cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An overview of issues in infant and developmental research for the creation of robust and replicable science.

Abstract In the last few years, the field of psychology has been challenged with a crisis in the rigor and reproducibility of the science. The focus of these issues has primarily been in social, cognitive, and cognitive neuroscience psychology, however, the area of developmental research is not immune to these issues. This paper provides an overview of the “replication crisis” and the choices made by researchers that are often not noted in methods, thus making the replication of studies more difficult. In this review we discuss issues of researcher flexibility in the data design and selection of sample size, collection, and analysis stages of research. In each of these areas we address examples of bias and how developmental researchers can address these issues in their own research.
Methods to Assess Acid–Base Disorders

Acid–base disorders are extremely common in critically ill patients. They carry increased morbidity and mortality. Therefore, accurate assessment and appropriate therapeutic intervention are necessary to prevent these associated complications.
Discovery of a First-in-Class Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase 1/2 Degrader

MEK1 and MEK2 (also known as MAP2K1 and MAP2K2) are the "gatekeepers" of the ERK signaling output with redundant roles in controlling ERK activity. Numerous inhibitors targeting MEK1/2 have been developed including three FDA-approved drugs. However, acquired resistance to MEK1/2 inhibitors has been observed in patients, and new therapeutic strategies are needed to overcome the resistance. Here, we report a first-in-class degrader of MEK1/2, MS432 (23), which potently and selectively degraded MEK1 and MEK2 in a VHL E3 ligase- and proteasome-dependent manner and suppressed ERK phosphorylation in cells. It inhibited colorectal cancer and melanoma cell proliferation much more effectively than its negative control MS432N (24), and its effect was phenocopied by MEK1/2 knockdown. Compound 23 was highly selective for MEK1/2 in global proteomic profiling studies. It was also bioavailable in mice and can be used for in vivo efficacy studies. We provide two well-characterized chemical tools to the biomedical community.
A dual mesh method with adaptivity for stress-constrained topology optimization

This paper is concerned with the topological optimization of elastic structures, with the goal of minimizing the compliance and/or mass of the structure, subject to a stress constraint. It is well known that depending upon the geometry and the loading conditions, the stress field can exhibit singularities, if these singularities are not adequately resolved, the topological optimization process will be ineffective. For computational efficiency, adaptive mesh refinement is required to adequately resolve the stress field. This poses a challenge for the traditional Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization (SIMP) method that employs a one-to-one correspondence between the finite element mesh and the optimization design variables because as the mesh is refined, the optimization process must somehow be re-started with a new set of design variables. The proposed solution is a dual mesh approach, one finite element mesh defines the material distribution, a second finite element mesh is used for the computation of the displacement and stress fields. This allows for stress-based adaptive mesh refinement without modifying the definition of the optimization design variables. A second benefit of this dual mesh approach is that there is no need to apply a filter to the design variables to enforce a length scale, instead the length scale is determined by the design mesh. This reduces the number of design variables and allows the designer to apply spatially varying length scale if desired. The efficacy of this dual mesh approach is established via several stress-constrained topology optimization problems.
D-dimer and Body CT to Identify Occult Malignancy in Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Abstract Background and Aim Patients with acute ischemic stroke associated with cancer have D-dimer elevations greater than those with acute ischemic stroke or cancer alone. While D-dimer has been proposed as a screening tool to identify such patients, its use in clinical practice to identify malignancy and to inform the use of CT scanning has not been well characterized. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with acute ischemic stroke to evaluate how D-dimer levels and CT chest, abdomen, and pelvis scanning were used in practice to screen for occult malignancy. Patients were excluded if they had known active cancer and or received tPA. Results Of 480 patients, 254 (53%) had D-dimer measured, 49 (10%) underwent CT screening for cancer, and 11 (2%) had findings concerning for malignancy. There was no difference in D-dimer level between patients who underwent CT evaluation for cancer and those who did not (median 1.01 vs 0.85 p = 0.19). Patients with CT concerning for cancer had higher D-dimer levels than those with a negative CT (median 2.52 vs 0.74 p = 0.01). D-dimer demonstrated moderate discrimination with a c-statistic of 0.77. Selecting a cut point of >1.2 ug/mL (60th percentile of our cohort and 2.4-times the upper limit of normal for our institution's D-dimer assay) provided a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 65%, a positive likelihood ratio of 2.32, and an odds ratio of 9.6 (95% confidence interval 2.1-44.1, p = 0.004) for having a CT scan concerning for malignancy. Conclusions Elevated D-dimer levels are suggestive of occult malignancy in acute ischemic stroke patients and should inform selective use of CT to screen for cancer.
Cardiovascular risk assessment and management of patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation

The purpose of this review is to provide a framework for the cardiovascular evaluation and management of patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). To accomplish this, we have performed an extensive literature review, critically analyzed the available evidence, and developed a set of recommendations to guide best practice. Herein, we discuss the cardiovascular risk profile of patients undergoing HCT along with putative mechanisms of HCT-induced cardiovascular injury. We then present an algorithm for cardiovascular testing and risk mitigation of potential recipients. Last, we address the management of the most prevalent cardiovascular conditions associated with HCT recipients.
Evaluating the impact of metabolic syndrome on postoperative thyroidectomy outcomes.

OBJECTIVE Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has previously been linked to increased risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality in other surgical undertakings. Because MetS is a consequence of endocrine dysfunction, and given the thyroid's crucial role in endocrine homeostasis, we sought to evaluate the association between MetS and postoperative outcomes of thyroidectomy. METHODS Data were acquired from the ACS-NSQIP database from years 2005 to 2017. Patients with obesity, diabetes, and hypertension were defined as having MetS. Odds ratios (OR) were obtained for outcomes to quantify risk with multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS Outcomes significantly affected by MetS included overall complication (OR: 2.00), extended postoperative stay (OR: 1.52), medical complication (OR: 1.48), surgical complication (OR: 1.62), and mortality (OR: 2.33). CONCLUSIONS Patients with MetS undergoing thyroidectomy are at increased risk of an increased length of stay, overall complications, and mortality.
Association between preconception paternal health and pregnancy loss in the USA: an analysis of US claims data.

Study question Is preconception paternal health associated with pregnancy loss? Summary answer Poor preconception paternal health is associated with a higher risk of pregnancy loss as confirmed in sensitivity analyses accounting for maternal age and health. What is known already Preconception paternal health can negatively impact perinatal outcomes. Study design, size, duration Retrospective cohort study of US insurance claims database from 2009 to 2016 covering 958 804 pregnancies. Participants/materials, setting, methods US insurance claims database including women, men and pregnancies within the USA between 2007 and 2016. Paternal preconception health status (e.g. metabolic syndrome diagnoses (MetS), Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) and individual chronic disease diagnoses) was examined in relation to pregnancy loss (e.g. ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage and stillbirth). Main results and the role of chance In all, 958 804 pregnancies were analyzed. The average paternal age was 35.3 years (SD 5.3) and maternal age was 33.1 years (SD 4.4). Twenty-two percent of all pregnancies ended in a loss. After adjusting for maternal factors, the risk of pregnancy loss increased with increasing paternal comorbidity. For example, compared to men with no components of MetS, the risk of pregnancy loss increased for men with one (relative risk (RR) 1.10, 95% CI 1.09-1.12), two (RR 1.15, 95% CI 1.13-1.17) or three or more (RR 1.19, 95% CI 1.14-1.24) components. Specifically, less healthy men had a higher risk of siring a pregnancy ending in spontaneous abortion, stillbirth and ectopic pregnancies. Similar patterns remained with other measures of paternal health (e.g. CCI, chronic diseases, etc.). When stratifying by maternal age as well as maternal health, a similar pattern of increasing pregnancy loss risk for men with 1, 2 or 3+ MetS was observed. A statistically significant but weak association between timing of pregnancy loss and paternal health was found. Limitations, reasons for caution Retrospective study design covering only employer insured individuals may limit generalizability. Wider implications of the findings Optimization of a father's health may improve pregnancy outcomes. Study funding/competing interests National Institutes of Health National Center for Advancing Translational Science Clinical and Translational Science Award (UL1 TR001085). M.L.E. is an advisor for Sandstone Diagnostics, Dadi, Hannah and Underdog. No other competing interests were declared. Trial registration number N/A.
The Need for Milk and Meat in Contemporary Christian Worship Part Two: Preaching More than “Hold out until My Change Come”

The phrase in the title refers to the lyrics of Harrison E. Johnson’s gospel song, “Lord, Help Me to Hold Out.” The song’s chorus includes the words, “Lord, help me to hold out, until my change com...
Active transportation and social capital: The association between walking or biking for transportation and community participation

Abstract Active transportation provides benefits to communities and individuals, yet little is known about its relationship with social capital. This study examined relationships between active transportation behavior and three indices of social capital (community participation, sense of community, and sociopolitical control). Linear regression was used to assess cross-sectional data (N = 1700) from the Survey of the Health of Wisconsin, a population-based representative sample collected in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Active transportation was associated with greater levels of community participation (p = 0.012). The association between active transportation and community participation was the third largest in terms of standardized coefficient (β = 0.07), following only age and college degree or greater educational attainment. Active transportation was not significantly associated with sense of community or sociopolitical control. All models controlled for confounding background characteristics. These findings are important for policy and planning work, as designing supportive environments and removing barriers to active transportation can foster social capital through bolstering community participation. The benefits of active transportation may be broader than previously understood and underscore the need to promote active transportation.
Pyridylphosphonium salts as alternatives to cyanopyridines in radical-radical coupling reactions.

Radical couplings of cyanopyridine radical anions represent a valuable technology for functionalizing pyridines, which are prevalent throughout pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and materials. Installing the cyano group, which facilitates the necessary radical anion formation and stabilization, is challenging and limits the use of this chemistry to simple cyanopyridines. We discovered that pyridylphosphonium salts, installed directly and regioselectively from C–H precursors, are useful alternatives to cyanopyridines in radical–radical coupling reactions, expanding the scope of this reaction manifold to complex pyridines. Methods for both alkylation and amination of pyridines mediated by photoredox catalysis are described. Additionally, we demonstrate late-stage functionalization of pharmaceuticals, highlighting an advantage of pyridylphosphonium salts over cyanopyridines.
Collaborative Watershed Groups in Three Pacific Northwest States: A Regional Evaluation of Group Metrics and Perceived Success1

Chaffin, B.C., R.L. Mahler, J.D. Wulfhorst, and B. Shafii, 2011. Collaborative Watershed Groups in Three Pacific Northwest States: A Regional Evaluation of Group Metrics and Perceived Success. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(1): 113-122. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00599.x Abstract: Watershed management through collaborative groups has become important throughout the United States over the past two decades. Although several studies of Oregon and Washington watershed groups exist, a definitive regional analysis of Pacific Northwest (PNW) watershed groups’ success is lacking. This paper uses data collected from a single survey instrument to determine the status, structure, and success of watershed groups in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, respectively. Results indicate that watershed group member satisfaction with elements of group structure correlates with levels of perceived group success. Strong leadership within a group and a clear mission statement also indicate higher levels of perceived success. Contrasting realized successes among PNW watershed groups with metrics of perceived success constructed from survey data define watershed groups’ missions and goals and is validated by analysis of the Washington State planning groups’ responses. Overall, PNW watershed groups identified themselves as largely successful. Therefore, the structure, function, and operation identified as characteristic of PNW watershed groups could be used as a model for developing watershed group programming in regions with similar conditions.
POV's Architectural Performance

The Leftbank Project, a commercial office building, sits in the central Lloyd District of Portland, Oregon. Nestled on a traffic island opposite the Rose Quarter stadium, it is on the left bank of the Willamette, the river that cuts Seine-like through the city center. It’s a non-residential, traffic-knotted part of The City of Roses, somewhere most people just pass through en route to somewhere else. The Leftbank Project was originally the Hazelwood Building, a bakery and confectionary built in 1923. Since then, the building has gone through multiple transformations, from the Dude Ranch jazz club in the 1940s to Multicraft Plastics in the 1960s. Following a period of vacancy, developers in the late 2000s embarked on a renovation to craft a sustainable commercial hub for (as the Leftbank Project website claims) “folks who love hard work, and believe that the power of visibility and strength of community is taking each of us further than we could go alone.” The Project hosts a cafe on the ground floor, rows of bike racks, and a tenant roster that is an apt snapshot of contemporary Portland: Upright Brewing Company, Portland Parent Union, African Women’s Coalition, and Portland Farmer’s Market, among others. Throughout late 2013 and early 2014, POV Dance, Portland’s architectural performance company, took up a four month residency at Leftbank, where they created the enormous and visceral 3x3. Like all of POV’s work, 3x3 is a dance with a particular building. On a larger scale, the company’s body of work comprises a dance with the city itself. Portland’s POV Dance doesn’t just dance in nontraditional spaces: POV dances with architecture. POV doesn’t just dance in Portland: POV dances with Portland.
Data and Data Retrieval in Space Astronomy

To illustrate the range of storage and retrieval facilities and data products that are involved in space astronomy, the present situation on data from some instruments on the following missions is presented: Small Astronomy Satellite-B, Orbiting Astronomical Observatory 3, High Energy Astrophysics Observatory 2, International Ultraviolet Explorer, Viking Orbiter, and Solar Maximum Mission. In addition the Coordinated Data Analysis Workshops conducted at the National Space Science Data Center are outlined to demonstrate the usefulness of building a problem-oriented on-line data base from instruments flown on a number of spacecraft and operating from ground-based facilities.
Independence and sphericity tests for the residuals of space-time arma models

The mechanics of the procedure for building space-time autoregressive moving average (STARMA) models is dependent upon the form of G, the variance-covariance matrix of the underlying errors.This paper presents large sample tests of the hypotheses that G is diagonal and that G equals o2 I. Tables of the critical values for these tests are constructed
Analog modeling of glucagon-induced autophagy in rat liver. II. Evaluation of iron labeling as a means for identifying telolysosome, autophagosome and autolysosome populations.

Abstract To evaluate the potential usefulness of iron labeling as a means for identifying the telolysome, autophagosome and autolysosome populations of rat liver, animals treated with Jectofer (iron-citric acid-sorbitol complex), or with Jectofer followed by glucagon, have been studied with a variety of biochemical and morphological methods. Differential centrifugation studies of liver homogenates revealed that the sedimentation velocity and mechanical fragility of acid phosphatase bearing particles increase with the duration of Jectofer treatment and that iron accumulates in the mitochondrial and nuclear fractions. Rate sedimentation studies confirmed the change in sedimentation velocity, which was shown to be due in part to a marked increase in particle density. Quantitative morphological analysis of liver M + L and N + M + L fractions revealed a nearly complete absence of pericanalicular dense bodies after 6–7 days of Jectofer treatment. In these fractions a new type of particle containing fine electron dense granules was seen. The mean volume of these particles was decreased and their number increased when compared to dense bodies but the general morphology and overall size distribution of the two particle classes were similar. In animals given both Jectofer and glucagon, autophagic vacuole formation was similar to that found in animals receiving only glucagon. However, the increase in osmotic fragility of acid phosphatase bearing particles usually seen after glucagon administration occurred at a significantly slower rate. Examination of paniculate fractions revealed the presence of autophagic vacuoles with (autolysosomes) and without (autophagosomes) fine dense granules. The number of autolysosomes and their relative proportion in the autophagic vacuole population were correlated with an increase in the osmotic fragility of the acid phosphatase bearing particles in the same fraction. Organelle degeneration was observed more frequently in autolysosome profiles. These results support the contention that iron labeling can be used to separate the principal particle populations participating in the autophagic response induced by glucagon.
Integrated control/structure design and robustness

When a flexible structure is to be controlled actively, optimum performance is obtained by integrated, or simultaneous, design of the structure and the controller, as opposed to the common practice of designing the structure independently of control consideration and then designing a controller for a fixed structure. The primary design objective from the structural point of view usually is to minimize weight, while the control design objectives depend on the application. An important requirement for a practical control system is robustness with respect to uncertain plant parameters. This paper discusses simultaneous control/structure design when the overall design objective combines the weight of the structure and the robustness of the closed-loop control system. For numerical optimization, robustness is represented by the sensitivity of the closed-loop eigenvalues with respect to uncertain parameters. An example illustrates the optimal design of a flexible structure along with a robust compensator.
Two-dimensional patterns with optimal auto- and cross-correlation functions

We consider a set of sonar arrays of the same size with an additional constraint that the non-periodic two-dimensional cross-correlation value for any two distinct arrays is limited to either 1 or O. These find applications in various multiuser communication systems such as multiuser radar and sonar systems and/or fiber-optic CDMA networks. We define an optimal pair of sonar arrays to be a pair of sonar arrays having an ideal cross-correlation function and having the minimum possible number of columns for a fixed number of rows. We first prove that an optimal pair having a rows can have at most n columns. >
β-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone Potently Reduces Appetite Via the Hypothalamus in Chicks

The melanocortin system together with other appetite-related systems plays a significant role in appetite regulation. The appetite-related effects of one such melanocortin, β-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), are well documented in rodents; however, its effects in the avian class are not thoroughly understood. Thus, we designed a study to determine the effects of i.c.v. β-MSH injection on food and water intake, plasma corticosterone concentration, ingestive and non-ingestive behaviours, and hypothalamic neuronal activation using Cobb-500 chicks. Chicks responded to β-MSH-treatment with a reduction in food and water intake; however when water intake was measured independently of food intake, it was not affected. β-MSH-treated chicks also had increased plasma corticosterone concentrations and increased c-Fos reactivity in the periventricular, paraventricular and infundibular nuclei, and the ventromedial hypothalamus; however, the lateral hypothalamus was not affected. The effect on food intake is primary because behaviours that may be competitive with food intake were not increased in β-MSH-treated chicks. Based on these results, we conclude that β-MSH causes anorexigenic effects that are likely primarily mediated via stimulation of satiety-related hypothalamic nuclei in broiler-type chicks.
Effects of display magnification, proprio- ceptive cues, control dynamics and trajectory characteristics on compensatory tracking performance.

An experiment was performed on the NOTS-UCLA heavy inertia tracking simulator to assess effects of display magnification, proprioceptive cues, displacement aiding, trajectory characteristics and trajectory direction on tracking performance. Particular attention was paid to interactions among these variables. The results showed that: (1) 5x magnification significantly decreased tracking error compared to tracking without magnification; (2) proprioceptive cues related to both azimuth and elevation significantly improved performance; (3) velocity plus displacement-aiding control dynamics (time constant = 0.1 sec) produced significantly lower error scores than unaided velocity control dynamics (time constant = 0.0 sec); (4) since no crossover tendencies were found, the effects of the varables appear to be independent.
Switchable RF MEMS Ka-band frequency-selective surface

A switchable Frequency-Selective Surface (FSS) was developed at 30 GHz using RF MEMS switches on a 500 /spl mu/m thick glass substrate. For a band-pass filter characteristic, a four-legged loaded element is used with tunable capacitive loading (RF MEMS) and DC-biasing for actuation. The 3" diameter FSS is composed of 909 unit cells and 3,636 MEMS bridges with a reliability of 99.5%. The FSS shows a transmission loss of 2.0 dB and a -3 dB bandwidth of 3.2 GHz at a resonance frequency of 30.2 GHz with the MEMS bridges in up-state position. The -1 dB bandwidth is 1.6 GHz. When the MEMS bridges are actuated to the down-state position, an insertion loss of 27.5 dB is measured. Theory and experiment agree quite well. This is the first demonstration of a switched low-loss FSS at Ka-band frequencies.
Profound fetal bradycardia: a case report highlighting treatment options.

A case report of a fetus that presented at 33 weeks gestation with profound bradycardia associated with ventricular rates of <50 beats per minute. Possible management strategies include continued observation, medical intervention of the mother with stimulants and urgent delivery of the fetus. The differential diagnosis, management and ultimate course of this patient are discussed.
The decay proton → e + γ in grand unified gauge theories

Author(s): Silverman, D; Soni, A | Abstract: The rate for proton decay to the e+γ mode is calculated. Although its branching ratio is of order α, its ratio to observable e+π0 correlated decays is 1 8 to 1 40. Observable numbers of p → e+ + γ decays can occur and would provide constraints on the proton wave function at the origin and grand unified parameters independent of hadron final state uncertainties. © 1981.
A survey of prognosis discussions held by health-care providers who request palliative care consultation

Background:Patient misunderstandings about prognosis may be related to lack of communication.Aim:This study aimed to examine prognosis discussions held with hospitalized patients for whom palliative care consultations were requested, and if prognosis discussions did not occur, to explore why not.Design:This was a survey conducted over the telephone from a convenience sample of health-care providers who requested palliative care consultations. Respondents were asked about whether prognosis had been discussed with the patient and the topics addressed.Participants:A total of 65 health-care providers who called to request a consultation from the palliative care team in a large academic medical center in the United States.Results:Of the 65 responses, 45 (69.2%) subjects reported that a prognosis discussion had occurred, while 15 (23.1%) reported that a prognosis discussion had not taken place. Among the surveys reporting a prognosis discussion, a majority of providers responded that most aspects of prognosis w...
Paclitaxel and concurrent radiation for locally advanced pancreatic cancer

Abstract Purpose: To determine the activity and toxicity of paclitaxel and concurrent radiation for pancreatic cancer. Methods and Materials: Forty-four patients with locally unresectable pancreatic cancer were studied. Patients received paclitaxel, 50 mg/m 2 by 3 h i.v. (IV) infusion, weekly, on Days 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29. Radiation was administered concurrently to a total dose of 50.4 Gy, in 1.80 Gy fractions, for 28 treatments. Results: Nausea and vomiting were the most common toxicities, Grade 3 in five patients (12%). Two patients (5%) had Grade 4 hypersensitivity reactions to their first dose of paclitaxel. Of 42 evaluable patients, the overall response rate was 26%. The median survival was 8 months, and the 1-year survival was 30%. Conclusion: Concurrent paclitaxel and radiation demonstrate local-regional activity in pancreatic cancer. Future investigations combining paclitaxel with other local-regional and systemic treatments are warranted.
Evaluation of Alnus species and hybrids

Abstract Trials of a common set of seed lots representing 39 parents and five species of Alnus have been started in four countries: Belgium, Canada, the UK, and the U.S. Initial results indicate that cold hardiness is a problem in using A. acuminata but that sufficiently hardy A. rubra sources are available. A. glutinosa had the best growth in the nursery, and A. cordata had the best survival under severe moisture-stress conditions. A summary also is given of a workshop on alder improvement that further demonstrates the potential for developing the genus for biomass energy production.
Studies on depurination of DNA by heat.

Depurination by heat of DNA and DNA constituents, in solution and in the dry state, has been further investigated. The extent of depurination in solution varies inversely with the ionic strength and p H. Depurination at elevated temperatures in solution appears to be mainly an acid-catalysed hydrolysis. Studies of depurination in the dry state, in the same conditions of heating used to induce mutations in dry cells and spores, indicated that approximately 30 molecules of purine are liberated per molecule of DNA, probably by the pyrolytic breakage of the N-glycosidic bond and/or destruction of the sugar. In solution and in the dry state, the nature and the extent of depurination of DNA by heat differs from that of the constituent deoxymononucleotides. Depurination, which appears to occur throughout the entire molecule of DNA, results in most conditions in a slightly greater liberation of guanine compared with adenine. The energies of activation of depurination of DNA in solution and in the dry state were calculated. The extent of depurination was unaffected by incorporation of 5-bromouracil into the DNA. Correlations between depurination and changes in the viscosity and transforming activity of DNA and the nature and extent of heat-induced mutational sites are discussed.
The distribution of free amino acids, glutamine, and glutamate in the southern armyworm, Prodenia eridania

Abstract Calculated on the basis of intracellular and haemolymph water, free amino acids in the southern armyworm, Prodenia eridania , are about equally distributed between larval fat body and haemolymph but their concentration is lower in the gut. Free glutamine and glutamate titres are about the same in the fat body, whereas in the gut and the haemolymph glutamine predominates. During adult development the levels of total ninhydrin-positive substances and the large extra increment thereof obtained by acid hydrolysis (‘peptides’) first drop abruptly, then increase to about the original values, and subsequently decrease gradually by ca. 40 per cent. A sharp decrease in free glutamine and glutamic acid also occurs early in adult development. The magnitude of the subsequent rise and fall in glutamine and glutamate levels is relatively greater than for the total amino acid ‘pool’.
Viridans Group Streptococcal Infections Among Children With Cancer and the Importance of Emerging Antibiotic Resistance

Viridans group streptococci (VGS) are major pathogens among children with cancer or receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality rates. The incidence and severity of VGS infections have increased during the past 15 years and account for as many as one third of all bacteremic episodes. Risk factors include severe neutropenia, mucositis, gastrointestinal toxicity, pneumonia, younger age, and high-intensity chemotherapy (especially cytosine arabinoside). VGS no longer can be assumed to be susceptible to penicillin because as many as 37 percent of VGS isolates harbor high levels of resistance (minimum inhibitory concentration >4 microg/mL). Furthermore, resistance to multiple classes of antibiotics, including beta-lactams and fluoroquinolones, has now been documented and is increasing in prevalence. In this article, we present a brief overview of VGS, describe the clinical spectrum of VGS-related diseases in children with cancer, and review the recent data regarding the incidence, clinical significance, and management of emerging antibiotic resistance among VGS.
Maximum likelihood estimation for a fractionally differenced autoregressive model on a two-dimensional lattice

Abstract A two-dimensional time series model with long-memory dependence is introduced. The model is based on a fractionally differenced autoregressive process (long-memory) combined with a standard p th order stationary autoregressive process (short-memory). The maximum likelihood estimators for the parameters in the model are derived and their asymptotic distributions are obtained. A novel feature of the derivations is that a new two-dimensional martingale representation is used.
Submodular function maximization via the multilinear relaxation and contention resolution schemes

We consider the problem of maximizing a non-negative submodular set function f:2N -> RR+ over a ground set N subject to a variety of packing type constraints including (multiple) matroid constraints, knapsack constraints, and their intersections. In this paper we develop a general framework that allows us to derive a number of new results, in particular when f may be a non-monotone function. Our algorithms are based on (approximately) solving the multilinear extension F of f [5] over a polytope P that represents the constraints, and then effectively rounding the fractional solution. Although this approach has been used quite successfully in some settings [6, 22, 24, 13, 3], it has been limited in some important ways. We overcome these limitations as follows.First, we give constant factor approximation algorithms to maximize F over an arbitrary down-closed polytope P that has an efficient separation oracle. Previously this was known only for monotone functions [36]. For non-monotone functions, a constant factor was known only when the polytope was either the intersection of a fixed number of knapsack constraints [24] or a matroid polytope [37,30]. Second, we show that contention resolution schemes are an effective way to round a fractional solution, even when f is non-monotone. In particular, contention resolution schemes for different polytopes can be combined to handle the intersection of different constraints. Via LP duality we show that a contention resolution scheme for a constraint is related to the correlation gap [1] of weighted rank functions of the constraint. This leads to an optimal contention resolution scheme for the matroid polytope.Our results provide a broadly applicable framework for maximizing linear and submodular functions subject to independence constraints. We give several illustrative examples. Contention resolution schemes may find other applications.
Coronary Angioplasty of Internal Mammary Artery Graft

The internal mammary artery is being increasingly utilized as a conduit for coronary artery bypass operations. Early stenosis of the mammary artery due to either surgical technique or early graft atherosclerosis is a problem that requires repeated bypass operations, with increased morbidity and mortality. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty appears to be an attractive therapeutic modality in the treatment of internal mammary artery graft stenosis and may be accomplished easily by either the femoral or brachial approach. Further follow-up studies are required to validate the long-term results of angioplasty of internal mammary artery grafts.
Effect of chain termination chemistry and molecular weight on dynamic wetting of polymer liquids

Abstract The dynamic wetting behavior of methyl- and hydroxyl-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane) with a range of molecular weights and viscosities is discussed. Direct imaging of the fluid/air interface within 20 μm of the contact line was used to probe this behavior. Models which account for the unique hydrodynamics near a moving contact line accurately describe the measured interface shapes. Our measurements provide a geometry-independent characterization of the dynamic contact angle and thus may be transferred to any macroscopic geometry. The dynamic wetting behavior is more sensitive to the chain termination chemistry than to the variations in molecular weight and viscosity. Implications for the unique hydrodynamics occurring near the contact line and governing the spreading are explored.
Identification of collaborative driver pathways in breast cancer

An important challenge in cancer biology is to computationally screen mutations in cancer cells, separating those that might drive cancer initiation and progression, from the much larger number of bystanders. Since mutations are large in number and diverse in type, the frequency of any particular mutation pattern across a set of samples is low. This makes statistical distinctions and reproducibility across different populations difficult to establish. In this paper we develop a novel method that promises to partially ameliorate these problems. The basic idea is although mutations are highly heterogeneous and vary from one sample to another, the processes that are disrupted when cells undergo transformation tend to be invariant across a population for a particular cancer or cancer subtype. Specifically, we focus on finding mutated pathway-groups that are invariant across samples of breast cancer subtypes. The identification of informative pathway-groups consists of two steps. The first is identification of pathways significantly enriched in genes containing non-synonymous mutations; the second uses pathways so identified to find groups that are functionally related in the largest number of samples. An application to 4 subtypes of breast cancer identified pathway-groups that can highly explicate a particular subtype and rich in processes associated with transformation. In contrast to previous methods that identify pathways across a set of samples without any further validation, we show that mutated pathway-groups can be found in each breast cancer subtype and that such groups are invariant across the majority of samples. The algorithm is available at http://www.visantnet.org/misi/MUDPAC.zip .
A Low Noise High Gain Bandwidth Charge Sensitive Preamplifier

The concept of the charge sensitive amplifier is discussed and a novel method for obtaining a high gain amplifier stage through the use of a positive current feedback dynamic plate load is described. It is shown that under certain conditions this type of feedback can provide increased bandwidth as well as increased low frequency gain. The schematic of a preamplifier embodying these principles is given and its performance is described. The measured noise, with no external capacitance, is 510 r.m.s. electrons for equal integration and differentiation time constants of 1 ?sec. The measured risetimes for closed loop gains of 100 and 1000 are 25 and 96 nanoseconds respectively. Linearity and gain sensitivity data are also included.
Monotonicity of Mangasarian's iterative algorithm for generalized linear complementarity problems

Abstract It is shown that Mangasarian's general iterative algorithm for solving the symmetric linear complementarity problem can be extended for solving generalized linear complementarity problems. The crucial feature of our generalized algorithm is monotonicity. With this property, we can prove the convergence. Finally the algorithm is tested for a singular stochastic control problem.
A new model for random X chromosome inactivation

X chromosome inactivation (XCI) reduces the number of actively transcribed X chromosomes to one per diploid set of autosomes, allowing for dosage equality between the sexes. In eutherians, the inactive X chromosome in XX females is randomly selected. The mechanisms for determining both how many X chromosomes are present and which to inactivate are unknown. To understand these mechanisms, researchers have created X chromosome mutations and transgenes. Here, we introduce a new model of X chromosome inactivation that aims to account for the findings in recent studies, to promote a re-interpretation of existing data and to direct future experiments.
Nuclear spins and moments: Fundamental structural information

Predictions for the low energy structure of well deformed odd-A Pm and Sm nuclei in the A ≈ 130 region are given, based on the particle-rotor model. Distinctive magnetic dipole properties (static moments and transition rates) are expected for certain Nilsson configurations, and comparisons to recent data are made for133Pm,135Sm and133Sm.
Redox-activated, hypoxia-selective DNA cleavage by quinoxaline 1,4-di-N-oxide

Quinoxaline 1,4-dioxide (4) is the historical prototype for modern heterocyclic N-oxide antitumor agents such as 3-amino-1,2,4-benzotriazine 1,4-dioxide (tirapazamine, 1) and 3-amino-2-quinoxalinecarbonitrile 1,4-dioxide (11). Early experiments in bacterial cell lines suggested that enzymatic, single-electron reduction of quinoxaline 1,4-dioxides under low-oxygen (hypoxic) conditions leads to DNA damage. Here the ability of quinoxaline 1,4-dioxide to cleave DNA has been explicitly characterized using in vitro assays. The hypoxia-selective DNA-cleaving properties of 4 reported here may provide a chemical basis for understanding the cytotoxic and mutagenic activities of various quinoxaline 1,4-dioxide antibiotics.
Distributed electrical time domain reflectometry (ETDR) structural sensors: design models and proof-of-concept experiments

A parametric design model has been created to optimize the sensitivity of the sensing cable in a distributed sensing system. The system consists of electrical time domain reflectometry (ETDR) signal processing equipment and specially designed sensing cables. The ETDR equipment sends a high-frequency electric pulse (in the giga hertz range) along the sensing cable. Some portion of the electric pulse will be reflected back to the ETDR equipment as a result of the variation of the cable impedance. The electric impedance variation in the sensing cable can be related to its mechanical deformation, such as cable elongation (change in the resistance), shear deformation (change in the capacitance), corrosion of the cable or the materials around the cable (change in inductance and capacitance), etc. The time delay, amplitude, and shape of the reflected pulse provides the means to locate, determine the magnitude, and indicate the nature of the change in the electrical impedance, which is then related to the distributed structural deformation. The sensing cables are an essential part of the health-monitoring system. By using the parametric design model, the optimum cable parameters can be determined for specific deformation. Proof-of-concept experiments also are presented in the paper to demonstrate the utility of an electrical TDR system in distributed sensing applications.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Multi-modal information processing for visual workload relief

The simultaneous performance of two single-dimensional compensatory tracking tasks, one with the left hand and one with the right hand, is discussed. The tracking performed with the left hand was considered the primary task and was performed with a visual display or a quickened kinesthetic-tactual (KT) display. The right-handed tracking was considered the secondary task and was carried out only with a visual display. Although the two primary task displays had afforded equivalent performance in a critical tracking task performed alone, in the dual-task situation the quickened KT primary display resulted in superior secondary visual task performance. Comparisons of various combinations of primary and secondary visual displays in integrated or separated formats indicate that the superiority of the quickened KT display is not simply due to the elimination of visual scanning. Additional testing indicated that quickening per se also is not the immediate cause of the observed KT superiority.
FEMOD: a consultative expert system for finite element modeling

Abstract This paper describes an expert system FEMOD, which serves as a consultant for finite element modeling. FEMOD gives the designer advice in modeling for a special finite element program EAL. It contains rules for selection of elements, node selection, mesh generation, selection of subdivision lines, and mesh refinement. The structure of the knowledge base, knowledge representation, and inference engine used in this system are presented. The present capabilities of this expert system are discussed and demonstrated with example problems.
Based on Direct Thrust Control for Linear Synchronous Motor Systems

The direct thrust control (DTC) has been utilized as a general formalism methodology for permanent-magnet linear synchronous motors (PMLSMs). The imposition control policies did not seem to handle the inherent flux linkage problems. This paper will try to propose a solution for the problems. This paper presents a genetic PI parameters generator and a new DTC policy for the motor control systems. Moreover, this paper also proposes a new switching table which can assist in selecting the optimum voltage vectors for the control system. The advantage of the proposed approach is that the clear presentation of the system behavior and readiness for implementation. Finally, some results of the simulation and the experiment both are met as expected. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first work that employs DTC to implement on a real-world PMLSM which is starting at arbitrary positions and can be allowed moving in the full route.
Analytic modeling of gain‐switched lasers. II. Laser amplifiers

The pulse transfer characteristics of gain‐switched laser amplifiers are investigated analytically. New closed‐form solutions have been obtained including arbitrary space‐ and time‐dependent pump distributions. The general results are specialzied to the important cases of uniform and traveling‐wave excitation. Input‐pulse shapes considered include step functions, practial oscillator output pulses, and also the inherent spontaneous‐emission noise. The results lead to improved models for pulse amplifiers and mirrorless traveling‐wave lasers. By proper choice of pump characteristics arbitrary output‐pulse waveforms can be synthesized.
Polarization formalisms and experiments

Abstract The general polarization structure of observables and amplitudes is discussed in the optimal formalism and compared to other standard formalisms. Particular attention is given to showing that for experimental programs the optimal formalism is no more complex than the traditional formalisms, is more flexible for accommodating experimental and dynamical constraints, and provides the most transparent connection between observables and dynamics.