cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changing role of splenectomy for hematologic disease

In the past decade the development of accurate imaging and the evolution of the medical management of hematologic diseases has led to changes in the indications for splenectomy for these disorders. To assess the impact of these developments, a multi-institutional, retrospective review was undertaken. One hundred fifty-six splenectomies were performed for hematologic disorders between July 1, 1979 and June 30, 1991. Patients were divided into 2 groups: those undergoing splenectomy from 1979–1985 (Period I), and those undergoing splenectomy from 1986–1991 (Period 11). Diseases were classified into 3 groups: cytopenic/anemic conditions, symptomatic splenomegaly, and Hodgkin's disease. Data was compared between the two periods using chi-square analysis. More splenectomies were performed for hematologic disorders during Period II than Period I (P < .005). This increase is secondary to a rise in the number of splenectomies performed for cytopenidanemia during Period II. In contrast, splenectomies for splenomegaly and Hodgkin's disease decreased during Period II (P < .005 and < .05). More Hodgkin's patients were upstaged on the basis of positive laparotomy findings in Period II, compared to Period I (40% versus 10%, P = .01). Surgeons are now performing more splenectomies for cytopenic/anemic diseases, and fewer for splenomegaly and Hodgkin's disease. These results are consistent with recent trends: (1) earlier splenectomy in patients with cytopenidanemia; (2) earlier medical intervention in infiltrative splenic disorders; and (3) more reliance on radiologic staging in Hodgkin's disease and widespread use of combination chemotherapy, leaving surgical staging for those cases in which treatment would be changed by laparotomy findings. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Analyzing PACS Usage Patterns by Means of Process Mining: Steps Toward a More Detailed Workflow Analysis in Radiology.

In this paper, statistical analysis and techniques from process mining are employed to analyze interaction patterns originating from radiologists reading medical images in a picture archiving and communication system (PACS). Event logs from 1 week of data, corresponding to 567 cases of single-view chest radiographs read by 14 radiologists, were analyzed. Statistical analysis showed that the numbers of commands and command types used by the radiologists per case only have a slightly positive correlation with the time to read a case (0.31 and 0.55, respectively). Further, one way ANOVA showed that the factors time of day, radiologist and specialty were significant for the number of commands per case, whereas radiologist was also significant for the number of command types, but with no significance of any of the factors on time to read. Applying process mining to the event logs of all users showed that a seemingly “simple” examination (single-view chest radiographs) can be associated with a highly complex interaction process. However, repeating the process discovery on each individual radiologist revealed that the initially discovered complex interaction process consists of one group of radiologists with individually well-structured interaction processes and a second smaller group of users with progressively more complex usage patterns. Future research will focus on metrics to describe derived interaction processes in order to investigate if one set of interaction patterns can be considered as more efficient than another set when reading radiological images in a PACS.
Presidential Papers as a Political Science Concern

Among the modest number of widely-accepted generalizations about American history is the proposition that many subjects that were once ignored altogether or dealt with privately here, over the decades, come to be regarded as societal problems regulated best, or at least inevitably, by the national government in Washington. Whatever its applications otherwise, this description appears to fit the handling of the papers of Presidents of the United States from 1789 onwards. A backward step in this trend seemed to be signified on Pardon Day, September 8, 1974, when Philip W. Buchen, Counsel to the President, released two legal documents that expressed President Ford's conclusions about the Presidential materials of Richard Nixon. The bottom line was that the papers and other records, including tapes, retained during the Administration of former President Nixon in the White House offices "are the present property of Mr. Nixon."1
The Influence of Brine Chilling on Tenderness of Hot-Boned, Chill-Boned, and Age-Boned Broiler Breast Fillets

Abstract Fillets (pectoralis superficialis) were harvested from broiler carcasses immediately after picking (hot boned), immediately after chilling (chill boned), or after a 24-hr aging period (age boned). Hot-boned fillets and all carcasses were equally distributed within two chilling solutions; tap water or 5% sodium chloride solution. The pH at the time of boning was ascertained for all fillets. Battered, breaded, deep-fat fried fillets were analyzed for shear force, percent chloride ion, and moisture and sodium concentration. Boning time produced the greatest effect on tenderness of broiler breast meat, with tenderness improving as the length of time between slaughter and boning was increased. Brine chilling improved tenderness of hot-boned fillets to the same level as that observed for fillets harvested from carcasses immediately after chilling but had no effect on fillets harvested postchill or after aging. Improvement in tenderness of brine-chilled, hot-boned fillets could not be explained on the basis of pH or water-holding capacity but was related to higher tissue chloride ion concentration.
Stocking Threadfin Shad: Consequences for Young-of-Year Fishes

Abstract Threadfin shad Dorosoma petenense are commonly introduced into reservoirs to supplement prey available to piscivorous fishes. To determine how early life stages of threadfin shad and their potential competitors and predators interact, we introduced this species into two Ohio lakes—Clark and Stonelick—and evaluated how its young of year influenced young-of-year bluegills Lepomis macrochirus and largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides. After adults were stocked in April, peak abundance of young-of-year threadfin shad occurred in August in both lakes. Bluegills generally spawned earlier than threadfin shad, which apparently reduced competition between young of these species. In Clark Lake, young-of-year threadfin shad did not reduce zooplankton populations, but in Stonelick Lake, peak abundance of young-of-year threadfin shad was followed by a precipitous decline in zooplankton. Data on cladoceran birth rates indicated this decline was due to increased predation by threadfin shad. Survival of bluegill...
Determinants of time-to-weaning in a specialized respiratory care unit.

Background: As the decision-making process in long-term respiratory care units often depends on time-based outcomes, we sought to identify independent predictors of time-to-weaning (TTW) in a hospital-based specialized respiratory care unit. Methods: Characteristics that were identified in previous studies as predictors of weaning success in ICUs and long-term ventilator units were prospectively collected on 113 consecutive admissions to our unit. TTW analyses were performed with Kaplan-Meier curves, log rank test, and Cox proportional regression. Results: The TTW was shorter in patients with static lung compliance (Cst) of > 20 mL/cm H 2 O, a normal creatinine level (0.6 to 1.4 mg/dL), a rapid shallow breathing index (RSBI) of ≤ 105, intact skin, and in those patients from a surgical referral source. We found an interaction between RSBI and Cst (p = 0.02) such that patients with an RSBI of ≤ 105, regardless of Cst, had a median TTW of 11 days, those with an RSBI of > 105 and a Cst of > 20 had a median TTW of 31 days, and those with an RSBI of > 105 and a Cst of ≤ 20 mL/cm H 2 O had not reached a median TTW by 60 days (p = 0.007 [log rank for linear trend]). In a Cox-proportional hazard model, both this categorization model of RSBI and Cst, and renal function had a significant impact on TTW. Conclusions: In a multivariate model incorporating the variables reviewed, only the lung parameters (RSBI combined with Cst) and renal function remained independently associated with TTW.
Biological Alterations Occurring During Red Cell Preservation

Removal of the red blood cell from the normal circulation drastically alters its external environment, depriving the cell of necessary nutrients as well as removing certain protective factors. To counter the loss of nutrient, various blood collecting solutions have been devised in which glucose is used to supply the cell with an energy source. At the same time, attempts are made to reduce cellular metabolism, hence cell demand for energy, usually by using solutions of low pH and/or mechanical factors, that of cooling the blood. The combination of a slower metabolism and a glucose supplement have permitted most storage of red cells in a useful state for perhaps 20–30 days (1,2,3).
The nucleotide sequence of citrus leaf rugose ilarvirus RNA-2

The nucleotide sequence of citrus leaf rugose ilarvirus (CiLRV) RNA-2 consists of 2990 nucleotides and contains one open reading frame (ORF) which encodes a deduced translation product of 832 amino acids with a calculated M r of 95 501 (95K). The 5′ terminus of the RNA has a m7Gppp cap. Both the nucleotide sequence of CiLRV RNA-2 and its translated polypeptide share homologies with the nucleotide sequence and translated polypeptide, respectively, of RNA-2 of alfalfa mosaic virus (AIMV). The homology occurs in the central region of both the nucleic acid sequence and the polypeptide. Homologies between either CiLRV or AlMV and other Bromoviridae (cucumber mosaic virus - CMV, brome mosaic virus - BMV and cowpea chlorotic mottle virus - CCMV) were far less. Alignment of the 104 amino acid region (polymerase signature) of the 95K protein against 10 other ‘alpha-like’ plant viral polymerase signatures showed that CiLRV and A1MV are more closely related to each other than to CMV, BMV or CCMV. This is the first report of the full-length sequence of RNA-2 of an ilarvirus.
Phosphorylation-dependent Monoclonal Tau Antibodies Do Not Reliably Report Phosphorylation by Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinase 2 at Specific Sites

Analysis of phosphorylation of tau, the microtubule-associated proteins hyperphosphorylated in Alzheimer's disease, is often performed using phosphorylation-sensitive monoclonal antibodies thought to report the presence or absence of one or two specific phosphorylations (cognate sites). Using several such antibodies we found a much more complicated relationship between phosphorylation at specific sites, as monitored by two-dimensional phosphopeptide mapping, and antibody recognition of these sites. Multiple phosphorylation of tau in several stages by the brain extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 isoform PK40 suggested that phosphorylation at cognate sites is sometimes necessary (but not sufficient) to induce a change of antibody reactivity and in some cases is not even necessary in the background of multiple phosphorylation at other sites. No single phosphorylation site was found to be responsible for any level of gel mobility shift associated with phosphorylation. Tau acquired its maximal gel mobility retardation and final immunochemical profile at substoichiometric phosphorylation of most sites. This suggests that many alternate phosphorylation patterns can produce the same conformational and immunochemical presentation on sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis. Although PK40erk2 prefers some phosphorylation sites, most notably Ser235, followed by Ser199 or Ser202 and Thr205, the phosphorylation of multiple Ser/Thr-Pro sites is not highly sequential. Ser396 is one of the least preferred sites and seems to require prior phosphorylation at Ser404.
B-Mode Sonography in Acute Renal Failure

B-mode sonography is an extremely useful and cost-effective method to eliminate urinary obstruction as a cause of acute renal failure and should be performed on all patients in whom obstruction is likely or in whom the cause of renal failure is not apparent. The threshold should be reduced in patients with solitary kidneys and sonography is probably indicated in all transplant patients. Sonography has very little utility in the management of other patients with acute renal failure. Although sonographic changes do occur in acute tubular necrosis, they are difficult to detect in the absence of baseline studies and are nonspecific.
Web search personalization with ontological user profiles

Every user has a distinct background and a specific goal when searching for information on the Web. The goal of Web search personalization is to tailor search results to a particular user based on that user's interests and preferences. Effective personalization of information access involves two important challenges: accurately identifying the user context and organizing the information in such a way that matches the particular context. We present an approach to personalized search that involves building models of user context as ontological profiles by assigning implicitly derived interest scores to existing concepts in a domain ontology. A spreading activation algorithm is used to maintain the interest scores based on the user's ongoing behavior. Our experiments show that re-ranking the search results based on the interest scores and the semantic evidence in an ontological user profile is effective in presenting the most relevant results to the user.
Bedtime misalignment and progression of breast cancer

Disruption of circadian rhythms, which frequently occurs during night shift work, may be associated with cancer progression. The effect of chronotype (preference for behaviors such as sleep, work, or exercise to occur at particular times of day, with an associated difference in circadian physiology) and alignment of bedtime (preferred vs. habitual), however, have not yet been studied in the context of cancer progression in women with breast cancer. Chronotype and alignment of actual bedtime with preferred chronotype were examined using the Morningness–Eveningness Scale (MEQ) and sleep-wake log among 85 women with metastatic breast cancer. Their association with disease-free interval (DFI) was retrospectively examined using the Cox proportional hazards model. Median DFI was 81.9 months for women with aligned bedtimes (“going to bed at preferred bedtime”) (n = 72), and 46.9 months for women with misaligned bedtimes (“going to bed later or earlier than the preferred bedtime”) (n = 13) (log rank p = 0.001). I...
River of Promise, River of Peril: The Politics of Managing the Missouri River

River of Promise, River of Peril: The Politics of Managing the Missouri River. John E. Thorson. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1994.
Distorted Development: Mexico in the World Economy

Distorted Development: Mexico in the World Economy. David Barkin. Boulder: Westview Press, 1990. 162pp. $25.00 (Cloth). ISBN 0–8133–7608–4.
Effects of formic acid or calcium formate in feed on performance and microbiological characteristics of broilers

Three experiments were conducted to determine the effects of feeding broilers formic acid (FA) or calcium formate (CF) on performance and microbiological characteristics of broilers. Live bird performance was not adversely affected by feeding up to 1.0% FA or 1.45% CF. In Experiment 1, levels of salmonellae in carcass and cecal samples were significantly reduced by feeding birds .36% CF. Salmonellae were not isolated from any of the carcasses of birds fed .36% CF. Similar reductions were not noted for total organisms or presumptive coliforms. In Experiment 2, feeding .36% CF nonsignificantly reduced levels of salmonellae in carcass and cecal samples, but again, levels of total organisms and coliforms were not reduced. In Experiment 3, salmonellae in the ceca or in the carcass rinse fluid were not reduced by feeding .36% CF.
Microwave power limits of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs under pulsed-bias conditions

Dynamic loadline analysis illustrating the microwave performance limits of state-of-the-art AlGaN/GaN high electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) under pulsed RF biasing and drive conditions are presented. Calculation of dynamic loadlines concurrent with load-pull measurements show the increase of the device RF knee voltage with increasing drain voltage as the cause of reduced output power-added efficiency (PAE) at high drain biases. In this study, an 8-GHz saturated output power of 14.1 W (9.4 W/mm) is achieved on a 1500 /spl times/ 0.25 /spl times/ /spl mu/m/sup 2/ AlGaN/GaN HEMT at a pulsed drain bias of V/sub D/=40 V. The pulsed-bias conditions considered here preclude device self-heating as a mechanism responsible for the lower than expected output power and decrease in PAE with increasing drain bias. These data suggest electron trapping associated with the surface of the device between the gate and drain as the mechanism that limits the ultimate power, PAE, and linearity of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs.
Regulation of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator anion channel by tyrosine phosphorylation

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) channel is activated by PKA phosphorylation of a regulatory domain that interacts dynamically with multiple CFTR domains and with other proteins. The large number of consensus sequences for phosphorylation by PKA has naturally focused most attention on regulation by this kinase. We report here that human CFTR is also phosphorylated by the tyrosine kinases p60c-Src (proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase) and the proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2), and they can also cause robust activation of quiescent CFTR channels. In excised patch-clamp experiments, CFTR activity during exposure to Src or Pyk2 reached ∼80% of that stimulated by PKA. Exposure to PKA after Src or Pyk2 caused a further increase to the level induced by PKA alone, implying a common limiting step. Channels became spontaneously active when v-Src or the catalytic domain of Pyk2 was coexpressed with CFTR and were further stimulated by the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor dephostatin. Exogenous Src also activated 15SA-CFTR, a variant that lacks 15 potential PKA sites and has little response to PKA. PKA-independent activation by tyrosine phosphorylation has implications for the mechanism of regulation by the R domain and for the physiologic functions of CFTR.
Mechanical properties of rigid thermoplastic foams—Part II: Stiffness and strength data for modified polyphenylene oxide foams

The through-thickness variation in the porosity of structural foam material is known to result in different “material properties” when mechanics based on homogeneous materials is used to interpret data from standard tensile and bend tests. Procedures for determining the mechanical properties of rigid thermoplastic structural foams and for the application of these properties to the design of load-bearing components were developed in a companion paper. This paper reports the mechanical properties of modified polyphenylene oxide foams, such as elastic moduli, ultimate stress and strain, as determined by tests on specimens cut from large, edge-gated foam plates. Tests were conducted to study plate-to-plate variations in properties and to evaluate the effect of specimen thickness. Correlations of tensile and flexural data with the average specimen density are also discussed.
An Interaction Library for the FcεRI Signaling Network

Antigen receptors play a central role in adaptive immune responses. Although the molecular networks associated with these receptors have been extensively studied, we currently lack a systems-level understanding of how combinations of noncovalent interactions and post-translational modifications are regulated during signaling to impact cellular decision-making. To fill this knowledge gap, it will be necessary to formalize and piece together information about individual molecular mechanisms to form large-scale computational models of signaling networks. To this end, we have developed an interaction library for signaling by the high-affinity IgE receptor, FcϵRI. The library consists of executable rules for protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions. This library extends earlier models for FcϵRI signaling and introduces new interactions that have not previously been considered in a model. Thus, this interaction library is a toolkit with which existing models can be expanded and from which new models can be built. As an example, we present models of branching pathways from the adaptor protein Lat, which influence production of the phospholipid PIP3 at the plasma membrane and the soluble second messenger IP3. We find that inclusion of a positive feedback loop reduces the sensitivity of these events to upstream kinase activity. In addition, the library is visualized to facilitate understanding of network circuitry and identification of network motifs.
Studies on the reactivity of oxodihalobis(diethyldithiocarbamato) molybdenum(VI) and tungsten(VI) complexes

Abstract The complexes OMoX 2 L 2 (L = S 2 )CNEt 2 ) 2 react with Na 2 S 2 O 4 to yield OMoL 2 (X = Cl), with PhNCO to yield (PhN)MoX 2 L 2 (X = Cl), with PPh 2 Et to give MoX 2 (PPh 2 Et)L 2 (X = Cl, Br), and with OMol 2 to produce OMoXL 2 (X = Cl, Br). The epr spectra of OMoXL 2 display halogen superhyperfine splitting [A( 35,37 Cl) = ∼3 gauss; A(bb]79,81Br) = 12.3 gauss). Reaction of WCl 6 with NaL in MeOH yields the new complex OWCl 2 L 2 which either does not react at all or gives no characterizable products with the above reagents. The results demonstrate the lack of atom transfer ability of tungsten(VI) relative to its molybdenum analog.
Endemic Human Plague in New Mexico: Risk Factors Associated with Infection

A retrospective case-control study was conducted to identify risk factors, other than contact with infected animal tissues, for infection caused by Yersinia pestis in non-Indian residents of areas with endemic sylvatic plague in New Mexico. The study group consisted of 16 persons who had bacteriologically confirmed cases of plague in the period 1975-1976 and 45 controls who were matched by age, sex, and location of residence. Participants were questioned about outdoor activities, environmental conditions in and around the home, procedures of pet care, exposure to animals and insects, and medical history. The availability of harborage and food sources for wild rodents as a result of human activity in the immediate home environment was associated with risk of infection. Failure to take steps to control fleas on dogs and cats also appeared to be a possible risk factor. No other significant differences were found between patients and controls. Plague in New Mexico appears to result primarily from entry of the reservoir host into the habitat of the human rather than from entry of the human into the sylvatic habitat of the reservoir host.
The sensitivity of housefly photoreceptors in the mid-ultraviolet and the limits of the visible spectrum.

1. The spectral sensitivity of the photoreceptors of a white-eye mutant of the housefly Musca domestica has been measured to 250 nm. in the mid-ultraviolet. Maximum sensitivity is at 340-350 nm., as in the wild-type eye, and decreases at shorter wavelengths with a distinct shoulder at 280 nm. 2. Microspectrophotometric measurements of individual corneal facets show little absorption at wavelengths longer than 300 nm. but a sharp band (peak density about 0.4) at 277 nm. Adjustment of the spectral sensitivity curve for the filtering effect of the cornea makes the 280 nm. shoulder more prominent, suggesting the presence of energy transfer from the protein component of the visual pigment to the chromophore. 3. The short-wavelength limit of the housefly9s visible spectrum is determined by the availability of ultraviolet light and is about 300 nm. in nature. The long-wavelength limit is set by the falling absorption of the visual pigment in the red.
Family Learning in Object-Based Museums: The Role of Joint Attention

ABSTRACTFrom an early age, joint attention serves as a basis for parent–child communication. This study explored how increased joint attention (2 people knowingly focused on the same object) might lead to increased learning as 54 families explored dioramas in a natural history museum. Using a 2 × 2 factorial design, the authors tested 2 interventions intended to increase parent–child (5–8 years of age) joint attention to objects in the dioramas. In one intervention, families used flashlights to explore darkened dioramas, thereby restricting the visual field, and in the other intervention, families were provided with signage prompts intended to focus attention on particular diorama features. Results showed that families who explored dioramas with flashlights were significantly more likely to establish joint attention compared to controls. Furthermore, once families established joint attention around an object, they were more likely to engage in learning talk about that object, suggesting that relatively si...
A review of peripheral arterial disease (PAD)

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a long-term devastating condition characterised by obstruction or narrowing of the arteries, mainly the arteries that supply blood to the lower limbs. PAD involves atherosclerosis of the abdominal aorta, iliac and lower extremity arteries, causing intermittent claudication (IC) (a cramp-like pain in the legs and/or buttocks on exertion which is relieved by resting), ischaemic rest pain, ischaemic ulceration, and limb loss. PAD is associated with significant reduction in quality of life and is a substantial public health problem. Unfortunately, the 10-year mortality of PAD is about 50% and the majority of patients with PAD are asymptomatic until the advanced stage. As a result, PAD is underreported, under-diagnosed and sub-optimally treated.
A simplified and robust approach for blood-to-tissue transport constants and vascular volume estimation in FDG-PET studies

262 Objectives To investigate a simplified approach for the estimation of blood-to-tissue transport constant (K1), uptake constant (Ki) and vascular volume (vb) in FDG-PET. Methods The Patlak uptake curve V(θ) can be characterized by αθ + β(1-exp(-ωθ)) + vb, where θ is the "normalized" time and [α,β,ω] relates to [K1,Ki], which is often determined by linear fits to 2 asymptotes of V(θ) in Patlak analysis (PA), but identifying the linear portions of V(θ) is subjective. We developed a basis function method (BFPA) to fit V(θ): 3 basis functions [θ, 1-exp(-ωθ), 1] are constructed using a range of N(=100) plausible values for ω, one at a time, to solve for [α,β,vb] by linear least-squares. The best parameter set is the one that gives minimal least-squares errors. Noise-free time-activity curves (TACs) of gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) were generated using 3-compartment model (3CM) with a set of kinetic constants from human FDG-PET studies and a typical input function. Realistic noise of variance proportional to the activity concentration and inversely proportional to the frame duration was then added to simulate noisy tissue TACs at region-of-interest level. Estimates of K1, Ki and vb were determined by 3CM fit, PA and BFPA, and their coefficient of variation (CV) and bias from the true values were derived from 1000 noise realizations. Results All methods yielded similar estimates of K1, Ki and vb. CV of K1 estimates were comparable between 3CM fit (GM: 16%, WM: 12%) and BFPA (GM: 15%, WM: 13%) but were much higher in PA (GM: 38%, WM: 44%). Biases of K1 estimate were 13±13% (3CM), 12±9% (BFPA) and 28±22% (PA) in GM and were 10±8% (3CM), 13±10% (BFPA) and 33±25% (PA) in WM. Larger CVs (GM: 23%, WM: 39%) and biases (GM: 20±15%, WM: 32±24%) were seen in vb estimated by PA as compared to those obtained by 3CM and BFPA, both of which gave similar CV and bias. Conclusions Reliable estimates of blood-to-tissue transport constants and vascular volume can be obtained with BFPA. Research Support This work was supported by NIH grants R01-EB001943, P01-NS058489 and P50-CA086306.
Cholesterol esters in myelin isolated from cerebral white matter of patients with multiple sclerosis.

SummaryCholesterol esters were detected in myelin isolated from normal human white matter, histologically normal multiple sclerosis (MS) white matter and plaques. No differences from normal samples were found for the amount of cholesterol esters in myelin from MS tissue. The distribution patterns of fatty acids in the cholesterol esters were similar for all the samples analyzed.
Performance analysis of a new synchrophasor based real time voltage stability monitoring (RT-VSM) tool

With the ongoing smart electric grid development, several algorithms and tools have been developed that make use of synchrophasor data for online wide area voltage stability monitoring. Most of these algorithms have several advantages, but at the same time also have limitations. For wide area real time monitoring, there is a need for faster and accurate online voltage stability algorithm. This paper discusses briefly about requirements for online voltage stability monitoring and limitations of few existing approaches. A new algorithm has been presented using a hybrid approach that is not dependent on time series PMU data and at the same time not fully relying on system models. This algorithm has been used to develop the Real Time Voltage Stability Monitoring (RT-VSM) tool to enable system operators in a control center to monitor the wide area voltage stability of a power system. The focus of this paper is investigating the computational performance of the developed algorithm in offline and online environment using simulation platform. Results obtained using the RTVSM tool are presented for different IEEE test cases.
Control of the straw itch mite (Acari: Pyemotidae) with sulfur in an insect rearing facility.

The ectoparasitic mite Pyemotes tritici (Lagreze-Fossat & Montane) (Acari: Pyemotidae) caused paralysis and reduced longevity in eucalyptus longhorned borer, Phoracantha semipunctata F., under laboratory rearing conditions. Application of dusting sulfur to logs that contained pupating borers greatly reduced densities of mites on emerging adult beetles and increased beetle survivorship. Uniform application to all logs in a glasshouse effectively eradicated the mite infestation. A bioassay showed that sulfur may physically impede the dispersal of immature mites by adhering to the cuticle, but sulfur vapor did not act as a toxin.
Improved pH control of fungal culture media.

A number of fungi grew well in the presence of relatively high concentrations (40 mM) of phosphate and MES [2-(N-morpholino) ethane sulfonic acid] buffers at either pH 5.5 or 7.0. In certain instan...
El discurso anómalamente visionario de Moacyr Scliar

Este estudio examina el discurso que producen, bajo los efectos de la inspiracion sobrenatural, los personajes visionarios en la narrativa de Moacyr Scliar. El cuento “Os profetas de Benjamim Bok” y la novela A estranha nacao de Rafael Mendes presentan diversas manifestaciones del habla inspirada, mezclando las convenciones de la literatura profetica y apocaliptica con elementos provenientes de otras epocas y culturas. En la ingeniosa novela A mulher que escreveu a Biblia , se aprecia una fusion de la creencia tradicional en la escritura revelada con algunos conceptos tipicos del feminismo de la segunda parte del siglo XX, en torno a la mujer, su cuerpo y su escritura.
Optical Coherence Tomography and the Development of Antiangiogenic Therapies in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Purpose To explain the pivotal role optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging had in the development of antiangiogenic therapies for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nvAMD). Methods A historical literature review was combined with personal perspectives from the introduction of OCT imaging and the early clinical use of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors. Results At the time that OCT emerged, the gold standard for imaging of nvAMD was fluorescein angiography (FA), a time-consuming, dye-based, invasive technique that provided en face images of the retina and was used to characterize leakage, perfusion status, and the types of macular neovascularization (MNV). In comparison, OCT imaging was a fast, safe, noninvasive technique that complemented FA imaging by providing cross-sectional images of the macula. OCT was able to visualize and quantify the macular fluid that was associated with the presence of excess VEGF, which was identified by intraretinal fluid, subretinal fluid, and fluid under the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Clinicians quickly appreciated the benefits of OCT imaging for following macular fluid after anti-VEGF therapy. By observing the qualitative and quantitative changes in macular fluid depicted by OCT imaging, clinicians were empowered to compare anti-VEGF drugs and move from fixed-dosing regimens to patient-specific dosing strategies requiring fewer injections. Conclusions Optical coherence tomography imaging was adopted as a VEGF-meter, a method to detect excess VEGF, and evolved to become the gold standard imaging strategy for diagnosing nvAMD, assessing treatment responses to anti-VEGF drugs, deciding when to re-treat, and evaluating disease progression.
The Covariance Structure of the Departure Process from M/G/1 Queues with Finite Waiting Lines

SUMMARY This paper contains a study of the departure process from M/G/1 queues with a waiting space of size N> 0. The property of the departure process which receives the most attention is the covariance of pairs of departure intervals, although a more thorough investigation of the probabilistic structure is undertaken for the case N= 1. A main result of the paper is that in the M/G/1 queue with N = 1, departure intervals separated by one or more intervals are independent. When G is the deterministic server, the departure stream is a renewal process. The paper concludes with an expression for the covariance of any pair of intervals in the departure process for any value of N, and numerical values for correlations in the case of a deterministic server with N= 2.
Demonstration of a Re-Configurable Wavelength-Routed Network at 1.14 Terabits-per-Second

Wavelength division multiplexing technology is maturing rapidly for point-point links world-wide. To support next-generation needs, wavelength-routing networks are being developed improve performance.
Path to Regulatory Qualification Program Development: A US FDA Perspective

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has long recognized the importance of the development and use of biomarkers in improving the drug development process. In order to encourage the use of exploratory biomarkers in this process, a voluntary genomic data submission (VGDS) process was set up in 2004, which was expanded to voluntary exploratory data submission (VXDS) in 2006. This process led to the submission of over 50 VXDSs in a number of therapeutic areas, and allowed scientific exchange between the VXDS submitters and the FDA. Some of these VXDS submissions were evaluated jointly by the FDA and European Medicines Agency (EMA). The experience gained from this process has helped FDA in understanding the strategies and tools used by the sponsors in the generation and analysis of biomarker data and also in developing new policy. The VXDS process has provided an opportunity for the sponsors to better understand FDA’s perspective on biomarker data and analyses as well as the application of lessons learned from the VXDS process to drug development.
Use of near infrared reflectance imaging spectroscopy to map wool and silk fibres in historic tapestries

The analytical identification of natural fibres such as wool and silk in historic tapestries is often done by visual inspection of fibre samples using polarized light microscopy. Identification of these fibres, however, can be achieved in situ by comparing vibrational features in the near infrared (2000 to 2400 nm), which relate to the secondary structure of these proteins. Specifically, the vibrational combination features associated with the amide A, II and III groups in the 2100 to 2400 nm spectral region can be used to separate the α-helix structure (wool) from β-sheet (silk). Overtones of these vibrational features in the 1500 to 1600 nm range have also been found to be a useful marker for β-sheet and α-helix content. Here we demonstrate how these overtone features can be used to separate and map wool and silk fibres in two tapestries, The Mazarin Tapestry (c.1500) and The Procession to Calvary (1530/1550) both in the collection of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. It is known that artisans use the matte and shine of wool and silk respectively, along with natural coloured dyes, to create the ‘palette’ used in pictorial tapestries. Knowledge of where and how these fibres are used is of interest to conservators. This chemical method also offers the potential to map regions of degradation of silk in situ, by monitoring loss of β-sheet content due to environmental or mechanical stress.
EARLY HISTORY OF SEXUAL SELECTION THEORY.

Darwin distinguished two forms of selection on the basis of how the differential reproduction of individuals is affected. Natural selection is differential reproduction of individuals in the context of survival or ordinary reproductive endeavors such as finding a mate of the right species and sex. Sexual selection, on the other hand, results from competition for mates. The sexual competition may involve fights, searching ability, or courtship contests to coax choosy individuals to mate. Evolution by Sexual Selection Theory is a timely contribution, because after a long period of neglect, sexual selection is receiving a great deal of attention from biologists. The book reprints many of the scientific papers which were important in the development of sexual selection theory and the controversies surrounding the theory prior to 1900. It is more than a compilation of papers and excerpts from papers. The editor, C. J. Bajema, provides bibliographies and informed, interpretive commentaries for each section of the historical period covered. These commentaries include excerpts from Darwin's diary and from his correspondence with colleagues, which bring the reader closer to the ideas that were important in shaping the thinking of Darwin and other eminent natural historians of the time. The book is divided into five historical periods. Part I contains 10 papers dealing with sexual selection theory before Charles Darwin. For me, the highlights of this section are papers by J. Chardin (1686), S. S. Smith (1787), and J. Prichard (1813), which suggest that human standards of beauty vary among races, and that via mate selection these differences may account for the evolution of racial differences in morphology. This was an idea that Darwin later developed in detail in his major work on sexual selection, The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex. Part II contains Darwin's writing during the period 1837-1858 when he formulated the theory of sexual selection. Darwin's first summary of his theory of evolution by selection, the "Pencil Sketch of 1842," contains a paragraph on sexual selection which reveals that he had already divided the causes of sexual selection into the performance of males in male-male combat and the ability to charm females. Bajema points out
Seeded and unseeded helical modes in magnetized, non-imploding cylindrical liner-plasmas

In this research, we generated helical instability modes using unseeded and kink-seeded, non-imploding liner-plasmas at the 1 MA Linear Transformer Driver facility at the University of Michigan in order to determine the effects of externally applied, axial magnetic fields. In order to minimize the coupling of sausage and helical modes to the magneto Rayleigh-Taylor instability, the 400 nm-thick aluminum liners were placed directly around straight-cylindrical (unseeded) or threaded-cylindrical (kink-seeded) support structures to prevent implosion. The evolution of the instabilities was imaged using a combination of laser shadowgraphy and visible self-emission, collected by a 12-frame fast intensified CCD camera. With no axial magnetic field, the unseeded liners developed an azimuthally correlated m = 0 sausage instability (m is the azimuthal mode number). Applying a small external axial magnetic field of 1.1 T (compared to peak azimuthal field of 30 T) generated a smaller amplitude, helically oriented inst...
The Effect of Tracking Accuracy on Short Term Conflict Alert Performance

Quantitative measurements are requisite to successful engineering design, including that of Short Term Conflict Alert (STCA). This paper describes a simulation-based method to measure conflict detection probability and nuisance alarm rate of STCA functions. STCA performance depends on a variety of factors, the most dominant of which are the motion characteristics of the approaching aircraft and the accuracy of their radar data. Using an example of non-maneuvering targets, the described method derives quantitative performance data and guidelines for optimal STCA design and testing. The principal conclusions from the published guidelines are that (a) performance is sensitive to radar data accuracy in only the least hazardous violations; (b) noise reduction in the source radar is more critical to performance than a more sophisticated tracking algorithm; (c) an alert filter properly designed can significantly reduce the nuisance alarm rate; and (d) statistical ensembles, rather than single-sample scenarios, a...
The Goto Statement

The GOTO statement is available to cause program control to jump explicitly from one place in a program to another labelled location. In general, it should be used only as a way to alter program flow in unusual circumstances, and then only within a when the regular PASCAL control constructs are awkward to use.
Insulin resistance in soleus muscle from obese Zucker rats. Involvement of several defective sites.

1. The effect of insulin upon glucose transport and metabolism in soleus muscles of genetically obese ( fa/fa ) and heterozygote lean Zucker rats was investigated at 5–6 weeks and 10–11 weeks of age. Weight-standardized strips of soleus muscles were used rather than the intact muscle in order to circumvent problems of diffusion of substrates. 2. In younger obese rats (5–6 weeks), plasma concentrations of immunoreactive insulin were twice those of controls, whereas their circulating triacylglycerol concentrations were normal. Insulin effects upon 2-deoxyglucose uptake and glucose metabolism by soleus muscles of these rats were characterized by both a decreased sensitivity and a decrease in the maximal response of this tissue to the hormone. 3. In older obese rats (10–11 weeks), circulating concentrations of insulin and triacylglycerols were both abnormally elevated. A decrease of 25–35% in insulin-binding capacity to muscles of obese rats was observed. The soleus muscles from the older obese animals also displayed decreased sensitivity and maximal response to insulin. However, at a low insulin concentration (0.1m-i.u./ml), 2-deoxyglucose uptake by muscles of older obese rats was stimulated, but such a concentration was ineffective in stimulating glucose incorporation into glycogen, and glucose metabolism by glycolysis. 4. Endogenous lipid utilization by muscle was calculated from the measurements of O 2 consumption, and glucose oxidation to CO 2 . The rate of utilization of fatty acids was normal in muscles of younger obese animals, but increased in those of the older obese rats. Increased basal concentrations of citrate, glucose 6-phosphate and glycogen were found in muscles of older obese rats and may reflect intracellular inhibition of glucose metabolism as a result of increased lipid utilization. 5. Thus several abnormalities are responsible for insulin resistance of muscles from obese Zucker rats among which we have observed decreased insulin binding, decreased glucose transport and increased utilization of endogenous fatty acid which could inhibit glucose utilization.
Clinical outcomes of isolated renal failure compared to other forms of organ failure in patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

Clinical outcomes of isolated renal failure compared to other forms of organ failure in patients with severe acute pancreatitis
The subsequent course of disability in older persons discharged to a skilled nursing facility after an acute hospitalization.

Objectives To evaluate the association between the type of acute hospitalization and subsequent course of disability in older persons discharged to a skilled nursing facility (SNF).
Text Scaling for Open-Ended Survey Responses and Social Media Posts

Open-ended survey responses and social media posts contain valuable information about public opinions, but can consist of only a handful of words. This succinctness makes them hard to summarize, especially when the vocabulary size across all respondents is large. Here, we propose a method to characterize and score opinions in these data. The approach scores respondents' opinion justifications based on their use of common words and the words that tend to accompany them, so that we can summarize opinions without relying on rarely used vocabulary. This common word regularization identifies keywords for interpreting text dimensions, and is able to bring in information from pre-trained word embeddings to more reliably estimate low-dimensional attitudes in small samples. We apply the method to open-ended survey responses on the Affordable Care Act and partisan animus, as well as Russian intelligence linked Twitter accounts, to evaluate whether the method produces compact text dimensions. Unlike comparison unsupervised techniques, top dimensions identified by this method are the best predictors of issue attitudes, vote choice, and partisanship. Although the method estimates issue-specific "gist" scales that differ in important ways from ideological scales trained on politicians' texts, multi-dimensionality and extremity on these scales are nonetheless associated with opinion change.
Epidemiology as a Framework for Large-Scale Mobile Application Accessibility Assessment

Mobile accessibility is often a property considered at the level of a single mobile application (app), but rarely on a larger scale of the entire app "ecosystem," such as all apps in an app store, their companies, developers, and user influences. We present a novel conceptual framework for the accessibility of mobile apps inspired by epidemiology. It considers apps within their ecosystems, over time, and at a population level. Under this metaphor, "inaccessibility" is a set of diseases that can be viewed through an epidemiological lens. Accordingly, our framework puts forth notions like risk and protective factors, prevalence, and health indicators found within a population of apps. This new framing offers terminology, motivation, and techniques to reframe how we approach and measure app accessibility. It establishes how app accessibility can benefit from multi-factor, longitudinal, and population-based analyses. Our epidemiology-inspired conceptual framework is the main contribution of this work, intended to provoke thought and inspire new work enhancing app accessibility at a systemic level. In a preliminary exercising of our framework, we perform an analysis of the prevalence of common determinants or accessibility barriers. We assess the health of a stratified sample of 100 popular Android apps using Google's Accessibility Scanner. We find that 100% of apps have at least one of nine accessibility errors and examine which errors are most common. A preliminary analysis of the frequency of co-occurrences of multiple errors in a single app is also presented. We find 72% of apps have five or six errors, suggesting an interaction among different errors or an underlying influence.
God—The World’s Future: Systematic Theology for a New Era

First published in 1991, Ted Peters’ single-volume systematics, God—The World’s Future, has now been issued in a third edition. The structure of the book is a fairly standard one for systematic the...