cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epitranscriptional orchestration of genetic reprogramming is an emergent property of stress-regulated cardiac microRNAs

Cardiac stress responses are driven by an evolutionarily conserved gene expression program comprising dozens of microRNAs and hundreds of mRNAs. Functionalities of different individual microRNAs are being studied, but the overall purpose of interactions between stress-regulated microRNAs and mRNAs and potentially distinct roles for microRNA-mediated epigenetic and conventional transcriptional genetic reprogramming of the stressed heart are unknown. Here we used deep sequencing to interrogate microRNA and mRNA regulation in pressure-overloaded mouse hearts, and performed a genome-wide examination of microRNA–mRNA interactions during early cardiac hypertrophy. Based on abundance and regulatory patterns, cardiac microRNAs were categorized as constitutively expressed housekeeping, regulated homeostatic, or dynamic early stress-responsive microRNAs. Regulation of 62 stress-responsive cardiac microRNAs directly affected levels of only 66 mRNAs, but the global impact of microRNA-mediated epigenetic regulation was amplified by preferential targeting of mRNAs encoding transcription factors, kinases, and phosphatases exerting amplified secondary effects. Thus, an emergent cooperative property of stress-regulated microRNAs is orchestration of transcriptional and posttranslational events that help determine the stress-reactive cardiac phenotype. This global functionality explains how large end-organ effects can be induced through modest individual changes in target mRNA and protein content by microRNAs that sense and respond dynamically to a changing physiological milieu.
Finite element modeling of the human pulmonary autograft: A quantitative analysis of wall stress after the Ross procedure

CONCLUSIONS: Underinsured patients are at the greatest risk of requiring non-elective thoracic aortic operations, likely due to decreased use of anti-hypertensive and lipid-lowering therapies, and aortic surveillance. After presentation for treatment, insurance status does not confer additional independent operative risk. These data suggest that greater access to preventative cardiovascular care may reduce the need for non-elective thoracic aortic surgery and lead to improved survival from thoracic aortic disease.
Divergent Roles of Hepatitis B Virus X-Associated Protein 2 (XAP2) in Human versus Mouse Ah Receptor Complexes

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) mediates the toxicologic and carcinogenic properties of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin. In the cytoplasm, the AhR is complexed with a dimer of hsp90, and the hepatitis B virus X-associated protein 2 (XAP2). Most studies that have examined the ability of XAP2 to modulate the AhR have characterized the mouse receptor (mAhR). However, the amino acid sequence of mAhR is significantly different from human AhR (hAhR) in the carboxy terminal half of the protein, and this could lead to differences in the behavior of the two receptors. mAhR-yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) and hAhR-YFP were used to compare nucleocytoplasmic shuttling properties and the ability of XAP2 to modulate their activity. As reported previously, mAhR localized predominantly in the nucleus and was redistributed to the cytoplasm by coexpression of XAP2 in COS-1 cells. Leptomycin B treatment revealed that XAP2 blocked mAhR-YFP translocation to the nucleus in the absence of ligand. In contrast, hAhR-YFP localized predominantly in the cytoplasm, and coexpression of XAP2 did not affect this localization, and did not block nuclear accumulation in the presence of leptomycin B. An XAP2 fusion protein with a nuclear localization signal fused to the carboxy terminus (XAP2-NLS) was utilized to test whether this protein could drag the AhR into the nucleus. Coexpression of mAhR-YFP and XAP2-NLS caused cytoplasmic localization of the mAhR, while hAhR-YFP was partially localized in the nucleus, suggesting that XAP2 remains bound to the hAhR during nucleocytoplasmic shuttling. The presence of XAP2 in the ligand-bound hAhR complex enhanced the rate of nuclear translocation but repressed transcriptional activity. Together, these results suggest that the hAhR differs biochemically from the mAhR.
Effect of antihypertensive therapy on lysine incorporation into vascular protein of the spontaneously hypertensive rat

Young spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were either treated with hydralazine or hexamethonium or splanchnicotomized, so that the development of hypertension was effectively arrested for two weeks. The rate of incorporation of 3H-lysine into non-collagenous proteins in vivo of the heart, aorta and mesenteric arteries was determined in the treated SHR, as well as control SHR and normal Wistar/Kyoto (WK) rats. The lysine incorporation into the non-collagenous protein of mesenteric arteries was increased in 8-week-old SHR as compared with WK rats. Teh elevated lysine incorporation in the SHR was abolished by treatment with hexamethonium or by splanchnicotomy, but was not affected by treatment with hydralazine. It is suggested that sympathetic innervation is important fot the increased synthesis of vascular non-collagenous protein during the early hypertensive phase in the SHR.
Fabrication of Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3−δ−Sm0.1Ce0.9O2−δ cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells using combustion CVD

Abstract This study aims at optimization of major processing parameters of combustion CVD for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) electrode fabrication. A series of depositions were performed to reveal the correlation between process parameters and the microstructures observed as well as the interfacial resistances between electrodes and electrolytes. It is found that deposition temperature has a significant impact on electrode morphology as well as interfacial resistance. Deposition temperatures lower than 1000 °C resulted in cathodes with very high interfacial resistances while temperatures higher than 1400 °C led to over-densification. Thus for deposition of Sm 0.5 Sr 0.5 CoO 3− δ (SSC)−Sm 0.1 Ce 0.9 O 2− δ (SDC) composite cathodes on Gd 0.1 Ce 0.9 O 2− δ (GDC) electrolyte, the performance is optimized at deposition temperatures between 1200 and 1300 °C. Cathodes of 25–40 μm thick can be deposited onto GDC pellets in 5−10 min using a 0.05 M precursor solution. The interfacial polarization resistances between SSC-SDC electrode and YSZ electrolyte were two orders of magnitude higher than those between the electrode and GDC electrolyte.
Blood flow measurements in selected oral tissues in dogs using radiolabelled microspheres and rubidium-86.

Radiolabelled microspheres and 86Rb were used in dogs to measure oral tissue blood flow. The tissues studied were mandibular alveolar and basal bone, oral mucosa, gingiva, lip, tongue and soft tissue of hard palate. A suspension of 6 × 106 cerium-141 labelled microspheres, 15 ± 5 μm in diameter was injected into the left ventricle through an arterial catheter in 9 healthy adult dogs. Cardiovascular stability was assessed during the catheterization and injection of microspheres. Following the microsphere injection, 500 μCi of 86Rb was injected intravenously and the animal was killed within 60s. Blood flow measured using 86Rb was not significantly different (p > 0.05) from radiolabelled microsphere flow in mandibular basal bone, oral mucosa and gingiva, suggesting that in these oral tissues nutritional or capillary exchange flow is similar to total blood flow. In mandibular alveolar bone, lip, tongue and soft tissue of hard palate, however, 86Rb measurements were significantly greater (p < 0.05) than microsphere measurements. The combined use of radiolabelled microspheres and 86Rb shows promise for continued studies of blood flow in healthy and pathological oral tissues.
The measurement of health care quality: a problem in psychological scaling and social decision theory.

Abstract The subjective, multidimensional nature of institutional evaluation of health care suggests the appropriateness of viewing such attempt at evaluation as problems in psychological scaling and social decision theory. Some general models are presented. The accommodation process among the different perspectives on quality, of nurses, physicians and patients in a hospital was explored. In general, it was found that there was a high degree of agreement among the three groups on what aspects of care were most important. The results also suggest that a certain degree of role isolation helped to reduce potential conflict. The analysis served to point up dilemmas and issues involved in the organization evaluation of care.
Developmental and post-developmental influences on incidence of experimental dental caries resulting from dietary supplementation by various elements

Abstract Caries-susceptible rats of the Harvard strain were used to evaluate developmental and post-developmental influences of dietary supplements of several mineral salts on experimental dental caries. When various levels of sodium chloride, barium chloride, vanadium pentoxide, vanadyl sulphate and ammonium paramolybdate were fed to Harvard caries-susceptible rats, these mineral salts had no consistent, statistically significant influence on the dental caries incidence. Sodium borate and strontium carbonate supplements post-developmentally caused modest but rather inconsistent reductions in the dental caries incidence. Lithium carbonate supplements fed post-developmentally caused consistent reductions in the incidence of dental caries that were significant at the 5 per cent level, while ammonium molybdate supplements under the same experimental circumstances caused reductions that were statistically significant at the 1 per cent level. The various levels of barium chloride, sodium borate, and ammonium molybdate that were provided during pregnancy and lactation in the effort to influence the development of the molars of the offspring had no influence on the dental caries susceptibility of the offspring. Developmental supplements of vanadium pentoxide and vanadyl sulphate resulted in inconclusive findings due to poor reproduction in these experiments, but there seemed to be little evidence that the dental caries susceptibility of the offspring had been altered by either vanadium compound. Developmental supplements of sodium chloride, lithium carbonate, strontium carbonate and ammonium paramolybdate resulted in significant increases in the dental caries susceptibility of the offspring at levels varying from 5 per cent to 1 per cent. Many meticulous experiments need to be conducted before there will be detailed understanding of the role of the minor elements in the development and maintenance of the teeth.
Adaptive Memory: Evaluating Alternative Forms of Fitness-Relevant Processing in the Survival Processing Paradigm

Memory may have evolved to preserve information processed in terms of its fitness-relevance. Based on the assumption that the human mind comprises different fitness-relevant adaptive mechanisms contributing to survival and reproductive success, we compared alternative fitness-relevant processing scenarios with survival processing. Participants rated words for relevancy to fitness-relevant and control conditions followed by a delay and surprise recall test (Experiment 1a). Participants recalled more words processed for their relevance to a survival situation. We replicated these findings in an online study (Experiment 2) and a study using revised fitness-relevant scenarios (Experiment 3). Across all experiments, we did not find a mnemonic benefit for alternative fitness-relevant processing scenarios, questioning assumptions associated with an evolutionary account of remembering. Based on these results, fitness-relevance seems to be too wide-ranging of a construct to account for the memory findings associated with survival processing. We propose that memory may be hierarchically sensitive to fitness-relevant processing instructions. We encourage future researchers to investigate the underlying mechanisms responsible for survival processing effects and work toward developing a taxonomy of adaptive memory.
Brief report: Relativism and identity crisis in young adulthood

This study investigated the relationship between epistemological world views and identity formation. Forty college students, aged 17 to 23 years, were presented with a paradigm belief scale (Social Paradigm Belief Inventory; SPBI), an identity status questionnaire, and an indepth interview about a conflict they had recently experienced. It was hypothesized that a relativistic world view would be related to a moratorium identity status because relativistic thought processes involve a questioning of the objectivity of knowledge and authority structures and hence an awareness of the variety of alternative and potentially conflicting roles and choices. Results indicated that relativism was the most common world view used when responding to questions about a personal conflict and that relativistic scores on the SPBI were predictive of the moratorium status. Relativistic scores on the SPBI were also negatively related to identity achievement, as were mechanistic scores. Females experienced moratorium to a greater extent than males but were not more relativistic. Results are discussed in terms of linkages among cognitive development, psychosocial development, gender, and the type of measures used to assess world view status.
Real-time estimation of combustion variability for model-based control and optimal calibration of spark ignition engines

A method for indirect real-time estimation of combustion variability by substitutive measurements is investigated in this paper. An impetus for improving combustion stability, particularly at near-idle conditions, is provided by increasing driver sensitivity to engine noise, vibration, and harshness. The combustion stability is generally quantified by the cycle-by-cycle variations, and represented by the coefficient of variation in the indicated mean effective pressure (COV IMEP ). Since the COV IMEP is calculated from a set of IMEP data obtained by experiments, prediction of the COV IMEP in real time from measurements of IMEP is impossible. Instead, an indirect prediction methodology of combustion variability is proposed on the basis of statistical analysis of substitutive measurements. A set of relevant exploratory variables is determined first. Then, trends of the COV IMEP are investigated to determine the regression model, and an exponential form proved to be the best. A systematic regression analysis procedure based on statistical analysis enables the simplest equations to be found while maintaining accuracy. The results demonstrate that the COV IMEP behaviour can be captured as a function of 10-90 per cent burn duration and manifold absolute pressure. The implementation can utilize real-time pressure measurements if the engine is equipped with pressure transducers, or virtual sensing of 10-90 per cent burned using a neural network trained a priori on measured or predicted data. The resulting regression equations derived with and without the charge motion valve enable the estimation of the combustion variability for optimal calibration or model-based control.
Vibrational Potential Energy Surfaces of Non-Rigid Molecules in Exited Electronic States

Low-frequency vibrational spectroscopy of non-rigid molecules has been used for many years to determine the potential energy surfaces which govern the conformational changes in electronic ground states. Examples of such studies are presented. Jet-cooled fluorescence spectroscopy has more recently been used to determine potential energy surfaces for electronic excited states. Results are presented for the S1(n,π *) electronic excited states of seven cyclic ketones. In each case the carbonyl out-of-plane wagging vibration and the out-of-plane ring motions were examined. 2-Cyclopenten-1-one is conjugated and retains a single minimum potential function for the carbonyl wag in its excited state. However, cyclobutanone, cyclopentanone, and the other ketones studied all have double-minimum potential energy functions with barriers to inversion ranging from 659 to 1940 cm-1 and wagging angles ranging from 20° to 41°. The data have also been analyzed to determine the effect of the n → π * transition on the conformations and ring bending/twisting potential energy surfaces.
A peripheral-oriented microcomputer system

The inherent low cost afforded by MOS/LSI technology has been widely exploited in the functional areas of CPU's, ROM's, and RAM's. Much less attention has been given to I/O and peripheral controller applications. In many microcomputer systems, as in conventional computer systems, the cost of I/O and peripheral control may far overshadow CPU costs. This paper describes an integrated-systems design which makes full use of MOS/LSI capabilities for all commonsystems functions. In this approach, intelligence is distributed throughout the system instead of being concentrated in the CPU. A single-chip floppy-disk controller is described to illustrate the capability of MOS/LSI in peripheral control.
Evoked potential tests of augmenting-reducing.

Two evoked potential tests of augmenting-reducing, using flash and sine wave modulated light stimuli, were administered to 23 normal Ss to determine: a) generalizability between tests; b) short-term reliability; c) influence of electrooculographic (EOG) activity; d) relationships between perceptual discrimination of stimuli and evoked response measurements; e) correlation between evoked responses, extraversion and neuroticism (Eysenck Personality Inventory). Four months later 11 Ss were retested before and after pilocarpine fixation of the pupil in miosis, to assess long-term reliability and pupillary factors. Although mean amplitudes of sine and flash responses were significantly positively correlated, correlations between linear slope measures of their intensity-response functions were low. Both short- and long-term reliability were high for mean amplitudes, but relatively low for most slope measures. Ocular factors, as reflected in EOG and changes with pupillary miosis, appeared to exert relatively little influence on the evoked potential measures of augmenting-reducing. Subjective perceptual discrimination performance was not correlated with evoked potential measures. Extraversion was correlated with some evoked response augmenting indicators; neuroticism yielded inconsistent results. Generally, results varied with lead placement.
Peripheral arterial sheath removal program: A performance improvement initiative

The increasing number of endovascular procedures by both cardiologists and vascular surgeons strain available resources, such as recovery space, creating delays in the throughput of patients. The use of alternative settings, personnel, and approaches to postprocedural care has been proposed to maximize the number of procedures that can be done with existing procedure rooms. However, a key question remains about whether this can be done safely and achieve good patient outcomes. A performance improvement project was conducted to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of shifting postprocedural care and removal of intraarterial sheaths by the staff in the cardiac catheterization laboratory to specially trained acute care nurses on an inpatient vascular surgical unit. The purpose of this project was to develop a performance improvement project that included administrative, educational, and clinical components and to evaluate effects on key patient outcomes, prospectively, over 15 months.
Staffing Up and Dropping Out

Growing public school enrollment and the need to maintain or improve service to students has increased the demand for teachers, perhaps more rapidly than existing sources can accommodate. While some schools recruit well qualified teachers by offering higher salaries or better working conditions, others may satisfy their need for staff by relaxing hiring standards or assigning novice teachers to difficult classrooms. Schools' hiring policies have consequences for student success. Dropout rates tend to be higher where faculties include a greater percentage of minimally educated teachers or teachers with little experience. The relationship between dropout rate and teacher qualifications is independent of student poverty, school size, and location. A proposed strategy to reduce dropout rates is to encourage higher preparation and employment standards, and to provide appropriate classroom assignments, mentoring, and support for new teachers.
Evaluation of digital libraries: Criteria and problems from users' perspectives

Digital library research has developed over the past decade, but little has been done on the identification of evaluation criteria, especially from users' perspectives. This article identifies users' criteria and applies them to the evaluation of existing digital libraries. Forty-eight subjects were instructed to develop and justify a set of essential criteria for the evaluation of digital libraries. At the same time, they were requested to evaluate existing digital libraries by applying the criteria that they were developing. A compilation of criteria developed by participants show that usability and collection quality were the most important criteria for evaluating digital libraries. Service quality, system performance efficiency, and user opinion solicitation were also deemed essential criteria. The author further compares digital library evaluation criteria identified by users and researchers and applied in previous research. The article reveals problems in current digital library design and development, discusses suggestions for improving digital library design, and presents areas for further research.
Bilayer nanocomposite molecular coatings from elastomeric/rigid polymers : Fabrication, morphology, and micromechanical properties

We fabricated bilayered nanocomposite coatings composed of a hard polymer layer placed on top of an elastomeric layer. The primary layer of poly[styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene] (SEBS) was attached to the surface by grafting to a chemically reactive silicon surface functionalized with epoxy-terminated SAM. The SEBS layer served as the compliant interlayer in the bilayered polymer coating. The topmost hard layer was a high performance polymer made of epoxy resin (EP) and an amino functionalized poly(paraphenylene) (PPP). We built the bilayered structure by spincoating the EP/PPP mixture on top of the grafted SEBS layer. The solidification of the topmost layer was initiated at low temperatures (40 - 50 °C) to avoid dewetting. The curing of the film was finished at 110 °C (15 hours) and the EP/PPP layer was strongly attached to the SEBS layer. It was found that the EP/PPP layer did not penetrate inside the elastic primary layer during the solidification. The elastic response of the hard polymer layer was affected significantly by the underlying elastomeric layer. The SEBS layer served as a compliant interlayer capable of dissipating the interfacial stresses originating from dissimilarities in the physical properties between the polymer coating and the inorganic substrate.
A high resolution cardiac mapping system

We have developed a 256-channel high resolution cardiac mapping system consisting of electrode sensor arrays, analog signal conditioners, data acquisition interfaces, a host computer and software. The system has been designed to achieve low noise level, wide amplification range, and continuous recording capability. The system has been designed and developed for high resolution cardiac mapping and other applications.
siRNA Delivery to CNS Cells using a Membrane Translocation Peptide

RNA interference (RNAi) is a sequence-specific gene silencing technique that has been applied to multiple pathological conditions. In this report, we describe the generation and in vitro characterization of an RNAi-based fluorescent probe for use as a therapeutic in the setting of ischemic stroke. Probe delivery to bEnd.3 brain endothelial cells and primary cortical neurons and astrocytes was promoted by incorporating small interfering RNA (siRNA) into complexes with fluorescently labeled myristoylated polyarginine peptides. The resulting probe was partially protected from serum nuclease degradation and was efficiently internalized by cells as confirmed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. In addition, application of the siRNA probe directed against c-Src, a protein implicated in stroke pathology, led to statistically significant reduction of endogenous c-src mRNA levels in all cell types tested. Results demonstrate the proof-of-principle that functionalized peptide−siRNA probes can be used as poten...
Some properties of a linear combination CUSUM statistic for controlling a multivariate mean vector

Abstract We develop a class of new multivariate procedures for monitoring quality by detecting a change in the level of a multivariate process. Following the ideas of S.N. Roy, we first consider a linear combination statistic which results from projecting the multivariate observations onto a unit vector and then maximizing a selected univariate statistic over all directions. An application to a sheet metal assembly process is discussed in Section 3. Comparisons are made between one of our new procedures and other major multivariate quality monitoring schemes in Section 4. A small simulation study compares the average run lengths of the different procedures both when the process is in-control and after a shift has occurred. Some large sample properties are discussed in Section 5 and some computational details in Section 6.
Managing Nuclear Spare Parts Inventories: A Data Driven Methodology

This paper presents a methodology for developing a spare parts inventory management system with a focus on the nuclear power sector. Often, demand for spare parts is highly intermittent and cannot be accurately forecasted through traditional methods. Examples include nuclear power generation equipment, ground space systems, and aircraft engine parts. We take a data-driven engineering management approach and develop a four-step methodology for spare parts management in such environments. These steps comprise an influence diagram for identifying relevant factors, weighting of influences through the analytic hierarchy process, grouping parts according to inventory criticality indices, and the development of base stock inventory policies for each group. This approach allows the system to be actively managed within a continuous improvement framework through employee engagement and input, and mathematical assumptions are not made in the models. To our knowledge, no such integrated, comprehensive methodology for spare parts has been developed. The techniques employed in this research can be effectively used together to holistically manage the entire spare parts process, or they may be used separately to manage portions of the process. This paper provides an overview of the methodology, and the entire approach is illustrated via a test bed nuclear power generation facility.
Changes in cell composition and viability of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus during starvation

1. Washed cell suspensions of Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus harvested shortly after lysis of their substrate organisms and shaken in buffer have a constant and high endogenous respiration rate for a bout 6 h which then declines sharply to a rate approximately 10% of the original. Viability of cell suspensions shows little change over the first 4–6 h and then decreases by some 50% in 10 h. 2. Over the first 5–6 h of starvation there is a loss of about 50% of total cell carbon. This loss is distributed about equally between CO2 and small molecules released into the suspending buffer. The protein and nucleic acid contents of the cells decrease concomitantly from time zero during starvation while DNA content remains constant. Ribosomal profiles show a rapid degradation of ribosomes. 3. In the presence of glutamate or glutamate plus a balanced amino acid mixture, loss of cell material and loss of viability is partially or completely prevented. There is extensive protein turnover when glutamate and an amino acid mixture are available to the bdellovibrio. 4. The pattern of changes observed in B. bacteriovorus during starvation is compared to reported changes in other species of bacteria, and the significances of its high endogenous respiration and sensitivity to starvation are discussed.
Crystal symmetry and the electrooptic effect

The linear electrooptic effect is reviewed with emphasis on understanding the implications of crystal symmetry with regard to device performance. The index changes and the rotations of the index ellipsoid are calculated in detail for each of the 18 biaxial and uniaxial electrooptic crystal classes, and for an applied field of arbitrary direction. For most crystal classes, the EO effect exhibits orthogonality where the index changes and the ellipsoid rotation are proportional to orthogonal components of the applied field. Explicit expressions are given in each crystal class for the electrooptic parameters of selected attractive EO device configurations.
A cognitive-sociobehavioral model of clinical social work practice and evaluation

In this article the author draws from the empirical work done in clinical psychology, counseling, social work, social psychology, and behavior modification to construct a model of clinical social work intervention which takes into account how individual cognitive processes, perceptions, and other relevant intrapersonal and interpersonal factors influence the development, maintenance, and course of the interpersonal helping process. In keeping with the author's developmental orientation to the helping process, a variety of interpersonal and clinical skills are identified which the social worker must aquire and learn to exhibit effectively if treatment is to be successful.
Elimination of stress-induced voids on AlCu multilevel interconnect lines

Multilevel metal (MLM) structures utilizing four layers of large grain size Al 1.5% Cu metallization have displayed `in process' stress voiding in metal layers two through four upon completion of final passivation and anneal. Changing the deposited dielectric stress from 2E8 dynes/cm2 to a slightly more compressive 1.25E9 dynes/cm2 eliminated the formation of `in process' stress voids. However, thermal stressing at 200 degree(s)C still produced stress voiding in metal layers two and three. The addition of a 125 angstrom TiW cap to the second, third, and fourth metal layer was shown to eliminate both `in process' stress voids and long term 200 degree(s)C thermal stress induced metal line voids on all material with standard dielectric thicknesses. The results comparing various dielectric stress levels and metal structures with and without a TiW cap are reported here.
Analysis of the Relationship between Long-term Operative Success and a Transient or Delayed Operative Side Effect

OBJECTIVE : Investigators sometimes correlate the success of an operative procedure with the presence of an operative side effect that is thought to reflect the efficacy of the procedure in some way. When the prevalence of the side effect increases or decreases with time, this type of analysis can introduce a systematic bias. METHODS : Monte Carlo-simulated patient cohorts with independently and randomly generated operative success and presence of side effects were generated. Kaplan-Meier analyses of operative success were stratified by the presence of side effects at various times after the operation. RESULTS : When the side effect (such as numbness after an ablative procedure) resolved during the study period in a significant proportion of patients, stratification by presence of the side effect at the end of the study period introduced a serious bias in favor of apparent better pain relief in patients without numbness. When the prevalence of the side effect increased with time (such as the requirement for a subsequent operation for radiation necrosis after brachytherapy or radiosurgical treatment of a glioma), the analysis was biased in favor of apparent longer survival for patients who experienced the side effect (i.e., those who required subsequent operations). CONCLUSION : Analyses of operative success stratified by the presence of postoperative side effects with time-varying prevalence may be seriously biased and should be interpreted with caution.
Genetic and environmental influences on residential location in the US

We used a classical twin design and measures of neighborhood walkability and social deprivation, using each twin's street address, to examine genetic and environmental influences on the residential location of 1389 same-sex pairs from a US community-based twin registry. Within-pair correlations and structural equation models estimated these influences on walkability among younger (ages 18-24.9) and older (ages 25+) twins. Adjusting for social deprivation, walkability of residential location was primarily influenced by common environment with lesser contributions of unique environment and genetic factors among younger twins, while unique environment most strongly influenced walkability, with small genetic and common environment effects, among older twins. Thus, minimal variance in walkability was explained by shared genetic effects in younger and older twins, and confirms the importance of environmental factors in walkability of residential locations. Language: en
A process for post-implementation IT benchmarking

Post-implementation learning involves continuing improvements in how effectively information technology (IT) is utilized. This kind of IT learning is a core competency that may determine the competitiveness of firms in information intensive industries. While many chief information officers (CIOs) may have some experience with infrastructure, user satisfaction, or business process benchmarking, few firms benchmark how effectively IT is utilized or its impact on the user's work.This paper proposes a web-enabled process for benchmarking IT outcomes (effective use and impacts) and diagnosing problems with the user's learning. This process is based on an explicit causal model of how induced and autonomous learning factors drive IT usage and impacts. The proposed process enables internal versus "best-in-class" causal analysis. We discuss the common considerations and key issues involved in implementing this IT benchmarking process.
Parent Trigger Laws and the Promise of Parental Voice

Parent trigger laws have gained momentum nationally under the premise that they will increase local authority by amplifying parental voice in the decision to turn around “failing” schools. Using Hirschman’s exit, voice, and loyalty framework we create two conceptual models of voice and evaluate the promise of voice in California, home of the only attempts to enact the parent trigger law. We find that parent trigger laws, as presently constructed, provide only tangential voice—marginal voice that is temporary in nature. Policy suggestions are given to enact an infused voice model, embedding parental voice throughout the educational decision making process.
Electron–phonon interactions in atomic and molecular devices

Abstract Electron–phonon interactions are extremely important for understanding charge transport, inelastic processes, heating, and heat dissipation in nanoscale molecular and atomic devices. In molecular electronics Inelastic Electron Tunneling Spectroscopy (IETS) has recently emerged as one of the premier methods for characterizing molecular-scale junctions and devices. This method provides a distinct chemical fingerprint for identifying molecules within a junction, and has allowed for clear demonstrations of single molecule devices, the effects of electric field on molecular orbitals, the importance of molecular configuration on conductance, as well as information about the charge transport mechanism. In this review we will discuss the use of Point Contact (PC) and IET spectroscopies on molecular and atomic systems, discuss the basic principles involved in inelastic transport for these spectroscopic methods to function, and focus on the experimental techniques involved and the important conclusions drawn from the experiments performed to date.
Comparison of two freshwater turtle species as monitors of radionuclide and chemical contamination: DNA Damage and residue analysis

Two species of turtles that occupy different ecological niches were compared for their usefulness as monitors of freshwater ecosystems where both low-level radioactive and nonradioactive contaminants are present. The pond slider (Trachemys scripta) and common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) were analyzed for the presence of [sup 90]Sr, [sup 137]Cs, [sup 60]Co, and Hg, radionuclides and chemicals known to be present at the contaminated site, and single-strand breaks in liver DNA. The integrity of the DNA was examined by the alkaline unwinding assay, a technique that detects strand breaks as a biological marker of possible exposure to genotoxic agents. This measure of DNA damage was significantly increased in both species of turtles at the contaminated site compared with turtles of the same species at a reference site, and shows that contaminant-exposed populations were under more severe genotoxic stress than those at the reference site. The level of strand breaks observed at the contaminated site was high and in the range reported for other aquatic species exposed to deleterious concentrations of genotoxic agents such as chemicals and ionizing radiation. Statistically significantly higher concentrations of radionuclides and Hg were detected in the turtles from the contaminated area. Mercury concentrations were significantly higher inmore » the more carnivorous snapping turtle compared with the slider; however, both species were effective monitors of the contaminants.« less
Additional evidence against universal modulation of β‐adrenoceptor responses by excessive thyroxine

1 The effect of prolonged, excessive thyroxine on beta-adrenoceptor-mediated relaxation of guinea-pig trachea was studied. 2 Thyroxine did not significantly affect the potency of the beta 1-adrenoceptor agonist, noradrenaline, or the beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist, terbutaline. 3 Thyroxine did not significantly affect the apparent KB values of the selective beta 1-adrenoceptor antagonist, practolol, or the selective beta 2-adrenoceptor antagonist, butoxamine. 4 Thyroxine did not significantly affect the maximum response to noradrenaline. The maximum response to terbutaline in tissues from the thyroxine-treated animals was only slightly lower than the maximum response in tissues from paired control animals. 5 These results suggest that excessive thyroxine does not significantly affect the beta-adrenoceptor-mediated relaxation of guinea-pig trachea and that the reported modulation of beta-adrenoceptor-mediated responses in other tissues is specific for the given tissue rather than common to all beta-adrenoceptor systems.
Identification of three muscarinic receptor subtypes in rat lung using binding studies with selective antagonists.

Abstract Heterogeneity of the muscarinic receptor population in the rat central and peripheral lung was found in competition binding experiments against [ 3 H]quinuclidinyl benzilate ([ 3 H]QNB) using the selective antagonists pirenzepine, AF-DX 116 and hexahydrosiladifenidol (HHSiD). Pirenzepine displaced [ 3 H]QNB with low affinity from preparations of central airways indicating the absence of M 1 receptors in the trachea and bronchi. Muscarinic receptors in the central airways are comprised of both M 2 and M 3 receptors since AF-DX 116, an M 2 -selective antagonist, bound with high affinity to 70% of the available sites while HHSiD, an M 3 -selective antagonist bound with high affinity to the remaining binding sites. In the peripheral lung, pirenzepine bound with high affinity to 14% of the receptor population, AF-DX 116 bound with high affinity to 79% of the binding sites while HHSiD bound with high affinity to 18% of the binding sites. The presence of M 1 receptors in the peripheral airways but not in the central airways was confirmed using [ 3 H]telenzepine, an M 1 receptor ligand. [ 3 H]Telenzepine showed specific saturable binding to 8% of [ 3 H]QNB labeled binding sites in homogenates of rat peripheral lung, while there was no detectable specific binding in homogenates of rat trachea or heart. The results presented here demonnstrate that there are three muscarinic receptor subtypes in rat lungs, and that the distribution of the different subtypes varies within the lungs. Throughout the airways, the dominant muscarinic receptor subtype is M 2 . In the trachea and bronchi the remaining receptors are M 3 , while in the peripheral lungs, the remaining receptors are both M 1 and M 3 .
Comparison of Puccinia acroptili from Eurasia and the USA

A rust disease caused by Puccinia acroptili P. Syd. & Syd. occurs throughout the range of Russian knapweed (Rhaponticum (syn. Acroptilon) repens), including North America. Differences in teliospore dimensions had been observed previously, but not quantified, between a specimen of P. acroptili from Turkey and one from the United States of America (USA). Similar differences were found during a recent evaluation of P. acroptili for biological control of R. repens in the USA; e.g., teliospores from eight USA isolates were 2.4 µm shorter (P = 0.05) than four isolates from Eurasia (two from Turkey, and one each from Russia and Kazakhstan). This inspired the generation of additional biological and DNA sequence data to clarify the significance of these differences between USA and Eurasian isolates. Although the USA isolates were found to have shorter teliospores, as noted in the description by Savile, teliospores of the USA isolates were also signifi- cantly wider in diameter than isolates from Eurasia; the latter in contrast to Savile's observation. Biologically, the isolates were the same; all were equally aggressive in causing disease under common greenhouse test conditions, and fertile crosses occurred between isolates regardless of source. DNA sequence analyses of the nuclear rDNA large subunit and internal tran- scribed spacer regions supported the notion that P. acroptili is a single species, but it also revealed that small levels of varia- tion may exist within the species. For these reasons, it has been concluded that USA and Eurasian accessions can be considered a single species, i.e., P. acroptili. Also, Savile's observation about differences in spore dimensions is substanti- ated.
DNA replication checkpoint control of Wee1 stability by vertebrate Hsl7

G2/M checkpoints prevent mitotic entry upon DNA damage or replication inhibition by targeting the Cdc2 regulators Cdc25 and Wee1. Although Wee1 protein stability is regulated by DNA-responsive checkpoints, the vertebrate pathways controlling Wee1 degradation have not been elucidated. In budding yeast, stability of the Wee1 homologue, Swe1, is controlled by a regulatory module consisting of the proteins Hsl1 and Hsl7 (histone synthetic lethal 1 and 7), which are targeted by the morphogenesis checkpoint to prevent Swe1 degradation when budding is inhibited. We report here the identification of Xenopus Hsl7 as a positive regulator of mitosis that is controlled, instead, by an entirely distinct checkpoint, the DNA replication checkpoint. Although inhibiting Hsl7 delayed mitosis, Hsl7 overexpression overrode the replication checkpoint, accelerating Wee1 destruction. Replication checkpoint activation disrupted Hsl7–Wee1 interactions, but binding was restored by active polo-like kinase. These data establish Hsl7 as a component of the replication checkpoint and reveal that similar cell cycle control modules can be co-opted for use by distinct checkpoints in different organsims.
HBOC-201, hemoglobin glutamer-250 (bovine), Hemopure® (Biopure Corporation)

Background: Producing an alternative to human erythrocytes has been one the most exciting dreams of medicine. Hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers (HBOCs) derived from purified human or bovine hemoglobin have been studied for clinical use and one product is currently available in the United States and European Union for veterinary use, and another in South Africa for human use. Objective: HBOC-201, bovine purified hemoglobin crosslinked and polymerized with glutaraldehyde, has been studied extensively in patients. We describe HBOC-201's potential market share, the history of HBOCs in general and of this compound, its pharmacology, published studies in patients and HBOCs that are currently being studied. Methods: A literature review using PubMed listed publications and official product websites. Conclusions: While HBOC-201 may not replace allogenic blood transfusions, it may serve to allow critically ill patients to be resuscitated in the field or hospital setting until either regeneration of red cell occurs o...
A low-power VLSI architecture for turbo decoding

Presented in this paper is a low-power architecture for turbo decoding of parallel concatenated convolutional codes. The proposed architecture is derived via the concept of block-interleaved computation followed by folding, retiming and voltage scaling. Block-interleaved computation can be applied to any data processing unit that operates on data blocks and satisfies the following three properties: 1) computation between blocks are independent; 2) a block can be segmented into computationally independent sub-blocks; and 3) computation within a sub-block is recursive. The application of block-interleaved computation, folding and retiming reduces the critical path delay in the add-compare-select (ACS) kernel of MAP decoders by 50%-84% with an area overhead of 14%-70%. Subsequent application of voltage scaling results in up to 65% savings in power for a block-interleaving depth of 6. Experimental results obtained by transistor-level timing and power analysis tools demonstrate power savings of 20%-44% for a block-interleaving depth of 2 in a 0.25 /spl mu/m CMOS process.
The regulation of compound leaf development.

In higher plants, the shoot apical meristem generates the radially symmetrical stem and also produces, in succession, bilaterally symmetrical lateral organs called leaves. Photosynthetic light capture occurs in leaves. In addition, leaves may also function to perceive and transmit environmental
Determining the service lives of organic-vapor respirator cartridges for nitroglycerin under workplace conditions.

Results of a field study that estimated the service lives of several different brands of organic-vapor respirator cartridges for nitroglycerin are presented. Respirator carbon tubes (RCTs) were used to sample in a workplace where gun powder was manufactured and where nitroglycerin levels varied from approximately 0.1–0.7 mg/m3. Tenax® adsorbent tubes were used to monitor for nitroglycerin upstream and downstream of RCTs and were subsequently analyzed by a gas-chromatography method. A series of 10 trials failed to find evidence of nitroglycerin breakthrough. Estimates of the minimum service lives of respirator cartridges varied from 7–81 hours for nitroglycerin levels of 1.0 mg/m3,10 times the current Occupational Safety and Health Administration Permissible Exposure Level. One trial specifically examined the potential of nitroglycerin to prematurely break through a cartridge due to bed migration, and results failed to indicate this as a potential problem. A field validation of the Tenax adsorbent tube met...
Weibull component reliability-prediction in the presence of masked data

Analysts are often interested in obtaining component reliabilities by analyzing system-life data. This is generally done by making a series-system assumption and applying a competing-risks model. These estimates are useful because they reflect component reliabilities after assembly into an operational system under true operating conditions. The fact that most new systems under development contain a large proportion of old technology also supports the approach. In practice, however, this type of analysis is often confounded by the problem of masking (the exact cause of system failure is unknown). This paper derives a likelihood function for the masked-data case and presents an iterative procedure (IMLEP) for finding maximum likelihood estimates and confidence intervals of Weibull component life-distribution parameters. The approach is illustrated with a simple numerical example.