cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Potential Risk Factors of Neurodegenerative Disease in Autopsy Cases (P1.132)

Objective: To investigate the relationship between neurodegeneration and distance from a waterbody with frequent blooms of cyanobacteria (CB). Background: Sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (sALS) and the ALS/Parkinsonism-dementia complex (ALS/PDC) are neurodegenerative disorders with possible environmental risk factors, including the cyanotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA). BMAA has been found to cause tauopathies in vervets similar to early onset Alzheimer’s neuropathology. Our previous studies have correlated areas of high ALS incidence to waterbodies with frequent CB blooms. Living within 0.5 miles of a waterbody prone to frequent CB blooms also appears to be a significant risk factor for ALS in Northern New England. Design/Methods: Medical records from Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) and the University of Vermont Medical Center (UVMC) were reviewed for diagnostic data and residential location at the time of death. 20 neurodegenerative and 74 non-neurodegenerative age and gender matched cases were obtained from autopsies performed between 2009–2014 at DHMC and UVMC. Distance to the closest waterbody from residential location was measured using Google Earth. A Fisher exact two-tailed probability test and relative risk were then calculated after cases were separated into two groups: “near a shoreline” (≤0.25miles from a waterbody) and “away from a shoreline” (>0.25miles from a waterbody). Results: Of the 20 neurodegenerative cases from UVMC and DHMC, pathological descriptions included: 3 ALS cases, 12 Alzheimer’s Disease cases, 1 Parkinson’s Disease case, and 4 cases with the presence of neurofibrillary tangles or amyloid plaques. After adjusting for age and gender, we found that cases of neurodegeneration were 1.53 times more likely to live “near a shoreline” and ≤0.25miles from a waterbody when compared to non-neurodegenerative cases (Relative Risk, 1.53; 95% Cl, 1.17–2.02, p Conclusions: Our findings suggest a potential relationship between proximity to environmental risk factors and neurodegeneration. Study Supported by: Diamond Endowment Fund Disclosure: Dr. Henegan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Butt has nothing to disclose. Dr. Crothers has nothing to disclose. Dr. Waters has nothing to disclose. Dr. Stommel has nothing to disclose.
Neural correlates of cognitive control deficits in children with reading disorder

Reading disorder (RD) is characterized by deficient phonological processing, but children with RD also have cognitive control deficits, the neural correlates of which are not fully understood. We used fMRI to assess neural activity during the resolution of cognitive conflict on the Simon Spatial Incompatibility task and patterns of resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) from task control (TC) regions in 7–12-year-old children with RD compared to their typically developing (TD) peers. Relative to TD children (n = 17), those with RD (n = 16) over-engaged a right superior/medial frontal cluster during the resolution of conflict (p = .05). Relative to TD children (n = 18), those with RD (n = 17) also showed reduced RSFC (voxel-wise p < .001; cluster-size p < .05, FDR corrected) from cingulo-opercular seeds to left hemisphere fronto-parietal and temporo-parietal reading-related regions, perhaps reflecting reduced organization of TC circuits and reduced integration with reading-related regions. Children with RD additionally showed reduced RSFC between fronto-parietal and default mode network regions. Follow-up analyses in a subset of children with both useable task and resting state data (RD = 13; TD = 17) revealed that greater conflict-related activation of the right frontal Simon task ROI associated with better word-reading, perhaps suggesting a compensatory role for this over-engagement. Connectivity from fronto-parietal seeds significantly associated with Simon task performance and word-reading accuracy in RD children. These findings suggest that altered functioning and connectivity of control circuits may contribute to cognitive control deficits in children with RD. Future studies should assess the utility of adding cognitive control training to reading remediation programs.
Computing the total atmospheric refraction for real-time optical imaging sensor simulation

Fast and accurate computation of light path deviation due to atmospheric refraction is an important requirement for real-time simulation of optical imaging sensor systems. A large body of existing literature covers various methods for application of Snell’s Law to the light path ray tracing problem. This paper provides a discussion of the adaptation to real time simulation of atmospheric refraction ray tracing techniques used in mid-1980's LOWTRAN releases. The refraction ray trace algorithm published in a LOWTRAN-6 technical report by Kneizys (et. al.) has been coded in MATLAB for development, and in C-language for simulation use. To this published algorithm we have added tuning parameters for variable path segment lengths, and extensions for Earth grazing and exoatmospheric "near Earth" ray paths. Model atmosphere properties used to exercise the refraction algorithm were obtained from tables published in another LOWTRAN-6 related report. The LOWTRAN-6 based refraction model is applicable to atmospheric propagation at wavelengths in the IR and visible bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. It has been used during the past two years by engineers at the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) in support of several advanced imaging sensor simulations. Recently, a faster (but sufficiently accurate) method using Gauss-Chebyshev Quadrature integration for evaluating the refraction integral was adopted.
Examination of momentary maintenance factors and eating disorder behaviors and cognitions using ecological momentary assessment

The integrative cognitive-affective therapy (ICAT) momentary maintenance model proposes a number of situational factors that precipitate eating disorder (ED) behaviors and cognitions. The c...
Pulling Survivors from the Wreckage: Resuscitating Rejected Papers.

My1 initial attempt at a first-authored paper was quite the adventure. I was in the midst of dissertation data collection and my early focus was on the intersection of secular spirituality and music. Someone I had met at a conference forwarded me a CFP for spirituality and music in a religious journal, and I thought it sounded like a good fit. I was working with one of my committee members on the paper, and as she was both the head of the religious studies and performance studies programs, I thought I was set in terms of support. I hadn’t really done any thorough vetting of the journal, so when I received an email from them shortly after submission stating that they were interested in publishing it, I was a little wary. Part of this unease came from their declaration that there was a fee of several hundred dollars to do so. While a novice, I still knew something was fishy. I mentioned this to my coauthor and she advised that I withdraw the submission, which I did. Then the editor of the journal said that they liked my paper so much that perhaps they could waive the fee this time. Another red flag. I decided I should take it to one of the journals in the field of leisure studies and try my luck there. So I submitted it to Journal of Leisure Research in August of 2013 where I went through three revisions until it was finally rejected in January of 2015. Despite the progress made, the manuscript was ultimately denied due insufficient progress and inadequate significance. It was a frustrating start to my career. – From the first author’s journal.
Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns of Enterococcus Isolated from Feedlot Cattle after Feeding Direct-Fed Microbials in Diets with and Without Tylosin

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to determine the antimicrobial resistance patterns of Enterococcus isolated from feedlot cattle supplemented with either a direct-fed microbials (DFM; L. salivarius, L28) or tylosin as part of their finishing diet.Materials and MethodsL. salivarius L28 was used in this study, a newly isolated DFM. Three treatments based on conventional high concentrate diets were fed to finishing cattle for harvest: base (no DFM, tylosin or monensin), MonPro (DFM at a feeding rate of 107 cfu/head/d, with monensin, but no tylosin), and a control (tylosin and monensin). A total of 36 composite fecal samples, from 3 animals per pen, were collected after 56 d of feeding. Samples were weighed, enriched and plated onto KF Streptococcus Agar supplemented with 1% TTC solution. Three typical isolates from each plate were randomly selected and streaked onto 5% sheep blood agar for antimicrobial resistance analysis using Sensititre susceptibility MIC plates, following the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) protocol. The data was analyzed using a Chi-Squared test to compare resistance patterns across treatment group with a significant value of p < 0.05.ResultsEnterococcus was isolated from 100% (n = 36) of fecal samples collected. After 56 d of feeding, 100% (n = 36) of the control group isolates were resistant to at least 1 antibiotic, and 66% (n = 24) were multi-drug resistant (MDR) to 3 or more antibiotics. Isolates from the base treatment group on d 56 exhibited 97% (n = 35) resistance to 1 drug and 28% (n = 10) were MDR. Ninety-4 percent (n = 34) of isolates in the MonPro group showed resistance on d 56, and 47% (n = 17) of isolates were MDR. The percent of isolates with MDR differed significantly between treatments (p = 0.004). Specific antibiotics of concern are listed in Table 1.ConclusionWhile the enterococci isolated in this study, in all 3 treatments, had resistance to at least 1 antibiotic, there were differences in the MDR. The most MDR was observed in the control groups. MDR in the isolates collected from cattle fed the base diet was similar to the isolates from cattle fed the MonPro diet. A total of 10 and 17 of the isolates were MDR, respectively. The supplementation of L28 instead of the tylosin resulted in fewer MDR enterococci. These results indicate that supplementation with a DFM, such as L28, may be effective in mitigating the presence of multi-drug resistnace in feedlot cattle.
Differences in Public Support for Handgun Purchaser Licensing

Objective To assess whether there are differences in support for handgun purchaser licensing. Methods We used data from four waves of online, national polling on gun policy. To estimate differences in support for licensing across groups, we categorised respondents by whether they personally owned a gun, lived in a state with handgun purchaser licensing or lived in a state regulating private sales without a licensing system. Results Eighty-four per cent of adults living in states with licensing supported the policy compared with 74% in states without the law (p Conclusions Support for licensing among gun owners living in states with these laws, many of whom have presumably gone through the process, was much higher than gun owners in states without such laws.
A Phase I Trial of Subcutaneous (SQ) Dose-Escalated Alemtuzumab in Patients with T-Cell Lymphoproliferative Disorders (T-LPD).

BACKGROUND: T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders (T-LPD) are heterogeneous and highly chemoresistant malignancies without standard therapy. With few exceptions, cure rates with combination chemotherapy do not exceed 25–30%. We have shown that alemtuzumab (A), a humanized IgG1 targeting the CD52 antigen expressed on most human leukocytes, is cytotoxic for malignant T-cells in vitro and in vivo, regardless of p53 mutational status (Blood106: 3380–3382, 2005). We initiated a Phase I study with A and CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) in T-LPD. METHODS: Accrual goal: 18–21 pts with untreated (u) or relapsed (r)T-LPD, excluding untreated ALK-1-positive or primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma. CD52 expression was not assessed. Other exclusion criteria: pregnancy, HIV+, HCV+, or HBV+. Primary objective: A maximal tolerated dose (MTD). DLT defined as grade (G) ≥ 3 (or non-reversible grade 2) non-hematologic toxicity or G4 neutropenia or thrombocytopenia requiring >7 day delays in therapy for > 3 times. All pts received single agent SQ A loading (3, 10, 30 mg) over 5 days followed by one SQ A dose with each cycle of CHOP every 21 days for a total of 8 cycles. A dose levels: 3, 10, 20, 30 mg. All pts received valacyclovir, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxasole prophylaxis and G-CSF. Erythropoietin was given according to published guidelines. RESULTS: 18 pts were enrolled (uPTCL=11, uT-PLL=2, rCTCL=3, uSezary Syndrome=2). Enrollment according to dose level: 3mg = 6 pts; 10mg = 3 pts; 20 mg = 6 pts; 30 mg = 3 pts. Median age: 62 years. All pts completed single agent SQ A loading on time with minimal local reactions. Ten pts completed all planned therapy. Six pts did not complete therapy: 2 rCTCL=stable disease, 1 uPTCL=poor compliance, 2 PTCL=pt witdrew, 1 uT-PLL=progression. Two pts (30 mg dose level) are receiving therapy. Toxicity: G4 febrile neutropenia=1; G3 fatigue=2, G3 anemia=2, G3 dyspnea=1, G3 emesis=2, G3 CMV infection=1. Cohort 1 was expanded due to asymptomatic CMV reactivation requiring hospitalization for thrice daily foscarnet. Subsequent asymptomatic CMV reactivations (N=4) were treated with oral valganciclovir until clearance. No symptomatic CMV reactivation or other viral or fungal infections were seen. Out of 107 cycles of A/CHOP given, only 3 had to be delayed. Four pts (1 PTCL, 1 T-PLL and 2 Sezary) are in continuous clinical and molecular (PCR) complete response at 36, 28, 18 and 12 months respectively. CONCLUSIONS: SQ A was safely administerd up to 20 mg with each cycle of CHOP chemotherapy and growth factor support without excessive myelosuppression or infectious AEs. Treatment at 30 mg dose level is in progress. Asymptomatic CMV reactivation can be managed with oral valganciclovir without discontinuation of therapy. Durable responses have been seen, including molecular clearance of the malignant T-cell clone.
Concussion Recovery Timeline of High School Athletes Using A Stepwise Return-to-Play Protocol: Age and Sex Effects.

Context Implementation of a stepwise return-to-play (RTP) protocol has become the standard management strategy for high school athletes to ensure a safe RTP after concussion. The detailed character...
Rethinking andragogical assumptions in the global age: how preferences for andragogical learning vary across people and cultures

We investigated whether andragogical assumptions and their common critiques are reflected in global PIAAC data using its motivation-to-learn (MtL) and elaboration scales. A preliminary validation s...
Novel Variants in Hearing Loss Genes and Associations With Audiometric Thresholds in a Multi-ethnic Cohort of US Patients With Cochlear Implants.

Objectives To investigate novel variants in hearing loss genes and clinical factors affecting audiometric outcomes of cochlear implant (CI) patients. Background Approximately 50% of hearing loss has a genetic etiology, with certain genetic variants more prevalent in specific ethnic groups. Different variants and some clinical variables including inner ear malformations result in different prognoses or clinical outcomes after CI. Methods Medical and genetic testing records of pediatric CI patients were reviewed for clinical variables. Minor allele frequencies of variants were obtained from Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) and variants were classified for pathogenicity. Standard statistical testing was done using Fisher's exact, Wilcoxon, and Spearman correlation tests. Results Eighteen CI patients with genetic test results had pathogenic variants, including six patients with syndromic hearing loss and six patients with known GJB2 variants. Novel pathogenic variants were noted in CHD7, ADGRV1, and ARID1B, with variants in the latter two genes identified in Hispanic patients. Overall, carriage of genetic variants was associated with better pre-CI audiometric thresholds at 2000 Hz (p = 0.048). On the other hand, post-CI thresholds were significantly worse in patients with inner ear malformations, particularly in patients with atretic cochlear nerve canals. Conclusion Four novel pathogenic variants were identified, which contributes to knowledge of allelic spectrum for hearing loss especially in Hispanic patients. In this cohort, carriage of pathogenic variants particularly of GJB2 variants was associated with better pre-CI audiometric thresholds, while patients with inner ear malformations had worse post-CI audiometric thresholds.
Expression and significance of nm23 and E - cadherin in malignant melanoma

Objective In order to study the molecular mechanism of human malignant melanoma ,we detect the expression of nm23 and E - cadherin in malignant melanoma. Methods The expression of nm23 and E - cadherin in 30 malignant melanoma, 30 melanocytic nevus and 20 normal skin were detected by SP immunohistochemistry. Results Positive rate of nm23 in malignant melanoma (63. 33% ) was significantly lower than in normal skin(90.00% ) and melanocytic nevus(86.67% ). Positive rate of E -cadherin in malignant melanoma(43. 33% ) was lower than in normal skin( 100% ) and melanocytic nevus(83.3% ). Both of the expression of nm23 and E - cadherin in metastasize malignant melanoma were greatly different to the no metastasis ones. Conclusions nm23 and E - cadherin are closely related to the metastasis of malignant melanoma, and may be the predictors of the metastasis. Key words: Malignant melanoma; nm23; E-cadherin
Quantifying tradeoffs in nodulation and plant productivity with nitrogen in guar

Abstract Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L. Taub.) is a leguminous crop with high industrial demand for its products, especially guar gum, and is cultivated in semi-arid regions of the world. Guar roots form a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobia bacteria in the soil, creating nodules in which the bacteria fix atmospheric N that is assimilated by the plant. Elevated levels of soil N, especially NO3, are known to inhibit nodulation in legumes, but the nature of this relationship has not been studied in guar, which is needed to enable effective N management and optimization of ecosystem services in guar production. To better understand the relationships among soil N, root nodulation, and plant productivity, a fully replicated and repeated greenhouse study was conducted with four levels of N (0, 10, 30, 90 mg N kg−1 soil) in three texturally contrasting soils (loamy sand, loam, clay loam) for 50 days. There was a clear distinction in biomass-nodulation tradeoffs between the soils in which nodules were produced (loamy sand, loam) and virtually no nodules were formed in the clay loam. In the loam, relative to no added N, nodule weight declined by averages of −15%, −35%, and −82% with 10, 30, and 90 mg N kg−1, respectively, while biomass productivity was optimized at 30 mg N kg−1. In the generally unfertile loamy sand soil, adding any N drastically reduced nodule weight (−44%, −67%, and −91% on average with 10, 30, and 90 mg N kg−1, respectively), with relatively minor improvements in biomass productivity. This research confirms that guar producers should avoid planting at sites with high indigenous levels of soil N. When N fertilizer is applied to guar, the rate should be based on soil test results, with consideration of producers’ goals for crop productivity and/or N fixation, as plant productivity-nodulation tradeoffs are best optimized with low to moderate levels of N.
Migration, violence, and the “other”: A biogeochemical approach to identity-based violence in the Epiclassic Basin of Mexico

Abstract Bioarchaeological studies are highly successful in accessing multivalent past social identities. This study applies social identity theory to contexts of violence, developing a theoretical framework to investigate identity-based violence at the Epiclassic (600–900 CE) central Mexican shrine site of Non-Grid 4, where at least 180 individuals were ritually sacrificed and interred. Ethnohistoric and archaeological data indicate that geographic origin was a culturally significant indicator of social difference in pre-Hispanic Mesoamerica. This study therefore reconstructs the residential histories of sacrificed individuals (n = 73), analyzing radiogenic strontium (87Sr/86Sr) and stable oxygen (δ18O) isotopes to consider how the perception of social difference, inferred from geographic origins, contributed to the selection of victims of ritual violence. Biogeochemical results demonstrate that 70% of sampled sacrificed individuals were born and lived their early lives outside of the Basin of Mexico, migrating into the region later in life. In contrast, only 22% of individuals were born and lived in the Basin their entire lives. Observed paleomobility patterns among sacrificial victims thus suggest that they were targeted for identity-based violence based on their divergent geographic origins in the volatile socio-political landscape of the Epiclassic Basin of Mexico.
Defending Entrepreneurship by Abolishing the Entrepreneur

This chapter concentrates on the theory of entrepreneurship developed by different authors belonging to the psychological school. It traces the origins of the two distinct theories of entrepreneurship: the one developed by Frank Knight in chapter 10 of his book Risk, Uncertainty and Profit, and later further refined by Ludwig von Mises and his followers that features center-stage the concept of capitalist-entrepreneur taking risk (“bearing uncertainty”) and reduces management to a routine everyday activity performed by hired employees. This concept of entrepreneurship identifies risk taking and management functions and centralizes them in the hands of “entrepreneurs”. Another tradition, that the chapter places a great emphasis on is developed in Knight’s chapter 9, as well as in Wicksteed’s and Fetter’s works, that separates risk and management and offers a theory of how and why even hired persons can perform the entrepreneurial function. The analysis shows the similarity of this neglected and forgotten psychological theory and the contributions of modern Chicago school agency theory of the firm.
Glutaminolysis is involved in the activation of mTORC1 in in vitro-produced porcine embryos.

Glutamine supplementation to porcine embryo culture medium improves development, increases leucine consumption, and enhances mitochondrial activity. In cancer cells, glutamine has been implicated in the activation of mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) to support rapid proliferation. The objective of this study was to determine if glutamine metabolism, known as glutaminolysis, was involved in mTORC1 activation in porcine embryos. Culture with 3.75 mM GlutaMAX improved development to the blastocyst stage compared to culture with 1 mM GlutaMAX, and culture with 0 mM GlutaMAX decreased development compared to all groups with GlutaMAX. Ratios of phosphorylated to total MTOR were increased when embryos were cultured with 3.75 or 10 mM GlutaMAX, which was enhanced by the absence of leucine, but ratios for RPS6K were unchanged. As another indicator of mTORC1 activation, colocalization of MTOR and a lysosomal marker was increased in embryos cultured with 3.75 or 10 mM GlutaMAX in the absence of leucine. Culturing embryos with glutaminase inhibitors decreased development and the ratio of phosphorylated to total MTOR, indicating reduced activation of the complex. Therefore, glutaminolysis is involved in the activation of mTORC1 in porcine embryos, but further studies are needed to characterize downstream effects on development.
What we talk about when we talk about colors

Names for colors vary widely across languages, but color categories are remarkably consistent. Shared mechanisms of color perception help explain consistent partitions of visible light into discrete color vocabularies. But the mappings from colors to words are not identical across languages, which may reflect communicative needs-how often speakers must refer to objects of different color. Here we quantify the communicative needs of colors in 130 different languages by developing an inference algorithm for this problem. We find that communicative needs are not uniform: Some regions of color space exhibit 30-fold greater demand for communication than other regions. The regions of greatest demand correlate with the colors of salient objects, including ripe fruits in primate diets. Our analysis also reveals a hidden diversity in the communicative needs of colors across different languages, which is partly explained by differences in geographic location and the local biogeography of linguistic communities. Accounting for language-specific, nonuniform communicative needs improves predictions for how a language maps colors to words, and how these mappings vary across languages. Our account closes an important gap in the compression theory of color naming, while opening directions to study cross-cultural variation in the need to communicate different colors and its impact on the cultural evolution of color categories.
Propagation-Based Network Partitioning Strategies for Parallel Power System Restoration With Variable Renewable Generation Resources

Grid resiliency is defined as the ability to prepare for and adapt to changing conditions and withstand and recover rapidly from disruptions. Following large-scale disruptions of the power grid such as a complete blackout, parallel power system restoration accelerates the recovery process by allowing for simultaneous restoration in each island through network partitioning, thus enhancing grid resiliency. However, existing network partitioning strategies have not sufficiently considered variable renewable resources yet, and may not be flexible or computationally efficient to accommodate additional requirements from the evolving bulk power grid. To bridge these gaps, this study proposes a propagation-based optimization approach for power grid network partitioning. The requirements of blackstart resources, power balancing, synchrocheck relays for ties lines, and increased ramp rate requirements due to variable renewable resources are modeled in the constraints. Through propagation on the physical connectivity of grid assets, the network partitioning issue is formulated as a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) problem. The linearity ensures highly computational performance and optimality of the solutions from the proposed approach to identify the cutset edge possibilities for bulk power grid applications. Graph reduction strategies are proposed to further improve the computational performance for online or nearly online applications. Case studies based on two IEEE benchmark systems show that the proposed MILP model is able to determine the optimal cutset for network partitioning in approximately 0.28 seconds, and the proposed network reduction strategy is able to further improve the computational performance by approximately 9%.
Antibody-Dependent Cell-Mediated Cytotoxicity: Comparative ability of murine Peyer's patch and spleen cells to lyselipopolysaccharide-coated and uncoated erythrocytes

Lymphoid cells from nonsensitized donors can be cytotoxic in vitro for target cellscoated with antibody. The antibody can be directed either against antigens which are intrinsic to or experimentally attached to the target cell surface. Killing of target cells by this method has been termed antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). In these investigations we compared the ability of Peyer's patch cells and spleen cells from nonsensitized mice to lyse lipopolysaccharide-coated and uncoated target cells by an ADCC mechanism. The results demonstrate that spleen cells, but not Peyer's patch cells, from identical mice can be cytotoxic for lipopolysaccharide-coated chicken erythrocytes (CRBC) in the presence of anti- lipopolysaccharide antibody and uncoated CRBC in the presence of anti-CRBC antibody. Thus, Peyer's patches in mice appear to be deficient in the effector cell type(s) required to kill antibody-coated erythrocyte target cells by an ADCC mechanism as well as the macrophage-like accessory adherent cell type(s) required for the induction of humoral antibody synthesis and cell-mediated cytotoxic allograft reactions in vitro.
Algebraic and Geometric Aspects of the Analysis of Feedback Systems

This manuscript represents two of the three lectures which I gave at this Advanced Study Institute and, for this reason, I shall give two introductions. (The third lecture is historical and may be found in “Introductory Chapter,” this volume.) In the first four sections, I shall discuss recent work in algebraic and geometric system theory which centers around the question, “What can be done using state or output feedback.” To fix the ideas, it is at least initially sufficient to consider a system a as being defined by the state-space equations $$x(t) = Fx(t) + Gu(t) y(t) = Hx(t)$$ (1.1) or by the transfer function (the zero initial state Laplace transform) $$\hat{y}(x) = T(s)\hat{u},T(s) = H{{(sI - F)}^{{ - 1}}}G$$ (1.1) which relates the input vector u ∈ U ≃ k m to the corresponding output У ∈ ≃ k P, without explicit mention of the (internal notions of) state x ∈ X ≃ k n. Thus (1.1)’ is an external description of σ, as one might see in Ohm’s law, where (1.1) is an internal description (i.e., involving states) of σ, as one might see in the non-autonomous differential equations for an RLC network being driven by an applied current u(t) and generating a voltage y(t).
Scheduling in wireless networks with multiple transmission channels

This paper describes scheduling algorithms for scheduling traffic in wireless data networks with multiple channels per cell. The paper assumes that a reservation-based MAC protocol is used. The main objective of the scheduling algorithms is to reduce the computation time while maximizing the utilization of the network resources, thereby improving the system throughput. In this paper, we consider two type of systems-single priority and multiple priority. For each system, two different algorithms are considered depending on whether slots are allocated contiguously or not. A performance study that considers network utilization, computation time, and the throughput for 2 Mbps and 10 Mbps data streams for the above algorithms is presented.
Carcinoma of the retained cervix or subtotal VS. Total hysterectomy

Abstract The most important considerations are the large percentage of nulliparas developing cancer of the retained cervix, the large percentage of cases with fibroids in the series, and the very small percentage of occurrence of this cancer as compared to the general impression in the literature of today. Conservative surgery should be the rule, and the life of the patient the most important consideration. There is no doubt, and no one will deny it, that total hysterectomy is a more formidable and more serious operation than simple subtotal removal of the uterus. The morbidity, the chance of injuring the ureters and bladder, the possibility of vaginal prolapse and the foreshortening of the vagina in the young married woman all are against this operation as a routine. The proper method of attack in cases needing hysterectomy is to carefully inspect the cervix in lithotomy position, and to curette at least the endocervix in the young and the whole uterus in the old. If the cervix looks suspicious it should be repaired, amputated, or biopsied, and no further operation should be done until a frozen section has been made, but if no pathologist is available for a frozen section, it is better to wait three or four days for a laboratory report and the presence or absence of cancer determined. The curettings should, of course, be subjected to examination. If cancer is present the proper procedure can be outlined, such as total hysterectomy, total vaginal hysterectomy, or radium. If no cancer is present a subtotal removal of the uterus can be done with ease of mind and the knowledge that the very best treatment had been outlined for the patient. A diseased cervix should never be left untreated; it should be removed or repaired by whatever means the individual surgeon is best fitted to do it, either by amputation, repair, or total hysterectomy. Cauterization is a safe procedure also, and it is perfectly sound to rely upon it if it is done thoroughly and deeply enough. The author does not advocate total hysterectomy routinely but does advocate it in those cases where repair or amputation is difficult and where cauterization is out of the question. The doing or not doing of a total hysterectomy is up to the individual surgeon and to his study of the individual case, and no dogmatic rules can be laid down. Too much serious criticism of subtotal hysterectomy and too much enthusiasm for the total operation can and will of necessity cause an increasing number of deaths and many invalid patients. The work of Hinselmann and Schiller in enabling the surgeon earlier to detect leucoplakia in its various types by the use of the colposcope and Lugol's solution should aid in the proper selection of cases for total removal of the uterus. Certainly leucoplakia, although not always developing into cancer, is a precancerous lesion. It occurs in the unmarried as well as the married and proper recognition of such cervices might lessen the incidence of cancer and thus save many more lives than routine total hysterectomy and its accompanying mortality.
'Civil'Izing Tax Procedure: Applying General Federal Learning to Statutory Notices of Deficiency

Tax procedure has been rather isolated from the main currents of civil procedure. Using the statutory notice of deficiency as an exemplar, the article explores how viewing tax procedure issues from the perspective of general civil litigation can facilitate procedural regularity and foster fairness to United States Tax Court contestants. The statutory notice is the document by which the IRS forewarns a taxpayer of impending assessment of tax greater than the amount reported on the taxpayer's return. The article identifies three functions of the notice and their general civil litigation analogues. First, like legal process, it provides the taxpayer with notice and an opportunity to be heard. Second, a valid statutory notice is a prerequisite to Tax Court subject matter jurisdiction. Third, like a complaint in general civil litigation, the notice helps to frame the issues and allocate the burden of proof. Taxpayers' challenges to defective statutory notices are generally framed as notions to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction on the ground that the notice is invalid. The taxpayer's incentive to make this motion is that only a valid notice tolls the statute of limitations on assessment; accordingly, on dismissal, the statue often will have expired, freeing the taxpayer from liability. The article recommends that the Tax Court borrow the learning of Bell v. Hood, that is, distinguish between allegations adequate to invoke subject matter jurisdiction and the additional requisites for pleading a cognizable claim. By doing so, the Tax Court could distinguish jurisdictional invalidity from other defects, and in turn apply remedies more appropriately geared to the several functions of the statutory notice.
Calibrating temperature coefficient of frequency (TCf) and thermal expansion coefficient (α) of MoS 2 nanomechanical resonators

We report on experimental study and calibration of temperature coefficient of frequency (TCf) and laser heating effect in two-dimensional (2D) resonators, and through which, a new method for determining thermal expansion coefficient (α) in 2D crystals. We measure the resonance characteristics of the ‘drumhead’ nanomechanical resonators based on molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) using sensitive laser interferometry. By tracking the resonance frequency at varying temperatures, we obtain high TCf up to −0.396%/K. Combining with finite element modeling (FEM), we extract α of 3.7–4ppm/K. We also measure the laser power dependence of the resonance frequency (up to −4.116%/mW), demonstrating the potential of this type of devices for sensitive thermometers and laser power meters.
Web Intelligence, World Knowledge and Fuzzy Logic

Existing search engines—with Google at the top—have many remarkable capabilities; but what is not among them is deduction capability—the capability to synthesize an answer to a query from bodies of information which reside in various parts of the knowledge base. In recent years, impressive progress has been made in enhancing performance of search engines through the use of methods based on bivalent logic and bivalent-logic-based probability theory. But can such methods be used to add nontrivial deduction capability to search engines, that is, to upgrade search engines to question-answering systems? A view which is articulated in this note is that the answer is “No.” The problem is rooted in the nature of world knowledge, the kind of knowledge that humans acquire through experience and education.
Using databases to address important but neglected clinical questions.

The rate of cesarean sections has been increasing substantially over the last several decades, and, accounting for approximately 27.5% of deliveries in the general population in 2004, is much higher than the target rate of 15% established in 1991 as a United States health objective for the year 2000 [1, 2]. There are a number of intertwined medical and societal explanations for the increased rate of cesarean sections in the United States, but the overall pattern is admittedly not fully understood, nor is the most appropriate path to address the discrepancy between actual and goal cesarean delivery rates. One of the key first steps to determining optimal health care, as well as the reasons for falling short of health care goals, centers on understanding the extent and nature of the problem on many levels. Trends affecting the population as a whole – such as those related to preand perinatal care – naturally impact individuals and populations who are simultaneously affected by other conditions. As Revital Faro and colleagues point out in their important article entitled “Cesarean delivery rates in Down syndrome pregnancies,” the ramifications of general health trends are too often neglected in terms of the effects on certain subpopulations [1]. In the manuscript, Faro et al. state,
DENSITY PROFILES OF CLUSTERS OF GALAXIES

Data on the surface distribution of galaxies in a number of clusters has been given by several authors (see, for example, Shane & Wirtanen 1954; Zwicky 1956, 1957; Omer, Page & Wilson 1965; Clark 1968; Noonan 1971, 1974; Bahcall 1971, 1972a, b, 1973a, b, 1974, 1975; Rudnicki 1963; Rudnicki & Baranauska 1966a, b; Rood et al. 1972; Rood & Sastry 1972; Oemler 1974; Austin & Peach 1974a, b; Chincarini & Rood 1975, 1976; and references quoted therein). The distributions show a relatively smooth fall-off from a high density at the center of the cluster to a low density tail at the outskirts of the cluster. Secondary maxima or subclustering are sometimes superimposed on an otherwise smooth and monotonic profile.
Enhancing the Dining Experience in Long-Term Care: Dining with Dignity Program

Nursing home residents nationwide are at nutritional risk as the result of physical, social and environmental factors. The Dining with Dignity program integrates long-term care residents, staff, community volunteers and occupational therapy students to improve residents' nutritional intake. Volunteers are trained to provide one-on-one assistance during meals and to promote a positive dining experience as organized by the theory of Social Support. Resident satisfaction with meals and improved nutritional status are important outcomes as is volunteer commitment to the program.
Efficient verification of symmetric concurrent systems

Previously (Proc. 11th Symp. on Computer Hardware Description Languages and their Application, April 1993), we proposed a reduction technique based on symmetries to alleviate the state explosion problem in automatic verification of concurrent systems. This paper describes the results of testing the technique on a wide range of algorithms and protocols, including realistic multiprocessor synchronization algorithms and cache coherence protocols. Memory requirements were reduced by amounts ranging from 83% to over 99%, and time requirements were often reduced as well. We also consider the effectiveness of the technique on different types of symmetries, such as symmetries in identical system components and symmetries in data values. >
Children and TV advertising: nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

Values are not, and will not be, inculcated by the family, the church, or other social institutions in either the present or the future. They are, and will be, inculcated by the visual and electronic media.In 1750 BC, the Code of Hammurabi made it a crime punishable by death to sell anything to a ch
Quality of weight loss advice on Internet forums

Abstract Background Adults use the Internet for weight loss information, sometimes by participating in discussion forums. Our purpose was to analyze the quality of advice exchanged on these forums. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of messages posted to 18 Internet weight loss forums during 1 month in 2006. Advice was evaluated for congruence with clinical guidelines; potential for causing harm; and subsequent correction when it was contradictory to guidelines (erroneous) or potentially harmful. Message- and forum-specific characteristics were evaluated as predictors of advice quality and self-correction. Results Of 3368 initial messages, 266 (7.9%) were requests for advice. Of 654 provisions of advice, 56 (8.6%) were erroneous and 19 of these 56 (34%) were subsequently corrected. Forty-three (6.6%) provisions of advice were harmful, and 12 of these 43 (28%) were subsequently corrected. Messages from low-activity forums (fewer messages) were more likely than those from high-activity forums to be erroneous (10.6% vs 2.4%, P P P = .02) or harmful ( P = .01). Conclusions Most advice posted on highly active Internet weight loss forums is not erroneous or harmful. However, clinical and research strategies are needed to address the quality of medication-related advice.
Performance of Lactating Dairy Cows Fed Methionine or Methionine Analog at Two Concentrations of Dietary Crude Protein

Abstract Twenty-four Holstein cows were in a balanced incomplete block switchback design to determine the effect on milk production and composition of DL-methionine or methionine analog when two concentrations of dietary protein were fed to supply either adequate or marginal crude protein in the diet. Dietary treatments consisted of 80% or 100% of the cows’ requirement for crude protein supplemented with no additive, DL-methionine, or methionine analog. Cows fed 100% of crude protein requirements consumed more soybean meal and less corn than cows fed 80% of crude protein requirements, but total dry matter intake was not affected. Milk yield and composition were not affected by concentration of crude protein in the diet. Feeding 100% of crude protein requirements increased rumen ammonia nitrogen concentration but did not affect pH or volatile fatty acid concentrations or proportions. Compared to control, supplemental methionine or methionine analog did not affect significantly any of the above measurements at either concentration of crude protein in the diet.
Experimental Study of the Low-Temperature Spin Correlations in the Magnetic-Impurity Problem

In an attempt to verify the existence of the extended spin-polarization cloud associated with the ground state of the magnetic-impurity problem, we have presented results of a new set of NMR experiments together with a review of the M\"ossbauer and bulk-susceptibility data on $\mathrm{Cu}$ Fe. The results demonstrate the existence of the quasiparticle polarization cloud in this system. Analysis of the published M\"ossbauer and bulk-susceptibility data demonstrates that the local $d$-spin susceptibility accounts for only one-half of the total susceptibility for $T\ensuremath{\ll}{T}_{K}$. From a study of the nuclear-resonance linewidth data we see that the remainder of the susceptibility is located in a spatially extended spin-polarization cloud around the impurity sites. By a model-independent analysis of the data, we obtain a measure of the temperature and magnetic-field dependence of the amplitude of the quasiparticle. In addition, the NMR linewidth studies are extended to magnetic fields as low as 170 G. At fields below 3 kG, a strong field dependence is observed which is attributed to the presence of very small amounts of precipitated Fe in the form of superparamagnetic clusters.
The study of Latino folk illnesses.

La question de la distinction entre syndrome culturel et maladie populaire souligne qu'un lexique ethnomedical est essentiel pour l'approche theorique et methodologique de la maladie en tant que phenomene culturel.
Protection against Mucosal Infections by Secretory IgA

In the past decade, several model systems have been developed to study the details of the production of secretory IgA by the mucosal surface. Until recently, most attention in vaccine research has been directed toward establishing a vigorous systemic (predominantly IgG) humoral immune response to the infectious agent. With the recognition, however, that secretory IgA is overwhelmingly the predominant immunoglobulin along mucosal surfaces and likely responsible for host defense, much work has been directed at understanding initiation of the secretory IgA response and to establishing a secretory IgA memory response. Also, the mechanisms by which secretory IgA affects protection are being sought. Unlike IgG, secretory IgA does not opsonize for phagocytosis or efficiently activate complement for cell destruction by membrane damage. Rather, secretory IgA seems to afford protection by preventing attachment of microorganisms and/or their toxic product to the delicate surface epithelium that lines the mucosa.
Technical and Creative Writing: Common Process, Common Goals

Creative and technical writing share definite, but seldom realized, affinities. Like the fiction writer, the engineer and the scientist must realize that writing is a creative process rather than a reflex action if they are to communicate successfully. Often, professional advancement depends on the ability to present and to interpret factual information coherently and effectively.Although technical writing presents factual information and creative writing fictional information, both crafts adhere to the same underlying rhetorical principles in order to create their desired effects. This article examines those shared principles that make technical writing more than a prosaic exercise and allow writers to express themselves meaningfully. The role of imagination in this craft is also explored.
Synthesis and biological evaluation of sphingosine kinase substrates as sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor prodrugs

In the search for bioactive sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor ligands, a series of 2-amino-2-heterocyclic-propanols were synthesized. These molecules were discovered to be substrates of human-sphingosine kinases 1 and 2 (SPHK1 and SPHK2). When phosphorylated, the resultant phosphates showed varied activities at the five sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) receptors (S1P1–5). Agonism at S1P1 was displayed in vivo by induction of lymphopenia. A stereochemical preference of the quaternary carbon was crucial for phosphorylation by the kinases and alters binding affinities at the S1P receptors. Oxazole and oxadiazole compounds are superior kinase substrates to FTY720, the prototypical prodrug immunomodulator, fingolimod (FTY720). The oxazole-derived structure was the most active for human SPHK2. Imidazole analogues were less active substrates for SPHKs, but more potent and selective agonists of the S1P1 receptor; additionally, the imidazole class of compounds rendered mice lymphopenic.