cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synchro-phasor based three phase state estimation using modal components

Power systems may not always operate under fully balanced conditions due to unbalanced loads. Such cases will necessitate full three-phase monitoring of the system state. Thus, positive sequence network model and associated state estimation formulation will not be valid for such operating conditions. It is clearly possible to use a simple extension of the least squares (WLS) estimator to formulate a full three-phase state estimation problem. However, this may require significant changes to existing state estimator software and will greatly increase the computational burden compared to the positive sequence counterpart. This paper proposes a simple alternative that uses modal transformation and synchronized measurements provided by phasor measurement units (PMU). Both state estimation and subsequent bad data processing will be accomplished using the proposed modal component based approach. Details of the method along with examples will be given to illustrate its effectiveness.
Connecting the physical world with pervasive networks

This article addresses the challenges and opportunities of instrumenting the physical world with pervasive networks of sensor-rich, embedded computation. The authors present a taxonomy of emerging systems and outline the enabling technological developments.
Accountant ethics: A brief examination of neglected sociological dimensions

Traditional treatments of accountant ethics make implicit assumptions inconsistent with a sociological perspective. This paper identifies the ways in which accountant ethics have been approached both in literature pertaining to practice and the classroom. The boundaries of the topic, when its definitions are left tacit, systematically preclude many important features of ethics. Included in these are sociological treatments of the accounting profession as a group, extra-personal aspects of decision making, the stratification of accounting practice, and a sense of ethical action. The paper concludes with an illustration of how institutional theory has the potential to create a systematic sociological interpretation of accountant ethics.
A kinetic model for tris(dimethylamino) arsine decomposition in GaAs(100) surfaces

In this paper, we outline the detailed arguments involved in developing a kinetic model describing surface pyrolysis of tris(dimethylamino) arsine (TDMAAs) on a GaAs(100) surface. Two decomposition pathways of TDMAAs on GaAs(100) are assumed: simple scission of the arsenic and nitrogen bond and surface β-hydrogen transfer reaction. The pre-exponential factor for the scission of the parent is assumed to be the largest among the species going through the scission pathway. Removal of the last dimethylamino ligand is assumed to be essentially the rate-limiting step of the overall decomposition of TDMAAs. The reaction steps and constraints so constructed enable us to derive kinetic parameters of reasonable values from temperature-programmed desorption data in literature. Computer simulations based on the model reproduce well the behavior of data in literature of desorption products from a heated GaAs(100) surface exposed to TDMAAs inside a vacuum chamber.
Visual acuity in patients with best vitelliform macular dystrophy.

Purpose: Forty-seven patients with Best vitelliform macular dystrophy were evaluated in a cross-sectional fashion for visual acuity loss with age. Methods: The authors assessed only patients who had at least one eye with a recognizable phenotype of Best vitelliform macular dystrophy. Patients with absent foveal changes or with only minimal foveal pigment mottling and hypopigmentation in each eye were excluded. Results: A significant difference was noted between the visual acuities of the two eyes of the patients (2 lines or greater in the majority [64%] of patients). Nevertheless, for both eyes a significant correlation was noted between patient age and visual acuity, with older patients tending to have worse visual acuities. In the eyes with the best visual acuity, the majority of patients younger than 40 years of age (76%) had a visual acuity of 20/40 or better. In patients older than 30 years of age, a substantial percentage (74%) had a visual acuity of 20/100 or worse in at least one eye. Conclusion: The authors' findings indicate that although patients with Best vitelliform macular dystrophy who show characteristic macular lesions may retain good visual acuity in at least one eye, an appreciable number can lose substantial visual acuity, at least monocularly. In this population, no patient older than 50 years of age fulfilled the visual acuity criterion of 20/40 in at least one eye, the requirement in most states for an unrestricted driver's license, and only 20% of patients older than 40 years of age fulfilled this visual acuity criterion.
Comparative studies on structural and catalytic properties of enolases.

Abstract Enolase has been partially purified from dog, beef, mouse, frog, turtle, ocean perch, snails, soybeans, oats, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides, using procedures similar to that used to prepare enolase from rabbit muscle. Pure enolases from yeast, rabbit muscle, rainbow trout, chum salmon, and coho salmon were also included in this comparative study. The catalytic properties of all the enolases studied have been found to be very similar. The Km values fall within the range of 0.40–1.58 × 10−4 m . All the enzymes require Mg2+ for activity and are inhibited by F− with similar inhibition constants. pH optima can be divided into two classes, with the pH optimum of vertebrates at pH 7.0 ± 0.1, and the optimum for yeast and higher plants at pH 7.6–8.0. The molecular weight, as estimated by sedimentation in sucrose density gradients, is quite similar for the enolases studied. On the other hand, relative electrophoretic mobility and immunochemical studies revealed considerable variation in the other structural properties. We tentatively conclude from the data that the active site of enolase expressed by widely different protein molecules in different species has remained remarkably constant through biochemical evolution.
A response to traumatized children: developing a best practices model.

SUMMARYThis manuscript describes the key components for establishing collaborative partnerships in the delivery of services to children who have been traumatized by abuse, neglect, and prenatal exposure to alcohol. Specifically, the manuscript addresses: the national need for such collaborative partnerships; the effects of abuse, neglect, and prenatal exposure to alcohol on developmental and educational outcomes; the process used to develop the children's trauma assessment center (CTAC) including discussion on the family centered and transdisciplinary nature of the center; and the accomplishment and future goals of CTAC. The members of the CTAC team currently include the disciplines of counseling, occupational therapy, pediatric medicine, social work, and speech-language pathology. Future goals include expanding the core team to include the nursing and educational psychology disciplines.
Antecedents of Nation Brand Personality

Given the increasing popularity of nation branding across the globe, brand management at the symbolic level is a critical component of a nation's brand management program. By surveying a US sample of 304 college students, the current study identified a total of five primary antecedents of nation brand personality: government competences, people/events, natural features, pop culture and arts/history. The results also show that government competences, natural features, and pop culture are crucial antecedents in nation branding; they increase chances of a positive nation brand personality dimension (eg, agreeableness, assiduousness) or decrease the possibility of a negative dimension (eg, snobbism).
Productive Efficiency and Contract Management: Some Evidence From Public Transit Agencies

This article examines a form of public production that contracts out the top Abstract management of the transit agency. This allows a test of Fama's conjecture that competition among managers, even when financial incentives are deferred, is sufficient to mitigate the principal-agency problem. Previous work has found little difference in cost and has concluded that the public versus contract management distinction is of little practical interest. This article demonstrates that, whereas total costs are similar, the input selection and input utilization decisions that lead to total cost are quite different between management types. This cost decomposition goes a long way toward describing how and why productive inefficiency occurs and what can be done to eliminate this inefficiency.
Welfare aspects of the transfer problem

Using the standard trade model with three countries, and allowing for substitutability in both production and consumption, this paper demonstrates that a country may gain by giving a transfer, that the receiver may lose, and that these two phenomena may appear at the same time. This result is an extension of Gale's example in a fixed-coefficient model, where he shows both transferer and transferee may become better off harming the third country; and it is contrasted with the traditional welfare proposition whereby a giver is immiserized and a recipient is enriched.
Collaborative Selflessness Toward an Experiential Understanding of the Emergent “Responsive Self” in a Caregiving Context

This collaborative inquiry reports the impact of mindfulness meditation practice in a hospital’s palliative care setting. Designed as action research, the collaborative program invited participants...
1H NMR-based metabonomic investigation of tributyl phosphate exposure in rats

Abstract Tributyl phosphate (TBP) is a toxic organophosphorous compound widely used in many industrial applications, including significant usage in nuclear processing. The industrial application of this chemical is responsible for occupational exposure and environmental pollution. In this study, 1 H NMR-based metabonomics has been applied to investigate the metabolic response to TBP exposure. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were given a TBP-dose of 15 mg/kg body weight, followed by 24 h urine collection, as was previously demonstrated for finding most of the intermediates of TBP. High-resolution 1 H NMR spectroscopy of urine samples in conjunction with statistical pattern recognition and compound identification allowed for the metabolic changes associated with TBP treatment to be identified. Discerning NMR spectral regions corresponding to three TBP metabolites, dibutyl phosphate (DBP), N -acetyl-(S-3-hydroxybutyl)- l -cysteine and N -acetyl-(S-3-oxobutyl)- l -cysteine, were identified in TBP-treated rats. In addition, the 1 H NMR spectra revealed TBP-induced variations of endogenous urinary metabolites including benzoate, urea, and trigonelline along with metabolites involved in the Krebs cycle including citrate, cis-aconitate, trans-aconitate, 2-oxoglutarate, succinate, and fumarate. These findings indicate that TBP induces a disturbance to the Krebs cycle energy metabolism and provides a biomarker signature of TBP exposure. We show that three metabolites of TBP, dibutylphosphate, N -acetyl-(S-3-hydroxybutyl)- l -cysteine and N -acetyl-(S-3-oxobutyl)- l -cysteine, which are not present in the control groups, are the most important factors in separating the TBP and control groups ( p p
Spectral Simulation and Conditioning to Local Continuity Trends in Geologic Modeling

Spectral simulation has gained application in building geologic models due to the advantage of better honoring the spatial continuity of petrophysical properties, such as reservoir porosity and shale volume. Distinct from sequential simulation methods, spectral simulation is a global algorithm in the sense that a global density spectrum is calculated once and the inverse Fourier transform is performed on the Fourier coefficient also only once to generate a simulation realization. The generated realizations honor the spatial continuity structure globally over the whole field instead of only within a search neighborhood, as with sequential simulation algorithms. However, the disadvantage of global spectral simulation is that it traditionally cannot account for the local information such as the local continuity trends, which are often observed in reservoirs and hence are important to be accounted for in geologic models. This disadvantage has limited wider application of spectral simulation in building geologic models. In this paper, we present ways of conditioning geologic models to the relevant local information. To account for the local continuity trends, we first scale different frequency components of the original model with local-amplitude spectrum ratios that are specific to the local trend. The sum of these scaled frequency components renders a new model that displays the desired local continuity trend. The implementation details of this new method are discussed and examples are provided to illustrate the algorithm.
A method for obtaining psychophysical thresholds from the pigeon.

In several recent experiments, I have used a new and rather complex method to measure the pigeon's absolute visual threshold. The published reports of these studies (2, 3, 5, 6) include only brief summaries of this technique. The present paper describes the method in detail and outlines the reasoning behind its various aspects. For the sake of brevity and clarity, I do not attempt to discuss other applications of the technique. Also, I do not add to the previous apparatus descriptions (2, 3, 5), except where such addition is necessary to clarify procedural details.
Magnetic Field-Guided Cell Delivery with Nanoparticle-Loaded Human Corneal Endothelial Cells

To improve the delivery and integration of cell therapy using magnetic cell guidance for replacement of corneal endothelium, here we assess magnetic nanoparticles' (MNPs') effects on human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs) in vitro. Biocompatible, 50 nm superparamagnetic nanoparticles endocytosed by cultured HCECs induced no short- or long-term change in viability or identity. Assessment of guidance of the magnetic HCECs in the presence of different magnet shapes and field strengths showed a 2.4-fold increase in delivered cell density compared to gravity alone. After cell delivery, HCECs formed a functional monolayer, with no difference in tight junction formation between MNP-loaded and control HCECs. These data suggest that nanoparticle-mediated magnetic cell delivery may increase the efficiency of cell delivery without compromising HCEC survival, identity or function. Future studies may assess the safety and efficacy of this therapeutic modality in vivo. From the clinical editor: The authors show in this article that magnetic force facilitates the delivery of human corneal endothelial cells loaded by superparamagnetic nanoparticles to cornea, without changing their morphology, identity or functional properties. This novel idea can potentially have vast impact in the treatment of corneal endothelial dystrophies by providing self-endothelial cells after ex-vivo expansion.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau and the science of management: the illusion of free will

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to focus on Rousseau's three major works: the epistolary novel Julia. Or, The New Eloisa, one of the eighteenth century's best sellers, the political essay The Social Contract, and the pedagogical treatise Emile: or On Education. It seeks to explore the innovative management theories Rousseau develops as he embarks in the simultaneous composition of these three major works, particularly as he conceptualizes his ideal society and envisions a brand new political system, one that would take into account the natural state of humankind in order to socialize them more efficiently. Design/methodology/approach – The paper explores Rousseau's solution to these obstacles, and examines his understanding of censorship, as well as the surreptitious control of people's values, tastes, and aspirations. His vision of humanity is very similar to that of “a machine to be put together by skillful devices”, assuming “that the materials of which it is composed are colorless and lifeless”. Fi...
Mutagenic activity of vinyl compounds and derived epoxides

Abstract Many vinyl compounds, such as vinyl chloride and some inhalational anesthetics, are known to be mutagens. In the present study, 10 vinyl compounds or derived epoxides, widely used in industry, were assayed in the Salmonella typhimurium /mammalian microsome system. 3 strains of histidine-dependent S. typhimurium , TA1535, TA98 and TA100 were used. Of the 10 compounds, 4 were mutagens. They were 9-vinylanthracene, vinylcarbazole, 3-vinyl-7-oxabicyclo[4.1.0]heptane and 3-epoxyethyl-7-oxabicyclo[4.1.0]heptane. The study confirmed the overall genotoxicity of vinyl compounds and epoxides and the need to carefully screen them for mutagenic/carcinogenic effects.
Monitoring a post-tensioned concrete box girder bridge with cracks

It is a rare opportunity to monitor a damaged structure due to extensive cracking. The progress of cracks is of primary concern for maintenance. However, it is difficult to distinguish the extension due to structural degradation from temperature to traffic. A Structural Health Monitoring System (SHMS) was installed in a PC box-girder bridge in order to monitor the crack development. This SHMS has continuously worked for 7 years. The temperature and traffic load patterns were deduced from raw data by using correlation techniques. Although, crack opening displacement (COD) due to temperature of daily and yearly seasonal cycles is much larger than the COD due to trucks, the overall fatigue effect due to traffic is much larger than the temperature effect because of its sheer numbers, about 3000 per day. Overweight trucks are usually allowed with permit in major interstate highway. However, frequency change due to local fatigue of crack is negligible. This research can be helpful to explain why frequency is insensitive to local damage.
On the phylogeny of the Dytiscidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) with emphasis on the morphology of the female reproductive system

Characters from adult morphology are analyzed cladistically to infer the phylogeny of the family Dytiscidae. The analysis is based on examination of 233 species of Dytiscidae and several outgroup taxa including members of Noteridae, Amphizoidae, Hygrobiidae and Carabidae. Members of all currently recognized tribes of Dytiscidae are represented except Anisomeriini Brinck, Hydronebriini Guignot and Carabhydrini Watts. Emphasis is placed on identifying informative characters from the female genital system that comprise 34 of the resulting 101 total characters. The consensus of the most parsimonious trees is well resolved and supports recognition of ten subfamilies of Dytiscidae including; Matinae van den Branden, Laccophilinae Gistel, Coptotominae van den Branden, Copelatinae Erichson, Hydroporinae Aube, Agabinae Thomson, Colymbetinae Erichson, Lancetinae van den Branden and Dytiscinae Leach. Also, Hydrodytes Miller, NEW GENUS, is erected and placed in its own subfamily, Hydrodytinae, NEW SUBFAMILY, to include two species previously placed in Agaporomorphus Zimmermann (Copelatinae), H. opalinus (Zimmermann) (NEW COMBINATION) and H. dodgei (Young) (NEW COMBINATION). Hydrodytinae is sister group to Hydroporinae and is diagnosed by the presence of anterior apodemes on the gonocoxae, several characters of the metendosternite (each synapomorphic with Hydroporinae), lack of pseudotetramerous pro- and mesotarsi, lack of a declivitous prosternum and prosternal process, the scutellum visible with the elytra closed (all plesiomorphic), the rami of the female genitalia sinuate and dorsally with an opalescent sheen (each autapomorphic for Hydrodytinae). Matinae is resolved as the sister group to the remaining Dytiscidae. Hyphydrini Sharp is found to be paraphyletic with respect to Pachydrini Bistrom, Nilsson and Wewalka, and the latter is relegated to a junior subjective synonym of the former (NEW SYNONYMY). Hydroporini Aube and Hygrotini Portevin are found to be para- or polyphyletic. No changes are made to the classification of these taxa since character evidence is relatively weak, and taxon sampling within Hydroporinae is inadequate to justify changes. Carabdytes Balke, Hendrich and Wewalka is found to be the sister taxon to the remaining Colymbetinae, and because of its unique combination of characters and phylogenetic placement it is included in its own tribe, Carabdytini Pederzani (RESURRECTED). All other examined tribes of Dytiscidae are monophyletic. The female genitalia are described and figured for numerous taxa across the family, and numerous other characters are described and figured. The evolution of various features of the female genitalia within Dytiscidae is discussed. The resulting phylogenetic hypothesis is compared and contrasted with other phylogenetic proposals.
Single-chain Fv designs for protein, cell and gene therapeutics

One decade after the invention of single-chain Fv (sFv) proteins and methods for their facile engineering in microbial systems, there have been several recent engineering advances which combine the avidity, effector and pharmacological properties of intact monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) with the simplicity of the sFv formats. These developments may serve as the prelude for a new wave of immunomolecule therapeutics which can surpass mAbs in efficacy, biodistribution and abundance of applications. Additionally, sFv formats are now used extensively in the fields of gene and cell therapy as intracellular target-binding drugs; targeting agents for vectors with redesigned tropism; and engineered chimeric receptors for targeted immune cells.
Model Predictive Control Guidance with Extended Command Governor Inner-Loop Flight Control for Hypersonic Vehicles

The paper describes a control system for hypersonic vehicles that consists of an outerloop guidance layer and an inner-loop flight control layer. For the outer-loop, a Model Predictive Control approach is pursued to prescribe the desired bank angle and flight path angle commands so that the vehicle can follow the way points and avoid exclusion zones during its flight. For the inner-loop, a combination of a Linear Quadratic state feedback control and an Extended Command Governor to handle pointwise-in-time state and control constraints is proposed. Simulation results are presented for an implementation of the proposed approach that includes the outer-loop MPC bank angle/flight path angle control and the inner-loop controller that tracks the desired angle-of-attack and enforces the constraints.
P-E Measurements for Ferroelectric Gate Capacitors

The polarization hysteresis measurement for ferroelectric gate capacitors was attempted using a quasi metal-ferroelectric-metal-insulator-semiconductor (MFMIS) capacitor which was fabricated by the series-connection of a ferroelectric capacitor and a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) capacitor. By the polarization-voltage measurement using the MIS capacitor, it was revealed that the difficulty of the polarization hysteresis measurement for ferroelectric gate capacitors is caused by the low response frequency of the inversion region formation. This issue was overcome by the use of illumination to enhance the formation of the inversion layer. Consequently, symmetric and quantitative polarization hysteresis loops could be obtained even in the ferroelectric gate capacitors.
Characterization of the cis-Acting Contributions to Avian Hepadnavirus RNA Encapsidation

Previous analysis of duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) indicated the presence of at least two cis-acting sequences required for efficient encapsidation of its pregenomic RNA (pgRNA), and region II. ,a n RNA stem-loop near the 5 end of the pgRNA, has been characterized in detail, while region II, located in the middle of the pgRNA, is not as well defined. Our initial aim was to identify the sequence important for the function of region II in DHBV. We scanned region II and the surrounding sequence by using a quantitative encapsidation assay. We found that the sequence between nucleotides (nt) 438 and 720 contributed to efficient pgRNA encapsidation, while the sequence between nt 538 and 610 made the largest contribution to encapsidation. Additionally, deletions between the two encapsidation sequences, and region II, had variable effects on encapsidation, while substitutions of heterologous sequence between and region II disrupted the ability of the pgRNA to be encapsidated efficiently. Overall, these data indicate that the intervening sequences between and region II play a role in encapsidation. We also analyzed heron hepatitis B virus (HHBV) for the presence of region II and found features similar to DHBV: a broad region necessary for efficient encapsidation that contained a critical region II sequence. Furthermore, we analyzed variants of DHBV that were substituted with HHBV sequence over region II and found that the chimeras were not fully functional for RNA encapsidation. These results indicate that sequences within region II may need to be compatible with other viral components in order to function in pgRNA encapsidation. Hepadnaviruses are liver-tropic, small DNA viruses that replicate through an RNA intermediate called the pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) (for a review, see references 7 and 22). Hepadnaviruses characteristically cause acute and chronic hepatitis in their hosts. Members of the hepadnavirus family include the prototype, human hepatitis B virus (HBV), as well as the distantly related avian viruses duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) and heron hepatitis B virus (HHBV). Although they are both avihepadnaviruses, DHBV and HHBV share only 79% nucleotide identity. Studying the avian hepadnaviruses has provided sig
Place attachment as a mediator of the relationship between nature-based recreation benefits and future visit intentions.

This study examined the theoretical relationships between consumers’ perceived benefits, place attachment and future visit intentions (FVI) at nature-based recreation and tourism areas, utilizing importance and performance concepts. The desired benefits and perceived attained benefits of consumers were treated as an antecedent to place attachment and FVI in structural models. Results of two separate structural models tests using responses from 934 visitors at the Ocala National Forest in Florida, USA, confirmed that place attachment fully mediates the relationship between benefits desired and FVI, while place attachment partially mediates the relationship between benefits attained and FVI. The former verifies the significant role of place attachment, and the latter validates the importance of place attachment as well as recreation benefit attainment in predicting visitors’ FVI. These findings suggest that both benefits desired and benefits attained are important predictors of place attachment and behavior...
The combustion of sound and rotten coarse woody debris: a review

Coarse woody debris serves many functions in forest ecosystem processes and has important implications for fire management as it affects air quality, soil heating and carbon budgets when it combusts. There is relatively little research evaluating the physical properties relating to the combustion of this coarse woody debris with even less specifically addressing decomposition, a condition that eventually affects all debris. We review studies evaluating the combustion and consumption of coarse woody debris in the field and under controlled conditions. The thermal properties affected by decomposition are also reviewed, as are current modelling tools to represent their combustion. Management implications and suggestions for future research are then presented.
Recent Studies on the Effect of Dehydroepiandrosterone on the Metabolism of Carcinogens in Vivo

AbstractDehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a naturally occurring adrenal steroid, has been shown to inhibit both spontaneous and chemically induced tumors in various species. The protective effects of DHEA are believed to be due to an inhibition of both the initiation and promotion phases of tumorigenesis. In our laboratories we have investigated the influence of DHEA on the metabolism and macromolecular interactions of the hepatocarcinogens NDMA, AFB1, and the mammary carcinogen DMBA to understand some of the mechanisms involved in the inhibition of initiation of tumors by DHEA; notably metabolic activation of the carcinogens and their adduct formation with hepatic DNA. Binding of these carcinogens to hepatic DNA was significantly inhibited in the steroid-fed rats. However, the binding of these carcinogens to total liver protein was 2-3 fold higher in the DHEA-fed rats. In vivo and in vitro metabolic studies suggested that DHEA enhanced the metabolic activation of these carcinogens in the liver. The implicat...
Prevalence of Primary and Revision Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in the United States From 1990 Through 2002

Background: The purpose of this study was to quantify the procedural rate and revision burden of total hip and knee arthroplasty in the United States and to determine if the age or gender-based procedural rates and overall revision burden are changing over time. Methods: The National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS) for 1990 through 2002 was used in conjunction with United States Census data to quantify the rates of primary and revision arthroplasty as a function of age and gender within the United States with use of methodology published by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Poisson regression analysis was used to evaluate the procedural rate and to determine year-to-year trends in primary and revision arthroplasty rates as a function of both age and gender. Results: Both the number and the rate of total hip and knee arthroplasties (particularly knee arthroplasties) increased steadily between 1990 and 2002. Over the thirteen years, the rate of primary total hip arthroplasties per 100,000 persons increased by approximately 50%, whereas the corresponding rate of primary total knee arthroplasties almost tripled. The rate of revision total hip arthroplasties increased by 3.7 procedures per 100,000 persons per decade, and that of revision total knee arthroplasties, by 5.4 procedures per 100,000 persons per decade. However, the mean revision burden of 17.5% for total hip arthroplasty was more than twice that for total knee arthroplasty (8.2%), and this did not change substantially over time. Conclusions: The number and prevalence of primary hip and knee replacements increased substantially in the United States between 1990 and 2002, but the trend was considerably more pronounced for primary total knee arthroplasty. Clinical Relevance: The reported prevalence trends have important ramifications with regard to the number of joint replacements expected to be performed by orthopaedic surgeons in the future. Because the revision burden has been relatively constant over time, we can expect that a greater number of primary replacements will result in a greater number of revisions unless some limiting mechanism can be successfully implemented to reduce the future revision burden.
Rituximab, cyclophosphamide-fractionated, vincristine, doxorubicin and dexamethasone alternating with rituximab, methotrexate and cytarabine overcomes risk features associated with inferior outcomes in treatment of newly diagnosed, high-risk diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Subtypes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) that have inferior outcomes after front-line therapy with R-CHOP (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone) have been identified. While it is agreed that R-CHOP is probably not adequate in these patients, there is no standard treatment approach for patients with DLBCL with high-risk features. We present results of a retrospective cohort study of high-risk DLBCL (defined as having at least one unfavorable risk factor: non-germinal center [GC] subtype by immunohistochemistry [IHC], Ki-67 ≥ 80%, high International Prognostic Index [IPI], c-MYC rearrangement) treated with R-HCVAD/R-MTX-AraC (rituximab, cyclophosphamide-fractionated, vincristine, doxorubicin and dexamethasone alternating with rituximab, methotrexate and cytarabine; R-HCVAD) as front-line therapy. With a median follow-up of 25.3 months, the 3-year PFS and OS estimates are 79% (95% confidence interval [CI], 65-88%) and 76% (95% CI, 61-86%), respectively, which are higher than those for historical comparisons with R-CHOP data for high-risk patients. These data are in accord with other recent reports of dose-intense front-line therapy of high-risk DLBCL. This analysis represents the largest reported cohort of patients with DLBCL treated with R-HCVAD. These data suggest that R-HCVAD can overcome traditional poor risk features such as high IPI, high Ki-67 and non-GC IHC pattern. Future work will focus on identifying molecular markers for failure in patients with DLBCL treated with dose-intensive regimens.
17β-Estradiol and the phytoestrogen genistein attenuate neuronal apoptosis induced by the endoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin

Abstract Estrogenic compounds have been shown to protect neurons from a variety of toxic stimuli in vitro and in vivo and depletion of estrogen at menopause has been associated with increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Genistein is an isoflavone soy derivative that binds to estrogen receptors with selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) properties. Recent FDA recommendations of soy intake for cholesterol reduction have prompted investigation into the potentially estrogenic role of dietary soy phytochemicals in the brain. In this study, we have shown that 50 nM genistein significantly reduces neuronal apoptosis in an estrogen receptor-dependent manner. The importance of apoptosis in the brain has been recognized with regard to organization of the developing brain as well as degeneration in response to disease or stroke; however, the effects of estrogenic compounds on neuronal apoptosis have not been thoroughly examined. We developed a model of apoptotic toxicity in primary cortical neurons by using the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium-ATPase inhibitor, thapsigargin, to test potential anti-apoptotic effects of 17β-estradiol and genistein. Estrogen receptor β, but not estrogen receptor α, was detected in our primary neuron cultures. Thapsigargin-induced apoptosis was confirmed by loss of mitochondrial function, DNA laddering, nuclear condensation and fragmentation, and caspase activation. Both 17β-estradiol and genistein reduced the number of apoptotic neurons and reduced the number of neurons containing active caspase-3. This effect was blocked by co-addition of ICI 182,780. Our results demonstrate that genistein and 17β-estradiol have comparable anti-apoptotic properties in primary cortical neurons and that these properties are mediated through estrogen receptors.
Procurement Risk Management (PRM) at Hewlett-Packard Company

Supply chain risks related to product demand, component cost, and availability uncertainties can have a significant impact on a manufacturing company's revenue and profits. The Procurement Risk Management (PRM) Group at Hewlett-Packard (HP) developed and implemented a mathematical model, business process, and software to measure and manage supply chain risks on the procurement side. In 2006, the software-enabled business process helped HP to manage over $7 billion in spending; this resulted in material-cost savings of $128 million. Over the past six years, HP has realized more than $425 million in cumulative cost savings using the PRM approach.
Distributed computing environment (DCE) porting tool

This paper describes the design and implementation of a conversion tool. This tool, called Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) Porting Tool, converts an Open Network Computing (ONC) Remote Procedure Call (RPC) application to a DCE RPC application. The manual intervention needed during the conversion process in minimal. The paper briefly describes RPC programming and highlights the difference between ONC RPC and DCE RPC. The design decisions of the Porting Tool is explained. The implementation uses LEX and YACC (language processing tools supported by Unix) for conversion logic and OSF/MOTIF for Graphical User Interface (GUI). The paper concludes with current limitations of the Tool and the possible future work.
Risperidone in the Treatment of Delusions of Infestation

Objective: The aim of this study is to describe the efficacy and safety of risperidone, in the treatment of delusions of infestation. Method: The authors present a three-case series in which risperidone was used to treat delusions of infestation. Results: All three patients responded to risperidone and experienced no extrapyramidal side effects. Two of our patients had failed treatment with haloperidol and another had failed treatment with pimozide. Conclusions : Risperidone was an effective and safe treatment in three cases of delusions of infestation. It is possible that 5-HT 2 antagonism is essential for therapeutic benefit in this condition.
Evolution of the tissue selective estrogen complex (TSEC)

Estrogens mediate gene transcription and signaling of numerous cellular processes in a variety of tissues, including the bone, breast, and endometrium, through binding and activation of estrogen receptors (ERs). Estrogen-mediated ER agonist activity has shown benefit in conditions related to estrogen deficiency in women; however, these effects have been associated with stimulation of breast and uterine tissues. Due to the complexity of ER signaling, selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) can exhibit ER agonist or antagonist activity depending on the target tissue. A newer approach to menopausal therapy, the tissue selective estrogen complex (TSEC), pairs a SERM with one or more estrogens with the goal of maintaining the benefits of estrogens without the stimulatory effects on the breast and uterus. Preclinically, different TSECs have been associated with distinct gene expression profiles compared with each other and with their individual SERM/estrogen components. Studies in cultured breast cancer cells and animal models have demonstrated a lack of estrogen-induced stimulation with TSECs in the mammary gland and endometrium. In the breast, biochemical analyses indicate that degradation of the ER is an important mechanism by which TSECs exert their antagonistic effects. TSECs have also shown positive effects similar to estrogens in other tissue types, including bone and the central nervous system, although mechanisms underlying these activities are less clear. Overall, preclinical studies have shown that estrogens, SERMs, and TSECs each exert distinct and tissue specific molecular and pharmacologic effects.
High School Sports Participation and Substance Use: Differences by Sport, Race, and Gender.

Drawing on data gathered in the 2009 Monitoring the Future study of American youth, and controlling for race and noncompetitive exercise frequency, this research examined the explanatory effects of competitive sports participation on alcohol consumption and marijuana use as well as the nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers among American high school seniors. Also including a self-esteem index in multivariate analysis of covariance equations, the study found that, among males, football players used all three substances at comparably high levels. In addition, females with comparably low levels of self-esteem smoked marijuana and used prescription drugs more frequently. Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research are offered.
The moderating role of body dissatisfaction in the relationship between ADHD symptoms and disordered eating in pediatric overweight and obesity

ABSTRACTBackground: Identifying factors linked to disordered eating in overweight and obesity (OV/OB) may provide a better understanding of youth at risk for disordered eating. This project examined whether ADHD symptoms and body dissatisfaction were associated with disordered eating. Methods: ADHD symptoms, disordered eating, and body dissatisfaction were assessed in 220 youth ages 7–12 who were OV/OB. Results: Multiple linear regressions showed that body dissatisfaction and ADHD symptoms were associated with disordered eating. Discussion: Children with ADHD symptoms and OV/OB may be at greater risk for disordered eating when highly dissatisfied with their bodies. Health care providers should assess body image and disordered eating in youth with comorbid OV/OB and ADHD.
Inhibition of mammalian nitric oxide synthases by agmatine, an endogenous polyamine formed by decarboxylation of arginine

Agmatine, decarboxylated arginine, is a metabolic product of mammalian cells. Considering the close structural similarity between L-arginine and agmatine, we investigated the interaction of agmatine and nitric oxide synthases (NOSs), which use L-arginine to generate nitric oxide (NO) and citrulline. Brain, macrophages and endothelial cells were respectively used as sources for NOS isoforms I, II and III. Enzyme activity was measured by the production of nitrites or L-citrulline. Agmatine was a competitive NOS inhibitor but not an NO precursor. Ki values were approx. 660 microM (NOS I), 220 microM (NOS II) and 7.5 mM (NOS III). Structurally related polyamines did not inhibit NOS activity. Agmatine, therefore, may be an endogenous regulator of NO production in mammals.
Introduction: current issues in high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell support.

In the 1980s it became clear that low numbers of primitive hematopoietic cells were present in the peripheral bloodstream. Early clinical trials by investigators in the USA, Australia, and Germany demonstrated that these cells could be collected and reinfused to support high-dose chemotherapy procedures in patients otherwise unable to undergo bone marrow collection, usually because of prior pelvic irradiation. It was, however, difficult to obtain adequate numbers of stem cells from patients in the steady state. It was not until the demonstration by Socinski in Boston and Gianni in Milan that these circulating cells were markedly increased following the administration of either cytokines, chemotherapy, or a combination of both that the use of peripheral blood stem cells over bone marrow began to be widely undertaken. Since that time, peripheral blood stem cell collection has become the preferred means of stem cell support for high-dose chemotherapy because of the reduction in time to neutrophil and platelet engraftment, reduction in the number of transfusions and hospital stay, and an apparent reduction in tumor cell contamination.
CLINAL VARIATION ASSOCIATED WITH EDAPHIC ECOTONES IN HYBRID POPULATIONS OF GAILLARDIA PULCHELLA.

The variety pulchella of the outcrossing annual plant species Gaillardiapulchella consists of two edaphic races in central Texas which are divergent for one morphological and four electro- phoretic characters. Reduced pollen stainability in F1 hybrids suggests the races are also divergent in chromosome structure. The recent proliferation of this species on roadsides and in pastures has led to hybridization between these races. An analysis of character variation in three hybrid pop- ulations revealed significant clinal variation associated with edaphic ecotones, and the width of these clines was found to vary among characters in a consistent pattern. It is argued that this pattern is the result of different characters experiencing different effective selection regimes, with narrower clines reflecting greater differentials in effective selection. Several mechanisms are dis- cussed by which selection may impede the transgression of alleles across the ecotones in these populations. The results of this study are compared to the results of parallel studies on the autog- amous annual species Avena barbata in California, and it is suggested that the difference between these two species in the width of clines separating edaphic ecotypes may be accounted for by their different breeding systems.
Utility of high-dose contrast enhancement for detecting recurrent herniated intervertebral disks.

PURPOSE To study the utility of high-dose contrast enhancement in the detection of recurrent herniated disk fragments. METHODS Recurrent herniated disks were modeled in nine dogs by placing a fragment of normal autologous disk tissue in the epidural space at laminectomy. MR was performed at 30, 60, and 90 days with 0.3 mmol/kg of gadoteridol and repeated 24 hours later with 0.1 mmol/kg of gadopentetate dimeglumine. Contrast enhancement in the disk and scar tissue was measured and conspicuousness of the disk fragments assessed. RESULTS In 70% of the animals, disk fragments were more conspicuous with the larger dose of contrast medium than with the smaller dose. In 30% of animals the conspicuousness was approximately equal. Contrast between disk fragment and scar decreased with time elapsed since surgery, with time elapsed since contrast-medium injection, and with decreasing dose of contrast medium. CONCLUSION In the experimental model, increased conspicuousness of disk fragments was achieved with the larger dose of contrast medium. A clinical study is needed to confirm that a contrast-medium dose of 0.3 mmol/kg improves detection of recurrent herniated disks over a dose of 0.1 mmol/kg.
Bond graph models for human behavior

Advances in technology have led to rapid increase in the number and the complexity of engineered systems. Consequently, the need for effective tools and techniques for designing, implementing and analyzing such systems has increased. Bond Graphs were proposed as domain independent approach for modeling dynamic systems in 1960. This approach is a unifying methodology to represent and analyze systems in which there is energy exchange and, hence, one can represent, validate, analyze and generate models for the behavior of electrical, mechanical, chemical, fluid or hydraulic system. In this short paper we describe how to create bond graphs for a system with a focus on modeling Human Behavior. We describe how a model can be used to study the energy transfers in the system and how to obtain a mathematical model for the dynamic behavior of the system from the bond graph model.
PREPARATION OF Al-Si ALLOY BY ELECTROTHERMAL REDUCTION PROCESS OF KAOLIN

The experiment of preparationof Al-Si alloys by electrothermal reduction process of kaolin was carried out in a 100 kW DC arc furnace. The electric parameters of the furnace, carbon ratio in furnace burden, compositions of alloys, extraction rate of the metal and so on, were studied. It was found that preparation of Al-Si alloys by reducing kaolin is feasible. About 60 percent of aluminium alloys can be produced, and extraction rate of the metal can be up to 80 percent. In addition, the effects of electric parameters, carbon ratio in the furnace burden, methods of operation and so on,on furnace bottom rise, and countermeasures to restrain bottom rise are discussed.