cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Designing overlay multicast networks for streaming

In this paper we present a polynomial time approximation algorithm for designing a multicast overlay network. The algorithm finds a solution that satisfies capacity and reliability constraints to within a constant factor of optimal, and cost to within alogarithmic factor. The class of networks that our algorithm applies to includes the one used by Akamai Technologies to deliver live media streams over the Internet. In particular, we analyze networks consisting of three stages of nodes. The nodes in the first stage are the sources where live streams originate. A source forwards each of its streams to one or more nodes in the second stage, which are called reflectors. A reflector can split an incoming stream into multiple identical outgoing streams, which are then sent on to nodes in the third and final stage, which are called the sinks. As the packets in a stream trave from one stage to the next, some of them may be lost. The job of a sink is to combine the packets from multiple instances of the same stream (by reordering packets and discarding duplicates) to form a single instance of the stream with minimal loss. We assume that the loss rate between any pair of nodes in the network is known, and that losses between different pairs are independent, but discuss extensions in which some losses may be correlated.
Detection of counterfeit and relabeled infant formulas by high-pH anion-exchange chromatography–pulsed amperometric detection for the determination of sugar profiles

Abstract High pH anion-exchange separation with pulsed amperometric detection (HPAE–PAD) is used to characterize various milk-based, soy-based, and protein hydrolysate infant formulas based on carbohydrate profiles. Counterfeit and relabeled formulas are compared to authentics. Figures of merit are shown for glucose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, and maltose.
New nonsurgical therapies in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

The last decade has seen a rapid increase in the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States, mostly because of the increased incidence of hepatitis C. Surgical therapy remains limited to the few patients who are surgical candidates at presentation. In addition, surgery has been plagued by high recurrence rates, which can reach 80% at 3 years. Systemic chemotherapy has been found to be ineffective, with response rates approaching 10% to 20%. Nonsurgical percutaneous therapies, including percutaneous locoregional ablative procedures (ethanol or acetic acid injection, radiofrequency ablation, microwave coagulation therapy, chemotherapy infusion, laser photocoagulation, and high-intensity ultrasound) and intra-arterial procedures (radioembolization with yttrium-90 microspheres or transcatheter intra-arterial chemoembolization) are gaining popularity because they are less invasive than surgery and can be nearly as effective in prolonging survival. Multiple studies have shown good response rates with high technical success rates, as well as significant survival advantages for nonresectable disease. Furthermore, they can be performed repeatedly without compromising liver function and at a considerably lower morbidity and cost than surgery.
Warfarin Replacements: Good for Patients, Challenging for Laboratories

Warfarin's monopoly on oral anticoagulation therapy, as well as that of other vitamin K antagonists derived from coumarin, is over. Two new classes of drugs, oral direct thrombin inhibitors (DTI)2 and oral direct factor Xa inhibitors (DFXaI), are steadily obtaining regulatory approval for prevention of thromboembolic events in patients who have atrial fibrillation, undergo hip or knee replacement surgery, or require treatment of pulmonary emboli and deep vein thromboses. The results from an expanding list of large, well-conducted randomized clinical trials confirm the efficacy and safety of DTI and DFXaI drugs as noninferior or superior to standard prophylactic or therapeutic anticoagulation therapies (1). Presently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and regulatory agencies in other countries have approved one DTI (dabigatran etexilate, Pradaxa®) and two DFXaI (rivaroxaban, Xarelto®; apixaban, Eliquis®) for one or more indications, and clinical trials that were recently completed or are underway will likely bring more drugs in these two classes to market with approval for additional indications (2). The common mechanism of action of these small molecules is reversible blockage of the active enzyme site of thrombin or factor Xa. Thrombin converts fibrinogen to fibrin, and factor Xa converts the zymogen prothrombin to thrombin. Inhibition of either coagulation factor reduces the rate of fibrin clot formation. Unlike warfarin or heparin, DTI and DFXaI activities are not dependent on decreased synthesis of coagulation factors or acceleration of the effects of antithrombin, an endogenous inhibitor of thrombin and factor Xa. DTI and DFXaI have many advantages compared with coumarins, including rapid onset of anticoagulation, no dietary restrictions, few drug–drug interactions, and more predictable pharmacokinetics. As a result, they are prescribed as fixed doses without adjustments on the …
Epidermal growth factor receptor-targeted therapy for pancreatic cancer.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays an important role in tumor development and maintenance. It is a cell surface molecule that mediates signal transduction from the cell surface to cytoplasm. Elevated expression of EGFR or its ligand correlates with worse prognosis in a variety of human cancers. Therefore, blockade of EGFR activity would provide a novel strategy for the treatment of cancer. Two classes of EGFR inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, have been described. The preclinical activity of these EGFR inhibitors and phase I clinical data are summarized in this article. A phase II trial of the EGFR inhibitor IMC-C225 in combination with gemcitabine for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer is discussed.
SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY

Purpose of reviewThe surgical management of retinopathy of prematurity continues to employ a paradigm of peripheral laser followed by vitrectomy for patients who develop retinal detachment. This review addresses significant advances that have been made in our understanding of the indications, timing
Resveratrol Improves Cardiac Contractility following Trauma-Hemorrhage by Modulating Sirt1

Mitochondria play a critical role in metabolic homeostasis of a cell. Our recent studies, based on the reported interrelationship between c-Myc and Sirt1 (mammalian orthologue of yeast sir2 [silent information regulator 2]) expression and their role in mitochondrial biogenesis and function, demonstrated a significant downregulation of Sirt1 protein expression and an upregulation of c-Myc following trauma-hemorrhage (T-H). Activators of Sirt1 are known to improve mitochondrial function and the naturally occurring polyphenol resveratrol (RSV) has been shown to significantly increase Sirt1 activity by increasing its affinity to both NAD+ and the acetylated substrate. In this study we tested the salutary effect of RSV following T-H and its influence on Sirt1 expression. Rats were subjected to T-H or sham operation. RSV (8 mg/kg body weight, intravenously) or vehicle was administered 10 min after the onset of resuscitation, and the rats were killed 2 h following resuscitation. Sirtinol, a Sirt1 inhibitor, was administered 5 min prior to RSV administration. Cardiac contractility (±dP/dt) was measured and heart tissue was tested for Sirt1, Pgc-1α, c-Myc, cytosolic cytochrome C expression and ATP level. Left ventricular function, after T-H, was improved (P < 0.05) following RSV treatment, with significantly elevated expression of Sirt1 (P < 0.05) and Pgc-1α (P < 0.05), and decreased c-Myc (P < 0.05). We also observed significantly higher cardiac ATP content, declined cytosolic cytochrome C and decreased plasma tumor necrosis factor-α in the T-H-RSV group. The salutary effect due to RSV was abolished by sirtinol, indicating a Sirtl-mediated effect. We conclude that RSV may be a useful adjunct to resuscitation fluid following T-H.
A two-dimensional channel simulation model for shadowing processes

A Gaussian random process with a given power spectral density (PSD) function can be modeled as a sum of sinusoids (SOS), and has been widely used to simulate Rayleigh-fading communication channels. The conventional one-dimensional (1D) channel model cannot capture the spatial correlation of shadowing processes. We here develop a two-dimensional (2D) SOS-based channel model to simulate the shadowing process. Three methods to fit the PSD of the simulated process to the true channel's PSD are explored. Performance of the proposed channel simulator is analyzed in terms of the autocorrelation function of the simulated shadowing process. Simulations illustrate the potential of the proposed channel simulation model.
Workload overload modeling: An experiment with MATB II to inform a computational model of task management

Task switching choice was examined building from a model of task overload management. An experiment using the Multi-Attribute Task Battery (MATB) was undertaken to explore the influence of two parameters of the model, task priority and task difficulty. Participants were free to switch between the four component tasks, with the number of switches and task choice for conflicting events observed. A unique post-experiment survey measured subjective ratings of task attributes. We found that task difficulty, by reducing switching, and task priority, which determined whether increased task difficulty increased time in task, significantly influenced task switching predominantly in line with our predictions. The specific role of priority in multi-task management, and future directions including time-on-task related effects and the role of operator fatigue, are discussed.
Long-acting β-agonists: Anti-inflammatory properties and synergy with corticosteroids in asthma

Purpose of review Contemporary asthma management calls for combination inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and long-acting β-agonist (LABA) for patients with moderate to severe persistent asthma. This combination has consistently shown superior clinical efficacy compared with monotherapy with higher doses of ICS. It is unclear whether ICS and LABA act additively because of their complementary mechanisms of action, or whether they act synergistically based on possible favorable interactions between them. The purpose of this review is to summarize research findings on the anti-inflammatory activity of LABA published since October 2002 and to speculate on how these findings will affect future asthma management recommendations. Recent findings Combination ICS plus LABA consistently demonstrates superiority over ICS monotherapy in clinical outcomes such as pulmonary function, symptoms, and exacerbation rates, and is consistent with definitive data published before the review period. However, investigations into possible effects of LABA on inflammatory mediators are preliminary. Positive effects of LABA on some serum and bronchial inflammatory measures have been observed, but the clinical importance of these findings has not been established. Summary Current asthma treatment recommendations are based on clinical trials demonstrating improved clinical outcomes of combination ICS plus LABA over ICS alone. Whether LABA possesses clinically important benefits beyond bronchodilation remains to be established. Distinguishing anti-inflammatory activity of LABA will help define optimal long-term treatment regimens for asthma that not only improve pulmonary function, symptoms, and exacerbation rates but also protect against airway remodeling.
Mediator as a General Transcription Factor

Others have shown that yeast strains bearing a ts mutation in the Srb4 subunit of Mediator cease transcription of all mRNA at the restrictive temperature, in a manner virtually indistinguishable from a strain bearing a ts mutation in the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II. We find that srb4ts Mediator is defective for the stimulation of basal RNA polymerase II transcription at the restrictive temperature in vitro. Taken together, these findings lead to the suggestion that Mediator is required for basal RNA polymerase II transcription in vivo. On this basis, Mediator is identified as a general transcription factor, comparable in importance to RNA polymerase II and other general factors for the initiation of transcription. The possibility that Mediator serves as an anti-inhibitor, opposing the effects of global negative regulators, is largely excluded.
From metagenomics to the metagenome: Conceptual change and the rhetoric of translational genomic research

As the international genomic research community moves from the tool-making efforts of the Human Genome Project into biomedical applications of those tools, new metaphors are being suggested as useful to understanding how our genes work - and for understanding who we are as biological organisms. In this essay we focus on the Human Microbiome Project as one such translational initiative. The HMP is a new 'metagenomic' research effort to sequence the genomes of human microbiological flora, in order to pursue the interesting hypothesis that our 'microbiome' plays a vital and interactive role with our human genome in normal human physiology. Rather than describing the human genome as the 'blueprint' for human nature, the promoters of the HMP stress the ways in which our primate lineage DNA is interdependent with the genomes of our microbiological flora. They argue that the human body should be understood as an ecosystem with multiple ecological niches and habitats in which a variety of cellular species collaborate and compete, and that human beings should be understood as 'superorganisms' that incorporate multiple symbiotic cell species into a single individual with very blurry boundaries. These metaphors carry interesting philosophical messages, but their inspiration is not entirely ideological. Instead, part of their cachet within genome science stems from the ways in which they are rooted in genomic research techniques, in what philosophers of science have called a 'tools-to-theory' heuristic. Their emergence within genome science illustrates the complexity of conceptual change in translational research, by showing how it reflects both aspirational and methodological influences.
Choosing metadata for discovery and description in a mixed‐content single‐subject library: A case study

This poster illustrates the decision-making and implementation testing processes for development of a consistent and coherent unified metadata plan for an established digital library that is both an institutional and a subject repository.
Why are Gasoline Prices Sticky? A Test of Alternative Models of Price Adjustment

Macroeconomic models of business cycles rely on the assumption that …rms adjust prices infrequently to generate the short-run non-neutrality of money documented by the monetary transmission literature. They posit dierent mechanisms to generate price stickiness, with cor- respondingly dierent implications for in‡ation dynamics. Using an autoregressive conditional binomial model, we test which mechanism is most consistent with the pattern of price adjust- ment found in daily wholesale gasoline price data. Our results lead us to reject menu-costs and information processing delays but suggest that strategic considerations related to the idea of "fair pricing"play an important role in accounting for price stickiness.
A Statistical Analysis of H.264/AVC FME Mode Reduction

This paper presents a statistical analysis of several key factors in H.264/AVC motion estimation, including the relationship between sum of absolute difference and sum of absolute transformed difference (SATD) in macroblock (MB) level, the changes of SATD from full-pixel precision to quarter-pixel precision, and so on. Based on these statistical characteristics, we proved the validity of a fractional motion estimation (FME) mode reduction criterion. During motion estimation, any MBs satisfying this criterion can keep their integer motion estimation best mode until after FME, thus avoiding many costly less probable prediction modes in the FME stage. Simulation results confirm that prediction schemes using this criterion have a very low miss rate in mode determination, FME speed-up is achieved and the peak signal-to-noise ratio drop is almost negligible.
Laser uniformity and hydrodynamic stability experiments at the OMEGA laser facility

Experiments to demonstrate the effects of various beam-smoothing techniques have been performed on the 60-beam, 30-kJ UV OMEGA laser system. These include direct measurements of the effect beam-smoothing techniques have on laser beam nonuniformity and on both planar and spherical targets. Demonstrated techniques include polarization smoothing and dual-tripler third-harmonic generation required for future broad bandwidth (∼ 1 THz) smoothing by spectral dispersion (SSD). The effects of improvements in single-beam uniformity are clearly seen in the target-physics experiments, which also show the effect of the laser pulse shape on the efficacy of SSD smoothing. Saturation of the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) growth of the broad-bandwidth features, in agreement with the Haan model (Haan, 1989), produced by laser imprinting has also been observed.
A V1-vascular vasopressin antagonist suitable for radioiodination and photoaffinity labeling

We have previously characterized the V1-vascular arginine vasopressin (AVP) receptors of human platelets (Thibonnier M, J Biol Chem 1987;262: 10960-10964). We now report on a radiomonoiodinated and photoreactive V1-vascular AVP antagonist (V1-ag) to be used for the purification of human V1-vascular AVP receptors. The V1-ag, d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)Tyr(NH2)AVP was modified by radiomonoiodination of d(CH2)5-Tyr(Me)Tyr(NH2)AVP with the Iodogen technique, and derivatization of d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)Tyr[125I](NH2)-AVP with the photoreactive crosslinker, N-hydroxysuccinimidyl-4-azidobenzoate (HSAB) (each step included HPLC purification). In competition experiments, the affinity of these V1-ag for the human platelet AVP receptors remained excellent: [table: see text] Irreversible photoaffinity labeling of the platelet V1-vascular AVP receptor was successfully achieved by UV lamp exposure (365 nm, 20 min). Thus, AzBz-d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)Tyr[125I](NH2)AVP is a promising tool to use for the purification of human V1-vascular AVP receptors.
Z‐mode sounding within propagation “cavities” and other inner magnetospheric regions by the RPI instrument on the IMAGE satellite

[1] When the Radio Plasma Imager (RPI) on the IMAGE satellite operates in the inner plasmasphere and at moderate to low altitudes over the poles, pulses emitted at the low end of the RPI 3 kHz to 3 MHz sounding frequency range can propagate in the Z mode as well as the whistler mode. At medium altitudes within the plasmasphere, discrete Z-mode echoes with turning points Earthward of IMAGE are often observed, analogous in form to the regular and oblique Z-mode echoes found on topside sounder records. In the polar regions, where fpe/fce < 1 usually obtains, the Z-mode echoes tend to be diffuse and to exhibit properties such as an intensity decrease at the local value of fce, where there is a significant change with frequency in the topology of the Z-mode refractive index surface. At altitudes up to a few thousand km in polar or near-polar regions, Z-mode soundings regularly provide information on the local value of fpe, whereas passive recordings that depend upon indications of the upper hybrid resonance frequency fuh usually fail to do so. Within the transition region from the auroral zone to the plasmasphere and within the plasmasphere itself, at altitudes from ≈2000 km upward, we find evidence of the Z-mode trapping phenomenon, noted previously in connection with natural wave emissions detected at polar latitudes. This phenomenon involves echoes returning both from turning points in denser regions Earthward of the sounder and from more tenuous regions above. Within Z-mode “cavities,” discrete Z-mode echoes are found to propagate back and forth along geomagnetic-field-aligned paths between upper and lower altitude reflection points. The echoes present unique forms, depending upon whether IMAGE is located above or below a minimum in the altitude profile of the Z-mode cutoff frequency. Through an inversion process, such echoes make possible determination of the electron density profile along geomagnetic field lines to distances of thousands of km above the location of IMAGE, all on the basis of echo delay information within frequency bands only ≈20 to 30 kHz wide. The forms of such density profiles are in general agreement with results reported from conventional RPI X-mode sounding from higher altitudes, as well as with predictions based upon a diffusive equilibrium model of density along plasmasphere field lines.
Cell cycle analysis of facial mesenchyme in the chick embryo: I. Labelled mitoses and continuous labelling studies

Cell cycle parameters were analysed in mesenchyme of the maxillary process and the roof of the stomodeum in the chick embryo from stages 19 through 28. The generation times at stages 24-26 were determined by pulse labelling of embryos with [3H] thymidine, followed by labelled mitosis counts and construction and analysis of percent-labelled mitosis curves employing computer-assisted curve-fitting techniques. The median generation time was approximately 10.6 h in the maxillary process, and 16 h in the roof of the stomodeum; corresponding values for mean generation times were approximately 12.0 and 18.2 h, respectively. Median values for transit times of G1, S, and G2 were 2.0, 5.4, and 2.5 h in the maxillary process and 5.2, 6.7, and 2.7 h in the roof of the stomodeum. The distribution of generation times of cells in the roof of the stomodeum, however, appeared to be more heterogeneous than those of cells in the maxillary process. The percentage of cells which continue to cycle rapidly (i.e. the 'growth fraction') was determined by repeated-labelling experiments with [3H]thymidine in chick embryos from stages 19 through 28. Cumulative labelling of mesenchymal cells in both the maxillary process and roof of the stomodeum approached 100% at stage 19 but dropped markedly from stage 19 to 25 declining to approximately 60-70% in the maxillary process, and to 30% in the roof of the stomodeum. The decline in cell proliferation rates for these regions, determined in previous studies with labelling indices, appears to be a result of the removal of cells from rapidly cycling cell populations into subpopulations which are cycling more slowly and possibly into subpopulations which have become quiescent; the difference in growth rates between these regions could be attributed to the time of appearance and the size of these emerging slow cycling or quiescent subpopulations.
Can deep boreholes solve America׳s nuclear waste problem?

The United States is in need of a new and more adaptive long-term strategy for spent nuclear fuel. In this communication, we outline the fundamental reasons why deep borehole disposal should receive more detailed investigation, alongside traditional shallow mined repositories. This potential solution is supported by advancing drilling technologies and an improving understanding of extremely long fluid residence times in deep bedrock. Radionuclide isolation is supported by verifiable and stable geologic barriers such as long transport distances to aquifers, low permeability, and reducing chemical conditions. The modular nature of implementing deep borehole disposal could offer unique programmatic and economic advantages. Experience with a pilot borehole program will be required to confirm the feasibility of drilling and emplacement operations, and key chemical and hydraulic conditions.
Evaluation of postradiotherapy PSA patterns and correlation with 10-year disease free survival outcomes for prostate cancer.

Purpose: To describe the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) pattern profiles observed after external beam radiotherapy with and without short-term neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ST-ADT) and to report the association of established posttreatment PSA patterns with long-term disease-free survival outcomes. Methods and Materials: A total of 1,665 patients were treated with conformal external beam radiotherapy for clinically localized prostate cancer. Of 570 patients who had the requisite >10 consecutive PSA measurements for statistical analysis, 194 patients received a median of 3 months of ADT before radiotherapy and 376 were treated with radiotherapy alone. The median follow up was 103 months. Results: In the group treated with ST-ADT, three distinct postradiotherapy PSA patterns were identified: a stable trend (44%), an increasing trend followed by stabilization of the PSA (25%), and an increasing trend (31%). Among the subgroup that demonstrated a rising and subsequent stabilizing patterns, PSA levels had gradually risen to a median value of 0.9 ng/mL after therapy, stabilized, and remained durably suppressed. The only identified trends among patients treated with external beam radiotherapy without ST-ADT were declining PSA levels followed by stable PSA trends or declining patterns followed by rising levels. Patients whose PSA levels stabilized after an initial rise or those with slowly rising PSA profiles had a lower incidence of distant metastasis compared to those with accelerated rises after therapy. Conclusions: For those treated with external beam radiotherapy in conjunction with ST-ADT, a significant percentage who develop a rising PSA after treatment are expected to manifest subsequent stabilization at plateaued levels of approximately 1.0 ng/mL, which can remain durably suppressed. The likelihood of distant metastasis in these patients is low despite the PSA stabilization at levels 1.0 ng/mL or higher and comparable to outcomes observed for those with lower nonrising PSA values.
A first look at the new Medicare prescription drug plans.

ABSTRACT: Medicare began offering an outpatient prescription drug benefit through private plans in January 2006. Using nationwide data, we examine the availability, costs, and benefits of regional ...
Reducing the learning curve in an introductory programming course

Learning the syntax of complex programming languages, such as C++ or Java, while simultaneously trying to understand the logic of basic programming constructs continues to be a challenge and a discouraging factor for many students enrolled in introductory programming courses. Even after completing a course that focuses on the logic of programming via a game-like environment, the learning curve to transition to an "industrial strength" programming language is often steep. Visual Logic© (www.visuallogic.org), an interactive, graphical software tool, introduces students to basic programming concepts in an almost syntax-free environment. The software enables novice programmers to develop and test programs in the form of interactive, executable flowcharts that provide students with immediate feedback. The graphical flowchart symbols students use to build their programs provide a visual perspective to abstract concepts including but not limited to branching, looping, arrays, pre-defined functions, IO, and procedures. There is a full Logo-like graphics package that allows students to create graphic programs. The simplicity of the Visual Logic program and its straightforward correlation with the essential structures of most programming languages make the transition to an "industrial" programming language a smooth one. The analysis, algorithm development, and documentation skills students acquire through flowcharting can also be applied to other languages in future courses. This workshop examines the simplicity, power and versatility of using Visual Logic to teach programming concepts, with different approaches in introductory courses: (i) as an entire course in algorithmic thinking, (ii) as the first half of an introductory programming course transitioning to Python, (iii) simultaneously using Visual Logic to illustrate concepts and brainstorm solutions as students learn Java syntax.
An Internet Experiment on Bargaining in Networks

Exchange networks model the behavior of a set of players who need to reach pairwise agreements for mutual benefit, as in the labor market, the housing market and the "market" for social relationships. We describe internet-based experiments on bargaining in networks, that are the largest such experiments to date. Our results include some of the first insights into the dynamics of bargaining, with evidence that agents learn the power of their position in the network over time. Our analysis includes a new approach to predicting player earnings in exchange networks.
What the Software Engineer should Know about Program Verification

For the purposes of this paper, software verification can be defined as the methods used to ensure that a program meets its specifications and that the documentation correctly represents both program and specification. From the definition, it is obvious that it is impossible to do verification without a specification. This may seem like a simple point, but it is surprising the number of projects I have seen where there was no written specification of what the program was supposed to do. Let there be no confusion. If you do not have a precise, written specification of what the program is supposed to do, it is impossible to verify program operation.
Increasing the sensitivity of liquid introduction mass spectrometry by combining electrospray ionization and solvent assisted inlet ionization.

Combining electrospray ionization (ESI) and solvent assisted inlet ionization (SAII) provides higher ion abundances over a wide range of concentrations for peptides and proteins than either ESI or SAII. In this method, a voltage is applied to a union connector linking tubing from a solvent delivery device and the fused silica capillary, used with SAII, inserted into a heated inlet tube of an Orbitrap Exactive mass spectrometer (MS). The union can be metal or polymeric and the voltage can be applied directly or contactless. Solution flow rates from less than a 1 μL min–1 to over 100 μL min–1 can be accommodated. It appears that the voltage is only necessary to provide charge separation in solution, and the hot MS inlet tube and the high velocity of gas through the tube linking atmospheric pressure and vacuum provides droplet formation. As little as 100 V produces an increase in ion abundance for certain compounds using this method relative to no voltage. Interestingly, the total ion current observed with S...
Is Same-Sex Marriage an Equality Issue? Framing Effects Among African Americans

Public opinion about gay rights is often shaped by egalitarian values. While the extant literature has suggested that African Americans’ value structure tends to be very egalitarian, many popular m...
Commentary: Biliary Manifestations of Chronic Pancreatitis—Critical Uncertainties, Controversies, and Future Considerations

Terminal biliary stenosis is commonly a challenging complication of fibrosing chronic pancreatitis. The fibrotic encasement of the terminal bile duct associated with chronic fibrosis in the head of the pancreas requires surgical bypass in order to prevent the consequences of cholestasis, recurrent cholangitis, and biliary cirrhosis. Recently endoscopic therapies have been employed in the management of terminal biliary stenosis with variable success. Questions that are worthy of debate are which patients should be treated endoscopically, which patients should be treated surgically, and which patients should be managed expectantly.
The Knowledge Management: the Key Competitive Capability of Non-governmental School

The key competitive capability of non-governmental school is decided by its knowledge innovation and application capability. First the connotation of the competitive capability of non-governmental school is analyzed, then the role of knowledge management in promoting the competitive capability is analyzed as well, finally the approach to knowledge management of non-governmental school is studied from five aspects.
The review of development the PA-LS to detect the HIV-1 recent infection and established infection

Objective To probe a very simple, cheap and easy to expanding method for detecting the HIV-1 recent infection. Method To design the PA-LS method and test the sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility and concordance for comparing the other methods. Result There are very high concordance with other methods for detecting the HIV-1 recent infection. Conclusion The method has 100% sensitivity, 99% specificity for HIV-1 screen test; there are 97% sensitivity for recent infection and 96% for established infection; the reproducibility is 100%. It is a simple and cheap test method and has good practical future..
Analys is of surveillance results of iodine-added-salt household in Nanchang county,Jiangxi during 2005～2009

Objective:To find out and grasp the situation of edible iodized salt in Nanchang county to provide the scientific basis for prevention and control strategy.Methods:To monitor by implementation regulation of iodized salt monitoring in Jiangxi Province,collect 1,440 samples during 2005~2009 period,conduct quantitative detection by direct titration as per GB/T13025.7-1999.Results:We have tested 1,440 samples with qualified salt 1,149 while non-iodized salt 93 during 2005~2009 period,both qualified rate of iodized salt and consuming rate of qualified iodized salt less than 90%.In order to change the status quo,we have strengthened on supervision and cracking down on salt smuggling under the local government intervention and the salt industry department coordination,both qualified rate of iodized salt and consuming rate of qualified iodized salt higher than 95% from 2008.Conclusion:The iodized salt for residents in Nanchang county has achieved the goal of elimination iodine deficiency disorders in each province(autonomous region,municipality) and more than 95% counties(cities) across China that required by the control planning for nationwide major endemic diseases(2004~2010).
Toward a smart world: vision-based adaptive surveillance

Smart world has been an important research issue of distributed computing and communication in the future. Since the smart applications are implemented on cyberspace, how to control smart objects and to increase the degree of self awareness has been a challenging issue. This paper was addressed in a vision-based surveillance smart application. An Extended Petri Net was proposed for modeling the vision-based surveillance smart application. This proposed system not only provided the hyperspace facilities but also gave the certainly smart/intelligent fusion for receiver's needs. Our testbed were focused on the swing and slide those were very common facilities in the park field or playground. We constructed several surveillance cameras with the different specified position and view angle. To obtain the moving objects which were grabbed video and it could be analyzed the potential dangers in real time. We believe that the more smart applications can be developed the more smart real world will be come true in near future.
Placental Site Trophoblastic Tumor

Placental site trophoblastic tumor or PSTT is a bona fide neoplastic proliferation of cells with cytological features of the intermediate trophoblast present at the implantation site. The recognition of the tumor was in late 1970s to early 1980s, although similar lesions had been documented in the literature for over a century ago. The earliest possible description of the lesion was by Marchand in 1895 as “atypical chorioepithelioma” (Monatsschr Geburtshilfe Gynaekol 1:419–38, 1895). Other names of the tumor were used including “atypical choriocarcinoma”, “syncytioma”, a term introduced by Ewing (Am J Obstet Gynecol 56(3):584–6, 1948; Am J Obstet Gynecol 63(4):888–92, 1952; J Philipp Med Assoc 39:720–4, 1963; Surg Gynecol Obstet 10:366–932, 1920), and “chorioepitheliosis” (Gynecol Prat 5(1):31–40, 1954; Z Geburtshilfe Gynakol 147(2):145–203, 1956; Rev Chil Obstet Ginecol 31(4):200–9, 1966). The tumor could be mistaken traditionally as poorly differentiated carcinoma or even sarcoma.
Urinary Incontinence: Surgical Treatments

A variety of surgical therapies have been developed for treatment of urinary incontinence. These include various sling procedures, bladder neck suspensions, and injection of bulking agent materials at the bladder neck. Artificial sphincter devices are used primarily in men with stress urinary incontinence. Surgical treatments for urge urinary incontinence include chemodenervation with botulinum toxin injection into the wall of the bladder, placement of neuromodulator devices, or urinary diversion. This chapter reviews the use of surigcal therapies for the treatment of urinary incontinence in older adult patients.
Digital Badges: Purposeful Design in Professional Learning Outcomes for K-12 Educators

For K-12 educators in the United States, ongoing learning while in practice is intended to keep their pedagogical, technological, and related skills current and sharp. In too many cases, however, this learning is measured only in “seat time,” or the number of hours spent in a professional development (PD) session, with little to no regard for the quantity or quality of learning, implementation in the classroom or learning outcomes. PD may lack follow up or tailoring to individual teachers’ needs and interests. Digital badges, a version of microcredentialing, offer an opportunity to go beyond a seat time paradigm to more accurately and vividly document professional learning. As flexible boundary objects, digital badges can effectively communicate the learning content of a professional development session, and track types of learning over time. Additionally, badges challenge PD workshop leaders and attendees to create value from PD sessions, and reach beyond PD and into classrooms, connecting PD concepts to real-world implementation of concepts.
The Gnostic heritage of Heavy Metal

AbstractThe religious impulse in early Heavy Metal music is fundamentally Gnostic. An ancient religious tradition emphasising the rule of evil and the remoteness of salvation, Gnosticism was integrated into hard rock music in the late 1960s. Early Heavy Metal musicians encountered Gnosticism as it had been absorbed into popular fiction and film, including especially the works of Dennis Wheatley and J.R.R. Tolkien. Prominent in giving Gnosticism musical form was the band Black Sabbath, whose first three albums in 1970 and 1971 pioneered the patterns of musical practice that would become the conventions of the genre. Heavy Metal’s alternately heavy and giddy affect, created via a synthesis of musical practices and complementary verbal and visual representations, brought Gnostic beliefs into meaningful intersection with the everyday lives of young blue-collar males in Britain and the United States, as they confronted the post-industrial age in the context of a waning sixties counterculture.
North American Weather Consultants - Inside Back Cover

North American Weather Consultants 8180 S. Highland Dr., Suite B-2 Sandy, Utah 84093 801-942-9005
Double-Gate FET Technology for RF Applications: Device Characteristics and Low Noise Amplifier Design

Previous works have established that double-gate FET (DGFET) technology provides improved digital circuit performance relative to bulk CMOS (Nowak et al., 2004) and (Kim et al., 2005). However, the benefits of DGFET technology for analog/RF circuits have not been thoroughly analyzed. In this work, we use two-dimensional, mixed-mode simulations to compare the performance of low noise amplifier (LNA) circuits built using DGFET and bulk CMOS devices
Hematopoietic Lineage Selective Roles for Trib Pseudokinases Post Bone Marrow Transplantation.

Abstract Abstract 2298 Trib's 1–3 are a homologous set of pseudokinases that (through their molecular actions as adaptors for E3 ubiquitin ligases, Akt and/or Mek/Erk) can exert diverse tissue and cellular effects. Upon ectopic expression, Trib2 promotes myeloid leukemia, and is elevated in its expression in melanoma. Trib3 can modulate insulin action, adipogenesis, and cardiomyopathy. Trib1 is implicated in inflammatory cytokine responses, and megakaryocytic leukemia. This illustrates the range of Trib functions, and also points to important regulatory roles for Tribs during hematopoiesis. To date the majority of Trib action studies have applied gain-of-function approaches. To gain new insight into hematopoietic roles of Trib2 and Trib3, we have generated novel knockout mouse models, and have employed a bone marrow transplant approach to assess possible effects of Trib2 or Trib3- deficiency on blood cell development. This approach also brings to bear the frequent requirement of physiological stress for the engagement of Trib pseudokinases. We assessed blood lineage reconstitution via hematological and flow cytometric analyses in irradiated (2 × 450 RAD) and bone marrow transplanted congenic recipient C57BL/B6.Ptprca, Ly-5.1 mice (5 × 105 Trib2-KO, Trib3-KO or wild-type donor cells). In all experiments, full representation of donor derived Ly5.2 hematopoietic cells was confirmed in blood, bone marrow and spleen. Trib2-KO and Trib3-KO transplanted mice each exhibited skewed hematopoietic reconstitution profiles (as compared directly to wild-type BM transplanted controls). Trib2-KO transplanted mice exhibited persistently elevated lymphoid and WBC levels at week 6, 10 and 36 post BMT, and peripheral blood CD19+/B220+/Ly5.2+ B-cells also were elevated. In contrast, Trib3-KO transplanted mice exhibited sustained increases in reticulocyte production, together with heightened splenic erythropoiesis. Within a bone marrow transplantation context, findings reveal novel lineage- specific roles for Trib2 during lymphopoiesis, and for Trib3 during stress erythropoiesis. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Data Hiding: Other Methods

Starting with Section 12.2, this chapter discusses data hiding in an MPEG-2 video file. This is followed with audio steganography. Starting with Section 12.3, the basics of digital audio and the properties of the human auditory system are described, following with audio steganography in the time domain. Next, the chapter introduces (in Section 12.7) the concept of the steganographic file system. The last part of the chapter is a short discussion of the limits of steganography (Section 12.8) and the prospect of public-key steganography (Section 12.9).
Symbolic Differentiation for Fixed-Structure Controller Synthesis

Abstract A symbolic matrix differentiation routine called MatGrad is developed for computing gradient expressions for fixed-structure controller synthesis. These expressions can be used with gradient-based optimization algorithms to compute controllers that meet H 2 , H ∞ , μ and Pole placement objectives in both continuous and discrete time. MatGrad is written in Mathematica and utilizes routines from the noncommutative algebra package NCAlgebra developed by Helton and Miller.
Ethopharmacology of Vocal Behavior in Primates

Attempts to experimentally manipulate behavior by chemicals has had a long history. Many of the earlier findings must be viewed with some skepticism and uncertainty, however, due to the questionable mechanisms by which the relatively nonspecific chemicals being employed exerted their effects, as well as to a lack of attention to developing adequate behavioral testing paradigms. A list of some of the earlier work as it applies to primates was provided by Reynolds (1969). With the discovery of chemical ligands that bind to specific chemical receptor subtypes in the brain and other organs, a finer grained analysis of neurochemical systems and their distribution in the brain was initiated which has produced an overwhelming accumulation of neurochemical and neuroanatomical data. The application of this new knowledge to the study of behavioral mechanisms has failed to keep pace. Behavioral pharmacology has attempted to match the rigor of chemical analysis by using operant conditioning methods to impose a level of experimenter control on the behavioral performance of animal subjects. The fruits of this approach have been considerable (see S. D. Iversen and L. L. Iversen 1975, for a general overview;Dews 1972, for the basic methodologies, and the work of Barrett 1985, for a recent review of this approach in one species, the squirrel monkey). However, experimenter control of behavioral performance has been gained at the sacrifice of the questionable relevance of this approach to understanding the chemistry of behavior in natural settings. A few attempts have been made to address the issue of the chemistry of social behavior.
Teaching Collaborative Governance: Phases, Competencies, and Case-Based Learning

Collaborative governance is becoming a primary motif in public administration research and practice. There is widespread recognition of the need to develop leaders for collaborative governance, yet...
Telerehabilitation System for Personalized Exercise Engagement of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Personalized exercise interventions comprising aerobic, resistance and corrective therapeutic components were shown to result in endurance and strength improvement and reduction of fatigue and spasticity in patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). However, telerehabilitation support of multipronged exercise programs in PwMS has received limited attention. The goal of this project was to introduce telerehabilitation support of individualized multipronged exercise programs and to assess feasibility assessment of the initial prototype in PwMS. Feasibility was assessed in 10 PwMS who were asked to perform a standardized set of tasks essential for using the telerehabilitation system independently and score each task. Our results indicated high level of acceptance of the system by these patients. On average, it took about 1-2 minutes for the patients to complete the study tasks essential for system operation. They were able to successfully use the system and follow their individualized exercise prescription. The resulting system will have to undergo a definitive systematic evaluation in a randomized controlled trial to demonstrate its clinical impact.
Bosonization in three spatial dimensions and a 2-form gauge theory

The well-known Jordan-Wigner transformation maps an arbitrary system of fermions on a one-dimensional lattice to a system of spins. An essential property of this transformation is that it preserves the locality of observables. This transformation has been recently extended to two-dimensional lattices, where it maps an arbitrary system of fermions to a gauge theory, with locality preserved. Here, the authors construct a bosonization map for arbitrary systems of fermions in three dimensions. As an application, the authors design a model of interacting spins on a cubic lattice, which is exactly soluble and is equivalent to a tight-binding model of free fermions with Dirac points.
Do Academic Health Care Systems Really Value Education? A Survey of Academic Plastic Surgeons.

Background:Although education is critical to the mission of academic medical centers in the United States, it is often not quantified and monetized as are their research and clinical missions. We undertook this survey to assess the perceived valuation of educational endeavors of plastic surgeon facu