cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The influence of science popularizers on the public's view of religion and science: An experimental assessment.

Research suggests that public figures can play an influential role in forming public opinion; yet, little research has experimentally tested the efficacy of public figures on the cognitive formation of boundaries. Using an experiment embedded within a nationally representative survey, we examine how two science popularizers, Francis Collins and Richard Dawkins, influence perceptions regarding the boundaries between religion and science. We find that learning of Dawkins does not influence people’s perceptions of the religion–science relationship, while learning of Collins shifts respondents toward a collaborative view of religion and science. Findings suggest that figures with unexpected views might be more effective in changing conceptual boundaries.
A design lab for statistical signal processing

In the spring of 1991 a software laboratory was added to the graduate statistical signal processing class at Berkeley. The emphasis of this lab was on high-level experimentation with signal processing algorithms. A separate course on design methodology for signal processing covers VLSI design and programmable digital signal processors (DSPs), so this particular lab steered clear of these issues. A graphical block diagram programming environment developed at Berkeley (called Ptolemy) was used on a network of DEC workstations. Commercial software such as Comdisco's SPW system could have been used as well. The students were assigned a sequence of six experiments and given two weeks to complete each one. The design of the experiments in view of the teaching objective and effectiveness are discussed. >
An anti-swingtrajectory control of overhead cranes with high-speed hoisting

This paper proposes a new approach for the anti-swing control of overhead cranes, where a coupling control of trolley motion and load swing is adopted for sufficient damping of load swing. A model-based anti-swing trajectory control scheme is designed based on Lyapunov stability theorem, where the stable nonminimum-phase characteristics of the load swing dynamics are used for stability proof. The proposed control guarantees asymptotic stability of the anti-swing trajectory control while keeping all internal signals bounded. In addition, the anti-swing control is solved as a trajectory control problem and hence the proposed control realizes an antiswing control along a typical anti-swing trajectory in practice, which is considered to be the most efficient anti-swing control. Finally, the theoretical results are proven by computer simulation.
Changes in Murine Resistance to Listeria monocytogenes Infection Induced by Amphotericin B

Injection of amphotericin B into mice 24 hr before infection with Listeria monocytogenes stimulated host resistance. In contrast, host resistance was decreased when the antibiotic was injected after infection with L. monocytogenes. In comparison with cells from untreated animals, increased microbicidal activity was observed in peritoneal exudate cells of mice injected iv with the polyene 24 hr before sacrifice. In-vitro incubation of normal murine peritoneal exudate cells with amphotericin B resulted in decreased microbicidal activity. Amphotericin B had no in-vitro effect on the viability of L. monocytogenes.
University Students and Community Leaders: Awareness of Cross-Cultural Issues:

Studies of university outreach programs have reported on recruiting efforts, adult education, extension courses, etc. There appears to be no research on interaction of academic institutions and multi-ethnic communities, or of students' involvement in community affairs. This study investigated awareness of cross-cultural issues of students and community leaders. 119 students in a Southern California university, departments of Education, Pan-African Studies, Psychology, and Sociology and 19 local community leaders responded to a questionnaire asking about awareness of issues, perceived role of the university, and knowledge of leaders in each sector. Students identified fewer issues than community leaders; community leaders foresaw a larger role for the university. Neither group recognized leaders of the other. Possible responses by the university to identified concerns are considered.
Bilirubin Present in Diverse Angiosperms

Background and aims Bilirubin is an orange-yellow tetrapyrrole produced from the breakdown of heme by mammals and some other vertebrates. Plants, algae and cyanobacteria synthesize molecules similar to bilirubin, including the protein-bound bilins and phytochromobilin which harvest or sense light. Recently, we discovered bilirubin in the arils of Strelitzia nicolai, the White Bird of Paradise Tree, which was the first example of this molecule in a higher plant. Subsequently, we identified bilirubin in both the arils and the flowers of Strelitzia reginae, the Bird of Paradise Flower. In the arils of both species, bilirubin is present as the primary pigment, and thus functions to produce colour. Previously, no tetrapyrroles were known to generate display colour in plants. We were therefore interested in determining whether bilirubin is broadly distributed in the plant kingdom and whether it contributes to colour in other species. Methodology In this paper, we use HPLC/UV and HPLC/UV/electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/UV/ESI-MS/MS) to search for bilirubin in 10 species across diverse angiosperm lineages. Principal results Bilirubin was present in eight species from the orders Zingiberales, Arecales and Myrtales, but only contributed to colour in species within the Strelitziaceae. Conclusions The wide distribution of bilirubin in angiosperms indicates the need to re-assess some metabolic details of an important and universal biosynthetic pathway in plants, and further explore its evolutionary history and function. Although colour production was limited to the Strelitziaceae in this study, further sampling may indicate otherwise.
Bilingual and monolingual children attend to different cues when learning new words.

The way in which children learn language can vary depending on their language environment. Previous work suggests that bilingual children may be more sensitive to pragmatic cues from a speaker when learning new words than monolingual children are. On the other hand, monolingual children may rely more heavily on object properties than bilingual children do. In this study we manipulate these two sources of information within the same paradigm, using eye gaze as a pragmatic cue and similarity along different dimensions as an object cue. In the crucial condition, object and pragmatic cues were inconsistent with each other. Our results showed that in this ambiguous condition monolingual children attend more to object property cues whereas bilingual children attend more to pragmatic cues. Control conditions showed that monolingual children were sensitive to eye gaze and bilingual children were sensitive to similarity by shape; it was only when the cues were inconsistent that children’s preference for one or the other cue was apparent. Our results suggest that children learn to weigh different cues depending on their relative informativeness in their environment
Tax Equalization in Cleveland

Farms, buildings, personal property, land pay no taxes… it is men and women who are taxed and not things,—Tom L. Johnson, “My Story,” p. 131.
High-Temperature Mechanical Properties of Ceramic Materials: II, Beta-Eucryptite

High stresses arise in sintered β-eucryptite (Li2O. Al2O2-2SiO2) during cooling from the firing temperature because of its extreme anisotropy of thermal expansion. These stresses cause extensive fracturing of the crystals, resulting in abnormally low mechanical property values at room temperature. During reheating, many fractures recombine, causing increase in strength and in elastic modulus with increasing temperature. Beta-eucryptite creeps under load at room temperature because of additional fracturing and the propagation of fractures. Equations are presented for calculating internal stresses in sintered single-phase aggregates of anisotropic crystals.
Nutritional Problems in the Labor Force and Their Relation to Economic Development

When nutritionists propose a program to improve the health or nutritional status of a population, then economists and planners may ask what the economic benefits of such a program are likely to be. Health is a high human value but one that is difficult to measure in monetary units. One obvious area in which economists and nutritionists have seen a link between nutrition and economic development is that of labor productivity. If poor nutrition is lowering productivity, then an investment in programs to improve nutritional status of workers can be justified on economic grounds alone.
U.S. Sponsored Conflict Resolution Through Cooperation in the Water Sector

This chapter examines U.S.-sponsored water dispute prevention and resolution programs on water issues between Palestinians and Israelis. The intent of these efforts has been to facilitate the development of water infrastructure, including water and wastewater systems in the Palestinian Authority and Israel. The report is based on reviews of project statements and ex-post interviews with program participants. The chapter describes some of the goals of program organizers and discusses whether those goals were and continue to be met. The chapter focuses on programs’ effect on conflict prevention and resolution as well as the results on the water and wastewater industry. Program participants were interviewed to establish their goals for each program in which they were involved, both prior to its commencement and how or why these goals may have adjusted as a result of their experience. These results are used to form recommendations for trilateral efforts between the U.S., the Palestinian Authority and Israel.
Fertilizer nitrogen uptake efficiencies for potato as influenced by application timing

Estimation of N uptake efficiency of fertilizer applications at different growth stages of crop plants is critical to develop management recommendations that enhance fertilizer use by minimizing N losses. In this study, the N-fertilizer uptake efficiency (FNUE) of two chipping potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) varieties (‘Atlantic’ and ‘FL1867’) under three typical fertilizer application timings was investigated. All treatments received a total of 225 kg ha−1 of N throughout the season, split into three applications of 75 kg ha−1 as ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) applied at pre-plant, plant emergence and tuber initiation. FNUE at each application timing was evaluated by the substitution of conventional N-fertilizer by isotope labeled ammonium nitrate (15NH 4 15 NO3). Total tuber yield was similar between the two varieties at 48.8 and 37.5 Mg ha−1 in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Likewise, the overall FNUE was also similar at 45 % across both varieties and years. FNUE was 11 % for the pre-plant application, while 62 % for the applications at emergence and tuber initiation stages. Since a small fraction of the N applied at pre-plant was recovered in the plant, N fertilizer application closer to the potato planting may increase the FNUE.
Prenatal β 2 -Adrenergic Receptor Signaling and Autism:

The origins of idiopathic autism are prenatal. During fetal life, the β2-adrenergic receptor (B2AR) is important for growth as well as terminal differentiation of cells. Signaling from this receptor serves different purposes at different times in virtually all tissues during prenatal development, and provides modulation for most organ functions in postnatal life. Because the B2AR is one of the earliest appearing receptors in brain development, interference with it over time during gestation can theoretically affect the development of other neurotransmitter systems, as well as later functioning of the CNS and peripheral organs. Prenatal overstimulation of the B2AR has been linked to autism in dizygotic twins, and a higher prevalence of more active B2AR polymorphisms has been found in autism families.
Solubility of Benzoic Acid in Mixtures of CO2 + Hexane

The solubilities of solid benzoic acid in mixtures of CO2 + hexane have been measured at temperatures ranging from (308 to 338) K, pressures ranging from (10 to 35) MPa, and cosolvent concentration...
Holographic Blind Source Separation at Radio Frequencies

A photorefractive optoelectronic system implements analog independent component analysis to achieve two-channel blind source separation of 10 MHz bandwidth signals on 200 MHz RF carriers. The system utilizes two photorefractive carrier suppression optical circuits and custom broadband electrooptic modulators.
Testbed for Studying the Capture of a Small, Free-Flying Asteroid in Space

A scaled deployable device has been built and tested for the purpose of evaluating the feasibility of capturing an entire small asteroid in free space. The target asteroid was presumed to have a mass <1000 metric tons, with a longest dimension of <13 meters. It could be spinning and tumbling. It could be a "rubble pile" – a collection of loosely-bound particles whose cohesion is barely more than the minimum required by the hoop strength defined by the spin rate. It was decided that the only way to confine a rubble pile was to put it in a bag – a fabric or membrane enclosure which completely encapsulated the asteroid, preventing contamination of the solar arrays, radiators, and other optical surfaces of the spacecraft. Clearly this bag had to be deployed, since the largest dimension of the asteroid is significantly larger than the launch shroud of any present launch vehicle. It was decided that a hardware-in-the-loop testbed would be needed, since the physics of physical contact between the asteroid and the deployed capture bag is too complex to credibly model entirely within computer simulation. This testbed was built at 1/5 th -scale for a capture bag assumed 15 meters in diameter (the largest dimension of the asteroid plus a meter on either side). The asteroid mockup was mounted on a robotic arm and force-torque sensors were used to measure the interactions between the spacecraft and the asteroid through the soft material of the capture system. The force-torque measurements were fed into a zero-g simulation of the spacecraft and asteroid, which in turn prescribed the motion of the asteroid relative to the spacecraft. This paper describes the construction and operation of the testbed, including the selection of the bag materials, the configuration of the capture mechanism, the actuators required to deploy, control, and retract the bag, the hardware-in-the-loop simulation and the sensors used to drive it, as well as results from the system.
Locomotor Activity of Adult Lesser Cornstalk Borer

Unmated male and female lesser cornstalk borers, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller), were found to be almost entirely nocturnal in locomotor activity. Females began movement immediately after lights-off, with peak locomotor activity occurring in the 1st 5 h of scotophase. Males displayed a similar daily pattern but the scotophase activity peak was noticeably later than that for females. Both male and female activity patterns were fitted with a highly significant 4th degree polynomial regression curve. Mating had a pronounced effect on female locomotor activity. Virgin females were more active during the 1st half of the scotophase period in comparison to mated males.
The Transmission of Spatial Route Information in Distributed Unmanned Vehicle Teams

The purpose was to understand the utility of different methods of communicating spatial information between distributed team members. An unmanned vehicle (UV) operator used a UV to scope out safe routes and enemy locations and used that information to help a Soldier conduct a rescue mission. There were four communication methods: visual, verbal, real-time verbal plus visual (VPV), and delayed VPV. We manipulated who was in command to see the impact on both pushed and pulled information. Results showed advantages of both visual and real-time VPV. We also found that with delayed VPV, the Soldier communicated infrequently which resulted in poorer performance, especially when the Soldier was in command. Results inform how beneficial UV information should be transmitted to Soldiers who need it in the field.
Sleep Disordered Breathing and White Matter Hyperintensities in Community-Dwelling Elders.

Study objectives To examine the association between markers of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume in an elderly, multiethnic, community-dwelling cohort. Methods This is a cross-sectional analysis from the Washington Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP), a community-based epidemiological study of older adults. Structural magnetic resonance imaging was obtained starting in 2004; the Medical Outcomes Study-Sleep Scale (MOS-SS) was administered to participants starting in 2007. Linear regression models were used to assess the relationship between the two MOS-SS questions that measure respiratory dysfunction during sleep and quantified WMH volume among WHICAP participants with brain imaging. Results A total of 483 older adults had both structural magnetic resonance imaging and sleep assessment. Self-reported SDB was associated with WMH. After adjusting for demographic and vascular risk factors, WMH volumes were larger in individuals with frequent snoring (β = 2.113, P = 0.004) and among those who reported waking short of breath or with headache (β = 1.862, P = 0.048). Conclusions In community-dwelling older adults, self-reported measures of SDB are associated with larger WMH volumes. The cognitive effects of SDB that are increasingly being recognized may be mediated at the small vessel level.
Fenestra obscura: Flow diverter reconstruction of a complex vertebrobasilar aneurysm through an obscured fenestration limb: Technical case report

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE Basilar fenestration aneurysms are rare, challenging intracranial vascular lesions with atypical anatomy. The posterior circulation represents a difficult therapeutic dilemma because of the close proximity of crucial life-sustaining brainstem structures. The use of flow diverter technology has been very limited in posterior circulation vessels. CLINICAL PRESENTATION We present the case of a 49-year-old female patient, who was diagnosed with a symptomatic large vertebrobasilar junction aneurysm, which was initially thought to be a proximal basilar dilatation. The aneurysm was later verified to arise from the proximal end of a basilar fenestration, distended by the aneurysm fundus. The small-caliber fenestration limbs were the only connection to the distal basilar artery, but were stretched laterally and concealed by the aneurysm fundus. This complex lesion was successfully treated by flow diverter deployment through one of the fenestration limbs, followed by coiling of the aneurysm fundus, and sacrificing the contralateral vertebral artery. A 6-month follow-up angiogram showed remodeling of the basilar artery and complete occlusion of the aneurysm with good clinical outcome. Careful diagnostic workup, multidisciplinary discussions, and the innovative use of versatile endovascular technology were crucial to achieve an optimal result in this case. CONCLUSION This is the first report of a successful basilar artery reconstruction for the treatment of a large atypical vertebrobasilar junction fenestration aneurysm by deployment of a flow diverter device directly in a small, obscured fenestration limb.
Local spatial clustering in youths’ use of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana in Boston

ABSTRACTBackground: Understanding geographic variation in youth drug use is important for both identifying etiologic factors and planning prevention interventions. However, little research has examined spatial clustering of drug use among youths by using rigorous statistical methods. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine spatial clustering of youth use of tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana. Methods: Responses on tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana use from 1,292 high school students ages 13–19 who provided complete residential addresses were drawn from the 2008 Boston Youth Survey Geospatial Dataset. Response options on past month use included “none,” “1–2,” “3–9,” and “10 or more.” The response rate for each substance was approximately 94%. Spatial clustering of youth drug use was assessed using the spatial Bernoulli model in the SatScan™ software package. Results: Approximately 12%, 36%, and 18% of youth reported any past-month use of tobacco, alcohol, and/or marijuana, respectively. Two cluster...
Various Drugs with or without an Antisickling Effect in the In Vitro Tests Showed a Strong Antisickling Effect in the In Vivo Studies in Transgenic Sickle Mice.

Since its inception in 1997, the NHLBI Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Reference Laboratory (Ref Lab) has received over 150 candidate drugs from over 30 researchers, universities and companies for evaluation. All candidate drugs are evaluated for both their beneficial and adverse effects in vitro using more than 10 sophisticated methods. Specifically, each candidate drug is studied to see whether it inhibits cell sickling, prolongs the delay time prior to deoxy-hemoglobin (Hb) S polymerization, increases the solubility of deoxy-Hb S, hydrates red blood cells (RBCs), prevents dehydration of RBCs, shifts the oxygen equilibrium curve (OEC) toward the left, reduces the adhesion of RBCs to endothelial cells, promotes the synthesis of Hb F, causes hemolysis, promotes formation of met-Hb and increases the denaturation of intracellular Hb S. With this new approach, we have found more than 10 new antisickling agents that showed beneficial effects without significant adverse effects in the in vitro tests. Of these, five drugs were further studied in vivo using transgenic mice that produce human Hb S, and all five drugs inhibited the formation of sickled cells in the blood and significantly prolonged their survival time under acute hypoxic conditions. The five drugs are NIPRISAN (plant extracts) [Brit. J. Haematol. (BJH) 122:1001,2003], MX-1520 (prodrug of vanillin) (BJH125: 788,2004), 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (5HMF) (BJH128:552,2005), NS3623 (Blood 97: 1461,2001, in vivo results not shown), and FLOCOR (surfactant) (Blood94:420a,1999). Of these 5 drugs, FLOCOR and NS3623 did not have an antisickling effect in vitro. It is quite interesting that FLOCOR and NS3623 which showed no direct antisickling effect in vitro, showed a strong antisickling effect in vivo. Some of our results suggest that combined use of some of these drugs may have a synergistic effect in vivo. Studies on the combined use of these drugs are planned. Researchers with candidate drugs that may have beneficial effects for SCD are welcome to contact the SCD Ref Lab for free in vitro evaluation of their agents (for more information, please see our website at www.tatcom.com/sickle-cell).
Steroid Complications in Patients with Acute Graft Versus Host Disease.

Abstract Background: High dose steroid treatment remains to be the first line therapy for acute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Although effective in controlling aGVHD, high dose steroids can cause multiple serious complications which can result in increased morbidity and mortality. Purpose: Our aim was to determine the frequency of steroid induced complications and to analyze risk factors for steroid-myopathy in patients with AML who developed grade 2 aGVHD after allogeneic HSCT. Patients and Methods: Inclusion criteria were: 1) AML/MDS patients who received allogeneic HSCT between 1/1996 and 12/2001 2) grade 2 aGVHD treated with at least 2mg/kg of methylprednisolone 3) post transplantation overall survival at least 100 days. Steroid induced complications reviewed were: cataracts, headaches, mood swings, hypertension, gastritis, hyperglycemia, osteopenia, myopathy, avascular necrosis, edema, hypokalemia and infections. Pre- and post-transplantation characteristics analyzed as risk factors for steroid-myopathy were: age, gender, race, history of diabetes, body mass index, HLA types, steroid use after HSCT prior to grade 2 acute GVHD and duration of steroid use for acute GVHD. Logistic regression analysis was used for risk factor evaluation. Steroid-myopathy was defined as proximal muscle weakness, atrophy and myalgia in the absence of genetic, inflammatory or drug-induced etiologies other than steroid use. Results: 178 AML /MDS patients were transplanted during the study period. 70 patients (37 males and 33 females) with a median age of 43 (range, 21–66) were eligible for our study. Median duration of follow-up and median duration of steroid use after grade 2 aGVHD were 269 days and 127 days respectively. The number of patients and their frequency distribution of steroid induced complications were as follows: hyperglycemia, 43 (61.4%); hypertension, 35 (50%); cataracts, 10(14.3%); headaches, 7 (10%); mood swings,12(17.1%); gastritis, 7 (10%); myopathy, 32(45.7%); avascular necrosis, 1 (1.4%); edema, 22 (31.4%); hypokalemia, 52 (74.3%); bacterial infections, 55 (78.6%); viral infections, 39(55.7%); and fungal infections, 22(31.4%). For steroid-induced myopathy, male gender (RR=4.0, 95% CI=1.01–16.4, p=0.05), steroid use before acute GVHD grade II (RR=5.5, 95% CI=1.35–22.14, p=0.02) or steroid use more than 4 months after developing acute GVHD grade II (HR=6.4, 95% CI=1.38–29.94, p=0.02) were independent risk factors. 47 of 70 patients died with median overall survival of 10 months. 22 of 47 (46.8%) had steroid-myopathy and there was no increased mortality with steroid induced myopathy. Conclusion: Steroid therapy for aGVHD after allogeneic HSCT in AML/MDS patients is associated with frequent toxicities. The possibility of identifying prognostic factors for steroid toxicities support the study and development of strategies that may ameliorate or prevent steroid induced complications.
Formal research exposure during neurology residency training matters.

In North America, the curriculum of neurology residency training must accomplish a variety of metrics in a constrained period of time. The 6 American Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Core Competencies are made up of different milestones that residents should master at key stages of their medical training, including patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice. The ACGME requires scholarly activity by all trainees participating in residency and fellowship programs. The curriculum should advance a resident's knowledge of the basic principles of research and introduce him or her to a research pathway that would enhance the quality of medical training. Research, as any other educational and professional activity, has to be taught within a structured mentored educational program that advances the student from basic to more complex skills. Traditionally, the research activity during the neurology residency was left to the discretion and motivation of the neurology resident during his or her training. The final research production defied easy measurement and varied substantially across graduating residents. Other medical specialties, including internal medicine, have explored the advantages of having a formal scholarly program during the residency. Participation in scholarly activity can lead residents to superior clinical performance as well as better scores on the in-service residency examinations and board examinations.1
Synthesis, resolution, and in vitro evaluation of three vesicular acetylcholine transporter ligands and evaluation of the lead fluorine-18 radioligand in a nonhuman primate

The vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) is a reliable biomarker for assessing cholinergic dysfunction associated with dementia. We recently reported three new potent and selective carbon-11 labeled VAChT radiotracers. Herein, we report the resolution with a Chiralcel OD column of three additional fluorine containing VAChT ligands in which a fluoroethoxy or fluoroethylamino moiety was substituted for the methoxy group. An in vitro competitive binding assay showed that (−)-7 had high potency for VAChT (Ki-VAChT = 0.31 ± 0.03 nM) and excellent selectivity for VAChT versus σ receptors (Ki-σ1 = 1870 ± 250 nM, Ki-σ2 = 5480 ± 140 nM). Three different radiolabeling approaches were explored; the radiosynthesis of (−)-[18F]7 was successfully accomplished via a stepwise two-pot, three-step method with moderate yield (11 ± 2%) and high radiochemical purity (>98%). PET imaging studies in a nonhuman primate indicated that (−)-[18F]7 rapidly entered the brain and accumulated in the VAChT-enriched striatum. The uptake of (−)-[18F]7 in the target striatal area peaked at 10 min and displayed improved clearance kinetics compared to the VAChT tracer [18F]VAT, which has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for first-in-man studies. These studies justify further investigation of (−)-[18F]7 and exploration of the structure–activity relationships of these fluoroethoxy and fluoroethylamino analogs.
Resource reduction in pediatric chest pain: Standardized clinical assessment and management plan.

Objective Using a Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plan (SCAMP) for pediatric patients presenting to clinic with chest pain, we evaluated the cost impact associated with implementation of the care algorithm. Prior to introduction of the SCAMP, we analyzed charges for 406 patients with chest pain, seen in 2009, and predicted 21% reduction of overall charges had the SCAMP methodology been used. The SCAMP recommended an echocardiogram for history, examination, or ECG findings suggestive of a cardiac etiology for chest pain. Design Resource utilization was reviewed for 1517 patients (7-21 years) enrolled in the SCAMP from July 2010 to April 2014. Results Compared to the 2009 historic cohort, patients evaluated by the SCAMP had higher rates of exertional chest pain (45% vs 37%) and positive family history (5% vs 1%). The SCAMP cohort had fewer abnormal physical examination findings (1% vs 6%) and abnormal electrocardiograms (3% vs 5%). Echocardiogram use increased in the SCAMP cohort compared to the 2009 historic cohort (45% vs 41%), whereas all other ancillary testing was reduced: exercise stress testing (4% SCAMP vs 28% historic), Holter (4% vs 7%), event monitors (3% vs 10%), and MRI (1% vs 2%). Total charges were reduced by 22% ($822 625) by use of the Chest Pain SCAMP, despite a higher percentage of patients for whom echocardiogram was recommended compared to the historic cohort. Conclusions The Chest Pain SCAMP effectively streamlines cardiac testing and reduces resource utilization. Further reductions can be made by algorithm refinement regarding echocardiograms for exertional symptoms.
Sensor scheduling for energy-efficient target tracking in sensor networks

In this paper, we study the problem of tracking an object moving randomly through a network of wireless sensors. Our objective is to devise strategies for scheduling the sensors to optimize the tradeoff between tracking performance and energy consumption. We cast the scheduling problem as a partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP), where the control actions correspond to the set of sensors to activate at each time step. Using a bottom-up approach, we consider different sensing, motion and cost models with increasing levels of difficulty. At the first level, the sensing regions of the different sensors do not overlap and the target is only observed within the sensing range of an active sensor. Then, we consider sensors with overlapping sensing range such that the tracking error, and hence the actions of the different sensors, are tightly coupled. Finally, we consider scenarios wherein the target locations and sensors' observations assume values on continuous spaces. Exact solutions are generally intractable even for the simplest models due to the dimensionality of the information and action spaces. Hence, we devise approximate solution techniques, and in some cases derive lower bounds on the optimal tradeoff curves. The generated scheduling policies, albeit suboptimal, often provide close-to-optimal energy-tracking tradeoffs.
Acetaminophen for Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Neonates.

OBJECTIVE Although non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the current standard therapy for the treatment of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), many neonates have contraindications to receiving or may fail NSAID therapy. To avoid surgical ligation, these patients may benefit from an alternative therapy. The objective of this research is to report the efficacy and safety of acetaminophen for the treatment of PDA in a cohort of premature neonates. METHODS Demographics and clinical course were retrospectively evaluated for all neonates admitted during the study period who received acetaminophen for the treatment of PDA. Initial acetaminophen dosing was 15 mg/kg every 6 hours (88% intravenous). Efficacy was analyzed from ductal constriction on echocardiogram as well as need for further PDA treatment. Markers of hepatic and renal function as well as respiratory support and neonatal morbidities were evaluated to describe the safety of acetaminophen. RESULTS Forty-one neonates were identified with a medi...
Das Auflösen von Doppelpunkten und Doppeltangenten

Es sei D der gemeinsame Endpunkt von zwei elementaren Bogen; d 1 und d 2 seien deren Iindtangenten in D (Figur 94). Wenn d 1 und d 2 nicht zusammenfallen, so bilden die beiden Bogen in D eine Ecke. Zum Beispiel bilden je zwei auf einen Doppelpunkt einer Elementarkurve fuhrende Bogen in diesem eine Ecke. Wir konnen einen positiven Durch-laufungssinn auf den Bogen festlegen, so das sich der Punkt X, der in diesem Sinne lauft, beim Uberschreiten der Ecke stetig bewegt. Die Tangente x hingegen mus einen der beiden durch d 1 und d 2 gebildeten vollstandigen Winkel uberspringen.
NDE and Design - A Unified Life-Cycle Engineering Approach

Unified life-cycle engineering (ULCE) is an approach that combines aspects of concurrent engineering, total quality management, and retirement-for-cause (RFC) strategies at the early design stage of components [1–3]. In order to implement ULCE approaches, inspectability, reliability, and the other “ilities” of Fig. 1 must be linked to areas such as quality assurance, life-cycle costs, and materials and processes in a comprehensive design environment.
Development of the bait principle for boll-weevil control: II. Field-cage tests with a feeding stimulant and the protozoan Mattesia grandis

Abstract A formulation containing spores of the protozoan Mattesia grandis and a feeding stimulant made from cottonseed oil and a water extract of contton squares plus carrier materials and a marking dye was tested against a population of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, on cotton in 1 16 - acre field cages. Effectiveness of the formulation was judged by the percentage of marked weevils and the incidence of disease among adults collected at the end of the test. Twenty to 30% of the treated population was marked during the main fruiting period, which is also the period of rapid development of the boll-weevil population, and 50% to 60% during the latter part of the test when the plants were maturing and fewer weevils were developing because of cooler temperatures. At the end of the test, 55% of the weevils were diseased. The diseased population producd about half as many adults as the check population. The treated adult population remained stabilized; the check had sharply defined, eruptive increases in number of adults as each generation emerged from squares or bolls. A feeding stimulant with spores or other effective agents might be effective in reducing populations in large open fields.
A common garden experiment with Porphyra umbilicalis (Rhodophyta) evaluates methods to study spatial differences in the macroalgal microbiome.

While macroalgal microbiomes are the focus of many recent studies, there is little information about microbial spatial diversity across the thallus. Reliance on field material makes it difficult to discern whether recovered microbiomes belong to the host or its epiphytes, and technical comparisons of macroalgal samples for microbial studies are needed. Here, we use a common garden approach that avoids the problem of epiphytes, particularly at holdfasts, to examine the microbiome of Porphyra umbilicalis (strain Pum1). We used the V6 hypervariable region of the 16S rDNA with Illumina HiSeq sequencing and developed PNA clamps to block recovery of organelle V6 sequences. The common garden approach allowed us to determine differences in the microbiome at the holdfast versus blade margin. We found a notable increase in the relative abundance of Planctomycetes and Alphaproteobacteria at the holdfast, particularly of the possible symbiont Sulfitobacter sp. Nonadjacent 1.5 cm2 samples of blade margin had microbiomes that were not statistically different. The most abundant phylum in the overall microbiome was Proteobacteria, followed by Bacteroidetes. Because phycologists often work in remote sites, we compared three stabilization and preparation techniques and found silica gel desiccation/bead-beating and flash-freezing/lyophilization/bead-beating to be interchangeable. Core taxa (≥0.1% of sequences) across treatments were similar and accounted for ≥95% of all sequences. Finally, statistical conclusions for all comparisons were the same, regardless of which microbial community analysis tool was used: mothur or minimum entropy decomposition.
The Extension of Mie Theory to Multiple Spheres

A generalized mathematical formulation is presented for the scattering and absorption of electromagnetic time harmonic waves by multiple spherical particles. A central element of this formulation is the addition theorem for vector wave functions, which allows a scattered field from one sphere to be represented as an exciting field about another sphere. A simplified derivation of the addition theorem, and important characteristics of where it can and can not be used, are developed. The Mie solution, coupled with the addition theorem, results in a system of linear interaction equations for the multipole coefficients that describe the scattered field from each sphere in the system. In this regard, the multiple sphere formulation results in an implicit, rather than explicit, solution for the scattered field; numerical methods (i.e., linear equation solvers) must be applied to obtain numerical results. The calculation of the \(T\) matrix of the multiple sphere system, from which orientation averaged scattering and absorption properties can be obtained, is described. The presentation ends with a discussion on the application of the multiple sphere formulation to describing the propagation of electromagnetic waves in discretely inhomogeneous media.
Coping with Spinal Cord Injuries: Wholeness Is a State of Mind

Until the middle of the 20th century, individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) only survived a few weeks after injury in industrial countries (Kennedy, 2001). As medical and rehabilitation knowledge increased, the survival rate improved and life-spans increased after SCI. Nowadays, if proper medical care is accessible (as is usually common in high income, developed countries), an individual with SCI typically can survive the acute phases of the SCI and later become a participating and productive member of society.
Axiomatization of Qualitative Multicriteria Decision Making with the Sugeno Integral

In multicriteria decision making (MCDM), we aim at ranking multidimensional alternatives. A traditional approach is to define an appropriate aggregation operator acting over each set of values of attributes. Non-additive measures (or fuzzy measures) have been shown to be well-suited tools for this purpose. However, this was done in an ad hoc way until recently. An axiomatization of multicriteria decision making was given in a quantitative setting, using the Choquet integral for aggregation operator.
Ethacrynic acid induces reversible shape and cytoskeletal changes in cultured cells.

Cell cultures derived from trabecular meshworks of human and bovine eyes and from bovine vascular endothelia were incubated at 37°C for 1 hr with ethacrynic acid (ECA, 0.1-0.5 mmol/1) dissolved in culture medium. At 2 hr after the initial exposure, ECA at concentrations up to 0.4 mmol/1 induced a reversible alteration in cell shape in all three cell types that was coincident with a change in the staining pattern of major cytoskeletal components including actin, a-actinin, vinculin, and vimentin. Distinct progressive alterations in /9-tubulin also occurred, with initial changes observed 10 min after ECA exposure. The ECA-induced changes in tubulin were blocked in part by preincubation with taxol (which stabilizes the microtubule structure), but they appeared to differ from those occurring with nocodazole (which interferes with tubulin assembly). These results suggest the possibility that ECA-induced increases in outflow facility may be mediated by alterations in the cytoskeletons of outflow pathway cells. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 33:2631-2640,1992 Previous reports from our laboratory document substantial facility-increasing effects of various sulfhydryl (SH) agents in the monkey eye in vivo and in vitro and in bovine and human eyes in vitro. 1 " 5 Ethacrynic acid (ECA) is a SH-reactive drug that was developed originally as a systemic diuretic. 6 Morphologic studies of ECA-treated eyes show a correlation between changes in cell-cell and/or cell-substratum attachments and increased outflow facility. 3 " 5 Collectively, these studies suggest the possibility that the induced changes in the cytoskeleton of cell populations in the trabecular meshwork might have led to the increased outflow facility. Therefore, we undertook cell culture studies to assess the effect of pharmacologically active doses of ECA on cell shape and components of the cytoskeleton more directly. Our results indicate that ECA causes a dramatic reversible change in cell shape in cultured calf and human trabecular meshwork-derived cells and in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells. In addition, the shape change is preceded by disruption, and sub
Improved Longitudinal and Transverse Single-Photon Emission Computed Body Tomography Using an Anger Tomographic Scanner

An important limitation in the clinical use of single-photon emission computed body tomography has been the inaccessibility of necessary instrumentation. The system to be described here overcomes the above limitations by combining instruments which are commercially available and already found in many institutions. This combination becomes a single-photon emission computed tomography system, with capabilities for whole body screening, providing multiple longitudinal and transverse tomograms.
Helping and hindering undergraduate women's STEM motivation: experiences with STEM encouragement, STEM-related gender bias, and sexual harassment.

Prior research indicates many women either leave or pursue science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees because the social climate undermined or strengthened their motivation an...
State of the Union: Putting Boundaries on Opportunity Types

Opportunities offer promise for entrepreneurship (Shane & Venkataraman, 2000), but remain empirically elusive (Dimov, 2011). There have been many discussions of opportunities that are made or found...
Exponential Innovation through Digital Transformation

We know the three major industrial revolutions: the first one introduced steam power and mechanization, the second introduced mass production, electricity and economy-changing assembly line, and the third introduced automation, electronics and computers. With recent advances in technology, humanity has entered into a new age: new industrial revolution brings digitalization across all segments of business and life. This talk abstract focuses the definitions of the concept of digitalization and digital transformation, explains the dimensions and principles of digital transformation and covers the enablers of exponential innovation through digitalization.
Fluvastatin inhibits Rab5-mediated IKs internalization caused by chronic Ca2+-dependent PKC activation

Statins, in addition to their cholesterol lowering effects, can prevent isoprenylation of Rab GTPase proteins, a key protein family for the regulation of protein trafficking. Rab-GTPases have been shown to be involved in the control of membrane expression level of ion channels, including one of the major cardiac repolarizing channels, IKs. Decreased IKs function has been observed in a number of disease states and associated with increased propensity for arrhythmias, but the mechanism underlying IKs decrease remains elusive. Ca2+-dependent PKC isoforms (cPKC) are chronically activated in variety of human diseases and have been suggested to acutely regulate IKs function. We hypothesize that chronic cPKC stimulation leads to Rab-mediated decrease in IKs membrane expression, and that can be prevented by statins. In this study we show that chronic cPKC stimulation caused a dramatic Rab5 GTPase-dependent decrease in plasma membrane localization of the IKs pore forming subunit KCNQ1, reducing IKs function. Our data indicates fluvastatin inhibition of Rab5 restores channel localization and function after cPKC-mediated channel internalization. Our results indicate a novel statin anti-arrhythmic effect that would be expected to inhibit pathological electrical remodeling in a number of disease states associated with high cPKC activation. Because Rab-GTPases are important regulators of membrane trafficking they may underlie other statin pleiotropic effects.
Ukraine in the Stabilization Phase

The Ukrainian economy survived a difficult crisis period with output reductions and hyperinflation that rivalled, and in most cases exceeded, those observed elsewhere. Its success in curbing inflation during the stabilization period is evident, but the output record remained mediocre. The model of chapter III provides a theoretical structure within which the determinants of this economic performance can be investigated. This chapter presents empirical evidence for Ukraine based upon the predictions of that model
Carbohydrate Experiments in the Organic Laboratory: A Robust Synthesis and Modification of Thioglycosides

A robust laboratory protocol for the three-step synthesis of p-tolyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzoyl-1-thio-β-d-glucopyranoside from commercial glucose pentaacetate is reported. The previously reported procedures have been modified to accommodate laboratories and students without proper training or equipment needed to conduct air-sensitive chemistry. The educational focus is on the various considerations and reactions that are applied in protecting group strategies. The three-step synthesis is designed to be performed over two 5-hour lab sessions but can be expanded to three sessions. Purification of all compounds is performed through crystallization. The reaction products are characterized using NMR spectroscopy, thin-layer chromatography, melting point, IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and optical rotation. This newly developed protocol was performed by undergraduate students working individually in a 3000-level organic chemistry laboratory. The students generated products with high purity in acceptable yields (42–88%).