cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of cetylpyridinium chloride in immersion treatment for reducing populations of pathogenic bacteria on fresh-cut vegetables.

The efficacy of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) immersion to reduce the numbers of three pathogenic bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Escherichia coli O157:H7) on three different fresh-cut vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, and radishes) was studied. The fresh-cut vegetables were inoculated with one of the three pathogenic bacteria at a concentration of 105 CFU/ml for 1 h at room temperature and then treated with 0.1 or 0.5% CPC immersion for 1 min. Both Salmonella Typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7 plates were incubated from 48 to 72 h at 37°C, and L. monocytogenes plates were incubated from 72 to 96 h before being counted. The results of three experiments showed that for the average of the three vegetables treated with 0.1 and 0.5% CPC, L. monocytogenes was reduced by 2.85 and 3.70 log CFU/g, Salmonella Typhimurium by 2.37 and 3.15 log CFU/g, and E. coli O157:H7 by 1.01 and 1.56 log CFU/g, respectively, in comparison with the vegetables treated with water only. The 0.5% CPC treat...
Groundwater controls on episodic soil erosion and dust emissions in a desert ecosystem

Feedbacks between vegetation, soils, and sediment transport processes maintain arid landscapes in geomorphically active degraded states or in more biologically productive and geomorphically stable states. Landscape evolution models and resource management strategies require a detailed understanding of thresholds that limit sediment transport in deserts, but it can be difficult to quantify geomorphic responses to abrupt environmental change. Here we use measurements of fallout radionuclides and salt content in soils, horizontal sediment fluxes, vegetation cover, and saturated zone depth in Owens Valley, California (USA), to quantify the geomorphic response of a desert landscape to changes in groundwater availability. Owens Valley has a well-documented history of surface-water diversions and pumping during the A.D. 1987–1992 drought, and we studied 11 sites having a gradient of ∼0.5 m to 8 m of groundwater decline during this time. We show that short-length-scale (<50 m) sediment redistribution is active in areas with a range of environmental histories, but centimeter-scale net soil loss occurred when photosynthetic vegetation cover declined to <20% where local groundwater remained shallow enough to produce evaporite salts. Erosion and dust emissions are most severe in central Owens Valley when groundwater falls below the 2 m effective rooting depth of native meadow vegetation but remains shallow enough (<6 m) so that capillary action maintains loose erodible sediment at the surface.
Understanding and diagnosing real-world Femtocell performance problems

Femtocells (small cells) augment the current mobile network by providing users short-range radio access at home and small-business settings. They have rapidly emerged as a promising scheme to alleviate capacity and coverage shortage by offloading traffic from the conventional Macrocells (large cells). Despite its increasing popularity, the real-world Femtocell performance has remained largely unexplored. In this paper, we conduct an in-depth study to assess Femtocell performance and diagnose identified issues in operational carrier networks. We focus on user-deployed Femtocells in a top-tier US mobile network. While the Femtocell generally works well, unanticipated performance degradations and even failures still occur. Contrary to conventional wisdom in the research community, we find that, radio link quality and interference is not the main bottleneck of Femtocells in many real-life usage scenarios. For instance, while Femtocell deployment at blind-zones with no radio coverage is desirable, not all deployments have succeeded; Compared with their Macrocell counterparts, Femtocells exhibit lower speed and larger speed variations, and induce larger delay for data services. Moreover, mobility support for femtocells is incomplete and no seamless migration is available under certain usage scenarios. We pinpoint their root causes, quantify the potential impacts, and share the learned lessons.
Blood pressure variability and cardiovascular risk

Would intensifying treatment for higher risk patients improve outcomes? Although elevated mean blood pressure increases the risk of untoward vascular outcomes, that risk is markedly affected by a range of patient characteristics beyond mean blood pressure. In this issue, Stevens and colleagues (doi:10.1136/bmj.i4098) use meta-analysis to synthesise evidence on the affect of variability in blood pressure on this risk.1 They find consistent evidence that increased variability across clinic visits over months to years is associated with an increased cardiovascular risk. They convincingly exclude confounding by several other known risk factors, such as age, sex, mean blood pressure, and established cardiovascular disease.2 3 Although they found fewer studies of variability measured over shorter time frames, the evidence suggested a similar effect of variability measured over hours and weeks. How should this new information affect clinical practice? Firstly, we should accept that variability in blood pressure across clinic visits does not tell us much about drug adherence. Previous research has shown that variation in adherence makes only a small contribution to variability in blood pressure.4 Furthermore, the study reminds us of …
Bronchospasm vs. Bronchoconstriction: A Different View

Bronchospasm is a common diagnosis during anesthesia but it is rarely the correct one. Bronchoconstriction or narrowing of airways from loss of lung volume is a far more common cause of wheezing and difficulty with ventilation during anesthesia. The main reason for distinguishing between these two entities is that the treatment is different. Administration of bronchodilators is ineffective and wastes valuable time if the cause of wheezing and airway obstruction is loss of lung volume or bronchoconstriction.
Molecular stratification by gene expression as a paradigm for precision medicine in systemic sclerosis

Clinical presentation in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) is heterogeneous in terms of organ involvement and disease progression. Measurement of serum autoantibodies has provided a useful method for identifying patients at the highest risk for SSc complications including progressive interstitial lung disease, scleroderma renal crisis, and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Genome-wide transcriptional profiling of SSc skin has been used to measure and quantify SSc heterogeneity on the molecular level. This genomic approach has shown that at least four distinct gene expression subsets can be identified in SSc that permit a molecular subclassification beyond the well-described clinical subsets of limited and diffuse cutaneous SSc. Gene expression between clinically involved (lesional) and clinically uninvolved (non-lesional) skin samples show remarkable consistency demonstrating the systemic nature of disease. Each subset has its own distinct and consistent underlying deregulated molecular pathways, implicating different pathophysiological processes in different patient subsets. These data suggest that clinical trials will benefit by targeting therapy to the appropriate patient subset. This hypothesis has been tested in investigator-initiated trials of mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept) that targets lymphocyte proliferation and abatacept (Orencia) that prevents T-lymphocyte activation. In both cases, patients in the inflammatory subset showed clinical improvement, whereas patients in other subsets did not. Preliminary results with other therapeutic agents similarly suggest that only a subset of patients will improve during treatment. Molecular subset identification using a companion diagnostic will increase study validity and the likelihood of therapeutic benefit. Determination of the specific deregulated molecular pathways underlying SSc in individual patients will allow personalized precision medicine in SSc and will likely improve therapeutic responses.
Coordination Chemistry of the Siderophores and Recent Studies of Synthetic Analogues

For the past ten years we have studied the coordination chemistry of microbial iron transport compounds, called siderophores, and structurally related synthetic analogues. Our research has included X-ray structure determinations (1–3), electrochemical studies (4), isomer assignment by spectrophotometry techniques (5), potentiometric titrimetry (6), and, most recently, kinetic measurements of the rates of iron exchange between siderophores (7). This work has helped to elucidate the chemical details of microbial iron transport, as well as to provide information for the logical design of chelating agents for the treatment of iron overload in humans. This paper will focus on a review of results obtained in the latter three areas of study.
Supermarket optimization: simulation modeling and analysis of a grocery store layout

The purpose of this research is to utilize optimization and simulation modeling to yield an optimal supermarket layout. This is a study on how to optimize the layout of a supermarket in order to increase its gross profit via the maximization of impulse sales. In most supermarkets many items often get unnoticed because on average customers only walk one-third of the store. Since customers use tangible products as a memory cues, increasing the visibility of certain items will prompt customers to purchase some of them. Recent advances in marketing research reveal that encouraging customers to walk longer paths can often increase spending because they are exposed to more products. Retailers can then increase their sales by using the store layout---i.e., the design of the aisles and the product location---to extend the customers' shopping paths and thus indirectly motivate them to purchase items that are not originally on their shopping list. Designing a store layout that increases impulse sales is however a challenging task. There are several requirements that must be considered for finding a successful design. In addition to increasing the length of the shopping path for the average customer, the layout must ensure that the customers encounter several products that may trigger potential impulse sales, without exceeding the point in which the extra length becomes noticeable and burdensome for the customers. In this study, we use a simulation model aimed to analyze the quality of different potential layouts of a supermarket. The main purpose of the simulation is to efficiently replicate the customer behavior, in order to accurately capture the customers flow in the supermarket. The simulation evaluates the layout by determining the visibility of the impulse items by predicting customer movement across the store. Decision makers can use this simulation as a tool for identifying the optimal location of the different products.
Examining Value Co-Destruction: Toward a Typology of Resource Disintegration: An Abstract

The notion of consumer misbehavior has gained more attention in recent years, challenging the old adage that “the customer is always right.” This is also evident in the value co-creation literature in which certain behaviors, such as consumer participation, may result in undesired consequences. However, only a handful of researchers have begun to view this alternative side to value co-creation. As such, this article seeks to gain a better understanding of the manifestations and traits of value co-destruction (VCD), the opposite possibility of value co-creation. Here, VCD refers to the decline in value created together by a provider and consumer from their interactions and experiences that result in resource disintegration. From a service-dominant logic perspective, the current study argues the propensity of consumers contributing negative value to the co-creation process through resource disintegration. That is, if resources are misused or applied the wrong way, then the value potential is not realized from the dyad. Using a typology of value destruction, this article explores the application of resource disintegration based on the interaction between service systems and intentionality.
Designing a wireless network with directional antennas: frequency division issue: Research Articles

We design a mobile ad-hoc network (MANET), where nodes are equipped with several multi-beam adaptive array (MBAA) systems. Such devices provide a great advantage for both space and frequency freedom, and produce a much better network throughput than traditional systems based on single frequency, omnidirectional transmission. A license-free bandwidth up to 7 GHz is available centered at 60 GHz. The problem to divide this bandwidth into several channels is described as frequency division issue in this paper. We have provided a possible solution for such a problem in our paper, formulated as a (K, M) list-coloring problem of the associated graph. Major results are presented based on two different models for connection requests. In addition, a numerical test is performed to verify the analysis. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Correlates of changes in walking during the retirement transition: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Abstract Retirement from employment involves disruption in daily routines and has been associated with positive and negative changes in physical activity. Walking is the most common physical activity among older Americans. The factors that influence changes in walking after retirement are unknown. The study objective was to identify correlates of within-person change in recreational walking (for leisure) and transport walking (to get places) during the retirement transition among a multi-ethnic cohort of adults (N = 928) from six US communities. Correlates were measured at the individual (e.g., gender), interpersonal (e.g., social support), and community (e.g., density of walking destinations) levels at study exams between 2000 and 2012. Comparing pre- and post-retirement measures (average 4.5 years apart), 50% of participants increased recreational walking by 60 min or more per week, 31% decreased by 60 min or more per week, and 19% maintained their recreational walking. Forty-one percent of participants increased transport walking by 60 min or more per week, 40% decreased by 60 min or more per week, and 19% maintained their transport walking after retirement. Correlates differed for recreational and transport walking and for increases compared to decreases in walking. Self-rated health, chronic conditions, and perceptions of the neighborhood walking environment were associated with changes in both types of walking after retirement. Further, some correlates differed by gender and retirement age. Findings can inform the targeting of interventions to promote walking during the retirement transition.
The Economics of Early Childhood Interventions

Abstract The last decades have been ones of particular attention to early childhood development policies and programs globally. Most recently, the early years have been integrated into the Sustainable Development Goals (Britto et al., 2017), as well as the G20 2018 communique (point 14). These trends have been increasingly driven by an understanding of neuroscience and its implications for education, health, and in economics—the research on human capital formation. An understanding of early opportunities, as well as the consequences of early adversity, have increased the importance of early interventions for later educational, social, and economic outcomes. The labor-market pressures on women also come into play in some contexts and countries. From an economic perspective, there are three fundamental rationales for early childhood interventions which are addressed in the chapter: (1) market failures, (2) equity and redistribution, and (3) human capital formation.
A Molecular Crosstalk between E-cadherin and EGFR Signaling Networks

Classical cadherins are single-pass transmembrane glycoproteins engaged in homophilic calcium-dependent cell-cell adhesion complexes, a system highly conserved in all multicellular organisms. E-cadherin is one of these enthralling adhesive receptors, originally named uvomorulin, for its “glue” ability during the early stage of embryogenesis. Highly expressed in differentiated and polarized epithelial cells, the dynamic formation and disassembly of E-cadherin contacts participate in most developmental and pathological processes involving morphogenetic changes in the epithelium. E-cadherins bind through their extracellular region to E-cadherins expressed in adjacent cells and are linked through their intracytoplasmic tail to the cytoskeleton through a family of proteins collectively known as catenins, which also play an important role in E-cadherin-initiated intracellular signaling. E-cadherin is believed to act as a tumor- and metastasis-suppressor gene, as its expression and function are down-regulated or altered in many human cancers, and its re-expression decreases both the proliferative and invasive capacity of tumor cells. Recent evidence suggests the existence of a direct cross-talk between E-cadherin and EGF receptors (EGFR). Indeed, EGFR activation can cause the dismantling of cell-cell contacts by promoting the destabilization of E-cadherin/catenin adhesive complexes, the down-regulation of E-cadherin expression, and the endocytosis and subsequent degradation of pre-existing cell surface E-cadherins. On the other hand, the engagement of E-cadherin in newly formed cell contacts causes the rapid EGF-independent activation of EGFR, thereby triggering EGFR-initiated signaling pathways that enhance cell proliferation or survival through MAPK, PI3-Kinase and Rho GTPases. Further studies into the molecular mechanism underlying the interplay between E-Cadherin and EGFR in normal and tumoral epithelial cells may ultimately help to identify more effective EGFR-targeting strategies for cancer treatment.
Graph formation effects on social welfare and inequality in a networked resource game

We introduce the Networked Resource Game, a graphical game where players' actions are a set of resources that they can apply over links in a graph to form partnerships that yield rewards. This introduces a new constraint on actions over multiple links. We investigate several network formation algorithms and find bilateral coalition-proof equilibria for these games. We analyze the outcomes in terms of social welfare and inequality, as measured by the Gini coefficient, and show how graph formation affects these aspects of a networked economy.
Front-end ASIC for spectroscopic readout of virtual Frisch-grid CZT bar sensors

Abstract Compact multi-channel radiation detectors rely on low noise front-end application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) to achieve high spectral resolution. Here, a new ASIC developed to readout virtual Frisch-grid cadmium zinc telluride (VFG CZT) detectors for gamma ray spectroscopy is presented. Corresponding to each ionizing event in the detector, the ASIC measures the amplitude and timing at the anode, the cathode and four pad sense electrodes associated with each sensor in a detector array. The ASIC is comprised of 52 channels of which there are 4 cathode channels and 48 channels which can be configured as either anode channels with a baseline of 250 mV or pad sense channels to process induced signals with a baseline of 1.2 V. With a static power dissipation of 3 mW, each channel performs low-noise charge amplification, high-order shaping, peak and timing detection along with analog storage and multiplexing. The overall channel linearity was better than ± 1% with timing resolution down to 700 ps for charges greater than 8 fC in the 3 MeV range. With a 4 × 4 array of 6 mm × 6 mm × 20 mm virtual Frisch-grid bar sensors connected and biased, an electronic resolution of ≈ 270 e−rms for charges up to 100 fC in the 3.2 MeV range was measured. Spectral measurements obtained with the 3D correction technique demonstrated resolutions of 1.8% FWHM at 238 keV and 0.9% FWHM at 662 keV.
Review of Governing Biodiversity through Democratic Deliberation by Mikko Rask and Richard Worthington (New York: Routledge, 2015.)

Review of Governing Biodiversity through Democratic Deliberation by Mikko Rask and Richard Worthington (New York: Routledge, 2015.)
Dynamical degree, arithmetic entropy, and canonical heights for dominant rational self-maps of projective space

Let φ:ℙN⤏ℙN be a dominant rational map. The dynamical degree of φ is the quantity δφ=lim (deg φn)1/n. When φ is defined over , and the Zariski density of the orbit 𝒪φ(P) of P. We then prove our conjectures for monomial maps.
The Function(s) of Sleep

Sleep is a highly conserved phenomenon in endotherms, and therefore it must serve at least one basic function across this wide range of species. What that function is remains one of the biggest mysteries in neurobiology. By using the word neurobiology, we do not mean to exclude possible non-neural functions of sleep, but it is difficult to imagine why the brain must be taken offline if the basic function of sleep did not involve the nervous system. In this chapter we discuss several current hypotheses about sleep function. We divide these hypotheses into two categories: ones that propose higher-order cognitive functions and ones that focus on housekeeping or restorative processes. We also pose four aspects of sleep that any successful functional hypothesis has to account for: why do the properties of sleep change across the life span? Why and how is sleep homeostatically regulated? Why must the brain be taken offline to accomplish the proposed function? And, why are there two radically different stages of sleep?
In-Depth Spectroscopy and New Heights for Organic Solar Cells

In this issue of Joule, Lami et al. describe a method that enables UV photoemission spectroscopy (UPS) in the transverse dimension of polymeric semiconductor layers with nanometer-scale resolution. The approach is based on the use of Argon gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) etching instead of monoatomic ion bean bombardment. The use of GCIB reduces surface damage, enabling in depth UPS. The method is applied to the study of critical electronic levels and photovoltage in organic solar cells.
Self-translation as translation of the self — translating the hybrid self

In this essay, I discuss self-translation, particularly autobiographical self-translation, from various perspectives relating to identities, distance, imagination, creativity, and autonomy, while r...
Battling Cancer or Fighting for Quality of Life? Role Theory and Patient Expectations in Cancer Care

Background: Military metaphors have long dominated the cancer discourse in America, and patients are expected to be willing to endure anything in order to “fight” and “battle” cancer. In recent yea...
Soft-Switching Current Source Inverter for Next-Generation Electric Vehicle Drivetrains

Motor drives are a critical piece of equipment in electric vehicles, yet the existing and aging voltage source inverter topology used in most drivetrains suffers from well-known challenges and requires numerous mitigation techniques increasing system cost and complexity and limiting the power density. Although the technology has reached a commendable maturity level using silicon IGBT devices, leveraging the latest wide bandgap devices is proving to be extremely challenging. This paper proposes a novel soft-switching converter topology addressing these limitations and offers a new approach to developing the next generation of high-performance electric vehicle drivetrains. The minimal topology performs the required bi-directional DC-AC conversion in a single-stage structure and ensures zero-voltage switching of all power devices across the entire load range. Furthermore, the high-frequency operation reduces the size of the passive elements for a power-dense design, and leads to excellent converter dynamic with unique efficiency profiles. The fundamental operating principles are introduced in this paper and the concept is verified through simulation of a 25 kVA SSCSI drivetrain.
Right Atrial Strain by Echocardiography is Associated with Survival After LVAD

Background Right ventricular failure (RVF) following left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation is an important source of morbidity and mortality but is difficult to predict. Right atrial (RA) strain by echocardiography is a novel hemodynamic parameter likely indicative of atrial functional capacity and RV diastolic function. Previous studies have suggested that pre-LVAD RV strain may be a predictor of RVF, but no studies have systematically evaluated the association of RA strain with outcomes after LVAD. We hypothesized that pre-LVAD RA strain may improve the ability to predict RVF after LVAD. Methods We evaluated 31 adults who received continuous flow LVAD between 2008-2018. Peak RA and RV strain values were measured by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography. RA strain was measured during three phases: reservoir phase (end-diastole to onset of ventricular filling), conduit phase (onset of ventricular filling to onset of atrial contraction), and contractile phase (onset of atrial contraction to end-diastole). RVF was defined as need for inotropic support longer than 14 days, inhaled nitric oxide for longer than 48 hours, or unplanned RVAD. Pearson correlation was used to compare RA and RV strain parameters. Logistic regression was performed for the outcome of RVF. Cox-proportional hazards modelling was performed for the outcome of survival free from transplant or device explant/exchange and hazard ratios were calculated per standard deviation change in regressors. Results Four patients (13%) developed RVF. Median time from echo to LVAD was 31 days. Correlation between RV free wall longitudinal strain (FWLS) and RA reservoir (R=-0.45, p=0.01), conduit (R=-0.30, p=0.10), and contractile strain (R=-0.27, p=0.15) was modest at best. None of the RA strain parameters were associated with RVF. Lower RA reservoir strain (HR 2.26, p=0.003) and RA conduit strain (HR 3.63, p=0.004) were associated with decreased survival free from transplant or device explant/exchange, while RA contractile strain was not. Conclusions In this small cohort, RA strain parameters were not associated with early RVF following LVAD implant. However, RA reservoir strain and RA conduit strain were strongly associated with post LVAD long term survival. RA strain parameters may represent a form of RV diastolic dysfunction that impacts long term outcomes more so than early post operative events. The utility of RA strain parameters for predicting outcomes following LVAD implant deserves further investigation and validation in a larger cohort.
Validation of Hypertensive Disorders During Pregnancy: ICD-10 Codes in a High-burden Southeastern United States Hospital.

Background Identification of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy research often uses hospital International Classification of Diseases v. 10 (ICD-10) codes meant for billing purposes, which may introduce misclassification error relative to medical records. We estimated the validity of ICD-10 codes for hypertensive disorders during pregnancy overall and by subdiagnosis, compared with medical record diagnosis, in a Southeastern United States high disease burden hospital. Methods We linked medical record data with hospital discharge records for deliveries between 1 July 2016, and 30 June 2018, in an Atlanta, Georgia, public hospital. For any hypertensive disorder (with and without unspecified codes) and each subdiagnosis (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count [HELLP] syndrome, eclampsia, preeclampsia with and without severe features, chronic hypertension, superimposed preeclampsia, and gestational hypertension), we calculated positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) sensitivity, and specificity for ICD-10 codes compared with medical record diagnoses (gold standard). Results Thirty-seven percent of 3,654 eligible pregnancies had a clinical diagnosis of any hypertensive disorder during pregnancy. Overall, ICD-10 codes identified medical record diagnoses well (PPV, NPV, specificity >90%; sensitivity >80%). PPV, NPV, and specificity were high for all subindicators (>80%). Sensitivity estimates were high for superimposed preeclampsia, chronic hypertension, and gestational hypertension (>80%); moderate for eclampsia (66.7%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 22.3%, 95.7%), HELLP (75.0%; 95% CI = 50.9%, 91.3%), and preeclampsia with severe features (58.3%; 95% CI = 52.6%, 63.8%); and low for preeclampsia without severe features (3.2%; 95% CI, 1.4%, 6.2%). Conclusions We provide bias parameters for future US-based studies of hypertensive outcomes during pregnancy in high-burden populations using hospital ICD-10 codes.
Safety and Efficacy of Manual Aspiration Via Small Bore Chest Tube in Facilitating the Outpatient Management of Transbronchial Biopsy-related Iatrogenic Pneumothorax.

BACKGROUND Iatrogenic pneumothorax complicates transbronchial biopsies with a prevalence of 1% to 6%. Conventional treatment consists of inpatient management with chest tube drainage. While aspiration techniques have been investigated in the management of both primary spontaneous and transthoracic lung biopsy-induced pneumothorax, its role in the management of transbronchial biopsy-iatrogenic pneumothorax (TBBX-IP) is undefined. An appealing treatment alternative for TBBX-IP may exist in the placement of a small bore chest tube (SBCT) followed by a manual aspiration (MA) technique promoting earlier SBCT removal to facilitate outpatient management. To our knowledge, no study exists evaluating the efficacy of MA via a SBCT performed specifically for TBBX-IP. PATIENTS AND METHODS Prospective evaluation of the efficacy of a protocolized pathway incorporating MA through a SBCT for the outpatient management of TBBX-IP. Primary outcome was the clinicoradiographic resolution of TBBX-IP avoiding hospitalizations. RESULTS A total of 763 biopsies performed; 31 complicated by TBBX-IP, 18 qualified for intervention. Sixteen were outpatients, 2 inpatients. Thirteen (81.25%) of the 16 outpatients were successfully treated with MA via SBCT and did not require admission. Twelve (75%) of these 13 had SBCT removed, 1 patient was discharged with SBCT and removed in 24 hours. Of the 18 patients requiring intervention, 13 (72.2%) were successfully treated with MA via SBCT enabling removal of SBCT. No patient required reintervention. CONCLUSION MA via SBCT represents a safe and viable management approach of TBBX-IP promoting earlier SBCT removal and decreased hospitalizations. Our results challenge conventional management of TBBX-IP warranting further investigation.
The Chemical Industry’s View of Risk Assessment

The Chemical Manufacturers Association (CMA) supports and encourages the use of risk analysis in the regulatory and legislative process. Only through dispassionate analysis of the facts, and careful risk assessment can this nation be assured that the decisions effecting environmental and health issues are made rationally. We can no longer afford to throw money away to solve nonproblems. Rather, we must use risk analysis as a support to the policymaker.
Research challenges and opportunities in mapping social media and Big Data

Social media and Big Data have transformed our world into interconnected cyberspace and realspace. Cartographers can now trace, monitor, and map the spread of social movements, disease outbreaks, n...
83 EFFECTS OF RECOMBINANT HUMAN ERYTHROPOIETIN (rhEPO) DURING CORRECTION OF RENAL ANEMIA (RA) IN EXPERIMENTAL UREMIA

To get information on other effects of rhEPO than correction of RA we have run a controlled randomized study in young(100g) rats looking for following parameters: food intake(FI), weight gain(WG), growth(G), organ masses (heart, liver, spleen, kidney - corrected for body weight), blood pressure(BP), thrombocytes(T), and potassium (K). 20 animals were subtotally nephrectomized and received either 4 IU rhEPO sc/d or solvent for 4 weeks with free access to food(urea 21.5 mmol/l). 20 sham-operated pair fed and 20 ad lib fed animals with and without rhEPO respectively, served as controls(urea 5.9 mmol/l). Although RA could be prevented by rhEPO (Hct 51 vs 44%, p<0.05), it did neither affect FI nor WG,G,T and K. However, BP+was slightly increased in the rhEPO treated uremic animals(135±10 vs 121±7 mm Hg, p<0.05) as was the spleen weight whereas the other organ masses remained unaffected by rhEPO which could not prevent myocardial hypertrophy. Data suggest that treatment with rhEPO will not ameliorate uremia induced stunting and myocardial hypertrophy and usually leads to hypertension which must be regarded as the most serious side effect.
Present-day motion and deformation of the Colorado Plateau

[1] We analyze data from continuous GPS stations in the southwestern United States and present the first observations of a systematic motion of the Colorado Plateau region. Relative to a North America-fixed reference frame, westward velocities increase rapidly across the Wasatch fault system, which comprises the plateau's northwestern margin, but increase more gradually between the Great Plains and the Mojave Desert province. We detect no significant extension across most of the Rio Grande Rift, but extension could be as high as ∼0.5 mm yr−1 along its southernmost portion. We suggest that the motion between the plateau and stable continent may partly be accommodated instead across the Jemez Lineament. Only when we consider GPS velocities within the plateau's center, do the data support a rigid body rotation of 0.103° Ma−1 around a pole in the northern Rocky Mountains. We conclude that active extension has encroached into the plateau from both the east and west.
Molecular weight and amino acid composition of human gastricsin and pepsin.

Abstract Molecular weights for human pepsin and gastricsin are about 34,000 and 31,500, respectively, as determined by the sedimentation-diffusion method, sedimentation equilibrium studies, and amino acid analysis data. The sedimentation coefficients, s20,w, were found to be 3.14 S for human pepsin and 3.32 S for gastricsin. The sedimentation coefficient for gastricsin is concentration-dependent. The diffusion coefficients, D20,w, were found to be 8.7 x 10-7 cm2 sec-1 and 9.6 x 10-7 cm2 sec-1 for human pepsin and gastricsin, respectively. The partial specific volumes calculated from the amino acid compositions were 0.724 ml per g for human pepsin and 0.724 ml per g for gastricsin. The amino acid composition of human pepsin is very similar to that of procine pepsin. Human pepsin contains a significantly higher number of aspartic acid, isoleucine, and serine residues than gastricsin, while gastricsin contains a significantly higher number of glutamic acid residues.
An 11-Year Study of the Relative Importance of Driving Accuracy and Driving Distance on Scoring Average on the PGA Tour

There is an age-old question in golf. Is it more important to hit the ball long or straight? This question seems particularly pertinent in today's game, considering how far PGA Tour players can dri...
Mixed-signal circuit testing-A review

Testing and fault diagnosis are two important aspects in the design and maintenance of mixed-signal circuits. To enhance testability and fault diagnosability, both design-for-testability (DFT) and built-in self-test (BIST) techniques have been successfully developed for digital circuits. This paper reviews the development of these techniques in analog circuits and discusses the future challenges in both fault diagnosis and testing.
Overview and extensions of a system for routing directed graphs on SIMD architectures

A method is given for parallelizing the problems of directed graphs on a single-instruction multiple-data (SIMD) machine model that uses only nearest-neighbor connections for communication and has no facility for local indirect addressing. Each vertex of the graph is assigned to a processor in the machine. Rules for labeling are introduced that support the use of a simple algorithm for movement of data along the edges of the graph. Additional algorithms are defined for addition and deletion of edges. Modifying or adding a new edge takes the same time as parallel traversal. This combination of architecture and algorithm defines a system that is relatively simple to build and can do fast graph processing. All edges can be traversed in parallel in time O(T), where T is empirically proportional to the average path length in the embedding times the average degree of the graph. An extension to the above method is presented which allows for enhanced performance by allowing some broadcasting capabilities. >
Use and risks of surgical mesh for pelvic organ prolapse surgery in women in New York state: population based cohort study

Objective To assess the use of mesh in pelvic organ prolapse surgery, and compare short term outcomes between procedures using and not using mesh. Design All inclusive, population based cohort study. Setting Statewide surgical care captured in the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System. Participants Women who underwent prolapse repair procedures in New York state from 2008 to 2011. Main outcomes measures 90 day safety events and reinterventions within one year, after propensity score matching. Categorical, time to event, and subgroup analyses ( Results Of 27 991 patients in total, 7338 and 20 653 underwent prolapse repair procedures with and without mesh, respectively. Mesh use increased by 44.7%, from 1461 procedures in 2008 to 2114 procedures in 2011. Most patients in the cohort were younger than 65 years (62.3% (n=17 424/27 991)). However, more patients were aged 65 years and older in the mesh group than in the non-mesh group (44.3% (n=3249) v 35.4% (n=7318)). Complications after surgery were not common, irrespective of the use or non-use of mesh. After propensity score matching, patients who received the surgery with mesh had a higher chance of having a reintervention within one year (mesh 3.3% v no mesh 2.2%, hazard ratio 1.47 (95% confidence interval 1.21 to 1.79)) and were more likely to have urinary retention within 90 days (mesh 7.5% v no mesh 5.6%, risk ratio 1.33 (95% confidence interval 1.18 to 1.51)), compared with those who received surgery without mesh. In subgroup analyses based on age, mesh use was associated with an increased risk of reintervention within one year in patients under age 65 years, and increased risk of urinary retention in patients aged 65 years and over. Conclusions Despite multiple warnings released by the US Food and Drug Administration since 2008, use of mesh in pelvic organ prolapse surgery continues to grow. In this statewide comprehensive study, mesh procedures were associated with an increased risk of reinterventions within one year and urinary retention after surgery.
Magnetic resonance imaging of massive ovarian edema in pregnancy

Objective To investigate the MRI findings of massive ovarian edema in pregnancy. Conclusions Asymmetric ovarian enlargement with a teardrop configuration and T2 hyperintensity with or without T1 hyperintensity appear characteristic of massive ovarian edema in pregnancy, potentially facilitating nonoperative diagnosis and expectant management. These findings support the concept that massive ovarian edema in pregnancy reflects chronic partial ovarian torsion.
Identification of QTLs influencing wood property traits in loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda L.). II. Chemical wood properties.

Chemical wood property traits were analyzed for the presence of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) in a three-generation outbred pedigree of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). These traits were assayed using pyrolysis molecular beam mass spectrometry and include mass spectrum peak intensities associated with carbohydrates, α-cellulose and hemicellulose sugars, and lignin. Models for projection to latent structures (PLS) were used to also estimate the chemical composition of cell walls (i.e., α-cellulose, galactan and lignin) from mass spectrum data using multivariate regression. Both earlywood and latewood fractions from the fifth annual ring were analyzed for each trait. An interval mapping approach designed for an outbred pedigree was used to estimate the number of QTLs, the magnitude of QTL effects, and their genomic position. Eight unique QTLs influencing cell wall chemistry were detected from multiple peak intensities and/or PLS estimates using the one- and two-QTL models. Significant differences in chemical contents were observed among the populations from North Carolina vs Oklahoma, and results from QTL×environment analyses suggest that QTLs interact with environmental location. QTLs should be verified in larger experiments and in different genetic and environmental backgrounds. QTL mapping will help towards eventually identifying genes having a major effect on chemical wood properties.
Sensitivity of hypervelocity impact simulations to equation of State

Abstract We investigate the sensitivity of hypervelocity impact simulations to differences in equations of state (EOS's), comparing our hydrocode calculations to recent experiments on lead at G. M. Delco ( Pomykal, 1986 ). The results suggest that the hydrocode does not correctly predict all the details of debris cloud structure, even when these are significant EOS differences. We used three different equations of state, one of which is new. It was generated just for sensitivity studies using the most recent experimental EOS data.
Conserved Catalytic Residues of the ALDH1L1 Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Domain Control Binding and Discharging of the Coenzyme

The C-terminal domain (Ct-FDH) of 10-formyltetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (FDH, ALDH1L1) is an NADP+-dependent oxidoreductase and a structural and functional homolog of aldehyde dehydrogenases. Here we report the crystal structures of several Ct-FDH mutants in which two essential catalytic residues adjacent to the nicotinamide ring of bound NADP+, Cys-707 and Glu-673, were replaced separately or simultaneously. The replacement of the glutamate with an alanine causes irreversible binding of the coenzyme without any noticeable conformational changes in the vicinity of the nicotinamide ring. Additional replacement of cysteine 707 with an alanine (E673A/C707A double mutant) did not affect this irreversible binding indicating that the lack of the glutamate is solely responsible for the enhanced interaction between the enzyme and the coenzyme. The substitution of the cysteine with an alanine did not affect binding of NADP+ but resulted in the enzyme lacking the ability to differentiate between the oxidized and reduced coenzyme: unlike the wild-type Ct-FDH/NADPH complex, in the C707A mutant the position of NADPH is identical to the position of NADP+ with the nicotinamide ring well ordered within the catalytic center. Thus, whereas the glutamate restricts the affinity for the coenzyme, the cysteine is the sensor of the coenzyme redox state. These conclusions were confirmed by coenzyme binding experiments. Our study further suggests that the binding of the coenzyme is additionally controlled by a long-range communication between the catalytic center and the coenzyme-binding domain and points toward an α-helix involved in the adenine moiety binding as a participant of this communication.
Subnational managerial transformation and the post-WTO-accession business environment in China: Shanghai perspectives

The market-oriented perspectives held by managers of China's municipal government agencies and urban enterprises constitute critical variables in the business environment encountered by foreign investors. A study of 426 predominantly subnational managers in Shanghai found most study participants generally positively inclined toward implementing accession-related reforms and toward marketoriented developments. The study also revealed a surging interest in careers with foreign-affiliated entities and widespread preference for incentives that give foreign-invested firms a competitive hiring and retention advantage over domestic, especially state, establishments. The overall results suggest the transformation of subnational managerial orientations in a direction that is conducive for foreign participation in Shanghai's postaccession economy. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
End Paleozoic-Early Mesozoic western Pangean reconstruction and its implications for the distribution of Precambrian and Paleozoic rocks around Meso-America

Abstract We present a detailed, palinspastically restored reconstruction of the circum-Central Atlantic continents and incorporate information on the distribution, age and correlation of Precambrian and Paleozoic rocks. The Late Paleozoic Appalachian-Ouachita Suture marks a fundamental break which separates Gondwanan from North American basement and pre-Late-Paleozoic assemblages. The westward continuation of the suture across Mexico continues to be problematic, primarily because of the scarcity of pre-Late-Paleozoic rocks. Biogeographic affinities of some Lower Paleozoic assemblages provide some constraints; for example, the North American affinities of the Ordovician and Silurian of Cuidad Victoria versus the Gondwanan affinities of Tremadocian rocks of Oaxaca. The ultramafic rocks within the Mixteca Terrane of southern Mexico may represent the only surface exposure of this suture, the northward strike projection of these exposures to the Coahuila region are compatible with the biogeographical constraints. Some confusion has resulted from geochronologic determinations of ‘Grenville’ ages from Oaxaca, the Chuacus metamorphics of Yucatan, and the Rio Cana Complex of Cuba; such ages have led to suggestions that these assemblages were derived from North America. We suggest that they are instead part of the Rondonian/Sunsas Orogenic Belt of western Brazil and Ecuador, and that, if this is true, the Rondonian/Sunsas Belt would have represented the areally most extensive basement age province of the Amazon Shield. The Late Paleozoic suture coincidentally juxtaposes basement age provinces of similar age, and therefore basement ages appear to be undiagnostic of the paleogeographic affinities of different elements. In addition, we show the geometric correlation of the Senegal Block, west of the Late Precambrian Pan-African Mauritanide Suture, with the Brunswick magnetic ‘terrane’ of offshore eastern North America. Other correlations, many of which have been previously recognized, are also highlighted.
Development of the split-Hopkinson pressure bar technique for viscous fluid characterization

Abstract The split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) technique has been employed to evaluate the dynamic squeeze flow behavior of viscous Newtonian fluids. In this paper, the conditions under which classic Hopkinson bar data analysis is applicable for fluid specimens are discussed in detail. Requirements include the development of a parabolic flow profile and associated pressure distribution across the specimen. The times required for these processes to occur are calculated and compared with the experimental timescale in order to establish a specimen design criterion for valid SHPB testing. To evaluate this design criterion, an isothermal squeeze flow model describing the behavior of a cylindrical fluid specimen which includes inertial forces is used to predict the experimental results for a model Newtonian fluid. Good agreement between the theory and the experiment is obtained for thin specimens (∼1.0 mm) across a wide range of shear strain rates (over 10 5 s −1 ). As a result of this study, the conditions under which valid SHPB experimental results may be obtained for a Newtonian fluid specimen are identified.
Distribution function peaks generated by noise

Abstract A particle in a long thin tube, whose temperature varies along the length of the tube, will tend to stay preferentially in the cold regions.