cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relation of atherosclerosis to arterial wall shear in the left anterior descending coronary artery of man

Low fluid dynamic shear acting on the vascular endothelium has been suggested as a factor in atherogenesis. This study describes qualitatively differences of wall shear rate in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) of man and relates the distribution of wall shear to that of atheromatous plaques. Selective coronary arteriograms of 21 patients without obstructive LAD diseases were reviewed. Blood velocity, and therefore wall shear in the LAD, was assessed qualitatively based upon the rate of clearance of contrast material. There was a rapid clearing of contrast material along the outer wall of the LAD as it curved around the border of the heart. A much slower clearing occurred along the inner wall, bordering the myocardium, which persisted two to six cardiac cycles after the outer wall had cleared. This suggests that velocity, and therefore shear rate, is lower along the inner wall of the LAD than along the outer wall. In 27 patients who died of noncardiac disease, an uneven distribution of atheromatous plaques in the LAD was observed histologically, with greater involvement of the inner wall. These observations demonstrate an association between the lower shear rate along the inner wall of the LAD and the site of higher concentration of atherosclerosis.
Avian scale development: effect of the scaleless gene on morphogenesis and histogenesis.

Abstract It has been found that morphogenesis of the reticulate scales on the footpads of the scaleless mutant chicken is abnormal. This abnormal morphogenesis is responsible for the unusual appearance of the surface of the scaleless footpads. In contrast, histogenesis of the epidermis of the mutant reticulate scales is typical of that seen for the epidermis of normal reticulate scales. Recombination experiments between the mutant scale dermis (at 16 days of incubation) and 8-day chorionic epithelium show that the mutant dermis, at this stage of development, is unable to induce normal morphogenesis; yet it is able to induce normal histogenesis of the epidermis. These results differ from those of previous experiments in which it was shown that the dermis of mutant scutellate scales (from 16-day scaleless embryos) was unable to induce normal histogenesis as a result of an earlier defect in morphogenesis. Differences in the action of the scaleless gene upon reticulate and scutellate scales are dicussed in relation to embryogenesis of the two types of scales. A possible site of action of the scaleless gene is also discussed.
Overbuilt for exercise or not: how do lung structure and distensibility impact exercise capacity?

Cardiacoutput,muscleoxygendeliveryand oxygen extraction are hypothesized to limit maximal oxygen consumption ( ˙ VO2max )i n healthy individuals. Much work aiming to address the long-standing question of cardiac output limitation has focused on the capacity of the left ventricle to increase stroke volume with substantially less focus on the importance of the right ventricle. The right ventricle is thin-walled, crescent shaped and generally less resistant to afterload stress than the left ventricle. While the increase in mean pressure encountered by the left ventricle during exercise is ∼25%, the right ventricle encounters a threeto four-fold increase in mean pulmonary vascular pressure. Indeed, elite endurance athletes experience acute right ventricular dysfunction and show evidence of right ventricular fibrosis after a race (3‐11 h) although left ventricular structure and function are unaffected (La Gerche et al. 2012). Within our group, we have frequently discussed how the right ventricle might be limited in its ability to increase cardiac output in the face of hypertensive pulmonary vascular pressures and find the question of whether right ventricular afterload stress impacts exercise capacity in healthy individuals breathing room air to be intriguing. Thus, we were excited to have the opportunity to discuss the recent paper entitled ‘Pulmonary vascular distensibility predicts aerobic capacity in healthy humans’, published (Lalande et al. 2012). Here, Lalande et al. hypothesized that the distensibility of the pulmonary vasculature predicts ˙ VO2max in healthy humans.
Development and use of new therapeutics for rare diseases: views from patients, caregivers, and advocates.

Patients with rare diseases experience the health care system differently than patients with more common conditions. They can therefore provide important perspectives on the process of developing therapeutics for their conditions. We conducted three in-person focus groups involving rare disease patients (n = 9), caregivers (n = 8), and advocates (n = 9). Focus group participants were asked to describe their experiences with a rare disease, what they would want to know about a new drug for the disease, what outcomes they believe should be assessed in drug testing, perceptions of off-label use of a drug for treating a rare disease, views on participation in clinical trials, and opinions of the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) function. The coding structure was populated from the transcripts of the sessions, using Atlas.ti qualitative analysis software, and then analyzed for common themes. Participants described the challenges of learning to live with a poorly understood condition for which treatment is limited. Rare disease patients were willing to accept certain risks in their care in the hopes of finding some benefit, but also expressed frustrations with the costs of their care and the lack of scientific data about their treatments. They were concerned that the development and testing of therapies should, as quickly as possible, yield effective treatments to advance their quality of life. With limited therapeutic options, rare disease patients often considered off-label treatments or novel drugs that posed substantial risk. Nonetheless, rare disease patients generally appreciated the rigor of the research underlying the drugs and supported the FDA’s gatekeeping role.
Loss of AP-2 results in up-regulation of MCAM/MUC18 and an increase in tumor growth and metastasis of human melanoma cells

MCAM/MUC18 is a cell-surface glycoprotein of 113 kDa, originally identified as a melanoma antigen, whose expression is associated with tumor progression and the development of metastatic potential. We have previously shown that enforced expression of MCAM/MUC18 in primary cutaneous melanoma led to increased tumor growth and metastatic potential in nude mice. The mechanism for up-regulation of MCAM/MUC18 during melanoma progression is unknown. Here we show that up-regulation of MCAM/MUC18 expression in highly metastatic cells correlates with loss of expression of the transcription factor AP-2. The MCAM/MUC18 promoter contains four binding sites for AP-2, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay gels demonstrated that the AP-2 protein bound directly to the MCAM/MUC18 promoter. Transfection of AP-2 into highly metastatic A375SM melanoma cells (AP-2-negative and MCAM/MUC18-positive) inhibited MCAM/MUC18 promoter-driven chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene in a dose-dependent manner. MCAM/MUC18 mRNA and protein expression were down-regulated in AP-2-transfected but not in control cells. In addition, re-expression of AP-2 in A375SM cells inhibited their tumorigenicity and metastatic potential in nude mice. These results indicate that the expression of MCAM/MUC18 is regulated by AP-2 and that enforced AP-2 expression suppresses tumorigenicity and metastatic potential of human melanoma cells, possibly by down-regulating MCAM/MUC18 gene expression. Since AP-2 also regulates other genes that are involved in the progression of human melanoma such as c-KIT, E-cadherin, MMP-2, and p21(WAF-1), we propose that loss of AP-2 is a crucial event in the development of malignant melanoma.
Activation of JAK3, but not JAK1, is critical to interleukin-4 (IL4) stimulated proliferation and requires a membrane-proximal region of IL4 receptor alpha

The tyrosine kinases JAK1 and JAK3 have been shown to undergo tyrosine phosphorylation in response to interleukin-2 (IL), IL4, IL7, and IL9, cytokines which share the common IL2 receptor gamma-chain (IL2R gamma), and evidence has been found for a preferential coupling of JAK3 to IL2R gamma and JAK1 to IL2R beta. Here we show, using human premyeloid TF-1 cells, that IL4 stimulates JAK3 to a larger extent than JAK1, based upon three different evaluation criteria. These include a more vigorous tyrosine phosphorylation of JAK3 as measured by anti-phosphotyrosine immunoblotting, a more marked activation of JAK3 as determined by in vitro tyrosine kinase assays and a more manifest presence of JAK3 in activated IL4-receptor complexes. These observations suggest that IL4 receptor signal transduction does not depend on equimolar heterodimerization of JAK1 and JAK3 following IL4-induced heterodimerization of IL4R alpha and IL2R gamma. Indeed, when human IL4R alpha was stably expressed in mouse BA/F3 cells, robust IL4-induced proliferation and JAK3 activation occurred without detectable involvement of JAK1, JAK2, or TYK2. The present study suggests that JAK1 plays a subordinate role in IL4 receptor signaling, and that in certain cells exclusive JAK3 activation may mediate IL4-induced cell growth. Moreover, mutational analysis of human IL4R alpha showed that a membrane-proximal cytoplasmic region was critical for JAK3 activation, while the I4R motif was not, which is compatible with a role of JAK3 upstream of the recruitment of the insulin receptor substrate-1/4PS signaling proteins by IL4 receptors.
Oxidation profiles of thermally aged nitrile rubber

The thermal degradation of a commercial, stabilized, unfilled nitrile (Buna-N) rubber material was investigated at temperatures in the range 85–140 °C. The resulting heterogeneous oxidation, due to diffusion limitations in oxygen availability, was studied using infrared microscopy and modulus profiling. Degradation-related spectral changes were observed primarily in the hydroxyl, carbonyl and ester regions; quantitative analysis revealed identical oxidation profiles for these chromophores. These chemical oxidation profiles (carbonyl formation) were correlated with mechanical modulus (hardness) profiles. Degradation of the sample proceeds via a linear increase in the carbonyl concentration, but an exponential increase in the modulus with time. It is concluded that the profile development and aging behavior can be described by a diffusion-limited autoxidation mechanism which can be modeled computationally. The results are compared to those of a previously studied carbon-black-filled material.
Artifact particulate sulfate and nitrate formation on filter media

Laboratory and atmospheric sampling studies were performed to evaluate glass fiber, quartz and Teflon filters for their abilities to form artifact particulate sulfate and nitrate with SO2and HNO3, respectively. The glass fiber filters were the types employed by the U.S. EPA as well as many State and local agencies for hi-vol particle sampling in the period 1977–1982. In 24-h laboratory trials, the sulfate artifact with the glass fiber filters ranged from 32 to 59μgcm−2 (8–15μg m−3 at simulated hi-vol sampling rates). With the exception of Whatman QMA, the ‘quartz’ and Teflon filters collected very low levels of SO2. At nitric acid dosages representative of those in atmospheric sampling, the glass fiber filters retained > 94% of the HNO3; the ‘quartz’ filters, 33 to > 99%; and Teflon filters, <2 % of the HNO3,. Because of competing acidic species in ambient air, these represent upper limits to the values to be expected in atmospheric sampling. Over the dosage range evaluated, artifact particulate sulfate and nitrate formation on ‘quartz’ and Teflon filters were highly correlated to each other from one filter to another, with a 4:1 molar ratio of nitrate: sulfate. The sulfate artifact in atmospheric sampling with Pallflex ‘quartz’ filters was consistent with laboratory findings while the nitrate artifact was much lower than predicted.
The Role of the “Atmospheric Bridge” in Linking Tropical Pacific ENSO Events to Extratropical SST Anomalies

Abstract The role of the atmospheric circulation as a “bridge” between sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the tropical Pacific and those in the midlatitude northern oceans is assessed. The key processes associated with this atmospheric bridge are described using output from four independent simulations with a general circulation model subjected to month to month SST variations observed in the tropical Pacific during the 1946–1988 period and to climatological SST conditions elsewhere (the “TOGA” runs). In episodes with prominent SST anomalies in the tropical Pacific, extratropical perturbations in the simulated atmospheric temperature, humidity, and wind fields induce changes in the latent and sensible heat fluxes across the air-sea interface of the midlatitude oceans. These anomalous fluxes in turn lead to extratropical SST changes. The relevance of the atmospheric bridge mechanism is evaluated by driving a motionless, 50-m deep oceanic negative mixed layer model at individual grid points with the...
The serine protease Corin is a novel modifier of the agouti pathway

The hair follicle is a model system for studying epithelial-mesenchymal interactions during organogenesis. Although analysis of the epithelial contribution to these interactions has progressed rapidly, the lack of tools to manipulate gene expression in the mesenchymal component, the dermal papilla, has hampered progress towards understanding the contribution of these cells. In this work, Corin was identified in a screen to detect genes specifically expressed in the dermal papilla. It is expressed in the dermal papilla of all pelage hair follicle types from the earliest stages of their formation, but is not expressed elsewhere in the skin. Mutation of the Corin gene reveals that it is not required for morphogenesis of the hair follicle. However, analysis of the ;dirty blonde' phenotype of these mice reveals that the transmembrane protease encoded by Corin plays a critical role in specifying coat color and acts downstream of agouti gene expression as a suppressor of the agouti pathway.
The inexorable rise of gender and the decline of sex: Social change in academic titles, 1945-2001

More than 30 million titles of “academic” articles, from the years 1945–2001, were surveyed for occurrences of the wordssex andgender. At the beginning of this period, uses ofgender were much rarer than uses ofsex, and often used in the sense of a grammatical category. By the end of this period, uses ofgender outnumbered uses ofsex in the social sciences, arts, and humanities. Within the natural sciences, there was now more than 1 use ofgender for every 2 uses ofsex. The beginnings of this change in usage can be traced to Money's introduction of the concept of “gender role” in 1955 (J. Money, 1955). However, the major expansion in the use of gender followed its adoption by feminists to distinguish the social and cultural aspects of differences between men and women (gender) from biological differences (sex). Since then, the use of gender has tended to expand to encompass the biological, and a sex/gender distinction is now only fitfully observed.
Richard Rorty's Politics

The training and experience of such academic philosophers as Richard Rorty and Hilary Putnam do not equip them with the economic and other social‐scientific tools necessary to make useful contributions to political discussion. In the case of Rorty, this has resulted in his being unable to make effective ripostes to left‐wing critics of his defense of “bourgeois liberalism,” his uncritical endorsement of simplistic arguments for social reform, and his embrace of false prophecies of doom, such as those found in Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty‐Four. Moreover, his disdain for “theory” has blinded him to the utility of mid‐level theories, such as those of economics, in dealing with concrete social problems.
On uniform bounds for rational points on rational curves of arbitrary degree

Abstract We show that for any ϵ > 0 the number of rational points of height less than B on the image of a degree d map from P 1 to P 2 is bounded above by C d B 2 / d + d 2 , where the point is that for fixed d the constant C d is independent of the choice of map. This improves on a result of Heath-Brown, which states that for any ϵ > 0 the number of rational points of height less than B on a degree d plane curve is O d , ϵ ( B 2 / d + ϵ ) . It is known that Heath-Brownʼs theorem is sharp apart from the ϵ; our results show that for our degree d rational curves it is true with ϵ = 0 .
Towards adaptive programming: integrating reinforcement learning into a programming language

Current programming languages and software engineering paradigms are proving insufficient for building intelligent multi-agent systems--such as interactive games and narratives--where developers are called upon to write increasingly complex behavior for agents in dynamic environments. A promising solution is to build adaptive systems; that is, to develop software written specifically to adapt to its environment by changing its behavior in response to what it observes in the world. In this paper we describe a new programming language, An Adaptive Behavior Language (A2BL), that implements adaptive programming primitives to support partial programming, a paradigm in which a programmer need only specify the details of behavior known at code-writing time, leaving the run-time system to learn the rest. Partial programming enables programmers to more easily encode software agents that are difficult to write in existing languages that do not offer language-level support for adaptivity. We motivate the use of partial programming with an example agent coded in a cutting-edge, but non-adaptive agent programming language (ABL), and show how A2BL can encode the same agent much more naturally.
Integral Equation Method for Coupled Schrödinger Equations

A new integral equation method for the numerical solution of the radial Schrodinger equation in one dimension, developed by the authors (1997, J. Comput. Phys.134, 134), is extended to systems of coupled Schrodinger equations with both positive and negative channel energies. The method, carried out in configuration space, is based on the conversion of differential equations into a system of integral equations together with the application of a spectral type Clenshaw?Curtis quadrature. An accompanying general multichannel FORTRAN code is available upon request.
Smart Vibration Monitoring System for an Ocean Turbine

This paper describes a Smart Vibration Monitoring System (SVMS) developed as an effective way to reduce equipment losses and enhance safety, efficiency, reliability, availability and long life time duration of an ocean turbine. The system utilizes advanced signal processing and analysis techniques to evaluate the health of a machine and identify incipient anomalies (faults) and evaluate their severity relative to the machine's condition. The existing system and planned improvements are described and discussed. The primary function of the SVMS is an automatic machinery fault detection and diagnosis based on real time processing and analysis of vibration data. The SVMS basically performs the same functions as a vibration analyst would for post processing of off-line data. The SVMS automatically sends a warning message to a cell phone and to an email address as soon as it detects a fault that is developing within the machine. The message will contain a generic identification of the fault.
Racial differences in intelligence: The importance of the executive system ☆

Abstract The race-IQ controversy arose at a time when psychometric views of intelligence dominated. Little attention was paid to more process-oriented models in spite of the fact they provide alternative perspectives on the causes of individual differences in problem-solving. We hypothesized that much of the IQ spread commonly observed between black and white children can be attributed to differences in components of their executive systems, including the knowledge base, control processes, and metacognitive states. To test this possibility, black and white children who differed significantly on fluid and crystallized intelligence were tested on multiple tasks reflecting components of the executive systems as well as on perceptual efficiency tasks. Striking group differences were observed in metamemory, stragegy use, and general knowledge, but few reliable differences were found in perceptual efficiency. Regression analyses showed that different factors predicted fluid and crystallized intelligence, with metamemory predicting the latter but not the former. An implication of these findings has potential educational significance: training directed at executive skills, introduce at an early age, might elevate learning and problem-solving skills in black children, thereby reducing racial differences in crystallized intelligence.
Microfabricated micropallets for enhancement of biomolecular techniques

We introduce microcarriers referred to as “micropallets” ranging in size from 25 μm to several 100 microns, fabricated using photoresist or other polymer materials. These small carrier structures may be used in static detection systems or for transporting attached biological or chemical samples through a microfluidic system. Micropallets may be encoded through the use of barcodes or other markings and engineered to optimally suit the cargo they carry. We demonstrate the use of micropallets in cell and antibody assays. Furthermore we demonstrate the ability to decode and manipulate micropallets in a flow-through system.
Electronic structure, spectra, and properties of 4:2-coordinated materials. I. Crystalline and amorphous SiO 2 and GeO 2

A two-parameter tight-binding theory of the electronic structure of 4:2-coordinated materials is proposed. The parameters, a covalent and a polar energy, are fitted to the optical absorption spectra. The valence energy bands and density of states are calculated. In terms of these a consistent interpretation of all the observed photoemission and x-ray-emission spectra of ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ is obtained. The x-ray-absorption spectra are also analyzed. A bond-orbital approximation allows a simple calculation of the refractive index (or dielectric constant) of the various allotropic forms of silica and germania. Finally, the variation in total energy and charge distribution with local distortion is analyzed in order to study structural stability, elastic rigidity, and the effective charges (including dynamic contributions) which determine the piezoelectric constants and infrared absorption intensities.
Acute coronary syndrome in the elderly

The spectrum of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) including unstable angina, non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction and ST-elevation myocardial infarction accounts for increasing numbers of deaths among persons age > or = 65 years in the US. This is important given demographic changes involving falling birth rates and increasing life expectancy. Elderly patients are likely to benefit the most from treatment of ACS, even though community practice still demonstrates less use of cardiac medications as an early-invasive approach among this population.
Environmental Changes to Control Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Manufacturing Companies:

Abstract Purpose: To determine the effects of an environmental intervention on obesity, disease risk factors, and dietary intake in an employee population. Design: Randomized controlled community trial. Setting: Eight manufacturing companies in Kentucky with ∼150 to 350 employees each. Subjects: Randomly selected employees. Intervention: Multicomponent environmental intervention that included employee advisory committees, point-of-decision prompts, walking paths, cafeteria/vending changes, and educational materials. Measures: Height; weight; body fat; blood pressure; fasting lipids, glucose and insulin; and dietary intake were assessed prior to and 3, 6, and 12 months after initiation of the intervention. Analysis: Mixed-model repeat-measure analyses of covariance were used to analyze data collected over the study period. Categorical data were analyzed in contingency tables. A p value of .05 was used to judge statistical significance. Results: There were no intervention effects for outcome variables, with...
Identification of elements critical for phosphorylation of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase by adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase: protein engineering of the naturally nonphosphorylatable 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase from Pseudomonas mevalonii.

The initially nonphosphorylatable 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase of Pseudomonas mevalonii (E.C. 1.1.1.88) was engineered to phosphorylatable forms in order to identify elements critical for phosphorylation of HMG-CoA reductase by AMP-activated protein kinase. P. mevalonii, mutant enzymes phosphorylatable by AMP-activated protein kinase were engineered by substituting cognate residues from the kinase recognition sequence of Syrian hamster HMG-CoA reductase (E.C. 1.1.1.34). Various combinations of residues 381-391, which correspond to the kinase recognition sequence of the hamster enzyme, were mutated. P. mevalonii mutant enzyme R387S, in which a serine had been inserted at position P, which corresponds to that of the regulatory serine of the hamster enzyme, was only weakly phosphorylated. Genes that encoded thirty-six additional mutant enzymes containing various portions of the hamster kinase recognition sequence were constructed. Following expression, purified mutant enzymes were assayed as substrates for AMP-activated protein kinase. Identified as critical for phosphorylation was the simultaneous presence of aspartate or asparagine at position P+3 and of leucine at position P+4, three and four residues on the C-terminal side of the phosphorylatable serine, respectively. Two basic residues at positions P-1, P-2, or P-3 also appeared to be critical for phosphorylation when present in combination with aspartate or asparagine at P+3 and leucine at P+4.
A minimum spanning tree algorithm with inverse-Ackermann type complexity

A deterministic algorithm for computing a minimum spanning tree of a connected graph is presented. Its running time is 0(m a(m, n)), where a is the classical functional inverse of Ackermann's function and n (respectively, m) is the number of vertices (respectively, edges). The algorithm is comparison-based : it uses pointers, not arrays, and it makes no numeric assumptions on the edge costs.
Error analysis for a Mars landing

This paper presents the methodology and preliminary results of a Mars landing error study. Aeromaneuvering was used to reduce the effects of errors. The guidance and navigation techniques used were based on those used for the Space Shuttle. A simulation was built to determine the performance of these techniques in a realistic Mars landing scenario. The results indicate that knowledge errors dominate, and that terminal three-sigma errors of between 1 and 15 kilometers can be achieved depending on the data types available. The data types studied were restricted to those currently under consideration for the Mars Rover/Sample Return Mission.
Towards an I/O tracing framework taxonomy

There is high demand for I/O tracing in High Performance Computing (HPC). It enables in-depth analysis of distributed applications and file system performance tuning. It also aids distributed application debugging. Finally, it facilitates collaboration within and between government, industrial, and academic institutions by enabling the generation of replayable I/O traces, which can be easily distributed and anonymized as necessary to protect confidential or sensitive information. As a response to this demand for tracing tools, various means of I/O trace generation exist. We first survey the I/O Tracing Framework landscape, exploring three popular such frameworks: LANL-Trace [3], Tracefs [1], and//TRACE [2].We next develop an I/O Tracing Framework taxonomy. The purpose of this taxonomy is to assist I/O Tracing Framework users in formalizing their tracing requirements, and to provide the developers of I/O Tracing Frameworks a language to categorize the functionality and performance of them. The taxonomy categorizes I/O Tracing Framework features such as the type of data captured, trace replayability, and anonymization. The taxonomy also considers elapsed-time overhead and performance overhead. Finally, we provide a case study in the use of our new taxonomy, revisiting all three I/O Tracing Frameworks explored in our survey, to formally classify the features of each.
South dakota statewide nursing minimum data set project

The elements of the Nursing Minimum Data Set (NMDS) were collected manually from 188 medical records in eight acute care facilities. These eight facilities represent 54 per cent of the beds in South Dakota. The purpose of the study was to describe discharge destination, nursing diagnoses, nursing interventions, and nursing resource utilization for patients with fractured femur with pinning. The sample was primarily female (69.1 per cent), with a mean age of 78.5 years. Most (84.0 per cent) patients were transferred to another facility, with 46.2 per cent going to extended care facilities. The most frequent nursing diagnoses were comfort (89.9 per cent) and physical mobility (59.6 per cent). Interventions were classified using the 16-category classification scheme developed by Werley and Lang. The most frequently recorded types of interventions were in the category of monitoring and/or surveillance (16.7 per cent of 7,555 interventions), whereas emotional support and/or counseling was much less frequent (3.0 per cent of 7,555). Discharge planning was the most frequent nursing intervention in the category of coordination and collaboration of care (54.8 per cent of 188 patients). Documentation systems have been structured to accommodate technical tasks on flow sheets, for example. Nursing resource utilization was the most difficult, and also presently the least meaningful, NMDS element to collect because each facility has different staffing, different patient classification systems, and no prescribed method for collecting these data. Manual data collection is time-consuming and expensive and therefore not recommended.
Estimation of the index parameter for autoregressive data using the estimated innovations

Abstract In this paper we consider an invertible autoregressive process where the innovations (errors) are i.i.d. satisfying a tail regularity condition. The problem of estimation of the index of regular variation α based on a finite realization of the time series is addressed. We propose the use of a recently developed estimator of α with the data values replaced by residuals obtained from the model. Consistency and asymptotic normality of the resulting estimator are established and its performance is compared with the original estimator calculated at the data values.
Use of biofloc technology during the pre-maturation period of Litopenaeus vannamei males: effect of feeds with different protein levels on the spermatophore and sperm quality

The objectives of this study were: (1) Compare two systems for pre-maturation of Litopenaeus vannamei in terms of spermatophore and sperm quality, (2) Compare the effect of feeds with different protein levels on reproductive quality of males reared in a biofloc-dominated system. Animals (36.40 ! 3.13 g) reared under biofloc technology (BFT) were used in the 30-day experiment, which involved four treatments: one in a clear water system (CW) and other three in a BFT system. The BFT treatments were differentiated by feed: mix of fish, squid and crab (BFT+FF) composed of 68.48% dietary protein (DP); broodstock feed (BFT+BF) composed of 52.51% DP; and juvenile feed (BFT+JF) composed of 39.91% DP. Feed in the CW was also the mix of fresh food. Spermatophore and sperm quality were analyzed at the beginning and end of the experiment. Higher normal sperm rate was recorded in the CW compared with the BFT+FF. Among the BFT treatments, the BFT+FF had the lowest normal sperm rate. Thus, the use of BFT for pre-maturation of L. vannamei allowed the reduction in dietary protein levels from 68.48% (BFT+FF) to 39.91% (BFT+JF) and the maintenance of spermatophore and sperm quality compared to the system based on high daily exchange rate.
Microwave spectroscopy and conformations of 2-methylbutane and 2,3-dimethylbutane

Abstract The microwave rotational spectrum of 2-methylbutane has been measured and assigned to two conformers with C s and C 1 symmetry. Similarly, the rotational spectrum of the C 2 conformer of 2,3-dimethylbutane has been observed, assigned, and analyzed. Its C 2h conformer, undoubtedly present, is nonpolar and therefore has no observable microwave spectrum. Ab initio calculations of both compounds agree with the experimental results.
Reverse propagation of femtosecond pulses in optical fibers

We present a numerical technique for reversing femtosecond pulse propagation in an optical fiber, such that given any output pulse it is possible to obtain the input pulse shape by numerically undoing all dispersion and nonlinear effects. The technique is tested against experimental results, and it is shown that it can be used for fiber output pulse optimization in both the anomalous and normal dispersion regimes.
Testicle transposition in children who undergo low-pelvic or scrotal irradiation.

Transposition du testicule droit, pendant l'irradiation pour recidive locale d'un rhabdomyosarcome paratesticulaire gauche. Apres la fin de la radiotherapie, le testicule est replace dans le crotum, ce qui conserve la fertilite de l'enfant
Copper, zinc and superoxide dismutase levels in cord blood

Abstract Serum copper and zinc concentrations and SOD activities in the cord blood of preterm and term infants were determined. Neither the mean cord serum copper and zinc concentrations nor the cord blood SOD activities were significantly different between preterm and term infants. Cord blood SOD activities were not correlated with either serum copper or serum zinc concentrations. Cord serum copper concentrations were negatively correlated with gestational age, birth weight and head circumference.
Direct numerical simulation of aerosol coagulation with van der Waals forces

Abstract The van der Waals interaction energy has been computed for a large number of silver and water particle pairs in the range of 1 to 15 nm radius by first calculating the exact, retarded Hamaker factor for semi-infinite bodies and then applying a geometric correction for sphericity. The enhancement of particle collision rates has been deduced from these calculations. These values for the collisional enhancement were used in a direct numerical simulation of the coagulation of silver and water aerosols. Despite the size dependence of the van der Waals enhancement factors, the aerosol size distributions quickly attained nearly self-preserving forms.
“A Second Chance on Earth”: The Postmodern and the Post-Apocalyptic in García Márquez's Love in the Time of Cholera

(1990). “A Second Chance on Earth”: The Postmodern and the Post-Apocalyptic in Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera. Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction: Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 15-26.
Neuroimaging and cerebrospinal fluid cytology in the diagnosis of leptomeningeal metastasis

The diagnosis of leptomeningeal metastasis is often difficult and usually requires the demonstration of malignant cells in the cerebrospinal fluid. Neuroimaging, however, may establish or support the diagnosis in some patients. Radiographic abnormalities consistent with or suggestive of leptomeningeal metastasis include leptomeningeal, subependymal, dural, or cranial nerve enhancement; superficial cerebral lesions; and communicating hydrocephalus. We evaluated 137 cancer patients with clinical symptoms suspicious for leptomeningeal metastasis with neuroimaging or cerebrospinal fluid cytology or both. Neuroimaging findings were abnormal in 70 of 128 tested patients; cytology was performed in 58 of these 70 and the results were positive in 37. Conversely, cytological findings were positive in 53 of 115 tested patients; neuroimaging was performed in 49 of these 53 and the findings were abnormal in 37 (26/29 solid tumors and 11/20 hematological tumors). Of the total series of 137 patients, leptomeningeal metastasis was diagnosed in 77; in 24 (31%) the diagnosis was made on the basis of clinical picture and abnormal neuroimaging alone. Neuroimaging is a valuable tool in the investigation of leptomeningeal metastasis in the cancer population, and the presence of typical clinical features together with appropriate neuroimaging abnormalities is adequate to make the diagnosis of leptomeningeal metastasis even if cerebrospinal fluid cytological results are negative.
Central venous lines are a risk factor for chylothorax in infants after cardiac surgery.

Objective:Chylothorax complicates congenital heart disease (CHD) surgery and may be associated with significant morbidity. Etiology of chylothorax is multifactorial, and it has been associated with deep venous thrombosis and obstruction from central venous lines (CVLs) in patients without CHD. We sought to determine whether CVL insertion site was associated with the occurrence of chylothorax in infants after cardiac surgery.Design:Retrospective cohort of patients less than one year of age who underwent CHD surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass from 2008 to 2012. Chylothorax was identified by clinical diagnosis and/or laboratory findings (milky effusion, fluid with >100 mg/dL of triglycerides and/or >80% of lymphocytes). Central venous lines insertion site was verified by reviewing procedure notes and chest x-rays. Internal jugular (IJ), subclavian vein, and femoral vein (FV) CVLs were used during the study period.Results:Three hundred and ninety-two patients were included (mean age 97 days, mean weight...
Transformational leadership and ambidexterity in the context of an acquisition

Abstract This study explores the role of transformational leadership and the values incorporated in a learning culture in promoting ambidexterity (the ability to explore new capabilities while exploiting existing ones) in teams involved in acquisition integrations. Data from a field study of an acquisition integration ( N = 71 work teams) support hypotheses arguing that transformational leadership behaviors and the development of a learning culture, characterized by psychological safety, openness to diverse opinions, and participation in decision making, promote ambidexterity at the team level. We also found support for the association between transformational leadership and learning cultures.
How Many Subjects Does It Take To Do A Regression Analysis

Numerous rules-of-thumb have been suggested for determining the minimum number of subjects required to conduct multiple regression analyses. These rules-of-thumb are evaluated by comparing their results against those based on power analyses for tests of hypotheses of multiple and partial correlations. The results did not support the use of rules-of-thumb that simply specify some constant (e.g., 100 subjects) as the minimum number of subjects or a minimum ratio of number of subjects (N) to number of predictors (m). Some support was obtained for a rule-of-thumb that N ≥ 50 + 8 m for the multiple correlation and N ≥104 + m for the partial correlation. However, the rule-of-thumb for the multiple correlation yields values too large for N when m ≥ 7, and both rules-of-thumb assume all studies have a medium-size relationship between criterion and predictors. Accordingly, a slightly more complex rule-of thumb is introduced that estimates minimum sample size as function of effect size as well as the number of predictors. It is argued that researchers should use methods to determine sample size that incorporate effect size.
The Effects of Childhood Physical Abuse or Childhood Sexual Abuse in Battered Women's Coping Mechanisms: Obsessive-Compulsive Tendencies and Severe Depression

What role does childhood abuse have on the coping choices made by a battered woman? Ancillary to a depression study (Bailey, 1996) in 79 battered women from a Houston area women's shelter were compared for past abuse experiences and how the women were coping with abuse in adulthood. This study compared coping styles between two groups of battered women: those who experienced childhood physically abuse (CPA) (n=35), and those who did not experience childhood physically abuse (NCPA) in childhood (n=44). All of the women filled out a battery of questionnaires including The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and a scale for learned helplessness. A t-test conducted on obsessive-compulsive tendencies (OCT) scale of the BSI found that women who were NPPA had significantly lower BSI-OCT scores t(77)=−2.05, p < .05 than women who were PPA. No statistically significant differences were found between groups for learned helplessness. Out of the 35 battered women who reported physical abuse in childhood were more likely to report sexual abuse as girls than battered women who were not physically abused, t(77)=−3.40, p < .001. Battered women who had been physically and sexually abused in childhood were more severely depressed. Battered women who were not abused in childhood had more obsessive compulsive tendencies. The ramifications of these findings for therapeutic treatment are discussed.
Haptic localization and the internal representation of the hand in space

As the hand actively explores the environment, contact with an object leads to neuronal activity in the topographic maps of somatosensory cortex. However, the brain must combine this somatotopically encoded tactile information with an internal representation of the hand's location in space if it is to determine the position of the object in three-dimensional space (3-D haptic localization). To investigate the fidelity of this internal representation in human subjects, a small tactual stimulator, light enough to be worn on the subject's hand, was used to present a brief mechanical pulse (6-ms duration) to the right index finger before, during, or after a fast, visually evoked movement of the right hand. In experiment 1, subjects responded by pointing to the perceived location of the mechanical stimulus in 3-D space. Stimuli presented shortly before or during the visually evoked movement were systematically mislocalized, with the reported location of the stimulus approximately equal to the location occupied by the hand 90 ms after stimulus onset. This pattern of errors indicates a representation of the movement that fails to account for the change in the hand's location during somatosensory delays and, in some subjects, inaccurately depicts the velocity of the actual movement. In experiment 2, subjects were instructed to verbally indicate the perceived temporal relationship of the stimulus and the visually evoked movement (i.e., by reporting whether the stimulus was presented “before,” “during,” or “after” the movement). On average, stimuli presented in the 38-ms period before movement onset were more likely to be perceived as having occurred during rather than before the movement. Similarly, stimuli in the 145-ms period before movement termination were more likely to be perceived as having occurred after rather than during the movement. The analogous findings of experiments 1 and 2 indicate that the same inaccurate representation of dynamic hand position is used to both localize tactual stimuli in 3-D space and construct the perception of arm movement.
Follicular dendritic cells stimulated by collagen type I develop dendrites and networks in vitro

Follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) reside in germinal centers in which their dendrites interdigitate and form non-mobile networks. FDC purification requires the use of collagenase and selection columns and leaves FDCs without detectable dendrites when examined by light microscopy. We have reasoned that isolated FDCs might reattach to a collagen matrix, extend their processes, and form immobile networks in vitro. As a test for this, cells were plated on collagen type I, laminin, biglycan, and hyaluronan. After 12 h, 80%-90% of FDCs adhered to all tested matrices but not to plastic. Within 2 weeks, FDCs adhering to type I collagen had spread out and had begun to acquire processes with occasional interconnections. By day 30, most FDCs had fine processes that formed networks through interdigitation with neighboring cells. FDC identity was confirmed by FDC-M1 labeling, immune complex trapping, and retention by FDCs in the networks. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that groups of FDCs were in networks composed of convolutions and branching dendrites emanating from FDC cell bodies. In vivo, collagen type I was co-localized with FDCs, 5 h after challenge of immune mice with antigen. However, 2 days later, the collagen type I fibers were largely found at the periphery of the active follicles. Flow cytometry established the expression of CD29 and CD44 on FDCs; this may have partly mediated FDC-collagen interactions. Thus, we report, for the first time, that FDCs attach to collagen type I in vitro and regenerate their processes and networks with features in common with networks present in vivo.
Gaussian‐based kernels

We derive a class of higher-order kernels for estimation of densities and their derivatives, which can be viewed as an extension of the second-order Gaussian kernel. These kernels have some attractive properties such as smoothness, manageable convolution formulae, and Fourier transforms. One important application is the higher-order extension of exact calculations of the mean integrated squared error. The proposed kernels also have the advantage of simplifying computations of common window-width selection algorithms such as least-squares cross-validation. Efficiency calculations indicate that the Gaussian-based kernels perform almost as well as the optimal polynomial kernels when die order of the derivative being estimated is low.
Validity concerns in software engineering research

Empirical studies that use software repository artifacts have become popular in the last decade due to the ready availability of open source project archives. In this paper, we survey empirical studies in the last three years of ICSE and FSE proceedings, and categorize these studies in terms of open source projects vs. proprietary source projects and the diversity of subject programs used in these studies. Our survey has shown that almost half (49%) of recent empirical studies used solely open source projects. Existing studies either draw general conclusions from these results or explicitly disclaim any conclusions that can extend beyond specific subject software.We conclude that researchers in empirical software engineering must consider the external validity concerns that arise from using only several well-known open source software projects, and that discussion of data source selection is an important discussion topic in software engineering research. Furthermore, we propose a community research infrastructure for software repository benchmarks and sharing the empirical analysis results, in order to address external validity concerns and to raise the bar for empirical software engineering research that analyzes software artifacts.
Therapeutic Touch: Placebo Effect or Energetic Form of Communication

The purpose of this paper is to consider whether Therapeutic Touch, a meditative healing technique, is a placebo or whether it is a form of communication with energetic or electrical properties. Bo...