cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Injury severity related to overturn characteristics of tractors

INTRODUCTION: Early studies of injuries associated with overturns indicate that more fatalities occurred when a tractor overturned beyond 90 degrees (continuous roll) relative to the impact plane. Recently, the principle of preventing continuous rolls has re-emerged for the protection of riding lawnmower operators. METHOD: Related to tractors, a population-based study was conducted that compared the severity of fatal and nonfatal injuries between a 90 degrees and continuous roll for tractors equipped with rollover protective structures (ROPS) and not equipped with a ROPS (non- ROPS). In 2002, the Kentucky Farm Tractor Overturn Survey was administered to an 8% random sample (6,063) of Kentucky farm operators. The farmers responded to questions that differentiated between the types of overturns and operator injury outcomes for ROPS-equipped and non-ROPS tractors during overturn events. Overturn characteristics were collected that included 90 degrees to the side, beyond 90 degrees to the side, and to the rear for both ROPS-equipped and non-ROPS tractors. RESULTS: Of the 541 overturns reported in this study, 535 (99%) of the respondents reported the most recent overturn characteristics of the tractor: 92 (17%) were ROPS-equipped and 443 (83%) were non-ROPS. For side overturns, 67% of the rolls occurred with ROPS-equipped tractors, and 54% occurred with non-ROPS tractors. The percentages of deaths related to rolls to the side for ROPS-equipped and non-ROPS tractors were, respectively, 1.6% and 3.7%. There was one (2%) deaths related to 90 degrees rolls for ROPS-equipped tractors, whereas for continuous rolls there were 6.4% fatalities related to side overturns, 13% resulted in non-fatal injuries with an average of 1 day of hospitalization for ROPS-equipped tractors, and 39% resulted in non-fatal injuries with an average of 18 days of hospitalization for non-ROPS tractors. The results from this study indicated that a ROPS was more effective at stopping an overturn at 90 degrees than no ROPS, with an associated reduction in the severity of injury in the event of a tractor overturn. Language: en
A time-integration algorithm for thermo-rheologically complex polymers

Abstract This study presents nonlinear thermo-viscoelastic analyses of isotropic polymers that belong to a class of thermo-rheologically complex materials (TCM). The nonlinear viscoelastic constitutive model is expressed with an integral form of a creep function, whose initial, long-term, and transient properties change with stresses and temperatures. A combined recursive–iterative method is formulated to solve the viscoelastic integral equation. The recurrence formula allows bypassing the need to store entire strain histories. Two types of iterative procedures, fixed point (FP) and Newton–Raphson (NR), are examined within the recursive algorithm. Furthermore, a consistent tangent stiffness matrix is formulated to accelerate convergence and avoid divergence. The algorithm is compatible with displacement based finite element (FE) structural analyses for small deformation gradients and uncoupled thermo-mechanical problems. Verification of the numerical algorithm is performed using the thermo-viscoelastic experimental data available in the literature. The influences of temperature dependent material properties on the material’s viscoelastic responses are discussed for general thermo-mechanical loadings. The capability of the algorithm in predicting multi-axial viscoelastic responses is then verified using creep data of adhesive bonded joints at various temperatures. Finally, numerical simulations of time-dependent crack propagations in adhesive bonded joints are presented for the opening and shearing modes.
Local adaptation and plasticity of Erysimum capitatum to altitude: its implications for responses to climate change

Summary 1. Alpine plants are at high risk because of climate change. Assessing the performance of alpine plant species across different altitudes is useful for predicting how they may respond to changing climate. Adaptation and plasticity of early life stages are of particular interest since seed germination and seedling establishment could be crucial life-history stages for environmental tracking and population persistence of sexually reproducing plants. 2. To evaluate past adaptation and the potential to accommodate future climate conditions, seeds and seedlings of Erysimum capitatum were reciprocally transplanted between alpine and low-altitude sites. 3. When grown in a common field environment, E. capitatum from alpine and lower-altitude populations differed from each other in germination, size and morphological traits. Planting altitude also influenced those traits, indicating that population differentiation and plasticity to altitudinal conditions both contributed to differences in the performance of high- vs. low-altitude plants. Seeds tended to germinate more in their native habitat than in the foreign habitat. Alpine plants survived more than low-altitude plants at high altitude, and they suffered higher mortality when they were planted in low-altitude sites. The production of multiple rosettes, a characteristic morphology of alpine E. capitatum, was negatively associated with survival at low altitude. In contrast to alpine populations, a survival advantage of low-altitude populations in low-altitude sites was not evident in this experiment. 4. Synthesis. Because climate change is projected to cause alpine environments to become more similar to low-altitude environments, alpine Erysimum capitatum is expected to suffer reduced seedling recruitment and higher mortality as a direct response to altered environment and possibly as a result of past adaptation to high altitude. In particular, the production of multiple rosettes, an adaptive trait to the current alpine environment, would constrain plant survival should those environments come to resemble low altitude. Moreover, the limited fitness advantage of low-altitude E. capitatum in low-altitude conditions suggests that environmental tracking by low-altitude populations might have a limited role in maintaining future populations.
Familial patent ductus arteriosus and bicuspid aortic valve with hand anomalies: a novel heart-hand syndrome.

The association between cardiac and limb defects, particularly those affecting the hand, has been well documented by the delineation of several heart-hand syndromes. Based on observations with a three-generation family with seven affected individuals, we describe a novel heart-hand syndrome comprising patent ductus arteriosus, bicuspid aortic valve, 5th metacarpal hypoplasia, and brachydactyly. The inheritance pattern was consistent with autosomal dominance, although X-linked dominance could not be excluded. Penetrance appeared to be complete, but there was variability of the cardiac and hand phenotypes. Because this new syndrome closely resembled Char syndrome (patent ductus arteriosus, 5th finger middle phalangeal hypoplasia, and minor facial anomalies), multipoint linkage analysis was performed using polymorphic DNA markers spanning the recently identified Char syndrome critical region at chromosomal bands 6p12-p21.1. This analysis formally excluded this 3-cM region, documenting that the two traits are not allelic. In sum, a novel heart-hand syndrome involving left ventricular outflow and aortic arch as well as an ulnar ray derivative has been identified. Because the hand anomalies can be subtle, thorough evaluation is suggested for families inheriting these cardiac defects as a mendelian trait.
Root Environment Acidity as a Regulatory Factor in Ammonium Assimilation by the Bean Plant

Previous experiments have revealed a much greater efficiency of ammonium utilization by bean plants ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) when the acidity of the ambient medium was maintained at near-neutral conditions with carbonates or hydroxides. The present investigation, in which 15 N-labeled ammonium was used, permitted an assessment of the origin of nitrogen in tissue nitrogen pools with and without acidity control (CaCO 3 treated and untreated, respectively) in the root environment. Control of acidity resulted in greater ammonium uptake and greater incorporation into the amino fraction, amide, and ethanol-insoluble nitrogen by the root tissue. These differences were clearly evident by the fifth day after ammonium nitrogen had been applied. Shoots of the untreated plants rapidly accumulated free ammonium and amino nitrogen. A substantial portion of both fractions came from pre-existing nitrogen in the plants, indicating significant protein degradation. No evidence was found for such degradation in the roots of the untreated plants or in either roots or shoots of CaCO 3 treated plants. The data indicate that control of ambient acidity in the root environment during ammonium absorption enhanced the conversion of entering ammonium to organic nitrogen compounds in the root tissue thereby restricting movement of free ammonium to shoots. Consequently, the detrimental effects of high ammonium concentrations in the leaves were largely prevented.
Primary surgical management refractory glaucoma: tubes as initial surgery

Purpose of reviewGlaucoma drainage implants have an increasing role in the surgical management of glaucoma. Traditionally, trabeculectomy is usually recommended to patients as the initial surgery of choice and glaucoma drainage implant is reserved for patients with high risk of failure for filtering
Characterization of crack propagation during sonic IR inspection

Sonic IR is an emerging, thermal-based, nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technique. Typically a short burst of high power acoustical energy is injected into an object being studied and certain types of defects heat up and is detected using a thermal imaging camera. This inspection technique is very fast, lasting only a few seconds for total inspection time. However due to many uncertainties in the inspection process it has yet to be adopted widely by industry. There are many unknown parameters governing sonic IR, which need to be understood before it becomes a widely used NDE technique. This paper shows that under certain conditions cracks can grow when subjected to the sonic IR technique. We also examine the effects of various experimental parameters on the technique.
The impact of center accreditation on hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT)

There are two voluntary center-accrediting organizations in the USA, the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) and core Clinical Trial Network (CTN) certification, that are thought to improve and ensure hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) center quality care and certify clinical excellence. We sought to observe whether there are differences in outcomes between HLA-matched and -mismatched HCT by CTN and FACT status. Using the 2008–2010 Center for International Blood & Marrow Transplant Research data we created three center categories: non-FACT centers (24 centers), FACT-only certified centers (106 centers) and FACT and core clinical trial network (FACT/CTN) certified centers (32 centers). We identified patient characteristics within these centers and the relationship between FACT certification and survival. Our cohort consisted of 12 993 transplants conducted in 162 centers. After adjusting for patient and center characteristics we found that FACT/CTN centers had consistently superior results relative to non-FACT and FACT-only centers (P<0.05) especially for more complex HCT. However, non-FACT centers were comparable to FACT-only centers for matched related and unrelated patients. Although FACT status is an important standard of quality control that begins to define improved OS, our results indicate that FACT status alone is not an indicator for superior outcomes.
Dentists' preferences of anterior tooth proportion--a web-based study.

Purpose This study aimed to determine dentists' esthetic preferences of the maxillary anterior teeth as influenced by different proportions. The goal was to link choices to demographic data as to the experience, gender, and training of the dentist. Materials and Methods Computer-manipulated images of the 6 maxillary anterior teeth were generated from a single image and assigned to 5 tooth-height groups (very short, short, normal height, tall, and very tall). For each group, 4 images were generated by manipulating the relative proportion of the central incisors, lateral incisors, and canines according to the proportions 62% (or “golden proportion”), 70%, 80%, and “normal” or not further altered. The images were randomly ordered on a web page that contained a form asking for demographic data and fields asking for a ranking of the images. Dentists were asked via e-mail to visit the web page and complete the survey. The responses were tabulated and analyzed with repeated measures logistic regression with the alpha at 0.05. A subset of North American respondents was chosen for further analysis. Results A total of 549 valid responses were received and analyzed from dentists in 38 countries. There were statistically significant differences in all groups for the variables of proportion, group (tooth height), and their interaction. The 80% proportion was judged best for the Very Short and Short groups. Three of the choices were almost equally picked for the Normal Height and Tall groups, and the golden proportion was judged best for the Very Tall group. The variables of year of graduation, gender, professional activity, generalist or specialist, or number of patients were not significantly correlated with the choices for the North American respondents. Conclusions Dentists preferred the 80 percent proportion when viewing short or very short teeth and the golden proportion when viewing very tall teeth. Golden proportion was worst for normal height or shorter teeth and the 80% proportion for tall or very tall teeth. They picked no clear-cut best for normal height or tall teeth, and their choices could not be predicted based on gender, specialist training, experience, or patient load.
Does misery love company? Civic engagement in economic hard times.

Abstract We examine how economic hardship affects civic engagement. Using the Roper Political and Social Trends data, we show that the unemployed were less civically engaged throughout the period covered in the data (1973–1994). The gap in civic engagement between the employed and the unemployed is stable throughout the period. We find little evidence that national economic recession affects the overall level of civic engagement. We do find that higher state unemployment is positively related to political participation for both employed and unemployed residents, especially for political partisans. Finally, we find a strong and negative relationship between state-level income inequality and civic engagement. Our findings suggest that in terms of civic engagement: (1) the state-level economic context matters more than the national context; (2) economic recession may affect political and non-political civic participation differently; (3) economic inequality, rather than economic hardship, appears more negatively to impact civic engagement.
Assessment of Mobile Phase Flow Resistance of Fused Microplatelet Alumina-Based Stationary Phases for Reversed Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract The mobile phase flow resistances (φ's) of several stationary phases consisting of surface-modified UnisphereTM fused microplatelet alumina particles were determined and compared with corresponding values obtained from stationary phases based upon more conventional spherical and angular silica and alumina particles. Although the φ value obtained for a fused-microplatelet alumina-based phase was slightly lower than the value obtained on a spherical alumina-based phase with similar particle dimensions and surface modification, factors other than particle shape were found to have a substantial effect on mobile phase flow resistance. Larger φ values were obtained with phases with smaller average particle diameters. These were attributed to the presence of greater numbers of microparticles with diameters less than 5 microns in such phases. Larger φ values obtained for wide pore (21 nm) and octyl-bonded alumina-based phases over narrow pore (11 nm) and octadecyl-bonded phases were attributed to the for...
Variola Virus and Immunity in Smallpox. H, Recovery of Variola-Specific Soluble Antigens from Infected Rhesus Monkey Kidney Cells

The multiplication of pox viruses in cell cultures is accompanied by the synthesis of a heterogeneous mixture of virus-specific soluble antigens. These antigens are presumed to be structural subunits of the virus, which were produced in excess, and virus-induced enzymes required for the synthesis of new viral material. Immunologic analyses of preparations of soluble antigen that are free of infectious virus have revealed the presence of 5-20 immunoprecipitinogens [1-7], two virus-specific hemagglutinins [8, 9], antigens with the capacity to fix complement in the presence of immune serum [10], and antigens capable of reacting with and eliciting the formation of virusneutralizing antibody [11-14]. Most of these studies were done with vaccinia or the viruses of cowpox and rabbitpox. Immunogenicity of the preparations of antigen was assayed with humoral antibody derived from hyperimmunized laboratory animals. The objective of the present investigation was recovery of virus-specific soluble antigens from cell cultures infected with variola virus. The role of various components in the production of variola-specific antibody was ascertained by determination of their immunogenicity in naturally occurring smallpox.
Toward synthetic models for high oxidation state forms of the Photosystem II active site metal cluster: the first tetranuclear manganese cluster containing a [Mn4(μ-O)5]6+ core

The first tetrameric high valent manganese complex consisting of a MnIV4(μ-O)5 bridged core, [Mn4(μ-O)5(dmb)4(dmbO)2](ClO4)4, was isolated via dimanganese (III,IV) and (IV,IV) intermediates in presence of the oxidant tert-butyl hydroperoxide and was characterized by X-ray crystallography, electrochemistry, infrared, UV-visible, 1H NMR, and mass spectroscopy; the structure found differs greatly from a proposal for the putative Mn4O5 aggregate found in Photosystem II.
Specific PCR primers to identify arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi within colonized roots

A set of PCR primers targeted at five major phylogenetic subgroups of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Glomales) was designed to facilitate specific amplification of internal transcribed spacers and 18 S rRNA gene fragments from colonized roots in the absence of spores. The subgroups include the recently discovered deeply divergent lineages of Glomales, which could not be detected by previously reported PCR primers, and the former genus Sclerocystis. Restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns presented allow identification of presently known members of these groups. The resulting PCR products can be used to identify the fungal symbionts at the genus or species level by restriction digests or DNA sequencing. A novel DNA extraction method allows visual control of the analyzed roots by staining procedures after analysis by PCR.
Ethanol Binging Enhances Hepatic Microvascular Responses to Acetaminophen in Mice

Objective: Chronic alcoholism has been considered to be a risk for acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity, but little is known about the effect of binge alcohol drinking on APAP-induced liver injury. ...
Male gametocyte fecundity and sex ratio of a malaria parasite, Plasmodium mexicanum

Evolutionary theory predicts that the sex ratio of Plasmodium gametocytes will be determined by the number of gametes produced per male gametocyte (male fecundity), parasite clonal diversity and any factor that reduces male gametes' ability to find and combine with female gametes. Despite the importance of male gametocyte fecundity for sex ratio theory as applied to malaria parasites, few data are available on gamete production by male gametocytes. In this study, exflagellating gametes, a measure of male fecundity, were counted for 866 gametocytes from 26 natural infections of the lizard malaria parasite, Plasmodium mexicanum. The maximum male fecundity observed was 8, but most gametocytes produced 2–3 gametes, a value consistent with the typical sex ratio observed for P. mexicanum. Male gametocytes in infections with higher gametocytaemia had lower fecundity. Male fecundity was not correlated with gametocyte size, but differed among infections, suggesting genetic variation for fecundity. Fecundity and sex ratio were correlated (more female gametocytes with higher fecundity) as predicted by theory. Results agree with evolutionary theory, but also suggest a possible tradeoff between production time and fecundity, which could explain the low fecundity of this species, the variation among infections, and the correlation with gametocytaemia.
Survivors of a family member's suicide: implications for practice.

Survivors of suicide are people who are coping with the loss of a loved one through an act of suicide. Primary health care providers are well-positioned to identify and intervene with this population, which is known to be at high risk for health disturbances. A research study was conducted to further clinicians' understanding of the experiences and needs of survivors. The major research question was, "What do adult survivors report about their perceived life experiences three to nine months after the suicide of a family member?" Data from audiotaped interviews with 35 adult survivors of suicide were analyzed to determine a description of the experiences and needs of this population. A recurrent theme discovered in the lives of survivors was the persistence of agonizing, unanswerable questions related to the death. Surviving family members struggled with why the suicide had occurred and worried about the impact of the death on themselves and others. Profound changes in the emotional, cognitive, physical and social functioning of survivors were also evident. Implications for clinical practice are discussed. Language: en
A Novel Protocol for Streamlined IRB Review of Practice-based Research Network (PBRN) Card Studies

Purpose: The “card study,” in which clinicians record brief information about patient visits during usual clinical care, has long been a rapid method for conducting descriptive studies in practice-based research networks. Because an increasingly stringent regulatory environment has made conducting card studies difficult, we developed a streamlined method for obtaining card study institutional review board (IRB) approval. Methods: We developed a protocol for a study of the card study method, allowing new card study proposals of specific research questions to be submitted as addenda to the approved Card Study Protocol. Results: Seven card studies were proposed and approved under the Card Study Protocol during the first year after implementation, contrasted with one-card study proposed in the previous year. New card study ideas submitted as addenda to an approved protocol appeared to increase IRB comfort with the card study as a minimal risk method while reducing the hurdles to developing new study ideas. Conclusions: A Card Study Protocol allowing new study questions to be submitted as addenda decreases time between idea generation and IRB approval. Shortened turn-around times may be useful for translating ideas into action while reducing regulatory burden.
Infection-related Preterm Birth: A Review of the Evidence

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Summarize the evidence for subclinical infection as a cause of preterm delivery. 2. Discuss the role of specific bacteria in relation to preterm birth. 3. Describe which women in preterm labor have the highest likelihood of having a positive amniotic fluid culture. 4. Describe the role of antibiotics in preterm labor and preterm premature rupture of membranes. Advances in perinatal medicine in the past two decades have resulted in markedly improved survival of very low-birthweight infants. These advances include increased use of corticosteroids, regionalization of perinatal care, improved methods of mechanical ventilation, availability of exogenous surfactant, and improved nutrition therapy. However, the reduction in mortality has been accompanied by increased numbers of survivors who have long-term handicaps. It is estimated that 50% of all major neurologic handicaps in children result from preterm births. Despite widespread awareness of the problem and use of therapies believed to aid in preventing preterm births, recent data from the United States suggest that the rate of preterm delivery prior to 37 weeks’ gestation is increasing. Preterm birth now comprises an all-time high of 11.8% of deliveries. Clearly, efforts must continue to develop effective treatments to prevent preterm birth and to reduce associated morbidity and mortality. The majority of preterm births occur to women who develop preterm labor (PTL) or preterm premature rupture of the membranes (PPROM). Historically, these two conditions were considered to be mutually exclusive and were targeted using different approaches. In the case of “idiopathic” PTL with intact membranes, tocolytic agents have been used widely in an attempt to stop contractions and arrest labor. Efforts to prevent and treat PPROM include the “seek and treat” approach to infections. Recent evidence suggests that PTL and PPROM are not mutually exclusive conditions; they are simply different presentations of the …
Quality Weighted Mean and T-test in Microarray Analysis Lead to Improved Accuracy in Gene Expression Measurements and Reduced Type I and II Errors in Differential Expression Detection

Previously we have reported a microarray image processing and data analysis package Matarray, where quality scores are defined for every spot that reflect the reliability and variability of the data acquired from each spot. In this article we present a new development in Matarray, where the quality scores are incorporated as weights in the statistical evaluation and data mining of microarray data. With this approach filtering of poor quality data is automatically achieved through the reduction in their weights, thereby eliminating the need to manually flag or remove bad data points, as well as the problem of missing values. More significantly, utilizing a set of control clones spiked in at known input ratios ranging from 1:30 to 30:1, we find that the quality-weighted statistics leads to more accurate gene expression measurements and more sensitive detection of their changes with significantly lower type II error rates. Further, we have applied the quality-weighted clustering to a time-course microarray data set, and find that the new algorithm improves grouping accuracy. In summary, incorporating quantitative quality measure of microarray data as weight in complex data analysis leads to improved reliability and convenience. In addition it provides a practical way to deal with the missing value issue in establishing automatic statistical tests.
Graph OLAP: Towards Online Analytical Processing on Graphs

OLAP (On-Line Analytical Processing) is an important notion in data analysis. Recently, more and more graph or networked data sources come into being. There exists a similar need to deploy graph analysis from different perspectives and with multiple granularities. However, traditional OLAP technology cannot handle such demands because it does not consider the links among individual data tuples. In this paper, we develop a novel graph OLAP framework, which presents a multi-dimensional and multi-level view over graphs. The contributions of this work are two-fold. First, starting from basic definitions, i.e., what are dimensions and measures in the graph OLAP scenario, we develop a conceptual framework for data cubes on graphs. We also look into different semantics of OLAP operations, and classify the framework into two major subcases: informational OLAP and topological OLAP. Then, with more emphasis on informational OLAP (topological OLAP will be covered in a future study due to the lack of space), we show how a graph cube can be materialized by calculating a special kind of measure called aggregated graph and how to implement it efficiently. This includes both full materialization and partial materialization where constraints are enforced to obtain an iceberg cube. We can see that the aggregated graphs, which depend on the graph properties of underlying networks, are much harder to compute than their traditional OLAP counterparts, due to the increased structural complexity of data. Empirical studies show insightful results on real datasets and demonstrate the efficiency of our proposed optimizations.
Reports of zoonotic disease outbreaks associated with animal exhibits and availability of recommendations for preventing zoonotic disease transmission from animals to people in such settings

Objective—To assess the number of zoonotic disease outbreaks associated with animal exhibits and identify published recommendations for preventing zoonotic disease transmission from animals to people in exhibit settings. Design—Literature review and survey of state public health veterinarians and state epidemiologists. Procedure—MEDLINE and agriculture databases were searched from 1966 through 2000. Retrieved references and additional resources provided by the authors were reviewed. A survey was sent to state public health veterinarians and state epidemiologists to determine whether their states had written recommendations or guidelines for controlling zoonotic diseases in animal exhibition venues, whether their states maintained a listing of animal exhibitors in the state, and whether they had any information on recent outbreaks involving animals in exhibitions. Results—11 published outbreaks were identified. These outbreaks occurred in a variety of settings including petting zoos, farms, and a zoologica...
Onboard automatic aid and advisory for pilots of control-impaired aircraft

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1988.
Heat transfer and evaporation/condensation problems based on the linearized Boltzmann equation

Abstract A polynomial expansion procedure and an analytical discrete-ordinates method are used to solve four basic problems, all based on the linearized Boltzmann equation for rigid-sphere interactions, that describe heat transfer and/or evaporation–condensation between two parallel surfaces or for the case of a semi-infinite half space. Relevant to the case of two surfaces, the basic problem of heat transfer driven by a temperature difference at two confining walls described by a general Maxwell gas–surface interaction law (a mixture of specular and diffuse reflection) is solved for the case where different accommodation coefficients can be used for each of the two bounding surfaces. In addition, the classical problem of “reverse temperature gradient” in the theory of evaporation and condensation is also solved for the case of two parallel liquid–vapor interfaces kept at different temperatures. In regard to half-space applications, an evaporation/condensation problem based on a presumed known interface condition and a heat-conduction problem (with no net flow) driven by energy flow from a bounding surface with know properties are each solved with what is considered a high degree of accuracy.
RENORMALIZATION IN INDEFINITE METRIC THEORIES.

We consider the Lee model,V ⇆ N+θ, and a two neutral scalar meson model with indefinite metrics. It is shown that in general the coupling will cause positive definite bare states to become negative length dressed states through renormalization effects. This can render the theory unphysical depending upon the auxiliary conditions imposed with the indefinite metric.
Cracks in desert pavement rocks: Further insights into mechanical weathering by directional insolation

The formation of cracks is a fundamental first step in the physical weathering of rocks in desert environments. In this study we combine new field data from the Mojave (U.S.), Gobi (Mongolia) and Strzelecki (Australia) deserts that collectively support the hypothesis that meridional cracks (cracks with orientations not readily attributable to rock anisotropies or shape) in boulders or cobbles form due to tensile stresses caused by directional heating and cooling during the sun's daily transit. The new studies indicate that rock size, surface age, and latitude play important roles with respect to their influence on rock fracture. Rock size and pavement surface age exert an influence on the development of rock cracks as the average clast size of mature desert pavements may be at or below the threshold-clast size for thermal cracking of rocks. Latitude-controlled seasonal temperature variations play a key role, as demonstrated by: 1) tightly clustered mean resultant orientations that differ by latitude, as predicted in McFadden et al. (2005), and 2) very cold wintertime temperatures and strong diurnal gradients that may favor crack development in wintertime, given the likelihood for strong clast heating during early morning hours. The consistent evidence for meridional cracks in surfaces of diverse age and desert environments, climate, vegetation, and distance of clast transport indicate that directional insolation may play the key role in initially generating and propagating rock fractures, rather than a secondary role as implied in recent field and modeling studies of physical weathering in deserts.
A consortium to promote distributed computing

We have been funded by the University of North Carolina Office of the President [1] to establish a consortium to promote high performance computing at comprehensive universities throughout the state [2]. Seven courses were offered twice each over a two year period; students attended remotely via the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN). Local clusters of eight or more computers were established at the twelve universities in the consortium. A prime focus was to promote undergraduate research. In this paper we report on the outcomes of these efforts.
The role of inferior frontal cortex in phonological processing

Recent neuroimaging studies of language processing are examining the neural substrate of phonology because of its critical role in mapping sound information onto higher levels of language processing (e.g., words) as well as providing codes in which verbal information can be temporarily stored in working memory. However, the precise role of the inferior frontal cortex in spoken and written phonological tasks has remained elusive. Although lesion studies have indicated the presence of selective deficits in phonological processing, the location of lesions underlying these impairments has not revealed a consistent pattern. Despite efforts to refine methods and tasks, functional neuroimaging studies have also revealed variability in activation patterns. Reanalysis of evidence from these neuroimaging studies suggests that there are functional subregions within the inferior frontal gyrus that correspond to specific components of phonological processing (e.g., orthographic to phonological conversion in reading, and segmentation in speech).
New class of b/w halftoning algorithms

We present a new class of dithering algorithms for black and white (b/w) images. The basic idea behind our technique is to divide the image into small blocks and minimize the distortion between the original continuous tone image and its low pass filtered halftone. This corresponds to a quadratic programming problem with linear constraints which is solved via standard optimization techniques. Examples of b/w halftone images using our technique are compared to images obtained via error diffusion algorithm.
A Binary Vote Based Comparison of Simple Majority and Hierarchical Decision for Survivable Networks

Nodes are replicated in fault-tolerant networks not only to increase the aggregate decision reliability but also to survive the failure of a subset of those nodes. A simple majority rule is the most common aggregate decision rule. One may believe that a simple majority rule may not be optimal when node replication is performed in organization following a hierarchical structure like a corporation or a military command. This research shows that if the node’s observations are better than random, then a simple majority rule is better than a hierarchical decision. Moreover, even though there are a few compromised nodes that falsify their vote, a simple majority rule will still be superior. However, a hierarchical decision process is more scalable and the vote can be aggregated faster. This paper also proposed a technique based on the law of diminishing marginal utility to calculate the optimum number of nodes in a decision process.
Principles of Voiding Cystourethrography (VCUG)

A voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) is one of the most commonly performed studies in pediatrics. A VCUG is a fluoroscopic study that can assess the structure and function of the bladder and the structure of the urethra. It is frequently used in the evaluation of children with urinary tract infections to determine the presence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), bladder diverticula, complete bladder emptying, and assess for possible bladder sphincter dyssynergia. It is also used in the evaluation of hydronephrosis, congenital renal anomalies, imperforate anus, cloacal abnormalities, disorders of sexual differentiation, trauma, and screening siblings for VUR. In addition, it provides information regarding the urethra and is used in diagnosing posterior urethral valves, urethral strictures, or suspicion of a duplicated urethra or other anomalies.
Notes on the Measurement of Consumers’ Attitudes:

IN RECENT years there has been a noteworthy development of methods for measuring many of the objective factors which are associated with the existence of markets. Studies of the distribution of population, of incomes, of trading areas, of retail outlets, have multiplied. New methods of approach have been devised and new sources explored. Data which would have been unobtainable twenty-five years ago are now widely available. Knowledge of the subjective factors, which also profoundly influence the marketability of products, has on the other hand failed to show comparable progress. Whether this lack of development is due to the complexity of the subject, or to the preoccupation of students of marketing with other affairs, the fact remains that relatively little is known of the mental processes of the people who buy goods. Isolated studies of consumers' wants, interests, prejudices and attitudes have indeed been made, but the general stock of information on these and similar points remains sadly inadequate. Without such information the picture of the market is like a jigsaw puzzle with important parts missing. On the side of theory, ideas concerning consumers' mental activities are in a primitive state. Most textbooks on marketing include a few general remarks on the subject, accompanied by an arbitrary list of the buying motives which are supposed to lead to the purchase of goods and services. Such lists, even if their validity is granted, are somewhat like the lists of bones of the body which formerly appeared in textbooks of physiology; they are interesting as illustrations of the atomic theory applied to human nature, but they fall far short of explaining the activities of the living mechanism.
Rock the Nation: Latin/o Identities and the Latin Rock Diaspora

Part historiography and part critical analysis, Rock the Nation highlights an alternative and forgotten history of rock music—a history in which Latina/os played an instrumental role. However, to s...
GC-MS Analysis of Fatty Acids from Flue-Cured Tobacco

Fatty acids obtained by saponification of a hexane-soluble fraction of flue-cured tobacco were converted to their methyl esters. The esters were purified by TLC and identified by GC-MS. Qualitative and quantitative results are reported for acids of chain lengths C12-C34.
Challenges, Solutions, and Quality Metrics of Personal Genome Assembly in Advancing Precision Medicine

Even though each of us shares more than 99% of the DNA sequences in our genome, there are millions of sequence codes or structure in small regions that differ between individuals, giving us different characteristics of appearance or responsiveness to medical treatments. Currently, genetic variants in diseased tissues, such as tumors, are uncovered by exploring the differences between the reference genome and the sequences detected in the diseased tissue. However, the public reference genome was derived with the DNA from multiple individuals. As a result of this, the reference genome is incomplete and may misrepresent the sequence variants of the general population. The more reliable solution is to compare sequences of diseased tissue with its own genome sequence derived from tissue in a normal state. As the price to sequence the human genome has dropped dramatically to around $1000, it shows a promising future of documenting the personal genome for every individual. However, de novo assembly of individual genomes at an affordable cost is still challenging. Thus, till now, only a few human genomes have been fully assembled. In this review, we introduce the history of human genome sequencing and the evolution of sequencing platforms, from Sanger sequencing to emerging “third generation sequencing” technologies. We present the currently available de novo assembly and post-assembly software packages for human genome assembly and their requirements for computational infrastructures. We recommend that a combined hybrid assembly with long and short reads would be a promising way to generate good quality human genome assemblies and specify parameters for the quality assessment of assembly outcomes. We provide a perspective view of the benefit of using personal genomes as references and suggestions for obtaining a quality personal genome. Finally, we discuss the usage of the personal genome in aiding vaccine design and development, monitoring host immune-response, tailoring drug therapy and detecting tumors. We believe the precision medicine would largely benefit from bioinformatics solutions, particularly for personal genome assembly.
Sequence and nethylation in the βA4 region of the rabbit anyloid precursor protein gene

Abstract Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the accumulation of the β A 4 fragment of the amyloid precursor protein in the hippocampal regions of the brain. We report here the isolation of genomic clones carrying exons 15, 16 and 17 of the β A 4 coding region of the rabbit amyloid precursor protein gene. The complete sequence of these exons predicts that all three peptides are identical to their human counterparts. An unexpectedly high concentration of CpG dinucleotides seen in exon 15 were conserved and continued into the intron 15 region. MspI HpaII southern blot analysis revealed the presence of a number of methylated CpG dinucleotides in the cloned region of the gene. These data suggest that the rabbit amyloid precursor protein gene could provide a new and useful model for the study of this important gene.
Mechanics of non-linear viscoelastic solids

A review is given of the continuum mechanics of non-linear viscoelastic solids. These are regarded as materials in which the stress in a material element depends not only on the values of the deformation gradients in the element at the instant of measurement, but also on their values at all previous times.
Determination of Geotrichum mold in comminuted fruits and vegetables: collaborative study.

The official AOAC method for determination of Geotrichum mold in canned fruits and vegetables (44.079) requires a series of 3 sieves, Nos. 8, 16, and 230, to separate the packing liquid from the product and the mold from the packing liquid. Although this method has been successful for whole or coarsely chopped products (e.g., green beans, potatoes, carrots, and beets), finely divided products such as fruit purees and tomato products tend to clog the sieves. A method was developed in which the product is centrifuged, diluted by volume, stained with crystal violet, and counted with the sieving steps eliminated. The proposed method was adopted official first action.
Options and market information: a mean-variance portfolio approach

The major objective of this study was to extend the mean-variance portfolio model to incorporate option markets. Previous attempts in the literature have been only partially successful and this is due to an improper specification of the mean vector and variance-covariance matrix of returns. An option introduces special problems in modeling because of its truncated return structure. Conventional mean-variance analysis has not been developed to handle this problem. This study uses a statistical theorem, based upon the definition of a conditional moment, to arrive at a mean vector and variance-covariance matrix of returns for the portfolio containing options;Using the modified portfolio model, several interesting observations were made regarding the informational role of option markets. The determination of the optimal portfolio position was found to be related to the interaction of information incorporation into the speculative and hedging components of the option and futures demand equations. When an individual investor had information only regarding the variance of prices, the "straddle" position was used to capitalize upon this information;Heterogeneous expectations, among traders, regarding the future spot price variance was found to be a possible justification of speculative trading in commodity options. These information differentials were sufficient to make the option market informationally inefficient in the Grossman-Stiglitz sense. However, information regarding the future spot price mean was found to be a more significant factor in influencing the value-added to an investor's portfolio;The equilibrium option price was found to be a weighted average of each of each investor's subjective valuation of the option, plus some extraneous terms representing the subjective valuations of the futures and a component representing the net hedging pressure upon the market. The introduction of an option market was found to significantly increase the volume of futures trading but had little impact other variables. An examination of the importance of factors influencing the bias of the equilibrium option price from an unweighted average of each investor's subjective value provided inconclusive results.
Effect of epidural compared to patient-controlled intravenous analgesia on outcomes for patients undergoing liver resection for neoplastic disease.

BACKGROUND Epidural analgesia is routinely used for postoperative pain control following abdominal surgeries, yet data regarding the safety and efficacy of epidural analgesia is controversial. METHODS Pain-related and clinical perioperative data were extracted and correlated with baseline clinicopathologic data and method of analgesia (epidural vs. intravenous patient-controlled analgesia) in patients who underwent hepatectomy from 2012 to 2014. Chronic pain was defined by specific narcotic requirements preoperatively. RESULTS Eighty-seven patients underwent hepatectomy with 60% having epidurals placed for postoperative pain control. Epidural patients underwent more major hepatectomies and open resections. Comparison of pain scores between both groups demonstrated no significant difference (all P > .05). A significantly lower proportion of TEA patients required additional IV pain medications than those with IVPCA (P 0.05). After adjusting for perioperative factors, and surgical extent and approach, no significant differences in fluids administered or length of stay were detected. CONCLUSIONS Overall postoperative outcomes were not significantly different based on method of analgesia after adjusting for type and extent of hepatic resection. Though patients with epidurals underwent more extensive operations they required less additional IV pain medications than IVPCA patients.
A Comparison of Time Delay in Three Continuous Glucose Monitors for Adolescents and Adults.

Background:The physiologic delay in glucose diffusion from the blood to the interstitial fluid and instrumental factors contribute to the delay between changes in plasma glucose (PG) and measuremen...