cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of interleukin-8 with inflammatory and innate immune components in bronchoalveolar lavage of children with chronic respiratory diseases.

Abstract Background The host inflammatory response and innate immunity play a complex role in respiratory diseases. Methods We evaluated the levels of inflammatory mediators and antibacterial proteins in children who required bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) for clinical indications such as chronic tracheostomy ( n =15) and chronic suppurative lung disease ( n =8). Results Our results suggested the presence of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-8 as major inflammatory mediators in BALF samples. The level of the antibacterial protein sIgA was higher than lactoferrin and lysozyme. BALF IL-8 levels significantly correlated with the presence of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-16, sIgA and lysozyme. BALF IL-8 levels did not correlate with the levels of immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory clara cell 10 kDa protein (CC10) or lactoferrin. Conclusion This study suggests that patients with high levels of BALF IL-8 could potentially have high levels of IL-6, IL-10, IL-16, lysozyme and sIgA. Evaluating the inflammatory mediators (IL-8) in relation to other BALF protein components provides insight into understanding the role of inflammatory mediators in the regulation of host defense and the response to lung inflammation and injury.
Micro-X-ray Fluorescence Characterization of Mixed Oxide Fuel Surrogate Feed Material

Mixed oxide (MOX) fuel feed material surrogates composed of Ga2O3 in CeO2 were characterized by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and micro-X-ray fluorescence (MXRF). This work is significant because MOX fuel contains trace levels of Ga2O3 that could potentially damage the fuel cladding. Because a majority of Ga2O3 is extracted during MOX fuel feed processing via reduction to volatile and mobile Ga2O, XRF spatially resolved spot analyses, line scans, and elemental maps were acquired to determine the gallium distribution in surrogate pellets. These modes of analyses, when combined, provided a comprehensive picture of the sample gallium dispersal. The surrogate pellets were reduced at temperatures ranging from 600 to 1200 °C with 6% hydrogen in argon, and the internal gallium was found to migrate toward the outer surface and top of the pellets. This process was more kinetically favorable with increasing reduction temperature. Different quantities of surrogate powders were also reduced from 600 to 1200 °C, and XRF qu...
Palmitoylation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase is necessary for optimal stimulated release of nitric oxide: implications for caveolae localization.

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) is dually acylated by N-myristoylation and cysteine palmitoylation and resides in Golgi and caveolae membranes. N-Myristoylation is necessary for its membrane association and targeting into the Golgi complex of transfected cells whereas palmitoylation influences the targeting of eNOS into caveolae. However, the in vivo significance of palmitoylation, membrane association, and the corresponding caveolar localization of eNOS have not been shown. To further examine the nature of membrane association of palmitoylation-deficient forms of eNOS and to address the functional role(s) of palmitoylation in activation of eNOS in vivo, HEK 293 cells stably transfected with wild-type (WT) or palmitoylation-deficient mutants of eNOS were generated. Membrane association of the mutants was biochemically similar to that of the WT protein in terms of their resistance to high salt, high pH, and distribution between Triton X-114 detergent and aqueous phases, suggesting that other hydro...
Plasma cell variant of castleman's disease occuring concurrently with Hodgkin's disease in the neck

Background Castleman's disease, a benign lymphoproliferative disorder, may be seen as a self-limited, curable unifocal process, or highly aggressive multicentric disease frequently resulting in death despite aggressive management. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has been known to arise within the context of Castleman's disease, usually when multicentric. Hodgkin's lymphoma, however, can also arise within the context of Castleman's disease, but this is a rare process. We report a case of unifocal Castleman's disease (plasma cell variant) occurring concurrently with Hodgkin's disease in the neck of a young woman. Methods The presentation, workup, pathologic evaluation, and management of a young woman diagnosed with Castleman's disease occurring concurrently with Hodgkin's disease in the neck is presented and discussed. Results A 32-year-old woman with a 5-year history of unifocal right cervicoparotid Castleman's disease (plasma cell variant) underwent right functional neck dissection and superficial parotidectomy for cosmetic and functional purposes. Pathologic and immunohistochemical analysis confirmed Hodgkin's lymphoma occurring in a background of the plasma cell variant of Castleman's disease. The patient subsequently underwent external beam radiation therapy as definitive management for her early-stage Hodgkin's lymphoma. Conclusions Castleman's disease can occur as an isolated regional process in the head and neck. Furthermore, lymphoma (and specifically Hodgkin's lymphoma) can develop within regionally isolated cervical Castleman's disease. Although complete surgical excision of unifocal Castleman's disease is curative, the management of lymphoma occurring within the context of the Castleman's disease warrants a standard lymphoma workup and management strategy. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Head Neck 23: 166–169, 2001.
Association of specific leaf weight, an estimate of chlorophyll, and chlorophyll concentration with apparent photosynthesis in soybean

Increasing specific leaf weight (SLW) may improve leaf apparent photosynthesis (AP) in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] but screening for SLW and AP is laborious. The Objectives of this study were (i) to determine the time course of SLW and chlorophyll concentration in experimental lines selected for differences in SLW and (ii) to evaluate the potential use of the Minolta 502 SPAD meter as a rapid estimator of SLW, AP and chlorophyll concentration in leaves of soybean. In 1991 and 1992, sixteen experimental lines representing extremes in SLW were grown at Urbana, IL, and West Lafayette, IN, with three replications at each location. SPAD values, SLW and AP were measured at the R2 (full flower), R4 (full pod) and R5 (beginning seed) growth stages. In 1992 SLW, SPAD values and chlorophyll concentration were measured weekly. Seasonal patterns of SPAD values, SLW, and chlorophyll concentration were very similar through R5. After R5, SLW continued to increase but SPAD values and chlorophyll concentration declined. SPAD values and SLW were highly correlated at the R2, R4 and R5 stages at both locations and in both years. Environmental conditions during this research were not suitable for maximum AP expression, which is likely why AP and SPAD values were correlated only at the R4 growth stage at Urbana in 1992. SPAD measurements were consistent across diverse environments and effectively separated the high SLW lines from the low SLW lines. Measuring with the Minolta 502 SPAD meter is rapid, simple and non-destructive and could be an alternative method for direct selection for SLW.
Spectral analysis of antepartum fetal heart rate variability from fetal magnetocardiogram recordings.

Abstract Fetal heart rate variability was derived from fetal magnetocardiogram recordings in ten subjects at gestation ages 32–38 weeks. Maternal interference was negligible and R-wave detection was highly reliable. Oscillations suggestive of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) were prominent in many of the heart rate tracings. Spectral analysis was used to quantify heart rate variability and to examine the influence of the RSA-like oscillations on heart rate variability. The oscillations were associated with increased power in the frequency range 0.4–1.0 Hz (P ≤ 0.05). Magnetic recording appears to offer significant advantages for investigation of beat-to-beat fetal heart rate throughout the latter stages of pregnancy.
Influence of culture medium pH on charasome development and chloride transport inChara corallina

Internodal cells ofChara, grown in culture either at pH 5.7, 6.5 or 7.5, were studied to determine their chloride influx capability, the quantitative aspects of charasome morphology and the degree to which these two parameters could be correlated. In cells grown at pH 5.7 the charasomes were relatively small, were widely spaced on the plasma membrane, and contributed only a 0.6% increase to the surface area of the plasma membrane in the acid region of the cell. In contrast, the charasome membrane surface area of cells grown at pH 7.5 had increased × 19, the density of charasomes on the cell surface increased × 42, thus producing a × 3.57 increase in the acid region plasma membrane surface area. Chloride influx in cells grown at pH 7.5 was × 8.7–12.7 greater than in cells grown at pH 5.7. Cells that had been starved of chloride exhibited a × 2.4 average increase in the rate of chloride influx. Our observations establish the existence of a positive correlation between the rate of chloride influx and the increase in membrane surface area due to charasomes, although other factors, such as the effect of pH on transport-related enzymes, and the effect of charasome structure on chemical equilibria, may also be of importance.
Desensitization of β2-Adrenergic Receptors with Mutations of the Proposed G Protein-coupled Receptor Kinase Phosphorylation Sites

Abstract Tentative identification of the G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 and 5 (GRK2 and GRK5) sites of phosphorylation of the β2-adrenergic receptor (βAR) was recently reported based on in vitro phosphorylation of recombinant receptor (Fredericks, Z. L., Pitcher, J. A., and Lefkowitz, R. J. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 13796–13803). Phosphorylated residues identified for GRK2 were threonine 384 and serines 396, 401, and 407. GRK5 phosphorylated these four residues as well as threonine 393 and serine 411. To determine if mutation of these sites altered desensitization, we have constructed βARs in which the threonines and serines of the putative GRK2 and GRK5 sites were substituted with alanines. These constructs were further modified to eliminate the cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) consensus sites. Mutants βARs were transfected into HEK 293 cells, and standard kinetic parameters were measured following 10 μmepinephrine treatment of cells. The mutant and wild type (WT) receptors were all desensitized 89–94% after 5 min of 10 μmepinephrine stimulation and 96–98% after a 30-min pretreatment. There were no significant changes observed for any of the mutant βARs relative to the WT in the extent of 10 μmepinephrine-induced internalization (77–82% after 30 min). Epinephrine treatment for 1 min induced a rapid increase in the phosphorylation of the GRK5 and PKA− mutant βARs as well as the WT. We conclude that sites other than the GRK2 and GRK5 sites identified by in vitro phosphorylation are involved in mediating the major effects of the in vivoGRK-dependent desensitization of the βAR.
Time dependence of correlated cosmic-ray muons

Determination de la dependance dans le temps des muons provenant du rayonnement cosmique primaire, et ayant leur origine dans des evenements de duree relativement courte
The PurR binding site in the glyA prometer region of Escherichia coli

Site-directed mutagenesis was used to change the PurR binding site in the control region of a glyA-lac gene fusion. Mutations that changed the PurR binding sequence away from the consensus sequence reduced PurR binding, which correlated with reduced purine-mediated repression. Mutations that changed the binding sequence toward the consensus sequence had no significant effect on either PurR binding or purine-mediated repression. Hypoxanthine and guanine, co-repressors for PurR-mediated regulation of the pur regulon, increased binding of PurR to glyA operator DNA.
SYNTHESIS OF ALKYL AMINO ALKANOL ESTERS OF P-ETHOXY BENZOIC ACID.

A series of eight alkyl amino alkanol esters of p -ethoxy benzoic acid were prepared having hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, butyl, t -butyl, benzyl, and benzylmethyl groups so attached to give a secondary nitrogen in five of the compounds. Some physical properties were determined for comparative purposes in connection with the pharmacological studies.
The Baker–Ericksen inequalities for hyperelastic models using a novel set of invariants of Hencky strain

Abstract We study a class of models that describes isotropic hyperelastic materials and that is defined using a novel set of invariants for the Hencky strain. For these models, we derive the appropriate form of the Baker–Ericksen inequalities. To illustrate an application, we then use this form of the Baker–Ericksen inequalities to develop a set of specific constitutive restrictions for a model of rubber-like materials proposed in [Criscione, J.C., Humphrey, J.D., Douglas, A.S., Hunter, W.C., 2000. J. Mech. Phys. Solids 48, 2445–2465].
Fuzzy cognitive maps to implement corporate social responsibility in product planning: A novel approach

Product development can support proactive CSR strategies by changing product features, materials, and processes in order to reduce or even eliminate negative environmental and social impacts. However, the CSR literature provides little practical guidance for new product development, but promotes general principles for responding to environmental and social issues. One of these guiding principles is the concept of stakeholder engagement, but to date, few practical approaches for integrating stakeholder views and needs into product development exist. To address this gap, the paper discusses the use of Fuzzy Cognitive Map Modeling. The method, which has been applied in participatory stakeholder studies and in product development before, but never in conjunction, helps product planners to understand and assess stakeholder needs and to select product concepts that respond to them. It thus allows organizations to remain true to their CSR strategies.
Dynamic Shape Integration in Extrastriate Cortex

Background: In anorthoscopic viewing conditions, observers can perceive a moving object through a narrow slit even when only portions of its contour are visible at any time. We used fMRI to examine the contribution of early and later visual cortical areas to dynamic shape integration. Observers' success at integrating the shape of the slit-viewed object was manipulated by varying the degree to which the stimulus was dynamically distorted. Line drawings of common objects were either moderately distorted, strongly distorted, or shown undistorted. Phenomenologically, increasing the stimulus distortion made both object shape and motion more difficult to perceive. Results: We found that bilateral cortical activity in portions of the ventral occipital cortex, corresponding to known object areas within the lateral occipital complex (LOC), was inversely correlated with the degree of stimulus distortion. We found that activity in left MT+, the human cortical area specialized for motion, showed a similar pattern as the ventral occipital region. The LOC also showed greater activity to a fully visible moving object than to the undistorted slit-viewed object. Area MT+, however, showed more equivalent activity to both the slit-viewed and fully visible moving objects. Conclusions: In early retinotopic cortex, the distorted and undistorted stimuli elicited the same amount of activity. Higher visual areas, however, were correlated with the percept of the coherent object, and this correlation suggests that the shape integration is mediated by later visual cortical areas. Motion information from the dorsal stream may project to the LOC to produce the shape percept.
Integration of an abdominal Hox complex with Pax2 yields cell-specific EGF secretion from Drosophila sensory precursor cells

Cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) ensure specific developmental outcomes by mediating both proper spatiotemporal gene expression patterns and appropriate transcriptional levels. In Drosophila, the precise transcriptional control of the serine protease rhomboid regulates EGF signaling to specify distinct cell types. Recently, we identified a CRM that activates rhomboid expression and thereby EGF secretion from a subset of abdominal sensory organ precursor cells (SOPs) to induce an appropriate number of lipid-processing cells called oenocytes. Here, we use scanning mutagenesis coupled with reporter assays, biochemistry and genetics to dissect the transcriptional mechanisms regulating SOP-specific rhomboid activation. Our results show that proper spatial activity of the rhomboid CRM is dependent upon direct integration of the abdomen-specific Hox factor Abdominal-A and the SOP-restricted Pax2 factor. In addition, we show that the Extradenticle and Homothorax Hox co-factors are differentially integrated on the rhomboid CRM by abdominal versus thoracic Hox proteins in the presence of Pax2. Last, we show that Abdominal-A uses both Pax2-dependent and Pax2-independent mechanisms to stimulate rhomboid CRM activity to induce proper oenocyte numbers. Thus, these data demonstrate how a CRM integrates Hox and neural transcriptional inputs to regulate the appropriate spatial pattern and levels of EGF secretion to specify an essential cell fate.
Integrative Gaming: A Framework for Sustainable Game-Based Diabetes Management:

Obesity and diabetes have reached epidemic proportions in both developing and developed nations. While doctors and caregivers stress the importance of physical exercise in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, many people have difficulty subscribing to a healthy lifestyle. Virtual reality games offer a potentially exciting aid in accelerating and sustaining behavior change. However, care needs to be taken to develop sustainable models of employing games for the management of diabetes and obesity. In this article, we propose an integrative gaming paradigm designed to combine multiple activities involving physical exercises and cognitive skills through a game-based storyline. The persuasive story acts as a motivational binder that enables a user to perform multiple activities such as running, cycling, and problem solving. These activities guide a virtual character through different stages of the game. While performing the activities in the games, users wear sensors that can measure movement (accelerometers, gyrometers, magnetometers) and sense physiological measures (heart rate, pulse oximeter oxygen saturation). These measures drive the game and are stored and analyzed on a cloud computing platform. A prototype integrative gaming system is described and design considerations are discussed. The system is highly configurable and allows researchers to build games for the system with ease and drive the games with different types of activities. The capabilities of the system allow for engaging and motivating the user in the long term. Clinicians can employ the system to collect clinically relevant data in a seamless manner.
Mechanotransduction and extracellular matrix homeostasis

Soft connective tissues at steady state are dynamic; resident cells continually read environmental cues and respond to them to promote homeostasis, including maintenance of the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) that are fundamental to cellular and tissue health. The mechanosensing process involves assessment of the mechanics of the ECM by the cells through integrins and the actomyosin cytoskeleton, and is followed by a mechanoregulation process, which includes the deposition, rearrangement or removal of the ECM to maintain overall form and function. Progress towards understanding the molecular, cellular and tissue-level effects that promote mechanical homeostasis has helped to identify key questions for future research.
Factory floor: A robotically reconfigurable construction platform

Passive robotically-reconfigurable truss structures offer considerable utility as they can quickly adjust to changing functional requirements and resources at a level of sophistication that no human builder could match. Furthermore, robot built structures can be constructed in environments such as surface of Mars or in micro-gravity, which would otherwise be too time consuming or dangerous for humans. In this paper we discuss some of the mechanical design challenges of developing a passive robotically-reconfigurable truss system, and present the concept of the factory floor, which can construct truss-like structures without climbing on them. In the proposed system, each level is constructed on a ground plane using a truss and node configuration and is elevated to make room for the next level. This process is repeated to create 3D truss structures or reversed to decompose the structure for the next task.
The Poet as Hero: Fifth-Century Autobiography and Subsequent Biographical Fiction

The old proverb (‘poets tell a lot of lies’) can still more accurately be applied to their biographers.‘ Even the more plausible and psycho logically tempting details in the lives of literary figures derive from these authors’ fictional works, poems, and dramas, and not from the kind of source material biographers use today, letters, documents, eyewitness testimony. Critics and readers eager to establish some historical correlation between any ancient poet's life and his work should expect to be disappointed. But even if the ancient lives are useless to the historian or critic trying to explain what in Euripides’ experience compelled him to write about Medea, these stories are of interest to mythologists. If we stop being angry at the Lives for failing to be historical, and look at them rather as myths or fairy tales, some informative patterns begin to emerge.
Worst-Rank Score Analysis with Informatively Missing Observations in Clinical Trials

Many randomized clinical trials schedule subjects to undergo some assessment at a fixed time (or times) after the initiation of treatment. Often, these follow-up measurements may be missing for some subjects because a disease-related event occurred prior to the time of the follow-up observation. For example, a study of congestive heart failure may schedule patients to undergo exercise testing at 12 weeks, but this measurement may be missing for those who died of heart disease during the study. In such cases, the measurements are informatively missing because mortality from heart disease and a decline in exercise both indicate progression of the underlying disease. It is inappropriate, therefore, to treat these missing observations as missing-at-random and ignore them in the analysis. In one approach to this problem, investigators have included such patients in the analysis of the follow-up data by assigning a rank that represents a "worst-rank score" relative to those actually observed. Some, however, have criticized this procedure as having the potential to produce biased results. In this paper, we explore the statistical properties of such an analysis. We show under a specific model that the imputation of a worst-rank score for informatively missing observations provides an unbiased test against a restricted alternative. We also describe generalizations that employ the actual times of the informative event. We present an example from a study of congestive heart failure. Last, we discuss the implications of this approach and of other methods.
Human agency, social networks, and FOSS project success

Abstract The development model of free open source software (FOSS) provides important managerial lessons for knowledge creation, innovation, and software and new product development. Yet many unanswered questions exist regarding why certain FOSS projects succeed while others fail. Drawing on social capital theory and human agency theory, this study proposes that FOSS projects stand a better chance of success if they possess desirable social network capital and adopt effective strategies. It further argues that valuable social network capital and effective strategies produce greater returns together than they do alone. The results of an empirical analysis reveal significant positive interactions between social capital variables and human agency/strategy variables, highlighting the importance of complementarity between social network ties and strategies in shaping the outcome of FOSS projects.
Unraveling male and female histories from human genetic data

The increasing availability of large-scale genetic datasets has made it possible to ask detailed questions about the structure of human genetic diversity, and what that structure can teach us about human demographic history. Global, multi-locus analyses have suggested that human genetic diversity may fall into clusters that correspond approximately to continental origin. Detailed comparisons of mitochondrial DNA and the Y chromosome have revealed a history of sex-biased migration patterns that can vary widely across human populations. These patterns can be understood, however, when we incorporate our knowledge of local histories and cultural practices into our genetic analyses.
Frequency-feedback tuning for single-cell cavity under RF heating

A tuning system is described that is being used to match the source frequency of a high-power klystron on the resonant frequency of the prototype single-cell cavity for the 7 GeV Advanced Photon Source (APS) storage ring. Typically a water cooled piston tuner is required to adjust the reactive component of the cavity's impedance to minimize reflected power back to the RF drive source. As the cavity walls expand due to RF heating, the resonant frequency decreases. Adjusting the source frequency to follow the cavity resonant frequency is a convenient method used to condition the cavity (for vacuum) at high power levels, in this case, 1 MV gap voltage at 100 kW power level. The tuning system consists of two coupling ports, a phase detector, a digitizing I/O system, and a DC coupled FM-modulated RF source. Proportional integral derivative (PID) loop parameters for the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) software are calculated, and data is presented showing the damped response to perturbations on the loop. The tuning system presented does not need water cooling, has no moving parts to wear out, and has an inherently faster response time. Its one limitation is the digitizing sampling rate. The only limitation in tuning range is the bandwidth of the RF source. >
Measuring Benefits from a Marketing Cooperative in the Copper River Fishery

The degradation of product quality is one form of rent dissipation resulting from incomplete property rights in fisheries. Industry structure and information asymmetries can also lead to underinvestment in product quality, even when property rights are well defined. In this article we empirically examine whether the voluntary formation of a marketing cooperative was able to mitigate market failures that led to the production of inferior‐quality fish. Specifically, we use a difference‐in‐differences estimation strategy to measure the impact that the Copper River Fishermen's Cooperative, an Alaskan salmon marketing cooperative, had on ex‐vessel salmon prices and salmon quality measures. We find that the cooperative was able to improve product quality, as well as attract and sustain a higher price for its salmon. Our findings provide empirical support for many of the key tenets of cooperative theory. Specifically, we find evidence that marketing cooperatives can address existing market failures, that marketing cooperatives can have advantages in high‐quality product markets, and that over time, as a result of their success, marketing cooperatives may lead to lasting producer benefits even though they become obsolete due to nonmember free‐riding.
Flexible transistor matrix (FTM)

This paper describes a new layout style called the Flexible Transistor Matrix (FTM) for large scale CMOS module generation. FTM uses two layers of metal. Compared to Gate Matrix, FTM can generate significantly better results. In addition, the algorithm can control the aspect ratio, 1/0 pin positions and different transistor sizes.
Demonstration of a switched resonator concept in a dual-band monolithic CMOS LC-tuned VCO

A switched resonator concept which allows better trade-off between phase noise and power consumption is demonstrated using a dual band VCO. The dual-band VCO operates near 900 MHz and 1.8 GHz with phase noise of -125 and 123 dBc/Hz at a 600-KHz offset and 16-mW power consumption. Compared to a single band 1.8 GHz VCO, the dual-band VCO has almost the same phase noise and power consumption.
B-complex recombinants and sarcoma regression: role of B-L/B-F region genes.

Abstract The anti-sarcoma response of three B complex recombinant haplotypes BR1(F24-G23), BR2(F2-G23) and BR3(F2-G23) was investigated. In a preliminary experiment, one male heterozygous for the BR1 recombinant haplotype and another heterozygous for the BR2 recombinant haplotype were each mated to females, some of which carried the respective recombinant. The anti-sarcoma response of progeny carrying the BR1 recombinant differed significantly from that of progeny carrying the BR2 recombinant. Subsequently, each of the three recombinant haplotypes was placed on each of four B haplotype complex backgrounds, and compared to B-G and B-L/B-F region controls on the same background haplotype. For each recombinant, significant differences in tumor growth were found between the recombinant and B-L/B-F control chickens on either one, two, or three of the four genetic backgrounds tested. For each recombinant, no differences were found between chickens carrying the recombinant and B-G region controls, which is further evidence that the gene(s) controlling Rous sarcoma growth lies in or near the B-L/B-F chromosomal region. Moreover, although the BR2 and BR3 recombinants appear to be identical serologically, they differed significantly in tumor growth suggesting that the two haplotypes are genetically different.
A Review of the Therapeutic Efficacy of Aerosolized and Endotracheally Instilled Antibiotics

Achievement of sufficient concentrations of aerosolized antibiotic at the site of infection is limited by technical problems in antibiotic delivery and by drug inactivation. Antibiotic delivery by aerosolization is generally associated with minimal systemic absorption, whereas systemic absorption may be significant after endotracheal instillation. Methodologic problems make correlations between clinical response and sputum antibiotic concentrations difficult. Studies suggest that aerosolized antibiotics are of little value in the treatment of chronic bronchopulmonary infections. Endotracheal instillation appears to be associated with favorable clinical responses, possibly due to enhanced antibiotic delivery to the site of infection. Prophylactic aerosolized antibiotics are effective in altering sputum flora; reduction in mortality from acquired pneumonia has not been demonstrated. The development of resistant organisms may occur as a result of prophylactic treatment.
Software reliability and redundancy optimization

A procedure for reliability-related quality programming is developed to fill existing gaps in software design and development so that a quality programming plan can be achieved. The authors investigate the tradeoff between system reliability improvement and resource consumption through the management phase. A software reliability-to-cost relation is developed from both a software reliability-related cost model and software redundancy models with common-cause failures. The software reliability optimization problem can be formulated into a mixed-integer programming problem and solved by a branch-and-bound technique. >
Overestimation of the effects of adherence on outcomes: a case study in healthy user bias and hypertension

Background The healthy user bias is usually overlooked as an explanation in studies in which a strong association is found between poor patient medication adherence and worse disease outcomes. Such studies are increasing in frequency across disease states and influence clinical practice. Adherence to antihypertensive medications was studied to illustrate confounding in such studies. Methods Using data from veterans with hypertension starting antihypertensive treatment, causal models were developed that predicted the risks of hospitalisation, myocardial infarction (MI) and death associated with poor adherence ( Results The models that did not adjust for time-varying BP levels showed that patients with poor adherence had statistically significantly increased risks of 3.7% for hospitalisation, 28.1% for MI and 23.3% for death. These estimates exceed the benefits of these drugs demonstrated by clinical trials. When controlling for time-varying BP, the increased risks were similar (3.4% for hospitalisation, 27.7% for MI and 23.4% for death). The findings were consistent across a range of adherence thresholds (50–90%) and when allowing disease status variables to vary. Conclusions The associations between poor adherence and outcomes are largely independent of the pharmacological effects of the drugs on BP control as well as commonly measured patient covariates. This finding suggests that even carefully designed observational adherence studies using rich clinical data are impossibly confounded and probably overestimate the true magnitude of the effect. Clinical practice guidelines based on reported adherence effects should be reconsidered.
The Relationship Between the Use of Foot Orthoses and Knee Ligament Injury in Female Collegiate Basketball Players

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament injuries are more prevalent in female athletes than in male athletes. Basketball is a high-risk sport for anterior cruciate ligament injury in female athletes. This study was conducted to observe the effect of a foot orthosis on the knee ligament injury rate in female basketball players at one US university. Methods: One hundred fifty-five players on the women’s basketball team were observed for knee ligament injury from 1992 to 2005. Athletes in the 1992–1993 to 1995–1996 school years (July–June) did not receive a foot orthosis and served as the control group; the treatment group comprised the athletes during the 1996–1997 to 2004–2005 school years (July–June). Athletes in the treatment group received a foot orthosis before participating in basketball. Data analysis included knee ligament injury rates and a comparison of injury rates with an incidence density ratio. Results: Athletes in the control group had three collateral ligament injuries and three anterior cruc...
Gastroscopy: a five year study in a large general hospital.

Summary 1.Four hundred and sixty three cases were studied. 2.In the 463 cases, there were 520 diagnoses; normals 214, superficial gastritis 48, atrophic gastritis 69, hypertrophic gastritis 32, mixed gastritis 16, allergic gastritis 1, benign gastric ulcer 41, polyps 13, and malignant tumors 86. 3.Indications, contraindications, and limitations for gastroscopy are listed. This is an office procedure in uncomplicated cases. 4.Gastroscopy is the only means for definitive diagnosis of gastritis. This series shows preponderance of superficial gastritis in the younger, and atrophic gastritis in the older age groups. 5.The combined methods of gastroscopy and X-ray resulted in the highest percentage of correct diagnoses. In benign gastric ulcer, gastroscopy was superior to X-ray while in malignant tumor, the reverse was true. Gastroscopy was more accurate than X-ray in diagnosis of polyps.
A Characterization of Uniqueness of Limit Models in Categorical Abstract Elementary Classes

In this paper we examine the task set forth by Shelah and Villaveces in \cite{ShVi} of proving the uniqueness of limit models of cardinality $\mu$ in $\lambda$-categorical abstract elementary classes with no maximal models, where $\lambda$ is some cardinal larger than $\mu$. In \cite{Va} and \cite{Va-errata} we identified several gaps in the approach outlined in \cite{ShVi}, and we added the assumption that the union of an increasing chain of limit models is a limit model. Here we replace this assumption with the seemingly weaker statement that the union of an increasing and continuous chain of limit models is an amalgamation base. Moreover, we prove that this assumption is not only sufficient but is necessary to settle the uniqueness of limit models problem attempted in \cite{ShVi} for $\lambda=\mu^{+n}$ when $0<n<\omega$.
Total arterial myocardial revascularization: analysis of initial experience.

BACKGROUND: Total arterial myocardial revascularization is an attempt to overcome the problems of late vein graft atherosclerosis, occlusion and need for coronary re-operations. Despite increasing ...
Valuable Crude Oil from Hydrothermal Liquefaction of an Aliphatic Coal

Artificial maturation techniques, such as hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), have demonstrated the ability to generate petroleum-like products, termed bio-oils, from feedstocks including manure, algae and agricultural wastes; however, the oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur content of bio-oils often requires upgrading. The objective of this study was to utilize HTL on a low rank coal to produce a high quality crude oil sample that can be used as a transportation fuel. Coal from the Wyodak-Anderson coal seam was selected for HTL due to its predominant aliphatic character and low heteroatom content. HTL was performed at 360 °C for 72 h. The untreated coal, spent solid, and expelled oil were analyzed using several advance analytical techniques including solid-state 13C NMR, two-dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and electrospray ionization-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance-mass spectrometry to achieve a comprehensive molecular characterization. Solid-state 13C NMR analyses of the untreated and s...
DESCRIPTION OF THE GALLERY AND LARVA OF DENDROCTONUS PUNCTATUS LECONTE (COLEOPTERA: SCOLYTIDAE)

Le systeme de galeries decrit chez D.p. est compare a celui des autres especes du genre D.. Les larves matures de D.p. sont egalement etudiees. Une clef permet la reconnaissance des larves de D.p.
NOTES ON WESTERN FUNGI. I.

The author has spent the last six field seasons (1961-1966) collect? ing agarics in central and northern Idaho, western Montana, eastern Washington, central and northern Oregon, and the Canadian Rocky Mountains of Alberta. During this period new western records of known species have been established. In addition, the ranges of several infrequently collected species have been extended and additional knowledge has been gained concerning their ecology, including the conditions under which they fruit. This paper brings together information on sev? eral of these fungi and presents species descriptions of those fungi which are undescribed or little known from North America.
Simultaneous inversion for source spectrum and path Q using Lg with application to three semipalatinsk explosions

A nonlinear method is developed for the simultaneous inversion of Lg source spectra and path Q . The method is applicable to both earthquakes and explosions. The unknowns are the source corner frequency and seismic moment, as well as Lg Q and η values ( Lg Q at 1 Hz and its power-law frequency dependence) along paths to the recording stations. The inverse algorithm determines different Q and η values for each of the several paths, it is event-based, and it is suitable for real-time processing. The algorithm is further characterized by an exhaustive, nonlinear search for source parameters and linear searches for Q and η values. The search process is implemented in successive, increasingly refined steps, designed to accelerate the computation. With these characteristics, the inverse algorithm requires neither a starting model, nor a priori information on the source of Q ; it thus avoids convergence to local minima, and is fast enough to be mini-computer based. The method is applied to three underground nuclear explosions in eastern Kazakhstan. The resulting seismic moment ( M ) and corner frequency ( fc ) for the largest (JVE) event are 1.3 (±0.1) × 1023 dyne-cm and 0.56 (±0.02) Hz, respectively. These values are consistent with previous estimates using other methods and phases, as well as the source scaling relationships developed for NTS explosions. Based on the same scaling relationships, the M values obtained for the smaller events in this study suggest seismic yields that are consistent, within reasonable uncertainties, with those predicted by using the ISC mb values and an mb -yield scaling relationship. The path-averaged apparent Q and η values agree with previous estimates in roughly the same area, but the values from individual paths can vary significantly. The apparent Q values are higher than 750 in two northeasterly directions, and are between 475 and 591 in three other directions. These values correlate with the regional tectonic features. These values also agree, within the uncertainties, with estimates based on a tomographic Lg coda Q map by Xie and Mitchell (1991).
Filling the Polar Data Gap in Sea Ice Concentration Fields Using Partial Differential Equations

The “polar data gap” is a region around the North Pole where satellite orbit inclination and instrument swath for SMMR and SSM/I-SSMIS satellites preclude retrieval of sea ice concentrations. Data providers make the irregularly shaped data gap round by centering a circular “pole hole mask” over the North Pole. The area within the pole hole mask has conventionally been assumed to be ice-covered for the purpose of sea ice extent calculations, but recent conditions around the perimeter of the mask indicate that this assumption may already be invalid. Here we propose an objective, partial differential equation based model for estimating sea ice concentrations within the area of the pole hole mask. In particular, the sea ice concentration field is assumed to satisfy Laplace’s equation with boundary conditions determined by observed sea ice concentrations on the perimeter of the gap region. This type of idealization in the concentration field has already proved to be quite useful in establishing an objective method for measuring the “width” of the marginal ice zone—a highly irregular, annular-shaped region of the ice pack that interacts with the ocean, and typically surrounds the inner core of most densely packed sea ice. Realistic spatial heterogeneity in the idealized concentration field is achieved by adding a spatially autocorrelated stochastic field with temporally varying standard deviation derived from the variability of observations around the mask. To test the model, we examined composite annual cycles of observation-model agreement for three circular regions adjacent to the pole hole mask. The composite annual cycle of observation-model correlation ranged from approximately 0.6 to 0.7, and sea ice concentration mean absolute deviations were of order 10 − 2 or smaller. The model thus provides a computationally simple approach to solving the increasingly important problem of how to fill the polar data gap. Moreover, this approach based on solving an elliptic partial differential equation with given boundary conditions has sufficient generality to also provide more sophisticated models which could potentially be more accurate than the Laplace equation version. Such generalizations and potential validation opportunities are discussed.
Bandwidth Allocation Based on Personality Traits on Smartphone Usage and Channel Condition

A bandwidth allocation method based on smartphone users’ personality traits and channel condition is studied in a unified mathematical framework in this paper. Based on the relationship between automatically extracted behavioral characteristics derived from rich smartphone data and Big-Five personality traits, the service provider could estimate each user’s probability of each personality trait using diagnostic inference, and then based on predictive inference to calculate each user’s usage of bandwidth using Bayesian Network. This could help the service provider to better allocate the smartphone bandwidth. For our proposed smart bandwidth allocation scheme, both the outage capacity and the outage probability are studied in fading channel. The service provider could adjust the bandwidth allocated further on account of the real channel condition, which makes our proposed algorithm more robust.
uLink: Enabling User-Defined Deep Linking to App Content

Web deep links are instrumental to many fundamental user experiences such as navigating to one web page from another, bookmarking a page, or sharing it with others. Such experiences are not possible with individual pages inside mobile apps, since historically mobile apps did not have links equivalent to web deep links. Mobile deep links, introduced in recent years, still lack many important properties of web deep links. Unlike web links, mobile deep links need significant developer effort, cover a small number of predefined pages, and are defined statically to navigate to a page for a given link, but not to dynamically generate a link for a given page. We propose uLink, a novel deep linking mechanism that addresses these problems. uLink is implemented as an application library, which transparently tracks data- and UI-event-dependencies of app pages, and encodes the information in links to the pages; when a link is invoked, the information is utilized to recreate the target page quickly and accurately. uLink also employs techniques, based on static and dynamic analysis of the app, that can provide feedback to users about whether a link may break in the future due to, e.g., modifications of external resources such as a file the link depends on. We have implemented uLink on Android. Our evaluation with 34 (of 1000 most downloaded) Android apps shows that compared to existing mobile deep links, uLink requires minimal developer effort, achieves significantly higher coverage, and can provide accurate user feedback on a broken link.
Twitter Adoption in U.S. Legislatures: A Fifty-State Study

This study draws theoretical inspiration from the literature on Twitter adoption and Twitter activity in United States legislatures, applying predictions from those limited studies to all 7,378 politicians serving across 50 American state legislatures in the fall of 2015. Tests of bivariate association carried out for individual states lead to widely varying results, indicating an underlying diversity of legislative environments. However, a pooled multivariate analysis for all 50 states indicates that the number of constituents per legislator, district youth, district level of educational attainment, legislative professionalism, being a woman, sitting in the upper chamber, holding a leadership position, and legislative inexperience are all significantly and positively associated with Twitter adoption and Twitter activity. Controlling for these factors, legislator party, majority status, partisan instability, district income, and the percent of households in a state with an Internet connection are not significantly related to either Twitter adoption or recent Twitter use. A significant share of variation in social media adoption by legislators remains unexplained, leaving considerable room for further theoretical development and the development of contingent historical accounts.