cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The profile inter-unit reliability

To assess the quality of health care, patient outcomes associated with medical providers (eg, dialysis facilities) are routinely monitored in order to identify poor (or excellent) provider performance. Given the high stakes of such evaluations for payment as well as public reporting of quality, it is important to assess the reliability of quality measures. A commonly used metric is the inter-unit reliability (IUR), which is the proportion of variation in the measure that comes from inter-provider differences. Despite its wide use, however, the size of the IUR has little to do with the usefulness of the measure for profiling extreme outcomes. A large IUR can signal the need for further risk adjustment to account for differences between patients treated by different providers, while even measures with an IUR close to zero can be useful for identifying extreme providers. To address these limitations, we propose an alternative measure of reliability, which assesses more directly the value of a quality measure in identifying (or profiling) providers with extreme outcomes. The resulting metric reflects the extent to which the profiling status is consistent over repeated measurements. We use national dialysis data to examine this approach on various measures of dialysis facilities.
Prospective Evaluation of Delirium in Geriatric Patients Undergoing Emergency General Surgery

Background The prevalence of delirium and its impact on outcomes after emergency general surgery (EGS) remain unexplored. The aims of our study were to assess the impact of frailty on delirium and the impact of delirium on outcomes in geriatric EGS patients. Study Design We performed a 1-year (2017) prospective cohort analysis of all geriatric (age ≥ 65 years) patients who underwent EGS. Frailty was calculated using the Emergency General Surgery-Specific Frailty Index (ESFI). Delirium was assessed using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). Patients were dichotomized as delirious or non-delirious. We performed regression analysis controlling for demographics, admission vitals, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, comorbidity, and the diagnosis and type of surgery. Results A total of 163 patients underwent emergency general surgery and were included. Mean age was 71 ± 7 years, and 59% were male. Overall, the incidence of postoperative delirium was 26%. Patients who developed postoperative delirium were more likely to be frail (40% vs 14%, p Conclusions The incidence of delirium after EGS was 26%. Frailty and polypharmacy were associated with increased risk of delirium. Delirium appears to be associated with higher rates of in-hospital adverse events.
Intimate Partner Violence and Deficits in Executive Function

Abstract Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a pervasive issue within society which has negatively impacted millions of individuals. Previous literature has focused on the potential risk factors associated with IPV perpetration such as substance use, childhood maltreatment, and higher levels of inattention symptom severity. However, few studies have considered the potential correlation between executive function deficits, such as cognitive flexibility, and IPV. The present literature indicates executive function deficits may lead to higher levels of violence or aggression in children and adults. Research on the neuropsychological aspects of IPV have focused on alcohol use and head injury and their link to executive function deficits and violence, however, other research studies have shown executive function deficits related to IPV go above and beyond these specific causes. Although the literature is inconsistent, findings suggest executive function deficits may account for a significant difference between perpetrators, in comparison to non-perpetrators, even when accounting for alcohol use and head injury.
Implementation of Point-of-Care Ultrasound in a Physician Assistant Curriculum.

PURPOSE This study evaluated the benefits and challenges of implementing point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training in a physician assistant program curriculum. METHODS Physician assistant students were introduced to POCUS during 2 semesters of Physical Diagnosis. The students were assessed for understanding of applications, effectiveness in obtaining images of target anatomy, and the time required to obtain those images. Student attitudes and the cost of implementation were also recorded. RESULTS After 13 hours of training, the 24 students were able to obtain all the target anatomy images and describe the associated structures with an average accuracy rating of 97%. Understanding of POCUS in clinical applications, including recognition of abnormal scan images, was assessed at an average of 85%. Student attitudes toward POCUS were assessed with 88.69% affirming "strongly agree." Although the costs associated with implementation might vary depending on the setting, they were feasible in our program. CONCLUSION Our study confirmed that POCUS training can be effectively implemented with faculty time burdens and costs that are not prohibitive.
Referral and Resource Utilization Among Food Insecure Families Identified in a Pediatric Medical Setting.

Abstract Objective Despite increased routine screening for food insecurity (FI) in pediatric medical settings, the uptake of offered food resources after FI identification is not well understood. We aimed to 1) describe utilization of referral and supplemental resources and 2) identify characteristics associated with utilization. Methods We linked hospital screening and Electronic Medical Record data to Hunger Free Colorado (HFC) referral data for patients 0 to 18 years who were screened in the emergency department (ED), inpatient, or outpatient setting from January 2017 to December 2018. Among FI families, we compared patient demographic and clinical variables based on acceptance of HFC referral and connection to a food resource using Pearson's chi-square, Wilcoxon rank sum, and Poisson regression. Results Of 1952 patients with FI, 371 (19%) accepted a referral to HFC and of these 228 (61%) were connected to a food resource. In adjusted analyses, families screened in the ED (adjusted relative risks [aRR] 1.96, confidence interval [CI]: 1.57–2.44) and inpatient (aRR 1.74, CI: 1.20–2.53) settings more often pursued referral to HFC than those screened in Child Health Clinic, while those screened in Special Care Clinic less often pursued referral (aRR 0.24, CI: 0.14–0.41). Families with 3 or more people in the home were more likely to be connected to resources (aRR 2.67, CI: 1.42–5.04). Conclusions Only a small proportion of families with FI identified in a medical setting are ultimately connected to food resources. Higher rates of HFC referral among ED and inpatient families suggest that increased screening efforts in these settings may be warranted.
Problems and Needs Persist for Oklahoma City Bombing Survivors Many Years Later.

Background: This study assesses long-term physical and emotional symptoms and unmet needs in direct survivors of the 1995 Oklahoma City terrorist bombing 18 ½ years after the event. Methods: A telephone questionnaire assessed psychiatric symptoms, health problems and coping strategies in 138 terrorism survivors (of whom 80% were physically injured) from a state registry of directly exposed persons, and 171 non-exposed community controls. Structured survey questions measured psychiatric symptoms, posttraumatic growth, general health problems and health care utilization. Open-ended questions explored survivors’ most important terrorism-related problems and needs. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods were undertaken. Results: Survivors reported similar rates of major health problems and general health care utilization, more anxiety and depression symptoms, and more ancillary health care use than controls on structured assessments. Survivors also reported posttraumatic growth, using several positive coping skills. Open-ended questions identified survivors’ specific continuing bombing-related problems, and needs which were not disclosed on the questionnaire; these included many lasting physical injuries, health problems (especially hearing difficulties), specific posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, other emotional symptoms, work and financial problems, interpersonal issues, and desires to help others. Conclusions: Results suggest that extended recovery services are needed long after terrorism exposure, and that open-ended assessment is useful to identify those requiring services.
Guiding light via slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces

Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPSs) have been explored for many applications, taking advantage of their highly non-wetting property. In this work, we explore the SLIPS as a cladding material for waveguiding. SLIPSs are prepared by infusing perfluoropolyether oil to hydrophobized nanoporous surfaces of silicon. Power loss and transmission efficiency of an HeNe laser (1.82 mW and 632.8 nm) with varying incident angles were measured through microchannels consisting of the SLIPSs as cladding layers (noil = 1.30) and water (nwater = 1.33) as a core, compared to other cladding types including a planar silicon surface and the nanoporous surfaces in hydrophilic (Wenzel state) and hydrophobic (Cassie–Baxter state) conditions with no oil infused. Agreeing with Snell's law, a total internal reflection occurs at the incident angle as high as 14° for the SLIPSs. The waveguide loss at 14° is only 1.8 dB/cm for the SLIPSs, while those for planar silicon, hydrophilic nanoporous, and hydrophobic nanoporous surfaces are 5.9, 7.4, and 4.9 dB/cm, respectively. The power transmission efficiency of the SLIPSs is independent of the porosity because the surfaces are fully covered with the oil layer, whereas those of hydrophilic and hydrophobic nanoporous surfaces, whose pores are filled with water and air, respectively, depend on the porosity. The significantly lower power loss and the insensitivity to the surface porosity are advantages of the SLIPSs over the other surfaces and can benefit in waveguiding applications such as optofluidics.
Secrecy Enhancement of a Cognitive Two-Way Relay Network with Coordinate Interleaving

This paper studies the physical-layer security of a cognitive two-way relay network under a spectrum sharing approach, where two users communicate with each other directly and via a decode-and-forward intermediate relay in the presence of a passive eavesdropper using the spectrum of the primary user. The paper proposes to incorporate coordinate interleaving into the cognitive two-way relay network to enhance its secrecy performance. The coordinate interleaver is applied at both sources and the relay to rotate and interleave the signal points before the transmission which enables to forward each component of the signal over an independent fading channel. The proposed scheme increases the spectral efficiency that is, it transmits more symbols in given time slots, thus increasing the secrecy capacity of the proposed scheme compared to the conventional system. Therefore, the secrecy performance analysis of the proposed scheme is completely different than that of the conventional system. The paper investigates the probability of secrecy outage, probability of intercept, and the probability of non-zero capacity for the proposed scheme. In addition, the paper also compares the secrecy performance of the proposed scheme with the conventional system. Finally, the paper confirms that the proposed scheme outperforms the conventional system.
No Panic in Pandemic: The Impact of Individual Choice on Public Health Policy and Vaccine Priority

Infectious disease outbreaks such as COVID-19 pose significant public health threats and challenges worldwide due to their high transmissibility and potentially severe symptoms and complications. Although public health interventions such as social distancing and lockdown can slow the disease spread, the disruption to regular economic and social activities caused by these interventions have caused significant financial losses. Strategic planning is required to optimize the timing and intensity of these public health interventions by considering individual response. We derive insightful structural properties of the optimal public health interventions and conduct numerical studies based on representative COVID-19 data in Minnesota. We find that the individual equilibrium activity level is higher than the socially optimal activity level due to an individual’s ignorance of the negative externality imposed on others, with the largest difference at a middle-range disease prevalence. As a result, lockdowns and social distancing policies are more effective when the disease prevalence is not at its peak level. Social distancing is more effective than lockdowns based on the representative COVID-19 data from Minnesota. Moreover, due to the limited vaccine capacity, vaccination priority strategy needs to consider the trade-off between the higher mortality rate of the less active group and the higher negative externality imposed by the more active group. Changes in vaccine production capacity, mortality rate ratio and infection rate may affect vaccination priorities. Lastly, while the vaccine priority to the elderly group is most effective in reducing total deaths, it has to be accompanied with more stringent social distancing policies.
A biomechanical model of leaf inclination angle oscillations after raindrop impact

Abstract Raindrop impact exerts a force on the leaf resulting in a decaying oscillation of the leaf inclination angle. Nondestructive measurements of leaf oscillations is important for predicting changes in leaf angles in the field based on morphometric properties of leaves. The objectives of this study were to determine if a second order impulse response could describe experimentally observed changes in leaf inclination angle, to determine if field measurable, nondestructive leaf traits significantly correlate with model parameters, and to determine if the model parameters were species-specific. This study examined leaf oscillations for three common species in Colorado, USA (Acer saccharinum, Quercus gambelii, and Ulmus pumila) due to two different raindrop sizes. The drop impact was created by releasing a single drop of known size from a known height. The resulting leaf motion was recorded using a high-speed video camera. The images were then processed to measure the leaf inclination angle as a function of time, and a model was used to fit the data. The model was evaluated for quality of fit to the data. The experimental data closely fit the modeled data, indicating that the impulse response appropriately predicts leaf oscillations after raindrop impact. Strong linear relationships existed between leaf mass and maximum change in leaf inclination angle after drop impact for both the experimental and the modeled data. The model parameters were also found to be species-specific. The oscillations in leaf inclination angle are accurately described with a second order impulse response. The parameters of the impulse response correlate with field measurable leaf traits and the parameters are species-specific. The data and approach in this study provided a nondestructive tool for the prediction of changes in leaf inclination angle for many broad-leaved species with diverse leaf morphometric properties.
Cheating and compensation in price-fixing cartels

Abstract This paper provides a theoretical explanation of “cheating and compensation on-path of play” using a canonical repeated game model of price-fixing collusion. The novel mechanism relies on firms playing mixed strategies allowing for both the monopoly price and undercutting the monopoly price to happen with positive probability, together with a compensation scheme that punishes a price-cutter. For an intermediate range of discount factors, the mechanism is optimal in a restricted class of equilibria, and such price-cutting and compensation are necessary parts for any symmetric collusive equilibrium.
Assessing Driver Fitness to Participate in FHWA Field Experimentation at Night

A Driving Fitness Form was developed to ensure that drivers areready to participate in field driving experiments at night. The form was tested in afield experiment conducted in Delta, Pennsylvania, during August 2004. The fieldexperiment was part of a cooperative research program conducted by the FederalHighway Administration and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.Sixteen research participants drove a curvy stretch of rural two-lane highway eachnight for 8 nights with different pavement markings and markers on the roadway.Partly due to the Driving Fitness Form, the experiment was completedsuccessfully by all participants without any incidents or crashes. The DrivingFitness Form performed well, and summary data were collected on the sample of16 drivers.
Gene transfer : A prelude to gene therapy

Transfer and expression of exogenous DNA in eukaryotic cells cultivated in vitro has a twenty-five year history. Transfection was the prelude to a complex and diverse array of gene transfer techniques [1]. Almost simultaneous with the development of DNA transfer protocols was the discovery of reverse transcriptase [2, 3] making it possible to create cDNA copies of any mRNA. The discovery and characterization of restriction enzymes opened the era of recombinant DNA technology [4]. Collectively, these developments provided the means to manipulate DNA in ways that has made genetic engineering of plants, animals, and human gene therapy a reality [5]. Modern techniques have improved the efficiency of DNA transfer, and enlarged the diversity of vectors to accommodate and facilitate expression of genes in a wide array of target cells [6-8].
Do institutional investors favor firms with greater brand equity?: An empirical investigation of investments in US lodging firms.

Purpose – The aim of this study is to investigate institutional investment behavior relating to lodging firms and their brand equity.Design/methodology/approach – Ordinary least squares (OLS) and two‐stage least squares (2SLS) regressions are used. The dependent variable is institutional investor percentage and the independent variables are advertising expenditures, size, capital expenditures, proxy Q, debt ratio, price, share turnover and year.Findings – The study found that institutional investors' holdings are positively related to advertising expenditures. There is a significant difference in institutional holdings between lodging firms with advertising expenditures and those without. Institutions favor lodging firms that have lower debt ratios. Institutional investors prefer small firms because they typically offer superior returns.Research limitations/implications – Further research may be done to see whether individual investors favor firms with brand equity. Additional research may be conducted in...
Reducing blood loss in open radical retropubic prostatectomy with prophylactic periprostatic sutures

OBJECTIVE To determine whether the placement of small-calibre, rapidly absorbed prophylactic periprostatic sutures before the mobilization of the prostate could reduce blood loss during open retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP).
Conjugation of catalase to a carrier antibody via a streptavidin-biotin cross-linker

Targeting of catalase could be useful in antioxidative protection of cells challenged with H2O2. In the present study we conjugated catalase to a carrier model antibody using a biotin-streptavidin (SA) cross-linker and characterized the functional activity of the conjugate. Neither biotinylation nor conjugation with SA decreased the enzymic activity of catalase. Further coupling of radiolabelled biotinylated catalase (b-catalase) to biotinylated antibody (b-Ab) via SA using a two-step conjugation procedure did not change enzymic activity of b-catalase. b-Ab-SA-b-catalase specifically bound to antigen-coated plastic wells, but not to albumin-coated plastic wells. Substitution of b-Ab with control biotinylated IgG (b-IgG) abrogated binding of the catalase to the antigen. H2O2 was degraded in antigen-coated wells preincubated with b-Ab-SA-b-catalase, but not with b-IgG-SA-b-catalase. Thus b-Ab-SA-b-catalase specifically binds to immobilized antigen and degrades H2O2 after binding to the target. The methodology described in the present paper may be useful for the development of a novel strategy for antioxidant therapy.
Combining Fixed- and Moving-Vessel Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler Measurements for Improved Characterization of the Mean Flow in a Natural River

[1] A methodology is presented to quantify the mean flow field in a natural river with a boat-mounted acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). Moving-vessel (MV) and fixed-vessel (FV) survey procedures are used in a complementary fashion to provide an improved representation of mean three-dimensional velocity profiles along a cross section. Mean velocity profiles determined with FV measurements are rotated to a stream-fitted orthogonal coordinate system. The orientation of the coordinate system is established using MV measurements. The methodology is demonstrated using measurements obtained at two study sites on the lower Roanoke River for the mean annual flow (228 m3 s−1) and a flow that produces bankfull conditions at the sites (565 m3 s−1). Results at a meander bend identify well-known flow features, including a main circulation cell, outer-bank circulation, and separation at the inner bank. This methodology also provides a framework for comparing time-averaged velocity profiles from FV measurements with spatially averaged profiles from MV measurements. Results indicate that MV measurements can provide a reasonable estimate of the streamwise velocity at many locations. The MV measurements obtained here, however, were not sufficient to resolve the spanwise velocity component.
Intelligent systems: terrestrial observation and prediction using remote sensing data

NASA has made science and technology investments to better utilize its large space-borne remote sensing data holdings of the Earth. With the launch of Terra, NASA created a data-rich environment where the challenge is to fully utilize the data collected from EOS however, despite unprecedented amounts of observed data, there is a need for increasing the frequency, resolution, and diversity of observations. Current terrestrial models that use remote sensing data were constructed in a relatively data and compute limited era and do not take full advantage of on-line learning methods and assimilation techniques that can exploit these data. NASA has invested in visualization, data mining and knowledge discovery methods which have facilitated data exploitation, but these methods are insufficient for improving Earth science models that have extensive background knowledge nor do these methods refine understanding of complex processes. Investing in interdisciplinary teams that include computational scientists can lead to new models and systems for online operation and analysis of data that can autonomously improve in prediction skill over time.
Differential metabolic and electrical activity in the somatic sensory cortex of juvenile and adult rats

We have examined relative levels of metabolic and electrical activity across layer IV in the primary somatic sensory cortex (S1) of the rat in relation to regions of differential postnatal cortical growth. Each of several indices used--mitochondrial enzyme histochemistry, microvessel density, Na+/K+ pump activity, action potential frequency, and deoxyglucose uptake--indicate regional variations of metabolic and electrical activity in this part of the brain in both juvenile (1-week- old) and adult (10–12-week-old) animals. At both ages, areas of the somatic sensory map related to special sensors such as whiskers and digital pads showed evidence of the most intense activity. Thus, mitochondrial enzyme staining, blood vessel density, and Na+/K+ ATPase activity were all greatest in the barrels and barrel-like structures within S1, and least in the adjacent interbarrel cortex and the cortex surrounding S1. Multiunit recordings in and around the posteromedial barrel subfield of anesthetized animals also showed that the average ratio of evoked to spontaneous activity was greater in barrels than in the surrounding, metabolically less active cortex. Furthermore, autoradiograms of labeled deoxyglucose accumulation in awake behaving animals indicated systematic differences in neural activity across S1 barrels and barrel-like structures showed more deoxyglucose accumulation than interbarrel, nonbarrel, or peri-S1 cortex. These regional differences in neural activity correspond to regional differences in neocortical growth (Riddle et al., 1992). The correlation of greater electrical activity, increased metabolism, and enhanced cortical growth during postnatal maturation suggests that neural activity foments the elaboration of circuitry in the developing brain.
Fatty acid desaturase mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Genetic and biochemical analyses were conducted on fatty acid mutants of yeast deficient for Δ9-desaturase activity in the production of palmitoleate and oleate. Two genetic loci were observed and two others are inferred; three of these were represented by respiratory-deficient (petite) strains. All strains were incapable of converting palmitate to palmitoleate and stearate to oleate whether the direct precursor or acetate was followed. All strains were capable of acylating both de novoproduced fatty acids and oleate taken up from the medium into phospholipids and neutral lipids. Two revertants were analyzed which differed in their ability to produce palmitoleate and oleate.
A sequential decoder for differential detection of trellis coded PSK signals

A soft-decision sequential decoder is presented for the differential detection of the trellis-coded phase-shift keyed (PSK) signal. The decoder is based on use of the redundancy introduced by the differential encoder. This is done by joint utilization of several differential detectors. The performance of the decoder is evaluated using the trellis-coded 4-PSK and 8-PSK schemes. Simulation results indicate that for Gaussian and Rician channels, the sequential decoder provides significant performance improvements. >
Regions in the cytosolic C-terminus of the secretory Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl(-) cotransporter NKCC1 are required for its homodimerization.

The “secretory” Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransporter, NKCC1, is a member of a small gene family of electroneutral cation-chloride cotransporters (CCCs) with 9 homologues in vertebrates. A number of these tran...
Gendering the History of Women's Healthcare

This essay examines the genesis and continuing influence of certain core narratives in the history of western women's healthcare. Some derive from first-wave feminism's search for models of female medical practice, an agenda that paid little attention to historical context. Second-wave feminism, identifying a rift between pre-modern and modern times in terms of women's medical practices, saw the pre-modern European female healer as an exceptionally knowledgeable empiricist, uniquely responsible for women's healthcare and (particularly because of her knowledge of mechanisms to limit fertility) a victim of male persecution. Aspects of this second narrative continue subtly to effect scholarly discourse and research agendas on the history of healthcare both by and for women. This essay argues that, by seeing medical knowledge as a cultural product – something that is not static but continually re-created and sometimes contested – we can create an epistemology of how such knowledge is gendered in its genesis, dissemination and implementation. Non-western narratives drawn from history and medical anthropology are employed to show both the larger impact of the western feminist narratives and ways to reframe them.
Metabolic costs of fighting are driven by contest performance in male convict cichlid fish

One of the most important decisions that an animal faces is whether to persist or surrender in an aggressive contest. It pays to win these encounters, but it might be just as economical to evaluate fighting costs and adjust behavioural decisions accordingly. Relatively few studies have explored the physiological basis of contest costs and fewer have determined the internal signals that animals might attend to during combat. We explored relationships between physiological parameters, including energy substrates, anaerobic metabolites and steroid hormones, and both contest performance and contest success in male convict cichlids, Amatitlania nigrofasciata. Size-matched pairs were allowed to fight until one member of the pair submitted, and tissues were subsequently harvested for analysis. There were no significant status differences (winner, loser, control) in mean postfight physiological measures. Dominance reinforcement during a short postsettlement period buffered the winners’ stress response. In both winners and losers, muscle lactate concentrations correlated positively with contest intensity, while only losers showed a significant increase in plasma glucose concentrations as contests intensified. Larger cichlids used more costly fighting tactics than smaller conspecifics, and size asymmetries affected contest outcomes between larger animals significantly more than they did those between smaller animals. These findings suggest that fighting is metabolically costly and that the ramifications of these costs may differ in a size-dependent fashion. We use a recent literature on the scaling of anaerobic tolerance to evaluate the possibility that larger cichlids may be more tolerant of lactate accumulation, and thus able to both engage in more intense fighting tactics and persist longer in escalated fights than marginally smaller opponents. Contest intensity varied independently of mass asymmetries but varied positively with the absolute size of both the winner and loser, suggesting that convict cichlids use self-assessment strategies during contests with similarly sized opponents.
Characteristics of semiconductor gas sensors I. Steady state gas response

Abstract The steady state gas sensing characteristics of SnO2 gas sensors, as exemplified by the Taguchi Gas Sensor (TGS), are comprehensively studied. Resistance responses to hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide and water vapor are experimentally characterized, with particular emphasis on multiple gas interactions. We find that the presence of ambient oxygen is essential to the sensor's operation and that the detection of combustible or reducing gas is mediated by reaction with adsorbed oxygen on the sensor surface. A quantitative model of device operation is constructed which unifies the diverse properties of the TGS and other semiconductor sensors. The model supplies the mathematical framework for meaningful comparisons of sensor performances and gas sensitivities. In addition, it provides for the intrinsic power law response of sensor electrical resistance to combustible gas concentrations, the competitive and synergistic interactions of several gases detected simultaneously, and the source of sensor unselectivity. Stoichiometries and activation energies for the pertinent oxidation reactions on the tin oxide sensor surface can be derived from a sensor's resistance response by curve fitting to the mathematical model.
Long term prediction of roll phase for an undisturbed spinning spacecraft

This paper describes the attitude control of the Pioneer 10 spacecraft since the loss of the sun-sensor signal in late 1983. It is necessary to control the attitude of the spin-stablized spacecraft so as to maintain communications with earth. Roll phase is calculated on earth using data from a science instrument on-board Pioneer 10, the imaging-photopolarimeter, which, along with its other functions, was designed to collect images of Jupiter during encounter in 1973. With calculation of instantaneous roll phase performed only once per week, the spacecraft roll angle can be predicted more than a week ahead for timing reorientation impulses. Attitude reorientation maneuvers based on roll phase predictions have been successfully executed for several years on Pioneer 10. Of 10 maneuvers analyzed in this paper, predictions were made for as many as 10 days in the future based on a roll-phase measurements spanning only 12 days of data. The average maneuver was planned by projecting the roll phase for 3 days (22,000 spacecraft revolutions) and resulted in a maneuver execution phase error of only 11 deg.
Gastroschisis prevalence in Texas 1999–2003

BACKGROUND The worldwide prevalence of gastroschisis is increasing. Maternal age, race/ethnicity, and place of residence have been associated with increased risk. METHODS We obtained descriptive characteristics of mothers of infants with gastroschisis and mothers of all live births from the Texas Birth Defects Registry and Texas vital records for 1999–2003. We calculated prevalence, crude prevalence ratios, and prevalence ratios adjusted for maternal age, parity, education, race/ethnicity, and geographic entity (Mexican border proximity, urban/rural residence, health service region, and county). RESULTS We observed 764 cases of gastroschisis among 1,827,317 live births, for a prevalence of 4.18 per 10,000 births (95% confidence interval 3.88–4.48). Prevalence increased during 1999–2003 (p for trend <0.02). Infants of young and nulliparous mothers were at greatest risk in crude analyses. Other characteristics associated with increased risk were 12 or fewer years of education, border residence, and Hispanic ethnicity. Black mothers were at lower risk. When adjusted for maternal age, race/ethnicity, education, parity, and residence, we found that border residence, educational level, and Hispanic race/ethnicity were no longer significant, but young mothers and nulliparous mothers remained at higher risk, and blacks at reduced risk. Differences in prevalence observed between regions and counties largely disappeared when adjusted for maternal factors. No significant difference between urban and rural residence was found. CONCLUSION The prevalence of gastroschisis increased in Texas during 1999–2003. Black mothers were at lower risk, and Hispanic mothers were at no greater risk than whites. No differences were found between urban/rural or border/nonborder residents. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Parametric study of the volume fraction of fibers in 1–3 PZT/Polyurethane piezoelectric composites during indentation

Abstract The electrical response during indentation of 1–3 PZT/Polyurethane piezoelectric composites containing 25 vol. % PZT-4 and 15–50 vol. % PZT-5H fibers has been investigated. The current (quasistatic charge increment) induced in the indentor due to the polarised layer on the contact surface increases with load as the contact area increases. Excellent agreement was found between the measured currents as a function of load with those predicted using an analytical model. The current increases with increasing indentor diameter as expected. Further, the scatter in data is significantly reduced as the indentor diameter increases. The measured current for a given load increases as the volume fraction of PZT fibers in the composite increases and is larger for composites containing PZT-5H fibers as compared to those containing PZT-4 fibers. In addition, it demonstrates that linear elastic indentation with simultaneous measurement of load and electric current is a simple non-destructive technique that can be...
Stabilization system analysis and performance of the GEOS-A gravity-gradient satellite /Explorer XXIX/

Gravity gradient satellite stabilization and performance analyzed, using computer simulation of motion equations, including eddy current dampers, solar effect, orbital eccentricity, etc
Magnetic resonance imaging of hereditary hernias of the peroneus longus muscle

Herniation of the left peroneus longus muscle was present in three male members of the same family, being the first reported case of this condition in a familial setting. The hernias were differentiated from other mass lesions and varices by magnetic resonance imaging. The images demonstrated a fascial defect originating in the area where vessels and nerves penetrate the fascia, suggesting that the three men had a congenital weakness in the fascia.
Comment on “A Model for Studying Display Methods of Statistical Graphics”

Social psychologist Susan Fiske has shown that common sense notions about human behavior are as often wrong as right. For example, the popular maxim "opposites attract" is generally false. Numerous experiments by another psychologist, Amos Tversky, have demonstrated that we-novices and Bayesian statisticians alike-are poor judges of quantity and chance. Finally, perceptual experiments, including some by Bill Cleveland himself, have shown that statisticians and other humans succumb to visual illusions when viewing statistical graphs. Martin Gardner, Richard Feynman, and the Amazing Randi have all shown how easy it is for scientists to fool themselves. Because we all think we are expert psychologists, we are at greatest risk when we study ourselves and our perceptions. Bill Cleveland has done a service to statisticians by grounding discussions about graphics in experimentation. His ideas on graphical elements, based on a series of experiments (Cleveland 1985), have influenced statistics packages (e.g., S+, STATA, and SYSTAT) and have inspired further experimentation in graphical perception (see Spence and Lewandowsky 1990). An experimental viewpoint should not diminish the work of graphic designers and others who have creative instincts for good displays. Bertin and Tufte, for example, showed that effective graphs need not be dull or lack style. We must be suspicious of any design prescription that is not supported by experimental results, however. Good design does not always lead to effective statistical graphics. Most of Cleveland's early experiments concerned graphical elements-lines, angles, areas, volumes, and colors. This article applies his thinking to graphical compositesreference grids, plotting symbols, and aspect ratios. Although its title is "A Model for Studying Display Methods of Statistical Graphics," it is really more concerned with a variety of approaches to evaluating the use of these composites. While I cannot disagree with most of his conclusions about good usage, I find the model itself somewhat restrictive. Cleveland wishes to stay grounded in perceptual psychology, but the topics he discusses also involve areas of higher cognition. Cognitive psychologists such as Pinker (1990), Simken and Hastie (1987), and Kosslyn (1989) have proposed process models for graphical perceptual processing. Statisticians, on the other hand, like to think of the meaning of a graph as predefined: Construct
Epigenetics of µ-opioid receptors: intersection with HIV-1 infection of the central nervous system.

The abuse of intravenous drugs, such as heroin, has become a major public health concern due to the increased risk of HIV-1 infection. Opioids such as heroin were originally identified and subsequently abused for their analgesic effects. However, many investigations have found additional effects of opioids, including regulation of the immune system. As such, chronic opioid abuse has been shown to promote HIV-1 pathogenesis and facilitate HIV-1-associated neurocognitive dysfunction. Clinical opioids, such as morphine and methadone, as well as illicit opioids, such as heroin, exert their effects primarily through interactions with the μ-opioid receptor (MOR). However, the mechanisms by which opioids enhance neurocognitive dysfunction through MOR-mediated signaling pathways are not completely understood. New findings in the regulation of MOR expression, particularly epigenetic and transcriptional regulation as well as alternative splicing, sheds new insights into possible mechanisms of HIV-1 and opiate synergy. In this review, we identify mechanisms regulating MOR expression and propose novel mechanisms by which opioids and HIV-1 may modulate this regulation. Additionally, we suggest that differential regulation of newly identified MOR isoforms by opioids and HIV-1 has functional consequence in enhancing HIV-1 neurocognitive dysfunction.
The Futile Paradigm: In Quest of Feudalism in Early Medieval Japan

How useful is ‘feudalism’ as a paradigm for understanding medieval Japan? While the construct has a venerable history in application to the Japanese past, it is rarely invoked by specialists today, who tend to focus comparative analyses on fundamental differences, rather than superficial parallels between medieval Japan and medieval Europe. This article examines both the history and the utility of the feudal construct, discussing problems inherent to definitions of ‘feudalism’ and surveying changing scholarly perceptions of late classical and early medieval Japan, particularly with regard to three key processes: the appearance of the samurai, the emergence of warrior-aristocrats as rulers, and the evolution of vassalage and its relationship to benefice.
Effects of 6-Thioguanine and S6-Methylthioguanine on Transcription in Vitro and in Human Cells

Thiopurine drugs are extensively used as chemotherapeutic agents in clinical practice, even though there is concern about the risk of therapy-related cancers. It has been previously suggested that the cytotoxicity of thiopurine drugs involves their metabolic activation, the resultant generation of 6-thioguanine (SG) and S6-methylthioguanine (S6mG) in DNA, and the futile mismatch repair triggered by replication-induced SG:T and S6mG:T mispairs. Disruption of transcription is known to be one of the major consequences of DNA damage induced by many antiviral and antitumor agents; however, it remains undefined how SG and S6mG compromise the efficiency and fidelity of transcription. Using our recently developed competitive transcription and adduct bypass assay, herein we examined the impact of SG and S6mG on transcription in vitro and in human cells. Our results revealed that, when situated on the transcribed strand, S6mG exhibited both inhibitory and mutagenic effects during transcription mediated by single-subunit T7 RNA polymerase or multisubunit human RNA polymerase II in vitro and in human cells. Moreover, we found that the impact of S6mG on transcriptional efficiency and fidelity is modulated by the transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair capacity. In contrast, SG did not considerably compromise the efficiency or fidelity of transcription, and it was a poor substrate for NER. We propose that S6mG might contribute, at least in part, to thiopurine-mediated cytotoxicity through inhibition of transcription and to potential therapy-related carcinogenesis via transcriptional mutagenesis.
Genetic engineering, integrated pest management and the evolution of pests

It is well known that pest populations can evolve resistance to pesticides. The bollworm complex (Heliothis spp.), which attacks cotton plants, is a particularly good example of a highly adaptable pest. To achieve long-term success, genetic engineering projects for the production of 'insecticidal' crop plants, including cotton, need to take account of the adaptive potential of pests. Using the bollworm complex as a model, it is possible to show how an integrated approach to pest management, involving genetic engineers, evolutionary biologists and ecologists, could lead to the development of safe and effective transgenic cultivars.
Development of Canopy Reflectance Algorithms for Real-Time Prediction of Bermudagrass Pasture Biomass and Nutritive Values

Timely assessments of forage biomass production and nutritive values during the growing season are important for livestock managers to make decisions for adjusting stocking rate and pasture management. Remote sensing of canopy reflectance may provide a rapid and inexpensive means of estimating pasture nutritive values and biomass. The objective of this study was to determine the relationships between neutral detergent fiber (NDF), add detergent fiber (ADF), crude protein (CP) concentration, biomass, and CP availability of bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] pastures and canopy reflectance. An experiment was conducted in the 2002 and 2003 growing seasons using three bermudagrass pastures of 'Midland', 'Ozarka', and an experimental hybrid, 72x12-12. Pasture CP concentration, biomass and CP availability correlated linearly with the reflectance ratios of R 605 / R 515 , R 915 /R 975 , and R 875 /R 725 (0.44 ≤ r 2 ≤ 0.63) as well as with the first derivatives of reflectance with wavebands centered at 545, 935, and 755 nm (0.49 ≤ r 2 £ 0.68). Linear equations between each forage variable and the ratios or derivatives of reflectance were developed on the basis of data pooled across years, plant genotypes, and sampling dates. Validation of developed equations indicated that the CP concentration, biomass, and CP availability could be predicted by either the ratios or derivatives of the reflectance. Pasture NDF and ADF had lower correlation with canopy reflectance than other measured variables. Our results suggest that two-narrow-waveband reflectance ratios or the first derivatives in visible and near-infrared spectral regions can be used for real-time and nondestructive prediction of forage productivity and CP content in bermudagrass pastures.
Use of breath analysis to monitor trichloroethylene exposures.

Triehloroethylene (TCE) postexposure breath decay curves were obtained from ten male and ten female volunteers who were exposed daily in a controlled-environment chamber to TCE vapor, 20, 100, or 200 ppm for one, three, or 71/2 hours. Alveolar breath samples were collected in glass pipettes for TCE analysis by gas chromatography. The series of TCE breath decay curves obtained was highly reproducible and the narrow range of TCE in the breath at a specific time in the early postexposure period of persons identically exposed indicated that breath analysis could be used as a rapid method with which to estimate the magnitude of recent TCE exposure. The TCE breath concentration in the immediate postexposure period accurately reflected the vapor concentration to which the subject had been most recently exposed. Breath samples collected eight to 24 hours following exposure were accurate indicators of the time-weighted average vapor exposure experienced by the subject on the previous day.
A Review of Healthcare, Public Health, and Syndromic Surveillance

﻿The threats of global epidemics and bioterrorism have created a demand for research in healthcare and disease surveillance. An overview and review is given of existing data collection and surveillance systems, as well as popular methods and performance..
INTEGRATING PARAMETER ESTIMATION SOLUTIONS FROM THE TIME AND TIME-SCALE DOMAINS

A method of parameter estimation was recently introduced that separately estimates each parameter of the dynamic model [1]. In this method, regions coined as parameter signatures, are identified in the time-scale domain wherein the prediction error can be attributed to the error of a single model parameter. Based on these single-parameter associations, individual model parameters can then be estimated for iterative estimation. Relative to nonlinear least squares, the proposed Parameter Signature Isolation Method (PARSIM) has two distinct attributes. One attribute of PARSIM is to leave the estimation of a parameter dormant when a parameter signature cannot be extracted for it. Another attribute is independence from the contour of the prediction error. The first attribute could cause erroneous parameter estimates, when the parameters are not adapted continually. The second attribute, on the other hand, can provide a safeguard against local minima entrapments. These attributes motivate integrating PARSIM with a method, like nonlinear least-squares, that is less prone to dormancy of parameter estimates. The paper demonstrates the merit of the proposed integrated approach in application to a difficult estimation problem.Copyright © 2009 by ASME