cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrical activation of the expiratory muscles to restore cough

Many patients with spinal cord injury have paralysis of their expiratory muscles and, consequently, lack an effective cough. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the utility of lower thoracic spinal cord stimulation (SCS) to activate the expiratory muscles. Studies were performed on 15 anesthetized dogs. A quadripolar stimulating electrode (Medtronic Model 3586) was inserted epidurally and on the ventral surface of the lower thoracic spinal cord. Changes in airway pressure, airflow, and internal intercostal and abdominal muscle length were monitored to assess the effects of electrical stimulation. Spinal stimulation applied at the T9-T10 spinal level provided maximal changes in airway pressure generation in preliminary experiments. All subsequent studies were therefore performed with the electrode positioned at this level. The expiratory muscles were stimulated supramaximally over a wide range of lung volumes which were expressed as the corresponding change in airway pressure. The pressure-generating capacity of the expiratory muscles was evaluated by the change in airway pressure produced by SCS during airway occlusion. Peak expiratory airflow was also monitored following release of occlusion. At FRC, deflation (-10 cm H2O) and inflation (+ 30 cm H2O), SCS resulted in positive airway pressures of 44 cm H2O +/- 4 SE, 28 cm H2O +/- 3 SE, and 82 cm H2O +/- 7 SE. The relationship between airway pressure expiratory airflow generation and lung volume was linear (slope = 1.34 +/- 0.04) over the entire vital capacity range. Our results indicate that: (1) a major portion of the expiratory muscles can be activated reproducibly and in concert by electrical stimulation, and (2) this technique may be a clinically useful method of restoring cough in spinal cord injured patients.
Women in Texas Music: Stories and Songs

In Texas, a group of women are igniting a statewide blaze of creativity, emotion, and depth. Katherine Hudson appreciates the journey of these women, and she has spent several years interviewing th...
Sales–distribution interfunctional climate and relationship effectiveness

Abstract The sales–distribution relationship represents a critical interfunctional relationship, which has been mostly overlooked. A study was therefore undertaken to investigate how interfunctional climate, comprised of the two elements of communication ease and cooperation, might affect sales–distribution relationship effectiveness. Unlike prior interfunctional studies, the present study also examined the impact of management and subordinate levels within each respective function. The guiding research question was to ascertain whether interfunctional climate and relationship effectiveness are generally reflected at the function level, at a particular level in the organization hierarchy, or both. Results from a company study of 865 sales and distribution personnel reveal that differences can lie at both function and hierarchical levels. Results further highlight that cooperation is an important element for sales–distribution effectiveness across both functions and across management levels. Implications for managing the sales–distribution relationship and conducting future interfunctional research are presented.
Comment on Cramton and Katzman: Medicare Competitive Bidding Lowered Expenditures

In contrast to Cramton and Katzmans assertion that Medicare encountered serious problems with its pilot competitive bidding program, Thomas Hoerger of RTI International cites his early evaluations that suggested strikingly positive results.
Poisson Process with States Congruent (Mod 2)

IN connexion with the examination of stochastic processes in chemistry we have been led to consider a modification of the Poisson process which we feel may be of independent interest. As is well known1, the simple Poisson process is a Markov process {X(t), t≥0} with denumerable state space E = {0, 1, 2, …}, satisfying the following conditions: For xɛE, (a). The probability of the transition x→x + 1 in the interval (t, t + Δt) is λΔt + o(Δt), where λ is a positive constant; (b) The probability of the transition x→x + n(n > 1) is o(Δt); (c) The probability of the transition x→x (no change of state) is 1 − λΔt + o(Δt). The modification we consider can be expressed as follows: (a′) The probability of the transition x→x + 1 in (t, t + Δt) is λ1Δt + o(Δt) if x is an even integer, and is λ2Δt + o(Δt) if x is an odd integer, where λ1 and λ2 are positive constants. We call a process satisfying (a′), (b) and (c) a Poisson process with states congruent (mod 2). In view of the foregoing definition a simple Poisson process has states congruent (mod 1).
Left versus right atrial difference in dominant frequency, K(+) channel transcripts, and fibrosis in patients developing atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery.

Background The development of atrial fibrillation (AF) after cardiac surgery is associated with adverse outcomes; however, the mechanism(s) that trigger and maintain AF in these patients are unknown. Objective The purpose of this study was to test our hypothesis that postoperative AF is maintained by high-frequency sources in the left atrium (LA) resulting from ion channel and structural features that differ from the right atrium (RA). Methods Forty-four patients with no previous history of AF who underwent cardiac surgery consented to LA and RA biopsies. Histologic sections evaluated fatty infiltration, fibrosis, and iron deposition; quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assessed ion channel expression. In a subset of 27 patients, LA and RA unipolar recording leads were also placed. In patients who developed AF, the dominant frequency (DF) for each lead was calculated using fast Fourier transform. Results DFs during AF were LA 6.26 ± 0.8 Hz, RA 4.56 ± 0.7 Hz ( P P = .03), the amount of LA fibrosis inversely correlated with the LA DF. Conclusions This is the first demonstration of LA-to-RA frequency differences during postoperative AF, which are associated with LA-to-RA differences in mRNA levels for potassium channel proteins and LA fibrosis. These results strongly suggest that sources of AF after cardiac surgery are located in the LA and are stabilized by LA fibrosis.
Organizations, Managers, and Wage Inequality

Lips (2012) has offered a useful critique of the human capital approach to understanding the wage gap. In this essay, rather than offering ways to fix human capital theory, I direct readers away from supply-side accounts of wage determination, by reviewing theory and U.S.-based research on the organizational bases of wage inequality and other forms of workplace stratification. Specifically, I concentrate on one growing line of empirical investigation – the effect of women in powerful organizational positions – arguing that evidence of women managers being agents of change is growing, but additional research and data collection efforts are needed. I conclude by arguing that further research on workplace stratification should focus on the pivotal role of managers.
Micro Thin Film Sensor Embedded in Metal Structures for In-Situ Process Monitoring During Ultrasonic Welding

The objective of this research is to develop an effective method, i.e., ultrasonic metal welding (USMW), to embed micro thin film sensors for metal tooling, and use micro thin film thermocouple study the heat generation during USMW. A complete understanding of the fundamental mechanisms of USMW does not yet exist, and the function of heat generation on weld formation is especially in argument due to the lack of the method to measure the temperature at the welding interface. Continuing on the previous preliminary study [1] which proved that thin film sensors can survive ultrasonic welding process, significant advances were made to improve sensor reliability as well as sensor fabrication effectiveness. These include the development of a new approach for batch production of the sensor units, improvement of the adhesion between metal encapsulating layers for the sensor, as well as the adhesion between the sensing layer and the dielectric layer. Welding experiments are conducted using a series of welding parameter settings with the in-situ data acquisition of temperature 50 μm away from the welding interface. Attempts are then made to correlate the heat generation to welding parameters. With the mechanical testing of the weld strength, the possibility of using heat generation as a weld strength indicator is explored.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Women who tell and men who ask: Perceptions of men and women departing from gender stereotypes during initial interaction

An experiment was conducted to determine if behavior that deviated from gender stereotypes during initial interaction produced less positive perceptions of a target than did behavior conforming to stereotype. Thirty-seven males and 38 females (targets) were randomly assigned to conditions where they either enacted a behavior stereotypical to their gender or engaged in a behavior departing from the stereotype during initial interaction with a randomly assigned different-gender stranger (perceiver). All of the participants were raised in the United States. The majority of participants were Caucasian, approximately 30% of the participants were Hispanic. The participants were predominantly middle class. The gender stereotypical condition required the female target to ask questions and the male target to talk about himself during the interaction. A second condition required male and female targets to do the reverse (female tell and male ask). Following the interaction perceivers completed measures of positive affect and social attractiveness. The results indicated that perceptions of targets engaging in behavior opposite of gender stereotypes depend on the perceiver's level of gender-schematicity. The level of gender schematicity indicates a person's tendency to depend on traditional gender stereotypes. While schematics tended to feel less positively or no differently during interactions with gender opposite versus gender norm targets, they tended to evaluate the gender opposite target as more or no differently socially attractive than gender norm targets. Results also suggest that men may have more latitude to engage in gender opposite behaviors than do women.
Double circular states of barium

We have populated the double circular Ba 4f5g levels using multistep laser excitation from the ground state. The observed autoionization rates of these levels are quite low, which may indicate strong electron correlations. We present a semiclassical picture that explains the long lifetimes of these states without quantum-mechanical correlation effects. In addition to the 4f5g states, we have also observed higher-lying 4fng states. In particular, we have observed the mixing of the bound 4f6g and 4f7g levels with the 6d(j)nf and 6d(j)nh series indicating direct orbital angular momentum exchange between the two valence electrons. We observe orbital angular momentum exchange between bound electrons in which the initial and final states of both electrons can be identified.
Dietary protein quality and quantity affect lactational responses to corn distillers grains: a meta-analysis.

Diet fermentability influences lactational responses to feeding corn distillers grains (CDG) to dairy cows. However, some measures of diet fermentability are inherently related to the concentration and characteristics of corn-based ingredients in the ration. Corn-based feeds have poor protein quality, unable to meet the essential AA requirements of lactating cows. We conducted a meta-analysis of treatment means (n = 44) from the scientific literature to evaluate responses in milk yield (MY) and milk true protein concentration and yield to dietary CDG. The test variable was the difference in response between the CDG diet mean and the control diet mean (0% CDG) within experiment. Fixed variables were CDG concentration of the diet [% of dietary dry matter (DM)] and crude protein (CP) concentration and fractions of CP based on origin (corn-based versus non-corn-based feeds) of control and CDG diets. Diets with CDG ranged from 4 to 42% CDG, DM basis. Non-corn-based dietary CP averaged 6.3 ± 3.32% of total DM. Milk yield and milk true protein yield responses to added CDG were maximized when approximately 8.5% of the total dietary DM was non-corn-based CP. Milk yield response peaked for higher-producing cows (>30.0 kg MY/cow per day) at 4.3% dietary corn-based CP, but decreased linearly for lower-producing cows (<30.0 kg MY/cow per day) as corn-based dietary CP increased. Milk true protein yield response decreased as corn-based dietary CP concentration increased but milk true protein concentration response was not decreased when CDG diets had more than 6.5% dietary non-corn-based CP. Overall, 8.5% dietary non-corn-based CP was necessary in lactation diets to maximize lactational responses to dietary CDG. The necessity of dietary non-corn-based CP to maximize milk and milk protein yields limits the amount of dietary corn-based CP, including that from CDG, which can be included in rations without overfeeding N.
A heterogeneous stochastic FEM framework for elliptic PDEs

We introduce a new concept of sparsity for the stochastic elliptic operator - div ( a ( x , ω ) ? ( ? ) ) , which reflects the compactness of its inverse operator in the stochastic direction and allows for spatially heterogeneous stochastic structure. This new concept of sparsity motivates a heterogeneous stochastic finite element method (HSFEM) framework for linear elliptic equations, which discretizes the equations using the heterogeneous coupling of spatial basis with local stochastic basis to exploit the local stochastic structure of the solution space. We also provide a sampling method to construct the local stochastic basis for this framework using the randomized range finding techniques. The resulting HSFEM involves two stages and suits the multi-query setting: in the offline stage, the local stochastic structure of the solution space is identified; in the online stage, the equation can be efficiently solved for multiple forcing functions. An online error estimation and correction procedure through Monte Carlo sampling is given. Numerical results for several problems with high dimensional stochastic input are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the HSFEM in the online stage.
13C NMR spectroscopic measurement of glutathione synthesis and antioxidant metabolism in the intact ocular lens.

Abstract A 13 C NMR spectroscopic method for non-invasive, time-resolved measurements of glutathione function in the intact ocular lens maintained in organ culture is described. L-[β- 13 C]cysteine (1 mM) included in the incubation medium is incorporated, by way of lenticular amino acid uptake and glutathione biosynthetic mechanisms, into the cysteinyl residue of intralenticular glutathione. 13 C-NMR chemical shift measurements facilitate analysis of glutathione synthesis and anti-oxidant reactions in the intact tissue. The results of this preliminary study demonstrate the viability of a rapid non-invasive method for monitoring the multiple aspects of glutathione biosynthesis, metabolism, and function in intact tissue.
Risk Factors for Renal Allograft Compartment Syndrome

Abstract Renal allograft compartment syndrome (RACS) is graft dysfunction secondary to intracompartment hypertension. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for RACS. We reviewed 7 cases of established RACS and all intra-abdominal placements of the kidney in order to include potential RACS. We also studied early graft losses in order to rule out a missed RACS. We compared the allograft length and width, recipient height, weight, body mass index, aberrant vessels, site of incision, and side of kidney with the remainder of the cohort as potential predictors of RACS. Among 538 transplants, 40 met the criteria for actual RACS or potential RACS. We uncovered 7 cases of RACS. Only kidney length and width were statistically significant (P = 0.041 and 0.004, respectively). The width was associated with a higher odds ratio than was length (2.315 versus 1.61). Increased allograft length and width should be considered as a potential risk for RACS.
First-order corrections to the homogenized eigenvalues of a periodic composite medium

This paper studies the eigenvalue problem associated with the vibration of a com-posite medium assumed to have a periodic microstructure. The investigation concentrates on the first-order correction to the homogenized eigenvalues. A major difficulty arises due to the interaction of the periodic microstructure with the boundary of the medium. The way in which the boundary intersects the underlying periodic structure strongly influences the value of the correction. A rigorous derivation is given of the eigenvalue correction formula. The properties of the eigenvalue correction are studied in one- and two-dimensional numerical calculations.
An auger analysis of substrate-layer interactions in the chemical vapor deposition and activated reactive evaporation of TiC

Abstract A formalism for quantitative Auger analysis is developed to account for “matrix effects” and peak shape changes in WCTiCTa(Nb)CCo materials by including shape factors and a linear term in the inverse sensitivity factors of carbide single crystals and binary carbide alloys. Atomic concentration profiles are then obtained for carbon, titanium, W+Ta(Nb) and cobalt across the interface between WCTiC Ta(Nb)CCo substrates and TiC coatings deposited by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and activated reactive evaporation (ARE). Phase compositions of the near- surface region of the substrate estimated from the atomic concentrations indicate that the concentration of carbon dissolved in the binder phase drops from approximately 28 at.% prior to deposition to approximately 10 at.% after the deposition by both processes of TiC coatings about 5 μm thick. The amount of binder phase near the CVD substrate surface was found to be approximately twice as great as that near the ARE substrate surface, probably because of significant transport of cobalt at the higher temperatures used for CVD.
CD39/NTPDase-1 activity and expression in normal leukocytes.

Abstract Introduction CD39/NTPDase-1 is a cell surface enzyme expressed on leukocytes and endothelial cells that metabolizes ATP to ADP and AMP. CD39 is expressed on numerous different types of normal leukocytes, but details of its expression have not been determined previously. Methods We examined CD39 expression and activity in leukocytes isolated from healthy volunteers. Expression of CD39 on leukocytes was measured by FACS and activity of CD39 in lymphocytes and neutrophils was determined by an enzymatic radio-TLC assay. Results We established that CD39 is expressed on neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes. The enzyme is found on > 90% of monocytes, neutrophils, and B-lymphocytes, and 6% of T-lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Per cell density of expression varied, with the highest expression on monocytes and B-lymphocytes. ATPase and ADPase activities were highest on B-lymphocytes, lower on neutrophils, lowest on T-lymphocytes. The ratio of ADPase:ATPase activity was 1.8 for neutrophils and B-lymphocytes and 1.4 for T-lymphocytes. Hypertensive volunteers had lower levels of CD39 on their T-lymphocytes and NK cells. No correlation between age, gender, ethnic background, or cholesterol level and CD39 expression was observed. Conclusions We conclude that CD39 activity and expression are present to varying degrees on all leukocytes types examined. Differences between leukocyte types should be considered when examining CD39 in disease states.
Tracer interrelationships in the stratosphere

[1] Relationships between long-lived stratospheric tracers, manifested in similar spatial structures on scales ranging from a few to several thousand kilometers, are displayed most strikingly if the mixing ratio of one is plotted against another, when the data collapse onto remarkably compact curves. Distinct curves form in the polar vortex, the midlatitude “surf zones”, and the tropics. Theory predicts such relationships for sufficiently rapid mixing along isentropic surfaces. Model results are used to illustrate the formation and seasonal evolution of distinct tracer relationships in the different regions. Using such relationships to associate departures from canonical forms with anomalous chemical or microphysical behavior must be done with care and with full awareness of the meteorological context of the data. Although the theory has been developed in the context of stratospheric tracers, the key requirement is that transport is predominantly two-dimensional. While the theory is thus inappropriate in the troposphere, it should be applicable to transport in the ocean interior.
An Examination of the Effect of Boundary Layer Ingestion on Turboelectric Distributed Propulsion Systems

A Turboelectric Distributed Propulsion (TeDP) system differs from other propulsion systems by the use of electrical power to transmit power from the turbine to the fan. Electrical power can be efficiently transmitted over longer distances and with complex topologies. Also the use of power inverters allows the generator and motors speeds to be independent of one another. This decoupling allows the aircraft designer to place the core engines and the fans in locations most advantageous for each. The result can be very different installation environments for the different devices. Thus the installation effects on this system can be quite different than conventional turbofans where the fan and core both see the same installed environments. This paper examines a propulsion system consisting of two superconducting generators, each driven by a turboshaft engine located so that their inlets ingest freestream air, superconducting electrical transmission lines, and an array of superconducting motor driven fan positioned across the upper/rear fuselage area of a hybrid wing body aircraft in a continuous nacelle that ingests all of the upper fuselage boundary layer. The effect of ingesting the boundary layer on the design of the system with a range of design pressure ratios is examined. Also the impact of ingesting the boundary layer on off-design performance is examined. The results show that when examining different design fan pressure ratios it is important to recalculate of the boundary layer mass-average Pt and MN up the height for each inlet height during convergence of the design point for each fan design pressure ratio examined. Correct estimation of off-design performance is dependent on the height of the column of air measured from the aircraft surface immediately prior to any external diffusion that will flow through the fan propulsors. The mass-averaged Pt and MN calculated for this column of air determine the Pt and MN seen by the propulsor inlet. Since the height of this column will change as the amount of air passing through the fans change as the propulsion system is throttled, and since the mass-average Pt and MN varies by height, this capture height must be recalculated as the airflow through the propulsor is varied as the off-design performance point is converged.
Effect of Sub-Micron Thin Film on Surface Temperature During Chemical Vapor Deposition

In this paper, we investigated the effect of the film thickness on heat transfer and subsequent film temperature distribution of an optical fiber as it traverses through a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor. A 50 nm thick carbon coating is applied on the optical fiber as it moves through the CVD reactor. In this process, the only heat source is the hot optical fiber entering the CVD reactor from the draw furnace. Radiation heat transfer from the optical fiber as it is being coated plays an important role during CVD carbon film growth. The carbon film will change the effective emissivity of the optical fiber as it traverses through the CVD reactor. This study will calculate the effective emissivity of this film-fiber structure based on wave theory, and evaluate the optical fiber’s resulting temperature field and rate of heat transfer loss during chemical vapor deposition. Results are correlated to operating conditions.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
The Depression and the Urban West Coast, 1929-1933: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and Portland

Foreword by Walter Nugent and Martin Ridge Acknowledgments Introduction One: Prelude Two: The End of Prosperity: 1930 Three: Tried and Found Wanting Four: Hitting Home Five: In Search of Relief Six: Reaching Bottom: 1932 Seven: In Time of Their Greatest Need Eight: No Longer on Their Own: Continuities and Contrasts Epilogue Appendix: Account of Methods Used in Seattle Voter Study: 1928 and 1932 Notes Index
Decision making by classical test procedures using an optimal level of significance

Abstract This paper expands the decision space of a hypothesis testing situation by including the significance level as a decision variable along with the sample size and test statistic. It suggests that in cases where hypothesis testing is tantamount to decision making the significance level should be optimally determined based on the consequences of errors of both kinds. To achieve this goal it develops a three stage procedure that minimizes the total costs of sampling and incorrect decisions as a function of the sample size, significance level and the test statistic. The procedure is applied to test the mean of a normal distribution and a bivariate table is prepared to routinise the process. The advantages of using this table instead of the standard normal table are discussed and the benefits of the optimal as opposed to a predetermined significance level are illustrated with the help of a numerical exmaple.
Multicomponent Interposed Carbon Nanotube Micropatterns by Region-Specific Contact Transfer and Self-Assembling

In our further investigation on the microfabrication of carbon nanotubes, we found that micropatterns of perpendicularly aligned carbon nanotubes can be prepared by simply pressing an adhesively sticky tape (e.g., Scotch tape) prepatterned with a nonadhesive layer onto a nonpatterned aligned carbon nanotube film, followed by peeling off the sticky tape from the quartz substrate in a dry state. In conjunction with the region-specific surface modification, this dry contact transfer method has enabled us to produce multicomponent carbon nanotube micropatterns in which different components are interposed in an intimate fashion, as exemplified by the newly produced micropatterns with self-assembled nonaligned carbon nanotubes interdispersed into the discrete areas in the patterned structure of aligned carbon nanotubes.
Decreasing EDFA transients by power shaping

Multi-wavelength optical networks make extensive use of erbium-doped optical amplifiers (EDFAs) to offset the effects of fiber attenuation and signal power splitting. As optical networking moves towards burst and packet switching, the effects of changes of optical power levels on one wavelength, or channel, can have an impact on the behavior of other wavelengths passing through the same amplifier and impair network performance. We have observed in our simulations of EDFA operation that both the amplitude and duration of EDFA transients will decrease when gradual changes are made to the input power of the EDFA. It was also verified in [D.H. Richards, J.L. Jackel, M.A. Ali, A theoretical investigation of dynamic all-optical automatic gain control in multichannel EDFA's and EDFA cascades, J. Select. Top. Quantum Electron. 3 (4) (1997)] that the switching time of the channel dropping operation can influence the amplitude and duration of EDFA transients. We show that this effect can be exploited to successfully suppress EDFA transients by power shaping. Our approach is to increase/decrease the power of an added/dropped channel gradually, rather than abruptly. Power shaping can be implemented by adapting existing link layer protocols. It is general and can be applied to amplifiers using different technologies, including EDFAs, solid state and Raman amplifiers.
Sociodemographic associations with early disease damage in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective To examine the extent of organ damage among recently diagnosed patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and to assess the association between sociodemographic variables and total damage and organ-specific damage scores. Methods We evaluated damage in 132 patients with SLE (70 African Americans and 62 whites), 2–6 years (median 4 years) after diagnosis, using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index. The associations between demographic characteristics and total damage and organ-specific damage measures were evaluated using logistic regression, adjusting for age, income, and ethnicity. Results A total of 61% of patients scored ≥1 point on the damage index. Damage was most prevalent in the musculoskeletal (28%), skin (20%), neuropsychiatric (16%), and renal (12%) subscales. African American ethnicity and lower household income were independently associated with total damage scores (score ≥2: adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval] 6.0 [2.3–16.2] in African Americans and 2.7 [1.1–6.7] in patients with an annual household income ≤$30,000). The odds of having skin damage, alopecia, or diabetes were at least 5 times higher in African Americans compared with whites, but ethnicity was not associated with renal damage (adjusted odds ratio 1.6, 95% confidence interval 0.40–6.1). Conclusion Considerable damage is seen in SLE patients early in the disease course, and the pattern varies between ethnic groups. This analysis also highlights the importance of sociodemographic characteristics (particularly income) in predicting damage.
EPLERENONE PREVENTS ADVERSE CARDIAC REMODELLING INDUCED BY PRESSURE OVERLOAD IN ATRIAL NATRIURETIC PEPTIDE-NULL MICE

1. Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)-null mice (Nppa(-/-)) exhibit cardiac hypertrophy at baseline and adverse cardiac remodelling in response to transverse aortic constriction (TAC)-induced pressure overload stress. Previous studies have suggested that natriuretic peptides could potentially oppose mineralocorticoid signalling at several levels, including suppression of adrenal aldosterone production, inhibition of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) activation or suppression of MR-mediated production of pro-inflammatory factors. Thus, we hypothesized that the MR blocker eplerenone would prevent the exaggerated left ventricular (LV) remodelling/fibrosis and dysfunction after TAC in Nppa(-/-). 2. In the present study, Nppa(-/-) and wild-type Nppa(+/+) mice fed eplerenone- or vehicle (oatmeal)-supplemented chow since weaning were subjected to TAC or sham operation. The daily dose of eplerenone administered was approximately 200 mg/kg. At 1 week after TAC, LV size and function were evaluated by echocardiogram and LV cross-sections were stained with picrosirius red for collagen volume measurement. Total RNA was extracted from the LV for real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of osteopontin. 3. Eplerenone had no effect on baseline hypertrophy observed in sham-operated Nppa(-/-) compared with Nppa(+/+) mice. Eplerenone attenuated the TAC-induced increase in LV weight in both genotypes and completely prevented LV dilation, systolic dysfunction and interstitial collagen deposition seen in Nppa(-/-) mice after TAC. However, serum aldosterone levels were lower in Nppa(-/-) compared with Nppa(+/+) wild types. No interaction between eplerenone and genotype in osteopontin mRNA levels was observed. 4. Eplerenone prevents adverse cardiac remodelling related to pressure overload in ANP-deficient mice, mainly due to an antifibrotic effect. The mechanism whereby ANP deficiency leads to excess hypertrophy, fibrosis and early failure following TAC is increased profibrotic signals resulting from excess or unopposed MR activation, rather than increased levels of aldosterone.
A legal analysis of sobriety checkpoints

Law enforcement agents are asked to help solve problems involving alcohol abuse in a society exhibiting reluctance to change its attitude about drinking and driving. As the public’s concern over drunken driving intensifies, use of the sobriety checkpoint is becoming a major law enforcement/public policy issue. Recent case law upholds use of the checkpoint in order to deter and detect the drunken driver. Although the United States Supreme Court has not directly ruled on the constitutionality of the sobriety checkpoint, there is a considerable body of state case law upholding its validity. Generally, with some exceptions, sobriety checkpoints appear to be constitutional if law enforcement agents follow proper guidelines and procedures. This paper analyzes case law pertaining to checkpoints, and gives law enforcement agencies direction in establishing constitutionally sound sobriety checkpoints, in conclusion, the article synthesizes roadblock and sobriety checkpoint law to provide law enforcement officers a plan for proper checkpoint construction.
Poly(ADP-ribose) signals to mitochondrial AIF: A key event in parthanatos

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) plays a pivotal role in multiple neurologic diseases by mediating caspase-independent cell death, which has recently been designated parthanatos to distinguish it from other forms of cell death such as apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy. Mitochondrial apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) release and translocation to the nucleus is the commitment point for parthanatos. This process involves a pathogenic role of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) polymer. It generates in the nucleus and translocates to the mitochondria to mediate AIF release following lethal PARP-1 activation. PAR polymer itself is toxic to cells. Thus, PAR polymer signaling to mitochondrial AIF is the key event initiating the deadly crosstalk between the nucleus and the mitochondria in parthanatos. Targeting PAR-mediated AIF release could be a potential approach for the therapy of neurologic disorders.
Cross-contamination with Mycobacterium tuberculosis: an epidemiological and laboratory investigation.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate possible cross-contamination of laboratory specimens, as suggested by an increased incidence of newly diagnosed patients with tuberculosis, many of whom had all negative smears for acid-fast bacilli and only one positive Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture referred to as “negative smears, one positive” or NSOP. METHODS: Medical-record reviews were performed for all patients with NSOP results diagnosed at this facility within a 9-month period. Laboratory logbooks were reviewed for all isolates processed; DNA fingerprinting was performed on available isolates. RESULTS: Of 80 patients with NSOP results, 45 (56%) were found to have false-positive cultures resulting from laboratory contamination with H37Ra, an avirulent stock strain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis . CONCLUSION: Laboratory cross-contamination resulted in the false diagnosis of tuberculosis in at least 45 individuals. Use of the Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube may have contributed to these contamination incidents by detecting small numbers of contaminating mycobacteria that may not have been detected with less sensitive media.
SU‐E‐T‐746: Electron Beam Dosimetric Characteristics for the Varian TrueBeam

Purpose: The changes in the head design of the new Varian TrueBeam compared to the C‐series linear accelerators, required modification of the electron scattering foils and their placement in the beam line. As a result, the electron beam characteristics cannot be matched to existing Varian accelerator models (C‐series). Extensive measurements were needed for determining the beam characteristics for comparison and for commissioning purposes. We present a detailed analysis of the various dosimetric parameters measured for Truebeam compared to C‐series linacs. Methods: A Wellhoffer scanning system was used to measure PDDs and profiles at various depths and source to surface distances (SSD) for all applicators and all energies. Output measurements were performed for all electron applicators and different blocks with field sizes ranging from 2×2 to 15×15 cm depending on the applicator, at standard and extended SSDs, using a 0.03 cc ionization chamber (IBA Dosimetry CC04 chamber) in water, at the dmax depth for each energy. In‐air measurements of cross‐plane profiles were performed using a scanning system, to determine the effective SSD and electron dispersion (sigma‐theta‐x) which describes the angular scattering of electrons. Results: No significant changes were observed in the PDDs between the two accelerator systems. The effective SSD increased as a function of energy by 0.6 to 2.5 cm for TrueBeam (25×25 cm applicator), while the electron dispersion factor showed no change. The change in output factors was most significant for large applicators (20×20 and 25×25 cm), and low energies ranging from 1.5 to 6%. This difference increased systematically with increasing SSD. Conclusions: The changes in the electron beam parameters of the Varian TrueBeam compared to the C‐series linacs are significant enough to require unique modeling of electrons in our treatment planningsystem, as well as unique output factors for monitor unit calculations.
Intrafamily secrets in various family configurations: A communication boundary management perspective

Although extant literature suggests that blended, single‐parent, and biological/adoptive (i.e., nuclear) families differ in terms of the boundaries that separate family members, little systematic research has compared such boundaries. The current investigation examined this issue by focusing on communication boundaries as indexed by intrafamily secrets. As expected, college students in blended families reported that their original parents and siblings were more likely than their stepparents or stepsiblings to know the family secret that they reported in this study. This suggests the presence of a relatively rigid communication boundary between original family members and stepfamily members. Interestingly, participants in blended families, single‐parent families, and nuclear families were quite similar in terms of: (a) the number of intrafamily secrets they perceived in their family, (b) the topics of the secrets they reported, and (c) the functions they reported being served by the secrets. Also, regardle...
Apparent stress and stress drop for intraplate earthquakes and tectonic stress in the plates

The magnitude of shear stress in the lithosphere is bounded from below by the apparent stress and stress drop during intraplate earthquakes. Apparent stresses and stress drops for a number of mid-plate earthquakes are calculated from the earthquake magnitude, SH wave amplitude spectra, and estimates of the length of the fault zone. Apparent stresses vary between 0.1 and 2 bars, if m b is used as a measure of seismic energy, and stress drops lie between 2 and 70 bars. There is no systematic difference in either apparent stress or stress drop between these intraplate events and typical plate boundary earthquakes. These bounds on intraplate shear stresses are consistent with the inference from current models of plate tectonic driving forces that regional stress differences in the plates are typically on the order of 100 bars. The highest stress drops measured for midplate earthquakes under this model represent nearly total release of local tectonic stress.
Development and validation of an HPLC assay for fentanyl, alfentanil, and sufentanil in swab samples.

Abstract A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for the assay of fentanyl citrate, alfentanil hydrochloride, and sufentanil citrate swab samples was developed and validated in order to control a cleaning procedure. The swabbing procedure involved Super POLX 1200 wipers moistened with water. The assay employed extraction of swabs with water and analysis by isocratic, reversed-phase, HPLC with varying ultraviolet (UV) detection for desired sensitivity, depending on the analyte. The method was shown to be selective and linear from the limits of quantitation (0. 10, 0. 20, and 0. 15 μg/swab for fentanyl citrate, alfentanil, and sufentanil, respectively) to over three times these concentrations. The assay limits (detection levels) per swab area were set at least at 0.2% of the concentrations of the actives in the drug products (0.02, 0. 10, and 0. 10 μg/swab or approximately 0.03, 0.02, and 0.2% for fentanyl citrate, alfentanil, and sufentanil, respectively). It should be noted that all active concentrations listed in this work were calculated based on the salt form concentration for fentanyl (citrate salt) and the free base forms for alfentanil and sufentanil. No reference standard was available for alfentanil hydrochloride and sufentanil citrate. Drug product was used instead throughout this study.
Male breast cancer. A natural history study

Eighty-seven cases of male breast cancer seen over a 30-year period were reviewed. The overall observed and corrected five-year survival rates of 42% and 53% correspond well with the results in other series. Factors predicting disease-free interval and survival included size of primary lesion, ipsilateral axillary status, and presence of ulceration, which appear to be similar to those observed for female breast cancer. Eighteen patients (21%) had a second primary tumor (seven with cutaneous malignancies) and were of an older age group with a higher incidence of positive family history of breast cancer as well as other tumors. The overall prognosis of breast cancer in males does not appear to be less favorable than that in females. Cancer 44:748-754, 1979.
Microtubule Cytoskeleton: Navigating the Intracellular Landscape

Abstract Recent studies have significantly advanced our understanding of how a dividing cell asymmetrically positions the mitotic spindle – a key process in metazoan development – while maintaining a dynamic spindle state that can respond and reorient when necessary.
The Wisconsin Card Sorting impairment in schizophrenia is evident in the first four trials

Abstract Background Schizophrenia (SZ) patients' low scores on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) are often attributed to frequent perseverative errors, a pattern typically interpreted as a failure to shift from previously rewarded behavior in response to negative feedback. In this study we tested the hypothesis that SZ patients, due to dysregulated error-processing mechanisms, are more fundamentally impaired in their on-line, trial-to-trial use of feedback to guide behavior. Methods Analysis of archival WCST data from 145 adults with schizophrenia and 80 healthy comparison subjects. Results Schizophrenia patients' impaired use of negative feedback was evident on the first four WCST cards, where they were significantly less accurate than comparison subjects. Performance on these early cards significantly predicted overall task success as indexed by categories completed and proportion of perseverative errors. Conclusions Patients' poor performance on pre-shift WCST trials likely reflects a fundamental impairment in the ability to use feedback to guide behavior. Recent data from both humans and primates suggest that reward-based learning processes like those employed in the WCST are driven by phasic changes in midbrain dopamine activity. It might, therefore, be possible to interpret higher order executive dysfunction in schizophrenia as a manifestation of altered DA signaling.
Valvar aortic stenosis in childhood: Clinical and hemodynamic history

The clinical and hemodynamic course of 19 children with congenital valvar aortic stenosis who underwent two left-sided cardiac catheterizations was reviewed. The clinical course had only fair correlation with severity of obstruction; the electrocardiographic findings, especially ST changes, correlated best with severity. Peak systolic left ventricular to aortic gradient changed significantly in only 1 of 12 children with mild aortic stenosis. However, those with moderately severe aortic stenosis had a more variable course necessitating closer observation.
The Catholic Citizen: Perennial Puzzle or Emergent Oxymoron?:

EnglishWhy is it that, in light of strong Church teachings on social justice, American Catholics are no more civic than members of other denominations? Based on an ongoing ethnographic study of Cat...
Incorporation of N-formylmethionine into peptides by Pseudomonas aeruginosa extracts

Abstract A cell-free system capable of carrying out amino acid incorporation into peptides was developed from exponentially growing cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa . The amino acid incorporation activity required an ATP energy generating system, Mg 2+ , NH 4 + , tRNA and an amino acid mixture for maximum activity. Ribonuclease, puromycin and chloramphenicol inhibited protein synthesis. N -Formylmethionyl-tRNA was synthesized with a P. aeruginosa enzyme system, methionine, P. aeruginosa tRNA, formate and tetrahydrofolic acid. N -formylmethionine was incorporated into peptides by the P. aeruginosa cell-free system. These results indicate that P. aeruginosa extracts contain methionyl-tRNA transformylase and the complete system for the incorporation of N -formylmethionine into peptides.
Immunodeficiency and autoimmunity: lessons from systemic lupus erythematosus

Recent evidence suggests that systemic autoimmunity and immunodeficiency are not separate entities, but rather are interconnected processes. Immunodeficiency results from distinct defects of the immune response and primarily presents as infections but also frequently with autoimmune features. Systemic autoimmunity is the combined effect of multiple genetic variations and infectious and immunoregulatory factors that result in dominant autoimmune manifestations, in addition to frequent and opportunistic infections. The overlap in disease manifestations and symptoms suggests that immunodeficiency should be considered in the presence of autoimmunity, and vice versa. In this review, we present the shared or similar aspects of immunodeficiency and autoimmunity using systemic lupus erythematosus as a paradigm and discuss the implications for clinical care.
D/sup over/; an optimal on-line scheduling algorithm for overloaded real-time systems

An optimal online scheduling algorithm for overloaded systems is presented. It is optimal in the sense that it gives the best competitive factor possible relative to an offline (i.e., clairvoyant) scheduler. It also gives 100% of the value of a clairvoyant scheduler when the system is underloaded. In fact the performance guarantee of D/sup over/ is even stronger: D/sup over/ schedules to completion all tasks in underloaded periods and achieves at least 1/(1+ square root k)/sup 2/ of the value a clairvoyant algorithm can get during overloaded periods. The model accounts for different value densities and generalizes to soft deadlines. >
INTERACTION OF DISTURBANCES IN TALLGRASS PRAIRIE: A FIELD EXPERIMENT'

A field study was conducted to address the roles of fire, cattle grazing, and the interaction of these two disturbances on plant species abundance and community structure in a tallgrass prairie. In 1985 and 1986, species composition was sampled in three replicates of the following grassland treatments: ungrazed + unburned (undisturbed), grazed + unburned, ungrazed + burned, and grazed + burned. Cover of the matrix-forming species Andropogon gerardii was significantly greater, while cover of the nonmatrix species Bromus tectorum was significantly lower, on the burned treatments than on the unburned treatments. The number and cover of annuals were significantly higher on the grazed treatments than on the ungrazed treatments. Species richness increased with increasing disturbance intensity. Diversity, however, was lowest on the ungrazed + burned treatment and highest on the grazed + burned treatment. Burning significantly reduced species diversity on ungrazed treatments, and grazing significantly increased diversity on the burned treatment. This study documented the dissimilar effects of different natural disturbances on grass- land species, growth form characteristics, and community structure. In addition, the results emphasize the important role of interaction among disturbances on plant community structure in grasslands.