cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A new generic model for vision based tracking in robotics systems

Visual sensing for robotics has been around for decades, but our understanding of a timing model remains crude. By timing model, we refer to the delays (processing lag and motion lag) between "reality" (when a part is sensed), through data processing (the processing of image data to determine part position and orientation), through control (the computation and initiation of robot motion), through "arrival" (when the robot reaches "reality"). In this work we introduce a timing model where sensing and control operate asynchronously. We apply this model to a robotic workcell consisting of a Staubli RX-130 industrial robot manipulator, a network of six cameras for sensing, and an off-the-shelf Adept MV-19 controller. We demonstrate some experiments to show how the model is applied.
Differential mismatch repair can explain the disproportionalities between physical distances and recombination frequencies of cyc1 mutations in yeast.

Recombination rates have been examined in two-point crosses of various defined cyc1 mutations that cause the loss or nonfunction of iso-1-cytochrome c in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Recombinants arising by three different means were investigated, including X-ray induced mitotic recombination, spontaneous mitotic recombination, and meiotic recombination. Heteroallelic diploid strains were derived by crossing cyc1 mutants containing a series of alterations at or near the same site to cyc1 mutants containing alterations at various distances. Marked disproportionalities between physical distances and recombination frequencies were observed with certain cyc1 mutations, indicating that certain mismatched bases can significantly affect recombination. The marker effects were more pronounced when the two mutational sites of the heteroalleles were within about 20 base pairs, but separated by at least 4 base pairs. Two alleles, cyc1-163 and cyc1-166, which arose by G.C----C.G transversions at nucleotide positions 3 and 194, respectively, gave rise to especially high rates of recombination. Other mutations having different substitutions at the same nucleotide positions were not associated with abnormally high recombination frequencies. We suggest that these marker effects are due to the lack of repair of either G/G or C/C mismatched base pairs, while the other mismatched base pair of the heteroallele undergoes substantial repair. Furthermore, we suggest that diminished recombination frequencies are due to the concomitant repair of both mismatches within the same DNA tract.
The New Nigerien Hausa Diaspora in the U.S.: surviving and building community on the margins of the global economy

This paper focuses on new Nigerien Hausa diaspora communities in U.S. cities. The economic and political policies of nation-states and international financial institutions exacerbate the abject poverty of Niger and impel Hausa to migrate to the U.S. where they work in the shadows of the formal economy or in the globalized informal economy. They rely on fluid, overlapping face-toface, imagined, and virtual communities to mitigate their marginalized position. Nigerien Hausa are creatively mediating and adapting global technologies of time-space compression—especially the Internet, telephones, and electronic money transfer services—to benefit and link their already established and newly emergent communities in diaspora. Based on multi-sited ethnographic evidence, this paper highlights the culturally specific ways that Nigerien Hausa navigate through global constraints and opportunities in their active efforts to survive and support their transnational families and communities, while maintaining dignity and solidarity.
Activities of Daily Living Is a Critical Factor in Predicting Outcome After Carotid Endarterectomy in Asymptomatic Patients

Background and Purpose—Ability to perform basic daily activity represented by functional status (FNS) before surgery can be assessed in the clinic for determining health status of the patient. We sought to study the effect of FNS on postoperative outcomes after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in a national data set. Methods—National Surgical Quality Improvement Project is a national data set, which includes data from >300 hospitals. Patients who underwent CEA were identified by Current Procedural Terminology code and divided into 3 categories based on FNS: independent, partially dependent, and dependent. Thirty-day postoperative stroke, death, and other postoperative complications were identified as the study end point. We used multivariate logistic regression to estimate odds ratio for outcomes while controlling for sex, race, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, smoking, and other confounders. Results—Of 19 748 CEAs, 19 348 (97.97%) were functionally independent, 377 (1.99%) were functionally partial...
Sub)regular robotic languages

This paper brings together concepts from linguistics and formal language theory and applies them to model robot behavior. This is done by defining a class of formal languages that capture the abstract behavior of robots which can be described as hybrid systems with stable continuous dynamics. It is shown that this class of languages falls within the Subregular hierarchy, thereby enabling computationally efficient operations between elements of the class. Specifically, we show that the languages in question are Star-free, but do not belong into two well-known subclasses, members of which have been used in linguistics to construct models of natural language sound pattern acquisition.
CETP genotypes and HDL-cholesterol phenotypes in the HERITAGE Family Study

Associations between cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) polymorphisms and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) levels before and after 20 wk of endurance training were investigated i...
Relationship between gene co-expression and sharing of transcription factor binding sites in Drosophila melanogaster

Motivation: In functional genomics, it is frequently useful to correlate expression levels of genes to identify transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) via the presence of common sequence motifs. The underlying assumption is that co-expressed genes are more likely to contain shared TFBS and, thus, TFBS can be identified computationally. Indeed, gene pairs with a very high expression correlation show a significant excess of shared binding sites in yeast. We have tested this assumption in a more complex organism, Drosophila melanogaster, by using experimentally determined TFBS and microarray expression data. We have also examined the reverse relationship between the expression correlation and the extent of TFBS sharing. Results: Pairs of genes with shared TFBS show, on average, a higher degree of co-expression than those with no common TFBS in Drosophila. However, the reverse does not hold true: gene pairs with high expression correlations do not share significantly larger numbers of TFBS. Exception to this observation exists when comparing expression of genes from the earliest stages of embryonic development. Interestingly, semantic similarity between gene annotations (Biological Process) is much better associated with TFBS sharing, as compared to the expression correlation. We discuss these results in light of reverse engineering approaches to computationally predict regulatory sequences by using comparative genomics. Contact: amarcoca@asu.edu
Clumped isotope measurements of small carbonate samples using a high-efficiency dual-reservoir technique

RATIONALE The measurement of multiply substituted isotopologues of CO2 derived from carbonate has allowed the reconstruction of paleotemperatures from a single phase (CaCO3), circumventing uncertainty inherent in other isotopic paleothermometers. Traditional analytical techniques require relatively large amounts of carbonate (3–8 mg per replicate), which limits the applicability of the clumped isotope proxy to certain geological materials such as marine microfossils, commonly used for paleoclimate reconstructions. METHODS Clumped isotope ratio measurements of small samples were made on a new, high-efficiency, dual-reservoir sample-preparation inlet system attached to a Thermo-Finnigan MAT 253 mass spectrometer. Sample gas produced on the inlet is introduced from a 10 mL reservoir directly into the source via a capillary. Reference gas fills an identical 10 mL reservoir installed between the reference bellows and the capillary. The gas pressures in the two reservoirs are initially balanced, and are allowed to decrease together over the run. RESULTS Carbonate samples from 1 mg to 2.6 mg produced Δ47 values equivalent to those from the traditional two-bellows method with identical single-sample precision (1 SE = 0.005–0.015‰) and external standard error (SE = 0.006–0.015‰, n = 4–6). The size of sample needed to achieve good precision is controlled by the sensitivity of the mass spectrometer and the size of the fixed reservoirs and adjacent U-trap installed on our inlet. CONCLUSIONS The high-precision clumped isotope measurements of small aliquots of carbonate obtained in this method allows for the application of this proxy to a wider range of geological sample materials, such as marine microfossils, that until now have been nearly impossible to analyze given sample size limitation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Intentional planning system: ItPlanS

This paper describes the Intentional Planning System(ItPlanS) an incremental, hierarchical planner that uses a series of experts to develop plans. This system takes seriously the concept of the context sensitivity of actions while working in a resource bounded framework.
Escherichia coli OxyR modulation of bacteriophage Mu mom expression in dam+ cells can be attributed to its ability to bind hemimethylated Pmom promoter DNA.

Transcription of the bacteriophage Mu mom operon is strongly repressed by the host OxyR protein in dam - but not dam + cells. In this work we show that the extent of mom modification is sensitive to the relative levels of the Dam and OxyR proteins and OxyR appears to modulate the level of mom expression even in dam + cells. In vitro studies demonstrated that OxyR is capable of binding hemimethylated P mom , although its affinity is reduced slightly compared with unmethylated DNA. Thus, OxyR modulation of mom expression in dam + cells can be attributed to its ability to bind hemimethylated P mom DNA, the product of DNA replication.
Self-rated health supersedes patient satisfaction with service quality as a predictor of survival in prostate cancer

We have previously reported that higher patient satisfaction (PS) with service quality is associated with favorable survival outcomes in a variety of cancers. However, we argued that patients with greater satisfaction might be the ones with better self-rated health (SRH), a recognized predictor of cancer survival. We therefore investigated whether SRH can supersede patient satisfaction as a predictor of survival in prostate cancer. Nine hundred seventeen prostate cancer treated at four Cancer Treatment Centers of America® hospitals between July 2011 and March 2013. PS was measured on a 7-point scale ranging from “completely dissatisfied” to “completely satisfied”. SRH was measured on a 7-point scale ranging from “very poor” to “excellent”. Both were dichotomized into two categories: top box response (7) versus all others (1–6). Patient survival was the primary end point. Cox regression was used to evaluate the association between PS and survival controlling for covariates. The response rate for this study was 72 %. Majority of patients (n = 517) had stage II disease. Seven hundred eighty-seven (85.8 %) patients were “completely satisfied”. Three hundred nineteen (34.8 %) patients had “excellent” SRH. There was a weak but significant correlation between satisfaction and SRH (Kendall’s tau b = 0.18; p < 0.001). On univariate analysis, “completely satisfied” patients had a significantly lower risk of mortality (HR = 0.46; 95 % CI: 0.25-0.85; p = 0.01). Similarly, patients with “excellent” SRH had a significantly lower risk of mortality (HR = 0.25; 95 % CI: 0.11-0.58; p = 0.001). On multivariate analysis, SRH was found to be a significant predictor of survival (HR = 0.31; 95 % CI: 0.12-0.79; p = 0.01) while patient satisfaction was not (HR = 0.76; 95 % CI: 0.40-1.5; p = 0.40). SRH supersedes patient satisfaction with service quality as a predictor of survival in prostate cancer. SRH should be used as a control variable in analyses involving patient satisfaction as a predictor of clinical cancer outcomes.
Organization-Client Transactions and Organizational Governance Structures

Transaction cost theory was applied to an examination of how the characteristics of transactions between organizations and their clients affect internal organizational governance structures. The st...
Silent synapses in selectively activated nucleus accumbens neurons following cocaine sensitization

The authors previously showed that a minority of nucleus accumbens neurons, which show strong cocaine-induced activation of the immediate early gene Fos, are necessary for cocaine-induced psychomotor sensitization. Here they find that these cocaine-activated neurons have increased numbers of silent synapses following cocaine sensitization.
Time to Enter A "Do Not Resuscitate" Order on the National Resident Matching Program's Chart

This article focuses on the NRMP system and argues that the process is neither efficient nor pro-competitive. This article argues that Congress erred in bestowing an antitrust exemption on the NRMP and the participating institutions.This article suggests that although the system may have been necessary to check the problem of early recruiting that was pervasive in the 1950s (similar to the one that plagued the federal judiciary until just two years ago), the system has outlived its usefulness. Part II will explain the Match's history and function and will discuss how the system makes participation in the Match inevitable and required. Part III will focus on the economic analysis of the system. It will argue that the Match abolishes the students' ability to bargain by preventing students from receiving several offers of employment. This section will explain that although the student participating in the Match may receive his most preferred choice, his lack of ability to negotiate salary and benefits precludes him from making a proper judgment as to which choice he truly most prefers. Part III will also analyze the procompetitive justifications put forth by the Match proponents and will conclude that these stated benefits are ephemeral.Part IV will focus on the analysis of relevant case law. The caselaw is useful to this analysis, even though it is moot in light of the Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004, as it suggests that the NRMP's conduct has been viewed as anticompetitive for quite some time, notwithstanding congressional findings. In the next part, the article examines several alternatives to the NRMP and concludes that a free market system, limited only by defined dates of entry and exit from the market, is the appropriate mechanism by which medical students should select their residencies. This part argues that other systems, such as allowing students to match into multiple places only alleviate, but do not solve, the problem raised by Part III. Further, Part V argues that any system other than the free market will wreak havoc on the residency programs by potentially causing them to over-or under-enroll residents. The article's conclusion is in Part VI.
Expanding the Range of CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing in Rice

The CRISPR/Cas9 system has emerged as a versatile molecular tool for genome editing in various organisms, including plants. In this system, the specificity of Cas9-directed DNA cleavage strictly requires the presence of a chimeric single guide RNA (sgRNA) and a short trinucleotide protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) in the genome (Anders et al., 2014; Sternberg et al., 2014). To date, the Cas9 used in plants has only been shown to recognize PAM sequences in the canonical form NGG (Li et al., 2013; Miao et al., 2013; Shan et al., 2013; Ma et al., 2015b).
Going Native: South Park Satire, Settler Colonialism, and Hawaiian Indigeneity

In South Park’s “Going Native,” the white character Butters becomes inexplicably angry only to uncover that his family contends the anger is “biologically” caused by their “ancestral” belonging to ...
Dynamic Fatigue Behavior of Ceramics at Elevated Temperatures

The dynamic fatigue tests of nine structural ceramics were carried out at temperatures ranging from 800°C to 1500°C in vacuum. The same tests in air were conducted for two ceramics. In ceramics which has a glassy phase in grain boundaries, cracks propagate through grain boundaries due to softening of the glassy phase. A fatigue parameter of ceramics at elevated temperatures is degraded when MgO is used as a sintering additive. In reaction sintered Si3N4 and HP-SiC with B and C additives, a subcritical crack growth is not observed but the bending strength of HP-SiC is degraded due to the generation of pores by surface oxidation. It seems that life-time of HP-Si3N4 under the static load is predictable from its dynamic fatigue behaviour.
Organic-and Bio-Based Digital Memory Devices

Organic memory devices are considered as a viable approach for future information processing. We demonstrate this type of memory devices evolving from multiple layers structure to solution synthesis hybrid biomolecule structure. By forming a thin organic-nanoparticle layer or virus-nanoparticle layer in the crossbar junction, electronic memory effect based on electrical bistable states with a large on/off ratio, and long retention time is achieved. Temperature dependent data retention shows the nanoparticle formation determines the charge storage activation energy. Such organic, bio-inorganic nanostructures are promising for future memory technology.
Design of a Household Car-washing Set for Dedusting with Recycling Water

To save water resources,household car-washing set was designed for dust clean by using recycling water.The system comprised of suction sink,pipe and dry/wet alternate motor to filter and reuse the waste water.The nozzle consisted of water outlet pipe,suction pipe,suction sink,soft brush and outer rubber ring.The set has functions of high-pressure water spray,dust clean and water recycling.The filtering system was composed with a drum and two layers of screen mesh,which can rapidly filter the waste water.The car-washing set also has ability to clean the floor of both car and room.The set realizes gas-liquid mix-spray and tyre inflation through the air pump and water pump.An AT89S52 single-chip was used to control the system to ensure appropriate water temperature for winter washing.When the water level is lower than the preset scale,the water pump will be automatically shut off with the alarming circuit.The as-designed set can effectively reduce the pollution and consumption.
199 THE EFFECT OF ACHILLES TENDON OVERPULL ON A CADAVERIC FLATFOOT MODEL.

Introduction Flatfoot deformity (pes planus) involves not only loss of the medial longitudinal arch of the foot, but is also characterized by forefoot abduction, hindfoot eversion, and possible Achilles tendon contracture. Most current cadaveric flatfoot models rely on substantial sectioning of ligaments, which simulates complete rupture, to create the flatfoot deformity. We are unaware of a model that has examined the effects of Achilles tendon contracture on the flat foot. The objectives of this study were to develop and validate a new cadaveric flatfoot model that includes selective ligament attenuation, rather than sectioning, and to determine if Achilles tendon overpull in the model is associated with increased pes planus severity. Methods Ten fresh-frozen human cadaver feet were used for this IRB-approved study. A custom-designed acrylic loading frame was used to apply compressive forces to the tibia and fibula and tensile forces to the extrinsic tendons of the foot. The Fastrak® electromagnetic motion analysis system was used to measure the normal three-dimensional (3D) orientation of the bones of interest in the unloaded, loaded, and Achilles overpull conditions. A flatfoot model was created by attenuating ligaments involved in pes planus followed by cyclic axial loading with the extrinsic tendons still loaded. Flatfoot 3D bone orientations were acquired in the unloaded, loaded, and Achilles overpull conditions. Results Changes seen between normal feet and the created flat feet were consistent with those seen in pes planus deformity. The first metatarsal dorsiflexed 4.89° ± 3.59° (p Discussion Selective ligament attenuation followed by cyclic axial loading with tendons loaded can create a cadaveric flatfoot model that is consistent with the in vivo deformity. Longitudinal arch depression, hindfoot eversion, talonavicular joint abduction, forefoot abduction, and talar plantar flexion are all common features of pes planus and were all seen in the current model. This study also indicates that the Achilles tendon contracture seen in many patients with flat feet may contribute to the severity of the deformity, particularly in longitudinal arch depression and forefoot abduction.
Enhanced Primary M1 Transitions in 207Pb

The neutron resonance reactions on an enriched 206Pb target have been studied below 50 keV using neutron time-of-flight techniques. The Ml transitions from several p-wave resonances to the lowest three states in 207Pb show some enhancement.
Microvascular alterations and the role of complement in dermatomyositis

Different mechanisms have been proposed to explain the pathological basis of perifascicular muscle fibre atrophy in dermatomyositis. These include ischaemia due to immune-mediated microvascular injury, enhanced expression of type 1 interferon-induced gene transcripts in perifascicular capillaries and muscle fibres, and occlusion of larger perimysial blood vessels. Microvascular complement deposition is a feature of dermatomyositis pathology but the trigger for complement activation, the predominant complement pathway involved, or its role in the pathogenesis of the disease, has not been clearly defined. In the first step of this study we examined the density of capillaries and transverse vessels and searched for occlusion or depletion of larger perimysial blood vessels in 10 patients with dermatomyositis. This revealed an invariable association of perifascicular atrophy with capillary and transverse vessel depletion. The capillary and transverse vessel densities in non-atrophic fibre regions were not significantly different from those in muscle specimens of 10 age-matched controls. Next, in the same 10, as well as in 40 additional dermatomyositis patients, we searched for vascular deposits of IgG, IgM, and the C5b-9 complement membrane attack complex. Thirty-one of 50 dermatomyositis specimens contained C5b-9 reactive endomysial microvessels but none of these or other vessels reacted for IgG. Ten of 50 specimens harboured IgM-positive capillaries but only a few of these reacted for C5b-9. Finally, we analysed and compared different pathways of complement activation in dermatomyositis, lupus nephritis, and necrotic muscle fibres in Duchenne dystrophy. In lupus nephritis, C5-b9 deposits co-localized with IgG, IgM, C1q, and C4d, consistent with immune complex dependent activation of the classical complement pathway. In both dermatomyositis and Duchenne dystrophy, C5-b9 deposits co-localized with C1q and C4d and rarely with IgM indicating activation of the classical complement pathway. We conclude that: perifascicular atrophy in dermatomyositis is consistently associated with focal microvascular depletion, and that microvascular membrane attack complex deposits in dermatomyositis result from activation of the classical complement pathway triggered by direct binding of C1q to injured endothelial cells.
Prehistoric pronghorn hunting in Southwest Wyoming.

In the Wyoming Basin of southwest Wyoming, there are more pronghorn-dominated bone assemblages and possible communal kill sites than anywhere else in North America. Ten faunal assemblages in the re...
Theatre and Power in Bacon's Rebellion: Virginia, 1676–77

(2004). Theatre and Power in Bacon's Rebellion: Virginia, 1676–77. The Seventeenth Century: Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 69-86.
Acute Myocardial infarction and Its Complications

Acute myocardial infarction remains one of the most common clinical problems in internal medicine and cardiology. The development of the modern coronary care unit has been accompanied by an enhanced understanding of the pathophysiology and natural history of this variable clinical syndrome, and specific therapy for many complications of infarction is available, as discussed in this article.
Bias in a Solar Constant Determination by the Langley Method Due to Aerosols

The vertical distribution of atmospheric aerosols generally differs from the vertical distribution of the molecular atmosphere. The resulting differences in the optical air masses of the aerosol and molecular constituents lead to a bias error in the solar constant inferred by the Langley method. Volcanic aerosols injected into the lower stratosphere can lead to large bias errors. These can be reduced significantly by using a lidar to provide relatively crude measurements of the vertical distribution of the aerosol extinction coefficient.
Toward immersive mobile virtual reality

Virtual reality head-mounted displays (VR HMDs) are attracting users with the promise of full sensory immersion in virtual environments. Creating the illusion of immersion on HMDs requires high framerate, low latency, and high visual quality --- a tall order for mobile device-based VR approaches. In this talk, I will discuss two systems we have built to overcome the inherent limitations of mobile VR. The first, Outatime, focuses on compute offload via app streaming, an emerging app execution model in which remote rendering servers stream interactive video to thin clients. While servers dwarf mobile devices in compute power, the key challenge is coping with network latency. I will discuss how we have employed speculative execution to overcome this challenge on high-quality VR games. The second system, Flashback, aggressively precomputes all possible images that a VR user might encounter well ahead of time. During run-time, Flashback indexes into the device's storage hierarchy to quickly lookup images that the user ought to be seeing. Flashback not only works for static scenes, but also for dynamic scenes with moving and animated objects. We observe substantial improvements in framerate, latency and energy consumption. In some cases, it even delivers better framerate and responsiveness than a tethered high-end computer.
Great Plains harvest: evolution of the US public employment service, transnational labor, and nonimmigrant visas

AbstractGovernment H-2A visa data and employer surveys show that Great Plains custom harvesting operations now rely on the US public employment service (PES) and private labor agencies to hire transnational labor. Wheat harvest labor problems and private labor bureau abuses during the Progressive Era were a driving force in the formation and development of the local, state, and federal PES agencies that are now used to secure foreign workers. The PES addressed harvest labor problems from the late nineteenth century until the 1930s when mechanization and drought sufficiently reduced labor demand. The PES became active in the wheat harvest again during WW II and into the 1950s until mobile custom combining crews eliminated the need for the federal government’s involvement. Beginning in the 1990s, domestic labor scarcity caused custom harvesting employers to hire foreign labor through the H-2A and J-1 visa programs. The PES is part and parcel of the H-2A visa program, but unlike most agricultural employers t...
Pharmacy forecast 2013-2017: strategic planning advice for pharmacy departments in hospitals and health systems: executive summary of a trends report from the center for health-system pharmacy leadership, ASHP research and education foundation.

In this time of economic uncertainty and turmoil in health care, it would be unthinkable for a hospital or health system not to plan for the future. The same can be said for the components of health care institutions, including the pharmacy department. From the perspective of the pharmacy
Principles and practice of solid-phase extraction

The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the US Food and Drug Administration.
Condensation on a horizontal surface with periodic asymmetrical structures – transient film growth

Abstract Condensation of a highly wetting dielectric fluid on asymmetric millimeter-sized ratchets is characterized. The asymmetry is provided by ratchets or triangular grooves on the surface. The overall hypothesis to be tested is whether surface asymmetry would result in a directional self-propelled motion of the condensate film. As a part of this overall goal, the initial transient rise of condensate film in a ratchet is presented in this paper. The approach involves a numerical characterization of the condensation process of the fluid on an asymmetrically-structured horizontal surface. A numerical model for condensation, based on the kinetic theory of gases, is implemented to simulate the growth characteristics of the condensate film in the ratchet. The model is validated with experimental data and a parametric study to evaluate the effects of the ratchet pitch, angle of asymmetry and orientation of gravity on the condensate growth is conducted. The model and experimental results indicate a preferential rise of the condensate towards the steeper slope of the asymmetric ratchet. Parametric studies connote that the condensate growth rate is (a) a function of the capillary number (b) increases as the angle of the ratchet is increased, and (c) is independent of the direction of gravity.
Telomeres and Early-Life Stress

Telomeres are structures at the ends of chromosomes that preserve the encoding DNA during chromosome replication. The telomere itself shortens with each cell division, reflecting the age of a cell and the time until senescence. Telomere shortening, and changes in levels of telomerase, the enzyme that maintains telomeres, occurs in the context of certain somatic and psychiatric diseases. Emerging evidence indicates that telomeres shorten with exposure to multiple forms of stress experienced early in life, suggesting that telomere shortening might be a useful biomarker indicating the overall stress response of an organism to various pathogenic conditions. Thus, telomeres could serve as a unifying biomarker of stress response that transcends brain/body distinctions. The possibility that telomere shortening can be slowed or reversed by psychiatric and psychosocial interventions could represent an opportunity for developing novel preventative and therapeutic approaches.
Urologic Surgery in the Neonate

AbstractFor urologists the most challenging problem offered by the neonate is obstructive uropathy, which comprises more than half of the urologic diseases in newborns. In most instances a good result can be attained by surgical correction of these anomalies. Morbidity and mortality are acceptable. The use of preliminary, temporary diversion for obstructive uropathy did not, in our experience, enhance the chances for a good long-term result.
Fluorogenic Substrate Labeled Separation-Free Enzyme Mediated Immunoassays for Haptens and Macromolecules

Fluorogenic substrate labeled separation-free enzyme mediated immunoassay, hereafter abbreviated as FSIA (Boguslaski et al., 1980; Burd, 1981) (it is also known as Substrate-labeled Fluorescent Immunoassay) uses a modified fluorogenic enzyme substrate as a label to form a stable covalent substrate-analyte ligand conjugate. This is in contrast to most enzyme mediated immunoassays which use an enzyme rather than an enzyme substrate as the label (Ngo and Lenhoff, 1981 and 1982). There are two critical prerequisites that must be satisfied before a fluorogenic substrate can be used as a label in FSIA development: (1) the modified fluorogenic substrate after covalent conjugation to the analyte ligand must retain its function as an enzyme substrate and (2) the substrate-analyte ligand conjugate upon binding to an antibody specific to the ligand must not be able to serve as an enzyme substrate. By definition, a fluorogenic enzyme substrate should not fluoresce at the wavelength used to monitor the assay; however, its enzymatic product should exhibit strong fluorescence at the appropriate monitoring wavelengths. The substrate-analyte ligand conjugate in FSIA serves as a modified enzyme substrate capable of binding to the active-site of an enzyme and being transformed into a detectable product.
Recommendations on Blood Recovery in Obstetrics

Hemorrhage is one of the leading preventable causes of maternal death. The safe use of blood recovery (also referred to as cell salvage) in obstetrics is well established. Blood recovery is the process by which blood is suctioned from the surgical field into a blood recovery device, where the blood is filtered, washed by centrifugation with a saline solution, and then transfused back to the patient. Blood recovery is recommended for elective cesarean sections where there is increased risk of hemorrhage (e.g., placenta previa/accreta, fibroid uterus, history of post-partum hemorrhage, etc.), or significant anemia at time of cesarean section regardless of risk factors for hemorrhage. Blood recovery is also recommended for emergency use in major obstetric hemorrhage from all causes. The safe and effective use of blood recovery requires a dedicated team of trained staff members.
General Model of Microbial Uncultivability

It has been known for over a century that only a small percent of cells from environmental samples form colonies on standard media (Great Plate Count Anomaly, Staley and Konopka (Annu Rev Microbiol 39:321–346, 1985). This chapter focuses on the causes of this disparity, and describes new cultivation technologies aiming to close the gap. It summarizes the original and literature data on the biology of “uncultivable” species\uncultivable\ species is summarized, and the nature of the restrictions likely limiting the growth of these species is discussed. This analysis leads to a novel model of the microbial life cycle in nature, termed the “scout model.” We argue that if microbial behavior in vivo conforms to the scout model, this will by necessity manifest itself in vitro as the Great Plate Count Anomaly. The scout model also draws connections to other aspects of microbial behavior, such as viability – but not cultivability – of some cells, an apparent slow growth of certain species, seeming ability of microbes to persist in the presence of unfavorable factors, including antibiotics, and latent infections.
Symmetries of massless vertex operators in AdS(5) x S**5

The worldsheet sigma model of the superstring in AdS_5×S^5 has a one-parameter family of flat connections parametrized by the spectral parameter. The corresponding Wilson line is not BRST invariant for an open contour, because the BRST transformation leads to boundary terms. These boundary terms define a cohomological complex associated with the endpoint of the contour. We study the cohomology of this complex for Wilson lines in some infinitedimensional representations. We find that for these representations the cohomology is nontrivial at the ghost number 2. This implies that it is possible to define a BRST invariant open Wilson line. The central point in the construction is the existence of massless vertex operators transforming exactly covariantly under the action of the global symmetry group. In flat space, massless vertices transform covariantly only up to adding BRST-exact terms. But in AdS we show that it is possible to define vertices so that they transform exactly covariantly.
Patterns of performance and improvement in US Medicare’s Hospital Star Ratings, 2016–2017

Background Publicly reported quality data can help consumers make informed choices about where to seek medical care. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services developed a composite Hospital Compare Overall Star Rating for US acute-care hospitals in 2016. However, patterns of performance and improvement have not been previously described. Objective To characterise high-quality and low-quality hospitals as assessed by Star Ratings. Design We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study of 3429 US acute-care hospitals assigned Overall Star Ratings in both 2016 and 2017. We used multivariable logistic regression models to identify characteristics associated with receiving 4 or 5 stars. Results Small hospitals were more likely to receive 4 or 5 stars in 2016 (33% of small hospitals, 26% of medium hospitals and 21% of large hospitals, OR for medium 0.78, p=0.02, and for large, 0.61, p=0.003). Non-profit status (OR 1.37, p=0.01), midwest region (OR=2.30, p Conclusions Small hospitals with fewer Medicaid patients had the highest odds of performing well on Star Ratings. Further monitoring of these trends is needed as patients, clinicians and policymakers strive to use this information to promote high-quality care.
The Humanitarian Relief Paradigm

When we close our eyes and picture a humanitarian crisis, we are likely to see an aurora of chaos, conflict, anger, fear, and mortality that lingers over a large group of people. However, we are also likely to see a slew of responding multilateral relief agencies and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that deploy and respond to catastrophe. The deployment of these agencies, whether it be the United Nations (UN), the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the World Health Organization (WHO), etc., generally follows a very long and complex interventional deployment strategy that involves numerous operating components. The aid delivery complex is generally not streamlined and often deals with a wealth of bureaucracy and dissonance between intervening agencies and the host country they are operating in. We can see how complex this process is from previous historical events such as the Haitian Earthquake in 2010 or the Rwandan genocide in 1994, where the very same agencies—i.e., the UN in these cases—that were supposed to help, actually become implicated in not providing adequate relief services. The interventional capacity of any agency is vital in not only stabilizing and promoting conflict resolution but also in the delivery of human health services via humanitarian medicine. Aid and relief practitioners and workers rely on access to equipment, services, and tools in order to provide adequate treatment and palliative care. What we will seek further on in this work is that oftentimes these individuals do not have sufficient access to the resources and materials they need to deliver care and health services to not only treat acute maladies but also chronic ones as well. But first we begin by defining the humanitarian aid complex and its deployment in real-world settings, emergencies, and crises around the world.
Automobiles, Tax Mischaracterizations, and the Multibillion Dollar Price Tag

The United States has more automobiles per capita than any other country in the industrial world, and taxpayers use those automobiles for business and nonbusiness purposes. The former classification affords favorable individual income tax treatment, while the latter does not. However, to secure favorable tax treatment, taxpayers often mischaracterize their nonbusiness automobile expenses as business in nature, and they are able to do so with almost complete impunity. Using tabulations of Internal Revenue Service data, we demonstrate that such mischaracterizations result in a significant annual cost in terms of forfeited tax revenue. In addition, using elementary economic theory, we illustrate how taxpayer mischaracterizations result in additional demand for gasoline, which likely raises overall gasoline prices for all consumers. On the basis of our findings, we contend that immediate reforms are needed, and we present several legislative options for Congress to consider. We also argue that the experience of automobile expenses carries larger lessons for other types of tax expenditures, lessons that have relevance to the ongoing discussions about comprehensive tax reform measures.
Regeneration of plants from Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Protoplasts by Direct Embryogenesis

Alfalfa plants are usually regenerated from protoplasts with an intervening callus stage (Johnson et al. 1981; Arcioni et al. 1982; Atanassov and Brown 1984; Pezzotti et al. 1984). Because considerable somaclonal variation could occur during callus development and growth (Bingham et al. 1988), direct embryogenesis, whereby the callus stage is bypassed or maintained for a very short period, appears to be advantageous in preserving genetic identity and reducing the time required for the operation, especially for protoplast fusion, microinjection, and direct transfer of specific genes to produce transgenic plants.
Abstract 3914: mTOR pathway components dictate cell response to Src inhibitors in prostate cancer cells

Src inhibitors have been actively evaluated in the clinic for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer however the effects are modest. One interpretation is that oncogenic signaling pathways are redundant and blocking one pathway is not sufficient to yield considerable efficacies. mTOR pathway is commonly hyperactivated in prostate cancer. However, the functional role of mTOR in Src inhibitor-mediated response remains largely unknown. In the current study, we combined mTOR inhibitor rapamycin and Src inhibitor dasatinib to detect functional behaviors in prostate cancer cells. Cell proliferation and clonogenic survival were detected by MTT and colony formation assay, respectively. Wound-healing” scratch assay was conducted to monitor cell migration, and Matrigel-based transwell assay was applied to assess cell invasion. Protein expression was detected by Western blotting. Gene silencing was detected by siRNA transfection. We found that two agents combined together showed greater inhibition on proliferation and clonogenic survival than either agent alone. Such combination effects were additive or synergistic depending on the cell types, as reflected by combination index calculation. In addition, cell migration and invasion were inhibited in a greater extent by rapamycin plus dasatinib, compared to either treatment alone. At the molecular level, co-targeting mTOR and Src lead to clear inhibition of Src and its downstream pathway focal adhesion kinase (FAK), Akt and mTOR downstream components S6RP and 4E-BP1. Interestingly, knockdown 4EBP1, but not S6RP, attenuated dasatinib-mediated functional inhibition. These data indicate that adding mTOR inhibitors to Src-based intervention may achieve better treatment outcomes. Such combination could be evaluated as a novel treatment strategy for prostate cancer patients who are less responsive to Src inhibitors. In addition, 4EBP1 may be used as a candidate predictive biomarker for monitoring clinical effectiveness of Src inhibitors in prostate cancer. Citation Format: Yao Dai, Dietmar W. Siemann. mTOR pathway components dictate cell response to Src inhibitors in prostate cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3914.
Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise in the Era of Milestones and Entrustable Professional Activities in Obstetrics and Gynaecology: Resume or Reform?

Abstract Objective The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) milestones and the core Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) provide guiding frameworks and requirements for assessing residents’ progress. The Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX) is a formative assessment tool used to provide direct observation after an ambulatory or clinical encounter. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and reliability of the Mini-CEX in the authors’ obstetrics and gynaecology (OB/GYN) residency program and its ability to measure residents’ progress and competencies in the frameworks of ACGME milestones and EPAs. Methods OB/GYN residents’ 5-academic-year Mini-CEX performance was analyzed retrospectively to measure reliability and feasibility. Additionally, realistic evaluation was conducted to assess the usefulness of Mini-CEX in the frameworks of ACGME milestones and EPAs. Results A total of 395 Mini-CEX evaluations for 49 OB/GYN residents were analyzed. Mini-CEX evaluation data significantly discriminated among residents’ training levels (P Conclusion The Mini-CEX demonstrated potential for measuring residents’ clinical competencies in their ACGME milestones. Faculty time commitment was the main challenge. Reform is necessary for the current feedback structure in Mini-CEX, faculty development, and operational guidelines that help residency programs match residents’ clinical competency ratings with ACGME milestones and EPAs.
Anatomical and Physiological Origins of Auditory Brain Stem Responses (ABR)

The development of far field recording techniques to measure the activity of the auditory pathway in its course from the cochlea to the cortex has had important clinical applications. In man there are up to seven vertex positive waves that occur in the first ten msec after a click signal (Fig. 1). The largest of these components, designated variously as the IV–V complex, 4a and 4b, or N4 and N5, is usually 0.5 µV in amplitude and occurs at a latency of 5.6–6.0 msec for a 65 dB (H.L. re normal) click. Since the components of the auditory brain stem responses (ABR) change in latency in an orderly manner with signal intensity (Fig. 1) the measure can provide objective definition of hearing threshold in difficult-to-test subjects such as newborn infants or mentally impaired patients (Davis and Kirsch, 1977; Hecox and Galambos, 1974; Mokotoff et al., 1977; Shulman-Galambos and Galambos, 1975; Sohmer and Feinmesser, 1973; Starr et al., 1977; Yamada et al., 1975). The ABR evoked by clicks primarily reflects high frequency hearing capacities since it depends on the activity of the basilar or high frequency end of the cochlea. However, there are several methods under evaluation that will enable the ABR to serve as a reliable measure of hearing threshold across a wide range of signal frequencies; these include the use of filtered clicks (Davis, 1976) and narrow band masking noise (Don and Eggermont, 1978).
High-Order Open Mapping Theorems

The well-known finite-dimensional first-order open mapping theorem says that a continuous map with a finite-dimensional target is open at a point if its differential at that point exists and is surjective. An identical result, due to Graves, is true when the target is infinite-dimensional, if “differentiability” is replaced by “strict differentiability.” We prove general theorems in which the linear approximations involved in the usual concept of differentiability is replaced by an approximation by a map which is homogeneous relative to a one-parameter group of dilations, and the error bound in the approximation involves a “homogeneous pseudonorm” or a “homogeneous pseudodistance,” rather than the ordinary norm. We outline how these results can be used to derive sufficient conditions for openness involving higher-order derivatives, and carry this out in detail for the second-order case.