cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Light signal transduction: an infinite spectrum of possibilities

The past 30 years has seen a tremendous increase in our understanding of the light-signaling networks of higher plants. This short review emphasizes the role that Arabidopsis genetics has played in deciphering this complex network. Importantly, it outlines how genetic studies led to the identification of photoreceptors and signaling components that are not only relevant in plants, but play key roles in mammals.
Sexual prevention of HIV: a model for Latinos.

Despite reductions in AIDS deaths in the general population, Latino AIDS deaths in the United States have been increasing. The underlying cause of the rising HIV infection rates in the U.S. Latino population is not fully understood. Focus groups among Mexicans in North Carolina revealed methods of prevention that were different from those recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A research-based Mexican model of HIV prevention is proposed and contrasted with a model deducted from CDC prevention strategies. Recently immigrated Mexicans may be unlikely to adopt the CDC model of HIV prevention due to their culturally specific views of prevention.
Maximum likelihood estimation in hazard rate models with a change-point

The problem of estimation of parameters in hazard rate models with a change-point is considered. An interesting feature of this problem is that the likelihood function is unbounded. A maximum likelihood estimator of the change-point subject to a natural constraint is proposed, which is shown to be consistent.The limiting distributions are also derived.
Detecting Germline PTEN Mutations Among at-Risk Patients With Cancer: An Age- and Sex-Specific Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Purpose Cowden syndrome (CS) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by benign and malignant tumors. One-quarter of patients who are diagnosed with CS have pathogenic germline PTEN mutations, which increase the risk of the development of breast, thyroid, uterine, renal, and other cancers. PTEN testing and regular, intensive cancer surveillance allow for early detection and treatment of these cancers for mutation-positive patients and their relatives. Individual CS-related features, however, occur commonly in the general population, making it challenging for clinicians to identify CS-like patients to offer PTEN testing. Patients and Methods We calculated the cost per mutation detected and analyzed the cost-effectiveness of performing selected PTEN testing among CS-like patients using a semi-quantitative score (the PTEN Cleveland Clinic [CC] score) compared with existing diagnostic criteria. In our model, first-degree relatives of the patients with detected PTEN mutations are offered PTEN testing. All individuals with detected PTEN mutations are offered cancer surveillance.
Interfacing synthetic DNA logic operations with protein outputs

DNA logic gates are devices composed entirely of DNA that perform Boolean logic operations on one or more oligonucleotide inputs. Typical outputs of DNA logic gates are oligonucleotides or fluorescent signals. Direct activation of protein function has not been engineered as an output of a DNA-based computational circuit. Explicit control of protein activation enables the immediate triggering of enzyme function and could yield DNA computation outputs that are otherwise difficult to generate. By using zinc-finger proteins, AND, OR, and NOR logic gates were created that respond to short oligonucleotide inputs and lead to the activation or deactivation of a split-luciferase enzyme. The gate designs are simple and modular, thus enabling integration with larger multigate circuits, and the modular structure gives flexibility in the choice of protein output. The gates were also modified with translator circuits to provide protein activation in response to microRNA inputs as potential cellular cancer markers.
Back to the Future: The Evolution of US Counterterrorism Policy in Africa

The onset of America’s war on terror in September 2001 returned Africa once again to the spotlight, for the first time since the end of the Cold War. In more than a decade since, Africa and its peo...
Biomass Estimation: A Remote Sensing Approach

Emerging as an avant-garde technique, remote sensing has been widely used in the qualitative and quantitative measurement of forest biophysical parameters for the past decades. As an integral part of global carbon cycle, forest plays a critical role in lessening the concentration of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere. Consequently, accurate measurement of forest biomass by remote sensing provides synoptic and high-temporal information about the status and distribution of forest, which will assist in the better understanding of global carbon cycle, and furthermore, combating climatic and environmental problems ensued by the ever-increasing greenhouse gases. This article presents a comprehensive literature review about forest biomass estimation in remote sensing and the definitions and methods used to measure forest biomass, it also summaries previous research in forest remote sensing and explores the use of wavelet analysis for forest biomass estimation from satellite imagery.
Prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia intestinalis in Swimming Pools, Atlanta, Georgia

Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia intestinalis have been found in swimming pool filter backwash during outbreaks. To determine baseline prevalence, we sampled pools not associated with outbreaks and found that of 160 sampled pools, 13 (8.1%) were positive for 1 or both parasites; 10 (6.2%) for Giardia sp., 2 (1.2%) for Cryptosporidium spp., and 1 (0.6%) for both.
Optimization of the Design of a Semivolatile Aerosol Dichotomous Sampler

This article reports the results of an optimization procedure for a semivolatile aerosol dichotomous sampler (SADS) and experimental confirmation of the instrument's performance with an optimized sampler. Using numerical model results, the relationships between four major design and operating parameters significantly affecting the performance of the SADS and four performance parameters were expressed in log polynomial equations. Utilizing an optimization procedure, values for the major parameters giving the best performance were determined and used as the base model for optimizing minor parameters. Five minor parameters were then investigated for their possible contribution to better performance of the SADS. The optimal dimensions found were as follows: the diameter ratio between the nozzle and the collection probe was 1.30 and the length ratio of the distance between the nozzle and the collection probe divided by the nozzle diameter was 0.6. Among the minor parameters, only the entrance angle of the nozz...
Markov chain Monte Carlo inversion for the rheology of olivine single crystals

We present major modifications to the Markov chain Monte Carlo inversion method of Korenaga and Karato (2008), which was developed to analyze rock deformation data and determine a corresponding flow law and its uncertainty. The uncertainties of state variables, e.g., temperature, pressure, and stress, are now taken into account by data randomization, to avoid parameter bias that could be introduced by the original implementation of the cost function. Also, it is now possible to handle a flow law composed of both parallel and sequential deformation mechanisms, by using conjugate gradient search to determine scaling constants. We test the new inversion algorithm extensively using synthetic data as well as the high-quality experimental data of Bai et al. (1991) on the deformation of olivine single crystals. Our reanalysis of this experimental data set reveals that a commonly adopted value for the stress exponent (∼3.5) is considerably less certain than previously reported, and we offer a detailed account for the validity of our new estimates. The significance of fully reporting parameter uncertainties including covariance is also discussed with a worked example on flow law prediction under geological conditions.
Relation between long sleep and left ventricular mass (from a multiethnic elderly cohort).

Short-sleep and long-sleep duration are associated with prevalent hypertension, poor cardiovascular health, and mortality. The relation of sleep hours with increased left ventricular (LV) mass, a strong correlate of elevated blood pressure (BP) values, is not established. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis among the participants of the population-based Cardiovascular Abnormalities and Brain Lesions study. LV mass was estimated by transthoracic echocardiography. Sleep duration was assessed by reported hours of sleep on a diary kept during 24-hour BP monitoring. Multivariate linear regression models were constructed to assess the relation between sleep hours and LV mass index (LV mass divided by body surface area). Analysis of sleep hour categories (short and long sleep) was performed. Among 756 participants (mean age 71 ± 9 years, 60% women, and 71% Hispanics), the mean sleep duration was 8.6 ± 1.8 hours, and LV mass index was 103 ± 26 g/m 2 . A J-shaped relation between sleep hours squared and LV mass index was observed adjusting for demographics and cardiovascular risk factors. Categorical analysis showed an association between long-sleep duration (>11 hours) and LV mass index (β = 7.4; p = 0.013). Long sleepers had higher diurnal systolic BP (p = 0.012) and nocturnal systolic BP (p
UWB pulse propagation through complex walls in indoor wireless communications environments

The ultra-wide hand (UWB) communications systems have been evolving quickly due to the recent FCC approval of the use of 7.5 GHz band of the unlicensed spectrum. To help with the effective implementation of impulse radio it is necessary to carefully characterize propagation in complex environments. This paper reports on the numerical simulation of UWB pulse reflections and transmissions through complex wall structures that are often encountered in indoor propagation environments. The finite-difference time-domain method is employed to accurately and efficiently calculate the field responses. Simulation results show that different structures of the walls have significant effect on the propagation characteristics. It is shown that the scattering due to the complex wall structures leads to complicated reflected and transmitted signals that could result in serious challenges in the design and effective implementation of an UWB communications system.
Protection of organic carbon in soil microaggregates via restructuring of aggregate porosity and filling of pores with accumulating organic matter

Abstract We examined relationships between the pore structure of microaggregates and the protection of organic matter (OM) within that structure. By using ultra-small angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) before and after combustion of microaggregates at 350 °C, we took advantage of differences in X-ray scattering contrast among soil minerals, OM, and air to evaluate the distribution of the total- and OM-filled porosity within microaggregates (53–250 μm in diameter). Systematic changes in microaggregate structure were observed for long-term field manipulations of land use (a chronosequence of tallgrass prairie restorations) and agricultural management (conventional tillage versus no-till at two levels of nitrogen fertilization). Our results imply that OM preservation arose from the evolution of the architectural system of microaggregates during their formation and stabilization. Soils and treatments with increasing OM in microaggregates were associated with encapsulation of colloidal OM by minerals, thereby creating protected OM-filled pores at the submicron scale within the microaggregate structure. For example, in the prairie chronosequence, microaggregates from the cultivated soil had the lowest concentration of OM, but 75% of the OM that had survived cultivation was in OM-filled pores. Following restoration, the concentration of OM in microaggregates increased rapidly, but the proportion of OM in OM-filled pores declined initially and then increased over time until 90% of the OM was in OM-filled pores. OM totally encapsulated within the pore structure can create spatial and kinetic constraints on microbial access to and degradation of OM. Encapsulation of OM increases the capacity for its protection relative to sorption on mineral surfaces, and comparison of its extent among treatments suggests important feedback loops. The use of USAXS, which has not previously been applied to the study of soil aggregate structures and the distribution of OM within those structures, provided new information on the mechanisms of OM protection in soil microaggregates, and insights relevant to strategies for enhancing carbon-sequestration in soil through changes in agricultural management practices and land use.
Why Do Children With ADHD Discontinue Their Medication

Objective.To examine factors associated with parent-reported discontinuation of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication.Methods.The authors conducted a telephone survey of parents of children 6 to 18 years old who had recently initiated ADHD medication according to insurance claims.Results.A total of 127 parents of children with ADHD who had recently initiated ADHD medication completed the survey (43% response rate); 21% discontinued the ADHD medication. Parents of discontinuers were less likely to report having discussed the risks and benefits of ADHD medication with primary care providers (59% vs 82%, P = .03) and were more likely to report psychological side effects (58% vs 21%, P > .001). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that both psychological side effects and perceived inadequate medication effectiveness were associated with discontinuation.Conclusions.Many children discontinue ADHD medication within the first year, often because of psychological side effects or perceived inadeq...
Emotions as Evaluative Feelings

The phenomenology of emotions has traditionally been understood in terms of the bodily sensations they involve. This is a mistake. We should instead understand their phenomenology in terms of their distinctively evaluative intentionality. Emotions are essentially affective modes of response to the ways our circumstances come to matter to us, and so they are ways of being pleased or pained by those circumstances. Making sense of the intentionality and phenomenology of emotions in this way requires rejecting traditional understandings of intentionality and coming to see emotions as a distinctive and irreducible class of mental states lying at the intersection of intentionality, phenomenology, and motivation.
On the Use of "Intent to..." Variables in Organizational Research: An Empirical and Cautionary Assessment

Organizational research often relies on surrogate variables. By "surrogate" we do not refer to family of construct, factor, or latent variables. Rather, we address the situation where one variable is literally the substitute for another variable that is generally unavailable. Consider, for example, the use of "intent to turnover" or "intent to transfer" variables commonly used when actual turnover or transfer data are unavailable. We demonstrate that reliance on such surrogate variables may lead to some misinterpretation. This tendency may be particularly apparent when the relationship between the surrogate and the actual variable is low. This may be further exacerbated when the relationship between the surrogate variable and a third variable is modest as well.
Should a Jehovah's Witness Patient Who Faces Imminent Exsanguination Be Transfused?

The right of every person to reject unwanted medical therapies, whether or not the choice is consistent with good clinical practice or medical judgment, is well established in ethics and law. The right to reject treatment can be exercised directly by the patient or indirectly by the patient’s surrogate or proxy decision maker. Generally speaking, first-person directives take precedence over surrogate/proxy decisions; that is, a valid directive by a patient, such as a living will or an organ donor card, cannot ordinarily be overridden by a surrogate/proxy unless the patient has given that person specific authority to do so. A Jehovah’s Witness signature on a Jehovah’s Witness card refusing blood transfusion and on the operative permission form repeating her refusal ordinarily allows no wiggle room: the surgeon is obligated to honor her refusal, even in the face of life-threatening hemorrhage. But what if her Jehovah’s Witness husband demands that her life be saved with blood transfusions, claiming that she is currently incapacitated and unable to change her mind about transfusion, which he, as the person who knows her best and the one she has designated as her health care agent, is certain she would do if she were able to do so. Drs Keith Naunheim and Charles Bridges reach differing conclusions about what is the right thing to do under such circumstances. Case
Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 Measurements: Mass, Activity, but Little Productivity

Given its biology and epidemiology, lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2)2 provides both an attractive target for assessing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and a target for intervention to reduce CVD. First described just over 2 decades ago, Lp-PLA2, an enzyme found in increased concentrations in unstable or vulnerable plaques, cleaves oxidized phospholipids to the proinflammatory moieties lysophosphatidylcholine and oxidized fatty acids, which in turn act as monocyte chemoattractants and activate macrophages (1). Over the last 10 years, since the development of specific assays to measure Lp-PLA2, first its mass and then its activity, numerous cross-sectional and longitudinal (prospective) epidemiologic studies have reported an association of Lp-PLA2 with CVD events (2–5). These studies, with the Lp-PLA2 measurements usually funded or performed by the commercial manufacturers of the assays, led in 2005 to US Food and Drug Administration clearance of an assay to measure Lp-PLA2 mass (PLAC®; diaDexus) for the purpose of predicting CVD risk (6). More recently, some US consensus groups, such as the National Lipid Association, have recommended measurement of Lp-PLA2 in certain clinical circumstances (7) to assist in identifying patients with risk scores that may not clearly indicate the need for drug therapy, according to current National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Program guidelines (8). Two fundamental questions remain, however: ( a) Is Lp-PLA2 truly an independent marker or risk factor for CVD; and ( b ) if Lp-PLA2 is indeed independent, does it add value in the risk assessment and alter treatment decisions? The study by Ridker et al. in this issue of Clinical Chemistry (9) provides additional insight and a timely opportunity to review the role of Lp-PLA2 measurements in clinical practice. The majority, but not all, of the published studies have shown a …
Parameter-Sensitivity Study for a Linear-Quadratic Control Problem with Random State Coefficients

Optimal feedback-control laws generally cannot be obtained in closed form for stochastic control problems. The characterizations which have been obtained for several simplified problems have provided valuable insight into the properties of optimal feedback-control laws as well as providing guidance for the construction of suboptimal control laws. In this paper an analytical and computer simulated parameter-sensitivity study is presented for the optimal feedback-control law and dynamic-programming optimality equations associated with a discrete-time, finite-horizon, linear-quadratic control problem with random state coefficients. One interesting characteristic revealed by analysis is the existence of simple linear relationships between parameter sensitivities for the optimal feedback-control selections and for the corresponding cost-to-go expressions.
Managerial Compensation Based on Organizational Performance: A Time Series Analysis of the Effects of Merit Pay

Performance-contingent compensation is a widely accepted means for rewarding managers, but there are no rigorous empirical tests of its effectiveness. This study reports the results of a longitudin...
Provider and staff perceptions of veterans' attrition from a national primary care weight management program.

BACKGROUND Overweight and obesity are growing problems for primary care. Although effective weight management programs exist, these programs experience significant attrition, which limits effectiveness. OBJECTIVES This study examined provider and staff perceptions of attrition from the Veterans Health Administration MOVE!(®) Weight Management Program as an initial step toward understanding attrition from primary care-based programs. PARTICIPANTS MOVE!(®) clinicians, primary care providers, and other staff members who interacted with patients about participating in MOVE!(®) (n=754) from Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers throughout the United States. Respondents were predominantly female (80.8%), Caucasian (79.2%), and trained as nurses (L.P.N., R.N., or N.P.; 50%). MEASURE Participants completed a web-mediated survey; items assessed agreement with personal and programmatic reasons for dropout, and allowed respondents to indicate the number one reason for dropout in an open-ended format. This survey was adapted from an existing tool designed to capture patient perceptions. RESULTS Respondents indicated that veterans experienced practical barriers to attendance (eg, transportation and scheduling difficulties) and desire for additions to the program (eg, a live exercise component). Low motivation was the primary factor identified by respondents as associated with dropout, particularly as noted by MOVE!(®) clinicians (versus other providers/staff; P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that programmatic changes, such as adding additional meeting times or in-session exercise time, may be of benefit to MOVE!(®). In addition, increasing the use of techniques such as Motivational Interviewing among providers who refer patients to MOVE!(®) may improve participant engagement in MOVE!(®) and other primary care-based weight management programs. Further research is needed to effectively identify those likely to withdraw from weight management programs before achieving their goals, and the reasons for withdrawal.
Good Enough for Government Work: When Should Government Hire Nonprofits

Annually, United States federal agencies issue procurement contracts worth five hundred billion dollars. Less than four percent of these were awarded to nonprofit organizations. This paper advances our understanding federal procurement practices by analyzing data from the Federal Procurement Data System. We isolate federal programs that choose between nonprofit and for-profit contractors. We find that the use of nonprofit organizations increases with contract complexity, but far less than theory would predict. We find that agencies may use the cost plus style contract as a substitute for nonprofits. We also identify anomalies where federal agencies may not be using optimal contracting tools.
Cerebellar gray matter differentiates children with early language delay in autism

Early language delay (ELD) is one of the earliest indicators of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and predicts later cognitive and behavioral outcomes. We aimed to determine the neural correlates of ELD in autism, and examine the relationships between gray matter (GM), age of first word/phrase, and core ASD symptoms. We used voxel-based morphometry to examine whole-brain differences in GM in 8-13 year old children with autism (n = 13 ELD; n = 22 non-ELD) and 35 age-matched typically developing (TD) children. Multiple regression analyses examined the relationships between GM, age of first word/phrase, and autism diagnostic observation schedule (ADOS) scores. Composite age of first word/phrase negatively correlated with GM throughout the cerebellum. Both ASD groups (ELD and non-ELD) had reduced GM in right cerebellar Crus I/II when compared to TD children. Left cerebellar Crus I/II was the only region in the brain that differentiated ELD and non-ELD children, with ELD children showing reduced GM relative to both non-ELD and TD groups. Group×score interactions converged in left Crus I/II, such that the non-ELD group showed poorer ADOS scores with increasing GM, whereas the ELD group showed poorer ADOS scores as GM decreased. Reduced GM in right cerebellar Crus I/I was related ASD diagnosis, while children with ELD showed additional reduced GM in left Crus I/II. These findings highlight the importance of specific cerebellar networks in both ASD and early language development, and suggest that bilateral disruption in cerebellar regions that interconnect with fronto-parietal networks could impact language acquisition in ASD. Autism Res 2016, 9: 1191-1204. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Radiosynthesis and Evaluation of an 18F-Labeled Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Radioligand for Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Subtype 4 (mGlu4)

Four 4-phthalimide derivatives of N-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-picolinamide were synthesized as potential ligands for the PET imaging of mGlu4 in the brain. Of these compounds, N-(3-chloro-4-(4-fluoro-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)phenyl)-2-picolinamide (3, KALB001) exhibited improved binding affinity (IC50 = 5.1 nM) compared with ML128 (1) and was subsequently labeled with 18F. When finally formulated in 0.1 M citrate buffer (pH 4) with 10% ethanol, the specific activity of [18F]3 at the end of synthesis (EOS) was 233.5 ± 177.8 GBq/μmol (n = 4). The radiochemical yield of [18F]3 was 16.4 ± 4.8% (n = 4), and the purity was over 98%. In vivo imaging studies in a monkey showed that the radiotracer quickly penetrated the brain with the highest accumulation in the brain areas known to express mGlu4. Despite some unfavorable radiotracer properties like fast washout in rodent studies, [18F]3 is the first 18F-labeled mGlu4 radioligand, which can be further modified to improve pharmacokinetics and brain penetrability for futu...
Fifty years of age-based screening: time for a new risk-based screening approach.

Commentary on: Miller AB, Wall C, Baines CJ, et al. Twenty five year follow-up for breast cancer incidence and mortality of the Canadian National Breast Screening Study: randomised screening trial. BMJ 2014;348:g366.[OpenUrl][1][Abstract/FREE Full Text][2] The first screening mammography trial was conducted over 50 years ago; however, even today there is an ongoing debate over whether screening mammography averts breast cancer deaths. In the USA, the estimated cost of mammography screening in 2010 was $7.8 billion, endorsing strong acceptance that women should undergo screening mammography.1 The Canadian National Breast Screening Study (CNBS) results provide evidence to challenge whether routine, widespread annual screening mammography is indicated in large numbers of women. CNBS-1 randomised women aged 40–49 years to undergo either annual mammography and clinical breast examination (CBE) or usual care. The CNBS-2 … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DBMJ%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1136%252Fbmj.g366%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F24519768%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=ABST&journalCode=bmj&resid=348/feb11_9/g366&atom=%2Febmed%2F19%2F5%2F183.atom
Systematics of New England Microtus, with emphasis on Microtus breweri

Systematic relationships of New England Microtus were examined using discriminant analysis of cranial and dental measurements on eight samples of M. pennsylvanicus, M. breweri , and M. chrotorrhinus . In one analysis, specimens of M. breweri (Muskeget Island, Massachusetts) and M. pennsylvanicus (Cape Cod, Massachusetts) were more similar to each other than the latter was to other M. pennsylvanicus samples. Most of this similarity derived from the width of the palatine foramen. M. breweri and M. pennsylvanicus of Cape Cod shared a palatine-foramen shape that differed from all other M. pennsylvanicus samples and from M. chrotorrhinus . In analyses excluding the palatine foramina, M. pennsylvanicus from Cape Cod were more similar to other M. pennsylvanicus samples than to M. breweri . All specimens of M. breweri were classified correctly by discriminant functions that separated them from mainland M. pennsylvanicus . Similar results were obtained using dental variables alone. Discrete dental characters of M. breweri also showed striking differences from those of M. pennsylvanicus . The degree of separation between M. breweri and M. pennsylvanicus was comparable to that between M. chrotorrhinus and M. pennsylvanicus . This study supports the specific status of M. breweri .
The impact of new technology on network resilience

National Grid in its capacity as both a Transmission Owner and System Operator is experiencing changes in the network characteristics, brought about by changing patterns in generation, transmission and demand technology. This paper discusses some observations around network performance and shares some thinking on the opportunities and considerations for new technology solutions to contribute to a sustainable transmission system fit for tomorrow. The process of specifying and analysing new technology to mitigate voltage regulation, network fluctuations and system fault level is becoming increasingly complex against a greater range of network scenarios of shrinking synchronous inertia and response. While design and testing standards are still essential, issues around calibration and interoperability of control schemes for power electronic devices are becoming more critical. This paper attempts to highlight some of the areas requiring assessment where new technology for power system applications is being considered. (7 pages)
On the Resolution Necessary to Capture Dynamics of Unsteady Detonation

The dynamics of one-dimensional, overdriven, hydrogen-air detonations predicted in the inviscid limit as well as with the inclusion of mass, momentum, and energy diffusion were investigated. The effect of resolution was studied for both shock-capturing and shockfitting in the inviscid limit, and it was found that shock-capturing required four times the amount of resolution of shock-fitting to predict the essential dynamics. Harmonic analysis was used to examine how the long time dynamics changed as the overdrive was varied in both the inviscid limit and the viscous analog. As the overdrive is lowered, the pulsation’s fundamental frequency shifts smoothly from 1.03 MHz at an overdrive of f = 1.12 to 0.71 MHz at an overdrive of f = 1.035 before making a sudden jump to 0.11 MHz at an overdrive of f = 1.029, where overdrive is f = D 2/D 2 CJ, Do the initial detonation velocity, and DCJ the Chapman-Jouguet velocity. It was found that viscous effects reduce the magnitude of the pulsations. As the strength of the inherent instability grows, due to interaction of the hydrodynamics and chemical reactions, the effect of viscosity is reduced.
Screening and surveillance for colorectal cancer: avoiding the pitfalls of overscreening.

Although much has been written about the need to encourage colonoscopy in underscreened populations, overscreening for colorectal cancer is now recognized as a problem that can lead to harm.
Doping profile effects on AlGaAs/GaAs single quantum well lasers

The effects of novel doping profiles on the operating characteristics of SQW AlGaAs/GaAs separate confinement heterostructure (SCH) lasers have been studied. It has been experimentally determined that the transparency current density and threshold current density are significantly reduced by n-type modulation doping the quantum well in the active region of the laser. Reductions of 45% in transparency current density and 30% in threshold current density have been achieved in n-modulation-doped QW lasers compared to corresponding conventional structures.
A Collision Prediction System for a Robotic Environment

A number of papers in the past have dealt with the formidable problem of planning a collision-free path for a robot or robotic manipulator through an environment of obstacles [see 1, 2, 3, 4].
Incidence of Pocket Infection Postcardiac Device Implantation Using Antibiotic versus Saline Solution for Pocket Irrigation

Background Preprocedure systemic antibiotic prophylaxis reduces infections in patients undergoing cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) implantations. Whether pocket irrigation with antibiotic solution offers any advantage over saline solution in CIED implantation is unknown. Methods Records from 327 consecutive patients who underwent CIED implantation by three operators from February 2011 to January 2014 were reviewed. From February 2011 to January 2012, the antibiotic solution was used for pocket irrigation; from February 2012 to January 2014, saline solution was used. All patients received preprocedural IV antibiotics. Baseline demographics, comorbidities, lab data, and occurrence of any pocket infection postimplant were collected. Results There were 118 and 209 patients in the antibiotic solution and saline solution group, respectively. A total of four (1.2%) patients had CIED infection: two in the antibiotic solution group and two in the saline solution group. Median time to infection from implant date was 81.5 ± 35 days. Two patients (50%) had infection after first device implantation. Of the four patients, one had positive blood culture, three had positive pocket cultures, one had lead vegetation, one underwent pocket exploration, and all of them had devices/leads extracted, with reimplantation on the contralateral side. No mortality was observed due to infectious complications. Conclusion When compared to pocket irrigation in the antibiotic solution group, the saline solution group was not associated with increased incidence of infectious complications after CIED implantation. The use of saline solution pocket irrigation alone may be used in CIED pocket irrigation periprocedurally. Further evaluation in larger randomized trials is needed.
Seizures, Retardation, and Creatine Synthesis Defect

Two unrelated boys, aged 2 and 5 years, with psychomotor retardation, hyperactive behavior, and epilepsy, associated with a creatine synthesis defect, are reported from Free University Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
The “Learned Doctor”: Tyler’s Literary Endorsement of a Federal Elite

In Royall Tyler’s The Algerine Captive; or, The Life and Adventures of Doctor Updike Underhill (1797), protagonist Updike Underhill takes on the practice of medicine in a fit of financial desperation. He then transforms himself into a respected physician whose emergence onto the medical scene coincides with the rise of rational medical science, the commercialization of medicine, and the early formation of US international identity.
Epidermoid cyst of the uvula in a child.

Objective:Epidermoid cysts are rarely located in the uvula. To date, epidermoid cyst of the uvula has not been reported in a child at preschool age. We present clinical and histopathological charac...
Towards scalable and efficient GPU-enabled slicing acceleration in continuous 3D printing

Recently, continuous 3D printing, a revolutionary branch of legacy additive manufacturing, has made its two-order time efficiency breakthrough in industrial manufacturing. As its manufacturing technique advances rapidly, the prefabrication to slice the 3D object into image layers becomes potential to impede further improvement of production efficiency. In this paper, we present two scalable and efficient graphic processing unit (GPU) enabled schemes, i.e., pixelwise parallel slicing and fully parallel slicing, to accelerate the image-projection based slicing algorithm in continuous 3D printing. Specifically, the pixelwise approach utilizes the pixel-level parallelism and exploits the in-shared-memory computing on GPU. The fully parallel method aggressively expands the parallelism on both triangle mesh size and slicing layers. The thread-level priority competing issue, resulting from full parallelism, is addressed by a critical area using atomic operation. Experiments with real 3D object benchmarks show that our pixelwise parallel slicing can gain one order of magnitude runtime reduction to CPU, and the fully parallel slicing achieves two orders improvement. We also evaluate the scalability of both proposed schemes.
The influence of breeding phenology on the genetic structure of four pond‐breeding salamanders

Understanding metapopulation dynamics requires knowledge about local population dynamics and movement in both space and time. Most genetic metapopulation studies use one or two study species across the same landscape to infer population dynamics; however, using multiple co-occurring species allows for testing of hypotheses related to different life history strategies. We used genetic data to study dispersal, as measured by gene flow, in three ambystomatid salamanders (Ambystoma annulatum, A. maculatum, and A. opacum) and the Central Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis) on the same landscape in Missouri, USA. While all four salamander species are forest dependent organisms that require fishless ponds to reproduce, they differ in breeding phenology and spatial distribution on the landscape. We use these differences in life history and distribution to address the following questions: (1) Are there species-level differences in the observed patterns of genetic diversity and genetic structure? and (2) Is dispersal influenced by landscape resistance? We detected two genetic clusters in A. annulatum and A. opacum on our landscape; both species breed in the fall and larvae overwinter in ponds. In contrast, no structure was evident in A. maculatum and N. v. louisianensis, species that breed during the spring. Tests for isolation by distance were significant for the three ambystomatids but not for N. v. louisianensis. Landscape resistance also contributed to genetic differentiation for all four species. Our results suggest species-level differences in dispersal ability and breeding phenology are driving observed patterns of genetic differentiation. From an evolutionary standpoint, the observed differences in dispersal distances and genetic structure between fall breeding and spring breeding species may be a result of the trade-off between larval period length and size at metamorphosis which in turn may influence the long-term viability of the metapopulation. Thus, it is important to consider life history differences among closely related and ecologically similar species when making management decisions.
Improving human-in-the-loop adaptive systems using brain-computer interaction

Although self-adaptive systems try to automate operation and reconfiguration, many such systems can benefit from human involvement in the adaptation process, especially for uncertain circumstances. For such "human-in-the-loop" adaptive systems, a critical challenge is to determine whether, when and how to include the human. Existing research has modeled the benefit of input from human mental states, e.g., variables from the Opportunity-Willingness-Capability (OWC) model, but fell short of operational implementations. The latter require unobtrusive measurement of human mental states. As a proof-of-concept, we conceptualized a self-adaptive system for stock prediction, which is fed with stock data, behavioral and neural input (electroencephalographic neuromarkers) to dynamically assess OWC variables and to predict if a human would likely enhance stock market buy/sell decision. We identified neural activities related to the OWC model and demonstrated enhanced outcome from adaptive involvement of the human. Both human and computer benefit from optimized (at time autonomous or cooperative) interactions. This paper illustrates one step forward in the evolution of software systems: from inception as programs that relied heavily on human intervention, to self-adaptive systems that aimed to function autonomously, and finally now in a third co-adaptive era that involves very close symbiosis of human and computer into cooperative tasks.
(Re)Viewing Reviews: Effects of Emotionality and Valence on Credibility Perceptions in Online Consumer Reviews

This study examines credibility perceptions in online consumer reviews. Specifically, this work investigates the effects of review emotionality (high vs. low), review valence (positive vs. negative...
Structure of Acetylcholinesterase: Its Relationship to the Postsynaptic Membrane

Acetylcholinesterase (A Ch E), when extracted with high ionic strength solutions from Torpedo and Electrophorus electric organs and from mammalian skeletal muscle, exists in several molecular forms (6,12,19,25,27). Massoulie and Rieger initially demonstrated in Electrophorus three species with sedimentation constants of 8S, 14S and 18S (19). In more recent studies Massoulie and his colleagues have observed that the predominant 18S species consists of three sets of tetrameric head units, each of which is attached to a filament that joins to a tail of 50 × 2 nm in dimensions (5). Each subunit of the head is 80,000 in molecular weight so that the assembled 18S species has a molecular weight greater than 1 million. Although thought not to be of high molecular weight, the tail unit markedly affects the hydrodynamic properties of the enzyme forms. Treatment of the various AChE species with trypsin or other proteolytic enzymes gives rise to a common species with a sedimentation constant of 11S and a molecular weight near 330,000 (8, 20). Electron microscopy reveals that the US species is devoid of a tail unit and in contrast to the other forms, it will not aggregate in solutions of low ionic strength (6, 25). The US form is probably analogous to the enzyme purified in early years when A Ch E was dissociated from the membrane by extensive autolysis (8).
Orbital Myositis Involving the Oblique Muscles: An Echographic Study

Idiopathic orbital myositis is a common nonspecific orbital inflammatory syndrome that can involve one or more of the extraocular muscles. Oblique muscle involvement is infrequently reported, possibly because such involvement is difficult to identify clinically or by computed tomography (CT). The authors reviewed seven cases of orbital myositis involving the oblique muscles solely or in association with rectus muscle involvement. Standardized echography demonstrated homogeneous low-reflective enlargement, diagnostic of myositis, of the superior and inferior oblique muscles and tendons along their courses. The finding of massive inferior chemosis was associated with involvement of the inferior oblique muscle. Although the disease typically responds to therapy with systemic steroids, residual gaze restriction may occur. The oblique muscles may be frequently involved in idiopathic orbital myositis when evaluated by standardized orbital echography. In these cases, echography provides rapid, accurate, and reliable confirmation of the diagnosis of myositis, differentiates other orbital inflammatory diseases, and provides an objective measure of the therapeutic response.
Intersections of Partnership and Leadership in Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: Comparing Three U.S. Regions:

Entrepreneurial ecosystems have become a focal point for regional innovation and growth. Much of the scholarship on ecosystems has focused on identifying key components and understanding factors in...
A Proof of the Second Fundamental Theorem

We now begin the proof of the second fundamental theorem of Nevanlinna. We continue to use the convention that all equalities are to be read “modulo O(1).” There are a number of other proofs of the second fundamental theorem, some of them leading to generalizations of it.
The Law Firm and the League: Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, Major League Baseball and Mlb.Com

This is (roughly) the 10th anniversary of the transfer of a unique and valuable baseball property. On September 6, 2000, Major League Baseball and Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP (a very big and very prominent Philadelphia-based international law firm) issued a joint press release announcing “that the law firm has transferred its domain name - mlb.com - to Major League Baseball.” From today’s perspective in the current age of the Internet, looking back at a time when the rise of that age (or at least its angle of ascent) was not at all clear, it seems like a bizarrely fortuitous set of coincidences: • In 1994, the initials of big-time baseball (Major League Baseball = MLB) and the initials of one of big-time baseball’s longtime, big-time outside law firms (Morgan, Lewis & Bockius = MLB) were the same (and still are); and • In 1994, it was the law firm that had the foresight, or luck, to move relatively early to register the mlb.com Internet domain name. And then . . . • Several years later, in 2000, when Major League Baseball started to aggressively market itself on the Internet, Morgan Lewis & Bockius was, for a variety of reasons described below, willing to part with mlb.com for a song, or perhaps even less. At the time of its consummation, the mlb.com transaction got a lot of attention in the news media, as well it might. Because by 2000, it was obvious that the Internet was big business, and transactions in Internet domain names were sufficiently common and significant to inspire government regulation of that market. But even in the new and booming and volatile domain-name market, the mlb.com deal qualified as unusual in at least two respects. The deal also illustrates the difficulty of placing a value on a favor, at least between lawyer and client, in the context of the business of baseball.
DOUBLE ASYMPTOTIC EXPANSIONS FOR LINEAR ORDINARY DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses double asymptotic expansions for linear ordinary differential equations. The restrictive condition that the coefficient p(x) is a polynomial is not in itself necessary, particularly if the asymptotic study is limited to properly chosen sectors, provided that in this sectorp(x) shares with polynomials the properties of having a finitenumber of zeros, no poles, and polynomial growth, as x →. The essential idea is to transform the given differentialequation by means of asymptoticseries, into a decisivelysimplerform, whichpermitssolutions in terms of well-knownspecialfunctions. In regions containing just one zero of p(x), and that zero of order one, the simplified differential equation is precisely equation, whose asymptotic theory is completely known.
On stability of non-negative invariant subspaces

In the present work we prove theorem on existence of invariant subspaces for a class of operators in a space with indefinite metric.
A Crystallographic Investigation of Ergolines

The X-ray crystal structures of three ergoline derivatives have been completed and are reported herein. These include mesulergine hydrochloride (III), pergolide methanesulfonate (IV), and dihydroergocriptine hydrate (V). These molecules show dopamine agonist activity at the D2 receptor. These three-dimensional structures were compared to structurally similar molecules with similar pharmacological activity. It was found that ergoline derivatives have rigid fused-ring systems with substituents that can exist in a variety of conformations. The ergoline structures reported here have structural features consistent with other active dopamine agonists. Crystallographic data: (III) C18H26N4O2S ⋅ HCl, monoclinic space group P21, a = 12.183(2) A, b = 6.174(2) A, c = 13.649(2) A, β = 105.55(1)°, Z = 2, final R = 0.071 for 2293 observed reflections [I > 3σ(I)]; (IV) C19H27N2S ⋅ CH3SO3, mono- clinic space group P21, a = 8.455(4) A, b = 29.868(4) A, c = 8.957(6) A, β = 111.95(5)°, Z = 4, final R = 0.055 for 3836 observed reflections; (V) C32H43N5O5 ⋅ H2O, monoclinic space group P21, a = 12.403(2) A, b = 18.103(3) A, c = 15.418(3) A, β = 113.04(2)°, Z = 4, final R = 0.058 for 3208 observed reflections.