cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Believable Bot Navigation via Playback of Human Traces

Imitation is a powerful and pervasive primitive underlying examples of intelligent behaviour in nature. Can we use it as a tool to help build artificial agents that behave like humans do? This question is studied in the context of the BotPrize competition, a Turing-like test where computer game bots compete by attempting to fool human judges into thinking they are just another human player. One problem faced by such bots is that of human-like navigation within the virtual world. This chapter describes the Human Trace Controller, a component of the \({UT{\char 94}2}\) bot which took second place in the BotPrize 2010 competition. The controller uses a database of recorded human games in order to quickly retrieve and play back relevant segments of human navigation behaviour. Empirical evidence suggests that the method of direct imitation allows the bot to effectively solve several navigation problems while moving in a human-like fashion.
A sublinear time approximation scheme for clustering in metric spaces

The metric 2-clustering problem is defined as follows: given a metric (or weighted graph) (X,d), partition X into two sets S(1) and S(2) in order to minimize the value of /spl Sigma//sub i//spl Sigma//sub {u,v}/spl sub/S(i)/d(u,v). In this paper, we show an approximation scheme for this problem.
Population-based approaches to health care: a way to improve health for select groups.

P opulation-specific approaches to screening and the provision of health-care services have generally been limited to ageand sex-specific recommendations’!’ with less regard for other unique characteristics of populations such as income status, living location, or ethnicity. As health care delivery becomes increasingly integrated, providers may be able to identify high-risk populations and to direct preventive health services toward the particular health problems identified.3-5 Recent immigrants who come to the US because of adverse political, social, and economic circumstances at home have great potential for morbidity.6-10 Vietnamese immigrants, who made up almost 5% of all immigrants to the US between 1990 and 1996, are one such group. Newly arrived, documented immigrants and refugees typically undergo a health assessment that includes screening for tuberculosis, hepatitis B, parasites, venereal disease and pregnancy, updating of immunizations, and vision, hearing, and dental exams. This assessment may be sufficient for many international groups, but it cannot take into account the particular needs of each group of immigrants, particularly in regard to cultural issues, health habits, and emotional health concerns. In this issue, Nelson et al” report on a comprehensive screening battery for common behaviors and conditions among a consecutive sample of 99 recent Vietnamese immigrants who attended two neighborhood health centers in Boston. Using a Vietnamese-speaking interviewer who administered a standardized questionnaire and supplemented by a medical record review, the authors obtained data on smoking status, alcohol use and abuse, depression, outbursts of anger (a proxy for domestic violence), tuberculosis, enteric parasitic infections, hepatitis, and syphilis. A significant percentage of these respondents reported smoking (32%) and using alcohol (25%). Furthermore, 17% of this sample screened in for depression (using
Computer generation of nuclear spin species and nuclear spin statistical weights

This article develops computer programs for computer generation of nuclear spin species and nuclear spin statistical weights of rovibronic levels. The programs developed here generate nuclear spin species and statistical weights from the group structures known as generalized character cycle indices (GCCIs) which are computed easily from the character table of the PI group of the molecule under consideration. Procedures are illustrated with examples.
Raf kinase inhibitory protein knockout mice: expression in the brain and olfaction deficit.

Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein (RKIP-1) is involved in the regulation of the MAP kinase, NF-κB, and GPCR signaling pathways. It is expressed in numerous tissues and cell types and orthologues have been documented throughout the animal and plant kingdoms. RKIP-1 has also been reported as an inhibitor of serine proteases, and a precursor of a neurostimulatory peptide. RKIP-1 has been implicated as a suppressor of metastases in several human cancers. We generated a knockout strain of mice to further assess RKIP-1’s function in mammals. RKIP-1 is expressed in many tissues with the highest protein levels detectable in testes and brain. In the brain, expression was ubiquitous in limbic formations, and homozygous mice developed olfaction deficits in the first year of life. We postulate that RKIP-1 may be a modulator of behavioral responses.
INVESTOR GUIDEPOSTS IN COMPARING INCOME STATEMENTS

THE STRUCTURE of American economic society has been characterized by the growth of huge corporate units embracing a complex network of highly specialized manufacturing systems. Paralleling this trend toward extensive industrialization is the increasingly important role of the government in regulating many aspects of the production and financial operations of business enterprises. In view of the ramified scope of the modern industrial organization, it is impossible for top management to reach sound policy decisions unless there is available a satisfactory means of reporting current information covering the company's financial affairs. To provide this information, both business and government administrators have become dependent upon a considerable array of statistics embracing such important economic processes as pricing, production, distribution, and cost determination. The basic source for this great superstructure of data is the report of the accountant. Sufficiently accurate techniques, however, have not been developed to permit the preparation of these reports so that they reflect a given set of circumstances in the same manner regardless of who prepares them or the nature of existing economic conditions. The principal shortcomings of accounting records arise from their dependence upon a dollar base, which is, itself, a highly variable factor, the personal judgments implicit in many accounting decisions, and limitations in methods of evaluation. Further augmenting the difficulty of accounting problems is the compulsion to summarize the full scope of an enterprise's operations into two relatively simple statements-the income account and balance sheet. As a result, accountants have found it extremely difficult to meet the varied needs of those interested in the regularly
A wide range of activity duration cutoffs provided unbiased estimates of exposure to computer use.

Integrative computer usage monitors have become widely used in epidemiologic studies to investigate the exposure-response relationship of computer-related musculoskeletal disorders. These software programs typically estimate the exposure duration of computer use by summing precisely recorded durations of input device activities and durations of inactivity periods shorter than a predetermined activity duration cutoff value, usually 30 or 60 sec. The goal of this study was to systematically compare the validity of a wide range of cutoff values. Computer use activity of 20 office workers was observed for 4 consecutive hours using both a video camera and a usage monitor. Video recordings from the camera were analyzed using specific observational criteria to determine computer use duration. This observed duration then served as the reference and was compared with 238 estimates of computer use duration calculated from the usage monitor data using activity duration cutoffs ranging from 3 to 240 sec in 1-sec incr...
Rapid ab initio prediction of RNA pseudoknots via graph tree decomposition

The prediction of RNA secondary structure including pseudoknots remains a challenge due to the intractable computation of the sequence conformation from nucleotide interactions under free energy models. Optimal algorithms often assume a restricted class for the predicted RNA structures and yet still require a high-degree polynomial time complexity, which is too expensive to use. Heuristic methods may yield time-efficient algorithms but they do not guarantee optimality of the predicted structure. This paper introduces a new and efficient algorithm for the prediction of RNA structure with pseudoknots for which the structure is not restricted. Novel prediction techniques are developed based on graph tree decomposition. In particular, based on a simplified energy model, stem overlapping relationships are defined with a graph, in which a specialized maximum independent set corresponds to the desired optimal structure. Such a graph is tree decomposable; dynamic programming over a tree decomposition of the graph leads to an efficient optimal algorithm. The final structure predictions are then based on re-ranking a list of suboptimal structures under a more comprehensive free energy model. The new algorithm is evaluated on a large number of RNA sequence sets taken from diverse resources. It demonstrates overall sensitivity and specificity that outperforms or is comparable with those of previous optimal and heuristic algorithms yet it requires significantly less time than the compared optimal algorithms.
Fabrication and characterisation of nanostructured thin films of Ag synthesised using condensation on ion centres in gas

The authors developed a method based on the concept of heterogeneous condensation on charged centres (ions), for the preparation of nanoparticles that allows the control synthesis of particles with sizes from 10 to 100 nm. The technique is used to fabricate thin films of silver nanoparticles. According to the scanning electron microscope measurements, the average size of the nanoparticles could be tuned between 10 and 100 nm. Optical extinction measurements show a shift in the absorption peak that correlates well with average size.
Differential epidemiology: IQ, neuroticism, and chronic disease by the 50 U.S. states

Abstract Current research shows that geo-political units (e.g., the 50 U.S. states) vary meaningfully on psychological dimensions like intelligence (IQ) and neuroticism (N). A new scientific discipline has also emerged, differential epidemiology, focused on how psychological variables affect health. We integrate these areas by reporting large correlations between aggregate-level IQ and N (measured for the 50 U.S. states) and state differences in rates of chronic disease (e.g., stroke, heart disease). Controlling for health-related behaviors (e.g., smoking, exercise) reduced but did not eliminate these effects. Strong relationships also existed between IQ, N, disease, and a host of other state-level variables (e.g., income, crime, education). The nexus of inter-correlated state variables could reflect a general fitness factor hypothesized by cognitive epidemiologists, although valid inferences about causality will require more research.
Warfarin Pharmacogenetics: To Genotype or Not to Genotype, That Is the Question

Genotype is well recognized to influence the dose of warfarin necessary for therapeutic anticoagulation. Recent randomized controlled trials evaluating the clinical utility of genotype-guided warfarin dosing have produced varying results. We review the design and results of the recent clinical trials, assess the impact of their findings on warfarin dosing, and examine unanswered questions related to clinical implementation of warfarin pharmacogenetics.
Normal Development of Mice Lacking Metablastin (P19), a Phosphoprotein Implicated in Cell Cycle Regulation

Metablastin, also called P19, stathmin, prosolin, Lap18, and oncoprotein18, is a highly conserved cytosolic protein that undergoes extracellular factor- and cell cycle-regulated serine phosphorylation and developmentally regulated expression in mammals. It has been implicated in a variety of cellular functions including growth and differentiation, and recent evidence suggests an involvement in cell cycle control. To explore its potential role in mammalian development, we have disrupted the gene encoding metablastin by gene targeting in mice. The metablastin null mutants have no overt phenotype regarding development, growth rate, behavior, T cell maturation, or fertility and do not exhibit an increased predisposition to tumors. SCG10, a protein closely related in structure to metablastin, shows no compensatory up-regulation in metablastin-/- mice. Although the data suggest that metablastin is not essential for mammalian development, the knockout mice should prove valuable in exploring the role of this protein in cell cycle regulation.
When Parties Matter: The Conditional Influence of Party Positions on Voter Opinions about European Integration

While the literature on public support for European integration often suggests that political elites play an important role in shaping public attitudes toward the European Union, the empirical findings to date reveal an inconsistent pattern of political effects. The causal direction of this relationship has also been questioned. Using data from the Eurobarometer surveys, this article tests hypotheses to explain national, partisan, and individual-level variations in the strength of the party/voter connection. The results of a nonrecursive model demonstrate that party positions do influence electorate opinion, but that this effect varies with levels of disagreement among parties, party unity, issue salience, and party attachment. These results help to explain when and where political parties will exercise the greatest influence over public opinion.
The Use of Greek at Qumran: Manuscript and Epigraphic Evidence for a Marginalized Language

Abstract Treatments of language use at Qumran have tended to marginalize the evidence for Greek language use among the Covenanters, on the basis of the observation that far more of the surviving texts are written in Hebrew or Aramaic. This paper examines the meager evidence for Greek use at the site—including the sole Greek documentary text, 4Q350, recently published epigraphic evidence, and the enigmatic Greek letters of the Copper Scroll (3Q15)—in an attempt to recognize the importance of Greek for everyday intramural business and for maintaining economic contact with exterior communities. Manuscript and epigraphic survivals demonstrate that the Covenanters’ use of Greek can be characterized as primarily occurring in the context of day-to-day economic transactions, business, and trade. The evidence suggests that, like the Bar Kokhba rebels, the Covenanters attempted to “purify” their discourse and way of life, but economic realities nevertheless encouraged periodic communication in the Greek language.
Structural and stereochemical reassessment of sclerophytin-type diterpenes.

A complete reassessment of the structural assignments of the sclerophytin diterpenes is provided.
Uranus rings - An optical search

The discovery of rings surrounding Uranus has prompted reexamination of telescopic observations made a year ago with a solid-state area detector called a charge-coupling device (CCD). The extreme narrowness of the rings apparently caused them to be hidden in glare from the planet, the reflectivity of which is very high in the blue and green regions of the spectrum. However, Uranus appears as a much darker image in the near-infrared spectral regions detected by the CCD. Although no direct evidence of the rings is obtainable from the CCD images, some simplifying assumptions permit the deduction from the CCD data that average reflectivity of individual particles composing the rings is at most a few percent, much closer to that of carbonaceous chondritic material than to that of the ice-coated particles in Saturn's rings.
A Monte Carlo simulation of the physical vapor deposition of nickel

Abstract A two-step Monte Carlo method for atomistically simulating low energy physical vapor deposition processes is developed and used to model the two-dimensional physical vapor deposition of nickel. The method consists of an impact approximation for the initial adatom adsorption on a surface and a multipath diffusion analysis to simulate subsequent surface morphology and interior atomic structure evolution. An embedded atom method is used to determine the activation energies for each of the many available diffusional paths. The method has been used to predict the morphology/structure evolution of nickel films over the length and time scales encountered in practical deposition processes. The modeling approach has enabled determination of the effect of vapor processing variables such as flux orientation, deposition rate and substrate temperature on deposit morphology/microstructure as defined by packing density, surface roughness and growth column width (which appears closely related to grain size). Several aspects of the empirical Movchan-Demchishin structure zone model are well predicted by this approach.
Cyclotron Emission from Plasmas with Non-Maxwellian Distributions

Cyclotron emission from high-energy plasmas is calculated for two classes of electron distribution functions: (a) those that decrease monotonically with increasing electron energy, and (b) those that have one or more maxima displaced from zero energy. In (a) the emission does not differ greatly compared with the emission from a Maxwellian plasma of the same energy. In (b) the emission can grow exponentially with distance traversed in the plasma, resulting in a greatly enhanced loss of radiant power.
First-principles study of the stability of BN and C

First-principles total energy calculations are performed to study the phase stability of BN and C at low temperature. These are done using density functional theory (DFT) within the local density approximation (LDA) and the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). We find that for both materials LDA calculations predict dense cubic structures as the ground state structures, while the GGA calculations predict less dense hexagonal layered structures as the ground states. Our calculated results provide a stringent test for the validity of the functional used for the DFT calculations. Accurate experimental measurements of thermodynamic properties for BN and C at low temperature are needed to clarify the stability issues for these materials.
Symbolic Sexuality and Economic Work in Dominica, West Indies: The Naturalization of Sex and Women's Work in Development

In this essay, I draw from a specific ethnographic example to elucidate the connections among gender, sexuality and work, and to argue for a method of analysis encompassing both the symbolic and the economic. Such an analysis requires the problematization of the distinction between sex as "natural" and gender as "cultural" in much feminist thought, and of the public/domestic dichotomy as it has been used to explain women's oppression. Symbolic meanings embodied in sexuality cannot be reduced to the gendered economics of production and reproduction, yet neither can production and reproduction be explained away or ignored completely by a symbolic approach. In the Commonwealth of Dominica in the West Indies, men's work and sexuality are linguistically marked and conceptualized as highly differentiated. Women's sexuality and work, on the other hand, are unmarked and undervalued. Parallel meanings are attached to work and to sexuality, and these parallel meanings inform an economic and symbolic system in which...
Vocational Education Needs Assessment of Older Americans: Methodology and Some Findings.

This study reports on the interest of a sample of senior citizens (55 years and over) in enrolling in different types of vocational courses and their overall educational needs in relation to sex, race, educational attainment, and preference for course location. Vocational training and placement opportunities for older persons can mean outreach services, support services, and accessible institutional and community‐based programs. The research findings could lead, not only to the development of an approach to providing vocational education opportunities, but also to ways of encouraging greater use of older adults as teacher aides and resource persons in the classroom.
THE BROOKHAVEN FREE ELECTRON LASER EXPERIMENT

The status of the free-electron laser experiment at Brookhaven is reported, with the description of the permanent undulator already built and ready to be installed on the VUV storage ring.
Theoretical and Experimental Methods for the Evaluation of Reactive Chemical Hazards

Evaluation of reactive chemical hazards is critical for the design and operation of safer chemical plant processes. Much effort is needed for experimental techniques to measure thermal reactivity of chemical systems. Studying all the various reaction pathways experimentally, however, is very expensive. Therefore, it is essential to employ simplified screening tools to reduce the number of experiments and to identify the most hazardous pathways. A systematic approach is presented for the evaluation of reactive chemical hazards. This approach is based on a combination of numerical computational methods and experimental thermal analysis techniques. Numerical computational methods are used to predict reaction stoichiometries, thermodynamics and kinetics, which will help to exclude thermodynamically non-feasible and non-hazardous reaction pathways. The experimental techniques are used to evaluate potentially hazardous systems for more accurate thermodynamic and kinetics parameters or to replace inadequate numerical methods. This approach employing theoretical and experimental analyses was used to evaluate the decomposition reaction of di-tert-butyl peroxide (DTBP) in toluene.
Kinetic study of cutaneous and subcutaneous distribution following topical application of [7,8-14C]rac-α-lipoic acid onto hairless mice☆

To diminish oxidative injury, topically applied antioxidants must reach susceptible cells. alpha-Lipoic acid is a potent thiol antioxidant that might be useful for skin protection; therefore, its skin penetration kinetics were assessed. The cutaneous and subcutaneous distributions of [7,8-14C]rac-alpha-lipoic acid were studied in anesthetized hairless mice after application of a 5% solution in propylene glycol for 0.5 to 4 hr. The mice were killed; then the skin was washed, and the stratum corneum was removed by 10 cellophane tape strippings. A punch biopsy of the frozen, stripped skin was sectioned, and amounts of [14C]-alpha-lipoic acid were determined in strippings and slices of epidermis (4 x 5 microns), dermis, and subcutaneous fat (10 x 10 microns, 20 x 20 microns). The rate of [14C]-alpha-lipoic acid absorption into skin was constant by 30 min (0.10 +/- 0.01 nmol/cm2/min); maximum skin concentrations were reached by 2 hr. The [14C]-alpha-lipoic acid penetration kinetics into the first layer of the stratum corneum predicted its penetration through the stratum corneum and subsequent percutaneous absorption (r2 = 0.96, P < 0.02). Cutaneous absorption of unlabeled alpha-lipoic acid and its reduction to the more potent antioxidant form, dihydrolipoic acid, were also demonstrated, using HPLC analysis with electrochemical detection. In conclusion, alpha-lipoic acid topically applied to skin penetrated readily, and was reduced to dihydrolipoic acid. Thus, alpha-lipoic acid could potentiate skin antioxidant protection.
The relationship between pruritus and the clinical signs of psoriasis in patients receiving tofacitinib.

AbstractObjective: Tofacitinib is a novel, oral Janus kinase inhibitor being investigated for psoriasis. This study assessed the relationship between pruritus and clinical signs of psoriasis (assessed by Physician’s Global Assessment [PGA]) in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis receiving tofacitinib.Methods: In this 16-week (12-week treatment period, 4-week observation period), double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase IIb study (NCT00678210), 197 patients were randomized to tofacitinib 2, 5 or 15 mg BID, or placebo. Pruritus was patient assessed using the Itch Severity Score (ISS), a 0–10 (10 = worst itching) rating scale recorded daily from baseline to week 2 and at study visits. Mediation modeling was used to determine relationships between ISS (average score weeks 2–12), PGA (average score weeks 2–12) and treatment groups.Results: Mediation analysis showed that 70.2–80.5% (p < 0.001 versus placebo) of tofacitinib’s effect on pruritus was direct, and mostly independent of improveme...
The universal classification is an independent predictor of long-term outcomes in acute myocardial infarction.

Abstract Background The long-term outcomes of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) according to the universal classification (UC) are unknown. We investigated whether the outcome of these patients is better predicted by the UC than the ST-segment classification (STC). Methods We conducted a retrospective study of 348 consecutive patients with AMI with mean follow-up of 30.6 months. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) [composite of all causes of death and AMI]. Results The study included ST-segment elevation (STEMI)=168 (48%), non-ST-segment elevation (NSTEMI)=180 (52%), Type 1=278 (80%), Type 2=55 (15.8%), Type 3=5 (1.4%), Type 4a=2 (0.6%), Type 4b=5 (1.4%), and Type 5=3 (0.9%). During follow-up, 102 (29.3%) patients had MACE, 80 (23%) patients died, and 31 (8.9%) had an AMI. The adjusted risk of MACE was similar for NSTEMI and STEMI (HR 1.26, 95% CI 0.77–2.03, P =.35) but was significantly lower for patients with Type 2 AMI as compared to Type 1 (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.21–0.90, P =.02). The UC, peak troponin levels, discharge glomerular filtration rate 2 , and thrombolysis in myocardial infarction risk score were independent predictors of MACE (all, P Conclusions The UC is an independent predictor of long-term outcomes in AMI patients compared to the STC. Type 2 AMI has less than half the risk of MACE as Type 1 AMI. Future studies should report outcomes of AMI patients according to the UC types.
Liking and perceived communication potential as determinants of looking at another

Six groups of Ss predicted the outcomes of two simultaneous, but independent, two-choice games, which differed with respect to the probability that an event would repeat itself,.7,.5, or.3. These conditional event probabilities were combined to produce six experimental conditions,.7/.7,.7/.5,.7/.3,.5/.5,.5/.3, and.3/.3; for all conditions marginal event probability was.5. The results show that predictions in one game depend upon the sequential structure of the other game. It was also found that responses to repetitive sequences are highly susceptible to interference from alternating sequences but that interference in the opposite direction is considerably less.
Risk Perceptions After Human Papillomavirus Vaccination in HIV-Infected Adolescents and Young Adult Women

Abstract Purpose To examine risk perceptions (perceived risk of human papillomavirus [HPV], perceived risk of other sexually transmitted infections [STIs], and need for safer sexual behaviors) and to determine factors associated with these risk perceptions after HPV vaccination. Methods Data were collected at the baseline visit of an HPV-6, −11, −16, −18 vaccine clinical trial in 16–23-year-old HIV-infected young women (N = 99). Immediately after receiving the first vaccine dose, participants completed a confidential questionnaire that included three 5-item scales measuring perceived risk of HPV, perceived risk of other STIs, and need for safer sexual behaviors. Linear and logistic regression models were used to examine associations between baseline characteristics (demographic characteristics; cluster of differentiation antigen 4 (CD4 + ) count; HIV viral load; knowledge about HPV and HPV vaccines; sexual behaviors; and STI diagnosis) and each measure of risk perceptions. Results Most participants perceived themselves to be at lower risk for HPV (mean scale score=19.5/50), most perceived that they were not at lower risk for other STIs (mean = 31.2/50), and the vast majority reported that there was still a need for safer sexual behaviors after vaccination (mean = 43.1/50). Multivariate analyses indicated that knowledge about HPV and HPV vaccines was associated with perceived need for safer sexual behaviors (OR = 1.05, 95% CI=1.0–1.1). Conclusions Although almost all young women in this study believed that safer sexual behaviors were still important after HPV vaccination, a subset believed they were at less risk for STIs other than HPV. Educational interventions are needed to prevent misperceptions and promote healthy behaviors after vaccination.
Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease: views from the population about hiring a health care advocate.

Objective: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with considerable caregiver and social burden. It is important to examine ways to minimize the negative effects of AD. Health care advocates (HCAs) may be one means of limiting the aversive effects of AD.Method: Participants completed a short survey that assessed their perceptions of the impact of comorbid AD on health status and their likelihood of hiring an HCA to assist in managing it. A mediational model was proposed: cognitive status (AD vs cognitively healthy) was the independent variable, perception of severity was the mediator, and the probability of hiring an HCA was the dependent variable.Results: The results indicated that the relationship between cognitive status and probability of hiring an HCA was fully mediated by perceptions of severity.Conclusion: This study demonstrated that participants appreciated the impact of AD on health status, and this translated into a greater probability of hiring an HCA.
Analysis of Protein Purification Using Ion-Exchange Membranes

The performance of ion-exchange membranes for protein purification is analyzed using numerical solutions of different mathematical models. The models incorporate nonlinear sorption isotherms and mass-transfer coefficients based on either the overall or local solid-phase and liquid-phase driving forces. The numerical solutions are compared to analytical solutions which use overall mass-transfer coefficients only and, in general, are theoretically incorrect for nonlinear isotherms. The numerical solutions are fit to experimental breakthrough curves from the literature. The models allow the determination of the rate-controlling mass-transfer phenomena and solid-phase concentration, and prediction of the operating and membrane-design parameters needed to obtain sharp breakthrough curves.
Pretreatment TNM staging of childhood rhabdomyosarcoma: A report of the Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group

BACKGROUND The Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study Group (IRSG) studies began in 1972 and initially used a clinicopathologic system to place patients into prognostic groups. Because of interest in the development of a pretreatment staging system for assessing the posttreatment outcomes of patients with this disease, potential staging elements were retrospectively evaluated in a subset of 505 patients who participated in IRS-II, an IRSG clinical trial. METHODS Using the IRS-II data, a TNM pretreatment staging system was developed and used to stage prospectively the patients who were entering IRS-III, a subsequent treatment protocol of the IRSG. Failure free survival and overall survival were compared by pretreatment stage in IRS-III as a means of evaluating this TNM staging. RESULTS The TNM staging system described the tumor (T) in terms of lesion size (<5 cm or ≥5 cm) instead of invasiveness, because these two features were not independent of each other. The clinical status of regional lymph nodes (N) was included in the staging system, as was the presence or absence of metastatic disease (M). The latter feature was extremely important, as expected. The anatomic site of the primary tumor also proved to be an important staging element. Classification of patients by tumor size, clinical status of regional lymph nodes, presence or absence of metastatic disease, and location of the primary tumor (at a favorable or unfavorable anatomic site) created four prognostically distinct staging categories that were relatively equal in size. In a prospective evaluation of this staging system with IRS-III patients, the pretreatment staging lost some prognostic impact. The survival of patients with smaller lesions at unfavorable anatomic sites without clinically involved lymph nodes (Stage II) was similar to that of patients with primary tumors at favorable anatomic sites (Stage I). CONCLUSIONS A pretreatment TNM staging system for childhood rhabdomyosarcoma, developed with data from IRS-II, was not as predictive of patient outcome when applied prospectively to patients treated in the IRS-III trial. These findings could be due to differences in the management strategy used for IRS-III or the statistical variability in the model-fitting process used to develop the staging system. This demonstrates the need for continual reevaluation of staging systems as patient evaluation and treatment innovations are developed. Cancer 1997; 80:1165-70. © 1997 American Cancer Society.
Rotor Blade-to-Blade Wake Variability and Effect on Downstream Vane Response

Experiments are performed in a high-speed fan stage to investigate multistage interaction effects on rotor blade-to-blade wake variability and the resulting downstream vane row unsteady aerodynamic response. Multistage effects on the rotor wake are quantified by acquiring data encompassing two complete rotor revolutions at each of several inlet guide vanes clocking positions relative to downstream stationary probes. The resulting downstream vane response data are acquired over a range of steady loading conditions, with both design and off-design operation of the rotor considered. Multistage interactions significantly affect the rotor wake characteristics and lead to the possible generation of rogue wakes. The fundamental periodicity of these interactions is one complete rotor revolution due to the unequal number of blades and vanes in the machine. The rotor wake and resultant vane row unsteady aerodynamic response variability are also quantified. Off-design rotor operation results in wakes with the largest variability, that is, on the order of the average velocity deficit. The variability of the vane response is even more pronounced, as large as 160% of the maximum average unsteady lift over one blade pass period.
High resolution Doppler and delay estimation

Receiving an output signal which is a weighted sum of Doppler and delay shifted versions of an input signal arises in various engineering systems including radar, sonar, and communications. It is often desired to estimate the Doppler and delay parameters from noisy measurements of the output signal. An estimation algorithm is developed herein for the Doppler frequencies, delays and amplitudes, for a specific choice of the input. The algorithm is based on a computationally efficient search-free frequency estimation technique for the sum of complex exponentials. The algorithm has been shown to be statistically efficient and to provide high resolution compared to estimates provided by the complex ambiguity function (CAF).
Structural Determinants of Homicide: The Big Three

Building upon and expanding the previous research into structural determinants of homicide, particularly the work of Land, McCall, and Cohen (1990), the current paper introduces a multilevel theoretical framework that outlines the influences of three major structural forces on homicidal violence. The Big Three are poverty/low education, racial composition, and the disruption of family structure. These three factors exert their effects on violence at the following levels: neighborhood/community level, family/social interpersonal level, and individual level. It is shown algebraically how individual-level and aggregate-level effects contribute to the size of regression coefficients in aggregate-level analyses. In the empirical part of the study, the presented theoretical model is tested using county-level data to estimate separate effects of each of the Big Three factors on homicide at two time periods: 1950–1960 and 1995–2005 (chosen to be as far removed from one another as the availability of data allows). All major variables typically used in homicide research are included as statistical controls. The results of analyses show that the effects of the three major structural forces—poverty/low education, race, and divorce rates—on homicide rates in US counties are remarkably strong. Moreover, the effect sizes of each of the Big Three are found to be identical for both time periods despite profound changes in the economic and social situation in the United States over the past half-century. This remarkable stability in the effect sizes implies the stability of homicidal violence in response to certain structural conditions.
Clinical Studies Examining the Impact of Obesity on Breast Cancer Risk and Prognosis

Obesity is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, and increased risk of recurrence in women who develop breast cancer. Evidence suggests that the risk of estrogen-receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer is increased in obese postmenopausal women, whereas in premenopausal women the risk of triple negative breast cancer is increased. Nonetheless, the presence of obesity at diagnosis, and possibly weight gain after diagnosis, may independently contribute to an individual’s risk of recurrence of both pre- and postmenopausal breast cancer. Factors associated with adiposity that are likely contributing factors include hyperinsulinemia, inflammation, and relative hyperestrogenemia. Some studies suggest that some aromatase inhibitors may be less effective in obese women than lean women. Clinical trials have evaluated pharmacologic (eg, metformin) and dietary/lifestyle interventions to reduce breast cancer recurrence, although these interventions have not been tested in obese women who may be most likely to benefit from them. Further research is required in order to identify adiposity-associated factors driving recurrence, and design clinical trials to specifically test interventions in obese women at highest risk of recurrence.
Localization of carbonic anhydrase activity in the vertebrate nephron.

The localization of carbonic anhydrase activity in the vertebrate nephron has been examined with particular reference to the proximal tubule and collecting duct. In all species studied, activity was present in the proximal tubular epithelium. In the pigeon and turtle, distinctive and similar patterns of staining were observed in the glomerulus and first portion of the proximal tubule. In the rat and rhesus monkey, the entire proximal tubule exhibited activity; in these species it has been shown previously with micropuncture techniques that there is a high absorptive capacity of this nephron segment for bicarbonate. In contrast, large portions of the dog proximal tubule were inactive; similar studies in this animal have shown tubular concentrations of bicarbonate only slightly lower than plasma levels. In the rat and dog, the entire length of the collecting duct was diffusely and intensely active; in contrast, pigeon collecting duct showed no activity. An alternating pattern of inactive and intensely active cells was observed in the collecting ducts of the toad, turtle, rabbit and monkey. A similar pattern has been described in the turtle and toad bladder, tissues utilized forin vitro studies of ion transport and H+ secretion.
“Fluidic batteries” as low-cost sources of power in paper-based microfluidic devices

This communication describes the first paper-based microfluidic device that is capable of generating its own power when a sample is added to the device. The microfluidic device contains galvanic cells (that we term “fluidic batteries”) integrated directly into the microfluidic channels, which provides a direct link between a power source and an analytical function within the device. This capability is demonstrated using an example device that simultaneously powers a surface-mount UV LED and conducts an on-chip fluorescence assay.
Injectable protease-operated depots of glucagon-like peptide-1 provide extended and tunable glucose control

Peptide drugs are an exciting class of pharmaceuticals increasingly used for the treatment of a variety of diseases; however, their main drawback is a short half-life, which dictates multiple and frequent injections and an undesirable “peak-and-valley” pharmacokinetic profile, which can cause undesirable side-effects. Synthetic prolonged release formulations can provide extended release of biologically active native peptide, but their synthetic nature can be an obstacle to production and utilization. Motivated by these limitations, we have developed a new and entirely genetically encoded peptide delivery system—Protease Operated Depots (PODs)—to provide sustained and tunable release of a peptide drug from an injectable s.c. depot. We demonstrate proof-of-concept of PODs, by fusion of protease cleavable oligomers of glucagon-like peptide-1, a type-2 diabetes drug, and a thermally responsive, depot-forming elastin-like-polypeptide that undergoes a thermally triggered inverse phase transition below body temperature, thereby forming an injectable depot. We constructed synthetic genes for glucagon-like peptide-1 PODs and demonstrated their high-yield expression in Escherichia coli and facile purification by a nonchromatographic scheme we had previously developed. Remarkably, a single injection of glucagon-like peptide-1 PODs was able to reduce blood glucose levels in mice for up to 5 d, 120 times longer than an injection of the native peptide drug. These findings demonstrate that PODs provide the first genetically encoded alternative to synthetic peptide encapsulation schemes for sustained delivery of peptide therapeutics.
The Role of Cell Contraction and Adhesion in Dictyostelium Motility

The crawling motion of Dictyostelium discoideum on substrata involves a number of coordinated events including cell contractions and cell protrusions. The mechanical forces exerted on the substratum during these contractions have recently been quantified using traction force experiments. Based on the results from these experiments, we present a biomechanical model of the contraction phase of Dictyostelium discoideum motility with an emphasis on the adhesive properties of the cell-substratum contact. Our model assumes that the cell contracts at a constant rate and is bound to the substratum by adhesive bridges that are modeled as elastic springs. These bridges are established at a spatially uniform rate while detachment occurs at a spatially varying, load-dependent rate. Using Monte Carlo simulations and assuming a rigid substratum, we find that the cell speed depends only weakly on the detachment kinetics of the cell-substratum interface, in agreement with experimental data. By varying the parameters that control the adhesive and contractile properties of the cell, we are able to make testable predictions. We also extend our model to include a flexible substrate and show that our model is able to produce substratum deformations and force patterns that are quantitatively and qualitatively in agreement with experimental data.
Evaluating the Demand for Residential Growth Controls

Abstract This paper estimates the demand for residential growth controls using voting results for the November 1988 election in San Diego County. An empirical model is estimated to determine the effect of various factors on the support for limiting residential growth in the county. The results indicate that higher rates of homeownership, and population growth increase the demand for growth controls. Greater employment in development-related fields decreases the demand for controls. Minorities and those with higher incomes are also found to oppose growth controls.
Persistence and aggregations of survey data over time: from microfoundations to macropersistence☆

Abstract The repeated cry for analysts to provide microfoundations for aggregate research is particularly relevant for the over time analysis of aggregations of survey data. In this paper I look at the microfoundations of some important macro processes, how they relate to aggregation theorems and the persistence of macro processes. In addition, I look at what we can learn about macro persistence from macro theory and models. The paper gives a broad treatment of each of these. While the choices at each stage often involve substantial ambiguity, microfoundations, aggregation theorems, as well as macro theory and evidence each help us to make decisions about persistence that enable us to make reliable inferences about the dynamics of aggregated preferences.
Eliminating Mixed Asymptotics in Obstacle Type Free Boundary Problems

We show a method to eliminate a type of mixed asymptotics in certain free boundary problems, and give two examples of its application. It appears that these problems cannot be handled by the monotonicity formula of Alt et al. [Alt, H. W., Caffarelli, L. A., Friedman, A. (1984). Variational problems with two phases and their free boundaries. Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 282(2):431–461] or by the more recent monotonicity formula of Caffarelli et al. [Caffarelli, L. A., Jerison, D., Kenig, C. E. (2002). Some new monotonicity theorems with applications to free boundary problems. Ann. Math. (2) 155(2):369–404].
Use of a Hybrid Code for Global-Scale Plasma Simulation

This paper presents a demonstration of the use of a hybrid code to model the Earth's magnetosphere on a global scale. The typical hybrid code calculates the interaction of fully kinetic ions and a massless electron fluid with the magnetic field. This code also includes a fluid ion component to approximate the cold ionospheric plasma that spatially overlaps with the discrete particle component. Other innovative features of the code include a numerically generated curvilinear coordinate system and subcycling of the magnetic field update to the particle push. These innovations allow the code to accommodate disparate time and distance scales. The demonstration is a simulation of the noon meridian plane of the magnetosphere. The code exhibits the formation of fast and slow-mode shocks and tearing reconnection at the magnetopause. New results include particle acceleration in the cusp and nearly field aligned currents linking the cusp and polar ionosphere. The paper also describes a density depletion instability and measures to avoid it.
HYDROXYUREA-INDUCED DENATURATION OF NORMAL AND SICKLE CELL HEMOGLOBINS IN VITRO

Use of hydroxyurea (HU) to treat sickle cell disease is usually associated with increments in fetal hemoglobin (Hb F) production; however, in vitro studies show that HU may also induce hemoglobin denaturation. Whole blood samples from Hb AA, Hb AS, and Hb SS patients were treated in vitro with 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 μg/mL HU, incubated at 30°C for up to 12 days, and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Hb AA levels show decrements of 91 to 14% with 100 μg/mL and 89 to 4% with 150 μg/mL after 12 days; 86 to 2% with 200 μg/mL after 10 days; 86 to 8% with 250 and 300 μg/mL after 8 days. Similar treatment and incubation times for Hb AS whole blood demonstrate that HU equally degrades the A and S components of Hb AS. A comparable approach for Hb SS whole blood samples, using a 300 μg/mL HU treatment, showed a hemoglobin denaturing pattern that went from 93% to 1% after 12 days. Globin chain analysis of these samples by reverse-phase HPLC showed that the denaturing effects occur mostly on the β-globin chain. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 11:208–213, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.