cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
People Strategy in Human Resources: Lessons for Mentoring in Higher Education

In this article, I offer the notion of alignment, a human resources framework, as a conceptual tool for better informing the development of mentoring programming and policy in higher education. Alignment accounts for both individual and organizational factors as means for providing the necessary connections among human resources and organizational policies and outcomes. The three types of alignment: Vertical (connection between people strategy and business goals), horizontal (connection among individual HR policy areas), and implementation (the degree to which action is taken to put the people strategy into effect) have the potential to improve the efficacy of mentorships, the contextual factors that influences them, and the intended outcomes of these relationships.
Transport of Vitamin E Across The Perfused Placenta Studies Using Deuterolabeled Tocopherols

Abstract LEARNING OUTCOME: To examine vitamin E transport across the placenta using perfused, human placentas. Vitamin E sufficiency has been an on-going concern in premature and term infants. Transfer of vitamin E across the human placenta has only been examined in evaluating cord blood following parturition and in animal models using a single cotyledon. With the modification of an animal organ perfusion chamber, intact human placentas (obtained after birth) were used to examine the transport of synthetic and naturally occurring α-tocopherols. Deutero-labeled vitamin E (150 mg) was administered to one female volunteer in the form of a 1:1 mixture of d3-RRR- (natural) and d6-all-rac-α-tocopheryl (synthetic) acetates for a two week period followed by withdrawing a unit of whole blood. Plasma was expressed for separation into lipoprotein components (chylomicrons, VLDL, LDL, HDL) containing the labeled vitamin E compounds. Following cannulation of the fetal artery and vein, placentas were perfused for two hours from both the maternal and fetal sides of the placenta. Labeled lipoproteins were administered separately (n=8) to the maternal reservoir in a Krebs-Ringer solution containing antipyrine and inulin. Examining the eluant from the fetal side by gas chromatography / mass spectrometry, it was determined that d3-RRR-α-tocopherol was the preferred compound for transport from the maternal to the fetal side. HDL and LDL fractions transported greater amounts of vitamin E than did chylomicrons or VLDL fractions. Although more placental perfusion studies need to be preformed to detail the mechanism of transplacental transport of vitamin E, the RRR stereoisomer is preferentially transported and is the isomer of choice by the placenta. This finding is important because synthetic vitamin E is the predominant source used in prenatal vitamin preparations.
On the accurate detection and enhancement of oceanic features observed in satellite data

Abstract Various methods to accurately and efficiently compute gradients, detect edges, and enhance features in satellite data are presented. Error rate criteria and spatial localization criteria are used to statistically evaluate the performance of these methods for both noise-free and noise-contaminated images. Results from the tests using noise-contaminated images can be used to infer the performance of these operators on AVHRR images with partially undetected clouds. Operators most suited to remotely-sensed applications (e.g., support of real-time experiments at sea, image classification studies, and updating numerical models of ocean - atmosphere circulation) are identified, and a set of practical considerations for accurate gradient and/or edge detection in remotely-sensed data is given.
The pain of nasal tampon removal after nasal surgery: A randomized control trial

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the pain and discomfort associated with the removal of two commercially available nasal tampons after nasal surgery. Study Design Prospective, paired, randomized clinical trial. Subjects Consecutive, consenting, adult patients undergoing nasal surgery. Interventions The nose was packed with a Rapid Rhino tampon (Applied Therapeutics, Tampa, FL) on one side and a Rhino Rocket tampon (Shippert Medical Technologies Corporation, Centennial, CO) on the other. Outcomes The pain of packing removal was assessed with a validated 100-mm visual analog scale. Patient satisfaction was measured on a Likert scale from 1 to 5. Results In all 13 patients, the pain of removal was greater with the Rhino Rocket Tampon (82.7 ± 20.9 mm) than with the Rapid Rhino tampon (12.0 ± 11.9 mm); the mean difference was 70.7 mm (95% confidence interval [CI], 47.1-78.2 mm; P P Conclusions Removal of the Rapid Rhino nasal tampon was significantly less painful and was associated with higher patient satisfaction than the removal of the Rhino Rocket nasal tampon.
Trans -fatty acids and nonlipid risk factors

Consumption of industrially produced trans-fatty acids (TFA) is associated with substantial risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). The magnitude of this relationship, as well as emerging associations with end points such as diabetes and sudden cardiac death, cannot be fully explained by the well-established adverse effects of TFA on serum lipids. We review the evidence for effects of TFA intake on nonlipid risk factors. Based on evidence from randomized controlled trials, observational studies, animal experiments, and in vitro studies, these include effects on systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, visceral adiposity, insulin resistance, and arrhythmic risk. The types and strength of evidence for each of these nonlipid effects varies, but the overall constellation of findings is qualitatively and quantitatively unique among dietary fats. The multiple adverse effects and implicated pathways are consistent with the observed strong associations of TFA consumption with CHD risk. These nonlipid effects also explain why TFA consumption may adversely impact other non-CHD diseases and end points.
The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model to study the roles of proteoglycans

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a powerful animal model for exploring the genetic basis of metazoan development. Recent genetic and biochemical studies have revealed that the molecular machinery of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) biosynthesis and modification is highly conserved between C. elegans and mammals. In addition, genetic studies have implicated GAGs in vulval morphogenesis and zygotic cytokinesis. The extensive knowledge of C. elegans biology, including its elucidated cell lineage, together with the completed and well annotated DNA sequence and availability of reverse genetic tools, provide a platform for studying the functions of proteoglycans and their GAG modification.
Large scale changes in the highly energetic charged particles in the region of the Io torus

Abstract The Galileo star sensor is heavily shielded from penetrating radiation to prevent false counts. Nevertheless in the inner jovian magnetosphere the penetrating radiation appears to be sufficiently strong that significant background counting rates are seen. The morphology and time variation of these background rates are consistent with the hypothesis that they are caused by energetic trapped particles. On the C22 pass through the torus region the count rates were unusually high as if a particularly large disturbance had occurred. We speculate that such disturbances arise at times of rare but intense volcanic activity at Io that causes intense temporal fluctuations in the magnetic field and enhanced radial diffusion and particle energization.
Polarographic catalytic waves of ultraviolet irradiated and urea denatured bovine serum albumin.

Serumalbumin von Rindern wurde in 2 verschiedenen Konzentrationen mit UV-Licht bestrahlt und die polarographisch-katalytischen Wellen mit denen von Albumin verglichen, das zuvor mit Harnstoff behandelt worden war.
Thermodynamics of decanethiol adsorption on Au(111): Extension to 0 °C

The coverage-dependent phase behavior of the thiolate formed from decanethiol, CH 3 (CH 2 ) 9 SH, on Au(111) was studied at 0 °C using variable-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy and compared to analogous results for temperatures between 25 and 65 °C. At 0 °C, the lowest density striped phase, β, converts to higher density striped phases, δ and Χ, at exposures that are significantly less than those required at room temperature. The upright saturation phase, o, is also obtained with a lower relative exposure. We discuss these results using an extrapolation of the schematic two-dimensional pressure (π) versus temperature phase diagram developed in previous work. The observed low-temperature phase behavior is rationalized on the basis of thermodynamic considerations. By use of a schematic plot of phase chemical potential versus lateral pressure, the range of exposures over which various phases are thermodynamically stable is assessed as a function of temperature between 0 and 65 °C.
Amélioration de conception sur les générateurs de vapeur de remplacement du parc français

Dans les annees 70/80, les problemes de corrosion en milieu primaire des tubes en alliage 600 des generateurs de vapeur ont entraine en France et a l'etranger la mise en oeuvre de programmes de remplacement des generateurs de vapeur. Les analyses du retour d'experience et les programmes de recherche et developpement qui ont alors ete realises ont permis, des la phase de conception des nouveaux appareils, a Framatome ANP d'introduire des ameliorations permettant a la fois d'accroitre les marges vis-a-vis des modes de degradation averes mais aussi vis-a-vis des modes de degradation potentiels. Les principales ameliorations mises en oeuvre sur les generateurs de vapeur Framatome ANP sont decrites ci-apres.
Developmental aspects of the rat brain insulin receptor: loss of sialic acid and fluctuation in number characterize fetal development

In this study, I have investigated the structure of the rat brain insulin receptor during fetal development. There is a progressive decrease in the apparent molecular size of the brain α-subunit during development: 130K on day 16 of gestation, 126K at birth, and 120K in the adult. Glycosylation was investigated as a possible reason for the observed differences in the α-subunit molecular size. The results show that the developmental decrease in the brain α-subunit apparent molecular size is due to a parallel decrease in sialic acid content. This was further confirmed by measuring the retention of autophosphorylated insulin receptors on wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-Sepharose. An inverse correlation between developmental age and retention of 32P-labeled insulin receptors on the lectin column was observed. Insulin binding increases 6-fold between 16 and 20 days of gestation [61 ± 25 (±SE) fmol/mg protein and 364 ± 42 fmol/mg, respectively]. Thereafter, binding in brain membranes decreases to 150 ± 20 fmol/mg b...
Rotating coil measurement system for the APT/LEDA CCDTL quadrupole magnets

A rotating coil measurement system has been developed to characterize the magnetic properties of the Coupled Cavity Drift Tube Linac (CCDTL) quadrupole magnets for the Accelerator Production of Tritium-Low Energy Demonstration Accelerator (APT/LEDA) at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). The setup is designed to measure the quadrupole gradient-length product with an absolute error of less than 0.25%, and to determine the relative multipole content of the quadrupole at a radius of 80% of the aperture. The bench for the system consists of a granite surface plate with a pair of rails attached on which the magnet and rotating coil supports rest. The signal is routed through a slipring to a digital voltage integrator triggered by an incremental encoder attached to one end of the coil. Two different rotating coils were designed and fabricated for the system. The first coil is a conventional radially-wound harmonic coil that provides a good measure of the relative quadrupole strength and harmonic content, while the second coil is a specially designed printed circuit coil that can accurately measure the quadrupole gradient-length product.
Role of MIP-1β and RANTES in HIV-1 infection of microglia: inhibition of infection and induction by IFNβ

Microglia are the major target of HIV-1 infection in the brain. Microglial infection is CD4-dependent, but the role of chemokine receptors CCR5 and CCR3 and their natural ligands in modulating HIV-1 infection in microglia has been questioned. In primary human fetal microglial cultures, we demonstrate that HIV-1 infection of these cells is dependent on CCR5, since an antibody to CCR5 completely blocked productive infection. Anti-CCR3, in contrast, had a smaller inhibitory effect which was not statistically significant. The chemokine ligands for CCR5, RANTES and MIP-1beta, also potently inhibited HIV-1 infection in microglia, but the third ligand MIP-1alpha failed to show inhibition. Interestingly, when microglial cultures were treated with antibodies specific to each of these chemokines, HIV-1 infection was enhanced by anti-RANTES and anti-MIP-1beta, but not by anti-MIP-1alpha. These results demonstrate the presence of endogenous chemokines that act as endogenous inhibitors of HIV-1 infection in microglia. Additionally, IFNbeta, a known anti-viral cytokine, also provided potent inhibition of viral infection as well as induction of all three chemokines in microglia. These results suggest the possibility that type I interferon can down-modulate microglial HIV-1 infection in vivo by multiple mechanisms.
DETAILED CHEMICAL KINETIC MECHANISMS FOR COMBUSTION OF OXYGENATED FUELS

Thermodynamic properties and detailed chemical kinetic models have been developed for the combustion of two oxygenates: methyl butanoate, a model compound for biodiesel fuels, and methyl formate, a related simpler molecule. Bond additivity methods and rules for estimating kinetic parameters were adopted from hydrocarbon combustion and extended. The resulting mechanisms have been tested against the limited combustion data available in the literature, which was obtained at low temperature, subatmospheric conditions in closed vessels, using pressure measurements as the main diagnostic. Some qualitative agreement was obtained, but the experimental data consistently indicated lower overall reactivities than the model, differing by factors of 10 to 50. This discrepancy, which occurs for species with wellestablished kinetic mechanisms as well as for methyl esters, is tentatively ascribed to the presence of wall reactions in the experiments. The model predicts a region of weak or negative dependence of overall reaction rate on temperature for each methyl ester. Examination of the reaction fluxes provides an explanation of this behavior, involving a temperature-dependent competition between chain-propagating unimolecular decomposition processes and chain-branching processes, similar to that accepted for hydrocarbons. There is an urgent need to obtain more complete experimental data under well-characterized conditions for thorough testing of the model.
Identifying Fabric Structures with Fast Fourier Transform Techniques

The Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) plays a very important role in image processing and pattern recognition. Since a woven fabric consists of regular repeating units, the FFT is particularly useful fo...
On error correcting algorithms for the cooperative data exchange problem

In the cooperative data exchange problem, a group of wireless clients use a shared broadcast channel to exchange packets from a given set X. Each of the clients has a subset of packets in X available to it as a side information. The clients transmit linear combinations of the packets one after the other, until all clients are able to recover all packets in X. This problem arises naturally in many practical settings, in particular in battlefield networks and peer-to-peer wireless networks. In this paper, we focus on the Error Correcting Data Exchange (ECDE) problem in which some of the clients participating in data exchange can be faulty. Faulty clients may transmit packets with arbitrary errors that can occur due to corruption or malicious behavior. Our goal is to identify a coding strategy that allows every non-faulty client to obtain the correct copies of all original packets in X. The paper makes the following contributions. First, we establish necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a feasible solution to Problem ECDE. Next, we focus on a special case in which at most one client is faulty. We prove that the problem is NP-hard even for this special case and present an approximation algorithm with provable performance guarantees. Our simulation results indicate that the algorithm performs well in practical settings.
Association of gap junctions with endoplasmic reticulum in rat parotid glands

Examination of the parotid gland of the rat has shown specific associations of cisterns of the endoplasmic reticulum with gap junctions. About 20% of the junctions are so intimately associated with cisterns of the endoplasmic reticulum that in freeze fractured material the cisternal membranes remain attached to the junctional membrane faces, obscuring most of the junctional array except for a thin ring of telltale particles. This association was seen only in the parotid gland of the rat, but not that of the other species examined.
In vitro exposure to peptidic delta opioid receptor antagonists results in limited immunosuppression

Abstract Previous studies by our group have demonstrated that in vitro exposure to δ-opioid receptor agonists results in a significant immunostimulation, whereas in vitro exposure to non-peptidic δ-opioid receptor antagonists results in significant suppression of various immune functions. The present study assessed potential immunomodulation by the peptidic δ-opioid receptor antagonists TIPP, D-TIPP, and ICI 174864 using a panel of in vitro immune function assays. Splenocytes from female B6C3F1 mice were cultured with the peptides at concentrations of 0.00001–10 μM. B cell proliferation was quantified following cellular activation, T cell function was assessed by cytokine production following stimulation with anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody, natural immunity was assessed by quantitating natural killer (NK) cell activity following a 24-h exposure, and macrophage function was assessed by quantification of interleukin-6 (IL-6) production. None of the peptides examined significantly affected B cell proliferation. Production of IL-2 by T cells was not consistently affected by exposure to either TIPP or D-TIPP, but was significantly suppressed at 10 μM ICI 174864. Production of IL-4, however, was significantly suppressed by low concentrations of either TIPP or D-TIPP, and by 10 μM ICI 174864. IL-6 production by macrophages was unaffected except for sporadic incidents of enhanced production in cells exposed to ICI 174864. NK cell function exhibited a differential pattern of suppression, with the greatest degree of suppression observed following exposure to TIPP and only slight suppression in cells exposed to either D-TIPP or ICI 174864. These data suggest that peptidic δ-opioid receptor antagonists do not exhibit the same pattern or degree of immunosuppressive activity as the non-peptidic antagonists at equivalent in vitro concentrations.
The ionic work function and its role in estimating absolute electrode potentials.

The experimental determination of the ionic work function is briefly described. Data for the proton, alkali metal ions, and halide ions in water, originally published by Randles (Randles, J. E. B. Trans Faraday Soc. 1956, 52, 1573) are recalculated on the basis of up-to-date thermodynamic tables. These calculations are extended to data for the same ions in four nonaqueous solvents, namely, methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile, and dimethyl sulfoxide. The ionic work function data are compared with estimates of the absolute Gibbs energy of solvation obtained by an extrathermodynamic route for the same ions. The work function data for the proton are used to estimate the absolute potential of the standard hydrogen electrode in each solvent. The results obtained here are compared with those published earlier by Trasatti (Trasatti, S. Electrochim. Acta 1987, 32, 843) and more recently by Kelly et al. (Kelly, C. P.; Cramer, C. J.; Truhlar, D. G. J. Phys. Chem. B 2006, 110, 16066. Kelly, C. P.; Cramer, C. J.; Truhlar,...
Transport Processes in Magnetosolidmechanics-Adiabatic Conditions

Transport processes under adiabatic conditions between external magnetic field and thermal and electrical gradients in solid, defining galvanomagnetic and thermomagnetic effects
Taking Frege's name in vain

A widely held view about Fregean Sense has it that the determination of a sign's referent by the sign's sense is achieved viasatisfaction: the sense specifies a condition (or set of conditions) and the referent is that entity, if any, which uniquely satisfies that (set of) condition(s). This is usually held in conjunction with the claim that the sense is existentially and qualitatively independent of the referent: if the referent did not exist, or did not uniquely satisfy the sense, the sense would still exist and would still specify the same condition(s) that it actually does (and might determine a different referent than its actual one). Proponents of this view give several reasons for holding it. I describe these reasons and argue that they are not convincing. More generally, I try to show that the notion of satisfaction has no useful application within Frege's system. I then suggest an alternative account of the determination of a referent by a sense that I think is truer to Frege and more illuminating. Compared to the satisfaction view, my account construes determination as a more naturalistic and epistemically real relation between speakers and things in the world.
Evaluation of vero cell lysate antigen for the ELISA of flaviviruses

The vero cell lysate antigen for the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of flaviviruses was evaluated for sensitivity, specificity including cross-reactions, and background by comparing with the standard ELISA. Human sera, in serial dilutions, were taken from subjects 14, 35, and 210 days postvaccination with 17D antigen. Early after injection, high sensitivity (82.9%) was shown by the cell lysate antigen method. Late after infection, high sensitivity was achieved by the standard method (96.2% and 94%), with significant difference (P = 0.0001). However, sensitivity achieved by the cell lysate antigen method was also acceptable (91.7% & 88.9%). The cell lysate antigen method showed high specificity and low cross reactivity early after infection. At 35 days postvaccination, no difference in specificity was observed between the two methods, but higher cross-reactions were observed for the standard method. This pattern continued at 210 days postvaccination, with significantly higher cross-reactions with the standard ELISA. The optical density differences by the two methods did not show significant relationship with the serial dilutions of human sera. No difference was observed in early and late infections in the background values of the negative control (Western equine encephalitis) between the two methods. The ELISA by the cell lysate antigen, within the limits of the experiments done, was found to be a good replacement for the ELISA by the standard method.
Presynaptic Modulation: Endogenous Substances with Ganglionic Depressant Actions

Efferent autonomic activity is transmitted from the central nervous system through the autonomic ganglia to target cells. The frequency of action potentials reaching the neuroeffector junctions depends on the efficacy of ganglionic transmission. Many endogenous substances can alter synaptic transmission in sympathetic ganglia (see Chapter 3) and thereby alter target-organ activity. Theoretically, they could act by altering the release of neurotransmitter from the ganglionic neuron, by altering the sensitivity of the postganglionic neuron to the neurotransmitter, or by modulating the postsynaptic action potential configuration. This chapter reviews some of the research relating to the actions of endogenous substances on the release of transmitter from preganglionic neurons. Substances with modulatory postsynaptic actions will be discussed in Chapter 12.
Closed-Form Approximations for Spread Option Prices and Greeks

We develop a new closed-form approximation method for pricing spread options. Numerical analysis shows that our method is more accurate than existing analytical approximations. Our method is also extremely fast, with computing time more than two orders of magnitude shorter than one-dimensional numerical integration. We also develop closed-form proximations for the greeks of spread options. In addition, we analyze the price sensitivities of spread options and provide lower and upper bounds for digital spread options. Our method enables the accurate pricing of a bulk volume of spread options with different specifications in real time, which offers traders a potential edge in financial markets. The closed-form approximations of greeks serve as valuable tools in financial applications such as dynamic hedging and Value-at-Risk calculations. The availability of a closed-form formula for spread options also helps us understand and design real and financial contracts with embedded spread-option-like features.
Optimization-based virtual surface contact manipulation at force control rates

Previous interactive works have used springs, heuristics, and dynamics for surface placement applications. We present an analytical technique for kilohertz rate manipulation of CAD models with virtual surface and trimming constraints. The optimization approach allows best placement and sensitivity analysis for mechanical design objectives and parametric domain objectives. Such objectives are not readily incorporated into previous interactive methods. Force feedback is rendered to the user using previously developed haptics principles.
Speckle Propagation Through Turbulence: Its Characteristics And Effects

Atmospheric turbulence and target induced speckle can have a significant and deleterious effect on the performance of optical systems. The primary effect is to introduce a strong fluctuation in the intensity and a random perturbation of the phase of the fields at the optical receiver. This is equivalent to introducing a large noise source at the receiver; and consequently multiple samples and/or clever processing techniques are needed to accurately estimate the magnitude of the received intensity. In addition, for coherent detection schemes, the random phase and finite transverse coherence length introduced by the speckle and turbulence will limit the size of aperture that can be used. These characteristics of the speckle field after propagation through turbulence and its effect on optical systems will be discussed in a tutorial overview. In addition, recent advances in understanding and characterizing this phenomena will be presented.
Engineering and Selection of Shuffled AAV Genomes: A New Strategy for Producing Targeted Biological Nanoparticles

We report a DNA shuffling–based approach for developing cell type–specific vectors through directed evolution. Capsid genomes of adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotypes 1–9 were randomly fragmented and reassembled using PCR to generate a chimeric capsid library. A single infectious clone (chimeric-1829) containing genome fragments from AAV1, 2, 8, and 9 was isolated from an integrin minus hamster melanoma cell line previously shown to have low permissiveness to AAV. Molecular modeling studies suggest that AAV2 contributes to surface loops at the icosahedral threefold axis of symmetry, while AAV1 and 9 contribute to two- and fivefold symmetry interactions, respectively. The C-terminal domain (AAV9) was identified as a critical structural determinant of melanoma tropism through rational mutagenesis. Chimeric-1829 utilizes heparan sulfate as a primary receptor and transduces melanoma cells more efficiently than all serotypes. Further, chimeric-1829 demonstrates altered tropism in rodent skeletal muscle, liver, and brain including nonhuman primates. We determined a unique immunological profile based on neutralizing antibody (NAb) titer and crossreactivity studies strongly supporting isolation of a synthetic laboratory-derived capsid variant. Application of this technology to alternative cell/tissue types using AAV or other viral capsid sequences is likely to yield a new class of biological nanoparticles as vectors for human gene transfer.
Highly efficient coding schemes for contour lines based on chain code representations

The encoding schemes utilize the first- and second-order Markov models to describe the source structure. Two coding techniques, Huffman encoding and arithmetic encoding, are used to achieve a high coding efficiency. Universal code tables which match the statistics of contour line drawings obtained from 64 contour maps are presented and can be applied to encode all contour line drawings with chain code representations. Experiments have shown about a 50% improvement on the code amount over the conventional chain encoding scheme with arithmetic coding schemes, and also have shown a compression rate comparable to that obtained by T. Kaneko and M. Okudaira (1985) with Huffman coding schemes, while this implementation is substantially simpler. >
The temporal relationship between depression and rheumatoid arthritis disease activity, treatment persistence and response: a systematic review

Objective To determine whether depression has a temporal association with RA disease activity, treatment persistence and response to therapy. Methods We performed a systematic review encompassing an electronic database search of all published literature since the availability of biologic response modifiers (beginning in 1998) investigating the impact of depression on downstream RA disease progression and treatment. Results Only seven articles that evaluated temporal relationships between depression and RA outcomes comprising disease activity, treatment persistence and response to therapy, were included in the review. Results from these studies suggest that depression may exacerbate pain and disease activity and decrease the efficacy of pharmacological (i.e. biologic and non-biologic DMARDs) and some non-pharmacological (e.g. cognitive behavioural therapy) RA treatments. Conclusion Given the available evidence, depression probably has a temporal influence on RA disease progression and treatment. However, it is unclear whether these observed effects are due to a response tendency on patient-reported outcomes created from negative cognitive perceptions, immunologically mediated processes that increase inflammation or behavioural changes that lead to decreased physical activity and a greater sensitivity to pain.
Buffer Asymptotics for Coding Over Networks

Traditionally, network buffer resources have been used at routers to queue transient packets to prevent packet drops. In contrast, we propose a scheme for large multihop networks where intermediate routers have no buffers for queueing transient packets. In the proposed scheme, network storage resources (memory) are used only at source and destination nodes to encode/decode packets using random linear coding over time. Our scheme capitalizes on the common empirical observation that for large networks with many flows through each router, if packet loss occurs in a flow path, it will very likely occur only at only a very few links on the path. Unfortunately, the location of this congested link varies with time, thereby preventing prevailing static buffer allocation strategies from exploiting this observation. We propose source coding over packets at the session layer as a means of “sharing” memory across links along a flow path. We call this spatial buffer multiplexing-where buffering and coding implemented at the source compensates for packet loss at any downstream bufferless link. First, we consider large spatial multihop networks with N nodes (each with finite buffer space for coding/decoding) and Θ(N) flows; the number of flows through each link scales as Ω(Nα) for some α ∈ (0,1). Using many-sources large deviations analysis, we show that to obtain comparable packet drop probabilities (QoS), spatial buffer multiplexing provides an order-wise buffer gain of Ω(Nα) per node over traditional static buffer allocation for queueing. Next we consider the complementary case of a network with a small number of flows through a buffer, but large source buffer. Here, we provide a sufficient condition under which the packet loss probability decreases exponentially in a function that is linear in the size of the input buffer, where the function is required to meet a predetermined negative slope -δ. We express the loss effective bandwidth for coding and compare it against that for queueing.
Implementation of Parameter Transfusion Orders for Stem Cell Transplant Recipients Results in Increased Nursing Autonomy, Decreased Transfusion Delays, and Improved Patient Care

s / Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 20 (2014) S257eS285 S285 utilized as an effective immunotherapeutic intervention to ameliorate GVHD. NPs/PAs e ADVANCED PRACTICE PROFESSIONALS
Tetralogy of Fallot repair: optimal z-score use for transannular patch insertion

OBJECTIVES: Transannular patching is used to relieve significant pulmonary annular stenosis during tetralogy of Fallot repair. Although recent literature has focused on the deleterious effects of pulmonary regurgitation, inadequate relief of stenosis may increase postoperative mortality and the re-intervention rate. Patching criteria based on pulmonary annular z-scores are ambiguous because of the use of varied z-score data sets. This study aimed to generate data that could be used to optimize z-score use for patch insertion. METHODS: A retrospective review was made of medical records of patients who had a valve-sparing repair of tetralogy of Fallot between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2010. In a selected group in which the residual gradient was confined to the pulmonary valve, the post-repair peak pressure gradient was determined by trans-thoracic echocardiography and was correlated with the intraoperative pulmonary valve annulus (PVA) diameter z-score. Regression analysis was used to examine this relationship. RESULTS: Data from 46 patients with valve-sparing repair were reviewed; the median age and median weight were 6.5 months and 6.6 kg, respectively; the 30-day mortality was 2.2%. Analysis of these data implies that 25% of the time, all patients with a PVA z-score of −1.3 would have a PVA gradient ≥30 mmHg. CONCLUSIONS: Criteria that recommend a transannular patch insertion only when the PVA diameter z-score is significantly smaller than −1.3 (e.g. −3) may result in a significant number of patients with an unacceptable post-repair PVA gradient.
The Slow Conquest: Administrative Integration of Malwa into the Maratha Empire, 1720–1760

The eighteenth century in India has generally been described as a period of great turbulence, characterized by march and counter-march, rising and falling fortunes, and bewildering political intrigue. Many historians, focusing on this aspect, have dismissed the century as merely an unsavory hiatus between the collapse of the Mughal Empire and the rise of British domination. Yet there was more to the century than the march and counter-march of armies. The other aspect of the period was the emergence of strong successor states in Gujerat, Bengal, Oudhe, Malwa, Hyderabad, Mysore, and the Punjab. Recently, historians have begun exploring these successor states, looking both back towards the Mughal administrative and ideological heritage and forward towards their role as princely states in British India. There are also important issues within the century itself, such as the role of successor states in developing regional language and consciousness, and successor states as channels of economic and social mobility.
Bluetongue virus in laboratory-reared Culicoides variipennis sonorensis : Applications of dot-blot, ELISA, and immunoelectron microscopy

An avidin-biotin complex (ABC) dot-blot, an antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and immunoelectron microscopy (IEM) were used to detect bluetongue (BLU) virus or viral antigen or both in adult Culicoides variipennis sonorensis Wirth & Jones. The dot-blot and ELISA procedures detected viral antigen in 10-22% (depending on serotype) of the biting midges infected with BLU-2, BLU-10, BLU-13, and BLU-17 and approximately 68% of the midges infected with BLU-11. IEM analyses revealed BLU virus in salivary glands, fat body, and thoracic muscle tissue from infected insects. There appeared to be selective growth of the virus in salivary gland tissue.
Towards low-cost high-performance all-optical interconnection networks

We consider low-complexity, all-optical multi-stage networks with distributed arbitration achieved through minimal per-node buffering. To enhance the saturation throughput of such networks while maintaining low latency at low loads, we examine a novel combination of deterministic (prescheduled) and speculative (eager) packet injections. Prescheduled injections are performed in a time-division-multiplexing (TDM) manner, whereas eager injections follow a packet multiplexing paradigm. Prescheduled injections aim at reducing contention in the fabric, and sustain network throughput when the load is high. Eager injections, on the other hand, ignore the TDM schedule, thus allowing low latency communication when contention is low. In our set of rules that govern the interaction between prescheduled and eager packets, eager packets can be intentionally dropped when they block the progress of prescheduled ones. At the same time a highly efficient end-to-end reliable delivery scheme, implemented at the host adapters, deals with random packet losses in the optical domain, and also recovers the dropped eager packets. Computer simulations demonstrate that our approach can render low-complexity networks, which are amenable to an all-optical implementation, attractive for use in computer interconnects.
Temporal Evolution of Bimodal Argon-Ion Velocity Distribution in an Expanding Helicon Plasma

Laser-induced-fluorescence (LIF) measurements, with 1-ms resolution, of the temporal evolution of the argon-ion velocity distribution function in the expansion region of a pulsed helicon plasma show two ion populations 19 cm downstream of the helicon source: a slow population that forms as soon as the 200-ms-long discharge is created and persists for few milliseconds after the RF pulse terminates and a fast population whose LIF signature appears ~28 ms after the RF pulse begins.
5 Years in Juntos : New Evidence on the Program’s Short and Long-Term Impacts

This study presents results from a quantitative impact evaluation of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program, Juntos, in Peru. Using instrumental variable techniques, it estimates the overall impact of Juntos five years after its initial rollout and explores the differential impacts among beneficiaries according to the length of time they spent in the program. In so doing, the analysis explores whether it takes time for the program to make significant and sizable impacts; and whether some impacts change in magnitude the longer the beneficiaries spend in the program. The results seem to confirm both hypotheses: almost all indicators of interest are significantly higher among beneficiaries with longer treatment spells. However, in many cases these improvements are too small to be picked up in the analysis of overall effects, when beneficiaries are compared to non-beneficiaries. These findings suggest that while the program has a non negligible impact on welfare, there is room for improvement.
Measurements and analysis of turbulent consumption speeds of H2/CO mixtures

Abstract This paper describes measurements of global turbulent consumption speeds, ST,GC, of hydrogen/carbon monoxide (H2/CO) mixtures. The turbulent flame properties of such mixtures are of fundamental interest because of their strong stretch sensitivity, and of practical interest since they are the primary constituents of syngas fuels. Data are reported at mean flow velocities and turbulence intensities of 4 1 u rms ′ / S L , 0 100 , respectively, for H2/CO blends ranging from 30% to 90% H2 by volume. Two sets of experiments are reported. In the first, fuel blends ranging from 30% to 90% H2 and mixture equivalence ratio, ϕ, were adjusted at each fuel composition to have nominally the same un-stretched laminar flame speed, SL,0. In the second set, equivalence ratios were varied at constant H2 levels. The data clearly corroborate results from other studies that show significant sensitivity of ST,GC to fuel composition. In particular, at a fixed u rms ′ and SL,0, values of ST,GC increase by a factor of almost 2 when H2 levels are increased from 30% (at ϕ = 0.61) to 90% (at ϕ = 0.48). Moreover, ST,GC in the 90% H2 case is three times larger than the ϕ = 0.9 CH4/air mixture with the same SL,0 value. An important conclusion from this work is these fuel effects are not simply a low turbulence intensity phenomenon – they clearly persist over the entire range of turbulence intensities used in the measurements. We also describe physics-based correlations of these data, using leading points concepts and detailed kinetic calculations of the stretch sensitivity of these mixtures. These results are used to develop an inequality for negative Markstein length flames that bounds the turbulent flame speed data and show that the data can be collapsed using the maximum stretched laminar flame speed, SL,max, rather than SL,0.
Snare-assisted vascular access: a new technique.

Access to the central circulation can be difficult in small infants, particularly when normal anatomic landmarks have been altered. We describe a new technique that utilizes any existing central catheter to establish additional sites of vascular access. A 4 Fr end hole catheter is advanced under fluoroscopic guidance to the desired site of new vascular access. A 10-mm Amplatz snare catheter is advanced through the end hole catheter and the loop opened within the target vessel lumen. The snare is then used to guide percutaneous placement of a Cope wire through a 21-gauge needle and then to pull the wire into the central circulation. New access is then achieved by introducing an additional catheter over the guidewire. This technique has now been successfully utilized 16 times in 13 patients. Snare assistance is a safe and effective technique that provides a reliable means of establishing additional secure vascular access. Cathet. Cardiovasc. Intervent.
STRESS AND DEPRESSION IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

The High School Social Readjustment Scale, a measure of stressful life events, and the center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, a short self-report scale measuring depressive symptomatologies, were administered twice to 285 high school students over a 6-mo. interval. Both measures were statistically reliable. On both test administrations girls, but not boys, displayed a significant relationship between stress and depression.
Inhibitory effect of aspirin on cholera toxin-induced phospholipase and cyclo-oxygenase activity

Cholera toxin (CT) stimulated phospholipase activity and caused [3H]arachidonic acid (3H-AA) release in a murine macrophage/monocyte cell line. Pretreatment of cells with dexamethasone, a phospholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibitor, did not affect CT-induced 3H-AA release. In contrast, aspirin, which is an inhibitor of phospholipase C (PLC), blocked CT-induced 3H-AA release and subsequent prostaglandin (PC) synthesis. The inhibitory effect of aspirin was dose dependent, with 4 mM reducing the CT response by approximately 50%. Similarly, inhibition was time dependent, occurring when the drug was added to the culture medium as late as 30 min after CT. Brief exposure (30 min) of the cells to aspirin did not alter their subsequent response to CT, but 3H-AA release from cells exposed to aspirin for 2.5 h was irreversibly inhibited. The data suggested that CT stimulation of AA metabolism may involved increased PLC activity.
Treatment of recalcitrant scleromyxedema with thalidomide in 3 patients

Abstract Scleromyxedema is a generalized, papular, and sclerodermoid form of lichen myxedematosus associated with monoclonal gammopathy and systemic changes. Despite anecdotal reports of success with various agents, no satisfactory treatments are currently available. We report 3 adult patients with recalcitrant scleromyxedema associated with paraproteinemia who were treated with thalidomide. All 3 patients had marked improvement of the skin lesions and joint mobility after the first 2 months of therapy, with further amelioration after 4 months, and reduction in paraprotein levels.
Inference for Near-Integrated Time Series with Infinite Variance

Abstract An autoregressive time series is said to be near-integrated (nearly nonstationary) if some of its characteristic roots are close to the unit circle. Statistical inference for the least squares estimators of near-integrated AR(1) models has been under rigorous study recently both in the statistics and econometric literatures. Although classical asymptotics are no longer available, through the study of weak convergence of stochastic processes, one can establish the asymptotic theories in terms of simple diffusion processes or Brownian motions. Such results rely heavily on the finiteness of the variance of the noise. When this finite variance condition fails, whereas many physical and economic phenomena are believed to be generated by an infinite variance noise sequence, the aforementioned asymptotics are not applicable. In this article, a unified theory concerning near-integrated autoregressive time series with infinite variance is developed. In particular, when the noise sequence {e t } belongs to...
Level considerations for chimeric processing: Temporal envelope and fine structure contributions to speech intelligibility

Chimeric processing is used to assess the respective role of the acoustic temporal envelope (ENV) and the temporal fine structure (TFS) by adding noise to either component. An acoustic analysis demonstrates that adding noise to the ENV results in noise degradation of the ENV and overall signal attenuation, whereas adding noise to the TFS results in only noise degradation of the TFS. Young normal hearing adults were then tested using a modified chimeric strategy to maintain speech levels. Results partially confirm the primary role of the ENV in determining speech intelligibility but demonstrate significant TFS contributions during selective ENV masking.
Laryngeal Motor Cortex and Control of Speech in Humans

Speech production is one of the most complex and rapid motor behaviors, and it involves a precise coordination of more than 100 laryngeal, orofacial, and respiratory muscles. Yet we lack a complete understanding of laryngeal motor cortical control during production of speech and other voluntary laryngeal behaviors. In recent years, a number of studies have confirmed the laryngeal motor cortical representation in humans and have provided some information about its interactions with other cortical and subcortical regions that are principally involved in vocal motor control of speech production. In this review, the authors discuss the organization of the peripheral and central laryngeal control based on neuroimaging and electrical stimulation studies in humans and neuroanatomical tracing studies in nonhuman primates. It is hypothesized that the location of the laryngeal motor cortex in the primary motor cortex and its direct connections with the brain stem laryngeal motoneurons in humans, as opposed to its location in the premotor cortex with only indirect connections to the laryngeal motoneurons in nonhuman primates, may represent one of the major evolutionary developments in humans toward the ability to speak and vocalize voluntarily.