cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Steric Crowding in Tetrel Bonds

The tetravalent character of tetrel atoms leaves only limited room for an incoming nucleophile to approach and engage in a noncovalent bond with a tetrel atom. Any such approach can only occur at the expense of internal geometric distortions. The balance between attractive forces and repulsive steric crowding was studied for a series of Lewis acids of the type FTR3 (T = Si, Ge, Sn, Pb) which were allowed to interact with various bases. The strength and other properties of the tetrel bond are examined as the R groups are made progressively larger, varying from H and CH3 to isopropyl and tert-butyl, which induce steric crowding with the incoming base. The effects of crowding which impede the bond can be offset by enlarging the T atom, by adding electron-withdrawing substituents to the Lewis acid, or by considering stronger bases such as anions. The tetrel bond energies reach up to 10 kcal/mol for a pair of neutral molecules with no electron-withdrawing substituents on the Lewis acid. Adding −CF3 substituent...
Supporting Mexican American Immigrant Students on the Border: A Case Study of Culturally Responsive Leadership in a Dual Language Elementary School:

Mexican American students constitute the largest group of Latina/os in the United States and have been subjected to a number of educational and social injustices, particularly with relation to how ...
Amygdala‐stimulation‐induced apnea is attention and nasal‐breathing dependent

Objective Evidence suggests disordered breathing is critically involved in Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP). To that end, evaluating structures that are activated by seizures and can activate brain regions that produce cardiorespiratory changes can further our understanding of the pathophysiology of SUDEP. Prior preclinical studies have shown that electrical stimulation of the human amygdala induces apnea, suggesting a role for the amygdala in controlling respiration. In this study, we aimed to both confirm these findings in a larger group of patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and also further explore the anatomical and cognitive properties of this effect.
1646e Qualitative strategies to simplify work-related risk reduction

Introduction Clear and consistent communication of risk within the Occupational Safety, Health, and Hygiene (OSHH) professions is essential for achieving prevention of work-related diseases. This risk communication must be simplified. It must speak to workers directly, assisting them in identifying work-related hazards and implementing solutions. Controls that assist in preventing the most common work-related diseases are well known to OSHH professionals, yet they remain unknown to 2.5 billion workers. This results in an annual estimate of 2 million deaths from and 160 million incidences of work-related noncommunicable diseases within the global workforce, primarily in Economically Developing Countries (EDCs). Methods Utilising fundamental Occupational Hygiene principles and Control Banding’s qualitative strategy for assessing occupational risks and the selection of solutions, a Risk Level Based Management System (RLBMS) was developed. RLBMS is designed to deliver the most elusive element necessary for success; risk communication within and between OSHH professions. This qualitative occupational risk assessment and risk management strategy has been trialled across chemical, physical, and biological agents in a high regulatory enforcement environment. Result Initial qualitative risk assessment not only standardises controls, it also prioritises where and when quantitative monitoring needs to be performed. In addition, de-confliction of multidisciplinary controls for an individual task is presented to the workers for simple, clear, and concise guidance on how to reduce risk and achieve exposure prevention on a daily basis. This simple and consistent risk communication was successful for worker understanding and implementation of controls. Further simplifying communications to colours and symbols renders it applicable in EDCs globally. Discussion Control Banding outcomes have been applied internationally, implemented by national institutes and university programs, and directly transferred into national regulations. RLBMS outcomes can assist in addressing the 2.5 billion workers worldwide without access to OSHH experts, providing a strategy for preventing work-related noncommunicable diseases in EDCs.
Caged phosphite complexes of copper(I) halides

The coordination chemistry of the caged phosphites 4-2,6,7-trioxa-1-phosphabicyclo [2.2.2]octane (MeCage) and 4-nitro-t2,6,7-trioxa-1t-phosphabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (NO2Caget) with copper(I) halides is reported. Reactions of CuX = CuCl, CuBr, and CuI with the phosphite ligands afford complexes of the type [CuX(MeCage)]4, [CuX(NO2Cage)]4, [CuX(MeCage)2]2, [CuX(NO2Cage)2]2, and [CuX(MeCage)3]. Recrystallization of [CuBr(NO2Cage)2]2 in MeCN produced [CuBr(NO2Cage)(NCMe)]2. Three X-ray crystal structures are reported: [CuCl(MeCage)]4 (I − 4, a = 13.4292(5) A, b = 13.4292(5) A, c = 9.4641(5) A, V = 1706.79(13) A3, Z = 2), [CuBr(MeCage)2]2 (I41/a, a = 19.5751(17) A, b = 19.5751(17) A, c = 16.4513(15) A, V = 6303.9(10) A3, Z = 8), and [CuBr(NO2Cage)(NCMe)]2 (P21/c, a = 9.0506(4) A, b = 15.2428(7) A, c = 8.8673(4) A, β = 109.7640(10)○, V = 1151.24(9) A3, Z = 2).
Minority Electron Transport Across Submicron Layers of GaAs and InP

The dynamics of transient transport of minority electrons injected into p+ doped submicron layers of GaAs and InP has been investigated using ensemble Monte Carlo method. It is found that the transit times of electrons across these layers are longer or shorter depending on the electric field strength and the width of the layers. For example the transit times across a 0.4 μm p + doped GaAs layers increases from 1.0 to 2.0 ps at 10 kV/cm electric field, while it decreases from about 3.0 to 2.0 ps at 50 kV/cm when the inelastic scattering of minority electrons by the hole plasma is taken into account. The calculations were also performed for InP and the results show the same trend.
Resuscitating Erin Brockovich after the BP Oil Spill: Carving Out an Exception to the Class Action Fairness Act for Environmental Disaster Suits

When President George W. Bush pushed the Class Action Fairness Act (CAFA) through Congress in 2005, environmentalists lamented the demise of one of the last robust incentives for energy companies to develop meaningful safeguards against environmental disasters. At the time the bill was passed, one headline presciently read, "Erin Brockovich, Drop Dead," while another referred to it as the, "Class Action-Unfairness," Act. In recent months, residents on the Gulf of Mexico have brought well over 200 lawsuits related to the April 20 Deepwater Horizon rig explosion and subsequent oil spill. Many of them were class action suits that were required, pursuant to CAFA, to be filed in federal district courts. Instead of waiting years for claims to be processed in federal courts, Congress should revisit CAFA and create an exemption for environmental disaster class actions.
Timeout Use with Behaviorally Disordered Students.

The use of timeout procedures by teachers of behaviorally disordered students has received widespread attention in the literature. Research has been conducted, and opinion papers written suggesting...
30-P: C1q POSITIVE DSA EXPLAINS CONFLICTING RESULT OF POSITIVE CROSSMATCH IN LIVER TRANSPLANTATION

Aim Presence of anti-donor HLA antibodues is a contraindication to transplantation in most solid organs. In contrast, most patients with high titer donor specific antibodies (DSA) and positive flow cytometric crossmatch (FCXM) still undergo liver transplantation. Antibody mediated rejection (AMR) may or may not develop after liver transplantation in such patients. We speculated that despite positive crossmatch results, cytotoxic function of existing and/or de novo DSA is what will ultimately predict development of AMR. Methods In this study we report two conflicting cases of liver transplant patients with high titer pre-transplant DSA and positive FCXM. Pre-transplant sera of patient A and B were retrospectively tested with a C1q assay to determine the cytotoxic function of DSAs. Results One patient (patient A) developed hyperacute AMR shortly after transplantation while the second patient (patient B) did not develop any signs of AMR and her post-transplant period was uneventful. In patient A, shortly after transplantation, serum amino transaminase and bilirubin levels became elevated. Serum HLA antibody testing showed high levels of class I and class II DSAs that resulted in positive T and B cell FCXM. Positive C4d staining of liver allograft biopsy indicated an episode of AMR. Patient was treated with plasmapheresis (days 1-9), Rituximab and IVIG (days 9-13) and Thymoglobulin (days 2-8). Levels of DSA and positive FCXM decreased overtime and 4 years post-transplant DSA antibodies were no longer present. In contrast, patient B did not develop any signs of post-transplant complications related to presence of HLA antibodies. Consistent with our hypothesis at the time of transplant, DSA of patient A were positive for C1q factor. In contrast C1q was negative on DSA of patient B. Conclusions We conclude that pre-transplant antibody testing and C1q assay should be considered as pre-transplant tests to be performed to liver transplant patients. Larger studies should be performed to confirm our findings.
Public School Accountability and Professional Autonomy:The Role of Principal Ambidexterity

The effects of policy-informed accountability systems coupled with greater demands for teachers’ professional autonomy have drawn increased attention to the role of principals’ managerial ambidexte...
Separation of BTX chemicals from biomass pyrolysis oils via continuous flash distillation

Partially deoxygenated pyrolysis oils, such as those produced by tail gas reactive pyrolysis (TGRP), show promise for use in biorefineries if they can integrate into standard refinery operations, one of which is distillation. A feasible method for modeling the process and for removing aqueous components will advance progress. This study investigated the potential of continuous flash distillation for fractionating partially deoxygenated bio-oil component chemicals benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX), which are critical feedstocks for producing many refinery products. A model bio-oil mixture was used to evaluate process performance, and process conditions were investigated with respect to separation efficiency (temperature = 120, 130, and 140 °C; input flow rate = 2 or 3 mL min−1). Mean BTX yield (gout gin−1) for an oil flow rate of 2 mL min−1 ranged between 0.134 and 0.222 gout gin−1, while for 3 mL min−1 yields ranged from 0.135 to 0.400 gout gin−1. In all treatments, the measured amounts of BTX from model bio-oil were less than those from ASPEN simulations. From the distillates, aqueous fractions phase separated while sequestering acetic acid from the organics. Residence time within the drum was positively correlated with concentration of BTX in the distillates. At no point did solid residues form within the flash drum. When compared with analogous experiments at optimal conditions, BTX yields from real TGRP oil were comparable but less than the analogous model experiment. These results suggest that continuous, atmospheric pressure distillation of low-oxygen bio-oils can be used for separating commodity, refinery-grade chemicals such as BTX from biomass pyrolysis-derived bio-oils.
New classes of generalized anisotropic polytropes pertaining radiation density

In this article, we consider the generalized polytropic equation of state with anisotropic matter distribution in isotropic coordinates. The static spherically symmetric configuration is considered for the development of mathematical models of compact objects incorporating the radiation factor. We have examined 12 different stars with the developed models. Analysis of the models shows that they are well-behaved and physically viable.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Related Coronavirus from Kenyan Bats.

ABSTRACT We identified a strain of betacoronavirus BtKY72/Rhinolophus sp./Kenya/2007 (here BtKY72) from rectal swab samples in Kenyan bats. This paper reports the complete genomic sequence of BtKY72, which is closely related to BtCoV/BM48-31/Bulgaria/2008, a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-related virus from Rhinolophus bats in Europe.
Ultrasonic Evaluation of Thyroid Nodules

The efficacy of diagnostic ultrasound in the evaluation of thyroid nodules has been well documented (1, 2, 4–6). This paper is the result of our experience after having studied 140 patients from 1971 to the present. Initially our objective was to evaluate suspected cystic thyroid nodules prior to needle aspiration. Subsequently a variety of thyroid nodules were studied.
Patient Satisfaction After Lung Cancer Surgery: Do Clinical Outcomes Affect Hospital Consumer Assessment of Health Care Providers and Systems Scores?

Background Little is known about patients' hospital experience and satisfaction after lung cancer surgery. We sought to determine how length of hospital stay (LOS) and postoperative complications affect hospital consumer assessment of health care providers and systems (HCAHPS) scores. Methods Patients undergoing lung resection for cancer at a single academic cancer center between years 2014 and 2018 were analyzed. Clinical data were derived from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons institutional database and supplemented with HCAHPS survey data. Endpoints were "top-box" satisfaction scores and domain-specific scores for physicians and nurses communication. Results In total, 181 of 478 patients (38%) who underwent pulmonary resection for lung cancer completed HCAHPS surveys. Median age was 65 years, and most patients underwent lobectomy (94%). The top-box rating for the overall hospital experience, physician communication, and nurse communication were 92%, 84%, and 69%, respectively. Overall and major complication rates were 43% and 3%, and were not associated with top-box HCAHPS scores. Increasing length of stay was associated with worse satisfaction with provider communication. Adjusted for patient factors, increasing length of stay was associated with worse patient satisfaction in the domains of communication with physicians and nurses. Patients with length of stay more than 6 days were less likely to endorse that doctors gave understandable explanations (odds ratio 0.15, 95% confidence interval, 0.04 to 0.56) and that nurses listened carefully (odds ratio 0.11, 95% confidence interval, 0.06 to 0.69). Conclusions Overall HCAHPS satisfaction scores after lung resection for cancer were high and were negatively associated with increasing length of stay. Patient satisfaction may be affected more by the perception of effective communication during prolonged hospitalizations than by complications.
WearID: Wearable-Assisted Low-Effort Authentication to Voice Assistants using Cross-Domain Speech Similarity.

Due to the open nature of voice input, voice assistant (VA) systems (e.g., Google Home and Amazon Alexa) are under a high risk of sensitive information leakage (e.g., personal schedules and shopping accounts). Though the existing VA systems may employ voice features to identify users, they are still vulnerable to various acoustic attacks (e.g., impersonation, replay and hidden command attacks). In this work, we focus on the security issues of the emerging VA systems and aim to protect the users' highly sensitive information from these attacks. Towards this end, we propose a system, WearID, which uses an off-the-shelf wearable device (e.g., a smartwatch or bracelet) as a secure token to verify the user's voice commands to the VA system. In particular, WearID exploits the readily available motion sensors from most wearables to describe the command sound in vibration domain and check the received command sound across two domains (i.e., wearable's motion sensor vs. VA device's microphone) to ensure the sound is from the legitimate user.
Depositor Characteristics and the Performance of Islamic Banks

We investigate the reasons for the growing demand for Islamic banking internationally, and examine the relative economic performance of Islamic banks compared with conventional banks in managing th...
$$\mathbf{3}$$ -Kenmotsu Manifolds

In this paper, a $$3$$ -Kenmotsu structure is defined on a $$4n+1$$ dimensional manifold where such structure seems to be never studied before.
Dysregulated Free Fatty Acid Receptor 2 Exacerbates Colonic Adenoma Formation in ApcMin/+ Mice: Relation to Metabolism and Gut Microbiota Composition.

Free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFAR2) has been reported as a tumor suppressor in colon cancer development. The current study investigated the effects of FFAR2 signaling on energy metabolism and gut microbiota profiling in a colorectal cancer mouse model (Apc Min/+ ). Ffar2 deficiency promoted colonic polyp development and enhanced fatty acid oxidation and bile acid metabolism. Gut microbiome sequencing analysis showed distinct clustering among wild-type, Apc Min/+ , and Apc Min/+ -Ffar2 -/- mice. The relative abundance of Flavobacteriaceae and Verrucomicrobiaceae was significantly increased in the Apc Min/+ -Ffar2 -/- mice compared to the Apc Min/+ mice. In addition, knocking-down FFAR2 in the human colon cancer cell lines (SW480 and HT29) resulted in increased expression of several key enzymes in fatty acid oxidation, such as carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2, acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, C-2 to C-3 short chain, and hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase/3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase/enoyl-CoA hydratase, alpha subunit. Collectively, these results demonstrated that Ffar2 deficiency significantly altered profiles of fatty acid metabolites and gut microbiome, which might promote colorectal cancer development.
Waning immunity and potential asymptomatic infection in 3-7 years old children who received one dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine: A 4-year prospective study.

Abstract Background Mumps outbreaks in adolescents who received two doses of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR) during childhood have been reported worldwide. In China, one dose of MMR administered in children aged among 18–24 months has a limited effect on the mumps epidemic. There are limited prospective studies evaluating the mumps immunity profile of children aged 3–7 years who received one dose of MMR. This study aimed to describe mumps immunity profile over a span of 4-years in kindergarten and primary school children. Methods An observational, prospective study on one-dose MMR in children aged 3–7 years who underwent blood sample collection in 2015, 2016, and 2018 was conducted from 2015 to 2018. The seropositivity and geometric mean concentration of mumps IgG antibodies over time were analyzed. Results A total of 3346 eligible children aged 3–7 years who underwent three rounds of blood sample collection were included. The overall seropositivity (79.6%) in 2015 was significantly higher than those recorded in 2016 (73.1%) and 2018 (71.4%). Approximately 11.6–15.9% of the participants were seropositive for mumps in 2015, and converted to negative in 2016. Meanwhile, 11.1–14.6% of the participants were seropositive for mumps in 2016, and the results converted to negative in 2018. Over 6.1–7.4% of the participants had asymptomatic infection from 2015 to 2016, while 9.0–9.9% of the participants were infected without clinical symptoms from 2016 to 2018. Conclusions Kindergarten and primary school children who only received one dose of MMR were at higher risk of developing mumps. Waning immunity, seronegative conversion, and asymptomatic infection coexist in children who received one dose MMR. Determining the optimal age for administering the second dose of MMR in children should be prioritized to improve the control and prevention of mumps in China.
Aspirations and investments in rural Myanmar

The aspirations gap is the distance between an individual’s current and aspired standard of livelihood. A growing theoretical literature predicts that aspirations both “too close” and “too far” away from current standards lead to less investment in the future. These theories imply an inverted U-shaped relationship between the aspirations gap and investments. I test this hypothesis and extend existing empirical findings to rural Myanmar by examining the relationship between the income aspirations gap and real estate investment choices. I find that income aspirations that are ahead, but not too far ahead, of current income levels provide the best incentive for investment. Analysis of heterogeneity highlights that this relationship is strongest for those with relatively low income and those who hold fatalistic beliefs. These findings suggest the presence of psychological constraints to poverty alleviation and development in rural Myanmar.
Challenges and Lessons Learned in United Nations Mentoring of Local Police in Haiti 2009–2010

One of the primary functions of United Nations Police (UNPOL) officers in peacekeeping missions is the mentoring of local police forces in the mission area. UNPOL Mentors are tasked with motivating, training, developing, and promoting democratic police reform in the mission country’s organic police force. However, mentoring police officers from a country different than the UNPOL’s home country is more difficult and complex than domestic mentorship. This chapter explores the complexities of international police mentorship through lessons learned from the author’s experience as an UNPOL Mentor and Regional Commander in Haiti. The primary concepts and goals of UNPOL mentorship in a United Nations Peacekeeping mission are explored by using real-life situations to contextualize the primary goals of UNPOL mentorship.
Case Commentary: Novel Therapy for Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Infection.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a pathogenic bacterium commonly associated with multidrug resistance. In this issue of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Rao et al. present a challenging case of ventilator-associated pneumonia in which bacteriophage therapy was used as a last resort treatment in combination with systemic antibiotics (S. Rao, M. Betancourt-Garcia, Y. O. Kare-Opaneye, B. E. Swiercezewski, et al., Antimicrob Agents Chemother, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.00824-21). The data are promising, and several key areas are highlighted for future research.
The North American Economies After NAFTA : A Critical Appraisal

(2003). The North American Economies After NAFTA : A Critical Appraisal. International Journal of Political Economy: Vol. 33, No. 3, pp. 5-27.
A simple algorithm for adaptive decision fusion

Design of parallel binary decision fusion systems is often performed under the assumption that the decision integrator (the data fusion center, DFC) possesses perfect knowledge of the local-detector (LD) statistics. In most studies, other statistical parameters are also assumed to be known, namely the a priori probabilities of the hypotheses, and the transition probabilities of DFC-LD channels. Under these circumstances, the DFC's sufficient statistic is a weighted sum of the local decisions. When these statistics are unknown, the authors propose to tune the weights on-line, guided by correct examples or by past experience. The authors develop a supervised training scheme that employs correct input-output examples to train the DFC. This scheme is then made into an unsupervised learning technique by replacing the examples with a self-assessment of the DFC, based on its own past decisions. In both cases the DFC minimizes the squared error between the actual and the desired values of its discriminant function. When supervised, the DFC obtains the desirable value from the supervisor. When unsupervised, the DFC estimates the desirable value from its last decision. This estimation includes rejection of data that is deemed unreliable.
Preparation of karyoskeletal protein-enriched fractions from Drosophila melanogaster cells and tissues.

Publisher Summary Drosophila polypeptides have been definitively and specifically identified in subnuclear fractions enriched for all karyoskeletal elements; they have been specifically localized to these elements in situ. Hence, the Drosophila nuclear lamina contains lamin Dm 0 derivatives, lamin C, and otefin. Nuclear pore complexes contain gp210 D and polypeptides with immunochemical homology to myosin. The interphase chromosome scaffold contains large amounts of the enzyme, DNA topoisomerase II. Nuclear purification is the first step in the preparation of karyoskeletal protein-enriched fractions from Drosophila cells and tissues. Two techniques are used extensively; the first is, particularly useful for the preparation of undegraded karyoskeletal proteins from embryos without respect for their biological activity. Alternatively, nuclei can be prepared from frozen Drosophila embryos by centrifugation through sucrose step-gradients. The biological activity of nuclei prepared in this way is established using in vitro transcription run-on analysis and cell-free nuclear disassembly. Nuclei prepared by this alternative method can be recovered from the pellet fraction after centrifugation.
Review of Michael Clayton

Power, corruption, the drive to live an authentic life, and a hint of mystical synchronicity lay at the foundation of this powerful thriller. There are clear heroes and villains, with George Cloone...
RNA Polymerase II Association with the Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase (PEPCK) Promoter Is Reduced in Vitamin A–Deficient Mice

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) gene expression is decreased in vitamin A-deficient (VAD) mice. However, the underlying molecular mechanism at the PEPCK promoter that contributes to this alteration in gene expression remains unexplained and thus serves as the basis for our investigation in this report. Using liver from vitamin A-sufficient (VAS) and VAD mice in the chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay, we determined that histones H3 and H4 were in the acetylated or active state in VAS mice at each of the three retinoic acid response elements (RARE1, RARE2 and RARE3) of the PEPCK promoter. The same acetylation pattern was seen in VAD mice, but with relatively lower levels of acetylated H3 and H4 bound at the region encompassing PEPCK RARE1/RARE2. In ChIP assays conducted with an antibody to RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II), the association of RNA Pol II with PEPCK RARE1/RARE2 was significantly decreased in vitamin A deficiency. The reduction in RNA Pol II association is indicative of an interruption in the direct interactions of RNA Pol II with the PEPCK promoter, with general transcription factors and/or with coregulator molecules that contribute to the activation of the PEPCK gene. These results increase our understanding of the molecular basis for decreased PEPCK gene expression in VAD mice in vivo and offer additional insight into the regulation of other retinoid-responsive genes.
Efficient Parallel Learning of Hidden Markov Chain Models on SMPs

Quad-core cpus have been a common desktop configuration for today's office. The increasing number of processors on a single chip opens new opportunity for parallel computing. Our goal is to make use of the multi-core as well as multi-processor architectures to speed up large-scale data mining algorithms. In this paper, we present a general parallel learning framework, Cut-And-Stitch, for training hidden Markov chain models. Particularly, we propose two model-specific variants, CAS-LDS for learning linear dynamical systems (LDS) and CAS-HMM for learning hidden Markov models (HMM). Our main contribution is a novel method to handle the data dependencies due to the chain structure of hidden variables, so as to parallelize the EM-based parameter learning algorithm. We implement CAS-LDS and CAS-HMM using OpenMP on two supercomputers and a quad-core commercial desktop. The experimental results show that parallel algorithms using Cut-And-Stitch achieve comparable accuracy and almost linear speedups over the traditional serial version.
The state of retrieval system evaluation

Abstract Substantial misgivings have been voiced over the years about the methodologies used to evaluate information retrieval procedures, and about the credibility of many of the available test results. In this note, an attempt is made to review the state of retrieval evaluation and to separate certain misgivings about the design of retrieval tests from conclusions that can legitimately be drawn from the evaluation results.
Part Dispatch in Random Yield Multistage Flexible Test Systems for Printed Circuit Boards

This paper concerns dynamic part dispatch decisions in electronic test systems with random yield. A discrete time, multiproduct, miltistage production system is used as a model for the test system with the objective to minimize the sum of inventory holding, backlogging, and overtime costs over a finite horizon. Exact results for such systems have been limited to either single-stage, multiple time period, or multistage, single time period problems with a single product. Here we develop two approximate policies: the linear decision rule, and the myopic resource allocation. The effectiveness of the two policies is evaluated through simulation under different operating conditions representative of those encountered in IBM and Tandem Computer facilities. The extensive computational study clearly demonstrates the overall superiority of the linear decision rule.
Function approximation framework for region of interest determination in synthetic aperture radar images

Region of interest (ROI) determination is a first and crucial step performed in an automatic target recognition (ATR) system. The goal of ROI determination is to identify candidate regions that may have potential targets. To be most effective, this initial detection (or focus of attention) stage must reject clutter (noise or countermeasures that provide target like characteristics), while ensuring that regions with true targets are not missed. We present a novel approach to ROI determination in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images for ATR based on the premise that regions with targets would require a model with more free parameters to smoothly approximate the magnitude of the return. Toward that end, we use a sigmoidal multilayered feed-forward neural network with selected lateral connections between hidden layer neurons to approximate the return in disjoint square patches of the SAR image. This network probably uses as few neurons as possible to produce a desired approximation and thus enables the determination of the number of parameters used in approximating the return in an image patch. Those squares of the image that require a large number of neurons (more free parameters) are then labeled as ROIs. Results obtained with synthetic and real-world SAR images are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. A significant advantage of the proposed method is that it does not require the presence of a training data set, which, given the variability in SAR images and target signatures, is difficult to obtain.
The use of liposomes to study COPII- and COPI-coated vesicle formation and membrane protein sorting.

We have established systems that reconstitute the biogenesis of coated transport vesicles with liposomes made of pure lipids and purified coat proteins. Optimization of the lipid composition in the liposomes allowed the efficient binding of both coat protein I and coat protein II (COPII) coat subunits. Coated vesicles of approximately the size generated from biomembranes were detected and characterized by centrifugation analysis and electron microscopy. A variation of this budding reaction allowed us to measure the sorting of v-SNARE proteins into synthetic COPII vesicles. We developed a novel system to tether glutathione S-transferase (GST)-hybrid proteins to the surface of liposomes formulated with a glutathione-derivatized phospholipid. This system allowed us to detect the positive role of cytoplasmic domains of two v-SNARE proteins that are packaged into COPII vesicles. Therefore, both generation of coated vesicles and protein sorting into the vesicles can be reproduced with liposomes and purified proteins.
Noise autocorrelation in high density recording on metal film disks

This paper presents measurement and analysis of noise associated with closely spaced transitions. The measured noise autocorrelation function is found to be similar to noise calculated with both pulse amplitude variation and position jitter. The amplitude variation is larger for closely spaced transitions.
The Inferred Cardiogenic Gene Regulatory Network in the Mammalian Heart

Cardiac development is a complex, multiscale process encompassing cell fate adoption, differentiation and morphogenesis. To elucidate pathways underlying this process, a recently developed algorithm to reverse engineer gene regulatory networks was applied to time-course microarray data obtained from the developing mouse heart. Approximately 200 genes of interest were input into the algorithm to generate putative network topologies that are capable of explaining the experimental data via model simulation. To cull specious network interactions, thousands of putative networks are merged and filtered to generate scale-free, hierarchical networks that are statistically significant and biologically relevant. The networks are validated with known gene interactions and used to predict regulatory pathways important for the developing mammalian heart. Area under the precision-recall curve and receiver operator characteristic curve are 9% and 58%, respectively. Of the top 10 ranked predicted interactions, 4 have already been validated. The algorithm is further tested using a network enriched with known interactions and another depleted of them. The inferred networks contained more interactions for the enriched network versus the depleted network. In all test cases, maximum performance of the algorithm was achieved when the purely data-driven method of network inference was combined with a data-independent, functional-based association method. Lastly, the network generated from the list of approximately 200 genes of interest was expanded using gene-profile uniqueness metrics to include approximately 900 additional known mouse genes and to form the most likely cardiogenic gene regulatory network. The resultant network supports known regulatory interactions and contains several novel cardiogenic regulatory interactions. The method outlined herein provides an informative approach to network inference and leads to clear testable hypotheses related to gene regulation.
Actual Consequence Utilitarianism: A Reply to Professor Singer

In 'Actual Consequence Utilitarianism' (Mind, January I977), Marcus G. Singer attempts to prove that actual consequence utilitarianism is incoherent. It is the purpose of this note to show that Singer's attempted reductio rests upon a misinterpretation of actual consequence utilitarianism. Singer's misinterpretation rests, in turn, on his failure to distinguish epistemological from ontological considerations, thereby ignoring the central point of actual consequence utilitarianism. By 'actual consequence utilitarianism' Singer understands the view that '. . . one ought to do that act, of all the alternative acts open to one in the circumstances, that would actually have best consequences . . .' (p. 70). The central feature of this version of utilitarianism is its insistence that whether or not an action is right '. . . depends on what actually happens, not on what one expected to happen, what was likely to happen, or what one intended to happen' (p. zo). Singer's objection is essentially that since only the action that is actually performed has actual consequences, it makes no sense to speak of the actual consequences of the unperformed alternative actions. Consequently, the rightness of an action cannot consist in the superiority of its actual consequences to those of the unperformed alternative actions. Clearly, this objection requires that we construe an actual consequence of an action as an event that actually does occur as a result of the performance of the action. This suggests what I shall call the categorical interpretation of actual consequence utilitarianism:
Robot-assisted radical cystoprostatectomy in the post-radiation and chemotherapy patient

We report a case of successful salvage radical cystoprostatectomy (RRCP) on a patient with recurrent high-grade T2 transitional cell carcinoma following external-beam radiation and systemic chemotherapy. The effect on tissue planes and the resulting adhesions after external radiation are well-known. While RRCPs have been successfully completed in many academic centers, there have been no reports of using this approach for salvage cystectomy after radiation. The RRCP was performed without complications, and was followed by an extended bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection and creation of an ileal conduit via the midline extraction incision.
Wounded Knee, 1890 and today: a special resource study for planning alternatives

Abstract One hundred years after the 1890 massacre of Lakota Indians by the United States Army at Wounded Knee, South Dakota, the U.S. National Park Service undertook a special resource study to examine options for commemorating the tragic event and preserving the site. Authorized by Congress, the study evaluated strategies ranging from establishing a national historic site or memorial to a national tribal park. This paper calls attention to the bi-cultural interactions of the multi-disciplinary study team with various Lakota groups to gather data and develop alternatives. It emphasizes the importance of establishing and maintaining trust with the Lakota groups through ethnographic interviewing, small-group meetings, and frequent other ongoing communications. Absolute honesty between all groups was essential to a successful outcome of the study, which is not to imply that any of the report's options will be adopted.
Validation of sentinel lymph node dissection in prostate cancer: experience in more than 2,000 patients

Purpose Sentinel lymph node dissection (SLND) has replaced extended lymphadenectomy for nodal staging in several solid tumours. We present our results of SLND in prostate cancer in regard to detection and false-negative rate.
CONSISTENCY OF USE OF PHONOLOGICAL PROCESSES BY A SAMPLE OF EDUCABLE MENTALLY IMPAIRED CHILDREN

A group of 10 educable mentally impaired children (M age = 10 yr., 4 mo.) were assessed for use of phonological process under three speaking conditions: production of single words, imitated sentences, and connected speech samples. Only the process of gliding showed significant differences in use among conditions. Results generally indicated that any of those three speaking conditions were viable for eliciting use of phonological processes by such subjects. Results are also discussed in terms of individual differences.
Utilization of a pediatric emergency department education computer.

Objective: To describe the use of a computer education station placed within a pediatric emergency department. Design: Prospective tracking of computer tutorial use. Setting: A tertiary care pediatric emergency department. Methods: A computer with two 30-minute multimedia computer tutorials was installed in the emergency department. The tutorials were designed for residents to use on a voluntary basis but were available to medical students and allied health professionals as well. Software tracked time, date, duration of use, and the user's path through each tutorial. Data were collected from July 15, 1996, through April 30, 1997. Results: Twenty-eight residents interacted 71 times with the computer during the study. The mean duration of interactions was 22 minutes (SD, 18 minutes; range, 0-75 minutes), but many lasted less than 5 minutes (15 [21%] of 71). Twenty-four (34%) of the interactions led to tutorial completion. Residents were more likely to complete a tutorial during the day shift (22 [40%] of 55) compared with the evening shift (1 [7%] of 14) (P=.02). A third of the interactions were during evenings and weekends. The education station delivered 26.1 hours of instruction in total. Of 32 first-year pediatric and emergency medicine residents, 22 attempted the tutorials; 4 completed both, and 10 completed one. Allied health professionals were responsible for 28% of the total interactions. They were significantly more likely than medical trainees to have brief interactions, but they were no less likely to complete the tutorials (10 [22%] of 46 vs 31 [27%] of 115; P=.44). Conclusions: Pediatric residents are willing to use an educational computer placed in the emergency department. Choice of form and content should take into account the likelihood of short interactions and the demonstrated interest of allied health professionals.
The Effect of Single-Stranded DNA Binding Protein RPA2 on XPD Helicase Processivity

FacXPD helicase is the archaeal homolog of yeast Rad3 and human xeroderma pigmentosum group D protein (XPD) from the organism Ferroplasma acidarmanus. This enzyme serves as a model for understanding the molecular mechanism of human superfamily 2B helicase XPD involved in transcription initiation and nucleotide excision repair. Previous work has shown that the unwinding of double-stranded DNA by FacXPD is regulated by the single-stranded DNA binding protein FacRPA2. However, the mechanism by which this occurs is unknown. Here, we present a single molecule study of this regulation using optical traps. We show that XPD is a weak helicase as a monomer, only able to unwind short distances (∼12 bp) under tension applied by the optical traps, with a strong dependence on DNA sequence. In the presence of RPA2, however, XPD monomers are able to unwind more processively (>90 bp). Using a combination of optical traps and a laminar flow cell, we performed experiments in which we loaded XPD, RPA2, and provide ATP in a controlled sequence. We used this approach to distinguish between different potential mechanisms of regulation. Our data disfavor mechanisms by which RPA2 regulates XPD activity by sequestering ssDNA. Instead our results suggest that RPA2 forms a complex with XPD, activating it for processive unwinding. RPA2 can also bind ahead of the traveling helicase and destabilize the duplex junction.
Genetic Incorporation of Twelve meta-Substituted Phenylalanine Derivatives Using a Single Pyrrolysyl-tRNA Synthetase Mutant

When coexpressed with its cognate amber suppressing tRNACUAPyl, a pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase mutant N346A/C348A is able to genetically incorporate 12 meta-substituted phenylalanine derivatives into proteins site-specifically at amber mutation sites in Escherichia coli. These genetically encoded noncanonical amino acids resemble phenylalanine in size and contain diverse bioorthogonal functional groups such as halide, trifluoromethyl, nitrile, nitro, ketone, alkyne, and azide moieties. The genetic installation of these functional groups in proteins provides multiple ways to site-selectively label proteins with biophysical and biochemical probes for their functional investigations. We demonstrate that a genetically incorporated trifluoromethyl group can be used as a sensitive 19F NMR probe to study protein folding/unfolding, and that genetically incorporated reactive functional groups such as ketone, alkyne, and azide moieties can be applied to site-specifically label proteins with fluorescent probes. This c...
Some empirical evidence on the real effects of nominal volatility

It has been argued that volatility in nominal macroeconomic aggregates has had a negative effect on real output, in particular that such volatility contributed to slow output growth in the early 1980s. This paper reexamines the effects of volatility in nominal macroeconomic aggregates in the context of a modern simultaneous equation framework where the volatility of, nominal macroeconomic variables is modeled as the conditional variance of two variables of interest: the federal funds rate and inflation. The empirical framework is the recently developed multivariate GARCH-in-mean vector autoregressive model. We confirm evidence that inflation volatility and tight monetary policy have directly affected output growth, but find that volatility in the federal funds rate has not.
Myophosphorylase deficiency impairs muscle oxidative metabolism

We studied oxidative metabolism during bicycle exercise in 4 patients with myophosphorylase deficiency. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was low (14.0 +/- 1.4 ml X kg-1 X min-1, mean +/- SE) compared with that in normal subjects (37.7 +/- 1.9; n = 12) and patients with myalgia (24.9 +/- 1.8; n = 10). Carbohydrate oxidation, as estimated by the respiratory exchange ratio (R), was low relative to workload (max R, mean +/- SE: McArdle's disease, 0.96 +/- 0.02; normal subjects, 1.13 +/- 0.02; myalgia, 1.09 +/- 0.02). Intravenous glucose administration increased maximal oxygen uptake about 20% in those with McArdle's disease, but both VO2max and R remained lower than in control subjects. These findings suggest that the capacity for dynamic exercise in McArdle's disease is limited by the availability of oxidative substrate, and indicate that blood glucose is unable to substitute fully for muscle glycogen as an oxidative fuel. We also found that exercise cardiac output (Q) was excessive relative to oxygen uptake in affected patients (delta Q/delta VO2, mean +/- SE: McArdle's disease, 11.6 +/- 1.7; normal subjects, 4.8 +/- 0.2; myalgia, 5.6 +/- 0.2). This hyperkinetic circulation in exercise may serve to increase the delivery of blood-borne oxidative substrate to working muscle.
Structure and Function of the UvrB Protein

UvrB plays a central role in (A)BC excinuclease. To identify the regions of UvrB which are involved in interacting with UvrA, UvrC, and DNA, deletion mutants, point mutants, and various fusion forms of UvrB were constructed and characterized. We found that the region encompassing amino acid residues 115-250 of UvrB binds to UvrA, while the region encompassing amino acid residues 547-673 binds to both UvrA and UvrC. In addition, the region between these two domains, which contains the helicase motifs II-VI, was found to be involved in binding to DNA. Within this DNA-binding region, two point mutants, E265A and E338A, were found to be unable to bind DNA while two residues, Phe-365 and Phe-496, were identified to interact with DNA. Furthermore, fluorescence quenching studies with mutants F365W and F496W and repair of thymine cyclobutane dimers by photoinduced electron transfer by these mutants suggest that residues Phe-365 and Phe-496 interact with DNA most likely through stacking interactions.
Constrained l1 estimation via geometric programming

Abstract The l 1 and constrained l 1 estimation problems are viewed in the light of extended geometric programming. As a result of this point of view we are able to establish an equivalence between geometric and linear programming duality results for these classes of problems. In addition, the duality results provide some useful insights into the properties of the l 1 estimation problems. Finally we establish an equivalence between the l ∞ norm problem and a class of constrained l 1 estimation problems.
A Case of Familial Isolated Primary Hyperparathyroidism with a Novel Gene Mutation

Familial isolated primary hyperparathyroidism (FIHP) is an autosomal dominant disorder that is characterized by an early stage of either multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) or hyperparathyroidism-jaw tumor (HPT-JT) syndrome. We report here on a case of a 42-years old woman who was diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer and primary hyperparathyroidism. Her younger brother also had primary hyperparathyroidism. On the genetic analysis, they were both proven to have a novel frameshift mutation in the MEN1 gene (exon 10). (