cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lattice neural network minimization. Application of neural network optimization for locating the global-minimum conformations of proteins.

A way of formulating the protein-folding problem in neural network optimization terms is presented in this paper. This is accomplished by representing the conformation of a protein as an array of the amino acid sequence versus position on a three-dimensional face-centered cubic lattice with an energy function defined in terms of the array variables. The method is called lattice neural network minimization (LNNM). Using the neural network minimization method, the energy function is minimized to locate the global minimum energy for the conformation of the protein. The energy function consisted of site exclusion and bond connectivity penalty terms and a pairwise contact energy potential. The contact energy potential used in the procedure is the united-residue potential of Miyazawa, Jernigan and Covell. The LNNM method found the global minimum for a seven-residue peptide in all of the 15 runs carried out. The time for each run was approximately 30 seconds on one processor of an IBM 3090 computer. For a nine-residue peptide, the global minimum was found in 7 out of 15 runs (47%) in approximately 50 seconds per run. For this peptide, LNNM found the global minimum or the second lowest minimum in 10 of the runs. In the same total CPU times (approximately 750 seconds), a Monte Carlo simulated annealing method found the global minimum or the second lowest minimum in only two runs, demonstrating the superiority of LNNM over the standard Monte Carlo simulated annealing method for this nine-residue peptide. Starting from a uniform array for the protein crambin (46 residues) on the lattice, the energy of the crambin array was minimized and a compact low-energy structure was found in approximately 25 minutes of CPU time. Its energy was much lower than that of the native protein, suggesting that there are inadequacies in the Miyazawa-Jernigan-Covell potential. The LNNM method was applied to the prediction of what was previously called nucleation but more properly called chain-folding initiation sites (CFIS) of a protein. LNNM correctly predicted the CFIS for the two proteins examined, RNase S and T4 lysozyme. The LNNM method was also applied to another chain optimization problem, minimization of the root-mean-square distance error (r.m.s.d.) (a measure similar to r.m.s. deviation) in fitting X-ray structures to a lattice, with good results.
Energy management for commodity short-bit-width microcontrollers

Dynamic frequency scaling and dynamic voltage scaling have been developed to save power and/or energy for general purpose computing platforms and high-end embedded systems. This paper examines the practicality of using these advanced techniques to save power and energy for commodity 8-bit microcontrollers while leveraging their built-in low-power modes. The benefits of the techniques are weighed against their complexity and cost. First, we mathematically model the power dissipation characteristics of 11 popular 8-bit microcontrollers. We then simulate their power dissipation with different power management techniques being applied. The role of the power scheduler, the power supply, and the frequency divider circuit are also described and analyzed. We find that although dynamic voltage scaling renders the lowest energy dissipation for most microcontrollers, it is not always dramatically better than using a combination of dynamic frequency scaling and the built in power down modes, which is much less expensive to implement.
SU-E-J-208: Synthetic Datasets for Adaptive Radiotherapy Simulations in Lung Cancer Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA)

Purpose: To evaluate feasibility of PCA to produce realistic lung cancer datasets that demonstrate clinically relevant trends of tumor regression for simulating adaptive radiotherapy treatments. Methods: For four non small cell lung cancer patients, weekly helical CTs were acquired during the course of radiotherapy under active breathing control (ABC) and structures of interest were delineated by a qualified physician. Following a rigid alignment, week one images were registered to each of the remaining weeks using the ITK Demons algorithm. Resulting displacement vector fields (DVF) were reshaped into a composite matrix for PCA, with each row consisting of weekly displacements for homologous points. Intermediate and extrapolated PCA coefficients were drawn from a linear fit of the data and from a patient specific PDF constructed using kernel density estimation of the original coefficients. Principal components and the intermediate coefficients were employed to generate synthetic DVFs. A pseudo inverse DVF was generated from each intermediate synthetic DVF and used to warp week one images and contours for each patient resulting in eight sets of images and contours. Dice coefficients for week one risk structures and all propagated contours of the same are calculated in an effort to quantify the realistic nature of the images i.e. how well each represents a realistic pose of patient anatomy. Tumor volumes are calculated for each time point and are compared with clinically observed regression trends. Results: Dice coefficients for all (both linear and random samples) heart, left lung, and right lung contours were respectively: 0.9, 0.9, 0.9, for patient 1; 0.7, 0.6, 0.7, for patient 2; 0.6, 0.7, 0.7 for patient 3; and 0.3, 0.3, 0.2 for patient 4. Mean decrease in tumor volume was 36.2 percent. Conclusions: PCA has the potential to produce realistic poses of patient anatomy that exhibit clinically relevant trends of regression. Funded by P01‐CA116602
Analysis of porous carbon with 129Xe, 1H NMR and N2 porosimetry

Abstract Activated carbon materials are complex, noncrystalline solids that are difficult to characterize. In this work microstructure within the sample activated carbons has been elucidated by combining the results from 129 Xe, 1 H NMR spectroscopy and nitrogen porosimetry. Using the Horvath-Kawazoe model to transform nitrogen physiosorpdon data the micropore sizes of the carbons were found to be ~ 5.9A. Evaluation of 129 Xe and 1 H NMR spectra of xenon and adsorbed methane, respectively, provided the chemical shift data necessary to calculate the lateral dimensions of the graphitic microdomains and, hence, those of the pores. By this method, the microdomain sizes were found to vary between 15 and 30A. These values are in good agreement with the sizes of the microdomains expected based on earlier results provided in the literature that show a range from 15 to 60A.
Platinum-induced mutations to 8-azaguanine resistance in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

Abstract 6 platinum (Pt) compounds were compared in suspension cultured Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-S) cells with respect to their inhibition of growth, their reduction of cloning efficiency, and their induction of mutants resistant to 200 μM (30 μg/ml) 8-azaguanine (8-AG) and 3 mM ouabain (OUA), respectively. The toxicity of these compounds can be ranked by the medium concentrations which decrease suspension growth/or cloning efficiency by 50%: ci s-Pt(NH 3 ) 2 - Cl 2 (0.9/1.5 μM)> Pt(SO 4 ) 2 + methylcobalamin (MeB-12) methylation product (20/10μM) > K 2 PtCl 4 (32/50 μM) = K 2 PtCl 6 (34/50 μM) = MePtCl −2 3 (60/50μM) > Pt(SO 4 ) 2 (66/105 μM). Following 20 h exposures to concentrations which resulted in relative survivals of 80-2%, none of the foregoing compounds increased consistently the frequency of OUA R mutants above the spontaneous frequency 6.0 X 10 -6 . Parallel treatments with 800 μM (100 μM/ml) ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) increased the OUA R mutant frequency 10–12-fold. Using 8-AG for mutant selection, dose-dependent increases of 5–7-fold above the spontaneous frequency (3−8 X 10 −5 were obtained with cis -Pt-(NH 3 ) 2 Cl 2 , Pt(SO 4 ) 2 , and the product from Pt(SO 4 ) 2 + MeB-12. Identical 20 h exposures to varying amounts of K 2 PtCl 4 , K 2 PtCl 6 , and MePtCl 2 3 did not induce 8-AG R mutants. Optimal detection of Pt-induced 8AG R mutants required 7 post-treatment, expression doublings in suspension culture. Under our selection conditions 8/8 spontaneous and 24/24 Pt-induced 8-AG R variants contained reduced hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT) specific activities (means ranging from 3 to 11% of the parental CHO-S cells).
Profile of the complex index of refraction in the surface region of hydrogen-ion-bombarded silicon

Abstract The complex index of refraction of single-crystal Si[100] bombarded with low energy hydrogen ions was measured as a function of depth into the silicon from the bombarded surface. The bombardment conditions were a 1600 eV hydrogen beam produced by a Kaufman ion source, 1.4 mA cm-2 flux, 2×1018 ions cm-2 fluence and 275°C bulk silicon temperature. These conditions were comparable with the conditions generally reported to result in a substantial increase in the electrical conductivity of hydrogen-ion-bombarded polycrystalline silicon solar cell material. In the current study, we incrementally removed small but measurable amounts of the bombardment-modified material by anodizing the silicon and etching away the anodic layer. The underlying material was then characterized using ellipsometry. A self-consistent solution for the complex refractive index as a function of depth was determined from the ellipsometry data. The results of this study indicate that the real and imaginary parts of the refractive index of the ion-bombarded surface region approached that of the unbombarded substrate at a depth of 50 nm. The refractive index of the first 10 nm, approximately, of ion-bombarded material was strongly independent on the bombardment conditions. Variations in the imaginary part of the refractive index indicate that approximately 10% of incident radiation was absorbed by the first 50 nm of modified material. Reflectance measurements over the wavelength region 300 nm to 1200 nm were consistent with this observation.
Interactions between Cs and noble metals (Cu, Ag, Au) on ZnO surfaces: electronic perturbations and alloy formation

Abstract The adsorption of cesium on polycrystalline ZnO and the coadsorption of the alkali with noble metals (NM=Cu, Ag or Au) were investigated using X-ray and synchrotron-based photoelectron spectroscopies. At small coverages, Cs forms very strong adsorption bonds on polycrystalline ZnO with desorption temperatures that are higher than 700 K. The strength of the Cs–ZnO bond depends on the coverage of Cs, and for a saturated adlayer, the desorption of the alkali starts around 300 K. In the Cs/ZnO systems, there is a migration of oxygen toward the alkali–oxide interface, but the Cs does not become fully oxidized. When Cu or Au is deposited on Cs/ZnO, Cs moves from the alkali–oxide interface to the top of the noble metal overlayer. This migration substantially increases the thermal stability of Cs on the surface. In NM/ZnO surfaces, the metal overlayers exhibit valence bands that are significantly different from those of the corresponding bulk metals. These electronic perturbations do not facilitate the formation of Cs–NM alloys, and the Cs/NM/ZnO systems show a pattern of reactivity identical to that found for bulk samples: one can see the formation of Cs–Au alloys in Cs/Au/ZnO, whereas no alloying is found in Cs/Cu/ZnO and Cs/Ag/ZnO. The supported Cs–Au alloys are very reactive toward O2. They decompose at temperatures between 400 and 500 K, with a fraction of the Cs desorbing into gas phase and the rest remaining chemisorbed on Au or ZnO.
The L2risk of an isotonic estimate

Suppose that observations (t1, y1), …, (tn, yn) are collected from isotonic regression y = f(t) + ϵ, where f is a bounded non-increasing function. Denote by [ftilde]n be the isotonic estimate of f. This paper derives a nonasymptotic bound on the L2 risk of [ftilde]n for given n and f. This bound is then used to study both the limit of the L2 risk of [ftilde]n as n goes to infinity and the maximum of the L2 risk of [ftilde]n over a class of bounded non-increasing functions.
Application of electron microscopy to the processing of ceramic materials

Abstract Several of the major contributions made to our understanding of ceramic materials through the use of high resolution transmission electron microscopy techniques are surveyed. Examples are drawn from studies of the non-crystalline, intergranular phase in silicon nitride alloys, the concurrent development of crystalline phases from amorphous precursors, the solid state polytype transformation in silicon carbide, and the preferential dissolution of non-crystalline phases in nuclear waste ceramics. The principal limitations to still higher resolution studies are also discussed.
Intrathoracic Rosai-Dorfman Disease: Hemorrhage With Routine Diagnostic Procedure

We present a case of a 33-year-old female with a slow growing, right peribronchial vascular mass and associated symptoms of progressive cough, dyspnea on exertion, and hemoptysis. On routine diagnostic flexible bronchoscopy with needle biopsy, the lesion hemorrhaged extensively requiring emergent thoracotomy, right lower and middle bilobectomy. The histopathology of the specimen was consistent with the rare and unusually located entity Rosai-Dorfman disease.
Electrospun cellulose acetate fibers containing chlorhexidine as a bactericide

Abstract Submicron fibers with bactericidal properties were prepared from electrospinning of blends containing cellulose acetate (CA) as a polymer base, chlorhexidine (CHX) as a bactericidal agent, and organic titanate Tyzor® TE (TTE) as a cross-linker. A small amount of high molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was incorporated into the blends to facilitate the electrospinning, and its effect on the extensional properties and spinnability of the N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solutions were evaluated. The CHX-containing fiber meshes were cured by TTE in the presence of water vapor, which created covalent links between the CA and CHX. The immobilization of CHX on or within the fibers was confirmed by FTIR, Raman and XPS measurements. The resulting fiber meshes exhibited bactericidal properties on contact, due to the CHX immobilized on the fibers, and within a zone of inhibition (ZoI), due to the release of unbound CHX. The relationship of ZoI for the gram-negative Escherichia coli and the gram-positive Staphylococcus epidermidis to the amount of unbound CHX in the fibers is described by a simple diffusion model. The contact bactericidal capacity against both E. coli and S. epidermidis was assayed after complete removal of unbound CHX from the fibers. A post-spin treatment to attach CHX onto CA–PEO fibers via TTE linkers was also shown to be effective.
Polar motion excitation - A broad-band perspective

Abstract Many recent studies of polar motion have demonstrated that climate-related variations (air and water motion and mass redistribution) provide the dominant source of polar motion excitation over virtually the entire band of frequencies that can be studied with modern space geodetic data. In spite of this general conclusion, when numerical model estimates of climate sources are actually compared with observed polar motion data, coherence is not necessarily high at all frequencies, and there are often differences in power spectral levels. In a qualitative sense this is understood to be due to imperfect climate model estimates, but it is generally difficult to judge relative or absolute quality of any particular climate series among the many available from a variety of numerical models. Here we examine the full frequency band accessible with daily data in order to understand causes of coherence and power spectral differences. A preliminary step is to introduce a least-squares broad-band data-driven method to form an optimum combined climate excitation time series, using as examples, series derived from the NCAR/NCEP reanalysis fields. This yields a coefficient for each series that is useful in judging its relative quality. The combined climate series is used to examine discrepancies evident in the spectra. At low frequencies the cause is likely to be inadequacies of individual climate component estimates, while at high frequencies alias contamination is probably the cause of diminished coherence and power spectrum differences.
Ocular oxygen toxicity: The effect of hyperbaric oxygen on the in vitro electroretinogram

Abstract 1. 1. Electroretinograms (ERG) were recorded from isolated eyecups of frogs, rats, goldfish, and trout during exposure to hyperbaric oxygen. 2. 2. Hyperbaric oxygen is toxic to the frog and rat retinas as indicated by attenuation of the ERG. 3. ]3. Electroretinographic evidence indicates that the teleost retina is resistant to oxygen toxicity.
Compensation and egg donation for research

Financial compensation to egg donors for their time and inconvenience in donating is established in the United States as ethically and legally acceptable. That system should be extended to egg donation for research.
Nonlinear Change Models in Populations with Unobserved Heterogeneity

When unobserved heterogeneity exists in populations where the phenomenon of interest is governed by a functional form of change linear in its parameters, the growth mixture model (GMM) is useful for modeling change conditional on latent class. However, when the functional form of interest is nonlinear in its parameters, the GMM is not very useful because it is based on a system of equations linear in its parameters. The nonlinear change mixture model (NCMM) is proposed, which explicitly addresses unobserved heterogeneity in situations where change follows a nonlinear functional form. Due to the integration of nonlinear multilevel models and finite mixture models, neither of which generally have closed form solutions, analytic solutions do not generally exist for the NCMM. Five methods of parameter estimation are developed and evaluated with a comprehensive Monte Carlo simulation study. The simulation showed that the parameters of the NCMM can be accurately estimated with several of the proposed methods, a...
Pediatric critical care community survey of knowledge and attitudes toward therapeutic hypothermia in comatose children after cardiac arrest.

OBJECTIVE Therapeutic hypothermia improves neurologic outcome and survival after adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. To help us design a prospective hypothermia trial in children, we developed a survey to assess current knowledge and attitude of pediatric critical care providers regarding therapeutic hypothermia and potential impediments to implementing a prospective study. DESIGN Anonymous survey. SETTING Internet-based survey of pediatric critical care community. INTERVENTIONS None. RESULTS A total of 159 responders completed the survey. Most respondents (92%) were fellowship-trained in pediatric critical care, with 9.9 +/- 6.5 yrs of experience. Many (85%) worked in the United States; 89% were in large tertiary care centers with residency or fellowship training programs. Most (65%) were aware of the adult randomized trials of therapeutic hypothermia, but only 9% (always) or 38% (sometimes) utilize this therapy. The most common reason to use hypothermia was likelihood of patient recovery, absence of life-limiting disease, and presence of coma for >/=1 hr after resuscitation. The majority of responders using therapeutic hypothermia cool their patients to 33-35 degrees C for a duration ranging from as short as 12 hrs to as long as 96 hrs; 91% do not actively rewarm the patient. A majority (81%) agree that a randomized, controlled trial of therapeutic hypothermia in children is ethical, and 95% would be willing to randomize their patients. Finally, 81% thought that therapeutic hypothermia should be studied in other ischemic insults and not just cardiac arrest. CONCLUSIONS Despite widespread awareness of therapeutic hypothermia's beneficial effects after arrest, it is not widely used by pediatric critical care clinicians sampled in our survey. Among those using hypothermia, there is wide variation in methodology and end points of therapy. This seems to result from a lack of evidence, difficulty with the technique, and unavailability of explicit protocols. Pediatric studies are needed to assess the safety, feasibility, and effectiveness of therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest and other causes of brain injury.
Crime and Punishment: Are One-Shot, Two-Person Games Enough?

George Tsebelis argued in the March 1989 issue of this Review that decision theory is completely appropriate for analyzing games against nature but not appropriate for dissecting games against a rational opponent. Analysts who mistake a rational opponent for nature in constructing models commit what Tsebelis calls “the Robinson Crusoe fallacy.” In this controversy, William Bianco and Peter Ordeshook attack components of Tsebelis's argument. Bianco believes the model should be set up as an iterated, rather than a one-shot, game. Ordeshook feels that proper modeling cannot rely merely on two-person games and, in addition, he argues that Tsebelis commits some technical errors. In his reply, Tsebelis joins the issues and buttresses his original analysis.
Why Need is “A Word We Cannot Do Without” in Economics

Economists in the neoclassical tradition do their best to avoid using the word “need.” Social economists have traditionally been more open to discussions of need. Philosophic discussions of need are also scarce but nevertheless helpful. This essay will argue that need is “a word we cannot do without” in economics, and not only in social economics. Need is objective, satiable, and absolute, by contrast with want or preference as it is defined in neoclassical economics. With this clarification, 1) it is reasonable that public policy should consider need as well as want and aim to satisfy some needs, and 2) for some purposes, such as the economics of health care, conventional demand cannot be understood without the concept of need. Thus, even the narrower purposes of neoclassical economics cannot be achieved without clarifying and using the concept of need, in addition to the more usual motivational assumptions of neoclassical economics.
Normal and Malignant Hematopoiesis

10000 bone marrow cells) specifically characterized by their proliferative capacity (though under steady state conditions >95% of HSC are quiescent, nondividing cells at any one time), pluripotency (they can regenerate the entire spectrum of mature blood derived cells), and self-renewal. The hierarchy of hematopoietic cell differentiation is depicted in Figure 1.1. HSC reside in close association with hematopoietic stromal cells within specific microenvironmental niches that function in concert with a variety of both multilineage and single lineagespecific hematopoietic growth factors, stromal cells, and extracellular matrix molecules to regulate their survival, cell cycle progression, proliferation, and differentiation. These processes of self-renewal, proliferation, differentiation, and cell death are tightly regulated under normal conditions throughout life. A normal individual maintains steady state
High-Energy Skeletal Trauma in the Elderly

Despite the increasing prevalence of high-energy skeletal trauma in the elderly (i.e., sixty years or older), there is a lack of prospective data regarding best care for these injuries.Elderly patients with multiple injuries are often undertriaged to trauma centers and underresuscitated.Aggressive early resuscitation can improve outcomes in elderly patients who have sustained skeletal trauma.Comanagement by orthopaedic surgeons and geriatricians of elderly patients with skeletal trauma can lead to a lower length of hospital stay, lower readmission rates, shorter time to operation, lower complication rates, and lower mortality.
Effects of muscarinic agents on chick choroids in intact eyes and eyecups: evidence for a muscarinic mechanism in choroidal thinning

Purpose In chicks, ocular growth inhibition is associated with choroidal thickening and growth stimulation with choroidal thinning, suggesting a mechanistic link between the two responses. Because muscarinic antagonists inhibit the development of myopia in animal models by a non-accommodative mechanism, we tested the hypothesis that agonists would stimulate eye growth and thin the choroid. We also hypothesized that the effective growth-inhibiting antagonists would thicken the choroid. Methods Chicks, age 12–16 days, were used. In vivo: Agonists: Single intravitreal injections (20 μL) of oxotremorine (oxo), pilocarpine (pilo), carbachol (carb), or arecaidine (arec) were given to otherwise untreated eyes. A-scan ultrasonography was done prior to injections, and at 3, 24, 48 and 72 h. Antagonists: −10D lenses were worn on one eye for 4 days. Atropine (atro), pirenzepine (pirz), oxyphenonium (oxy) or dicyclomine (dicy) were injected (20 μL) daily into lens-wearing eyes; saline injections were done as controls. Ultrasonography was done on d1 and on d4; on d4 measurements were done before and 3 h after injections. In vitro: Paired eyecups of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), choroid and sclera were made from 1-week old chicks. All drugs except atropine were tested on one eyecup, its pair in plain medium. Choroidal thickness was measured at various times over 48 h. Results Agonists: In vivo, oxotremorine caused an increase in the rate of axial elongation (drug vs saline: 24–72 h: 338 μm vs 250 μm; p < 0.001). All except pilocarpine caused choroidal thinning by 24 h (oxo, carb and arec vs saline: −25, −35 and −46 μm vs 3 μm). In vitro, all agonists thinned choroids by 24 h (oxo: −6 vs 111 μm; pilo: 45 vs 212 μm; carb: −58 vs 65 μm; arec: 47 vs 139 μm; p < 0.05). Antagonists: Atropine, pirenzepine and oxyphenonium inhibited the development of myopia in negative lens-wearing eyes, and also caused choroidal thickening (drug vs saline: 42, 80, 88 vs 10 μm per 3 h). In vitro, pirenzepine thickened choroids by 3 h (77 vs 2 μm, p < 0.01). Conclusions Muscarinic agonists caused choroidal thinning in intact eyes and eyecups, supporting a role for acetylcholine in the choroidal response to hyperopic defocus or form deprivation. Only oxotremorine stimulated eye growth, which is inconsistent with a muscarinic receptor mechanism for antagonist-induced eye growth inhibition. The dissociation between choroidal thinning and ocular growth stimulation for the other agonists in vivo suggest separate pathways for the two.
Persona-based information shapes linguistic perception: Valley Girls and California vowels

This paper investigates the effect of persona-based information on implicit linguistic perceptions of a sociolinguistic feature – the backed trap vowel. trap-backing is associated both with macro-social region (California) and with a particular persona that inhabits this region (the Valley Girl). An eye-tracking paradigm is used to examine these associations in early, automatic stages of perception. One group of listeners was told the speaker was from California, while another group was told that the speaker had been described as a Valley Girl. Findings demonstrate that both the California information and the Valley Girl information caused listeners to expect the speaker to exhibit trap-backing. While previous studies have highlighted the influence of macro-sociological categories on linguistic perception, the present study suggests that persona-based social meanings can also serve to influence perception, supporting theories that foreground personae as social constructs crucial to interaction.
Robust power allocation for active and passive localization

Power resource allocation is an important task for active and passive network localization, since it affects the localization accuracy in addition to the lifetime and throughput of the network. In this paper, we propose a robust power allocation formulation that guarantees the localization accuracy in the presence of parameter uncertainty for network localization. We first consider wireless network localization (WNL) as an example of active localization, and derive sequential upper and lower bounds for the worst-case localization accuracy as well as their convergence rates. Built on these bounds, we transform the robust formulation into a sequence of second-order cone programs (SOCPs) that yield asymptotically optimal solutions. We also develop an efficient near-optimal SOCP-based algorithm using a relaxation method. Then, we extend all the results to passive localization through the example of radar network localization (RNL). Finally, the simulation results validate the efficiency and robustness of the proposed algorithms.
The arthroscopic managementof cartilage lesions, loose bodies, and synovial lesions of the elbow

Abstract Since elbow arthroscopy first graduated from a purely diagnostic procedure, the management of cartilage and synovial lesions has remained the most frequent therapy. The most common indications for elbow arthroscopy in the athletic population are the removal of loose bodies and the debridement of periarticular osteophytes, and for these mechanical disorders the procedure has clearly shown its value. The success in treating pathologic conditions in the elbow is substantially dependent on the ability of the arthroscopist. The high degree of congruency of the articular surfaces and the relatively small capsular volume demand a thorough knowledge of arthroscopic elbow anatomy and the relationships of the articulating surfaces. Skills in portal placement, instrument triangulation, and safely maneuvering the arthroscope to obtain optimal views are essential. To the degree that these necessities are met, gratifying results can be achieved in the arthroscopic management of loose bodies, chondromalacia, osteochondritis dissecans, synovitis, synovial osteochondromatosis, and lateral synovial plicas.
Multiobjective design optimization of counterweight balancing of a robot arm using genetic algorithms

We present a hybrid approach to optimize the counterweight balancing of a robot arm, which uses a combination of a genetic algorithm (GA) with the min-max multiobjective optimization method to get the Pareto optimal set of solutions. This set corresponds to several possible robot designs from which the most appropriate has to be chosen by the designer. Our approach is compared to a more traditional min-max search technique in which a combination of random and sequential search was used to generate the Pareto optimal solutions. Our results show how the GA is able to get solutions with a lower deviation from the ideal vector.
Recognition of nosocomial pneumonia in the intensive care unit: still a confusing issue.

Pneumonia associated with mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting is one of the most common infections managed by intensivists. The current classification of nosocomial pneumonia includes hospital-acquired pneumonia, ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and nursing home-
Ras-mediated phosphorylation of a conserved threonine residue enhances the transactivation activities of c-Ets1 and c-Ets2.

The Ras oncogene products regulate the expression of genes in transformed cells, and members of the Ets family of transcription factors have been implicated in this process. To determine which Ets factors are the targets of Ras signaling pathways, the abilities of several Ets factors to activate Ras- responsive enhancer (RRE) reporters in the presence of oncogenic Ras were examined. In transient transfection assays, reporters containing RREs composed of Ets-AP-1 binding sites could be activated 30-fold in NIH 3T3 fibroblasts and 80-fold in the macrophage-like line RAW264 by the combination of Ets1 or Ets2 and Ras but not by several other Ets factors that were tested in the assay. Ets2 and Ras also superactivated an RRE composed of Ets-Ets binding sites, but the Ets-responsive promoter of the c-fms gene was not superactivated. Mutation of a threonine residue to alanine in the conserved amino-terminal regions of Ets1 and Ets2 (threonine 38 and threonine 72, respectively) abrogated the ability of each of these proteins to superactivate reporter gene expression. Phosphoamino acid analysis of radiolabeled Ets2 revealed that Ras induced normally absent threonine- specific phosphorylation of the protein. The Ras-dependent increase in threonine phosphorylation was not observed in Ets2 proteins that had the conserved threonine 72 residue mutated to alanine or serine. These data indicate that Ets1 and Ets2 are specific nuclear targets of Ras signaling events and that phosphorylation of a conserved threonine residue is a necessary molecular component of Ras-mediated activation of these transcription factors.
Proximate and Ultimate Causation of Egg Size and the “Third-chick Disadvantage” in the Western Gull

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://www.jstor.org/stable/4087093?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents.
Reflections on US health care information technology policy from a global perspective.

Purpose – Health information technology (HIT) has been lauded as a foundation upon which the development of an integral solution to cost and quality problems facing many nations is predicated. Countries throughout the world have taken differing approaches in their efforts to advance that foundation through policy, financial, and cultural systems that come to support or hinder adoption. As we explore potential opportunities to learn from the experience of others, we pause to consider the environmental, regulatory, financial, and social dynamics that define the US context. Design/methodology/approach – This chapter outlines the framework for a comparative approach through four dimensions – environmental, regulation, financial, and social – through which comparative HIT studies should be explored. Findings – With such markedly different contexts in which their HIT is embedded, it is important to not simply look at other countries as a yardstick upon which we compare our failures and successes. Rather, we must look critically at these examples understanding that the dynamics at play in each context have created opportunities and obligations that have come to define each country's implementation. Originality/value – The need for a common framework through which scholars can explore comparative HIT systems, while remaining grounded in the US context is an important aspect of effective knowledge translation in adoption.
Construction of ichnogeneric names

Ichnologists have over used the root ichn - “trace”, employing it in new terms and new ichnogenera alike, to the point where it can be difficult to express oneself clearly without using it several times in one sentence. The root derives from Ancient ἴχνος ( ichnos ), which means “foot print” or “track”, or by extension a “trace”, any sign of an animal’s activity. Perhaps it is time to explore the use of other roots to create new ichnologic terms and genera. Alternative Latin and Greek roots are given here, as well as ad vice on how to construct new ichnogenera in a technically correct and aesthetically pleasing manner.
Thermal Requirements for Development, Population Trends, and Parasitism of Azalea Lace Bug (Heteroptera: Tingidae)

Duration of development of azalea lace bug, Stephanitis pyrioides (Scott), measured at six temperatures ranged from ≈ 22 d at 30°C to 97 d at 15°C. Development was not successful at 33°C. Estimated threshold temperatures ( To ) and calculated thermal unit requirements ( K ) for development of egg, nymphal, and complete development were, respectively: 10.2, 12.2, 11.2°C and 213.1, 179.2, 394 degree-days (DD). Four generations of azalea lace bug occurred in central Georgia. Phenology of the first generation developing from overwintered eggs was closely predicted in the landscape using these parameters. A mymarid parasitoid, Anagrus sp., emerged from eggs collected at intervals during the season. Greatest parasitoid-induced mortality was observed in the overwintering generation.
Competition and the Species-per-Genus Structure of Communities

The ecological relationship of the 208 taxa which make up the Brassica oleracea L. (Cruciferae) community was investigated. Of the total taxa, 63% of the species were members of a genus represented by one species; 21% were members of a genus with two species; 12% were members of a genus with three species; and 4% were members of a genus with four species. After observing the competition and pressure of parasites and predators on competing species in the community, little significance could be attributed to competition and the species per genus structure of communities without additional information concerning natural population dynamics.
Random Fiber Micromechanics of Fatigue Damage

A finite element (FE) micromechanics modeling capability has been developed for simulating the mechanical behavior of random distributions of fibers in a periodic unit cell to predict fatigue damage in the matrix. The model has automated features that facilitate parametric studies. This includes the ability to simulate any three-dimensional macroscopically uniform state of stress and to easily generate new fiber distributions that can have variable numbers of fibers. An interphase material was introduced to explore the effect of a weak fiber/matrix interface. A damage evolution variable driven by the kinetic theory of fracture was implemented within the FE computations to predict the time evolution of damage at each material point. The spatial and time evolution of damage in the micromechanics model has been predicted for several states of composite stress. The effects of a weak fiber/matrix interphase, fiber distribution, and fiber volume fraction were explored.
Harnessing Reconsolidation to Weaken Fear and Appetitive Memories: A Meta-Analysis of Post-Retrieval Extinction Effects.

A new understanding of the mechanisms of memory retrieval and reconsolidation holds the potential for improving exposure-based treatments. Basic research indicates that following fear extinction, safety and fear memories may compete, raising the possibility of return of fear. One possible solution is to modify original fear memories through reconsolidation interference, reducing the likelihood of return of fear. Postretrieval extinction is a behavioral method of reconsolidation interference that has been explored in the context of conditioned fear and appetitive memory paradigms. This meta-analysis examines the magnitude of postretrieval extinction effects and potential moderators of these effects. A PubMed and PsycINFO search was conducted through June 2014. Sixty-three comparisons examining postretrieval extinction for preventing the return of fear or appetitive responses in animals or humans met inclusion criteria. Postretrieval extinction demonstrated a significant, small-to-moderate effect (g = .40) for further reducing the return of fear in humans and a significant, large effect (g = 0.89) for preventing the return of appetitive responses in animals relative to standard extinction. For fear outcomes in animals, effects were small (g = 0.21) and nonsignificant, but moderated by the number of animals housed together and the duration of time between postretrieval extinction/extinction and test. Across paradigms, these findings support the efficacy of this preclinical strategy for preventing the return of conditioned fear and appetitive responses. Overall, findings to date support the continued translation of postretrieval extinction research to human and clinical applications, with particular application to the treatment of anxiety, traumatic stress, and substance use disorders.
An efficient approximation algorithm for online multi-tier multi-cell user association

The ever growing wireless bandwidth demand is pushing WiFi and cellular networks to dense multi-cell deployments, as well as to multi-tier architectures consisting of macrocells and small cells. In such a multi-tier multi-cell environment, the classic problem of associating users to base stations becomes both more challenging and more critical to the overall network performance. Most previous analytical work is focused on offline/static user-cell association, where the users' arrivals and their rates are assumed to be known in advance and thus has little practical relevance. On the other hand, practical online algorithms based on heuristics are often suboptimal and may not provide any performance guarantees. In this paper, we propose an online algorithm for the multi-tier multi-cell user association problem that has a provable performance guarantee which improves previously known bounds by a sizable amount. The proposed algorithm is motivated by online combinatorial auctions, while capturing and leveraging the relative sparsity of choices in wireless networks as compared to auction setups. Specifically, it is a 1/2−a−1 approximation algorithm, where a is the maximum number of feasible associations for a user and is, in general, small due to path loss. In addition to establishing formal performance bounds, we also conduct simulations under realistic assumptions which establish the superiority of the proposed algorithm over existing approaches under real-world scenarios.
Many Paths to Development

Most Third World countries have been independent for 25 to 40 years and some for much longer. Spanish and Portuguese speaking Latin America became independent in the nineteenth century, Asia in the 1940s and Africa in the 1960s. A few colonies remain, of which Namibia is perhaps the most important, but the significant fact to record is that the Third World consists today of more than a hundred countries which have acquired full responsibility for their economic destiny. The experience of economic development in these countries is varied and rich and it is possible to learn much from it, both analytically and in terms of economic policy. Already it is clear that there are many paths to development although some no doubt are more circuitous than others. Enough time has elapsed and enough data are available to make it possible to test the strengths and limitations of the most widely advocated strategies of economic development against the actual practice, as illuminated by empirical evidence, of countries which have followed a distinct path or strategy.
Investigation of the GTP-binding consensus sequences in Escherichia coli adenylosuccinate synthetase and the enzyme's reaction mechanism

8 INTRODUCTION 10 MATERIALS AND METHODS 11 RESULTS 14 DISCUSSION 18 REFERENCES 21 CHAPTER 11. REPLACEMENT OF Asp^^^ WITH Asn BY SITEDIRECTED MUTAGENESIS CHANGES THE SUBSTRATE SPECIFICITY OF ESCHERICHIA COLI ADENYLOSUCCINATE SYNTHETASE FROM GUANOSINE 5'-TRIPHOSPHATE TO XANTHOSINE 5'-TRIPHOSPHATE ABSTRACT 28 INTRODUCTION 29 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES 31 RESULTS 32 DISCUSSION 3628 INTRODUCTION 29 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES 31 RESULTS 32 DISCUSSION 36
Use of cardiopulmonary pump support during coronary artery bypass grafting in the high-risk: a meta-analysis

Data from randomized trials evaluating the efficacy of on- versus off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting remain inconclusive, particularly in high-risk populations. The aim of this study is to compare the outcomes associated with on- versus off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting among high-risk patients. We performed a meta-analysis of randomized control trials comparing on- versus off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, focusing on high-risk populations. Studies focusing on “high-risk” features: European System of Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) ≥ 5, age > 70 years, preexisting renal insufficiency, history of stroke(s), and the presence of left ventricular dysfunction were included. MEDLINE, Scopus, and Embase were searched for all publications between January 1, 2000 and August 1, 2016, using the following terms: on-pump, off-pump, coronary artery bypass, high-risk, left ventricular dysfunction, elderly, aged, and renal insufficiency. Endpoints included cardiovascular and all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, stroke, need for revascularization, renal failure, and length of hospital stay. Nine studies incorporating 11,374 patients with a mean age of 70 years were selected. There was no statistical difference in cardiovascular mortality, all-cause mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and renal failure between the two groups. There was a decrease in further revascularization at 1 year with on-pump (OR 0.67 (0.50–0.89)). However, there was an increase in length of hospital stay by 2.24 days (p = 0.03) among the on-pump group with no difference in stroke (OR 1.34 (1.00–1.80)). On-pump is associated with a decreased risk of additional revascularization by 1 year. However, this appears to be a cost of longer hospitalization.
Effective Treatment of PD Peritonitis.

Peritonitis has been the plague of patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) since its inception. In an early article by the PD pioneer Karl Nolph and coworkers ([1][1]), peritonitis was defined as cloudy effluent with 100 white cells per millimeter, of which 50% were polymorphonuclear cells. Between
Low-back electromyography (EMG) data-driven load classification for dynamic lifting tasks.

Objective Numerous devices have been designed to support the back during lifting tasks. To improve the utility of such devices, this research explores the use of preparatory muscle activity to classify muscle loading and initiate appropriate device activation. The goal of this study was to determine the earliest time window that enabled accurate load classification during a dynamic lifting task. Methods Nine subjects performed thirty symmetrical lifts, split evenly across three weight conditions (no-weight, 10-lbs and 24-lbs), while low-back muscle activity data was collected. Seven descriptive statistics features were extracted from 100 ms windows of data. A multinomial logistic regression (MLR) classifier was trained and tested, employing leave-one subject out cross-validation, to classify lifted load values. Dimensionality reduction was achieved through feature cross-correlation analysis and greedy feedforward selection. The time of full load support by the subject was defined as load-onset. Results Regions of highest average classification accuracy started at 200 ms before until 200 ms after load-onset with average accuracies ranging from 80% (±10%) to 81% (±7%). The average recall for each class ranged from 69–92%. Conclusion These inter-subject classification results indicate that preparatory muscle activity can be leveraged to identify the intent to lift a weight up to 100 ms prior to load-onset. The high accuracies shown indicate the potential to utilize intent classification for assistive device applications. Significance Active assistive devices, e.g. exoskeletons, could prevent back injury by off-loading low-back muscles. Early intent classification allows more time for actuators to respond and integrate seamlessly with the user.
Multiplicity and Uniqueness in Generalized Regime Change Games

Regime change global games have become popular models in comparative politics because they ensure a unique equilibrium when coordination concerns tend to generate multiple equilibria. This paper provides an intuition for this uniqueness in a generalized regime change game, and shows why public information (e.g., that the regime is relatively weak) can generate multiple equilibria.
Antimüllerian hormone as a risk factor for miscarriage in naturally conceived pregnancies.

Objective To determine the association between antimullerian hormone (AMH), a measure of ovarian reserve, and miscarriage among naturally conceived pregnancies. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Not applicable. Patient(s) Women (n = 533), between 30 and 44 years of age with no known history of infertility, polycystic ovarian syndrome, or endometriosis who conceived naturally. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Miscarriage, defined as an intrauterine pregnancy loss before 20 weeks' gestation. Result(s) After adjusting for maternal age, race, history of recurrent miscarriage, and obesity, risk of miscarriage decreased as AMH increased (risk ratio per unit increase in natural log of AMH=0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.73, 0.94). Women with severely diminished ovarian reserve (AMH ≤ 0.4 ng/mL) miscarried at over twice the rate of women with an AMH ≥ 1 ng/mL (hazard ratio, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.3, 4.3). Conclusion(s) AMH levels are inversely associated with the risk of miscarriage. Women with severely diminished ovarian reserve are at an increased risk of miscarriage.