cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Autonomous work teams: an examination of cultural and structural constraints

The paper presents a model of the relationships between organizational culture, organizational structure, and the level of team autonomy. The model suggests that teams with high levels of autonomy are likely to be most effective in companies with flexibility‐oriented cultures and organic structures. The model is useful to researchers in examining further connections between contextual variables and team autonomy and to practitioners in helping identify the types of teams that would be most effective in their organizations. The paper also presents a four‐step proactive approach to implementing team‐based working.
Efficacy and safety of i.v. alteplase therapy up to 4.5 hours after acute ischemic stroke onset.

Purpose The efficacy and safety of i.v. alteplase up to 4.5 hours after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) onset were evaluated. Summary Stroke is the leading cause of disability in the elderly, and i.v. alteplase (recombinant tissue plasminogen activator) is the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved thrombolytic agent for the treatment of AIS. Alteplase has been shown to decrease the percentage of patients disabled by a stroke. Until recently, the use of alteplase was only recommended within 3 hours of the onset of AIS symptoms. However, two clinical trials published in 2008 demonstrated that therapy with i.v. alteplase remains safe and effective when given 3–4.5 hours after AIS onset. Although FDA has not yet approved expanding the time interval to 4.5 hours for treatment with i.v. alteplase, the American Stroke Association recently published a statement recommending administration of alteplase in eligible patients 3–4.5 hours after symptom onset. There is clinical evidence supporting the safety and efficacy of i.v. alteplase administration to eligible patients who present within 4.5 hours of AIS symptom onset. Treatment with alteplase decreases the likelihood of disability from an AIS and is not associated with an increased rate of mortality. Expanding the time window for treatment with alteplase would likely increase the percentage of AIS patients who are able to receive alteplase and thus ultimately decrease the percentage of those left disabled from an AIS. Conclusion Evidence supports the safety and efficacy of i.v. alteplase administration to eligible patients within 4.5 hours of AIS symptom onset.
Evaluation of ochratoxin A for mutagenicity in a battery of bacterial and mammalian cell assays

Ochratoxin A (OA), a nephrotoxic mycotoxin, was evaluated for genotoxic potential in a battery of in vitro and in vivo assays. OA was not mutagenic to Salmonella typhimurium, either with or without metabolic activation, in the plate incorporation (Ames) test at concentrations of 50–600 μg OA/plate or in the gradient plate assay at concentrations of 0.1–1000 μg OA/ml. No induction of unscheduled DNA synthesis was evident in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes exposed to concentrations of OA ranging from 0.000025 to 500 μg/ml. In the mouse lymphoma forward mutation assay, exposure of L5178Y TK+/− mouse lymphoma cells to OA did not increase the numbers of L5178Y TK−/− mutants. There was no significant difference between the numbers of sister-chromatid exchanges in cells from OA-treated Chinese hamsters and those in cells from the negative-control animals.
Relating navigation and request routing models in web applications

A navigation model describes the possible sequences of web pages a user can visit, and a request routing model describes how server side components handle each request. Earlier we developed formal models and analysis operations for such models. While each is useful independently, their utility is greatly improved by relating the models, which is the contribution described in this paper. We describe mappings between the models, and show that the mappings preserve navigation behavior and are bijective, thus supporting traceability and allowing the models to be used in round-trip engineering. With these mappings built into our Model Helper tool, it is now possible to automatically determine whether a Request Routing model conforms to the navigation design, and to automatically generate a Request Routing model from a navigation model. Finally, we describe one of a number of case studies where we used Model Helper in a round-trip engineering scenario.
Analysis of an Open Access Scheduling System in Outpatient Clinics

Open access OA is a scheduling system which leaves the majority of the slots open to same-day appointments SDAs. The OA is expected to reduce patient waiting time and no-show rate, and, in turn, increase clinic performance including patient satisfaction. Although many success stories have been reported, there is no study investigating the impact of OA configuration considering environmental conditions. In this paper, we conducted a simulation study in an outpatient clinic setting. The clinical environments we consider include the demand variability, no-show rate, and the ratio of SDA patients. The OA configurations are constructed by the slots for pre-book which is a complement of SDA and the scheduling horizon for the pre-book. The experimental results demonstrate the performance of different OA configurations under various clinical environments in terms of patient waiting time, patient rejection rate and clinic utilization. The results are scrutinized in the method of a multi-objective optimization.
Spontaneous Herpes-T Infection in the Owl Monkey (Aotus trivirgatus)

6,11,12. A small percentage of infected rhesus monkeys may exhibit clinical signs of disease, characterized principally by lingual ulceration, however a variety of visceral lesions have also been reported as a result of both natural and experimental infection59 6. Although the number of reported cases in man is few, herpes-B produces a highly fatal systemic disease characterized chiefly by encephalomyelitisl. It is reasonably well established that rhesus monkeys are the natural host for this virus, allowing its persistence in nature, and serving as the source of infection for ma+. Herpes-T is a more recently described agent which produces a systemic, fatal disease in marmosets, a group of New World primates. This virus has been isolated from the white-lipped tamarin (Tamarinw nigricollis) and the cotton-topped marmoset (Oediponzidas oedipzls)3,4,9. Herpes-T does not have the same relationship to marmosets as herpes simplex does to man, or herpes-B to rhesus monkeys, in that herpes-T produces a fatal disease in marmoset$. We have recently demonstrated that herpes-T virus can exist as a latent infection in the squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciwezis)8. This suggests that the squirrel monkey is a natural host for herpes-T virus. It is not known if man be susceptible to herpes-T. This report describes the pathological features and the viral isolation and identification of spontaneous herpes-T infection in 6 owl monkeys (Aotus trivirgatm), a New World species.
Pronounced association of elevated serum homocysteine with stroke in subgroups of individuals: a nationwide study.

Abstract Background Although the original homocysteine hypothesis for atherothrombotic disease is falling out of favor, prior studies did not comprehensively adjust for confounders or explore specific subgroups of patients who may benefit from serum homocysteine-lowering. We aimed to determine (1) if elevated total homocysteine (tHcy) affects odds of prevalent stroke after adjusting for a broad array of pertinent covariates and (2) whether particular vascular risk factors amplify the effect of high homocysteine on prevalent stroke. Methods The independent and interactive effects of elevated tHcy (≥10μmol/L) on likelihood of prevalent stroke was assessed in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationally representative cross-sectional sample of the US population conducted from 1999 to 2004 ( n =12,683). Results After adjusting for 17 covariates, those with elevated tHcy were more likely to have prevalent stroke vs. those without elevated tHcy (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.01–2.29; p =0.045). Individuals with a combination of elevated tHcy and hypertension were substantially more likely to have prevalent stroke compared to individuals without either condition (OR 12.02, 95% CI 6.36–22.73 for men and OR 17.34, 95% CI 10.49–28.64 for women). The association of tHcy with prevalent stroke was strongest in younger individuals and declined linearly with increasing age. Conclusions Elevated tHcy independently increases odds of prevalent stroke. Younger individuals and those with concomitant hypertension may particularly benefit from tHcy-lowering.
Synthesis and crystal structure of a ten-coordinate plutonium(IV) ion complexed by 2-[(diphenylphosphino)methyl]pyridine N,P-dioxide: [Pu(NO3)3{2-[(C6H5)2P(O)CH2]C5H4NO}2][Pu(NO3)6]0.5

The bifunctional ligand 2-[(C6H5)2P(O)CH2]C5H4NO (2), in EtOH, combined in a 1 ∶ 1 ratio with Pu(IV) in an aqueous nitric acid solution, produced an orange–brown coordination complex. The complex was characterized in MeOH solution by UV/vis/near-IR spectroscopy and in the solid state by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In the solid state, the complex exists as a 2 ∶ 1 coordination complex, [Pu(2)2(NO3)3+][Pu(NO3)62−]0.5, with the two ligands (2) bonded to the Pu(IV) ion in a bidentate fashion. Six oxygen atoms from three bidentate nitrate ions also occupy inner-sphere coordination positions. The complex cation charge is balanced by a hexanitratoplutonium(IV) dianion that resides on an inversion center between two monocationic [Pu(2)2(NO3)3+] units. The ten-vertex coordination polyhedron of the cation is distorted from square antiprismatic towards a sphenocorona. Optical absorbance spectra of the Pu(IV) in MeOH containing varying concentrations of nitrate and 2, show that multiple complexes form in solution.
MRI issues for ballistic objects: information obtained at 1.5-, 3- and 7-Tesla

Abstract Background context Few studies exist for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) issues and ballistics, and there are no studies addressing movement, heating, and artifacts associated with ballistics at 3-tesla (T). Movement because of magnetic field interactions and radiofrequency (RF)-induced heating of retained bullets may injure nearby critical structures. Artifacts may also interfere with the diagnostic use of MRI. Purpose To investigate these potential hazards of MRI on a sample of bullets and shotgun pellets. Study design Laboratory investigation, ex vivo. Methods Thirty-two different bullets and seven different shotgun pellets, commonly encountered in criminal trauma, were assessed relative to 1.5-, 3-, and 7-T magnetic resonance systems. Magnetic field interactions, including translational attraction and torque, were measured. A representative sample of five bullets were then tested for magnetic field interactions, RF-induced heating, and the generation of artifacts at 3-T. Results At all static magnetic field strengths, non–steel-containing bullets and pellets exhibited no movement, whereas one steel core bullet and two steel pellets exhibited movement in excess of what might be considered safe for patients in MRI at 1.5-, 3- and 7-Tesla. At 3-T, the maximum temperature increase of five bullets tested was 1.7°C versus background heating of 1.5°C. Of five bullets tested for artifacts, those without a steel core exhibited small signal voids, whereas a single steel core bullet exhibited a very large signal void. Conclusions Ballistics made of lead with copper or alloy jackets appear to be safe with respect to MRI-related movement at 1.5-, 3-, and 7-T static magnetic fields, whereas ballistics containing steel may pose a danger if near critical body structures because of strong magnetic field interactions. Temperature increases of selected ballistics during 3-T MRI was not clinically significant, even for the ferromagnetic projectiles. Finally, ballistics containing steel generated larger artifacts when compared with ballistics made of lead with copper and alloy jackets and may impair the diagnostic use of MRI.
Minimizing the Arrayed Waveguide Grating Cost and the Optical Cable Cost in Deploying WDM Passive Optical Networks

We investigate the issue of minimizing the cost of optical cables and arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs) in deploying optical distribution networks using WDM passive optical networks (PONs). Generally, when deploying WDM PONs with cascaded AWGs, increasing the number of stages of cascaded AWGs decreases the optical fiber costs, but increases the AWG cost. A proper cascaded AWG structure and proper connections between AWGs and optical network units are needed to minimize the total cost of AWGs and optical cables. We decompose the network planning problem into two subproblems. One is to decide the positions of AWGs and placement of optical cables to minimize the cost of optical cables. The other one is to determine the cascaded AWG structure to minimize the total cost of AWGs and optical cables. In particular, we propose a recursive partition-combination-based algorithm to achieve the optimal trade-off between the AWG cost and the optical cable cost.
Anthropology, Geopolitics, and Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea (PNG)—together with other Pacific Island nations—has taken an active, leadership role in international arenas around the issue of a Nuclear-Free and Independent Pacific. Yet, the legacy of the anthropological research in that country has produced an ideological investment in projecting the people as “strange, quaint natives.” This exotification of Papua New Guineans contributes to a situation in which the geopolitical concerns of the modern nation-state of PNG are usually not analyzed within anthropology. This paper investigates the geopolitical interests and diplomatic initiatives of PNG at the United Nations (UN) during the reinscription of New Caledonia as a non-self-governing territory. It utilizes interviews with diplomats and other UN-affiliated persons regarding the problem, if any, that the heritage of anthropology poses for functioning in an international context. In addition, PNG and Pacific Island government representatives discuss the implications of this legacy for government policy. By framing the issues in this way, I argue for the necessity of reconstituting the expertise on Pacific cultures and societies to include Pacific people as experts.
HETEROGENEITY OF HISTAMINE Hi‐RECEPTORS: SPECIES VARIATIONS IN [3H]MEPYRAMINE BINDING OF BRAIN MEMBRANES

[3H]Mepyramine binds with high affinity to membranes from brain of human, rat, guinea-pig, rabbit and mouse with drug specificity indicating an association with histamine H1receptors. Considerable species differences occur in the affinity of [3H]mepyramine, with guinea-pig and human having 34 times greater affinity than rat, mouse or rabbit. The greater affinity of [3H]mepyramine in guinea-pig than in rat is attributable both to faster association and slower dissociation rates in guinea-pig. Species differences in affinity for H1 receptor sites occur for some antihistamines but not for others. Some tricyclic antidepressant and neuroleptic drugs are extremely potent inhibitors of [3H]mepyramine binding, exceeding in potency any H1 antihistamines examined. The tricyclic antidepressant doxepin and the neuroleptic clozapine are the most potent of all drugs examined in competing for [3H]mepyramine binding. The regional distribution of specific [3H]mepyramine binding differs considerably in the various species examined.
High-Power Density Design of a Soft-Switching High-Power Bidirectional dc–dc Converter

A bidirectional dc-dc converter typically consists of a buck and a boost converters. In order to have high-power density, the converter can be designed to operate in discontinuous conducting mode (DCM) such that the passive inductor can be minimized. The DCM operation associated current ripple can be alleviated by interleaving multiphase currents. However, DCM operation tends to increase turnoff loss because of a high peak current and its associated parasitic ringing due to the oscillation between the inductor and the device output capacitance. Thus, the efficiency is suffered with the conventional DCM operation. Although to reduce the turnoff loss a lossless capacitor snubber can be added across the switch, the energy stored in the capacitor needs to be discharged before device is turned on. This paper adopts a gate signal complimentary control scheme to turn on the nonactive switch and to divert the current into the antiparalleled diode of the active switch so that the main switch can be turned on under zero-voltage condition. This diverted current also eliminates the parasitic ringing in inductor current. For capacitor value selection, there is a tradeoff between turnon and turnoff losses. This paper suggests the optimization of capacitance selection through a series of hardware experiments to ensure the overall power loss minimization under complimentary DCM operating condition. According to the suggested design optimization, a 100-kW hardware prototype is constructed and tested. The experimental results are provided to verify the proposed design approach.
A RESEARCH NOTE CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL, AND SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF COLOR MODIFIED PORK RESTRUCTURED CHOPS

Restructured pork chops were manufactured from the lean tissue of dressed sows that were color modified(CM) with a potassium buffer rinse to attain lighter appearance. This product was compared with counterpart samples that were not color modified(C). Measurements included CIE L*, a*, b* values, visual traits, sensory traits, shear force, pH, and percentage of moisture, fat, protein, protein solubility, and cooking loss. The CM samples were lighter colored (P 0.05) between the CM and C samples were found in juiciness, tenderness, Warner-Bratzler shear force, and soluble protein. The CM samples exhibited less protein content and lower Lee-Kramer shear force values. Results confirm that sow meat can be lightened without adversely affecting functional properties and taste attributes of restructured pork chops.
Using Immunotoxicity Information to Improve Cancer Risk Assessment for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Mixtures

Estimating cancer risk from environmental mixtures containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is challenging. Ideally, each mixture would undergo toxicity testing to derive a cancer slope factor (CSF) for use in site-specific cancer risk assessments. However, this whole mixture approach is extremely costly in terms of finances, time, and animal usage. Alternatively, if an untested mixture is "sufficiently similar" to a well-characterized mixture with a CSF, the "surrogate" CSF can be used in risk assessments. We propose that similarity between 2 mixtures could be established using an in vitro battery of genotoxic and nongenotoxic tests. An observed association between carcinogenicity and immunosuppression of PAHs suggests that the addition of immune suppression assays may improve this battery. First, using published studies of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and other PAHs, we demonstrated a correlation between the derived immune suppression relative potency factors (RPFs) for 9 PAHs and their respective cancer RPFs, confirming observations published previously. Second, we constructed an integrated knowledge map for immune suppression by BaP based on the available mechanistic information. The map illustrates the mechanistic complexities involved in BaP immunosuppression, suggesting that multiple in vitro tests of immune suppression involving different processes, cell types, and tissues will have greater predictive value for immune suppression in vivo than a single test. Based on these observations, research strategies are recommended to validate a battery of in vitro immune suppression tests that, along with tests for genotoxic and other nongenotoxic modes of cancer action, could be used to establish "sufficient similarity" of 2 mixtures for site-specific cancer risk assessments.
Intergenerational Transmission of Adaptive Functioning: A Test of the Interactionist Model of SES and Human Development

The interactionist model (IM) of human development (R. D. Conger & M. B. Donellan, 2007) proposes that the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and human development involves a dynamic interplay that includes both social causation (SES influences human development) and social selection (individual characteristics affect SES). Using a multigenerational data set involving 271 families, the current study finds empirical support for the IM. Adolescent personality characteristics indicative of social competence, goal-setting, hard work, and emotional stability predicted later SES, parenting, and family characteristics that were related to the positive development of a third-generation child. Processes of both social selection and social causation appear to account for the association between SES and dimensions of human development indicative of healthy functioning across multiple generations.
Stabilized Optical Frequency Combs from Diode Lasers - Applications in Optical Communications, Signal Processing and Instrumentation

The development of compact sources of stabilized optical frequency combs from semiconductor diode lasers will be reviewed. Applications in coherent communications and signal processing will be suggested and highlighted.
Prediction of I 2 P 1/2 → 2 P 3/2 transition lineshapes from 3-D, time dependent simulations of chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL) flowfields

The lineshape of the I 2 P 1/2 → 2 P 3/2 transition provides a means to ascertain a variety of useful information regarding the performance of the chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL). The value at the center of the lineshape, commonly referred to as the 'line center,' is proportional to the laser amplification on the I 2 P 1/2 → 2 P 3/2 transition. The infinite integral of the lineshape is proportional to the number density of the ground and excited states of atomic iodine in the gas, indicating the degree of I 2 dissociation. And the width of the lineshape indicates the amount of broadening of the transition, both due to collisional and Doppler shift effects. As the Doppler shift is proportional to velocity, the width of the transition can be used to estimate the degree of random molecular motion in the gas, expressed in macroscopic terms as temperature. A Doppler shift to the frequencies in the transition can also occur through the straight-line, bulk motion of the gas, and this can be used to examine the velocity field of the gas. However, the flow may experience rotation through the presence of eddies carried within the gas, and these too may contribute to the Doppler shift of the lineshape frequencies. Given that eddies by virtue of their positive and negative velocity components can induce positive and negative Doppler shift, the widening of the lineshape is similar to thermal motion which also includes positive and negative velocities. Thus, when interpreting transition lineshapes, if some account is not made for both thermal and rotational motion, the effect of either physical process will be over-estimated. The work discussed here is oriented toward examining the interplay between the gas dynamics and the lineshape of the I 2 P 1/2 → 2 P 3/2 transition, and in turn determine the ramifications for the use of spectroscopic lineshape based diagnostics and interpretation of their data. These efforts in turn are directly linked to efforts improve the understanding of the physical processes underlying chemical lasers, as excursions outside the traditional operational parameter space become increasingly necessary.
Charged Current Differential Distributions in the Caltech-Fermilab v-Experiment

We have investigated a sample of high energy neutrino and antineutrino charged current events taken in September-October 1974. The experiment was performed using the Caltech-Fermilab apparatus [1] and a narrow band neutrino beam [2]. The data were taken simultaneously with the neutral current data also reported at this conference. Due to the requirements of the neutral current measurements, this experiment was run using short spill (~ 1 msec) extraction from the accelerator. At present, the monitoring instrumentation at Fermilab is such that the flux of the narrow band beam can only be determined during long spill (~ 1 sec) running. Therefore, no external normalization is available for this data.
An Accuracy Progressive Sixth-Order Finite-Difference Scheme

How to reduce the computational error is a key issue in numerical modeling and simulation. The higher the order of the difference scheme, the less the truncation error and the more complicated the computation. For compromise, a simple, three-point accuracy progressive (AP) finite-difference scheme for numerical calculation is proposed. The major features of the AP scheme are three-point, high-order accuracy, and accuracy progressive. The lower-order scheme acts as a ‘‘source’’ term in the higher-order scheme. This treatment keeps three-point schemes with high accuracy. The analytical error estimation shows the sixth-order accuracy that the AP scheme can reach. The Fourier analysis of errors indicates the accuracy improvement from lower-order to higher-order AP schemes. The Princeton Ocean Model (POM) implemented for the Japan/East Sea (JES) is used to evaluate the AP scheme. Consider a horizontally homogeneous and stably stratified JES with realistic topography. Without any forcing, initially motionless ocean will keep motionless forever; that is to say, there is a known solution (V 5 0). Any nonzero model velocity can be treated as an error. The stability and accuracy are compared with those of the second-order scheme in a series of calculations of unforced flow in the JES. The three-point sixthorder AP scheme is shown to have error reductions by factors of 10‐20 compared to the second-order difference scheme. Due to their three-point grid structure, the AP schemes can be easily applied to current ocean and atmospheric models.
Quantized orbits in weakly coupled Belousov-Zhabotinsky reactors

Using numerical and experimental tools, we study the motion of two coupled spiral cores in a light-sensitive variant of the Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction. Each core resides on a separate two-dimensional domain, and is coupled to the other by light. When both spirals have the same sense of rotation, the cores are attracted to a circular trajectory with a diameter quantized in integer units of the spiral wavelength λ. When the spirals have opposite senses of rotation, the cores are attracted towards different but parallel straight trajectories, separated by an integer multiple of λ/2. We present a model that explains this behavior as the result of a spiral wavefront-core interaction that produces a deterministic displacement of the core and a retardation of its phase.
A Critical Evaluation of Recent Gendered Publishing Trends in American Archaeology

This paper explores the relationship between gender identity and patterns of authorship in peer-reviewed journals as a lens for examining gendered knowledge production and the current status and visibility of men and women in American archaeology. Drawing on feminist theory and the feminist critique of science, I examine how gender imbalance and a lack of diversity continue to affect the work that archaeologists produce. The evaluation of publishing trends serves as a means to investigate knowledge valuation/validation in archaeology and lends insight into the control over archaeological narratives. Analysis of publicacion rates from 1990–2013 in a number of prestigious archaeology research journals (including American Antiquity) as well as smaller-scale regional journals reveals that strong gender differences persist in one of the major ways that data are disseminated to the American archaeological community. I suggest that these patterns are likely a result of authorial behavior, rather than editorial or reviewer bias, and conclude with a discussion of future directions for practitioners to pursue research on gender equity in the discipline.
Ethics of Evil? Of Genocide in Rwanda and Incursion of Religious Language

Among the factors that make a genocide or genocide denial both possible and banal, scholars often cite the dehumanization of the victim perceived as an insect or harmful animal. Beyond notions of banality and spontaneity, it is essential that we reflect on mass crime using moral or religious categories. Once we think of it in this way, genocide proceeds from a logic that defines good and evil and thus allows killing without committing a crime. Preventing genocide and fighting against denial will also consist of deconstructing the rationalities that welcomed and justified the genocide and allow denial today.
Active Sensing of Distributed Parameter Structures Enhanced by Robust Consensus Observer

A robust consensus observer is described in this paper for state estimation in active distributed parameter structures. To this end, a distributed parameter flexible structure is enhanced by piezoelectric layers to acquire position data in a sensor network with certain directed topology. A decentralized observer dynamics is designed to enforce consensus between the estimated states by each sensor agent. The designed consensus estimator is then optimized using an Algebraic Riccati Equation. The robustness problem is addressed using H∞ performance constraints. The consensus state estimator is then numerically investigated to further support the theoretical expectations, where a sensor network of four agents is used over a flexible clamped-clamped beam. The optimal and robust systems are simulated and the results are illustrated and discussed. The robust consensus observer successfully estimates the states of the system in existence of measurement disturbances and in finite time, which makes the robust designed scheme practical for numerous applications.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
"I Used to Be Wild": Adolescent Perspectives on the Influence of Family, Peers, School, and Neighborhood on Positive Behavioral Transition.

Public health practice involving adolescents is largely focused on preventing or delaying the initiation of risk behavior. However, given the experimental and exploratory nature of this development...
Selection for Body Weight at Eight Weeks of Age 10. Spermatozoal Morphology

Abstract Comparisons of spermatozoal morphology were made between lines of chickens divergently selected for high and low juvenile body weight. Spermatozoa were classified as either normal, abnormal, or dead through the aid of vital staining. There was a significantly larger percentage of dead and abnormal spermatozoa in the high-weight line than in the low-weight line. In a second trial, when the spermatozoa were further classified into various abnormal types, the percentages of the abnormal types was consistently greater in the high-weight than in the low-weight line.
An Integer Construction Problem

1. The problem. "With the digits 1, 2, 3, 4 express the consecutive integers from 1 upwards as far as possible: each of the four digits being used once, and only once, in the expression of each number." The puzzle quoted above from Ball* is illustrative of a common type of mathematical recreation: a numerical construction problem. A set of numbers is given (with possibly a fixed number of repetitions for each of the numbers); certain numerical operations are allowed to be performed on these numbers; and some or all of the resulting numbers are required to be found. In the puzzle quoted above, an answer is that, if only the operations of addition, subtraction, and multiplication on the integers 1, 2, 3, 4 (each integer being used exactly once) are allowed, then all integers from 1 through 28, as well as 30, 32, and 36, but no others, can be constructed. A proof of this statement is found in Section 6. If other operations are allowed, then it may be expected that different sets of numbers may be constructed; Ball gives several examples of this. In this paper, an explicit expression is determined for a specific integer, namely the largest possible integer, constructible from a given set of positive integers, using only the operations of addition, subtraction, and multiplication. Use of the specific properties of a system of notation for integers is not allowed.
Seizure Disorders in Pregnancy

For maternal and fetal safety, active seizure disorders require treatment during pregnancy. Since all anticonvulsant medications have been implicated in teratogenesis, an obvious clinical dilemma exists. For maximal safety, the minimal effective dose of a single drug should be used. With careful management, over 90 per cent of patients can expect a healthy child.
Towards predictive diagnosis and management of rotator cuff disease: using curvelet transform for edge detection and segmentation of tissue

Degradation and injury of the rotator cuff is one of the most common diseases of the shoulder among the general population. In orthopedic injuries, rotator cuff disease is only second to back pain in terms of overall reduced quality of life for patients. Clinically, this disease is managed via pain and activity assessment and diagnostic imaging using ultrasound and MRI. Ultrasound has been shown to have good accuracy for identification and measurement of rotator cuff tears. In our previous work, we have developed novel, real-time techniques to biomechanically assess the condition of the rotator cuff based on Musculoskeletal Ultrasound. Of the rotator cuff tissues, supraspinatus is the first that sees degradation and is the most commonly affected. In our work, one of the challenges lies in effectively segmenting and characterizing the supraspinatus. We are exploring the possibility of using curvelet transform for improving techniques to segment tissue in ultrasound. Curvelets have been shown to give optimal multi-scale representation of edges in images. They are designed to represent edges and singularities along curves in images which makes them an attractive proposition for use in ultrasound segmentation. In this work, we present a novel approach to the possibility of using curvelet transforms for automatic edge and feature extraction for the supraspinatus.
Sensitivity-based Parameter Sensitivity Analysis of Rigid Frame Bridge

Aiming at the parameter sensitivities of the cantilever construction control of a prestressed concrete continuous rigid frame bridge,this paper analyses the influence of several factors on the shape of the bridge by means of the sensitivity theory and the numerical models.The factors mentioned above are unit weight,modulus of elasticity,ambient humidity,deviation of prestress duct,construction load etc.The parameter sensitivity of the bridge shape is discussed in detail.The conclusions herewith can be used as reference to the design and construction of the similar bridges.
Explaining State Differences in the Implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: A South/Non-South Comparison*

Objective The passage of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 has been one of the most hotly debated policy issues in recent memory. Southern state politicians seem particularly opposed to the law, but data suggest that citizens of southern states would benefit from the law. This article explores the choices made by states in terms of their acceptance and implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Healthcare Act (PPACA). Methods Employing standard explanators of state policy choices, coupled with common indicators of public health, we examine a cross-sectional, 50-state regression model to determine whether southern states are different from other states in their policy choices in this arena. Results We find that southern state choices are driven by control of the governor's mansion, while other factors drive non-South state choices. Conclusion Our findings lend support to the notion of southern distinctiveness—southern states are driven more by politics, while non-South states are driven more by state circumstances.
Does the Gale and Orszag Hypothesis Explain Tax and Spending Effects Better in Recessions Than Non-recession Periods?

Gale and Orszag argued that while not all types of stimulus are effective, some types are. This hypothesis is re-examined to determine if it might be more true in recessions than non-recession periods. Eight models were tested. The hypothesis that some forms of stimulus might be more effective than others in recessions compared to non-recession periods was not found to be supported by the data. No type of stimulus was found effective in either type of period.
Inga Clendinnen, Historian (1934–2016)

Inga Clendinnen has been described as an anthropologist, a public intellectual, a writer, a poet in prose, a Mesoamericanist, and a student of the Holocaust and Australia. She was all this, but she insisted that she was always and mainly a historian. A cultural historian without portfolio, I would say. This essay aims to introduce her written work as a whole, its main purposes, themes, and approach.
Measuring CO2 and N2O Mass Transfer into GAP-1 CO2–Capture Solvents at Varied Water Loadings

This paper investigates the CO2 and N2O absorption behavior in the water-lean gamma amino propyl (GAP)-1/TEG solvent system using a wetted-wall contactor. Testing was performed on a blend of GAP-1 aminosilicone in triethylene glycol at varied water loadings in the solvent. Measurements were made with CO2 and N2O at representative lean (0.04 mol CO2/mol alkalinity), middle (0.13 mol CO2/mol alkalinity), and rich (0.46 mol CO2/mol alkalinity) solvent loadings at 0, 5, 10, and 15 wt % water loadings at 40, 60, and 80 °C and N2O at (0.08–0.09 mol CO2/mol alkalinity) at 5 wt % water at 40, 60, and 80 °C. CO2 flux was found to be nonlinear with respect to log mean pressure driving force (LMPD). Liquid-film mass transfer coefficients (k′g) were calculated by subtracting the gas film resistance (determined from a correlation from literature) from the overall mass transfer measurement. The resulting k′g values for CO2 and N2O in GAP-1/TEG mixtures were found to be higher than that of 5 M aqueous monoethanolamine u...
Statistical Methods for Standard Membrane-Feeding Assays to Measure Transmission Blocking or Reducing Activity in Malaria.

Transmission blocking vaccines for malaria are not designed to directly protect vaccinated people from malaria disease, but to reduce the probability of infecting other people by interfering with t...
Charge Transfer in Biology: Section a: Donor-Acceptor Complexes in Solution

Publisher Summary An important concern in dealing with complexes is the matter of stability or trends in stabilities. The free energy of complex formation is not intimately related to parameters such as ionization potential, electron affinity, or charge-transfer transition energy. The reasons are several. First, a considerable contribution to the enthalpy part of the free-energy term is from Van der Waals or other forces. It is not expected that these forces will be related in any simple way to those parameters. The entropy contribution to the free energy probably strongly reflects solvation differences and again, no simple correlations are anticipated. The charge-transfer band is always broad, frequently asymmetric, and devoid of vibrational fine structure, even at low temperatures. The broadness and lack of fine structure are undoubtedly due to small variations in the equilibrium distance between partners. Because of the broad and asymmetric character of the charge-transfer absorption, it may often be difficult to determine the position of the absorption maximum precisely.
Novel Method Suggests Global Superiority of Short-Duration Antibiotics for Intra-abdominal Infections

Desirability of outcome ranking and response adjusted for duration of antibiotic risk (DOOR/RADAR) are novel and innovative methods of evaluating data in antibiotic trials. We analyzed data from a noninferiority trial of short-course antimicrobial therapy for intra-abdominal infection (STOP-IT), and results suggest global superiority of short-duration therapy for intra-abdominal infections.
Direct and Indirect Effects of Psychological Distress on Stress-Induced Smoking.

Objective:Numerous studies have modeled the effects of stress in the laboratory, demonstrating that smokers who are exposed to experimental stressors exhibit significant increases in acute psychological distress. Whether these stress reactions are predictive of stress-induced smoking during an actual quit attempt, however, has not been examined. Furthermore, the possibility that such effects are particularly strong among smokers with higher ambient levels of distress has not been addressed.Method:Nicotine-dependent smokers (N = 60; 40 women, 20 men) completed the Brief Symptoms Index (BSI) and then participated in a laboratory stress task 1 week before a quit attempt. Acute psychological distress was measured immediately before and after exposure to stressful and neutral stimuli. After they quit, participants completed a smoking diary for 14 days in which they recorded the degree to which their smoking was precipitated by emotional stress.Results:Consistent with our hypotheses, BSI scores predicted both e...
Statistical considerations in the choice of endpoint for drug use disorder trials

Abstract Background To date, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires drug use disorder trials developing new medications to use abstinence, a clinically meaningful endpoint, as the primary outcome. Although abstinence is the gold standard, only a relatively small percentage of participants in drug use disorder trials ever achieve this endpoint. This has prompted clinical trialists to consider quantitative measures of frequency of use, recognizing that some reductions in drug use that fall short of complete abstinence may potentially represent clinically important improvements. While much of the discussion concerning alternative outcomes to abstinence has focused on their clinical relevance, there are important statistical considerations that should also be taken into account. Purpose In this paper, we demonstrate and highlight the degree to which use of a quantitative measure of frequency of use, relative to a binary measure of abstinence, yields a very discernible increase in statistical power for assessing efficacy or effectiveness of treatments for drug use disorders. Conclusion While it is well established that dichotomizing a quantitative measure invariably results in loss of statistical power, what is less well recognized is the degree of loss in the context of drug use disorder trials. In some cases, the required sample size must be almost doubled to achieve the same level of power.
The ACC/AHA 2017 Hypertension Guidelines: Both Too Much and Not Enough of a Good Thing?

The most notable recommendation in the 2017 American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association hypertension guidelines is the reduced threshold for the diagnosis of hypertension, from ≥1...
Cognitive Neuroscience Approaches to Individual Differences in Working Memory and Executive Control: Conceptual and Methodological Issues

Analyses of individual differences play an important role in cognitive neuroscience studies of working memory and executive control (WM/EC). Many studies examining the neural substrates of working memory have relied upon correlations between brain activity and either task performance measures or trait measures of cognitive ability. However, there are important conceptual and methodological issues that surround the use of individual difference measures to explain brain activation patterns. These issues make the interpretation of correlations a more complex endeavor than is typically appreciated.
OpenVCT: a GPU-accelerated virtual clinical trial pipeline for mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis

Virtual clinical trials (VCTs) have a critical role in preclinical testing of imaging systems. A VCT pipeline has been developed to model the human body anatomy, image acquisition systems, display and processing, and image analysis and interpretation. VCTs require the execution of multiple computer simulations in a reasonable time. This study presents the OpenVCT Framework, consisting of graphical software to design a sequence of processing steps for the VCT pipeline; management software that coordinates the pipeline execution, manipulates, and retrieves phantoms and images using a relational database; and a server that executes the individual steps of the virtual patient accrual process using GPU optimized software. The framework is modular and supports various data types, algorithms, and modalities. The framework can be used to conduct massive simulations and several hundred imaging studies can be simulated per day on a single workstation. On average, we can simulate a Tomo Combo (DM + DBT) study using anthropomorphic breast phantoms in less than 9 minutes (voxel size = 100 μm3 and volume = 700 mL). Tomo Combo images from an entire virtual population can be simulated in less than a week. We can accelerate system performance using phantoms with large voxels. The VCT pipeline can also be accelerated by using multiple GPU’s (e.g., using SLI mode, GPU clusters).
Patient reports of coverage denial: association with ratings of health plan quality and trust in physician.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether HMO patients' reports of denial of coverage were associated with their ratings of health plan quality and trust in their physician. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. PATIENTS AND METHODS Within a mixed-model HMO, we surveyed 2000 adult patients who had seen a clinician at least once during the previous year. RESULTS Of the 2000 patients, 921 (46%) responded. Denial of coverage within the previous 12 months was reported by 64 (7%) patients. Among the denials, 42% were for specialist referral, 32% were for tests or treatments, 18% were for a certain length of hospital stay, and 8% were for a hospital admission. Patients scoring in the lowest quartile on physical functioning were more than twice as likely as other patients to report denial of coverage (12.2% vs 5.1%, P = .001). In multivariable analyses, poor physical functioning remained the only significant independent variable associated with reporting denial of coverage (odds ratio = 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 2.4, 3.6). More than half (53%) of patients reporting denial of coverage said that they had considered leaving the health plan because of concerns about quality of care. These patients also were less likely to express high trust in their primary care physician (64% vs 78%, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Patients with poor physical functioning were more likely to report denial of coverage. Perceived denial of coverage was associated with lower ratings of health plan quality and with significantly less trust in patients' own primary care physicians.
Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation and Autotransplantation

This chapter focuses on an approach to protecting ovarian tissue: the surgical removal and cryopreservation of ovarian tissue (ovarian cortical fragments or the intact ovary) prior to cancer therapy, followed by later autotransplantation. The obvious advantage of this currently experimental approach is that ovarian tissue is completely protected from the deleterious effects of chemotherapeutic agents or irradiation. Challenges of this approach include those related to the surgical techniques, limiting ovarian damage from both cryopreservation and hypoxia, and adapting in vitro fertilization/embryo transfer (IVF/ET) techniques when required. Despite these challenges, this approach has been demonstrated to be feasible and shows great promise for preservation of ovarian function and fertility in women treated for malignancy.