cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Potential for Point-of-Care Tests to Reduce Chlamydia-associated Burden in the United States: A Mathematical Modeling Analysis.

Background Point-of-care testing (POCT) assays for chlamydia are being developed. Their potential impact on the burden of chlamydial infection in the United States, in light of suboptimal screening coverage, remains unclear. Methods Using a transmission model calibrated to data in the United States, we estimated the impact of POCT on chlamydia prevalence, incidence, and chlamydia-attributable pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) incidence, assuming status quo (Analysis 1) and improved (Analysis 2) screening frequencies. We tested the robustness of results to changes in POCT sensitivity, the proportion of patients getting treated immediately, the baseline proportion lost to follow-up (LTFU), and the average treatment delay. Results In Analysis 1, high POCT sensitivity was needed to reduce the chlamydia-associated burden. With a POCT sensitivity of 90%, reductions from the baseline burden only occurred in scenarios in which over 60% of the screened individuals would get immediate treatment and the baseline LTFU proportion was 20%. With a POCT sensitivity of 99% (baseline LTFU 10%, 2-week treatment delay), if everyone were treated immediately, the prevalence reduction was estimated at 5.7% (95% credible interval [CrI] 3.9-8.2%). If only 30% of tested persons would wait for results, the prevalence reduction was only 1.6% (95% CrI 1.1-2.3). POCT with 99% sensitivity could avert up to 12 700 (95% CrI 5000-22 200) PID cases per year, if 100% were treated immediately (baseline LTFU 20% and 3-week treatment delay). In Analysis 2, when POCT was coupled with increasing screening coverage, reductions in the chlamydia burden could be realized with a POCT sensitivity of 90%. Conclusions POCT could improve chlamydia prevention efforts if test performance characteristics are significantly improved over currently available options.
Influence of use of a bipolar vessel sealing device on short-term postoperative mortality after splenectomy: 203 dogs (2005-2018).

Objective To compare short-term postoperative mortality in dogs after splenectomy performed with or without a bipolar vessel sealing device (BVSD) and to identify variables associated with mortality. Study design Retrospective study. Sample population Client-owned dogs (n = 203). Methods Medical records of dogs that underwent splenectomy from 2005-2018 were reviewed. Mortality rates were compared between dogs that underwent splenectomy with or without BVSD. Causes of death and variables associated with short-term mortality were assessed. Results Fifteen of 203 (7.4%) dogs died prior to discharge, and seven (3.4%) dogs died prior to suture removal for a total short-term mortality rate of 22 of 203 (10.8%). The estimated difference in proportion of deaths prior to discharge between the BVSD and non-BVSD groups was -0.01 (95% confidence interval = -0.08 to 0.06). Duration of anesthesia was longer when splenectomy was performed without BVSD (median 168 vs 152 minutes; P = .03). Multivariate analysis identified intraoperative (odds ratio [OR] 5.7) or postoperative (OR 13.6) administration of blood products, increasing duration of anesthesia (OR 1.15 per additional 16 minutes), and intraoperative ventricular arrhythmias (OR 6.8) as significantly associated with death prior to discharge. Intraoperative (OR 3.2) or postoperative (OR 7.7) administration of blood products was associated with death prior to suture removal. Conclusion Use of a BVSD did not appear to increase short-term mortality after splenectomy. Clinical significance Dogs undergoing splenectomy that require intraoperative or postoperative transfusions, experience intraoperative ventricular arrhythmias, or have prolonged anesthesia may be at risk for death in the short-term postoperative period.
Financial Integration's Impact On Care Delivery And Payment Reforms: A Survey Of Hospitals And Physician Practices

Health systems continue to grow in size. Financial integration-the ownership of hospitals or physician practices-often has anticompetitive effects that contribute to the higher prices for health care seen in the US. To determine whether the potential harms of financial integration are counterbalanced by improvements in quality, we surveyed nationally representative samples of hospitals (n = 739) and physician practices (n = 2,189), stratified according to whether they were independent or were owned by complex systems, simple systems, or medical groups. The surveys included nine scales measuring the level of adoption of diverse, quality-focused care delivery and payment reforms. Scores varied widely across hospitals and practices, but little of this variation was explained by ownership status. Quality scores favored financially integrated systems for four of nine hospital measures and one of nine practice measures, but in no case favored complex systems. Greater financial integration was generally not associated with better quality.
The impact of emissions and climate change on future ozone concentrations in the USA

The potential impacts of climate change and future anthropogenic emissions on ozone levels in the USA are examined by linking global climate models to regional meteorological and air quality models during 3-year summer periods over the nine climate regions of the continental United States for three cases: (1) using 2016 meteorology and emissions (CTRL), (2) using 2050 meteorology and 2016 emissions (CASE1), and (3) using 2050 meteorology and 2050 emissions (CASE2). As climate change alone is expected to worsen ozone pollution and emission reductions are expected to reduce ozone concentrations, in this paper, the non-linear response of future ozone levels to both meteorological conditions and emissions was studied. The results show the well-known positive ozone correlation with surface temperature and negative ozone correlation with humidity in all regions. Climate change alone will increase future MDA8 ozone in the USA by 3.6 ppb. With climate change and policy intervention based on RCP 8.5, ozone levels will decrease 7.2 ppb on average for all climate regions in the USA. Furthermore, while climate change alone will double the number of stations violating the current National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone in 2050, when policies are in effect, this number was reduced to 21 stations. The number of high-ozone days will also increase in climate change only case in all regions with an average of 5.7 extra high-ozone days which confirms previous studies. The results show that even with high-ozone precursor reductions, the ozone levels will still violate the current national ozone standard. Therefore, in order to meet the current ozone standard by 2050, more stringent climate and air pollution control policies for most regions in the USA are needed.
Negative pressure wound therapy does not diminish efficacy of topical antibiotic powder in a preclinical contaminated wound model.

Aims High-energy injuries can result in multiple complications, the most prevalent being infection. Vancomycin powder has been used with increasing frequency in orthopaedic trauma given its success...
A Real-Time Video Tracking System

Real-time pattern recognition as applied to 2-D imagery has been limited to trivial or near trivial algorithms due to the severe constraints on processing speed and information bandwidth. Object identification and tracking applications of pattern recognition at video rates is a problem of wide interest, with previous attempts limited to very simple threshold or correlation (restricted window) methods. New high-speed algorithms together with fast digital hardware have produced a system for missile and aircraft identification and tracking that possesses an "intelligence" that far exceeds previously implemented real-time tracking capabilities. Adaptive statistical clustering and projection based classification algorithms are applied in real time to identify and track objects that change in appearance through complex and nonstationary background/foreground situations. Fast estimation and prediction algorithms combine linear and quadratic estimators to provide speed and sensitivity. Weights are determined to provide a measure of confidence in the data and resulting decisions. Strategies based on maximizing the probability of maintaining track are developed. This paper emphasizes the theoretical aspects of the system and discusses the techniques used to achieve real-time implementation.
Effect of tannins on microwave-assisted extractability and color properties of sorghum 3-deoxyanthocyanins.

Abstract Sorghum derived 3-deoxyanthocyanins (3-DXA) are of growing interest as natural food colors due to their unique stability compared to anthocyanins, but are generally difficult to extract. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) can dramatically improve extraction efficiency of 3-DXA from sorghum tissue. However, condensed tannins common in some sorghums could impact MAE extractability and color properties of 3-DXA. The objective of this work was to determine how presence of condensed tannins affect MAE extractability, stability, and color properties of sorghum 3-DXA. Sorghums of varying 3-DXA profile and tannin content, as well as purified tannins, were subjected to MAE and pigment yield and profile, aqueous color properties and stability at pH 1 – 5 monitored over time using, UV–vis spectroscopy, colorimetry, and UPLC-MS. The relative yield of 3-DXA from tannin sorghums was higher (3 – 10-fold) after MAE than from non-tannin sorghum (2-fold). During MAE, condensed tannins underwent extensive oxidative depolymerization to anthocyanidins (cyanidin and 7-O-methylcyanidin), which caused the tannin-sorghum pigment extracts to have a redder hue (12–43H°) compared to the non-tannin pigment extract (58H°). The tannin-derived anthocyanidins transformed over time into xanthylium pigments, resulting in increased extract H°. Tannins enhanced both color intensity (pH 1) and stability (pH 3–5) of the 3-DXA over 14 days, indicating they acted as copigments. The presence of tannins in sorghum enhances MAE extractability of 3-DXA from sorghum tissue, and could also potentially enhance their functionality in aqueous food systems. However, the initial changes in extract hue properties due to tannin-derived anthocyanidins should be considered.
Improving scalability of parallel CNN training by adaptively adjusting parameter update frequency

Abstract Synchronous SGD with data parallelism, the most popular parallelization strategy for CNN training, suffers from the expensive communication cost of averaging gradients among all workers. The iterative parameter updates of SGD cause frequent communications and it becomes the performance bottleneck. In this paper, we propose a lazy parameter update algorithm that adaptively adjusts the parameter update frequency to address the expensive communication cost issue. Our algorithm accumulates the gradients if the difference of the accumulated gradients and the latest gradients is sufficiently small. The less frequent parameter updates reduce the per-iteration communication cost while maintaining the model accuracy. Our experimental results demonstrate that the lazy update method remarkably improves the scalability while maintaining the model accuracy. For ResNet50 training on ImageNet, the proposed algorithm achieves a significantly higher speedup (739.6 on 2048 Cori KNL nodes) as compared to the vanilla synchronous SGD (276.6) while the model accuracy is almost not affected (
The Role of Symmetrical Internal Communication in Improving Employee Experiences and Organizational Identification During COVID-19 Pandemic-Induced Organizational Change

Integrating strategic internal communication research with organizational change literature and organizational support theory, this study proposes a theoretical model to understand the influence of...
Safety and potency testing of veterinary vaccines

We report here genetic recombination between 2 USDAlicensed vaccine strains of pseudorabies virus co-inoculated into swine. The vaccine strains, one of which was a conventionally attenuated strain and the other a genetically engineered deleted strain containing a negative immunologic marker, had complementary genomes. Co-inoculation resulted in the creation of novel strains of pseudorabies virus containing negative immunologic markers with restored virulence genes. Plaque-purified recombinant progeny viruses were found in 2 litters of pigs in which both strains were co-inoculated IM, a litter in which both strains were co-inoculated oronasally, and a litter in which the conventionally attenuated strain was inoculated oronasally and the genetically engineered strain was inoculated IM. Recombinant phenotypes and recombinant restriction fragment patterns were observed. The creation, spread, and potential misdiagnosis of these types of recombinant strains could disrupt control and eradication programs that are based on the serologic identification of swine infected with potentially virulent strains of pseudorabies virus.
Influences of roads and development on bird communities in

Our objective was to improve knowledge about effects of broad-scale road and development variables on bird communities in protected desert landscapes. Bird species richness and the relative abundance or probability of occurrence of many species were significantly associated with total length of roads within each of two spatial extents (1- and 2-km radii), distance to the nearest road, distance to the nearest development, or the two-way interactions of these variables. Regression models reflected non-linear relations, interaction effects, spatial-extent effects, and interannual variation. Road and development effects warrant special attention in protected areas because such places may be important sources of indigenous bird communities in a region.
Plants as a Source for Subunit Vaccines

A major challenge of biotechnology is to reduce clinical innovations to economically viable practice. While still in experimental stages of development, edible vaccines stand as an excellent example of this maxim: merging innovations in medical science and plant biology, to create efficacious and affordable pharmaceuticals. In this chapter, we present an updated report on advances in this field and in particular on the recent clinical trials. We will then outline areas of research that deserve further attention. Keywords: edible; antigenic; multivalent; multicomponent; plant-viral vectors; plastids
Business ethics in the NAFTA countries: A cross-cultural comparison

Abstract This article examines the nature and extent of similarities and differences in cultural values among managers in the three nations that signed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). One component of a culture is ethics, with this aspect of a culture existing as a potentially strong influence on the success of business organizations. In order to explore the impact of culture on ethical decision making in the NAFTA countries, we review the literature and develop propositions concerning the dimensions of culture that would be expected to influence the ethical standards applied to business decisions and organizational practices. The analysis applies Hofstede's [Culture's consequences. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage, 1980.] four cultural dimensions in the three NAFTA countries, which include individualism vs. collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, power distance, and masculinity. We also examine three additional cultural factors — attitude toward work, problem solving, and view of human nature. Propositions are presented involving the prevalence of codes of ethics, issues relating to bribery of public officials, and treatment of low-level employees. Finally, we discuss research design issues relevant for empirical investigation of the propositions.
WearDrive: fast and energy-efficient storage for wearables

Size and weight constraints on wearables limit their battery capacity and restrict them from providing rich functionality. The need for durable and secure storage for personal data further compounds this problem as these features incur energy-intensive operations. This paper presents WearDrive, a fast storage system for wearables based on battery-backed RAM and an efficient means to offload energy intensive tasks to the phone. WearDrive leverages low-power network connectivity available on wearables to trade the phone's battery for the wearable's by performing large and energy-intensive tasks on the phone while performing small and energy-efficient tasks locally using battery-backed RAM. WearDrive improves the performance of wearable applications by up to 8.85x and improves battery life up to 3.69x with negligible impact to the phone's battery life.
Late Diagenesis and Mass Transfer in Sandstone-Shale Sequences

This chapter summarizes the existing framework of observations relating to small- and large-scale elemental mobility in the late diagenesis of siliciclastic rocks. It is concerned especially with chemical processes that create pervasive modifications of volumetrically significant rock components and impart chemical and textural modifications that can be detected in the bulk rock.
New directions in Tokamak reactors

It has been five years or more since the last major studies were completed of the tokamak as a commercial power reactor. During that time there have been major physics and technology developments in magnetic fusion as well as programmatic and political changes. There exists a significant number of new ideas which can substantially improve the tokamak concept as a power reactor. This paper outlines some major goals and new directions for a series of scoping studies - Tokamak Power Systems Studies - which are currently in progress.
Towards generic pattern mining

Frequent Pattern Mining (FPM) is a very powerful paradigm for mining informative and useful patterns in massive, complex datasets. In this paper we propose the Data Mining Template Library, a collection of generic containers and algorithms for FPM, as well as persistency and database management classes. DMTL provides a systematic solution to a whole class of common FPM tasks like itemset, sequence, tree and graph mining. DMTL is extensible, scalable, and high-performance for rapid response on massive datasets. Our experiments show that DMTL is competitive with special purpose algorithms designed for a particular pattern type, especially as database sizes increase.
High-affinity ligand binding by wild-type/mutant heteromeric complexes of the mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor

The mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor has diverse ligand-binding properties contributing to its roles in lysosome biogenesis and growth suppression. Optimal receptor binding and internalization of mannose 6-phosphate (Man-6-P)-bearing ligands requires a dimeric structure leading to bivalent high-affinity binding, presumably mediated by cooperation between sites on both subunits. Insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) binds to a single site on each monomer. It is hypothesized that IGF-II binding to cognate sites on each monomer occurs independently, but bivalent Man-6-P ligand binding requires cooperative contributions from sites on both monomers. To test this hypothesis, we co-immunoprecipitated differentially epitope-tagged soluble mini-receptors and assessed ligand binding. Pairing of wild-type and point-mutated IGF-II binding sites between two dimerized mini-receptors had no effect on the function of the contralateral binding site, indicating IGF-II binding to each side of the dimer is independent and manifests no intersubunit effects. As expected, heterodimeric receptors composed of a wild-type monomer and a mutant bearing two Man-6-P-binding knockout mutations form functional IGF-II binding sites. By contrast to prediction, such heterodimeric receptors also bind Man-6-P-based ligands with high affinity, and the amount of binding can be attributed entirely to the immunoprecipitated wild-type receptors. Anchoring of both C-terminal ends of the heterodimer produces optimal binding of both IGF-II and Man-6-P ligands. Thus, IGF-II binds independently to both subunits of the dimeric mannose 6-phosphate/insulin-like growth factor II receptor. Although wild-type/mutant hetero-oligomers form readily when mixed, it appears that multivalent Man-6-P ligands bind preferentially to wild-type sites, possibly by cross-bridging receptors within clusters of immobilized receptors.
On the breakdown of the molecular chaos in the presence of translational nonequilibrium

Abstract It is shown that the assumption of molecular chaos breaks down in the presence of translational nonequilibrium (shear flow). Under these circumstances the classical thermodynamic fluctuation formula is supplemented by a new term which shows unlimited increase with the Reynolds number.
Stanford neural network research

Linear and nonlinear adaptive filtering algorithms are described, along with applications to signal processing and control problems such as prediction, modeling, inverse modeling, equalization, echo cancelling, noise cancelling, and inverse control.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Job Search and the Labor Dropout Problem Reconsidered

This paper establishes the existence of an equilibrium wage distribution for a labor market in which job seekers search sequentially. The search model shows why some workers will drop out of the market. Previous analysis of policies designed to reduce the number of dropouts was partial because wage distributions were exogenously given. Through the use of the equilibrium wage distribution implied by each policy, the analysis here shows that subsidizing search or imposing a minimum wage will reduce the number of dropouts, while a job training program or a reduction in unemployment compensation may either increase or decrease the number of dropouts.
High energy gamma ray emission in heavy ion collisions

Abstract It has been known for the last two years that in heavy ion collisions at intermediate energies (20 γ > 20 MeV) gamma rays. Initially these were thought to be due to coherent nucleus-nucleus bremsstrahlung. Current theoretical work assumes the production mechanism to be incoherent nucleon-nucleon bremsstrahlung.
Convexity of optimal linear controller design

We develop a general class of stochastic optimal control problems for which the problem of designing optimal linear feedback gains is convex. The class of problems includes arbitrary time varying linear systems and costs that are mixtures of exponentiated quadratics. This allows us to model problems with quadratic state costs and linear constraints on states and state transitions. Further, convexity in the feedback gains lets us impose arbitrary convex constraints or penalties on the feedback matrix: Thus we can model problems like distributed control (by imposing a sparsity structure on the feedback matrix) and variable-stiffness control (by applying time-varying penalties to feedback gain matrices). We show that the convex optimization problem can be solved efficiently by using the structure of the matrices involved. Finally, we present an application of these ideas to a practical problem arising in distributed control of power systems.
Effect of Induced Leucocyte Migration on Mammary Cell Morphology and Milk Component Biosynthesis

Effects of increasing milk somatic cell count on milk composition, milk component biosynthesis, and quantitative mammary histology were studied following intramammary infusion of sterile oyster glycogen in lactating ewes. Oyster glycogen had no direct effect on mammary tissue utilization of radiolabeled acetate. Intramammary infusion of oyster glycogen following each of six consecutive milkings in six lactating ewes increased mean milk somatic cell count (6-fold) and increased percent fat and protein but decreased milk lactose concentration. Quantity of damaged or nonsecretory epithelial cells was increased. Infused glands had increased concentrations of neutrophils (3-fold) and plasma cells (1.3-fold) in the subepithelial stroma and of neutrophils (2.7-fold) within the epitelial lining of alveoli. Infusion of oyster glycogen every 3 d for 30 d in four ewes elicited similar changes in milk somatic cell count and mammary histology. Loss of functional mammary cells associated with leucocytosis may explain lost milk production associated with increased milk somatic cell count.
Refractive Index and Density Measurements of Peanut Oil for Determining Oleic and Linoleic Acid Contents

Peanut seed are approximately 50 % oil of which >80 % is either oleic or linoleic acid. The oleic/linoleic acid (O/L) ratio largely influences oxidative stability and hence peanut shelf life. Traditional peanut seed have O/L ratios near 1.5–2.0; however, many new cultivars are “high oleic” with O/L ratios ≥9. During peanut seed handling, contamination among lots may occur. A cost effective method to rapidly differentiate peanut seed based on O/L ratio is needed across multiple segments of the industry, and measurements of oil density and oil refractive index (RI) were evaluated for this potential. Fatty acid profiles of samples from normal and high oleic seed lots, and blends of these oils, were determined by traditional gas chromatography analysis and this data compared to corresponding oil density and RI measurements. Oleic acid content, linoleic acid content, density and RI were all strongly linearly (R2 > 0.98) correlated for oil blends with O/L ratios from ~2 to 16. Threshold density or RI values both showed excellent potential for rapidly differentiating samples with an O/L ≥ 9; however, sample volume requirements preclude density measurements on single seed.
Vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser arrays

This paper reviews the state-of-the-art performance of producible, 850-nm, current-guided GaAs/AlGaAs, top-emitting vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) and arrays. We focus on the flexibility of this technology platform in demonstrating a variety of devices and arrays. This includes a 99.8% device yield across a 3-in-dia. Metal-Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE)-grown wafer and wavelength operation across approximately equals 100-nm range. Recent progress in device performance (Vth equals 1.55 V; Ith equals 0.68 mA; Pcw equals 59 mW; Tcw equals 200 degree(s)C, (eta) wp equals 28%) have and will enable great advances in VCSEL-array-based technologies. Included are unique ways of engineering modal characteristics from single-mode to quasi-incoherent emission. Array applications include 1D addressable arrays, particularly in the area of high-speed optical data links. An example application is the 32-channel-wide Optoelectronic Technology Consortium parallel links that have been operated error-free up to 980 Mbit/s (Manchester coded) through 100 m of bier. Two-dimensional matrix-addressable VCSEL arrays for processing and imaging applications will also be reviewed. Finally, we will discuss the exploitation of this VCSEL technology to explore the use of patterned or phased arrays of VCSELs. Their performance and relevant physics will be described, including the recent demonstration of in-phase coupling, watt-level emission, and multi-transverse-element mode coupling.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Acceptability of non-abstinence goals among students enrolled in addiction studies programs across the United States

ABSTRACTBackground: Previous studies of acceptability of non-abstinence recruited older, experienced addiction professionals; it's possible that younger, emerging addiction professionals may be more accepting of non-abstinence, perhaps due to training in harm reduction. Methods: One hundred seventy graduate and undergraduate students enrolled in college/university-based programs offering training in addiction studies across the United States were recruited to complete a Web-based questionnaire assessing whether acceptability of non-abstinence outcome goals varied depending on the specific substance a client consumes, severity of diagnosis, and finality of outcome goal. Results: More respondents rated non-abstinence an acceptable Intermediate goal for clients diagnosed with a Moderate cannabis use disorder (57%) or Moderate alcohol use disorder (45%) than for clients diagnosed with any other listed Moderate substance use disorder (32% to 36%). Similarly, larger proportions of respondents rated non-abstinen...
Total knee arthroplasty performed with inertial navigation within the surgical field

Abstract Computer navigation systems were introduced over a decade ago to improve accuracy in total knee arthroplasty, since it has been clearly shown that alignment influences the ultimate outcome. A new inertial navigation system for total knee arthroplasty has been designed with simplicity in mind such that small electronic pods within the surgical field capture all orientation information. Pre-clinical testing and early clinical results have demonstrated the reproducible accuracy of the system. This new inertial navigation system proved easy to use, and the accuracy compared to optical navigation was reliable within 1°. This inertial navigation system could become a well-accepted method to optimize bone cuts during total knee arthroplasty.
Initiation of delayed ovotoxicity by in vitro and in vivo exposures of rat ovaries to 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide.

Abstract Repeated daily dosing of rats with the ovotoxic, occupational chemical 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD, 80 mg/kg, i.p.) selectively depletes primordial and primary ovarian follicles. This study was designed to investigate whether follicle loss can be achieved following a single, acute exposure to VCD. Ovaries removed from postnatal-day-4 female Fischer 344 rats were cultured in the absence or presence of VCD for 15 days. Continuous in vitro exposure to VCD (15 days) caused concentration-dependent loss of primordial and small primary follicles. A single exposure to VCD in vitro (30 μM, 24 h) also caused significant losses of primordial and primary follicles 14 days later. Additionally, 28-day-old female rats were given a single injection of VCD (40–320 mg/kg, i.p.). A single dose at 320 mg/kg resulted in substantial loss of all follicle stages beginning 6 days later. Overall, these results demonstrate that an acute exposure to high concentrations/doses of VCD is sufficient to cause subsequent delayed loss of follicles.
Living with Ambiguity

has to ask her daughter-who is a single parent, lives across town, and has a full-time job and a family to take care of-for help. To purchase home health care with an income just above Social Security would be costly; and who would the agency send, would she arrive on time, would she be pleasant or in a hurry? The patient feels very good that she can perform this task on her own. New York City, besieged by rent strikes, seemingly uncontrollable maintenance problems, and adverse publicity, decided to institute a tenant management and ownership program for many of its publicly held apartments. In several projects, tenants formed organizations and, with much technical assistance (in the areas of law, accounting, and management) and support from the city and other agencies, took over the management and, in some cases, ownership of the housing. Among other things, the tenant organizations selected new tenants (or owners); hired employees; handled all repairs, maintenance, and financial arrangements; established recreation and child care facilities; and ran an employment service. Were the tenant organizations empowered?
Measuring individual differences in affective, heuristic, and holistic intuition

Abstract What is the nature of intuition? How should individual differences in intuition be measured? We examined the nature of intuition as measured by two commonly-used questionnaires of the construct. Two hundred and twelve undergraduates completed the Rational-Experiential Inventory and the Intuitive/Sensate and Thinking/Feeling subscales of the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator to examine correspondences between the constructs measured by each. Factor analyses revealed that the scales tap three distinct aspects of intuition: affective, heuristic, and holistic intuition. The REI was unique in its measurement of intuitive ability, and the MBTI was unique in its measurement of holistic intuition. An unexpected relationship between REI rational favorability and MBTI Intuitive/Sensate was found. Theoretical issues are discussed, and implications for future work are suggested.
Persistence in prescriptions of branded drugs

Abstract The American Medical Association and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America have developed new standards to curb the influence sales representatives may have on physicians' drug choices. Yet the literature fails to clarify the extent to which shares of prescriptions for branded drugs are driven by advertising to physicians or by usage persistence in choices. Using unique aggregate data on major Therapeutic Classes (i.e. Statins, SSRIs, COX2s), we show that a majority of prescriptions are best characterized as automatic renewals for current users. Choice probabilities across all other prescriptions seem driven by brand attributes and promotion to physicians.
Pro-apoptotic TP53 homolog TAp63 is repressed via epigenetic silencing and B-cell receptor signalling in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is an accumulative disorder marked by deficient apoptosis. The TP53 homolog TAp63 promotes apoptosis and chemosensitivity in solid tumours and its deregulation may contribute to CLL cell survival. We found that TAp63α was the most prevalent TP63 isoform in CLL. Compared to healthy B cells, TAp63 mRNA was repressed in 55.7% of CLL samples. TP63 promoter methylation was high in CLL and inversely correlated with TP63 protein expression in B-cell lymphoma cell lines. siRNA-mediated knockdown of TP63 resulted in partial protection from spontaneous apoptosis accompanied by reductions in PMAIP1 (NOXA), BBC3 (PUMA), and BAX mRNA in CLL cells and increased proliferation of Raji lymphoma cells. TAp63 mRNA levels were higher in CLL with unmutated IGHV. B cell receptor (BCR) engagement led to repression of TP63 mRNA expression in malignant B cells, while pharmacological inhibition of BCR signalling prevented TP63 downregulation. MIR21, known to target TAp63, correlated inversely with TAp63 expression in CLL, and BCR-mediated downregulation of TP63 was accompanied by MIR21 upregulation in most CLL samples. Our data illustrate the pro-apoptotic function of TP63, provide insights into the mechanisms of BCR-targeting agents, and establish a rationale for designing novel approaches to induce TP63 in CLL and B-cell lymphoma.
Impact of herbivore identity on algal succession and coral growth on a Caribbean reef.

© 2010 Burkepile, Hay. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
New and updated tests of print exposure and reading abilities in college students

The relationship between print exposure and measures of reading skill was examined in college students (N = 99, 58 female; mean age = 20.3 years). Print exposure was measured with several new self-reports of reading and writing habits, as well as updated versions of the Author Recognition Test and the Magazine Recognition Test (Stanovich & West, 1989). Participants completed a sentence comprehension task with syntactically complex sentences, and reading times and comprehension accuracy were measured. An additional measure of reading skill was provided by participants’ scores on the verbal portions of the ACT, a standardized achievement test. Higher levels of print exposure were associated with higher sentence processing abilities and superior verbal ACT performance. The relative merits of different print exposure assessments are discussed.
DNA Sequence Analysis of Plasmids from Multidrug Resistant Salmonella enterica Serotype Heidelberg Isolates

Salmonella enterica serovar Heidelberg is among the most detected serovars in swine and poultry, ranks among the top five serotypes associated with human salmonellosis and is disproportionately associated with invasive infections and mortality in humans. Salmonella are known to carry plasmids associated with antimicrobial resistance and virulence. To identify plasmid-associated genes in multidrug resistant S. enterica serovar Heidelberg, antimicrobial resistance plasmids from five isolates were sequenced using the 454 LifeSciences pyrosequencing technology. Four of the isolates contained incompatibility group (Inc) A/C multidrug resistance plasmids harboring at least eight antimicrobial resistance genes. Each of these strains also carried a second resistance plasmid including two IncFIB, an IncHI2 and a plasmid lacking an identified Inc group. The fifth isolate contained an IncI1 plasmid, encoding resistance to gentamicin, streptomycin and sulfonamides. Some of the IncA/C plasmids lacked the full concert of transfer genes and yet were able to be conjugally transferred, likely due to the transfer genes carried on the companion plasmids in the strains. Several non-IncA/C resistance plasmids also carried putative virulence genes. When the sequences were compared to previously sequenced plasmids, it was found that while all plasmids demonstrated some similarity to other plasmids, they were unique, often due to differences in mobile genetic elements in the plasmids. Our study suggests that Salmonella Heidelberg isolates harbor plasmids that co-select for antimicrobial resistance and virulence, along with genes that can mediate the transfer of plasmids within and among other bacterial isolates. Prevalence of such plasmids can complicate efforts to control the spread of S. enterica serovar Heidelberg in food animal and human populations.
Altered Gene Expression Profiles Reveal Similarities and Differences Between Parkinson Disease and Model Systems

Parkinson disease (PD) targets dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, resulting in motor disturbances such as resting tremor, bradykinesia, and rigidity. Pathogenic processes likely occur over several decades, in that an overwhelming percentage of neurons are already dead at the time of clinical diagnosis. For this reason, the usage of animal model systems to discover the early steps in the pathologic cascade is required. These include exposure to the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), which selectively kills dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra, and genetic models incorporating mutations in the α-synuclein gene that cause disease in human patients. Through the evaluation of these models at multiple time points, it is possible to discover novel gene expression changes that may underlie disease pathogenesis. Specifically, the authors hypothesize that animal models of PD and human PD brains share a gene expression profile that signifies certain aspects of pathogenesis...
Pulmonary fibroblast function in an acute lung injury model.

The role of pulmonary fihroblasts (PFBs) in early adult respiratory distress syndrome is poorly understood. To investigate PFB cellular function in acute lung injury, New Zealand rabbits (2 to 3 kg) were given either three daily doses of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA ; 65 μg/kg, IV), a potent stimulator of oxygen radical formation, or saline (control). On day 4, the lungs were harvested, subjected to enzymatic digestion, and PFBs isolated via serial subculture. Proliferation was assessed via 6-hour pulsed [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation and by creating 5-day growth curves. Confluent PFB cultures were assessed for collagen production and total protein production, as well as interleukin (IL)-1α secretion. Qualitative comparisons using transmission electron micrography were also made. There were no differences between PFBs harvested from control versus PMA-treated animals in terms of growth rates, total protein, and IL-1α production. However, there was a significant difference in collagen production, with the PMA-treated animals' PFBs producing 35% more collagen than controls. Transmission electron micrography revealed PMA fibroblasts to be smaller (two to three times), have more dark staining granules, and have hypertrophied smooth endoplasmic reticulum-all consistent with increased metabolic activity. This suggests that pulmonary fibrosis, a late development in adult respiratory distress syndrome, may be triggered during the acute phase of lung injury. The increase in collagen synthesis is not related to PFB proliferation or the secretion of IL-1α.
Thermoelectrically cooled quantum-cascade-laser-based sensor for the continuous monitoring of ambient atmospheric carbon monoxide.

We report the first application of a thermoelectrically cooled, distributed-feedback quantum-cascade laser for continuous spectroscopic monitoring of CO in ambient air at a wavelength of 4.6 µm. A noise-equivalent detection limit of 12 parts per billion was demonstrated experimentally with a 102-cm optical pathlength and a 2.5-min data acquisition time at a 10-kHz pulsed-laser repetition rate. This sensitivity corresponds to a standard error in fractional absorbance of 3 × 10-5.
On Real Fluid Flow Over Yawed Circular Cylinders

The equations for both the boundary layer and the outer potential flow over a yawed cylinder can be resolved into equations for the crosswise and spanwise velocity components. These components of the boundary layer are evaluated using Sears’ method, and the separation point is found to be uninfluenced by the yaw angle. The potential-flow solutions for the spanwise and crosswise flows are added together to determine vortex patterns behind the cylinder. The approximate direct dependence of the Strouhal number upon the cosine of the yaw angle and/or the drag coefficient upon the square of the cosine, are verified. Experimental determinations of the Strouhal number and visualization of the flow pattern are consistent with the analysis.
Free gait control for a quadruped walking robot

Two major approaches exist for devising gait control for a legged machine: (1) finding a sequence of leg and body movements of a robot on the basis of kinematic and possibly dynamic considerations assuming all foot placements are valid and (2) selecting leg and body movements first on the basis of feasibility of foot placements (because the underlying terrain might render impossible certain foot placements) and then accepting those that also satisfy kinematic and possibly dynamic constraints. Consider now the problem of a legged robot pursuing a quarry. With the first approach, the robot will be limited to operating over a relatively flat terrain; over such a terrain, it might be able to synthesize a sequence of precomputed straight-line and turning gaits in order to match as closely as possible to the trajectory of the quarry. If the terrain is uneven, however, the robot will have no recourse but to take the second approach, even though it is computationally more demanding. The work done so far in the second approach is limited either by the constraint that the overall direction of ambulation of the robot is known in advance or by the constraint that the foot placements are limited to the points of a grid superimposed on the topographic map of the terrain. This article presents how a free gait can be generated for following a quarry without invoking such constraints. The robot attempts to adapt constantly its direction of ambulation so that at each instant the quarry is pursued by the shortest path (although there is no guarantee that the path actually traversed by the robot is globally optimal in any sense). The directions generated by this “shortest path pursuit” prune away large segments of the search space for the discovery of appropriate foot placements. Simulated and experimental results are presented to validate the proposed gait control method. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Lab Robotics and Automation 11: 71–81, 1999
An element-by-element solution algorithm for problems of structural and solid mechanics

Abstract It is proposed to solve large-scale finite-element equation systems arising in structural and solid mechanics by way of an element-by-element approximate factorization technique which obviates the need for a global coefficient matrix. The procedure has considerable operation count and I/O advantages over direct elimination schemes and it is easily implemented. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method and suggest its potential for the analysis of large-scale systems.
Sources of growth and cyclical stability for Nevada counties: Transfer payments and property income

Abstract The growing relative number, the improved economic well-being, and the migration of elderly retirees is not only reshaping the social and economic structure of many areas, it is also modifying both long-term and short-run patterns of economic growth. Transfer payments and property incomes, two of the most important source of elderly income, have been among the leading sources of national income growth over the past several decades. Unlike most labor-related industry sources of earnings, the level of transfer payments and property incomes received by the residents of the region is not directly dependent upon local economic activity. Consequently, as transfer payments and property incomes of elderly retirees become increasingly important sources of income and purchasing power within a region, they also can alter regional short-run cyclical patterns of income growth. This article examines the pattern of growth of transfer payments and property incomes in the context of national economic cycles, and explores the implication of those findings on metropolitan and nonmetropolitan Nevada economies.
An NMR investigation of putative interresidue H-bonding in methyl α-cellobioside in solution

Methyl alpha-cellobioside (methyl beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->4)-alpha-D-glucopyranoside) was labeled with (13)C at C4' for use in NMR studies in DMSO-d(6) solvent to attempt the detection of a trans-H-bond J-coupling ((3h)J(CCOH)) between C4' and OH3. Analysis of the OH3 signal at 600 MHz revealed only the presence of two homonuclear J-couplings: (3)J(H3,OH3) and a smaller, longer range J(HH). No evidence for (3h)J(C4',OH3) was found. The longer range J(HH) was traced to (4)J(H4,OH3) based on 2D (1)H-(1)H COSY data and inspection of the H2 and H4 signal lineshapes. A limited set of DFT calculations was performed on a methyl cellobioside mimic to evaluate the structural dependencies of (4)J(H2,O3H) and (4)J(H4,O3H) on the H3-C3-O3-H torsion angle. Computed couplings range from about -0.7 to about +1.1 Hz, with maximal values observed when the C-H and O-H bonds are roughly diaxial.
FINITE MODEL OF FOUR-FERMION INTERACTIONS WITH INDEFINITE METRIC.

Abstract The scattering operator theory for fermions is developed in the framework of an indefinite metric Hilbert space starting with the second power Dirac equation. It is based on Lorentz invariance, strong pseudounitarity and strong Bogoliubov causality. These assumptions, together with operator derivatives and generalized convolution operators lead to a strong scattering operator equation in the indefinite metric Hilbert space. There is enough latitude in the homogeneous solutions of the scattering operator equation for the specification of interaction. The second-order two- and four-point functions are explicitly computed for the four-fermion interactions. The scattering operator theory does not involve renormalization in the Feynman-Dyson sense. There are no ultraviolet divergences encountered and hence no momentum cut-off needed. The vacuum diagrams are divergent in perturbation theory and call for a space-time cut-off. Arguments are presented to show that all the higher order functions lead to convergent integrals. The present approach, though mathematically satisfactory, is at least so far not fully amenable to physical interpretation because of the indefinite metric.