cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Race/Ethnicity-Specific Associations between Smoking, Serum Leptin, and Abdominal Fat: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Objective: Smoking is a well-known cardio­vascular risk factor associated with weight loss. We aimed to evaluate the association between smoking, serum leptin levels, and abdominal fat. Design: Cross-sectional Setting: Data from examinations 2 or 3 (2002-2005) of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Participants: 1,875 asymptomatic, commu­nity-dwelling adults Main Outcomes Measures: We used multivariable linear regression models to assess the race/ethnicity-specific associations between smoking, serum loge-leptin levels, and computed tomography ascertained abdominal fat. Results were adjusted for de­mographic and relevant clinical covariates. Results: Participants (mean age 64.5±9.6 years; 50.6% women; 42.2% former, 11.4% current smokers) were White (40.1%), His­panic (25.8%), African American (21.1%), and Chinese (13.0%). Overall, median (25th – 75th percentile) leptin levels were signifi­cantly lower among current (11.14 ng/mL; 4.13 – 26.18) and former smokers (11.68 ng/mL; 4.72 – 27.57), as compared with never smokers (15.61 ng/mL; 3.05 – 30.12) (P<.001). The difference in median leptin levels between current and never smok­ers were significantly higher for Hispan­ics (Δ9.64 ng/mL) and African Americans (Δ8.81 ng/mL) than Whites (Δ2.10 ng/mL) and Chinese (Δ4.70 ng/mL) (P<.001). After adjustment for total abdominal fat, loge- leptin levels remained lower for former (-.14 [-.22 – -.07]) and current (-.17 [-.28 – -.05]) smokers, compared with never smokers. Results differed by race/ethnicity, with signif­icantly lower loge-leptin levels observed only among current and former African Ameri­cans and Hispanic smokers, compared with their never smoker counterparts. (Ps for interaction <.05) Conclusions: Among smokers, leptin levels significantly vary by race/ethnicity. Former and current smoking are associ­ated with lower leptin levels, although this may be restricted to Hispanics and African Americans. Ethn Dis. 2018;28(4):531-538; doi:10.18865/ed.28.4.531
Five things regulators should know about blockchain (and three myths to forget)

Abstract With all the excitement about blockchain, it is important that utility regulators separate truth from myth. What should they know? The basic benefits of blockchain technology, its potential regulatory applications, the roles of smart contracts, and the implications for artificial intelligence. What are the myths? That blockchain removes the need for trust, that it uses too much electricity, and that smart contracts are actually smart and contracts.
Autism's existential crisis: a reflection on Livingston et al. (2018).

Livingston and colleagues present an empirical investigation of the compensatory framework describing the autism clinical phenotype as the sum of intrinsic neurocognitive deficits and compensatory mechanisms. This commentary highlights several methodologic features of the study that are pertinent to interpretation and reflects on the reduction of social behavior to cognitive processes. Taken together, the notion of compensation calls into question the validity and utility of the current behavioral diagnosis of autism.
NASA's high-rate Ka-band downlink system for the NISAR mission

Abstract This paper provides a description and analyses of NASA's (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) high-rate Ka-band downlink system for the upcoming NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) mission developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). NISAR is a collaborative Earth-Science mission between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which features an L-band SAR instrument and an S-band SAR instrument. The simultaneous dual-frequency radar system at peak rates will produce data at gigabit-per-second speeds, which drives the data-volume requirements. The key driving requirement for the Payload Communication Subsystem is to provide a minimum of 35 Terabits per day of radar science data to the ground. NASA's high-rate transmitter on the flight system is a software-defined radio based on the Universal Space Transponder platform, providing an offset quadrature phase shift key modulated waveform with Low-Density Parity Check encoding of the data transfer frames. Two transmitters used in a dual-polarization configuration with each transmitter providing two giga-symbols per second (Gsps) of coded data provides an aggregate rate of four Gsps. In this system, using the ISRO-provided 70-cm high-gain antenna, only 1 W of signal power is necessary on each polarization to overcome propagation losses and achieve a successful RF link. Several Near Earth Network (NEN) ground station sites (Alaska in the United States, Svalbard in Norway, and Punta Arenas in Chile) are baselined for the space-to-Earth communications link. Each ground station will also feature multiple upgrades to support NISAR's transmission starting with new Ka-band antennas, and new electronic units such as wideband downconverters and high-rate receivers. In addition, a baseband data processor called Data Acquisition Processor and Handling Network Environment (DAPHNE), newly developed by the NEN, provides data storage and connectivity to backhaul networks. With NISAR's unprecedented large volume of data (nearly 5 Petabytes over the mission duration), a cloud system enables science data processing cost reduction to the mission. The NASA downlink system described herein will be the first operational use of Gsps-class downlink rates on an Earth-Science mission.
Spinal Cord Diffuse Midline Glioma in a 4-Year-Old Boy:

Objective We report a child presenting with spinal myelopathy secondary to H3K27M mutant diffuse midline glioma. Case report A 4-year-old boy presented with a 3-week history of progressive gait difficulty. Examination revealed bilateral hand and lower extremity weakness, left leg hypertonia with ankle clonus, and a right hemisensory deficit. Magnetic resonance imaging of neuroaxis showed cervical and thoracic spinal cord with expansion and irregular areas of enhancement. Serum and cerebrospinal fluid studies were unremarkable for infectious, autoimmune, inflammatory, and neoplastic causes but showed mild cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis, hypoglycorrhachia, and high protein level. A thoracic cord biopsy revealed a diffuse midline glioma (World Health Organization grade IV). Consequently, the tumor involved intracranial structures and patient died within 4 months after diagnosis. Conclusion High-grade spinal cord gliomas are very rare but should be considered in the differential diagnosis of pediatric myelopathy. Tissue biopsy is recommended in indeterminate cases to facilitate diagnosis and to guide management.
The effect of coaching-based lay patient navigation on patient satisfaction and overcoming barriers to care.

36Background: The American Cancer Society is enhancing its lay patient navigator program to include tailored coaching in addition to resource navigation. The goal is to increase the patient’s engag...
QT interval greater than 460 ms in multiple electrocardiograms during follow-up in patients with Brugada syndrome: What does it contribute?

Abstract Introduction Corrected QT interval (QTc) >460 ms in the right precordial leads has been described as a predictor of malignant ventricular arrhythmias (MVA) in patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS). Objective To assess the presence of QTc>460 ms in multiple electrocardiograms (ECGs) during follow-up as a predictor of recurrence of MVA in patients with BrS. Methods The study group included 43 patients with BrS and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. ECGs were performed serially between June 2000 and January 2017. QT interval was measured and QTc was obtained by Bazett's formula. The sample was divided into three groups: Group 1 (patients with no ECGs with QTc>460 ms); Group 2 (patients with only one ECG with QTc>460 ms); and Group 3 (patients with two or more ECGs with QTc>460 ms). Results The following variables were more frequently observed in Group 3: family history of sudden death (p=0.023), previous history of cardiorespiratory arrest (p=0.032), syncope (p=0.039), documented MVA (p=0.002), and proportion of ECGs with coved-type ST interval during follow-up (p=0.002). In Group 3, 67% of BrS patients had events during follow-up, as opposed to only 22% of Group 1 and 14% of Group 2 (Group 1 vs. Group 2, p=0.33015; Group 1 vs. Group 3, p=0.04295; and Group 2 vs. Group 3, p=0.04155). Conclusions QTc>460 ms in more than one ECG during follow-up increases the risk of MVA events in patients with BrS.
Approaching Ijmāʿ: Sociological, Theological and Legal Dimensions of Consensus in Islam

Presenting the emergence and development of ijmāʿ, this paper aims to epistemologically critique the articulation of ijmāʿ in modern Western scholarship on Islam. The article argues that to understand ijmāʿ, we need to explore its social context, theological foundations, and practical consequences. A tolerance of the difficulty in identifying truth, an understanding of the law as being built on uncertainty, and employing jamʿ, as an assemblage are essential dynamics in the formation of the law and Muslim societies. The corpus of classical literature on ijmāʿ is expectedly contradictory, and full of gaps. Rather than seeing this as problematic, the article recognizes it as normative. Against the argument that ijmāʿ was the “foundation of foundations,” or that it was a well-defined concept that gained political power against adversaries, the article argues that in practice ijmāʿ remained marginal, and confined to the minimum necessary for each individual to be a member in the Muslim community.
Improve Unscented Kalman Inversion With Low-Rank Approximation and Reduced-Order Model.

The unscented Kalman inversion (UKI) presented in [1] is a general derivative-free approach to solving the inverse problem. UKI is particularly suitable for inverse problems where the forward model is given as a black box and may not be differentiable. The regularization strategy and convergence property of the UKI are thoroughly studied, and the method is demonstrated effectively handling noisy observation data and solving chaotic inverse problems. In this paper, we aim to make the UKI more efficient in terms of computational and memory costs for large scale inverse problems. We take advantages of the low-rank covariance structure to reduce the number of forward problem evaluations and the memory cost, related to the need to propagate large covariance matrices. And we leverage reduced-order model techniques to further speed up these forward evaluations. The effectiveness of the enhanced UKI is demonstrated on a barotropic model inverse problem with O($10^5$) unknown parameters and a 3D generalized circulation model (GCM) inverse problem, where each iteration is as efficient as that of gradient-based optimization methods.
How Does Variety of Previous Ads Influence Consumer’s Ad Response?

Users are often exposed to a sequence of short-lived marketing interventions (e.g., ads) within each usage-session in mobile apps. This study examines the effect of the variety of previous ads in the session on users' responsiveness to the current ad. Two challenges arise in quantifying the causal effects of variety: (1) cross-sectional selection, which is because of the non-randomness in the ad allocation process, and (2) dynamic selection, which is due to user compliance. The authors leverage the quasi-experimental variation in the data and propose an identification strategy that allows them to transform the problem into a stratified randomized experiment and recover the Intent-to-Treat (ITT) estimates of the effects of variety. The authors show that the variety of prior ads has a positive effect on users' ad responsiveness. Next, they document the magnitude of both cross-sectional and dynamic selection bias and the heterogeneity in the main results. Finally, the authors explore the sources for the effects of variety and establish the sequential organization of exposures as a major source.
New voters, new attitudes: how Gen Z Americans rate candidates with respect to generation, gender, and race

A vast literature discusses the barriers to minority and women representation in politics. We examine whether the youngest generation of Americans, Generation Z, penalizes women and minority candid...
Optimizing Reproductive Efficiency in the Beef Herd

It is generally accepted that improving the fertility of a beef herd has the greatest potential for increased profitability. Optimum is a term used to define the best or most favorable condition, degree or amount for a particular situation.18 Therefore, optimizing rather than maximizing reproductive efficiency offers the greatest potential for increased profitability in the beef herd. Maximizing reproductive efficiency and attaining a 100 percent conception rate on a yearly basis may be attainable, but the input costs necessary to attain this rate may not be justified from an economic standpoint. This paper is not meant to be an all-inclusive review of methods to improve reproductive efficiency; rather, methods to increase inherent fertility and environmental factors that play key roles in fertility will be discussed.
A Perplexing Case of Recurrent Abscess-Like Lesions: Insights Into Primary Cutaneous Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, Leg Type.

Primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg type (PCDLBCL-LT) is one of the rarest forms of primary cutaneous lymphomas (PCLs) and it confers a poor prognosis. Diagnosis of PCDLBCL-LT can be challenging and complex as it can manifest with a myriad of dermatological presentations. However, early treatment with chemo-radiation leads to an appropriate response. We present the case of a 66-year-old female with a history of polymyositis and interstitial lung disease on immunosuppression who presented to our institution with recurrent abscess-like lesions localized to buttocks that were later biopsied and diagnosed as the leg-type variant of PCL. She received chemotherapy with the rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) regimen and subsequent involved-site radiation therapy (ISRT), which resulted in complete remission. The patient was later followed up and remained in remission for years.
N-Aromatic-Substituted Indazole Derivatives as Brain-Penetrant and Orally Bioavailable JNK3 Inhibitors.

An indazole/aza-indazole scaffold was developed as a novel chemotype for JNK3 inhibition. Extensive structure activity relationship (SAR) studies utilizing various in vitro and in vivo assays led to potent and highly selective JNK3 inhibitors with good oral bioavailability and high brain penetration. One lead compound, 29, was a potent and selective JNK3 inhibitor (IC50 = 0.005 μM) that had significant inhibition (>80% at 1 μM) to only JNK3 and JNK2 in a panel profiling of 374 wild-type kinases, had high potency in functional cell-based assays, had high stability in the human liver microsome (t 1/2 = 92 min), and was orally bioavailable and brain penetrant (brain/plasma ratio: 56%). The cocrystal structure of 29 in human JNK3 at a 2.1 A resolution showed that indazole or aza-indazole-based JNK3 inhibitors demonstrated a type I kinase inhibition/binding.
Meniscal Root Repair With Mini-Open Medial Collateral Ligament Release

Abstract Meniscal root repair is becoming more common with increasing knowledge regarding the function of the meniscal root and its role in long-term joint preservation, as well as improved surgical techniques and instrumentation. Despite this, adequate visualization of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus may be challenging, particularly in those with tight medial compartments. Instrument handling and attempt to visualize and repair the meniscal tear may lead to iatrogenic chondral injuries in these instances. We describe our preferred technique for improved visualization via mini-open release of the distal medial collateral ligament that allows for increased joint distension, increased access to the posterior horn of the medial meniscus, and the ability to repair the released medial collateral ligament.
The economics of the satisfaction of needs

This paper is a proposal for the development of an econ­ omics that would be based on satisfaction of the unvarying and universal human needs and not of desires or wants, which are easily manipulable and change, not only from one society to another, but also from one individual to another and even for the same individual at different moments of his or her life. This economics would deal with the production, distribu tion, and use or consumption of all those entities goods, services, relations, self-expressions - that satisfy human needs. It is suggested that in order to achieve stability in social and economic growth, all needs should be simultaneously satisfied, not only the so-called basic needs - food, shelter, clothing, health care, and education. It is claimed that tech­ nological development is making this proposal possible, parti­ cularly because the satisfaction of most of the psychological and sociocultural needs relies mainly on gratuitous relations
Cu/BCB hybrid bonding with TSV for 3D integration by using fly cutting technology

In this research, the wafer level Cu/BCB hybrid bonding with TSV for 3D integration by using fly cutting technology is proposed. As we know Cu bump surface is rough by electroplating, and BCB is spin-coated on Cu bump wafer induced high topography. Cu bump surface roughness and Cu/BCB co-planarization are improved by fly cutting to achieve good Cu to Cu and BCB to BCB bonding interface without any large bonding voids at 250°C for 30min, and the result of the bonding strength is evaluated by shear test. TSV fabrication, micro-bumping, hybrid bonding, wafer thinning and backside RDL formation are well developed and integrated to perform the 3D integration platform. Cu/BCB hybrid bonding with TSV for 3D integration is successfully developed and demonstrated in this paper.
Quantitative estimation of channeling from early glycolytic intermediates to CO2 in intact Escherichia coli

A pathway intermediate is said to be ‘channeled’ when an intermediate just made in a pathway has a higher probability of being a substrate for the next pathway enzyme compared with a molecule of the same species from the aqueous cytoplasm. Channeling is an important phenomenon because it might play a significant role in the regulation of metabolism. Whereas the usual mechanism proposed for channeling is the (often) transient interaction of sequential pathway enzymes, many of the supporting data come from results with pure enzymes and dilute cell extracts. Even when isotope dilution techniques have utilized whole-cell systems, most often only a qualitative assessment of channeling has been reported. Here we develop a method for making a quantitative calculation of the fraction channeled in glycolysis from in vivo isotope dilution experiments. We show that fructose-1,6-bisphosphate, in whole cells of Escherichia coli, was strongly channeled all the way to CO2, whereas fructose-6-phosphate was not. Because the signature of channeling is lost if any downstream intermediate prior to CO2 equilibrates with molecules in the aqueous cytosol, it was not possible to evaluate whether glucose-6-phosphate was channeled in its transformation to fructose-6-phosphate. The data also suggest that, in addition to pathway enzymes being associated with one another, some are free in the aqueous cytosol. How sensitive the degree of channeling is to growth or experimental conditions remains to be determined.
Ignition Test for Soil Organic-Content Measurement

Problems with organic soils are often avoided by engineers because of uncertainties in organic-content measurement and lack of information on potential decomposition. High temperatures, used in the ignition test for measurement of the organic fraction, require that a correction be made for loss of surface hydration water from the mineral solids. Model soils, prepared from kaolinite and pulp fiber, and the dehydration curves for these materials have permitted development of a correction factor for use with the ignition test. A review of published data and an error analysis suggest that this correction factor may be suitable for natural organic soils. The ignition test does not distinguish between undecomposed organic matter and microorganisms formed during decomposition; hence, the degree of decomposition has not been available. A relationship—between microorganism cell content, undecomposed organic matter, and the mineral fraction—has been developed which permits computation of the degree of decomposition.
Early Attempts at a Unitary Understanding of Nature

It is well known that since the turn of the century, and particularly after the development of general relativity theory by Einstein, many attempts have been made to construct a unitary theory of matter and all of its interactions. This work, for the most part, was carried on by a handful of physicists (including Einstein) and was not considered to be in the mainstream of the advancement of physical understanding. In part this was due to a demonstrable lack of success in accomplishing this goal by those so engaged. Particularly intractable was (and is) the problem of interrelating the gravitational and electromagnetic fields in a physically nontrival way. During the past decade or so enthusiasm among physicists for the possible unification of our theoretical understanding of fundamental phenomena has been growing. The work that has inspired this shift in attitude is the ostensibly successful unification of the weak and electromagnetic interactions in the non-Abelian gauge theory of Weinberg and Salam, and the experimental confirmation of key predictions of this theory. The strong and gravitational interactions remain to be incorporated into a fully articulated theory, but many seem confident that this may be accomplished within the foreseeable future. For example, Freedman and van Nieuwenhuizen have recently remarked In the past 50 years remarkable progress has been made in identifying the elementary particles of matter and in understanding the interactions between them. Of course, many problems remain to be solved; two of the most fundamental ones concern gravitation. First, it is not understood how gravitation is related to the other fundamental forces. Second, there is no workable theory of gravitation that is consistent with the principles of quantum mechanics. Recently a new theory of gravitation called supergravity has led to new ideas on both these problems. It may represent a step toward solving them.1
Long-term reactive nitrogen loading alters soil carbon and microbial community properties in a subalpine forest ecosystem

Abstract Elevated nitrogen (N) deposition due to increased fossil fuel combustion and agricultural practices has altered global carbon (C) cycling. Additions of reactive N to N-limited environments are typically accompanied by increases in plant biomass. Soil C dynamics, however, have shown a range of different responses to the addition of reactive N that seem to be ecosystem dependent. We evaluated the effect of N amendments on biogeochemical characteristics and microbial responses of subalpine forest organic soils in order to develop a mechanistic understanding of how soils are affected by N amendments in subalpine ecosystems. We measured a suite of responses across three years (2011–2013) during two seasons (spring and fall). Following 17 years of N amendments, fertilized soils were more acidic (control mean 5.09, fertilized mean 4.68), and had lower %C (control mean 33.7% C, fertilized mean 29.8% C) and microbial biomass C by 22% relative to control plots. Shifts in biogeochemical properties in fertilized plots were associated with an altered microbial community driven by reduced arbuscular mycorrhizal (control mean 3.2 mol%, fertilized mean 2.5 mol%) and saprotrophic fungal groups (control mean 17.0 mol%, fertilized mean 15.2 mol%), as well as a decrease in N degrading microbial enzyme activity. Our results suggest that decreases in soil C in subalpine forests were in part driven by increased microbial degradation of soil organic matter and reduced inputs to soil organic matter in the form of microbial biomass.
Almost Everything Is Relative in the Caucasus

Embedded clauses have many forms and meanings. In particular, relative clauses, embedded declaratives, and embedded interrogative clauses are assigned very different interpretations, despite their common clausal nature. A headed relative like which Adam cooked is standardly assumed to denote the set of individuals that Adam cooked (Quine 1960; Montague 1973); a free relative like what Adam cooked denotes the (plural) individual that Adam cooked (Jacobson 1995, Caponigro 2004); an embedded declarative like that Adam cooked vegetables denotes the proposition ‘that Adam cooked vegetables’; an embedded polar interrogative like whether Adam cooked vegetables denotes a set containing the proposition ‘that Adam cooked vegetables’ and/or its negation ‘that Adam did not cook vegetables’; finally, an embedded constituent interrogative like which food Adam cooked denotes the set of propositions that are (true) answers to the question ‘which food did Adam cook?’ (see Hamblin 1973 and Karttunen 1977 for the semantics of both types of interrogatives). These differences in meaning correspond to differences in the morphosyntax: the presence or absence of a wh-word, relative pronoun, or overt complementizer; syntactic transparency (embedded declaratives) or syntactic opacity (relatives and interrogatives); and differences in the nature of the complementizer (Rizzi 1990: ch. 2). While we are used to this pattern in familiar languages, our theories of grammar do not require it to be the only one possible or necessary. In this paper, we present and analyze new empirical evidence suggesting that it actually is not the only pattern found across languages. The evidence comes from Adyghe, a Northwest Caucasian language, which behaves very differently as far as clausal subordination is concerned. What looks like the same construction (for now we will refer to it as the “mystery clause”, MC) is used to convey the five different meanings above. This raises two questions: (i) what kind of construction the MC
Concept Mapping as a Means to Develop and Assess Conceptual Understanding in Secondary Mathematics Teacher Education

Psychologists such as Vygotsky and Skemp indicate that as a superordinate concept the understanding of positional system requires knowledge of several bases for its adequate development. However, current elementary mathematics curricula fail to adequately develop the concept of positional system, attempting instead to teach operations in base ten in isolation. This paper exhibits the power of concept mapping to reveal to teachers the centrality of this concept in elementary mathematics. The map presented here, constructed by Maryanne, a pre-service teacher, also features the pedagogical content knowledge required to successfully teach the concept of positional system and the other mathematics concepts to which it is related. Maryanne’s pedagogical treatment is neither simplistic nor reductionist, but reveals the conceptual essence of the concepts in question and the complexity of their relationships within elementary mathematics when taught as a conceptual system.
Integumentary L-histidine transport in a euryhaline polychaete worm: regulatory roles of calcium and cadmium in the transport event.

Integumentary uptake of L-[(3)H]histidine by polychaete worms (Nereis succinea) from estuarine waters of Oahu, Hawaii was measured in the presence and absence of calcium and cadmium using a physiological saline that approximated the ion composition of 60 % sea water. In this medium 1 micromol L(−1) cadmium significantly increased (P
A statistical methodology for modeling and analysis of path delay faults in VLSI circuits

Due to the rapid development of semiconductor technology, the complexity of VLSI circuits has dramatically increased. Testing such circuits is becoming a severe problem. With the increased densities of integrated circuits, several different types of faults can occur. Faults in digital circuits which result from random defects can introduce DC (stuck-at) faults as well as AC (delay) faults. Previous work in statistical modeling and analysis for delay fault testing generally assumes that at most a single delay fault can occur along any given path in the circuit under test (Shelly, J. H. and Trayon, D. R., Statistical techniques of timing verification. In Proc. 20th Design Automation Conf., 1983, pp. 396–402; Tendokar, N. N., Analysis of timing failures due to random AC defects in VLSI circuits. In Proc. 22nd Design Automation Conf., 1985, pp. 709–714; Park, E. S., Mercer, M. R. and Williams, T. W., A statistical model for delay fault testing. IEEE Design and Test of Computers, 1989, February, 45–55). In this paper we investigate the statistical effect of multiple delay faults along any path in a circuit under test, and predict the path delay fault probabilities as well as the maximum number of path delay faults for both combinational and sequential benchmark circuits. We begin with the development of a statistical model for path delay faults in VLSI circuits (Hamad, M. and Landis, D., A statistical model for path delay faults in VLSI circuits. In Proc. IEEE South East Conf., April 1996, pp. 388–392) which takes into account multiple delay faults along any signal path. We define and compute the path delay fault probabilities for all paths in a circuit; the single fault assumption is only a special case of our path delay fault model. Furthermore, we demonstrate how our statistical model is used to predict such important information as the maximum number of path delay faults in a circuit. Finally, we show that when multiple faults are considered during circuit analysis, the path delay fault probability, pp, and not the delay defect probability, p, should be used in the evaluation of system parameters such as statistical delay fault coverage, yield, and AC quality level.
Using the correct regression analysis technique in method comparison studies.

Summary Regression analysis frequently is used to evaluate a new clinical laboratory method. Results from the new method are compared to results from an existing more established method. If measurement error exists in the established method, then least squares may not be an appropriate statistical method to use for the regression analysis. An errors variable regression analysis model was used to evaluate data from five method comparison studies. Results were compared to least squares analyses performed on the same data. When significant measurement error existed in the “reference” method, the errors variable analysis provided a less blased estimate of the regression statistics, which differed markedly from the least squares results. Inappropriate use of least squares in method comparison studies can lead to erroneous conclusions about the relationship of a new analytical method to an existing method.
High heat load crystal cooling strategies for an APS wiggler beamline

High energy wigglers produce extremely high total powers. For example, the insertion device for one beamline of the Basic Energy Sciences Synchrotron Research Center (BESSRC) is an elliptical multipole wiggler (EMPW) which can generate circularly polarized X-rays on axis and produces a total power of {approximately}8 kW. This insertion device will be used to simultaneously provide x-rays to three branch lines, a branch equipped with a normal double crystal monochromator feeding a scattering and spectroscopy station, and two branches with single-bounce horizontally deflecting monochromators for Compton scattering and High Energy Diffraction. The crystal optics for this type of device require substantially different heat load solutions than those used for undulator beamlines. We will discuss how the beam is split and shared among the beamline branch lines and present the crystal cooling strategies employed for both the double-crystal monochromator and horizontally deflecting single-bounce monochromators.
Fluorescence Properties of Fluorescamine-Protein Conjugates

Abstract Fluorescamine reacts rapidly with proteins to produce conjugates having A light blue fluorescence. The quantum yields of various conjugates were found to differ significantly, and the measured lifetimes at 25° ranged from 6 to 9 nsec. The yields were highly temperature-dependent. Fluorescence polarization datA show energy transfer between fluorescamine moieties in albumin conjugates. Rotational relaxation times determined from depolarization measurements in good agreement with values reported in studies of proteins labeled with conventional dyes. In water, the fluorescamine derivates of amino acids have lower quantum yields and lifetimes than found in protein conjugates. A blue shift and an increase in quantum yield accompany reduction of solvent polarity, but the spectral shift is quite small. The implications of these datA for the assay of protein amino groups and for protein studies are discussed.
Concerns About End-of-Life Care and Support for Euthanasia

Popular support for euthanasia is known to vary according to sociodemographic characteristics. However, little is known about whether support is associated with concerns regarding the emotional, physical, and economic burdens of end-of-life care. This study used data from the 1998 General Social Survey, a national survey of community-dwelling adults. The outcome variable assessed the respondents' support for a doctor's right to end life in the setting of terminal illness. Independent variables assessed the following concerns: 1) concern about the emotional burden of end-of-life decision making for family members; 2) worry about the economic burden of terminal illness; 3) concern about pain at the end of life; 4) worry that lack of money or insurance will result in second-class end-of-life care; and 5) belief that their religious community will be helpful at the end of life. Multivariable logistic regression estimated the independent effect of these concerns on support for euthanasia, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Of 786 respondents, 70.6% approved of euthanasia in the setting of terminal illness. In adjusted analyses, respondents with concerns about the emotional toll of decision making on family members, economic burden, and poor health care because of lack of insurance were significantly more likely to support euthanasia. Respondents with faith in the helpfulness of their religious community were less likely to support euthanasia. In conclusion, emotional and economic concerns about end-of-life care were associated with support for the right to euthanasia. Future work can evaluate whether alleviating these concerns may reduce the perceived desire for euthanasia by patients near the end of life.
A capillary electrophoretic method for fingerprinting low molecular weight heparins

Clinically used low molecular weight heparins (LMWH) are anticoagulants of choice and are phenomenally complex mixtures of millions of distinct natural and unnatural polymeric sequences. The FDA recommends that each LMWH be considered as an independent drug with its own activity profile, placing significant importance on the biophysical characterization of each intact LMWH. We report a robust protocol for fingerprinting these pharmaceutical agents. Capillary electrophoresis of three LMWHs, enoxaparin, tinzaparin, and a Sigma preparation, under reverse polarity conditions in the presence of selected linear alkyl polyamines gives an electrophoretic pattern that is characteristic of the nature of the starting material. The buffers that best provided optimal resolution without compromising sensitivity and speed of analysis were 50 mM sodium phosphate, pH 2.3, and 100 mM ammonium formate, pH 3.5. Resolution was strongly dependent on the structure of polyamine with pentaethylenehexamine being most effective for enoxaparin and Sigma LMWH. In contrast, tinzaparin could be best resolved with tetraethylenepentamine. Cyclic polyamines were ineffective. Resolution was also dependent on the concentration of resolving agents and displayed a narrow window that provides optimal resolution. These features suggest a strong structural origin of the fingerprint pattern. Overall, the simple protocol will find special use in assessing LMWH quality and batch-to-batch variability.
On optimal piggyback merging policies for video-on-demand systems

A critical issue in the performance of a video-on-demand system is the I/O bandwidth required in order to satisfy client requests. A number of techniques have been proposed in order to reduce these bandwidth requirements. In this paper we concentrate on one such technique, known as adaptive piggybacking. We develop and analyze piggyback merging policies which are optimal over large classes of reasonable methods.
Charge asymmetry in (d, t) and (d, 3He) reactions and optimum Q-value conditions☆

Abstract Final states populated in A = 27 and A = 31 have been observed by the 28Si(d,t), 28Si(d, 3He) and 32S(d, t), 32S(d, 3He) reactions. Analog states have been analyzed in order to ascertain the limits of the standard DWBA reaction theory when applied to the charge symmetric reactions. The results of the analysis show that analog spectroscopic factors are found to agree within 5–10 %. A detailed accounting of the DWBA calculations is presented in order to pinpoint the differences between the (d, t) and (d, 3He) calculations. Also the Q-value dependence of the cross sections is discussed.
Depression in Cognitive Impairment

Depression and cognitive disorders, including dementia and mild cognitive impairment, are common in the elderly. Depression is also a common feature of cognitive impairment although the symptoms of depression in cognitive impairment differ from depression without cognitive impairment. Pre-morbid depression approximately doubles the risk of subsequent dementia. There are two predominant, though not mutually exclusive, constructs linking pre-morbid depression to subsequent cognitive impairment: Alzheimer’s pathology and the vascular depression hypothesis. When evaluating a patient with depression and cognitive impairment, it is important to obtain caregiver input and to evaluate for alternative etiologies for depressive symptoms such as delirium. We recommend a sequential approach to the treatment of depression in dementia patients: (1) a period of watchful waiting for milder symptoms, (2) psychosocial treatment program, (3) a medication trial for more severe symptoms or failure of psychosocial interventions, and (4) possible ECT for refractory symptoms.
Photosensitized shift in the O2 dissociation curve of fetal blood.

. Ostrea, E. Jr., and Odell, G. (Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA). Photosensitized shift in the O2 dissociation curve of fetal blood. Acta Paediatr Scand, 63: 341, 1974.–The exposure of fetal erythrocytes to blue light in the presence of bilirubin was associated with a significant decrease in the affinity of fetal cells for O2, (δP50) at pH 7.4=+3.17± 0.68 mmHg. This change was not observed with either adult erythrocytes or hemolysates of fetal and adult red cells. Associated with the shift in P50, there was a decrease in the Na+, K+ -ATP'ase of the irradiated erythrocytes and no electrophoretic evidence of alteration in the fetal hemoglobin. The results suggest that the shift in the O2 dissociation curve represents an additional manifestation of photodynamic membrane injury and the stroma of fetal erythrocytes influence their oxygen affinity.
Synthesis and Convenient Functionalization of Azide-Labeled Diacylglycerol Analogues for Modular Access to Biologically Active Lipid Probes

Cell membrane lipids have been identified as key participants in cell signaling activities. One important role is their involvement as site-specific ligands in protein-membrane binding interactions, which result in the anchoring of peripheral proteins onto cellular membranes. These events generally regulate protein function and localization and have been implicated in both normal physiological processes and those pertaining to disease state onset. Thus, it is important to elucidate the details of interactions at the molecular level, such as lipid-binding specificities and affinities, the location of receptor binding domains and multivalency in binding. For this purpose, we have designed and developed azido-tagged lipid analogues as conveniently functionalizable lipid probe scaffolds. Herein, we report the design and synthesis of the initial structure of this type, diacylglycerol analogue 2, which contains an azide tag at the sn-1 position of the lipid headgroup. Direct functionalization of this compound with a range of reporter groups has been performed to illustrate the facile access to probes of use for characterizing binding. Quantitative lipid-binding studies using protein kinase C, a known DAG-binding receptor, demonstrate that these probes are active mimetics of natural DAG. Thus, these DAG probes will serve as robust sensors for studies aimed at understanding binding interactions and as precursors for the development of analogous probes of more complex phospholipids and glycolipids.
A Deterministic and Random Error Model for a Multibeam Hydrographic Sonar System

The expanding and increasing affluent world population has brought about a growing need for commodities and energy on a global scale. Two major marine activities affected by this are shipping and mining. The shipping industry, because of its up to 30 meter draft superships, and the mining industry (particularly the hydrocarbon sector), both require timely and accurate bathymetric charts for safe and economical operation. To meet these needs the Bathymetric Swath Survey System (BS3) is being developed. The BS3is a 21 beam mapping sonar designed to accurately and efficiently portray the seabed directly beneath and to the port and starboard side of an underway hydrographic ship. This paper examines the effects of four major inherent error sources on system accuracy. These sources are uncompensated ship roll, sound velocity errors, pulse stretching and noise.
Striga Resistance in the Wild Relatives of Sorghum

Witchweeds (Striga spp.) are noxious parasitic weeds that cause considerable crop damage in the semiarid tropics. Genetic control of striga is effective, although sources of resistance are limited in most crops. Useful resistance sources have been obtained in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], an important host crop that has coevolved with the parasite. Fifty-five wild accessions within the primary gene pool of sorghum and 20 sorghum cultivars were screened for resistance to Striga asiatica L. Kuntze in the laboratory. Wild sorghums assayed included S. almum Parodi, S. bicolor subsp. drummondii (Steud.) De Wet, race drummondii and race hewisonni, S. bicolor subsp. verticilliflorum (Steud.) Piper with races aethiopicum, arundinaceum, verticilliflorum, and virgatum; S. halepense (L.) Pers.; S. miliaceum; S. rhizomatores; S. sorghastrum; and S. usamberense. Wild sorghum accessions varied in their effects on S. asiatica at the preattachment level of association. Potential striga-resistance mechanisms of low germination stimulant production, germination inhibition, and low haustorial initiation activity were observed in this collection of sorghums. Some of these potential striga-resistance mechanisms, reported here for the first time, appear to be unique to wild sorghums. The results described in this study offer the possibility of introgressing valuable resistance genes from wild to cultivated sorghum.
On the nonexistence of globally bounded solutions to initial-history value problems for integrodifferential equations †

Abstract : Conditions are given under which it is impossible that there exist a solution of the integrodifferential initial-history value problem which lies in a class of bounded perturbations. An application is given to the nonexistence of globally bounded solutions, to initial-history boundary value problems for Maxwell-Hopkinson dielectrics, which lie in classes of bounded functions.
The Validity and Utility of the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory in Patients With Prostate Cancer: Evidence From the Symptom Outcomes and Practice Patterns (SOAPP) Data From the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group

Abstract Background The MD Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) is a psychometrically validated patient-reported outcome measure that assesses the severity and impact of multiple symptoms related to cancer and its treatment and has the potential to guide treatment specific to patients with prostate cancer. Although the original MDASI validation study encompassed various cancer types, the instrument's psychometric properties have not been examined in a large homogeneous sample of patients with prostate cancer. Patients and Methods This study involved secondary analysis of data from the nationwide multicenter Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) SOAPP (Symptom Outcomes and Practice Patterns) study, which enrolled patients from 38 ECOG-affiliated institutions, including 6 academic centers and 32 community clinics. Data were used to establish the psychometric properties of the MDASI in a subsample of 320 patients with prostate cancer. The instrument was administered twice, approximately 1 month apart. Results The MDASI demonstrated good internal consistency and test-retest reliability (with Cronbach alphas of ≥ .84 and intraclass correlations of ≥ 0.76 for all subscales), strong ability to discriminate between clinically different patient groups (by performance status, tumor response, and disease stage), and high sensitivity in detecting symptom change (with respect to patient-reported quality of life [QOL] between the baseline and 1-month follow-up visits). Conclusion The MDASI is a valid, reliable, and sensitive symptom-assessment instrument that can be used with confidence in descriptive and clinical studies of symptom status in patients with prostate cancer.
Styles of dominance and their endocrine correlates among wild olive baboons (Papio anubis)

We have studied the relationship between dominance rank and physiology among male olive baboons (Papio anubis) living freely in a national park in Africa. In stable hierarchies, dominant males consistently have lower basal concentrations than do subordinates of the adrenal glucocorticoid cortisol. Because of the known catabolic actions of glucocorticoids, dominant males may be less at risk for some of the pathogenic consequences of glucocorticoid overexposure. We find that low basal cortisol concentration is not, in fact, a marker of social dominance; instead, it is only found among dominant males with a certain style of dominance. Lower basal cortisol concentrations occurred among males with any of the following behaviors: the most marked ability to distinguish between threatening and merely neutral interactions with rivals and, if the former, the greatest likelihood of initiating a fight; the most skill at distinguishing between winning and losing a fight and, if the latter, the greatest likelihood of displacing aggression onto a third party. Collectively, these behaviors suggest high degrees of social skillfulness, control, and predictability over social contingencies, all recognized as psychological features that minimize the pathophysiological impact of stress. Dominant males lacking these behavioral features, in contrast, had as high cortisol concentrations as did subordinate males. Finally, low basal cortisol concentrations were also a feature of males with the longest tenures in the dominant cohort, suggesting that this endocrine dichotomy is meaningful in terms of life histories.
Case Study of Feature Location Using Dependence Graph, after 10 Years

This retrospective briefly recapitulates the original paper that was published at IWPC 2000, overviews selected papers that were published in its wake, presents recent clarifications and updates of the topic, and mentions the still unfinished agenda and future work.