cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Remanufacturing - an American perspective

Remanufacturing is the process of restoring non-functioning, discarded, or traded-in products (cores) to like-new performance. Over a period of thirty years, the authors have studied remanufacturing and have issued reports on various aspects of the industry. This paper will describe some of what we have learned during three decades of research on the topic: industry structure and scope, patterns in inputs and costs, forms of organization of remanufacturing enterprises, beneficial aspects of remanufacturing, and implications for other countries. Remanufacturing provides a number of important benefits: greater availability of products and lower prices to customers, employment and industrial skills training to workers, and conservation of material and energy resources to society. Remanufacturers tend to enter remanufacturing, however, in the same pursuit of profits that motivates other entrepreneurs.
Suicide ideas: Relationship to personality disorders on the MCMI

Abstract The relationship of suicide to depression has been documented, but fewer data have been gathered on the relationship between suicide and personality disorders. A recent, well-validated instrument, the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI), identifies personality disorders as well as clinical syndromes, but has not yet been used for identifying suicidal individuals. To determine this relationship, 36 drug and alcohol inpatients and 212 undergraduates completed the MCMI and the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire. A stepwise multiple regression for both groups combined indicated that MCMI scales of Passive Aggressive-Negativistic, Dysthymia, and Paranoid accounted for a significant amount of variance in suicidality.
Designing for science learning and collaborative discourse

A prototype Web-based environment, called the Web of Inquiry, was developed that built on previous work in science learning and technology. This new system was designed to meet constructivist-learning principles, support self-reflection, and meet specific interaction goals within the classroom environment. The system was tested it in fifth, sixth, and seventh grade (ages 10--13) classrooms. Mixed methods results suggest that the system met many of the initial design goals and also identified areas that could be improved in future iterations of the system.
Biphasic alcohol response differs in heavy versus light drinkers.

Background: Most studies of risk factors for alcohol-related problems have focused on biological family history as a primary risk factor. However, other factors, such as early-age heavy drinking, are also risk factors for sustained or progressive heavy consumption. Little is currently known about the mechanisms underlying binge or heavy drinking. Methods: This study examined the acute subjective and objective effects of ethanol in heavy drinkers versus light drinkers. Thirty-four subjects participated in this within-subjects study consisting of three early-evening testing sessions in which subjects consumed a beverage containing either 0.8 or 0.4 g/kg ethanol or placebo. Results: Compared with lighter drinkers, heavy drinkers were more sensitive to the positive stimulant-like effects of ethanol (p < 0.05), especially during the increasing limb of the blood alcohol curve. Heavy drinkers also showed less sedation and cortisol response after alcohol than the light drinkers (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The results indicate that young adult binge drinkers show a biphasic alcohol response, with heightened sensitivity to stimulant-like alcohol effects and greater tolerance to sedative alcohol effects compared with their light-drinking counterparts.
Comparison of protein structure in the crystal and in solution. V. Solubility of horse methemoglobin and azide binding.

There was no significant difference between crystalline and soluble horse methemoglobin in the equilibrium binding of azide, indicating that crystallization induces no change in average conformation. This experiment supports the suggestion of Chance & Ravilly (1966) that the low rate of formation of the azide complex in the crystal has origin in reduced motility of the protein.
Observations on coronary sinus rhythm and its mechanism

C ORONARY SINUS RHYTIIM iS a form Of I’ClrOgrade atria1 activation identified I)\inverted P waves in leads II, III and a\‘F M:itll a P-R interval greater than 0.12 second (Fig. I ). Since lead I ma)reqister a flat, diphasic or upright P wave, the mean manifest frontal P axis will fall between -31” and -00” (Fig. 2). This sector lies within the rang-e of X-V nodal rhythms, but the latter are distin~uishcd I))shortened P-R intervals.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens- mediated transformation of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill.] using immature zygotic cotyledon explants.

-mediated transformation of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill. cv. Jack] using immature zygotic cotyledons was investigated to identify important factors that affected transformation efficiency and resulted in the production of transgenic soybean somatic embryos. The factors evaluated were initial immature zygotic cotyledon size, Agrobacterium concentration during inoculation and co-culture and the selection regime. Our results showed that 8- to 10-mm zygotic cotyledons exhibited a higher transformation rate, as indicated by transient GUS gene expression, whereas the smaller zygotic cotyledons, at less than 5 mm, died shortly after co-cultivation. However, the smaller zygotic cotyledon explants were found to have a higher embryogenic potential. Analysis of Agrobacterium and immature cotyledon explant interactions involved two Agrobacterium concentrations for the inoculation phase and three co-culture regimes. No differences in explant survival or somatic embyogenic potential were observed between the two Agrobacterium concentrations tested. Analysis of co-culture regimes revealed that the shorter co-culture times resulted in higher explant survival and higher somatic embryo production on the explants, whereas the co-culture time of 4 days severely reduced survival of the cotyledon explants and lowered their embryogenic potential. Analysis of selection regimes revealed that direct placement of cotyledon explants on hygromycin 25 mg/l was detrimental to explant survival, whereas 10 mg/l gave continued growth and subsequent somatic embryo development and plant regeneration. The overall transformation frequency in these experiments, from initial explant to whole plant, was 0.03 %. Three fertile soybean plants were obtained during the course of these experiments. Enzymatic GUS assays and Southern blot hybridizations confirmed the integration of T-DNA and expression of the GUS-intron gene in the three primary transformants. Analysis of 48 progeny revealed that three copies of the transgene were inherited as a single Mendelian locus.
Television and violence. The scale of the problem and where to go from here.

IN 1975, Rothenberg's Special Communication in JAMA , "Effect of Television Violence on Children and Youth," first alerted the medical community to the deforming effects the viewing of television violence has on normal child development, increasing levels of physical aggressiveness and violence. 1 In response to physicians' concerns sparked by Rothenberg's communication, the 1976 American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates passed Resolution 38: "The House declares TV violence threatens the health and welfare of young Americans, commits itself to remedial actions with interested parties, and encourages opposition to TV programs containing violence and to their sponsors." 2 Other professional organizations have since come to a similar conclusion, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association. 3 In light of recent research findings, in 1990 the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement: "Pediatricians should advise parents to limit their children's television viewing to 1 to 2
“Contingent Negative Variation” in Rhesus Monkeys: An EEG Sign of a Specific Mental Process

Utilizing long time-constant EEG recording techniques, magnetic tape storage, and electronic averaging, the phenomenon designated the “contingent negative variation” or “expectancy wave” was studied in 3 Rhesus monkeys. Three basic conditioning paradigms were used: escape conditioning with a warning cue, discrimination task with aversive reinforcement following SD, and discrimination with appetitive reinforcement. Trials were presented in blocks of 12 and averaged on line with an Enhancetron electronic averager. In each case, during acquisition trials, a surface negative slow potential gradually developed only following the evoked response to SD and preceding the meaningful stimulus. No shift followed the unreinforced stimulus. During extinction trials, the shift gradually diminished. During discrimination reversal, a negative shift developed following the previously unreinforced stimulus, while the shift following what had been SD gradually diminished. Results demonstrate the appearance of the “contingen...
Density, Viscosity, and Diffusion Coefficients in Hypoeutectic Al-Si Liquid Alloys: An Assessment of Available Data

This article is a review of empirical and calculated data on density, viscosity, and diffusion coefficients in hypereutectic Al-Si liquid alloys. Many regressions of the data were effected in order to consolidate the data as functions, which can be used to calculate each property as a function of temperature and concentration of Si. The chemical diffusion coefficient in the alloys was derived based on the Sutherland model, which relates the diffusion coefficient to viscosity.
Resident and Nurse Practitioners: Responding to Education and Patient Care Needs

Sir. —In recent issues of AJDC , Bedrick 12 and Winter 3 address the issue of residency work demands and the overburden in terms of hours and responsibility that hinder the effectiveness and humanity of the physician education process. They suggest that to hire more house staff to limit the number of resident working hours is not the answer to the problem. Likewise, expanding the number of residents in a given program to meet the ever-increasing service demands of the current tertiary and quaternary care centers will not meet service needs or optimize a resident's educational experience. Other practical ways are needed to address the problems associated with resident overwork and hospital care needs. The use of nonphysician primary care providers in the inpatient hospital setting bears further comment. Before a solution is implemented, physicians should analyze the available data to ensure that quality of patient care is maintained. It is
Efficient Measurement of Impulses Based on Frequency-Domain Approach

This paper designs and experimentally demonstrates an electronic hardware architecture to measure impulse signals without resorting to high-speed analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). The proposed architecture is based on a frequency-domain approach. It consists of multiple channels to down-convert the input signal, each of which obtains a small portion of the input's spectrum. Overlapping bands are designated in between every two adjacent channels, so that multiple narrow-band outcomes can be accurately merged to construct the entire spectrum through postprocessing. The resultant complex-valued spectrum is equivalent to that where the impulses are directly measured in the time domain. The architecture in this paper resembles traditional superheterodyne receivers, and hence, its circuit implementation is simple and robust and has low cost. In our circuit implementation, all the components involved (like oscillators and mixers) are commercially available and have low costs. The circuit is tested by two types of input impulses, both having spectra centered at 2.1 GHz. The input signals' spectra (including both magnitude and phase) obtained by our circuit show excellent agreement with the data measured by a 40-GHz oscilloscope. When the input signal-to-noise ratio is as low as 2 dB, the output of our frequency-domain approach is equivalent to that of a 4-b high-speed ADC.
Epileptic activation of single cortical neurons and their relationship with electroencephalographic discharges.

Abstract 1. 1. Epileptogenic foci were elicited in the suprasylvian (parietal) gyrus of unanesthetized cats by means of local application of different drugs (strychnine, penicillin, curare, Metrazol). 2. 2. The paroxysmal EEG discharges were simultaneously monitored, from their early development, with routine cortical electrodes and with tungsten microelectrodes. 3. 3. The activity of one or of several units from a given microelectrode placement and of a large number of units from different placements through the cortical layers was correlated with the paroxysmal EEG discharge. 4. 4. The most characteristic pattern of unit behavior, in coincidence with the EEG paroxysmal event, is a burst of high frequency spikes; other units may fire only one or two spikes and occasionally units are found which are apparently unaffected during the EEG discharges. The activity of “injured” elements as well as that of elements characterized by high frequency repetitive firing in the absence of EEG paroxysms, suddenly stops when the latter occur. 5. 5. Hypersynchrony of firing of a large number of unitary elements, though not strictly absolute, is another characteristics feature of epileptic activation. 6. 6. There exists a close correlation between morphology of the slow EEG discharge and firing pattern of given units. 7. 7. These various findings together with the topographical distribution of active units within the cortex are analyzed and discussed.
Neuroprotection in the Newborn Infant

Neonatal brain injury is an important cause of death and disability, with pathways of oxidant stress, inflammation, and excitotoxicity that lead to damage that progresses over a long period of time. Therapies have classically targeted individual pathways during early phases of injury, but more recent therapies such as growth factors may also enhance cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration over time. More recent evidence suggests combined therapy may optimize repair, decreasing cell injury while increasing newly born cells.
The sociology of law in the United States

La sociologie juridique americaine est ancree solidement dans une tradition de recherches empiriques portant sur presque tous les aspects du droit. Parallelement, la contribution theorique a ce vaste corps de recherches empiriques s'est considerablement enrichie depuis quelques annees, en particulier grâce aux travaux de Donald Black. Pour lui, la principale dimension du droit reside dans sa fonction de controle social
ANALYTICAL SOLUTION FOR TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION IN MICROWAVE HEATING OF RECTANGULAR OBJECTS

Microwave heating is extremely popular as a household method for warming up foodstuffs quickly. However the industrial application of this convenient, pollution free heating technique is very limited because of its non-uniform temperature distribution with hot and cold spots. The temperature distribution in microwave heating depends on the electromagnetic frequency, processing time, size and shape, and dielectric properties of the object being heated. In this paper, we present a close form analytic solution for temperature distribution in a three dimensional rectangular block under microwave processing. With the knowledge of electric field distribution from Maxwell’s equation, a three dimensional, unsteady, non-homogenous energy equation containing a microwave source term is solved by the integral transform technique. The effects of various parameters such as sample thickness, electromagnetic frequencies, dielectric properties, and processing time are studied for a salmon fillet. The results indicate that the proper integration of incident frequencies, dielectric properties, sample thickness and processing time could provide homogenous temperature distribution in a salmon fillet under microwave heating.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Patterns of political socialization in North Korean schools

(1973). Patterns of political socialization in North Korean schools. Peabody Journal of Education: Vol. 50, No. 4, pp. 265-275.
What is the Place of Clinicians’ Religious or Spiritual Commitments in Psychotherapy? A Virtues-Based Perspective

Value neutrality in psychotherapy is widely acknowledged to be a myth, and a majority of US physicians report that their religious faith influences their practice. Most attention to therapists' religious and spiritual commitments has focused on ethical boundaries, transference/countertransference dynamics and questions about how to relate religious and psychological truth. No consensus exists about the legitimate place in psychotherapy of clinicians' differing value commitments. Therapists' virtues are vitally important in psychotherapy, not least in the relational and aspirational process by which the patient identifies with the therapist as they engage together in confronting obstacles which the patient has been unable to surmount alone. Among the individual and cultural factors that shape a therapist's virtues are spiritual traditions, which encourage preferred or characteristic virtues. Arguably, these include for Jews, communal responsibility and critical thought; for Christians, love and grace; for Muslims, reverence and obedience; for Buddhists, equanimity and compassion; for Hindus, appreciation of Dharma and Karma; and for secularists, respect for scientific evidence and intelligibility. These have differing implications for treatment, as illustrated through the use of a hypothetical case. Attention to differing spiritual and religious virtues in a pluralistic culture offers opportunities for creative dialogue, collaborative teaching and interdisciplinary research.
Aspergillus: rising frequency of clinical isolation and continued susceptibility to antifungal agents, 1994–1999

Abstract We investigated the frequency of clinical isolation and the in vitro susceptibility to antifungal agents of Aspergillus species obtained from patients at the Detroit Medical Center from January 1994 to December 1999. During this period, 593 clinical isolates of Aspergillus species [406 A. fumigatus, 68%; 82 A. niger, 14%; 42 A. flavus, 7%; 63 Aspergillus spp., 11%] were recovered from hospitalized patients. From January 1996 to December 1999, approximately 2.5–4.5 fold yearly increase of the number of aspergillus isolates occurred compared to that of 1994. Conidial suspensions from clinical isolates were prepared and their in vitro susceptibility to amphotericin B and three azoles were determined. All four agents examined were extremely active. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC 90 ) (μg/mL) of amphotericin B, itraconazole, voriconazole and posaconazole for A. fumigatus (n = 406) were 0.5, 1.0, 0.5 and 0.25. Similar values were noted for non- A. fumigatus isolates. A year-to-year comparison of the MIC 90 of the four agents for A. fumigatus and non- A. fumigatus isolates over the 6-year study period showed no significant differences. Our study showed a steady increase in the frequency of clinical isolation of Aspergillus species; and the organism has remained susceptible to amphotericin B/triazoles without any change in susceptibility levels during the 6-year study period.
PACS viewer interoperability for teleconsultation based on DICOM

Real-time teleconsultation in radiology enables physicians to perform same-time consultation between remote peers, based on medical images. Since digital medical images are commonly viewed on PACS workstations, it is possible to use one of several methods for remote sharing of the computer screen. For instance, software products such as Microsoft NetMeeting, or IBM SameTime, can be used. However, the amount of image data transmitted can be very high, since even minute changes in an image window/level requires re-transmitting the entire image again and again. This is too inefficient. Looking for better methods, when restricting the problem to the use of same hardware and software of the same vendor, it is easier to develop a solution that employs a proprietary specialized protocol to coordinate the visualization process. Such is a solution that we developed, and which demonstrated an excellent performance advantage by transmitting only the graphical events between the machines, rather than the image pixels. Our solution did not inter-operate with other viewers. It worked only on X11/Motif systems, and only between compatible versions of the same viewer application. Our purpose in this paper is to enable inter-operability between viewers of different platforms, and different vendors. We distinguish three parts: Session control, audiovisual (multimedia) data exchange, and medical image sharing. We intend to deal only with the third component, assuming the use of existing standards for the first two parts. After a session between two or more parties is established, and optional audiovisual data channels are set, the medical consultation is considered as the coordinated exchange of medical image contents. Some requirements for the contents exchange protocol: In the first stage, the parties negotiate the actual set of capabilities to be used during the consultation, using a formal description of these capabilities. The capabilities that one station lacks over the other (such as specific image processing algorithms) can be 'borrowed.' In the second stage, when interaction starts, it should assume that the graphical user interface of the stations might be different, as well as working procedures. During the consultation, data is exchanged based on DICOM for the data model of medical image folders, and the data format of image objects.
ELF Coupling to Spherical Models of Man and Animals

The induced fields, currents, and power absorbed by spherical models of humans or animals when exposed to extremely low frequency (ELF) electromagnetic fields are calculated. Spherical models can be expected to provide values of the right order of magnitude. The induced fields are a sum of the quasistatic solutions for a sphere irradiated by a uniform electric and magnetic field. Calculations are provided for ELF fields emanating from the proposed Navy's Sanguine antenna and extra high voltage (EHV)/ultra high voltage (UHV) transmission lines proposed by the utility industry. The question of biological hazards from exposure to fields of these systems is also considered.
Holocene Lake-Level Fluctuations of Lake Aricota, Southern Peru

Lacustrine deposits exposed around Lake Aricota, Peru (17° 22′S), a 7.5-km2 lake dammed by debris flows, provide a middle to late Holocene record of lake-level fluctuations. Chronological context for shoreline deposits was obtained from radiocarbon dating of vascular plant remains and other datable material with minimal 14C reservoir effects (<350 yr). Diatomites associated with highstands several meters above the modern lake level indicate wet episodes. Maximum Holocene lake level was attained before 6100 14C yr B.P. and ended ∼2700 14C yr B.P. Moderately high lake levels occurred at 1700 and 1300 14C yr B.P. The highstand at Lake Aricota during the middle Holocene is coeval with a major lowstand at Lake Titicaca (16°S), which is only 130 km to the northeast and shares a similar climatology. Comparisons with other marine and terrestrial records highlight emerging contradictions over the nature of mid-Holocene climate in the central Andes.
Scaffold degradation elevates the collagen content and dynamic compressive modulus in engineered articular cartilage.

Summary Objective It was hypothesized that controlled, scaffold removal in engineered cartilage constructs would improve their collagen content and mechanical properties over time in culture. Design Preliminary experiments characterized the effects of agarase on cell-free agarose disks and cartilage explants. Immature bovine chondrocytes were encapsulated in agarose, cultured to day 42, and incubated with 100units/mL agarase for 48h. After treatment, constructs were cultured to day 91. The compressive Young's modulus and dynamic modulus of the constructs were determined every 2 weeks and immediately after agarase treatment. Post-mechanical testing, constructs were processed for biochemistry and histology. Results Agarase treatment on explants had no detrimental effect on the cartilage matrix. Treatment applied to engineered constructs on day 42 did not affect DNA or collagen content. Agarase treatment decreased tissue GAG content (via GAG loss to the media) and Young's modulus, both of which recovered to control values over time in culture. By day 91 agarase-treated constructs possessed ∼25% more DNA, ∼60% more collagen, and ∼40% higher dynamic modulus compared to untreated controls. Conclusions Scaffold degradation increased construct collagen content and dynamic mechanical properties, affirming the experimental hypothesis. The mechanism may lie in increased nutrient transport, increased space for collagen fibril formation, and cellular response to the loss of GAG with agarase treatment. The results highlight the role of the scaffold in retaining synthesized matrix during early and late tissue formation. This work also shows promise in developing an engineered tissue that may be completely free of scaffold material for clinical implantation.
Transport correlation coefficients and photoconductive switching

Abstract The use of a retarded Langevin equation for the development of a simple model of a photoconductive switch is described. This model allows the the accurate determination of carrier transport transients in the switch provided that certain commonly made assumptions concerning spatial homogeneity remain valid and an appropiate optical pulse energy and wavelength are chosen. The model utilizes velocity autocorrelation functions which could be estimated by Monte Carlo techniques or potentially measured by applying the model to appropiate experimental data. The validity of the model is demonstrated for wavelengths in which carriers are generated somewhat below the threshold for intervalley scattering. A mechanism by which an applied field can actually delay the initial rise in a photocurrent in a subpicosecond photoconductive experiment is described as well.
INCIDENCE OF THE BELL'CLAPPER DEFORMITY IN AN AUTOPSY SERIES

Abstract Objectives. Testicular torsion is seen in all age groups. The bell-clapper deformity (BCD) when present predisposes the patient to torsion. This study was undertaken to determine the incidence of the BCD. Methods. An autopsy series of 51 males with 101 testes was dissected by the senior author to determine the incidence of the BCD. Results. The manner of testicular investment by the tunica vaginalis was classified as normal, intermediate, or absent (BCD). Seventy-six testes were normal, 13 were intermediate, and 12 were of the bell-clapper type. Conclusions. The incidence of the BCD in this autopsy series was 12%. Because the incidenceof testicular torsion in the general population is far less than 12%, other factors in addition to anatomic predisposition must be involved.
Disgust, anxiety, and vasovagal syncope sensations: A comparison of injection-fearful and nonfearful blood donors

Although research has implicated disgust in the fainting response observed in blood-injection-injury (BII) phobia, this finding has not been consistently observed in the literature. The present study further examines the relationship between disgust and fainting symptoms among injection-fearful (n=108) and nonfearful (n=338) blood donors. Volunteers from community blood drives provided pre-donation levels of anxiety and disgust towards giving blood and completed a standardized measure of vasovagal reactions (fainting) to blood donation after giving blood. As predicted, injection-fearful participants reported significantly more pre-donation anxiety and disgust compared to nonfearful participants. Injection-fearful donors also reported experiencing more fainting symptoms during blood donation and found the donation experience more unpleasant than did nonfearful participants. Although pre-donation disgust and anxiety levels each uniquely predicted fainting symptoms among nonfearful donors, only pre-donation anxiety uniquely predicted fainting symptoms among injection-fearful donors. Implications of these findings for conceptualizing the disgust-faint relationship in BII phobia are discussed.
Hydrogen production and performance of nickel based catalysts synthesized using supercritical fluids for the gasification of biomass

Abstract A method for synthesizing carbon nanotube/fiber and aluminosilicate supported Ni catalysts using supercritical methanol is suggested. This one-pot synthesis method allows the metal precursor (nickel acetylacetonate) to reduce directly onto the surface of the carbon structure without the pretreatment of surface functional groups. The synthesized catalysts are confirmed to be active in the gasification of biomass in supercritical water—specifically for the production of hydrogen-rich gases. Although the synthesized catalysts can produce similar hydrogen yields (∼8 mmol H2/g biomass) compared to two commercially available aluminosilicate supported Ni catalysts, the gas product ratio for producing hydrogen over methane for the synthesized catalysts was 3.5 mol H2/mol CH4 compared to 1.3 mol H2/mol CH4 for the commercial catalysts under the same conditions.
Real-Time Twitter Sentiment toward Midterm Exams

Twitter is the most popular microblogging service today, with millions of its uers posting short messages (tweets) everyday. This huge amount of user-generated content contains rich factual and subjective information ideal for computational analysis. Current research findings suggest that Twitter data could be utilized to gain accurate public sentiment on various topics and events. With help of Twitter Stream API, we collected 260,749 tweets on the subject of midterm exams from students on Twitter for two consecutive weeks (Oct 17-Oct 30, 2011). Our aim was to investigate the real-time Twitter sentiment on midterm exams by hour, day, and week for these two weeks, using a sentiment predictor built from an opinion lexicon augmented for this specific domain. At different levels of temporal granularity, our analysis revealed the variation of sentiment. The average sentiment of the first week (Oct 17-23) was more negative than the second week (Oct 24-30). For both weeks, the overall trend curves of sentiment increased from Monday to Sunday. For each weekday, there was a period around 9:00 am-5:00 pm EST that had maximum sentimet. On each weekend, the sentiment values during a day reached their maximum between 5:00 am to 8:00 am, and then decreased after 8:00am. Furthermore, we observed some consistent group behavior of Twitter users based on seemingly random behavior of each individual. The lowest number of tweets always occured around 5:00 am-6:00 am each day, and the maximum number was around 1:00 pm except Sunday. The minimum of tweet lengths happened usually around 9:00 am and the maximum length was around 4:00 am everyday. Twitter users with positive sentiment appeared to have more friends and followers than those carrying negative sentiment. Also, users who shared the same sentiment inclined to have similar ratios of friends and followers, which is not true for general users.
Do All Spect Appropriateness Criteria Predict Long-Term Clinical Outcomes? A 3-Year Follow-Up Study

SPECT Appropriateness Criteria (AC) has been established for quality of care since 2005. Our prior study (JACC 2013;61:10S) showed AC predictive power in 1 year follow-up. This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of appropriate (A) vs. inappropriate (I) AC to predict MACE in 3-year follow-up
The nozzle guide vane problem: Partitioning a heterogeneous inventory

Abstract In this paper we describe a problem which is encountered in the maintenance of gas turbine engines used in commercial and military aircraft. In particular, we address the problem of selecting a set of nozzle guide vanes, from a heterogeneous inventory of vanes, for the nozzle assembly of an engine. We formulate this problem as a partitioning problem for a heterogeneous population. Given the combinatorial complexity of the problem we develop a heuristic algorithm which is shown to be very effective in obtaining the maximum number of partitions.
Nitric Oxide Reduction of the Copper(II) Complex Cu(dmp)22+ (dmp = 2,9-Dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline)

The copper(II) complex Cu(dmp)22+ has been shown to be quantitatively reduced by nitric oxide in hydroxylic solvents (ROH; R = CH3, H) to give the corresponding cuprous species Cu(dmp)2+ plus RONO. The analogous phenanthroline complex, Cu(phen)22+ (which has a reduction potential 0.5 V less positive than that of the Cu(dmp)22+) reacts very slowly under similar conditions.
Impact of Pulmonary Hypertension on Outcomes in Patients With Functional Mitral Regurgitation Undergoing Percutaneous Edge-to-Edge Repair

Preexisting pulmonary hypertension (PH) is associated with poor outcomes after surgical mitral valve repair for functional mitral regurgitation (FMR). However its clinical impact on MitraClip therapy remains unknown. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the impact of preexisting PH on MitraClip therapy for patients with FMR. Ninety-one consecutive patients who had FMR and who underwent the MitraClip procedure were studied. They were divided into 2 groups on the basis of pulmonary artery systolic pressure: the PH group (n = 48) and the non-PH group (n = 43). PH was defined as pulmonary artery systolic pressure >50 mm Hg using Doppler echocardiography. Procedural success (defined as magnetic resonance reduction to grade 2+ or less) and 30-day mortality were similar in the 2 groups. At 12 months, New York Heart Association functional class had improved to class I or II in most patients in the PH (from 2.9% to 94.3%) and non-PH (from 9.4% to 96.9%) groups. The mean pulmonary artery systolic pressure of the PH group significantly decreased from baseline but remained higher than that of the non-PH group (50.8 ± 15.3 vs 36.7 ± 11.6 mm Hg, p <0.001). After a mean of 25.0 ± 16.9 months of follow-up, Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated significantly higher all-cause mortality in the PH group. In Cox regression analysis, preexisting PH was the most powerful predictor of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 3.731, 95% confidence interval 1.653 to 8.475, p = 0.002). In conclusion, MitraClip therapy reduced FMR and alleviated symptoms with an excellent early safety profile in the PH and non-PH groups. However, preexisting PH was associated with worse all-cause mortality.
Cross-talk between α1B-Adrenergic Receptor (α1BAR) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6) Signaling Pathways: ACTIVATION OF α1BAR INHIBITS IL-6-ACTIVATED STAT3 IN HEPATIC CELLS BY A p42/44 MITOGEN-ACTIVATED PROTEIN KINASE-DEPENDENT MECHANISM

Treatment of primary rat hepatocytes or tranfected HepG2 cells with the α1B-adrenergic receptor (α1BAR) agonist phenylephrine (PE) significantly inhibited interleukin 6 (IL-6)-induced STAT3 binding, tyrosine phosphorylation, and IL-6-induced serum amyloid A mRNA expression. Western analyses and in vitro kinase assays indicate that this inhibition is not due to either down-regulation of STAT3 protein expression nor inactivation of upstream-located JAK1 and JAK2. Blocking the new RNA and protein syntheses antagonized the inhibitory effect of PE on IL-6-activated STAT3, suggesting synthesis of an inhibitory factor(s) is involved. The inhibitory effect of PE on IL-6 activation of STAT3 was also abolished by the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor sodium vanadate, indicating involvement of protein tyrosine phosphatases. Furthermore, preincubation of the cells with the specific MEK1 inhibitor PD98059 or a dominant negative MEK1 reversed the inhibitory effect of PE, and expression of constitutively activated MEK1 alone abolished IL-6-activated STAT3. Taken together, these data indicate that PE inhibits IL-6 activation of STAT3 in hepatic cells by a p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent mechanism, and tyrosine phosphatases are involved. This inhibitory cross-talk between the α1BAR and IL-6 signaling pathways implicates the α1BAR involvement in regulating the IL-6-mediated inflammatory responses.
Ethics: dealing with cancer patients/employees: a case study

he role of employees in decision making within an organization has drawn increasing attention in the last decade as concern has focused on quality, e.g. quality circles, total quality management. Explores some of the problems encountered by an employee when she made an overt effort to effect a change in her work schedule to facilitate medical care. What are the moral and legal responsibilities of management? How should an employee deal with the rewards of standing up for principles – the fear of reprisal; lesser assignments; the high cost of litigation; abandonment by friends and colleagues; innuendos by management and those closely allied with management; negative impact on career moves? What management procedures, policies, or practices can be developed to alleviate or avoid negatively perceived consequences to both the employee and management?
Cephalometric soft tissue analysis of combined elliptical-window genioglossus advancement and hyoid suspension for obstructive sleep apnea.

Purpose This study sought to determine the changes in cephalometric facial profile soft tissue measurements after simultaneous elliptical-window genioglossus advancement and hyoid suspension procedures for obstructive sleep apnea. Patients and Methods A retrospective analysis of preoperative and postoperative lateral cephalometric soft tissue changes in 23 consecutive patients who had undergone combined elliptical-window genioglossus advancement and hyoid bone suspension for polysomnogram-confirmed obstructive sleep apnea. Six cephalometric soft tissue measurements of the lower face were evaluated: pogonion (Pg′-Pg), menton (Me′-Me), gnathion (G′-G), lower lip (LI-L1i), B point (B-B′), and horizontal distance from subnasale perpendicular to the soft tissue chin at the level of pogonion (SN-Pg′). Statistical analysis was conducted with the paired Student t test (with 95% confidence interval of difference between means) and found significant for P Results There were no statistically significant differences among all 6 preoperative and postoperative cephalometric, radiographic soft tissue measurements of the lower facial profile. Conclusions The combined elliptical-window genioglossus advancement and hyoid suspension procedures for obstructive sleep apnea do not significantly change the cephalometric lower facial profile. In patients with an adequate lower facial profile with base-of-tongue obstruction who require surgical management of obstructive sleep apnea without alteration of their lower facial profile, this procedure does not significantly alter the preoperative facial profile.
Public Church and Household of Faith: Competing Visions of the Church in Post-Reformation Delft, 1572–1617*

Lorsque les Etats de Hollande et de Zelande ont choisi la foi reformee avec un statut privilegie dans les Provinces Unies rebelles en 1572, elles ont donne naissance a des conceptions rivales du role de l'Eglise dans la societe. C'est au niveau municipal que ce conflit s'est le mieux incarne. A la difference d'autres pays, l'Eglise protestante neerlandaise n'a jamais acquis le statut d'eglise d'Etat. Cet article montre les differentes conceptions de l'assistance aux pauvres dans la ville de Delft avant 1572, et examine comment le consistoire a adapte ses ambitions confessionnelles d'assistance a l'interieur du cadre municipal de 1573 a 1617
Snacking Increased among U.S. Adults between 1977 and 2006

This study built on limited knowledge about patterns and trends of adult snacking in the US. We selected adults aged 19 y and older (n = 44,754) between 1977–1978 and 2003–2006 with results weighted and adjusted for sample design effects. Differences testing, by a Student's t test, used STATA 10 (P ≤ 0.01). We defined a snacking event as intake of foods over a 15-min period and excluded food defined as snacks but eaten at a meal. Dietary data were obtained from the first 2 d for the 1977–1978 Nationwide Food Consumption Survey (NFCS 77) and the 1989–1991 Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals (CSFII 89); and 2-d dietary data from the 1994–1996 CSFII (CSFII 96) and the NHANES from 2 consecutive surveys: NHANES 2003–2004 and NHANES 2005–2006 (NHANES 03–06). Results showed that snacking prevalence increased significantly from 71 to 97% in 2003–2006 with increases in both the 1989–1994 and the 1994–2006 periods. In all adults, snacking occasions increased 0.97 events over this time period (P < 0.01) and the contribution of snacks to total energy intake increased from 18 to 24% (P < 0.01). The energy density of snacks (food plus beverages) also increased progressively over the time period studied. Important changes in snacking food sources were found among desserts, salty snacks, candies, and sweetened beverages. More research is needed to gain a better understanding of the implications for overall energy intake and energy imbalance.
Crying wolf: false alarms in a pediatric intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE To determine the predictive value of patient monitoring alarms as a warning system in a pediatric intensive care unit (ICU). DESIGN Prospective, observational study. SETTING Pediatric ICU of a university affiliated children's hospital. INTERVENTIONS During a 7-day period, ICU staff were asked to record the type and number of alarm soundings. Alarms were recorded as false, significant (resulted in change in therapy), or induced (by staff manipulations; not significant). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Sixty-six percent of nursing shifts (928 patient hours of care) responded. There were 2,176 alarms soundings: 1,481 (68%) false, 119 (5.5%) significant, and 576 (26.5%) induced. Alarm origins were: 44% pulse oximeter, 1% end-tidal PCO2, 31% ventilator, and 24% electrocardiograph (EKG). The positive predictive value of alarms were: 7% pulse oximeter, 16% end-tidal PCO2, 3% ventilator, and 5% EKG. The negative predictive value of all alarms were > 97%. More alarms sounded during the 7:00 am to 3:00 pm shift than during the 3:00 pm to 11:00 pm or 11:00 pm to 7:00 am shifts (167 +/- 19 vs. 64 +/- 39 vs. 75 +/- 43, p < .05, respectively). When corrected for number of patients/shift, the occurrence of soundings differed only between day and night (11.4 +/- 1.5/patient/shift vs. 6.1 +/- 1.0, p < .05). CONCLUSIONS Over 94% of alarm soundings in a pediatric ICU may not be clinically important. Present monitoring systems are poor predictors of untoward events.
Change Management in the New Zealand Meat Industry: Implications for Labour Relations

The increasing volume of research and writing on the management of change and the many prescriptions for change promulgated by various writers and practitioners is not matched by a corresponding increase in the effectiveness of change initiatives. High failure rates for new technology implementations and for other change initiatives, such as TQM, appear to point to the failure of previous research to identify the fundamental drivers of successful change management. A multi-plant case study into the elements of successful change management examined four meat plants which were introducing new technology into the chain process. The study found that the most critical factor in the relative success of change was the quality of the employment relationship prior to the change. A 'positive' prior context characterised by such factors as high trust relationships, mutual respect and high delegation was more likely to lead to a successful outcome than a 'negative' prior context characterised by such factors as autocratic management, low trust and low mutual respect. These results affirm some earlier research carried out in the 1970's and 1980's on labour relations in the New Zealand meat industry.
Initial Genetic Analysis of Xylella fastidiosa in Texas

Xylella fastidiosa is the causative agent of Pierce’s Disease of grape. No published record of X. fastidiosa genetics in Texas exists despite growing financial risk to the U.S. grape industry, a Texas population of the glassy-winged sharpshooter insect vector (Homalodisca vitripennis) now spreading in California, and evidence that the bacterium is ubiquitous to southern states. Using sequences of conserved gyrB and mopB genes, we have established at least two strains in Texas, grape strain and ragweed strain, corresponding genetically with subsp. piercei and multiplex, respectively. The grape strain in Texas is found in Vitis vinifera varieties, hybrid vines, and wild Vitis near vineyards, whereas the ragweed strain in Texas is found in annuals, shrubs, and trees near vineyards or other areas. RFLP and QRT PCR techniques were used to differentiate grape and ragweed strains with greater efficiency than sequencing and are practical for screening numerous X. fastidiosa isolates for clade identity.
From Plowing to Penitence: Piers Plowman and Fourteenth-Century Theology

Perhaps no episode in medieval literature has proven as puzzling to modern readers as the pardon scene in the B text of Piers Plowman. Critics continue to debate whether the document which Piers receives in Passus VII is a pardon. The document is, after all, sent by Truth, the divine authority whose tower overshadows the fair field. Its message - "Et qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam eternam; / Qui vero mala in ignem eternum" - is an article of the Athanasian Creed and thus an orthodox tenet of the faith. Moreover, critics who argue that Truth's document is a pardon maintain that its text is consistent with the theme of the Visio. Frank, for example, contends that "the message of the pardon, do well, is a logical culmination of the doctrine of labor and good works preached throughout the Visio. If the pardon is no pardon, if do well is not the way to salvation, the reader has been led down the garden path by a most irresponsible poet."' Many readers of Piers Plowman remain uncomfortable with this interpretation, however, because, contrary to what we expect, Piers himself tears up the parchment from Truth and vows to change his life. Piers's response is hardly that of a man who accepts "do wel and haue wel" as a pardon, and his action forces us to examine what doing well meant to a medieval audience. If we place the poem in a historical context, we discover the importance of a crucial theological controversy of the fourteenth century to the understanding of the issues involved in the pardon scene. The relationship between the "doctrine of labor and good works" expressed in Truth's pardon and in the theological debate between the Augustinians and the Nominalists demonstrates conclusively that Langland does not intend Truth's pardon as a true pardon.
Regulation of Cullin RING Ligases

The ubiquitin/26S proteasome pathway largely mediates selective proteolysis in the nucleus and cytosol. This pathway catalyzes covalent attachment of ubiquitin (UBQ) to substrate proteins in an E1-E2-E3 cascade. Ubiquitin E3 ligases interact with substrates to catalyze UBQ transfer from E2 to substrate. Within the E3 ligase superfamily, cullin RING ligases (CRLs) are significant in plants because they are linked to hormonal signaling, developmental programs, and environmental responses. Thus, knowledge of CRL regulation is required for a complete understanding of these processes. A major mechanism modulating CRL activity is modification of the cullin subunit by RUB (RELATED TO UBIQUITIN), a ubiquitin-like protein, and demodification by the COP9 signalosome (CSN). CULLIN-ASSOCIATED NEDD8-DISSOCIATED 1 (CAND1) interacts with CRLs, affecting both rubylation and derubylation. Described here are the pathways, regulation, and biological function of rubylation and derubylation, as well as future directions and o...