cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Location of lesions associated with age-related maculopathy over a 10-year period: the Beaver Dam Eye Study.

PURPOSE To describe cumulative incidence and changes in retinal lesions associated with age-related maculopathy (ARM) by location over a 10-year period and to examine the relation of location of those lesions to progression of ARM. METHODS Persons ranging in age from 43 to 84 years and living in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, at the time of a census (1987-1988) were examined two to three times over a 10-year period (n = 3684). Drusen area, size, and type; retinal pigment epithelium depigmentation; increased pigment; geographic atrophy; and neovascular macular degeneration were determined in each of nine macular subfields: central, inner and outer superior, inner and outer nasal, inner and outer inferior, and inner and outer temporal by grading of stereoscopic color fundus photographs. Late ARM was defined as presence of either geographic atrophy or neovascular ARM. RESULTS Lesions were more likely to change or develop in specific locations. Drusen area increased most in the central circle. Compared with other quadrants, drusen greater than 125 micro m in diameter and soft indistinct or reticular drusen were most likely to develop in the superior or temporal quadrants, whereas pigmentary abnormalities were most likely to occur in the nasal or superior quadrants. In general, large drusen, soft indistinct drusen, and pigmentary abnormalities were more likely to develop in the inner circle versus the central and outer circles. The quadrant location of early ARM lesions in 72 persons in whom late ARM developed was generally similar to that in persons who did not have late ARM. However, persons who had geographic atrophy were more likely to have large drusen in the inner circle than in the outer circle, while those who did not have late ARM were more likely to have large drusen in the outer circle. CONCLUSIONS Lesions associated with early ARM were more likely to develop in specific locations in the macular area, and persons with lesions closer to the fovea may be related to a higher risk of development of late ARM. The quadrant location of early ARM lesions does not appear to add additional information to the risk of development of late ARM.
The Tree Property

Abstract We construct a model in which there are no ℵn-Aronszajn trees for any finiten⩾2, starting from a model with infinitely many supercompact cardinals. We also construct a model in which there is noκ++-Aronszajn tree forκa strong limit cardinal of cofinalityω, starting from a model with a supercompact cardinal and a weakly compact cardinal above it.
Influence of strategy on muscle activity during impact movements.

Participants (N = 10) made flexions or extensions about the elbow. Movements either were pointing (i.e., self-terminated) or terminated by impact on a barrier. The author examined how the trajectory and the electromyographic (EMG) patterns varied according to the distance moved, the instruction provided concerning speed, or the type of termination. Variations in kinematics induced by changes in the target distance or the instruction regarding speed were the same for impact and pointing movements. In comparison with a pointing movement of similar distance and speed instruction, an impact movement (a) accelerated longer and reached a higher velocity, (b) had a longer agonist EMG burst, and (c) had a low level of contraction that started slightly after the agonist burst and continued throughout the movement but had little or no antagonist burst. Because the different types of movements required different forces from the muscles, there were systematic, task-specific differences in EMG patterns that reflected task-specific differences in central control. The results of this experiment demonstrate that impact movements share some of the rules used in the control of other tasks, such as pointing and reversing movements. The sharing is not imposed by mechanical or physiological constraints but, rather, represents the imposition of internal constraints.
Stress signaling in mammalian oocytes and embryos: a basis for intervention and improvement of outcomes

Oocytes and early stage embryos are highly sensitive to variation in diverse exogenous factors such as temperature, osmolarity, oxygen, nutrient restriction, pH, shear stress, toxins, amino acid availability, and lipids. It is becoming increasingly apparent that many such factors negatively affect the endoplasmic reticulum, protein synthesis and protein processing, initiating ER stress and unfolded protein responses. As a result, ER stress signaling serves as a common mediator of cellular responses to diverse stressors. In oocytes and embryos, this leads to developmental arrest and epigenetic changes. Recent studies have revealed that preventing ER stress or inhibiting ER stress signaling can preserve or even enhance oocyte and embryo developmental potential. This review examines ER stress signaling, how it arises, how it affects oocytes and embryos, and how its occurrence can be managed or prevented.
First contact: an active vision approach to segmentation

How a robot should grasp an object depends on its size and shape. Such parameters can be estimated visually, but this is fallible, particularly for unrecognized, unfamiliar objects. Failure will result in a clumsy grasp or glancing blow against the object. If the robot does not learn something from the encounter, then it will be apt to repeat the same mistake again and again. This paper shows how to recover information about an object's extent by poking it, either accidentally or deliberately. Poking an object makes it move, and motion is a powerful cue for visual segmentation. The periods immediately before and after the moment of impact turn out to be particularly informative, and give visual evidence for the boundary of the object that is well suited to segmentation using graph cuts. The segmentation algorithm is shown to produce results consistent enough to support autonomous collection of datasets for object recognition, which enables often-encountered objects to be segmented without the need for further poking.
Transaction Support for Log-Based Middleware Server Recovery

We have developed log-based recovery for middleware servers that access back-end transaction systems (DBMSs). Transactional consistency is provided between in-memory state stored in middleware servers and persistent state stored in transaction systems. A new logging method called results logging is exploited to ensure coordinated recovery of in-memory state with persistent database state. Results logging incurs low logging overhead for middleware servers and requires little or no modification to existing transaction systems. This makes our approach a practical coordinated recovery technique.
Selection of nest trees by southern flying squirrels (Sciuridae: Glaucomys volans) in Arkansas

Natural nest-site selection was investigated in 50 radiocollared southern flying squirrels Glaucomys volans during spring and summer, 1994–1996, in the Ouachita National Forest of Arkansas. Squirrels nested in 226 trees in a variety of habitats at five study areas. Contrary to previous reports describing southern flying squirrels as habitat generalists, in this study squirrels showed selection in both the habitat and tree type in which nests were placed. Where it was available, mature pine–hardwood forest was selected for nesting. Young (< 15 years old) and immature (15–40 years old) pine plantations and harvested areas were avoided as nesting habitats. At harvested study areas, squirrels nested in protected riparian mature forest strips (greenbelt) along, and 10–20 m either side of, intermittent creeks and in adjacent mature forests. Squirrels constructed only outside nests in pine trees. In mature pine–hardwood forest, pines were used for outside nests more frequently than hardwoods; in greenbelt habitat, pines and hardwoods were chosen equally for outside nests. Both outside and cavity nests were found in hardwoods; standing dead trees (snags) contained only cavity nests. Snags were selected over hardwoods for cavity nesting in both mature pine–hardwood forest and greenbelt habitat. All hardwood species and all decay classes of snags were used for diurnal nesting in greater frequency than expected. Considering both cavity and outside nest-site selection, pines were used less than expected. Results suggest that mature forests are optimal flying squirrel nesting habitats and should be retained adjacent to harvested areas to provide resources to squirrels abandoning stands after disturbance. Within harvested areas, nesting habitat can be substantially improved through the retention of overstory hardwoods and snags, as well as protection of mature forest strips along drainages.
Plexogenic angiopathy in pulmonary intralobar sequestrations: pathogenetic mechanisms.

Abstract Vascular remodeling to form plexiform (glomoid) lesions is a little-known manifestation of intralobar pulmonary sequestration. We describe histologic and immunohistochemical features of these lesions in resected specimens from three subjects aged 3, 19, and 28 years. The vascular changes, which included medial and intimal thickening, angioblastic proliferation, plexiform lesions, and dilation lesions, occurred in a setting of hypoxia, chronic inflammation, and high pressure and flow via a systemic arterial supply. We demonstrated strong immunoreactivity of the angioblastic tissue and the plexiform lesions with antibodies to muscle actin, α-smooth muscle actin, and vimentin, and weak to absent reactivity with antibody to desmin. We suggest that in these sequestrations plexiform lesions develop via angioblastic proliferation at arterial branch points and that dilation lesions develop from subsequent expansion of distal anastomoses.
Global path planning using artificial potential fields

The author describes a path planning technique for robotic manipulators and mobile robots in the presence of stationary obstacles. The planning consists of applying potential fields around configuration-space obstacles and using these fields to select a safe path for the robot to follow. The advantage of using potential fields in path planning is that they offer a relatively fast and effective way to solve for safe paths around obstacles. In the proposed method of path planning, a trial path is chosen and then modified under the influence of the potential field until an appropriate path is found. By considering the entire path, the problem of being trapped in a local minimum is greatly reduced, allowing the method to be used for global planning. The algorithm was tried with success on many different realistic planning problems. By way of illustration, the algorithm is applied to a two-dimensional revolute manipulator, a mobile robot capable of translation only, and a mobile robot capable of both translation and rotation. >
Relationships between Snow and the Wintertime Minneapolis Urban Heat Island

AbstractUrban heat islands (UHIs) are one of the best-recorded incidences of anthropogenic climate change. Studies from across the globe have examined this phenomenon, but relatively few have focused on cold-winter cities and the effects of snow cover and snowfall. This study uses hourly temperature measurements from 1 December 2008 through 28 February 2009 at 22 urban sites in Minneapolis, Minnesota, to investigate the effect of snow cover and snowfall on the UHI. Snow effects on temperature are estimated for calm conditions using a linear mixed-effect (LME) model. For the winter of 2008/09, the average wintertime UHI was approximately 1.0°C, with a peak near midday rather than at night. The LME model results suggest that a snow cover of 5 cm or more increased the magnitude of the UHI by about 1.0°C during the day and by about 0.5°C at night. The model also indicates that the presence of moderate snowfall decreased the magnitude of the UHI by up to 2.0°C, although this result is based on a comparatively ...
Self-Esteem at Work: How Confident People Make Powerful Companies

The article reviews the book “Self-Esteem at Work: How Confident People Make Powerful Companies,” by Nathaniel Branden.
Sequence determinants of protein architecture

Delineation of the relationship between sequence and structure in proteins has proven elusive. Most studies of this problem use alignment methods and other approaches based on the characteristics of individual residues. It is demonstrated herein that the sequence-structure relationship is determined in significant part by global characteristics of sequence organization. Information encoded in complete sequences is required to distinguish proteins in different architectural groups. It is found that the statistically significant differences between sequences encoding different architectures are encoded in a surprisingly small set of low-wave-number sequence periodicities. It would therefore appear that unexpected simplicity in an appropriately defined Fourier space may be an inherent characteristic of the sequences of folded proteins. Proteins 2013; 81:1681–1685. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of physician-owned limited-service hospitals: evidence from Arizona.

ABSTRACT: In recent years physician ownership of so-called limited-service hospitals has become commonplace in many states lacking certificate-of-need regulations. Empirical evidence documenting th...
EARLY FEASIBILITY AND COST ASSESSMENT FOR MULTICHIP MODULE TECHNOLOGIES

Multichip Module (MCM) technologies introduce new levels of complexity in the design and analysis of systems. As a result, early assessment of feasibility and cost are crucial to a successful design effort. We propose an efficient but effective global router based on a multiterminal multicommodity flow model to perform the estimation.
Design of Obstacle Avoidance Detection Based on Substation Intelligent Inspection Robot

The obstacle avoidance system is an important part of the intelligent inspection robot. According to the special environmental requirements for substation inspection robot, the inspection robot obstacle avoidance detection system was designed. The system takes MCU as the controller core, selects many sets of ultrasonic sensors to detect the obstacle information around the robot, designs the transmitting and receiving circuit of the ultrasonic signal, and completes the system software program. In consideration of the substations effect of EMI to the electronic equipments, when designing circuit, using a large of filter circuit, improve systems anti-interference performance, realize real-time and veracity of measurement. Using on substation shows that the system run steadily, have high measurement precision, its important for improving the robot using on substation.
Inventing the Future: Using the New Media to Transform a University From a Teaching Organization to a Learning Organization

=1116771 Fullan, M. (1995). The school as learning organization: Distant dreams. Theory into Practice, 34(4), 230 235. Garvin, D. A. (1993). Building a learning organization. Harvard Business Review 71(4),
Selecting valuable information to remember: age-related differences and similarities in self-regulated learning.

It is often necessary to selectively attend to important information, at the expense of less important information, especially if you know you cannot remember large amounts of information. The present study examined how younger and older adults select valuable information to study, when given unrestricted choices about how to allocate study time. Participants were shown a display of point values ranging from 1–30. Participants could choose which values to study, and the associated word was then shown. Study time, and the choice to restudy words, was under the participant's control during the 2-minute study session. Overall, both age groups selected high value words to study and studied these more than the lower value words. However, older adults allocated a disproportionately greater amount of study time to the higher-value words, and age-differences in recall were reduced or eliminated for the highest value words. In addition, older adults capitalized on recency effects in a strategic manner, by studying high-value items often but also immediately before the test. A multilevel mediation analysis indicated that participants strategically remembered items with higher point value, and older adults showed similar or even stronger strategic process that may help to compensate for poorer memory. These results demonstrate efficient (and different) metacognitive control operations in younger and older adults, which can allow for strategic regulation of study choices and allocation of study time when remembering important information. The findings are interpreted in terms of life span models of agenda-based regulation and discussed in terms of practical applications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved)(journal abstract)
Springtime photochemistry at northern mid and high latitudes

which increases rapidly during spring. Unlike in other tropospheric experiments, observed H2O2 concentrations are a factor of 2–10 lower than those simulated by the model. The required scavenging timescale to reconcile the model overestimates shows a rapid seasonal decrease down to 0.5–1 day in May, which cannot be explained by known mechanisms. This loss of H2O2 implies a large loss of HOx resulting in decreases in O3 production (10–20%) and OH concentrations (20–30%). Photolysis of CH2O, either transported into the region or produced by unknown chemical pathways, appears to provide a significant HOx source at 6–8 km at high latitudes. The rapid increase of in situ O3 production in spring is fueled by concurrent increases of the primary HOx production and NO concentrations. Long-lived reactive nitrogen species continue to accumulate at mid and high latitudes in spring. There is a net loss of NOx to HNO3 and PAN throughout the spring, suggesting that these long-term NOx reservoirs do not provide a net source for NOx in the region. In situ O3 chemical loss is dominated by the reaction of O3 and HO2, and not that of O( 1 D) and H2O. At midlatitudes, there is net in situ chemical production of O3 from February to May. The lower free troposphere (1–4 km) is a region of significant net O3 production. The net production peaks in April coinciding with the observed peak of column O3 (0–8 km). The net in situ O3 production at midlatitudes can explain much of the observed column O3 increase, although it alone cannot explain the observed April maximum. In contrast, there is a net in situ O3 loss from February to April at high latitudes. Only in May is the in situ O3 production larger than loss. The observed continuous increase of column O3 at high latitudes throughout the spring is due to transport from other tropospheric regions or the stratosphere not in situ photochemistry. INDEX TERMS: 0317 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Chemical kinetic and photochemical properties; 0322 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Constituent sources and sinks; 0365 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Troposphere—composition and chemistry; 0368 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Troposphere—constituent transport and chemistry; KEYWORDS: springtime, ozone, HOx, oxidation, reactive nitrogen
Association of distance to treatment facility on quality and survival outcomes after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer.

Objective To examine the association of travel distance on quality and survival outcome measures for bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy for urothelial carcinoma. Methods Four hundred eight patients who underwent radical cystectomy for bladder cancer at a single institution from 2007 to 2013 were included. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the association of distance from treatment facility with 90-day mortality and quality-of-care endpoints including neoadjuvant chemotherapy use and time to cystectomy. Survival was assessed by multivariate Cox regression. Results Fifty-seven percent of patients lived within 50 miles of the treatment facility. There was no difference in time to cystectomy or the utilization of neoadjuvant chemotherapy between patients in different distance groups. On multivariate analysis, distance to treatment facility was the only predictor of 90-day mortality (odds ratio, 11.20; 95% confidence interval, 2.27-55.43; P = .003, for patients traveling >150 vs P = .05, for patients traveling >150 vs Conclusion Distance to treatment facility did not impact quality measures including time to cystectomy or use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and there was no difference in cancer-specific mortality between distance groups. There was a detrimental association of increased travel distance with 90-day mortality, which could reflect disparities in access to care after cystectomy.
Beware of Managers Not Bearing Gifts: How Management Capacity Augments the Impact of Managerial Networking.

Networks and managing in the network have been central concerns of public management scholars for years (Agranoff and McGuire 2003; Herranz 2008; O’Toole 1997; Provan and Milward 1991). The literature has investigated the extent of networks (Hall and O’Toole 2004), the appropriate way to measure networks and network behavior (McGuire 2002; Meier and O’Toole 2005), and the role that networking plays in improving organizational performance (O’Toole and Meier 2003). Although there are qualifications in the literature to the rosy scenario that managing in the network is always a good thing (O’Toole and Meier 2004), and although the benefits of managerial networking show diminishing returns (Hicklin, O’Toole, and Meier 2008), there has not been much investigation of the factors that enhance or detract from networking’s impact on performance. This manuscript takes a first step in a contingency approach to managerial networking in public organizations by incorporating the concept of managerial capacity. Managerial capacity should enhance the impact of networking in two ways. First, it provides the ability to take action based on the information or opportunities that exist in the network. Second, it could provide the slack resources that managers need to invest in network activities rather than the day-to-day internal management of the organization. This study examines the interactive relationship between management capacity and managerial networking using a panel of several hundred public organizations over an eight-year period. The empirical results show that managerial capacity does interact with networking and enhances the positive impact of networking over an array of performance indicators. At the same time, building managerial capacity is a central management choice, and that decision has ramifications for organizations that are not always positive. The paper concludes with the managerial implications of the strategic choice to build management capacity.
X-rays from electron bombardment of heliumlike argon

We have observed x rays from the electron bombardment of heliumlike argon in the KSU EBIS ion source. The yield of x rays versus electron energy displays strong dielectronic recombination resonances and excitation thresholds. By normalizing to a single resonance strength, cross sections for dielectronic recombination and for 1s excitation are obtained from the data for different radiative decay channels. The results are in good agreement with theory.
Form rings and projective equivalence

If I and J are ideals in a Noetherian ring R , then I and J are projectively equivalent in case ( I i ) a = ( J j ) a for some positive integers i, j (where K a denotes the integral closure in R of the ideal K ) and the form ring F( R, I ) of R with respect to I is the graded ring R/I ⊕ I/I 2 ⊕ I 2 /I 3 ⊕ …. These two concepts have played an important role in many research problems in commutative algebra, so they have been deeply studied and many of their properties have been discovered. In a recent paper [13] they were combined to show that a semi-local ring R is unmixed if and only if for every ideal J in R there exists a projectively equivalent ideal J in R such that every prime divisor of zero in F( R, J ) has the same depth. It seems to us that results similar to this are interesting and potentially quite useful, so in this paper we prove several additional such theorems. Namely, it is shown that all ideals in all local rings have a projectively equivalent ideal whose form ring is fairly nice. Also, a characterization similar to the just mentioned result in [13] is given for the class of local rings whose completions have no embedded prime divisors of zero, and several analogous new characterizations are given for locally unmixed Noetherian rings. In particular, it is shown that if I is an ideal in an unmixed local ring R such that height( I ) = l ( I ) (where l ( I ) denotes the analytic spread of I ), then there exists a projectively equivalent ideal J in R such that Ass (F( R, J )) has exactly m elements, all minimal, where m is the number of minimal prime divisors of I (so if I is open, then F( R, J ) has exactly one prime divisor of zero and is a locally unmixed Noetherian ring).
An analysis of charge-pump phase-locked loops

The charge pump phase-locked loops with a digital sequential phase frequency detector are analyzed using linear and nonlinear models. Nonlinear analytical maps are derived. The stability analysis results agree with linear analysis results, with higher order corrections. The effects of the loop delay are also discussed.
The influences of metabotropic receptor activation on cellular signaling and synaptic function in amacrine cells

Amacrine cells receive glutamatergic input from bipolar cells and GABAergic, glycinergic, cholinergic, and dopaminergic input from other amacrine cells. Glutamate, GABA, glycine, and acetylcholine (ACh) interact with ionotropic receptors and it is these interactions that form much of the functional circuitry in the inner retina. However, glutamate, GABA, ACh, and dopamine also activate metabotropic receptors linked to second messenger pathways that have the potential to modify the function of individual cells as well as retinal circuitry. Here, the physiological effects of activating dopamine receptors, metabotropic glutamate receptors, GABAB receptors, and muscarinic ACh receptors on amacrine cells will be discussed. The retina also expresses metabotropic receptors and the biochemical machinery associated with the synthesis and degradation of endocannabinoids and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). The effects of activating cannabinoid receptors and S1P receptors on amacrine cell function will also be addressed.
Low-Temperature Thermal Conductivity and Dislocation Structures in Copper-Aluminum Alloys under High-Cycle, Low-Stress Fatigue

Low-temperature thermal conductivity measurements have been shown in recent years [1,2,3] to yield information on dislocations in mechanically deformed materials. More specifically, the lattice component of the thermal conductivity (phonon conductivity) at low temperatures is sensitive to dislocations and their spatial arrangements, and hence can be a useful tool in the study of mechanical deformation. This low-temperature lattice thermal conductivity method, besides having the advantage of being nondestructive to the samples, would be especially useful in investigating deformations at low temperatures. With the proper design of apparatus, it is possible to carry out the deformation and the thermal conductivity measurements without specimen warming.
Bridging the Middle Passage: The Textual (R)evolution of Césaire’s Cahier d’un retour au pays natal

Aime Cesaire’s Cahier d’un retour au pays natal had an American life before it had an international or an African life. In fact, the poem was published in book form for the first time in America, first in Spanish translation in Havana in 1942, and then in English and French in New York in 1947. An important addition to the poem also appeared in Tropiques in the April, 1942 issue, later appearing in Haiti journal, on May 25, 1944. The evidence also suggests that issue no. 20 of the Paris journal Volontes, where the poem appeared for the first time, was also making the rounds in the Caribbean and the United States-much more so than in France, where it was originally published in 1939.
What the ADEA CCI series of articles means to me: reflections of a dental school dean.

In this reflection article, Dr. Huw F. Thomas, a U.S. dental school dean, identifies important messages and insights he gained from a series of twenty-one articles about the future of dental education published in the Journal of Dental Education from October 2005 to February 2009. This article addresses three questions: 1) What influence have these articles had on a dental school dean’s perspectives about his role and priorities? 2) What important messages are contained within these articles for fellow deans? and 3) What messages do these articles send to dental education in general? The American Dental Education Association’s Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education (ADEA CCI) was established to facilitate change and innovation in dental education. Through the ADEA CCI, ADEA brought together stakeholders in academic dentistry: dental schools, the American Dental Association (ADA) Board of Trustees, the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), the ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure (CDEL), the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE), the dental licensure community, the ADA Foundation, and advanced dental education programs. The goal of the ADEA CCI is to provide a forum to build consensus within the dental community for innovative changes in the education of general dentists. As part of the consensus-building process, the ADEA CCI commissioned a series of articles, published in the Journal of Dental Education, to raise awareness and stimulate dialogue about issues and forces shaping the future of dental education and propose strategies to achieve desired enhancements. Collectively, this series of articles is known as the Perspectives and Reflections in Dental Education (PRIDE) series to acknowledge the commitment of the academic dental community to reflect on current practices and future directions and also to represent the pride of dental school faculty members in their educational responsibilities and accomplishments.
Lipid fractions of early- and late-instar larvae and pupae of the bollworm and the tobacco budworm.

The percentages of phospholipids, partial glycericdes, triglycerides, and sterol esters in small and large larvae of the tobacco budworm, Heliothis virescens (F.), and the bollworm, H. Zea (Boddie), were determined by using a charring method for quantitation. The results showed differences between the 2 larval sizes and also between the 2 species. These differences may be an aspect of the greater tolerance of the tobacco budworm to insecticides.
EFFECT OF FUEL TYPE ON FLAME IGNITION BY TRANSIENT PLASMA DISCHARGES

Rise and delay times of mixtures of methane, propane, n-butane, iso-butane and isooctane mixed with air ignited by transient plasma discharge were investigated and compared with spark discharge ignition. Multi-ignition site effect and high electron energy are suggested to contribute to shortening of rise and delay times.
Gas Atomization Processing of LaNi5-x.Mm, Modified with Silicon and Tin

A high pressure gas atomization (HPGA) process has been employed to study microsegregation in LaNi 4.75 Sn 0.25 and LaNi 4.6 Si 0.4 alloy powders to serve as a basis for further investigations of low cost production of multicomponent alloys in combination with mishmetal (Mm). This investigation is an attempt to produce high quality powders for battery cathode fabrication that can be used in an as-atomized condition without prolong annealing, hydridingdehydriding, and grinding. Argon atomizing gas was used in the HPGA process of the LaNi 4.75 Sn 0.25 and LaNi 4.6 Si 0.4 alloys to investigate rapid solidification effects on microsegregation. Short annealing treatments of 5 minutes at 900°C were able to homogenize both alloy compositions, eliminating solidification micro-segregation along the grain boundaries phases. The rapid homogenization can be attributed primarily to the refined cell structures in gas-atomized particles that provide short diffusion pathways for the dissolving elements.
Dysphagia Rates after Anterior Cervical Diskectomy and Fusion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Study Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Objective Anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF) is an effective surgical option for patients with cervical radiculopathy, myelopathy, or deformity. Although ACDF is generally safe, dysphagia is a common complication. Despite its high incidence, prolonged postoperative dysphagia is poorly understood; its etiology remains relatively unknown, and its risk factors are widely debated. Methods We searched MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase for studies reporting complications for cervical diskectomy with plating. We recorded dysphagia events from all included studies and calculated effect summary values, 95% confidence intervals (CIs), Q values, and I 2 values. Results Of the 7,780 retrieved articles, 14 met inclusion criteria. The overall dysphagia rate was 8.5% (95% CI 5.7 to 11.3%). The rate of moderate or severe dysphagia was 4.4% (0.4 to 8.4%). Follow-up times of 24 months reported rates of 19.9% (6.0 to 33.7%), 7.0% (5.2 to 8.7%), and 7.6% (1.4 to 13.8%), respectively. Studies utilizing the Bazaz Dysphagia Score resulted in an increase in dysphagia diagnosis relative to studies with no outlined criteria (19.8%, 5.9 to 33.7% and 6.9%, 3.7 to 10.0%, respectively), indicating that the criteria used for dysphagia identification are critical. There was no difference in dysphagia rate with the use of autograft versus allograft. Conclusions This review represents a comprehensive estimation of the actual incidence of dysphagia across a heterogeneous group of surgeons, patients, and criteria. The classification scheme for dysphagia varied significantly within the literature. To ensure its diagnosis and identification, we recommend the use of a standardized, well-outlined method for dysphagia diagnosis.
Retroperitoneal Lymphocele Formation after Selective Laparoscopic Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Sampling

AbstractLaparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node sampling is being evaluated at several institutions as a minimally invasive alternative to evaluate pathologically retroperitoneal lymph nodes in cases of clinical stage A testis tumor. We report on the development of a symptomatic lymphocele after selective laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node sampling.
Quit interest influences smoking cue-reactivity

Interest in quitting smoking is important to model in cue-reactivity studies, because the craving elicited by cue exposure likely requires different self-regulation efforts for smokers who are interested in quitting compared to those without any quit interest. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the role of quit interest in how cigarette cue exposure influences self-control efforts. Smokers interested in quitting (n=37) and smokers with no interest in quitting (n=53) were randomly assigned to a cigarette or neutral cue exposure task. Following the cue exposure, all participants completed two self-control tasks, a measure of risky gambling (the Iowa Gambling Task) and a cold pressor tolerance task. Results indicated that smokers interested in quitting had worse performance on the gambling task when exposed to a cigarette cue compared to neutral cue exposure. We also found that people interested in quitting tolerated the cold pressor task for a shorter amount of time than people not interested in quitting. Finally, we found that for people interested in quitting, exposure to a cigarette cue was associated with increased motivation to take steps toward decreasing use. Overall these results suggest that including quit interest in studies of cue reactivity is valuable, as quit interest influenced smoking cue-reactivity responses.
Originary Philosophy as Political Philosophy

The substantive use of ‘the political’ instead of the usual concern with politics points to a problem whose theoretical structure becomes clear only within the principled immanence of modernity. Philosophy has been troubled since its Greek origins by its relation to the political sphere. The paradoxical nature of this relation is expressed in the pedagogical imperative that the philosopher (and his public) leave the everyday world of appearance to enter a more real or true landscape. The legitimation of this pedagogical necessity must be made explicit; the ‘transcendental turn’ cannot be presupposed or imposed. Kant’s question of enlightenment, Hegel’s already scientific path to science, and Marx’s ‘lightning of thought’ express this classical dilemma. The modern stress on the principle of immanence implies that the problem must be resolved not only from the side of the subject. The classical ‘transcendental turn’ is not only subjective, as Kant’s ‘Copernican revolution’ seems to imply. That first moment leaves an unintegrated external givenness that escapes the imperative of systematic immanence. A fully modern philosophy must show also a transformation on the side of the objective moment. Marx’s insistence that the world must become philosophical as philosophy becomes worldly calls attention to this point. Kant and Hegel confront the same difficulty without, however, explicitly naming it.
Bactericidal and Bacteriolytic Effects of Selected Food-Grade Phosphates, Using Staphylococcus aureus as a Model System.

Phosphates have been approved for use in meat products primarily to protect flavor and increase yields. It also is known that phosphates have antimicrobial properties. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of different phosphates in a model system. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of selected food-grade phosphates added to early-exponential-phase cells of Staphylococcus aureus ISP40 8325 in a synthetic medium were determined to be 0.1% for sodium ultraphosphate and sodium polyphosphate glassy and 0.5% for sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate. Thus, the MIC values for the very long chain-length phosphates were lower than the MIC values for shorter chain-length phosphates. Leakage of intracellular nucleotides was observed both spectrophotometrically (release of A260-absorbing material) and microscopically (appearance of gelatinous cellular aggregates). Treatment of the gelatinous cellular aggregates with DNase, RNase and proteinase indicated that the aggregates contained DNA, RNA and protein, thus indicating cellular lysis in the presence of phosphates.
Structural basis of recognition of farnesylated and methylated KRAS4b by PDEδ

Farnesylation and carboxymethylation of KRAS4b (Kirsten rat sarcoma isoform 4b) are essential for its interaction with the plasma membrane where KRAS-mediated signaling events occur. Phosphodiesterase-δ (PDEδ) binds to KRAS4b and plays an important role in targeting it to cellular membranes. We solved structures of human farnesylated–methylated KRAS4b in complex with PDEδ in two different crystal forms. In these structures, the interaction is driven by the C-terminal amino acids together with the farnesylated and methylated C185 of KRAS4b that binds tightly in the central hydrophobic pocket present in PDEδ. In crystal form II, we see the full-length structure of farnesylated–methylated KRAS4b, including the hypervariable region. Crystal form I reveals structural details of farnesylated–methylated KRAS4b binding to PDEδ, and crystal form II suggests the potential binding mode of geranylgeranylated–methylated KRAS4b to PDEδ. We identified a 5-aa-long sequence motif (Lys-Ser-Lys-Thr-Lys) in KRAS4b that may enable PDEδ to bind both forms of prenylated KRAS4b. Structure and sequence analysis of various prenylated proteins that have been previously tested for binding to PDEδ provides a rationale for why some prenylated proteins, such as KRAS4a, RalA, RalB, and Rac1, do not bind to PDEδ. Comparison of all four available structures of PDEδ complexed with various prenylated proteins/peptides shows the presence of additional interactions due to a larger protein–protein interaction interface in KRAS4b–PDEδ complex. This interface might be exploited for designing an inhibitor with minimal off-target effects.
Benefits of Fuel Cell Range Extender for Medium-Duty Vehicle Applications

Hydrogen-powered vehicles have long shown great potential to displace fuel. However, due to the lack of infrastructure and the high cost of the components, the technology has not yet been introduced in the market. On the other hand, current battery electric vehicles (BEVs) also hold great promise, but their market penetration is limited due to their range. This study seeks to address the limitations of both technologies with regard to the medium-duty vehicle market by assessing the fuel displacement and cost–benefit potential of adding fuel cell systems to double the current range of BEVs. The addition of a fuel cell system will address drivers’ anxiety over the range of BEVs while minimizing the powertrain cost through optimized component sizing.
Bayesian Analysis of a Single Firm Event Study

We evaluate event studies of single firms using Bayesian methodologies. Event studies determine the effect of a public event on firms’ stock returns. Securities litigation and antitrust investigations frequently use single-firm event studies to respectively determine loss causation\damages and anticompetitive behavior. The standard approach for inference assumes normally distributed returns; however, theoretical and applied evidence suggest normality does not necessarily hold, resulting in misleading results from inference. Assumptions of normality can be relaxed using Bayesian statistics. Using data from ten firms, eight of which were involved in securities litigation, we analyze various Bayesian models and methods of inference to compare to the classical, standard method. We also incorporate a flexible Bayesian model, replacing parametric likelihood functions with the empirical distribution function, allowing for a Bayesian event study analysis without parametric assumptions. Our results suggest that using a Bayesian event study with no assumption of normality can result in outcomes of loss causation and damages conflicting those determined by courts using the potentially invalid, standard methods.
Reactive nanolaminate pulsed-laser ignition mechanism: Modeling and experimental evidence of diffusion limited reactions

Al/Pt nanolaminates with a bilayer thickness (tb, width of an Al/Pt pair-layer) of 164 nm were irradiated with single laser pulses with durations of 10 ms and 0.5 ms at 189 W/cm2 and 1189 W/cm2, respectively. The time to ignition was measured for each pulse, and shorter ignition times were observed for the higher power/shorter pulse width. Videographic images of the irradiated area shortly after ignition show a non-uniform radial brightness for the longer pulse, while the shorter pulse shows uniform brightness. A diffusion-limited single step reaction mechanism was implemented in a finite element package to model the progress from reactants to products at both pulse widths. The model captures well both the observed ignition delay and qualitative observations regarding the non-uniform radial temperature.
Business Process Outsourcing and “Off-Shoring”: The Globalization of Information-Intensive Services

Information-intensive services are being globalized as corporations take advantage of the opportunities made available by the progress of information technology and respond to the challenge of increasing global competition. After analyzing the role that information technology plays in globalizing information-intensive services, the paper reviews a wide range of illustrative examples where information-intensive services have been globalized. Based on this analysis, the paper proposes a theoretical framework that identifies the criteria and guidelines for successfully selecting service activities to be globalized, and presents guidelines to managers for choosing the appropriate country location. By applying this theoretical framework to the U.S. economy the paper provides a rough estimate of the potential impact of globalized information-intensive services on the labor market in the U.S. The paper also analyzes the geographic distribution of language clusters and presents a conjecture concerning the emerging pattern of global trade in information-intensive services. The paper ends with a brief discussion on the opportunity for conducting further research into this growing and important phenomenon.
Screening for ADHD in adults with cystic fibrosis: Prevalence, health-related quality of life, and adherence

Abstract Background International guidelines recommend depression and anxiety screening in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF), but Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) remains understudied. Methods Adults with CF ( n =53) were screened using the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale-v1.1 Symptom Checklist (ASRS-v1.1), Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R), and a self-report measure of treatment adherence. Results Elevated ADHD symptoms on the ASRS-v1.1 screener were reported by 15% of participants. Self-reported adherence, Body Mass Index in kg/m 2 (BMI), and Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 Second, Percent Predicted (FEV1%pred) did not differ between participants with vs. without elevated ADHD scores. Three CFQ-R scales, Physical Functioning, Role Functioning, and Respiratory Symptoms, were significantly lower in participants with elevated ADHD screens (unadjusted p Conclusions The highly specific screening tool ASRS-v1.1 can ascertain previously undetected ADHD symptoms in adults with CF. ADHD was substantially more prevalent than expected in this population. Elevated ASRS-v1.1 screens correlated with poorer Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in some domains, but not with BMI, FEV1%pred, or self-reported CF treatment adherence. Additional research will elucidate the impact of ADHD and its treatment on HRQoL, CF self-care and health outcomes.
Arterial enzymes of cholesteryl ester metabolism.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses arterial enzymes of cholesteryl ester metabolism. The atherosclerotic plaque is characterized by lipid accumulation and a variable connective-tissue reaction. The important feature of atheroma lipids is the predominance of cholesterol, particularly in its esterified form. The arterial wall can synthesize the principal types of lipids. Cholesterol feeding stimulates phospholipid synthesis in the arteries of experimental animals. Cholesterol esterases catalyze the hydrolysis of cholesterol esters, and also the synthesis of these esters from cholesterol and free fatty acids. A characteristic feature of cholesterol ester hydrolase as a synthesizing enzyme is its independence from energy donors, in particular from adenosine triphosphate. The stimulation of cholesterol esterification is one of the earliest changes in atherogenesis. Susceptibility to atherosclerosis varies widely among different species, and susceptibility varies from one anatomical site to another while within a given species.
Languages and Automata

We have seen how discrete-event systems (DES) differ from continuous-variable dynamic systems (CVDS) and why DES are not adequately modeled through differential or difference equations. Our first task, therefore, in studying DES is to develop appropriate models, which both adequately describe the behavior of these systems and provide a framework for analytical techniques to meet the goals of design, control, and performance evaluation.