cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Neural Network Model Based Approach to Detect Seal and Impeller Failures in Centrifugal Pumps

With the increased complexity of today’s industrial processes, maintaining equipment by preventing unscheduled downtime using monitoring hardware is a key challenge. Industrial statistics indicate that seal and impeller failures are predominant failure modes in centrifugal pumps and they are not adequately addressed in the literature. In this paper, a neural network (NN) based Nonlinear Autoregressive Moving Average with Exogenous input (NARMAX) model is used to develop fault detection scheme for detecting seal and impeller failures in centrifugal pumps. A rigorous methodology of detecting failures at the incipient stage is introduced. First a nonlinear relationship among the monitored parameters (inlet and outlet pressure, outlet flow, inlet and outlet temperature, and acceleration) where the previous values of the indicative parameters are used as inputs to the NARMAX model and the output being the value at the current instance is captured. The NARMAX modeled outputs are compared with the actual measured values in order to generate residuals. By choosing a suitable threshold, we could minimize false and missed alarms. Mathematical procedure for selection of threshold is derived in this paper. Along with the NARMAX model, an online approximator is used in the fault detection scheme for understanding the faults in the system. Experiments on the centrifugal pump seal and impeller failures were conducted by using a laboratory test bed. Experimental results show that the proposed fault detection scheme is able to successfully detect failures.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Inactivation studies on pancreatic lipase. III. The inactivation effect produced by substrate homologs.

Summary The inhibitory effect of isoamyl isobutyrate and of methylhexylcarbinol isobutyrate on the enzymatic hydrolysis of methyl butyrate by pancreatic lipase has been investigated at such concentrations of the enzyme which fail to attack the isobutyric acid esters themselves. The inhibition brought about by isoamyl alcohol and methylhexylcarbinol has also been studied. This effect was found to be a logarithmic function of the inhibitor in a wide concentration range for all except isoamyl alcohol. The inhibitory effect was found to be independent of the enzyme concentration, unlike the inhibition brought about by such agents as formol or the activation by bile salt solutions which are known to act on the enzyme protein itself or on the enzyme protein-water interface. Prior unification of the enzyme with the inhibitor markedly increases the inhibitory effect. An explanation for the mechanism of this inhibition has been suggested.
Cranberry Extract Standardized for Proanthocyanidins Promotes the Immune Response of Caenorhabditis elegans to Vibrio cholerae through the p38 MAPK Pathway and HSF-1

Botanicals are rich in bioactive compounds, and some offer numerous beneficial effects to animal and human health when consumed. It is well known that phytochemicals in cranberries have anti-oxidative and antimicrobial activities. Recently, an increasing body of evidence has demonstrated that cranberry phytochemicals may have potential benefits that promote healthy aging. Here, we use Caenorhabditis elegans as a model to show that water-soluble cranberry extract standardized to 4.0% proanthocyanidins (WCESP), a major component of cranberries, can enhance host innate immunity to resist against Vibrio cholerae (V. cholerae; wild type C6706 (O1 El Tor biotype)) infection. Supplementation of WCESP did not significantly alter the intestinal colonization of V. cholerae, but upregulated the expression of C. elegans innate immune genes, such as clec-46, clec-71, fmo-2, pqn-5 and C23G10.1. Additionally, WCESP treatment did not affect the growth of V. cholerae and expression of the major bacterial virulence genes, and only slightly reduced bacterial colonization within C. elegans intestine. These findings indicate that the major components of WCESP, including proanthocyanidins (PACs), may play an important role in enhancing the host innate immunity. Moreover, we engaged C. elegans mutants and identified that the p38 MAPK signaling, insulin/IGF-1 signaling (IIS), and HSF-1 play pivotal roles in the WCESP-mediated host immune response. Considering the level of conservation between the innate immune pathways of C. elegans and humans, the results of this study suggest that WCESP may also play an immunity-promoting role in higher order organisms.
The overview: An article that interrogates the literature

Although the question on the efficacy of chlorhexidine therapy for the clinician's adult patient may not have been totally answered, a greater perspective on this treatment modality was gained by the reader because of the quality of the overview cited, and the evidence-based approach used by the authors in performing the overview.
The Cytoskeleton of Primary Astrocytes in Culture Contains Actin, Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein, and the Fibroblast-Type Filament Protein, Vimentin

Primary astrocytes were cultured from forebrains of 1-day-old rats. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that approximately 80% of the cells were positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and greater than 80% were stained with an antiserum to the molecular weight 58,000 fibroblast intermediate filament protein (vimentin). Gel electrophoresis of Triton-insoluble cytoskeleton preparations from these cultures revealed three major bands having molecular weights of 58,000, 51,000, and 42,000, together with some prominent lower-molecular-weight species. The protein of molecular weight 51,000 was not present in preparations from fibroblasts. Each of the three major astrocyte proteins was subjected to limited proteolysis, while two of the proteins were cleaved by cyanogen bromide. The electrophoretic peptide patterns of the 58,000 protein were similar to those of vimentin isolated from NIL-8 fibroblasts, and the patterns of the 51,000 protein were similar to those of GFAP isolated from rat spinal cord. The patterns of the protein of molecular weight 42,000 resembled those of muscle action. Rocket immunoelectrophoresis showed that the 51,000 astrocyte protein reacted with an antiserum to bovine GFAP, but the 58,000 and 42,000 proteins failed to react. We conclude that the major proteins of cytoskeleton preparations from cultured primary astrocytes are vimentin (58,000), GFAP (51,000), and actin (42,000), and that our data show no obvious structural relationship among them.
Characterization of the Epstein-Barr virus Fp promoter

Abstract Expression of the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen-1 (EBNA-1) protein is mediated by the virus Fp promoter in Burkitt lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. This promoter is silent in latently infected B lymphoblastoid and most Burkitt lymphoma-derived cell lines in vitro , which utilize separate promoters approximately 50 kb upstream of Fp to express EBNA proteins. Fp-mediated activation of EBNA-1 expression is also activated upon induction of the virus replication cycle. We previously demonstrated that activation of Fp in Burkitt cells requires cis -regulatory elements downstream of the site of transcription initiation. We have now mapped two positive regulatory elements within the Fp promoter. One element contains two potential binding sites for the cellular transcription factor LBP-1 between +138 and +150. A second regulatory element was mapped between +177 and +192 and can be specifically bound in vitro by protein from nuclear extracts of Burkitt cells. Although this element overlaps two partial E2F binding sites and Fp reporter plasmids could be activated in trans by the adenovirus ElA protein in cotransfection experiments, mutational analysis and DNA binding studies suggest that these are unlikely to be functional E2F response elements within Fp. We also demonstrate that Fp-directed transcription initiates at multiple sites within both the genome and the Fp reporter plasmids. However, the principal site of transcription initiation within the genome is not utilized within reporter plasmids, in which the majority of transcripts initiate at multiple sites between +150 and +200. This finding suggests that additional elements may be necessary for Fp to function normally in these assays or that the context of Fp within the viral genome is critical to its regulation.
Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and other methods to enhance oxygen transport

Oxygen is essential for life, and the body has developed an exquisite method to collect oxygen in the lungs and transport it to the tissues. Hb contained within red blood cells (RBCs), is the key oxygen-carrying component in blood, and levels of RBCs are tightly controlled according to demand for oxygen. The availability of oxygen plays a critical role in athletic performance, and agents that enhance oxygen delivery to tissues increase aerobic power. Early methods to increase oxygen delivery included training at altitude, and later, transfusion of packed RBCs. A breakthrough in understanding how RBC formation is controlled included the discovery of erythropoietin (Epo) and cloning of the EPO gene. Cloning of the EPO gene was followed by commercial development of recombinant human Epo (rHuEpo). Legitimate use of this and other agents that affect oxygen delivery is important in the treatment of anaemia (low Hb levels) in patients with chronic kidney disease or in cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced anaemia. However, competitive sports was affected by illicit use of rHuEpo to enhance performance. Testing methods for these agents resulted in a cat-and-mouse game, with testing labs attempting to detect the use of a drug or blood product to improve athletic performance (doping) and certain athletes developing methods to use the agents without being detected. This article examines the current methods to enhance aerobic performance and the methods to detect illicit use.
Hierarchical Accessibility of Double-Helical RNA and DNA Processing Signals in Highly Dense Self-Assemblies

The ability to accurately detect biomolecules in single-cell amounts is an important goal of basic and translational research. The inherent capability of nucleic acids to self-assemble allows the spontaneous formation of highly dense, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). These assemblages can provide the basis for development of nano-based devices with programmable, single-molecule detection capability. Double-stranded(ds) RNA is an important biomarker of viral infection and certain cancers. While dsRNA behavior in solution has been extensively characterized by diverse physicochemical approaches, the properties of highly dense assemblies of dsRNA are largely unknown, and may be qualitatively different from those in solution. High-density, 39 bp, chimeric dsRNA:dsDNA (ds-chimera) SAMs have been prepared on modified gold surfaces. using atomic force microscopy (AFM)-based nanomanipulation and analysis, and fluorescence microscopy, we demonstrate the preferential binding of ethidium to the ds-chimera SAM compared to the single-stranded form. As revealed by AFM detection of height change, the ds-chimera SAM is reactive towards the dsRNA-specific RNase III of Aquifex aeolicus (Aa-RNase III) and restriction endonuclease BamHI, each having a recognition site in the dsRNA and dsDNA segments, respectively. We also show that the reactivity of the BamHI cleavage site, which is proximal to the gold surface, can be controlled by SAM density, and that access to the BamHI site is dependent upon the prior action of RNase III at its site in the center of the ds-chimera. These results reveal novel properties of protein-nucleic acid interactions within a high-density array environment that are relevant to nanoscale detection methodologies.
Keynote address: A trillion photos

Collectively, we take upwards of a trillion photos each year. These images together comprise a nearly complete visual record of the world's people, places, things and events. However, this record is massively disorganized, unlabeled, and untapped. This talk explores ways of transforming this massive, unorganized photo collection into reconstructions and visualizations of the world's sites, cities, and people. After a brief recap of our work on Photosynth and reconstructing Rome, I will present new work on matching, reconstructing, and browsing people from large photo collections.
Partial life-cycle models: how good are they?

Partial life-cycle models are simplified, matrix-based population models that allow demographic analyses using incomplete demographic data. Number of parameters in most partial life-cycle models are fixed, and this permits direct interspecific comparison of population dynamics and life histories. Because of these desirable properties, partial life-cycle models have recently received substantial applications. However, adequacy of partial life-cycle models has not been investigated using empirical data. I tested the adequacy of a post-breeding census partial life-cycle model by examining whether and to what extent dynamical properties of the age-structured model are retained in the post-breeding census partial life-cycle model. I applied the age-structured Leslie matrix model and a post-breeding census partial life-cycle model to demographic data for 142 populations of mammals, and compared the projected population growth rate (λ), and elasticity of λ to changes in ages at first and last reproduction, juvenile survival, adult survival, and fertility estimated from the two models. Population growth rate estimated from the two models were practically indistinguishable, and elasticities estimated from the two models were very similar. These results suggest that dynamical properties of the age-structured model are generally captured in the partial life-cycle model, and that application of the post-breeding census partial life-cycle model to age-structured or partial demographic data will not substantially compromise precision of analyses nor conclusions of an investigation. These results have substantial implications in basic and applied population ecology, because age-specific demographic data are seldom available for many species of conservation concern, and also because partial life-cycle models permit perturbation analyses involving ages at first and last reproduction using standard analytical techniques.
High-temperature vapor-phase Raman spectra and assignment of the low-frequency modes of trans-stilbene and 4-methoxy- trans-stilbene

Abstract The vapor-phase Raman spectra of trans -stilbene at 330°C and 4-methoxy- trans -stilbene at 350°C have been recorded using a specially constructed high temperature cell. Together with the dispersed fluorescence spectra, these spectra have been used to assign the eight low-frequency vibrational modes in each molecule. For trans -stilbene, strong polarized bands at 273 and 152 cm −1 were ascribed to the totally symmetric ν 24 (C e -phenyl bend) and ν 25 (in-plane phenyl wag), respectively. A depolarized band at 207 cm −1 was assigned to the B g phenyl flap ( ν 47 ), and a polarized shoulder near 125 cm −1 is believed to result from both the B g phenyl torsion ( ν 48 ) and the overtone of the A u phenyl flap ( ν 36 ). For 4-methoxy- trans -stilbene the C e -phenyl bend and in-plane phenyl wag were shifted to 234 and 144 cm −1 , respectively. These assignments were critical for understanding the fluorescence spectra associated with the torsional motions.
A sketch-based interface for photo pop-up

We present sketch-based tools for single-view modeling which allow for quick 3D mark-up of a photograph. With our interface, detailed 3D models can be produced quickly and easily. After establishing the background geometry, foreground objects can be cut out using our novel sketch-based segmentation tools. These tools make use of the stroke speed and length to help determine the user's intentions. Depth detail is added to the scene by drawing occlusion edges. Such edges play an important part in human scene understanding, and thus provide an intuitive form of input to the modeling system. Initial results and evaluation show that our methods produce good 3D results in a short amount of time and with little user effort, demonstrating the usefulness of an intelligent sketching interface for this application domain.
Monte Carlo Simulations of the Dissolution of Borosilicate Glasses in Near-Equilibrium Conditions

Abstract Monte Carlo simulations were performed to investigate the mechanisms of glass dissolution as equilibrium conditions are approached in both static and flow-through conditions. The glasses studied are borosilicate glasses in the compositional range (80 − x)% SiO2 (10 + x / 2)% B2O3 (10 + x / 2)% Na2O, where 5
ANATOMICAL EFFECTS OF TOMATO RINGSPOT VIRUS IN VICIA FABA

spot. The virus used in this study (O.S.C.-644) was isolated from cucumber by McWhorter and has been determined serologically by Price to be a strain of tomato ringspot virus which is common in the Pacific Northwest on a wide variety of hosts. It has been maintained for six years by serial transfer from seedling to seedling of Vicia faba. The type strain of tomato ringspot virus, and also most strains of tobacco ringspot virus, are usually symptomless in this host. The cucumber strain, however, produces local lesions followed by a progressive necrosis of the stems and roots that results in the death of the plant. Other related viruses under investigation at this laboratory produce similar symptoms in the shoots of V. faba seedlings but do not induce necrosis at the base of the stem or in the roots. Also, the plants infected with these viruses later produce new shoots that are symptomless. This study was initiated to determine why plants infected with the cucumber strain of tomato ringspot virus seldom show this type of recovery. MATERIALS AND METHODS.-All seedlings were grown in the greenhouse in 6-in. pots with four to six seedlings in each. At least one plant in each pot was left as a control for each series of inoculations. Seedlings were mechanically inoculated on the upper surfaces of both leaflets of either the first or the second foliage leaf at the time of leaf expansion. The progress of necrosis was determined from free-hand sections of living material and from paraffin sections of fixed material. Stems, stem tips, leaves and roots were fixed in Randolph's solution, and root tips were fixed in Navashin's solution. Various modifications of the tertiary butyl alcohol-paraffin oil technique were used for dehydration and embedding. The embedded material was soaked in water at 380-400C. for 1-10 days before sectioning. Most sections were stained progressively with safranin and iron haematoxylin.
Liver receptor homologue-1 mediates species- and cell line-specific bile acid-dependent negative feedback regulation of the apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter

Intestinal reclamation of bile salts is mediated in large part by the apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT). The bile acid responsiveness of ASBT is controversial. Bile acid feeding in mice results in decreased expression of ASBT protein and mRNA. Mouse but not rat ASBT promoter activity was repressed in Caco-2, but not IEC-6, cells by chenodeoxycholic acid. A potential liver receptor homologue-1 (LRH-1) cis-acting element was identified in the bile acid-responsive region of the mouse but not rat promoter. The mouse, but not rat, promoter was activated by LRH-1, and this correlated with nuclear protein binding to the mouse but not rat LRH-1 element. The short heterodimer partner diminished the activity of the mouse promoter and could partially offset its activation by LRH-1. Interconversion of the potential LRH-1 cis-elements between the mouse and rat ASBT promoters was associated with an interconversion of LRH-1 and bile acid responsiveness. LRH-1 protein was found in Caco-2 cells and mouse ileum, but not IEC-6 cells or rat ileum. Bile acid response was mediated by the farnesoid X receptor, as shown by the fact that overexpression of a dominant-negative farnesoid X-receptor eliminated the bile acid mediated down-regulation of ASBT. In addition, ASBT expression in farnesoid X receptor null mice was unresponsive to bile acid feeding. In summary cell line- and species-specific negative feedback regulation of ASBT by bile acids is mediated by farnesoid X receptor via small heterodimer partner-dependent repression of LRH-1 activation of the ASBT promoter.
Matrix Cracking in Impacted Glass/Epoxy Plates

In addition to delamination, which has been found to be the major failure mode in a fiber-reinforced laminated composite plate subjected to subperforation impact, matrix cracking and fiber breakage...
Time in autobiographical memory

Abstract Research on memory for the times of past events has revealed ten main phenomena that constrain theoretical accounts of time in autobiographical memory. These findings do not support a uniform time-tagging mechanism or a temporally organized memory store. Instead, a combination of processes, most notably the reconstruction of past times, underlies our chronological sense of the past. We are especially adept at remembering “locations” in the many temporal patterns that structure our lives, but some information about the order of related events, distances in the past, and specific dates is also available. These processes contribute to our sense of a personal past, a shared past in close relationships, and a coherent sense of the lives of other people.
Determination of the Stufe of certain cyclotomic fields

Abstract The authors prove that the Stufe of the cyclotomic field K = Q(e 2πi p ) , where p is a prime ≡ 7 (mod 8), is exactly 4.
Traumatic neuronal injury in cortical cell culture is attenuated by 21-aminosteroids

Abstract The effect of the 21-aminosteroids U74500A and U74389F, alone and in combination with the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801, on traumatic neuronal injury was quantitatively assessed in murine neocortical cell cultures. Consistent with prior observations, a mechanical insult to the culture monolayer resulted in widespread neuronal death over the following 24 h. Treatment with either U74500A or U74389F provided moderate protection, reducing neuronal death as measured by lactate dehydrogenase release by 25–50%. This effect was most consistent when these agents were preincubated for 2 h prior to injury. Combined treatment with a 21-aminosteroid plus the NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 reduced injury more than either drug alone. Approximately 40% of the neuronal death occurring in the presence of MK-801 was blocked by concomitant treatment with 10 μM U74500A or U74389F. These results suggest that free radicals may contribute to cell death in this in vitro model of traumatic neuronal injury.
Current pharmacotherapy options for bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder

Introduction: Growing evidence indicates binge eating, defined as the consumption of an abnormally large amount of food accompanied by a sense of loss of control, is an important public health problem. Although psychotherapy may be effective, not all patients respond adequately. Areas covered: This article provides an overview of bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge eating disorder (BED), the two conditions characterized by recurrent binge eating as a core feature, and reviews studies of specific medications in treating patients with BN or BED, focusing on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Expert opinion: Although the evidence base is small, growing data indicate pharmacotherapy may be helpful for some patients with BN or BED. Antidepressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are modestly effective for reducing binge eating over the short term in BN and BED. SSRIs may be modestly effective in BN over the long term. Topiramate has consistently been shown to decrease binge eating in ...
Efficiency of the Sri Lankan Stock Market

This paper investigates autocorrelations of market and industry returns in both short- and long-term holding periods in the Colombo Stock Exchange using a longer sample period to test the efficiency of stock prices. Daily stock market returns are reliably positively autocorrelated in the order of 43 percent. Daily returns are more predictable in rising markets and for large industries such as Bank Finance and Insurance, Manufacturing, Diversified, Plantations, Beverages Food and Tobacco, and Hotels and Travels. Monthly stock market returns have a reliable positive autocorrelation of 21 percent, and for most industries monthly autocorrelations are larger than daily autocorrelations. Monthly returns are also more predictable in rising markets. Consistent with observed price reversals in the Sri Lankan market, the long-horizon returns exhibit large negative autocorrelations suggesting not only that they are predictable but also that they contain a large mean-reverting component. The average predictable variation in 1-4-year returns is 56 percent for market returns, and 49 percent for industry returns. These results, consistent with previous findings, reliably reject the random-walk behavior of prices and the weak-form market efficiency in the Sri Lankan stock market.
Psychometric Evaluation of Lexical Diversity Indices: Assessing Length Effects.

Purpose Several novel techniques have been developed recently to assess the breadth of a speaker's vocabulary exhibited in a language sample. The specific aim of this study was to increase our understanding of the validity of the scores generated by different lexical diversity (LD) estimation techniques. Four techniques were explored: D, Maas, measure of textual lexical diversity, and moving-average type–token ratio. Method Four LD indices were estimated for language samples on 4 discourse tasks (procedures, eventcasts, story retell, and recounts) from 442 adults who are neurologically intact. The resulting data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results The scores for measure of textual lexical diversity and moving-average type–token ratio were stronger indicators of the LD of the language samples. The results for the other 2 techniques were consistent with the presence of method factors representing construct-irrelevant sources. Conclusion These findings offer a deeper understanding of th...
A line source on an interface between two media

The assumption of dynamic similarity is used to determine the velocity potential of an unsteady line source which lies on a plane separating two media of different density and sound velocity. The solution first derived is for a source whose strength varies with time as a step function; the pressure in this case may be identified with Hadamard's elementary solution which in a homogeneous fluid is ( c /2π) ( c 2 t 2 - r 2 ) −½ if r ct , and 0 if r > ct . We next derive the solution for a source whose strength has a delta-function time dependence; we then describe the results for a supersonic point source moving on the interface, and finally we transfer the results to solve the corresponding electromagnetic problem.
On adaptive detectors for two-input systems

This paper considers the class of detection problems having two inputs containing a common (signal) component. If a complete statistical description of these inputs is available, then well-known parametric techniques yield optimum detectors. If less is known about the inputs, various nonparametric schemes can be utilized. It is usually assumed that the inputs are stationary, but it is often possible to consider nonstationary inputs which can be regarded as stationary during any given test interval (quasi-stationary). Under these conditions, adaptive procedures may be devised to estimate some parameter associated with the input processes, permitting adjustment of detection threshold. In this paper adaptive parametric detectors of this type are analyzed and compared to a nonparametric detector [polarity coincidence correlator (PCC)] under the assumption of quasi-stationary inputs. In addition an adaptive PCC is shown to be nonparametric for a wider class of input processes then the original PCC and is at least as efficient as the original PCC under the restricted input assumptions. Although the parametric detectors are superior when used with the input processes for which they were designed, the nonparametric detectors are easier to implement and can be markedly superior under departures from input assumptions.
Microstructural descriptors characterizing granular deposits

Quantitative results are presented on mean coordination number and coordination number distribution, contact normal distribution and fabric tensor of simulated anisotropic granular deposits with resulting solid fractions between ca. 15% for ballistic deposits and 58%, corresponding to a random loose packing. The deposits, generated by the capture of uniform size spherical particles arriving normal to a target, were simulated using a simple algorithmic model. We focus on microstructural quantities which explicitly take into account the discrete nature of the granules comprising the deposit. Such measures are important in determining the heat transport properties of the deposits for Fourier conduction through the solid phase, as well as their mechanical and sintering properties. The variation of mean coordination number with deposit solid fraction was successfully correlated using a unit-cell model (Eq. 13). This correlation, in conjunction with entropy maximization arguments (after Nayak and Tien, 1978) has been further used to predict the coordination number distribution. The usefulness of the results reported here is illustrated by computing an upper bound to the deposit effective thermal conductivity (Jagota and Hui, 1990) and comparing it to both ‘exact’ simulation results (Tassopoulos and Rosner, 1991b) and experimental data (Koh, 1971).
Simultaneous determination of omeprazole and 5′-hydroxyomeprazole in human plasma by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry

A method for the simultaneous determination of omeprazole and 5'-hydroxyomeprazole in human plasma is described. Isolation of the analytes from plasma was achieved via solid-phase extraction using a polymeric sorbent based cartridge. The analytes were chromatographed under reversed-phase conditions on a Zorbax XDB-C8 column (50 x 4.6 mm). The HPLC mobile phase consisted of a mixture of acetonitrile-water (21:79, v/v) containing 10 mM ammonium hydroxide. The apparent pH of the mobile phase was adjusted to 8.5 with formic acid prior to use. A Sciex API III+ tandem mass spectrometer equipped with a heated nebulizer atmospheric pressure chemical ionization interface was used as a detector and was operated in the positive ion mode. Multiple reaction monitoring using the precursor-->product ion combinations of m/z 362-->214, 346-->198 and 316-->147 was used to detect 5'-hydroxyomeprazole, omeprazole and internal standard, respectively. The method was validated in the concentration range of 10-500 ng/ml plasma with adequate assay precision and accuracy. The assay was used to determine the cytochrome P450 2C19 phenotype of subjects participating in clinical trials of compounds under development.
Interprofessional education in team communication: working together to improve patient safety

Background Communication failures in healthcare teams are associated with medical errors and negative health outcomes. These findings have increased emphasis on training future health professionals to work effectively within teams. The Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS) communication training model, widely employed to train healthcare teams, has been less commonly used to train student interprofessional teams. The present study reports the effectiveness of a simulation-based interprofessional TeamSTEPPS training in impacting student attitudes, knowledge and skills around interprofessional communication. Methods Three hundred and six fourth-year medical, third-year nursing, second-year pharmacy and second-year physician assistant students took part in a 4 h training that included a 1 h TeamSTEPPS didactic session and three 1 h team simulation and feedback sessions. Students worked in groups balanced by a professional programme in a self-selected focal area (adult acute, paediatric, obstetrics). Preassessments and postassessments were used for examining attitudes, beliefs and reported opportunities to observe or participate in team communication behaviours. Results One hundred and forty-nine students (48.7%) completed the preassessments and postassessments. Significant differences were found for attitudes toward team communication (p<0.001), motivation (p<0.001), utility of training (p<0.001) and self-efficacy (p=0.005). Significant attitudinal shifts for TeamSTEPPS skills included, team structure (p=0.002), situation monitoring (p<0.001), mutual support (p=0.003) and communication (p=0.002). Significant shifts were reported for knowledge of TeamSTEPPS (p<0.001), advocating for patients (p<0.001) and communicating in interprofessional teams (p<0.001). Conclusions Effective team communication is important in patient safety. We demonstrate positive attitudinal and knowledge effects in a large-scale interprofessional TeamSTEPPS-based training involving four student professions.
The Potential of Soybean Phytoestrogens for Postmenopausal Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women greatly reduces their risk of coronary heart disease. However, current pharmaceutical regimens have a low acceptance rate among postmenopausal women. We have sought to identify an alternative treatment that would retain the beneficial health effects of current standard therapy without its negative aspects. We have concentrated our research on naturally occurring estrogens (called phytoestrogens) found in soybeans, in the belief that delivery of phytoestrogens via the diet would be more acceptable than pharmaceutical regimens. Using a well-established nonhuman primate model of postmenopausal women, we have investigated the effects of soy phytoestrogens on cardiovascular risk factors and the reproductive system. In this review, we summarize the results of our ongoing research.
REVERSAL OF ESTRIN-INDUCED PROSTATIC PATHOLOGY IN MICE BY THE USE OF TESTOSTERONE1

Recent work indicates that a sex hormone imbalance is responsible for prostatic pathology. This becomes evident when the male hormone is decreased in relation to the estrogenic hormone. Thus, in men afflicted with prostatic hypertrophy, such a deviation from the normal ratio has been reported (1). Furthermore, an imbalance may be induced in male mice, rats, dogs and monkeys by the administration of estrin, producing changes in the prostate gland which, in some respects, are similar to prostatic enlargement of men. MacCallum (2) and Zuckerman (3) have recently summarized this relationship of the sex hormones to prostatic pathology. An attempt to inhibit the prostatic changes, artificially induced in mice, by restoring the normal hormonal balance, would appear worthy of trial. Such efforts have been made. Burrows (4) reports that progesterone protects normal male mice from the keritinizing effect of estrin on the prostate. This did not hold true in castrated mice. He concludes, then, that the male hormone a...
Dim light at night increases body mass of female mice

During the past century, the prevalence of light at night has increased in parallel with obesity rates. Dim light at night (dLAN) increases body mass in male mice. However, the effects of light at night on female body mass remain unspecified. Thus, female mice were exposed to a standard light/dark (LD; 16 h light at ∼150 lux/8 h dark at ∼0 lux) cycle or to light/dim light at night (dLAN; 16 h light at ∼150 lux/8 h dim light at ∼5 lux) cycles for six weeks. Females exposed to dLAN increased the rate of change in body mass compared to LD mice despite reduced total food intake during weeks five and six, suggesting that dLAN disrupted circadian rhythms resulting in deranged metabolism.
The interpersonal communication approach to HIV/AIDS prevention: strategies and challenges for faith-based organizations.

This study examines the interpersonal communication approach to HIV/AIDS prevention within Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) in Jamaica. Applying concepts from the social influence and social learning theories, the study examines communication strategies, challenges and concerns that religious leaders face in their communication efforts. Data gathered qualitatively through focus groups and in-depth interviews indicate that FBOs are social and cultural entities with potential to influence knowledge, attitude and behaviour for HIV/AIDS prevention. However, issues related to content, context, culture, the prevailing AIDS-related stigma alongside religious leaders’ personal characteristics hamper their communication initiatives. Capacity building of leaders as HIV/AIDS communicators and behaviour change facilitators and a collaborative effort between FBOs and health organizations would enhance their HIV/AIDS response.
Prenatal Consultation at the Limits of Viability

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. List the professionals who should be involved in counseling the pregnant woman threatening to deliver at 22 to 24 weeks’ gestation. 2. List the key issues to be discussed at the initial counseling visit. What is meant by “limits of viability”? Use of the plural, not singular, form of the word “limit” implies some variability in the definition. Nevertheless, most neonatologists would agree that survival of infants younger than approximately 22 to 23 weeks’ estimated gestational age is universally dismal and that resuscitative efforts should not be undertaken when a neonate is born at this point in pregnancy. A woman threatening to deliver at 22 to 24 weeks’ gestational age and her partner face many medical, emotional, and ethical questions, with even more difficult postnatal decisions. What medical professionals should be involved in counseling these women, the nature of the information provided during the consultation, and the training of professionals to handle these challenging situations are the topics of this article. Obviously a woman’s obstetrician or maternal-fetal medicine specialist plays an integral role in caring for, educating, and supporting her when she is in preterm labor. Certainly this professional is the optimal source of information regarding decisions on obstetric issues such as tocolytics (indications for, risks and benefits of) and route of delivery. Others who may participate in such counseling include general pediatricians, pediatric subspecialists, genetic counselors, social workers, and chaplains. However, there is no better medical professional to describe the many aspects of what it means to be born preterm than the neonatologist. The neonatologist not only can describe the immediate threats to life, but also the long-term sequelae of preterm delivery. Unlike pediatric subspecialists, who focus on particular organs or organ systems, the neonatologist is a generalist who has expertise …
The effectiveness of online teaching in an advanced Spanish language course

Studies on the effectiveness of online language teaching have generally centered on basic or intermediate language courses. The present study examines the effectiveness of an advanced-level online Spanish grammar course. Two sections of the course are compared: one is offered face-to-face, and the other is offered fully online. The goals are both to measure students' achievement in the two sections, and to better understand specific challenges faced by online teaching. The study shows that there was significant improvement (learning) in the online section, and that learning is indeed comparable to that shown in the face-to-face section. However, we identify and discuss one specific challenge faced by an online format: the different nature of the interaction between the learner and the learning environment. Los estudios sobre la ensenanza de lenguas en linea generalmente se han enfocado en cursos de nivel basico o intermedio. El presente trabajo examina la efectividad de un curso avanzado de gramatica espanola. Se comparan dos secciones del mismo curso: una ofrecida en linea y la otra presencial. El objetivo es medir el rendimiento de los estudiantes y entender mejor factores especificos que pueden afectar su aprendizaje en linea. El estudio muestra que hay un aprendizaje significativo en la seccion en linea, y que el aprendizaje es comparable al experimentado por los estudiantes en la seccion presencial. Identificamos tambien un reto especifico que enfrentan los estudiantes en linea: la diferente naturaleza de la interaccion entre el estudiante y su entorno de aprendizaje.
Larval amphibians seek warm temperatures and do not avoid harmful UVB radiation

Habitat use by animals often reflects the balance between conflicting demands such as foraging and avoiding predation. Environmental stressors such as temperature can also affect habitat use in many organisms, particularly in ectothermic animals. For example, warm, shallow thermal regimes in ponds can optimize growth and developmental rate of amphibian larvae but may also expose larvae to potentially harmful levels of ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation. Thus, optimally, amphibians seeking sunlight for thermoregulation must balance this behavior while limiting their exposure to harmful UVB radiation. We conducted a series of laboratory and field experiments to test the hypothesis that larval amphibians avoid UVB by selecting microhabitats with lower exposure to UVB. We then quantified habitat use of the larvae of 4 amphibian species using field transects in 3 ponds with different UVB transmission. Tadpoles did not avoid UVB radiation in laboratory or field experiments and preferred warmer temperatures in laboratory thermal gradients regardless of UVB exposure. The majority of anuran larvae were observed in water less than 10‐15 cm deep in field surveys, whereas salamander larvae were most often observed in deeper, cooler water. The similarity in habitat use across different sites and the lack of evidence of UVB avoidance in choice tests suggest that larval anuran amphibians may be exposed to harmful levels of UVB radiation due to habitat choice behaviors that have been established over evolutionary time. Levels of UVB radiation at the earth’s surface have recently increased due to stratospheric ozone depletion. Thus, long-term selection pressures such as thermoregulation may override the relatively recent selection pressure of increased UVB radiation. Key words: Ambystoma macrodactylum, Bufo boreas, ephemeral pond, habitat use, Pseudacris regilla, Rana cascadae, selection pressure, thermoregulation, ultraviolet B radiation, UVB avoidance. [Behav Ecol]
Photogeneration of hydrogen from water using CdSe nanocrystals demonstrating the importance of surface exchange

Unique tripodal S-donor capping agents with an attached carboxylate are found to bind tightly to the surface of CdSe nanocrystals (NCs), making the latter water soluble. Unlike that in similarly solubilized CdSe NCs with one-sulfur or two-sulfur capping agents, dissociation from the NC surface is greatly reduced. The impact of this behavior is seen in the photochemical generation of H2 in which the CdSe NCs function as the light absorber with metal complexes in aqueous solution as the H2-forming catalyst and ascorbic acid as the electron donor source. This precious-metal–free system for H2 generation from water using [Co(bdt)2]− (bdt, benzene-1,2-dithiolate) as the catalyst exhibits excellent activity with a quantum yield for H2 formation of 24% at 520 nm light and durability with >300,000 turnovers relative to catalyst in 60 h.
Closed-Form Design Formulas for the Equivalent Circuit Characterization of Ferrite Inductors

Miniature inductors, consisting of thin-wire solenoidal or toroidal coils wound on a high-permeability soft ferrite core, find wide application in the filtering of noise or electromagnetic interference at RF. An understanding of the high-frequency parasitic and packaging effects of the inductor, such as stray capacitance, magnetic losses, self-resonance, etc., can be gained from an equivalent circuit characterization of the inductor. In this paper, we present a rigorous experimental method to fully characterize the RF behavior of ferrite inductors. The equivalent circuit parameters of the inductor, namely, series inductance, loss resistance, and stray capacitance, as well as the effective permeability of the core, are extracted in closed form from an accurate measurement of the RF impedance, without recourse to cumbersome optimization procedures usually followed in equivalent circuit extraction from measured data. We derive design equations for the equivalent circuit elements based on the proposed measurement-based model, and rigorously validate the model using inductors wound on commercial toroidal and rod-type Ni-Zn ferrite cores.
Sensitivity of crop cover to climate variability: Insights from two Indian agro-ecoregions

Crop productivity in India varies greatly with inter-annual climate variability and is highly dependent on monsoon rainfall and temperature. The sensitivity of yields to future climate variability varies with crop type, access to irrigation and other biophysical and socio-economic factors. To better understand sen- sitivities to future climate, this study focuses on agro-ecological subregions in Central and Western India that span a range of crops, irrigation, biophysical conditions and socioeconomic characteristics. Climate variability is derived from remotely-sensed data products, Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM e precipitation) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS e temperature). We examined green-leaf phenologies as proxy for crop productivity using the MODIS Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) from 2000 to 2012. Using both monsoon and winter growing seasons, we assessed pheno- logical sensitivity to inter-annual variability in precipitation and temperature patterns. Inter-annual EVI phenology anomalies ranged from � 25% to 25%, with some highly anomalous values up to 200%. Monsoon crop phenology in the Central India site is highly sensitive to climate, especially the timing of the start and end of the monsoon and intensity of precipitation. In the Western India site, monsoon crop phenology is less sensitive to precipitation variability, yet shows considerable fluctuations in monsoon crop productivity across the years. Temperature is critically important for winter productivity across a range of crop and management types, such that irrigation might not provide a sufficient buffer against projected temperature increases. Better access to weather information and usage of climate-resilient crop types would play pivotal role in maintaining future productivity. Effective strategies to adapt to projected climate changes in the coming decades would also need to be tailored to regional biophysical and socio-economic conditions.