cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increasing the power: A practical approach to goodness-of-fit test for logistic regression models with continuous predictors

When continuous predictors are present, classical Pearson and deviance goodness-of-fit tests to assess logistic model fit break down. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test can be used in these situations. While simple to perform and widely used, it does not have desirable power in many cases and provides no further information on the source of any detectable lack of fit. Tsiatis proposed a score statistic to test for covariate regional effects. While conceptually elegant, its lack of a general rule for how to partition the covariate space has, to a certain degree, limited its popularity. We propose a new method for goodness-of-fit testing that uses a very general partitioning strategy (clustering) in the covariate space and either a Pearson statistic or a score statistic. Properties of the proposed statistics are discussed, and a simulation study demonstrates increased power to detect model misspecification in a variety of settings. An application of these different methods on data from a clinical trial illustrates their use. Discussions on further improvement of the proposed tests and extending this new method to other data situations, such as ordinal response regression models are also included.
Investigation of production, sales and inventory relationships using multicointegration and non-symmetric error correction models

The accumulated sum of a stationary series is called integrated. If a linear combination of some of the integrated series is stationary, it is said to be cointegrated. This paper presents empirical results on inventories to consider the possibility of a deeper form of cointegration called multicointegration, which is introduced in Granger and Lee (1989). A vector integrated series is multicointegrated if the accumulated sum of its stationary (cointegrated) linear combination is again cointegrated with itself. Inventory, which is the accumulated sum of production minus sales, is probably cointegrated with production and sales. The empirical results generally support the presence of multicointegration of production and sales in many U.S. industries and industrial aggregates. The results also favour the non-symmetric error correction model, providing evidence that the strength of attraction is different on both sides of the attractor. A modified (S, s) rule for inventory control is investigated in the context of a non-symmetric error correction model, and the results generally do not support the (S, s) rule. Sufficient evidence is found to conclude that multicointegration is a useful concept in the area of inventory determination.
Measurement and modeling of interference for multiple antenna system

This article provides a detailed signal model (DSM) based on network theory to predict the multiantenna capacity in the presence of co- and adjacent channel interference.This model expands on previous channel models by including the simultaneous effects of interference, antenna matching, efficiency, directivity and polarization. Single and multiantenna interference are modeled using both a statistical channel model and a site-specific 3D ray tracer. The network theory based DSM was obtained by adding antenna front end effects at both the transmitter and receiver to the channel models. This model was validated with measurements performed in two underground tunnels. The site-specific model predicted the capacity to within 1 bit/sec/Hz of the measurements while the statistical model was within 1-2 bits/sec/Hz except for a few locations. It was also observed that for small antenna spacing the conjugate match provides higher capacity than the self match. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 2031–2037, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.25367
Critical and supercritical properties for 0.3 to 3.0 mol · kg−1 CaCl2(aq)

Critical temperatures (T{sub c}) and densities (p{sub c}) for aqueous CaCl{sub 2} solutions were measured using two different optical techniques. Fluid inclusions with compositions of 0.5 to 4.0 mol{center_dot}ks{sup {minus}1} were synthesized from 600 to 820{degrees}C and at 1500 and 2500 bars in both the single and two-fluid phase fields. Critical temperatures were determined from measured homogenization temperatures and the observed mode of homogenization (i.e., to the liquid or vapor phase or by fading of the meniscus between apparent equal volumes of liquid and vapor). Critical temperatures determined by this method for 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 molal CaCl{sub 2}(aq) solutions are 395, 406, 466, and 565{degrees}C, respectively. T{sub c} for 4.0 molal CaCl{sub 2}(aq) was found to be in excess of 662{degree}C. Critical pressures (P{sub c}) could not be accurately determined from these measurements but were estimated from another source. Measurements of T{sub c} were also made using sealed silica capillaries containing 0.3, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 molal Cal{sub 2}(aq) solutions. T{sub c} values from these measurements are 388, 393, 405, and 465{degrees}C, respectively. Our data are in fair agreement with previously published data at and below 1.0 mol{center_dot}kg{sup {minus}1}, data from the two published sources of CaCl{sub 2}(aq)more » T{sub 2} measurements show substantially different trends, with the data from this study agreeing with the more recent of the two reports. Estimated values of p{sub c} are given for the solutions examined in the capillary tube experiments. Critical isochores are presented with new synthetic fluid inclusion derived isochores for 1.0 and 2.0 mol{center_dot}kg{sup {minus}1} Cal{sub 2}(aq) liquids to form a complete arrays of isochores for temperatures form {approximately} 100{degrees}C to those along the critical isochore and pressures to 5000 bars. 18 refs., 6 figs., 5 tabs.« less
Depo-medroxyprogesterone in women on antiretroviral therapy: Effective contraception and lack of clinically significant interactions

We conducted an open-label, steady-state pharmacokinetic (PK) study of drug interactions among HIV-infected women treated with depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) while on nucleoside analogues plus nelfinavir (N=21), efavirenz (N=17), or nevirapine (N=16); or nucleosides only or no antiretroviral therapy as a control group (N=16). PK parameters were estimated using non-compartmental analysis, with between-group comparisons of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) PKs and within-subject comparisons of ARV PKs before and 4 weeks after DMPA dosing. Plasma progesterone levels were measured at baseline and at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 weeks after DMPA dosing. There were no significant changes in MPA area under the concentration curve, peak or trough concentrations, or apparent clearance in the nelfinavir, efavirenz, or nevirapine groups compared to the control group. Minor changes in nelfinavir and nevirapine drug exposure were seen after DMPA, but were not considered clinically significant. Suppression of ovulation was maintained.
Reduction processes in fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry: Interdependence of analyte and matrix redox potentials

The reduction of selected redox indicator dyes during fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry was investigated in several different matrices. Reduction is indicated by the incorporation of one or more hydrogens into the cation of the dye. The extent of reduction of the analyte can be related to the E 1/2 value of the reduction potential of the dye. Selection of matrix also influences the reduction, the reducing power decreasing in the order glycerol greater than sulfolane greater than thioglycerol greater than hydroxyethyl disulfide greater than nitrobenzyl alcohol. Evidence is given suggesting that reduction is initiated by exposure of the analyte-matrix mixture to atom bombardment. It is shown that reduction can be controlled by the addition of metal ions with a very low reduction potential to the matrix to act as electron scavengers.
The supply side of United Nations peacekeeping operations: Trade ties and United Nations-led deployments to civil war states:

Peacekeeping operations have been identified as the most effective and efficient solution to the highly intractable problem of civil war recurrence; yet, only about 38% of civil wars receive peacekeeping assistance. To explain what determines whether an intrastate conflict receives a deployment of peacekeepers, we note that peacekeeping operations are costly endeavors requiring significant material investments. Focusing on the United Nations and its peacekeeping operations, we argue that because a relatively small group of states decides about (and funds) possible deployments, the supply of United Nations peacekeeping operations likely reflects the interests of these states. Specifically, we hypothesize that trade ties between the five permanent members of the Security Council and civil war states are among the factors that influence the decision to authorize United Nations peacekeeping operations. Testing the argument over the post-World War II and post-Cold War periods reveals that the economic interests of the permanent five members of the Security Council play a key role in explaining which civil wars receive United Nations peacekeepers.
Convergence and error analysis for a max-plus algorithm

We consider max-plus based algorithms for the solution of nonlinear H/sub /spl infin// problems. This class of algorithms has been described for several problem types such as nonlinear H/sub /spl infin// filtering, nonlinear H/sub /spl infin// control and nonlinear H/sub /spl infin// control under partial information. Previous treatments have been oriented towards the general introduction of the algorithms. It has been noted that the corresponding convergence analysis was lacking in those papers. Here we demonstrate, in the case of nonlinear H/sub /spl infin// control, that the errors introduced by the truncation to a finite number of max-plus basis functions go to zero as the number of basis functions increases. Some error bounds are also obtained.
Chemotherapy-Associated Liver Injury: Impact on Surgical Management of Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases

Chemotherapy is integral to the management of patients with advanced colorectal cancer liver metastases. Due to their improved efficacy, modern regimens can sometimes convert unresectable disease to a resectable state. As chemotherapy is often administered prior to hepatic resection, adverse effects on the liver are increasingly being recognized. Investigators have identified a wide spectrum of effects on the underlying liver parenchyma, ranging from mild forms of steatosis to severe steatohepatitis and sinusoidal obstruction syndrome. As the histopathologic definitions of these changes evolve, studies have identified specific patterns of hepatic injury related to the various chemotherapeutic agents. The impact of these changes on perioperative outcome after partial hepatectomy remains controversial. Timing and duration of chemotherapy may play a key role and account for discrepancies in outcomes seen among studies. In this review, we provide an overview of the spectrum of chemotherapy-associated liver injury and discuss its relevance to perioperative management of patients undergoing hepatic resection of colorectal cancer liver metastases.
Effective automatic image annotation via a coherent language model and active learning

Image annotations allow users to access a large image database with textual queries. There have been several studies on automatic image annotation utilizing machine learning techniques, which automatically learn statistical models from annotated images and apply them to generate annotations for unseen images. One common problem shared by most previous learning approaches for automatic image annotation is that each annotated word is predicated for an image independently from other annotated words. In this paper, we proposed a coherent language model for automatic image annotation that takes into account the word-to-word correlation by estimating a coherent language model for an image. This new approach has two important advantages: 1) it is able to automatically determine the annotation length to improve the accuracy of retrieval results, and 2) it can be used with active learning to significantly reduce the required number of annotated image examples. Empirical studies with Corel dataset are presented to show the effectiveness of the coherent language model for automatic image annotation.
The Use of Ecological Hypotheses in Australopithecine Taxonomy

Ecological concepts have been applied to lower Pleistocene hominid evolution for several years (e.g., Mayr 1951; Robinson 1963; Weiss 1972; Wolpoff 1971). In this paper the major ecological hypotheses are reviewed and their rationale considered in light of prevalent theories on speciation. This review suggests that the hypotheses are central to an understanding of taxonomy and that greater precision in their application is warranted. Allopatric and sympatric distributions of australopithecine populations are discussed. It is concluded that a single species taxonomy will fit the available evidence.
Material Transport in Oceanic Gyres. Part III: Randomized Stochastic Models

Abstract Transport models are required for simulating the subgrid-scale transport by mesoscale eddies, which are typically not resolved in coarse-grid representations of the ocean circulation. Here, a new transport model from the class of stochastic models is formulated and its performance is tested against an eddy-resolving solution of the ocean circulation. The new approach overcomes drawbacks of the standard Markov models by broadening the range of simulated motions and by allowing transitions from one type of motion to another. The stochastic transport models yield random motion of individual passive particles, and the probability density function of the particle population may be interpreted as the concentration of a passive tracer. The models are developed for simulating observed transports of material by turbulent flows in the presence of coherent fluid structures, and they use only few internal parameters characterizing particular type of turbulence. The idea of stochastic randomization is introdu...
Interpersonal Goals and Susceptibility to Peer Influence: Risk Factors for Intentions to Initiate Substance Use During Early Adolescence

Though peer socialization theories are prominent in the adolescent substance use literature, variability in the degree to which adolescents are vulnerable to peer influence is likely, and few studies have examined this issue. This study examines the association between perceived peer substance use/approval of substance use and adolescent intentions to initiate alcohol and cigarette use, and how social goals moderate this relationship. Results support the moderating role of social goals, and suggest important differences across alcohol and cigarette use. Peer use and approval of cigarette use was associated with future intentions to smoke for adolescents with strong agentic goals, and peer use and approval of alcohol use was associated with intentions to drink for adolescents with strong communal goals. These findings suggest that adolescent substance use theories and prevention programs focusing on peer socialization should consider individual differences in social goals and potential differences in peer influence across drugs.
Radio and X-Ray Structure of Centaurus A

Recent studies of the nearby radio galaxy Centaurus A with the Very Large Array and the Einstein X-Ray Observatory reveal complex radio and X-ray structures. A prominent one-sided jet comprised of resolved knots located 0.2–6 kpc from the nucleus is seen in both radio and X-rays. The X-ray emission is probably synchrotron, requiring in situ reacceleration up to Г ≃ 107. Inverse Compton emission is not a likely explanation though a thermal model in which the nucleus ejects dense 105M⊙ clouds cannot be excluded. An elongated X-ray region is also found near the “middle” radio lobe and optical HII regions ~ 30 kpc NE of the nucleus. Conditions around the active nucleus, the absence of X-rays from the inner radio lobes, and X-ray evidence for a hot interstellar medium are briefly discussed.
All-optical variable buffering strategies and switch fabric architectures for future all-optical data routers

Future compact and power-efficient all-optical data routers can benefit from versatile all-optical buffering strategies and switch fabric architectures to achieve high performance. This paper reports two novel variable all-optical-buffer-based optical packet switching (OPS) fabric architectures and corresponding all-optical contention resolution schemes designed towards this goal. The combined input-queued-and-output-queued OPS (CIOQ-OPS) architecture incorporating enhanced K-stage output buffer units achieves lowest packet rates with an optimized input and output buffer capacity partition ratio of 0.5, while the multiple-input-queued OPS (MIQ-OPS) architecture achieves the best performance when each input parallel all-optical buffer contains two variable all-optical buffer queues. Simulation results demonstrate that the newly proposed OPS architectures achieve much lower packet loss rates, packet buffering delay, and jitter for a relatively high traffic load level of 0.7. The performance improvement is typically by one or two orders of magnitude compared to the previously reported OPS architectures with all-optical variable delay buffers with a given reasonable all-optical buffer size of 1000 B.
Hysteresis in Cenozoic Antarctic ice-sheet variations

A coupled global climate–Antarctic ice sheet model is run for 10 million years across the Eocene–Oligocene boundary ~34 Ma. The model simulates a rapid transition from very little ice to a large continental ice sheet, forced by a gradual decline of atmospheric CO2 and higher-frequency orbital forcing. The structure of the transition is explained in terms of height mass balance feedback (HMBF) inherent in the intersection of the ice-sheet surface with the climatic pattern of net annual accumulation minus ablation, as found in earlier simple ice sheet models. Hysteresis effects are explored by running the model in reverse, starting with a full ice sheet and gradually increasing CO2. The effects of higher-frequency orbital forcing on the non-linear transitions are examined in simulations with and without orbital variability. Similar effects are demonstrated with a much simpler one-dimensional ice-sheet flowline model with idealized bedrock topography and parameterized mass balance forcing. It is suggested that non-linear Antarctic ice-sheet transitions and hysteresis have played important roles in many of the observed fluctuations in marine d 18 O records since 34 Ma, and that the range of atmospheric CO2 variability needed to induce these transitions in the presence of orbital forcing is ~2� to 4� pre-industrial level. D 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Nonlinear adaptive control of optical jitter with a new liquid crystal beam steering device

This paper presents a new approach to active control of optical jitter with a new transmissive liquid crystal beam steering device, or tilt corrector. The device is driven by a linear time-invariant feedback control loop and an adaptive control loop to maximize the jitter-rejection bandwidth. In contrast to conventional fast steering mirrors, the liquid crystal device optically redirects the laser beam. The new device has no moving parts and requires low operating power. The paper presents experimental results that demonstrate the capabilities of the liquid crystal device and the adaptive controller to suppress high-bandwidth jitter. For the control system, the liquid crystal device presents nonlinearities due to a rate limit and quantization. The experimental results show the importance of modeling the nonlinearities in the adaptive controller.
Toward an Intelligent Brokerage Platform: Mining Backhaul Opportunities in Telematics Data

In commercial transportation operations, one of the largest wasteful expenditures is the movement of tractor trailers with little or no cargo. Analysis of interfleet data shows many lost opportunities for identifying backhauling loads—cargo that could have been moved by an otherwise empty trailer on its return from a delivery point to its home base. Brokerage systems that facilitate matching of load-sharing and backhaul opportunities currently do not incorporate monitoring of real-time, geo-based information, analysis of historical geo-based information, and user-calibrated preferences from all brokerage participants. Future intelligent brokerage systems will need to provide a full range of services including supply chain visibility and automated identification of potential collaborations based on historical trends. In this paper an algorithm is described for identifying load-sharing and backhaul opportunities based on the detection of patterns in large-scale, event-based telematics network data.
Hopfield neural network based algorithms for image restoration and reconstruction. I. Algorithms and simulations

In our previous work, the eliminating-highest error (EHE) criterion was proposed for the modified Hopfield (1982) neural network (MHNN) for image restoration and reconstruction. The performance of the MHNN is considerably improved by the EHE criterion as shown in many simulations. In inspiration of revealing the insight of the EHE criterion, in this paper, we first present a generalized updating rule (GUR) of the MHNN for gray image recovery. The stability properties of the GUR are given. It is shown that the neural threshold set up in this GUR is necessary and sufficient for energy decrease with probability one at each update. The new fastest-energy-descent (FED) criterion is then proposed parallel to the EHE criterion. While the EHE criterion is shown to achieve the highest probability of correct transition, the FED criterion achieves the largest amount of energy descent. In image restoration, the EHE and FED criteria are equivalent. A group of new algorithms based on the EHE and FED criteria is set up. A new measure, the correct transition rate (CTR), is proposed for the performance of iterative algorithms. Simulation results for gray image restoration show that the EHE (FED) based algorithms obtained the best visual quality and highest SNR of recovered images, took much smaller number of iterations, and had higher CTR. The CTR is shown to be a rational performance measure of iterative algorithms and predict quality of recovered images.
The anthropology of dementia: a narrative perspective.

This article draws on recent thinking in the field of narrative gerontology to lend support to Mahnaz Hashmi's “anthropological perspective” on dementia. From a narrative perspective, the relational component of human life - and thus of dementia - is underscored. Moreover, when the narrative dimensions of memory are considered, the line between “normal” and “pathological” is revealed as finer than commonly assumed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analysis of linkage disequilibrium in γ-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit genes in autistic disorder

Autistic disorder (AD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by abnormalities in behavior, communication, and social interactions and functioning. Recently, Cook et al. reported significant linkage disequilibrium with an AD susceptibility locus and a marker, GABRB3 155CA-2, in the γ-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptor β3-subunit gene on chromosome 15q11-q13. This linkage disequilibrium was detected using a multiallelic version of the transmission/disequilibrium test (TDT) in a sample of nuclear families having at least one child with autistic disorder. In an attempt to replicate this finding we tested for linkage disequilibrium with this marker, as well as with three additional markers in and around the GABAA receptor β3-subunit gene, in an independent, clinically comparable set of AD families. Unlike Cook et al., we failed to detect significant linkage disequilibrium between GABRB3 155CA-2 and AD in our sample. We did, however, find suggestive evidence for linkage disequilibrium with a marker, GABRB3, approximately 60 kb beyond the 3′ end of β3-subunit gene. This finding lends support for previous reports implicating the involvement of genes in this region with AD. Am. J. Med. Genet. (Neuropsychiatr. Genet.) 96:43–48, 2000 © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Syndecan-1-Induced ECM Fiber Alignment Requires Integrin αvβ3 and Syndecan-1 Ectodomain and Heparan Sulfate Chains

Expression of the cell surface proteoglycan syndecan-1 (Sdc1) is frequently induced in stromal fibroblasts of invasive breast carcinomas. We have recently identified a correlation between stromal Sdc1 expression and extracellular matrix (ECM) fiber alignment, both in vitro and in vivo. ECMs derived from Sdc1-positive human mammary fibroblasts (HMF) showed an aligned fiber architecture, which contrasted markedly with the more random fiber arrangement in the ECM produced by Sdc1-negative HMFs. We further demonstrated that aligned fiber architecture promotes the directional migration and invasion of breast carcinoma cells. To decipher the molecular mechanisms governing the formation of an aligned, invasion-permissive ECM, a series of Sdc1 mutants was introduced into HMF. We found that both the ectodomain and heparan sulfate chains of Sdc1 were required for full activity of Sdc1 in regulating ECM alignment, while transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains were dispensable. Sdc1 regulates the activities of several integrins via its ectodomain. Integrins are key players in the assembly of fibronectin-rich ECM. In addition, integrins are capable of regulating cell morphology and cell shape and orientation may affect ECM architecture. Therefore, we investigated the role of integrins in Sdc1-mediated ECM fiber alignment. Sdc1-overexpressing HMF gained an enhanced spindle-shaped morphology when cultured in an overconfluent state under conditions permissive for ECM production, which was partially reversed by siRNA-mediated silencing of β3 integrin expression. Moreover, suppression of αvβ3 integrin activity by a function-blocking antibody or β3 knockdown largely abolished the aligned ECM fiber architecture and consequently the invasion-permissive properties of the ECM induced by Sdc1. The results suggest that Sdc1 may modulate fibronectin fibrillogenesis and/or alter cell morphology during ECM production through αvβ3 integrin, thereby mediating ECM fiber alignment. Understanding the mechanisms governing ECM organization may lead to the development of novel stroma-targeted therapy for breast cancer, aiming at converting an invasion-permissive to an invasion-restrictive microenvironment.
An Improved Variant of Soybean Type 1 Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase Increases the Oil Content and Decreases the Soluble Carbohydrate Content of Soybeans

Kinetically improved diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) variants were created to favorably alter carbon partitioning in soybean (Glycine max) seeds. Initially, variants of a type 1 DGAT from a high-oil, high-oleic acid plant seed, Corylus americana, were screened for high oil content in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Nearly all DGAT variants examined from high-oil strains had increased affinity for oleoyl-CoA, with S0.5 values decreased as much as 4.7-fold compared with the wild-type value of 0.94 µm. Improved soybean DGAT variants were then designed to include amino acid substitutions observed in promising C. americana DGAT variants. The expression of soybean and C. americana DGAT variants in soybean somatic embryos resulted in oil contents as high as 10% and 12%, respectively, compared with only 5% and 7.6% oil achieved by overexpressing the corresponding wild-type DGATs. The affinity for oleoyl-CoA correlated strongly with oil content. The soybean DGAT variant that gave the greatest oil increase contained 14 amino acid substitutions out of a total of 504 (97% sequence identity with native). Seed-preferred expression of this soybean DGAT1 variant increased oil content of soybean seeds by an average of 3% (16% relative increase) in highly replicated, single-location field trials. The DGAT transgenes significantly reduced the soluble carbohydrate content of mature seeds and increased the seed protein content of some events. This study demonstrated that engineering of the native DGAT enzyme is an effective strategy to improve the oil content and value of soybeans.
Research of TD-CMMB Mobile TV Certification Authority System

In this paper,the TD-CMMB mobile TV certification authority system that cooperating between China Mobile and China Radio and Television is described.The certification authority system encrypts the stream of the contents,certificates the user,authenticates the user and ensure the safety of the mobile TV system and the user.Through the introduction of this article,the reader can have a clear understanding of the TD-CMMB mobile TV certification authority system.
Simulation and Monitoring of Shielding Failure and Back Striking on Overhead Transmission Lines

In view of the difficulty in distinguishing between back striking and shield failure in the lightning fault of overhead transmission lines and after comparing their characteristics,this paper establishes models for overhead transmission lines,pole and insulator using ATPDraw.Therefore,the cases for non-lightning fault,back striking and shielding failure are simulated based on a real 220kV single-circuit transmission lines and an analysis of characteristic differences including polarity,amplitude and gradient of fault current among them is made.Moreover,a real-time monitoring scheme is proposed according to the parameters of fault current in conductor and ground wire.Operation results prove that the scheme is able to distinguish between back strike and shield failure in overhead transmission lines.
Cutaneous signs of internal malignant disease.

SUMMARY There are many skin changes that reflect internal malignancy to varying degrees. These markers have been categorized as: specific lesions which usually represent metastatic infiltrates of the skin; and nonspecific lesions, characteristic dermatoses which are commonly or uncommonly found with malignancy. The commonly associated nonspecific entities (i.e., malignant acanthosis nigricans) almost always indicate the need for a rather extensive work-up in the search for an underlying malignant neoplasm (Table 1). On the other hand, in patients presenting with one of the remaining nonspecific dermatoses (Table 2), there should be some clue in either the history, physical examination, or laboratory screening that suggests a possible neoplasm. It should also be remembered that there are practically no prospective, age-matched controlled studies which absolutely validate the association of the dermatoses and the malignant disease. However, using Curth's criteria, most individuals would be satisfied with a positive relationship in the dermatoses listed in Table 1. Unfortunately, there are few rational clues which explain a possible mechanism for the dermatoses as a manifestation of the particular underlying neoplasm. It should be reemphasized that an awareness of these cutaneous signs, albeit rare, will enhance the ability to diagnose and possibly predict the presence of an internal malignant lesion.
Structure and Reactivity of Solid Catalysts : Quantum Chemical Approach

Abstract Three different types of catalysts are considered. The first are zeolites which have a known crystal structure, the second are model catalysts used in ultra-high vacuum studies, and the third are supported transition metal oxides, for which the size and distribution of active particles is not known. For the proton forms of zeolites we study possible products of the protonation of isobutene as an example of hydrocarbon transformation. For model catalysts we describe how quantum mechanics and surface science successfully cooperate in determining the structure of an ultra-thin silica film on an Mo(110) substrate. Vanadium oxide on silica and alumina are chosen for studying the mechanism of methanol oxidation and oxidative dehydrogenation of propane. The dependence of the reactivity on the size of the active particles below monolayer coverage is analyzed and compared with the reactivity of crystalline V2O5.
Foreign Direct Investment, Finance, and Economic Development

Research has sought to understand how foreign direct investment affects host economies. This paper reviews the empirical literature, specifically addressing the question: How does FDI affect economic development of host countries and what is the role of local financial markets in mediating the potential benefits? We first define FDI and discuss general theories on types and drivers of FDI. This review takes a host-country perspective rather than a firm perspective and thus only highlights the key insights from the rich firm-level literature on MNCs. We then focus on how financial conditions in host countries affect the extent of FDI-related capital inflows, shape the operations of foreign firms, and mediate the extent of productivity spillovers from FDI to local firms. The survey focuses mainly on work related to developing countries.
Indirect Effects of Landscape Spatial Structure and Plant Species Richness on Pollinator Diversity in Ozark Glades

ABSTRACT Changes in landscape spatial structure—specifically, reductions in habitat area and connectivity—are thought to be a primary cause of pollinator declines across North America. However, the mechanisms by which landscape structure influences pollinator diversity are not well understood. Because flowering plants and pollinators are generally mutualistic, the impact of landscape structure on one can influence the diversity of the other directly or indirectly. Here, we examine the direct and indirect effects of landscape structure on plant and pollinator communities in the naturally patchy, dolomite glade grasslands of the Missouri Ozarks. We quantified landscape spatial structure and the richness of plants and flying invertebrate pollinators in 30 glades. Higher pollinator diversity was not directly related to greater landscape area and connectivity. However, we found evidence for an indirect relationship where better-connected landscapes support higher plant richness, which in turn supports greater...
Novel and emerging technologies for endovascular thrombectomy

Endovascular thrombectomy device improvements in recent years have served a pivotal role in improving the success and safety of the thrombectomy procedure. As the intervention gains widespread use, developers have focused on maximizing the reperfusion rates and reducing procedural complications associated with these devices. This has led to a boom in device development. This review will cover novel and emerging technologies developed for endovascular thrombectomy.
Warranted Indoctrination in Science Education

Through to the early part of the twentieth century the concept of indoctrination was straight-forward and generally free of controversy. Ideological agitations likely fermented by several factors such as a misunderstanding of the progressive education movement , reaction to the growth of Fascism and Communism in Europe especially and student revolts of the sixties and seventies brought with them a host of disturbing connotation surrounding the idea of indoctrination. This is unfortunate as shown in the essay that follows since a simple and clear reading of standard dictionary definitions of indoctrination allow it to serve as an apt benchmark and cautionary guide to practicing science educators.
Adhesives for Achieving Durable Bonds with Acetylated Wood

Acetylation of wood imparts moisture durability, decay resistance, and dimensional stability to wood; however, making durable adhesive bonds with acetylated wood can be more difficult than with unmodified wood. The usual explanation is that the acetylated surface has fewer hydroxyl groups, resulting in a harder-to-wet surface and in fewer hydrogen bonds between wood and adhesive. This concept was evaluated using four different adhesives (resorcinol–formaldehyde, emulsion polymer isocyanate, epoxy, and melamine–formaldehyde) with unmodified wood, acetylated wood, and acetylated wood that had been planed. Strikingly, acetylation did not hinder adhesive bonds with a waterborne resorcinol–formaldehyde adhesive that bonded equally well to both unmodified and acetylated yellow poplar. An epoxy adhesive bonded better to the acetylated wood than to the unmodified wood, in contrast to an emulsion polymer isocyanate, which gave less durable bonds to acetylated than to unmodified wood. Planing of the acetylated wood surface prior to bonding reduced bond durability for the epoxy adhesive and increased the amount of surface hydroxyl groups, as measured using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis of the trifluoroacetic anhydride-treated wood. These experiments showed that wood modification is useful in understanding wood-adhesive interactions, in addition to determining how to develop adhesives for acetylated woods.
On frequency distribution of impulsive feedback control times

Abstract The present work considers an impulsive feedback control problem governed by a system of ODEs defined on a class of isolated time scales. The control is activated once the unique solution’s trajectory leaves a bounded connected domain. A periodicity of the controlled system’s solution in the context of shift-invariant time scales are discussed. Making use of the Δ-measure theory, a cumulative distribution of the control times is introduced. Then with the help of dynamic inequalities on time scales such as Opial-type inequality, upper estimations for the occurrence frequency of the control times are obtained. A uniform distribution of the control times mod 1 is studied and a necessary condition for the uniformity of distribution of control times in terms of critical dynamic of the controlled system is obtained.
Medical Student Suicide Rates: A Systematic Review of the Historical and International Literature

PurposePhysician suicide rates are reportedly higher than those of the general population, but medical student suicide rates are not well studied. It is difficult to determine whether physician suicide rates can be predicted by medical student risk factors for suicide and difficult to identify those
Total Antioxidant Capacity Measurement by Colorimetric Assay

Abstract Male infertility is the sole causative factor in 30% of infertile couples and a contributory factor combined with female factor in another 20% of the couples. Oxidative stress is an important underlying pathology in 30%–50% of infertile males and is associated with sperm dysfunction and sperm DNA fragmentation. Seminal antioxidative capacity determines the ability of the semen to neutralize excessive reactive oxygen species and prevent oxidative stress. This chapter highlights the importance of antioxidant determination and its role in male infertility evaluation. The chapter provides a comprehensive insight into various methods to measure total antioxidant levels in biological seminal fluid as well as a step-by-step procedure of total antioxidant capacity determination with colorimetric assay utilizing the spectrophotometry.
Manipulation of mass transport rates using bead-in-a-tube method.

Abstract In ultralow Pu analyses, the gold standard is thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS), which requires pure sources to achieve its performance. This purity is achieved through step-wise purifications. In this work single, anion-exchange beads were trapped in the tubing to allow for dynamic solution cycling over the surface of the beads to improve the rates of metal complex uptake. Rates of Pu sorption on single ∼900 μm SIR-1200 and ∼620 μm Reillex-HPQ beads were determined for single beads trapped in a tube with syringe pump driven dynamic solution cycling over the bead, improving sorption and desorption rates. A static control was used as a comparison. Using 238Pu to enable facile activity-based measurements, rates were determined by measuring the residual Pu after contact with beads using liquid scintillation analysis (LSA) for fixed periods of time. Syringe pump driven dynamic solution cycling results in ∼5 and ∼15-fold improvements in the sorption rates for SIR-1200 and Reillex-HPQ. Impacts on desorption were also examined.
Wood stove interventions and child respiratory infections in rural communities: KidsAir rationale and methods

Abstract Background Acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) account for >27% of all hospitalizations among US children under five years of age. Residential burning of biomass for heat leads to elevated indoor levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that often exceed current health based air quality standards. This is concerning as PM2.5 exposure is associated with many adverse health outcomes, including a greater than three-fold increased risk of LRTIs. Evidence-based efforts are warranted in rural and American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities in the US that suffer from elevated rates of childhood LRTI and commonly use wood for residential heating. Design In three rural and underserved settings, we conducted a three-arm randomized controlled, post-only intervention trial in wood stove homes with children less than five years old. Education and household training on best-burn practices were introduced as one intervention arm (Tx1). This intervention was evaluated against an indoor air filtration unit arm (Tx2), as well as a control arm (Tx3). The primary outcome was LRTI incidence among children under five years of age. Discussion To date, exposure reduction strategies in wood stove homes have been either inconsistently effective or include factors that limit widespread dissemination and continued compliance in rural and economically disadvantaged populations. As part of the “KidsAIR” study described herein, the overall hypothesis was that a low-cost, educational intervention targeting indoor wood smoke PM2.5 exposures would be a sustainable approach for reducing children's risk of LRTI in rural and AI/AN communities.
AVA: an Automatic eValuation Approach to Question Answering Systems.

We introduce AVA, an automatic evaluation approach for Question Answering, which given a set of questions associated with Gold Standard answers, can estimate system Accuracy. AVA uses Transformer-based language models to encode question, answer, and reference text. This allows for effectively measuring the similarity between the reference and an automatic answer, biased towards the question semantics. To design, train and test AVA, we built multiple large training, development, and test sets on both public and industrial benchmarks. Our innovative solutions achieve up to 74.7% in F1 score in predicting human judgement for single answers. Additionally, AVA can be used to evaluate the overall system Accuracy with an RMSE, ranging from 0.02 to 0.09, depending on the availability of multiple references.
The Moral Concerns of Biobank Donors: The Effect of Non-Welfare Interests on Willingness to Donate

Donors to biobanks are typically asked to give blanket consent, allowing their donation to be used in any research authorized by the biobank. This type of consent ignores the evidence that some donors have moral, religious, or cultural concerns about the future uses of their donations – concerns we call “non-welfare interests”. The nature of non-welfare interests and their effect on willingness to donate to a biobank is not well understood.In order to better understand the influence of non-welfare interests, we surveyed a national sample of the US population (in June 2014) using a probability-based internet panel. Logistic regression models assessed the demographic and attitudinal characteristics associated with participants’ willingness to give consent for unspecified future uses of their donation when presented with 7 research scenarios that raised possible non-welfare interest concerns.Most people had non-welfare interests that significantly affect their willingness to donate to a biobank using blanket consent. Some non-welfare interests are associated with subgroups but others are not. A positive attitude toward biomedical research in general was associated with increased willingness to donate, while concerns about privacy and being African American were associated with decreased willingness.Non-welfare interests matter and can diminish willingness to donate to a biobank. Our data suggest that trust in research promotes willingness to donate. Ignoring non-welfare interests could erode this trust. Donors’ non-welfare interests could be accommodated through greater transparency and easier access to information about the uses of donations.
Chemical short range order strengthening in BCC complex concentrated alloys

Abstract Atomistic methods are used to anneal two body-centered cubic (BCC) chemically complex alloys (CCAs) in order to assess the effect of chemical short-range order on alloy strength. The two alloys, a model quaternary Co16.67Fe36.67Ni16.67Ti30 and ternary Nb33.33Ti33.33Zr33.33, are represented using simple Zhou interatomic potentials. Chemically random cells are annealed at temperatures 65% of the average melting temperature of the individual elements using a Monte Carlo approach, and the critical stress required to move a/2[111] screw dislocations in the initial and annealed cells are estimated using molecular dynamics simulations. It is shown that annealing leads to a softening of the BCC quaternary alloy relative to the random state, especially for deformation at low temperatures. On the other hand, short-range order has minimal effect on solid solution strengthening in the ternary alloy. These results are modeled using an extension of the Suzuki model of substitutional solid solution strengthening developed for BCC chemically complex alloys. Here the model is modified to account for the effects of chemical short-range order. Good agreement is shown between the model results and direct atomistic simulation data. The model presented should be useful in predicting BCC CCAs with adequate high temperature strength, which will accelerate development of high temperature, high strength BCC alloys for aerospace applications.
The impact of estradiol on pregnancy outcomes in letrozole-stimulated frozen embryo transfer cycles.

Objective To assess the impact of low estradiol (E2) levels in letrozole-stimulated frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. Design Retrospective cohort. Setting University-affiliated fertility center. Patients All patients who underwent letrozole-stimulated FET cycles from January 2017 to April 2020 (n = 217). The "Low E2" group was defined as those with E2 serum levels on the day of trigger <10th percentile level (E2 <91.16 pg/mL, n = 22) and the "Normal E2" group was defined as those with E2 serum levels ≥10th percentile level (E2 ≥91.16 pg/mL, n = 195). Interventions None. Main Outcome Measures Pregnancy outcomes including rates of clinical pregnancy, clinical miscarriage, and live birth. Neonatal outcomes including gestational age at delivery, birth weight, and Apgar score. Results The mean ± SD estradiol level was 66.8 ± 14.8 pg/mL for the "Low E2" group compared with 366.3 ± 322.1 pg/mL for the "Normal E2" group. There were otherwise no substantial differences in cycle characteristics such as endometrial thickness on the day of ovulation trigger and progesterone levels in early pregnancy. The "Low E2" group had a significantly higher clinical miscarriage rate (36.4% vs. 8.8%, adjusted odds ratio 8.06) and lower live birth rate (31.8% vs. 57.9%, adjusted odds ratio 0.28). Neonatal outcomes such as gestational age at delivery, mean birth weight, Apgar scores, and incidence of newborn complications were not clinically different between the groups. Conclusion Low E2 levels were associated with a significantly higher miscarriage rate and lower live birth rate, suggesting that E2 levels in the follicular phase may have an effect on cycle outcomes. Given the rise in use of FET, further studies are needed to confirm our findings and understand the mechanisms.