cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The decision to self-represent

Objective. Since litigants are assumed to place themselves at a legal disadvantage by self-representing, self-representation is traditionally not considered part of an effective legal strategy. The author considers whether it is possible to identify self-representation as part of a sound legal strategy. Methods. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 95 civil appellants in Illinois, Minnesota, and Mississippi. Twenty-three (27 percent) of the interviews involved self-represented appellants and the remaining 72 (73 percent) interviewed litigants were lawyer-represented. Results. The interviews confirm that there was a disjuncture between the litigants' views of the issues in their claim and the lawyers' view of the issue in the litigants' claim. One possible method for litigants to reconcile this disjuncture was through self-representation. Conclusion. While self-representation usually occurs because of the financial burden associated with retaining legal counsel, self-representation might also be pursued by some litigants as part of a legal strategy to force the courts to deal with the issue that the litigants, rather than the legal system, identify as at the heart of their disputes
Willingness to pay for hunting leases in Alabama.

This study used a censored probit approach to estimate willingness to pay (WTP) for hunting leases in Alabama. Data were generated through a dichotomous choice contingent valuation (DCCV) survey conducted in spring 2002. After correcting for sample selection bias, we found that hunting experience, hunter’s household income, number of dependents, and lack of game quality had significant impact on WTP, with lack of game quality having the largest marginal effect. The estimated WTP was $1.29/ac per hunter or $23/ac per hunting club, more than double the actual average payment of $0.52/ac per hunter or $9.36/ac per hunting club. These results suggested that landowners in Alabama could increase access fees for hunting leases. South. J. Appl. For. 28(1):21–27.
Large-Eddy Simulation of a Compressible Mixing Layer and the Significance of Inflow Turbulence

In the context of Large Eddy Simulations (LES), the effects of inflow turbulence are investigated through the Synthetic Eddy Method (SEM). The growth rate of a turbulent compressible mixing layer corresponding to operating conditions of GeobelDutton Case 2 is investigated herein. The effects of spanwise width on the growth rate of the mixing layer is investigated such that spanwise width independence is reached. The error in neglecting inflow turbulence effects is quantified by comparing two methodologies: (1) Hybrid-RANS-LES methodology and (2) SEM-LES methodology. Best practices learned from Case 2 are developed herein and then applied to a higher convective mach number corresponding to Case 4 experiments of GeobelDutton.
A new time and space resolved transmission spectrometer for research in inertial confinement fusion and radiation source development

We describe the design and function of a new time and space resolved x-ray spectrometer for use in Z-pinch inertial confinement fusion and radiation source development experiments. The spectrometer is designed to measure x-rays in the range of 0.5-1.5 A (8-25 keV) with a spectral resolution λ/Δλ ∼ 400. The purpose of this spectrometer is to measure the time- and one-dimensional space-dependent electron temperature and density during stagnation. These relatively high photon energies are required to escape the dense plasma created at stagnation and to obtain sensitivity to electron temperatures ≳3 keV. The spectrometer is of the Cauchois type, employing a large 30 × 36 mm2, transmissive quartz optic for which a novel solid beryllium holder was designed. The performance of the crystal was verified using offline tests, and the integrated system was tested using experiments on the Z pulsed power accelerator.
Using the 5th dimensions of human visual perception to inspire automated edge and texture segmentation: A fuzzy spatial-taxon approach

With the recent stunning success of machine learning, artificially intelligent machine vision research falls (roughly) into two camps: the big data camp and cognitive informatics camp. Big data uses statistical methods to discover latent structures that emerge from the co-occurrences of relevant features when sampling over enormous quantities of data. The cognitive informatics methods design computer vision systems to mimic human cognition. Though some visual latent features that emerge from deep learning networks, mimic mammalian visual detectors, as of yet the information processing mechanisms (analogous to human psychophysical mechanisms) remain hidden within the complexity of the deep nets. Furthermore, the sampling requirements of big data systems require limiting samples to pre-processed sets, such as SHIFT (shift invariant feature transform (Lowe 1999)). Techniques, such as the ones introduced in this paper, provide fast cognitively relevant methods for selecting samples and reducing the number of candidate features. The approach described in this paper live squarely in the camp of designing computer vision A.I. to mimics human cognitive processes. I introduce a novel definition of edges, based on human hierarchical scene perception. Hierarchical scene perception views vision within the 5 dimensions of horizontal & vertical position, depth, time and scene abstraction level (spatial-taxon). Fuzzy inference selects candidate edge elements using the Gestalt psychology principal of good curvilinear continuation, proximity and edges attachment. Spatial-taxon inference infers an edge outline for each level of abstraction within the scene architecture. The system was tested on 60 natural images and the results provide edges more aligned with human intuition of what edges should look like. ROC plots indicate solid performance, with the majority of human subjects rating the edge detection as high quality. The inferred edges are consistent with the finding of neurons responsive to proto-object boundaries in the visual cortex.
Severity of Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients Treated with Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulants.

Abstract Background Direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs), which have gained approval for stroke prevention in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and treatment of venous thromboembolism, have become increasingly preferred over warfarin given their predictable pharmacodynamics, lack of required monitoring, and superior outcomes. Direct-acting oral anticoagulants have been shown to be associated with an increased frequency of gastrointestinal bleeding compared with warfarin, but the severity and characteristics of gastrointestinal bleeding in these patients is poorly understood. Methods We retrospectively evaluated electronic medical records of patients with gastrointestinal bleeding (n = 8496) from 2010-2016. We identified 61 patients with gastrointestinal bleeding episodes while treated with DOACs (rivaroxaban, dabigatran, or apixaban) and 123 patients with gastrointestinal bleeding while taking warfarin. We randomly selected a control group of 296 patients with gastrointestinal bleeding who were not receiving anticoagulation treatment from the same sample. Outcomes included the need for hospitalization, blood transfusion, endoscopic or surgical intervention, and 30-day mortality. Results The DOAC and warfarin groups were similar in terms of age and underlying comorbidity (assessed using the Charlson Comorbidity Index), but the DOAC group had greater concomitant aspirin use. Gastrointestinal bleeding was classified as upper (n = 186), lower (n = 88), anorectal (n = 183), small bowel (n = 9), and indeterminate (n = 14). After adjusting for differences in baseline variables, the DOAC group had fewer hospitalizations and required fewer transfusions than the warfarin group. The DOAC and control groups were not statistically different for all outcomes. There were no significant mortality differences among groups. Conclusion Although prior studies have shown a higher frequency of gastrointestinal bleeding in patients treated with DOACs compared with warfarin, our data suggest that gastrointestinal bleeding in patients taking DOACs may be less severe. These differences occurred despite significantly greater concomitant aspirin use in the DOAC group compared with warfarin users.
Parents' perceptions of the value of sexual abuse medical evaluations of their children

Abstract Most sexual abuse medical examinations reveal no abnormalities. This study's objective was to assess the value of a “certification of normalcy” for parents whose children had/didn't have abuse evaluations. Two questionnaires were developed for administration to guardians of sexually abused children enrolling in a specialized outpatient mental health program. On the questionnaire given to 42 parents whose children had received medical evaluations, caregivers commonly endorsed prior concerns about injuries, infections, genital penetration, and proof of sexual assault. 74% rated the examinations as helpful to them and 41% of caregivers believed knowledge of the results was helpful for their children age seven or older. 76% of guardians indicated they would obtain examinations if events were recreated. The questionnaire given to 47 parents of non-examined children revealed less concern about injury, infection and signs of penetration. However, 28% of these caregivers indicated they would obtain examinations if events were recreated. Study results support a belief that sexual abuse medical evaluations have value to many parents.
Learning from Incident Reporting and Closed Claims Analyses

Understanding the various causes behind medical errors is key to improving patient safety. Reporting and analysis of near-miss events and adverse outcomes yields valuable information about system failures behind the incident and may lead to system redesign in order to prevent reoccurrence. The root cause analysis is a systematic approach to analyze adverse events and critical incidents. The root cause analysis analyzes what happened, how it happened, why it happened, and what can be done to prevent it from happening again. Through these steps, systems failures resulting in active and latent errors, such as human performance factors, organizational factors, and team communication issues are identified and systems are redesigned. This chapter illustrates the application of the root cause analysis using cases from the Closed Claims Database, including facial burns from an electrocautery-induced operating room fire and death from failed extubation of a difficult airway.
Histological, Immunophenotypic and Histomorphometric Characterization of Prostate Cancer Bone Metastases

Carcinoma of the prostate (CaP) is the most common malignancy in older men in the United States. In 2002, more than 200,000 cases of CaP were diagnosed and an estimated 32,000 Americans died of this cancer (Jemal et al., 2002). Most of the devastating effects of prostate cancer can be attributed to its tendency to metastasize to bone. At the time of clinical presentation, 8% of Caucasian-Americans and 14% of African-Americans already have bone metastasis (Coffey, 1993; Whitmore, 1990), and bone metastases will develop in the majority of patients with recurrent hormoneindependent CaP. Bone metastases are a major cause of morbidity in patients with advanced CaP; major clinical features of bone metastases are intractable bone pain, fracture, spinal cord compression and eventually wasting and death. While the biology of the primary tumor has been intensively studied, the special aspects of CaP bone metastases that lead to abnormal bone growth not ordinarily seen in any other cancers are not extensively documented in the literature. In this chapter, we review the detection of CaP metastases, the predilection of CaP to spread to bone, the main phenotypic features of CaP in bone, and the characterization of the histological “osteoblastic” bone response. We conclude with a brief description of our osteoblastic xenograft model and comparison of this model to clinical bone metastases.
Transcriptional control of kidney cancer.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a subtype of kidney cancer characterized by inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau ( VHL ) gene in ∼90% of patients. VHL is the substrate recognition component of an E3 ubiqutin ligase complex that targets prolyl-hydroxylated proteins for proteasomal degradation ( 1 ). The canonical targets of VHL are the α subunits of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), which are oxygen-labile transcription factors that become constitutively stabilized early in ccRCC development and consequently direct transcriptional programs that promote angiogenesis and rewiring of intracellular metabolism ( 2 – 4 ). Identifying VHL substrates other than HIFαs that escape degradation and contribute to tumorigenesis could represent a new therapeutic approach for ccRCC. On page 290 of this issue, Zhang et al. ( 5 ) demonstrate that the transcription factor zinc fingers and homeoboxes 2 (ZHX2) is a previously unidentified VHL target that promotes ccRCC tumorigenesis through regulation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling, potentially identifying targets to treat ccRCC.
Recent cocaine use and the incidence of hemodynamic events during general anesthesia: A retrospective cohort study

Abstract Study objective To evaluate the intraoperative hemodynamics and medication requirements of cocaine-positive patients compared to matched cocaine-negative controls. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Public county hospital. Patients 821 patients undergoing general anesthesia. Measurements Incidence of hemodynamic events, defined by a mean arterial pressure of 105 mmHg or a heart rate of 100 beats per minute. Main results Cocaine-positive patients did not experience a higher incidence of hemodynamic events when compared with matched cocaine-negative patients. Cocaine-positive patients were not more likely to be administered vasopressors intraoperatively but did receive more anti-hypertensive agents. The minimum alveolar concentration of anesthetics used was similar between the two groups. Anesthesia duration, length of stay, and in-hospital mortality did not significantly differ between the two cohorts. Conclusions Cocaine-positive patients did not demonstrate more intraoperative hemodynamic events or adverse short-term outcomes as compared to matched cocaine-negative controls.
Surface-Templated Nanobubbles Protect Proteins from Surface-Mediated Denaturation.

In this Letter, we report that surface-bound nanobubbles reduce protein denaturation on methylated glass by irreversible protein shell formation. Single-molecule total internal reflection fluorescence (SM-TIRF) microscopy was combined with intramolecular Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to study the conformational dynamics of nitroreductase (NfsB) on nanobubble-laden methylated glass surfaces, using reflection brightfield microscopy to register nanobubble locations with NfsB adsorption. First, NfsB adsorbed irreversibly to nanobubbles with no apparent desorption after 5 h. Moreover, virtually all (96%) of the NfsB molecules that interacted with nanobubbles remained folded, whereas less than 50% of NfsB molecules remained folded in the absence of nanobubbles on unmodified silica or methylated glass surfaces. This trend was confirmed by ensemble-average fluorometer TIRF experiments. We hypothesize that nanobubbles reduce protein damage by passivating strongly denaturing topographical surface defects. Thus, nanobubble stabilization on surfaces may have important implications for antifouling surfaces and improving therapeutic protein storage.
Numerical investigation on the hydrodynamic performance of amphibious wheeled armored vehicles

ABSTRACTWheeled armored vehicles (WAVs) are designed for military applications, but they are frequently used in special disaster relief missions during floods caused by severe global climate change...
Copolymerization of single-cell nucleic acids into balls of acrylamide gel.

We show the use of 5'-Acrydite oligonucleotides to copolymerize single-cell DNA or RNA into balls of acrylamide g el (BAGs). Combining this step with split-and-pool techniques for creating barcodes yields a method with advantages in cost and scalability, depth of coverage, ease of operation, minimal cross-contamination, and efficient use of samples. We perform DNA copy number profiling on mixtures of cell lines, nuclei from frozen prostate tumors, and biopsy washes. As applied to RNA, the method has high capture efficiency of transcripts and sufficient consistency to clearly distinguish the expression patterns of cell lines and individual nuclei from neurons dissected from the mouse brain. By using varietal tags (UMIs) to achieve sequence error correction, we show extremely low levels of cross-contamination by tracking source-specific SNVs. The method is readily modifiable, and we will discuss its adaptability and diverse applications.
Vowel Acoustics and Speech Intelligibility in Young Adults With Down Syndrome.

Purpose Speech production deficits and reduced intelligibility are frequently noted in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and are attributed to a combination of several factors. This study reports acoustic data on vowel production in young adults with DS and relates these findings to perceptual analysis of speech intelligibility. Method Participants were eight young adults with DS as well as eight age- and gender-matched typically developing (TD) controls. Several different acoustic measures of vowel centralization and variability were applied to tokens of corner vowels (/ɑ/, /ae/, /i/, /u/) produced in common English words. Intelligibility was assessed for single-word productions of speakers with DS, by means of transcriptions from 14 adult listeners. Results Group differentiation was found for some, but not all, of the acoustic measures. Low vowels were more acoustically centralized and variable in speakers with DS than TD controls. Acoustic findings were associated with overall intelligibility scores. Vowel formant dispersion was the most sensitive measure in distinguishing DS and TD formant data. Conclusion Corner vowels are differentially affected in speakers with DS. The acoustic characterization of vowel production and its association with speech intelligibility scores within the DS group support the conclusion of motor control deficits in the overall speech impairment. Implications are discussed for effective treatment planning.
Chronic IL-1 exposure drives LNCaP cells to evolve androgen and AR independence

Background: Chronic inflammation is a known cause of prostate cancer (PCa) initiation and progression. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is an inflammatory cytokine secreted by tumor cells and bone-derived immune cells that contributes to chronic inflammation in the tumor microenvironment. IL-1 is elevated in PCa patients and contributes to PCa progression and treatment resistance. IL-1 has been shown to promote PCa metastasis and bone colonization, shown to recruit mesenchymal stems cells to the tumor to support castration-resistant PCa (CRPCa) development and chronic IL-1 exposure was shown to promote PCa anti-androgen resistance. We previously reported that acute IL-1 exposure represses androgen receptor (AR) accumulation and activity, providing a possible mechanism for IL-1-mediated development of androgen- and AR-independent PCa. Given that acute inflammation is quickly resolved, and chronic inflammation is, instead, co-opted by cancer cells to promote tumorigenicity, we set out to determine if chronic IL-1 exposure leads to similar repression of AR and AR activity observed for acute IL-1 exposure and to determine if chronic IL-1 exposure selects for androgen- and AR-independent PCa cells. Methods: We isolated isogenic LNCaP sublines from LNCaP cells chronically exposed for 3-4 months to IL-1α or IL-1β. LNCaP and the IL-1 sublines were treated with IL-1α, IL-1β, TNFα or conditioned medium from the HS-5 bone marrow stromal cell line to assess cell viability in the presence of cytotoxic inflammatory cytokines. Cell viability was also assessed following serum starvation, AR siRNA silencing and treatment with the anti-androgen, enzalutamide. RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were also performed for the IL-1 sublines. Results: MTT, RT-qPCR and western blot analysis show that the sublines evolved resistance to inflammation-induced cytotoxicity and intracellular signaling and evolved reduced sensitivity to siRNA-mediated loss of AR, serum deprivation and enzalutamide. Furthermore, differential gene expression reveals that canonical AR signaling is aberrant in the IL-1 sublines, where the cells show constitutive PSA repression and basally high KLK2 and NKX3.1 mRNA levels and bioinformatics analysis predicts that pro-survival and pro-tumorigenic pathways are activated in the sublines. Conclusions: Our data provide evidence that chronic IL-1 exposure promotes PCa cell androgen and AR independence and, thus, supports CRPCa development.
Mineralized DNA-collagen complex-based biomaterials for bone tissue engineering.

Abstract DNA is a highly polyanionic biomolecule that complexes with both collagen and hydroxyapatite. By combining these complexes, we synthesized nucleic-acid collagen complexes (NACC) mineralized with hydroxyapatite. The composite complexes were made using a short, monodisperse single-stranded DNA, type I collagen, and mineralizing medium. They rapidly self-assembled into both mineralized NACC microfibers and 3D NACC gels. At the nanoscale, these complexes are hierarchical, interwoven, curly nanofibrils resembling native extracellular matrix, which mineralized an interpenetrating nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite phase. Mineralization was able to be done either before or after NACC formation enabling temporal control of the process. In response to the NACC material, primary human osteoblasts took on an osteocyte-like morphology. Moreover, the cells agglomerated and remodeled the NACC gels into densified, tissue-like structures within 3 days. NACC fibers and gels have promise not only as osteoconductive coatings and scaffolds, but as coatings and scaffolds for any tissue using this new form of naturally-derived biomaterials.
Risk Factors for Cerebral Vasospasm in Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Population-Based Study of 8346 Patients.

Background A recent systematic review and meta-analysis found that there was a lack of consensus regarding risk factors for cerebral vasospasm in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Objective To identify risk factors associated with increased likelihood of cerebral vasospasm after aSAH using the largest, all-payer, inpatient database in the United States. Methods The Nationwide Readmissions Database (2016) was queried using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision codes to identify patients (age ≥18 years) treated (coiling or clipping) for aSAH. Exposure variables included demographics, comorbidities, location and clinical grade of aSAH, treatment type, and laboratory anomalies. Multivariable analysis was conducted to identify factors independently associated with cerebral vasospasm (ICD-10 code I67.84). Results The rate of vasospasm was 28.1% in 8346 patients with treated aSAH. In multivariable analysis, vasospasm risk was inversely proportional to age (P Conclusions In the first nationwide analysis of cerebral vasospasm, risk factors included younger age, female sex, smoking history, hemodynamic compromise, and clinical severity of aSAH. Recently proposed biomarkers, including leukocytosis and hypokalemia, were supported by our findings. This study may assist risk stratification and earlier detection of vasospasm.
Influence of Rb 73 on the ashes of accreting neutron stars

We find that the proton separation energy, $S(p)$, of $^{73}\mathrm{Rb}$ is $\ensuremath{-}640(40)$ keV, deduced from the observation of $\ensuremath{\beta}$-delayed ground-state protons following the decay of $^{73}\mathrm{Sr}$. This lower-limit determination of the proton separation energy of $^{73}\mathrm{Rb}$ coupled with previous upper limits from nonobservation, provides a full constraint on the mass excess with $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}M{(}^{73}\text{Rb})=\ensuremath{-}46.01\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.04$ MeV. With this new mass excess and the excitation energy of the ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}=5/{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ isobaric-analog state ($T=3/2$) in $^{73}\mathrm{Rb}$, an improved constraint can be put on the mass excess of $^{73}\mathrm{Sr}$ using the isobaric-multiplet mass equation (IMME), and we find $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}M{(}^{73}\text{Sr})=\ensuremath{-}31.98\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.37$ MeV. These new data were then used to study the composition of ashes on accreting neutron stars following Type I x-ray bursts. Counterintuitively, we find that there should be an enhanced fraction of $Ag102$ nuclei with more negative proton separation energies at the $^{72}\mathrm{Kr}$ rp-process waiting point. Larger impurities of heavier nuclei in the ashes of accreting neutron stars will impact the cooling models for such astrophysical scenarios.
Regulatory Compliance Has No Speed Traps

Formed through legislation signed by President Gerald Ford in 1976, the Office of the Inspector General is one federal agency that should never be underestimated by those in the health care industry. In its pursuit to protect the integrity of health care programs and the welfare of their beneficiaries, the OIG boasts the power to determine the fate of most health care providers through standards both objective and subjective. While those unfortunate enough to find themselves on the List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE) may at times disagree, the pellucidity with which the OIG enforces its statutory directive is in perfect alignment with the transparency through which the agency insists providers conduct their business.
Two-part models for assessing misrepresentation on risk status

Claims modeling is a classical actuarial task aimed to understand the claim distribution given a set of risk factors. Yet some risk factors may be subject to misrepresentation, giving rise to bias in the estimated risk effects. Motivated by the unique characteristics of real health insurance data, we propose a novel class of two-part aggregate loss models that can (a) account for the semi-continuous feature of aggregate loss data, (b) test and adjust for misrepresentation risk in insurance ratemaking, and (c) incorporate an arbitrary number of correctly measured risk factors. The unobserved status of misrepresentation is captured via a latent factor shared by the two regression models on the occurrence and size of aggregate losses. For the complex two-part model, we derive explicit iterative formulas for the expectation maximization algorithm adopted in parameter estimation. Analytical expressions are obtained for the observed Fisher information matrix, ensuring computational efficiency in large-sample inferences on risk effects. We perform extensive simulation studies to demonstrate the convergence and robustness of the estimators under model misspecification. We illustrate the practical usefulness of the models by two empirical applications based on real medical claims data.
Caring for a family member with early stage alzheimer’s disease: caregiver perceptions, connections, and relational dynamics with the sacred

Researchers have conceptualized spirituality as the search for or connection with the sacred – or that which is considered blessed, holy, or revered by each individual. Some perceive the sacred as ...
Exploring mediation pathways on the relationship between acculturation and binge eating among Latino adolescents.

Abstract The objective of this study was to explore the mediating effects of emotional eating, restrained eating, and external eating on the relationship between acculturation and binge eating among Latino adolescents. Adolescents who self-identified as Latino (N = 285) at public high schools in Southern California were recruited and completed a self-report survey. Acculturation was assessed using the 8-item Acculturation, Habits, Interests for Multicultural Adolescents (AHIMSA) scale for adolescents, mediators were assessed using Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ), and binge eating was assessed using a 13-item Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale. A bootstrapped multiple mediation model was used to test mediation pathways. Findings suggest that individually each eating style—emotional, restrained and external eating pathway did not reach significance singly, but that jointly, their combined effect was significant with a total indirect effect (B = 0.15, CI 0.01-0.30) indicating an additive effect of the three eating styles. Future research should examine additional mediators of the relationship between acculturation and binge eating.
Elementary File Input and Output

This chapter discusses elementary file, including how to obtain data from a file and how to save output to a file. It also discusses how the file location is specified. Two complete programs, one performing matrix multiplication using a data stored in a file, and another sorting string data from a file, are included.
Accounting Standard-Setting Institutions and the Governance of Incomplete Contracts:

“A constant problem of the accounting profession lies in the development of procedures to keep pace with changing economic conditions.” Charles Couchman, President, American Institute of Accountants, 1932.1“New and extremely difficult problems are constantly arising in the wake of innovative business techniques.” The Wheat Committee, 1972.2“The Board recognizes that financial reporting must adapt to a world in which change is a continuing, even accelerating process.” Dennis Beresford, Chairman, Financial Accounting Standards Board, 1991.3
Strings with maximally many distinct subsequences and substrings

A natural problem in extremal combinatorics is to maximize the number of distinct subsequences for any length-$n$ string over a finite alphabet $\Sigma$; this value grows exponentially, but slower than $2^n$. We use the probabilistic method to determine the maximizing string, which is a cyclically repeating string. The number of distinct subsequences is exactly enumerated by a generating function, from which we also derive asymptotic estimates. For the alphabet $\Sigma=\{1,2\}$, $\,(1,2,1,2,\dots)$ has the maximum number of distinct subsequences, namely ${\rm Fib}(n+3)-1 \sim \left((1+\sqrt5)/2\right)^{n+3} \! / \sqrt{5}$. We also consider the same problem with sub strings in lieu of sub sequences . Here, we show that an appropriately truncated de Bruijn word attains the maximum. For both problems, we compare the performance of random strings with that of the optimal ones.
A Mechanistic Study of Sulfur Poisoning of the Water-Gas-Shift Reaction over Pd/Ceria

The effect of sulfur on the water-gas-shift (WGS) activity of Pd/ceria catalysts has been studied using steady-state rate measurements, pulse-reactor studies, and FTIR. After exposing Pd/ceria to SO2 at 673 K in an oxidizing environment, the WGS rates dropped to a value close to that observed on Pd/alumina. Both pulse-reactor and FTIR measurements showed that cerium sulfates can be readily reduced by CO and re-oxidized by O2 at 723 K; however, unlike reduced ceria, the Ce2O2S formed by reduction of the sulfates cannot be re-oxidized by H2O or CO2. The implications of these measurements for understanding the oxygen-storage capacity (OSC) of three-way catalysts are discussed.
Incorporation of supply voltage and process variations in the power optimization for future transistors

In this work, we extend this methodology to include the impact of supply voltage and process parameter variations (gate length, Lg , body thickness, Tsi). A variation-aware methodology yields a realistic comparison between different device technology options at the future nodes. In addition, it gives a more measured assessment of both the minimum power possible as well as the optimal voltage-scaling roadmap. We show the efficacy and the wide scope of this methodology by applying it to a myriad of transistor related applications
Dietary Response of Chimpanzees and Cercopithecines to Seasonal Variation in Fruit Abundance. II. Macronutrients

In a continuation of our study of dietary differentiation among frugivorous primates with simple stomachs, we present the first comparison of differences in dietary macronutrient content between chimpanzees and cercopithecine monkeys. Previously we have shown that chimpanzee and monkey diets differ markedly in plant part and species content. We now examine whether this diet diversity is reflected in markedly different dietary macronutrient levels or the different feeding strategies yield the same macronutrient levels in their diets. For each primate group we calculated the total weighted mean dietary content of 4 macronutrients: crude lipid (lipid), crude protein (CP), water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), and total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC). We also calculated 4 fiber fractions: neutral-detergent fiber (NDF), which includes the subfractions hemicellulose (HC), cellulose (Cs), and sulfuric acid lignin (Ls). The HC and Cs are potentially fermentable fibers and would contribute to the energy provided by plant food, depending on the hind gut fermenting capacity of the individual primate species. The chimpanzee diet contained higher levels of WSC and TNC because during times of fruit abundance the chimpanzees took special advantage of ripe fruit, while the monkeys did not. The monkey diets contained higher levels of CP because the monkeys consumed a constant amount of leaf throughout the year. All four primate species consumed diets with similar NDF levels. However, the chimpanzees also took advantage of periods of ripe fruit abundance to decrease their Ls levels and to increase their HC levels. Conversely, the monkey diets maintained constant levels of the different fiber fractions thoughout the year. Nevertheless, despite these differences, the diets of the 4 frugivores were surprisingly similar, considering the substantial differences in body size. We conclude that the chimpanzee diet is of higher quality, particularly of lower fiber content, than expected on the basis of their body size.
Reliability of Symptoms in Assessing Control of Gastric Acid Secretion in Patients With Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome

In the present study we explored whether the presence or absence of symptoms could provide a reliable way of assessing the adequacy of control of gastric secretion in patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome who were treated medically. Over a 5-yr period, 26 Zollinger-Ellison syndrome patients were entered into a prospective study which examined the presence or absence of symptoms that are associated with gastric hypersecretion, the presence or absence of upper gastrointestinal pathology, and the degree of control of gastric acid secretion. During their last admission, 15 of the 26 patients (58%) were symptomatic, but post-drug gastric acid secretion for the 2 h before the next dose of medication was not significantly different from that in asymptomatic patients. This lack of correlation between the presence or absence of symptoms and post-drug gastric acid secretion was evident for the group as a whole, as well as for 8 of 12 patients who underwent multiple admissions. Of 23 patients who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy or x-rays, or both, on their last admission, 12 had pathology. Post-drug gastric acid secretion was less in patients without pathology than in those with pathology. Furthermore, in patients in whom post-drug gastric acid secretion was ≤ 10 mEq/h, the criterion of acceptable control used in this study, pathology did not occur. These findings demonstrate that the presence or absence of symptoms cannot be used to assess the adequacy of medical control of gastric acid secretion in patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. In our opinion, maintenance of post-drug gastric acid secretion ≤ 10 mEq/h for the 2 h before the next dose of medication is an acceptable criterion for long-term control of gastric secretion in patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
The Impact of Legislation Requiring DNR Orders: New York State Compared with Neighboring States

Decisions to place limitations on the care of patients are complex, and they often involve physicians, other medical professionals, patients, or a surrogate decision-maker, family members, and othe...
Association of clathrin, AP-2 adaptor and actin cytoskeleton with developing interlocking membrane domains of lens fibre cells.

Abstract Interlocking membrane domains are specialized membrane interdigitations in the form of ball-and-sockets and protrusions between lens fibre cells of all species. They are believed to play a key role in maintaining fibre–fibre stability and are therefore, important for normal lens function. Here we report the specific association of the clathrin/AP-2 adaptor complex and the branching F-actin network with the development of interlocking domains in rats and several other species. By thin-section electron microscopy we consistently observed a layer of distinct coating (∼25-nm thick) on the concave membrane surface of small and intermediate-sized developing interlocking domains. These membrane coats remarkably resembled the clathrin-coat of endocytic vesicles in which clathrin and the AP-2 adaptor are involved in the induction of coated pit formation during receptor-mediated endocytosis. We hypothesize that the clathrin/AP-2 complex is directly involved in the induction of interlocking domains in fibre cells. By immunoconfocal microscopy, co-labelling of a dotted-pattern of clathrin and AP-2 adaptor antibodies was seen along the cortical fibre cells. Immunoblot analysis further confirmed that clathrin and AP-2 adaptor antibodies specifically stained a polypeptide band of 180 and 106 kD, respectively, in the membrane fractions prepared separately from the outer and inner cortical fibres where interlocking domains are abundant but endocytic vesicles are absent. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that the clathrin antibody was localized along the interlocking membrane. In addition, branching actin filament networks were frequently observed within the cytoplasmic compartment of developing interlocking domains by TEM, in consistent with the findings by fluorescence and immunogold labelling of the F-actin antibody in the domains. These results demonstrate for the first time that the clathrin/AP-2 complex plays a new role for the formation of interlocking domains in lens fibre cells. Branching actin networks and possibly other cytoskeletal components are also associated with the development and maintenance of these interlocking domains. The coordinated ‘pulling and pushing’ actions generated by the clathrin/AP-2 complex and branching actin networks during interlocking domain formation are discussed.
Antibacterial activity of gentisyl alcohol and homogentisic acid.

SummaryGentisyl alcohol in our experiments was found to have only slight antibacterial activity over a broad pH range. Our results with this compound are at variance with those of Brack1 but are in agreement with the original report of Raistrick and coworkers.5Homogentisic acid was found to have a definite but slight antibacterial activity.The effect of pH of the medium on the antibacterial activity of these compounds against S. aureus was studied.
Distal Hypospadias Repair with Meatal-based Flaps on an Outpatient Basis

We report the results of primary repairs that were performed on 52 consecutive patients with distal hypospadias as an outpatient procedure. A modified Mathieu repair with meatal-based vascularized flap was performed under 2.5 optical magnification using Scottring retractors, traction sutures, micro instruments and fine suture material. A total of 3 patients had complications that required reoperation (5.8%). One of these 3 complications was a urethrocutaneous fistula (1.9%). We found that the repair of distal hypospadias was successful with meatal-based flap using contemporary finer approaches and equipment.
Alfalfa Stem Anatomy and Potato Leafhopper (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) Resistance

Medicago clones with different levels of resistance were examined histologically and by in vitro digestion in rumen fluid to determine if anatomical features of the stem contribute to resistance to the potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris). Glandular hairs, stems with small cross-sectional areas, and highly lignified tissues were associated with potato leafhopper resistance. A cylinder of hard tissues, composed of lignified xylem elements, phloem fibers, and interfascicular areas, surrounded the pith and was linked to reduced oviposition. The hard cylinder was present in the first internode (from apex) of two of the resistant clones and in older, more distal internodes of other clones. Early lignification of tissues forming the cylinder appeared to contribute to potato leafhopper resistance either by mechanically or by chemically deterring or preventing feeding and oviposition.
A 2—5 year follow‐up study of patients treated for bulimia

Ninety-one of 100 patients who had participated in a structured outpatient intensive group psychotherapy program for bulimia were contacted and successfully interviewed by phone 2—5 years after treatment. Seventy-nine (87%) had completed therapy. Overall, 60 (66%) were doing well at follow-up, although some had required additional treatment, 8 (9%) were improved albeit still symptomatic, and 23 (25%) were classified as treatment failures.
CONDITIONAL VELOCITY STATISTICS IN PREMIXED CH4-AIR AND C2H4-AIR TURBULENT FLAMES

Conditioned fluctuation intensities and Reynolds stress have been determined separately for the reactants and for the products in two methane-air and two ethylene-air v-shaped premixed turbulent flames. The conditioned quantities are deduced from velocity data obtained by a two-color LDA system using a conditional analysis method based on the presence of a thin flame sheet dividing the two regions. Within the turbulent flame brush, the conditioned turbulent kinetic energy in the reactants remains at the free stream level. The conditioned turbulent kinetic energy in the products, k p , are higher than in the reactants indicating flame-generated turbulence. Also, k p increases with distance from the flame stabilizer, x . Nevertheless, the two conditioned Reynolds stresses are insignificant. The unconditioned turbulent kinetic energy and Reynolds stress increase with x . This increase is proportional to the increase in the difference between the conditioned mean velocities Δ U . The changes in Δ U suggest expansion stream tube across the flame sheet.
Intelligence and Achievement: Just how Correlated are they?:

The purpose of this study was to summarize the correlations between individually administered tests of intelligence and achievement reported in various test manuals and published journal articles. An exhaustive review of published findings yielded data that were organized into two groups: studies involving correlations between (a) IQ and achievement test composites and (b) IQ and achievement subtests. Within these two areas, data were further divided into studies involving small (n 200) samples. For the large studies, the ability/achievement composite correlations for the K-ABC (.74) followed by the CAS and WJ-III (both .70) were the top ranked. Results for the large-scale ability and achievement subtest studies demonstrated that the CAS (Standard and Basic Batteries, respectively) had the highest correlations with achievement subtests (.65 and.64), followed by the K-ABC (.63). Thus, the two measures of cognitive processing consistently had the highest correlations with achievement d...
Health-related quality of life of HIV-infected women: evidence for the reliability, validity and responsiveness of the Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form 20

The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability, validity and responsiveness of a health-related quality of life (HRQOL) instrument, the Medical Outcomes Short-Form 20-ltem General Health Survey (MOS SF-20), in a sample of women with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Longitudinal data were collected on 202 HIV-infected women without AIDS who were receiving care at Kings County Hospital or SUNY Health Sciences Center, Brooklyn, New York. Internal consistency results showed acceptable reliability for the four multi-item MOS scales (role function, physical function, general health perceptions and mental health). Symptomatic patients and patients with lower Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) ratings reported lower HRQOL than those who were asymptomatic or who had higher KPS scores. Patients who were older, unemployed or who had a history of injection drug use (IDU) also reported lower HRQOL. than those who were younger, employed or who had no drug use history. Adjusted mean scores on the MOS role and physical functioning scales proved sensitive to differences in clinical status over time. The MOS SF-20 is a reliable and valid instrument of HRQOL for women with HIV infection. Its sensitivity to differences in clinical status over time suggest that it may be useful as an HRQOL indicator for HIV/AIDS clinical trials.
Pharmacokinetics of Diazepam Intramuscularly Administered to Rhesus Monkeys

Abstract The purpose of this study was to define the pharmacokinetics of diazepam in monkeys following an im injection of 100 μg/kg (the minimum effective dose that prevents nerve agent-induced convulsions in pyridostjgmine-pretreated, atropine- and 2-PAM-treated monkeys) in order to predict what im dose in humans is needed to prevent nerve agent-induced convulsions. Six rhesus monkeys were administered diazepam in the hind limb. Blood (3 mL) was collected via an indwelling saphenous catheter immediately prior to and 5,10, 15, 25, 40, 60, 90, 120,180, and 240 min after diazepam dosing. A contract laboratory, blind to the labeling code, analyzed diazepam serum concentrations by electron-capture gas chromatography and the percentage of unbound diazepam by equilibrium dialysis. The concentration-time data for total (unbound and bound) diazepam individually determined for each animal was best described by a one-compartment open model with first-order absorption and elimination. The average maximum serum concentration (50 ng/mL) was reached in 29 min. The volume of distribution and systemic clearance, assuming 100% bioavailability, were 1.5 L/kg and 19.4 mL/min/kg, respectively. The percentage of diazepam unbound to serum proteins was 4.6% and, therefore, the maximum concentration of free diazepam was 2.3 ng/mL. These results, when compared with human pharmacokinetic studies, allow a means of extrapolating effective monkey anticonvulsant doses to humans on a pharmacokinetic basis.
Analysis of Microscopic Injuries Caused by Southern Green Stink Bug (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Feeding on Cotton Bolls

Abstract. The southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (L.), utilizes stylets while feeding to pierce the wall of a boll of cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., and can inoculate disease-causing pathogens into developing green bolls. Detection of diseased bolls is difficult because the surface of the carpel wall frequently lacks apparent macroscopic evidence of insect feeding regardless of infection; blisters on the interior surface of the carpel wall are commonly masked by darkened necrotic tissue. The objectives of this study were to characterize microscopic evidence of feeding by laboratory-reared southern green stink bugs on greenhouse-grown cotton bolls and to use these findings to aid in detection of feeding evidence by piercing-sucking insects on field-collected bolls from four southeastern states. Microscopic analyses of greenhouse-reared bolls fed upon by southern green stink bug (n = 40) yielded definitive characteristics and imagery of feeding evidence. Salivary flanges on the exterior surface of th...