cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pre-analytic considerations for the proper assessment of hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis in epidemiological research.

There is growing epidemiological interest in hormones as predictors of chronic diseases. The correct handling and analysis of hormones can be cumbersome, and great care must be taken in these processes in order to gain the most information possible. Given differences in sampling, processing, and stability of the various hormonal assays, we sought to provide a comprehensive review to aid future epidemiological research. We have coupled a thorough literature search with our own analytical experience to outline common laboratory problems one must consider in analyzing the hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. In addition, we describe the benefits and limitations of using alternative media – including urine, saliva, and blood spots on filter paper – to measure endocrine hormones in epidemiological studies.
A leukemic presentation of a “triple-hit” lymphoma

![Figure][1] A 70-year-old man was diagnosed with stage IVA follicular lymphoma grade 1 in 2005. He initially received rituximab treatment in 2006. In the next 5 years, he was enrolled in several clinical trials including Zevalin radioimmunotherapy in 2007. He was recently admitted due to a
783-3 A New and Simple Method for Transcatheter Occlusion of Patent Ductus Arteriosus and Residual Shunts: Retrievable Coil Device

For occlusion of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) the currently used coil devices are not safe because of lack of deployment precision and retrievability. In 1992 we developed a new intravascular occlusion technique using memory-shaped retrievable stainless steel coils (Duct-Occlud. Pfm. Cologne). A snap-in mechanism keeps the coil attached to the core wire before final detachment. The new occlusion technique, therefore enables precise placement of coils. We report first clinical results of transcatheter occlusion of PDA using the new coil device. From November 1992 to August 1994 all patients (n = 59, aged 4 months to 21 years, 4.5–64 kg) with a PDA underwent a transcatheter occlusion procedure. In 52 patients a coil implantation was successful. A balloon dilatation of a valvar pulmonary stenosis (n = 1) and a coarctation of aorta (n = 1) was successfully performed in the same session of PDA occlusion. In the remaining 7 patients coil implantation was not possible because of too small (PDA-diameter l 0.5 mm, n = 4) or too large (smallest PDAdiameterg 3 mm, n = 3) ductus size. The rate of total occlusion 6 months after implantation was 88%. Early complete occlusion (within 24 hours) was demonstrated in 39 cases (75%), delayed (within 6 months) occlusion in 7 (13%) cases. In 6 patients a residual shunt (1 moderate. 5 small) remained. in 2 of them a second coil (coil-in-coil-technique) was implanted 1 year after first attempt with following complete occlusion within few minutes. In all coil implantation procedures neither embolization of coils nor major complications occurred. No flow disturbances in descending aorta or pulmonary artery or mechanical hemolysis were registered. Conclusion Our first clinical results demonstrate the new transcatheter coil occlusion technique as a highly effective and very safe method. This technique seems to be the method of choice for occlusion of small and medium sized PDA.
Thoracoscopic correction and placement of anterior instrumentation for scoliotic deformity Case report

Correction of rigid scoliotic deformities involving the thoracic spine has required that a thoracotomy be performed to obtain anterior release to mobilize the deformity, as well as placement of corrective spinal instrumentation either via a separate posterior or anterior thoracic approach. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first published report of a case in which anterior correction of a deformity was achieved endoscopically. A 27-year-old man presented with a rigid 85 degrees thoracic kyphoscoliotic deformity that had developed over several years. He had previously undergone a C7-T12 laminectomy to decompress the spinal cord from a lipoma. Using thoracoscopic techniques, the author performed an anterior release and interbody fusion. Endoscopically, an anterior screw/rod system applied from T-5 to T-9 corrected the deformity to 55 degrees . There were no surgery-related complications. At follow-up examiniation 1.5 years after surgery, the patient had developed a solid fusion and the correction was maintained at an angle of 58 degrees . It is feasible to use thoracoscopic techniques to perform an anterior release and to apply anterior corrective spinal instrumentation to treat thoracic scoliotic deformities, thereby avoiding the need for an open posterior approach in which instrumentation is placed.
Reduction of proline transport in R3230AC mammary carcinomas by estrogens in vitro.

Abstract The effects of estrogens on proline and leucine transport into enzymatically dissociated cells from the R3230AC mammary adenocarcinoma were studied. Estradiol-17β demonstrated a time- and dose-dependent reduction of proline transport; at 10 −6 M, transport of proline was decreased by 50 percent. Kinetic analysis of these effects indicate that estradiol displayed characteristics of a non-competitive inhibitor, with a K i of 1.79 μM. Other estrogens, and the anti-estrogen tamoxifen, gave somewhat higher estimated K i values and could be ranked as inhibitors as follows: estradiol-17β > diethylstilbestrol > tamoxifen > estriol-estrone > estradiol-17α. No effects of these estrogens on leucine transport were observed, indicating their selectiveness for the A system. The synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone, was comparable to diethylstilbestrol as an inhibitor of proline transport, but dexamethasone also decreased transport of leucine. Testosterone and progesterone were approximately comparable to estrone in their actions. It is proposed that these actions of estrogens represent one potential mechanism whereby pharmacological levels exert therapeutic benefit in the treatment of advanced breast cancer.
Collider diffractive threshold, hadronic photons, and sextet quarks.

We construct a simple dispersion-relation model to fit recent collider results on the total cross section and the elastic-amplitude real part. We find there should be a genuine physical threshold just below the CERN energy range. We suggest identifying this threshold with diffractive production of a new particle of mass {similar to}30 GeV which may have been seen in mini-Centauro and Geminion cosmic-ray events. By assuming the existence of strong-interaction'' properties for high-energy photons this particle can be consistently identified as an {eta} composed of color-sextet quarks. Geminions are then identified as two-photon decay via the anomaly. It seems plausible that most (if not all) cosmic-ray exotic events, including the strongly interacting photon, may be attributable to a strongly interacting color-sextet quark sector of QCD already proposed as the origin of the electroweak Higgs sector. We discuss how this sector should contribute to collider diffractive cross sections.
Shape identification and particles size distribution from basic shape parameters using ImageJ

Quick and accurate particle size distribution analysis is desirable in various technical fields that handle granular or particulate materials including size reduction. We developed an ImageJ plugin that extracts the dimensions from a digital image of disjoint particles after identifying their shapes and determines their particles size distribution. We established that the major and minor axes of ImageJ fitted ellipse along with the developed correction factors efficiently determined dimensions of particles. This paper describes the plugin development and its application to food grains and ground biomass. Using computer generated geometrical shapes as reference objects, a shape identification strategy that addresses common geometric shapes such as square, inclined square, rectangle, inclined rectangle, circle, ellipse, and inclined ellipse was developed. The strategy used only three newly defined shape parameters to identify objects, such as reciprocal aspect ratio, rectangularity, and feret major axis ratio from the standard outputs generated by ImageJ. Evaluation of effects of the particles shape, size, and orientation on the deviation from the reference particle's length and width indicated that the mean absolute deviations of all these factors were less than 1.3%. Developed plugin was applied successfully to analyze the dimensions and size distribution of food grains and ground Miscanthus particles images. The plugin produced quick and accurate size distribution of particles from digital images and can be applied to variety of particle analysis applications.
Poisonous effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on Paramecium aurelia.

Abstract The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces a poison that causes deleterious effects on the protozoan Paramecium aurelia. A variety of responses are evoked by the poison including rapid death by lysis, irregular “monster” forms, aberrant swimmers, and animal chains. Paramecia accumulate poison for several days if exposed to a sublethal dose until they become lethargic, and having absorbed a lethal dose they finally expire. The toxic material is not particulate, and it is readily separated from the bacteria by centrifugation.
A transition model for cognitions about agency

Recent research in a range of fields has explored people's concepts about agency, and this issue is clearly important for understanding the conceptual basis of human-robot interaction. This research takes a wide range of approaches, but no systematic model of reasoning about agency has combined the concepts and processes involved agency-reasoning comprehensively enough to support research exploring issues such as conceptual change in reasoning about agents, and the interaction between concepts about agents and visual attention. Our goal in this paper is to develop a transition model of reasoning about agency that achieves three important goals. First, we aim to specify the different kinds of knowledge that is likely to be accessed when people reason about agents. Second, we specify the circumstances under which these different kinds of knowledge might be accessed and be changed. Finally, we discuss how this knowledge might affect basic psychological processes of attention and memory. Our approach will be to first describe the transition model, then to discuss how it might be applied in two specific domains: computer interfaces that allow a single operator to track multiple robots, and a teachable agent system currently in use assisting primary and middle school students in learning natural science concepts.
“The Man Comes to Marry the Woman”: Exploring Adolescent Boys' Gendered Expectations for Bridewealth and Marriage Among the Akwapim of Southern Ghana

A qualitative analysis of 28 in-depth interviews with adolescent boys aged between 12 and 15 years in the Akwapim highlands of Ghana reveals that the traditional practice of bridewealth exchange—called the customary rites among the Akwapim—fuels adolescent boys' expectations of increased male authority in marriage. Although the available literature on bridewealth argues that the traditional marriage practice of bridewealth exchange in sub-Saharan Africa gives men rights over women's sexual and reproductive capacities, as well as their household labor (Fortes, 1962), the findings of this article suggest that bridewealth payments influence not only these areas but male expectations for broader control over, and obedience from, their wives.
Effects of flour chlorination on soft wheat gliadins analyzed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry and fluorescence spectroscopy

Abstract Chlorinated soft wheat flours produce better quality cakes. In this study, changes in surface hydrophobicity of gliadins due to flour chlorination were analyzed. Results obtained from RP-HPLC of gliadins showed intervarietal differences, but intravarietal differences in the gliadin patterns of chlorinated and unchlorinated flours were difficult to discern because of the large number of peaks eluted. However, three-dimensional plots of retention time, wavelength and absorbency showed differences among gliadin patterns of unchlorinated and chlorinated flours within a variety, suggesting conformational changes and consequently alteration in hydrophobicity of gliadins due to chlorination. The DSC analyses of gliadins extracted from unchlorinated and chlorinated flours showed higher denaturation peak transition temperatures (Td) and lower enthalpies of transition (ΔH) in some varieties, indicating hydrophobicity and conformational changes. Fluorescence spectroscopy measurements with an extrinsic probe, 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonic acid (ANS), showed increases in hydrophobicity of gliadins from chlorinated flours, confirming conformational changes in gliadins due to chlorination.
The tradition of our subject

(1931). The tradition of our subject. Quarterly Journal of Speech: Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 320-329.
A Newton-Raphson method approach to adjusting multi-source solar simulators

NASA Glenn Research Center has been using an inhouse designed X25 based multi-source solar simulator since 2003. The simulator is set up for triple junction solar cells prior to measurements by adjusting the three sources to produce the correct short circuit current, Isc, in each of three AM0 calibrated sub-cells. The past practice has been to adjust one source on one sub-cell at a time, iterating until all the sub-cells have the calibrated Isc. The new approach is to create a matrix of measured Isc for small source changes on each sub-cell. A matrix, A, is produced. This is normalized to unit changes in the sources so that A×Δs= Δi sc . This matrix can now be inverted and used with the known Isc differences from the AM0 calibrated values to indicate changes in the source settings, Δs= A−1×Δisc This approach is still an iterative one, but all sources are changed during each iteration step. It typically takes four to six steps to converge on the calibrated Isc values. Even though the source lamps may degrade over time, the initial matrix evaluation is not performed each time, since measurement matrix needs to be only approximate. Because an iterative approach is used the method will still continue to be valid. This method may become more important as state-of-the-art solar cell junction responses overlap the sources of the simulator. Also, as the number of cell junctions and sources increase, this method should remain applicable.
Nonlinear Excitation of Surface Polaritons

We show that nonlinear excitation of surface-polariton waves by optical mixing should be possible. The excited surface waves can be easily detected by either the prism-coupling method or coherent scattering from wave mixing. Practical numerical examples are given.
Multiple-Contact Phase Behavior Measurement and Application With Mixtures Of CO2 and Highly Asphaltic Crude

Etude experimentale de l'equilibre des phases du systeme CO 2 /petrole fortement asphaltique lorsqu'il y a un ou plusieurs contacts miscibles entre le dioxyde de carbone et le petrole
Tritium dose overestimates by CAP88-PC.

The dose assessment software CAP88-PC may overestimate doses from tritium under some conditions. The overestimates are linked to three key assumptions implicit in the software that may not be immediately apparent. The three assumptions are (1) the contribution of home grown food, (2) the distances at which food is produced, and (3) the number of people consuming locally produced food.
Spectrophotometric Determination of the Principal Alkaloids of Opium

The spectra of four opium alkaloids; narceine, narcotine, papaverine, and thebaine with its acid decomposition products, were determined at various p H values. A method of assay for samples of opium concentrates is proposed that requires less time and a smaller sample than the existing methods. Four samples of known composition were assayed by this method and the results are good for alkaloidal
Susac syndrome in a patient with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Susac syndrome (SS) is a diagnosis of exclusion based on findings of encephalopathy, branch retinal artery occlusions (BRAO), and hearing loss (Susac et al. 1979). These components may occur simultaneously or be temporally separated. The diagnosis is strongly supported by pathognomic involvement of the body of the corpus callosum on MRI; deep gray matter lesions, gadolinium enhancing lesions, and leptomeningeal enhancement may also be seen (Susac et al. 2003).
A cDNA encoding human ribosomal protein S24

Abstract We describe the isolation and nucleotide sequence of a cDNA encoding the human 40S ribosomal subunit protein (r-protein) S24 (M r 15425) . Human S24 is virtually identical to the r-protein encoded by a cloned Xenopus laevis cDNA previously identified as S19 [Amaldi et al., Gene 17 (1982) 311–316].
Mariner 9 ultraviolet spectrometer experiment - Pressure-altitude measurements on Mars

Ultraviolet spectrometer measurements of the reflectance at 3050 A are modeled to give pressure-altitudes for Mars assuming a quiescent atmosphere. Ultraviolet light that is Rayleigh-scattered by the Mars molecular atmosphere, with allowance for uniform turbidity, is proportional to surface pressure independent of atmospheric temperature structure. All model constants except the over-all scaling factors are found by requiring ultraviolet spectrometer pressures of 47 locations on the planet to be the same when measured at different geometries. The overall scaling factor is found by intercomparison with Mariner 9 occultation pressures. Comparison with other Mars pressure-altitude measurements show deviations from the assumption of uniform turbidity to occur over the Hesperia plateau for ultraviolet measurements obtained during the 13-26 February 1972 time period.
Communicating in a foreign language: Its effects on perceived motivation, knowledge, and communication ability

Attributional bias research suggests that those who find it difficult to communicate in a foreign language will explain their inability in ways that pose the least threat to a positive self image. The applicability of this reasoning to foreign language communication was tested in a two (writing in English or in a foreign language) by two (subject familiarity) factorial experiment. As expected, writing a message in a foreign language led to perceptions of reduced motivation. Participants who communicated in a foreign language about familiar others reported lower levels of perceived foreign language skill than those who communicated in a foreign language about an unfamiliar person. Participants who described unfamiliar persons in a foreign language reported greater familiarity with these persons than participants describing unfamiliar persons in English. Results support the claim that attributional biases may affect some foreign language communication tasks.
THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF GENE THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF BLADDER CANCER

Of all genitourinary cancers, transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder is the second most common malignancy and the second most common cause of mortality. Each year, approximately 50,000 new patients are diagnosed with this disease, resulting in about 11,000 deaths annually in the United States. Seventy to 80% of patients with TCC present with low-grade, noninvasive tumors or superficial papillary tumors confined to mucosa. The administration of intravesical chemotherapy or immunotherapy can prolong the progression-free interval after initial transurethral resection; however, in 70% of these patients, TCC will recur. As many as 30% of these recurrent tumors present with a higher grade with invasive properties. On average, 15% to 30% of patients with TCC are diagnosed with muscle invasive tumors, and half of the patients treated with a local modality will relapse with metastatic disease within 2 years. Once TCC becames invasive, treatment options such as radical cystectomy, radiotherapy, and systemic chemotherapy do not significantly change the overall survival rate of patients 73 ; new therapeutic modalities must be developed to improve the overall survival of patients with TCC. Conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy have focused on mass cell killing without specific targeting and often cause damaging side effects to normal tissues. Moreover, solid tumors can develop a resistant phenotype or may escape death because of tumor heterogeneity, tumor dormancy, or adaptations. The development of specific therapeutic strategies based on human cancer gene therapy is an attractive approach. The basic concept of human gene therapy was developed more than 20 years ago. Today, gene therapy for cancer has become a more realistic approach because rapid advances in molecular genetic techniques have revealed the alterations of cellular oncogene and tumor suppressor genes in cancer cells. The discovery of these common alterations associated with many cancer types may lead to blueprints for developing clinical care in a cancer-specific manner. In addition, the increasing number of tissue-specific genes discovered may result in subsequent cloning of their promoters, aiding in further design of expression vectors with potential tissue-specific cancer gene therapy. Based on these fascinating possibilities, gene therapy offers great promise for patients with TCC.
An obstacle to creating a universe in the laboratory

Abstract We show that any spherically symmetric false vacuum bubble which forms in an asymptotically flat space and grows beyond a certain critical size must have merged from an initial singularity. Our result requires that the energy-momentum tensor obey the condition T μν k μ k ν ⩾0 for all null k μ , a property which holds at the classical level for almost all theories of matter. For the non-spherical case, we state a necessary condition that a false vacuum bubble must meet in order to avoid an initial singularity. We do not know if this condition can ever be met. The requirement of an initial singularity appears to be an insurmountable obstacle to the creation of an inflationary universe in the laboratory.
Agnostic topology-based spam avoidance in large-scale web crawls

With the proliferation of web spam and questionable content with virtually infinite auto-generated structure, large-scale web crawlers now require low-complexity ranking methods to effectively budget their limited resources and allocate the majority of bandwidth to reputable sites. To shed light on Internet-wide spam avoidance, we study the domain-level graph from a 6.3B-page web crawl and compare several agnostic topology-based ranking algorithms on this dataset. We first propose a new methodology for comparing the various rankings and then show that in-degree BFS-based techniques decisively outperform classic PageRank-style methods. However, since BFS requires several orders of magnitude higher overhead and is generally infeasible for real-time use, we propose a fast, accurate, and scalable estimation method that can achieve much better crawl prioritization in practice, especially in applications with limited hardware resources.
Simulation study of ion pairing in concentrated aqueous salt solutions with a polarizable force field

The accuracy of empirical force fields is critical for meaningful molecular dynamics simulations of concentrated ionic solutions. Current models are typically developed on the basis of single ion properties such as the monohydrate energy in the gas phase, or the absolute hydration free energy at infinite dilution. However, the failure of these models to represent accurately the properties of concentrated solutions cannot be excluded. Here, these issues are illustrated for a polarizable potential based on classical Drude oscillators. To model accurately concentrated ionic solutions, the parameters of the potential functions are optimized to reproduce osmotic pressure data. The sodium-chloride potential of mean force in solution calculated from the empirically-adjusted model is consistent with the results from that calculated from ab initio CPMD simulations.
Requirements of the RNA Polymerase II C-Terminal Domain for Reconstituting Pre-mRNA 3′ Cleavage

RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) has previously been shown to be required for the pre-mRNA polyadenylation cleavage reaction in vitro. This activity was found to reside solely in the C-terminal domain (CTD) of the enzyme's largest subunit. Using a deletion analysis of glutathione S-transferase-CTD fusion proteins, we searched among the CTD's 52 imperfectly repetitive heptapeptides for the minimal subset that possesses this property. We found that heptads in the vicinity of 30 to 37 contribute modestly more than other sections, but that no specific subsection of the CTD is necessary or sufficient for cleavage. To investigate further the heptad requirements for cleavage, we constructed a series of all-consensus CTDs having 13, 26, 39, and 52 YSPTSPS repeats. We found that the nonconsensus CTD heptads are together responsible for only 20% of the wild-type cleavage activity. Analysis of the all-consensus CTD series revealed that the remaining 80% of the CTD-dependent cleavage activity directly correlates with CTD length, with significant activity requiring approximately 26 or more repeats. These results are consistent with a scaffolding role for the RNAP II CTD in the pre-mRNA cleavage reaction.
Modifying sensitivity/specificity for sensors using positive and negative predictive power measures

In the collection of data from sensors in the field, the uncertainty in the data may compromise the ability to accurately predict the state of a system. Herein the standard signal detection theory problem is examined when nonstationary effects may occur in the data from the sensors. The use of PPP (positive predictive power) and NPP (negative predictive power) adds a new viewpoint on how to modify sensitivity and specificity measures in decision making involving multiple sensors. This is especially true when stationary properties in received data may be violated.
The relationship of time investment and task outcome to causal attributions and self‐esteem1

This study examined the relationship between performance outcome, time spent working at a task, and attributions to ability versus effort. It also explored differences in performance time as a function of self-esteem and task-performance expectancies. Subjects worked on a series of concept-attainment items and then were given either success or failure feedback regarding their performance and also information that they had worked either faster or slower than other subjects. They then evaluated their performance and that of a fictitious subject who had also purportedly done the task. Subjects attributed their own and other subjects' successes more to ability if they spent less time at the task and failure outcomes more to ability if they had spent more time at the task. Attributions to success and failure outcomes differed as a function of the interactive effect of self-esteem and task-specific expectancies. Low self-esteem subjects tended to attribute expected outcomes more to ability and unexpected outcomes more to effort, whereas high self-esteem subjects attributed successes more to ability and failure more to effort. Practice time and criteria for satisfaction were also a joint function of self-esteem and task-performance expectancy. The results suggest that task-performance expectancies must be considered when evaluating the role of self-esteem in determining people's responses in performance situations.
Optimizing time-frequency kernels for classification

In many pattern recognition applications, features are traditionally extracted from standard time-frequency representations (TFRs). This assumes that the implicit smoothing of, say, a spectrogram is appropriate for the classification task. Making such assumptions may degrade classification performance. In general, ana time-frequency classification technique that uses a singular quadratic TFR (e.g., the spectrogram) as a source of features will never surpass the performance of the same technique using a regular quadratic TFR (e,g., Rihaczek or Wigner-Ville). Any TFR that is not regular is said to be singular. Use of a singular quadratic TFR implicitly discards information without explicitly determining if it is germane to the classification task. We propose smoothing regular quadratic TFRs to retain only that information that is essential for classification. We call the resulting quadratic TFRs class-dependent TFRs. This approach makes no a priori assumptions about the amount and type of time-frequency smoothing required for classification. The performance of our approach is demonstrated on simulated and real data. The simulated study indicates that the performance can approach the Bayes optimal classifier. The real-world pilot studies involved helicopter fault diagnosis and radar transmitter identification.
Identifying Sex Equitable Interaction Patterns in Classroom Supervision

All too often, the research dealing with sex equity is over looked by teacher supervisors, according to this writer, who notes that unconscious sexist teaching behavior is characteris tic of both male and female teachers.
Reduction of mode partition noise in a multiwavelength semiconductor laser through hybrid modelocking

Summary form only given. The longitudinal modes of a multimode laser diode suffer from intensity fluctuations that, when coupled with spectral filtering, result in mode partition noise (MPN). We have significantly decreased the MPN in a modelocked, multiwavelength semiconductor laser. A gain-guided GaAs-AlGaAs semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) is inserted in an external cavity which incorporates a spectrometer and binary amplitude spatial filter to define individual wavelength channels. Our method exploits the saturable nonlinearity in a multiple-quantum-well (MQW) saturable absorber, along with high speed gain modulation, to establish hybrid modelocking in the external cavity semiconductor diode laser. The result is an error-free optical pulse train in each of the wavelength channels generated by the multiwavelength laser.
Comparison of in vitro serum protein binding of thyroxin and triiodothyronine.

Summary1. In vitro experiments on the serum protein binding of thyroxin and triiodothyronine were performed using paper electrophoresis to separate the protein fractions and 1131 labelled triiodothyronine and thyroxin to trace the localization of these amino acids. 2. Although both thyroxin and triiodothyronine were shown to be bound by alpha globulin, thyroxin was more firmly bound and not easily displaced by triiodothyronine whereas triiodothyronine was less firmly bound and readily displaced by thyroxin. 3. Displaced triiodothyronine was found to trail the thyroxin-binding globulin, whereas displaced thyroxin was seen to associate with the albumin fraction. 4. These observations are possibly related to the rapid disappearance of triiodothyronine after intravenous injection and to the relatively low levels of triiodothyronine in blood.
Elastic bands: connecting path planning and control

Elastic bands are proposed as the basis for a framework to close the gap between global path planning and real-time sensor-based robot control. An elastic band is a deformable collision-free path. The initial shape of the elastic is the free path generated by a planner. Subjected to artificial forces, the elastic band deforms in real time to a short and smooth path that maintains clearance from the obstacles. The elastic continues to deform as changes in the environment are detected by sensors, enabling the robot to accommodate uncertainties and react to unexpected and moving obstacles. While providing a tight connection between the robot and its environment, the elastic band preserves the global nature of the planned path. The framework is outlined, and an efficient implementation based on bubbles is discussed. >
Optimal Front-End Design for MIMO Receivers

The effect of antenna mutual coupling on fading correlation in compact MIMO arrays has received considerable attention. By contrast, relatively little attention has been paid to the noise. In this paper we present a circuit model for a noisy MIMO receiver front-end that includes arbitrary coupling and noise correlation. The noise figure for two-port networks is extended to multiport networks, from which theorems for optimal front-end design are derived. Numerical results are presented which provide insight into receiver noise behavior in the presence of coupled antennas.
Novel through-silicon via technique for 2d/3d SiP and interposer in low-resistance applications

With the demands of miniaturized solutions that are able to handle increased heat dissipation, the use of silicon substrates with through-silicon vias (TSV) in electronics modules becomes more and more interesting. Shorter signal path, better cooling of tracks, better impedance control and smaller foot-prints are some of the advantages. This also avoids some RC delays of long, in-plane interconnects and permits higher clock rate and lower power dissipation.
Spectrum Zoning as Robust Optimization

We study the issue of "spectrum zoning:" the problem of setting stable rules and bandplans - which may or may not give flexibility in use, allow markets, a primary/secondary division, etc. The approach (partially inspired by Rawls) might fairly be called "zoning as robust optimization." The goal is in part to create a framework within which new policy and technical problems can be formulated and attacked quantitatively. For researchers on the technology side, the idea is in part to change our perceived "customer." Traditionally, we have implicitly focused on the needs (perceived and as yet unperceived) of private wireless system builders (e.g. wireless carriers or their suppliers like Qualcomm). To understand the critical issues in zoning, the focus needs to switch to the needs (both perceived and as yet unperceived) of the government regulators. In particular, regulators need a principled way of deciding amongst alternatives for zoning to yield the greatest social good. This can be accomplished in a quantitative optimization framework. In this paper, one such framework is set forth and issues caused by moving away from a 'command and control' regime towards a more modern approach to spectrum management involving white-space channels and spectrum markets are explored. As an initial fruit of this framework, it can be seen that flexible band plans perform well in response to uncertain use preferences, even while not being optimal in a Pareto-efficiency sense, provided overheads are not too large.
A NOVEL NONUNIFORM SUBGRIDDING SCHEME FOR FDTD USING AN OPTIMAL INTERPOLATION TECHNIQUE

Finite-Difierence Time-Domain (FDTD) subgridding schemes can signiflcantly improve e-ciency of various electromagnetic circuit simulations. However, numerous subgridding schemes sufier from issues associated with stability, e-ciency, and material traverse capability. These issues limit general applicability of FDTD subgrid- ding schemes to realistic problems. Herein, a robust nonuniform sub- gridding scheme is presented that overcomes those weaknesses. The scheme improves simulation accuracy with the aid of greatly increased stability margin and an optimal interpolation technique. It also im- proves simulation e-ciency by allowing the use of time step factors as close as the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) limit. In addition, late- time stability and general applicability are verifled through practical microstrip circuit simulation examples.
Judging Marketing in the 1980's

Society continues to challenge marketing to justify its process and outcomes. This article offers a forecast of the environmental pressures and discontinuities that will face marketing in the 1980'...
Analysis of capillary-driven viscous flows during the sintering of ceramic powders

Time-dependent viscous flows driven by capillarity act to minimize the surface area of a fluid bounded in a plane geometry with initial gradients in surface curvature. These free-surface flows are solved by a finite-element model applied to describe the viscous sintering of two-dimensional ceramic particles. The numerical model is validated by comparison to the analytical solution obtained by Hopper (1990) for the coalescence of two infinite cylinders of equal cross section and is applied to several other geometries pertinent to the study of particle sintering for which analytical results are not available. Details of the flow fields and morphological evolution lend insight to the physical behavior of these systems and provide a basis for the more complete understanding of viscous sintering phenomena.
Osteochondral Avulsion Fracture of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Femoral Origin in a 10-Year-Old Child: A Case Report

Objective: To describe the case of a 10-year-old football player who sustained a comminuted osteochondral avulsion fracture of the femoral origin of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) via a low-energy mechanism. Background: In children, both purely cartilaginous and osteochondral avulsion fractures have been described; most such ACL avulsions are from the tibial eminence. In the few previous case reports describing femoral osteochondral avulsion fractures, high-energy injury mechanisms were typically responsible and resulted in a single fracture fragment. Differential Diagnosis: Femoral osteochondral avulsion fracture at the ACL origin, femoral cartilaginous avulsion fracture at the ACL origin, midsubstance ACL tear, meniscal tear. Treatment: Sutures and a button were used to repair the comminuted fragments. Postoperatively, a modified ACL reconstruction rehabilitation program was instituted. Uniqueness: Most injuries of this nature in youngsters are caused by a high-energy mechanism of injury, result i...
Evaluation Techniques For Cooperative Learning

Cooperative learning is an instructional model in which students work together toward a common goal. Research has clearly shown that cooperation results in higher levels of achievement. Although students may be a part of a cooperative learning environment, they are also responsible for their own individual achievement. This makes student evaluations a challenge because you are evaluating individual as well as team effort. This paper will review the alternatives for assessing the participation of individual student on a team as well as discuss the cases in which each approach was used. It identifies the positives and negatives of each approach.
Introduction to Contemporary Practice of Performance Management and Measurement Systems in Korea

Since the mid-1990s, Japan and other newly industrialized East Asian countries (e.g., Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan) have focused on launching performance management systems, following ...
Early understanding of ability

Abstract Preschoolers’ understanding of ability was examined in three studies. Three- to 5-year-olds evaluated the abilities of two characters whose performances were inconsistent with their actual abilities because of an interfering event. Results revealed an age-related change in children’s understanding of ability: Three-year-olds evaluated the character who produced the better outcome as more competent, whereas 5-year-olds judged the character who originally had higher ability was more capable and predicted he would do better with no disruption. Study 2 replicated these results with modified stories and also found that the understanding of ability and false belief were related. Study 3 obtained similar results with a simplified story using concrete information about physical ability, interfering event, and observable outcome. These results suggest that an early understanding of ability as differentiated from outcomes is present before the end of preschool years. The results are discussed in relation to the similarities and differences between children’s understanding of ability and belief.
Imagining the Spatial Future of Australian Agriculture

It appears likely that Australian agriculture will be transformed hugely over the next decade driven by the same factors shaping the nation's current mining boom. Experience tells us that fast economic development is universally accompanied by rising per capita consumption of food and fibre, and demand for higher quality, more diverse and year round produce. Perched on the edge of over 40% of the world's population, living in an arc from East to South Asia, and recording GDP growth rates averaging 7% per annum, Australia's farm sector will be a major beneficiary. This furious pace of Asian development, combined with (a) rapid domestic corporatisation of the countryside, (b) substantial changes in internal policy settings affecting the farm sector, and (c) inward investment from Asian multinationals, will wreak immense changes in what is produced where and how. We conceptualise the processes at work and develop a likely downstream production scenario very different to current spatial patterns. Keywords: Australian agriculture, mid-range forecasting, Asian demand, corporatisation of production, foreign investment
Evaluation for antisperm antibodies after storage of sperm in TEST-yolk buffer *

Objective To determine if TEST-yolk buffer, consisting of TES (N-tris [hydroxymethyl]-methyl-2-aminoethanesufonic acid), Tris (Tris[hydroxymethyl]aninomethane), and chicken egg yolk, affects the presence of antisperm antibodies on the sperm surface as detected by the immunobead test. Design A prospective study of antisperm antibodies on sperm surface before and after incubation in TEST-yolk buffer. Direct immunobead test and indirect immunobead test were done the day of collection of the semen sample to detect the presence of human immunoglobulin class G (IgG) and immunoglobulin class A (IgA); immunobead tests were repeated on the same sperm samples after 24hours of storage in TEST buffer. Setting Academic tertiary institution. Participants Patients undergoing evaluation for infertility. Results There was no significant difference in the outcome of the direct immunobead test after extending semen samples with TEST-yolk buffer for 24hours at 4°C. Eleven samples that were initially negative for IgG and 13 samples that were negative for IgA remained negative after 24-hour storage in TEST-yolk buffer. Eleven samples that were positive for IgG and nine samples that were positive for IgA by the direct immunobead test the first day remained positive the next day. Five extended sperm samples used in the indirect immunobead test with IgG positive serum gave positive results and four of five used with IgA positive serum gave positive results. Conclusions These findings suggest that TEST-yolk buffer can be used to extend semen without affecting the presence of antibodies on the sperm surface as indicated by the direct immunobead test. The higher variability of the indirect immunobead tests indicates there may be some alteration of sperm antigens after storing in TEST-yolk buffer. These findings indicate that TEST-yolk buffer can be used to store semen for batched processing of samples or as a transport medium for delivery to a central laboratory for antibody testing.
Less is more: will hypofractionated radiotherapy negatively affect cancer centers or be a Godsend in the new health care environment?

In this issue of ONCOLOGY, Aneja and colleagues explore the beneficial aspects of the use of hypofractionated radiotherapy in the treatment of adenocarcinoma of the prostate.
Part B - Disease-Oriented Approach to the Discovery of Novel Vaccines

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the examples of vaccine formulations in which one antigen could provide cross-protection against diverse etiologic agents. The challenge in any disease-oriented approach to vaccine discovery is the varied nature of the microbes capable of causing a similar spectrum of disease. Of course, a vaccine for a particular disease could be constructed of components from the multiple pathogens that need to be included. If, on the other hand, there were common protective antigens among the organisms causing related disease, it would simplify development as well as administration. In most cases, however, the pathogens that need to be targeted are highly diverse.
Ectopic pleural thymoma in a 49-year-old woman: A case report

Ectopic pleural thymoma is an exceedingly uncommon clinical entity that has only been described sporadically. Because of their peculiar location and variety of histologic patterns manifested, pleural thymomas may be confused with other neoplasms and may cause diagnostic problems clinically, radiologically, and morphologically. We describe the case of a giant left-sided ectopic pleural thymoma, preoperatively suspected to be a solitary fibrous tumor. A complete surgical resection was achieved and a postoperative diagnosis of WHO Type AB, modified Masaoka stage I tumor was attained. Subsequent thymectomy demonstrated unremarkable thymic tissue. The possibility of ectopic thymoma should be considered when the morphology of the lesion reveals a dual population of epithelial cells without significant nuclear atypia and lymphoid cells. Immunohistochemical studies are helpful in supporting the morphologic impression, both by characterizing the epithelial component as thymic in origin and by demonstrating the immature T-cell phenotype of the admixed reactive lymphocytes.
Healthcare Fragmentation and the Frequency of Radiology and Other Diagnostic Tests: A Cross-Sectional Study

Fragmented ambulatory care has been associated with high rates of emergency department visits and hospitalizations, but effects on other types of utilization are unclear. To determine whether more fragmented care is associated with more radiology and other diagnostic tests, compared to less fragmented care. We conducted a cross-sectional study using claims from five commercial payers for 2010. The study took place in the Hudson Valley, a seven-county region in New York State. We included adult patients who were insured through the participating payers and were attributed to a primary care physician in the region. We restricted the cohort to those with ≥4 ambulatory visits, as measures of fragmentation are not reliable if based on ≤3 visits (N = 126,801). For each patient, we calculated fragmentation using a reversed Bice-Boxerman Index, which we divided into seven categories. We used negative binomial regression to determine the association between fragmentation category and rates of radiology and other diagnostic tests, stratified by number of chronic conditions and adjusting for patient age, gender, and number of visits. Patients with the most fragmented care had approximately twice as many radiology and other diagnostic tests as patients with the least fragmented care, across all groups stratified by number of chronic conditions (each adjusted p < 0.0001). For example, among patients with ≥5 chronic conditions, those with the least fragmented care had 258 tests per 100 patients, and those with the most fragmented care had 542 tests per 100 patients (+284 tests per 100 patients, or +110 %, adjusted p < 0.0001). More fragmented care was independently associated with higher rates of radiology and other diagnostic tests than less fragmented care.
Vitamin panacea: Is advertising fueling demand for products with uncertain scientific benefit?

Abstract This study examines the effect of advertising on demand for vitamins—products with spiraling sales despite little evidence of efficacy. We merge seven years (2003–2009) of advertising data from Kantar Media with the Simmons National Consumer Survey to estimate individual-level vitamin print and television ad exposure effects. Identification relies on exploiting exogenous variation in year-to-year advertising exposure by controlling for each individual’s unique media consumption. We find that increasing advertising exposure from zero to the mean number of ads increases the probability of consumption by 1.2 and 0.8% points (or 2 and 1.4%) in print and television respectively. Stratifications by the presence of health conditions suggests that in print demand is being driven by both healthy and sick individuals.