cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimal Spatial Reuse in Poisson Multi-Hop Networks

We consider a wireless multi-hop network with sources that are Poisson distributed and relays which are placed on the source-destination line. Given a combined TDMA/ALOHA MAC protocol, we explore the following question of optimal spatial reuse: Increasing the number of nodes that are simultaneously scheduled to transmit in a route allows nodes to transmit more often. At the same time, it results in an increase of intra-route and inter-route interference, which has a negative impact on the end-to-end delay and throughput. In a regime of large source-destination distances $R$, we find that it is delay-optimal for either only one node, or a number of nodes that increases linearly in $R$, to be scheduled in each slot, depending on the ALOHA probability. If the transmission probability is also optimized, we find that maximum spatial reuse is delay-optimal. Scaling laws for the end-to-end delay and throughput are derived in all cases.
Early Holocene dune activity linked with final destruction of Glacial Lake Minong, eastern Upper Michigan, USA

The early Holocene final drainage of glacial Lake Minong is documented by 21 OSL ages on quartz sand from parabolic dunes and littoral terraces and one radiocarbon age from a lake sediment core adjacent to mapped paleoshorelines in interior eastern Upper Michigan. We employ a simple model wherein lake-level decline exposes unvegetated littoral sediment to deflation, resulting in dune building. Dunes formed subsequent to lake-level decline prior to stabilization by vegetation and provide minimum ages for lake-level decline. Optical ages range from 10.3 to 7.7 ka; 15 ages on dunes adjacent to the lowest Lake Minong shoreline suggest final water-level decline ∼ 9.1 ka. The clustering of optical ages from vertically separated dunes on both sides of the Nadoway–Gros Cap Barrier around 8.8 ka and a basal radiocarbon date behind the barrier (8120 ± 40 14C yr BP [9.1 cal ka BP]) support the hypothesis that the barrier was breached and the final lake-level drop to the Houghton Low occurred coincident with (1) high meltwater flux into the Superior basin and (2) an abrupt, negative shift in oxygen isotope values in Lake Huron.
Protein kinase B is obligatory for follicle-stimulating hormone-induced granulosa cell differentiation.

Although FSH receptors are linked to the cAMP second messenger system, additional intracellular signaling pathways appear to be required for the induction of aromatase and the LH receptor during granulosa cell differentiation. We employed adenovirus vectors to modulate specific intracellular signaling systems in undifferentiated granulosa cells to identify the signaling pathway(s) that may be involved in the FSHmediated induction of aromatase and the LH receptor. Expression of either the constitutively activated human LH receptor D578H or the constitutively active human Gs Q227L resulted in increased cAMP production without increasing aromatase activity or mRNA levels for the LH receptor. To explore the contributions of other pathways, we expressed the constitutively activated forms MAPK kinase (MEK) and protein kinase B (PKB). Neither MEK nor PKB alone increased estrogen or progesterone production by undifferentiated granulosa cells. Stimulation of granulosa cells by FSH in the presence of the constitutively active PKB, but not MEK, led to an amplification of FSH-induced aromatase and LH receptor mRNA levels, whereas a dominant negative PKB vector completely abolished the actions of FSH. The expression of the constitutively active PKB in combination with the constitutively active LH receptor D578H, the constitutively active Gs Q227L, or 8-bromo-cAMP led to an induction of aromatase as well as LH receptor mRNA comparable to that seen in cells stimulated with FSH alone. These results demonstrate that PKB is an essential component of the FSH-mediated granulosa cell differentiation and that both PKB and Gs signaling pathways are required. (Endocrinology 144: 3985–3994, 2003)
Cefditoren, a New Aminothiazolyl Cephalosporin

Cefditoren pivoxil, an oral third-generation cephalosporin, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in September 2001. It has been used in Japan for several years. The greatest therapeutic potential of cefditoren appears to be its activity against gram-positive and gram-negative organisms causing respiratory tract infections and skin and skin-structure infections, such as Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. Cefditoren is also effective against methicillin-susceptible strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Nevertheless, cefditoren has no activity against atypical pathogens, including Chlamydia pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and Legionella sp. Moreover, cefditoren does not inhibit Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Bacteroides fragilis. In virtually all studies, cefditoren has compared favorably against other orally administered antibiotics used against the most commonly isolated respiratory tract pathogens. Its side effect profile includes diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headache, and dyspepsia. Cefditoren is indicated for treatment of mild-to-moderate acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, pharyngitis-tonsillitis, and uncomplicated skin and skin-structure infections caused by susceptible strains of organisms in adults and adolescents (> or = 12 yrs of age). Based on its reported antimicrobial activity, cefditoren has potential for empiric management of most commonly encountered respiratory tract infections. Additional studies will further define its role in clinical practice.
The novel Arc low-pass filter

In this paper, we propose a new form of the amplitude response for designing low-pass filters, that is defined by a modified arctangent function in the frequency domain. This is a parameterized and very smooth function which can be used for any tolerance scheme with given specifications. The filter depends on two parameters that allow us to straighten the magnitude response from the passband to stopband without increasing the computational complexity of the filter. The main properties of the low-pass filter with the proposed magnitude response, which we call the Arc low-pass filter, are considered and compared with the well known Chebyshev and Butterworth filters.
Infectious (Non)tolerance—Frustrated Commensalism Gone Awry?

Despite advances in medicine, infectious diseases remain major causes of death and disability worldwide. Acute orchronic infectious agents mediate host tissue damage and cause a spectrum of disease as diverse as overwhelming sepsisand shockwithin hoursto persistent tissue inflammation causing organ failure or even cancer over years. Although pathogen exposure can cause disease via host-derived inflammation, pathogens share recognized elements with harmless human commensals. Mouse models and organisms with simpler flora are revealing the dialogue between multicellular hosts and commensal flora. In some instances the persistent inflammation associated with pathogens can be interpreted within a frameworkof frustrated commensalism in whichthe host and pathogen cannot complete the requisite dialogue that establishes homeostasis. In contrast, coevolved commensals interact cooperativelywiththehostimmunesystem,resultinginimmunotolerance.Attemptstomore thoroughly understand the molecular nature of the dialogue may uncover novel approaches to the control of inflammation and tissue damage.
Cluster Space Specification and Control of Mobile Multirobot Systems

The cluster space state representation of mobile multirobot systems is introduced as a means of enabling enhanced control of mobile multirobot systems. A conceptual framework is proposed for the selection of appropriate cluster space state variables for an n-robot system, the development of formal kinematics that associate the cluster space state variables with robot-specific variables, and the implementation of a cluster space control system architecture. The cluster space approach is then demonstrated for examples of two- and three-robot clusters consisting of differential drive robots operating in a plane. In these examples, we demonstrate cluster space variable selection, review the critical kinematic relationships, and present experimental results that demonstrate the ability of the systems to meet control specifications while allowing a single operator to easily specify and supervise the motion of the clusters.
MCAC and State Counselor Licensure Laws David and Goliath

Although all 50 states, as well as Washington DC and Puerto Rico, have passed laws that license master’s-level professional counselors, the American Psychological Association has historically not taken a role in addressing master’s-level education. In 2009, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) initiated standards excluding psychologists as core faculty and has been a driving force with state licensing boards to credential graduates from CACREP-accredited programs exclusively. The Council for Counseling Psychology Training Programs explored the Masters in Counseling Accreditation Committee (MCAC) as an alternative accreditation for master’s counseling programs. This study examined the extent to which MCAC accreditation standards align with state counselor licensure statutes. Content analyses indicated that MCAC is a viable alternative accreditation if programs pay attention to state required credits for a degree, curricular requirements not specified by MCAC...
The Impact of Coping Styles on the Control of Juvenile Diabetes

The relevance of psychosocial factors to the control of diabetes has been referred to in the literature, and previous studies have shown a particular relationship between family behavior and degree of control.This study of twenty-one children from the U.S.C. Pediatric Diabetes Clinic was undertaken to evaluate the extent to which specific variables correlate with control of diabetes. Statistically, no correlation was found between degree of control and: age of onset, duration of illness, number of siblings, intactness of family, degree of family psychopathology, intelligence of child and parents, knowledge about diabetes, birth rank or ethnic and social class. Positive correlation existed between family history of diabetes and good control. Children who appeared to be in the midst of an “adolescent growth spurt” clustered in the group with fair or poor control.Clinical observations of individual patients and their families suggest that the reactions to the onset of diabetes did influence the styles of cop...
Metrics for Studies of Resource Selection

Resource availability and resource use are 2 key concepts in studies of resource selection. Although equal accessibility to resources is one component defining resource availability, we rarely know what restricts access to resources. Consequently for spatially distributed resources, the animal's use of space in association with the occurrence of resources is a frequent basis for inferring resource use and testing for resource selection. For many resources, occurrence can be defined for the population or the individual animal and requires that researchers specify the spatial extent of resources an animal might use during the time interval of study (e.g., the “choice set”). Often the occurrence of resources is defined at multiple scales, which facilitates understanding hierarchical selection patterns. We discuss numerous factors and criteria that should be considered when delineating the area an animal might use during a period of interest. New analytical approaches to resource selection, including resource utilization functions (RUF) and discrete choice modeling, help address some of the issues of defining availability and dealing with the behaviors associated with resource use. A currency of use is a measure of the investment made by an animal in securing resources, avoiding loss of resources, or otherwise optimizing fitness. Common currencies used by researchers include time spent or distance traveled in a cover type, use of event sites (e.g., nest sites, roosting sites, den sites), or amounts of different kinds of foods consumed. Less common, but potentially highly informative, are such currencies as energy expended or predation risk or other risk incurred. Simulation of animal movements interspersed with diel resting periods, through habitat types with activity-dependent energy expenditure and habitat-specific predation risk showed that choice of a currency of use strongly influences inferences about habitat selection. We argue that perhaps the most informative currency of use would be increased risk to fitness accepted by an animal. Although fairly simple conceptually, such application of risk assessment faces formidable empirical challenges and is a worthy goal for the next generation of researchers of animal resource selection.
CONTINUUM LIMIT OF QUENCHED QED. CRITICAL EXPONENTS AND ANOMALOUS DIMENSIONS

Recently, there has been an increased interest in strongly coupled QED. This was motivated by the discovery of an ultraviolet stable fixed point at strong couplings [1]. If this fixed point would turn out to be non — gaussian, then QED would be the first nontrivial nonasymptotically free theory in four dimensions. The importance of such a result would be twofold. First, the old question of the existence of QED would be settled. Of course, this would be the case provided that the low energy limit of the theory actually describes photons and electrons; apriori, there is no reason to assume this. Second, and we feel a more important issue, is its paradigmatic value. Within that context QED, or better the U(1) gauge theory, would be a paradigm for other nonasymptoticaly free theories. Of special interest would be nonabelian gauge theories with many flavors so that at weak couplings beta — function is positive (or vanishing). These theories are at present considered as viable candidates for technicolor unification schemes [2].
Soil moisture retrieval from AMSR-E and ASCAT microwave observation synergy. Part 1: Satellite data analysis

Abstract A study is performed to analyze the daily retrieval of soil moisture from the synergy of active and passive microwave data using observations from the ASCAT scatterometer and AMSR-E radiometer. The objective is to identify the information provided by each sensor and to analyze preprocessing methods – such as the day/night average, diurnal difference and microwave polarization difference index for AMSR-E and the incidence angle normalization and backscatter temporal index for ASCAT – to maximize the amount of soil moisture information extracted. Additionally, the data fusion and a posteriori synergy methodologies are compared to determine how to optimally exploit this combined information. This study is performed using a neural network (NN) to estimate soil moisture from a set of AMSR-E and ASCAT observations. ERA-interim/Land surface soil moisture fields are used to train the NN as well as to evaluate the performance of the different retrieval input datasets. It is shown that using the AMSR-E 7 GHz, 11 GHz, 19 GHz and 37 GHz channels with the three preprocessing methods highlights various surface contributions in the signal, in particular the soil moisture and surface temperature information, and greatly helps the retrieval in disentangling them. For ASCAT, the synergy effect is less significant and data preprocessed with the two methods analyzed yields very similar information. The information provided by the active and passive microwave sensors is found to be very complementary, such that a soil moisture retrieval using the combined active and passive information shows a significant improvement between 5% and 19% in the temporal correlation and a reduction of the retrieval uncertainty by 7%. The improvement in the spatial structure is smaller with a correlation increase of 2%. It is demonstrated that the choice of synergy method strongly impacts the retrieval improvement that can be achieved. Data fusion methods are shown to be better suited than a posteriori combination methods, due to their ability to exploit information complementarity. These results could help improve future active/passive soil moisture retrievals, such as from the Soil Moisture Active/Passive (SMAP) mission, through the application of similar preprocessing and synergy methods in order to better extract the soil moisture information provided.
Sensitivity Analysis of Environmental Factors for Electric Vehicles Energy Consumption

This paper provides a sensitivity analysis of the required EV propulsion power with respect to environmental factors such as wind speed, rolling resistance and temperature. The results obtained show the degree to which environmental factors affect overall battery power and energy usage for electric transportation. The paper provides analytical expressions as well as simulations to illustrate the key sensitivity results. The significance of our findings for vehicle range estimation is discussed and potential avenues to exploit the strong dependency between propulsion energy and environmental factors are proposed.
Relationships Between Consumption and Sustainability: Assessing the Effect of Life Cycle Costs on Market Price

Economics is a science that evaluates human behaviors within the framework of a resource-constrained world. However, to the extent that the behavior of economic participants does not include an evaluation of sustainability, economic outcomes can fall significantly short of being sustainable, leading instead to resource depletion, degradation, and exploitation. The goal of the assignment described in this chapter is for students to analyze their individual consumption motivations and evaluate the sustainability of a specific consumption choice. The assignment relies on the assessment of the life cycle costs of a purchased good that, by definition, evaluates environmental and social costs from production to disposal. Students conduct online research about the life cycle impacts of a good and assess the impacts in relation to the good’s observed market price. In the assessment process, students are prompted to determine whether the price promotes overconsumption and promotes unsustainable outcomes. After completing this assignment, students should be able to (1) recognize the current drivers of their own and others’ consumption behaviors, (2) assess the market price of a good relative to the externalities of its life cycle (production, distribution, consumption, and waste), and (3) describe how market prices impact (un)sustainable consumption behaviors.
Computer forensics

The author presents an overview of the processes and problems related to computer forensics. New tools and techniques have increased the reliability and speed with which investigators can conduct examinations, but new technologies will continue to challenge computer forensic specialists and researchers.
The social history of Jews in the Holocaust: the necessity of interviewing survivors

This essay urges the importance of collecting the oral history of survivors in order to create a richer and more accurate social history of Jews during the Holocaust. The special circumstances of the Holocaust have resulted in a documentary history which has been told from the perspective of the Nazi perpetrators. Only oral testimony can enable us to understand the actions and reactions of Jews faced with harassment, expropriation, exile, and murder. The practice of oral history was not originally designed for eliciting memories of traumatic events. Holocaust oral history requires the historian to reject the positivist conception of the objective and distanced interviewer, in favor of a position as compassionate listener to painful personal experiences. Interviews can produce less mediated, more spontaneous versions of memory, which require sensitive interpretation. The oral histories of Jewish refugees to Shanghai are examined to demonstrate how careful reading and listening can elucidate the social memories, and thus the social history, of Jews in the Holocaust. The process of interviewing also helps the historian bridge the experiential gap with survivors, enabling a better understanding of their experiences. What do you want me to do? I haven't prepared for this, I haven't thought about it, I must say, because we've been very swamped in recent days. I'm the department chairman now and I've been swamped with administrative problems, financial among others. So I haven't thought about it, let me try to focus. Maybe you can say a few words to help me to focus.1 * Address all communications to Steve Hochstadt, Bates College, Lewiston, ME 04240 USA, shochsta@bates.edu. Written for presentation at the Social Science History Association annual meeting, panel on "Using Oral Histories to Study the Holocaust," New Orleans, October 10, 1996, and subsequently revised. A somewhat different version is being published in Sino-Judaica, v. 3 (Sino-Judaic Institute: 1997).
Extra! Extra! Microfluidic chips go to print

Roll-to-roll (R2R) manufacturing involves continuous processing of substrates transferred between two moving rolls of material—a printing technique common to the newspaper industry. Because of its mass production capability, R2R processing is also considered a promising technology for printed electronics. With that in mind, Wang et al . applied R2R printing to develop low-cost and disposable thermoplastic microfluidic chips to sort microparticles. The authors wanted to use inertial focusing to precisely position their particles and manipulate them in microfluidic flow. Until now, inertial sorting devices comprised microchannels with heights ( h ) greater than widths ( w ). R2R chip fabrication, however, is limited to microchannels with w > h . Wang et al . devised a microfluidic device design that was compatible with R2R fabrication and allowed for inertial focusing that could separate even 10-µm from 15-µm particles in such a low-aspect-ratio straight channel. Using variously sized synthetic beads and bovine white blood cells to characterize their device, the researchers achieved continuous size-based sorting with high purity, as well as separation efficiencies of 97 to 99% at constant flow rates. A key strength of their approach lies in the ability to simply modify the input flow rate to fine-tune the cut-off size for particle sorting. This obviates the need to redesign and manufacture additional devices to accommodate particles with different size distributions. A perhaps underappreciated feature of their fluidic device is its reliable sealing through solvent-based bonding. Making closed fluidic devices with thermoplastics represents a major challenge for most fast-fabrication methods, including R2R. Despite preclinical promise, the surface roughness and plastic properties of the microchannels could reduce performance with clinical samples. Tapping into surface chemistry engineering principles to enhance coating could help efficiency and purity. Moreover, further integration with printed electronics and sensing components (e.g., impedance sensors) could enhance the breadth and depth of downstream analyses. The study reflects how inspiration from seemingly disparate industries can propel translational efforts. And that’s news fit to print. X. Wang et al. , A disposable, roll-to-roll hot-embossed inertial microfluidic device for size-based sorting of microbeads and cells. Lab Chip 10.1039/C6LC00215C (2016). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2016/LC/C6LC00215C#!divAbstract
Capture the Client's Screen with Winsock

In this paper we chiefly describe how to Capture the screen information of the clients, using the Winsock in VB. We emphatically discuss the fundamental concepts and operations of Winsock, and the implementation method of capturing screen images. In the end we introduce the implementation of Point to Multi-Point(p2mp) Winsock Communications Mechanism, including the VB source codes.
Race prominent feature in coverage of Trayvon Martin

This textual analysis examines news framing of the shooting of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman. After studying coverage from The Sanford Herald, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and The Den...
A Technological Gem: Materials, Medical, and Environmental Mineralogy of Apatite

Apatite has numerous applications that benefit society. The atomic arrangement of the apatite crystal structure and its rich and variable chemistry impart unique properties, which permit a wide range of technological and scientific applications in an array of disciplines outside of the traditional Earth sciences, including ecology, agronomy, biology, medicine, archeology, environmental remediation, and materials science. In our daily lives, apatite is essential for sustaining and enhancing human life through agricultural amendments, through bone replacements, through fluorescent lights, and through environmental remediation of contaminated soils. Apatite is truly a technological gem.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Two Distinct Shared Decision-Making Aids for Hip and Knee Osteoarthritis in an Ethnically Diverse Patient Population

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the use of decision aids for hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA) regarding the potential risks and benefits of different treatment options. Methods A prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted of 147 patients with advanced hip or knee OA to compare the effect of two decision aids (booklet-only vs. booklet with DVD). Results Both decision aid programs were well received and demonstrated improvements in patient knowledge and willingness to participate in treatment decisions. The decision aids, however, had a marginal effect on patient willingness to participate in OA management, with an increase of 0.11 and 0.6 on a scale of 2 ( P = 0.58) between groups. Conclusions The decision aids were accepted for most patients and effective in improving patient knowledge and willingness to participate in the decision process. Nevertheless, the addition of a more expensive DVD to the booklet program did not improve patient acceptance or knowledge.
The Revealing Power of Street Lighting Installations

The revealing power of a street lighting installation is distinguished from the “visibility” as generally understood. The factors which contribute to revealing power are examined, and a method is d...
Metabolic Effects of Copper in Intact Cells: Comparative Activity of Cupric Chloride and the Cupric Chelate of Kethoxal Bis(thiosemicarbazone)

The exposure of sarcoma 180 ascites cells to the cupric chelate [Cu(II)KTS] of kethoxal bis(thiosemicarbazone) (KTS) resulted in the death of a large proportion of the cell population; both the ligand portion of the molecule, KTS, and cupric chloride were less toxic. Cells isolated from mice treated with Cu(II)KTS contained considerably greater amounts of copper than did those cells exposed to the same number of gram-atoms of copper presented as either copper chloride or copper stearate. The results suggested that the relatively lipidsoluble chelate-form of copper was more readily assimilated. Dissociation of Cu(II)KTS occurred within neoplastic cells, and this resulted in a relatively rapid loss from the cells of the ligand portion, KTS. In contrast, the copper derived from Cu(II)KTS persisted for a much longer period of time. The relationship of nucleic acid and protein synthesis to the phenomenon of cell death induced by these agents was assessed by measuring the effects of the compounds on these metabolic processes. The formation of DNA was more sensitive to the inhibitory action of Cu(II)KTS, CuCl 2 , and KTS, than were either the syntheses of RNA or protein. In agreement with the cellular toxicity, Cu(II)KTS caused more pronounced depression of the incorporation of isotopic precursors into DNA than did either CuCl 2 or KTS. The copper present in cells treated with Cu(II)KTS induced at least three metabolic blocks on the pathways of DNA biosynthesis. The most sensitive site was measured by the incorporation of thymidine- 3 H into DNA and presumably was the result of the loss of activity of thymidine kinase. The findings obtained using a variety of isotopic precursors of DNA as biochemical probes suggested that the intracellular localization of copper derived from Cu(II)KTS differed from that of CuCl 2 .
In vitro thrombolytic efficacy of echogenic liposomes loaded with tissue plasminogen activator and octafluoropropane gas.

Abstract Echogenic liposomes loaded with the thrombolytic recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) are under development for the treatment of ischemic stroke. These agents are designed to co-encapsulate cavitation nuclei to promote bubble activity in response to ultrasound exposure, and to enable localized delivery of thrombolytic. Stable cavitation improves the efficacy of the thrombolytic through enhanced fluid mixing. Echogenic liposomes that encapsulate air-filled microbubbles nucleate scant stable cavitation activity in response to 120 kHz intermittent ultrasound exposure, and have demonstrated thrombolytic efficacy equivalent to rt-PA alone. It was hypothesized that encapsulating octafluoropropane (OFP) gas within rt-PA-loaded liposomes instead of air will enhance ultrasound-mediated stable cavitation activity and increase thrombolytic efficacy compared to previous studies. The thrombolytic efficacy and cavitation activity nucleated from liposomes that encapsulate OFP microbubbles and rt-PA (OFP t-ELIP) was evaluated in vitro. Human whole blood clots were exposed to human fresh-frozen plasma alone, rt-PA (0, 0.32, 1.58, and 3.15 µg ml(-1)), or OFP t-ELIP at equivalent enzymatic activity, with and without exposure to intermittent ultrasound. Further, numerical simulations were performed to gain insight into the mechanisms of cavitation nucleation. Sustained ultraharmonic activity was nucleated from OFP t-ELIP when exposed to ultrasound. Furthermore, the thrombolytic efficacy was enhanced compared to rt-PA alone at concentrations of 1.58 µg ml(-1) and 3.15 µg ml(-1) (p < 0.05). These results indicate that OFP t-ELIP can nucleate sustained stable cavitation activity and enhance the efficacy of thrombolysis.
Detecting Moisture In Buildings Using Infrared Thermography

Visual examination is a reliable means of moisture detection in building walls after serious damaR'e has been done. Traditional spot measurement instruments are inexpedient devices for elusive moisture detection in heterogeneous materials. The infrared thermal imaging system was found t be a more versatile tool for in-situ moisture detection because of its unique characteristics. Several thermographic examples of moisture detection in. building walls are presented, which will aid the reader in the qualitative interpretation o1 therm.ograms 1or moisture problem.s.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Intramural Coronary Artery in Truncus Arteriosus: Importance of Preoperative Echocardiographic Diagnosis and Impact on Surgical Planning.

Coronary artery anomalies are known to be associated with truncus arteriosus (common arterial trunk). Delineation of coronary anatomy preoperatively is important to avoid complications intraoperati...
Effects of Cranioplasty on Cerebral Blood Flow Following Decompressive Craniectomy: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Background Cranioplasty after decompressive craniectomy (DC) is routinely performed for reconstructive purposes and has been recently linked to improved cerebral blood flow (CBF) and neurological function. Objective To systematically review all available literature to evaluate the effect of cranioplasty on CBF and neurocognitive recovery. Methods A PubMed, Google Scholar, and MEDLINE search adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines included studies reporting patients who underwent DC and subsequent cranioplasty in whom cerebral hemodynamics were measured before and after cranioplasty. Results The search yielded 21 articles with a total of 205 patients (range 3-76 years) who underwent DC and subsequent cranioplasty. Two studies enrolled 29 control subjects for a total of 234 subjects. Studies used different imaging modalities, including CT perfusion (n = 10), Xenon-CT (n = 3), single-photon emission CT (n = 2), transcranial Doppler (n = 6), MR perfusion (n = 1), and positron emission tomography (n = 2). Precranioplasty CBF evaluation ranged from 2 days to 6 months; postcranioplasty CBF evaluation ranged from 7 days to 6 months. All studies demonstrated an increase in CBF ipsilateral to the side of the cranioplasty. Nine of 21 studies also reported an increase in CBF on the contralateral side. Neurological function improved in an overwhelming majority of patients after cranioplasty. Conclusion This systematic review suggests that cranioplasty improves CBF following DC with a concurrent improvement in neurological function. The causative impact of CBF on neurological function, however, requires further study.
An iterative incentive mechanism design for crowd sensing using best response dynamics

Recent studies have modeled the incentive mechanism as a complete information game where the contributors have common knowledge. However, that assumption is not realistic in real world scenarios. In this paper, we present an incentive mechanism for CS in sealed markets in which participants have incomplete information on other participants' behavior. An iterative game framework is introduced where the solution is achieved after a number of iterations. We also address the question “do uncoordinated contributors converge to an equilibrium?. In fact, we are concerned with the convergence of the contributors to an equilibrium under a natural dynamics. The well-known best response dynamics with different rules of play is studied. In addition, a strategy for the platform to assign the optimal budget for the initial state of the market is presented. Through theoretical analyses and extensive simulations, we also evaluate the performance of the proposed incentive mechanism.
Hypogene Evaporite Karst of the Greater Delaware Basin

The Permian Basin of west Texas and southeastern New Mexico is host to extensive karst development in carbonate and evaporite strata. The Delaware Basin and associated Northwestern Shelf include both Guadalupian and Ochoan evaporites with diverse hypogene karst features of four general types: fluvial-induced; pressure gradient-dominated; density convection-dominated; and hydrocarbon-enhanced. Although many classic definitions of hypogene speleogenesis emphasize confined or semi-confined hydrogeologic conditions, analyses of Permian evaporites of this region show that hypogene karst can develop in near-unconfined conditions as long as local meteoric influences are minimal. Since the early Paleogene, eastern migration of the Pecos River in New Mexico has created a persistent potentiometric low as a target for upward migration of fluids, producing multi-story rectilinear maze caves as well as large cenote-like collapse structures in the Seven Rivers Formation, with less dramatic examples also common throughout the back-reef facies. Within the Castile Formation, evidence of hypogene speleogenesis is common, ranging from isolated rise structures nearly 100 m deep to multi-story maze caves and intrastratal brecciation. Evaporite calcitization and associated sulfur ores are common as the result of sulfate reduction in the presence of ascending hydrocarbon-rich fluids. Overlying strata of Salado and Rustler formations also host hypogene karst, but to a much lower documented degree and largely associated only with cross-formational breccia pipes and intrastratal brecciation.
Contrasting responses of functional diversity to major losses in taxonomic diversity

Taxonomic diversity of benthic marine invertebrate shelf species declines at present by nearly an order of magnitude from the tropics to the poles in each hemisphere along the latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG), most steeply along the western Pacific where shallow-sea diversity is at its tropical maximum. In the Bivalvia, a model system for macroevolution and macroecology, this taxonomic trend is accompanied by a decline in the number of functional groups and an increase in the evenness of taxa distributed among those groups, with maximum functional evenness (FE) in polar waters of both hemispheres. In contrast, analyses of this model system across the two era-defining events of the Phanerozoic, the Permian-Triassic and Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinctions, show only minor declines in functional richness despite high extinction intensities, resulting in a rise in FE owing to the persistence of functional groups. We hypothesize that the spatial decline of taxonomic diversity and increase in FE along the present-day LDG primarily reflect diversity-dependent factors, whereas retention of almost all functional groups through the two mass extinctions suggests the operation of diversity-independent factors. Comparative analyses of different aspects of biodiversity thus reveal strongly contrasting biological consequences of similarly severe declines in taxonomic diversity and can help predict the consequences for functional diversity among different drivers of past, present, and future biodiversity loss.
Role of the circadian system in reproductive phenomena.

Publisher Summary The circadian system interfaces with the reproductive process at many different levels, but the precise relationship can vary greatly from species to species. This chapter discusses different ways in which reproductive phenomena depend upon circadian information in mammals. The chapter discusses the role of the circadian system in regulating the daily pattern of release of reproductive hormones from the pituitary gland and the gonads, in synchronizing various events associated with ovulation to specific times of the day, in timing various events associated with pregnancy and parturition, and in measuring the length of the day in seasonal breeders. Circadian variation in reproductive hormone levels may be necessary for normal response of target tissues. This could result from interactions with other hormonal rhythms and/or correspond to an altered circadian response of the target tissues. The circadian variation in hormone concentrations may enable the same hormone to act differently at various times of the day. Hormonal rhythms may also be important in the feedback control system between the central nervous system and the endocrine organs. The significance of circadian hormonal rhythms may be related to the necessity to synchronize a variety of endocrine and neural events for maximum efficiency. There is a close correlation between diurnal hormone patterns and the sleep–wake cycle, which also shows circadian variation.
A Target to Achieve Zero Preventable Trauma Deaths Through Quality Improvement.

This study uses the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Emergency Department Sample to examine the number of preventable trauma deaths in US hospitals to provide a target for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine mandate of zero preventable deaths after injury.
GENETICS OF LYSOSOMAL FUNCTIONS

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the genetics of lysosomal functions. It is often assumed that hydrolases with acidic pH optima are localized in lysosomes. The α- D -mannosidases represent a group of enzymes that at first glance might have some bearing on the question of the biosynthesis of lysosomal enzymes. Immunological comparisons by antibody precipitation tests and double-diffusion plates indicated that the three liver enzymes are immunologically unrelated. β-Glucuronidase is an unusual lysosomal enzyme in that it is also present in considerable amounts in the endoplasmic reticuiurn of liver and kidney. Glucose and galactose are also present in all of the enzymes, and fucose is present in all of the rat enzymes but not in mouse β-glucuronidase.
Interpersonal Dependency Among Court-Ordered Domestic Violence Offenders: A Descriptive Analysis

In the effort to improve treatment programs for batterers, researchers have begun to examine the role of interpersonal dependency in the etiology and maintenance of domestic violence. Recent empirical investigations of interpersonal dependency among maritally violent men have discovered that these men exhibit increased levels of interpersonal dependency when compared to nonviolent men. This study examined the level of interpersonal dependency of 105 adult men court-ordered into a treatment program for domestic violence offenses, and 25 nonviolent men. Results indicated no significant difference in level of interpersonal dependency between the court-ordered batterers and the nonviolent men. Possible explanations for the failure of this research to replicate earlier findings were explored and discussed. These findings indicate that more research is needed before the role of interpersonal dependency in the etiology and maintenance of domestic violence can be understood.
P-spline Varying Coefficient Models for Complex Data

Although the literature on varying coefficient models (VCMs) is vast, we believe that there remains room to make these models more widely accessible and provide a unified and practical implementation for a variety of complex data settings. The adaptive nature and strength of P-spline VCMs allow a full range of models: from simple to additive structures, from standard to generalized linear models, from one-dimensional coefficient curves to two-dimensional (or higher) coefficient surfaces, among others, including bilinear models and signal regression. As P-spline VCMs are grounded in classical or generalized (penalized) regression, fitting is swift and desirable diagnostics are available. We will see that in higher dimensions, tractability is only ensured if efficient array regression approaches are implemented. We also motivate our approaches through several examples, most notably the German deep drill data, to highlight the breadth and utility of our approach.
Workshop Summary: Roles of the TNF Family in Normal Development and Cancer

Lymphotoxin and TNF, the first TNF family members to be described, were originally assigned roles in inflammation or tumor rejection. The discovery that LT-deficient mice lacked lymph nodes and the discovery of multiple additional members of the family with distinctly non-inflammatory roles brought about the realization that many members of the family were crucial for normal development. Furthermore, TNF’s role in tumor defense has come under scrutiny in recent years with the realization that in some cases it can act as a tumor promoter.
Data Warehousing Development and Design Methodologies

Information systems were developed in early 1960s to process orders, billings, inventory controls, payrolls, and accounts payables. Soon information systems research began. Harry Stern started the “Information Systems in Management Science” column in Management Science journal to provide a forum for discussion beyond just research papers (Banker & Kauffman, 2004). Ackoff (1967) led the earliest research on management information systems for decision-making purposes and published it in Management Science. Gorry and Scott Morton (1971) first used the term ‘decision support systems’ (DSS) in a paper and constructed a framework for improving management information systems. The topics on information systems and DSS research diversifies. One of the major topics has been on how to get systems design right. As an active component of DSS, which is part of today’s business intelligence systems, data warehousing became one of the most important developments in the information systems field during the mid-to-late 1990s. Since business environment has become more global, competitive, complex, and volatile, customer relationship management (CRM) and e-commerce initiatives are creating requirements for large, integrated data repositories and advanced analytical capabilities. By using a data warehouse, companies can make decisions about customer-specific strategies such as customer profiling, customer segmentation, and crossselling analysis (Cunningham et al., 2006). Thus how to design and develop a data warehouse have become important issues for information systems designers and developers. This paper presents some of the currently discussed development and design methodologies in data warehousing, such as the multidimensional model vs. relational ER model, CIF vs. multidimensional methodologies, data-driven vs. metric-driven approaches, top-down vs. bottom-up design approaches, data partitioning and parallel processing.
Direct Detection of Pathogens in Bloodstream During Sepsis: Are We There Yet?

Background: Advances in medicine have improved our understanding of sepsis, but it remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The detection of pathogens that cause sepsis remains a challenge for clinical microbiology laboratories. Content: Routine blood cultures are time-consuming and are negative in a large proportion of cases, leading to excessive use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials. Molecular testing direct from patient blood without the need for incubation has the potential to fill the gaps in our diagnostic armament and complement blood cultures to provide results in a timely manner. Currently available platforms show promise but have yet to definitively address gaps in sensitivity and specificity. Summary: Significant strides have been made in the detection of pathogens directly from blood. A number of hurdles, however, remain before this technology can be adapted for routine use.
Parenting for Moral Growth.

This article presents a series of excerpts from the author's upcoming book entitled Parenting for Moral Growth. It is an attempt to provide parents with a practical overview of over a decade of research into how individuals develop their understanding of morality. As well as offering a popular translation of Kohlberg' s cognitive-developmental theory of moral development , the author provides a series of concrete examples of how these theoretical principles can be employed in everyday family interaction. The case is made that regardless of their intentions , parents are moral educators and must become active in this role by implementing moral development strategies in the home environment. I spent much of my professional time during the 1970's developing curriculum in moral and civic education for use in the public schools. The pilot work, in concert with many colleagues, was done principally in Brookline and Cambridge, Massachusetts. It drew considerable attention from educators and the press nationally and from abroad (for example, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Switzerland). In essence, we learned how to promote children's moral reasoning by classroom instruction and by increasing their participation in the governance of the school. The scholarly substance and measure of that effort are reported elsewhere (Mosher, 1980). In one of the central aims of the research, however, we experienced notable failure: in "giving away" to parents what we were learning about children's moral development and about how to promote it by education. There seemed several compelling reasons to educate parents about these matters: a) As a parent myself, I believed parents are, or should be, the "natural" moral educators of their children. Such research as we had suggested that they were. At least the mothers were. Fathers, by comparison, seemed to exert little influence on their children's moral reasoning, perhaps because they traditionally punish or discipline rather than reason with their children, or perhaps because mothers spend so much more time in child rearing. If both mothers and fathers knew what we, the "experts" knew, it seemed reasonable to think their children's moral growth might be enhanced. b) I was concerned to make moral education a common cause of parents and the church as well as the school, rather than to shift the balance of systematic moral construction further to public education. In my view there has been more than enough weakening of the family's ability to provide for itself by a translocation of its core functions, such as provision for children's character formation or mental health, to "profession