cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract A33: Modeling clinical resistance to RAF inhibitors in an in vivo melanoma model provides insights into prevention of resistance

Small-molecule RAF inhibitors such as vemurafenib have demonstrated proof-of-concept that BRAFV600E is a key driver of proliferation and survival in melanoma, as evidenced by tumor regression and prolonged survival in patients in late stage clinical trials. Unfortunately, in many patients the tumor response can be short lived as resistance to the inhibitor rapidly develops. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie drug resistance will be critical to providing improved treatment options for these patients. Here we model the emergence of resistance to vemurafenib in an early passage primary human melanoma xenograft model, which recapitulates a more physiologically relevant microenvironment, genetic diversity, and selective pressure compared to in vitro models. The selection of resistance in vivo also provides the opportunity to model drug pharmacokinetics which better replicates the selective pressure observed in patients. Long-term continuous treatment of the homozygous BRAFV600E primary melanoma xenografts with RAF inhibitors resulted in the appearance of resistant tumors over the course of 4 to 6 weeks. Pharmacodynamic (PD) analysis of individual tumors indicated that the MAPK pathway is suppressed by the compounds in resistant tumors, although the degree and duration of suppression is less than in sensitive tumors. Furthermore, there is heterogeneity in the kinetics of pathway inhibition and recovery between tumors. Biochemical analyses indicate that BRAFV600E protein levels are upregulated across all resistant tumors and in some cases there is DNA amplification of the mutant BRAF. Taken together with the PD data, this suggests there is a great deal of tumor cell heterogeneity, and that tumors are able to rapidly adapt to the selective pressure being applied. Both in vivo drug withdrawal studies as well as in vitro analyses of tumor derived cell lines indicate that the resistant cells have become dependent on the presence of the inhibitor for their survival. Based on these observations it appears that resistant tumor cells are less fit than sensitive tumor cells in the absence of drug and therefore we tested an intermittent dosing regimen. Intermittent dosing (4 weeks on / 2 weeks off) of RAF inhibitors prevented the evolution of resistance for the duration of the study (4 months). These data could have significant implications in optimizing dose schedules to prevent the emergence of clinical resistance.
Routine cerebrospinal fluid enterovirus polymerase chain reaction testing reduces hospitalization and antibiotic use for infants 90 days of age or younger.

OBJECTIVE The goal was to evaluate the impact of cerebrospinal fluid enterovirus polymerase chain reaction testing on the length of hospitalization and the duration of antibiotic use for infants < or = 90 days of age with suspected aseptic meningitis. METHODS This retrospective cohort study was conducted at an urban, tertiary-care children's hospital. Data were collected for 478 patients < or = 90 days of age for whom cerebrospinal fluid enterovirus polymerase chain reaction testing was performed during the enteroviral seasons of 2000 to 2006. The length of hospitalization and the duration of antibiotic use were assessed. RESULTS Cerebrospinal fluid enterovirus polymerase chain reaction test results were positive for 154 patients (34.8%). The mean length of stay was 3.65 days. The median polymerase chain reaction turnaround time was 23 hours. In multivariate analysis, having a positive cerebrospinal fluid enterovirus polymerase chain reaction result was associated with a 1.54-day decrease in the length of stay and a 33.7% shorter duration of antibiotic use. When patients were stratified according to the presence or absence of pleocytosis, both groups demonstrated significant reductions in the length of stay with positive cerebrospinal fluid enterovirus polymerase chain reaction results (1.32 and 1.38 days, respectively). Furthermore, increasing the polymerase chain reaction turnaround time by 24 hours increased the length of stay by 13.6% for patients with positive cerebrospinal fluid enterovirus polymerase chain reaction results. CONCLUSIONS Having positive cerebrospinal fluid enterovirus polymerase chain reaction results decreases the length of hospitalization and the duration of antibiotic use for young infants. These results support the routine use of this test during periods of peak enterovirus prevalence.
Effect of magnetic tape thickness on friction and wear in a linear tape drive

Abstract The effect of magnetic tape thickness and tape substrate material on friction and wear is very important in functioning of future linear tape drives with ultra-thin tapes. This effect is studied using a magnetoresistive (MR) type head with metal particle (MP) tapes of two different substrate materials, and two different substrate thicknesses for each material. A new technique to measure friction directly from cantilever deflection is developed and employed successfully. Head-tape interface friction was monitored during short pass (10 m) shuttling tests for 50,000 passes. Surface analysis of worn head and tape surfaces was carried out using optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy to assess the damage and to determine the debris composition. A possible mechanism of crack formation at the tape edge, crack propagation and material removal is discussed.
A 3 Tier Spectrum Management Scheme and Security Assessment in Synchrophasors

The electric utility industries and distributed energy systems heavily relies on internet, as the primary mode of communication to deliver energy related information through interconnected sensors such as Digital Fault Recorders, Synchrophasors or Phasor measurement units (PMU). These sensors communicate in both wireless and wired network to a centralized system. As studied in many literatures, the internet is vulnerable to many cyber threats [1]. There is an immediate need to find solution on spectrum crunch for communication framework and how to defend against cyber-attacks while sustaining energy delivery function specifically carried by Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) and Phasor Data concentrators (PDC) [2]. The paper uses the concept of exploiting antenna directivity by assigning the same frequency to all three directions, and thus co-channel isolation will be increased, and eventually reducing the interference and increasing the channel capacity. The paper also discuss the security challenges that are required in existing TCP/IP networks for PMU and PDC devices.
Minimum mean-squared error of estimates in quantum statistics

Abstract A quantum-mechanical counterpart of the Cramer-Rao inequality of classical statistics is derived, setting a lower bound to the mean-squared error of an estimate of a parameter of the density operator of a quantum-mechanical system.
Siderophore sorption to clays

Siderophores are low molecular weight organic ligands exuded by some aerobic organisms and plants to acquire Fe under Fe-limited conditions. The hydroxamate siderophores may sorb to aluminosilicate clays through a variety of mechanisms depending upon the nature of the clay and of the siderophore along with solution conditions such as pH, ionic strength, and presence of metal cations. They may also affect metal binding to clays. Here, we review previous studies of siderophore sorption to aluminosilicate clays; briefly discuss how the techniques of X-ray diffractometry, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy may be applied to such studies; review effects of siderophores on metal sorption to clays; and highlight some areas for future research.
UROLOGICAL INTERVENTION IN PATIENTS WITH CYSTINURIA IS DECREASED WITH MEDICAL COMPLIANCE

ABSTRACTPurpose: Theoretically patients with cystinuria compliant with medical treatment should undergo fewer surgical procedures than those noncompliant with treatment. We describe a single urologist’s experience (SYN) with the effects of medical management on the number of surgical interventions required in patients with cystinuria treated at our metabolic stone clinic (MSC).Materials and Methods: The records of 20 patients with cystine stones seen at our MSC (mean followup of 42.5 months) were evaluated. The number of surgical interventions (endourology or open surgery) during followup were recorded as surgical events. Patients were placed into a compliant or noncompliant category based on their attendance record at scheduled appointments at our MSC and whether they adhered to the prescribed medical regimen by report. Patients were classified in an active disease category if recent imaging revealed a clinically significant stone burden greater than 3 mm. Statistical analysis of the number of surgical e...
Preface The Lymphatic Continuum Revisited

Introduction: The Lymphatic Continuum Revisited: Stanley G. Rockson. Part I: Tools for Lymphatic Investigation:. 1. Markers for Microscopic Imaging of Lymphangiogenesis and Angiogenesis: Peter Baluk and Donald M. McDonald. 2. New Horizons for Imaging Lymphatic Function: Ruchi Sharma, Juliet A. Wendt, John C. Rasmussen, Kristen E. Adams, Milton V. Marshall, and Eva M. Sevick-Muraca. 3. Peptide Targeting of Tumor Lymph Vessels: Pirjo Laakkonen, Lianglin Zhang, and Erkki Ruoslahti. 4. Lymphatic Tissue Engineering: Progress and Prospects: Thomas Hitchcock and Laura Niklason. 5. Animal Models for the Molecular and Mechanistic Study of Lymphatic Biology and Disease: William S. Shin and Stanley G. Rockson. Part II: Biological Principles of the Lymphatic System:. 6. Current Concepts in Lymphatic Vasculature Development: Guillermo Oliver and R. Sathish Srinivasan. 7. The Link between Lymphatic Function and Adipose Biology: Natasha Harvey. 8. Molecular Regulation of Lymphatic Contractility: Mariappan Muthuchamy and David Zawieja. 9. Lymphatic Vessels: Pressure- and Flow-Dependent Regulatory Reactions: Anatoliy A. Gashev. 10. Contractility Patterns of Human Leg Lymphatics in Various Stages of Obstructive Lymphedema: Waldemar Olszewski. 11. Cell Traffic and the Lymphatic Endothelium: Louise Anne Johnson and David G. Jackson. 12. Research Perspectives in Inherited Lymphatic Disease: An Update: Robert E. Ferrell and David N. Finegold. Part III: Biological Principles in Lymphedema Diagnosis and Management:. 13. Phenotypic Characterization of Primary Lymphedema: Fiona Connell, Glen Brice, and Peter Mortimer. 14. Estimating the Population Burden of Lymphedema: Stanley G. Rockson and Kahealani K. Rivera. 15. The Clinical Spectrum of Lymphatic Disease: Kavita Radhakrishnan and Stanley G. Rockson. 16. Cogenital Lymphatic Malformations: Francine Blei. 17. Lymphatics in Lung Disease: Souheil El-Chemaly, Stewart J Levine, and Joel Moss. 18. Lymphatic Involvement in Lymphangioleiomyomatosis: Connie G. Glasgow, Angelo M. Taveira-DaSilva, Thomas N. Darling, and Joel Moss. 19. Targeted Treatment for Lymphedema and Lymphatic Metastasis: Tomi Tervala, Erkki Suominen, and Anne Saaristo. Part IV: Lymphatic Biology of Cancer and Metastasis:. 20. Molecular Control of Lymphatic Metastasis: Marc G. Achen and Steven A. Stacker. 21. Lymphatic Vessel Activation in Cancer: Suvendu Das and Mihaela Skobe. Index of Contributors
A 24-Gb/s Double-Sampling Receiver for Ultra-Low-Power Optical Communication

This paper describes a dense, high-speed, and low-power CMOS optical receiver implemented in a 65-nm CMOS technology. High data rate is achieved using an RC double-sampling front-end and a novel dynamic offset-modulation technique. The low-voltage double-sampling technique provides high power efficiency by avoiding linear high-gain elements conventionally employed in transimpedance-amplifier (TIA) receivers. In addition, the demultiplexed output of the receiver helps save power in the following digital blocks. The receiver functionality was validated by electrical and optical measurements. The receiver achieves up to 24 Gb/s data rate with better than 160-μA current sensitivity in an experiment performed by a photodiode current emulator embedded on-chip. Optical measurements performed by a 1550-nm wire-bonded photodiode show better than - 4.7-dBm optical sensitivity at 24 Gb/s. The receiver offers peak power efficiency of 0.36 pJ/b at 20 Gb/s from a 1.2-V supply and occupies less than 0.0028 mm2 silicon area.
125I vicryl suture implants as a surgical adjuvant in cancer of the head and neck

Abstract Sixty-four intraoperatve 125 I seed implants using absorbable suture (Vicryl) carriers were performed in 53 patients with head and neck cancers at Stanford between 1975 and 1980. In previously untreated patients, local control in the implanted volume or in all head and neck sites was obtained in 79 and 71%, respectively. Five of these patients (40%) remained NED. Of 34 patients with recurrent carcinomas, local control was obtained in the implant volume in 20 (59%), while 38% had no recurrence post-implantation in any head and neck site. The incidence of complications is correlated with 125 I radiation doses, total millicuries inserted, seed strength used, and tissue volume implanted for both untreated patients and those with local recurrences. Guidelines for the optimal use of the above 4 parameters are also presented. We conclude that 125 I seed Vicryl intraoperative suture implants are an effective surgical adjuvant in the treatment of advanced, previously untreated or recurrent head and neck cancers.
Aerodynamic lift and drag fluctuations of a sphere

An experimental and theoretical investigation is made of the unsteady lift and drag exerted on a sphere in a nominally steady, high Reynolds number, incompressible flow. The net force on the sphere has previously been ascribed to fluctuations in the bound vorticity in the meridian plane normal to the force, produced by large-scale coherent structures shed into the wake. A simplified model of vortex shedding is proposed that involves coherent eddies in the form of a succession of randomly orientated vortex rings, interconnected by pairs of oppositely rotating line vortices, and shed at quasi-regular intervals with a Strouhal number ∼ 0.19. The rings are rapidly dissipated by turbulence diffusion, but it is shown that only the nascent vortex ring makes a significant contribution to the surface force, and that the force spectrum at Strouhal numbers exceeding unity is effectively independent of the shape of the fully formed vortex. Predictions of the lift and drag spectra at these frequencies are found to be in good accord with new towing tank measurements presented in this paper.
STUDIES OF INSENSIBLE WATER LOSS FROM BURNS TREATED WITH PARA-AMINOMETHYL BENZENE SULFONAMIDE (SULFAMYLON*)†

Summary The average insensible water loss of a group of unburned rats was compared to that of three groups of rats subjected to 20 percent burns. The average daily insensible water loss of the burned rats (25.7 gm was significantly greater than that of the unburned controls (10.3 gm). The application of 3 to 5 gm of Sulfamylon to the eschar did not reduce the average daily insensible water loss of the burned rats (29.9 gm). Excision of the eschar two hr after burning followed by the application of an impermeable prosthetic skin reduced the average daily insensible water loss to 12.7 gm. Sulfamylon acetate at room temperature loses approximately 37 percent of its weight in 48 hr. Sulfamylon acetate at body temperature loses about 47 percent of its weight in four hr. Sulfamylon acetate did not reduce the insensible water loss or oxygen consumption of a normal volunteer or of a patient who sustained a 25 percent, second degree burn.
Decreases in Raf-1 levels in galactosaemic lens epithelial cells are partially reversed by myo-inositol

Changes in the amounts and localization of protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms occur in galactosaemic lens epithelial cells. A link between PKC changes and myo-inositol depletion has been suggested. Raf-1, a component of a Ras pathway, is a substrate for PKC. Raf-1 levels were measured in galactosaemic lens epithelial cells grown with or without myoinositol. Raf-1 levels were measured by densitometric scanning of Western blots from cells grown with or without 40 mmol/l galactose or 40 mmol/l galactose plus 1.0 μmol/l myoinositol for 1, 3, 5 or 7 days. Scans were compared to those for PKCα, an isoform of PKC and to 14-3-3, a protein which binds to Raf-1. Cell growth was quantitated by thymidine incorporation. Raf-1 levels were decreased in bovine lens epithelial cells after 3, 5 or 7 days (33% of control) of growth in 40 mmol/l galactose. Addition of 1 μmol/l myoinositol reversed this decrease at day 3, but not after 5 or 7 days of growth in 40 mmol/l galactose. PKCα and 14-3-3 levels were not affected by galactose. The decrease in Raf-1 was not a result of cell growth as measured by thymidine incorporation. These results suggest that Raf-1 levels are decreased during galactosaemia. This was only partially reversed by the addition of myoinositol.
Skeletal Muscle Abscess Caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis

Muscle involvement is an extremely rare manifestation of blastomycosis. We, therefore, report a case of a large gluteal muscle abscess caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis in a young, immunocompetent male. In addition, we review the literature to further characterize the syndrome of skeletal muscle blastomycosis.
Optimal capacitor placement on radial distribution systems

The problem of capacitor placement on a radial distribution system is formulated and a solution algorithm is proposed. The location, type, and size of capacitors, voltage constraints, and load variations are considered. The objective of capacitor placement is peak power and energy loss reduction, taking into account the cost of the capacitors. The problem is formulated as a mixed integer programming problem. The power flows in the system are explicitly represented, and the voltage constraints are incorporated. A solution method has been implemented that decomposes the problem into a master problem and a slave problem. The master problem is used to determine the location of the capacitors. The slave problem is used by the master problem to determine the type and size of the capacitors placed on the system. In solving the slave problem, and efficient phase I-phase II algorithm is used. >
Computers and human psychophysiological research

Abstract Across two decades of increasingly intense utilization of computers in psychophysiological research laboratories, three separate phases have occurred. The first involved pioneering efforts with often balky specialized instruments, the second included a much larger base of users working with general-purpose computers, and the third, now in progress, has seen a surge of interest in microcomputers equipped with highly versatile data acquisition interfaces and supporting software. Though there remain several major barriers which technology has yet to break, the computer has grown to occupy a critical position in modern psychophysiological research. The salient points in this historical development are examined, several positive future developments are sketched, and some general lessons for computerization in the behavioral sciences are noted.
Effects of larval exposure to estradiol on spermatogenesis and in vitro gonadal steroid secretion in African clawed frogs, Xenopus laevis.

Abstract Estrogen or eco-estrogenic chemicals can disrupt normal gonadal sex differentiation, causing intersex formation and feminization in amphibians. The cellular basis for estrogen-induced sex reversal is not well understood. In the present study, we investigated the concentration- and stage-dependent effects of estradiol (E 2 ) exposure during the larval period on histological characteristics of gonadal sex differentiation and gonadal sex steroid secretion in vitro in the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis . Embryos were exposed to E 2 (1, 10, or 100 μg/L) or vehicle control through metamorphosis and then allowed to develop in untreated medium for 2-mo post-metamorphosis. To investigate gonadal sex differentiation and development during and after exposure, gonadal samples were collected at different developmental stages. Gonadal sex differentiation did not occur before NF stage 52 in any group. At NF stage 54–55 primordial germ cells (PGCs) were observed in both cortical and medullary regions of developing tadpoles gonads in the control, 1 and 10 μg/L E 2 treatments, but were observed only in the cortical region of tadpoles exposed to 100 μg/L E 2 . E 2 increased the percent of spermatocytes, spermatids, and spermatozoa compared to controls. Larval E 2 exposure did not alter hCG-induced gonadal testosterone secretion in vitro but significantly increased E 2 secretion from ovaries of juvenile frogs. Our results indicate that E 2 exposure during larval development appears to prevent PGC migration to the medulla of developing gonads in a concentration-dependent manner. The degree of PGC migration to the medulla may be related to the degree of E 2 -induced intersex formation and feminization in X. laevis . E 2 exposure during the larval period accelerates spermatogenesis and can increase ovarian E 2 secretion in juvenile frogs.
Sea-level rise and other influences on decadal-scale salinity variability in a coastal plain estuary

Abstract The response of salinity in the Delaware Estuary to climatic variations is determined using statistical models and long-term (1950-present) records of salinity from the U.S. Geological Survey and the Haskin Shellfish Research Laboratory. The statistical models include non-parametric terms and are robust against autocorrelated and heteroscedastic errors. After using the models to adjust for the influence of streamflow and seasonal effects on salinity, several locations in the estuary show significant upward trends in salinity. Insignificant trends are found at locations that are normally upstream of the salt front. The models indicate a positive correlation between rising sea levels and increasing residual salinity, with salinity rising from 2.5 to 4.4 per meter of sea-level rise. These results are consistent with results from 1D and dynamical models. Wind stress also appears to play some role in driving salinity variations, consistent with its effect on vertical mixing and Ekman transport between the estuary and the ocean. The results suggest that continued sea-level rise in the future will cause salinity to increase regardless of any change in streamflow.
Facial angioedema in children due to ladybug (Harmonia axyridis) contact: 2 case reports.

Background Only 9 adult cases of immediate-hypersensitivity reaction to ladybugs, also known as Asian lady beetles ( Harmonia axyridis ), have been documented in the literature. These patients have all shown symptoms of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis or asthma from exposure to ladybugs. Objective To describe the first pediatric patients with severe allergic facial angioedema requiring emergency department management after exposure to ladybugs. Methods Evidence of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity to ladybugs was documented by positive skin prick test reactions, correlating with exposure history. Results Two cases in preschool boys had similar features, although they were evaluated and tested by 2 different allergists. Both patients developed severe facial or periocular angioedema with no significant respiratory involvement after exposure to ladybugs outside their infested homes. Both patients required an emergency department visit for treatment. Allergy evaluation using ladybug extract for skin prick testing showed markedly positive reactions in both patients. There were no further episodes after environmental control measures were instituted. Conclusions Although allergic respiratory or cutaneous reactions to ladybugs are uncommon, a high index of suspicion from exposure history and confirmatory skin testing can be conclusive for the diagnosis.
Psychological dysregulation during adolescence mediates the association of parent-child attachment in childhood and substance use disorder in adulthood.

AbstractObjective: This prospective study tested the hypothesis that psychological dysregulation in mid-adolescence (age 16) mediates the association between parent-child attachment in late childhood (age 10–12) and development of substance use disorder (SUD) in adulthood (age 22). Method: The Youth Attachment to Parents Scale (YAPS) was developed in 10–12-year-old boys and girls (N = 694) at baseline residing in western Pennsylvania. Psychological dysregulation was measured by the neurobehavior disinhibition trait. Substance use was assessed at ages 10–12, 12–14, 16 and 19. SUD was diagnosed at age 22 using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders. The mediation of parent-child attachment and SUD by neurobehavior disinhibition was tested separately for mothers and fathers while controlling for baseline substance use. Results: Psychological dysregulation mediates the association between attachment to mothers and SUD, and partially mediates the association between attachment to fathers and SUD. ...
Motivational interviewing versus feedback only in emergency care for young adult problem drinking

Aim To establish the efficacy of a brief motivational intervention compared to feedback only when delivered in an emergency department for reducing alcohol use and problems among young adults. Design Two-group randomized controlled trial with follow-up assessments at 6 and 12 months.Setting Level ITrauma Center.Participants A total of 198 18-24-year-old patients who were either alcohol positive upon hospital admission or met screening criteria for alcohol problems. Intervention Participants were assigned randomly to receive a one-session motivational interven- tion (MI) that included personalized feedback, or the personalized feedback report only (FO). All participants received additional telephone contact 1 month and 3 months after baseline. Measurements Demographic information, alcohol use, alcohol problems and treatment seeking. Findings Six months after the intervention MI participants drank on fewer days, had fewer heavy drinking days and drank fewer drinks per week in the past month than did FO patients.These effects were maintained at 12 months. Clinical significance evaluation indicated that twice as many MI participants as FO participants reliably reduced their volume of alcohol consumption from baseline to 12 months. Reductions in alcohol-related injuries and moving violations, and increases in alcohol treatment-seeking were observed across both conditions at both follow-ups with no differences between conditions. Conclusions This study provides new data supporting the potential of the motivational intervention tested to reduce alcohol consumption among high-risk youth.
Lee waves in a stratified flow. Part 2. Semi-circular obstacle

A two-dimensional, semi-infinite, stratified shear flow in which the upstream dynamic pressure and density gradient are constant (Long’s model) is considered. A complete set of lee-wave functions, each of which satisfies the condition of no upstream reflexion, is determined in polar co-ordinates. These functions are used to determine the lee-wave field produced by, and the consequent drag on, a semicircular obstacle as functions of the Froude number within the range of stable flow. The Green’s function (point-source solution) for the half-space also is determined in polar co-ordinates.
Single-Cell Gene Expression Analysis: Implications for Neurodegenerative and Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Technical and experimental advances in microaspiration techniques, RNA amplification, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and cDNA microarray analysis have led to an increase in the number of studies of single-cell gene expression. In particular, the central nervous system (CNS) is an ideal structure to apply single-cell gene expression paradigms. Unlike an organ that is composed of one principal cell type, the brain contains a constellation of neuronal and noneuronal populations of cells. A goal is to sample gene expression from similar cell types within a defined region without potential contamination by expression profiles of adjacent neuronal subpopulations and noneuronal cells. The unprecedented resolution afforded by single-cell RNA analysis in combination with cDNA microarrays and qPCR-based analyses allows for relative gene expression level comparisons across cell types under different experimental conditions and disease states. The ability to analyze single cells is an important distinction from global and regional assessments of mRNA expression and can be applied to optimally prepared tissues from animal models as well as postmortem human brain tissues. This focused review illustrates the potential power of single-cell gene expression studies within the CNS in relation to neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and schizophrenia, respectively.
e-participation in local governments: an empirical examination of impacts

The ability of technology to change and improve public service delivery is vital for the success of e-government. This study attempts to address both of these issues through an analysis of electronic participation or e-participation in local governments. This paper examines factors that have a positive impact from e-participation adoption. This issue is explored through a statistical analysis of a national e-participation survey at the local level in the United States. The statistical models show that demand is the most important factor driving the impacts of e-participation. Many of the traditional factors noted in the literature such as demographics, and local government characteristics showed little support in our statistical models. The results of this paper imply that a greater understanding of the demand for e-participation is critical for its future development.
Post-transfusion purpura in an African-American man due to human platelet antigen-5b alloantibody: a case report.

Introduction Post-transfusion purpura is a rare immunohematological disorder characterized by severe thrombocytopenia following transfusion of blood components and induced by an alloantibody against a donor platelet antigen. It occurs primarily in women sensitized by pregnancy and is most commonly caused by anti-human platelet antigen-1a antibodies. Here, we describe what we believe to be the first documented case of an African-American man who developed post-transfusion purpura due to an anti-human platelet antigen-5b alloantibody after receiving multiple blood products.
Weighted line fitting algorithms for mobile robot map building and efficient data representation

This paper presents an algorithm to find the line-based map that best fits sets of two-dimensional range scan data. To construct the map, we first provide an accurate means to fit a line segment to a set of uncertain points via maximum likelihood formalism. This scheme weights each point's influence on the fit according to its uncertainty, which is derived from sensor noise models. We also provide closed-form formulas for the covariance of the line fit, along with methods to transform line coordinates and covariances across robot poses. A Chi-squared based criterion for "knitting" together sufficiently similar lines can be used to merge lines directly (as we demonstrate) or as part of the framework for a line-based SLAM implementation. Experiments using a Sick LMS-200 laser scanner and a Nomad 200 mobile robot illustrate the effectiveness of the algorithm.
A symmetric and resilient configuration scheme for multiple name servers

A configuration scheme is presented for multiple name servers and name service protocol. The scheme creates a configuration with any number of name servers, and realizes a symmetric and fault-tolerant name service. Name data are distributed to name servers equally and the cost of the name service is independent of the server location. The scheme is efficient because it realizes a lower bound of communication complexity. An investigation is also made of the relations among the number of nodes, the number of name servers, fault-tolerance, the number of data in a server, and the total number of data in all servers to obtain equations for these relationships. Changes in the resiliency and the number of data are shown as functions of the number of nodes and the number of servers in three cases. >
Wetland Use and Feeding by Lesser Scaup During Spring Migration Across the Upper Midwest, USA

Low food availability and forage quality and concomitant decreased lipid reserves of lesser scaup (Aythya affinis; hereafter scaup) during spring migration in the upper Midwest may partially explain reductions in the continental population of scaup. In springs 2004–2005, we examined wetland use and feeding activity of scaup on 356 randomly-selected wetlands within 6 regions in Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota. We examined wetland characteristics that favor high scaup use in 286 of these wetlands. We found that probabilities of wetland use and feeding by scaup increased with turbidity up to 45 and 30 NTU, respectively, but then declined at higher turbidity levels. Wetland use was positively correlated with size of open-water zone and amphipod densities, but was not correlated with chironomid densities. Feeding increased with amphipod density up to 26 m−3 and then declined at higher amphipod densities; scaup seemingly forage most efficiently at amphipod densities above 26 m−3. Wetland use was higher in North Dakota than in southern Minnesota and Iowa. Our results indicate that effective wetland restoration efforts to benefit scaup require maintaining abundant populations of amphipods (generally near 26 m−3 landscape geometric mean) in wetlands with large (> 500 m diameter) open-water zones throughout the upper Midwest, but especially within Iowa and southern Minnesota.
Volumetric segmentation via 3D active shape models

A volumetric image segmentation algorithm has been developed and implemented by extending a 2D algorithm based on active shape models. The new technique allows segmentation of 3D objects that are embedded within volumetric image data. The extension from 2D involved four components: landmarking, shape modeling, gray-level modeling, and segmentation. Algorithms and software tools have been implemented to allow a user to efficiently landmark a 3D object training set. Additional tools were built that subsequently,, generate models of 3D object shape and gray-level appearance based on this training data. An object segmentation strategy was implemented that optimizes these models to segment a previously unseen instance of the object. Results of this new 3D segmentation algorithm have been generated for a synthetic volumetric data set.
Cell Cycle Constraints on Peroxide- and Radiation-induced Inhibitory Checkpoints

The growth of human skin fibroblasts was reduced in a dose-dependent manner after either treatment with hydrogen peroxide or exposure to ionizing radiation. Serum-starved cells were markedly responsive to the inhibitory properties of large doses of either agent at any time during the first 12–14 h after restimulation. In contrast, when logarithmically growing cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide, a large percentage of G1 cells synchronously traversed S phase in a wave that appeared after a 3–4 h delay, with a population of these cells eventually arresting in late S and G2. An analogous compartment of cells exiting G1 was not obvious when logarithmically growing cells were treated with ionizing radiation alone. However, when irradiated cells were subsequently treated for 4 h with aphidicolin to depress ongoing DNA synthesis to the levels seen in cultures treated with peroxide, a similar pattern of cells synchronously exiting G1 was seen. Therefore, although cells between G and S had a marked sensitivity to the inhibitory effects of either peroxide or radiation, logarithmically growing cells in G1 between M and S were far less susceptible to either type of growth inhibition.
Evaluation and Characterization of Seedling Resistances to Stem Rust Ug99 Races in Wheat-Alien Species Derivatives

Stem rust (caused by Puccinia graminis Pers.:Pers. f. sp. tritici Eriks. & E. Henn.), a dev- astating disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), was effectively controlled worldwide for the past 50 yr by deployment of stem rust resistance (Sr) genes in wheat cultivars. However, a new stem rust race, TTKSK (known as Ug99 or TTKS) that emerged in eastern Africa, is a cause of con- cern because it has broad virulence to currently deployed Sr genes. To identify potentially new sources of effective Sr genes against Ug99, we evaluated and characterized the seedling responses to TTKSK of 62 wheat lines derived from crosses of common or durum wheat (T. turgidum L. ssp. durum) with the species Thi- nopyrum junceum, Th. intermedium, Th. bessar- abicum, Th. elongatum, Th. ponticum, Elymus rectisetus, Aegilops caudata, and Ae. speltoides. For stem rust evaluation, we fi rst tested all lines for reactions to races TTTT and TTKSK. Lines initially showing resistance to TTKSK were then retested with eight races, including three races in the TTKS lineage (TTKSK, TTKST, and TTTSK) and fi ve North American races (QFCS, QTHJ, RCRS, RKQQ, and TPMK). Thirty wheat-alien species derivatives had resistance to TTKSK, TTKST, and TTTSK. The comparisons of wheat- alien species derivatives and their parental lines for reactions to different races suggested that 12 partial amphiploids or amphiploids and four disomic addition lines may carry novel genes for stem rust resistance. These resistant lines rep- resent materials for introducing stem rust resis- tance genes into wheat breeding.
Accommodating Limited English Proficient Spanish Speakers in Rural Hospitals

Hospital accreditation policies mandate adequate accommodation of Limited English Proficient (LEP) patients. Rural hospitals with limited resources face several barriers to providing such care. This study assesses strategies used by rural hospitals to provide care for LEP Spanish speakers. A self-administered survey was sent to 153 rural hospitals in Kansas and Missouri. The survey featured 10 items developed to assess LEP services demand, translation services, interpretation methods used, signage, satisfaction with provided services, barriers, and innovative methods of providing care. Forty-eight surveys (31.4 %) were returned. Hospitals with higher LEP demand were more likely to have translated documents; however, not all hospitals with high demand had key paperwork available in Spanish. Telephonic interpreting services, family members, and clinical staff were reported as primary methods of interpretation. Rural hospitals across the nation are facing the rapidly increasing LEP Latino population. This research provides important findings for future policies and interventions.
The operating system for technec

An operating system is described that was designed to permit the distributed execution of programs composed of collections of communicating tasks on a network of microcomputers. A part of the system on each of the computers provides multitasking and message passing. Only one of the micros has access to peripherals, and it is on that computer that the system tasks for most of the system policies as well as the mechanisms for communication to the outside world are located. Since there is no shared memory among the microcomputers, access to memory and control of tasks in other computers must be accomplished by message passing and the cooperation of agent tasks in the other computers.
Hidden Markov Model Induction by Bayesian Model Merging

This paper describes a technique for learning both the number of states and the topology of Hidden Markov Models from examples. The induction process starts with the most specific model consistent with the training data and generalizes by successively merging states. Both the choice of states to merge and the stopping criterion are guided by the Bayesian posterior probability. We compare our algorithm with the Baum-Welch method of estimating fixed-size models, and find that it can induce minimal HMMs from data in cases where fixed estimation does not converge or requires redundant parameters to converge.
Determination of number‐average molecular weights by elastoosmometry

When a swollen elastomer is in equilibrium with a solution, the stress at constant length is a function of the chemical potential of the solvent, and thus of the concentration and number-average molecular weight of the solute in the solution. This is used to compare the molecular weights of some polystyrene samples among each other. The method is found to give satisfactory results. The theory of the method is given and is applied to ideal rubbery networks, for which explicit free energy expressions are available. The theoretical result obtained is used to reduce the experimental data to equal extension ratios.
Hysterectomy performed within 1 year after tubal sterilization

In the United States, approximately 650,000 women of reproductive age undergo tubal sterilization each year and some of these women later have hysterectomies. Little is known about risk factors for having hysterectomy after tubal sterilization. For examination of this issue, we analyzed data from the Collaborative Review of Sterilization, an ongoing multicenter prospective study designed to assess the safety and efficacy of female sterilization operations. In 1979 and 1980, 4002 women 15 to 44 years of age had interval tubal sterilization; of these women, 64 had hysterectomies within 15 months, which yielded a cumulative incidence of 1.6%. Women with a history of menstrual complaints, leiomyomata, ovarian cysts, or endometriosis before their tubal sterilization had an increased risk of hysterectomy, compared with women without such a history. However, 98% of women with a history of these conditions did not have a hysterectomy within 15 months after tubal sterilization. Further follow-up of these women should help to better delineate their long-term risks.
Inequality Between and Within Firms: Evidence from Brazil

Using a linked employer-employee census for Brazil, this paper studies the relative importance of inequality between and within firms in explaining both levels and changes over time in overall earnings inequality. During the 1999-2013 period, the sharp decline in overall inequality in Brazil has been driven mostly by a drop in between-firm inequality. Within-firm inequality has only fallen slightly, increasing its share in overall inequality to about 44 percent by the end of this period. Estimating an earnings model that decomposes wages into worker and firm fixed effects, I find that between-firm inequality in the cross-section is explained mostly (57%) by variation across firms in the worker fixed effects. The change in between-firm inequality over this period is explained primarily by variation in the worker fixed effects, but the variation in firm fixed effects is almost as important.
On the Thermal Performance of Perforated Heat Exchanger Plates

This paper presents heat transfer characteristics of perforated copper plates for use in regenerators at low Reynolds number flow. A simple experimental system is described for quick evaluation of heat transfer performance. A simple theoretical model is used for evaluation of heat transfer coefficient from transient single blow experiments of low Biot number perforated single plate systems.
Dilworth’s Early Papers on Residuated and Multiplicative Lattices

The idea of residuation goes back to Dedekind, who introduced it into ideal theory. Residuation now plays an important role in several fields of mathematics, especially commutative ring theory. Let R be a commutative ring with identity. The residual of an ideal B with respect to an ideal A is the ideal A: B = {x ∈ R | xB ⊆ A. Here A: B is the largest ideal X of R with the property that BX ⊆ A. Residuation may be defined in other algebraic structures and may be defined independently of multiplication.
Histidine and guanadinium tetrafluoroborate: two new semiorganic frequency conversion crystals

Semiorganics are a new class of high performance nonlinear optical (NLO) materials in which a polarizable organic molecule is stoichiometrically incorporated within an inorganic host forming either an organic/ inorganic salt (e.g., DLAP1) or an organic ligand/metal ion complex (e.g., ZTS2). This design methodology offers a high degree of design flexibility and allows the linear properties, such as the refractive index and absorption characteristics, of a new material to be “engineered” to a certain extent. We have examined the second-order nonlinear optical response of over 700 such semiorganics. Two materials in this group, guanidinium tetrafluoroborate (GFB) and L-histidine tetrafluoroborate (HFB), show significant promise as a NLO crystals for the UV through the near-IR (see Fig. 1).
PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MAN AND THE APES: ELECTROPHORETIC EVIDENCE.

Phylogeny was traditionally the subject matter of paleontology and comparative anatomy. However, in recent years it has become apparent that proteins and nucleic acids (the so-called "informational" macromolecules) store a wealth of information concerning evolutionary history. Protein sequencing, immunology, electrophoresis, and DNA hybridization are among the molecular techniques used in phylogenetic studies. These techniques have generally confirmed previously established evolutionary relationships, and in many cases have provided information where little or none was available from the fossil record. There are instances, nevertheless, when molecular studies lead to conclusions contrary to those reached by paleontologists or comparative anatomists. One case of disagreement concerns the evolutionary history of the hominoidsi.e., man, the great apes, and the Hylobatidae (gibbons and siamang). Paleontologists and comparative morphologists place the Asiatic orangutan much closer to the African apes (the gorilla and the chimpanzee) and to man than to the two other genera of Asiatic hominoids, the siamang and the gibbon. Molecular evolutionists, on the contrary, have proposed that the orangutan is much less closely related to the African apes and man, and may be as removed from these as the siamang and gibbon. Disagreement also exists with respect to the phylogenetic propinquity of the chimpanzee, the gorilla, and man. Paleontologists and comparative morphologists
The SES selectivity of interracially married Asians

How do outmarried Asians compare to their inmarried counterparts and to their spouses in terms of socioeconomic status? We attempt to answer this question by testing hypotheses derived from assimil...
Aerospace Engineering Education in a Mechanical Engineering Environment

Almost without exception, aerospace engineering departments operate in conjunction, collaboration, or coexistence with mechanical engineering departments at most major American universities. On the other hand, the majority of mechanical engineering departments operate alone; i.e., without aerospace engineering departments, thus limiting the undergraduate curricula to traditional mechanical engineering topics. This paper discusses different means of introducing aerospace engineering oriented education into a mechanical engineering undergraduate program, including course design, extracurricular activities, and research. Experiences encountered during the introduction of an aerospace course in the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Kentucky are used as input.
Comment on “More on Heisenberg’s model for high energy nucleon-nucleon scattering”

We comment on the treatment of asymptotic black-disk scattering in a recent paper of Nastase and Sonnenschein [Phys. Rev. D 92, 105028 (2015)] on scattering in an updated version of the Heisenberg model which gives $pp$ and $\overline{p}p$ cross sections which increase at very high energies as ${\mathrm{ln}}^{2}s$. We show that the total cross section they define does not correspond to that measured in experiments, with the result that their limit for the ratio ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\text{elas}}/{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\text{tot}}$ is too small by a factor 2. The correct ratio for black-disk scattering, ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\text{elas}}/{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\text{tot}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}1/2$ for $s\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$, is strongly supported by experiment.