cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Depressive symptoms and carotid intima-media thickness in South American Hispanics: results from the PREVENCION study.

This study aimed to: (1) examine the relationship between depressive symptoms and subclinical atherosclerosis, measured by carotid intima–media thickness (IMT); and, (2) Determine the moderating effect of gender in this relationship among South American Hispanics. We studied 496 adults enrolled in the population-based PREVENCION study. Carotid IMT was measured with high-resolution ultrasonography. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Mean carotid IMT was 0.66 mm. (SD = 0.17) and mean depression score was 5.6 (SD = 3.5). Depressive symptoms were not associated with carotid IMT (β = 0.04, p = 0.222) in multivariate analyses. A significant moderating effect of gender was found (β for interaction = 0.10, p = 0.030), resulting from a significant association between depressive symptoms and carotid IMT in men but not women. Depressive symptoms were associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in South American Hispanic men but not women after controlling for demographic characteristics and traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
Prediction of renal end points in chronic kidney disease

Estimated glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria are dominant clinical predictors of renal outcomes in chronic kidney disease. Wong and collaborators report that BMP-7 and transforming growth factor-β1 improve risk discrimination for renal end points in type 2 diabetes. However, to develop predictive models, clearly defined, clinically meaningful, validated end points must be used. End-stage renal disease and kidney transplantation remain the most definitive renal end points, whereas doubling of serum creatinine and death from renal disease lack rigor.
A study on the control of carbon catabolite-repressed proteins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract Six proteins in the two-dimensional protein map of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were suspected of being submitted to carbon catabolite repression. The process of their induction following glucose starvation was investigated. In vivo suppression of these proteins by means of a thermosensitive mutation of the rna 1 gene, which controls the transport of RNA from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, showed that RNA synthesis is a prerequisite for their occurrence. Examination of the in vitro translation products of the mRNAs (in total RNA or from only polysome-associated RNA) extracted from glucose-fed and glucose-starved cells led to the detection of only five of these proteins. Four were detected solely among the products of the mRNAs isolated from glucose-starved cells and one also from those of glucose-fed cells. These results thus give confirmation that a control at the level of transcription is a general mechanism for carbon catabolite repression and, in addition, suggest that glucose starvation may also result in the suppression of a post-translational modification of some proteins.
Data mining in design and test processes: basic principles and promises

This talk discusses several application examples to illustrate the basic principles of applying data mining in design and test. Two types of data mining are seen in most of the applications: novelty detection and feature-based rule learning. The experience of developing a practical data mining flow is summarized. Promises are demonstrated with positive experimental results based on industrial settings.
Wavelet-based tool for medical image compression

A software module has been created in the biomedical image analysis and display package ANALYZE' which enables experimentation with 2-D and 3-D image compression based on wavelet transforms. In particular, this module allows the user to interactively determine the desired amount of compression (by viewing the results) and to interactively define specific subregions of the image that are to be preserved with full fidelity during the compression (again, viewing the results). Examples of the tool's operation and results on a variety of medical images will be presented.
Past, present and future of landscape ecology

The year of 2007 marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the International Association for Landscape Ecology (IALE) and the 20th anniversary of the founding of the journal, Landscape Ecology. In 1982, IALE was established in Piestany, Slovakia, primarily as a result of the concerted efforts by European ecologists and geographers to promote landscape research around the world. In 1987, Landscape Ecology—the official journal of IALE— was launched in cooperation with IALE as well as INTECOL (International Association for Ecology). Under the able and visionary leadership of the founding Editor-in-Chief, Frank B. Golley (Turner et al. 2007) and with the support of an elite group of editorial board members from Europe and North America, the journal started on a sound foundation. The field of landscape ecology was born as an interdisciplinary science. Carl Troll (1939, 1971) envisioned landscape ecology as the integration between ecological and geographic disciplines, and defined it as ‘‘the study of the main complex causal relationships between the life communities and their environment’’ which ‘‘are expressed regionally in a definite distribution pattern (landscape mosaic, landscape pattern)’’ (Troll 1971). As I have argued elsewhere (Wu 2006; Wu and Hobbs 2007), Troll’s conceptualization of landscape ecology embraced both the biophysical and pattern-process perspective and the holistic and humanistic perspective. These two perspectives have certainly been substantially expanded and fine-grained especially in the past 25 years. Most of the advances in theory and practice have been well reflected in the pages of the journal, Landscape Ecology. Indeed, the most salient and unambiguous goal of Landscape Ecology, since day one, has been to promote interdisciplinary and integrative studies of landscapes, especially on broad scales, not only to improve our understanding of the world of landscapes, but also to provide solutions to the plethora of problems occurring in our landscapes. In the inaugural issue of Landscape Ecology, Golley (1987) made this quite clear: ‘‘The task of correcting biospheric disorder is a universal activity, requiring information and insight from all. We intend that Landscape Ecology have this broad objective and that it be relevant to the problems that face mankind at the end of the twentieth century.’’ This interdisciplinary theme was the highlight of the most recent world congress of IALE–the 7th World Congress on Landscape Ecology, held in Wageningen, The Netherlands during July 8 and 12, 2007. During the past 20 years, the journal has flourished with a steady increase in the scope, depth, quantity, and quality of published articles, thanks to the outstanding service of the Editors-in-Chief—Frank Golley (1987–1996), Robert Gardner (1997–1999), J. Wu (&) School of Life Sciences and Global Institute of Sustainability, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA e-mail: Jingle.Wu@asu.edu
Descriptive epidemiology of contact dermatitis in a university student population.

Abstract Background: The frequency of irritant and allergic contact dermatitis has been compared in relatively few studies. Objective: This report describes the frequency of visits by university students to campus prepaid health plan dermatologists for irritant and allergic contact dermatitis compared with visits for other types of dermatitis and other skin problems. Methods: Prospective recording of specific dermatologic diagnoses was performed for all visits of students to student health service dermatologists. Diagnoses were then tabulated, rank ordered, and compared. Results: Irritant dermatitis represented 2.3% of all first visits and 1.6% of all total visits. Allergic contact dermatitis accounted for 3.1% of all first and 2.4% of all total visits. Other types of dermatitis were found in 12.5% of all first and 11.1% of all total visits. Contact dermatitis ranked first among types of dermatitis, being seen in 30.0% of first visits for dermatitis and in 27.0% of total visits for dermatitis. Conclusion: In this prospective study, contact dermatitis represented a relatively large proportion of visits for dermatitis. Slightly more allergic than irritant contact dermatitis was found. This is at variance with findings in industrial settings that irritant dermatitis generally is more common than allergic contact dermatitis.
Capturing Long-Tail Distributions of Object Subcategories

We argue that object subcategories follow a long-tail distribution: a few subcategories are common, while many are rare. We describe distributed algorithms for learning large- mixture models that capture long-tail distributions, which are hard to model with current approaches. We introduce a generalized notion of mixtures (or subcategories) that allow for examples to be shared across multiple subcategories. We optimize our models with a discriminative clustering algorithm that searches over mixtures in a distributed, "brute-force" fashion. We used our scalable system to train tens of thousands of deformable mixtures for VOC objects. We demonstrate significant performance improvements, particularly for object classes that are characterized by large appearance variation.
Modeling and matching of directly modulated diode lasers for phased-array radar applications

This paper describes laser measurement and modelling techniques pursuant to developing impedance matching networks for bandwidths over an octave. Models presented include a novel large signal model that has a measurement based nonlinear photon resistance term to induce curvature into the L-I characteristic of the laser. It is found that predicted intermodulation performance varied about 1 dB between the linear and nonlinear photon resistance models implying the dominate nonlinearity is due to the I-V characteristic of the laser. Finally, the models are used with microwave design tools to synthesize and optimize a Chebyshev impedance matching network employing a Norton equivalent transformer. The impedance matching circuit results in a simulated 10 dB improvement over resistive matching with a VSWR of less than 1.5 over the band of interest.
Matrix analysis and the friedrichs operator of a quadrature domain

Abstract The Friedrichs operator of a quadrature domain is a finite rank operator which appears in the joint diagonalization of the Bergman space scalar product and its real part, regarded as a real symmetric form. This note relates some general aspects of the theory of pairs of hermitian or symmetric forms to the specific case of the Friedrichs operator.
Allergy to protamine sulfate.

Abstract Adverse responses to protamine sulfate have been identified for many years. The antigen-antibody response to protamine sulfate results in a type I anaphylactic reaction. Manifestations of allergic reactions include hypotension, bronchospasm, and skin and mucous membrane reactions. The severity of the adverse responses may vary from mild to causing death. Several potential risk factors for adverse reactions to protamine have been identified, including insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, vasectomy, allergy to fish, prior exposure to protamine sulfate, and the rate of infusion. A case study is presented, and strategies for improving patient outcomes are discussed. (Heart Lung ® 1999;28:418-28)
Evolutionary facial feature selection

With the growing number of acquired physiological and behavioral biometric samples, biometric data sets are experiencing tremendous growth. As database sizes increase, exhaustive identification searches by matching with entire biometric feature sets become computationally unmanageable. An evolutionary facial feature selector chooses a set of features from prior contextual or meta face features that reduces the search space. This paper discusses and shows the results of an evolutionary computing approach with agglomerative k-means cluster spaces as input parameters into a LDA evaluation function to select facial features from the Carnegie Mellon University Pose, Illumination, and Expression database of human faces (PIE).
On models and muddles of heritability

One reason for the astonishing persistence of the IQ myth in the face of overwhelming prior and posterior odds against it may be the unbroken chain of excessive heritability claims for ‘intelligence’, which IQ tests are supposed to ‘measure’. However, if, as some critics insist, ‘intelligence’ is undefined, and Spearman's g is beset with numerous problems, not the least of which is universal rejection of Spearman's model by the data, then how can the heritability of ‘intelligence’ exceed that of milk production of cows and egg production of hens? The thesis of the present review paper is that the answer to this riddle has two parts: (a) the technical basis of heritability claims for human behavior is just as shaky as that of Spearman's g. For example, a once widely used ‘heritability estimate’ turns out to be mathematically invalid, while another such estimate, though mathematically valid, never fits any data; and (b) valid technical criticisms of flawed heritability claims typically are met with stubborn editorial resistance in the main stream journals, which tends to calcify such misinformation.
Development of new ribbons and webbings for high performance parachutes

Development of a 46 ft ribbon parachute required design of new and improved narrow fabrics. These included a lightweight, low porosity, 550 lb reinforced selvage nylon ribbon; a low porosity 1000 lb nylon ribbon; and a 2400 lb Kevlar webbing. Tensile elongation, lateral contraction, and other mechanical properties were measured as a function of load at room and elevated temperature to evaluate the fabrics and determine possible sources of parachute porosity variation. The property changes were too small to cause the parachute porosity to change significantly during deployment. Broken fill yarns observed in some Kevlar suspension line webbing after parachute deployment led to high rate loading tests to investigate conditions that might cause fill breakage. It was shown that fill damage did not reduce the strength of Kevlar suspension lines.
Isolation and Functional Analysis of a Keratinocyte-Derived, Ligand-Regulated Nuclear Receptor Comodulator

Keratinocyte (KC) gene expression is regulated by members of the nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily including retinoic acid receptors, retinoid X receptors (RAR and RXR, respectively), and peroxisome proliferator activated receptors (PPAR). In addition to ligand, NR transcriptional activity is controlled by interaction with proteins, collectively known as coregulators, which function as corepressors or coactivators. To improve our understanding of coregulators expressed in epidermis, we screened a KC cDNA library for PPARα-interacting proteins. The screen yielded previously unknown proteins including one we named COPR1, for comodulator of PPAR and RXR. COPR1 and its longer variant COPR2 target the AF-2 domains of NR but exhibit quantitative differences in their functional interactions with RAR, RXRα and PPAR. They decrease but do not completely repress the activity of RXRα and PPARα because of a proline-acid-rich autonomous activation domain. An NR box motif contributes to but is not solely responsible for functional and physical association with RXRα. The activation domain, their relatively small size (COPR1, 26.9 kDa; COPR2, 32.4 kDa), and strict dependence on AF-2 for interaction distinguish COPR1 and COPR2 from the SMRT/NCoR type of corepressor and may represent a means of control that dampens rather than completely represses NR-mediated gene expression.
The spectrum of ozone during formation by recombination

Abstract Significant changes in the spectrum of ozone are observed in the region of the Hartley band in systems in which ozone is being formed by rapid recombination of O( 3 P) + O 2 ( 3 Σg). These changes are shown to be attributable to vibrational excitation of ozone, as opposed to a metastable electronic state. This does not rule out formation of an unobserved metastable state as an intermediate. A preliminary analysis of the vibrational relaxation indicates a relative bias against processes which change the symmetric-stretching quantum number in the lower energy levels.
Application of Fracture Mechanics Method to Offshore Structural Crack Instability Analysis

균열불안정 해석법인 COD 설계곡선법과 R6파괴 평가도법에 있어서 그 응용 한계의 확립과 타당성 수준의 정량화를 위해 포괄적인 비교 연구가 수행되었다. 참고로서 J-적분 균열불안정성 해석법이 이용되었다. 본 연구의 결과로서, 균열확장의 유무에 대한 R6 파괴 평가도법이 매우 우수한 방법임을 보여준다. COD 설계곡선법에 대한 영국 표준국 순서에 따른 결과로서는, 큰 스캐터 밴드를 가진 상당량의 부당성해를 보여준다. 이러한 COD 설계곡선법의 해를 개선하기 위한 새로운 접근법이 개발되었고, 그 타당성이 입증되었다.
Dielectrophoresis-based cell manipulation using electrodes on a reusable printed circuit board.

Particle manipulation based on dielectrophoresis (DEP) can be a versatile and useful tool in lab-on-chip systems for a wide range of cell patterning and tissue engineering applications. Even though there are extensive reports on the use of DEP for cell patterning applications, the development of approaches that make DEP even more affordable and common place is still desirable. In this study, we present the use of interdigitated electrodes on a printed circuit board (PCB) that can be reused to manipulate and position HeLa cells and polystyrene particles over 100 µm thick glass cover slips using DEP. An open-well or a closed microfluidic channel, both made of PDMS, was placed on the glass coverslip, which was then placed directly over the PCB. An AC voltage was applied to the electrodes on the PCB to induce DEP on the particles through the thin glass coverslip. The HeLa cells patterned with DEP were subsequently grown to confirm the lack of any adverse affects from the electric fields. This alternative and reusable platform for DEP particle manipulation can provide a convenient and rapid method for prototyping a DEP-based lab-on-chip system, cost-sensitive lab-on-chip applications, and a wide range of tissue engineering applications.
Thermoluminescent spectra and optical absorption in CaSO4:Dy

The CaSO4:Dy TL emission spectrum between 400 nm and 800 nm is studied using real-time spectroscopy. The emission spectrum is found to be independent of exposure between 460 R and 104 R, and in the temperature range between room temperature and 400 degrees C the TL emission spectrum is solely the result of characteristic trivalent Dy transitions. Optical absorption bands observed in CaSO4:Dy are correlated with optical transition of the Dy2+ and Dy3+ ions to determine that Dy3+ is photo-reduced during irradiation and oxidised during subsequent heating. The effect of thermal treatments on the behaviour of the SO3- and SO4- radicals produced by ionising radiation, as determined in independent ESR results, is discussed in terms of the concurrent changes in the Dy impurity that results in the thermally stimulated release of luminescence. It is concluded that the model of the TL process most consistent with the various experimental results is one in which the Dy impurity acts as an electron trap, with charge recombination at the radical sites resulting in energy transfer to Dy3+ ions which de-excite by luminescent emission.
On the commutant algebras corresponding to the permutation representations of the full collineation groups of PG(k, s) and EG(k, s), s = pr, k ⩾ 2☆

Abstract In this paper, the dimension t and a linear basis of the commutant algebra corresponding to the representation of the full collineation group as matrices permuting the flags (incident point-line or point-hyperplane pairs) have been determined for each one of the four geometries PG(2, s), EG(2, s), PG(k, s), and EG(k, s), s = pr, k ⩾ 3. For the four geometries, t = 6, 7, 7, and 8, respectively, and the corresponding linear bases are (I, G, B, T, BT, TB), (I, G, B, T, BT, TB, BTB), (I, G, B, T, BT, TB, S), and (I, G, B, T, BT, TB, BTB, S). I, G, B, T are the relationship matrices of James (Ann. Math. Statist. 28 (1957), 993–1082) and the matrix S was introduced by Sysoev and Shaikin (Avtomat. i Telemekh. 5 (1976), 64–73).
Assessing patient outcomes with higher hematocrit levels

Abstract Quality improvement theory teaches that, as providers of health care, physicians must determine and then meet the needs of their primary customers, the patients and prayers. The needs of patinets and payers are met and measured by the outcome of services and treatments delivered by providers to patients. In general, outcomes fall into three main categories: clinical, financial, and patient based. All parties within the end-stage renal disease (ESRD) community seek the best value (quality/cost) when receiving, delivering, or paying for ESRD services. Because there is not yet a consensus on the definition(s) of quality in the care of ESRD patients, a determination of value remains largely cost dependent. Thus payers, who have no easy or reliable way to compare the quality of providers, base many of their decisions on the best available price. Patient-based outcomes include the assessment of patient satisfaction and health status (health-related quality of life). These outcomes broaden the perspective on quality of care beyond the clinical and laboratory measures traditionally used in the ESRD Program. The assessment of these otucomes can give providers additional insights into the burdens of renal failure and its treatment on the lives of their patients. This information then can be used to design or modify the services provided. Physicians are required to provide high-quality, effective, appropriat, and cost-efficient services. How to meet the often conflicting outcome needs of payers and patients remains a significant challenge. It is essential that all within the ESRD community reach some agreement on the operational definition(s) of quality process and outcome indicators. A common understanding of what is of value of payers, patients, and providers can provide the impetus to move the competition within managed care from price to quality.
Thyroid hormone control of erythrocyte 2,3-diphosphoglyceric acid concentrations

A biphasic thyroid hormonal effect has been shown on 2,3-diphosphoglyceric acid synthesis in a crude enzyme, hemoglobin-free preparation from normal human erythrocytes.
Differential thermoelectric power of dilute Fe in Cu-rich CuNi alloys☆

Abstract Data for related pairs of alloys over the range 1.5 ⩽T ⩽ 300 K have been fit with a sum of two expression. One expression, due to Fe-nucleated Ni-clusters, produces a Ni-deficiency effect. The other expression, exhibiting a broad low temperature minimum, is an s-d exchange model expression, containing both spin and potential scattering contributions.
Cloning and Characterization of an Essential Saccharomyces cerevisiae Gene, TAF40, Which Encodes yTAFII40, an RNA Polymerase II-specific TATA-binding Protein-associated Factor

Abstract In this report we describe the cloning and initial characterization of TAF40, a gene that encodes a yeast TATA-binding protein-associated factor (yTAF) of Mr = ∼40,000. This gene has many similarities to other yTAFs described thus far in that it is present at a single copy per haploid genome, it is essential for viability, and the deduced protein sequence of yTAF40 exhibits similarity to previously described human and Drosophila TAFIIs. Immunological studies confirm that yTAF40 protein is a subunit of a large multiprotein TATA-binding protein-TAF complex that contains a subset of the total number of the yTAFs present in yeast cell extracts. Transcription reactions performed using yeast whole cell extracts reveal that of the three nuclear RNA polymerases only RNA polymerase II function is abrogated when yTAF40 and associated proteins are immunodepleted from solution, indicating that the functionality of the multiprotein complex containing yTAF40 is RNA polymerase II-specific. By these criteria yTAF40 appears to encode a bona fide RNA polymerase II-specific TAF, and thus the protein that it encodes has been termed yTAFII40.
Evaluation and management of plateau iris syndrome: case report and review.

Background This article documents a case of plateau iris syndrome and provides a review of the current concepts regarding the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of this condition. Case Report A patient who had patent peripheral iridotomies O.D. and O.S. to treat previous episodes of acute angle closure came to clinic with unilaterally elevated intraocular pressures, narrow anterior chamber angles, and a flat iris configuration. The patient was diagnosed with plateau iris syndrome. Conclusions The clinician must be aware of, and be able to distinguish, the clinical signs that are characteristic of plateau iris syndrome. An understanding of the mechanisms involved in the development of this type of primary angle closure may facilitate its appropriate diagnosis and management.
Comparative Immunoreactivity of CO-68 and HMB-45 in Malignant Melanoma, Neural Tumors and Nevi

The monoclonal antibody CD 68 (KP 1) reacts with fibrohistiocytic and some epithelial neoplasms; its reactivity compared with that of HMB 45 in malignant melanoma (MM) and neural tumors needs further elucidation. Using a streptavidin-biotin-immunoperoxidase procedure, we examined the reactivity of 65 MM (46 conventional, 1 polypoid, 6 desmoplastic [DMM], and 12 metastatic), 21 neurofibromas, 1 neurofibrosarcoma, 10 schwannomas, 1 perineurioma, 2 neurothekeomas, and 14 blue and 26 other nevi for CD-68, HMB-45-defined antigen, S 100 and neurofilament protein. A positive staining for CD 68 was observed in 38 of 42 primary, 5 of 6 DMM, and 11 of 12 metastatic melanomas; 6 of 10 schwannomas; 5 of 10 nevi with junctional component and all 14 blue nevi. All 21 neurofibromas, 1 each neurofibrosarcoma and perineurioma, both neurothekeomas, and all 12 nevi with dermal component were CD 68-negative. HBM 45 was expressed by all 44 primary, none of 6 DMM, and 7 of 12 metastatic melanomas; by none of 10 schwannomas, 6 neurofibromas, 1 neurofibrosarcoma, 1 perineurioma and 2 neurothekeomas. Both junctional nevi, 8 of 10 nevi with junctional components, 1 of 10 dermal components of junctional nevi, and 11 of 13 blue nevi were also HMB 45 positive. Except for 1 perineurioma, S 100 decorated all tumors examined. NF was immunoreactive in 1 of 45 conventional melanomas, 2 of 21 neurofibromas, 2 of 10 schwannomas, and 3 of 10 blue nevi; it was non-reactive in all polypoid, desmoplastic and metastatic melanomas; neurofibrosarcoma, perineurioma, neurothekeoma and other nevi. We conclude that the CD-68-reactivity in primary melanomas, neurofibromas, neurofibrosarcomas, perineuriomas, and nevi was similar to that of HMB 45. The significantly higher CD 68-positivity than of HMB 45 in metastatic and desmoplastic melanomas and schwannomas may be of diagnostic value.
Anxiolytic effects of smoking associated with four stressors.

Abstract There is a widespread belief that cigarette smoking alleviates stress. The literature reveals conflicting results on the anxiolytic effects of smoking. This study was designed to replicate a report that smoking (a) reduced subjective anxiety induced by stressful anagrams and (b) increased pain threshold for a cold pain task. This study ( N = 15) included two other stressors: white noise and an auditory vigilance task. A significant Time × Condition (smoking vs. deprived) interaction was found for Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory scores in the anagram task. A borderline significant interaction effect was found for the cold pain task. No significant effects were found with the two other tasks. These results provide partial support for the popular notion that smoking mitigates stress-induced anxiety. No difference was found between the smoking and deprived conditions for either pain threshold or pain endurance.
Hepatic estrogen receptor in the turtle, Chrysemys picta: Partial characterization, seasonal changes and pituitary dependence

Abstract A hepatic estrogen receptor is described from female turtles, Chrysemys picta. The receptor adheres to DNA after incubation with [3H]estradiol and can be eluted with a linear salt gradient as a single component with an elution maximum of 0.21 M. It is steroid-specific, binding estrogens, but not androgens or progestins. Specific binding saturates between 3 and 7nM [3H]estradiol-17β and Scatchard analysis gave a Kd of 2 × 10−9 M and a maximal binding capacity of 3.02 fmol/mg protein. Hypophysectomy reduces hepatic estradiol receptor from 70 fmol/g tissue in control animals to non-detectable levels. Growth hormone replacement partially restored the receptor to 36% of control. Significant changes in receptor occur during the ovarian cycle.
HIGH-FREQUENCY MECHANICAL VENTILATION OF LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS WITH RESPIRATORY FAILURE FROM HYALINE MEMBRANE DISEASE: 92% SURVIVAL

HIGH-FREQUENCY MECHANICAL VENTILATION OF LOW-BIRTH-WEIGHT INFANTS WITH RESPIRATORY FAILURE FROM HYALINE MEMBRANE DISEASE: 92% SURVIVAL
Disparities in Endoscopy Use for Colorectal Cancer Screening in the United States

It is well established that disparities exist for colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence rates and death. With screening, death from CRC may be considered a preventable occurrence. Endoscopy (flexible sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy) is the only modality with therapeutic benefit of removal of pre-cancerous polyps. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act mandated that preventive screening services be covered, which includes endoscopy for colon cancer screening. Recent federal rules have eliminated cost sharing for polyp removal during screening colonoscopy in privately insured patients; however, this has not been mandated for Medicare patients. Understanding the current state of disparities in endoscopy use is important, as these policy changes will affect millions of patients. The purpose of this literature review was to summarize the known research on disparities in endoscopy use for colon cancer screening in the United States and highlight areas for future research.
Addendum to "Noise factor and antenna gains in the signal/noise equation for over-the-horizon radar"

The definition of q and vT in the eqn. (7) of the above article (see ibid, vol. 27, no. 6 (Nov. 1991)), is modified. >
The ecology of Malware

The fight against malicious software (or malware, which includes everything from worms to viruses to botnets) is often viewed as an "arms race." Conventional wisdom is that we must continually "raise the bar" for the malware creators. However, the multitude of malware has itself evolved into a complex environment, and properties not unlike those of ecological systems have begun to emerge. This may include competition between malware, facilitation, parasitism, predation, and density-dependent population regulation. Ecological principles will likely be useful for understanding the effects of these ecological interactions, for example, carrying capacity, species-time and species-area relationships, the unified neutral theory of biodiversity, and the theory of island bio-geography. The emerging malware ecology can be viewed as a critical challenge to all aspects of malware defense, including collection, triage, analysis, intelligence estimates, detection, mitigation, and forensics. It can also be viewed as an opportunity.In this position paper, we argue that taking an ecological approach to malware defense will suggest new defenses. In particular, we can exploit the fact that interactions of malware with its environment, and with other malware, are neither fully predictable nor fully controllable by the malware author--yet the emergent behavior will follow general ecological principles that can be exploited for malware defense.
Robust stability bounds for discrete system reduced-order dynamic compensator designs

Stability robustness is discussed for optimal reduced-order dynamic compensator designs for linear discrete systems. Robust stability of the controller design in the presence of perturbations (modeling errors) of the system matrices is investigated. These results are based on a recently developed bound on elemental (structured) time-varying perturbations of an asymptotically stable linear time-invariant discrete-time system. The system and compensator equations are combined into an augmented homogeneous state equation. The augmented perturbation matrix is determined, and the perturbation bound is applied. Simple examples illustrate these results. >
Trends in health care financial burdens, 2001 to 2009.

Context: Over the past decade, health care spending increased faster than GDP and income, and decreasing affordability is cited as contributing to personal bankruptcies and as a reason that some of the nonelderly population is uninsured. We examined the trends in health care affordability over the past decade, measuring the financial burdens associated with health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket costs and highlighting implications of the Affordable Care Act for the future financial burdens of particular populations. Methods: We used cross sections of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component (MEPS-HC) from 2001 to 2009. We defined financial burden at the health insurance unit (HIU) level and calculated it as the ratio of expenditures on health care—employer-sponsored insurance coverage (ESI) and private nongroup premiums and out-of-pocket payments—to modified adjusted gross income. Findings: The median health care financial burden grew on average by 2.7% annually and by 21.9% over the period. Using a range of definitions, the fraction of households facing high financial burdens increased significantly. For example, the share of HIUs with health care expenses exceeding 10% of income increased from 35.9% to 44.8%, a 24.8% relative increase. The share of the population in HIUs with health care financial burdens between 2% and 10% fell, and the share with burdens between 10% and 44% rose. Conclusions: We found a clear trend over the past decade toward an increasing share of household income devoted to health care. The ACA will affect health care spending for subgroups of the population differently. Several groups’ burdens will likely decrease, including those becoming eligible for Medicaid or subsidized private insurance and those with expensive medical conditions. Those newly obtaining coverage might increase their health spending relative to income, but they will gain access to care and the ability to spread their expenditures over time, both of which have demonstrable economic value.
Experimental measurements of the radiation characteristics of Anabaena variabilis ATCC 29413-U and Rhodobacter sphaeroides ATCC 49419

The objective of this study is to experimentally measure the radiation characteristics of hydrogen producing microorganisms. Special attention is paid to the filamentous cyanobacteria Anabaena variabilis ATCC 29413-U and the unicellular purple bacteria Rhodobacter sphaeroides ATCC 49419 two of the widely studied photobiological hydrogen producers. The extinction and absorption coefficients are measured in the spectral range from 300 to 1300 nm using a spectrophotometer with and without an integrating sphere. Moreover, a nephelometer has been constructed to measure the scattering phase function of the microorganisms at 632.8 nm. The data are used to recover the mass specific absorption, scattering, and extinction cross-sections, the single scattering albedo, and the scattering phase function of the microorganisms. The scattering phase functions of both microorganisms were peaked strongly in the forward direction as expected from their size parameter and shape. The results reported in this study can be used with the radiative transport equation (RTE) to accurately predict and optimize light transport in photobioreactors for photobiological hydrogen production. Finally, the results show that absorption cross-sections of A. variabilis and R. sphaeroides have peaks that do not overlap but rather enlarge the spectral width of the absorption cross-section of a potential symbiotic culture promising more efficient utilization of solar radiation from light transfer point of view. 2007 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
A natural history of the human mind: tracing evolutionary changes in brain and cognition

Since the last common ancestor shared by modern humans, chimpanzees and bonobos, the lineage leading to Homo sapiens has undergone a substantial change in brain size and organization. As a result, modern humans display striking differences from the living apes in the realm of cognition and linguistic expression. In this article, we review the evolutionary changes that occurred in the descent of Homo sapiens by reconstructing the neural and cognitive traits that would have characterized the last common ancestor and comparing these with the modern human condition. The last common ancestor can be reconstructed to have had a brain of approximately 300-400 g that displayed several unique phylogenetic specializations of development, anatomical organization, and biochemical function. These neuroanatomical substrates contributed to the enhancement of behavioral flexibility and social cognition. With this evolutionary history as precursor, the modern human mind may be conceived as a mosaic of traits inherited from a common ancestry with our close relatives, along with the addition of evolutionary specializations within particular domains. These modern human-specific cognitive and linguistic adaptations appear to be correlated with enlargement of the neocortex and related structures. Accompanying this general neocortical expansion, certain higher-order unimodal and multimodal cortical areas have grown disproportionately relative to primary cortical areas. Anatomical and molecular changes have also been identified that might relate to the greater metabolic demand and enhanced synaptic plasticity of modern human brain's. Finally, the unique brain growth trajectory of modern humans has made a significant contribution to our species' cognitive and linguistic abilities.
How to modify a neural network gradually without changing its input-output functionality

It is generally unknown when distinct neural networks having different synaptic weights and thresholds implement identical input-output transformations. Determining the exact conditions for structurally distinct yet functionally equivalent networks may shed light on the theoretical constraints on how diverse neural circuits might develop and be maintained to serve identical functions. Such consideration also imposes practical limits on our ability to uniquely infer the structure of underlying neural circuits from stimulus-response measurements. We introduce a biologically inspired mathematical method for determining when the structure of a neural network can be perturbed gradually while preserving functionality. We show that for common three-layer networks with convergent and nondegenerate connection weights, this is possible only when the hidden unit gains are power functions, exponentials, or logarithmic functions, which are known to approximate the gains seen in some biological neurons. For practical applications, our numerical simulations with finite and noisy data show that continuous confounding of parameters due to network functional equivalence tends to occur approximately even when the gain function is not one of the aforementioned three types, suggesting that our analytical results are applicable to more general situations and may help identify a common source of parameter variability in neural network modeling.
Prevalence and consequences of disaster-related illness and injury from Hurricane Ike.

Objective: To explore the extent to which disasters may be a source of injury and disability in community populations, we examined the prevalence and short-term consequences of disaster-related illness and injury for distress, disability, and perceived needs for care. Design: A random population survey was conducted 2-6 months after Hurricane Ike struck Galveston Bay on September 13, 2008. Participants: The sample was composed of 658 adults representative of Galveston and Chambers Counties, Texas. Results: The prevalences of personal injury (4%) and household illness (16%) indicated that approximately 7,700 adults in the two-county area were injured, and another 31,500 adults experienced household-level illness. Risk for injury/illness increased with area damage and decreased with evacuation. In bivariate tests, injury or illness or both were related to all outcome measures. In multivariate analyses that controlled for co-occurring stressors representing trauma, loss, adversities, and community effects, injury or illness or both were associated with global stress, posttraumatic stress, dysfunction, days of disability, and perceived needs for care, but not with depression or anxiety. Conclusions: The associations of injury with distress and disability suggest that community programs should reach out to injured persons for early mental health and functional assessments and, where indicated, intervene in ways that reduce further disability and need for complex rehabilitative services. The results also point to the potential effectiveness of evacuation incentives with regard to the prevention of disaster-related injury and disability. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Ferumoxtran-10, A Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide as a Magnetic Resonance Enhancement Agent for Imaging Lymph Nodes: A Phase 2 Dose Study

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Dextran-coated ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide ferumoxtran-10 (Combidex) is used in reticuloendothelial MR imaging. Our purpose was to determine the optimal dose and imaging time for lymph node evaluation. MATERIALS: Twenty-four healthy volunteers underwent neck MR imaging before and 6, 12, 24, and 36 hours after receiving 1.1, 1.7, 2.6, or 3.4 mg Fe/kg ferumoxtran-10. Vital signs, serum and urine levels, and adverse events were monitored. Qualitative nodal architecture, size, and signal-intensity changes were assessed on T1-, T2-, and T2*-weighted (fast field-echo 25° or 80° flip angle [FFE-25 or FFE-80]) images. Region-of-interest intensities were measured quantitatively. RESULTS: Consistently strong enhancement in normal nodes was found with 24- and 36-hour T2- and T2*-weighted imaging after 2.6 and 3.4 mg Fe/kg doses. No serious adverse events occurred. With 2.6 mg Fe/kg, unblinded (vs blinded) specificities at 24 and 36 hours, respectively, were 100% and 100% (vs 88% and 88%) with T2-weighted, 96% and 96% (vs 73% and 85%) with FFE-25, and 100% and 92% (vs 85% and 88%) with FFE-80 sequences. With 3.4 mg Fe/kg, unblinded (vs blinded) specificities at 24 and 36 hours, respectively, were 89% and 79% (vs 75% and 75%) with T2-weighted, 84% and 79% (vs 95% and 100%) with FFE-25, and 95% and 79% (vs 95% and 80%) with FFE-80 sequences. CONCLUSION: Ferumoxtran-10 nodal imaging appears to be effective and safe. Signal intensity and specificity for normal nodes were best 24 or 36 hours after 2.6 and 3.4 mg Fe/kg doses. Nodal conspicuity was best with T2- and T2*-weighted sequences.
An Ubiquitous and Intelligent Energy-Saving Information Processing and Supporting System

This paper discusses how to go through various sensors to detect degrees of intensity, temperature, illuminance, carbon dioxide, and consumption power of every electrical facility in electricity operating environments, at the same time, the received information was returned to the proposed agent system with the ZigBee and Bluetooth communication protocols. The preliminary system development and corresponding displays show the research results are extremely fine.
Estimating value in a uniform auction

Consider an auction in which increasing bids are made in sequence on an object whose value θ is known to each bidder. Suppose n bids are received, and the distribution of each bid is conditionally uniform. More specifically, suppose the first bid X1 is uniformly distributed on [0, θ], and the ith bid is uniformly distributed on [Xi−1, θ] for i = 2, …, n. A scenario in which this auction model is appropriate is described. We assume that the value θ is un known to the statistician and must be esimated from the sample X1, X2, …, Xn. The best linear unbiased estimate of θ is derived. The invariance of the estimation problem under scale transformations in noted, and the best invariant estimation problem under scale transformations is noted, and the best invariant estimate of θ under loss L(θ, a) = [(a/θ) − 1]2 is derived. It is shown that this best invariant estimate has uniformly smaller mean-squared error than the best linear unbiased estimate, and the ratio of the mean-squared errors is estimated from simulation experiments. A Bayesian formulation of the estimation problem is also considered, and a class of Bayes estimates is explicitly derived.
Signal source estimation in sensor networks

We consider the problem of estimating a signal source, modeled as random parameter(s), at a fusion center (FC) based on measurements collected from a sensor network with bandwidth constraint. Each sensor compresses its measurement and sends the information at a finite rate to the FC, whose task is to reconstruct the source. Utilizing the principle of coding with side information we propose a practically simple sequential encoding/decoding scheme that takes advantage of the correlation across sensors' measurement to reduce total transmission rate. The proposed scheme does not require the knowledge of correlation model at the sensors, and it allows incremental improvement in source estimation quality, as the FC collects data from sensors in a pre-determined order. For the proposed scheme we study the relationship between the sequential order, the rate allocation among sensors, and the observation channel quality for each sensor, that lead to enhanced source estimation accuracy.
Attaining information literacy: An investigation of the relationship between skill level, self-estimates of skill, and library anxiety

Abstract Competency theory predicts a miscalibration between students' self-assessments of their information literacy skills and their actual skill level. This study investigates whether such a disparity is evident among incoming freshmen who test as non-proficient on a standardized test of information literacy. In addition, this study analyzes Information Literacy Test scores and library anxiety test scores to provide preliminary data on whether library anxiety is related to information literacy skill attainment. Findings reveal that the relationship between information literacy skills and self-assessments predicted by competency theory are evident in the domain of information literacy. This study did not find an association between information literacy skill scores and total library anxiety scores. However, a significant negative correlation between information literacy scores and the subscale “knowledge of the library” indicates that as information literacy scores rise, anxiety scores related to a lack of knowledge of the library fall. The findings suggest that traditional information literacy instruction may not be effective with non-proficient students, who are unlikely to see themselves as needing or benefiting from such instruction.
Invisibly at risk: Low-income students in a middle- and upper-class world

Women's studies programs, multicultural centers, and organizations to support gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students are campus fixtures. Few now question diversity's contribution to the ...
Results and prospects for the measurement of muon (g − 2)

Abstract The status of the Brookhaven-based muon ( g − 2) experiment, E821 is presented, along with possibilities for future improvements. Four of the five data sets are now published, which have produced a value for a μ + with a relative precision of ±0.7 parts per million. The final data collected using μ − is being analyzed, and the result is expected early in 2004.