cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trade-off-invariant rules for evolutionarily stable life histories

Optimization models have been widely and successfully used in evolutionary ecology to predict the attributes of organisms. Most such models maximize darwinian fitness in the face of trade-offs and constraints; the numerical results usually depend on the exact form of the trade-offs or constraints. But not always: for example, earlier work predicted that the optimal range in offspring size ought to show a - 1 scaling with small litter size, independent of most details of the underlying offspring-survival/ offspring-size trade-off relation. Here I report that in non-growing (stationary), age-structured populations, three major life-history attributes (age at first breeding, size of an offspring in large litters, and reproductive effort) are likely to evolve to equilibrium values that satisfy a universal numerical rule; the underlying trade-off will have a slope of - 1 at the optimum, independent of most other aspects of the trade-off. Each of these three attributes can be viewed as an allocation problem between just two alternatives; the trade-off is then between having more of one alternative and less of the other. The slope of the trade-off is simply the slope of the curve of allowed combinations of the two alternatives. The theory predicts that natural selection will push to an equilibrium where the slope is always - 1. The economic structure is the same as that which underlies evolution of the sex ratio where the two alternatives are sons and daughters.
The isolation and characterization of plasma membrane from cultured cells. I. The chemical composition of membrane isolated from uninfected and oncogenic RNA virus-converted chick embryo fibroblasts.

1. 1. Plasma membrane was isolated from cultures of chick embryo fibroblasts and fibroblasts which had been infected with the avian sarcoma virus, RBA, and the avian leukosis virus, RAV-49. 2. 2. On continuous density gradients of sucrose, the cell membrane was localized in two fractions, the A′ band and B′ band. The membranes in the A′ band contained twice as much phospholipid and cholesterol as the membranes in the B′ band. The membranes in the latter band also contained less neutral sugar and sialic acid. 3. 3. Plasma membrane in the A′ band that was isolated from the oncogenic virus-converted cells, RBA, had increased levels of neutral sugar (358 vs. 243 μg per mg protein), but the sialic acid content of this membrane was decreased by 25 %. 4. 4. Cell membrane obtained from the leukosis virus-infected cells had quantities of sialic acid and neutral sugar that were similar to those of uninfected cells. Therefore, the increase in neutral sugar and the decrease in sialic acid found in cell membrane from the RBA-converted cells are chemical modifications of the cell surface which reflect conversion by an oncogenic virus and are not the result of virus infection per se.
Lymph node evaluation by open or video-assisted approaches in 11,500 anatomic lung cancer resections.

Background Unsuspected lymph node metastases are found in the surgical specimens of 10% to 25% clinical stage I lung cancers. Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is a minimally invasive alternative to thoracotomy. Because detection of clinically occult metastases is dependent on the completeness of surgical lymph node dissection, the influence of surgical approach on nodal evaluation is of interest. We determined the frequency of nodal metastases identified in clinically node-negative tumors by thoracotomy ("open") and VATS approaches to approximate the completeness of surgical nodal dissections. Methods The Society of Thoracic Surgery database was queried for lobectomies and segmentectomies from 2001 to 2010. Results A total of 11,531 (7,137 open and 4,394 VATS) clinical stage I primary lung cancers were resected. Nodal upstaging was seen in 14.3% (1,024) in the open group and 11.6% (508) in the VATS group ( p p p = 0.52). Among 2,745 propensity-matched pairs, N0 to N1 upstaging remained less common with VATS (6.8% versus 9%; p = 0.002). Conclusions During lobectomy or segmentectomy for clinical N0 lung cancer, mediastinal nodal evaluation by VATS and thoracotomy results in equivalent upstaging. In contrast, lower rates of N1 upstaging in the VATS group may indicate variability in the completeness of the peribronchial and hilar lymph node evaluation. Systematic hilar dissection is encouraged, particularly as more surgeons adopt the VATS approach.
Impact of a Recent Lead Recall on Utilization of Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators: Data from the NCDR ICD Registry™

Impact of Recalls on ICD Utilization. Introduction: Underutilization of ICDs is well documented. It has been hypothesized that device recalls, and the resultant negative publicity, may contribute. Methods and Results: To determine if the October 2007 recall of the Medtronic Fidelis lead was associated with a decrease in volume of ICD procedures in the United States, we analyzed data submitted to the ICD Registry™ between July 2006 and December 2008. Time-series analyses were performed comparing actual and predicted implant volumes following the recall, using monthly data from July 2006 to September 2007 to establish a trend line. Observed data points falling outside the 95% CIs from the trend line were considered statistically significant. The study cohort includes 173,616 implantations in 658 hospitals. Before October 2007, an average of 5,952 devices, 4,910 for primary prevention, were implanted per month. Following the recall, the average monthly number of implants was modestly lower at 5,623 (P = 0.05), 4,601 for primary prevention (P = 0.01.) However, as volume was decreasing prior, in time-series analysis, the observed monthly implant volume for primary prevention devices differed from expected based on the trend line for only 1 month. The proportion of Medtronic implants declined from 51.1% in the 15 months prior to the recall to 45.8% in the 15 months of the recall or after (P < 0.01), falling outside the 95% CI of the trend line for 3 months in time-series analysis. Conclusions: A recent well-publicized lead recall had minimal impact on ICD utilization either overall or for primary prevention. (J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 23, pp. 861-865, August 2012)
Targeted therapy for biliary tract cancers

Biliary tract cancers (BTCs) are a heterogeneous group of malignancies, with a historically poor prognosis as a whole. Until recently, the development of effective therapeutics was hampered by the relatively low incidence, heterogeneity in patients and tumors, and correspondingly poor clinical trial enrollments. With the publication of the landmark phase III ABC-02 trial demonstrating the superiority of gemcitabine and cisplatin combination chemotherapy, the landscape changed for the development of new agents. Despite this progress, there are currently no approved targeted agents for BTC. This review will focus on recent developments in targeted therapeutics, directed against several key signaling pathways in BTC, including epidermal growth factor receptor, angiogenesis, and the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Data from recent phase I and II trials will be discussed, along with a preview of upcoming trials involving targeted therapies.
External Ear Resonance Characteristics in Children

External ear resonance characteristics were determined for 78 children ages 3–13 using an ear canal probe tube microphone system. The average peak resonant frequency was 2848 Hz (range: 1774–4039),...
Superior 12-hour heart preservation with Pinacidil hyperpolarizing solution compared to University of Wisconsin Solution

Abstract Background A novel donor heart preservation solution was formulated to produce hyperpolarized arrest with the potassium channel opener, pinacidil. The superior cardioprotective efficacy of this solution has been demonstrated previously when compared to University of Wisconsin solution following 4 hours of hypothermic ischemia. This study tested the hypothesis that pinacidil solution may extend preservation time and provide superior cardioprotective efficacy following 12 hours of ischemia. Methods Sixteen rabbit hearts were assigned to receive either pinacidil solution or University of Wisconsin solution in a crystalloid-perfused Langendorff model. Thirty minutes of initial perfusion preceded baseline data acquisition. Left ventricle pressure–volume curves were generated by inflating an intra-ventricular latex balloon. Following cardioplegic administration, hearts underwent 12 hours of hypothermic storage. After 60 minutes of reperfusion, post-ischemic data were acquired. Results Pinacidil solution demonstrated significantly better myocardial preservation compared to University of Wisconsin solution, with better recovery of developed pressure (53.0 ± 11.1% vs 20.7 ± 4.3%, p = 0.017, respectively), post-ischemic coronary flow (55.3 ± 12.6% vs 23.9 ± 4.3%, p = 0.034), maximum systolic dP/dT (46.4 ± 8.3% vs 20.2 ± 5.1%, p = 0.018) and minimum diastolic −dP/dT (65.3 ± 10.8% vs 20.2 ± 5.1%, p = 0.002). Diastolic compliance, expressed as baseline/post-ischemic diastolic slope ratios, was also better preserved by pinacidil solution (0.55 ± 0.09) vs University of Wisconsin solution (0.40 ± 0.03) ( p = 0.135). Conclusions A novel pinacidil solution resulted in improved donor heart preservation during 12 hours of hypothermic ischemia compared to the "gold standard," University of Wisconsin solution. Adopting alternative strategies of hyperpolarized arrest may allow extension of preservation time beyond the limits of traditional depolarizing solutions.
Osteopontin Facilitates Bone Resorption, Decreasing Bone Mineral Crystallinity and Content During Calcium Deficiency

Osteopontin null-mice were previously shown to have bones containing more mineral and larger mineral crystals. These bones were independently seen to be resistant to ovariectomy-induced remodeling. To separate the physicochemical effects of osteopontin, which is an in vitro inhibitor of mineral crystal formation and growth, from effects of osteopontin on in vivo bone remodeling, this study examined mature (5-month-old) osteopontin-null (Opn−/−) and wildtype (WT) mice given a calcium-deficient diet. Biochemical parameters were measured during 4 weeks of Ca deficiency, followed by 1 week of refeeding adequate Ca. Ca deficiency caused a transiently greater rise in bone resorption in WT than Opn−/− mice (P = 0.01), whereas only the Opn−/− mice tended to increase Ca absorption (P = 0.08), yet both groups showed elevated levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) (P < 0.001). The rise in markers of bone formation due to Ca deficiency was similar in both groups during Ca deficiency. Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy assessed mineral properties at 20 µm spatial resolution in different anatomic regions of the bone. The Ca-deficient Opn−/− animals had slightly increased mineral content as compared to the WT, and there was a significant increase in the mineral content of older (endosteal) bone, implying that osteoclast recruitment was impaired. Crystallinity in the Ca-deficient Opn−/− bones was increased relative to the Ca-deficient WT at all sites except adjacent to the periosteum (younger mineral). These data suggest that osteopontin has both a physicochemical effect (inhibiting crystal growth and crystal proliferation) and a role in osteoclast recruitment, and in its absence, extraskeletal organs maintain calcium homeostasis.
Immunohistochemical Localization of Gaq, PLCβ, Gαi1-2, PKA, and the Endothelin B and Extracellular Ca2+-sensing Receptors during Early Amelogenesis

Antibodies specific to Gaq, PLCβ, Gai 1-2, and PKA were immunohistochemically (IHC) localized in the pre-ameloblasts up to initial dentin matrix deposition and continued in the distal ends of the pre-secretory ameloblasts to the beginning of enamel matrix secretion. It was hypothesized that the endothelin B receptor (ETBR) and/or the extracellular Ca2+-sensing receptor (CaR) would localize in the same locations as their known downstream signal transduction pathway (STP) effectors during events related to early amelogenesis. Localization was similar for the 4 signal transduction pathway elements and the CaR. The ETBR was not localized in any of the cells of the enamel organ. These findings indicate that the CaR and its related STPs are expressed in the pre-ameloblasts and pre-secretory ameloblasts in positions where they may be able to detect increases in extracellular Ca2+ concentrations observed in the pre-dentin matrix in a previous study. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that incre...
Programming in Polygon R&D: Explorations with a Spatial Language II

This paper introduces the language associated with a polygon microworld called PolygonR&D, which has the mathematical crispness of Logo and has the discreteness and simplicity of a Turing machine. In this microworld, polygons serve two purposes: as agents (similar to the turtles in Logo), and as data (landmarks in the plane). Programming the spatial behaviour of polygon agents is achieved by a simple variable-free language. Although limited in the number of instructions, the language allows for complex outcomes such as creation of sophisticated tilings, algorithm visualization, simulations, and even numerical computation. The ease of constructing the variety of examples shown in this paper indicates the microworld’s potential in both secondary and post-secondary education.
How People with Parkinson's Disease Get Out of Bed

Background and Purpose. Difficulty with bed mobility is reported by 66% of people with Parkinson's disease (PD). Our purpose was to describe movement patterns (MPs) used by individuals with PD for ...
Environmental Influences on the Onset and Clinical Course of Crohn's Disease—Part 2: Infections and Medication Use

Dr Berg is a fellow in the Section of Gastroenterology, Dr Dam is a medi- cal resident in the Section of Internal Medicine, and Dr Farraye is the clinical director of the Section of Gastroenterol- ogy at the Boston Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. Abstract: The pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD) involves host, genetic, and environmental factors. These factors result in distur- bances in the innate and adaptive immune systems and compo- sition of the intestinal microbiota. Epidemiologic and migration studies support an environmental component in the development of CD. Environmental risk factors include childhood hygiene, air pollution, breastfeeding, smoking, diet, stress, exercise, seasonal variation, appendectomy, medications, and infections. This 2-part series provides an overview of these external contributors to the development or exacerbation of CD. Part 1, which was published in a previous issue, focused on childhood factors, perinatal influ- ences, and lifestyle choices. Part 2, presented here, details the effects of infections, antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and oral contraceptives.
OBSERVATIONS WITH THE ELECTRON MICROSCOPE ON CELLS OF THE CHICK CHORIO-ALLANTOIC MEMBRANE INFECTED WITH INFLUENZA VIRUS

Preparations of influenza-infected chick chorio-allantoic membrane made by two types of tissue culture and by sectioning, have been studied in the electron microscope. Comparisons have been made of influenza A' (FM1), influenza A (PR8), and swine influenza (V15), three strains which produce different relative numbers of filaments. Normal surface projections which may be confused with influenza filaments are described. Extruded products of degenerating cells, usually bleb-shaped, may also be found both in uninfected allantoic fluid and tissue cultures. It appears that the filaments and spheres of influenza virus, concurrently projecting from the free cell surface, represent the only visible change in the cells until late in the infection,—how late the present work does not tell. No definite evidence of a generalized infection throughout the cytoplasm or of inclusions was found. Additional evidence is presented for the assumption that the filaments have a significant role in the final development of the free virus.
Increased DNA synthesis of uninvolved psoriatic epidermis is maintained in vitro

SUMMARY Clinically uninvolved psoriatic epidermis shows increased DNA synthesis in vivo. We have studied the DNA synthesis of cultured keratinocytes from uninvolved psoriatic skin. Trypsinized epidennal cells were plated on plastic dishes pre-coated with bovine collagen type I. In initial studies, normal human serum was found to be superior to fetal bovine in supporting the growth of human epidermal keratinocytes. Eurthermore, keratinocyte cultures established in the presence of normal human serum produced large keratin proteins (68,000 daltons) indicating that the terminal steps in cell differentiation can occur in vitro. In subsequent experiments keratinocyte cultures were grown in medium supplemented with 10% normal human serum. Confluent cultures of keratinocytes from uninvolved psoriatic epidermis had an increased DNA synthesis determined both as the incorporation of [^HJthymidine and as the autoradiographic labelling index. The DNA synthesis of both normal and psoriatic keratinocyte cultures increased in response to incubation in medium with 10% psoriatic serum. The ability of keratinocytes from uninvolved psoriatic epidermis to maintain an increased DNA synthesis suggests the presence of an inherent defect within the population of epidermal keratinocytes in psoriasis. Such a culture system can be used as an in vitro model for the study of psoriasis. Both inflammation and abnormal epidermal growth are essential components of psoriatic skin lesions. Recently, much emphasis has been put on the inflammation occurring in psoriasis, but epidermal hyperproliferation remains the single best marker of psoriasis. An increased labelling index is seen in involved and, to a lesser degree, in uninvolved psoriatic epidermal keratinocytes (Hell & Hodgson, 1966; Goodwin, Hamilton & Ery, 1973; Grove, Auderton & Smith, 1976; Marks, 1978; Rowe, Dixon & Eorsythe, 1978). The concept of increased epidermal DNA' synthesis in uninvolved psoriatic epidermis is further supported by transplantation studies of uninvolved psoriatic skin to congenitally athymic mice (Krueger, Chambers & Shelby, 1981). This property of uninvolved psoriatic epidermis makes it an attractive model to study the aberrant epidermal growth in psoriasis. The failure of culture systems to maintain the increased
Incorporating Uncertainty of Wind Power Generation Forecast Into Power System Operation, Dispatch, and Unit Commitment Procedures

An approach to evaluate the uncertainties of the balancing capacity, ramping capability, and ramp duration requirements is proposed. The approach includes three steps: forecast data acquisition, statistical analysis of retrospective information, and prediction of grid balancing requirements for a specified time horizon and a given confidence level. An assessment of the capacity and ramping requirements is performed using a specially developed probabilistic algorithm based on histogram analysis, capable of incorporating multiple sources of uncertainty - both continuous (wind and load forecast errors) and discrete (forced generator outages and startup failures). A new method called the “flying-brick” technique is developed to evaluate the look-ahead required generation performance envelope for the worst-case scenario within a user-specified confidence level. A self-validation process is used to validate the accuracy of the confidence intervals. To demonstrate the validity of the developed uncertainty assessment methods and its impact on grid operation, a framework for integrating the proposed methods with an energy management system (EMS) is developed. Demonstration through EMS integration illustrates the applicability of the proposed methodology and the developed tool for actual grid operation and paves the road for integration with EMS systems in control rooms.
Faith and unfaithfulness: Can praying for your partner reduce infidelity?

Because religion and/or spirituality is integral to the lives of a majority of the world population, we conducted 3 studies on the role of prayer in romantic relationships. Study 1 (N = 375) showed that prayer for the partner predicted lower levels of extradyadic romantic behavior over a 6-week period, over and beyond relationship satisfaction, and initial levels of extradyadic romantic behavior. In Study 2 (N = 83), we used an experimental design to show that participants assigned to pray for each day for 4 weeks engaged in lower levels of extradyadic romantic behavior during that time, compared with those who engaged in daily positive thoughts about the partner or a neutral activity. Perception of the relationship as sacred mediated the relation between experimentally manipulated prayer and later infidelity. Study 3 (N = 23) showed that objective observers rated participants who had been praying for their partner for 4 weeks as more committed to their romantic relationship than control participants. The implications of these results are then discussed. Because religion and/or spirituality is integral to the lives of a majority of the world population, we conducted 3 studies on the role of prayer in romantic relationships. Study 1 (N = 375) showed that prayer for the partner predicted lower levels of extradyadic romantic behavior over a 6-week period, over and beyond relationship satisfaction, and initial levels of extradyadic romantic behavior. In Study 2 (N = 83), we used an experimental design to show that participants assigned to pray for each day for 4 weeks engaged in lower levels of extradyadic romantic behavior during that time, compared with those who engaged in daily positive thoughts about the partner or a neutral activity. Perception of the relationship as sacred mediated the relation between experimentally manipulated prayer and later infidelity. Study 3 (N = 23) showed that objective observers rated participants who had been praying for their partner for 4 weeks as more committed to their romantic relationship than control participants. The implications of these results are then discussed.
Detection and Interpretation of Human Walking Gestures for Human-Robot Interaction

Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) has become a very important field on Mobile robotics community. Service Robots must have efficient modules for HRI, in order to deal with humans in a robust way. For a service robot, it is very important to interpret when a person needs or requires assistance. In this paper a system for the detection and analysis of corporal gestures (particularly walking gestures) is presented. The system is used to interpret human attitudes. In order to detect and track humans on interior environments the system uses a PTZ camera and a laser range finder mounted on a mobile robot platform. The digital images obtained through the camera are processed to detect and track people. While a person is tracked by the PTZ camera, pan configuration parameter from camera is used in order to track the legs of the person by the LRF. Motion of the person on the global reference frame is then used to interpret walking gestures.
Priorities and uncertainties of administering chemotherapy in a pregnant woman with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer

Background. The absence of treatment standards for the use of chemotherapy in pregnancy is due, in part, to the fact that cancer in the gravid female is relatively uncommon.Method. A case (of a pregnant woman with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer) is presented to explore this area of medical uncertainty.Result. Managed by a multi-disciplinary team, successful prolongation of gestation was achieved with an oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy regimen.Conclusion. A perspective of the ongoing conflict between prolonging the mother's life and preserving fetal development is highlighted. Although not life-saving, administration of chemotherapy in this woman was life-sparing. J Oncol Pharm Practice (2009) 15: 5—8.
Assessing Physician Leadership Styles: Application of the Situational Leadership Model to Transitions in Patient Acuity

Background: The situational leadership model suggests that an effective leader adapts leadership style depending on the followers’ level of competency. Purpose: We assessed the applicability and reliability of the situational leadership model when observing residents in simulated hospital floor-based scenarios. Methods: Resident teams engaged in clinical simulated scenarios. Video recordings were divided into clips based on Emergency Severity Index v4 acuity scores. Situational leadership styles were identified in clips by two physicians. Interrater reliability was determined through descriptive statistical data analysis. Results: There were 114 participants recorded in 20 sessions, and 109 clips were reviewed and scored. There was a high level of interrater reliability (weighted kappa r = .81) supporting situational leadership model's applicability to medical teams. A suggestive correlation was found between frequency of changes in leadership style and the ability to effectively lead a medical team. Conc...
Which Thoughts Count? Algorithms for Evaluating Satisfaction in Relationships

Individuals differ in both their motivation to obtain incentives in their relationships (approach goals) and their motivation to dampen the threats in their relationships (avoidance goals). When evaluating relationship satisfaction, individuals with strong approach goals should weigh positive features in their relationships more heavily than do individuals low in approach goals, and individuals with strong avoidance social goals should weigh negative features more than do individuals with weaker avoidance social goals. In a study testing this idea, participants were randomly signaled several times a day to report their positive (passion) and negative (insecurity) thoughts about their current romantic partner. At the end of the day, they reported their overall relationship satisfaction. The results confirmed the hypotheses: Algorithms used to assess relationship satisfaction differ as a function of goal strength. We discuss the results not in terms of biases in subjective evaluation, but rather in terms of...
Influences of atmospheric CO2 enrichment on the responses of sugar maple and trembling aspen to defoliation

Impacts of defoliation on the growth and physiology of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) were examined in ambient and CO 2 -enriched atmospheres. Saplings were grown for 70 d in controlled environments, wherein CO 2 mole fractions averaged either 356 μmol mol -1 or 645 μmol mol -1 , under a PPF of 500 μmol m -2 s -1 . On day 49 of the study, 50 % of the leaf area was removed from a subset of each species in both CO 2 environments. Relative growth rate (RGR) and its physiological and morphological determinants were monitored before and after defoliation. For non-defoliated saplings of both species, a slight stimulation of RGR (c. 5 %) in elevated CO 2 led to a modest increase (9-11 %) in final sapling weight. In the case of maple, the minimal growth response corresponded with minor CO 2 effects on specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf weight ratio (LWR), and an apparent CO 2 -induced down-regulation of photosynthetic metabolism. For aspen, the CO 2 stimulation of photosynthesis was largely offset by a decrease in SLA. Responses to defoliation differed markedly between species and CO 2 environments. Defoliation decreased maple RGR in ambient CO 2 , whereas the opposite occurred in elevated CO 2 . The latter led to complete recovery of plant weight (compensation), and was attributed to a defoliation-induced increase in carbon allocation to new leaves, along with a reversal of photosynthetic CO 2 acclimation in that foliage. In both environments, aspen RGR increased after defoliation, facilitating almost full compensation. Defoliation increased light penetration into the aspen canopy, and it was estimated that the resultant stimulation of photosynthesis in lower leaves would have more than offset the concomitant decrease in LWR. CO 2 enrichment might substantially enhance the ability of certain tree species to recover from herbivory. Moreover, responses to elevated CO 2 might be largest in the presence of stresses, such as herbivory, that decrease plant source: sink ratios.
Power-aware scheduling under timing constraints for mission-critical embedded systems

Power-aware systems are those that must make the best use of available power. They subsume traditional low-power systems in that they must not only minimize power when the budget is low, but also deliver high performance when required. This paper presents a new scheduling technique for supporting the design and evaluation of a class of power-aware systems in mission-critical applications. It satisfies stringent min/max timing and max power constraints. It also makes the best effort to satisfy the min power constraint in an attempt to fully utilize free power or to control power jitter. Experimental results show that our scheduler can improve performance and reduce energy cost simultaneously compared to hand-crafted designs for previous missions. This tool forms the basis of the IMPACCT system-level framework that will enable designers to explore many power-performance trade-offs with confidence.
Using mathematical modeling to predict survival of low‐grade gliomas

Pallud and colleagues have presented some interesting data concerning the long-term follow-up of low-grade gliomas, but why did they not pursue the implications of the mathematical model of glioma behavior that they championed in their previous work. If they had, they would have seen that there can be no dichotomy, no distribution of velocities that “results in two groups,” but rather a continuous gradation of velocities of glioma expansion contributing to survival differences. The two independent variables that Pallud and colleagues found to be statistically significant (p 0.034), velocity and size, are exactly what the mathematical model predicts for survival. Actually, these two variables combine seamlessly to produce a predicted survival for each patient; but in the available space and without access to the original data, we can illustrate only a sampling of predictions from the data provided in the manuscript (Table). For example, a tumor 80 mm in diameter would require only 2.5 years to grow enough to kill if expanding at 11 mm/year but would not yet have reached a fatal size within 11 years if only expanding at 2–3 mm/year. A few questions require clarification. First, if “patients were excluded when an oncological treatment was administered,... or when anaplastic transformation occurred...histologically... or when a contrast enhancement appeared on MRI,” who was left to die? Were all 143 patients “pure” low-grade gliomas until they died or were last seen alive? Second, what was “time zero” in this study? That is, what is the relation between the time for “the median tumor volume (estimated on MRI before surgery)” and the time to the beginning of “the overall median duration of clinical follow-up since radiological diagnosis”? Were there not magnetic resonance images on some patients being followed before any surgery (and after a radiological diagnosis), and were these excluded? Third, rather than a p value of 0.619 for the “random histological review...in 40 cases (28%),” would it not have been more interesting to review and compare all 22 cases in the “high-rate” group (ie, velocity 8mm/yr) with the 16 cases in the lowest of the “low-rate” group (ie, velocity 1mm/yr)? Can not neuropathology do better than to lump velocities of greater than 10-fold differences together? Finally, we offer a suggestion: We prefer the phrase “velocity of radial expansion” (which is more euphonious and would be half that of “diametric expansion”) to “growth rate” because the latter ambiguously implies proliferation, perhaps forgetting the cell loss factor, perhaps even including diffusion, whereas the mathematical model clearly separates net proliferation ( ) and net dispersal or diffusion (D), the product of which relate to the velocity.
Deletion of Syk in Neutrophils Prevents Immune Complex Arthritis

The K/BxN serum transfer model of arthritis is critically dependent on FcγR signaling events mediated by spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk). However, the specific cell types in which this signaling is required are not known. We report that deletion of Syk in neutrophils, achieved using syk(f/f) MRP8-cre(+) mice, blocks disease development in serum transfer arthritis. The syk(f/f) MRP8-cre(+) mice display absent joint disease and reduced deposition of pathogenic anti-glucose-6-phosphate isomerase Abs in the joint (with a reciprocal accumulation of these Abs in the peripheral circulation). Additionally, syk(f/f) MRP8-cre(+) mice manifest poor edema formation within 3 h after formation of cutaneous immune complexes (Arthus reaction). Together, this suggests that neutrophil-dependent recognition of immune complexes contributes significantly to changes in vascular permeability during the early phases of immune complex disease. Using mixed chimeric mice, containing both wild-type and syk(f/f) MRP8-cre(+) neutrophils, we find no impairment in recruitment of Syk-deficient neutrophils to the inflamed joint, but they fail to become primed, demonstrating lower cytokine production after removal from the joint. They also display an increased apoptotic rate compared with wild-type cells in the same joint. Mast cell-deficient c-kit(sh/sh) mice developed robust arthritis after serum transfer whereas c-kit(W/Wv) mice did not, suggesting that previous conclusions concerning the central role of mast cells in this model may need to be revised. Basophil-deficient mice also responded normally to K/BxN serum transfer. These results demonstrate that Syk-dependent signaling in neutrophils alone is critically required for arthritis development in the serum transfer model.
The Geometry of Uncertainty in Moving Objects Databases

This work addresses the problem of querying moving objects databases. which capture the inherent uncertainty associated with the location of moving point objects. We address the issue of modeling, constructing, and querying a trajectories database. We propose to model a trajectory as a 3D cylindrical body. The model incorporates uncertainty in a manner that enables efficient querying. Thus our model strikes a balance between modeling power, and computational efficiency. To demonstrate efficiency, we report on experimental results that relate the length of a trajectory to its size in bytes. The experiments were conducted using a real map of the Chicago Metropolitan area.We introduce a set of novel but natural spatio-temporal operators which capture uncertainty, and are used to express spatio-temporal range queries. We also devise and analyze algorithms to process the operators. The operators have been implemented as a part of our DOMINO project.
Neuromuscular complications associated with liver transplantation

We studied neuromuscular complications in a cohort of 520 patients with liver transplantation. Perioperative mononeuropathy developed in 9 patients. The peroneal nerve, radial nerve, and cutaneous branch of the femoral nerve were affected in 2 patients each. Two patients had herpes zoster-associated radiculopathy, and 1 patient had Horner's syndrome. Recovery was good in most patients. In 7 patients, severe quadriplegia complicated the perioperative course. In 5 patients, electrophysiologic studies suggested acute necrotic myopathy, and muscle biopsy specimens showed evidence of rhabdomyolysis in 1 patient. Outcome in survivors was good, all recovering completely. We conclude that neuromuscular complications in liver transplantation are uncommon (less than 1%) and do not significantly contribute to morbidity. Mononeuropathies may have iatrogenic perioperative causes, and rhabdomyolysis may be an important cause of generalized muscle weakness after liver transplantation.
Fluorescence analysis of chemical microenvironments and their impact upon performance of immobilized enzyme

In this work the shift in fluorescence emission spectra of acrylodan, a polar sensitive fluorophore, has been used to characterize the polarity immediately surrounding cytoplasmic (cMDH) and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase (mMDH) enzyme immobilized within three-dimensional macroporous chitosan scaffolds. The scaffolds were fabricated from solutions of fluorescently tagged enzymes mixed with deacetylated and hydrophobically modified chitosan polymer. Each solution was frozen and then freeze-dried through the process of thermally induced phase separation (TIPS). The blue shift in acrylodan's emission maxima (λmax) revealed a polar shift in the chemical microenvironment surrounding the enzymes when immobilized in a modified as opposed to unmodified chitosan scaffold. These results suggest that the method of hydrophobic modification of native chitosan polymer can be used to control the amphiphilic nature of the chemical microenvironment immediately surrounding the enzyme after it has been immobilized.
Evasion planning for autonomous vehicles at intersections

Autonomous intersection management (AIM) is a new intersection control protocol that exploits the capabilities of autonomous vehicles to control traffic at intersections in a way better than traffic signals and stop signs. A key assumption of this protocol is that vehicles can always follow their trajectories. But mechanical failures can occur in real life, causing vehicles to deviate from their trajectories. A previous approach for handling mechanical failure was to prevent vehicles from entering the intersection after the failure. However, this approach cannot prevent collisions among vehicles already in the intersection or too close to stop because (1) the lack of coordination among vehicles can cause collisions during the execution of evasive actions; and (2) the intersection may not have enough room for evasive actions. In this paper, we propose a preemptive approach that pre-computes evasion plans for several common types of mechanical failures before vehicles enter an intersection. This preemptive approach is necessary because there are situations in which vehicles cannot evade without pre-allocation of space for evasion. We present a modified AIM protocol and demonstrate the effectiveness of evasion plan execution on a miniature autonomous intersection testbed.
Approximate dynamic programming for anemia management

The focus of this dissertation work is the formulation and improvement of anemia management process involving trial-and-error. A two-stage method is adopted toward this objective. Given a medical treatment process, a discrete Markov representation is first derived as a formal translation of the treatment process to a control problem under uncertainty. A simulative numerical solution of the control problem is then obtained on-the-fly in the form of a control law maximizing the long-term benefit at each decision stage. Approximate dynamic programming methods are employed in the proposed solution. The motivation underlying this choice is that, in reality, some patient characteristics, which are critical for the sake of treatment, cannot be determined through diagnosis and remain unknown until early stages of treatment, when the patient demonstrates them upon actions by the decision maker. A review of these simulative control tools, which are studied extensively in reinforcement learning theory, is presented. Two approximate dynamic programming tools, namely SARSA and Q-learning, are introduced. Their performance in discovering the optimal individualized drug dosing policy is illustrated on hypothetical patients made up as fuzzy models for simulations. As an addition to these generic reinforcement learning methods, a state abstraction scheme for the considered application domain is also proposed. The control methods of this study, capturing the essentials of a drug delivery problem, constitutes a novel computational framework for model-free medical treatment. Experimental evaluation of the dosing strategies produced by the proposed methods against the standard policy, which is being followed actually by human experts in Kidney Diseases Program, University of Louisville, shows the advantages for use of reinforcement learning in the drug dosing problem in particular and in medical decision making in general.
The Moral Act

From the manuals of the classicist period, moral theology inherited an understanding of the moral act that is rooted in the classical conception of the human being as a rational animal. However, the new personalist and relational anthropology characterizing contemporary theology requires a corresponding revised idea of the nature of the moral act. This revision, it appears, cannot be definitively achieved unless a holistic material understanding of the moral life first replaces the merely formal and empty concept of it in the manualist tradition. Fortunately, this replacement seems to be occurring. The areas of sexual morality and social consciousness are those that suffer the greatest distortion in ethics based on classicist anthropology and, similarly, admit the greatest revision when transferred into the context of contemporary theological anthropology.
Review of the Application of the Response Deprivation Model to Organizational Behavior Management

ABSTRACTThe Response Deprivation Model states that any behavior in an organism’s repertoire can serve as a reinforcer if access to that behavior is restricted. A deprivation contingency requires the organism to engage more in the target behavior in order to obtain access to the restricted behavior. This model replaces the limited and sometimes incorrect Premack Principle. By applying this model to Organizational Behavior Management, businesses can increase workers’ productivity by restricting their access to certain tasks. The reviewed studies include applications to sales and quality management. The relative paucity of current applications in Organizational Behavior Management, possible reasons for this, and solutions are discussed.
Symptomatic intrathecal hypertension.

The Monro-Kellie doctrine states that since the cranium is an incompressible space, the sum of its contents must remain constant. An increase in one component must be accompanied by a decrease in another component, and even a small increase in the intracranial contents can result in a marked increase in intracranial pressure, causing pain and neurologic dysfunction.1 It is interesting that this concept has not been widely applied to the spinal canal, which is also an incompressible space. Theoretically, an increase in the intraspinal contents should result in increased pressure within the spinal canal with the potential to cause damage to the spinal cord and nerve roots. Here we describe a patient with complete spinal block due to arachnoiditis, elevated CSF pressure, and back pain whose symptoms resolved with CSF removal.
Stress and social support networks among lesbian and heterosexual women: A comparison study

Abstract Twenty‐nine lesbian/gay women and seventy‐seven heterosexual women from North Carolina completed a quantitative survey on stress and social support. The purpose of this descriptive study was to compare stress levels of lesbians and heterosexual women in order to determine whether or not lesbians experience a higher level of stress and if so, the effects that social support has on stress levels. Findings showed that the stress levels were similar between the two groups and that factors such as SES profiles may be more important in impacting stress than sexual identification.
Measurement of the spectral line shapes for orbital excitations in the Mott insulator CoO using high-resolution resonant inelastic x-ray scattering

We establish the spectral line shape of orbital excitations created by resonant inelastic x-ray scattering for the model Mott insulator CoO. Improved experimental energy resolution reveals that the line shapes are strikingly different from expectations in a first-principles-based atomic multiplet model. Extended theoretical simulations are performed to identify the underlying physical origins, which include a pronounced thermal tail reminiscent of anti-Stokes scattering on the energy gain side of excitations, and an essential contribution from interatomic many-body dynamics on the energy loss side of excitations.
Seasonal Bone Loss in Elderly Women: Pathogenesis and Potential Implications

Several studies have documented seasonal effects on bone mass in elderly women(1-8). In particular, bone mineral density (BMD) at the spine or hip can decline by as much as 3% during six winter months while BMD is maintained during the summer and fall. It is known that serum levels of 25 hydroxyvitamin D3 (250HD) can fall by 25% during winter months in elderly women living in northern latitudes(5,6). However, the mechanism whereby seasonal changes in vitamin D metabolism accelerate bone loss in elders still remains to be elucidated. Furthermore, it is unclear precisely how the dynamics of reduced calcium and vitamin D intake interact to negatively affect bone turnover. Yet loss of bone mass among women in their eighth and ninth decade of life is certain to predispose elders to a greater risk of fractures.
DISARMAMENT NEGOTIATIONS AS AN EXERCISE IN MATURE RIVALRY

[While we have examined factors that (1) determine the level and composition of military expenditures and their change, (2) the impacts of such expenditures on the economy and trade, (3) the costs of war, and (4) the goals of national security reflected in damage threatening and damage limiting weaponry, we have not yet treated another critical aspect of the peace problem, namely the reaching of decisions by key political leaders. Each leader of course, has a particular personality, possesses values of a specific political subculture, and is subject to all kinds of cognitive limitations. An extensive literature on decision making exists, as noted in the first chapter. In the present chapter within the framework of oligopoly theory Kuenne adapts his significant contributions on mature leadership to the possibility of disarmament decision making by key political leaders. He goes beyond a conceptual elaboration of the required interplay of both competitive and cooperative factors and begins to explore in a precise operational way desirable properties of such interplay. (eds.)]