cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiothoracic intensive care

p ROLONGED LIFE, improved quality of life, increased exercise tolerance, and relief of symptoms are the measures of outcome for cardiac surgery and need to be attained despite decreasing resources, increasing patient age and comorbidity, and increasing complexity of the operative procedure.1 The achievement of these benefits requires a coordinated and systematic approach to postoperative care under the medical direction of a staff physician. Historically, the postoperative care of cardiac patients was provided by the attending surgeon at the bedside or, unfortunately too often, by the attending surgeon from a distant location (ie, operating room or outpatient clinic). Consistent medical direction of critically ill patients via telephone calls, pager systems, or courier is fraught with difficulties and exposes the patient to unnecessary risks. In an era when the surgical team (ie, cardiac surgeon and cardiac anesthesiologist) must return to the operating room soon after the patient arrives to the intensive care unit (ICU), the presence of a physician dedicated to postoperative medical management becomes mandatory. This premise is increasingly evident as the scope of cardiac surgery increases and the complexity of the cardiac surgical patients requires hands-on physician involvement for the immediate and intermediate postoperative period.
Popular Attitudes toward Distributive Injustice: Beijing and Warsaw Compared

Popular reactions to the transition from centrally planned socialism to a market-based economy are explored through an examination of survey data on distributive justice and injustice attitudes in Beijing, China, in 2000, and in Warsaw, Poland, in 2001. In both capitals objective socioeconomic status characteristics of respondents have weaker and less consistent associations with distributive injustice attitudes than measures of subjective social status and self-reported trends in family standards of living. When objective and subjective respondent background characteristics are controlled for statistically, residents of democratic and enthusiastically capitalist Warsaw have stronger feelings of distributive injustice than respondents in undemocratic and only partially reformed Beijing. However, one exception to this pattern is that Beijing residents favor government redistribution to reduce income differences more than their Warsaw counterparts. Conjectures about the sources of these differences in distributive injustice attitudes are offered.
Influence of dietary cholecalciferol, calcium, and phosphorus on urinary calcium in commercial Leghorn hens.

An experiment was conducted to determine the influence of various dietary levels of cholecalciferol, Ca, and P on urinary Ca and pH, and on plasma concentrations of inorganic P (Pi) and total Ca (TCa) in commercial Leghorn hens. All hens were fed a layer diet containing 500 ICU of cholecalciferol/kg for 30 days and then allocated equally to treatment diets. Twelve treatment diets were in a 3 x 2 x 2 factorial arrangement that comprised three levels of cholecalciferol (0, 2,200, and 4,400 ICU/kg), two Ca levels (3.75 and 5.75%) and two P levels (.3% and .7%). After 9 days of feeding, blood (12 hens per time per treatment) and urine (6 hens per time per treatment) were sampled at 8 and 16 h after oviposition. Urinary Ca and plasma TCa concentrations increased (P less than .05) when dietary cholecalciferol level was increased from 0 to 2,200 ICU/kg, but did not change when cholecalciferol was increased from 2,200 to 4,400 ICU/kg. High levels of dietary Ca elevated (P less than or equal to .05) the urinary Ca concentration of hens fed the low-P treatments. Low levels of dietary P reduced plasma P and increased urinary Ca and pH at all levels of cholecalciferol and Ca; however, the magnitude of increases in urinary Ca were not uniform across all levels of cholecalciferol and Ca. Increases in urinary Ca resulting from low dietary P were relatively small when the diet lacked cholecalciferol, but was increased three- to fourfold when the diet contained adequate or excess levels of Ca and excess but not toxic levels of cholecalciferol.
Role of DNA-Protein Interactions in Bacteriophage ΦX174 DNA Injection

Like most bacteriophages, phi X174 transfers its DNA through the cell wall, leaving an empty capsid on the cell surface. The process begins with ejection of the genome at its host-receptor site. The rate of this event can be measured, so detailed structure/function analysis of the mechanism is possible now that an atomic structure of the phi X174 protein shell has been obtained. Amino acid substitutions at two arginine residues near the DNA-binding pocket of F capsid protein decrease the eclipse rate, while deletion of 27 bases from the J-F non-coding region increases the rate. An alanine to serine change in the N-terminal region of the phi X174 H "spike" protein has suppressor activity in that this mutation also increases the eclipse rate when the complete genome is present within both mutant and wild-type F capsids. These results suggest that a portion of H protein is inside the capsid, and disruption of DNA-protein interactions is involved in the ejection mechanism.
Inhibition of Gli1 results in altered c-Jun activation, inhibition of cisplatin-induced upregulation of ERCC1, XPD and XRCC1, and inhibition of platinum–DNA adduct repair

The transcription of ERCC1 and other nucleotide excision repair (NER) genes is strongly influenced by c-jun. C-jun is transcriptionally regulated by Gli proteins of the Hedgehog pathway. We therefore studied the possible relationships between Gli1, c-jun, and the upregulation of ERCC1, XPD and XRCC1 in cisplatin-resistant human ovarian cancer cells. We studied the paired human ovarian cancer cell lines A2780 and A2780-CP70. We used a shRNA construct that specifically degrades Gli1 message. Genes we assessed for mRNA and/or protein levels included: c-jun, ERCC1, XPD, XRCC1, Gli1, Gli2, SHH, IHH, GAPDH and α-tubulin. Platinum–DNA adduct repair was assessed by atomic absorbance spectrometry with Zeeman background correction. Use of the anti-Gli1 shRNA in cisplatin-resistant cells resulted in a block of the cell's ability to upregulate genes in response to cisplatin treatment, including: c-jun, ERCC1, XPD and XRCC1. This block in upregulation of c-jun was concurrent with a change in the phosphorylation pattern of the c-jun protein, shifting that pattern from a Ser63/73 dominant pattern, to a Thr91/93 dominant pattern. A2780-CP70 cells were treated at their cisplatin IC50, and DNA repair was assessed after pretreatment with anti-Gli1 shRNA or scrambled shRNA control. Control cells repaired 78% of platinum–DNA adducts at 12 h, compared with 33% repair in cells pretreated with anti-Gli1 shRNA resulting in a 2.4-fold difference. Pretreatment of A2780-CP70 cells with anti-Gli1 shRNA resulted in supra-additive cell killing with cisplatin; shifting the cisplatin IC50 (half maximal inhibitory concentration) from 30 μM to 5 μM. Pretreatment of these cells with cyclopamine did not shift the cisplatin IC50. We conclude that the transcriptional protein Gli1 is important in the upregulation of these three DNA repair genes in human ovarian cancer cells, and that Gli1 strongly influences platinum–DNA adduct repair, and cellular sensitivity to cisplatin. This Gli1 role has c-jun as an intermediate in the pathway. In all, inhibition of Gli1 by a specific shRNA inhibits the upregulation of c-jun Ser63/73, and also inhibits the upregulation of three genes essential to NER (ERCC1, XPD) and base excision repair (XRCC1).
Correlation of Formation Enthalpies with Critical Amorphization Temperature for Pyrochlore and Monazite

Systematic studies of a series of RE-titanate pyrochlore single crystals determined the formation enthalpies, $$\Delta H_{{\text{f}} - {\text{ox}}}^0$$ , and the critical amorphization temperature, Tc, the temperature above which the crystal can no longer be amorphized. A negative linear correlation was observed between $$\Delta H_{{\text{f}} - {\text{ox}}}^0$$ and Tc. In general as the cation radius ratio, Ra/Rb, decreases the formation enthalpy becomes less exothermic, i.e. the pyrochlore structure becomes less thermodynamically stable while the susceptibilty to ion beam-induced amorphization decreases. The opposite relation, i.e. a positive linear correlation between $$\Delta H_{{\text{f}} - {\text{ox}}}^0$$ and Tc was observed for a series of REPO4 single crystals with both the monazite and xenotime structures. Both relations can be understood in terms of pyrochlore and orthophosphate crystal chemistry, their formation of point defects, and the role of ion-irradiation induced phase transformations.
Multiagent scheduling method with earliness and tardiness objectives in flexible job shops

Flexible job-shop scheduling problems are an important extension of the classical job-shop scheduling problems and present additional complexity. Such problems are mainly due to the existence of a considerable amount of overlapping capacities with modern machines. Classical scheduling methods are generally incapable of addressing such capacity overlapping. We propose a multiagent scheduling method with job earliness and tardiness objectives in a flexible job-shop environment. The earliness and tardiness objectives are consistent with the just-in-time production philosophy which has attracted significant attention in both industry and academic community. A new job-routing and sequencing mechanism is proposed. In this mechanism, two kinds of jobs are defined to distinguish jobs with one operation left from jobs with more than one operation left. Different criteria are proposed to route these two kinds of jobs. Job sequencing enables to hold a job that may be completed too early. Two heuristic algorithms for job sequencing are developed to deal with these two kinds of jobs. The computational experiments show that the proposed multiagent scheduling method significantly outperforms the existing scheduling methods in the literature. In addition, the proposed method is quite fast. In fact, the simulation time to find a complete schedule with over 2000 jobs on ten machines is less than 1.5 min.
Low platelet mitochondrial complex I and complex II/III activity in early untreated Parkinson's disease

Following the discovery of inhibition of electron transport complex 1 by the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), which produces a parkinsonian syndrome in humans, monkeys, and mice, several laboratories have reported abnormalities of complex I and other electron transport complexes (ETCs) in various tissues from patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Criticism of the significance of these findings in the etiology of PD has centered on whether drug treatments or the debilitation of the disease process itself produced the low ETC activities. We present results from a blinded study of platelet mitochondrial ETC activities in 18 early untreated PD patients and 18 age- and sex-matched controls and in 13 spousal controls. Lower complex I activity in platelet mitochondria of PD patients was seen in early untreated disease and thus cannot be due to debilitation or drug therapy. Home environmental factors seem an unlikely explanation for the reduced complex I activity in PD patients but have not been excluded. Complex II/III activity was also reduced by 20% in PD compared with age-/sex-matched controls. The low complex I and II/III activities in platelet mitochondria appear to be related to the etiology of PD.
Sensitivity Analysis of Gigabit Concept Mining System

As described in our prior papers, we have implemented a system that performs real-time analysis and classification of network traffic using reconfigurable hardware. In this paper, we consider how to optimize the performance and make best use of the hardware resources by simulating the effect of parameter variation. We have devised a systematic method to determine the best parameters for the hardware such that we do not sacrifice the quality of the result. We applied the method to determine how our existing system could best identify the topics of Internet newsgroup postings as the content streams over a Gigabit Ethernet link.
How Do Child Welfare Caseworkers Learn

A 1988 survey of 115 child welfare workers suggests that life experience, supervision on the job, self-directed learning projects, agency-sponsored inservice training, formal degree education, and ...
Flooding, holdup, and drop size measurements in a multistage column extractor

The hydrodynamics of a pilot plant multistage mixer column extractor was studied for the toluene/water physically equilibrated system. The effects of rotational speed, and continuous and dispersed phase flow rates were investigated under a variety of operating conditions. Dispersed phase axial holdup profiles, determined by a noninvasive ultrasonic method, showed a strong nonuniformity. Depending on the operating conditons, holdup profiles can change from a concave shape to a sigmoidal form with a maximum in the bottom of the column. Sauter mean diameter and drop size distribution profiles are strongly affected by rotational speed. Significant, but weaker, are the effects of continuous and dispersed phase flow rates. Continuous monitoring of the holdup profile in the proximity of flooding leads to the formulation of proper criteria for the prediction of flooding. These criteria are appropriate for models allowing for axial variation of the holdup along the contactor.
The diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of cesarean scar pregnancy.

Objective The diagnosis and treatment of cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP) is challenging. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic method, treatments, and long-term follow-up of CSP. Study Design This is a retrospective case series of 26 patients between 6-14 postmenstrual weeks suspected to have CSP who were referred for diagnosis and treatment. The diagnosis was confirmed with transvaginal ultrasound. In 19 of the 26 patients the gestational sac was injected with 50 mg of methotrexate: 25 mg into the area of the embryo/fetus and 25 mg into the placental area; and an additional 25 mg was administered intramuscularly. Serial serum human chorionic gonadotropin determinations were obtained. Gestational sac volumes and vascularization were assessed by 3-dimensional ultrasound and used to monitor resolution of the injected site and outcome. Results The 19 treated pregnancies were followed for 24-177 days. No complications were observed. After the treatment, typically, there was an initial increase in the human chorionic gonadotropin serum concentrations as well as in the volume of the gestational sac and their vascularization. After a variable time period mentioned elsewhere the values decreased, as expected. Conclusion Combined intramuscular and intragestational methotrexate injection treatment was successful in treating these CSP.
Improved generalized estimating equation analysis via xtqls for quasi{least squares in Stata

Quasi{least squares (QLS) is an alternative method for estimating the correlation parameters within the framework of the generalized estimating equation (GEE) approach for analyzing correlated cross-sectional and longitudinal data. This article summarizes the development of QLS that occurred in several reports and describes its use with the user-written program xtqls in Stata. Also, it demonstrates the following advantages of QLS: (1)QLS allows some correlation structures that have not yet been implemented in the framework of GEE, (2)QLS can be applied as an alternative to GEE if the GEE estimate is infeasible, and (3) QLS uses the same estimating equation for estimation of as GEE; as a result, QLS can involve programs already available for GEE. In particular, xtqls calls the Stata program xtgee within an iterative approach that alternates between updating estimates of the correlation parameter and then using xtgee to solve the GEE for at the current estimate of . The benet of this approach is that after xtqls, all the usual postregression estimation commands are readily available to the user.
BIOFEEDBACK, AUTOGENIC TRAINING, AND PROGRESSIVE RELAXATION IN THE TREATMENT OF RAYNAUD'S DISEASE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

Twenty-one female patients suffering from diagnosed idiopathic Raynaud's Disease were trained to raise digital skin temperature using either autogenic training, progressive muscle relaxation, or a combination of autogenic training and skin temperature feedback. Patients were instructed in the treatment procedures in three one-hour group sessions spaced one week apart. All patients were instructed to practice what they had learned twice a day at home. Patients kept records of the frequency of vasospastic attacks occurring over a four-week baseline period, and during the first four weeks and the ninth week of training. In addition, patients underwent four laboratory cold stress tests during which they were instructed to maintain digital temperature as the ambient temperature was slowly dropped from 26 degrees to 17 degrees C. Cold stress tests were given during week 1 of baseline and during weeks 1, 3, and 5 of training. No significant differences between the three behavioral treatment procedures were obtained. In addition, the ability of patients to maintain digital temperature during the cold stress challenge showed significant improvement from the first to the last tests. Symptomatic improvement was maintained by all patients nine weeks after the start of training. The implications of these findings for the behavioral treatment of Raynaud's Disease are discussed.
Graphic analysis of population structure on genome-wide rheumatoid arthritis data

Principal-component analysis (PCA) has been used for decades to summarize the human genetic variation across geographic regions and to infer population migration history. Reduction of spurious associations due to population structure is crucial for the success of disease association studies. Recently, PCA has also become a popular method for detecting population structure and correction of population stratification in disease association studies. Inspired by manifold learning, we propose a novel method based on spectral graph theory. Regarding each study subject as a node with suitably defined weights for its edges to close neighbors, one can form a weighted graph. We suggest using the spectrum of the associated graph Laplacian operator, namely, Laplacian eigenfunctions, to infer population structures instead of principal components (PCs). For the whole genome-wide association data for the North American Rheumatoid Arthritis Consortium (NARAC) provided by Genetic Workshop Analysis 16, Laplacian eigenfunctions revealed more meaningful structures of the underlying population than PCA. The proposed method has connection to PCA, and it naturally includes PCA as a special case. Our simple method is computationally fast and is suitable for disease studies at the genome-wide scale.
Pade approximation applied to transient simulation of lossy coupled transmission lines

A new approach for transient simulation of lossy coupled transmission lines terminated in arbitrary nonlinear elements is presented. The approach is based on convolution simulation. The multiconductor lines are first decoupled to obtain modal functions. Using the Pade approximations of each modal function, the authors derive a recursive convolution formulation, which greatly reduces the computation used to perform convolutions. The approach can handle general coupling situations; no assumption on the simulated circuits is introduced. The approach was implemented in the Stepwise Equivalent Conductance MOS timing simulator, SWEC. The key feature of SWEC is that Newton-Raphson iteration is not needed for the implicit integration of a circuit even with lossy lines terminated in nonlinear elements. The comparisons with SPICE3.e indicated that SWEC can be one to two orders of magnitude faster. >
Towards an object store

Today's SAN architectures promise unmediated host access to storage (i.e., without going through a server). To achieve this promise, however, we must address several issues and opportunities raised by SANs, including security, scalability and management. Object storage, such as introduced by the NASD work, is a means of addressing these issues and opportunities. An object store raises the level of abstraction presented by a storage control unit from an array of 512 byte blocks to a collection of objects. The object store provides "fine-grain," object-level security, improved scalability by localizing space management, and improved management by allowing end-to-end management of semantically meaningful entities. This paper presents a detailed description of how an object store works and describes the design of Antara, our prototype object store. For a cache hit workload, our pure software prototype is able to service roughly 14000 4K I/O requests per second. We also present a layered security model for an object store which separates concerns of access security and network security, leveraging existing security infrastructure.
Models used to assess cardiovascular function in general pharmacology

In the drug developmental process, information obtained from General Pharmacology assays plays an integral part in determining the future direction of the development. The evaluation of a drug in models of cardiovascular function can provide crucial data on cardiovascular activity unrelated to the drug's principal pharmacological action. These data can guide decision-making steps in safety assessment and clinical studies and address problematic issues from regulatory agencies. While in-depth protocols are necessary at times, in most instances examination of basic cardiovascular parameters (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, and electrocardiogram) as well as evaluation of cardiovascular responses to selected autonomic nervous system stimulants, will reveal unpredicted pharmacological activities altering cardiovascular function and provide insight into mechanism of action. Through careful design of an appropriate protocol and animal model, detection of undesired cardiovascular activity can be simply and efficiently achieved.
Endoparasites of soil nematodes and rotifers 1: the common and the rare

Free-living nematodes, commonly known as eelworms, eat bacteria in the soil and may succumb to infection by delicate endoparasitic fungi. In the wild these fungi are host-dependent and infect nematodes with small unicellular spores that either lodge inside the nematode following ingestion, or adhere to the nematode cuticle. Some endoparasites, such as Drechmeria coniospora and Harposporium leptospira , are readily isolated, ubiquitous species, infecting common soil nematodes in a variety of substrates. Others, like the elusive Plesiospora globosa , are seldom seen because they are host-specific for rarer species of nematode occurring in specific habitats.
Multivariate logistic models

SUMMARY The multivariate logistic transform is a reparameterisation of cell probabilities in terms of marginal logistic contrasts. It is known that an arbitrary set of logistic contrasts may not correspond to a valid joint distribution. In this paper we present an efficient algorithm for detecting whether or not the inverse transform exists, and for computing it if it does.
Charge-Coupled-Device and Charge-Injection-Device Theory and Application

This special issue of Optical Engineering is the third of three consecutive issues on charge-coupled devices. Papers contributed to this issue present various topics related to theoretical aspects of the CCD and include three papers discussing a close cousin of the CCD, the charge-injection device (CID).
Minimizing Customer Line Items Backordered in Inventory Control

This paper considers the theory and application of an alternative measure of stock-out cost in inventory control. Instead of recording the number of units of a product which are backordered, in certain situations it is appropriate to focus on the number or percentage of customer line items requests for a particular item which are backordered. By combining an approximate backorder cost per customer line item backordered with the usual ordering and carrying costs, an approximately optimal reorder point or safety stock formula is derived. The formula is applied to a stratified sample of 500 products from an actual inventory system, and an estimated 13% reduction in customer line items backordered is obtained with no increase in total inventory investment.
Time dependence in atmospheric carbon inputs from drainage of organic soils

Historical and contemporary subsidence in the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta, California indicates that subsidence rates associated with drainage of organic soils have declined over time. Contemporary measurements of carbon flux into the atmosphere can be used to predict contemporary rates of permanent subsidence. This correspondence indicates that most subsidence is caused by carbon oxidation. The current contribution of atmospheric carbon from the Delta is 2×1012 gm C/yr. This estimate is a factor of 3–4 less than previous estimates and reflects the declining rate of CO2 production in the Delta over the last several decades. Estimates of current production of CO2 from other drained agricultural lands that are based upon time-averaged historical rates of subsidence are also likely to be too large.
Conceptualizing and Conducting Preoperative Psychological Assessments of Cochlear Implant Candidates.

A review of literature pertaining to psychosociaJ research on cochlear implantation is embedded in this formulation of how preoperative psychological assessments should be conceptualized and conducted. This article considers various purposes of such assessments, including those relevant to candidate selection, exclusion, and readiness. Particular attention is directed to the conceptualization and operational investigation of candidate readiness, which includes aspects of motivation and informed consent. A number of related ethical issues are discussed. Assessment in this context is framed as both a data collection and an intervention procedure. The article describes specific methodologies useful in preoperative psychological assessment, including questionnaires, interviews, and psychological tests.
Characterization of circulating APOL1 protein complexes in African Americans

APOL1 gene renal-risk variants are associated with nephropathy and CVD in African Americans; however, little is known about the circulating APOL1 variant proteins which reportedly bind to HDL. We examined whether APOL1 G1 and G2 renal-risk variant serum concentrations or lipoprotein distributions differed from nonrisk G0 APOL1 in African Americans without nephropathy. Serum APOL1 protein concentrations were similar regardless of APOL1 genotype. In addition, serum APOL1 protein was bound to protein complexes in two nonoverlapping peaks, herein referred to as APOL1 complex A (12.2 nm diameter) and complex B (20.0 nm diameter). Neither of these protein complexes associated with HDL or LDL. Proteomic analysis revealed that complex A was composed of APOA1, haptoglobin-related protein (HPR), and complement C3, whereas complex B contained APOA1, HPR, IgM, and fibronectin. Serum HPR was less abundant on complex B in individuals with G1 and G2 renal-risk variant genotypes, relative to G0 (P = 0.0002-0.037). These circulating complexes may play roles in HDL metabolism and susceptibility to CVD.
Nano Mechanics/Materials Research

The transcendent technologies are the primary drivers of the new economy of the twenty first century and they include nanotechnology, microelectronics, information technology and biotechnology as well as the enabling and supporting mechanical and civil infrastructure systems and materials. Mechanics and materials are essential elements in all of the transcendent technologies. Nanotechnology is the creation of new materials, devices and systems at the molecular level - phenomena associated with atomic and molecular interactions strongly influence macroscopic material properties; with significantly improved mechanical, optical, chemical, electrical... properties. Research opportunities, education and challenges in mechanics and materials, including multi-scale modeling, nanomechanics, carbon nanotubes, coatings, fire-resistant materials as well as improved engineering and design of materials are presented and discussed in this paper.
INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE AND EARLY COMPLEX SOCIETIES OF THE BASIN OF MEXICO: THE FORMATIVE PERIOD

Intensive agriculture was a key feature in the development of early complex societies in the Basin of Mexico. In this paper, I review the theoretical underpinnings of archaeological understandings of agriculture change, its relationship to culture change, and how these theoretical perspectives have shifted between top-down and bottom up perspectives. Next I examine current knowledge of intensive agriculture within the dynamic context of the Formative or Preclassic period. The paper concludes with a discussion of how our models and theories of the complex interplay between intensive agriculture and political economy to explain the change from village-based societies to states and cities outstrip available data in the basin.
A Linear-Time Transition System for Crossing Interval Trees

We define a restricted class of non-projective trees that 1) covers many natural language sentences; and 2) can be parsed exactly with a generalization of the popular arc-eager system for projective trees (Nivre, 2003). Crucially, this generalization only adds constant overhead in run-time and space keeping the parser’s total run-time linear in the worst case. In empirical experiments, our proposed transition-based parser is more accurate on average than both the arc-eager system or the swap-based system, an unconstrained nonprojective transition system with a worst-case quadratic runtime (Nivre, 2009).
Functional Magnetic Nanoparticle Assemblies: Formation, Collective Behavior, and Future Directions

This Perspective describes recent progress in the development of functional magnetic nanoparticle assemblies. After describing the formation of two- and three-dimensional particle arrays in terms of the size-dependent driving forces, we focus on magnetic nanoparticle arrays. We discuss how the self-organized structure can modify the magnetic behavior, relative to that of isolated particles. We highlight an important development, described in this issue of ACS Nano by Kostiainen and co-workers, who have demonstrated not only the novel aqueous self-assembly of magnetic particles but also controlled and reversible disassembly. Finally, we explore two inter-related future directions for self-assembly of magnetic nanoparticles: the formation of more complex, hierarchical structures and the integration of self-assembly with fabrication techniques for electronic devices.
Maiden voyage

Welcome to the first installment of Digital Village. This new column will be a reliable source of information on modern digital network technologies, particularly from the client side, and the use of those technologies for the betterment of society. In an attempt to provide information on cyberspace and its tools, we hope to be useful to readers in maintaining currency and perspective.
Trapping the Metasemantic Metaphilosophical Deflationist

Some philosophers are metaphilosophical deflationists for metasemantic reasons. These theorists take standard philosophical assertions to be defective in some manner. There are various versions of metasemantic metaphilosophical deflationism, but a trap awaits any global version of it: metasemantics itself is a part of philosophy, so in deflating philosophy these theorists have thereby deflated the foundation of their deflationism. The present article discusses this issue and the prospects for an adequate response to the trap. Contrary to most historical responses (some of which it discusses), the article argues that the best response to the trap is to adopt a local but still pervasive metasemantic deflationism. Such a response might seem ad hoc, but the article argues that the human activity of philosophy isn't a natural kind, and that a heterogeneous metaphilosophy of the appropriate kind is well motivated.
The psychology of reading : theory and applications

1. Families and Reading 2. Emergent Literacy 3. Learning to Read Words 4. Skilled Word Reading 5. Reading Fluency 6. Vocabulary 7. Theoretical Models of Reading Comprehension 8. Components of Reading Comprehension 9. Motivation to Read 10. Linguistic Variation and Reading 11. Why Reading?: The Psychosocial Benefits of Reading
Simultaneous detection of rotavirus group A and astrovirus by multiplex real-time RT-PCR

Objective To establish and evaluate a single-tube multiplex real time RT-PCR assay for detecting rotavirus group A and astrovirus simultaneously. Methods The primers and probes were designed according to the conserved genome sequence of the 2 viruses mentioned above. A multiplex real-time RT-PCR assay was established. The stability,specificity and sensitivity of the assay were evaluated. The fecal samples from 128 patients with viral diarrhea were detected by the established assay and the results were compared through gene sequencing. Results The established multiplex real-time RT-PCR assay was specific for both rotavirus group A and astrovirus. The stability test showed the co-efficient variables was all less than 2. 0% in 2 different samples. The detection limit of this assay was 101 copies / μl for rotavirus group A and 102 copies / μl for astrovirus in one reaction. Among the 128 clinical samples detected,3. 1%were astrovirus RNA positive and 18. 0% were rotavirus group A RNA positive respectively. The positive samples were verified by sequencing. Conclusion The single-tube multiplex RT-real time PCR assay,established in this study for detecting and identifying rotavirus group A and astrovirus,is rapid,specific and sensitive and can be used in clinical etiological diagnosis and epidemiological investigation
Decomposition, nitrogen and carbon mineralization from food and cover crop residues in the central plateau of Haiti

Cover crops are a major focus of conservation agriculture efforts because they can provide soil cover and increase nutrient availability after their mineralization in cropping systems. To evaluate the effect of residue type and placement on rate of decomposition and carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) mineralization, residues from two food crops, maize (Zea mays L.) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), and two promising cover crops, sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) and sorghum sudangrass (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench x S. bicolor var. Sudanese [Piper] Stapf) were used in a litterbag study in the Central Plateau region of Haiti from May to September, 2013. Residues were placed in litterbags at a rate equivalent to 3.25 Mg residue ha−1 either on the soil surface or buried at 15 cm to represent a tilled and no-tillage system, respectively. Initial C:N ratios were: maize > common bean > sorghum sudangrass > sunn hemp. Highest residue mass loss rates and C and N mineralization generally occurred in the reverse order. Overall, surface-placed residues decomposed more slowly with 40 and 17 % of initial residue mass of surface and buried residues, respectively, remaining at 112 days. Carbon and N mineralization was higher when residues were buried. Net N mineralization of buried residues was 0.12, 0.07, 0.06, and 0.03 g N g residue−1 for sunn hemp, sorghum sudangrass, maize, and common bean, respectively over 112 days. To achieve the goal of increasing nutrient supply while maintaining year-round cover, a combination of grass and legume cover crops may be required with benefits increasing over multiple seasons.
From Product-Market Data to Business Intelligence: Marketing Pioneers Who Engaged Their Clients

This paper is a historical review of how business information was transformed to business intelligence during the past half century when a bright group of pioneers established the foundations for organizing market/product information. The discussion moves beyond description and into an analytical mode, probing how and why their approaches succeeded. Included are: (1) a conceptual framework for business decision-making that enabled market information and product data specialists to offer user-friendly products; (2) the key role that coding played in reducing quantity and upgrading quality of data; (3) the wide variety of abstracts, indexes, and digests that were developed for customers; (4) brief portraits of a few pioneers in the field and how they succeeded in catering to diverse needs of clients by their product offerings; and (5) the specific path that organizations used to collaborate to “grow the field” even while they remained as keen rivals. In illuminating the early work of marketing information pioneers, we show how they enriched the field by building the data foundation on which organizations rely even now. We demonstrate that aggressive marketing strategies can be coupled with engaging clients and what the “take-away lessons” are for data mining today.
Abstract 2295: GDNF family receptor alpha 4 (GFRa4)-targeted adoptive T-cell immunotherapy for medullary thyroid carcinoma

Metastatic medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is a rare, but often aggressive, thyroid malignancy with a 5-year survival rate of 28% and few effective therapeutic options. Adoptive T-cell immunotherapy using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells (CARTs) is showing encouraging results in the treatment of cancer, but development is challenged by the availability of suitable target antigens. We identified glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family receptor alpha 4 (GFRα4), which associates with the RET receptor tyrosine kinase, as a putative antigenic target for CAR-based therapy of MTC. Using RNA in situ hybridization (RNAscope) and quantitative RT-PCR, we show that GFRα4 is highly expressed in MTC. Normal tissue expression of GFRα4 mRNA is restricted to parafollicular cells (C-cells) within the thyroid, the normal cell type from which MTC originates, and normal thymus.Based upon the highly restricted expression, we generated two high affinity single chain variable fragments (scFvs) targeting GFRα4 isoforms a and b by selecting a naive rabbit antibody library by phage display. Second generation CARs bearing the CD137 costimulatory domain were constructed using these GFRα4-specific scFvs. GFRα4-specific CARTs trigger antigen-dependent cytotoxicity and cytokine production in vitro, and they are able to control pre-established TT cell tumors in an immunodeficient mouse xenograft model of MTC. These data demonstrate the feasibility of targeting GFRα4 by CARTs, and support this molecule as a promising target for adoptive T cell immunotherapy and other antibody-based therapy of MTC. Citation Format: Vijay G. Bhoj, Selene Nunez-Cruz, Kenneth Zhou, Dimitrios Arhontoulis, Michael Feldman, Keith Mansfield, Haiyong Peng, Christoph Rader, Don L. Siegel, Michael C. Milone. GDNF family receptor alpha 4 (GFRa4)-targeted adoptive T-cell immunotherapy for medullary thyroid carcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2295.
Thermal-mechanical considerations during thermal solution assembly of bare-die packages

The demands for thinner bare-die BGA packages for overall stack height reduction and electrical performance improvement has added complexity for thermal solution design, manufacturing and assembly processes associated with microelectronic packages in mobile computer systems. Typically, in the computer system manufacturing process, the thermal solution assembly is typically a manual process. The interaction with the bare-die package component stack during the assembly process is very critical, creating a need for an in-depth characterization to understand the impact of design and manufacturing on product quality and performance. Modeling and experimental methodologies are developed to understand and quantify the complex interactions of thin bare-die package with thermal solution and evaluate potential thermo-mechanical risks as well as potential mitigation options. Areas that are discussed in the paper include assessments of structural integrity at the component and board levels to identify potential fail modes, component thermal performance, impact of commonly used thermal solution options for cold plate designs, retention mechanisms and enabling load distribution and the influence of thermal solution assembly process. Recommendations for improved thermal enabling are also discussed.
Increased reactivity of platelets induced by fibrinogen independent of its binding to the IIb-IIIa surface glycoprotein:: a potential contributor to cardiovascular risk

Abstract Objectives. To determine whether augmented activation (degranulation) of platelets might contribute to the association between higher concentrations of fibrinogen and risk of myocardial infarction, we characterized adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced expression of P-selectin by platelets in whole blood as a function of this exposure to selected concentrations of fibrinogen. Background. An increased risk of myocardial infarction has been associated with increased concentrations of fibrinogen. Methods. Fibrinogen was added to blood anticoagulated with corn trypsin inhibitor (a specific inhibitor of Factor XIIa without effect on other coagulation factors). Degranulation of platelets was identified by flow cytometry. Results. Addition of fibrinogen to blood did not activate platelets under basal conditions (without ADP). By contrast, a concentration-dependent increase in ADP and thrombin receptor agonist peptide (TRAP)-induced activation occurred with increasing concentrations of fibrinogen. Increased ADP-induced degranulation was apparent with the addition of 100 mg/dl of fibrinogen (p ≤ 0.001 for 1.5 μmol/liter ADP, n = 10 subjects). Inhibition by abciximab of binding of fibrinogen to the surface glycoprotein IIb-IIIa did not attenuate the observed augmentation of reactivity induced by fibrinogen. Augmented degranulation was associated with uptake of fibrinogen into α-granules without surface binding despite pretreatment with abciximab as shown by laser scanning confocal microscopy. Conclusions. Fibrinogen in blood augments degranulation of platelets in response to ADP and is accompanied by uptake of fibrinogen into α-granules. Thus, elevated concentrations of fibrinogen secondary to inflammation implicated in cardiovascular risk may operate, in part, by increasing reactivity of platelets.
Backbone resonance assignment of an insect arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase from Bombyx mori reveals conformational heterogeneity.

Arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferases (AANATs) catalyze the transfer of an acetyl group from the acetyl-group donor, acetyl-CoA, to an arylalkylamine acceptor. Although a single AANAT has been identified in mammals, insects utilize multiple AANATs in a diverse array of biological processes. AANATs belong to the GCN5-related acetyltransferase (GNAT) superfamily of enzymes, which despite their overall very low sequence homology, are characterized by a well conserved catalytic core domain. The structural properties of many GNATs have been extensively studied by X-ray crystallography that revealed common features during the catalytic cycle. Here we report the 1H, 13C and 15N backbone NMR resonance assignment of the 24 kDa AANAT3 from Bombyx mori (bmAANAT3) as a first step towards understanding the role of protein dynamics in the catalytic properties of AANATs. Our preliminary solution NMR studies reveal that bmAANAT3 is well-folded in solution. The P-loop, which is responsible for cofactor binding, is flexible in the free-state, while a large region of the enzyme interconverts between two distinct conformations in the slow exchange regime.
Adolf Philipp and the German American Musical Comedy

Adolf Philipp (1864–1936) was among the most important producers of German-language theatre in New York at the turn of the twentieth century. His approach was to create works by, for, and featuring German Americans, often dealing with themes of immigration and nostalgia. These works were cultural touchstones for German-speaking communities. Several were adapted as English-language Broadway productions.
Thermal processing of diblock copolymer melts mimics metallurgy

Small-angle x-ray scattering experiments conducted with compositionally asymmetric low molar mass poly(isoprene)-b-poly(lactide) diblock copolymers reveal an extraordinary thermal history dependence. The development of distinct periodic crystalline or aperiodic quasicrystalline states depends on how specimens are cooled from the disordered state to temperatures below the order-disorder transition temperature. Whereas direct cooling leads to the formation of documented morphologies, rapidly quenched samples that are then heated from low temperature form the hexagonal C14 and cubic C15 Laves phases commonly found in metal alloys. Self-consistent mean-field theory calculations show that these, and other associated Frank-Kasper phases, have nearly degenerate free energies, suggesting that processing history drives the material into long-lived metastable states defined by self-assembled particles with discrete populations of volumes and polyhedral shapes.
Interpreting Spatial Econometric Models

Past applications of spatial regression models have frequently interpreted the parameter estimates of models that include spatial lags of the dependent variable incorrectly. A discussion of issues surrounding proper interpretation of the estimates from a variety of spatial regression models is undertaken. We rely on scalar summary measures proposed by LeSage and Pace (Introduction to J.P. LeSage (*) Department of Finance and Economics, Texas State University – San Marcos, San Marcos, TX, USA e-mail: jlesage@spatial-econometrics.com R.K. Pace Department of Finance, E.J. Ourso College of Business Administration, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA e-mail: kelley@pace.am M.M. Fischer, P. Nijkamp (eds.), Handbook of Regional Science, DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-23430-9_91, # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014 1535 spatial econometrics. Taylor Francis/CRC Press, Boca Raton, 2009) who motivate that these reflect a proper interpretation of the marginal effects for the nonlinear models involving spatial lags of the dependent variable. These nonlinear spatial models are contrasted with linear spatial models, where interpretation is more straightforward. One of the major advantages of spatial regression models is their ability to quantify spatial spillovers. These can be defined as situations where nonzero cross-partial derivatives exist that reflect impacts on outcomes in region i arising from changes in characteristics of region j. Of course, these cross-partial derivatives can be interpreted as impacts of changes in an own region characteristic on other regions or changes in another regions’ characteristic on the own region. The ability to produce empirical estimates along with measures of dispersion that can be used for inference regarding the statistical significance, magnitude, and spatial extent of spillovers provides a major motivation for using spatial regression models.
Bring the Noise, But Not the Funk: Does the Effect of Performance Measure Noise on Learning Depend on Whether the Learning is Experiential or Vicarious?

Performance measure noise can be a critical barrier to employees' learning. Using an experiment, we examine whether the effects of performance measure noise on employees' learning depends on the ty...
The Background of Robotic Surgery

The history of robotic surgery is fascinating and helps us better understand the evolution of our currently available technologies. Like many advances in surgery, its history is rooted in the US military and was developed to serve and address a special need. Some of these challenges still exist, but evolution in technology and ever-changing consumer demands have framed the current robotic platforms. We will briefly describe these changes in this chapter.