cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cold Versus Warm Ischemia Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy: Comparison of Functional Outcomes in Propensity-Score Matched "At Risk" Patients.

Abstract Objectives: To compare functional outcomes of warm ischemia RPN (wRPN) to cold ischemia RPN (cRPN) in “at risk” patients. Materials and Methods: Retrospective review of institutional datab...
Evaluation und Qualitätssicherung von Change Management — Methodische Anmerkungen und Best Practice

Die Notwendigkeit, sich als Profitoder Non-Profit-Organisation in einer zunehmend vernetzten Umwelt auf neue Rahmen- und Wettbewerbsbedingungen auszurichten, stellt heute mehr denn je eine der wichtigsten Voraussetzungen fur ein nachhaltiges, erfolgreiches Bestehen dar.1 Diese Veranderungen konnen Produkt- und Serviceinnovationen, neue Betriebsablaufe und Verhaltensweisen sowie fundamentale Innovationen der Organisationsstruktur erfordern. Die lernende Organisation muss sich „wie eine Zelle mit festem Kern und flexibler Gestalt an die Anforderungen der Zukunft anpassen konnen“2. Die Fahigkeit, diese Veranderungsprozesse konstruktiv zu gestalten und zu steuern kann somit als eine der wichtigsten Kompetenzen einer erfolgreichen Organisation betrachtet werden.3 Entsprechend grose Aufmerksamkeit erfahren vor diesem Hintergrund Planung, Implementierung und Umsetzung von Veranderungsbeziehungsweise Change-Prozessen in der Praxis wie auch in der wissenschaftlichen Diskussion. Deuringer berichtet beispielsweise auf Basis einer unveroffentlichten Studie der Unternehmensberatung Kienbaum aus dem Jahr 1996, dass sich 98 % der befragten Unternehmen in einem umfassenden Change-Prozess befanden.4
Atomic Force Microscopy and Spectroscopy of Silk from Spider Draglines, Capture-Web Spirals, and Silkworms

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) of silk proteins usually shows segmented nanofibers, or fields of globules, or both. The sizes of the globules are similar to the sizes of the segments in the nanofibers. These structures are seen in silk proteins from both spider dragline silk and silkworm silk from Bombyx mori. Nanoindentation by AFM has been used to measure elastic properties of silk and reconstituted silk structures. Force spectroscopy has been done on two spider silks, giving saw-tooth force-vs-distance curves (force spectra) with both silks. A molecular construct of spider dragline silk gave single-molecule force spectra consistent with the unzipping of successive repeated domains containing β-sheet and helical amino-acid repeats. Native capture-silk force spectra showed an exponential increase in rupture forces as the pulling distance increased. This exponential force increase was modeled as a network of springs. Basic information about atomic force microscopy and spectroscopy are also presented.
Elections, ability, and candidate honesty

Abstract An important function of elections is to select the best representative, a task facilitated when candidates are honest about their qualifications. But are they? To what extent do candidates’ claims depend on the alignment of incentives between themselves and voters? We conduct an incentivized laboratory experiment in which candidates can choose to be honest or to exaggerate, varying the benefits of winning office. We find that strong office motives clearly induce exaggeration and, surprisingly, that only about half of laboratory candidates tell the truth even when incentives are completely aligned. We show that the prevalence of lying in elections results not from impure (e.g., Machiavellian) motives, but rather as a rational response to the expectation that other candidates will lie. Although honesty and integrity are desirable virtues in elected officials, our experiment suggests that the nature of electoral processes can make dishonesty endemic to the democratic selection of leaders.
Supply Chain Integration for Online Shopping Holidays: Risk Penalty vs. Flat Rate

1. Problem Definition: We study the coordination of an E-commerce supply chain between online sellers and 3rd party shippers to meet random demand surges, induced by, for instance, online shopping holidays. 2. Academic/Practical Relevance: Motivated by the challenge of meeting the highly unpredictable demand surges in E-commerce, we study shipping contracts and supply chain coordination between online sellers and 3rd party shippers in a novel model taking the unique features of the shipping industry into account. 3. Methodology: We compare two shipping contracts: the risk penalty (recently proposed by UPS) and the flat rate (used by FedEx), and analyze their impact on the seller, the shipper, and the supply chain. 4. Results: We discover that against the common belief, the sophisticated risk penalty is not much better than the simple flat rate for the shipper. Although both the risk penalty and the flat rate can coordinate the supply chain, the risk penalty does so only if the shipper makes zero profit, but the flat rate can provide a positive profit for both. These results represent a new form of double marginalization and risk-sharing, in sharp contrast to the well-known literature on the classic supplier-retailer supply chain, where risk-sharing contracts (similar to the risk penalty) can bring benefits to all parties, but the single wholesale price contract (similar to the flat rate) can achieve supply chain coordination only when the supplier makes zero profit. We also find that only the online seller, but not the shipper, has the motivation to vertically integrate the seller-shipper supply chain. 5. Managerial Implications: Coordinating the seller-shipper supply chain is an important way to meet the unpredictable demand surges in E-commerce. Our results imply that the risk penalty is unnecessarily complex because the simple flat rate is just as good as the risk penalty for the shipper and is better for the seller-shipper supply chain as a whole. Our study also explains and supports the recent practice of online sellers (e.g., Amazon.com and JD.com), but not shippers, to vertically integrate the supply chain by consistently expanding their shipping capabilities.
Towards Sustainability and Empowerment: Reforming America's Syrian Refugee Policy

The number of refugees and displaced people worldwide has reached unprecedented levels. Of the world’s 68.5 million refugees and displaced people, by far the largest number are Syrian. The nearly 13 million Syrian refugees and internally-displaced persons account for sixty percent of Syria’s pre-war population. A violent proxy war starting in 2011 has resulted in mass civilian casualties, human rights abuses, and widespread destruction. After eight years of war, Syria remains too dangerous for most refugees to return home. The UN refugee agency warns it is unknown when threshold requirements for large-scale safe and voluntary returns to Syria will be met for refugees who fled their homes to live in neighboring countries. While media coverage has focused on Syrian refugees seeking asylum in third countries, such as Europe and the United States, eighty percent of the seven million externally displaced Syrians have sought refuge in the countries neighboring Syria: Jordan, Iraq, Turkey, Egypt and Lebanon. As millions of Syrian refugees crossed their borders, these countries assumed the enormous financial burden of providing refugees with the protections mandated by international law. The principle of non-refoulement — a legal norm prohibiting host nations from sending refugees back to countries where their lives are in danger — requires host countries to provide refuge to Syrians until it is safe for them to return home. Four recommendations, if implemented, would contribute toward a sustainable and more effective U.S. Syrian refugee policy. First, U.S. aid should increase to fund programs that empower refugees to be economically independent rather than indefinitely dependent on international aid. Second, development aid to Jordan should strengthen both state institutions and the private sector. Third, the U.S. should fund humanitarian projects with broad eligibility criteria not limited solely to Syrian refugees. Granting access to U.S.-funded humanitarian programs to low-income Jordanians and refugees from other countries reduces inter-community tensions and promotes social cohesion. Finally, sustainable and targeted aid to countries of first asylum such as Jordan should be prioritized in conjunction with an increase in Syrian refugee resettlement to the U.S. While U.S. refugee resettlement cannot replace the need for a final solution to the Syrian conflict, increasing the U.S.’s refugee resettlement ceiling, particularly the number of refugees who can be admitted from the Middle East and especially Syria, would ease the burden on the U.S.’s allies in the region that currently shoulder most of the financial and political costs of the crisis. By accepting its fair share of refugees, the U.S. encourages countries of first asylum to continue meeting their international obligations with respect to refugees. Conversely, the Trump administration’s hostility towards refugees grants tacit permission for host countries to give in to mounting domestic political pressure to prematurely send Syrian refugees home to dangerous conditions.
The Interaction of Robots with Passive Environments: Application to Force Feedback Control

Interaction with the environment is an essential feature of manipulation. Interaction imposes constraints upon the behavior of a manipulator (e.g. robotic, prosthetic, or human arm) which are not imposed by the stability and performance of the isolated manipulator alone. These constraints must be understood and treated as part of the hardware and controller design process if suitable interactive behavior is to be achieved.
Expression analysis of a gene family in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) induced by water deficit stress

A cDNA clone (lp3) from loblolly pine induced by water deficit stress (WDS) has been isolated. It is preferentially induced in roots with a constitutive basal level of expression also observed in stems and needles. Northern blot analysis with well irrigated ABA-treated seedlings indicated that the overall accumulation of lp3 transcripts in the roots was lower than that of water deficit-stressed seedlings. However, within roots, lp3 was induced by ABA indicating that the expression of lp3 in roots under WDS conditions was partly mediated by ABA. The lp3 clone is similar to a group of genes called asr (ABA stress and ripening) genes identified in several species. A genomic clone (lp3-1) was identified and its putative protein has the hydrophylicity profile similar to that of lp3 except for two deletions in the 5' region. The genomic Southern and RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction) analyses indicate that the lp3 gene belongs to a small multigene family of at least four members with a distinct pattern of expression during WDS.
Expanding the availability and improving delivery of natural family planning services and fertility awareness education: providers' perspectives

Despite the recognized benefits for clients and programs of providing natural family planning (NFP) services, few family planning programs offer NFP and few provide fertility awareness education. Furthermore, many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that provide only NFP actually reach a very small percentage of the potential NFP users in the areas they serve. This paper discusses the results of interviews with selected family planning providers that were conducted to explore reasons why NFP and fertility awareness education are not offered in their programs, and with NFP providers to get their opinions on how to improve service delivery. The interviews were structured around some of the lessons learned from the successful incorporation of the lactational amenorrhea method (LAM) into several multimethod family planning programs. There is agreement that the need for NFP services is far from being met and that most clients lack the information and skills they could learn through fertility awareness education. The providers interviewed also acknowledged that offering these services would improve the quality of reproductive health services in general. Presented here are some ideas about why these services are not offered, as well as suggestions for integrating NFP and fertility awareness education into existing family planning programs.
Multi-scale time- and frequency-domain likelihood analysis with photon weights

We present an unbinned likelihood analysis formalism employing photon weights -- the probabilities that events are associated with a particular source. This approach is applicable to any photon-resolving instrument, and thus well suited to high-energy observations; we focus here on GeV $\gamma$-ray data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope. Weights connect individual photons to the outputs of a detailed, expensive likelihood analysis of a much larger data set. The weighted events can be aggregated into arbitrary time spans ranging from microseconds to years. Such retrospective grouping permits time- and frequency-domain analysis over a wide range of scales and enables characterization of disparate phenomena like blazar flares, $\gamma$-ray bursts, pulsar pulses, novae, $\gamma$-ray binaries, and other variable sources. To demonstrate the formalism, we incorporate photon weights into the Bayesian blocks algorithm and perform a hierarchical time scale analysis of 3C 279 activity. We analyze pulsar pulse profiles and estimate the unpulsed emission level and the optimal division of the data into on- and off-pulse intervals. We extend the formalism to Fourier analysis and derive estimators for power spectra, used to search for and characterize periodic sources. We show how the Fast Fourier transform can be used to probe orbital periods as short as a minute and we discuss mitigation of spurious signals. Our final example combines time- and frequency- domain analysis to jointly characterize the flares and orbital modulation of Cygnus X-3, yielding the strongest detection of the orbital signal ($>$13$\sigma$) to date. Finally, we discuss extensions of the work to other GeV sources and to X-ray and TeV observations.
Performance of structural insulated panels with metal skins subjected to windborne debris impact

Abstract Structural insulated panels (SIPs), which consist of a composite of an insulating polymer foam sandwiched between two layers of structural skins, are widely used in residential and commercial buildings. Such panels, in the regions prone to hurricanes and tornadoes, are often exposed to the risk of windborne debris impact. Despite the consequences associated with damage to SIPs, the studies on their perforation resistance and design variables have been rather limited. To address this gap, the current study develops a computational framework to assess the vulnerability of the SIPs of various configurations subjected to a range of windborne debris impact scenarios. For this purpose, impact simulations are conducted to quantify the response and evaluate the extent of damage to the SIPs. The study is further extended to evaluate the effect of various structural details and material properties on the perforation resistance of the SIPs. Based on the simulation results, a set of vulnerability curves are developed to capture the risk of failure of the SIPs under the windborne debris hazard. This is expected to improve the design of this important category of wall panels, especially to ensure their safety and performance during severe windstorms.
Alimentos Ciencia e Ingeniería 11-2

Los consumidores exigen, cada vez, mas atributos de calidad en los productos que adquieren siendo una caracteristica esencial e implicita la inocuidad – apto para consumo humano. Por otro lado, el sector alimentario trata de bajar los costos de produccion y venta, las buenas practicas de manufactura (BMP) ofrecen la posibilidad de lograrlo manteniendo la calidad y asegurando la inocuidad. Ademas de ser obligatorias, algunas practicas llevan a importantes mejoras y no requieren la inversion de capital, en especial cuando hablamos del orden, la higiene y la capacitacion del personal. Entendiendose a las BMP como procedimientos de higiene y manipulacion, que constituyen los requisitos basicos e indispensables para participar en el mercado, estas son utiles para el diseno y funcionamiento de los establecimientos, y para el desarrollo de procesos y productos relacionados con la alimentacion. Es indispensable que esten implementadas previamente , para aplicar posteriormente el Sistema HACCP (Analisis de Peligros y Puntos Criticos de Control), un programa de Gestion de Calidad Total (TQM) o un Sistema de Calidad como ISO 9000. Para asegurar que nuestro producto sea seguro, debemos empezar por verificar que las materias primas usadas esten en condiciones que aseguren la proteccion contra contaminantes (fisicos, quimicos y biologicos). Por otro lado es importante que sean almacenadas segun su origen, y separadas de los productos terminados, como tambien de sustancias toxicas (plaguicidas, solventes u otras sustancias), de manera de impedir la contaminacion cruzada. Ademas deben tenerse en cuenta las condiciones optimas de almacenamiento como temperatura, humedad, ventilacion e iluminacion.
Windsor, Animus, and the Future of Marriage Equality

Before Windsor, there were three unanswered questions about the doctrine of unconstitutional animus: (1) how the Court defined animus; (2) what the Court accepted as evidence of animus; and (3) how the Court understood the relationship between animus and rational basis review. After Windsor, these three questions remain unanswered. Indeed, these precise questions were the object of heated --- and ultimately unresolved --- debate between the majority and dissenting opinions in the case. Thus, with Windsor, the Court declared that animus remains a relevant concept in the Court’s equal protection jurisprudence and confirmed that proving the presence of animus is a viable strategy for winning a marriage equality challenge. And yet the Court failed to clarify the contours of the concept, leaving advocates, as well as lower federal and state courts, without guidance on how to articulate and apply the doctrine.
Unplugged assignments for K-12 AI education

In this column, we introduce our two "unplugged" (i.e. no technology needed) Model AI Assignments: Introducing AI and Semantic Networks and Knowledge Representations. We also reflect on the potential benefits of unplugged activities for broadening access to AI-related learning experiences.
Perceptions of Children’s Age-Appropriate and Problematic Sexual Behaviors Among Adults Living in the United States

The present study examined how adults living in the United States perceive children’s developmentally-appropriate and problematic sexual behaviors before and after receiving psychoeducation on thes...
Host and brood parasite coevolutionary interactions covary with comparative patterns of the avian visual system.

In coevolutionary arms-races, reciprocal ecological interactions and their fitness impacts shape the course of phenotypic evolution. The classic example of avian host–brood parasite interactions se...
Role of epigenetics in cellular reprogramming; from iPSCs to disease modeling and cell therapy

Epigenetics play a fundamental role in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology due to their effect on iPSC's reprogramming efficiency and their subsequent role in iPSC differentiation toward a specific lineage. Epigenetics can skew the differentiation course of iPSCs toward a specific lineage based on the epigenetic memory of the source cells, or even lead to acquisition of new cell phenotypes, due to its aberrations during reprogramming. This viewpoint discusses key features of the epigenetic process during iPSC reprogramming/differentiation and outlines important epigenetic factors that need to be considered for successful generation and differentiation of iPSCs for downstream applications.
Papanicolaou Test Rates Among Sexual Minority Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: The purpose of this review was to compare differences in Papanicolaou (pap) test rates between sexual minority women (SMW) and heterosexual women. Methods: PubMed, Embase, and Scopus were searched from inception until June 2020 for articles reporting pap test rates among SMW. Studies were selected if they included pap test rates for SMW with a comparison rate for heterosexual women; studies were excluded if they did not report pap test rates. A quality assessment scale was used to assess study quality. A random-effects model was employed to calculate pooled odds ratios (ORs) for each outcome along with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Heterogeneity was assessed by implementation of the I2 statistic, and L'Abbe plots were inspected visually to assess for homogeneity. Sensitivity analyses were performed by omitting each study sequentially and analyzing the overall impact of that study on the pooled results. Meta-regression was conducted to identify potential causes of heterogeneity among any statistically significant outcomes by an examination of the covariable of insurance coverage. Results: We identified 21 cross-sectional studies comprising 24,207 SMW and 546,259 heterosexual women that met inclusion criteria. Overall, studies were of a fair quality. When compared with heterosexual women, SMW received less frequent pap tests (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.48-0.71, 21 studies, 24,207 SMW, 546,259 heterosexual women). Compared with heterosexual women, lesbian women had routine pap tests less frequently (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.37-0.56, 17 studies, 9595 lesbian women and 516,760 heterosexual women). Meta-regression for insurance status did not alter these results. Conclusion: SMW, in general, and lesbian women, in particular, receive pap tests less frequently than heterosexual women. The reasons for this disparity should be investigated to better serve the needs of this population. PROSPERO Registration: CRD#42020191887.
Roles matter: Graduate student perceptions of active learning in the STEM courses they take and those they teach.

Despite many calls to reform undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education to incorporate active learning into classes, there has been little attention paid to graduate ...
Development of a Clinical Monitoring System by Means of ICP Waveform Analysis

Recording the mean intracranial pressure (ICP) as an index of potential herniation has been the standard for intracranial monitoring. The mean intracranial pressure represents only one parameter of a complex control system. The mean ICP may not show variations until late in the course of a pathologic process or may never be elevated despite progressive injury to the brain. Intracranial compliance has been proposed to have a greater prognostic value than the mean ICP (Sullivan et al., 1980). The pressure volume index (PVI) is at present the most useful test for determination of intracranial compliance (Shapiro et al., 1980). The PVI is not suitable for continuous monitoring, since it requires volumetric manipulation of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Similarly, currently used techniques for measurement of cerebral blood flow (CBF) are not suited to continuous monitoring (Langfitt, 1975).
Structural Features of Starch Granules II

Publisher Summary Starch granules are commonly found in seeds, roots, tubers, stems, and leaves. Grain seeds, such as maize kernels, contain up to 75% starch on a dry starch basis. The stored starch granules can be converted by enzymes (amylases) to glucose, and the glucose is utilized to generate energy during germination or whenever energy is needed. Starch granules are densely packed with semicrystalline structures and have a density of about 1.5 g/cm3. Because of this stable semicrystalline structure, starch granules are not soluble in water at room temperature. In the granular form, starch can be isolated easily by gravity sedimentation, centrifugation, and filtration, and can be subjected to various chemical, physical, and enzymatic modifications with subsequent washing and processing. There are two major starch polymers: amylopectin and amylose, each having different properties. Biosynthesis of starch granules takes place primarily in the amyloplast. Minor components found in starch granules include polymers of sizes and with properties intermediate between those of amylose and amylopectin, starch lipids, monostarch phosphate ester groups, and proteins, particularly granule-bound starch synthase. Some minor components, especially phospholipids, free fatty acids, and phosphate ester groups, although at low concentrations, can drastically affect the properties of starch pastes and gels. An understanding of the internal organization of starch granules is crucial for scientists and engineers to optimize reaction conditions for chemical, physical, and enzymatic modifications.
Combination and rotation of bacterial antagonists to control powdery mildew on pumpkin

Mixtures of micro-organisms may lead to more effective control of plant pathogens than biocontrol with single species, but little data exists on the efficacy of microbial combinations against powdery mildews. In a field experiment in northern California with high disease pressure, we found, at best, only modest disease control with individual use of three species of commercially-available bacterial antagonists. Application of all species as a mixture or in rotation did not improve disease control more than the best monoculture, suggesting a lack of synergism among mixture components.
Role of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Choledochocele

Choledochocele is a rare abnormality involving the intramural segment of the common bile duct. It may present clinically as recurrent acute pancreatitis, biliary colic, or cholestatic jaundice. A choledochocele may be easily overlooked by the conventional diagnostic methods, such as upper gastrointestinal series, intravenous cholangiogram, abdominal ultrasound, and computed tomography. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is helpful in demonstrating a choledochocele. Additionally, in selected cases, a choledochocele may be effectively managed by endoscopic sphincterotomy. We present the clinical, endoscopic, and radiographic findings in a series of 8 patients with choledochocele. The radiologic technique most useful in demonstrating a choledochocele at the time of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is detailed. The pathogenesis, differential diagnosis, and relevant current literature pertaining to choledochocele are discussed.
The Self, the Stasi, the NSA: Privacy, Knowledge, and Complicity in the Surveillance State

We focus on privacy in public. The notion dates back over a century, at least to the work of the German sociologist, Georg Simmel. Simmel observed that people voluntarily limit their knowledge of each other as they interact in a wide variety of social and commercial roles, thereby making certain information private relative to the interaction even if it is otherwise publicly available. Current governmental surveillance in the US (and elsewhere) reduces privacy in public. But to what extent?The question matters because adequate self-realization requires adequate privacy in public. That in turn depends on informational norms, social norms that govern the collection, use, and distribution of information. Adherence to such norms is constitutive of a variety of relationships in which parties coordinate their use of information. Examples include student/teacher, and journalist/confidential source. Current surveillance undermines privacy in public by undermining norm-enabled coordination. The 1950 to 1990 East German Stasi illustrates the threat to self-realization. The “hidden, but for every citizen tangible omnipresence of the Stasi, damaged the very basic conditions for individual and societal creativity and development: Sense of one’s self, Trust, Spontaneity.” The United States is not East Germany, but it is on the road that leads there. And that raises the question of how far down that road it has traveled.To support the “on the road” claim and answer the “how far” question, we turn to game-theoretic studies of the Assurance Game (more popularly known as the Stag Hunt). We combine our analysis of that game with a characterization of current governmental surveillance that in terms of five concepts: knowledge, use, merely knowing, complicity, and uncertainty. All five combine to undermine norm-enabled coordination. The Assurance Game shows how use — both legitimate and not legitimate — leads to discoordination. Enough discoordination would lead to a Stasi-like world. But will that happen? A comparison with the Stasi shows cause for concern. The United States possess a degree of knowledge about its citizens that the Stasi could only dream of. Moreover — perhaps — it arguably surpasses the Stasi in complicity, even though Stasi informants “spied on friends, workmates, neighbours and family members. Husbands spied on wives.” The Stasi only clearly exceeded the United States in repressive use. While it is difficult to predict the future of surveillance, we conclude with three probable scenarios. In only one is there an adequate degree of privacy in public.
Robustness to Unequal Scale and Other Departures from the Classical Linear Model

Consider the usual linear model with regression coefficents β but possibly het- eroskedastic errors. A brief review of the literature regarding inference on β will be discussed. The one-sample, two-sample, and simple-linear-regression problems will be considered in detail and heteroskedasticity-robust procedures will be presented. Robustness to other departures will also be considered briefly.
Folate Deficiency in Chronic Liver Disease

Fifty-five patients with liver disease of varied etiology and severity have been studied. Serum folate concentrations were subnormal and folic acid clearances rapid, when studied, in 19 actively imbibing alcoholic cirrhotics who had a megaloblastic anemia. Eleven patients, from both the nonalcoholic and alcoholic groups, had rapid folic acid clearances, with subnormal serum folate levels in seven, in the absence of morphologic evidence of folate deficiency. Serum B 12 concentrations were uniformly normal or elevated. Dietary deficiency appeared to be the major cause of folate deficiency; all 19 patients who had megaloblastic changes were considered to have an inadequate dietary intake. Increased requirement for folate due to hyperactivity of the bone marrow secondary to gastrointestinal bleeding. hypersplenism, or hemolysis appeared to contribute to the development of abnormal folic acid determinations in many patients in both the alcoholic and nonalcoholic groups. Two of 10 patients studied had malabsorption of folic acid. Such factors as the presence of ascites, an expanded plasma volume, a Patent portacaval shunting procedure, the type of alcoholic beverage imbibed, and the severity of impairment of liver function did not appear to be of significance in the development of folate deficiency.
Supporting reuse of evolving visual code

Although the idea of reusing code is very appealing, effective reuse has long been acknowledged as a problem. To help address the difficulties, many advocate strong management commitment to code reuse, leading to the treatment of code as an asset to be carefully managed in a well-organized repository. However, the advent of the Web may bring a change to this outlook encouraging informal, loosely-organized code repositories. Already, for both textual and visual languages, informal repositories are beginning to emerge, featuring a high rate of change and few controls over what a producer must do to submit code. We present techniques to address some aspects of code reuse in this kind of informal, evolving environment. These techniques build upon characteristics found in many visual programming languages. Using these techniques, our approach is able to eliminate the special work traditionally required of the producer, while still supporting the consumer's reuse efforts within these immature, evolving repositories.
Quantitative analysis of the EGF receptor autocrine system reveals cryptic regulation of cell response by ligand capture

Autocrine signaling is important in normal tissue physiology as well as pathological conditions. It is difficult to analyze these systems, however, because they are both self-contained and recursive. To understand how parameters such as ligand production and receptor expression influence autocrine activity, we investigated a human epidermal growth factor/epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF/EGFR) loop engineered into mouse B82 fibroblasts. We varied the level of ligand production using the tet-off expression system and used metalloprotease inhibitors to modulate ligand release. Receptor expression was varied using antagonistic blocking antibodies. We compared autocrine ligand release with receptor activation using a microphysiometer-based assay and analyzed our data using a quantitative model of ligand release and receptor dynamics. We found that the activity of our autocrine system could be described in terms of a simple ratio between the rate of ligand production (V(LT)) and the rate of receptor production (V(R)). At a V(LT)/V(R) ratio of 20% of a maximal proliferative response. This demonstrates that natural autocrine systems can be active even when no ligand appears in the extracellular medium.
Association of COPD with risk for pulmonary infections requiring hospitalization in HIV-infected Veterans.

Author(s): Attia, Engi F; McGinnis, Kathleen A; Feemster, Laura C; Akgun, Kathleen M; Butt, Adeel A; Graber, Christopher J; Fine, Michael J; Goetz, Matthew B; Rodriguez-Barradas, Maria C; Pisani, Margaret A; Tindle, Hilary A; Brown, Sheldon T; Soo Hoo, Guy W; Rimland, David; Gibert, Cynthia L; Huang, Laurence; Freiberg, Matthew S; Hough, Catherine L; Crothers, Kristina | Abstract: BackgroundPulmonary infections remain more common in HIV-infected (HIV+) compared with uninfected individuals. The increase in chronic lung diseases among aging HIV+ individuals may contribute to this persistent risk. We sought to determine whether chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an independent risk factor for different pulmonary infections requiring hospitalization among HIV+ patients.MethodsWe analyzed data from 41,993 HIV+ Veterans in the nationwide Veterans Aging Cohort Study Virtual Cohort from 1996 to 2009. Using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes, we identified baseline comorbid conditions, including COPD, and incident community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) requiring hospitalization within 2 years after baseline. We used multivariable Poisson regression to determine incidence rate ratios (IRRs) associated with COPD for each type of pulmonary infection, adjusting for comorbidities, CD4 cell count, HIV viral load, smoking status, substance use, vaccinations, and calendar year at baseline.ResultsUnadjusted incidence rates of CAP, TB, and PCP requiring hospitalization were significantly higher among persons with COPD compared to those without COPD (CAP: 53.9 vs. 19.4 per 1000 person-years; TB: 8.7 vs. 2.8; PCP: 15.5 vs. 9.2; P ≤ 0.001). In multivariable Poisson regression models, COPD was independently associated with increased risk of CAP, TB, and PCP (IRR: 1.94, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.64 to 2.30; IRR: 2.60, 95% CI: 1.70 to 3.97; and IRR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.10 to 2.01, respectively).ConclusionsCOPD is an independent risk factor for CAP, TB, and PCP requiring hospitalization among HIV+ individuals. As the HIV+ population ages, the growing burden of COPD may confer substantial risk for pulmonary infections.
A Bayesian/maximum-entropy view to the spatial estimation problem.

The purpose of this paper is to stress the importance of a Bayesian/maximum-entropy view toward the spatial estimation problem. According to this view, the estimation equations emerge through a process that balances two requirements: High prior information about the spatial variability and high posterior probability about the estimated map. The first requirement uses a variety of sources of prior information and involves the maximization of an entropy function. The second requirement leads to the maximization of a so-called Bayes function. Certain fundamental results and attractive features of the proposed approach in the context of the random field theory are discussed, and a systematic spatial estimation scheme is presented. The latter satisfies a variety of useful properties beyond those implied by the traditional stochastic estimation methods.
The hydrolysis of succinyldithiocholine and related thiocholine esters by human plasma and purified cholinesterase

The kinetic properties of cholinesterase (ChE) present in plasma were compared with those of purified human ChE using the substrates succinyldithiocholine (SDTCh), acetylthiocholine (AcTCh) and butyrylthiocholine (BuTCh). SDTCh was hydrolysed at two sites; a site with a low Km (Km1 11.4 +/- 3.3 microM) with a Vmax of 0.06 mumol/min/ml and a site with a high Km (Km2 132.4 +/- 14.8 microM) and a Vmax of 0.107 mumol/min/ml. The Km2 site was absent in the sample of purified ChE. The related thiocholine esters, AcTCh and BuTCh were hydrolysed at two sites by both plasma and purified ChE. This indicated that the Km2 site which hydrolysed SDTCh was not ChE. The identity of this component in plasma remains unknown but it was shown not to be albumin. The anticholinesterase agents soman and pyridostigmine were used to demonstrate the direct relationship between inhibition of plasma ChE and hydrolysis of SDTCh at the low concentrations present clinically (20 microM). Whereas high concentrations of SDTCh (200 micron) could be partly hydrolysed by an enzyme present in plasma which is insensitive to ChE inhibitors. In a limited study on the plasma from two "atypical" individuals (Dibucaine number less than 20) all three substrates were hydrolysed at a single site with a higher Km than the Km2 site present in normal plasma. The clinical implications of these results are discussed.
Autonomous Flying Under 500 USD Based on RC Aircraft

Radio control (RC) aircrafts have been favorite toys of aviation hobbyists for years. Because of their simple configurations and low expense, they can also be used for reconnaissance and surveillance with information-gathering devices under commands of a skillful human pilot. However, control with human in the loop not only degrades the reliability of the flight performance, but also bring restrictions in endurance and accuracy. In order to resolve these issues and extend the usage of RC aircrafts, getting them capable of autonomous navigation is a preferred solution. This paper reports our approach by designing and integrating an autonomous system on a regular RC aircraft to achieve full autonomy while keeping the additional costs almost equivalent to the cheap RC platform. The current platform will be briefly presented, the system architecture and major components will be introduced, and detailed autonomous demonstration flight results will be provided at the end.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Positron emission tomography as a diagnostic tool in oncology

Early diagnosis in oncology is important for treatment by surgical intervention, which generally has the highest curative potential. For higher stages of disease involvement, initiation of rapid treatment is indicated to provide the patient with the optimal therapy regimen. Although this may not improve the prognosis, it will maintain the quality of life. Anatomic imaging modalities, such as CT, MR imaging, and US, are clinically important high-resolution imaging techniques that are well suited to reveal structural abnormalities. However, the differentiation of lesions as being benign or malignant is still problematic. Metabolic imaging modalities in nuclear medicine (NM), i.e., single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET), can reveal biochemical parameters of the lesions such as glucose, oxygen, or amino acid metabolism, or measure the receptor density status. These parameters may allow a completely new clinical perspective in the management and understanding of diseases such as cancer. Although PET has been around since the early 1960s, it has only recently emerged as a powerful diagnostic tool in oncology. Society has great difficulty accepting this clinical imaging modality because of its high cost and complexity. Current applications of PET in oncology have been in characterizing lesions, differentiating recurrent disease from treatment effects, staging tumors, evaluating the extent of disease, and therapy monitoring. Here, the role of PET in diagnosis, staging, and restaging of cancer is reviewed and compared with the other tumor imaging modalities. We cover articles published in the past 3 years. We utilize the typical radiology format, in which the contribution in each body area is reviewed (topographic orientation), instead of the more organ-based approach used in internal medicine.
Variable Speed Drive, Constant Frequency Alternator

ACLUTCH-DRIVEN alternator, which will maintain its output frequency constant within one per cent although the driving speed varies more than 80 per cent, has been developed at the Naval Ordnance Laboratory. The 200-watt alternator is used in ordnance equipment wherein adequate mechanical power is available, but not at a constant speed. Two different types of slip clutches were developed to convert the variable-drive shaft speed to constant alternator rotor speed. Both are self-contained, require no external excitation or reference speed, and are capable of limited regulated speed adjustment.
Sampled-data processing techniques for feedback control systems

IN THE past few years there has been considerable interest in sampled-data feedback control systems.1?6 In most cases, this interest was brought about by the fact that many data-gathering and transmission systems, such as radars, data links and similar components handled data in a sampled form. More recently, the contemplated use of digital computers, in essence sampled-data devices, in connection with process control, has necessitated some study of means for utilizing their capacity to compute for purposes of stabilizing and shaping control systems.7,8 By their nature, digital computers are sampled-data systems since their output is intermittent and in numerical form.
Life table analysis of a clinical study of a once-a-month oral steroid contraceptive: Quinestrol — Quingestanol

Abstract A clinical study of a long-acting oral steroid formulation, containing 2.0 mg quinestrol and 2.5 mg quingestanol acetate, was undertaken during a 31-month period. A total of 212 women were enrolled in the study and 2,781 women-months experience was accumulated. Life-table analysis of event rates at the end of 1 year revealed the event rates for discontinuation to be 7.3 for pregnancy, 11.2 for abnormal bleeding and 17.3 for other medical reasons. The cumulative continuation rate at the end of 1 year was only 46.9, indicating this method was not well accepted in this population group.
Interpreting skeletal growth in the past from a functional and physiological perspective

The study of juvenile skeletal remains can yield important insights into the health, behavior, and biological relationships of past populations. However, most studies of past skeletal growth have been limited to relatively simple metrics. Considering additional skeletal parameters and taking a broader physiological perspective can provide a more complete assessment of growth patterns and environmental and genetic effects on those patterns. We review here some alternative approaches to ontogenetic studies of archaeological and paleontological skeletal material, including analyses of body size (stature and body mass) and cortical bone structure of long bone diaphyses and the mandibular corpus. Together such analyses can shed new light on both systemic and localized influences on bone growth, and the metabolic and mechanical factors underlying variation in growth.
Maze routing algorithms with exact matching constraints for analog and mixed signal designs

Design automation for analog and mixed signal designs has become more important, as analog and digital components are integrated on the same system-on-chips (SOCs). Exact route matching is an important constraint for analog and mixed signal designs with non-uniform metal stacks. In this paper, we propose a constrained-path based maze routing algorithm that can handle exact matching constraints for multiple nets. We also propose a scalable framework that utilizes the proposed maze routing algorithm for realistic problem sizes. Compared to the pattern routing algorithms proposed recently [8], our algorithms allow a more thorough exploration of the solution space by allowing bends to be inserted to avoid congested regions. The experimental study demonstrates that the proposed algorithm leads to significant reductions in congestion costs compared to the previous algorithm.
Subglottal coupling and vowel space.

Poster presented at the 147th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America, New York, N.Y., May 2004.
An Intense, Quasi-Steady Thunderstorm over Mountainous Terrain. Part IV: Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation.

Abstract A three-dimensional numerical simulation of an intense, quasi-steady left-moving thunderstorm observed over mountainous terrain is presented. The observational analysis of the evolution of convection leading to this storm is presented in Part I, and a detailed analysis of the Doppler radar-observed storm structure is presented in Parts II and III. This storm was particularly interesting because it initially grew in an environment characterized by terrain-induced boundary layer convergence before a massive mesoscale cold front passed underneath. The front cooled and moistened low levels while veering the surface winds to the north, creating a hodograph of winds strongly backing with height. After frontal passage the initial storm cell grew explosively and turned to the left. The observed storm evolution after the frontal passage was reproduced well by the numerical simulation. An observed secondary updraft which was not simulated, was attributed to residual effects of the prefrontal environment, w...
Biochemical mechanisms for the scheduled synergism of (αS, 5S)-2 amino-3-chloro-4,5-dihydro-5-isoxazoleacetic acid and 5-fluorouracil in P388 leukemia

A study was made of the in vivo effects of equitoxic doses of AT-125 and 5-FU combination, being administered either simultaneously (% ILS 152) or with a 6-h pretreatment with AT-125 (% ILS 184). To examine the biochemical basis for the scheduled synergism, measurements were made of the concentration of PRPP, the specific activities of CPS II, cytidine, thymidine, uridine, deoxyuridine kinases, and fluorinated nucleotide formation in P388 tumors and the small intestine. Two hours after in vivo simultaneous treatment of mice bearing tumors the concentration of PRPP increased 9- and 6-fold above baseline in the tumor and the small intestine, respectively. In the AT-125 pretreatment arm the concentration of PRPP increased 18- and 7-fold above baseline in the tumor and the small intestine, respectively. CPS II activity was reduced to 28%–18% of control in the tumors in the simultaneous and pretreatment groups, respectively, whereas it remained unchanged in the small intestine. Specific activities of cytidine kinase (5.5±1), thymidine kinase (4.0±1.6), uridine kinase (35.6±6.5), and deoxyuridine kinase (2.4±1.1) nmol/mg protein/h remained unchanged with treatment. In concert with the increased intratumor concentration of PRPP, fluorinated nucleotide formation was proportionally increased in the treatment arms. These results indicate the importance of drug scheduling of the above two agents in treating P388 leukemia.