cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Merging Multiple Lists in O(log n) Time

The problem of merging k (k \geqslant 2) sorted lists is considered. We give an optimal parallel algorithm which takes O\left( {\frac{{n\log k}} {p} + \log n} \right) time using p processors on the CREW PRAM, where n is the total size of the input lists. The algorithm can be seen as a unified algorithm for parallel sorting and merging. To obtain this algorithm, interesting techniques for designing algorithms are also discussed, including a new processor assignment strategy.
Marked point processes for crowd counting

A Bayesian marked point process (MPP) model is developed to detect and count people in crowded scenes. The model couples a spatial stochastic process governing number and placement of individuals with a conditional mark process for selecting body shape. We automatically learn the mark (shape) process from training video by estimating a mixture of Bernoulli shape prototypes along with an extrinsic shape distribution describing the orientation and scaling of these shapes for any given image location. The reversible jump Markov Chain Monte Carlo framework is used to efficiently search for the maximum a posteriori configuration of shapes, leading to an estimate of the count, location and pose of each person in the scene. Quantitative results of crowd counting are presented for two publicly available datasets with known ground truth.
On l∞ performance optimization of switched systems

In this paper we consider a prototypical model matching problem where the various mappings involved are systems that switch arbitrarily among n given linear time invariant (LTI) systems. The interest is placed on minimizing the worst case lscrinfin-induced norm of this model matching system over all possible switchings. This minimization is performed over all Youla-Kucera parameters Q that switch causally in time over n (stable) LTI systems. For the particular set-up at hand, it is shown that the optimal Youla-Kucera parameter Q need not depend on the switching sequence in the case of partially matched switching, and that it can be obtained as an LTI solution to an associated standard lscr1 optimization. In the case of matched switching, two convergent sequences to the optimal solution from above and below respectively are formulated in linear programming, and an approximate solution with any given precision is possible by finite truncation.
Nitric oxide synthase plays a role in Chlamydia pneumoniae-induced atherosclerosis

Objective: Chlamydia pneumoniae infection has been associated with atherosclerosis, although the mechanisms by which C . pneumoniae contribute to atherogenesis remain unclear. Altered production of nitric oxide, a known bactericidal and anti-inflammatory agent, represents one possible mechanistic link. To examine this issue, a diet-induced, hyperlipidemic mouse model of early atherosclerosis was used. Methods: A series of intranasal inoculations of C . pneumoniae strain AR-39 were administered to mice lacking endothelial or inducible nitric oxide synthase and to normal controls. After 18 weeks on an atherogenic diet, atherosclerotic lesion area in the aortic sinus was measured using computer-assisted morphometry. Results: In the absence of C . pneumoniae infection, diet-fed eNOS−/− mice developed enlarged fatty streak lesions of borderline significance in comparison to uninfected, wild-type mice, while the lesion area in uninfected, diet-fed iNOS−/− mice did not differ significantly from lesion area in wild-type animals. In contrast, lesion area in infected eNOS−/− mice increased slightly, but not significantly in comparison to uninfected eNOS−/− mice. Lesion area in the infected iNOS−/− mice was significantly enlarged when compared to both uninfected iNOS−/− mice as well as to infected wild-type mice. Conclusions: These data suggest that production of nitric oxide by eNOS protects against development of fatty streak lesions in uninfected hyperlipidemic mice, but does not offer additional protection in infected hyperlipidemic mice, while iNOS may play a protective role, thus limiting chlamydial exacerbation of fatty streak lesions.
Soil moisture relations and critical period of Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. (coastal bermudagrass) competition in conservation-tillage cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Summary: Resume: Zusammenfassung Field experiments were established at the Southern Piedmont Research facility near Watkinsville, GA during 1989 and 1990 to assess the critical period of interspecific interference between different Cynodon dactylon (coastal bermudagrass) densities and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) in a conservation-tillage system. Cotton was exposed to coastal bermudagrass for 0, 4, 7, 10 and 25 weeks. Cotton height, yield, and soil volumetric water content were examined. Volumetric water content was determined by time domain reflectometry. Cotton height and yields were significantly reduced by exposure to coastal bermudagrass and reduction in cotton productivity increased with increasing coastal bermudagrass density. Soil volumetric water content decreased in the upper 30 cm of soil with increasing coastal bermudagrass density. The critical period of coastal bermudagrass in cotton was determined to be 4 to 7 weeks after planting. Relations entre l'humidite su sol et la periode critique de competition de Cynodon dactylon (L.) dans du coton en systeme de labour (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Des essais de plein champ ont ete mis en place sur le centre de recherche du Sud-Piemont pres Watkinsville, GA pendant 1989 et 1990 pour evaluer la periode critique d'interference interspecifique entre differentes densites de Cynodon dactylon et de coton (Gossypium hirsutum) dans un systeme de labour. Le coton a ete expose au cynodon pendant 0, 4, 7, 19 et 25 semaines. La hauteur du coton, le rendement et la teneur en haut du sol ont ete examines. Le volume d'eau du sol a ete determinee par reflectometrie. La hauteur du coton, et les rendements ont ete reduits significativement par l'exposition au cynodon et la reduction de productivite du coton a augmente avec l'augmentation de la densite du cynodon. Le volume d'eau du sol dans les 30 premiers centimetres a diminue avec l'augmentation de la densite du cynodon. La periode critique du cynodon pour le coton a ete determinee comme se situant 4 a 7 semaines apres la plantation. Konkurrenz von Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. mit Baumwolle (Gossypium hirsutum L.) bei konservierender Bodenbearbeitung — Kritische Periode und Bezug zur Bodenfeuchte Zur Ermittlung der kritischen Periode der Konkurrenz von Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. mit Baumwolle (Gossypium hirsutum L.) bei konservierender Bodenbearbeitung wurde die Kultur in Feldversuchen 1989 und 1990 auf der Piedmont-Versuchsstation fur 0, 4, 7, 10 und 25 Wochen mit dem Unkraut in unterschiedlicher Dichte wachsen gelassen. Hohe und Ertrag der Baumwoll-Pflanzen wurden durch die Verunkrautung signifikant reduziert, und mit steigender Unkrautdichte nahm die Produktivitat genauso wie die Bodenfeuchte in den obersten 30 cm ab. Die kritische Periode der Konkurrenz zwischen dem Unkraut und der Kulturpflanze lag zwischen der 4. und der 7. Woche.
A survey of covariance models for censored life data with an application to recidivism analysis

A survey is given of techniques for covariance analysis of censored life data. Both parametric and nonpararnetric approaches are reviewed. An application is given to the evaluation of parolee followup data. We examine the effects of covariates, such as age, income, and drug use, on time to rearrest. One of these covariates varies with time. The records of two correctional institutions are compared after adjusting for non-homogeneity of covariate values.
A Comparison of Social Skills Profiles in Intellectually Disabled Adults with and without ASD.

The purpose of this study was to systematically examine the social-skills profiles among adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID). Using one-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), three groups (autism, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified [PDD-NOS], and ID only) were compared on seven global measures of social behavior. There were 72 individuals in each group matched on level of ID, verbal ability, age, and gender. Distinctions were noted in the areas of positive social behaviors and negative nonverbal social behaviors. Those with autism displayed the greatest deficits in these areas, followed by those with PDD-NOS. The results support the notions that social impairment remains a distinct feature of ASD in adults with ID, that autism and PDD-NOS are two conditions on the same spectrum, and that this spectrum is relevant for adults with ID. Implications of the results and directions for future research are discussed.
Extinction of Lineages: Irrelevance of Ecological Hypotheses

I am moved to write you about what is described in the American Anthropologist (76:90, 1974) as a review of my book entitled Modernization: Late-Comers and Survivors. Professor David Rodnick has written the review, but it is a review that makes only one direct reference to my book, and that one is in error. He states that i make no attempt to define what is meant by modernization. Later on in his review, he takes Professors Reinhold Bendix and Peter
The development of a Visual‐Perceptual Chemistry Specific (VPCS) assessment tool

The development of the Visual-Perceptual Chemistry Specific (VPCS) assessment tool is based on items that align to eight visual-perceptual skills considered as needed by chemistry students. This tool includes a comprehensive range of visual operations and presents items within a chemistry context without requiring content knowledge to solve correctly. The VPCS was administrated to a total of 2,713 chemistry students taking general, organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry courses at a large, southeastern university over a period of three academic years. The preliminary validation process involved primarily factor analysis and Item Response Theory. A three-factor solution was considered appropriate with the most reasonable interpretation labeling Factor 1 as a general visual-spatial skill, Factor 2 involving multiple viewpoints (frames of reference), and Factor 3 related to memory ability. Our analysis supports an interpretation relevant to chemistry instruction that departs from previous findings where the factors obtained were viewed in terms of static or kinetic qualities (mechanical) and/or two-dimensional versus three-dimensional aspects. Several interpretations for the three-factor solution are discussed as well as implications for teaching and future research. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 51: 963–981, 2014
Dicerandra fumella (Lamiaceae), a New Species in the Florida Panhandle and Adjacent Alabama, with Comments on the D. linearifolia Complex

Abstract A new species, Dicerandra fumella, is described for the Florida panhandle and adjacent Alabama and compared with other taxa in the D. linearifolia complex. An extensive hybrid zone between this new species and D. linearifolia var. robustior is located in the Marianna Lowland, west of the Apalachicola River in Florida. Dicerandra linearifolia, given the superfluous name “Ceranthera linearifolia” by Stephen Elliott nearly 200 years ago and the type for his Ceranthera, can no longer be considered pandemic to the southeastern coastal plain of the United States.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (Panton-Valentine leucocidin) cavitating pneumonia in a healthy child

A previously healthy 11-year-old girl presented with 2-week history of cough not responding to oral amoxicillin given by her general practitioner. Chest x-ray showed small dense lesion posterior to the left cardiac shadow, figure 1A. This progressed to right upper lobe consolidation two weeks later, figure 1B. She developed low-grade fever but remained otherwise clinically well. Chest CT showed multiple bilateral round infiltrates in the mid and lower lung fields, with some …
Microwave Permeability and Tunable Ferromagnetic Resonance in Cobalt Nanowire Arrays

A simple theoretical analysis indicates that high permeability is possible in nanowire arrays with the magnetocrystalline anisotropy comparable to the demagnetization energy and its easy axis perpendicular to the nanowire. Both conditions can be satisfied in Co nanowire arrays. With proper fabrication conditions, we have fabricated Co nanowire arrays with crystalline easy axis perpendicular to the nanowire. For Co nanowire arrays with diameters of 50 nm and inter-pore distances of 90 nm, the real part of the permeability is about 3.5 and the loss tangent is about 0.045 below 4.5 GHz. We have also shown that by magnetizing the sample to different remanent states, its ferromagnetic resonance frequency can be tuned between 4.5 and 6.5 GHz.
Teaching natural history at the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology

During its centennial celebrations in 2008, the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ) at the University of California, Berkeley paid homage to its founding director, Joseph Grinnell. Recognized as a leading scientific institution, the MVZ managed to grow throughout the twentieth century, a period often characterized by the decline of natural history. To understand how and why research flourished at the MVZ, this paper looks closely at Grinnell's undergraduate course, the Natural History of the Vertebrates (NHV). Taught by MVZ affiliates since 1914, the NHV offers an important window on Grinnell's approach and legacy. This paper argues that the NHV contributed to the MVZ's long-term success by acting as, first, a gateway to natural history; second, a vector for the MVZ's research programme; and third, a shared faculty responsibility. Grinnell's significance in the history of science is understated, in part because his writing style de-emphasized the importance of his theoretical contributions, including his development of the niche concept, his emphasis on population thinking and geographic isolation in studies of evolution, and his effort to integrate speciation questions and genetics. Studying the NHV highlights these contributions because Grinnell freely communicated his ideas to his students. An analysis of Grinnell's course material shows that his theoretical and methodological approach pre-dated the evolutionary synthesis and inspired natural-history research throughout the past century.
X-ray diffraction by liquid crystalline side-chain polymers

Abstract This article presents a survey of the literature on X-ray diffraction by mesomorphic side-chain polymers. The first part shows how the polymorphism of these compounds is usually determined with simple experimental techniques. This part also describes how the same techniques can be used to derive more structural information: (1) the exploitation of the wide angle diffuse ring thanks to an easy procedure allows one to measure the nematic order parameter; and (2) the exploitation of the reflections from the smectic layers allows one to study the backbone localization in the smectic phases. The second part describes the observation of different kinds of short range correlations and localized defects through their contribution to the X-ray diffuse scattering. This more elaborate type of study gives access to the elastic properties and, therefore, a more detailed insight into the physics of polymeric mesophases.
Formulation and characterization of a novel fluoride-releasing dental composite

Abstract Objectives The aims of this study were to formulate a novel fluoride-releasing dental composite and to evaluate its mechanical properties, fluoride release and recharge capabilities, water sorption and solubility. Methods A fluoride-releasing dimethacrylate monomer containing a ternary zirconium fluoride chelate was synthesized. Three experimental fluoride-releasing composites were fabricated with different monomer formulas (wt.%)—(1) Control A: 40 BisGMA/40 TEDMA/20 UEDMA; (2) Experimental: 20 F-releasing monomer/20 BisGMA/40 TEDMA/20 UEDMA; (3) Control B: the same formula as Control A except that it contained 10 wt.% (of total monomer) tetrabutylammonium fluoride (TBAF), which had a fluoride content equivalent to Experimental. All three materials had the same filler content: 55 wt.% silanized fluoroaluminosilicate particles (0.8 μm) and 10 wt.% silanized fumed silica (14 nm). All materials contained 0.17 wt.% camphorquinone (CQ) as a photoinitiator and 0.69 wt.% ethyl-4-dimethylaminobenzoate (4EDMAB) as an accelerator. The materials were tested for fluoride release (for 184 days), fluoride recharge, compressive and flexure strength, water sorption and solubility. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey-HSD tests, and Kruskal–Wallis test. Results The experimental composite had significantly higher fluoride release and fluoride recharge capabilities than both Control composites. It had significantly better physical and mechanical properties than Control B. Significance The combined use of the fluoride-releasing dimethacrylate monomer and fluoride-releasing filler can provide sustained high fluoride release and recharge as well as acceptable mechanical and physical properties. Simply adding organic fluoride salt in the monomer yields composites with poor mechanical and physical properties.
Products of the Benzene + O(3P) Reaction

The gas-phase reaction of benzene with O(3P) is of considerable interest for modeling of aromatic oxidation, and also because there exist fundamental questions concerning the prominence of intersystem crossing in the reaction. While its overall rate constant has been studied extensively, there are still significant uncertainties in the product distribution. The reaction proceeds mainly through the addition of the O atom to benzene, forming an initial triplet diradical adduct, which can either dissociate to form the phenoxy radical and H atom, or undergo intersystem crossing onto a singlet surface, followed by a multiplicity of internal isomerizations, leading to several possible reaction products. In this work, we examined the product branching ratios of the reaction between benzene and O(3P) over the temperature range of 300 to 1000 K and pressure range of 1 to 10 Torr. The reactions were initiated by pulsed-laser photolysis of NO2 in the presence of benzene and helium buffer in a slow-flow reactor, and reaction products were identified by using the multiplexed chemical kinetics photoionization mass spectrometer operating at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Phenol and phenoxy radical were detected and quantified. Cyclopentadiene and cyclopentadienyl radical were directly identified for the first time. Finally, ab initio calculations and master equation/RRKM modeling were used to reproduce the experimental branching ratios, yielding pressure-dependent rate expressions for the reaction channels, including phenoxy + H, phenol, cyclopentadiene + CO, which are proposed for kinetic modeling of benzene oxidation.
Cereal Aphid and Natural Enemy Populations in Cereal Production Systems in Eastern Washington

A 5 yr study in the semiarid wheat production region of eastern Washington documented the relative densities of pest aphids and their natural enemies in cereal production systems using on-farm replicated plots. The systems were reduced-tillage soft white winter wheat (SWW) (Triticum aestivum L.)—summer fallow rotation; no-till soft white spring wheat (SWS)— chemical fallow rotation; continuous no-till hard red spring wheat (HRS); and no-till HRS—no-till spring barley (SB) (Hordeum vulgare L.) rotation. The English grain aphid, Sitobion avenae (F.), was the dominant species, followed in abundance by the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko). The bird cherry-oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.), and rose grass aphid, Metopolophium dirhodum (Walter), were infrequently encountered. Overall, aphid densities were low, with aphids rare or absent in SWW and SB plots. The data revealed no clear and consistent effects of cereal production systems on aphid densities, but it did reveal, based on analysis of data from continuous HRS plots, high among-year variability in S. avenae and D. noxia densities. Only in 1996 and only in continuous HRS was it necessary to chemically control damaging populations of D. noxia. English grain aphid densities never approached threshold levels. S. avenae parasitism averaged .16% in some spring wheat systems in 1998 and 2000, while only two mummified D. noxia were observed. Coccinellid beetle counts in all plots totaled 143 in 1998 and 163 in 2000, with 90.2% and 94.5% in the genus Hippodamia, respectively. The ladybird beetle Coccinella septempunctata L. comprised 9.8% (1998) and 5.5% (2000) of the populations. The results suggest that damaging aphid populations are unlikely to develop in winter wheat, but populations in spring cereals warrant monitoring because they fluctuate from year-to-year and can be damaging.
Fixing Multi-Forum Shareholder Litigation

This Article presents new empirical evidence demonstrating that serious intra-corporate disputes at public companies now attract lawsuits in multiple fora. No existing mechanism can reliably coordinate shareholder litigation in different court systems, and the resulting disorder generates uniformly negative consequences for shareholders. The multi-forum character of shareholder litigation can undermine its deterrent effect by aggravating the disjunction between settlement values and merit. At the same time, the multi-forum pattern can diminish the quality of U.S. corporate law over time by depriving incorporation states of important cases.This Article proposes to fix multi-forum shareholder litigation by creating a clear and simple mechanism for coordinating similar cases in different court systems. This proposal would require federal courts to stay proceedings in shareholder litigation before them when a similar case is pending in the state of incorporation. It would also allow suits filed in states other than the state of incorporation to be removed to federal court, where they would be subject to the same stay of proceedings. Such a system would neutralize the ability of any plaintiff to file a case that could compete for settlement with a case in the incorporation state. The result is an ordered solution to the problem of multi-forum shareholder litigation that prioritizes the state of incorporation when suits are filed in competing fora but otherwise does nothing to restrict the venue options of shareholders.
The coexistence of acute myeloblastic leukemia and diffuse histiocytic lymphoma in the same patient as demonstrated by multiparameter analysis.

Measurement of cellular DNA content by flow cytometry demonstrated presence of two distinct aneuploid neoplasms in a patient who developed acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) 4 mo after diagnosis of a diffuse histiocytic lymphoma (DHL). A lymph node aspirate contained peroxidase- negative, “null,” hyperdiploid (2.6C) DHL cells, while the bone marrow (BM) contained 84% primitive peroxidase-positive tetraploid AML cells (4.0C). Minor populations of hyperdiploid HDL and normal diploid cells could be detected by flow-cytometry in the BM, and all three populations were also seen in the peripheral blood.
Property and Practical Reason

Introduction 1. Practical reason and private law 2. The architecture of property 3. The possibility of private property 4. Property from the inside 5. Property and charity 6. Abuse of rights 7. The nature of property rights 8. The contours of property rights 9. Settling property rights in law.
Double ion production in mercury thrusters

The development of a model which predicts doubly charged ion density is discussed. The accuracy of the model is shown to be good for two different thruster sizes and a total of 11 different cases. The model indicates that in most cases more than 80% of the doubly charged ions are produced from singly charged ions. This result can be used to develop a much simpler model which, along with correlations of the average plasma properties, can be used to determine the doubly charged ion density in ion thrusters with acceptable accuracy. Two different techniques which can be used to reduce the doubly charged ion density while maintaining good thruster operation, are identified as a result of an examination of the simple model. First, the electron density can be reduced and the thruster size then increased to maintain the same propellant utilization. Second, at a fixed thruster size, the plasma density, temperature and energy can be reduced and then to maintain a constant propellant utilization the open area of the grids to neutral propellant loss can be reduced through the use of a small hole accelerator grid.
An osteoclastic protein-tyrosine phosphatase regulates the β3-integrin, syk, and shp1 signaling through respective src-dependent phosphorylation in osteoclasts.

This study utilized the glutathione transferase (GST) pull-down assay to identify novel substrates of an osteoclastic protein-tyrosine phosphatase, PTP-oc. Consistent with the previous findings tha...
Coronary artery disease in young women: risk factor analysis and long-term follow-up.

Background Heart disease in the leading cause of death in women of all ages in the United States, but data on coronary disease in young women remains sparse. Objective To identify and follow up a cohort of young women referred for the evaluation of coronary disease. Methods Retrospective review of the medical records. Results Thirty-two women younger than 31 years met the entry criteria. The average age was 28 +/- 2.4 years, 28% had insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, 38% had hypertension, 6% had congenital heart disease, 38% had a family history of coronary artery disease, 72% were smokers, and 28% used oral contraceptives. Serum cholesterol levels were > 5.17 mmol/L (200 mg/dL) in 71%, and the mean cholesterol level was 6.70 +/- 2 mmol/L (259 +/- 78 mg/dL). Resting electrocardiographic results were abnormal in 28 women (88%), 22 of whom had evidence of transmural myocardial infarction. Follow-up averaged 9.8 +/- 6.4 years. Five patients died, all of whom had hypertension, and 4 of whom had diabetic nephropathy and required dialysis. Conclusions Risk factors for coronary disease in young women include hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, familial coronary disease, and smoking. Long-term prognosis is excellent for those without advanced diabetes mellitus and renal failure.
Effects of ethyl-alpha-p-chlorophenoxybutyrate (CPIB) on total cholesterol concentrations of rat aorta.

SummaryThe aortic cholesterol concentrations of rats fed a chow diet containing CPIB (0.25%) for 10 days subsequent to feeding on a high cholesterol (1%) for 10 days subsequent to feeding on a high cholesterol (1%)-cholic acid (0.5%) diet for 2 weeks were significantly lower than those of rats fed the chow diet alone on the same schedule. This finding was repeated in rats fed a high sucrose (63%) diet with or without CPIB (0.25%) for 2 weeks. In the first instance, the reduction in aortic cholesterol levels was related temporally to a reduction in serum cholesterol concentrations in the CPIB-fed rats. This effect of CPIB may be related to a potential antiatherogenic property of the drug.
Skeletal muscle vasodilation during electrical stimulation of the preoptic recess

Transverse (3rd-order) arterioles (diam 12 +/- 2 micron, n = 6) in rat spinotrapezius muscle were observed with video microscopy during electrical stimulation of preoptic recess in periventricular region of hypothalamus (AV3V region) to test whether active skeletal muscle vasodilation was mediated by a beta-adrenergic mechanism. Bipolar wire electrodes were implanted in AV3V 3-7 days before an experiment. Continuous superfusion of propranolol (10(-5) M) caused steady-state reduction (3 +/- 1 microns) in arteriolar diameter and reduced steady-state vasodilation (26 +/- 2 vs. 11 +/- 2 microns) caused by a continuous superfusion of isoproterenol (10(-6) M). Six arterioles were observed with and without propranolol during four frequencies of AV3V stimulation (8-15 V, 0.2-0.5 ms pulse duration; 10, 15, 20, and 25 Hz; 1 min stimulus duration). Stimulation caused frequency-related reductions in arterial blood pressure (10-20 mmHg), which were sustained and not altered by propranolol. Transient peak diameters were observed after 30 +/- 7 s; the time was not related to stimulus frequency or affected by propranolol. Peak diameters averaged 14-17 microns during vehicle and 11-12 micron during propranolol (maximum diam 32 +/- 3). Peak vasodilations were significant but identical with vehicle or propranolol (avg 3 +/- 1 microns) and not related to stimulus frequency. Diameters stabilized at steady-state values above base line only during 15 and 20 Hz with vehicle and only during 20 Hz with propranolol. We conclude that AV3V stimulation causes transient vasodilation in spinotrapezius muscle that is probably not mediated by beta-adrenergic receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The D2+Ni13 Reaction: Mode-Specific and Structure-Specific Features

Results of a quasiclassical simulation study pertaining to the qualitative and quantitative aspects of the mode-selectivity and structure-reactivity correlation in the dissociative adsorption of a D2 molecule on a Ni13 cluster are presented. The role of resonances (molecularly adsorbed precursor states) in the reaction is discussed, and the resonances are characterized in terms of their formation probabilities and lifetimes.
Further Details on the Role of Education and Technology in the Productivity Performance among the Advanced Industrial Countries

The Role of Education There are three paradigms that appear to dominate current discussions of the role of education in economic growth. The first has stemmed from human capital theory. The second could be classified as a catch-up model. And the third important approach has stressed the interactions between education and technological innovation and change. The Human Capital Approach Human capital theory views schooling as an investment in skills and hence as a way of augmenting worker productivity (see, for example, Schultz 1960, 1961, and 1971; and Becker, 1975). This line of reasoning leads to growth accounting models in which productivity or output growth is derived as a function of the change in educational attainment. The early studies on this subject showed very powerful effects of educational change on economic growth. Griliches (1970) estimated that the increased educational attainment of the U.S. labor force accounted for one-third of the Solow residual, the portion of the growth of output that could not be attributed to the growth in (unadjusted) labor hours or capital stock, between 1940 and 1967. Denison (1979b) estimated that about one-fifth of the growth in U.S. national income per person employed between 1948 and 1973 could be attributed to increases in educational levels of the labor force. Jorgenson and Fraumeni (1993) calculated that improvements in labor quality accounted for one-fourth of U.S. economic growth between 1948 and 1986. Maddison (1987), in a growth accounting study of six OECD countries covering the years 1913 to 1984, generally found that increases in educational attainment explained a significant proportion of productivity growth, though the contributions varied by country and subperiod.
Fundamental Geometric Measures

In the field of computer aided geometric design, an important property of each of the various mathematical techniques of shape representation is its degree of continuity; that is, the highest level of differentiation which is continuous.
A Review of Lung Transplantation and Its Implications for the Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Team

Abstract Since the late 1980s, lung transplantation has become an option for some individuals (in 2014, 4000 lung transplantations were performed) with end-stage lung disease aimed to help these individuals restore function and improve survival and quality of life. Individuals living with end-stage lung disease already are deconditioned, with poor endurance and limited exercise capacity. There are additional post-transplantation factors that can contribute to poor endurance and decreased exercise capacity. Although pulmonary rehabilitation in the pretransplantation phase is a crucial component for positive functional outcomes after lung transplantation, the incidence of post-transplantation complications, coupled with the need for immunosuppression, often warrants close monitoring by medical professionals. The acute inpatient rehabilitation unit offers an ideal setting for such patients to receive therapies to improve functional status while allowing for monitoring and medical management with a comprehensive team approach, including both the rehabilitation and the transplantation teams. In this article, we review the medical issues, physiologic changes, common complications after lung transplantation, and potential side effects of immunosuppressant therapy, as well as address rehabilitation specific concerns, outcomes, and goals of the patient undergoing lung transplantation in the acute inpatient rehabilitation unit. Level of Evidence V
Aggregation kinetics of human mesenchymal stem cells under wave motion

Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are primary candidates in cell therapy and regenerative medicine but preserving their therapeutic potency following culture expansion is a significant challenge. hMSCs can spontaneously assemble into three-dimensional (3D) aggregates that enhance their regenerative properties. The present study investigated the impact of hydrodynamics conditions on hMSC aggregation kinetics under controlled rocking motion. While various laboratory methods have been developed for hMSC aggregate production, the rocking platform provides gentle mixing and can be scaled up using large bags as in wave motion bioreactors. The results show that the hMSC aggregation is mediated by cell adhesion molecules and that aggregate size distribution is influenced by seeding density, culture time, and hydrodynamic conditions. The analysis of fluid shear stress by COMSOL indicated that aggregate size distribution is inversely correlated with shear stress and that the rocking angle had a more pronounced effect on aggregate size distribution than the rocking speed due to its impact on shear stress. hMSC aggregates obtained from the bioreactor exhibit increased stemness, migratory properties, and expression of angiogenic factors. The results demonstrate the potential of the rocking platform to produce hMSC aggregates with controlled size distribution for therapeutic application.
The Conditioning Effect of Context on the Managerial Capacity-Performance Relationship

Although the relationship between managerial capacity and government performance has been considerably studied, research about the effect of political and economic context on government performance is scarce. By using data for 811 Japanese and 787 Brazilian municipalities, this study examines the effect of both context and managerial quality on municipal performance. Municipal performance is measured in terms of both property tax collection and expansion of municipal revenue. Mayors’ age, education, expertise (reelection periods) and public sector experience operationalize managerial quality. While partisanship, legislature support, citizen support, and government ideology operationalize political context, GDP, income, government spending and municipal assets measure economic context. Preliminary findings suggest context does matters. Managerial quality seems to influence municipal performance in terms of revenue expansion in Japanese municipalities, but not in Brazil. While economic context does influenc...
Democratic Police Reform and Public Law Injunctions

Scholars have overlooked systemic reform injunctions as potent tools to challenge and combat discriminatory and unconstitutional police practices. Recent events and an infusion of funding from major philanthropy and private sources promise an increase in injunctive suits challenging department-wide unconstitutional and discriminatory police practices. I propose formalized community involvement in the creation, implementation and evaluation of injunctive remedial processes to improve solution generation and popularize policing public law litigation. The dominant policing theories offering community involvement — community policing and procedural justice — have limited utility at addressing long-term tensions between the police and Black or Brown neighborhoods. My proposed remedy, as part of a larger injunction, aims to shift power from the police to the policed and draws from democratic theory.
Capturing Generation‐Based Institutional Knowledge Utilizing Design Thinking

Baby Boomers are retiring in large numbers, leaving a shortage of highly knowledgeable employees currently in the U.S. workforce. The time for capturing critical knowledge and ensuring effective knowledge transfer, retention, and implementation to the Millennial generation is now. Through a systematic evidence-based review, the major finding was that a primary factor of consideration is the selection of a multigenerational knowledge management design team that fosters generational socialization by following a conceptual model for capturing institutional knowledge.
Prospects for improved understanding of isotopic reactor antineutrino fluxes

Predictions of antineutrino fluxes produced by fission isotopes in a nuclear reactor have recently received increased scrutiny due to observed differences in predicted and measured inverse beta decay (IBD) yields, referred to as the ``reactor antineutrino flux anomaly.'' In this paper, global fits are applied to existing IBD yield measurements to produce constraints on antineutrino production by individual plutonium and uranium fission isotopes. We find that fits including measurements from highly $^{235}\mathrm{U}$-enriched cores and fits including Daya Bay's new fuel evolution result produce discrepant best-fit IBD yields for $^{235}\mathrm{U}$ and $^{239}\mathrm{Pu}$. This discrepancy can be alleviated in a global analysis of all data sets through simultaneous fitting of $^{239}\mathrm{Pu}$, $^{235}\mathrm{U}$, and $^{238}\mathrm{U}$ yields. The measured IBD yield of $^{238}\mathrm{U}$ in this analysis is $(7.02\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.65)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}43}\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}/\text{fission}$, nearly two standard deviations below existing predictions. Future hypothetical IBD yield measurements by short-baseline reactor experiments are examined to determine their possible impact on the global understanding of isotopic IBD yields. It is found that future improved short-baseline IBD yield measurements at both high-enriched and low-enriched cores can significantly improve constraints for $^{235}\mathrm{U}$, $^{238}\mathrm{U}$, and $^{239}\mathrm{Pu}$, providing comparable or superior precision to existing conversion- and summation-based antineutrino flux predictions. Systematic and experimental requirements for these future measurements are also investigated.
Women’s soccer in the United States: introduction

In July 2015, the United States Women’s National Team won the Women’s World Cup. The team’s final game against Japan is now the all-time most watched soccer game in the US (Deitsch 2015). Prior to ...
Lenalidomide results in a durable complete remission in acute myeloid leukemia accompanied by persistence of somatic mutations and a T-cell infiltrate in the bone marrow.

Mechanisms of in vivo AML response and resistance to chemotherapy remain poorly characterized. To determine whether response to lenalidomide might share features with response to other forms of chemotherapy, we applied immunohistochemistry and gene panel sequencing to serial samples from a patient
The effect of day 2 versus day 3 embryo transfer on early pregnancy outcomes in women with a low yield of fertilized oocytes

To evaluate the differences in implantation and pregnancy rates when embryo transfer occurs on D2 versus D3 in women with a low yield of fertilized oocytes. A total of 156 IVF/ICSI cycles from 141 women at an academic fertility center were analyzed in a retrospective fashion. Women with a low number of fertilized oocytes (≤ 2 two pronuclei (2PN) stage zygotes) who had their fresh embryo transfer on D2 or D3 were included in the study. Positive pregnancy test per IVF cycle (PPT), clinical pregnancy rate (CPR), spontaneous abortion rate (SABR), and implantation rate (IMPR) were the main outcome measures assessed. Mann-Whitney U test and χ2 test were used as appropriate. A generalized linear mixed effect model adjusted for relevant covariates was conducted. P < 0.05 was considered significant. Patients having their embryo transfer on D2, when compared to those who had a D3 embryo transfer, experienced similar PPT [30.8 vs. 28.2%, respectively; adjusted OR (95%CI): 0.49 (0.16, 1.52)], CPR [26.9 vs. 25.6%, respectively; adjusted OR (95%CI): 0.44 (0.12, 1.67)], and IMPR [17.3 vs. 16.7%, respectively; adjusted β (95%CI) − 5.6% (− 15.0, 3.9)]. Our findings suggest that transferring embryos on D2 versus D3 in women with a limited number of 2PN stage zygotes does not affect early pregnancy outcomes. These results indicate that there can be some flexibility in scheduling the day of transfer at the convenience of both the patient and the center.
Neuroinflammation in Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases

Abstract This chapter provides an overview of the peripheral (nonbrain) and brain-immune mediators in brain health and neurodegenerative disease. We review the major immune cell types that contribute to the inflammatory environment in the brain, and mechanisms that regulate the blood–brain barrier. We also discuss the reasons for the paradigm shift that has brought the role of inflammation in age-related neurodegeneration to the forefront of contemporary research, as well as the role of peripheral inflammation in the establishment of a permissive environment for age-related neurodegeneration as a risk factor for diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. We conclude with a discussion on the path forward toward therapeutic intervention: modulating immune cell trafficking to the brain, establishing second-hit models of neurodegenerative disease, and using deep immunophenotyping by flow cytometry to identify at-risk human populations with inflammatory endophenotypes as suitable candidates for immunomodulatory therapies in the treatment of age-related neurodegenerative disease.
Ethics Committees: Talking the Captain Through Troubled Waters

Good navigation is a matter of using a lot of information to make a lot of decisions. You need an abundance of technical knowledge about your ship and crew, the stars, the waters you are in and where you are bound. You need experience to line up the pros and cons of each possible route and destination, as well as the probabilities of successfully executing any maneuver you choose. And you need to be able to map your course according to your needs and goals: where you are going, and how — and how fast — you want to get there. Many of the decisions to be made on a given voyage are easy, straightforward, or indisputable; some are difficult and highly technical; at least a few are likely to be risky or controversial.
Physical and Developmental Disabilities

Applications of psychological assessment and intervention strategies to the problems of developmentally and physically disabled persons have proliferated in recent years (cf. Golden, 1984; Goldenson, Dunham, & Dunham, 1978; Hersen, Van Hasselt, & Matson, 1983). The heightened activity in this area is attributable, in part, to the burgeoning number of disabled individuals. Indeed, recent surveys reveal that as many as 36 million people, or 15% of the population of the United States, have some form of disability (Bowe, 1980). Of those 65 years or older, nearly 50% report a physical impairment (DeJong & Lifchez, 1983). Further, it has been estimated that 10% of children under age 21 are handicapped (Gliedman & Roth, 1980). Moreover, as a result of improved prenatal care, better nutrition, decreased infant mortality rates due to advances in surgical and medical care, and more effective treatments for infant diseases, the number of disabled persons is expected to rise sharply over the next decade (Anderson, 1969; Dibedenetto, 1976; Mulliken & Buckley, 1983).
AXL is a Putative Tumor Suppressor and Dormancy Regulator in Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer bone metastasis remains lethal and incurable, and often arises years after elimination of the primary tumor. It is unclear what underlies the decades-long clinical latency before recurrence, but evidence points to the existence of dormant residual tumor cells that disseminated before the primary tumor was eliminated. To design therapies to prevent progression of disseminated tumor cells (DTC) into lethal metastases, it is crucial to understand the mechanism(s) underlying this dormancy. The current study functionally validated our previous observation that implicated the GAS6/AXL axis in mediating DTC dormancy in the bone marrow. AXL-null and AXL-overexpressing prostate cancer cell lines were generated to determine if AXL was necessary and/or sufficient for dormancy. Characterization of these cells in vitro and using in vivo mouse models of DTC growth demonstrated that AXL was indeed sufficient to induce dormancy, but was unable to maintain it long-term and was not absolutely required for a dormancy period. Clinically, AXL expression correlated with longer survival in prostate cancer patients, and AXL was not expressed by cancer cells in primary or metastatic tissue. These data point to a tumor-suppressive role for AXL in prostate cancer, and future work is required to determine if AXL is expressed on human bone marrow DTCs. IMPLICATIONS: The ability of AXL to initiate but not maintain dormancy, coupled with its dispensability, suggests that targeting AXL alone will not prevent lethal metastatic outgrowth, and likely a cooperative network of factors exists to mediate long-term cellular dormancy.
Kidney Injury and Electrolyte Abnormalities in Liver Failure

The liver and kidney are key organs of metabolic homeostasis in the body and display complex interactions. Liver diseases often have direct and immediate effects on renal physiology and function. Conversely, acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common problem in patients with both acute and chronic liver diseases. AKI in patients with acute liver failure is usually multifactorial and involves insults similar to those seen in the general AKI population. Liver cirrhosis affects and is directly affected by aberrations in systemic and renal hemodynamics, inflammatory response, renal handling of sodium and free water excretion, and additional nonvasomotor mechanisms. Subsequent problems, for example, worsening ascites, hyponatremia, and AKI, often complicate management of patients with chronic progressive liver disease and add to their morbidity and mortality. Thus, AKI must be carefully defined and diagnosed in patients with liver disease. The kidney also plays a pivotal role in balancing acid-base disturbances resulting from advanced liver disease, making AKI in the setting of end-stage liver disease very difficult to manage clinically. While renal dysfunction in these patients often resolves following orthotopic liver transplant, dialysis may be required as a bridge to transplantation to mitigate the metabolic disarray found in these critically ill patients.