cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The linkages of S & P 500 stock index and S & P 500 stock index futures prices during October 1987

Abstract Intraday minute-by-minute data for the entire month of October 1987, were used to investigate the linkages between the S & P 500 index futures market and the underlying cash market before and after the crash. This study used cointegration and error-correction estimation techniques, and found, with the exception of October 16 and 19, that the two markets were highly cointegrated and operated as one market for most trading days in the month of October. Further, the results show that the stock and futures markets converged immediately after the crash and that the price-discovery process originated in the futures market instead of the stock market, as the two markets are linked by index arbitrage. Finally, the evidence also suggests that the delinkage of the futures market from its underlying stock market started on Friday, October 16, implying that the crash originated in the United States and not in Asia as suggested by Roll (1988)
Expanded Newborn Screening for Inborn Errors of Metabolism by Electrospray Ionization-Tandem Mass Spectrometry: Results, Outcome, and Implications

Objective. The aims of this study were to determine the impact of expanded newborn screening using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) on the overall detection rate of inborn errors of metabolism in Germany and to assess the outcome for the patients that were diagnosed. Methods. During the period of study, 250 000 neonates in a German population were investigated for 23 inborn errors of metabolism by electrospray ionization-MS/MS. The overall value of the screening program was estimated by 1) complete ascertainment of all positive tests; 2) definite assignment of all diagnoses including reconfirmation at 12 months; and 3) clinical follow-up of all detected patients in an overall interval of 42 months. The mean observation period was 13.5 months per child. Results. In 106 newborns, confirmed inborn errors of metabolism were found. The disorders were classified as 50 classic forms and 56 variants. A total of 825 tests (0.33%) were false-positives. Seventy of the 106 newborns with confirmed disorders were judged to require treatment. Six children developed symptoms despite treatment. Three children had died. Among 9 children who became symptomatic before report of the results of screening, in 6 the diagnosis had been made in advance of the screening report. In evaluation of the screening program, 61 of the 106 identified children (58% of true-positives, or 1 of 4100 healthy newborns) were judged to have benefited from screening and treatment, because the diagnosis had not been made before screening. None of these infants had died and none developed psychomotor retardation or metabolic crisis during the follow-up period. Conclusions. The screening by MS/MS for up to 23 additional disorders has approximately doubled the detection rate compared with that achieved by the conventional methods used in Germany. This strategy represents valuable preventive medicine by enabling diagnosis and treatment before the onset of symptoms.
Asset Pricing Models

In portfolio management, a key input in portfolio construction is the expected return for an asset. In corporate financial management, computing a firm's cost of capital requires that the cost of equity be computed. The cost of equity is the expected return that investors require from investing in a corporation's common stock. Asset pricing models describe the relationship between the risks of a security and the expected return. The two most well-known equilibrium pricing models are the capital asset pricing model developed in the 1960s and the arbitrage pricing theory model developed in the mid 1970s. Other asset pricing models are based on empirical factors that affect expected returns. These multifactor pricing models are classified as statistical factor models, macroeconomic factor models, and fundamental factor models. Keywords: asset pricing model; risk factors; systematic risk factors; nondiversifiable risk factors; unsystematic risk factors; diversifiable risk factors; capital asset pricing model (CAPM); beta; capital market line (CML); market portfolio; security market line (SML); characteristic line; zero-beta portfolio; arbitrage pricing theory (APT) model; arbitrage principle; multifactor risk model; statistical factor model; macroeconomic factor model; fundamental factor model
Phase Identification in Rapidly Solidified Al-In Alloys Using High Resolution Synchrotron Radiation Diffraction and Transmission Electron Microscopy

A metastable (face centered) cubic form of indium has been identified in melt-spun Al- 4.3at% indium using high resolution synchrotron radiation diffraction. The microstructure of the melt-spun ribbons consisted of particles of nominally pure indium dispersed in an aluminum matrix. These particles ranged in size from 10 nm to 1000 nm through the thickness of the ribbons. Only the smallest indium particles were identified as being cubic and these were observed in electron transparent regions of the as-spun ribbons. The cubic indium phase had the following orientation relationship with the matrix: [001]In’ // [001]A1 and (100)In’ // (001)A1. The size distribution and average diameter of the cubic particles were obtained by quantitative analysis of the diffraction line profiles. These measurements were corroborated with transmission electron microscopy observations. The volume percent of the cubic indium phase was determined by matching simulations of the x-ray diffraction patterns with the diffracted intensities found experimentally. Approximately 10–20% of the indium is present in the cubic form and the remainder is the stable tetragonal phase.
Opportunities and challenges of III-V nanoelectronics for future high-speed, low-power logic applications

This paper highlights the opportunities and challenges of III-V nanoelectronics for future high-speed, low- power digital logic applications. III-V materials in general have significantly higher electron mobility than Si and can potentially play a major role along with Si in future high-speed, low-power computing. The major potential advantage of using a III-V quantum-well field-effect transistor as a logic transistor is that it can be operated under very low supply voltage (e.g., 0.5 V), and hence, lower power dissipation while still achieving very high speed. Compared to other emerging high-mobility materials, such as, carbon nanotubes and semiconductor nanowires, which require "bottom-up" chemical synthesis for formation and suffer from the fundamental placement problem, III-V materials are far more practical in terms of patterning. However, many significant challenges remain to be overcome before III-V materials become applicable for future high-speed, low-power logic applications. These include: (i) finding a compatible high-K gate dielectric on III-Vs, (ii) demonstrating gate length scalability below 35 nm with acceptable I/sub ON//I/sub OFF/ ratio, (iii) improving the hole mobility in III-Vs or finding the right p-channel FET for the complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) configuration, and (iv) integrating III-V materials onto the Si substrate.
Pharmacogenetics of thiopurine S-methyltransferase and thiopurine therapy.

Abstract:Most medications exhibit wide interpatient variability in their efficacy and toxicity. For many medications, these interindividual differences result in part from polymorphisms in genes encoding drug-metabolizing enzymes, drug transporters, and/or drug targets (eg, receptors, enzymes). Phar
Potential for subtle traps in the Permian Rotliegend of the UK Southern North Sea

The Permian, Rotliegend Group of the UK Southern North Sea is shown to consist of periodic, cyclic stratal packages which can be used to aid regional correlation in the zone of playa–erg interaction colloquially known as the Rotliegend Feather Edge. In this area, the depositional topography controls the sedimentary facies, with a concentration of aeolian sandstone deposition in the topographic depressions, especially in the lee of hills. These units onlap the contemporaneous intra-basinal and marginal highs. The palaeotopographic lows rapidly became infilled, with later lacustrine deposition occurring over a smoother surface. This allowed the deposition of finer-grained lake deposits over the sands. Prediction of the palaeotopography is key to understanding potential reservoir distribution and seal juxtaposition within the Rotliegend. This paper demonstrates how pre-Permian subcrop maps, Bouguer anomaly maps and the Rotliegend isopach can be used to reconstruct this palaeotopography. Two areas are studied which demonstrate some of the subtleties of the model. The southern Quadrant 42–43 area had a palaeotopography with gentle gradients and a number of subtle intrabasinal highs that allowed for isolated reservoirs overlain by shales with high sealing potential. In contrast, the northern Quadrant 49 area, contained only intra-basinal relief, with high palaeotopographic gradients. Aeolian sediments banked up against this barrier and no intra-Rotliegend seal was deposited over these sands.
The Influence of Metallic Ions on the Autoxidation of Oxymyoglobin

SUMMARY The autoxidation rate of purified oxymyoglobin is extremely variable. Part of the variability has now been traced to contamination of the oxymyoglobin preparations with metals, particularly copper. Copper added in amounts equimolar to the oxymyoglobin concentration resulted in a 25X increase in the autoxidation rate constant. Iron and zinc were much less active than copper in catalyzing the autoxidation. A variety of conditions known to accelerate the autoxidation of oxymyoglobin were tested to see whether the acceleration was due to contamination with metals.
Iris-fixated posterior chamber intraocular lenses in children.

Purpose To report the short-term outcomes and complications of iris-fixated posterior chamber intraocular lenses (PCIOL) in the pediatric population. Design Retrospective, observational case study. Methods Twelve consecutive pediatric patients (17 eyes) underwent placement of foldable iris-sutured PCIOLs between September 1, 2004 and September 30, 2007 by two anterior segment surgeons at a single academic center. Outcome measures included change in visual acuity (VA) and complications. Results In our series, there was a higher rate of dislocation of iris-sutured IOLs in patients with a history of ectopia lentis resulting from Marfan syndrome or hereditary or idiopathic causes than in patients being treated for aphakia resulting from other causes (45% vs 0%). Mean final VA improved by 0.23 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution units from preoperative baseline. One eye of a Marfan patient sustained a retinal detachment eight months after dislocation of the PCIOL, and one patient experienced iris capture of the IOL after surgery. Conclusions Iris-fixated IOLs are reasonable alternative to transsclerally sutured IOLs to correct aphakia in pediatric patient. Dislocation of the IOLs can occur, however, and there is concern for suture degradation over time. The procedure should be considered with caution in pediatric patients.
Slot-fed higher order mode Fabry-Perot filters

Low-loss bandpass filters consisting of Fabry-Perot resonators excited by waveguide-fed slots coupling to higher-order resonator modes are demonstrated. For close reflector spacings, the waveguide couples efficiently through the slots to the TEM/sub 400/ and TEM/sub 300/ modes. The characteristics of both rectangular and circular waveguide feeds with various slot lengths and widths are presented. At X-band the filters have unloaded Q values which range from 1000 to 7000 with insertion losses less than 1 dB. The filters which have the rectangular waveguide feeds are mechanically tunable over a 20% bandwidth. >
Energy-Effectiveness of Pre-Execution and Energy-Aware P-Thread Selection

Pre-execution removes the microarchitectural latency of "problem" loads from a programýs critical path by redundantly executing copies of their computations in parallel with the main program. There have been several proposed pre-execution systems, a quantitative framework (PTHSEL) for analytical pre-execution thread (p-thread) selection, and even a research prototype. To date, however, the energy aspects of pre-execution have not been studied. Cycle-level performance and energy simulations on SPEC2000 integer benchmarks that suffer from L2 misses show that energy-blind pre-execution naturally has a linear latency/energy trade-off, improving performance by 13.8% while increasing energy consumption by 11.9%. To improve this trade-off, we propose two extensions to PTHSEL. First, we replace the flat cycle-for-cycle load cost model with a model based on a critical-path estimation. This extension increases p-thread efficiency in an energy-independent way. Second, we add a parameterized energy model to PTHSEL (forming PTHSEL+E) that allows it to actively select p-threads that reduce energy rather than (or in combination with) execution latency. Experiments show that PTHSEL+E manipulates pre-executionýs latency/energy more effectively. Latency targeted selection benefits from the improved load cost model: its performance improvements grow to an average of 16.4% while energy costs drop to 8.7%. ED targeted selection produces p-threads that improve performance by only 12.9%, but ED by 8.8%. Targeting p-thread selection for energy reduction, results in "energy-free" pre-execution, with average speedup of 5.4%, and a small decrease in total energy consumption (0.7%).
AS30D model of hepatocellular carcinoma: tumorigenicity and preliminary characterization by imaging, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry.

Purpose This study was designed to determine the tumorigenicity of the AS30D HCC cell line following orthotopic injection into rat liver and preliminarily characterize the tumor model by both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound (US) as well as histopathology and immunohistochemistry.
Effect of Substrate Composition and Heat Pretreatment on Vegetative Growth of Agaricus brasiliensis S. Wasser et al. and A. subrufescens Peck

Approximately 670 million broiler chickens and 43 million turkeys are produced in North Carolina annually, generating wastes that are causing environmental problems and concerns among residents. Th ese waste products can be used as substrate for growing specialty mushrooms. Mushroom farming can enable farmers to obtain additional crops (mushrooms), while bioconverting the agricultural wastes to more environment friendly products such as organic fertilizers. Agaricus brasiliensis and A. subrufescens are culinary–medicinal mushrooms currently produced in the US. Th ese mushrooms can be alternative crops generating high income in the place of tobacco for the North Carolina farmers. Various combinations of sawdust, poultry litter,
Cord input: an intuitive, high-accuracy, multi-degree-of-freedom input method for mobile devices

A cord, although simple in form, has many interesting physical affordances that make it powerful as an input device. Not only can a length of cord be grasped in different locations, but also pulled, twisted and bent---four distinct and expressive dimensions that could potentially act in concert. Such an input mechanism could be readily integrated into headphones, backpacks, and clothing. Once grasped in the hand, a cord can be used in an eyes-free manner to control mobile devices, which often feature small screens and cramped buttons. In this note, we describe a proof-of-concept cord-based sensor, which senses three of the four input dimensions we propose. In addition to a discussion of potential uses, we also present results from our preliminary user study. The latter sought to compare the targeting performance and selection accuracy of different cord-based input modalities. We conclude with brief set of design recommendations drawn upon results from our study.
Optimization of soybeans as a biofuel resource through germination studies under electromagnetic fields

Soybean seeds codenamed Magellan that can be used as future resources of biofuels were separated into five groups and exposed with electromagnetic fields inside the test chamber with different intensity levels of power, frequency, and time. Seeds after exposure treatments were germinated according to the procedures established by the American Association of Seed Analysts. A hundred seeds from each group were germinated according to these procedures and the percent germination was recorded. Another ten seeds from each treatment, including controls, were manually crushed and placed in separate test tubes for fatty acid analyses. The processed results from the greenhouse confirm effects of electromagnetic fields on the soybean germination. In addition, it is possible that soybean lines with different genetic backgrounds may respond differently to electromagnetic fields in terms of percent seed germination.
Regulation of Connexin-43 Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication by Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase

Activation of the Ras/Raf/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling cascade is initiated by activation of growth factor receptors and regulates many cellular events, including cell cycle control. Our previous studies suggested that the connexin-43 gap junction protein may be a target of activated MAP kinase and that MAP kinase may regulate connexin-43 function. We identified the sites of MAP kinase phosphorylation in in vitro studies as the consensus MAP kinase recognition sites in the cytoplasmic carboxyl tail of connexin-43, Ser255, Ser279, and Ser282. In this study, we demonstrate that activation of MAP kinase by ligand-induced activation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) or lysophosphatidic acid receptors or by pervanadate-induced inhibition of tyrosine phosphatases results in increased phosphorylation on connexin-43. EGF and lysophosphatidic acid-induced phosphorylation on connexin-43 and the down-regulation of gap junctional communication in EGF-treated cells were blocked by a specific mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor (PD98059) that prevented activation of MAP kinase. These studies confirm that connexin-43 is a MAP kinase substrate in vivo and that phosphorylation on Ser255, Ser279, and/or Ser282 initiates the down-regulation of gap junctional communication. Studies with connexin-43 mutants suggest that MAP kinase phosphorylation at one or more of the tandem Ser279/Ser282 sites is sufficient to disrupt gap junctional intercellular communication.
Review of the environmental effects on the Space Station Freedom photovoltaic power module

An overview of the environment in the low Earth orbit (LEO) is given, the interaction of this environment with the photovoltaic (PV) power system of the Space Station Freedom is discussed, and environmental programs that are designed to investigate the interaction of the LEO environment with the photovoltaic power system are described. The programs address effects due to atomic oxygen, charged particles and plasma, and micrometeoroids and debris. The programs will support the design of subsystems of the PV module that can survive for the design lifetime in the natural and induced LEO environment. >
On the minimal signal recovery error in multirate filterbank channel equalization

This paper studies the constraints in filterbank design and seeks to quantify the fundamental limitations and limits inherent in this design process. The paper outlines an approach built on lifting and optimal model-matching, which attempts to quantify analytically the minimal signal recovery error in channel equalization via multirate filterbanks.
NO-γ emissions from streamer discharges: direct electron impact excitation versus resonant energy transfer

It has been established that production of NO-γ emission in pulsed corona discharges is dominated by the energy transfer from to the NO ground state NO(X 2Πr) while direct excitation by electron impact is negligible. However, recent studies suggest that the electron impact excitation plays a more important role. In this work, we report modelling results of NO-γ emission associated with streamer discharges using two cross section data sets available in the literature. The first set was originally reported by Mojarrabi et al (1996 Phys. Rev. A 54 2977–82) and later updated by Brunger et al (2000 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 33 809–19); the second set was published by Hayashi (1990 Nonequilibrium Processes in Partially Ionized Gases (NATO Advanced Science Institutes Series, Series B, Physics vol 220) ed M Capitelli and J N Bardsley (New York: Plenum) pp 333–40). According to the results, the role played by the electron impact excitation in the production of NO-γ is drastically different when different cross sections are used. The results indicate that the first data set leads to better agreement with experimental measurements.
Effect of effort pain after upper abdominal surgery on two independent measures of respiratory function.

Abstract Study Objective To determine how effort pain interacts with changing pulmonary function after upper abdominal incisions. Design Prospective, case-controlled study. Setting Academic teaching hospital. Patients 34 ASA physical status I, II, and III patients recovering from elective, major incisional, upper abdominal surgery. Measurements Manometry (maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressure) and spirometry (forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume during the first second, peak expiratory flow) for three postoperative days. Pain scores (Visual Analog Pain Scale; VAS) at rest and after the manometric or spirometric efforts. Main Results Effort pain during either manometry or spirometry was greater than pain at rest on the first postoperative day. Maximal respiratory pressure concomitantly recovered with pain during daily efforts (slopes: −0.429 and −0.278% max/mm VAS; P Conclusion The direct relationship between resolution of pain with effort and direct measures of respiratory muscle effort using manometry, but not those obtained less directly by spirometry, suggests that assessing interactions between pain and effort requires a direct, quantifiable measure of effort.
Successful retrieval of competing spatial environments in humans involves hippocampal pattern separation mechanisms

The rodent hippocampus represents different spatial environments distinctly via changes in the pattern of "place cell" firing. It remains unclear, though, how spatial remapping in rodents relates more generally to human memory. Here participants retrieved four virtual reality environments with repeating or novel landmarks and configurations during high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Both neural decoding performance and neural pattern similarity measures revealed environment-specific hippocampal neural codes. Conversely, an interfering spatial environment did not elicit neural codes specific to that environment, with neural activity patterns instead resembling those of competing environments, an effect linked to lower retrieval performance. We find that orthogonalized neural patterns accompany successful disambiguation of spatial environments while erroneous reinstatement of competing patterns characterized interference errors. These results provide the first evidence for environment-specific neural codes in the human hippocampus, suggesting that pattern separation/completion mechanisms play an important role in how we successfully retrieve memories.
Integrated morphology of neuronal catecholamines and neurophysin in the aged macaque.

A new method for the simultaneous visualization of brain peptides and monoamine neurotransmitters was employed to analyze the integrated morphology of hypothalamic catecholamines and neurophy-sins in young and old monkeys. Immunocytochemical analysis using bovine neurophysin revealed a dual papulation of light and dark stained cells in the paraventricular nucleus in young and old macaques. In general, both populations of neurons stained with less density in old macaques indicating the possibility of a reduced content of neurophysin. Further analysis using specific neurophysin antisera for vasopressin or oxytocin revealed an appreciable decrease in the number of vassopressin-containing perikarya in the 20 year monkey whereas oxytocin-synthesizing neurons did not show a similar change in numbers with age. Qualitatively, terminal innervation patterns of hypothalamic catecholamines remained strikingly constant in spite of marked reductions in dark-stained neurophysin perikarya of the paraventricular nucleus.
A Flexible Hypersonic Vehicle Model Developed with Piston Theory

For high Mach number flows, M ≥ 4, piston theory has been used to calculate the pressures on the surfaces of a vehicle. In a two-dimensional inviscid flow, a perpendicular column of fluid stays intact as it passes over a solid surface. Thus, the pressure at the surface can be calculated assuming the surface were a piston moving into a column of fluid. In this work, first-order piston theory is used to calculate the forces, moments, and stability derivatives for longitudinal motion of a hypersonic vehicle. Piston theory predicts a relationship between the local pressure on a surface and the normal component of fluid velocity produced by the surface’s motion. The advantage of piston theory over other techniques, such as Prandtl-Meyer flow, oblique shock, or Newtonian impact theory, is that unsteady aerodynamic effects can be included in the model. Prandtl-Meyer flow and oblique shock theory are utilized to provide flow properties over the surfaces of the vehicle. These flow properties are used to determine the steady forces and moments and are also included in the unsteady flow calculations. Thus, this work utilizes a combination of Prandtl-Meyer flow, oblique shock, and piston theory to calculate forces and moments. The unsteady effects include perturbations in the linear velocities and angular rates, due to rigid body motion. A flexible vehicle model is developed to take into account the aeroelastic behavior of the vehicle. The vehicle forebody and aftbody are modelled as cantilever beams fixed at the center-of-gravity. Piston theory is used to account for the changes in the forces and moments due to the flexing of the vehicle. Piston theory yields an analytical model for the longitudinal motion of the vehicle, thus allowing design trade studies to be performed while still providing insight into the physics of the problem.
A Realm of Mere Representation? “Live” E-Sports Spectacles and the Crafting of China’s Digital Gaming Image:

This article addresses the proliferation of images and appearances in the realm of e-sports culture in urban China. The author’s findings are based upon ethnographic research and participant observ...
Reproductive outcome after medical management of complicated pelvic inflammatory disease

A significant proportion of women with PID will have their disease complicated by a TOC. We conclude that it is appropriate in women with this stage of PID to treat initially with clindamycin and an aminoglycoside. In addition, since more than half of the women will suffer reproductive difficulties, efforts to improve early diagnosis and therapy should continue. Based on our data, an early infertility evaluation is indicated in women wishing to conceive after complicated PID.
Left Renal Vein to Inferior Vena Cava Pressure Relationship in Humans

AbstractPullback pressures from the left renal vein to the inferior vena cava were done on 50 normal patients. A gradient more than 1 mm. Hg was found in only 1 patient. The significance of these results as they relate to the etiology of varicocele formation and essential hematuria is discussed.
Relaxation-Based Preprocessing Techniques for Markov Random Field Inference

Markov Random Fields (MRFs) are a widely used graphical model, but the inference problem is NP-hard. For first-order MRFs with binary labels, Dead End Elimination (DEE) [7] and QPBO [2, 14] can find the optimal labeling for some variables, the much harder case of larger label sets has been addressed by Kovtun [16, 17] and related methods [12, 23, 24, 25], which impose substantial computational overhead. We describe an efficient algorithm to correctly label a subset of the variables for arbitrary MRFs, with particularly good performance on binary MRFs. We propose a sufficient condition to check if a partial labeling is optimal, which is a generalization of DEE's purely local test. We give a hierarchy of relaxations that provide larger optimal partial labelings at the cost of additional computation. Empirical studies were conducted on several benchmarks, using expansion moves [4] for inference. Our algorithm runs in a few seconds, and improves the speed of MRF inference with expansion moves by a factor of 1.5 to 12.
Existence and blowup results for asymptotically Euclidean initial data sets generated by the conformal method

For each set of (freely chosen) seed data, the conformal method reduces the Einstein constraint equations to a system of elliptic equations, the conformal constraint equations. We prove an admissibility criterion, based on a (conformal) prescribed scalar curvature problem, which provides a necessary condition on the seed data for the conformal constraint equations to (possibly) admit a solution. We then consider sets of asymptotically Euclidean (AE) seed data for which solutions of the conformal constraint equations exist, and examine the blowup properties of these solutions as the seed data sets approach sets for which no solutions exist. We also prove that there are AE seed data sets which include a Yamabe nonpositive metric and lead to solutions of the conformal constraints. These data sets allow the mean curvature function to have 0's.
Abstract 161: Trends in Intracranial Stenting among Medicare Beneficiaries in the United States, 2005-2008

Background: Intracranial stenting (ICS) was introduced to improve outcomes for stroke patients, but practice guidelines advocating its use have been based on limited evidence and a recent trial suggested no benefit and a mortality hazard. We sought to determine trends in ICS use, mortality, and associated costs of the procedure during the period of uncertain benefit. Methods: Inpatient Medicare standard analytic files were used to identify 100% of fee-for-service (FFS) patients aged ≥65 years who underwent ICS (ICD-9-CM code 00.65) from 2005 to 2008, a period chosen based on the emergence of a specific code for ICS in 2004. We linked the inpatient data with the Medicare denominator file to report operative rates per 1,000,000 person-years. Thirty-day and one-year mortality were ascertained through corresponding vital status files. Costs were defined as hospital payments made by Medicare. Results: A total of 783 ICS procedures were performed during 2005-2008 among Medicare FFS beneficiaries. The overall procedure rate for ICS quadrupled from 3 per million person-years ( n=94 procedures) in 2005 to 12 per million person-years (n=344 procedures) in 2008. Across years, women received ICS more frequently than men, and ICS procedure rates were highest among patients aged 65-74 years and lowest among those ≥85 years. One-year mortality rates increased from 10.6% (95% CI: 5.2% - 18.7%) in 2005 to 15.7% (95% CI: 12% - 20%) in 2008, with one-third of patients aged ≥85 years undergoing ICS in 2008 dying within one year. Procedure-related hospital costs increased from $1,381,142 ($14,693/patient) in 2005 to $8,736,912 ($25,398/patient) in 2008, with a total expenditure of nearly $17 million incurred by the federal government during 2005-2008. Conclusion: From 2005 to 2008, use of ICS increased, at a considerable cost to Medicare. Although the total number of people treated was small, many patients were exposed to risk for a technology that now has been shown to provide no benefit and may be hazardous. The health system cannot afford even modest expenditures that provide no return for patients.
Phase II study of bevacizumab plus erlotinib for recurrent malignant gliomas

2045 Background: Bevacizumab (B), a neutralizing VEGF monoclonal antibody, has anti-glioma activity as single agent and in combination with cytotoxic therapy. Erlotinib (E), an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, may exhibit anti-tumor activity in some malignant glioma (MG) patients. B plus E was associated with clinical benefit in several solid tumors. We performed a single-arm, phase II study to evaluate the efficacy of B and E in patients with recurrent MG. Methods: The primary endpoint was 6-month progression-free survival (PFS-6). Radiographic response, pharmacokinetics and correlative biomarkers were secondary endpoints. E was orally administered daily at 200 mg/day for patients not on enzyme-inducing anticonvulsants (EIAC) and 500 mg/day for patients on EIAC. All patients received 10 mg/kg of B intravenously every two weeks. Key eligibility criteria included: age ≥ 18 years; KPS ≥ 60; > 4 weeks from prior surgery, XRT or chemotherapy. Patients with either > 3 prior progressions, requirement for therape...
Wise Guys: "The Man Who Knew Infinity" and Other Movies about Uppity Geniuses.

Conventional expectations about subcultural groups can be undermined by unusual performances of some individual members. Several recent movies have concerned people of exceptional ability who unexp...
Shifts in water availability mediate plant–pollinator interactions

Altered precipitation patterns associated with anthropogenic climate change are expected to have many effects on plants and insect pollinators, but it is unknown if effects on pollination are mediated by changes in water availability. We tested the hypothesis that impacts of climate on plant-pollinator interactions operate through changes in water availability, and specifically that such effects occur through alteration of floral attractants. We manipulated water availability in two naturally occurring Mertensia ciliata (Boraginaceae) populations using water addition, water reduction and control plots and measured effects on vegetative and floral traits, pollinator visitation and seed set. While most floral trait values, including corolla size and nectar, increased linearly with increasing water availability, in this bumblebee-pollinated species, pollinator visitation peaked at intermediate water levels. Visitation also peaked at an intermediate corolla length, while its relationship to corolla width varied across sites. Seed set, however, increased linearly with water. These results demonstrate the potential for changes in water availability to impact plant-pollinator interactions through pollinator responses to differences in floral attractants, and that the effects of water on pollinator visitation can be nonlinear. Plant responses to changes in resource availability may be an important mechanism by which climate change will affect species interactions.
The effect of filtered nanoparticles on gas filtration efficiency of granular activated carbons

Abstract Granular activated carbons (GACs) are widely used porous materials for removing gaseous contaminants in the air. In addition, GACs can work as pack-bed filters for removing particles. However, the filtered particles may block the pores of GACs, which are capture sites for gaseous contaminants, and reduce their gas filtration efficiency. In this study, the effect of the filtered particles on GAC gas filtration efficiency was investigated by measuring toluene penetration through GACs when nanoparticles were simultaneously introduced to the GACs. The nanoparticles were generated from toluene molecules through soft X-ray assisted gas-to-particle conversion and mixed in-situ with toluene molecules. The penetration of toluene through the GACs was determined by measuring the volume distribution of nanoparticles, which were converted from toluene molecules downstream of the GACs. By integrating the measured volume distribution of the nanoparticles, the total volume concentration of nanoparticles was calculated and plotted as a function of time. The time-resolved penetration of toluene remained the same regardless of the particle filtration by the GACs. Moreover, the GACs with different granule sizes had same time-resolved penetration of toluene. These experimental results showed that GACs can be used to remove nanoparticles and gas contaminants simultaneously without changing their gas filtration efficiency.
A role for CD31 (PECAM-1) during T cell differentiation in the human thymus (HEM2P.239)

Although CD31 expression on human thymocytes has been reported, a detailed analysis of CD31 expression at various stages of T cell development in the human thymus is missing. Here we address the evolution of CD31 expression from the CD34 + hematopoietic precursor to the CD45RA + mature CD4 + and CD8 + single positive (SP) T cells. Using 9-color flow cytometry, we show that CD31 is highly expressed on CD34 + progenitors and stays high until the early double positive stage (CD3 - CD4 + CD8α + β - ) when CD31 expression levels become low to undetectable. CD31 expression then increases and peaks on CD3 high CD4 + CD8 + double positive thymocytes. However, following positive selection, CD31 expression differs dramatically between CD4 and CD8 lineages: homogenously high on CD8 SP but low to negative on CD4 SP. Remarkably, there is a substantial subset of semi-mature (CD45RA - ) CD4 SP thymocytes that lack CD31 expression. Moreover, FoxP3 + and ICOS + cells are over-represented in this CD31 - subpopulation. Despite the CD31 - CD45RA - subpopulation, the majority of egress-capable mature CD45RA + CD4 SP thymocytes expresses CD31. The variations in CD31 expression appear to coincide with three major selection processes occurring during thymopoiesis: TCRβ selection, as well as positive and negative selection. Considering the ability of CD31 to modulate the TCR’s activation threshold via the recruitment of tyrosine phosphatases, our results suggest a likely significant role for CD31 during T cell development.
Adaptive fault tolerant control for reconfigurable systems

Reconfigurable systems are the safe dynamical systems wherein the health of the control input and/or sensor output variables are continuously monitored and then they are reconfigured, if necessary,...
Platelets: Production, Morphology and Ultrastructure

Platelets are anucleate, discoid cells, roughly 2–3 μm in diameter that function primarily as regulators of hemostasis, but also play secondary roles in angiogensis and innate immunity. Although human adults contain nearly one trillion platelets in circulation that are turned over every 8–10 days, our understanding of the mechanisms involved in platelet production is still incomplete. Platelets stem from large (30–100 μm) nucleated cells called megakaryocytes that reside primarily in the bone marrow. During maturation megakaryocytes extend long proplatelet elongations into sinusoidal blood vessels from which platelets ultimately release. During this process, platelets develop a number of distinguishable structural elements including: a delimited plasma membrane; invaginations of the surface membrane that form the open canalicular system (OCS); a closed-channel network of residual endoplasmic reticulum that form the dense tubular system (DTS); a spectrin-based membrane skeleton; an actin-based cytoskeletal network; a peripheral band of microtubules; and numerous organelles including α-granules, dense-granules, peroxisomes, lysosomes, and mitochondria. Proplatelet elongation and platelet production is an elaborate and complex process that defines the morphology and ultrastructure of circulating platelets, and is critical in understanding their increasingly numerous and varied biological functions.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN CW DYE LASERS

A dedicated effort at Coherent has resulted in improving the usefulness and performance of the singlefrequency dye laser. This work has led to development of a computer-controlled wavemeter dye laser system which expands user control and tunability of a dye laser. The second area of development has led to an increased tuning range of this laser system through intracavity frequency doubling.
Reliability Demonstration in Product Validation Testing

This chapter presents an overview of reliability demonstration methods applied in the industry for product validation programs. Main emphasis is made on success run testing and test to failure approaches. It also presents a discussion on the underlying assumptions, complexities, and limitations of the reliability demonstration methods.
A methodology for simulating computer systems

Simulation languages, while providing the modeler with the essential tools for model development, do not provide well defined philosophies for modeling specific classes of systems. Although some languages strongly suggest a particular modeling approach, deriving from a particular world view, a methodology must be developed by the practitioner. A methodology for developing simulation models of computer systems is discussed. In all computer systems there are universal processes which may be broken down into various hardware and software steps. Standard model elements which simulate universal communication and input/output processes are explained. Other software to support model development and end user model execution is also presented. The methodology presented here has proven to reduce model implementation time, produce more reliable models, and relax modeler training requirements.
Implementing Euclid’s straightedge and compass constructions in type theory

Constructions are central to the methodology of geometry presented in the Elements. This theory therefore poses a unique challenge to those concerned with the practice of constructive mathematics: can the Elements be faithfully captured in a modern constructive framework? In this paper, we outline our implementation of Euclidean geometry based on straightedge and compass constructions in the intuitionistic type theory of the Nuprl proof assistant. A result of our intuitionistic treatment of Euclidean geometry is a proof of the second proposition from Book I of the Elements in its full generality; a result that differs from other formally constructive accounts of Euclidean geometry. Our formalization of the straightedge and compass utilizes a predicate for orientation, which enables a concise and intuitive expression of Euclid’s constructions.
CoDAS, a Method for Envisioning Larger-Scaled Computational Artifacts Connecting Communities

Information Technologies are increasingly embedded into artifacts of the physical world—furniture, rooms, buildings, and urban infrastructure—making communities around-the-globe more connected and, arguably, more intelligent. However, such larger-scaled, social computing artifacts arrive with critical concerns of cost, material choice, design requirements, fabrication means, robust and safe use, power, and resistance to vandalism and the elements. Given the complexity of realizing larger-scaled, computational artifacts, conventional design methods prove inadequate and potentially costly and dangerous if researchers move too quickly to full-scale prototyping. In this paper, we present CoDAS, a hybrid methodological approach that combines elements of well-known HCI methods to effectively develop larger-scale social computing artifacts.
A Case Study of the Use of Design of Experiments Methods to Calibrate a Semi-automated Forces System

Semi-automated forces systems are computer software programs used to generate and model simulated entities, such as tanks and aircraft, in combat simulations. Calibration is an iterative process of executing a simulation model, comparing its results to data describing the modeled system, and adjusting the model to increase its accuracy. Semi-automated forces systems are often calibrated using retrodiction, a method which involves simulating a historical battle and comparing the simulation results to the historical battle's outcome. The Battle of 73 Easting took place during the Gulf War between U. S. and Iraqi forces; its outcome was unexpectedly one-sided. That outcome is not well replicated by most semi-automated forces systems, which typically produce unrealistically high U. S. losses, making calibration of a semi-automated forces systems using retrodiction of that battle problematic. To overcome that difficulty, formal design of experiments methods were used to structure a calibration of a commercial semi-automated forces software system using retrodiction of the Battle of 73 Easting. Four factors were identified as likely to affect the outcome of the simulated battles, and two levels were set for each factor. A full factorial experiment design with two replicates per level combination specified 32 trials, i.e., 32 simulations of the Battle of 73 Easting. Analysis of those trials identified a specific set of factor levels that produced simulation results very consistent with the battle's historical outcome.
Genome Sequence of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Strain McKrae

The herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) strain McKrae is highly virulent compared to other wild-type strains of HSV-1. To help us better understand the genetic determinants that lead to differences in the pathogenicity of McKrae and other HSV-1 strains, we sequenced its genome. Comparing the sequence of McKrae's genome to that of strain 17 revealed that the genomes differ by at least 752 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 86 insertion/deletion events (indels). Although the majority of these polymorphisms reside in noncoding regions, 241 SNPs and 10 indels alter the protein-coding sequences of 58 open reading frames. Some of these variations are expected to contribute to the pathogenic phenotype of McKrae.
Delayed Onset of Central Diabetes Insipidus With Ketamine Sedation: A Report of 2 Cases:

Ketamine is being prescribed with greater frequency due to an emphasis on multimodal analgesia. With increasing use, uncommon adverse effects associated with ketamine are likely to surface. Limited reports of transient central diabetes insipidus (DI) occurring early after initiation (ie, within 10 hours) of ketamine have been reported. We present 2 cases of delayed onset (32 hours or more after initiation), ketamine-induced, transient central DI in patients cannulated for venovenous extracorporeal membranous oxygenation. No other causes of central DI were determined based upon physical examination or laboratory data, and both patients responded to treatment with desmopressin/vasopressin. The Naranjo adverse drug reaction probability scale noted a probable causation for each case. These cases demonstrate the possibility of a rare but serious complication of ketamine. Improvement after discontinuation of ketamine and administration of desmopressin/vasopressin appear to support a drug-effect association.