cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pre- and postoperative self-reported cognitive effectiveness and worry in patients with suspected lung malignancy.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To examine perceived cognitive effectiveness and worry in individuals with suspected lung cancer before and after surgical resection and to determine any differences between individuals with and without a postoperative diagnosis of lung cancer. DESIGN A repeated measures longitudinal design. SETTING A comprehensive cancer center and a Veterans Administration medical center in the midwestern United States. SAMPLE 15 men and 8 women aged 37-82 years (X = 61.4, SD = 10.7) with suspected lung cancer. METHODS Descriptive statistics were used to characterize data. Paired t tests and nonparametric correlation analysis were used to determine relationships among the main study variables. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Perceived effectiveness in cognitive function as well as general and cancer-specific worry. FINDINGS Patients diagnosed with lung cancer were significantly older. Patients self-reported lowered perceived effectiveness in daily activities that require directed attention both pre- and postoperatively. Patients with nonmalignant postoperative reports had higher general worry at each time point, which was significant following surgery. CONCLUSIONS A diagnosis of suspected lung cancer may contribute to compromised perceived effectiveness in cognitive function. Nonmalignant pathology following a diagnosis of suspected lung cancer may be associated with continued worry. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Nursing assessment and interventions aimed at supporting effective cognitive function and modifying worry for patients with suspected lung cancer are essential to optimize adjustment. KNOWLEDGE TRANSLATION Suspected lung cancer imposes high demands on cognitive and emotional function. Oncology nurses are in key positions to support patients during and following the diagnostic workup for lung cancer. Younger patients with nonmalignant postoperative reports may need continued follow-up.
Sequential data assimilation with multiple models

Data assimilation is an essential tool for predicting the behavior of real physical systems given approximate simulation models and limited observations. For many complex systems, there may exist several models, each with different properties and predictive capabilities. It is desirable to incorporate multiple models into the assimilation procedure in order to obtain a more accurate prediction of the physics than any model alone can provide. In this paper, we propose a framework for conducting sequential data assimilation with multiple models and sources of data. The assimilated solution is a linear combination of all model predictions and data. One notable feature is that the combination takes the most general form with matrix weights. By doing so the method can readily utilize different weights in different sections of the solution state vectors, allow the models and data to have different dimensions, and deal with the case of a singular state covariance. We prove that the proposed assimilation method, termed direct assimilation, minimizes a variational functional, a generalized version of the one used in the classical Kalman filter. We also propose an efficient iterative assimilation method that assimilates two models at a time until all models and data are assimilated. The mathematical equivalence of the iterative method and the direct method is established. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new method.
Integrated computer program for simulation of meshing and contact of gear drives

The authors propose an integrated Tooth Contact Analysis (TCA) computer program for simulation of meshing and contact of gear drives that enables to determine transmission errors and shift of bearing contact for misaligned gear drives. The developed computer program combines numerical solutions for the problems above and their graphical interpretation. The program is applicable for various gear drives but needs derivation of tooth surface equations specified for the considered gear drive. The computer program represents a set of integrated operations such as the development of required algorithms, storing in database, copying, deleting, printing, design correction from the database, etc. The proposed computer program is based on application of the Java programming language. Examples of application for a spiral bevel gear drive and a worm gear drive are provided.
Impacts of phosphate amendments on lead biogeochemistry at a contaminated site.

Soil amendments can be used to cost-effectively reduce the bioavailability and mobility of toxic metals in contaminated soils. In this study a field demonstration was conducted at a Pb-contaminated...
Harsh voice: Vocal effort perceptual ratings and spectral noise levels of hearing-impaired children

This study investigated the relationship between spectral noise levels and ratings of perceived vocal effort in the voices of severely to profoundly hearing-impaired children as compared to normal-hearing children, aged 6-11. Spectral noise levels served as an index of the inharmonic (noise) components present from 100 to 2500 Hz for sustained vowels. A nine-point perceptual rating scale was devised as the subjective measure of vocal effort. The severely to profoundly hearing-impaired children could be differentiated on the basis of significantly higher ratings for perceived vocal effort in addition to higher physical measurements of spectral noise levels. Tentative therapeutic implications are discussed.
Separation and Characterization of Rat Liver Mitochondrial DNA Strands

THE description and physical characterization of mitochondrial DNA (M-DNA)1–4 has been drawn heavily from the work of Vinograd and co-workers on the analogous polyoma viral DNA5,6, for both share in the native state a similar covalently closed ring structure. During alkaline CsCl density gradient centrifugation, however, M-DNA undergoes strand separation1,2,7–9, a property not shared by the viral DNA. The exciting report from Borst's laboratory7 that only the heavy (H−) strand is active in RNA transcription in vivo prompted us to present our data on the characterization of the isolated M-DNA strands.
Mechanoregulation in Nanoscale Biology: From Hemostasis to Single-Molecule Centrifugation

Many aspects of biological function and structure are governed by weak non-covalent bonds between and within single molecules. Mechanical force plays a key role in modulating the kinetics of these interactions, which in turn can regulate more complex biological processes. In this talk, I will focus on how forces in the circulatory system regulate hemostasis by acting on the blood protein von Willebrand factor (VWF). Using optical tweezers, we have demonstrated that force acts as a cofactor the enzymatic cleavage of VWF, which in turn down regulates hemostatic potential [1]. We are also developing and applying new approaches for single-molecule manipulation, including single-molecule centrifugation [2] and hydrodynamic trapping, to further investigate how the structure and function of VWF are dynamically regulated by force.[1] X. Zhang, K. Halvorsen, C.-Z. Zhang, W.P. Wong, and T.A. Springer, “Mechanoenzymatic cleavage of the ultralarge vascular protein, von Willebrand Factor,” Science 324 (5932), 1330-1334 (2009).[2] K. Halvorsen, W.P. Wong, “Massively parallel single-molecule manipulation using centrifugal force,” Biophysical Journal 98 (11), L53-L55 (2010).
The strict equivalence of the Abelian monopole and its non-Abelian stringless counterpart by use of sections☆

Abstract In an SO(3) gauge theory the field of the Dirac monopole of charge N = e 0 g/ h c = 0, ± 1, … , in the z-isospin direction into a global, nonsingular (for r ≠ 0) gauge field, thus showing the usefulness of the method of sections of Wu and Yang in avoiding the introduction of unphysical singularities. For N = 1 we thus conclude that the basic 't Hooft-Polyakov solution is strickly equivalent to the Abelian monopole.
Erratum to: Obstructive sleep apnea and acute myocardial infarction severity: ischemic preconditioning?

R. C. KaplanDepartment of Epidemiology and Population Health,Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USAS. RedlineBrigham and Women’s Hospital and Beth Israel DeaconessMedical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USAH. K. YaggiSection of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine,DepartmentofInternalMedicine,YaleUniversitySchoolofMedicine,New Haven, CT, USASleep Breath (2013) 17:1119DOI 10.1007/s11325-012-0793-0
Control Systems Laboratory Development

In this paper we describe some experiments that can serve to support an integrated classroom - workstation - laboratory control systems engineering curriculum. The experiments were selected to be representative of control system problems one can expect to encounter in Aeronautics and Astronautics, Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineeing and thus provide a cross - departmental setting for control systems education and research. Selection of the experiments was guided by the desire to use the control system laboratory to support undergraduate courses, graduate courses and research as well as future industry short courses.
Clinical light exposure, photoreceptor degeneration, and AP-1 activation: a cell death or cell survival signal in the rhodopsin mutant retina?

Purpose The T4R RHO mutant dog retina shows retinal degeneration with exposures to light comparable to those used in clinical eye examinations of patients. To define the molecular mechanisms of the degeneration, AP-1 DNA-binding activity, composition, posttranslational modification of the protein complex, and modulation of ERK/MAPK signaling pathways were examined in light-exposed mutant retinas.
A catalimetric thermochemical unsegmented flow system based on the iodide-catalyzed cerium(IV)- arsenic(III) reaction

Abstract The theoretical flow system described is able to detect and determine iodide at concentrations in the range 0.01–10 μM in samples as small as 120 μl. This represents the best limit of detection (0.15 ng) thus far reported for a thermochemical methodology. It is shown that sample concentration can alter the relationships between peak height and flow rate, and between peak width and sample volume above certain limits. In chemical engineering, studies of chemical reactions in the presence of mass transport processes have generally been focused on the steady-state (time-independent) behavior. The present work is concerned with transient phenomena and time-dependent properties of the system, i.e., the reactors are used under pulsed conditions.
Endotoxin treatment causes an upregulation of the endothelin system in the liver: amelioration of increased portal resistance by endothelin receptor antagonism.

BACKGROUND Mechanisms underlying hepatic microcirculatory failure during endotoxemia are incompletely understood. Because endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been implicated in endotoxin-induced liver injury, we investigated the hepatic ET-1 system in endotoxin-treated rats. METHODS Rats were treated with endotoxin (Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide; 3 mg/kg, i.p.), and various determinations were made 24 h later. RESULTS Endotoxin treatment caused 11.2 +/- 1.6% weight loss, a decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP; 96 +/- 5 mmHg vs 108 +/- 3 mmHg; P < 0.05) and an increase in portal pressure (11.6 +/- 1.3 mmHg vs 7.4 +/- 1 mmHg; P < 0.02). No significant changes in the serum levels of liver enzymes or hepatocellular necrosis were observed. Endotoxin caused increases in hepatic ET-1 (from 345 +/- 31 to 565 +/- 38 pg/g; P < 0.01), ET-1 receptor density (from 179 +/- 16 to 340 +/- 26 fmol/mg; P < 0.02), and mRNA expression of preproendothelin-1, and ET(A) and ET(B) receptors. While the serum nitric oxide (nitrite +/- nitrate) concentration was increased in endotoxin-treated rats, that of ET-1 remained unchanged. A mixed ET(A)/ET(B) receptor antagonist, TAK-044 (10 mg/kg, i.v.), reduced the weight loss from 11.2 +/- 1.6% to 5.9 +/- 2.9% (P < 0.05) and the portal pressure from 11.6 +/- 1.3 mmHg to 8.6 +/- 0.7 mmHg (P < 0.05) in endotoxin-treated rats. The mixed ET(A)/ET(B) receptor antagonist also caused an increase in serum ET-1 concentration, but did not affect serum nitric oxide and MAP in endotoxin-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the upregulated hepatic ET-1 system is an important mechanism of increased portal resistance and related complications of endotoxemia.
Developing a Feedback System for Work Units: A Field Experiment in Structural Change:

This study examines the effects of introducing an ongoing feedback system into 10 branches of a Midwestern bank. The feedback system was designed to facilitate collaborative control and problem solving in the branches and was hypothesized to raise the level of participation in the branches and increase their effectiveness.The effects of the new feedback system were evaluated by observing its use and by comparing questionnaire and archival information from the experimental branches with similar data collected from 10 branches where the feedback system was not implemented.The results of the study indicated that the new feedback system produced functional consequences in some of the work groups in the experimental branches, but not in others. It appeared that in some cases the consequences were due to an increase in participative control processes, while in others, they were due to an increase in directive management. It is concluded that the effects of different feedback system designs are probably continge...
Stability for Abstract Nonlinear Volterra Equations involving Finite Delay

ABSTRACT NONLINEAR VOLTERRA EQUATIONS 431 If IX(~) . ’ II v - + 1:~ It ~4s) exp (is 4~) d”) I/ X,(V) yE((II)!Ic ds 7 7 for t E [T, T]. (2.2) At this point we associate a nonlinear evolution operator with solutions to (2.1). Let p E C and let X(F) (t) denote the solution having prescribed initial history X,(F) = F. We define WY 4 v = %b) for t > 7. (2.3) Thus, for 0 < 7 < t we see that U(t, T): C 4 C; examination of the integral equation yields the observations that U(t, S) U(s, T) F = U(t, r) v for 0 < T < s < t, and that U(T, T) = 1 on C. Continuity properties of U(t, T) may be deduced directly from the integral equation.
Rome and France in Africa: Recovering Colonial Algeria's Latin Past

France's appropriation of Algeria's Roman past has traditionally been interpreted as a justification of its colonial activities in the area. However, the volume and variety of texts generated by the French on Rome's legacy suggest a more complex explanation. This article traces the evolution of the France-Rome connection from the time of conquest to the post–Second World War period. It examines its differing guises under the military and civilian administrations and explicates its development from a body of knowledge that served as a referential guide to an ideology of regionalism and difference, which bound Algeria to France and effectively marginalized the Arabs and Berbers. The past "imagined" in this process became part of the foundational mythology of the colony and was thus incorporated into its "collective" memory.
Characteristics of sex behaviour in male rats following castration

Summary The decline of sex behaviour following castration, and the qualitative changes in behaviour resulting therefrom, were studied in adult male Long-Evans rats. Percentages of animals showing the ejaculatory pattern decreased rapidly but the rate of decline was quite variable. In two different experimental series the percentages of rats showing the complete pattern of mating behaviour in the fourth postoperative week were 42·0 and 8 per cent (n=46 and 63, respectively). Some animals were tested for 7 months and in one animal an ejaculatory pattern was noted 147 days after castration. Ejaculation latency (period from first intromission to ejaculation) and the number of intromissions to ejaculation were both decreased in the first 2 or 3 weeks postoperatively. Ejaculation latency increased thereafter over preoperative levels, but intromission frequency remained below them until the ninth week. The latency to first intromission, the frequency of mounting and the post-ejaculatory refractory period were generally increaed on all postoprative tests. It is concluded that (1) male rats may retain all components of sex behavour for relatively long periods after castration although the extent of retention is vairable, and (2) in the early postoperative period the ejaculatory mechanism is facilitated, although sexual ‘arousal’ is inhibited.
Study of mixing efficiency in roll‐mills

A fluid dynamics analysis package (FIDAP) based on the finite element method was used to simulate the 2-D, isothermal flow of a power law model fluid in the bank and nip area of a two roll-mill geometry, including the determination of the free surface. Dispersive mixing efficiency was analyzed in terms of the shear stresses generated and the elongational flow characteristics. The latter were quantified using a frame invariant flow strength parameter. We found that the converging region rather than the nip region provides better mixing flow characteristics. We also found that the presence of vortices in the bank region is not beneficial for dispersive mixing.
Monopole and conic antennas on spherical vehicles

The radiation and impedance characteristics of a spherically capped conic antenna protruding from a spherical vehicle are studied as a function of cone height, cone angle, and diameter of the vehicle. The conic antenna is excited by a gap at the cone base. The excitation is assumed rotationally symmetric. Considered in detail is the thin conical monopole extending from a sphere. The radiation patterns and antenna impedance referred to the base are calculated and compared with that of a cylindrical monopole over an infinite conducting plane.
Amplification of the proinflammatory transcription factor cascade increases with severity of uncontrolled hemorrhage in swine.

Abstract : Hypotension causes diffuse liver injury accompanied by increased local production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in swine models of uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock (HS). IL-6 is transcriptionally upregulated by nuclear factor (NF)- B and results in activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (Stat3) in a murine model of controlled HS. Our objectives were: 1) to determine if increased IL-6 production and NF- B and Stat3 activation occurs in a swine model of uncontrolled HS, and 2) to assess whether or not levels of IL-6 mRNA and activity of NF- B and Stat3 correlate with shock severity. Materials and methods. Swine were assigned to four groups: 1) control animals (n = 6): no intervention, 2) sham operation (n = 6): celiotomy and splenectomy, 3) uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock (UHS) (n = 6): sham plus grade V vascular liver injury and resuscitation, 4) profound uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock (PUHS) (n = 8): UHS after dilutional hypothermia. Following euthanasia at 2 h, livers were harvested, total RNA isolated, and IL-6 mRNA levels quantified by Q-RT-PCR (ABI Prism 7700, Applied Biosystems International, Foster City, CA). Protein was extracted for measurement of NF- B and Stat3 activity by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Results. Compared to shams, IL-6 mRNA levels increased 4.5 fold in UHS and 90-fold in PUHS (P less than 0.001). Compared with shams; NF-kB activity increased 2-fold in both UHS and PUHS (P less than 0.05). Stat3 activity was equivalent (not significant) in UHS when compared with shams but increased 5.3-fold in PUHS (P less than 0.05). Conclusion. These findings suggest that regional proinflammatory cytokine production results from and perpetuates a proinflammatory transcription factor cascade in a swine model of uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock and indicate that this process is proportional to the severity of shock.
Wind turbine level energy storage for low voltage ride through (LVRT) support

Variable wind speed leads to variable wind power generation, voltage fluctuations, and frequency deviations, which are the main problems related to wind energy integration into a grid. These problems become more evident in weak grids. In addition, wind farms have to take the grid problems into consideration and have to provide support during grid instability and transients. In this paper, a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator (PMSG) wind turbine full energy conversion system design and modeling have been performed using Matlab Simulink. The system is grid integrated and applies Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) control to extract the maximum power from the wind and utilizes full conversion circuitry to interface the unregulated generator AC power to the grid. Modules of Lithium-Ion Capacitors (LIC) have been placed on the DC bus in order to support the grid with wind energy, power smoothing and Low Voltage Ride Through (LVRT). LICs offer high power density and reasonable energy density. During grid faults, wind energy can be stored in the LICs and discharged into the grid as soon as the voltage is restored. This feature will support the grid to stabilize the voltage. Detailed modeling of the architecture and controls has been performed to verify the viability of the proposed system.
TH‐E‐330A‐07: Evaluation of Scatter Mitigation Strategies for X‐Ray Cone‐Beam CT

Purpose: Linac‐mounted cone‐beam CT(CBCT)imaging is a promising approach for improving the soft‐tissue targeting accuracy of external‐beam radiotherapy. However, the large proportion of signal due to scattered radiation results in large cupping artifacts and reduced contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR), hampering delineation of soft‐tissue structures. The goal of this investigation is evaluate the impact of three scatter mitigation strategies: scatter removal (SR), subtractive scatter corrections (SSC), and anti‐scatter grids (ASG) on CBCTimageCNR. Method and Materials: A one‐dimensional model was developed that to predict imagenoise, intensity, and contrast from the photon flux incident upon the flat‐panel detector. Using previously published scatter‐to‐primary ratio (SPR) data, the impact of Poisson signal statistics, Gaussian readout noise, reconstruction filter, and total air‐kerma on image uniformity, contrast, and CNR was evaluated. Using previously measured CBCT scatter and primary grid transmission; the impact of ASGs, SSR, and SR (e.g., via bowtie filters) was evaluated. In addition, synthetic polyenergetic CBCT projections of cylindrical low‐contrast threshold phantoms, including compound Poisson process noise, were used to evaluate the impact of scatter mitigation on filtered backprojection (FBP) images.Results: Relative to complete SR, typical CBCT scatter reduces CNR by 30%–70% depending on patient diameter. Both 1D analysis and simulated images demonstrate that SSC effectively reduces cupping artifacts but does not improve CNR. ASGs with high scatter selectivity (>5) or large primary transmission (>0.7) modestly increase (20–30%) CNR for thick subjects. However, ASGs diminish CNR for smaller body sections or for exposure levels where additive noise dominates sinogram signal statistics. Conclusion: Correcting CBCTsinograms for scatter radiation is effective in reducing structural image artifacts but does not improve CNR. Antiscatter grids effectively suppress scatter artifacts but improve CNR only in selected clinical settings. This project was supported in part by a grant from Varian Medical Systems.
Design, Implementation, and Evaluation of a NUMA-Aware Cache for iSCSI Storage Servers

In an iSCSI based storage area network, target hosts serve concurrent I/O requests from initiators to achieve both high throughput and low latency. Existing iSCSI leverages the OS page cache to ensure data sharing and reuse. However, the non-uniform memory access (NUMA) architecture introduces another dimension of complexity, i.e., asymmetric memory access in multi-core and many-core platforms. Within a NUMA platform, an iSCSI target often dispatches an access request with a cache hit to an I/O thread remote to cached data, and thus cannot fully utilize multi-core systems. We encounter this problem in the context of ultra high-speed data transfer between two iSCSI storage systems, during which inferior NUMA remote memory access lags behind available high network bandwidth, and thereby becomes a bottleneck of the entire end-to-end data transfer path. We design a NUMA-aware cache mechanism to align cache memory with local NUMA nodes and threads, and then schedule I/O requests to those threads that are local to the data being accessed. This NUMA-aware solution results in lower access latency and higher system throughput. We implement a cache system within the Linux SCSI target framework, and evaluated it on our NUMA-based iSCSI testbed. Experimental results show the NUMA-aware cache can significantly improve the performance of iSCSI as measured by several benchmark tools and confirm its viability in data intensive applications and real-life workloads.
Man, Physical Resources, and Economic Organization

Formal economics has centered on the combination of resources. Contemporary events force concern for forms of economic organization, inquiry into which must put the human role uppermost. A taxonomy of economic organization contains three systems of production and three of control. The Enlightenment brought freedom of contract as a control system, which fits well with proprietary production in farming but clashes with industrial nonfarm production. The nonfarm economy faces institutional reform, while farming must choose its production-control pattern. Examination of alternate production and control systems can aid in organizational choice.
Comparison of GaAs grown on standard Si (511) and compliant SOI (511)

Gallium arsenide (GaAs) films were grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on a (511) silicon substrate and a compliant (511) silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. The top silicon layer of the compliant (511) SOI was thinned to ∼1000 A. The five inch diameter SOI wafer was created by wafer bonding. The GaAs (004) x-ray diffraction (XRD) reflection showed a 25% reduction in the full width half maximum (FWHM) for GaAs on a compliant (511) SOI as compared to GaAs on a silicon substrate. Cross section transmission electron microscopy (XTEM) clearly indicates a different dislocation structure for the two substrates. The threading dislocation density is reduced by at least an order of magnitude in the compliant (511) SOI as compared to the (511) silicon. XTEM found dislocations and damage was generated in the top silicon layer of the compliant SOI substrate after GaAs growth.
Developing Psychic Income in School Administration The Unique Role School Administrators Can Play

This concept article discusses the importance of developing psychic income as an administrative strategy to enhance the context of school environments and to curb high teacher turnover. The hope is...
Remarkable activation of enzymes in nonaqueous media by denaturing organic cosolvents.

The rates of transesterification reactions catalyzed by the protease subtilisin Carlsberg suspended in various anhydrous solvents at 30°C can be increased more than 100-fold by the addition of denaturing organic cosolvents (dimethyl sulfoxide or formamide); in water, the same cosolvents exert no enzyme activation. At 4°C, the activation effect on the lyophilized protease is even higher, reaching 1000-fold. Marked enhancement of enzymatic activity in anhydrous solvents by formamide is also observed for two other enzymes, α-chymotrypsin and Rhizomucor miehei lipase, and is manifested in two transesterification reactions. In addition to lyophilized subtilisin, crosslinked crystals of subtilisin are also amenable to the dramatic activation by the denaturing cosolvents. In contrast, subtilisin solubilized in anhydrous media by covalent modification with poly(ethylene glycol) exhibits only modest activation. These observations are rationalized in terms of a mechanistic hypothesis based on an enhanced protein flexibility in anhydrous millieu brought about by the denaturing organic cosolvents. The latter exert their lubricating effect largely at the interfaces between enzyme molecules in a solid preparation, thus easing the flexibility constraints imposed by protein–protein contacts. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A parallel computer architecture for continuous simulation

A parallel computer specifically designed for the solution of ordinary differential equations is described. The first version of the machine contains thirty-two processors, running in an asynchronous multiple-instruction/multiple-data mode, communicating with high-speed parallel busses. Synchronization is accomplished by a microprogrammable communication controller. A number of processors have been designed and built for the machine. The processor types offer a wide variation in solution speed and accuracy. To permit easy comparisons with analog and hybrid systems, performance is measured by finding the highest frequency sine wave which can be integrated in real time with an accuracy of 0.1% or higher. Using this performance measure the performance limit of the current machine is 2000 Hz. The structure is capable of solving systems described by differential equations up to order sixty-four at these performance limits. >
Early Life History of the Winged Mapleleaf Mussel (Quadrula fragosa)

Abstract: Early life history information on the federally endangered winged mapleleaf (Quadrula fragosa (Conrad, 1835)) mussel is needed by natural resource managers to improve conservation and propagation programs. We conducted four studies to obtain some of this information. First, we observed Q. fragosa in the St. Croix River, Wisconsin between 1997–2010 and found females brood larvae (glochidia) for a unique period, between 8 September to 8 October at water temperatures ranging between 15–21 °C Second, we tested 67 fish species and Necturus maculosus for their ability to transform glochidia into juveniles. Nearly 30,000 juvenile Q. fragosa were produced, but only on Ictalurus furcatus and I. punctatus. Unlike most mussel species, Q. fragosa glochidia grew 3 to 4-fold while attached. Third, using scanning electron microscopy we were able to distinguish Q. fragosa glochidia height and length from six other mussel species that also produce small glochidia (<120 µm in height). Finally, we recovered 535 ju...
Informal Caregiving and Its Impact on Health: A Reappraisal From Population-Based Studies

Considerable research and public discourse on family caregiving portrays it as a stressful and burdensome experience with serious negative health consequences. A landmark study by Schulz and Beach that reported higher mortality rates for strained spouse caregivers has been widely cited as evidence for the physical health risks of caregiving and is often a centerpiece of advocacy for improved caregiver services. However, 5 subsequent population-based studies have found reduced mortality and extended longevity for caregivers as a whole compared with noncaregiving controls. Most caregivers also report benefits from caregiving, and many report little or no caregiving-related strain. Policy reports, media portrayals, and many research reports commonly present an overly dire picture of the health risks associated with caregiving and largely ignore alternative positive findings. As the pool of traditional family caregivers declines in the coming years, a more balanced and updated portrayal of the health effects of caregiving is needed to encourage more persons to take on caregiving roles, and to better target evidence-based services to the subgroup of caregivers who are highly strained or otherwise at risk. Recommendations are discussed for research that will better integrate and clarify both the negative and potential positive health effects of informal caregiving.
Sonic hedgehog expressing and responding cells generate neuronal diversity in the medial amygdala

Background The mammalian amygdala is composed of two primary functional subdivisions, classified according to whether the major output projection of each nucleus is excitatory or inhibitory. The posterior dorsal and ventral subdivisions of the medial amygdala, which primarily contain inhibitory output neurons, modulate specific aspects of innate socio-sexual and aggressive behaviors. However, the development of the neuronal diversity of this complex and important structure remains to be fully elucidated.
Crack propagation thresholds: A measure of surface energy

Crack propagation thresholds in brittle materials are explained by consideration of the work done by the applied loading and that needed to create new surfaces as a crack propagates. The threshold mechanical energy release rate is shown to be a measure of the equilibrium surface energy of the material, dependent on the chemical environment. For applied loadings greater than those needed to maintain equilibrium the surface energy term introduces nonlinearities into the crack propagation characteristics. Any surface force or lattice trapping behavior at the crack tip will not influence the observed threshold provided the crack tip remains invariant on crack extension. A simple indentation/strength technique is demonstrated that permits the surface energy in the equilibrium state to be estimated. The technique is applied to the propagation of cracks in sapphire and the surface energy in water estimated as 1.42 J m−2, suggesting that the surfaces in water are stabilized by interactions stronger than van der Waals forces or hydrogen bonding alone.
Embodied soul. The focus for nursing praxis

This article explores the nature of embodied soul as a phenomenon of concern to nursing. Examples of the body/soul debate from early Greek philosophers to the present day are examined. Early writings on the subject echo in medieval writings and in present-day knowledge of neuroscience and physics, as well as in the writings of Merleau-Ponty. The author proposes that nursing embrace the concept as it relates to Berry's patterns of differentiation, subjectivity, and communion in the universe. These patterns exist from the cellular to the cosmic level. It is through the embodied soul that one engages in this process. The works of selected nurse theorists are examined as they relate to the topic. Both the subject of the client and of the nurse as embodied souls are addressed.
Size and Material Effects on Flow Boiling Enhancement in Microchannels With Diffusion-Brazed Wire Mesh

This paper focuses on flow boiling enhancement in microchannels using a surface enhancement technique based on the diffusion-brazing of a mesh to the channel's inner surface. Both qualitative flow boiling visualization using a high-speed camera and quantitative local variable measurements were carried out. Good agreement was obtained from the qualitative and quantitative results. After validation of single-phase flow in the current test setup, two-phase flow boiling tests for bare channels were used as the basis for comparison with mesh channels. Reasonably good agreement was obtained with two classic saturation flow boiling correlations. Both the flow boiling curves and heat transfer coefficient plots have shown significant enhancement of flow boiling for the mesh channels. Surprisingly, the 100-mesh channel outperformed the 200-mesh channel. The high-speed camera provided clear pictures of the processes occurring in the channels and helped elucidate the nucleation process taking place inside each channel. This provided the means to validate the hypothesis that the diffusion-brazed meshes introduce a significant amount of additional active nucleation sites on the channels' heating surface.
Mental Health and Latino/a College Students A Psychological Perspective and New Findings

This psychologically oriented study examined the use of mental health services by Latino/a college students. Significant differences were found between Latinos/as and non-Latinos/as on four variabl...
Egypt Since 1800: A Study in Lop-sided Development*

One of the main points at issue between economists from advanced and those from underdeveloped countries is the role of foreign trade in economic development. The former see in the expansion of foreign trade the main motive power of development, while the latter pin their hopes on other sectors, notably manufacturing. The answer would seem to be that foreign trade is a necessary but not a sufficient condition of development. Economic growth of underdeveloped countries can be achieved most smoothly if they can build up a substantial export trade that is sufficiently closely linked to the rest of the economy to exert upon it some form of multiplier effect so that a rise in exports leads to a more general and diffused expansion. In other words, over a long period of development, foreign trade is the engine that provides the motive power, but this engine cannot move the economy unless it is provided with adequate transmission lines. Or, to change the metaphor, other branches of the economy can be vivified and developed by grafting on to them some of the capital created and the skills generated in foreign trade.
Taxon sampling affects inferences of macroevolutionary processes from phylogenetic trees.

Bertrand, Y., and M. Harlin. 2006. Stability and universality in the application of taxon names in phylogenetic nomenclature. Syst. Biol. 55:848–858. Bininda-Emonds, O. R. P. 2004. The evolution of supertrees. Trends Ecol. Evol. 19:315–322. Bryant, H. N., and P. D. Cantino. 2002. A review of criticisms of phylogenetic nomenclature: Is taxonomic freedom the fundamental issue? Biol. Rev. 77:39–55. Cantino, P. D., and K. de Queiroz. 2007. International Code of Phylogenetic Nomenclature, Version 4b. Available at http://www.ohiou. edu/phylocode. Cantino, P. D., and R. G. Olmstead. 2004. Phylogenetic nomenclature of Lamiaceae. Abstracts of the First International Phylogenetic Nomenclature Meeting (Paris): 13. Available at http://www.ohiou. edu/phylocode/events.html. Cantino, P. D., R. G. Olmstead, and S. J. Wagstaff. 1997. A comparison of phylogenetic nomenclature with the current system: A botanical case study. Syst. Biol. 46:313–331.
Vaccinia Virus Entry into Cells Is Dependent on a Virion Surface Protein Encoded by the A28L Gene

The A28L gene of vaccinia virus is conserved in all poxviruses and encodes a protein that is anchored to the surface of infectious intracellular mature virions (IMV) and consequently lies beneath the additional envelope of extracellular virions. A conditional lethal recombinant vaccinia virus, vA28-HAi, with an inducible A28L gene, undergoes a single round of replication in the absence of inducer, producing IMV, as well as extracellular virions with actin tails, but fails to infect neighboring cells. We show here that purified A28-deficient IMV appeared to be indistinguishable from wild-type IMV and were competent to synthesize RNA in vitro. Nevertheless, A28-deficient virions did not induce cytopathic effects, express early genes, or initiate a productive infection. Although A28-deficient IMV bound to the surface of cells, their cores did not penetrate into the cytoplasm. An associated defect in membrane fusion was demonstrated by the failure of low pH to trigger syncytium formation when cells were infected with vA28-HAi in the absence of inducer (fusion from within) or when cells were incubated with a high multiplicity of A28-deficient virions (fusion from without). The correlation between the entry block and the inability of A28-deficient virions to mediate fusion provided compelling evidence for a relationship between these events. Because repression of A28 inhibited cell-to-cell spread, which is mediated by extracellular virions, all forms of vaccinia virus regardless of their outer coat must use a common A28-dependent mechanism of cell penetration. Furthermore, since A28 is conserved, all poxviruses are likely to penetrate cells in a similar way.
Effects of aging on behavior and leg kinematics during locomotion in two species of cockroach.

SUMMARY Aging is often associated with locomotor deficits. Behavior in aged Blaberus discoidalis cockroaches was analyzed during horizontal walking, climbing, righting and inclined walking. Adult animals showed a decrease in spontaneous locomotion with increasing age. Tarsal abnormalities, termed `tarsus catch9, were often present in aged individuals. In `tarsus catch9, the prothoracic leg catches on the mesothoracic leg during the swing phase. This deficit causes alterations of the gait, but animals are able to regain a tripod gait after the perturbation. The tibio-tarsal joint angle in individuals with `tarsus catch9 was significantly less than in intact animals. Structural defects were consistently associated with `tarsus catch9. The tracheal tubes in the tarsus and around the tibio-tarsal joint were often discolored and the tarsal pads were hardened in aged cockroaches. All aged individuals were able to climb. However, prior to climbing, some animals with `tarsus catch9 failed to show postural changes that are normally seen in young animals. Aged individuals can right as rapidly as 1-week-old adults. However, animals with `tarsus catch9 take longer to right than aged intact individuals. Old cockroaches have difficulty climbing an incline of 45°, and leg slipping is extensive. Slipping may be caused by tarsal degeneration, but animals that are unsuccessful in inclined walking often show uncoordinated gaits during the attempt. Escape behavior was examined in aged American cockroaches ( Periplaneta americana ). They do not show normal escape. However, after decapitation, escape movements return, suggesting that degeneration in head ganglia may actually interfere with escape. These findings provide evidence for age-related changes both in the periphery and in the central nervous system of cockroaches and stress the importance of multi-level approaches to the study of locomotion.
Sampling cube: a framework for statistical olap over sampling data

Sampling is a popular method of data collection when it is impossible or too costly to reach the entire population. For example, television show ratings in the United States are gathered from a sample of roughly 5,000 households. To use the results effectively, the samples are further partitioned in a multidimensional space based on multiple attribute values. This naturally leads to the desirability of OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) over sampling data. However, unlike traditional data, sampling data is inherently uncertain, i.e., not representing the full data in the population. Thus, it is desirable to return not only query results but also the confidence intervals indicating the reliability of the results. Moreover, a certain segment in a multidimensional space may contain none or too few samples. This requires some additional analysis to return trustable results.In this paper we propose a Sampling Cube framework, which efficiently calculates confidence intervals for any multidimensional query and uses the OLAP structure to group similar segments to increase sampling size when needed. Further, to handle high dimensional data, a Sampling Cube Shell method is proposed to effectively reduce the storage requirement while still preserving query result quality.
Knockdown of TauT Expression Impairs Human Embryonic Kidney 293 Cell Development

Studies have demonstrated that TauT deficiency results in small kidneys in TauT knockout mice. Our studies have shown that TauT is a direct target of several genes, including p53 and WT1, which play an important role in renal development. However, whether the TauT gene is directly involved in renal development is largely unknown. In the present study, we created a TauT-deficient cell model by RNAi in human embryonic kidney 293 cells, and the effect of TauT on renal development was investigated. Knockdown of TauT significantly decreased the growth rate, cell migration, and colony formation of 293 cells. Inhibition of TauT caused cell cycle G2 arrest. Microarray analysis showed that several genes involved in cell cycle regulation or cell division, such as CDK6 and CDC7, were significantly downregulated in TauT-deficient 293 cells as compared to control 293 cells. In conclusion, the results from this study suggest that TauT plays a role in the development of renal cells. Knockdown of TauT impairs kidney development, possibly through regulation of cell cycle-related genes.
The Item Log-Likelihood Surface for Two- and Three-Parameter Item Characteristic Curve Models

This article investigated the form of item log-likeli hood surface under two- and three-parameter logistic models. Graphs of the log-likelihood surfaces for items under two-parameter and three-para...
Reproducibility of head-up tilt-table testing for eliciting susceptibility to neurally mediated syncope in patients without structural heart disease.

Abstract Head-up tilt testing has gained acceptance as a tool for assessing susceptibility to neurally mediated syncopal syndromes (e.g., vasovagal syncope), and is currently being evaluated as a means of testing therapeutic interventions in these conditions. To assess reproducibility of head-up tilt testing and thereby assess the potential of such testing for immediate evaluation of a planned treatment, findings during 2 sequential 80 ° headup tilt tests were compared in 23 patients (age range 6.5 to 74 years) undergoing evaluation of syncope of unknown origin. Upright tilt was performed initially in the absence of drugs, and repeated if necessary during pharmacologic provocation by means of isoproterenol infusions of 1 and 3 μg/min (tilt 1). End points were syncope, maximal tolerated isoproterenol dose, or a tilt duration of 10 minutes. The second tilt test (tilt 2) was conducted after approximately 30 minutes of supine rest using the maximal provocative conditions used in tilt 1. Fifteen of 23 patients (65%) developed syncope in either tilt l or 2, while 8 of 23 (35%) remained asymptomatic. Tilt testing results were concordant (i.e., positive in both tests, or negative in both tests) in 20 of 23 (87%) patients. Concordance was, however, less among tilt-positive patients (12 of 15, 80%) since 3 patients were tilt-positive in tilt 1 only. In the 15 tiltpositive patients, heart rates, systolic and diastolic blood pressures at time of maximal tilt provocation were similar for both tilts (heart rate 1, 67 ± 27; 2, 82 ± 34 beats/min; systolk blood pressure 1: 50 ± 11 mm Hg; 2, 60 ± 21 mm Hg [p = not significant (NS)]; diastolic Wood pressure 1, 27 ± 12 mm Hg; 2, 33 ± 18 mm Hg [p = NS]). Furthermore, time from tilt onset to syncope did not differ in tilt 1 and 2. Among the 15 patients who were tilt-positive in tilt 1, the procedure was tolerated for 3.7 ± 2.1 minutes during the first test compared with 4.5 ± 3.2 minutes in the second test (p = NS). The outcomes were even closer if only patients developing syncope during both tests are considered (tilt 1, 3.7 ± 2.1 minutes vs tilt 2, 3.1 ± 1.8 minutes). Similarly, in the 8 tilt-test negative patients, minimal recorded systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure did not differ in the 2 tests. Thus, upright tilt testing appears to exhibit a relatively high degree of reproducibility when a second study is performed on the same day. Consequently, 2 sequential tilt tests may be useful for assessing the immediate effect of therapeutic interventions on susceptibility to neurally mediated hypotension-bradycardia syndrome.