cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient Satisfaction is Equivalent for Inpatient and Outpatient Minimally-Invasive Adrenalectomy.

Abstract Introduction Same-day surgery in the carefully selected patient decreases costs, improves inpatient capacity, and decreases patient exposure to hospital-acquired conditions. Outpatient adrenalectomy has been shown to be safe and effective, but patients’ perspectives have yet to be addressed. This study compares patient satisfaction following inpatient and outpatient adrenalectomy. Methods An institutional database was queried for minimally-invasive adrenalectomies performed from 2017 to 2020. Patients were contacted up to two times to participate in a phone survey consisting of 25 questions modeled after the Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey (OAS CAHPS) assessing preparation for surgery, discharge experience, post-operative course, and overall satisfaction. Statistical analysis was performed using Kruskal Wallis, Wilcoxon-Mann Whitney, and Chi-square tests, as appropriate. Results One hundred five adrenalectomy patients were identified, of which 98 were contacted and 58 responded (59%). Two surgeons contributed patients, with no difference in the percentage of patients in the outpatient group (51.7% versus 62.1%, P = 0.423). Outpatient adrenalectomy patients had slightly higher overall experience scores, but this difference was not statistically significant (9.12 ± 1.36 versus 8.93 ± 1.51, P = 0.367). Patients undergoing outpatient adrenalectomy were more likely to have their discharge plan discussed pre-operatively (94% versus 62%, P = 0.005), but no significant differences were noted between inpatient and outpatient groups regarding preparation for surgery, readiness for discharge, night of surgery experiences, or self-reported pain or complications (P > 0.05 for all). Significantly higher overall experience scores were reported by patients counseled about their discharge plan (9.27 versus 7.9, P = 0.036), felt prepared for recovery (9.39 versus 5.5, P Conclusions Patient satisfaction following adrenalectomy is significantly associated with patients’ self-reported degree of preparation for surgery and discharge, with no significant difference in patient satisfaction between inpatient and outpatient groups. Patients undergoing outpatient adrenalectomy would be likely to choose the same approach compared to inpatients. Targeted pre-operative counseling can contribute to enhanced patient outcomes for all patients undergoing adrenalectomy.
Spokesmen for Truth: The Secular Speakers

With the loss of Greek independence and the consequent subjugation of Egypt in the East, one would not expect to find in Alexandria the sort of oratory heard in Athens in the days of Demosthenes. Secular or sacred oratory, the concern of this and the following chapter, simply could not flourish in an oppressive atmosphere as it did in a freer society. But given Alexander’s opening of the lands to the East, and the tumultuous nature of the Alexandrians, one would hope to uncover more specific mention of it than in fact occurs.1 If some citizens received their education in whole or in part at the hands of rhetoricians in the Ptolemaic kingdom, why have we no greater knowledge of it? The answer lies in several areas: (A) soil conditions have dissolved many papyri which must have existed earlier; this is particularly true with the high water table in the Delta itself. Prolonged existence of papyri demands hot, dry conditions like those found in Upper Egypt. (B) Contemporaries omitted notice of the rhetorical theory and training because of its commonality—much like what happens today in university senates, religious meetings, and other situations where one normally expects speeches of varying length and quality; it goes unnoticed by the public, and for much the same reason: mediocre quality. And (C) many books and speeches do not enjoy wide circulation, due to cost or publication, even though their ideas should command more than passing interest.
Time Resolved Emission from Benzophenone in a Molecular Beam

The time resolved emission from benzophenone has served as a model to test various theories of radiationless processes in large molecules. In 1971 BUSCH, RENTZEPIS and JORTNER [1] studied the radiative decay of benzophenone using several pulsed picosecond laser sources. The pressure of benzophenone was varied from 10-4 to 1 torr. They observed a biexponential decay with two emission lifetimes (10 ysec and 200 µ sec) which are both longer than the calculated radiative lifetime (3.8 ysec). They also found a strong self-quenching effect and that the intensity ratio of the slow to the fast component increases as the pressure increases.
Correction of the long face syndrome by Le Fort I osteotomy: A report on some new technical modifications and treatment results

The combined efforts of multiple specialists are needed for the successful treatment of patients with the long face syndrome. The plan of therapy is designed to correct the individual's dentofacial deformity and achieve the best possible occlusion and facial esthetics. Reduction of facial height by surgical means and proper alignment of the teeth by orthodontic and restorative procedures are the common denominators of successful treatment. By properly planned and executed Le Fort I maxillary osteotomies, the vertical dimension of the face can be shortened to improve the esthetic balance between the nose, upper lip, teeth, and chin and to achieve lip competency. Moreover, the transverse and anteroposterior discrepancies can be simultaneously corrected. Various open-bite and non-open-bite maxillary deformities in forty-one adults with the long face syndrome were corrected by Le Fort I osteotomy, orthodontic treatment, and restorative procedures. The technical problems in planning and executing treatment are discussed and illustrated by selected case reports.
Effect of ovarian steroids on hepatic metabolism. I. Progesterone.

Abstract The effect of progesterone on hepatic metabolism of sexually mature rats varies according to the sex of the recipient.
David Cameron, the politics of doublethink and contemporary discourses of disability in the United Kingdom

The expiry of the Coalition Government has prompted analyses of its track record regarding disabled UK citizens. While others have adeptly reviewed the government’s actions in the policy arena, this article considers the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition in terms of its construction of, and influence on, political discourses surrounding disability in the United Kingdom. This is important because language has the power to shape material realities.
Transformation formulas for the Bergman kernels and projections of Reinhardt domains

Formulas that relate the Bergman kernel and projection of a bounded Reinhardt domain whose closure does not intersect the coordinate planes to those of its covering tube domain are obtained via the Poisson summation formula.
Reducing Infection Rates after Cesarean Birth

Poster Presentation Purpose for the Program The purpose of this innovative educational program was to implement changes to reduce the rate of infection after cesarean at a Midwestern regional health care facility. From 2011 to 2013, this rate ranged from 0.62% to 1.23%. Clearly, there is an upward trend in the rate of infection that needs to be managed to decrease postoperative infections. Proposed Change To implement standardized preoperative and postoperative education for all women who have cesarean births. Implementation, Outcomes, and Evaluation The interdisciplinary, evidence‐based practice (EBP) project involved physicians, nurses, and staff in obstetric offices and nurses and educators in the labor and delivery and postpartum units. A retrospective chart review was conducted of women who experienced infections after cesarean for 99 variables. No common variables were identified regarding etiology of postcesarean delivery infections. A review of the literature was conducted, and patient education was identified as an intervention that affected infection rates. The interdisciplinary team created standardized preoperative instructions and standardized postoperative instructions that include an educational pamphlet and DVD. The projected program outcome is a decrease in the rate of infection after cesarean at the facility. Project outcomes will be measured by tracking infection rates quarterly and yearly. Preimplementation and postimplementation outcome data will be compared. Implications for Nursing Practice It is important that nurses are educated on how to identify best practices to provide consistent education to women from the time they decide on cesarean birth to discharge. It is imperative that nurses know how to implement best practices to improve patient outcomes. Reduced rates of infection will also reduce cost and morbidity associate with cesareans.
Male-to-female transgender youth: Gender expression milestones, gender atypicality, victimization, and parents' responses

Abstract Thirty-one male-to-female transgender youth reported on their gender identity, gender expression, gender atypicality, and their parents' responses. Youth felt, acted, and were told they were different between eight and nine years of age. Many were called sissies and told to change their behavior by parents; more gender-atypical youth reported childhood parental abuse.
IDENTIFICATION OF NOVEL GENES REQUIRED FOR YEAST PRE-MRNA SPLICING BY MEANS OF COLD-SENSITIVE MUTATIONS

Genetic approaches in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have identified 38 genes required for efficient RNA splicing. The majority have been found by screening (high) temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants for those defective in splicing, an approach limited by the presence of ts hotspots and by the fact that many essential genes rarely mutate to the ts phenotype. To identify novel genes, we screened a collection of 340 cold-sensitive (cs) mutants for those that exhibited diminished splicing of several pre-mRNAs. We isolated 12 mutants in nine complementation groups. Four of these affected known genes (PRP8, PRP16, PRP22, PRP28), three of which encode RNA helicase homologues. Five genes are novel (BRR1, BRR2, BRR3, BRR4, BRR5; Bad Response to Refrigeration); mutations in these genes inhibited splicing before the first chemical step of the reaction. Analysis of BRR2 revealed it to encode an essential member of a new class of RNA helicase-like proteins that includes the yeast antiviral protein Ski2. These data validate the use of cs mutants in genetic screens and raise the possibility that RNA helicase family members are particularly prone to mutation to cold sensitivity.
Assessment of Economic Losses to Recreational Activities from 1988 Marine Pollution Events and Assessment of Economic Losses from Long-Term Contamination of Fish within the New York Bight to New Jersey

In this paper economic losses from recent marine pollution events associated with recreational activities to New Jersey are examined. In addition, assessment of economic losses from long-term contamination of fish from the New York Bight to New Jersey are presented. During the 1987 and 1988 summer season, marine pollution and debris wash-ups occurred almost simultaneously in New York and New Jersey that resulted in beach closures, decreases in beach use and decreased sportfishing behaviour. Aggregate economic losses of the 1988 pollution and washup events to New Jersey were conservatively estimated to range from $379.1 million to $1597.8 million (1987$). In addition, the Hudson River Estuary and New York Bight have been exposed to long-term contamination by toxic substances (PCB, DDT, etc.) which have been detected in finfish from these waters. Effects from eating contaminated fish can result in sizeable economic losses and can provide justification for public policy regarding toxicants in seafood and in the marine environment.
Dual physiological effects of antifungal sterol biosynthetic inhibitors on enzyme targets and on transcriptional regulation

For many antifungal agents, enzymes leading to ergosterol biosynthesis are primary targets. Inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis in treated cells results in the formation of aberrant sterols, lacking one or more structural features of ergosterol. Furthermore, the total sterol levels are often higher than the total sterol amounts in non-treated cells. The ERG3 gene, encoding the sterol C-5 desaturase, was used as a model for the regulation by some antifungal agents of genes encoding enzymes in ergosterol biosynthesis. Treatment of yeast cells with three sterol biosynthetic inhibitors with different targets in the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway led to an increase in ERG3 mRNA levels. The increase in ERG3 mRNA by drug treatment correlated with a decrease in ergosterol content within the cells. No correlation was evident between ERG3 mRNA and total sterol levels, as treatment with at least one inhibitor, fenpropimorph, led to a slight increase in total sterol, while ERG3 mRNA levels decreased. Treatment of cells with fenpropimorph and ketoconazole resulted in a decrease in ergosterol as a percentage of total sterol, while lovastatin caused an increase in the ergosterol percentage. These results indicate that a second indirect effect of the antifungal sterol biosynthetic inhibitors is on transcriptional regulation. The physiology of the treated cell is affected not only by a decrease in ergosterol but also by an enhanced accumulation of defective sterols.
Detection performance of matched transmit waveform for moving extended targets

Depending on the radar-target dynamics, the time extent and amplitude of a moving extended target from a radar's perspective may actually change as a function of relative motion. It follows that waveform design should accommodate for the increase or decrease of a target's time extent and changes in amplitude as the target moves towards or away from a radar or vice versa. This paper shows the performance gain and/or degradation of both matched transmit waveform (called eigen-waveform) and the classical wideband pulsed transmit waveform when the effect of motion on target's time extent and amplitude changes are considered.
A Somali Bantu Family Settles in Texas

Please send a family story that might be of interest to your colleagues to Larry Golden, UTSA Downtown Campus, COEHD, 501 W. Durango Blvd., San Antonio, TX 78207; e-mail larry.golden@ utsa.edu.
Using Middle Upper Arm Circumference to Assess Severe Adult Malnutrition During Famine

Objectives. —To examine the use of middle upper arm circumference measurement (MUAC [cm]) and body mass index measurement (BMI [kg/m2]) in the screening of severely malnourished adults during famine. Design. —Nonrandomized cohort study, correlating measurements of MUAC and BMI. Setting. —The Concern Worldwide adult feeding center in the village of Ayod in south Sudan. The area had experienced several years of war, leading to severe famine during early 1993. Participants. —A total of 98 adult inpatients belonging to the Nuer tribe. Criteria for entry into the study were prior admission to the feeding center and the ability to stand and have a BMI measured. Main Outcome Measures. —A comparison of the ease of use of MUAC and BMI assessments, and a correlation of MUAC and BMI measurements. Results. —An MUAC measurement was easier to perform on severely malnourished adults than BMI assessment. For MUAC, the patient could be standing, sitting, or, in extreme cases, lying. For BMI, patients were required to stand. Measuring BMI requires a height board, weighing scales, and mathematical calculations; to measure MUAC, only a tape measure is required. A correlation between measurements of MUAC and BMI was demonstrated (r=0.88; 95% confidence interval, 0.82-0.92;P Conclusions. —The MUAC measurement reflects adult nutritional status as defined by BMI. During famine, MUAC may be better suited to screening admissions to adult feeding centers than BMI. Studies to assess the capacity of MUAC cutoffs to predict mortality in severe adult malnutrition are needed.
Surface Acoustic Wave Magnetic Sensor using Galfenol Thin Film

The performance of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) magnetic field sensor using galfenol (FeGa) thin film is investigated in this effort. We measure the change in the SAW velocity as a function of an externally applied magnetic field for galfenol films of varying thicknesses. A maximum change of 0.64%, greater than results reported for similar sensors, is obtained with a 500 nm thick film.
Rapid purification of commercial gellan gum to highly soluble and gellable monovalent cation salts

Abstract Commercial gellan gum contains divalent cation contaminants (mainly Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ ) in levels sufficient to neutralize over one-third of its car☐yl groups. Consequently, in order to dissolve gellan gum in water, the mixtures must be heated to more than 90°C. This has prevented applications of gellan gum to such uses as the immobilization of viable enzymes and cells in beads. A rapid two-step method is described here to purify commercial gellan gum to the monovalent cation salts in an overall yield of 85%, through the intermediate free acid form. The gellan monovalent cation salts were highly soluble at temperatures as low as 5°C, and readily gelled upon exposure to solutions of divalent cations. Laboratory-scale preparations of 100 g of gellan monovalent cation salts were readily achieved in a day.
Mechanism for cadmium and zinc antagonism of copper metabolism.

Abstract Gel filtration analysis of the soluble fraction from both bovine duodenum and liver demonstrate that the major fraction of copper is bound to a protein similar to metallothionein. Cadmium, zinc and p-hydroxymercuribenzoate significantly decrease copper binding by partially purified metallothionein. These results indicate that cadmium, zinc and other mercaptide forming agents antagonize copper metabolism by displacing copper from sulfhydryl binding sites on metallothionein.
Responses of Surface Arteries and Blood Flow of Ischemic and Nonischemic Cerebral Cortex to Aminophylline, Ergotamine Tartrate, and Acetazolamide

In cats in which one middle cerebral artery was occluded, cortical blood flow (CBF) was measured and the superficial cortical microvasculature was observed bilaterally before and after the intravenous injection of a vasoactive drug. Aminophylline produced decreased CBF in the nonischemic cerebral hemispheres of five of seven animals and arterial constriction in three. Ergotamine tartrate produced arterial constriction in the nonischemic hemispheres of four animals and decreased CBF in three. Neither drug consistently produced increased CBF in ischemic cerebral tissue. Acetazolamide caused vasodilatation in the nonischemic hemispheres of seven animals and increased CBF in five. Increased CBF was not due entirely to changes of PaCO2. CBF also increased in ischemic hemispheres of four of the seven animals given acetazolamide.
Organizing Community and Labor Coalitions for Community Benefits Agreements in African American Communities: Ensuring Successful Partnerships

Community benefits agreements are a relatively new tool in the economic justice movement. This article discusses community-labor partnerships in efforts to win community benefits agreements in African American communities, with implications for other communities of color. Union and African American organizing strategies are explored and two community benefits campaigns are examined: the Figueroa Corridor Coalition for Economic Justice and the One Hill Community Benefits Coalition. Clashes emerging around divergent world views are reviewed along with strategies to address potential challenges in order to build and maintain successful cross cultural coalitions.
Experimental field evidence of interspecific aggression between two species of kangaroo rat ( Dipodomys )

The competitive coexistence of heteromyid rodents has been primarily ascribed to differential utilization of resources such as microhabitats and seeds. An examination of the use of space by the kangaroo rat Dipodomys merriami indicates this species is aggressively subordinate to a larger species, Dipodomys spectabilis and is excluded from the larger species home range during the crtical fall harvesting season. These experiments suggest that interspecific aggression may be involved in the coexistence of these species. Additional evidence is presented that small scale spatial variations in resource productivity may promote the coexistence of these two species.
Pelvic Radiation Therapy in Rectal Cancer: Technical Considerations.

R adiation therapy has an integral role in the treatment of rectal cancer. After surgery for stages T3-4N0-2M0 or T1-4NI-2M0, adjuvant radiation therapy plus chemotherapy is standard treatment. ~'z In patients with locally advanced or unresectable disease, preoperative radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy is highly recommended. 3a More recently, radiation therapy has been used in patients with resectable disease with the goal of sphincter preservation. These conservative approaches include preoperative radiation therapy followed by a low anterior resection/coloanal anastomosis ~ and postoperative radiation therapy after a local excision, 6 The design and delivery of pelvic radiation therapy for rectal cancer requires a knowledge of the patterns of failure, anatomy and identification of pelvic structures, and radiobiological principles. Furthermore, the use of proper equipment, implementation of methods to decrease treatment-related toxicity, and a close collaboration with the physics and technology staff is essential. The biological mechanisms of acute and delayed toxicity as well as dietary interventions have been previously discussed. 7,~ This article is limited to the technical aspects of the design of pelvic radiation therapy for rectal cancer. The first section will focus on methods to decrease treatment-related toxicity. This will be followed by a discussion of the design of treatment fields for a variety of common clinical presentations. Finally, a caveat: Technique articles should be interpreted with caution. Radiation oncology, as with other medical specialties, is both an art and a science. Therefore, this review should serve as a guide rather than a "cookbook."
Testing Relativity and Gravitational Theories by Radar Ranging to a Heliocentric Satellite

Laser ranging to the Moon and radar ranging to the planets and space probes are providing increasingly more accurate estimates of post-Newtonian gravitational effects. This paper summarizes the results obtained so far and outlines future possibilities of more accurate tests of relativity by laser and X and K band ranging to space probes, particularly to a highly eccentric or direct impact solar probe.
The Melodrama of Virginity and Sex Drive: The Gendered Discourse of "the Sexual Oppression of Disabled People" and Its "Solutions"

This essay investigates South Korean cultural representations of and public discourses about disabled people’s sexuality since the late 1990s. The gendered construction of their sexuality as a “problem” is analyzed to shed light on policy considerations. Close readings of a feature-length documentary film, Pink Palace (Seo 2005a); a short film, Papa (Lee 2004); and Kawai Kaori’s book Sex Volunteerism (2005) reveal the complex political and emotional dynamics of “sexual solutions.” Representations of the virginity of physically disabled men and the provision of sexual services whether by a legalized commercial sex trade or by volunteers, invoke melodrama. This affective excess also appears in Papa’s depiction of incestuous rape of a disabled woman as a way to satisfy her “sex drive.” In this restricted framework, “the sexuality of disabled people” is cast within the dichotomy of moral repression and sexual “crusade” supported by a naturalized biological understanding of sexuality. In discussing sexual opportunities for disabled people, careful attention must be paid to cultural, social, economic, and political aspects of diverse disabilities, genders, and the multiplicity of sexualities of disabled people, instead of simply gearing toward institutionalizing sexual “solutions.”
Adaptive optics echelle spectrograph for radial velocity studies

Radial velocity studies represent the most successful method to date for the detection of extrasolar planets. Although radial velocity (v r ) measurement precision of 3 m s -1 is routinely achieved in some programs, it is important to understand and minimize sources of experimental error. Furthermore, velocity variations resulting from astrophysical processes contribute to velocity errors, and must be removed if precision is to be further improved. The use of spectrographs with telescopes having high order adaptive optics (AO) systems offers the possibility of achieving near diffraction-limited very high spectral resolution at visible wavelengths on ground-based telescopes. The small stellar image diameters obtained with adaptively corrected systems allow high resolution without a large loss of light at the spectrograph entrance aperture. The Adaptively Corrected Echelle Spectrograph (ACES), designed at Steward Observatory for a spectral resolution R ~ 200,000, couples the telescope image to the instrument with an 8-10μm diameter near single-mode optical fiber. The shorter effective slit permits the placement of more echelle orders on the detector after cross dispersion, with a correspondingly greater wavelength coverage per exposure. This simultaneous high resolution and large wavelength coverage can be used to improve the precision of radial velocity studies by improving wavelength calibration, reducing dataset internal errors, and permitting better characterization and removal of effects intrinsic to the stars themselves.
Localized metal forming simulation by r-s-adapted arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian finite element method

AbstractIn this paper, an adaptive arbitrary Lagrangian—Eulerian (ALE) large deformation finite element method (FEM) is developed for solving metal forming problems with strain localization. The ALE mesh movement is coupled with r-adaptation of automatic node relocation to minimize mesh distortion during the process of deformation. A strain localization phenomenon is incorporated through constitutive relations for porous ductile materials. Prediction of localized deformation is achieved through a multilevel mesh superimposition method, called s-adaptation. A few metal forming problems are simulated to test the effectiveness of this model.
Vitamin D insufficiency in myeloproliferative neoplasms and myelodysplastic syndromes: Clinical correlates and prognostic studies

Vitamin D insufficiency is commonly observed in the general population; observational studies have suggested an association with increased risk of cancer development. We examined the clinical and prognostic relevance of low plasma levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). A total of 409 patients were studied: 247 (60%) with primary myelofibrosis (PMF), 74 (18%) with de novo MDS, 63 (15%) with polycythemia vera (PV), and 25 (6%) with essential thrombocythemia (ET). Plasma 25(OH)D levels were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry; a level lower than 25 ng/mL indicated vitamin D insufficiency and a level lower than 10 ng/mL indicated severe deficiency. The proportion of patients with 25(OH)D insufficiency was significantly greater in PMF (48%) and PV (43%) when compared with ET (28%) and MDS (28%) (P = 0.01). Severe 25(OH)D deficiency was significantly more frequent in ET (12%) and PMF (9%), compared with PV (3%) and MDS (1%) (P = 0.05). There were no significant correlations between 25(OH)D insufficiency, or severe deficiency, and a variety of clinical or laboratory variables in PMF, MDS, or PV. Furthermore, Vitamin D insufficiency did not influence either overall or leukemia-free survival in PMF, MDS, or PV (P > 0.05). We conclude that while hypovitaminosis D is relatively common in MPN and MDS, its clinical relevance for prognosis is limited.
Surface potential of a di-palmitoyl lecithin monolayer when acetylcholine is in the sub-phase.

Hyono and Kuriyama1 described an unusual property of a monolayer of purified egg lecithin when potassium or acetylcholine ions are present in the sub-phase. They observed a plateau in the surface pressure–surface area characteristics that occurred at about 2 dynes/cm and at molecular areas greater than about 100 A2. This type of isotherm had not been observed before in the case of potassium ions2,3 and we did not find it in the case of potassium or acetylcholine ions either. We wish, however, to point out another property of these systems that may be of general interest.
Solar-Blind 4H-SiC Avalanche Photodiodes

In this work, solar-blind UV 4H-SiC avalanche photodetectors were fabricated and tested in linear and Geiger modes. APDs with both PIN and separate absorption and multiplication (SAM) structures were investigated. PIN structures demonstrated higher quantum efficiencies while the SAM structure exhibit lower leakage currents. Deposition of a thin film optical filter on top of the devices was used to provide a high photon rejection ratio of (Stas add value here). However, an external filter showed a better photon rejection ratio compared to the deposited one by about one order of magnitude.
Phase relations and vitrification in saccharide-water solutions and the trehalose anomaly

Glass transition temperatures and phase relations for several saccharide-water systems are reported. The trehalose-water system is distinguished from the others by a significantly higher T g at all water contents with a particularly large advantage near the stoichiometry of one water molecule per glucose ring. We relate this to the observation that desert insects, which survive dehydration and can exist in suspended animation for decades, produce trehalose intracellularly during desiccation
Addressing class distribution issues of the drawing vs writing classification in an ink stroke sequence

Complicated by temporal correlations among the strokes and varying distributions of the underlying classes, the drawing/writing classification of ink strokes in a digital ink file poses interesting challenges.In this paper, we present our efforts in addressing some of the issues. First, we describe how we adjust the outputs of the neural network to a priori probabilities of new observations to produce more accurate estimates of the posterior probabilities. Second, we describe how to adapt the parameters of the HMM to new data sets. Albeit the fact that the emission probabilities of the HMM are computed indirectly from the outputs of the neural network, our modified Baum-Welch algorithm still finds the correct estimates for the HMM's parameters.We also present experimental results of our new algorithms on 6 real-world data sets. The results show that our methods increase the F-Measures of both the drawing and the writing classes on the more "drawing-intensive" data sets which have stronger temporal correlations. But they do not perform well on the more "writing-intensive" data sets.
On the Flow and Creep Strength of Power Law Materials Containing Rigid Reinforcements

Investigation of the flow properties of materials containing rigid reinforcements has been prompted by various technological challenges concerned with high specific strength composites. The materials of interest range from metallic materials such as Al alloys, to ceramic materials such as Si3N4 and also include the intermetallics: TiAl and MoSi2. The reinforcements are typically A12O3 and SiC. The strengths of interest may be the flow strength at ambient temperature or the creep strength. The present analysis constitutes an attempt to provide estimates of either the flow or creep strength for matrices that exhibit power law deformation.
Enamel formation in vitro in mouse molar explants exposed to amelogenin polypeptides ATMP and LRAP on enamel development.

Abstract Objective The enamel matrix contains amelogenin, leucine-rich amelogenin-polypeptide (LRAP), resulting from alternative splicing of the primary amelogenin-RNA transcript and tyrosine-rich amelogenin-polypeptide (TRAP), a proteolytic product of amelogenin. Presence of amelogenin-trityrosyl-motif peptide (ATMP) distinguishes TRAP from LRAP. The roles of these polypeptides in the formation of enamel remain to be elucidated. Methods The mouse in vitro molar tooth-organ developed from bud stage (E16) was exposed to LRAP, ATMP, and mutated ATMP (T-ATMP, third proline replaced by threonine). The histology and morphometry of the explants on day-12 in culture was examined using Mallory's stain. Guanidine-HCl soluble protein concentrations of explants were compared. Results The enamel width and protein solubility indicate that the explant on day-12 is comparable to postnatal molar on day-3 in vivo . The enamel of both untreated explants as well as that in vivo is fuchinophilic (acid fuchsin, AF+). ATMP reduced the ameloblast-height, accumulated AF+ spherules at the apical end of ameloblasts, and disrupted enamel–dentin bonding. T-ATMP abrogated deposition of AF+ material on the aniline blue positive (AB+) enamel matrix. LRAP reduced ameloblast-height, increased the enamel-width without disruption (at 17.25 nmol) and increased the density of AF+ dentinal tubules. AF+ substance from the tubules is released onto the surface of the dentin. The Guanidine-HCl-soluble protein is elevated in ATMP-treated explants but decreased in LRAP-treated explants. Conclusion Exogenous ATMP, T-ATMP and LRAP have divergent effects on developing enamel. Exogenous ATMP, but not LRAP, abrogates enamel-dentin bonding at 17.25 nmol. LRAP may play a role in the differentiation of ameloblasts, growth of enamel and formation of dentinal tubules.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Is Common in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Background From 1984 to 2006, studies of sleep in patients with interstitial lung disease revealed disturbed sleep, frequent nocturnal desaturations, nocturnal cough, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Our goal was to analyze OSA in an outpatient population of stable patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Methods Patients with IPF who had been followed up in the Vanderbilt Pulmonary Clinic were asked to participate. All patients were given a diagnosis of IPF by the 2000 American Thoracic Society consensus statement criteria. Subjects completed an Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) questionnaire and a sleep apnea scale of sleep disorders questionnaire (SA-SDQ) before undergoing nocturnal polysomnography (NPSG). OSA was defined as an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of > 5 events per hour. Results Fifty subjects enrolled and completed a NPSG. The mean age was 64.9 years, and the mean BMI was 32.3. OSA was diagnosed in 88% of subjects. Ten subjects (20%) had mild OSA (AHI, 5 to 15 events per hour), and 34 subjects (68%) had moderate-to-severe OSA (AHI, > 15 events per hour). Only 6 subjects (12%) had a normal AHI. One patient was asymptomatic as determined by ESS and SA-SDQ, but had an AHI of 24 events per hour. The sensitivity of the ESS was 75% with a specificity of 15%, whereas the SA-SDQ had a sensitivity of 88% with a specificity of 50%. BMI did not correlate strongly with AHI (r = 0.30; p=0.05). Conclusions OSA is prevalent in patients with IPF and may be underrecognized by primary care providers and specialists. Neither ESS nor SA-SDQ alone or in combination was a strong screening tool. Given the high prevalence found in our sample, formal sleep evaluation and polysomnography should be considered in patients with IPF.
Redistributing toward the rich: Strategic policy crafting in the campaign to repeal the Sixteenth Amendment, 1938-1958

Beginning in 1938, some American business groups campaigned to repeal the Sixteenth Amendment and limit the federal taxation of income and wealth. Although their proposed upward‐redistributive policy would benefit few voters, it won the support of 31 state legislatures. To explain this outcome, this article offers a theory of strategic policy crafting by advocacy groups. Such groups may succeed even in otherwise unfavorable institutional environments if they craft their proposals to fit the salient policy context. Archival evidence and event history analysis support this hypothesis. Public opinion also helps explain legislative support for upward‐redistributive policy.
Peculiar correlation functions and bare transport coefficients

Abstract A new formula for the “bare” transport coefficients is obtained. The formula is remarkable as it allows for the first time the “bare” transport coefficient to be evaluated directly in terms of the “particle phase variables” of position and velocity. The “bare” transport coefficient may now be evaluated using computer molecular dynamics data.
Ash characteristics of high alkali sawdust and sanderdust biomass fuels

Suspension firing of sawdust and sanderdust fuels is often used in the wood product's industry to raise steam and provide a heat source for drying and curing operations. The unusually high alkali content of these fuels can give rise to a number of problems that affect the operation of downstream plant systems. The research reported here focuses on the physical and chemical properties of the ash generated by these unique and important biomass fuels and uses this information to identify the mechanisms that control mineral-to-ash transformations. Four sanderdust and sawdust fuels, typical of those used to fire industrial-scale suspension burners, are fired in a laboratory-scale tunnel furnace. Size distribution, morphology, and size versus composition are obtained for particles between 0.0075 and 10 μm by combining a cascade impactor and an electrical aerosol analyzer (EAA). Each of the fuels showed a dominant mode of calcium-rich skeletal particles of size ≥8.3 μm that are the residue from char burnout. A second, minor mode that seems to be the result of fragmentation appears at 1–3 μm. This consists of fluxed particles that, while still predominantly calcium, also contain Fe, Al, Mn, and Si. Another minor mode at 0.4 μm also appears to be the result of fragmentation. Much of the alkali mineral matter becomes submicron aerosol via the vaporization, condensation, coagulation mechanism. This large yield of aerosol (of the order of 30% of the total ash mass) appears as chlorides in high chlorine fuels and as sulfates and carbonates otherwise. In general, only a small fraction of the alkali metals are captured by the residual ash, and no metals other than Na and K are generally detected with the aerosol. The aerosol size varies between 0.01 and 0.1 μm depending on experimental conditions.
Multiple scattering with a linearized propagator

Abstract Scattering by a many-body system is studied within the framework of the “fixed scatterer” approximation and the eikonal approximation formulated in terms of a linearized propagator. If properly treated, the “fixed scatterer” approximation is able to take into account the center-of-mass motion. We specifically study the linearized propagator proposed by Abarbanel and Itzykson. Although for potential scattering the above approximation is essentially equivalent to the Glauber eikonal approximation, its physical implications are quite different when applied to scattering by a composite system. The multiple-scattering series can generally no longer be simply expressed in terms of the individual on-shell scattering amplitudes, and the additivity of phase shifts is shown to break down for overlapping potentials. The implications for phenomenological calculations are discussed. Finally, the above approximation is explicitly applied to high-energy elastic nucleon-deuteron scattering and the results are compared with several variants of the Glauber multiple-scattering formalism.
Ontogeny and localization of the crystallins during embryonic lens development in Xenopus laevis.

The time of appearance and histological localization of the crystallins, especially the lens-fiber specific γ crystallins, in the normally developing lens of Xenopus laevis were determined by immunofluorescence techniques. Antibodies to total soluble lens proteins as well as to purified γ crystallins were applied to sections through the eye region of X. laevis embryos, Nieuwkoop-Faber Stages 23–45. Seven stages of lens development, the earliest highly atypical, were recognized in this species. The first positive immunofluorescence reaction for both the anti-total and anti-γ crystallin antibodies occurred at Lens Developmental Stage 3. At this time the lens rudiment is irregular and flattened, with a slightly-condensed central mass of cells. These centrally located cells, probably prospective primary lens fiber cells, are positive for γ crystallins, while both they and surrounding retinally-oriented lens cells are positive for total lens crystallins. This general immunofluorescence profile continues during lens development, with only the lens fiber areas positive for γ crystallins. No reaction with either antibody type, however, could be detected in the corneally-oriented external layer or, later, the lens epithelium, until very late in the development of the lens (Nieuwkoop-Faber Stage 45). The lack of crystallins in this cell type, together with the transitory appearance of a lens vesicle (lens cavity), delayed until after fiber cells have been formed, sets X. laevis morphological and biochemical lens development apart from that of other vertebrates.
Low T8 antigen density on lymphocytes in active multiple sclerosis

The median fluorescence intensity of peripheral blood T8+ (T-suppressor/cytotoxic) cells in patients with active (relapsing or progressive) or stable multiple sclerosis (MS) and in control subjects was determined with a fluorescence-activated cell sorter using an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Median fluorescence intensity was significantly lower in patients with active MS than in controls. No differences in median fluorescence intensity were found between patients with stable MS and controls. Analysis of T8+ cells that had been modulated in vitro with OKT8 indicated that the resultant reduction in the median T8 antigen density per cell resulted in fewer T8+ cells being enumerated when the fluorescence-activated cell sorter was used than when a fluorescence microscope was used. Reduced median T8 antigen density on cells as found in active MS may contribute to the apparent underrepresentation of circulating T-suppressor cells in such patients and may be associated with reduced suppressor cell function.
Estimating prevalence and incidence of HIV/AIDS in the U.S. using spreadsheets

Abstract We use a sequence of procedures, Cohort Cascade, built up from estimated progression rates for time-to-AIDS of an HIV-infected cohort to transform the currently published official U.S. AIDS Onset data (by year of diagnosis) into an estimated dataset for years 1976–1985. We then extrapolate rates based on this dataset to generate a second dataset for the years 1986–1995. For brevity's sake, the combined output presented in this paper is an HIV stage-specific estimate of the HIV/AIDS population for the years 1976–1992. Our procedure includes the consideration of underreporting and lags in data collection.
RET1-Catalyzed Uridylylation Shapes the Mitochondrial Transcriptome in Trypanosoma brucei

RNA uridylylation is critical for the expression of the mitochondrial genome in trypanosomes. Short U tails are added to guide RNAs and rRNAs, while long A/U heteropolymers mark 3' ends of most mRNAs. Three divergent mitochondrial terminal uridylyl transferases (TUTases) are known: RET1 catalyzes guide RNA (gRNA) uridylylation, RET2 executes U insertion mRNA editing, and MEAT1 associates with the editosome-like complex. However, the activities responsible for 3' uridylylation of rRNAs and mRNAs, and the roles of these modifications, are unclear. To dissect the functions of mitochondrial TUTases, we investigated the effects of their repression and overexpression on abundance, processing, 3'-end status, and in vivo stability of major mitochondrially encoded RNA classes. We show that RET1 adds U tails to gRNAs, rRNAs, and select mRNAs and contributes U's into A/U heteropolymers. Furthermore, RET1's TUTase activity is required for the nucleolytic processing of gRNA, rRNA, and mRNA precursors. The U tail's presence does not affect the stability of gRNAs and rRNAs, while transcript-specific uridylylation triggers 3' to 5' mRNA decay. We propose that the minicircle-encoded antisense transcripts, which are stabilized by RET1-catalyzed uridylylation, may direct a nucleolytic cleavage of multicistronic precursors.
Emerging millimeter wave photonic devices and integration platforms for avionic applications

Emerging photonic solutions hold the promise to transform avionics capabilities. Photonically enabled sensors and sources based on high-performance EO modulators and photodiode detectors exhibit extraor-dinary bandwidth and tunability. Photonic phased arrays possess unique capabilities to perform real-time, analog correlations in the optical domain via simple coherent interference, i.e. imaging. TCA antennas, directly fed by optical fibers and integrated into LCP-based platforms, will allow sensing and high-performance communications to be conformally integrated into airframes, while minimizing SWaP.
A thermodynamic framework for ecologically conscious process systems engineering

Long term growth and well being of the chemical industry requires economically and ecologically conscious process engineering. Traditional process engineering methods fall short of meeting this need due to their treating the environment as being secondary to economic objectives. Life cycle assessment and design methods broaden the scope of traditional methods, but focus primarily on the environmental impact of emissions while ignoring the contribution of ecological products and services. Taking nature for granted could provide misleading results since natural products and processes are a significant contributor to all industrial products and processes. Methods from systems ecology do account for ecological inputs, but ignore the impact of emissions. This paper presents an original approach for the joint analysis of industrial and ecological systems. This approach considers inputs from both ecological and economic resources, as well as the impact of emissions. It uses thermodynamics to exploit the synergy between methods from process systems engineering, systems ecology, and life cycle assessment to overcome the shortcomings of methods from each field. The approach is based on the fact that growth and sustenance of both industrial and ecological processes are limited by the available energy and its conversion to useful work. Thus, the embodied energy (emergy), that is, the energy used directly or indirectly to make a product or service is a thermodynamic measure of ecological investment or cost, while exergy loss provides a holistic measure of the impact of emissions. Together, emergy and exergy analysis can provide insight into the environmental performance and sustainability of the industrial process or product. The proposed framework is broadly applicable to assist decision making in chemical and other engineering tasks. Challenges and research opportunities for making this framework practical are identified.
The pairbond in the titi monkey (Callicebus moloch): intrinsic versus extrinsic contributions of the pairmates.

Aspects of a monogamous relationship can be inferred by observing reactions of mated individuals to unfamiliar conspecifics. The present study examined the behaviours shown by male and female titi mon