cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient Satisfaction With Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: New York City was the international epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health care providers responded by rapidly transitioning from in-person to video consultations. Telemedicine (ie, video visits) is a potentially disruptive innovation; however, little is known about patient satisfaction with this emerging alternative to the traditional clinical encounter. Objective: This study aimed to determine if patient satisfaction differs between video and in-person visits. Methods: In this retrospective observational cohort study, we analyzed 38,609 Press Ganey patient satisfaction survey outcomes from clinic encounters (620 video visits vs 37,989 in-person visits) at a single-institution, urban, quaternary academic medical center in New York City for patients aged 18 years, from April 1, 2019, to March 31, 2020. Time was categorized as pre–COVID-19 and COVID-19 (before vs after March 4, 2020). Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests and multivariable linear regression were used for hypothesis testing and statistical modeling, respectively. Results: We experienced an 8729% increase in video visit utilization during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the same period last year. Video visit Press Ganey scores were significantly higher than in-person visits (94.9% vs 92.5%; P<.001). In adjusted analyses, video visits (parameter estimate [PE] 2.18; 95% CI 1.20-3.16) and the COVID-19 period (PE 0.55; 95% CI 0.04-1.06) were associated with higher patient satisfaction. Younger age (PE –2.05; 95% CI –2.66 to –1.22), female gender (PE –0.73; 95% CI –0.96 to –0.50), and new visit type (PE –0.75; 95% CI –1.00 to –0.49) were associated with lower patient satisfaction. Conclusions: Patient satisfaction with video visits is high and is not a barrier toward a paradigm shift away from traditional in-person clinic visits. Future research comparing other clinic visit quality indicators is needed to guide and implement the widespread adoption of telemedicine.
Interoceptive Awareness and Suicidal Ideation in a Clinical Eating Disorder Sample: The Role of Body Trust.

Abstract Previous research has demonstrated that both suicidal ideation (SI) and eating disorders (EDs) are associated with poor interoceptive awareness (IA). Suicidality research has demonstrated that the IA dimension of lower body trust is associated with SI, suicide plans, and suicide attempts. Similarly, in ED samples, recent research supports that low body trust has been the most robust dimension of IA associated with eating pathology. However, to date, research is lacking in how dimensions of IA may be associated with SI in an ED sample, above and beyond the impact of eating pathology on SI. Thus, in a clinical ED sample, the present study sought to determine which IA dimensions predict the presence and severity of SI, above and beyond ED symptoms. Participants (N = 102) completed a clinical interview assessing SI and self-report assessments including the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA). Results demonstrated that patients with current SI reported greater ED psychopathology, lower MAIA Attention Regulation, MAIA Self-Regulation, and MAIA Trusting scores compared to patients without SI. Higher ED psychopathology and lower MAIA Attention Regulation, Self-Regulation, and Trusting subscale scores were all significantly associated with the presence of SI. However, only low MAIA Trusting scores predicted the presence of SI, above and beyond covariates (age, depression, and eating pathology). No MAIA subscales were correlated with the severity of SI. Consistent with previous research, results suggest low MAIA Trusting scores may be associated with SI in ED samples and highlight the need for future research on mechanisms of these associations.
Sociological Self-Knowledge, Critical Realism, and Christian Ethics:

In his 2016 book, Ethics in the Conflicts of Modernity, Alasdair MacIntyre spends considerable time discussing how disputes between different moral theorists and different forms of practice might b...
Research on Situation Evaluation and Prediction Method for Distribution Network

As the important link between transmission network and end users, the operation status of distribution network directly affects the economics, customer service and reliability. With the development of smart distribution network, more and more attention has been paid to the operation situation of distribution network. In this paper, a practical distribution network operation evaluation and prediction method is proposed. Firstly BSC (Balanced Scorecard) based KPIs are created so as to provide fully vision on distribution network situation evaluation. Then AHP method is used to determine the index weight and situation evaluation is performed. Based on the evaluation method and result, Gray theory method is applied for situation prediction of distribution network. The proposed evaluation method in this paper can help operators grasp the operation situation of distribution network and provide effective guidance for decision support.
Feature Extraction Methods for Time Series Functions using Machine Learning

This paper expects to utilize different machine learning calculations and investigate the impact between various calculations and multi-include in the time arrangement. The open utilization records comprise the time arrangement as the exploration object. We separate utilization mark, recurrence also, different highlights. Besides, we use support vector machine (SVM), long short-term memory (LSTM) also, different calculations to foresee the data's utilization conduct. Moreover, we have likewise executed multi-feature combination and multi-calculation combination with LSTM also, SVM. In the long run, the trial results show that LSTM calculations are worthwhile in the forecast at the point when the information is inadequate. In the other hand, the SVM is gainful when the information is more plentiful. What's more, LSTM-SVM combination model has points of interest on the removing highlights of LSTM and the order of SVM. As a rule, LSTM-SVM is generally exceptional in the forecast.
Simulating the Effect of Autonomous Vehicles on Roadway Mobility in a Microscopic Traffic Simulator

Continuous developments in automotive technology brought about the reality of having an increasing number of autonomous vehicles (AV) on roadways soon. However, this advancement comes with the uncertainty of how the interaction between the autonomous and non-autonomous (non-AV) vehicles will play out. Using traffic simulators to model both AVs and non-AVs, and studying the effect of AVs on roadway mobility can help researchers in learning what to expect in real life. In this paper, an open-source simulator called Simulation of Urban Mobility (SUMO) was used to develop AVs by modifying Intelligent Driver Model (IDM) car following and LC2013 lane changing models. Then, three actual roadways in Columbus, Ohio were modeled, and 40 simulations were run for each traffic network. The first set of simulations focused on the impacts that AVs have on vehicle roadway mobility with non-AVs when all the AVs have the same autonomy level. The second set of simulations had mixed AV autonomy levels (SAE Level 2, 3 and 4) with mixed AV and non-AV traffic. The analysis revealed that mobility of AVs and non-AVs increased generally as autonomy level increased. When the AV autonomy levels were mixed, the non-AVs experienced lower average speeds and decreased roadway mobility.
Multiomics reveals persistence of obesity-associated immune cell phenotypes in adipose tissue during weight loss and subsequent weight regain

Most individuals do not maintain weight loss, and weight regain increases cardio-metabolic risk beyond that of obesity. Adipose inflammation directly contributes to insulin resistance; however, immune-related changes that occur with weight loss and weight regain are not well understood. Single cell RNA-sequencing was completed with CITE-sequencing and biological replicates to profile changes in murine immune subpopulations following obesity, weight loss, and weight cycling. Weight loss normalized glucose tolerance, however, type 2 immune cells did not repopulate adipose following weight loss. Many inflammatory populations persisted with weight loss and increased further following weight regain. Obesity drove T cell exhaustion and broad increases in antigen presentation, lipid handing, and inflammation that persisted with weight loss and weight cycling. This work provides critical groundwork for understanding the immunological causes of weight cycling-accelerated metabolic disease. Thus, we have created an open-access interactive portal for our processed data to improve accessibility for the research community.
Microscopic and Macroscopic Structure of Tissue

Our understanding of tissue structure comes from an accumulation of knowledge that includes gross and microscopic observations. Gross observations give the biomaterials scientist information about the size, shape, surface, and mechanical properties of a tissue. Light and electron microscopes provide images at low magnification (light microscope 4× to 1000×) and high magnification (electron microscope up to 300,000×). At low magnification, the biomaterials scientist can determine what are the structural units that make up a tissue or organ (Figure 4.1). The structural units usually contain connective tissue and extracellular matrix in some 3-D arrangement that is characteristic to that class of tissue. The connective tissue contains specific cell types; the distribution and type of connective tissue components and cell types are unique for each specific tissue type. At higher magnification in the electron microscope, cell organelles and specific macromolecules can be identified (see Figure 4.1). Because it is the behavior of the macromolecules and their packing arrangement that ultimately dictate how a tissue will behave, it is important to understand the arrangement of specific macromolecules inside cells and in the extracellular environment as well as how structural units fit together to make up gross tissue structure (see Chapter 2).
Book review of “Germany in Transit: Nation and Migration, 1955-2005”. 588 pages, University of California Press, 2007, by Deniz Göktürk, David Gramling and Anton Kaes (eds.)

Though migration is an age-old feature of human activity, driven by various circumstances, its current place in the midst of global dynamics and the phenomenon of globalization is becoming increasingly critical. International immigration and its regulation have been largely shaped by the policies in the receiving countries, often determining preferences for nationality cohorts and work skills to satisfy their labor and human capital requirements. When immigration has been necessitated by political strife, host countries have displayed immense magnanimity as well. However, the growing realization of resource limitations and the strange quirks of cultural pluralism are in turn creating waves of dissonance. Literature and the media are now replete with an in depth look into the immigration debate in various nations of the world in trying to seek new directions and satisfactory solutions.
Finite Element Solutions to Point-Load Problems

The numerical solution is presented for a point load problem obtained by various types of finite element meshes. The types of meshes used include standard element configurations with and without special singular elements under the load, and element configurations obtained by the use of grid optimization procedures with and without special singular elements under the loads. Standard meshes with singular elements yield results which are comparable to those obtained by a mesh obtained by a grid optimization procedure without singular elements. However, substantially better results were obtained by employing singular elements, which possess the proper order singularity, in an element mesh obtained by a grid optimization procedure.
Fetal abdominal wall defects and mode of delivery: a systematic review.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is sufficient evidence to support cesarean delivery over vaginal delivery in women carrying a fetus with an abdominal wall defect. DATA SOURCES: An OVID MEDLINE search of English language abstracts using medical subject heading terms “gastroschisis,” “omphalocele,” and “fetal abdominal wall defects” was performed. The generated list of articles was supplemented by a review of their bibliographies and the bibliographies of obstetric texts. STUDY SELECTION: A total of 27 peer-reviewed observational studies were identified, and 15 were included in the meta-analysis. Our primary inclusion criterion was the reporting of neonatal outcomes for infants with abdominal wall defects who delivered vaginally and who delivered by cesarean section. Studies were excluded if they were a case series or if neonatal outcomes could not be ascertained from the data presented in the manuscript. TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS: Standard meta-analytic techniques were applied to assess the question of whether cesarean delivery improves neonatal outcomes in infants with abdominal wall defects. There was no significant relationship between mode of delivery and the rate of primary fascial repair (random effects model: pooled relative risk [RR] 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.99, 1.51), neonatal sepsis (random effects model: pooled RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.30, 1.62), or pediatric mortality (random effects model: pooled RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.59, 2.21). Additionally, there was no significant relationship between mode of delivery and time until enteral feeding or length of hospital stay. CONCLUSION: The available data do not provide evidence to support a policy of cesarean delivery for infants with abdominal wall defects.
The Roles of Population, Place, and Institution in Student Diversity in American Higher Education

Student racial and ethnic diversity in higher education is an important and timely topic, as institutions, policy-makers, and economists increasingly recognize the value that accrues at many levels of having a skilled and diverse student body and workforce. Students benefit from learning in a diverse environment; firms may benefit from a diverse workforce; and more demographically diverse regions make experience higher rates of economic growth. However, the forces governing institution-level student diversity are poorly understood, as little prior research on the topic exists. This paper uses school enrollment data to parse out the contribution institutional characteristics, geographical setting, and local demographic characteristics make to student body diversity at each level of study. Results indicate that geographical location and local demographic composition play a role in student body diversity, as do the type and orientation of the institution. Institutional characteristics explain a lot of the variation in student body diversity and actual location of schools matters less than the demographic composition of young people around that location. Two broad conclusions emerge with regard to schools seeking to increase their student diversity. First, some may find their efforts hampered by circumstances outside their control (location, for example). Second, the influence of public/private status and even school size suggest further research on the ways in which these factors influence student diversity so that eventual policy action can be more effective.
Rewriting Logic as a Logical and Semantic Framework

The relationships between logic and computation, and the mutual interactions between both fields, are becoming stronger and more pervasive than they have ever been. In fact, our way of thinking about both logic and computation is being altered quite strongly. For example, there is such an increasingly strong connection—in some cases to the point of complete identification—between computation and deduction, and such impressive progress in compilation techniques and computing power, that the frontiers between logical systems, theorem provers, and declarative programming languages are shifting and becoming more and more tenuous, with each area influencing and being influenced by the others.
Advances in the management of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: role of oral dimethyl fumarate (BG-12)

Multiple sclerosis is a complex and chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system which affects an estimated 2.3 million individuals worldwide. Genetic research has uncovered over 100 immune-related genes associated with the disease and has provided a multitude of potential therapeutic targets. To date, 13 US Food and Drug Administration-approved disease-modifying therapies designed to influence the aberrant immune system are available for the indication of relapsing forms of the disease. BG-12 is a novel oral multiple sclerosis therapeutic with a unique putative mechanism of action that activates the Nrf2 anti-oxidant pathway. Despite the enthusiasm for multiple therapeutic options, including oral options, the practitioner is faced with the difficult task of providing guidance for patients regarding optimal sequencing of therapeutics without sensitive clinical biomarkers to match a particular therapy's putative mechanism of action to the patient's specific pathophysiology. Moreover, while BG-12 has a preferred route of administration, there is limited safety data with which to guide counseling in the clinic. Dimethyl fumarate (DMF or BG-12) is one of three available oral therapies which will be discussed in this review in terms of its pharmacokinetic profile, putative mechanism of action, clinical effectiveness, safety, tolerance, and patient-reported experience. BG-12's potential as a first-line therapy and as a sequencing therapeutic to aid in transition off natalizumab will be discussed.
Capillary retention of colloids in unsaturated porous media

[1] Understanding colloid transport behavior in unsaturated porous media is important because mobile colloid-contaminant complexes and colloidal pathogens can degrade groundwater quality. Visual evidence suggests that colloids are retained at the air-water meniscus-solid (AWmS) interface in unsaturated porous media, but there is no quantitative theoretical explanation of this retention mechanism to date. A theoretical study is presented here to quantify energy potentials represented by capillary forces on colloids at the AWmS interface in unsaturated porous media. Our calculations indicate that the capillary energy potentials for colloids retained in films or at the AWmS interface range from 107 to 108 kt, which are several orders greater than the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek energy potentials. Capillary forces for colloids at the AWmS interface can be decomposed into a force that pushes the colloid back in the bulk solution and one that pins the colloid against the surface of the grain. A friction force generated between the colloid and grain can prevent the colloids from moving back into solution. When drag forces can be ignored, colloids will remain at the AWmS interface as long as the static friction coefficient is greater than the tangent of the water-grain contact angle. It is independent of the surface tension.
Randomized Trial of Neoadjuvant Cisplatin, Vincristine, Bleomycin, and Radical Hysterectomy Versus Radiation Therapy for Bulky Stage IB and IIA Cervical Cancer

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by radical hysterectomy with that of radiotherapy (R/T) for bulky early-stage cervical cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Women with previously untreated bulky (primary tumor ≥ 4 cm) stage IB or IIA non–small-cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix were randomly assigned to receive either cisplatin 50 mg/m2 and vincristine 1 mg/m2 for 1 day and bleomycin 25 mg/m2 for 3 days for three cycles followed by radical hysterectomy (NAC arm) or receive primary pelvic radiotherapy only (R/T arm). The ratio of patient allocation was 6:4 for the NAC and R/T arms. Women with enlarged para-aortic lymph nodes on image study were ineligible unless results of cytologic or histologic studies were negative. RESULTS: Of the 124 eligible patients, 68 in the NAC arm and 52 in the R/T arm could be evaluated. The median duration of follow-up was 39 months. Thirty-one percent of patients in the NAC arm and 27% in the R/T arm had relapse or persistent diseases aft...
Sentencing GuidelinesA Selective Bibliography of State Materials

This bibliography compiles the primary and secondary materials relating to an individual state's determinate or presumptive sentencing scheme.
The Misrepresentation of the Black Poor

The author examined the effect, if any, of membership in various Black income groups on members’ political power, conceptualized as the ability to elect ideologically preferred representatives to Congress. The findings indicate that large numbers of Black poor actually mitigate quality representation in Congress. This happens despite large concentrations of Black poor into relatively few congressional districts.
Addition of Color Doppler to the Routine Obstetric Sonographic Survey Aids in the Detection of Pulmonic Stenosis

Objective: Most fetuses with congenital heart disease (CHD) occur in women that are not at increased risk, and since it is impractical to perform detailed fetal echocardiography on everyone, detection of CHD relies mainly on routine second trimester fetal anatomic surveys. We therefore attempted to improve the detection rate of CHD at the time of routine second trimester obstetrical sonography in low-risk patients. Methods: This was a retrospective review of an 18-month period in which color Doppler was added to the standard grey scale evaluation of the fetal heart at the time of our routine second trimester anatomic surveys that we performed on fetuses at low risk for CHD. Cases in which CHD was suspected were reviewed with special attention to those in which abnormalities on color Doppler were the primary finding. Results: CHD was suspected in 17 of 1,766 (1%) routine fetal anatomic surveys that we performed between 16 and 22 weeks. There were 13 cases with findings on grey scale, and 4 cases (24%) that relied on findings with color Doppler, as the grey scale evaluation was normal or near normal. Of these 4 cases, 3 had critical pulmonic stenosis requiring balloon valvuloplasty shortly after birth; the fourth case had a mildly dysplastic pulmonic valve that did not require intervention in the immediate newborn period. Conclusions: The addition of color Doppler evaluation of the fetal heart to routine obstetrical sonographic structural surveys in low-risk patients aids in the detection of pulmonic stenosis.
General combinatorial synthesis of tertiary amines on solid support. A novel conditional release strategy based on traceless linking at nitrogen

Abstract A novel solid phase synthesis of tertiary amines involving iodide-induced cleavage of the N O bond of resin bound alkoxyammonium intermediates is described. The quaternary intermediates were assembled via sequential reductive aminations followed by alkylation. Cleavage from the solid support was induced by iodide ion or base, to afford the target tertiary amines in excellent purity.
A simple relationship between the drag near zero lift and the initial normal-force-curve slope obtained from newtonian theory.

Near zero lift drag coefficient relationship to initial slope of normal force coefficient curve obtained from Newtonian theory
Electro-optic resonant modulator for coherent optical communication

A resonant cavity electro-optic phase modulator has been designed and implemented to operate at a data rate of 10 Mbps. The modulator consists of an electro-optic crystal located in a highly resonant cavity. The cavity is electro-optically switched on and off resonance, and the phase dispersion near the cavity resonance provides the output phase modulation. The performance of the modulator was measured by first heterodyne detecting the signal to an intermediate frequency, and measuring the spectral characteristics using an RF spectrum analyzer. The measured phase shift is shown to be in good agreement with the theoretical predictions. Further theoretical analysis shows that the design of the modulator can be scaled to operate at 100 Mbps.
Typical auroral substorm: A bifurcated oval

[1] Utilizing global auroral images obtained by Polar Visible Imaging System Earth Camera, we have analyzed the UV emissions from 116 auroral substorms. The events selected were fairly isolated and had to expand from a localized onset. It was found that essentially all auroral events fulfilling these simple criteria expand into the Akasofu (1964) bulge-type aurora. Averaged auroral emission patterns were compiled for 11 time steps of the substorm covering 20 min prior to the onset until well into the recovery phase. This compilation required a three-step normalization technique, one temporal based on the expansion time and two spatial, magnetic local time and latitude. These average patterns were then fit to either a single or double Gaussian distribution in latitude for each of 24 magnetic local times. On the basis of this analysis we made the following conclusions. The normalization technique is highly efficient in maintaining the key features in the individual auroral emission patterns, even though the individual events varied significantly in intensity, size, position, and lifetime. Thus our normalization results quantitatively validate the Akasofu (1964) assumption that key auroral features exist in the bulge-type auroral substorm. After the substorm onset the auroral oval becomes clearly bifurcated consisting of two components: the oval aurora in the latitude range of the preonset oval and expanding primarily eastward postmidnight, and the bulge aurora, which emerges out of the oval, expanding poleward and both east and west in MLT. The oval aurora decay faster than the bulge emissions indicating that the decays have separate time constants. Owing to the pronounced difference in the spatiotemporal behavior of the two auroral components we suggest that their sources are quasi-independent.
INHIBITION OF LEUKOCYTE SUPEROXIDE ANION PRODUCTION BY CORTISOL ADMINISTRATION TO NORMAL SUBJECTS

Superoxide anion production was suppressed in leukocytes obtained at two or four hours following oral administration of 50 to 100 mg of cortisol to normal subjects. The suppression lasted at least 4 hours but was not present at 24 hours. The measurement of superoxide anion production by leukocytes appears to be a convenient method for the serial estimation of an important biologic effect of corticosteroids in human subjects.
Exploring the potential for high-quality epitaxial CdTe solar cells

Traditional polycrystalline CdTe solar cell performance is limited by recombination at the grain boundaries, low carrier density (p), compensation from impurities, and a low minority carrier lifetime (τ). The maximum values for these critical parameters in polycrystalling devices are p OC ) ∼ 900 mV and η ∼ 20%. Epitaxial CdTe with high-quality, low defect-density, and high carrier density, could yield a higher-efficiency PV device. Using numerical simulation, we investigate the combined effects of minority carrier lifetime τ (0.1 – 500 ns) and carrier density p (1×1014 – 5×1018 cm−3) on device performance, predicting obtainable performance of V OC > 1100 mV and η > 25% for high τ and high p. While the V OC is strongly affected by both p and τ, the short-circuit current (J SC ) is mainly dependent on the lifetime τ and absorption losses in the front contact stack. In addition, increasing the thickness of p-CdTe (varied from 0.5 – 20 µm) at different τ (1 – 100 ns) shows an improvement in J SC due to increased long-wavelength photon collection and then saturates for thicker p-CdTe. In some cases, the cell performance is compromised by the presence of a significant back-contact barrier Φ b . The simulated results show that the cell performance is not strongly affected until Φ b exceeds 0.4 eV.
Generalized finite element method using mesh-based handbooks: application to problems in domains with many voids

This paper describes a new version of the generalized finite element method, originally developed [Int. J. Numer. Methods Engrg. 47 (2000) 1401; Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 181 (2000) 43; The design and implementation of the generalized finite element method, Ph.D. thesis, Texas AM Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg. 190 (2001) 4081], which is well suited for problems set in domains with a large number of internal features (e.g. voids, inclusions, cracks, etc.). The main idea is to employ handbook functions constructed on subdomains resulting from the mesh-discretization of the problem domain. The proposed new version of the GFEM is shown to be robust with respect to the spacing of the features and is capable of achieving high accuracy on meshes which are rather coarse relative to the distribution of the features.
Deletion of the M2-2 gene from avian metapneumovirus subgroup C impairs virus replication and immunogenicity in Turkeys

The second matrix (M2) gene of avian metapneumovirus subgroup C (aMPV-C) contains two overlapping open reading frames (ORFs), encoding two putative proteins, M2-1 and M2-2. Both proteins are believed to be involved in viral RNA transcription or replication. To further characterize the function of the M2-2 protein in virus replication, the non-overlapping region of the M2-2 ORF was deleted from an infectious cDNA clone of the aMPV-C strain, and a viable virus was rescued by using reverse genetics technology. The recombinant virus, raMPV-C ΔM2-2, was characterized in vitro and in vivo. In Vero cells, raMPV-C ΔM2-2 replicated slightly less efficiently than the parental virus, 10-fold reduction at 48-h post-infection. The raMPV-C ΔM2-2 virus induced typical cytopathic effects (CPE) that were indistinguishable from those seen with the parental virus infection. In specific-pathogen-free (SPF) turkeys, raMPV-C ΔM2-2 was attenuated and caused no clinical signs of disease. Less than 20% of the inoculated birds shed detectable virus in tracheal tissue during the first 5 days post-infection, and no virus shedding was detected afterward. Forty percent of infected birds produced a weak antibody response at 14 days post-infection. Upon challenge with a virulent aMPV-C strain, more than 80% of the raMPV-C ΔM2-2-inoculated birds showed typical disease signs and virus shedding in tracheal tissue. These results suggest that the M2-2 protein of aMPV-C virus is not essential for virus replication in vitro, but is required for sufficient virus replication to maintain pathogenicity and immunogenicity in the natural host.
Control-Loop Noise in Adaptive Array Antennas

Adaptive array receiving antennas can be designed to sense the external noise field and to optimize the array illumination function. A substantial improvement in signal-to-noise ratio can be obtained with adaptive arrays when the external noise field is nonuniformly distributed in angle. The external noise process may be time varying and contain both discrete sources and continuously distributed sources. Two adaptive array implementations which maximize the signal-to-noise ratio are described in this paper. Expressions are derived for control-loop noise, i.e., the variance of the array element weights, and for the additional noise in the array output due to this element weight noise. It is shown that both the element weight noise and the array convergence rate are determined by the eigenvalues of the noise covariance matrix.
Elevation and forest clearing effects on foraging differ between surface – and subterranean – foraging army ants (Formicidae: Ecitoninae)

Summary 1 Forest fragmentation often results in a matrix of open areas mixed with patches of forest. Both biotic and abiotic factors can affect consumer species’ ability to utilize the altered habitat, especially for species that range over large areas searching for prey. 2 Army ants (Formicidae: Ecitoninae) are highly mobile top predators in terrestrial Neotropical ecosystems. Army ant foraging behaviour is influenced by forest clearing at lowland sites, and clearing can reduce army ant population persistence. 3 Because high temperatures are implicated in hindering above-ground army ant foraging, we predicted that forest clearing effects on army ant foraging would be reduced at higher (cooler) elevations in montane forest. We also predicted that subterranean foraging, employed by some army ant species, would buffer them from the negative effects of forest clearing. 4 We quantified the foraging rates of above-ground and underground foraging army ants at eight sites along an elevational gradient from 1090 to 1540 m a.s.l. We asked whether these two foraging strategies cause a difference in the ability of army ants to forage in open matrix areas relative to elevationally matched forested habitats, and whether elevation predicts open area vs. forest foraging rate differences. 5 As predicted, army ants that forage above-ground had lower foraging rates in open areas, but the open area vs. forest difference declined with elevation. In contrast, underground foragers were not affected by habitat type, and underground foraging rates increased with elevation. Ground surface temperatures were higher in open areas than forested areas. Temperatures declined with elevation, and temperature differences between open and forested areas decreased with elevation. 6 We conclude that army ants that forage above-ground may be restricted to forested areas due to a thermal tolerance threshold, but that they are released from this limitation at higher elevations. We further suggest that underground foraging permits some army ants to persist within modified landscapes. Our findings have implications for the effects of habitat modification and climate change on these top predators.
Keratin immunoreactivity as an aid to the diagnosis of persistent adenocarcinoma in irradiated human prostates.

Postirradiation prostatic biopsy is believed by many to be the best measure of radiation effectiveness in prostatic cancer. Therapeutic irradiation may induce prostatic glandular atypia, which in its severe form can be confused with persistent adenocarcinoma on prostatic biopsies. In the current study, 37 postirradiation prostate biopsy specimens were evaluated by immunohistochemistry using a specific monoclonal anticytokeratin antibody (KA1) that reacts with the basal cells of normal or hyperplastic glands, but is nonreactive with the lumenal cells or with prostatic carcinoma cells. Persistent carcinoma was observed in 19 cases in which antibody staining was absent. The noncarcinomatous glands retained reactivity, but this reactivity appeared in a new and previously undescribed pattern. The irradiated lesion was characterized by cellular pleomorphisism, with enlargement of nuclei and loss of polarity. The immunoreactivity was seen in the enlarged basal cells and was seen to focally extend to involve the lumenal cell layer. In five of 37 cases, glands were seen that were so atypical on the routinely stained sections that a distinction from cancer could not be made. These same glands in the adjacent section reacted with KA1 in each case allowing us to conclude that the changes were benign. We conclude that themore » interpretation of postirradiation prostatic biopsy specimens may be aided by immunohistochemistry with this anticytokeratin antibody.« less
QUO VADIS, SYSTEMS THOUGHT?

. Progress in general systems theory has been slow. Three recent books in the field reflect both the hopes and continuing frustrations of systems advocates. Frustrations include the widespread perception that systems theory is a kind of gnostic redemption, an abstract program to be administered by an elite cadre of experts for the sake of integrating knowledge and reorganizing society. This mechanistic understanding generates a resistance which could be countered by a more open and organic model of human systems. The ambiguity of systems thought lies ironically in its ability to embrace both of these images within its conceptual scheme.
The utilization of dipeptides containing L-arginine by chicken macrophages

L-Arginine is the precursor of NO, a cytotoxic agent of macrophages. Studies were carried out to determine whether dipeptides containing arginine can be utilized by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated avian macrophages for NO production. A chicken macrophage cell line, the HD11 cell, was used in all experiments. Peptidase activities were observed in fetal bovine serum (FBS) and macrophage serum free medium (Mac-SFM). Therefore, the utilization of dipeptides by macrophages was examined using Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (D-MEM), a chemically defined medium, in short-term culture without FBS. Nitrite accumulation in the culture medium was used as the indicator of NO production. At concentrations of 0.15 mM in the culture media, L-leucinyl-L-arginine was 89% as effective as L-arginine in providing substrate for NO production. L-Argininyl-L-leucine was 38% as effective as L-arginine. The effectiveness increased to 93 and 58%, respectively, when the concentrations of dipeptides and arginine were 1.0 mM. Both values were slightly higher in a second experiment (97 and 70%, respectively). L-Lysine (10 mM) inhibited nitrite formation from all three sources of L-arginine. In studies of initial rates of transport by HD11 cells in Hanks Balanced Salts solution (HBSS), both L-argininyl-L-leucine and L-leucinyl-L-arginine inhibited arginine uptake. As lysine and arginine share a common transporter for cationic amino acids and are known to compete for transport, these studies suggest that the peptides were hydrolyzed extracellularly, yielding arginine that was transported into the cell where it served as a substrate for NO synthesis.
REGULATION BY COLONY STIMULATING FACTOR-1 (CSF-1) OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF MACROPHAGES (M) IN THE DEVELOPING OSTEOPETROTIC ( op/op ) MOUSE. • 1727

REGULATION BY COLONY STIMULATING FACTOR-1 (CSF-1) OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF MACROPHAGES (M) IN THE DEVELOPING OSTEOPETROTIC ( op/op ) MOUSE. • 1727
Predictability of SST in an Idealized, One-Dimensional, Coupled Atmosphere–Ocean Climate Model with Stochastic Forcing and Advection

The predictability of sea surface temperature (SST) is examined through analysis of an idealized, one-dimensional, stochastically forced climate model. The influence on SST predictability of including advection by a constant mean current is investigated. A new mechanism is described whereby predictability is enhanced via a cancellation of stochastically driven noise. For a sufficiently weak advective current the predictability was found to have significant departures from red noise predictability. Bounds on the predictability in the limit of zero advecting velocity were found. The relationship between autocovariance function (or power spectrum in the frequency domain) and predictability is also examined. Perhaps surprisingly, the regions with maximum predictability were not clearly identifiable by their autocovariance function (or power spectrum).
The Educational Value of Microcomputers: Perceptions Among Parents of Young Gifted Children

A questionnaire distributed to sixty-two families whose children were enrolled in a private school for the bright/talented/gifted elicited qualitative and quantitative data on the computer skills parents want their children to have and yielded insight into how parents expect the acquisition of such skills to affect their children's development.
Family members serving the gestational carrier needs of women lacking a uterus: a report of two cases.

Case report: In two instances, a designated relative served as a gestational carrier for a woman who no longer had a uterus. In the first case, a 38-year-old woman underwent an emergency cesarean hysterectomy due to worsening fatty degeneration of the liver in the third trimester, culminating in massive hemorrhage, consumptive coagulopathy and the loss of twins at 28 weeks gestation following successful in vitro fertilization. In the second case, a 28-year-old had congenital absence of the uterus and vagina. Both surrogates volunteered for service and were carefully screened medically, reproductively, and psychosocially prior to proceeding. All parties were required to execute informed consent and contracts with private attorneys before entry. Both gestational carriers conceived following the initial embryo transfer; one as the result of previously cryopreserved embryos, the other from embryos obtained following the synchronized in vitro fertilization of newly aspirated oocytes. Gestational carriers were prescribed oral estradiol and vaginal progesterone to prepare the uterus for implantation, and maintained this regimen throughout the first trimester of pregnancy. The pregnancies proceeded uneventfully and resulted in the delivery of singleton births at term. Both infants were formally adopted after delivery by the genetic parents in compliance with the advice of counsel under New York State law. Conclusion: Family members serving as gestational carriers provide women with functional ovaries but no uterus, the opportunity to have genetic offspring, while avoiding much of the high cost and social uncertainty of commercial surrogates.
The effect of pH on the inhibition of phosphatases by cyanide and by cysteine.

Abstract 1. 1. The effect of cysteine and KCN on the activity of several phosphatases has been tested at various pH values. 2. 2. The inhibition of 3′-nucleotidase, prostatic phosphatase, intestinal phosphatase, and bull semen 5′-nucleotidase by these reagents was found to increase with increasing pH. At acid pH values there was either no effect or stimulation of up to 100%. This stimulation was proportional to cysteine concentration in the case of 3′-nucleotidase at pH 4.5, maximal effect being attained at a concentration of 1 × 10−3M. 3. 3. Increasing cysteine concentration at pH 5.8 was found to change the effect on 3′-nucleotidase from slight stimulation to inhibition. 4. 4. In the case of bull semen 5′-nucleotidase, there was characteristic stimulation by Mg++ and pH-dependent inhibition by cysteine, but the combination of cysteine and Mg++ at pH 5.8 or 7.5 produced twice as much stimulation as Mg++ alone. 5. 5. These results are discussed in terms of changes in enzyme structure and the criteria used in classifying phosphatases.
Routine Surveillance in Vascular Access for Hemodialysis

There is increasing evidence that surveillance of AV access for haemodialysis prevents access thrombosis and improves the quality of care. This article reviews the evidence for surveillance and the various strategies and techniques available for detection of the failing access.
Bonding of Nitrogen-Containing Organic Molecules to the Silicon(001) Surface: The Role of Aromaticity†

The adsorption of pyrrole, aniline, 3-pyrroline, and pyrrolidine on the Si(001)−(2 × 1) surface has been studied using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Both pyrrole and aniline retain their aromatic character after bonding to the surface. Spectroscopic evidence indicates that each of these aromatic molecules can attach to the Si(001) surface via cleavage of one N−H bond, linking the molecule to the surface through a Si−N tether. Isotopic studies of pyrrole show evidence for additional cleavage of C−H bonds. While strong selectivity favoring bonding through the nitrogen atom is observed for the aromatic molecules, the unsaturated molecule 3-pyrroline shows evidence for at least two bonding configurations. XPS and FTIR data show that 3-pyrroline can bond either through the nitrogen atom with cleavage of an N−H bond, or through the CC bond via the surface equivalent of a [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction. Pyrrolidine appears to bond only through the nitr...
Dynamics of Two-Dimensional Ordering of an Overlayer with Fourfold-Degenerate Ground State: W ( 110 ) p ( 2 × 1 ) − O

The dynamics of ordering of $\mathrm{W}(110)p(2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}1)\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{O}$ has been studied at two coverages with use of low-energy electron diffraction. Island coarsening and diffusion-limited island growth mechanisms are identified at the coverage corresponding to two-phase coexistence, while in the one-phase region, domain growth is observed. In all cases, the increase in the average size of ordered regions follows a ${t}^{\frac{1}{2}}$ dependence. Activation energies and frequency factors are extracted.
Type I procollagen: The gene‐protein system that harbors most of the mutations causing osteogenesis imperfecta and probably more common heritable disorders of connective tissue

Recent data from several laboratories have established that most variants of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) are caused by mutations in the 2 structural genes for type I procollagen. There are 2 general reasons for the large number of mutations in type I procollagen in OI. One reason is that most of the structure of the procollagen monomer is essential for normal biological function of the protein. The second reason is that most of the mutations cause synthesis of structurally altered pro alpha chains of type I procollagen. The deleterious effects of the structurally altered pro alpha chains are then amplified by at least 3 mechanisms. One mechanism is a phenomenon referred to as "procollagen suicide" whereby altered pro alpha chains cause degradation of normal pro alpha chains synthesized by the same cell. Another mechanism involves the fact that many of the structurally altered pro alpha chains prevent normal processing of the N-propeptides of procollagen and persistence of the N-propeptide interferes with normal fibril assembly. A third mechanism is a recently discovered phenomenon in which a substitution of a bulkier amino acid for glycine can cause a kink in the triple helix of the molecule. The kinked collagen, in turn, causes formation of abnormally branched fibrils. Because the deleterious effects of abnormal pro alpha chains are amplified by these 3 mechanisms, most of the mutations are dominant and many are dominant lethal. The conclusion that most variants of OI are caused by mutations in the structural genes for type I procollagen has broad implications for other diseases that affect connective tissue, diseases such as chondrodystrophies, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis.
Selective stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for recombinant human regular insulin

This report presents a selective HPLC assay capable of separating recombinant human regular insulin from insulin decomposition and transformation products. The assay utilizes an isocratic delivery of mobile phase, a C18 peptide column, UV detection and is performed at ambient temperature. The standard curve ranges from 0.2 to 2.5 U/ml. The inter-day and intra-day variabilities are less than 7 and 5%, respectively, at the concentrations studied. The accuracy and precision are within 5% over the range of the standard curve.
Stochastic quantization for numerical simulation

Abstract An algorithm for numerical simulation, based on stochastic quantization, is presented. Results for SU( N )×SU( N ) matrix models for N = 2,3and4 in various dimensions are discussed.
Communicating Visions An Exploration of the Role of Delivery in the Creation of Leader Charisma

The concept of charismatic leadership has emerged as a central concern in leadership research. This investigation examines the impact of delivery on perceptions of leader charisma. Respondents were...