cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Bayesian approach for unplanned sample sizes in phase II cancer clinical trials.

Background Phase II cancer clinical trials commonly employ two-stage designs that incorporate a single interim analysis for lack of efficacy and are designed to achieve specified frequentist properties. The requirement to examine the outcome at a prespecified sample size (SS) can be problematic, because the attained SS often differs from the planned SS.Purpose We propose to address unplanned SSs achieved at either stage by means of a Bayesian approach that approximately preserves the original design’s properties.Methods Our approach translates the rejection rule of the original frequentist design into equivalent statements about the posterior distribution of the response rate and applies this Bayesian criterion to the analysis with any realized SS.Results The results demonstrate that our approach approximately maintains operating characteristics of the original frequentist design including type I and type II error rates, probability of early termination, and expected SS under the null hypothesis.Limitatio...
Isotopic fractionation of nitrous oxide in the stratosphere: Comparison between model and observations

We investigate the mass dependent isotopic fractionation mechanisms, based on photolytic destruction and reaction with O^1D, to explain the ^(15)N/^(14)N and ^(18)O/^(16)O fractionation of stratospheric N_2O and reconcile laboratory experiments with atmospheric observations. The Caltech/JPL two-dimensional (2-D) model is utilized for detailed studies of N_2O and its isotopologues and isotopomers in the stratosphere. We compare model results with observations of isotopic enrichment using three different methods of calculating photolytic cross-sections for each of the major isotopologues and isotopomers of N_2O. Although the Yung and Miller [1997] successfully modeled the pattern of enrichments for each isotopologue or isotopomer relative to each other, their approach underestimated the magnitude of the enrichments. The ab initio approach by Johnson et al. [2001] provides a better fit to the magnitudes of the enrichments, with the notable exception of the enrichment for the ^(15)N^(14)N^(16)O. A simpler, semi-empirical approach by Blake et al. [2003] is able to model the magnitude of all the enrichments, including the one for ^(15)N^(14)N^(16)O. The Blake et al. [2003] cross-sections are temperature-dependent, but adjustments are needed to match the measurements of Kaiser et al. [2002a] . Using these modified cross-sections generally improves the agreement between model and mass spectrometric measurements. Destruction of N_2O by reaction with O(^1D) results in a small but nonnegligible isotopic fractionation in the lower stratosphere. On a per molecule basis, the rates of destruction of the minor isotopologues or isotopomers are somewhat less than that for ^(14)N^(14)N^(16)O. From our 2-D model we infer the relative rates for isotopologues and isotopomers ^(14)N^(14)N^(16)O (446), ^(14)N^(15)N^(16)O (456), ^(15)N^(14)N^(16)O (546), ^(14)N^(14)N^(17)O (447) and ^(14)N^(14)N^(18)O (448), to be 1, 0.9843, 0.9942, 0.9949, and 0.9900, respectively. Thus the destruction of N_2O in the atmosphere results in isotopic fractionations of (456), (546), (447) and (448) by 19.4, 9.5, 5.5 and 12.0‰. If we do not distinguish between the (456) and (546) isotopomers, the mean isotopic fractionation for ^(15)N is 14.5‰. If we assume that the mean tropospheric values for δ_(456), δ_(546_, δ^(15)N and δ^(18)O are 16.35, −2.35, 7.0 and 20.7‰, respectively, we infer the following isotopic signature for the integrated sources of N_2O: δ_(456) = − 2.9‰, δ_(546) = −11.7‰, δ^(15)N = −7.3‰ and δ^(18)O = 8.7‰.
Factors Affecting Training Effectiveness in the Context of the Introduction of a New Technology--A U.S. Case Study.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify the key factors within and outside the training context that could affect training effectiveness. The most important variables that were found to facilitate trainee learning and training transfer are: measurement of trainee knowledge before and immediately after training; supervisory support and encouragement for the application of new skills and knowledge; intrinsic rewards for applying newly learned skills and knowledge; a participative/sociotechnical organisation that is characterised by a high degree of employee involvement; and, a continuous learning environment that encourages frequent participation in multiskill training and retraining programs.
Outcome-Based Higher Education Assessing the Under Graduate International Business Major

Outcome-based education is increasingly coming into focus as faculty, administrators, and accrediting bodies stress outputs, rather than curricular inputs as a measure of successful educational efforts. The focus here is on extending recent work which has been aimed at developing a meaningful assessment framework for the international business major. A pedagogical view is presented of keyprogram components. More importantly, though, this study goes a step further, by suggesting specific and measurable assessment criteria in the second part of the paper. An existing program at a small college in Philadelphia is used as an example, but the recommendations can easily be extended to programs at other institutions.
Isoprostanes as Oxidant Stress Markers in Coronary Reperfusion

The measurement of urinary levels of 8-epi-PGF2α provides a noninvasive in vivo index of free radical generation and a relatively reliable index for the determination of oxidative stress and administration of antioxidant nutrients and drugs.
Identification of a spliced leader RNA binding protein from Trypanosoma cruzi.

Nuclear mRNAs in trypanosomatids are generated by trans-splicing. Although trans-splicing resembles cis-splicing in many ways and most of the U RNA participants have been characterized, relatively few involved proteins have been identified. Herein, we employed a yeast three-hybrid system to identify a protein, XB1, which binds to the Trypanosoma cruzi SL RNA. XB1 is a 45 kDa protein which is homologous to the essential pre-mRNA-splicing factor PRP31p from Saccharomyces cere6isiae .G el shift assays and UV cross-linking experiments with recombinant XB1 confirmed that this T. cruzi protein binds the SL RNA in vitro. The binding site of XB1 on the SL RNA was mapped to stem-loop II by deletion of the SL RNA ‘bait’ in the three-hybrid system. Finally, UV cross-linking SL RNA with S100 extract indicated native XB1 protein and SL RNA interaction in T. cruzi extract. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Best Intentions: Reconsidering Best Practices Statements in the Context of Fair Use and Copyright Law

Private ordering is increasingly playing a role in determining the scope of intellectual property rights both as a de facto and a de jure matter. In this essay, I consider the best practices movement and its efforts to use private ordering to limit the scope and enforcement of copyright law. Best practices statements in the copyright context establish voluntary guidelines for what should be deemed fair uses of others’ copyrighted works. I identify some of the de facto successes of the best practices movement, but also raise a number of concerns about the project. As I have discussed elsewhere, the incorporation of industry practices and social norms into the law in the context of intellectual property can be problematic. The best practices statements have limited value for setting a standard for appropriate uses because they are very one-sided, having been developed without input from the content owners whose work is likely to be used. This one-sided approach to custom is misguided as a normative matter, but may also backfire because courts are more likely to incorporate the more restrictive and dominant practices that promote IP holders’ rights. Not only are the best practices statements’ call for incorporating unrepresentative customs problematic, but the statements can also be critiqued on other grounds. First, the statements are misleading about the parameters of fair use law – a fact which is particularly concerning given that the intended audience is not composed of legal professionals. Second, some of the statements propose overly constraining limitations on fair use that will limit what can be made both as a de facto and de jure matter. The essay concludes with some suggestions for ways that the best practices project could be redirected in positive ways that support law reform and the defense of reasonable fair use claims without risking the downsides of the current statements.
Pseudoaneurysm of internal maxillary artery secondary to gunshot wound managed by endovascular technique.

Although rare, traumatic pseudoaneurysms of the internal maxillary artery are well-recognized complications of maxillofacial trauma. Most references in the literature quote penetrating and blunt trauma as the probable cause for a pseudoaneurysm in the pterygopalatine fossa.1 It can also occur as a result of mandibular osteotomies and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery.2 The anatomic location, and protection by surrounding tissues prevent injury to the internal maxillary artery in maxillofacial trauma, although the other branches of the external carotid may be more commonly involved in concomitant vascular injury and complications. The mechanism of a pseudoaneurysm formation usually requires several weeks to months to develop a false intima. We report the case of a patient with a pseudoaneurysm that was diagnosed within 1 week after a gunshot wound to the face. A previous report has suggested pseudoaneurysm of internal maxillary artery within 17 days post-traumatically.3
Computational Techniques for Analysis of Genetic Network Dynamics

Abstract : In this paper we propose modeling and analysis techniques for genetic networks that provide biologists with insight into the dynamics of such systems. Central to our modeling approach is the framework of hybrid systems and our analysis tools are derived from formal analysis of such systems. Given a set of states characterizing a property of biological interest P, we present the Multi-Affine Rectangular Partition (MARP) algorithm for the construction of a set of infeasible states I that will never reach P and the Rapidly Exploring Random Forest of Trees (RRFT) algorithm for the construction of a set of feasible states F that will reach P. These techniques are scalable to high dimensions and can incorporate uncertainty (partial knowledge of kinetic parameters and state uncertainty).We apply these methods to understand the genetic interactions involved in the phenomenon of luminescence production in the marine bacterium V. fischeri.
Sediment-bound and dissolved carbon concentration and transport from a small pastured watershed

With the current emphasis on the role of carbon in the environment, agricultural systems and their impacts on the carbon cycle are important parts of the overall issue. Organic carbon lost to streams and rivers can promote bacterial production and microbial respiration of CO2 to the atmosphere. Although pastures and grasslands are major land uses in the humid U.S., row crop agriculture has received most of the carbon research focus. The objective of this study at the North Appalachian Experimental Watershed near Coshocton, Ohio, was to assess organic carbon transported from a pasture system, particularly on a runoff event basis. A beef cow–calf herd rotationally grazed a paddock during the growing season and was fed hay in this paddock during the dormant season (November–April). Surface runoff and sediment loss was measured and sampled throughout the year from the small watershed in the paddock. Most of the sediment samples were collected during the dormant season. With continuous winter occupancy, the percent vegetative cover was often ≤50% in the late winter/early spring, which increased the potential for soil loss. During the 10-year period of sample collection, there were 376 runoff events and 115 events with sediment loss ≥10 kg ha −1 from the watershed in the winter feeding area. The largest 6 events carried nearly 50% of the total sediment and sediment-attached C lost during this period. Annual losses of sediment and sediment-C varied considerably but averaged 2642 and 140 kg ha −1 , respectively. There was no significant correlation between the amount of sediment transported during individual events and the C concentration on the associated sediment. The pasture sediments have a C enrichment ratio of 1.2–1.5 compared with the 0–2.5 cm soil layer. Pasture sediment-C concentrations were >2x the C concentrations on sediments from nearby row crop watersheds. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Population Viability Analysis to Identify Management Priorities for Reintroduced Elk in the Cumberland Mountains, Tennessee

ABSTRACT We used an individual-based population model to perform a viability analysis to simulate population growth (λ) of 167 elk (Cervus elaphus manitobensis; 71 male and 96 female) released in the Cumberland Mountains, Tennessee, to estimate sustainability (i.e., λ > 1.0) and identify the most appropriate options for managing elk restoration. We transported elk from Elk Island National Park, Alberta, Canada, and from Land Between the Lakes, Kentucky, and reintroduced them beginning in December 2000 and ending in February 2003. We estimated annual survival rates for 156 radio-collared elk from December 2000 until November 2004. We used data from a nearby elk herd in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to simulate pessimistic and optimistic recruitment and performed population viability analyses to evaluate sustainability over a 25-year period. Annual survival averaged 0.799 (Total SE = 0.023). The primary identifiable sources of mortality were poaching, disease from meningeal worm (Parelaphostrongylus t...
Source-channel coding for digital magnetic recording

The authors explore the possibility of dedicating a disk to store the binary representation of analog data samples and using source-channel codes both to compress the data and to protect it from the increased error rate that results from higher bit density. To determine what gains are possible using this approach, a system was simulated consisting of an IID Gaussian data source, a tree structured vector quantizer for source-channel coding, a channel model similar to that of C.A. French and J.K. Wolf (1988), and two kinds of detector/demodulators. For IID Gaussian data, for which only modest compression is possible, it was found that gains on the order of three to four in data density were achievable with this approach. >
Improved Hybrid Theory Calculation of e-N2 Vibrational Excitation

I will describe some new calculations on e−-N2 vibrational excitation using hybrid theory. When we did our original calculations1 and obtained vibrational excitation cross sections, we were faced with the problem that some upper-atmospheric physicists at Goddard actually wanted to use them; they wanted accurate normalized vibrational excitation cross sections. I would have liked to advise them to use the experimental results; unfortunately, the experimental normalizations are not as yet unique. The situation is demonstrated in Figure 1. The curves on the left are essentially Schulz’s original ones.2 They were differential cross sections measured at 72° as a function of energy and the normalization was arbitrary. However, assuming the total cross sections had the same shape as a function of energy (and this is an excellent approximation“), Schulz pointed out that if you use the values (in A2) given on the ordinate, Figure la, then you get agreement with previous experimental results of Haas.3 Subsequently, Schulz4 renormalized these curves based on later absolute measurements of Spence et al.5 which is given in Figure lb, and you see they are a factor of two larger. In the same article4 Schulz also showed a figure based on work that S. F. Wong has done which, after conversion to total cross section using our dσ/dΩ gives a normalization yet another factor of two larger. In fact, that normalization in Figure lc is almost identical to what Chandra and I got in our original hybrid calculation1 But in view of the other normalizations, as well as uncertainties in our calculation, I could only advise caution to our atmospheric colleagues and promise them a better calculation. What I’d like to describe here is a preliminary report of this new calculation.
Quantification of poly(I:C)-mediated protection against genital herpes simplex virus type 2 infection

Alternative strategies for controlling the growing herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) epidemic are needed. A novel class of immunomodulatory microbicides has shown promise as antiherpetics, including intravaginally applied CpG-containing oligodeoxynucleotides that stimulate toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). In the current study, we quantified protection against experimental genital HSV-2 infection provided by an alternative nucleic acid-based TLR agonist, polyinosine-poly(C) (PIC) (TLR3 agonist). Using a protection quantification paradigm, groups of mice were PIC treated and then subdivided into groups challenged with escalating doses of HSV-2. Using this paradigm, a temporal window of PIC efficacy for single applications was defined as 1 day prior to (prophylactic) through 4 h after (therapeutic) viral challenge. PIC treatment within this window protected against 10-fold-higher HSV-2 challenges, as indicated by increased 50% infectious dose values relative to those for vehicle-treated controls. Disease resolution and survival were significantly enhanced by repetitive PIC doses. Using optimal PIC regimens, cytokine induction was evaluated in murine vaginal lavages and in human vaginal epithelial cells. Similar induction patterns were observed, with kinetics that explained the limited durability of PIC-afforded protection. Daily PIC delivery courses did not generate sustained cytokine levels in murine vaginal fluids that would be indicative of local immunotoxicity. No evidence of immunotoxicity was observed in selected organs that were analyzed following repetitive vaginal PIC doses. Animal and in vitro data indicate that PIC may prove to be a valuable preventative microbicide and/or therapeutic agent against genital herpes by increasing resistance to HSV-2 and enhancing disease resolution following a failure of prevention.
Splenectomy in high-risk patients with splenomegaly

Abstract Background: Splenectomy in patients with massive splenomegaly and hematologic malignancy results in higher morbidity and mortality with primarily palliative benefit. Methods: From a 14-year experience with 172 splenectomies, the perioperative course of 39 high-risk patients with splenomegaly was reviewed for comorbidities, indications, complications, and mortality. Results: Twenty-three males and 16 females with a mean age of 54.2 years and a mean 12.8-day postoperative length of stay were reviewed. Sixteen patients (41%) had 23 major complications related to age ( P = 0.047) and operative time ( P = 0.01). Intraoperative transfusion was related to splenic size ( P = 0.04), and estimated blood loss ( P = 0.02) was inversely related to use of splenic artery preligation. Three perioperative deaths were secondary to sepsis and multiorgan system failure. Conclusion: Splenomegaly and comorbidities of the primary disease result in higher morbidity and mortality. Splenic artery preligation is valuable to limit intraoperative blood loss and facilitate splenectomy.
DMA and ATR FT‐IR studies of gas plasma modified silicone elastomer surfaces

The results obtained from ATR FT-IR and DMA studies of gas/plasma surface modified silicone elastomers are presented. The structural analysis indicates that, upon the plasma treatment in the presence of argon and carbon dioxide gases, the primary components of the surface are short chain layers with carbonyl groups. Their presence significantly influences the viscoelastic properties of the elastomer. The measurements of the storage modulus (E′) indicate a substantial decrease of the crosslink density upon the plasma treatment. Although the glass transition temperature also changes, these changes do not follow the trend observed of E′ values, and primarily depend on the chemical structures that develop upon the treatment. On the other hand, the ammonia–plasma surface modification introduces surface amide groups on the surface of the silicone elastomer, which effectively contribute to the increase of both Tg and storage modulus of the elastomer.
The placement of intracaval filters in an anomalous (left-sided) vena cava

Abstract Diagnostic and therapeutic indications have increased the need for ready access to the inferior vena cava. Multiple anomalies of the inferior vena cava have been described. Correct placement of a Greenfield filter in a left-sided vena cava requires recognition of this anomaly. Placement through a right internal jugular vein is preferable; however, if this is not possible, the left femoral vein should be used. Because of the incidence of anomalous inferior vena cava, routine inferior venacavography is recommended when an intracaval device is to be placed. (J VASC SURG 1987;6:84-6.)
Availability Modeling of SIP Protocol on IBM© WebSphere©

We present the availability model of a high availability SIP Application Server configuration on WebSphere. Hardware,operating system and application server failures are considered. Different types of fault detectors, detection delays,failover delays, restarts, reboots and repairs are considered.Imperfect coverages for detection, failover and recovery are incorporated. Computations are based on a set of interacting sub-models of all system components capturing their failure and recovery behavior. The parameter values used in the calculations are based on several sources,including field data, high availability testing, and agreed upon assumptions. In cases where a parameter value is uncertain,due to assumptions or limited test data, a sensitivity analysis of that parameter has been provided. Our analysis indicates the failure types and recovery parameters that are most critical in their impact on overall system availability. These results will help guide system improvement efforts throughout future releases of these products.
Feasibility study on bipolar pads for efficient wireless power chargers

This paper presents the feasibility study of bipolar pads for extremely high efficiency wireless battery chargers used in electric vehicle (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) applications. Due to the unconventional flux distribution in this system, a 3D finite element method was employed for its design and analysis. The importance of misalignment tolerance in this system is analyzed and discussed. The distinct features of rectangular bipolar topology have been exploited to develop the pads for wireless battery chargers for EV applications. An 8kW wireless charger prototype with 200mm gap and ±300mm horizontal misalignment tolerance has been fabricated and tested. From optimal to critical points of horizontal misalignments, the coupling coefficient of this system can maintain from 18.8% to 31.1%. With a 200mm gap, the charger efficiently transfers energy with an efficiency of 95.66% (overall DC to DC) at the desired position while still maintains at 95.39% efficiency with a ±300mm horizontal misalignment.
Regulated degradation is a mechanism for suppressing stochastic fluctuations in gene regulatory networks.

Cellular events that execute life programs are ordered and reproducible, despite the noise and randomness underlying their biochemical reactions. The identification of the processes that ensure this robust operation is essential not only to uncover the salient design principles in organisms, but also to forward-engineer reliable genetic networks for biotechnological and therapeutic purposes. The use of feedback for noise reduction has been suggested as a recurring motif in genetic networks. In this work, we show that regulated degradation of proteins implements a negative feedback loop that enhances robustness against stochastic fluctuations and cellular noise. The analysis is carried out in the context of the bacterial heat shock response where the tight control of the amount of heat shock proteins is achieved through an intricate architecture of feedback loops involving the s 32 -factor. The s 32 regulates the transcription of heat shock proteins under normal and stress conditions. An essential feature of the heat shock response is a feedback loop regulating the degradation of s 32 . We investigate the noise- rejection properties of this loop, therefore illustrating our point in a biologically plausible example.
Nucleosome Remodeling by hMSH2-hMSH6

DNA nucleotide mismatches and lesions arise on chromosomes that are a complex assortment of protein and DNA (chromatin). The fundamental unit of chromatin is a nucleosome that contains approximately 146 bp DNA wrapped around an H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 histone octamer. We demonstrate that the mismatch recognition heterodimer hMSH2-hMSH6 disassembles a nucleosome. Disassembly requires a mismatch that provokes the formation of hMSH2-hMSH6 hydrolysis-independent sliding clamps, which translocate along the DNA to the nucleosome. The rate of disassembly is enhanced by actual or mimicked acetylation of histone H3 within the nucleosome entry-exit and dyad axis that occurs during replication and repair in vivo and reduces DNA-octamer affinity in vitro. Our results support a passive mechanism for chromatin remodeling whereby hMSH2-hMSH6 sliding clamps trap localized fluctuations in nucleosome positioning and/or wrapping that ultimately leads to disassembly, and highlight unanticipated strengths of the Molecular Switch Model for mismatch repair (MMR).
Structural Changes of Bimetallic PdX/Cu (1-X) Nanocatalysts Developed for Nitrate Reduction of Drinking Water

Reductive removal by hydrogeneration using supported Pd/M (M= Cu, Pt, Ag, Co, Fe, Mo, Ni, Rh, Ir, Mn and Cr) bimetallic catalysts has emerged as a promising alternative for nitrate removal in drinking water [1]. Fundamental understanding how the atomic arrangement of Pd and a second element, such as Cu, affect the activity nitrite reduction and selectivity of dinitrogen will be accomplished by coordinated synthesis (Shapley), activity/selectivity/efficiency measurements (Werth) and nanostructure determination (Yang & Xu). In this paper, we report a systematic study of novel polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) stabilized nanoscale Pd-Cu colloids, with homogeneous and narrow size distribution, with Pd: Cu ratios varying from 50:50 to 90:10. Initial measurements on catalytic activity for nitrate reduction demonstrated a dependence on the relative composition. Electron microscopy studies, including Z-contrast imaging [2], energy-dispersive X-ray emission (EDX), electron diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM), revealed a surprising change in structure at the 80:20 Pd-Cu composition, where, with less than 80% Pd,the nanoparticle forms a core-shell structure but for nanoparticles containing 80% or more Pd, it is homogeneous. We are at the pivotal point of directly correlating these nano-structures with the catalytic activity. Such an understanding is essential for the efficient development of catalysts for the purification of drinking water.
Interleukin-27: a novel biomarker in predicting bacterial infection among the critically ill.

Introduction A continued need exists for effective diagnostic biomarkers in bacterial sepsis among critically ill patients, despite increasing use of available biomarkers such as procalcitonin (PCT). Interleukin-27 (IL-27) has shown early promise in a recent preliminary study, exhibiting high specificity and positive predictive values for bacterial infection in critically ill children. This validation study was performed to assess the value of IL-27 in predicting bacterial infection among patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit and to compare its performance with that of PCT.
Robustness Analysis of String Transducers

Many important functions over strings can be represented as finite-state string transducers. In this paper, we present an automatatheoretic technique for algorithmically verifying that such a function is robust to uncertainty. A function encoded as a transducer is defined to be robust if for each small (i.e., bounded) change to any input string, the change in the transducer’s output is proportional to the change in the input. Changes to input and output strings are quantified using weighted generalizations of the Levenshtein and Manhattan distances over strings. Our main technical contribution is a set of decision procedures based on reducing the problem of robustness verification of a transducer to the problem of checking the emptiness of a reversal-bounded counter machine. The decision procedures under the generalized Manhattan and Levenshtein distance metrics are in Pspace and Expspace, respectively. For transducers that are Mealy machines, the decision procedures under these metrics are in Nlogspace and Pspace, respectively.
Daily growth increments in otoliths of blue whiting, Micromesistius poutassou (Risso) from above the Artic Circle

Otoliths from fishes collected at 45° N and 74° N latitude were examined with the scanning electron microscope. The relationship between the numbers of microstructural growth increments and the estimated ages of the specimens supported previous contentions that such increments are deposited with a daily periodicity, even in fishes living above the Arctic Circle. The solar light regime above the Arctic Circle is discussed in addition to other environmental cues which could possibly trigger the deposition of daily growth increments in fish otoliths.
How Can Multicultural Laws Guarantee Indigenous Territorial Rights? Evidence from Mexico and Peru

As a response to international pressure along with massive indigenous mobilization across Latin American countries over the last two decades, most of the governments in the region have undertaken the implementation of innovative laws to address indigenous demands regarding cultural and territorial rights. Thus, multicultural laws such as Usos y Costumbres, Rondas Campesinas and more recently the Consulta previa law, stand as the mainstream legal instruments created to redress centuries of exclusion. Framed within international standards established by ILO 169, these laws attempt to fill the gap between representative democracies and indigenous collective claims for autonomy and self-determination. However, their implementation by national governments has been uneven and conflicts between the states and indigenous communities persist across the region. By comparing two cases from Peru and Mexico, this paper aims to explore under which conditions multicultural laws can foster the realization of indigenous people’s territorial rights while at the same time contravening the capacity of the states to affirm their authority over the entirety of their national territories.
Anterior endoscopic discectomy and fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN: A review of adolescent patients with idiopathic scoliosis undergoing endoscopic release and spinal fusion. OBJECTIVE: To describe the indications, techniques, results, and complications of thoracic anterior endoscopic scoliosis surgery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Anterior endoscopic treatment of thoracic adolescent idiopathic scoliosis has become an alternative method of surgical treatment. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis have undergone a thoracic anterior endoscopic release and fusion followed by posterior instrumentation and fusion. Indications for the endoscopic fusion were large curve magnitude, skeletal immaturity, and/or thoracic hyperkyphosis. Eleven patients have undergone anterior endoscopic instrumentation and fusion for thoracic scoliosis curves between 45 degrees and 70 degrees, using a single screw/single rod construct and autogenous rib bone graft. RESULTS: Results from the anterior endoscopic release and fusion procedures followed by a posterior instrumentation and fusion had an average preoperative curve of 82 degrees (range, 41 degrees -125 degrees ), with postoperative correction to 28 degrees (range, 5 degrees -60 degrees ) showing 70% correction. For patients undergoing an anterior endoscopic instrumentation and fusion, the average preoperative Cobb measurement of 53 degrees (range, 44 degrees -62 degrees ) was corrected to an average 26 degrees (range, 18 degrees -38 degrees ) for an average correction rate of 51%. One patient undergoing an anterior endoscopic release was converted to an open procedure for end plate bony bleeding without sequelae. One patient with an anterior endoscopic instrumentation and fusion had revision anterior surgery for a distal set screw dislodgment and subsequent posterior instrumentation and fusion for pseudarthrosis. CONCLUSIONS: The use of both anterior endoscopic release and fusion combined with either anterior instrumentation or separate posterior instrumentation and fusion continues to evolve. Surgeons treating patients with these techniques must understand that there are specific indications for them and many technique options available to optimize surgical results.
Humans to Mars: Logical Step or Dangerous Distraction?

This paper examines post-Apollo proposals for human exploration of Mars and assesses their failure to win enduring political and public support. There are lessons to be learned that are applicable to current exploration efforts. Foremost among these is that the path to solar system exploration that has dominated the space community’s thinking since the 1950s may not be a logical or politically feasible approach for the 21 st century. The paper proposes that human exploration of the Moon and Mars should be decoupled and treated as separate ventures with each justified by its own merits and pursued at its own pace.
Postprocedural Blue Toes.

A man in his 70s with a history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, and mild aortic stenosis presented with altered mental status, acute kidney injury requiring dialysis, and painful, dusky skin discoloration on his distal extremities. Three weeks prior, he had undergone coronary angiography and coronary artery bypass graft surgery after myocardial infarction. On physical examination, he had exquisitely tender blue macules, patches, and papules on the plantar aspect of several toes (Figure 1A) and red, tender macules on his hands (Figure 1B). Laboratory examination was notable for a white blood cell count of 9100/μL with 22% eosinophils, blood urea nitrogen level of 70 mg/dL (25 mmol/L), and creatinine level of 6.1 mg/dL (539.2 μmol/L). Urinalysis was remarkable for 1+ blood and 2+ protein.
NAS-Wide Performance: Impact of Select Uncertainty Factors and Implications for Experimental Design

As Air Navigation Service Providers across the globe invest in and deploy operational upgrades in alignment with the ICAO Global ATM Operational Concept [1], performance justification is required for these investments [2]. Pre-deployment, these are frequently justified at a national or regional scale through modeling and simulation (M&S) activities quantifying the total performance impact of operational improvements. Often, these improvements can deliver value through relatively small changes in performance thereby necessitating M&S capabilities capable of differentiating the effect of the proposed improvement from the effect of modeling variability.
Preconditioned SOR-Type Iterative Methods for Solving Linear Systems

A new iterative method is suggested for large linear equation sets including the undetermined parameter and preconditioner,named the preconditioned SOR-type iterative method.The method becomes the preconditioned Gauss-Seidel type iterative method given by Cheng Guang-hui if ω=1.When the coefficient matrix is irreducible Z-matrix,the iterative matrices of SOR method and preconditioned SOR-type iterative method are both Z-matrices as well,and their spectral radii are compared with each other via relevant theorem with the range of fetching parameter values given for the quickest convergence.Moreover,the preconditioned SOR iterative method is compared with the preconditioned Gauss-Seidel iterative method,and the result indicates that the former is superior to the latter.Numerical examples show that the proper choice of preconditioner can make the preconditioned SOR-type iterative methods more efficient in solving linear systems.
Spectators’ Evaluations Of Rival And Fellow Fans

Although a large amount of research has demonstrated that sports fans are biased in their evaluations of their favorite teams, no research had reviewed spectators’ evaluations of other spectators. Such an examination was the focus of the present study. In order to test the hypothesis that spectators would show a bias toward fellow ingroup fans and that this bias would be most prominent among spectators high in identification with the team, 103 undergraduate basketball fans were asked to read a scenario describing the behavior of a fellow or rival fan attending a basketball game. Respondents’ evaluations of this target fan and the fan’s behavior supported the hypothesized interaction. Discussion centers on the motivations underlying the relationships between identification, group membership, and evaluations.
Exploiting Performance Portability in Search Algorithms for Autotuning

Autotuning seeks the best configuration of an application by orchestrating hardware and software knobs that affect performance on a given machine. Autotuners adopt various search techniques to efficiently find the best configuration, but they often ignore lessons learned on one machine when tuning for another machine. We demonstrate that a surrogate model built from performance results on one machine can speedup the autotuning search by 1.6X to 130X on a variety of modern architectures.
Biophysical Characterization of Mechanosensors within the Plasma Protein von Willebrand Factor and its Receptor Platelet Glycoprotein Ib-IX

The large, multimeric plasma protein von Willebrand Factor (VWF) plays an essential role in capturing platelets onto the damaged vascular wall, allowing the initiation of blood clotting. Platelet binding is achieved by interaction between the A1 domain of the Iba chain of platelet surface receptor Glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX. Both GPIB-IX and VWF are capable of sensing and reacting to tensile forces. Using the single-molecule force measurement approach, we have recently identified a quasi-stable mechano-sensitive domain (MSD) of ∼60 residues between the macroglycopeptide region and the transmembrane helix of the GPIba subunit. The MSD unfolds at 5-20 pN when subjected to mechanical stretch by the engaged A1. Unfolding of the MSD triggers receptor signaling and stimulates platelets. Similarly, earlier studies by the Springer group have identified the mechanosensor within VWF, the A2 domain (i.e., the domain adjacent to A1). Tensile force at the level of 10-20 pN unfolds the A2 structure, leading to A2's subsequent cleavage by plasma enzyme ADAMTS-13 (Zhang, X. et al. Science, 324:1330-4). Since both MSD and A2 unfold at a similar force level, simultaneous activation of both mechanosensors may occur given that the interacting VWF and GPIb-IX are stretched to provide sufficient force. Herein, we show that optical tweezer-controlled pulling of the full-length of VWF on GPIb-IX indeed induced unfolding of both MSD and A2. Additional studies using recombinant wildtype and mutant VWF suggest that the unfolding of MSD and A2 is dependent on the mechanical strengths of the VWF-GPIba and VWF-collagen interactions, as well as on the activation state of the VWF. Together, the study has revealed the biomechanical properties of VWF and GPIb-IX, with significant implications for the pathogenesis of Von Willebrand Disease and GPIb-IX- related blood diseases.
Analysis of relative kinematic index with normalized standing time between subjects with and without recurrent low back pain

Although subjects with recurrent low back pain (LBP) demonstrate altered postural control, their postural steadiness during one leg standing is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate postural steadiness based on relative kinematic index of the lower limbs and trunk with normalized standing time in subjects with recurrent LBP during dominant and non-dominant leg standing. Sixty individuals participated in the study, including 29 subjects in the control group (18 male, 11 female) and 31 subjects with recurrent LBP (21 male, 10 female). The outcome measures included relative kinematic index of the body regions and normalized standing time during the one leg standing test. The relative kinematic index was the ratio between standstill time and successful standing time. The normalized standing time was defined as a ratio between the successful standing time and the requested standing time. The control group demonstrated significantly longer normalized standing time on the dominant (t = −2.57, p = 0.013) and non-dominant (t = −2.78, p = 0.007) legs than the LBP group. The relative kinematic index of the core spine model significantly decreased for the dominant (t = −3.01, p = 0.004) and non-dominant (t = −3.06, p = 0.003) legs in the LBP group. In addition, the kinematic index indicated pelvis and non-dominant shank during dominant leg standing (R 2 = 0.97) in the LBP group. In the control group, the pelvis was significantly correlated with the core spine model during standing on the dominant (R 2 = 0.95) and non-dominant (R 2 = 0.97) legs. The relative kinematic index of the pelvis was found to be most significant for longer standing durations in both groups. In the LBP group, the shank and foot were significantly higher in addition to the pelvis due to possible compensatory motion. The control group took advantage of pelvic control with the core spine to minimize lower limb movements. Clinicians need to consider the core spine for pelvic control to refine postural adaptations in subjects with recurrent LBP.
The effect of select seminal plasma proteins on endometrial mRNA cytokine expression in mares susceptible to persistent mating-induced endometritis.

Contents In the horse, breeding induces a transient endometrial inflammation. A subset of mares are unable to resolve this inflammation, and they are considered susceptible to persistent mating-induced endometritis PMIE Select seminal plasma proteins cysteine-rich secretory protein-3 (CRISP-3) and lactoferrin have been shown to affect the innate immune response to sperm in vitro. The objective of this study was to determine whether the addition of CRISP-3 and lactoferrin at the time of insemination had an effect on the mRNA expression of endometrial cytokines in susceptible mares after breeding. Six mares classified as susceptible to PMIE were inseminated during four consecutive oestrous cycles with treatments in randomized order of: 1 mg/ml CRISP-3, 150 μg/ml lactoferrin, seminal plasma (positive control) or lactated Ringer's solution (LRS; negative control) to a total volume of 10 ml combined with 1 × 109 spermatozoa pooled from two stallions. Six hours after treatment, an endometrial biopsy was obtained for qPCR analysis of selected genes associated with inflammation (pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (INF)-γ, anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-1RN and IL-10, and inflammatory-modulating cytokine IL-6). Seminal plasma treatment increased the mRNA expression of IL-1β (p = .019) and IL-8 (p = .0068), while suppressing the mRNA expression of TNF (p = .0013). Lactoferrin also suppressed the mRNA expression of TNF (p = .0013). In conclusion, exogenous lactoferrin may be considered as one modulator of the complex series of events resulting in the poorly regulated pro-inflammatory response seen in susceptible mares.
Site Selection by Professional Services Providers: The Case of Dental Practices

This study examines the relationship between the characteristics of practice sites for professional service providers and both practitioner satisfaction and practice performance. A mail survey, usi...
Animating climate model data

This paper describes a collaborative project conducted by the Computer Science Department at Southern Connecticut State University and NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Science (GISS). Animations of output from a climate simulation math model used at GISS to predict rainfall and circulation have been produced for West Africa from June to September 2002. These early results have assisted scientists at GISS in evaluating the accuracy of the RM3 climate model when compared to similar results obtained from satellite imagery. The results presented below will be refined to better meet the needs of GISS scientists and will be expanded to cover other geographic regions for a variety of time frames.
Where’s Waldo? Looking for the Doctrine of Proportionality in Indian Free Speech Jurisprudence

The doctrine of proportionality has wide, growing transcontinental application in the realm of constitutional rights adjudication. Indian constitutional law is no exception to this trend. This article documents the use of proportionality analysis by the Indian Supreme Court in cases involving the right to free speech. While it is clear that the proportionality analysis has been employed by the Apex Court, it is argued that the application of the doctrine is partial and inconsistent.
OpenSHMEM Extensions and a Vision for Its Future Direction

The Extreme Scale Systems Center (ESSC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), together with the University of Houston, led the effort to standardize the SHMEM API with input from the vendors and user community. In 2012, OpenSHMEM specification 1.0 was finalized and released to the OpenSHMEM community for comments. As we move to future HPC systems, there are several shortcomings in the current specification that we need to address to ensure scalability, higher degrees of concurrency, locality, thread safety, fault-tolerance, parallel I/O capabilities, etc. In this paper we discuss an immediate set of extensions that we propose to the current API and our vision for a future API, OpenSHMEM Next-Generation (NG), that targets future Exascale systems. We also explain our rational for the proposed extensions and highlight the lessons learned from other PGAS languages and communication libraries.
Some structural problems examined using the method of moments

The method of moments, a technique used by solid state physicists over the past fifteen years or so, is used to develop a model to understand the global structural preferences of molecules and solids as a function of electron count. The model, of direct use to chemists, has ties to graph theory and its conclusions may be used to view structures in a topological sense by considering the variation in stability of structural fragments with electron polulation. The results cross the traditional borders of chemical endeavor. It is shown how several existing ideas, associated with the domains of organic, inorganic, organometallic and solid-state chemistry, may be phrased in terms of the same fundamental concept using these ideas.
Compact Integral Filed Snapshot Imaging Spectrometers for Environmental Imaging Applications

Imaging techniques e.g. field slicing and mapping, fiber field arrays to rapidly acquire multi-dimensional data are discussed. They allow recording and display of spectral, polarization and in general 3D+ information in a snapshot mode.