cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parameter and uncertainty estimation for maize, peanut and cotton using the SALUS crop model

Abstract The generic and simple version of SALUS (System Approach to Land Use Sustainability) crop model was recently integrated in the DSSAT (Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer) cropping system model to provide an alternative approach to more complex crop models without the need for a detailed parameterization. A previous uncertainty and sensitivity analysis of the model (SALUS-Simple) established that accurate estimation of 15 of the 20 crop parameters required for predicting crop performance under water limitation was necessary to achieve reliable simulations. The present study used a Markov Chain Monte Carlo-based Bayesian stepwise approach for estimating crop parameters in SALUS-Simple using limited, end-of-season data (limited data case) and detailed in-season data (detailed data case). Independent testing were performed using data distributed with DSSAT version 4.5. Results of the detailed data case indicated that the estimated parameters resulted in smaller deviations between simulated and measured variables and in posterior parameter distributions with smaller variances. Independent testing showed that maize growth simulations (based on both data cases) were in good agreement with observations while peanut and cotton growth was simulated with mixed success. SALUS-Simple predictions using parameters estimated in the limited data case were concordant with observations for end-of-season biomass and yield, but simulations of in-season growth were degraded relative to the use of parameters estimated in the detailed data case. We conclude that the use of a sequential approach reduced compensation errors and, the use of a range of data types combined with a higher ratio between the number of data points and the number of estimated parameters significantly reduced uncertainties associated with the estimated parameters. Furthermore, model predictions based on mean parameter values can be regarded as reliable estimators of the expected values of the distributions of model predictions when an average prediction rather than a distribution is needed. Results from this study highlighted the principle that parameters estimated based on end-of-season data do not guarantee accurate prediction of in-season growth even if a Bayesian approach is used. The ability of the SALUS-Simple model to be parameterized or adapted for simulating canopy-level potential production of annual plants based on limited data is promising. Further testing of the model will help establish its response to different soils, climates and crops.
Surface-localized release of nitric oxide via sol-gel chemistry

The release of nitric oxide (NO) from polymers has proven to be highly effective at inhibiting platelet adhesion and thus enhancing the blood compatibility of medical implants. Micropatterning techniques were used to design surfaces that release NO while preserving the underlying substrate for other applications (e.g., sensors). Micropatterned NO-releasing substrates based on aminosilane-containing methyltrimethoxysilane sol−gels were prepared and characterized in terms of stability, NO surface flux, and resistance to in vitro platelet adhesion. We have found that surface-localized NO release from substrates modified with sol−gel micropatterns exhibit enhanced blood compatibility relative to controls.
3C-SiC on Si Substrates Using Pendeo-Epitaxial Growth

Cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) growth using Pendeo-epitaxy technique was successfully achieved on Si(001) substrates. 3C-SiC was grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with silane and propane as precursors. Effects of underlying stripes and seed 3C-SiC layers thickness on PE 3C-SiC films were investigated. Root mean square (RMS) measurements using atomic force microscope (AFM) showed that surface morphology of PE 3C-SiC films remarkably improves with an increase of the seed 3C-SiC layer thickness, and the values were from 9.8 nm for 3 µm thick seed layer to 0.5 nm for 10 µm thick seed layer thickness. Additionally, domain boundary densities were counted, and the values also strongly depend on the seed layer thickness: from >1500/mm2 for 3 µm seed layer thickness to
Effective Height, Receiving Area, and Receiving Efficiency of Infinite Planar Phased Array Elements

For infinite planar phased array elements, a vector effective height is determined and the receiving area and receiving efficiency are found in terms of transmitting performance descriptors. The vector effective height allows the open-circuit received voltage to be expressed as an inner product with the incident electric field, as is for an isolated antenna. Generalizing a previously known expression, the effective area is expressed in terms of polarization mismatch, radiation efficiency, impedance mismatch, and the projected unit cell area, together with the element Floquet directivity introduced in this study that quantifies the unidirectional or bidirectional nature of radiation. An element’s total receiving efficiency is defined and its expression is inspected for maximizing the received power.
A note on the optimality of 2-level main effects plans in blocks of odd size

Abstract In this paper we consider experimental situations where a 2-level main effects plan is to be used to study m -factors using n runs which are partitioned into b blocks of size k = n / b and where k is an odd integer. For odd k ≥ 3 and certain cases where b is a multiple of k , we show how to construct blocked main effects plans that are optimal under most widely used optimality criteria.
Numerical study of wake vortex decay and descent in homogeneous atmospheric turbulence

Numerical simulations are performed to isolate the effect of ambient turbulence on the wake vortex decay rate within a neutrally stratified atmosphere. Simulations are conducted for a range of turbulence intensities by injecting wake vortex pairs into an approximately homogeneous and isotropic turbulence field. Consistent with field observations, the decay rate of the vortex circulation increases clearly with increasing levels of ambient turbulence. Based on the results from the numerical simulations, simple decay models for the vortex pair are proposed as functions of nondimensional ambient turbulence intensity, nondimensional radial distance, and nondimensional time. For strong atmospheric turbulence, the model predictions are in reasonable agreement with the observational data. For weak turbulence with stable stratification, the model, based on turbulence dissipation alone, underestimates circulation decay with consistent overestimation of vortex descent, unless stratification effects are included
Proportionality, Contrast and Explanation

If counterfactual dependence is sufficient for causation and if omissions can be causes, then all events have many more causes than common sense tends to recognize. This problem is standardly addressed by appeal to pragmatics. However, Carolina Sartorio [2010] has recently raised what I shall argue is a more interesting problem concerning omissions for counterfactual theories of causation—more interesting because it demands a more subtle pragmatic solution. I discuss the relationship between the idea that causes are proportional to their effects, the idea that causation is contrastive, and the question of the dimensions along which causal explanations should be evaluated with respect to one another.
Establishing priorities for hospital education

Introduction: Integrating the emerging evidence base for medicine, measuring quality of care, reducing medical errors, and understanding the managed care environment all present new challenges to the processes and outcomes of hospital education. Establishing priorities for hospital-based education is critical as cost containment measures influence education budgets. This article examines the learning modalities preferred by health care educators in their own educational experiences and the implications of preferences for newly emerging roles in hospital education. Methods: To determine if a typology based on learning modalities has utility for helping health care educators establish priorities, a pilot sudy was conducted using three groups of health care educators. Subjects in the pilot sudy completed a questionnaire that asked them to list three examples of their most important recent learning experiences. Results: Sixty-six subjects reported 181 learning experiences. These 181 learning experiences were divided into four learning modalities displayed in a 2 × 2 matrix based on “motivation” and “management” of learning as follows: 97 in problem solving 52 in training 16 in schooling, and 16 in hobbying. Discussion: From this study, it appears that problem solving is the prime learning modality of adults in health care, and departments of hospital education would be well advised to focus on practical learning and problem solving when developing their educational activities. This finding supports the use of selected modalities of education in meeting the new challenges of hospital education.
Cooperative interaction of C/EBPβ and Tat modulates MCP-1 gene transcription in astrocytes

The chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) is one of the most potent monocyte chemoattractants whose level is elevated during the course of AIDS dementia. Earlier studies showed that HIV-1 Tat protein is able to induce transcription of the MCP-1 promoter in astrocytic cells. Furthermore, the TGFbeta-1 signaling pathway through its regulatory proteins, Smads, modulates Tat activation of MCP-1. Here, we demonstrate that C/EBPbeta, whose activity is enhanced by a variety of cytokines during the course of viral infection, can stimulate basal- and Tat-mediated transcription of MCP-1 in human astrocytic cells. Results using promoter deletion mutants suggested the importance of multiple C/EBPbeta binding sites scattered within -200 to +1 of the MCP-1 promoter in the observed activity. Results from DNA binding studies have shown that the interaction of C/EBPbeta with its DNA motif is diminished by the C/EBPbeta homologous protein, CHOP, which possesses the ability to suppress the stimulatory effect of C/EBPbeta on MCP-1 transcription. Tat, which possesses the ability to interact with C/EBPbeta, alleviates the negative effect of CHOP and restores C/EBPbeta interaction with the DNA. Furthermore, Smad3 and its C-terminal regulatory motif, MH2, interact with C/EBPbeta and modulate its DNA binding and transcriptional activity on the MCP-1 promoter. Our results show that the physical and functional interactions of C/EBPbeta and Tat are severely affected by the presence of Smad3 and MH2. Altogether, these observations identify C/EBPbeta as a new partner for Tat in stimulating MCP-1 transcription in astrocytes and suggest that the delicate balance among the downstream regulatory proteins of several cytokines and immunomodulators can dictate the level of expression of chemoattractants, including MCP-1. Hence, inappropriate expression and function of regulatory proteins such as C/EBPbeta and Smads by Tat may induce MCP-1 production in astrocytes and contribute to the neuropathogenesis of AIDS through stimulation of inflammation in the CNS.
A proximal upstream sequence controls tissue-specific expression of Lem2 , a salicylate-inducible barley lectin-like gene

The lemma and palea (lemma/palea), which form the husk of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) seeds, constitutively express high levels of defense-related genes, relative to leaves [Abebe et al. (2004) Crop Sci 44:942–950]. One of these genes, Lem2, is expressed mainly in the lemma/palea and coleoptile and is strongly upregulated by salicylic acid (SA) and its functional analog 2,6-dichloroisonicotinic acid . Induction by SA was rapid, occurring within 4 h of treatment. However, Lem2 is not responsive to methyl jasmonate (MeJA) or wounding and is downregulated by drought, dehydration, and abscisic acid. These results suggest that Lem2 is involved in systemic acquired resistance. Sequence analysis showed that LEM2 is a jacalin-related lectin (JRL)-like protein with two domains. Consistent with northern and western blot data, transient expression analyses using Lem2::gfp constructs showed strong expression in lemmas and a trace expression in leaves. Successive 5′ deletions of the 1,414 bp upstream region gradually weakened promoter strength, as measured by real-time PCR. Promoter deletion studies also revealed that the −75/+70 region (containing the TATA box, 5′ UTR, and a SA-response element) determines tissue specificity and that the distal promoter region simply enhances expression. Southern analysis indicated that Morex barley has at least three copies of the Lem2 gene arranged in tandem on chromosome 5(1H) Bin 02, near the short arm telomere. Lem2 is not present in the barley cultivars Steptoe, Harrington, Golden Promise, and Q21861.
Canine Parvovirus Capsid Structure, Analyzed at 2.9 Å Resolution

The DNA-containing capsid of canine parvovirus (CPV) is analyzed following atomic refinement at 2.9 A resolution. The capsid contains 60 copies of the capsid protein related by icosahedral symmetry. The atomic model has been extended from the first residue (Gly37) of the unrefined 3.25 A structure towards the N terminus. The electron density shows that approximately 87% of the capsid proteins have N termini on the inside of the capsid, but for approximately 13%, the polypeptide starts on the outside and runs through one of the pores surrounding each 5-fold axis, explaining apparently conflicting antigenic data. Analysis of potential hydrogen bonds reveals approximately 50% more secondary structure than previously apparent. Most of the additional secondary structure are in the 71 and 221 residue-long loop insertions between beta-strands E and F and G and H, forming subunit-bridging sheets that likely add specificity to assembly interactions. Structural analysis of the extensive subunit interactions around the 3-fold axes shows that assembly is a multistep process with loops intertwining following initial contact. Estimated free energies of association suggest that the formation of 3 and 5-fold contacts likely takes precedence over 2-fold interactions. Energies for initial association into trimers or pentamers would be similar, but the intertwining of loops about the 3-fold axis adds an additional large activation barrier to dissociation. Analysis of the surfaces of the assembled capsid shows a surprising lack of basic amino acids that might have been expected to interact with the negatively charged phosphoribose backbone of the DNA. Instead, uncharged polar and van der Waal's interactions predominate in the packaging of single-stranded DNA into the capsid.
PrimerBank: a resource of human and mouse PCR primer pairs for gene expression detection and quantification

PrimerBank (http://pga.mgh.harvard.edu/primerbank/) is a public resource for the retrieval of human and mouse primer pairs for gene expression analysis by PCR and Quantitative PCR (QPCR). A total of 306 800 primers covering most known human and mouse genes can be accessed from the PrimerBank database, together with information on these primers such as Tm, location on the transcript and amplicon size. For each gene, at least one primer pair has been designed and in many cases alternative primer pairs exist. Primers have been designed to work under the same PCR conditions, thus facilitating high-throughput QPCR. There are several ways to search for primers for the gene(s) of interest, such as by: GenBank accession number, NCBI protein accession number, NCBI gene ID, PrimerBank ID, NCBI gene symbol or gene description (keyword). In all, 26 855 primer pairs covering most known mouse genes have been experimentally validated by QPCR, agarose gel analysis, sequencing and BLAST, and all validation data can be freely accessed from the PrimerBank web site.
The kidney as a new target for antidiabetic drugs: SGLT2 inhibitors

Summary What is known and objective A novel class of antidiabetic drugs – SGLT2 (Na+/glucose cotransporter type 2) inhibitors – target renal reabsorption of glucose and promote normal glucose levels, independent of insulin production or its action at receptors. We review this new mechanistic approach and the reported efficacy and safety of clinical testing of lead compounds. Methods Information was obtained from various bibliographic sources, including PubMed and others, on the basic science and the clinical trials of SGLT2 inhibitors. The information was then summarized and evaluated from the perspective of contribution to a fuller understanding of the potential and current status of the lead clinical candidates. Results and discussion Diabetes mellitus is a spectrum of disorders that involves inadequate insulin function resulting in adverse health sequelae due to acute and chronic hyperglycaemia. Current antidiabetic pharmacotherapy primarily addresses either insulin production at the pancreatic β-cells or insulin action at insulin receptors. These drugs have less than full clinical effectiveness and sometimes therapy-limiting adverse effects. The third major component of glucose balance, namely elimination, has not been a significant therapeutic target to date. SGLT2 inhibitors are a novel approach. What is new and conclusion A sufficient number of clinical trials have been conducted on sufficiently chemically diverse SGLT2 inhibitors to reasonably conclude that they have efficacy (HbA1c reductions of 0·4–1%), and thus far, the majority of adverse effects have been mild and transitory or treatable, with the caveat of possible association with increased risk of breast cancer in women and bladder cancer in men.
Evaluation of cold ischemia for preservation of testicular function during partial orchiectomy in the rat model.

Objective We hypothesized that cold ischemia during partial orchiectomy would lead to higher serum testosterone levels and preservation of testicular architecture than warm ischemia in a prepubescent rat model.
Myocardial infarction during coronary artery bypass surgery.

P ERIOPERATIVE myocardial infarction (PMI) is one of the major problems during coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG). Its incidence is reported to be between 2% and 82%.lJ This wide variation can be attributed to different tests and criteria for the detection of PMI, the patient population,3-s and the quality of care.” Some previous reviews of the literature in this area exist. l”-ih This review concentrates on significant new information. The literature on PM1 during noncardiac surgery has been extensively reviewed.r4 Literature on PM1 during cardiac surgery other than CABG is limited, and is not reviewed.
Analysis of dynamic changes in retinoid-induced transcription and epigenetic profiles of murine Hox clusters in ES cells

The clustered Hox genes, which are highly conserved across metazoans, encode homeodomain-containing transcription factors that provide a blueprint for segmental identity along the body axis. Recent studies have underscored that in addition to encoding Hox genes, the homeotic clusters contain key noncoding RNA genes that play a central role in development. In this study, we have taken advantage of genome-wide approaches to provide a detailed analysis of retinoic acid (RA)-induced transcriptional and epigenetic changes within the homeotic clusters of mouse embryonic stem cells. Although there is a general colinear response, our analyses suggest a lack of strict colinearity for several genes in the HoxA and HoxB clusters. We have identified transcribed novel noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) and their cis-regulatory elements that function in response to RA and demonstrated that the expression of these ncRNAs from both strands represent some of the most rapidly induced transcripts in ES cells. Finally, we have provided dynamic analyses of chromatin modifications for the coding and noncoding genes expressed upon activation and suggest that active transcription can occur in the presence of chromatin modifications and machineries associated with repressed transcription state over the clusters. Overall, our data provide a resource for a better understanding of the dynamic nature of the coding and noncoding transcripts and their associated chromatin marks in the regulation of homeotic gene transcription during development.
A Two-Year Experience of an Integrated Simulation Residency Curriculum

Abstract Background Human Patient Simulation (HPS) is increasingly used in medical education, but its role in Emergency Medicine (EM) residency education is uncertain. Study Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate the perceived effectiveness of HPS when fully integrated into an EM residency didactic curriculum. Methods The study design was a cross-sectional survey performed in 2006, 2 years after the implementation of an integrated simulation curriculum. Fifty-four residents (postgraduate year [PGY] 1–4) of a 4-year EM residency were surveyed with demographic and curricular questions on the perceived value of simulation relative to other teaching formats. Survey items were rated on a bipolar linear numeric scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 9 (strongly agree), with 5 being neutral. Data were analyzed using Student t -tests. Results Forty residents responded to the survey (74% response rate). The perceived effectiveness of HPS was higher for junior residents than senior residents (8.0 vs. 6.2, respectively, p p =0.1), morbidity and mortality conference (8.5 vs. 8.7, respectively, p =0.3), and trauma conference (8.4 vs. 8.8, respectively, p =0.2) between junior and senior residents. Scores for perceptions of improvement in residency training (knowledge acquisition and clinical decision-making) after the integration of HPS into the curriculum were positive for all residents. Conclusion Residents' perceptions of HPS integration into an EM residency curriculum are positive for both improving knowledge acquisition and learning clinical decision-making. HPS was rated as more effective during junior years than senior years, while the perceived efficacy of more traditional educational modalities remained constant throughout residency training.
Shrinkage anisotropy of glass powder compacts sintered in dilatometers

Dilatometer push rods exert uniaxial compressive stresses on powder compacts undergoing sintering. In this study the effect of such stresses on the shrinkage anisotropy behavior of glass powder compacts is considered. A shrinkage anisotropy factor (k), defined by the ratio between axial and radial strain, is used to quantify the anisotropy in cylindrical compacts (k = 1 represents isotropic shrinkage). The available experimental data in the literature indicate that the effect of the applied dilatometer stress is to increase the value of k over that of free sintering conditions. For the small stresses exerted by the dilatometer push rods, it is shown that k is always. 1. The common practice of calculating the sintered density from uniaxial dilatometer data, ignoring the existence of shrinkage anisotropy, is shown to lead to significant errors, even for values of k only slightly different from k = 1.
Video recording and quantitative analysis of seed particle track images in unsteady flows.

This paper reports on flow visualization experiments and velocity measurements by video recording and digital analysis of seed track images in an internal combustion engine cylinder flow. The illumination coding schemes and track analysis techniques that are used for the velocity measurements are presented and discussed. We demonstrate the utility of these techniques for detecting well-defined transient structures in unsteady flows.
Health Behavior in Developing Countries

The disease burden in low-income countries is extremely high. Malaria, respiratory infections, diarrhea, AIDS, and other diseases are estimated to kill more than 15 million people each year, most of them children. Yet the great majority of these diseases can be prevented or treated. This article reviews microeconomic studies of health-seeking behavior in low-income countries. Factors examined include information, peers, liquidity constraints, and nonrational preferences, such as present bias. I then discuss the implications for policy, including the scope for mandates, subsidies, and incentives.
Design and fabrication of bimorph transducer for optimal vibration energy harvesting

High energy density piezoelectric composition corresponding to 0.9Pb(Zr0.56Ti0.44)O3-0.1Pb[(Zn0.8/3Ni0.2/3) Nb2/3]O3 + 2 mol% MnO2 (PZTZNN) and 0.8[Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48) O3]-0.2[Pb(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3] (PZTPZN) were synthesized by conventional ceramic processing technique using three different sintering profiles. Plates of the sintered samples were used to fabricate the piezoelectric bimorphs with optimized dimensions to exhibit resonance in the loaded condition in the range of ~200 Hz. An analytical model for energy harvesting from bimorph transducer was developed which was confirmed by experimental measurements. The results of this study clearly show that power density of bimorph transducer can be enhanced by increasing the magnitude of product (d · g), where d is the piezoelectric strain constant and g is the piezoelectric voltage constant.
Subcritical bifurcation of a rotating elastic filament in a viscous fluid by the immersed boundary method

A bifurcation occurs when an elastic filament rotates in a viscous fluid at frequency ω (bifurcation parameter). We use the immersed boundary (IB) method to study the interaction between the elastic filament and the surrounding viscous fluid as governed by the incompressible Navier‐Stokes equations, and to determine the nature of the bifurcation, which turns out to be subcritical.
Evidence of Perceived Quality of “Plain‐Paper Statements”

CPAs have struggled with financial statement users placing too much confidence in nonpublic entities' limited‐assurance documents. Despite Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services Number 1 (SSARS No. 1) issued in 1979, research shows that CPAs and statement users place confidence in and reliance on CPA compiled and reviewed statements. In 2000, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) issued SSARS No. 8, Amendment to SSARS No. 1, Compilation and Review of Financial Statements, relating to plain‐paper statements. We surveyed practicing CPAs and bankers to measure their confidence in and reliance on no‐assurance engagements: compilations, plain‐paper statements, and statements with accountants' reports/letters. We find that both CPAs and bankers report some level of confidence in and reliance on plain‐paper statements. Both parties perceive greater confidence in and reliance on financial statements where a CPA is known to be minimally associated with the statements.
Mark To Market Accounting: Does It Provide Information To Investors

According to the financial press the recent financial problems of many firms is at least partially due to mark-to-market accounting. In this paper I ask the question -- if mark-to-market accounting is the reason for the financial distress of firms, why does the FASB require mark-to-market? I review accounting standards that require mark-to-market accounting and empirically test the relation between firm value and mark to market adjustments to provide evidence as to whether mark-to-market adjustments are useful to investors and creditors. The results provide evidence that mark-to-market adjustments impact firm value.
Detrital remanence, inclination errors, and anhysteretic remanence anisotropy: quantitative model and experimental results

SUMMARY We suggest that inclination errors in detrital remanent magnetization (DRM) may be recognized and corrected by measurement of the anisotropy of anhysteretic remanent magnetization (ARM). ARM anisotropy reflects directional variations in the remanence capacity of relatively fine-grained magnetic particles in rocks or sediments, generally the same particles that carry the stable component of DRM. Relative vertical and horizontal DRM magnitudes are controlled by this directional remanence capacity, as well as by the alignment efficiency of the particle magnetic moments, which in turn is governed by the relative intensities of the vertical and horizontal components of the ambient magnetic field. Thus the respective vertical and horizontal components of palaeointensity, and therefore palaeofield inclination, may be obtained by normalizing the measured DRM components by parallel ARM intensities. Synthetic sediments containing silica, kaolin, and sized magnetite powders have previously been found to acquire experimental DRM with an inclination error that is a direct function of kaolin concentration. Further experiments have now shown that ARM anisotropy in the synthetic sediments is also a direct function of kaolin content, and thus a correlation exists between DRM inclination errors and ARM anisotropy. Multiplying the measured DRM vector by the inverse of the ARM anisotropy matrix yields an improved estimate of the actual laboratory depositional field in all cases. For samples with acicular 0.5 μm magnetite, this procedure reduces a mean inclination error of over 5° to less than 0.5°. Samples with subequant magnetite of slightly larger grain size (0.75 μm) exhibit similar ARM anisotropy (∼10 per cent), but somewhat larger inclination errors (∼10°). We interpret this in terms of stronger horizontal alignment but weaker particle anisotropies for the larger, more equant magnetites.
The temperature distribution in a transformer or other laminated core of rectangular cross section in which heat is generated at a uniform rate

The problem of the temperature distribution in transformer or other laminated cores in which heat is generated at a uniform rate, does not appear to have been treated by exact mathematical methods. A good deal of work of a semi-empirical nature has been done by Vidmar, Kuchler and others, the object of which has been to enable designers of transformers to obtain an estimate of the maximum temperature likely to prevail in the core.
Diagnostic accuracy of thyroid nodule growth to predict malignancy in thyroid nodules with benign cytology: Systematic review and meta‐analysis

Background Thyroid ultrasound to assess for nodular growth is commonly performed during the follow-up of patients with benign thyroid nodules, with the goal of identifying patients with a missed diagnosis of thyroid cancer. The objective of this study was to summarise the evidence regarding the diagnostic accuracy of growth during follow-up of benign thyroid nodules for thyroid cancer. Methods We searched multiple electronic databases using a search strategy designed by an experienced medical librarian from inception to March 2015. Eligible studies included patients with benign thyroid nodules assessed for growth during follow-up and evaluated for thyroid cancer either by surgical histology or a repeat fine needle aspiration biopsy. Reviewers working independently and in duplicate recorded data and assessed each study. Results The 7 eligible studies lacked safeguards against bias and generated results that were imprecise with wide confidence intervals and inconsistent across studies. This warrants very low confidence in these results. The odds of thyroid cancer on histopathology in patients with nodule growth over the odds in patients without nodule growth (diagnostic odds ratio) was 0.58 (95% CI: 0.26 to 1.3); the diagnostic odds ratio was 2.2 (95% CI: 0.26 to 18) when an abnormal repeat biopsy was the reference standard. Conclusion The body of evidence linking nodule growth with thyroid cancer during the follow-up of benign nodules warrants very low confidence. In the era of high value healthcare, the commonplace practice of following benign thyroid nodules with serial ultrasound assessment of growth to diagnose cancer can be questioned, calling for imminent evaluation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Possible Selves and Illness: A Comparison of Individuals with Parkinson's Disease, Early-Stage Alzheimer's Disease, and Healthy Older Adults

his study examined how future self-representations are affected by two different chronic illnesses, one focused on cognitive losses, early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD), and one focused on physical losses, Parkinson's disease (PD). The impact of illness on possible selves (perceptions of self in the future) was made salient by a comparison with healthy older adults in order to better understand developmental issues in later life. Findings show that although there were no differences in the total number of domains reported by the groups, specific domains were reported differently by patient groups and all domains were likely to become infused with illness. As expected, patient groups had less self-efficacy and lower outcome expectancies for their future selves, and PD patients reported less distance from their feared selves. Although these findings are intuitive, this is the first empirical effort to document the impact of illness on older adults' self-representations. Group differences are explained in t...
Photovoltaic properties of 0.95-eV p-n InGaAsP homojunction solar cells prepared by liquid-phase epitaxy

High-performance 0.95-eV p-n InGaAsP homojunction solar cells fabricated by liquid-phase epitaxy (LPE) are discussed. The best conversion efficiency obtained from cells with overlying InP filters under one-sun AM1.5 global illumination is 6.5%. The corresponding open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current density, and fill factor are 0.52 V, 18.2 mA/cm/sup 2/, and 76%, respectively. These results suggest that the 0.95-eV InGaAsP solar cell is suitable as a bottom cell for multijunction solar cells built on InP substrates. >
An overview of disk storage systems

After nearly three decades, magnetic recording is still the principal means for storing data in computer systems. This success has resulted from continued progress in cost reduction per byte, higher densities, and better operating performance. Further efforts in these same areas will extend the popularity of magnetic recording throughout the near future.
Integrative technique for the determination of QT interval

The 2006 Physionet/Computers in Cardiology Challenge is motivated by the expected requirement of regulatory agencies for skilled readers to conduct QT duration studies of all drugs in clinical trials. However, clinically valid automatic methods would reduce the cost and time need to conduct such QT studies, which are crucial in determining potential proarrhythmic side effects, such as torsade de pointes, of non-antiarrhythmic drugs. The challenge dataset is the PTB Diagnostic ECG Database, which consists of 549 records from 294 subjects. This work proposes an integrative approach for the identification of the PQ junction and T-end of the QT interval. This novel approach uses the curvature of the Q-wave and the T-wave in order to identify an accurate isoelectric curve, between two consecutive peaks, that intersects the extremities of the features. The score for the challenge is 35.19 ms for this method compared to top score of 17.33 ms.
A Framework for Understanding Corporate Social Responsibility Programs as a Continuum: An Exploratory Study

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs are increasingly popular corporate marketing strategies. This paper argues that CSR programs can fall along a continuum between two endpoints: Institutionalized programs and Promotional programs. This classification is based on an exploratory study examining the variance of four responses from the consumer stakeholder group toward these two categories of CSR. Institutionalized CSR programs are argued to be most effective at increasing customer loyalty, enhancing attitude toward the company, and decreasing consumer skepticism. Promotional CSR programs are argued to be more effective at generating purchase intent. Ethical and managerial implications of these preliminary findings are discussed.
RELATIONS BETWEEN PRICES, CONSUMPTION, AND PRODUCTION*

(1951). Relations between Prices, Consumption, and Production. Journal of the American Statistical Association: Vol. 46, No. 255, pp. 323-333.
Stoichiometry of Recombinant N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptor Channels Inferred from Single-channel Current Patterns

Single-channel currents were recorded from mouse NR1-NR2B (zeta-epsilon2) receptors containing mixtures of wild-type and mutant subunits expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Mutant subunits had an asparagine-to-glutamine (N-to-Q) mutation at the N0 site of the M2 segment (NR1:598, NR2B:589). Receptors with pure N or Q NR1 and NR2 subunits generated single-channel currents with distinctive current patterns. Based on main and sublevel amplitudes, occupancy probabilities, and lifetimes, four patterns of current were identified, corresponding to receptors with the following subunit compositions (NR1/NR2): N/N, N/Q, Q/N, and Q/Q. Only one current pattern was apparent for each composition. When a mixture of N and Q NR2 subunits was coexpressed with pure mutant NR1 subunits, three single-channel current patterns were apparent. One pattern was the same as Q/Q receptors and another was the same as Q/N receptors. The third, novel pattern presumably arose from hybrid receptors having both N and Q NR2 subunits. When a mixture of N and Q NR1 subunits was coexpressed with pure mutant NR2 subunits, six single-channel current patterns were apparent. One pattern was the same as Q/Q receptors and another was the same as N/Q receptors. The four novel patterns presumably arose from hybrid receptors having both N and Q NR1 subunits. The relative frequency of NR1 hybrid receptor current patterns depended on the relative amounts of Q and N subunits that were injected into the oocytes. The number of hybrid receptor patterns suggests that there are two NR2 subunits per receptor and is consistent with either three or five NR1 subunits per receptor, depending on whether or not the order of mutant and wild-type subunits influences the current pattern. When considered in relation to other studies, the most straightforward interpretation of the results is that N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors are pentamers composed of three NR1 and two NR2 subunits.
THE DETERRENT EFFECTS OF CALIFORNIA'S PROPOSITION 8: WEIGHING THE EVIDENCE

Whether, and the extent to which, stiffer sanctions deter crime is an integral question in fashioning corrections policy. To the extent that the behavior of the criminally inclined is completely insensitive to variation in punishment severity, crime-control policy should focus on incapacitation. Sentences should be long enough to ensure that offenders are removed from society during the period of their lives when they are most criminally active, but not so long as to be incarcerating individuals at a high cost to society who no longer pose a threat. On the other hand, if potential offenders take into account the severity of punishment when deciding whether to commit a felony (presumably, moderating their behavior in the face of stiffer sanctions), harsher sentencing may reduce overall offending, in part obviating the need to incapacitate those on the margin between offending and not offending. In the presence of such deterrence effects, optimal sentence lengths may extend beyond incapacitating offenders during the criminally active portions of their lives, as stiffer sentences will preclude some potential offenders from entering the system in the first place. In practice, creating an effective and efficient sentencing regime requires precise knowledge of the importance of the deterrent effects of sentence length. Such knowledge, however, is hard to come by as empirical research on deterrence has faced several fundamental challenges that have been difficult to overcome. First, the cross-sectional as well as longitudinal policy variation in sentence regimes often used to study deterrence is likely to be endogenously related to crime rates, a factor that could bias statistical inference in either direction. For example, if states with more severe crime problems enhance sentences as a result, cross-sectional analysis of the relationship between crime and sentencing severity is likely to reveal a positive relationship between sentence severity and overall crime. Alternatively, longitudinal analysis of crime rates within states may erroneously conclude that sentence enhancements reduce crime if states introduce harsher sentences in response to transitory increases in crime rates.
Actin depolymerization is not involved in phototransduction.

The rhabdomeral microvilli in the eyes of invertebrates have a cytoskeletal core (Saibil, 1982; Blest et al., 1982 a, b , 1983) of actin (de Couet et al., 1984; Arikawa et al., 1990; Williams, 1991; Caiman & Chamberlain, 1992) which might be involved in phototransduction. Tsukita et al. (1988) suggested that light stimulation triggers the breakdown of the microvillar actin filament complex and that this may play a role in phototransduction. To test their suggestion, we pressure-injected phalloidin into Limulus ventral photoreceptors to prevent actin depolymerization (Cooper, J.A., 1987) and tested to see if this blocked phototransduction. We have previously shown that injected rho-damine-phalloidin brightly labels the microvillar actin filaments in living Limulus ventral photoreceptors for several hours (Feng et al., 1994). In the experiments reported here, phalloidin unconjugated with fluorophore was used, and the final concentration in the cell after many small injections from a pipette containing 10 mg/ml phalloidin was estimated to be 1 mg/ml (1.2 mM). This concentration is 100 times higher than that used in an extracted cellular preparation to stabilize actin (Biegel & Pachter, 1992). Fig. 1 shows that the responses to steps of light at different intensities are normal 1 h after phalloidin injection. Similar results were obtained in two other cells.
Immediate and Early Loading of Hydrothermally Treated, Hydroxyapatite-Coated Dental Implants: 2-Year Results from a Prospective Clinical Study.

This investigation was undertaken to determine if multithreaded implants partially coated with plasma-sprayed hydroxyapatite (HA) could be effectively loaded earlier than 3–6 months after placement. Forty-eight patients (22 men, 26 women) were enrolled in the study and received 48 implants. The population was divided into 2 groups: A implants (n = 23) were loaded immediately on the day of surgery and group B implants (n = 19) were loaded 3 weeks after surgery. Cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT) scans were taken preoperatively to aid in treatment planning. Bone density was evaluated by tactile feedback during surgery. Insertion torque was recorded at time of implant placement. Resonance frequency analysis, performed on the day of surgery, at the time of loading, and at 6, 12, and 24 months, was used to record implant stability according to the unit's implant stability quotient (Osstell ISQ). Standardized radiographs were taken at time of implant placement and at 6, 12, and 24 months to measure cresta...
Seeking Resources or Seeking Knowledge? A Study of Mobility and Knowledge Creation Using Micro Data

I study the effect of inventor mobility on knowledge creation and make two significant departures from prior literature. In contrast to prior studies based on large patent datasets or surveys, I use employment, travel and demographic data for 1315 inventors at an emerging market R&D center of a Fortune 50 multinational. Also, the prior literature has focused on how mobility helps inventors access distant knowledge. In contrast I hypothesize that mobility could additionally help inventors secure resources centralized at a distant location. To test this and to account for endogeneity and selection, I consider inventors who could not travel because they got married/had children and match them to similar inventors without such constraints. I find that not being to travel leads to lower patenting over the next two years. I also find support for the resource seeking hypothesis - travel to the headquarters leads to higher patenting, however travel to non-headquarter R&D locations in Europe and Asia does not have the same effect. Given the centralization of resources at the headquarters for the MNC that I study, I argue that in this context mobility of inventors is related to securing resources for knowledge creation.
Michigan State Law Review Tribute to Professor Larry Ribstein

After Professor Ribstein approved final edits to his Michigan State Law Review Essay, E-Marriage and the Market for Marriage Law, he unexpectedly died. With the permission of Ann Ribstein, The Michigan State Law Review published the Essay in the form that had been finally approved by Professor Ribstein. The law review included an accompanying tribute to Professor Ribstein, prepared by Professor Mae Kuykendall. Expressing how much he has meant to her, to many others, and to the Michigan State Law Review, Professor Kuykendall describes his many merits as a scholar and colleague. She discusses Professor Ribstein's work on the depiction of business in film, which he saw as a source of popular misunderstanding about business and, as a result, of bad policy and punitive prosecutions of business executives for business reversals.
Nanoparticle effects on the water-oil interfacial tension

Although it is well known that solid particles adsorb at interfaces, no consensus has been reached on whether the adsorbed nanoparticles affect interfacial tension. In this work the Wilhelmy plate method is implemented in mesoscale dissipative particle dynamics simulations to study the influence of nanoparticles on the water-oil interfacial tension. The results are compared with predictions that neglect nanoparticle-nanoparticle interactions at the interface. We find that the two estimates can differ significantly. In the regime where nanoparticle-nanoparticle repulsion is large, the Wilhelmy plate method suggests interfacial tension reduction, which appears to be a strong function of nanoparticle surface coverage. Some experimental data from the literature, in apparent disagreement, are reinterpreted based on this insight.
Contribution to Understanding of Mechanism of Permissive Action of Corticoids

SummaryThe adrenalectomized rat may exhibit a normal hyperglycemic response to trauma if maintained with a constant dose of glucocorticoids while fasting or if untreated but fed. In both cases the normal response is interpreted as being dependent on an availability of liver glycogen to permit an hyperglycemic response while the failure of the fasted untreated adrenalectomized rat to develop hyperglycemia may be due to deficient glycogen stores rather than to hormone lack per se. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to current concepts of the interaction of the adrenal cortex and the stress reaction.
Controlled Growth of Sub-10 nm Gold Nanoparticles Using Carbon Monoxide Reductant

There is a need to develop aqueous-phase synthesis methods of sub-10-nm Au nanoparticles (NPs), given their many exciting possibilities in catalysis, sensing, biomedical, and other water-based applications. Synthesizing Au NPs by reducing Au salt onto preformed NPs as seeds is a useful approach because final particle size can be finely predicted and controlled, though few studies have reported successful synthesis of Au NPs in the 1 and 10 nm size range. Here we report that water-suspended Au particles with a diameter ∼2.8 nm can be grown as large as ∼12 nm with sub-nanometer control, as verified through detailed ultraviolet−visible spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, and transmission electron microscopy measurements. With carbon monoxide as the reducing agent, this seeded-growth method results in colloidally stable Au sols. The reaction mechanism most likely involves the catalyzed oxidation of CO into CO2 accompanied by electron transfer to the gold hydroxide-chloride ionic species through the gr...