cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New obstacles and widening gaps: A qualitative study of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on U.S. adults with disabilities.

Abstract Background Prior research has demonstrated that the needs of the disability community have not been met during public health emergencies. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequities for many populations including people with disabilities, and data is needed to develop inclusive public health response policies. Objective To identify how COVID-19 has uniquely impacted the lives of adults with disabilities. Methods 38 participants were recruited through disability advocacy groups and social media. Semi-structured virtual focus groups were conducted with adults (≥18 years) who self-identified as having a disability. Focus groups were conducted for each of six disability sub-groups: vision, hearing, mobility and physical, mental health, cognitive, intellectual, and developmental, and chronic illness. Using inductive coding, major themes were identified and compared across the disability sub-groups. Results Three major themes and thirteen sub-themes were identified from the focus groups. The three major themes comprised: new problems created by the pandemic, obstacles in daily life that were exacerbated by the pandemic, and broader changes to accessibility and disability identity. Sub-themes such as difficulty with COVID-19 testing and regular medical care were reported by participants of all disability sub-groups, while other sub-themes like direct care needs and medical rationing were reported by participants from a subset of the disability sub-groups. Conclusions These results indicate how the COVID-19 pandemic unequally impacts disabled people. The participants indicated that to fully address their needs, disability perspectives must be included in the public health pandemic response. As new research shows that COVID-19 can cause long-term disability, the urgency to ensure the disability community is part of public health policies will increase.
Reproductive Factors and Risk of Thyroid Cancer in Women: An Analysis in the Nurses’ Health Study II

Abstract Background The incidence of thyroid cancer in women is increasing at an alarming rate, with greatest risk in the reproductive years. Establishing relationships of hormonally related reproductive factors with thyroid cancer has been difficult. We aimed to elucidate potential risk factors for thyroid cancer in a large cohort of women. Methods Among 116,228 women in the Nurses’ Health Study II followed from 1989 to 2013, 620 cases of thyroid cancer were identified. We examined reproductive and hormone-related factors, including age at menarche, age at menopause, parity, oral contraceptive use, and postmenopausal hormone therapy use. Pregnancy, reproductive years, and months of breastfeeding were used as surrogate markers for exposure to endogenous reproductive hormones. We used multivariable Cox models to calculate relative risks and 95% confidence intervals for the associations between these factors and risk of thyroid cancer. Results Number of reproductive years of 41 years or more was associated with more than double the risk of thyroid cancer compared with 30 years or fewer (relative risk, 2.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.19–4.06). The other variables analyzed (parity number, months of breastfeeding, age at menarche, menopausal status, and postmenopausal hormone therapy) were not associated with the risk of thyroid cancer. Women who entered menopause at age 45 years or older had a higher risk of thyroid cancer compared with women who entered menopause at a younger age. This result did not reach statistical significance; however, there was a linear trend between later age at menopause and increased risk of thyroid cancer (ptrend = .009). Conclusions This study used a unique large, longitudinal dataset to assess thyroid cancer risk factors and potential confounders over an extended time frame. Our key finding suggests increased risk of thyroid cancer may be associated with a variety of indicators of longer reproductive years. The Nurses’ Health Study II has provided new insights into the hormonal risks associated with thyroid cancer.
Hospital Responses to Incentives in Episode-Based Payment for Joint Surgery: A Controlled Population-Based Study.

Importance Medicare’s Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) model, initiated in 2016, is a national episode-based payment model for lower-extremity joint replacement (LEJR). Metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) were randomly assigned to participation. In the third year of the program, Medicare made hospital participation voluntary in half of the MSAs and enabled LEJRs for knees to be performed in the outpatient setting without being subject to episode-based payment. How these changes affected program savings is unclear. Objective To estimate savings from the CJR program over time and assess how responses by hospitals to changing incentives were associated with those savings. Design, Participants, and Setting This controlled population-based study used Medicare claims data from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2019, to analyze the spending for beneficiaries who received LEJR in 171 MSAs randomized to CJR vs typical payment. One-quarter of beneficiaries before and after the April 1, 2016, start date were excluded as a 6-month washout period (January 1 to June 30, 2016) to allow time in the evaluation period for hospitals to respond to the program rules. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcomes were episode spending and, starting in year 3 of the program, the hospitals’ decision to no longer participate in CJR and perform LEJRs in the outpatient setting. Results Data from 1 087 177 patients (mean [SD] age, 74.4 [8.4] years; 692 604 women [63.7%]; 980 635 non-Hispanic White patients [90.2%]) were analyzed. Over the first 4 years of CJR, 321 038 LEJR episodes were performed at 702 CJR hospitals, and 456 792 episodes were performed at 826 control hospitals. From the second to the fourth year of the program, savings in CJR vs control MSAs diminished from −$976 per LEJR episode (95% CI, −$1340 to −$612) to −$331 (95% CI, −$792 to $130). In MSAs where hospital participation was made voluntary in the third year, more hospitals in the highest quartile of baseline spending dropped out compared with the lowest quartile (56 of 60 [93.3%] vs 29 of 56 [51.8%]). In MSAs where participation remained mandatory, CJR hospitals shifted fewer knee replacements to the outpatient setting in years 3 to 4 than controls (12 571 of 59 182 [21.2%] vs 21 650 of 68 722 [31.5%] of knee LEJRs). In these mandatory MSAs, 75% of the reduction in savings per episode from years 1 to 2 to years 3 to 4 of the program ($455; 95% CI, $137-$722) was attributable to CJR hospitals’ decision on which patients would undergo surgery or whether the surgical procedure would occur in the outpatient setting. Conclusions and Relevance This controlled population-based study found that savings observed in the second year of CJR largely dissipated by the fourth year owing to a combination of responses among hospitals to changes in the program. These results suggest a need for caution regarding the design of new alternative payment models.
Experimental shot-by-shot estimation of quantum measurement accuracy

We show the direct correspondence between Bayesian probabilities obtained by the adaptive quantum measurement and experimentally observed Kholmogorov probabilities. We demonstrate the single-"shot" accuracy estimation for every individual quantum measurement outcome using these Bayesian probabilities.
The Western River Steamboat Heroine, 1832–1838, Oklahoma, USA: propulsion machinery

This paper completes the description of the western river steamboat Heroine (1832–1838) (Crisman et al. 2013b; Crisman, 2014), with a detailed analysis of the steam propulsion machinery recovered. Heroine's place in the development of steam technology is analysed through historic sources and comparable finds, and the requirements of river navigation explored. Changes to the paddle flange and the short-lived use of flywheels are particularly noted. The many variations in the iron castings and evidence of makeshift repairs provide insight into the material, engineering and economic constraints faced by engine manufacturers and steamboat engineers in the second quarter of the 19th century.
Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) processing of through-wall noise radar data for human activity characterization

Different parts of the human body have different movements when a person is performing different physical activities. Also, there is great interest to remotely detect human heartbeat and breathing for applications involving anti-terrorism and search-and-rescue. Ultrawideband noise radar systems are attractive because they are covert and immune from interference. The conventional time-frequency analyses of human activity (usually including the short time Fourier transform (STFT), Wigner-Ville distribution (WVD), and wavelet analysis) are not generally adaptive to nonlinear and nonstationary signals. If one can decompose the noisy baseband signal containing human Doppler information and extract only the human-induced Doppler from it, the identification of various human activities becomes easier. We therefore propose to use a recently developed method, the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT), since it is adaptive to nonlinear and nonstationary signals. When used with noise-like radar data, it is useful for covert detection of human movement. The HHT based signal processing can effectively improve pattern recognition and reject unwanted uncorrelated noise.
Reference frame studies at JPL/CALTECH.

Studies being undertaken in order to interconnect the three principal celestial coordinate systens are reviewed. These systems are the optical frame (FK4/FK5) based on positions of Galactic stars, the planetary/lunar ephemeris frame based on the major celestial bodies of the solar system, and the radio frame constructed from observations of quasars. The optical frame is being connected to the radio frame by VLBI observations of radio-emitting stars, and the radio frame is being tied to the ephemeris frame in several ways; for example, differential VLBI measurements between quasars and planet-orbiting spacecraft. Prospects for future interconnection studies are briefly discussed.
ID: 45: Characterization of the antiviral properties of IFIT3

IFIT3, alternatively known as Retinoic Acid Induced Gene G (RIG-G) or IFI60, is a member of the ISG56/IFIT1 gene family together with IFIT1, IFIT2, and IFIT5. All these gene products are defined by a single repeated structural motif, the tetratricopeptide repeat, which contains 34 amino acids and adopts a basic helix-turn-helix fold. Members of the ISG56/IFIT1 gene family have been found to play roles in inhibition of translation and protein synthesis through interaction with eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF3), inhibition of interferon beta production, inhibition of cell migration, and promotion of antiproliferative and antiviral effects. The IFIT3 protein is composed of 490 amino acids, has an apparent MW of 58 kDa, and has been shown in our previous study to be highly inducible by interferon alpha, thus implicating an important role for IFIT3 in interferon-mediated antiviral action (Schmeisser et al., 2010). To further characterize the role of IFIT3 in the antiviral response, we studied the effect of its overexpression on virus titers of VSV (Vesicular Stomatitis Virus), and EMCV (Encephalomyocarditis Virus), protein synthesis, and interaction with IFIT1. Although the precise mechanism is still unknown, IFIT3 demonstrated a clear antiviral effect against both viruses. Moreover, IFIT3 interacts with IFIT1, and this interaction may play a role in regulation of protein synthesis.
Test–retest reproducibility of 50 kHz linear-electrical impedance myography

Objective: Electrical impedance myography (EIM) is a method for evaluating muscle in which high-frequency, low-intensity alternating current is applied to a body region and the resulting surface voltage pattern over a muscle of interest is measured. In this study, the reproducibility for the simplest of these techniques, 50 kHz linear-EIM, was assessed for three muscles. Methods: Fifty kilohertz linear-EIM was performed on the biceps, quadriceps, and tibialis anterior of 30 normal subjects ranging in age from 21 to 90 years, and the major outcome variable, the spatially averaged phase (qavg), measured. The measurements were repeated within 250 days and comparisons between the two data sets made. Results: Reproducibility, as measured by the intraclass correlation coefficients for all three muscles, was very high at 0.970, 0.971, and 0.938 for biceps, quadriceps, and tibialis anterior, respectively. Variability between measurements was on average 4.2% for all muscle combined, with an upper limit of 16.8%. Conclusions: Fifty kilohertz linear-EIM demonstrates excellent test–retest reproducibility. Significance: These results support the view that 50 kHz linear-EIM has the potential to be used as a simple, fast, and non-invasive measurement for the assessment of disease status, either as part of individual patient care or as a surrogate outcome measure in clinical trials work.
Robot confidence and trust alignment

Trust in automation plays a crucial role in human-robot interaction and usually varies during interactions. In scenarios of shared control, the ideal pattern is for the user's real-time trust in the robot to align with robot performance. This should lead to an increased overall efficiency of the system by limiting under-trust and over-trust. However, users sometimes display incorrect trust and the ability to detect and alter user trust is important. This paper describes measures for real-time trust alignment.
Dual fluorescence from the photoexcited van der Waals dimer of dibenzofuran in a supersonic jet. Intermediate-case level structure of the coupling between the dimer excited state and the lower-lying excimer state

We show here that electronic excitation of the ground-state van der Waals dimer of dibenzofuran to its lowest excited singlet state leads to the appearance of dual fluorescence, which is a superposition of an emission from the excited state and an emission from an excimer state. Comparison of the excitation spectra of the two emissions indicates that the coupling between the excited state of the dimer and the lower-lying state belongs to the strong coupling, intermediate-case level structure for electronic relaxation. We also report a direct optical transition from the ground state of a van der Waals dimer to an excimer state, which has not been previously observed for homodimers.
Application of an oregano oil nanoemulsion to the control of foodborne bacteria on fresh lettuce

Although antimicrobial activities of plant essential oils are well documented, challenges remain as to their application in fresh produce due to the hydrophobic nature of essential oils. Oregano oil nanoemulsions were formulated with a food-grade emulsifier and evaluated for their efficacy in inactivating the growth of foodborne bacteria on fresh lettuce. Lettuce was artificially inoculated with Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli O157:H7, followed by a one-minute dipping in oregano oil nanoemulsions (0.05% or 0.1%). Samples were stored at 4 °C and enumerated for bacteria at fixed intervals (0 h, 3 h, 24 h, and 72 h). Compared to control, 0.05% nanoemulsion showed an up to 3.44, 2.31, and 3.05 log CFU/g reductions in L. monocytogenes, S. Typhimurium, and E. coli O157:H7, respectively. Up to 3.57, 3.26, and 3.35 log CFU/g reductions were observed on the same bacteria by the 0.1% treatment. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) demonstrated disrupted bacterial membranes due to the oregano oil treatment. The data suggest that applying oregano oil nanoemulsions to fresh produce may be an effective antimicrobial control strategy.
Altered visceral sensation in response to somatic pain in the rat.

Background & Aims: Patients with fibromyalgia commonly have symptoms of abdominal pain, suggesting that altered somatic afferent activity may influence visceral sensations. It is hypothesized that a noxious somatic stimulus increases input to the projection neurons in the dorsal horn, resulting in visceral hyperalgesia. Methods: Two injections (100 μL, pH 4.0) were given unilaterally in the gastrocnemius muscle 2 days apart in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Paw withdrawal reflex (PWR) was measured to assess somatic pain. The control group received pH 7.2 saline injections. Similar injections (pH 4.0) were given in the front leg in a different group. Electromyography (EMG) from the external oblique muscle was recorded to graded colorectal distention at different time intervals. NMDA receptor antagonist (CGS-19755, 20 nmol) or AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist (NBQX, 20 nmol) was injected intrathecally before low-pH injections. Results: A bilateral decrease in PWR threshold occurred 72 hours after the second low-pH injection. There was no decrease in the threshold in rats injected with pH 7.2 saline. A significant increase in EMG to colorectal distention (≥30 mm Hg) occurred at 72 hours and 2 weeks in the pH 4.0 group. No change in EMG was observed following 2 unilateral low-pH injections in the front leg. Both the visceral hyperalgesia and the decrease in somatic pain thresholds were prevented by prior intrathecal CGS-19755 or NBQX injections. Conclusions: Noxious somatic afferent input from the hind limb facilitates visceral hyperalgesia, which is due to viscerosomatic convergence in the lower spinal cord. This can be blocked by ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists.
Information technology and knowledge in software development teams: The role of project uncertainty

Knowledge is a strategic resource; information technology (IT) is presumed to facilitate its movement among organizational members. The relevant literature, however, is inconclusive. This study reports the results of the effect of IT on knowledge-sharing processes, i.e., knowledge exchange and knowledge combination, under conditions of project uncertainty. Our results indicate that both exchange and combination are necessary to fully explain the relationships and that the consideration of a project's outcome is also important. While project uncertainty confounds the knowledge-sharing processes regardless of technology, the frequency of technology use routinely increases knowledge exchange and combination in a software team.
VLA-4 antagonist WAY160103 (WAY) inhibits VCAM-1 activated eosinophil (EOS) respiratory burst but promotes eosinophil derived neurotoxin (EDN) degranulation

Abstract Rationale EOS are selectively recruited to the lung during asthma exacerbations and play an important role in airway inflammation. EOS participation is initiated by adhesion of circulating cells via VLA-4 (a4β1) to VCAM-1 expressed on pulmonary endothelium. Inhibition of this process has been studied with a variety of VLA-4 antagonists as possible therapeutic agents to block the participation of EOS in allergic airway inflammation. Although integrin (b1, b2) ligation has been closely related to functional activation of EOS, studies on the effects of these antagonists on other EOS functions have been limited. We hypothesized that the small molecule VLA-4 inhibitor, WAY160103, affects not only EOS adhesion but also other b-integrin-dependent functions. Methods Human peripheral blood EOS were isolated and assayed for transendothelial migration (TNF-a activated human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells [HPMEC]), respiratory burst (superoxide anion generation) and EDN degranulation (RIA). Results Although WAY inhibited VCAM-1 adhesion, it had no effect on EOS transmigration across VCAM-1 upregulated HPMEC monolayers. WAY did, however, give a concentration-dependent inhibition of VCAM-1 activated superoxide anion generation similar to its effects on EOS adhesion. Finally, WAY promoted EDN degranulation possibly due to a shift from VLA-4 to b2-dependent adhesion necessary for EOS degranulation. Conclusion Although inhibition of EOS adhesion to VCAM-1 may suppress an early step in cell infiltration, other pathways (selectins) can initiate EOS extravascular migration. The effects of VLA-4 inhibitors on other inflammatory EOS functions must be taken into account when testing these compounds as possible therapeutic agents in allergic disease and asthma.
The obesity paradox: time for a new look at an old paradigm.

weight, BMI 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m 2 ; overweight, BMI 25 to 29.9 kg/m 2 ; and obese, BMI>30 kg/m 2 ) was associated with increased chance of survival. 3 A meta-analysis of 9 observational studies including over 28 000 HF subjects demonstrated overweight BMI (25-29.9 kg/m 2 ) and obese BMI (30 kg/m 2 ) to be associated with 16% and 12% decreased risk (risk-adjusted) for mortality, respectively, compared to normal BMI (20-24.9 kg/m 2 ). 4 Conversely, in a study of 1929 HF patients enrolled in a clinical trial, Anker et al. defined cachexia as individuals having more than 6% loss of total body weight from baseline, and by this definition found cachexia to be the strongest independent risk factor for mortality. 5 By evaluating mortality in individuals with HF and a diagnosis of either obesity or malnutrition in the largest clinical study of its kind in Spain, Zapatero et al. assessed the mortality impact for individuals presumably at either extreme of body mass; however, they did not use BMI or weight as a part of this definition. 6 Using
Development of the blood vessels and extracellular spaces during postnatal maturation of rat cerebral cortex

As part of a larger study of the development of postnatal rat cerebral cortex, this report deals with the maturation of the cortex as a tissue from birth to twenty-one days of age. The changes in the numerical density of cells and blood vessels and the thickness of the cortex at successive ages were followed on light micrographs, and both were related to the ultrastructural observations on routine electron microscopic preparations. The maturation of the cortex is divided into two periods: The first ten days during which the growth to adult dimensions occurs and few patent blood vessels but large extracellular spaces are to be found, and the second ten days in which the majority of the vessels develop patent lumina, the perivascular sheath of astrocyte end-feet develops, and the large extracellular spaces disappear concomitant with the maturation of the neuropil. The blood vessels appear to develop during the first ten days as solid cords of mesodermal elements which form a network of primordial vessels with thick walls and slit-like lumina containing a flocculent material. The formation of a blood filled, patent lumen apparently occurs synchronously over a brief period of time for the majority of the vessels during the early part of the second ten-day period. The basal lamina is ill-defined initially but takes on mature appearance parallel with the development of the perivascular glial sheath. The volume of the extracellular space was found to be largest during the phase of rapid growth of axons and dendrites when few patent vessels exist. The disappearance of these large extracellular spaces during maturation of the blood vessels and neuropil is discussed in terms of the possible artifactitious nature of these spaces in both immature and mature cortex.
Extracorporeal life support for acute respiratory distress syndrome due to severe Legionella pneumonia

Purpose:Legionella is a common cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and is second only to Pneumococcal pneumonia as a cause of severe CAP that requires treatment in an intensive care unit. W...
Isolation and sequence of cDNA encoding the soybean protease inhibitors PI IV and C-II

Two full-length (or nearly so) cDNA clones containing information for the protease inhibitors PI IV and C-II from soybean seeds were identified by means of a synthetic probe. DNA sequencing revealed that the two protease inhibitors are synthesized as precursors with a short peptide leader. The coding regions of the two clones show 80% homology, wheraes the 5′ non-coding regions are 90% homologous. Homology of 75% is found in the region extending beyond the stop codons.
Performance of an iron aluminide metal filter in a reducing environment

A laboratory-scale apparatus has been used for unattended, long duration, continuous, flow-through testing of an iron aluminide sintered metal filter under reducing conditions. Two candle specimens were exposed for 1009 to 2251 h to 600 °C gas containing 5% CO, 11% H2, 12% CO2, 12% H2O, 60% N2, 0.5% H2S, 2.4 ppmv NaCl, 4.7 ppmv KCl, 26.1 ppmv HCl, and 5530 ppmw ash from a transport reactor operated in gasification mode. A database was established on pressure drop of the as-received and exposed filter as a function of face velocity and temperature. Tests were conducted to investigate the effects of back pulse parameters on filter regenerability. Results are reported on the critical reservoir pressure and pulse duration for maintaining a stable saw-tooth profile of pressure drop across the filter element. Data are obtained to characterize the effect of chemical and thermal aging on tensile strength, fast fracture strength, and microstructure.
Theory of high pressure/low temperature sintering of bulk nanocrystalline TiO2

A model to predict the densification and grain growth rates ofn-TiO2 during high pressure/low temperature sintering has been developed and validated by experiments. In this model, densification during intermediate stage sintering is based on a modified grain boundary creep process. For late stage sintering, a modified grain boundary diffusion model that governs atom migration from interparticle boundaries to pores is used. The rate equations for densification during both stages are affected by the increased driving force and decreased diffusivity induced by high pressure. During the sintering process, the concurrent grain growth is modeled through a pore-controlled pinning model, which indicates that grains grow little during the intermediate sintering stage, but experience rapid growth during the final stage.
Thermosensitive/Photocrosslinkable Hydrogel for Soft Tissue Scaffold Printing

A new type of hydrogel for solid free-form fabrication (SFF) and rapid prototyping (RP) that obtains the qualities of a photocrosslinkable and thermosensitive hydrogel would benefit the tissue engineering field. For a material to best suit SFF and RP, it must: 1) be a low-viscous solution before being printed, 2) involve easily joined on-substrate mixing to form a homogenous gel, 3) have a short solution to gel transition time, 4) be a mechanically strong gel, and 5) have an irreversible gelation processes. A biodegradable, biocompatable thermosensitive triblock copolymer, poly(ethylene glycol-b-(DLlactic acid-co-glycolic acid)-b-ethylene glycol) (PEG-PLGA-PEG), crosslinked with photocrosslinkable Irgacure 2959 allows for quick irreversible transition from solution to gel with a post-processing step utilizing UV light. A material that gels instantaneously from a non-viscous solution to a 3-dimensional building gel could be used in multiple different types of SFF methods already developed. Since the material is also biocompatible, it can be used to replicate many different types of tissues. In this paper, the mechanism of gelation is proposed and the material relationship to the initial viscosity is investigated.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Lowering cardiac risk in noncardiac surgery

A 65-year-old man requires resection of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. He has a remote history of myocardial infarction and rare episodes of angina. Recent coronary angiography revealed more than 70...
INDEPENDENCE OF IRRELEVANT ALTERNATIVES AND FUZZY ARROW'S THEOREM

The literature involving fuzzy Arrow results uses the same independence of irrelevant alternatives condition. We introduce three other types of independence of irrelevant alternative conditions and show that they can be profitably used in the examination of Arrow's theorem. We also generalize some known nondictatorship results. One known fuzzy aggregation rule that is nondictatorial is the average of the individual preferences. We show that a weighted average is also nondictatorial. Moreover, it is not an automorphic image of the ordinary average, which demonstrates that we have proposed a framework unique from the present known results.
Minority Graduate Education

The fact that so few minority engineers graduate each year suggests that the potential for action at the graduate level is limited at this time. Beyond the small number of baccalaureate graduates, however, there are other reasons that deter many minorities from entering graduate school including attractive starting salaries at bachelor's level; accumulative debts from financing their undergraduate education; a lack of career orientation to point out the benefits of graduate engineering education; and pursuit of post-baccalaureate study in non-engineering disciplines. The author describes these deterrents and suggests ways of handling them.
Revisiting Basic Counseling Skills With Children

Counseling with children can be challenging for counselors whose training focused on adult clients. The purpose of this article is to offer information to counselors seeking to improve their skills with children, revisiting a topic discussed in an earlier Journal of Counseling & Development article by P. Erdman and R. Lampe (1996). Examples of microskills from actual counseling sessions and descriptions of stages and themes in the counseling process enhance understanding of child counseling.
Cost of implanting a cemented versus cementless femoral stem

Fifty stratified unselected cases of primary uncomplicated total hip arthroplasty performed at the total joint service of a university teaching hospital were examined. In 25 cases, the femoral stem was implanted with cement, and in the other 25, a cementless stem was implanted. For cemented stems, third-generation cement technique was used, including centrifugation. The average cost to the hospital for a cementless stem was $900 greater than for a cemented stem. The total cost to the hospital for accessories used to achieve modern cement technique was over $700. The operative time for implanting a cemented stem averaged 20 minutes longer, which resulted in an additional operating time charge of $270 and an additional anesthesia charge of $100. When these charges are added to the cost of cement and accessories, the actual cost to the hospital for implanting a modern cemented stem was greater than for a corresponding cementless stem.
Foundations of AI: the big issues

Abstract The objective of research in the foundations of AI is to explore such basic questions as: What is a theory in AI? What are the most abstract assumptions underlying the competing visions of intelligence? What are the basic arguments for and against each assumption? In this essay I discuss five foundational issues: (1) Core AI is the study of conceptualization and should begin with knowledge level theories. (2) Cognition can be studied as a disembodied process without solving the symbol grounding problem. (3) Cognition is nicely described in propositional terms. (4) We can study cognition separately from learning. (5) There is a single architecture underlying virtually all cognition. I explain what each of these implies and present arguments from both outside and inside AI why each has been seen as right or wrong.
Radiation Characteristics and Mission Considerations in Lithium-Containing Solar Cells

Empirical relations between post-irradiation photo-voltaic parameters and lithium-donor density gradient have been derived for crucible-grown lithium-containing solar cells irradiated by i MeV electrons to fluences from 3 × 1013 to 3 × 1015e/cm2. Open-circuit voltage increases logarithmically with lithium gradient both immediately after irradiation and after completion of recovery. A particularly strong gradient dependence after recovery from 3 × 1015e/cm2 indicates the need for high lithium gradients (> 5 × 1018cm-4) to maintain satisfactory cell performance after heavy electron irradiation. These, together with previously reported results (l) provide the basis for a mission compatibility analysis for crucible-grown lithium cells in an electron-dominated radiation environment.
Inhibition of chloroplast DNA synthesis by cycloheximide.

Abstract Cycloheximide, a potent inhibitor of cytoplasmic, but not chloroplast, protein synthesis, inhibits tobacco chloroplast DNA synthesis. Chloramphenicol, an inhibitor of chloroplast but not cytoplasmic protein synthesis, has no effect on chloroplast DNA synthesis. These findings indicate that some of the proteins required for chloroplast DNA synthesis are made on cytoplasmic ribosomes, and in conjunction with the results of studies involving yeast mitochondria and algal chloroplasts, they suggest that nuclear control of organelle DNA synthesis may be a general phenomenon.
The finite-size effects of goldstone bosons in Monte Carlo simulations

Abstract It is shown how one can, in practice, extract the value of the pion decay constant ⨍, from the finite-size behavior of the magnetic susceptibility. The method is based on a finite-size soft-pion theorem and is successfully tested on the Gell-Mann-Levy linear sigma model.
'White coat' hyperglycemia.

A visit to a physician's office may provoke an increase in blood pressure. Stress is also a well-known glycemic aggravation, and managing diabetes with ongoing stress is often difficult. Two patients with diabetes mellitus in whom anxiety and stress contributed to transient hyperglycemia that impacted adversely on their diabetes management are presented. "White coat" hyperglycemia should be suspected when the clinical glucose levels are higher than the glucose levels measured by the patient at home and the clinical glycohemoglobin levels. The recognition of white coat hyperglycemia is especially important with the recent findings that intensive therapy effectively delays the onset and slows the progression of diabetic complications in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Failure to appreciate white coat hyperglycemia will increase the risk of hypoglycemic episodes, some of which may be severe and life threatening.
On Ignorance: A Reply to Peels

Rik Peels has ingeniously argued that ignorance is not equivalent to the lack or absence of knowledge. In this response, I defend the “Standard View of Ignorance” according to which they are equivalent. In the course of doing so, some important lessons will emerge concerning the nature of ignorance and its relationship to knowledge.
Identification of six methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genotypes resulting from common polymorphisms: impact on plasma homocysteine levels and development of coronary artery disease

Abstract Although three common MTHFR polymorphisms (C 677 T, A 1298 C, T 1317 C) have been reported, only polymorphism C 677 T has been investigated intensively as a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). We investigated polymorphism frequencies, allelic associations and the effect of the resulting MTHFR genotypes on total plasma homocysteine (tHcy) levels and on coronary risk in a case-control study with 1000 angiographically confirmed Middle-European CAD patients and 1000 matched controls. Three out of four theoretically possible MTHFR haplotypes were detected: *1 (677C, 1298A), *2 (677T, 1298A), and *3 (677C, 1298C). The frequencies were *1 : 36.4 and 34.4%; *2 : 30.8 and 32.3%; and *3 : 32.8 and 33.3%, in cases and controls, respectively. Only one patient was heterozygous for 1317C. None of the six resulting genotypes showed significant influence on tHcy levels. Moreover, there was no significant association with CAD risk or with disease severity or early disease manifestation. In the subgroup presenting with acute coronary syndromes, MTHFR genotypes *2/*3 and *3/*3 were surprisingly underrepresented (relative risk of *3/*3 , 0.40; 95% confidence interval 0.20–0.79, P =0.009). We conclude from our genotype-based analysis that, in this well-fed Middle-European population, the observed common allelic variants of the MTHFR gene have no significant influence on tHcy levels or on the chronic process of CAD development.
Use of a tracer dose of barium for evaluating bowel preparation

Residual colonic barium can be used to gauge bowel preparation for barium enemas. Because upper gastrointestinal study frequently does not immediately precede the barium enema, we have adopted the technique of administering a tracer dose of barium at the beginning of bowel preparation. This report discusses the method, results, advantages, and disadvantages of this technique.
Evaluation of risk factors for vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus bacteremia among previously colonized hematopoietic stem cell transplant patients

Background. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients colonized with vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) may have an increased risk of developing VRE bacteremia. Identification of risk factors for the development of subsequent VRE bacteremia among colonized HSCT recipients is necessary to predict which patients may benefit the most from receiving anti-VRE antibiotic therapy as part of an initial antimicrobial regimen when gram-positive bacteremia is suspected. Methods. This study was a retrospective chart review conducted from May 2008 to May 2011. Adult HSCT patients admitted to the hospital found to have positive VRE surveillance cultures were included. A multivariate analysis was completed to identify risk factors for the development of VRE bacteremia in the study population. Results. Of 152 patients, 19 (13%) patients developed subsequent VRE bacteremia. Risk factors identified for patients with current VRE colonization for VRE bacteremia were the utilization of vancomycin subsequent to VRE surveillance culture positivity (P = 0.017), prolonged duration of neutropenia (P = 0.001), immunosuppression (P 30 days, or first surveillance culture positive at week 1 of admission are potential candidates for early implementation of anti-VRE therapy when a gram-positive bacteremia is suspected.
A modified rapid filtration assay of glycogen synthase

Abstract The filter paper assay of glycogen synthase according to Thomas et al. (J. A. Thomas, K. K. Schlender, and J. Larner, 1968, Anal. Biochem.25, 486–489) has been modified to obtain results in a significantly shorter period of time with increased sensitivity and no loss in accuracy. The modified method is based on filtration on glass-fiber filter disks using a multiple filtration apparatus. The assay was examined on glycogen synthase activity present in muscle extracts and was found to be superior to the original assay procedure as regards reproducibility and time required for processing samples. The new method has been used in our laboratory for over 6 months.
Superposed deformations in the Eastern Alps: strain analysis and microfabrics

Abstract Superposition, mainly of two Eoalpine (Cretaceous) deformation events, can be observed in vertical sections and horizontal traverses throughout a decollement zone in the Eastern Alps consisting of crystalline basement and autochthonous and allochthonous cover stacked in several nappes. The first event is an episode with a non-coaxial strain history caused by W-directed thrusting, the second a N-directed shortening by folding and fold imbrication. Strain analysis based both on deformed pebbles and on the preferred orientation of phyllosilicate grains (March theory), microfabric analysis, and observations of the relative timing of deformation and metamorphism, together indicate that the superposition of structures caused by the two events amounts to one continuous, progressive act of deformation. We attribute gradual and consistent variations in intensity and axial ratio of the tectonic strain to a history influenced by: (a) the position of samples in the pile; (b) the relative importance of the strain increments caused by the two events; and (c) rock ductility. We interpret variations of the c -axis fabrics of quartz in the same way, and draw tentative kinematic conclusions for the Eoalpine orogeny in the Eastern Alps.
Stem cell fate regulation by dynein motor protein Lis1.

Cell fate regulation is a central component of maintaining tissue homeostasis, yet the mechanisms instructing cell division diversity in tissue-specific stem cells have not been well understood. A new study uncovers a central role for microtubule motor–regulating protein Lis1 in hematopoietic stem cell fate determination and in leukemogenesis.
Dual-Wing Systems with Decalage Angle Optimization

Dual-wing general aviation designs are studied and compared with single-wing designs. It is demonstrated that with proper selection of gap, stagger, decalage, and mission requirements, total drag can be significantly reduced. Proper spanwise distribution of decalage is shown to enhance efficiency while raising the critical Mach number. Also, flight conditions have been chosen to result in operation at the proper Reynolds number, reducing the viscous drag even further.
GaAs metal-insulator-semiconductor structure and field effect transistors grown by ex-situ approach

A high quality Si/sub 3/N/sub 4//Si/p-GaAs MIS structure has been obtained by the ex-situ growth approach. An interface trap density as low as 9/spl times/10/sup 10/ eV /sup 1/ cm/sup -2/ was obtained from the conductance measurements. A depletion-mode MISFET with a transconductance of 85 mS/mm has been fabricated using this ex-situ growth approach.
Correlation of Isotropic Shifts and Chemical Shift Anisotropies by Two-Dimensional Fourier-Transform Magic-Angle Hopping NMR Spectroscopy

During the 1960s Andrew and others examined the rapid spinning of a sample about an axis that makes an angle of 54” 44’ with the direction of the static magnetic field (I-LJ in order to remove broadening effects in the NMR spectra of solids (l-3). It was much later when Schaefer and Stejskal (4) applied this approach, magic-angle spinning (MAS), to remove broadening due to chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) in 13C NMR, combining this approach with high-power ‘H decoupling and cross polarization (CP). The resulting levels of resolution and sensitivity obtained with this combination have made the 13C CP-MAS experiment the most widely applied solid state NMR experiment in recent years. As powerful, versatile, and popular as the 13C CP-MAS experiment has become, there remain some characteristics that limit its usefulness in certain types of applications. Technological problems persist in techniques for spinning the sample rapidly, problems that are intensified by the scaling of CSA with increasing magnitude of the static field (H,,), although recent advances show great promise for alleviating these problems (5, 6). Another limitation of the usual CP-MAS 13C experiment is that it eliminates the potentially useful information embodied in the CSA pattern, i.e., independent values of the three principal elements of the shielding tensor, ul, , uz2, and g33. Only the trace, actually (a, I + ~2~ + a&/3, of the shielding tensor survives under MAS. Techniques have been proposed for retrieving CSA information from a MAS experiment (7-1 I); although each of these techniques has merits, each suffers from disadvantages. Introduced here is a two-dimensional (2-D) Fourier transform (FT) technique which presents the isotropic average chemical shift, q = (a, 1 + 622 + ~~~)/3, in one frequency dimension (F,) and the static CSA powder pattern along the other frequency axis (F2). The experiment is carried out using discrete “hops” between evolution segments, rather than continuous sample spinning, and no spinning sidebands are produced. As the detection occurs on a static sample, the signal decays more rapidly than in a normal MAS experiment, and sensitivity suffers correspondingly. Nevertheless, the experiment shows considerable promise, not only for the CSA results it
AN APPLICATION OF A NEW THEOREM ON ORTHOGONAL POLYNOMIALS AND DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

Abstract Recently this author proved that if an OPS satisfies a differential equation of the form then, under certain conditions, an orthogonalizing weight distribution can be found that simultaneously satisfies n distributional differential equations of orders 1,3,…2n-1. In this paper, we show how this theorem can be used to find a new sixth order equation having orthogonal polynomial eigenfunctions. The method seems more efficient than previous methods used by this author. We also discuss various properties of this OPS, including the appropriate boundary value problem.
Essential trace metals in man: Selenium

In order to obtain data on environmental sources and human exposures to selenium, a trace element essential for mammals, a number of common foods, wild and domestic animal tissues and tissues of human beings were analyzed by a photofluorometric technique. Selenium was found in few vegetables, but seafood, meats and most grains contained appreciable amounts. The daily intake in a standard diet was 62..mu..g. Cooked and processed foods contained considerably less selenium than raw foods. The calculated human body burden of selenium was 14.6 mg (range 13-20 mg). Wild animals contained two to three times as high a concentration of selenium as the human beings analyzed. Kidneys showed the highest concentrations. Selenium did not accumulate in human hair with age, but increased in hair of rats fed selenate. Under some conditions, selenium is carcinogenic in rats. No recorded case of human or animal cancer is known which could be attributed to environmental selenium, or the lack of it.
Managed care in the Northern California Kaiser Permanente health care system

Kaiser Permanente in Northern California is a group model health maintenance organization (HMO) that contracts with The Permanente Medical Group, Inc. (TPMG) to provide care for health plan members. TPMG is the largest (for-profit) private group practice in the world, with 3600 physicians in Northern California, including 62 urologists, providing care to 2.5 million health plan members. Recent changes in health care financing and delivery mandate an HMO-physician relationship which addresses issues of cost, quality of care, and the needs of physicians.
When and how to innovate your business model

Purpose – Business‐model innovation is critical to success in today's increasingly complex and fast‐changing environment. So corporate leaders need to understand when to adapt the business model and how to execute the change. This paper aims to address this issue.Design/methodology/approach – Data from IBM's Global CEO Study 2008 and an analysis of 28 successful business‐model innovators, produced insights into both the best timing and process for business model innovation.Findings – The IBM researchers identified a set of characteristics that strong business‐model innovators demonstrate consistently.Practical implications – A set of characteristics, which the IBM researchers call the “Three A's,” are critical to the successful design and execution of business‐model innovation: Aligned – Leverage core capabilities and design consistency across all dimensions of the business model, both internally and externally, that build customer value; Analytical – Use information strategically to create foresight, and...
The Value of Fish Solubles and a Vitamin B12-Antibiotic Supplement in Chicken and Turkey Mash Mixtures Containing Ten Percent Meat Scraps

Abstract INTRODUCTION THE discovery of vitamin B12 in 1948 and the emphasis on the so-called APF supplements made it seen desirable to determine the value of additional vitamin B12 in the form of fish solubles in experimental rations used on the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station poultry farm. These rations contained 10 percent of meat scraps which it had been assumed would supply the necessary animal protein factor. They were being used to start and grow chicks and turkey poults and also for the production of market and hatching eggs. The first series of tests reported upon in this paper cover studies of the value of adding 3 percent of condensed fish solubles to two basal rations containing 10 percent of meat scraps and differing primarily only in the carbohydrate supplements. A second series of experiments reported upon in this paper were designed to study the influence of a vitamin B12-antibiotic supplement …