cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a Deep Learning Algorithm for the Histopathologic Diagnosis and Gleason Grading of Prostate Cancer Biopsies: A Pilot Study.

Abstract Background The pathologic diagnosis and Gleason grading of prostate cancer are time-consuming, error-prone, and subject to interobserver variability. Machine learning offers opportunities to improve the diagnosis, risk stratification, and prognostication of prostate cancer. Objective To develop a state-of-the-art deep learning algorithm for the histopathologic diagnosis and Gleason grading of prostate biopsy specimens. Design, setting, and participants A total of 85 prostate core biopsy specimens from 25 patients were digitized at 20× magnification and annotated for Gleason 3, 4, and 5 prostate adenocarcinoma by a urologic pathologist. From these virtual slides, we sampled 14 803 image patches of 256 × 256 pixels, approximately balanced for malignancy. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis We trained and tested a deep residual convolutional neural network to classify each patch at two levels: (1) coarse (benign vs malignant) and (2) fine (benign vs Gleason 3 vs 4 vs 5). Model performance was evaluated using fivefold cross-validation. Randomization tests were used for hypothesis testing of model performance versus chance. Results and limitations The model demonstrated 91.5% accuracy (p Conclusions In this study, a deep learning-based computer vision algorithm demonstrated excellent performance for the histopathologic diagnosis and Gleason grading of prostate cancer. Patient summary We developed a deep learning algorithm that demonstrated excellent performance for the diagnosis and grading of prostate cancer.
Michigan Ophthalmology Pipeline: Exploring a Mentorship Model to Increase Diversity in Ophthalmology

Background Ethnic concordance between physicians and patients improves compliance and therapeutic benefit. Current literature shows a lack of diversity within ophthalmology. Thus, we aimed to develop a longitudinal mentorship program between first year ophthalmology residents (PGY2s) and first year medical students (M1s) coming from minority communities underrepresented in medicine (URM) to provide early exposure to the field. Methods M1 members of URM organizations were recruited and paired with PGY2 ophthalmology residents in a mentorship program between 2017 and 2019. All participants were surveyed twice annually. Results All 2017 M1s stated increased interest in ophthalmology, felt “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the program, and completed all requirements. At the year-end, the mean educational value of the program for 2017 M1s was rated 4.33/5, and interest in ophthalmology 4.67/5. Quality of the clinical experiences for 2017 PGY2s 3.5/5, and the overall effectiveness of the program 3.5/5. At the year-end, the average educational value of the program for 2018 M1s was 4.4/5, and interest in ophthalmology 4.0/5. Quality of the clinical experiences for 2018 PGY2s was 3.1/5, and the overall effectiveness of the program was 3.4/5. Conclusion Our “pipeline” program represents an ongoing effort to increase URM interest in ophthalmology. Continued assessment to identify areas for growth and improvement can optimize the program to aid other programs in initiating efforts to tackle this important issue.
Unlimited-ride bike-share pass pricing revenue management for casual riders using only public data

Abstract Despite the proliferation of publicly available Big Data in Mobility-as-a-Service systems, few studies in the urban mobility service literature deal with unlimited usage price plan strategies. We conduct an experimental case study to design such a strategy: an unlimited-ride X-Day pass pricing for bike-share usage especially targeting short-term casual users. Public data from Citi Bike is used to estimate a pass choice model for bike-share services. As disaggregate data for riders have not been available due to privacy concerns, their travel behaviors are veiled and kept confidential. The estimation is made possible using bootstrap method to resample average numbers of daily trips for individuals from coefficients of a linear regression model that distributes daily trips to 1-Day and 3-Day Pass users. The analysis suggests 1-Day Pass users make 2.8 trips per day at an average cost of $4.29/trip while 3-Day Pass users make 1.8 trips per day at an average cost of $4.47/trip. The estimated pass choice model from the choice-based sample has a cost per trip coefficient of −2.884. The model is used in designing a new pricing plan of ($18.50, $12) for (3-Day, 1-Day) compared to a benchmark of ($24, $12). By using only public data, we can nonetheless show that this pricing plan should increase monthly revenue for Citi Bike by at least 5.5% and increase consumer surplus by at least $0.09/trip/short-term pass customer.
A Block-Based Non-Orthogonal Multicarrier Scheme

In this work, we investigate the characteristics of spectrally efficient frequency division multiplexing (SEFDM). We prove that as the number of sub-carriers goes to infinity, the system model becomes rank-deficient and the number of zero eigenvalues is proportional to the frequency compression factor. We propose to transmit the superimposed symbols through the non-zero eigenvalues using proper power allocation. At the receiver side, we apply the block-wise zero forcing with successive interference cancellation (ZF-SIC) detection method and an approximation of the symbol error rate performance is provided. We compare the performance of the proposed method with that of the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) method in additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) and frequency selective channels.
OPTIMIZING AORTIC FLOW QUANTIFICATION BYMRI IN PATIENTS WITH AORTIC VALVE DISEASE

Optimizing MRI aortic flow quantification is crucial for accurately assessing valvular disease. We aimed at comparing the accuracy of a novel method of contouring systolic aortic forward flow to standard contouring methods at various aortic levels, in patients with aortic valve (AoV) disease.
Finding Next High-Quality Passenger Based on Spatio-Temporal Big Data

Finding high-quality passenger can provide timely recommendations for taxi drivers, thus decreasing the waiting time of passengers and increasing the cab driver’s efficiency. This paper proposes a high-quality passenger recommendation model which combines the value evaluation formula of non-occupied status and clustering. Firstly, the GPS big data of taxi is preprocessed to get the trajectory data by Map Reduce, which is simple, clean and labeled with status. Then, every trajectory pick-up point is extracted, and the profits of pick-up point set is calculated by using the formula considering non-occupied status. At the same time, the density based clustering method DBSCAN clustering is used for different value of pickup points. Finally, the top high probability passenger area with high value is extracted as the recommended result. In this paper, the rea110357 taxis equipping GPS in Beijing collected the big trajectory data as the experimental dataset, using our method to calculate and recommend, the results show that it can accurately predict the high-quality passenger area, further to significantly improve the income of taxi drivers and reduce the waiting time of passengers.
Souvenirs and travel guides: Cognition, culture, and grieving public figures

Abstract The deaths of public figures produce a variety of emotional reactions. While bereavement research has explored mourning family or close friends, this literature does little to address grieving public figures. Similarly, research on how people relate to public figures provides an incomplete picture of the associations possible. This study relies on interviews with people who had a memorable reaction to the death of a public figure to explore how these individuals related to that figure. Results indicate two primary reactions: Grief (disruption and sharp pain) and Melancholy (distraction and dull ache). Respondents reported symbolic associations between the figure and some meaning they had incorporated into their distributed cognitive framework. I argue that emotional reactions to the death of a public figure are an affective signal of disruption to the individual's cognitive functioning caused by the loss of meaning maintained by the figure as a material cultural symbol. The variations in kind and intensity of reaction are related to the cognitive function and cognitive salience of the lost meaning, respectively. This research highlights how individuals can rely on public figures as cultural objects that support and augment their meaning-making process.
Separation and preconcentration of perrhenate from ionic solutions by ion exchange chromatography.

Abstract Technetium poses an environmental hazard because of its radioactivity and long half-life. It exists in the form of pertechnetate in the environment and can be modeled by the nonradioactive ion perrhenate, since pertechnetate and perrhenate have the same geometry and similar chemical properties. In this research, a new zinc cyclen resorcinarene cavitand (ZCR) column was used in ion chromatography (IC) to efficiently separate perrhenate. Ion chromatography has the advantage of requiring almost no sample preparation for water samples. The ZCR column demonstrated the ability to separate anions: fluoride, chloride, nitrate, sulfate, phosphate, perchlorate, and perrhenate by gradient 2–60 mM NaOH. Unlike other columns, the new column material was selective in retaining perrhenate. The ZCR column also gave a linear range from 2.0 to 1000 mg L−1 for perrhenate with R2 > 0.997. There was a logarithmic relationship between the concentration of perrhenate and its retention time. Excellent perrhenate recovery was achieved on the ZCR column when river water was spiked with perrhenate and perrhenate was preconcentrated. The efficient separations of perrhenate by the ZCR column will potentially assist in pertechnetate separations.
Informal Recreation’s Relationship With College Student Stress and Anxiety

In this study, 18 undergraduate college students were interviewed and identified academics, work, and relationships as primary sources of stress and anxiety. The students attributed their reduced s...
Rotational and fine structure of open-shell molecules in nearly degenerate electronic states. II. Interpretation of experimentally determined interstate coupling parameters of alkoxy radicals.

Rotationally and fine-structure resolved B←X laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) spectra of alkoxy radicals have been simulated with a “coupled two-states model” [J. Liu, J. Chem. Phys. 148, 124112 (2018)], in which the nearly degenerate X and A states are considered together. These two electronic states are separated by the “difference potential” and coupled by the spin–orbit (SO) interaction and the Coriolis interaction. Molecular constants determined in fitting the LIF spectra using the coupled two-states model provide quantitative insight into the SO and Coriolis interactions, as well as other intramolecular dynamics, including the pseudo-Jahn–Teller effect. The spectroscopic model also allows semi-quantitative prediction of effective spin-rotation constants using molecular geometry and SO constants, which can be calculated ab initio with considerable accuracy. The dependence of fit values of molecular constants on the size and conformation of alkoxy radicals is discussed.
Brd4-bound enhancers drive critical sex differences in glioblastoma

Abstract Sex can be an important determinant of cancer phenotype and exploring sex-specific tumor biology holds promise for identifying novel therapeutic targets and new approaches to cancer treatment. In an established model of glioblastoma, we discovered transcriptome-wide sexual dimorphism in gene-expression that was concordant with sex differences in H3K27ac marks, large Brd4-bound enhancer usage, and Brd4 localization to Myc and p53 genomic binding sites. The sex-specific enhancer usage drove sex differences in stem cell function and tumorigenicity. Moreover, male and female GBM cells exhibited opposing responses to pharmacological or genetic inhibition of Brd4. Brd4 knockdown or inhibition decreased male GBM cell clonogenicity and in vivo tumorigenesis, while increasing both in female GBM cells. These results were validated in male and female patient-derived GBM cell lines. Thus, for the first time, Brd4 activity is revealed to drive a sexually dimorphic stem cell and tumorigenic phenotype, resulting in diametrically opposite responses to BET inhibition in male and female glioblastoma cells. This has critical implications for the clinical evaluation and use of BET inhibitors. Statement of significance Sex-specific Brd4 activity is demonstrated to drive sex differences in GBM and render male and female tumor cells differentially sensitive to BET inhibitors. This has critical implications for clinical use of this class of drugs.
Nation and Responsibility: The King and His Soldiers in Shakespeare’s Henry V:

Who bears responsibility for the actions of a city or state? Is it the entity that we sometimes call a nation? Or the individual members of the nation? Shakespeare’s Henry V includes a brief interc...
The Structure of Groups

The application of group theory to cryptography discussed in the previous chapter utilized abelian groups, i.e., groups whose operation satisfies the commutative property. Nonabelian groups have also found application in many areas including cryptography, chemistry, physics, and even in interior and exterior decorating (wallpaper patterns and frieze patterns, respectively) as we’ll see in the final chapter of this text. The present chapter develops some general structure theory of groups essential to these applications.
9 The Liu Clan’s ‘Flesh and Bone’: The Foundation of Liu An’s Vision of Empire

The vision of empire outlined in this chapter endorses the model implemented by the most noteworthy progenitor of the Liu clan's 'flesh and bone'. Specifically, part of the empire is to be governed by means of a commandery system, yet the majority of the realm, including the kingdom of Huainan, would continue to be administered through the traditional practice of enfeoffing the Liu kinsmen. Therefore, "Discourses on the Boundless" emphasizes that what distinguishes Emperor Gaozu and his reign from the current leadership and present circumstances of Liu An's time was his ability to adapt, both innovatively and efficaciously, in accord with the exigencies of the age. Indeed, this capacity to change with the times is highly valued in "Discourses on the Boundless" and in the Huainanzi as a whole. Michael Puett explains that, historically, there were 'ambivalent consequences' of these technological and cultural innovations according to the Huainanzi's authors. Keywords: Emperor Gaozu; Huainanzi ; kingdom of Huainan; Liu An; Liu clan's flesh and bone; Liu kinsmen; Michael Puett; vision of empire
Wireless Power Transmission in a Space Environment

Microwave power transmission for supplying electric power to space station complex for performing scientific experiments over long periods in earth orbits
The experimental production of intersexuality in the female rat

Abstract The production of intersexed rats by the administration of male sex hormone to the pregnant mothers of these animals is reported. The embryonic development of genetic females is so modified that uteri, oviducts, and upper vagina; combined with epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, ejaculatory ducts, the various prostatic lobes, Cowper's glands, and a penis are found in the same adult animals. Indicative evidence that the lower part of the vagina is derived from the urogenital sinus in the rat is presented. It is suggested that an excess of androgenic substance in the human pregnant organism may be the causal factor in the production of some human intersexes.
Coverage In Heterogeneous Sensor Networks

In this paper we study the problem of coverage in heterogeneous planar sensor networks. Coverage as a performance metric, quantifies the quality of monitoring provided by the sensor network. We formulate the problem of coverage as a set intersection problem arising in Integral Geometry, and derive analytical expressions for stochastic coverage. Our formulation allows us to consider a heterogeneous sensing model, where sensors need not have an identical sensing capability. In addition, our approach is applicable to scenarios where the sensing area of each sensor has arbitrary shape and sensors are deployed according to any distribution. We present analytical expressions only for convex sensing areas, however, our results can be generalized to non-convex areas. The validity of our expressions is verified by extensive simulations.
Forgiveness and Retribution: Responding to Wrongdoing

1. Introduction and overview 2. The nature of forgiveness and resentment 3. The moral analysis of the attitudes of forgiveness and resentment defined 4. The moral analysis of the attitudes of self-forgiveness and self-condemnation 5. Philosophical underpinnings of the basic attitudes: forgiveness, resentment, and the nature of persons 6. Moral theory: justice and desert 7. The public response to wrongdoing 8. Restorative justice: the public response to wrongdoing and the process of addressing the wrong.
Electrodiagnosis of ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (Une): a Bayesian approach.

Introduction: In ulnar neuropathy at the elbow (UNE), we determined how electrodiagnostic cutoffs [across-elbow ulnar motor conduction velocity slowing (AECV-slowing), drop in across-elbow vs. forearm CV (AECV-drop)] depend on pretest probability (PreTP). Methods: Fifty clinically defined UNE patients and 50 controls underwent ulnar conduction testing recording abductor digiti minimi (ADM) and first dorsal interosseous (FDI), stimulating wrist, below-elbow, and 6-, 8-, and 10-cm more proximally. For various PreTPs of UNE, the cutoffs required to confirm UNE (defined as posttest probability = 95%) were determined with receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves and Bayes Theorem. Results: On ROC and Bayesian analyses, the ADM 10-cm montage was optimal. For PreTP = 0.25, the confirmatory cutoffs were >23 m/s (AECV-drop), and 14 m/s, and <47 m/s, respectively. Conclusions: (1) In UNE, electrodiagnostic cutoffs are critically dependent on PreTP; rigid cutoffs are problematic. (2) AE distances should be standardized and at least 10 cm. Muscle Nerve 49:337–344, 2014
Cardiac Sarcolemmal Substrate of the cGMP-Dependent Protein Kinase

Cardiac sarcolemmae from guinea pig ventricles were purified and incubated with cGMP-dependent protein kinase. In the presence of the purified kinase plus 10−5M cGMP or 8-Br-cGMP, a protein of approximately 50 kD, (Kilodalton) was phosphorylated. This membrane-associated cGMP-dependent protein kinase substrate is similar in MW to the regulatory subunit of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase, which is known to be a substrate for the cGMP-dependent protein kinase. Thus, this substrate, the identity of which remains to be proven, may be a possible mediator of cGMP-mediated control of cardiac function.
How to Judge What Can’t be Seen and Touched? The Contingent Effect of Media Reputation on Young Firms’ Access to Venture Capital

This study explores the differential benefits of media reputation for young firms obtaining venture capital (VC) under different levels of technical and market uncertainty. The analyses of the media reputation and VC funding of 414 information technology firms show that media reputation has a positive effect on the amount of VC funding they receive. This effect is particularly pronounced under conditions of market optimism, when VC investors are pressed to disburse more capital and to evaluate a larger number of young firms in a short period of time. The study contributes to reputation research and practice by drawing attention to the contingent benefits of reputation depending on the industry context in which stakeholders evaluate and compare competing firms.
Robust Control of a Vessel Using Camera Feedback and Extended Kalman Filter

This paper presents the implementation of a robust position tracking control law for an underactuated autonomous surface vessel. The robust control law is developed based on the sliding mode approach where a first order sliding surface is defined in terms of surge and a second order one in terms of lateral motion tracking errors. The control law uses a simple three-degree-of-freedom planar vessel model with two actuator inputs. The vessel is a small model boat with two propellers in a small indoor pool. The position and orientation of the boat is measured using a camera and with two infrared diodes attached the front and end of the boat. An Extended Kalman Filter is designed to estimate all the unmeasured states and filter out the measurement noise. A computer with controller board processes the camera image, calculates the control inputs, and sends the control signal to a two channel wireless receiver on the vessel using a wireless transmitter. The relationship between the distorted camera image and the vessel actual position as well as the relation between motor input voltage and propeller force are derived through experimental calibrations. An experiment is performed where the vessel follows a predefined straight-line trajectory.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Water and abrasive effects on three - body wear of composites

The degrees of in vitro three-body wear resistance of a hybrid, a small-particle, and a microfilled composite were determined after water storage for up to 24 months. The hybrid composite was the most wear-resistant, while the microfilled composite showed the most wear. The hybrid composite showed no loss of wear resistance as a result of water storage. The small-particle composite showed a decrease in wear resistance after water storage only when tested with silicon carbide abrasive. The wear resistance of the microfilled composite decreased following water storage when tested with either a soft (CaCO3) or a hard (SiC) abrasive. For all composites, the soft abrasive was not capable of causing preferential wear of the polymer matrix, as observed on in vivo specimens. Instead, the filler particles became flattened, with minimal loss of interparticle substance. The hard abrasive did cause preferential wear of the matrix. All composites absorbed water and leached silicon during water storage, indicating that...
The Identification and Isolation of Two Mouse-Toxic Protein Components in Extracts' from Pasteurella pestis.

The toxin activity of Pasteurella pestis cells, strain "Tjiwidej," was found to be associated with two proteins. Using a disc electrophoresis technique in conjunction with mouse lethality, two toxic proteins were isolated exhibiting intraperitoneal LD50's of less than 1.0 to 1.5 µg protein. Each produced a single characteristic precipitin band on agar gel diffusion plates. The slower migrating toxin in gel diffusion or disc electrophoresis was designated as toxin A. It was shown to be sensitive to deoxycholate and digitonin, did not accumulate in 5-fluorotryptophan treated cells, and was associated with the membrane fraction of the cell. The faster migrating toxin B, apparently is resistant to surface-active agents, and is not affected by treatment of cells with 5-fluorotryptophan. Toxin B is associated with the soluble or cytoplasmic fraction of the cell. This evidence suggested that each toxin represented a distinctly different molecular species. The possibility is discussed that toxin B is synonymous with the murine toxin previously isolated by paper curtain electrophoresis which revealed only one antigen band in the Oudin precipitin reaction.
Anchoring errors in clinical‐like judgments

Anchoring errors occur when the final judgment in a series is biased in the direction of the initial judgment. Subjects (142 undergraduates) made sequential judgments about each of four cases (Alcohol Abuse, Anxiety, Depression, Antisocial Behavior). After each of five segments of case material, subjects rated the case's severity and prognosis and their own confidence in these judgments. It was found that initial judgments significantly predicted most of the later judgments, which demonstrated the anchoring effect. The anchoring effect occurred most strongly for the Antisocial and Anxiety cases, moderately for the Alcohol case, and only modestly for the Depression case. Contrary to expectation, confidence was related negatively to the occurrence of the anchoring effect; that is, anchoring was highest when confidence was low. Implications of this study are discussed.
Improved Syntheses of Vinyl Imidazoles1

Abstract A series of vinylimidazoles were synthesized via Wittig reactions on N-tritylimidazole-4-carboxaldehyde. Activated phosphonate ylids afforded yields in excess of 90% while the yields from unactivated ylids ranged from 10–82%. The trityl group may be removed by mild acid hydrolysis in high yield.
The Relation between Work–Family Conflict and Job Satisfaction: A Finer-Grained Analysis

Abstract The relation between work–family conflict (WFC) and job satisfaction was examined using a six-dimensional measure of WFC and both global and summed facet (i.e., composite) measures of job satisfaction. Data were gathered from 160 hospital employees who were married, living with a partner, or had at least one child or dependent living at home and worked a minimum of 20 h/week. The results indicated that WFC related significantly to both types of job satisfaction, but the relation was significantly stronger to composite job satisfaction than to global job satisfaction. When considering all three forms of conflict simultaneously (time-based, strain-based, and behavior-based), regression results revealed that behavior-based was the only form of conflict significantly related to job satisfaction. The results underscore the importance of considering both the form and direction of WFC and suggest several practical implications for organizations.
Novel Filter for Biological Materials

Thin plastic sieves with precisely controlled hole size and density can be made by irradiating plastic films with fission fragments and etching out the material traversed by the fragments. These filters may be used for the nondestructive separation of cells of closely similar sizes.
Optoelectronic ISAR processing

A 3D formulation of inverse synthetic aperture (ISAR) is presented showing how the various geometry and motion parameters determine the image generation properties. We then show how the arbitrary formatting capability of an opto-electronic processor can be used to format the data in such a way as to focus the image. The focusing parameters are found from tracking prominent points in the radar data itself and using rigid body constraints imposed on the data. The opto-electronic processor is particularly suited for generated image data such as found with ISAR. The processor is a time-integrating architecture that uses acousto-optic scanners for arbitrary formatting and a modified Kosters interferometer for stable Fourier transformation. This research is being funded by the Office of Naval Research.
Analytical representation of spot diagrams and its application to the design of monochromators

Abstract A new method has been developed for the design of a highly sophisticated monochromator equipped with a holographic or a ruled grating with variable spacing and curved grooves. The method utilizes analytical expression of the spot diagrams, as well as a merit function which closely represents the rms spread of the spots formed when an infinite number of rays are traced. Unlike other design methods based on the light path function, the present method takes into account all the possible aberrations (up to third order) in spectral images, the ruled area, and the slit height. Also given are design examples of a high-resolution VUV monochromator.
Isolation and characterization of euphorbain 1, a proteinase from the latex of Euphorbia lathyris

Abstract An enzyme showing some selectivity for bonds adjacent to leucine residues has been isolated as a homogeneous protein of molecular weight 43 000 from the latex of Euphorbia lathyris and is called euphorbain 1. Maximum protease activity was found at pH 7–7.5 and the pI is 4.9. The enzyme, unlike many previously studied proteases from plant sources, does not have a cysteinyl active centre, but is inhibited by diisopropyl fluorophosphate, suggesting that there is serine at the active site. The amino acid composition of euphorbain is reported, and is strikingly similar to that of cocoonase.
Source-Destination Cultural Differences, Immigrants’ Skill Levels, and Immigrant Stocks: Evidence from Six OECD Member Countries

Examining data for 79 immigrant source countries and six OECD member destination countries during the years 1975–2000, we find that source-destination cultural differences inhibit international migration. We also report that existing immigrant stocks act to offset, at least in part, the migration-inhibiting effects of cultural differences. Employing educational attainment as a proxy for skill, we find variation across low-, medium-, and high-skilled immigrant cohorts both with respect to the cultural distance-migration relationship and in terms of the extent to which existing immigrant stocks offset the influence of cultural differences. Our results appear robust to econometric techniques, sample composition, and endogeneity issues.
Insulin-like Growth Factor-I (IGF-I) Prevents Amphotericin B (AmpB)-induced Apoptosis in Renal Cell Lines • 1699

AmpB-induced renal toxicity and electrolyte losses limit treatment of fungal sepsis. Programmed cell death (apoptosis, AP) in specific renal cells may account for this phenomenon. Moreover, IGF-I prevents DNA fragmentation in injured immortalized LLCPK cells. This study determined if AmpB induces AP in renal cell lines and whether IGF-I prevents this effect. Early passages of proximal tubular cells (LLCPK), renal medullary interstitial cells (RMIC) and rat mesangial cells (ARMC) were exposed to AmpB concentrations corresponding to renal tissue levels obtained during therapy. Cell cultures were either treated with 0.5, 1.0, 2.5, 5 or 10 mcg/ml of AmpB alone for one hour or pretreated with IGF-I (50, 100mcg/ml) for 12 hours prior to AmpB exposure. Apoptotic cells were detected microscopically via in situ end labeling of DNA fragmentation (TUNEL). LLCPK and RMIC cell lines revealed dose dependent fragmentation of DNA at 0.5, 1 and 2.5 mcg/ml, while AmpB had no effect in ARMC, and led to necrosis in all three cell lines at 5 and 10 mcg/ml. LLCPK and RMIC lines pretreated with IGF-I (50, 100 mcg/ml) for 12 hours prior to exposure to AmpB had significantly fewer apoptotic nuclei. The apoptotic index(# of cells with apoptotic nuclei/# of cells counted × 100) in LLCPK and RMIC lines were as follows (mean± SEM; ANOVA with Bonferroni correction,*p < 0.05): Table Results reveal that IGF-I prevents AP induced by AmpB in LLCPK and RMIC lines in a dose dependent fashion. In conclusion, pretreatment with IGF-I may prevent AmpB-induced renal toxicity thus permitting a more efficacious use of AmpB in the treatment of fungal sepsis.
Proportional Assist Ventilation (PAV): A New Strategy for Mechanical Ventilation in Low Birth Weight Infants. † 1038

During PAV, the airway pressure increases in proportion to inspiratory flow and tidal volume throughout each spontaneous inspiration such that partial respiratory unloading of airway resistance and lung elastic recoil are induced. In contrast, fixed inflation pressure and timing profiles are imposed during Assist/Control (AC) and Conventional Mechanical Ventilation (CV). We compared PAV, AC, and CV in a randomized, three period crossover study.
User behavior upon introduction of a network help system

An online help system, called ICNHELP, was implemented on the large Los Alamos Integrated Computing Network. Users from three different operating systems could quickly access summary information on network capabilities. Usage was monitored for a five-month period, and users were given the opportunity to comment online. There were three times as many accesses as users. Most users accessed ICNHELP to jog their memories about specific command information, but a high number used it as a browsing tool to learn about network capabilities. The study reveals that the user interface is important in user acceptance of an online user assistance tool, but the established patterns of user behavior and mode of advertising also strongly affect the success of the system.
Influence of mitral valve repair versus replacement on the development of late functional tricuspid regurgitation

Objectives To study the determinants of functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) progression after surgical correction of mitral regurgitation, including the influence of mitral valve (MV) repair (MVr) versus replacement (MVR) for degenerative mitral regurgitation. Methods From January 1995 to January 2006, 747 adults with MV prolapse underwent isolated MVr (n = 683) or MVR (n = 64; mechanical in 32). The mean age was 60.8 years, and 491 were men (66.0%). Moderate preoperative functional TR was present in 115 (15.4%). The MVR group had a greater likelihood of New York Heart Association class III or IV (75.0% vs 34.4%, P P = .002), a lower left ventricular ejection fraction (61.0% vs 65.2%, P P = .001). The patients were monitored for a mean of 6.9 years (MVr) or 7.7 years (MVR; P = .075). Results During late follow-up, no difference was found between the groups in the development of moderately severe or severe TR: 1 to 5 years (3.0% vs 3.3%, P = .91) and >5 years (6.1% vs 6.5%; P = .93). The univariate predictors of severe TR after 5 years were older age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.1; P = .011), female gender (HR, 6.86; P = .005), higher pulmonary artery pressure (HR, 1.05; P = .022), and larger left atrial size (HR, 2.11; P = .035). Two patients (0.26%) who had undergone initial MVr required reoperation for late functional TR. Another 2 patients had had the tricuspid valve addressed concurrent with reoperation for MVr failure. No tricuspid reoperations were required in the MVR group. Conclusions The risk of TR progression was low after MVr or MVR for MV prolapse. Timely MV surgery before the development of left atrial dilatation or pulmonary hypertension could further decrease the risk of TR progression during follow-up.
Intestinal absorption in ducklings (Anasplatyrhynchos) maintained on fresh water and hypertonic saline

Abstract 1. 1. Mucosal water and Na + transfer was measured in everted sacs of intestine from ducklings maintained on fresh water and sea water. 2. 2. The water and Na + transfer increased in sacs from ducklings maintained on sea water for 1 day compared with fresh-water birds. 3. 3. Treatment with spironolactone prevented this increase. 4. 4. Increases were sustained in all segments of intestine throughout a 4-day period of maintenance on sea water. 5. 5. When re-exposed to fresh water, water transfer remained high for 24 hr but declined to the fresh-water value after 3 days.
High resolution chirped pulse lidar with spectral phase modulation for two fold improvement in range resolution

Lidar systems are important for performing many different tasks such as remote sensing, altimetry and imaging. Chirped pulsed lidar systems employing chirped fiber Bragg gratings (CFBGs) for long distance, high resolution ranging and velocimetry have been demonstrated [1–3]. Broadband CFBGs with dispersions of up to 2 ns/nm across the C-band have recently become commercially available. However, due to imperfections and noise in the grating fabrication process, larger dispersion values come at the price of larger ripple in the group delay. In this paper, we demonstrate a technique that utilizes spectral phase modulation to remove the group delay ripple (GDR) of a CFBG while maintaining a dispersion of 1651 ps/nm across the C-band. The GDR removal is experimentally verified by utilizing the linearly chirped, GDR-free optical pulse train in a chirped pulse lidar setup where a two-fold improvement in the lidar range resolution is observed. In the future, this approach may be used to achieve range resolution of a few hundred micrometers over target distances greater than 10 km, and also for doubling the resolution of chirped pulse Doppler velocity measurements [2, 3].
Laparoscopic pyloromyotomy: a safer technique.

A modified technique of laparoscopic pyloromyotomy was used to treat infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis. Introducing a 5-mm periumbilical port for visualization, two stab wounds are made on either side laterally to directly insert 2.7-mm instruments for manipulation. From the left, the stomach is grasped – not the duodenum! From the right, an inexpensive disposable arthroscopy knife is used to incise the serosa and begin the myotomy, which is completed with a laparoscopic spreader until the muscle is separated sufficiently to relieve the obstruction. Twenty-nine children treated with laparoscopic pyloromyotomy were compared to 125 children treated with the conventional open Ramstedt pyloromyotomy. There were no statistically significant differences in the presentation or results between groups, suggesting that the laparoscopic technique is a safe and equal alternative.
Nephropathic cystinosis with central nervous system involvement

Nephropathic cystinosis is associated with end-stage renal failure, retinal damage, and hypothyroidism. Patients may now survive past the first decade of life with the use of dialysis and renal transplantation. Examination of a 24-year-old woman with this disorder revealed ovarian failure, mildly abnormal results on a glucose tolerance test, intermittent confusion, short-term memory loss, and cerebral atrophy on computerized axial tomography. Autopsy examination at age 25 years revealed cystine storage in multiple tissues including the atrophic ovaries, pancreatic islet cells, the aorta, and the brain. Dysfunction of multiple organ systems may develop in patients with cystinosis who survive into adulthood. This emphasizes the need for a systemic therapy for cystinosis.
Genome Sequence of the Autotrophic Acetogen Clostridium autoethanogenum JA1-1 Strain DSM 10061, a Producer of Ethanol from Carbon Monoxide

Clostridium autoethanogenum is an anaerobic, autotrophic acetogen that is capable of converting CO and CO2 into ethanol and acetate. Here we report the draft genome sequence of C. autoethanogenum JA1-1 strain DSM 10061 (4.5 Mbp; G+C content, 37.5%) and the findings obtained from annotation of the genome sequence.
Charge distribution on thin semiconducting silicon nanowires

The subject of this paper is the calculation of charge distribution on and inside thin semiconducting silicon nanowires in electrostatic problems, by a coupled finite and boundary element method (FEM/BEM). A hybrid semi-classical (Laplace/Poisson) model is employed and a line model (with finite thickness) for a silicon nanowire of circular cross-section is proposed here. This model overcomes the problem of dealing with nearly singular matrices that occur when the standard BEM is applied to very thin features (objects or gaps). This new approach is also very efficient. Numerical results are presented for selected examples.
Obesidad en escolares extremeños

Introduccion Analizar la prevalencia de obesidad detectada en los escolares extremenos cotejando los datos bajo diferentes aspectos geograficos: nuestra zona basica de salud (ZBS) y area de salud, comunidad autonoma y entornos rural y urbano; su tendencia secular y, finalmente, comparar los resultados mas recientes con los de otras zonas de nuestro pais. Material y Metodos Estudio descriptivo transversal con datos retrospectivos a partir de las memorias de actividades del programa de salud escolar de los cursos 1993 a 1998 referidos al area y la comunidad, y datos del propio centro referidos a la zona. Resultados En nuestra ZBS la prevalencia de obesidad es del 7,04%, muy proxima a la del area (7,3%) y superior a la de la Comunidad Extremena (6,3%), resultados que coinciden con los esperados en la poblacion escolar europea; sin embargo, el criterio empleado (peso > percentil 97) probablemente infraestima la verdadera magnitud del problema y dificulta la comparacion con otros estudios espanoles. Coincidiendo con otros estudios, observamos una tendencia significativamente creciente en la proporcion de ninos obesos de nuestra ZBS, tal vez relacionada con modificaciones desfavorables en los estilos de vida de nuestra poblacion. Conclusion La deteccion de la obesidad en la etapa escolar parece poco util pues no identifica la verdadera proporcion de obesos y, puesto que el tratamiento de la obesidad establecida es poco alentador, los esfuerzos deberian dirigirse a fomentar el ejercicio fisico y la informacion nutricional en el entorno del escolar.
Synthesis and characterization of potassium, rubidium, and cesium thiogermanate glasses

Abstract Glass-forming regions were investigated for the binary x M 2 S + (1 − x )GeS 2 (M=K, Rb, Cs) systems. Glasses were prepared from 0⩽ x ⩽0.20 mole fraction alkali sulfide using a novel preparation route involving the decomposition of the alkali hydrosulfides in situ. At higher alkali concentrations near x =0.33, the glass-forming regions are limited by the readily formed adamantane-like M 4 Ge 4 S 10 crystals. Structural characterization of the glasses and polycrystals for x ⩽0.33 were performed using Raman scattering and IR absorption. Terminal Ge–S − vibrational modes, observed between 473 and 479 cm −1 , increased in intensity and decreased in frequency with increasing alkali modifier content. Glass transition temperatures decreased with increasing alkali modifier, ranging from 250 to 215 °C. Corresponding crystallization onset temperatures were between 340 and 385 °C. DC conductivity values of the glasses ranged from 10 −10 to 10 −7 (Ω cm) −1 with activation energies between 0.54 and 0.93 eV for the temperature range of ∼100–250 °C. Higher ionic conductivities were observed with increasing alkali concentration and decreasing alkali radii. Additionally, an increase in the activation energy was observed above the glass transition temperature.
Delay time of hemoglobin S polymerization prevents most cells from sickling in vivo

A laser photolysis technique has been developed to assess the quantitative significance of the delay time of hemoglobin S gelation to the pathophysiology of sickle cell disease. Changes in the saturation of hemoglobin S with carbon monoxide produced by varying the intensity of a photolytic laser beam were used to simulate changes in the saturation of oxyhemoglobin S produced by variations in oxygen pressure. The presence of polymer at steady-state saturation with carbon monoxide was determined by measurement of the kinetics of gelation after complete photodissociation. The kinetics are a very sensitive probe for polymer since small amounts of polymerized hemoglobin increase the rate of nucleation sufficiently to eliminate the delay period. First, the equilibrium gelation properties of partially photodissociated carbonmonoxyhemoglobin S were shown to be the same as partially oxygenated hemoglobin S, and the method was then used to determine the effect of saturation on the formation and disappearance of polymers in individual sickle cells. The saturation at which polymers first formed upon deoxygenation was much lower than the saturation at which polymers disappeared upon reoxygenation. The results indicate that at venous saturations with oxygen, gelation takes place in most cells at equilibrium, but is prevented from occurring in vivo because the delay times are sufficiently long that most cells return to the lungs and are reoxygenated before polymerization has begun.
Prone Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation After Breast-Conserving Surgery: Five-year Results of 100 Patients

Purpose To report the 5-year results of a prospective trial of three-dimensional conformal external beam radiotherapy (3D-CRT) to deliver accelerated partial breast irradiation in the prone position. Methods and Materials Postmenopausal patients with Stage I breast cancer with nonpalpable tumors Results One hundred patients were enrolled in this institutional review board-approved prospective trial, one with bilateral breast cancer. One patient withdrew consent after simulation, and another patient elected to interrupt radiotherapy after receiving two treatments. Ninety-eight patients were evaluable for toxicity, and, in 1 case, both breasts were treated with partial breast irradiation. Median patient age was 68 years (range, 53–88 years); in 55% of patients the tumor size was Conclusions Five-year efficacy and toxicity of 3D-CRT delivered in prone partial breast irradiation are comparable to other experiences with similar follow-up.
Edit detection and parsing for transcribed speech

We present a simple architecture for parsing transcribed speech in which an edited-word detector first removes such words from the sentence string, and then a standard statistical parser trained on transcribed speech parses the remaining words. The edit detector achieves a misclassification rate on edited words of 2.2%. (The NULL-model, which marks everything as not edited, has an error rate of 5.9%.) To evaluate our parsing results we introduce a new evaluation metric, the purpose of which is to make evaluation of a parse tree relatively indifferent to the exact tree position of EDITED nodes. By this metric the parser achieves 85.3% precision and 86.5% recall.
Stabilizing Factors in International Conflict Resolution

Why are international agreements so fragile? Why do they often seem less stable and effective than domestic agreements? The prolonged stalemate in NorthSouth negotiations, the disintegration of SALT, the disappointing results of the Law of the Sea negotiations all attest to the fragility of international agreements. The security and welfare of the world's population now rests on the peaceful settlement of international disputes. Yet, because animosities among states can be so intense, the prospects for success and stability of agreements seem much dimmer in the international arena than in the domestic realm. Can anything be done to make international negotiations more effective, robust and stable? My purpose here is to address this question by analyzing NATO negotiations over trade with the Soviet Union that preceded and followed the Trans-Siberian pipeline dispute between the United States and its European allies in 1982. European firms agreed to build the Soviet pipeline with U.S. technology and equipment, in exchange for supplies of natural gas from the Soviets. The United States opposed both the technology exports and the gas imports, and therefore attempted to halt the pipeline's construction. European states refused to comply, and a crisis erupted in the alliance. Initially the dispute tested the stability of a previously negotiated relationship among NATO countries with regard to East-West trade. It then led to further negotiations which in fact strengthened that earlier relationship. It thus illustrates both the conditions under which international agreements are ineffective in preventing a crisis and the conditions under which more stable agreements can be negotiated. By stable agreements, I mean those to which all parties are committed, those which are resilient in crisis, and those which prevent conflict and promote cooperation among negotiating parties. The case highlights three conditions of the dispute settlement process required for stable agreements: