cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mobile Proximity Usage Behaviors Based on User Characteristics

ABSTRACTMobile adoption and use research are a relatively mature Information Systems (IS) research area; however, few studies have taken a user-centered approach to examining this phenomenon. This research focuses on the user characteristics of self-efficacy and time urgency, a construct adopted from psychology, and relates them to traditional adoption and use theories. Further, this research substitutes mobile proximity as a usage construct to explicitly recognize the features of the mobile device that make it unique, thereby enriching the use literature. The proposed model explains 24% of the variance in mobile proximity and highlights four significant hypotheses. Our findings indicate that the newly applied time urgency and mobile proximity constructs are applicable in adoption and use studies and should be further explored in IS literature. Implications for research and practice are outlined, including the relative ease of access to mobile devices and the importance of personality traits as related to...
Justified: Ecocriticism and Moral Development in Espido Freire’s Irlanda (1998)

Within the last decade or so, several specialists of Spanish Peninsular studies have adopted an ecocritical approach to prose and focused their attention on explicit environmental concerns in novels such as Instrucciones para salvar el mundo (2008) by Rosa Montero or Alberto Vazquez-Figueroa’s El mar en llamas (2011). This approach has yielded important scholarship, signaling the participation of Spanish novelists in this thematic current. The present essay, however, suggests that ecocriticism may also be fruitfully pursued in narratives whose topics may not seem overtly germane. This is the case, I argue, with Irlanda (1998) by Espido Freire, a novel that has been characterized as the bildungsroman of a young witch. Despite her shocking behavior, it is the contention of this essay that the protagonist’s moral development is predicated on notions of fairness, care, and other prosocial stances that ensue from her sensitivity to the natural environment. The kind of close reading practiced in this article provides a broader lens to evaluate narratives that might otherwise be left at the margins of ecocritical literature.
Identification of Potent and Selective RIPK2 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Inflammatory Diseases

NOD2 (nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2) is an internal pattern recognition receptor that recognizes bacterial peptidoglycan and stimulates host immune responses. Dysfunction of NOD2 pathway has been associated with a number of autoinflammatory disorders. To date, direct inhibitors of NOD2 have not been described due to technical challenges of targeting the oligomeric protein complex. Receptor interacting protein kinase 2 (RIPK2) is an intracellular serine/threonine/tyrosine kinase, a key signaling partner, and an obligate kinase for NOD2. As such, RIPK2 represents an attractive target to probe the pathological roles of NOD2 pathway. To search for selective RIPK2 inhibitors, we employed virtual library screening (VLS) and structure based design that eventually led to a potent and selective RIPK2 inhibitor 8 with excellent oral bioavailability, which was used to evaluate the effects of inhibition of RIPK2 in various in vitro assays and ex vivo and in vivo pharmacodynamic models.
Improving the Effectiveness of Fuzzy Front End Management: Expanding Stage-Gate Methodologies through Agile

More now than ever before, product development has become more challenging and complex with all the globalization around business today. Understanding the requirements of unfamiliar markets can be very challenging for organizations trying to speed-up their innovations. Also with the advent of globalization there is pressure on everyone to perform better and roll out new products in the market. The fuzzy front end process is very dynamic and unstructured process. By taking advantage of the key characteristics of Agile and Stage-Gate model, an Integrated Agile- Stage- Gate Hybrid model was developed which could help in improving the effectiveness of the fuzzy front end process. The goal of this research is to improve the effectiveness of Fuzzy Front End innovation process by expanding Stage-Gate methodologies through Agile. In order to do this, literature review was done to understand and review various Stage-Gate approaches, focusing on the problems of the Stage-Gate model and solutions provided by the succeeding frameworks. The key contribution of the research is an assessment of different Stage- Gate models which has been developed over the years focusing on their problems and the solutions given by Agile to resolve these problems. Recommendations are made in the end accordingly.
Genetic Incorporation of Unnatural Amino Acids into Proteins of Interest in Streptomyces venezuelae ATCC 15439

Site-specific, genetic incorporation of unnatural amino acids (UAAs) into proteins in living cells using engineered orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (aaRS)/tRNA pairs is a powerful tool for studying and manipulating protein structure and function. To date, UAA incorporation systems have been developed for several bacterial and eukaryotic model hosts. Due to the importance of Streptomyces as prolific producers of bioactive natural products and as model hosts for natural product biosynthesis and bioengineering studies, we have developed systems for the incorporation of the UAAs p-iodo-L-phenylalanine (pIPhe) and p-azido-L-phenylalanine (pAzPhe) into green fluorescent protein (GFP) in Streptomyces venezuelae ATCC 15439. Here, we describe the procedure for using this system to site-specifically incorporate pIPhe or pAzPhe into proteins of interest in S. venezuelae. The modular design of plasmids harboring UAA incorporation systems enables use of other aaRS or aaRS/tRNA pairs for the incorporation of other UAAs; and the vector backbone used allows the system to be transferred to diverse Streptomyces species via both protoplast transformation and conjugation.
Assessment of blood oxygen saturation using spectroscopic photoacoustic imaging as a biomarker for disease progression in a small-animal leukemia model

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) interacts with bone marrow cells, creating hypoxic niches that stabilize HIF-1α and promote chemotherapeutic resistance. Spectrosocopic photoacoustic (PA) imaging is a label-free, noninvasive technique that probes the in vivo oxygenation status of hemoglobin, resulting in a measurement of oxygen saturation (SO 2 ) and providing a surrogate measure of tissue hypoxia. This work investigates multispectral PA imaging to assess the SO 2 in the femoral bone marrow in mice. Preliminary work was performed to assess the capability of imaging through bone, followed by an oxygen challenge to determine the magnitude of systemic SO 2 changes measurable in wild type mice. Furthermore, a pilot study to compare SO 2 measured in a murine model of ALL versus in healthy controls was performed to investigate a correlation between SO 2 changes in the femoral bone marrow and disease progression. Study results show that femoral SO 2 can be measured with a variation less than 10p in wild type mice over multiple time-points. In the oxygen challenge, a 10p difference in systemic SO 2 was observed between 100p and 21p O 2 inhalation conditions. Additionally, leukemic mice demonstrate significantly more variation in femoral SO 2 over the length of the femur than control mice at day 14 post-inoculation, indicating that femoral SO 2 is affected by leukemic disease progression. This work demonstrates the feasibility of observing changes in leukemic disease progression through the measurement of SO 2 with spectroscopic PA imaging, which could help develop a more complete understanding of the interplay of the local microenvironment with leukemogenesis.
Latinos’ connections to immigrants: how knowing a deportee impacts Latino health

This manuscript examines how personally knowing a deportee and/or undocumented immigrant affects the mental health of Latina/o adults. Utilising a new survey sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Fo...
In people living with HIV (PLWH), menopause (natural or surgical) contributes to the greater symptom burden in women: results from an online US survey

Objective The majority of people living with HIV in the United States are now over the age of 50, but symptom burden research has seldom included older women or the potential role of menopause. The aim of the study was to examine the influence of menopause as part of sex differences in HIV symptom burden. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted that included both a sex-based analysis of previously reported HIV symptom characteristics of 1,342 respondents to an online survey (males, n = 957; female, n = 385) and a follow-up online survey of menstrual bleeding patterns (inferred menopause) in eligible females (n = 242) from the respondent pool. Using linear mixed models, we identified predictors of symptom burden scores in female respondents. Results For the most troublesome symptoms assessed in the sex-based analysis, depression scores were similar (P > 0.05), but higher (worse) burden scores for fatigue (P = 0.013) and muscle aches/pains (P = 0.004) were exclusively observed in females after adjusting for covariates. Respondents to the female survey (n = 222) were predominantly Black, heterosexual, nonsmokers, and obese, with an HIV diagnosis of approximately 16 years and at least one comorbid condition. Burden scores were higher in women reporting amenorrhea due to natural menopause or hysterectomy (n = 104) versus the menstruating group (n = 118) for muscle aches/pains (P = 0.05), fatigue (P = 0.03), and difficulty falling asleep (P = 0.04), independent of age, HIV duration, and number of HIV-associated non-AIDS conditions. Conclusions Two of the most common symptoms in people living with HIV-fatigue and muscle aches/joint pains-invoke additional burden in women. Independent of aging, symptom burden may be exacerbated after menopause, supporting a shifting paradigm for HIV care management.
Electronic Excitation in Ion-Molecule Collisions

Attempts to connect phenomena occurring in gas phase single collision processes with those taking place on the surface of a solid have led in the past to many fruitful insights. Almost all of the connections made have been with information obtained from two body ion-atom collisions via an intuitive leap to a solid which in some cases may be treated as a molecule with an almost infinite number of atoms. Here we will attempt to introduce some information obtained from single collision processes involving simple molecules and see if this can add useful concepts in dealing with the solid surface. In some cases the connection will be obvious while in some others experiments with solid surfaces analogous to gas phase experiments have not yet been carried out. The discussion is subdivided into three parts: first, high energy collisions where the primary event is predominantly a binary encounter; second, low energy collisions where interactions with the whole molecule must be taken into account; and finally, a comparison of the behavior of positive ion collisions with recently developing studies in the collisions of negative ions with molecules.
Prognostic value of high-speed stress myocardial perfusion imaging

441 Objectives We aimed to assess for the first time the prognostic value of a novel camera system (Spectrum-Dynamics) for high-speed SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (HS-MPI), analyzed both visually and with fully automated quantification. Methods 1625 consecutive patients who underwent exercise or adenosine HS-MPI were followed up (2.1 ± 0.6 years) for all-cause death (ACD). Visual % summed stress score (SSS) was calculated from 17-segment scoring (0 - 4 scale). Quantitative upright/supine software measured stress total perfusion deficit (TPD). Risk groups by %SSS were: 0 = normal (nl); 1 - 4 = probably nl (minimal perfusion defect); 5 - 10 = mildly abnormal (abnl); and >10 = moderately/ severely abnl, and by TPD were: 0 = nl; 1 - 2 = probably nl; 3-8 = mildly abnl; and >8 = moderately/severely abnl (previously established thresholds). Results 58 ACD occurred (3.6% or 1.70% per year). Patients with SSS = 0 had 32 ACD and with TPD = 0 had 10 ACD. For both SSS and TPD, annualized ACD rates were low with nl MPI and increased progressively with increasing abnormality (log-rank test p = 0.0001, p = 0.0003) (Table). Conclusions Prognostic findings of HS-MPI are comparable to of conventional MPI. Using visual or quantitative analysis, normal HS-MPI was associated with low ACD rates, and abnormal HS-MPI was associated increasing ACD rates with increasing of stress MPI abnormality. Increased ACD with minimal perfusion defect was distinguished from normal only by the quantitative method
Eine Sammlung von Algorithmen und deren Darstellung als Prozeduren

Zum Programmieren gehort das Studium von typischen Programmen. Ein grosser Teil des Informatikwissens besteht aus der Kenntnis, wie typische Aufgaben gelost werden, und das heisst oft, dass man Standardprogramme in groben Zugen kennt.
Fish Passage Through Hydraulic Turbines

Basic concepts of fish passage through dams and their significance with reference to passage through turbines; test procedures and summarized results of fingerling survival in passing through high speed model turbines and prototype turbine under 450 ft hydraulic head are presented; investigations were conducted in behalf of planning of water resource development in Pacific northwest.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus LRB mediated inhibition of oral streptococci

Lactobacillus rhamnosus is a lactic acid bacterium with a diverse ecological habitat. We recently isolated a L. rhamnosus strain (LRB) from a healthy baby-tooth that had naturally fallen out. We determined the whole genome sequence of LRB and found that the isolate is closely genetically related to an intestinal isolate, L. rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103). However, the LRB genome had lost about a 75-kb segment and undergone a genomic rearrangement. We assessed LRB's capacity to survive in the gut environment, at least temporarily. We found that LRB, like the intestinal isolate ATCC 53103, showed resistance to low pH but sensitive to bile salt. Surprisingly, we found that this oral isolate LRB showed strong antimicrobial activity against a variety of oral streptococci including Streptococcus mutans. The production of antimicrobial activity is dependent on media composition since some media supported the production while others did not. The production of antimicrobial activity is also dependent on growth temperature, with optimal production at 37°C. The antimicrobial activity was not restricted to streptococci, but effective against a variety of organisms, including ESKAPE pathogens.
A Special Focus on Formation Damage in Unconventional Reservoirs: Dynamic Production

Abstract As shale plays maintain their role as one of the main energy resources in the United States, production sustainability remains the key decision-making parameter for investors. Multistage fracturing treatment has made shale resources economically viable; however, the success of production operations depends on the quality of the created fracture network and matrix deliverability around the wellbore. The sharp decline in production usually observed is strongly affected and controlled by a reduction of fracture conductivity and formation deliverability owing to formation-damage mechanisms. Major damaging parameters resulting in fracture conductivity loss such as proppant transport and placement, proppant embedment and crushing, fine migration and plugging, gelling damage, and multiphase flow are analyzed. Moreover, the severe reduction in reservoir permeability is explained by the combination of two main phenomena: (1) Pore shrinkage and (2) connectivity loss due to bond breakage between interconnected pores. We use fractal and percolation theories to analyze the effects of both pore shrinkage and connectivity loss on intrinsic permeability reduction. This study summarizes the vital considerations and important parameters that are crucial to know in order to design successful hydraulic fracture treatments and improve productivity in tight formations.
New Communication Technologies in Poster Design through the Religion Conflict in Global Social Issues

We are facing numerous social issues and problems now. As designer Paula Scher wisely said “Design matters.” Most people know that graphic designers have commercial clients—creating solutions for brands and corporations. The visual communication profession helps to drive the economy, provide information to the public, and promote competition. There is another side of graphic design that is less well known and vital to society: designers use their expertise to inform people about important social and political issues and promote good causes.
Lumpectomy Plus Hormone or Radiation Therapy Alone for Women Aged 70 Years or Older With Hormone Receptor–Positive Early Stage Breast Cancer in the Modern Era: An Analysis of the National Cancer Database

Purpose Deintensification of adjuvant therapy is being considered for older women with early-stage, biologically favorable breast cancer. Although radiation therapy (RT) can be omitted in some cases, toxicity from hormone therapy (HT) is not trivial, and adherence rates vary. We hypothesized that adjuvant RT alone would produce survival outcomes comparable to those with adjuvant HT alone among elderly patients treated with lumpectomy. Methods and Materials We searched the National Cancer Database (2010-2014) for healthy women (aged ≥70 years, Charlson/Deyo [CD] score 0-1) with T1N0 hormone-receptor-positive, HER-2-negative breast cancer treated with lumpectomy and adjuvant HT or RT. Propensity scores were used to match patients for analysis. Results We identified 2995 patients (median age, 78 years), most (81%) with a CD score of 0, clinical stage IA (77%), of whom 65% received HT alone and 35% received RT only after lumpectomy. On multivariate analysis of the matched cohort, older age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.10; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.13; P Conclusions For healthy, older women with biologically favorable breast cancer treated with lumpectomy, adjuvant RT or HT is associated with equivalent 5-year OS rates. A randomized controlled trial is warranted to explore these adjuvant monotherapy options in elderly patients with hormone receptor–positive breast cancer.
Comparative Plant Succession among Terrestrial Biomes of the World

Despite a century of study by ecologists, recovery following disturbances (succession) is not fully understood. This book provides the first global synthesis that compares plant succession in all major terrestrial biomes and after all major terrestrial disturbances. It asks critical questions such as: Does succession follow general patterns across biomes and disturbance types? Do factors that control succession differ from biome to biome? If common drivers exist, what are they? Are they abiotic or biotic, or both? The authors provide insights on broad, generalizable patterns that go beyond site-specific studies, and present discussions on factors such as varying temporal dynamics, latitudinal differences, human-caused vs. natural disturbances, and the role of invasive alien species. This book is a must-read for researchers and students in ecology, plant ecology, restoration ecology and conservation biology. It also provides a valuable framework to aid land managers attempting to manipulate successional recovery following increasingly intense and widespread human-made disturbances.
The Effect of Emoji Incongruency in Social Media: An Abstract

Political ideology reflects one’s views about ethical ideals, principals, politics, and the role of government (Kim et al. 2018) and is generally categorized as liberal or conservative (Jost 2017). Conservative ideology is associated with in-group conformity (Kidwell et al. 2013) and the racial majority (Craig and Richeson 2014). Although extant literature advocates for the use of congruence between aspects of persuasive messaging and a brand’s overall image (Kamins and Gupta 1994; Gwinner and Eaton 1999; Krishna et al. 2010), the current research proposes that persuasive appeals, which are incongruent with a brand’s perceived political ideology may, in fact, have a positive influence on consumer preferences and outcomes (e.g., purchase intentions). Specifically, we propose that an emoji in a dark-brown skin tone can enhance consumer attitudes and intentions for brands that are perceived to be conservative. Prior literature from political psychology supports the influence of stereotype-incongruent messaging on creating favorable attitudes (Redlawks 2002; Redlawsk et al. 2010). We extend this stream by showing the effects of incongruent messaging cues on consumer preferences for conservative brands and uncover the process, which underlies such effects, namely perceived inclusiveness.
Hospital-Based Donor Recruitment and Pre-Donation Serologic Testing for COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma

Abstract Background Major blood centers perform serologic testing on potential COVID-19 convalescent plasma donors retrospectively after blood donation. A hospital-based recruitment program for COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) donors may be an efficient way to prospectively identify potential donors. Study Design and Methods Patients who recovered from known or suspected COVID-19 were identified and recruited through medical record searches and public appeals. Participants were screened with a modified donor history questionnaire (DHQ), and if eligible, were consented and tested for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (IgG and IgM). Participants who were positive for SARS-CoV-2 IgG were referred to a local blood center for convalescent plasma collection. Results Of 179 individuals screened, 128 completed serologic testing and 89 were referred for convalescent plasma donation to a local blood center (49.7% of those screened). IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 were detected in 23/51 (45.1%) of participants with suspected COVID-19 and in 66/77 (85.7%) of participants with self-reported PCR-confirmed COVID-19. Testing was performed at a median of 38 days since last symptoms. Participant age positively correlated with anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM levels. Time since last symptoms did not correlate with IgG or IgM levels. A wide range of SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels were observed. Conclusion A hospital based CCP donor recruitment program can prospectively identify potential CCP donors. Variability in SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels has implications for selection of CCP units for transfusion.
Modeling of high composition AlGaN channel high electron mobility transistors with large threshold voltage

We report on the potential of high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) consisting of high composition AlGaN channel and barrier layers for power switching applications. Detailed two-dimensional (2D) simulations show that threshold voltages in excess of 3 V can be achieved through the use of AlGaN channel layers. We also calculate the 2D electron gas mobility in AlGaN channel HEMTs and evaluate their power figures of merit as a function of device operating temperature and Al mole fraction in the channel. Our models show that power switching transistors with AlGaN channels would have comparable on-resistance to GaN-channel based transistors for the same operation voltage. The modeling in this paper shows the potential of high composition AlGaN as a channel material for future high threshold enhancement mode transistors.
Credibility beyond compliance: Uncertified smallholders in sustainable food systems

Abstract This article examines the phenomenon of uncertified producers of otherwise certifiable organic food embedded in value chains whose farm products conform to elevated environmental standards. Having embraced so called “beyond organic” cultivation approaches—including agroecology, biodynamic, and permaculture—producers undertaking restorative ecological practices on their farms are certification worthy, in principle, while remaining either unwilling or unable to pay to upgrade to premium markets, in practice. Confronted with the trade-off between allocating scarce resources to compliance and credibility—producers creating collective public goods may do so at the expense of being able to signal the credibility of their actions as environmental stewards along value chains, as through private, third party certification schemes. Drawing on insights from multiple waves of ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Nicaragua beginning in 2007, I show how this credibility dilemma exacerbates challenges already facing smallholders—including livelihood insecurity, political instability, and environmental degradation—demanding new institutional innovations that effectively lower the cost of credibility. In Nicaragua, peasant associations responded to this challenge by advancing an innovative institutional arrangement—the Grupo de Promocion de Agricultura Ecologica (GPAE) marca de confianza, Group for the Promotion of Ecological Agriculture's trademark of trust—to commercialize fresh produce destined for local consumption and new niche markets via networks of trusted producer communities.
HIV screening in emergency departments: Linkage works but what about retention?

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that in 2016, 42% of people living with diagnosed HIV were not retained in care (defined as ≥ 2 CD4 or viral load tests ≥ 3 months apart in 2016)3 . Estimates indicate that the 23% of PLWH who have a known HIV status (hereafter, known status) and are not in HIV care account for 43% of all HIV transmissions4 . Thus, retention in HIV care has become a national priority to fight the HIV epidemic.
Designing and Using Site-Specific Antibodies to Synthetic Peptides

Over the past 4 years synthetic peptides have become widely used as “determinants in search of antibodies.” The production of antibodies to small peptides is now common laboratory practice. As with hybridoma technology, the method yields site-specific immunologic reagents. However, the isolation of a monoclonal against any particular determinant is a matter of chance. The identification of the determinant that is recognized by a given monoclonal is a laborious or even impossible task. By starting with a small peptide, the potential determinants are narrowly defined.
The Political Dimension of Globalization

This chapter is the first of three chapters that discuss key dimensions of globalization. It focuses on political globalization the multilateral institutions and agreements that make it possible. The KOF index of political globalization includes “the number of international organizations of which the country is a member” and the number of “multilateral agreements the country has concluded since 1945.” The chapter discusses former President Trump’s dislike of multilateralism and his preference of bilateralism and the reason for this. It describes Trump’s efforts to undermine institutions ranging from NATO, the UN, and the EU to the WTO and WHO. The chapter also describes Trump’s effort to undermine multilateral agreements, especially the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a deal with Iran to prevent that country from acquiring nuclear weapons and the Paris Climate Accord, a global agreement to reduce global warming and the environmental issues it deals with. The chapter describes how these actions isolated the U.S., conflicting with the preferences of its major allies and the steps Iran took in reaction to the renewal of American economic sanctions and the efforts to U.S. allies to evade those sanctions. The chapter then discusses bilateral efforts to overcome U.S.-Russian differences and to denuclearize Korea and how and why both were failures.
QA-Driven Zero-shot Slot Filling with Weak Supervision Pretraining

Slot-filling is an essential component for building task-oriented dialog systems. In this work, we focus on the zero-shot slot-filling problem, where the model needs to predict slots and their values, given utterances from new domains without training on the target domain. Prior methods directly encode slot descriptions to generalize to unseen slot types. However, raw slot descriptions are often ambiguous and do not encode enough semantic information, limiting the models’ zero-shot capability. To address this problem, we introduce QA-driven slot filling (QASF), which extracts slot-filler spans from utterances with a span-based QA model. We use a linguistically motivated questioning strategy to turn descriptions into questions, allowing the model to generalize to unseen slot types. Moreover, our QASF model can benefit from weak supervision signals from QA pairs synthetically generated from unlabeled conversations. Our full system substantially outperforms baselines by over 5% on the SNIPS benchmark.
Precise Scheduling of Mixed-Criticality Tasks on Varying-Speed Multiprocessors

In conventional real-time systems analysis, each system parameter is specified by a single estimate, which must pessimistically cover the worst case. Mixed-criticality (MC) design has been proposed to mitigate such pessimism by providing a single system parameter with multiple estimates, which often lead to low-critical and high-critical modes. The majority of the works on MC scheduling is based on the approach that low-critical workloads are (fully or partially) sacrificed at the transition instant from low- to high-critical mode. Recently, another approach called precise MC scheduling has been investigated, where no low-critical workload is sacrificed at the mode switch, but instead a processor speed boosting is committed. In this paper, we extend the work on uniprocessor precise MC scheduling to multiprocessor platforms. To tackle this new scheduling problem, we propose two novel algorithms based on the virtual-deadline and fluid-scheduling approaches. For each approach, we present a sufficient schedulability test and prove its correctness. We also evaluate their effectiveness theoretically with speedup bounds and approximation factors as well as experimentally via randomly generated task sets.
Role of surgery following neoadjuvant chemoradiation in patients with lymph node positive locally advanced esophageal adenocarcinoma: a national cancer database analysis

Background Concurrent chemoradiation (CRT) followed by surgery is a standard of care for locally advanced esophageal adenocarcinoma. It remains unclear if surgery following CRT offers any meaningful survival benefit compared to CRT alone in patients with clinical N3 disease who are at the highest risk of developing distant disease relapse. Methods We conducted analysis of the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to compare overall survival (OS) of patients with locally advanced esophageal adenocarcinoma (cTanyN1-3M0 based on AJCC 7th staging system) who underwent CRT with or without surgery and analyzed outcomes based on the cN stage. Results 7,520 patients were included in the analysis-74.7% had cN1 disease, 21.1% had cN2 disease, and 4.3% had cN3 disease. The median OS advantage offered by CRT followed by surgery was 22, 15.8, and 9.6 months compared to CRT alone in cN1, cN2, and cN3 patients, respectively. The 5-year OS estimates in the surgical group were 36.9%, 31.6% and 15.9% in cN1, cN2 and cN3 groups, respectively. Conclusions Surgery following CRT in patients with locally advanced esophageal adenocarcinoma leads to improvement in OS, with the largest benefit noted in patients with cN1 and cN2 disease. Surgery following CRT also confers meaningful long-term survival advantage for a subset of cN3 patients.
Prognosis of breast cancer by state of the art laboratory techniques

The purpose of this paper is to make us aware of techniques that have been developed recently to improve the prognostic value in cancer of the breast.
Dangerous Liaisons: Corporate Law, Trust Law, and Inter-Doctrinal Legal Transplants

In this diagnosis of the difficulties of Corporate Law's "duty of care" illustrated by Smith v. Van Gorkom, we argue that the problem is an example of the potential for mischief inherent in legal transplants. Historically, the "duty of care" was transplanted into Corporate Law from the law of Trusts and Agency. The key issue that has bedeviled the Delaware courts and the drafters of the Model Business Corporation Act has been the question whether directors - like trustees and agents - should bear legal liability for negligence. We argue that the difficulties that this issue has presented for corporate law arise because the concept was transplanted across the market/firm boundary, without recognition that that boundary represents a choice between third party judicial enforcement of market transactions and non-legal self-governance within firms. While a negligence based duty of care may be sustainable (with difficulty) for market actors like trustees, it becomes impossible once a relationship is brought within the firm.
A Diesel Combustion Bomb: Proof of Concept

A combustion bomb has been developed which allows simulation of diesel combustion without the need to heat the bomb to high temperatures. Simulation of the compression stroke is achieved by burning a lean precharge composed of acetylene, oxygen and nitrogen. By controlling the initial partial pressures of these constituents it is possible to burn them to a state with an oxygen concentration, temperature and pressure representative of conditions in a diesel engine at the start of fuel injection. Diesel fuel injected into these gases autoignites and burns in a manner typical of combustion in diesel engines. 22 references, 24 figures.
Human Cytomegalovirus UL36 Protein Is Dispensable for Viral Replication in Cultured Cells

Consistent with earlier analyses of human cytomegalovirus UL36 mRNA, we find that the UL36 protein is present throughout infection. In fact, it is delivered to the infected cell as a constituent of the virion. Curiously, much less UL36 protein accumulated in cells infected with the AD169 strain of human cytomegalovirus than in cells infected with the Towne or Toledo strain, and localization of the protein in cells infected with AD169 is strikingly different from that in cell infected with the Towne or Toledo strain. The variation in steady-state level of the proteins results from different stabilities of the proteins. The UL36 proteins from the three viral strains differ by several amino acid substitutions. However, this variability is not responsible for the different half-lives because the AD169 and Towne proteins, which exhibit very different half-lives within infected cells, exhibit the same half-life when introduced into uninfected cells by transfection with expression plasmids. We demonstrate that the UL36 protein is nonessential for growth in cultured cells, and we propose that the ability of the virus to replicate in the absence of UL36 function likely explains the striking strain-specific variation in the half-life and intracellular localization of the protein.
The Automatic Galaxy Collision Software

The key to understanding the physical processes that occur during galaxy interactions is dynamical modeling, and especially the detailed matching of numerical models to specific systems. To make modeling interacting galaxies more efficient, we have constructed the `Automatic Galaxy Collision' (AGC) code, which requires less human intervention in finding good matches to data. We present some preliminary results from this code for the well-studied system Arp 284 (NGC 7714/5), and address questions of uniqueness of solutions.
Banana Wars: Power, Production, and History in the Americas

Banana Wars: Power, Production, and History in the Americas. Steve Striffler and Mark Moberg. eds. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2003.
The m‐chi decomposition of hybrid dual‐polarimetric radar data with application to lunar craters

[1] We introduce a new technique derived from the classical Stokes parameters for analysis of polarimetric radar astronomical data. This decomposition is based on m (the degree of polarization) and chi (the Poincare ellipticity parameter). Analysis of the crater Byrgius A demonstrates how m-chi can more easily differentiate materials within ejecta deposits and their relative thicknesses. We use Goldschmidt crater to demonstrate how m-chi can differentiate coherent deposits of water ice. Goldschmidt crater floor is found to be consistent with single bounce Bragg scattering suggesting the absence of water ice and further corroborating adsorbed H to mineral grains or an H2O frost as plausible explanations for a H2O/OH detection by near-infrared instruments.
Sedentary behavior and related factors among full-time, university faculty

Purpose – Sedentary behavior, independent of physical activity, is a risk factor for both morbidity and mortality. Little is known about factors related to sedentary behavior. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between sedentary behavior and the demographic characteristics, perceived physical activity (PA) environment, and PA behaviors of 72 full-time, university faculty members. Design/methodology/approach – For this cross-sectional study, data were collected online using Survey Monkey®. Findings – Participants spent an average of 473 and 328 minutes/weekend day in sedentary activity. There was a positive correlation between minutes spent in vigorous PA and minutes spent sedentary while watching TV (p=0.047). There was a negative correlation between minutes spent in moderate PA per week and minutes spent sedentary while playing video games (p=0.034). Participants’ perceived PA environment scores were inversely related to their minutes spent in sedentary behavior during a typical wee...
Was It Worth It? Some National Board Certified Teachers Say No!.

Abstract Thousands of teachers across the nation have sought and achieved National Board Certification, which expires after 10 years. Prior to the expiration of the certification, teachers must decide whether they plan to renew. Many teachers choose to renew their certification. The intent of this research was to examine the data regarding why some teachers choose not to renew their certification.
Femtosecond pulsed laser micromachining of single crystalline 3C–SiC structures based on a laser-induced defect-activation process

A femtosecond pulsed Ti:sapphire laser with a pulse width of 120 fs, a wavelength of 800 nm and a repetition rate of 1 kHz was employed for direct write patterning of single crystalline 3C–SiC thin films deposited on Si substrates. The ablation mechanism of SiC was investigated as a function of pulse energy. At high pulse energies (>1 µJ), ablation occurred via thermally dominated processes such as melting, boiling and vaporizing of single crystalline SiC. At low pulse energies, the ablation mechanism involved a defect-activation process that included the accumulation of defects, formation of nano-particles and vaporization of crystal boundaries, which contributed to well-defined and debris-free patterns in 3C–SiC thin films. The interactions between femtosecond laser pulses and the intrinsic lattice defects in epitaxially grown 3C–SiC films led to the generation of nano-particles. Micromechanical structures such as micromotor rotors and lateral resonators were patterned into 3C–SiC films using the defect-activation ablation mechanism.
Lick sodium laser guide star: performance during the 1998 LGS observing campaign

The performance of a sodium laser guide star adaptive optics system depends crucially on the characteristics of the laser guide star in the sodium layer. System performance is quite sensitive to sodium layer spot radiance, that is, return per unit sterradian on the sky, hence we have been working to improve projected beam quality via improvements to the laser and changes to the launched beam format. The laser amplifier was reconfigured to a ''bounce-beam'' geometry, which considerably improves wavefront quality and allows a larger round instead of square launch beam aperture. The smaller beacon makes it easier to block the unwanted Rayleigh light and improves the accuracy of Hartmann sensor wavefront measurements in the A0 system. We present measurements of the beam quality and of the resulting sodium beacon and compare to similar measurements from last year.
Syllable-internal structure and the sonority hierarchy: differential evidence from lexical decision, naming, and reading

Treiman (1983) and others have argued that spoken syllables are best characterized not as linear strings of phonemes, but as hierarchically organized units consisting of an onset (initial consonant or consonant cluster) and a rime (the vowel and any following consonants) and that the rime is further divided into a peak or nucleus (the vowel) and a coda (the final consonants). It has also been argued that the sonority (or vowel-likeness) of the consonant closest to the peak, which is a function of its phonetic class, may have an effect on the strength of boundaries determined by the hierarchical division of the syllable (e.g., Treiman, 1984). We examined the evidence for syllable-internal structure and for sonority in two experiments that employed visually presented stimuli and lexical decision, naming, and reading tasks. Our results provide support for the breakdown of the rime into a peak and a coda and for an effect of the sonority of the postvocalic consonant on that break. This pattern occurred only in our lexical decision tasks, so the effect is assumed to be postlexical. We did not find an effect of the onset-rime boundary, perhaps because of an unanticipated effect of word frequency. Our results are discussed in terms of phonological coding in short-term memory.
Optimal Control of Multi-layer Discrete Event Systems with Real-Time Constraint Guarantees

Abstract We consider Discrete Event Systems (DES) involving tasks with dependability requirements in the form of real-time constraints. We seek to control their processing times so as to satisfy these constraints while also minimizing a given cost function. When tasks are processed by a single resource, it has been shown that there are structural properties of the optimal state trajectory for this problem that lead to a very efficient Critical Task Decomposition Algorithm (CTDA). For a DES with multiple resources, we consider a multi-layer network where each layer contains multiple nodes, each node may have multiple inputs and multiple outputs, and tasks are processed so that the real-time constraints apply on an end-to-end basis. Extending earlier results (where each layer contained a single node), we derive structural properties of the optimal solution that lead to the idea of introducing “virtual” deadlines at each node (except for the last layer) and decouple nodes so that the CTDA for single-node problems can be used. We prove that an appropriately constructed sequence of solutions of these simpler problems converges to the global optimum of the original problem and hence obtain an efficient scalable Multi-Layer Virtual Deadline Algorithm (MLVDA). We illustrate the efficiency of the MLVDA through numerical examples.
Antilisterial activities of salad dressings, without or with prior microwave oven heating, on frankfurters during simulated home storage.

article i nfo This study evaluated the antilisterial effects of salad dressings, as well as oils mixed with lemon juice or vinegar, on frankfurters during simulated home storage, without or with prior microwave oven heating. Frankfurters were inoculated (2.4±0.1 log CFU/cm 2 )w ithListeria monocytogenes (10-strain mixture) and stored aerobically in bags at 7 °C. At 0, 7 and 14 days, frankfurters were immersed (5 or 20 min, 25±2 °C) in sunflower oil plus lemon juice or vinegar, extra virgin olive oil plus lemon juice or vinegar, or salad dressings (i.e., Vinaigrette, Ranch, Thousand island, and Caesar), or distilled water (DW), without or with prior microwave oven heating (1100 Watts, 2450 MHz, high power) for 30 s. Samples were analyzed for microbial growth during storage, and survivors following application of treatments, on tryptic soy agar plus 0.6% yeast extract and PALCAM agar. Immersion in salad dressings and in the combinations of oils with lemon juice or vinegar caused significant (Pb0.05) reductions of L. monocytogenes, compared to dipping in DW. Reductions increased with previous product storage, from 0.5-0.9 (day-0) to 1.2-2.1 (day-14) log CFU/cm 2 , as levels of contamination also increased. Reductions of pathogen counts by each treatment increased (Pb0.05) when applied following exposure to microwave oven heating; ranging from 1.2-1.9 (day-0) to 2.2-3.3 (day-14) log
Measuring Interfacial Fracture Toughness With The Blister Test

The adhesion of thin films to substrates can be quantified using the blister test, which measures the crack extension force (G) required to propagate a crack along the film/substrate interface. The authors summarize the derivation of crack extension force for the blister test, and discuss how blister tests can be conducted by measuring only the pressure and volume of liquid injected into the test system. They describe a way to calculate the velocity of the interface crack front. Data from blister tests of acrylate films (14 {micro}m thick) on nitride substrates are analyzed. The critical crack extension forces (G{sub C}) measured were 25--34 J/m{sup 2} for samples which had a commercial adhesion promoter at the interface, and 0.5--2.0 J/m{sup 2} without the adhesion promoter. G{sub C} was observed to increase with the velocity of the interface crack, and the dependence appears to obey a power-law.
Measurement and association in the structure of municipal police organizations

Aside from a few groundbreaking studies, there has been little empirical exploration into the structure of American police organizations. Traditional organizational inquiries have suggested that structural characteristics can be differentiated between those that represent complexity or differentiation within the organization and those that represent control mechanisms to coordinate and manage the complexity. This research investigates whether these various structural elements are indicative of two latent constructs by developing and testing measurement models representing structural complexity and control. Organizational scholars have also argued that structural complexity increases the demand for structural control. Maguire investigated this issue in the context of police organizations and found little support for the hypothesis. The paper reexamines this relationship by extending and replicating Maguire’s analysis to ascertain if a different specification and sample sustain his conclusion. Utilizing data from the 1997 Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey and a survey conducted by Edward Maguire, the paper explores these issues using a sample of 401 large, municipal police organizations in the USA. The results indicate that structural control is unidimensional, while structural complexity is not. This study also provides modest evidence supporting an association between structural complexity and control.
Chemical Warfare Agents Chemical Warfare Agents: Their Past and Continuing Threat and Evolving Therapies Part II of II

Chemical warfare agents are ideal weapons for terrorists and for use in military operations against both civilian populations and troops. Thus, there have been efforts by the United States in cooperation with other concerned nations to develop animal models to understand the pathophysiology of the injuries induced by these agents, and to develop suitable animal models for testing of pre-and post-exposure protectants and therapies. Sulfur mustard remains the most significant chemical warfare agent that produces cutaneous injuries. Institution of standard recommendations prior to threatened exposure or after exposure are something that we need to be aware of in the world we live in. In addition, pre-and post-exposure therapies now being studied offer hope for moderating the mortality and morbidity that can result from chemical exposure.