cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Natural Disasters and Mortality: A Probabilistic Analysis for Argentina (1970-2015)

The frequency and intensity of natural disasters are expected to increase due to climate change. In this context, this work advances in the estimation of an absolute measure of mortality risk generated by natural disasters, in regions of Argentina. In particular, exceedance probabilities of mortality are estimated using the information diffusion method. The historical data of natural disasters provided by the records of DesInventar are used. These records cover the 1970-2015 period and are published by the Social Studies Network in Disaster Prevention in Latin America (LA RED). The results suggest that the Centro region is the one with the highest risk of absolute mortality, while the Noreste region has the lowest risk levels. In a given year there is a 0.93 probability that, at least, one death will occur due to natural disasters in the Centro region. In the Noreste region, this probability is 0.77. The results are robust and significant
Outcomes with autologous stem cell transplant vs. non-transplant therapy in patients 70 years and older with multiple myeloma

We evaluated 79 patients with multiple myeloma (MM) ≥70 years referred to our blood and marrow transplant clinic, within 1 year of diagnosis from 2010 to 2019, for consideration of autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). Thirty-eight (48%) of 79 patients underwent ASCT. ASCT was not pursued in 41 (52%) patients due to: patient or physician preference in 80% (n = 33) or ineligibility in 20% (n = 8). Baseline characteristics of patients in the two groups were similar. Median PFS from treatment start amongst patients undergoing ASCT (n = 38) vs. not (n = 41) was 41 months vs. 33 months, p = 0.03. There was no difference in OS, with estimated 5-year OS of 73% vs. 83%, respectively (p = 0.86). Day +100 transplant-related mortality (TRM) was 0%. ASCT was an independent favorable prognostic factor for PFS in multivariate analysis, after accounting for HCT-CI score, performance status, hematologic response, and maintenance. Finally, patients ≥70 years undergoing ASCT had similar PFS compared to a contemporaneous institutional cohort of patients <70 years (n = 631) (median PFS from transplant: 36 vs. 47 months, p = 0.25). In this retrospective analysis, ASCT was associated with low TRM and better PFS in fit older adults with MM compared to non-transplant therapy, with comparable benefits as seen in younger patients.
Evidence on the effectiveness of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) as a survey tool for North American terrestrial, vertebrate animals: a systematic map protocol

Small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) are replacing or supplementing manned aircraft and ground-based surveys in many animal monitoring situations due to better coverage at finer spatial and temporal resolutions, access, cost, bias, impacts, safety, efficiency, and logistical benefits. Various sUAS models and sensors are available with varying features and usefulness depending on survey goals. However, justification for selection of sUAS and sensors are not typically offered in published literature and existing reviews do not adequately cover past and current sUAS applications for animal monitoring nor their associated sUAS model and sensor technologies, taxonomic and geographic scope, flight conditions and considerations, spatial distributions of sUAS applications, and reported technical difficulties. We outline a systematic map protocol to collect and consolidate evidence pertaining to sUAS monitoring of animals. Our systematic map will provide a useful synthesis of current applications of sUAS-animal related studies and identify major knowledge clusters (well-represented subtopics that are amenable to full synthesis by a systematic review) and gaps (unreported or underrepresented topics that warrant additional primary research) that may influence future research directions and sUAS applications. Our systematic map will investigate the current state of knowledge using an accurate, comprehensive, and repeatable search. We will find relevant peer-reviewed and grey literature as well as dissertations and theses using online publication databases, Google Scholar, and by request through a professional network of collaborators and publicly available websites. We will use a tiered approach to article exclusion with eligible studies being those that monitor (i.e., identify, count, estimate, etc.) terrestrial vertebrate animals. Extracted data concerning sUAS, sensors, animals, methodology, and results will be recorded in Microsoft Access. We will query and catalogue evidence in the final database to produce tables, figures, and geographic maps to accompany a full narrative review that answers our primary and secondary questions.
Quantification of domain reorientation in polycrystalline distorted perovskites

Abstract The reorientation of crystallographic domains under the applied electric field plays an important role in determining the functional behavior of distorted perovskites. In polycrystalline ceramics, the mutual hindrance among the randomly oriented grains, which is not same for all the compositions, restricts the fraction of achievable domain switching. Here, an analytical framework has been developed to quantify the domain switching behavior in polycrystalline ceramics as a function of the crystallographic nature, and elastic, piezoelectric, ferroelectric and dielectric properties of the parent single crystals. To quantify the constantly varying stress and strain fields within, with successive domain reorientation processes, each randomly oriented crystallite has been considered to be an Eshelby inhomogeneity embedded in a polycrystalline matrix. Findings of the framework are validated by the experimental switching behavior of several well-known distorted perovskite ceramics (BaTiO3, PZT-T and PMNPT-R/T). In future, the framework can be utilized to assist several experimental strategies to achieve high performance in polycrystalline ceramics through enhanced domain switching.
The Women Independently Living Alone with a Medical Alert Device (WILMA) trial

Women are more likely to live alone compared with men, and therefore have more difficulty activating emergency medical systems for stroke. The goal of this study was to examine the benefit of wearing medical alert devices to activate emergency medical systems for elderly women living alone. This was a randomized, controlled pilot trial. Women over 60 with at least 1 stroke risk factor were recruited from Southeast Michigan. Subjects received either a medical alert device or control. The primary outcome was change in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) from baseline to 90 days of wearing the device or control. A planned sample size of 320 could not be reached, and the trial was stopped at 265 women randomized prior to data examination. On average, the treatment group was older, reported lower prevalence of high cholesterol, and was less likely to complete follow-up. There was a nonsignificant smaller loss of healthy days in the past month in the intervention group (0.46) compared with the control group (2.23) (p = 0.213). Similarly, the secondary outcomes of changes in anxiety, depression, and changes in perceived isolation did not differ by treatment and control groups. This study did not establish improvement in HRQOL among women who wore the device compared with those that did not, nor the feasibility of a trial to study the efficacy of medical alert devices in elderly women. Newer devices that use cellular technology may be more accepted than the landline-based system used in this study.
Invasion of Privacy Liability in the Electronic Workplace: A Laywer's Perspective

Electronic technology in the workplace is changing rapidly, and those changes are generating new and distinct challenges for employers seeking to increase productivity and minimize disruptions to employees. Some of the issues facing employers are defensive in nature: protecting the company’s systems against intruders, preventing excessive use of electronic resources for non-business purposes, and stemming improper communications by company personnel. Other issues involve decision concerning whether to take action against those who are abusing the company’s systems or who are engaging in defamation against the company on outside websites or blogs. Many employers closely monitor employee tardiness, while much more time is likely lost due to employees’ personal e-mails, cell phones and access to non-business websites. Employers may be equally or even better served by monitoring employees’ use of electronic resources than by monitoring their arrival time. According to one report involving the most recent electronic avenue to express views, blogs, nearly 80,000 new ones are created every day. There are 14.2 million in existence already, fifty-five percent of which remain active. Some 900,000 new blog postings are
Propagation of stall in a compressor blade row

Recent experimental observations on compressors, in particular those of Rannie and Iura, have clarified some features of the phenomenon of stall propagation. Using these observations as a guide, the process of stall in an airfoil cascade has been characterized by a static pressure loss across the cascade which increases discontinuously at the stall angle, the turning angle being affected in only a minor way. Deductions from this simple model yield the essential features of stall propagation such as dependence of the extent of stalled region upon operating conditions, the pressure loss associated with stall, and the angular velocity of stall propagation. Using two-dimensional approximation for a stationary or rotating blade row, free from interference of adjacent blade rows, extent of the stalled region, the total pressure loss and stall propagation speed are discussed in detail for a general cascade characteristic. Employing these results, the effect of stall propagation upon the performance of a single-stage axial compressor is illustrated and the mechanism of entering the regime of stall propagation is discussed. The essential points of the results seem to agree with experimental evidence.
Estimation of color under fluorescent illuminants

Fluorescent lamps are the most common lighting source for desktop publishing and standard viewing conditions. In order to predict the appearance of reflective material viewed under fluorescent lamps, the CIE tristimulus values must be computed. While these values are readily computed for most smoothly varying reflectances by using a simple summation, the presence of line spectra in the fluorescent lamps requires special treatment. This paper presents a method for the accurate computation of the tristimulus values. The effect of noise on the measurement is also considered. >
2015 Texas Estate Planning Legislative Update

This article reviews the highlights of the legislation enacted by the 2015 Texas Legislature relating to the Texas law of intestacy, wills, estate administration, trusts, and other estate planning matters. Some of the key topics include judicial modification and reformation of unambiguous wills, trust protectors, and the Texas versions of the Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act and the Uniform Disclaimer of Property Interests Act.
Corporate payout policy

Theories of corporate payout policy do not explain the observed form of distributions to shareholders. Although open-market repurchases appear to have tax advantages, cash dividends are overwhelmingly chosen. We argue that there are costs associated with open-market-repurchase programs, since they provide managers with opportunities to use inside information to benefit themselves at stockholders' expense. We offer evidence suggesting that bid-ask spreads widen around repurchase announcements, as predicted by our analysis. Since these costs of repurchases do not arise with cash dividends, our analysis implies that repurchases do not dominate cash dividends for making distributions to shareholders.
Money or Monies Worth? Beware the Transaction 'Cost' of Payment Systems

The efficiency of business transactions has become increasingly important in the digital age, and an issue that has arguably evolved as a result of free-markets. Already, advances in technology has revolutionized the medium of exchange from tangible hard-cold cash, to an intangible medium, ‘digital data.’ The current electronic payment systems (PSs) such as ATM, EFTPOS and credit cards are account-based PSs. Several new types of hardware-based PSs (e.g. Smart cards) and software-based PSs (e.g. DigiCash), have also developed. For instance, advancements in internet technology have enabled the ‘Egold’ company in 1996 to trial private digital competing currencies. Recently, there has been increasing recognition by treasury groups who have lobbied for the development of a national based payment system – particularly in Australia, the United States (US) and the European Union (EU). This article will address the evolution and regulation of payment systems in select jurisdictions, but with a focus on the Australian position following the case of Visa International Inc v Reserve Bank of Australia [2003] FCA 977. This case defined and highlighted the shifts that had taken place in a ‘payment system’ (PS), both regulatory and structurally.
On the hardness of pricing loss-leaders

Consider the problem of pricing n items under an unlimited supply with m buyers. Each buyer is interested in a bundle of at most k of the items. These buyers are single minded, which means each of them has a budget and they will either buy all the items if the total price is within their budget or they will buy none of the items. The goal is to price each item with profit margin p1, p2,..., pn so as to maximize the overall profit. When k = 2, such a problem is called the graph-vertex-pricing problem. Another special case of the problem is the highway-pricing problem when the items (toll-booths) are arranged linearly on a line and each buyer (as a driver) is interested in paying for a path that consists of consecutive items. The goal again is to price the items (tolls) so as to maximize the total profits.There is an O(k)-approximation algorithm by [BB06] when the price on each item must be above its margin cost; i.e., pi > 0 for every i e [n]. As for the highway problem, a PTAS is shown in [GR11]. We investigate the above problem when the seller is allowed to price some of the items below their margin cost. It is shown in [BB06, BBCH07] that by pricing some of the items below cost, the maximum profit can increase by a factor of Ω(log n). These items sold at low prices to stimulate other profitable sales are called "loss leaders". Given the possibility of making more profit, understanding the approximability of pricing loss leaders for graph-vertex-pricing, highway-pricing as well as the general item pricing problem are formulated as open problems in [BB06,BBCH07].In this paper, we obtain strong hardness of approximation result for the problem of pricing loss leaders. First we show that it is NP-hard to get better than O(log log log n)-approximation when k ≥ 3. This improves a previous super-constant hardness result assuming the Unique Games Conjecture [Wu11]. In addition, we show a super-constant Unique-Games hardness for the highway-pricing problem as well as the graph-vertex-pricing problem.
The role of risk perception in building sustainable policy instruments: a case study of public coastal flood insurance in the USA.

Public planning for sustainability implies a forward-looking approach that often includes imagining future harm and taking steps to prevent that future harm before it occurs. A major challenge to implementing such forward looking, or precautionary, a policy instrument is managing the impacts such policies have on existing expectations. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of risk perception in the development of forward-looking policy instruments. A case study example focused on coastal flood insurance in the USA is presented to highlight the difficulty of implementing sustainable policy goals when current policies incentivise the discounting of risk. The goal is to highlight factors of current policy expressions, like the discounting of risk, that inhibit the development and implementation of sustainable policy instruments.
Automatic scheduling challenges in guidance, navigation and control

A perspective on the problems associated with automating the real-time process scheduling for sophisticated guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) systems is provided. Some of the real-time scheduling issues that arise in the domain of GN&C are described. Several potentially relevant scheduling theories are described, and their relative advantages are discussed. Some of the technical problems associated with integrating the automatic scheduling techniques into the GN&C development process are spotlighted. >
Building Bridges: Contextualizing Worldviews Through Cultural Syndromes and the Importance of Expressing Metaphorical Perspective

This critical review of literature draws upon current practices in teaching culture. An examination of existing theories and models exposes limitations and a lack of consensus on how to teach varying worldviews across disciplines. This analysis establishes that understanding the context of human behaviors offers a level of comprehension that results in a deeper, more significant cross-cultural communication experience. Specifically, this review probes how understanding cultural syndromes offers an appropriate contextual framework and how the use of metaphor creates insight into another culture’s meaning. The authors of this review conclude that further investigation is needed to rethink and align existing theory and methodologies into new models for teaching and understanding culture. Key words: Teaching culture; Cross-cultural communication; Metaphorical perspective
Opportunities in Plutonium Metallurgical Research

This is an exciting time to be involved in plutonium metallurgical research. Over the past few years, there have been significant advances in our understanding of the fundamental materials science of this unusual metal, particularly in the areas of self-irradiation induced aging of Pu, the equilibrium phase diagram, the homogenization of δ-phase alloys, the crystallography and morphology of the α'-phase resulting from the isothermal martensitic phase transformation, and the phonon dispersion curves, among many others. In addition, tremendous progress has been made, both experimentally and theoretically, in our understanding of the condensed matter physics and chemistry of the actinides, particularly in the area of electronic structure. Although these communities have made substantial progress, many challenges still remain. This brief overview will address a number of important challenges that we face in fully comprehending the metallurgy of Pu with a specific focus on aging and phase transformations.
Complete Sequence and Enhancer Function of the Homologous DNA Regions of Autographa californica Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus

The nucleotide sequence of the five regions of homologous DNA in the genome of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus DNA was determined. The homology of repeated sequences within a region was 65 to 87%, and the consensus sequences for each region were 88% homologous to each other. Sequences proximal to the EcoRI sites were most conserved, while the distal sequences were least conserved. The EcoRI sites formed the core of a 28-base-pair imperfect inverted repeat. All homologous regions functioned as enhancers in a transient expression assay. A single EcoRI minifragment located between EcoRI-Q and -L enhanced the expression of 39CAT as efficiently as the regions containing numerous EcoRI repeats did.
Effects of the Finite Width of the ρ Meson on Some Vector-Meson-Dominance Predictions

Corrections due to the finite width of the $\ensuremath{\rho}$ meson based on a generalized effective-range formula for pion-pion scattering modify by a non-negligible amount the well-known expressions, based on vector-meson dominance, for the following branching ratios: $\frac{\ensuremath{\Gamma}({\ensuremath{\rho}}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}})}{\ensuremath{\Gamma}({\ensuremath{\rho}}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}})}$, $\frac{\ensuremath{\Gamma}(\ensuremath{\phi}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}K\overline{K})}{\ensuremath{\Gamma}({\ensuremath{\rho}}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}})}$, $\frac{\ensuremath{\Gamma}(\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}})}{\ensuremath{\Gamma}({\ensuremath{\rho}}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}})}$, and $\frac{\ensuremath{\Gamma}(\ensuremath{\phi}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}})}{\ensuremath{\Gamma}({\ensuremath{\rho}}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}})}$. We also present a new current-algebra prediction for the shape and magnitude of ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{tot}}({e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}})$, and estimate the $\ensuremath{\rho}$-meson contribution to the Schwinger term and to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. A discussion of $\ensuremath{\rho}$ dominance when the width is explicitly taken into account and a simple recipe for including finite-$\ensuremath{\rho}$-width corrections in vector-mesondominance calculations are also given.
A Fiber Optic Matrix Switchboard Using Acousto Optic Bragg Cells

With each passing year, fiber optic technology is being used to solve more communication problems. Optical fibers have extremely wide information bandwidth and are immune to ground loops, EMP, RFI, and EMI. Many military applications are now beginning to utilize optical fibers for interconnections between high speed digital devices, or to interconnect between sensors and signal processing systems.
Body size and body shape in early hominins – implications of the Gona Pelvis

Discovery of the first complete Early Pleistocene hominin pelvis, Gona BSN49/P27, attributed to Homo erectus, raises a number of issues regarding early hominin body size and shape variation. Here, acetabular breadth, femoral head breadth, and body mass calculated from femoral head breadth are compared in 37 early hominin (6.0-0.26 Ma) specimens, including BSN49/P27. Acetabular and estimated femoral head sizes in the Gona specimen fall close to the means for non-Homo specimens (Orrorin tugenesis, Australopithecus africanus, Paranthropus robustus), and well below the ranges of all previously described Early and Middle Pleistocene Homo specimens. The Gona specimen has an estimated body mass of 33.2kg, close to the mean for the non-Homo sample (34.1kg, range 24-51.5kg, n=19) and far outside the range for any previously known Homo specimen (mean=70.5kg; range 52-82kg, n=17). Inclusion of the Gona specimen within H. erectus increases inferred sexual dimorphism in body mass in this taxon to a level greater than that observed here for any other hominin taxon, and increases variation in body mass within H. erectus females to a level much greater than that observed for any living primate species. This raises questions regarding the taxonomic attribution of the Gona specimen. When considered within the context of overall variation in body breadth among early hominins, the mediolaterally very wide Gona pelvis fits within the distribution of other lower latitude Early and Middle Pleistocene specimens, and below that of higher latitude specimens. Thus, ecogeographic variation in body breadth was present among earlier hominins as it is in living humans. The increased M-L pelvic breadth in all earlier hominins relative to modern humans is related to an increase in ellipticity of the birth canal, possibly as a result of a non-rotational birth mechanism that was common to both australopithecines and archaic Homo.
Minimum Statistical Requirements for Efficient Administration of Unemployment Compensation Systems

IN DISCUSSING minimum statistical requirements for the efficient administration of the Social Security program I shall confine myself largely to the requirements of the Unemployment Compensation systems, without much reference to the Placement Service, or to Old Age Benefits, or other provisions of the Social Security Act. No one will deny that many of these problems are closely related. They deal, in the main, with the same people, and the same relationships: employment, unemployment and under-employment; jobs, wages, and insecurity, and the like. Yet no one will insist that all of the facts and data are equally important in dealing with the several aspects of the larger problems. Moreover, some data are for general purposes only, for determination of policy, and not for administration. For example in the administration of Unemployment Compensation and Old Age Benefits, we have to do with contractual obligations to individual workers. To meet these obligations properly, we need a record of employment and earnings of each individual over a period of years. For administrative efficiency the reports and records involved here should be of such nature as to be easily verified, readily available for information on request, and should lend themselves to the determination of eligibility, and of benefits, without delay. Obviously these criteria would be of relatively little importance in judging a similar system of records from the point of view of policy determination. In limiting my discussion to Unemployment Compensation, I am not ignoring the importance of these other aspects of the program. In the long run, it is undoubtedly more important to place an unemployed man in a new job, than to pay him benefits, however efficiently that may be done. Since this is true, the community will find a way to get the proper information on which to base a sound employment policy. Nevertheless, it seems clear that the types of information required for these two lines of attack upon the same problem, are sufficiently different to be considered separately; and I am leaving aside for the present, the needs of the policy-making functions or agencies.
Bivariant K-theory and the Novikov conjecture

Kasparov's bivariant K-theory is used to prove two theorems concerning the Novikov higher signature conjecture. The first generalizes a result of J. Roe and the author on amenable group actions. The second is a C*-algebraic counterpart of a theorem of G. Carlsson and E. Pedersen.
Effect of different intravenous iron preparations on lymphocyte intracellular reactive oxygen species generation and subpopulation survival

Background: Infections in hemodialysis (HD) patients lead to high morbidity and mortality rates and are associated with early cardiovascular mortality, possibly related to chronic inflammation. Intravenous (IV) iron is widely administered to HD patients and has been associated with increased oxidative stress and dysfunctional cellular immunity. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of three commercially available IV iron preparations on intracellular reactive oxygen species generation and lymphocyte subpopulation survival. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from healthy donor buffy coat. PBMC were cultured and incubated with 100 μg/mL of sodium ferric gluconate (SFG), iron sucrose (IS) or iron dextran (ID) for 24 hours. Cells were then probed for reactive oxygen species (ROS) with dichlorofluorescein-diacetate. In separate studies, isolated PBMCs were incubated with the 25, 50 or 100 μg/mL iron concentrations for 72 hours and then stained with fluorescein conjugated monoclonal antibodies for lymphocyte subpopulation identification. Untreated PBMCs at 24 hours and 72 hours served as controls for each experiment. Results: All three IV iron preparations induced time dependent increases in intracellular ROS with SFG and IS having a greater maximal effect than ID. The CD4+ lymphocytes were most affected by IV iron exposure, with statistically significant reduction in survival after incubation with all three doses (10, 25 and 100 μg/mL) of SFG, IS and ID. Conclusion: These data indicate IV iron products induce differential deleterious effects on CD4+ and CD16+ human lymphocytes cell populations that may be mediated by intracellular reactive oxygen species generation. Further studies are warranted to determine the potential clinical relevance of these findings. Background Infection is the second leading cause of mortality among hemodialysis (HD) patients. Infections in HD patients are also associated with increased cardiovascular mortality, which may be related to immune system dysfunction resulting in recurrent infections that contribute to chronic inflammation and accelerated atherosclerosis [1]. Cellular dysfunction of both innate (e.g. T cells and macrophages) and adaptive (e.g. B cells) immunity is well described in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and may be attributable to many factors including accumulated uremic toxin burden, bio-incompatible
Ahead of the curve: mitochondrial fusion and phospholipase D.

A new study has identified a novel phospholipase D (PLD) that is located in the mitochondrial outer membrane and is required for organelle fusion. As PLD-catalysed production of fusogenic lipids is critical for many examples of membrane fusion (such as those mediated by SNAREs), this startling finding raises the possibility that mitochondria use a mechanism common to other cellular fusion events.
GENETIC DIFFERENTIATION IN SPECIOSE VERSUS DEPAUPERATE PHYLADS: EVIDENCE FROM THE CALIFORNIA MINNOWS.

The systematics of cyprinid fishes native to California has had a chaotic history. Considerable controversy exists about the number of species, their placement in genera, and the evolutionary affinities among the genera (Uyeno, 1961; Hopkirk, 1973). About 16 species and 10 genera are recognized at present (Moyle, 1974). Five of these genera (Orthodon, Mylopharodon, Hesperoleucus, Lavinia, and Pogonichthys) are monotypic and restricted in distribution to a single drainage basin, the Sacramento-San Joaquin. All cyprinids in North America are thought to belong to the subfamily Leuciscinae with a single possible exception; several subfamilies are recognized in the Old World (Miller, 1959). It is commonly accepted that relatively few cyprinid fishes migrated from their center of origin in Eurasia to North America by way of a Bering land bridge during the Miocene. Therefore, most cyprinid species in North America, including the California minnows, may share a relatively recent common ancestry. "Not only the lack of basic morphological diversity but also the readiness with which most American minnows hybridize (Hubbs, 1955) supports the evidence that the group has not been here long enough to develop strongly divergent lines" (Miller, 1959). It has, nevertheless, been suggested that close affinities exist between certain Western cyprinid genera (Mylopharodon, Gila) and those in China and Japan (see Miller, 1965). We have analyzed patterns of genetic variability at 24 gene loci in species belonging to nine genera of cyprinids inhabiting California, using techniques of gel electrophoresis. These techniques provide considerable information to elucidate evolutionary relationships among closely related species (Avise, 1974). Our results suggest that at least four, and possibly five of the genera of California minnows are very similar in genic content and are probably of recent monophyletic origin. However, the other California minnows are less closely related, and the biochemical differences observed between these species may be typical of mean levels of divergence between other North American cyprinids. Models are considered which describe amounts of genetic differentiation expected between species within a group. One model assumes that genetic distance between species is proportional to the time since they shared a common ancestor; the other model assumes that genetic distance is proportional to the number of cladogenetic events (speciations) in the evolutionary history of the group. Those models lead to distinct predictions of mean amounts of genetic distance between species in speciesdiverse versus species-depauperate phylads of equal evolutionary age. Our data on the California minnows suggest that mean time since divergence from a common ancestor is more important than mean number of cladogenetic events in the evolutionary history of a group of species as a predictor of levels of biochemical differentiation.
The elastodynamic near field

Summary. The elastodynamic fields of point forces and shear dislocations of finite source duration are analysed with the aim of establishing the frequency and time-domain characteristics of the field in the near-source region. Criteria are obtained for amplitude dominance in regions where the source -sensor distance is much smaller than the wavelength. It is shown that in the frequency domain, the Green’s tensor (and hence the displacement field of a single point force) attenuates like R-’ in the nearsource region and there exists no region in which the ‘near-field’ term becomes dominant such that the ‘far-field’ term can be neglected. Hence, there is no real ‘near-field’ term for the elastodynamic Green’s tensor. The near-field terms of the displacements, velocities and accelerations excited by a shear dislocation attenuate like R-’, since the R-3 and R-4 terms tend to be eliminated due to mutual cancellation of P and S motions in the near-source region. In the time domain, the corresponding near field of the displacement field is defined for the steady amplitude interval (away from transients) RIP < t < R/a + T by the condition R < PT where is the shear velocity and T is the source’s duration. The relative strengths of all other arrivals will depend on the particular time window under consideration. The particle motion patterns due to a single force in the near-source region are shown to be similar to rotating hyperbolas with an axis along the force direction, which are quite different from the ‘smoke ring’ motion patterns of the so-called ‘near-field’ term itself.
Active renal hexose transport. Structural requirements

The active transport of methyl beta-D-galactoside and some other analogs of D-glucose and D-galactose was studied in slices of rabbit and renal cortex. 1. The non-metabolizable methyl beta-D-galactoside accumulates in renal cortical cells against its concentration gradient. At 1 mM substrate concentration (O2, 35 degrees C, 60 min incubation) the gradient was 2.36 +/- 0.11 S.E. (n = 33). The Kt was 1.50 +/- 0.02 mM. The active transport of the substrate was inhibited by dinitrophenol, phlorizin, absence of Na+ and by ouabain. This inhibition was incomplete, suggesting that the sugar may enter the cells by two separate pathways, only one of which was coupled to the down-hill electrochemical Na gradient. 2. The structural requirements for the interaction between substrate and the carrier were defined: (a) by testing the transport behavior of some analogs (1,5-anhydro-D-glucitol; methyl beta-thio-D-galadtoside; 3-deoxy-D-glucose; 4-deoxy-D-glucose; 5-thio-D-glucose; 6-deoxy-D-glucose and methyl-alpha-6-deoxy-D-glucoside); and (b) by inhibition analysis of methyl beta-D-galactoside transport. The role of each hydroxyl of the sugar molecule was tested by using a total of 41 analogs modified on each C by replacing -OH by -H, -O-CH3, -F and in some instances also by -SH. 3. The carrier is shared by D-glucose, D-galactose and their methyl glycosides. A pyranose ring is mandatory. The D-glucoconfiguration is preferred for the interaction with the carrier. 4. Replacement of -OH by -H or -S practically abolished (on C1, C2, C3) or greatly reduced (on C4) the affinity of the analog for the carrier. This was also confirmed by demonstrating that 1-deoxy-, and 3-deoxy-glucose and the thio-galactoside were not actively transported and their entry into the cells was not markedly affected by phlorizin, dinitrophenol, ouabain or absence of Na+. 4-Deoxy-D-glucose was taken up and its transport was inhibited by agents affecting the transport of methyl beta-D-galactoside. 5. Replacement of -OH by -F did not abolish the affinity of the analogs for the carrier, indicating hydrogen bonding between the carrier and the oxygens at C1, C2, C3, and C4. 6. 5-Thio-D-glucose was not transported against its concentration gradient and also poorly interacted with the carrier as shown by inhibition analysis. Hydrogen bonding between the carrier and the pyranose ring oxygen is suggested. 7. 6-Deoxyglucose is a potent inhibitor of methyl beta-D-galactoside transport although it is not actively taken up by the tissue. It is concluded that a hydroxyl at C6 is required for transport, but is not mandatory for an interaction with the carrier. However, 6-deoxy-D-galactose was ineffective as inhibitor. 8. The specificity of the carrier involved in the renal active transport of D-glucose, D-galactose and their methyl glycosides resembles qualitatively, and mostly also quantitatively that described for intestinal transport of these sugars.
Growth and graying of rats with total "filtrate factor" and with pantothenic acid

SummaryCalcium pantothenate stimulates growth and prevents pattern graying (but not stippling) in filtrate factor deficient rats. The requirement for growth is less than for the prevention of pattern graying. Black rats receiving Ca pantothenate either pro-phylactically or curatively have stippled fur.A liver filtrate stimulates growth to a greater extent than does Ca pantothenate and completely protects against graying. It would thus appear that pantothenic acid does not completely replace liver filtrate.A concentrate prepared by the continuous extraction of cane molasses with ether both stimulated growth and prevented graying while a chloroform extract prepared from it was without activity.Inositol added to Ca pantothenate does not significantly improve the results obtained with calcium pantothenate alone.Rats maintained on a 24% casein diet apparently have no need for choline.
Pasture conversion, private ranchers, and the invasive exotic buffelgrass (pennisetum ciliare) in Mexico's Sonoran Desert

This research examines the role of private ranchers in Sonora, Mexico, in regional-scale landscape change involving an invasive species. The arid rangelands of Sonora are a center of modern commercial cattle ranching, where the exotic buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) is the favored species for the extensive conversion of native range vegetation to pasture. The land management decisions of private ranchers, the primary agents of pasture conversion, are examined amid peculiar challenges and opportunities presented by buffelgrass in the context of the modernization of Sonoran ranching. An environmental history of buffelgrass in the region is coupled with qualitative and quantitative interview data, which are subjected to binary logistic regression modeling. Statistical results show rotational grazing as the strongest driver of pasture conversion, followed by native forage scarcity. Land entitlement, government support, hobbyism, and belief in buffelgrass as long-term drought mitigation are insignificant. Int...
Composite cytological smears of pelvic lymph nodes at the time of radical prostatectomy to identify nodal metastases

Abstract Many urologists will abort a radical prostatectomy (RP) after intraoperative identification of regional lymph node (LN) metastases because RP in these patients is not curative. Because frozen section techniques are time consuming and incompletely sample LNs, we evaluated the efficacy of performing a composite cytological smear (CCS) by sampling all grossly identifiable LNs. Two hundred and fifty RPs performed from November 1991 to June 1992 yielded on permanent section 33 (+) pelvic lymph node dissections (PLNDs) (6.6%) in 25 RPs (10%). Eleven (33%) of the 33 PLNDs with metastases were grossly suspicious, all were identified by CCS (median percentage of positive LNs per PLND = 33; median size of the largest metastatis = 11 mm). Of the remaining 22 grossly negative PLNDs with tumor, only seven (32%) were detected by CCS (median percentage of positive LNs per PLND = 13; median size of largest metastasis = 3 mm). In the 15 cases missed by CCS the median percentage of positive LNs per PLND was 14, and the median size of the largest metastasis was 1 mm. This method reliably detected LN metastases measuring more than 2 mm as long as the positive LN was grossly recognizable as an LN and thus sampled by CCS. In conclusion, CCS is highly specific but insensitive for the detection of limited numbers of micrometastases, which are the most common type of metastases in patients with low clinical stage disease. A combined technique employing frozen sections on smaller nodes and CCS on larger nodes may be more effective in identifying small metastatic deposits.
Coping with Prader-Willi syndrome.

Abstract Weight- and behavior-control issues are major concerns for parents of a child with Prader-Willi syndrome. However, limited information is available on how families implement the necessary dietary restrictions and the effects of the strategies. This study identified the advice a group of families received regarding weight management, the nutrition concerns they faced and how they coped with these concerns, and the effectiveness of their coping strategies. A 2-step survey methodology was used. Survey 1 identified the strategies parents used to cope with the feeding issues typically presented by children with Prader-Willi syndrome. Survey 2 evaluated the frequency with which these coping strategies were used and their effectiveness. Respondents also provided information on why strategies were not effective. Surveys were mailed to 496 parents/guardians of children (aged 25 years or younger) with Prader-Willi syndrome. A total of 293 (64%) responded. Advice given to families centered on general weight management and dietary guidance. Difficulties centered around coping with food-related behaviors. Coping strategies varied; what worked for 1 family did not necessarily work for another. Participants indicated a desire to share experiences and a need for specific strategies to cope with feeding-behavior difficulties. A few basic behavior-management strategies, including successful use of incentives, responding to misbehavior, rewarding compliance with an exercise program, and modifying the behavior management when indicated, are briefly reviewed. J Am Diet Assoc. 2002;102:537–542.
A Glioma in a Dog and a Pinealoma in a Silver Fox (Vulpes Fulvus)

Only a small number of primary intracranial neoplasms have been observed in mammals and birds. Either they do not occur as frequently in lower animals as they do in man or they are overlooked. The latter is a probable explanation, as only a small number of animals that die of natural causes come to necropsy and because of the difficulty of opening the cranium with inadequate equipment this part of the examination generally is omitted. Slye, Holmes and Wells, in 1931, reviewed the literature on intracranial and cord tumors of lower animals and found only 36 cases reported. Twenty-six of these were intracranial tumors, 11 of which were in the hypophysis. They at that time reported 4 new cases of primary intracranial neoplasms, 3 occurring in mice of the Slye stock and one in a green parrakeet (Agatornis pullaria). The neoplasms found in the mice were: an endothelioma of a cerebral peduncle, a papillomatous growth in the ependyma of the lateral ventricle, and an infiltrating adenoma of the hypophysis. The tumor observed in the parrakeet was an adenoma in the hypophysis. In their summary these writers mention that it is especially noteworthy that only one seemingly conclusive report of a cerebral glioma in an animal could be found. Dawes, in 1930, reported two intracranial neoplasms in dogs. One was an ependymal glioma in the right lateral lobe of the cerebellum; the other was described as a small, reddish brown tumor in the left and central lobes of the cerebellum, adjacent to the roots of the seventh and eighth cervical nerves. Feldman, in his monograph on neoplasms of domesticated animals, mentions no new cases. Because of this seemingly infrequent occurrence of intracranial neoplasms in lower animals, the following cases are reported, one a cerebral glioma in a dog, and the other a pinealoma in a silver fox (Vulpes fulvus).
Identification of prognostic factors with multivariate survival data

Abstract Multivariate survival data arises when subjects in the same group are related to each other or when there are multiple recurrences of the disease in the same subject. A common goal of survival analysis is to relate the outcome (time to event) to a set of covariates. In this paper, we focus on prognostic classification for multivariate survival data where identifying subgroups of patients with similar prognosis is of interest. We propose a computationally feasible method to identify prognostic groups with the widely used Classification and Regression Trees (CART) algorithm. The proposed method extends CART algorithm to multivariate survival data by introducing a gamma frailty to account for dependence among correlated events. The method is applied to a catheter infection data, and the performance of the method is also investigated by several simulation studies.
Application of the mathematical theory of evidence to the image cueing and image segmentation problem

ABSTRACT In electronic vision systems, locating regions of interest - a process referred to as cueing -allows the computing power of the vision system to be focused on small regions rather than the entire scene. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the ability of a new technique to locate regions that may contain objectsof interest. This technique employs the mathematical theory of evidence to combine evidence receivedfrom disparate sources. Here the evidence consists of the images obtained from two sources: laser radar range and laser radar amplitude. The mean values of the super pixel gray levels for the two images are calculated and combined based on the Dempster-Shafer rule of combination. 1. INTRODUCTION Electronic vision systems that analyze the data from multiple sensors have the tasks of locating regions containing objects of interest, separating the objects from the background, classifying objects andbackground, and performing control tasks. These tasks are referred to as the cuer, segmenter, recognizer,and controller. Determination of objects in an image -
Dentofacial remodelling produced by intermaxillary forces in Macaca mulatta

Abstract Class II and Class III intermaxillary forces were applied to four monkeys, 21–32 months old, and to three adults, more than 6 yr old. The forces were applied to full upper and lower splints in order to reduce the amount of tooth movement and to cause as much craniofacial remodelling as possible. The amount of intermaxillary force was regulated at various levels between 75 and 250 g for periods ranging from 43 to 118 days. Control data on normal craniofacial growth were obtained largely from previous studies on large samples of monkeys. The results were analysed by serial cephalometric roentgenography combined with metallic implants. It was found that: 1. 1. Intermaxillary forces applied to maxillary and mandibular splints produced changes in maxillary and mandibular position, in the occlusal relationship and in the occlusal plane through a combination of sutural, periodontal and temporomandibular remodelling. 2. 2. The remodelling changes induced in sutural and periodontal joints were histologically identical in that compression and stretching of their ligaments caused respectively bone resorption and bone deposition. 3. 3. The induced sutural and periodontal changes occurred independent of whatever growth activity was occurring in these articulations. 4. 4. The nature of the changes produced in the temporomandibular joint depended on the direction of intermaxillary force and on the age of the subject.