cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factor analysis of the MAP3S/RAINE precipitation chemistry network: 1976―1980

Abstract This paper presents a factor analysis of the MAP3S/RAINE precipitation chemistry data for the period 1976–1980. The purpose of the analysis is to determine the underlying source and/or processes accounting for the variance in the data. Three general sources, ‘acid,’ sea, and ‘ammonium/road dust/soil’ account for most of the variance in the data for the entire network for the aggregated three-and-one-half-year period. Both sulfate and nitrate are found to be significant components of the acid factor. Seasonal and spatial (individual site) analyses were able to distinguish other, less encompassing factors. Seasonal results showed a summer maximum in contribution for the acid factor, while individual site results showed that the contribution of the acid factor increases in going from the midwest to the northeast. Seasonal results show an ‘ammonium/soil’ factor appearing in spring and summer, while an ammonium sulfate factor appears in fall and winter. The results of this study should serve as a baseline for comparison with factor analyses of subsequent MAP3S data sets and factor analysis of other northeastern U.S. precipitation chemistry networks.
Pharmacists' and Pharmacy Students' Ability to Identify Drug-related Problems Using TIMER (Tool to Improve Medications in the Elderly via Review)

Objective. Determine the effectiveness of TIMER (Tool to Improve Medications in the Elderly via Review) in helping pharmacists and pharmacy students identify drug-related problems during patient medication reviews. Methods. In a randomized, controlled study design, geriatric patient cases were sent to 136 pharmacists and 108 third-year pharmacy students who were asked to identify drug related-problems (DRPs) with and without using TIMER. Results. Pharmacists identified more tool-related DRPs using TIMER (p = 0.027). Pharmacy students identified more tool-related DRPs using TIMER in the first case (p = 0.02), but not in the second. Conclusion. TIMER increased the number of DRPs identified by practicing pharmacists and pharmacy students during medication reviews of hypothetical patient cases.
Risk of neurovascular injury with limited-open carpal tunnel release: defining the "safe-zone".

Limited-open carpal tunnel release was performed in ten cadaver arms using the “Safeguard” system. The “Safeguard” guide was intentionally placed off of the longitudinal middle/ring finger axis, either in 15° of radial deviation or 15° of ulnar deviation. Despite the errant placement, carpal tunnel release was performed without damage to any neurovascular structure. The proximity of neurovascular structures to the middle/ring finger axis was measured in all ten cadaver specimens. From this, a “safe-zone” was defined for endoscopic or limited-open carpal tunnel release. The “safe-zone” expands when surgery is performed from distal to proximal. The area of the “safe-zone” is greatest when a protective guide is placed between the bursal sac of the carpal canal and the flexor retinaculum.
Design knowledge acquisition: task analysis and a partial implementation

Abstract Design is conceptualized as an ill-structured process that requires diverse knowledge that is hard to acquire. Systematic analysis of design and the knowledge requirements it has in general and in the context of bridge design, shows that the knowledge needed can be semi-automatically acquired by using machine learning techniques. Although there are limitations to the approach, preliminary results in the bridge design domain are promising and can potentially transfer to other design domains.
Genetic variation in Lake Erie yellow perch (Percaflavescem) demonstrated by mitochondrial DNA analysis

Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of yellow perch (Perca flavescens) mitochondrial DNA from a Lake Erie population revealed seven variants in 22 fish (nucleon diversity 0.481). These fish were collected from an area where previous studies using allozymes had failed to reveal any genetic variation.
Fundamental aspects of controlled release in foods

Abstract The fundamental equations governing the controlled release of active ingredients and the application of controlled-release technology in food systems are reviewed in this article. The method of microencapsulation, among others, can be applied to achieve controlled release in foods. Some of the release mechanisms employed in the food industry involve one or a combination of the following stimuli: a change in temperature, moisture or pH; the application of pressure or shear; and the addition of surfactants. Encapsulation is a method of protecting food ingredients that are sensitive to temperature, moisture, microorganisms or other components of the food system. Such food ingredients include flavors, sweeteners, enzymes, food preservatives and antioxidants, and are encapsulated using carbohydrates, gums, lipids and/or proteins. With a properly designed controlled-release delivery system, the food ingredient is released at the desired site and time at a desired rate.
Mixed messages and missed opportunities: Moments of transformation in writing conferences and teacher education

Abstract This article describes our challenge as teacher educators interested in helping our students move beyond talk about text that recalls facts to talk that is supportive of the interpretation and crafting of text. This case study describes how one teacher candidate struggled with the question, “When am I teaching?” as she attempted to reconcile what she always thought teaching was with these new ways of talking about text. A sociolinguistic analysis of one of Maureen's writing conferences illustrates the power of traditional classroom talk, the potential for transforming that talk, and ways we as teacher educators can support that transformation.
Hyper-releasability of mast cells in family members of infants with sudden infant death syndrome and apparent life-threatening events.

Abstract Background: An allergic reaction with increased degranulation of mast cells has been suggested as a possible mechanism in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Study design: Mast cell releasability was assessed in 2 study groups: A, 22 subjects, 16 first-degree relatives of infants who had had an apparent life-threatening event (ALTE) and 6 infants after ALTE and B, 46 first-degree relatives of SIDS cases. These groups were compared with 71 members of an age-matched control group. In each subject the skin wheal and flare reactions were measured after an intradermal injection of 0.02 mL of each of the following substances dissolved in phenol-saline solution: histamine 0.0001 mg/mL, histamine 0.001 mg/mL, codeine 0.5 mg/mL, codeine 1 mg/mL, compound 48/80 0.05 mg/mL, compound 48/80 0.1 mg/mL, and phenol-saline solution. The size of wheal and flare skin reaction was assessed by computerized planimetry after the shape of the cutaneous response was copied onto a paper. Results: The wheal and flare skin reaction to each of the substances was significantly larger in the 2 study groups compared with the control group ( P Conclusions: Increased mast cell hyper-releasability and degranulation take place in family members of some SIDS and ALTE cases and in some infants with ALTE, supporting a possible role for an immunologic mechanism in the pathophysiology of these entities. (J Pediatr 2000;136:460-5)
7.2.1 Development of an Integrated Facilities' Management Baseline at a Federal Agency Using a Systems Engineering Approach

The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) has implemented an integrated facilities' management program covering its many buildings, operations, and site locations. In conjunction with organizational structure development, a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) computer aided facilities management (CAFM) system was implemented to integrate data collection and user control. These facilities' management aspects include tracking building floor space usage, employee locations, AutoCad building designs, equipment inventory, operations and maintenance scheduling, etc. The systems engineering process included a spiral architecture development model, initial and recurring data validations, a risk management review, and multiple phases of tracking requirements and change control. Formal configuration management boards (CMB) were a critical element of development and continuing operation of CAFM. Use of an open systems interface design to allow exchange of data between CAFM and related databases from Human Resources and Security Departments was essential. By replacing the many separate legacy facilities programs with an integrated CAFM package, more complete data information was collected which allowed for better control and operation of facilities resources and improved strategic facilities' planning.
Food Plants of the United States Forms of the Leafhoppers of the Genus Agalliopsis

The major interest of the writer for many years has been the determination of the food plant relation of the leafhoppers. Each time information accumulates to the point where a summary of a group can be presented, it is interesting to observe how definitely restricted the food habits of the species prove to be. In the majority of cases the food plant limitation is to a single species of plant and usually there will be found to be different leafhoppers on different species of the same plant genus. It is also interesting to note how widely at variance these food habits are to the previous generalizations that have been made. For example, the eastern worker thinks of Cicadas as a tree inhabiting group. If he should spend a few seasons in the West and saw vast areas where Cicadas were swarming, often three and five and sometimes ten to a square foot without a tree in sight, he would be obliged to materially revise his ideas. Within a few years two eastern writers have stated that all of the species of the genus Scolops were grass feeders. The writer (1930) summarized our knowledge of the definite food habits of seven species and since that time three more have been established. Not one of the ten proves to be a grass feeder. Most of their food plants prove to be serious weeds that compete with the grasses for the scant water supply of our range region. When these ranges are overgrazed these weeds tend to increase in numbers and would more effectively prevent the re-establishment of the grasses if it were not for a similar increase in these beneficial leaf-hoppers that hold the weeds in check. The food plants of our species of leafhoppers of the genus Agalliopsis have not been selected for presentation as representing either the beneficial or injurious phases of this problem but because they illustrate two or three of the major fundamentals as follows:
Flow-directed catheter for superselective arterial catheterization: an experimental evaluation

A coaxial infusion catheter of 3 Fr Teflon and Gore-Tex was developed to facilitate superselective catheterization of cerebral arteries for the delivery of therapeutic agents. The catheter, technique for use, and preliminary results are described.
MHPG excretion in depression.

Abstract 3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol (MHPG) was measured in 24-hour urine collections obtained from 44 drug-free patients hospitalized for a major depressive disorder. MHPG was significantly lower in a group of three bipolar I patients than in a group of unipolar patients. The excretion of MHPG did not significantly differ among patients classified as psychotic, agitated, or retarded subtypes of depression as compared to patients not assigned to these subtypes.
Phylogenetic relationships among species of Leotia (Leotiales) based on ITS and RPB2 sequences

Thirty-three collections of Leotia were used to investigate inter-and infra-specific relationships in the genus. Collections were obtained from various parts of the world and represent the ascomatal color forms typical in species of the genus. The ITS rDNA and a variable region of the RNA polymerase II (RPB2) gene were sequenced and analyzed using parsimony and maximum likelihood methods. Although ITS and RPB2 tree topologies differed in regard to the position of two clades of L. lubrica and L. atrovirens, no significant conflict between ITS and RPB2 data or trees was found as determined by the partition homogeneity test. RPB2 sequences in general gave results comparable to ITS; the RPB2 sequences were more easily aligned. Phylogenetic analysis of the sequence data indicates that L. viscosa, L. lubrica and L. atrovirens are polyphyletic species. This suggests that ascomatal color in fresh specimens is not a reliable character alone for determining species in this group. Four major well-supported groups were found; these do not fully correspond to the commonly recognized species. Stipe color, in both fresh and dry condition, seems to correlate with the major recognized groups but features of the ascospores, asci and paraphyses prove too variable to be informative. The most basal group of Leotia species, identified as L. atrovirens, differ from all others by having stipes without gel tissue in their outer layers.
Keratomalacia in the Cachectic Hospitalized Patient

Keratomalacia occurred in two cachectic hospitalized patients, each with severe vitamin A-protein deficiency secondary to a lethal disease. Prompt therapy with parenteral and topical vitamin A, protein supplementation, and a soft contact lens restored corneal integrity and prevented visual loss in one patient. Keratinization of the conjunctiva did not occur in either patient. Patients with severe protein deficiency may develop keratomalacia in the absence of a severely decreased serum level of vitamin A.
Neonatal seizures : Gaps between the laboratory and the clinic

Summary: Seizures in neonates (NBs) remain the most frequent neurological problem in the nursery. Considerable debate about their consequences exists between data and deductions reached through animal experimentations and those obtained through clinical investigations. The main conflicting issues are whether seizures in NBs can plant the roots for epileptogenesis and cause long-term deficits. The purpose of this chapter is to evaluate both laboratory and clinical results. Methods: Clinical data will be presented, including a 20-year-long cohort of NBs. This will be followed by the main seminal discoveries obtained in neonatal models. The phenomenon of transient or persistent dysmaturity following NB seizures will be discussed in relation to etiological factors. Results: The findings and deductions from animal models support the notions that epileptogenesis and cognitive deficits result from NB seizures. These conclusions contrast with clinical investigations maintaining that NB seizures, per se, are symptomatic markers of preexisting or of ongoing morbidities. The reasons for contrasting views will be discussed. Suggestions will be advanced for more animal models whose seizures are consistent with the etiologies and the phenotypes of human NB seizures.
Crowdsourcing for search evaluation and social-algorithmic search

The first computers were people. Today, Internet-based access to 24/7 online human crowds has led to a renaissance of research in human computation and the advent of crowdsourcing. These new opportunities have brought a disruptive shift to research and practice for how we build intelligent systems today. Not only can labeled data for training and evaluation be collected faster, cheaper, and easier than ever before, but we now see human computation being integrated into the systems themselves, operating in concert with automation. This tutorial introduces opportunities and challenges of human computation and crowdsourcing, particularly for search evaluation and developing hybrid search solutions that integrate human computation with traditional forms of automated search. We review methodology and findings of recent research and survey current generation crowdsourcing platforms now available, analyzing methods, potential, and limitations across platforms.
Abundance and Distribution of Pink Shrimp in and around the Tortugas Sanctuary, 1981-1983

Abstract Size and abundance of pink shrimp (Penaeus duorarum) in and around the Tortugas sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico were surveyed monthly from September 1981 through July 1983. Samples were not taken in April and June 1983. Shrimp size varied widely at most stations and abundance varied between stations, but the average size increased with increasing depth and abundance decreased with increasing depth. A large proportion of small shrimp (<103 mm total length) in all samples combined monthly were caught inside the sanctuary, but their abundance varied monthly and annually. Small pink shrimp dominated the catch from fewer than half the stations inside the sanctuary in September-December 1981 but increased in abundance and dominated half or more of the stations inside the sanctuary in January-December 1982 and February-May 1983. January and July were the only months in which catches from at least half the stations inside the sanctuary were composed mostly of shrimp at least 103 mm long in 1983. Recruitm...
Realistic expectations on the putting green: within and between days trueness of roll.

To improve putting performance, golfers have often used goal-setting techniques which require realistic performance expectations. Thus, examining whether external factors such as putting green irregularities affect putting performance is crucial to goal setting. The purpose of the study was to examine fluctuations in the trueness of roll of a golf ball across a green. A ball was mechanically rolled across a green in the morning and afternoon on a day when there was normal play and on a day when the course was closed to play. Analysis indicated that significant fluctuations in distance and dispersion were present throughout these time frames, i.e., the greatest distance of roll and the least amount of dispersion were present in the morning and on the day closed to play. Golfers should take into account these external fluctuations in trueness of roll when establishing goal-setting procedures involving putting skills.
Functional impairments in adults with self-reports of diagnosed ADHD: A controlled study of 1001 adults in the community.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to evaluate functional impairments in a nonreferred sample of adults identifying themselves as having been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by a clinician in their community. METHOD We completed a survey in April and May 2003 of a community sample of 500 adults who reported having received a diagnosis of ADHD in the community and 501 gender- and age-matched comparisons from a national sample representative of the U.S. population. RESULTS Adults with self-reports of diagnosed ADHD in the community were significantly less likely to have graduated high school (83% vs. 93% of controls; p < or = .001) or obtain a college degree (19% vs. 26%; p < .01), were less likely to be currently employed (52% vs. 72%; p < or = .001), and had significantly more mean job changes over 10 years (5.4 vs. 3.4 jobs; p < or = .001). They also were significantly more likely to have been arrested (37% vs. 18% of controls; p < or = .001) or divorced (28% vs. 15%; p < or = .001) and were significantly less satisfied (p < or = .001) with their family, social, and professional lives. CONCLUSION Adults who reported having received a diagnosis of ADHD in the community had significant impairment in multiple domains of functioning compared with age- and gender-matched controls without this diagnosis, highly consistent with findings derived from carefully diagnosed referred samples.
Scientific insights from clinical studies of converting-enzyme inhibitors in the failing heart.

Recent clinical studies of therapy for chronic heart failure have yielded unexpected results; for example, only two classes of vasodilators, the converting-enzyme inhibitors and a drug combination that includes nitrates, have so far been shown to improve survival in this lethal condition. Evidence that other vasodilators, as well as most inotropic drugs, worsen prognosis indicates that the underlying problem in chronic heart failure involves more than energy starvation and depressed contractility. These counterintuitive findings can be explained if the fundamental problem in these patients reflects the fact that adult cardiac myocytes are terminally differentiated cells having little or no capacity to divide, so that the shortened life expectancy associated with overload-induced hypertrophy (which I have called the cardiomyopathy of overload) represents an unnatural growth response. Although the mechanism by which chronic overload leads eventually to maladaptive hypertrophy remains speculative, the ability of converting-enzyme inhibitors and nitrates to improve prognosis in heart failure may reflect growth inhibitory effects of these two classes of vasodilator drugs.
Knowledge in transition: The role of prospective, descriptive concepts in a practice-situated, hermeneutical-phronetic social science

What is special about our everyday activities is that they occur within the ceaseless flow of many unfolding strands of spontaneously responsive, living activity. This requires us to adopt a kind o...
The internist's role in treating hypertension in hemodialysis patients

Hypertension in hemodialysis patients is typically treated with a combination of volume removal with dialysis––although limited by current dialysis paradigms––and hypertension medications. Unfortunately, most patients treated in this manner remain hypertensive. This contrasts with superior results obtained in clinical studies in which salt restriction and augmented dialytic volume removal normalized blood pressure without requiring medicines. These results are consistent with the role of excess volume as the main etiology of hypertension in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Interdialytic blood pressure is now recognized as important to patient prognosis. These measurements are frequently obtained by internists at office visits. Internists and nephrologists should address both peri-dialysis and interdialysis hypertension in a collaborative manner. This strategy should focus on, as much as reasonably possible, salt restriction and dialytic volume removal rather than hypertension medicines.
Compact optoelectronic oscillator with ultra-low phase noise performance

A compact optoelectronic oscillator (OEO) is presented which is using constructed using a DFB laser, a semiconductor Mach-Zehnder modulator, and a dielectric resonator based RF filter. The achieved phase noise is -50 dBc/Hz at 10 Hz and -130 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz from a 10 GHz oscillation frequency, a performance comparable to that of an OEO constructed with a diode-pumped YAG laser and an LiNbO/sub 3/ modulator.
Pulmonary function, muscle strength and mortality in old age

Numerous reports have linked extremity muscle strength with mortality but the mechanism underlying this association is not known. We used data from 960 older persons without dementia participating in the Rush Memory and Aging Project to test two sequential hypotheses: first, that extremity muscle strength is a surrogate for respiratory muscle strength, and second, that the association of respiratory muscle strength with mortality is mediated by pulmonary function. In a series of proportional hazards models, we first demonstrated that the association of extremity muscle strength with mortality was no longer significant after including a term for respiratory muscle strength, controlling for age, sex, education, and body mass index. Next, the association of respiratory muscle strength with mortality was attenuated by more than 50% and no longer significant after including a term for pulmonary function. The findings were unchanged after controlling for cognitive function, parkinsonian signs, physical frailty, balance, physical activity, possible COPD, use of pulmonary medications, vascular risk factors including smoking, chronic vascular diseases, musculoskeletal joint pain, and history of falls. Overall, these findings suggest that pulmonary function may partially account for the association of muscle strength and mortality.
An approach to identify, from DCE MRI, significant subvolumes of tumors related to outcomes in advanced head-and-neck cancer†

Purpose: To develop and investigate a method to identify, from dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) MRI, significant subvolumes of tumors related to treatment outcomes. Methods: A method, called global-initiated regularized local fuzzy clustering, was proposed to identify subvolumes of head-and-neck cancers (HNC) from heterogeneous distributions of tumor blood volume (BV) and blood flow (BF) for assessment of therapy response. BV and BF images, derived from DCE MRI, of 14 patients with advanced HNC were obtained before treatment and 2 weeks after the start of 7-week chemoradiation therapy (chemo-RT). The delineated subvolumes of tumors with low BV or BF before and during treatment were evaluated for their associations with local failure (LF). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess performance of the method for prediction of local failure of HNC. Results: The sizes of the subvolumes of primary tumors with low BV, delineated by our method before and week 2 during treatment, were significantly greater in the patients with LF than with local control (LC) (p = 0.02 for pre-RT and 0.01 for week 2). While the total primary tumor volumes were reduced from baseline to week 2 during therapy to a similar extent for both the patients with LF and LC, the percentage decreases in the subvolumes of the primary tumors with low BV in the same time interval were significantly smaller for the patients with LF than those with LC (p < 0.05). ROC analysis shows that for any given sensitivity, the subvolume of the tumor with low BV week 2 during treatment has greater specificity for prediction of local failure than the pretreatment total tumor volume, the percentage change in the tumor volume week 2 during treatment, or the change in the averaged BV values of the entire tumor week 2 during therapy. Conclusions: We developed a method to identify the significant subvolumes of primary tumors related to local failure. Large poorly perfused subvolumes of primary or nodal HNC before treatment and persisting during the early course of chemo-RT have the potential for prediction of local or regional failure, and could be candidates for local dose intensification.
Generational Differences in Work Ethic: An Examination of Measurement Equivalence Across Three Cohorts

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences across three generational cohorts (Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers) on dimensions of the work ethic construct using the multidimensional work ethic profile (MWEP). Data were collected from multiple samples and combined into a large database (N = 1860). Measurement equivalence was examined using Raju et al.’s (1995) differential functioning of items and tests (DFIT) procedure. Several dimensions of the MWEP were not equivalent across cohorts, indicating that item content may not operate in the same manner across groups. When equivalent, several significant mean differences were detected across cohorts, indicating that respondents do differ in important work-related attitudes and behaviors. Despite several reviews of generational differences across cohorts, relatively few empirical examinations have been undertaken, and no studies have yet examined the measurement equivalence of constructs across generational cohorts. These findings provide evidence that differences do exist across cohorts on dimensions of work ethic, and some differences may be a result of respondents interpreting content in different ways. Managers of multigenerational employees should consider these differences in managing employees and conflict that may arise as a result. This is one of the first studies to provide empirical evidence of generational differences in the work ethic construct. In addition, this is the first study to evaluate the measurement equivalence of a work ethic inventory or any other work related individual difference construct across generational cohorts.
Micro-phase titrations

A micromethod for phase titration is described. The volume of solution used in the titration may be as little as 0.1 ml. Results for phase titrations of 141 synthetic mixtures containing ethanol and a variety of artificial flavoring and perfuming agents are presented.
In-Block Derivatization of Herbicidal Carboxylic Acids by Pentafluorobenzyl Bromide

Abstract Herbicidal carboxylic acids were analyzed via ECD gas chromatography of their pentafluorobenzyl esters. The derivatives were formed by direct injection of a mixture of the acids and pentafluorobenzyl bromide in acetone; yields showed marked dependence on pKa of the acids. Carboxylic acids which have pKa values greater than 4.5 yielded the corresponding derivatives in poor yield unless triethylamine is included in the mixture. The procedure is fast and particularly convenient for low-level screening, identification and analysis of highly acidic chlorobenzoic, chlorophenoxyalkanoic, and arylacetic acids in the presence of less acidic carboxylic acids and phenols.
2013 Pediatric Position Development Conference: Executive Summary and Reflections

The International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) convened its second Pediatric Position Development Conference (PDC) on October 2-3, 2013 in Baltimore, MD. The conference was co-sponsored by the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) and was held immediately before their annual meeting. The aim of a PDC is to make recommendations for standards in the field of bone densitometry. The recommendations address issues such as quality control, data acquisition and analysis, and the interpretation and reporting of bone densitometric results. In 2007, ISCD convened its first Pediatric PDC to address issues specific to skeletal health assessments in children and adolescents. The 2013 Pediatric PDC focused on advances in the field since that initial conference that would lead to revisions of the original positions. Topics for consideration were developed by the ISCD and its Scientific Advisory Committee. Clinically relevant questions related to each topic were assigned to task forces for a comprehensive review of the medical literature and subsequent presentation of reports to an international panel of experts. Expert panelists included representatives from both the ISCD and ASBMR. The recommendations of the PDC Expert Panel were subsequently reviewed by the ISCD Board of Directors and positions accepted by majority vote. The approved recommendations became the Official Positions of the ISCD. The positions are to be submitted to the ASBMR for its consideration for endorsement. Topics considered at the Pediatric PDC included fracture prediction and definition of osteoporosis, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry assessment in chronic diseases that may affect the skeleton, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry interpretation and reporting, quantitative computed tomography measurements, and densitometry in infants and young children. We discuss potential implications of the new recommendations and factors leading to a change in the wording of these positions, considering the science that has evolved over the past 6yr.
Two cases of non-hybrid melanoma formation in Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl Rauchenberger, Kallmann & Morizot

Gross and histological evidence is presented to document two novel and distinct cases of non-hybrid melanomas in wild caught northern mountain swordtails Xiphophorus nezahualcoyotl. During initiation one showed increases in melanin expression from a micromelanophore pattern associated with the sword (sword stripes), and the other showed melanin enhancement associated with the spotted-side macromelanophore pattern on the flanks of the fish. Both cases have spindle cell type melanomas located in the epidermis, dermis, adipose tissue and underlying muscle in several locations on each fish.
Identificatin of Vessel Function: a Case Study from Northwest Georgia

Archaeologists now possess the knowledge and techniques necessary to identify pottery-vessel function with a reasonable degree of specificity. This article is intended to demonstrate that capability. The pottery vessel assemblage characteristic of the sixteenth-century Barnett phase in northwest Georgia consists of 13 physically and morphologically distinct vessel types. The mechanical performance characteristics of these vessel types are identified and employed in formulating hypotheses concerning the way vessel types were used. Historic Southeastern Indian food habits are reconstructed from ethnohistorical and ethnographic evidence and employed to refine the vessel-use hypotheses.
The association between periodontitis and high C-reactive protein in adults with chronic kidney disease is not clearly established.

Article Title and Bibliographic Information Periodontitis predicts elevated C-reactive protein levels in chronic kidney disease. Ioannidou E, Swede H, Dongari-Bagtzoglou A. J Dent Res 2011;90:1411-5. Reviewers Monica A. Fisher, PhD, DDS, MS, MPH, Zhen-qiang Ma, MD, MPH, MS Purpose/Question The authors attempted to study the association between periodontitis and elevated C-reactive protein among adults with chronic kidney disease Source of Funding Government: NIH/NIDCR K23DE018689 ; and NIH General Clinical Research Center M01RR06192 Type of Study/Design Cross-sectional study Level of Evidence Level 3: Other evidence Strength of Recommendation Grade Not applicable
V-MCS: A configuration system for virtual machines

Vitual Machine (VM) technology encapsulates shared computing resources into secure, stable, isolated and customizable private computing environments. While service-oriented computing becomes more and more a norm of computing, VM becomes a must-have common structure. However, creating and customizing a VM system on different hardware/software environments to meet versatile demands is a state-of-the-art task, especially for casual users working in new computing environments. In addition, VM configuration without system support is tedious, time consuming, and error prone. In this study, we propose a Virtual Machine Configuration System (V-MCS) for tackling this issue. V-MCS takes a systematic approach to enhance the flexibility and usability of VM. It provides an easy-to-use web interface to users to create their preferred configurations, and to convert the configurations into PAN documents for human-computer interaction and XML documents for machine automation. The underlying definition component parses the configurations and the spawn component generates customized VMs on the fly. V-MCS maintains and deploys these two-level documents when users login in the future. With the help of V-MCS, users can generate their customized VMs easily and swiftly. V-MCS has been implemented and tested. Experimental results match the design goal well.
Disk-Corona Model of Active Galactic Nuclei with Nonthermal Pairs

As a promising model for the X-ray emission from radio-quiet quasars and Seyfert 1 nuclei, we present a nonthermal disk-corona model, where soft photons from a disk are Comptonized by the nonthermal electron-positron pairs in a coronal region above the disk. Various characteristics of our model are qualitatively similar to the homogeneous, spherical, nonthermal pair models previously studied, but the important difference is that in our disk-corona model gamma-ray depletion is far more efficient, and, moreover, the gamma-ray annihilation line is much less prominent. Consequently, this model naturally satisfies the observed constraints on active galactic nuclei.
NMR studies of the structure and dynamics of membrane-bound bacteriophage Pf1 coat protein

Filamentous bacteriophage coat protein undergoes a remarkable structural transition during the viral assembly process as it is transferred from the membrane environment of the cell, where it spans the phospholipid bilayer, to the newly extruded virus particles. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies show the membrane-bound form of the 46-residue Pf1 coat protein to be surprisingly complex with five distinct regions. The secondary structure consists of a long hydrophobic helix (residues 19 to 42) that spans the bilayer and a short amphipathic helix (residues 6 to 13) parallel to the plane of the bilayer. The NH2-terminus (residues 1 to 5), the COOH-terminus (residues 43 to 46), and residues 14 to 18 connecting the two helices are mobile. By comparing the structure and dynamics of the membrane-bound coat protein with that of the viral form as determined by NMR and neutron diffraction, essential features of assembly process can be identified.
Thermoelectric Effects in Pure and V-Doped Ti 2 O 3 Single Crystals

The Seebeck coefficient $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ for pure and V-doped ${\mathrm{Ti}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ single crystals has been measured between 54 and 500 K. A very strong peak in $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ near 75 K for ${\mathrm{Ti}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ is interpreted as arising from phonon-drag effects; this peak is missing for the V-doped specimens. Between 150 and 350 K the variation of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ with temperature $T$ could be interpreted in terms of a standard model for mixed conduction in a semiconductor. For $Tg350$ K, $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ diminished rapidly with increasing $T$, which reflects the semiconductor-semimetal transition that has been reported in the literature on the basis of conductivity studies. The effect of doping on thermoelectric phenomena has been investigated in detail and is found closely to parallel the effects encountered in conductivity measurements. An explanation is offered as to why V-doped ${\mathrm{Ti}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ exhibits $p$-type characteristics. Values of relevant band parameters have been determined.
The distribution of certain regression statistics

Abstract : There are a number of variable selection procedures in current use in multiple regression analysis. In some of these procedures, a new variable is entered into regression when its contribution to the explanation of the response is larger than that of any other variable not yet entered. The new entrant is then tested by a standard F-test to see if its contribution is 'significant'. Because of the method of selecting the largest contributor, an F-test of this type cannot be theoretically correct but the procedure is used because the exact distributions are not known. This raises questions like 'Is one seriously in error in using the F-tests.' 'If so, can adjustments be made to the F-test to correct the difficulty.' The purpose of this paper is to discuss some new results which throw light on these questions. (Author)
Prognostics using morphological signal processing and computational intelligence

A procedure is presented for monitoring and prognostics of machine conditions using computational intelligence (CI) techniques. The machine vibration signals are processed using morphological operations to extract an entropy based feature characterizing the signal shape-size complexity for assessment of machine conditions. An evolutionary average entropy of the system is introduced as the dasiamonitoring indexpsila for prognostics of the system condition. The progression of the dasiamonitoring indexpsila is predicted using CI techniques, namely, recursive neural network (RNN), adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and support vector regression (SVR). The proposed prediction procedures have been evaluated through benchmark datasets. The prognostic effectiveness of the CI techniques has been illustrated through vibration dataset of a helicopter drivetrain system gearbox. The performances of ANFIS and SVR have been found to be better than RNN for the dataset used. The results are helpful in understanding the relationship of machine conditions, the corresponding indicating feature, the level of damage/degradation and their progression.
D-dimer threshold increase with pretest probability unlikely for pulmonary embolism to decrease unnecessary computerized tomographic pulmonary angiography

Summary. Background: Increasing the threshold to define a positive D-dimer could reduce unnecessary computed tomographic pulmonary angiography (CTPA) for a suspected pulmonary embolism (PE) but might increase rates of a missed PE and missed pneumonia, the most common non-thromboembolic diagnosis seen on CTPA. Objective: Measure the e!ect of doubling the standard D-dimer threshold for # PE unlikely$ Revised Geneva (RGS) or Wells$ scores on the exclusion rate, frequency and size of a missed PE and missed pneumonia. Methods: Patients evaluated for a suspected PE with 64-channel CTPA were prospectively enrolled from emergency departments (EDs) and inpatient units of four hospitals. Pretest probability data were collected in real time and the D-dimer was measured in a central laboratory. Criterion standard was CPTA interpretation by two independent radiologists combined with clinical outcome at 30 days. Results: Of 678 patients enrolled, 126 (19%) were PE+ and 93 (14%) had pneumonia. Use of either Wells$ £ 4o r RGS£ 6 produced similar results. For example, with RGS £ 6a nd standard threshold (< 500 ng mL )1 ), D-dimer was negative in 110/678 (16%), and 4/110 were PE+ (posterior probability 3.8%) and 9/110 (8.2%) had pneumonia. With RGS £ 6a nd a threshold < 1000 ng mL )1 ,D -dimer was negative in 208/678 (31%) and 11/208 (5.3%) were PE+, but 10/11 missed PEs were subsegmental and none had concomitant DVT. Pneumonia was found in 12/208 (5.4%) with RGS £ 6a nd Ddimer < 1000 ng mL )1 . Conclusions: Doubling the threshold for a positive D-dimer with a PE unlikely pretest probability could reduce CTPA scanning with a slightly increased risk of missed isolated subsegmental PE, and no increase in rate of missed pneumonia.
A practical learning-based approach for dynamic storage bandwidth allocation

In this paper, we address the problem of dynamic allocation of storage bandwidth to application classes so as to meet their response time requirements. We present an approach based on reinforcement learning to address this problem. We argue that a simple learning-based approach may not be practical since it incurs significant memory and search space overheads. To address this issue, we use application-specific knowledge to design an efficient, practical learning-based technique for dynamic storage bandwidth allocation. Our approach can react to dynamically changing workloads, provide isolation to application classes and is stable under overload. We implement our techniques into the Linux kernel and evaluate it using prototype experimentation and trace-driven simulations. Our results show that (i) the use of learning enables the storage system to reduce the number of QoS violations by a factor of 2.1 and (ii) the implementation overheads of employing such techniques in operating system kernels is small.
Stability and Change in Health, Functional Abilities, and Behavior Problems Among Adults With and Without Down Syndrome

Changes in health, functional abilities, and behavior problems among 150 adults with Down syndrome and 240 adults with mental retardation due to other causes were examined with seven assessments over a 9-year period. Adults were primarily younger than 40, the age at which declines begin to be evident in individuals with Down syndrome. Adults with Down syndrome were advantaged in their functional abilities and lack of behavior problems, comparable in health, and exhibited comparable rates of change on these measures as adults with mental retardation due to other causes. Placement out of the parental home and parental death were predictors of change in health, functional abilities, and behavior problems.
"Just Look at her!": Sporting Bodies as Athletic Resistance and the Limits of Sport Norms in the Case of Caster Semenya

Using the American sport media’s treatment of South African runner Caster Semenya, this article explores how in the course of defending Caster Semenya the American sport media presented a rigorous challenge to traditional conceptions of sex and gender. Yet these rhetorical efforts to deconstruct sex and gender binaries were undermined by the specific ways in which Semenya’s dual performances—athletic and gender—were visually depicted. A close reading and analysis of US sports media coverage of Caster Semenya provide an opportunity to explore the ways in which the norms of sport may foster progressive treatment of athletes whose genders do not fit comfortably within the existing, traditional expectations of what men and women should be like. At the same time, however, I wish to suggest that both discursive and visual rhetoric are limited in how much they can use such sports norms when ontological questions about the normal, the natural, and the body are at stake. By paying particular attention to the inter...
Corporate Governance Provisions, Family Involvement, and Firm Performance in Publicly Traded Family Firms

This study examines the moderation effects of corporate governance provisions on the link between family involvement (i.e., family ownership and family management) in publicly-traded firms and firm performance by drawing upon agency theory, with a focus on principal-principal agency issues, and the extant family governance literature. We develop and test the hypotheses on 386 of the S&P 500 firms longitudinally. Findings support the hypotheses suggesting the moderation effects of the use of provisions (a) protecting controlling owners in terms of their sustainability of controlling status, and (b) protecting management legally on the inverted U-shaped relationship between family ownership and firm performance. We also found support for the moderation effects of provisions (c) protecting controlling owners in terms of their voting rights, (d) protecting noncontrolling owners, and (e) protecting management monetarily on the inverted U-shaped relationship between family management and firm performance. By this, our study provides empirical support for the principal-principal agency perspective on the corporate governance in publicly-traded family firms. As such, it suggests new avenues of research for both the corporate governance literature, as well as for the theory of the family firm. Our study also offers insights to policy directed toward monitoring the actions of large shareholders such as family and enhancing the overall shareholder value in publicly-traded family firms.
A Model for the Mediation of Processivity of DNA-Targeting Proteins by Nonspecific Binding: Dependence on DNA Length and Presence of Obstacles

A physical and mathematical model is presented to explain processivity of proteins on DNA. In this model, a DNA-targeting protein such as a restriction enzyme can diffuse to the DNA surface and nonspecifically bind to it. Once on the DNA surface it will either move along the DNA or equilibrate with the surrounding region. Owing to the nonspecific binding, the search for a specific site on the DNA occurs in a reduced dimensionality, and the protein appears processive when moving from one specific site to another. The simplest version of this nonspecific-binding-facilitated diffusion model is solved and the results quantitatively explain experimentally observed dependence of the processivity ratio on the intervening DNA length between two specific sites.
The Economics of Pancreas Surgery

Pancreas surgery is a paradigm for high-acuity surgical specialization. Given the current intrigue over containing health care expenditures, pancreas surgery provides an ideal model to investigate the cost of care. This article explores the economics of this field from literature accrued over the last 2 decades. The cost of performing a pancreatic resection is established and then embellished with a discussion of the effects of clinical care paths. Then the influence of complications on costs is explored. Next, cost is investigated as an emerging outcome metric regarding variations in pancreatic surgical care. Finally, the societal-level fiscal impact is considered.
Constructing Monothetic and Polythetic Typologies By the Heuristic Method

Past students of heuristic types such as the ideal or constructed types have often proposed that empirical cases be studied by comparison with the heuristic type. However, they have provided no spe...