cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
eg-VSSA: an extragradient variable sample-size stochastic approximation scheme: error analysis and complexity trade-offs

Given a sampling budget M, stochastic approximation (SA) schemes for constrained stochastic convex programs generally utilize a single sample for each projection, requiring an effort of M projection operations, each of possibly significant complexity. We present an extragradient-based variable sample-size SA scheme (eg-VSSA) that uses N k samples at step k where Σ k N k ≤ M. We make the following contributions: (i) In strongly convex regimes, the expected error decays linearly in the number of projection steps; (ii) In convex settings, if the sample-size is increased at suitable rates and the steplength is optimally chosen, the error diminishes at O(1/K1−δ1) and O(1/√M), requiring O(M1/(2−δ2)) steps, where K denotes the number of steps and δ 1 ,δ 2 > 0 can be made arbitrarily small. Preliminary numerics reveal that increasing sample-size schemes provide solutions of similar accuracy to SA schemes but with effort reduced by factors as high as 20.
Resilience and Posttraumatic Growth in Children

Posttraumatic growth (PTG) (i.e., positive change experienced as a result of the struggle with a major loss or trauma) is an emerging area of study and clinical focus that emphasizes the transformative aspects of responding to adversity (Calhoun & Tedeschi, 1999, 2004; Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996, 2004). Although a significant body of work has identified correlates of PTG and supported Calhoun and Tedeschi’s (1998) hypothesized model of the PTG process among adults (e.g., Calhoun & Tedeschi, 2001, 2004, this volume), few studies have examined PTG among nonadults. Early evidence suggests that the growth process occurs, to some degree, among adolescents (Horowitz, Loos, & Putnam, 1997; Milam, Ritt-Olson, & Unger, 2004; Taku, 2005); however, despite the substantial body of work regarding children’s responses to stress or trauma (Donaldson, Prinstein, Danovsky, & Spirito, 2000; Grant et al., 2003; Osofsky, 2004a), the PTG construct has been the focus of minimal systematic evaluation among children. Indeed, the current literature appears to include only two studies investigating PTG in children (Cryder, Kilmer, Tedeschi, & Calhoun, in press; Salter & Stallard, 2004), as well as one dissertation (Yaskowich, 2002).
Reference architecture to integrate heterogeneous manufacturing systems for the digital thread

The increasing growth of digital technologies in manufacturing has provided industry with opportunities to improve its productivity and operations. One such opportunity is the digital thread, which links product lifecycle systems so that shared data may be used to improve design and manufacturing processes. The development of the digital thread has been challenged by the inherent difficulty of aggregating and applying context to data from heterogeneous systems across the product lifecycle. This paper presents a reference four-tiered architecture designed to manage the data generated by manufacturing systems for the digital thread. The architecture provides segregated access to internal and external clients, which protects intellectual property and other sensitive information, and enables the fusion of manufacturing and other product lifecycle data. We have implemented the architecture with a contract manufacturer and used it to generate knowledge and identify performance improvement opportunities that would otherwise be unobservable to a manufacturing decision maker.
Teaching Macroeconomics to the Visually Impaired: New Tactile Methods, Verbal Precision, and Small Groups.

ABSTRACTVisually-impaired students require tailored pedagogies to ensure their instruction is as high quality as for sighted students. They follow board work during class by referring to typed class notes provided ahead of time via a Braille reader, and in-class small groups solving problems create an inclusive esprit de corps and promote classmates' participation in clarifying board work. Small colleges with limited means can adopt Wikki Stix for tactile graphs that both artistically challenged faculty pressed for time and students can use successfully. Verbal description and “naming” (i.e., using analytical categories to identify sections of graphs) benefit visually-impaired and sighted students alike.
Structure-Guided Design and Initial Studies of a Bifunctional MEK/PI3K Inhibitor (ST-168)

The structure-based design of a new single entity, MEK/PI3K bifunctional inhibitor (7, ST-168), which displays improved MEK1 and PI3K isoform inhibition, is described. ST-168 demonstrated a 2.2-fold improvement in MEK1 inhibition and a 2.8-, 2.7-, 23-, and 2.5-fold improved inhibition toward the PI3Kα, PI3Kβ, PI3Kδ, and PI3Kγ isoforms, respectively, as compared to a previous lead compound (4; ST-162) in in vitro enzymatic inhibition assays. ST-168 demonstrated superior tumoricidal efficacy over ST-162 in an A375 melanoma spheroid tumor model. ST-168 was comparatively more effective than ST-162 in promoting tumor control when administrated orally in a tumor therapy study conducted in an A375 melanoma mouse model confirming its bioavailability and efficacy toward combined in vivo MEK1/PI3K inhibition.
Endovascular Approach to Coarctation of the Thoracic Aorta

Primary coarctation of the aorta is defined as a congenital narrowing of the aorta characterized by stenosis of the juxta ductal aorta. Symptoms and signs include systemic hypertension and a differential blood pressure between the upper and lower extremities as well as occasional back and chest pain. A differential of more than 20 mmHg warrants further investigation in a symptomatic patient. Open surgical repair has been considered the “gold standard” for this aortic defect. Endovascular techniques are currently being applied to treat coarctation of the aorta. CT angiography (Fig. 38.1) is a reliable diagnostic tool to confirm an adult onset coarctation of the aorta.
Geomorphic origin of Merritt Island-Cape Canaveral, Florida, USA: A paleodelta of the reversed St. Johns River?

Abstract The Merritt Island-Cape Canaveral (MICCSC) sedimentary complex consists of a series of adjacent, non-conformable, beach ridge sets that suggest a multi-phase constructional history, but the feature's geomorphic and sedimentary origins are not well-understood. In spite of its notable sedimentary volume (surface area = 1200 km2), the MICCSC lacks a clear sediment source, or supply mechanism, to explain its presence today. Previously published U/Th, radiocarbon and OSL dates indicate that beach ridge deposition was active during MIS 5 (130–80 ka) on Merritt Island, but has occurred over a shorter, younger time interval on Cape Canaveral proper (6 ka to present). In this paper, it is proposed that the MICCSC is an abandoned paleodelta whose fluvial source provided a sediment supply sufficient for coastal progradation. Although the MICCSC, today, does not receive an appreciable sediment supply, the nearly 23,000 km2 drainage basin of the St. Johns River may well have provided such a sediment supply during MIS 5 times. This low-gradient fluvial system currently empties to the Atlantic Ocean some 200 km north of the MICCSC (near Jacksonville, Florida) but may have flowed southward during the time of MICCSC sedimentary construction, then experienced flow reversal since MIS 5 times. Three possible uplift mechanisms are proposed to explain the northward down-tilting that may have reversed the flow direction of the St. Johns, abandoning deltaic construction of the MICCSC: (1) karst-driven, flexural isostatic uplift in response to carbonate rock dissolution in central Florida, (2) glacio-hydro-isostatic tilting/back-tilting cycles during loading and unloading of the Laurentide ice sheet during the Pleistocene, and (3) mantle convection-driven dynamic topography operating within southeastern North America since the Pliocene. This example testifies to the sensitivity of low-gradient, low-relief landscapes to various sources of uplift, be they isostatic or otherwise.
Update 0.2 to “pysimm: A python package for simulation of molecular systems”

Abstract An update to the pysimm Python molecular simulation API is presented. A major part of the update is the implementation of a new interface with CASSANDRA — a modern, versatile Monte Carlo molecular simulation program. Several significant improvements in the LAMMPS communication module that allow better and more versatile simulation setup are reported as well. An example of an application implementing iterative CASSANDRA–LAMMPS interaction is illustrated.
How Do We Teach High-Value Radiology?

The healthcare environment is under tremendous flux and the rate of change is continuously increasing. Calls have been made and efforts are underway to transform medical education. In this article, trends, key drivers, and resources for both global medical education and some specific to radiology are discussed. Great strides have been made to begin shifting focus towards high-value healthcare delivery through both non-traditional methods and innovation. We are not alone in this journey; resources are readily offered by instrumental key drivers of medical education with collaboration and sharing as valuable tools at our disposal. Despite initial progress, barriers persist to achieving meaningful and sustainable changes in medical education. We must commit our resources and empower our current and future medical providers to lead the way in providing high-value healthcare for our patients. An awareness of trends and driving forces in healthcare and medical education is necessary for radiologists to be relevant and vital contributors to the healthcare team.
Clinical decision support to reduce laterality ordering errors for breast imaging procedures.

241Background: Data showed 46 modifications to breast imaging orders upon patient arrival to the Radiology Department, in a 4 month period (Sept-Dec 2014.) Upon further investigation, we found that...
Hubble2D6: A deep learning approach for predicting drug metabolic activity

Abstract A major limitation of phenotype prediction in genetics is the ability to model the complexities of genetic variation when sample sizes are small. This is especially true in pharmacogenetics, a highly translational yet data-limited subfield of genetics. Drug metabolism is a critical facet of pharmacogenetics and can have consequences for drug safety and efficacy. CYP2D6 is an important enzyme, metabolizing more than 25% of clinically used drugs. It is highly polymorphic which leads to a heterogeneous response to drugs among the population. We present Hubble2D6, a set of deep learning models for predicting metabolic activity of CYP2D6 genotype and predicting functional classification of CYP2D6 haplotypes. We train our models on 249 samples, addressing data scarcity by pretraining on simulated data, weakly supervised learning, and using a functional representation of genetic variants. We validate our models using in vitro data for haplotypes previously unseen by the model and explain 38% of the variance with the genotype-based activity predictor and predict haplotype function with an AUC of 0.85. We demonstrate a procedure to build a computational model of a complex gene using primarily simulated and unlabeled data which can then be used to make functional predictions about novel genetic variation, and present a model that may be of clinical significance for an important application of genetics.
Fan-Beam CT Systems

The x-ray source and the detector array are arguably the most critical components that determine the performance of a closed-bore CT system. This chapter reviews the historical trend and recent progress in these subsystems. This perspective can be used to predict further progress that might be made in the near future. While the basic principles of x-ray generation have not changed, there has been considerable progress in x-ray sources for CT, including the ability to withstand high forces and high power, modulate the illuminating flux, enable lower kV imaging, and maintain small focal spots at high mA. X-ray detector arrays can have a very large number of elements, allowing the development of wider cone beams. They also have lower electronic noise. The new generation of detectors will have smaller apertures and spectral resolution at the detector.
Disease heterogeneity in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis: implications for therapeutic approaches

Summary In recent decades, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis has transformed from an almost uniformly fatal disease to a treatable form of primary systemic vasculitis. Substantial disease heterogeneity exists within ANCA-associated vasculitis and the increasing understanding of this heterogeneity has implications for guiding treatment decisions. Approaches to induction and maintenance therapy vary depending on disease severity, clinical manifestations, and patient-specific factors. In this narrative Review, we examine how disease heterogeneity in ANCA-associated vasculitis, with respect to disease severity, clinical presentations, and ANCA specificity, influences therapeutic decision making. Many questions regarding therapeutic strategies in ANCA-associated vasculitis remain unanswered, and these should guide future research in this complex group of diseases.
Active Gate Control for Multiple Series Connected SiC MOSFETs

Silicon (Si) is the most widely used in power electronic devices. However, due to its limitations regarding blocking voltage and switching frequency, wide band gap (WBG) materials have been under extensive research. Especially, Silicon carbide (SiC) device is expected to replace the Si device in many high voltage/power application. Although the low voltage SiC device that can replace the Si device is commercially available, device for high voltage and power application is under development. In order to achieve high voltage and power, series connection of SiC devices can be considered. Besides the advantage of series connection, it causes voltage unbalance issue that must be solved. In this paper, the active gate driver (AGD) control is used to balance the voltages. A gate resistance modulation method is presented for dynamic voltage sharing. It controls the gate current to adjust dv/dt. With different time of gate resistance modulation, the dv/dt of each device is adjusted to balance the voltages. The proposed method is verified in three different cases in Matlab/Simulink.
Frontline Science: AMPK regulates metabolic reprogramming necessary for interferon production in human plasmacytoid dendritic cells

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) play a crucial role in innate viral immunity as the most potent producers of type I interferons (IFN) in the human body. However, the metabolic regulation of IFN production in such vast quantity remains poorly understood. In this study, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is strongly implicated as a driver of metabolic reprogramming that the authors and others have observed in pDCs after activation via TLR7/9. Oxygen consumption and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were elevated following stimulation of pDCs with influenza or herpes simplex virus. Blocking these changes using mitochondrial inhibitors abrogated IFN-α production. While it appears that multiple carbon sources can be used by pDCs, blocking pyruvate metabolism had the strongest effect on IFN-α production. Furthermore, we saw no evidence of aerobic glycolysis (AG) during pDC activation and blocking lactate dehydrogenase activity did not inhibit IFN-α. TLR7/9 ligation induces a posttranslational modification in Raptor that is catalyzed by AMPK, and blocking TLR7/9 before virus introduction prevents this change. Finally, it is demonstrated that Dorsomorphin, an AMPK inhibitor, inhibited both IFN-α production and MMP in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these data reveal a potential cellular mechanism for the metabolic reprogramming in TLR 7/9-activated pDCs that supports activation and IFN-α production.
A Review of Corporate Divestiture

Divestment represents an important corporate strategic tool; however, research on divestment is eclipsed by research on mergers and acquisitions, and divestment is often incorrectly considered an i...
A Current-to-Digital ∆Σ ADC for Low-Noise High-Precision Applications

This paper presents the system design of a new high precision potentiostat. Our direct current-to-digital conversion is capable of sensing picoampere (pA) currents without a need for transimpedance amplifiers(TIAs). Our idea utilizes a ∆Σ modulator with one very important difference, current feedback via slope scaling. This feature allows us to utilize noiseless elements such as capacitors in the feedback loop to achieve high performance. We have validated the system using both theory and experiment. Performance improvement over current systems is first demonstrated by performing a theoretical analysis of the expected noise of the system. A 10×10cm2 PCB prototype was fabricated as a proof of concept. The slope scaling idea is applied to both first and second order ∆Σ Analog to Digital Converters (ADCs) with signal input bandwidth of 1.57 KHz with an oversampling ratio of 64. Signal-to-Noise-and-Distortion Ratio (SNDR) of 40 dB and 60 dB is achieved with 1st and 2nd order ∆Σ ADCs, respectively. The noise floor of the implemented circuit is 569 fA over a 1KHz bandwidth and was tested for input currents ranging from 100 pA to 1 µA.
Human-Centered Design of GRE Preparation Applications for Non-Native English Speakers:

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a primary barrier to entry into US graduate programs for non-native English speakers. The goal of this study is to develop a GRE preparation mobile phone ap...
Immune activation and evolution through chemotherapy plus checkpoint blockade in triple-negative breast cancer

Immune checkpoint blockade plus chemotherapy is emerging as a standard treatment for some patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). In this issue of Cancer Cell, Zhang et al. employ extensive single-cell immune compartment analyses of pre- and post-therapy TNBC, and they reveal potential mechanisms of T cell activation and patterns of immune evolution that may inform future biomarkers of response and clinical benefit.
Mumford’s Construction

In this chapter R denotes a noetherian normal domain complete w.r.t. an ideal I, and we always assume rad(I) = I for convenience. S always denote Spec(R), η = generic point of S, S 0 = Spec(R/I), K = quotient field of R. As before we assume that for any etale R/I-algebra R 0 † its unique lifting R † to a formally etale I-adically complete R-algebra is normal. This holds for example if R is regular, or if R is the I-adic completion of a normal excellent ring. In fact everything could be done over a formal scheme which is not necessarily affine whose coordinate rings satisfy the above strong normality condition, but we leave it to the reader to take care of this additional generality. (The reference for relative schemes is [Hak].)
Analysis of the Long-Term Impacts and Benefits of Grand Teton National Park on the Economy of Teton County, Wyoming

The research underway has two primary objectives. The first of these is to document the impact of Grand Teton National Park (GTNP) on the demographic characteristics and economy of Teton County. Such documentation will provide a basis to address specific local concerns expressed about some GTNP management policies. The second major objective is to improve the National Park Service's (NPS) ability to predict the economic impact of management policies being considered, thus enabling the NPS to make adjustments in policies where appropriate. The capability to make such predictions will reduce controversy and conflict, and thereby improve the decision-making environment. It will also enable the NPS to update many of the findings of the research, thus maintaining the value of the study well beyond the period immediately following its completion.
The Influence of Ethnicity on the Health of Older Women

There is increasing evidence that ethnicity is an important factor as one ages that serves as an integrating force to help an older woman filter her personal experience with aging and to pass through significant life changes, such as being a cultural and health resource for family and community, becoming a grandmother, retiring, or moving in with family when frailty occurs. Ethnicity also can act as a buffer to the visccitudes of old age. When the surrounding environment, especially the health care environment, encourages expression and the reaffirmation of ethnicity, we find examples of successful aging in many ethnic communities; however, aging is often less successful when poverty, lack of informal and or formal support, or dislocation through immigration or separation from ethnic community and family disrupt the process of coming to terms with old age. The process of counseling an older patient is a complex one, particularly when ethnicity is a strong factor in the patient's identity. Ethnicity acts as a filter to the aging process, influencing health, health beliefs and behavior, as well as interaction with health professionals. Many ethnic groups, while identifying and incorporating certain elements of scientifically based understanding of disease and illness into their lives, nevertheless also adhere to more traditional paradigms of health and illness, or associated health beliefs and behaviors sometimes called folk beliefs that diverge from mainstream Western scientific medical concepts. Older women, who are often more steeply versed in traditional health beliefs than men and often act as the first line of medical advice within the family, may adopt a combination of orthodox (scientific) and folk traditions to attempt to address illness or malaise. This multiple approach is not necessarily harmful; rather, many folk treatments (which include specific ritual behaviors, and use of teas and other folk remedies) may, from a strictly medical standpoint, play a neutral role in terms of biochemical activities but a highly positive role in terms of psychological well-being. Folk treatments allow an individual to address the social imbalances that are considered significant in causing a particular condition within the ethnic tradition. Health professionals who work with particular ethnic groups would benefit from a deeper understanding of cultural beliefs and practice, and an acknowledgement of respect for these practices. Among the variety of writings on ethnicity and health or ethnicity and aging that have appeared are practical texts on communication strategies with various ethnic groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Determination of suvorexant in human plasma using 96-well liquid-liquid extraction and HPLC with tandem mass spectrometric detection

A method, using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection (LC-MS/MS), was developed for the determination of suvorexant (MK-4305, Belsomra(®)), a selective dual orexin receptor antagonist for the treatment insomnia, in human plasma over the concentration range of 1-1000ng/mL. Stable isotope labeled (13)C(2)H3-suvorexant was used as an internal standard. The sample preparation procedure utilized liquid-liquid extraction, in the 96-well format, of a 100μL plasma sample with methyl t-butyl ether. The compounds were chromatographed under isocratic conditions on a Waters dC18 (50×2.1mm, 3μm) column with a mobile phase consisting of 30/70 (v/v %) 10mM ammonium formate, pH3/acetonitrile at a flow rate of 0.3mL/min. Multiple reaction monitoring of the precursor-to-product ion pairs for suvorexant (m/z 451→186) and (13)C(2)H3-suvorexant (m/z 455→190) on an Applied Biosystems API 4000 tandem mass spectrometer was used for quantitation. Intraday assay precision, assessed in six different lots of control plasma, was within 10% CV at all concentrations, while assay accuracy ranged from 95.6 to 105.0% of nominal. Quality control (QC) samples in plasma were stored at -20°C. Initial within day analysis of QCs after one freeze-thaw cycle showed accuracy within 9.5% of nominal with precision (CV) of 6.7% or less. The plasma QC samples were demonstrated to be stable for up to 25 months at -20°C. The method described has been used to support clinical studies during Phase I through III of clinical development.
Strategies for Trade Sales in a Changing Asian Business Culture

Multinational manufacturers of many consumer products continue to struggle with the development and management of their international sales-channels. To examine international sales-channel strategies and begin to develop a framework to guide sales-channel evaluation and development, exploratory qualitative interviews were conducted with sales executives from various American and European manufacturers of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) that are selling in Southeast Asia. Findings suggest that when developing sales-channels, FMCG manufacturer decisions are influenced by manufacturer strengths and capabilities, the strengths and capabilities of available local trade partners, consumer behavior, and environmental conditions. Furthermore, the level of power held by manufacturers and retailer sophistication are identified to be two key issues impacting sales-channel decisions. A framework utilizing these two variables is proposed that suggests that a manufacturer's local sales presence increases with the le...
Local Spectra of Operator Weighted Shifts

In this paper, we study the local spectral properties of unilateral operator weighted shifts.
Sea-Level Change: The Expected Economic Cost of Protection Or Abandonment in the United States

Three distinct models from earlier work are combined to: (1) produce probabilistically weighted scenarios of greenhouse-gas-induced sea-level rise; (2) support estimates of the expected discounted value of the cost of sea-level rise to the developed coastline of the United States, and (3) develop reduced-form estimates of the functional relationship between those costs to anticipated sea-level rise, the cost of protection, and the anticipated rate of property-value appreciation. Four alternative representations of future sulfate emissions, each tied consistently to the forces that drive the initial trajectories of the greenhouse gases, are considered. Sea-level rise has a nonlinear effect on expected cost in all cases, but the estimated sensitivity falls short of being quadratic. The mean estimate for the expected discounted cost across the United States is approximately $2 billion (with a 3% real discount rate), but the range of uncertainty around that estimate is enormous; indeed, the 10th and 90th percentile estimates run from less than $0.2 billion up to more than $4.6 billion. In addition, the mean estimate is very sensitive to associated sulfate emissions; it is, specifically, diminished by nearly 25% when base-case sulfate emission trajectories are considered and by more than 55% when high-sulfate trajectories are allowed.
Preparation of 1‐Butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate

1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride Tetrafluoroborate, sodium 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetraborate Keywords: tetrafluorborates; contaminants; silver nitrate; ionic liquids; n-butyl-pyridium tetrafluorborate
Education Level of Catholic Hispanic Deacons Assessing Religiosity, Spirituality, Faith-Related Behaviors, and Leadership Styles

The present study assessed self-reported religiosity, spirituality, faith-related behaviors, leadership styles, and personality dimensions of 156 Hispanic Catholic deacons, based on varied educatio...
Our Unrequited Love for Simple Explanation

In the complex and often perplexing field of perinatology, it is often tempting to extrapolate the results of the latest published study to our daily clinical practice, especially when the study appears to provide simple answers to difficult questions. This tendency is further encouraged by sensational media coverage and commentaries that, by necessity, further simplify the issues and hype the speculation. Without a critical appraisal of the study population, methodology, analysis and conclusions stated, globalizing a single study's results to anyone's clinical practice can be well-intentioned but misguided. As an example, approximately 1 year ago the results of an NICHD study involving home uterine activity monitoring (HUAM) were released. The study concluded that, while the likelihood of preterm delivery increased with an increased baseline frequency of uterine contractions, measurement of this contractility was not a clinically efficient predictor of preterm delivery. Through the media and editorials that followed, the study results became translated so as to indicate that HUAM was not effective in preventing preterm delivery or improving perinatal outcomes. In our desire for a simple and definitive conclusion on HUAM, key facts about this study were forgotten. In the NICHD study, uterine contraction data were blinded to both physician and patient, and only intermittent preterm monitoring was used with no provision for emergency monitoring; a study design that guaranteed patient management and outcomes would not be affected by HUAM. Using the NICHD HUAM study as an example to be learned from, we should be more critical and independent in our appraisal of published trials. Evidence-based medicine is only useful when we pay as much attention to the methodology as we do to the results.
Welcome to the February 2008 Issue of Estuaries and Coasts

On behalf of the Federation’s Governing Board and Editors in Chief, we wish our authors and readers the best in 2008. A New Year brings resolutions and changes—even to scholarly journals. The changes in this issue have been in the planning stages for over a year, and they are numerous. Some are visible to the naked eye, some not. We draw your attention to these changes that are intended to significantly expand the influence of our journal.
Monte Carlo Simulation of Degradation of Porous Poly(lactide) Scaffolds, I. Effect of Porosity on pH

Summary: Monte Carlo method was used to simulate the degradation of porous PLA scaffolds. The simulated volume was assumed to be divided homogeneously between the pore and solid PLA with the ratio equal to the bulk porosity of the scaffold. The volume was divided into surface and bulk elements where the surface elements were in direct contact with the aqueous degradation medium, while the bulk elements were surrounded by the pore and solid PLA. The effect of degradation time on PLA ester groups and carboxylic acid end-groups for surface and bulk elements, pH, PLA degradation rate and mass loss, and PLA molecular weight distribution was simulated. For surface elements, pH remained constant at 7.4 over the entire time of degradation, while for bulk elements its value decreased significantly to as low as 5.8. The highest drop in pH within the scaffold was observed for the highest porosity of 90%. There was a lag time of at least 7 weeks in the mass loss for surface as well as bulk elements for porosities ranging from 70 to 90%. The mass loss for bulk elements was considerably faster than the surface elements. This difference in the rate of mass loss between the surface and bulk elements could affect the 3D morphology and dimensional stability of the scaffold in vivo as degradation proceeds. The simulation predicts that, due to differences in the rate of bulk and surface degradation, hollow structures could form inside the scaffold after 19, 17, and 15 weeks for initial porosities of 70, 80, and 90%, respectively. A schematic diagram illustrating the degradation of an element on the outer surface of the scaffold (surface element) versus an element within the volume of the scaffold (bulk element).
Comparison of thallium redistribution with rest “reinjection” imaging for the detection of viable myocardium

To determine the incidence of incomplete redistribution on conventional delayed thallium images, 41 patients with persistent perfusion defects on myocardial images recorded 3 to 4 hours after thallium injection during exercise were studied. At the conclusion of their delayed images the patients were reinjected at rest with approximately 1 mCi of thallium-201 and a third set of images was recorded. The images were presented at random in pairs (initial:delayed, initial:reinjection) to 2 experienced observers for qualitative scoring of 9 segments/patient. Of the 360 segments analyzed, concordance between the delayed and reinjected images occurred in 307 (85%). Of 141 segments that demonstrated a persistent perfusion abnormality on 3- to 4-hour delayed images, 44 (31%) were reassigned to a redistribution score after reinjection. In 9 patients, reinjection images provided the only evidence of ischemia from the scintigraphic data. In 13 of 14 vascular territories that demonstrated redistribution after reinjection, intact perfusion (either anterograde or via collaterals) was detected at coronary angiography. These data suggest that rest reinjection imaging may provide a means of detecting viable myocardium in segments that demonstrate a fixed perfusion abnormality on conventional 3- to 4-hour delayed thallium images.
Select Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) scales as predictors of tobacco abstinence following treatment for nicotine dependence

Trait anxiety, depression, neuroticism, and pessimism were investigated as predictors of tobacco abstinence 6 months post-treatment for cigarette smoking. The sample included 1877 adult patients treated for cigarette smoking at Mayo Clinic who had previously completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Known predictors of tobacco abstinence were adjusted for in the final analyses (average cigarettes per day at the time of NDC consult, severity of nicotine dependence, stage of change at time of treatment, longest duration of previous abstinence, and gender). Results indicated that trait anxiety, neuroticism, and pessimism were significantly univariately associated with decreased likelihood of 6-month tobacco abstinence. Since prior evidence suggests that these traits are identifiable early in life and potentially modifiable, tobacco abstinence rates might be enhanced by offering treatment programs to smokers that are also designed to reduce symptoms related to their anxiety, neuroticism, and ...
EXPRESSION OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR (VEGF) AND ITS RECEPTOR(flk-1) INCREASE DURING LUNG DEVELOPMENT. ▴ 323

EXPRESSION OF VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR (VEGF) AND ITS RECEPTOR(flk-1) INCREASE DURING LUNG DEVELOPMENT. ▴ 323
Interpretation of Mono-Pulse Ice Radar Soundings on Two Peruvian Glaciers

During the 1979 and 1980 field seasons, mono-pulse radar sounding experiments were carried out on the Quelccaya Ice Cap in southern Peru and the col of Huascaran in northern Peru. Along with ice thickness determinations, some of which are described in detail elsewhere (the maximum ice thickness measured using the radar was 165 ± 20 m for the Quelccaya Ice Cap and 190 ± 10 m for Huascaran), studies were conducted to estimate the average temperature of the glaciers and the character of the glacier beds using the measured amplitudes and phases of the radar data. Values for the electrical properties of ice needed to model absorption in the ice reflection amplitudes at the ice base were compiled from the literature and extrapolated down to 5 MHz. An ambiguity in the interpretation of the radar data, regarding the relative contributions of reflection and absorption losses to the total attenuation, could only be resolved by including additional independent information about the glaciers such as 15-m temperatures and evidence for sliding around the perimeter. We conclude from these data that both the Quelccaya Ice Cap and the col of Huascaran are temperate glaciers which are dry-based near their summits and, in the case of Quelccaya, wet-based near the margin.
Management of Ischemic Colitis

Ischemic colitis is a commonly misunderstood clinical condition. Although the colon is the most common region of ischemia in the gastrointestinal tract, many surgeons have difficulty with diagnosis and treatment of ischemic colitis. The process can occur from either occlusive vascular disease or nonocclusive disease, and can be gangrenous or nongangrenous. Differentiating gangrenous from nongangrenous disease can be a difficult clinical challenge as both sets of patients generally present with abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. Although the majority of patients have transient ischemia with nongangrenous colitis that can be successfully managed nonoperatively, prompt recognition and surgical intervention is critical in patients with gangrenous colitis. In this article, the diagnosis and treatment of ischemic colitis is reviewed with emphasis on a systematic, evidence-based approach to management.
Brevetoxins, like ciguatoxins, are potent ichthyotoxic neurotoxins that accumulate in fish.

Abstract Brevetoxins and ciguatoxins are closely related potent marine neurotoxins. Although ciguatoxins accumulate in fish to levels that are dangerous for human consumption, live fish have not been considered as potential sources of brevetoxin exposure in humans. Here we show that, analogous to ciguatoxins, brevetoxins can accumulate in live fish by dietary transfer. We experimentally identify two pathways leading to brevetoxin-contaminated omnivorous and planktivorous fish. Fish fed with toxic shellfish and Karenia brevis cultures remained healthy and accumulated high brevetoxin levels in their tissues (up to 2675 ng g−1 in viscera and 1540 ng g−1 in muscle). Repeated collections of fish from St. Joseph Bay in the Florida panhandle reveal that accumulation of brevetoxins in healthy fish occurs in the wild. We observed that levels of brevetoxins in the muscle of fish at all trophic levels rise significantly, but not to dangerous levels, during a K. brevis bloom. Concentrations were highest in fish liver and stomach contents, and increased during and immediately following the bloom. The persistence of brevetoxins in the fish food web was followed for 1 year after the K. brevis bloom.
Agreements, rules and agentic fidelity in polyamorous relationships

Drawing on data from 343 surveys and 12 interviews gathered as part of a large-scale research project on intimate relationships in the United States, this study examines agreements and rules within self-identified polyamorous relationships. Findings illustrate that polyamorists explicitly resist the master monogamous template through multiple sexual and emotional partners although commitment remains salient within such relationships. Results indicate that polyamorists do violate the rules of their relationships although ‘cheating’ is not a relevant construct for such behaviour. Although polyamory affords explicit rejection of sexual and emotional exclusivity, survey and interview data suggest that by underscoring their ability for multiple loves, there remains a continued emphasis on emotional rather than sexual intimacy. The article introduces ‘agentic fidelity’, which is a certain form of commitment among polyamorists that relies upon acute self-knowledge and choice exercised through the ability to expr...
The Complexity of Tracking a Stopping Time

We present a generalization of the well-known Bayesian change-point detection problem. Specifically, let {(Xi,Yi)}iges1 be a sequence of pairs of random variables, and let S be a stopping time with respect to {Xi}iges1. We assume that the (Xi, Yi)'s take values in the same finite alphabet X times Y. For a fixed kappa ges 1, we consider the problem of finding a stopping time T kappa), and constructs the associated optimal stopping times T. In this paper, we provide a sufficient condition on {(Xi,Yi)}iges1 and S under which the algorithm running time is polynomial in kappa, and we illustrate this condition with two examples: a Bayesian change-point problem and a pure tracking stopping time problem.
Elastic quantum transport calculations for molecular nanodevices using plane waves

The elastic quantum transport through a molecule connected by two quantum wires is calculated using the exact scattering states of the system. The formalism introduced in Phys. Rev. B 72, 045417 (2005) has been implemented here using exact evanescent states, instead of approximated evanescent states. We present a direct approach to calculate the complex band structure under the plane-wave pseudopotential Hamiltonian. The overall scheme allows us to obtain numerically accurate and stable solutions for the elastic transport using a plane-wave basis. The total computational time is similar to that of a standard ground-state calculation. As a model system, we have considered a benzene molecule connected by two Cu wires and we have investigated the effects of the molecule rotation on the transmission coefficients.
Shock Mitigation Studies of Solid Foams for Z-Pinch Chamber Protection

Solid open-cell Al foams are subjected to dynamic compression testing in a vertical shock tube to model the metallic foam being considered for use in an inertial fusion energy reactor. High porosity (0.89) foam samples (stack of two, 25.4 cm square, 10.2 cm high) of three different cell sizes (10, 20, and 40 pores per inch) are compressed with a strong shock (M=6) in a 25 kPa atmosphere of air and SF6. The post-shock samples are highly compressed (strains up to 0.8 for the smallest cell size) and have a wavy upper surface indicating structural anisotropy. Energy absorption is found to vary with cell-size (smaller cells, more absorption) while the impulse of the shock wave is independent of cell size. Pressure data indicate the incident shock wave becomes a compression wave with a non-discontinuous gradient inside of the foam. Using an array of pressure transducers with a vertical spacing of 2.54 cm, the wave speed in the foam sample is reduced to 25% of its value without the presence of the foam
Le combustible Framatome ANP dans le monde

Premier fournisseur mondial de combustible nucleaire, Framatome ANP s'appuie sur une experience correspondant a l'alimentation de 169 reacteurs a eau ordinaire dans 18 pays. Regards sur la branche combustible de la firme, qui regroupe 4600 personnes implantees en France ainsi qu'aux Etats-Unis, en Allemagne et en Belgique.
Epithelial machines that shape the embryo

Embryonic form and the shape of many organs are the product of forces acting within and on epithelial sheets. Analysis of these processes requires both consideration of the mechanical operation of these multicellular machines and an understanding of how epithelial sheets are integrated with surrounding tissues. From the diverse array of epithelial morphogenetic movements seen during embryogenesis we review examples of epithelial sheet bending, Drosophila ventral furrow formation and ascidian gastrulation, and direct measurements of epithelial mechanics from Xenopus laevis. We present these examples as works-in-progress and highlight opportunities for future studies into both the direct consequence of force production and embryonic tissue mechanics and potential roles of signaling from biomechanical processes.
Quantifying the relationship between atmospheric transport and the chemical composition of precipitation on Bermuda

In an effort to investigate the influence of different atmospheric flow patterns on thecomposition of precipitation on the island of Bermuda, a cluster analysis of atmospherictrajectories was performed to identify periods of similar transport. The cluster analysistechnique represents a relatively objective alternative to the more subjective method ofclassifying trajectories according to compass sector. Data were stratified into two broadseasons, defined as a warm (April-September) and a cool (October-March) season. Relative tothe cool season, significantly higher per event concentrations of non-seasalt sulfate and nitrateoccurred in the warm season on Bermuda. There was no significant difference in the per eventprecipitation amount between seasons; however, there was significantly higher per eventdeposition of warm season non-seasalt sulfate, and nitrate. Significant differences inprecipitation composition were also identified between flow patterns. It was found that thesource regions which contributed the largest fraction of hydrogen ion deposition and nonseasaltsulfate deposition on Bermuda differed by season. During the cool months, 40% of thedeposition occurred with transport from the west, off the East Coast of the US, implicatinganthropogenic sources. In the warm season, an equally large fraction of deposition wasassociated with flow from the Bahamas region, suggesting an oceanic source of biogenic sulfuras the precursor. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.1988.tb00117.x
Incident-wave expansion for laser coupling to spherical targets

The interaction of a focused laser beam with a spherical target not centered at the focus of the beam is analyzed. Approximations that simplify this analysis are highly accurate for laser-fusion experimental configurations.
Is there a general theory of community ecology

Community ecology entered the 1970s with the belief that niche theory would supply a general theory of community structure. The lack of wide-spread empirical support for niche theory led to a focus on models specific to classes of communities such as lakes, intertidal communities, and forests. Today, the needs of conservation biology for metrics of ''ecological health'' that can be applied across types of communities prompts a renewed interest in the possibility of general theory for community ecology. Disputes about the existence of general patterns in com- munity structure trace at least to the 1920s and continue today almost unchanged in concept, although now expressed through mathematical modeling. Yet, a new framework emerged in the 1980s from findings that community composition and structure depend as much on the processes that bring species to the boundaries of a community as by processes internal to a community, such as species interactions and co-evolution. This perspective, termed ''supply-side ecology'', argued that community ecology was to be viewed as an ''organic earth science'' more than as a biological science. The absence of a general theory of the earth would then imply a corresponding absence of any general theory for the communities on the earth, and imply that the logical structure of theoretical community ecology would consist of an atlas of models special to place and geologic time. Nonetheless, a general theory of community ecology is possible similar in form to the general theory for evolution if the processes that bring species to the boundary of a community are analogized to mutation, and the processes that act on the species that arrive at a community are analogized to selection. All communities then share some version of this common narrative, permitting general theorems to be developed pertaining to all ecological communities. Still, the desirability of a general theory of community ecology is debatable because the existence of a general theory suppresses diversity of thought
Low-complexity hybrid MLSE equalizers for 10 Gb/s Ethernet multi-mode fiber links

We demonstrate a new class of electronic equalizers for 10 Gb/s multi-mode fiber links that combine the advantages of Viterbi equalizers and decision feedback equalizers (DFE) yielding a low complexity, readily implemented architecture with performance /spl sim/0.5-0.75 dBo better than an infinite-length DFE.