cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Short-Term Readmissions After Open, Thoracoscopic, and Robotic Lobectomy for Lung Cancer Based on the Nationwide Readmissions Database.

Readmission after surgery is an established surrogate indicator of quality of care. We aimed to compare short-term readmission rates and patient outcomes between open, video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS), and robotic lobectomies in the Nationwide Readmissions Database (NRD). Adults who underwent open, VATS, or robotic lobectomy for lung cancer from 2010 to 2014 were evaluated. Propensity-matched analysis was used to assess differences in readmission characteristics, GDP-adjusted cost, and mortality. Of the 129,539 lobectomies for lung cancer, 74,493 (57.5%) were open, 48,185 (37.2%) VATS, and 6861 (5.3%) robotic. Open surgery was associated with significantly higher readmission rate (10.5 vs 9.3%, p < 0.001), mortality (2 vs 1.2%, p < 0.001), index hospitalization cost [$21,846 (16,158–31,034) vs $20,779 (15,619–27,920), p < 0.001], and length of stay [6 (5–9) vs 4 (3–7) days, p < 0.001] compared to minimally invasive surgery. The robotic approach had similar mortality, readmission rate, and length of stay compared to VATS, but higher index cost [$23,870 (18,372–31,300) vs $20,279 (15,275–27,375), p < 0.001] and incidence of pulmonary complication (35.9 vs 31.6%, p < 0.001). The robotic approach was associated with greater direct discharges to home. Analysis of the NRD revealed significantly reduced readmission rates, better clinical outcomes, and lower cost in the minimally invasive approach compared to open surgery. Although VATS and robotic surgery had similar readmission and mortality rates, VATS is associated with significantly reduced risk of short-term complications and lower cost.
A Local History of Global Capital: Jute and Peasant Life in the Bengal Delta

From the mid nineteenth to the mid twentieth century, the most widely-used packaging material in the world was jute. A remarkable feature of this century of jute dominance is that the plant which p...
Influence of surface topography attributes on settlement and adhesion of natural and synthetic species

Surface topographies of various sizes, shapes, and spatial organization abound in nature. They endow properties such as super-hydrophobicity, reversible adhesion, anti-fouling, self-cleaning, anti-glare, and anti-bacterial, just to mention a few. Researchers have long attempted to replicate these structures to create artificial surfaces with the functionalities found in nature. In this review, we decompose the attributes of surface topographies into their constituents, namely feature dimensions, geometry, and stiffness, and examine how they contribute (individually or collectively) to settlement and adhesion of natural organisms and synthetic particles on the surface. The size of features that comprise the topography affects the contact area between the particle and surface as well as its adhesion and contributes to the observed adsorptive properties of the surface. The geometry of surface perturbations can also affect the contact area and gives rise to anisotropic particle settlement. Surface topography also affects the local stiffness of the surface and governs the adhesion strength on the surface. Overall, systematically studying attributes of surface topography and elucidating how each of them affects adhesion and settlement of particles will facilitate the design of topographically-corrugated surfaces with desired adsorption characteristics.
Changes in the hospitalization and ED visit rates for respiratory diseases associated with source-specific PM2.5 in New York State from 2005 to 2016.

Abstract Prior work found increased rates for emergency department (ED) visits for asthma and hospitalizations for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease per unit mass of PM2.5 across New York State (NYS) during 2014–2016 after significant reductions in ambient PM2.5 concentrations had occurred following implementation of various policy actions and major economic disruptions. The associations of source-specific PM2.5 concentrations with these respiratory diseases were assessed with a time-stratified case-cossover design and logistic regression models to identify the changes in the PM2.5 that have led to the apparently increased toxicity per unit mass. The rates of ED visits and hospitalizations for asthma and COPD associated with increases in source-specific PM2.5 concentrations in the prior 1, 4, and 7 days were estimated for 6 urban sites in New York State. Overall, there were similar numbers of significantly increased (n = 9) and decreased rates (n = 8) of respiratory events (asthma and COPD hospitalizations and ED visits) associated with increased source-specific PM2.5 concentrations in the previous 1, 4, and 7 days. Associations of source-specific PM2.5 concentrations with excess rates of hospitalizations for COPD for spark- and compression ignition vehicles increased in the 2014–2016 period, but the values were not statistically significant. Other source types showed inconsistent patterns of excess rates. For asthma ED visits, only biomass burning and road dust showed consistent positive associations with road dust having significant values for most lag times. Secondary nitrate also showed significant positive associations with asthma ED visits in the AFTER period compared to no associations in the prior periods. These results suggest that the relationships of asthma and COPD exacerbation with source-specific PM2.5 are not well defined and further work will be needed to determine the causes of the apparent increases in the per unit mass toxicity of PM2.5 in New York State in the 2014-16 period.
Intravascular Sonothrombolysis, in vitro, Using a Small Aperture, Forward-Viewing, Sub-Megahertz Transducer to Enhance tPA Treatment

Catheter-based thrombolytic treatments with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) have long treatment times (>15 hrs) and high risk of intracranial hemorrhage. Sonothrombolysis may improve patient outcomes while reducing the dose of tPA needed for treatment. We recently demonstrated a custom, forward-viewing intravascular (FVI) transducer with microbubbles (MBs) for in vitro sonothrombolysis. For clinical translation, we want to utilize this transducer to enhance tPA treatment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the thrombolytic outcomes of a forward-looking, IV transducer with tPA in vitro. Blood clots were treated for 30 minutes with either phosphate buffer saline (PBS), ultrasound (US) alone, tPA alone (1µg/ml), tPA + US, or MB + US (108 MB/ml). The percent clot lysis for the control group was 29 ± 4%, tPA alone was 29 ± 9%, and US alone was 25 ± 4%, with no statistically significant differences amongst these conditions. The percent clot lysis was 58 ± 10%, 59 ± 3% and 63 ± 5% for tPA + US and MB + US conditions respectively and both had statistically significantly more clot lysis than the control, US alone, or tPA alone groups. We have demonstrated that a forward-viewing intravascular transducer can be used to enhance tPA mediated sonothrombolysis and is comparable to microbubble mediated sonothrombolysis.
Activation of NPY receptor subtype 1 by [D-His26]NPY is sufficient to prevent development of anxiety and depressive like effects in the single prolonged stress rodent model of PTSD

Abstract The neuropeptide Y (NPY) system plays an important role in mediating resilience to the harmful effect of stress in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It can mediate its effects via several G-protein coupled receptors: Y1R, Y2R, Y4R and Y5R. To investigate the role of individual NPY receptors in the resilience effects of NPY to traumatic stress, intranasal infusion of either Y1R agonists [D-His26]NPY, [Leu31Pro34]NPY, Y2R agonist NPY (3–36) or NPY were administered to male Sprague–Dawley rats immediately following the last stressor of the single prolonged stress (SPS) protocol, a widely used PTSD animal model. After 7 or 14 days, effects of the treatments were measured on the elevated plus maze (EPM) for anxiety, in forced swim test (FST) for development of depressive-like or re-experiencing behavior, in social interaction (SI) test for impaired social behavior, and acoustic startle response (ASR) for hyperarousal. [D-His26]NPY, but not [Leu31Pro34]NPY nor NPY (3–36) Y2R, was effective in preventing the SPS-elicited development of anxiety. Y1R, but not Y2R agonists prevented development of depressive- feature on FST, with [D-His26]NPY superior to NPY. The results demonstrate that [D-His26]NPY was sufficient to prevent development of anxiety, social impairment and depressive symptoms, and has promise as an early intervention therapy following traumatic stress.
High Extratumoral Mast Cell Counts Are Associated with a Higher Risk of Adverse Prostate Cancer Outcomes.

Background: Given our previous findings that low intratumoral and high extratumoral mast cell numbers are associated with higher risk of biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy, we now assessed this relationship with race and the development of metastases. Methods: We stained for mast cell tryptase via IHC and fluorescent immunolabeling in 885 men across multiple tissue microarray sets designed to assess biomarkers in association with race and prostate cancer outcomes (median follow-up, 7.0 years). Results: Intratumoral and extratumoral mast cell counts were significantly lower in tissues from African-American compared with European-American men, but not within strata of cancer grade. There was no association between mast cell counts and ERG positivity, PTEN loss, or TP53 missense mutation. Higher minimum extratumoral mast cells were associated with an increased risk of biochemical recurrence [comparing highest with lowest tertiles: HR, 1.61; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12–2.29; P trend = 0.01]; this pattern was similar among European-American and African-American men and by grade of disease. There was no significant association between minimum intratumoral mast cell count and biochemical recurrence, overall or within strata of race and grade. Finally, high minimum number of extratumoral mast cells was associated with prostate cancer metastases (comparing highest with lowest tertiles: HR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.24–3.63; P trend = 0.01). Conclusions: High extratumoral mast cell numbers are associated with biochemical recurrence and the development of metastases after radical prostatectomy. Impact: Higher numbers of benign tissue mast cells are associated with a higher risk of adverse outcomes after radical prostatectomy, including metastatic prostate cancer.
Treatments for the Prevention and Management of Suicide.

This systematic review addresses benefits and harms of nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic interventions to prevent suicide and reduce suicide behaviors.
Deglacial temperature controls on no-analog community establishment in the Great Lakes Region

Abstract Understanding the drivers of vegetation dynamics and no-analog communities in eastern North America is hampered by a scarcity of independent temperature indicators. We present a new branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraether (brGDGT) temperature record from Bonnet Lake, Ohio (18–8 ka) and report uncertainty estimates based on Bayesian linear regression and bootstrapping. We also reanalyze a previously published brGDGT record from Silver Lake, Ohio, using improved chromatographic methods. All pollen- and brGDGT-based temperature reconstructions showed qualitatively similar deglacial trends but varying magnitudes. Separating 5- and 6- methyl brGDGTs resulted in substantially lower estimates of deglacial temperature variations (6.4 °C) than inferred from earlier brGDGT methods and pollen (11.8 °C, 12.0 °C respectively). Similar trends among proxies suggest good fidelity of brGDGTs to temperature, despite calibration uncertainties. At both sites, the rise and decline of no-analog communities closely track brGDGT-inferred temperatures, with a lag of 0–150 years. The timing of temperature and ecological events varies between Bonnet and Silver Lakes, likely due to age model uncertainties. Climate sensitivity analyses indicate a linear sensitivity of vegetation composition to temperature variations, albeit noisy and significant only with a 500-year bin. The formation of no-analog plant communities in the upper Midwest is closely linked to late-glacial warming, but other factors, such as temperature seasonality or end-Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions, remain viable.
Bullous Pemphigoid and Malignancy in Two Different Hospital Populations: A Retrospective Cohort Review.

Background Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a rare autoimmune blistering condition characterized by antibodies to the structural proteins BP1 and BP2 at the dermal-epidermal junction. The link between BP and malignancy remains unclear. Due to the rarity of the disease, there have been few studies with small sample sizes characterizing the association between BP and malignancy. Objectives There were two main goals of this retrospective cohort study: (1) to look at the associated risk of malignancy in patients with BP compared to controls and (2) to compare the rates of malignancy in two separate hospitals with differing patient populations. Method We reviewed the medical records of 99 patients diagnosed with BP observed between 2014 and 2019. 66 patients were from Keck Hospital and 33 were from Los Angeles County/University of Southern California (LAC/USC) Hospital. Each patient was age- and sex-matched to a control from the same hospital. Results Malignancies occurred in 26 BP patients and 29 controls. 7 of the BP patients from LAC/USC Hospital (21.2%) and 19 patients from Keck Hospital (28.8%) had malignancies. Conclusions Overall, we did not find an increased risk of malignancy in BP patients compared to controls, nor did we find a statistically differing rate of malignancy in BP patients from various socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds.
Nitric oxide in microgravity-induced orthostatic intolerance: relevance to spinal cord injury

Prolonged exposure to microgravity results in cardiovascular deconditioning which is marked by orthostatic intolerance in the returning astronauts and recovering bed-ridden patients. Recent studies conducted in our laboratories at University of California, Irvine have revealed marked elevation of nitric oxide (NO) production in the kidney, heart, brain, and systemic arteries coupled with significant reduction of NO production in the cerebral arteries of microgravity-adapted animals. We have further demonstrated that the observed alteration of NO metabolism is primarily responsible for the associated cardiovascular deconditioning. Recovery from acute spinal cord injury (SCI) is frequently complicated by orthostatic intolerance that is due to the combined effects of the disruption of efferent sympathetic pathway and cardiovascular deconditioning occasioned by prolonged confinement to bed. In this presentation, I will review the nature of altered NO metabolism and its role in the pathogenesis of microgravity-induced cardiovascular deconditioning. The possible relevance of the new findings to orthostatic intolerance in patients with acute SCI and its potential therapeutic implications will be discussed.
Effectiveness and Cost in Managed Care

This chapter discusses the effectiveness and cost in managed care as discussed by Shaffer. Managed care encompasses a continuum of organizational structures for the financing and delivery of health care services. The various structures are most appropriately operationalized according to the distribution of financial risk among the payers, providers, and facilitators that are involved in the health care delivery system. Managed care has greatly promoted the principles of evidence-based medicine in the area of mental or behavioral health. The managed-care-driven emphasis on outcomes has changed that. Providers have to justify their recommended treatment vis-a-vis those who pay for it, and if the treatment does not work, they must expect to change it. The concept of value that is long appreciated in other areas of the consumer market has finally been brought to behavioral health care. In the long run it seems illusory to attach hopes for realizing true market efficiencies to a product that by necessity can never meet economists' specification for a commodity in a market operating under the conditions of perfect competition.
15 Transforming Lessons from the Past into Lessons for the Future

This paper argues that we would massively increase the value of our archaeological understanding of the past for the present if we cast it differently. Rather than use a reductionist, ex-post approach (which explains the present by invoking the past, looking for origins), we should be using an “ex ante” approach that looks at the emergence of change, linking past and present to the future. This would allow us to learn from the past for the future. The paper examines some of the difficulties encountered in implementing such a different approach, at the level of our cognition, our scientific practices, and our paradigms, and then illustrates some of the changes in perspective such a shift would bring about by referring to the different discussions of Maya archaeology presented in this volume.
Determining AACN's research priorities for the 90s

The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses completed a three-phased process of priority identification for critical care nursing research. In phase 1, a 78-item survey was generated following a comprehensive review of potential research topics. In phase 2, approximately 1000 critical care nurses rated each item on the survey for importance to critical care nursing. Based on these results, the AACN Research Committee formulated a clinical and a nonclinical (contextual) list of research topics. Each list contained 25 topics. In phase 3, topics were given final rankings at a 1-day Consensus Conference on Research Priorities. Both Likert-type and magnitude estimation scaling were used to determine priority ranking of items on each list. As a result, both clinical and contextual research priorities were established for AACN.
Relational space: An earthly installation

Anthropology off the Earth opens to new questions and futures for our disciplinary project and reach, while at the same time compelling revisits to classic sites of anthropological inquiry and critique. Taking as a given that human labor and imagination are neither limitable to, nor severable from, terrestrial-scapes of knowledge and practice, we argue that conceptually and materially working with outer space offers a unique opportunity to engage inter/disciplinary questions across many scales: with technologies of inter-being connections and disconnections, with approaches to what counts as nature and culture, and with questions concerning the often-invisible force fields of agency and structures of power.
Solution Structure of Eps15's Third EH Domain Reveals Coincident Phe−Trp and Asn−Pro−Phe Binding Sites†,‡

Eps15 homology (EH) domains interact with proteins involved in endocytosis and signal transduction. EH domains bind to Asn-Pro-Phe (NPF) consensus motifs of target proteins. A few EH domains, such as the third EH domain (EH(3)) of human Eps15, prefer to bind Phe-Trp (FW) sequences. The structure of EH(3) has been solved by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and is the first of an FW- and NPF-binding EH domain. Both FW and NPF sequences bind in the same hydrophobic pocket as shown by heteronuclear chemical shift mapping. EH(3) contains the dual EF-hand fold characteristic of the EH domain family, but it binds calcium with high affinity in the first EF-hand rather than the usual coordination in the second EF-hand. Point mutations were designed based on differences in the EH(3) and the second EH domain (EH(2)) of human Eps15 that alter the affinity of the domains for FW or NPF motif peptides. Peptides that mimic binding sites in the potential EH(3) targets Rab, synaptojanin, and the cation-dependent mannose 6-phosphate receptor were used to explore wild-type and mutant affinities. Characterization of the structure and binding properties of an FW- and NPF-binding EH domain and comparison to an NPF-specific EH domain provide important insights into the mechanisms of EH domain ligand recognition.
THE RELATIONSHIP OF FEEDING TO NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS

The records of all newborns with necrotizing enterocolitis (N-E) were reviewed for the years 1968-73. Of the 24 cases, 19 died & N-E was confirmed in all 18 autopsies. The previously reported associations with low birth weight, PROM or amnionitis, asphyxia, & RDS were found. Also, a relationship with feeding was seen—the infants forming 3 groups: Group I-18 infants begun on formula feedings between 4 hrs. to 8 days of life. They developed G.I. signs an average of 31 hrs. later (S.E.=5.6). Formula intake by the 2nd day of feeding averaged 72 cc/kg/day, 133% of the usual daily formula intake in this nursery for infants without overt illness. All 5 who lived (of which none perforated or had surgery) were in this group. Group II-3 infants developed the onset of G.I. signs 15, 20 and 28 days following initiation of feeding, but had other intercurrent problems. Group III-3 infants never fed formula. These had no x-ray or autopsy evidence of pneumatosis. In these 24 patients with N-E, 75% developed the disease related to the onset of feeding. The remainder appeared to develop their disease in relationship to other problems. Formula feeding in this series is very closely associated with the development of N-E, particularly over-aggressive feeding. Feeding is not the sole cause of N-E but is closely enough related to its development to warrant delayed and cautious feeding of infants at risk of N-E.
Triiodothyronine stimulates nuclear RNA synthesis.

We have studied the effect of triiodothyronine (T3) administered in vivo on RNA synthesis in rat liver nuclei in vitro. Normal (N) rats were compared to hypothyroid (H) rats, and to hypothyroid rats given 15 μg T3/1OO g bw (T rats) for 0.5–24 h prior to sacrifice. Nuclei were prepared by centrifugation through 2.3M sucrose. DNA dependent-RNA polymerase I activity, total DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and α-amanitin-sensitive polymerase were separately assayed by measuring incorporation of [125I]iodo-CTP. RNA was extracted using a phenolchloroform technique from aliquots of homogenate (unincubated) and from nuclei after in vitro incubation with [125I]iodo-CTP. The Poly-A content of homogenate RNA was assayed by its ability to bind and protect [125I]iodo-Poly-U. In vitro synthesized [125I]labelled RNA was examined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. α-Glycerophosphate dehydrogenase activity was also measured in mitochondria prepared from the various types of animals. RNA polymerase activity of H rats was ...
Anatomists provide the foundation for learning pathophysiology.

The need for interdisciplinary graduate training programs which prepare students to conceptualize the application of their research in clinical settings continues to grow. Though several programs have been cultivated to address this need, demand still outweighs supply. The following describes a curriculum developed with the intent of incorporating medical knowledge into a PhD graduate training program. Development of this Molecular Medicine program by the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine in collaboration with Case Western Reserve University was funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute “Med into Grad” initiative. The core curriculum of this program begins with a foundation in Human Physiology and Disease course in which anatomy faculty introduce students to a basic overview of gross anatomy structure and function. This course is followed by five fundamental basic science courses, a composite course focusing on principles of clinical and translation research, a course on laboratory techniques and three, 12-week research rotations. In the second year of the program, students begin their dissertation research, complete their qualifying examination, and partake in an individually tailored Clinical Experience course. Interdisciplinary graduate programs like this provide another venue for faculty in anatomical sciences to help aspiring translational scientists relate basic science knowledge to human pathophysiology and health. Anat Sci Educ. © 2012 American Association of Anatomists.
Fast trypsin digestion of proteins on a cross-linked [Os(dmebpy)2Cl]+/2+-derivatized copolymer of acrylamide and vinylimidazole column

Fast digestion of proteins was observed when they were loaded together with trypsin onto the crosslinked [Os(dmebpy)_2Cl]^(+/2+)-derivatized copolymer of acrylamide and vinylimidazole column. The insoluble Os-complexed polymer particles were packed into an electrospray tip to monitor peptides eluted during loading, washing and elution periods with a mass spectrometer. The proteolytic cleavage of proteins was observed immediately when the mixture of trypsin and substrates in 0.2mM ammonium bicarbonate 50:50 H_2O/acetonitrile reached the column tip, and continued through the loading period. Some tryptic peptides were released from the column during the loading and following washing periods. The others still stayed on the column until the low pH elution buffer reached the column. If a protein was first loaded onto the column, no tryptic peptides of the protein were observed when trypsin was loaded later for the on-column digestion. Only the autolysis peptides of trypsin were observed. On-column digestion of 100 fmol myoglobin was successfully detected with a low sensitivity quadrupole mass spectrometer. A hybrid Os-polymer/C_(18) column tip was constructed for the online trypsin digestion of proteins in the aqueous buffers and the following trapping and elution of peptides from the C_(18) column. The digestion of reduced and alkylated bovine serum albumin and human transferrin in 2.5mM ammonium bicarbonate and 0.2M urea buffer was observed on the column, with more peptide coverage than conventional 4 h in-solution digestion at 37°C. Control experiments without the Os-polymer in the column tip excluded the spontaneous insolution digestion of proteins in the short time window of buffer delivery onto the column, indirectly confirming the contribution of Os-polymer on the fast trypsin digestion.
Household composition and food expenditures in China

With China admitted to the World Trade Organization there is the potential for dramatic increases in U.S. agricultural exports. The present analysis uses household-level data to identify important determinants of expenditures on food for at-home consumption by households in three Chinese urban provinces. Besides the role of household income, we examine the impact of household member age/gender composition on expenditures via the estimation of endogenously determined adult equivalents. Results from the analysis show that overall food at-home expenditures are income inelastic, some commodities exhibit elastic responses to changes in their own price and household composition has a significant impact on food choice. [JEL category: D120]. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of banol and parathion on operant learning behavior of rats fed adequate and inadequate casein diets.

A study eas made of the effects of prolonged pesticide feeding on operant conditioning and brain ChE and MAO activities of rats fed normal and low protein diets. Four ppm of parathion in a 5% casein diet retarded the lever press performance and 1000 ppm Banol almost completely inhibited such responding in rats. These pesticides had no effect on the performance of the rats fed 18% casein diet. Neither ChE nor MAO of the rat brain were altered at the end of the training procedure. Other possible explanations for the changes in operant conditioning are discussed.
Generation of Monoclonal Antibodies Recognizing Neuronal Elements in Formalin-fixed Paraffin-embedded Human Tissue

We used formalin-fixed human spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia as immunogens to generate monoclonal antibodies (mAb) which immunohistochemically react with neurons in formalin-fixed human tissue sections. Three of the mAb recognized all neuronal populations studied, including those in spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia, cerebellum, and cerebrum. A fourth mAb recognized neurons within spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia and dentate nucleus of cerebellum but not those in cerebrum or cerebellar hemispheres. This mAb, unlike the other three, did not recognize murine neurons. These data indicate the feasibility of generating mAb suitable for analysis of human pathological material in its most readily available form, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue.
Fractal nature of asphaltene aggregation

Abstract Deposition of asphaltenes existing in crude oil can create severe problems. To prevent economic losses arising out of these, it is necessary to predict when deposition arises and the conditions that are amenable to prevent its occurrence. A comprehensive model of asphaltene aggregation and deposition was proposed by Park and Mansoori in 1988∗. In this model, the kinetic theory of fractal aggregation along with the principles of phase equilibria and the theories of polydisperse polymer and colloidal solutions are used to predict the growing-size distribution of asphaltene particles and the phenomenon of asphaltene deposition. Concepts used by the Fractal Aggregation model of Park and Mansoori are examined in this paper in the light of the Korcak law which describes the size distribution of an aggregating polydisperse system. Results of asphaltene aggregation predicted by this model is tested for universality. It is shown that the model satisfies the Korcak law and possesses the universality requirement in support of the fractal aggregation mechanism assumption for asphaltene aggregation.
Alternate structures and stabilities of c-myc RNA in a hursal lymphoma cell line

A bursal lymphoma cell line, BK25, had been shown to be haploid at the c-myc locus and to have undergone an alteration of chromatin structure upstream from the c-myc coding region. In BK25 DNA at least the 3' half of an ALV provirus is integrated 160bp upstream from exon 2. As a result of this integration event, the first and second exons are separated by at least 17 kb. Approximately 90% of c-myc transcription begins in the promoter of the ALV proviral long terminal repeat (LTR) and this mRNA has a half-life of approximately 25 minutes in actinomycin D chase experiments. Approximately 10% of c-myc transcription initiates at the normal promoter of c-myc. The latter message has an unusually long half-life of greater than 100 minutes. By contrast, in MSB-1 cells, which lack any c-myc rearrangements, transcription begins at the normal promoter in exon 1 and c-myc RNA has a half-life of approximately 15 minutes. These results suggest that factors in addition to the structure of the 5' end of chicken c-myc RNA determine its stability in vivo.
Mapping intravascular extension of Wilms'tumor with magnetic resonance imaging

Accurate preoperative diagnosis of renal vein, vena caval, or intracardiac extension of Wilms' tumor allows the surgeon to better plan operative vascular control and assess the potential benefits of preoperative chemotherapy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and ultrasound were used to study four consecutive patients presenting with Wilms' tumor. Three had vena caval involvement, with one of these having a massive right atrial tumor thrombus. A fourth patient had renal vein involvement only. We found MRI to be superior to both CT and ultrasound for mapping intravascular extension of Wilms' tumor and for delineating nonvascular disease. Because of its noninvasiveness, multiplane imaging capabilities, and image contrast and resolution, MRI is a valuable complimentary imaging modality for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with Wilms' tumor.
Real-time android with RTDroid

This paper presents RTDroid, a variant of Android that provides predictability to Android applications. Although there has been much interest in adopting Android in real-time contexts, surprisingly little work has been done to examine the suitability of Android for real-time systems. Existing work only provides solutions to traditional problems, including real-time garbage collection at the virtual machine layer and kernel-level real-time scheduling and resource management. While it is critical to address these issues, it is by no means sufficient. After all, Android is a vast system that is more than a Java virtual machine and a kernel.Thus, this paper goes beyond existing work and examines the internals of Android. We discuss the implications and challenges of adapting Android constructs and core system services for real-time and present a solution for each. Our system is unique in that it redesigns Android's internal components, replaces Android's Java VM (Dalvik) with a real-time VM, and leverages off-the-shelf real-time OSes. We demonstrate the feasibility and predictability of our solution by evaluating it on three different platforms---an x86 PC, a LEON3 embedded board, and a Nexus S smartphone. The evaluation results show that our design can successfully provide predictability to Android applications, even under heavy load.
Coastal Paleogeography and Human Occupation of the Western Alaska Peninsula

Geological and archaeological investigations on the western Alaska Peninsula establish relationships between postglacial sea level changes and regional settlement patterns, which are linked to the spatial and temporal distribution of marine and estuarine resources. Isostatic emergence dominated relative sea-level changes since deglaciation, but erosional landforms and gaps in the archaeological record suggest that site preservation has varied because of the interplay of eustatic sea level rise, isostatic uplift, and tectonic deformation. Coastal subsidence associated with a major earthquake about 2200 yr B.P. is linked with a 300-year hiatus in the regional archaeological record. A shift from estuarine to littoral and offshore resources following this period demonstrates the impact of such dynamic sea level fluctuations on the shape and biological productivity of the coastal zone. However, changes in village organization, house form, and subsistence base that define several archaeological phases arise from both environmental and sociopolitical instability. Models of culture change should accommodate local and regional geological boundary conditions in the North Pacific and similarly dynamic settings. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
LUMINESCENCE SPECTRA AND PHOTOCYCLOADDITION OF THE EXCITED COUMARINS TO DNA BASES

— The lowest excited singlet and triplet states of coumarin, psoralen, and 4-hydroxy-coumarin have been assigned to the (π,π*) type on the basis of the luminescence spectroscopy and MO calculations. The mechanism of photocycloaddition of courmarin and psoralen to thymine has been described in terms of the perturbational MO model and MO reactivity indices. All possible cycloaddition patterns have been examined. Results suggest that the 3,4-bond of coumarin in the excited state is somewhat more reactive than the same bond of psoralen in the excited state. It is also predicted that the 3,4-bond of psoralen in the triplet state is more reactive than the 4′, 5′-bond. The results have been favorably correlated with the electronic characteristics of excited coumarin molecules and with available experimental data on the relative yields of photoadducts.
Linear Algebra Techniques For Pattern Recognition: Feature Extraction Case Studies

ABSTRACT Many linear algebra operations, matrix inversions, etc. are required in pattern recogni­ tion as well as in signal processing. In this paper, we concentrate on feature extraction pattern recognition techniques (specifically a chord distribution and a moment feature space). For these two case studies, we note the various linear algebra operations required in distortion- invariant pattern recognition. Systolic processors can easily perform all required linear algebra functions. 1. INTRODUCTION Linear algebra operations are required in many signal processing applications and these have been extensively discussed elsewhere in this volume. In this paper, I note that similar operations are also required in many pattern recognition and object identification applica­ tions. In this paper, specific attention is given to feature extraction or feature space based pattern recognition problems and to viable applications such as achieving object rec­ ognition in the face of geometrical distortions in the input image. The two feature extrac­ tion case studies considered are the use of a chord distribution and a moment feature space. Each of these results in considerably different linear algebra operations required on the object features to achieve the desired object identification. Sections 2 and 3 address the chord distribution feature space and Section 4 addresses the moment feature space case study.
Simplification of 3D scanned head data for use in real-time model-based coding systems

In this paper we present an algorithm for reducing a set of high-density scanned range data to a simplified polygonal mesh. Of major interest is the application of this algorithm to Cyberware 3D range data of human heads to produce simple yet accurate wireframe approximations for use in model based video coding systems. The objective is to decimate the range data while maintaining acceptable levels of resolution over critical sections of the face, such as areas of high curvature (noise, mouth) and sections with fine detail (eyes). Areas such as foreheads and cheeks which are relatively smooth are represented with lower geometric detail. The algorithm employs a quadtree-based representation of the range data and subsequent mergings of the leaf nodes are determined by a multi-variable cost function. Factors taken into account in creating the cost function are fitting error, polygon aspect ratios, and improvement in mesh simplification. This method has been tested on a database of Cyberware head data and the results are presented at the end of the paper. Experiments show that the algorithm provides considerable data reduction and the resulting simplified wireframe is accurate enough for use in a real-time model based coding system.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Metronome Timing in Behavioral Ecology Studies

An inexpensive, portable, electronic metronome emits tone pulses through an earphone at intervals which can be varied from 1 to 20 sec, and may be used in a variety of ways to provide a time base for studies in behavioral ecology. Several suggestions for the conduct of field studies in behavioral ecology are made.
Vision and precision reaching in 15-month-old infants

Visual information about the location of the hand in space plays a key role in many theories of the development of reaching. Empirical data casts doubt on this assumption, although vision of the hand is clearly used by adults. The current study investigated the role of vision in 15-month-olds' reaching, manipulating both the precision demands of the task and the level of visual information available. Infants reached for both large and small objects, presented with visual feedback of the target and hand (full lighting), or with visual feedback of only the target object (glowing object in the dark). In contrast to findings with younger infants, 15-month-olds' reaches were sensitive to changes in precision demands and visual feedback, reflecting corrective movements that become necessary as reaching tasks become more challenging. Furthermore, these kinematic alterations are similar to those seen in adults, suggesting that visual guidance may become more important over the course of development, as infants engage in increasingly higher precision tasks.
Physical activity, food choice, and weight management goals and practices among U.S. college students

Abstract Introduction: Physical activity and a healthy diet have been recommended to help reverse the increasing prevalence of overweight among adolescents and adults in the United States. Methods: Data is from the 1995 National College Health Risk Behavior Survey. A representative sample of US undergraduate college students ( n = 4609) were analyzed to examine associations of physical activity and food choice with weight management goals and practices. Results: Based on self-reported height and weight, 35% of students were overweight or obese (body mass index ≥ 25.0). Nearly half (46%) of all students reported they were trying to lose weight. Female students were less likely than male students to be overweight, but more likely to be trying to lose weight. Among female and male students, using logistic regression to control for demographics, trying to lose weight was associated with participation in vigorous physical activity and strengthening exercises, and consumption of ≤ 2 servings/day of high-fat foods. Female and male students who reported using exercise to lose weight or to keep from gaining weight were more likely than those who did not to participate in vigorous, strengthening, and moderate physical activity, and were more likely to eat ≥ 5 servings/day of fruits and vegetables and ≤ 2 servings/day of high-fat foods. Among students who were trying to lose weight, only 54% of females and 41% of males used both exercise and diet for weight control. Conclusion: Colleges should implement programs to increase student awareness of healthy weight management methods and the importance of physical activity combined with a healthy diet.
Glissades—eye movements generated by mismatched components of the saccadic motoneuronal control signal

Abstract Human saccadic eye movements have three types of overshoot: dynamic overshoot, lasting 10–30 ms; glissadic overshoot, lasting 30–500 ms; and static overshoot, which is amended—after a delay of about 200 ms—by a subsequent corrective saccade. Glissades are the slow drifting eye movements occasionally seen at the end of saccadic eye movements. Glissades are hypothecated to be produced by mismatches in the pulse and step components of the motoneuronal controller signals. Glissades are not vergence eye movements, although the dynamics are similar.
Management Tactics for the Sorghum Webworm in Sorghum

Damaging infestation levels of Celama sorghiella (Riley) were avoided by early planting of sorghum. Sorghum planted by Apr. 1 and flowering before June 20 in the Coastal Bend of Texas, and sorghum planted by Apr. 10 and flowering before July 1 in south-central Texas escaped damaging infestations of sorghum webworm. Sorghum panicle type (open vs. compact) ratings and sorghum webworm infestation levels were positively correlated (r2 = 0.8). Data showed that as sorghum panicles increase in compactness, sorghum webworm densities also increase. There was no positive correlation between sorghum webworm infestation levels and seed endosperm type or panicle size. Also, no association was apparent between egg deposition and panicle type within 6 days of panicle exertion; webworm mortality was high by the 10th day after 50% flower. Germ plasm resistant to sorghum web worm was difficult to identify, but differences in infestation levels indicated possible resistant sources.
Neutrophil chemotactic activity of peptidoglycan. A comparison between Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis

The ability of peptidoglycan from Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus to generate in human serum chemoattractant for peripheral blood neutrophils was studied. It was shown that PG from the two bacteria was able to induce chemotactic activity in normal human serum. Sonication of PG was required to generate this activity. Very little or no activity was generated in heat-treated or C5-deficient human serum by PG, indicating that PG treatment of serum resulted in generation of chemoattractants by activation of complement. Kinetics studies employing C2-deficient or MgEGTA-chelated serum revealed that S. epidermidis induced chemotactic activity by activating the alternative complement pathway. The alternative complement activation induced by S. epidermidis occurred rapidly and was completed after 15 min, whereas S. aureus activated the alternative pathway much more slowly, with activation reaching a maximum at 60 min. The rapid activation of the alternative complement pathway by S. epidermidis PG may partly explain why this bacterium does not normally cause infections in healthy individuals.
Simulation of viscous flows with undulatory boundaries. Part I: Basic solver

A numerical method for the simulation of viscous flows with undulatory walls and free surfaces is presented. The simulation domain is discretized by a boundary-fitted and time-dependent grid. The Navier-Stokes equations, subject to fully nonlinear kinematic and dynamic boundary conditions at the free surface and no-slip boundary condition at the wall, are simulated by a hybrid pseudo-spectral and finite difference method in space and a semi-implicit fractional-step method in time. The performance of the method is demonstrated by a series of test cases including flows over wavy boundaries, various surface waves, and interaction between vortices and free surfaces. Validation by convergence test and extensive comparisons with previous theoretical, experimental, and numerical studies indicate the accuracy and efficiency of the method. Finally, a simulation example of turbulence and free surface interaction is presented. Results show that the rich features of the free surface such as surface waves, splats, anti-splats, dimples, and scars are captured accurately. Characteristic vortical structures and variation of turbulence statistics in the near-surface region are also elucidated.
The Use of Iodinated Contrast Media in Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease

Iodinated contrast agents are well tolerated in ESRD patients. Certain types of ICM, i.e., LOCM and the nonionic agents are associated with better safety profiles. Current available evidence, although not optimal, does not support the need for additional hemodialysis for ICM removal to preserve residual renal function or to treat other potential toxicities of ICM. However, limiting exposure to ICM is a prudent measure in ESRD patients given ICM’s potential toxicity; close monitoring of patients with poor cardiac function is also recommended in subjects receiving higher doses of ICM, especially those receiving HOCM.
Type Ia supernovae: Advances in large scale simulation

There are two principal scientific objectives in the study of Type Ia supernovae - first, a better understanding of these complex explosions from as near first principles as possible, and second, enabling the more accurate utilization of their emission to measure distances in cosmology. Both tasks lend themselves to large scale numerical simulation, yet take us beyond the current frontiers in astrophysics, combustion science, and radiation transport. Their study requires novel approaches and the creation of new, highly scalable codes.
Grid-immunoblotting: a fast and simple technique to test multiple allergens with small amounts of antibody for cross-reactivity.

Abstract Grid-immunoblotting is a procedure that allows the simultaneous testing of up to 20 different antibodies such as monoclonal antibody-containing hybridoma supernatants or human sera for specific antibodies to up to 20 different antigens or allergens on a single sheet of nitrocellulose membrane. Since only 150 to 200 μl of antibody-containing solution are required this technique is uniquely suited to test growing hybridomas and small amounts of sera (e.g. mouse and children’s sera). Compared to a standard ELISA, approximately ten times less antibody is needed to obtain the same information.