cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coronary artery disease potentiates response to dofetilide for rhythm control of atrial fibrillation.

Background:Dofetilide, a class III antiarrhythmic, is one of the few alternatives to amiodarone in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure or coronary artery disease (CAD). While amiodarone has been extensively studied, little is known about predictors of response to dofetilide. We sought to identify clinical parameters associated with dofetilide success in a large cohort of patients with AF. Methods/Results:A total of 287 patients with AF started on dofetilide between 2001 and 2008 were included. Dofetilide was deemed “completely effective” if the patient remained on dofetilide at follow-up and had no recurrences of AF clinically or by electrocardiogram. Dofetilide efficacy was analyzed in relation to clinical variables relevant to AF and AF recurrence. After a follow-up of 10.2 ± 7.7 months, 54.7% of the patients remained on dofetilide and it was completely effective in 26.8%. The discontinuation rate during initial hospitalization was 13.3% from excessive QT prolongation and one patient with torsades de pointes (successfully treated). A history of CAD was the only univariate predictor of efficacy (odds ratio [OR] 2.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.29–4.01, P < 0.05). CAD remained the only significant factor associated with efficacy of dofetilide in a multivariate regression model (OR 2.01, 95% CI 1.11–3.70, P < 0.05, n = 270). The overall efficacy of dofetilide in patients with CAD was 41.1%, compared to 23.5% in those without CAD (P < 0.05). Conclusions:In this large cohort of patients with AF, underlying coronary disease was significantly associated with dofetilide success. This finding may have utility for clinical decisions regarding initiation of dofetilide. (PACE 2012; 35:170–173)
Nonlinear Behavior of Precast Concrete Coupling Beams under Lateral Loads

This paper presents an analytical investigation of the nonlinear behavior of precast concrete coupling beams under monotonic lateral loading. In contrast to conventional monolithic concrete coupling beams, coupling of reinforced concrete wall piers in the proposed system is achieved by posttensioning the beams and the walls together at the floor and roof levels. Under lateral loads, the nonlinear deformations of the coupling beams occur primarily due to the opening of gaps at the beam-to-wall interfaces. The new system offers several advantages over monolithic systems, such as simpler detailing for the beams and the wall piers (no need for diagonal reinforcement crossing the beam-to-wall joints), reduced damage to the structure, and an ability to self-center, thus reducing the residual lateral displacements of the building after a large earthquake. Steel top and seat angles are used at the beam ends to yield and provide energy dissipation during the earthquake. The paper investigates the effects of design parameters, such as the amount of posttensioning, beam and wall properties, and top and seat angle properties, on the lateral strength and displacement characteristics of floor-level coupling beam subassemblies. The results are used to determine how the system behavior can be controlled by design. A procedure to estimate the nonlinear lateral load-deformation relationship of the subassemblies is developed.
Effects of some organophosphorous compounds and their metabolites on sorghum-grain esterase and certain insects attacking sorghum grain.

Contribution No. 1014, Department of Entomology, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Manhattan, Kansas, U. S. A. Research supported in part by cooperative agreement No. 12-14-100-9706(51), with Market Quality Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Kansas Project 5912. The technical assistance of Charles C. Anderson III is greatly appreciated
Ecobehavioral Assessment And Analysis In Special Education Settings For Students With Autism

Ecobehavioral analysis has received recent attention as a sophisticated and appropriate methodology for studying educational settings. While the literature contains several examples of its application in regular education settings, the use of ecobehavioral analysis in special education settings is considerably more novel and has received relatively less attention. This paper describes an ecobehavioral coding system (CISSAR-SPED) designed for use in special education settings serving students with autism and developmental disabilities. Pilot data samples are presented that illustrate the potential utility of the CISSAR-SPED code in special education research. The data represent both molar and molecular descriptions of special education settings and temporally related student behavior. The discussion considers the implications of these data in terms of assessing the impact of ecological variables on student response and how ecobehavioral data may be used to improve instructional practices within special edu...
Modifying the Hodgkin-Huxley Model for High Frequency AC Stimulation

Prior studies have shown that a reversible nerve conduction block can be induced by applying a high frequency alternating current (HFAC) electrical stimulus at frequencies above approximately 3kHz. The potential clinical and electrophysiological applications of this technique have led to a series of modeling studies analyzing the physiological mechanism that generates a HFAC conduction block; however, many of these studies have been based on axon models that are perhaps not valid for HFAC electrical stimulation. We show that the Hodgkin-Huxley model does not accurately predict trends observed in HFAC conduction block experiments on unmyelinated nerve fibers over a frequency range from 3kHz to 50kHz. Further, modifying the Hodgkin-Huxley model to incorporate a frequency-dependent membrane capacitance results in a significant change in the high frequency response of the model while still preserving the standard characteristics of action potential propagation
Effect of State of Stress on the Resilient Modulus of Base Layer Containing Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement

ABSTRACT The use of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) as a base layer is a sustainable rehabilitation method and reduces local agency cost. Proper characterizations of the stress-dependent behavior of pavement layers have significant impact on the accuracy of pavement response predictions. This research examines which constitutive model is the most appropriate for predicting the resilient behavior of RAP as a base layer. The Resilient modulus (MR) was examined in the laboratory for specimens containing different ratios of RAP and aggregate. The MR of RAP/aggregate blends were higher, less sensitive to bulk stress and more sensitive to confining pressure compared to base aggregate. The MEPDG model that presented the nonlinear resilient behavior of unbound layers fitted the RAP material and was mathematically stable.
On a stochastic knapsack problem and generalizations

We consider an integer stochastic knapsack problem (SKP) where the weight of each item is deterministic, but the vector of returns for the items is random with known distribution. The objective is to maximize the probability that a total return threshold is met or exceeded. We study several solution approaches. Exact procedures, based on dynamic programming (DP) and integer programming (IP), are developed for returns that are independent normal random variables with integral means and variances. Computation indicates that the DP is significantly faster than the most efficient algorithm to date. The IP is less efficient, but is applicable to more general stochastic IPs with independent normal returns. We also develop a Monte Carlo approximation procedure to solve SKPs with general distributions on the random returns. This method utilizes upper- and lower-bound estimators on the true optimal solution value in order to construct a confidence interval on the optimality gap of a candidate solution.
Tight upper tail bounds for cliques

With ξk =ξ **math-image** the number of copies of Kk in the usual (Erdős-Renyi) random graph G(n,p), p ≥ n-2/(k-1) and η > 0, we show when k > 1 \documentclass{article}\usepackage{mathrsfs}\usepackage{amsmath}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}\begin{align*} \Pr(\xi_k > (1+\eta)[\textbf[ E]] \xi_k) < \exp \left\lbrack -{\Omega}_{\eta,k} \min\left\{n^2p^{k-1}\log(1/p), n^kp^{\binom{k}{2}}\right\}\right\rbrack. \end{align*}\end{document} This is tight up to the value of the constant in the exponent. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2012 © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Penalized Item Response Theory Models: Application to Epigenetic Alterations in Bladder Cancer

Increasingly used in health-related applications, latent variable models provide an appealing framework for handling high-dimensional exposure and response data. Item response theory (IRT) models, which have gained widespread popularity, were originally developed for use in the context of educational testing, where extremely large sample sizes permitted the estimation of a moderate-to-large number of parameters. In the context of public health applications, smaller sample sizes preclude large parameter spaces. Therefore, we propose a penalized likelihood approach to reduce mean square error and improve numerical stability. We present a continuous family of models, indexed by a tuning parameter, that range between the Rasch model and the IRT model. The tuning parameter is selected by cross validation or approximations such as Akaike Information Criterion. While our approach can be placed easily in a Bayesian context, we find that our frequentist approach is more computationally efficient. We demonstrate our methodology on a study of methylation silencing of gene expression in bladder tumors. We obtain similar results using both frequentist and Bayesian approaches, although the frequentist approach is less computationally demanding. In particular, we find high correlation of methylation silencing among 16 loci in bladder tumors, that methylation is associated with smoking and also with patient survival.
Selective extraction of entangled textures via adaptive PDE transform

Texture and feature extraction is an important research area with a wide range of applications in science and technology. Selective extraction of entangled textures is a challenging task due to spatial entanglement, orientation mixing, and high-frequency overlapping. The partial differential equation (PDE) transform is an efficient method for functional mode decomposition. The present work introduces adaptive PDE transform algorithm to appropriately threshold the statistical variance of the local variation of functional modes. The proposed adaptive PDE transform is applied to the selective extraction of entangled textures. Successful separations of human face, clothes, background, natural landscape, text, forest, camouflaged sniper and neuron skeletons have validated the proposed method.
Genesis of lightning potentials

The generation of very high atmospheric potentials is ascribed to the sudden separation of a cloud, or portion of it, into an upper and lower section, substantially, of opposite polarities. Said abrupt cut being, the mechanical effect produced by local wind gusts. The related mathematical analysis shows how “theoretically infinite” voltage spikes may be generated as forced electrical transients when a cloud separates into two sections.
Portable suction unit failure in a rural EMS system.

IntroductionPortable suction units used by EMS personnel are utilized infrequently and often are powered by batteries. Lack of use and inspection often results in failure of the device when it is needed. The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence of portable suction unit failure in a rural EMS system and to identify the reasons for failures.MethodsA convenience sample was obtained through both random inspections by the staff of a regional EMS council and data from twice monthly checks reported by respective EMS agencies following a standard protocol for each unit. A standard protocol was used, including checking the vacuum level on each suction unit and inspecting the tubing, canister, and battery. Each inspector assessed whether the unit was capable of achieving 300 mmHg of suction within four seconds. Also, the unit was inspected for any signs of misalignment or dry rot of the gasket, kinking of suction hose, damage to the suction canister, weak/dead battery, or defective pump. Findings were recorded.ResultsOver a two-year period, 9,631 suction unit inspections were completed. There were 233 failures (2.4%) noted. The majority (126, 54.1%) were due to battery failure. Seventy-three units failed due to other reasons (not recorded, switch failure, battery not seated). Ten inspections failed due to incorrect assembly. Nineteen inspections failed due to defects with the suction canister. Five inspections failed due to kinked/disconnected suction tubing.ConclusionOnly a relatively small percentage of inspections of suction units revealed failures (4.6% Advanced Life Support, 8.6% Basic Life Support) using the above-stated criteria. However, given the importance of airway management and potential complications associated with airway compromise, including aspiration pneumonia, hypoxia, and hemodynamic instability, this is of concern relative to the morbidity and mortality that could be related to airway failure. Due to the relative infrequency of use and the nature of portable suction units, the potential for lack of maintenance and deficiencies in routine inspection may impact the functional status of these devices in EMS agencies. Clearly, improved documentation of battery installation date, charging in accordance with manufacturer recommendations, and thorough inspection of the portable suction unit in its entirety will ensure readiness of these devices. Additionally, more rigorous documentation and analysis of inspections should be a focus of EMS agencies.RisaviBL, SabotchickKJ, HeileCJ. Portable Suction Unit Failure in a Rural EMS System. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2013;28(4):1-3.
Metal nanocluster light-emitting devices with suppressed parasitic emission and improved efficiency: exploring the impact of photophysical properties

Here we investigate the photophysical properties of Au(0)@Au(I)-thiolate nanoclusters by controlling the degree of aggregation, and measure electrochemical energy levels to design a metal nanocluster-based thin film LED (MNC-LED) structure. These efforts allow us to implement MNC-LEDs with luminance exceeding 40 cd m−2 and external quantum efficiency exceeding 0.1% with clearly visible orange emission. It is also demonstrated that by varying the sizes of nanoclusters, the electroluminescence spectrum of the device can be tuned to the infrared emission, indicating the possibility of exploiting metal nanocluster emitters for use over a wide spectral range.
A Test-Retest Reliability Study of the Residual Music Skills Test

This study was designed to examine the test-retest reliability of the Residual Music Skills Test (RMST, York, 1994), developed by the author to systematically identify musical skills of persons diagnosed with Possible and Probable Alzheimer identify musical skills of persons diagnosed with Possible and Probable Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Subjects in early to middle stages of AD were identified at American nursing homes, adult day centres, and Alzheimer's centres who met inclusion criteria. Subjects were administered the RMST initially and again after a two-week interval. Ninety-five subjects completed the testing procedure. Data analysis consisted of descriptive analyses, one-way ANOVA procedures, and the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient to determine the magnitude of the relationship between test and retest scores. Correlational analysis revealed a test-retest correlation coefficient of 9168, indicating high test-retest reliability. The ANOVA procedure examined factors of location, age, and m...
Electrophysiological study of the maturation of auditory responses from the inner ear of the chick

Summary Three electrophysiological functions of the chick basilar papilla were studied during development by recording the compound action potential (AP) at the round window. The autidory thresholds showed a continuous maturation between the fifteenth day of incubation (E15) and the first post-hatching day (P1), when they attained adult values. Responses matured first to low frequencies and later to high frequency stimuli. The input—output (intensity—amplitude) functions matured regularly and never demonstrated the classical two slopes seen in mammals. The tuning properties, studied by tone-on-tone masking of the AP, achieved mature values before the thresholds: the Q10s reached adult values at E17 for a 500-Hz probe tone and at E19 for a 1000-Hz probe tone. The fact that a low-to-high frequency developmental trend was found with the embryonic middle ear cleared of fluids further suggests that this property of auditory ontogeny may be a function of changes in the transduction properties of the cochlea.
Imaging: Does DW-MRI have a role in the evaluation of hematuria?

The current diagnostic strategy for patients with hematuria incorporates imaging evaluation of the urinary tract to identify the source of the bleeding. Diffusion-weighted MRI offers promise in detecting and characterizing tumors and benign processes of the bladder, and might obviate the need for invasive cystoscopy in this setting.
Maximum Likelihood Time Delay Estimation with Phase Domain Analysis in the Generalized Cross Correlation Framework

We propose a new method for efficiently estimating the maximum likelihood frequency weighting in the generalized cross correlation framework for time delay estimation. The estimation is based on the analysis of the cross spectrum between a pair of microphones. We model how phase distribution is affected by both noise and reverberation, and relax the common assumption that noise and reverberation are uncorrelated with the source. Thus, our method does not require knowledge of the noise spectrum or a detailed model of the reverberation. Experimental results show that the proposed method is superior to the PHAT method.
Structure of the distal half of the bacteriophage T4 tail fiber.

Abstract Studies of T4 amber mutants defective in tail fiber assembly have allowed the antigens of the distal half of the T4 tail fiber to be divided into two classes, called B and C. Only a few of the antibodies directed against these antigens cross-react with the related phage, T2. By adsorbing these cross-reactive antigens, it has been possible to produce a T4-specific anti-BC serum, AS1. The product of gene 37, P37, is the major protein in the distal half-fiber. A series of T2-T4 hybrid phage has been isolated which carry part of P37 from T2 and part from T4. By testing the ability of these hybrids to block the activity of AS1, it has been possible to divide the C antigen into 4 or 5 subclasses which have different specificities and are determined by different parts of P37. Observation of the tail fiber-antibody complexes formed by these hybrids and AS1 has allowed a determination of the topology of P37 in the assembled fiber. It is oriented linearly with its N-terminus near the joint between the two half-fibers and its C-terminus near the tip of the fiber. These observations lead to a simple model for the structure of the distal half-fiber.
Repair and mutation following UV damage in heterokaryons of Neurospora

UV damage in a repair-deficient strain has been repaired when a repair-proficient strain has joined it in a heterokaryon. By substituting various repair-deficient mutants for the two components of this system, it has been shown that the rescue is accomplished by means of the excision repair system for pyrimidine dimers. Mutation has been monitored in the rescued nuclei and found to occur with a low frequency. When the rescuing component is replaced by a strain which lacks the excision repair system, there is a low frequency of rescue and the rescued nuclei have a high incidence of mutation. It is concluded that excision repair is relatively mutation-free, but in its absence another repair system is called upon which produces mutations.
Quantitative evaluation method of noise texture for iteratively reconstructed x-ray CT images

Recently, iterative image reconstruction algorithms have been extensively studied in x-ray CT in order to produce images with lower noise variance and high spatial resolution. However, the images thus reconstructed often have unnatural image noise textures, the potential impact of which on diagnostic accuracy is still unknown. This is particularly pronounced in total-variation-minimization-based image reconstruction, where the noise background often manifests itself as patchy artifacts. In this paper, a quantitative noise texture evaluation metric is introduced to evaluate the deviation of the noise histogram from that of images reconstructed using filtered backprojection. The proposed texture similarity metric is tested using TV-based compressive sampling algorithm (CSTV). It was demonstrated that the metric is sensitive to changes in the noise histogram independent of changes in noise level. The results demonstrate the existence tradeoff between the texture similarity metric and the noise level for the CSTV algorithm, which suggests a potential optimal amount of regularization. The same noise texture quantification method can also be utilized to evaluate the performance of other iterative image reconstruction algorithms.
HyperNet games: Leveraging SDN networks to improve multiplayer online games

Many of today's real-time multi-player online games are highly dependent on the communication network that connects players with the game and each other. Factors such as network latency and network throughput can significantly affect a user's gaming experience. For example, many online games use a (logically) centralized game server that acts as a rendezvous point for players to exchange real-time gaming events. The number and location of these servers in the network plays a critical role in the interactive response time of the game. Currently, gaming companies go to great lengths to find the best locations for the placement of their game servers. However, finding the best locations is challenging because the number of players and their locations is not known ahead of time. Consequently, game companies typically build a generic (static) game network that hopefully will provide acceptable performance to most users. With the growing popularity of cloud computing and software defined networking (SDN), it is now possible to build a custom game network on-the-fly; a game network tailored for a particular game and its current participants (players). In this paper, we introduce the concept of a HyperNet Game that is capable of dynamically creating and deploying a software defined network tailored to the needs of the game and the current set of participants in the game. We present an example multi-player hypernet game that we have developed that is able to dynamically deploy optimally placed game servers based on the current set of players. We present performance results that show greatly improved user response times compared to the currently deployed (static) game server network used today.
EUV performance of a multilayer-coated high-density toroidal grating

Performance of a multilayer coated diffraction grating has been evaluated in the EUV. The application of a multilayer coating to a blazed toroidal grating of high ruling density has produced a significant enhancement in grating efficiency in the 30 run spectral region in first order and has maintained the excellent quasi stigmatic spectral resolution of the grating.
Orthogonal rational functions on a semi-infinite interval

Abstract By applying a mapping to the Chebyshev polynomials, we define a new spectral basis: the “rational Chebyshev functions on the semi-infinite interval,” denoted by TL n ( y ). Continuing earlier work by the author and by Grosch and Orszag, we show that these rational functions inherit most of the good numerical characteristics of the Chebyshev polynomials: orthogonality, completeness, exponential or “infinite order” convergence, matrix sparsity for equations with polynomial coefficients, and simplicity. Seven numerical examples illustrate their versatility. The “Charney” stability problem of meteorology, for example, is solved to show the feasibility of applying spectral methods to a semi-infinite atmosphere. For functions that are singular at both endpoints, such as K 1 ( y ), one may combine rational Chebyshev functions with a preliminary mapping to obtain a single, exponentially convergent expansion on y ϵ [0, ∞ ]. Finally, we successfully generalize the WKB method to obtain, for the J 0 Bessel function, an amplitude-phase approximation which is convergent rather than asymptotic and is accurate not merely for large y but for all y , even the origin.
Radioactive beams at Texas A&M University: recent results and future plans

Over the last decade, the combination of the K500 superconducting cyclotron and the recoil spectrometer MARS have been used to generate a wide range of secondary radioactive ion beams. The secondary beams, which typically are produced via transfer reactions in inverse kinematics, have been used primarily for reaction measurements relevant to nuclear astrophysics and β -decay studies. Recently the BigSol spectrometer system has been completed and first measurements of secondary beam production with it have been carried out. Future plans for secondary beam production call for recommissioning the existing K150 (88") cyclotron as a source of high intensity primary beams which would be used with MARS and as a driver for the production of radioactive isotopes which would then be accelerated in the K500 cyclotron up to energies of 70 MeV/A for light nuclei.
A model for condensed combustion synthesis of nonstoichiometric homogeneous solids

Abstract The overall composition of products formed from condensed-phase reactions typically vary in a continuous fashion according to the concentrations of the initial reactant powders. In such reactions, phase changes thus play a significant role in the ability to synthesize a homogeneous product from an initially heterogeneous mixture of reactants, such as occurs in condensed reactions between metal and nonmetal powders to form nonstoichiometric homogeneous ceramics (e.g., TiC ν ). Here, a model is developed for such a system that allows, in turn, for melting of one of the initial components, a diffusion-limited reaction between the solid, nonmelting reactant and the molten metal to produce a solid product, melting of the solid product, and finally, reaction to completion according to a kinetics-limited rate law. As with purely homogeneous (kinetics-limited) or heterogeneous (diffusion-limited) models, the present problem, which on an overall basis incorporates both types of processes, may be analyzed in the realistic limit of large activation energies of both diffusion and reaction. This provides an asymptotic, flame-sheet type of formulation of the problem, which in turn yields an analytical expression for the steady, planar burning rate eigenvalue, and allows the explicit determination of the stability boundary that corresponds to the transition from steady to nonsteady combustion known to occur in these types of systems.
Effect of degree of weight loss on health benefits

Although most dieters strive to achieve "ideal" body weight, clinical and laboratory evidence clearly supports the value of a modest weight loss goal to attain health and emotional benefit. Weight loss as low as 5% has been shown to reduce or eliminate disorders associated with obesity, though several questions remain partially or completely unanswered regarding the roles of degree of weight loss, method of weight loss, distribution of fat reduction, and other variables. This paper reviews the effect of degree of weight loss on specific disease states and risk factors and discusses the impact of ethnic background, fat distribution, age, and mode of weight loss on outcome.
Reconstitution of a yeast protein kinase cascade in vitro: activation of the yeast MEK homologue STE7 by STE11.

Abstract The mating-factor response pathway of Saccharomyces cerevisiae employs a set of protein kinase similar to kinases that function in signal transduction pathways of metazoans. We have purified the yeast protein kinases encoded by STE11, STE7, and FUS3 as fusions to glutathione S-transferase (GST) and reconstituted a kinase cascade in which STE11 phosphorylates and activates STE7, which in turn phosphorylates the mitogen-activated protein kinase FUS3. GST-STE11 is active even when purified from cells that have not been treated with alpha-factor. This observation raises the possibility that STE11 activity is governed by an inhibitor which is regulated by pheromone. We also identify a STE11-dependent phosphorylation site in STE7 which is required for activity of STE7. Conservation of this site in the mammalian STE7 homologue MEK and other STE7 relatives suggests that this may be a regulatory phosphorylation site in all MAP kinase kinases.
Short-Term Inhalation Exposure to Mild Steel Welding Fume had no Effect on Lung Inflammation and Injury but did Alter Defense Responses to Bacteria in Rats

Many workers worldwide are continually exposed to complex aerosols generated from welding processes. The objective was to assess the effect of inhalation exposure to mild steel (MS) welding fume on lung injury, inflammation, and defense responses. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to MS fume at a concentration of 40 mg/m3 × 3 h/day × 3 or 10 days using a robotic welding fume generator. Controls were exposed to filtered air. To assess lung defense responses, a group of animals were intratracheally inoculated with 5 × 104 Listeria monocytogenes 1 day after the last daily exposure. Welding particles were collected during exposure, and chemical composition and particle size were determined. After exposure, lung injury, inflammation, and host defense (bacterial clearance) were measured. The particles were composed of iron (80.6 %) and manganese (14.7 %) with a mass median aerodynamic diameter of 0.31 μ m. No significant difference was observed in lung injury or inflammation after MS fume inhalation at 1, 4...
Structural transitions and metallization in compressed solid argon

Total-energy calculations are reported for compressed solid Ar which suggest that the observed 1-atm fcc phase should transform to an hcp structure prior to metallization, and it in turn should transform to a bcc structure at pressures above metallization. It is argued that this structural sequence follows from the effects of hybridization between the l valence band and the l+1 conduction band as the gap narrows and closes, and that all rare-gas solids are likely to undergo an hcp\ensuremath{\rightarrow}bcc transition with metallization occurring near, if not within, the range of hcp stability. The lower-pressure fcc\ensuremath{\rightarrow}hcp transition in insulating Ar should occur below 230 GPa.
A Cross-National Comparison of Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Low Birth Weight in the United States and England

OBJECTIVE. We used 2 new nationally representative surveys to compare racial and ethnic differences in low birth weight in the United States and England. METHODS. Risk factors and rates of low birth weight were compared across groups for singleton births within each country (white, black, Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian mothers in the United States; white, black, and Asian mothers in England). Crude rates and rates adjusted for socioeconomic status and behaviors were compared. Additional comparisons were limited to native-born mothers. RESULTS. Racial and ethnic disparities in low birth weight are as large in England as in the United States. Socioeconomic status and behaviors explain little of the variation across racial and ethnic groups in either country. CONCLUSIONS. Health disadvantages associated with being a minority do not seem to be a uniquely American phenomenon. Universal health care, as provided in the United Kingdom, alone may be insufficient to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in low birth weight.
Spontaneous deiodination of I-131-labeled thyroxine and related iodophenols on filter paper.

I131-thyroxine and other labeled iodophenols in dilute aqueous buffer solution were applied to filter paper strips for chromatography, and the applied samples were permitted to dry for periods ranging from 0–240 min before the strips were suspended in the chromatography jars. Drying for periods as brief as 10–20 min resulted in a spontaneous loss of I131 from the iodinated compounds and an increase in I131-iodide. The extent of the deiodination was quite variable, but, in most experiments with I131-thyroxine, increases in radioiodide from 3- to 5-fold were observed after 15–30 min of drying. Other I131-iodophenols that were tested (3′,3,5-triiodothyronine, 3′,5′,3-triiodothyronine, 3,3′- diiodothyronine, 3,5-diiodotyrosine, 3-monoiodotyrosine) usually displayed radioiodide increases of 100–300% after 20–30 min of drying. These drying times are not unusual for the preparation of filter paper chromatograms, and lack of awareness of the phenomena described in this report could lead to serious error in biolog...
Biddability, Constructability, Operability, and Environmental Checklist: Potential Role in Reducing Conflicts, Claims, and Disputes

AbstractConflicts, claims, and disputes can be considered unavoidable consequences of the construction process. The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) created a checklist to ensure that all proposed government projects meet a minimum set of guidelines. They coined the “BCOE” checklist: biddability, constructability, operability, and environmental analysis. This project review process incorporates a plethora of constantly changing input from all USACE employees from around the globe. This includes the most current construction practices, the newest building configurations, and the most recent ingenious methods, which are all captured by the USACE database to support the BCOE process. This paper presents case studies that investigate how the proper utilization of the USACE’s BCOE project management process can potentially play a role in reducing conflicts, claims, and disputes that can inversely affect the successful outcome of a project. The methodology utilized in this study encompassed interde...
The Complexity of HIV Persistence and Pathogenesis in the Lung Under Antiretroviral Therapy: Challenges Beyond AIDS

Abstract Antiretroviral therapy (ART) represents a significant milestone in the battle against AIDS. However, we continue learning about HIV and confronting challenges 30 years after its discovery. HIV has cleverly tricked both the host immune system and ART. First, the many HIV subtypes and recombinant forms have different susceptibilities to antiretroviral drugs, which may represent an issue in countries where ART is just being introduced. Second, even under the suppressive pressures of ART, HIV still increases inflammatory mediators, deregulates apoptosis and proliferation, and induces oxidative stress in the host. Third, the preference of HIV for CXCR4 as a co-receptor may also have noxious outcomes, including potential malignancies. Furthermore, HIV still replicates cryptically in anatomical reservoirs, including the lung. HIV impairs bronchoalveolar T-lymphocyte and macrophage immune responses, rendering the lung susceptible to comorbidities. In addition, HIV-infected individuals are significantly m...
Heavy-ion fusion in the USA

Abstract The USA effort in heavy-ion beam inertial fusion emerged from a series of workshops that examined potential problem areas in the design of heavy-ion dr
Robust stabilization of time-delay systems using PID controller with a Smith predictor

Time delays in the feedback complicate the analysis and design of the closed-loop system. The use of a Smith predictor in combination with a Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) controller is a well-known technique for dealing with these delays in stable systems. However, many authors have questioned the robustness of this approach when the model of the plant is not known exactly. In this paper, the authors tackle this problem directly by determining all PID controllers working in combination with a Smith predictor that robustly stabilize the closed-loop system. The use of a Smith predictor tends to increase the size of the set of all robustly stable PID controllers in the controller parameter space. A numerical example is used to compare the set of robustly stabilizing PID controllers with and without a Smith predictor.
Happiness and Freedom in Aquinas’s Theory of Action

Thomas Aquinas is commonly thought to hold that human beings will happiness and do so necessarily. This is taken to mean first that human beings are not able to will misery for the sake of misery and therefore not capable of pursuing misery for its own sake. Secondly, everything that human beings do will they will for the sake of happiness, and since human beings are moved to act on the basis of what they will, all of their actions are performed for the sake of happiness. This claim is subject to doubt because it seems to many to be false on empirical grounds. Often, people choose things that they know and are willing to admit do not make them happy. Often, people choose things without even thinking about their happiness. Aquinas’s theory must deal adequately with such apparent counterexamples. But his account faces an objection of a different nature, an objection raised by John Duns Scotus.
Progress in Plasma Carburizing

Experiments on high-rate carburizing in a dc glow-discharge plasma were extended to cover a broader range of temperature, carburizing gases, and steel compositions. Results show that the enhanced carburizing rate observed with methane is also obtained with its heavier homologues over the temperature range explored. The efficiency at which the carburizing gas is utilized during the carburizing stage was measured for both pure methane atmospheres and methane/nitrogen mixtures. AISI 4615 steel differential gears were plasma carburized at 1040 °C for performance tests to determine whether the more rapid carburization at the higher temperature would have any deleterious effect on impact fatigue life. In accelerated fatigue tests in an automobile, the performance of the plasma carburized gears equalled that of gears that had been carburized in the conventional way.
Development of a Financial Performance Index for Hospitals: DEA Approach

This paper presents an innovative method of measuring and assessing financial performance for hospitals using data envelopment analysis (DEA). A 6% national sample of acute care hospitals was used to compare conventional ratio analysis with the financial performance index (FPI), an aggregate measure of financial performance, developed in this study. The results showed that FPI has captured what various financial ratios indicate independently. The development of a FPI across many financial ratios eases the comparison of an individual hospital with its peers. Development and uses of a FPI can also be applied to other industries.
Phase diagram of the PrFeAsO 1 − x F x superconductor

The electronic phase diagram of ${\text{PrFeAsO}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\text{F}}_{x}$ $(0\ensuremath{\le}x\ensuremath{\le}0.225)$ has been determined using synchrotron x-ray powder-diffraction, magnetization, and resistivity measurements. The structural transition temperature is suppressed from 154 to $\ensuremath{\approx}120\text{ }\text{K}$ and the magnetic phase transitions of both iron and praseodymium ions are completely suppressed by $x\ensuremath{\approx}0.08$ fluorine doping, coinciding with the emergence of superconductivity. The optimal doping is $x\ensuremath{\approx}0.15$ when ${T}_{C}=47\text{ }\text{K}$ while the maximum solubility of fluorine in ${\text{PrFeAsO}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\text{F}}_{x}$ is reached around $x=0.22$. The structural, magnetic, and superconducting phase diagram is presented.
Ex vivo expansion of human hematopoietic stem cells and identification of mammary gland epithelial stem cells

Ex vivo expansion of human hematopoietic stem cells and identification of mammary gland epithelial stem cells
An Examination of the Impact of Tuning Students' Attention to Information in a Mathematics Problem on Their Problem-Solving Performance

This study asked the question: Does tuning students' attention to information in a mathematics problem impact their problem-solving performance? This was a traditional quasi-experimental research study, using some observation and interviewing techniques. The participants were sixth grade middle school students in Connecticut. The experimental group was provided a “tuning” activity prior to solving the Jasper problem, “Rescue at Boone's Meadow.” Statistical analyses were used to determine the difference on mathematical performance between the two groups and qualitative data were analyzed for emerging themes.Tuning students' attention to information in a mathematics problem affected their performance on the modified Cloze Procedure Problems. No significant difference was found between the two groups on Transfer Problems. Some differences between the two groups emerged from the qualitative data analysis.
Translational research is a key to nongeneticist physicians’ genomics education

described the outcomes of a workshop convened by the National Human Genome Research Institute to discuss the growing opportunities for educating nongeneticist physi-cians and other health-care providers in genomics. As a result of the workshop, an Inter-Society Coordinating Committee on Practitioner Education in Genomics was formed to facilitate interactions among professional societies intended to increase the expertise of practitioners in applying genomics in clinical care. This represents a renewed US national attempt to increase genomics competency among a key group of critical decision makers. In this commentary, we explore some of the key con-textual issues that are likely to mediate genomics educational demand and ultimately determine the success of genomics edu-cational programs for nongeneticist health professionals, espe-cially physicians.Physicians comprise a highly heterogeneous population. In the United States alone, there are 24 medical specialties recog-nized by the American Board of Medical Specialties and hun-dreds of professional societies and organizations that play a role in the educational pipeline of physicians from undergraduate education through retirement. Widespread adoption of even simple interventions with the best evidence of health bene-fits—such as ensuring that aspirin and -blockers are routinely βemployed in secondary prevention of coronary heart disease—is surprisingly difficult to attain. Genomic science and the clinical technologies that have arisen from its application are dauntingly complex, leading a former director of the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health to quip regarding the translation of genomic discover-ies to patient care, “If we didn’t do it with aspirin, how can we expect to do it with DNA?”
Pricing Dynamic Insurance Risks Using the Principle of Equivalent Utility

We introduce an expected utility approach to price insurance risks in a dynamic financial market setting. The valuation method is based on comparing the maximal expected utility functions with and without incorporating the insurance product, as in the classical principle of equivalent utility. The pricing mechanism relies heavily on risk preferences and yields two reservation prices - one each for the underwriter and buyer of the contract. The framework is rather general and applies to a number of applications that we extensively analyze.
Use of the polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis: a decision analysis model∗

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the utility of an assay based on a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of cerebrospinal fluid in the management of patients with suspected herpes simplex encephalitis. Methods: A decision model was constructed and used to compare a PCR-based approach with empiric therapy. Inputs required by the model included the sensitivity (96%) and specificity (99%) of PCR (derived from review of the literature), the prevalence of herpes simplex encephalitis (5%, based on the actual prevalence at Barnes Hospital among patients treated empirically with acyclovir), the outcomes for patients with and without herpes simplex encephalitis (derived from clinical studies of the Collaborative Antiviral Study Group and the actual experience at Barnes Hospital), and the average duration of empiric acyclovir therapy for patients with possible herpes simplex encephalitis (5.3 days based on actual experience at Barnes Hospital). Results: Using these input values, the decision model predicted better outcomes with empiric therapy. However, low rates of inappropriate discontinuation of empiric therapy in patients with herpes simplex encephalitis or improved diagnosis and outcome resulting from a negative PCR assay result in patients without herpes simplex encephalitis led to better outcomes with the PCR-based approach. The PCR-based approach was associated with 9.2 fewer doses of acyclovir per patient. Conclusion: Based on the decision model using conservative assumptions, a PCR-based approach can yield better outcomes and reduced acyclovir use compared with empiric therapy.
Playback Theatre: Effects on students’ views of aggression and empathy within a forensic context

Abstract The objectives of this study were twofold: to better understand urban children and adolescents’ views of aggression and empathy and how those views may change when exposed to a Playback Theatre intervention; and to measure students’ understanding of the criminal justice/court system through the impact of instructive material on their comprehension levels. In an urban middle school, fifth and eighth grade students were randomly assigned (within age and gender) to experience a Playback Theatre intervention ( N = 24) or to a video intervention control group ( N = 23). All of the students received instruction on the basics of the criminal justice system. Also, students in both groups received pre- and post-intervention testing, including a comprehension test of the criminal justice/court system, an aggression questionnaire and an empathy scale. Students in both groups showed a significant increase in comprehension levels of the criminal justice/court system between assessments. Also, students’ ratings of tolerance for aggression were significantly reduced after exposure to Playback Theatre, however, students’ empathy scores were not significantly affected. The intervention of Playback Theatre yielded qualitative responses from students indicating that better perspective taking might be the mechanism underlying the effects of the Playback Theatre experience.