cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lung resection is safe and feasible among stage IV cancer patients: An American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program analysis.

Background Operative resection can be associated with improved survival for selected patients with stage IV malignancies but may also be associated with prohibitive acute morbidity and mortality. We sought to evaluate rates of acute morbidity and mortality after lung resection in patients with disseminated malignancy with primary lung cancer and non–lung cancer pulmonary metastatic disease. Methods For 2011–2012, 6,360 patients were identified from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program undergoing lung resections, including 603 patients with disseminated malignancy. Logistic regression analyses were used to compare outcomes between patients with and without disseminated malignancy. Results After controlling for preoperative and intraoperative differences, we observed no statistically significant differences in rates of 30-day overall and serious morbidity or mortality between disseminated malignancy and non–disseminated malignancy patients (P > .05). Disseminated malignancy patients were less likely to have a prolonged duration of stay and be discharged to a facility compared to non–disseminated malignancy patients (P < .05). Subgroup analyses by procedure type and diagnosis showed similar results. Conclusion Disseminated malignancy patients undergoing lung resections experienced low rates of overall morbidity, serious morbidity, and mortality comparable to non–disseminated malignancy patients. These data suggest that lung resections may be performed safely on carefully selected, disseminated malignancy patients with both primary lung cancer and pulmonary metastatic disease, with important implications for multimodality care.
A Checklist for Reviewing a Paper

Despite the crucial importance of high quality reviewing for the scientific process, new scholars often learn how to do this based on casual advice and trial-and-error learning. We offer a checklist that helps referees systematically develop high quality referee reports and avoid some of the common pitfalls, in the spirit of the checklists used with success by surgeons and airplane pilots.The specific format in our checklist is not the only or `best’ one, but we believe it is useful, especially for junior scholars, to have access to at least one effective format laid out in a very specific form. This checklist is based upon ideas in Berk, Harvey and Hirshleifer (2016; 2017 forthcoming).See our companion papers:Preparing a Referee Report: Guidelines and Perspectives and How to Write an Effective Referee Report and Improve the Scientific Review Process.
Scalable system scheduling for HPC and big data

Abstract In the rapidly expanding field of parallel processing, job schedulers are the “operating systems” of modern big data architectures and supercomputing systems. Job schedulers allocate computing resources and control the execution of processes on those resources. Historically, job schedulers were the domain of supercomputers, and job schedulers were designed to run massive, long-running computations over days and weeks. More recently, big data workloads have created a need for a new class of computations consisting of many short computations taking seconds or minutes that process enormous quantities of data. For both supercomputers and big data systems, the efficiency of the job scheduler represents a fundamental limit on the efficiency of the system. Detailed measurement and modeling of the performance of schedulers are critical for maximizing the performance of a large-scale computing system. This paper presents a detailed feature analysis of 15 supercomputing and big data schedulers. For big data workloads, the scheduler latency is the most important performance characteristic of the scheduler. A theoretical model of the latency of these schedulers is developed and used to design experiments targeted at measuring scheduler latency. Detailed benchmarking of four of the most popular schedulers (Slurm, Son of Grid Engine, Mesos, and Hadoop YARN) is conducted. The theoretical model is compared with data and demonstrates that scheduler performance can be characterized by two key parameters: the marginal latency of the scheduler t s and a nonlinear exponent α s . For all four schedulers, the utilization of the computing system decreases to 90% for all four of the schedulers that were tested.
Evaluation of targeted antimicrobial prophylaxis for transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy: a prospective cohort trial.

We evaluated the effectiveness of targeted antimicrobial prophylaxis in transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy (TRUSP). A prospective, non-randomized cohort study was conducted. Rectal swab cultures plated on non-selective blood agar and on selective MacConkey agar supplemented with ciprofloxacin identified ciprofloxacin-susceptible and –resistant gram-negative bacteria (CS-GNB and CR-GNB). Patients with CS-GNB received ciprofloxacin while those with CR-GNB received directed prophylaxis. Infectious complications were defined clinically and microbiologically within 30 days after TRUSP. Data were derived at 7 and 30 days post procedure by questionnaires and electronic medical records. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in the infectious outcomes among the CS and CR groups. From November 1, 2012 to March 31, 2015, 510 men completed the study; 430 (84.3%) had CS-GNB and 80 (15.7%) had CR-GNB. 484 (94.9%) completed the study per protocol, while 26 (5.1%) had an intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. Of the 484, 475 (98.1%) had no infections, nine (1.9%) had infections, six of which (1.2%) were culture-proven (CP). The nine infections were as follows: five (1.0%) uncomplicated UTIs, one (0.2%) complicated UTI, and three (0.6%) urosepsis. One case of uncomplicated UTI and two cases of urosepsis were not CP, but were diagnosed clinically. ITT outcomes were similar. The infection rates were not statistically different between the CS-and CR-GNB patients (p-value = 0.314; 95% CI 0.8–3.3). The four patients with complicated UTIs or sepsis were hospitalized for a mean of 2.6 days and discharged without sequelae. Of the nine infections, three were antimicrobial prophylaxis failures (two ciprofloxacin and one amikacin); three were likely due to failure of the collection or processing of the rectal swab or increasing bacterial resistance between the time of swab collection and biopsy, and three developed clinical infections with no isolate recovered. Targeted antimicrobial prophylaxis follows the principles of antimicrobial stewardship and achieved a low rate of infectious complications with limited morbidity and no sequelae. This individualized method of prophylaxis may be widely applied. Further studies are needed to explore reasons for targeted prophylaxis failure and to determine comparative efficacy of non-ciprofloxacin-containing targeted prophylaxis regimens. ClinicalTrials.gov. NCT01659866 . Registered 9 July 2012. First patient enrolled 1 November 2012.
Design and characterization of a wideband high-dynamic range SiGe cryogenic low noise amplifier

The design and characterization of a cryogenic SiGe HBT low-noise amplifier optimized for high dynamic range is presented. The design leverages cryogenic SiGe HBT models capable of simultaneously describing weak nonlinearity, noise, and small-signal performance. The integrated circuit was realized in the Global Foundries 0.12 μm BiCMOS 8HP technology platform and operates from 1–20 GHz. When biased at a power consumption of 60 mW and operated at a physical temperature of 17 K, the amplifier provides an average gain and SFDR of 23 dB and 60 dB/GHz, respectively. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the highest SFDR achieved by a wideband integrated circuit LNA at cryogenic temperatures.
Analytic processing of distance

How does a human observer extract from the distance between two frontal points the component corresponding to an axis of a rectangular reference frame? To find out we had participants classify pairs of small circles, varying on the horizontal and vertical axes of a computer screen, in terms of the horizontal distance between them. A response signal controlled response time. The error rate depended on the irrelevant vertical as well as the relevant horizontal distance between the test circles with the relevant distance effect being larger than the irrelevant distance effect. The results implied that the horizontal distance between the test circles was imperfectly extracted from the overall distance between them. The results supported an account, derived from the Exemplar Based Random Walk model (Nosofsky & Palmieri, 1997), under which distance classification is based on the overall distance between the test circles, with relevant distance being extracted from overall distance to the extent that the relevant and irrelevant axes are differentially weighted so as to reduce the contribution of irrelevant distance to overall distance. The results did not support an account, derived from the General Recognition Theory (Ashby & Maddox, 1994), under which distance classification is based on the relevant distance between the test circles, with the irrelevant distance effect arising because a test circle's perceived location on the relevant axis depends on its location on the irrelevant axis, and with relevant distance being extracted from overall distance to the extent that this dependency is absent.
Comparing Outcomes of Genetic Counseling Options in Breast and Ovarian Cancer: An Integrative Review .

Problem identification Genetic counseling is vital in helping people at high risk for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) make informed decisions to undergo BRCA testing. Many people, particularly those in rural locations, lack access to these services. This review examines evidence to determine if remotely delivered genetic counseling via telephone or telemedicine is an effective alternative to in-person counseling for people who are at high risk for HBOC. . Literature search A literature review was completed by searching PubMed, SCOPUS, and CINAHL® databases. . Data evaluation 151 articles were identified from the search, and 7 were included in the review. . Synthesis Patients' BRCA knowledge acquisition, cancer-specific distress, anxiety, depression, and satisfaction with mode of counseling delivery were equivalent between in-person and remotely delivered counseling groups. Genetic testing rates were significantly higher in participants receiving in-person counseling. Remotely delivered genetic counseling was more convenient and less expensive. Mixed outcomes existed regarding counselor-patient communication. . Implications for practice The demand for genetic counseling will grow as advances in cancer genomics reveal genes that may contribute to cancer predisposition. Innovative delivery models are necessary to ensure that all people have access to care.
Liberal Ideologies and Federal School Reform: Following Individualism, Meliorism, and Neutrality through SIG Policy to Adelante Alternative School.

By exploring how liberalism is at work through a federally driven effort to improve academic achievement in schools serving youth of color and those from low-income communities, this article attemp...
A comparative analysis of computer-aided design team performance with collaboration software

ABSTRACTFor the past several years, the BYU CAD Lab has been developing collaborative computer-aided design (CAD) software. As this software is being developed, industry seeks to better understand ...
Diminishing Returns at Corporate U: Chinese Undergraduates and Composition’s Activist Legacy

This article draws on a qualitative study of Chinese undergraduates at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, one of the top US enrollers of international students from China. Throughout, I study these students’ efforts to secure returns on what they described as an expensive and uncertain educational investment, often by asserting their power as consumers of US higher education. In particular, I argue that their struggles against segregation make visible broader changes in how student agency is made available in our corporate universities, prompting composition scholars to adapt the field’s tradition of student advocacy to our moment of fiscal turmoil and shifting institutional priorities.
Relationship between Selenium and Hematological Markers in Young Adults with Normal Weight or Overweight/Obesity.

Selenium deficiency has been linked to anemia of inflammation, which is mediated by hepcidin. However, there are few studies providing evidence of the role of hepcidin in this relationship. In this study, we investigated the interrelationships among selenium biomarkers, hepcidin concentration, and iron status among individuals with overweight/obesity compared to their normal weight counterparts, since obesity is associated with chronic inflammation. A total of 59 college students were recruited for this study. Fasting blood samples were collected for the analysis of iron status, plasma selenoproteins (glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity and selenoprotein P (SEPP1)), and plasma hepcidin. Subjects completed three-day dietary records to determine average daily nutrient intakes. SEPP1 concentration, GPX activity, and iron status biomarkers (serum iron, transferrin saturation, and hemoglobin concentration) were lower among individuals with overweight/obesity compared with individuals with normal weight, but these differences were not significant (p > 0.05). Regression analysis showed that GPX activity (β = −0.018, p = 0.008) and SEPP1 concentration (β = −1.24, p = 0.03) were inversely associated with hepcidin concentration. The inverse association between selenoproteins and hepcidin concentration supports a potential role of hepcidin as a mediator between selenium and iron status and warrants further studies to better understand this relationship.
Guideline Adherence and Hearing Outcomes of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss in the Military Health System

Introduction The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation clinical practice guideline (CPG) proposes several treatment recommendations regarding sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). The treatments for this disorder have been controversial and remain varied. We sought to determine CPG adherence and hearing outcomes of SSNHL within the Military Health System (MHS). Materials and methods This was a retrospective case series with chart review of the MHS's electronic medical record. Patients with SSNHL (n = 112) were treated between March 1, 2012 and September 30, 2015. Clinical improvement was defined as a 20-dB improvement in pure tone averages or a 20% increase in word recognition scores. Results Oral steroids were used in 63 (56%) patients, intratympanic (IT) steroids were utilized in 11 (10%) patients, and combination therapy was used in 38 (34%) patients. Average pure tone averages improvements with oral steroids, IT steroids, and combination therapy were 31.2 dB (95% CI, 24.4-38.0), 13.4 dB (95% CI, 0.4-29.6), and 17.3 dB (95% CI, 9.32-25.3), respectively. Average word recognition scores improvements with oral steroids, IT steroids, and combination therapy were 29.64% (95% CI, 19.5-39.7), 14.43% (95% CI, -8.32 to 45.3), and 18.48% (95% CI, 5.48-31.5), respectively. Clinical improvements with oral steroids, IT steroids, and combination therapy were 65, 46, and 50%, respectively. Conclusion The MHS is uniquely positioned to evaluate adherence to CPGs on a national and international level given the robust and standardized electronic medical record. Areas identified for improvement include more timely initiation of treatment, standardization of IT steroid dosing, more accurate coding for diagnosis and treatment, and standardization of audiology evaluation.
Hyperfine Structure and Nuclear Moments of Lu 175

The hyperfine structures of the $5d6{s}^{2}^{2}D_{\frac{3}{2}}$ ground state of ${\mathrm{Lu}}^{175}$ and its associated $^{2}D_{\frac{5}{2}}$ metastable state have been studied by means of the atomic beam magnetic resonance method. Radio-frequency transitions belonging to seven of the eight hfs intervals have been measured, as well as low-frequency ($\ensuremath{\Delta}F=0$) transitions at various magnetic fields in both states. The analysis of these data by means of an electronic computer yields not only precise values for the different interaction constants and the electronic $g$ factors, but also the first directly measured value for the nuclear $g$ factor of ${\mathrm{Lu}}^{175}$. The results are as follows $^{2}D_{\frac{3}{2}}$: $A=194.3316\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0004$ Mc/sec, $B=1511.4015\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0030$ Mc/sec, ${g}_{J}=\ensuremath{-}0.79921\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.00008$, ${{g}_{I}}^{\ensuremath{'}}=+(3.50\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.16)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ (with ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{I}$ expressed in Bohr magnetons), whence ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{I}=+(2.25\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.10)$ nm. $^{2}D_{\frac{5}{2}}$: $A=146.7790\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0008$ Mc/sec, $B=1860.6480\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0080$ Mc/sec, ${g}_{J}=\ensuremath{-}1.20040\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.00016$, ${{g}_{I}}^{\ensuremath{'}}=+(3.13\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.24)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ (with ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{I}$ expressed in Bohr magnetons), whence ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{I}=+(2.01\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.15)$ nm.The values for the nuclear magnetic moment quoted for the two states are somewhat different from one another, even though their limits of error just overlap. The reason for this difference is not fully understood. For the present the mean of the two values, viz. ${\ensuremath{\mu}}_{I}=+(2.17\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.19)$ nm (corrected for diamagnetic shielding effect) is taken as the best value. The nuclear electric quadrupole moment has been calculated from the $B$ factors to be $Q=+(5.68\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.06)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}24}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ (without Sternheimer correction). The accuracy of the present investigation was not sufficient to allow the derivation of an octupole moment.In the interpretation of the experimentally observed $A$ factors configuration mixing had to be considered.
Early diagnosis and laparoscopic treatment of congenital gastric wall muscular defect

Objective To summarize the clinical features of congenital gastric wall muscular defect and explore the role of laparoscopy in its early diagnosis and treatment prior to gastric rupture in neonates. Methods Clinical parameters of two neonates with congenital gastric wall muscular defect undergoing laparoscopy in 2018 were analyzed.There were 1 3-day-old full-term boy and 1 4-day-old premature girl with a gestational age of 38+ 2 and 34 weeks and a body weight of 2540 and 1800 grams.Both cases were characterized by abdominal distension and self-defecation.All infection parameters were normal.Abdominal radiology indicated a giant gastric bubble and gastrointestinal decompression was ineffective.Upper gastroenterography showed decreased gastric peristalsis and obstruction of contrast media through pylorus.During laparoscopic exploration, congenital gastric wall muscular defect was confirmed without perforation.Then laparoscopic gastric wall repair was performed. Results There was no obvious sign of postoperative infection or anastomotic leakage.At Week 1 post-operatively, upper gastroenterography showed that both gastric wall shape and peristalsis ability were normal.After gradual feeding, there was no vomiting or other discomforts before discharging.The database searches of CNKI, Wanfang, CQVIP, Pubmed, Clinicalkey and Google Scholar up until December 2018 yielded no report of laparoscopy in early diagnosis and treatment of congenital gastric wall muscular defect prior to gastric rupture. Conclusions For doubtful cases congenital gastric wall muscular defect with imaging evidence of decreased gastric peristalsis, an exploration of laparoscopy is recommended.And laparoscopy lowers the risks of such serious complications as septicemia and infectious shock after gastric rupture. Key words: Laparoscopes; Gastric wall muscular defect, congenital; Infant, newborn
COVID19 Acute respiratory distress syndrome and extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation;A mere option or ultimate necessity

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is considered a salvage therapy in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and refractory hypoxemia (hypoxemia persisting despite lung-protective ventilation). One aspect of ECMO is whether there would be an application of the technology related to the Coronavirus pandemic. The number of people diagnosed with Coronavirus disease (COVID19) has crossed the five million mark on 9 August 2020, with a case fatality rate of 5.2%. Due to this exponential increase in the number of coronavirus disease (COVID19) cases particularly the ones associated with ARDS, experts are evaluating the need for ECMO in intensive care units. Herein, we chronicle a review encompassing the available evidence on ECMO and its potential role in COVID19 ARDS, as we aim for optimal patient care with appropriate resource utilization and conservation.
Dynamic and Static Working Conditions: Examining the Work of Special Education Teachers

This study examines how working conditions shape the practical experiences of special education teachers. Through observations and interviews, I found that staff absences and scheduling conflicts d...
Crosstalk Between mRNA 3'-End Processing and Epigenetics

The majority of eukaryotic genes produce multiple mRNA isoforms by using alternative poly(A) sites in a process called alternative polyadenylation (APA). APA is a dynamic process that is highly regulated in development and in response to extrinsic or intrinsic stimuli. Mis-regulation of APA has been linked to a wide variety of diseases, including cancer, neurological and immunological disorders. Since the first example of APA was described 40 years ago, the regulatory mechanisms of APA have been actively investigated. Conventionally, research in this area has focused primarily on the roles of regulatory cis-elements and trans-acting RNA-binding proteins. Recent studies, however, have revealed important functions for epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA and histone modifications and higher-order chromatin structures, in APA regulation. Here we will discuss these recent findings and their implications for our understanding of the crosstalk between epigenetics and mRNA 3'-end processing.
A parameterized family of quadratic class groups with 3-Sylow subgroups of rank at least three

In a recent paper, Kishi and Komatsu have shown that the complex quadratic fields of discriminant $$\begin{aligned} \Delta _{18} = 4 - 3^{18n+3} \end{aligned}$$ have a class group whose 3-Sylow subgroup is of rank at least three for all integers n. The Kishi and Komatsu paper proves this by looking at the structure of the algebraic fields involved. Our purpose in this paper is to show that the class groups for the order whose discriminant is $$\Delta _{18}$$ have a 3-SSG of rank at least three, to show this using elementary means that would have been available to Gauss, and to elucidate further the group structure of the subgroup of classes of order 3. More generally, we shall show that $$\Delta _{18}$$ is actually a special case of a more general sequence of discriminants, all of which can be shown parametrically to have a class group whose 3-Sylow subgroup has rank at least three.
Energy-Dependent Neutron Transport

Fast neutrons generally lose energy when they undergo collisions with nuclei. When the incident neutron energy exceeds the lowest excitation level of the target nucleus such interactions can be inelastic. In this case the target nucleus absorbs some of the neutron’s kinetic energy and the system kinetic energy is not conserved in the interaction. Therefore the energy loss may be uncorrelated with the scattering angle. However, under some conditions the internal energy of the target nucleus may not be changed by the neutron interaction. Classically this occurs when the neutron energy is below the lowest excitation energy of the target nucleus. In this case the scattering is elastic and kinetic energy is conserved. In many materials the slowing down of neutrons from a few hundred keV to thermal energies may be described to a reasonable degree of accuracy by the physics of elastic collisions. For hydrogen, this range of validity extends from a few MeV to thermal energies.
Therapy of Chronic Graft-v-Host Disease in a Rat Model

Chronic graft-v-host disease (GVHD) is the most frequent late complication of allogeneic bone marrow (BM) transplant. To test different treatments, we used a rat model of chronic GVHD which clinically, histologically, and immunologically resembles the disease occurring after human marrow transplant. The following treatments were administered: azathioprine 50 mg/kg/day plus prednisone 1 mg/kg/every other day; Cyclosporine (CsA) 30 mg/kg/day; CsA 30 mg/kg/day plus prednisone 1 mg/kg/every other day; thalidomide 50 mg/kg/day; thalidomide 10 mg/kg/day; CsA 10 mg/kg/day; and thalidomide 10 mg/kg/day plus CsA 10 mg/kg/day. All drugs were administered by gavage. Half of the animals (six of 12) treated with azathioprine plus prednisone every other day responded to treatment. The majority of animals (seven of 12) treated with CsA died early. The addition of prednisone every other day did not improve survival. The surviving animals treated with CsA (with or without prednisone) responded to treatment. Half of the animals treated with each of the above regimens had recurrent or progressive disease after therapy was discontinued. Thalidomide treatment was successful in the majority of animals (16 of 18). The addition of low-dose CsA to low-dose thalidomide resulted in a faster rate of response (12.1 +/- 1.8 v 28.2 +/- 1.6 days). We conclude that both thalidomide and thalidomide plus CsA appear promising in this model as treatment for chronic GVHD.
Deep‐slab fluids fuel extremophilic Archaea on a Mariana forearc serpentinite mud volcano: Ocean Drilling Program Leg 195

[1] As the Pacific plate subducts beneath the Mariana forearc it releases water that hydrates the overlying mantle wedge, converting it to serpentinite that protrudes to form mud volcanoes at the seafloor. Excess H2O ascends through these mud volcanoes and exits as cold springs at their summits. The composition of this deep-slab derived water has been determined by drilling on two of these seamounts. It has a pH of 12.5 and, relative to seawater, is enriched in sulfate, alkalinity, Na/Cl, K, Rb, B, light hydrocarbons, ammonia, 18O, and deuterium, and depleted in chloride, Mg, Ca, Sr, Li, Si, phosphate, and 87Sr. Within the upper 20 m below seafloor at South Chamorro Seamount a microbial community operating at pH 12.5, made up overwhelmingly of Archaea, is oxidizing methane from the ascending fluid to carbonate ion and organic carbon, while reducing sulfate to bisulfide and probably dissolved nitrogen to ammonia.
Spinal Cord Stimulation for Electrical Storm Refractory to Conventional Medical Treatment: An Emerging Indication?

Objective To observe the effect of thoracic spinal cord stimulation with dual octipolar epidural electrodes on episodes of ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation in a patient with nonischemic familial cardiomyopathy and severe electrical storm refractory to conventional medical treatment. Results Following implantation of temporary bilateral octipolar thoracic epidural electrodes and constant low-grade stimulation, episodes of ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation were eradicated, and a permanent system was surgically implanted uneventfully. Electrical storm ceased thereafter, though ventricular function from progressive cardiomyopathy worsened, requiring heart transplantation several months later. Conclusions Spinal cord stimulation may play an important therapeutic role in the treatment of refractory electrical storm when conventional medical treatments have failed. The mechanism by which stimulation of the spinal cord confers a therapeutic effect is not completely understood, although direct modulation of sympathetic and parasympathetic tone in the cardiac conduction system is most likely, based on animal models of ischemia-induced ventricular tachycardia.
ON A SIMPLE PROCEDURE OF UNEQUAL PROBABILITY SAMPLING WITHOUT REPLACEMENT

GIVEN is a finite population of N units with characteristics Yt (t = 1,2, ..., N) whose total Y = Yi +Y2 + . .. +YN is to be estimated. If a sample of size n is to be drawn from such a population, it is often advantageous to select the units with unequal probability. For example, such a procedure may be useful when measures of sizes xt are known for all N units in the population which are positively correlated with the characteristics yt. In such cases, one may utilize the knowledge of the xt by selecting units with probabilities proportional to sizes xt, although this is, of course, not the only way of using the known xt. Of the literature on sampling with unequal probabilities and without replacement we mention papers by Horvitz and Thompson (1952), Narain (1951), Yates and Grundy (1953), Des Raj (1956) and Hartley and Rao (1962). There are some limitations, of varying importance, attached to all these methods. Briefly speaking, the method of Horvitz and Thompson (1952) is applicable only under severe restrictions on the prescribed probabilities, the unbiased procedures of Narain (1951), Yates and Grundy (1953) and Des Raj (1956) require a cumbersome evaluation of working probabilities, and Hartley and Rao (1962) give only asymptotic variance formulae for the estimates of Y for large and moderate size populations N. The present method is an attempt to avoid all these disadvantages at the expense of a slight loss in efficiency. It has the following properties: (i) It permits the computation of an estimator of the population total which has always a smaller variance than the standard estimator in sampling with unequal probabilities and with replacement. (ii) Unlike the unbiased procedures of Narain (1951), Yates and Grundy (1953) and Des Raj (1956), the present method does not entail heavy computations, even for sample size n > 2, for drawing the sample or computation of the estimator and its variance estimate.
Chapter 73 Transformation of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Publisher Summary Transformation of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is essential for confirming the relationship between DNA clones and genetic loci identified by mutation, and is very useful in generating tagged mutants for cloning genes of interest. The development of reliable procedures for such nuclear transformation of C. reinhardtii has led to greater usefulness of the organism in molecular studies of flagellar assembly and function. Exogenous DNA is stably integrated into the C. reinhardtii genome, although this integration is usually associated with rearrangements of transformed DNA, as well as of the host DNA. Multiple copies of the transgenes can be integrated, either at separate sites or in linked arrays. The most common problem in making transformation work with C. reinhardtii is the variability in transformation efficiency between strains. The best remedy for a poor strain is to cross it to wild-type strains, for example, strains 137c or 21gr and use the progeny of the mating for further transformations. Cell-wall-less strains, that is, cw15 are generally used to eliminate the need for autolysin treatment to remove cell walls, but it have been found that an incubation of nitrogen-starved cells under crowded conditions removes the cell walls efficiently. For arg - strains, however, autolysin treatment is necessary for highest transformation efficiencies.
A Review of “Archives Power: Memory, Accountability, and Social Justice”

It is an honor for me to review this book by Rand Jimerson, whose opinion I value and whose voice I want to hear. In my conversations with him about the issues enumerated in the title of this work,...
Architectures for the DCT

Due to the importance of the two-dimensional (2-D) DCT in digital image processing, particularly in video compression, various algorithms and architectures have been proposed for its implementation. These methods can be divided into two main categories. The first category includes techniques from linear matrix analysis and decomposition. Lee’s fast DCT is a typical example of this category. The second category includes algorithms from polynomial and number theory. For example, Winograd’s algorithm fits into this class. Both categories can be further partitioned into algorithms that either use or do not use row-column decompositions. For example, with a row-column decomposition, the 2-D DCT can be computed using one-dimensional DCTs, allowing for simpler implementations. Algorithms that do not use row-column decompositions are more computationally efficient but require complex hardware.
In the Dark

That first time, early August and the middle of a heat wave, she thought she'd just get some air. Simply stand on the cement patio, quietly gaze at the stars caught in the net of our maple tree. But my mother had forgotten, after eighteen years of marriage and five children, how to simply stand and look. In church she was distracted by the altar boy's badly cut hair. In the park she unob trusively deadheaded geraniums. That first night, it wasn't desire or even the desire for desire that drew her into the cool, prickly grass. Instead it was the tipped-up cover on our sandbox, calling her to right it. Our ranch house was in a subdivision planted on long-ago potato fields. Sometimes as he cultivated his Big Boys, my eager father spaded up a shriveled tuber or a shard of thick white china, a won der to us children, so little concept did we have of a past. Everything was ours and brand new, and not to be happy was betrayal Our aunts and uncles, still mired in Queens and the Bronx, took the train out to sit on our new lawn furniture, enjoy burgers from my father's grill. Every house for blocks was just the same, down to the slender sapling yearning against its guy wires on the edge of the lawn. The fathers had fought in the war, and here was their reward: the rows of snug houses crouched beneath the sky, where on sultry after noons the thunder clouds massed like another, less benign prospect. Both summer and winter the mothers stayed mostly inside, only leaning out the door to shake a dust mop, call us home for lunch. I can see my mother harvesting clean socks from the aluminum wash line my father set up for her on the edge of the patio, or carrying bags of groceries in from the car, but she had far too much work to loll around in a lawn chair. Besides, sun made her squint. Night was her time, my father Canadian-Clubbed into oblivion, the younger children asleep at last. I was sixteen that summer and had my first real boyfriend. Dave was two years older but I was the one who decided whether we went to the movies or bowling, when we started kissing and where we stopped. Oldest of five, I was used
Fatty acid oxidation by means of ascorbic acid and oxygen.

Abstract Under conditions normally used in physiological experiments, carboxyl labeled long-chain saturated fatty acids were oxidized to C 14 O 2 in the presence of ascorbic acid and oxygen. The reaction was greatly increased in the presence of ferrous and ferric ions. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid inhibited both ascorbate oxidation and C 14 O 2 formation. Cysteine and folic acid, on the other hand, decreased ascorbate oxidation but not C 14 O 2 formation. Approximately half as much C 14 O 2 was formed from the 2- and 3-carbons of stearic acid as from the carboxyl carbon. Hydroxylamine inhibited C 14 O 2 formation from stearic acid-2-C 14 but not from the carboxyl labeled material. Carboxyl-labeled oleic and elaidic acids were also oxidized but to a lesser extent than stearic acid, while octanoic acid-1-C 14 formed little C 14 O 2 .
Drug use, prostitution and the prevalence of AIDS: An analysis using census tracts

This paper reports on preliminary efforts to study at the census tract level the reciprocal relationships between AIDS and street crime, particularly prostitution and drug offenses and the prevalence of AIDS. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health provided the number of reported AIDS cases by census tract. The data on reported crimes and arrests, organized by reporting districts, came primarily from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the Los Angeles City Police Department. Although this strategy needs replication and extension, the present findings suggest that sexual orientation, drug use and prostitution are useful risk variables at the census track level.
Field Evaluation of Two New Boom-mounted Airborne Vertical Magnetic Gradient Arrays

Two new airborne vertical magnetic gradient arrays, which mount directly to a helicopter for operation at 1.5-5m altitude, have recently been tested at an unexploded ordnance (UXO) test site in Ohio. These arrays consist of 16 and 22 cesium vapor magnetometers respectively, configured as 8 and 11 vertical magnetic gradiometers. Results from the test demonstrate significant improvements in performance over previous total field systems.
Wine Consumption in Hong Kong

Wine consumption has increased worldwide by 5.6% since 1994. All the major wine consuming regions have reported increases in consumption: Asia (China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan), Northern Europe (Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway) and North America (USA and Canada) have experienced the largest increases of 68%, 29.9% and 23.6% respectively. This study investigates the wine drinking patterns of people in Hong Kong. The findings indicate that nearly half of all local adults have drunk wine over the past year. There was an almost equal distribution between male and female wine‐drinking respondents. Wine‐drinkers in general were found to have higher education levels, better jobs and to earn more money. Half of the wine consumption was found to occur in both Western and Chinese restaurants and surprisingly 40% of the wine was consumed at home. Half of the wine was purchased in local supermarkets. Red wine was much more popular than both white and sparkling wine and the preferred country of origin was France. Hong Kong wine drinkers were, however, found to be infrequent consumers of the product.
A three‐layered sphere model of the optical properties of phytoplankton

Theoretical scattering computations are performed on a phytoplankton model consisting of three concentric spheres. The outer sphere represents the wall, membrane, or frustule and is assigned a relatively high index of refraction with no absorption. The middle layer represents the chloroplasts and is assigned a relatively low index of refraction with absorption. The core represents the balance of the cytoplasm and is given a low index of refraction with no absorption. The model is applied to an observed size distribution from the Pacific central gyre. This model produced significantly more backscattering and attenuation than a low-index, homogeneous-sphere model. Changing the distribution of cell-wall thickness as a function of particle size produces much variation in the shape of the volume scattering function. 25 refs., 12 figs.
MR imaging of the distribution and location of acute hamstring injuries in athletes.

OBJECTIVE. Although hamstring injuries are common in athletes, the distribution and location of such injuries have not been well defined. We used MR imaging to determine the frequency of injury by muscle, involvement of one or more muscles, and location of injuries within the musculotendinous unit.SUBJECTS AND METHODS. We performed MR imaging on 15 consecutive college athletes with clinically diagnosed acute hamstring injuries. A hamstring injury was diagnosed and located on MR imaging by identifying high signal intensity within the muscle on T2-weighted images.RESULTS. We found that 10 athletes had injuries of a single muscle with six injuries of the biceps femoris, three of the semitendinosus, and one of the semimembranosus. In an additional five athletes, we found primary injuries of the biceps femoris and secondary injuries of the semitendinosus. The injuries occurred in diverse locations within the muscles including five injuries at the proximal musculotendinous junction, two at the distal musculoten...
Fate of Graywater Constituents After Long-Term Application for Landscape Irrigation

While interest in and adoption of graywater reuse for irrigation has rapidly grown in recent years, little is known about the long-term effects of graywater irrigation. Concerns exist in relation to the presence of pathogenic organisms, fate of personal care products, and accumulation of salts. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the long-term effects of graywater irrigation to soil quality under real conditions where homeowners may not always apply graywater in a highly controlled manner. Four households from different climatic and geological conditions were selected for sampling (AZ, CA, CO, and TX) where graywater was applied for irrigation for a minimum of 5 years. Soil samples were collected in areas irrigated with graywater and areas irrigated with freshwater within the same yard. Soil cores were taken at depths of 0–15, 15–30, and 30–100 cm and analyzed separately for surfactants, antimicrobials, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), electrical conductivity (EC), extractable boron, fecal indicator organisms (E. coli, enterococci, and Clostridium perfringens), and soil dehydrogenase activity. In surface soil samples (0–15 cm), the average total surfactant concentration (over all sites) was higher in graywater-irrigated soil (0.078 ± 0.033) compared to freshwater-irrigated soil (0.030 ± 0.025 mg kg−1). This difference was not found to be significant (P > 0.05). Triclosan and triclocarban were detected in surface soil samples at some locations (3.8–6.3 and 3.5–9.1 μg kg−1, respectively), but not in samples deeper than 15 cm. Among the sampling locations, the TX household appeared to be most impacted by graywater, as evidenced by elevated SAR, potentially toxic levels of B, and relatively high numbers of E. coli and enterococci due to 30 years of graywater application for irrigation.
Mixed INAR(1) Poisson regression models: Analyzing heterogeneity and serial dependencies in longitudinal count data

This paper presents finite mixture versions of integer-valued autoregressive (INAR) Poisson regression models for investigating regularity and predictability of purchase behavior over time. The approach facilitates the analysis of heterogeneity and serial correlation effects as well as conditional and marginal analyses of the effects of covariates. An application to scanner panel data of detergents yields substantive insights into sources of autodependencies in individual category purchases.
Effects of Synthetic Jet Actuation on a Ramping NACA 0015 Airfoil

An experimental investigation was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of a synthetic jet actuator (SJA) for flow control on a pitching airfoil. A NACA 0015 profiled airfoil was ramped up at various rates with concomitant surface-pressure acquisition. A self-contained synthetic jet actuator was positioned in the interior of the airfoil. Synthetic-jet-actuation parameters included the jet-momentum coefficient and the slot exit width. The behavior of the surface pressures is investigated as well as their integrated properties. The data suggest that the effect of the SJA is to delay the onset of the dynamic-stall vortex formation to higher incidence and in some cases, for the parameters and incidence range investigated, suppress it totally. However, in the instances when formed, the synthetic jet appears to increase the loading induced by the stall vortex. At low ramp rates, the synthetic jet forcing causes the formation of a stall vortex where the unforced data showed a psuedostatic stall-type behavior
Polarization of Protons Elastically and Inelastically Scattered in G5 Emulsion

Measurements have been made of the polarization resulting from both the elastic and inelastic scattering of high-energy protons in Ilford $G5$ emulsion. The elastic polarization was measured by measuring the azimuthal asymmetry of the elastic scattering in emulsion of 0.64\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.04 polarized, 310\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5 Mev protons from the University of Chicago synchrocyclotron. The average polarization resulting from elastic scattering between 3\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and 15\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} in the laboratory system is 0.44\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.13. Emulsion was exposed to a 0.76\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03 polarized, 316\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}4 Mev proton beam from the Berkeley synchrocyclotron for the measurement of polarization due to inelastic scattering. The light prongs of the stars produced in the emulsion show a definite asymmetry. This asymmetry is increased by requiring of the light prongs an angle-energy correlation consistent with quasi-elastic scattering. The data indicate that the polarization decreases with larger prong number stars. From the 304 meters of track scanned in the measurement of elastic polarization, data have been collected on the cross sections of 305\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5 Mev protons in $G5$ emulsion.
Spatial pattern of arsenic contamination in shallow wells of Bangladesh: regional geology and nonlinear dynamics

Since the discovery of large-scale arsenic contamination of groundwater in Bangladesh more than a decade ago, studies related to its spatial characterization have relied on geostatistical approaches and the classical notion of linear stochastic dynamics. This study explores an alternative nonlinear approach, with a motivation to possibly achieve more cost-effective solutions for Bangladesh. It investigates the existence of nonlinear deterministic and chaotic dynamic behavior in the spatial pattern of arsenic contamination in the shallow wells (depth<150 m). The database comprises the nationwide arsenic survey completed in 1999 by the British Geological Survey (BGS) in collaboration with the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) of Bangladesh. Distinction is made in terms of regional geology (Pleistocene vs. Holocene deposits/Northwest vs. Southwest) to understand the geologic dependency. Identification of possible presence of nonlinear deterministic and chaotic patterns is made via the Grassberger-Procaccia correlation dimension algorithm. The analysis yields correlation dimension values ranging anywhere from 8 to 11 depending on the region, suggesting that the arsenic contamination in space, from a chaotic dynamic perspective, is a medium- to high-dimensional problem. The dimension results also indicate that the spatial dynamics of arsenic may be moderately sensitive to geology, with Pleistocene aquifers appearing to require a minimum of about two less dominant processes/variables for its description when compared to that required by the Holocene aquifers. Based on these results, a qualitative discussion is also cast on the potential opportunities offered by a nonlinear deterministic and chaotic dynamic approach towards improving cost-effectiveness in siting new safe wells.
Targeting lethal minimal residual disease in small cell lung cancer.

In the last three decades, treatment for small cell lung cancer has improved with advances in chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Almost all patients respond initially to standard chemotherapy, and some patients with limited stage disease are cured with the combination of chemotherapy and thoracic irradiation. Nonetheless, the majority of patients will experience lethal relapse from chemotherapy-resistant micrometastatic disease, and this has resulted in poor long-term survival for most patients. Addressing the problem of relapse requires unique approaches to eliminating minimal residual disease. This review will focus on the detection of minimal residual disease as well as strategies with which to treat it, including matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and vaccine therapy. Semin Oncol 30:79-85. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.