cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A measure of discrimination between two residual life-time distributions and its applications

A measure of discrepancy between two residual-life distributions is proposed on the basis of Kullback-Leibler discrimination information. Properties of this measure are studied and the minimum discrimination principle is applied to obtain the proportional hazards model.
Reducing Emergency Births by Modification in Oxytocin Utilization

Background: The purpose of our study was to explore the correlation between the a mount of oxytocin use and emergency vacuum, forceps, cesarean births and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) response to fetal distress. In 2004, we restricted the criteria for oxytocin utilization for labor induction and augmentation. Methods: This retrospective study was carried out at a large private university tertiary care hospital- affiliated, and included data from the years 2005 to 2007. We utilized hospital data from vital statistics, labor and delivery, central pharmacy and NICU. Information obtained included maternal characteristics, annual birth data, indication and numbers of emergency vacuum, forceps and cesarean births, oxytocin utilization, and number of NICU responses to fetal distress. Results: The total number of deliveries during the studied period equaled14,184. The oxytocin utilization showed a reduction from 93.3% to 78.9%. The number of patients who did not receive oxytocin during labor increased from 6.7% to 21.1%. The correlation between the reduction of oxytocin utilization with the reduction of emergency cesarean births (10.9% to 5.07%), vacuum briths (9.1% to 8.5%), and forceps birth (4% to 2.3%) including NICU responses to fetal distress (P = 0.0001) revealed a significant statistical difference. The overall cesarean section rate did not indicate a significant increase 29.4% to 29.8% (P = 0.14) nor did the patient’s characteristics differ. Conclusion: In our population, reducing oxytocin appears to strongly correlate with a reduction in the number of emergency vacuum, forceps, cesarean births and NICU responses to fetal distress. doi:10.4021/jcgo5e
Empirical determination of nuclear shape factors and moments of inertia

Abstract The results of certain experiments sensitive to nuclear shapes are correlated in terms of the kinematical model used previously for the correlation of nuclear ground-state properties. The data considered in the present work are the energies of the rotational levels of even nuclei, (i.e. nuclei with even numbers of protons and neutrons), the probabilities of electrodynamically-induced transitions between these levels, and the quadrupole moments of odd-mass nuclei. The dynamics of the system represented by the model is treated purely empirically and is presumed to be characterized by a small set of well-defined physical parameters. The principal empirical conception investigated below is that of the fraction of nuclear matter which participates in collective rotational motion, and its implications for the correlation of nuclear shapes as determined from the data mentioned above. This fraction is taken to be the ratio of the number of particles outside of filled major shells (both protons and neutrons) or the number of holes, whichever is smaller, to the total number of particles in the nucleus. The correlation obtained suggests the possibility of estimating the quadrupole moments of odd-mass nuclear ground states from the superior experimental data on neighbouring even-nuclei, and this suggestion is pursued where possible. It is found that the moments so calculated exhibit no consistent deviations from the experimental values.
Analytical validation of novel cardiac biomarkers used in clinical trials.

Background Blood-based biomarkers such as cardiac troponin and B-natriuretic peptides are widely used in clinical practice for the diagnosis, rule out, and risk stratification for patients with acute coronary syndromes and heart failure. Because neither these nor any other laboratory test meets all clinical needs, there are many novel biomarkers that are proposed and evaluated each year for possible implementation into clinical practice. Results of clinical trials are used as a means to validate their effectiveness and to obtain regulatory approval. Methods and results Novel biomarkers are discovered through a targeted approach using knowledge of the pathophysiology disease process and an untargeted approach where proteins from tissues or blood of disease patients are compared against healthy subjects or those with benign conditions. Once a candidate biomarker has been identified, it is important to understand where the protein is located and how it is released into blood. In designing trials, the requirements for Food and Drug Administration clearance and approval should be taken into consideration. There are preanalytical studies that should be considered including the preservative used to collect samples and in vivo and in vitro analyte stability. If the analyte is not stable, a surrogate marker could be used such as stable "pro" molecules (precursor proteins) may be preferred. Assay imprecision and bias, biological variation and criteria for the establishment of a reference range are important analytical attributes. The need for harmonization and commutability and correlation of results to other markers and clinical outcomes are important postanalytical attributes of novel biomarkers. Conclusions Inadequate adherence to these variables when conducting clinical trials reduces the quality and value of the information contained in literature reports of novel serum/plasma-based biomarkers.
Enumeration of orthogonal Buekenhout unitals

In this paper we develop general techniques for enumerating orthogonal Buekenhout unitals embedded in two-dimensional translation planes. We then apply these techniques in the regular nearfield planes, the odd-order Hall planes, and the odd-order flag-transitive affine planes. Stabilizers of the resulting unitals also are computed.
Prices, wages and poverty in rural India: what lessons do the time series data hold for policy?

Abstract Looking back over 40 years or so one finds that higher relative prices of food in India have typically been associated with higher poverty incidence and lower real agricultural wages. This has not gone unnoticed by critics of agricultural policy reform in India, who have argued that reform could permanently increase poverty by permanently raising food prices relative to non-food prices. However, a number of other observations about the time series evidence cast doubt on this interpretation. The correlation with poverty—as it is being measured—is not a distributional effect. Yet it is very unlikely that the rural sector as a whole could be worse off from a higher relative price of food. Instead, the correlation with poverty can be explained by shocks to aggregate food output. The correlation between food prices and real wages can be explained by changes in farm yields and inflation. Critics of reform appear to have misread the lessons for policy. But these data cannot be used to support the view that higher food prices due to policy reform will, on their own, reduce rural poverty.
Effects of Glucocorticosteriods in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Glucocorticosteroids, methylprednisolone sodium succinate (MPSS), 30 mg/kg of body weight, or dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP), 6 mg/kg of body weight, were given intravenously to 60 patients, divided into two groups of 30 45 minutes prior to cardiopulmonary bypass for coronary artery bypass. These two groups were compared with 30 patients in a control group receiving a placebo and undergoing the same surgery. The study was carried out in a double-blind fashion. Patients receiving MPSS had a significantly higher cardiac index in both the preoperative and postoperative periods. This was accompanied by a decreased peripheral resistance. Patients receiving either MPSS or DSP also showed some evidence for the “washout” phenomenon indicating the possibility of better microcirculatory flow. Gluconeogenesis may have been enhanced in both groups receiving MPSS or DSP, but the evidence was greater in those patients receiving MPSS. There were no hospital deaths in any of the three groups totaling 90 patients.
The importance of patient preference in the decision to screen for prostate cancer

OBJECTIVE: Routine screening for prostate cancer is controversial because of frequent false-positive results, the potential for slow, non-life-threatening growth of untreated cancer, the uncertainty regarding whether treatment can extend life, and the potential for treatment complications. This study examines how information about prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and the uncertain benefits of treating prostate cancer affects patients’ desire for PSA testing.
Imidazo(1,5-a)quinoxalines as irreversible BTK inhibitors for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Imidazo[1,5-a]quinoxalines were synthesized that function as irreversible Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors. The syntheses and SAR of this series of compounds are presented as well as the X-ray crystal structure of the lead compound 36 in complex with a gate-keeper variant of ITK enzyme. The lead compound showed good in vivo efficacy in preclinical RA models.
A randomized controlled trial of prednisone in Alzheimer’s disease

To the Editor: We read with interest the article by Aisen et al.,1 who found that low doses of prednisone are not effective in AD. In the article, inflammatory processes are discussed in the pathophysiology of dementia, and corresponding therapeutic approaches are pursued. However, no clear clinical evidence for this exciting hypothesis has been established yet. To acquire information about the inflammatory activity of patients with expected dementia transferred to our ward, we investigated eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) in serum. ECP is a sensitive marker of inflammatory processes and often used as a marker in clinical studies.2 We have 41 patients (mean age 73.8 years, SD 7.8; 7 men, 34 women) in our study. …
Preliminary Investigation of the Influence of Controlled Atmosphere Storage on the Organic Acids of Apples

Preliminary Investigation of the Influence of Controlled Atmosphere Storage on the Organic Acids of Apples
DMCMN: Experimental/Analytical Evaluation of the Effect of Tip Mass on Atomic Force Microscope Cantilever Calibration

Quantitative studies of material properties and interfaces using the atomic force microscope (AFM) have important applications in engineering, biotechnology, and chemistry. Contrary to what the name suggests, the AFM actually measures the displacement of a microscale probe, so one must determine the stiffness of the probe to find the force exerted on a sample. Numerous methods have been proposed for determining the spring constant of AFM cantilever probes, yet most neglect the mass of the probe tip. This work explores the effect of the tip mass on AFM calibration using the method of Sader (1995, "Method,for the Calibration of Atomic Force Microscope Cantilevers, " Rev. Sci. Instrum., 66, pp. 3789) and extends that method to account for a massive, rigid tip. One can use this modified method to estimate the spring constant of a cantilever from the measured natural frequency and Q-factor for any mode of the probe. This may be helpful when the fundamental mode is difficult to measure or to check for inaccuracies in the calibration obtained with the fundamental mode. The error analysis presented here shows that if the tip is not considered, then the error in the static stiffness is roughly of the same order as the ratio of the tip's mass to the cantilever beam's. The area density of the AFM probe is also misestimated if the tip mass is not accounted for, although the trends are different. The model presented here can be used to identify the mass of a probe tip from measurements of the natural frequencies of the probe. These concepts are applied to six low spring-constant, contact-mode AFM cantilevers, and the results suggest that some of the probes are well modeled by an Euler-Bernoulli beam with a constant cross section and a rigid tip, while others are not. One probe is examined in detail, using scanning electron microscopy to quantify the size of the tip and the thickness uniformity of the probe, and laser Doppler vibrometry is used to measure the first four mode shapes. The results suggest that this probe's thickness is significantly nonuniform, so the models upon which dynamic calibration is based may not be appropriate,for this probe.
Regulated Interactions of the α2A Adrenergic Receptor with Spinophilin, 14-3-3ζ, and Arrestin 3 *

The present studies demonstrate that no single stretch of sequence in the third intracellular (3i) loop of the α2A adrenergic receptor (α2A-AR) can fully account for its previously described interactions with spinophilin (Richman, J. G., Brady, A. E., Wang, Q., Hensel, J. L., Colbran, R. J., and Limbird, L. E. (2001)J. Biol. Chem. 276, 15003–15008), 14-3-3ζ (Prezeau, L., Richman, J. G., Edwards, S. W., and Limbird, L. E. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 13462–13469), and arrestin 3 (Wu, G., Krupnick, J. G., Benovic, J. L., and Lanier, S. M. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 17836–17842), suggesting that a three-dimensional surface, rather than a linear sequence, provides the basis for these interactions as proposed for 3i loop tethering of the α2A-AR to the basolateral surface of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells (Edwards, S. W., and Limbird, L. E. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 16331–16336). Sequences at the extreme N-terminal and C-terminal ends of the 3i loop are critical for interaction with spinophilin but not for interaction with 14-3-3ζ or arrestin 3, for which the C-terminal half of the loop is more important. Competition binding for35S-labeled α2A-AR 3i loop binding to glutathione S-transferase (GST)-spinophilin amino acids 151–444 revealed a relative affinity of spinophilin ≅ arrestin > 14-3-3ζ for the unphosphorylated α2A-AR 3i loop. Agonist occupancy of the α2A-AR increases receptor association with spinophilin, and arrestin 3 appears to compete for this enrichment. However, when the G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 substrate sequence was deleted from the 3i loop, arrestin 3 could not compete for the agonist-enriched binding of spinophilin to the mutant α2A-AR. These data are consistent with a model where sequential or competitive interactions among spinophilin, arrestin, and/or 14-3-3ζ play a role in α2A-AR functions.
Vulnerability, Stress, and Resilience in the Early Development of a High Risk Child

A young girl at risk for schizophrenia is admitted for inpatient evaluation at age 30 months with growth failure and psychosocial retardation. Her history suggests that adverse environmental experiences, particularly the traumatic loss of primary caregivers around age 15 months, resulted in symptoms consistent with the clinical picture of anaclitic depression and associated psychosocial dwarfism. Intervention in the form of hospitalization and placement by "prescribed" adoption into a favorable caregiving environment produced dramatic recovery in growth and psychological functioning. Follow-up data document sustained positive development 3 1/2 years later. This case illustrates the power of a developmental perspective on psychopathology for conceptualizing and planning treatment for an individual child.
The influence of sterols on pentachlorophenol-induced charge transfer across lipid bilayers studied by alternating current methods.

Abstract The frequency dependence of membrane admittance has been determined for a series of phosphatidylcholine / sterol /n- decane bilayers in the presence of an aqueous environment containing pentachlorophenol. Variations in the results among membranes can be related to differences in the kinetic parameters of a kinetic model of pentachlorophenol-induced charge transport by characterizing both measurements and model behavior in terms of a common equivalent circuit. The kinetic model assumes a three-layer structure for the membrane and immediate environment. Data from membranes formed with β-hydroxysterols having a flat ring structure and an intact side-chain (cholesterol, cholesterol, 7-dehydrocholesterol), after correction for sterol-induced membrane thinning, suggest that these sterols affect charge translocation by altering both interior fluidity and surface dipolar fields. The effects almost cancel for the case of cholesterol. These sterols also affect interfacial processes, either by inhibiting proton exchange between the aqueous and lipid environments, or by suppressing the adsorption of pentachlorophenol anions. Stigmasterol, coprostanol and epicholesterol cause only minor alterations in both translocation and interfacial processes. None of the sterols investigated has a significant influence on the capacitance of the interfacial region.
Two high-velocity encounters of elliptical galaxies

This paper describes results obtained on a simulation of two high-velocity encounters of NGC 4782/4783 and NGC 2672/2673 binary elliptical galaxies which differ substantially in mass ratio (about 1 for the first pair, and about 10 for the second). CCD images and velocities obtained from digital spectra were used to constrain simulations of the galaxy collisions. The binary orbital elements, the orientation of the orbit in the sky, the time since pericenter, and the dynamical mass of the pair were derived. Results suggested that the dumb-bell galaxy NGC 4782/4783 is not a supermassive galaxy, as was claimed earlier on the basis of the high relative velocity and high central dispersion, but has a moderate mass to luminosity ratio M/L(B) of about 10. It was concluded that its trajectory changed from hyperbolic to elliptical as a result of energy lost during the collision. It was found that the NGC 2672/2673 also has a moderate M/L(B) of about 7.
Investigation of the potential use of hyperspectral imaging for stand-off detection of person-borne IEDs

Advances in hyperspectral sensors and algorithms may benefit the detection of person-borne improvised explosive devices (PB-IEDs). While portions of the electromagnetic spectrum, such as the x-ray and terahertz regions, have been investigated for this application, the spectral region of the ultraviolet (UV) through shortwave infrared (SWIR) (250 nm to 2500 nm) has received little attention. The purpose of this work was to investigate what, if any, potential there may be for exploiting the spectral region of the UV through SWIR for the detection of hidden objects under the clothing of individuals. The optical properties of both common fabrics and materials potentially used to contain threat objects were measured, and a simple example using a hyperspectral imager is provided to illustrate the combined effect. The approach, measurement methods, and results are described in this paper, and the potential for hyperspectral imaging is addressed.
Polar phonons and intrinsic dielectric response of the ferromagnetic insulating spinel Cd Cr 2 S 4 from first principles

We have studied the dielectric properties of the ferromagnetic spinel $\mathrm{Cd}{\mathrm{Cr}}_{2}{\mathrm{S}}_{4}$ from first principles. Zone-center phonons and Born effective charges were calculated by frozen-phonon and Berry phase techniques within $\mathrm{LSDA}+U$. We find that all infrared-active phonons are quite stable within the cubic space group. The calculated static dielectric constant agrees well with previous measurements. These results suggest that the recently observed anomalous dielectric behavior in $\mathrm{Cd}{\mathrm{Cr}}_{2}{\mathrm{S}}_{4}$ is not due to the softening of a polar mode. We suggest further experiments to clarify this point.
GABA blockade, dopamine and schizophrenia: Experimental studies in the cat

The effects of blocking putative GABA inhibition on dopamine cells of origin in ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra have been examined in freely moving cats with chronically implanted cannulas and recording electrodes. Instillation of the GABA blocking agent bicuculline in ventral tegmental area induces arousal, searching, slinking, hiding, evidence of fear, catatonic stance, staring and sniffing behaviors which were accompanied by spike activity from nucleus accumbens in several animals. Similar amounts of bicuculline placed in substantia nigra did not induce fear but were followed by ipsilateral grooming, circling and hyperesthesia, with EEG spiking in caudate nucleus and medial and lateral geniculate nuclei in several animals. The relationship of these findings to dopamine induced stereotypies in mesolimbic and nigrostriatal systems and to evidence of dopamine excess or hypersensitivity in limbic striatum in patients with schizophrenic disorders is considered.
Developing a Performance Criteria Model for School Foodservice

Child nutrition programs (CNPs) including federal programs such as the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and School Breakfast Program (SBP) have an overall goal to serve nutritious and appealing foods to help safeguard the health and well-being of the nation’s children. This study developed a performance criteria model for achieving the overall CNP goal for school foodservice by applying an analytic hierarchy process (AHP). A total of 39 performance criteria were identified and structured into a hierarchy of five major categories and 34 subcategories and criteria. Of the five major categories, the customer satisfaction category was rated as most important in achieving the overall CNP goal, followed by financial management, meal quality, program management, and operations management. Relative importance of subcategories and criteria were estimated. In addition, managerial implications of using the performance criteria model are discussed and future research ideas using AHP are suggested.
A COMPARISON OF THE CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS OF ESTRADIOL DIPROPIONATE AND ESTRADIOL BENZOATE

ESTRADIOL DIPROPIONATE has an apparent superiority over other parenteral estrogens in the treatment of menopausal symptoms. It will relieve and maintain patients symptom free with treatment once a week or, in the majority of cases, with treatment every two or three weeks (1,2). Estrone is relatively inefficient in that it is less potent and must be administered much more frequently. A direct comparison of the two substances in a group of patients demonstrated that estradiol dipropionate was the more effective of the two (2). In the experimental animal estradiol dipropionate also has a more prolonged action than equal amounts of estradiol benzoate (3). There has been, to the author's knowledge, no direct comparison of these two substances in the human being. It was thought, therefore, that the following data on this subject should be of interest.
Prediction and explanation of child abuse

Administered the Child Abuse Potential Inventory to 65 abusing and 65 matched nonabusing parents. An item analysis indicated that 77 of the 160 Inventory items significantly discriminated between abusers and nonabusers. A discriminant analysis, which employed the 77 significant items, correctly classified 125, or 96% of the 130 Ss as abusers or nonabusers. Identical results were obtained from a stepwise multiple regression analysis. Principal axis factoring with oblique promax rotations yielded a seven-factor solution with relatively specific dimensions. The seven factors, or dimensions, were: Distress, rigidity, child with problems, problems from family and others, unhappiness, loneliness, and negative concept of child and of self. Further analysis revealed that the rigidity, unhappiness, and distress factors were the most meaningful dimensions in the understanding of why some people abuse children.
Recombinant factor VIIa enhances platelet deposition from flowing haemophilic blood but requires the contact pathway to promote fibrin deposition

Summary In prior microfluidic studies with haemophilic blood perfused over collagen, we found that a severe deficiency (<1% factor level) reduced platelet and fibrin deposition, while a moderate deficiency (1–5%) only reduced fibrin deposition. We investigated: (i) the differential effect of rFVIIa (0.04–20 nm) on platelet and fibrin deposition, and (ii) the contribution of the contact pathway to rFVIIa-induced haemophilic blood clotting. Haemophilic or healthy blood with low and high corn trypsin inhibitor (CTI, 4 or 40 μg mL−1) was perfused over collagen at an initial venous wall shear rate of 100 s−1. At 100 s−1 wall shear rate, where FXIIa leads to thrombin production without added tissue factor, FXI-deficient blood (3%) or severely FVIII-deficient blood (<1%) produced no fibrin at either CTI level. Whereas rFVIIa potently enhanced platelet deposition, fibrin generation was not rescued. Distinct from the high CTI condition, engagement of the contact pathway (low CTI) in moderately FVIII-deficient (3%) or moderately FIX-deficient blood (5%) resulted in enhanced platelet and fibrin deposition following 4 nm rFVIIa supplementation. In mildly FVIII-deficient blood (15%) at <24 h since haemostatic therapy, rFVIIa enhanced both platelet and fibrin generation in either CTI condition although fibrin was produced more quickly and abundantly in low CTI. For tissue factor-free conditions of severe haemophilic blood clotting, we conclude that rFVIIa reliably generates low levels of ‘signaling’ thrombin sufficient to enhance platelet deposition on collagen, but is insufficient to drive fibrin polymerization unless potentiated by the contact pathway.
Influence of FGD Gypsum on the Properties of a Highly Erodible Soil under Conservation Tillage

Surface application of agricultural lime and fertilizers in no-till (NT) systems can be inadequate because of the excess time required for slowly soluble lime to improve soil aggregation such that water and nutrients move more rapidly into and down the soil profile. This study used fluidized gas desulfurization (FGD) gypsum as an alternative to lime because of its greater solubility and calcium (Ca) and sulfur (S) contents. Gypsum was applied to NT cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) plots at rates of 0, 2.24, 4.48, and 6.72 Mg ha−1 for 3 years. After 1 year, Ca, S, and soil aggregation increased significantly (P ≤ 0.05) while exchangeable aluminum (Al) activities were reduced. These results indicate that FGD gypsum can increase NT cotton yields by increasing infiltration and soil water contents, reducing runoff, ameliorating exchangeable Al problems, and by providing a readily available source of S, a limiting nutrient in many cotton soils.
Serum sickness in a dog associated with antivenin therapy for snake bite caused by Crotalus adamanteus

Objective: This case report describes antivenin-associated acute and delayed hypersensitivity reactions in a dog envenomated by an Eastern diamondback rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus), specifically reviewing the syndrome of antivenin-associated serum sickness. Clinician awareness of this syndrome is important in order to allow for its recognition and appropriate treatment. Case summary: A Boxer dog was envenomated by an Eastern diamondback rattlesnake. Shock, echinocytosis, and coagulopathy were manifested, and the dog was given antivenin crotalidae polyvalent therapy and supportive care. The early onset of an anaphylactoid reaction was attributed to antivenin therapy and was managed with diphenhydramine and subcutaneous epinephrine therapy. Fever, chemosis, and limb edema occurred during the 3rd through 6th hospital days following antivenin therapy and were consistent with serum sickness syndrome as described in humans. Further immunoassay support reflecting complement activation and response to treatment were characteristic. New information provided: To our knowledge, this describes the first reported case of antivenin-associated serum sickness in a dog.
Hippocampal theta oscillations are slower in humans than in rodents: implications for models of spatial navigation and memory

The theta oscillation is a neuroscience enigma. When a rat runs through an environment, large-amplitude theta oscillations (4–10 Hz) reliably appear in the hippocampus's electrical activity. The consistency of this pattern led to theta playing a central role in theories on the neural basis of mammalian spatial navigation and memory. However, in fact, hippocampal oscillations at 4–10 Hz are rare in humans and in some other species. This presents a challenge for theories proposing theta as an essential component of the mammalian brain, including models of place and grid cells. Here, I examine this issue by reviewing recent research on human hippocampal oscillations using direct brain recordings from neurosurgical patients. This work indicates that the human hippocampus does indeed exhibit rhythms that are functionally similar to theta oscillations found in rodents, but that these signals have a slower frequency of approximately 1–4 Hz. I argue that oscillatory models of navigation and memory derived from rodent data are relevant for humans, but that they should be modified to account for the slower frequency of the human theta rhythm.
CRTDH: an efficient key agreement scheme for secure group communications in wireless ad hoc networks

As a result of the growing popularity of wireless networks, in particular ad hoc networks, security over such networks has become very important. In this paper, we study the problem of secure group communications (SGC) and key management over ad hoc networks. We identify the key features of any SGC protocol for such networks. We also propose an efficient key agreement scheme for SGC. The scheme solves two important problems that exist in most current SGC schemes: requirement of member serialization and existence of a central entity. Besides this, the protocol also has many highly desirable properties such as contributory and efficient computation of group key, uniform work load for all the members, few rounds of rekeying (2 rounds for the initial key formation and join and 1 round for leave), and efficient support for high dynamics. These properties make the protocol well suited for wireless ad hoc networks.
Is There a Future for Fair Value Accounting After the 2008–2009 Financial Crisis?

This paper evaluates the role of fair value accounting in recent financial crisis, and examines whether the call for its demise is justified. Critics argue that fair accounting regulation added to the volatility in financial markets and aggravated financial crisis. On the other hand, supporters of this regulation argue that fair value accounting has been the victim of the recent financial crisis. They believe that this regulation is important for providing transparent, reliable, and accurate information on asset values to investors. After evaluating the impact of fair value accounting regulation on financial crisis, we examine negative and positive aspects of this regulation. Our discussion shows that fair value accounting provides useful information during stable market conditions, but its usefulness may become questionable during unstable and volatile financial markets. Overall, this regulation has the support of financial professional bodies. Some professionals are, however, concerned about recent modification to the fair value accounting rule, i.e., FAS 157-4, because this modification may not enhance reliability and accuracy of financial information. Despite recent modification, discussion on fair value accounting is far from over. Critics of the regulation still believe that this regulation should be eliminated, but the positive aspects of this regulation support its continuation.
Inflammatory reaction to synthetic dural substitute: Case report

The authors report an unusual complication related to a dural substitute. An inflammatory response to a Marlex mesh duraplasty simulated a recurrent convexity meningioma 20 years after the initial surgery.
Understanding Saphenous Vein Graft Patency

Saphenous vein was the conduit used in the first series of coronary surgery, and, with the exception of revascularization of the left anterior descending coronary artery, it remains the most commonly used conduit.1 There are several reasons for this. First, because of its relatively large diameter and wall characteristics, it is technically easy to use; second, it is plentiful, and therefore can be used to perform multiple grafts; third, it is long and can reach any coronary artery; and fourth, it is easily harvested. However, its durability and longevity are not ideal. One year after coronary surgery, 10% to 20% of saphenous vein grafts fail.2–4 From 1 to 5 years, an additional 5% to 10% fail, and from 6 to 10 years, an additional 20% to 25% fail.5 At 10 years, only about half of saphenous vein grafts are patent, and of those, only half are free of angiographic arteriosclerosis.6 Article see p 280 Saphenous vein graft failure during the first year of surgery is due to technical errors, thrombosis, and intimal hyperplasia. All saphenous vein grafts experience endothelial damage during harvesting and initial exposure to arterial pressure. This intimal injury leads to platelet adherence that may result in graft thrombosis and acute occlusion. Platelet adherence to the intimal surface is also the initial event in the development of intimal hyperplasia. After adhering to the intima, platelets release mitogenic proteins, stimulating smooth muscle cell migration, resulting in intimal proliferation and hyperplasia.7–11 After a year from surgery, arteriosclerosis is responsible for further saphenous vein graft failure.12,13 Mural thrombi and intimal hyperplasia are the early stages of vein graft arteriosclerosis.4,12 With time, lipid becomes incorporated in these areas of intimal hyperplasia, resulting in arteriosclerotic plaque, and eventual …
Pathways to implementation of serum proteomics for cancer

Proteomic and genomic technologies have been developed that can simultaneously detect large panels of cancer biomarkers in body fluids such as serum, plasma, sputum, saliva or urine. These approaches provide great promise for the early detection of cancer, but have thrust the field into the era of diagnostic multianalyte-based cancer tests with few, if any, models for the implementation of such tests. These multianalyte tests may be based on the detection of serum antibodies to tumor antigens, the presence of cancer-related proteins in serum or the presence of tumor-specific genomic changes that appear in plasma as free DNA. The application of noninvasive diagnostic approaches to detect early stage cancer will provide the physician with greater presymptomatic periods for clinical intervention, but it is uncertain how the various forces will impact their implementation in a patient care setting. Utilization will be balanced by medical follow-up pathways, commercial/reimbursement factors and regulatory issu...
Utility of recombinant flagellar calcium-binding protein for serodiagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection.

The protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas' disease, a major public health problem in Latin America and of growing concern in the United States as the number of infected immigrants increases. There is currently no testing of U.S. blood products for T. cruzi infection, and the best tests available, although highly sensitive, are not of high enough specificity to be useful for widespread screening of the blood supply in this country. Among the parasite antigens detected by sera of infected humans and mice, those in the range of 24 to 26 kDa are particularly reactive. With an aim of developing a sensitive, specific, recombinant antigen-based serologic test for T. cruzi infection, we used two antibody reagents specific for these 24- to 26-kDa antigens to isolate cDNA clones from a T. cruzi expression library. One clone was found to encode a previously characterized T. cruzi antigen, a 24-kDa flagellar calcium-binding protein (FCaBP). Recombinant FCaBP was found to be a sensitive, specific reagent for distinguishing T. cruzi-infected individuals from uninfected persons, and it therefore could potentially be used for screening purposes, especially if combined with other recombinant T. cruzi antigens that have similarly high degrees of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.
Simulations for Urban Planning: Designing for Human Values

Sophisticated simulation systems such as UrbanSim model the long-term impacts of transportation and land-use alternatives. Accounting for human values throughout the design process helps in designing interactions that engage both planners and citizens in the decision-making process. Our future work includes further research on applying UrbanSim in real planning contexts and on developing tools to support citizen discussion and comment. All these efforts are part of an overall agenda: to better sup port informed public deliberation and democratic engagement in the urban planning process
Yields of hydrogen peroxide from the reaction of hydroxyl radical with organic compounds in solution and ice

Abstract. Hydrogen peroxide (HOOH) is a significant oxidant in atmospheric condensed phases (e.g., cloud and fog drops, aqueous particles, and snow) that also photolyzes to form hydroxyl radical ( • OH). • OH can react with organics in aqueous phases to form organic peroxyl radicals and ultimately reform HOOH, but the efficiency of this process in atmospheric aqueous phases, as well as snow and ice, is not well understood. We investigate HOOH formation from • OH attack on 10 environmentally relevant organic compounds: formaldehyde, formate, glycine, phenylalanine, benzoic acid, octanol, octanal, octanoic acid, octanedioic acid, and 2-butoxyethanol. Liquid and ice samples with and without nitrate (as an • OH source) were illuminated using simulated solar light, and HOOH formation rates were measured as a function of pH and temperature. For most compounds, the formation rate of HOOH without nitrate was the same as the background formation rate in blank water (i.e., illumination of the organic species does not produce HOOH directly), while formation rates with nitrate were greater than the water control (i.e., reaction of • OH with the organic species forms HOOH). Yields of HOOH, defined as the rate of HOOH production divided by the rate of • OH production, ranged from essentially zero (glycine) to 0.24 (octanal), with an average of 0.12 ± 0.05 (95 % CI). HOOH production rates and yields were higher at lower pH values. There was no temperature dependence of the HOOH yield for formaldehyde or octanedioic acid between −5 to 20 °C and ice samples had approximately the same HOOH yield as the aqueous solutions. In contrast, HOOH yields in formate solutions were higher at 5 and 10 °C compared to −5 and 20 °C. Yields of HOOH in ice for solutions containing nitrate and either phenylalanine, benzoate, octanal, or octanoic acid were indistinguishable from zero. Our HOOH yields were approximately half those found in previous studies conducted using γ-radiolysis, but this difference might be due to the much lower (and more environmentally relevant) • OH formation rates in our experiments.
Generation of random points uniformly distributed in hyperellipsoids

A precise and efficient algorithm for generating random points uniformly distributed in an arbitrary hyperellipsoid of dimension n is presented. Both the spherical coordinate and the Cartesian coordinate versions are given. Such random points are essential in the Monte Carlo method for numerical integration and in Monte Carlo simulations for the study and design of stochastic systems, especially in target tracking. The algorithm can also be used to generate random points uniformly distributed in a sector of a hyperellipsoid efficiently. >
ADDITIONS TO CANADIAN LISTS OF COLEOPTERA

My collections in this extensive family contain over ninety species, of which several are yet undetermined. The great similarity of the species in some genera and the variation in form and color of individuals in other groups render their determination difficult. Donacia pubescens Lec. This species is readily distinguished by the dense pubesence of thc upper surface, which in our other species is of metallic lustre. It was described from a specimen taken by Dr. Le Conte at Smoky Hill river, while on the W. Pac. Ry. survey between kansas and New Mexico in 1867, (Trans. Am. Ent. Soc. Vol. 11, pg. 55.) It has since been recorded from Michigan and Buffalo. Four or tive specimens taken by Mr. Fletcher in a small swamp near the city, in 1878.
Adiabatic localized correlation spectroscopy (AL-COSY): Application in muscle and brain†

Purpose: To describe an enhanced version of a localized correlation spectroscopy (L-COSY) by introducing adiabatic radiofrequency (RF) pulses for localization in two dimensions. Adiabatic pulses will improve slice selection profile and reduce chemical shift artifacts. Optimized Mao and adiabatic hyperbolic secant pulses are tested in vivo. Materials and Methods: Region of interest is localized by a 90° nonselective adiabatic RF pulse followed by two pairs of adiabatic RF pulses and a terminal 90° RF sinc pulse. Slice profiles for both refocusing pulses and chemical shift artifacts are measured in a water–oil phantom for L-COSY and AL-COSY. In vivo results of both COSY sequences are shown from muscle and brain on a 3 Tesla (T) scanner. Results: Chemical shift artifacts were reduced with AL-COSY compared with L-COSY. Slice profiles of adiabatic pulses were found to be sharper and more symmetrical than those of traditional Mao pulses. One-dimensional (1D) phantom studies showed longer T2 values using AL-COSY sequence. Comparison of 2D spectra obtained revealed spectroscopic peak volume improvements in AL-COSY and less residual water. In vivo 1D comparison showed more inphase and sharper peaks in AL-COSY spectrum. Conclusion: The AL-COSY sequence is an improved sequence due to sharper slice selection profiles, reduction of chemical shift artifacts, peak volume improvements in 2D techniques, and less J-modulation. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2011;33:1447–1455. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Microbiological effects of prior vancomycin use in patients with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia

BACKGROUND We sought to determine whether prior vancomycin use (within 30 days) in patients who develop methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteraemia is associated with isolates of reduced vancomycin susceptibility and killing in vitro. METHODS Thirty-eight MRSA from previously vancomycin-treated patients and 43 MRSA from vancomycin-naive patients were evaluated by vancomycin and daptomycin CLSI broth microdilution and killing assays. PCR was used to determine accessory gene regulator (agr) type and staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) type, and nucleotide sequencing was used to determine spa type. RESULTS Vancomycin MICs were 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/L for 19, 55 and 7 isolates, respectively. Daptomycin MICs were 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/L for 4, 50, 26 and 1 isolate, respectively. The agr-type distribution was agr group II (59%), group I (25%) and group III (16%); 90% harboured SCCmec II. The genetic background extrapolated by spa-typing showed that 58% of the isolates were of clonal complex 5. MRSA bloodstream isolates from patients who had received vancomycin within the preceding 30 days had a significantly decreased vancomycin killing at 24 h in vitro (median log(10) decrease, 3.1 versus 2.2 cfu/mL; P = 0.021) and a significantly higher vancomycin MIC than isolates obtained from patients without that history (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS MRSA bloodstream isolates from patients recently treated with vancomycin may demonstrate reduced susceptibility and increased tolerance to vancomycin in vitro. Given that such microbiological phenotypes have been associated with reduced vancomycin efficacy, consideration may be given to alternative Gram-positive antimicrobial therapy in patients who have recently been treated with vancomycin.
Surgery Versus Nonsurgical Treatment of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Randomized Trial

Background: Primary care management decisions for patients with symptomatic Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (LSS) remain a challenge and non-surgical guidance is limited by lack of evidence.
Screening Rhizobia for Nitrogen-Fixation Potential

The N2-fixation potential of several strains of pure cultures of Bradyrhizobium japonicum in symbiotic association with soybean (Glycine max) is compared. The linear relationship between shoot and nodule dry weights is determined by simple correlation analysis. The most effective strains from this experiment will be compared (in Chapter 21) in potted field soil.
Choosing linguistic connector word models for Mamdani fuzzy logic systems

We examine ten antecedent connector models in the framework of a singleton or non-singleton fuzzy logic system (FLS) to establish which models can be used. In this work a usable connector model must lead to a separable firing degree that is a closed-form and piecewise-differentiable function of the membership function (MF) parameters and also the parameter characterizing that connector model. The. multiplicative compensatory and model that uses the product t-norm and maximum t-conorm, /spl Phi//sub p//sup MCA/, is shown to be usable for both singleton and non-singleton Mamdani-product FLSs. We also show, by examples, that the parameter of /spl Phi//sub p//sup MCA/ provides additional freedom in adjusting a FLS, so that the FLS has the potential to achieve better performance than a FLS that uses the traditional product or minimum t-norm for the antecedent connections.
Fatigue from high- and low-frequency muscle stimulation: contractile and biochemical alterations

This study examined the effect of high- (75 Hz, 1 min) and low- (5 Hz, 1.5 min) frequency stimulation on contractile and biochemical properties of the diaphragm. Tension was reduced to 21 +/- 1 and 54 +/- 2% (SE) of the initial value after high- and low-frequency stimulation, respectively. After 0, 0.25, 1, and 2 min of recovery from high-frequency stimulation, 5 Hz elicited more force (expressed as % of initial tension) than 75-Hz stimulation. Time 0 recovery values were 21 +/- 1 and 78 +/- 6% of the initial force for 75- and 5-Hz stimulation, respectively. By 1 min of recovery, force elicited by 5-Hz stimulation had returned to the prefatigue value. In contrast, force production with 75-Hz stimulation did not full recover until 10-15 min. After fatigue produced by low-frequency stimulation, force production with 5-Hz stimulation was reduced to 54 +/- 2% of the initial tension, a value significantly lower than the 71 +/- 2% of initial force elicited by 75-Hz stimulation. Force production with 5-Hz stimulation increased rapidly in the first 15 s of recovery (54 +/- 2% at 0 and 70 +/- 2% at 15 s) and by 5 min was significantly greater than the force elicited by 75-Hz stimulation (100 +/- 3 vs. 93 +/- 1%). As before, force production at 75-Hz stimulation did not fully recover until 10-15 min. Both fatigue protocols produced a significant prolongation in isometric twitch contraction and one-half relaxation times. Creatine phosphate (CP) concentration was reduced and muscle lactate increased by both fatigue protocols.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)