cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 175: Lack of rDNA promoter hypomethylation in clinical prostate cancer specimens and cell lines

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC INTRODUCTION Alterations in the structure of nucleoli are hallmarks of prostate cancer cells. However, the molecular mechanisms that result in enlarged nucleoli in prostate cancer are unclear. The nucleolus is formed around tandem repeats (n=∼400) of the ribosomal RNA genes (18S, 5.8S and 28S) each of which contains an upstream promoter region. Only a limited number of repeat units are activated at any one time, and the inactive silent repeat units are characterized by dense methylation of the CpG island of the upstream promoter. While a previous study in liver cancer indicated that tumor cells contained hypomethylated CpG islands in the rDNA promoter, there are no prior studies in prostate cancer. Since MYC is overexpressed in most human PIN and prostate cancers, can affect nucleolar structure and activates rRNA transcription, we also addressed whether MYC levels affect rDNA promoter methylation. METHODS Genomic DNA was extracted from clinical samples of ten fresh frozen matched pairs of tumor and normal tissues obtained from radical prostatectomies, as well as, from 7 prostate cancer cell lines. Isolated DNA was subjected to sodium bisulfite sequencing of a region of the rDNA promoter, as well as, real-time methylation specific PCR. The functional role of MYC was explored by siRNA mediated knockdown in cell lines. RESULTS Most prostate cancer cell lines showed two roughly equal populations of the rDNA promoter region repeat units consisting of those that were densely methylated and those that were largely unmethylated. All clinical specimens were similar to the cell lines showing 2 populations with no changes in cancer compared to normal. After MYC knockdown in PC3 cells, there was an unexpected marked reduction in methylation of the rDNA promoter, despite decreased rRNA transcription. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) followed by bisulfite sequencing revealed that MYC was bound nearly exclusively to the fully unmethylated promoters. CONCLUSIONS Clinical prostate cancer specimens, as well as most prostate cancer cell lines, do not show rDNA promoter hypomethylation. Thus, hypomethylation of the rDNA promoter does not explain why tumor nucleoli are enlarged. While MYC can activate transcription from unmethylated rDNA promoters, we show for the first time that it is unexpectedly required to maintain proper rDNA promoter methylation levels in the inactive repeat units. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 175.
The reversibility of the mercuric chloride inhibition of urease at varied initial urea concentrations.

Abstract 1. 1. The change in “titratable—SH” during urease activity has been found by the inactivation-reactivation method to pass through a maximum value when determined at varied initial urea substrate concentrations. 2. 2. The observed change in “titratable—SH” during urease activity is in agreement with results obtained by the direct colorimetric method (9). 3. 3. The concentration of thiol compound required for the reactivation of urease after mercuric chloride inhibition also varied according to the varied initial urea substrate concentration. 4. 4. In agreement with the results of Hellerman et al. when activity measurements were made at a fixed urea substrate concentration, the constancy of the—SH groups in urease was demonstrated.
Numerical Modeling of Single-Chamber SOFCs with Hydrocarbon Fuels

A two-dimensional numerical model of a single-chamber solid oxide fuel cell (SCFC) operating on hydrocarbon fuels is developed. The SCFC concept is a simplification of a conventional solid oxide fuel cell in which the anode and cathode are both exposed to the same premixed fuel-air mixture, and selective catalysts promote electrochemical oxidation of the fuel at the anode and simultaneous electrochemical oxygen reduction at the cathode. Optimization of SCFC stacks requires considering complex, coupled chemical and transport processes. The model accounts for the coupled effects of gas channel fluid flow, heat transfer, porous media transport, catalytic reforming-shifting chemistry, electrochemistry, and mixed ionic-electronic conductivity. It solves for the velocity, temperature, and species distributions in the gas, profiles of gaseous species and coverages of surface species within the porous electrodes, and the current density profile in an SCFC stack for a specified electrical bias. The model is general, and can be used to simulate any electrode processes for which kinetics are known or may be estimated. A detailed elementary mechanism is used to describe the reactions over the anode catalyst surface. Different design alternatives including yttria-stabilized zirconia vs Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 electrolytes, the effects of mixed conductivity, and the optimal fuel-to-air ratio are explored.
Analysis of leakage current induced nonlinearity in resistor-ladder based data converters

This work analyzes nonlinearities caused by leakage currents in resistor-ladder based data converters. Expressions are derived for integral and differential nonlinearity.
GUF1, A GENE ENCODING A NOVEL EVOLUTIONARILY CONSERVED GTPASE IN BUDDING YEAST

While sequencing a region of chromosome IV adjacent to the checkpoint gene MEC3, we identified a gene we call GUF1 (GTPase of Unknown Function), which predicts a 586 amino acid GTPase of the elongation factor-type class. The predicted Guf1p protein bears striking sequence similarity to both LepA from Escherichia coli (43% identical) and LK1236·1 from Caenorhabditis elegans (42% identical). Analysis of both a guf1δ deletion and a putative constitutive-activating mutant (GUF1HG) revealed that GUF1 is not essential nor did mutant cells reveal any marked phenotype. The GenBank Accession Number for the GUF1 sequence is U22360.
Comparison of sol–gel and ion beam deposited MoO3 thin film gas sensors for selective ammonia detection

Abstract This paper presents a comparative study of the gas-sensing behavior of MoO3 thin films prepared by ion beam deposition and sol–gel techniques, respectively. The sensing response of these films to ammonia in the presence of interfering gases (such as NO2) is assessed. The microstructural characteristics of the sensing materials prepared by these two techniques are determined using electron microscopy and microanalysis techniques. MoO3 is shown to be highly sensitive to ammonia, and the sensitivity depends on processing. The sensing properties of MoO3 thin films and the origin of the p–n-type transition occurring in sol–gel processed films are correlated with the type of the MoO3 polymorph(s) used for sensing.
Traveling Waves in Spatial SIRS Models

We study traveling wavefront solutions for two reaction–diffusion systems, which are derived respectively as diffusion approximations to two nonlocal spatial SIRS models. These solutions characterize the propagating progress and speed of the spatial spread of underlying epidemic waves. For the first diffusion system, we find a lower bound for wave speeds and prove that the traveling waves exist for all speeds bigger than this bound. For the second diffusion system, we find the minimal wave speed and show that the traveling waves exist for all speeds bigger than or equal to the minimal speed. We further prove the uniqueness (up to translation) of these solutions for sufficiently large wave speeds. The existence of these solutions are proved by a shooting argument combining with LaSalle’s invariance principle, and their uniqueness by a geometric singular perturbation argument.
Detection and management of cervical lymph nodes in papillary thyroid cancer

Lymph node metastases in papillary thyroid cancer are a common occurrence; however, the management of clinically negative cervical lymph nodes remains controversial. Preoperative neck ultrasound mapping is crucial, and complete dissection of a nodal compartment is recommended for any metastatic lymph nodes. The role of prophylactic central neck dissection remains controversial. The BRAF V600E mutation is a common mutation in papillary thyroid cancer, and has been associated with more aggressive tumor behavior. Evaluating the BRAF status of tumors may have implications for treatment and surveillance. New areas of research continue to focus on risk stratification and identifying which patients benefit from a more aggressive treatment, such as prophylactic central lymphadenectomy and radioiodine ablation and more intense surveillance strategies.
Abstract 3587: XL184: c-Met inhibition is effective in a mouse xenograft model of metastatic uveal melanoma

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Oncogenic mutation of GNAQ is an early event in uveal melanoma development. Identification of critical downstream effectors of GNAQ could allow for targeted therapy of this deadly form of melanoma. We identified c-Met upregulation as a downstream effect of GNAQ Q209L mutation by analyzing expression changes in immortalized mouse melanocytes transduced with GNAQ Q209L. By Western blot, we established that c-Met protein expression is increased in human uveal melanoma cell lines that harbor a GNAQ activating mutation compared to lines with wild-type GNAQ. XL184 is a small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor that has activity against c-Met. In vitro assays of XL184 demonstrated preferential activity against human uveal melanoma cell lines (OMM1.3 and Mel202) with GNAQ activating mutations. Intravenous injection of 1×106 OMM1.3 cells into immunocompromised NSG mice results in the development of multiple liver tumor nodules after 6-8 weeks, recapitulating liver tropism (over 80% of patients with metastatic uveal melanoma have liver metastases). We treated mice starting four weeks after OMM1.3 intravenous injection with XL184. After four weeks of treatment, the treated mice demonstrated decreased liver tumor size with central tumor necrosis on histologic examination. The activity of XL184 is likely through its inhibition of c-Met signaling as we found little expression of the other targets of XL184 in OMM1.3. In conclusion, XL184 demonstrates activity in a mouse xenograft model of metastatic uveal melanoma, and has potential to be active against hepatic metastases of uveal melanoma, the major cause of mortality in this rare cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3587. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3587
Risk Considerations for the Random Reentry of Space Debris

*Congress granted the FAA the authority to license commercial launch or reentry to ensure protection of public, property, the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and to encourage, facilitate, and promote U.S. Commercial Space Transportation. To meet this responsibility the FAA performs safety evaluations on applications to conduct commercial launches from the United States or outside the United States by a U.S. citizen or an entity organized under the laws of the United States . This paper discusses the risk analysis performed by the FAA, to determine the risk to the uninvolved public as a result of random reentering space debris. The FAA has not regulated the random reentry of Expendable Launch Vehicle upper stages due to their natural decay; however, the FAA has performed independent analysis on this subject discussed in this paper. This paper addresses considerations important to determine the risk to the uninvolved public . These include trajectory considerations, debris considerations, and population considerations. The FAA assessed the risk to the uninvolved public resulting from random reentry of space vehicles or debris. This paper shows that calculated risk is sensitive to casualty area and world population with time and that significant sized debris have reentered and impacted landmasses.
Fully nonlinear wave-current interactions and kinematics by a BEM-based numerical wave tank

A numerical wave tank (NWT) with fully nonlinear free-surface boundary conditions is developed to investigate nonlinear wave–wave and wave–current interactions and the resulting kinematics. In the present paper, the variation of wave amplitude and wave length of a monochromatic wave under several different speeds of steady uniform currents is studied through direct numerical simulations in the time domain. The nonlinear wave–current interactions are solved using a boundary integral equation method (BIEM) and a Mixed Eulerian–Lagrangian (MEL) time marching scheme. Both a semi-Lagrangian approach and Lagrangian (material-node) approach are employed and their performance is compared. A regridding algorithm based on cubic spline fitting is devised for updating the free-surface moving boundary in a stable and accurate manner. The incident waves are generated by feeding prescribed analytical waves on the input boundary. An efficient artificial numerical beach is devised and applied to dissipate wave energy and minimize wave reflections from the downstream wall. Nonlinear wave kinematics as a result of nonlinear wave–current interactions is calculated and the results are compared with a multi-layer Boussinesq model. The spatial variation of nonlinear wave profiles and kinematics affected by currents are also addressed and discussed.
Introducing PRouST: the PNNI routing and simulation toolkit

Despite the increased availability of affordable ATM hardware, the scientific research community has often found it difficult to engage in much needed basic research in the areas of ATM protocol design and network performance optimization. We believe that one major cause for this has been the absence of affordable, publicly available source-level implementations of the ATM switch protocol stack. The PNNI routing and simulation toolkit (PRouST) attempts to remedy this. PRouST is a freely distributed, extensible environment for research and development in ATM switch signaling and routing. PRouST includes a complete source-level release of the ATM switch PNNI protocol stack, conformant to version 1.0 of the ATM Forum specification. It is our hope that PRouST will serve as the starting point for bold new initiatives in research and development for ATM technologies. We describe the design of PRouST and the features it supports.
Novel, compliant, synergistic interactions of multiple contacts for grasping

In this paper, we are solving two inverse design problems. We first determine the desired Cartesian stiffness matrix for each contact in a multi-contact grasp by solving an optimization problem. Secondly given the desired stiffness matrix, K, for each contact, we design a material to behave accordingly. The orientation for the material links, and the appropriate stiffness values for each link must be determined. We solve for the link stiffness values and for the link angles by setting up a robotics problem based on a similarity transformation using the well-known Jacobian. The joint angles in the Jacobian determine the link orientation, and the stiffness values determine the link parameters. We are also able to solve for redundant elements necessary to develop symmetric materials.
Sensing skin acceleration for slip and texture perception

The authors present a scheme for sensing small accelerations of the outer skin covering the fingers of a manipulator. The sensor is constructed with a thin rubber skin covering a soft inner layer of foam rubber. This decouples the skin from the manipulator structure, isolating it from structural vibrations and facilitating the tracking of object surfaces. An accelerometer attached to the inner surface of the skin measures the large local accelerations produced when areas of the skin catch and snap back as the sensor moves against a surface. The authors present experimental confirmation of the ability to detect the onset of slip, and discuss the sensor response to various surface texture parameters. >
Theoretical studies of oligosaccharide structure and conformational dynamics

Abstract The application of molecular dynamics simulations to the modeling of oligosaccharides has opened up significant new areas of investigation in carbohydrate structural studies. In the past year, a number of simulations of carbohydrate flexibility and solvation have appeared using these techniques, which offer the hope of resolving many intractable questions concerning oligosaccharide conformational structure.
Microstructural parameters affecting creep induced load shedding in Ti-6242 by a size dependent crystal plasticity FE model

This paper is aimed at identifying critical microstructural parameters that cause local stress concentration due to load shedding between microstructural regions of varying strengths. This stress is viewed as one of the fundamental reasons for crack initiation in Ti-6242. A rate dependent, anisotropic, elasto-crystal plasticity based finite element model (CPFEM) for poly-phase Ti-6242 is used in this study to identify the critical variables responsible for localized stress concentration due to load shedding. The model can account for various microstructural features like grain size, orientation and misorientation distributions. Various microstructural variables, such as crystal orientation, misorientation, grain size, Schmid factor and composition of phases, are considered in a detailed parametric study. Critical combinations of these parameters that result in high stress due to load shedding are identified. Finally, load shedding in a microstructure model of polycrystalline Ti-6242 is discussed from the results of CPFEM simulations. The model is statistically equivalent with respect to features observed in OIM scans.
Factors Affecting Customer Satisfaction in Responses to Negative Online Hotel Reviews: The Impact of Empathy, Paraphrasing, and Speed

An analysis of three types of responses to negative hotel reviews finds that the response generally should follow the same principles as answering a customer complaint in person. Based on a series of hypothetical responses to a negative review, this study finds that inserting an empathy statement in response to the negative review improved the ratings of the response among a sample of university students. Likewise, this group of 176 potential customers rated the response more favorably when the response included a paraphrase of the complaint, thus making the response more personal and less generic. Interestingly, contrary to popular belief, our results indicate that the speed with which the hotel responds to an online complaint did not influence the survey participants’ rating of the response. The theoretical implications of these findings are that the online response should include same theoretical anchorings based on interactional justice and active listening that apply to face-to-face customer complain...
Advanced Process Control of overlay with optimal sampling

This paper evaluates sampling plans for overlay metrology in the context of Advanced Process Control (APC). The relationship between APC opportunity (the maximum benefit achievable via APC) and correctable accuracy is investigated. The tradeoff between spatial and temporal sampling density is considered as well. This tradeoff expresses the relationship between temporal sampling needed to realize APC benefit and spatial sampling needed to achieve a level of total overlay error. We find that the spatial sampling plan impacts both the proportion of process disturbance in the measured variability and the frequency distribution of the disturbance. As a result of a smaller magnitude and lower frequency disturbance in the10-field plan, APC performance with this plan is substantially better than with the 4-field plan. Over a realistic range of temporal sampling, APC of correctables derived from the 10-field sample plan result in a 20 to 25 percent improvement over the baseline of no control on 4-field based correctables. When APC is applied to 4-field correctables, only about 8 to 10 percent improvement is achieved.
Analysis of food crushing sounds during mastication : total sound level studies

The total sound level of airborne noise was measured continuously during consecutive chews of fresh and stale samples of potato chips and tortilla chips. Sensory estimations of crispness were also made. Samples were evaluated using both an open mouth and a closed mouth procedure. Analysis showed that the total sound level decreased as chewing progressed. Significant differences were observed between open mouth and closed mouth chewing, with the former displaying higher sound levels. However, there were no statistical differences in the sound levels between fresh and stale samples. Sensory assessments ofcrispness showed decreasing crispness as chewing progressed. Statistical differences were observed in the sensory evaluations between fresh and stale samples. Openmouth sensory evaluations were significantly different from closed-mouth evaluations for potato chips but not for tortilla chips. Good correlations were observed between the acoustic measurements and the sensory estimations, in agreement with the work of other investigators.
Optimal realizations of finite wordlength digital filters and controllers

The problem of finding state space realizations that minimize the sensitivity to quantization error of a finite wordlength implementation of a discrete time linear system is considered. Finite wordlength implementations which invoke quantization either before or after multiplication, and possibly include error feedback, are represented in a unified framework. This framework is used to pose and solve four different optimal realization problems. These problems are formulated in a closed loop context, which contains open loop applications (filtering/estimation) as special cases. Our results may be used to find optimal realizations for the implementation of multivariable feedback controllers, or for the implementation of multivariable filters/estimators. Optimal realizations are derived based on either an H/sub 2/ or H/sub /spl infin// roundoff noise gain subject to either H/sub 2/ or H/sub /spl infin// scaling constraints. The H/sub 2/ noise gain measures the departure from the ideal closed loop response (no signal quantization) when the spectral properties of the quantization error are known. The H/sub /spl infin// noise gain measures worst-case deviation from ideal response when the variance of the quantization error is bounded but the spectral properties are otherwise unknown. The H/sub 2/ scaling constraints limit the size of the quantized internal signals when the spectral properties of the exogenous input to the closed loop system are known, while H/sub /spl infin// scaling restricts the maximum possible size of the internal signals when the spectral properties of the exogenous input are not precisely known. One of the optimization problems has a well-known analytical solution; the other three are reduced to the problem of minimizing a linear function subject to affine matrix inequality constraints, which is a convex optimization problem whose global optimum may be readily found. This solution, together with the unified framework for the analysis of several FWL implementations, constitutes the main contribution of this paper. >
Speeding up moving-target search

In this paper, we study moving-target search, where an agent (= hunter) has to catch a moving target (= prey). The agent does not necessarily know the terrain initially but can observe it within a certain sensor range around itself. It uses the strategy to always move on a shortest presumed unblocked path toward the target, which is a reasonable strategy for computer-controlled characters in video games. We study how the agent can find such paths faster by exploiting the fact that it performs A* searches repeatedly. To this end, we extend Adaptive A*, an incremental heuristic search method, to moving-target search and demonstrate experimentally that the resulting MT-Adaptive A* is faster than isolated A* searches and, in many situations, also D* Lite, a state-of-the-art incremental heuristic search method. In particular, it is faster than D* Lite by about one order of magnitude for moving-target search in known and initially unknown mazes if both search methods use the same informed heuristics.
RADA: a tool for reasoning about algebraic data types with abstractions

We present RADA, a portable, scalable tool for reasoning about formulas containing algebraic data types using catamorphism (fold) functions. It can work as a back-end for reasoning about recursive programs that manipulate algebraic types. RADA operates by successively unrolling catamorphisms and uses either CVC4 and Z3 as reasoning engines. We have used RADA for reasoning about functional implementations of complex data structures and to reason about guard applications that determine whether XML messages should be allowed to cross network security domains. Promising experimental results demonstrate that RADA can be used in several practical contexts.
Literacy Coaches’ Perspectives of Themselves as Literacy Leaders: Results From a National Study of K–12 Literacy Coaching and Leadership

As the face of education and the demands on teachers continues to change in the 21st century, so does the role of the literacy coach in schools across the country. This article explores the changing roles and responsibilities of literacy coaches by sharing the results of a study of 270 literacy coaches around the country. In this article, we share coaches’ thoughts and perspectives about literacy leadership, the changing roles and responsibilities of the literacy coach/reading specialist, and what it takes to be successful in their roles as literacy leaders in schools and districts.
Registered nurses: are we satisfied with our jobs?

OVER 3 MILLION registered nurses (RNs) comprise the largest health careprofession in theUnited States. Even with 2.6 million of those nurses currently employed in nursing, a nursing shortage is forecast for the near future. At a timewhen it is projected that 32million Americanswill have access to health care due to thePatient Protection andAffordable Act of 2010, nursing schools are turning away applicants because of insufficient numbers of faculty, clinical sites, clinical preceptors and budget constraints. In 2010 alone, 67,563 qualified applicantswere turned down by baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs. The 5.7% increase in enrollment in 2010 is not enough tomeet projected demands for the future.
Novel techniques for estimation of array signal parameters based on matrix pencils, subspace rotations, and total least squares

A novel algorithm for sensor array signal processing and spatial source parameter estimation, referred to as the method of simultaneous rotations, is introduced. The algorithm is in the same genre as the recently proposed ESPRIT algorithm, which works with two identical arrays, an X array and a Y array. A major tenet of the originality of the new approach is that it treats the X and Y data matrices as a rectangular matrix pencil and uses the fact that they have the same row space, the source subspace, as well as the same column space, the signal subspace. A novel technique for reducing the problem to that of solving the eigensystem of a square matrix pencil of dimension equal to the number of sources is developed, based on the solution to the Procrustes problem for optimally performing an invariant subspace rotation. Refinements to the algorithm invoking the total-least-squares concept are also presented for the purpose of further exploiting the similarity in structure between the X and Y data matrices. >
Comparison of Arboreal Beetle Catches in Wet and Dry Collection Cups with Lindgren Multiple Funnel Traps

Abstract We compared the effectiveness of a dry collection cup (with an insecticide killing strip) to a wet collection cup (containing antifreeze) for use with Lindgren multiple-funnel traps in catching several common species of bark and wood-boring beetles, and their associates in southern pine forests. All traps were baited with either the binary combination of ethanol and (−)-α-pinene or the quaternary combination of (±)-ipsenol, (±)-ipsdienol, ethanol, and (−)-α-pinene. We found that cup treatment had little, if any, effect on catches of Ips avulsus (Eichhoff) and I. grandicollis (Eichhoff) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), Alaus myops (F.) (Elateridae), Chalcophora Solier species (Buprestidae), Temnochila virescens (F.) (Trogositidae), and Lasconotus Erichson species (Colydiidae). In contrast, catches of the following species were significantly less (by 40–97%) in traps with dry cups than in traps with wet cups: Hylobius pales Herbst and Pachylobius picivorus LeConte (Curculionidae); Buprestis lineata F. (Bu...
Influence of graft innervation on neovascularization of embryonic heart tissue grafted in oculo

We have shown that sympathetic denervation increases subendocardial capillarity during left ventricular hypertrophy. To determine the direct effects of sympathetic innervation on development of the coronary microvasculature in the absence of hemodynamic load, we grafted avascular fetal rat atrial or ventricular tissue into the anterior eye chamber of host rats which had undergone unilateral superior cervical gangliectomies. Innervation to the contralateral eye chamber remained intact. The grafts were harvested 14 or 35 days later, and volume densities of blood vessels, myocytes, and extracellular matrix were determined using standard point-counting techniques on low-power electron micrographs. Graft perfusion and metabolism were assessed simultaneously with thallium-201 and 2-[14C]deoxy-D-glucose uptake, respectively. Innervation did not significantly alter the vascular volume densities or cellular composition of atrial or ventricular tissue compared with noninnervated tissue after either 14 or 35 days in oculo. Similarly, innervation did not significantly alter graft perfusion or metabolism. We conclude that sympathetic innervation does not directly influence the growth of the microvasculature or myocardial metabolism in hemodynamically unloaded, developing heart tissue.
Public-Use Limitations and Natural Property Rights

This Article is part of a November 2004 symposium at Michigan State University Law School on the future of public-use law after Wayne County v. Hathcock. It shows how contemporary public use law would look if recast to conform to principles of the American natural-rights theory influential between the Founding and the early twentieth century. Natural-rights theory splits what public-use law now generally treats as one unified class of doctrinal issues into two separate questions. The first is a regulatory-takings question. Laws may condemn property without triggering eminent-domain or public-use requirements if they count as bona fide natural-law regulations of property rights. To pass muster as regulations, however, such condemnations must satisfy a form of intermediate scrutiny closely resembling the scheme set forth in Dolan v. City of Tigard, and they must condemn property either to control documented public harms or to secure affected owners an average reciprocity of advantage. If a condemnation fails this regulatory-takings question, it is in substance an act of eminent domain and must face a second question - whether the public actually uses the property taken. If the public uses the property, the condemnation is constitutional and compensation must be paid; if not, the condemnation is unconstitutional and no award of just compensation can save it. This understanding of takings and public-use law is relevant for several reasons. First, it clarifies the substantive commitments of contemporary public-use law. Berman v. Parker and other leading public-use cases rest in large part on a theoretical break with the natural-rights approach to public use; if one appreciates the break, one better understands the goals that Berman advances. Second, the sources that inform the natural-rights approach provide important, if not dispositive, evidence about the original meanings of the federal and many state takings and public-use clauses. Third, the natural-rights approach demonstrates how public-use law might follow from a personhood understanding of property. Finally, the natural-rights approach provides a theoretical alternative to and critique of recent law-and-economics justifications of public-use law by Thomas Merrill and other scholars.
Teaching the medical interview: an intervention study.

To study the effects of teaching specific interviewing techniques on verbal behaviors and on health outcomes, internal medicine residents working in a screening clinic were assigned to either an experimental or a control group. The entire clinic visit was audiotaped, transcribed, and coded according to the Verbal Response Mode (VRM) system. Residents in the experimental group were taught interviewing behaviors (patient exposition and physician explanation) that had been found in previous studies to be associated with patient outcomes. Through telephone interviews, patient satisfaction, compliance, and symptom status were determined for all patients. Two hundred and sixty-eight interviews (156 in the experimental group and 112 in the control group) were included in the study. Training did increase patient exposition and physician explanation, but did not affect health outcomes. Residents’ attitudes and behaviors during the training are described.
Mass balance approaches to characterizing the leaching potential of trenbolone acetate metabolites in agro-ecosystems.

Several studies have documented the occurrence and fate of trenbolone acetate (TBA) metabolites in soil and water. However, considerable uncertainty still exists with respect to TBA risk in agro-ecosystems because limited data are available to quantify excretion, transformation, and leaching processes. To address these uncertainties, we used experimental mesocosms and a mass balance approach to estimate the TBA metabolite leaching potential from manure excreted by implanted (40 mg TBA, 8 mg 17β-estradiol) beef cattle. Manure sample analysis indicates that over 113 days, a maximum of 9.3% (3,200 μg/animal unit [AU]) of the implant dose was excreted as 17α-trenbolone (17α-TBOH), and 97%) of the total excreted mass of 17α-TBOH transforms to uncharacterized products, 0.3–0.6% (100–220 μg/AU) of the implant dose accumulates on land surfaces and is available for subsequent transport. During rainfall or irrigation events, a maximu...
Analysis of multidrug-resistant TB patients in Rugao from 2010 to 2013

Objective To analyze sources and outcomes of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis(MDR-TB)patients in Rugao; to search for proper detection strategy for MDR-TB patients.Methods From 2010to 2013,sputum specimens of sputum smear positive patients were collected and subjected to susceptibility test.The detection and treatment outcomes of MDR-TB patients were analyzed.Results Totally 36MDR-TB patients were confirmed from 2010to 2013,accounted for 9.3%of of TB patients.86.1% of MDR-TB patients were identified from high-risk MDR-TB populations.MDR-TB patients accounted for 1.7% and 34.8%of patients in initial sputum smear positive group and MDR-TB high risk populations,respectively,with significant difference(P0.001).Among MDR-TB high risk populations,MDR-TB patients accounted for 57.1%,34.7%, 22.2% of long positive sputum bacillus patients and relapse patients,other patients for retreatment and patients,respectively. No MTR-TB patients were identifien from patients whose sputum smear was still positive at the end of Feb or Mar.Treatment for MDR-TB patients was 67.7% successful for involved cases.No significant difference was observed on detection rate or treatment success rate among high risk MDR-TB populations from different sources(P0.05).Conclusion MDR-TB epidemic in Rugao is below national level,high-risk MDR-TB population is major source of multidrug-resistant TB patients.
Contrast CT Scans in the Emergency Department Do Not Increase Risk of Adverse Renal Outcomes

It has long been accepted that intravenous contrast used in both computed tomography (CT) and plain imaging carries a risk of nephropathy and renal failure, particularly in subpopulations thought to be at highest risk.1–3 Although early studies used high osmolality contrast media that is not typical of emergency department (ED) use today, the issue of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is still an area of active interest with many studies appearing each year from many different specialties, on its pathogenesis, incidence, prevention and treatment.4–7 The plethora of data has usually focused on the incidence of CIN, usually defined as a small (such as 25% or an absolute increase of 0.5mg/dL) increase in creatinine after receiving intravenous (IV) contrast for either a particular indication (such as cardiac catheterization) or in a particular patient group (diabetics); the meaning of a creatinine rise in this setting is not at all clear, however.8–10 Many regimens have been proposed to ameliorate this creatinine rise, but there is a scarcity of data on what actual adverse clinical events occur and whether these can truly be ascribed to the IV contrast itself rather than the events that might well occur in a (usually) hospitalized population that required imaging. A few authors have even expressed doubt as to whether modern iodinated contrast (which is iso-osmolal) is a nephrotoxin.11–13 The primary objective of this retrospective, computerized chart review was to investigate an ED population of patients receiving IV contrast for CT scanning for the occurrence of two patient-oriented outcomes, death and dialysis, and compare this incidence to a contemporaneous control group of ED patients receiving similar CTs but without IV contrast. We also sought to determine if the incidence of CIN, as traditionally defined, was actually higher in the contrast group. Note that we use the traditional term “CIN” for those exhibiting a creatinine rise after CT scanning even though no patient in the control group actually received contrast.
‘Perpetual Civil War’: Domestic Fictions of Britain’s Fate

British women writers represented the shattering social conditions of the home front; the bombing, however, usually provided only a backdrop to dramas instigated more by the social pressures driven by wartime domestic ideology. Many writers only found the emotional stability to write about women’s wartime lives years after, while others felt compelled by the urgency of the moment to put pen to paper, even as paper was becoming a luxury. Noel Streatfeild, a successful children’s author, wrote in her diary of the Blitz: ‘Tried to write yesterday and couldn’t. Repeated to myself over and over again all that anyone has ever said about carrying on as usual, but sat with my pen in my hand staring at a blank sheet’.3 For some women writers the end of the war was therefore cause for many celebrations, not the least of which was the peaceful time to translate their wartime experiences into written narratives. One of the most successful examples is dramatized in the work and life of Betty Miller (1910–65), who was still struggling to become a serious writer when the war broke out. Having to uproot herself and her two children each time her psychiatrist husband was moved to a different army hospital made the act of writing impossible.
DOE and Regression Case Studies

In this chapter, two additional case studies illustrate design of experiments (DOE) and regression being applied in real-world manufacturing. The first study involved the application of screening methods for identifying the cause of a major quality problem and resolving that problem. The second derives from Allen et al. (2000) and relates to the application of a type of response surface method. In this second study, the design of an automotive part was tuned to greatly improve its mechanical performance characteristics.
Identifying neuropsychiatric disorders in the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey: the benefits of combining health survey and claims data

To address the impact of using multiple sources of data in the United States Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) compared to using only one source of data to identify those with neuropsychiatric diagnoses. Our data source was the 2010 MCBS with associated Medicare claims files (N = 14, 672 beneficiaries). The MCBS uses a stratified multistage probability sample design to select a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries. We excluded those participants in Medicare Health Maintenance Organizations (n = 3894) and performed a cross-sectional analysis. We classified neuropsychiatric conditions according to four broad categories: intellectual/developmental disorders, neurological conditions affecting the central nervous system (Neuro-CNS), dementia, and psychiatric conditions. To account for different baseline prevalence differences of the categories we calculated the relative increase in prevalence that occurred from adding information from claims in addition to the absolute increase to allow comparison among categories. The estimated proportion of the sample with neuropsychiatric disorders increased to 50.0 (both sources) compared to 38.9 (health survey only) and 33.2 (claims only) with an overlap between sources of only 44.1 %. Augmenting health survey data with claims led to an increase in estimated percentage of intellectual/developmental disorders, psychiatric disorders, Neuro-CNS disorders and dementia of 1.3, 5.9, 11.5 and 3.8 respectively. In the community sample, the largest relative increases were seen for dementia (147.6 %) and Neuro-CNS disorders (87.4 %). With the exception of dementia, larger relative increases were seen in the facility sample with the greatest being for intellectual/developmental disorders (121.5 %) and Neuro-CNS disorders (93.8 %). The magnitude of potentially underestimated sample proportions using health survey only data varied strikingly according to the category of diagnosis and setting. Augmentation of survey data with claims appears essential particularly when attempting to estimate proportion of the sample affected by conditions that cause cognitive impairment which may affect ability to self-report. Augmenting proxy survey data with claims data also appears to be essential when ascertaining proportion of the facility-dwelling sample affected by neuropsychiatric disorders.
Precipitation-induced healing of Nb2O5

Abstract Precipitation-induced stimulated-healing of Nb 2 O 5 was carried out through the extrinsic addition of silver oxide nanoscale elemental inclusions to form ternary oxides at the crack site. Nb 2 O 5 cylindrical pellets, 13 mm in diameter and 10 mm in length, were produced from powders using a cold isostatic press. The pellets were subsequently sintered at 1100 °C. A scratch was created in the sintered Nb 2 O 5 pellets and was subsequently filled with Ag 2 O. The pellets were annealed to stimulate the self-healing process. X-ray diffraction was used to explore the evolution of phases, chemical compositions, and structural properties of the sintered samples before and after the stimulated-healing process. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy revealed the elemental composition in the healed region. The on-site composition of the healed sample was determined by Raman spectroscopy and was compared to the spectrum outside of the scratch. Raman spectroscopy confirmed that precipitation proceeded via the following chemical reaction which was facilitated at elevated temperature: Nb 2 O 5 + Ag 2 O → 2AgNbO 3 . In addition, a 3D reconstructed stylus profilometry image of the crack region confirmed that healing occurred. Healing by recovering 89% of the original material strength was confirmed using the three-point bend test.
A historical account of backlog challenges at National Archives of Zimbabwe and the access implications

Backlog challenges are topical issues in archives across the globe. Currently, the National Archives of Zimbabwe (NAZ), has a backlog estimated to be above 22 000 cubic feet and this has adversely affected its mandate to provide access. This article argues that the processing backlog being faced today by NAZ is not a new phenomenon that emerged recently but it has developed over time, it is as old as the existence of the archival institution itself. The article reviewed NAZ Director’s annual reports on the Harare Records Centre and the Public Archives and Research sections of NAZ. An analysis of the National Archives Act, No. 8 of 1986 was done to assess the guiding legal framework under which the backlog increased. It also explores and assesses the effectiveness of some of the measures that were put in place to try and deal with backlog challenges in both the colonial and postcolonial periods. The article goes on to suggest possible strategies on how processing backlogs can be dealt with to promote increased access to public records. It also looks at the structural challenges of the institution juxtaposed to a rising tide of public offices. To date, NAZ remains one of the smallest departments in Government despite the pressing reasons demanding its expansion. The backlog challenge at NAZ is depriving the researchers their right to access information and it goes against the national goal of promoting research.
Mechanism and sensitivity of Fe-C coated long period fiber grating sensors for steel corrosion monitoring of RC structures

Abstract The mechanism and sensitivity of long period fiber gratings (LPFG) corrosion sensor, which is made by coating LPFG with an inner layer of silver and an outer layer of Fe-C, are investigated in this study. Two silver and three Fe-C thicknesses were considered. Results indicate that a linear relationship is present between the change in the resonant wavelength and the mass loss of the outer Fe-C layer within certain ranges. The corrosion sensitivity and service life of LPFG corrosion sensor depend on the thickness of both silver and Fe-C layers.
Combinatorial Discrete Choice

Discrete choice problems with complementarities are prevalent in economics but the large dimensionality of potential solutions substantially limits the scope of their application. We define and characterize a general class that we term combinatorial discrete choice problems and show that it covers many existing problems in economics and engineering. We propose single crossing differences (SCD) as the sufficient condition to guarantee that simple recursive procedures can find the global maximum. We introduce an algorithm motivated by this condition and show how it can be used to revisit problems whose computation was deemed infeasible before. We finally discuss results for a class of games characterized by these sufficient conditions.
Art, Education and Gender: The Shaping of Female Ambition

Art, Education and Gender: The Shaping of Female Ambition investigates the hierarchical and behavioral patterns of women studying art and seeking to become generalist primary school teachers in the...