cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Historical Look at Russet Burbank Potato ( Solanum tuberosum L.) Quality Under Different Storage Regimes

Russet Burbank is the predominant potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivar grown and stored for fresh market and frozen processing (French fry) use in North America. Multi-year assessments of potato tuber quality under different storage regimes can provide information about a cultivar’s ability to retain process quality when challenged with seasonal variations across multiple years. The objective of a 15-year study initiated in 1999 was to evaluate the quality of Russet Burbank tubers grown and stored at the Kimberly Research and Extension Center. Potatoes were measured for specific gravity at harvest and stored for eight months under three temperatures (5.6, 7.2 and 8.9 °C) and periodically sampled throughout the storage season to determine dormancy length, sugar content, fry color and mottling severity (a quality issue), and weight loss. The year in which the crop was grown significantly (p < 0.001) affected all quality characteristics except specific gravity (average ranged between 1.071 and 1.081). Tubers held during the 2011–2012 and 2013–2014 storage seasons exhibited generally higher glucose, darker fry color, more severe mottling, and higher weight loss. Average sucrose content at 7.2 °C and 8.9 °C across the 15 years significantly decreased over the eight-month storage while average glucose content remained consistent after first month of storage. Average percent weight loss across the 15 years was 6.1 % after eight months in storage. This 15-year study emphasized that variation of post-harvest storage quality from year to year was likely a result of variable seasonal growing conditions. Storage temperatures between 7.2 and 8.9 °C were the optimum range for storing fry processing Russet Burbank potatoes and the warmer temperature of 8.9 °C appears to ameliorate the seasonal effects on glucose content and fry color to maintain better processing quality throughout storage.
Adult-Onset Esophageal Crohn's Disease.

Crohn’s disease (CD) is an idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease that can involve any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Esophageal involvement is rarely seen in adults, especially at the initial diagnosis of CD. Esophageal symptoms as primary manifestations of the disease are extremely rare. We report a case of a CD with esophageal involvement at the time of her initial diagnosis of CD.
Diagnostic Evaluation of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Clinician Compliance with Published Guidelines.

ABSTRACT:Objective:To assess to what extent child neurologists (CNs) and developmental-behavioral pediatricians (DBPs) order diagnostic tests that are not recommended/indicated and/or fail to order tests that are recommended/indicated when evaluating children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD).M
Expanding ParaSQL for spatio-temporal (big) data

Today, most real-world applications are dealing with some form of dimensional data. In recent years, the large, heterogeneous, and multidimensional data have gained significant attention. The complex multidimensional data are being generated at a very rapid pace through various disparate potential resources and sensors, scientific instruments, and internet, especially the social media, are just to name a few. Though, the volume of the data is expanding with a considerable velocity, the data management techniques are not advancing at the same pace, resulting in the scarcity of suitably efficient data processing systems. This unexpected gap of advancement has raised serious concerns in the data community. Presently, in data science, one of the fast-growing needs is to advance the query processing system to efficiently deal with the increasingly complex and sizable data. This research work also aims to address such challenges and attempts to expand the bandwidth of the querying system of the Parametric Data Model. It is an efficient dimensional data model, which comes equipped with its own SQL-like query language, known as Parametric Structured Query Language (ParaSQL).
Customizing business-to-business (B2B) professional services: The role of intellectual capital and internal social capital ☆

Abstract Business-to-business (B2B) professional service firms often develop highly customized offerings for their customers. Customizing B2B professional services is a knowledge intensive process that requires the coordinated efforts of individuals with specialized knowledge and skills. Drawing on customization and social capital theory, we develop and test an intellectual capital (IC) model of customizing B2B professional services that rests on two foundational premises. First, three different forms IC, that is, employees' knowledge of customers, employees' technical knowledge and abilities, and organizational creativity, make firms more effective at customizing B2B professional services. Second, internal social capital (ISC) is a precursor to the intellectual capital that enables firms to effectively produce customized B2B professional services. Analyses of data from key informants of 161 marketing research firms support our theses.
Lactoferrin binding to its intestinal receptor.

Lactoferrin was first discovered in bovine milk in 19391. It was later found in high concentration in human milk2. Lactoferrin is a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 78,000 and has the capacity to bind two ferric ions concomitant with bicarbonate or carbonate ions. The primary structure3 as well as the glycan structure4 have been documented and the tertiary structure has been elucidated by X-ray crystallography5. The protein consists of two lobes, each binding one iron atom and having one glycan; because of the similarity between the two lobes, the molecule is believed to be the result of an early gene duplication3. Lactoferrin is sometimes referred to as lactotransferrin3,4. However, even if lactoferrin and transferrin have some similar physicochemical properties, they are products of different genes and their biological functions are different.
Large Deflection of Anisotropic Bimodular Composite Material Plates

This chapter presents the results for geometrically nonlinear bending of thin, anisotropic, single-layer, rectangular plates constructed of bimodular materials. The classical plate theory, which accounts for the bimodular action and large rotations, is employed. Finite element results for transverse deflection are presented for simply-supported, graphite/epoxy and polyester-rubber plates under uniform distributed load. Also, the effects of the aspect ratio and bimodularity ratio as well as the angle of fiber orientation on the maximum transverse deflection are discussed.
Dispositional Explanation and the Covering-Law Model: Response to Laird Addis

The following considerations are offered in response to the critical observations and constructive proposals set forth by Laird Addis, in his paper ‘On Defending the Covering-Law “Model”’, concerning my explications of “rational” and dispositional explanation and concerning the claims associated with the covering-law model of explanation.
Automatic recognition and demodulation of digitally modulated communications signals using wavelet-domain signatures

Wavelet transform-based methodologies for both Automatic Modulation Recognition (AMR) and Demodulation of digitally modulated communications signals can be utilized in an enabling platform for the implementation of a new class of communications systems. In particular, such techniques could enable the development of agile radio transceivers for use in both commercial and military applications. Such radio transceivers would have the ability to transmit and receive signals using many different modulation schemes while employing a common receiver architecture based on a single demodulator. In this dissertation, the development of AMR and Demodulation techniques are based on the relatively new mathematical theory of Wavelet Transforms (WTs). Information-bearing signals acquired by communications receivers are transformed into the wavelet-domain using the Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) and then applied to signal processing algorithms that also use the CWT in conjunction with pattern recognition techniques. In particular, the method of template-matching is used for both the AMR and Demodulation processes. Signal templates characterizing various modulated signals are used for both processes. The signal templates are determined based on the signal features present in the fractal patterns of their corresponding scalograms for specific modulation schemes as they appear in the wavelet-domain. The algorithms developed in this work are capable of both classifying the method of modulation used in the acquired signal, as well as subsequently automatically demodulating the signal to recover the message. The classes of digitally modulated signals considered in this work include variants of the Amplitude-, Frequency-, Phase-Shift Keying modulation families, i.e., ASK, FSK, and PSK, respectively, and multiple-level Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (M-ary QAM) families. The AMR and Demodulation performances are evaluated in the presence of Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) over a wide range of Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) values. Through extensive Monte Carlo computer simulations it is determined that the average correct classification rates using wavelet-based AMR for PSK, ASK, and QAM are over 98%, and over 90% for FSK signals, all at an SNR of 0 dB. The Bit Error Rate (BER) performance obtained using wavelet-based Demodulation is at least one order of magnitude better than the matched filter-based BER performance realized for the modulation schemes considered.
Collective or Individual Benefits?: Measuring the Educational Benefits of Race-Conscious Admissions Programs

In Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin, the United States Supreme Court ruled that colleges and universities could continue to consider race or ethnicity as one of several factors in an admissions policy that seeks to achieve broad diversity goals. To the relief of proponents of race-conscious admissions programs, the Fisher Court affirmed that the 'educational benefits' that flow from a diverse student body are a compelling government interest under strict scrutiny analysis. The Court further upheld the determination that Grutter mandates 'deference to the University’s conclusion, based on its experience and expertise, that a diverse student body would serve its educational goals.' The Court gave little further guidance on precisely which of the several potential educational benefits of diversity are appropriate to consider. In exploring the availability of race-neutral alternatives and their effectiveness in achieving the same educational benefits as race-conscious programs, should courts focus on the benefits that inure to the larger educational community and society as a whole from having a diverse student population? Or should courts focus strictly on the 'direct benefits' to individuals admitted under affirmative action programs? This Essay suggests that courts should continue to focus on the educational benefits of affirmative action that are shared by the entire educational community and society at large. Further, even if courts were to turn their focus to the impact that affirmative action programs have on individual beneficiaries of diversity initiatives, this Essay argues that the courts should conclude that the educational and career benefits to individuals far outweigh any purported harms to beneficiaries.
The Interactive ∈-Grid Method

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the interactive є-grid method. V. V. Merkur’ev and M. A. Moldavskii, of the Mari Polytechnic Institute in Ioshkar–Ola, developed an interactive method particularly suited to continuous nonlinear multi-objective programming problems. The method first takes a є-grid sampling of the non-inferior set and then asks the decision maker to use this sampling to eliminate uninteresting portions of the noninferior set. A tighter є-grid sampling is then taken on the remaining portions of the noninferior set, and the process is repeated. This succession of є-grids and eliminations continues until an acceptable compromise solution is found. Constructing a є-grid on the non-inferior set first requires selecting a family of parameterized global objective functions for aggregating the local objectives. The interactive є-grid approach provides the decision maker with the opportunity to express preferences in direct response to actual properties of the problem at hand rather than to hypothetical situations removed from the real problem. Information obtained in this way is more likely to be reliable.
The 2016 U.S. Presidential Election and Transition Events: A Social Media Volume and Sentiment Analysis

ABSTRACTThe present study examines social media behavior as indicative of basking in reflected glory (BIRGing), the psychological process of associating with the successes of others, and cutting of...
Transgression as Creative Freedom and Creative Control in the Media Production Classroom.

When students have the freedom to use digital media to create, communicate and disseminate messages, transgression occurs. In this paper, I situate in-school youth production in the context of pedagogical theories of participatory culture, art education, and digital and media literacy education. Using interviews with four experienced high school media production educators, I examine how educators perceive school situations where behavior or student media work products disrupt or transgress expectations. Teachers experience student transgression as an essential dimension of the dialectic between creative freedom and creative control. They perceive creative control to be a negotiation between students and teachers on issues of content, format, production and distribution processes. Teachers conceptualize the distinctions between students who use transgression as a form expressive creativity, a reproduction of the tropes of mass media and popular culture, the result of novices making mistakes as part of learning, an attempt to gain social power and status among their peers, or a challenge to adult authority. Teacher reflection on creative control and creative freedom may inform the design of media production learning experiences.
Code Blue. Design and the Political/Resuscitating Civics

(2019). Code Blue. Design and the Political/Resuscitating Civics. The Design Journal: Vol. 22, Running with Scissors: 13th International Conference of the European Academy of Design, Dundee, 10-12th April, 2019, edited by Louise Valentine, Joanna Bletcher and Leon Cruickshank, pp. 1333-1344.
Simulation of Electrothermal Characteristics of SSI-LEDs

The temperature distribution in nano-resistors based solid-state incandescent light emitting devices made from MOS capacitors with a high-k gate dielectric deposited on the p-type Si substrate is studied using finite element modeling. The results obtained are correlated with experimental data previously reported on the device. The physics-based mathematical formulation with governing equations was simulated using the COMSOL Multiphysics program. Temperatures within and around individual nano-resistors in different geometrical arrangements, distributions and sizes were calculated. The temperature distribution across the complete device under various boundary conditions was simulated and optimized based on the optical emission spectrum of the device.
Whisker orientation controls wear of 3D-printed epoxy nanocomposites

Abstract Additive manufacturing enables design of multi-material composite materials with tunable mechanical properties. Previous studies on epoxy-based composites containing silica, clays or fiber showed that favorable mechanical properties can be achieved by controlling the fiber orientation and architecture. In this work the effect of the build direction and whiskers orientation on the wear properties of 3D printed epoxy-based nanocomposites is investigated. Epoxy-nanoclay-PTFE-SiC nanocomposites are fabricated using a direct-write additive manufacturing method that enables one to orient the SiC whiskers along the printing path. Tribological results show that variations in build direction and whiskers orientation relative to the sliding direction cause anisotropy in wear and friction in these nanocomposites. The best wear performance was achieved with the nanocomposites printed with whiskers oriented perpendicular to the sliding steel counter-surface and slid orthogonally to the build direction and print path orientation. All nanocomposites had significantly better wear properties than the unfilled epoxy sample. The results suggest that optimizing the whisker orientation and alignment in epoxy-based nanocomposites through direct-write additive manufacturing increases the wear performance. This enables an additional design paradigm when optimizing multifunctional, 3D-printed epoxy nanocomposites.
Colon and Rectal Neuroendocrine Tumors

Colorectal neuroendocrine tumors are a rare gastrointestinal tumor with increasing incidence. Although the staging and grading for colon and rectal neuroendocrine tumors is the same, tumors arising from each site behave differently. In the following chapter, we describe the workup, presentation, diagnosis, staging, and treatment of colon and rectal neuroendocrine tumors, with a focus on the surgical management and outcomes. The surgical treatment for colon neuroendocrine tumors is typically surgical resection and lymphadenectomy with standard oncologic principles for locoregional disease while surgical treatment for rectal neuroendocrine tumors ranges from endoscopic management to radical resection, depending on the size and location of the tumor. The survival for patients with colon and rectal neuroendocrine tumors varies widely based on tumor stage.
Cooperative Brexit: Giving Back Control Over Trade Policy

Pursuant to Article 50 TEU, Member States may decide to leave the EU, but EU law—including the principle of “sincere cooperation”—continues to apply while withdrawal negotiations take place. This creates a fundamental and underappreciated difference between withdrawal negotiations with a departing EU Member State (to which that principle applies) and arms-length negotiations between the Union and non-EU Member States (to which it does not). In particular, this article argues that the principle of sincere cooperation requires the Union and a departing Member States to pursue a “cooperative” approach to withdrawal, and applies that proposition to the contested area of trade policy in the context of the United Kingdom’s impending withdrawal from the Union. It argues that one way in which the Union could give expression to the principle of sincere cooperation would be to re-empower the UK to negotiate trade agreements on its own account, prior to the effective date of its withdrawal. This provides one example of the ways in which EU law beyond Article 50 TEU frames and structures the exit process, and one way in which the Union can affirm its central principles (and the bases of its enduring legitimacy) even in the difficult context of a Member State’s exit.
Nursing home leader’s perceptions of a research partnership

Partnerships between healthcare providers and researchers may accelerate the translation of interventions into widespread practice by testing them under real-world conditions, but depend on provider’s willingness to engage with researchers and ability to fully implement an intervention. To understand nursing home leader’s motivations for participating in a research study and perceptions of the process and value. After a feasibility study of tuned lighting in a nursing home, we conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with six facility leaders. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and independently coded by four investigators. Three themes emerged: (1) The importance of the nursing home’s culture and context: the facility had stable leadership, clear processes for prioritizing and implementing new initiatives, and an established interest in the study’s topic. (2) The importance of leader’s belief in the value of the intervention: leaders perceived research generally and the intervention specifically as positively impacting their facility and residents. (3) The importance of ongoing collaboration and flexibility throughout the study period: leaders served as champions to catalyze the project and overcome implementation barriers. Nursing home leader’s perspectives about their participation in a feasibility study underscore the importance of establishing strong researcher–provider partnerships, understanding the environment in which the intervention will be implemented, and employing pragmatic methods that allow for flexibility in response to real-world implementation barriers. We recommend eliciting qualitative information to understand the environment in which an intervention will be implemented and to engage opinion leaders who can inform the protocol and champion its success.
A New and Rare Presentation of Unilateral Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Palsy in a COVID-19 Patient With No Recent History of Endotracheal Intubation.

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has classical symptoms of high fevers, diarrhea, cough, and dyspnea; however, there are cases recording more unconventional features. In this case report, we will discuss recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy as a new and unusual presentation of COVID-19. The patient was a 58-year-old African American male with a history of hypertension, type-2 diabetes mellitus, and obstructive sleep apnea presenting with dyspnea, fatigue, and nausea. The patient was initially admitted to the medical intensive care unit (MICU) for acute hypoxic respiratory failure and completed intravenous Remdesivir for COVID-19. He never got intubated during the ICU stay and his condition improved on the 34th day of admission. However, two weeks later the patient suddenly developed hoarseness of voice. A bedside laryngoscopy revealed a left-sided vocal cord paralysis but patent airway. The computed tomography (CT) scan of the neck did not show any abnormalities, including any impinging masses or structures. The patient did not have any recent intubations to suggest the paralysis was due to traumatic injury, thus favoring that his neurologic injury was likely a post-viral symptom. One possible pathophysiology would be the invasion of nerve fibers (peripheral or cranial nerves) by the virus using the same mechanism as seen in alveolar cells and finally destroying them. Another hypothesis would be the inflammatory response of the host immune system affecting the peripheral and cranial nerves. Therefore, the potential association between neuro-invasiveness of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy resulting in the vocal cord paralysis should be considered and more studies need to be conducted for better understanding.
Experimental and producer-reported data quantify the value of foliar fungicide to winter wheat and its dependency on genotype and environment in the U.S. central Great Plains

Abstract Foliar fungicides can account for a large portion of the yield gap in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.); however, their impacts on yield have been inconsistent in rainfed environments. We compiled a database of replicated field experiments and producer-reported fungicide and yield data from commercial fields to quantify the effects of fungicide application on winter wheat yield and yield stability. The database of field experiments (i.e., canopy level) included 56 non-inoculated environments spanning 12 growing seasons in eight Kansas locations, and was restricted to field experiments with direct comparisons between a foliar fungicide between Zadoks 40–55 and a side-by-side untreated control, resulting in 393 mean yield comparisons resulting from 3226 yield observations. The producer survey included genotype and fungicide management data from 654 commercial Kansas wheat fields cultivated across three growing seasons. Grain yield and weather conditions in the experimental and producer-reported database were similar, with seasonal precipitation ranging from ˜150 to 1035 mm and average grain yield of ˜3900 kg ha−1 with a ˜7000 kg ha−1 range. Foliar fungicide application resulted in 7.8 % average yield gain in the canopy-level data, ranging from −27 % to +97 %. Yield differences due to fungicide were strongly related to precipitation and to the ratio of precipitation and reference evapotranspiration (WS:WD) during the spring in the experimental data. Grain yield responsiveness to fungicide associated with the responsiveness of green canopy cover, kernel weight, biomass, and harvest index. Analysis of covariance suggested that grain yield usually decreased with increases in disease susceptibility in the absence of foliar fungicides; however, yield-disease relationships were either neutral or positive in the presence of fungicides. Average yield gain for resistant varieties was ˜166 kg ha−1 (5.6 %), which was lower than for intermediate (˜199 kg ha−1; 6.9 %) or susceptible genotypes (˜598 kg ha−1; 16.9 %). Foliar fungicides increased yield stability across genotypes at the canopy level and at the commercial field level. In the commercial-field level data, 53 % of the fields received foliar fungicide, with higher frequency in growing seasons with greater WS:WD (which were also higher yielding). The use of foliar fungicides was associated with improved yields and interacted with genotype’s resistance level to stripe rust and with growing seasons’ WS:WD. This work quantified and explained the yield benefits of foliar fungicide, and characterized its dependency on genotype-specific disease resistance and environmental conditions both at the canopy- and commercial field-levels.
The politics of a rock ‘n’ road docudrama—genre and intertextuality in Želimir Žilnik’s Oldtimer (1989)

This article examines Želimir Žilnik’s telefilm Stara masina/Oldtimer (1989) as an example of the politically engaged use of genre and intertextuality in televisual representation. As a road movie,...
Dienst: Building a Production technical Report Server

Dienst is a protocol and implementation that provides Internet access to a distributed, decentralized multi-format document collection. It supports full text and boolean searches, thumbnail visual browsing, onscreen reading, and printing. In this paper we describe a number of issues that arose as we developed Dienst, including copyright policy, document management, and handling multiple formats of documents, and then lay out a number of areas where we still need to make progress, including interoperability among heterogeneous search engines, reliability, logical document structuring, and technology transfer.
Classifying step and spin turns using wireless gyroscopes and implications for fall risk assessments.

Recent studies have reported a greater prevalence of spin turns, which are more unstable than step turns, in older adults compared to young adults in laboratory settings. Currently, turning strategies can only be identified through visual observation, either in-person or through video. This paper presents two unique methods and their combination to remotely monitor turning behavior using three uniaxial gyroscopes. Five young adults performed 90° turns at slow, normal, and fast walking speeds around a variety of obstacles while instrumented with three IMUs (attached on the trunk, left and right shank). Raw data from 360 trials were analyzed. Compared to visual classification, the two IMU methods’ sensitivity/specificity to detecting spin turns were 76.1%/76.7% and 76.1%/84.4%, respectively. When the two methods were combined, the IMU had an overall 86.8% sensitivity and 92.2% specificity, with 89.4%/100% sensitivity/specificity at slow speeds. This combined method can be implemented into wireless fall prevention systems and used to identify increased use of spin turns. This method allows for longitudinal monitoring of turning strategies and allows researchers to test for potential associations between the frequency of spin turns and clinically relevant outcomes (e.g., falls) in non-laboratory settings.
Effect of intensive occupational exposure to DDT on phenylbutazone and cortisol metabolism in human subiects

The effect of intensive occupational exposure to DDT on drug and steroid metabolism was studied. The concentration of DDT-related substances in the serum and fat of DDT factory workers was 20 to 30 times that in a control population. The serum half-life of phenylbutazone was 19 per cent lower (p < 0.01) and the urinary excretion of 6s- hydroxycortisol was 57 per cent higher (p < 0.01) in the DDT factory workers. There were considerable variations in the phenylbutazone half-life in different people, and there were also individual differences in the urinary excretion of 6s-hydroxycOrfisol. The variability in these parameters found in the DDT factory workers or in the control population was, however, not correlated with the concentration of DDT in the serum. Although we do not know whether DDT storage in the general population is sufficient to increase phenylbutazone metabolism or the urinary excretion of 6B-hydroxycOrfisol, our results suggest that the extent of possible changes in these parameters would be small.
The Effect of Accounting Uncertainty and Auditor Reputation on Auditor Independence

This paper reports the results of experimental economic markets designed to examine whether an auditor's objectivity (independence) is impacted by uncertainty regarding the appropriate accounting treatment for a client. In particular, we are interested in whether the auditor exploits this uncertainty by agreeing with her client's preferred accounting treatment even when her evidence suggests an alternative treatment is more likely to be correct. We examine the effect of accounting uncertainty in a setting where the auditor not only wants to satisfy her client but also wants to maintain a reputation for audit objectivity in the market. The results provide strong evidence that the level of accounting uncertainty impacts auditor independence. Specifically, when accounting uncertainty did not exist, auditors maintained their independence by truthfully reporting the observed value. Auditors appeared to remain independent due to concerns about their reputations with managers and investors. However, when accounting uncertainty existed, auditors impaired their independence by misreporting the observed value in favor of the manager. Our results specify some initial boundary conditions for the impact of auditor reputation and investor pricing on auditor independence, and suggest that regulators should focus on enhancing auditor incentives to maintain independence when faced with accounting uncertainty. It appears that regulators do not need to be as concerned about independence violations when accounting pronouncements provide unambiguous guidance. An auditor's concern about her reputation provides adequate incentive to prevent independence impairment when she is certain about the appropriate accounting treatment. Our results also suggest future research should assess the ability of other audit market forces to reduce the propensity of auditors to violate independence when faced with accounting uncertainty.
Abstract 198: Robotic Telepresence versus Standardly Supervised Stroke Alert Team Assessments

Background: The implementation of telemedicine for stroke has played a vital role in creating universal access to emergency stroke care for patients in both rural and urban communities, regardless of location or hospital resources. Objective: We evaluated the hypothesis that there is no difference in speed of assessment between vascular neurologist (VN) robotic telepresence and standard VN supervised stroke alert patients in a primary stroke center. Methods: A retrospective stroke alert database review was used to identify all robotic telepresence and standardly supervised stroke alert patient assessments at Mayo Clinic Hospital Emergency Department from 2009 to 2012. The robotic telepresence cohort was compared to a random sample of standard stroke alert patients, with an equal number of patients selected from each year. The primary outcome measure was the duration of assessment from stroke alert activation to treatment or downgrade. Results: The sample size was 196 subjects. The mean duration of time from stroke alert activation to initiation of IV thrombolytic treatment or downgrade was 8.6 minutes longer in the robotic telepresence group than in the standard group ( P =0.03). There was a higher percentage of patients diagnosed with acute stroke in the robotic stroke alert group than in the standard stroke alert group (77% vs 60%, P =0.01). Controlling for acute stroke, age, and NIHSS did not significantly reduce the time difference between groups. Among the subgroup of acute ischemic stroke patients requiring IV thrombolysis, the mean duration of time from activation to treatment was 18 minutes longer in the robotic group than in the standard group ( P =0.01). Safety outcomes including thrombolysis protocol violations (0% vs 1%), post-thrombolysis symptomatic intracranial hemorrhagic complications (3% vs 1%), and death during hospitalization (8% vs 6%) were low in the robotic group and not significantly different from that in the standard group. Conclusion: Standard VN supervised acute stroke team assessments are swifter than those supervised by robotic telepresence. Safety outcomes of robotic telepresence supervised stroke alerts are excellent, and this modality may be preferred in circumstances when a VN is not immediately available on-site.
Casemix and nursing.

The American Nurses' Association did not embrace the introduction of diagnosis related groups, believing they would not recognise nursing activity nor acuity and would bring about the economic demise of nursing. Australian nurses, by contrast, recognised the window of opportunity that the work towards Australian national diagnosis related groups and funding mechanisms provided to move nursing resources into the political and policy mainstream. This paper reviews the American and Australian nursing experience with casemix, acuity and cost weighting. It uses examples from more recent work to argue for the use of casemix information in new ways, for 'process improvement' or 'evidence-based management'. The paper concludes that the next great leap forward in casemix may require attention to building the information and human infrastructures, so that the valuable clinical-financial information produced by casemix-based information systems can truly inform management and policy.
Biological Clocks and Ventricular Tachyarrhythmias

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) due to sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTA) remains a major public health problem because of poor understanding of the mechanisms. Initiation of VTA in animal models and in patients usually requires intense metabolic or electrical stimuli not often observed for
On the Importance of Pelagic Species of Copepods To the Diet of Some Benthic Invertebrates (Ophiuroidea) 1)

In den Magen der haufigen Ophiuriden Art Ophiocten bastatum (gesammelt mitten im Sommer in einigen tiefen Becken des "Gulf of Maine") machten pelagische Copepodenarten volumenmassig die grosste Fraktion der vorgefundenen Einheiten aus, nicht immer jedoch die grosste Anzahl von Einheiten. Die Copepodenarten waren Calanus finmarchicus, C. hyperboreus, Euchaeta norvegica und Metridia longa.
Coming back to life: From indicator to stereotype and a strange story of frequency1

InthehistoryofSpanishtherearefiveforms,originallyfromthesamelexical item, co-existing: as´i, as´, ans´, asina ,a ndansina, all meaning 'like that'. StandardModernSpanishincludesonlyoneofthese:as´i.Thisisnotthecase, however, in New Mexican Spanish. This corpus-based study examines the patternsofsynchronicvariationinNewMexicanSpanish,aswellasthenear death and transformed rebirth of forms other than standard asin literature. Multivariate analysis suggests a decline in non-standard variants in New Mexico, associated with rural activities and objects, and with older, less- educated speakers. The synchronic idiosyncrasy of stereotypes is confirmed, while the quantitative diachronic patterns found may prove to be a regular patternfordevelopingstereotypesinliterarytexts:aslowdeclineinfrequency followed by a sharp rise.
Y chromosome lineages in men of west African descent

The early African experience in the Americas is marked by the transatlantic slave trade from ∼1619 to 1850 and the rise of the plantation system. The origins of enslaved Africans were largely dependent on European preferences as well as the availability of potential laborers within Africa. Rice production was a key industry of many colonial South Carolina low country plantations. Accordingly, rice plantations owners within South Carolina often requested enslaved Africans from the so-called “Grain Coast” of western Africa (Senegal to Sierra Leone). Studies on the African origins of the enslaved within other regions of the Americas have been limited. To address the issue of origins of people of African descent within the Americas and understand more about the genetic heterogeneity present within Africa and the African Diaspora, we typed Y chromosome specific markers in 1,319 men consisting of 508 west and central Africans (from 12 populations), 188 Caribbeans (from 2 islands), 532 African Americans (AAs from Washington, DC and Columbia, SC), and 91 European Americans. Principal component and admixture analyses provide support for significant Grain Coast ancestry among African American men in South Carolina. AA men from DC and the Caribbean showed a closer affinity to populations from the Bight of Biafra. Furthermore, 30–40% of the paternal lineages in African descent populations in the Americas are of European ancestry. Diverse west African ancestries and sex-biased gene flow from EAs has contributed greatly to the genetic heterogeneity of African populations throughout the Americas and has significant implications for gene mapping efforts in these populations.
The effect of real‐time laboratory graphing on learning graphic representations of distance and velocity

Extended Microcomputer-Based Laboratory (MBL) experience has been shown to be effective in improving middle-school students' graphing skills. This study reports evidence that a treatment period as short as a single class period with a motion MBL unit was sufficient for high school physics students to improve their comprehension of distance and velocity graphs when compared with a pencil-and-paper graph-construction control treatment. Most of the improvement appears to be attributable to the real-time graphing feature of the MBL. A delay of only 20–30 seconds in displaying the graphed data inhibited nearly all of the learning.
Looking up, Looking down

We use photography to halt time, to investigate the transitory nature of the world around us. The camera is our sketchbook; the photograph, a ‘geometry awakened by what's offered’ (Cartier-Bresson ...
Impact of pre-operative positron emission tomography in gallbladder cancer.

Background Current pre-operative staging methods for gallbladder cancer (GBC) are suboptimal in detecting metastatic disease. Positron emission tomography (PET) may have a role but data are lacking.
Cytotoxic and migration inhibitory effects of bisphosphonates on macrophages

Twoin vitro model systems were developed to facilitate investigation of the mechanisms by which bisphosphonates block bone resorption. These systems assess the cytotoxic and the migration inhibitory activities of bisphosphonates using mouse peritoneal macrophages as osteoclast surrogates. Several bisphosphonates, 3-amino-1-hydroxypropylidene-1,1-bisphosphonate (AHPrBP), dichloromethylene bisphosphonate (Cl2MBP), 1-hydroxyethylidene-1,1-bisphosphonate (HEBP), 1-hydroxybutylidene-1,1-bisphosphonate (HBBP), 1-hydroxyhexylidene-1,1-bisphosphonate (HHBP), and 1-hydroxyoctylidene-1,1-bisphosphonate (HOBP), possess the same relative activities in these systems as they do in bone resorption systems. Calcium ion replacement studies using these systems demonstrated that bisphosphonates do not derive all their activity from sequestration of calcium ions from cells by chelation. Whereas calcium ion replacement abrogated the activity of EDTA, a nonbisphosphonate calcium chelator active in both systems, it failed to abrogate either the cytotoxic or the migration inhibitory effects of the bisphosphonates tested. Calcium ion replacement increased the migration inhibitory activity of all the bisphosphonates tested. Further, calcium ion replacement increased the cytotoxicity of HHBP and HOBP; however, it decreased the cytotoxicity of HEBP, HBBP, AHPrBP, and Cl2MBP.
Stable Factors in Security Returns: Identification Using Cross-Validation

Recent papers in financial research focus on identifying a stable factor structure for security returns. The likelihood ratio test typically is used to determine the number of factors from exploratory factor analysis models. In this article, we consider the use of cross-validation to identify a stable factor structure in security returns. When applied to actual stock-return data, cross-validation identifies a smaller number of stable factors than the likelihood ratio test. In groups of 30–60 randomly selected securities, cross-validation suggests one dominant factor, whereas the likelihood ratio test identifies from four to six factors. Furthermore, when groups are designed to highlight industry or size effects, the discovery of more than one dominant factor is problematic. Even if there are multiple economic factors generating stock returns, they may be difficult to disentangle if the underlying factors tend to be correlated.
Mechanical properties of molybdenum-sealing glass-ceramics

Elastic constants, thermal expansion, strength, and fracture toughness were determined for a glass-ceramic which bonds to molybdenum and matches its thermal expansion. Mechanical properties of the glass-ceramic were related to microstructure following two different crystallization treatments and moderate changes in composition. Crystallization increases the toughness and modulus of the parent glass even while the residual glass properties decline. Fracture toughness of the composite is shown to depend primarily upon properties of the separate phases; however, internal stresses are shown to decrease toughness without decreasing Young's modulus.
Public Works and Public Space: Rethinking the Urban Park

Infrastructure has always played a significant role in shaping the city and giving rise to new landscape types. This paper examines the historical relationship between public works and public space and explores the potential for redefining the contemporary park as an extension of urban infrastructure. Recent examples of such hybrid working landscapes are discussed, including the Productive Park design study in New York and Garrison Creek Demonstration Project in Toronto. These issues are investigated further through the student work of two landscape architecture studios at the University of Virginia dealing with waterworks sites: McMillan Sand Filtration Plant in Washington, D.C., and Highbridge Park, New York.
Dynamics of quadrupedal locomotion

O. Fischer's dynamical equations for unbranched systems in two dimensions are extended to the branched systems exhibited by a quadruped.
Concurrent and Predictive Validity of the Personality Disorder Diagnosis in Adolescent Inpatients

OBJECTIVE: The authors investigated the concurrent and predictive validity of the DSM-III-R diagnosis of personality disorder in adolescents by means of baseline and follow-up assessments of inpatients treated at the Yale Psychiatric Institute. METHOD: One hundred sixty-five hospitalized adolescents were reliably assessed by using a structured interview for personality disorder diagnoses as well as two measures of impairment and distress—the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale and the SCL-90-R. Two years after initial assessment, 101 subjects were independently reassessed with the same measures; their functioning was also assessed at this time. RESULTS: At baseline, adolescents with personality disorders were significantly more impaired than those without personality disorders. At follow-up, adolescents with a personality disorder diagnosis at baseline had used significantly more drugs and had required more inpatient treatment during the follow-up interval. Over time, the scores on the Global Assessmen...
Clinical value of mammography for symptomatic women 35 years of age and younger.

Abstract Objective: This retrospective observational study was designed to answer the following question: Is mammography clinically effective in the evaluation of women ≤35 years old with breast symptoms or findings? Study Design: A retrospective review was undertaken of 1908 consecutive initial mammogram reports of symptomatic women ≤35 years old who came to a referral breast clinic. The clinic records were analyzed for the working diagnoses and management plans before and after the input of the initial mammogram reports. Results: Of the 4160 initial mammograms of women who came (1992-1995) to the Breast Diagnostic Center at Women's and Children Hospital, Los Angeles, Calif, 1908 were of women ≤35 years old. The mammogram reports were reviewed and tabulated by age group for mammography recommendations. The working diagnoses and management plans in the center's charts were retrospectively evaluated before and after the mammogram reports to ascertain whether the mammogram reports altered clinical management in this patient population and age group. No clinically unsuspected cancers were perceived by mammography performed at the center in women ≤35 years old. (All of the 23 invasive cancers were palpable and had prior diagnoses after fine-needle aspiration biopsy.) The initial mammogram reports did not change the working diagnosis or clinical management of these cases in this patient population and clinic setting. Ultrasonography was recommended by the radiologists in 37% of the study cases. Conclusions: Routine initial mammography was not cost-effective or clinically beneficial in the evaluation of breast symptoms or findings and management of the cases of women ≤35 years old who came to our center. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;180:1484-90.)
Nisin‐resistant (Nisr) Listeria monocytogenes and Nisr Clostridium botulinum Are Not Resistant to Common Food Preservatives

Nisin-resistant (Nis(r)) strains of Clostridium botulinum and Listeria monocytogenes may arise as nisin becomes more widely used as an additional safety barrier in minimally-processed foods. The sensitivity of Nis(r) L. monocytogenes ATCC 700301 and ATCC 700302 and toxigenic Nis(r) C. botulinum 169B to low pH, salt, sodium nitrite, and potassium sorbate was assayed using discontinuous gradients in broth and compared to the parental wild-type strains. The nisin-resistant strains did not have intrinsic resistance to low pH, sodium chloride, potassium sorbate, or sodium nitrite. In no case were the Nis(r) L. monocytogenes and C. botulinum strains examined more resistant to inhibitors than the parental strains.
A simple yet effective load balancing extension to the PVM software system

Abstract In this paper, a load balancing extension for the PVM software system is described. This extension includes slave processes, for obtaining host CPU load information, and a master process for gathering the load information. A programming interface is included to provide the PVM user with CPU load information and a load balancing process spawn. For tested applications, the load balancing extension exhibits considerable improvement in parallel runtime performance. Results presented include parallel runtime comparisons for basic matrix oriented algorithms, a parallel fractal image compression algorithm, and selected NAS parallel benchmarks.