cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cervical ECMO cannula placement in infants and children: Recommendations for assessment of adequate positioning and function

Abstract Background/Purpose: Cervical extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) cannula position is often difficult to confirm by chest x-ray alone. Malposition requires a second surgery to rectify the problem. Reoperation places the patient at risk for infection, bleeding, or death. This study analyzes indications for cannula repositioning and suggests an alternative standard for intraoperative evaluation of catheter function as it relates to position. Methods: The authors reviewed charts of 73 patients placed on arterio-venous ECMO through cervical vascular access. Reasons for repositioning of either cannula at the initial surgery or postoperatively were recorded. Results: Of 73 patients, 18 (24.6%) required either arterial cannula or venous cannula repositioning. In 10 (55%) of these patients, cannula malposition was not detected by chest x-ray during the initial cannulation, and they therefore required a second cervical exploration for repositioning. Conclusions: Chest x-ray is not sensitive in demonstrating malpositioned cervical ECMO cannulae. Two-dimensional ECHO before wound closure, may be a superior, more cost effective means of assessing cannula placement and function than x-ray alone. Confirmation of cannula position and function, before wound closure, would reduce the risks involved with cervical reexploration.
Atrial natriuretic peptide modulates baroreceptor reflex in spontaneously hypertensive rat.

Our previous studies have suggested that atrial natriuretic peptide in the caudal nucleus tractus solitarii is involved in the centrally mediated regulation of blood pressure in the salt-sensitive spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR). The current study tested the hypothesis that endogenous atrial natriuretic peptide in the caudal nucleus tractus solitarii participates in baroreceptor reflex control of heart rate in this hypertensive model. Salt-sensitive SHR and control Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats maintained on basal (1%) salt intake were studied. Arterial baroreceptor reflex-mediated changes in heart rate were recorded in conscious unrestrained rats during phenylephrine (5-40 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 infusion; 30 minutes later, atrial natriuretic peptide (50 ng), monoclonal antibody to atrial natriuretic peptide (0.55 micrograms), purified mouse immunoglobulin G (0.55 micrograms), or artificial cerebrospinal fluid vehicle (50 nl) was microinjected into the caudal nucleus tractus solitarii. Phenylephrine infusion was then repeated and mean arterial pressure and heart rate were monitored as before. The slope of the heart rate/mean arterial pressure relation was significantly less (p less than 0.05) in the salt-sensitive SHR than in the WKY control, indicating that baroreceptor reflex control of heart rate was blunted in this hypertensive model. Microinjection of atrial natriuretic peptide into the caudal nucleus tractus solitarii further blunted (p less than 0.05) baroreceptor reflex control of heart rate in salt-sensitive SHR but not in WKY rats. In contrast, microinjection of the monoclonal antibody enhanced the sensitivity of baroreceptor reflex control of heart rate in salt-sensitive SHR but not in WKY rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A performance profile methodology for implementing assistance and instruction in computer-based tasks

The development of assistance and instructional systems is an alternative design strategy for human-computer interfaces. An integral component in the construction of these interfaces concerns the representation used to capture the user, task or machine. Representational issues and strategies in assistance and instructional systems are discussed in the paper. These representational issues concern the use of symbolic and quantitative models, the development of performance and cognitive models, the distinction between skilled and unskilled models, the use of static and dynamic models, and the possible development of multiple representation strategies. From these issues, a profile methodology was distilled that could be implemented as an assistant or tutor in a file-search environment based upon novice and expert differences. This profile method is a quantitative, performance-based approach that samples expert behaviour to define a skilled model of file search. The development and formative evaluation of the methodology used 16 novice and 16 expert subjects. File-search performance and strategies were analysed in a complex information-retrieval task using the profile methodology. The method proved to be sensitive to novice and expert differences in file search and also seemed to be capable of being implemented as a diagnostic device for assistance and instruction. Limitations and extensions of the profile methodology are discussed in terms of command sequence information, explanation and reasoning, strategic and planning resources, and possible learning and adaptive models.
Serial passage of MC3T3-E1 cells alters osteoblastic function and responsiveness to transforming growth factor-beta1 and bone morphogenetic protein-2.

The murine-derived clonal MC3T3-E1 cell is a well-studied osteoblast-like cell line. To understand the effects of serial passages on its cellular function, we examined changes in cell morphology, gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC), proliferation, and osteoblastic function between early passage ( 65) cells. MC3T3-E1 cells developed an elongated, spindle shape after multiple passages. Intercellular communication decreased significantly (33%) in late vs. early passage cells. Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) stimulated cell proliferation in early passage cells and induced c-fos expression, while it inhibited proliferation in late passage cells. Using alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and osteocalcin (OC) secretion as markers for osteoblastic function and differentiation, we demonstrated that both markers were significantly reduced after multiple cell passages. Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) significantly enhanced ALP activity and OC secretion in early passage cells while TGF-beta1 exerted an opposite effect. Both BMP-2 and TGF-beta1 had minimal effects on late passage cells. We conclude that serial passage alters MC3T3-E1 cell morphology, and significantly diminishes GJIC, osteoblastic function, TGF-beta1-mediated cell proliferation, and responsiveness to TGF-beta1 and BMP-2. Cell passage numbers should be clearly defined in functional studies involving MC3T3-E1 cells.
Optimal experimental design for event-related fMRI.

An important challenge in the design and analysis of event-related or single-trial functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiments is to optimize statistical efficiency, i.e., the accuracy with which the event-related hemodynamic response to different stimuli can be estimated for a given amount of imaging time. Several studies have suggested that using a fixed inter-stimulus-interval (ISI) of at least 15 sec results in optimal statistical efficiency or power and that using shorter ISIs results in a severe loss of power. In contrast, recent studies have demonstrated the feasibility of using ISIs as short as 500 ms while still maintaining considerable efficiency or power. Here, we attempt to resolve this apparent contradiction by a quantitative analysis of the relative efficiency afforded by different event-related experimental designs. This analysis shows that statistical efficiency falls off dramatically as the ISI gets sufficiently short, if the ISI is kept fixed for all trials. However, if the ISI is properly jittered or randomized from trial to trial, the efficiency improves monotonically with decreasing mean ISI. Importantly, the efficiency afforded by such variable ISI designs can be more than 10 times greater than that which can be achieved by fixed ISI designs. These results further demonstrate the feasibility of using identical experimental designs with fMRI and electro-/magnetoencephalography (EEG/MEG) without sacrificing statistical power or effi- ciency of either technique, thereby facilitating comparison and integration across imaging modalities. Hum. Brain Mapping 8:109-114, 1999. r 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Treatment of the “on‐off” phenomenon in parkisnonism with lithium carbonate

Six patients with severe parkinsonism complicated by the "on-off" phenomenon were treated with lithium carbonate in addition to regular antiparkinson medications. A randomized double-blind crossover trial of lithium versus placebo was conducted, followed by an open trial of lithium therapy. Five patients had markedly reductions in akinesia (mean, 70%) and improved by one grade in Parkinson staging. This result was more striking in male than in female patients, and in all responders benefit has been maintained during the open phase of lithium treatment (mean follow-up of 36 weeks). In no patient was a reduction in akinesia observed during placebo treatment. Lithium carbonate appears to offer a new and potentially effective approach to treatment of the on-off phenomenon.
Interoperation of Organizational Data, Rules, Processes and Services for Achieving Inter-Organizational Coordination and Collaboration

Solutions to many complex problems that government organizations all over the world face today require these organizations to share, not only data and computing resources,but also policies, constraints, regulations, processes and services in order to achieve inter-organizational coordination and collaboration. This paper presents an integrated specification language and a user interface for collaborating government organizations to specify events of common interest, policies,constraints and regulations in the form of different types of knowledge rules, manual and automated services, and sharable workflow processes. A network system infrastructure for dynamic processing and interoperation of distributed rules and processes, and an event-triggered rule processing and process enactment technique are also described.
Nemo-like kinase is a novel regulator of spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is a progressive neuromuscular disease caused by polyglutamine expansion in the androgen receptor (AR) protein. Despite extensive research, the exact pathogenic mechanisms underlying SBMA remain elusive. In this study, we present evidence that Nemo-like kinase (NLK) promotes disease pathogenesis across multiple SBMA model systems. Most remarkably, loss of one copy of Nlk rescues SBMA phenotypes in mice, including extending lifespan. We also investigated the molecular mechanisms by which NLK exerts its effects in SBMA. Specifically, we have found that NLK can phosphorylate the mutant polyglutamine-expanded AR, enhance its aggregation, and promote AR-dependent gene transcription by regulating AR-cofactor interactions. Furthermore, NLK modulates the toxicity of a mutant AR fragment via a mechanism that is independent of AR-mediated gene transcription. Our findings uncover a crucial role for NLK in controlling SBMA toxicity and reveal a novel avenue for therapy development in SBMA.
Measuring the spatial frequency transfer function of phase measuring interferometers for laser optics

The power spectral density (PSD) function is being employed to specify the surface finish and transmitted wavefront in the mid- spatial frequency regime for laser beam optics of the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The instrument used to measure the PSD is a phase measuring Fizeau interferometer. The phase map produced by the interferometer is digitally processed to create the PSD. Before one can use the PSD information, it is necessary to evaluate the fidelity of the interferometer spatial frequency response. Specifically, one must measure the overall transfer function of the instrument. To accomplish this, we perform a two-step ``calibration`` process. We first measure a known precision phase object with the interferometer and then compare the measured PSD to an ideal numerical simulation which represents the theoretical PSD. The square root of the ratio of the measured function to the simulation is defined as the transfer function of the instrument. We present experimental results for both reflective and transmissive test objects, including effects such as the test object orientation and longitudinal location in the interferometer cavity. We also evaluate the accuracy levels obtained using different test objects. 11 refs., 5 figs.
IPO pricing: a case of short-sale restrictions and divergent expectations

Prior research shows that short-sale restrictions during an IPO lead to higher aftermarket prices. Using this and heterogeneous expectations on the factor pricing coefficient, our model sheds additional light on the impact of the short-selling constraint. Like prior research, short-sale restrictions in the IPO market lead to higher aftermarket prices. Importantly, our model predicts that this constraint leads to a different factor pricing coefficient than the analog under complete markets. Our empirical tests over an extended period of time support the model's predictions.
Serum vascular endothelial growth factor-D levels in patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis reflect lymphatic involvement.

Background Lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare multisystem disorder affecting primarily women of child-bearing age, and characterized by cystic lung destruction, tumors of the kidney (angiomyolipomas [AMLs]), and involvement of the axial lymphatics (lymphangioleiomyomas). Patients with LAM experience loss of pulmonary function attributed to the proliferation of abnormal-appearing smooth muscle-like cells (LAM cells). It is possible to group the LAM population by the presence or absence of extrapulmonary involvement (eg, AMLs, lymphangioleiomyomas, chylous effusions). Serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-D, a lymphangiogenic factor, is higher in LAM patients than in healthy volunteers and has been proposed as a tool in the differential diagnosis of cystic lung disease. We assessed serum VEGF-D concentrations in relationship to clinical phenotype in LAM patients. Methods Serum VEGF-D levels were quantified by enzyme immunosorbent assay for 111 patients with LAM and 40 healthy volunteers. VEGF-D levels in patients with pulmonary LAM, with or without extrapulmonary manifestations, were compared to those of healthy volunteers. Results Serum VEGF-D levels were greater in patients with LAM compared to those of healthy volunteers (p Conclusions Serum VEGF-D concentration is a measure of lymphatic involvement in patients with LAM.
Hard real-time scheduling for large scale process control applications

Real-time systems interact with external environment and hence often have demanding performance requirements. Designing and developing complex real-time systems is a challenging task. Model based programming is a relatively new approach towards integrated system development that simplifies this task. Hard real-time requirements pose additional problem that the timing constraints imposed must be met, or else some catastrophic failure occurs. The authors demonstrate that hard real-time requirements can be satisfied by a suitable scheduling scheme in model based programming environment. The scheduling scheme consists of a scheduling algorithm and schedulability tests. Both the scheduling algorithm and the schedulability tests can be performed in polynomial time, hence can be used in dynamic environment where on-line restructuring of the computation model may be necessary. >
Human recognition at a distance in video by integrating face profile and gait

Human recognition from arbitrary views is an important task for many applications, such as visual surveillance, covert security and access control. It has been found to be very difficult in reality, especially when a person is walking at a distance in read-world outdoor conditions. For optimal performance, the system should use as much information as possible from the observations. In this paper, we propose an innovative system, which combines cues of face profile and gait silhouette from the single camera video sequences. For optimal face profile recognition, we first reconstruct a high-resolution face profile image from several adjacent low-resolution video frames. Then we use a curvature-based matching method for recognition. For gait, we use Gait Energy Image (GEI) to characterize human walking properties. Recognition is carried out based on the direct GEI matching. Several schemes are considered for fusion of face profile and gait. A number of dynamic video sequences are tested to evaluate the performance of our system. Experiment results are compared and discussed.
Prospective randomized comparison of the safety, efficacy, and cosmetic outcome associated with mini-transverse and mini-longitudinal radical prostatectomy incisions.

Aims : Open radical retropubic prostatectomy (ORP) has traditionally been performed through a lower midline incision. Prior efforts to reduce pain and expedite recovery include a variety of alterations in length and the orientation of the incision. The aim of our study is to compare the safety, efficacy, and cosmetic outcomes associated with transverse and longitudinal mini-radical prostatectomy incisions. Materials and Methods : Consecutive patients undergoing ORP at a single institution were studied. Patients were randomized to receive either a modified transverse or longitudinal incision. In all patients, the length of the incision was 7cm. The following parameters were compared between the two groups: Perioperative blood loss, duration of surgery, technical factors, pain and analgesic requirements, length of hospital stay (LOS), and pathological stage. The Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) was used to compare the cosmetic aspects associated with the incisions. Results : Fifty-six patients underwent a transverse (n=27) and longitudinal (n=29) mini- incision ORP. No significant differences were noted in the perioperative parameters that were compared (P>0.116). None of the patients required blood transfusion, there were no wound complications. Perioperative pain and analgesic requirements were not significantly different among the two study arms (P>0.433). The POSAS indicated no significant difference in cosmesis scores with both incisions (P>0.09). Conclusions : Seven-centimeter transverse and longitudinal mini-incisions offer alternatives to the standard ORP incision, and to minimally invasive approaches. Both incisions are safe, associated with little postoperative pain, and a short postoperative LOS. Both incisions provide highly satisfactory cosmesis for the patient.
Effects of volume and composition of the resuscitative fluids in the treatment of hemorrhagic shock

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of normal saline, hypertonic saline, and Ringer's lactate solution followed by blood infusion in ameliorating the physiological, biochemical, and organ functions following hemorrhagic shock (HS) in rats. Materials and Methods: Anesthetized, male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent computer-controlled HS, and were randomly divided into five groups consisting of (1) sham, (2) HS without resuscitation, (3) resuscitation with normal saline, (4) resuscitation with hypertonic saline, and (5) resuscitation with Ringer's lactate solution. All resuscitated animals were infused with subsequent infusion of shed blood. Animals were continuously monitored for physiological, hemodynamic, biochemical parameters, and organ dysfunctions. Results: Non-resuscitated animals were unable to survive due to hypotension, poor oxygen metabolism, and lactic acidosis. Although these HS related parameters were corrected by all the fluids used in this study, additional blood infusion was more effective than fluid resuscitation alone. Also, hypertonic saline was more effective than Ringer's lactate solution, and normal saline was the least effective in preserving the liver and kidney functions and muscle damage. Conclusions: All crystalloid fluids were significantly more effective in reversing the HS outcome when used with blood infusion, but hypertonic salinewith blood was more effective in preventing the organ damage than Lactated Ringers solutions or normal saline in the treatment of HS.
Ideological Reactions to Sarbanes-Oxley

The Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 has been generally seen as a legitimate response to a significant crisis in the capital markets. Not often acknowledged, however, is the observation that the law's ov...
Analysis of lithium using a commercial quadrupole mass spectrometer

A thermal ionization mass spectrometric technique using a commercial quadrupole instrument for the analysis of lithium is described. The thermal ionization is accomplished with 1.0 Torr of N2 in the ionization chamber. The detection limit for lithium is approximately 5 pg. Isotope ratio measurements for commercial samples of various lithium salts were made using the selected ion monitoring technique. The precision was quite good (standard deviation = 0.1–0.3% (absolute)). Measurements of the concentration of lithium in several drinking waters and in urine were made using an isotope dilution method involving the addition of isotopically enriched lithium to the samples of interest. The proteins in the urine must be precipitated for the method to work. Lithium could be found in the urine of a healthy volunteer who ingested drinking water containing lithium. Survey experiments indicated that this apparatus and technique can be used for assays of the other alkali metals.
Investigating the Fault Tolerance of Neural Networks

Particular levels of partial fault tolerance (PFT) in feedforward artificial neural networks of a given size can be obtained by redundancy (replicating a smaller normally trained network), by design (training specifically to increase PFT), and by a combination of the two (replicating a smaller PFT-trained network). This letter investigates the method of achieving the highest PFT per network size (total number of units and connections) for classification problems. It concludes that for nontoy problems, there exists a normally trained network of optimal size that produces the smallest fully fault-tolerant network when replicated. In addition, it shows that for particular network sizes, the best level of PFT is achieved by training a network of that size for fault tolerance. The results and discussion demonstrate how the outcome depends on the levels of saturation of the network nodes when classifying data points. With simple training tasks, where the complexity of the problem and the size of the network are well within the ability of the training method, the hidden-layer nodes operate close to their saturation points, and classification is clean. Under such circumstances, replicating the smallest normally trained correct network yields the highest PFT for any given network size. For hard training tasks (difficult classification problems or network sizes close to the minimum), normal training obtains networks that do not operate close to their saturation points, and outputs are not as close to their targets. In this case, training a larger network for fault tolerance yields better PFT than replicating a smaller, normally trained network. However, since fault-tolerant training on its own produces networks that operate closer to their linear areas than normal training, replicating normally trained networks ultimately leads to better PFT than replicating fault-tolerant networks of the same initial size.
Attitudinal variables related to intention, frequency and proficiency of breast self‐examination in women 35 and over

A correlational study was conducted to identify attitudinal variables specified by the Health Belief Model that were related to intent, frequency, and proficiency of breast self-examination. The probability sample consisted of 380 women age 35 and over who were contacted via random digit dialing. Data were collected during in-home interviews. Results supported the combined ability of susceptibility, seriousness, barriers, health motivation, and control to predict intent to practice breast self-examination (R = .61, p. less than or equal to .001). In addition, frequency and total proficiency for breast self-examination were predicted by health motivations, susceptibility, and barriers using discriminant analysis. Results lend support to use of the Health Belief Model variables in predicting women's intention and actual behavior of breast self-examination.
Normally-closed, leak-tight piezoelectric microvalve under ultra-high upstream pressure for integrated micropropulsion

This paper presents a leak-tight piezoelectric microvalve, operating at extremely high upstream pressures for microspacecraft applications. The device is a normally-closed microvalve fabricated mostly by the micromachining of silicon wafers. The microvalve consists of a custom-designed piezoelectric stack actuator bonded onto silicon valve components, such as the seat, boss and tether, in a stainless steel housing. Major seating configurations include narrow edge seating rings and tensile-stressed silicon tethers that contribute to the desired normally-closed leak-tight operation. The microvalve operations have been demonstrated with a 'helium leak detector scale' leak rate of 10/sup -4/ sccm at 800 psi. Dynamic microvalve operations of up to 1 kHz have been successfully demonstrated at the pressures in the range of 0/spl sim/1000 psi. The measured static flow rate of a microvalve with an applied potential of 10 V is 52 sccm at an inlet pressure of 300psi. The measured power consumption, to hold the microvalve seat fully open, is 3 mW with the applied potential of 30 V. The measured dynamic power consumption is 180 mW for 100 Hz continuous operation at 100 psi.
Bipartite organization of the Bacillus subtilis endo-β-1,4-glucanase revealed by C-terminal mutations

The C-terminal boundary of primary sequence of the Bacillus subtilis PAP115 endo-beta-1,4-glucanase (EG) required for stable catalytic activity has been mapped by site-directed mutagenesis using Escherichia coli as host. The 52 kDa cel gene product, EG470 and a 33 kDa mutant (EG300), lacking 170 residues through a nonsense mutation at the leucine-330 codon of the gene, exhibited similar patterns of enzymatic activity and pH optima using cellooligopentaose as substrate. CD spectra indicated that the bulk of the alpha-helical secondary structure in EG470 was contained within EG300. However, relative to EG470, the specific activity of EG300 was 3- to 4-fold lower with amorphous cellulose as substrate and approximately 4- to 5-fold higher with carboxymethylcellulose (soluble cellulose). These results along with data which show that EG470 binding capacity to microcrystalline cellulose is approximately 11 times more than that of EG300, demonstrate the importance of residues 330-499 for non-catalytic binding of cellulose. A construct of the cel gene carrying a deletion of codons 330-499 and an insertion of a nonsense codon at leucine-330, was further used to make mutants EG296 and EG291 with nonsense codon substitutions at arginine-326 and serine-321, respectively. Western analysis using EG-specific antiserum revealed that relative losses in enzymatic activity of EG296 (50%) and EG291 (95%) could be accounted for by the extent of their proteolysis, signifying a marked destabilization of these enzymes by removal of only a few amino acids.
Formation of Ag nanoparticles and enhancement of Tb3+ luminescence in Tb and Ag co-doped lithium-lanthanum-aluminosilicate glass

Tb3+ and Ag co-doped glass nano-composites were synthesized in a glass matrix Li2O-LaF3-Al2O3-SiO2 (LLAS) by a melt-quench technique. The growth of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) was controlled by a thermal annealing process. A broad absorption band peaking at about 420 nm was observed due to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of Ag NPs. The intensity of this band grows with increasing annealing time. The transmission electron microscopic image (TEM) reveals the formation of Ag NPs in glass matrix. Photoluminescence (PL) emission and excitation spectra were measured for glass samples with different Ag concentrations and different annealing times. Plasmon enhanced Tb3+ luminescence was observed at certain excitation wavelength regions. Luminescence quenching was also observed for samples with high Ag concentration and longer annealing time. Our luminescence results suggest that there are two competitive effects, enhancement and quenching, acting on Tb3+ luminescence in the presence of Ag NPs. The enhancement of Tb3+ luminescence is mainly attributed to local field effects due to SPR. The quenching of luminescence suggests an energy transfer from Tb3+ ions to Ag NPs.
Metamaterials in the far infrared: ideas for left-handed metamaterials and micro- and nanocircuit elements in the terahertz regime

In the present work, the possibility of translating down the concepts of metamaterials into the far-infrared and terahertz regimes, in order to propose ideas for realization of left-handed metamaterials and nano- and micro-circuit elements at few terahertzes are investigated. The terahertz regime, indeed, is a transition region of spectrum between the microwave and the infrared-optical frequencies, where such applications have not been studied in details. The technological interest in scaling up the classic communications and circuit concepts from the radio frequencies (RF) microwaves to higher frequencies is bringing much interest in this regime of frequency.
Investigations on an aperture-coupled microstrip patch antenna with a spaced dielectric cover for enhanced gain performance

A novel method for increasing the gain of an aperture-coupled microstrip patch antenna is presented. The method makes use of a dielectric cover that is spaced some height off of the antenna. By proper choice of this height, we demonstrate an increase in simulated gain of more than 7dB. This comes at no cost to the matching bandwidth, but affects the gain bandwidth and radiation beamwidth.
THE IMPACT OF LOW-HEAD DAMS ON FISH SPECIES RICHNESS IN WISCONSIN, USA

Communities that live in linear systems such as streams or riparian zones may be particularly sensitive to changes in habitat connectivity. I examined the relationship between environmental variables, the number of low-head dams downstream of each reach, and fish species richness in first-order streams in Wisconsin, USA. The analysis was based on an extensive database of 13 628 localities and ∼180 000 individual collection records. The environmental variables included climate, elevation, distance from nearest town, and network-specific measures such as link number (the number of first-order tributaries upstream of the current reach), downstream link number, stream order, and fractal dimension. The link number of the downstream reach was the strongest broad-scale correlate of fish species richness in first-order streams. Path analysis of a simple directed graph suggested that, although downstream dams have a significant effect on fish species richness, this effect is small by comparison to the influence of...
Magnetic reconnection flares in the protoplanetary nebula and the possible origin of meteorite chondrules

A possible episodic heating mechanism that could account for chondrule formation is discussed. The mechanism involves the transient release of energy as a result of magnetic flares in the corona of the protosolar nebula. The possible magnetic behavior of the protosolar nebula is outlined, based on meteorite paleomagnetic evidence about the magnetic field of the protoplanetary nebula and observations of the behavior of magnetic fields. The thermal balance in the melting of a chondrule precursor dust ball is examined. Observational evidence supporting the proposed heating mechanism is presented.
Forensic Services, Public Mental Health Policy, and Financing: Charting the Course Ahead

High-quality forensic evaluations can be critical for criminal cases brought before the court. In addition, forensic practitioners and mental health and forensic administrators have increasingly taken a broader view of the revolving door between the mental health and criminal justice systems. More attention is now paid to why individuals with mental disorders, including co-occurring substance use, come into the criminal justice system and the challenges that they face on re-entry into the community. In particular, individuals who receive care across civil, forensic, and correctional systems are at especially increased risk of disrupted health care access and coverage. With health care reform on the horizon, it is important to understand public financing and its impact on forensic services for this crossover population. This article is a review of historical and future trends in public mental health funding focused on Medicaid and other federal resources, the movement toward community-based services, and the impact of these areas on forensic practice and forensic systems. Tensions between recovery principles and legal mandates are also addressed as community services are emphasized, even in forensic contexts. This article calls forensic practitioners to action and offers suggested areas of focus for training to increase knowledge of public mental health funding, policy, and practice from a forensic perspective.
Quest for a Material for Sulfuric Acid Superheater/Decomposer for Sulfur-Iodine Thermochemical Cycle for Hydrogen Production

The sulfur-iodine and hybrid-sulfur thermochemical cycles that can utilize high-temperature heat from advanced nuclear reactors have shown promise economically for large-scale production of hydroge...
Systemic lupus erythematosus and extreme thrombocytosis without autosplenectomy

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by multiorgan system involvement. Hematologic manifestations are common in SLE and include thrombocytopenia in as many as 50% of patients. Thrombocytosis is much less common in SLE, occurring in less than 5% of patients, and is typically reported in association with autosplenectomy. The following case report describes a 35-year-old female patient who presented for evaluation with extreme thrombocytosis of unclear etiology. The patient was diagnosed with reactive thrombocytosis due to active SLE for which treatment with corticosteroids and plaquenil was provided with subsequent decline in platelet counts. This report highlights the importance of considering SLE in the differential for thrombocytosis despite its classic association with thrombocytopenia.
Apparatus and method for plasma processing of SRF cavities

Abstract An apparatus and a method are described for plasma etching of the inner surface of superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities. Accelerator SRF cavities are formed into a variable-diameter cylindrical structure made of bulk niobium, for resonant generation of the particle accelerating field. The etch rate non-uniformity due to depletion of the radicals has been overcome by the simultaneous movement of the gas flow inlet and the inner electrode. An effective shape of the inner electrode to reduce the plasma asymmetry for the coaxial cylindrical rf plasma reactor is determined and implemented in the cavity processing method. The processing was accomplished by moving axially the inner electrode and the gas flow inlet in a step-wise way to establish segmented plasma columns. The test structure was a pillbox cavity made of steel of similar dimension to the standard SRF cavity. This was adopted to experimentally verify the plasma surface reaction on cylindrical structures with variable diameter using the segmented plasma generation approach. The pill box cavity is filled with niobium ring- and disk-type samples and the etch rate of these samples was measured.
Temporal Occurrence, Sampling, and Within-Field Distribution of Aphids on Broccoli in Coastal California

Aphid occurrence, population dynamics, and sampling procedures were studied in three consecutive broccoli plantings in southern California. Myzus persicae (Sulzer) was dominant during the fall and spring, and Brevicoryne brassicae (L) was prevalent in winter. B. brassicae was the primary aphid contaminant of broccoli heads in all crops. Hyadaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach) and Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas) occurred at low population levels and were of minor importance. Aphid distribution was aggregated when densities were low [log (x + 1) <1.0 per plant] but became random as populations increased. Sampling procedures based on 10-plant samples were useful in estimating aphid population when densities exceeded a log (x + 1) value of 0.65 per plant. Aphid parasitization did not exceed 6% of available hosts in any planting and was not a major mortality factor.
New Product Preannouncing Behavior: A Market Signaling Study:

The authors describe an exploratory study of the preannouncement of new products in advance of market introduction. The basic premise taken is that preannouncement is a marketing manifestation of s...
Molecular umbrella-amphotericin B conjugates.

A tetrawalled and an octawalled molecular umbrella conjugate of amphotericin B (AmB) have been synthesized. Both conjugates exhibit high water solubility, a low tendency to aggregate, negligible hemolytic activity at 100 μM, and an ability to release a derivative of AmB under reducing conditions that exhibits high antifungal activity. Whereas the larger, octawalled conjugate shows slight adsorption to liposomal membranes and an ability to cross them by passive transport, the tetrawalled analogue shows significant adsorption and much lower bilayer transport activity. The potential of molecular umbrella–AmB conjugates as therapeutic agents is briefly discussed.
The Incidences of Leg and Foot Abnormalities in Wrolstad White Turkeys

Abstract The leg and foot abnormalities of a flock of 911 Wrolstad White turkeys were described and were analyzed statistically to determine the relationship of the incidences of leg and foot abnormalities to sex and body weight of the turkeys. Body weight and a visual observation of the condition of legs and feet of each turkey were recorded at the age of nearly 12 weeks. The sex of each turkey had been recorded at one day of age. Based on chi-square contingency tables, the incidence of the leg and foot abnormalities was related to sex. The male turkeys were far more likely to experience leg and foot abnormalities than were the females. The incidence rate of severe leg and foot abnormalities was 16.1% for the males and 4.8% for females. The incidence of leg and foot abnormalities was not related to weight per se. The light turkeys of either sex were just as likely as the heavy turkeys of the same sex to have leg and foot abnormalities.
Abstract A124: Amino acid availability modulates vacuolar-ATPase activity and assembly

Mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) activity is frequently deregulated in cancers of many etiologies. The mechanisms governing its activity in normal and pathological settings are incompletely understood, particularly with respect to amino acid sensing, an important contributor to its activation. Characterization of the processes controlling mTORC1 activation by amino acids may identify novel targets with broad application to cancer treatment. Amino acid sensing requires the Vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase), an ATP-dependent proton pump primarily responsible for the pH control of intracellular compartments. While it is known that the intact V-ATPase is necessary for mTORC1 activation by amino acids, the mechanism of its involvement unknown. We thus sought to determine if amino acids affect activity of the V-ATPase by assessing V-ATPase-dependent fluorescence quenching in lysosomes loaded with FITC-Dextran (a pH sensitive dye). Our data demonstrate that amino acid starvation increases V-ATPase activity, and that readdition of amino acids reverses this effect. We then demonstrated that amino acid starvation increases V-ATPase assembly, a main mode of regulation of the enzyme whereby association of the two functional domains, V1 and V0, is altered to increase or decrease the amount of active V-ATPase. Similarly to the change observed in activity, the change in V-ATPase assembly is reversed by amino acid readdition. These changes do not depend on PI3K or mTORC1 activity, both of which have been linked to changes in V-ATPase activity and assembly in response to other stimuli, such as glucose and growth factor stimulation. Further, we sought to determine if specific amino acids recapitulate the effect of total amino acid starvation, and preliminary data suggest that leucine and lysine both play important roles in controlling V-ATPase activity. These studies demonstrate that amino acid sensing controls V-ATPase activity and assembly, which may be important in subsequent signaling to mTORC1. Citation Format: Laura A. Stransky, Michael Forgac. Amino acid availability modulates vacuolar-ATPase activity and assembly. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2015 Nov 5-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(12 Suppl 2):Abstract nr A124.
Viruses and Cancer

Cancer is a leading cause of death in developed nations, and viruses contribute to around 15% of cancer cases worldwide. Despite being disparate viruses, seven major human viruses have been associated with oncogenesis: human T lymphotropic virus type I, hepatitis C virus, hepatitis B virus, Merkel cell polyomavirus, human papillomavirus, Epstein–Barr virus, and Kaposi's sarcoma–associated herpesvirus. Oncogenesis is a by-product of infection and is not required for viral replication. Oncogenic viruses affect pathways that become dysregulated in human cancers. Viral proteins commonly interfere with the cell cycle, target pRB and p53, prevent apoptosis, and interfere with the immune response. These effects contribute to genomic instability and support a cellular state that is more conducive to becoming oncogenic as additional mutations arise within the cell. Viruses are a leading contributory cause to cervical cancer, liver cancer, and oral cancers, among others.
Messung von effektiver Führung in Veränderungsprojekten anhand verschiedener Fallbeispiele

Veranderungen konnen Organisationen in ihrer Gesamtheit, aber auch in einzelnen Bestandteilen (be)treffen (Burke 2011). Um in alle Ebenen der Hierarchie vorzustosen, Einfluss zu nehmen und erfolgreich fur Veranderungen mobilisieren zu konnen, bedarf es eines starken Leadership Commitments innerhalb der Organisation (Kavanagh und Ashkanasy 2006; Gilley et al. 2009). Leadership Commitment wird dabei verstanden als Unterstutzung der Veranderung durch Fuhrungskrafte aller Ebenen sowie deren Fahigkeit Mitarbeiter effektiv durch die Veranderung zu begleiten. Die Definition der Effektivitat und damit des Erfolgs von Leadership Commitment sollte fur jedes Veranderungsvorhaben, abhangig von Zielen und Zeitplanen, definiert und gesteuert werden.
Living Buddhism: mind, self, and emotion in a Thai community

In Living Buddhism Julia Cassaniti examines how rural Northern Thais cultivate personal well- being and health by regulating and managing emotions through Buddhist idioms and practices. In both eve...
Autocalibrating motion-corrected wave-encoding for highly accelerated free-breathing abdominal MRI.

PURPOSE To develop a motion-robust wave-encoding technique for highly accelerated free-breathing abdominal MRI. METHODS A comprehensive 3D wave-encoding-based method was developed to enable fast free-breathing abdominal imaging: (a) auto-calibration for wave-encoding was designed to avoid extra scan for coil sensitivity measurement; (b) intrinsic butterfly navigators were used to track respiratory motion; (c) variable-density sampling was included to enable compressed sensing; (d) golden-angle radial-Cartesian hybrid view-ordering was incorporated to improve motion robustness; and (e) localized rigid motion correction was combined with parallel imaging compressed sensing reconstruction to reconstruct the highly accelerated wave-encoded datasets. The proposed method was tested on six subjects and image quality was compared with standard accelerated Cartesian acquisition both with and without respiratory triggering. Inverse gradient entropy and normalized gradient squared metrics were calculated, testing whether image quality was improved using paired t-tests. RESULTS For respiratory-triggered scans, wave-encoding significantly reduced residual aliasing and blurring compared with standard Cartesian acquisition (metrics suggesting P < 0.05). For non-respiratory-triggered scans, the proposed method yielded significantly better motion correction compared with standard motion-corrected Cartesian acquisition (metrics suggesting P < 0.01). CONCLUSION The proposed methods can reduce motion artifacts and improve overall image quality of highly accelerated free-breathing abdominal MRI. Magn Reson Med 78:1757-1766, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
The Contribution of Lexical Diversity to College-Level Writing.

This article reports on a study that investigated the extent to which lexical frequency and lexical diversity contribute to writing proficiency scores on monolingual English-speaking writers’ and advanced multilingual writers’ academic compositions. The data consist of essays composed by 104 multilingual English learners enrolled in advanced second language writing courses at various intensive English programs and 68 monolingual English-speaking university students in a first-year composition course. Three independent raters evaluated the essays according to the TOEFL iBT independent writing rubric. Results from a binary logistic regression reveal that lexical diversity has a significantly greater impact on writing score than lexical frequency. Post hoc analyses show that lexical frequency has only a moderate relationship to lexical diversity, suggesting that diversity of mid-frequency vocabulary may be more important to writing proficiency than the use of more sophisticated terms that occur less frequently in natural language. Implications for practice suggest that it is not enough to simply teach vocabulary words in the second language composition classroom, but also to guide learners in how to employ these words in a varied manner in their writing.
Pulmonary Dead Space Fraction and Extubation Success in Children After Cardiac Surgery.

Objectives 1) Determine the correlation between pulmonary dead space fraction and extubation success in postoperative pediatric cardiac patients; and 2) document the natural history of pulmonary dead space fractions, dynamic compliance, and airway resistance during the first 72 hours postoperatively in postoperative pediatric cardiac patients. Design A retrospective chart review. Setting Cardiac ICU in a quaternary care free-standing children's hospital. Patients Twenty-nine with balanced single ventricle physiology, 61 with two ventricle physiology. Interventions None. Measurements and main results We collected data for all pediatric patients undergoing congenital cardiac surgery over a 14-month period during the first 72 hours postoperatively as well as prior to extubation. Overall, patients with successful extubations had lower preextubation dead space fractions and shorter lengths of stay. Single ventricle patients had higher initial postoperative and preextubation dead space fractions. Two-ventricle physiology patients had higher extubation failure rates if the preextubation dead space fraction was greater than 0.5, whereas single ventricle patients had similar extubation failure rates whether preextubation dead space fractions were less than or equal to 0.5 or greater than 0.5. Additionally, increasing initial dead space fraction values predicted prolonged mechanical ventilation times. Airway resistance and dynamic compliance were similar between those with successful extubations and those who failed. Conclusions Initial postoperative dead space fraction correlates with the length of mechanical ventilation in two ventricle patients but not in single ventricle patients. Lower preextubation dead space fractions are a strong predictor of successful extubation in two ventricle patients after cardiac surgery, but may not be as useful in single ventricle patients.