cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends of Hysterectomies Performed by Graduating Residents Using American College of Graduate Medical Education Case Log

Study Objective We sought to evaluate the overall trend in hysterectomies for obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) resident surgeons from 2002 through 2017 using the data from the Accreditation Counsel for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). The data stratifies hysterectomy type by abdominal (TAH), vaginal (TVH), and laparoscopic (TLH). We hypothesize that the rates of TVH and TAH will decrease during this time period with a concurrent increase in TLH. Design The publicly available data from the ACGME website from 2002 through 2017 was reviewed and abstracted into an excel document to graph trends. Data was further analyzed with SPSS where linear regression was performed using the mean hysterectomy numbers for each route and mean total hysterectomy. Setting N/A Patients or Participants Participants include OBGYN resident surgeons from 2002 through 2017 who logged hysterectomy data in the ACGME case log system as the primary surgeon. Interventions NA Measurements and Main Results A linear regression was performed to test if the year predicted the mean hysterectomy rates reported by OBGYN resident surgeons for total, as well as different routes of hysterectomy. The results of the regression indicate that the year of reporting is statistically significantly associated with route of hysterectomy mean totals. For every subsequent year, the mean TAH decreases by 3.5 (p Conclusion While the trend appears to decrease for total hysterectomy numbers, this decrease is not statistically significant. The route of hysterectomy, though, is statistically significantly different with a fluctuation towards more TLH, with the largest decrease in TAH. It appears TLH is replacing TAH with a transition towards more minimally invasive routes of hysterectomy.
Land use dynamics within the tallgrass prairie ecosystem: the case for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)

Tallgrass prairie has been reduced to a fraction of its original extent, due to rapid conversion to other land use types, especially agricultural and urban. Restoration is a relatively new process to convert agricultural land back to communities dominated by native vegetation. We used a differential equations compartmental model to quantify changes between land use types, incorporating the impact of human population within the Midwestern tallgrass prairie ecosystem. We considered transitions between native prairie, prairie restored through the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), agricultural, and urban land. We used historical data to determine parameter ranges. Sensitivity analyses emphasize the importance of increasing incentives for CRP enrollment as a means to restoring the tallgrass prairie ecosystem.
Sublethal and Lethal Methods to Detect Recent Imidacloprid Exposure in Birds with Application to Field Studies.

We used domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) as a model for granivorous birds to identify methods to detect recent imidacloprid exposure in wild birds. We conducted dosing experiments of 1, 5, 10, and 20% of a reported median lethal dose for domestic chickens using repeated daily exposures over 7 d, at dosages equating to 1.04, 5.2, 10.4, and 20.8 mg/kg/d. We examined the parent compound and metabolites in serial collections of feces and blood during exposures and for 15 d after exposures. We also collected liver, kidney, brain, muscle, and spleen at the experiment end. Mean concentrations of parent compound at 15 d postexposure were highest in the feces and brain, followed by the liver, muscle, spleen, and kidney; but mean concentrations of metabolites 5-OH-imidacloprid and imidacloprid-olefin were highest in feces; then liver, spleen, muscle, and kidney; and then brain. Imidacloprid was rapidly cleared from blood, with only one individual in any dose group having detectable concentrations after 48 h. In contrast, fecal pellets had the highest frequency of imidacloprid detection after 15 d. Concentrations of metabolites were higher than those of the parent compound at all sampling times examined but provided no information about time since exposure. Feces may provide a reliable nonlethal method for detection of recent imidacloprid exposure in wild birds. Additional work is needed to disentangle exposure dose concentration and time since exposure in field-collected samples. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:1355-1366. © 2020 SETAC.
MODELING COUPON VALUES FOR READY-TO-EAT BREAKFAST CEREALS

This study identifies the determinants of coupon values at the brand level within the context of a complex marketing program. A two-equation, fixed-effects, panel-data model accounts for the bidirectional causality between brand prices and discount levels. The empirical model is fitted with data on household purchases of ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereals and captures the industry's 1996 price cuts and discount reductions. Higher brand prices cause coupon values to rise, supporting the price discrimination hypothesis. Coupon values fall with in-store displays and more intense advertising but rise when couponed products are featured in store flyers. Discount levels are positively related to brand market share and the size of discounts redeemed for rival cereals. Coupon values fall with increasing brand loyalty among RTE cereal purchasers. Cereal prices are positively affected by coupon values, advertising expenditures, input costs, and the prices of competing brands. Inventory levels are negatively correlated with brand price. [EconLit citations: Q130, D120, L130]. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Agribusiness 19: 223–243, 2003.*
Hydrogen-Bond Synthon Preferences in Cocrystals of Acetazolamide

Acetazolamide (ACZ) is an active pharmaceutical ingredient with three main functional groups that can participate in a variety of hydrogen bond interactions. Here, we describe a series of cocrystal...
Phase-Sensitive Amplification in Nanophotonic Periodically Poled Lithium Niobate Waveguides

We demonstrate phase-sensitive amplification in periodically poled lithium niobate nanowavguides, achieving a net gain of 11.8 dB and an extinction ratio of 14.9 dB for 1.2-ps pump pulse with 2.4-pJ pulse energy.
Molecular evolutionary trends and biosynthesis pathways in the Oribatida revealed by the genome of Archegozetes longisetosus

Background Oribatid mites are a specious order of microarthropods within the subphylum Chelicerata, compromising about 11,000 described species. They are ubiquitously distributed across different microhabitats in all terrestrial ecosystems around the world and were among the first animals colonizing terrestrial habitats as decomposers and scavengers. Noted for their biosynthesis capacities and biochemical diversity, the majority of oribatid mites possess a pair of exocrine opisthonotal oil-glands used for chemical defense and communication. Genomic resources are lacking for oribatids despite their species richness and ecological importance. Results We used a comparative genomic approach to investigate the developmental, sensory and glandular biosynthetic gene repertoire of the clonal, all-female oribatid mite species Archegozetes longisetosus Aoki, a model species used by numerous laboratories for the past 30 years. Here, we present a 190-Mb genome assembly constructed from Nanopore MinION and Illumina sequencing platforms with 23,825 predicted protein-coding genes. Genomic and transcriptional analyses revealed patterns of reduced body segmentation and loss of segmental identity gene abd-A within Acariformes, and unexpected expression of key eye development genes in these eyeless mites across developmental stages. Consistent with the soil dwelling lifestyle, investigation of the sensory genes revealed a species-specific expansion of gustatory receptors, the largest chemoreceptor family in the genome used in olfaction, and evidence of horizontally transferred enzymes used in cell wall degradation of plant and fungal matter, both components of the Archegozetes longisetosus diet. Using biochemical and genomic data, we were able to delineate the backbone biosynthesis of monoterpenes, an important class of compounds found in the major exocrine gland system of Oribatida – the oil glands. Conclusions With the Archegozetes longisetosus genome, we now have the first high-quality, annotated genome of an oribatid mite genome. Given the mite’s strength as an experimental model, the new sequence resources provided here will serve as the foundation for molecular research in Oribatida and will enable a broader understanding of chelicerate evolution.
Five Years On: How Relevant is the Constitution to the New South Africa?

Questioning the relevance of the 1996 South African Constitution on its fifth anniversary seems a very strange way to celebrate what is often described as one of the “most admirable constitution[s] in the history of the world.” There can be little question that South Africa’s prolonged constitution-making process — from the first meeting of Codesa in 1991 until the adoption of the final Constitution by the Constitutional Assembly in 1996 — both enabled the nation’s political transition and served as an essential ingredient in the emergence of a stable post-apartheid government. This success, however, raises the issue of the Constitution’s continuing role, particularly in light of the high expectations it has engendered both at home and around the world.
A network generator for covert network structures

Abstract We focus on organizational structures in covert networks, such as criminal or terrorist networks. Their members engage in illegal activities and attempt to hide their association and interactions with these networks. Hence, data about such networks are incomplete. We introduce a novel method of rewiring covert networks parameterized by the edge connectivity standard deviation. The generated networks are statistically similar to themselves and to the original network. The higher-level organizational structures are modeled as a multi-layer network while the lowest level uses the Stochastic Block Model.Such synthetic networks provide alternative structures for data about the original network. Using them, analysts can find structures that are frequent, therefore stable under perturbations. Another application is to anonymize generated networks and use them for testing new software developed in open research facilities. The results indicate that modeling edge structure and the hierarchy together is essential for generating networks that are statistically similar but not identical to each other or the original network. In experiments, we generate many synthetic networks from two covert networks. Only a few structures of synthetics networks repeat, with the most stable ones shared by 18% of all synthetic networks making them strong candidates for the ground truth structure.
Pivoting Services: Resilience in the Face of Disruptions in Nonprofit Organizations Caused by COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented global event that has sent shockwaves through every aspect of the economy. The nonprofit sector has been dealt a double hit—relying on donations in a time of economic hardship while being on the frontlines of the response to increased need. Previous studies have shown that COVID-19 has impacted nonprofits in numerous ways; however, the majority of studies have focused on the financial impact. Using a resilience framework, this study adds to the literature by analyzing how nonprofits have dealt with the loss of services, what it has looked like to pivot and adapt to this new environment, and what impact the loss of volunteers has had on organizations. In this qualitative study of 12 nonprofits in the Southeast United States, we find that while the organizations do talk about financial strain, equally as stressful has been the loss of face-to-face services. Nonprofits are used to being on the frontlines of most emergencies, and in this pandemic, many have struggled to keep their workers safe by following health guidelines while also serving their clients. The inability to meet with clients and the stress of pivoting to an online environment is as great or greater of a burden as the financial impact.
Fighting Testing Acat/Frrp: Automatic Collision Avoidance Technology/Fighter Risk Reduction Project

This slide presentation reviews the work of the Flight testing Automatic Collision Avoidance Technology/Fighter Risk Reduction Project (ACAT/FRRP). The goal of this project is to develop common modular architecture for all aircraft, and to enable the transition of technology from research to production as soon as possible to begin to reduce the rate of mishaps. The automated Ground Collision Avoidance System (GCAS) system is designed to prevent collision with the ground, by avionics that project the future trajectory over digital terrain, and request an evasion maneuver at the last instance. The flight controls are capable of automatically performing a recovery. The collision avoidance is described in the presentation. Also included in the presentation is a description of the flight test.
Motion of the Easter hot spot relative to Hawaii and Louisville hot spots

[1] Hot spots have been widely used as a fixed reference frame for plate motions; however, it should be expected that the underlying plumes are advected in a dynamic mantle. Here a simple numerical model of hot spot motion due to large-scale mantle flow is applied to the Easter, Hawaii and Louisville hot spots. Computations are performed for a range of different buoyant plume rising speeds, ages and locations, mantle density and viscosity structures, etc. It is shown that a westward motion of the Easter hot spot at several cm per year relative to Hawaii and Louisville hot spots is a robust result for a large range of model parameters. In order to obtain an appropriate boundary condition for mantle flow near the Easter hot spot and to find out on which plate to expect the Easter hot spot track for a given time, published isochrons were rotated to the past ridge locations in a reference frame that takes the computed motion of Hawaii and Louisville hot spots into account. Calculations that include flow in the mantle and therefore relative movement of hot spots yield a better explanation of the observed age distribution along the Sala y Gomez ridge than assuming hot spot fixity; at the same time they predict a hot spot track on the Nazca plate that is roughly similar to the shape of the Nazca and Sala y Gomez ridges. Furthermore, the Easter hot spot was in an intraplate location on the Nazca plate during the past 43 Ma, somewhat closer to the ridge between ∼43 and 26 Ma than between ∼26 Ma and now. In contrast, if hot spots are assumed fixed, a location close to the ridge and rather on the Pacific plate between ∼43 and 26 Ma is predicted. Based on morphology and gravity signature it is suggested that the Nazca ridge and the eastern Tuamotu Island Plateau were created by plume material that erupted at the East Pacific Rise while the Easter plume was located sufficiently close to enable such an interaction, whereas the Sala y Gomez ridge was formed above the Easter plume in an intraplate setting. This implies that, if hot spots have indeed moved as computed here, during formation of the Nazca ridge (between ∼43 and 26 Ma) plume material erupted at the ridge several 100 km away from the plume, whereas no volcanism occurred directly above the plume. It also implies that any seamounts on the Pacific plate east of the Tuamotu Plateau are unrelated to the Easter plume.
α-synuclein Imaging: A Critical Need for Parkinson's Disease Research

The development of an α-synuclein imaging agent could be transformative for Parkinson's disease research and drug development. The ability to image α-synuclein in the brain would enable tracking of the degree and location of pathology over time and monitoring of therapies aimed at reducing α-synuclein levels. The Michael J. Fox Foundation has assembled a consortium of researchers to develop an α-synuclein radiotracer for use in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging studies. While this poses a number of challenges they should not be insurmountable and lessons learned from the development of tau radiotracers should provide valuable insights.
Alterations in multidimensional motor unit number index of hand muscles after incomplete cervical spinal cord injury

The objective of this study was to apply a novel multidimensional motor unit number index (MD-MUNIX) technique to examine hand muscles in patients with incomplete cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). The MD-MUNIX was estimated from the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and different levels of surface interference pattern electromyogram (EMG) at multiple directions of voluntary isometric muscle contraction. The MD-MUNIX was applied in the first dorsal interosseous (FDI), thenar and hypothenar muscles of SCI (n = 12) and healthy control (n = 12) subjects. The results showed that the SCI subjects had significantly smaller CMAP and MD-MUNIX in all the three examined muscles, compared to those derived from the healthy control subjects. The multidimensional motor unit size index (MD-MUSIX) demonstrated significantly larger values for the FDI and hypothenar muscles in SCI subjects than those from healthy control subjects, whereas the MD-MUSIX enlargement was marginally significant for the thenar muscles. The findings from the MD-MUNIX analyses provide an evidence of motor unit loss in hand muscles of cervical SCI patients, contributing to hand function deterioration.
On Hegel's State: From Kantian Epistemology to Existential Being

Georg W.F. Hegel’s intellectual path is undoubtedly marked by numerous engagements with the work of his predecessors and perhaps no encounter is greater than with Immanuel Kant’s philosophy. The philosophical differences between the two thinkers are noted in Hegel’s own writings as well as by scores of great commentators that follow. To formulate his own ideas in lectures and texts, Hegel frequently evokes — navigating past and through — Kantian philosophy. In this paper, I intend to examine the limits of the epistemological debt that Hegel’s political theorization owes to Kant’s representational epistemology. More precisely, through a comparison of Theodor Adorno’s and Herbert Marcuse’s Frankfurt School readings of Hegel, I ask if Hegel’s Idea of the state in the Philosophy of Right is defined through Kant’s epistemology, and explore other possible roots. This epistemological study can contribute to understanding the reorientation of thought about political relations that Adorno and Marcuse advance with reference to Hegel’s conception of the state. Moreover, it reframes in ontological terms the discussion of whether or not Hegel’s Idea of the state is an apology for the status quo, and expands on the existential dimension of Hegel’s theory of political relations.
Formulation of a Hamiltonian Cauchy Problem for Solving Optimal Feedback Control Problems

We propose a novel approach for solving the optimal feedback control problem. Following our previous research, we formulate the problem as a Hamiltonian system by using the necessary conditions for optimality, and treat the resultant phase flow as a canonical transformation. Then starting from the Hamilton-Jacobi equation for generating functions we derive a set of 1st order quasilinear partial differential equations with the appropriate initial or terminal conditions, which forms the well-known Cauchy problem. These equations can also be derived by applying the invariant imbedding technique to the two point boundary value problem. The solution to this Cauchy problem is utilized for solving the Hamiltonian two point boundary value problem as well as the optimal feedback control problem with hard and soft constraint boundary conditions. As suggested by the illustrative examples given, this method is promising for solving problems with control constraints, non-smooth control logic, and non-analytic cost function.
Low-Frequency Electrical Characteristics of Clear Air Turbulence

Abstract : The report covers work done to investigate the low-frequency electric field characteristics of clear air turbulence. A description is given of the electric field sensing system designed and constructed by Honeywell and installed in five Northwest Airlines 720B passenger jets. The equipment was used to gather experimental data on the correlation of electric field activity with CAT, when encountered, during the scheduled flights of these aircraft in the period between October 1966 and June 1967 (a total flight time for all five CAT units of approximately 4300 hours). In this period, a total of 2,320 hours of recorded electric field data was obtained, during which 131 pilot-indicated encounters with CAT occurred. An investigation of the correlation of these encounters with the recorded data is presented, and the effects of various noise sources on system operation are discussed. The results of the data-taking program indicate that significant electrical activity occurred prior to and during 51.5 percent of those pilot-indicated CAT encounters exhibiting g-activity greater than plus or minus .05 g. Meteorological analyses of weather conditions in the vicinity of the encounters, useful in differentiating between the types of CAT encountered and in substantiating pilot-indicated events, could not be performed within the scope of the program. (Author)
T-cadherin expression delineates specific regions of the developing motor axon-hindlimb projection pathway

T-cadherin is a unique member of the cadherin family anchored to the membrane by a glycosyl phosphatidylinositol moiety (Ranscht and Dours-Zimmermann, 1991). T-cadherin's distribution in the developing motor axon pathway was mapped by immunocytochemistry in the chick lumbosacral region as spinal neurons project to and innervate hindlimb muscle. On growing motor axons, T-cadherin was expressed biphasically. Initially, uniform T-cadherin expression occurred on motor neurons as they projected between the spinal cord and the base of the hindlimb (stage 21-24), and then decreased as the axons sorted to form dorsal, ventral and muscle nerve trunks (stage 25-27). Later, as motor axons entered and formed terminal axon arbors and synapses in muscle (stages 28-36), expression reoccurred heterogeneously among motor neuron pools. Thus, T-cadherin may guide the growth and fasciculation of all motor neurons during early axon extension, but only affect particular populations during the later expression period. In the mesenchyme of the motor axon pathway, T-cadherin was restricted to regions avoided by growing axons: the posterior-half sclerotome before and during the projection of motor axons through the T-cadherin-negative anterior half, and the extrasynaptic surfaces of developing muscle. The temporal and spatial expression patterns of T-cadherin and neurite outgrowth-promoting N-cadherin were complementary both in nerve and muscle tissues. Thus, in the posterior sclerotome and in maturing muscle, T-cadherin may act as a negative regulator that works in concert with neurite growth-promoting molecules to guide motor axons to their peripheral targets.
Lysophosphatidylcholine Modulates Neutrophil Oxidant Production through Elevation of Cyclic AMP

Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) is an oxidized phospholipid present in micromolar concentrations in blood and inflamed tissues. The effects of LPC on neutrophil functions remain incompletely understood, because conflicting reports exist for its stimulatory and inhibitory roles. We report in this study that LPC inhibits superoxide generation in fMLP- and PMA-stimulated neutrophils without affecting fMLP-induced Ca(2+) mobilization and cell viability. This effect was observed with LPC dissolved in ethanol, but not with LPC stock solutions prepared in water or in BSA-containing aqueous solution with sonication. Under the same experimental conditions, platelet-activating factor primed neutrophils for superoxide generation. The inhibitory effect of LPC was observed within 30 s after its application and was maximal at LPC concentrations between 0.1 and 1 muM. Inhibition of superoxide generation was accompanied by a 2.5-fold increase in the intracellular cAMP concentration. In addition, LPC reduced fMLP-stimulated phosphorylation of ERK and Akt and membrane translocation of p67(phox) and p47(phox). The protein kinase A inhibitors H-89 and adenosine 3'5'-cyclic monophosphorothioate Rp-isomer (Rp-cAMP) partially restored superoxide production in LPC-treated neutrophils, indicating involvement of protein kinase A in LPC-mediated inhibition. Using an ex vivo mouse lung perfusion model that measures lung weight change and capillary filtration coefficient, we found that LPC prevented lung vascular injury mediated by fMLP-activated neutrophils. Taken together, these results suggest that LPC-induced elevation of intracellular cAMP is partially responsible for its inhibition of neutrophil NADPH oxidase activation. A similar mechanism of inhibition may be used for the control of neutrophil-mediated tissue injury.
Coordinate system considerations in the creation of a 3-D dynamic model

The authors describe the coordinate system transformations necessary to reformat published anthropometric data for inclusion in a predefined 3-D body model. A 3-D dynamic model requires input from several sources that often have different frames of reference. Through a series of coordinate transformations and data manipulations, the various frames of reference can be brought into coincidence. This allows for the creation of one coherent model. One such model, developed at the Massachusetts General Hospital, is described. >
Regulatory Review, Capture, and Agency Inaction

This Article highlights the role of capture in providing a normative foundation for regulatory review of administrative action, which at the federal level is conducted by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). It also establishes a reform agenda to help bring the practice of review in line with its anti-capture justification. There are two traditional justifications for OIRA review: that centralized review facilitates the exercise of presidential authority over agencies; and that bureaucratic tendencies toward overzealousness require a centralized checking response. Both of these justifications are problematic, however. The normative desirability of maximizing presidential power is subject to debate, and OIRA’s contribution to increasing presidential control is minimal. Bureaucratic incentives can lead to both over- and underregulation, raising doubts about the need for a systematic check focused solely on the former. An anti-capture function for OIRA provides a more promising ground for regulatory review. OIRA has four important features that, in principle, can facilitate an anti-capture role: its generalist nature; its coordination function; its use of cost-benefit analysis; and a tradition of independent leadership. There are, however, elements of OIRA review that undermine its anti-capture potential, most importantly the near exclusive focus on the review of agency action. The failure of an agency to act can be just as detrimental to social well-being as overzealousness, and special interests may seek deregulation, delay, and weak regulation as often as over-regulation. This Article proposes a specific mechanism for OIRA to engage in review of agency inaction by examining petitions for rulemakings filed with agencies. This procedure cabins OIRA’s inaction review powers within a fairly limited field, making the task workable, and takes advantage of information held by parties outside the government.
The community epidemiology work group approach.

“Drug abuse” provides many unique challenges to the research community. Some of these involve fundamental epidemiologic issues, such as measuring the extent of the problem, identifying and assessing changes in patterns and trends, detecting emerging “drugs of abuse”, characterizing vulnerable populations and determining health and social consequences. A number of research methods are employed to address these issues. This paper describes one of these—a model in which ongoing surveillance of “drug abuse” is maintained through a network of community-based researchers, local officials, academics, and other interested and qualified members of the community. Timely, accurate, and cost-effective data can be generated through systematic collection and analysis of indirect indicators of “drug abuse” that are often routinely produced by a variety of community sources. This information, in turn, can be used to make informed public health policy decisions. The community-based network model has been implemented at th...
Peering through the technology scaling fog

While walking in the fog, the path nearest you is relatively clear and then options broaden and become less clear as you peer further away. This paper will discuss which parts of the technology path forward are predictable and where inflection points may occur which require doing things differently. It is clear that many choices will need to be made in the next few years to be ready for technology in 2020 and beyond.
Unconformities, cosets, and folds within the east antarctic ice sheet: 3.2 MHz profiles from a megadunes region of East Antarctica

We discuss two 50–70 km profiles of unconformities, bedding sequences, and englacial folding recorded to the icebed with 3.2 MHz radar in East Antarctica. The unconformities result from localized accumulation on windward slopes that produce cosets of bedding sequences up to 150 m thick. The folding occurs across ice streams, extends more than 2600 m and nearly to the ice bed, and is both parallel and non-parallel. Parallel folding implies that slip occurred under uniform strain, and the depth of the folding shows that it occurred near or at the ice bed. Basal slip implies that the surface topography beneath which these cosets formed is spatially and long-term stabilized over large icebed depressions. Consequently, the coset depths, and the ice flow direction and estimated speed, show that they formed 100–300 km from our transect, and beneath still active accumulation zones identified within a RADARSAT image.
The transition from central planning to a market economy: A computable general equilibrium model

This paper develops a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of the transition from a central planned economy to a market economy. The model is an extension of Wellisz and Findlay's (1986) model of the Soviet ‘second economy.’ By distinguishing alternative assumptions about the disposition of the government budget, two model variants — the ‘activist’ and ‘non-activist’ — are analyzed. Equilibria of these model variants are computed for various parameter specifications of the Kantorovich ray, which represents the stringency of central planners' direction of the economy. The paper shows that increasing efficiency of the private sector, while it reduces the size of government subsidies to the state sector, does not necessarily increase the net government budget.
Technical Considerations in Saphenous Vein Bypass Grafts to the Right Coronary Artery

Measurement of the proper length for saphenous vein bypass grafts to the right coronary artery can be complicated by the increase in cardiac volume that takes place when extracorporeal circulation is discontinued. Inadequate or excessive allowance for this increase can cause undue tension on the grafts or troublesome kinking. This report describes an improved method of orienting vein bypass grafts to the right coronary artery which eliminates problems of incorrect measurement.
Inter- and intra-individual variability of paired-pulse curves with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS).

Abstract Objectives : Previous studies have evaluated the variability of motor thresholds (MTs) and amplitude of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) within and across individuals. Here we evaluate the reproducibility and inter-hemispheric variability of measures of cortical excitability using the ‘conventional' paired-pulse (PP) TMS technique. Methods : We studied PP curves of the left and right hemisphere in 10 healthy subjects on two separate days 2 weeks apart. The inter-stimulus intervals studied were 1, 3, 6, 8, 10 and 12ms with the conditioning stimulus being 80% of the resting MT, and a single test stimulus producing MEPs of approximately 0.8mV peak-to-peak amplitude. Results : As a group, the PP curves of the left and right hemispheres, and of Day1 and Day2 were not significantly different. The intracortical inhibition (ICI), but not the intracortical facilitation, showed a good correlation across days within the individuals. Conclusions : Cortical excitability, particularly ICI, measured by PP TMS shows no inter-hemispheric asymmetry and is reproducible within individuals.
Palo Verde (Parkinsonia aculeata L.) seed aminoacylase.

Abstract 1. 1. N-Acylamino acid amidohydrolase (EC 3.5.1.14), or aminoacylase, was isolated from the seeds of Palo Verde (Parkinsonia aculeata L.). The enzyme was localized within the cotyledons and embryo of the seed. An acetone powder preparation from the combined cotyledons and embryo furnished an active extract which was purified greater than 75-fold. Fractionation consisted of treatment with (NH4)2SO4, cold acetone, freeze-thaw (which removed a cold-labile, inhibitory protein), and chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A-25. The specific activity was 2650 μmoles/h per mg protein nitrogen. 2. 2. Co2+ was shown to enhance activity and also to provide stability to the enzyme during the (NH4)2SO4 fractionation. 3. 3. N- Formyl- l -methionine was the best substrate and exhibited a vmax/Km = 2.9·105 at pH 7.2. The acetyl derivatives of l -methionine, l -valine, and l -leucine inhibited the enzyme at concentrations above 10 mM. The hydrolyses of N- acetyl- l -leucine and N- acetyl- l -valine exhibited non-Michaelis-Menten kinetics with an indication of two possible binding sites. 4. 4. The molecular weight was estimated by gel filtration to be 79 500. 5. 5. The enzyme was stable between pH 6.5 and 10.0, and up to a temperature of 50° for 10 min. The temperature optimum was 52°. 6. 6. The enzyme catalyzed the hydrolysis of P-nitrophenyl acetate and was inhibited by some classical sulfhydryl reagents. Mercaptoethanol enhanced enzyme activity.
Statistical analysis of old age behavior

A random life is characterized by a nonnegative random variable X having survival function (sf) F(x) = P(X > x), x ≥ 0. Associated with any life, two notions are important in life testing. These are the random remaining life at age t, X t , a random variable with sf F t (x) = F(x + t)F(t), x, t ≥ 0, and the corresponding stationary renewal life or the equilibrium life denoted by X, whose sf is W F (α)=1/μ ∫∞ x F(u)du, x≥0, where μ = E(X) assumed finite. Thus X may be used to identify old age. Note that X is unobservable but can be studied through X itself. In the current investigation, inequalities of the moments of X are derived from the ageing behavior of X. We then show that if X is harmonic new is better than used in expectation and if E(X 2 ) exists, then the moment generating function of X exists and its upper bound is obtained. We also use moments inequalities derived from the ageing behavior of X to test that X is exponential against that it belongs to one of several ageing classes.
Violent frames in action

We present a computational approach to radical rhetoric that leverages the co-expression of rhetoric and action features in discourse to identify violent intent. The approach combines text mining and machine learning techniques with insights from Frame Analysis and theories that explain the emergence of violence in terms of moral disengagement, the violation of sacred values and social isolation in order to build computational models that identify messages from terrorist sources and estimate their proximity to an attack. We discuss a specific application of this approach to a body of documents from and about radical and terrorist groups in the Middle East and present the results achieved.
Intersection Syndrome in a Handcyclist: Case Report and Literature Review

Intersection syndrome describes a rare inflammatory condition located at the crossing point between the first dorsal compartment muscles and the radial wrist extensor muscles. It is a repetitive motion injury that affects patients who overuse their wrists. The present report reviews the incidence of the condition as well as the special populations it affects. The anatomy of the wrist is presented and clinical findings and physical examination techniques are reviewed to help the reader reach a quick but correct diagnosis. Finally, the most appropriate treatment approach is presented, incorporating rehabilitative methods designed to ensure a full and prompt functional recovery and resumption of physical activity.
Trace element and isotopic effects arising from magma migration beneath mid-ocean ridges

The trace element concentrations and isotopic ratios in the magma erupted on mid-ocean ridges may differ from those in the source material due to physical effects such as porous flow dispersion, exchange of trace elements between the fluid and solid phases during magma migration, and convective mixing in magma chambers. These differences are in addition to those produced by better known processes such as fractional crystallization and partial melting. The effects of the three former processes are described. It is predicted that magma typically reaches the subridge magma chambers with a spatial heterogeneity only slightly reduced from that of the source material, but with a subdued variation in time. Convective mixing then further reduces the spatial heterogeneity. Application of the results for convective mixing to a recent Fourier analysis of Sr-87/Sr-86 variations along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge suggests that the falloff in amplitude of variation observed with decreasing wavelength in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge data cannot be explained by convective mixing in magma chambers. Instead, it is postulated that this falloff is due to the mechanics of the production and/or the solid-state convective mixing of chemical and isotopic heterogeneities in the solid mantle.
Lessons Learned in the Sandwich

In this personal account of caring for an aging father until his death in her home, the author reflects on the personal and professional challenges of being a “sandwich-generation” professional social worker. Both the poignant rewards and stresses of caretaking are described, as are the conflict and confluence of professional and personal roles. The ironies of appearing competent in the professional role while feeling overwhelmed in one's personal life and the need for support from professional colleagues are elaborated on, with concluding comments concerning future challenges and lessons to be learned.
Effect of septal lesions on retention of negative contrast.

Abstract In three experiments rats were trained to lick either 32% or 4% sucrose solutions for five min per day. Following acquisition training, the 32% rats were shifted to 4%. A negative contrast effect was found in control rats with retention intervals of 1, 4, or 5-days inserted between shift phases, but not with a 17-day retention interval. The effect of septal lesions was to accelerate the forgetting so that contrast effects were found with a 1-day, but not with 4-, or 5-day retention intervals.
Computer‐Automated predictions of aerobic biodegradation of chemicals

A computer program has been developed that can predict the most probable metabolites formed from aerobic biodegradation of chemicals. Predictions are based on an expert evaluation of the parent chemical's molecular structure. The program was designed to recognize molecular fragments within complete chemical structures that are sites of microbial attack. The system is based on a dictionary of transformation rules, consisting of a compilation of molecular transformation operators relevant to microbial attack. The user inputs chemical structures, and the output is a visual or printed display of the potential metabolites resulting from the appropriate metabolic pathways. New chemicals can be evaluated, since the program recognizes structural fragments rather than complete molecular structures.
Political Unionism and the Collective Objective in Economies of British Colonial Origin: The Cases of Jamaica and Trinidad

. Developing countries face an inconsistency between the need for more equitable distribution of income and wealth between classes and groups and the goals of an industrial relations system in which the trade unions have a systematic commitment to allied political parties to support them in exchange for some control over economic and social policy, or where unions compete with parties for popular support of certain social and political goals. This is designated as 'political unionism' in contradistinction to 'business unionism' where unions support any party whose overall strategy and objectives are most compatible. The analysis shows that ‘political unionism’ led, in Jamaica and in Trinidad and Tabago, to lags in growth which make industrial relations reform a necessity of an effective program of social change.
Evidence based detection of spiculated masses and architectural distortions

Mass detection algorithms generally consist of two stages. The aim of the first stage is to detect all potential masses. In the second stage, the aim is to reduce the false-positives by classifying the detected objects as masses or normal tissue. In this paper, we present a new evidence based, stage-one algorithm for the detection of spiculated masses and architectural distortions. By evidence based, we mean that we use the statistics of the physical characteristics of these abnormalities to determine the parameters of the detection algorithm. Our stage-one algorithm consists of two steps, an enhancement step followed by a filtering step. In the first step, we propose a new technique for the enhancement of spiculations in which a linear filter is applied to the Radon transform of the image. In the second step, we filter the enhanced images with a new class of linear image filters called Radial Spiculation Filters. We have invented these filters specifically for detecting spiculated masses and architectural distortions that are marked by converging lines or spiculations. These filters are highly specific narrowband filters, which are designed to match the expected structures of these abnormalities and form a new class of wavelet-type filterbanks derived from optimal theories of filtering. A key aspect of this work is that each parameter of the filter has been incorporated to capture the variation in physical characteristics of spiculated masses and architectural distortions and that the parameters of the stage-one detection algorithm are determined by the physical measurements.
Regional deconvolution method for partial volume correction in brain PET

Correction of PET images for partial volume effects (PVE) is of particular utility in studies of metabolism in brain aging and brain disorders. PVE is commonly corrected using voxel-by- voxel factors obtained from a high resolution brain mask (obtained from the coregistered MR scan), after convolution with the point spread function (PSF) of the imaging system. In a recently proposed regional deconvolution (RD) method, the observed regional activity is expressed as linear combinations of the true metabolic activity. The weights are obtained by integrating the PSF over the geometric extent of the brain regions. We have analyzed the accuracy of RD and two other PVE correction algorithms under a variety of conditions using simulated PET scans. Each of the brain regions was assigned a distribution of metabolic activity, with gray matter/white matter contrast representative of subjects in several age categories. Simulations were performed over a wide range of PET resolutions. The influence of PET/MR misregistration and heterogeneity of brain metabolism were also evaluated. Our results demonstrate the importance of correcting PET metabolic images for PVE. Without such correction, the regional brain activity values are contaminated with 30 - 40% errors. Under most conditions studied, the accuracy of RD and of the three- compartmental method were superior to the accuracy of the two- compartmental method. Our study provides the first demonstration of the feasibility of RD algorithm to provide accurate correction for a large number (n equals 109) of brain compartments. PVE correction methods appear to be promising tools in studies of metabolism in normal brain, brain aging, and brain disorders.
A bicriterion reverse distribution model for product recall

Abstract In the aftermath of the Consumer Product Safety Act of 1972 coupled with ever-increasing consumerism, product recall has become a common problem confronting many manufacturing organizations. Reverse distribution activities involving the removal of defective and/or hazardous products from the hands of customers are more crucial to the survival of some companies than are forward distribution activities because the companies' permanent goodwill is at stake. Nevertheless, not much attention has been given to the design of effective reverse distribution systems. This paper attempts to develop effective product recall strategies which not only minimize distribution costs of recall, but also maintain companies' goodwill. Generally, better customer service, prerequisite to companies' goodwill, can be maintained by a swift recall process that results in higher distribution expenses. In an effort to consider tradeoffs between reverse distribution costs and customer service, we propose a weighted goal programming model.
SPONTANEOUS SYMMETRY BREAKING IN BOSE-EINSTEIN CONDENSATES

Abstract The structure of the many-particle wavefunction for a pair of ideal gas Bose–Einstein condensates a, b in the number eigenstate |NaNb〉 is analyzed. It is found that the most probable many-particle position or momentum measurement outcomes break the configurational phase symmetry of the state. Analytical expressions for the particle distribution and current density for a single experimental run are derived and found to display interference. Spontaneous symmetry breaking is thus predicted and explained here simply and directly as a highly probable measurement outcome for a state with a definite number of particles.
Development of computer-based training simulator for industrial operators: Main participants, their roles and communications

The paper analyzes the main participants of a project of development and application of a computer-based training simulator for industrial operators and their roles at different stages of project realization. The project success is shown to be defined by proper interaction between Customer's and Executor's teams. Professional qualification requirements for various project participants are considered.
Readiness for Duty: Tuning False Positives by Simulation from Empirical Data

For applications such as the assessment of environmental stress or toxic agents, the metric requirements of performance test batteries include stability, reliability and sensitivity. However, fitness-for-duty applications present additional organizational and management laboratory conditions where the sensitivities of these test batteries are evaluated, the ratio of “treated” to “untreated” subjects is usually 50/50. However, in the workplace, the percentage of persons who are expected NOT to be impaired may be 100), with multiple repeated measures (15−40 sessions) and a battery of six computerized tests, were implemented into an interactive computerized algorithm. By varying: a) multiple cut-offs;...