cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential Lipid Profiles of Normal Human Brain Matter and Gliomas by Positive and Negative Mode Desorption Electrospray Ionization - Mass Spectrometry Imaging.

Desorption electrospray ionization—mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) imaging was used to analyze unmodified human brain tissue sections from 39 subjects sequentially in the positive and negative ionization modes. Acquisition of both MS polarities allowed more complete analysis of the human brain tumor lipidome as some phospholipids ionize preferentially in the positive and others in the negative ion mode. Normal brain parenchyma, comprised of grey matter and white matter, was differentiated from glioma using positive and negative ion mode DESI-MS lipid profiles with the aid of principal component analysis along with linear discriminant analysis. Principal component–linear discriminant analyses of the positive mode lipid profiles was able to distinguish grey matter, white matter, and glioma with an average sensitivity of 93.2% and specificity of 96.6%, while the negative mode lipid profiles had an average sensitivity of 94.1% and specificity of 97.4%. The positive and negative mode lipid profiles provided complementary information. Principal component–linear discriminant analysis of the combined positive and negative mode lipid profiles, via data fusion, resulted in approximately the same average sensitivity (94.7%) and specificity (97.6%) of the positive and negative modes when used individually. However, they complemented each other by improving the sensitivity and specificity of all classes (grey matter, white matter, and glioma) beyond 90% when used in combination. Further principal component analysis using the fused data resulted in the subgrouping of glioma into two groups associated with grey and white matter, respectively, a separation not apparent in the principal component analysis scores plots of the separate positive and negative mode data. The interrelationship of tumor cell percentage and the lipid profiles is discussed, and how such a measure could be used to measure residual tumor at surgical margins.
Goggatomy: A Method for Opening Small Cuticular Compartments in Arthropods for Physiological Experiments

Most sense organs of arthropods are ensconced in small exoskeletal compartments that hinder direct access to plasma membranes. We have developed a method for exposing live sensory and supporting cells in such structures. The technique uses a viscous light cured resin to embed and support the structure, which is then sliced with a sharp blade. We term the procedure a ‘goggatomy’, from the Khoisan word for a bug, gogga. To demonstrate the utility of the method we show that it can be used to expose the auditory chordotonal organs in the second antennal segment and the olfactory receptor neurons in the third antennal segment of Drosophila melanogaster, preserving the transduction machinery. The procedure can also be used on other small arthropods, like mosquitoes and mites to expose a variety of cells.
Macroeconomic Adjustment Under Bretton Woods and the Post-Bretton-Woods Float: An Impulse-Response Analysis

We use time-series methods to estimate a simple aggregate supply and demand model in order to analyse the comparative performance of fixed and flexible exchange rate systems and test competing hypotheses designed to explain shifts between exchange rate regimes. The paper provides a coherent explanation of the causes and consequences of the shift from the Bretton Woods System of pegged exchange rates to the post-Bretton-Woods float. The shift from fixed to floating was associated with a modest increase in the cross-country dispersion of supply shocks, but not with an increase in their average magnitude. There was little change in either the cross-country dispersion or the average magnitude of demand shocks. More important in explaining the collapse of Bretton Woods were factors that heightened the impact of shocks on the external account such as the 1958 removal of controls on current account convertibility and the declining effectiveness of capital controls. These factors obliged governments to respond to supply shocks with changes in demand that stabilized prices and the exchange rate at the expense of increased output volatility.
Vision-based control of a soft robot for maskless head and neck cancer radiotherapy

This work presents an on-going investigation of the control of a pneumatic soft-robot actuator addressing accurate patient positioning systems in maskless head and neck cancer radiotherapy. We employ two RGB-D sensors in a sensor fusion scheme to better estimate a patient's head pitch motion. A system identification prediction error model is used to obtain a linear time invariant state space model. We then use the model to design a linear quadratic Gaussian feedback controller to manipulate the patient head position based on sensed head pitch motion. Experiments demonstrate the success of our approach.
Public Management In North America

Although recent public management reforms in Canada. Mexico and the USA are characterized by similar themes and vocabularies - privatization, customer service, devolution - the nature and extent of actual change reflects the national politics and administrative histories of the three countries. In brief, Canadian public management has been heavily influenced by the need for fiscal retrenchment at both, national and provincial levels, Mexican public management has been influenced by the transition from oligarchic to democratic governance at federal, state and local levels, and USA public management has been preocuppied at the federal level with implementation of the Government Performance and Results Act and with the miscellaneous initiatives organized under the ‘Reinventing Government’ theme as it has been popularized by the Clinton administration.
THE MONOBLOCK CUP: TRIED & TRUE

There are many types and articulating surfaces in acetabular cups. Most of the designs currently available are modular, the liner snapping into a locking mechanism of some type. These modular inserts may be polyethylene, usually highly crosslinked polyethylene, or ceramic. Metal shells used in metal-on-metal devices are usually of a monoblock design. The elliptical monoblock design has been available for 20 years and was originally made of Titanium with a compression molded polyethylene liner. Tantalum (trabecular metal) was used as the shell material in the more recent designs and the polyethylene is actually molded directly into the tantalum framework. Monoblock acetabular components have a number of advantages. They do not allow access to the ilium because there are no holes in the socket shell with the monoblock construct. They require no locking mechanism which may increase metallic debris. No back surface liner wear can occur because all motion is eliminated at the liner/shell interface. However, because of this absence of screw holes there is an inability to visualise the floor of the acetabulum and perfect coaptation between the shell and the acetabular floor may not occur. The presence of dome gaps of greater than 1.5 mm have been noted in 5% of these components but these have not compromised implant stability and in a review of over 600 cups there has been no change in implant position. Results with over 258 monoblock cups with a minimum of 10-year follow-up (10–15 years) have been excellent. (Poultsides, et al) The incidence of pelvic osteolysis was not seen in any patient in this series. There were 3 revisions for instability but none for mechanical failure. There were 3 femoral revisions for loosening but the cup was intact and not revised in these patients. Utilizing the Livermore measurement method polyethylene wear averages 0.08 mm per year (0.06 – 0.13 mm) and there have been no revisions for wear. Radiographic evaluation demonstrates stable bony interface in all patients. At minimum 10- year follow-up the monoblock acetabular component with compression molded polyethylene confirms the theoretical advantages of this design and results have been excellent. Moen et al have demonstrated no osteolysis in CT scans in tantalum monoblock cups at a follow up of 10.3 years.
Resilient operation of multiple energy carrier microgrids

This paper proposed a methodology to identify the vulnerable components, and ensure the resilient operation of coordinated electricity and natural gas infrastructures considering multiple disruptions within the microgrid. The microgrid demands, which consist of electricity and heat demands, are served by the interdependent electricity and natural gas supplies. The proposed approach addressed the vulnerability of multiple energy carrier microgrids against various interdictions, which is used to apply preventive reinforcements to increase the resilience of energy supply and decrease the operation cost. The proposed methodology is formulated as a bi-level optimization problem to address the optimal and secure operation of multiple energy carrier microgrids. The interdependence between natural gas and electricity infrastructures is addressed to show the effectiveness of the presented methodology in improving the resilience of generation and demand scheduling against deliberate actions causing disruptions in the interdependent energy infrastructures in multiple energy carrier microgrids.
The Minimal Clinically Important Difference for the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory.

Objectives:To determine the Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) and Robust Clinically Important Difference (RCID) of the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Inventory–4 (MPAI-4) as measures of response to intervention.Methods:Retrospective analysis of existing data. Both distribution- and anchor-b
Three-Dimensional Printing and Its Applications in Otorhinolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery:

Objective Three-dimensional (3D)-printing technology is being employed in a variety of medical and surgical specialties to improve patient care and advance resident physician training. As the costs of implementing 3D printing have declined, the use of this technology has expanded, especially within surgical specialties. This article explores the types of 3D printing available, highlights the benefits and drawbacks of each methodology, provides examples of how 3D printing has been applied within the field of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, discusses future innovations, and explores the financial impact of these advances. Data Sources Articles were identified from PubMed and Ovid MEDLINE. Review Methods PubMed and Ovid Medline were queried for English articles published between 2011 and 2016, including a few articles prior to this time as relevant examples. Search terms included 3-dimensional printing, 3 D printing, otolaryngology, additive manufacturing, craniofacial, reconstruction, temporal bone, airway, sinus, cost, and anatomic models. Conclusions Three-dimensional printing has been used in recent years in otolaryngology for preoperative planning, education, prostheses, grafting, and reconstruction. Emerging technologies include the printing of tissue scaffolds for the auricle and nose, more realistic training models, and personalized implantable medical devices. Implications for Practice After the up-front costs of 3D printing are accounted for, its utilization in surgical models, patient-specific implants, and custom instruments can reduce operating room time and thus decrease costs. Educational and training models provide an opportunity to better visualize anomalies, practice surgical technique, predict problems that might arise, and improve quality by reducing mistakes.
Classification and Mapping of Agricultural Land for National Water-Quality Assessment

The U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program is designed to describe the status and trends in the quality of the nation's ground- and surface-water resources and to link the status and trends with an understanding of the natural and human factors that affect the quality of water. The program integrates information about water quality at a wide range of spatial scales, from local to national, and focuses on water-quality conditions that affect large areas of the nation or occur frequently within small areas.
Table-top Soft X-Ray Lasers

Since first demonstrated plasma-based soft x-ray lasers have increased in average power and repetition rate by more than four orders of magnitude. The physics, status, applications, and prospects of table-top soft x-ray lasers is reviewed.
A data quality metric (DQM): how to estimate the number of undetected errors in data sets

Data cleaning, whether manual or algorithmic, is rarely perfect leaving a dataset with an unknown number of false positives and false negatives after cleaning. In many scenarios, quantifying the number of remaining errors is challenging because our data integrity rules themselves may be incomplete, or the available gold-standard datasets may be too small to extrapolate. As the use of inherently fallible crowds becomes more prevalent in data cleaning problems, it is important to have estimators to quantify the extent of such errors. We propose novel species estimators to estimate the number of distinct remaining errors in a dataset after it has been cleaned by a set of crowd workers -- essentially, quantifying the utility of hiring additional workers to clean the dataset. This problem requires new estimators that are robust to false positives and false negatives, and we empirically show on three real-world datasets that existing species estimators are unstable for this problem, while our proposed techniques quickly converge.
A new proof of scattering below the ground state for the 3d radial focusing cubic NLS

We revisit the scattering result of Holmer and Roudenko on the radial focusing cubic NLS in three space dimensions. Using the radial Sobolev embedding and a virial/Morawetz estimate, we give a simple proof of scattering below the ground state that avoids the use of concentration compactness.
Populism and the Return of the “Paranoid Style”: Some Evidence and a Simple Model of Demand for Incompetence as Insurance against Elite Betrayal

Abstract We present a simple model of populism as the rejection of “disloyal” leaders. We show that adding the assumption that people are worse off when they experience low income as a result of leader betrayal (than when it is the result of bad luck) to a simple voter choice model yields a preference for incompetent leaders even if all leaders have the same underlying probability of betrayal. These deliver worse material outcomes in general, but they reduce the feelings of betrayal during bad times. Some evidence consistent with our model is gathered from the Trump–Clinton 2016 election: on average, subjects primed with the importance of competence in policymaking decrease their support for Trump, the candidate who scores lower on competence in our survey (even amongst Trump supporters). But two groups respond to the treatment with a large (approximately 5 percentage points) increase in their support for Donald Trump: those living in rural areas and those that are low educated, white and living in urban and suburban areas.
Output-feedback stochastic nonlinear stabilization

The authors present the first result on global output-feedback stabilization (in probability) for stochastic nonlinear continuous-time systems. The class of systems that they consider is a stochastic counterpart of the broadest class of deterministic systems for which globally stabilizing controllers are currently available. Their controllers are "inverse optimal" and possess an infinite gain margin. A reader of the paper needs no prior familiarity with techniques of stochastic control.
Tracing Remnants of the Baryon Vector Current Anomaly in Neutron Radiative β-Decay

Abstract We show that a triple-product correlation in the neutron radiative _-decay rate, characterized by the kinematical variable η ≡ (le × lv) k, where n(p) → p(p’) + e - (le) + v e (l v ) + γ(k), isolates the pseudo-Chern-Simons term found by Harvey, Hill, and Hill as a consequence of the baryon vector current anomaly and SU(2)L_U(1)Y gauge invariance at low energies. The correlation appears if the imaginary part of the coupling constant is no zero, so that its observation at anticipated levels of sensitivity would reflect the presence of sources of CP violation beyond the Standard Model. We compute the size of the asymmetry in n → pe - v e γ decay as a function of the coupling, estimate the e_ect ofStandard-Model final-state interactions, and discuss the role nuclear processes can play in discovering the e_ect.
Phase-space explorations in time-dependent density functional theory

Abstract We discuss two problems which are particularly challenging for approximations in time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) to capture: momentum-distributions in ionization processes, and memory-dependence in real-time dynamics. We propose an extension of TDDFT to phase-space densities, discuss some formal aspects of such a “phase-space density functional theory” and explain why it could ameliorate the problems in both cases. For each problem, a two-electron model system is exactly numerically solved and analysed in phase-space via the Wigner function distribution.
Polar Coding for Secret-Key Generation

Practical implementations of secret-key generation are often based on sequential strategies, which handle reliability and secrecy in two successive steps, called reconciliation and privacy amplification. In this paper, we propose an alternative approach based on polar codes that jointly deals with reliability and secrecy. Specifically, we propose secret-key capacity-achieving polar coding schemes for the following models: (i) the degraded binary memoryless source (DBMS) model with rate-unlimited public communication, (ii) the DBMS model with one-way rate-limited public communication, (iii) the 1-to-m broadcast model and (iv) the Markov tree model with uniform marginals. For models (i) and (ii) our coding schemes remain valid for non-degraded sources, although they may not achieve the secret-key capacity. For models (i), (ii) and (iii), our schemes rely on pre-shared secret seed of negligible rate; however, we provide special cases of these models for which no seed is required. Finally, we show an application of our results to secrecy and privacy for biometric systems. We thus provide the first examples of low-complexity secret-key capacity-achieving schemes that are able to handle vector quantization for model (ii), or multiterminal communication for models (iii) and (iv).
A logic for reasoning about upper probabilities

We present a propositional logic to reason about the uncertainty of events, where the uncertainty is modeled by a set of probability measures assigning an interval of probability to each event. We give a sound and complete axiomatization for the logic, and show that the satisfiability problem is NP-complete, no harder than satisfiability for propositional logic.
Evolutionary dynamics of Lewis signaling games: signaling systems vs. partial pooling

Transfer of information between senders and receivers, of one kind or another, is essential to all life. David Lewis introduced a game theoretic model of the simplest case, where one sender and one receiver have pure common interest. How hard or easy is it for evolution to achieve information transfer in Lewis signaling?. The answers involve surprising subtleties. We discuss some if these in terms of evolutionary dynamics in both finite and infinite populations, with and without mutation.
A rare case of acute promyelocytic leukemia with focal bone marrow involvement presenting as a paraspinal myeloid sarcoma

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) accounts for 5–8% of acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs). Myeloid sarcomas (MS) are rare extramedullary tumors consisting of immature myeloid cells. These tumors may develop de novo or concurrently with AML and may precede or coincide with the occurrence of AML. The occurrence of MS in an APL patient is a rare clinical event. In these cases, it usually occurs as a sign of relapse. Focal bone marrow involvement by APL is also rare; the majority of cases of APL demonstrate a diffusely hypercellular bone marrow throughout the axial skeleton due to expansion of neoplastic blasts/promyelocytes. We describe a 23-year-old female who presented with gait problems, including multiple falling episodes, and lower extremity weakness. An MRI demonstrated a paraspinal soft tissue mass. Histopathologic analysis demonstrated a myeloid sarcoma expressing CD45, myeloperoxidase, CD117, BCL2, focal weak CD34, and weak CD99 and negative for CD30, TdT, CD20, CD3, and CD10. The bone marrow aspirate demonstrated blasts/promyelocytes accounting for approximately 26% of the total bone marrow aspirate cellularity. The bone marrow biopsy and clot section demonstrated normocellularity with a few blast/promyelocyte foci on the clot section accounting for approximately 5% of total bone marrow cellularity. These foci expressed MPO and CD117 and were negative for CD34. Flow cytometry demonstrated blasts accounting for approximately 31% of all CD45+ events expressing MPO, CD33, CD13, CD117, CD64, CD2, CD38, and CD71 and negative for CD34, HLA-DR, CD11b, CD14, CD15, CD16, CD19, CD22, CD10, CD56, CD61, and surface and cytoplasmic CD3. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis was positive for the t(15;17)(q22;q12) promyelocytic leukemia/retinoic acid receptor alpha (PML/RARA) translocation. The patient was induced with arsenic trioxide and subsequently underwent consolidation chemotherapy with daunorubicin and all-trans-retinoic acid. Her post-chemotherapy bone marrow biopsy was negative for residual disease. Flow cytometry and FISH analysis were also negative. This is a rare case of APL involving both the initial presentation as myeloid sarcoma and focal bone marrow involvement.
THORACOSCOPIC SCOLIOSIS SURGERY – A CHEAPER OPTION? A COST ANALYSIS OF 189 CONSECUTIVE CASES

Increasing health care costs, limited resources and increased demand makes cost-effective and cost-efficient delivery of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) management paramount. Rising implant costs in deformity surgery have prompted justification of high implant density. The objective of this study was to analyse the costs of thoracoscopic scoliosis surgery, comparing initial learning curve costs with those of the established technique and to the costs involved in posterior instrumented fusion from the literature. 189 consecutive cases from April 2000 to July 2011 were assessed with a minimum of 2 years follow-up using a prospective database covering perioperative factors, clinical and radiological outcomes, complications and patient-reported outcomes. The patients were divided into three groups to allow comparison; 1. A learning curve cohort, 2. An intermediate cohort and 3. A third cohort using our established technique. Hospital finance records and implant manufacturer figures were corrected to 2013 costs. A literature review of AIS management costs and implant density in similar curve types was performed. The mean pre-op Cobb angle was 53°(95%CI 0.4) and was corrected postop to mean 22.9°(CI 0.4). The overall complication rate was 20.6%, primarily in the first cohort, with a rate of 5.6% in the third cohort. The average total costs were $46,732, operating room costs of $10,301 (22.0%) and ICU costs of $4620 (9.8%). The mean number of screws placed was 7.1 (CI 0.04) with a single rod used for each case giving average implant costs of $14,004 (29.9%). Comparison of the three groups revealed higher implant costs as the technique evolved to that in use today, from $13,049 in Group 1 to $14577 in Group 3 (P<0.001). Conversely operating room costs reduced from $10,621 in Group 1 to $7573 (P<0.001) in Group 3. ICU stay was reduced from an average of 1.2 to 0 days. In-patient stay was significantly (P=0.006) lower in Groups 2 and 3 (5.4 days) than Group 1 (5.9 days). Our thoracoscopic anterior scoliosis correction has evolved to include an increase in levels fused and reduction in complication rate. Implant costs have risen, however, there has been a concurrent decrease in those costs generated by operating room use, ICU and in-patient stay with increasing experience. Literature review of equivalent curve types treated posteriorly shows similar perioperative factors but higher implant density, 69–83% compared to the 50% in this study. Thoracoscopic Scoliosis surgery presents a low density, reliable, efficient and effective option for selected curves.
Sulfate radical oxidation of aromatic contaminants: a detailed assessment of density functional theory and high-level quantum chemical methods.

Advanced oxidation processes that utilize highly oxidative radicals are widely used in water reuse treatment. In recent years, the application of sulfate radical (SO4˙−) as a promising oxidant for water treatment has gained increasing attention. To understand the efficiency of SO4˙− in the degradation of organic contaminants in wastewater effluent, it is important to be able to predict the reaction kinetics of various SO4˙−-driven oxidation reactions. In this study, we utilize density functional theory (DFT) and high-level wavefunction-based methods (including computationally-intensive coupled cluster methods), to explore the activation energies of SO4˙−-driven oxidation reactions on a series of benzene-derived contaminants. These high-level calculations encompass a wide set of reactions including 110 forward/reverse reactions and 5 different computational methods in total. Based on the high-level coupled-cluster quantum calculations, we find that the popular M06-2X DFT functional is significantly more accurate for OH− additions than for SO4˙− reactions. Most importantly, we highlight some of the limitations and deficiencies of other computational methods, and we recommend the use of high-level quantum calculations to spot-check environmental chemistry reactions that may lie outside the training set of the M06-2X functional, particularly for water oxidation reactions that involve SO4˙− and other inorganic species.
PROXIMAL TIBIAL OSTEOTOMY: UNLOADING THE MEDIAL COMPARTMENT

The biomechanical rationale for osteotomy and the pathogenesis of degenerative arthrosis accompanying malalignment has been delineated well. Malalignment of the limb results in added stress on damaged articular cartilage and causes further loss of articular cartilage that subsequently exacerbates the limb malalignment. A downward spiral of progressive deformity and additional loss of articular cartilage occurs over time. Osteotomy can be used to realign the limb, reduce stress on the articular cartilage at risk and share the load with the opposite compartment of the knee. In appropriately selected patients osteotomy is a reliable operation to improve pain and function. Over the past two decades osteotomy has been viewed largely as a temporizing measure to buy time for patients before they ultimately have a total knee arthroplasty. In this role, osteotomy has largely been accepted as successful. Substantial improvements in pain and function have been documented and seem to hold up well over a 7- to 10-year period after the osteotomy. Medial opening wedge osteotomy has recently gained in popularity in the United States after a long period of use in Europe. Potential advantages of the medial opening wedge technique include the ability to easily adjust the degree of correction intra-operatively, the ability to correct deformities in the sagittal plane as well as the coronal plane, the need to make only one bone cut, and avoiding the tibiofibular joint. The downsides of the opening wedge technique include the need for bone graft to fill the created defect, a potentially higher rate of non-union or delayed union, and a longer period of restricted weight bearing after the procedure.
DISTAL NECK MODULARITY IN PRIMARY THA: THE BRIDGE TOO FAR – OPPOSES

Distal neck modularity places a modular connection at a mechanically critical location which is also the location that confers perhaps the greatest clinical utility. Assessment of femoral anteversion in 342 of our total hip replacement (THR) patients by CT showed a range from −24 to 61 degrees. The use of monoblock stems in some of these deformed femurs therefore must result in a failure to appropriately reconstruct the hip and have increased risks of impingement, instability, accelerated bearing wear or fracture, and adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR). However, the risks of failing to properly reconstruct the hip without neck modularity must be weighed against the additional risks introduced by neck modularity. There are several critical design, material, and technique variables that are directly associated with higher or lower incidences of problems associated with modular neck femoral components. Unfortunately, in vitro testing of the fatigue strength of these constructs has failed to predict their behavior in vivo. Designs predicted to tolerate loads that far exceed those experienced in vivo still fail at unacceptably high rates. Titanium alloy neck components subjected to the stresses at the neck-stem junction continue to fail at an unacceptable incidence. CoCr alloy neck components, while theoretically stronger, still fracture and are further compromised by mechanically assisted crevice corrosion, metal hypersensitivity, and rarely, adverse tissue reaction. Designs that have proven clinical strength and utility universally have larger, more robust junctions that extend into the metaphysis of the femur. While these designs are primarily designed for revision THR, they are occasionally indicated for primary THR. Overall, however, while design options at the neck-stem junction have unmatched clinical utility, no design that does not extend into the metaphysis has proven to be universally reliable. While routine use for primary THR does not appear clinically indicated based on current evidence, modular designs with proven successful proximal junctions appear to be indicated for extreme version or anatomical circumstances.
DISTAL NECK MODULARITY IN PRIMARY THA: THE BRIDGE TOO FAR – AFFIRMS

Corrosion at metal/metal modular interfaces in total hip arthroplasty was first described in the early 1990s, and the susceptibility of modular tapers to mechanically assisted crevice corrosion (MACC), a combination of fretting and crevice corrosion, was subsequently introduced. Since that time, there have been numerous reports of corrosion at this taper interface, documented primarily in retrieval studies or in rare cases of catastrophic failure. We have reported that fretting corrosion at the modular taper may produce soluble and particulate debris that can migrate locally or systemically, and more recently reported that this process can cause an adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR). Based on the type of tissue reaction and the presence of elevated serum metal ion levels, this process appears quite similar to ALTRs secondary to metal on metal bearing surfaces. While modularity in total hip replacement has demonstrable clinical benefits, modular junctions increase the risk of tribocorrosion and the types of ALTRs seen in patients with accelerated metal release from metal-on-metal bearing total hip replacements. The use of modular connections should be minimised in routine primary total hip replacement to avoid tribocorrosion-induced ALTRs.
What roles do colon stem cells and gap junctions play in the left and right location of origin of colorectal cancers

This “Commentary” examines an important clinical observation that right-sided colorectal cancers appear less treatable than the left-sided cancers. The concepts of (a) the “initiation/promotion/progression” process, (b) the stem cell hypothesis, (c) the role gap junctional intercellular communication, (d) cancer cells lacking GJIC either because of the non-expression of connexin genes or of non-functional gap junction proteins, and (e) the role of the microbiome in promoting initiated colon stem cells to divide symmetrically or asymmetrically are examined to find an explanation. It has been speculated that “embryonic-like” lesions in the ascending colon are initiated stem cells, promoted via symmetrical cell division, while the polyp-type lesions in the descending colon are initiated stem cells stimulated to divide asymmetrically. To test this hypothesis, experiments could be designed to examine if right-sided lesions might express Oct4A and ABCG2 genes but not any connexin genes, whereas the left-sided lesions might express a connexin gene, but not Oct4A or the ABCG2 genes. Treatment of the right sided lesions might include transcriptional regulators, whereas the left-sided lesions would need to restore the posttranslational status of the connexin proteins.
Asymptotics of Weil–Petersson Geodesics I: Ending Laminations, Recurrence, and Flows

We define an ending lamination for a Weil–Petersson geodesic ray. Despite the lack of a natural visual boundary for the Weil–Petersson metric [Bro2], these ending laminations provide an effective boundary theory that encodes much of its asymptotic CAT(0) geometry. In particular, we prove an ending lamination theorem (Theorem 1.1) for the full-measure set of rays that recur to the thick part, and we show that the association of an ending lamination embeds asymptote classes of recurrent rays into the Gromov-boundary of the curve complex $${\mathcal{C}(S)}$$ . As an application, we establish fundamentals of the topological dynamics of the Weil–Petersson geodesic flow, showing density of closed orbits and topological transitivity.
CERAMIC-CERAMIC BEARINGS IN PATIENTS < 60 ASSURES LONGEVITY – OPPOSES

In 1998, lysis / wear were the biggest concerns in THR. 3 distinct tacks emerged: Alternatives to polyethylene: Ceramic / Ceramic; Metal / Metal; Make a better polyethylene MOM story is well known: bad ending!! Large adoption of Ceramic / Ceramic: positives: low wear, benign MR findings, even low dislocation rates !! negatives: fractures still occurred, noise generation, liner malseating, metal transfer (edge effects) Crosslinked Polyethylene: Update: 13–15 year follow-up of 1st generation XLPE with remelted product: Annual wear rates of 0.004 (metal heads) 0.002 (ceramic heads)! No lysis!! Wear rates for “standard” heads and large heads both low approaching the lower limits of detection!! CONCLUSION: Crosslinked Polyethylene with Ceramic Heads: The Winner and Still Champion!
Sampling and Weyl's Law on compact Riemannian manifolds

The well known Weyl's asymptotic formula gives an approximation to the number N ω of eigenvalues (counted with multiplicities) on an interval [0, ω] of the Laplace-Beltrami operator on a compact Riemannian manifold M. In this paper we approach this question from the point of view of Shannon-type sampling on compact Riemannian manifolds. Namely, we show that N ω is comparable to cardinality of certain sampling sets for the subspace of ω-bandlimited functions on M.
Improved bounds on the max-flow min-cut ratio for multicommodity flows

In this paper we consider the worst case ratio between the capacity of min-cuts and the value of max-flow for multicommodity flow problems. We improve the best known bounds for the min-cut max-flow ratio for multicommodity flows in undirected graphs, by replacing theO(logD) in the bound byO(logk), whereD denotes the sum of all demands, andk demotes the number of commodities. In essence we prove that up to constant factors the worst min-cut max-flow ratios appear in problems where demands are integral and polynomial in the number of commodities. Klein, Rao, Agrawal, and Ravi have previously proved that if the demands and the capacities are integral, then the min-cut max-flow ratio in general undirected graphs is bounded byO(logClogD), whereC denotes the sum of all the capacities. Tragoudas has improved this bound toO(lognlogD), wheren is the number of nodes in the network. Garg, Vazirani and Yannakakis further improved this toO(logklogD). Klein, Plotkin and Rao have proved that for planar networks, the ratio isO(logD). Our result improves the bound for general networks toO(log2 k) and the bound for planar networks toO(logk). In both cases our result implies the first non-trivial bound that is independent of the magnitude of the numbers involved. The method presented in this paper can be used to give polynomial time approximation algorithms to the minimum cuts in the network up to the above factors.
Approximate moment dynamics for polynomial and trigonometric stochastic systems

Stochastic dynamical systems often contain non-linearities that make it hard to compute probability density functions or statistical moments of these systems. For the moment computations, nonlinearities lead to the well-known problem of unclosed moment dynamics, i.e., differential equations that govern the time evolution of moments up to a certain order may contain some moments of higher order. Moment closure techniques are used to find an approximate, closed system of equations for the moment dynamics, but their usage is rather limited for systems with continuous states particularly when the nonlinearities are non-polynomials. Here, we extend a moment closure technique based on derivative matching, which was originally proposed for polynomial stochastic systems with discrete states, to continuous state stochastic differential equations with both polynomial and trigonometric nonlinearities.
Modeling and managing engineering changes in a complex product development process

Today’s hypercompetitive worldwide market, demanding customers, and technological advances force corporations who develop new products to look into all the possible areas of improvement throughout the entire product life cycle management process. One of the research areas that have been overlooked in the past is engineering change management (ECM). This paper presents a simulation model for investigating the mutual impacts of ECM process and new product development (NPD) process on each other. The discrete event simulation model investigates how different NPD and ECM process characteristics are interrelated, and how these interactions eventually affect the lead time, cost, and quality of an NPD project. This model has the capacity to account for three different levels of uncertainties, namely activity uncertainty, design solution uncertainty, and environment uncertainty, and their effects on the probabilities of NPD rework. Decisions to be made by considering EC impacts are drawn from an enterprise level system perspective.
The lumberjack algorithm for learning linked decision forests

While the decision tree is an effective representation that has been used in many domains, a tree can often encode a concept inefficiently. This happens when the tree has to represent a subconcept multiple times in different parts of the tree. In this paper we introduce a new representation based on trees, the linked decision forest, that does not need to repeat internal structure. We also introduce a supervised learning algorithm. Lumberjack, that uses the new representation. We then show empirically that Lumberjack improves generalization accuracy on hierarchically decomposable concepts.
Remote Focusing Differential Multiphoton Microscopy: Application to Neuronal Imaging

We apply remote focusing to multi-focal multiphoton microscopy by simultaneously imaging multiple focal planes of Drosophila melanogaster olfactory neurons. This technology permits imaging the entire volume of the antennal lobe in a single scan.
The Complexity of Campaigning

In “The Logic of Campaigning”, Dean and Parikh consider a candidate making campaign statements to appeal to the voters. They model these statements as Boolean formulas over variables that represent stances on the issues, and study optimal candidate strategies under three proposed models of voter preferences based on the assignments that satisfy these formulas. We prove that voter utility evaluation is computationally hard under these preference models (in one case, \(\#P\)-hard), along with certain problems related to candidate strategic reasoning. Our results raise questions about the desirable characteristics of a voter preference model and to what extent a polynomial-time-evaluable function can capture them.
Urine-Compatible Polymer for Long-Term Ureteral Stenting

Internal double-J ureteral stents were designed from a urine-compatible polymer (C-Flex), and 35 stents were placed in patients. The overall patency rate for the stents was 80%, with most stent failures occurring before 2 months; the follow-up period ranged from 2 to 16 months, with a mean follow-up for all stents of 5.0 months. Stents were considered patent at last follow-up only if they had been in place for at least 2 months. No migration or fracture of the stents occurred. Physical properties of urine-exposed stents were compared with those of virgin tubing and tubing exposed for 1 year to shelf conditions. Stent patency was optimized by increasing urine flow by increasing the patient's voluntary oral intake, administering prophylactic oral antibiotics, and avoiding placement of stents into grossly bloody or infected collecting systems.
Prevalence of Chlamydia Trachomatis Cervical Infection in Female Adolescents

• To determine the prevalence of infection with Chlamydia trachomatis in young girls with the same socioeconomic background from New York City, 186 sexually active female adolescents (age range, 12 to 17 years; mean age, 15.5 years) were screened. One third of the patients were pregnant. Papanicolaou smears, endocervical cultures for C trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae , and syphilis serologic tests were obtained prospectively. Chlamydia trachomatis was isolated from 10.2% of the subjects, and N gonorrhoeae was isolated from 9.7% of the subjects; 3.2% of the subjects had syphilis. At least one sexually transmitted disease was found in 17.2% of the subjects. Eight (44%) of 18 patients with N gonorrhoeae also harbored Chlamydia . The high rate of multiple infection should have significant implications with regard to treatment. High isolation rates of C trachomatis and other sexually transmitted pathogens suggested that routine screening may be warranted in even the very young, sexually active female adolescent, and especially in pregnant girls. ( AJDC 1984;138:562-564)
Adaptation of an Automated Microbiology System for the Growth of Anaerobes and Performance of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Tests

The authors examined the feasibility of growing anaerobes in an automated microbiology system (MS-2) and using the system for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. A total of 78 of 100 clinical anaerobic isolates grew in the MS-2 if 100 microL of an undiluted overnight suspension of organisms was inoculated into at least 2.5 mL of freshly prepared Wilkins-Chalgren broth supplemented with 0.07% agar. Susceptibility test results were determined with 50 anaerobes tested against seven antibiotics in the MS-2 system and were compared with results determined with a qualitative reference susceptibility test method. of the 350 tests, 88% of the MS-2 results agreed with the qualitative reference results. False-susceptible and false-resistant results were reported for 8.6 and 3.4%, respectively, of the MS-2 results.
Incidentally Discovered Mass of the Adrenal Gland

Increasing numbers of asymptomatic masses of the adrenal gland are being discovered by high resolution computed tomography (CT) scanning. The significance of these masses and the question of further evaluation or treatment, or both, have posed a dilemma. From 1976 to 1983, an incidental finding of adrenal gland mass was identified in 88 patients undergoing abdominal CT scanning for unrelated problems. Adrenelectomy was performed upon 23 patients (26 per cent), including three adenomas (2.5, 3.0 and 6.5 centimeters), five carcinomas of the adrenal gland (6 to 20 centimeters), two hyperplasias and three adenocarcinomas of unknown origin. Thirty-eight (43 per cent) of the nonfunctioning masses were observed with repeat scans for an average of 25.1 months (three to 60 months), revealing no change in size. Twenty-seven patients (31 per cent) were lost to follow-up study. Silent primary (nonmetastatic) masses 3.5 centimeters or less manifested benign behavior without exception. Based upon these data, we conclude that all solid metabolically inactive lesions in the adrenal glands greater than 3.5 centimeters on CT abdominal scan deserve exploration. Lesions less than 3.5 centimeters may be safely followed with serial CT scans.
Raman spectroscopy analysis utilized to identify stress induced leakage from power and high speed technologies using deep trench isolation schemes

Power and Advanced BiCMOS technologies use deep trench architecture to reduce capacitance and leakages that are enhanced by high electric fields and high current applications. In this paper, a power and an advanced BiCMOS technology with deep trench architectures used micro Raman spectroscopy to identify non-uniform stress regions in the circuit. Using this information, architectural changes were implemented to reduce the overall stress and subsequent leakage. In both cases, multiprobe yields were increased due to the reduced circuit leakage.
dRep: a tool for fast and accurate genomic comparisons that enables improved genome recovery from metagenomes through de-replication

The number of microbial genomes sequenced each year is expanding rapidly, in part due to genome-resolved metagenomic studies that routinely recover hundreds of draft-quality genomes. Rapid algorithms have been developed to comprehensively compare large genome sets, but they are not accurate with draft-quality genomes. Here we present dRep, a program that reduces the computational time for pairwise genome comparisons by sequentially applying a fast, inaccurate estimation of genome distance, and a slow, accurate measure of average nucleotide identity. dRep achieves a 28 × increase in speed with perfect recall and precision when benchmarked against previously developed algorithms. We demonstrate the use of dRep for genome recovery from time-series datasets. Each metagenome was assembled separately, and dRep was used to identify groups of essentially identical genomes and select the best genome from each replicate set. This resulted in recovery of significantly more and higher-quality genomes compared to the set recovered using co-assembly.
Clusters As a Driving Engine for FDI

Abstract This paper develops a model that highlights the importance of clusters for attracting foreign direct investment. It shows from a game theoretical perspective how the combination of setting up a cluster and implementing policy reforms will be a key engine for attracting FDI. Based on agglomeration externalities, the paper shows that the very emergence of clusters can make investment so profitable that investors can even afford to tolerate more policy-induced distortions than otherwise. With perfect information, it shows the existence of multiple equilibria, in which some countries attract FDI while others do not. An extension to the context of imperfect information refines the analysis to a unique equilibrium, in which some investors respond to reforms, while others do not. The paper presents case studies to support the findings.