cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Cover Letter Subject Line and Open-ended Question Response Area on Responding to an Internet Survey

To ensure the validity of the data and conclusions derived from internet questionnaires, researchers must understand the implications different questionnaire design decisions have for their data. This paper describes an internet-based survey in which the text of the email cover-letter subject line and the size of response area provided for open-ended question responses were manipulated. This study showed that the offer of a food incentive in the subject line yielded fewer responses. Meanwhile, a larger (six line) text box yielded significantly more words than a smaller (one line) text box, but the larger text box did not yield any increase in the number of topics addressed in the open-ended response data. Finally, open-ended questions soliciting negative comments yielded significantly more words than did questions seeking positive comments.
A Resonant Coaxial-Stub as an Autchatic Equalizer

This paper describes a novel application of a resonant coaxial-stub which is very short in comparison with the shorter wavelengths in the video spectrum. As far as the principle of operation is concerned, the designation "resonant reactance stub" appears to be an appropriate term for the short piece of the coaxial cable used in this application. The stub provides automatic equalization at the input of a video circuit which presents a changing capacitance from time to time as a result of the incidence of additional video loops with appreciable input-capacity.
GPS and road map navigation: the case for a spatial framework for semantic information

Urban environments require cognitive abilities focused on both spatial overview and detailed understanding of uses and places. These abilities are distinct but overlap and reinforce each other. Our work quantitatively and qualitatively measures the effects on a user's overall understanding of the environment after navigating with either a GPS or a road map in a previously unknown neighborhood. Experimental recall of spatial and semantic information indicates that using a road map enables subjects to demonstrate a significantly better spatial understanding, identify semantic elements more often using common terms, place semantic elements in spatial locations with greater accuracy and recall semantic elements in tighter clusters than when using a GPS. We conclude that a spatial understanding is a necessary framework for organizing semantic information that is useful for inferred tasks.
The role of supervision in child injury risk: definition, conceptual and measurement issues

The purpose of this paper was to examine caregiver supervision and its role as an active strategy in childhood injury prevention. Through a review of the literature, the authors addressed conceptual and methodological issues related to supervision, such as the question of how to define 'adequate supervision.' Three critical dimensions (attention, proximity and continuity) of caregiver supervisory behaviors are identified as important areas for measurement. Presented is a framework for understanding the role of passive and active supervisory behaviors within the social context. The framework includes family and community characteristics and policies/regulations that may be important in caregiver decisions to use active or passive injury prevention strategies. Future research directions are discussed.
Thermal conductivity of yttrium iron garnet

Abstract The low temperature thermal conductivity of yttrium iron garnet was measured. It shows the following features: a quadratic temperature dependence at liquid helium temperatures, a decrease in conductivity with an applied magnetic field in the same temperature region, which becomes more pronounced with decreasing temperature but which is not observed at liquid hydrogen temperature and, finally, a slight increase in conductivity with an applied longitudinal field of approximately 300 G. All these features can be understood, assuming that the main contribution to the thermal conductivity in this temperature region comes from spin waves rather than phonons.
Calibrated imaging radar polarimetry: technique, examples, and applications

The authors developed a calibration procedure for imaging radar polarimeters and applied it to a set of images acquired by the NASA DC-8 multifrequency radar system. The technique requires the use of ground reflectors of known cross-section for absolute calibration, that is, solution for sigma /sup 0/; however, the image data themselves can usually provide all information necessary for phase calibration and for antenna crosstalk correction. The accuracy of the approach, as measured by calculating the cross-section residuals of known targets in each calibrated scene, is on the order of +or-1-2 dB at the P- and C-band, but improves to +or-0.5 dB at the L-band. The authors present the results of applying this technique to radar scenes of lava flows of varying roughness, temperate and tropical rain forests, and ocean water surfaces. They also present several example applications which are feasible with calibrated data but which would be difficult to implement with uncalibrated data. >
Theory and Techniques for Automatic Generation of Vulnerability-Based Signatures

In this paper, we explore the problem of creating \emph{vulnerability signatures}. A vulnerability signature is based on a program vulnerability, and is not specific to any particular exploit. The advantage of vulnerability signatures is that their quality can be guaranteed. In particular, we create vulnerability signatures which are guaranteed to have zero false positives. We show how to automate signature creation for any vulnerability that can be detected by a runtime monitor. We provide a formal definition of a vulnerability signature, and investigate the computational complexity of creating and matching vulnerability signatures. We systematically explore the design space of vulnerability signatures. We also provide specific techniques for creating vulnerability signatures in a variety of language classes. In order to demonstrate our techniques, we have built a prototype system. Our experiments show that we can, using a single exploit, automatically generate a vulnerability signature as a regular expression, as a small program, or as a system of constraints. We demonstrate techniques for creating signatures of vulnerabilities which can be exploited via multiple program paths. Our results indicate that our approach is a viable option for signature generation, especially when guarantees are desired.
Conformation of MgATP Bound to 5‐phospho‐α‐d‐ribose 1‐diphosphate Synthetase by Two‐dimensional Transferred Nuclear Overhauser Effect Spectroscopy

The conformation of MgATP bound at the active site of Salmonella typhimurium 5-phospho-a-~ribose 1 -diphosphate synthetase (PRibPP synthetase) has been investigated by two-dimensional transferred-NOE spectroscopy (TRNOESY). Inter-proton NOES of the ligand were measured in the presence of the protein at several mixing times in the range of 40-300 ms at 500 MHz and 10°C. Measurements were made at low ligand concentrations (= 1 mM) in order to avoid weak non-specific ligand-protein interactions and to ensure that the NOE arises from the ligand bound at the active site. The inter-proton distances were determined from the experimentally observed NOE buildup curves by comparing them with theoretical simulations obtained by using the complete relaxation matrix. These distances were used as constraints in molecular modeling and energy minimization calculations to deduce the structure of the bound ligand. PRibPP synthetase is known to appreciably aggregate so that it exists in multiple oligomeric forms in solution. The structure was determined under the assumption that the ligand assumes the same conformation on each subunit of every oligomer regardless of its size. On the basis of the rotational correlation time deduced for the enzyme-nucleotide complexes, it is estimated that the average oligomer of PRibPP synthetase, in the sample used for the TRNOESY measurements, consists of about 30 subunits, whereas the smallest active form of the protein is a pentamer. The conformation of enzyme-bound MgATP is described by a glycosidic torsion angle x = 50 2 5" and phase angle of pseudorotation P = 114.9" corresponding to a sugar pucker. It is noteworthy that the value of the glycosidic torsion angle obtained in this pyrophosphoryl transfer enzyme complex agrees well with those obtained previously for MgATP complexes of creatine kinase, pyruvate kinase (active and ancillary sites), and arginine kinase. The sugar pucker, on the other hand, differs from one enzyme complex to another.
Accuracy of Oral Specimen Testing for Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be detected in oral fluid with great accuracy, due to technical advances in both the collection of oral samples and assays. Reported sensitivities of 97.2-100% and specificities of 97.7-100% compare well with those of serum-based assays and qualify oral fluid for the screening and diagnosis of HIV infection in both high- and low-risk populations. In addition, oral fluid offers several advantages over serum as a testing medium for HIV, including greater safety, ease of collection, and patient acceptability.
Nonlinearity measures for a class of SISO nonlinear systems

A measure of nonlinearity which is defined by two linear systems is proposed to quantify the size of the nonlinearity in the input/output behavior of SISO nonlinear systems. As a result, the task of controller design for the nonlinear system reduces to the design a controller for the two linear systems. Two examples are provided to demonstrate these concepts.
An introduction to the economics of forest disturbance

Increasing severity of recent wildfires, storms, pest outbreaks, and biological invasions has intensified concern among governmental agencies, private enterprises, and the general public regarding the future of forest resources. Economic analysis can help decision-makers understand the causes and consequences of forest disturbances, as well as evaluate trade-offs, and set priorities. It is the premise of this book that similarities existing among forest disturbances permit the development of a unified framework for economic analysis. This book sketches out how this framework could be constructed, provides an overview and summary of current research in the economics of forest disturbances, and illustrates how economic theory and empirical methods can be applied to address specific disturbances. From an economic perspective, a forest disturbance can be defined as an event that interrupts or impedes the flow of goods and services provided by forest ecosystems that are desired by people. This definition parallels the ecological definition of a natural disturbance as " ... any relatively discrete event in time that disrupts ecosystem, community, or population structure and changes resources, substrate availability, or the physical environment" (White and Pickett 1985, p. 7). Although timber harvesting and land use change are forest disturbances according to this definition, in this book we address large-scale natural disturbances that can be mediated and modified by human actions. Examples of such large-scale natural forest disturbances occurring during the past century include the chestnut blight which largely eliminated chestnut trees from hardwood forests in the eastern United States, Hurricane Katrina which blew down large swaths of forest in the United States Southeast, and the 1988 fires in Yellowstone National Park and surrounding forest ecosystems that burned more than onequarter million hectares. Catastrophic disturbances affect both public and private land, and the management interventions applied to mitigate damages will vary depending on the
Platform based design for wireless sensor networks

The platform-based design (PBD) methodology we present has its foundations in a clear definition of the different abstraction layers of a wireless sensor network (WSN). At the application layer, we introduce the sensor network service platform that allows the user to describe the application independently from the network architecture. This functional description is then mapped into an instance of the sensor network implementation platform. These two layers of abstraction are the basis for the design methodology. An essential feature of the methodology is the capability of defining the design as a refinement process between contiguous layers that is based on synthesis given the existence of a formal definition of the layers of abstraction. We present a framework, called Rialto, which translates application specifications into network constraints. Furthermore, we present a synthesis engine, called Genesis, that starting from these constraints and an abstraction of the hardware platform performance generates a topology and a communication protocol that satisfy constraints and optimizes energy consumption. We present a case study that shows how the methodology covers all the aspects of the design process, from conceptual description to implementation.
Technical Civilizations in the Galaxy

Are there other technical civilizations in the galaxy? Past analyses come to different conclusions. Cocconi and Morrison demonstrated in 1959 that interstellar radio communication was possible and Drake conducted the first search for beacons in 1960. The Drake equation estimates the number of galactic civilizations that are transmitting beacons as the product of the rate of star formation in the galaxy, the fraction of stars with planets, their average number of earthlike planets, the fraction with intelligent life and interstellar communication, and the average lifetime of a technical civilization. The Drake model of the galaxy contains many technical civilizations with communication but no interstellar travel. Michael Hart in 1975 strongly challenged this model. Starting with the fact that no extraterrestrials have been observed on Earth, and assuming that interstellar colonization is possible, he concluded that it was very likely that we are the first civilization in our galaxy and that searching or beacons is probably a waste of time and money. The Fermi paradox similarly reasons that if extraterrestrials exist: they should be here, and asks, Where are they? The Hart/Fermi model of the galaxy contains only our civilization and suggests we may colonize the galaxy. A third galactic model is that we are alone but will never develop interstellar travel. The fourth alternate model has many technical civilizations, with interstellar travel and colonization. The possibilities are clear and momentous. Either we are the only technical civilization in the galaxy or there are others. Technical civilizations will colonize the galaxy or not. We have four cosmic conjectures - one or many, colonization or not - but however unlikely they seem based on our limited evidence, one of these four models must be collect.
An investigation into teaching phonemic awareness through shared reading and writing

This study examined teaching phonemic awareness by embedding sound talk within meaningful literacy experiences of shared reading and writing. Small groups of 5 and 6-year-old children were seen three times a week for seven weeks. Four phonemic awareness tasks ‐ first and last sound identification, sound segmentation and deletion ‐ were targeted in each session, with scaffolding fitting task difficulty and individual child ability. Results showed that such naturalistic instruction lead to gains in phonemic awareness compared to a no-treatment control group for both the treatment group as a whole and for a subgroup of children with lower literacy levels. Treatment-specific improvement was evident in three of the four phonemic awareness tasks: first sound identification, last sound identification, and sound segmentation. Additional observations of language and literacy benefits for this emergent literacy approach were also identified. Phonemic awareness, or the awareness of the sound structure of words, is a metalinguistic skill important to the successful acquisition of reading and writing. Controlled studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of phonemic awareness training in individual and classroom situations for typically developing children and children with language impairments (for example, Ball & Blachman, 1991; Byrne & Fielding-Barnsley, 1991; Fox & Routh, 1975, 1983; Gillon, 2000; van Kleeck, Gillam, & McFadden, 1998). Training procedures have followed developmentally sequenced mastery of skills in contrived activities apart from reading and writing contexts. While there has been strong support for explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness (NICHD, 2000), there has been little investi
An approach for development of damage-free drilling of carbon fiber reinforced thermosets

A new comprehensive approach to select cutting parameters for damage-free drilling in carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite material is presented. The approach is based on a combination of Taguchi's experimental analysis technique and a multi-objective optimization criterion. The optimization objective includes the contributing effects of the drilling performance measures: delamination, damage width, surface roughness, and drilling thrust force. A hybrid process model based on a database of experimental results together with numerical methods for data interpolation are used to relate drilling parameters to the drilling performance measures. Case studies are presented to demonstrate the application of this method in the determination of optimum drilling conditions for damage-free drilling in BMS 8-256 composite laminate. A process map based on the results is presented as a tool for drilling process design and optimization for the investigated tool/material combination.
Quantitative genome-wide analysis of yeast deletion strain sensitivities to oxidative and chemical stress

Understanding the actions of drugs and toxins in a cell is of critical importance to medicine, yet many of the molecular events involved in chemical resistance are relatively uncharacterized. In order to identify the cellular processes and pathways targeted by chemicals, we took advantage of the haploid Saccharomyces cerevisiae deletion strains (Winzeler et al., 1999). Although ~4800 of the strains are viable, the loss of a gene in a pathway affected by a drug can lead to a synthetic lethal effect in which the combination of a deletion and a normally sublethal dose of a chemical results in loss of viability. WE carried out genome-wide screens to determine quantitative sensitivities of the deletion set to four chemicals: hydrogen peroxide, menadione, ibuprofen and mefloquine. Hydrogen peroxide and menadione induce oxidative stress in the cell, whereas ibuprofen and mefloquine are toxic to yeast by unknown mechanisms. Here we report the sensitivities of 659 deletion strains that are sensitive to one or more of these four compounds, including 163 multichemicalsensitive strains, 394 strains specific to hydrogen peroxide and/or menadione, 47 specific to ibuprofen and 55 specific to mefloquine.We correlate these results with data from other large-scale studies to yield novel insights into cellular function.
A tutorial explaining a machine vision model that emulates human performance when it recovers natural 3D scenes from 2D images

Abstract This tutorial has two purposes: (i) it provides an example of a computational model that emulates what human beings see in natural environments, and (ii) it explains why, as well as how, each computation can be done.
Impaired processing of DNA photoproducts and ultraviolet hypermutability with loss of p16INK4a or p19ARF

Reduced DNA repair has been linked to an increased risk of cutaneous malignant melanoma, but insights into the molecular mechanisms of that link are scarce. The INK4a/ARF (CDKN2a) locus, which codes for the p16 INK4a and p19 ARF proteins, is often mutated in sporadic and familial malignant melanoma, but it has not been directly associated with reduced DNA repair. We transfected unirradiated mouse fibroblast cells with UV-treated DNA to measure DNA repair in normal, p16 INK4a mutant, p19 ARF mutant, or double mutant mouse host cells. Loss of either p16 INK4a or p19 ARF reduced the ability of the cells to process UV-induced DNA damage, independent of cell cycle effects incurred by the loss. These results may further explain why INK4a/ARF mutations predispose to malignant melanoma, a UV-induced tumor.
Burden of transmitted multidrug resistance in epidemics of tuberculosis: a transmission modelling analysis

Summary Background Multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis can be acquired through de-novo mutation during tuberculosis treatment or through transmission from other individuals with active MDR tuberculosis. Understanding the balance between these two mechanisms is essential when allocating resources for MDR tuberculosis. We aimed to create a dynamic transmission model of an MDR tuberculosis epidemic to estimate the contributions of treatment-related acquisition and person-to-person transmission of resistance to incident MDR tuberculosis cases. Methods In this modelling analysis, we constructed a dynamic transmission model of an MDR tuberculosis epidemic, allowing for both treatment-related acquisition and person-to-person transmission of resistance. We used national tuberculosis notification data to inform Bayesian estimates of the proportion of each country's 2013 MDR tuberculosis incidence that resulted from MDR transmission rather than treatment-related MDR acquisition. Findings Global estimates of 3·5% MDR tuberculosis prevalence among new tuberculosis notifications and 20·5% among re-treatment notifications translate into an estimate that resistance transmission rather than acquisition accounts for a median 95·9% (95% uncertainty range [UR] 68·0–99·6) of all incident MDR tuberculosis, and 61·3% (16·5–95·2) of incident MDR tuberculosis in previously treated individuals. The estimated proportion of MDR tuberculosis resulting from transmission varied substantially with different countries' notification data—ranging from 48% (95% UR 30–75) in Bangladesh to 99% (91–100) in Uzbekistan. Estimates were most sensitive to estimates of the transmissibility of MDR strains, the probability of acquiring MDR during tuberculosis treatment, and the responsiveness of MDR tuberculosis to first-line treatment. Interpretation Notifications of MDR prevalence from most high-burden settings are consistent with most incident MDR tuberculosis resulting from transmission rather than new treatment-related acquisition of resistance. Merely improving the treatment of drug-susceptible tuberculosis is unlikely to greatly reduce future MDR tuberculosis incidence. Improved diagnosis and treatment of MDR tuberculosis—including new tests and drug regimens—should be highly prioritised. Funding National Institutes of Health and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Overcoming Relational Learning Biases to Accurately Predict Preferences in Large Scale Networks

Many individuals on social networking sites provide traits about themselves, such as interests or demographics. Social networking sites can use this information to provide better content to match their users' interests, such as recommending scheduled events or various relevant products. These tasks require accurate probability estimates to determine the correct answer to return. Relational machine learning (RML) is an excellent framework for these problems as it jointly models the user labels given their attributes and the relational structure. Further, semi-supervised learning methods could enable RML methods to exploit the large amount of unlabeled data in networks. However, existing RML approaches have limitations that prevent their application in large scale domains. First, semi-supervised methods for RML do not fully utilize all the unlabeled instances in the network. Second, the collective inference procedures necessary to jointly infer the missing labels are generally viewed as too expensive to apply in large scale domains. In this work, we address each of these limitations. We analyze the effect of full semi-supervised RML and find that collective inference methods can introduce considerable bias into predictions. We correct this by implementing a maximum entropy constraint on the inference step, forcing the predictions to have the same distribution as the observed labels. Next, we outline a massively scalable variational inference algorithm for large scale relational network domains. We extend this inference algorithm to incorporate the maximum entropy constraint, proving that it only requires a constant amount of overhead while remaining massively parallel. We demonstrate our method's improvement over a variety of baselines on seven real world datasets, including large scale networks with over five million edges.
Mechanism by which calcitonin gene-related peptide antagonizes insulin action in vivo.

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a peptide with structural homology to amylin, which is present in nerve terminals of skeletal muscle and intestine. The effect of this peptide on in vivo i...
A Conceptual Framework for Inferring Implicatures

While previous sentiment analysis research has concentrated on the interpretation of explicitly stated opinions and attitudes, this work addresses a type of opinion implicature (i.e., opinion-oriented default inference) in real-world text. This work describes a rule-based conceptual framework for representing and analyzing opinion implicatures. In the course of understanding implicatures, the system recognizes implicit sentiments (and beliefs) toward various events and entities in the sentence, often of mixed polarities; thus, it produces a richer interpretation than is typical in opinion analysis.
Cumulative effects of an herbivorous ecosystem engineer in a heterogeneous landscape

Foraging by herbivores alters individual plants and vegetation communities directly, and engineering behaviors such as bioturbation (digging and turning soil) and biodeposition (deposition of feces and urine) can affect soils and physical properties that indirectly influence vegetation and other organisms. Patchy environments often concentrate the activities of animals, potentially increasing the magnitude of their impacts on the vegetative community over time. To evaluate the potential for herbivorous engineers to enhance existing heterogeneity, we quantified the direct and indirect effects of a burrowing herbivore, the pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis), on soil and vegetation in the sagebrush steppe ecosystem of the western United States, and we evaluated whether the effects were related to duration of occupancy by rabbits. Mounded microtopography (i.e., mima mounds) creates distinct resource islands with relatively tall and dense sagebrush shrubs where pygmy rabbits concentrate burrowing and foraging activities. We quantified soil and vegetation characteristics on mima mounds occupied by rabbits for 1–12 yr and on unoccupied mounds. We expected that browsing would negatively influence slow growing sagebrush shrubs, but that digging and biodeposition would enhance soil nutrients and water infiltration. In addition, we hypothesized that the net effect on sagebrush reproduction would be positive because indirect effects on soil would enhance seed production by mature sagebrush and seedling growth, and because bioturbation would increase seed retention and germination. Pygmy rabbit occupancy had significant cumulative effects on both soil and vegetation properties on occupied mima mounds. Over time, browsing reduced sagebrush canopy cover and percent of individual shrubs that were alive. Soil properties were less influenced by the duration of occupancy of mima mounds than by the localized spatial influence of burrowing; elevated nitrogen levels were associated with burrow entrances. Two measures of sagebrush reproduction (seedling recruitment and inflorescence biomass) increased with duration of burrow occupancy, suggesting that over longer time frames pygmy rabbits enhanced reproduction and recruitment of sagebrush shrubs. Our data demonstrate multiple pathways by which an herbivorous engineer can influence habitat heterogeneity, and they suggest that although pygmy rabbits are inconspicuous on the landscape, the species might play an important role in maintaining and augmenting heterogeneity in the sagebrush steppe.
The Effect of First- and Second-Order Slip Condition on Oscillatory Flows: Several Exact Solutions

In last two decades, several studies have been conducted to understand the molecular mechanism of slip of fluids (both liquids and gases) at a solid wall. Most of these studies have dealt with steady flow. Recently, Thalakkottor and Mohseni have shown by molecular dynamics simulations that in unsteady flow there is an additional slip above the slip observed in the steady flow. They have developed an unsteady slip flow model by extending the Maxwell’s slip theory for steady flows to encapsulate unsteady flows. The model indicates that the slip velocity of a fluid in unsteady flow is also a function of the acceleration of the fluid in addition to its shear rate. Thus the slip velocity is both a function of firstand second-order derivatives normal to the wall multiplied by different coefficients dependent upon the nature of the fluid (liquid or gas). In this paper, we consider several unsteady flows – the Stokes flow, the Couette flow, and flow in a channel due to an oscillatory wall. In addition, we consider unsteady flow due to an impulsively started flat plate. Exact solutions are obtained by using the most general form of slip boundary condition that contains both first and second-order derivatives normal to the boundary. The coefficients that multiply these derivatives can be determined by knowledge of the nature of the fluid. It should be noted that these solutions can also be reduced to steady flows with slip with higher-order slip boundary condition that includes both firstand second-order derivatives normal to the wall.
Plasmonic Waveguide Modes of Film-Coupled Metallic Nanocubes

A metallic nanoparticle positioned over a metal film offers great advantages as a highly controllable system relevant for probing field-enhancement and other plasmonic effects. Because the size and shape of the gap between the nanoparticle and film can be controlled to subnanometer precision using relatively simple, bottom-up fabrication approaches, the film-coupled nanoparticle geometry has recently been applied to enhancing optical fields, accessing the quantum regime of plasmonics, and the design of surfaces with controlled reflectance. In the present work, we examine the plasmon modes associated with a silver nanocube positioned above a silver or gold film, separated by an organic, dielectric spacer layer. The film-coupled nanocube is of particular interest due to the formation of waveguide cavity-like modes between the nanocube and film. These modes impart distinctive scattering characteristics to the system that can be used in the creation of controlled reflectance surfaces and other applications. We perform both experimental spectroscopy and numerical simulations of individual nanocubes positioned over a metal film, finding excellent agreement between experiment and simulation. The waveguide mode description serves as a starting point to explain the optical properties observed.
Extremal Problems for Polynomials

(1978). Extremal Problems for Polynomials. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 85, No. 6, pp. 473-475.
Strengthen the innovation of Marxism political economy teaching in the polytechnic university

It is the up to date that the course of Marxism political economy educational teaching in the polytechnic university. It the needs that reform the educational teaching that can accord with times development and raise quality and level of the course. This article in line with the mix content, modern method, double size course in educational in order to put forward the aspects such as the idea, means, way and content in teaching.
Correlation between ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide and physiologic dead space at rest and during exercise in health adults

Objective:To evaluate the feasibility of the ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide(EqCO_2) substituting for the actual ratio of physiologic dead space to tidal volume(VD/VT) by means of the correlation between EqCO_2 and VD/VT at rest and during exercise in healthy adults.Method:Cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed in 28 healthy adults.Minute ventilation(VE) and carbon dioxide output(VCO_2) were measured continuously on the breath-by-breath mode.EqCO_2 was measured according to equation of VE/VCO_2.Arterial blood samples were drawn both at rest and maximal exercise.The actual VD/VT was measured according to Bohr's equation.Result:There was significant correlation between the actual VD/VT and EqCO_2 at rest(r=0.601,P=0.011) and no significant correlation at maximal exercise(r=-0.223,P=0.334).EqCO_2 decreased as work rate increased during exercise.EqCO_2 significantly decreased at anaerobic threshold(AT) and at maximal exercise compared with that at rest(P0.001).There was no significant differences between EqCO_2 at AT and at maximal exercise(P=0.417).Conclusion:EqCO_2 can be used as a substitute for actual VD/VT in healthy adults at rest.
Aerococcal infection at three US Tertiary Care Hospitals.

OBJECTIVES The aim of the present study was to determine clinical features of Aerococcus infections and the significance of the Aerococcus species isolated from any clinical samples. METHODS Electronic records of all cultures yielding Aerococcus species from 2002 to 2012 were obtained from three tertiary care hospitals. We performed an in-depth review of medical records. RESULTS Aerococcus was isolated from ≥ 1 site in 93 patients. Blood cultures were positive in 64 patients; 15 with definite bacteremia, including 3 with endocarditis, 7 with urinary tract infections, 13 with probable bacteremia, and 36 in which Aerococcus was judged to be a possible contaminant. Of 19 urine isolates, 10 were from patients with symptomatic urinary tract infections and 7 were from patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria; in 2 cases, urine isolates were regarded as possible contaminants. Most patients with urinary isolates had underlying urological abnormalities. Other sources for Aerococcus included synovial fluid, bile, bone, intraabdominal abscess, and ovarian abscess. All of the isolates tested with ampicillin, cefazolin, clindamycin, and vancomycin were susceptible. A total of two patients with definite Aerococcus infection died, but all of the others responded to antibiotic therapy. CONCLUSIONS Aerococcus often is considered a contaminant; however, in our case series, 35% of cases in which Aerococcus was isolated from any site indicated a definite infection. In patients with positive blood cultures for Aerococcus, at least 23% were associated with infection. Appropriate attention needs to be directed to Aerococcus when it is isolated from a normally sterile site.
Efficacy of topical microfibrillar collagen mixed with steroid hormone and morphine for postoperative pain control during lumbar laminectomy: a preliminary report.

Background Current inpatient management of postoperative pain in lumbar surgery includes the use of intramuscular opioid analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or patient-controlled analgesia; however, all types of medications are associated with side effects that can limit their usefulness in the inpatient setting. Methods In a well-conducted non-randomized prospective trial, 80 consecutive patients who underwent elective multilevel lumbar laminectomy surgery were identified. Two types of trials with different doses of steroids were used. Patients' preoperative medical records, pain scores, narcotics consumption, costs for the regimen, hospital stay, unwanted complications, and walking ability were evaluated postoperatively. Results Pain in patients after lumbar surgery can be dramatically controlled postoperatively. Seventy-eight patients (97.5%) were able to walk without support on the first postoperative day. Major side effects were found in 5 patients (6.2%). Conclusions This experience indicates that pain-control agents with epidural sustained-released preparation seem to be beneficial in early mobilization, are cost effective, and require lower analgesic consumption by patients. Similar pain control can be obtained with lower doses of methylprednisolone. In spite of its clinical attractiveness, improvements in the side effects of complications from epidural morphine and the combination of steroids and microfibrillar collagen have yet to be realized.
Single Dose Whole Pelvis Megavoltage Irradiation for Palliative Control of Hematuria or Ureteral Obstruction

AbstractOf 7 patients with bladder carcinoma whose medical condition or disease status prevented an operation 5 had intractable vesical hemorrhage and 2 had progressive azotemia caused by ureteral obstruction. These patients were treated with pelvic irradiation of 1,000 rad single doses. Four patients received 3 doses 3 to 4 weeks apart and 1 patient received 2 doses at a 4-week interval. Prompt cessation of bleeding occurred in all patients and renal function improved in the 2 patients with ureteral obstruction.
Berkeley’s Monetary Education

George Berkeley published The Querist in three yearly installments between 1735 and 1737 in Dublin and London. But this is not quite accurate. For “publication” in the eighteenth-century usually required the author to have a direct working relationship with his/her printer. Berkeley, however, remained at his bishopric in Cloyne in Southern Ireland during that period and could not have been involved in managing the details of publication. His “editors,” Samuel Madden in Dublin and Sir John Percival in London, actually transmitted Berkeley’s manuscript to the printers and saw it through to publication. We do not have many details concerning the process of production nor any of the correspondence concerning the corrections of the text, if any existed. Consequently, it seems futile to pose all the technical bibliographical questions typically provoked by the publications of important texts— from “Why this printer?” to “Who corrected the galleys?”
Bridging the Gap Between a Science Laboratory Past and a Science Teacher Educator Present: Rethinking the Doctoral Program in Science Education

Although the term science education implies that both science and education are integral to our field, most science teacher educators only have a background in classroom science teaching. Most of their experiences are thus grounded in the classroom and school context and rarely in the science laboratory. This chapter was motivated by my experiences seeking a university appointment after completing my doctorate in science education. It seemed to be presumed and was sometimes required that an applicant possessed science classroom experience, which I lacked. I became troubled that my experience in a science laboratory might not meet the requirements of the position as framed by the social and cultural contexts of elementary and secondary schooling. This self-study considers whether and to what extent my doctoral program prepared me to be a science teacher educator: Was I doomed because I lacked classroom experience, or did my doctoral program help bridge the gap between my laboratory past and my science teacher educator future? Through autobiographical accounts of my doctoral program, I reached the broad conclusion that through the individualized nature of my doctoral training, I was prepared to become both a researcher and an educator.
Characterization of Biomaterials

Both the bulk and the surface properties of a biomaterial must be adequately characterized, since this provides baseline information upon which the performance of an implant material can be related. Several levels of testing need to be done (see Table 8.1). Initial tests are used to define the general properties of a potential biomaterial and can also be used for quality assurance on new batches of a material. These include determination of chemical composition and contaminants as well as tests of basic mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, elongation, elastic modulus (these should be measured under both dry and wet conditions for polymers), hardness, density, surface roughness (using light microscopy or SEM) and surface energy by contact angle measurements. For polymeric materials, an infrared transmission spectrum, molecular weight, and molecular weight distribution also provide important information for this initial baseline characterization. In many instances, solution viscosity measurement (inherent or intrinsic viscosity) can be used instead of a molecular weight measurement. The property values from most of these initial characterizations should be known and used in the preliminary selection of any biomaterial. The second level of characterization defines the properties more closely related to the potential end-use applications of the biomaterial, and thus can help to differentiate between several possible candidate materials. These tests also provide for assurances of surface reproducibility. Tests should be done on materials which have been processed in a manner similar to that used in the fabrication of the final implant device (including
Treatment of autoimmunity by inhibition of T cell costimulation.

Recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying immune responses have led to the development of new strategies designed to inhibit pathologic immune responses, such as autoimmunity, without severely compromising protective immune responses or causing serious toxic side effects. Many of these strategies are based on the two-signal model for T cell activation (1,2). The first signal occurs when the T cell receptor (TCR) recognizes an antigenic peptide displayed on the surface of an antigen-presenting cells (APC). The second signal is provided by other receptor-ligand pairs on T cells and APC. The presence or absence of this signal, also referred to as T cell costimulation, plays a critical role in determining whether antigen recognition through the TCR results in T cell activation or T cell unresponsiveness (1). Thus, the two-signal model implies that selective blockade of the second signal might render autoreactive T cells unresponsive in people with autoimmune diseases. As described below, this strategy has already been tested and has shown promise in animal models for autoimmunity, and it currently the subject of clinical investigation in humans.
Building a Midwest Cultural Capital Professional Theater and Urban Development in Minneapolis

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul faced an urban crisis similar to that of many American cities, as a growing ring of suburbs attracted residents and bu...
Environmental preconditioning rejuvenates adult stem cells' proliferation and chondrogenic potential.

Adult stem cells are a promising cell source for cartilage regeneration. Unfortunately, due to donor age and ex vivo expansion, stem cell senescence becomes a huge hurdle for these cells to be used clinically. Increasing evidence indicates that environmental preconditioning is a powerful approach in promoting stem cells' ability to resist a harsh environment post-engraftment, such as hypoxia and inflammation. However, few reports organize and evaluate the literature regarding the rejuvenation effect of environmental preconditioning on stem cell proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation capacity, which are important variables for stem cell based tissue regeneration. This report aims to identify several critical environmental factors such as oxygen concentration, growth factors, and extracellular matrix and to discuss their preconditioning influence on stem cells' rejuvenation including proliferation and chondrogenic potential as well as underlying molecular mechanisms. We believe that environmental preconditioning based rejuvenation is a simpler and safer strategy to program pre-engraftment stem cells for better survival and enhanced proliferation and differentiation capacity without the undesired effects of some treatments, such as genetic manipulation.
Post processing effects on GND calculations from EBSD-based orientation measurements

Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) has shown great utility in characterizing the aspects of microstructure related to crystallographic orientation. Such information is critical to understanding deformation in crystalline materials as well as the impact of deformation induced structural variations on recrystallization. Small angle rotations induced by the production of dislocations and their movement through the structure can be well captured by EBSD. Geometrically Necessary Dislocations (GND) can be derived from the measurement of these local variations in orientation. However, these local orientation variations are often right at the limit of angular precision that can be achieved by EBSD. Various post-processing tools have been developed to improve the angular precision. However, this is generally achieved through point-to-point smoothing of the orientation data within the measurement grid. The impact of such various filtering method are explored in terms of their impact on GND calculations. A new post processing approach which improves the EBSD indexing rate will also be presented along with results on its influence on local orientation variations. Fortunately, the general conclusion drawn from the reduction results is that these approaches generally improve the overall GND measurements.
Does mutated K-RAS oncogene attenuate the effect of Sulindac in colon cancer chemoprevention?

The NSAID sulindac has been successfully used alone or in combination with other agents to suppress colon tumorigenesis in patients with genetic predisposition and also showed its efficacy in prevention of sporadic colon adenomas. At the same time, some experimental and clinical reports suggest that a mutant K-RAS oncogene may negate sulindac antitumor efficacy. To directly assess sulindac activity at suppressing premalignant lesions carrying K-RAS mutation, we utilized a novel mouse model with an inducible colon-specific expression of the mutant K-ras oncogene (K-rasG12D ). Tumor development and treatment effects were monitored by minimally invasive endoscopic Optical coherence tomography. Expression of the mutant K-ras allele accelerated azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colon carcinogenesis in C57BL/6 mice, a strain otherwise resistant to this carcinogen. Sulindac completely prevented AOM-induced tumor formation in K-ras wild-type (K-ras wt) animals. In K-rasG12D -mutant mice, a 38% reduction in tumor number, an 83% reduction in tumor volume (P ≤ 0.01) and an increase in the number of adenoma-free mice (P = 0.04) were observed. The partial response of K-RasG12D animals to sulindac treatment was evident by the decrease in mucosal thickness (P < 0.01) and delay in progression of the precancerous aberrant crypt foci to adenomas. Molecular analyses showed significant induction in cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), cleaved caspase-3 (CC3), and Ki-67 expression by AOM, but not sulindac treatment, in all genotypes. Our data underscore the importance of screening for K-RAS mutations in individuals with colon polyps to provide more personalized interventions targeting mutant K-RAS signaling pathways. Cancer Prev Res; 11(1); 16-26. ©2017 AACR.