-level selection. A basic simulation showed that the most effective policy for selecting communication partners depends on the characteristics of the goods under consideration. An agent-based simulation showed that an effective word-of-mouth policy also depends on the characteristics of the goods under consideration. These findings clarify how consumers deal with cognitive limitations in the face of the massive amount of information now available.
Sex role orientation and assertiveness among female college students

Eighty college women, classified into four sex role orientations (feminine, masculine, androgynous, and indeterminate) by the PRF ANDRO Scale, participated in a behavioral role-playing task requiring their “usual” responses to situations in which an assertive response was appropriate. In the second phase of the experiment, 1/2 the women in each orientation were exposed to instructional demands to respond much more assertively. Relative to women who did not receive these high demand instructions, women in all four groups were able to increase their rated assertiveness significantly, suggesting that the differences in assertiveness (androgynous and masculine women outperforming feminine and indeterminate ones) which were present in the first phase of the experiment and were corroborated by self-and peer-reported data are more appropriately understood in performance rather than competence terms.
The effect on memory of chronic prednisone treatment in patients with systemic disease

There have been no systematic investigations of the effects of glucocorticoid treatment on memory in a clinical population despite experimental and clinical evidence that such treatment could cause memory disturbance.We conducted both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. In Study 1, we administered tests of both hippocampal-dependent explicit memory and hippocampal-independent implicit memory to twenty-five prednisone-treated patients with systemic disease without CNS involvement and 25 matched clinical controls. All treated patients were taking doses of 5 to 40 mg of prednisone daily for at least 1 year. The glucocorticoid-treated group performed worse than the controls on tests of explicit memory, but the groups did not differ on the implicit memory task. Multiple regression analyses suggested that elderly patients are more susceptible to memory impairment with less protracted treatment. The results of Study 2, a prospective, longitudinal study of the effects of prednisone on memory across 3 months of therapy, suggest that even acute treatment can adversely affect memory. The observed alteration in memory was not secondary to inattention, affective disturbance, generalized global cognitive decline, or severity of disease. Results reported here, combined with previous clinical and experimental reports, indicate that the risk of memory impairment should be carefully considered before initiating treatment with glucocorticoids. Conversely, use of glucocorticoids should be considered in the differential diagnosis of memory loss. Finally, the potential benefit of anti-inflammatory treatment in Alzheimer9s disease might be counterbalanced by possible iatrogenic memory impairment, at least when synthetic glucocorticoids are considered. NEUROLOGY 1996;47: 1396-1402
Immunological and biophysical properties of hepatitis B antigen labeled by the chloramine-T and by the lactoperoxidase methods

Optimal conditions were sought for the radiolabeling of microgram quantities of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag) employing the chloramine-T or lactoperoxidase iodination procedures. Preparations of HBsAg labeled by these procedures are referred to as chloramine-T preparations and lactoperoxidase preparations, respectively. Labeled HBsAg having specific activities between 10-20 muCi/mug were found to display the greatest degree of sensitivity for unlabeled HBsAg and for anti-HBs using a double-antibody radioimmunoassay (RIA-DA). Increasing the specific activity above this level redulted in a decreased affinity of labeled 1251-HBs Ag for anti-HBs, indicating that soluble antigenic alterations had developed. At equivalent specific activities, chloramine-T preparations competed less effectively for unlabeled HBs Ag than lactoperoxidase preparations, and anti-HBs endpoint titers were slightly reduced, especially among preparations of high specific activity (greater than or equal to 65 muCi/mug). Chloramine-T preparations of HBs Ag (sp. act. 15--30 muCi/mug) showed essentially no antigenic deterioration over a 2-month period at minus 196 degrees C or minus 70 degrees C. Utilization of optimally labeled 1251-HBs Ag has increased the sensitivity of the RIA-DA for unlabeled HBs Ag 30-fold to a level below 1 ng/ml and enhanced antiamine-T method revealed that only the most acidic population was labeled (pH 3.75+/-0.5). In contrast, six antigenic components with distinct pI values ranging from 3.7 to 5.2 were detected by RIA-DA in both unlabeled HBs ag and in the chloramine-T preparation. This indicated that the chloramine-T method did not radically change the relative number or charge of each of the pI populations present in purified preparations of HBs Ag. Analysis of HBs Ag iodinated by the lactoperoxidase procedure revealed the presence of three of four populations of particles with pI values ranging from 3.9 to 4.5, suggesting that this procedure labels HBs Ag more uniformly.
Faster learning through a probabilistic approximation algorithm

The author proves that the learning problem in connections of networks is NP-complete, i.e. no polynomial-time algorithm exists which will correctly modify connection weights of a neural network. Although no perfect algorithm exists, a method called the probabilistic approximation algorithm is presented. This method, which can be used with any learning rule, would allow network designers to build networks with a predetermined probability of certain kind of error. He shows that for any learning rule that does not utilize probabilistic approximation, the probability of convergence will increase when the approximation method is employed. >
Signal Analysis of Microwave Radiometric Emissions in Hurricanes: Part 2 - Oceanic Rain Rate Dependence

Electrical engineering communications technologies contribute significantly to environmental remote sensing. In fact, microwave remote sensing is a primary tool for the measurement of critical environmental parameters, such as oceanic surface wind speed and rain rate, in hurricanes. Our understanding of hurricanes and, ultimately, the safety of people and property depend on our ability to monitor hurricanes as they develop and as they approach landfall. The stepped frequency microwave radiometer, SFMR, is a multi-frequency C-band remote sensing instrument that is routinely flown, on aircraft, into hurricanes by NOAA to measure surface wind speed and rain rate. This paper describes the development of a physics-based radiometric model to characterize surface wind speed dependent sea surface emissions. The model is validated against SFMR retrieval algorithms and measurements but, being physics-based, provides a broader, more general analysis capability, as will be described
Smooth Scalar-on-Image Regression via Spatial Bayesian Variable Selection

We develop scalar-on-image regression models when images are registered multidimensional manifolds. We propose a fast and scalable Bayes’ inferential procedure to estimate the image coefficient. The central idea is the combination of an Ising prior distribution, which controls a latent binary indicator map, and an intrinsic Gaussian Markov random field, which controls the smoothness of the nonzero coefficients. The model is fit using a single-site Gibbs sampler, which allows fitting within minutes for hundreds of subjects with predictor images containing thousands of locations. The code is simple and is provided in the online Appendix (see the “Supplementary Materials” section). We apply this method to a neuroimaging study where cognitive outcomes are regressed on measures of white-matter microstructure at every voxel of the corpus callosum for hundreds of subjects.
Polynomial-based optical true-time delay devices with microelectromechanical mirror arrays

We previously reported optical true-time delay devices, based on the White cell, to support phased-array radars. In particular, we demonstrated a quadratic device, in which the number of delays obtainable was proportional to the square of the number of times the light beam bounced in the cell. Here we consider the possibilities when a microelectromechanical (MEM) tip/tilt mirror array with multiple stable states is used. We present and compare designs for quadratic, quartic, and octic cells using MEM mirror arrays with two, three, and five micro-mirror tilt angles. An octic cell with a three-state MEM can produce 6,339 different delays in just 17 bounces.
Backlight dimming in power-aware mobile displays

This paper presents a temporally-aware backlight scaling (TABS) technique for video streams. The goal is to maximize energy saving in the display system by means of dynamic backlight dimming subject to a user-specified tolerance on the video distortion. The video distortion itself comprises of (i) an intra-frame (spatial) distortion component due to frame-sensitive backlight scaling and transmittance function tuning and (ii) an inter-frame (temporal) distortion component due to large-step backlight dimming across multiple frames and modulated by the physiological characteristics of the human visual system. The proposed backlight scaling technique is capable of efficiently computing the flickering effect online and subsequently using a measure of the temporal distortion to appropriately adjust the slack on the intra-frame spatial distortion. The proposed technique has been implemented on the Apollo testbed II hardware platform. Actual current measurements on this platform demonstrate the superiority of TABS compared to previous backlight dimming techniques.
Nonlocal transplantation and outbreeding depression in the subshrub Lotus scoparius (Fabaceae).

The genetic background of transplants used to create or augment wild populations may affect the long-term success of restored populations. If seed sources are from differently adapted populations, then the relative performance of progeny from crosses among populations may decrease with an increase in genetic differences of parents and in the differences of parental environments to the transplant location. We evaluated the potential for such outbreeding depression by hybridizing individuals from six different populations of Lotus scoparius var. scoparius and L. s. var. brevialatus. We used allozyme data to calculate genetic distances between source populations, and compiled climatic data and measured soil traits to estimate environmental distances between source populations. We found significant outbreeding depression following controlled crosses. In the greenhouse, the success of crosses (seeds/flower 3 seedlings/seed) decreased with increasing genetic distance between populations revealing genetically based outbreeding depression unrelated to local adaptation. After outplanting to one native site (in situ common garden), field cumulative fitness of progeny (survival 3 fruit production) decreased significantly with mean environmental distance of the parental populations to the transplant site, but not with genetic distance between the crossed populations. This result is consistent with a disruption of local adaptation. At the second, ecologically contrasting common garden, where low survival reduced statistical power, field cumulative fitness (survival3 progeny height) did not decrease significantly with either environmental distance or genetic distance. Overall, intervariety crosses were 40 and 50% as fit (seeds/flower 3 seedlings/seed 3 survival 3 fruits at the first garden or 3 height at the second) as intravariety crosses. These results suggest that the cumulative outbreeding depression was caused by a combination of genetically based ecological differences among populations and other genomic coadaptation. We conclude that mixing genetically differentiated seed sources of Lotus scoparius may significantly lower the fitness of augmented or restored populations. Genetic and environmental similarities of source populations relative to the transplant site should be considered when choosing source materials, a practice recommended by recent seed transfer policies. Geographic separation was not a good surrogate for either of these measures.
Inhibition of iNOS Protects the Aging Heart Against β-Adrenergic Receptor Stimulation-Induced Cardiac Dysfunction and Myocardial Ischemic Injury

Background β-adrenergic receptor (AR) and aging are two major contributors to pathogenesis of perioperative myocardial ischemia and infarction. This study compared the response to β-AR stimulation in the young and aging heart and examined the role of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in aging related myocardial ischemic injury and its relation to β-AR stimulation. Material and methods Isolated perfused hearts from young (3–5 months) and aging (24–25 months) rats were subjected to 60 min of 50% coronary flow reduction and 30 min of isoproterenol (Iso) stimulation starting at 30 min of ischemia. The rats were randomized to receive vehicle or 1400W (a selective iNOS inhibitor) at 24 h (2 mg/kg, i.p.) and 1 h (1 mg/kg, i.p.) pre-ischemia. Results The 30 min of myocardial ischemia resulted in cardiac dysfunction as indicated by a 13 to 45% of reduction in left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and ±dp/dt max in either young or aging rats. Infusion of Iso for 30 min caused a partial recovery of cardiac function in hearts from young animals receiving either vehicle or 1400W as evidenced by improvements in LVDP and ±dp/dt max . In striking contrast, Iso infusion to hearts from aging animals receiving vehicle not only failed to improve ischemia-induced cardiac depression but worsened cardiac function as indicated by a 43 to 60% further reduction in LVDP and ±dp/dt max at the end of 30-min Iso infusion, which was also associated with a significant increase in myocardial NO production, ONOO - formation, caspase-3 activation and creatine kinase (CK) release. However, the treatment with a selective iNOS inhibitor-1400W blocked NO production and ONOO - formation, attenuated caspase-3 activation and CK release, and improved LV function in the aging heart, demonstrating a critical link between iNOS generated NO production and aging myocardial ischemic injury. A significant increase of iNOS protein expression, activity and immunoreactivity was found in the baseline aging LV tissues versus their young counterparts. Conclusions Aging induces phenotypic up-regulation of iNOS in the heart, in which β-AR stimulation interacts with ischemia and triggers a markedly increased NO production, which creates a nitrative stress, generates toxic peroxynitrite, activates apoptosis, and eventually causes cardiac dysfunction and myocardial injury. An iNOS inhibitor-1400W can markedly attenuate these adverse effects in the aging heart.
Organ volume estimation using SPECT

Knowledge of in vivo thyroid volume has both diagnostic and therapeutic importance and could lead to a more precise quantification of absolute activity contained in the thyroid gland. In order to improve single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) quantitation, attenuation correction was performed according to Chang's algorithm. The dual window method was used for scatter subtraction. We used a Monte Carlo simulation of the SPECT system to accurately determine the scatter multiplier factor k. Volume estimation using SPECT was performed by summing up the volume elements (voxels) lying within the contour of the object, determined by a fixed threshold and the gray level histogram (GLH) method. Thyroid phantom and patient studies were performed and the influence of (1) fixed thresholding, (2) automatic thresholding, (3) attenuation, (4) scatter, and (5) reconstruction filter were investigated. This study shows that accurate volume estimation of the thyroid gland is feasible when accurate corrections are performed. The relative error Is within 7% for the GLH method combined with attenuation and scatter corrections.
In Vitro Antifungal Activity of Nikkomycin Z in Combination with Fluconazole or Itraconazole

Nikkomycins are nucleoside-peptide antibiotics produced by Streptomyces species with antifungal activities through the inhibition of chitin synthesis. We investigated the antifungal activities of nikkomycin Z alone and in combination with fluconazole and itraconazole. Checkerboard synergy studies were carried out by a macrobroth dilution procedure with RPMI 1640 medium at pH 6.0. At least 10 strains of the following fungi were tested: Candida albicans, other Candida spp., Cryptococcus neoformans, Coccidioides immitis, Aspergillus spp., and dematiacious fungi (including Exophiala jeanselmei, Exophiala spinifera, Bipolaris spicifera, Wangiella dermatitidis, Ochroconis humicola, Phaeoannellomyces werneckii, and Cladophialophora bantiana), and 2 strains each of Fusarium, Scedosporium, Paecilomyces, Penicillium, and Trichoderma spp. A total of 110 isolates were examined. Inocula of fungal elements were standardized by hemacytometer counting or spectrophotometrically. MICs and minimum lethal concentrations (MLCs) were determined visually by comparison of growth in drug-treated tubes with growth in drug-free control tubes. Additive and synergistic interactions between nikkomycin and either fluconazole or itraconazole were observed against C. albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Coccidioides immitis. Marked synergism was also observed between nikkomycin and itraconazole against Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus. No antagonistic interaction between the drugs was observed with any of the strains tested.
The “Big” Consequences of IFRS: How and When Does the Adoption of IFRS Benefit Global Accounting Firms?

ABSTRACT: I investigate how the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) affects audit markets. Specifically, I examine the effect of IFRS adoption on the likelihood and direction of auditor switching in a sample of firms from five European Union countries: the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Poland during the period from 1998 through 2010. I hypothesize that IFRS adoption creates an expert advantage for global audit firms (i.e., Big 4 audit firms, Grant Thornton, and BDO) during a regime shift in reporting standards. I find that clients are more likely to switch from small to global audit firms in the year of IFRS adoption. I also hypothesize that the strength of a country's regulatory regime affects the likelihood of auditor replacement around IFRS adoption. I find that firms listed in countries with high-quality regulation and enforcement are significantly more likely to switch from small to global audit firms in the year of IFRS adoption (with the odds of the switch al...
Design Issues for Graphical Unix User Interfaces

This paper discusses important usability issues that impact the future development of graphical user interfaces for UNIX. UNIX provides a user with the capability to combine basic commands using input/output redirection to create new commands to perform more complex tasks. The new graphical interfaces do not directly aid composing commands. However, it takes more than five years of experience to begin to be able to fluently compose new, complex commands. This paper describes a methodology which focuses attention on the problems that must be solved in order for these core features of UNIX to be accessible to individuals with one to five years of experience.
Herpesvirus Target Considerations for the Design of Antiviral Agents

The herpesviruses, herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 (HSV-1), HSV type 2 (HSV-2), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) can cause mild to severe diseases in humans.1’2 In addition to causing clinically apparent disease due to lytic virus replication, this group of viruses has been shown to be harbored in the human population in persistent and latent forms.3–6 Furthermore, several members have also been implicated in the etiology of certain human neoplasias.7,8 The herpesviruses contain a double-stranded DNA genome enclosed in an icosahedral capsid structure surrounded by a lipid envelope, and replicate virus DNA in the cell nucleus. Although the herpesviruses have several biological characteristics in common, the individual viruses differ in multiple parameters. A partial list is shown in Table 1.
A Multiple VLSI Signal Processor Realization of a Transmultiplexer

A 12-channel TDM/FDM translator consisting of six VLSI digital signal processors is described. A filter bank which consists of a discrete cosine transform and a polyphase network of 14 filters is realized by three processors and effects the translation each way. One processor provides synchronization between the 96 kHz TDM and 112 kHz FDM signals and performs the cosine transform, and the remaining two do the filtering. The polyphase procedure is reviewed, a simplified development of the fast discrete cosine transformation is presented, and a new structure for the filters is introduced. The main opportunities for computational reduction are seen to be in the filtering. An algorithm for the filters is presented which is optimal with respect to efficiency and roundoff noise for a processor with a single multiplier accumulator. The VLSI processors discussed are seen to be Very effective in this realization because of their efficiency in this type of filtering and because of their intercommunication and synchronization capabilities.
Behavior-Based Autonomous Robot Navigation on Challenging Terrain: A Dual Fuzzy Logic Approach

A robot navigation system based on combined two fuzzy logic controllers is developed for a mobile robot. Eight ultrasonic sensors, a GPS sensor and two fuzzy logic controllers with separate 81 rules were used to realize this navigation system. The data from sensors are used to the input of each fuzzy controller. The outputs of fuzzy controllers control the speed of two servo motors. The robot with this navigation system chooses one of two controllers based on the information from the sensors while navigating for the targets. Fuzzy controller has functions that are target steering, avoiding obstacles and following the edge of obstacles. Fuzzy controlled has a function that makes the robot keeps following the edge of obstacles. Simulation results show that a mobile robot's escaping ability from U-shaped obstacle was improved and steering ability for a target by avoiding obstacles was also improved with this combined fuzzy logic controller
Human Immunodeficiency Virus: What Primary Care Clinicians Need to Know

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has evolved from an illness that consistently led to death to a chronic disease that can be medically managed. Primary care clinicians can provide beneficial care to the individual patient and potentially decrease the transmission of HIV to others through appropriate HIV screening and recognition of clinical clues to both chronic and acute HIV. Most patients who take combination antiretroviral therapy experience immune reconstitution and resume normal lives. These patients benefit from the care of an experienced primary care clinician in addition to a clinician with HIV expertise. Primary care clinicians have expertise providing preventive care, including counseling regarding healthier lifestyle choices and managing cardiovascular risk factors, osteoporosis, hypertension, and diabetes, all of which have become increasingly important for individuals with HIV as they age. This article reviews the many important roles of primary care clinicians with regard to the HIV epidemic and care of patients with HIV.
Adding GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Therapy to Basal Insulin for Postprandial Glucose Control.

Even with current guidelines, treatment algorithms, and recommendations available regarding diabetes management (1,2), providers struggle with adding therapies to manage postprandial hyperglycemia after basal insulin therapy in combination with oral antidiabetic medications (OADs) has failed to control a patient’s hyperglycemia. Historically, after titration of basal insulin to achieve morning glucose control, adding a bolus, or prandial, rapid-acting insulin analog has been recommended either in a stepwise approach or as a full basal-bolus insulin regimen (3–5). However, recent research has shown that adding a GLP-1 receptor agonist to basal insulin may be as effective as adding prandial insulin therapy (6–8). These results have given providers and patients a potentially easier option when glycemic control is not achieved with basal insulin in combination with OADs. This article summarizes three recent articles demonstrating the glycemic control efficacy and other benefits of adding a GLP-1 receptor agonist to basal insulin and describes a strategy to implement this therapy in busy primary care settings. Article A. Rosenstock J, Fonseca VA, Gross JL, et al.; Harmony 6 Study Group. Advancing basal insulin replacement in type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with insulin glargine plus oral agents: a comparison of adding albiglutide, a weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist, versus thrice-daily prandial insulin lispro. Diabetes Care 2014;37:2317–2325 Article B. Eng C, Kramer CK, Zinman B, Retnakaran R. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist and basal insulin combination treatment for the management of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet 2014;384:2228–2234 Article C. …
Analyzing ethical decision making in marketing

Abstract Marketing ethics has been receiving increased research attention, particularly within the past 10 years. One area of interest in the topic has been development of models, or frameworks, for analyzing ethical decision making in marketing. Few of the models have been tested empirically. In addition, the existing frameworks suffer from certain limitations. This article presents an alternate approach for analyzing ethical decision making in marketing and discusses the results of a field test of the approach. Study results suggest that the framework has promise as a means with which to study marketers' ethical decision making.
Subthreshold capable, asynchronous FPGA in a 14nm SOI process

We have designed a subthreshold-enabled FPGA (seFPGA) that has been sent for fabrication. The seFPGA has a general purpose, but asynchronous architecture that contains 50,880 16-bit LUTs with 4 voltage domains. Furthermore, the architecture is appropriate for the floating-gate or SRAM state storage.
Thin-Slice Judgments in the Clinical Context

Clinicians make a variety of assessments about their clients, from judging personality traits to making diagnoses, and a variety of methods are available to do so, ranging from observations to structured interviews. A large body of work demonstrates that from a brief glimpse of another's nonverbal behavior, a variety of traits and inner states can be accurately perceived. Additionally, from these “thin slices” of behavior, even future outcomes can be predicted with some accuracy. Certain clinical disorders such as Parkinson's disease and facial paralysis disrupt nonverbal behavior and may impair cli-nicians' ability to make accurate judgments. In certain contexts, personality disorders, anxiety, depression, and suicide attempts and outcomes can be detected from others' nonverbal behavior. Additionally, thin slices can predict psychological adjustment to divorce, bereavement, sexual abuse, and well-being throughout life. Thus, for certain traits and disorders, judgments from a thin slice could provide a co...
Low testosterone is associated with disability in men with multiple sclerosis.

Background:Gonadal steroids may modulate disease course in multiple sclerosis (MS).Objective:To assess the prevalence and clinical associations of hypogonadism in men with MS.Methods:Male patients,...
Using portfolios in the classroom

This paper presents a review of the literature (including World Wide Web sources) and a discussion of using student portfolios in the college classroom. Topics discussed are the definition of portfolios, contents, uses, evaluation methods, effectiveness and suggested sources for further research. Specifics from various college courses, including engineering, writing, mathematics, and science courses, illustrate the concepts. Three engineering courses are showcased to give an overview of differences in portfolio types, contents and evaluation.
Experiences in the land of virtual abstractions

The Microsoft Research Drawbridge Project began with a simple question: Is it possible to achieve the benefits of hardware virtual machines without the overheads? Following that question, we have built a line of exploratory prototypes. These prototypes range from an ARM-based phone that runs x86 Windows binaries to new forms of secure computation. In this talk, I'll briefly describe our various prototypes and the evidence we have accumulated that our first question can be answered in the affirmative.
Parental Perceptions about Required Influenza Immunization of Pediatric Healthcare Personnel

Annual influenza vaccination is recommended for all healthcare personnel (HCP). During 2010-2011, a cross-sectional design was used to survey 372 parents of hospitalized children regarding their influenza vaccination perceptions. Independent of their feelings regarding vaccine safety and efficacy, 76% of parents felt that annual influenza vaccination should be required for HCP.
Nanoparticle Superstructures Made by Polymerase Chain Reaction: Collective Interactions of Nanoparticles and a New Principle for Chiral Materials

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was realized on the surface of gold nanoparticles (NPs) as a tool for self-organization at nanoscale and as a step toward programmable production of sufficient quantities of functional metallic superstructures. The assembly is controlled by varying the density of the primer on the surface of gold NPs and the number of PCR cycles generating a mixture of dimers, trimers, tetramers, etc., with gradually increasing complexity. This process leads to strong chirality of the assemblies arising from the three-dimensional positioning of NPs in space which had never been observed before. A circular dichroism band of the superstructures coincides with the plasmon oscillations of the multi-NP systems of Au colloids. This new collective optical property of NPs embracing the diversity of shapes and diameters in the starting dispersions opens unique opportunities for the development of negative index materials.
Surface wave microplasma for localized etching

A microwave re-entrant cavity is applied to create a miniature beam of plasma species. A miniature microwave plasma discharge is created using 2.45 GHz microwave energy to generate a discharge inside 1-2 mm inner diameter (i.d.) tubes with a micromachined aperture on the end. Through this aperture the plasma stream for materials processing is formed. The diameter of the plasma stream considered in this study ranges from 2 millimeters down to 10's microns. The I/V characteristics obtained from probe measurements show that the plasma ions pass through the aperture with a aperture hole diameter as small as 14 microns. Additional measurements of the microplasma generated in the discharge tube are performed to determine the electron temperature and gas temperature. Langmuir probe measurements give an electron temperature of approximately 2 eV when the pressure is in the range of 1 - 5 Torr. Optical emission spectroscopy measurements of argon/nitrogen discharge mixtures at 1 Torr in a 2 mm tube with 33 W microwave power give a temperature of 600K - 1200K dependent on the percent argon and nitrogen. The plasma discharge in the tube discharge region is modeled using both a global model and a surface wave discharge model. The flow of the plasma discharge/beam from the source, through the aperture, and down to the substrate surface is also modeled. The modeling results will be compared to experimental results for the size and shape of the region processed by the plasma discharge/beam. A CAD-guided automated path generation system is developed to assist manufacturing micro-structures/patterns automatically using the microplasma applicator. An argon/SF feed gas mixture is used to create a plasma stream with radicals for silicon etching. Also, the etching of Ultra- nanocrystalline Diamond (UNCD) is performed using an argon/oxygen plasma. Data will be reported on the etch results including etch rate and pattern profile for both gas chemistries.