cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A child with sickle cell trait and macroscopic hematuria: answer

The differential diagnosis of macroscopic hematuria in patients with sickle cell disease (hgb SS), and more rarely in sickle cell trait (hgb AS), includes papillary necrosis, renal infarction, membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis associated with the hepatitis C virus, interstitial nephritis due to analgesic abuse, pyelonephritis, nephrolithiasis and, very rarely, a renal malignancy, such as renal medullary carcinoma. Acute papillary necrosis is often suspected and is frequently the cause, but further studies are mandatory if the hematuria persists. In this case, the renal ultrasound (Fig. 1) demonstrated an echogenic mass in the upper pole of the left kidney. The computed tomography (CT) scan with intravenous contrast (Fig. 2) revealed a heterogeneous mass in the same location. A tissue diagnosis was required to confirm the diagnosis, and the patient underwent unilateral nephrectomy. Figure 3 shows the gross pathology of the tumor found in the upper pole of the left kidney. The pathologic diagnosis was renal cell carcinoma, papillary cell type, collecting-duct sub-type. Figure 4 shows the microscopic pathology. Our patient had no evidence of metastases and appears to be completely well after 6 months of follow-up.
Coping with the urge to smoke: A real-time analysis.

Abstract: Successfully coping with the urge to smoke is important toachieve smoking cessation. Nicotine-dependent smokers (N ¼ 123) wereplaced in a tempting setting in a laboratory, and the effectiveness ofvarious coping strategies for resisting the urge to smoke were evaluated inreal time. Latency (time between exposure to lit cigarettes and report ofneed to smoke) was the primary-dependent variable, and coping strategieslisted by participants after the smoking encounter served as predictors.There was a small positive relationship between cognitive-speciﬁcstrategies, such as using positive self-talk, and latency (r ¼ .19, p < .05),whereas there was a small negative relationship between behavioral-general strategies, such as looking out the window, and latency (r ¼ .23,p < .01). Counseling approaches that include teaching cognitive-speciﬁcstrategies may help individuals cope with the urge to smoke. 2012 WileyPeriodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 36:3–15, 2013Keywords: coping; smoking; cravings; addiction; mixed methods
A survey of power efficient technologies for Wireless Body Area Networks

Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) of intelligent sensors emerged as the most promising architecture for ambulatory health monitoring. Integrated in an m-Health system they provide means for unobotrusive ubiquitous monitoring. However, proper design of wireless communication system is application dependent and critically influences system performance and user acceptance. In this paper we present a survey of existing and emerging wireless communication technologies and critical parameters for the system design.
Image restoration and identification using the EM and adaptive RAP algorithms

A new iterative algorithm for image restoration and point spread function (PSF) estimation is presented. The method initially estimates the PSF and the original image using the Expectation Maximization (EM) method. The resulting image estimate is then refined by using the adaptive Row Action Projection (RAP) algorithms which is based on the theory of Projection Onto Convex Sets (POCS). The new implementation of the RAP algorithm can be performed efficiently in parallel and facilitates locally adaptive constraints and cycling strategies. The PSF is re-estimated using a least square technique. Computer simulations illustrate the new method to be very competitive in restoring degraded images and estimating the PSF from noisy blurred images with unknown PSF.
Ultrafast terahertz studies of dirac fermion dynamics in graphene

We report the broadband optical conductivity and ultrafast carrier dynamics of few-layer graphene. Equilibrium spectra exhibit significant THz and near-IR absorption, consistent with a model of intra- and interband transitions in a dense Dirac electron plasma. Ultrafast THz transmission changes after photoexcitation are dominated by excess holes, with a 1.2-ps exponential decay that reflects minority-carrier recombination.
Metrology of mirrors for the National Ignition Facility

The large-aperture (up to 40 cm × 80 cm) mirrors required for the National Ignition Facility have very stringent specifications. The specifications include requirements for transmitted and reflected wavefront over a wide spectral frequency, surface quality, laser resistance, spectral characteristics, etc. In order to validate optic performance, metrology tools were fielded at optic fabrication vendors to assure production control. These tools include interferometers, large-area conditioning stations, and photometers. Of the 1800 large-aperture mirrors required for the NIF, approximately 35% have been completed. This presentation will review the types of large-aperture mirrors used on NIF along with the performance of NIF optics as measured and received from our vendors.
Boundary Lubrication Behavior of Organic Films at Low Temperatures

Sliding experiments from—195 to +200 C are reported for metals lubricated with thin films of hydrocarbons, fatty acids, and synthetic lubricants in helium and air. For copper and iron pairs lubricated with pure organic compounds, a marked rise in friction and wear is found to occur at the melting point of the film material. From just below the melting point down to —195 C, there is an increase in friction but negligible wear, indicating increased shear strength of the solid film. This is substantiated by contact resistance measurements. The behavior of fatty acids in dry air indicates that oxygen promotes the formation of higher-melting soap, and defers the above-noted friction rise to the melting point of the soap. Humidity serves to displace the friction rise to an even higher temperature. Presented as an American Society of Lubrication Engineers paper at the Lubrication Conference held in Washington, D.C., October 13–16, 1964
A simple forced convection film boiling model

Abstract A simple analysis of the steady laminar forced convection film boiling flow over a horizontal flat plate is presented. A novel analogy drawn between the mobile liquid-vapor interface in forced convection film boiling and a moving surface in a flowing single-phase fluid enables a simple analysis of this complex flow. As a result, easy to apply closed-form expressions to predict theoretical wall heat transfer and skin friction are obtained, circumventing the need for previous complex analyses.
Measurements of total and positronium formation cross sections for positrons and electrons scattered by hydrogen atoms and molecules

We have measured total (${\mathrm{Q}}_{\mathrm{T}}$ ) and positronium formation (${\mathrm{Q}}_{\mathrm{Ps}}$ ) cross sections for 1--302-eV positrons (${\mathrm{e}}^{+}$ 's) and ${\mathrm{Q}}_{\mathrm{T}}$ 's for electrons (${\mathrm{e}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ 's) scattered by hydrogen atoms and molecules. A beam transmission technique is used to measure ${\mathrm{Q}}_{\mathrm{T}}$ 's where the projectile beam passes through a low-temperature scattering cell containing a mixture of hydrogen atoms and molecules generated in an adjacent radio-frequency discharge region. ${\mathrm{Q}}_{\mathrm{Ps}}$ 's are measured using the same scattering cell by detecting coincidences of 511-keV annihilation \ensuremath{\gamma} rays produced by the decay of para-Ps and by the interaction of ortho-Ps with the walls of the scattering cell in which the Ps is formed. The present ${\mathrm{e}}^{+}$ -H ${\mathrm{Q}}_{\mathrm{T}}$ 's and ${\mathrm{Q}}_{\mathrm{Ps}}$ 's agree very well with theoretical calculations. Comparisons of the present ${\mathrm{e}}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{e}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ -H ${\mathrm{Q}}_{\mathrm{T}}$ 's show a merging to within 20% for energies above 12 eV.
A New Approach to Classification of Disease Severity and Progression of COPD

Background Most current classification schemes for COPD use lung function as the primary way of classifying disease severity and monitoring disease progression. This approach misses important components of the disease process. Methods We evaluated existing data to develop a classification scheme for COPD using measures beyond lung function, including respiratory symptoms, exacerbation history, quality-of-life assessment, comorbidity, and BMI. We then applied this scheme to data from the Lung Health Study, calculating a score for study subjects in year 1 and year 5 of the study, along with the difference between year 1 and year 5. Results We developed a four-point scale ranging from 1.00 (mild) to 4.00 (very severe). In year 1 of the study, the mean COPD score was 1.76; in year 5 it was 1.82. The mean difference from year 1 to year 5 was an increase (worsening) of 0.06 and a range from −1.0 to 1.6. The COPD score at year 1, year 5, and the difference between these scores were all predictive of mortality at follow-up. For example, the 14.0% of subjects whose score improved by at least 0.25 between year 1 and 5 had decreased mortality compared with those with stable scores (between −0.25 and 0.25; hazard ratio, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.4, 0.8). Conclusions A COPD severity score that includes components in addition to lung function and allows for both improvement and worsening of disease may provide additional guidance to COPD classification, management, and prognosis.
The Reproductive Cycle of the Field Mouse, Microtus californicus

The cricetid rodent Microtus has been studied extensively in recent years due to its widespread geographic distribution and to the cyclic abundance shown by most of its species. Reports are available on certain aspects of the reproduction of Microtus californicus (Hatfield, 1935), M. agrestis (Brambell and Hall, 1939), M. pennsylvanicus (Hamilton, 1941), and M. guentheri (Bodenheimer, 1949). With these exceptions, the remaining work is primarily concerned with the population dynamics of Microtus . The present report, based on work in the field and in the laboratory, describes some of the anatomical and physiological features of the reproductive cycle of females of Microtus californiens and emphasizes certain aspects in which M. californicus differs from other microtines or from other rodents. The present study is based on dissection of 581 female Microtus californicus collected over a 21- month period from 1951 to 1953. Most of these animals were trapped in grassland adjacent to San Francisco Bay, near San Rafael, Marin County, California. Approximately 50 were kept in captivity. Appropriate reproductive tracts were preserved in Bouin's fluid, paraffin embedded by the dioxane method, sectioned at 10 micra, and stained with Delafield's hematoxylin and eosin. A summary of the field data may help in placing the laboratory findings in proper perspective. Microtus californicus is polyestrous, breeding throughout the year. The major breeding season is in the late winter and spring months with a minor period of reproductive activity in the fall. During the rest of the year sporadic pregnancies occur. The mean litter size is 4.2 with a range from 1 to 9 embryos. However, there is considerable seasonal variation in litter size depending upon the age of the females. Pregnancy lasts 21 days (Hatfield, 1935), and the young can be weaned …
Splenic immune suppression in sepsis: A role for IL-10-induced changes in P38 MAPK signaling.

Abstract Background. Studies have indicated that following the induction of sepsis, there is a late (24 h) generalized suppression of the immune response which is associated with increased anti-inflammatory mediator release (e.g., IL-10). However, the mechanisms by which this occurs are unknown. In this regard, recent studies indicate that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) may play a central role in transducing the signals from immunosuppressive agents which in turn may alter lymphoid cytokine release. The aim of this study, therefore, was to determine whether the anti-inflammatory mediator IL-10 alters splenocyte IL-2 and IFN-γ release, as well as the expression and activation of p38 MAPK in septic animals. Materials and methods. Splenocytes (SPL) (or for some experiments purified T cells) were harvested from mice subjected 24 h earlier to either sepsis by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) or Sham-CLP and stimulated with 2.5 μg concanavalin A (ConA)/ml in the presence or absence of either monoclonal antibody (Mab) to IL-10 (4 μg/ml) or IgG control. In subsequent studies, sepsis was induced in C57BL/6J and C57BL/6 IL-10 knockout mice, and SPL harvested and stimulated with ConA. SPL cytokine release was measured by ELISA, and the expression and phosphorylation of p38 MAPK were measured by Western analysis. Results. The results indicate that Th1 cytokine (IL-2, IFN-γ) release was depressed by sepsis, while p38 MAPK expression and activity were increased in SPL as well as in T-cells. Neutralization of IL-10 by in vitro use of anti-IL-10 Mab and in the IL-10 knockout animal restored the Th1 response and caused a downregulation of p38 MAPK expression and activity after CLP. Thus, IL-10 appears to contribute to the increase in p38 MAPK activity and expression and the corresponding suppression of Th1 response seen in late sepsis.
Microvortex generators in high-speed flow

Abstract A review of the state-of-the-knowledge of microvortex generators (MVGs) and their effect on separated shock/boundary-layer interactions is provided. The flowfield around and behind an MVG is discussed, paying attention on the major and minor vortical features. A detailed discussion is provided of the MVG wake where symmetry breaking and Kelvin–Helmholtz instability give rise to unsteadiness characterized by large, vortex ring structures. While MVGs are thought to be effective in reducing the separation zone, details of how they affect the separation zone remain to be understood properly. Ideas on how the MVG affects separated shock/boundary-layer interactions are reviewed. The review suggests that further optimization studies are needed to put MVGs to practice. In addition, performance metrics are proposed.
Probabilistic Segmentation and Analysis of Horizontal Cells

Because images of neurons show interweaved processes from multiple cells, it is hard to determine which pixels belong to each cell, and consequently to analyze the images automatically. To manage these difficulties, we introduce probabilistic segmentation, in which each pixel is assigned a probability of belonging to each cell instead of being categorically assigned to one cell. We propose a randomized algorithm for probabilistic segmentation. The algorithm is based on repeated, intensity-weighted random walks on the image, and leads to improved segmentation quality. Analysis and mining techniques can utilize the more nuanced and complete information that the probabilistic segmentation yields about an image. Such techniques can then compute probabilistic values, which indicate the level of confidence that can be placed in them.
A Novel Impedance Definition of a Parallel Plate Pair for an Intrinsic Via Circuit Model

Rigorous analysis of via-plate-pair interactions requires the impedance of a plate pair to be defined in terms of radial transmission lines on perfect magnetic conductor (PMC) ports. The plate domain is not a solid plate pair but one with multiple PMC holes where conventional impedance definitions are not suitable. A new impedance definition is proposed where port voltages and currents are expressed in terms of the inward and outward zero-order modes of a radial transmission line. Radial scattering parameters among multiple radial ports are then introduced and the transforms between the radial scattering and impedance matrices are given. An analytical formula for the radial scattering matrix in a circular plate pair is derived using the addition theorems of cylindrical waves. Furthermore, a boundary integral-equation method is developed to calculate the radial scattering matrix for any irregular plate pair. The method is validated by analytical and numerical simulations as well as measurements.
Noradrenergic modulation of ephedrine-induced hypophagia

The hypophagic action of the sympathomimetic amine ephedrine (EPH) in the rat may reflect actions on central dopaminergic (DA) and noradrenergic (NE) systems. EPH indirectly facilitates DA and NE activity and acts as a partial agonist at alpha(1)-adrenergic receptors. Two approaches were used to assess the possible contribution of NE and DA pathways to EPH-induced hypophagia. In the first, regression analyses of published archival data were computed to characterize the relation between the hypophagic potency values of (-)-(EPH) and related sympathomimetic drugs, including (+)-amphetamine, aminorex, mazindol, and phentermine (data derived from Blosser JC et al., 1987) and the most potent action of these drugs on facilitating NE activity or DA activity in rat brain (data derived from Rothman RB et al., 2001). In the NE analyses, the ED(50) values for these drugs for the inhibition of eating in rats were significantly related (r = 0.91, P = 0.03) to the potency of each drug in facilitating NE activity (either release or inhibition of [(3)H]NE reuptake), whereas in the DA analyses the correlation between ED(50) values and DA activity for these drugs was also significant (r = 0.98, P = 0.003). The regression analyses are thus supportive of a role for NE or DA in the hypophagic capacity of EPH. Although an earlier study noted that administration of the putative DA antagonist pimozide in rats attenuated EPH hypophagia, pimozide exerts similar potency in antagonizing DA receptors and alpha(1)-adrenergic receptors. To clarify the role of alpha(1)-adrenoceptors in EPH-induced hypophagia, adult male rats were pretreated with the alpha(1)-adrenergic receptor antagonist prazosin (0.0.5 and 2 mg/kg) prior to the administration of (-)-EPH (0, 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg, IP). Prazosin pretreatment at 2.0 mg/kg significantly attenuated the hypophagia, but not the hypodipsia, induced by administration of 10 mg/kg and by 20 mg/kg (-)-EPH. Collectively, these results confirm a critical contribution of of alpha(1)-adrenoceptors to the hypophagic action of (-)-EPH in rats.
Amoxicillin in infections in patients with cancer.

The antibacterial activity of amoxicillin was tested in vitro against 126 clinical isolates of gram-positive cocci and 250 isolates of gram-negative bacilli. Most strains of penicillin G-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Diplococcus pneumoniae were inhibited by <0.1 [tg/ml. Of Proteus mirabilis isolates, 76% were susceptible to (<1.56 tg of amoxicillin/ml, but 20% were resistant to 12.5 qtg/ml. Fifty-seven percent of Escherichia coli isolates were susceptible to <6.25 ttg/ml, but most of the remaining isolates were resistant to 50 [tg/ml. Clinical pharmacologic studies were conducted with 11 adult volunteers. The mean peak concentration in serum after the 125-mg dose (2.3 [tg/ml) was achieved at 1 hr. The mean peak concentration in serum after the 250-mg dose (3.4 ptg/ml) occurred between 1 and 2 hr. After a dose of 500 mg of amoxicillin, the mean peak concentration in serum (6.8 [tg/ml) occurred at 2 hr. The mean proportion of the drug excreted in the urine with each dose varied between 70% and 78%. Amoxicillin was used for treatment of nonbacteremic infections in 35 patients with cancer. The best responses were obtained against infections caused by gram-positive cocci (100%), P. mirabilis (100%), and E. coli (69%). The response correlated with the in vitro sensitivity to ampicillin. Three patients experienced side effects.
The coupling effect: fact or fiction

Fault-based testing strategies test software by focusing on specific, common types of errors. The coupling effect states that test data sets that detect simple types of faults are sensitive enough to detect more complex types of faults. This paper describes empirical investigations into the coupling effect over a specific domain of software faults. All the results from this investigation support the validity of the coupling effect. The major conclusion from this investigation is that by explicitly testing for simple faults, we are also implicitly testing for more complicated faults. This gives us confidence that fault-based testing is an effective means of testing software.
Optimal second-law efficiency for a Brayton cycle with an internal heat source

Net work of an endoreversible Brayton cycle and its second-law efficiency are examined for a heat source (hot air) that is initially at a temperature typical of adiabatic and stoichiometric combustion. That temperature is take to be well above maximum cycle temperature. When heat is transferred to the cycle via a heat exchanger, maximum work per unit of heat source mass and per unit of heat source availability (second-law efficiency) are found to occur at a cycle pressure ratio that differs from the pressure ratio for maximum cycle first-law efficiency. When the heat source is internal, i.e., a fraction of the cycle working fluid, maximum work per unit of heat source mass is found to occur at the pressure ratio found for the external source; on the other hand, maximum work per unit of heat source availability is found to occur at the highest possible cycle pressure ratio, which is the same point at which cycle first-law efficiency is a maximum.
Autocorrelation and SNR for the Output of a Square-Law Device and Low-Pass Filter With Square-Law SSB Plus Gaussian Noise at the Input

Powers' square-law single-sideband (SSB) signal is shown to be to ordinary SSB roughly what amplitude modulation (AM) with carrier is to amplitude-modulation suppressed carrier (AMSC) signaling. That is, both SSB and AMSC require coherent demodulation at the receiver to recover the information signal properly and this requires the slaving of the receiver to the transmitter or at least the use of expensive phase-locking circuitry. A carrier is added to the AMSC signal to make possible inexpensive incoherent demodulation at the receiver (envelope detection) and the resulting transmission inefficiency and loss of SNR in the receiver are accepted to achieve this simple detection. In the same manner, Powers' square-law SSB allows inexpensive incoherent demodulation at a loss in transmission efficiency and receiver SNR. This loss in SNR is found to always be within 3 dB of that in AM envelope detection for large SNR when equal input-signal power and noise spectraldensity levels are assumed. Further, there are situations for which the SNR performance is better than AM envelope detection (i.e., 100 percent tone modulation is one such case). The main difference is that AM with carrier and AMSC require twice the transmission bandwidth of SSB or Powers' square-law SSB.
Recognition-driven 3D navigation in large-scale virtual environments

We present a recognition-driven navigation system for large-scale 3D virtual environments. The proposed system contains three parts, virtual environment reconstruction, feature database building and recognition-based navigation. The virtual environment is reconstructed automatically with LIDAR data and aerial images. The feature database is composed of image patches with features and registered location and orientation information. The database images are taken at different distances from the scenes with various viewing angles, and these images are then partitioned into smaller patches. When a user navigates the real world with a handheld camera, the captured image is used to estimate its location and orientation. These location and orientation information are also reflected in the virtual environment. With the proposed patch approach, the recognition is robust to large occlusions and can be done in real time. Experiments show that our proposed navigation system is efficient and well synchronized with real world navigation.
Effects of unidirectional and oscillatory water flow on nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction) in coral reef algal turfs, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii

Abstract Rates of acetylene reduction (nitrogenase activity) by algal turf communities from Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii, were measured as a function of increasing water flow speeds under unidirectional and oscillatory flow regimes in an enclosed incubation chamber. Water flow speeds, shear stress, and turbulence intensities were measured with thermistor probes in the chamber and over the turfs in the field. The thickness of the boundary layer varied significantly and linearly with bulk water flow speeds in the field. Although the boundary layer in the chamber also decreased with increasing flow speeds, turbulence intensity and flow speeds in the chamber were mostly lower than those typically measured in the field. Rates of acetylene reduction were positively related to water flow speed. Oscillatory water flow, which increased turbulence intensity five times, resulted in a significant increase in acetylene reduction compared to unidirectional flow. Even at the lowest mean flow speeds measured in the field ( −1 ), mean rates of acetylene reduction (27 nmol ethylene cm −2 h −1 ±11 SD) were high under oscillatory flow. Equivalent high rates under unidirectional flow were not achieved until flow speed was more than doubled. The slope of log–log linear regressions of acetylene reduction versus flow speed was 0.5 for both oscillatory and unidirectional regimes. This result suggests that acetylene reduction rates in the chamber were controlled by mass transfer of a rate-controlling solute, such as acetylene or oxygen (inhibitory to nitrogenase), through a laminar diffusion boundary layer. Because coral reefs exist in areas of very low nitrogen availability, nitrogen fixation is fundamentally important for coral reef primary production and biogeochemistry. Yet, current understanding of nitrogen fixation on coral reefs has been derived primarily from measurements made under unnatural conditions of no or low water flow. This study lends support to the importance of water flow as a major control of the metabolism of organisms occupying coral reefs.
Antiviral Activities of Novel 5-Phosphono-Pent-2-en-1-yl Nucleosides and Their Alkoxyalkyl Phosphonoesters

Three acyclic nucleoside phosphonates are currently approved for clinical use against infections caused by cytomegalovirus (Vistide), hepatitis B virus (Hepsera), and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (Viread). This important antiviral class inhibits viral polymerases after cellular uptake and conversion to their diphosphates, bypassing the first phosphorylation, which is required for conventional nucleoside antivirals. Small chemical alterations in the acyclic side chain lead to marked differences in antiviral activity and the spectrum of activity of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates against various classes of viral agents. We synthesized a new class of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates based on a 5-phosphono-pent-2-en-1-yl base motif in which the oxygen heteroatom usually present in acyclic nucleoside phosphonates has been replaced with a double bond. Since the intrinsic phosphonate moiety leads to low oral bioavailability and impaired cellular penetration, we also prepared the hexadecyloxypropyl esters of the 5-phosphono-pent-2-en-1-yl nucleosides. Our earlier work showed that this markedly increases antiviral activity and oral bioavailability. Although the 5-phosphono-pent-2-en-1-yl nucleosides themselves were not active, the hexadecyloxypropyl esters were active against DNA viruses and hepatitis B virus, in vitro. Notably, the hexadecyloxypropyl ester of 9-(5-phosphono-pent-2-en-1-yl)-adenine was active against hepatitis B virus mutants resistant to lamivudine, emtricitabine, and adefovir.
Betropharyngeal abscesses: Revisited

Retropharyngeal abscesses were fairly common in preantibiotic era but the advent of antibiotics has reduced the overall incidence of these abscesses. They still continue to occur specially in developing world and carry significant morbidity and even mortality if not managed properly. The prevalence of this abscess in the young children pose a bigger challenge, as the examination of oral cavity is difficult. Emphasis is placed on the age, sex, type, and duration of symptoms, bacteriology, methodology of diagnosis, therapy and complications. With proper antibiotic cover and surgical management, majority of patients today survive without major residual squeal. Hereby we present a series of 15 cases of retropharyngeal abscess.
Protective effect of pyruvate during acute rejection of intestinal allografts: Accompanied by up-regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA

Abstract Elevated levels of the stable end products of nitric oxide (NO) have been detected during acute rejection (AR) after small bowel (SB) transplantation in the rat. The enzyme responsible for the production of NO and the role of NO during AR have not yet been evaluated. It has been shown recently that NO can neutralize toxic oxygen reactive species or oxygen free radicals (OFR) and can inhibit platelet activation and aggregation. Further, we have previously shown that pyruvate (PY) inhibits intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury and protects the intestinal mucosa from preservation injury and AR of intestinal grafts. Mucosal OFR levels have been shown to be reduced as a consequence of PY treatment in these animals. This study aims to evaluate if intestinal levels of the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) are increased during AR of SB allografts and if the protective effect of PY during AR is mediated by changes in iNOS level.
Fault-tolerant reconfigurable architecture for robot kinematics and dynamics computations

Efficient parallel algorithms for computing the kinematics, dynamics, and Jacobian of manipulators and their corresponding inverses are discussed and analyzed, and their characteristics are identified based on the type and degree of parallelism, uniformity of the operations, fundamental operations, data dependencies, and communication requirements. Most of the algorithms for robotic computations possess highly regular properties and some common structures, especially the linear recursive structure. They are well-suited to be implemented on a single-instruction-stream-multiple-data-stream (SIMD) computer with reconfigurable interconnection networks. A reconfigurable dual-network SIMD machine with internal direct feedback that best matches these characteristics has been designed. To achieve high efficiency in the computation of robotics algorithms on the proposed parallel machine, a generalized cube interconnection network is proposed. A centralized network switch control scheme is developed to support the pipeline timing of this machine. To maintain high reliability in the overall system, a fault-tolerant generalized cube network is designed to improve the original network. >
Communication signal analysis using MATLAB

In electronic communications one of the most important concepts that students must learn is that of time and frequency representation of communication signals. Examples in most text books do not convey some of the important characteristics of complex communication signals. Students must be able to analyze the time and frequency representation of a signal, modify, parameters, and immediately see the effect. An effective way of doing this is using a numerical computation and graphics program such as MATLAB.
The Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate-dependent Protein Kinase (PKA) Is Required for the Sustained Activation of Mitogen-activated Kinases and Gene Expression by Nerve Growth Factor

Induction of neuronal differentiation of the rat pheochromocytoma cell line, PC12 cells, by nerve growth factor (NGF) requires activation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase or extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). cAMP-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase A (PKA)) also can induce differentiation of these cells. Like NGF, the ability of PKA to differentiate PC12 cells is associated with a sustained activation of ERKs. Here we show that maximal sustained activation of ERK1 by NGF requires PKA. Inhibitors of PKA partially blocked activation of ERK1 by NGF but had no effect on activation of ERK1 by EGF. Inhibition of PKA also reduced the ability of NGF and cAMP, but not EGF, to activate the transcription factor Elk-1, reduced the induction of both immediate early and late genes after NGF treatment, and blocked the nuclear translocation of ERK1 induced by NGF. We propose that PKA is an important contributor to the activation of ERK1 by NGF and is required for maximal induction of gene expression by NGF.
Bus encoding schemes using positive correlated switchings in subbuses: A comparison

Bus encoding schemes have been introduced to reduce the power consumption, noise and signal integrity in wide data buses. Negative effects of correlated switching are used to compare the effectiveness of different schemes. In this paper, we also take into account positive effects of correlated switching to compare bus encoding schemes that use subbuses.
Sports fans as crisis communicators on social media websites

Abstract Previous research has analyzed how organizations publicly respond in crisis situations. This study addresses a sports crisis, the University of Miami NCAA investigation, as an avenue for exploring how fans become surrogates for organizational crisis responses via the social media entity, Twitter. Using Coombs's (2007) strategy for reputation repair, analysis of 75 highly identified Miami fans with over 42,000 Twitter followers shows that fans were most likely to engage in (a) ingratiation, (b) reminder, (c) attack the accuser, and (d) divert attention as primary methods of coping with the scandal. New methods for reputation repair were also found within the analysis and implications for organizations, academic institutions, sports research, and crisis communication theory are articulated.
Interactive visual clustering

Interactive Visual Clustering (IVC) is a novel method that allows a user to explore relational data sets interactively, in order to produce a clustering that satisfies their objectives. IVC combines spring-embedded graph layout with user interaction and constrained clustering. Experimental results on several synthetic and real-world data sets show that IVC yields better clustering performance than alternative methods.
Incidence of Alcohol Use Disorders Among Hispanic Subgroups in the USA

Objective: Hispanics are the largest ethnic minority group in the USA and a fairly heterogeneous group. But this heterogen- eity has usually been ignored by grouping them into a single category. The objective of this study is to challenge that practice by providing alcohol use disorders (AUD) incidence and risk estimates across Hispanic subgroups. Methods: A subsample of Hispanics (n= 2371) and non-Hispanic whites (n=7741) at risk for AUD who participated in the first and second wave of the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions was analyzed. Weighted incidence for AUD was calculated across Hispanic subgroups. Aweighted modi- fied Poisson generalized linear model was used to estimate relative risks. Results: Compared with non-Hispanic whites, Puerto Ricans have the highest AUD incidence (3.6%; 95% CI: 0.5, 6.7) followed by Mexican-Americans (2.5%; 95% CI: 1.5, 3.6), Other Hispanics (1.6%; 95% CI: 0.1, 3.1) and Cuban-Americans (0.6%; 95% CI: 0.1, 1.2). In contrast, weighted adjusted relative risk estimates for Mexican-Americans were (RR=3.2; 95% CI: 1.7, 6.2) but for Puerto Ricans (RR=2.2; 95% CI: 1.0, 5.0) it was somewhat attenuated but still significant (P=0.049). No difference was found for Cuban-Americans or Other Hispanics. Conclusions: The annual incidence and risk for AUD varies greatly among Hispanic subgroups. Nonetheless, the practice of categorizing Hispanics as a homogenous ethnic group still continues. Our findings suggest that this practice is not only inappropriate, but also hinders a better understanding of AUD etiology, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation in the largest ethnic minority group in the USA.
New vinca alkaloids and related compounds

The vinca alkaloids remain among the most useful classes of anticancer agents used in the clinic today. However, previous analogs of these agents have not realized either increased safety or an enhanced antitumor spectrum. Currently, three derivatives are in clinical trial: vinorelbine, vintripol, and vinxaltine. Vinorelbine has shown consistent antitumor activity in patients with breast carcinoma and is in phase III trials in the United States, Europe, and Japan. Vintripol and vinxaltine, vinca alkaloids conjugated to amino acids, are in early clinical trials in Europe. The dose-limiting toxicity of these agents is leukopenia. A similar agent with a different chemical structure, rhizoxin, is in early phase II clinical trials with initial activity noted in breast carcinoma. The ultimate role of these agents in treatment of human malignancy awaits the results of ongoing studies.
Memory Recall for International Gestures

The current project reviewed relevant research in the area of emblem gestures and created an electronic library of gestures that incorporates established population norms by culture and region. In ...
Meta-analysis of endophthalmitis after intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents: causative organisms and possible prevention strategies.

Purpose:To report the rates of endophthalmitis and the spectrum of causative organisms after intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents and possible prevention strategies.Methods:Meta-analysis of the U.S. literature from 2005 to 2009 reporting endophthalmitis bacterial
Evaluation of North Carolina Field Strains of the Red Flour Beetle for Resistance to Malathion and Other Organophosphorus Compounds

Studies were conducted in the laboratory to determine the extent of resistance to malathion in field populations of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). The studies revealed that field populations of this species are 44-fold resistant to malathion in comparison to a laboratory maintained population. The resistance in this species appears to be of malathion-specific type since triphenyl phosphate suppressed the resistance. The malathion-resistant strain did not show cross-resistance to 4 other organophosphorus insecticides. Tolerance levels to the 4 compounds were: pirimiphos methyl × 0.8; Ciba-Geigy CGA-20168 (trans-phosphorothioic acid, 0,0-dimethyl-0-(2-methoxycarbonyl-2-methylvinyl)-ester) × 0.8; bromophos × 1.0; and fenitrothion × 1.0,
Direct microscopic studies of clamp connection formation in growing hyphae of Schizophyllum commune

Photomicroscopic studies of clamp connection formation were collated with microscopic measurements of apical extension and mitosis in rapidly growing dikaryotic hyphae of Schizophyllum commune. Intercalary clamp connection formation was described in sub-terminal regions of the dikaryon. Conventional (i.e., rearward) clamp initiation was compared to forward clamp connection formation. Primary branch emergence was observed from clamp connections in growing hyphae and contrasted to sub-basidial branching in the hymenium of dikaryotic fruit-bodies.
Spurious erythrocyte indices as measured by the model S Coulter counter due to cold agglutinins.

Brittin and associates reported that the spurious macrocytosis caused by antibody-coated erythrocytes did not occur when this parameter was measured by the Coulter counter model S. We have encountered at least two definite cases in which spurious macrocytosis as well as spurious mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and mean corpuscular hemoglobin values were obtained using this instrument. These were due to cold agglutinins. The clue to each of these cases was a mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration of more than 36%. The combination of this finding with elevated mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular hemoglobin values should prompt a search for cold agglutinins.
A Consumer's Guide to Free Internet Questionnaire Development Tools

Questionnaires are commonly used in human factors applications and research, and their administration on the Internet is increasing. Human Factors practitioners and researchers can reduce their workload by utilizing the appropriate questionnaire development tool. A previous review compared the quality of several fee-based Internet questionnaire development tools. This review: 1) contrasts the capabilities and limitations of free Internet tools for questionnaire development, pilot studies, and data collection; and 2) provides a comparison of five tools.
Vmca Emulation of a Modified C-130H Using a C-130E

LA = rolling moment from the emulation power settings LT = target rolling moment La = rolling moment from the airframe Lp = rolling moment from the propellers NA = yawing moment from the emulation power setting NT = target yaw moment Na = yawing moment from the airframe NFi = normal force on the i’th propeller disk Np = yawing moment from the propellers Q2 = second cost function TA = thrust from the emulation power setting Ti = Y thrust of the i’th propeller disk TTrim = trim thrust Xi(0) = the X value of the i’th propeller disk at zero sideslip Xi,β = the derivative of X for the i’th propeller disk with respect to sideslip YA = side force from the emulation power setting YT = target side force Ya = side force from the airframe Yg = side force from gravity Yp = side force from the propellers cL = rolling moment weighting factor cN = yaw moment weighting factor cT = thrust weighting factor cY = side force weighting factor
So-called sclerosing hemangiomas of lung. An immunohistochemical study supporting a respiratory epithelial origin

Sclerosing hemangiomas are benign pulmonary neoplasms. They were initially believed by Liebow and Hubbell to be of endothelial origin; however, subsequent ultrastructural studies have suggested an alveolar pneumocyte and mesothelial derivation. Using a panel of various antibodies on eight cases, the authors found that sclerosing hemangiomas expressed cytokeratin (seven cases), epithelial membrane antigen (seven cases), carcinoembryonic antigen (five cases), vimentin (seven cases), surfactant apoprotein (eight cases), and Clara cell antigen (five cases). These results support the hypothesis that sclerosing hemangiomas represent an epithelial tumor showing simultaneous bronchiolar epithelial and alveolar pneumocyte differentiation.
Aggressive lipid management for cardiovascular prevention: evidence from clinical trials.

Epidemiologic evidence shows that elevated serum cholesterol, specifically low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), increases the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Moreover, large-scale int...
The Impact of ERP Alignment on Logistics Costs: A Work System Theoretical Approach

ERP implementations have been studied on many dimensions; however, little work has been done linking logistics costs and ERP implementation factors. Taking a Work System Theoretical perspective, this paper examines the alignment success factors necessary to improve logistics cost. The authors used a two-step approach, conducting a confirmatory factor analysis CFA to assess the psychometric properties of their measures and then conducting an independent sample t-test between two groups, one which experienced decreased logistic costs and the second which experienced the same or increasing logistic costs. Organizations attempting to decrease logistics costs via an ERP implementation must consider the processes and activities involved in aligning participants, information, technology, and business process in these ERP implementations. This research has provided more insight into the practice of ERP implementations and has reemphasized the need to judge ERP success relative to impact on firm performance
The Relationship Between the Supply of Primary Care Physicians and Measures of Breast Health Service Use

Abstract Background: To investigate whether women are more likely to report receipt of a mammography recommendation from a doctor or mammography use if they reside in primary care service areas (PCSAs) having a greater number of clinically active primary care physicians. Materials and Methods: The analysis used a nationally representative sample of women, aged 40 years and above (n = 10,706 unweighted respondents), extracted from the 2005 National Health Interview Survey. The restricted geocoded addresses of the respondents were linked to PCSA data on physician density at a secure research data center. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine whether, after adjustment, specific measures of primary care providers (e.g., the number of obstetricians and gynecologists [Ob-GyNs] per 10,000 population) were associated with either recommendation receipt or mammography use. Results: After adjusting for other factors, a one-unit increase in the PCSA number of Ob-GyNs per 10,000 population increased ...
Human-Guided Recognition of Music Score Images

We present our ongoing work in optical music recognition in which we seek to transform printed music notation images into symbolic representations, suitable for playback, analysis, and rendering. While music notation contains a small core of symbols and primitives composed in a rule-bound way, there are a great many common exceptions to these rules, as well as a heavy tail of rarer symbols. Since our goal is to create symbolic representations with accuracy near that of published music scores, we doubt the feasibility of fully-automatic recognition, opting instead for a human-guided approach. We define a simple communication channel between the user and recognition engine, in which the user imposes pixel-level or model-level constraints.
Wind-generated Electricity in China: Decreasing Potential, Inter-annual Variability and Association with Changing Climate.

China hosts the world’s largest market for wind-generated electricity. The financial return and carbon reduction benefits from wind power are sensitive to changing wind resources. Wind data derived from an assimilated meteorological database are used here to estimate what the wind generated electricity in China would have been on an hourly basis over the period 1979 to 2015 at a geographical resolution of approximately 50 km × 50 km. The analysis indicates a secular decrease in generating potential over this interval, with the largest declines observed for western Inner Mongolia (15 ± 7%) and the northern part of Gansu (17 ± 8%), two leading wind investment areas. The decrease is associated with long-term warming in the vicinity of the Siberian High (SH), correlated also with the observed secular increase in global average surface temperatures. The long-term trend is modulated by variability relating to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and the Arctic Oscillation (AO). A linear regression model incorporating indices for the PDO and AO, as well as the declining trend, can account for the interannual variability of wind power, suggesting that advances in long-term forecasting could be exploited to markedly improve management of future energy systems.
Effects of Sleep Issues on Suicidal Ideation in a Military Sample: The Mediating Role of Mental Health

The goal of this study was to examine the relationship between sleep issues, mental health (perceived stress, posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] symptoms, and depressive symptoms), and suicidal i...