cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Paid sick leave and preventive health care service use among U.S. working adults.

Abstract Managing work and health care can be a struggle for many American workers. This paper explored the relationship between having paid sick leave and receiving preventive health care services, and hypothesized that those without paid sick leave would be less likely to obtain a range of preventive care services. In 2016, cross-sectional data from a sample of 13,545 adults aged 18–64 with current paid employment from the 2015 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were examined to determine the relationship between having paid sick leave and obtaining eight preventive care services including: (1) blood pressure check; (2) cholesterol check; (3) fasting blood sugar check; (4) having a flu shot; (5) having seen a doctor for a medical visit; (6) getting a Pap test; (7) getting a mammogram; (8) getting tested for colon cancer. Findings from multivariable logistic regressions, holding 10 demographic, work, income, and medical related variables stable, found respondents without paid sick leave were significantly less likely to report having used six of eight preventive health services in the last 12 months. The significant findings remained robust even for workers who had reported having been previously told they had risk factors related to the preventive services. These findings support the idea that without access to paid sick leave, American workers risk foregoing preventive health care which could lead to the need for medical care at later stages of disease progression and at a higher cost for workers and the American health care system as a whole.
Outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Since the introduction of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) to the United States in 1989, no clear consensus has developed as to whether this procedure should be performed in an ambulatory setting or should include mandatory overnight hospitalization. In order to approach this subject with greater objectivity, the author reviews the requirements for ambulatory surgery, then determines whether LC seems to fit those requirements. The drawbacks of ambulatory LC are discussed, and finally a system to allow ambulatory with the minimum of risk is suggested.
A neural basis for antagonistic control of feeding and compulsive behaviors

Abnormal feeding often co-exists with compulsive behaviors, but the underlying neural basis remains unknown. Excessive self-grooming in rodents is associated with compulsivity. Here, we show that optogenetically manipulating the activity of lateral hypothalamus (LH) projections targeting the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVH) differentially promotes either feeding or repetitive self-grooming. Whereas selective activation of GABAergic LH→PVH inputs induces feeding, activation of glutamatergic inputs promotes self-grooming. Strikingly, targeted stimulation of GABAergic LH→PVH leads to rapid and reversible transitions to feeding from induced intense self-grooming, while activating glutamatergic LH→PVH or PVH neurons causes rapid and reversible transitions to self-grooming from voracious feeding induced by fasting. Further, specific inhibition of either LH→PVH GABAergic action or PVH neurons reduces self-grooming induced by stress. Thus, we have uncovered a parallel LH→PVH projection circuit for antagonistic control of feeding and self-grooming through dynamic modulation of PVH neuron activity, revealing a common neural pathway that underlies feeding and compulsive behaviors.
Agonist anti-GITR antibody synergizes with cyclophosphamide (CTX) to induce tumor immunity

3791 Ligation of GITR (glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor) can both co-stimulate effector CD4 and CD8 T cells (Teff) and abrogate suppression by CD4+foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs), leading to enhanced vaccine-induced and naturally-arising tumor immunity in murine models (Cohen et al, Cancer Res 2006; Ramirez-Montagut et al,, J Immunol 2006). CTX is a cytotoxic chemotherapeutic that modulates immunity through several postulated mechanisms, including 1) lymphopenia-induced proliferation and activation of surviving T and NK cells; 2) enhanced Teff priming through tumor cell death and cross-presentation of tumor antigens; and 3) elimination of Tregs and other suppressive populations. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of combining the agonist anti-mouse GITR mAb DTA1 with CTX to treat established, poorly immunogenic tumors. C57BL/6 mice received B16 melanoma intradermally and were treated on day 6 with CTX 250 mg/kg intraperitoneally (ip), followed on day 7 by 1mg DTA1 or control rat IgG ip. In repeated experiments, 60-80% of CTX + DTA1-treated mice had long-term tumor-free survival, compared with 0-20% of mice treated with CTX + IgG, or DTA1 alone. Treating more advanced day 10 tumors with CTX + DTA1 led to 40% tumor-free survival, with no survivors seen with either treatment alone. Synergy was lost with lower doses of CTX, when CTX was given prior to tumor inoculation, or when sublethal irradiation was substituted for CTX (B16 is relatively radio-resistant), supporting a requirement for tumor cell death and a mechanism involving enhanced cross-presentation of tumor antigens. Consistent with this, naive gp100-specific pmel-1 CD8+ T cells showed increased proliferation and activation when transferred into B16-bearing mice treated 1 day earlier with CTX, compared with untreated mice or CTX-treated, non-B16-bearing mice. In addition, CTX treatment induced CD86 upregulation on CD11c+ dendritic cells, demonstrating APC activation, and increased GITR expression on proliferating (Ki67+) Teff and Tregs, providing a greater target for GITR ligation by DTA1. Finally, CTX + DTA1 significantly decreased the frequency of tumor-infiltrating Tregs (5-15% of tumor-infiltrating CD4+ cells were foxp3+ vs. 50-60% for CTX + IgG). This led to a dramatic increase in the intra-tumoral Teff:Treg ratio (40:1 vs. 5:1 for CTX + IgG), and was associated with increased CD8+ and CD4+ Teff function, as measured by granzyme B and IFNγ production. In sum, CTX + agonist anti-GITR mAb can induce rejection of an aggressive syngeneic tumor, at a stage when either agent alone is ineffective. This synergy likely involves enhanced cross-priming and activation of Teff, with concomitant decrease in tumor-infiltrating Tregs. This combination warrants further evaluation as an immunotherapeutic strategy for cancer.
Is it time to abandon fasting for routine lipid testing

Yes. The time has come to change the way we think about fasting before routine lipid testing. We now have robust evidence supporting the routine use of nonfasting lipid testing. Fasting lipid testing is rarely needed, but may be considered for patients with very high triglycerides or before starting
Joint Energy, Maintenance, and Throughput Modeling for Sustainable Manufacturing Systems

With increasing concerns on climate change and energy shortage, manufacturing industries must adopt more sustainable production and facility control strategies. Such strategies require operational practices that emphasize sustainability by considering economic, energy, and environmental aspects simultaneously. In this paper, a new combined production scheduling model that jointly considers energy control and maintenance implementation to address the concerns of energy consumption, intelligent maintenance, and throughput improvement simultaneously is proposed. Multiple measures are combined and evaluated using a single objective, i.e., cost minimization. Particle swarm optimization, with a local optimal avoidable mechanism and a time varying inertial weight, is used to solve the cost minimization problem to find a near optimal solution of production and maintenance schedules. A numerical case study is implemented and the results show that the cost per unit production can be reduced up to 27% compared to the existing benchmark strategies. The implications to practitioners with respect to the tradeoff between cost and throughput/energy consumption, and the model applicability considering energy tariff structure, are also discussed to provide more insights for using the proposed joint model in the real world. The proposed model advances the state-of-the-art on maintenance and energy scheduling, which is typically performed exclusively. It is expected to guide operational activities on shop floors toward sustainability.
Complement and coagulation cascades in trauma.

Trauma remains a major cause of death throughout the world, especially for patients younger than 45 years. Due to rapid advances in clinical management, both in the acute and prehospital settings, trauma patients survive devastating injuries at unprecedented rates. However, these patients can often face life threatening complications that stem from the robust innate immune response induced by severe hemorrhage, leading to further tissue injury rather than repair. The complement and coagulation cascades are key mediators in this disordered reaction, which includes the development of trauma-induced coagulopathy. There is increasing evidence that cross-talk between these two pathways allows rapid amplification of their otherwise targeted responses and contributes to overwhelming and prolonged systemic inflammation. In this article, we summarize the initial steps of innate immune response to trauma and review the complex complement and coagulation cascades, as well as how they interact with each other. Despite progress in understanding these cascades, effective therapeutic targets have yet to be found and further research is needed both to improve survival rates as well as decrease associated morbidity.
Effective Plot Sizes for Testing Red-Winged Blackbird Repellents in a Large Flight Pen

Three plot sizes (36, 78, and 108 m 2 ) were evaluated for testing blackbird seed repellents within a 0.2-ha flight pen. Groups of 12 to 20 red-winged blackbirds were observed as they foraged on pairs of plots within each size category. One plot from each pair was sown with 134 kg/ha of rice seed treated with 1.25-g methiocarb/kg of seed. Plot selection, avoidance, discrimination, and latency to discrimination were determined for each plot size. With the 36-m 2 plots, there were long delays in selecting untreated plots, treated plots were not avoided, the birds had difficulty discriminating between the plots, and results were inconsistent among replicates. The 78-m 2 plots were adequate for most purposes, but the clearest and most consistent results were from the 108-m 2 plots. These plots were readily found by the birds, were accurately discriminated, and had bird pressure similar to that observed in Louisiana rice fields.
Mantra meditation to improve chronically impaired attention after stroke: an ongoing trial using single-case research design

Date Presented 04/05/19 This pilot study investigated the effects of mantra meditation on attention and related daily life participation after stroke. The primary outcome was attention measured with a computerized neuropsychological test. Primary data indicated an effect for one subject only. More research on what client factors or other variables may influence attention- and participation-related outcomes of mantra meditation will lay groundwork for clinical translation studies of this intervention. Primary Author and Speaker: Cheryl Carrico Contributing Authors: Dana Howell, John Patterson, Richard Andreatta, Lumy Sawaki
Implications of biofouling on cross-flow turbine performance

While biofouling is known to degrade the performance of marine energy conversion systems, prior experimental work has not explored this topic for cross-flow turbines. Here, we present experiments that investigate the impact of biofouling on turbine power output and structural loads. Using additive manufacturing, a three-dimensional scan of a barnacle was patterned onto the surface of turbine blades at three sizes and number densities, representing the progression from initial colonization to maturity. The impact of barnacles on turbine power output was found to be substantial and, for the most severe cases of fouling, the turbine does not produce power at any rotation rate. Conversely, barnacle fouling was found to have minimal impact on structural loading. To maintain generation capacity over extended periods, these results highlight the importance of antifouling coatings and proactive blade cleaning.
Configured Grant Based URLLC Enhancement for Uplink Transmissions.

5G wireless systems are expected to support ultra-reliable and low latency communications (URLLC), which is featured in the stringent end-to-end requirements on reliability and latency. This paper develops an enhanced uplink URLL-C transmission scheme based on the configured grant (CG). In the proposed scheme, an explicit acknowledgment (ACK) is introduced to resolve the miss detection issue of the CG based uplink transmission. Furthermore, three sequence-based signaling methods are proposed for transmitting the explicit ACK signal. The link-level simulation results verify that 3~7.5 dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) gain can be attained compared with the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) based ACK signaling method.
Commenters as a Threat to Journalism? How Comment Moderators Perceive the Role of the Audience

Journalists and commenters have struggled to negotiate the appropriate use of news forums. But research about perceptions of commenters has typically focused on journalists and not the comment mode...
Performative Prediction in a Stateful World.

Deployed supervised machine learning models make predictions that interact with and influence the world. This phenomenon is called "performative prediction" by Perdomo et al. (2020), who investigated it in a stateless setting. We generalize their results to the case where the response of the population to the deployed classifier depends both on the classifier and the previous distribution of the population. We also demonstrate such a setting empirically, for the scenario of strategic manipulation.
The Combined First and Second Law of Thermodynamics, Availability, and Sample Problems

The material presented in this lecture is adapted from Chapter 4 of T&M. First, we will derive the Combined First and Second Law of Thermodynamics for both a closed and an open, single-phase, simple system. Second, we will solve Sample Problem 11.1 which will help us crystallize the material presented in Lecture 10, including calculating changes in entropy and changes in energy, heat, and work when a gas expands isothermally in a cylinder-piston assembly, without friction, in one case, reversibly, and in another case, irreversibly. Finally, we will solve Sample Problem 11.2 to calculate the maximum work done by an open system, consisting of shaft work and Carnot work, including introducing a new thermodynamic function of state, the Availability or Exergy.
Clinicopathologic analysis of patients undergoing repeat transurethral resection of bladder tumour following an initial diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma with lamina propria invasion and variant/divergent histology.

Aims A subset of patients with urothelial carcinoma (UCa) and lamina propria (LP) invasion in bladder biopsies/transurethral resections (TURs) are at significant risk for recurrence and have increased rates of progression to UCa with muscularis propria (MP) invasion. The clinicopathologic features of this patient population has not been well characterised in the Pathology literature. Methods We performed a search through our urologic pathology files and expert consult cases of the senior author for bladder biopsies/TURs of UCa with LP invasion and variant/divergent histology from 2014 to 2020. Patients with a prior diagnosis of UCa with MP invasion or upper tract UCa were excluded. Clinicopathologic data were obtained. Results Ninety-five patients with at least one biopsy/TUR of UCa with LP invasion and variant/divergent histology were identified. Mean patient age was 72 years (range: 46–92 years) with a male predominance 2.3:1. Initial variant/divergent histologies identified were: glandular (35.8%), squamous (23.2%), micropapillary (20%), clear cell/lipid rich (12.6%), diffuse/signet ring/plasmacytoid (10.5%), nested (9.5%), sarcomatoid (6.3%), poorly differentiated/anaplastic (4.2%), small cell (2.1%), lymphoepithelioma-like (2.1%), osteoclast-like giant cells (1.1%) and tumour giant cells (1.1%). Two or more variant histologies were identified in 18.9% of these cases. The rate of micropapillary UCa was significantly higher in multifocal tumours compared with unifocal tumours (37% vs 7.1%). Conclusions In our cohort of patients undergoing early repeat biopsy/TUR, 75% of patients had persistent UCa. Additionally, almost 25% of patients had a prior diagnosis of UCa without a variant/divergent histology identified. Our findings highlight the critical role of repeat biopsy/TUR especially in a subset of patients who have variant/divergent histology, even in the absence of MP invasion.
Who are we? The demographic and professional identity of social studies teacher educators

Abstract Growth in racial and ethnic diversity among public school P-12 students stands in stark contrast to the teaching population who tend to be monolingual, White females. Secondary social studies teachers defy demographic teacher trends, as they tend to be male, albeit White males who still are not representative of the students they teach. What is missing from the discourse of student–teacher imbalance however is discussion surrounding diversity among social studies teacher educators. The purpose of this study was to examine racial, ethnic, and gender demographics for social studies teacher educators using a framework of critical teacher demography. Findings revealed that social studies teacher educators tend to reflect the population of social studies teachers with many being White males. Furthermore, social studies teacher educators tend to focus their research on concepts such as democratic citizenship with little focus dedicated to critical multicultural issues. The paucity of diversity in demographics and research is critical for social studies teacher educators to consider if we are to reflect multiculturalism in 21st century schools.
Upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor by cobalt chloride-simulated hypoxia is mediated by persistent induction of cyclooxygenase-2 in a metastatic human prostate cancer cell line

Upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression induced by hypoxia is crucial event leading to neovascularization. Cyclooxygenase-2, an inducible enzyme that catalyzes the formation of prostaglandins (PGs) from arachidonic acid, has been demonstrated to be induced by hypoxia and play role in angiogenesis and metastasis. To investigate the potential effect of COX-2 on hypoxia-induced VEGF expression in prostate cancer. We examined the relationship between COX-2 expression and VEGF induction in response to cobalt chloride (CoCl2)-simulated hypoxia in three human prostate cancer cell lines with differing biological phenotypes. Northern blotting and ELISA revealed that all three tested cell lines constitutively expressed VEGF mRNA, and secreted VEGF protein to different degrees (LNCaP > PC-3 > PC3ML). However, these cell lines differed in the ability to produce VEGF in the presence of CoCl2-simulated hypoxia. CoCl2 treatment resulted in 40% and 75% increases in VEGF mRNA, and 50% and 95% in protein secretion by LNCaP and PC-3 cell lines, respectively. In contrast, PC-3ML cell line, a PC-3 subline with highly invasive, metastatic phenotype, exhibits a dramatic upregulation of VEGF, 5.6-fold in mRNA and 6.3-fold in protein secretion after treatment with CoCl2. The upregulation of VEGF in PC-3ML cells is accompanied by a persistent induction of COX-2 mRNA (6.5-fold) and protein (5-fold). Whereas COX-2 expression is only transiently induced in PC-3 cells and not affected by CoCl2 in LNCaP cells. Moreover, the increases in VEGF mRNA and protein secretion induced by CoCl2 in PC-3ML cells were significantly suppressed following exposure to NS398, a selective COX-2 inhibitor. Finally, the effect of COX-2 inhibition on CoCl2-induced VEGF production was reversed by the treatment with exogenous PGE2. Our data demonstrate that VEGF induction by cobalt chloride-simulated hypoxia is maintained by a concomitant, persistent induction of COX-2 expression and sustained elevation of PGE2 synthesis in a human metastatic prostate cancer cell line, and suggest that COX-2 activity, reflected by PGE2 production, is involved in hypoxia-induced VEGF expression, and thus, modulates prostatic tumor angiogenesis.
Ephemeral gullies and ecosystem services: Social and biophysical factors

6 Introduction 7 Materials and Methods 11 Site Description 11 Annual Soil Loss from Ephemeral Gully Channel 12 Sediment Yield per Event from Small Watershed containing Ephemeral Gully 12 Model Inputs 13 Model Evaluation 15 Results and Discussion 16 Annual Loss from Ephemeral Gully Channels 16 Yield per Event from Small Watershed with Ephemeral Gully 17 Summary and Conclusions 19
Glu192-->Gln substitution in thrombin yields an enzyme that is effectively inhibited by bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor and tissue factor pathway inhibitor.

Abstract Modeling studies have ascribed the remarkable resistance of thrombin to inhibition by the Kunitz type inhibitors, bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI), and tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), to steric inhibition by the 60-loop insertion, especially Trp60D (in the chymotrypsin numbering system). Indeed, deletion of Pro60B, Pro60C, and Trp60D from this loop (des-PPW) enhances BPTI inhibition (Ki = 16 nM) (Le Bonniec, B. F., Guinto, E. R., MacGillivray, R. T. A., Stone, S. R., and Esmon, C. T. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 19055-19061). Activated protein C, however, lacks an equivalent insertion loop but is nevertheless resistant to inhibition by these Kunitz inhibitors. A unique feature of thrombin and activated protein C is the presence of Glu at position 192. Substitution of Glu192 with Gln in activated protein C dramatically enhances inhibition by BPTI and TFPI (Rezaie, A. and Esmon, C. T. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 19943-19948). We now demonstrate that thrombin E192Q (the Glu192-->Gln mutant) is inhibited by BPTI (Ki = 24 nM) or TFPI (Ki = 14 nM) much more effectively than wild type thrombin (Ki > 1 microM for both inhibitors). A thrombin mutant having both the des-PPW deletion and E192Q substitution binds BPTI (Ki = 35 pM) and TFPI (Ki = 25 pM) even tighter. BPTI can displace dansylarginine N-(-3-ethyl-1,5-pentanediyl)-amide from the active site of thrombin E192Q (Ki = 19 nM), indicating that BPTI interacts directly with the S1 binding site in thrombin. The E192Q mutation and PPW deletion contribute comparably and additively to the binding energy of thrombin with the Kunitz inhibitors. We suggest that access to the active center of thrombin is less restricted than predicted from previous studies.
Optimization in molecular design and bioinformatics

Summary This paper discussed the application of optimization techniques to the area of molecular design and bioinformatics. Key issues in the area of polymer design, surfactant design, refrigerant selection, and enzyme design were identified. In each case it was shown how the use of optimization techniques helped in “homing in” on the desired alternatives in a systematic way as opposed to time and labor intensive trial and error approach.
Chapter 6 Delayed Rectifier Potassium Channels in Normal and Abnormal Cardiac Repolarization

Publisher Summary The delayed rectifier K + current (I K ) of ventricular myocytes is composed of three distinct currents that can be distinguished based on their rate of activation and pharmacology. All three currents have been recorded from isolated human cardiac myocytes. Recent genetic findings have linked an inherited arrhythmia, long QT syndrome (LQT), to mutations in genes that encode some of the delayed rectifier K + channels. Mutations in HERG, KVLQTI, and minK genes are associated with a prolonged QT interval, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, and an increased risk of sudden death. Functional characterization of these gene products led to identification of the molecular basis of two delayed rectifier K + currents, I kr and I Ks . This chapter focuses on the molecular basis of these two currents that have a prominent role in repolarization of human cardiac action potentials and how mutations in the genes encoding these channels cause an inherited cardiac arrhythmia.
Framework for Clique-based Fusion of Graph Streams in Multi-function System Testing

The paper describes a framework for multi-function system testing. Multi-function system testing is considered as fusion (or revelation) of clique-like structures. The following sets are considered: (i) subsystems (system parts or units / components / modules), (ii) system functions and a subset of system components for each system function, and (iii) function clusters (some groups of system functions which are used jointly). Test procedures (as units testing) are used for each subsystem. The procedures lead to an ordinal result (states, colors) for each component, e.g., [1,2,3,4] (where 1 corresponds to 'out of service', 2 corresponds to 'major faults', 3 corresponds to 'minor faults', 4 corresponds to 'trouble free service'). Thus, for each system function a graph over corresponding system components is examined while taking into account ordinal estimates/colors of the components. Further, an integrated graph (i.e., colored graph) for each function cluster is considered (this graph integrates the graphs for corresponding system functions). For the integrated graph (for each function cluster) structure revelation problems are under examination (revelation of some subgraphs which can lead to system faults): (1) revelation of clique and quasi-clique (by vertices at level 1, 2, etc.; by edges/interconnection existence) and (2) dynamical problems (when vertex colors are functions of time) are studied as well: existence of a time interval when clique or quasi-clique can exist. Numerical examples illustrate the approach and problems.
Data allocation and scheduling in disks and disk arrays

Magnetic disks, which together with disk arrays constitute a multibillion dollar industry, were developed in 1950s. Disks were an advance over magnetic drums, which had a dedicated read/write head per track, since much higher amounts of data could be accessed in a cost effective manner due to the sharability of the movable read/write heads. DRAM memories, which are volatile, were projected to replace disks a decade ago (see Section 2.4 in [33]). This did not materialize due to the inherent volatility of DRAM, i.e., a power source is required to ensure that DRAM contents are not lost, but also due to recent dramatic increases in areal recording density and hence disk capacity, which is estimated at 60% compound annual growth rate – CAGR. This has resulted in a rapid decrease in cost per megabyte of disk capacity, so that it is lower than DRAM by a factor of 1000 to one.
Common Molecules: Bringing Research and Teaching Together through an Online Collection.

The World Wide Web contains a number of collections of data files for molecules with limited usability and utility for users. We describe the design of a Common Molecules collection that provides interactive tools for 3-D visualization of molecules. Our organizational design is intuitive and our collection is large, growing, and provides not only structural information, but also historical and/or key information on the properties of the molecules in the collection. The use of the collection by students and the role of students in the development of the collection are also described.
The privatizing of government information: Economic considerations

Abstract This article discusses the privatization of government information. It begins by delineating the cases for and against privatization and the various forms that privatization can and has taken, both in the United States and in other countries. The theory behind the government's provision of information services is presented. It concludes that the economic case for government activity in the information services area is to be found in the concept of merit goods. Since government information is a merit good providing external benefits that the market will not consider, government activity is justified. Major studies and positions taken regarding the privatization of government information are evaluated, including those of the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science and the Information Institute of America. A critique of the current government policy as contained in OMB Circular A-130 is provided. Finally, the article presents 10 conclusions and recommendations for further action and discussion.
What Makes When-Issued Trading Attractive to Financial Markets?

When-issued trading is the trading of securities prior to the actual issue of the security. When-issued trading is active around the world and in a variety of equity and bond markets. In this survey, we provide a general description of when-issued trading, analyze benefits and costs in various financial markets, present existing theoretical models and predictions, and synthesize empirical findings. We find that when-issued trading promotes price discovery, mitigates information asymmetry, provides convenience for trading ahead of the actual issue of the security, and in some markets reduces volatility. In addition, we offer policy implications and suggest directions for further research in this area.
Providing a white page service to the Human Genome Project

As the Human Genome Project grows, so does the number of genome users, activities, organizations, and databases. There is a need to provide an electronic white page service to genome users, so that a genome user can for instance find out the e-mail address of a remote genome user or the network address of a genome database server. Because of the distributed and heterogeneous nature of the Human Genome Project, such an electronic white page service should be based on an open systems standard, i.e., a standard independent of any vendor. In this paper, we propose the use of X.500, an international open systems standard which can provide the needed white page service. >
Face recognition in unconstrained environments

This paper investigates three approaches to the problem of identity recognition in real-world unconstrained environments. We describe a new and challenging face recognition dataset captured in a laboratory environment with no strong constraints on lighting, motion, or subject pose, orientation, distance, or facial expression. We then evaluate three approaches to identity recognition on this new dataset. We find that a deep neural network with stacked denoising auto-encoders significantly outperforms a standard feedforward neural network and a baseline eigenfaces approach from the OpenCV library. Despite the 66 million plus parameters in the best trained deep network, it significantly outperforms the other two methods even on the relatively small number (relative to the number of deep network parameters) of 8,895 training samples. We believe our work adds to the growing empirical and theoretical evidence that deep networks provide a promising approach to unconstrained recognition problems.
Motivational interviewing targeting diet and physical activity improves adherence to paediatric obesity treatment: results from the MI Values randomized controlled trial.

SummaryBackground Adherence is a challenge in obesity treatment. Motivational interviewing (MI) may promote patient adherence. MI Values is a randomized controlled trial of MI implemented as an adjunct to an adolescent obesity treatment [Teaching Encouragement Exercise Nutrition Support (T.E.E.N.S.)]. Objective Assess effects of MI Values on T.E.E.N.S. attrition and adherence. Methods Participants were randomized to MI (n = 58) or control (n = 41). At weeks 1 and 10, MI participants had brief MI sessions; controls viewed health education videos. All participants continued with T.E.E.N.S. (biweekly dietitian and behavioural support visits; 3 times per week supervised physical activity). Assessments were repeated at baseline, 3 and 6 months. T-tests and chi-square analyses examined T.E.E.N.S. attrition and adherence by group. Results Adolescents (N = 99) were primarily African–American (73%) females (74%); age = 13.8 ± 1.8 years, body mass index percentile = 98.0 ± 1.2. Compared with controls, MI participants had greater 3-month adherence overall (89.2% vs. 81.0%, P = 0.040), and to dietitian (91.3% vs. 84.0%; P = 0.046) and behavioural support (92.9% vs. 85.2%; P = 0.041) visits, and greater 6-month adherence overall (84.4% vs. 76.2%, P = 0.026) and to behavioural support visits (87.5% vs. 78.8%, P = 0.011). Conclusions MI enhanced adherence to this obesity intervention. MI Values is the first study to examine the impact of MI on treatment adherence among obese, primarily African–American adolescents.
Generalizing Set-Theoretical Model Theory and an Analogue Theory on Admissible Sets

By set-theoretical model theory I mean the kind of model theory for finitary first order predicate calculus L ω,ω exemplified by the book by Chang and Keisler [C, K]. As we know, parts of this (such as the completeness theorem) can be carried out in a completely elementary framework. The distinctively set-theoretical parts of [C, K] use the theory of transfinite ordinals and cardinals, the axiom of choice and, on occasion, the continuum hypothesis and its generalizations.
Peaks, plateaus, numerical instabilities in a Galerkin minimal residual pair of methods for solving Ax = b

Abstract Using a Galerkin/minimal residual pair of bidiagonalization methods for solving nonsymmetric systems of equations Ax = b, we examine the behavior of residual norm plots generated by these methods and present explanations for this behavior.
Reconstruction of rat skeletal muscle glycerophosphate shuttle.

The activity of α-glycerophosphate shuttle in homogenate and in a reconstructed system (isolated mitochondria and cytoplasm) from rat skeletal muscle is presented. The influence of some inhibitors of mitochondria) α-glycerosphate dehydrogenase on the activity α-glycerophosphate shuttle is demonstrated. The possible operativity of α-glycerophosphate shuttle in skeletal muscle in vivo is discussed.
Variables Affecting the Fracture Toughness of Dental Composites

The fracture toughness of a variety of dental composites was evaluated using notched bending specimens, with and without pre-cracks. The pre-crack simulates more accurately a sharp, natural flaw in a material than does a notch, and is standard procedure in fracture-toughness evaluation. The fracture toughness was related to the filler composition and degree of conversion in the composite resins. In general, fracture toughness was highest in the more heavily filled resins, independent of degree of conversion in the matrix. The results also show that producing a pre-crack in certain composites reduced the value of their fracture toughness compared with notched-only specimens.
AN APPLICATION OF ASSIMILATION MODELS TO RESIDENTIAL SEGREGATION

Extensive racial residential segregation continues to exist in American communities, and continuing segregation may be a factor that impedes community development efforts in many communities. In this paper, residential segregation is explored by using a model of assimilation processes. Hypotheses are tested by analyzing Census data on communities in the southwestern United States. The analyses revealed that residential segregation between Anglos and Blacks is greater than the extent of segregation between Anglos and Hispanics. Further, segregation is most extensive in communities where social class differences between minorities and Anglos is greatest. It was also found that residential segregation levels were most extensive in nonmetropolitan communities, in communities with larger minority populations, in older communities, and in larger communities. Suggestions for community development specialists are provided.
Time-lapse cinematographic analysis of beryllium-lung fibroblast interactions

The proliferative response to beryllium chloride of cells in a population of human lung fibroblasts was quantitatively assessed using time-lapse cinematography. A dose of 0.02 microgram Be/ml, known to decrease the growth rate of fibroblasts, affects an estimated 75% of the cells in the population, increasing their interdivision time (IDT) by approximately 5 hr. The differences in mean 1n(IDT) between treated and control cells were essentially constant for comparable culture sizes ranging from 25 to 250 cells. There was no correlation between mother and daughter cell IDTs in control or treated culture at any culture size. IDTs of sister pairs were highly correlated in control cultures at selected culture sizes while sister pair IDTs of treated cultures were not. The data suggest that while beryllium alters the IDT of fibroblasts, an effect not related to culture size, any given cell affected by beryllium does not impart effects of the mineral to its progeny.
Evaluation of an EMS regional referral system using a tracer methodology.

To improve patient care, cost effectiveness, and resource utilization, the Illinois EMS Program attempted to regionalize emergency medical care servies by identifying referral centers for critically ill and injured patients. The performance of one referral region was evaluated applying a tracer method designed to track patients whose clinical conditions, as determined by a clinical panel, required treatment at a designated regional center. The proportion of patients reaching the appropriate centers suggests that the regional referral system under study appropriately moved only about one half the patients with the tracer conditions to the designated referral center. Additional patients were transferred to hospitals with greater emergency department capabilities, although these hospitals were not formally designated centers. Except for low birth weight, factors that might be associated with referral patterns indicate no significant differences between those patients at the regional center and those treated elsewhere.
Body temperature and thyroid hormone metabolism of copper-deficient rats

The hypothesis that the effects of copper deficiency on body temperature are mediated via the thyroid hormone system was examined in 24 male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 240 to 250 g, matched by weight and fed ad libitum diets containing adequate (78.7 μ mol/kg), marginal (31.5 μ mol/kg), or deficient ( μ mol/kg) amounts of copper for 35 days. Anemia was not found in the copper-restricted groups. Plasma cholesterol concentrations increased ( P P P P P P P P P P
Impact of Stone Location on Success Rates of Endoscopic Lithotripsy for Nephrolithiasis

Objectives To determine whether stone location affects the stone-free rates of endoscopic lithotripsy for nephrolithiasis. Methods From January 2002 to August 2006, 245 patients with 272 stones, ranging from 4 to 20 mm in size, underwent ureteroscopy (URS) with laser lithotripsy at West Virginia University Hospital. The patients were followed up postoperatively with noncontrast spiral computed tomography, abdominal plain radiography, renal ultrasonography, or retrograde pyelography. Patients were considered to have been treated successfully if they had no residual stones. All pediatric patients were excluded, as were all patients with stones greater than 2 cm. Also, patients who had undergone previous shock wave lithotripsy, percutaneous nephrolithotripsy, or URS by an outside urologist were excluded. Results A total of 86 kidney stones were treated with URS and laser lithotripsy. Of these, 81 (94.2%) were successfully treated. Five patients (5.8%) had persistent stones. All 18 upper pole stones (100%) were cleared, 23 (95.8%) of 24 middle pole stones were cleared, and 40 (90.9%) of 44 lower pole stones were cleared ( P = 0.338). Conclusions URS is an important tool for treating nephroureterolithiasis with excellent success rates and minimal morbidity. The results of our study have shown that stone location does not significantly affect stone clearance rates when performing endoscopic lithotripsy for intrarenal calculi.
The mechanism of photo-Fries fragmentation of aryl cinnamates in polymer films and in solution

Abstract The photo-Fries rearrangement has been observed for the aryl cinnamate chromophore in both polyaryl cinnamates and small-molecule models. Laser flash photolysis of solutions of aryl cinnamates and the corresponding polymers leads to phenoxy and cinnamoyl radicals from the cleavage of the CO ester bond. The formation of these radicals has been verified by their independent generation by flash photolysis of phenols (e.g. p-pentyloxyphenol) and aldehydes (e.g. p-methoxycinnamaldehyde). The effects of triplet sensitizers and quenchers on the formation of these transient intermediates and on the formation of the photo-Fries rearrangement products are reported. It is concluded that these products arise from either the aryl cinnamate singlet state or a short-lived upper triplet state.
Geographic and Seasonal Variation in Mycobacterium avium Bacteremia Among North American Patients With AIDS

Analysis of geographic risk was performed for Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) bacteremia among North American patients with AIDS. Monthly mycobacterial blood cultures were taken from patients who were placebo recipients in a prospective evaluation of MAC prophylaxis. Of 571 patients, 102 (17.9%) acquired MAC bacteremia during an average follow-up of 256 days. The area with the highest risk for MAC was the South Central region (27.9%; P < 0.02), whereas the area with the lowest risk was Canada (11.3%; P = 0.12). When the southern states were combined and compared with the northern states and Canada, the incidence of MAC bacteremia was higher in the southern states (21.6% versus 14.0%, P < 0.03). Proportional hazards analysis was performed for the difference between the North and South and controlled for baseline CD4 cell count. In this analysis, time to MAC was significantly longer in the North (hazard ratio = 0.587, 95% confidence interval 0.390 to 0.883, P = 0.01). Although overall variation in seasonality was not marked, there was a significant decrease in cases in the North during the summer months (P < 0.01). We conclude that geographic location is a risk factor for MAC bacteremia in patients with advanced AIDS, with decreased risk in northern North America.
A Comparison of Finite Element Beam Formulations for Thermoelastic Behavior of Functionally Graded Structures

Modeling at the structural scale most often requires the use of beam and shell elements. This paper compares two finite element formulations based on first-order shear deformation theory undergoing thermo-mechanical loading. One formulation is a two node beam element employing static condensation based on the work of Chakraborty et al. The second formulation follows a more traditional route using FSOD theory for a three node beam element. Both formulations are used to investigate the behavior of a functionally graded beam under axial and through-the-thickness temperature gradients. Both formulations work well for a constant uniform mechanical or temperature loading. However, for beam structures containing a thermal gradient in the axial direction, the two node beam element performs poorly as compared to the three node element in terms of transverse shearing stress calculated from the equilibrium equation.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Nurses' Attitudes Toward Control Over Nursing Practice

A random sample of 323 nurses registered in Illinois was used to examine nurses' attitudes toward nurse control over nursing practice. Most supported nurse autonomy, independent practice, and third-party reimbursement, though a fairly sizable minority did not, particularly with regard to independent practice. Regression analyses found that favorable attitudes were associated with a more college-based initial nursing program, a more recent year of initial licensure, a greater attachment to the labor force, and a stronger commitment to a nursing career. Neither family status, current employment situation, nor future career plans had any significant effect.
Dust, clouds, rain types, and climatic variations in tropical north Africa

Abstract Dust and processes of raindrop formation in the clouds play a very important role in the climatic evolution of tropical north Africa. Sedimentologic, stratigraphic, pedologic, geomorphologic, and palynologic data converge to show that a major environmental change occurred in tropical Africa about 7000 yr B.P. In the Sudanian and Sudano-Guinean zones (wet tropical zone), from 15,000 to 7000 yr B.P., rivers deposited mostly clay, while from 7000 to 4000 yr B.P. they deposited mostly sand. During the first period, pedogenesis was vertisolic (montmorillonite dominant), associated with pollen belonging mostly to vegetation typical of hydromorphic soils, while during the second period pedogenesis was of ferruginous type (kaolinite dominant) with pollen belonging mostly to vegetation typical of well-drained soils. The great change near 7000 yr B.P. is linked chiefly to a major hydrological change that appears related to a change in the size of raindrops: from fine rains associated with considerable atmospheric dust (raindrop diameter essentially less than 2 mm) to the second period associated with thunderstorm rains (raindrop diameter mostly greater than 2 mm). The size of raindrops is related particularly to cloud thickness and dust concentration in the troposphere. Thunderstorm activity is influenced also by fluctuations of the atmospheric electricity, modulated by the sun.
Molecular motions in polyisobutylene : A neutron spin-echo and dielectric investigation

We present neutron spin−echo and dielectric results on the local dynamics of polyisobutylene. The dielectric spectra reveal the existence of a so far unknown secondary relaxation process being distinctly different to previous theoretical predictions. Neutron spectra have been taken over a large range in momentum transfer Q and temperature. At the Q value of the first structure factor maximum the dynamic pair correlation function is selective for interchain motions. There the neutron spectra display the same temperature dependence and shape as the classical rheological data taken in the terminal zone and do not follow the temperature laws based on spectroscopic results. A quantitative evaluation combining the information content of the dielectric and neutron results reveals a small stepwidth of 0.5−0.9 A involved in the secondary process. The α process is diffusive and follows the Gaussian approximation resulting in a sublinear time development of associated mean squared displacements.
Serotonergic Antidepressants and Linezolid: A Retrospective Chart Review and Presentation of Cases:

Objective:To report the results from a retrospective chart review looking at the combination of linezolid and serotonergic antidepressants and to report two cases of serotonin syndrome which were i...
Biochemical characterization of a genetically altered calmodulin in Paramecium.

Abstract Recent evidence proposes that the calcium-binding protein, calmodulin, plays a crucial role in the regulation or modulation of the calcium-dependent potassium conductance in Paramecium tetraurelia (Hinrichsen, R.D., Burgess-Cassler, A., Soltvedt, B.C., Hennessey, T. and Kung, C. (1986) Science 323, 503–506). We purified the calmodulins from both the wild type and pantophobiac A (a mutant lacking the above-mentioned conductance and whose phenotypic defect is traceable to its calmodulin) by hydrophobic interaction and immunoaffinity chromatographies, and examined them biochemically. In this paper we address the preliminary characterization of the two calmodulins and discuss the consequences of the genetic alteration. The differences described here are in their electrophoretic mobilities in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and in their binding characteristics to monoclonal antibodies raised against calmodulin from wild-type paramecia. Also, we present data which indicate a difference in the stimulation of the calmodulin-dependent enzyme bovine brain phosphodiesterase under certain conditions.