cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Online Asymmetric Active Learning with Imbalanced Data

This paper considers online learning with imbalanced streaming data under a query budget, where the act of querying for labels is constrained to a budget limit. We study different active querying strategies for classification. In particular, we propose an asymmetric active querying strategy that assigns different probabilities for query to examples predicted as positive and negative. To corroborate the proposed asymmetric query model, we provide a theoretical analysis on a weighted mistake bound. We conduct extensive evaluations of the proposed asymmetric active querying strategy in comparison with several baseline querying strategies and with previous online learning algorithms for imbalanced data. In particular, we perform two types of evaluations according to which examples appear as ``positive"/``negative''. In push evaluation only the positive predictions given to the user are taken into account; in push and query evaluation the decision to query is also considered for evaluation. The push and query evaluation strategy is particularly suited for a recommendation setting because the items selected for querying for labels may go to the end-user to enable customization and personalization. These would not be shown any differently to the end-user compared to recommended content (i.e., the examples predicated as positive). Additionally, given our interest in imbalanced data we measure F-score instead of accuracy that is traditionally considered by online classification algorithms. We also compare the querying strategies on five classification tasks from different domains, and show that the probabilistic query strategy achieves higher F-scores on both types of evaluation than deterministic strategy, especially when the budget is small, and the asymmetric query model further improves performance. When compared to the state-of-the-art cost-sensitive online learning algorithm under a budget, our online classification algorithm with asymmetric querying achieves a higher F-score on four of the five tasks, especially on the push evaluation.
Time-related effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog treatment in experimentally induced endometriosis in the rat *

The purpose of our study was to characterize the time-dependent effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRH-a) therapy on endometriosis explant using the rat model. Endometriosis was induced in 60 mature female rats. One group of treated animals as well as controls were killed at 2, 4, 6, and 8weeks of treatment at which time the explant was evaluated. Explant volume was significantly reduced in all treatment groups, an effect that was more significant in animals treated for ≥4weeks compared with those treated for only 2weeks. We conclude that GnRH-a treatment caused gradual regression of endometrial explant that was effectively complete by 4weeks of treatment. We further conclude that this experimental model may be useful in the evaluation of other modes of endometriosis therapy.
“Nephrogenic Adenoma”: An Unusual Metaplastic Change of Urothelium

Abstract“Nephrogenic adenoma” is a papillary bladder lesion of uncertain pathogenesis. We have studied 2 patients with this lesion for several years with serial biopsies in both cases. We believe that the natural history of “nephrogenic adenoma” and its invariable association with bladder irritation, coupled with the histopathologic and ultrastructural findings, strongly suggest that this “tumor” represents a papillary and glandular transformation of urothelium, in response to prolonged exposure to various injurious agents. It is best regarded as a metaplastic process rather than a hamartoma or a benign neoplasm. There is no reasonable basis for supposing that the process originates from mesonephric-derived epithelium. While not itself neoplastic nephrogenic metaplasia (our preferred term) is rarely associated with the late development of invasive but not, to date, metastasizing neoplasia. Routine cystoscopy would seem the most appropriate means of following these patients.
Drug-Protein Interaction

In order for a drug to act upon a receptor or be metabolized by an enzyme it must first be bound to receptor protein or enzyme. Because the study of drug interaction with receptor protein is difficult, model systems with serum proteins are utilized. Several of the more important types of bonds or forces of attraction between drug and protein are described, and various examples are presented.
A Tool for the Global Stabilization of Stochastic Nonlinear Systems

This technical note investigates the robust global stabilization problem for nonlinear systems subject to dynamic and stochastic disturbance, from the perspective of stochastic input-to-state stability. A new stochastic gain assignment method is developed. This method can be combined with the nonlinear small-gain theorem to design partial-state feedback controllers for stochastic nonlinear systems. A numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Nonnegative/Binary matrix factorization with a D-Wave quantum annealer

D-Wave quantum annealers represent a novel computational architecture and have attracted significant interest. Much of this interest has focused on the quantum behavior of D-Wave machines, and there have been few practical algorithms that use the D-Wave. Machine learning has been identified as an area where quantum annealing may be useful. Here, we show that the D-Wave 2X can be effectively used as part of an unsupervised machine learning method. This method takes a matrix as input and produces two low-rank matrices as output-one containing latent features in the data and another matrix describing how the features can be combined to approximately reproduce the input matrix. Despite the limited number of bits in the D-Wave hardware, this method is capable of handling a large input matrix. The D-Wave only limits the rank of the two output matrices. We apply this method to learn the features from a set of facial images and compare the performance of the D-Wave to two classical tools. This method is able to learn facial features and accurately reproduce the set of facial images. The performance of the D-Wave shows some promise, but has some limitations. It outperforms the two classical codes in a benchmark when only a short amount of computational time is allowed (200-20,000 microseconds), but these results suggest heuristics that would likely outperform the D-Wave in this benchmark.
Optimal Starting Point for Fifth Metatarsal Zone II Fractures: A Cadaveric Study.

Background:Identifying the optimal starting point for intramedullary fixation of tibia and femur fractures is well described in the literature using a retrograde or anterograde technique. This technique has not been applied to the fifth metatarsal, where screw trajectory can cause iatrogenic malreduction. The generally accepted starting point for the fifth metatarsal is “high and inside” to accommodate the fifth metatarsal’s dorsal apex and medial curvature. We used a retrograde technique to identify the optimal starting position for intramedullary fixation of fifth metatarsal fractures.Methods:Five matched cadaveric lower extremity pairs were dissected to the fifth metatarsal neck. An osteotomy was made to access the intramedullary canal. A retrograde reamer was passed to the base of the fifth metatarsal to ascertain the ideal entry point. Distances from each major structure on the lateral aspect of the foot were measured. Computed tomography scans helped assess base edge measurements.Results:In 6 of 10 ...
Odontoid Screw Fixation

Odontoid screw fixation for management of unstable odontoid fractures is a crucial procedure in any spine surgeon’s armamentarium. In this chapter, we review the indications for odontoid screw fixation before exploring preoperative considerations and providing a step-by-step guide to performing the procedure. A sample case is included to help illustrate the role of the procedure. Finally, we discuss a number of technical pearls and strategies for complication avoidance that may be of interest to both the novice and experienced surgeon.
212Pb-labeled B7-H3-targeting antibody for pancreatic cancer therapy in mouse models.

Abstract Introduction We recently validated monoclonal antibody (mAb) 376.96 as an effective carrier for targeted α-particle radioimmunotherapy (RIT) with 212 Pb in ovarian cancer mouse models. In this study, we tested the binding of radiolabeled mAb 376.96 to human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells and localization in xenografts in immune-deficient mice and evaluated 212 Pb-labeled 376.96 ( 212 Pb-376.96) for PDAC therapy. Methods In vitro Scatchard assays assessed the specific binding of 212 Pb-376.96 to human PDAC3 adherent differentiated cells and non-adherent cancer initiating cells (CICs) dissociated from tumorspheres. In vitro clonogenic assays were used to measure the proliferation of adherent PDAC3 cells and CIC-enriched tumorspheres treated with 212 Pb-376.96 or the irrelevant isotype-matched 212 Pb-F3-C25. Mice bearing patient derived pancreatic cancer Panc039 xenografts were i.v. injected with 0.17–0.70MBq 212 Pb-376.96 or isotype control 212 Pb-F3-C25, and used for biodistribution and tumor growth inhibition studies. Mice bearing orthotopic PDAC3 xenografts were i.v. co-injected with 99m Tc-376.96 and 125 I–F3-C25 and used for biodistribution studies. Results 212 Pb-376.96 specifically bound to PDAC3 adherent and dissociated tumorsphere CICs; K d values averaged 9.0 and 21.7nM, respectively, with 10 4 –10 5 binding sites/cell. 212 Pb-376.96 inhibited the clonogenic survival of PDAC3 cells or CICs dissociated from tumorspheres 3–6 times more effectively than isotype-matched control 212 Pb-F3-C25. Panc039 s.c . tumors showed significantly higher uptake of 212 Pb-376.96 (14.0±2.1% ID/g) compared to 212 Pb-F3-C25 (6.5±0.9% ID/g, p 99m Tc-376.96 (6.4±1.8% ID/g) compared to 125 I–F3-C25 (3.9±0.9% ID/g, p 212 Pb-376.96 compared to 212 Pb-F3-C25 or non-treated control tumors (p Conclusion Our results provide evidence for the efficacy of B7-H3 targeted RIT against preclinical models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and support future studies with 212 Pb-376.96 in combination with chemotherapy to potentiate efficacy against PDAC.
Optically Pumped PH3 Laser Operating in the 83–223 μm Region

Since the first reported generation of far IR laser radiation by Chang and Bridges in 1970, every spectroscopic type of molecule has been made to lase but the two most important types have been symmetric tops having inversion like NH3 and asymmetric tops with internal rotation like CH3OH. These symmetric and asymmetric tops have few atoms in the molecule but the inversion and internal rotation modes yield a rich molecular spectrum with many laser transitions possible.
Connecting Infrastructure to Entrepreneurship

Interconnectedness of the infrastructure and national economic development strategies have been touched upon throughout this book, but it must be reiterated that economic strategies cannot be implemented without entrepreneurs. Thus, interconnectedness of entrepreneurs and infrastructure becomes obvious. Although numerous scholars (Samli 2009) have alluded to the influence of local or national cultural values on economic development, it is likely entrepreneurs who will be the key drivers of new and emerging infrastructures. If, in the near future, infrastructure drivers are entrepreneurs, it is necessary to understand entrepreneurship before it can be connected to infrastructuring. In other words, without entrepreneurs nothing will happen, but entrepreneurship cannot emerge and function successfully without infrastructures. In this chapter, we discuss entrepreneurship in general and connect it to the infrastructure system.
Ready or not, here i come ...

We have been trying to explore embodied cognition by putting computational cognitive models on physical robots. We believe that there are three primary advantages to doing so: 1. Algorithms written for traditional real-time robotic systems tend to use efficient mathematical representations such as matrices, which may not be natural for people to use. People seem to use a combination of spatial and propositional knowledge (Shepard & Metzler, 1971;Taylor & Tversky, 1992). Using common representations also eliminates complex processes of translation and decreases confusion due to loss of information. 2. Second, if a human is going to collaborate in shared space with a robot, the robot should not exhibit unnatural or “alien” behaviors. Therefore, we propose that some robot behaviors should be modeled on human performance of a task. 3. Third, we believe that in some areas of robotics, the use of computational cognitive models, rather than traditional control algorithms, is simply a better programming technique for the task. For a domain, we have chosen hide and seek, because it forces us to work in a complex, dynamic environment, it allows us to explore embodied cognition issues (i.e., when is someone hiding?), and allows us to explore methods of combining both cognitive and robotic/AI methods into a single system. Hide and seek also encapsulates many interesting real-world tasks including urban search and rescue, homeland defense (finding nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons), and military actions such as finding hidden troops. In our previous work (Trafton, et al., 2004), we have described a case study of a young child learning how to play hide and seek. We built an ACT-R (Anderson and Lebiere, 1998) model of the sequence of learning that the child went through, put that model on the robot, and showed that the robot is able to learn where the appropriate places to hide are, and play hide and seek. We were able
Epinephrine-induced leukocytosis in acute asthma.

We studied epinephrine-induced changes in leukocyte counts in twelve persons with acute asthma and nine healthy, nonasthmatic individuals. Twenty-five minutes after subcutaneous injection of 0.3 mg of epinephrine, a significant increase in the mean numbers of total leukocytes was observed in both the asthmatic and control subjects, 9,195 to 10,519 and 6,733 to 9,222, respectively. Compared with controls, asthmatic individuals had increased numbers of total leukocytes, segmented neutrophils, and eosinophils prior to epinephrine, and the elevations in segmented neutrophils and eosinophils persisted after epinephrine. The increase in total leukocytes was largely secondary to an increase in lymphocytes. Lymphocyte increases were greater in control than in asthmatic individuals (P less than .001). Of clinical importance is the finding that leukocyte counts drawn shortly after treatment with epinephrine do not suggest infection in patients whose pre-epinephrine counts were normal.
Introduction to Trigonometry

This chapter presents an introduction to trigonometry. The study of trigonometry arose out of people's natural curiosity about the relationships that exist between the sides and angles in triangles. Trigonometry has applications in almost every branch of science and mathematics, including physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, surveying, and navigation. The study of trigonometry can be a rewarding experience. Like all branches of mathematics, it requires lots of practice at working problems. As in algebra, the understanding and mastery of trigonometry will come with practice. An angle is formed when two half-lines have a common end point. The common end point is called the vertex of the angle, and the half-lines are called the sides of the angle. The chapter also presents the Pythagorean theorem, which states that in any right triangle, the square of the length of the longest side—called the hypotenuse—is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides.
Measurement of Adjuncts in Hard Ciders Obtainable in the United States Using Carbon Isotopes

The carbon isotope compositions (δ13C values) of 23 hard ciders obtainable in the United States were analyzed to detect adjuncts, specifically added C4 sugars (i.e., corn syrup and cane sugar). In contrast, the main ingredient of hard ciders is fruit, mostly apple, juice which is derived from C3 plants. The labeled ingredients of ciders were found to be inconsistent with the carbon isotope ratios. A higher proportion of imported ciders studied had no isotopic evidence of added C4-based sweetener, while most domestic ciders had elevated δ13C values, indicative of C4-based sugar additives. European ciders could contain beet sugar, a common sweetener used in that region, which would not be detected as an additive because it is a C3-based sweetener. The δ13C values of the ciders were found to have no correlation with the amount of sugar in the cider, as reported on the nutritional information label, likely reflecting varying fermentation times. An increase in the amount of added C4 sugars did not correspond t...
Transgender Mental Health. 2018. American Psychiatric Association Publishing: Washington DC

Within the emerging populations of those who are adventuresome, courageous, or foolish enough to publicly express their inner sexual identity components, there has been an increasing trend towards ...
Public perceptions of and responses to new energy technologies

Energy’s central place in economic, political and social systems—and the broad impacts that energy choices have on the natural world and public health—mean that new technologies often spur public reactions. Understanding these public responses and their drivers is important, as public support can influence new technology adoption and deployment. Here I review the literature on public perceptions of and responses to a wide range of new energy technologies. Unlike previous reviews that tend to focus on particular technologies or types of technologies, this Review covers both large-scale energy infrastructure projects, such as utility-scale wind and solar, fossil fuel extraction and marine renewables, as well as small-scale, ‘consumer-facing’ technologies such as electric vehicles, rooftop solar and smart meters. This approach reveals broad trends that may facilitate communication between policymakers, technologists and the public, and support the transition to a more sustainable energy system. Public responses to new energy technologies can influence adoption and deployment. This Review brings together research on public perceptions of and responses to a wide range of energy technologies around the themes of technology, people, place and process.
Multiplexed laser particles for spatially resolved single-cell analysis

Biomolecular analysis at the single-cell level is increasingly important in the study of cellular heterogeneity and its consequences, particularly in organismic development and complex diseases such as cancer. Single-cell molecular analyses have led to the identification of new cell types1 and the discovery of novel targets for diagnosis and therapy2. While these analyses are performed predominantly on dissociated single cells, emerging techniques seek understanding of cellular state, cellular function and cell-cell interactions within the native tissue environment by combining optical microscopy and single-cell molecular analyses. These techniques include in situ multiplexed imaging of fluorescently labeled proteins and nucleotides, as well as low-throughput ex vivo methods in which specific cells are isolated for downstream molecular analyses. However, these methods are limited in either the number and type of molecular species they can identify or the number of cells that can be analyzed. High-throughput methods are needed for comprehensive profiling of many cells (>1000) to detect rare cell types, discriminate relevant biomarkers from intrinsic population noise, and reduce the time and cost of measurement. Many established, high-throughput single-cell analyses are not directly applicable because they require tissue dissociation, leading to a loss of spatial information3. No current methods exist that can seamlessly connect spatial mapping to single-cell techniques. In this Perspective, we review current methods for spatially resolved single-cell analysis and discuss the prospect of novel multiplexed imaging probes, called laser particles, which allow individual cells to be tagged in tissue and analyzed subsequently using high-throughput, comprehensive single-cell techniques.
What Can Chemical Carcinogenesis Shed Light on the LNT Hypothesis in Radiation Carcinogenesis

To protect the public’s health from exposure to physical, chemical, and microbiological agents, it is important that any policy be based on rigorous scientifically based research. The concept of “l...
What Village? Opportunities and Supports for Parental Involvement Outside of the Family Context.

Abstract Parental involvement research and practice has disproportionately focused on the characteristics of families that promote family-school partnerships. This study focuses instead on school and community characteristics that may elicit or support parental involvement for all families, but especially those from racial/ethnic minority groups. Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Cohort 2011 enhanced with data from the American Community Survey and the IRS, multilevel models reveal that educational organizations in the community are associated with higher levels of school-based parental involvement behaviors. This association varies across diverse racial/ethnic groups, such that the link between human service organizations and parental involvement is stronger for Latina/o families than for White and Black families.
Analysis of new cases of uveitis at academic and community settings.

Purpose Describe the demographics of new patients with uveitis presenting to an urban, academic centre and affiliated, suburban satellite clinics to assess if changes in infrastructure were needed for clinical care. Secondarily, examine the frequency of infectious uveitides. Methods A retrospective chart review of single academic centre of 436 consecutive, new patients with uveitis (686 eyes) and 3 affiliated, satellite clinics seen by 8 uveitis specialists from 1 July 2013 to 31 March 2017. Demographics recorded included patient age, race, associated systemic disease, uveitis chronicity, and anatomic location. The main outcome measure was comparing frequencies of patient demographics, immunosuppressive agent use, and infectious uveitis between locations. Results 366 patients (587 eyes) were evaluated at the academic clinic and 70 (99 eyes) at the satellite locations. Anterior uveitis was the most common anatomic location; more acute, unilateral cases were seen at satellites (p=0.007; p=0.002, respectively). A larger percentage of posterior and panuveitis cases presented to the academic centre (p Conclusions Anterior uveitis comprised the majority of cases in both clinics. Non-corticosteroid immunosuppressive agents were used more frequently at the academic clinic, reflecting more cases of chronic posterior and panuveitis. Compounded intravitreal injections, specialised ophthalmic imaging studies and high-risk medication monitoring can be centralised in the academic clinic. Infectious uveitis cases were seen at both locations, with an increase in syphilis diagnoses at the academic centre.
A Comparison of the Effects of Two Different Online Homework Systems on Levels of Knowledge Retention in General Chemistry Students.

Online homework systems have been shown to help student achievement in chemistry courses. This study sought to compare the levels of knowledge retention in students over the course of a semester, using two different types of homework systems—the adaptive-responsive system and the traditional-responsive system. Two sections of a first semester general chemistry course were investigated, with one section using the adaptive-responsive system and the other using the traditional-responsive system. Students’ grades on cumulative exams were compared across both sections, and it was found that students using the adaptive-responsive system scored significantly higher on the exams and retained significantly more information than the students in the other section. The results of this study should help inform the choices educators make regarding the homework system they choose to use, or even which parts of the different systems they choose to use or not to use based on the outcomes they would like for their student population.
Negotiating Freedom in Florida: A Study of Ethnogenesis and Resistance at Three Nineteenth-Century Florida Sites

Marronage was an extreme form of anti-slavery resistance in the Americas, however, we should not isolate Maroons from others fighting to maintain autonomy in the colonial Americas. This paper undertakes a comparative analysis of three Florida sites – Bulow Plantation, an urban plantation in St. Augustine, and the Maroon settlement of Pilaklikaha – through the dual frameworks of resistance and ethnogenesis, with the purpose of placing Maroons within a regional context. Ultimately, the archaeological materials examined highlight the common experiences shared by Maroons and their enslaved peers, and emphasize the significant role played by opportunity in shaping African diasporic cultural transformations in the nineteenth century.
Viable human brain microvessels for the study of aging and neurodegenerative diseases.

Abstract The brain microvasculature is altered in normal aging and in the presence of disease processes, such as neurodegeneration or ischemia, but there are few methods for studying living tissues. We now report that viable microvessels (MV) are readily isolated from brain tissue of subjects enrolled in studies of neurodegenerative diseases who undergo rapid autopsy (performed with
Coherent Scattering of Light in an Aharonov-Bohm Geometry

Recently the Aharonov-Bohm effect was demonstrated1 in the conductivity of a double-quantum-well structure which is schematically illustrated in Fig. 1. The wells are symmetric and provide two alternative paths for a ballistic electron. Their presence introduces an effective quantum number such that the quantum- well-localized Landau states acquire phase factors2 where $$Km = ({z_0} + L/2)\ell _B^{ - 2},{\text{ }}{\ell _B} = {(\hbar c/e{B_0})^{1/2}}.$$ (1)
Hsp104 is required for tolerance to many forms of stress.

Abstract Heat-shock proteins (hsps) are induced by many types of stress. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a mutation in the HSP104 gene, a member of the highly conserved hsp100 gene family, reduces the ability of log-phase fermenting cells to withstand high temperatures after mild, conditioning pretreatments. Here, we examine the expression of hsp104 and its importance for survival under many different conditions. Hsp104 is expressed at a higher level in respiring cells than in fermenting cells and is required for the unusually high basal thermotolerance of respiring cells. Its expression in stationary phase cells and spores is crucial for the naturally high thermotolerance of these cell types and for their long-term viability at low temperatures. The protein is of critical importance in tolerance to ethanol and of moderate importance in tolerance to sodium arsenite. Thus, the hsp104 mutation establishes the validity of a long-standing hypothesis in the heat-shock field, namely, that hsps have broadly protective functions. Further, that a single protein is responsible for tolerance to heat, ethanol, arsenite and long-term storage in the cold indicates that the underlying causes of lethality are similar in an extraordinary variety of circumstances. Finally, the protein is of little or no importance in tolerance to copper and cadmium, suggesting that the lethal lesions produced by these agents are fundamentally different from those produced by heat.
Predictors of physical competence in adolescent girls

Physical competence, comprising athletic competence and physical appearance competence, is positively related to feelings of self-worth in adolescent girls. This study compared the relationships of psychological, physiological, and maturational constructs with perceived physical competence in adolescent girls. Perceived physical appearance and perceived athletic competence, peer acceptance, body weight, body mass index (BMI), aerobic fitness (VO2max), physical activity level, and menarcheal status were assessed. Global self-worth was highly correlated with peer acceptance, perceived physical appearance, and perceived athletic competence in this sample. Regression analyses indicated that peer acceptance was the best predictor of perceived physical competence. Additional predictors of perceived physical appearance and athletic competence are discussed. Results suggest that postmenarcheal and larger girls may be at risk for low perceptions of physical competence. Enhancing competence feelings among adolescent girls may be accomplished by emphasizing friendship and social interaction within physical activity.
The dynamics of disaster

In August 2003, hundreds of Parisians returned from their summer holidays to an unholy smell. Ascending the stairs in their apartment buildings, they found the source: dead bodies. Between August 1st and 20th, a heat wave baked Europe, and nearly 15,000 people died in France alone. Fatal Isolation is a social autopsy of those deaths.
Ven Te Chow Memorial Lecture: Localizing water and food security

Ven Te Chow made significant and immense contributions to the field of hydrology, namely deterministic hydrology, stochastic hydrology, open-channel hydraulics and water resources in general, to na...
A Review of “America's Cold War: The Politics of Insecurity”

Be afraid. Be very afraid. Such alarmism constituted the Cold War mantra of American officials. The refrain remained the same, from one administration to the next, “no matter what was happening ove...
Introduction to computing: a fresh breadth of disciplines

This paper describes a breadth-first introduction to the computing disciplines. This approach differs from the breadth-first approach as given in the Computing Curriculum 2001 report in that it is the first course for students majoring in Computer Science (CS), Computer Information Systems (CIS), Information Technology (IT), Interactive Media (IM) or Computational Science (COS). The small university at which the course is offered has limited resources and limited student enrollment for the degree programs. Thus, courses must overlap in the degree programs. The new approach introduces computing, funnels students into the most appropriate major, increases retention and presents a more holistic picture of what is encompassed in the various computing disciplines. In the first offering of the course with the new approach, there has been a significant increase in the retention of students that continue in one of the computing majors.
The Supervisory Exclusion Under the NLRA

Supervisors are expressly excluded from the coverage of the National Labor Relations Act by Section 2(11). It is the contention of this article that the Supreme Court's decisions interpreting which employees are excluded from the act by that section go beyond Congress's intent in excluding supervisors. As result, many employees whom Congress fully intended to be covered by the NLRA are deprived of the act's protections.
Dynamic mechanical measurements on portland cement pastes during setting and hardening

Abstract Changes occurring in the dynamic mechanical properties of a Portland cement paste during setting at 21° to 22°C are presented for a sample with a water/cement ratio of 0.336. The dependence of the complex shear compliance, J ∗ = J′ - i J″ , for this viscoelasti material on both time after wet mix and the frequency of the small-amplitude sinusoidal shear oscillations used is adduced. Comparisons are made of the dynamic mechanical behavior for paste measured during set and that of paste samples from the same mix allowed to set and harden before testing; the elastic compliance level (J′) of the paste measured (and therefore vibrated in shear) during set is much less. The occurrence of sharp resonance dispersions at audiofrequencies (500 to 10,000 c/sec) for some of the samples is evident, and an apparent resonant frequency dependence on the micron-size diameters of the unhydrated cement particle cores is pointed out. These resonances and their time (particle size) dependence are in accord with previously advanced concepts on the existence of intrinsic momentum-wave modes in crystalline lattice segments. Suggestions for future dynamic mechanical measurements, and their probable relevance to both an increased understanding of the setting process and to nondestructive strength determinations, are also given.
Postharvest control treatments for Hypothenemus obscurus (F.) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) in macadamia nuts

Postharvest control techniques, including controlled-atmosphere treatments, cold and heat treatments, and composting of infested macadamia husks and nuts, were evaluated for control of Hypothenemus obscurus (F.) in macadamia nuts. Exposure of infested nuts in-husk to ≥95% CO2 at ambient temperatures (24-30°C) for 6 d resulted in 97.3% (±2.1) mortality of adult beetles. All adult insects were killed at this exposure time and concentration when nuts were husked (nuts in-shell) before treatment. A 14-d treatment of ≥95% N2 was required for 100% mortality in unhusked nuts. A cold treatment of 7°C for at least 14 d was required to provide 100% adult H. obscurus mortality in nuts in-husk. A 7-d heat treatment at 45°C also provided 100% mortality. Composting infested, culled macadamia nuts and husks with urea in a wooden bin system resulted in 100% mortality in 14 d, whereas composting with poultry manure resulted in 100% mortality in 7 d. A more rapid mortality (7 d) was obtained in a closed (drum) composting system compared with an open system (windrow pile), in which 14 d were required for complete H. obscurus control.
Exploring crown ethers as shift reagents for ion mobility spectrometry.

A series of crown ethers, 12-crown-4, 15-crown-5, 18-crown-6, and dibenzo-30-crown-10, are examined as a possible means of shifting the mobilities of peptide ions. In this approach, a crown ether is added to a solution containing a mixture of peptides and is electrosprayed into the gas phase in order to create distributions of peptide−crown complexes. The ion complexes have different mobilities than the naked peptide ions, and the crown ether molecules appear to interact specifically with basic sites in the peptides thus providing some sequence selectivity. After the peptide−crown complexes are separated by ion mobility spectrometry, the ions can be collisionally activated to dissociate the complex (forming the naked peptide ions) prior to m/z analysis. The overall effect is that complex formation shifts peptide ions to different regions of the mobility spectrum, extending the ability to resolve components. The approach is illustrated by examining isobaric dipeptides as well as a combinatorial library con...
Self Modeling with Flexible, Random Time Transformations

Methods for modeling sets of complex curves where the curves must be aligned in time (or in another continuous predictor) fall into the general class of functional data analysis and include self-modeling regression and time-warping procedures. Self-modeling regression (SEMOR), also known as a shape invariant model (SIM), assumes the curves have a common shape, modeled nonparametrically, and curve-specific differences in amplitude and timing, traditionally modeled by linear transformations. When curves contain multiple features that need to be aligned in time, SEMOR may be inadequate since a linear time transformation generally cannot align more than one feature. Time warping procedures focus on timing variability and on finding flexible time warps to align multiple data features. We draw on these methods to develop a SIM that models the time transformations as random, flexible, monotone functions. The model is motivated by speech movement data from the University of Wisconsin X-ray microbeam speech production project and is applied to these data to test the effect of different speaking conditions on the shape and relative timing of movement profiles.
Characterization of phospholipids and localization of some phospholipid synthetic and subcellular marker enzymes in subcellular fractions from rabbit lung

Abstract Following an alveolar wash, lung tissue from 3-day-old rabbits was gently homogenized and fractionated into organelle, cytosol, microsome and low density microsome fractions. The organelle fraction was further separated on isopycnic continuous sucrose gradients. All fractions were characterized by phosphatidylcholine and protein content, saturated-to-total phosphatidylcholine ratios, and phospholipid compositions. Rabbits were injected with radioactively labeled palmatic acid 10 min to 8 h before killing, and the specific activities (cpm/μmol) of phosphatidylcholine recovered from fractions from continuous gradients were measured. Each fraction was assayed for the presence of four subcellular marker enzymes: NADPH : cytochrome c reductase, succinate : cytochrome c reductase, 5'-nucleotidase and UDPgalactose galactosyltransferase, and four phospholipid biosynthetic enzymes: cholinephosphotransferase, glycerolphosphate phosphatidyltransferase, phosphatidic acid phosphatase and lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase. Results were as follows: 1. Lung microsomes can be fractionated into low (under l M sucrose) and high (over 1 M sucrose) density fractions. The low density fractions have more sphingomyelin, more 5'-nucleotidase and UDPgalactose galactosyltransferase activity and probably represent in part plasma membrane and Golgi fragments. 2. The organelle fraction contains a spectrum of particulate matter with phospholipids characteristic of endoplasmic reticulum fragments at high density (1.5 M sucrose) and lamellar bodies at low density (0.5 M sucrose). 3. NADPH : cytochrome c reductase was present in relatively low density fractions from the continuous gradient but not at densities characteristic of lamellar bodies, while residual 5'-nucleotidase activity remained in lamellar body fractions. Cholinephosphotransferase and glycerolphosphate phosphatidyltransferase were confined to high density fractions from the continuous gradients while phosphatidic acid phosphatase and lysophosphatidylcholine acyl transferase activities were detected across the gradients. The various microsomal enzymes had disparate specific activity profiles across the continuous gradients. 4. After injection of radioactively labeled palmitic acid, radioactively labeled phosphatidylcholine sequentially enters less dense fractions with time. The distribution of the radioactively label supports the hypothesis that surfactant phospholipids move sequentially through a series of high density subcellular particles toward the low density lamellar bodies.
Risk factors for leukemic transformation in patients with primary myelofibrosis

BACKGROUND. Previous prognostic studies in primary myelofibrosis have focused on risk factors for overall survival and have resulted in the establishment of several prognostic scoring systems. However, to the authors' knowledge, information regarding risk factors for leukemic transformation in primary myelofibrosis is limited. METHODS. The current retrospective study examined clinical variables at the time of diagnosis and specific treatment modalities for their effect on leukemic transformation in 311 patients with primary myelofibrosis who were seen at the Mayo Clinic. RESULTS. Univariate analysis of parameters at the time of diagnosis revealed a significant association between inferior leukemia-free survival and a peripheral blood blast percentage ≥3 (P < .0001), a platelet count <100 × 109/L (P = .004), a monocyte count ≥1 × 109/L (P = .02), the presence of hypercatabolic symptoms (P = .03), a low hemoglobin level (P = .04), and a high leukocyte count (P = .04). The first 2 parameters were found to maintain their statistical significance during multivariate analysis. Neither leukemia-free nor overall survival was found to be affected by the presence of <3% peripheral blood blasts or JAK2V617F mutation. The evaluation of treatment effect on leukemic transformation unexpectedly revealed a significant and independent association with previous therapy with either erythropoiesis‒stimulating agents (P = .004) or danazol (P = .007), even when the aforementioned prognostic indicators at the time of diagnosis were added as covariates to the multivariate model. In contrast, leukemia-free survival was not found to be affected by a treatment history with hydroxyurea, thalidomide, or other drugs. CONCLUSIONS. A peripheral blood blast percentage ≥3 and/or a platelet count <100 × 109/L at the time of diagnosis were found to be strong and independent predictors of leukemic transformation in patients with primary myelofibrosis. The unexpected association between leukemic transformation and a history of treatment with erythropoiesis‒stimulating agents or danazol requires validation by prospective studies. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
Ophthalmologic Screening in 25 Consecutive Geriatric Psychiatric Inpatient Admissions

In the aging process, people are at increasing risk of visual abnormalities such as cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and other retinal defects. This holds true for geriatric psychiatric patients as well. These ophthalmic problems may increase risk of falls or increase the comorbidity from dementing processes and depression. Geriatric patients presenting for psychiatric treatment may also be misdiagnosed or under-diagnosed as a result of these visual problems. This quality assurance review of 25 consecutive geriatric psychiatric inpatients demonstrated discrepancies between chart documentation and actual ophthalmologic pathology present in the patients. Doing a simple but complete ophthalmologic screening as part of the general physical examination on admission to an inpatient psychiatric unit can identify those patients who will need more in depth examination of their eyes and promote more accurate differential diagnoses for the patients.
Cerebrospinal fluid cutaneous fistula after epidural analgesia in a child.

Background and Objectives Cerebrospinal fluid cutaneous fistulae are rare complications of neuraxial needle procedures. Case Report We present the first reported case of a persistent cerebrospinal fluid cutaneous fistula in a child who underwent epidural analgesia. Careful assessment and circumspect treatment of this cerebrospinal fluid cutaneous fistula led to an excellent outcome in this child. Conclusions Assessment can be challenging in young children, and guidelines for management are absent. Technical issues in treatment are discussed in addition to pitfalls in diagnosis in young children.
Does valganciclovir hydrochloride (valcyte) provide effective prophylaxis against cytomegalovirus infection in liver transplant recipients

Abstract Introduction Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection after solid organ transplantation is one of the most common viral infections, causing significant morbidity and mortality if not treated promptly. Ganciclovir has proven to be effective for the prophylaxis and treatment of CMV. However, oral absorption of ganciclovir is poor. Recently, oral administration of valganciclovir hydrochloride (Valcyte) has been observed to display 10-fold better absorption than oral ganciclovir. Valganciclovir has increasingly been used as prophylaxis against CMV after solid organ transplantation. The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of valganciclovir prophylaxis therapy after primary liver transplantation. Patients and Methods Between July 2001 and May 2003, 203 consecutive liver transplant recipients, including 129 men and 74 women of overall mean age 53 ± 11 years, received valganciclovir (900 mg/d or 450 mg every other day depending on renal function) for 3 to 6 months after primary liver transplantation. All patients were followed up for a minimum of 6 months. Mean follow-up was 19 ± 5.8 months. CMV DNA in peripheral blood was tested using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. Symptomatic CMV was stratified according to the CMV immunoglobulin (Ig)G status of the donor and recipient at the time of liver transplantation. Donors and recipients were classified preoperatively into groups according to the presence or absence of CMV as follows: group 1 (n = 73; donor CMV+, recipient CMV+); group 2 (n = 41; donor CMV−, recipient CMV+); group 3 (n = 54; donor CMV+, recipient CMV−; high-risk group); and group 4 (n = 35; donor CMV−, recipient CMV−). Results Twenty-nine patients (14.3%) developed symptomatic CMV disease at 169 ± 117 days after liver transplantation: group 1, 16.4% versus group 2, 7.3% versus group 3, 25.9% versus group 4, 0%. Of these patients, 5 also had invasive CMV on liver biopsy, which was performed owing to abnormal liver functions. All 29 patients were treated with intravenous ganciclovir. One patient died owing to disseminated CMV, whereas the remaining 28 patients responded to treatment. Interestingly, 8 patients, including 1 who had invasive CMV hepatitis, developed symptomatic CMV within 90 days of liver transplantation even while on prophylactic valganciclovir. Conclusion Valganciclovir failed to provide adequate prophylaxis following liver transplantation in our patients. The overall rate of CMV in seropositive donors and/or recipients was 17%, and in the high-risk group was 26%. Further prospective studies with measurement of ganciclovir concentrations are needed to elucidate the reasons for this unexpected failure.
The relationship between antibiotic residue violations and somatic cell counts in Wisconsin dairy herds.

The objective of this retrospective observational study was to characterize somatic cell counts (SCC) on Wisconsin dairy farms and to determine the relationship between SCC and the risk of antibiotic residue violation. Monthly official state regulatory data were used when both the bulk tank SCC value and antibiotic test results were available for the same date. Data were collected from Wisconsin dairy farms from January 1995 through November 1998 and consisted of results of tests performed on 805,772 grade A and 176,763 grade B milk samples. Herd-year SCC averages were used to classify herds (≤250,000; 251,000 to 400,000, 401,000 to 550,000, 551,000 to 700,000, >700,000), and the relative risk of antibiotic residue by SCC class was determined. Arithmetic mean SCC values were 334,634 and 480,029 for grade A and grade B milk, respectively. SCC values were significantly higher for samples with positive antibiotic residue tests for grade A milk during all 4 yr tested. The SCC values were significantly higher for samples with positive antibiotic residue tests for grade B milk for 3 of 4 yr. The rate of antibiotic residue violation per 1000 herd-years increased with SCC class for both grade A and grade B milk. The relative risks of antibiotic residue violation by SCC class were 1.0, 1.43, 2.38, 2.78, and 7.10 for grade A milk and 1.0, 1.11, 2.67, 4.33, and 5.43 for grade B milk. Programs to reduce the level of subclinical mastitis on dairy farms may have an additional benefit of reducing the risk of antibiotic residue violations.