cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Optimally-Competitive Algorithm for Maximum Online Perfect Bipartite Matching with i.i.d. Arrivals

We present an optimally-competitive algorithm for the problem of maximum online perfect bipartite matching with i.i.d. arrivals. In this problem, we are given a known set of workers, a distribution over job types, and non-negative utility weights for each pair of worker and job types. At each time step, a job is drawn i.i.d. from the distribution over job types. Upon arrival, the job must be irrevocably assigned to a worker and cannot be dropped. The goal is to maximize the expected sum of utilities after all jobs are assigned. We introduce Dispatch, a 0.5-competitive, randomized algorithm. We also prove that 0.5-competitive is the best possible. When a job arrives, Dispatch first selects a “preferred worker” and assigns the job to this worker if it is available. The preferred worker is determined based on an optimal solution to a fractional transportation problem. If the preferred worker is not available, Dispatch randomly selects a worker from the available workers.
Technological Advancements in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Detection: A Survey

It is estimated that 70 percent of adults in the United States have experienced some type of traumatic event at least once in their lives and of that, one in five will develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result. Although previously thought of as a condition that affects only military combat veterans, it is a psychological condition that can affect people of all ages. PTSD can lead to depression, suicidal thoughts, and other health issues. Therefore, early diagnosis is key to not only saving lives, but also to returning them to normal. However, PTSD symptoms are often ignored or misdiagnosed. Medical professionals and researchers have sought ways to improve the reliability of traditional PTSD symptom detection and classification methods as well as increase the speed at which diagnosis can be made. Various technologies, including heart rate monitors, electroencephalography (EEG), audio recorders, and eye tracking peripherals are now being used to capture and analyze neurological and physiological data to identify markers for the condition. In this survey, we review and present issues with PTSD diagnosis and methods of symptom detection found in current literature. We evaluate the techniques employed, discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of the technologies utilized, and recommend ways in which data collection and analysis could be improved for increased reliability of PTSD diagnosis in the future.
Deciphering ecology from statistical artefacts: Competing influence of sample size, prevalence and habitat specialization on species distribution models and how small evaluation datasets can inflate metrics of performance

AIM: Sample size and species characteristics, including prevalence and habitat specialization, can influence the predictive performance of species distribution models (SDMs). There is little agreement, however, on which metric of model performance to use. Here, we directly compare AUC and partial ROC as metrics of SDM performance through analyses on the effects of species traits and sample size on SDM performance. LOCATION: Three counties dominated by agricultural lands and coniferous forest in Oregon's Willamette Valley and Coast Range ecoregions. METHODS: We systematically reduced a large avian point count dataset to alter sample sizes of 22 species of songbird. We used boosted regression trees to run SDMs for each species, quantified habitat specialization, and used mixed effects models to compare the influence of sample size, prevalence, and habitat specialization on SDM performance, calculated as AUC and partial ROC, across species. We calculated AUC and partial ROC with subset and independent evaluation data separately to more comprehensively investigate differences in metrics. RESULTS: We found a positive quadratic effect of sample size and a strongly positive effect of habitat specialization on both metrics of model performance. We found a weak effect of prevalence on partial ROC and no effect in AUC. Contrary to expectations, when evaluated with a subset evaluation data, partial ROC was consistently highest in models with the smallest sample sizes. These small sample size models had correspondingly small sample sizes in subset evaluation datasets. Partial ROC evaluated with independent data and AUC evaluated with subset or independent data showed the expected positive correlation between sample size and model performance. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: We found that small evaluation datasets can artificially inflate partial ROC. With literature recommended minimum SDM sample sizes as low as three, attention must be given to the effects of correspondingly low sample sizes in evaluation datasets.
Subpopulations of stressed Y. pseudotuberculosis preferentially survive doxycycline treatment within host tissues

Severe systemic bacterial infections result in colonization of deep tissues, which can be very difficult to eliminate with antibiotics. It remains unclear if this is because antibiotics are not reaching inhibitory concentrations within tissues, if subsets of bacteria are less susceptible to antibiotics, or if both contribute to limited treatment efficacy. To determine the concentration of doxycycline (Dox) present within deep tissues following treatment, we generated a fluorescent transcriptional reporter derived from the tet operon to specifically detect intracellular tetracycline exposure at the single bacterial cell level. Dox exposure was detected in the spleen 2 hours after intraperitoneal injection, and by 4 hours post-injection, this treatment resulted in a significant decrease in viable Yersinia pseudotuberculosis in the spleen. Nitric oxide-stressed bacteria preferentially survived treatment, suggesting stress was sufficient to alter Dox susceptibility. Many bacteria (~10%) survived a single dose of Dox, and the antibiotic accumulated at the periphery of microcolonies to growth inhibitory concentrations until 48 hours post-treatment. After this timepoint, antibiotic concentrations decreased and bacterial growth resumed. Dox-treated mice eventually succumbed to the infection, albeit with significantly prolonged survival relative to untreated mice. These results indicate that Dox delivery by intraperitoneal injection results in rapid diffusion of inhibitory concentrations of antibiotic into the spleen, but stressed cells preferentially survive drug treatment, and bacterial growth resumes once drug concentrations decrease. This fluorescent reporter strategy for antibiotic detection could easily be modified to detect the concentration of additional antimicrobial compounds within host tissues following drug administration.
Comparison of balance performance between masters Olympic weightlifters and runners.

Balance disorders are a common problem among older adults that greatly increase susceptibility for falls and fractures. Aerobically trained older (masters) athletes tend to exhibit superior balance abilities compared to that of healthy age-matched counterparts. Olympic weightlifting involves tremendous power production and motor skill coordination throughout the body which may prompt unique sensory information acquisition and integration adaptations. The purpose of this investigation was to compare a modified clinical test of sensory interaction and balance performance between middle-aged (~40-60 years) masters Olympic weightlifters (OWL, n = 48) and runners (RUN, n = 42). Average mediolateral center of pressure velocity (MLCPV) was computed during completion of 2 double leg trials (30-s) completed on firm (FI) and foam (FO) surfaces with eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC). While there were no significant differences between the groups for either the EO-FI (P = .143, d = 0.34) or EO-FO (P = .209, d = 0.26), the OWL demonstrated significantly better balance (lower MLCPV) than the RUN for both the EC-FI (P = .009, d = 0.59) and EC-FO (P = .001, d = 0.70). The most salient result of this investigation was the identification of better balance performance by the OWL, particularly when visual inputs were unavailable (ie, EC), compared to the RUN. These results suggest that Olympic weightlifting may provide a superior training stimulus for somatosensory and vestibular function compared to running in middle-aged adults, a benefit that may help to offset archetypal age-related balance deficits.
Doxycycline as a potential partner of COVID-19 therapies

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major public health challenge, and the current antiviral arsenal for treatment is limited, with questionable efficacy. Major efforts are under way for discovery of new effective agents, but the validation of new potential treatments for COVID-19 may take a long time. Therefore, the repurposing of existing drugs for new indications is needed. In this article, we argue for the potential benefits of using doxycycline with either hydroxycholoroquine or other putative agents for COVID-19 treatment, as doxycycline has antiviral and anti-inflammatory activities by dampening the cytokine storm and to prevent lung damage.
Towards Hallucinating Machines - Designing with Computational Vision:

There are particular similarities in how machines learn about the nature of their environment, and how humans learn to process visual stimuli. Machine Learning (ML), more specifically Deep Neural n...
Cosmological redshift in Friedmann–Robertson–Walker metrics with constant space–time curvature

Cosmological redshift z grows as the Universe expands and is conventionally viewed as a third form of redshift, beyond the more traditional Doppler and gravitational effects seen in other applications of general relativity. In this paper, we examine the origin of redshift in the Friedmann–Robertson–Walker (FRW) metrics with constant space–time curvature, and show that – at least for the static space–times – the interpretation of z as due to the ‘stretching’ of space is coordinate dependent. Namely, we prove that redshift may also be calculated solely from the effects of kinematics and gravitational acceleration. This suggests that its dependence on the expansion factor is simply a manifestation of the high degree of symmetry in FRW, and ought not be viewed as evidence in support of the idea that space itself is expanding.
Atypical anti-glomerular basement membrane glomerulonephritis in a patient with metastatic melanoma treated with mitogen-activated protein kinase and immune checkpoint inhibitors: a case report.

Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors and mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors have become the standard of care in patients with advanced melanoma bearing V600 mutations. However, little is known about their nephrotoxicity. To date, only two cases of anti-glomerular basement membrane glomerulonephritis after exposure to checkpoint inhibitors have been documented. Herein, we report the first case of a patient with metastatic melanoma who developed linear Immunoglobulin G 3+, Immunoglobulin A 2+, kappa 2+, lambda 1+ anti-glomerular basement membrane glomerulonephritis with negative serology following treatment with checkpoint inhibitors and subsequently mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors. Case presentation A 58-year-old Caucasian male was referred to our outpatient nephrology clinic with acute kidney injury and proteinuria. He had received three cycles of ipilimumab and nivolumab for recurrent melanoma positive for the BRAF V600E mutation with metastasis to the lungs. Immunotherapy had been discontinued in the setting of severe adverse effects including dermatitis, colitis, and hepatitis. Because of persistent bilateral lung metastases and left pleural metastases, the patient had been initiated on dabrafenib and trametinib until his presentation to our clinic 6 months later. On presentation, his blood pressure was 172/89 mm/Hg and had 2+ edema bilaterally. His creatinine level was 2.4 mg/dL from a previous normal baseline with a urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio of 2 g/g. His urinalysis showed dysmorphic erythrocytes and red blood cell casts. Serologic testing was negative for antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibodies, proteinase 3 antigen, myeloperoxidase, and anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody. Complement levels were normal. A renal biopsy showed focal crescentic (2 of 15 glomeruli with cellular crescents), proliferative, and sclerosing glomerulonephritis with diffuse linear staining of glomerular capillary loops dominant for IgG (3+), IgA (2+), kappa (2+), and lambda (1+) minimal changes. He was initiated on oral cyclophosphamide and pulse intravenous methylprednisolone followed by oral prednisone for 6 months, which stabilized his renal function until reinitiation of immunotherapy. Conclusions Acute kidney injury is an increasingly reported adverse effect of both drug classes, mostly affecting the tubulointerstitial compartment and infrequently the glomerulus. Although the biologic effect of these drugs on immune cells is not entirely understood, it is possible that BRAF-induced podocyte injury in combination with direct T-cell-mediated glomerular injury facilitated by checkpoint inhibitors led to the unmasking of cryptic antigens, loss of self-tolerance, and autoimmunity. More importantly, we show that treatment with corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide was able to improve and stabilize our patient's renal function until the reinitiation of immunotherapy.
The Role of Vertebral Body Tethering in Treating Skeletally Immature Scoliosis

This is a critical analysis of a study by Hoernschemeyer et al, “Anterior Vertebral Body Tethering for Adolescent Scoliosis with Growth Remaining: A Retrospective Review of 2 to 5-Year Postoperativ...
Impact of radiotherapy on laryngeal cancer survival: a population-based study of 13,808 US patients.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy with its advantage of organ preservation has been used to treat laryngeal cancer (LC) for several decades. However, the impact of radiation on overall survival (OS) in a large population-based study has not been evaluated to date. METHODS: The authors analyzed all patients who had localized and/or regional glottic and supraglottic cancer in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program by comparing treatment trends and OS for the periods 1988 to 1993, 1994 to 1999, and 2000 to 2006. Kaplan-Meier and logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate OS and the influence of patient demographics on treatment received. RESULTS: Among 13,808 patients with LC, radiotherapy use increased over the 3 periods for localized glottic cancer (LGC) (94%, 97%, and 98% during 1988-1993, 1994-1999, and 2000-2006, respectively; P < .001); for regional glottic cancer (RGC) (53%, 66%, and 75%, respectively; P < .001), for localized supraglottic cancer (LSGC) (61%, 83%, and 94%, respectively), and for regional supraglottic cancer (RSGC) (43%, 55%, and 78%, respectively; P < .001). No significant decrease in 5-year OS was observed during the 3 periods (LGC: 73%, 76%, and 78%, respectively; RGC: 57%, 51%, and 56%, respectively; LSGC: 33%, 35%, and 39%, respectively; and RSGC: 36%, 36%, and 43%, respectively). Blacks were significantly less likely to receive radiotherapy than whites (odds ratio: LGC, 0.42; RGC, 0.76; RSGC, 0.68; all P < .05). Those in the lowest tertile of median household income, compared with highest tertile, received radiotherapy less frequently (odds ratio: LGC, 0.42; RGC, 0.57; RSGC, 0.57; all P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The current results indicated that the increased use of radiation with its advantage of speech preservation had no adverse impact on the survival of patients with LC. Black race and low income status had significant, inverse relations with the receipt of radiotherapy. Cancer 2012;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Identity Formation for Transsexual Individuals in Transition

Abstract Literature regarding the gender variant population is very limited, and what is available tends to focus on epidemiology. Within the gender variant population there is a wide array of sub-categories which deal with a range of specific issues that are even more extensive. Transsexuals, one of the sub-categories, have one of the most difficult transitions to make in order to feel confident and at peace with their selves. Transsexuals are guided in their transition by The Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association's (HBIGDA) Standards of Care (SOC). Part of the process is exploring their transition through a therapeutic relationship. The therapeutic model that we offer is unique in its perspective on a non-pathologizing, culturally-based, identity formation, and strength-eliciting approach. By pairing Marcia's (1980) identity statuses with narrative family therapy, we believe that transsexuals can find their transition more explored and solidified, thereby resulting in a stronger, mor...
An Analysis of Consumption and Expenditures for Lithuanian Households Using Budget Survey Data

Recent household budget survey data for Lithuania provide a profile of expenditure patterns for households by income level and living in either urban or rural areas. This paper provides an overview of expenditures and gives estimates of Engel functions and income elasticities for major expenditure groups and for food commodities. Food commodities are relatively important to households in both urban and rural areas and show relatively inelastic response to income levels. Based in an assumed reduction in income for 1991 of 41 percent, food shares are projected to increase by nearly 36 percent from 1989 levels. This is likely to be a lower bound for the anticipated changes.
Effects of Ethanol Content on Gasohol PFI Engine Wide-Open-Throttle Operation

The NOx emission and knock characteristics of a PFI engine operating on ethanol/gasoline mixtures were assessed at 1500 and 2000 rpm with λ =1 under WideOpen-Throttle condition. There was no significant charge cooling due to fuel evaporation. The decrease in NOx emission and exhaust temperature could be explained by the change in adiabatic flame temperature of the mixture. The fuel knock resistance improved significantly with the gasohol so that ignition could be timed at a value much closer or at MBT timing. Changing from 0% to 100% ethanol in the fuel, this combustion phasing improvement led to a 20% increase in NIMEP and 8 percentage points in fuel conversion efficiency at 1500 rpm. At 2000 rpm, where knocking was less severe, the improvement was about half (10% increase in NIMEP and 4 percentage points in fuel conversion efficiency). Because there was no significant change in the end gas temperature in these experiments, the gasohol knock resistance was attributed solely to the ignition chemistry of the ethanol.
Unveil China's Economic Miracle

For nearly three decades, China has achieved an economic miracle. China's official GDP per capita increased almost tenfold, from about US$150 in 1978 to US$1,449 in 2005. China's growth measured by the purchasing power parity (PPP) has been even more impressive. The GDP per capita in terms of PPP increased more than 21 times. Orthodox economic growth theories have been applied to uncover the secrets of China's miracle by using traditional growth factors, such as capital, labor, and technology, even incorporating geography and institutions, but no highly satisfactory explanations have yet emerged to fully explain the miracle. In this paper, the author, based on 30 years of living and working experience in China, unveils China's miracle from some different perspectives, which have usually been neglected by mainstream economists but may offer the key to uncovering the secrets of the China Miracle. He concludes that China's economic miracle is attributable to the following four main factors - (i) efficient, effective, and growth-friendly economic policy, (ii) two Chinese traditions, namely, the high savings rate and the emphasis on education, and (iii) the historical demographic opportunity (i.e. the population at its prime), and (iv) the deepening of both monetizaiton and division of labor. In particular, the author points out that the last two factors have contributed significantly to China's economic miracle but have not yet been captured by most economic analyses.
Noninvasive Detection of Inflammation-Associated Colon Cancer in a Mouse Model

Helicobacter bilis-infected Smad3-/- mice represent an attractive model of inflammation-associated colon cancer. Most infected mice develop mucinous adenocarcinoma (MUC) by 6 weeks post inoculation (PI); however, approximately one third do not progress to MUC. The ability to predict the development of MUC in mice used in therapeutic studies would confer a considerable saving of time and money. In addition, the inadvertent use of mice without MUC may confound therapeutic studies by making treatments seem falsely efficacious. We assessed both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fecal biomarkers in Helicobacter- and sham-inoculated mice as methods of noninvasively detecting MUC before the predicted onset of disease. Non-contrast-enhanced MRI was able to detect lesions in 58% of mice with histologically confirmed MUC; however, serial imaging sessions produced inconsistent results. MRI was also a labor- and time-intensive technique requiring anesthesia. Alternatively, inflammatory biomarkers isolated from feces at early time points were correlated to later histologic lesions. Fecal expression of interleukin 1β, macrophage inflammatory protein 1α, and regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed, and secreted at 3 weeks PI correlated significantly with lesion severity at 9 weeks PI. For each biomarker, receiver-operator characteristic curves were also generated, and all three biomarkers performed well at 1 to 3 weeks PI, indicating that the development of MUC can be predicted based on the early expression of certain inflammatory mediators in feces.
Mechanical Properties and Endurance Limit of Fiber Composite Bars

Experiments were performed to understand the mechanical properties and endurance characteristics of deformed glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) rods.Mechanical properties analyzed included tensile strength and modulus of elasticity. GFRP rods with vinylester matrix and GFRP rods with a polyester matrix were tested in tension and compared. The #4, #5 and #6 vinylester bars showed ultimate strength capacities of 70 ksi, 70 ksi, and 96 ksi and moduli of elasticity of 4.9, 5.3, and 6 million psi, respectively, based on cross-sectional areas assumed for steel rebars of the same size number. The ultimate strength of polyester rods average 85 ksi for the #4 sizes, 70 ksi for the #5 sizes, and 96 ksi for the #6 sizes; all calculated based on equivalent steel area. The #4, 5 and 6 polyester rods showed modulus of elasticity of 5.12, 4.85, and 5.11 million psi respectively.Endurance testing of ten specimens (only vinylester matrix rods) of each size bar at varying percents of their ultimate load capacity from 50...
To Know Them is to Love Them

I connect the theoretical emphasis that motivated the cognitive ethnobiology of the 1960s and early 1970s with the contemporary emphasis on promoting ethnobiology as contributing to biodiversity conservation. I use the words of a popular song to highlight the necessary, if problematic, links between knowing nature – the focus of cognitive ethnobiology, loving nature, and acting to conserve nature. I argue that a highly elaborated knowledge of the living things in one's local environment is characteristic of Indigenous and other deeply rooted communities, which are dependent on sustainable harvests of local natural resources. Furthermore, this extensive knowledge goes hand in hand with a deep emotional engagement with those species (“love”), which is in turn powerful motivation to treat those species with respect, absent dominance of profit motives. I suggest in conclusion that ethnobiology may best contribute to biodiversity conservation by documenting the detailed knowledge of and cultural appreciation for biodiversity evident in such rooted communities – an effort that has defined the ethnobiological project for over the past half century. The wider community of activists dedicated to biodiversity conservation may thus better know and thus appreciate – respect, if not “love” – those who live with and depend for their livelihood on this biodiversity.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α, Matrix-Metalloproteinases 8 and 9 Levels in the Saliva Are Associated with Increased Hemoglobin A1c in Type 1 Diabetes Subjects.

Background Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease resulting in the targeted destruction of pancreatic β-cells and permanent loss of insulin production. Proper glucose management results in better clinical outcomes for T1D and provides a strong rationale to identify non-invasive biomarkers indicative or predictive of glycemic control. Therefore, we investigated the association of salivary inflammation with HbA1c in a T1D cohort. Methods Unstimulated saliva was collected from 144 subjects with T1D at the USF Diabetes Center. BMI, duration of diabetes, and HbA1c were recorded during clinical visit. Levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, -6, -8, -10, IFN-γ, TNF-α, MMP-3, -8, and -9 were measured using multiplexing immunoassay analysis. To account for smoking status, salivary cotinine levels were also determined. Results Multiple linear (HbA1c) and logistic (self-reported gingival condition) regression analyses were performed to examine the relationships between the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) components and HbA1c and gingival condition (adjusted for age, duration of diabetes, BMI, and sex; model for HbA1c also adjusted for gingival condition and model for gingival condition also adjusted for HbA1c). PCA components 1 (MMP-8 and MMP-9) and 3 (TNF-α) were significantly associated with HbA1c (β = 0.28 ±0.14, p = 0.045; β = 0.31 ±0.14, p = 0.029), while PCA component 2 (IL-6, IL-1β, and IL-8) was significantly associated with gingival condition (OR 1.60 95% CI 1.09–2.34, p = 0.016). In general, increased salivary inflammatory burden is associated with decreased glycemic control and self-reported gingival condition. Conclusions The saliva may represent a useful reservoir of novel noninvasive inflammatory biomarkers predictive of the progression and control of T1D.
Contact analysis of non-Gaussian random surfaces

AbstractSurfaces produced by machining processes such as grinding, shaping and turning and some magnetic disk texturing processes such as sputtering and laser processing are frequently non-Gaussian...
Differences in susceptibility to rejection of mouse pancreatic islet allografts disparate for class I or class II major histocompatibility antigens

Pancreatic islet B cells express class I but not class II antigens, and removal of Ia positive passenger cells from H-2 allogeneic islets by anti-Ia serum and complement leads to permanent allograft survival. A test was made of whether the same result can be achieved by genetically removing the Ia stimulus by performing mouse islet allografts in congenic donor-recipient combinations differing at the H-2 K only, D only, or K + D regions. Mice disparate for class I antigens (H-2 K, D, and K + D) alone reject islet allografts, suggesting that Ia positive passenger cells may be involved in presentation of class I disparities. Established islet allografts appear to be sensitive to rejection induced by injection of donor strain splenocytes when donor and recipient differ for class I (H-2 D alone and D + I) but not class II (H-2 I alone) antigens. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that pancreatic islet allografts do not express class II target antigens, but do express class I antigens that in long-established pancreatic islet allografts are capable of acting as targets but not in initiating an immune response.
Bayesian methods: bayesian methods for simulation

This tutorial describes some ways that Bayesian methods address problems that arise during simulation studies. This includes quantifying uncertainty about input distributions and parameters, sensitivity analysis, and the selection of the best of several simulated alternatives. Focus is on illustrating the main ideas and their relevance to practical problems. Numerous citations for both introductory and more advanced material provide a launching pad into the Bayesian literature.
Role of EC-SOD overexpression in preserving pulmonary angiogenesis inhibited by oxidative stress.

Angiogenesis is one of the most important processes for normal lung development. Oxidative stress can impair the pulmonary angiogenesis, leading to chronic lung disease or Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Objective To investigate the protective effects of EC-SOD overexpression on pulmonary angiogenesis on neonates following exposure to acute hyperoxia. Design/Methods Transgenic (TG) and wild-type (WT) neonatal mice (10 mice per group) were exposed either to air (control group) or 95% O2 for 7 days starting at birth. After exposure, all animals were sacrificed. ROS concentration was measured in lung homogenates using OxiSelect ROS assay kit. Mean vascular density (MVD) was measured using anti CD34 staining. RNA was extracted and the angiogenesis markers, VEGF, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 and PECAM-1 were analyzed by RT-q PCR. VGEF protein was measured using Western blots. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) was assayed by flow cytometer. Results There was a significant reduction of ROS in TG hyperoxic neonate group (156±14.2) compared to WT hyperoxic animals (255±35.1). Evaluation of MVD, using anti-CD34, showed marked significant increase of MVD in the TG group following hyperoxic exposure (85±12) in comparison to the WT hyperoxic group (62±8.4), (P 0.05). PECAM expression was significantly reduced in both hyperoxic compared to normoxic groups (P 0.05). Conclusions EC-SOD plays a key role in preserving angiogenesis by scavenging free radicals which has an inhibitory effect on angiogenesis process in neonatal mice lung following exposure to hyperoxia.
The network approach for prevention of healthcare-associated infections: long-term effect of participation in the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network.

Objective. To describe the rates of several key outcomes and healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) among hospitals that participated in the Duke Infection Control Outreach Network (DICON).Design and Setting. Prospective, observational cohort study of patients admitted to 24 community hospitals from 2003 through 2009.Methods. The following data were collected and analyzed: incidence of central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs), ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), and HAIs caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); employee exposures to bloodborne pathogens (EBBPs); physician EBBPs; patient-days; central line–days; ventilator-days; and urinary catheter–days. Poisson regression was used to determine whether incidence rates of these HAIs and exposures changed during the first 5 and 7 years of participation in DICON; nonrandom clustering of each outcome was controlled for. Cost saved and lives saved were calculated on...
Foreign market promotion programs: An analysis of promotion response for apples, poultry, and tobacco

US exports of apples, poultry, and unmanufactured tobacco were analyzed using regression techniques to determine their responsiveness to foreign market development expenditures. It was determined that apple and tobacco exports were responsive, while poultry exports were not. Marginal returns to an additional dollar of export promotion for apples and tobacco were $60 and 31, respectively. Results indicated that response to poultry promotion was not different from zero. This is likely due to aggregation of data which does not permit isolating impacts of specific promotional efforts.
Gender bias and pretrial release: More pieces of the puzzle

Pretrial release has been cited as a decision point in the criminal justice system at which gender bias may result in different outcomes for female defendants compared to males. This study analyzed data from a weighted sample of nearly 2000 felony cases from Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Bivariate analysis indicated that females were more likely than males to be granted lenient pretrial release terms, to receive lower bail amounts when cash bail was set, to spend shorter periods of time in jail before trial, and to gain release pending trial. If released, women were more likely to appear in court as scheduled. Multivariate logit analysis, however, showed that gender was a significant factor for the court only in choosing between noncash and cash terms of release. Finally, crime-type-specific logit analysis suggested that neither the simple chivalry hypothesis nor the sex-role stereotype hypothesis were supported by these data.
Spin Waves in an Interacting Electron Gas

Some previous results of the author in collaboration with H. Brooks are improved and corrected concerning the coefficient of ${q}^{2}$ in the spin-wave dispersion law in an electron gas interacting according to a Yukawa potential. A variational method of solution for the integral equation occurring in this theory is given which, besides giving the spin-wave energy correctly, also gives the spin-density-wave instability when extended suitably. Having uncovered the instability of the paramagnetic state, an alternative derivation of the new state is given by a Green's-function method. In an Appendix, a theory of spin-density waves in a Bloch electron system is outlined. The variational method given here seems to be of quite general use in solving similar problems in other contexts.
Grain size in A-15 reaction layers

Grain sizes of Nb3Sn, V3Ga, and V3Si made by the bronze technique are measured by transmission electron microscopy of multifilamentary composites reacted at various temperatures. Grain sizes of V3Ga are found to be larger than those of Nb3Sn and V3Si formed at the same temperature, but much smaller than those reported by earlier workers. Copper contents of the A-15 layers are found to be low. Critical current densities at 4.2 K and fields up to 6 T are similar for V3Ga, Nb3Sn, and V3Si of the same grain size. Die Korngrosen von Nb3Sn-, V3Ga- und V3Si-Proben, die durch Reaktion in Kupferbronze erzeugt wurden, werden mittels Transmissionselektronenmikroskopie bestimmt. Bei gleicher Reaktionstemperatur ist die Korngrose von V3Ga groser als die von Nb3Sn und V3Si, jedoch erheblich kleiner als fruher von anderen Autoren berichtet. Es wird gefunden, das der Kupfergehalt der A-15-Schichten niedrig ist. Die kritischen Stromdichten sind bei 4,2 K und Feldern bis zu 6 T fur gleiche Korngrose bei V3Ga, Nb3Sn und V3Si etwa gleich.
Three Experiments on Learning to Teach.

ABSTRACT This paper reports on three studid;lof the changes in teacher effects on student learning and attitude's as a function of teacher practice. Two studies were performed in a tutorial context, the first with 4 tutors and 16 students, the second with 17 tutors and 68 students. The third study used small group instruction with 12 teachers and 288 students. In each study, the same teachers taught a short curriculum unit three or four times, teaching different students in each trial. The results of the studies showed marked individual differences among teachers in the extent to which their students learned more or less. Few teachers showed marked increases in. student learning with practice. It was also shown that, on the average, st4;.dent achievement dereased with teacher practice. Student attitudes towt_rd the learning situation and toward themseves as learners changed in a curvilinear fashion. (Several graplis are included to illustrate the data.) (Author/RC)
Role of the psychiatric clinical nurse specialist in the emergency department.

Effective management of psychiatric emergencies has emerged as an important area in the field of mental illness. Psychiatric clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), with their advanced training in psychodynamics, pathophysiology, physical assessment, pharmacology, crisis intervention, and psychotherapy,
Thermoelastic Stress Analysis: The Mean Stress Effect in Metallic Alloys

The primary objective of this study involved the utilization of the thermoelastic stress analysis (TSA) method to demonstrate the mean stress dependence of the thermoelastic constant. Titanium and nickel base alloys, commonly employed in aerospace gas turbines, were the materials of interest. The repeatability of the results was studied through a statistical analysis of the data. Although the mean stress dependence was well established, the ability to confidently quantify it was diminished by the experimental variations. If calibration of the thermoelastic response to mean stress can be successfully implemented, it is feasible to use the relationship to determine a structure's residual stress state.
Reflexive Biomedicalization and Alternative Healing Systems

The utilization of alternative medical therapies and practitioners has increased dramatically in the U.S. in the last two to three decades. This trend seems paradoxical when one considers the rapid advances taking place in biomedical knowledge and technology during this same time period. Observers both inside and outside of the medical profession have attempted to explain the rising popularity of alternative medicine by proposing that it signals a growing sense of dissatisfaction and disenchantment with professional biomedical practices on the part of the lay public. This paper challenges this thesis and offers an alternative explanation, arguing that the rise of alternative medicine is a consequence of the success and expanding influence of biomedicine rather than its failure and declining authority. The argument presented draws primarily on Ulrich Beck’s “risk society” perspective and theory of “reflexive modernization,” with specific attention to his analysis of the “reflexive scientization” process. The application of this perspective allows us to understand the emergence and development of alternative medicine as an unanticipated consequence of the process of reflexive biomedicalization in the late modern era.
A Conceptual Design Study For The Eos Lidar Atmospheric Sounder And Altimeter Facility

A preliminary design study is presented for the Lidar Atmospheric Sounder and Altimeter (LASA), an active remote sensor for the Earth Observing System. LASA is designed to measure the global vertical distributions of aerosols, cloud top heights, atmospheric trace gases, atmospheric temperature and pressure, and the height of the PBL. The measurements are made using optical radar, differential absorption lidar, and laser altimetry. An experiment proposed for the LASA facility, the EOS Atmospheric Global Lidar Experiment (EAGLE) is described in detail. The EAGLE program is planned to determine aerosol and cloud distributions, water vapor concentrations, and temperature profiles over the troposphere and aerosol distribution over the stratosphere. The measurement techniques, receiver system, and transmitter for the EAGLE program are examined and the conceptual design of the EAGLE experiment and the LASA/EAGLE interface is outlined.
Matrilysin (PUMP) Correlates with Dermal Invasion During Appendageal Development and Cutaneous Neoplasia

Abstract Matrix-degrading metalloproteinases play a major role in tissue remodeling. Recent studies have shown that enzymes of this class are constitutively expressed primarily by stromal cells and not by epithelium. Here we present immunohistochemical evidence that matrilysin is localized within epidermal cells in developing skin and in tumor cells of cutaneous malignancies. The expression of matrilysin protein in developing fetal skin (6–15 weeks) is localized primarily to the germinative basal cell layer of fetal epidermis and early appendageal buds. The buds continue to express matrilysin during mesenchymal invasion. As development progresses (15–19 weeks) matrilysin is concentrated only in cells at the distal portion of the invading follicular and sweat gland appendageal cords. In adult skin, matrilysin was localized specifically to the outer root sheath of the hair follicles and the secretory cells of the eccrine glands but was absent in the epidermis. Nodulocystic, keratotic, adenoid basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) did not express matrilysin. In contrast, in the more aggressive morpheaform (infiltrative) BCCs and recurrent BCCs, matrilysin was localized at the tumor-stromal interface. In squamous cell carcinomas matrilysin was present in tumor cells at the stromal interface surrounding the tumor nests. The demonstration of matrilysin protein in germinal basal cells during fetal skin development and its presence in tumor cells at the stromal junction suggests that this enzyme may contribute to the proteolytic activity associated with cell-extracellular matrix interactions during appendageal development and tumor invasion.
Real-time implementation of the network-based reflectivity retrieval for CASA

The first generation testbed of the Center for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA-IP1) is currently operational in Oklahoma. The CASA-IP1 system is a radar network observing a weather event simultaneously by four radars. Within the CASA, a network-based reflectivity retrieval technique has been developed and evaluated extensively. This paper presents the evaluation of the network-based reflectivity retrieval by comparing retrieval results using CASA-IP1 data with WSR-88D observations. This paper also describes the design and implementation of an architectural framework for real-time processing of the network-based retrieval algorithm. Experimental results show that the implementation meets the real-time requirement of CASA.
Potential Factors Affecting Nest Initiation Date, Clutch Size and Nest Success in the Plumage Dimorphic Reddish Egret

Abstract. Plumage dimorphism is common in the family Ardeidae with one morph possessing all-white plumage and the alternate morph being darkly colored. The effects of plumage morph and colony site on nest initiation date, clutch size and total nest success of the plumage dimorphic Reddish Egret in the Laguna Madre region of Texas were examined. Color morph did not significantly affect nest initiation date (Julian date - Dark morph: 109.88 (S.D. 26.56), White morph: 100.82 (25.85), Mixed-morph: 113.29 (27.55); ANOVA: F(2,158)= 0.199, P = 0.820) although nest initiation date was different between nesting colonies (Julian date - Rabbit Island: 125.14 (S.D. 18.05); Zigzag Island: 87.15 (19.07); ANOVA: F(1,158) = 5.732, P = 0.018). Overall mean (±S.E.) clutch size was 3.29 ± 0.05 and differed between colony sites but not between color morphs. Model selection analysis using logistic exposure revealed that neither plumage morph nor colony site had a significant effect on nest success. Mayfield total nest success...
Do Reports on Drinking Water Quality Affect Customers' Concerns? Experiments in Report Content

The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 required U.S. utilities to report on drinking water quality to their customers annually, beginning in fall 1999, on the assumption that such reports would alert them to quality problems and perhaps mobilize pressure for improvement. A random sample of New Jersey customers read alternative versions of a water quality report, in an experiment on reactions to water quality information under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) rules. Experiment design was 2 x 3 + 1: two versions each--one with, one without, a violation of a health standard--of a report that was (1) Qualitative (without water quality numbers, thus not meeting USEPA rules); (2) Basic, with minimal information meeting the rules; or (3) Extended, adding reading aids and utility performance information; plus a control instrument without any hypothetical report. Results of ANOVA suggest the reports will have less effect than hoped or feared. These manipulations were successful: people reading the Qualitative versions were less likely to say that the report gave the amounts of substances found in the water, and those reading Violation versions were more likely to report a violation of a health standard. The main differences in responses to the report involved the judged adequacy of the information, and to a lesser extent responses on a Concern scale (constructed from measures of concern, judged risk, clean-up intentions, distrust of utility information, and doubt that the utility was doing all it could to improve water quality). Overall judgments of water quality and utility performance did not change, either relative to the controls or in before versus after responses. Qualitative reports performed worse than others, confirming the decision to have utilities report actual contaminant levels. Extended reports did only slightly better than the Basic versions on these measures. Many respondents had trouble identifying the presence or absence of substance amounts or violations, despite their seeming obviousness (e.g., in a "bottom line" summary on the front page of each report), suggesting many were not processing this information carefully. However, the pattern of responses for those who accurately identified the presence or absence of substance amounts or violations did not differ substantially from that for the group as a whole. Generic risk beliefs (serious local environmental problems; lack of control over risks to one's health) dominated demographic variables, attitudes toward utility water quality or trustworthiness, and the content and format of water quality reports in influencing concern about drinking water quality. Previous empirical and theoretical evidence for lack of change in public risk attitudes due to one-time or infrequent communications--e.g., role of personal experience, perseverance of prior trust or distrust--seems to be confirmed for annual water quality reports.
Predictive control of a three-phase DC-AC Modular Multilevel Converter

The Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) is a newly introduced multilevel converter topology with high modularity and scalability, suitable for a wide range of voltage/power applications. This paper proposes a model predictive control (MPC) strategy to eliminate the circulating currents and carry out the voltage balancing task of an MMC. A discrete-time mathematical model of an MMC is derived and a predictive model is developed. The salient feature of the proposed control strategy is that it enables precise ac-side current control, capacitor voltage balancing, and circulating current mitigation of an MMC, simultaneously, with a simple implementation procedure. Performance of the proposed MPC-based strategy for a five-level grid-connected MMC unit is evaluated based on time-domain simulation studies in the PSCAD/EMTDC software environment. The reported study results demonstrate satisfactory response of the system operating based on the proposed MPC strategy, under various conditions.
Trajectories of School Connectedness Across the Middle School Years Examining the Roles of Adolescents’ Internalizing and Externalizing Problems

Students become increasingly disconnected from their schools across the middle school years, but little is known about the factors contributing to changes in school connectedness. This study examin...
The role of PI3K/Akt in human herpesvirus infection: From the bench to the bedside

The phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt signaling pathway regulates several key cellular functions including protein synthesis, cell growth, glucose metabolism, and inflammation. Many viruses have evolved mechanisms to manipulate this signaling pathway to ensure successful virus replication. The human herpesviruses undergo both latent and lytic infection, but differ in cell tropism, growth kinetics, and disease manifestations. Herpesviruses express multiple proteins that target the PI3K/Akt cell signaling pathway during the course of their life cycle to facilitate viral infection, replication, latency, and reactivation. Rare human genetic disorders with mutations in either the catalytic or regulatory subunit of PI3K that result in constitutive activation of the protein predispose to severe herpesvirus infections as well as to virus-associated malignancies. Inhibiting the PI3K/Akt pathway or its downstream proteins using drugs already approved for other diseases can block herpesvirus lytic infection and may reduce malignancies associated with latent herpesvirus infections.