cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Breath-Enhanced to Conventional Nebulizers in the Treatment of Children with Acute Asthma.

Objective To compare the efficacy of a breath-enhanced and a conventional jet nebulizer in the treatment of children with moderate to severe acute asthma. Study design We enrolled subjects between 6 and 18 years of age presenting to the emergency department (ED) with acute asthma and an initial forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) Results In total, 497 patients were assessed for eligibility with 118 enrolled and 107 subjects available for analysis of the primary outcome. Improvement in FEV1 was significantly greater with conventional jet nebulizer (mean ΔFEV1 +13.8% vs +9.1%, P = .04). This difference remained significant after adjustment for baseline differences. Subgroup analysis of 57 subjects with spirometry meeting American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society guidelines yielded similar results (mean ΔFEV1 +14.5% vs +8.5%, P=.03). There were no significant differences in clinical asthma scores, ED length of stay, disposition, or side effects. Conclusions Albuterol delivered via conventional jet nebulizer resulted in significantly greater improvement in FEV1 than albuterol delivered by breath-enhanced nebulizer, without significant differences in clinical measures. Conventional jet nebulizers may deliver albuterol to children with acute asthma more effectively than breath-enhanced nebulizers. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT02566902 .
Application of the Clinical Practice Guideline for Congenital Muscular Torticollis: A Case Report.

Purpose:This case report illustrates application of the Clinical Practice Guideline for Congenital Muscular Torticollis in a pediatric outpatient facility.Descriptions:The infant was a 2-month-old baby presenting with congenital muscular torticollis. Application of each of the 16 action statements o
Clinical Experience with Rituximab and Intravenous Immunoglobulin for Pretibial Myxedema: A Case Series.

Background: Severe pretibial myxedema (PTM) can be difficult to manage, highlighting the need to investigate newer therapies. Rituximab (RTX) and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) have been tried in Graves' orbitopathy. Since PTM and orbitopathy share a similar underlying pathophysiology, this study aimed to explore these therapies for progressive PTM. Methods: The electronic database was screened for PTM patients evaluated at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, from 2002 to 2016, and three patients who received IVIg and five who received RTX are reported. PTM pattern was classified as non-pitting edema, plaque and induration, nodular/nummular, and elephantiasis. PTM was confirmed by biopsy in six patients. Results: The patients' median age was 53.8 years, 75% were female, and all but one patient were either active or former smokers. All patients were euthyroid and had progressed despite various therapies prior to starting these agents. Six patients had a plaque and induration pattern, and two had a nodular pattern with elephantiasis. After therapy, six (75%) patients had PTM stability or improvement both subjectively and objectively (80% with RTX and 66% with IVIg). The three patients (one in the IVIg group and two in the RTX group) who had subjective improvement had a plaque pattern. One patient with elephantiasis had a transient response to IVIg and another had stability after RTX. Thyrotropin receptor antibody values and orbitopathy also improved in patients who demonstrated PTM improvement. No serious adverse events were reported, but one patient each had transient hypertension and injection-site thrombophlebitis after IVIg. Conclusions: Immunomodulation therapy was followed by PTM improvement or stability in most patients, with a slightly better response after RTX compared to IVIg. A validated response assessment instrument and larger series of patients are required to determine if the underlying disease process could be curtailed with these agents.
Beyond positive and negative emotions: Looking into the role of achievement emotions in discussion forums of MOOCs

Abstract Millions of students register for Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to look for opportunities for learning and self-development. However, the learning process usually involves emotional experience, which may affect students' participation in the course, eventually resulting in dropping out along the way. In this study, we quantify this effect. Particularly, this research goes beyond focusing on only the single dimension of positive or negative emotions as many prior studies do. Instead, informed by the control-value theory, a more integrated framework of achievement emotions is applied in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of emotions in MOOC students' learning experiences. Specifically, we first built and validated a machine learning model to automatically detect the achievement emotions in the forum posts. Then survival analysis was used to quantify the influence of achievement emotions on student dropout. The results show a different influencing mechanism for expressed and exposed achievement emotions on student survival in the MOOC course. Implications of the results are then discussed in terms of intervention design to improve student retention in MOOCs.
Carrots and Sticks of Whistleblowing: What Classification Trees Say About False Claims Act Lawsuits

Whistleblower lawsuits under the federal False Claims Act have markedly increased over the past decade. While the amount of individual settlements and judgments vary, over time the government has paid out an average of about 15% of its recoveries as awards to whistleblowers. This investigation used a classification tree algorithm to analyze a sample of recent False Claims Act qui tam settlements, identifying several factors that distinguish larger settlements from smaller ones. Notably, the public or private status of corporate defendants, the federal judicial circuit in which the case is settled, type of case, case duration, relator status, and whether the Department of Justice intervened in the case are significant indicators of settlement amount in qui tam cases. Companies can use this information to better evaluate their exposure to liability for whistleblower litigation, while potential whistleblowers and their counsel can use it to evaluate the likelihood of winning an award.
Commercial Insurance Coverage of Advanced Radiation Therapy Techniques Compared With American Society for Radiation Oncology Model Policies

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to compare and contrast the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) model policies (MPs) for intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR), and proton beam therapy (PBT) with the coverage policies constructed by 5 of the largest publicly available commercial insurers throughout the United States (ie, Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Humana, and United Healthcare). Methods and Materials Appropriate indications for IMRT, SRS, SABR, and PBT by disease site (and particular clinical setting thereof) were extracted from the most recently published ASTRO MPs and published coverage policies (2019 editions) of the 5 carriers. After tabulation, concordance between ASTRO MPs and insurance policies were calculated for each modality. Results All 5 insurer policies supported IMRT for neoplasms of the central nervous system, head/neck, hepatopancreaticobiliary, anal, and prostate cancers. The least covered diseases were retroperitoneal tumors (n = 0 carriers) and bladder cancer (n = 1). For SRS, all carriers covered benign brain tumors, brain metastases, arteriovenous malformations, and trigeminal neuralgia. None of the insurance carriers covered SRS for medically refractory epilepsy. For SABR, primary liver, lung, and low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer were covered by all insurers, and none allowed SABR for primary biliary neoplasms. Only one insurance carrier each covered SABR for primary/metastatic adrenal disease and primary renal cancer. All carriers approved PBT for ocular melanoma, skull base tumors, and pediatric malignancies. The ASTRO MPs listed 4 PBT scenarios (ie, spinal disease, retroperitoneal sarcoma, head/neck neoplasms, and patients with genetic radiosensitivity syndromes) not covered by any insurer. Concordance between insurance carriers and ASTRO MPs was 67.8% for IMRT, 72.0% for SRS, 58.4% for SABR, and 41.8% for PBT (P = .005). Conclusions Coverage guidelines for IMRT, SRS, SABR, and PBT vary across 5 major insurance providers and may be substantially discordant compared with ASTRO coverage guidelines. There remain several specific areas where ongoing and future dialogues between ASTRO members, payers, and policymakers remain essential.
Pediatric 99mTc-DMSA Renal SPECT: Electronic Lesion Insertion of Focal Renal Defects for Dose Optimization

1781 Objectives The ultimate objective is to evaluate the tradeoff between image quality (IQ), as measured by defect detectability, and administered activity (AA) in 99mTc-DMSA SPECT as a function of age, patient height and weight. We have previously developed a database of pediatric phantoms for both genders (Newborn to 15-year-old). The goal of this work was to model renal defects of known size, position and intensity using this database. Methods We created focal renal lesions consisting of volumes of reduced uptake simulating focal acute pyelonephritis at various locations of the renal cortex. The defects were created by the intersection of an ellipsoid with the cortex. The center of the ellipsoid was positioned at the outer cortical surface. The major axis was along the line passing through the center of the kidney and had a length equal to twice the cortical thickness. This gave a defect shape that was smaller at the inner and larger at the outer cortical surfaces, consistent with clinically observed defects. Defects with gradual or sharp decreases of activity at the defect edges were created to model infection or scar, respectively. Partial functional reduction was modeled by scaling the defect by a factor Results A model and a set of defects at 3 positions for each of the 90 phantoms in the database have been developed. The defects were judged to be clinically realistic. Conclusions The defects and phantom database are being used in a study to evaluate the tradeoff between IQ and AA. Combined with data on relative radiation risk, these results will be useful in developing administered activity guidelines for pediatric 99mTc-DMSA SPECT.
20 Years of the Community of Inquiry Framework

The Community of Inquiry framework is a collaborative-constructivist process model that describes the essential elements of a successful online higher education learning experience. This history column entry briefly describes the 20 years of progress in the framework. The column is divided into two decades, first, explaining the establishment of the framework from 2000-2009. Second, discussing the use of the instrument to measure the dimensions of the Community of Inquiry and criticism to the framework from 2010-2019. Finally, current work and future directions are provided.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Neutralizing Antibody Titers in Convalescent Plasma and Recipients in New Mexico: An Open Treatment Study in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019.

BACKGROUND: Convalescent plasma (CP) is a potentially important therapy for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, knowledge regarding neutralizing antibody (NAb) titers in donor plasma and their impact in patients with acute COVID-19 remains largely undetermined. We measured NAb titers in CP and in patients with acute COVID-19 before and after transfusion through the traditional Food and Drug Administration investigational new drug pathway. METHODS: We performed a single-arm interventional trial measuring NAb and total antibody titers before and after CP transfusion over a 14-day period in hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. RESULTS: NAb titers in the donor CP units were low (<1:40 to 1:160) and had no effect on recipient neutralizing activity 1 day after transfusion. NAb titers were detected in 6 of 12 patients on enrollment and in 11 of 12 at ≥2 time points. Average titers peaked on day 7 and declined toward day 14 (Pâ =â .004). Nab titers and immunoglobulin G levels were correlated in donor plasma units (ρâ =â 0.938; Pâ <â .001) and in the cumulative patient measures (ρâ =â 0.781; Pâ <â .001). CONCLUSIONS: CP infusion did not alter recipient NAb titers. Prescreening of CP may be necessary for selecting donors with high titers of neutralizing activity for infusion into patients with COVID-19. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT04434131.
Resource Utilization in Implementation of a Point of Care Ultrasound Curriculum for Resident Training in Anesthesiology

Purpose: Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) brings high-quality patient care to the bedside but continues to be an expensive training to implement in a residency program. There are multiple resources available to train providers in ultrasound, but they are all associated with significant cost. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandates anesthesiology residents to be competent in diagnostic and therapeutic uses of ultrasound. In this paper, we describe how an academic anesthesiology department implemented a POCUS curriculum for resident training. Methods: An anesthesiologist intensivist directed program was created to train residents in POCUS. We started by training a group of seven critical care trained anesthesiologists with the guidance of cardiologists. These anesthesiologists participated in the training of our anesthesiology residents. A hybrid curriculum consisting of a simulator as well as hands-on scanning of patients was created. We recorded the time that personnel spent in the training program as well as the money spent in acquiring equipment. Results: Seven faculty utilized a total of 270 hours of scanning and teaching time to train 48 residents who rotated through the ICU between July 2017 and June 2018. Simulation technicians used 48 hours to guide residents through simulation scenarios. The education administrator used 24 hours to coordinate sessions for residents. The technician and coordinator were both employees of the department with no additional cost for their responsibilities. The cost of equipment, including the ultrasound machine and simulator, was $45,000. An additional charge of $3500 was incurred for technician training time. Conclusion: Implementing a robust, sustainable POCUS curriculum requires a significant investment of time and money. Simulators and e-learning can allow efficiency in resource allocation and control cost in orienting new students to ultrasound. Having residents go through the simulator decreased the time that faculty would otherwise have spent going over basics with the students while allowing students to master these skills at their own pace. Advances in ultrasound technology have created newer, more affordable machines which can decrease cost considerably. It would serve departments well to consider alternatives and plan for resources when deciding to implement POCUS curriculum for resident training.
Visual Content Considered Private by People Who are Blind

We present an empirical study into the visual content people who are blind consider to be private. We conduct a two-stage interview with 18 participants that identifies what they deem private in general and with respect to their use of services that describe their visual surroundings based on camera feeds from their personal devices. We then describe a taxonomy of private visual content that is reflective of our participants’ privacy-related concerns and values. We discuss how this taxonomy can benefit services that collect and sell visual data containing private information so such services are better aligned with their users.
What Do We Know About Formal Leadership Courses and Their Effects

In this chapter, the authors review and critique the existing evidence supporting current leadership education pedagogical practices and their effects on student leadership development. They conclude with a series of suggestions for increasing deliberate practices in formal courses designed to improve leadership education.
A Case-Crossover Analysis of Indoor Heat Exposure on Mortality and Hospitalizations among the Elderly in Houston, Texas

Background: Despite the substantial role indoor exposure has played in heat wave–related mortality, few epidemiological studies have examined the health effects of exposure to indoor heat. As a res...
Lasers in Vascular Anomalies

Over the latter half of the twentieth century, lasers have become an important tool used in the comprehensive treatment of vascular anomalies. Progressively, lasers have been formulated to precisely target abnormal tissue of concern while protecting overlying normal tissue layers. Laser treatment plays an important role in the management of capillary malformations, hemangioma, venous malformation, and lymphatic malformation. This chapter serves as a review of the current applications for lasers in vascular anomalies.
Venous puncture wound hemostasis results in a vaulted thrombus structured by locally nucleated platelet aggregates.

Primary hemostasis results in a platelet-rich thrombus that has long been assumed to form a solid plug. Unexpectedly, our 3-dimensional (3D) electron microscopy of mouse jugular vein puncture wounds revealed that the resulting thrombi were structured about localized, nucleated platelet aggregates, pedestals and columns, that produced a vaulted thrombus capped by extravascular platelet adherence. Pedestal and column surfaces were lined by procoagulant platelets. Furthermore, early steps in thrombus assembly were sensitive to P2Y12 inhibition and late steps to thrombin inhibition. Based on these results, we propose a Cap and Build, puncture wound paradigm that should have translational implications for bleeding control and hemostasis. Rhee, Pokrovskaya et al. utilize 3D electron microscopy of mouse jugular vein puncture wounds to reveal thrombi structured around localized, nucleated platelet aggregates that produced a vaulted thrombus capped by extravascular platelet adherence. As a result, the authors propose a “Cap and Build” paradigm of primary hemostasis.
Larval lake whitefish distribution in the open waters of Green Bay, Lake Michigan

Abstract Most lake whitefish populations within Lake Michigan are experiencing widespread population declines due to low levels of recruitment. However, the stock within Green Bay is flourishing, and various assessment tools suggest consistent recruitment to the juvenile stage each year. The distribution of offshore and drifting lake whitefish larvae were last described in the 1970s, prior to the resurgence of the southern Green Bay stock and prior to increasing knowledge of adult spawning behavior. We conducted a Green Bay wide survey of lake whitefish larvae over three years to provide an update of larval abundance and distribution and to discern influential biotic and abiotic factors that correlate to larval densities. In contrast with historical studies, our sampling illustrated high densities of larvae in both offshore and nearshore environments. Offshore expansion may be a factor in the population increase, but long term survival effects are still unknown. This study also provides the first documentation of larvae within the southern end of the bay below Chambers Island, WI and near re-colonized rivers. Average overall densities were relatively consistent each year, ranging between 29.5 and 49.6 per 1000 m3. Lake whitefish larvae were patchy in distribution and were associated with warmer and more productive waters at small spatial scales. Larval lake whitefish appear to be distributed widely throughout the entirety of Green Bay during the drift life stage, and we discuss our results in light of re-established river spawning and the overall increase in abundance.
Gelfand-Tsetlin polytopes and the integer decomposition property

Let P be the Gelfand-Tsetlin polytope defined by the skew shape λ / µ and weight w . In the case corresponding to a standard Young tableau, we completely characterize for which shapes λ / µ the polytope P is integral. Furthermore, we show that P is a compressed polytope whenever it is integral and corresponds to a standard Young tableau. We conjecture that a similar property holds for arbitrary w , namely that P has the integer decomposition property whenever it is integral.Finally, a natural partial ordering on GT-polytopes is introduced that provides information about integrality and the integer decomposition property, which implies the conjecture for certain shapes.
Fast Nearest Neighbor Search in SE(3) for Sampling-Based Motion Planning

Nearest neighbor searching is a fundamental building block of most sampling-based motion planners. We present a novel method for fast exact nearest neighbor searching in \(SE(3)\)—the 6 dimensional space that represents rotations and translations in 3 dimensions. \(SE(3)\) is commonly used when planning the motions of rigid body robots. Our approach starts by projecting a 4-dimensional cube onto the 3-sphere that is created by the unit quaternion representation of rotations in the rotational group \({ SO}(3)\). We then use 4 kd-trees to efficiently partition the projected faces (and their negatives). We propose efficient methods to handle the recursion pruning checks that arise with this kd-tree splitting approach, discuss splitting strategies that support dynamic data sets, and extend this approach to \(SE(3)\) by incorporating translations. We integrate our approach into RRT and RRT* and demonstrate the fast performance and efficient scaling of our nearest neighbor search as the tree size increases.
Quinic Acid Derivative KZ-41 Exhibits Radiomitigating Activity in Preclinical Models of Radiation Injury

Preclinical Research Acute radiation syndrome is induced when a significant portion of the body receives high-dose, as well as high-dose rate, radiation. We have previously identified a quinic acid-based derivative, KZ-41, that protects from radiation injury. Further preclinical efficacy studies were conducted to determine the radiomitigating activity of KZ-41. C57BL/6 mice received total body irradiation (TBI—LD80/30, 137Cs; ∼2 min) followed by either normal saline or KZ-41 (100 mg/kg sc ∼26 h post-TBI). KZ-41 increased 30-day survival by approximately 45% compared with vehicle controls (P < 0.05). To further investigate the potential radiomodulating mechanisms of KZ-41, we developed a combined radiation and vascular injury model. C57BL/6 mice surgically fixed with dorsal windows for dermal vasculature imaging received either sham or TBI (137Cs; 6 Gray). Postcapillary venule injury was induced (24, 48, 72, and 96 h post-TBI) followed by imaging at 5 min and 24 h to assess clot formation and blood flow. Impairment in flow (P < 0.05) and clot formation (P < 0.05) were observed as early as 48 and 72 h, respectively. Thus, vascular injury 72 h post-TBI was used to evaluate intervention (KZ-41; 100 mg/kg i.p. at 12, 36, and 60 h post-TBI) on radiation-induced changes in both flow and clot formation. KZ-41, although not improving flow, increased clot formation (P < 0.05). Platelet counts were lower in both irradiated groups compared with sham controls (P < 0.05). In summary, KZ-41 exerts radiomitigating activity in lethally irradiated mice. Imaging results suggest KZ-41 exerts radiomitigating activity through mechanisms involving promotion of initial clot formation and vascular flow restoration. The imaging model described herein is useful for further examination of radiation-induced vascular injury repair mechanisms.
Electron-transport system of Vibrio succinogenes. I. Enzymes and cytochromes of electron-transport system.

Enzyme systems responsible for the oxidation of formate and H2 by fumarate and O2 have been demonstrated and partially characterized in cell-free extracts of the cytochrome containing anaerobic vibrio, Vibrio succinogenes. The formic dehydrogenase and hydrogenase are similar to those found in Escherichia coli. Oxidase and peroxidase systems involving formate and H2 were demonstrated. Pyridine nucleotides are not involved in any of these systems. During the oxidation of formate by O2, small amounts of H2O2 are formed. Cytochromes of the b and c types are shown to be present in cells grown with formate as an energy source and either fumarate or nitrate as an electron acceptor. Some of the chemical characteristics of the cytochromes were determined. The protoheme of the cytochrome of the b type was isolated and identified. The cytochrome of the c type was partially reduced by ascorbate. Both cytochromes could be reduced by H2 or formate and the cytochrome of the b type could be oxidized by fumarate suggesting a catalytic role for this cytochrome in fumarate reduction. Both cytochromes were partially reduced by succinate.
Mechanism of adenylate kinase : the conserved aspartates 140 and 141 are important for transition state stabilization instead of substrate-induced conformational changes

The goal of this work is to evaluate the quantitative contribution of Asp-140 and Asp-141 to conformational changes and/or substrate stabilization in the catalysis by chicken muscle adenylate kinase (AK), by use of kinetic and structural analysis of the single alanine mutants D140A and D141A as well as the salt bridge double mutants R138M,D140A and R132M,D141A. The single mutants D140A and D141A displayed small increases in Km (6-12-fold) and moderate decreases in kcat (17-78-fold). Kinetic analysis with the slowly reacting substrate system MgATP and dAMP suggested that the decrease in kcat is not caused by a decrease in the conformational step(s) relative to the chemical step. Most of the kinetic constants of the double mutants R138M,D140A and R132M,D141A are similar to those of the single mutants R138M and R132M, respectively. Detailed analysis by two-dimensional NMR indicated no appreciable changes in the conformations of the free enzyme or the complex with MgAP5A (where AP5A is P1,P5-bis(5'-adenosyl)pentaphosphate), for both single and double mutants. These results taken together suggest that Asp-140 and Asp-141 are unimportant for substrate-induced conformational changes in AK; their roles are mainly to assist Arg-138 and Arg-132 in stabilizing the transition state. The structural results also suggest that AK is a flexible enzyme.
Identification of noise outliers in clustering by a fuzzy neural network

Since most real data sets encountered in cluster analysis are contaminated with background noise or outliers, it is essential to detect and isolate these noise samples from the data set. A few noisy points can affect the clustering procedure by severely biasing the algorithm. An ideal solution to this problem is to identify all the outliers and form a separate noise cluster. To do so, a technique is required by which the noise points are automatically identified and removed from the pattern data. The authors present a modified adaptive fuzzy leader clustering (AFLC) algorithm that has been used to detect and eliminate the outliers from the data structure and create a separate cluster of the outliers. The AFLC algorithm has an adaptive resonance theory (ART) like architecture with fuzzy learning embedded into it. Test results of the algorithm when applied to real and noisy data sets are presented. >
Bargaining Behavior and Acculturation

Abstract Asian Indian doctors residing in the United States were compared to Anglo doctors to find differences in their feelings towards bargaining, and their effectiveness at bargaining. It was found that Asian Indian doctors held more positive feelings towards bargaining, and were more effective at bargaining compared to Anglo doctors. However, as the Asian Indian doctors acculturated into the U.S. culture, their attitudes and bargaining behavior became increasingly like those of their Anglo counterparts. The analysis also suggests that acculturation and ethnic identity are neither independent constructs nor opposite extremes of a continuum, but rather two negatively correlated constructs. Marketing implications are discussed.
Incorporating excitation-induced dephasing into the Maxwell-Bloch numerical modeling of photon echoes

We describe the incorporation of excitation–induced dephasing into Maxwell–Bloch numerical simulation. This offers improved understanding of experimental results and quantitative analysis of engineering tradeoffs in realistic optical coherent transient applications.
Fiber optic backplane for reducing HIRF effects in fault tolerant computing platforms

The design and development of a fault-tolerant fiber-optic backplane to reduce the effects of electromagnetic environments (EME) on flight critical computing platforms is presented. The backplane was developed at the NASA Langley Research Center, and is currently undergoing analysis, simulation, and tests. The simulation results of tests on the backplane in the advent of simulated High Intensity Radiated Fields (HIRF) induced faults are presented, and the fault recovery capability of the architecture is demonstrated. The architecture was designed, developed, and implemented using the Very High Speed Integrated Circuits (VHSIC) Hardware Description Language (VHDL). The architecture was synthesized and implemented in hardware using Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA) on multiple Personal Computer (PC) boards.
Low-swing interconnect interface circuits

This paper reviews a number of low-swing on-chip interconnect schemes, and presents a thorough analysis of their effectiveness and limitations. In addition, several new interface circuits, presenting even more energy savings, are proposed. Some of these circuits not only reduce the interconnect swing, but also use very-low supply voltages, so as to obtain quadratic energy savings. The performance of each of the presented circuits is thoroughly examined using simulation on a benchmark interconnect circuit. Energy savings with a factor of seven have been observed for some of the schemes.
An Optimum Solution for One-Dimensional Slitting Problems: A Dynamic Programming Approach

One-dimensional slitting problems are often encountered in textile, paper or sheet-metal industries where a roll of this product needs to be divided into various narrower-width rolls. The rolls are slit into pieces such that the total value of the sale is maximized depending on the width and the number of defects in the sheet. As the width of a piece increases, the value of the piece increases also, but on the other hand, the number of defects in the piece increases as well, causing reduction in its value. Based on these constraints, a dynamic programming formulation is framed so as to maximize the total value of the sale. Computational complexity with a numerical example is discussed to demonstrate how the procedure works.
C-Abl Inhibitor Imatinib Enhances Insulin Production by β Cells: C-Abl Negatively Regulates Insulin Production via Interfering with the Expression of NKx2.2 and GLUT-2

Chronic myelogenous leukemia patients treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitor, Imatinib, were shown to have increased serum levels of C-peptide. Imatinib specifically inhibits the tyrosine kinase, c-Abl. However, the mechanism of how Imatinib treatment can lead to increased insulin level is unclear. Specifically, there is little investigation into whether Imatinib directly affects β cells to promote insulin production. In this study, we showed that Imatinib significantly induced insulin expression in both glucose-stimulated and resting β cells. In line with this finding, c-Abl knockdown by siRNA and overexpression of c-Abl markedly enhanced and inhibited insulin expression in β cells, respectively. Unexpectedly, high concentrations of glucose significantly induced c-Abl expression, suggesting c-Abl may play a role in balancing insulin production during glucose stimulation. Further studies demonstrated that c-Abl inhibition did not affect the major insulin gene transcription factor, pancreatic and duodenal homeobox-1 (PDX-1) expression. Of interest, inhibition of c-Abl enhanced NKx2.2 and overexpression of c-Abl in β cells markedly down-regulated NKx2.2, which is a positive regulator for insulin gene expression. Additionally, we found that c-Abl inhibition significantly enhanced the expression of glucose transporter GLUT2 on β cells. Our study demonstrates a previously unrecognized mechanism that controls insulin expression through c-Abl-regulated NKx2.2 and GLUT2. Therapeutic targeting β cell c-Abl could be employed in the treatment of diabetes or β cell tumor, insulinoma.
Comparison of phospholipid and fatty acid composition of wild and cultured striped bass eggs

The dominant fatty acids in all neutral lipid fractions of non-water hardened eggs from two wild and one cultured stock of striped bass Morone saxatilis were the monoenes, 18 : 1n9/n7>16 : 1n7>17 : 1. The dominant fatty acids in the phospholipid fraction of all eggs, regardless of origin, were 22 : 6n3>18 : 1n9/n7>20 : 5n3>16 : 1n7>16 : 0>18 : 0. Arachadonic acid (AA, 20 : 4n6) was significantly lower (2·0%) in cultured fish eggs compared to either wild stock (5·8–6·1%). Fatty acids from the liver and eggs of wild Shubenacadie fish were similar to one another with respect to both neutral and phospholipid fractions. However, the AA and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20 : 5n3) content of the phospholipid fraction varied according to the hypothesized migration behaviour of Shubenacadie fish. The total lipid content of wild fish eggs was significantly greater than that of cultured fish. The total phospholipid content of Shubenacadie eggs was significantly higher than either Roanoke or cultured fish eggs. Phosphotidylinositol (PI) was the dominant phospholipid found ins all egg samples from all origins as opposed to phosphotidylcholine, which is usually the dominant phospholipid. These data indicate that PI and AA may have important and as yet unidentified roles in fertilization and embryonic development in these fish.
Use of a shock tube to determine the bi-axial yield of an aluminum alloy under high rates

Abstract This paper presents a method for extracting the bi-axial rate dependent mechanical properties of thin homogenous materials, using a shock tube, demonstrated here using an aluminum alloy sheet. Rate dependence determination techniques such as Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) have long been used for determining uniaxial properties. Recent advances have led to modification of the SHPB to include a bulge cell to develop a so called “dynamic bulge test”. Due to the relative fixed nature of the SHPB, it is difficult to obtain lower strain rate response without significantly modifying the test fixture. Using shock wave loading, and a flat, circular thin plate specimen, a state of biaxial tensile stress is created at the center of the crown during intermediate to high rates of loading. An inverse modeling technique in conjunction with a finite element (FE) simulation technique is used to determine the rate dependent constitutive properties of the plate material. This work demonstrates the applicability of the shock loading method for extracting rate dependent properties of materials available in thin sheet form by using commercial grade aluminum. A finite element model of the shock response is used to determine the strain rate dependent mechanical properties using an optimization algorithm and an inverse modeling method. The results were found to be in agreement with previous literature and good correlation between the model and experimental results are presented here.
Disappearance and dispersal of Spermophilus elegans juveniles in relation to behavior

Patterns of disappearance and dispersal of Spermophilus elegans juveniles during the first 6-weeks postemergence were compared for 1977 and 1978 and related to quantitative and qualitative changes in social interaction involving juveniles. Juvenile disappearance (emigration or mortality) and dispersal within the study site varied between the sexes within and between years. Female disappearance and dispersal were significantly greater in 1977, and male losses in 1978 significantly exceeded male losses in 1977. Greater female loss in 1977 resulted in total male — female losses being equivalent, whereas in 1978 juvenile loss was strongly biased toward males by the end of the 6-week period. Greater female loss in 1977 was attributed primarily to increased aggression between female juveniles in that year because of larger average litter size with more females per litter. Increased disappearance of males in 1978 showed no correlation with litter size or relative increase in number of males per litter. Male young interacted with individuals of several age/sex classes, and a possible behavioral influence on male disappearance was increased aggressiveness by yearling males toward juvenile males in 1978. Behavior appeared to act as a proximate factor in juvenile disappearance and dispersal, and the observed differences between how male and female juveniles interacted in 1977 and 1978 were hypothesized to reflect the operation of different selective pressures to increase individual male or female fitness.
Design Information on Large-Signal Traveling-Wave Amplifiers

The large-signal traveling-wave amplifier equations have been solved and results are presented for a wide range of the traveling-wave amplifier parameters. The results have been analyzed and are presented to provide design information on large-signal traveling-wave amplifiers. Curves of saturation voltage gain and saturation efficiency are included for C= 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 when QC= 0 and for QC= 0.05, 0.125, 0.25 and 0.50 when C= 0.1; for the space-charge cases B = 0.5, 0.75, 1.0 and 1.5. In all cases d = 0. A power output vs power input curve is shown for the case C = 0.1, QC = 0.25, B = 1 and d = 0. For all the cases studied the ratio of helix-to-stream radii was taken as 2. The effect of series loss along the helix is also studied for C= 0.1, QC= 0.125 and B= 1: curves for variable d at fixed b and for variable b at fixed d are presented. The effect of the placement of loss is also studied.
A device for nerve tissue cultivation

A construction and method of preparing a Petri dish for long-term culture of nerve tissue enabling organotypical explants of nerve tissue to be obtained for subsequent histological and electron-microscopic investigation are described. Methods of working with the suggested dish are also described.
Research Ethics Education for Community-Engaged Research: A Review and Research Agenda

Community engagement is increasingly becoming an integral part of research. “Community-engaged research” (CEnR) introduces new stakeholders as well as unique challenges to the protection of participants and the integrity of the research process. We—a group of representatives of CTSA-funded institutions and others who share expertise in research ethics and CEnR—have identified gaps in the literature regarding (1) ethical issues unique to CEnR; (2) the particular instructional needs of academic investigators, community research partners, and IRB members; and (3) best practices for teaching research ethics. This paper presents what we know, as well as what we still need to learn, in order to develop quality research ethics educational materials tailored to the full range of stakeholder groups in CEnR.
Arteriovenous Loop Grafts for Free Tissue Transfer

Arteriovenous (AV) loop grafts are a type of vascular conduit that can be used to support free tissue transfer. Wounds of various etiologies may require free tissue transfer, and the AV loop graft is a useful adjunct when adjacent blood supply is inadequate. Here we present 2 cases and review the technique and published literature.
Rank-based inference for linear models: asymmetric errors

Abstract In this paper robust, rank-based inference procedures are considered for general linear models with (possibly) asymmetric errors. Approximating standard errors of estimates and testing hypotheses about the model parameters require estimating a scaling functional, and an approach is developed which does not require symmetry of the underlying error distribution or replicates in the design matrix. In addition an estimate of the intercept is developed without requiring the assumption of a symmetric error distribution.
The effects of light and nutrients on rates of ammonium transformation in a eutrophic river

Abstract Rates for nitrification, phytoplankton uptake of ammonium, and regeneration of ammonium were measured in the Delaware River as functions of irradiance and nutrient concentrations, using 15N labeling methods. Phytoplankton uptake increased and nitrification rates declined with increased light intensity. The irradiance level required for maximum uptake by phytoplankton was similar to that for maximal inhibition of nitrification (about 300μEm−2 s−1). Daily, water-column averaged rates, calculated by integration of the observed rate-intensity relationships, indicate that light plays a key role in regulating the balance between oxidation of NH4+ by bacteria and assimilation by phytoplankton in the Delaware. The results show that uptake of ammonium by phytoplankton in the dark may exceed uptake in the light in optically thick systems.
Consensus and Stability of Peer Acceptance-Rejection Status in Emotionally Disturbed Children.

Three questions were investigated: the stability of children's sociometric status over periods of one to 11 months in a treatment cottage, extent of consensus regarding the most liked and most disliked child, and the relationship of the general negative behavior level in the cottage and consensus. Seventeen boys in residence two or more months responded to sociometric questions monthly. Cottage behavior level was determined through daily use of a checklist. In 10 of the 11 months there was greater agreement regarding the most disliked peer. The negative cottage behavior level was found to be related to the nature of consensus. Stability in status from month to month was found to be related to children's Like or Dislike status.
Evaluating sequences for paced, mixed-model assembly lines with JIT component fabrication

Evaluation measures of mixed-model assembly lines are examined. The squared deviation from linear component usage and related measures are often cited due to their apparent consistency with the goals of a just-in-time fabrication shop. This paper develops a different statistic which more directly measures deviations from linear component usage. It is shown that, for the environment studied, sequencing methods developed to achieve linear component usage, are not always better than purely random sequencing when the actual time of component use is measured. Next the sequencing procedures are compared, based on their ability to achieve desired production targets. It is shown that the sequencing method which smooths assembly times on the simulated assembly line, as well as methods which perform well based on the traditional measure of linear component use, achieve the highest levels of production. It is concluded that, in the environment studied, direct measures of system productivity are more useful than meas...
EFFECTS OF LOW DOSAGES OF ANDROGEN ON THE DIFFERENTIATION OF HYPOTHALAMIC REGULATORY CONTROL OF OVULATION IN THE RAT.

In these studies a single injection of 10 μg of testosterone propionate at 5 days of age resulted in permanent anovulatory sterility in 96 of 136 female rats. Studies of the hypothalamic refractoriness produced by this dosage revealed that ovulation could be induced in 5 of 10 sterile rats by electrical stimulation of the median eminence, whereas preoptic-suprachiasmatic stimulation was ineffective. However, if sterile rats were pretreated with progesterone and electrical stimulation was performed on the day of vaginal proestrus, then ovulation could be induced by stimulation of the preoptic area. These findings differ from those in rats sterilized by comparable administration of 1.25 mg of androgen. It is suggested that the degree of hypothalamic alteration produced by androgen treatment is dosage-dependent.
The Frenkel exciton Hamiltonian for functionalized Ru(II)-bpy complexes

Abstract Electronic excitation energies and wavefunctions are calculated for Ru ( bpy ) 3 + 2 ( bpy = 2 , 2 ′ ‐ bipyridine ) and its two derivatives, where one or two bpy ligands are functionalized with carboxyl and methyl groups. We show that the structure of these molecules allows one to express their excitations in terms of wavefunctions localized on individual ligands via the Frenkel exciton model. The model is based on three parameters – effective single-ligand excitation energy, inter-ligand interaction coupling, and energy shift brought by the ligand functionalization – that are extracted from time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). This simple model is able to accurately explain the optical intensity, localization properties, and splitting patterns of the low-energy excited states not only in molecules with a high degree of symmetry, but also in non-symmetrically functionalized Ru(II) complexes in vacuum and in solvent. Such reduced description of the excited states provides better understanding and interpretation of experimental data on Ru–polypyridine complexes, and allows for description of excited-state structure in a large ensemble of interacting molecules and treatment of possible charge and energy transfer phenomena in the material.
Intestinal perforation as an initial presentation of polyarteritis nodosa in an 8-year-old boy

Abstract The cases of an 8-year-old boy who had two separate gangrenous intestinal segements with perforations during the early course of polyarteritis nodosa is presented.
Reinforcement Effects on Participation in Group Discussion

Research studies in verbal operant conditioning have recently been reviewed by Krasner (1958) and Salzinger (1959). These reviews indicate that numerous classes of verbal behavior have been found to be sensitive to a variety of reinforcing stimuli, both verbal and non-verbal. Verbal reinforcers used have, for the most part, been simple utterances, such as "right," "wrong," "good," "rnrn-hmm," "I see," "fine," and other such terms denoting agreement or disagreement. Non-verbal reinforcers used have ranged from gestural cues such as head nodding, smiling, attentive looks, and postural changes, to mechanical cues including poker chips, lights, buzzers, and bell-tones. The response or class of verbal behavior reinforced has been equally varied. Many studies have used the technique first employed by Greenspoon (1955). In this procedure S is told to "say words," and a certain class of words, such as plural nouns, verbs, etc., is reinforced. The largest group of studies has employed a technique devised by Taffel ( 1955 ). In this technique, S is presented with a series of 3-X 5-in. cards, on each of which is written a verb and several pronouns, and is instructed to make up a sentence using the verb and beginning with one of the pronouns. The class of behavior reinforced has usually been sentences beginning with I or we. Other investigations have systematically reinforced certain classes of response in test-like situations. These include human responses (Fahmy, 1953) and movement responses (Wickes, 1956) on ink-blot tests, attitudes toward "general education" on a questionnaire (Hildum & Brown, 1956), "acceptance of self" responses on a personality test (Nuthrnan, 1957), emotional words in imaginative stories given to TAT-like drawings (Krasner, 1959), and Si scale items from the MMPI (Oakes & Droge, 1960). While the reinforcers and the classes of behavior investigated have varied greatly in these studies, investigators have with few exceptions employed rather simple laboratory situations involving one S and an E. Few studies have been reported extending the verbal operant conditioning paradigm to group discussion situations. Further, many of the techniques used resemble the controlled operant type, in that the experimental design necessitates individual trials, as for example in the Taffel procedure (Taffel, 1955). Two recent studies have utilized the free operant conditioning paradigm in group situations. 'This investigation was supported by Research Grant No. M3212 from the National Institute of Mental Health, Public Health Service.