cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RRT-based Motion Planning for In-pipe Walking Robots

Planning paths on the inner surface of a pipe is one of the many problems that need to be solved in order to make practical use of in-pipe robots possible. In this paper, a motion planning algorithm based on rapidly exploring random trees (RRT) is proposed. The algorithm uses representation of the pipeline as a point cloud, which is easier to generate than the geometric representations required by some of the other existing motion planning algorithms for walking in-pipe robots. The properties of the algorithm and their dependence on the geometry of the pipe are studied.
Building Back Better: Local Health Department Engagement and Integration of Health Promotion into Hurricane Harvey Recovery Planning and Implementation.

Disaster recovery provides an opportunity to build healthier and more resilient communities. However, opportunities and challenges encountered by local health departments (LHDs) when integrating health considerations into recovery have yet to be explored. Following Hurricane Harvey, 17 local health and emergency management officials from 10 agencies in impacted Texas, USA jurisdictions were interviewed to describe the types and level of LHD engagement in disaster recovery planning and implementation and the extent to which communities leveraged recovery to build healthier, more resilient communities. Interviews were conducted between December 2017 and January 2018 and focused on if and how their communities were incorporating public health considerations into the visioning, planning, implementation, and assessment phases of disaster recovery. Using a combined inductive and deductive approach, we thematically analyzed interview notes and/or transcripts. LHDs reported varied levels of engagement and participation in activities to support their community’s recovery. However, we found that LHDs rarely articulated or informed decision makers about the health impacts of recovery activities undertaken by other sectors. LHDs would benefit from additional resources, support, and technical assistance designed to facilitate working across sectors and building resilience during recovery.
Development and clinical implementation of SeedNet: A sliding-window convolutional neural network for radioactive seed identification in MRI-assisted radiosurgery (MARS)

Purpose To develop and evaluate a sliding-window convolutional neural network (CNN) for radioactive seed identification in MRI of the prostate after permanent implant brachytherapy. Methods Sixty-eight patients underwent prostate cancer low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy using radioactive seeds stranded with positive contrast MR-signal seed markers and were scanned using a balanced steady-state free precession pulse sequence with and without an endorectal coil (ERC). A sliding-window CNN algorithm (SeedNet) was developed to scan the prostate images using 3D sub-windows and to identify the implanted radioactive seeds. The algorithm was trained on sub-windows extracted from 18 patient images. Seed detection performance was evaluated by computing precision, recall, F1 -score, false discovery rate, and false-negative rate. Seed localization performance was evaluated by computing the RMS error (RMSE) between the manually identified and algorithm-inferred seed locations. SeedNet was implemented into a clinical software package and evaluated on sub-windows extracted from 40 test patients. Results SeedNet achieved 97.6 ± 2.2% recall and 97.2 ± 1.9% precision for radioactive seed detection and 0.19 ± 0.04 mm RMSE for seed localization in the images acquired with an ERC. Without the ERC, the recall remained high, but the false-positive rate increased; the RMSE of the seed locations increased marginally. The clinical integration of SeedNet slightly increased the run-time, but the overall run-time was still low. Conclusion SeedNet can be used to perform automated radioactive seed identification in prostate MRI after LDR brachytherapy. Image quality improvement through pulse sequence optimization is expected to improve SeedNet's performance when imaging without an ERC.
A Christological Gambiarra: Jesus and Social Engagement in Brazil

Through a consideration of four christological titles used to identify Jesus and his work, this essay will demonstrate that Jesus’ theological, ethical, historical, and eschatological relationships make it impossible to collapse his work into that of a moral exemplar—whether of a soul-saving evangelist or a sociopolitical revolutionary. Instead, these titles suggest that a trinitarian way of construing the identity and work of Jesus is required if the church is to be faithful to both the biblical witness and the social contexts in which it finds itself. Increased faithfulness to the biblical witness and one’s social context will result in both ecclesiastical renewal and the renewal of creation.
Antisense oligonucleotides for in vivo studies of angiotensin receptors.

Synthetic antisense (AS) oligodeoxynucleotides inhibit genetic expression by sequence-specific hybridization to mRNA that renders the mRNA inactive for translation. We have been using AS oligos to lower blood pressure by inhibiting angiotensin receptors and angiotensinogen in freely moving, whole animals. This recent application of antisense technology to in vivo studies, opens a new way of approaching physiological problems with the precision of molecular biology. The possibility of blocking specific gene expression by AS inhibition without multiple, non-specific side effects has potential for therapeutic uses in many diseases. Antisense inhibition is an extremely attractive pharmacological and investigative approach since it offers base-to-base specificity to the target protein and versatility appropriate to the complexity of the genetic code. However, there are a number of issues to be considered before using antisense in any experimental or clinical setting. These include (1) selection of target sequence, (2) the mechanism of cellular uptake, (3) stability of antisense oligos in cells and body fluids, (4) possible intracellular sites of action and (5) effectiveness, in terms of specificity, and duration of action.
Antibody probes of RNA structure in the ribosome

The RNA of each ribosomal subunit is folded in a specific and precise conformation. We have induced antibodies that are directed against individual naturally methylated nucIeosides, against reagents used in the chemical modification of unique sites in the RNA, and against antigenic determinants on synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides that complement specific ribosomal RNA sequences. All of these antibodies serve as probes of the RNA conformation in the ribosome. Immunoelectron microscopy--the visualization in electron micrographs of antibody-submit complexes-has been used to localize several nucleotides or short RNA sequences at specific sites on the surface of the small ribosomal submit. These results are used to generate an increasingly detailed map of the conformation of the RNA within the three-dimensional structure of the Escherichia coli ribosome.
Patient-Clinician Collaboration in the Development of an IBD Transfer Toolkit.

* Abbreviations: IBD — : inflammatory bowel disease ICN — : ImproveCareNow PAC — : Patient Advisory Council There is a high level of variability in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) transition programming, practices, and policies around the country.1 ImproveCareNow (ICN) is a learning health network devoted to improving outcomes in pediatric IBD through collaborative quality improvement.2,3 Among the 109 ICN centers in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, there has been wide variation in the availability of patient resources for transition and transfer. In addition, although some ICN centers use educational materials to guide patients to become more independent and engaged in their health care (ie, transition), few are available for young people and adults getting ready to transfer into adult care. As a pediatric network dedicated to improving care quality and outcomes for children with IBD, this disparity limits our ability to successfully launch young people and adults into appropriate adult care. As an adolescent diagnosed with IBD at age 14 (S.T.K.), I received what my family considered to be excellent guidance in anticipating the eventual transfer of my care from pediatric to adult gastroenterology. My pediatric gastroenterologist encouraged me to voice my needs, understand the basic details of my care, and be engaged in interactions with my hospital, pharmacy, and insurance company. After transfer, however, I found that my adult care unexpectedly relied far more than my pediatric care on my voice to proactively raise and follow-up on my health concerns. Although I had been led to expect some shift in responsibility, the differences in communication style and practices between my pediatric and … Address correspondence to Samantha T. Kennedy, BA, Cooper Medical School, Rowan University, 401 South Broadway, Camden, NJ 08103. E-mail: stkennedy93{at}gmail.com
Simple strategies for improving inference with linked data: a case study of the 1850–1930 IPUMS linked representative historical samples

New large-scale linked data are revolutionizing quantitative history and demography. This paper proposes two complementary strategies for improving inference with linked historical data: the use of validation variables to identify higher quality links and a simple, regression-based weighting procedure to increase the representativeness of custom research samples. We demonstrate the potential value of these strategies using the 1850-1930 Integrated Public Use Microdata Series Linked Representative Samples (IPUMS-LRS)-a high quality, publicly available linked historical dataset. We show that, while incorrect linking rates appear low in the IPUMS-LRS, researchers can reduce error rates further using validation variables. We also show how researchers can reweight linked samples to balance observed characteristics in the linked sample with those in a reference population using a simple regression-based procedure.
Cross-Modal Localization: Using automotive radar for absolute geolocation within a map produced with visible-light imagery

This paper explores the possibility of localizing an automotive-radar-equipped vehicle within an urban environment relative to an existing map of the environment created using data from visible light cameras. Such cross-modal localization would enable robust, low-cost absolute localization in poor weather conditions based only on radar even when the vehicle has never previously visited the area. This is because a pre-existing absolutely-referenced visible-light-based map (e.g., constructed from Google Street View images) could be exploited for localization provided that a correspondence between features in this map and the vehicle's radar returns can be established. The greatest challenge presented by cross-modal localization with automotive radar is the extreme sparseness of automotive-radar-produced features, which prevents application of standard computer vision techniques for the cross-modal registration. To the best of the authors' knowledge, cross-modal localization using automotive-grade radar within a visible-light-based map is unprecedented. The current paper demonstrates that it can be used for vehicle localization with horizontal errors below 61 cm (95%).
Ontogenetic changes in sensory gene expression in Bicyclus anynana butterflies

Animal behavior is largely driven by the information that animals are able to extract and process from their environment. However, the function and organization of sensory systems often change throughout ontogeny, particularly in animals that undergo indirect development. As an initial step toward investigating these ontogenetic changes at the molecular level, we characterized the sensory gene repertoire and examined the expression profiles of genes linked to vision and chemosensation in two life stages of an insect that undertakes a dramatic metamorphosis, the butterfly Bicyclus anynana. Using RNA-seq, we compared gene expression in the heads of late fifth instar larvae and newly-eclosed adults that were reared under identical conditions. Over 50% of all expressed genes were differentially expressed between the two developmental stages, with 4,046 genes upregulated in larval heads and 4,402 genes upregulated in adult heads. In larvae, upregulated vision-related genes were biased toward those involved with eye development, while phototransduction genes dominated the vision genes that were upregulated in adults. Moreover, the majority of the chemosensory genes we identified in the B. anynana genome were differentially expressed between larvae and adults, several of which share homology with genes linked to pheromone detection, host plant recognition, and foraging in other species of Lepidoptera. These results reveal promising candidates for furthering our understanding of sensory processing and behavior in the disparate developmental stages of butterflies and other animals that undergo metamorphosis.
Blockchain Technology: A Literature Review

Blockchain is a new technology with strong implications for the future of how we exchange information and currency as a globally networked society. It is so new that there is relatively little academic work done on it, but this is changing quickly. For this literature review, we have begun by collecting a sample of primarily peer-reviewed sources, as well as an informative overview of articles from various other channels. Our selection of articles allows us to provide a representative view of three primary topics. First, some of the primary current topics being discussed in regard to blockchain technology. Second, the representative categories of said topics. Third, the potential future of blockchain development along with its impact on society and technology.
Structured external memory aid treatment (SEMAT) for older adults with mild cognitive impairment: long-term adherence and acceptability of treatment

Background: The Structured External Memory Aid Treatment (SEMAT) is a recently developed compensatory cognitive intervention that systematically teaches external memory aids (EMAs) and strategies t...
Multicriterion benefit evaluation methodology for safety enhancements in nuclear power plants and application for FLEX strategies

Abstract This paper proposes a multicriterion benefit evaluation (MCBE) methodology for evaluating costs and benefits of implementing safety enhancements in nuclear power plants. The MCBE methodology establishes a comprehensive evaluation scope using multiple evaluation criteria (including public risk, occupational risk, plant revenue, and plant cost) and multiple contexts (including plant normal operations, incidents, and accidents). The MCBE methodology formulates a benefit or cost element as the product of a monetary consequence and its occurrence-likelihood change. The MCBE methodology also incorporates a decision maker’ preferences toward occurrence likelihood and monetary consequence into cost and benefit estimations through a modified usage of cumulative prospect theory. This paper applies the MCBE methodology to the implementation of diverse and flexible coping strategy (FLEX) in a generic nuclear power plant as an illustrative example. The FLEX benefits are evaluated through three types of influence paths: plant safety enhancement, risk-informed activities, and potential additional credit of FLEX in supporting plant operation and maintenance-efficiency improvement. The benefit-to-cost ratio (BCR) of FLEX implementation is calculated. Sensitivity analyses are conducted to examine the impacts of modeling assumptions and input parameter values on the BCR.
Bilateral internal iliac branch device with ipsilateral deployment

Abstract Iliac branch endograft devices offer an elegant solution to preserve perfusion to the internal iliac artery when treating aortoiliac aneurysms; however, they are difficult to perform when bilateral access is not available owing to aortoiliac anatomy or previous endovascular aortic aneurysm repair. We present a technique to perform iliac branch endograft deployment from ipsilateral access in a patient with a prior EVAR endovascular aortic aneurysm repair, obviating the need for a difficult up-and-over access.
Chapter 25 – Environmental Toxicants and Lung Development in Experimental Models

The respiratory system is a target for a wide range of toxic environmental contaminants. While the acute and chronic effects of a large number of these substances have been well characterized for the respiratory system of adult mammals, there is significantly less known about the impact of these lung-targeted compounds on the developing respiratory system. This chapter summarizes what is currently known about the majority of these compounds, addressing first environmental tobacco smoke, a well-recognized lung toxicant mixture; bioactivated environmental contaminants; oxidant gases; therapeutic glucocorticosteroids; and other miscellaneous compounds that have been shown to alter lung development.
Die ewige Inflation

Die Inflation vergrosert das Volumen des Universums um einen enormen Faktor, sodass wir nur einen winzigen Teil davon beobachten konnen.
Local structure analysis of low-temperature neutron pair distribution function coupled with molecular dynamics simulations of CH4 and CO2 hydrates from 2 to 210 K

Abstract CH4 hydrates occur naturally and are an abundant potential fuel source with a corresponding risk of potent greenhouse gas release, due to their stability conditions at low temperature and high pressure. Byproduct CO2 can be exchanged with CH4 in these natural deposits and can potentially stabilize the hydrates at higher temperatures. CH4, CO2, and mixed CH4-CO2 hydrates are studied with in situ neutron pair distribution function experiments from 2 to 210 K to investigate the impact of varying the CH4-CO2 guest composition in the gas hydrate structure. These experiments combined with Reverse Monte Carlo analysis allow for the characterization of intermolecular CH4 and CO2 interactions with the water molecules which form the hydrate lattice and how they impact the local structure of the lattice itself. Results indicate that when CH4 and CO2 co-occupy the hydrate, the host is more strongly distorted than in the pure CH4 and CO2 hydrates, but this becomes less defined with increasing temperature. The presence of CO2 in mixed hydrate increases the stability range and creates a barrier for CH4 to completely leave the structure.
Afro-Cuban Group Consciousness and Political Participation in Miami-Dade County

For several decades, Cuban immigrants and Americans have been said to live in a "Golden Exile" in Miami and Miami-Dade County. Although many white Cubans have achieved economic and political successes in South Florida, black Cubans are disproportionately poor and politically powerless. In this research, I asked Afro Cuban immigrants and citizens a variety of question about their racial identity, experiences with discrimination, and perceptions of African Americans and black ethnics. I wish to ascertain whether they have a sense of group consciousness with the members of their group as indicated by their common racial group identification, perception of their groups as having been disadvantaged by racism, and support for collaborative efforts among the members of their groups. Also, I want to determine their support or opposition for political coalitions with African Americans.
Paris, Capital of the Debacle: Aragon, Jasieński, and Revolutionary Catastrophism

Expressions of desire for catastrophe, imagined as a remedy for bourgeois inertia, are common among writers of the interwar avant-garde. This catastrophism exerts a powerful influence upon their co...
Nitric Oxide and Cancer

Publisher Summary Carcinogenesis is a multistep process. It starts with accumulation of mutations caused by environmental or hereditary factors that lead to malignant cell transformation, local invasion, and metastasis to distant sites. The main targets of mutagenesis are genes that promote or inhibit cell growth and genes that control DNA repair and apoptosis. The role of nitric oxide (NO) in carcinogenesis, tumor progression, and cancer therapy is multifaceted and dependent on a variety of conditions that exist in the cell milieu. NO has been shown to have both tumoricidal and tumorigenic effects, and modulation of NO levels in tumor microcirculation can affect tumor hemodynamics and cancer therapy. Tumor survival depends on adequate blood flow to supply nutrients and oxygen. NO produced by tumor cells maintains these optimal conditions, but it also reduces their ability to grow and metastasize by inhibiting DNA synthesis and mitochondrial respiration. High NO levels are generally tumoricidal and this is a therapeutical approach that can be used for tumor cells that are susceptible to NO-mediated apoptosis. The antitumor activity of NO includes inhibition of tumor-cell proliferation, promotion, and differentiation. It includes reduction of the metastatic spread in certain types of cancers. The antimetastatic effect of NO occurs either by apoptosis or by alterations in the genes that regulate metastasis. Angiogenesis and apoptosis can also be regulated by NO, which has been shown to be both an inhibitor and stimulant of these processes.
Domains in Hyperbolic Space and Limit Sets of Kleinian Groups

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses differential equations and, particularly, the Laplacian on domains in hyperbolic space. The chapter focuses on the spectrum of for various self-adjoint boundary conditions. For simplicity, the chapter emphasizes on the geometrically finite groups Γ—that is, ones for which F may be chosen to have only finitely many boundary hyperplanes. The chapter presents the Γ- spectrum problem for ∧.
On Tight-Binding Approximations in Optical Lattices

The validity of using the tight-binding approximation for the nonlinear Schrodinger equations with a two-dimensional optical lattice is considered. This work provides a rigorous foundation for a technique based on “orbital” functions that is central to solid-state physics and nonlinear optics. Simple and honeycomb lattices are addressed, and it is therefore shown that the use of tight-binding approximations is justified in complicated situations.
Paradoxical effects of retinal in neutrophil stimulation.

Abstract Retinal stimulates the activity of phospholipase C and superoxide (O2-) release in neutrophils. The latter response is comparable in magnitude to that observed when phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) is the stimulating agent. Cells treated with retinal, however, do not undergo degranulation, nor do they exhibit the formation of intracellular vesicles, as is commonly observed with other agents (e.g. Lochner, J. E., Badwey, J. A., Horn, W., and Karnovsky, M. L. (1986) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 83, 7673-7677). Retinal promotes redistribution of the activity of protein kinase C from a soluble to a particulate fraction in neutrophils, and this redistribution precedes O2- release. Superoxide release stimulated with retinal, however, is largely insensitive to inhibitors of protein kinase C (1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7); staurosporine). These compounds substantially block both O2- release and the phosphorylation of two proteins with molecular masses of about 47 and 49 kDa when the stimulus is PMA. The data indicate that retinal and PMA elicit the formation of active protein kinase C complexes of different natures, or that the mechanism of stimulation of O2- release by retinal does not involve this kinase. The significance of these observations to the common use of retinoids as inhibitors of protein kinase C is discussed.
Breaking bad: R-loops and genome integrity

R-loops, nucleic acid structures consisting of an RNA–DNA hybrid and displaced single-stranded (ss) DNA, are ubiquitous in organisms from bacteria to mammals. First described in bacteria where they initiate DNA replication, it now appears that R-loops regulate diverse cellular processes such as gene expression, immunoglobulin (Ig) class switching, and DNA repair. Changes in R-loop regulation induce DNA damage and genome instability, and recently it was shown that R-loops are associated with neurodegenerative disorders. We discuss recent developments in the field; in particular, the regulation and effects of R-loops in cells, their effect on genomic and epigenomic stability, and their potential contribution to the origin of diseases including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders.
The residues Leu 93 and Asp 96 act independently in the bacteriorhodopsin photocycle: studies with the leu 93-->Ala, Asp 96-->Asn double mutant

Previous mutagenesis studies with bacteriorhodopsin have shown that reprotonation of the Schiff's base is the rate-limiting step in the photocycle of the D96N mutant, whereas retinal re-isomerization and return of the protein to the initial state constitute the rate-limiting events in the photocycle of the L93A mutant. Thus, in the D96N mutant, decay of the M intermediate is slowed down by more than 100-fold at pH 7. In the L93A mutant, decay of the O intermediate is slowed down by 250-fold. We report here that in the L93A, D96N double mutant, decay of the M intermediate, as well as the formation and decay of the O intermediate, are slowed down dramatically. The photocycle is completed by the decay of a long-lived O intermediate, as in the L93A mutant. The decay of the M and O intermediates in the double mutant parallels the behavior seen in the single mutants over a wide temperature and pH range, arguing that the observed independence is an intrinsic property of the mutant. The slow decay of the M and O intermediates can be selectively and independently reversed under conditions identical to those used for the corresponding intermediates in the D96N and L93A single mutants. Because the effects of the two individual mutations are preserved in the double mutant and can be independently reversed, we conclude that residues Asp 96 and Leu 93 act independently and at different stages of the bacteriorhodopsin photocycle. These results also show that formation of the O intermediate only requires protonation of the Schiff's base and is independent of the protonation of Asp 96 from the aqueous medium.
Doing away with the ‘native speaker’: a complex adaptive systems approach to L2 phonological attainment

Employing the complex adaptive systems (CAS) model, the present case study provides a self-report description of the attitudes, perceptions and experiences of an advanced adult L2 English learner with respect to his L2 phonological attainment. CAS is predicated on the notion that an individual's cognitive processes are intricately related to his or her experiences in particular social contexts and all language activities are dynamically regulated. In the study, interview data and reflective essay entries were analysed. The findings revealed that motives for L2 speech production and the concomitant attempts to improve L2 phonology were in a phase transition between idiolect (individual) and communal (social) levels. Autonomy, experience and environment were influential in the reorganisation of the learner's attitudes and perceptions about L2 pronunciation and accent. In addition, the learner's awareness of phonological variation, external motives and individual goals interact with one another in a dynamic ...
Essential Oil Constituents of Ocimum kilimandscharicum Guerke

ABSTRACT The volatile oil of Ocimum kilimandscharicum Guerke, a perennial undershrub of Labiatae, grown in Indiana was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. The essential oil content varied between the leaves (0.77–1.12% dry wt. basis) and the flowers (1.96–2.8% dry wt. basis). Seventeen constituents were identified in the oil. Oil composition was similar between the leaves and flowers with linalool as the major constituent (leaves (41.94%), flowers (58.85%)). Other major constituents included camphor (leaves (17.02%), flowers (15.82%)) and 1,8-cineole (leaves (10.18%), flowers (6.38%)). We report a ‘linalool-camphor’ chemotype of O. kilimandscharicum.
Relative Efficacy Of Ester Synthesis By Various Lipases In Microaqueous Media And The Effect Of Water On Reaction Progress

Ten commercial sources of lipases were evaluated for comparative hydrolytic (in an aqueous emulsion) and ester synthesis (in microaqueous media) activities. There was little relationship between these activities for the lipases evaluated. An immobilized Rhizomucor miehei lipase had the greatest ester synthesis activity but had comparatively limited hydrolytic activity. For the five most effective ester synthesizing lipases, each had a characteristic optimum water content for maximum initial reaction rates. However, this optimum water content was greater than that associated with maximum reaction yield of ester formation, indicating the need for unique and differential moisture control during the progress of reaction to obtain maximum process efficiency.
Word repetitions in sentence recognition.

When some items on a list are strengthened by extra study time or repetitions, recognition of other, unrelated, list items is not harmed (Ratcliff, Clark, & Shiffrin, 1990). Shiffrin, Ratdiff, and Clark (1990) accounted for this list-strength finding with a model assuming that different items are stored separately in memory, but that repetitions are accumulated together into a single stronger memory trace. Repeating words in the context of different sentences might cause separate storage of the repetitions of a given word, because either word or sentence traces are stored separately. Separate storage would, in effect, convert a list-strength manipulation into a list-length manipulation and thereby induce a positive list-strength effect. In Experiment 1, this result was produced for single-word recognition and for two types of sentence recognition. In Experiment 2, both words and sentences were repeated together, which should have caused repetitions to be stored in a single, stronger, trace. As expected, the list-strength effect was eliminated. A sentence trace model was fit to the data, supporting the account of Shiffrin et al. (1990) and supporting an account of word and sentence recognition in which activation is summed for representations of all list items. The results from the two studies are inconsistent with most current models of memory (as shown by the theoretical analyses of Shiffrin et al., 1990) and pose an additional challenge for theory.
No Pretense to Honesty: County Government Corruption in Mississippi

This paper explores the determinants of governmental corruption exploiting a unique dataset generated by “Operation Pretense”, an FBI investigation of county purchasing activities that ultimately led to the conviction of 55 of Mississippi’s 410 county supervisors, one county road foreman, two state highway commissioners and 13 vendors on bribery, extortion and other felony charges. Evidence is reported that corruption occurs more frequently in rural counties where voter-taxpayers have fewer years of schooling. Corruption is also more likely in counties where supervisors are paid more, ceteris paribus, casting doubt on the proposition that efficiency wages purchase honest public officials.
Imperfect competition and reputational commitment

Abstract Competition can both aid and hinder reputational commitments for quality. These are self-sustaining depending on future profits after maintaining or deviating from the commitment, and on current costs of sustaining it. Competition can affect these three elements at different rates.
T Cell Infiltrate Predicts Long-Term Survival Following Resection of Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases

While tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) have been shown to independently predict survival in primary colorectal cancer, the prognostic implications of TIL in resectable colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM) have not been previously defined. This study examines the correlation between TIL numbers and survival following hepatic resection. We studied patients who survived ≤2 or ≥10 years following CRCLM resection. Immunohistochemistry was performed on tissue microarrays (TMAs) to determine the number of T cells within CRCLM. Correlation between TIL frequency and ≤2 or ≥10 year survival was determined while controlling for established prognostic factors. Of 162 patients, 104 survived ≤2 years and 58 survived ≥10 years. Independent correlates of 10-year survival following CRCLM resection included a high number of CD8 T cells, a low number of CD4 T cells, and a clinical risk score of ≤2 (P < 0.001). Among 10-year survivors, 31% of patients had a high number of CD8 T cells compared with 8% for ≤2 year survivors (P < 0.01). Surprisingly, only 22% of 10-year survivors had a high number of CD4 T cells, in contrast to 69% of those who died within 2 years (P < 0.001). The combination of CD8 and CD4 T cell counts was a more powerful predictor of survival than either marker alone. CRCLM T cell number is an independent correlate of long-term survival following liver resection. We conclude that CRCLM TIL analysis represents a potentially powerful prognostic tool which will require further validation prior to broad application.
Meeting the Hearing Health Care Needs of the Oldest Older Adult

Purpose The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the auditory needs of and approaches to management of the oldest older adult. Method This article is an overview of principles of geriatric care and implications of untreated hearing loss for function, management, and care of the oldest older adult. Conclusions Person-centered care is at the heart of health care delivery to the oldest older adult, who typically suffers from multimorbidity. Given the high prevalence of moderate to severe hearing loss in this cohort and the functional limitations of untreated hearing loss, audiologists must become proactive in educating stakeholders on the importance of identifying and referring the oldest older adult for management of hearing health care needs. Audiologists have an integral role to play in collaborating with health care professionals in optimizing health care for the oldest older adult.
Mechanisms of arterial graft failure. II. Chronic endothelial and smooth muscle cell proliferation in healing polytetrafluoroethylene prostheses.

Abstract In a previous study of arterial bypass grafts (4 mm polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE]) in baboons we observed that endothelial and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) formed the neointima and were derived from the cut edges of adjacent artery. The purpose of this study was to determine at late times whether endothelial cells would continue to migrate and to proliferate to cover the graft surface and whether the underlying proliferating SMCs would produce a progressively thickened intima, graft stenosis, and eventual thrombosis. At 6 and 12 months after grafts were placed, endothelial coverage by ingrowth from the anastomoses was more advanced than at 3 months, and by 12 months 60% of grafts (7 to 9 cm in length) were covered. Endothelial cells proliferated in association with the growing edge and focally in other regions. Underlying SMCs proliferated in the region of the growing edge of the endothelial cells and also at anastomoses. Intimal cross-sectional area was greatest at anastomoses and at late times was principally due to an increase in connective tissue; actual SMC mass remained constant after 3 months. These results demonstrated slow but progressive healing of the grafts by ingrowth of endothelium. There was also an increased turnover rate of SMCs and endothelial cells in established intima at late times, which might be the consequence of chronic endothelial injury. This condition represents a stable state since it does not produce further intimal thickening and accumulation of SMCs and does not lead to a high rate of thrombosis. (J VASC SURG 1986;3:877-84.)
Extranuclear estrogen receptor's roles in physiology: lessons from mouse models

Steroid receptors exist and function in multiple compartments of cells in most organs. Although the functions and nature of some of these receptors is being defined, important aspects of receptor localization and signaling to physiology and pathophysiology have been identified. In particular, extranuclear sex steroid receptors have been found in many normal cells and in epithelial tumors, where they enact signal transduction that impacts both nongenomic and genomic functions. Here, I focus on the progress made in understanding the roles of extranuclear estrogen receptors (ER) in physiology and pathophysiology. Extranuclear ER serve as a model to selectively intervene with novel receptor reagents to prevent or limit disease progression. Recent novel mouse models and membrane ER-selective agonists also provide a better understanding of receptor pool cross-talk that results in the overall integrative actions of sex steroids.
A conserved, transcriptionally active p28 multigene locus of Ehrlichia canis.

Abstract Antigenic diversity of Ehrlichia chaffeensis and Ehrlichia canis may involve independent or differential expression of the P28 outer membrane proteins genes, enabling persistent infections of the natural hosts. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptional activity of a five gene locus in E. canis encoding homologous, but non-identical, p28 genes. The p28 multigene locus contained three previously identified complete gene sequences and one partial gene sequence. A new p28 gene was identified and sequenced, and the complete sequence of a second partial p28 gene was determined. The new p28 gene joined two previously separate loci, forming the single p28 multigene locus. The amino acid homology of the E. canis P28 proteins ranged from 51 to 74%. The nucleic acid sequence of regions compared within the locus spanning four p28 genes from two geographically distinct E. canis isolates was completely conserved. Analysis of the five p28 genes demonstrated that all were transcriptionally active in in-vitro cultures of E. canis incubated at the vertebrate host (37°C) and ambient tick temperatures (27°C). Polycistronic copies of multiple p28 genes were not detected by RT-PCR, but monocistronic p28 mRNA transcripts were detected by Northern blotting from E. canis infected DH82 cells, indicating that the genes are transcribed as monocistronic messages.
Intercomparison of methods for image quality characterization. II. Noise power spectrum.

Second in a two-part series comparing measurement techniques for the assessment of basic image quality metrics in digital radiography, in this paper we focus on the measurement of the image noise power spectrum (NPS). Three methods were considered: (1) a method published by Dobbins et al. [Med. Phys. 22, 1581-1593 (1995)], (2) a method published by Samei et al. [Med. Phys. 30, 608-622 (2003)], and (3) a new method sanctioned by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC 62220-1, 2003), developed as part of an international standard for the measurement of detective quantum efficiency. In addition to an overall comparison of the estimated NPS between the three techniques, the following factors were also evaluated for their effect on the measured NPS: horizontal versus vertical directional dependence, the use of beam-limiting apertures, beam spectrum, and computational methods of NPS analysis, including the region-of-interest (ROI) size and the method of ROI normalization. Of these factors, none was found to demonstrate a substantial impact on the amplitude of the NPS estimates ( 0.15 mm(-1).
Reproducibility and specificity concerns associated with nucleic acid amplification tests for detecting Chlamydia trachomatis

Commercial nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) have become one of the most frequently used tests for detecting Chalmydia trachomatis. However, published studies have raised important concerns regarding the NAAT evaluation process in general and their reproducibility and clinical specificity in particular. This is because for many infectious diseases including chlamydia, a true gold standard simply does not exist and, as a result, estimation of test performance parameters in the absence of a gold standard is a difficult and challenging task. In this manuscript, we will attempt to address some issues pertaining to the evaluation of NAATs including NAAT reproducibility, test validity, and the manner in which positive NAAT results are confirmed. Finally, we will discuss some of the potential clinical and public health implications of testing by NAATs.
Emergency Department Crowding Is Associated With Decreased Quality of Care for Children With Acute Asthma

Study objective We seek to determine which dimensions of quality of care are most influenced by emergency department (ED) crowding for patients with acute asthma exacerbations. Methods This cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection included patients aged 2 to 21 years treated for acute asthma during November 2007 to October 2008 at a children's hospital ED. We studied 3 processes of care—asthma score, β-agonist, and corticosteroid administration—and 9 quality measures representing 3 quality dimensions: timeliness (1-hour receipt of each process), effectiveness (receipt/nonreceipt of each process), and equity (language, identified primary care provider, and insurance). Primary independent variables were 2 crowding measures: ED occupancy and number waiting to see an attending-level physician. Models were adjusted for age, language, insurance, primary care access, triage level, ambulance arrival, oximetry, smoke exposure, and time of day. For timeliness and effectiveness quality measures, we calculated the adjusted risk of each quality measure at 5 percentiles of crowding for each crowding measure and assessed the significance of the adjusted relative interquartile risk ratios. For equity measures, we tested their role as moderators of the crowding-quality models. Results The asthma population included 927 patients. Timeliness and effectiveness quality measures showed an inverse, dose-related association with crowding, an effect not moderated by equity measures. Patients were 52% to 74% less likely to receive timely care and were 9% to 14% less likely to receive effective care when each crowding measure was at the 75th rather than at the 25th percentile ( P Conclusion ED crowding is associated with decreased timeliness and effectiveness—but not equity—of care for children with acute asthma.
High-temperature erosion of Haynes and Waspaloy: effect of temperature and erosion mechanisms

Abstract Erosion studies were performed on two heat-resistant alloys, Waspaloy and Haynes-188. The variable studied was temperature which was changed in steps to 200, 400, 500, 650, and 800°C. Erosion experiments were performed in a vertical sand-blast type of test rig which was capable of heating the incoming air and accelerating the particulate erodent material to a desired velocity. The test specimens were impacted with angular 150 μm SiC particles accelerated by high pressure air to a velocity of 50 m s −1 . Erosion rate was found to increase continuously with the increase in temperature and it was not affected significantly by corrosion. Erosion mechanisms and morphological features of the eroded craters were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The test specimens of these alloys were also impacted by 3 mm balls at 50 m s −1 impingement velocity and their deformation behavior at high temperatures when subjected to high velocity impacts was studied. The indentation depth and dynamic hardness were determined from these tests for various temperatures. The observations related to the erosion mechanisms, dynamic hardness, strength and ductility have been used to explain the high-temperature erosion behavior of these materials.
Software and souls; programs and packages

I m a g e f r o m S h u t t e r S t o C k .C o m D e s p i T e h i s C e n T r a l place in the development of Western philosophical thought, Rene Descartes is only occasionally cited in computing literature. However, the way we think about hardware and software tends to follow the template established by centuries of Dualist philosophy and thousands of years of human spiritual belief. Hardware is the body. Encumbered by the material world it is constrained by physical laws and will eventually succumb to the ravages of time. Software is the soul. The essence of code is its immateriality. An invisible spark of life, it controls the operation of the machine and can transmigrate from one host to another. It is bound not by the laws of this world but by those of another. The distinction between hardware and software partitions the careers, journals, conferences, interest groups, and businesses of computing into separate camps. In recent years it has also shaped the work of historians of computing, as software history has become an increasingly popular area of research. This column explores some of the fundamental challenges software poses to historians and draws upon my own historical research in the area to argue that software never really exists in a pure, non-material form. Instead, software has always been treated historically as a “package” including more than just computer code—though what has been meant by this has changed significantly over time. However, as you are reading Communications you probably know a lot about the insides of computers and may very well be an academic computer scientist. So let me admit two objections to my opening generalization before I move on with the historical reflections. First, the lines between hardware and software have become less clear over the years. Technologies such as FPGAs, virtual machines, APIs, and microcoded instruction sets complicate the simple picture of programs directly manipulating hardware. Second, the recent Turing Centenary has reminded us that the founding insight of theoretical computer science is that hardware and software are, from the viewpoint of computability, almost entirely inhistorical reflections software and souls; programs and packages
Dissecting the dendritic cell controversy in chronic hepatitis B virus infection.

Therapeutic vaccines to boost endogenous T-cell immunity rely on the stimulatory capacity of dendritic cells (DCs). The functionality of DCs in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been a long-standing debate. Therefore, we have attempted to summarize multiple studies investigating DC function in chronic HBV patients to determine whether common observations can be drawn. We found that the frequency and function of ex vivo-tested myeloid and plasmacytoid DCs were largely intact in patients with HBV infection and similar to those of healthy donor DCs. The main exception was reduced IFN-α production by plasmacytoid DC from chronic HBV patients. This reduced IFN-α production correlated with liver inflammation in multiple studies but not with viral load, suggesting that viral antigens have little effect on DC function. The majority of the confusion about DC function arises from studies reporting the reduced function of healthy donor DCs exposed to various sources of HBV in vitro. These direct effects of viral antigens are in contrast to data from HBV-infected patients. The variations in the assays used and areas that require further investigation are also covered
Studies on Coal Reactivity: Kinetics of Lignite Pyrolysis in Nitrogen at808°C

Abstract Lignites pyrolyzed in nitrogen have provided direct evidence for a two-component model of coal constitution. The pyrolysis was studied in an electrically heated 5.1 cm i.d. laminar-flow furnace using four closely sized cuts (58, 64, 86 and 180 microns). Pyrolysis was under isothermal conditions, at 808 °C, for periods up to 1 sec, following a heating period of 95 msec, at 8000 °C/sec rate of heating. Pyrolysis times in excess of 200 msec were obtained by recycling, experiments having shown that this did not affect the kinetics. Variations of weight loss with time were found to be in agreement with equations based on a two component model in which two independent parallel reactions are assumed to occur. Notably, weight loss declined approximately exponentially with time, with a sharp break in the lines obtained for pyrolysis times in excess of 200 msec. Slopes of the lines yielded values of the relevant kinetic constants, with Component “1” decomposition dependent on particle size over the range s...