cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genome-wide increased copy number is associated with emergence of super-fit clones of the Irish potato famine pathogen Phytophthora infestans

Abstract The plant pathogen that caused the Irish potato famine, Phytophthora infestans, continues to reemerge globally. These modern epidemics are caused by clonally reproducing lineages. In contrast, a sexual mode of reproduction is observed at its center of origin in Mexico. We conducted a comparative genomic analysis of 47 high coverage genomes to infer changes in genic copy number. We included samples from sexual populations at the center of origin as well as several dominant clonal lineages sampled worldwide. We conclude that sexual populations at the center of origin are diploid as was the lineage that caused the famine, while modern clonal lineages showed increased copy number (3x). Copy number variation (CNV) was found genome-wide and did not to adhere to the two-speed genome hypothesis. Although previously reported, tetraploidy was not found in any of the genomes evaluated. We propose a model of super-fit clone emergence supported by the epidemiological record (e.g., EU_13_A2, US-11, US-23) whereby higher copy number provides fitness leading to replacement of prior clonal lineages.
Real-World Experience of the Sentinel Cerebral Protection Device: Insights From the FDA Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) Database.

Abstract Background/purpose The Sentinel Cerebral Protection System (Boston Scientific, Marlborough, Massachusetts) is indicated for use as a cerebral protection device to capture and remove embolic material during transcatheter aortic valve procedures and was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2017. Robust data on the most commonly reported complications and modes of failure associated with the Sentinel device are limited. Methods/materials We analyzed postmarketing surveillance data from the FDA Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database from 2017 through 2019, yielding 43 reports. Results Of the 43 reports of major complications involving Sentinel devices, 23 involved either death (3) or injury (20) related to the device. The 3 deaths were due to stroke, while 18 of the 20 injuries were reported as stroke. The other 20 reports were related to device modes of failure. Modes of failure were due to damaged device (5), difficulty retrieving/resheathing the device (5); package contamination (4), difficulty deploying the device (3), and, finally, complications with preparation (3). Conclusions Our analysis of the MAUDE database demonstrates that in real-world practice, the Sentinel Cerebral Protection System may be associated with complications, including death, stroke, vascular injury , and difficulties with the device itself. The MAUDE database serves as an important tool for both physicians and manufacturers to optimize performance and clinical outcomes.
Barriers to Kidney Transplant Evaluation in HIV‐Positive Patients with Advanced Kidney Disease: A Single‐Center Study

Background HIV-positive kidney transplant (KT) recipients have similar outcomes to HIV-negative recipients. However, HIV-positive patients with advanced kidney disease might face additional barriers to initiating the KT evaluation process. We sought to characterize comorbidities, viral control and management, viral resistance, and KT evaluation appointment rates in a cohort of KT evaluation-eligible HIV-positive patients. Methods We included patients seen between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2015, at a primary care HIV clinic who met KT evaluation eligibility by an estimated glomerular filtration rate ≤20 mL/min/1.73 meters2 or dialysis dependence. The primary outcome was a documented appointment for KT evaluation. Results Of 3735 patients evaluated at the HIV primary clinic during the study period, 42 (1.6%) were KT evaluation-eligible patients. The median age was 47 years, 77% were male, and 95%, black. Median CD4 count was 328 cells/mm3 (IQR 175-461). Among the 63% percent with antiretroviral therapy (ART) prescription, 40% had viral loads >200 copies. Among patients with HIV resistance profiles (50%, n = 21), 52% had resistance to at least one class of ART. A majority (60%, n = 25) were scheduled for KT evaluation appointment, but of those, only 8% (n = 2) had evidence of appointments before dialysis dependence. Those without appointments had more schizophrenia (29% vs 4%, P = .02), resistance (78% vs 33%, P = .04), ART prescription (76% vs 48%, P = .04), and more kidney disease of unknown etiology (53% vs 8%, P = .02). Conclusion Kidney transplant evaluation-eligible HIV-positive patients had a high rate of evaluation appointments, but a low rate of preemptive evaluation appointments. Schizophrenia and viral resistance disproportionally affected patients without evaluation appointments. These data precede the recommendation for universal ART for all HIV+ patients, regardless of CD4 count and viral load, and must be interpreted in the context of this limitation.
Time-dependent density-functional theory of high-order harmonic generation from noble-gas atoms driven by orthogonally polarized two-color laser fields

An orthogonally polarized two-color (OTC) field of frequency ratio $1:2$ is known to generate both odd and even harmonic spectra in the mutually orthogonal directions of the fundamental and the second-harmonic fields, respectively. Recollision angles of an ionized electron driven back to its parent ion by an OTC field are inferred from the intensity ratio of odd and even harmonics, where the relative phase delays between the two-color fields can be used in time-resolved measurements on a subcycle time scale. In this work, we present the ab initio, many-electron calculation of time-resolved recollision angles of noble-gas atoms driven by an OTC field, based on the time-dependent density-functional theory. Our results agree well with experimental data by Shafir et al. in Nat. Phys. 5, 412 (2009) of helium atom and New J. Phys. 12, 073032 (2010) of neon atom.
Video-rate acquisition fluorescence microscopy via generative adversarial networks

Laser scanning microscopy is a powerful imaging modality ideal for monitoring spatial and temporal dynamics in both in vitro and in vivo models. To accurately resolve dynamic changes, particular to the neuroimaging field, fast acquisition rates are in great need. Unfortunately, the video-rate acquisition required to capture these changes comes with a trade-off between resolution, high spatial distortion, and low signal-to-noise ratio due to the electronics and Poisson noise. By combining microscopy fast acquisition methods with a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN), we show here, for the first time, that video-rate image acquisition, up to 20x the speed of equivalent standard high resolution acquisition, can be obtained without significant reduction in image quality. Specifically, we present a GAN based training approach that is able to simultaneously 1) super-resolve, 2) denoise and 3) correct distortion on fast scanning acquisition microscopy images. In addition, we show that our method generalizes on unseen data, requires minimal ground truth images for training and can easily be fine-tuned on different biological samples.
SDR-based PHY Characterization of Zigbee Devices

We demonstrate characterization of Zigbee devices at the physical layer using commodity software-defined radio (SDR) hardware and an open-source software testbed setup. Using this testbed, we run different types of experiments to characterize and distinguish between the performance of four Zigbee devices. Receiver sensitivity experiments show that the devices exhibit differences of up to 2-3 dB in terms of their reception capability. Interframe spacing and capture experiments demonstrate the ability to conduct fine-grained timing experiments, craft multi-packet transmissions, and derive devicespecific reception curves. The results of this paper complement previous work on Wi-Fi and illustrate the flexibility of our SDR-based testbed to serve as as a cross-protocol evaluation platform.
Complications and Readmissions Associated with First Assistant Training Level Following Elective Bariatric Surgery.

Little is known regarding the variation in training level and potential clinical impact of the first assistant in bariatric surgery. We describe the postoperative 30-day complications and readmissions following elective bariatric procedures by training level of the first assistant. The ACS-MBSAQIP database was queried to identify patients who underwent elective sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-En-Y gastric bypass, duodenal switch, band placement, and revision from 2015 to 2016. Patients were divided into cohorts based on training level of the first assistant (attending, fellow, resident, physician assistant/nurse practitioner, none). Outcomes included 30-day death or serious morbidity (DSM) and readmission. Multivariable logistic regression models, adjusting for patient and procedure characteristics, were estimated to examine differences in outcomes by first assistant training level. Of 410,535 procedures performed between 2015 and 2016, the training level of the first assistant included 21.3% attending, 8.7% fellow, 16.5% resident, 37.6% PA/NP, and 15.9% none. Operative time was significantly longer in the fellow and resident first assistant cohorts when compared with all other cohorts. Overall rates of 30-day DSM were low, ranging from 3.2 to 3.8%, while 30-day readmission rates ranged from 5.1 to 5.9%. Following adjustment for patient characteristics and type of procedure, first assistant training level had no significant impact on DSM or readmission. Variation in training level of the first assist during bariatric surgery had no influence on DSM or readmissions. This provides reassurance that the inclusion of a wide range of first assistants in bariatric procedures does not negatively impact patient outcomes.
With Amazon HQ2, the Losers Are the Winners: Why Economic Development Subsidies Hurt More than They Help

On September 7, 2017, Amazon, Inc., announced that it would open a second headquarters by building “HQ2,” a new office equal in size to its Seattle campus, that would involve $5 billion in local business investments over 15–17 years and would eventually employ 50,000 workers with an average compensation more than $100,000. Amazon requested that interested cities submit proposals making the case for why their community would be the best fit for this massive new endeavor, including information on the public subsidies the city and state governments would offer to sweeten the deal. Amazon’s six-week deadline created a mad scramble among the 238 North American cities that eventually submitted bids, each attempting to illustrate why it in particular would be the best location to host Amazon’s new headquarters. Despite arguments from economic development officials justifying such subsidies, both economic theory and experience suggest that cities and states are throwing their money away when they court Amazon’s favor through subsidies. Even subsidies worth billions of dollars are unlikely to sway Amazon’s decision. Worse, these kinds of targeted economic development incentives fail to produce economic growth. In this paper, we examine the publicly known subsidies offered to Amazon as enticements to locate its second headquarters. We show that these subsidies are unlikely to alter the location decision of the company or lead to economic growth for the communities that offer them. We illustrate the tradeoffs that these subsidies would require in terms of forgone tax cuts and alternative uses of these funds for public services, such as safety and education. Lastly, we offer examples of institutional reforms — constitutional gift clauses, direct democracy, and interstate compacts — that could reduce the number of corporate subsidies in the future.
A quality control pipeline for probabilistic reconstruction of white-matter pathways.

Abstract Background One of the most well-validated tools for DTI data analysis is TRACULA, part of the FreeSurfer software. TRACULA automatically segments 18 major white matter (WM) tracts. Occasionally, tracts may be only partially reconstructed, thus requiring intervention to avoid biasing analyses. A majority of studies have not reported any quality control procedures and those that have tend to discard partially reconstructed tracts from group analyses if they cannot be salvaged during TRACULA reinitialization. New method We propose a semi-automated method to improve the detection and recovery of incomplete WM tracts. We detail several steps to maximize the quality of preprocessed DTI data. The steps include: (1) a visual inspection of eddy current corrected diffusion weighted images and (2) an automated evaluation of color- encoded FA images; (3) assessment of the volume of each tract saved in the TRACULA output file; (4) re-processing of tracts with a volume smaller than a specified threshold; (5) minimal manual editing of the control points for tracts that remained partially reconstructed; and (6) final re-initiation of TRACULA. Results Our method can speed and improve quality control relative to tract-by-tract visual inspection and can recover data that otherwise would need to be excluded from analyses due to incomplete reconstruction. Comparison with existing methods To our knowledge, there are no publications proposing alternative methods for quality control and recovering of partially reconstructed tracts in the TRACULA environment. Conclusions Our method helps TRACULA users automatically access the quality of reconstructed WM tracts and semi-automatically recover those in-complete WM tracts.
GIS-Integrated Optimization for Locating Food Waste and Manure Anaerobic Co-digestion Facilities

There has been an increasing interest in continuous base-load low-carbon renewable energy generation in the United States. Several technologies have been developed to convert biomass into energy, a...
Ordinary Differential Equations

Integral calculus provides the mathematical tools to solve differential equations; however, integration isn’t always straightforward, and even symbolic software can be challenged in routine situations. Moreover, many applications are complicated, and closed-form solutions are either impractical or impossible to compute. The methods of this chapter instead develop a class of widely used algorithms to iteratively approximate a solution.
Assessment for Learning: Investigating the Utility of the Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine Self-assessments for Subject Examination Preparation

Medical students use self-assessments to assess their knowledge and identify areas for additional study before taking a summative examination at the end of their clinical education segment. This study extended previous research on the NBME Clinical Science Mastery Series self-assessments to investigate the utility of recently released self-assessments for students completing Family Medicine clerkships and Emergency Medicine sub-internships and preparing for summative assessments. The dataset included 12,200 Family Medicine and 3919 Emergency Medicine students who took the self-assessment and corresponding subject examination from the implementation of the self-assessments in 2017 through January 2020. Like other self-assessments, students typically took the self-assessment within a week of their Family Medicine or Emergency Medicine subject examination using the standard-paced testing mode. The proportion of variance in subject examination scores explained by self-assessment scores was slightly higher for the standard-paced group than for the self-paced group for Family Medicine, (R2 = .26 and .23, respectively); however, the pattern was reversed for Emergency Medicine (R2 = .29 and .32). Further, the two pacing groups had significantly different sets of regression parameter estimates. The Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine self-assessments allow students to prepare for their summative subject examinations using formative assessments that mirror the content and pacing of the subject examinations. Students can also opt to use the self-paced mode to leverage the self-assessment as an educational tool. Although the standard-paced mode often provides better prediction of subsequent subject examination scores, the self-paced mode is also consistent with an assessment for learning framework.
Assessment of potential strain injury to rectus capitis posterior minor muscles during whiplash type distortions of the cervical spine.

Context Whiplash type injuries resulting from a rear end motor vehicle accident (REMVA) are thought to be caused by excessive loading and displacement of structural components of the cervical spine. On impact, the seat propels the driver's torso forward relative to the head, resulting in forced flexion of the occipitoatlantal (OA) joint, accompanied by forced stretching of the rectus capitis posterior minor (RCPm) muscles. Flexion of the OA joint and stretching of the RCPm muscles continues to increase until the vehicle's headrest strikes the back of the driver's head. It is known that externally applied forces that attempt to move the OA joint beyond its anatomic barrier can result in fracture, dislocation, or soft tissue damage to its structural components. However, the magnitude of headrest backset, defined as the distance between the driver's head and the vehicle's headrest, that would result in RCPm muscles being stretched to a length that would put them at risk for a muscle strain injury is unknown. Objectives To quantify the relationships among flexion of the OA joint, RCPm muscle stretch, and backset, and to quantify the biomechanical response of RCPm muscles to increasing levels of axial load due to stretching. Methods Unembalmed head and neck specimens from three White females aged 85, 63, and 70 years were obtained from the Anatomical Services Division at the University of Maryland. Donors had provided written consent allowing use of their body for research purposes. Using an analytic model of the OA joint, the relationships between flexion of the OA joint and RCPm muscle stretch as a function of backset were estimated. RCPm muscles were removed from the cadavers and forcibly stretched using a servomechanism controlled hydraulic testing machine to quantify the load/displacement properties. After testing, the tissues were sectioned, mounted, and stained using Masson's trichrome to selectively stain muscle fibers red and collagen blue. Results Forced flexion of the OA joint was seen to be directly related to the magnitude of headrest backset. For values of backset greater than 7.2 cm, biomechanical testing of the RCPm muscles revealed that strain injuries ranged from the tearing of a few muscle fibers to complete rupture of the muscle and separation of the tendon at the posterior process of C1. Conclusions Results showed that headrest backset at the time of vehicle impact is an important factor in estimating the risk of muscle strain injury to RCPm muscles. Muscle strain injury would be expected to impact the functional relationship between the RCPm muscles and the pain sensitive spinal dura. Physicians should be alert to the possibility that cervicogenic pain patients who have experienced whiplash associated with REMVA may show clinically relevant structural damage to the RCPm muscles on MRI.
Supporting home literacy practices in promoting Chinese parents’ engagement in their children's English education in low-SES families: An experimental study

Abstract In this experimental study, we examined the impact of a curriculum-aligned, home-based literacy activity intervention on Chinese low-SES parents’ perceived engagement in their children's English language learning. The intervention was composed of a series of take-home activities in which parents were encouraged to interact and practice with their first-grade children in English speaking, listening, reading, and writing after school. These activities were designed based on the topic and vocabulary of each story in the curriculum and were sent home electronically each week. All materials required in the activities were provided with detailed instructions in Chinese. Parents were encouraged to record or take pictures of their child's work and share with the teachers and research team. A parental engagement survey adopted from previous research was administered among 172 parents before and after the intervention in both treatment and control conditions. Results of repeated measure analysis of variance revealed that the home literacy intervention had a significant and positive effect on treatment parents’ reported engagement in their children's English language learning. Qualitative results from open-ended questions suggested that the home-based literacy activities not only supported student’ English learning outcome and parents’ English vocabulary, but also promoted students’ motivation in English learning, and fostered parent-child relationship. Implications for home-based English literacy activities in low-SES families were discussed.
The Qualities and Flow of Imagined Sound and Music

A new lens on experience is proposed. It is a way of understanding how we produce rhythmic syncronization between each other. Our musical ability for fine ensemble precision is exquisite in the way it adapts, predicts and communicates. Studying this empirically takes at least two participants but understanding its mechanisms requires entering into the minds of individuals. There, in the realm of imagination, is where sound lives on a different kind of stage. Its churning temporal flows are laced with memory and anticipation, consuming the present and producing it, as well.
Restorative Justice, White-Collar Crime, and the 2008 Financial Crisis

Despite potential criminal behavior, no senior executives from major U.S. financial institutions were incarcerated for actions related to the 2008 financial crisis, an outcome decried by a variety of academics, journalists, and judges, as well as the broader public. This critique is premised on a retributive theory of justice and the belief that incarceration is an effective deterrent against future crime. But are calls for more criminal sanctions warranted? Restorative justice offers an alternative lens to critically evaluate the retributive paradigm that supports calls to put more bankers in jail, and underlays the broader approach to criminal justice in the U.S. Though restorative justice has been increasingly used around the world for blue-collar street crimes and state crimes, its theory and application to white collar crime is less well developed. This research fills that gap by evaluating the governmental response to financial wrongdoing related to the 2008 financial crisis through the lens of restorative justice. I argue that a restorative justice approach to financial regulation is theoretically desirable and outline a variety of financial regulatory reforms to more closely align the Department of Justice’s approach to white-collar financial crime and federal financial regulators’ approach to banking regulation with restorative justice principles.
Detrimental and essential elements in fruiting bodies of mushrooms with ecological relationship to birch (Betula sp.) collected in the Bohemian Forest, the Czech Republic.

Four macrofungi species with ecological relationship to birch (Betula sp.) were analyzed with regard to the content of 21 detrimental and essential elements in their fruiting bodies. Two of the species (Leccinum scabrum and Leccinum versipelle) were mycorrhizal forming edible fruiting bodies while the others (Fomitopsis betulina and Inonotus obliquus) parasitic used in alternative medicine. The samples were collected near the town of Vimperk in the Bohemian Forest, the Czech Republic. L. scabrum accumulated Ag, Rb, Cd, Cs, Se, Cu, and Zn with bioconcentration factors of 22, 5.5, 4.7, 3.2, 2.0, 1.7, and 1.4, respectively. Similar trend in bioconcentration was revealed for L. versipelle with bioconcentration factors of 28, 5.2, 2.4, 1.9, 1.6, and 1.6 determined for Ag, Rb, Cu, Se, Zn, and Cd, respectively. Considerably high contents of Ca (400 ± 190 mg kg−1 dry matter), Fe (110 ± 30), Mg (1100 ± 300), and Zn (220 ± 90) were found in F. betulina. Similarly, high contents of Ca (1000 ± 700 mg kg−1 dry matter), Fe (110 ± 30), Mg (2000 ± 1100), Mn (410 ± 270), Rb (160 ± 60), and Zn (140 ± 70) were determined for I. obliquus. The different lifestyles (mycorrhizal vs. parasitic) were reflected in 13 significant differences of element contents.
Isolated Third Cranial Nerve Palsy in Pituitary Apoplexy: Case Report and Systematic Review.

Abstract Objectives To report a case of isolated third nerve palsy from pituitary apoplexy and perform a systematic literature review. Materials and methods MEDLINE/EMBASE databases were searched up to September 2020. Inclusion criteria: Age≥18, isolated third nerve palsy from pituitary apoplexy. Exclusion criteria: Age Results Case report: A 76-year-old woman presented with headache and right-sided ptosis. Right-eye exam revealed complete ptosis, absent pupillary constriction and accommodation, depressed and abducted eye on primary gaze, and -1 impaired depression, adduction, elevation, without other neurological findings. Brain MRI was suggestive of pituitary apoplexy. Pathology after transsphenoidal resection revealed an infarcted pituitary adenoma. Third nerve palsy resolved completely in 21 days. Systematic review: Twenty-three studies reporting 35 patients were selected from 182 abstracts. Twenty-nine (83%) had complete isolated third nerve palsy. Headache was reported in 31 (97%). Thirty-one had hemorrhage and 1 had infarction of pituitary. Cavernous sinus invasion occurred in 14 (50%). Twenty-eight were managed surgically (80%) and 7 medically (20%). Nerve palsy resolved completely in 27 (82%) and partially in 4 (11%). Conclusions Pituitary apoplexy is an important differential diagnosis in patients with isolated third nerve palsy. Isolated third nerve palsy in apoplexy appears to have favorable prognosis.
Link analysis, eigenvectors and stability

The HITS and the PageRank algorithms are eigenvector methods for identifying "authoritative" or "influential" articles, given hyperlink or citation information. That such algorithms should give consistent answers is surely a desideratum, and in this paper, we address the question of when they can be expected to give stable rankings under small perturbations to the hyperlink patterns. Using tools from matrix perturbation theory and Markov chain theory, we provide conditions under which these methods are stable, and give specific examples of instability when these conditions are violated. We also briefly describe a modification to HITS that improves its stability.
Cardiorenal effects of adenosine subtype 1 (A1) receptor inhibition in an experimental model of heart failure.

Abstract BACKGROUND: Elaboration of a number of bioactive substances, including adenosine, occurs in heart failure (HF). Adenosine, through the adenosine subtype 1 (A 1 ) receptor, can reduce renal perfusion pressure and glomerular filtration rate and increase tubular sodium reabsorption, which can affect natriuresis and aquaresis. Accordingly, the present study examined the acute effects of selective A 1 receptor blockade on hemodynamics and renal function in a model of HF. STUDY DESIGN: HF was induced in adult pigs (n = 19) by chronic pacing (240 beats/min for 3 weeks). The pigs were then instrumented for hemodynamic and renal function measurements. After baseline measurements were taken, pigs received either A 1 block {1 mg/kg BG9719 (1,3-dipropyl-8-[2-(5,6-epoxynorbornyl)]xanthine; n=9)} or infusion of vehicle (n = 10), and measurements were repeated at intervals for up to 2 hours. Normal controls (n = 7) were included for comparison. RESULTS: Cardiac output remained unchanged between the A 1 block and vehicle groups throughout the study. Pulmonary vascular resistance fell 38% from baseline at 10 minutes post-A 1 block in the HF group (p 1 block, urine flow increased sixfold and sodium excretion increased over 10-fold (for both, p 1 block, creatinine clearance increased with no change in the vehicle group. At 10 minutes post-A 1 block, plasma renin activity had increased over threefold (p 1 block. CONCLUSIONS: The unique findings from this study were threefold. First, increased A 1 receptor activation contributes to renal mediated fluid retention in HF. Second, selective A 1 blockade can induce diuresis without hemodynamic compromise and with possible benefit to pulmonary resistance in a model of HF. A 1 blockade transiently increased plasma renin activity with no change in hemodynamics. These unique results suggest that selective A 1 blockade can be a useful adjunctive diuretic in the setting of HF.
Radioactivity induced by sequential reactions in fusion materials

Reactions provoked by a charged particle product of a neutron-induced reaction, popularly known as sequential reflections, could make substantial contribution to induced radioactivity, in certain situations, in a fusion reactor environment. The role played by these reactions, in inducing additional radioactivity in various materials, of direct relevance to fusion power development, e.g., silicon carbide and other structural materials, beryllium, and lithium bearing materials, has been looked at. It is shown that whereas production of /sup 26/Al (half life=0.72 My) through sequential reactions in silicon carbide, with and without impurities, is of little concern, production of /sup 7/Be in lithium bearing materials can not be overlooked.
Identifying the Culprits Behind Network Congestion

Network congestion is one of the primary causes of performance degradation, performance variability and poor scaling in communication-heavy parallel applications. However, the causes and mechanisms of network congestion on modern interconnection networks are not well understood. We need new approaches to analyze, model and predict this critical behaviour in order to improve the performance of large-scale parallel applications. This paper applies supervised learning algorithms, such as forests of extremely randomized trees and gradient boosted regression trees, to perform regression analysis on communication data and application execution time. Using data derived from multiple executions, we create models to predict the execution time of communication-heavy parallel applications. This analysis also identifies the features and associated hardware components that have the most impact on network congestion and intern, on execution time. The ideas presented in this paper have wide applicability: predicting the execution time on a different number of nodes, or different input datasets, or even for an unknown code, identifying the best configuration parameters for an application, and finding the root causes of network congestion on different architectures.
Justifying the Structured Settlement Tax Subsidy: The Use of Lump Sum Settlement Monies

Structured settlements have been subsidized by federal, state, and local taxes for nearly three decades. The subsidy, which comes in the form of a tax exclusion that encourages personal injury claimants to forgo a lump sum settlement in favor of long-term periodic payments, is premised upon the belief that claimants prematurely dissipate lump sum settlements. This belief has long been held within the structured settlement industry, and is frequently cited as a proven fact. Anecdotal evidence from industry practitioners, representing a broad cross-section of interests, certainly suggests the belief to be true. However, this Note examines the available empirical data. It concludes that the danger of the dissipating claimant has yet to be proven, and that citations relied upon as evidence lack applicability, and sometimes substance. Therefore, this Note calls for a modern American study to ground the structured settlement subsidy in empirical and substantiated data.
Design and demonstration of a novel incoherent optical CDMA system

A detailed analysis of the scalability of two-dimensional optical codes is presented and two network deployment architectures for optical code division multiple access (OCDMA) are discussed. We present the architecture and code design for a highly scalable, 2.5 Gb/s per user OCDMA system. The system is scalable to 100 potential and more than 10 simultaneous users, each with BER of less than 10-9. The system architecture uses fast wavelength-hopping, time-spreading codes. Unlike phase sensitive coherent OCDMA systems, this architecture utilizes standard on-off-keyed optical pulses allocated in the time and wavelength domains. This incoherent OCDMA approach is compatible with existing WDM optical networks and utilizes off-the-shelf components. We discuss a novel optical subsystems design for encoders and decoders that enable the realization of a highly scalable incoherent OCDMA system with rapid reconfigurability. We demonstrate the operation of 4 simultaneous users operating at OC-48 (~2.5 Gbit/s) with a power penalty of <;0.5dB and the reduction of multiple-access interference using ultra-fast all-optical sampling with newly proposed TOAD-based OCDMA receiver.
On the Sufficiency Condition for Existence of a Stable Sliding Mode

In this paper we study sliding mode controllers, in particular those intended for tracking. It is well known that a sliding motion occurs if s i ? i ≪ 0 in the neighborhood of the sliding surface s i = 0. Our studies appear to show that the guarantee of "stability" on the sliding manifold is quite delicate. Only simulation evidence was available at the time of writing this paper. We also give new results on sliding mode controllers by requiring ? i = -k i sgn s i where s i is the i-th switching surface and k i an appropriately chosen positive parameter. This choice makes the synthesis of sliding mode controllers quite simple. Several examples will be given to illustrate our findings on a potential instability and the efficacy of the latter approach.
X-linked female-sterile loci in Drosophila melanogaster.

ABSTRACT We have examined the number of X -linked loci specifically required only during oogenesis. Complementation analyses among female-sterile (fs) mutations obtained in two mutagenesis screens—Gans9 and Mohler9s—indicate that any fs locus represented by two or more mutant alleles in Gans9 collection are usually present in Mohler9s collection. However, when a locus is represented by a single allele in one collection, it is generally not present in the other collection. We propose that this discrepancy is due to the fact that most "fs loci" represented by less than two mutant alleles are, in fact, vital (zygotic lethal) genes, and that the fs alleles are hypomorphic mutations of such genes. In support of this hypothesis we have identified lethal alleles at 12 of these "fs loci." The present analysis has possibly identified all maternal-effect lethal loci detectable by mutations on the X chromosome and has allowed us to reevaluate the number of "ovary-specific fs" loci in the Drosophila genome. Finally, germline clone analysis of a large number of fs mutations was performed in order to estimate the relative contribution of germline and somatic cell derivatives to oogenesis and to embryonic development. All the maternal-effect lethal loci tested are germline-dependent.
Fatigue failure of cortical bone screws

An experimental study of the fatigue life of cortical bone screws under conditions which stimulated in vivo usage was performed. The two most important factors influencing fatigue life were axial screw tension (the force normal of the plate to bone) and the cyclic shearing load. All screws failed at the root of the thread in the interface between the plate and the bone. A modified screw design effectively resisted fatigue under the described experimental conditions.
Process for purification of monoclonal antibody expressed in transgenic Lemna plant extract using dextran-coated charcoal and hexamer peptide affinity resin

The production of therapeutic proteins using transgenic plants offers several advantages, including low production cost, absence of human pathogens, presence of glycosylation mechanisms, and the ability to fold complex therapeutic proteins into their proper conformation. However, impurities such as phenolic compounds and pigments encountered during purification are quite different from those faced during purification from mammalian cell culture supernatants. This paper deals with the development of a pretreatment and affinity separation process for the purification of a monoclonal antibody from transgenic Lemna plant extract. A pretreatment step is described using dextran-coated charcoal for the removal of pigments and phenolic compounds without reducing the antibody concentration. Then, the peptide affinity ligand HWRGWV coupled to a commercial polymethacrylate resin is used for the capture and purification of MAb from the pretreated plant extract. The final yield and purity of the MAb obtained were 90% and 96% respectively. The performance of the hexamer peptide resin after the pretreatment step was found to be similar to that obtained with a commercial Protein A resin.
Normal ergodic actions

Abstract The von Neumann-Halmos theory of ergodic transformations with discrete spectrum makes use of the duality theory of locally compact abelian groups to characterize those transformations preserving a probability measure, which are defined by a rotation on a compact abelian group. We use the recently developed duality between general locally compact groups and Hopf-von Neumann algebras to characterize those actions of a locally compact group, preserving a σ-finite measure, which are defined by a dense embedding in another group. They are characterized by the property of normality, previously introduced by the author, and motivated by Mackey's theory of virtual groups. The discrete spectrum theory is readily seen to come out as the special case in which the invariant measure is finite.
A large statistical study of the entry of interplanetary magnetic field Y-component into the magnetosphere

We used 5 years of GOES-6 and 6 years of GOES-7 data to correlate the y-component of the geosynchronous magnetic field with the y-component of IMF. One motivation is that the subsolar merging model and the antiparallel model predict distinctly different patterns for By in the magnetosphere as a function of IMF By. Although both models predict that nightside magnetospheric magnetic field will tilt in the direction of the IMF By, the antiparallel merging model predicts that magnetospheric magnetic field lines in the vicinity of local noon will tilt in the direction of the IMF, where as the subsolar model does not. The correlation coefficients between the geosynchronous data and the IMF By peak at both noon (0.61) and midnight (0.50), favoring the antiparallel model. These results were obtained with 1789 (noon) and 1312 (midnight) data points. The slopes of the regression lines indicate 29% IMF By entry at noon and 79% at midnight. The local-time distribution of the slopes varies smoothly from midnight peak to a broad minimum near noon.
911 GROWTH PROCESSES DURING EARLY MAMMALIAN DEVELOPMENT: FLUCTUATING POLYAMTNE CONCENTRATIONS IN THE PREIMFLANTATION MOUSE EMBRYO

Studies of the interrelationships between biochemical changes related to growth and mouse embryo development may suggest factors which could be crucial for normal human development. To determine the possible importance of polyamines for earliest mammalian development, microdeterminations were made of putrescine, spermidine and spermine during the first four days of mouse development. The fertilized egg has high levels of both putrescine and spermidine: putrescine (.127 ± .004 pmoles/egg) is 6 times and spermidine (.171 ± .006 pmoles/egg) is 2 times the concentration in the mature oocyte. During subsequent development putrescine declines 6-fold to a minimum at the 2-cell stage, but then dramatically increases to a maximal value at the morula stage. By the time of blastocyst differentiation, putrescine concentration is considerably lower, but spermidine is at a maximum. On day 4, just prior to implantation, spermine concentration is at a peak, while levels of putrescine and spermidine are low. These data, together with the finding that incubation of 2-cell embryos in an inhibitor of spermidine synthesis results in cessation of development by the morula stage, suggest that polyamine synthesis has an important role during earliest mammalian development.
Permittivity measurements of liquids at millimeter-wave frequencies using an overmoded cavity resonator

Liquid permittivity data for 100 to 300 GHz is useful for many applications, but measurements at these frequencies have been limited. This paper proposes using rigorous modeling of an overmoded cavity. Measurements and initial modeling indicate promise of method.
Frictional dynamics of alkylsilane monolayers on SiO2: effect of 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium nitrate as a lubricant.

The effect of 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium nitrate ionic liquid (IL) on the shear dynamics and tribological properties of contacting ordered alkylsilane self-assembled monolayers (SAM) on SiO2 surfaces was studied using molecular dynamics simulation. Use of the IL as a lubricant was found to reduce the friction between the contacting monolayers in the studied range of applied loads. At low applied loads, complex behavior in the dependency of the frictional force on the normal load in both lubricated and dry monolayers is observed and is shown to be due to the rearrangement of the SAM chains under shear. In contrast, this dependency was found to be linear at high normal loads. The simulations also indicate that the ordering of the SAM chains may be disrupted by penetrating lubricant molecules, suggesting that the IL could incorporate into a damaged area of the SAM coating and restore tribological properties. To our knowledge, this is the first simulation study of the effect of an IL lubricant on the frict...
Knowledge and use of export assistance services by agribusiness

In today’s era of tightening federal budgets, export assistance services provided by the federal government are coming under closer scrutiny. To date, little is known about what types of firms know about these services and use these services. This study uses a unique firm level data set to analyze differences in knowledge and use of many export assistance services provided by the federal government. Results indicate that the type of firms that are intended to be the target of these services have less knowledge and use the services less frequently than the firms not targeted. Q 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A genetic etiology for interruption of the aortic arch type B

Interrupted aortic arch (IAA) type B is a congenital heart defect believed to be caused by an anomaly of bronchial arch mesenchymal development. IAA type B has been associated with DiGeorge syndrome (DGS), which includes conotruncal heart defects, T-cell immunodeficiency, hypocalcemia, and facial abnormalities. The great majority of DGS cases are associated with hemizygous deletions at the chromosome 22q11 locus. The present study was designed to establish the involvement of the 22q11 locus in the etiology of IAA type B, independently from the typical DGS phenotype. An evaluation was performed on 73 patients with conotruncal heart defects using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis with probes from the 22q11 DGS locus. From this group, 7 patients were deleted (including 4 of the 11 patients with IAA type B). FISH analysis was extended to a total of 22 patients with IAA type B and 11 of these (50%) were deleted. FISH and Southern blot analyses using additional markers within the DiGeorge chromosomal region were performed on patients found not to be deleted in the initial FISH screening. No small deletions or rearrangements were detected. In our patient population, a single, specific genetic defect is the basis for one half of the IAA type B cases. These data suggest that IAA type B is one of the most etiologically homogeneous congenital heart defects. A 22q11 deletion in IAA type B may or may not be associated with the typical DGS phenotype. Therefore, IAA type B, per se, should be an indication for 22q11 deletion testing.
Spinodal vaporization – a critical and imposing decay mode of highly excited nuclear systems

Abstract A novel prompt decay mode of highly excited nuclear systems is shown to set in with necessity as a certain critical excitation energy per nucleon is reached. It is driven by a peculiar, open-ended type of spinodal instability, unique to self-bound open systems, and consists in parts of the system undergoing spontaneous indefinite thermal expansion ending in vaporization into the surrounding open space. The mode, named here spinodal vaporization, is distinctly different from all known decay modes of excited nuclei and faces no competition from the latter. It sets a natural upper limit for the excitation energy that can be thermalized by compound nuclear systems, while setting also a limit to the applicability of thermodynamics to the description of highly excited nuclear systems.
Correlation of microstructures and open-circuit potentials of gold-iron alloys with their in-vivo corrosion behavior.

The in vitro behavior of a number of Au–Fe precipitation-hardenable alloys have been investigated in distilled water and in Ringer's solution (simulating the extracellular body fluids) by the open-circuit potential versus time method. The in vivo behavior of these materials as muscle implants has been studied by conventional histopathological and histochemical techniques. Optical and electron microscopic techniques have been used to study the extent and morphology of massive discontinuous precipitation as well as the mode of corrosion attack. A clear correlation has been established between the microstructural features presented by a given alloy and the time-dependent open-circuit potential and in vivo corrosion behavior. It can be concluded for this alloy system that the microstructure and the open-circuit potential pattern may be taken to be a reasonable indication of the expected in vivo corrosion behavior.
ENZYME ACTIVITY AS AN INDICATOR OF RED CELL AGE.

Abstract Young red cells obtained from the upper layers of a centrifuged column of blood have been shown to exhibit a higher activity of certain enzymes than that found in the heavier and presumably older red cells at the bottom of the column. Of the enzymes studied, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase activity appeared to provide the most sensitive reflection of a change in red cell age. Its determination is proposed as the most appropriate for use as an aid in distinguishing the presence of a young red cell population.
Effective design and operation of disassembly and renovation work areas

The market of used and renovated parts offers quality components purchased for extending the life of heavy-duty trucks. Dex Truck Parts of Floyd, Virginia disassembles Class-8 (gross weight of ≥33000 lb.) trucks for salvaged parts and desires to expand the current operations as well as enter the business of parts renovation. Disassembly of heavy-duty trucks involves teardown to base components, and often down more to parts level. Renovation of parts involves inspection and, if needed, repair of fit, form, and function with the goal of extending their lifetime. This paper describes a thorough investigation of Dex's current methods, used to develop design recommendations that satisfy the need for efficient flows and high productivity. The recommendations included the base requirements necessary to satisfy the client's needs of 500 annual trucks disassembles and renovation of parts. The design process incorporated modeling and analysis of the disassembly and renovation work areas in the presence of uncertainty. Flexibility of the layout was important due to the uncertain conditions of incoming trucks. This paper provided Dex Truck Parts with the following results: (i) process map of renovation and precedence diagram of truck disassembly, (ii) layout of disassembly and renovation work areas, (iii) list of tools and material handling devices for both operations, and (iv) thorough evaluation of the final proposed design. These deliverables are provided to the client to facilitate the planned expansion of the business.