cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Compensation for Reflectance Variation in Vessel Density Quantification by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.

PURPOSE To compensate for reflectance variation when quantifying vessel density by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). METHODS Healthy participants received 6×6-mm macular and 4.5×4.5-mm optic nerve head (ONH) angiography scans on a 70-kHz spectral-domain optical coherence tomography system. The split-spectrum amplitude-decorrelation angiography (SSADA) algorithm was used to compute the OCTA signal. Mean reflectance projection and maximum decorrelation projection were used to create en face OCT and OCTA images. Background OCTA noise in static tissue was evaluated in the foveal avascular zone (FAZ). Vessel density was calculated from en face retinal OCTA that was binarized according to a decorrelation threshold. RESULTS The average retinal decorrelation noise in the FAZ was linearly related to the average logarithmic-scale OCT reflectance signal. Based on this relationship, a reflectance-adjusted decorrelation threshold equation was developed to filter out 97.5% of background OCTA noise. A fixed threshold was also used for comparison. The superficial vascular complex vessel density in the macula and ONH were significantly correlated with reflectance signal strength index (SSI) using the fixed threshold. This correlation was removed by using the reflectance-adjusted threshold. Reflectance compensation reduced population variation in 25 healthy eyes from 8.5% to 4.8% (coefficient of variation) in the macula and from 6.7% to 5.4% in the peripapillary region. Within-visit repeatability also improved from 4.4% to 1.8% in the macula and from 3% to 1.7% in the peripapillary region. CONCLUSIONS Compensating for reflectance variation resulted in more reliable vessel density quantification in OCTA.
Electrostatic component of binding energy: Interpreting predictions from poisson–boltzmann equation and modeling protocols

Macromolecular interactions are essential for understanding numerous biological processes and are typically characterized by the binding free energy. Important component of the binding free energy is the electrostatics, which is frequently modeled via the solutions of the Poisson-Boltzmann Equations (PBE). However, numerous works have shown that the electrostatic component (ΔΔGelec ) of binding free energy is very sensitive to the parameters used and modeling protocol. This prompted some researchers to question the robustness of PBE in predicting ΔΔGelec . We argue that the sensitivity of the absolute ΔΔGelec calculated with PBE using different input parameters and definitions does not indicate PBE deficiency, rather this is what should be expected. We show how the apparent sensitivity should be interpreted in terms of the underlying changes in several numerous and physical parameters. We demonstrate that PBE approach is robust within each considered force field (CHARMM-27, AMBER-94, and OPLS-AA) once the corresponding structures are energy minimized. This observation holds despite of using two different molecular surface definitions, pointing again that PBE delivers consistent results within particular force field. The fact that PBE delivered ΔΔGelec values may differ if calculated with different modeling protocols is not a deficiency of PBE, but natural results of the differences of the force field parameters and potential functions for energy minimization. In addition, while the absolute ΔΔGelec values calculated with different force field differ, their ordering remains practically the same allowing for consistent ranking despite of the force field used. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF CORRUPTION: WHAT HAS PAST DECADE'S EMPIRICAL RESEARCH TAUGHT US? A SURVEY

Corruption has fierce impacts on economic and societal development and is subject to a vast range of institutional, jurisdictional, societal, and economic conditions. It is this paper's aim to provide a reassessment and a comprehensive state-of-the-art survey of existing literature on corruption and its causes and effects. A particularly strong focus is put on presenting and discussing insights resulting from empirical research and contrasting recent with older findings.
Small Sample Equivalence Tests for Exponentiality

We consider small sample equivalence tests for exponentialy. Statistical inference in this setting is particularly challenging since equivalence testing procedures typically require much larger sam...
Comparison of ethanol hand sanitizer versus moist towelette packets for mealtime patient hand hygiene

To facilitate patient hand hygiene, there is a need for easy-to-use products. In a survey of 100 patients, a single-use ethanol hand sanitizer packet took less time to access than a single-use moist towelette packet (3 vs 23 seconds) and was preferred by 74% of patients for mealtime hand hygiene. Performance of patient hand hygiene increased when a reminder was provided at the time of meal tray delivery.
Colorblind Measures and Inductions

Empirical investigations of racial colorblindness require corresponding measures and inductions. A wide variety of measurement and inductive strategies are available in the literature; however, corresponding with theoretical treatments of colorblindness, remarkably little consensus exists. Instead, researchers have generally opted to create operationalizations of colorblindness from scratch depending upon specific research aims. In Chapter 4, both measures and inductions of racial colorblindness are reviewed. When possible, the newly proposed four-variety model of colorblindness is used for the purposes of categorization.
Fricative Contrast and Coarticulation in Children With and Without Speech Sound Disorders.

Purpose The purpose of this study was, first, to expand our understanding of typical speech development regarding segmental contrast and anticipatory coarticulation, and second, to explore the pote...
Water Absorption in Cementitious Materials at Different Temperatures

This paper presents results from an experimental investigation that assessed water absorption in cementitious materials at different temperatures. This work aims to determine whether the absorption behavior may be explained by considering only temperature related variations in the fluid properties (surface tension, viscosity, and density). The calculated water absorption curves at 5°C and 40°C (based on adjusting the absorption that was measured at 23°C using the temperature dependent fluid properties) exhibit agreement with the experimental data for the secondary sorption. This indicates that the change of fluid properties as a function of temperature is the primary reason for the difference in behavior. As a result, it appears possible to predict the rate of secondary absorption of cementitious materials at various temperatures with a simple correction. The initial sorptivity also showed a temperature dependency; however, the dependency of the mortars with water-to-cement ratios of 0.30 and 0.50 was 50 % and 64 % greater than that obtained using only the temperature dependent fluid properties. This indicates that, in addition to variations in the properties of the fluid, the interaction between the fluid and cementitious materials may also have a temperature dependence that influences the initial sorptivity. The transition between initial and secondary sorption (i.e., nick point) occurs at an earlier time with increasing temperature due to the increased rate of fluid absorption.
The Anterior Mediastinum

The anterior mediastinum is situated behind the sternum and in front of the great vessels and the pericardium. Its lateral margins are the mediastinal pleurae in contact with the anteromedial aspect of each lung (Figs. 5.1, 5.2, 5.8). Inferiorly, it reaches the diaphragm, while its upper limit is arbitrarily stated in most textbooks of anatomy as a line extending from the lower end of the manubrium of the sternum posteriorly to the inferior margin of the body of the fourth thoracic vertebra [18, 128]. For the purposes of this discussion, the anterior mediastinum can be considered to merge at its upper end with the thoracic inlet and to lie in front of the supra-azygos and infra-azygos areas on the right and the supra-aortic and infra-aortic areas on the left.
Couple-Level Dynamics and Multilevel Challenges Among Black Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Framework of Dyadic HIV Care.

Abstract The primary romantic relationship may offer critical opportunities for improving HIV care among key populations affected by high rates of HIV infection and low rates of care engagement, su...
Making Mathematical Connections Between Abstract Algebra and Secondary Mathematics Explicit: Implications for Curriculum, Research, and Faculty Professional Development

This commentary chapter examines the four chapters in this section, which focus on connecting abstract algebra to secondary mathematics, from both practitioner and research-based viewpoints of their interrelated themes and implications for curriculum, research, and faculty professional development. In the context of making mathematical connections between abstract algebra and secondary mathematics explicit, this commentary reflects on the learning goals for preservice secondary mathematics teachers (PSMTs), curricular goals for PSMTs, and the implications of these efforts that include calls both for further research and for addressing the professional development needs of faculty.
Middle and High School Counselor Advocates for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Students

Three-hundred-and-ninety-eight school counselors were surveyed with regard to school counselor advocacy for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) students. Demographic variables were assessed, along wit...
Feature Identification for Non-Intrusively Extracting Occupant Energy-Use Information in Office Buildings

Detailed energy-use information of office buildings’ occupants is necessary to implement proper simulation/intervention techniques. However, acquiring accurate occupant-specific energy consumption in office buildings at low cost is currently a challenging task since existing intrusive load monitoring (ILM) technologies require a large capital investment to provide high-resolution electricity usage data for individual occupants. On the other hand, non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) approaches have been proven as more cost effective and flexible approaches to provide energy-use information of individual appliances. Therefore, extending the concept of NILM to individual occupants would be beneficial. This paper proposes two occupancy-related energy-consuming features, delay interval and magnitude of power changes and evaluates their significances for extracting occupant-specific power changes in a non-intrusive manner. The proposed features were examined through implementing a logistic regression model as a predictor on aggregate energy load data collected from an office building. Hypotheses tests also confirmed that both features are statistically significant to non-intrusively derive individual occupants’ energy-use information. As the main contribution of this study, these features could be utilized in developing sophisticated NILM-based approaches to monitor individual occupant energy-consuming behavior.
Structure of Metal Clusters - A High Resolution Electron Microscopy Study of Osmium Clusters on Magnesium Oxide

High resolution electron microscpy has been used to obtain direct structure images of small aggregates of osmium dispersed on MgO. Some molecular clusters of Os10C(CO)24 2- were deposited directly onto the MgO support and others were synthesised on the support from chloroosmic acid. The electron micrographs show a distribution of aggregate sizes in the latter sample, the larger aggregates having the osmium hexagonal-close-packed structure. Also evident are very small particles ranging in size from one or two atoms up to several atoms, with structures which cannot readily be interpreted as being hep. The Os10 clusters deposited on the support do not have the normal osmium hexagonal-close-packed structure, nor can the images be interpreted as being face-centred-cubic. The images can be interpreted on the basis of the assumption that the clusters have an hexagonal-close-packed structure with a larger c/a ratio. There is a strong interaction between the MgO and the Os aggregates, which are aligned parallel to the MgO {002} planes. The strong interaction could be responsible for the distortion of the cluster away from the normal bulk osmium hexagonal-close-packed structure.
A case of severe nephrotic syndrome caused by isolated CMV glomerulopathy with ganciclovir resistant UL 97 mutation

Introduction: While many cases of cytomegalovirus (CMV) nephropathy have been reported in the literature, isolated CMV glomerulopathy is considered a rare finding. Case Presentation: We report the case of a CMV-negative recipient of kidney allograft from a CMVpositive donor (D+/R-), the recipient subsequently developed severe nephrotic syndrome secondary to biopsy-proven isolated CMV glomerulopathy. Conclusion: The patient developed CMV viremia with ganciclovir resistant UL97 mutation. His treatment course was resistant to recommended dose of intravenous ganciclovir, so therapy was changed to foscarnet with resolution of his viremia and reduction in proteinuria.
Development and validation of a volumetric absorptive microsampling- liquid chromatography mass spectrometry method for the analysis of cefepime in human whole blood: Application to pediatric pharmacokinetic study.

Abstract Cefepime is a fourth-generation cephalosporin antibiotic with an extended spectrum of activity against many Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. There is a growing need to develop sensitive, small volume assays, along with less invasive sample collection to facilitate pediatric pharmacokinetic clinical trials and therapeutic drug monitoring. The volumetric absorptive microsampling (VAMS™) approach provides an accurate and precise collection of a fixed volume of blood (10 μL), reducing or eliminating the volumetric blood hematocrit assay-bias associated with the dried blood spotting technique. We developed a high-performance liquid chromatographic method with tandem mass spectrometry detection for quantification of cefepime. Sample extraction from VAMS™ devices, followed by reversed-phase chromatographic separation and selective detection using tandem mass spectrometry with a 4 min runtime per sample was employed. Standard curves were linear between 0.1–100 μg/mL for cefepime. Intra- and inter-day accuracies were within 95.4–113% and precision (CV) was
Optimal Pilots for Anti-Eavesdropping Channel Estimation

Anti-eavesdropping channel estimation (ANECE) is a method that uses specially designed pilot signals to allow two or more full-duplex radio devices each with one or more antennas to estimate their channel state information (CSI) consistently and at the same time prevent eavesdropper (Eve) with any number of antennas from obtaining its CSI consistently. This paper presents optimal designs of the pilots for ANECE based on two criteria. The first is the mean squared error (MSE) of channel estimation for the users, and the second is the mutual information (MI) between the pilot-driven signals observed by the users. Closed-form optimal pilots are shown under the sum-MSE and sum-MI criteria subject to a symmetric and isotropic condition. Algorithms for computing the optimal pilots are shown for general cases. Fairness issues for three or more users are discussed. The performances of different designs are compared.
Causes and nursing strategies of umbilical vein catheterization complications in extremely preterm infants

Objective To analyze major umbilical vein catheterization complications in extremely preterm infants and to propose nursing strategies accordingly. Methods The umbilical vein catheterization complications in totally 203 extremely premature infants admitted in BaYi Children's Hospital, Army General Hospital of PLA from October 2015 to October 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Different complications were found in 38 patients out of the 203 extremely premature infants receiving umbilical vein catheterization, with an incidence rate of 18.71%, including 14 cases with catheter misplacement, 8 with catheter slippage, 7 with umbilical bleeding, 6 with iatrogenic skin injury, and 3 with catheter-related infection. No adverse effects were observed because effective measures were taken timely. Conclusions According to the causes of complications, effective measures should be taken in time to develop nursing strategies in a targeted manner to prevent complications of umbilical vein catheterization in super-premature infants. Key words: Infants, premature; Nursing care; Complications; Umbilical vein catheterization
THE ROLE OF INTRAVASCULAR PRESSURE IN REGULATION OF THE MICROCIRCULATION

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of intravascular pressure in regulation of the microcirculation. Regulation of blood flow in the microcirculation is carried out by a variety of mechanisms involving neural, metabolic, and myogenic factors. It can be shown in a number of ways that vasomotor nerves have an important influence and an overriding influence in emergency states on local blood flow to the tissues. It has been shown that the blood flow and tissue metabolism are closely related. Evidence suggests that the arteriolar network possesses sensitivity to intravascular pressure and that the myogenic behavior is an important control mechanism in the microcirculation. Studies suggest that the smooth muscle cell may respond to changes in applied force in such a manner as to keep circumferential tension constant. The detailed manner in which an arteriolar network composed of myogenically active vessels might behave can only be speculated. It is possible that such a system would provide a well-regulated blood flow over a range of arterial perfusion pressures.
Using a Social Capital Framework to Explore a Broker's Role in Small Employer Wellness Program Uptake and Implementation.

Purpose:Small employers, while motivated to implement wellness programs, often lack knowledge and resources to do so. As a result, these firms rely on external decision-making support from insuranc...
First Simultaneous Acceleration of Multiple Charge States of Heavy Ion Beams in a Large-Scale Superconducting Linear Accelerator.

Experimental studies of the simultaneous acceleration of three-charge-state $^{129}{\mathrm{Xe}}^{49+,50+,51+}$ beam from 17 to $180\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}/\mathrm{nucleon}$ in a superconducting linear accelerator are presented. The beam parameters for each individual- and multiple-charge-state beam were measured and compared with the particle tracking simulations. Detailed measurements were performed to characterize the multiple-charge-state beam's recombination after a second-order achromat and isopath 180\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} bending system. As a result of the recombination of three charge states in the six-dimensional phase space, the xenon beam intensity was increased by 2.5-fold compared to the single-charge-state beam. The results presented in the Letter fully validate the possibility to produce and utilize high-quality multiple-charge-state heavy-ion beams in a large-scale superconducting linac to increase the available beam power on an isotope production target.
Sex-Positive Feminism’s Values in Search of the Law of Pleasure

In challenging traditional stereotypes of female sexualities centered on passivity, subordination, harm, and repronormativity, sex-positive feminism’s proponents criticize legal feminism generally for undervaluing women’s pleasure, which they celebrate. Yet these proponents often struggle with charting a supportive and affirmative course for law and legal institutions, which have long fostered sex negativity. This essay proceeds in three parts. Part I identifies sex positivity not as a distinct theory but rather as a thread that runs through multiple iterations and eras of feminisms, sometimes expressly and at other times latently, as a potential answer to criticisms and problems. Along the way, this Part demonstrates the importance of power and power disparities in sex-positive feminism and the role of gender. Part II turns to the place of law and legal institutions in sex-positive feminism, juxtaposing prevailing critiques of law’s sex negativity with promising opportunities for change. Part III continues on this note of optimism, consulting popular culture for possibilities to support a more fully developed sex-positive and feminist legal regime. This essay will appear as the chapter on sex-positive feminism in the Oxford Handbook of Feminism and Law in the United States (Deborah L. Brake, Martha Chamallas & Verna Williams, eds.), Oxford University Press, forthcoming 2021.
Fourier-Based Quantification of Cerebral Oxygen Pressure Using Phosphorescence Lifetime Microscopy

Phasor analysis provides a simple, Fourier-based method to visualize fluorescence lifetime. Here, we apply the technique for analyzing phosphorescence lifetime measurements and quantify oxygen tension in the cortical microvasculature in awake mice.
Large self-insured employers lack power to effectively negotiate hospital prices

OBJECTIVES Self-insured employers cover more people than Medicare, Medicaid, or direct purchasers of private insurance.This study examined the ability of self-insured employers to negotiate hospital prices and the relationship between hospital prices and employer market power in the United States. STUDY DESIGN Repeated cross-section analysis of commercial claims. METHODS We used the US Census Bureau County Business Patterns data to estimate employer market power at the metropolitan statistical area (MSA)-year level and used the Truven Health MarketScan commercial claims to estimate mean hospital prices and price ratios at the MSA-year level (2010-2016). We calculated descriptive statistics for employer market power, mean hospitalization prices, and a case mix-adjusted price ratio measure during the study period and analyzed the 10 most concentrated labor markets. We estimated MSA-year-level ordinary least squares regressions of hospitalization price and the price ratio measure on employer market power. RESULTS Large self-insured employers had concentrated market power in very few MSAs in 2016. The mean value of our employer market power measure was 62 for 2016, compared with the mean value of 5410 for hospital market power in the United States. Regression analyses find a slight relationship: A 1-point increase in employer market power was associated with a $6.61 decrease in the hospitalization price (mean = $20,813), but this result becomes statistically insignificant once the models control for hospital wages. CONCLUSIONS Employer market power is low in most MSAs. Self-insured employers may consider building purchase alliances with state and local government employee groups to enhance their market power and lower negotiated prices for hospital services.
Perioperative Pulmonary Support of the Elderly.

With the projected increase in the geriatric patient population, it is of the utmost importance to understand and optimize conditions in the perioperative period to ensure the best surgical outcome. Age-associated changes in respiratory physiology affect the surgical management of geriatric patients. This review focuses on perioperative pulmonary management of elderly individuals. The physiological changes associated with aging include both physical and biochemical alterations that are detrimental to pulmonary function. There is an increased prevalence of chronic lung disease such as COPD and interstitial lung disease which can predispose patients to postoperative pulmonary complications. Additionally, elderly patients, especially those with chronic lung disease, are at risk for frailty. Screening tools have been developed to evaluate risk and aid in the judicious selection of patients for surgical procedures. The concept of “prehabilitation” has been developed to best prepare patients for surgery and may be more influential in the reduction of postoperative pulmonary complications than postoperative rehabilitation. Understanding the age-associated changes in metabolism of drugs has led to dose adjustments in the intraoperative and postoperative periods, reducing respiratory depression and lung protective ventilation and minimally invasive procedures have yielded reductions in postoperative pulmonary complications. The perioperative management of the geriatric population can be divided into three key areas: preoperative risk mitigation, intraoperative considerations, and postoperative management. Preoperative considerations include patient selection and thorough history and physical, along with smoking cessation and prehabilitation in a subset of patients. Operative aspects include careful selection of anesthetic agents, lung protective ventilation, and choice of surgical procedure. Postoperative management should focus on selective use of agents that may contribute to respiratory depression and encouragement of rehabilitation.
Hope, Religious Behaviors, and Attachment to God: A Trinitarian Perspective

Drawing on existing research regarding adult attachment, attachment to God, and Trinitarian theology, the current study investigated the level of attachment security to God (comparing secure, preoc...
Oscillations and Single Species Models with Delays

The first four chapters have dealt with the stability of equilibria of ecological models which incorporate time delays either in the growth rate response to interactions with other species in a community or in the self-inhibitory response of a species to resource limitations. In this chapter (and the next) we will consider a few topics dealing with oscillatory behavior of solutions. Oscillations in an ecological community could arise of course from a great number of conceivable causes, including such things as the form of the growth rate response itself as it depends on the density of the species; variations in the system’s parameters (e.g. birth and death rates, carrying capacities, etc.) due to periodic fluctuations in the environment caused by, for example, seasonal or daily changes in temperature, rain fall, etc.; seasonal or periodic harvesting, seeding, immigration or emigration; random fluctuations of the model parameters; and many other causes. Another source of oscillations can also be delays present in growth rate response to changes in species densities.
Iron(II) Active Species in Iron-Bisphosphine Catalyzed Kumada and Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Couplings of Phenyl Nucleophiles and Secondary Alkyl Halides.

While previous studies have identified FeMes2(SciOPP) as the active catalyst species in iron–SciOPP catalyzed Kumada cross-coupling of mesitylmagnesium bromide and primary alkyl halides, the active catalyst species in cross-couplings with phenyl nucleophiles, where low valent iron species might be prevalent due to accessible reductive elimination pathways, remains undefined. In the present study, in situ Mossbauer and magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopic studies combined with inorganic syntheses and reaction studies are employed to evaluate the in situ formed iron species and identify the active catalytic species in iron–SciOPP catalyzed Suzuki–Miyaura and Kumada cross-couplings of phenyl nucleophiles and secondary alkyl halides. While reductive elimination to form Fe(η6-biphenyl)(SciOPP) occurs upon reaction of FeCl2(SciOPP) with phenyl nucleophiles, this iron(0) species is not found to be kinetically competent for catalysis. Importantly, mono- and bis-phenylated iron(II)–SciOPP species that form pr...
New York Attorney Malpractice Liability to Non-Clients: Toward a Rule of Reason & Predictability

This 1995 Article addresses the question of attorney liability in New York. It begins with a brief introduction to the history of the privity requirement nationally to place the New York question in context. It then traces the scope of attorney liability in New York and examines the state of that law - with its contradictions and inconsistences. This Article proposes a rule for New York courts to consider that centers on the “adversariness” of the client and the third party as the touchstone for determining if expanded liability is appropriate.This differs from the traditional analysis which bases the extent of non-client liability, if any, on the relationship between the attorney’s intentions and the third party. In proposing this rule, the paper reviews the approaches taken in other jurisdictions to determine what, if anything should be borrowed from those rules in creating New York’s standard. The proposed solution weighs the dangers of expanding liability against the dangers of refusing to expand liability and tries to balance those considerations in a way that fairly balances the interests of the legal profession, the clients, the public, and the injured third parties.
Quantifying in Situ Rates of Phlorotannin Synthesis and Polymerization in Marine Brown Algae

Using three species of marine brown algae, we describe a stable isotope labeling technique to quantify: (1) in situ rates of phlorotannin synthesis, (2) phlorotannin polymerization or aging, and (3) the related allocation of carbon resources to secondary metabolism. In our field and laboratory assays, Lobophora variegata (Bahamas), Sargassum pteropleuron (Bahamas), and Fucus distichus (California, USA) assimilated various quantities of 13C, but all allocated ≤ 1% of the assimilated carbon to the production of phlorotannins. We quantified rates of phlorotannin synthesis both as micrograms of compound produced per gram of tissue per unit of time and as micrograms of compound produced per gram of C assimilated per unit of time. Rates of synthesis, normalized to account for differences in potential photosynthetic rates, are comparable to previously reported rates of phlorotannin accumulation. The aging of phlorotannins from low- ( 30 kDa) molecular-size polymers was observed in S. pteropleuron within a 28-hr period. Our results indicate that, using this labeling technique, it is possible to make precise measurements of allelochemical metabolism and resource allocation, which are useful both in critically evaluating the assumptions made by ecological models of plant chemistry and in estimating the partial metabolic cost of specific secondary metabolites.
Telling an Innovation Story

In this conference, we come together to examine the diffusion of software innovations. We consider both software products and processes. For many years, I have had a particular interest in business application software and its design, implementation, use, and maintenance. Most recently, my research has focused on this software in an innovation context. Specifically, I have become interested in software associated with certain grand ideas for innovation, termed “organizing visions,” defined as focal community ideas for the application of IT in organizations (Swanson and Ramiller, 1997). Examples of organizing visions would include data warehousing and mining, enterprise resource planning (ERP), and customer relationship management (CRM). I have become curious about the “innovation stories” associated with these visions, and, in particular, about how the innovation arises and takes a certain “career path” in which it achieves ascendancy for a time, but then eventually fades away, often displaced in the community’s attention by still another vision. I believe that if we are to understand these innovations, we must tell the stories of their often inter-twined careers.
A qualidade da educação como parte do problema: educação escolar e desigualdade no Chile

O sistema educativo chileno encontra-se em crise em razao da desigualdade originada por uma privatizacao que levou a segregacao, com a consequente exclusao dos estudantes de escassos recursos economicos. No entanto, existe certo grau de consenso social relativo a melhorar a qualidade educativa no pais. No presente artigo, discute-se criticamente a ideia de que a melhora da qualidade educativa nos estabelecimentos escolares e parte da solucao da crise do sistema chileno e propoe-se, em sentido contrario, que a qualidade e parte do problema. Para desenvolver esse argumento, o artigo se estrutura ao redor de tres proposicoes fundamentais: que a qualidade educativa e parte da privatizacao dos centros escolares; e parte da segregacao que se produz entre eles; e e parte da exclusao que prejudica os alunos dos setores do pais mais empobrecidos economicamente.
Thermodynamics of cadmium- and zinc-rich alloys in the Cd−La, Cd−Ce, Cd−Pr, Zn−La, Zn−Ce and Zn−Pr systems

The thermodynamics of the cadmium- and zinc-rich alloys in the Cd−La, Cd−Ce, Cd−Pr, Zn−La, Zn−Ce, and Zn−Pr systems have been studied with a high-temperature galvanic cell method. The values of the standard free energy of formation (kcal per mole) of the intermetallic compounds are given by the equations: $$\begin{gathered} (LaCd_{11} ), \Delta Gf^ \circ = - 72.3 + 43.6 \times 10^{ - 3} T (670^ \circ to 804^ \circ K) \hfill \\ (CeCd_{11} ), \Delta Gf^ \circ = - 70.5 + 44.6 \times 10^{ - 3} T (638^ \circ to 884^ \circ K) \hfill \\ (PrCd_{11} ), \Delta Gf^ \circ = - 69.1 + 44.8 \times 10^{ - 3} T (635^ \circ to 825^ \circ K) \hfill \\ (LaZn_{11} ), \Delta Gf^ \circ = - 92.6 + 48.0 \times 10^{ - 3} T (705^ \circ to 793^ \circ K) \hfill \\ (CeZn_{11} ), \Delta Gf^ \circ = - 87.9 + 45.0 \times 10^{ - 3} T (710^ \circ to 1018^ \circ K) \hfill \\ (PrZn_{11} ), \Delta Gf^ \circ = - 85.3 + 42.7 \times 10^{ - 3} T (696^ \circ to 875^ \circ K) \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$
Characterization and elimination of threshold voltage problems in the Bimos process

The author identifies two root causes and a number of special causes of high-P/low-N threshold voltage in the Bimos process. The first root cause was chemical carryover from wafer carriers exposed to HF. the F/sup -/ retained in the carrier can hydrate, form a vapor, and condense on the wafer. This phenomenon was the source of a large amount of unexplained high-P threshold problems in the past. The second root cause was oxide charge being introduced at the trim anneal furnace operation. Increasing the N/sub 2/ flow brought a major yield loss problem under control. since the two root causes have been eliminated, there have been no significant threshold voltage problems with this technology. >
Distributed Optimization with Pairwise Constraints and its Application to Multi-robot Path Planning

Distributed approaches to constrained optimization problems have immense applications to multi-robot path planning, scheduling, task allocation and other problems requiring multiple robots to optimize a global objective function. The aim of these approaches is to solve a series of smaller optimization problems for each robot while sharing information among the robots, and in the process, solve the global optimization problem, which otherwise would have been intractable. Distributed approaches to separable convex optimization problems with linear constraints have been studied extensively in the past using techniques of dual and Lagrangian decomposition. In the present work, we investigate a distributed implementation of a general separable optimization problem with pair-wise non-linear constraints. On the theoretical side, we show the conditions under which the algorithm converges to an optimal solution. On the experimental side, we demonstrate the utility of the algorithm on the problem of multi-robot path planning with pair-wise distance constraints in large complex 2-D environments with obstacles.
Platelet- and macrophage-derived endogenous cannabinoids are involved in endotoxin-induced hypotension

Macrophages are the primary cellular targets of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), but the role of macrophage-derived cytokines in LPS-induced septic shock is uncertain. Recent evidence indicates that activation of peripheral CB1 cannabinoid receptors contributes to hemorrhagic hypotension and that macrophage-derived anandamide as well as unidentified platelet-derived substances may be contributing factors. Here we demonstrate that rat platelets contain the endogenous cannabinoid 2-arachidonyl glyceride (2-AG), as identified by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, and mass spectrometry, and that in vitro exposure of platelets to LPS (200 microg/ml) markedly increases 2-AG levels. LPS-stimulated, but not control, macrophages contain anandamide, which is undetectable in either control or LPS-stimulated platelets. Prolonged hypotension and tachycardia are elicited in urethane-anesthetized rats treated 1) with LPS (15 mg/kg i.v.); 2) with macrophages plus platelets isolated from 3 ml of blood from an LPS-treated donor rat; or 3) with rat macrophages or 4) platelets preincubated in vitro with LPS (200 microg/ml). In all four cases, the hypotension but not the tachycardia is prevented by pretreatment of the recipient rat with the CB1 receptor antagonist SR141716A (3 mg/kg i.v.), which also inhibits the hypotensive response to anandamide or 2-AG. The hypotension elicited by LPS-treated macrophages or platelets remains unchanged in the absence of sympathetic tone or after blockade of nitric oxide synthase. These findings indicate that platelets and macrophages generate different endogenous cannabinoids, and that both 2-AG and anandamide may be paracrine mediators of endotoxin-induced hypotension via activation of vascular CB1 receptors.
Sonographic findings in testicular sarcoidosis simulating malignant nodule

Testicular involvement by sarcoidosis is rare. We report a case of a patient with known sarcoid who had a unilateral testicular nodule with apparent capsular invasion on sonography. The epididymis was normal on both sides. Despite these atypical features, pathology showed the nodule to be a sarcoid granuloma. In patients with sarcoidosis, the differential diagnosis of an intratesticular mass should include testicular involvement by sarcoid. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 27:81–83, 1999.
An in vitro procedure for the estimation of thyroid hormone releasing factors in sera of thyrotoxic patients

LATS containing sera and a number of Graves’ disease sera stimulated T4 release from mouse thyroids in vitro as, determined by RIA, thus confirming the presence of a thyroid hormone releasing factor in sera of thyrotoxic patients. The pattern of stimulation was similar to that previously shown for TSH in terms of T4 release time sequence, cAMP increase and catecholamine inhibition via or-adrenergic receptors. In the same in vitro system, neutralization with a human thyroid homogenate showed presence of LATS-Protector (LPA) in LATS negative thyrotoxic sera. The present study describes a simpler procedure for estimating LATS or similar activity, as compared to the McKenzie assay, and suggests identical receptor sites for TSH and other thyroid stimulators.
Multitarget tracking and multidimensional assignment problems

A fundamental problem in multi-target tracking is the data association problem of partitioning the observations into tracks and false alarms so that an accurate estimate of the true tracks can be recovered. Here, this problem is formulated as a multi-dimensional assignment problem using gating techniques to introduce sparsity into the problem, filtering techniques to generate tracks which are then used to score each assignment of a collection of observations to its corresponding filtered track. Problem complexity is further reduced by decomposing the problem into disjoint components using graph theoretic methods. A recursive Lagrangean relaxation algorithm is then developed to obtain high quality suboptimal solutions in real-time. The algorithms are, however, applicable to a large class of sparse multi-dimensional assignment problems arising in general multi-target and multi-sensor tracking. Results of extensive numerical testing are presented for a case study to demonstrate the speed, robustness, and exceptional quality of the solutions.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
An efficient 0–1 integer programming algorithm for advertising media selection

Advertising is one of the important instruments in the success and continued growth of a product. Total expenditures for advertising in the United States may run into many billions of dollars. In this paper, an efficient algorithm for allocating scarce advertising resources is developed. The advertising media selection problem is formulated in terms of a 0–1 integer programming problem. An iterative solution procedure for this formulation is presented. A simple numerical example which illustrates the steps of the algorithm is also presented. The algorithm can generate efficient solutions to large media selection problems with relative computational ease, and may be of practical significance to decision makers.
Localization of the NGFI-A protein in the rat brain

Antibodies are used to localize the NGFI-A protein in the rat brain. The protein is found in a wide variety of neurons. However, not all neurons are stained. The protein is either absent or present at undetectable levels in glial cells. Neuronal nuclei stain intensely, cytoplasmic staining is lighter. Seizures cause a detectable increase in the intensity of staining.
Increased seizure susceptibility in adult rats with neuronal migration disorders

Recent data show that neuronal migration disorders (NMD) lower the seizure threshold in the immature brain. To assess if this is an age-related phenomenon, kainic acid (KA) was administered to induce status epilepticus in adult rats with NMD. Results of the present study demonstrate that adult rats with NMD had a shorter latency to seizures and longer duration of status epilepticus compared to age-related controls. Furthermore, in rats with NMD seizures were more severe and status epilepticus-induced mortality was worse than in age-matched controls. These data confirm that NMD lower the seizure threshold in the adult rat. The results of the present study combined with our previous studies in the immature rat, suggest that the facilitating effects of NMD on seizures are not age dependent.
Irrigated Agriculture and Groundwater Quality—A Framework for Policy Development

paper argues that irrigated agriculture's impact on goundwater is another water quality concern that is rapidly growing in importance and well deserves our profession's attention and research efforts. Groundwater is now the source of 50% of U.S. drinking water supplies and 40% of irrigation withdrawals, with reliance on groundwater varying tremendously across regions. Irrigated agriculture is the largest single user of the nation's groundwater resources, accounting for 70% of annual groundwater use. Groundwater withdrawals are increasing at double the rate of increase for surface water use, with half a million new wells drilled each year (Henderson et al., p. 9). As a part of a broader research effort examining water markets, values, and quality in the western United States (Saliba, Bush, and Martin), this paper explores the potential roles of public regulations and private markets in water quality management. The discussion focuses on nitrates, pesticides, and dissolved solids, the three principal groundwater contaminants associated with irrigated agriculture.
Determining Economic News Coverage

While much research has been devoted to how individuals respond to media messages and frames, we know much less about what motivates variations in the content and tone of media coverage. Given the important consequences of media coverage of economic events, this paper explores the factors that explain variations in economic news coverage as a function of both economic indicators and contextual influences. Two innovations to the political communication field are introduced in this study. First, Poisson autoregression is used to investigate what accounts for monthly changes in the amount of economic coverage. Second, two separate measures of news tone, contemporary and comparative coverage, are used to assess how economic reality factors in to economic reporting. The results illustrate that the news media, in deciding economic newsworthiness and level of coverage, do not view all economic statistics equally and at the same times. In addition, rival stories and elections impact the level of economic coverage. The results also suggest the news media indeed emphasize the negative, from both a contemporary and comparative perspective, and economic reality has little impact on coverage tone.
Acceptance of good practices of corporate governance: a case-based model from developing capital markets

From an analysis of 13 case studies, a model is proposed to explain the acceptance by companies of good practices of corporate governance. Each of the case studies focuses on a company that operates in a developing capital market in Latin America. Each company is recognised as a leader in adopting good practices of corporate governance. Independent variables are strength of demand for capital and for liquidity, moderating variables are strength of internal support and of external support and the dependent variable is degree of acceptance of good practices of corporate governance. In developing capital markets, good practices of corporate governance are central to accounting in the sense of being accountable. The implications of this accountability extend to promoting economic development by attracting investment as well as to demonstrating ethics and social responsibility.
Dietary levels of acrylamide affect rat cardiomyocyte properties

The toxic effects of acrylamide on cytoskeletal integrity and ion channel balance is well-established in many cell types, but there has been little examination regarding the effects of acrylamide on primary cardiomyocytes, despite the importance of such components in their function. Furthermore, acrylamide toxicity is generally examined using concentrations higher than those found in vivo under starch-rich diets. Accordingly, we sought to characterize the dose-dependent effects of acrylamide on various properties, including cell morphology, contraction patterns, and junctional connexin 43 staining, in primary cardiomyocytes. We show that several days exposure to 1-100 μM acrylamide resulted in altered morphology, irregular contraction patterns, and an increase in the amount of immunoreactive signal for connexin 43 at cell junctions. We conclude that dietary levels of acrylamide may alter cellular function with prolonged exposure, in primary cardiomyocytes.
Tumor specific Epstein‐Barr virus infection is not associated with leiomyosarcoma in human immunodeficiency virus negative individuals

BACKGROUND Recent studies have suggested that the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with leiomyosarcoma in children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and in organ transplant recipients. To determine whether EBV is associated with leiomyosarcoma in HIV negative patients, the authors examined resected leiomyosarcomas for EBV and HIV. METHODS Twenty-four leiomyosarcomas were studied and their diagnosis confirmed on pathologic review. From these specimens DNA was isolated. Tumor samples were analyzed for EBV and HIV using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique followed by gel electrophoresis and Southern blot analysis. DNA from an EBV-infected human Burkitt's lymphoma cell line and peripheral blood from an HIV positive patient were used as positive controls for the presence of EBV and HIV, respectively. Immunohistochemistry was performed using an antibody to Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen. RESULTS HIV was not present in any of the patients analyzed. EBV DNA was detected in tumor tissue; however, 80 cycles of PCR were used before EBV sequences were detected. Therefore, the data indicate that tumor tissue was not infected with EBV. The positive results observed after 80 cycles of PCR were likely due to infiltrating lymphocytes. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the lack of active or latent EBV infection in tumor cells. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that EBV is not associated with sporadic leiomyosarcoma in HIV negative patients. Therefore, the biology of leiomyosarcoma associated with HIV may be substantially different from the more common sporadic form. Cancer 1997; 80:204-10. © 1997 American Cancer Society.