cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Healthcare costs in psoriasis and psoriasis sub-groups over time following psoriasis diagnosis

AbstractAims: To quantify healthcare costs in patients with psoriasis overall and in psoriasis patient sub-groups, by level of disease severity, presence or absence of psoriatic arthritis, or use of biologics.Methods: Administrative data from Truven Health Analytics MarketScan Research Database were used to select adult patients with psoriasis from January 2009 to January 2014. The first psoriasis diagnosis was set as the index date. Patients were required to have ≥6 months of continuous enrollment with medical and pharmacy benefits pre-index and ≥12 months post-index. Patients were followed from index until the earliest of loss to follow-up or study end. All-cause healthcare costs and outpatient pharmacy costs were calculated for the overall psoriasis cohort and for the six different psoriasis patient sub-groups: (a) patients with moderate-to-severe disease and mild disease, (b) patients with psoriatic arthritis and those without, and (c) patients on biologics and those who are not. Costs are presented p...
Einige empirische Ansätze in der Persönlichkeitsforschung

Wahrend die Personlichkeitsforschung meistens mit allgemeinen oder globalen Theorien in Zusammenhang gebracht wird, gibt es auch viele Forscher auf diesem Gebiet, die sich in erster Linie fur Teilbereiche dieses Forschungsgebiets interessieren. Manchmal entwickeln diese Forscher sogenannte „Mini-Theorien“, die eine einzige oder einige wenige Variablen abhandeln, und manchmal setzen sich die Forscher das Ziel, uber eine Variable oder einige zusammenhangende Variablen soviel empirisches Material wie moglich zu sammeln. So gibt es Psychologen, die hauptsachlich uber Leistungsmotivation arbeiten oder die sich in erster Linie mit dem Verstandnis und der Voraussage von Aggression beschaftigen; wieder andere untersuchen vielleicht nur, wie man bei Kindern die Entwicklung der Selbstandigkeit fordern kann. Es gibt die verschiedensten Forschungsbereiche, die wir hier nicht alle behandeln konnen; aber dennoch wollen wir beispielhaft vier wichtige Bereiche kurz vorstellen und dazu jeweils Beispiele fur Untersuchungen auf diesem Gebiet geben. Es handelt sich um die folgenden vier Themen: Angst, Aggression, Vertrauen und Selbst- versus Fremdkontrolle der Verstarkung.
Resisting Punitive School Discipline: Perspectives and Practices of Exemplary Urban Elementary Teachers.

Drawing on the literature related to classroom management, and culturally relevant critical teacher care, and effective teaching for students of color, this paper uses interview and observation dat...
Pulmonary vein stenosis with collateralization via esophageal varices: Long-term follow-up after successful treatment with drug-eluting stent.

Objective We describe the long-term follow-up of a child with recurrent hemoptysis due to severe pulmonary vein stenosis decompressing via collaterals to esophageal varices. Design Case report Setting Tertiary children's hospital Patient Single child through ages 2- to 11-year old Interventions The child underwent cutting balloon angioplasty, bare metal stenting, and implantation of a PTFE-covered stent, all of which failed rapidly. Only after placement of a paclitaxel drug eluting stent did he have prolonged relief from hemoptysis and long-term patency of the treated vein. The stents were serially dilated to keep up with somatic growth of the child, eventually culminating in the need to induce intentional stent fracture. Conclusions We highlight novel transcatheter techniques to treat this vexing condition, discuss mechanisms of disease treatment and progression, and present the only patient with this rare combination of lesions to have achieved both longstanding pulmonary vein patency and resolution of esophageal varices.
Student performance in a flipped classroom dental anatomy course

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess dental student learning in a dental anatomy module between traditional lecture and flipped classroom cohorts. Methods Two cohorts of predoctoral dental students (N = 70 within each cohort) participated in a dental anatomy module within an Introduction to the Dental Patient (IDP) course ([traditional/lecture cohort: academic year (AY) 2012, 2013] and [flipped classroom cohort: AY 2014, 2015]). For the dental anatomy module, both cohorts were evaluated on pre-clinical tooth waxing exercises immediately after each of five lectures and tooth identification after all lectures were given. Additionally, the cohorts' performance on the overall IDP course examination was compared. Results The flipped classroom cohort had statistically significant higher waxing scores (dental anatomy module) than students in the traditional classroom. There was no statistically significant difference for tooth identification scores and the overall IDP course examination between the traditional vs flipped approach cohorts. This is due to the latter two assessments conducted at the end of the course gave all students enough time to review the lecture content prior to the assessment resulting in similar scores for both cohorts. Conclusion The flipped classroom cohort promoted students' individual learning and resulted in improved students' performance on immediate evaluation but not on the end of the course evaluation. Redesign of courses to include a new pedagogical approach should be carefully implemented and evaluated for student's educational success.
Creativity and Innovation = Competitiveness? When, How, and Why

Abstract: In this chapter, we propose to look at both for-profit and not-for-profit entities to examine: (a) when, how, and why creativity and innovation occur;
Ultrafast optical pulse shaping using dielectric metasurfaces (Conference Presentation)

Since the invention of femtosecond pulsed lasers, the field of ultrafast optical science and technology has seen significant progress in the generation and characterization of ultrashort optical pulses. Complimentary to development in generation and characterization techniques, arbitrary temporal shaping of optical pulses has become an integral part of the field. Fourier-transform pulse shaping is the most widely adopted approach that entails parallel modulation of spatially separated frequency components to achieve the desired pulse shape. Recently, dielectric metasurfaces have emerged as a powerful technology for arbitrary control over the amplitude, phase, or polarization of light in a single, compact optical element. Here, we experimentally demonstrate shaping of sub-10 fsec ultrafast optical pulses using a centimeter-scale silicon metasurface acting as both amplitude and phase modulation mask. The deep-subwavelength silicon nanostructures, positioned with nanometer precision, are individual optimized to provide accurate amplitude and phase modulations to each frequency component. Masks of this type offer a lower cost, larger size, higher resolution, high diffraction efficiency, high damage threshold method for controlling ultrafast pulses. The high precision with which metasurfaces can control polarization, amplitude, and phase point toward new, previously unrealizable applications in optical pulse shaping.
Functional Outcomes After Isolated and Combined Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in a Military Population

Background:The rates of return to full activity, persistent disability, complications, and surgical revisions after operative management of posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tears in a physically a...
Nicotine patch for cannabis withdrawal symptom relief: a randomized controlled trial

Given that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and nicotine have similar effects on negative affect (NA), we hypothesized that a 7-mg nicotine patch (NP) would reduce NA-related cannabis (CAN) withdrawal symptoms in cannabis-dependent (CD) individuals who were not nicotine dependent. We sought to determine whether NP reduces NA across 15 days of CAN abstinence in two groups: non-tobacco smokers (NTS) and light tobacco smokers (LTS). CD participants (N = 127; aged 18–35) who used CAN at least 5 times/week for the past 12 + months were randomized to (1) NP or (2) a placebo patch (PP) and received $300 for sustained biochemically verified CAN abstinence. Of those randomly assigned, 52 of 63 NP, and 56 of 64 PP maintained biochemically verified CAN abstinence and 51 NP and 50 PP participants complied with all aspects of the study. Affect and other withdrawal symptoms were measured every 48 h across 15 days of CAN abstinence. After controlling for age, tobacco use, baseline THC concentration, and baseline measurements of the dependent variable, NP reduced NA symptoms across the 15-day treatment relative to PP. Differences in NA and CAN withdrawal symptoms were not moderated by tobacco user status. The findings provide the first evidence that NP may be able to attenuate NA-related withdrawal symptoms in individuals with cannabis use disorder who are not heavy users of tobacco or nicotine. NCT01400243 http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors: Understanding the mechanisms for therapeutic promise and persisting risks

In a healthy person, the kidney filters nearly 200 g of glucose per day, almost all of which is reabsorbed. The primary transporter responsible for renal glucose reabsorption is sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT2). Based on the impact of SGLT2 to prevent renal glucose wasting, SGLT2 inhibitors have been developed to treat diabetes and are the newest class of glucose-lowering agents approved in the United States. By inhibiting glucose reabsorption in the proximal tubule, these agents promote glycosuria, thereby reducing blood glucose concentrations and often resulting in modest weight loss. Recent work in humans and rodents has demonstrated that the clinical utility of these agents may not be limited to diabetes management: SGLT2 inhibitors have also shown therapeutic promise in improving outcomes in heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and, in preclinical studies, certain cancers. Unfortunately, these benefits are not without risk: SGLT2 inhibitors predispose to euglycemic ketoacidosis in those with type 2 diabetes and, largely for this reason, are not approved to treat type 1 diabetes. The mechanism for each of the beneficial and harmful effects of SGLT2 inhibitors—with the exception of their effect to lower plasma glucose concentrations—is an area of active investigation. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms by which these drugs cause euglycemic ketoacidosis and hyperglucagonemia and stimulate hepatic gluconeogenesis as well as their beneficial effects in cardiovascular disease and cancer. In so doing, we aim to highlight the crucial role for selecting patients for SGLT2 inhibitor therapy and highlight several crucial questions that remain unanswered.
A fuzzy inventory model considering imperfect quality items with receiving reparative batch and order overlapping

This paper presents an inventory model for imperfect quality items with receiving a reparative batch and order overlapping in a fuzzy environment by employing triangular fuzzy numbers. It is assumed that the imperfect items identified by screening are divided into either scrap or reworkable items. The reworkable items are kept in store until the next items are received. Afterward, the items are returned to the supplier to be reworked. Also, a discount on the purchasing cost is employed as an offer of cooperation from a supplier to a buyer to compensate for all additional holding costs incurred to the buyer. The rework process is error-free. An order overlapping scheme is employed so that the vendor is allowed to use the previous shipment to meet the demand by the inspection period. In the fuzzy model, the graded mean integration method is taken to defuzzify the model and determine its approximation of a profit function and optimal policy. In doing so, numerical examples are rendered to represent the model behavior and, eventually, the sensitivity analysis is presented.
Defining the Super Massive Transfusion in Pediatric Casualties during Combat Operations in Afghanistan and Iraq

Introduction: Hemorrhage is the leading cause of potentially preventable death on the battlefield. We previously published data defining the pediatric massive transfusion at 40mL/kg of total blood products. However, there is a subset of casualties that require large volumes of blood products - super massive transfusions - which remains unclear. We seek to determine what defines a super massive transfusion within the pediatric population as understanding this unique group would help mobilize resources early in their clinical course. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of a previously described dataset from the Department of Defense Trauma Registry. In this analysis, we sought all casualties within our dataset that met inclusion for MT. To describe the super MT, we sought the top quartile of total products administered within the first 24 hours on a volume per weight basis. Results: Within our original dataset of 3439 pediatric casualties, we identified 543 that met inclusion for massive transfusion, with the 75th percentile at 120.6 mL/kg - we rounded this to 120mL/kg for simplicity which left 137 for analysis. Most of the casualties were in the 5-9 and 10-14 age groups (24% and 39%, respectively) and were most frequently injured by explosive (71%). Those in the super MT group had lower survival (75% versus 84%, p=0.015), longer ventilator courses (median 3 days versus 2 days, p=0.029) despite similar median injury severity scores (17 versus 17, p=0.100). However, they more frequently had serious injuries to the extremities (62% versus 35%, p Conclusions: In our analysis, we found that 120 mL/kg of total blood products administered within the first 24 hours was the threshold for the top 25th percentile of pediatric blood product consumers. More data is needed to define this unique population that requires mobilization of extensive resources. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Pig farmers' willingness to recover their production under COVID-19 pandemic shock in China - Empirical evidence from a farm survey

Pig farmers' willingness to recover production under the COVID-19 pandemic shock is significant to recover live pigs' supply in China in 2020 Increasing farmers' willingness to recover pig production contributes to enhance pig supply, stabilize the pig and pork market, and to improve pig farmers' income This research studies the determinants of pig farmers' willingness to recover production under COVID-19 pandemic shock by applying survey data of 201 farmers in Huai'an City and Lin'an City and a logit regression model The estimation results show that a farmer's risk perception, the duration time of a farmer's feed supply under COVID-19 pandemic shock, whether or not being a cooperative member, and a farmer's knowledge on government's policy designed to encourage pig production, a farmer's education level and production experience are the key determinants to a farmer's willingness to recover pig production Thus, it's important for policymakers to solve the problems for farmers to get access to feed during the pandemic, to encourage the development of cooperatives, as well as to issue and advocate policies to encourage pig production The study contributes to the scant literature by providing fresh empirical evidences on determinants of farmers' willingness to recover pig production It has significance to farmers and governments to enhance farmers' willingness to recover production, which contributes to secure pig supply in China after the COVID-19 pandemic
A Colorimetric Dip Strip Assay for Detection of Low Concentrations of Phosphate in Seawater.

Nutrient pollution remains one of the greatest threats to water quality and imposes numerous public health and ecological concerns. Phosphate, the most common form of phosphorus, is one of the key nutrients necessary for plant growth. However, phosphate concentration in water should be carefully monitored for environmental protection requirements. Hence, an easy-to-use, field-deployable, and reliable device is needed to measure phosphate concentrations in the field. In this study, an inexpensive dip strip is developed for the detection of low concentrations of phosphate in water and seawater. In this device, ascorbic acid/antimony reagent was dried on blotting paper, which served as the detection zone, and was followed by a wet chemistry protocol using the molybdenum method. Ammonium molybdate and sulfuric acid were separately stored in liquid form to significantly improve the lifetime of the device and enhance the reproducibility of its performance. The device was tested with deionized water and Sargasso Sea seawater. The limits of detection and quantification for the optimized device using a desktop scanner were 0.134 ppm and 0.472 ppm for phosphate in water and 0.438 ppm and 1.961 ppm in seawater, respectively. The use of the portable infrared lightbox previously developed at our lab improved the limits of detection and quantification by a factor of three and were 0.156 ppm and 0.769 ppm for the Sargasso Sea seawater. The device’s shelf life, storage conditions, and limit of detection are superior to what was previously reported for the paper-based phosphate detection devices.
Combining Co$ting Nature and Suitability Modeling to Identify High Flood Risk Areas in Need of Nature-Based Services

Coastal areas are often subject to the severe consequences of flooding from intense storms or hurricanes. Increases in coastal development have amplified both flooding intensity and negative impacts for coastal communities. Reductions in pervious land cover and replacement with impervious ones have reduced the amount of ecosystem services. This research examines the services provided by nature-based solutions by applying outputs from Co$ting Nature models into suitability models to quantify ecosystem services along the Texas Coast. Results show that only around 13% of the Houston-Galveston coastal area has relatively high NBS, and nearly ¼ of the area shows relatively low NBS. The majority of the areas lie in the middle, which, due to increases in development, are at particular risk for becoming areas offering low NBS in the future if not treated. Such vulnerability assessment informs future implementation strategies for NBS in coastal communities to protect people and property from flooding.
Integrating tobacco treatment into lung cancer screening practices: Study protocol for the Screen ASSIST randomized clinical trial.

Background Integrating tobacco treatment services into lung cancer screening (LCS) has the potential to leverage a 'teachable moment' to promote cessation among long-term smokers and reduce disparities in tobacco treatment access. This protocol paper describes the Screen ASSIST (Aiding Screening Support in Stopping Tobacco) trial, which will identify how to best deliver evidence-driven tobacco treatment in the context of LCS. Methods Screen ASSIST is a randomized clinical trial with a 3-factor, fully crossed factorial design that enrolls current smokers (any cigarette use in the past 30 days) scheduled to attend LCS at multiple sites in the Mass General Brigham healthcare system. To maximize reach, recruitment is conducted at 3 time points: 1) at the time of LCS scheduling, 2) at the LCS visit, and 3) after the participant has received their LCS results. Participants are stratified by LCS study site and recruitment point and randomly assigned into 8 groups that test intervention components varying on telehealth counseling duration (4 weeks vs. 8 weeks), nicotine replacement therapy duration (2 weeks vs. 8 weeks), and systematic screening and referral for social determinants of health via a service named 'AuntBertha' (referral vs. no referral). The primary study outcome is self-reported past 7-day tobacco abstinence at 6-month follow-up. This trial will also assess systems integration and evaluate implementation of the intervention. Discussion Screen ASSIST will identify the most effective combination of tobacco cessation treatments within the LCS context, in order to improve the cost-effectiveness of LCS and quality of life among long-term heavy smokers.
Paramagnetic Rim Lesions in Multiple Sclerosis: Comparison of Visualization at 1.5-T and 3-T MRI.

Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by both acute and chronic intrathecal inflammation. A subset of MS lesions show paramagnetic rims on susceptibility-weighted MRI sequences, reflecting iron accumulation in microglia. These paramagnetic rim lesions (PRLs) have been proposed as a marker of compartmentalized smoldering disease. PRLs have been demonstrated at 7 T and, more recently, at 3 T. As susceptibility effects are weaker at lower field strength, it remains unclear if PRLs are visible at 1.5 T. Objective: To compare the visualization of PRLs using susceptibility-weighted imaging at 1.5-T and 3-T MRI in patients with MS. Methods: This retrospective study included 9 patients (5 women, 4 men; mean age, 46.8 years) with MS who underwent both 1.5-T and 3-T MRI using a comparable susceptibility-weighted sequence from the same manufacturer (GE SWAN). Lesions measuring >3 mm were annotated. Two reviewers independently assessed images at each field strength in separate sessions, classifying the annotated lesions based on susceptibility-weighted images as isointense, diffusely paramagnetic, or PRL. Discrepancies were discussed at consensus sessions including a third reviewer. Agreement was assessed using kappa coefficients. Results: Of 140 annotated lesions, based on the 3-T consensus readings, 115 (82%) were isointense, 16 (11%) were diffusely paramagnetic, and 9 (6%) were PRLs; based on the 1.5-T consensus readings, 115 (82%) were isointense, 14 (10%) were diffusely paramagnetic, and 11 (8%) were PRLs. Mean lesion diameter was 11.9 mm for PRLs, versus 6.4 mm for diffusely paramagnetic lesions (p=.006) and 7.8 mm for isointense lesions (p=.003). Interrater agreement for lesion classification as PRL was substantial at 1.5 T (κ=0.65) and 3 T (κ=0.70). Agreement for PRL was also substantial between the consensus readings at the two field strengths (κ=0.79). Conclusion: We show comparable identification of PRLs at 1.5-T and 3-T MRI, with substantial interrater agreement at both field strengths and substantial consensus agreement between the field strengths. Clinical Impact: PRL may be an emerging marker of chronic neuroinflammation in MS. Their visibility at 1.5 T supports the translational potential of PRL identification to more widespread clinical settings, where 1.5-T scanners are prevalent.
The Linkages between Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth: A Literature Review of Empirical Evidence

The purpose of this survey paper is to provide a review of the empirical literature linking entrepreneurship and economic growth in particular at the regional level. The starting point in this survey is a review of the distinct concepts of entrepreneurship used in the empirical research. It follows a discussion on how entrepreneurship has been measured so far, highlighting the shortcomings that still persist in this field despite some recent progress. Section 4 systematizes the empirical evidence available on the impact of entrepreneurship on national and regional economic growth. Section 5 summarizes the policy implications arising from the empirical evidence available and stresses the areas where more research is needed for a better understanding of the role of entrepreneurship in economic growth.
The CRYs of Flies and Mice

It was recently discovered that the CRY protein in Drosophila is a photoreceptor that detects extrinsic light stimuli and is a crucial player in maintaining the circadian rhythm of the fruit fly. Subsequently, it was presumed that the CRY proteins in mice also subserve the same function. Now, [Paul Hardin and Nicholas Glossop][1] in a Perspective, relates the surprising finding that the CRYS of mice are not circadian photoreceptors but instead serve as inhibitors in the endogenous oscillator itself ([ Okamura et al. ][2]). [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/286/5449/2460 [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/286/5449/2531
Intermediate-depth circulation in the Gulf of Mexico estimated from direct measurements

Data from 17 PALACE floats set in the Gulf of Mexico sampling the intermediate-depth ( 900 dbar) flow from April 1998 to February 2002 indicate a mean cyclonic circulation along the northern and western edges of the Gulf of Mexico. This flow intensified into a 0.10 m/s current in the western Bay of Campeche and was deflected around a topographic feature, called here the Campeche Bay Bump, in the southern Bay of Campeche. Floats launched in the eastern Gulf of Mexico tended to stay there, and those launched in the western Gulf tended to stay in the western Gulf, suggesting restricted connection at depth between the eastern and western Gulf of Mexico. Not surprisingly, the measured flow was stronger when the measured flow was under the Loop Current and warm-core rings, but the direction of the intermediated depth currents bore no apparent relation to the surface flow inferred from satellite altimeter maps. However, comparing the floats' surface drifts to their intermediate depth drifts, the floats at depth ended to track the surface flow in the Loop Current, and both indicate a cyclonic gyre in the Bay of Campeche.
Pulmonary Venous Hypertension

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) A clinical syndrome expressed as heart failure that develops in the setting of a physiologically normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) above 50%, but with abnormal left ventricular relaxation, filling, and distensibility (Paulus 2010; Paulus et al. 2007; European Study Group on Diastolic Heart Failure 1998; Vasan and Levy 2000; Yturralde and Gaasch 2005). Diastolic dysfunction A pathophysiologic concept describing the decline in the performance of the ventricle during diastole, often due to impaired relaxation of the left ventricle, and accompanied by an elevated LVEDP (Segers et al. 2012). Post-capillary pulmonary hypertension Elevated pressures on the venous side of the pulmonary capillary system irrespective of mechanism. It is hemodynamically defined as an elevated mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≥ 25 mm Hg accompanied by an elevated pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) or LVEDP> 15 mm Hg (Wilson et al. 2012; Galie et al. 2009).
Tissue Culture Studies on Mahogany Tree, Sweitenia

The mahogany tree, Sweitenia, which grows as natural populations in tropical America and parts of Asia and Africa, is a highly valued timber tree known for its redwood color, strength, durability, water resistance and aesthetic appeal. Callus tissues were established from aseptic segments of cotyledons and leaves of mahogany (Sweitenia mahogany Jacquin and S. macrophylla King). They were maintained on a modified Murashige & Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 2 mg/1 of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 1 mg/1 of -naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The explants proliferated extensively on agar medium in the growth chamber at 25 ± 1°C in 2–3 weeks. The callus from cotyledonary tissues were very soft and white in color and further subcultures resulted in a loose “snow-flake” appearance. Callus obtained from leaves were almost transparent and colorless. Experiments on in vitro culture and micropropagation of mahogany suggest that mass propagation of this tree is possible using this method, particularly because of decline in natural populations.
Characterization of a streptomycete growing on organophosphate and carbamate insecticides.

A streptomycete bacterium was isolated from a field soil sample previously treated with the insecticide isofenphos and found to be capable of growing on several commercial carbamate and organophosphate insecticides. These included carbofuran, cloethocarb, trimethacarb, isofenphos, fonofos, ethoprop, and phorate but not terbufos. As shown by Chromatographic analyses, the bacterium reduced the levels of isofenphos by 65–75% in a four-week period. Although the exact mechanism of degradation is not known, apparently it occurs by either an incidental type of metabolism or an abiotic process. Taxonomic characterization of this bacterium indicated it most nearly resemblesStreptomyces pilosus. A single plasmid with a molecular weight of 9,700 base pairs was obtained from the organism. It is not yet known if the presence of plasmid DNA contributes to the ability of the organism to grow on the pesticides.
A stable model of left ventricular dysfunction in an intact animal assessed with high fidelity pressure and cinemagnetic resonance imaging.

Objective: Numerous models of acute and chronic left ventricular dysfunction have been used over the years. However, few can produce a rapid onset of global systolic and diastolic dysfunction that is stable and potentially reversible. The aim of this study was to develop such a model. Methods: A model of left ventricular dysfunction was produced in six intact dogs using 1% halothane anaesthesia and pharmacological autonomic blockade with atropine (0.1 mg·kg−1) and propranolol (2 mg·kg−1). Left ventricular function was assessed by combined high fidelity pressure and cinemagnetic resonance imaging (cine-MR) during increases in afterload using infusions of angiotensin. Results: Left ventricular systolic dysfunction was characterised by a diminished resting ejection fraction of 45(SD 4)% and a depressed +dP/dtmax of 1537(100) mm Hg·s−1. Diastolic dysfunction was manifested by an increased left ventricular end diastolic pressure of 16(2) mm Hg, a decreased −dP/dtmax of −1705(369) mm Hg·s−1, and a prolonged time constant of left ventricular relaxation of 42(9) ms. As left ventricular systolic pressure steadily rose with angiotensin infusion from 87(7) to 124(13) to 152(10) mm Hg (p<0.001), left ventricular ejection fraction decreased markedly from 45(4) to 35(4) to 27(4)% (p<0.001). Left ventricular +dP/dtmax did not change [1537(100) to 1500(110) to 1498(84) mm Hg·s−1] in spite of a significant increase in left ventricular end diastolic pressure from 16(2) to 21(5) to 29(7) mm Hg (p<0.001) and left ventricular end diastolic volume from 59(12) to 71(14) to 78(17) ml (p<0.001). Individual slopes of the end systolic pressure- volume relationship were also low, ranging between 2.1 and 4.4 mm Hg·s−1 (r=0.99 to 1.00), typical of impaired contractility. Conclusions: Halothane anaesthesia in dogs pretreated with large amounts of propranolol and appropriate muscarinic cholinergic blockade produces a moderate decrease in baseline systolic and diastolic function in our intact dog model. However, left ventricular systolic function showed limited contractile reserve when challenged by physiological increases in systemic arterial pressure. Impaired systolic and diastolic function may, at least in part, be related to diminished activator calcium produced by halothane in addition to the well known negative inotropic action of β adrenergic blockade. Cardiovascular Research 1993; 27 :974-979
Seasonal Distribution of Thermotolerant Free‐Living Amoebae. I. Willard's Pond

A quantitative study of the seasonal distribution of thermotolerant (37 degrees C and 45 degrees C), small free-living amoebae (FLA) was conducted in Willard's Pond, a warm, monomictic lake in the Piedmont region of South Carolina. Correlation of physical and chemical parameters with the seasonal distribution was facilitated by partitioning the aquatic ecosystem into benthic, planktonic, and neustonic habitats. Population densities of FLA peaked in late summer in each habitat; however, species composition varied between habitats. Littoral sediment appeared to be the major habitat for FLA, with peaks in populations of Acanthamoeba and Naegleria in August, Hartmannella in July, and Vahlkampfia in May. Populations in profundal sediment underwent dramatic seasonal shifts, apparently in response to the seasonal chemical changes in the hypolimnion. Acanthamoeba was most prevalent in late summer, representing as much as 82% of the FLA in profundal sediment. Distribution patterns and species composition of FLA from surface water were similar to those from littoral sediment; however, a greater percentage of Naegleria was found in surface water. Numerous FLA were isolated from the neustonic community (surface film), and the number of FLA isolated in the surface film at the deep water station was found to be significantly (P less than 0.05) greater than the number from subsurface (5-10 cm) samples. In the water column, FLA populations consistently were highest in the detrital layer, which persisted at a depth of 3.0-3.4 m throughout the summer period. The large percentage of Naegleria contributing to FLA in the detrital layer suggests that Naegleria amoeboflagellates sink through the layer, flagellate, and swim back up, such migrations possibly being triggered by a reduction of nutrients below the layer or by the presence of anoxic, reducing conditions in the hypolimnion. In addition, weather events were found to play a major role in the redistribution of FLA between various habitats in the aquatic ecosystem, with such changes probably due to resuspension of FLA from littoral sediment by wind action and input from the watershed via runoff.
Chromium content of total parenteral nutrition solutions.

Chromium (Cr) present as contaminant was analyzed by flameless atomic absorption spectrometry in a variety of commercially produced solutions and additives commonly used in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) formulas. Total Cr likely to be administered unintentionally per day was estimated both by summing the Cr in appropriate volumes of each solution required for preparation of standard TPN formulas and by analyzing complete TPN solutions. Storage of TPN solutions in plastic bags for 14 days did not affect Cr concentrations. The amounts ranged from 2.4 to 8.1 μg/day for a high glucose formula and 2.6 to 10.5 μg for a high lipid formula. Amino acid solutions, especially when containing phosphate, or with phosphate salt additives and with lipid emulsions accounted for approximately 85 to 90% of the Cr found. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition14:610-614, 1990)
Lipase-Assisted Concentration of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids from Viscera of Farmed Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.)

In fish processing, viscera are generally considered waste products and often discarded. Our research objective was to use Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) viscera as a source of fish oil and to increase its concentration of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) by lipase-assisted hydrolysis. Lipids from fillets and viscera had similar fatty acid compositions. After the enzymatic hydrolysis, acylglycerols were isolated from free fatty acids, therefore increasing the concentrations of EPA and DHA in the acylglycerols. Among the 6 commercial lipases investigated, lipases from Pseudemonas cepacia and Candida rugosa were the most effective following incuhation of viscera oil at 35 °C for 20 h. Salmon viscera were a good source for fish oil, and the concentration of DHA and EPA was doubled by using microbial lipases. Les visceres de poisson sont considerees comme des dechets, mais pourraient etre utilisees comme source d'huile de poisson. Un traitement enzymatique a la lipase est teste, il permettrait d'enrichir l'huile en acide eicosapentaenoique et docosahexaenoique . 6 lipases commerciales ont ete testees: Celles de Pseudomonas cepacia et de Candida rugosa sont les plus actives lors d'une incubation a 35° pendant 20h de l'huile de viscere.
Anti-idiotype vaccines

Abstract Gene cloning and expression can provide substantial amounts of antigenic material for vaccines. So too can systems producing antibodies that functionally mimic antigens — anti-idiotype antibodies. This article reviews the progress towards the development of anti-idiotype vaccines for the prevention of viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases. There may be particular niches for anti-idiotype antibodies in vaccines that would otherwise involve non-protein or glycoprotein antigens, or single antigenic determinants. On the other hand, recent findings on the relationships between anti-idiotype antibodies and the antigens they mimic suggest alternative applications of this technology.
The photochemical hydrolysis of n-substituted imines

Abstract The benzophenone-sensitized photolysis of benzaldehyde anil in anhydrous alcoholic solvents in an atmosphere of oxygen leads mainly to the formation of benzaldehyde and aniline. The incorporation of oxygen has been shown not to involve direct attack on the substrate but rather the formation of water and hydrogen peroxide. Each of these reagents can effect the photo-sensitized hydrolysis of the anil, but the contribution by water is minor compared to that by hydrogen peroxide. Other minor products formed in the reaction are 1,2,N,N′-tetraphenylethylenediamine and 2-phenylquinoline. Other imines are shown to undergo similar photochemical hydrolysis.
Governor Tests by Simulated Isolation of Hydraulic Turbine Units

Test and adjustment of hydraulic turbine governors has been an unfortunately complicated process involving the optimization of several interrelated variables. In earlier years stable performance was achieved by empirical adjustments in the field on isolated load, but optimum was seldom achieved. In more recent years the interconnection of systems has denied the opportunity for testing of units on isolated load. Nevertheless, the interconnection of systems actually places a higher premium on good coordination. Optimization by test and adjustment of individual parameters has yielded improvement but it is limited in dealing with nonlinearities.
IL-1 mediates TNF-induced osteoclastogenesis

TNF-induced receptor activator NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) synthesis by bone marrow stromal cells is a fundamental component of inflammatory osteolysis. We found that this process was abolished by IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) or in stromal cells derived from type I IL-1 receptor-deficient (IL-1RI-deficient) mice. Reflecting sequential signaling of the cytokines TNF and IL-1, TNF induces stromal cell expression of IL-1 and IL-1RI. These data suggest that TNF regulates RANKL expression via IL-1, and, therefore, IL-1 plays a role in TNF-induced periarticular osteolysis. Consistent with this posture, TNF-stimulated osteoclastogenesis in cultures consisting of WT marrow macrophages and stromal cells exposed to IL-1Ra or in cocultures established with IL-1RI-deficient stromal cells was reduced approximately 50%. The same magnitude of osteoclast inhibition occurred in IL-1RI-deficient mice following TNF administration in vivo. Like TNF, IL-1 directly targeted osteoclast precursors and promoted the osteoclast phenotype in a TNF-independent manner in the presence of permissive levels of RANKL. IL-1 is able to induce RANKL expression by stromal cells and directly stimulate osteoclast precursor differentiation under the aegis of p38 MAPK. Thus, IL-1 mediates the osteoclastogenic effect of TNF by enhancing stromal cell expression of RANKL and directly stimulating differentiation of osteoclast precursors.
Purification and properties of two hexokinases from beef brain.

Abstract Two hexokinases have been isolated from beef brain. One (SBH) was isolated from the soluble particle-free high-speed supernatant solution obtained from homogenates of gray matter. The other hexokinase (PBH) was extracted from the acetone desiccated particulate (mitochondrial) fraction of the same homogenates. The enzymes were found to have (a) different temperature stabilities; (b) different sensitivities to oxygen, PBH being inactivated upon aerobic dialysis or chromatography; (c) different chromatographic behavior of DEAE cellulose; but (d) similar pH sensitivities. Kinetically, the enzymes have similar K m values for ATP, (varying in the same direction with two substrates). The K m values for all hexoses tried were different for both enzymes. However, there was an inhibition of PBH but not of SBH at high mannose concentration. Glucose 6-phosphate inhibited both enzymes uncompetitively with respect to glucose. With PBH G-6-P was competitive with respect to ATP, while with SBH, it acted as a mixed inhibitor with respect to ATP. With SBH ADP acted as a competitive inhibitor with respect to ATP, while with PBH, the ADP inhibition with respect to ATP was noncompetitive. PMB inhibition of both enzymes was prevented by glucose. ATP afforded slight protection of SBH but seemed to potentiate the PMB inhibition of PBH.
Characteristic-energy-loss spectra of vanadium and of V 2 O 3

The characteristic loss spectra of a vanadium-metal single crystal and of a ${\mathrm{V}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ powder have been observed in reflection using an incident electron beam in the energy range of 100-700 eV. Assignment of an inelastic-loss mechanism to each of the characterististic-loss peaks is made and these assignments appear to be consistent with all of the observations made on vanadium to date. In certain circumstances, the probability of an incident electron undergoing a multiple-interband-transitions energy loss may be greater than the single-loss probability; the realization of this phenomenon is instrumental in providing a complete interpretation of the data.
Nonphotic entrainment of activity and temperature rhythms in anophthalmic mice.

Abstract Although it is more common to study the effects of light on circadian systems, nonphotic stimuli can also influence and entrain circadian clocks. Because anophthalmic mice (ZRDCT-AN) have a genetic mutation that prevents the development of the eyes, they do not respond to light or entrain to light–dark cycles. Thus, entrainment of anophthalmic mice requires a nonphotic zeitgeber (entraining stimulus). In the current study we attempted to entrain sighted and anophthalmic mice of the same strain, using restricted access to an unlocked running wheel as the zeitgeber. First, free-running rhythms were established. The running wheels were then locked, and unlocked only from 0930–1130 h each day. Finally, a postentrainment free run was measured. In one group of animals, body temperature and general activity were measured using a Minimitter telemetry system. In another, general activity was measured by a sensitive force plate beneath the cage. Running-wheel activity was recorded in both groups. The force plate proved satisfactory for observing the behavior of the circadian system during wheel locking, and preferable to the temperature transmitters for long-term studies because the battery life of the mouse temperature transmitters was limited. Both sighted and anophthalmic mice were able to entrain to restricted wheel access, although not all animals responded. Mice that did not entrain showed either no effect of wheel locking or exhibited masking.
CHEX: statically vetting Android apps for component hijacking vulnerabilities

An enormous number of apps have been developed for Android in recent years, making it one of the most popular mobile operating systems. However, the quality of the booming apps can be a concern [4]. Poorly engineered apps may contain security vulnerabilities that can severally undermine users' security and privacy. In this paper, we study a general category of vulnerabilities found in Android apps, namely the component hijacking vulnerabilities. Several types of previously reported app vulnerabilities, such as permission leakage, unauthorized data access, intent spoofing, and etc., belong to this category.We propose CHEX, a static analysis method to automatically vet Android apps for component hijacking vulnerabilities. Modeling these vulnerabilities from a data-flow analysis perspective, CHEX analyzes Android apps and detects possible hijack-enabling flows by conducting low-overhead reachability tests on customized system dependence graphs. To tackle analysis challenges imposed by Android's special programming paradigm, we employ a novel technique to discover component entry points in their completeness and introduce app splitting to model the asynchronous executions of multiple entry points in an app.We prototyped CHEX based on Dalysis, a generic static analysis framework that we built to support many types of analysis on Android app bytecode. We evaluated CHEX with 5,486 real Android apps and found 254 potential component hijacking vulnerabilities. The median execution time of CHEX on an app is 37.02 seconds, which is fast enough to be used in very high volume app vetting and testing scenarios.
A complex algorithm for linearly constrained adaptive arrays

A linearly constrained least mean squares (lms) algorithm for complex signals is derived to minimize noise power in the array output. The original algorithm for real signals is W(k + 1) = P[W(k) - \mu y(k)X(k)] + F . The complex form is shown to be W(k + 1) = P[W(k) - \mu y(k)\bar{X}(k)] + F , where the bar above \bar{X} denotes complex conjugate. W, y, X , and F are complex. P and \mu are real.
A Noncooperative Power Control Game in Multiple-Access Fading Channels with QoS Constraints

In this paper, a game-theoretic analysis for the resource allocation policies in fading multiple-access channels (MAC) in the presence of quality of service (QoS) constraints is performed. Effective capacity, which provides the maximum constant arrival rate, or throughput, that a given service process can support while satisfying statistical delay constraints, is considered in a multiuser scenario. We assume that the channel side information (CSI) is available at both the receiver and transmitters, and the transmitters are selfish, rational with certain QoS constraints and average power limitations. Without the aid of the receiver, we prove that there is always a unique admissible Nash equilibrium of the noncooperative power control game. The Nash equilibrium of the power control game is proved to be always inside the rate region where successive decoding techniques are used at the receiver.
An adaptive dual control framework for QoS design

The widespread deployment of the advanced computer technology in business and industries has demanded the high standard on quality of service (QoS). For example, many Internet applications, i.e. online trading, e-commerce, and real-time databases, etc., execute in an unpredictable general-purpose environment but require performance guarantees. Failure to meet performance specifications may result in losing business or liability violations. As systems become distributed and complex, it has become a challenge for QoS design. The ability of on-line identification and auto-tuning of adaptive control systems has made the adaptive control theoretical design an attractive approach for QoS design. However, there is an inherent constraint in adaptive control systems, i.e. a conflict between asymptotically good control and asymptotically good on-line identification. This paper first identifies and analyzes the limitations of adaptive control for network QoS by extensive simulation studies. Secondly, as an approach to mitigate the limitations, we propose an adaptive dual control framework. By incorporating the existing uncertainty of on-line prediction into the control strategy and accelerating the parameter estimation process, the adaptive dual control framework optimizes the tradeoff between the control goal and the uncertainty, and demonstrates robust and cautious behavior. The experimental study shows that the adaptive dual control framework mitigate the limitations of the conventional adaptive control framework. Compared with the conventional adaptive control framework under the medium uncertainty, the adaptive dual control framework reduces the deviation from the desired hit-rate ratio from 40% to 13%.
Laser fluorescence excitation band profiles of jet-cooled tropolone

Abstract The fluorescence excitation spectrum of the A 1 B 2 − X 1 A 1 transition of tropolone was investigated as a function of pulsed laser intensity, I . For 0.5 I 2 the weak fluorescence intensity was found to increase approximately as aI + bI 2 . The band profiles, which showed no evidence of resolvable rotational fine structure, were modeled by computations assuming a Lorentzian lineshape for the individual rotational transitions.