cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Validity and Utility of Patient-reported Health Measures on Hospital Admission

Patient perceptions of their health are often inadequately captured and explored on hospital admission where physiologic and other objective measures are the focus of attention. Therefore, we conducted a prospective study to develop and validate measures of several domains of patient-reported health status at the time of admission to a general medicine inpatient service, and to determine the value of these new measures in predicting length of stay (LOS). Within 2 hours of the time that a decision to admit a patient was made, research assistants delivered a structured interview that captured patients' current symptoms, functional status, mood, and perceived health. Interviews were conducted between 8 a.m. and 11 p.m., 5 days per week from July 1996 through June 1997. During this time, there were 3621 unique patients admitted to the medicine service; 2672 (74%) of these patients were eligible for an interview. Eighty-eight percent of the 2672 eligible patients were interviewed. In addition to the patient-reported measures captured through the structured interview, the acute physiology score (APS) of the APACHE II was calculated for all subjects. The internal consistency (i.e., Cronbach's alpha) of the scales was 0.76 or greater and concurrent validity (i.e., correlation) of the patient-reported measures with the APS was 0.01 to 0.13. Overall perceived health was correlated 0.20 to 0.45 with symptoms and functional status, and was correlated 0.07 with the APS. The patient-reported measures performed comparably to the APS in predicting LOS (R-square = 0.08). When the patient-reported measures and the APS were included in the same model, the R-square was 0.14. These analyses suggest that patient-reported measures of health and function on admission hold validity, and that responses to as few as 15 questions can provide data that may help to explain differences in length of a hospital stay.
The natural history of a lipofibromatous hamartoma of the palm: A case report

Most lipofibromas in children occur in the upper extremity and involve the median nerve.le3 However, they may involve the ulnar nerve or even occur in the lower extremities. These benign tumors are hamartomas or benign growths consisting of mature tissues normally found in the affected location. We recently treated a patient in whom such a tumor had been present for most, if not all, of his 72 years and had not caused symptoms until shortly before we saw him.
Ethical Trade Initiatives

The authors in this section examine ethical trade initiatives. Fair Trade is the most widely known standard and all of the cases address it. Here is a short history of Fair Trade,1 including curren...
Ionic conductivity in the M2O-P2O5-SiO2 (M=H, Li, Na, K) system prepared by sol-gel methods

Abstract Glasses in the M 2 O-P 2 O 5 -SiO 2 system (M=H, Li, Na, K) were prepared by slowly heating the corresponding sol-gels. Sol-gels were prepared from tetraethylorthosilicate and inorganic reagents. Monolithic samples are obtained when the silica content is greater than 60 mole%. Ionic conductivity was measured by the complex impedance method. For samples of the composition 0.07M 2 O-0.20P 2 O 5 -0.73SiO 2 (M=Li, Na, K) it was found that σ K+ ≥σ Na+ ≥σ Li+ . FTIR data indicate that the gels are phase separated into phosphate rich and silicate rich regions. This is confirmed by EDX. The alkali cations are shown to be located in the phosphate rich regions. Samples prepared by immersing P 2 O 5 -SiO 2 binary monoliths in molten LiCl and allowing to equilibrate under ambient conditions indicate relatively high water content. The highest value of the ionic conductivity measured was 5×10 −2 (ω cm) −1 at 323 K for the composition 0.09P 2 O 5 -0.41SiO 2 -0.33LiCl-0.17H 2 O is attributed to proton motion.
Data transformations in multivariate morphometric analyses

The results of a systematic investigation of the properties of several data transformations commonly used in multivariate statistical studies of primate functional morphology are considered. Using the same sample of 11 extant primate taxa and the same set of linear measurements of the elbow complex, each transformation is examined with regard to its biological meaning and its mathematical appropriateness for use in discriminant function analysis. Discriminant function analysis has been selected for this investigation since it is the technique most often used in multivariate statistical analyses of primate functional morphology. Only three of the transformed data sets strictly meet the requirements of discriminant analysis. These are: (1) data scaled by a size measure; (2) the logarithm of the raw data; and (3) the logarithm of data transformed by an allometric correction. Discriminant analyses of the latter two data sets produce virtually identical results, separating the 11 groups primarily on the basis of size. In the discriminant analysis of the scaled data, however, the first two discriminant axes, at least, appear to separate the taxa along functionally significant lines. We recommend the use of scaled data in multivariate analyses of functional morphology for two reasons. First, scaled data meet the mathematical requirements of discriminant analysis (and most other multivariate statistical methods). In addition, scaled data, by measuring relative sizes of features, contain more information about shape (and, thus, about function) than do data transformed by other commonly used transformations.
Feature bagging for outlier detection

Outlier detection has recently become an important problem in many industrial and financial applications. In this paper, a novel feature bagging approach for detecting outliers in very large, high dimensional and noisy databases is proposed. It combines results from multiple outlier detection algorithms that are applied using different set of features. Every outlier detection algorithm uses a small subset of features that are randomly selected from the original feature set. As a result, each outlier detector identifies different outliers, and thus assigns to all data records outlier scores that correspond to their probability of being outliers. The outlier scores computed by the individual outlier detection algorithms are then combined in order to find the better quality outliers. Experiments performed on several synthetic and real life data sets show that the proposed methods for combining outputs from multiple outlier detection algorithms provide non-trivial improvements over the base algorithm.
Hemifusion of Giant Lipid Vesicles by a Small Transient Osmotic Depletion Pressure

We observed hemifusion of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) by injecting a small volume of 5% polyethylene glycol solution in the vicinity for a short time. The induced transient osmotic depletion attraction between two bilayers was smaller than the corresponding van der Waals force, yet hemifusion readily occurred for some lipid compositions. This might imply that the energy barrier for hemifusion is very low if the lipid compositions were primed for the reaction. The barrier for hemifusion is then the task of bringing two membranes into contact. We found that hemifusion is a stochastic event very much like pore formation by tension or by pore-forming peptides. This method provides an operational definition for hemifusogenicity which so far has been defined only qualitatively. Surprisingly the configuration of hemifusion depends on the lipid composition, ranging from a stalk-like hemifusion to a large hemifusion diaphragm. The formation of a large hemifusion diaphragm requires trans-bilayer lipid mixing in the participating GUVs. We also found that hemifusogenicity correlates with the water activity for the stalk phase in the lipid water mixture. The effect of cholesterol on hemifusogenicity was clearly demonstrated.
Relationship Effectiveness for Mentors: Factors Associated with Learning and Quality:

The present study focused on mentorship effectiveness from the perspective of the mentor. Specifically, factors related to relationship quality and learning were investigated. Mentors in relationships with others perceived to be similar reported the mentorship to be of higher quality and greater learning than did mentors in relationships with less similar others. Results also indicated that mentorship type (formal vs. informal) did not have a direct relationship with mentorship effectiveness, but did interact with mentorship duration. Additional results and implications are discussed.
Standardization of a test for dental sensitivity to cold.

T hc relation of thermal sensitivity to pathologic changes in the pulp has been of interest to t.he diagnost.ician for a long t.imc. Attcmpt,s to clarify this pmhhn have been hampered by the fact that there is 11o standard reliable, and practical method for measuring sensitivity to cithcr cold or heat. The objectives of our study were to dcterminc whether, by using a simple cone! of kc as ;I. testing agent, (1) there might be a. relat.ionship between t.hc length of time thca colt1 stimulus was a.pplietl and the t.hclrmal reactivity of the. tooth, (2) a rc4ationship could bc established between t.hc sensitivity elicit.etl by such a test and the scnsit.ivitv noted b,v the patient whila eating cold foods in a routine manner, and (3) a consistent response by a patient to the same stimulus applictl 011 different clays coultl 1~ obtainetl.
Developing a novel dental restorative with superior mechanical properties

The objective of this study was to develop a novel high performance dental glass-ionomer cement (GIC) restorative and evaluate the mechanical strengths of the formed cements. Polyacrylic acids were synthesized via an advanced atom-transfer radical polymerization technique. The purified polymers were then used to formulate the light-cured GIC with Fuji II LC glass powders. Specimens were fabricated in molds at 23 °C and conditioned in distilled water at 37 °C for 24 h prior to testing. Fuji II LC cement was used as control and prepared per manufacturer's instruction. Mechanical strengths including compressive strength, diametral tensile strength, flexural strength, hardness, fracture toughness and wear resistance of the cements were evaluated. The sample sizes were n = 6–8 for each test. The experimental cement showed significantly higher mechanical properties, i.e., 53% in compressive strength, 50% in compressive modulus, 125% in diametral tensile strength, 95% in flexural strength, 21% in fracture toughness and 96% in hardness, higher than Fuji II LC. The experimental cement was only 5.4% of the abrasive and 6.4% of the attritional wear depths of Fuji II LC. It appears that this novel experimental cement is a clinically attractive dental restorative and may be potentially used for high-wear and high-stress-bearing site restorations.
Advantages of maximum likelihood methods for PRBS modulated TOF electron spectrometry

Abstract We consider the recovery of spectra from pseudo-random binary sequence (PRBS) modulated TOF-HREELS data. The effects of the Poisson noise distribution and the non-ideal behavior of an “interleaved comb” chopper are simulated. We show, for the first time, that maximum likelihood methods can be combined with PRBS modulation to achieve resolution enhancement, while properly accounting for the Poisson noise distribution and artifacts introduced by the chopper. Our results indicate that meV resolution, similar to that of modern high resolution electron spectrometers, can be achieved with a dramatic performance advantage over conventional, serial detection analyzers.
Covariance of positive and negative symptoms during neuroleptic treatment in schizophrenia: a replication.

Although poor response to neuroleptics has traditionally been considered a characteristic feature of negative schizophrenic symptoms (Crow 1980; Andreasen et aJ 1982), several recent studies have documented significant improvement in negative symptoms in schizophrenic patients treated with neuroleptics (Breier et al 1987; vanKammen et al 1987; Kay and Singh 1989; Tendon et al 1990; Meltzer, 1990, Serban et al 1992). The question of whether neuroleptic-induced improvement in negative symptoms is linked to concomitant improvement in positive symptoms (vanKammen et al 1987; Tendon et al 1990; Meltzer 1990) or occurs independently of such improvement (Breier et al 1987; Serban et al 1992) is unresolved. This issue has obvious pathophysiological and therapeutic relevance. in a previous study (Tendon et al 1990), we had observed a significant improvement in negative symptoms with four weeks of neuroleptic treatment in a sample of forty schizophrenic inpatients; a significant correlation between change in positive and negative symptoms was also noted, in an effort to replicate these findings and further evaluate to covariance of positive and neg, ative symptoms in the course of initial neuroleptic treatment, we assessed positive ~nd negative symptoms in another nonoveflapping sample of 80 schizophrenic inpatients at drug-free baseline and four weeks after clinically determined neuroleptic treatment.
Felbamate for refractory absence seizures

Abstract We treated 10 patients (aged 5–37 years) with medically refractory absence seizures with felbamate (FBM). Average duration of absence seizures was 16.2 years. All patients continued to have absence seizures at maximally tolerated doses of valproic acid and/or ethosuximide. At maximal FBM dosage (45 mg/kg/day or 3,600 mg/day), there was at least a 65% reduction in absence seizure frequency in eight patients; in four, there was a > 95% reduction. Mean duration of FBM therapy is 16.2 months (range, 5–31 months). Nine patients remain on FBM. Two patients are on FBM monotherapy; seven others are on FBM and one or two other antiepileptic drugs. FBM was discontinued in one patient who developed severe insomnia followed by a return to baseline absence seizure frequency after an initial good response, and an increase in generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS). Three other patients also had a history of GTCS; in one there has been no significant change, whereas two have not had a GTCS during FBM therapy. Eight patients continue to have a clinically meaningful reduced absence seizure frequency, and eight patients reported fewer adverse effects with their current regimen including FBM. Tachyphylaxis to the antiabsence efficacy was observed in four cases. These preliminary findings suggest that FBM is useful in treating absence seizures.
The relation of pectus excavatum to pectus carinatum

Summary Depression and protrusion deformitiesof the sternum and costal cartilages belong in the same category because they have similar factors in etiology and pathogenesis. The type of deformity is determinedby the dominant factor. The treatment is surgical. The optimum age for the operationand the procedure employed must be determined by the type and extent of the deformity.
Recent sea level trends and accelerations: Comparison of tide gauge and satellite results

Abstract A comprehensive set of 456 monthly tide gauge records is analyzed for trend and acceleration over the same period that satellite altimetry was analyzed (1993 to 2011). Additionally, a 90 tide gauge record subset is analyzed for which GPS data are available. The selection criterion for the tide gauge data is 85% data completion. All measurements are adjusted for vertical land motion. Results from 456 pairs of tide gauges, adjusted for Global Isostatic Adjustment, and satellite recordings located within 1° root-mean-square latitude and longitude separation differences are compared. The tide gauge trends and accelerations are adjusted for spatial bias using the more globally dense satellite data. The average trends of the 456 and 90 gauge sets (3.26 and 2.68 mm/year, respectively) agree reasonably well with the global trend average of the satellite data (3.09 mm/year). Average trends for the 456 tide gauges are also in good agreement (within 95% confidence limits) with trends based on satellite data within the 1° satellite proximity criterion (3.26 and 3.31 mm/year, respectively). The trends for the 90 gauges with GPS nearby and qualifying satellite locations are 2.68 and 2.74 mm/year, respectively. For all datasets analyzed, the accelerations are quite strongly negative but the uncertainty is relatively large. Adjustment of the tide gauge trends for spatial bias modified both trends and accelerations significantly and decreased trend differences between the 456 and 90 gauge datasets. The spatially adjusted tide gauge trends (2.95 and 2.72 mm/year, respectively for the 456 and 90 tide gauges sets) are somewhat less than the 1° spatially adjusted satellite data (3.09 mm/year). Whether the increased sea level trend of approximately 3 mm/year measured by the satellites since the 1990's is a long-term increase from the 20th Century value of approximately 1.7 mm/year or part of a cycle will require longer records; however, the negative accelerations support some cyclic character.
O018 A Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation assay to study protein interactions in the RIG-I like receptor pathway

Introduction The host innate immune system acts as the first line of defense to prevent viral invasion. Viral products are rapidly detected through several classes of pathogen recognition receptors (PRR), like the cytosolic RIG-I like receptors (RLRs), which recognize viral RNA products in the cytoplasm of infected cells. Once activated, RIG-I binds MAVS, leading to the production of type I IFN [1] . Some viruses have developed multiple mechanisms to interfere with the RLR pathway and evade the innate immune response in infected cells. Influenza A virus (IAV) blocks the synthesis of type I IFN by targeting host effector molecules involved in activation of the RIG-I pathway [2] , [3] . Methods In order to study the steps involved in the RLR pathway, we have developed a Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC) assay [4] . This method allow us to visualize the subcellular localization of protein interactions by microscopy, pull down selectively BiFC complexes and isolate specific interactive complexes from transfected cells. Results We were able to detect subcellular localizations associated with interactions between RIGI, MAVS, TRIM25 and other proteins of the RLR pathway in the cell. We have analyzed the effects on these interactions of two viral proteins known to antagonize the RLR pathway. The NS3/4A of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) changes the localization of the complexes RIGI-MAVS and MAVS-MAVS. The non structural protein 1 (NS1) from IAV prevents the formation of the complexes RIGI-MAVS and TRIM25-TRIM25, but does not have any effect on the complex RIGI-TRIM25. These complexes are localized in different compartments in the host cells. Conclusion The use of the BiFC technique has provided us with a powerful tool to analyze known and novel protein interactions of the RLR pathway. We have been able to isolate and track directly protein interactions, analyze their localization in the host cell and the effects of viral IFN antagonist proteins on these complexes.
“Accounting, budgeting and control systems in their organizational context”: Comments by the discussant

In his article “Accounting, Budgeting and Control Systems in Their Organizational Context: Theoretical and Empirical Perspectives”, Flamholtz (1982) refers to an article of mine (Kerr, 1975). In the article I sought to describe some interesting and so it seemed at the time atypical examples of dysfunctional reward systems. These may be defined as systems that reward behaviors which the rewarder is seeking to discourage, while ignoring or actually punishing hoped-for behaviors. Among the examples described were the following:
Integrated active antenna using annular ring microstrip antenna and gunn diode

A Gunn diode has been integrated with an annular ring microstrip antenna to form an active antenna. The location for the diode placement was calculated based on a theoretical analysis for impedance matching. Over 70-mW output power was achieved at 6.8 GHz.
An extended MM3(96) force field for complexes of the group 1A and 2A cations with ligands bearing conjugated ether donor groups

Structural requirements for strain-free metal ion complexation by a conjugated ether group are investigated through the use of both electronic structure calculations and molecular mechanics calculations. Hartree-Fock calculations on simple model complexes, [M(anisole)]n+ and [M(1,2-dimethoxybenzene)]n+, reveal a preference for trigonal planar oxygen geometry when conjugated ether oxygens are coordinated to alkali and alkaline earth cations. Potential energy surfaces from the Hartree-Fock calculations are used, in part, to develop MM3(96) force field parameters for calculation on complexes of ligands bearing conjugated ether donor atoms with the alkali (Li to Cs) and alkaline earth (Mg to Ba) cations. The extended MM3(96) model reproduces the experimental crystal structures of 42 complexes of multidentate ether ligands with the alkali and alkaline earth cations. A novel feature of the MM3(96) program is reported which facilitates the treatment of metal-centered bond angles in complexes where there are greater than six donor atoms.
The poleward propagation of atmospheric angular momentum with a 30-60-day time scale

Abstract The existence of the intraseasonal variation of relative atmospheric angular momentum and the poleward propagation of this physical quantity by the intraseasonal mode of atmospheric circulation have been amply demonstrated in previous studies. However, the temporal relationship between the intraseasonal variation and poleward propagation is not well understood and the possible mechanism causing the poleward propagation is unknown. Analyzing the 15-year (1979–1993) upper-air data of the National Meteorological Center (currently the National Centers for Environmental Prediction), we explored these two intriguing issues related to atmospheric angular momentum via case-study analyses. The major findings are as follows: 1. 1. The maximum (minimum) 30–60-day globally integrated atmospheric angular momentum occurs when the positive (negative) angular momentum anomalies of a 30–60-day cycle appear in the tropics-subtropics and those of the previous 30–60-day cycle propagate to the northern and southern midlatitudes. 2. 2. The eastward propagation of the 30–60-day global divergent circulation induces a 30–60-day flip-flop oscillation in the meridional circulation which in turn results in a similar alternation in the angular momentum tendency caused by the Coriolis torque. It was inferred from the zonal-mean angular momentum budget analysis that the 30–60-day variation of atmospheric angular momentum and its poleward propagation are results of the 30–60-day variation of the aforementioned momentum tendency.
Experimental Infection of Ponies with Borrelia burgdorferi by Exposure to Ixodid Ticks

Seven specific-pathogen-free (SPF) ponies, 1-5 years old, were exposed to Borrelia burgdorferi-infected adult ticks while being treated with dexamethasone over 5 consecutive days. One SPF pony (pony No. 178) was first exposed to laboratory-reared nymphs without B. burgdorferi infection and 3 weeks later was exposed to B. burgdorferi-infected adult ticks with concurrent dexamethasone treatment for 5 consecutive days. Four uninfected ponies treated with dexamethasone, exposed to laboratory-reared ticks without B. burgdorferi infection served as uninfected controls. Clinical signs, bacteriologic culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for bacterial DNA, immunologic responses, and gross lesions and histopathologic changes were investigated during the experiment or at necropsy 9 months after tick exposure. In all of the seven challenged ponies, infection with B. burgdorferi was detected from monthly skin biopsies and various tissues at postmortem examination by culture and by PCR. However, pony No. 178 exposed to laboratory-reared nymphs (without B. burgdorferi infection) and challenged with B. burgdorferi-infected adult ticks 2 months later did not develop a B. burgdorferi infection. All of the infected ponies seroconverted. Control ponies and pony No. 178 were negative by culture, PCR, and serology. Except for skin lesions, we failed to induce any significant histopathologic changes in this study. This is the first report of successful tick-induced experimental infection in ponies by exposure to B. burgdorferi-infected ticks. This Lyme disease model will be very useful to evaluate efficacy of vaccines against the Lyme agent and the effect of antibiotic therapy on horses infected with B. burgdorferi.
Reconstruction for novel sampling structures

We examine the problem of reconstructing a signal from periodic non-uniform samples, i.e. a uniform train from which samples are deleted in some periodic fashion. We develop a condition previously derived by Herley and Wong (see Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. Image Proc., 1996) and examine its implications. We show that this method has a number of advantages over alternative approaches. In particular it gives a condition for achieving the minimum rate rather than approaching it asymptotically. We show that it generally leads to a reconstruction scheme that is simpler than those derived by other strategies. We examine a few special cases in which the minimum rate is precisely achieveable, and cases where design of the reconstruction system is possible without explicitly knowing the signal spectrum.
The Use of Think-Aloud to Evaluate a Navigation Structure for a Multimedia Health and Wellness Application for Older Adults and Their Caregivers

Despite the increasing use of health information technologies (HITs) for older adults living in the community and their caregivers, few have been rigorously evaluated for usability by the end users. Think-aloud protocols are a relatively easy method for both clinicians and researchers to use with older adults and those therapists that work with them to provide such an evaluation. In the present report, we provide an exemplar using this method in order to evaluate the usability of a health and wellness technology tool designed for older adults and caregivers. In addition, we discuss methodological and practical considerations for others interested in this approach. The methodology described in this study is easy and practical to undertake, and it can be effectively conducted by researchers and clinicians to find usability issues related to HITs for older adults and their caregivers.
Assessing SRAM test coverage for sub-micron CMOS technologies

This paper proposes a realistic memory fault probability model which predicts the probabilities of memory fault classes for a given process technology. Physical defects in the memory array are classified into five functional fault classes, which are stuck-at, stuck-open, transition, coupling, and data retention faults. Finally, the memory fault coverages of the known memory test algorithms are evaluated based on their functional fault class coverages.
Production and Egg-Quality Responses of White Leghorn Layers to Anticoccidial Agents

Two studies were conducted to determine the effects of anticoccidial agents on the production and reproduction of White Leghorns. In Experiment 1, nicarbazin (NCZ) was fed at 0, 20, 50, and 100 ppm. Hen-day egg production, egg weight, the egg-yolk DNC (4-4'-dinitrocarbanilide) level, and egg-yolk mottling were affected by the treatments. When response was evidenced, the relationship between those variables and the level of NCZ was basically linear. Decreased egg production occurred from Days 5 and 6 of the treatment through Days 1 and 2 of withdrawal. On Days 9 and 10 of treatment, the control hens peaked at 92% hen-day production, while hens fed 20, 50, and 100 ppm of NCZ peaked late--at 90, 82, and 80%, respectively. Compared to the controls, egg weight was reduced linearly as the level of dietary NCZ increased. The egg-yolk DNC level increased from Days 3 and 4 of treatment through Days 9 and 10 of withdrawal. Egg yolk mottling generally increased along with the level and duration of feeding NCZ. If the NCZ was mistakenly fed to White Leghorn layers, ill effects would be alleviated within 10 days after drug withdrawal. In Experiment 2, halofuginone (3 ppm), maduramicin (5 ppm), monensin (100 ppm), narasin (70 ppm), nicarbazin (125 ppm), robenidine (33 ppm), and salinomycin (60 ppm) were fed to White Leghorn hens at the levels specified in parentheses. Nicarbazin reduced egg production, depressed egg weight, reduced shell thickness, and caused egg-yolk mottling; but internal egg quality, as measured by Haugh Units, was unaffected. Halofuginone, maduramicin, monensin, narasin, robenidine, and salinomycin did not have a meaningful effect on the variables measured when fed to White Leghorn layers.
Susceptibilities of Eikenella corrodens, Prevotella intermedia, and Prevotella nigrescens clinical isolates to amoxicillin and tetracycline.

The AB Biodisk Etest showed that 106 (100%) and 98 (92%) isolates of Eikenella corrodens were susceptible to amoxicillin and tetracycline, respectively. Twenty-three (68%) Prevotella intermedia isolates and 14 (67%) Prevotella nigrescens isolates were susceptible to amoxicillin. Seventy-nine percent of the P. intermedia isolates and 67% of the P. nigrescens isolates were susceptible to tetracycline. A higher percentage of β-lactamase-producing isolates of P. intermedia and P. nigrescens were identified with selective agar containing amoxicillin than with nonselective agar.
A method for detecting undervalued resources with application to breeding birds

Anthropogenic changes to ecosystems can decouple habitat selection and quality, a phenomenon well illustrated by ecological traps in which individuals mistakenly prefer low-quality habitats. Less recognized is the possibility that individuals might fail to select high-quality habitat because of the absence of some appropriate cue. This incorrect assessment of resource quality can lead to relatively high-quality resources being undervalued, whereby they support fewer individuals than optimal. We developed a habitat selection model to predict the expected patterns in patch-level density, fitness, and individual quality derived from either accurate assessment of habitat quality or from undervaluing of habitat patches (i.e., quality is not correctly assessed). Unlike previous habitat selection models, we explicitly and simultaneously incorporated variation in both individual and habitat quality into our estimates of realized fitness. Although multiple mechanisms can reduce patch-average density, fitness, and individual quality in less preferred patches, only undervaluation results in the occupation of higher-quality territories by similar-quality individuals in less preferred vs. preferred patches. We then looked for evidence of undervaluation in our seven-year data set of Acadian Flycatchers (Empidonax virescens) occupying forests in urbanizing landscapes in Ohio, USA. We suspected that forests within more urban landscapes may be undervalued in our study system because (1) urban forests typically support lower densities of Neotropical migratory birds than rural forests and (2) anthropogenic disturbance and habitat alterations are likely to result in mismatches between cues typically used in habitat selection and actual habitat quality. In contrast to our predictions, field data suggest that urban forests are not undervalued. Our work not only expands upon previous habitat selection models by considering undervaluation, but also demonstrates how predictions derived from our model can be tested using a long-term empirical data set.
Modeling Real-Time 3-D Lung Deformations for Medical Visualization

In this paper, we propose a physics-based and physiology-based approach for modeling real-time deformations of 3-D high-resolution polygonal lung models obtained from high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) images of normal human subjects. The physics-based deformation operator is nonsymmetric, which accounts for the heterogeneous elastic properties of the lung tissue and spatial-dynamic flow properties of the air. An iterative approach is used to estimate the deformation with the deformation operator initialized based on the regional alveolar expandability, a key physiology-based parameter. The force applied on each surface node is based on the airflow pattern inside the lungs, which is known to be based on the orientation of the human subject. The validation of lung dynamics is done by resimulating the lung deformation and comparing it with HRCT data and computing force applied on each node derived from a 4-D HRCT dataset of a normal human subject using the proposed deformation operator and verifying its gradient with the orientation.
Intrahepatic mass-forming cholangiocarcinoma: enhancement pattern on Gd-BOPTA-MRI with emphasis of hepatobiliary phase.

Purpose: To describe the Gd-BOPTA MRI findings of intrahepatic mass-forming type cholangiocarcinomas (IMCs), with emphasis on the hepatobiliary phase (HBP). Methods: We reviewed retrospectively 29 IMC patients who underwent Gd-BOPTA-MRI between June, 2004 and June, 2014. Images were acquired prior to, and after, administration of 15–20 mL of Gd-BOPTA in the dynamic phase (arterial phase, portal venous phase, and 3–5 min phase), 10–15-min late phase, and 2–3 h HBP phase. Results: In the dynamic phase, 27 (93%) lesions showed a peripheral rim-like enhancement in the arterial and portal venous phases, followed by progressive filling-in on the delayed images. In 14 (56%) cases, a hypointense peripheral rim was identified in the 10–15-min late phase, delineating a target pattern. In the HBP, the cholangiocarcinoma showed a diffuse, mainly central and inhomogeneous enhancement (cloud of enhancement) in 28 (96%) patients; in 23 (79%) cases, there was an association between cloud appearance and a hypointense peripheral rim, showing a target pattern. Conclusions: Gd-BOPTA MRI pattern of IMC on dynamic study is similar to that of conventional extracellular agents, that is peripheral enhancement with progressive and concentric filling of contrast material on delayed phases. At 10–15 min delayed phases, IMC shows often a peripheral hypointense rim consistent with a target appearance. In the HBP, due to progressive central enhancement (cloud) and peripheral hypointense rim, an higher number of tumors show a target appearance; this pattern is not specific and would also be expected to be seen in metastases from adenocarcinoma.
VASP on a GPU: Application to exact-exchange calculations of the stability of elemental boron

Article history: General purpose graphical processing units (GPU's) offer high processing speeds for certain classes of highly parallelizable computations, such as matrix operations and Fourier transforms, that lie at the heart of first-principles electronic structure calculations. Inclusion of exact-exchange increases the cost of density functional theory by orders of magnitude, motivating the use of GPU's. Porting the widely used electronic density functional code VASP to run on a GPU results in a 5-20 fold performance boost of exact-exchange compared with a traditional CPU. We analyze performance bottlenecks and discuss classes of problems that will benefit from the GPU. As an illustration of the capabilities of this implementation, we calculate the lattice stability α -a ndβ-rhombohedral boron structures utilizing exact-exchange. Our results confirm the energetic preference for symmetry-breaking partial occupation of the β-rhombohedral structure at low temperatures, but does not resolve the stability of α relative to β.
Simultaneous differential scanning calorimetry and small-angle x-ray scattering†

A method is described for performing simultaneous measurements of small-angle x-ray scattering and differential scanning calorimetry. The experiment is made possible through a combination of the high flux afforded by the storage ring at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, a linear position-sensitive detector with rapid response time, and a differential scanning calorimeter developed for optical microscopy. The feasibility of the technique is illustrated by examining the melting and crystallization of a polyethylene specimen. This example demonstrates the power of the technique and the accuracy and reliability of the scattering and thermal data.
Low-Dose Chemotherapy for Epstein-Barr Virus–Positive Post-Transplantation Lymphoproliferative Disease in Children After Solid Organ Transplantation

Purpose To evaluate the efficacy of a low-dose chemotherapy regimen in children with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) –positive, post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) after organ transplantation who have experienced failure with front-line therapy for PTLD. Patients and Methods Eligible patients received cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m2 intravenous for 1 day) and prednisone (2 mg/kg orally for 5 days) every 3 weeks for six cycles. Results Thirty-six patients treated on study were assessable for analyses. Front-line therapies for PTLD before study entry included immune suppression reduction or withdrawal (n = 36), antiviral therapy (n = 33), surgical resection (n = 8), rituximab (n = 2), and interferon alfa (n = 1). Reasons for failure of front-line therapy included progressive disease (PD; n = 33) and persistent disease with concurrent allograft rejection (n = 3). Thirty patients (83%) had stage III to IV disease, 92% had extranodal disease, and 75% had ≥ three sites of disease. The overall response ...
A novel low complexity cluster based MLSE equalizer for QPSK signaling scheme

A novel maximum likelihood sequence estimation (MLSE) equalizer is presented. The method does not require the explicit modeling of the channel and it belongs to the class of cluster based sequence equalizers (CBSE). The novelty of the method is that the required clusters of the received data are estimated in the one dimensional space via a technique that exploits the underlying symmetries in the structure of the received clusters. This gives a two-fold advantage; the computational load is drastically reduced, and at the same time the convergence speed is improved compared to both LMS based channel estimators and previously suggested cluster based equalizers.
High-sensitivity thermally stable acoustic fiber sensor

A new design of miniature fiber acoustic sensors with high sensitivity and greatly improved thermal stability and reproducibility of the operating wavelength is presented. It consists of a high-finesse Fabry-Perot (FP) made of a photonic-crystal (PC) reflector fabricated on a compliant Si membrane and placed in close proximity to the reflective end of a fiber. An incident acoustic wave deflects the membrane, which shifts the FP reflection spectrum. This shift is detected as a change in the power reflected by the FP at a fixed wavelength. The reported improvements over an earlier design include (1) the use of photolithography to fabricate the PC diaphragm (higher accuracy and yield), (2) making the sensor chip out of silica instead of Si (higher thermal stability and reproducibility of the FP spectrum), and (3) using silicate bonding to assemble the sensor (higher thermal stability). An experimental fiber acoustic sensor with a finesse of ∼6 is shown to measure pressures in air with a resolution from 180 to 27 µPa/√Hz from ∼700 Hz to ∼8.6 kHz, and as low as 5.6 µPa/√Hz at 12.5 kHz. This last value is ∼4 times better than previously reported. The measured thermal stability is ∼70 times better than that of the earlier Si-based design.
Transcription Inhibition by Platinum−DNA Cross-Links in Live Mammalian Cells

We have investigated the processing of site-specific Pt−DNA cross-links in live mammalian cells to enhance our understanding of the mechanism of action of platinum-based anticancer drugs. The activity of platinum drugs against cancer is mediated by a combination of processes including cell entry, drug activation, DNA-binding, and transcription inhibition. These drugs bind nuclear DNA to form Pt−DNA cross-links, which arrest key cellular functions, including transcription, and trigger a variety of responses, such as repair. Mechanistic investigations into the processing of specific Pt−DNA cross-links are critical for understanding the effects of platinum−DNA damage, but conventional in vitro techniques do not adequately account for the complex and intricate environment within a live cell. With this limitation in mind, we developed a strategy to study platinum cross-links on plasmid DNAs transfected into live mammalian cells based on luciferase reporter vectors containing defined platinum−DNA lesions that a...
Glutamate Acting at NMDA Receptors Stimulates Embryonic Cortical Neuronal Migration

During cortical development, embryonic neurons migrate from germinal zones near the ventricle into the cortical plate, where they organize into layers. Mechanisms that direct neuronal migration may include molecules that act as chemoattractants. In rats, GABA, which localizes near the target destination for migrating cortical neurons, stimulates embryonic neuronal migration in vitro . In mice, glutamate is highly localized near the target destinations for migrating cortical neurons. Glutamate-induced migration of murine embryonic cortical cells was evaluated in cell dissociates and cortical slice cultures. In dissociates, the chemotropic effects of glutamate were 10-fold greater than the effects of GABA, demonstrating that for murine cortical cells, glutamate is a more potent chemoattractant than GABA. Thus, cortical chemoattractants appear to differ between species. Micromolar glutamate stimulated neuronal chemotaxis that was mimicked by μm NMDA but not by other ionotropic glutamate receptor agonists (AMPA, kainate, quisqualate). Responding cells were primarily derived from immature cortical regions [ventricular zone (vz)/subventricular zone (svz)]. Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) pulse labeling of cortical slices cultured in NMDA antagonists (μm MK801 or APV) revealed that antagonist exposure blocked the migration of BrdU-positive cells from the vz/svz into the cortical plate. PCR confirmed the presence of NMDA receptor expression in vz/svz cells, whereas electrophysiology and Ca2+ imaging demonstrated that vz/svz cells exhibited physiological responses to NMDA. These studies indicate that, in mice, glutamate may serve as a chemoattractant for neurons in the developing cortex, signaling cells to migrate into the cortical plate via NMDA receptor activation.
Design of a binary-weighted resistor DAC using tunable linearized floating-gate CMOS resistors

We present an implementation of a 4-bit binary-weighted-resistor DAC to be used in quantizers. It is built by using tunable floating-gate CMOS resistors, which exploit the capacitive coupling and voltage storage capabilities of floating-gate transistors and employ scaled-gate linearization technique to suppress the MOSFET nonlinearities. The resistance of these resistors drifts 1.6 middot 10-3% over the period of 10 years at 25degC. By using these resistors, 15-bit accurate DAC is implemented in 0.5mum CMOS process
The Adult Suicide-Prone Patient: A Review of the Medical Literature and Implications for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Purpose Suicide is the 11th most common cause of death among American adults. Some individuals who commit suicide may have been treated by oral and maxillofacial surgeons in the days preceding the event. Because suicide often is preventable, in this report we review methods that are useful in identifying individuals at risk of imminent suicide and give suggestions for obtaining interventional assistance. Methods A Medline search using the key terms “suicide,” “adult,” and “oral surgery” was conducted. Articles selected were published in peer-reviewed journals. Results Individuals who have told their surgeon they have no further reason to live, have developed a suicide plan, have secured a lethal device, and have previously made such an attempt are at extreme risk and require immediate intervention. Additional risk factors include being white, aged older than 45 years, and unemployed; living alone, with poor social supports; having a current mental illness or history of mental illness, including substance abuse; and having a family history of suicide. Specialty-specific patients at highest risk are those treated for oral cancer and cosmetic issues and those with adverse surgical outcomes. With regard to assessment of these individuals, the modified SAD PERSONS acronym can assist surgeons in documenting the presence of major risk factors associated with adult suicide and in facilitating communication with emergency personnel. Conclusions Suicide is a potentially preventable public health problem. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons can be key in elucidating clinically significant suicide potential in their patients and referring them for timely intervention.
Optimum office location and the comparative statics of information economies

Kutay A. (1986) Optimum office location and the comparative statics of information economies, Reg. Studies 20, 551–564. In contrast to industrial plant location, most studies of office location depend on an empirical rather than a theoretical basis. This study provides a theoretical analysis of office location which incorporates accessibility-to-labour-market costs and the distribution cost of information produced by the office. Rate of change of the optimal location is analysed with respect to a change in the volume of information produced under two scenarios: location in a conventional uni-nodal settlement system and location in a multicentred settlement system of the information age.
Notes on Host Associations of Taphrocerus gracilis (Say) (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) and Its Life History in Missouri

Abstract Taphrocerus gracilis (Say) was observed mining the leaves of Rhynchospora corniculata (Lam.) A. Gray (new larval host record) at several locations in southeast Missouri. Two generations per year were observed, and no other plant species were observed being utilized as larval hosts. The beetle is also reported from R. corniculata in Mississippi.
A Macroeconomic Analysis Of Inventory/Sales Ratios

Metzlers (1941) research on the relationship between inventory and business cycles initiated serious interest in inventory behavior and its effect on the behavior of firms. A flurry of related research took place in the following two decades. Research of the time clearly demonstrated that, at a macro level, the inventory behaviors are significant features in business cycles. One measure of inventory behavior introduced and analyzed was the inventory-to-sales ratio. We continue to believe that understanding of inventory behavior at both the macro and microeconomic levels is a prerequisite to understanding factors that determine a firms success, and that analysis of the inventory-to-sales ratio is important component of inventory behavior. The U.S. Department of Commerce and other government and private institutions track this ratio and report regularly. Financial analysts use both a company's trend and its comparative value within a sector to make investment decisions.
Successful Management of Radiation Cystitis with Sodium Pentosanpolysulfate

Pentosanpolysulfate was given to 5 patients with chronic gross hematuria secondary to pelvic irradiation. All 5 patients had significant control of the bleeding.
Computer Hacking and Securities Fraud

The purpose of this paper is to consider the strength of securities fraud charges asserted against computer hackers who used technical methods to obtain unauthorized access to corporate press releases before they were released to the public and traders who paid for the stolen information and used it to buy and sell securities. On the assumption that the factual allegations in charging documents are true, the defendants engaged in serious misconduct, but did they commit insider trading or securities fraud? The paper uses a leading authority from the Second Circuit to show that an insider trading theory would nearly certainly fail. The general securities fraud charges against the hackers and traders are also weak. The government must prove that the hackers and traders committed a deception and that the deception was “in connection with” the purchase or sale of a security. Based on the allegations, the hackers probably used deception, but the factual basis for the “in connection with” element is novel. The traders bought and sold securities but engaged in no deceit at all.