cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selection for phosphorus efficiency in corn

Abstract A total of seventy‐three U.S. corn (Zea mays L.) inbreds and hybrids were grown in the greenhouse for two to four weeks in low and high available P nutrient solutions and soils to select for phosphorus efficiency based on yield differences in a low available P medium. Variation in growth in the low P medium was partially explained by differences in early growth vigor (especially when inbreds and hybrids were compared in the same trial) but not by any apparent differences in P absorption characteristics. Seventeen hybrids with high yields in the adequate P medium and contrasting yields in the low P cultures were grown to maturity in a very low available P (5 ppm Bray 1) Berks soil (a Typic Dystrochrept) in the field with and without added fertilizer P but with other nutrients and lime adequately supplied to both treatments. The relative growth rate of these hybrids in a low P medium in the greenhouse was not correlated with their yield in the low available P soils in the field. This may be due to ...
Characterization of actin from fertilized eggs of Ilyanassa obsoleta during polar lobe formation and cytokinesis

Abstract Actin was identified in fertilized eggs of the marine snail, Ilyanassa obsoleta, by heavy meromyosin (HMM) decoration of cortical microfilaments and by tryptic peptide analysis of presumptive egg actin. Eggs beginning to undergo first cleavage after third polar lobe formation were glycerinated, incubated with or without HMM, and examined by electron microscopy. In both sets of eggs, microfilaments were observed in the cleavage furrow and the polar lobe constriction, as well as in the remaining cortical cytoplasm. Microfilaments also were found in the cortex of glycerinated spherical eggs incubated without HMM. Microfilaments in glycerinated eggs treated with HMM had a barbed or fuzzy appearance; however, this type of decoration was not observed in glycerinated eggs incubated without HMM or when ATP or sodium pyrophosphate were present with the HMM. Microfilaments in the cleavage furrow and the third polar lobe constriction of glycerinated Ilyanassa eggs were stabilized by incubation in solutions of skeletal muscle tropomyosin or of 50 mM MgCl2. Acetone powders prepared from Ilyanassa eggs contained a major protein which comigrated with actin purified from several vertebrate tissues when subjected to gel electrophoresis under denaturing conditions. The presumptive egg actin and purified actin standards were iodinated and compared by two-dimensional tryptic peptide analysis. The resulting peptide patterns from Ilyanassa egg actin were very similar to those of chick brain actin, but were distinctly different from those prepared from mouse skeletal muscle and chick gizzard actins.
Cadmium sulfide on synthetic clay

Abstract Synthetic clay (Laponite) has been used to prepare small particles of CdS. The particle size is limited by the interplanar spacing (11.5 A) and the concentration of Cd2+ present on formation of the sulfide. The onset of absorption and the maximum emission wavelength increase with increasing cadmium concentration. The luminescent lifetime is wavelength-dependent, varying from tens of nanoseconds at short wavelengths to hundreds of nanoseconds at longer wavelengths. The spectroscopic properties of the particles are studied as a function of cadmium concentration and discussed in terms of particle size.
The accuracy of implant impressions: a systematic review.

Statement of problem Various implant impression techniques, such as the splint, pick-up, and transfer techniques, have been introduced, and some techniques may be more accurate than others. Also, clinically, some factors, including the angulation or depth of implants, may affect the accuracy of the implant impressions. Purpose The purposes of this review were to: (1) investigate the accuracy of published implant impression techniques, and (2) examine the clinical factors affecting implant impression accuracy. Material and methods An electronic search was performed in June 2008 of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases with the key words implant, implants, impression, and impressions. To be included, the study had to investigate the accuracy of implant impressions and be published in an English peer-reviewed journal. In addition, a hand search was performed to enrich the results for the time period from January 1980 to May 2008. After executing the search strategies, 41 articles were selected to be included in the review process. Results All of the selected articles were in vitro studies. Of the 17 studies that compared the accuracy between the splint and nonsplint techniques, 7 advocated the splint technique, 3 advocated the nonsplint technique, and 7 reported no difference. Fourteen studies compared the accuracy of pick-up and transfer impression techniques, and 5 showed more accurate impression with the pick-up techniques, 2 with the transfer technique, and 7 showed no difference. The number of implants affected the comparison of the pick-up and splint techniques. Eleven studies compared the accuracy of polyether and vinyl polysiloxane (VPS), and 10 of 11 reported no difference between the 2 materials. Four studies examined the effect of implant angulation on the accuracy of impressions. Two studies reported higher accuracy with straight implants, while the other 2 reported there was no angulation effect. Conclusions The review of abutment level or implant level internal connection implants indicated that more studies reported greater accuracy with the splint technique than with the nonsplint technique. For situations in which there were 3 or fewer implants, most studies showed no difference between the pick-up and transfer techniques, whereas for 4 or more implants, more studies showed higher accuracy with the pick-up technique. Polyether and VPS were the recommended materials for the implant impressions. (J Prosthet Dent 2008;100:285-291)
SU‐GG‐T‐399: Dosimetric Comparison of Monte Carlo and Ray Tracing of Cyberknife T Spine Treatment Plans

Purpose: Cyberknife treatment involves many beams passing through lung before reaching the T spine target therefore tissue heterogeneity correction will have major effect on dose distribution. This study compares dose to the target and to critical structure for T Spine treatment plans generated from Multiplan with Monte Carlo and ray tracing for tissue heterogeneity correction. Method and Materials: Clinical T spine treatment plans based on ray tracing algorithm for tissue density correction were recalculated with Monte Carlo at high resolution with 2% uncertainty. Results including target dose, Conformity Index, target coverage and cord dose based on the two calculation methods are compared. Results: Based on clinical cases, the ratio of Monte Carlo results to ray tracing results are: target minimum dose 94% +/− 6%, target mean dose 97% +/− 2%, target maximum dose 101% +/− 3%, Conformity Index 93% +/− 3%, coverage 95% +/− 2% and cord maximum dose 96% +/− 3%. Monte Carlo plans tend to have more dose heterogeneity with lower target minimum dose, lower target mean dose and similar target maximum dose. Coverage and Conformity Index are lower for Monte Carlo by 5% to 7% because the optimized ray tracing plans are no longer optimal when recalculated with Monte Carlo. Conclusion: Ray tracing treatment plan tends to under dose the T spine target and cord by 3% to 4%. At the lung/bone interface, the isodose line tends to pull toward the vertebral body and the target voxels closest to the lung will have the biggest dose drop therefore the lower target minimum dose. It is recommended to start Multiplan optimization with Monte Carlo for T spine treatment plan in order to get realistic dose to target and cord.
Spatially localized interactive neural populations—II: Stability and dynamics of excitatory sets†

The stability characteristics and dynamical behavior of a system of mutually excitatory neurons in close spatial proximity are investigated with a mathematical model. The model predicts the existence of uniform, intermediate levels of activity other than those of no activity and maximal activity. The model also, yields a good explanation of data obtained from periglomerular neurons in the olfactory bulb of the cat.
Elevated cytokine messenger RNA levels in the peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis suggest different degrees of myeloid cell activation

Objective. To determine whether monocytes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are activated to produce proinflammatory cytokines in the peripheral circulation before entering the synovium and whether the pattern of cytokines that is expressed correlates with disease activity. Methods. Cytokine messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were assessed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 14 RA patients and 14 healthy controls by semiquantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction technology. The method employed was sufficiently sensitive to assess cytokine mRNA levels in freshly isolated cells without the necessity of in vitro stimulation. Thus, an estimate of the in vivo state of activation could be obtained. Results. Interleukin-8 (IL-8) mRNA levels were elevated in all 14 RA patients compared with normal controls, whereas 7 of 14 RA patients had elevated levels of mRNA for IL-6 or IL-10. IL-1B mRNA levels were below the normal range in 3 of 14 patients, within normal limits in 4 of 14, and elevated in 7 of 14. Tumor necrosis factor a mRNA levels were within the normal range in 9 of 14 patients and below normal in 5 of 14. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean IL-10 (P < 0.05) and IL-8 (P < 0.001) mRNA.levels in RA patients and normal controls. Of note, the 7 patients with elevated IL-lβ mRNA levels also expressed the highest levels of IL-8 mRNA. Whereas a strong correlation between the expression of IL-lβ and IL-8 mRNA (P < 0.001) was found, expression of all other mRNA occurred independently of each other. Levels of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) mRNA were also determined to evaluate the status of myeloid cell activation more completely. COX-2 mRNA levels were within the normal range in 4 of 11 patients and below normal in 7 of 11, but did not correlate with the expression of any of the cytokine mRNA. Conclusion. Elevated levels of mRNA for selected cytokines that are predominantly produced by monocytes can be found in the PBMC of many RA patients. The data indicate that myeloid precursor cells become activated to produce cytokines before they enter the synovium, a finding which emphasizes the systemic nature of RA.
Lofexidine in the treatment of hypertension: A twice-daily versus once-daily dose comparison with 24-hour blood pressure monitoring

: Lofexidine, an antihypertensive imidazoline derivative, was given to ten hypertensives on both a twice-daily and once-daily regimen, using routine blood pressure measurements and 24-hour Remler recording. Plasma renin activity and catecholamines were measured. After a dose titration with twice-daily doses, the total twice-daily dose was given once daily for two weeks and the drug abruptly withdrawn. Mean placebo blood pressure was 136/104 mm Hg supine. After twice-daily therapy, this fell to 118/86 mm Hg, and upon conversion to once-daily therapy, it rose to 126/89 mm Hg. With the Remler recorder, mean 24-hour blood pressure was 125/89 during the twice-daily therapy, 133/94 mm Hg during once-daily therapy, and 142/99 mm Hg on the day after acute withdrawal; i.e., evaluation in all three treatment periods showed a lack of sustained control with both a wide range and high frequency of blood pressure variation. Plasma renin activity and plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine did not change significantly during the study.
Cost behavior and executive bonus compensation

Abstract Prior literature provides compelling evidence of an asymmetric relation between executive bonus compensation and earnings performance. In particular, this literature reports that compensation committees assign greater weight to good (positive) earnings performance than poor (negative) earnings performance. Taken together, the prior literature provides strong support for critics who claim that compensation committees blindly protect executives from earnings underperformance. We further examine this issue by investigating whether a firm's cost behavior (i.e., the relation between expenses and sales) provides an explanation for the apparent inefficiency in executive compensation contracts. Our evidence suggests that executives are rewarded more for increases in ROA that arise from normal cost behavior than other increases in ROA consistent with these increases being perceived as more persistent. In contrast, we do not find such a relationship for decreases in ROA which suggests that executives are largely shielded from decreases in ROA that follow normal cost behavior. We examine two factors suggested by the prior literature, expected future sales and the extent of capacity utilization, which may provide an explanation for why executives are shielded from normal cost behavior decreases in ROA. When these additional factors are included in our empirical models, our evidence suggests that the asymmetric relation between changes in CEO bonus compensation and increases and decreases in earnings performance documented in prior literature goes away. That is, our results suggest that compensation committees do not blindly protect executives for earnings underperformance. On the contrary, our evidence suggests that these committees take into account other non-earnings information when deciding how much weight to give to a decrease in earnings and that executive compensation may not be as inefficient as suggested by prior research.
Long-period fiber gratings in WDM applications

In this presentation we will discuss the properties of long-period gratings and aspects of their fabrication. We will also review devices based on long-period gratings including gain flatteners for fiber amplifiers.
Long-term exclosure of large terrestrial vertebrates: Implications of defaunation for seedling demographics in the Amazon rainforest

“Empty forests” in which humans have driven large vertebrate species to extinction lack myriad direct and indirect species interactions. This may alter key ecosystem processes, including trophic cascades, disturbance regimes, and nutrient cycling. Past research concerning the effects of tropical forest defaunation mainly compared sites with an intact fauna with sites having degraded faunal communities. However, experimental studies on seedling demographics at individual sites, with the same abiotic and biotic conditions, over a long period of time are still scarce. In this research we conducted a 7-year experiment within a completely intact and pristine forest in Manu National Park, Peru to elucidate the effects of defaunation on tree seedling demographics and densities. We constructed semipermeable exclosures that prevented access of large terrestrial vertebrates, but allowed free passage of small- and medium-sized species. New tree seedlings taller than 5 cm were tagged and followed. Jolly–Seber mark-recapture models were used to estimate density, survival, and recruitment of seedlings. Seedling density in the exclosures continued to increase significantly after the first year of the study. Only during the first 2 years was seedling survival higher in the exclosures. The numbers of new recruits were consistently higher in exclosures when compared to open control plots throughout the study. In accord with increased density, survival, and recruitment in exclosure plots, we also observed increased understory vegetation cover. Our results suggest that defaunation can have long-term effects on seedling demographics and density, which could ultimately influence the composition and diversity of the canopy tree community.
Control and Coordination Links in the Metropolitan System of Cities: The South as Case Study

Control and coordination linkages are integral features of the system of cities, but few studies have directly measured them. This study examines the structure and degree of these linkages in the context of ecological theory. The results provide support for the hypotheses derived from the theory. Linkages are hierarchically organized, and the regional metropolis and higher-level metropolises at the national scale occupy pivotal positions as intermediaries for lower-level metropolises. Although national links are important, interurban links that include the regional metropolis and its hinterland cities remain a major factor in the system of cities even in a society that is often characterized as shifting from a locallregional to a national orientation. Metropolitan interdependence is an integral feature of the control and coordination function of metropolises, but few studies have explicitly examined intermetropolitan linkages in the context of the ecological theory of the system of cities.1 Most linkages fall into two broad categories. The first includes control and coordination links; these typically involve the exercise of authority and power relations. The bases of differential authority and power derive from variable access to economic resources such as capital, specialized business information, and exceptional business skills. Examples of these control and coordination links are the management ties between corporate headquarters and lower levels of the corporation, the flow of orders between retailers and wholesalers, and the financial ties between banks. The second broad category includes the physical linkages which are controlled and coordinated by metropolises; these are chiefly transportation-based, such as commodity flows and business travel.
Effect of prior immunization on induction of cervial cancer in mice by herpes simplex virus type 2

Previous studies at this laboratory showed that repeated application of inactivated herpes simplex virus type 2 to the mouse cevix produced premalignant and malignant lesions. In the present study mice were inoculated with inactivated herpes simplex virus type 2 or control solution and Freund's adjuvant by intraperitoneal and subcuaneous routes before exposure of the cervix to inactivated virus. It appears that immunization with inactivated virus conferred a protection against the induction of cervical carcinoma.
A LARGE STRAIN THEORY FOR THE TWO DIMENSIONAL PROBLEMS IN GEOMECHANICS

SUMMARY An incremental finite element formulation for elasto-plastic bodies subjected to large strains and large displacements is presented in this paper. The formulation is in Lagrangian co-ordinates (material description) and the plasticity model employed is the extended von Mises. The bearing capacity of a strip footing and the stability of an earth slope illustrate the applicability of this theory.
Changes in neuronal excitability serve as a mechanism of long-term memory for operant conditioning

Learning can lead to changes in the intrinsic excitability of neurons. However, the extent to which these changes persist and the role they have in the expression of memory remain unclear. We found that in vitro analogs of operant conditioning produced a long-term (24 h) increase in the excitability of an identified neuron (B51) that is critical for the expression of feeding in Aplysia. This increase in excitability, which was cAMP dependent, contributed to the associative modification of the feeding circuitry, providing a mechanism for long-term memory.
The role of nonreinforcement in the learning of honeybees.

Two series of experiments with honeybees were designed to test the assumption that inhibition is generated by nonreinforcement as a function of the excitatory value of the context. In the first series (Experiments 1‐3), summation tests with B were made after A+/C‐/AB‐ as compared to A+/C‐/CB‐ training, with precautions taken to minimize the possibility of a masking effect of excitatory within-compound conditioning on AB trials; responding to B did not vary with training procedure. In the second series (Experiments 4‐5), retardation tests rather than summation tests were used, in the belief that they might be more sensitive; after A+/AB‐/CD‐ training, acquisition in a B+/D‐ problem was found to be no less rapid than in a D+/B‐ problem. A third series of experiments (Experiments 6‐9) was designed to test the more general assumption that the effectiveness of nonreinforcement increases with the excitatory value of the context; response to B was found to be no different after A+/B+/C‐ training followed by A+/AB‐ training than after A+/B+/C‐ training followed by A+/CB‐ training. The results are compatible with the view that the role of nonreinforcement in honeybees is not to generate inhibition, but only to reduce excitation in a manner independent of the excitatory value of the context.
Stabilization of Liquefiable Soils Using Colloidal Silica Grout

Passive site stabilization is a new technology proposed for nondisruptive mitigation of liquefaction risk at developed sites susceptible to liquefaction. It is based on the concept of slowly injecting colloidal silica at the edge of a site with subsequent delivery to the target location using natural or augmented groundwater flow. Colloidal silica is an aqueous dispersion of silica nanoparticles that can be made to gel by adjusting the pH or salt concentration of the dispersion. It stabilizes liquefiable soils by cementing individual grains together in addition to reducing the hydraulic conductivity of the formation. Centrifuge modeling was used to investigate the effect of colloidal silica treatment on the liquefaction and deformation resistance of loose, liquefiable sands during centrifuge in-flight shaking. Loose sand was successfully saturated with colloidal silica grout and subsequently subjected to two shaking events to evaluate the response of the treated sand layer. The treated soil did not liquefy during either shaking event. In addition, a box model was used to investigate the ability to uniformly deliver colloidal silica to loose sands using low-head injection wells. Five injection and two extraction wells were used to deliver stabilizer in a fairly uniform pattern to the loose sand formation. The results of the box model testing will be used to design future centrifuge model tests modeling other delivery methods of the grout.
Charge collection studies of a high resolution CZT-based detector for PET

Our team is developing the CZT Small Animal PET System, a 1-mm resolution imager for small animal studies. The techniques are also applicable to breast imaging with PET, and Compton imaging for gamma-ray surveillance and threat assessment. CZT detectors are used to achieve 2 – 3 % FWHM energy resolution at 511 keV, which strongly suppresses the effects of Compton scattering on image quality and quantification. The detectors are read out with a novel crossed-strip electrode technique that localizes interaction sites in two dimensions. In the third dimension, charge drift time and the ratio of cathode to anode signals are used for localization. With these capabilities and our electrode design, photon interaction sites are resolved into voxels measuring 1 mm × 1 mm transverse to the incoming direction of an annihilation photon and 5 mm parallel to it, which should enable 1 mm tomographic reconstructed spatial resolution in three dimensions. A steering electrode between the anodes improves charge collection and energy resolution. The detectors’ size is 39 mm × 39 mm × 5 mm and they are read out with RENA-3 ASICs. To study detector and ASIC performance, we developed the Evaluation System that contains four detectors and six RENA-3s. We describe the CZT Small Animal PET System, the Evaluation System, and the detector design. Then we report measurements of the detector’s spatial and energy resolution, the effect of the steering electrode on charge collection, and plans for the future.
Indirect positive effects ameliorate strong negative effects of Euphorbia esula on a native plant

Invasive plant species can have strong direct negative effects on native plants. Depending on the nature of interactions among competitors and consumers within a community, strong indirect interactions may either augment or offset direct effects. We used path analysis to estimate the relative importance of direct and indirect effects of Euphorbia esula, an unpalatable invasive plant, on Balsamorhiza sagittata, a native forb, through “shared defense” and by suppression of native competitors. Our results indicate that E. esula had strong direct negative effects on B. sagittata, but also that its net effect was reduced by 75% because of indirect positive effects. This reduction was because in equal parts of lessened competition from other native plants eliminated from E. esula stands and to lower levels of herbivory inside E. esula stands, apparently caused by indirect defense of B. sagittata by E. esula. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence that invaders may indirectly reduce herbivory on native plants, a phenomenon that may commonly occur with unpalatable invaders. Furthermore, our results highlight the potential complexity of interactions between native and invasive plants.
A Study of the Auchinleck Manuscript: Bookmen and Bookmaking in the Early Fourteenth Century

The book trade of the early fourteenth century was in a period of transition. Because of the growing number of literate people in London and the reestablishment of English as the preferred vernacular, more books and more book producers were needed. While the demand for books was increasing, the traditional places of book production were disappearing. Noel Denholm-Young points out that "from perhaps the second half of the thirteenth century monasteries were ceasing . . . to produce their own manuscripts."' F. E. de Roover provides even more startling evidence of the decline of the monastic scriptoria:
Chemokine expression during the development and resolution of a pulmonary leukocyte response to influenza A virus infection in mice

Influenza A virus replicates in the respiratory epithelium and induces an inflammatory infiltrate comprised of mononuclear cells and neutrophils. To understand the development of the cell-mediated immune response to influenza and how leukocyte trafficking to sites of inflammation is regulated, we examined the chemokine expression pattern in lung tissue from A/PR/8/34-infected C57BL/6 mice using an RNase protection assay. Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, macrophage inflammatory protein 1alpha (MIP-1alpha), MIP-1beta, MIP-3alpha, regulated on activation, normal T expressed and secreted (RANTES), MIP-2, and interferon-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) mRNA expression was up-regulated between days 5 and 15 after infection, consistent with a role for these chemokines in leukocyte recruitment to the lung. Low levels of expression were detected for the CC chemokine receptors (CCR)2 and CCR5, whereas CXC chemokine receptor (CXCR)3 was significantly up-regulated by day 10 after infection, coinciding with peak inflammatory cell infiltration in the airways. As RANTES, IP-10, and their receptors were up-regulated during influenza virus infection, we investigated leukocyte recruitment and viral clearance in mice deficient in RANTES or CXCR3, the receptor for IP-10. Leukocyte recruitment and viral replication in influenza-infected RANTES knockout(-/-) mice were similar to that in control mice, showing that RANTES is not essential for the immune response to influenza infection. Similarly, leukocyte recruitment and viral replication in CXCR3-/- mice were identical to control mice, except at day 8 postinfection, where fewer lymphocytes, neutrophils, and eosinophils were detected in the bronchoalveolar lavage of CXCR3-/- mice. These studies suggest that although the chemokines detected may play a role in regulating leukocyte trafficking to the lung during influenza infection, some may be functionally redundant.
Structural and functional changes in tau mutant mice neurons are not linked to the presence of NFTs.

article i nfo In the rTg4510 mouse model, expression of the mutant human tau variant P301L leads to development of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), neuronal death, and memory impairment, reminiscent of the pathology observed in human tauopathies. In the present study, we examined the effects of mutant tau expression on the electrophysiology and morphology of individual neurons using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings and biocytin filling of pyramidal cells in cortical slices prepared from rTg4510 (TG) and wild-type (WT) littermate mice. Among the TG cells, 42% contained a clear Thioflavin-S positive inclusion in the soma and were categorized as NFT positive (NFT+), while 58% had no discernable inclusion and were categorized as NFT negative (NFT−). The resting membrane potential (Vr) was significantly depolarized (+8 mV) in TG cells, and as a consequence, evoked repetitive action potential (AP) firing rates were also significantly increased. Further, single APs were significantly shorter in duration in TG cells and the depolarizing voltage deflection or "sag" evoked by hyperpolarization was significantly greater in amplitude. In addition to these functional electrophysiological changes, TG cells exhibited significant morphological alterations, including loss or significant atrophy of the apical tuft, reduced dendritic complexity and length, and reduced spine density. Importantly, NFT− and NFT+ TG cells were indistinguishable with regard to both morphological and electrophysiological properties. Our observations show that expression of mutated tau results in significant structural and functional changes in neurons, but that these changes occur independent of mature NFT formation.
The potential impact of intelligent systems for mobile health self-management support: Monte Carlo simulations of text message support for medication adherence

Mobile health (mHealth) services cannot easily adapt to users’ unique needs. We used simulations of text messaging (SMS) for improving medication adherence to demonstrate benefits of interventions using reinforcement learning (RL). We used Monte Carlo simulations to estimate the relative impact of an intervention using RL to adapt SMS adherence support messages in order to more effectively address each non-adherent patient’s adherence barriers, e.g., forgetfulness versus side effect concerns. SMS messages were assumed to improve adherence only when they matched the barriers for that patient. Baseline adherence and the impact of matching messages were estimated from literature review. RL-SMS was compared in common scenarios to simple reminders, random messages, and standard tailoring. RL could produce a 5–14 % absolute improvement in adherence compared to current approaches. When adherence barriers are not accurately reported, RL can recognize which barriers are relevant for which patients. When barriers change, RL can adjust message targeting. RL can detect when messages are sent too frequently causing burnout. RL systems could make mHealth services more effective.
The InterMed approach to sharable computer-interpretable guidelines: a review

InterMed is a collaboration among research groups from Stanford, Harvard, and Columbia Universities. The primary goal of InterMed has been to develop a sharable language that could serve as a standard for modeling computer-interpretable guidelines (CIGs). This language, called GuideLine Interchange Format (GLIF), has been developed in a collaborative manner and in an open process that has welcomed input from the larger community. The goals and experiences of the InterMed project and lessons that the authors have learned may contribute to the work of other researchers who are developing medical knowledge-based tools. The lessons described include (1) a work process for multi-institutional research and development that considers different viewpoints, (2) an evolutionary lifecycle process for developing medical knowledge representation formats, (3) the role of cognitive methodology to evaluate and assist in the evolutionary development process, (4) development of an architecture and (5) design principles for sharable medical knowledge representation formats, and (6) a process for standardization of a CIG modeling language.
Resolving a vehicle routing problem with heterogeneous fleet, mixed backhauls and time windows using cuckoo behaviour approach

The vehicle routing problem (VRP) is one of the most famous NP-hard combinatorial optimisation problems. The use of exact methods for large instances of the problem, is not efficient. Thus, we propose in this paper, to solve a rarely studied case of VRP problem called vehicle routing problem with heterogeneous fleet, mixed backhauls and time windows (HVRPMBTW), using approximate method named cuckoo search algorithm. Our results show the effectiveness of this algorithm.
Divining the role of liver biopsy in hepatitis C.

Since the first liver biopsy was performed by Paul Ehrlich in 1883 [1], the procedure has been a cornerstone of clinical hepatology as well as a lightning rod of controversy. Surveys in Europe and the United States indicate that a majority of liver biopsies are now performed as part of the evaluation of patients with chronic hepatitis C [2]. Liver biopsy is useful for identifying those patients at highest risk for progression of hepatic fibrosis, thereby allowing selection of candidates most in need of (although not necessarily most responsive to) antiviral treatment. The procedure is considered safe, with moderate pain reported in 20% of patients, narcotic-requiring pain in 3%, vasovagal episodes in 2%, and severe complications, including bleeding, in 0.6% [3]. Consensus statements from both the European Association for the Study of the Liver and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend liver biopsy to aid clinical decision-making in patients with hepatitis C [4,5], thus establishing examination of liver histology as the standard of care. The development of noninvasive techniques to estimate the degree of hepatic fibrosis [6], along with the increasing success of antiviral regimens [7,8], has led some experts to question the need for routine liver biopsy in the management of patients with chronic hepatitis C [9]. To date, however, simple noninvasive tests of hepatic fibrosis, as well as more sophisticated proprietary fibrosis batteries, have not inspired sufficient confidence to displace
Stimulation of Vitellogenin Uptake in Stage IV Xenopus Oocytes by Treatment with Chorionic Gonadotropin in vitro

Ovarian fragments from Xenopus laevis were incubated with various concentrations of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and Stage IV oocytes were subsequently tested for their ability to incorporate vitellogenin. Such oocytes displayed incorporation rates up to 350% greater than controls. This was accompanied by increased endocytotic activity. hCG-stimulated uptake is dose dependent and reaches a maximum at 100 IU/ml, at which concentration ovulation also occurs. At 100 IU/ml of hCG, there is a lag period of at least 12 h between gonadotropin treatment and increased vitellogenin incorporation. Because hCG has little effect on isolated (dissected) cultured Stage IV oocytes which have lost their follicle cells, it is postulated that intact follicle cells are required for the induction of vitellogenin uptake.
Instability analysis using component modes

Abstract This paper discusses substructuring techniques for instability and free vibration analyses within finite element applications. To date most of the techniques presented in the literature are applied to vibration problems. In this study the component mode method is applied for free vibrations and instability to plate bending problems and comparisons are made with regard to analytical solutions. It is pointed out that a lower degree of accuracy is obtained for instability problems as compared to corresponding vibration problems. In a separate study, instability frame problems using component modes are compared to other instability solution methods. Also, it is emphasized that substructuring techniques can be considered as attractive algorithms when using parallel computing environments.
Variations in Immigrant Incorporation in the Neighborhoods of Amsterdam

Amsterdam’s immigrants of Caribbean and southern Mediterranean origin have been characterized as modestly segregated from Dutch residents, and their residential assimilation has been expected to proceed rapidly. This article tests the hypothesis of spatial assimilation using both aggregate data on levels of segregation and individual-level analyses of the people who live in ethnic minority neighborhoods. Evidence is presented of assimilation for immigrants from the former colonies of Surinam and the Antilles, but Turks and Moroccans are shown to face stronger barriers. The former groups’ higher standing favors their mobility from ethnically distinct neighborhoods. There is a generational shift for Surinamese and Antilleans, while the Turks and Moroccans born in Amsterdam are as likely as the immigrant generation to settle in ethnic minority neighborhoods.
Investigation of the figure of merit for filters with a single nanofiber layer on a substrate

Abstract We investigate filters composed of a layer of nanofibers on a substrate made of micrometer fibers and compare the performance of such nanofiber media to conventional micrometer fibrous filters. The performance of the nanofiber filters is evaluated using the figure of merit, which represents the ratio between the filtration efficiency and the pressure drop. Filtration tests were performed on four samples with different nanofiber solidities. As the nanofiber solidity increases, the filtration efficiency and the pressure drop both increase. We develop a numerical model to simulate the nanofiber filters. When the nanofiber solidity is appropriately adjusted, the pressure drop computed from the model is in good agreement with experimental results. Filtration efficiency for the nanofibers due to interception, inertial impaction and diffusion can be computed from the model. The simulation results are in good agreement with experiments for 20–780 nm particles but discrepancies exist for particles smaller than 20 nm. Our results show that nanofiber filters have better figure of merit for particles larger than about 100 nm compared to conventional fiberglass filters. For particles smaller than 100 nm, nanofiber filters do not perform better than conventional fiberglass filters.
Clustera: an integrated computation and data management system

This paper introduces Clustera, an integrated computation and data management system. In contrast to traditional cluster-management systems that target specific types of workloads, Clustera is designed for extensibility, enabling the system to be easily extended to handle a wide variety of job types ranging from computationally-intensive, long-running jobs with minimal I/O requirements to complex SQL queries over massive relational tables. Another unique feature of Clustera is the way in which the system architecture exploits modern software building blocks including application servers and relational database systems in order to realize important performance, scalability, portability and usability benefits. Finally, experimental evaluation suggests that Clustera has good scale-up properties for SQL processing, that Clustera delivers performance comparable to Hadoop for MapReduce processing and that Clustera can support higher job throughput rates than previously published results for the Condor and CondorJ2 batch computing systems.
DETERMINANTS OF THE TIME-VARIATION IN EMERGING- MARKET CLOSED-END FUND PREMIUMS: A COMPARISON BETWEEN EQUITY AND BOND FUNDS

This paper explores the determinant factors of the time-variation in emerging markets closed-end fund premiums, price returns, and NAV returns. After controlling for the variables previously proposed in the EM closed-end funds literature, such as the U.S. stock market risk, local stock market return, and the percentage change in exchange rates, two hypothesis are used to explain the variation in fund premiums by fund type: the U.S. investor sentiment and the market segmentation theory. The results of the time-series analyses show that country funds, regional equity funds, and global bond funds are influenced quite differently by the suggested factors.
Fundamentals Versus Speculation: What Really Drives Spillovers and Informed Trading in Futures and Spot Markets of Refined Petroleum Products?

In commodities market, the theory of storage suggests that the basis or spread varies with changes in fundamental supply and demand factors. We thus expect these fundamentals, as opposed to speculative trading, to be the primary triggers of volatility in the spot market. Because of structural and functional differences in spot and futures markets, production adjustment cost, sign and sign of the basis, we expect nonlinear price convergence mechanism and time varying volatility. We employ nonlinear and asymmetric error correction model with time-varying volatility to characterize the spot and futures price dynamics of gasoline and heating oil. We show that there is unidirectional and time-varying volatility spillover from futures to spot market since informed trading occurs in the futures markets. We find that error correction process is essentially asymmetric, non-linear, and volatility inducing. The basis account for more than 92% of total volatility suggesting that it is the fundamentals and not speculative trading that drive volatility and spillovers. Moreover, futures prices converge to equilibrium relationship when the basis is positive due to absence of production adjustment costs. We can thus make inference that conventional methodologies that disregard these convolutions in the study of time series dynamics of variables that exhibit mutual stochastic trend may be mis-specified. Our results are robust under different regimes.
Hypomagnesemia linked to new-onset diabetes mellitus after kidney transplantation: a systematic review and meta-analysis

AbstractBackground: New-onset diabetes after kidney transplantation (NODAT) is associated with both renal allograft failure and increased mortality. The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the risk of NODAT in patients with hypomagnesemia. Methods: A literature search was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from inception through May, 2015. Studies that reported relative risks, odd ratios or hazard ratios comparing the risk of NODAT in patients with hypomagnesemia were included. Pooled risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random-effect, generic inverse variance method. Results: Five cohort studies with 1699 patients were included in the analysis to assess the risk of NODAT in patients with hypomagnesemia. The pooled RR of NODAT in patients with hypomagnesemia was 1.25 (95% CI, 1.08–1.45). When meta-analysis was limited only to studies with the post-transplant hypomagnesemia, the pooled RR of NODAT was 1.22 (95% CI, 1...
Wastewater Reclamation for a Manned Mars Mission Using High Pressure Rotating Reverse Osmosis

To complete a long term manned Mars mission requires the recycling of all of the life support resources for the maintenance of the crew. Supplying a potable source of water for the crew is especially critical. Reverse osmosis has been tested and is expected to be used in a wastewater recycling system in space to remove small dissolved contaminants. However, limitations due to concentration polarization and fouling of the membrane hinder the use of reverse osmosis. An innovative system that may improve the efficiency of standard reverse osmosis in space applications is high pressure rotating reverse osmosis. Week-long testing of a high-pressure rotating reverse osmosis system has been successfully completed with a wastewater ersatz solution. The flux decreased steadily throughout the test, most likely due to fouling of the membrane surface. The organic contaminants in the solution were rejected well (approximately 70%) for the duration of the test while the ionic contaminants exhibited rejection between 30 and 50%. Rotating reverse osmosis may provide a system that may be used at a higher recovery, with higher flux of the wastewater and higher rejection of the contaminants in the waste stream than conventional reverse osmosis.
Variable-Fidelity Optimization With In-Situ Surrogate Model Refinement

Owing to the typical low fidelity of surrogate models, it is often challenging to accomplish reliable optimum solutions in Surrogate-Based Optimization (SBO) for complex nonlinear problems. This paper addresses this challenge by developing a new model-independent approach to refine the surrogate model during optimization, with the objective to maintain a desired level of fidelity and robustness “where” and “when” needed. The proposed approach, called Adaptive Model Refinement (AMR), is designed to work particularly with population-based optimization algorithms. In AMR, reconstruction of the model is performed by sequentially adding a batch of new samples at any given iteration (of SBO) when a refinement metric is met. This metric is formulated by comparing (1) the uncertainty associated with the outputs of the current model, and (2) the distribution of the latest fitness function improvement over the population of candidate designs. Whenever the model-refinement metric is met, the history of the fitness function improvement is used to determine the desired fidelity for the upcoming iterations of SBO. Predictive Estimation of Model Fidelity (an advanced surrogate model error metric) is applied to determine the model uncertainty and the batch size for the samples to be added. The location of the new samples in the input space is determined based on a hypercube enclosing promising candidate designs, and a distance-based criterion that minimizes the correlation between the current sample points and the new points. The powerful mixed-discrete PSO algorithm is used in conjunction with different surrogate models (e.g., Kriging, RBF, SVR) to apply the new AMR method. The performance of the proposed AMR-based SBO is investigated through three different benchmark functions.Copyright © 2015 by ASME