cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tracking Mesozoic birds across the world

Early Cretaceous bird tracks have been found in North America, China, South Korea and Japan. The identification of many of the tracemakers as ornithurine birds rather than enantiornithines is supported by the overall morphological and behavioural similarity to tracks left by modern shorebirds, as well as indicators of ground-to-air takeoff. Various morphologies found in Asia, including web-footed, anisodactyl and zygodactyl tracks, indicate a very high diversity of birds. The most common are anisodactyl shorebird-like tracks represented by Aquatilavipes, Koreanaornis, Ignotornis and others. Such ichnogenera as Aquatilavipes and, more recently, Koreanaornis, have been discovered on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. Koreanaornis is more specific in its distinguishing criteria, unlike Aquatilavipes, which may be a taxonomic wastebasket. The appearance of the same ichnogenera across great distances implies that either ornithurine birds evolved long-distance migration in or before the Early Cretaceous, or that ...
Statistical recognition of late Cretaceous cyclic sedimentation by means of calcareous nannofossil population studies

Abstract The relative abundance of calcareous nannofossil taxa in a sequence of samples collected from a continuous Upper Maastrichtian section in Alabama has been analyzed using statistical techniques. Results indicate that an increase of arbitrarily chosen long-ranging forms can be represented by a slowly fluctuating secular trend with a superimposed cyclical component. Provided that a number of reasonable assumptions are made, the dominant frequencies of the periodic component are within the order of magnitude of the accepted frequency of the Perihelion cycle or “Milenkovitch astronomical insolation curves” ( Milenkovitch, 1938 ).
Impact of a commercial destocking relief intervention in Moyale district, southern Ethiopia.

1A commercial destocking intervention was piloted in southern Ethiopia during the drought of early 2006. The intervention led to the purchase of an estimated 20,000 cattle valued at USD 1.01 million. On average, destocked households received USD 186 from the sale of cattle—approx­ imately 5,405 households were involved. In terms of aid investment, the approximate cost–benefit ratio was 41:1. During the drought, income from destocking accounted for 54.2 per cent of house­ hold income (n=114 households), and was used to buy food, care for livestock, meet various domestic expenses, support relatives, and either pay off debts or augment savings. Seventy­nine per cent of the income derived from destocking was used to buy local goods or services. Expen­ diture on livestock care amounted to 36.5 per cent of local spending, and included the private transportation of livestock to better grazing areas. The buoyant livestock export trade was con­ sidered to be an important driver of commercial destocking, demonstrating a positive link between livestock and meat exports, and pastoral vulnerability during drought.
Biological evaluation of silicone rubber for surgical prosthesis.

Summary Multiple implants of a rapidly vulcanizing silicone rubber have been made in the cerebrum, subcutaneous space and peritoneal cavity of 50 rats. No implant-related tumors have been observed after periods up to 22 months. Tissue reactions have been minimal at all sites and do not appear to preclude the judicious intracranial use of this material.
Aerosol effects on liquid‐water path of thin stratocumulus clouds

three cases of thin warm stratocumulus clouds with LWP < 50 g m �2 . We use a cloudsystem resolving model coupled with a double-moment representation of cloud microphysics. Intensified interactions among the cloud droplet number concentration, condensation, and dynamics at high aerosol play a critical role in the LWP responses to aerosol increases. Increased aerosols lead to increased CDNC, providing the increased surface area of droplets where water vapor condenses. This increases condensation, and thus condensational heating, to produce stronger updrafts, leading to an increased LWP with increased aerosols in two of the cases where precipitation reaches the surface. In a case with no surface precipitation, LWP decreases with increases in aerosols. In this case, most of precipitation evaporates just below the cloud base. With decreases in aerosols, precipitation increases and leads to increasing evaporation of precipitation, thereby increasing instability around the cloud base. This leads to increased updrafts, and thus condensation, from which increased LWP results.
On L_1-Norm Multi-class Support Vector Machines

Binary Support Vector Machines (SVM) have proven effec- tive in classiffication. However, problems remain with respect to feature selection in multi-class classification. This article proposes a novel multi-class SVM, which performs classifica- tion and feature selection simultaneously via L_1-norm penal- ized sparse representations. The proposed methodology, to- gether with our developed regularization solution path, per- mits feature selection within the framework of classiffication. The operational characteristics of the proposed methodol- ogy is examined via both simulated and benchmark exam- ples, and is compared to some competitors in terms of the accuracy of prediction and feature selection. The numeri- cal results suggest that the proposed methodology is highly competitive.
Trouble and Triumph: German Life-Turkish Tradition in Renan Demirkan's "Schwarzer Tee mit drei Stuck Zucker".

This paper explores Demirkan's narrative strategies in Schwarzer Tee mit drei Stuck Zucker to negotiate issues of a life between two cultures and traditions. Based on Bhabha's insights that mainstr...
Hurricane maximum potential intensity equilibrium

This study presents a minimal model to examine the stability of the hurricane maximum potential intensity (MPI) equilibrium, based on the evolution of several hurricane fundamental scales. It is shown that this hurricane-scale model contains MPI as an asymptotically stable spiral point under the wind-induced surface heat exchange (WISHE) feedback mechanism. Furthermore, the hurricane development is characterized by two different time-scales instead of a simple linear growth, as often assumed in previous studies. Inclusion of radiative cooling reduces the MPI limit, but the MPI equilibrium in general is structurally stable. In particular, radiative cooling will modify the basin of attraction of the MPI equilibrium and create a domain in the phase space of the hurricane scales such that a vortex would not develop if its initial condition falls within this domain. Potential mechanisms that can further unfold the stability of the MPI equilibrium will also be discussed.
Empowering students with engineering literacy and problem-solving through interactive virtual reality games

As radical and transformative technological revolution significantly changes the way of science and engineering practice, bringing these changes into engineering classroom becomes a need. This paper presents such a conduct that designs a virtual reality (VR) theme-based game system as a replacement of traditional laboratory activities in two fundamental electrical and computer engineering courses: digital design and circuit analysis. The goal is to strengthen students' engineering literacy and problem-solving skills since the lack of effective reading and problem-solving strategies in our students poses significant barriers to their learning. With digital design and circuit analysis as the themes and engineers solving real-life problems as the scenes, the games immerse students in actual engineering design challenges where a selection of metacognitive reading and problem-solving strategies are unfolded.
TPR: Three-D Place and Route for FPGAs

Due to technology scaling global wires dominate the delay and power budgets, and signal integrity, IR-drops, and process variations pose new design problems. Shrinking time-to-market windows and ever-increasing mask costs have reduced profits alarmingly. In response to the first category of problems, 3D integration can significantly reduce wire-lengths, boost yield, and can particularly be useful for FPGA fabrics because it can address problems related to routing congestion, limited I/O connections, and long wire delays. Practical application of 3D integrated circuits yet needs to gain momentum, partly due to a lack of efficient 3D CAD tools. We propose a new efficient timing-driven partitioning-based placement and routing tool for 3D FPGA integration [1]. The circuit is first divided into layers with limited number of inter-layer vias, and then placement is performed on individual layers, while minimizing the delay of critical paths. Finally, the circuit is routed using our 3D detailed routing algorithm. We show that 3D integration results in smaller circuit delays, provided that multi-via lengths are employed between layers or fully buffered routing resources are used. Simulations show on average a total decrease of 25% in wire-length and 35% in delay respectively, over traditional 2D chips, when 8 layers are used in 3D integration.
Daptomycin non-susceptible meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA 300 isolate

Daptomycin is a novel bactericidal agent active against Gram-positive pathogens including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Our case is unique in the description of an MRSA USA 300 isolate that developed decreased susceptibility to daptomycin during daptomycin and vancomycin therapy. Directed sequencing detected a previously reported mutation in mprF, resulting in a T345A substitution, associated with non-susceptibility to daptomycin.
An Inquiry into Lowi's Policy Typology: The Conservation Coalition and the 1985 and 1990 Farm Bills:

In this paper the politics surrounding the adoption and implementation of the conservation titles of the 1985 and 1990 farm bills is investigated. Attention focuses on the Conservation Coalition, w...
Profiles in mass storage: a tale of two systems

The Los Alamos Common File System (CFS) and the NCAR Mass Storage System (MSS) are file storage and file management systems that serve heterogeneous computing networks of supercomputers, general purpose computers, scientific workstations and personal computers. This paper details philosophical, implementation and performance aspects of the two mass storage systems. Areas covered include the computing environment, the user interface, storage strategies and file movement strategies.
Measuring and estimating sulfur mineralization potential in soils amended with poultry litter or inorganic fertilizer

The effect of long-term (more than 10 years) application of poultry litter (PL) or inorganic fertilizer (IF) on sulfur (S) mineralization potential (So) was evaluated using four different soils (Delaware 1, Delaware 2, Iowa, and Georgia). Also, different methods to estimate S availability (extraction with KCl, NaHCO3, and KCl after a wetting-drying cycle, aerobic incubations for 7 and 14 days, and NH4 + quantification after an anaerobic incubation) were compared to So. When compared to long-term application of IF, long-term application of PL generated an increase in total soil S ranging from 0 to 0.14 g kg−1, which was positively associated with the soil clay content (R 2 = 0.98), and resulted in an increase in So ranging from 0 to 21.2 g kg−1. From the evaluated methods to estimate So, only three of them were significantly (p < 0.05) correlated to So: aerobic incubation for 7 days (r = 0.85), extraction with NaHCO3 (r = 0.85), and nitrogen anaerobic incubation (r = 0.99). Based on the reduced time and labor involved and in their capacity to distinguish between treatments, we recommend further use and further evaluation of the last two methods as estimators of So.
Identification of Merkel Cells in Oral Epithelium Using Antikeratin and Antineuroendocrine Monoclonal Antibodies

Merkel cells are a rare cell type located at or near the basal lamina of oral epithelia and epidermis. They are associated with nerves, and may function as touch receptors. Merkel cells are difficult to identify by routine light microscopy, but have been identified by electron microscopy and specific antibodies. We demonstrate here that Merkel cells can be identified by immunohistochemistry, using a monoclonal antibody (LK2H11, Lloyd and Wilson, 1983) to neuroendocrine granules, and a monoclonal antibody (35βH11, Gown and Vogel, 1982) to a 54-kD keratin generally located in simple epithelia but not in stratified epithelia.Human oral tissue was fixed in Carnoy's fixative, and adjacent serial sections were stained with the two antibodies. Individual positively-stained cells were generally located at the bases of rete ridges. Cells in the same position in adjacent sections stained with both antibodies. Essentially all cells (94%) staining for neuroendocrine granules also gave a positive reaction for the 54-k...
Dynamic Course of Intracortical TMS Paired-Pulse Responses During Recovery of Motor Function After Stroke

Background. Recovery of motor function after stroke may be associated with changes in inhibitory and facilitatory circuits within the motor cortex. Objective. We explored such changes longitudinally after stroke, using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Methods. Subjects (N = 27) with a single cerebral infarction affecting movement of either hand were studied at <10 days poststroke, 1 month, and 6 months. Age-matched control subjects (N = 9) were studied at 2 times. Results. In contrast to previous studies, paired-pulse inhibition was increased in patients with a subcortical stroke compared to control subjects. After a cortical stroke, paired-pulse facilitation was also increased. Stroke location affected the time course of inhibition. Subcortical stroke resulted in increased inhibition initially that decreased over time, whereas cortical stroke had no significant effect on inhibition and a more immediate and lasting effect on facilitation. Conclusions. The time course of a decline in inhibition bas...
Trends and status of battery energy storage for utility applications

Since the early 1970s, there has been a steady effort to introduce batteries to the electric utility industry for large scale energy storage in a load leveling mode. Utilities, on the other hand, have been relatively indifferent to this technology for a number of technical and institutional reasons that primarily involve the economic viability of this technology in the load leveling mode. However, from the late 1980s and early 1990, the concept of using batteries primarily for load leveling has undergone a radical change as a result of analytical studies as well as changes in hardware design practice. Now, batteries are being promoted for a wider range of high value applications that go beyond load leveling, and potentially affect the transmission and distribution as well as customer-side operations of the electric utility. As a result, utilities are showing a renewed interest in battery energy storage and several utilities are evaluating battery energy storage projects. This paper discusses the significant trends that are driving the renewed utility interest in this technology and reviews the status of ongoing utility projects. >
Small ball probabilities for Gaussian Markov processes under the Lp-norm

Abstract Let {X(t); 0⩽t⩽1} be a real-valued continuous Gaussian Markov process with mean zero and covariance σ(s,t)=EX(s)X(t)≠0 for 0 t . It is known that we can write σ(s,t)=G(min(s,t))H(max(s,t)) with G>0, H>0 and G/H nondecreasing on the interval (0,1). We show that for the Lp-norm on C[0,1], 1⩽p⩽∞ lim e→0 e 2 log P (||X(t)|| p p ∫ 0 1 (G′H−H′G) p/(2+p) d t (2+p)/p and its various extensions.
Task independent relationship of system to actuator performance via scaling

The authors present a scaling with which it is possible to predict the relative savings with respect to the time required for planar motions when using different actuators. This calculation can be done independently of the sequence of motions to be performed; in particular, when the sequence of motions is not yet known. This is commonly the case when the motion system is being designed. The use of this produce independent analysis requires that the scaling can only be done with respect to one free parameter representing the actuator. The analysis has the advantage that it simplifies comparison between actuators, since the relative performance is represented by a single scalar. It is shown that with the proper scaling the optimal sequence will remain unaffected. The improvement in the system's performance is quantifiable and independent of the distribution of the distances which must be traversed. >
Treadmill exercise testing in mass screening for coronary risk factors

The prevalence of an abnormal maximal treadmill stress test (MTST) was correlated with coronary risk factors in 1,077 asymptomatic adults (709 men and 368 women) in Long Beach, California. Of 1,077 adults, 113 (10.5%) had a positive MTST. A positive MTST was correlated with sex (p less than 0.001), age (p less than 0.001), a serum cholesterol less than or equal to 200 mg% (p less than 0.02), hypertriglyceridemia (p less than 0.05), cigarette smoking (p less than 0.025), and with the number of coronary risk factors (p less than 0.005) but not with hypertension, cigar or pipe smoking, obesity, or blood sugar.
Nucleophilic reactivity of thiolate, hydroxide and phenolate ions towards a model O-arylated diazeniumdiolate prodrug in aqueous and cationic surfactant media.

The kinetics of aromatic nucleophilic substitution of the nitric oxide generating diazeniumdiolate ion, DEA/NO, by thiols, (L-glutathione, L-cysteine, DL-homocysteine, 1-propanethiol, 2-mercaptoethanol and sodium thioglycolate) from the prodrug, DNP-DEA/NO, has been examined in aqueous solution and in solutions of cationic DOTAP vesicles. Second-order rate constants in buffered aqueous solutions (k(RS(-) ) = 3.48 - 30.9 M(-1)s(-1); 30 °C) gave a linear Bronsted plot (β(nuc) = 0.414 ± 0.068) consistent with rate-limiting S(N)Ar nucleophilic attack by thiolate ions. Cationic DOTAP vesicles catalyze the thiolysis reactions with rate enhancements between 11 and 486-fold in Tris-HCl buffered solutions at pH 7.4. The maximum rate increase was obtained with thioglycolate ion. Thiolysis data are compared to data for nucleophilic displacement by phenolate (k(PhO(-) ) = 0.114 M(-1)s(-1)) and hydroxide (k(OH(-) ) = 1.82 × 10(-2) M(-1)s(-1), 37 °C) ions. The base hydrolysis reaction is accelerated by CTAB micelles and DODAC vesicles with vesicles being ca 3-fold more effective as catalysts. Analysis of the data using pseudophase ion-exchange formalism implies that the rate enhancement of the thiolysis and base hydrolysis reactions is due primarily to reactant concentration in the surfactant pseudophase.
Photocurrent spectroscopy on GaInN/GaN multiple quantum well solar cell structures

We demonstrate photocurrent (PC) spectroscopy of GaInN/GaN multiple quantum well structures with electroluminescence peak wavelengths near 550 nm. Two classes of closely related samples were grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy on c -plane (0001) sapphire substrate. Although nominally identical, one set appears optically transparent while the other appears black to the eye. The PC spectrum of the black sample shows a strong enhancement of absorption at wavelengths longer than 450 nm. In UV microscopy clusters of dark areas are found in the black sample. Such findings are commonly ascribed to areas of Indium phase segregation but require further study. (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Research on the Stability of Load Balancing Algorithm for Scalable Parallel Computing

In parallel cluster computing, an unscalable or unstable load balancing algorithm can intensely affect the performance of computing. To aim at this case, this paper puts forward a linear dynamic load balancing model and analyzes the stability of this linear model on the condition of existing time delay. Base on analyzing results, this paper uses a load balancing gain to control this model with the increasing system scale. In the end, a more useful nonlinear model is proposed and the simulation results are given to compare with analyzing results and other load balancing methods.
Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells, Interferon Signaling, and FcγR Contribute to Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Response in Childhood Immune Thrombocytopenia

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder of childhood characterized by immune-mediated destruction of platelets. The mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of ITP and the therapeutic efficacy of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) in this disorder remain unclear. We show that monocytes from patients with ITP have a distinct gene expression profile, with increased expression of type I interferon response (IR) genes. Plasma from ITP patients had increased levels of several cytokines indicative of immune activation, including an increase in interferon-α. ITP patients also had an increase in plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) compared to healthy donors. Therapy-induced remission of ITP was associated with abrogation of the IR gene signature in monocytes without reduction in the levels of circulating interferon-α itself. IVIG altered the ratio of activating/inhibitory Fcγ receptors (FcγRs) in vivo primarily by reducing FcγRIII (CD16). The engagement of activating FcγRs was required for IVIG-mediated abrogation of monocyte response to exogenous interferon-α in culture. Moreover, plasma from ITP patients led to activation of monocytes and myeloid DCs in culture with an increase in T cell stimulatory capacity; this activation depended on the engagement of activating FcγRs and interferon-α receptor (IFNAR) and was inhibited by antibody-mediated blockade of these pathways. These data point to a central role of type I interferon in the pathogenesis of ITP and suggest targeting pDCs and blockade of IR as potential therapeutic approaches in this disorder. They also provide evidence for the capacity of IVIG to extinguish IR in vivo, which may contribute to its effects in autoimmunity.
Prodrugs. Do they have advantages in clinical practice

Prodrugs are pharmacologically inactive chemical derivatives of a drug molecule that require a transformation within the body in order to release the active drug. They are designed to overcome pharmaceutical and/or pharmacokinetically based problems associated with the parent drug molecule that would otherwise limit the clinical usefulness of the drug. The scientific rationale, based on clinical, pharmaceutical and chemical experience, for the design of various currently used prodrugs is presented in this review. The examples presented are by no means comprehensive, but are representative of the different ways in which the prodrug approach has been used to enhance the clinical efficacy of various drug molecules.
Challenges to Governance Reform and Accountability in Egypt

The Egyptian Revolution of January 2011 has arguably changed the landscape for public governance and accountability in Egypt. It has not yet had a discernible impact on governance itself, however. As this chapter is being written, 2 years after these momentous events, no conclusion can be drawn as to whether the Revolution will fulfill its promise of better governance. To reach this outcome, the post-Revolution government must not only confront the challenges that stymied Mubarak-era efforts at governance reform but also overcome the additional barriers arising from the Revolution.
“How Dare You Question What I Use to Treat This Patient?”: Student Pharmacists’ Reflections on the Challenges of Communicating Recommendations to Physicians in Interdisciplinary Health Care Settings

A growing number of pharmacists practice within interdisciplinary health care teams, leading pharmacy educators to place increased emphasis on the development of interprofessional collaboration skills. In the pharmacist–physician relationship, pharmacists’ medication therapy recommendations (MTRs) are a recurrent and significant interprofessional activity, one that can be challenging for both seasoned and student pharmacists. Drawing on in-depth ethnographic interviews with pharmacy preceptors and advanced student pharmacists, we identify and describe an important distinction between pharmacist-initiated MTRs and physician-initiated MTRs as contexts for interprofessional collaboration. We describe and illustrate a range of social, professional, and communication challenges that students experience in each context, as well as some strategies they use to navigate these challenges. Using the theoretical framework of dialectic tensions, we argue that the pharmacist–physician relationship is characterized by a...
Water tracks and permafrost in Taylor Valley, Antarctica: Extensive and shallow groundwater connectivity in a cold desert ecosystem

Water tracks are zones of high soil moisture that route water downslope over the ice table in polar environments. We present physical, hydrological, and geochemical evidence collected in Taylor Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, which suggests that previously unexplored water tracks are a significant component of this cold desert land system and constitute the major flow path in a cryptic hydrological system. Geological, geochemical, and hydrological analyses show that the water tracks are generated by a combination of infiltration from melting snowpacks, melting of pore ice at the ice table beneath the water tracks, and melting of buried segregation ice formed during winter freezing. The water tracks are enriched in solutes derived from chemical weathering of sediments as well as from dissolution of soil salts. The water tracks empty into ice-covered lakes, such as Lake Hoare, resulting in the interfingering of shallow groundwater solutions and glacier-derived stream water, adding complexity to the geochemical profile. Approximately four orders of magnitude less water is delivered to Lake Hoare by any given water track than is delivered by surface runoff from stream flow; however, the solute delivery to Lake Hoare by water tracks equals or may exceed the mass of solutes delivered from stream flow, making water tracks significant geochemical pathways. Additionally, solute transport is two orders of magnitude faster in water tracks than in adjacent dry or damp soil, making water tracks “salt superhighways” in the Antarctic cold desert. Accordingly, water tracks represent a new geological pathway that distributes water, energy, and nutrients in Antarctic Dry Valley, cold desert, soil ecosystems, providing hydrological and geochemical connectivity at the hillslope scale.
Multidisciplinary care in head and neck cancer

Modern head and neck cancer treatment is a carefully designed combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. This article briefly explains the rationale for multidisciplinary care and highlights the role of each member of the multidisciplinary team. Special consideration is given to the unique role of plastic surgeons with particular interest in head and neck reconstruction and microvascular surgery.
Age and autonomic effects on interrelationships between lung volume and heart rate

To determine effects of aging and autonomic input on interrelationships between respiratory and heart rate variability, we collected 5 min of lung volume of R-R interval data from 7 young [27 +/- 3...
Sales Promotion Programs and the Value Added Tax in Ukaraine

The purpose of this article is to describe the effort to create a sales promotion using a customer purchase frequency card for a retailer operating in Lviv, Ukraine. The anticipated pitfalls were thought to be convincing both the retailer to implement the program and the lack of acceptance by consumers of this type of sales promotion activity. In reality, the greatest problems came from the implementation of promotional activities under Ukraine’s value added tax (VAT) system. Results of the implementation of the frequency program are presented along with managerial implications.
Development of a Scoring System for Evaluating the Accessibility of eTextbooks

The Internet enables educators to provide free educational resources to many users, including those with disabilities. Existing regulations outline minimum accessibility requirements. However, we are not aware of any standard metric that would allow users to judge the relative degree of accessibility provided by e-learning materials, such as eTextbooks. The goal of the present study was to develop an accessibility scoring method that can be used to guide users’ decision making when selecting eTextbooks. Using both non-assistive and assistive technologies, we analyzed a sample of 37 free access eTextbooks using 15 SkillsCommons accessibility checkpoints. We then worked with accessibility SMEs to determine severity weightings for each checkpoint in terms of its overall accessibility impact on users. Although, the scoring technique we developed needs further validation, it provides a starting point for accessibility researchers and post-secondary education stakeholders to quantify the level of accessibility provided by different eTextbooks.
Treatment: Radiation Therapy.

Radiation therapy (RT) is an integral part of treating all stages of lung cancer. Stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR) has emerged as a standard treatment option for stage I–II patients with medically inoperable disease. Stage IIIA–IIIB disease is typically managed with definitive concurrent chemo-radiotherapy (CRT). Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has enabled delivery of more potent RT dose while greatly limiting dose to surrounding normal organs, including lung, esophagus, and heart. SABR may have an expanding role in the treatment of stage IV patients, with new clinical trials exploring its combination with systemic immuotherapies.
Surgery for Mediastinal Disease in the Elderly

Mediastinal masses present throughout the decades of life but certainly occur with relative frequency in the older population. Furthermore, with the increasing ­frequency of obtaining pulmonary embolism chest CT scans, there are more incidentally discovered mediastinal abnormalities that require investigation. Relatively common ­conditions encountered include substernal and intrathoracic goiters, anterior mediastinal masses suspicious for lymphoma, mediastinal lymphadenopathy, thymomas, and ­posterior mediastinal neurogenic tumors. Mediastinal cysts-pericardial, bronchogenic, and esophageal duplication are all uncommon in the elderly, rarely require any treatment in the elderly population and so will not be discussed.
Do rod signals add with S cone signals in increment detection

Test additivity experiments reveal the combination rules for increment detection by rods and an S cone-dominated mechanism isolated by means of chromatic adaptation. The measured additivity was corrected (reduced) to compensate for the partial detection by each mechanism of both test wavelengths in the combined stimuli. The small degree of additivity found between rod and S cone signals under these conditions is consistent with either a small rod–cone interaction or with probability summation between independent mechanisms. This contrasts with the higher degree of additivity previously found between rod signals and M and L cone signals in increment detection.
Augmenting intracellular adenosine improves myocardial recovery.

The objective of this study was to determine if augmentation of myocardial adenosine levels during global ischemia improves functional recovery after reperfusion. Isolated adult rabbit hearts were subjected to 120 minutes of mildly hypothermic ischemia (34° C) with modified St. Thomas’ Hospital cardioplegic solution used to provide myocardial protection. Myocardial adenosine levels were augmented during ischemia by providing exogenous adenosine in the cardioplegic solution or by inhibiting adenosine degradation with 2-deoxycoformycin, a noncompetitive inhibitor of adenosine deaminase. Four groups of hearts were studied: (1) control (n = 23)—cardioplegia alone; (2) adenosine group (n = 10)—adenosine 200 μmol/L added to the cardioplegic solution; (3) 2-deoxycoformycin group (n = 8)—2-deoxycoformycin 1 μmol/L added to the cardioplegic solution; and (4) a combined adenosine/deoxycoformycin group (n = 10). Recovery of developed pressure 45 minutes after reperfusion in the control group averaged only 38% ± 4% of baseline values. Significantly better recovery was evident in the adenosine (66% ± 7%), deoxycoformycin (59% ± 2%), and adenosine/deoxycoformycin (75% ±2%) groups. The slope of the relationship between end-diastolic pressure and volume was used as an index of diastolic stiffness. The slope averaged 85 ± 2 mm Hg/ml in the control group 45 minutes after reperfusion, significantly higher than that in the adenosine (31 ± 6), deoxycoformycin (75 ± 5), and adenosine/deoxycoformycin (58 ± 5) groups; this suggests better diastolic function in the adenosine-augmented groups. During ischemia, adenosine levels were significantly elevated in the adenosine-augmented groups, whereas adenosine triphosphate decreased equally in all four groups, which indicates that augmenting myocardial adenosine had no effect on depletion of adenosine triphosphate during ischemia. After reperfusion, adenosine triphosphate levels were depressed in the control group but increased in the other groups above baseline values, which suggests that improvement in functional recovery was due to accelerated repletion of adenine nucleotide stores in the adenosine-augmented groups.
Endovascular solutions for the management of penetrating trauma: an update on REBOA and axillo-subclavian injuries

Endovascular procedures continue to gain acceptance as management options for penetrating traumatic injuries. Currently, several areas of potential endovascular application are being investigated. However, the bulk of the literature on this topic is still limited to case series or small retrospective studies. Therefore, we performed a review of the published experience involving the application of endovascular therapy to trauma patients who have sustained penetrating injuries with focus on outcomes of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) and endovascular repair of axillo-subclavian injuries. Published case reports, retrospective and prospective studies of REBOA and axillo-subclavian injuries were systematically reviewed. A total of 7 studies on REBOA and 10 studies on endovascular repair of axillo-subclavian injuries were included. Overall, REBOA was used as an adjunct for hemorrhage control and resuscitation in patients at risk of cardiopulmonary arrest, preventing further cardiovascular collapse successfully. For axillo-subclavian injuries, endovascular stent placement had efficacy comparable to the traditional open repair. REBOA is a safe and effective alternative to open thoracotomy in critically ill trauma patients at risk of death due to torso hemorrhage. Endovascular repair outcomes are comparable to open repair after axillo-subclavian injuries. Long-term results of endovascular repair remain to be defined in this patient population.
Broadband 0.03–1.032THz signal generation and radiation based on a fully-integrated 4×2 impulse radiating array in 90nm SiGe BiCMOS

A fully-integrated broadband 0.03–1.032THz radiating array is presented. Coherent spatial combining from 8 elements is successfully demonstrated. The combined signal achieves a jitter of 270fsec, a record pulse-width of 5.4psec, and an impulse peak EIRP of 30dBm. Each array element includes a programmable delay with step resolution of 300fsec and dynamic range of 95psec. Frequency-domain measurements are performed up to 1.032THz. Frequency stability of the radiated impulses is better than 2Hz at 0.750THz. Time-domain radiated signals are measured by a THz optical sampling system. This is the first time that a fully-electronic chip is characterized and used as a THz emitter in an optical THz-TDS system. The array chip is fabricated in a 90nm SiGe BiCMOS process.
Unmet needs in the first-line treatment of follicular lymphoma.

ABSTRACT For the majority of patients with newly diagnosed follicular lymphoma (FL), current treatments, while not curative, allow for long remission durations. However, several important needs remain unaddressed. Studies have consistently shown that ∼20% of patients with FL experience disease progression within 2 years of first-line treatment, and consequently have a 50% risk of death in 5 years. Better characterization of this group of patients at diagnosis may provide insight into those in need of alternate or intensive therapies, facilitate a precision approach to inform clinical trials, and allow for improved patient counseling. Prognostic methods to date have employed clinical parameters, genomic methods, and a wide assortment of biological and biochemical markers, but none so far has been able to adequately identify this high-risk population. Advances in the first-line treatment of FL with chemoimmunotherapy have led to a median progression-free survival (PFS) of approximately 7 years; creating a challenge in the development of clinical trials where PFS is a primary end point. A surrogate end point that accurately predicts PFS would allow for new treatments to reach patients with FL sooner, or lessen toxicity, time, and expense to those patients requiring little to no therapy. Quality of response to treatment may predict PFS and overall survival in FL; as such complete response rates, either alone or in conjunction with PET imaging or minimal residual disease negativity, are being studied as surrogates, with complete response at 30 months after induction providing the strongest surrogacy evidence to date. A better understanding of how to optimize quality of life in the context of this chronic illness is another important focus deserving of further study. Ongoing efforts to address these important unmet needs are herein discussed.
Medicare Advantage Associated With More Racial Disparity Than Traditional Medicare For Hospital Readmissions

We compared racial disparities in thirty-day readmissions between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries who underwent one of six major surgeries in New York State in 2013. We found that Medicare Advantage was associated with greater racial disparity, compared to traditional Medicare. After controlling for patient, hospital, and geographic characteristics in a propensity score based approach, we found that in traditional Medicare, black patients were 33 percent more likely than white patients to be readmitted, whereas in Medicare Advantage, black patients were 64 percent more likely than white patients to be readmitted. Our findings suggest that the risk-reduction strategies adopted by Medicare Advantage plans have not been successful in lowering the markedly higher rate of readmission among black patients, compared to white patients.
African American Women and Obesity Through the Prism of Race.

Background. There are minimal studies focusing on African American women and obesity, and there are even fewer studies examining obesity through a critical race theoretical framework. African American obesity research has largely focused on individual and community interventions, which have not been sufficient to reverse the obesity epidemic. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between race and body mass index (BMI) for African American women. Method. Previously collected data from the National Survey of American Life Self-Administered Questionnaire, 2001-2003 (NSAL-SAQ) was analyzed for this study. The NSAL-SAQ dedicated a section to the exploration of group and personal identity, along with having anthropometric data and health habit questions to be able to conduct analyses for associations between the racial identity dimensions and obesity. Results. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the constructs of racial identity on BMI comparing standardized coefficients ...
The Value of Implementing Multidisciplinary Perinatal Care Conference in the Private Practice Setting

Objective The objective of this study was to estimate the impact of multidisciplinary (Multi-D) perinatal care conference (PCC) implementation in the private practice setting. Methods After the initial 12-month period following implementation of the monthly PCC by private maternal–fetal medicine and neonatology practitioners, conference attendees were asked to completed a modified version of the Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams Scale, involving 19 questions assessing their attitudes and opinions toward Multi-D team care on a five-point Likert's scale. Results Of the 51 average attendees to the PCC, 82.3% completed the survey. A majority of respondents agreed that Multi-D team care resulted in improved care for patients and family, was not overly complex to coordinate, and resulted in significant job satisfaction and improved medical knowledge. Conclusion Multi-D care is an effective approach to the complicated needs of maternal–fetal medicine patients which may lead to improved patient and family outcomes, high provider satisfaction, and can easily be implemented and utilized within a private practice or community hospital setting.
The Changing Economics of Problem-Solving

The outputs of research and development (R&D) are themselves „manufactured“ with the aid of specialized problem-solving processes which have been largely ignored in studies of technical change. However, improvements to them can significantly affect the kinds of research problems that can be addressed, the efficiency and speed with which R&D can be performed, and the competitive positions of firms employing them. In this paper, I discuss the rapid advances being made in problem-solving methods, and the impact such advances can have on R&D and the competitive position of adopting firms.
Stability of the junction of an ice sheet and an ice shelf

An analysis is made of the steady-state size of a two-dimensional ice sheet whose base is below sea-level and which terminates in floating ice shelves. Under the assumption of perfect plasticity it is found that an ice sheet placed on a bed whose surface was initially flat cannot exist if the depth of the bed below sea-level exceeds a critical depth. If this depth is less than the critical level, the ice sheet extends out to the edge of the continental shelf. Similar results are found with more realistic assumptions about the laws governing the flow of ice. If the bed slopes away from the centre, the ice sheet can have a stable width that increases in value as the accumulation rate increases or as sea-level is lowered. It is not possible to decide whether or not the West Antarctic ice sheet is in stable equilibrium. It is entirely possible that this ice sheet is disintegrating at present, as suggested by Hughes.
The cone of curves of a K3 surface

N E ( X ) is the cone of curves of X. The closed cone of curves o f X denoted by N E ( X ) is the closure of N E ( X ) in H2(X, IR). NE(X) ~ and c~NE(X) denote the interior and the boundary of NE(X) in the vector space it spans in H2(X, JR). The aim of this article is to prove the following: Theorem 1. Let X be a smooth algebraic K3 surface with Picard number at least three. Then one of the following conditions is satisfied: (*) X does not contain any curve of negative se~;intersection. (**) N E ( X ) = ~ I R + V ] where the sum runs over all smooth rational curves on X. In the next section after introducing the necessary notations, a complete classification of the possible cases will be given.
Magnetic freezing transition in a CoO/Permalloy bilayer revealed by transverse ac susceptibility

Abstract We utilize variable-temperature, variable-frequency magneto-optical transverse magnetic susceptibility technique to study the static and dynamical magnetic properties of a thin-film CoO/Permalloy bilayer. Our measurements demonstrate that in the studied system, the directional asymmetry of the hysteresis loop is associated mainly with the difference in the reversal mechanisms between the two reversed states of magnetization stabilized by the exchange-induced uniaxial anisotropy. The latter is found to be much larger than the exchange-induced unidirectional anisotropy of the ferromagnet. We also observe an abrupt variation of the frequency-dependent imaginary part of ac susceptibility near the exchange bias blocking temperature, consistent with the magnetic freezing transition inferred from the previous time-domain studies of magnetic aging in similar systems. The developed measurement approach enables precise characterization of the dynamical and static characteristics of thin-film magnetic heterostructures that can find applications in reconfigurable magnonic and neuromorphic circuits.
Proceedings of the 2010 ACM workshop on Cognitive radio networks

Welcome to ACM CoRoNet 2010! On behalf of the organizing and technical committees of CoRoNet'10, we would like to welcome you to the 2010 ACM Workshop on Cognitive Radio Networks (CoRoNet), which is being held in conjunction with the 16th Annual International Conference on Mobile Computing and Networking (MobiCom). The workshop will take place on September 20 in Chicago at the Drake Hotel. The workshop received 13 valid submissions. Following a thorough review process, 6 papers were accepted as full papers. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Technical Program Committee members for their dedication and help. These papers cover recent developments in cognitive radio networks on topics ranging from spectrum measurements, cooperative sensing, interference management, to cognitive access and networking. Given the interesting mix of technical, policy and legal issues that cognitive networking involves, we felt that the workshop would be best served by having a program that reflects this mix. Hence, apart from the two technical sessions consisting of the accepted papers, the workshop will have invited talks from the regulatory bodies and academia, which offer perspectives on current and future spectrum policy and how academic research can influence the regulatory structure. In particular, we are thrilled and honored to have two outstanding keynote speakers: Julius Knapp, the chief of the FCC's Office of Engineering Technology (OET), and Jeffrey Reed, the Willis G. Worcester Professor in ECE, Virginia Tech.
Intraseasonal Variability of the Diurnal Cycle of Precipitation in the Philippines

Abstract Precipitation in the region surrounding the South China Sea over land and coastal waters exhibits a strong diurnal cycle associated with a land–sea temperature contrast that drives a sea-b...
Crucial Role of Extended Criteria Donors in Deceased Donor Single Kidney Transplantation to Face Chronic Shortage in the Heart of the Mediterranean Basin: A Single-Center Experience

Abstract Background The gap between organ availability and patients on the waiting list for deceased donor kidney transplants has resulted in the wide use of extended criteria donors (ECDs).We aimed to compare the surgical outcomes of single kidney transplantation (KT) performed at our institute with standard criteria donor (SCD) or ECD grafts, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network definition. Patients and methods. Our retrospective analysis studied 115 adult recipients of KT from January 2016 to July 2018, with kidney grafts procured from adult donors after brain or circulatory death, performed at our institute. Among the 2 recipients’ groups, we compared the incidence of early graft loss, delayed graft function, hospitalization, and surgical complications. We compared the evaluation of time to early graft loss with Kaplan-Meier estimators and curves; the hypothesis of no difference in time to graft loss between the 2 groups was tested using the log-rank statistics. Results Of the 103 deceased donor kidney transplants during the study period, 129 grafts were used after the regional network sharing allocation. More frequently, ECDs had a greater body mass index than SCDs (25.2 ± 3.9 vs 27.7 ± 5.0, P = .005) and type II diabetes mellitus (0% vs 18%, P = .002). KT recipients who received an ECD graft (73, 63.5%) were older (59.8 ± 9.8 vs 45.2 ± 15.4, P Conclusion Based on clinical experience in a single transplant center, ECD use for KTs is crucial in facing the organ shortage, without impairing post-deceased donor kidney transplant outcomes.