cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increasing perceptions of self-worth in preadolescents diagnosed with ADHD.

Purpose: To test the effectiveness of a school-based, nurse-facilitated support group in increasing perceptions of scholastic competence, social acceptance, behavioral conduct, perceived athletic competence, perceived physical appearance, and perceived global self-worth in preadolescents diagnosed with attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Design: A quasi-experimental design with 65 preadolescents diagnosed with ADD or ADHD in an upper-middle class community in the United States. Methods: Participants randomly assigned to either the control or experimental group completed Harter's Self-Perception Profile for Children instrument at the beginning of the study and 4 weeks later. Students in the experimental condition participated in a school-nurse facilitated support group which met twice weekly for 4 weeks. Findings: Participants in the support group had increased scores on each of the six subscales, with significant increases on four of the subscales, including perceived social acceptance, perceived athletic competence, perceived physical appearance, and perceived global self-worth. Conclusion: Participation in a school-based, nurse-led support group was positively associated with perception of self-worth in preadolescents diagnosed with ADD or ADHD.
Time-slotting based upon an assumed log-normal distribution of sample work task times

The design and examination of time-slots using a concept originally proposed by Knott (1984) is considered with respect to work-task times having a log-normal distribution. Specific equations for this distribution are developed and a computer program to simplify calculations presented. The advantage of reducing the truncation levels so far as improving the precision and reducing the number of time-slots is demonstrated. In addition to this, the weakness of a previous, widely used, design algorithm is shown. The use of analytic and simulation approaches in evaluating time-slotting scales is explored.
Toward Local Failure Local Recovery Resilience Model using MPI-ULFM

The current system reaction to the loss of a single MPI process is to kill all the remaining processes and restart the application from the most recent checkpoint. This approach will become unfeasible for future extreme scale systems. We address this issue using an emerging resilient computing model called Local Failure Local Recovery (LFLR) that provides application developers with the ability to recover locally and continue application execution when a process is lost. We discuss the design of our software framework to enable the LFLR model using MPI-ULFM and demonstrate the resilient version of MiniFE that achieves a scalable recovery from process failures.
Understanding the Epidemic of Heart Failure: Past, Present, and Future

Heart failure (HF) is a major public health problem affecting more than five million Americans and more than 23 million patients worldwide. The epidemiology of HF is evolving. Data suggests that the incidence of HF peaked in the mid-1990s and has since declined. Survival after HF diagnosis has improved, leading to an increase in prevalence. The case mix is also changing, as a rising proportion of patients with HF have preserved ejection fraction and multimorbidity is increasingly common. After diagnosis, HF can have a profound associated morbidity. Hospitalizations in HF remain both frequent and costly, though they may be declining as a result of preventive efforts. The need for skilled nursing facility care in HF has risen. The role of palliative medicine in the care of patients with advanced HF is evolving as we learn how to best care for this population with a large symptom burden.
When the Department of Defense Writes the Rules: A History of Changes to Policy Instructions Governing the Stars and Stripes Newspaper

This study examines the original language and revisions to two Department of Defense policies governing the Stars and Stripes, a unique American newspaper serving overseas military members and families. At times, some of those changes have increased Pentagon oversight and stripped freedoms from the journalists or the newspaper, which is intended to provide reliable news and original reporting to the troops. Despite the newspaper’s journalistic successes, the review finds that regular independent oversight is needed to protect the editorial freedoms of the newspaper.
Straightening Coefficients in the Supersymmetric Letter-Place Algebra

Abstract We give a recursive formula for the straightening coefficients of bitableaux in the supersymmetric letter-place algebra of Grosshans, Rota, and Stein by analysing the properties of Capelli operators. This result generalizes a theorem of Rutherford which was further considered by Desarmenien and Clausen.
Processing characteristics of PET/PEN blends, part 1: Extrusion and transesterification reaction kinetics

Blends of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylate) (PET/PEN) have exhibited properties that are of commercial interest to the packaging industry. Melt processing of PET with PEN results in transesterification reactions. The blend properties are controlled by the kinetics of these reactions. The chemical kinetics equations have been modified to predict theoretical processing temperatures required for different blend compositions to achieve critical levels of transesterification. These values are found to be in close agreement with the experimentally observed values obtained for blends processed in a twin-screw extruder. The critical transesterification temperature is dependent on the equilibrium melting point of the miscible blend and the nature of the PET and PEN resins used for preparing the blend. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 22: 137–146, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.10044
Individual Distinctiveness in Brown Bears, Ursus arctos L

Individual brown bears, Ursus arctos, behave differently from each other. Consistent behavioural differences suggest that each bear has its own distinct personality. On Admiralty Island in south-eastern Alaska, we collected longitudinal data during three years of summer salmon runs on seven individual brown bears that could be recognized from year to year. Bears fed on vegetation and on salmon along a tidal creek. Ratings of individual bears by observers on different aspects of behaviour, comparisons of behavioural frequencies, and long-term observations of individual activities served to assess personality differences. Individual bears varied in five ways : 1. Some bears were lively, animated and playful in social situations and during solitary activities such as travelling or fishing. Other bears' movements and general demeanour seemed dull and humourless ; 2. Some bears were irascible, others socially uninvolved and unreactive ; 3. Some bears were expert at fishing but others fished ineptly ; 4. Some bears were confident with other bears but others lacked confidence in social situations ; 5. Some bears were often active and alert. Others rested more frequently and for prolonged periods.
The New World whirligig beetles of the genus Dineutus Macleay, 1825 (Coleoptera, Gyrinidae, Gyrininae, Dineutini)

All New World members of the whirligig beetle genus Dineutus Macleay, 1825 are treated. The New World Dineutus are found to be composed of 18 species and 6 subspecies: one species, Dineutus mexicanus Ochs, 1925, stat. n. is elevated from subspecies to species rank, and the subspecies Dineutus carolinus mutchleri Ochs, 1925, syn. n. is synonymized here with the typical form. Lectotypes are designated for Dineutus discolor Aube, 1838, Dineutes metallicus Aube, 1838, Dineutus solitarius Aube, 1838, Dineutes analis Regimbart, 1883, and Gyrinus longimanus Olivier, 1795. Each taxonomic unit is provided with a taxonomic history, type locality, diagnosis, distribution, habitat information, and a discussion section. The aedeagus and male mesotarsal claws are illustrated, and dorsal and ventral habitus images of both sexes, for each species and subspecies are provided. General distribution maps are provided for all taxonimc units. A key to the genera of New World Gyrinidae, as well as all the New World Dineutus species is provided. General Dineutus anatomy as well as a clarification of homology and anatomical terms is included.
Detection and Characterization of a Transport System Mediating Cysteamine Entry into Human Fibroblast Lysosomes SPECIFICITY FOR AMINOETHYLTHIOL AND AMINOETHYLSULFIDE DERIVATIVES

The uptake of [3H]cysteamine by Percoll-purified human fibroblast lysosomes was investigated to determine whether lysosomes contain a transport system recognizing cysteamine. Lysosomal cysteamine uptake is a Na(+)-independent process which rapidly attains a steady state within 1 min at pH 7.0 and 37 degrees C. A biphasic Arrhenius plot is observed for cysteamine uptake, giving a Q10 of 2.2 from 17 to 26 degrees C and a Q10 of 1.2 from 27 to 35 degrees C. The rate of lysosomal cysteamine uptake is maximal at pH 8.2, half-maximal at pH 6.8, and declines approximately 50-fold from the maximum to show very little transport at pH 5.0. Cysteamine uptake into fibroblast lysosomes displays complete saturability with a Km of 0.88 mM and Vmax of 1410 pmol of beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase/min at pH 7.0 and 37 degrees C. Analog inhibition studies demonstrated that all analogs recognized thus far by the cysteamine carrier are either aminothiols or aminosulfides and contain an amino group and sulfur atom separated by a carbon chain, 2 carbon atoms in length. The Ki constants for these analogs as competitive inhibitors of lysosomal cysteamine uptake are 2-(ethylthio)ethylamine (0.64 mM), 1-amino-2-methyl-2-propanethiol (0.74 mM), 2-dimethylaminoethanethiol (0.87 mM), thiocholine (1.6 mM), and bis(2-aminoethyl)sulfide (4.9 mM). L-Cysteine, D-penicillamine, and analogs lacking either a sulfur atom or amino group are not recognized by the cysteamine carrier including ethanolamine, choline, taurine, beta-mercaptoethanol, ethylenediamine, cadaverine, spermine, spermidine, histamine, dopamine, and 3-hydroxytyramine. In a cystine-depletion assay, a 2-h exposure of cystinotic fibroblasts to 1 mM 1-amino-2-methyl-2-propanethiol lowers cell cystine levels to the same low level obtained with cysteamine. Thus, all four aminothiols, known to deplete cystinotic fibroblasts of their accumulated cystine, are recognized as substrates by the lysosomal cysteamine carrier, suggesting the importance of this transporter in the delivery of aminothiols to the lysosomal compartment.
Intracellular trafficking of fluorescently tagged proteins associated with pathogenesis in Candida albicans

Proteins that enter the secretory pathway play important roles in virulence and pathogenesis in Candida albicans, but our understanding of the trafficking of these proteins is in its early stages. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, dominant negative alleles of YPT1 and SEC4 interrupt secretory traffic at pre- and post-Golgi steps, respectively. We therefore used a dominant negative genetic approach to examine the intracellular trafficking of several proteins associated with virulence or azole resistance. When the dominant negative ypt1(N121I) allele of C. albicans was overexpressed, yellow-fluorescent protein (YFP) tagged forms of two plasma membrane transporters (Cdr1p and Ftr1p) and the vacuolar membrane ABC transporter Mlt1p accumulated in intracellular structures that appeared related to the ER, but localization of Cdc10p and Int1p was unaffected. When the dominant negative sec4(S28N) allele of C. albicans was overexpressed, Cdr1p and Ftr1p accumulated intracellularly, and localization of Mlt1p, Cdc10p and Int1p was unaffected. These results imply that (i) Cdr1p and Ftr1p are transported to the plasma membrane by the general secretory pathway, (ii) Mlt1p enters the secretory pathway but is diverted to the vacuole at an early post-Golgi step, and (iii) like Cdc10p, Int1p does not enter the general secretory pathway.
Improving In-memory Column-Store Database Predicate Evaluation Performance on Multi-core Systems

The ability to analyze a large volume of data for the purpose of business intelligence has led to various innovations in database technology. One example is the increased interest of using column-oriented data layout to address query performance in analytical and warehousing workloads. As system architectures move towards multi-core designs, it is important to address optimizing performance for these workloads on these platforms. In this paper we present SPHINX, an architecture that utilizes multi-core systems for search-based predicate evaluation operations in analytical query workloads against in-memory column store. We discuss the natural parallelism of predicate evaluations and various bottlenecks that impact search performance. We present several performance improvement techniques and apply a scan sharing technique based on cache reuse efficiency to further improve the performance. We demonstrate the performance benefits of our scan sharing scheduler over other scheduling approaches in a workload of mixed search queries.
The expanding definition of disease and health in community medicine.

Abstract In the past few decades there has been a rapid growth of the subject areas treated by departments of medical schools which once bore the title of preventive medicine and/or public health. With this expansion has come a plethora of new names, social medicine, community medicine, community health, etc. and a good bit of confusion about the domain and function of these “new disciplines”. If we claim that these are really new subspecialties and not just new banners to make the old somewhat unglamorous discipline of preventive medicine more attractive to a new activist generation of medical students, then it seems encumbent upon us to define more precisely what these new specialties are and how they differ from the old.
Application and further development of advanced image processing algorithms for automated analysis of serial section image data

Several automated algorithms are presented for the segmentation of features of interest from microstructure images acquired with modern high-throughput electron microscopes. Specifically, the maximization of posterior marginals (MPM) segmentation technique, originally developed for computer vision applications, is applied towards automated segmentation of microstructural images from Ti- and Ni-alloy systems. The MPM technique classifies image pixels according to the most probable class to which they can belong. Three derivatives of the MPM algorithm are introduced and assessed: expectation maximization MPM (EM/MPM), EM/MPM with simulated annealing (EM/MPM/SA) and vector EM/MPM/SA. Example applications of all three approaches are given. The EM/MPM model allows for automated segmentation of α laths in a Ti-6242 sample and primary γ' in an IN100 superalloy, but has difficulty accurately locating the boundaries between regions. The EM/MPM/SA algorithm involves a gradual increase in the interface capillarity during segmentation and allows for pixel accuracy determination of boundaries between phases. The vector EM/MPM/SA method is capable of simultaneously segmenting a series of images acquired with differing imaging conditions. The limitations of the algorithms are discussed as well as potential future modifications.
Effect of facility variation on the acoustic characteristics of three single stream nozzles

The characteristics of the jet noise produced by three single stream nozzles were investigated statistically at the NASA-Lewis Research Center outdoor jet acoustic facility. The nozzles consisted of a 7.6 cm diameter convergent conical, a 10.2 cm diameter convergent conical and an 8-lobe daisy nozzle with 7.6 cm equivalent diameter flow area. The same nozzles were tested previously at cold flow conditions in other facilities such as the Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE) 7.3 m acoustic wind tunnel. The acoustic experiments at NASA covered pressure ratios from 1.4 to 2.5 at total temperatures of 811 K and ambient. The data obtained with four different microphone arrays are compared. The results are also compared with data taken at the RAE facility and with a NASA prediction procedure.
Effects of various elements on arsenic accumulation of the alga Dunaliella salina

The effect of 23 various elements (nitrogen, manganese, magnesium, molybdenum, zinc, selenium, gallium, nickel, cobalt, lithium, strontium, vanadium, tin, antimony, bismuth, cadmium, chromium, lead, iron, silver, copper, potassium and calcium) in water on growth and arsenic accumulation in Dunaliella saline was investigated. The order of growth inhibition of D. salina by these elements was Ag>Cd>Co>Ni>Cu>Zn>Fe>Sb>Ga>Cr>Bi>Sr>Mn>Sn>Se>Pb>V>Ca, Mg, Mo, K, Li. Arsenic accumulation in D. salina was unaffected by an increase in calcium and chromium. Also, the arsenic content in D. salina decreased at a potassium concentration of 100 mg dm−3, and was also reduced by the addition of cadmium and nitrogen; however, it was increased by the addition of lithium at 100 mg dm−3, tin, gallium, bismuth, strontium, vanadium, iron and manganese at 10 mg md−3, lead, antimony, zinc, copper cobalt and nickel at 1 mg dm−3, selenium at 0.1 mg dm−3, and silver at 0.005 mg dm−3, respectively. These results imply that arsenic accumulation by D. salina depends upon biological activity and physical adsorption.
Evaluation of thermal rates for reactions with intermediate wells: Removal of bound state contributions to quantum flux correlation functions

We consider the calculation of rates of chemical reactions that have bound intermediate states (i.e., wells along the reaction path) using flux correlation function methods. When time‐dependent wave packets are used to evaluate the propagator matrix elements, and the dividing surface is located at a point where bound states have nonzero probability density, the standard expression for the flux correlation function shows infinitely long lived oscillations due to these bound states, making the evaluation of rate constants numerically ill‐behaved. However, if the bound part of the initial wave packet is projected out, the resulting continuum‐only propagators produce rapidly decaying correlation functions, and numerically well‐behaved rate constants. We illustrate this projection operator approach by considering a one‐dimensional reaction path model in which the potential is taken to be an Eckart well, and the dividing surface is located at the minimum. In another application, we consider a two degree of freedom model of H2 dissociative chemisorption on a rigid metal surface. This application is sufficiently complex that it is impractical to calculate the chemisorption rate using conventional flux correlation function methods, but with the projected wavepacket approach, the problem is made relatively easy. We also consider a second approach to the treatment of bound states in which the flux correlation function is altered to remove implicitly the bound state contributions to the propagator at long times. This second expression can be used with the full propagator, eliminating the need to construct and project explicitly the bound states. This should be advantageous when many bound states are present.
Technetium stannous pyrophosphate myocardial scintigrams in the recognition of myocardial infarction in patients undergoing coronary artery revascularization.

Abstract Myocardial imaging using technetium 99m stannous pyrophosphate ( 99m Tc-PYP) has been utilized preoperatively and three to five days postoperatively to detect myocardial infarction in 48 patients undergoing aortocoronary bypass grafting, including 7 having valve replacement (5 aortic, 2 mitral) in addition to revascularization. In the total group of patients operated on there were 3 deaths (6%). Preoperatively, 26 patients had unstable angina and 10 had severe left main coronary artery disease. Eleven of the 48 (23%) were women. ECG and enzyme-proved infarctions occurred in 6 of the 48 patients (12%), but the addition of 99m Tc-PYP myocardial imaging demonstrated scintigraphic evidence of infarction in 15 patients (31%), including 2 who died in the operating room. The 99m Tc-PYP myocardial imaging technique, which has proved safe, simple, and relatively inexpensive in these patients, suggests that the incidence of infarction after coronary bypass operations is somewhat higher than has been previously recognized from just ECG and enzyme changes. This technique also has been of value in helping to exclude myocardial infarction in difficult clinical situations such as postoperative arrhythmias and the post-pericardiotomy syndrome.
Floral Host Plants of Syrphidae and Tachinidae (Diptera) of Central Illinois

We tabulated plant species that served as floral hosts of adult Syrphidae and Tachinidae (Diptera) as reported by C. Robertson in his 33-yr data set of flower-visiting insects of central Illinois. Of the 186 fly species he recorded, most were visiting species of the Asteraceae and Apiaceae. The most preferred plant species were the asteraceous Aster pilosus Willdenow and Heracleum maximum Bartram and the umbellifer Pastinaca sativa L. The most frequently recorded fly species were three syrphids: the aphidophagous Toxomerus marginatus (Say) and Sphaerophoria contiqua Macquart and the detritivorous Syritta pipiens (L.). Most fly species evidently visited only a few plant species. These findings may have important implications for research in pollination ecology and insect behavior and for use of fly species as agents of conservation biological control.
Near-Infrared Luminescence of Cadmium Pigments: In Situ Identification and Mapping in Paintings

A comprehensive study of the luminescence properties of cadmium pigments was undertaken to determine whether these properties could be used for in situ identification and mapping of the pigments in paintings. Cadmium pigments are semiconductors that show band edge luminescence in the visible range and deep trap luminescence in the red/infrared range. Emission maxima, quantum yields, and excitation spectra from the band edge and deep trap emissions were studied for sixty commercial cadmium pigments that span the color range from yellow to red (reflectance transition 470 to 660 nm). For paints containing cadmium pigments, luminescence from deep traps was more readily observable than that from the band edge, although the yield varied widely from zero to around 4.5%. Optimal excitation for emission is found to be in the visible for both pigments in powder form and mixed with a medium. The maxima of the deep trap emission shift with the band gap energy, providing a potentially useful way to assign pigment type even when used in pigment mixtures. The usefulness of the results of the study on mockups was demonstrated by the mapping of cadmium pigments of different hues with the aid of calibrated luminescence imaging spectroscopy in a painting by Edward Steichen, entitled Study for 'Le Tournesol' (1920). Analysis of the luminescence image cube reveals at least six unique spectral components, associated with emission from white pigments, paint binder, and cadmium red and yellow pigments. The results were compared with those from X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) and fiber-optic reflection spectroscopy (FORS) and the results obtained on paint samples containing cadmium pigments. These results show that, when present, the emission from traps can be used as an analytical tool to identify cadmium pigments, to distinguish among cadmium sulfide, cadmium zinc sulfide, and cadmium sulfoselenide, and to map cadmium pigments, even in mixtures.
An approach to autonomous, onboard orbit determination

An orbit determination subsystem that will operate as an integral part of an autonomous, onboard navigation system is presented and analyzed. The navigation system is required to interface solely with the downlink telemetry stream and uplink command stream of an existing class of geostationary satellites. In particular, the orbit will be determined from a set of onboard sensors, which previously were used only for attitude determination. The design of the orbit determination subsystem is described in detail. The rationale behind the choice of each component of the design is given. Finally, the performance of the orbit determination subsystem, under a variety of assumptions, is determined by a combination of numerical simulation and analytical methods.
An evidence-based causal model of panic disorder

Abstract Recently, Fava and Morton (2009) described what they termed a ‘causal model’ of panic disorder (Causal modeling of panic disorder theories, Clinical Psychology Review, 29 , 623–637). We examined several critical tenets of this proposed model, and offer significant revisions. Our revised causal model includes elements that have received empirical support, and exclude those with known limitations in explaining the etiology and treatment of panic disorder. Chief among these revisions are (1) an increased emphasis on anxiety sensitivity, (2) elimination of the more general psychodynamic conceptualization in favor of empirically supported findings regarding early attachment, and (3) placing biological and psychophysiological reactions as outcomes of false alarm threat, rather than causal mechanisms of panic.
The abundance of CH3D in the atmosphere of Titan, derived from 8- to 14-μm thermal emission

The 8.6-micron emission feature of Titan's infrared spectrum was analyzed using the Voyager temperature-pressure profile. Although both C3H8 and CH3D have bands at that wavelength, it is shown that CH3D dominates the observed emission on Titan. A CH3D/CH4 mixing ratio is derived using this band and the strong CH4 band at 7.7 microns. The corresponding D/H ratio is 4.2(+2 -1.5) x 10 to the -4th, neglecting deuterium fractionation with other molecules. The main uncertainty in this value comes from the continuum emission characteristics. The D/H ratio is apparently significantly enhanced on Titan with respect to published values for Saturn.
Combining altimetric height with broadscale profile data to estimate steric height, heat storage, subsurface temperature, and sea-surface temperature variability

[1] A new technique is demonstrated for combining altimetric height (AH) and sea-surface temperature (SST) with in situ data to produce improved estimates of 0/800 m steric height (SH), heat content, and temperature variability. The technique uses a linear regression onto AH to construct an initial guess for the subsurface quantity. This guess is then corrected toward the in situ data creating an estimate with substantially less error than could be achieved using either data set alone. Inclusion of the SST data further improves the estimates and illustrates how the procedure can be generalized to allow inclusion of additional data sets. The technique is demonstrated over a region in the southwestern Pacific enclosing the Tasman Sea. Nine-year time series of heat storage and temperature variability, averaged over 4° latitude and longitude and 1 year in time, are calculated. The estimates have RMS errors of approximately 4.6 W/m2 in heat storage, 0.10°C in subsurface temperature and 0.11°C in surface temperature, and fractional errors of 20, 28, and 18%, respectively, relative to the total variance overall spatial and temporal scales considered. These represent significant improvements over previous estimates of these quantities. All the time series show strong interannual variability including the El Nino event of 1997. Application of these techniques on a global scale could provide new insight into the variability of the general circulation and heat budget of the upper ocean.
MicroRNA Sequence Profiles of Human Kidney Allografts With or Without Tubulointerstitial Fibrosis

Background MicroRNA (miRNA) alterations accompanying interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA) in kidney allografts may point toward pathologic mechanisms. Small-RNA sequencing provides information on total miRNA abundance and specific miRNA expression, and allows analysis of differential expression based on read counts.
Photoionization mass spectrometric studies and modeling of fuel-rich allene and propyne flames.

Abstract Flame-sampling photoionization mass spectrometry is used for measurements of the absolute molar composition of fuel-rich ( ϕ = 1.8) low-pressure laminar flames of allene and propyne. The experiment combines molecular-beam mass spectrometry with photoionization by tunable vacuum–ultraviolet synchrotron radiation. This approach provides selective detection of individual isomers and unambiguous identifications of other flame species of near-equal mass by near threshold photoionization efficiency measurements. Mole fraction profiles for more than 30 flame species with ion masses ranging from 2 to 78 are presented. The isomeric composition is resolved for most intermediates, for example, mole fraction profiles are presented for both benzene and the fulvene isomer. The results are compared with predictions based on current kinetic models. The mole fractions of the major species are predicted quite accurately, however, some discrepancies are observed for minor species.
Markov random field model for 3D left-ventricular motion estimation from tagged MRI

Magnetic resonance tagging is a technique for measuring heart deformations through creation of a stripe grid pattern on cardiac images. Typically, sets of tag surfaces are encoded in the tissue appearing as dark lines on 2D images. In this paper, we present a Maximum A Posteriori (MAP) framework for detecting tag lines using a Markov random field defined on the lattice generated by uniform sampling of B-spline models in 3D and 4D. In the 3D case, MAP estimation is cast for finding the optimal solid for the tag features present in the current image set given an initial solid from the previous frame. The method also allows the parameters of the solid model including the number of knots and the spline order to be adjusted within the same framework. Fitting can start with a solid with less knots and lower spline order, and proceed to one with more knots and/or higher order so as to achieve more accuracy. The optimal solids obtained from 3D tracking for all the frames in the image sequence are considered a 4D B-spline model with linear time interpolation. The framework is then applied to arrive at a 4D B-spline model with higher order time interpolation. The method has been validated with 5 sets of in-vivo data, comprised of a sum total of 882 short-axis (SA) and long-axis (LA) images.
Examination of adolescents' screen time and physical fitness as independent correlates of weight status and blood pressure.

Abstract Physical fitness performance is an important health correlate yet is often unrelated to sedentary behaviour in early adolescence. In this study, we examined the association of sedentary behaviour (i.e. screen time) with weight-related health markers and blood pressure, after controlling for cardiorespiratory fitness performance. American middle school students (N = 153, 56% females) aged 11–15 years (mean 12.6 years, s = 0.5) completed assessments of cardiorespiratory fitness performance, screen time, weight status (BMI percentile, waist-to-height ratio), and blood pressure. Multivariate analysis of covariance, controlling for cardiorespiratory fitness performance, found those who met the daily recommendation of 2 h or less of screen time (n = 36, 23.5%) had significantly lower BMI (p < 0.05) and systolic blood pressure (p < 0.01) compared with those who exceeded this recommendation. Findings suggest specific intervention programmes may be designed to target both cardiorespiratory fitness and sed...
Web-Based Course in Neuroimmune Pharmacology

Web-based instruction of biomedical sciences courses has increased dramatically during the last decade, and this increase has been driven by the need to increase student access to educational programs and by the increasing demand for courses that are compatible with distance learning. Here, a blended learning curriculum in neuroimmune pharmacology is described that combines web-based learning modules with traditional face-to-face lectures. The course content is appropriate for graduate-level students and can be adapted to an entirely web-based course that can be deployed for distance learning. In addition to providing a course syllabus, this article describes the process of creating the web-based modules for course construction.
Single-crystal neutron diffraction: a valuable tool for probing bond activation in transition metal σ complexes

Transition metal σ complexes are ubiquitous intermediates in metal-catalyzed reactions, including hydrogenations, activation and functionalization reactions of hydrocarbons, and hydroborations. For over 20 years, single-crystal neutron diffraction has been exploited to investigate bond activation in these systems. Topics investigated include H–H activation in H 2 complexes, C–H activation in agostic systems and, most recently, B–H activation in a catecholborane metal complex. These results are illustrated here drawing upon studies carried out at both pulsed neutron sources and steady-state reactors. Despite notable successes such as those that we highlight, however, single-crystal neutron diffraction has seen somewhat limited application here to date primarily due to the need for large crystals. Revolutionary improvements are anticipated with the advent of a new generation of sources including the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) that is scheduled to become operational at Oak Ridge, TN in 2006. At the SNS, it will be possible to work with crystals approaching the size commonly used in X-ray studies employing laboratory sources and to greatly expand the range of materials that are open to investigation.
Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Enhance Healing of Mandibular Defects in the Ramus of Swine

Purpose This study investigated the effect of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) injected locally or systemically on the bone regeneration of a 10-mm-diameter cylindrical noncritical-size defect in the ramus of the pig mandible. Materials and Methods Fifteen Yorkshire pigs, weighing 60 to 80 kg, received bilateral 10-mm-diameter cylindrical surgical defects in each ramus of the mandible. Pigs received 1) a direct injection into the defect of 2.5 million carboxy-fluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester-labeled ASCs from 1 of 2 pig donors (n = 6); 2) an ear vein injection of 5 million carboxy-fluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester-labeled ASCs from 1 of 2 pig donors (n = 6); or 3) an ear vein injection of culture Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium without stem cells (control; n = 3). Pigs from each treatment were sacrificed at 1 hour, 2 weeks, or 4 weeks after surgery. Healing of the defect was evaluated by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, micro-computed tomography, fluorescent microscopy, and histology. Results Bone healing was accelerated in the ASC-injected treatment groups at 2 and 4 weeks after surgery compared with the control pigs. Conclusions Results from this animal model provide evidence that the injection of ASC locally into a bone defect or systemically can accelerate the healing of bone.
Pictorial and Verbal Tools for Conveying Routes

Traditionally, depictions and descriptions have been seen as complementary; depictions have been preferred to convey iconic or metaphorically iconic information whereas descriptions have been preferred for abstract information. Both are external representations designed to complement human memory and information processing. We have found the same underlying structure and semantics for route maps and route directions. Here we find that limited schematic map and direction toolkits are sufficient for constructing directions, supporting the possibility of automatic translation between them.
Microcomputer-based real-time bearing monitor

A new approach to real-time monitoring of bearing operational conditions has been developed. An effective approach is to measure the real-time load and temperature fluctuations inside the bearing environment against any potential danger of overloading and/or overheating. The design, testing and implementation of the measuring electronics are presented, which forms the key part of the development of sensor-integrated smart bearings. Laboratory experiments illustrate the feasibility of the developed circuitry and verify that high fidelity wireless data transmission can be obtained using this method. >
Evolutionary approach to quantum symbolic logic synthesis

In this paper we present an evolutionary approach to the quantum symbolic logic synthesis. We use a genetic algorithm to synthesize quantum circuits from examples, allowing to synthesize functions that are both completely and incompletely specified. The symbolic synthesis is implemented in the GA so as to verify our approach. The Occam Razor principle, fundamental to inductive learning as well as to logic synthesis, is satisfied in this approach by seeking circuits of reduced complexity. The GA is tested on a set of benchmark functions representing single output quantum circuits as well as multiple entangled-qubit state generators.
Aldosterone breakthrough during angiotensin receptor blocker use: more questions than answers?

There is an unmet need for understanding the pathogenesis of progressive cardiac and kidney disease, calling for improved diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive strategies in CKD. Clinical trials have demonstrated the cardiovascular and renal benefits of using renin-angiotensin system (RAS)
Construal Level Theory and Spatial Distance Implications for Mental Representation, Judgment, and Behavior

Growing evidence points to a bidirectional relationship between spatial distance and level of mental representation, whereby distant (vs. near) events are represented by a higher level of representation, and higher levels of representations increase perceptions of distance. In the current article, we review research that establishes this association and explores its implications. We begin by briefly describing construal level theory, the theoretical framework that gives rise to this associative prediction, and then review a set of theory-consistent findings that serve to illuminate the way that spatial distance influences cognition and behavior and the way in which people make judgments about spatial distance. Finally, we discuss open questions for future research on spatial distance using a construal level theory approach.
New research in breast reconstruction: Adipose tissue engineering

In the human species, a major function of the breast is aesthetic. The soft-tissue volume within the breast displaces the overlying skin to create the protuberant contour of the female thorax, that is solidly associated with, and to some extent, definitive of, femininity in modern culture. Adipose tissue is the major contributor to the volume of the breast.
Modification of gene expression and virulence traits in Streptococcus mutans in response to carbohydrate availability.

The genetic and phenotypic responses of Streptococcus mutans, an organism that is strongly associated with the development of dental caries, to changes in carbohydrate availability were investigated. S. mutans UA159 or a derivative of UA159 lacking ManL, which is the EIIAB component (EIIABMan) of a glucose/mannose permease of the phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS) and a dominant effector of catabolite repression, was grown in continuous culture to steady state under conditions of excess (100 mM) or limiting (10 mM) glucose. Microarrays using RNA from S. mutans UA159 revealed that 174 genes were differentially expressed in response to changes in carbohydrate availability (P < 0.001). Glucose-limited cells possessed higher PTS activity, could acidify the environment more rapidly and to a greater extent, and produced more ManL protein than cultures grown with excess glucose. Loss of ManL adversely affected carbohydrate transport and acid tolerance. Comparison of the histidine protein (HPr) in S. mutans UA159 and the manL deletion strain indicated that the differences in the behaviors of the strains were not due to major differences in HPr pools or HPr phosphorylation status. Therefore, carbohydrate availability alone can dramatically influence the expression of physiologic and biochemical pathways that contribute directly to the virulence of S. mutans, and ManL has a profound influence on this behavior.
CROWDFUNDING CREATIVE IDEAS: THE DYNAMICS OF PROJECT BACKERS IN KICKSTARTER

Entrepreneurs are turning to crowdfunding as a way to finance their creative ideas. Crowdfunding involves relatively small contributions of many consumer-investors over a fixed time limit (generally a few weeks). In online crowdfunding communities, potential donors can see the level of support from other project backers as well as its timing before making their own funding decisions, suggesting that social information (i.e., others’ funding decisions) will play an important role in the ultimate success of a project. Two years of publicly available panel data on successfully and unsuccessfully funded projects listed on Kickstarter is used to empirically study the role of social information in the dynamic behavior of project backers. Building off the well-established social psychology theory around diffusion of responsibility effects, we show that additional backer support is negatively related to its past backer support. Many potential backers do not contribute to a project that has already received a lot of support because they assume that others will provide the necessary funding. Consistent with the deadline effect widely observed in bargaining and online auctions, we also show that the diffusion of responsibility effects diminish as the project funding cycle approaches its closing date. Moreover, as the project deadline draws near we find that project updates tend to increase as the project creators make a final plea for help to reach their funding goal. Reduced diffusion of responsibility effects, together with the positive influence of project updates, lead to generally increasing project support in the final stages of funding. This is particularly the case for projects that successfully achieve their goals as they are more likely to have an update in the last weeks of funding and generate more excitement from recent backers than projects that fall short.
Metallothionein and HSP-72 are induced in the liver by hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation but not by shock alone.

Background. Previous reports have indicated that HSP-72 and metallothionein mRNA undergo induction in the liver after resuscitated hemorrhagic shock. In this study we investigated whether unresuscitated shock triggers induction and whether protein induction also occurs. Methods. Rats were subjected to resuscitated and unresuscitated shock protocols of varying severity; livers were isolated and processed for Northern, Western, and immunohistochemical analysis. Cadmium binding assay was used to measure metallothionein protein. Results. Unresuscitated shock led to no induction of HSP-72 or metallothionein. Severe resuscitated shock led to prompt induction of HSP-72 mRNA and protein in hepatocytes, up to 20-fold over sham group; metallothionein mRNA induction appeared later than HSP-72 and did not lead to elevated protein levels. Mild resuscitated shock had little effect. Conclusions. These findings indicate resuscitated severe shock, not shock alone, leads to induction of HSP-72 and metallothionein in the liver. Metallothionein expression lags behind HSP-72 expression.
Optimal signaling for detection in doubly dispersive multipath

In this paper, we revisit the problem of signal detection in multipath scattering. Specifically, we explore the effect of bandwidth and signaling duration on non-coherent signal detection in doubly dispersive non-uniform multipath scattering environments. In such environments, we conjecture that detection performance is optimized if two conditions are met: C1) the number of independent degrees of freedom induced by the transmit signal on the channel is approximately SNR/2, and C2) the variance of the channel coefficients (each corresponding to a degree of freedom) is equal. In uniform multipath, the second condition is inherent. In non-uniform scattering, the variance of the channel coefficients depends on the transmit signal which critically impacts detection performance. As such, non-uniform doubly selective channels afford us an additional design parameter; we can design packets for detection of a specific aspect ratio, the ratio of bandwidth to signaling duration. If our packets meet the two criteria above, numerical and analytical results indicate detection performance is maximized. When the above conditions cannot be met, we present an algorithm for finding the signaling duration and bandwidth that maximize detection performance.
Inequality in the Delivery of Urban Services: A Reconsideration of the Chicago Parks

The literature on urban services delivery supports the conclusion that the distribution of services is a function of bureaucratic norms and professionalism, and is largely impervious to political forces. A recent study (Mladenka, 1980) of the distribution of park facilities in Chicago showed essentially no relationship to city politics, in terms of race. Some feel that this study provides the evidence necessary to finalize the conclusion that the distribution of urban services is independent from political considerations. In this paper, we reexamine the Chicago Parks case study. First, it is shown that using a similar research design it is possible to replicate the 1980 findings. Next, it is shown that the results are equally attributable to exogenous variables which were not considered in the earlier study, and which have generally been overlooked in research on this subject. Finally, a regression model is estimated to test several competing explanations of urban services distribution. The results show t...
Incidence of thrombus formation on the CardioSEAL and the Amplatzer interatrial closure devices

Transcatheter closure for atrial septal defect (ASD) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a promising alternative to surgical closure or anticoagulant therapy. A potential complication is thrombus formation on the device after implantation. From February 2001 to June 2003, 66 patients with atrial communication were treated successfully with the Amplatzer device (16 septal and 20 PFO occluders) or the CardioSEAL device (30). Patients were discharged on antiplatelet medication (aspirin and clopidogrel) and/or anticoagulation. Fifty patients (76%) had transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) 1 month after device implantation (28 +/- 10 days). No patient experienced a thromboembolic episode during follow-up. TEE revealed that thrombus formation occurred more frequently on the CardioSEAL device (5 of 23 patients; 22%) than on the Amplatzer device (0 of 27 patients; 0%) (p = 0.02). Although thrombus disappeared or markedly diminished after additional anticoagulation therapy in 3 patients, 1 patient had surgical explantation of the device due to progressive increase in the size of thrombus with hypermobility despite intensive anticoagulation therapy. There was no variable associated with the presence of thrombus formation on the occluder other than the use of the CardioSEAL device. One month after insertion, the CardioSEAL device is more likely to have thrombus present than the Amplatzer device.