cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Organizational Characteristics and the Adoption of Innovative Warehouse Automation Technologies

The productivity enhancing benefit of technological innovation, including that of automation, is recognized by practitioners and academicians alike. Several authors have suggested a link between organizational performance and innovativeness. Yet, particularly in logistics operations, where experts believe that there are abundant potential for productivity enhancements, there is a surprising lack of empirical research addressing the role of organizational influences in the adoption of new automation technologies.
Early Experience with Technology-Based Eye Care Services (TECS): A Novel Ophthalmologic Telemedicine Initiative.

Purpose The aging population is at risk of common eye diseases, and routine eye examinations are recommended to prevent visual impairment. Unfortunately, patients are less likely to seek care as they age, which may be the result of significant travel and time burdens associated with going to an eye clinic in person. A new method of eye-care delivery that mitigates distance barriers and improves access was developed to improve screening for potentially blinding conditions. We present the quality data from the early experience (first 13 months) of Technology-Based Eye Care Services (TECS), a novel ophthalmologic telemedicine program. Design With TECS, a trained ophthalmology technician is stationed in a primary care clinic away from the main hospital. The ophthalmology technician follows a detailed protocol that collects information about the patient's eyes. The information then is interpreted remotely. Patients with possible abnormal findings are scheduled for a face-to-face examination in the eye clinic. Participants Any patient with no known ocular disease who desires a routine eye screening examination is eligible. Methods Technology-Based Eye Care Services was established in 5 primary care clinics in Georgia surrounding the Atlanta Veterans Affairs hospital. Main Outcome Measures Four program operation metrics (patient satisfaction, eyeglass remakes, disease detection, and visit length) and 2 access-to-care metrics (appointment wait time and no-show rate) were tracked. Results Care was rendered to 2690 patients over the first 13 months of TECS. The program has been met with high patient satisfaction (4.95 of 5). Eyeglass remake rate was 0.59%. Abnormal findings were noted in 36.8% of patients and there was >90% agreement between the TECS reading and the face-to-face findings of the physician. TECS saved both patient (25% less) and physician time (50% less), and access to care substantially improved with 99% of patients seen within 14 days of contacting the eye clinic, with a TECS no-show rate of 5.2%. Conclusions The early experience with TECS has been promising. Tele-ophthalmology has the potential to improve operational efficiency, reduce cost, and significantly improve access to care. Although further study is necessary, TECS shows potential to help prevent avoidable vision loss.
Innovative Techniques for Evaluating Behavioral Nutrition Interventions

Assessing outcomes and the impact from behavioral nutrition interventions has remained challenging because of the lack of methods available beyond traditional nutrition assessment tools and techniques. With the current high global obesity and related chronic disease rates, novel methods to evaluate the impact of behavioral nutrition-based interventions are much needed. The objective of this narrative review is to describe and review the current status of knowledge as it relates to 4 different innovative methods or tools to assess behavioral nutrition interventions. Methods reviewed include 1) the assessment of stress and stress responsiveness to enhance the evaluation of nutrition interventions, 2) eye-tracking technology in nutritional interventions, 3) smartphone biosensors to assess nutrition and health-related outcomes, and 4) skin carotenoid measurements to assess fruit and vegetable intake. Specifically, the novel use of functional magnetic resonance imaging, by characterizing the brain's responsiveness to an intervention, can help researchers develop programs with greater efficacy. Similarly, if eye-tracking technology can enable researchers to get a better sense as to how participants view materials, the materials may be better tailored to create an optimal impact. The latter 2 techniques reviewed, smartphone biosensors and methods to detect skin carotenoids, can provide the research community with portable, effective, nonbiased ways to assess dietary intake and quality and more in the field. The information gained from using these types of methodologies can improve the efficacy and assessment of behavior-based nutrition interventions.
Metamaterial-inspired sensor based on a complementary asymmetric double-split resonator

Based on the Babinet Principle, a new metamaterial sensor is proposed in microwave region. The main part of the device is a microstrip coupled complementary asymmetric double-split resonator (CADSR). In this device, an extremely sharp resonance have been obtained due to the excitation of “trapped modes”. From the analysis, the effect of the degree of asymmetry on the frequency response and Q-Factor are thoroughly studied. Results show that there have an upward tendency of Q-Factor when increasing the degree of asymmetry, the distribution of the electric field and transmission response (S 2 i) have been also simulated in this work. Finally, the process and the performance is illustrated when CADSR is used as a sensor. We found that both dielectric constant and loss tangent of sample substance affect the resonance frequency. It is demonstrated that the reflection spectrum shift to lower frequency side when enhancing the permittivity of sample substance which is filled in groove. Furthermore, the CADSR will increase the contact area with field and sample, and the relation between resonant frequency and the sample permittivity exhibits a perfect linearity.
FXYD5 Is an Essential Mediator of the Inflammatory Response during Lung Injury

The alveolar epithelium secretes cytokines and chemokines that recruit immune cells to the lungs, which is essential for fighting infections but in excess can promote lung injury. Overexpression of FXYD5, a tissue-specific regulator of the Na,K-ATPase, in mice, impairs the alveolo-epithelial barrier, and FXYD5 overexpression in renal cells increases C-C chemokine ligand-2 (CCL2) secretion in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The aim of this study was to determine whether FXYD5 contributes to the lung inflammation and injury. Exposure of alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) to LPS increased FXYD5 levels at the plasma membrane, and FXYD5 silencing prevented both the activation of NF-κB and the secretion of cytokines in response to LPS. Intratracheal instillation of LPS into mice increased FXYD5 levels in the lung. FXYD5 overexpression increased the recruitment of interstitial macrophages and classical monocytes to the lung in response to LPS. FXYD5 silencing decreased CCL2 levels, number of cells, and protein concentration in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) after LPS treatment, indicating that FXYD5 is required for the NF-κB-stimulated epithelial production of CCL2, the influx of immune cells, and the increase in alveolo-epithelial permeability in response to LPS. Silencing of FXYD5 also prevented the activation of NF-κB and cytokine secretion in response to interferon α and TNF-α, suggesting that pro-inflammatory effects of FXYD5 are not limited to the LPS-induced pathway. Furthermore, in the absence of other stimuli, FXYD5 overexpression in AEC activated NF-κB and increased cytokine production, while FXYD5 overexpression in mice increased cytokine levels in BALF, indicating that FXYD5 is sufficient to induce the NF-κB-stimulated cytokine secretion by the alveolar epithelium. The FXYD5 overexpression also increased cell counts in BALF, which was prevented by silencing the CCL2 receptor (CCR2), or by treating mice with a CCR2-blocking antibody, confirming that FXYD5-induced CCL2 production leads to the recruitment of monocytes to the lung. Taken together, the data demonstrate that FXYD5 is a key contributor to inflammatory lung injury.
Direct pressure on a pseudomeningocele resulting in intraoperative cerebral ischemia.

When positioning patients with meningocele and meningomyelocele, it is standard practice to avoid direct pressure on the lesions. That caution is intended to prevent injury to neural elements within the lesion and violation of the cerebrospinal fluid space. We herein report an additional hazard of direct intraoperative pressure on such lesions. An adult patient with a lumbosacral pseudomeningocele sustained a cerebral ischemic injury as a consequence of direct pressure on the lesion during general anesthesia. A 32-yr-old male with spina bifida and a pseudomeningocele related to recent lumbar surgery underwent a urologic procedure in the lithotomy position. Because the lesion was recognized to lie to the left of the midline, cushioning was placed under the patient’s left hip and buttock. The patient was slow to awaken and has sustained significant long-term cognitive deficits. Imaging is consistent with a diffuse cerebral ischemic insult. In retrospect, the size and leftward extent of the pseudomeningocele were not appreciated preoperatively, and in spite of the care taken, intraoperative pressure was placed on the lesion. This report cautions that intraoperative pressure related to positioning patients with extra-axial lesions containing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), e.g., meningoceles and pseudomeningoceles, can result in increases in CSF pressure and thereby a reduction in cerebral perfusion pressure sufficient to result in cerebral ischemia.
A variable resolution right TIN approach for gridded oceanographic data

Abstract Many oceanographic applications require multi resolution representation of gridded data such as for bathymetric data. Although triangular irregular networks (TINs) allow for variable resolution, they do not provide a gridded structure. Right TINs (RTINs) are compatible with a gridded structure. We explored the use of two approaches for RTINs termed top-down and bottom-up implementations. We illustrate why the latter is most appropriate for gridded data and describe for this technique how the data can be thinned. While both the top-down and bottom-up approaches accurately preserve the surface morphology of any given region, the top-down method of vertex placement can fail to match the actual vertex locations of the underlying grid in many instances, resulting in obscured topology/bathymetry. Finally we describe the use of the bottom-up approach and data thinning in two applications. The first is to provide thinned, variable resolution bathymetry data for tests of storm surge and inundation modeling, in particular hurricane Katrina. Secondly we consider the use of the approach for an application to an oceanographic data grid of 3-D ocean temperature.
Investigation of thermal stratification in premixed homogeneous charge compression ignition engines: A Large Eddy Simulation study:

The operating range of Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) engines is limited to low and medium loads by high heat release rates. Negative valve overlap can be used to control ignition t...
Determining Effective Swarm Sizes for Multi-Job Type Missions

Swarm search and service (SSS) missions require large swarms to simultaneously search an area while servicing jobs as they are encountered. Jobs must be immediately serviced and can be one of several different job types - each requiring a different service time and number of vehicles to complete its service successfully. After jobs are serviced, vehicles are returned to the swarm and become available for reallocation. As part of SSS mission planning, human operators must determine the number of vehicles needed to achieve this balance. The complexities associated with balancing vehicle allocation to multiple as yet unknown tasks with returning vehicles makes this extremely difficult for humans. Previous work assumes that all system jobs are known ahead of time or that vehicles move independently of each other in a multi-agent framework. We present a dynamic vehicle routing (DVR) framework whose policies optimally allocate vehicles as jobs arrive. By incorporating time constraints into the DVR framework, an M/M/k/k queuing model can be used to evaluate overall steady state system performance for a given swarm size. Using these estimates, operators can rapidly compare system performance across different configurations, leading to more effective choices for swarm size. A sensitivity analysis is performed and its results are compared with the model, illustrating the appropriateness of our method to problems of plausible scale and complexity.
Presidents’ Sex and Popularity: Baselines, Dynamics and Policy Performance

Public approval is a crucial source of executive power in presidential systems. Does the public support female and male presidents similarly? Combining insights from gender and politics research with psychological evidence, this study theorizes sex-based differentials in popularity based on more general expectations linking gender stereotypes to diverging performance evaluations. Using quarterly analyses of eighteen Latin American democracies, South Korea and the Philippines, the analyses compare the levels, dynamics, and policy performance of macro-approval for male and female presidents. As expected, female presidents are less popular, experience exaggerated approval dynamics and their approval is more responsive to security and corruption (though not economic) outcomes. These findings have clear implications for our understandings of mass politics, political accountability and presidentialism.
Influencing Healthcare Policy: Implications of State Legislator Information Source Preferences for Public Relations Practitioners and Public Information Officers

An internet survey and follow-up mail survey were conducted in order to (a) determine New Mexico state legislators’ preferred sources for information when making decisions about healthcare policies and to (b) assess the state legislators’ attitudes toward e-mail more generally. Legislators were found to privilege expert colleagues and constituents over mass media as healthcare policy information sources; additionally, face-to-face encounters with constituents were preferred over e-mail, although respondents largely felt positive about using e-mail with both constituents and colleagues. These preferences regarding information sourcing and delivery indicate that public relations practitioners’ (PRPs) continuing tendency to communicate with state legislators using traditional media-centric methods are problematic. Results suggest legislators could be reached with greater effect if PRPs were to supplement their use of mass media channels with more personal, symmetrical relationship management strategies.
Development of novel vaccines against human cytomegalovirus

Congenital human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection and HCMV infection of the immunosuppressed patients cause significant morbidity and mortality, and vaccine development against HCMV is a major publ...
Cloning, Sequencing, and Expression of a Campylobacter Jejuni Periplasmic Binding Protein (P29) Involved in Histidine Transport

Campylobacter jejuni, a Gram-negative, microaerophilic, spiral-shaped bacterium, is a causative agent of acute gastrointestinal disease in humans (Blaser et al., 1983). Despite the recognition of C. jejuni as a common cause of gastrointestinal disease, the pathogenic mechanisms associated with C. jejuni-enteritis are ill-defined. The ability of C. jejuni to bind to eukaryotic cells has been proposed to be mediated by outer membrane proteins which range in molecular masses from 28 to 32 kDa (Pei et al., 1991).
The term 'Pilot Study' is misused in veterinary medicine: a critical assessment.

Authors commonly use the term ‘Pilot Study’ in the veterinary literature. The term has a specific definition in medical literature, but is not defined in veterinary literature. Therefore, we sought to examine the frequency of the use of the term and the characteristics of studies using the term in the article title, and derive the intended meaning of the term. We identified all articles in veterinary literature using the term in the article title between 2008 and 2017. We then examined specific characteristics of articles published between 2008 and 2012. We found use of the term is increasing (P
Distilling the Essence of Raw Video to Reduce Memory Usage and Energy at Edge Devices

Video broadcast and streaming are among the most widely used applications for edge devices. Roughly 82% of the mobile internet traffic is made up of video data. This is likely to worsen with the advent of 5G that will open up new opportunities for high resolution videos, virtual and augmented reality-based applications. The raw video data produced and consumed by edge devices is considerably higher than what is transmitted out of them. This leads to huge memory bandwidth and energy requirements from such edge devices. Therefore, optimizing the memory bandwidth and energy consumption needs is imperative for further improvements in energy efficiency of such edge devices. In this paper, we propose two mechanisms for on-the-fly compression and approximation of raw video data that is generated by the image sensors. The first mechanism, MidVB, performs lossless compression of the video frames coming out of the sensors and stores the compressed format into the memory. The second mechanism, Distill, builds on top of MidVB and further reduces memory consumption by approximating the video frame data. On an average, across 20 raw videos, MidVB and Distill are able to reduce the memory bandwidth by 43% and 72%, respectively, over the raw representation. They outperform a well known memory saving mechanism by 7% and 36%, respectively. Furthermore, MidVB and Distill reduce the energy consumption by 40% and 67%, respectively, over the baseline.
Sensitivity of Fusarium graminearum to Metconazole and Tebuconazole Fungicides Before and After Widespread Use in Wheat in the United States

Fusarium head blight (FHB) caused primarily by Fusarium graminearum, is a major disease of wheat in the United States. FHB is managed in part by applications of demethylation inhibitor (DMI) triazo...
Mexico's Development: Foreign Trade Zones and Direct Foreign Investment

Gradually increased interdependence with developed countries should be a part of Mexico's comprehensive development plan. The purpose of this article is not to question the wisdom of using direct foreign investment to improve Mexico's present dire situation. Rather, it questions the wisdom of the manner in which Mexico has invited new foreign investment.
Behavioral Benefits of a Process-Focused Workout Program: A Quasi-Experimental Test.

Background Research suggests that focusing on the process of losing weight (i.e. how to eat and exercise) may be more advantageous for sustained engagement with goal pursuit than focusing on weight loss itself. However, gym-based weight loss programs focus almost exclusively on outcomes (e.g. weight, appearance). Using a quasi-experimental design, this study provides a test of subjective and behavioral outcomes of a process- versus an outcome-focused approach integrated into an 8-week workout challenge at four fitness studios. Methods Four hundred and forty-eight individuals who were enrolled in the workout challenge consented to participate in study assessments at the start of the 8-week challenge, the end of the 8-week challenge, and again 8 weeks later. Results The process- and outcome-focused programs produced similar subjective experiences, but the process-focused program was associated with greater workout attendance, more adoption of supplemental weight-loss strategies, and higher completion of the program requirements. Conclusions As compared to traditional outcome-focused approaches, process-focused weight loss programs may elicit behavioral benefits, such as maintaining engagement with the behavioral demands of weight loss.
Insights and Initiatives While Teaching Organic Chemistry I and II with Laboratory Courses in the Time of COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic posed a great deal of challenge to the higher education community, the curricula for online instruction had to be developed in a very short time period. Adaptations for Organic Chemistry I and II with Laboratory courses have been made for the online transition in response to the pandemic, and the insights gained through individual and collaborative efforts are presented by Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC) Organic Chemistry faculty. Herein, course specific information with a distinction between lecture and lab and the analysis of student assessment and withdrawal provide insights into the virtual instruction. The initiative of instructors played a crucial role during the transition and for maintaining student engagement, and the insights will add valuable resources for further virtual or hybrid instruction.
Promoting Apoptosis with Venetoclax — A Benefit for Older Patients with AML

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a molecularly heterogeneous disorder characterized by symptoms related to pancytopenia and by an accumulation of immature myeloid precursors that is a consequence of...
Architected mechanical designs in tissue engineering

The deeper comprehension of biological phenomena has led to the pursuit of designing and architecting complex biological systems. This has been incorporated through the advances in bioprinting of artificial organs and implants even at the microscale. In addition, tissue modeling has been employed to understand and prevent malfunctional and detrimental mechanisms that lead to fatal diseases. Furthermore, the endeavor to convey the mechanical properties of both scaffolds and cells has enabled the unveiling of disease modeling and regenerative medicine. This paper aims to provide a brief review of the design, modeling and characterization of conventional and architected structures employed in bioengineering.
Carbon starvation is absent regardless of season of burn in Liquidambar styraciflua L.

Abstract In the Southeastern United States, the function and stability of pine ecosystems depends on frequent low intensity fires. One of the critical effects of frequent fire is the inhibition of hardwood competition by removing above-ground stems (top-kill). Previous long-term studies have correlated early growing season burns with higher understory mortality when compared to dormant season burns. Seasonal differences in mortality from insufficient carbon reserves in roots after leaf flush were posited as the mechanism but this was never explicitly tested. In this experiment, we burned two-year-old pot-grown sweetgums (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) in the dormant season (February), growing season (May), and compared their physiological responses to plants that were unburned. By the end of the first post-burn growing season, mortality was higher after the dormant season burn than the growing season burn and unburned trees had nearly twice the mass of either the burned treatments. Tissue starch concentrations were similar across all treatments highlighting the resiliency of sweetgum carbon stocks to recover from above-ground stem removal regardless of season. We showed the critical importance of top-killing stems regardless of season of burn. Our results further suggest that dormant season fires can be more lethal to young sweetgum, possibly due to susceptibility of tender new shoots to freezing damage.
A Single Iterative Step for Anytime Causal Discovery.

We present a sound and complete algorithm for recovering causal graphs from observed, non-interventional data, in the possible presence of latent confounders and selection bias. We rely on the causal Markov and faithfulness assumptions and recover the equivalence class of the underlying causal graph by performing a series of conditional independence (CI) tests between observed variables. We propose a single step that is applied iteratively, such that the independence and causal relations entailed from the resulting graph, after any iteration, is correct and becomes more informative with successive iteration. Essentially, we tie the size of the CI condition set to its distance from the tested nodes on the resulting graph. Each iteration refines the skeleton and orientation by performing CI tests having condition sets that are larger than in the preceding iteration. In an iteration, condition sets of CI tests are constructed from nodes that are within a specified search distance, and the sizes of these condition sets is equal to this search distance. The algorithm then iteratively increases the search distance along with the condition set sizes. Thus, each iteration refines a graph, that was recovered by previous iterations having smaller condition sets -- having a higher statistical power. We demonstrate that our algorithm requires significantly fewer CI tests and smaller condition sets compared to the FCI algorithm. This is evident for both recovering the true underlying graph using a perfect CI oracle, and accurately estimating the graph using limited observed data.
MCMC Decoding of LDPC Codes with BP Preprocessing

Monte Carlo Markov chain (MCMC) decoding is a randomized algorithm which has been proven to be near-optimal in terms of decoding error probability. However, the exponentially slow mixing rate of Markov chains seems to preclude MCMC decoding from applications concerning even short blocklength codes. In contrast, belief propagation (BP) is a deterministic algorithm that is empirically fast but sub-optimal in error rate when it is used to decode low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes. In this paper, a code-independent BP–MCMC hybrid decoder is devised for short-blocklength LDPC codes. Theoretical error analysis of the hybrid algorithm is provided. Preliminary experiments show that the preprocessing of BP successfully reduces the time complexity of MCMC decoding and hence significantly improves the applicability of MCMC decoders to short LDPC codes.
Developmental Trajectories for Novice Elementary Teachers: Teaching Efficacy and Mathematics Knowledge:

This study investigated developmental trajectories of novice elementary teachers’ efficacy beliefs (i.e., personal teaching efficacy and outcome expectancy) and their mathematical knowledge for tea...
Synthesis of a heterobimetallic actinide nitride and an analysis of its bonding

Reaction of [K(DME)][Th{N(R)(SiMe2CH2)}2(NR2)] (R = SiMe3) with 1 equiv of [U(NR2)3(NH2)] (1) in THF, in the presence of 18-crown-6, results in formation of a bridged uranium-thorium nitride complex, [K(18-crown-6)(THF)2][(NR2)3UIV(μ-N)ThIV(NR2)3] (2), which can be isolated in 48% yield after work-up. Complex 2 is the first isolable molecular mixed-actinide nitride complex. Also formed in the reaction is the methylene-bridging mixed-actinide nitride complex, [(K(18-crown-6)][K(18-crown-6)(Et2O)2][(NR2)2U(μ-N)(µ-k2-C,N-CH2SiMe2NR)Th(NR2)2]2 (3), which can be isolated in 34% yield after work-up. Complex 3 is likely generated by deprotonation of a methyl group in 2 by [NR2]-, yielding the new μ-CH2 moiety and HNR2. Reaction of 2 with 0.5 equiv of I2 results in formation of a mixed-valent UV/ThIV bridged nitride, [(NR2)3UV(μ-N)ThIV(NR2)3] (4), which can be isolated in 42% yield after work-up. The electronic structure of 4 was analyzed with EPR spectroscopy, SQUID magnetometry, and NIR-Visible spectroscopy. This analysis demonstrated that energies of 5f orbitals of 4 are largely determined by the strong ligand field exerted by the nitride ligand.
State of Attainment: Three Ways That States Can Help More Students Access Higher Levels of Education

Fourteenth place. That's where the United States ranked in the proportion of 25to 34-year-olds who achieved postsecondary degrees, according to a 2012 report by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Unless the U.S. increases the share of the population that has completed a college degree, the country will lack the educational skills and training required to meet the workforce demands of a global economy. Sixty-three percent of job researchers predict, will require education beyond high school in 2018. For the U.S. to be competitive on a global scale, it must devote more effort to closing the considerable gaps in degree attainment that persist across demographic groups. The groups least likely to earn a degree are students from lower-income families, blacks, Hispanics, and those whose parents have not attended college. Disciplines Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | Education | Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | Education Policy | Race and Ethnicity This journal article is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/gse_pubs/297 Home > Publications & Products > CURRENTS > CURRENTS Archive > 2014 > November/December 2014 > Talking Points: State of Attainment Talking Points: State of Attainment Three ways that states can help more students access higher levels of education By Laura W. Perna , Joni E. Finney
Long-term and short-term electrophysiological effects of estrogen on the synaptic properties of hippocampal CA1 neurons.

The ovarian steroids exert both long-term and short-term actions on neurons involving different cellular mechanisms. We have investigated the long-term and short-term effects of estrogen on the electrophysiological properties of CA1 neurons utilizing intracellular recordings in hippocampal slices prepared from ovariectomized female rats. An in vivo estrogen-priming paradigm was used to examine long- term genomic actions of estrogen. Subcutaneous estrogen injections 2 d prior to recording had no effect on the intrinsic membrane properties of CA1 neurons, but increased synaptic excitability by prolonging the EPSP and inducing repetitive firing in response to Schaffer collateral stimulation. Short-term effects of estrogen that presumedly involve direct membrane interactions were tested by application of steroids directly to the slice. Superfusion of 17 beta-estradiol, but not 17 alpha-estradiol, caused a rapid and reversible increase in the amplitude of the Schaffer collateral-activated EPSP. This potentiation of the EPSP by 17 beta-estradiol still occurred in the presence of the NMDA antagonist 2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate, but was blocked by the non- NMDA antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione. Depolarizing responses to iontophoretic pulses of exogenous glutamate were also potentiated by 17 beta-estradiol, suggesting a post-synaptic site of action. In addition, 17 beta-estradiol potentiated the responses to alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid, kainate, and quisqualate, but not NMDA, further implicating non-NMDA receptors in the short-term action of estrogen. In contrast, 17 beta-estradiol had no effect on responses to exogenous GABA or on the Schaffer collateral- induced late IPSP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A Note on the Relationship Among Capacity, Pricing, and Inventory in a Make‐to‐Stock System

We address the simultaneous determination of pricing, production, and capacity investment decisions by a monopolistic firm in a multi-period setting under demand uncertainty. We analyze the optimal decision with particular emphasis on the relationship between price and capacity. We consider models that allow for either bi-directional price changes or models with markdowns only, and in the latter case we prove that capacity and price are strategic substitutes.
Evaluation of SNODAS snow depth and snow water equivalent estimates for the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA

The National Weather Service's Snow Data Assimilation (SNODAS) program provides daily, gridded estimates of snow depth, snow water equivalent (SWE), and related snow parameters at a 1-km2 resolution for the conterminous USA. In this study, SNODAS snow depth and SWE estimates were compared with independent, ground-based snow survey data in the Colorado Rocky Mountains to assess SNODAS accuracy at the 1-km2 scale. Accuracy also was evaluated at the basin scale by comparing SNODAS model output to snowmelt runoff in 31 headwater basins with US Geological Survey stream gauges. Results from the snow surveys indicated that SNODAS performed well in forested areas, explaining 72% of the variance in snow depths and 77% of the variance in SWE. However, SNODAS showed poor agreement with measurements in alpine areas, explaining 16% of the variance in snow depth and 30% of the variance in SWE. At the basin scale, snowmelt runoff was moderately correlated (R2 = 0.52) with SNODAS model estimates. A simple method for adjusting SNODAS SWE estimates in alpine areas was developed that uses relations between prevailing wind direction, terrain, and vegetation to account for wind redistribution of snow in alpine terrain. The adjustments substantially improved agreement between measurements and SNODAS estimates, with the R2 of measured SWE values against SNODAS SWE estimates increasing from 0.42 to 0.63 and the root mean square error decreasing from 12 to 6 cm. Results from this study indicate that SNODAS can provide reliable data for input to moderate-scale to large-scale hydrologic models, which are essential for creating accurate runoff forecasts. Refinement of SNODAS SWE estimates for alpine areas to account for wind redistribution of snow could further improve model performance. Published 2012. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Proteome-level display by 2-dimensional chromatography of extracellular matrix-dependent modulation of the phenotype of bladder cancer cells.

The extracellular matrix can have a profound effect upon the phenotype of cancer cells. Previous work has shown that growth of bladder cancer cells on a matrix derived from normal basement membrane suppresses many malignant features that are displayed when the cells are grown on a matrix that has been modified by malignant tumors. This work was undertaken to investigate proteome-level changes as determined by a new commercially available proteome display involving 2-dimensional chromatography for bladder cancer cells grown on different extracellular matrix preparations that modulate the expression of the malignant phenotype. Depending on the matrix, between 1300 and 2000 distinct peaks were detected by two-dimensional chromatographic fractionation of 2.1 – 4.4 mg of total cellular protein. The fractions eluting from the reversed-phase fractionation were suitable for mass spectrometric identification following only lyophilization and trypsin digestion and achieved approximately 10-fold higher sensitivity than was obtained with gel-based separations. Abundant proteins that were unique to cells grown on one of the matrices were identified by mass spectrometry. Following concentration, peaks of 0.03 AU provided unambiguous identification of protein components when 10% of the sample was analyzed, whereas peaks of 0.05 AU was approximately the lower limit of detection when the entire sample was separated on a gel and in-gel digestion was used. Although some fractions were homogeneous, others were not, and up to 3 proteins per fraction were identified. Strong evidence for post-translational modification of the unique proteins was noted. All 13 of the unique proteins from cells grown on Matrigel were related to MYC pathway. The system provides a viable alternative to 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis for proteomic display of biological systems. The findings suggest the importance of MYC to the malignant phenotype of bladder cancer cells.
Complications of therapy for carcinoma of the cervix

Abstract The evaluation of the surgical and radiation methods of treatment of carcinoma of the cervix by rondom sampling was undertaken by the Louisiana State University Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Therapeutic Radiology Department of Charity Hospital in New Orleans. Staging of the disease process was achieved at a combined conference. The complications encountered in those patients having a 5 year follow-up are presented. The cure rates by each method will be a subject for future presentation.
Stabilization of Discrete-Time Switched Linear Systems: A Control-Lyapunov Function Approach

This paper studies the exponential stabilization problem for discrete-time switched linear systems based on a control-Lyapunov function approach. A number of versions of converse control-Lyapunov function theorems are proved and their connections to the switched LQR problem are derived. It is shown that the system is exponentially stabilizable if and only if there exists a finite integer N such that the N -horizon value function of the switched LQR problem is a control-Lyapunov function. An efficient algorithm is also proposed which is guaranteed to yield a control-Lyapunov function and a stabilizing strategy whenever the system is exponentially stabilizable.
Development of the pattern of photoreceptors in the chick retina

The various classes of photoreceptor cells found in vertebrate retinae are organized in specific patterns, which are important for visual function. It is not known how these patterns are achieved during development. The chick retina provides an excellent model system in which to investigate this issue, containing cone opsins red, green, blue, and violet, as well as the rod-specific opsin rhodopsin. In this study, whole-mount in situ hybridization has revealed striking differences among opsins in both spatial and temporal aspects of expression. The long-wavelength cone opsins, red and green, were first detected in a small spot within the area centralis at embryonic day 14 (E14). In contrast, the short-wavelength cone opsins, blue and violet, were not detected until 2 d later and showed domains of expression both within the area centralis and in temporal retina. The first rhodopsin transcripts were seen at E15 in inferior retina. When opsin expression was first detected, there were differences in the localization of RNA within the inner segment of cone photoreceptors, suggesting that morphological differentiation preceded the expression of photopigment molecules. Marked differences in the distribution of rods and cones were also found. Within the area centralis, a circular rod-free zone bisected by a narrow rod-sparse region along the nasal-temporal axis was evident as soon as rhodopsin RNA could be detected. Such specialized regions appear to be set aside soon after photoreceptor cells become postmitotic, as evidenced by a spatially restricted pattern of visinin RNA observed at E7. The onset of particular opsins in restricted regions of the retina suggest an underlying pattern related to visual function in the chick.
Situational impacts on leader ethical decision-making

Abstract Leader ethical decision-making has received a great deal of attention in the academic literature. Most research examining ethical leadership has focused on the leader characteristics and subordinate outcomes associated with ethical leadership, but research examining the situational variables influencing leader ethical decision-making is limited. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine a number of situational variables that may influence leader ethical decision-making. This study examined the impacts of performance pressure, interpersonal conflict, the leader's decision-making autonomy, the type of ethical issue at hand, and the level of authority of the other person involved in the interaction. The results indicated that when making a decision in response to a superior (as opposed to a peer or subordinate), leaders make worse decisions. Additionally, a number of interactions of the other variables negatively impacted leaders' ethical decision-making. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Benchmarking of multiparticle phase scan and acceptance scan techniques for the Spallation Neutron Source linac

The importance of accurately setting the RF field amplitude and phase, called the RF set-point is well recognized for a high intensity proton linac such as the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) linac. Techniques such as phase scan and acceptance scan have been used to determine RF set-points. However, benchmarking study of phase scan and acceptance scan techniques based on experiment was never undertaken before. The benchmarking study demonstrated that the multiparticle phase scan technique based on realistic tracking produces RF set-points consistent with those obtained from the acceptance scan technique. Previous work of phase scan type was based on single-particle tracking and the RF set-point from the single-particle phase scan sometimes did not agree well with either that from the multiparticle phase scan or that from the acceptance scan. The analysis based on multiparticle phase scan showed an accurate agreement between the measurement and simulation even when the beam bunch is rather long (the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) beam bunch length entering the SNS Drift Tube linac tank 1 is about 27°).
Impact of valvular calcification on the diagnostic accuracy of transesophageal echocardiography for the detection of congenital aortic valve malformation.

Background: Degeneration of congenital bicuspid or unicuspid aortic valves can progress more rapidly than that of tricuspid valves, and an early diagnosis significantly impacts decision making and outcome. We hypothesized that the extent of valvular calcification would negatively influence the diagnostic accuracy of multiplane transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for the diagnosis of congenital aortic valve disease. Methods: TEE was performed in 57 patients undergoing aortic valve replacement surgery for aortic stenosis (n = 46), pure regurgitation (n = 9), or significant regurgitation with less than severe aortic stenosis (n = 2). The degree of aortic valve calcification and the number of valve cusps were determined at surgery. Results: Surgical inspection confirmed 14 bicuspid and 43 tricuspid aortic valves. Sensitivity and specificity of TEE for the diagnosis of congenital aortic valve malformation was 93% (13/14) and 91% (39/43) (P = 0.0001), respectively. In patients with no or mild aortic valve calcification (n = 13), sensitivity and specificity of TEE for the diagnosis of congenitally malformed aortic valve was 100% (5/5) and 100% (8/8) (P = 0.001), respectively. In patients with moderate or marked aortic valve calcification (n = 44), sensitivity and specificity of TEE for the diagnosis of congenitally malformed aortic valve was 89% (8/9) and 89% (31/35) (P<0.0001), respectively. In this subgroup of 44 patients, there were four false-positive and one false-negative diagnoses due to valvular calcification. Conclusions: Although TEE is highly sensitive and specific for the detection of congenital aortic valve malformations, presence of moderate or marked calcification of the aortic valve may result in false positive and false negative diagnoses.
Assessing long-term health and cost outcomes of patient-centered medical homes serving adults with poor diabetes control

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is an integrated primary care delivery model particularly suited for patients with poor diabetes control. Although PCMH models targeting adults with diabetes have shown some early success, little is known about the long-term benefits of medical homes in terms of health and cost outcomes. The performance of a PCMH model in adults with poor diabetes control was assessed using simulated controlled trial data obtained from the Archimedes model of disease progression and health care utilization. Using the Cardio-Metabolic Risk data set, we compared health and cost outcomes over a 20-year period between adults with poor diabetes control (HbA1c >9%) receiving standard care and these same adults receiving care under a PCMH model with a 49% HbA1c intervention improvement rate at a per-beneficiary per-month care management cost of $20 per month. The results suggest that the PCMH model has the potential to not only reduce the proportion of the population with bilateral blindn...
Reduction of stibnite by hydrogen

Abstract The reduction of stibnite by hydrogen in the absence and in the presence of sulfur acceptors has been investigated at atmospheric pressure and at temperatures of 200 – 600 °C. The activation energy of these processes has been found to be 17.4 kcal mol −1 (−7.2 × 10 4 J), 20.4 kcal mol −1 (−8.5 × 10 4 J), and 27.7 kcal mol −1 (−11.6 × 10 4 J), in the absence of sulfur acceptors, with calcium oxide and with magnesium oxide, respectively. The calcium and magnesium sulfides can be removed from the reaction residues by leaching with dilute hydrochloric acid solution. The purity of the antimony metal produced in these processes varied between 98.0 and 99.5%. The hydrogen sulfide liberated can be converted into elemental sulfur or sulfuric acid; consequently, this method will not pollute the environment. On the basis of the experimental data of this investigation a flow sheet has been developed for the production of metallic antimony from high grade sulfide-bearing concentrates.
Creep Analysis of Metallic Structures in the Presence of Thermal Gradients Using Newer Constitutive Relations

Several newer constitutive relations have recently been proposed for describing the mechanical behavior of metals and alloys under elevated temperature creep conditions. A salient feature of the mathematical structure of many of these relations is that they typically express the nonelastic strain rates as functions of the current values of stress, temperature, and some other suitably defined state variables. A computational scheme is presented for the inelastic analysis of metallic structures subjected to both mechanical and thermal loadings and obeying constitutive relations of the type described above. Several numerical examples for the creep of thick-walled spheres, cylinders, and rotating discs in the presence of thermal gradients are presented. The particular constitutive relations used in these calculations are due to Hart. The proposed computational scheme is found to be very efficient from the view point of both computational time and effort. The effects of previous cold work on the stress redistribution and creep of these structural elements are discussed.
Cumulative Returns from the Korean IPO Market

Korean and US IPO markets show significant initial underpricing, accounting for dramatic initial price increases. However, unlike its US counterpart, the Korean IPO market shows considerable market adjusted long-run returns. Hypotheses influenced by Korean institutional and regulatory factors, tested to explain the IPO cumulative returns, suggest that some of the theoretical arguments and empirical regularities observed in the US IPO market also apply to the Korean IPO market. However, this is a function of the regulatory environment in the four periods investigated in this study.
Synthesis and biological evaluation of platinum-acridine hybrid agents modified with bipyridine non-leaving groups.

Abstract The use of 2,2′-bipyridines (4,4′-R2-2,2′-bpy; R = H, Me, OMe, CF3) as non-leaving groups (L–L) in platinum–acridinylthiourea conjugates, [PtCl(L-L)(ACRAMTU)](NO3)2, has been investigated. All bpy-substituted complexes (2–5) show micromolar activity in HL-60 (leukemia) and H460 (lung) cancer cell lines but proved to be significantly less potent than the prototypical compound (1) containing aliphatic ethane-1,2-diamine. NMR and mass spectrometry data indicate that bpy accelerates the reaction of platinum with DNA nitrogen, but the resulting adducts are more labile than those formed by the prototype.