cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Meta-analysis of diagnostic efficacy of 64-slice computed tomography in the evaluation of coronary in-stent restenosis.

We sought to conduct a meta-analysis using available studies to determine the diagnostic efficacy of 64-slice computed tomography (CT) in evaluation of in-stent restenosis (ISR). Sixty-four–slice CT allows optimal noninvasive assessment of coronary artery disease. However, a variety of artifacts limit evaluation of stented coronary segments. We included studies that used 64-slice CT for evaluation of coronary ISR. We pooled efficacy estimates across studies using random-effects models. We identified 14 studies, which included 895 patients (1,447 stents, mean diameter 3.1 mm). Of these, 1,231 (91.4%) stents were adequately assessed by 64-slice CT. Overall sensitivity was 91% (95% confidence interval [CI] 86 to 94), specificity was 91% (95% CI 89 to 92), positive predictive value (PPV) was 68% (95% CI 63 to 73), and negative predictive value (NPV) was 98% (95% CI 97 to 99). The summary receiver operating characteristic curves graph showed a symmetric area under the curve of 0.96. When nonassessable segments were included, overall sensitivity and specificity decreased to 87% (95% CI 81 to 92) and 84% (95% CI 82 to 87), with a PPV of 53% (95% CI 47 to 59) and an NPV of 97% (95% CI 96 to 98), respectively. In conclusion, 64-slice CT detects (high sensitivity and specificity) or excludes ISR (high NPV) with a high degree of confidence; however, precise quantification of ISR is not accurate (low PPV). Efficacy estimates are even lower when nonassessable segments are included. Hence, at this point, stress imaging remains the most acceptable noninvasive technique for diagnosis of ISR.
A General Method of Analysis of Ligand Binding to Competing Macromolecules Using the Spectroscopic Signal Originating from a Reference Macromolecule. Application to Escherichia coli Replicative Helicase DnaB Protein−Nucleic Acid Interactions†,‡

Quantitative and accurate analyses of protein−nucleic acid interactions in solution are greatly facilitated if the formation of the complex is accompanied by a large change of the spectroscopic signal (e.g., fluorescence) originating from the protein or nucleic acid. However, there are many instances when protein−nucleic acid interactions do not induce adequate changes in spectroscopic properties of the interacting macromolecules. We describe the theoretical and experimental aspects of a general method to analyze such protein−nucleic acid interactions. The method is based on quantitative titrations of a reference nucleic acid with the protein in the presence of a competing nucleic acid whose interaction parameters with the protein are to be determined. The Macromolecule Competition Titration (MCT) method allows for the determination of the absolute average binding density and the free protein ligand concentration over a large binding density range, unavailable by other methods, and construction of a model...
Effect of TGF-β3 on the Gene Expression of Intervertebral Disc Cells in 3D Pellet Cultures

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration typically involves changes in the multiple constitutive tissues of the IVD. Many tissue repair efforts have focused on the use of differentiated disc cells or stem cells for the regeneration of an IVD in vitro. Consequently, successful long term culture of human disc cells is pivotal for tissue regeneration of the IVD. The aim of this study is to establish a long-term in vitro culture system for the growth of disc cells that maintain their phenotype based on the anatomical origin (annulus fibrosus (AF), nucleus pulposus (NP), or the vertebral end-plates (EP)). This maintenance of phenotype is crucial for examination of treatment efficacy, which is typically designed to induce regeneration of a single tissue type (i.e. injection of growth factors into the NP or anti-inflammatory treatment of the EPs).Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Effect of Aminophylline on the Secretion of Insulin, Glucagon, Luteinizing Hormone and Growth Hormone in Humans

ABSTRACT Aminophylline, which inhibits the inactivation of cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate (cyclic AMP) by intracellular phosphodiesterase, was administered iv (25 mg/min for 20 min) to normal and adrenalectomized women and acromegalic men to evaluate indirectly the effects of increased cyclic AMP on hormonal secretion in humans. Plasma free fatty acids and insulin rose promptly and were maintained at elevated levels for 2 hr, whereas growth hormone (GH) declined and remained below basal levels throughout the same period. No alterations in plasma levels of glucose, “glucagon” or luteinizing hormone (LH) were detected. The simultaneous administration of aminophylline and propranolol, a β-adrenergic antagonist, attenuated the altered responses to aminophylline alone. Because these metabolic consequences of aminophylline, without and with propranolol, resembled those obtained by activation of β- adrenergic receptors, we suggest that, in man, inhibition of phosphodiesterase simulates β-adrenergic activity.
Green Revolution: Impacts, limits, and the path ahead

A detailed retrospective of the Green Revolution, its achievement and limits in terms of agricultural productivity improvement, and its broader impact at social, environmental, and economic levels is provided. Lessons learned and the strategic insights are reviewed as the world is preparing a “redux” version of the Green Revolution with more integrative environmental and social impact combined with agricultural and economic development. Core policy directions for Green Revolution 2.0 that enhance the spread and sustainable adoption of productivity enhancing technologies are specified.
Normalizing Difference in Inclusive Teaching

Inclusion practices and special education can be transformed by using a disability studies perspective, which constructs differences as natural, acceptable, and ordinary. Although inclusion is a moral imperative in promoting social justice, some inclusive practices continue to marginalize students with disabilities. A truly inclusive school reflects a democratic philosophy whereby all students are valued, educators normalize difference through differentiated instruction, and the school culture reflects an ethic of caring and community.
An approach to reasoning about continuous change for applications in planning

There are many planning applications that require an agent to coordinate its activities with processes that change continuously over time. Several proposals have been made for combining a temporal logic of time with the differential and integral calculus to provide a hybrid calculus suitable for planning applications. We take one proposal and explore some of the issues involved in implementing a practical system that derives conclusions consistent with such a hybrid calculus. Models for real-valued parameters are specified as systems of ordinary differential equations, and constructs are provided for reasoning about how these models change over time. For planning problems that require projecting the consequences of a set of events from a set of initial conditions and causal rules, a combination of numerical approximation and symbolic math routines and a simple default reasoning strategy provide for an efficient inference engine.
Outcomes of the Seventh International Conference on Pediatric Mechanical Circulatory Support Systems and Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Perfusion and Second Annual Meeting of the International Society for Pediatric Mechanical Cardiopulmonary Support.

The Sixth International Conference on Pediatric Mechanical Circulatory Support Systems and Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Perfusion was held at the Joseph B. Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA, USA, May 6–8, 2010 (1). The scientific cochairs of the pediatric event were Elizabeth D. Blume, MD, Boston, MA, USA; Pedro del Nido, MD, Boston, MA, USA; Giovanni Battista Luciani, MD, Verona, Italy; John L. Myers, MD, Hershey, PA, USA; Ulrich Steinseifer, PhD, Aachen, Germany; and Akif Undar, PhD, Hershey, PA, USA. Elizabeth D. Blume, MD, Medical Director, Heart Failure/Transplant Program of the Children’s Hospital Boston, was the local conference chair. Over 275 participants from 20 countries have enjoyed over 100 presentations, including invited lectures, slides, and posters presented at the Sixth Event. The conference Website has all the details including all past conference proceedings with presented abstracts as well as more information about the future events (http://www.hmc.psu.edu/childrens/pedscpb). Social and scientific evaluations of the conference were also outstanding for each category.
Shear-wave Velocities of the Post-Paleozoic Sediments across the Upper Mississippi Embayment

A P - and S -wave velocity model of the post-Paleozoic sediments has been developed across the Upper Mississippi Embayment between the latitudes of 35¼°N and 35½°N. The model was constructed by P -wave soundings and reversed SH -wave refraction/reflection profiles acquired at 5-km intervals along the corridor. The results from these data were integrated with previously acquired P - and SH -wave velocity estimates, P -wave CDP reflection profiles, P -wave sonic logs, travel-time differences between earthquake-generated S and Sp waves, and top-of-bedrock elevation from nearby drillholes. A three-layered S -wave velocity model is proposed from this data set. The uppermost layer, which is not discussed in this paper (see Street et al. , 2001), varies from a few tens of meters thick near the edges of the embayment to as much as 190 m thick near the center of the study area; the S -wave velocities of these unlithified to poorly lithified sediments are highly variable (typically ranging between 150 and 600 m/s) and site-dependent. The second layer in the S -wave velocity model extends from the base of the near-surface layer to the acoustical top of the Cretaceous sediments, which is, ∼650 m below sea level near the center of the study area. The lateral S -wave velocity variance of this layer is defined in three segments: Near the western edge of the study area in northeastern Arkansas the velocity varies between 650 and 700 m/s; the central study area ranges between 795 and 840 m/s; and near the eastern edge of the study area in western Tennessee it ranges between 500 and 550 m/s. The S -wave velocities of the third layer, the Cretaceous section, vary between 725 and 775 m/s at the edges of the study area but between 1,010 and 1,060 m/s near the center.
A Non-Authoritative Educational Metadata Ontology for Filtering and Recommending Learning Objects

Digital libraries populated with learning objects are becoming popular tools in the creation of instructional technologies. Many current efforts to create standard metadata structures that facilitate the discovery and instructional use of learning objects recommend a single, authoritative metadata record per version of the learning object. However, as we argue in this paper, a single metadata record — particularly one with fields that emphasize knowledge management and technology, while evading instructional issues — provides information insufficient to support instructional utilization decisions. To put learning objects to instructional use, users must examine the individual objects, forfeiting the supposed benefits of the metadata system. As a solution, we propose a system that includes multi-record, non-authoritative metadata focussed on the surrounding instructional context of learning objects.
Eruptive conditions and depositional processes of Narbona Pass Maar volcano, Navajo volcanic field, Navajo Nation, New Mexico (USA)

Phreatomagmatic deposits at Narbona Pass, a mid-Tertiary maar in the Navajo volcanic field (NVF), New Mexico (USA), were characterized in order to reconstruct the evolution and dynamic conditions of the eruption. Our findings shed light on the temporal evolution of the eruption, dominant depositional mechanisms, influence of liquid water on deposit characteristics, geometry and evolution of the vent, efficiency of fragmentation, and the relative importance of magmatic and external volatiles. The basal deposits form a thick (5–20 m), massive lapilli tuff to tuff-breccia deposit. This is overlain by alternating bedded sequences of symmetrical to antidune cross-stratified tuff and lapilli tuff; and diffusely-stratified, clast-supported, reversely-graded lapilli tuffs that pinch and swell laterally. This sequence is interpreted to reflect an initial vent-clearing phase that produced concentrated pyroclastic density currents, followed by a pulsating eruption that produced multiple density currents with varying particle concentrations and flow conditions to yield the well-stratified deposits. Only minor localized soft-sediment deformation was observed, no accretionary lapilli were found, and grain accretion occurs on the lee side of dunes. This suggests that little to no liquid water existed in the density currents during deposition. Juvenile material is dominantly present as blocky fine ash and finely vesiculated fine to coarse lapilli pumice. This indicates that phreatomagmatic fragmentation was predominant, but also that the magma was volatile-rich and vesiculating at the time of eruption. This is the first study to document a significant magmatic volatile component in an NVF maar-diatreme eruption. The top of the phreatomagmatic sequence abruptly contacts the overlying minette lava flows, indicating no gradual drying-out period between the explosive and effusive phases. The lithology of the accidental clasts is consistent throughout the vertical pyroclastic stratigraphy, suggesting that the diatreme eruption did not penetrate below the base of the uppermost country rock unit, a sandstone aquifer ∼360 m thick. By comparison, other NVF diatremes several tens of kilometers away were excavated to depths of ∼1,000 m beneath the paleosurface (e.g., Delaney PT. Ship Rock, New Mexico: the vent of a violent volcanic eruption. In: Beus SS (ed) Geological society of America Centennial Field Guide, Rocky Mountain Section 2:411–415 (1987)). This can be accounted for by structurally controlled variations in aquifer thickness beneath different regions of the volcanic field. Variations in accidental clast composition and bedding style around the edifice are indicative of a laterally migrating or widening vent that encountered lateral variations in subsurface geology. We offer reasonable evidence that this subsurface lithology controlled the availability of external water to the magma, which in turn controlled characteristics of deposits and their distribution around the vent.
A study of the accuracy, completeness, and effic iency of artific ial neural networks and related inductive learning techniques

The Scaled Conjugate Gradient algorithm (SCO) [Moller, 1993] is implemented for its potential in supervised learning. An importance calculation is introduced as a new estimate for determining the overall importance of each weight, node, and input in an ANN. Two new complexity-regularization methods are implemented which use this importance calculation. The first, a dynamic node architecture heuristic with feedback (DNAF), adapts the network architecture by adding and cutting nodes. The second, called the Noise Feedback Descent algorithm (NFD), biases the conjugate gradient direction so that unimportant weights decay in a very small number of iterations. Unlike other learning algorithms using complexity penalization, NFD does not require the use of a modified cost function, and it does not seem to increase the training time. The performance of DNAF and NFD are benchmarked against SCG.
Postdiagnostic Statin Use and the Risk of Lethal Prostate Cancer in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.

Background: Observational studies suggest potential chemopreventive benefits of statins on prostate cancer outcomes, but data on the impact of postdiagnostic use are sparse. Methods: We examined the association of postdiagnostic statin use and risk of lethal prostate cancer (metastases or prostate cancer death, N = 242) among 3,949 men diagnosed with localized prostate cancer from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study between 1992 and 2008 and followed through 2010 (33,302 person years). We used Cox proportional hazards regression models to estimate relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for age, time period, time from diagnosis to questionnaire, body mass index, vigorous physical activity, smoking, aspirin use, clinical stage, PSA at diagnosis, Gleason score, primary treatment, and comorbidities. Results: We found no statistically significant association between postdiagnostic current use of statins or duration of statin usage and the outcome of lethal prostate cancer [ N = 242 cases; multivariate HR = 0.97 (95% CI, 0.72–1.31) for current use yes/no; HR = 0.85 (95% CI, 0.59–1.22) for 1 to 5 years of use, 0.96 (95% CI, 0.66–1.38) for 6+ years of use vs. never use]. Conclusions: We observed little evidence that statin usage after diagnosis of localized prostate cancer reduces risk of progression to metastatic disease or prostate cancer–specific death. Impact: These results do not support statins as a chemopreventive agent for prostate cancer progression. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(10); 1638–40. ©2015 AACR .
The Mechanism of Impaired T3 Production from T4 in Diabetes

Uncontrolled diabetes in man is associated with low serum T3 values and impaired production of T3 from T4. Because the thiol-dependent enzyme T4-5′-deiodinase catalyzes T4-deiodination to T3, the present study was conducted to determine whether these alterations in iodothyronine metabolism consequent to diabetes were due to a reduction in the tissue content of active enzyme or thiol cofactor availability. T4-5′- deiodinase activity and nonprotein sulfhydryl (NP-SH) groups were examined in liver homogenate preparations from groups of rats (T4-treated) diabetic (streptozotocin, 100 mg/kg i.p.) for 48-96 h and compared with controls. The mean hepatic T4-5′-deiodinase activity in the control group was 4.8 ± 0.4 pmol/min/100 mg protein (mean ± SEM). In each of the diabetic groups (48, 72, and 96 h), the mean enzyme activity was significantly less (P < 0.005) than the control mean. Homogenate enrichment with the thiol reagent dithiothreitol (DTT) (5 mM) failed to reverse this diabetic effect. Moreover, although the hepatic content of NP-SH groups was significantly less than the controls after 48 and 72 h of hyperglycemia, it had spontaneously reverted to normal by 96 h. Thus, the impaired enzyme activity could not be attributed to a deficiency of thiol cofactors. The dissociation between enzyme activity and tissue sulfhydryl groups was further illustrated by the response to insulin treatment. Insulin was given by continuous s.c. infusion to 48-h diabetic rats for 48-96 h. Although insulin therapy normalized both enzyme activity and the hepatic thiol content, the temporal profile of each response was different. Insulin therapy rapidly (48 h) corrected the hepatic content of NP-SH groups, whereas the normalization of T4-5′-deiodinase activity required 72-96 h of insulin treatment. There was a positive correlation (r = + 0.69, P < 0.025) between the serum T3 values and hepatic T4-5′-deiodinase activity. The mean serum T3 concentration was significantly reduced (P < 0.001) by the diabetes after 48 h and remained low at 72 and 96 h. Insulin treatment reversed this defect but, as in the case of enzyme activity, the normalization was delayed until 72-96 h of insulin therapy. These results indicate that (1) diabetes reduces serum T3 levels and hepatic T4-5′-deiodinase activity in T4-treated rats, (2) T4-5′-deiodinase is probably the major regulator of serum T3 levels under these conditions, and (3) the reduced T4 -5′-deiodinase activity is independent of changes in the hepatic content of NPSH groups and probably reflects a reduction in the hepatic content of active enzyme.
Fundal height: a useful screening tool for fetal growth?

Objective. To determine the utility of fundal height in screening for small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and large-for-gestational-age (LGA) neonates at term.Study design. This was a retrospective cohort study of 3627 women at University of California, San Francisco from 2002 to 2006 with term, singleton pregnancies specifically examining the 448 who had third trimester ultrasounds for size unequal to dates by fundal height. χ2 analyses determined the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of fundal height as a screening tool for abnormal intrauterine growth.Results. The sensitivity of fundal height was 16.6% for detecting actual birthweight (BWt) > 90th percentile (p < 0.001) and 17.3% for < 10th percentile (p < 0.001). Specificity ranged from 92.4 to 95.4%. Significant differences existed among subgroups by maternal weight, parity, age, and ethnicity. Sensitivity was lower for SGA among overweight/obese women but higher among multiparous women. Additi...
Evaluation of applied forces and EMG of the young, aged & stroke population in a 3D arm workspace

The objectives of this study were to evaluate 11 muscle electromyograms (EMGs) while performing force application tasks in a 3D workspace, and to identify challenging regions within the workspace in which subjects had difficultly generating forces in desired directions. Each subject (4 young healthy adults, 4 older with stroke-induced disability, 4 age-matched older) applied forces (8 lbs desired) in 6 directions at 19 locations spatially distributed in the workspace. The normals could meet the force threshold levels except for the 2 female aged participants for the Right force direction. The stroke group had common difficult directions of Up and Right. The muscle activations were dependent upon the applied force direction, with Up force being associated with maximum EMGs. Maximum variation in the EMGs was in the right and far region for the young adults and in far and low region for the older adults. The stroke subjects’ shoulder-arm EMGs showed less directional variability in the regions of workspace, and considerable compensatory trunk movement, unlike the normals.
Palaeomagnetic Studies of Icelandic Lava Flows

Summary This paper describes a palaeomagnetic investigation of 107 igneous bodies, mostly basaltic lavas, of Pliocene and Pleistocene age in Iceland. A variety of conclusions has resulted from the study. Palaeomagnetic directions in lavas erupted in 1729, 1783 and 1875 do not support the postulated ‘cycloid’ path for the Icelandic geomagnetic pole. Data are given for an application of geomagnetic reversal stratigraphy showing that Bering Strait opened more than 3 My ago, allowing Pacific boreal mollusks to enter Icelandic waters; these data also suggest that there were at least nine extensive glaciations since a time over 2 My ago. Lava flows erupted on Snaefellsnes Peninsula, western Iceland, contain large amounts of viscous remanent magnetization; partial demagnetization studies reveal a predominant reversed polarity for most of these lavas with one pronounced ‘excursion’ of virtual geomagnetic poles to very low latitudes. Detailed studies of a dike cutting a lava flow show that the lava's remanence is unaffected beyond one dike width from the dike contacts. Brunhes epoch paleosecular variation is consistent with a model combining a changing nondipole field like the present one with a dipole wobble of about 11°.
Baroreceptors, baroreceptor unloading, and the long-term control of blood pressure.

Whether arterial baroreceptors play a role in setting the long-term level of mean arterial pressure (MAP) has been debated for more than 75 years. Because baroreceptor input is reciprocally related...
Strategic Diversion in Political Communication

This study shows how an informed advisor can use selective information revelation to divert the agenda of a decision maker. An advisor is likely to employ diversion when the decision maker is restricted in the scope of her actions by time, resource, or institutional constraints. The incentive for diversion and the suspicion it engenders in the decision maker reduce the amount of information that can be conveyed by an advisor in two important ways: (1) by expanding the strategic conditions under which no information can be conveyed and (2) by reducing the strategic conditions under which complete information can be conveyed.
Syntheses of deuterated jasmonates for mass spectrometry and metabolism studies

Jasmonic acid and its metabolites play an essential role in the regulation of plant development and systemic defense responses. Isotopically labeled standards are required to quantify plant hormones for metabolism studies using mass spectrometry. A convenient method for the preparation of deuterated analogs of jasmonates is demonstrated. Modification of commercially available methyl jasmonate by base-catalyzed proton/deuterium exchange or Wittig reaction introduces either two or three heavy atoms into a molecule. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MAXIMUM ENTROPY APPROACH TO OPTIMAL SENSOR PLACEMENT FOR AEROSPACE NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING

The ideal design of an airplane should include built-in sensors that axe pre-blended in the perfect aerodynamic shape. Each built-in sensor is expensive to blend in and requires continuous maintenance and data processing, so we would like to use as few sensors as possible.
Essentials for Childhood: Promoting Healthy Outcomes From Positive Experiences

* Abbreviations: CDC — : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention SSNRs — : safe, stable, nurturing relationships The field of child maltreatment prevention is undergoing a transformation. Clinical practice is moving toward the promotion of factors that support optimal child development and broadening its focus to include the healthy outcomes that arise from positive childhood experiences. In January 2014, the Centers for Disease Control held a kickoff meeting in Atlanta to begin state-level implementation of Essentials for Childhood: Steps to Creating Safe, Stable, Nurturing Relationships, 1 a strategy designed to promote the development of family environments in which children thrive. We were members of a working group that advised the CDC on Essentials . This Perspective will highlight the new strength-based approach that guided its development. By focusing on the key role of safe, stable, nurturing relationships (SSNRs), Essentials highlights the health effects of positive experiences in childhood. This emphasis reflects the evolution in the field from prevention of maltreatment to promotion of family health. Essentials relies on 2 types of evidence that support this change. First, citing recent surveys,2 Essentials notes that “many, if not most, [cases of abuse] are never reported to social service agencies or the police.” This realization calls for broad-based campaigns to reduce maltreatment, because narrowly focused risk-based efforts may leave out many children and families. We also know that abuse affects the growing brain3 and has lifelong health consequences.4,5 Second, the … Address correspondence to Robert Sege, MD, PhD, Department of Pediatrics, Boston Medical Center, Dowling 4417, 850 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118. E-mail: robert.sege{at}bmc.org
Indirect Effects of Fishery Exploitation and Pest Control in a Riverine Food Web

Abstract We used an energy-based food web model to evaluate indirect effects of fishery exploitation and aquatic insect pest control on food web structure and recreational fisheries in the New River, West Virginia. Key groups represented in the model were aquatic insects, age-1 and age-2 crayfish (Cambaridae), age-1 and age-2 larvae of the dobsonfly Corydalus cornutus (hellgrammites), prey fishes, and age-0 to adult smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu, rock bass Ambloplites rupestris, and flathead catfish Pylodictis olivaris. We focused on exploitation of crayfish and adult smallmouth bass because of their strong prey–predator interaction and their importance as fishery resources. We first simulated a range of harvest rates for adult smallmouth bass, while keeping crayfish harvest rate at its field-estimated value. Outcomes suggested that adult smallmouth bass were being harvested near the maximum sustainable yield (MSY), and that more restrictive harvest regulations would not necessarily increase produc...
Small lymphocytic lymphoma presenting as a paraneoplastic syndrome with acute central nervous system demyelination.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic lym-phoma (SLL) is a mature B-cell neoplasm characterized by accu-mulation of functionally incompetent clonal lymphocytes with thesame morphologic and immunophenotypic features. CLL and SLLhave the same cellular basis but SLL lacks signiﬁcant peripheralblood (PB) lymphocytosis. CLL is the most common leukemia inthe United States, accounting for 30% of all leukemias, and SLLaccounts for less than 5% of all non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Themedian age at diagnosis is 65 years, and there is a Caucasian malepredominance.
Evaluating polynomials over the unit disk and the unit ball

We investigate the use of orthonormal polynomials over the unit disk &#120121;2 in ?2 and the unit ball &#120121;3 in ?3. An efficient evaluation of an orthonormal polynomial basis is given, and it is used in evaluating general polynomials over &#120121;2 and &#120121;3. The least squares approximation of a function f on the unit disk by polynomials of a given degree is investigated, including how to write a polynomial using the orthonormal basis. Matlab codes are given.
Age Differences in Stress, Coping, and Appraisal: Findings from the Normative Aging Study

Controversies exist concerning the influence of age on the stress and coping process, in part due to differences in methods across studies. We examined age differences in stress, appraisal, and coping, using both semistructured interview questions and a coping checklist in middle-aged, young-old, and old-old men. Despite extensive probing, nearly a quarter of the old-old reported having had no problems and they expended less coping effort even when they did have problems. The types of problems reported varied systematically with age. Middle-aged men were more likely to appraise their problems both as challenges and as annoyances than the older men. Different age patterns emerged from the coping interviews vs the checklists, but controlling for type of problem significantly attenuated age differences. However, there were no age differences in perceived stressfulness of the problem, appraisals of harm/loss, or helpless appraisals, number of emotions reported, or coping efficacy. One interpretation of these results is that the nature of stress changes with age, from episodic to chronic, which in turn affects appraisal and coping processes.
The Use of Mineral Matter Dispersants and Depressants During the Flotation of Bituminous Coals

Abstract While much data from the froth flotation of bituminous coals indicate that liberated mineral matter enters the clean coal froth by way of water carry-over, other results show that discrete sulfur-bearing and ash-forming minerals can be collected by entrapment into the froth mass, by attachment to coal surfaces as slime coatings, by specific flotation, or by the mutual flocculation and flotation of dissimilar fine particles. In several of these cases, the use of mineral matter dispersant and depressant systems during flotation can enhance the selective separation of fine coal and refuse materials. To ascertain the relative effectiveness of adding dispersants and depressants during coal froth flotation, laboratory flotation tests were completed on several minus 0.15-mm (100 mesh) raw coal samples. Candidate reagents were selected using a simple laboratory observation technique that allowed macroscopic evaluation of mineral matter dispersion behavior. For the coals tested, the use of dispersants during froth flotation often improved the rejection of sulfur-bearing mineral matter from the froth product. Judicious addition of these reagents was required, however, in order to attain maximum pyrite and mineral matter rejection while preventing coal depression. The use of joint dispersant-depressant systems also decreased the total sulfur and ash content of some of the clean coal froths more than did the use of dispersants alone. This indicates that mineral matter contamination in these coal froths is sometimes caused by accidental flotation of free pyrite or locked coal-pyrite particles or by entrapment of mineral matter into a froth mass that has poor drainage capabilities.
Leaders and Ideas in Social Movements: One Priest in El Salvador's Revolutionary Movement

This paper is based on the life of Father David Rodriguez, a former Salvadoran priest who joined the popular movement in the 1970s and after the civil war was elected to the National Legislature (he's currently in the legislature). Rodriguez's history is barely known outside of El Salvador but his involvement and influence in the Catholic Church's liberationist movement is legendary in the country. Scholars who advance the political process model rarely look exclusively at specific individuals, since their goal is to generalize. However, analyzing the choices of key leaders in social movements provides a window into the importance of leadership and the ideas that motivate them. A focus on individual leaders also shows how followers are affected by leaders. Since many priests, nuns and lay workers in El Salvador, and Latin America in general, followed the same tactics and liberationist ideology, the focus on one priest, David Rodriguez, allows for generalization while yielding much more detail into a leader's strategic choices and ideological influences. The paper is based on extensive personal interviews with David Rodriguez (48 hours), in May 2007, as well as with about 70 people who have known him, December 2007-January 2008.
APPLICATIONS OF LASERS IN SURFACING AND SURFACE MODIFICATION

Applications of lasers in surface modification processes such as heat treating, glazing, cladding and surface alloying are reviewed. Special attention is paid to the heat treating of plasma sprayed coatings.
International Resources in Science and Technology: A Review with Two Case Studies

SUMMARY Access to international resources is important to researchers in science and technology. Often these resources are government reports, publications from international agencies and associations and conferences. Many of these resources are difficult to obtain or borrow in an eflBcientmanJ. While various organizations have attempted to collect in problem areas, a number of subjects and format types are still problematic. The need for international resources is reviewed and several international collection projects are described. Agriculture and transportation provide two case studies to indicate the strengths and weaknesses of their collection strategies.
Systematic review of the complications following isolated calf deep vein thrombosis

Background: A large number of studies have examined the potential complications of calf deep vein thrombosis (DVT). There is no consensus on when or how to treat patients to prevent these complications. This systematic review assessed the rate of proximal propagation, pulmonary embolism, major bleeding and recurrence in patients with isolated calf DVT. Methods: Database searches of MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, CINAHL and Web of Science were undertaken along with extensive cross-referencing. Two independent reviewers screened the papers using stringent inclusion and exclusion criteria. Included studies were graded on six methodological standards. Data on propagation, pulmonary embolism, recurrence and major bleeding were abstracted. Results: A total of 4261 papers were found; 15 met the inclusion criteria, including five randomized clinical trials and ten prospective cohort studies. The propagation rate to the popliteal vein or above was around 9 per cent and the rate of pulmonary embolism was close to 1·5 per cent. No studies found anticoagulant therapy to reduce the rate of adverse outcomes. Conclusion: The literature on calf DVT is heterogeneous, limiting conclusions from data analysis. Adverse outcomes are infrequent and studies do not suggest that they are reduced by anticoagulation.
Nonverbal Signaling for Non-Humanoid Robots During Human-Robot Collaboration

Non-humanoid robots are becoming increasingly utilized for collaborative tasks across many domains, including industrial and service settings. Collaborative tasks between the human and robot rely on each collaborator's ability to effectively convey their mental state while accurately estimating and interpreting their partner's knowledge, intent, and actions. My research focuses on nonverbal communication signals that a non-humanoid robot can utilize during human-robot collaboration. We focus on motion, light and sound as they are commonly used communication channels across many domains and are available on most robot platforms. As a first step towards this goal, I present a completed study exploring how to use a simple multimodal light and sound signal to request help during a collaborative task. We then discuss future work to generate and utilize more complex signals to convey a variety of statuses to improve collaboration.
TRAVELING WAVE SOLUTIONS OF A NONLINEAR REACTION-ADVECTION EQUATION

We establish the existence of traveling wave solutions for a nonlinear partial differential equation that models a logistically growing population whose movement is governed by an advective process. Conditions are presented for which traveling wave solutions exist and for which they are stable to small semi-finite domain perturbations. The wave is of mathematical interest because its behavior is determined by a singular differential equation and those with small speed of propagation steepen into a shock-like solutions. Finally, we indicate that the smoothing presence of diffusion allows wave persistence when an advective slow moving wave may collapse.
Current research on the health functions of Japanese sake and its inspiration to Chinese rice wine

The study on health care functions of Japanese sake was high valued in Japan. It was gradually proved that Japanese sake had effect on the prevention of cancer, heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, amnesia and osteoporosis etc. In China, the research on health care functions of Chinese rice wine was newly started, and it was preliminarily proved that the Guyue Longshan Shaoxing rice wine was rich in polyphenols, oligosaccharides, γ-aminobutyric acid and bioactive peptides and other functional factors,which could enhancel earning and memory capacity,enhance immunity and prevent osteoporosis. The more and more study and publicity of the healthy function of Chinese rice wine would vigorously promote the development of Chinese rice wine, which should be paid sufficient attention.
Risk factors for nosocomial infections in patients with severe hand-foot-mouth diseases

OBJECTIVE To explore the risk factors for nosocomial infections in the patients with severe hand-foot-mouth diseases(HFMD) so as to provide basis for the clinical treatment.METHODS Retrospective analysis of severe HFMD in children in the ICU of Hebei province Children's Hospital in 2010 was performed,those children were divided into the infection group and non-infection group according to the diagnostic criteria,the differences in the gender,age,hospitalization duration,use of respirator,indwelling gastric tube,complications,combined use of antibiotics,and the application of hormone of the children in the two groups were compared,the risk factors for nosocomial infections were explored by using univariate and multivariate non-conditional logistics regression analysis method.RESULTS Totally 431 children with HFMD were treated in hospital from Jan to Dec 2010,including 21 cases in the infection group and 387 cases in the non-infection group;the univariate analysis showed that the differences in the age,hospital stay,the use of respirator,indwelling gastric tube,complications(≥2),combined use of antibiotics(≥2) and the application of hormone were statistically significant(P0.05);multivariate regression analysis performed by multivariate non-conditional logistic regression model demonstrated that the hospital stay,use of respirator,indwelling gastric tube,complications(≥2),and the combined use of antibacterial drugs(≥2) were the risk factors for nosocomial infections;the use of respirator was predominant risk factor for nosocomial infections.CONCLUSION Comprehensive prevention measures should be taken to reduce the nosocomial infections in view of high risk factors for severe HFMD.
Expression and location of IGF binding proteins-2, -4, and -5 in developing fetal tissues.

Insulin-like growth factors are as- sociated with myogenesis in vivo, and their actions are mediated by IGF binding proteins (IGFBP). Sites of IGFBP production and their location during early development are not clear. The objective of this research was to examine the developmental expres- sion and location of IGFBP-2, -4, and -5 mRNA and peptides in developing porcine skeletal muscle and liver. Pregnant pigs were euthanatized at various times postconception (pc). Developmental expression of IGFBP was evaluated using total RNA extracted from skeletal muscle and liver of 30-, 44-, 59-, 68-, 75-, 89-, and 109-d pc fetuses and from adult and neonatal pigs. Localization of IGFBP-2, -4, and -5 mRNA and peptides was examined by in situ hybridi- zation and immunocytochemistry of muscle samples from contralateral pelvic limbs of each pig. Overall muscle IGFBP gene expression decreased ( P < .05) with increasing age. Moreover, expression of liver IGFBP-2 and -5, but not of IGFBP-4, was greater ( P < .05) during prenatal than during postnatal periods. The majority of immunoreactive IGFBP was located in developing muscle cells, with little localized to connec- tive tissue, except at later stages of development. These data show that IGFBP-2, -4, and -5 expression is time- and tissue-dependent in fetal liver and muscle.
Abstract 656: Histological and 3D morphological evaluation of mammary cancers and primary cells from genetically engineered mice with only one copy of Brca1 disrupted in combination with Trp53 haploinsufficiency

Background: Previously established genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models with spontaneous mammary cancer development have both Brca1 alleles disrupted withTrp53 haploinsufficiency (Brca1f11/f11/MMTV-Cre/Trp53+/-). Cell culture plates with nanoimprinted scaffolds (SCIVAX Life Sciences, Inc) purportedly increase concordance between in vitro/in vivo results but reports are limited to human cancer cell lines. Here we characterized hyperplasia and cancer development in Brca1f11/WT11/MMTV-Cre/Trp53+/- mice and established conditions for 3D culture of primary mammary epithelial cells (MEC) using the imprinted plates. Methods: Time-course of mammary hyperplasia and cancer development was defined in female Brca1f11/WT11/MMTV-Cre/Trp53+/- (n = 23) and Brca1f11/f11/MMTV-Cre/Trp53+/- (n = 13) mice euthanized at age 6 and 12 months (m) or when largest tumor reached 1 cm3. Mammary tissue was taken at necropsy for histology (age 6/12m) and primary MEC culture (age 6m) using EpiCult-B (StemCell Technologies) on nanoimprinted scaffold plates. Primary normal (wild-type, n = 2) and precancerous MEC (Brca1f11/f11/MMTV-Cre/Trp53+/-, n = 2; Brca1f11/WT11/MMTV-Cre/Trp53+/-; n = 2) were cultured. Optimal conditions for spheroid growth were established by comparison of spheroid formation from thoracic vs. inguinal mammary glands with different numbers of plated cells and percentage FBS after 7 days culture. Endpoints included sphere number, size and presence/absence of concurrent monolayer growth. Spheres were harvested for histological examination. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 656.
Lobal Properties of Integral Domains

The fundamental quest of this article is to attempt to characterize a given global property of certain integral domains in terms of containment relations among the ideals and elements contained in a single maximal ideal. We say that a global property G is lobal if there is a property P (implied by G) satisfied by the ideals and elements of a single maximal ideal such that a domain R satisfies G if (and only if) at least one maximal ideal satisfies P. For example, a domain is Laskerian if each ideal is a finite intersection of primary ideals. This turns out to be a lobal property: a domain R is Laskerian if and only if there is a maximal ideal M with the property that each ideal contained in M is a finite intersection of MP-primary ideals. An ideal \(P\subseteq M\) is an M-prime if for \(a,b\in M\) with \(ab\in P\), at least one of a and b is in P; and an ideal \(Q\subseteq M\) with radical the M-prime P is MP-primary if for \(a,b\in M\) with \(ab\in Q\) and \(a\in M\backslash P\), we have \(b\in Q\). Other lobal properties include Prufer domains, coherent domains, h-local domains, UFDs, Krull domains, atomic domains , and HFDs.
Financial Conflicts of Interest Are Common and Frequently Influence Conclusions of Economic Analyses Presented at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting.

Abstract 810 Economic analyses of pharmaceutical agents are important determinants of health reimbursement decisions and are essential components of comparative effectiveness research. The American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting is an important forum for presentation of economic analyses of hematology-oncology drugs. We hypothesized that economic analyses sponsored by pharmaceutical companies would be more likely to support that company's product. We conducted this study to determine the frequency of financial conflicts of interest in economic analyses presented at the ASH annual meeting and to examine whether such conflicts influenced study outcomes and directly or indirectly supported a specific product (an example of indirect support is a study on costs of febrile neutropenia sponsored by a pharmaceutical company that manufactures granulocyte colony-stimulating factor). ASH annual meeting abstracts from 2006-2008 were searched for economic analyses using following search terms: ‘cost', ‘economic', ‘dollar', ‘cost-effective', and ‘cost-benefit'. All abstracts in the ‘Health Services and Outcomes Research' category were also reviewed for economic analyses. Information was collected on the type of economic analysis, health technology assessed, author affiliation, the presence of conflict of interest and study conclusion. A total of 124 original economic analyses were identified. The majority of studies (52%) were conducted in the US, followed by Canada (11%) and UK (7%). Most studies were presented as a poster (61%). Eighty-seven studies (70%) evaluated a pharmaceutical product. First author affiliations included academic institutions (67%), consulting company employee (23%) and employee of sponsoring corporate (10%). Eighty-eight of 124 studies (71%) had at least one author with a financial conflict of interest. Studies with a conflict of interest were more likely to evaluate a pharmaceutical product than studies without a conflict of interest (81% vs. 44%, p<0.001). First authors of abstracts with a conflict of interest were less likely to be affiliated with an academic institution compared with abstracts without a conflict of interest (53% vs. 100%, p<0.001). The conclusions of 87 of 88 economic analyses with a conflict of interest favored the sponsor's product either directly (72%) or indirectly (27%). In conclusion, financial conflicts of interest are common in economic analyses presented at the ASH annual meeting. Almost all economic analyses with a financial conflict of interest support their sponsor's products. We could not exclude a publication bias, wherein economic analyses that did not favor a sponsor's product were less likely to be submitted for presentation. Economic analyses have important health policy implications and conflicts of interest should be carefully considered when interpreting the conclusions of economic analyses. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
User and Policy Stores

Identity and access management systems are built around a core storage system capable of maintaining user information, roles, policies, and credentials.