cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of postoperative radiation therapy in carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of postoperative radiation therapy on the clinical course of patients with carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland. Methods and Materials: Between 1960 and 2004, 63 patients were treated with definitive surgery for carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma of the parotid gland. Forty patients (63%) received postoperative radiation therapy to a median dose of 60 Gy (range, 45–71 Gy). Adenocarcinoma (29 patients), salivary duct carcinoma (16 patients), and adenoid cystic carcinoma (9 patients) were the most common malignant subtypes. Pathologic T -stage was: 16% T1, 33% T2, 32% T3, and 19% T4. Twenty-one patients (33%) had microscopically positive margins and 39 (62%) had perineural invasion. Median follow-up was 50 months (range, 2–96 months). Results: The use of postoperative therapy significantly improved 5-year local control from 49% to 75% ( p = 0.005) and was associated with an improvement in survival among patients without evidence of cervical lymph node metastasis ( p = 0.01). A Cox proportional hazard model identified pathologic involvement of cervical lymph nodes as an independent predictor of overall survival. Overall survival was 16% for patients with pathologic N-positive disease compared with 67% for those whose lymph node status was negative or unknown ( p = 0.001). Conclusion: Surgery followed by postoperative radiation should be considered the standard of care for patients with carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma.
Elemental imbalance studies by INAA on extraneural tissues from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients

Human kidney and liver tissues were studied for generalized elemental imbalances in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Iron was significantly increased (p<0.05) in ALS kidneys and Co and Fe (marginal, p<0.10) were increased in ALS liver compared with their respective controls. Mercury values were almost two-fold higher for ALS kidney and 17% higher for ALS liver as compared with their respective controls. However, the Hg data exhibited large variations and ALS-control differences were not significant. Data from the present study are discussed with reference to the role of metallothioneins (MT) in ALS, and a possible linkage between a free radical mediated mechanism and degeneration of cells in ALS is also explored.
Synthesis and Properties of Dodecyl Trehaloside Detergents for Membrane Protein Studies

Sugar-based detergents, mostly derived from maltose or glucose, prevail in the extraction, solubilization, stabilization, and crystallization of membrane proteins. Inspired by the broad use of trehalose for protecting biological macromolecules and lipid bilayer structures, we synthesized new trehaloside detergents for potential applications in membrane protein research. We devised an efficient synthesis of four dodecyl trehalosides, each with the 12-carbon alkyl chain attached to different hydroxyl groups of trehalose, thus presenting a structurally diverse but related family of detergents. The detergent physical properties, including solubility, hydrophobicity, critical micelle concentration (CMC), and size of micelles, were evaluated and compared with the most popular maltoside analogue, β-d-dodecyl maltoside (DDM), which varied from each other due to distinct molecular geometries and possible polar group interactions in resulting micelles. Crystals of 2-dodecyl trehaloside (2-DDTre) were also obtained ...
Locally renormalized coupled-cluster equations for singly and doubly excited clusters

The Numerator-Denominator Connected (NDC) Expansion for the Coupled-Cluster (CC) method [K. Kowalski and P. Piecuch, J. Chem. Phys. 122, 074107 (2005)], is used to construct a new set of stationary conditions for approximate coupled-cluster approaches. Several CC approximations based on models involving singles and doubles (CCSD) are developed and discussed in the context of ground-state applications. The resulting locally-renormalized CCSD (LR-CCSD) equations are shown to regularize the expressions for the cluster amplitudes in the challenging situations that occur when the orbital energy differences approach zero. Affordable schemes for handling the local denominators (all-holes-Jn coupling), that naturally appear in locally renormalized formalisms, are also discussed. †Dedicated to Professor Andrzej J. Sadlej on the occasion of his 65th birthday.
Zhang Chunqiao and the Politics of the 1975 People’s Republic of China Constitution

Existing studies about the 1975 constitution in the English literature, mostly conducted shortly after its announcement, are primarily interested in how the document differs from the constitutions of 1954 and 1978. The current study is instead primarily interested in the dynamics and process of drafting the 1975 constitution. Although the document reflects the radicalism of the Cultural Revolution, it was also the result of political compromise. The roles of Mao and the party, the concept of “dictatorship of the proletariat,” and the belief in communist internationalism were all toned down because of the preceding events that occurred. The fate of the 1975 People’s Republic of China constitution was closely linked to Zhang Chunqiao, the key person in charge of drafting the document. Although many of Zhang’s ideas as reflected in the 1975 constitution were communistic, the way that the politics was conducted then was not. Unlike the more commonly used method of textual analysis from a comparative perspective, this study used materials that emerged after the Cultural Revolution to document the dynamics of drafting the constitution.
Sponsored Identities: Cultural Politics in Puerto Rico

Sponsored Identities: Cultural Politics in Puerto Rico. Arlene Davila. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press, 1997. xvii. 301 pp., figures, notes, bibliography, index.
A TISSUE CULTURE ANALYSIS OF THE STEPS IN LIMB CHONDROGENESIS

Tissue-culture methods can be used to test the developmental capacity of embryonic cells. In micro-mass cultures, derived from wing cells of stages 21 through 24 chick embryos, aggregates of cells form and then differentiate into cartilage nodules, as judged by the presence of an Alcian blue staining extracellular matrix. Wing cells derived from embryos as young as stage 17 can form aggregates. However, unless they are treated with db cyclic AMP and theophylline, it is not until stage 20 that these aggregates can produce cartilage in culture. In clonal cell culture, cartilage colonies are not produced by primary cell suspensions of limb cells until stage 25 when overt cartilage differentiation is occurring in vivo. It is possible to obtain clonable cartilage cells from limb cells from embryos between stages 20 and 24 if the cells are either treated with db cyclic AMP and theophylline or maintained in suspension culture for 12 to 48 hr. On the basis of these in vitro results a multiple step model for the conversion of limb mesenchyme into cartilage cells is proposed. The model involves the appearance of cells with a predisposition to form aggregates, development of the capacity to form cartilage in response to elevated levels of cyclic AMP, the appearance of receptors that translate changes in either cell shape or cell cycle parameters into elevated levels of cyclic AMP, aggregation, elevated levels of cyclic AMP, cartilage cell determination, and differentiation. This model can serve as the basis for further tests.
Parenchymal Thoracic Splenosis: History and Nuclear Imaging Without Invasive Procedures May Provide Diagnosis

Splenosis is a rare finding of ectopic splenic tissue found within the thoracic cavity, abdomen or peritoneal cavity. Most cases occur in the abdomen and the thoracic location is a comparatively rare finding. In thoracic splenosis the splenic tissue most often grows in the form of a nodule and the autotransplantation is usually caused by a previous operation and/or most commonly a penetrating or blunt trauma to the thoracoabdominal region, resulting in splenic rupture and in some cases left diaphragmatic tear. In majority of the cases the patients are asymptomatic and are incidentally diagnosed with left hemithorax pulmonary lesions found via chest radiography or thoracic computed tomography. We present a 45-year-old Caucasian male who was incidentally diagnosed with parenchymal thoracic splenosis secondary to a gunshot wound to the abdomen 13 years ago that resulted in distal pancreatectomy, splenectomy and gastrorrhaphy. In this case report we will briefly discuss the current updates in the literature regarding thoracic splenosis, and highlight the fact that the findings raise the suspicion of malignancy requiring numerous investigations yet early recognition of thoracic splenosis can prevent unnecessary tests and procedures. Preoperative diagnosis of splenosis should be made with the use of nuclear imaging studies such as the 99mTc heat-damaged erythrocyte study rather than computed tomography-guided biopsy or invasive surgery. Keywords Thoracic splenosis; Computed tomography; Ppancreatectomy; Splenectomy; Gastrorrhaphy
High-pressure studies of Jahn-Teller-split luminescence in alkali halides doped with In + and Tl +

Measurements of steady-state intensity and lifetime were made over a range of pressures (4-60 kbar) and temperatures (100-300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K) for five alkali-halide crystals doped with ${\mathrm{In}}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{Tl}}^{+}$. The emission spectrum is a doublet (or a triplet in the case of CsI:Tl), caused by a Jahn-Teller splitting of the excited state. The relative intensity distribution of the spectral peaks as a function of temperature and pressure determines the parameters for a model of two levels in "dynamic equilibrium." The same model predicts lifetime changes with temperature and pressure which are in excellent agreement with the data for the ${\mathrm{In}}^{+}$-doped compounds. For the ${\mathrm{Tl}}^{+}$-doped compounds, metastable states control the lifetime, and parameters are extracted from the data for a multilevel model. Level splittings, level degeneracies, and intrinsic radiative rates are among the parameters determined in this study.
Deriving tissue density and elastic modulus from microCT bone scans

Tissue level density and elastic modulus are intrinsic properties that can be used to quantify bone material and analyses incorporating those quantities have been used to evaluate bone on a macroscopic scale. Micro-computed tomography (microCT) technology has been used to construct tissue level finite element models to simulate macroscopic fracture strength, however, a single method for assigning voxel-specific tissue density and elastic modulus based on those data has not been universally accepted. One method prevalent in the literature utilizes an empirical relationship that derives tissue stiffness as a function of bone calcium content weight fraction. To derive calcium content weight fraction from microCT scans, a measure of tissue density is required and a constant value is traditionally used. However, experimental data suggest a non-trivial amount of tissue heterogeneity suggesting a constant tissue density may not be appropriate. A theoretical derivation for determining the relationship between voxel-specific tissue density and microCT scan data (i.e., microCT derived tissue mineral density (TMD), mgHA/cm(3)) and bone constituent properties is proposed. Constant model parameters used in the derivation include the density of water, ash, and organics (i.e., bone constituents) and the volume fraction of the organics constituent. The effect of incorporating the theoretically derived tissue density (instead of a constant value) in determining voxel-specific elastic modulus resulted in a maximum observed increase of 12GPa (5.9GPa versus 17.9GPa, for the constant value and derived tissue density formulations, respectively) for a measured TMD of 1.02gHA/cm(3). Average and bounding quantities for the four constant model parameters were defined from the literature and the influence of those values on the derived tissue density and elastic modulus relationships were also evaluated. The theoretical relationships of tissue density and elastic modulus, with the average constant model parameters applied, were consistent with previously published empirical relationships derived from experimental data. Tissue density as a function of microCT TMD was formulated as a linear relationship and the density of water and ash was shown to solely influence the proportionality (i.e., slope) between those values. The density of water and organics (i.e., collagen) and the volume fraction of the organics constituent were shown to influence the constant offset (intercept) between tissue density and TMD with no influence from ash density. Incorporating tissue density heterogeneity into the derivation of elastic modulus resulted in a significant increase in predicted modulus (for microCT TMD ranges observed for healthy tissue) as compared to when a constant tissue density was used. The presented approach provides a novel method for deriving tissue-level bone material properties and quantifies the effect of assuming tissue homogeneity when calculating elastic modulus (when using a prevalent method in the literature) from microCT scan data.
Selection bias in HMOs: a review of the evidence

Early reviews found that health maintenance organizations (HMOs) attracted healthier beneficiaries in the Medicare program and healthier employees in the market for employer-based insurance. This review finds that HMOs still attract healthier Medicare beneficiaries, that HMOs no longer attract healthier employees, and that HMOs attract healthier Medicaid recipients. This review also found conflicting evidence about whether Medicare HMOs are overpaid, no evidence that HMOs are overpaid in the market for employer-based insurance, and evidence that concerns about overpaying Medicaid HMOs have diminished because many states are adopting mandatory programs.
Appendix A‐1—Particulars regarding experimental forests and work‐centers for hydrologic research

Gale River Experimental Forest White Mountain National Forest, Coos County, New Hampshire—Area, 1320 acres; spruce-fir forest; relation of forest-density and composition to depth of soil-freezing and infiltration-capacity Lawrence Hopkins Memorial Experimental Forest Berkshire County, Williamstown, Massachusetts—Area, 1600 acres; second-growth northern hardwoods; relation of forest-management practice in young hardwood forests to runoff-characteristics of small watersheds
Distilling quantum entanglement via mode-matched filtering

We propose an avenue toward distillation of quantum entanglement that is implemented by directly passing the entangled qubits through a mode-matched filter. This approach can be applied to a common class of entanglement impurities appearing in photonic systems, where the impurities inherently occupy different spatiotemporal modes than the entangled qubits. As a specific application, we show that our method can be used to significantly purify the telecom-band entanglement generated via the Kerr nonlinearity in single-mode fibers where a substantial amount of Raman-scattering noise is concomitantly produced.
Measuring the Dynamics of Interactional Synchrony

Past research has revealed that natural social interactions contain interactional synchrony. The present study describes new methods for measuring interactional synchrony in natural interactions and evaluates whether the behavioral synchronization involved in social interactions is similar to dynamical synchronization found generically in nature. Two methodologies, a rater-coding method and a computational video image method, were used to provide time series representations of the movements of the co-actors as they enacted a series of jokes (i.e., knock–knock jokes). Cross-spectral and relative phase analyses of these time series revealed that speakers’ and listeners’ movements contained rhythms that were not only correlated in time but also exhibited phase synchronization. These results suggest that computational advances in video and time series analysis have greatly enhanced our ability to measure interactional synchrony in natural interactions. Moreover, the dynamical synchronization in these natural interactions is commensurate with that found in more stereotyped tasks, suggesting that similar organizational processes constrain bodily activity in natural social interactions and, hence, have implications for the understanding of joint action generally.
Effect of Pregnancy on Lactation in Mice

Albino mice were used to test the effect of simultaneous pregnancy on lactation in successive lactations. Weights of litters were used to estimate lactational performance by standardizing litters at eight pups on day 1 postpartum and weighing pups immediately after a normal nursing period on days 10, 14 and 20 of lactation. Eight dams were used in each of two treatments:lactating-nonpregnant and lactating-pregnant. Dams were sibling pairs for each treatment to reduce variation. Dams that were simultaneously pregnant and lactating had heavier litters on day 20 of the first lactation and on days 14 and 20 of the second lactation as compared to their lactating-nonpregnant siblings. The results imply that pregnancy provides a stimulus to concurrent and sucessive lactation in the mouse. This may be due to the effect of placental hormones on delaying mammary involution or on maintaining high milk synthesis past day 10 of lactation.
The Collective Moral Autonomy Thesis

Suppose that a government wrongfully ordered the bombing of a civilian population, and suppose it was blameworthy for doing so. The question is whether it is possible that no member of the government was blameworthy or acted wrongly in the matter. More generally, the question is whether it is possible for a collective entity such as a corporation or a state to have an agential moral property even if no member of it has a relevantly corresponding agential moral property. According to the collective moral autonomy (CMA) thesis, this is possible. In this paper, I restrict myself to considering two kinds of agential moral properties, “obligation” and “responsibility.” Accordingly, for my purposes, we can view the CMA thesis as the disjunction of two claims. First is the “forwardlooking” claim (O), that it is possible for a collective to have a moral obligation to do something even if no (natural) person who is a member of that collective has a relevantly related moral obligation—an obligation, as we might say, to take part in bringing it about that the collective fulfills its obligation. Second is the “backward-looking” claim (R), that it is possible for a collective to be morally responsible for having done something (that is, to deserve a specific moral response for having done it, such as praise or blame) even if no (natural) person who is a member of that collective is morally responsible (or deserves the same kind of response) for having done something relevantly related—for having taken a part, as we might say, in bringing it about that the collective did the relevant thing. The CMA thesis might seem dubious for at least two reasons. First, it seems clear that any collective entity is, roughly, “constituted” by its members. This seems clearly to be true of unorganized or minimally organized collectives, such as mobs, discussion groups, and “arbitrary” groups, such as the passengers in an airplane. It seems also to be true of highly organized or institutionalized entities such as armies, universities, and criminal gangs. It might seem to follow that the properties of a collective must be accounted for by properties of its members. Yet even if this is so, it does not follow that a collective has a property only if at least some member has precisely that property. Some states are democracies, for example, but no person is a democracy. Second, collectives are not “independent agents”; that is, a collective can perform an action only if some person or persons act in a way that, in the circumstances, constitutes the collective’s performing that action. But, as I will explain, even if the actions of certain persons constitute an action of a collective, it does not follow that these persons must have acted
Predictors of early childbearing: Evidence from the Chicago longitudinal study

Abstract Using prospective data from the Chicago Longitudinal Study (CLS), we investigated the effects of early childhood and school-age predictors on female childbearing, including participation in the Chicago Child–Parent Center (CPC) Program, and related family and school behaviors. The CLS follows the progress of a single cohort of 1539 low-income, minority children who attended the CPCs and other public early childhood programs in 1985–1986. Birth records were obtained for 706 females (92% of original sample) from survey data collected between ages 22–24 and supplemental public aid and school records. Results from regression and survival analyses indicated that the CPC program had a limited impact on childbearing patterns. There was no evidence that preschool participation was associated with lower rates of early childbearing. CPC school-age participation was linked to significantly lower rates of multiple births by age 20. The most consistent predictor of a female's childbearing status was her parent's educational attainment. Parent involvement in elementary school, children's enrollment in magnet schools, AFDC receipt, and teacher ratings of acting out behavior also were significant predictors of early childbearing. Implications for the tailoring of future interventions are discussed.
Detailed characterization of plasma wave behavior using collective Thomson scattering (invited)

Collective Thomson scattering is widely used to measure bulk plasma parameters in high density, laser-produced plasmas, and is used to detect plasma waves from instabilities. However, inhomogeneity in these small plasmas often leads to a spectrum with insufficient resolution to discern phenomena such as wave damping and nonlinear wave effects. Two techniques are discussed for laser-produced plasmas to overcome these limitations, and provide details of wave damping and nonlinear behavior. First, imaging Thomson scattering is used to obtain spatially resolved plasma wave profiles in a 100–200 eV plasma, and allows us to infer ion-ion collisional damping rates. Second, a diffraction-limited laser beam is used to drive stimulated Raman scattering in a hot plasma, generating large amplitude Langmuir waves. The comparatively small interaction volume permits sufficient spectral resolution to observe nonlinear wave behavior previously unresolved in other experiments.
Estimation of the Phase Distribution in Dental Amalgam with the Electron Microprobe

The phase distributions of several dental amalgams have been determined by two methods: calculation from elemental analysis data obtained with the microprobe, and measurement of phase areas on backscattered electron photographs with the image analyzer. The results of these methods agree, in general, with the distributions predicted by the stoichiometric equations.
Inverses and Systems of Equations

If a, x, y are numbers, then $$ a(x\;{\rm{ + }}\;y)\;{\rm{ = }}\;ax\;{\rm{ + }}\;ay. $$ If A is a linear transformation and X and Y are vectors, then by Theorem 2.1 of Chapter 2.2, $$ A(X\;{\rm{ + }}\;Y)\;{\rm{ = }}\;A(X)\;{\rm{ + }}\;A(Y). $$ Thus we see that the operation which takes a number x into the number ax is somehow similar to the operation which takes a vector X into the vector A(X), where A is a linear transformation.
1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 and TPA activate phospholipase D in Caco-2 cells: role of PKC-α

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3[1,25(OH)2D3] and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) both activated phospholipase D (PLD) in Caco-2 cells. GF-109203x, an inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC) isoform...
The effect of chewing gum on self-reported nicotine withdrawal: is it the flavor, the act of chewing, or both?

article i nfo A healthy alternative that has been shown to lessen the severity of nicotine withdrawal symptoms during brief periods of nicotine abstinence (e.g., 3-4 h) is confectionary chewing gum (Cohen and colleagues, 1997, 1999, & 2001). The current study sought to build upon this line of research by examining the impact of chewing gum on nicotine withdrawal severity over an extended period of nicotine abstinence (e.g., 24 h) while also identifying the specific attributes of chewing gum that may be responsible for the reported decreases in withdrawal. Specifically, the acts of chewing, flavor, as well as the combination of the two, were independently examined. Twenty-four dependent cigarette smokers participated in three experimental conditions (e.g., a flavorless gum base, flavor strips, and flavored chewing gum) as well as a no product control across four weeks while abstaining from smoking for 24 h each week. Using repeated measures ANOVAs, a significant difference in withdrawal severity was reported by participants across conditions, F(3, 69)=2.89, p<.05. Follow-up analyses revealed that the flavored gum condition yielded significantly lower withdrawal scores than the flavorless gum base and no product control conditions. These findings indicate that chewing gum appears useful in lessening the severity of nicotine withdrawal symptoms over a 24-hour period of nicotine abstinence and that it is a combination of flavor and chewing that appears to lead to this effect.
Right pneumothorax with the S1Q3T3 electrocardiogram pattern usually associated with pulmonary embolus

An 18-year-old man presented with a spontaneous right pneumothorax. An initial electrocardiogram (ECG) showed an S wave in lead I, a Q wave in lead III, and an inverted T wave in lead III. This ECG pattern, S1Q3T3, has been most often associated with pulmonary embolus. These changes resolved with partial reexpansion of the lung. Both right and left pneumothorax have been associated with ECG changes, including changes that mimic myocardial ischemia. Because the clinical presentation of pneumothorax may be similar to angina or pulmonary embolus, ECG changes with pneumothorax may lead to confusion in the diagnosis.
Optimum steering of photon beamlines in SPEAR

A common operational requirement for many synchrotron light sources is to maintain steered photon beamlines with minimum corrector strength values. To solve this problem for SPEAR, we employed the singular value decomposition matrix-inversion technique to minimize corrector strengths while constraining the photon beamlines to remain on target. The result was a reduction in corrector strengths, yielding increased overhead for the photon-beam position feedback systems. >
Vaccination of Rhesus Macaques with the Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed Vaccine Produces a Serum Antibody Response That Effectively Neutralizes Receptor-Bound Protective Antigen In Vitro

Anthrax toxin (ATx) is composed of the binary exotoxins lethal toxin (LTx) and edema toxin (ETx). They have separate effector proteins (edema factor and lethal factor) but have the same binding protein, protective antigen (PA). PA is the primary immunogen in the current licensed vaccine anthrax vaccine adsorbed (AVA [BioThrax]). AVA confers protective immunity by stimulating production of ATx-neutralizing antibodies, which could block the intoxication process at several steps (binding of PA to the target cell surface, furin cleavage, toxin complex formation, and binding/translocation of ATx into the cell). To evaluate ATx neutralization by anti-AVA antibodies, we developed two low-temperature LTx neutralization activity (TNA) assays that distinguish antibody blocking before and after binding of PA to target cells (noncomplexed [NC] and receptor-bound [RB] TNA assays). These assays were used to investigate anti-PA antibody responses in AVA-vaccinated rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) that survived an aerosol challenge with Bacillus anthracis Ames spores. Results showed that macaque anti-AVA sera neutralized LTx in vitro, even when PA was prebound to cells. Neutralization titers in surviving versus nonsurviving animals and between prechallenge and postchallenge activities were highly correlated. These data demonstrate that AVA stimulates a myriad of antibodies that recognize multiple neutralizing epitopes and confirm that change, loss, or occlusion of epitopes after PA is processed from PA83 to PA63 at the cell surface does not significantly affect in vitro neutralizing efficacy. Furthermore, these data support the idea that the full-length PA83 monomer is an appropriate immunogen for inclusion in next-generation anthrax vaccines.
Exploring the distribution of alcohol violation-types in North Carolina between 2000 and 2011

Abstract Background We used an exhaustive dataset of violations from the NC Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) agency to analyze 12 years of alcohol-related violations in NC. Methods Descriptive statistics were used to explore distribution and epidemiology of alcohol citations, including distributions by demographic factors, month, day of the week, and time of day. Results Approximately 47,065 citations were issued by ALE during this time. The majority of the citations were issued to non-Hispanic (96%), white (89%), males (65%). The median age was 19 years old (range 18–94). The months with the most citations were August through October and April. Citations issued on Thursday through Sunday accounted for approximately 87% of all citations issued. The most common types of violations were underage possession of beer/wine (55.5%), providing beer/wine to someone underage (13.6%), and underage possession of liquor (8.8%). Conclusion This is the first study to examine the epidemiology of alcohol-related violations over a large geographical area. Other states, provinces, and/or countries can use these findings to exam if their distribution alcohol-related violations are comparable with this study, and explore associations between such data and alcohol use behaviors.
Design of an argumentation-based negotiation support system

This paper proposes a framework to model the negotiation process using a dialectic based argumentation language, which preserves and captures the qualitative aspects of the negotiation process. The argumentation language helps in representing the structure of the negotiation process and provides a normative argumentative evaluation methodology to represent and capture the roles played by the different participants in the negotiation process. The design of a prototype negotiation support system is described along with its intended use. >
Carbon Sequestration in Forests and Soils

Forests can play a large role in climate change through the sequestration or emission of carbon, an important greenhouse gas; through biological growth, which can increase forest stocks; or through deforestation, which can increase carbon emissions. Carbon is captured not only in tree biomass but also in forest soils. Forest management and public policy can strongly influence the sequestration process. Economic policies can provide incentives for both forest expansion and contraction. Systems that provide prices for carbon sequestration or taxes for emissions can have important effects on emission and sequestration levels. Issues involve carbon additionality, permanence, and leakage. Forest measurement, monitoring, and verification also provide serious challenges. Various economic models are used to estimate the effects of various economic policies on forest carbon stocks. Estimates from the literature of some actual and potential levels of forest carbon are presented.
Surgeon-performed ultrasound can predict benignity in thyroid nodules

nodules. Methods. A retrospective review of 624 patients with solitary or dominant thyroid nodules and prospectively collected data of SUS nodule features before thyroidectomy (benign = 407; malignant = 217) was performed. A specific model for statistical analysis was created to predict benignity. Results. Significant predictors of benignity by SUS after logistic regression included isoechogenicity, cystic component, no microcalcifications, regular borders, and size 4 cm or a history of thyroid cancer, thyroid nodules measuring 1–4 cm with the presence of the 4 other criteria by SUS was 98.5% specific for the detection of benign pathology (1.5% false-negative rate). Conclusion. Approximately 10% of thyroidectomy patients had benign nodules that were 1–4 cm, isoechoic, with regular borders, had a cystic component, and no microcalcifications by SUS. Patients without clinical risk factors and these SUS features may safely forego further fine needle aspiration and thyroid lobectomy, and can be monitored with serial ultrasound examinations. (Surgery 2011;150:436-41.)
NO QUICK FIXES: ADDING CONTENT ABOUT WOMEN TO ECOLOGY COURSE MATERIALS

This study reports on a three-semester model project designed to assess the impact of enriched content related to Women's and Gender Studies on students enrolled in an undergraduate ecology course. The two constructs of interest were (a) students' attitudes toward women in science and society and (b) students' assessment of the classroom climate for women. The data included 398 matched pretest and posttest survey responses from a control group, a minimal enrichment group, and an increased enrichment group. Findings indicated that, although small course revisions did not influence students' attitudes toward women in science and society, such revisions had a positive influence on students' assessments of the classroom climate.
BCFG: a configuration management tool for heterogeneous environments

Since clusters were first introduced, node counts have increased rapidly. Currently, a variety of clusters with more than one thousand nodes are listed on the TOP500 list. In the next three years, clusters with more than four thousand nodes are expected. Cluster management functionality has lagged behind all areas of system software. In order to effectively manage the clusters of today and tomorrow, the basic cluster management software model must change. Current techniques focus on the management of single nodes, as opposed to complete cluster configurations. This approach typically leads to automatic management of compute nodes, while using ad-hoc techniques to manage service nodes. Configuration management is the process where software configurations on clients are installed, updated and verified. To address these issues, we have begun the development of BCFG, a symbolic configuration management tools for heterogeneous clusters. It uses a multi-tiered configuration description.
Modular decomposition and transitive orientation

A module of an undirected graph is a set X of nodes such for each node x not in X, either every member of X is adjacent to x, or no member of X is adjacent to x. There is a canonical linear-space representation for the modules of a graph, called the modular decomposition. Closely related to modular decomposition is the transitive orientation problem, which is the problem of assigning a direction to each edge of a graph so that the resulting digraph is transitive. A graph is a comparability graph if such an assignment is possible. We give O(n+m) algorithms for modular decomposition and transitive orientation, where n and m are the number of vertices and edges of the graph. This gives linear time bounds for recognizing permutation graphs, maximum clique and minimum vertex coloring on comparability graphs, and other combinatorial problems on comparability graphs and their complements. c 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
Phenomenalism, Idealism and Gurwitsch’s Account of the Sensory Noema

The relation between phenomenology and idealism was something a number of those around this table puzzled over here back in the 60’s. Professor Gurwitsch used to argue persuasively and, I think, correctly that neither perceived objects nor perceptual noemata can be correctly thought of as eide in Husserl’s sense of that esoteric word. Yet one thing which makes his meaning of the word so very abstruse is the fact that Husserl entirely agrees with this conviction yet speaks all the while of the noematic objects of perceptual experiences as ideals [i.e., Ideen im Kantischen Sinn].1 From the late 1920’s throughout his distinguished career, Gurwitsch argued, if I read him correctly, that the description of the perceptually meant object need not refer to an idea of the object which would be distinct from the sense or meaning of the object; the perceptual noema has, he insisted, no such constituent.
Building information modeling laboratory exercises in a construction science and management building systems course

This paper presents the development of Building Information Modeling laboratory exercises focused on Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) Systems in buildings. These laboratory exercises were developed to help construction science and management students better visualize and understand building systems and their relationship with each other as well as with other building components such as structural and architectural element. A popular BIM package was used to model the systems from an existing plan set, allowing the students to develop practical modeling skills, while providing a better understanding of MEP plan sets and system layout fundamentals. The BIM exercises were not used to replace, but rather supplement, the existing course laboratory exercises. The paper also discusses the perceived benefits as well as the challenges of using BIM as part of the teaching process. In addition to presenting the instructor experiences, a discussion of the results and observations stemming from student surveys collected at the end of the course is included. The paper ends presenting future changes to the course organization, as well as improvements to the course laboratory BIM exercises, that the author feels are required to facilitate the inclusion of BIM into the course.
Buyer-Induced Supplier Collaboration through Commitment to Low Prices and Diversified Sourcing

How can a powerful buyer in development-intensive industries utilize supplier collaboration? To answer this question, we formulate a stylized game-theoretic model of two suppliers, focal and partner, with varying technological capabilities, where the focal supplier has a greater business power than the partner supplier. We analyze supplier collaboration by studying the trade-off between cost-improvement synergies and uncertain coordination costs, where this trade-off may not only be altered by the buyer's operational decisions, but also by suppliers' characteristics. We show that the buyer prefers supplier collaboration when suppliers have similar technological capabilities and business power. To enable collaboration, the buyer may jointly engage in two strategies: commitment to low prices and diversified sourcing through egalitarian allocations. Supported by examples from the semiconductor and defense industries, commitment to procure at competitively low prices persuades the suppliers to collaborate. Egalitarian allocations --- allocations that favor the partner supplier when suppliers can collaborate, but fail to do so --- can effectively maintain the collaboration by dealing with the coordination cost uncertainty.
How Is Physiology Relevant to Behavior Analysis

Physiology is an important biological science; but behavior analysis is not a biological science, and behavior analysts can safely ignore biological processes. However, ignoring products of biological processes might be a serious mistake. The important products include behavior, instinctive drift, behavior potentials, hunger, and many developmental milestones and events. Physiology deals with the sources of such products; behavior analysis can deal with how the products affect behavior, which can be understood without understanding their sources.
Development of mucosal protection against the heat-stable enterotoxin (ST) of Escherichia coli by oral immunization with a genetic fusion delivered by a bacterial vector.

Abstract An LT-B-ST (LT-B/ST) fusion peptide was constructed by genetically joining the 5' terminus of a synthetic gene coding for the heat-stable enterotoxin (ST) of Escherichia coli to the 3' terminus of the gene coding for the binding subunit of the heat-labile enterotoxin (LT-B) of E. coli. An eight-amino-acid, proline-containing linker was included between the LT-B and ST moieties. An aroA mutant of Salmonella dublin transformed with a plasmid carrying this genetic construct was shown to express a fusion peptide with antigenic determinants of both LT-B and ST. Mice were immunized orally with this strain or with a control strain expressing just LT-B from the same plasmid. Sera and mucosal secretions were obtained and analyzed for the presence of serum immunoglobulin G and mucosal immunoglobulin A that were able to recognize LT-B and ST by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and, more importantly, were able to neutralize native ST in the suckling mouse assay. Sera and mucosal secretions from animals immunized with the strain expressing the LT-B/ST fusion exhibited detectable ELISA reactivity against LT-B but not against native ST. However, even in the absence of detectable ELISA reactivity, both sera and mucosal secretions from these animals were able to neutralize the biological activity of native ST in the suckling mouse assay. These findings are important because they demonstrate the development of mucosal protection against ST by oral immunization with a genetic fusion delivered by a bacterial vector.
Percutaneous Lymphatic Embolization of Abnormal Pulmonary Lymphatic Flow as Treatment of Plastic Bronchitis in Patients With Congenital Heart Disease

Background—Plastic bronchitis is a potentially fatal disorder occurring in children with single-ventricle physiology, and other diseases, as well, such as asthma. In this study, we report findings ...
Keratoconus in vitro and the key players of the TGF-β pathway.

Purpose: Keratoconus (KC) is a corneal thinning disease of unknown etiology whose pathophysiology is correlated with the presence of a thin corneal stroma and altered extracellular matrix (ECM). Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling is a key regulator of ECM secretion and assembly in multiple tissues, including the anterior segment of the eye, and it has been linked to KC. We have previously shown that human keratoconus cells (HKCs) have a myofibroblast phenotype and altered ECM assembly compared to normal human corneal fibroblasts (HCFs). Moreover, TGF-β3 treatment promotes assembly of a more normal stromal ECM and modulates the fibrotic phenotype in HKCs. Herein, we identify alterations in TGF-β signaling that contribute to the observed fibrotic phenotype in HKCs. Methods: HCFs and HKCs were stimulated with TGF-β1, TGF-β2, or TGF-β3 isoforms (0.1 ng/mL) in the presence of a stable vitamin C derivative (0.5 mM) for 4 weeks. All samples were examined using RT–PCR and western blotting to quantify changes in the expressions of key TGF-β signaling molecules between HCFs and HKCs. Results: We found a significant downregulation in the SMAD6 and SMAD7 expressions by HKCs when compared to HCFs (p≤0.05). Moreover, stimulation of HKCs with any of the three TGF-β isoforms did not significantly alter the expressions of SMAD6 or SMAD7. HCFs also showed an upregulation in TGF-βRI, TGF-βRII, and TGF-βRIII following TGF-β3 treatment, whereas HKCs showed a significant two-fold downregulation. Conclusions: Overall, our data shows the decreased expressions of the regulatory SMADs SMAD6 and SMAD7 by HKCs contribute to the pathological ECM structure observed in KC, and TGF-β3 may attenuate this mechanism by downregulating the expression of the key profibrotic receptor, TGF-βRII. Our study suggests a significant role of altered regulation of TGF-β signaling in KC progression and that it may enable novel therapeutic developments targeting TGF-β receptor regulation.
Straightforward, One-Step Synthesis of Alkanethiol-capped Silver Nanoparticles from an Aggregative Model of Growth

Classical nucleation theory and Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, Overbeek (DLVO) theory for colloidal stability were applied to gain insight into the synthesis of dodecanethiol (DDT) functionalized silver nanoparticles (NPs) by reduction of silver nitrate with sodium borohydride in ethanol. This analysis indicated the importance of quickly establishing a dense DDT ligand brush on inherently unstable primary particles to achieve colloidal stability. The DLVO calculations also indicated that the electrostatic potential was a minor contributor to repulsive interactions, signifying that it would be possible to control NP size and uniformity in solutions with high ionic strength, as long as sufficient DDT was available to form a densely packed ligand layer on the NPs. These insights were applied to design a new straightforward, one-step, one-phase synthesis for the production of alkanethiol-functionalized silver NPs. To test the insights from DLVO theory, 16 samples were synthesized in the parameter space R = 3–12, ...
Cloning of human Bcl-2 homologue: inflammatory cytokines induce human A1 in cultured endothelial cells

Bcl-2 is an intracellular membrane-associated protein that functions to block programmed cell death. Despite recurrent exposure to cellular toxins from the circulation and tissue, endothelial cells are remarkably resistant to cell death. Because Bcl-2 protein levels are low or undetectable in endothelial cells, we postulated that other members of the growing Bcl-2 family would be present in endothelial cells to provide protection against apoptosis. Degenerate primers to two conserved regions of the Bcl-2 family were used to amplify potential homologues in endothelial cells. This strategy resulted in the isolation of a human Bcl-2 homologue related to murine Al, a recently identified member of this family. We show here that, in endothelial cells, human Al is rapidly inducible by phorbol ester and the inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin- 1beta, but not by the growth factors, basic fibroblast growth factor or vascular endothelial growth factor. Al is the only known Bcl-2 family member that is inducible by inflammatory cytokines, suggesting that it may play a protective role during inflammation. Additionally, vascular smooth muscle cells and various nonhematopoietic tissues express human Al, indicating that human Al is a widely expressed Bcl-2 homologue.
Are We Teaching them Anything?: A Model for Measuring Methodology Skills in the Political Science Major

ABSTRACTWhile the literature emphasizes the importance of teaching political science students methods skills, there currently exists little guidance for how to assess student learning over the course of their time in the major. To address this gap, we develop a model set of assessment tools that may be adopted and adapted by political science departments to evaluate the effect of their own methods instruction. The model includes a syllabi analysis, evaluation of capstone (senior) papers, and a transcript analysis. We apply these assessment tools to our own department to examine whether students demonstrate a range of basic-to-advanced methodological skills. Our results support the conclusion that students at our institution are learning methodological skills, but that there is room for improvement. Additionally, the results support others’ conclusions regarding the importance of an integrative approach to methods instruction. For those in the discipline seeking to understand the effect of methods instruct...
Novel Identity and Functional Markers for Human Corneal Endothelial Cells.

Purpose Human corneal endothelial cell (HCEC) density decreases with age, surgical complications, or disease, leading to vision impairment. Such endothelial dysfunction is an indication for corneal transplantation, although there is a worldwide shortage of transplant-grade tissue. To overcome the current poor donor availability, here we isolate, expand, and characterize HCECs in vitro as a step toward cell therapy.