cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ATP Is an Allosteric Inhibitor of Coxsackievirus B3 Polymerase.

The RNA-dependent RNA polymerases from positive-strand RNA viruses, such as picornaviruses and flaviviruses, close their active sites for catalysis via a unique NTP-induced conformational change in the palm domain. Combined with a fully prepositioned templating nucleotide, this mechanism is error-prone and results in a distribution of random mutations in the viral progeny often described as a quasi-species. Here we examine the extent to which noncognate NTPs competitively inhibit single-cycle elongation by coxsackievirus B3 3Dpol, a polymerase that generates three to four mutations per 10 kb of RNA synthesized during viral infection. Using an RNA with a templating guanosine combined with 2-aminopurine fluorescence as a reporter for elongation, we find that the cognate CTP has a Km of 24 μM and the three noncognate nucleotides competitively inhibit the reaction with Kic values of 500 μM for GTP, 1300 μM for ATP, and 3000 μM for UTP. Unexpectedly, ATP also acted as an uncompetitive inhibitor with a Kiu of 1...
Stress and plane strain fields at the tip of a stationary tensile crack in a creeping material

Approximate steady state stress and strain fields are determined at the tip of a crack in an elastic perfectly-plastic creeping material by matching the far distant creeping field with the Prandtl punch solution. A new path-independent contour integral is formulated and expressions are derived for the size of the plastic regions, the crack opening displacement rate and the transient time.
Between Models and Machines: Theoretical Physics and Process Engineering

The inclusion of Danish physicists’ simulation modeling in this anthology on engineering practices and professionalism may not seem obvious. As I will argue, the choice is less arbitrary when one looks at the changing practices of physicists who are increasingly expected to mimic what Michael Davis in, ‘Thinking Like an Engineer’ describes as a distinctive skill of engineers [which] is [to give] mathematical structure to practical problems (1998:12).
Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Use in Surgical Care: A Scoping Study

Background Surgeons recognize the importance of patient reported outcomes in the evaluation of health care. Documenting health related quality of life (HRQOL) can enhance surgical quality improvement efforts. Systematic documentation of HRQOL began in 1963. Currently, multiple varied and unstandardized instruments make it difficult to compare quality of life measures across studies. The NIH developed the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) to provide a standardized assessment designed to complement traditional outcomes measures. Study Design We used systematic scoping methodology to investigate the characteristics of PROMIS use in studies assessing quality of life measures as surgical outcomes. Results A systematic search of PubMed revealed 21 publications describing the use of PROMIS to assess surgical outcomes. The 121 study publications reported observations on 2,561 patients. Twenty-nine percent of patients had injuries, 33% had neoplasms, and 38% included other patients having neither injuries nor neoplasms. General surgery/gynecology/plastic surgery had 8 publications, orthopaedic surgery had 9 publications, and neurosurgery had 4 publications. Most studies included additional measures. There were 25 instruments used in addition to PROMIS. Conclusions This study revealed that PROMIS performed efficiently, accurately, and reliably in assessing patient-reported HRQOL in multidisciplinary surgical publications.
Sepsis for the anaesthetist

Abstract Sepsis is as a dysregulated systemic response to infection. Morbidity and mortality of the syndrome are very high worldwide. Recent definitions have redefined criteria for sepsis. The new definition (Sepsis-3) classifies sepsis as infection with organ dysfunction (the old ‘severe sepsis'). Septic patients are at risk for secondary injuries, thus aggressive source control, resuscitation, and antibiotic therapy are the mainstays of management. Central to sepsis physiology is vasodilated shock. Many patients respond to i.v. fluid therapy. Pathophysiology also includes energy failure, or a cellular inability to oxidize fuel, and immune incompetence, often manifest by susceptibility to superinfections. Sepsis treatment is optimized by timely resuscitation and control of infection. Early recognition and resuscitation are associated with improved outcomes, although no single resuscitation end point is as good as overall patient assessment. Dynamic resuscitation metrics might be useful to avoid overinfusion of fluid therapies. Antibiotics should treat likely pathogens, with broader coverage for sicker patients (e.g. those with septic shock). Avoidance of iatrogenic injury, such as ventilator-induced lung injury from large tidal volumes, helps to prevent subsequent tissue damage and worsened systemic response. Single-agent therapies to block the systemic response have not fulfilled promise in sepsis, probably because part of the complex syndrome is adaptive. However, early aggressive care based on bundles is associated with improved outcomes. Research opportunities include understanding the role of neurological, endocrine, immune, and metabolic pathophysiology in the syndrome.
Interrelationships Between Health Behaviors and Coping Strategies Among Informal Caregivers of Cancer Survivors

Background. Recent research among cancer survivors suggests that health behaviors and coping are intertwined, with important implications for positive behavior change and health. Informal caregiver...
Policing and the Focal Concerns Framework: Exploring How its Core Components Apply to the Discretionary Enforcement Decisions of Police Officers

ABSTRACTThis study used a qualitative design to investigate police officer decision-making processes within the context of the focal concerns framework. A sample of 25 metropolitan police officers were interviewed to explore how the constructs of blameworthiness, protecting the community, and practical considerations manifest themselves in a policing context and how those considerations affect officers’ enforcement decisions. The results indicate that police officers share the same broad focal concerns as judges, but the way these concerns manifest themselves is sometimes different in a policing context as compared to a judicial sentencing context. The results, theoretical implications, and directions for future research are presented.
Book Review: Richard Kearney and Jens Zimmerman, eds., Reimagining the Sacred: Richard Kearney Debates God (New York: Columbia University Press, 2015), viii + 286 pages.

A book review of Richard Kearney and Jens Zimmerman, eds., Reimagining the Sacred: Richard Kearney Debates God (New York: Columbia University Press, 2015).
Real-time scene understanding for UAV imagery based on deep convolutional neural networks

Real-time scene understanding is important for many applications of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) such as reconnaissance, surveillance, mapping, and infrastructure inspection. With the recent growth of computation power, it is feasible to use Deep Learning for real-time applications. Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have emerged as a powerful model for classifying image content, and are widely considered in the computer vision community to be the de facto standard approach for most problems. Current Deep learning approaches for image classification and object detection are designed and evaluated on lab setting human-centric photographs taken horizontally from a height of 1–2 meters. UAV images are taken vertically in high altitude; therefore the objects of interest are relatively small with a skewed vantage point which creates a real challenge in detection and classification of such images. Here we present a deep convolutional approach for classification of Aerial imagery taken by UAV. We applied our network on optical imagery taken with UAV RS-16 from Port Mansfield, TX. Experimental results in comparison with ground-truth show 93.6 % accuracy for UAV image classification.
Can Inexperienced Listeners Hear Who Is Singing? The Role of Onset Cues.

Summary Objective/Hypothesis This study sought to determine whether the acoustic information contained in the onset of phonation can improve the ability to discriminate voices across pitch. Study Design This study was a repeated-measures factorial design. Methods Listeners heard two singers producing /ɑ/ at the same pitch and an unknown singer producing /ɑ/ at a different pitch. Listener’s identified which singer was the unknown singer. Two baritones and two tenors were recorded producing /ɑ/ at the pitches C3, E3, G3, B3, D4, and F4. Two sopranos and two mezzo-sopranos were recorded producing /ɑ/ at the pitches C4, E4, G4, B4, D5, and F5. For each group of stimuli, male and female, all possible pairs of singers were constructed for the lowest pitch. The unknown singer was varied across the remaining pitches. All stimulus combinations were presented with and without onset cues. Results In general, the inclusion of onset information affected listeners' ability to discriminate singers across pitch. When the pitch interval was small, a 3rd or a 5th, onset information improved the ability to correctly discriminate singers across pitch. This effect was greater for female voices than for male voices. However, when the pitch interval was larger, a 7th, 9th, or 11th, the onset information either had no effect, as was seen in the female voices, or had a negative effect, as was seen in the male voices. Conclusion Voice onset information affects voice discrimination in certain circumstances, but cannot be used by inexperienced listeners as a consistent cue to improve singer discrimination across all pitch intervals.
Clinical evaluation of a commercially available oral moisturizer in relieving signs and symptoms of xerostomia in postirradiation head and neck cancer patients and patients with Sjogren's syndrome

A major complication of irradiation therapy for head and neck cancer is salivary gland dysfunction and xerostomia. The purpose of this clinical investigation was to evaluate the effects of a commercially available oral moisturizer (Optimoist) on salivary flow rate, symptoms of xerostomia, oral pH, oral microflora, and swallowing in postirradiation head and neck cancer patients (XRT) and patients with Sjogren's syndrome (SS). Subjects who were post-XRT and subjects with SS (n = 24; mean age = 54.1) discontinued their use of any salivary substitute or moisturizer for 2 weeks prior to entering the study. Baseline whole unstimulated saliva was collected for 5 minutes using a standard sialometric technique. Candida albicans and Lactobacillus cultures were performed using kits from Orion Diagnostica, Inc., and a pH analysis was performed on the salivary sample using a Markson (model 00663) pH meter. Swallowing was assessed by clinical measures by videofluoroscopic techniques. Several subjective assessments were performed to evaluate symptoms of xerostomia. Subjects were instructed in the use of a daily diary and to use only the provided article ad libitum for a period of 2 weeks. After the 2-week period, the results indicated significant subjective and objective improvements in signs and symptoms of xerostomia. Whole unstimulated salivary flow rate improved from (mean +/- SEM) 0.1150 +/- 0.02 to 0.2373 +/- 0.09 mL/min. Salivary pH did not change. Global subjective improvement in xerostomia improved in 58% of the subjects. Candida colonization decreased in 43% of the subjects. There was no change in Lactobacilli colonization. Swallowing objectively improved in 75% of subjects. These results indicate significant improvement in both signs of hyposalivation and symptoms of xerostomia with the use of Optimoist in postirradiation head and neck cancer patients and patients with SS.
16 – Metal–nonmetal brazing for electrical, packaging and structural applications

: Metal–nonmetal brazing is an established joining method used to fabricate products such as hermetic electronic packages, insulators for power generation and turbo-machinery components. Brazing presents opportunities for the materials engineer seeking to utilize recently engineered materials in advanced applications and extreme environments. Three commonly used brazing methods used for joining metals to nonmetals will be discussed: conventional brazing methods that use metallization coatings on the nonmetal surface to be brazed; active brazing methods that eliminate the need for metallization coatings; and direct brazing methods utilizing conventional brazing filler metals to join and seal packages without prior metallization.
Mitochondrial DNA structure and function.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) structures and its functions. The human mtDNA is representative of mammalian mitochondrial genomes. Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of mammal mtDNA revealed some degree of conservation in the promoter regions as well as in three other regions (termed “Conserved Sequence Blocks,” or CSB I, CSB II, and CSB III). The mammalian mitochondrial genome has two modes of replication. The first one involves the asymmetric replication of the leading and lagging strands. The second one, based on the observation of replication intermediates in two-dimensional (2D) gels suggested that replication, in a certain number of mtDNA molecules, involves coupled leading- and lagging-strand synthesis. Many factors involved in mammalian mtDNA replication have been characterized. Because of its probable prokaryote origin, in many aspects, the mitochondrion behaves as an independent entity living inside an eukaryotic cell. All basic processes associated with life (DNA maintenance, transcription, and translation) occur inside the organelle. However, the vast majority of the factors involved in promoting and controlling these processes are borrowed from the cytoplasm, where nuclear-coded proteins are synthesized.
The Gibbs Phenomenon in Higher Dimensions

The concept of star discontinuity is defined for functions of several variables. A star discontinuity in dimension one is simply a jump discontinuity. It is then shown that in arbitrary dimensions the Gibbs phenomenon for square convergence occurs for periodic functions satisfying appropriate hypotheses at star discontinuities.
Specifying an Editor

This chapter defines SSL, the language in which editors are specified. Each SSL specification consists of a list of declarations. Although declarations may appear in any order, some kinds of symbols must be declared before they can be used.
Shared Book Reading Interventions With English Learners: A Meta-Analysis:

The present meta-analysis was conducted to examine how shared book reading affects the English language and literacy skills of young children learning English as a second language. The final analys...
Thin-Film Silicon Nitride on Electro-Optic Materials for a Novel Modulator Architecture

This paper introduces integration of silicon nitride onto electro-optic (EO) materials to realize novel RF-photonic modulators. The introduction of silicon nitride to EO material enables novel modulator relying on modifying its index ellipsoid. Design, fabrication, and experimental demonstration of such a modulator is presented.
Libman-Sacks Endocarditis Involving a Bioprosthesis in the Aortic Valve Position in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Described herein is a 39-year-old man with systemic lupus erythematosus not receiving corticosteroid therapy who developed Libman-Sacks endocarditis causing stenosis of a bioprosthesis in the aortic valve position.
An Application of Real Options to Capital Budgeting for Power Grid Reliability

How does a public electric utility company optimize its capital budget for grid reliability? We illustrate an economically optimal way to allocate funding these efforts using circuit-level data from Eversource Energy to quantify the benefits to tree trimming treatments over the period of 2013-2017. A real options framework allows us to quantify in dollar terms the uncertain benefits in terms of customer outages avoided relative to known costs of treatment. We find that the less costly Standard Maintenance Trimming (SMT) is economically effective for all circuit types observed in Eversource's CT grid, while the more extensive Enhanced Tree Trimming (ETT) is effective on dense circuits only. Compared to this model, a traditional discounted cash flow model leads to underinvestment in grid resilience and ignores both uncertainty in estimates and the ability to change policy based on its efficacy.
Model for separating the contributions of non-algal particles and colored dissolved organic matter to light absorption by seawater.

We evaluated the performance of a recently developed absorption partitioning model [J. Geophys. Res. Oceans120, 2601 (2015)JGRCEY0148-022710.1002/2014JC010604] that derives the spectral absorption coefficients of non-algal particles, a N A P (λ), and colored dissolved organic matter, a g (λ), from the total absorption coefficient of seawater. The model’s performance was found unsatisfactory when the model was tested with a large dataset of absorption measurements from diverse open-ocean and coastal aquatic environments. To address these limitations, we developed a new model based on a different approach for estimating a N A P (λ) and a g (λ) from the sum of these two coefficients, a d g (λ), within the visible spectral region. The very good overall performance of the model is demonstrated, with no tendency for bias and relatively small absolute differences (the median ≤20%) between the model-derived and measured values of a N A P (λ) and a g (λ) over a wide range of aquatic environments.
The predictive power of free (vs. total) testosterone in aggressive prostate cancer.

e16570Background: The role of testosterone in prostate growth and the development of prostate cancer is a controversial topic. Most current data suggest that lower testosterone leads to higher grad...
Peripherally Embolizing Aortic Thrombus: The Work-Up, Management, and Outcome of Primary Aortic Thrombus.

Background. Primary aortic thrombus is an uncommon entity and not frequently reported in the literature. Herein, we discuss the presentation and management of a patient with a primary thoracic mural thrombus. Case Summary. A 46-year-old female with past medical history of tobacco dependence presented for low-grade fever and sudden onset, severe right upper quadrant abdominal pain with associated nausea and vomiting. Computed tomography (CT) revealed an intraluminal polypoid filling defect arising from the isthmus of the aorta projecting into the proximal descending aorta and findings consistent with infarction of the spleen and right kidney. Infectious, autoimmune, hematologic, and oncologic work-up were all unyielding. The patient was started on heparin and later transitioned to apixaban 5 mg twice a day and 81 mg of aspirin daily. She was also counseled regarding smoking cessation. Two months follow-up CT revealed resolution of the thrombus. Patient had no further thromboembolic complications. Discussion. We present a unique case of primary aortic thrombus. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case managed successfully with a NOAC. This diagnosis is one of exclusion and through work-up should be completed. Our aim is to raise awareness of this condition and successful management with apixaban in low-risk patients.
Biased into posting: interactions with social media network political posts during the 2016 U.S. presidential election

The 2016 U.S. presidential election saw social media continue to play an important role in citizens’ political engagement. This study examines the effect of seeing social media political post shari...
Hyperbaric oxygen is still needed in the management and prevention of mandibular necrosis: A response to Mr. Richard Clarke

Mr. Richard Clarke presents in this Journal his arguments against continued application of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy to the pre-extraction neoadjuvant treatment or the treatment of frank mandibular ORN. In the same article he advocates a promising renewed interest in HBO2 as a radiosensitizer. Arguments against HBO2 prior to extractions are based on several papers which consistently include low-risk patients. The just-released HOPON trial reports a negative pre-extraction outcome for HBO2, but patients were enrolled with radiation doses as low as 50Gy. For advanced mandibular necrosis (Marx Stage III) requiring resection, fibular free flap reconstruction is advocated. A high complication rate with free flaps is acknowledged but the magnitude of these complications is not discussed. A cost savings for this procedure is suggested, but no mention is made of the typical cost of the procedure ($90,000) or the requirement of a typical one-week hospital stay, including an initial one or two days in the ICU. Nor is mention made of the very low rate of subsequent dental rehabilitation. The success reported by Delainian, et al. employing pentoxifylline, Vitamin E and sometimes a bisphosphonate is equated to the four decades of HBO2 success with the Marx protocol for Stage I and II ORN. In the phase II trial by Delainian (not randomized) six of her 54 patients died secondary to sepsis, and she graded patients as complete responders if 5mm or less bone was exposed. Even at entry patients had an average of only 1.7 cm exposed bone and treatment was prolonged (16 + or -9 months). Any cost comparison studies will have to account for the indirect expenses of this prolonged treatment including lost productivity.
Indicators and Metrics of Emerging Country-Level STEM Innovation

A variety of signals, metrics, and data may be pertinent to identifying country-level partners in science and technology innovation, and especially newcomers, within a given technology area. Identifying and determining which metrics can be reliably used is necessary to inform policy. There are extant metrics that could be used to predict innovation; however, a certain level of reliability is required for data to be useful. Data collection must consider the reliability and viability of the data in addition to its relevance in predictive modeling for innovation.
Does the IMF Have a Future? What Should It Be?

It is not an understatement to say that the IMF—and indeed the entire world economy is currently facing its stiffest challenge since the fund was created after World War II. Many speakers at this conference have already addressed the crisis, the IMF’s role in addressing it, and steps the fund should take in the future to prevent future crises.
Environmental LCA on three note-taking devices

Abstract This comparative environmental LCA analyzes the impact of various note-taking methods: a paper notebook, an Apple iPad, and a reMarkable tablet. Inventory data was predominantly populated from databases and prior studies. The TRACI methodology was adopted while ReCiPe methodology provided supporting verification. Results showed that the paper notebook outperformed the tablets in most impact categories. Tablets produced more health-related impacts and ecotoxicity while the notebook produced more land-related impacts and ozone depletion. The environmental impacts of the paper notebook were sensitive to page quantity while both tablets were sensitive to circuit board mass, usage allocation, and electricity emission factors.
A comparative survey of betacoronavirus strain molecular dynamics identifies key ACE2 binding sites

ABSTRACT Comparative functional analysis of the binding interactions between various betacoronavirus strains and their potential human target proteins, such as ACE1, ACE2 and CD26, is critical to our future understanding and combating of COVID-19. Here, employing large replicate sets of GPU accelerated molecular dynamics simulations, we statistically compare atom fluctuations of the known human target proteins in both the presence and absence of different strains of the viral receptor binding domain (RBD) of the S spike glycoprotein. We identify a common interaction site between the N-terminal helices of ACE2 and the viral RBD in all strains (hCoV-OC43, hCoV-HKU1, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV1, and SARS-CoV-2) and a second more dynamically complex RBD interaction site involving the ACE2 amino acid sites K353, Q325, and a novel motif, AAQPFLL (386-392) in the more recent cross-species spillovers (i.e. absent in hCoV-OC43). We use computational mutagenesis to further confirm the functional relevance of these sites. We propose a “one touch/two touch” model of viral evolution potentially involved in functionally facilitating binding interactions in zoonotic spillovers. We also observe these two touch sites governing RBD binding activity in simulations on hybrid models of the suspected viral progenitor, batCoV-HKU4, interacting with both the human SARS target, ACE2, and the human MERS target, CD26. Lastly, we confirm that the presence of a common hypertension drug (lisinopril) within the target site of SARS-CoV-2 bound models of ACE1 and ACE2 acts to enhance the RBD interactions at the same key sites in our proposed model. In the near future, we recommend that our comparative computational analysis identifying these key viral RBD-ACE2 binding interactions be supplemented with comparative studies of site-directed mutagenesis in order to screen for current and future coronavirus strains at high risk of zoonotic transmission to humans. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE We generated structural models of the spike glycoprotein receptor binding domain from recent and past betacoronavirus outbreak strains aligned to the angiotensin 1 converting enzyme 2 protein, the primary target protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus causing COVID 19. We then statistically compared computer simulated molecular dynamics of viral bound and unbound versions of each model to identify locations where interactions with each viral strain have dampened the atom fluctuations during viral binding. We demonstrate that all known strains of betacoronavirus are strongly interactive with the N-terminal helix region of ACE2. We also identify a more complex viral interaction with three novel sites that associates with more recent and deadly SARS strains, and also a bat progenitor strain HKU4.
Low Use of Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy for Drug Use-Associated Infective Endocarditis in an Urban Hospital System.

Background The opioid crisis in the United States has led to increasing hospitalizations for drug use-associated infective endocarditis (DUA-IE). Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT), the preferred modality for intravenous antibiotics for infective endocarditis, has demonstrated similar outcomes among patients with DUA-IE versus non-DUA-IE, but current studies suffer selection bias. The utilization of OPAT for DUA-IE more generally is not well studied. Methods This retrospective cohort study compared OPAT use for DUA-IE versus non-DUA-IE in adults hospitalized between January 1, 2015 and September 1, 2019 at 3 urban hospitals. We used multivariable regression analysis to assess the association between DUA-IE and discharge with OPAT, adjusting for clinically significant covariables. Results The cohort included 518 patients (126 DUA-IE, 392 non-DUA-IE). Compared to those with non-DUA-IE, DUA-IE patients were younger (53.0 vs 68.2 years, P < .001) and more commonly undomiciled (9.5% vs 0.3%, P < .01). Patients with DUA-IE had a significantly lower odds of discharge with OPAT than non-DUA-IE patients (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.10-0.39). Odds of discharge with OPAT remained lower for patients with DUA-IE after excluding undomiciled patients (aOR = 0.22; 95% CI, 0.11-0.43) and those with patient-directed discharges (aOR = 0.27; 95% CI, 0.14-0.52). Conclusions Significantly fewer patients with DUA-IE were discharged with OPAT compared to those with non-DUA-IE, and undomiciled patients or patient-directed discharges did not fully account for this difference. Efforts to increase OPAT utilization among patients with DUA-IE could have important benefits for patients and the healthcare system.
Abstract P097: Association Of Non-appetitive Eating With Hypertension In Women: Mediation By Body Mass Index

Introduction: Although non-appetitive eating phenotypes are associated with body mass index, the extent to which they are associated with hypertension is unknown. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that no...
Finding Grace: A Singing Teacher’s Journey with Her First Transgender Student

This article is an exploration in addressing the challenges of a voice teacher training her first transgender student, specifically assigned male at birth (AMAB). The article addresses vocal fundam...
Risk of hospitalized depression and intentional self-harm with brand and authorized generic sertraline.

Abstract Background Recent suggestions of therapeutic inequivalence of brand and generic sertraline have raised concerns about disproportionately higher adverse events among generic users. Objective To assess the impact of confounding in a comparison of the risks of worsening depression and intentional self-harm (ISH) between users of brand name sertraline and its pharmaceutically equivalent authorized generic (AG). Methods Using a retrospective new-user cohort design, we identified patients with a diagnosis code for depression aged ≥12 years who were continuously enrolled in a Sentinel Data Partner health plan for ≥180 days before their first sertraline dispensing between June 30, 2006 and September 30, 2015. New use was defined as no evidence of sertraline dispensing in the 180 days before index date. We matched each brand name user to up to 10 AG users using propensity scores (PS) and conducted case-centered logistic regression to assess the risks of hospitalized depression and ISH. Results Before PS matching, brand name users were significantly less likely to be hospitalized for depression [Hazard Ratio (HR) = 0.70 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.53-0.94)]. However, in the matched analysis, we observed no statistical difference between brand and AG users [HR = 0.84 (95% CI: 0.59-1.21)]. The risk of ISH did not significantly differ between the exposure groups in unmatched (HR = 0.99 (95% CI: 0.60-1.62) and matched analyses [HR = 0.91 (95% CI: 0.49-1.70). Conclusion In depressed patients receiving brand versus AG sertraline, patient characteristics confounded the association with hospitalization. Baseline differences were ameliorated by PS matching resulting in no statistical difference between brand and AG sertraline users.
A multi-agent semi-cooperative unmanned air traffic management model with separation assurance

Abstract This paper presents an air traffic management framework to enable multiple fleets of unmanned aerial vehicles to traverse dense, omni-directional air traffic safely and efficiently. The main challenge addressed here is separation assurance in the absence of full coordination and communication. In this framework, each fleet is independently managed by a routing agent, which progressively plans the non-overlapping move-ahead corridors for vehicles in the fleet by solving a nonlinear optimization model. The model is artfully designed so that agents of different fleets need not engage in complicated multilateral communications or make guesses about external vehicles’ flight intents to maintain effective inter-vehicle separation. For a complex routing problem, the framework is able to support centralized fleet routing, decentralized vehicle self-routing, and any other agent-vehicle configuration in between, allowing for customized trade-off between response time and traffic efficiency. Innovative algorithmic enhancements for solving the agent’s nonconvex routing problem are prescribed with detailed annotation. The effectiveness and noteworthy properties of the framework are demonstrated by several simulation experiments.
Shamans of the Foye Tree: Gender, Power, and Healing among Chilean Mapuche

* Acknowledgments *1. Introduction: The Gendered Realm of the Foye Tree *2. The Ambiguous Powers of Machi: Illness, Awingkamiento, and the Modernization of Witchcraft *3. Gendered Rituals for Cosmic Order: Shamanic Struggles for Wholeness *4. Ritual Gendered Relationships: Kinship, Marriage, Mastery, and Machi Modes of Personhood *5. The Struggle for Machi Masculinity: Colonial Politics of Gender, Sexuality, and Power *6. Machi as Gendered Symbols of Tradition: National Discourses and Mapuche Resistance Movements *7. The Responses of Male Machi to Homophobia: Reinvention as Priests, Doctors, and Spiritual Warriors *8. Female Machi: Embodying Tradition or Contesting Gender Norms? *9. Representing the Gendered Identities of Machi: Paradoxes and Conflicts * Notes * References * Index
Abstract #4399: Role of eotaxin-1 signaling in ovarian cancer

Purpose: Tumor cell growth and migration can be directly regulated by chemokines. In the present study the association of CCL11 with ovarian cancer has been investigated. Experimental design and results: Circulating levels of CCL11 in sera of patients with ovarian cancer were significantly lower than those in healthy women or women with breast, lung, liver, pancreatic or colon cancers. Cultured ovarian carcinoma cells absorbed soluble CCL11 indicating that absorption by tumor cells could be responsible for the observed reduction of serum level of CCL11 in ovarian cancer. Ovarian tumors express CCL11 and its cognate receptors, CCR2, CCR3, and CCR5, thus forming a regulatory loop. CCR3 was predominantly expressed in paraffin-embedded tumor sections from ovarian cancer patients. CCL11 potently stimulated proliferation and migration/invasion of ovarian carcinoma cell lines. The growth stimulatory effects of CCL11 were likely associated with activation of ERK1/2, MEK-1, and STAT3 phosphoproteins and with increased production of multiple cytokines, growth and angiogenic factors. Inhibition of CCL11 autocrine loop by the combination of neutralizing antibodies against the ligand and its receptors dramatically inhibited proliferation of ovarian carcinoma cells. Inhibition of CCL11 signaling also significantly increased sensitivity to cisplatin in these cells. We conclude that CCL11 signaling plays an important role in proliferation and invasion of ovarian carcinoma cells and CCL11 could be targeted for therapy in ovarian cancer. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 4399.
Extending Psychometric Norms for Pre-Cardiac Transplantation Evaluations: The Florida Cohort, 1990–1996

Multidisciplinary pre-cardiac transplantation evaluations determine an individual's ability to benefit from potential transplantation. Psychologists are routinely consulted to perform psychological evaluations and testing to examine the candidate's current functioning and to forecast future functioning in the event of transplantation. The establishment of appropriate norms for psychological tests is an ethical imperative to provide high quality psychological consultations that maximize the utility of information gathered. The purpose of this paper is to present pre-cardiac transplant norms for a battery of psychological tests in a large population of consecutive transplant candidates. Together with other recently published norms on alternative test batteries, these norms allow the transplant psychologist to select from a range of psychological tests that span multiple domains of critical importance including the affective, behavioral, coping, cognitive, and health related quality of life domains. These norms appear to set a standard of practice for the use of psychological tests by a consulting transplantation psychologist.
A model decoupled state estimator with effective bad data identification

The authors describe a model decoupled power-system state estimator combined with decoupled bad-data detection and identification procedures which use the theory of hypothesis testing in conjunction with the estimates of the measurement errors obtained using a linear estimator. Testing of these procedures proved their capabilities in accurately and reliably processing single, multiple noninteracting, and/or interacting bad data. An extensive review of the work to date in this field and a detailed description of the procedures are presented. >
Lessons learned from study of the developmental impact of parental alcohol use

This overview outlines the magnitude of the impact of parental substance abuse on children's development. The aim of this special issue is described: to encourage research productivity by promoting integration between two traditionally separate literatures with quite different theoretical perspectives: (1) the effects of prenatal substance exposure; and (2) the impact on children of postnatal rearing by parents addicted to substances. Because study of the developmental impact of parental alcohol use has a long research tradition, lessons learned can guide the field. Thus, this overview focuses on the role of maternal drinking in the emergence of childhood psychopathology, a topic of interest to infant mental health. As an example, this article features multiple findings from O'Connor's programmatic research, which is built upon current models of development and integrated theoretical perspectives, and includes both lower and higher risk samples. These data show that women in a middle-class sample who drank more heavily during pregnancy had infants with higher levels of negative affect and insecure attachments. At ages 5–6, a greater percentage of these alcohol-exposed children showed significant levels of depression than expected for their age. Prenatal alcohol exposure and maternal depression both contributed significantly to prediction of preschoolers' depression, and findings could not be explained by mother's current drinking. Congruent results from a higher risk sample show how cumulative risk can exacerbate problems, and extend earlier data by documenting the mother–child interplay that can maintain or reduce the deleterious effects of prenatal alcohol exposure over time. Results are discussed in light of current theory about the early emergence of internalizing disorders, with implications for research and intervention. This overview ends by introducing the articles in this special issue, and how each contributes to advancing its aim. ©2001 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.
Performance Lower Bounds for Phase Offset Estimation in IEEE 1588 Synchronization

In this paper, we describe new lower bounds on error variance of phase offset estimation schemes used in IEEE 1588 based synchronization. The motivation for this study is to determine the feasibility of providing microsecond-level time synchronization over mobile backhaul networks for the backend in 4G cellular systems. Many packet filtering/selection techniques for phase offset estimation have been proposed in synchronization literature, however, lower limits on the performance of such estimators have not yet been described. In this paper, we re-derive two Bayesian estimation bounds, namely the Ziv-Zakai and Weiss-Weinstien bounds, for use under a non-Bayesian formulation. This enables us to apply these bounds to the problem of phase offset estimation. Simulation results compare the performance of existing estimation schemes against these lower bounds under a variety of different network scenarios.
Electrical Resistivity of Dilute, Interacting Fermions

A first-principles calculation of the initial decay of a current-carrying state is used to infer the electrical resistivity of interacting fermions (electrons or holes). This approach is useful when it is impractical to apply the Kubo formalism.
The Frontiers of Reflux Disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease has frequently been implicated in a wide variety of complications beyond the esophagus. These so-called "extraesophageal" disorders range from diseases of the respiratory tract, such as asthma and bronchitis, to more remote sites and conditions such as otitis and dental erosion. Many articles proposing a link between reflux disease and a multitude of extraesophageal complications have been published, but indisputable evidence that these conditions are caused by reflux disease is rare. Much of the support for a link between reflux disease and a number of extraesophageal complications is based on the observation that reflux disease frequently coexists with other disorders. A causal link is difficult to prove, however, and this review aims to critically evaluate the available evidence, looking, where possible, at longitudinal studies, expert diagnoses, and response to acid-suppressive therapy as a means of determining the true relationship between GERD and its putative extraesophageal complications.
Physical processes of s.a.w. Schottky-diode memory correlator

It is attempted to explain the physical processes of an s.a.w. diode memory correlator based on the results of Ingebrigtsen, Cohen and Mountain.
The use of cytotoxic T cell lines to detect the segregation of a human minor alloantigen within families.

Abstract A cytotoxic T cell (CTL) line, which detected a minor alloantigen provisionally called W was generated in vitro with lymphocytes from a multiply transfused individual, S1. Lymphocytes from S1 were first stimulated with cells from an unrelated known from previous studies to express the minor antigen. The primary CTL were then restimulated with cells from a W +/ve HLA identical sib, S2, in the presence of IL-2. As in previous work, recognition of the W antigen by these CTL was restricted by HLA-B7. Antigen assignments of W + or W −, based upon cold target inhibition studies, confirmed previous assignments which had depended upon the ability of lymphocytes either to stimulate the generation of or to be killed by anti-W CTL effectors. Testing of lymphocyte targets from members of several unrelated families in which HLA-B7 segregated showed that the CTL lines could detect the expression of W on cells of individuals in the general population. In 3 of 5 cases, members of an HLA identical sib pair differed for W. These results open up the possibility of designing studies using CTL lines to determine whether differences for minor alloantigens play a role in clinical transplantation.
EchoTag: Accurate Infrastructure-Free Indoor Location Tagging with Smartphones

We propose a novel mobile system, called EchoTag, that enables phones to tag and remember indoor locations without requiring any additional sensors or pre-installed infrastructure. The main idea behind EchoTag is to actively generate acoustic signatures by transmitting a sound signal with a phone's speakers and sensing its reflections with the phone's microphones. This active sensing provides finer-grained control of the collected signatures than the widely-used passive sensing. For example, because the sensing signal is controlled by EchoTag, it can be intentionally chosen to enrich the sensed signatures and remove noises from useless reflections. Extensive experiments show that EchoTag distinguishes 11 tags at 1cm resolution with 98% accuracy and maintains 90% accuracy even a week after its training. With this accurate location tagging, one can realize many interesting applications, such as automatically turning on the silent mode of a phone when it is placed at a pre-defined location/area near the bed or streaming favorite songs to speakers if it is placed near a home entertainment system. Most participants of our usability study agree on the usefulness of EchoTag's potential applications and the adequacy of its sensing accuracy for supporting these applications.
Self-expectancies and reactions to evaluations of personal performance.

A field study tested whether college students' reactions to evaluations of their performance on an important examination were based primarily on self-consistency or self-enhancement needs. All students (N= 166) completed two questionnaires, one a week before and the other a week after the examination. The first questionnaire measured general self-expectancies (self-esteem), as well as expectancies specific to the upcoming examination. The second questionnaire measured six separate phases of the students' reactions to their performance evaluations (cf. Shrauger, 1975), each phase being primarily cognitive or affective in nature. The results showed a strong general preference for positive rather than negative performance evaluations among the students, regardless of their self-expectancies. Self-enhancement effects emerged more clearly than did self-consistency effects, and most effects of both types tended to involve general rather than specific self-expectancies. Finally, there was some support for Shrauger's claim that cognitive reactions to performance evaluations are influenced by self-consistency needs, whereas affective reactions are influenced by self-enhancement needs.
Dynamic finite element analysis of arbitrary thin shells

Abstract A brief review of the development of finite element procedures for the analysis of thin shells is presented, together with a discussion of the four types of approximations involved in the application of the method. Then two factors which influence the efficiency of the finite element solution are considered: the properties of the individual elements (including curvature, deformation refinement, etc.) and the nodal degree of freedom representing rotation about the shell surface normal. Comparative analyses are presented to illustrate the influence of these factors in practical cases. Finally, the formulation of the finite element system equations of motion is discussed and techniques of solution are outlined, taking account of both linear and non-linear classes of problems. A series of examples (both linear and non-linear) are presented which demonstrate the effectiveness and generality of this dynamic analysis technique.
Mechanical characterization of sheet molding compound composites

The present work was aimed at providing basic mechanical property characterization of five different sheet molding compound (SMC) materials with glass content varying from 30 to 65 percent by weight. In particular, the objectives were to find variation in their tensile, flexural, and shear properties along with some information on fabrication-induced anisotropy that may be present in these materials. The flexural properties were measured using three-point bend tests, and double-rail shear tests were conducted for in-plane shear properties. A significant scatter was observed in all the properties, and no conclusive evidence about the fabrication-induced anisotropy was found, Flexural strength of each material was found to be significantly greater than the tensile strength. Finally, some interesting features associated with their tensile and flexural failure modes have also been discussed.
Reactive sputter deposition of chromium nitride coatings

Abstract The effect of substrate temperature and sputtering gas composition on the structure and properties of chromium-chromium nitride films deposited on C-1040 steel using r.f. magnetron sputter deposition was investigated. X-ray diffraction analysis was used to determine the structure and the composition of the films. The average grain size of the films was determined using the full width at half-maximum method (or Scherrer's formula) from the X-ray diffraction pattern. Films were deposited at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 400 °C. At 200 °C all the films consisted of a single phase, while at 400 °C dual-phase films were observed at certain partial pressures of nitrogen. Microhardnesses of the films were evaluated from the composite hardness (substrate with films on it) values using a physical model. At 200 °C, the hardness of the films was seen to increase with increasing nitrogen content in the sputtering gas as a result of the hard CrN phase formation. At higher deposition temperatures, the residual stresses lead to spalling of film.