cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Noncoverage Errors in Travel Surveys Due to Mobile Phone-Only Households

National and regional household travel surveys have conventionally sampled landline telephone households through list-assisted random digit dialing. However, recent increases in "mobile phone-only" households result in either noncoverage or undercoverage of a growing segment of the population. This result could cause a substantial bias in the representativeness of travel behavior toward the target population. To cover mobile phone-only households, an address-based sampling method is of interest. This study explores whether the characteristics and travel behavior of mobile phone-only households differ from those of households with landline telephones. In addition, this study quantifies the extent of noncoverage errors in the surveys in respondents' travel behavior. Along with census data, the mobile phone-only sample (N = 2,988) was compared with the landline telephone sample (N = 7,774) drawn from the 2008 National Capital Region Household Travel Survey. Results show that the mobile phone-only sample cons...
TH-A-214-01: Patient-Specific Dosimetry for Pediatric X-Ray Computed Tomography

Purpose: CT radiation dose estimates are commonly reported as CTDI (mGy) values derived from measurements made with standard phantoms for a specific technique (kVp, mAs, collimation and pitch). Estimates of effective dose (mSv) are generally calculated from the dose‐length‐product (mGy‐cm) and a weighting factor that is derived from a standardized model. These dose estimates are not patient specific and do not include dose estimates for specific organs. There is general agreement of the need for more accurate dose estimates for x‐ray computed tomography examinations in pediatric patients. The purpose of our research is to investigate methods that can lead to more patient‐specific dosimetry. Methods: We used Monte Carlo particle transport methods in the GEANT4 toolkit to investigate radiation dose estimates in previously acquired pediatric CT scans of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis (CAP) for which several abdominal organs were semi‐automatically segmented. Resulting voxel data were used as input to our existing GEANT4 code. Results: Monte Carlo dose calculations were made using pediatric CT CAP scans of patients with a wide range of age and body weight. The GEANT4 results were compared to scanner‐reported dose estimates of CTDIvol values. Organ dose estimates were obtained with the ImPACT CT Patient Dosimetry spreadsheet(St. George's Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK). Conclusions: We found that the dose estimate to a specific organ may be either underestimated or overestimated by as much as a factor of two relative to ImPACT values. CTDIvol values appear to significantly overestimate doses. One of the major variables impacting dose estimates was the large range of organ volume and masses and how they can differ from phantom values. Because of these findings, we conclude that CTDIvol values do not appear toprovide particularly good estimates of organ doses. NIH Grant: R25‐CA092043
Activist Lawyers Repent

Books reviewed in this article: Ross Sandler and David Schoenbrod, Democracy By Decree: What Happens When Courts Run Government
The effect of carbon monoxide on bacterial growth.

Growth rate studies were conducted with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Escherichia coli and Achromabacter under atmospheres containing up to thirty per cent (v/v) carbon monoxide. It was found that atmospheres containing carbon monoxide have a selective action on the type of organism that grows in a mixed culture. Studies with pure cultures demonstrated that carbon monoxide has no effect on the growth of P. aeruginosa, inhibits the growth rate of E. coli by amounts proportional to the concentration of carbon monoxide, increases the lag phase period of growth in Achromobacter and inhibits the growth rate and increases the lag phase period in P. fluorescens.
Multimaterial piezoelectric fibres — Fibers that can hear and sing

We present a novel technique of using thermal drawing approaches to create piezoelectric fibers that allows electrical modulation of acoustic and optical property of micro-structured fibers. Large-area piezoelectric fabrics with dynamically-controlled optical responses are envisioned.
Some Observations on Glass-Knife Making

The yield of usable knife edge per Me (for thin sectioning) was markedly increased when glass knives were made at an included angle of 55° rather than the customary 45deg;. A large number of measurements of edge check marks made with a routine light scattering method as well as observations made on a smaller number of test sections with the electron microscope indicated the superiority of 55° knives. Knives were made with both taped pliers and an LKB Knifemaker. Knives were graded by methods easily applied in any biological electron microscope laboratory. Depending on the mode of fracture, the yield of knives having more than 33% of their edges free of check marks was 30 to 100 times greater at 55° than 45°.
Short communication: The effect of centrifugation and resuspension on the recovery of Mycoplasma species from milk

Low sensitivity of a single bulk tank milk culture is a major limitation for detection of mycoplasma organisms. We hypothesized that sedimentation of Mycoplasma spp. in a milk sample by centrifugation followed by resuspension in a small volume of fluid before agar plating would increase the ability to detect Mycoplasma spp. compared with direct conventional culture. The experiment was conducted to determine recovery of Mycoplasma spp. from milk as affected by 1) treatment (centrifugation vs. conventional method); 2) 2 species (Mycoplasma bovis and Mycoplasma californicum and 4 strains for each species); and 3) 4 different concentrations of Mycoplasma spp. (1,000, 100, 10, and 1 cfu/mL). A 5-mL portion of mycoplasma suspension from each strain was inoculated into 45 mL of fresh bulk tank milk to achieve concentrations of 1,000, 100, 10, and 1 cfu/mL. Treatment samples were vigorously mixed and centrifuged at 5,000 x g for 30 min. Control samples were vigorously mixed. All samples were plated on modified Hayflick agar. Plates were incubated at 37 degrees C and 5% CO(2) for 5 d. Mean (+/-SE) log(10) mycoplasma counts (cfu/mL) in the treatment groups (1.91 +/- 0.15) were higher than those in the control groups (1.70 +/- 0.16). Recovery of at least 1 mycoplasma colony on agar culture was 100% in both treatment and control groups at high, medium, and low concentrations. At the lowest concentration, recovery of at least 1 mycoplasma colony on agar culture in treatment and control groups was 75% (n = 12/16) and 18.75% (n = 3/16), respectively. Centrifugation of milk followed by suspension in a smaller volume of saline before conventional culture increased the ability to detect mycoplasma microorganisms in the milk sample compared with controls. Recovery by centrifugation appeared best at the lowest concentration where detection of a positive sample was 4 times more likely than when conventional methods were used.
Intraproblem retention during learning-set acquisition in bluejays (Cyanocitta cristata)

Three experiments were conducted examining short-term retention within individual object-discrimination learning-set (ODLS) problems. In Experiment I, it was found that intraproblem retention decreased during ODLS acquisition. Experiment II demonstrated that this phenomenon was not due to simple recency of experience with other ODLS problems. Experiment III demonstrated that retention was not influenced by the number of trials per problem or number of problems per session. These results were interpreted as supporting a conditional discrimination model of ODLS acquisition in bluejays.
Liver Autophagy: much more than just taking out the trash

Studies performed in the liver in the 1960s led to the identification of lysosomes and the discovery of autophagy, the process by which intracellular proteins and organelles are degraded in lysosomes. Early studies in hepatocytes also uncovered how nutritional status regulates autophagy and how various circulating hormones modulate the activity of this catabolic process in the liver. The intensive characterization of hepatic autophagy over the years has revealed that lysosome-mediated degradation is important not only for maintaining liver homeostasis in normal physiological conditions, but also for an adequate response of this organ to stressors such as proteotoxicity, metabolic dysregulation, infection and carcinogenesis. Autophagic malfunction has also been implicated in the pathogenesis of common liver diseases, suggesting that chemical manipulation of this process might hold potential therapeutic value. In this Review--intended as an introduction to the topic of hepatic autophagy for clinical scientists--we describe the different types of hepatic autophagy, their role in maintaining homeostasis in a healthy liver and the contribution of autophagic malfunction to liver disease.
Magnitude of Genetic Influence, Cage Type, and Genotype by Cage-Type Interactions on Soft-Shell and Shell-Less Egg Production

Abstract Genetic effects and the effects of single versus nine-bird colony cages upon the percent production of soft-shell (% SS), shell-less (% SL), and hard-shell (% HS) eggs were investigated in a randombred population of White Leghorns. Ovulation rate, (OR), % SL, and % HS eggs decreased (P Significant sire effects (P A large positive genetic correlation of % SS eggs with % SL eggs was observed. The genetic correlations of % HS eggs with % SS or % SL eggs were small and not significantly different from zero in both environments. Possible physiological mechanisms were discussed.
A characterization of P1 spaces

Abstract A Banach space X is P 1 if and only if the radius of each bounded set in X is half its diameter.
Challenges in modeling total knee arthroplasty and total hip replacement

Abstract Total knee arthroplasty and hip replacement are commonly used procedures in which an ailing knee or hip joint is replaced with a carefully engineered artificial joint. Multibody models of healthy knee and hip joints are used extensively to design artificial knee and joints. The quality of the replacement joint is thus intrinsically related to the quality of the multibody models. In this work, the quality of a kinematic knee model is assessed by comparing predicted knee kinematics to cadaveric knee kinematics under several patellar overstuffing conditions. In addition, the micro motion at the hip joint (between the femoral head and the acetabulum) under varying loads is experimentally measured using a cemented and a cementless cadaveric hip joint.
Calculation of dose distribution near an innovative concentric balloon catheter for endovascular brachytherapy.

Abstract Purpose: Using a radioactive solution-filled catheter for intravascular irradiation has the potential problem of chemical and radiological toxicity in the case of a balloon rupture. In order to reduce this risk, an innovative concentric balloon catheter was developed. Methods and Materials: The concentric balloon was made by inner and outer balloons filled with saline and radioactive solution, respectively. The optimal inner radius was determined by comparing the dose rate reduction vs. the volume reduction for various inner and outer radii for 188 Re, 32 P, and 90 Y solutions. Results: For a balloon with an outer radius of 1.5 mm, there was no advantage of a concentric balloon. For balloons with outer radii of 3.0 and 5 mm, the optimal inner radius was 1.5 and 3 mm, respectively. Conclusions: With the newly designed concentric balloon, the risk of toxicity can be reduced while keeping the dose rate high enough so that the treatment times within tolerable limits are still maintained.
Policy Implications of Supporting Women of Color in the Sciences

ABSTRACT This research suggests that, contrary to popular perception, there exists a pool of women of color with avid interest in science, and the academic skills to pursue that interest. It further suggests that these women, if given the support necessary to persist in science, will choose careers that address many other needs, domestic and international, including schooling and science education; rural and urban health care, public health and medical research; the environment; and other public service fields. Investing in the retention of high-achieving women of color in science yields returns on multiple levels. This conclusion is based on a study of high-achieving women of color interested in studying science, and an evaluation of a university enrichment program for science students of color.
6B-3 Viscoelastic Property Measurement in Thin Tissue Constructs Using Ultrasound

A variety of imaging methods employing the principle of acoustic radiation force (ARF) have been proposed recently. It is now well accepted that ARF-based methods produce significant improvement in contrast compared to coventional ultrasound. However, interpretation of the ARF-induced displacements is rendered difficult in the presence of nearby boundary conditions, e.g. skin imaging. We present a dual-element ultrasound transducer system for generating and tracking of localized tissue displacements in thin tissue constructs on hard substrates. The system is comprised of a highly focused 5-MHz ARF transducer and a confocal 25-MHz PVDF imaging transducer. The ARF transducer produces a sharp focus with 200 mum diameter and 1 mm depth of field. This allows for the generation of measurable displacements in tissue samples on hard substrates with thickness values down to 500 mum. The ARF transducer is driven by an arbitrary waveform generator for modulating the 5-MHZ ARF carrier. Impulse-like and longer duration sine- modulated ARF pulses are possible with intermittent M-mode data acquisition for displacement tracking. Spatio-temporal maps of tissue displacements in response to a variety of modulated ARF beams are produced in tissue-mimicking elastography phantoms on a hard substrate. The frequency response was measured for phantoms with different stiffness and thickness values. The frequency response exhibits resonant behavior determined by the stiffness and the thickness of the samples. We have also used the extended Kalman filter (EKF) for tracking the apparent stiffness and viscosity of samples subjected to sinusoidaly-modulated ARF. Finally, C-mode imaging results of a soft phantom with a harder inclusion are shown to demonstrate the potential for significant contrast enhancement with ARF-based methods.
EXTENDED FINITE AUTOMATA AND WORD PROBLEMS

This paper considers extended finite automata over monoids, in the sense of Dassow and Mitrana. We show that the family of languages accepted by extended finite automata over a monoid K is controlled by the word problem of K in a precisely stated manner. We also point out a critical error in the proof of the main result in the paper by Dassow and Mitrana. However as one consequence of our approach, by analyzing a certain word problem, we obtain a complete proof of this result, namely that the family of languages accepted by extended finite automata over the free group of rank two is exactly the family of context-free languages. We further deduce that along with the free group of rank two, the only finitely generated groups with this property are precisely the groups that have a nonabelian free subgroup of finite index.
Passive scalar structures in supersonic turbulence

We conduct a systematic numerical study of passive scalar structures in supersonic turbulent flows. We find that the degree of intermittency in the scalar structures increases only slightly as the flow changes from transonic to highly supersonic, while the velocity structures become significantly more intermittent. This difference is due to the absence of shocklike discontinuities in the scalar field. The structure functions of the scalar field are well described by the intermittency model of She and L\'ev\^eque [Phys. Rev. Lett 72, 336 (1994)], and the most intense scalar structures are found to be sheetlike at all Mach numbers.
Zonation of late Miocene and early Pliocenecircum-mediterranean faunas

Abstract This attempt at biostratigraphic correlations for the fossiliferous sites of the late Miocene and early Pliocene,situated around the Mediterranean basin, is based on the zones established by P. Mein according to variations in the mammalian faunas. New taxa are mentioned, particularly carnivores; moreover, a series of African localities are integrated and, for some of them, an analysis of the faunal constituents leads to paleobiogeographic considerations.
A Compact Control Language for AUV acoustic communication

Acoustic communication with autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) implies low data rates and potentially high latency, depending on the range and the number of vehicles operating in one area. To efficiently use this limited resource the Compact Control Language (CCL) was developed for use with the WHOI REMUS AUV. CCL is a set of messages that includes commands for AUVs and data messages for typical sensors. Almost all of the messages are less than 32 bytes long. CCL commands include simple operations such as Abort Now and Abort to Mission End, but also complex commands such as re-direction with side scan sonar over areas of interest. When this simple command set is used with a telemetry system that includes network addressing (such as the WHOI Micro-Modem), sophisticated multi-vehicle operations may be carried out. The open nature of the specification allows vehicles developed at different research institutions or commercial companies to work together, thus promoting interoperability. CCL has been adopted by others working in the Office of Naval Research Very Shallow Water mine-countermeasure (VSW-MCM) program which includes multiple vehicles with different types of sensors.
Rethinking Gender and Violence: Agency, Heterogeneity, and Intersectionality

This paper is a consideration of the increasing diversity of images of gender violence and its victims, as both the grassroots antiviolence activists, and the scholars of the movements and the violence that inspires the activism, engage with cultural codes and feeling rules that tend to narrow the criteria for what constitutes gender violence and victimization. We are coming to better understand that social location, including but not limited to positions within patriarchal systems of stratification, shapes violence and victimization in many different ways. Since the inception of the women’s movement, the discourse of victimization has grappled with the implications of constructing ‘pure victims’, and despite the tremendous progress in the resources available to survivors of gender violence, we find the tensions between victimization and agency, and between simplicity and complexity, reemerging repeatedly in the stories victims, activists, and scholars tell about this social problem. Below, we review the sociological research and activism, in conjunction with the collective narratives in the social movements against gender violence, to show how the issues of perceptions of women who are framed as victims began and remain central to feminist research in this area. We also explore the newest visions of gender violence, that broaden theorizing and activism to include multiple dimensions of inequality and their intersections. Taken together, these debates reveal multifaceted layers of complexity that inform the contexts and lived experience of violence, and that continue to enter into our storytelling.
MECHANISMS OF DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION IN LARGE BUREAUCRATIC ORGANIZATIONS: Ascriptive Inequalities in the Workplace

Studies of workplace discrimination have typically focused on empirically unobservable motives to explain ascriptive inequalities associated with class, gender, and race. Such studies usually have ...
Forty-Eight Words

The article presents a review of the book “Manufacturing Policy,” by Stanley Miller and David C. D. Rogers.
Competition between the tropical alga, Halimeda incrassata, and the seagrass, Thalassia testudinum

In this study, we experimentally investigate the interspecific interactions operating between the dominant seagrass and an abundant, native rhizophytic macroalga within a mature seagrass community. Treatments consisted of density manipulations of the dominant seagrass species, Thalassia testudinum, and of the most common representative of the rhizophytic algae, Halimeda incrassata. Evidence of interaction was measured by changes in relative short-term productivity and biomass of both algae and seagrass over a 4-month period. There was an asymmetrical effect of density manipulation: the presence of seagrass decreased the size of algal thalli by 20.4% and the macroalgal growth rate by 33.3%, but the presence of macroalgae had no significant impact on seagrass growth rate and decreased the mean size of short-shoots of T. testudinum by only 10.3%. These results support a competitive interaction theory for T. testudinum and rhizophytic macroalgae. Nutrient and light limitation were investigated as possible underlying mechanisms of the interaction. Seagrass leaf tissue C:N was significantly lower (P = 0.06) in algal removal treatments whereas no significant treatment effect was demonstrated for substrate-level irradiance, suggesting that competition for N was the mechanism of the interaction. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Surface diffusion of Xe on Nb(1 1 0)

Abstract We studied Xe diffusion on Nb(1 1 0) from 48 to 70 K using the linear optical diffraction from laser-induced Xe density gratings. The diffusion rate is characterized by an Arrhenius behavior with an activation energy of E diff =54 meV and a diffusivity D 0 =1.7×10 −6 cm 2 /s. We also performed a density-functional theory calculation of the binding energy for Xe on Nb(1 1 0). Our preliminary result shows that Xe prefer on-top sites with a binding energy of 247 meV, and move by hopping over short-bridge sites with an activation energy barrier of 51 meV, in close agreement with the experimental value.
A fuzzy-based distributed load balancing algorithm for large distributed systems

The paper presents a new approach to load balancing for large distributed systems. The approach characterizes the global state uncertainty inherent in a large distributed system in terms of the fuzzy set theory and presents a fuzzy-based distributed load balancing algorithm that explicitly reflects the effect of the uncertainty in the decision making process. The notion of linguistic variables is used to model state variables that have imprecise and uncertain state values and fuzzy control to estimate the amount of consistency relaxation from the states of uncertainty sources. A fuzzy-based consistency model provides a mechanism that allows each node to make flexible scheduling and state update decisions based on the estimated degree of consistency relaxation. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm yields a better performance, substantially reduces the number of messages required, and generally transfers fewer tasks, compared to two conventional distributed load balancing algorithms. >
Time correlation functions in classical dense fluids

The velocity autocorrelation functions and memory functions of dense classical fluids may be directly obtained from the static radial distribution function g(r) in an approximate way. Following the Mori projection operator formalism, the memory functions may be related to the fluctuating force correlation. At low densities, these functions may be evaluated by following the trajectories of particle pairs in the interatomic potential. At higher densities, the force correlation functions can be evaluated approximately from particle pair trajectories via the potential of the mean force. The results for argon fluids at various densities and temperatures agree satisfactorily with the molecular dynamics and the Enskog values. The decrease of the diffusion coefficient with density is partly due to the nature of g(r) which reflects the stronger clustering of atoms at higher densities.
Aging and senescence of the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has a limited life span, defined by the number of times an individual cell divides. Longevity in this organism involves a genetic component. Several morphological and physiological changes are associated with yeast aging and senescence. One of these, an increase in generation time with age, provides a 'biomarker' for the aging process. This increase in generation time has revealed the operation of a 'senescence factor(s)', which is likely to be a product of age-specific gene expression. The Cell Spiral Model indicates coordination of successive cell cycles to be inherent in the determination of life span. It is proposed that life expectancy depends on the function of a stochastic trigger during aging that sets in motion a programme leading to cell senescence and death.
Heller's contribution to the surgical treatment of achalasia of the esophagus

Abstract Ernst Heller's original 1914 report of extramucosal esophagomyotomy for the treatment of "cardiospasm" (achalasia) of the esophagus is reviewed in historical perspective, defining those factors that may have contributed to delay in recognition of its true value as the major contribution to the modern management not only of achalasia but also of many other esophageal motor disorders. Special attention is also given to what Heller actually described, observed, and did in the light of current pathophysiological understanding. Finally emphasis is placed on current management as it has evolved to the present state of technical performance.
Development of field modulation in a split-field drift tube for high-throughput multidimensional separations.

A field modulation approach for high-throughput ion mobility/time-of-flight analyses of complex mixtures has been developed using a split-field drift tube. In this approach, complex mixtures of peptides, such as those that arise from tryptic digestion of protein mixtures, are separated by nanocolumn liquid chromatography, ionized by electrospray ionization, and analyzed by ion mobility/ time-of-flight techniques. The split-field drift tube allows parent ions to be separated based on differences in their low-field mobilities through the first-field region before entering the second region. For increased throughput, the magnitude of the field in the second region can be modulated throughout an LC separation in order to favor transmission of different types of ions: parent ions at low fields; fragments from primarily [M+3H] 3+ peptides at moderate fields; or, fragmentation of [M+3H] 3+ and [M+2H] 2+ species at higher fields. We demonstrate the approach with two examples: a mixture of tryptic peptides from digestion of hemoglobin; and a complex mixture of tryptic peptides from digestion of human plasma.
Ultrafast optical beam deflection in a planar waveguide for high dynamic range recording at picosecond resolution

We report the latest performance of an ultrafast, all-optical beam deflector based on a prism array imprinted in a planar waveguide. The deflector enables single-shot, high dynamic range optical recording with picosecond resolution.
Foraminifers of Lower Ojinaga Formation (Cretaceous), Southern Quitman Mountains, Hudspeth County, Texas: ABSTRACT

Three partial sections of the lower Ojinaga Formation were measured in the southernmost Quitman Mountains, near the Rio Grande. The lower Ojinaga is composed largely of medium-gray to black, variably calcitic shale, except for dark, flaggy, calcarenitic limestone and shale in the basal 20 m and for a few thin limestones and a dolomite above. Thirty-two residues and 75 thin sections were studied. The foraminiferal populations are overwhelmingly planktonic; plankton-benthos ratios exceed 99:1 without exception. The fauna consists primarily of Hedbergella amabilis Leoblich and Tappan, H. brittonensis Loeblich and Tappan, H. delrioensis (Carsey), H. planispira (Tappan), H. simplex (Morrow), Rotalipora cushmani (Morrow), R. montsalvensis Mornod, R. brotzeni (Sigal), and R. greenhornensis (Morrow), although Heterohelix occur sporadically and poor preservation obscures possible Praeglobotruncana and Whiteinella. In addition to foraminifers, calcispheres and radiolarians equal or exceed the foraminifers in many samples. In varying proportions, the three taxa form minute laminae, commonly microscopically cross-bedded and disconformable in the calcarenitic biogenic limestones. Juvenile ammonites and protoconchs are common at the top of the section. Inoceramid prisms, oyster fragments, and fish debris occur in the coarser and thicker laminae. The sequence sampled is generally correlative with the middle and upper Cenomanian and the lower Turonian. A more precise correlation suggests middle Cenomanian and lower Turonian with an intervening unconformity, although the taxonomic foundation is questionable. The microfauna is markedly pelagic and typical of midbathyal or deeper depositional environments. The dark color and general lack of bioturbation suggest the possibility of bottom anoxia and consequent absence of benthic forms, but tests for organic carbon show only a modest elevation of total organic carbon, with a maximum of 2.7%. The microscopic sedimentary structures of the biogenic flaggy limestones testify to gentle but definitely tractional current action at bathyal depths. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1428------------
Traversing the basement membrane in vivo: A diversity of strategies

The basement membrane is a dense, highly cross-linked, sheet-like extracellular matrix that underlies all epithelia and endothelia in multicellular animals. During development, leukocyte trafficking, and metastatic disease, cells cross the basement membrane to disperse and enter new tissues. Based largely on in vitro studies, cells have been thought to use proteases to dissolve and traverse this formidable obstacle. Surprisingly, recent in vivo studies have uncovered a remarkably diverse range of cellular- and tissue-level strategies beyond proteolysis that cells use to navigate through the basement membrane. These fascinating and unexpected mechanisms have increased our understanding of how cells cross this matrix barrier in physiological and disease settings.
Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Condensed Fish Solubles, Distillers Dried Solubles and Dried Whey as Supplements to an All-Vegetable Protein Turkey Laying Diet

Abstract HATCHABILITY of turkey eggs usually remains at a satisfactory level during the first eight to ten weeks of the hatching period and then gradually decreases as the season progresses. Little experimental work has been done as regards nutrition of the turkey hen for high hatchability. Nestler et al. reported in 1936 that an all-vegetable protein ration would not maintain high hatchability of turkey eggs unless supplemented with pork liver meal, desiccated meat meal, fish meal or dried buttermilk. These workers also reported that dried whey would not maintain high hatchability. Dickens et al. (1941) later reported that distillers dried grains with solubles would not replace dried skim milk, fish meal or meat scraps in the New England Conference laying ration for turkeys as far as hatchability was concerned. Stadelman et al. (1950) reported that vitamin D had no effect on egg production but that the absence of vitamin D from …
Understanding congestion in IEEE 802.11b wireless networks

The growing popularity of wireless networks has led to cases of heavy utilization and congestion. In heavily utilized wireless networks, the wireless portion of the network is a major performance bottleneck. Understanding the behavior of the wireless portion of such networks is critical to ensure their robust operation. This understanding can also help optimize network performance. In this paper, we use link layer information collected from an operational, large-scale, and heavily utilized IEEE 802.11b wireless network deployed at the 62nd Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) meeting to study congestion in wireless networks. We motivate the use of channel busy-time as a direct measure of channel utilization and show how channel utilization along with network throughput and goodput can be used to define highly congested, moderately congested, and uncongested network states. Our study correlates network congestion and its effect on link-layer performance. Based on these correlations we find that (1) current rate adaptation implementations make scarce use of the 2 Mbps and 5.5 Mbps data rates, (2) the use of Request-to-Send/Clear-to-Send (RTS-CTS) prevents nodes from gaining fair access to a heavily congested channel, and (3) the use of rate adaptation, as a response to congestion, is detrimental to network performance.
Characterization of the 46-kDa intermediates of matrix metalloproteinase 3 (stromelysin 1) obtained by site-directed mutation of phenylalanine 83

The precursor of matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3/ stromelysin 1) is activated in vitro by proteinases or mercurial compounds by stepwise processes which include the initial formation of short-lived intermediates and the subsequent intermolecular cleavage of the His82-Phe83 bond to generate the fully activated mature MMP-3 (Nagase, H., Enghild, J. J., Suzuki, K., and Salvesen, G. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 5783-5789). To study the enzymatic properties of the intermediates we have mutated either His82 or Phe83 to Arg to obtain a stable MMP-3 intermediate. The mutant proteins were expressed in Chinese hamster ovary K-1 cells using a mammalian expression system. The proMMP-3(H82R) mutant was activated by chymotrypsin, elastase, and 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate to the 45-kDa MMP-3 with similar mechanism and kinetics as the wild-type. In contrast, the activation of the proMMP-3(F83R) mutant by proteinases or 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate resulted in 46-kDa forms, which retained 13, 14, or 15 amino acids of the pro-domain depending on the activators. The proteinase-activated MMP-3(F83R) intermediates exhibited little enzymatic activity, but they were partially active after treatment with SH-reacting reagents. These molecules could bind to the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 and alpha 2-macroglobulin. However, the SH group of Cys75 of the intermediates was not modified by SH-reagents, indicating that the enzymatic activity generated by SH-reagents resulted from molecular perturbation of the enzyme rather than their interaction with Cys75. When gelatin and transferrin were digested with the 46-kDa intermediates the products were different from those generated by the wild-type MMP-3, suggesting an alteration in substrate specificity. The treatment of proMMP-3 with trypsin resulted in the formation of a 45-kDa MMP-3 with an NH2-terminal Thr85, whose activity and substrate specificity were similar to those of the 46-kDa MMp-3(F83R) obtained from the proMMP-3(F83R) mutant. These observations indicate that the correct processing at the His82-Phe83 bond is critical for expression of the full activity and the specificity of MMP-3.
The Role of Constant Curvature in 2-D Contour Shape Representations

In early cortex, visual information is encoded by retinotopic orientation-selective units. Higher-level representations of abstract properties, such as shape, require encodings that are invariant to changes in size, position, and orientation. Within the domain of open, 2-D contours, we consider how an economical representation that supports viewpoint-invariant shape comparisons can be derived from early encodings. We explore the idea that 2-D contour shapes are encoded as joined segments of constant curvature. We report three experiments in which participants compared sequentially presented 2-D contour shapes comprised of constant curvature (CC) or non-constant curvature (NCC) segments. We show that, when shapes are compared across viewpoint or for a retention interval of 1000 ms, performance is better for CC shapes. Similar recognition performance is observed for both shape types, however, if they are compared at the same viewpoint and the retention interval is reduced to 500 ms. These findings are consistent with a symbolic encoding of 2-D contour shapes into CC parts when the retention intervals over which shapes must be stored exceed the duration of initial, transient, visual representations.
Resonantly pumped double clad erbium-doped fiber laser

An erbium-doped double clad fiber laser in-band pumped by a 1535-nm broad area laser is demonstrated. This technique promises scalability to extremely high powers due to the low quantum defect.
Optimizing Expert Systems: Heuristics for Efficiently Generating Low-Cost Information Acquisition Strategies

We study the sequential information acquisition problem for rule-based expert systems as follows: find the information acquisition strategy that minimizes the expected cost to operate the system while maintaining the same output decisions. This problem arises for rule-based expert systems when the cost or time to collect inputs is significant and the inputs are not known until the system operates. We develop several "optimistic" heuristics to generate information acquisition strategies and study their properties. The heuristics provide choices concerning precision (i.e., how optimistic) versus computational effort. The heuristics are embedded into an informed search algorithm (based on AO*) that produces an optimal strategy and a greedy search algorithm. The search strategies are designed for situations in which rules can overlap and the cost of collecting an input may depend on the set of inputs previously collected. We study the properties of these approaches and simulate their performance on a variety of synthetic expert systems. Our results indicate that the heuristics are very precise, leading to near optimal results for greedy search and moderate search effort for optimal search.
Improved nomographic charts for determining the relative value of feeds.

Summary Four nomographic charts are presented from which the relative value of feeds may be determined for the common feeds by three different methods. 1. The Petersen method. To be used only when high-protein feeds are higher in price than low-protein feeds. 2. The method of comparing feeds on the basis of their relative content of total digestible nutrients or net energy. To be used when protein-rich feeds are as cheap as the grains. 3. The cost per 100 pounds of total digestible nutrients or 100 therms of net energy. To be used as under method 2 above.
A comparison of case volumes among urologic surgeons identified on an industry-sponsored website to an all provider peer group

Abstract Introduction Industry-sponsored websites for robotic surgery direct to surgeons listed as performing specific robotic surgical procedures. The purpose of this study was to compare average annual, surgeon-specific, case volumes for those procedures for which they were listed as performing on the commercial website with the volumes of all providers performing these same procedures across a defined geographic region. Methods A list of providers within the state of Wisconsin cited as performing specific urologic procedures was obtained through the Intuitive Surgical website 〈 http://www.davincisurgery.com/da-vinci-urology/ 〉. Surgeon-specific annual case volumes from 2009 to 2013 for these same cases were obtained for all Wisconsin providers through DataBay Resources (Warrendale, PA) based on International classification of diseases-9 codes. Procedural activity was rank ordered, and surgeons were placed in “volume deciles” derived from the total annual number of cases performed by all surgeons. The distribution of commercially listed surgeon volumes, both 5-year average and most recent year, was compared with the average and 2013 volumes of all surgeons performing a specific procedure. Findings A total of 35 individual urologic surgeons listed as performing robotic surgery in Wisconsin were identified through a “search” using the Intuitive Surgical website. Specific procedure analysis returned 5, 12, 9, and 15 surgeon names for cystectomy, partial nephrectomy, radical nephrectomy, and prostatectomy, respectively. This compared with the total number of surgeons who had performed the listed procedure in Wisconsin at least 1 time during the prior 5 years of 123, 153, 242, and 165, respectively. When distributed by surgeon-volume deciles, surgeons listed on industry-sponsored sites varied widely in their respective volume decile. More than half of site-listed, procedure-specific surgeons fell below the fifth decile for surgeon volume. Data analysis based solely on 2013 case volumes had no effect on the number of website-listed surgeons whose volumes fell below the fifth decile. Conclusions Surgeons listed on an industry-sponsored website demonstrate wide variation in the actual volume of specific procedures performed. The inferred endorsement of competence by commercial sites has the potential to mislead patients seeking surgical expertise. Providers should consider the ethical and legal implications of these commercial advertising that do not have volume or outcome data.
Green Tea Catechin, EGCG, Suppresses PCB 102-Induced Proliferation in Estrogen-Sensitive Breast Cancer Cells.

The persistence of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in the environment is of considerable concern since they accumulate in human breast tissue and may stimulate the growth of estrogen-sensitive tumors. Studies have shown that EGCG from green tea can modify estrogenic activity and thus may act as a cancer chemopreventive agent. In the present study, we evaluated the individual and combined effects of PCB 102 and EGCG on cell proliferation using an estrogen-sensitive breast cancer cell line MCF-7/BOS. PCB 102 (1–10 μM) increased cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the proliferative effects of PCB 102 were mediated by ERα and could be abrogated by the selective ERα antagonist MPP. EGCG (10–50 μM) caused a dose-dependent inhibition of PCB 102-induced cell proliferation, with nearly complete inhibition at 25 μM EGCG. The antiproliferative action of EGCG was mediated by ERβ and could be blocked by the ERβ-specific inhibitor PHTPP. In conclusion, EGCG suppressed the proliferation-stimulating activity of the environmental estrogen PCB 102 which may be helpful in the chemoprevention of breast cancer.
Reactions of Metallocarboranes

The discovery in the 1950s of carboranes, which are boron cage compounds containing carbon in the skeletal framework, stimulated a considerable research effort in this area which has opened a vast new field of unlimited dimensions. Much of the research on carboranes 75,85,157,186,188.198,225 involves the derivative chemistry of polyhedral molecules such as C2B10H12 and C2B5H7 and has been largely oriented toward the synthesis of heat-stable polymers. However, an entirely different aspect of the field centers on the fact, first discovered by Hawthorne, Young, and Wegner101 in 1965, that metal atoms can be inserted into carborane frameworks to produce metallocarboranes which maintain or even increase the stability of the original system. Hundreds of such compounds involving a wide variety of transition and main-group metals have been prepared, and this new field has in its short existence reached a surprisingly sophisticated level with rational synthetic routes and a qualitative theory of structure and bonding of considerable predictive power. The significance of the metallocarboranes in an ultimately practical sense has yet to be determined, although their exceptional stability, almost unlimited variety, and novel structures, and the possibility of unusual electronic or other properties, suggest that applications will one day be developed. However, the importance of metallocarboranes from a theoretical viewpoint is beyond doubt.
Demonstration of lasercom and spatial tracking with a silicon Geiger-mode APD array

We present a demonstration of a high-rate photon counting receiver with the potential to act as a spatial tracker based on a silicon Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode array (GM-APD). This array enables sensitive high-rate optical communication in the visible and near infrared regions of the spectrum. The array contains 1024 elements arranged in a 32x32 pixel square. This large number of elements supports high data rates through the mitigation of blocking losses and associated data rate limitations created by the reset time of an individual Geiger-mode detector. Measurement of bit error rates demonstrate that receiver sensitivities of 2.55 dB (detected) photons-per-bit for 78.8 Mb/s on-off-keying and -0.46 dB (detected) photons-per-bit for 19.4 Mb/s 16-ary pulse-position modulation are accessible with strong forward error correction. Additionally, the array can record the spatial coordinates of each detection event. By computing the centroid of the distribution of spatial detections it is possible to determine the angle-of-arrival of the detected photons. These levels of performance imply that Si GM-APD arrays are excellent candidates for a variety of free space lasercom applications ranging from atmospheric communication in the 1 micron or 780 nm spectral windows to underwater communication in the 480 nm to 520 nm spectral window
Capital as Artificial Intelligence

This article examines science-fictional allegorizations of Soviet-style planned economies, financial markets, autonomous trading algorithms, and global capitalism writ large as nonhuman artificial intelligences, focussing primarily on American science fiction of the Cold War period. Key fictional texts discussed include Star Trek, Isaac Asimov's Machine stories, Terminator, Kurt Vonnegut's Player Piano (1952), Charles Stross's Accelerando (2005), and the short stories of Philip K. Dick. The final section of the article discusses Kim Stanley Robinson's novel 2312 (2012) within the contemporary political context of accelerationist anticapitalism, whose advocates propose working with “the machines” rather than against them.
Wrist Arthrodesis for Failed Total Wrist Arthroplasty

Purpose Treatment options for failed total wrist arthroplasty include implant revision, resection arthroplasty, and arthrodesis. Variable results associated with different techniques have been reported for arthrodesis and the procedure has substantial technical challenges, including restoration of wrist height, obtaining stable fixation, and achieving bony fusion. This study evaluates the radiographic results of a surgical technique for conversion of a failed arthroplasty to an arthrodesis. Methods A retrospective chart and radiograph review was performed in 20 wrists in 18 patients in whom conversion to an arthrodesis was performed using a contoured cancellous femoral head structural allograft and a wrist arthrodesis plate. Supplemental demineralized bone matrix combined with corticocancellous allograft chips was also used in 15 wrists. Median age at arthrodesis was 61 years (range, 45–78 years), and median follow-up was 34 months (range, 4–71 months). Results Nineteen of 20 wrists fused following the index procedure at a median of 4 months (range, 3–7 months). Proximal plate loosening occurred in 1 wrist but the joint still fused at 6 months; a successful osteotomy and revision of screw fixation was done 2 years later to correct the deformity and hardware irritation in this case. Complications were otherwise limited to 1 superficial infection that resolved with intravenous antibiotics. Conclusions This technique for conversion of a failed total wrist arthroplasty to a wrist arthrodesis is safe, effective, and versatile. Wrist deformity is corrected, wrist height can be restored, stable fixation is obtained, and a high rate of fusion is achieved despite filling large defects using structural cancellous allograft. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.