cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Why [(η5-C5MenH5-n)2Ti]2(μ2,η2,η2-N2) Can Not Add a H2 Molecule to the Side-On-Coordinated N2 while Its Zr and Hf Analogues Can? Insights from Computational Studies

The potential energy surface of the reaction [(eta5-C5MenH5-n)2M]2(micro2,eta2,eta2-N2) + H2 --> [(eta5-C5MenH5-n)2M][(eta5-C5MenH5-n)2MH](micro2,eta2,eta2-NNH) at low-lying singlet and triplet electronic states of the reactants was investigated using density functional methods, for n = 0 and 4, and M = Ti, Zr, and Hf. Ground electronic states of the Ti complexes are found to be triplet states, while that for the corresponding Zr and Hf complexes are singlet states. In their singlet state, all these complexes satisfy known necessary conditions (they have a side-on-coordinated N2 molecule and appropriate frontier orbitals) for successful addition of an H2 molecule to the coordinated N2, and consequently, add of an H2 molecule with a reasonable energy barrier. Hf complexes show slightly higher reactivity than corresponding Zr complexes, and in turn, both are more reactive than their singlet-state Ti counterparts. The calculated trend in reactivity of Zr and Hf complexes is consistent with the latest experimental data (see refs 13 and 16). However, Ti complexes have the ground triplet state that lacks in appropriate frontier orbitals. As a result, H2 addition to the Ti complexes at their triplet ground states requires a larger activation barrier than the singlet state and is endothermic (lacks of driven force for reaction). On the basis of these results, we predict that the [(eta5-C5Me4H)2M]2(micro2,eta2,eta2-N2) and [(eta5-C5H5)2M]2(micro2,eta2,eta2-N2) complexes cannot react with an H2 molecule for M = Ti, while those for M = Zr and Hf can. It was shown that the difference in the B3LYP (hybrid) and PBE (nonhybrid) calculated energy gaps between the lowest closed-shell singlet and triplet states of the present complexes reduces via first- > second- > third-row transition metals; both hybrid and nonhybrid density functionals can be safely used to describe reactivity of the low-lying low-spin and high-spin states of second- and third-row transition metal complexes.
Effects of reserpine and monoamine oxidase inhibition on the levels of amino acids in sensory ganglia, sympathetic ganglia and spinal cord

Abstract Reserpine and pargyline, which are known to alter monoamine metabolism, were found to affect the levels of amino acids in neuronal structures of the cat supplied by noradrenergic terminals (Gasserian, spinal and sympathetic ganglia and spinal cord); the sympathetic ganglia also have sympathetic ganglionic perikarya and dopamine-containing cells. In particular reserpine significantly decreased the levels of glutamic acid as alanine-glycine in dorsal root ganglia and Gasserian ganglia as well as the glutamic acid in the sympathetic ganglia; it lowered the levels of glutamic and aspartic acid in the spinal cord. Pargyline significantly decreased the levels of glutamic acid, glutamine, aspartic acid and alanine-glycine in the dorsal root ganglia; it had no effect on the sympathetic ganglia. The results are discussed with the suggestion that the lowered levels of amino acids observed in the dorsal root ganglia after the pharmacological treatment may be reflected in the spinal terminals of the dorsal root fibers. Further, a direct interaction of the drugs with the spinal noradrenergic terminals of supraspinal neurons is also considered. Finally, biochemical mechanisms by which metabolism of catecholamines and amino acids may be interrelated are presented.
Women's perceptions of outcomes of prenatal case management.

BACKGROUND Comprehensive case management is a multidisciplinary, community-based service often available to Medicaid-eligible women. The purpose of the study was to identify the variety of maternal outcomes, other than birth outcomes, attributable to comprehensive prenatal case management. METHOD This qualitative study used a social ecological approach. Twenty-four women were interviewed about the outcomes they experienced as a result of comprehensive prenatal case management. Ethnographic content analysis was used for data reduction. The participants' mean age was 25.4 (SD = 8.4) years, with an average parity of 1.9 (SD = 1.1). Fifteen participants (68%) had a 12th grade education or less. Ethnic minorities were included in the sample. Eleven participants (47%) worked at least part-time, although 23 (98%) were receiving Medicaid and 21 (88%) were receiving the Women, Infants, and Children's (WIC) supplementary nutrition program. RESULTS The women attributed improvements of various types to the actions of the case manager, specifically in the areas of emotional well-being, learning, lifestyle behaviors, financial situation, services utilization, and maternal and infant physical health. CONCLUSION Case management appeared to have immediate effects on the women, as well as intermediate effects, such as changes in lifestyle behaviors and services utilization. The women attributed those changes to having a healthy pregnancy.
Cyclic AMP derivatives stimulate the chondrogenic differentiation of the mesoderm subjacent to the apical ectodermal ridge of the chick limb bud.

Recent studies indicate that one of the major functions of the apical ectodermal ridge (AER) of the embryonic chick limb bud is to maintain mesenchymal cells directly subjacent to it (i.e., cells extending 0.4-0.5 mm from the AER) in a labile, undifferentiated condition. Furthermore, when mesenchymal cells are freed from the AER's influence, either artifically or as a result of normal polarized proximal-to-distal limb outgrowth, they are freed to commence cytodifferentiation. In a preliminary attempt to investigate at a molecular level the mechanism by which the AER exerts its "negative" effect on the cytodifferentiation of subridge mesenchymal cells, we have examined the effect of a variety of agents that elevate cyclic AMP levels on the chondrogenic differentiation of the unspecialized subridge mesoderm of the limb bud in an organ culture system. Dibutyryl- and 8-hydroxy-cyclic AMP elicit a dose-dependent increase in the rate and amount of cartilage matrix formation and a corresponding dose-dependent increase in sulfated glycosaminoglycan accumulation by subridge mesoderm explants. The stimulatory effect of suboptimal concentrations of cyclic AMP derivatives is potentiated by the addition of theophylline. The stimulatory effect is limited to cyclic AMP derivatives, since dibutyryl-cyclic GMP and 5'-AMP have no effect. Thus agents that elevate intracellular cyclic AMP levels stimulate the chondrogenic differentiation of the unspecialized subridge mesoderm of the embryonic chick limb bud.
Clandestine urbanization: reconstituting urban space in the margins of the Phoenix metropolitan area

This paper illustrates everyday practices of a marginalized population in areas of interrupted urbanization. These practices arise from the coincidence of an urban form produced and reproduced according to a Fordist logic of mass production for mass consumption and a Post-Fordist society with diverse needs. The paper focuses on practices that, while reconstituting needed urban elements, remain nevertheless unsanctioned because of a rigid imaginary of how urban space ought to be lived. These practices exemplify how residents respond to existing material and institutional restrictions by adopting hidden and clandestine forms of urbanization that allow them to reconstitute their urban space. The Phoenix metropolitan region is used to illustrate these responses. The paper concludes with a call for a form of urban planning that is more adaptive and responsive to residents’ needs, aspirations, and desires.
Big data mining yields novel insights on cancer

Recent years have seen the rapid growth of large-scale biological data, but the effective mining and modeling of 'big data' for new biological discoveries remains a significant challenge. A new study reanalyzes expression profiles from the Gene Expression Omnibus to make novel discoveries about genes involved in DNA damage repair and genome instability in cancer.
Dendritic cells in human blood and synovial exudates.

Dendritic cells from human blood and synovial exudates are distinct from other leukocytes and are homogeneous by several criteria. Morphologically, their most prominent feature is numerous veils. Phenotypically, dendritic cells lack the surface antigens that identify monocytes, T cells, B cells, and NK cells. Human dendritic cells strongly express class I and class II MHC products, and have a distinct array of integrin and adhesin molecules. In many systems, dendritic cells are potent stimulators of T cell function. In the allogeneic mixed leukocyte reaction, for example, dendritic cells are 30–100 times more efficient than other cells in presenting transplantation antigens, for the induction of DNA synthesis, cytokine release, and generation of cytotoxic T cells. In addition, dendritic cells can induce the long-term clonal growth of T lymphocytes. Although dendritic cells are a minor subpopulation in human blood, new isolation protocols are available that permit efficient isolation and enrichment to>90%.
Design sensitivity analysis for rate-independent elastoplasticity

Abstract A new incremental, direct differentiation method for design sensitivity analysis of structures with rate-independent elastoplastic behavior is presented. We formulate analytical sensitivity expressions that are consistent with numerical algorithms for elastoplasticity that use implicit methods to integrate the constitutive equations and return mappings to enforce the consistency conditions. The sensitivity expressions can be evaluated with only a modest increase in computational expense beyond the cost of simulation. Combined with the inherent advantages of implicit integration strategies, this represents a significant improvement over previous sensitivity formulations for history-dependent materials. First-order sensitivity expressions involving the complete set of design variables, including shape design variables, are derived for a generic response functional. The reduced form of the consistent tangent stiffness matrix obtained at the end of each time or load step in the finite element procedure is used to update the response sensitivities for that time step. No iterations are needed in the sensitivity computations. A numerical example demonstrates the accuracy and efficiency of the new sensitivity analysis method for an elastoplastic analysis problem. Explicit sensitivities from the new method are confirmed by finite difference estimates.
Nickel/metal hydride technology for consumer and electric vehicle batteries : a review and up-date

Abstract Nickel/metal hydride batteries today represent the fastest growing market segment for rechargeable batteries due to the high energy density and more environmentally acceptable chemistry offered by this technology. The high energy density of nickel/metal hydride batteries coupled with high power density and long cycle life make this battery chemistry a key enabling technology for practical electric vehicles, including cars, vans, trucks, and other forms of transportation such as scooters, bicycles, and three-wheelers. This paper provides a review of Ovonic technology and up-dates recent developments in materials and cell development for both consumer electronic and EV applications, and highlights areas for future development.
Endothelin-1 system activity in adults with borderline high ldl-cholesterol

Background Modest elevations in plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol have been shown to confer a significant increase in cardiovascular risk. Endothelin (ET)-1 is a vasoconstrictor peptide with proatherogenic properties. The experimental aim of this study was to determine whether ET-1 system activity is elevated in adults with borderline high LDL-cholesterol, independent of other cardiometabolic abnormalities.
Institution and validation of an observed structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) for obstetrics and gynecology residents and faculty

Objective This study was undertaken to further evaluate the construct validity of the observed structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) by comparing resident scores to faculty scores. Study design This study is a prospective blinded observational study. Four residents from each year (1-4) and 5 faculty members were examined. The OSATS examination was in the form of a dry laboratory with 10 stations: 4 laparoscopic and 6 open surgical skills. The sessions were videotaped and graded by the senior authors who used a task-specific checklist. The scoring of the videos was performed by the 2 senior authors blinded to the other examiners results. The examinations were videotaped, and the identity of the participants was blinded. The scores for each station were determined by adding all the numbers from the skills rating with a time score. Higher scores denote superior performance. Statistical analysis was performed with a nonparametric test (Kruskal-Wallis) for a total score with resident years divided into junior residents (first and second year), senior residents (third and fourth year), and faculty status as the independent variable. To determine the interrelater reliability between the 2 scores, the Kendall tau beta statistic was used. Results The results show definite trends for 7 stations, with junior residents performing the worst and faculty performing the best. This trend was statistically significant for 6 of the 10 stations. Conclusion The OSATS examination has good construct validity that extends beyond residency to faculty.
THE EFFECTS OF V/III RATIO AND GROWTH TEMPERATURE ON THE ELECTRICAL AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF InP GROWN BY LOW-PRESSURE METALORGANIC CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION

Electrical and optical properties of InP grown by low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition using triethylindium (TEI) and phosphine (PH3) are described. It was found that the net ionized impurity concentration shows a monotonic decrease as the PH3/TEI ratio increases. Similarly, the electron mobility and the photoluminescent intensity increases with the PH3/TEI ratio. The effect of growth temperature has also been investigated in the range from 500 to 650°C. For a variety of PH3/TEI ratios, the optimal growth temperature is in the range of 550×600eC. In terms of impurities, the dominant shallow acceptors are Zn and possibly C, and the most common deep acceptor is Mn. The best material obtained shows a net electron concentration of 1 × 1015 cm−3 with an associated 77K electron mobility of 41,000 cm2 /Vsec, implying that the total ionized,impurity concentration is in the range of 3'4 □ 1015 cm−3
Nonlinear Solution of Linear Inverse Problems by Wavelet–Vaguelette Decomposition

We describe the wavelet–vaguelette decomposition (WVD) of a linear inverse problem. It is a substitute for the singular value decomposition (SVD) of an inverse problem, and it exists for a class of special inverse problems of homogeneous type—such as numerical differentiation, inversion of Abel-type transforms, certain convolution transforms, and the Radon transform. We propose to solve ill-posed linear inverse problems by nonlinearly "shrinking" the WVD coefficients of the noisy, indirect data. Our approach offers significant advantages over traditional SVD inversion in recovering spatially inhomogeneous objects. We suppose that observations are contaminated by white noise and that the object is an unknown element of a Besov space. We prove that nonlinear WVD shrinkage can be tuned to attain the minimax rate of convergence, for L2 loss, over the entire scale of Besov spaces. The important case of Besov spaces Bσp,q, p < 2, which model spatial inhomogeneity, is included. In comparison, linear procedures— SVD included—cannot attain optimal rates of convergence over such classes in the case p < 2. For example, our methods achieve faster rates of convergence for objects known to lie in the bump algebra or in bounded variation than any linear procedure.
The illness narratives of men involved in the criminal justice system: A study of health behaviors, chronic conditions and HIV/AIDS

Former inmates encounter a variety of challenges when returning to their community, including poor health status and limited access to healthcare services. This qualitative study examined how former male inmates with chronic conditions perceived, understood, managed, and coped with their illnesses. Findings: The participants were Black and Puerto Rican, with a mean age of 47 years, who were interviewed within three years of their release. Participants reported at least one chronic condition, with 21 HIV-negative men using chaos narratives to depict their approach to disease management. Nine HIV-positive men used quest narratives to present their illnesses and were immediately linked to supportive services, enabling them to overcome the barriers to community reintegration. Applications: Health interventions in the area of forensic social work ought to focus on conducting Medicaid outreach and enrollment efforts prior to correctional facility discharge.
Concentration of Enteroviruses, Adenoviruses, and Noroviruses from Drinking Water by Use of Glass Wool Filters

Available filtration methods to concentrate waterborne viruses are either too costly for studies requiring large numbers of samples, limited to small sample volumes, or not very portable for routine field applications. Sodocalcic glass wool filtration is a cost-effective and easy-to-use method to retain viruses, but its efficiency and reliability are not adequately understood. This study evaluated glass wool filter performance to concentrate the four viruses on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency contaminant candidate list, i.e., coxsackievirus, echovirus, norovirus, and adenovirus, as well as poliovirus. Total virus numbers recovered were measured by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR); infectious polioviruses were quantified by integrated cell culture (ICC)-qRT-PCR. Recovery efficiencies averaged 70% for poliovirus, 14% for coxsackievirus B5, 19% for echovirus 18, 21% for adenovirus 41, and 29% for norovirus. Virus strain and water matrix affected recovery, with significant interaction between the two variables. Optimal recovery was obtained at pH 6.5. No evidence was found that water volume, filtration rate, and number of viruses seeded influenced recovery. The method was successful in detecting indigenous viruses in municipal wells in Wisconsin. Long-term continuous filtration retained viruses sufficiently for their detection for up to 16 days after seeding for qRT-PCR and up to 30 days for ICC-qRT-PCR. Glass wool filtration is suitable for large-volume samples (1,000 liters) collected at high filtration rates (4 liters min(-1)), and its low cost makes it advantageous for studies requiring large numbers of samples.
Non-Gaussian dispersion in model smokestack plumes

The dispersion of emissions from a plume in a cross stream was studied using both experimental and theoretical techniques. Wind tunnel experiments were done for three jet to cross stream velocity ratios: R = 0.5, 1, and 2. The concentration in the plane perpendicular to the cross stream was measured using light scattering and photographic image analysis. The analysis of the negatives revealed the presence of two counterrotating vortices that greatly affected dispersion of smoke in the plume. Convection and random turbulent dispersion were modeled with a statistical convection simulator on a CYBER 205 computer. The input velocities to the convection model were obtained using experimental measurements. The model revealed the effects of the vortices on dispersion, and the concentration distributions across the plume were determined once the vortices had dissipated. The existence of the counterrotating vortices and their effects upon plume dispersion showed that the Gaussian plume model, which is widely used for modeling pollutant dispersion, is inapplicable in the near range of the model stack.
hMiDas and hMitChip: new opportunities in mitochondrial bioinformatics and genomic medicine

We developed a human mitochondria-focused gene database (hMiDas) and customized cDNA microarray chip (hMitChip) to help biomedical research in mitochondrial genomics. The current version of hMiDas contains 1,242 gene entries (including mtDNA genes, nuclear genes related to mitochondria structure and junctions, predicted loci and experimental genes), organized in 15 categories and 24 subcategories. The database interface allows keyword-based searches as well as advanced field and/or case-sensitive searches. Each gene record includes 19 fields, mostly hyperlinked to the corresponding source. Moreover, for each gene, the user is given the option to run literature search using PubMed, and gene/protein homology search using BLAST and FASTA. The hMitChip was constructed using hMiDas as a reference. Currently, it contains a selection of 501 mitochondria-related nuclear genes and 192 control elements, all spotted in duplicate on glass slides. Slide quality was checked by microarray hybridization with 50 /spl mu/g of Cy3-labeled sample cDNA and Cy5-labeled comparing cDNA, followed by array scan and image analysis. The hMitChip was tested in vitro using RNA extracted from cancer cell lines. Gene expression changes detected by hMitChip were confirmed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR analysis.
Iris imaging system with adaptive optical elements

Iris recognition utilizes distinct patterns found in the human iris to perform identification. Image acquisition is a critical first step toward successful operation of iris recognition systems. However, the quality of iris images required by standard iris recognition algorithms puts stringent constraints on the imaging systems, which results in a constrained capture volume. We have incorporated adaptive optical elements to expand the capture volume of a 3-m stand-off iris recognition system.
Tris­(tetraethyl­ammonium) tris(μ-4-pyridine­methano­lato)­bis­[tri­carbonyl­tungsten(0)] aceto­nitrile trisolvate

The title compound, (C8H20N)3[W2(C6H6NO)3(CO)6]·3C2H3N, was obtained from a ligand-substitution reaction of [Et4N]3[W2(CO)6(OMe)3]. The structure is an example of a triply bridged ditungsten(0) unit that contains an alkyl as well as an aryl portion. The aryl rings are seen to adopt a conformation considerably skew to the W⋯W axis, as opposed to the aryl alcohol derivatives previously characterized.
Power-bus decoupling with embedded capacitance in printed circuit board design

This paper experimentally investigates the effectiveness of embedded capacitance for reducing power-bus noise in high-speed printed circuit board designs. Boards with embedded capacitance employ closely spaced power-return plane pairs separated by a thin layer of dielectric material. In this paper, test boards with four embedded capacitance materials are evaluated. Power-bus input impedance measurements and power-bus noise measurements are presented for boards with various dimensions and layer stack ups. Unlike discrete decoupling capacitors, whose effective frequency range is generally limited to a few hundred megahertz due to interconnect inductance, embedded capacitance was found to efficiently reduce power-bus noise over the entire frequency range evaluated (up to 5 GHz).
Cancer Preventive and Therapeutic Properties of IP6: Efficacy and Mechanisms

Recently, IP6 has received much attention for its role in cancer prevention, and control of experimental tumor growth and progression. A striking, consistent and reproducible anticancer action of IP6 has been demonstrated in various experimental models. IP6 reduces cell proliferation, induces apoptosis and differentiation of malignant cells via PI3K, MAPK, PKC, AP-1 and NFkB. Enhanced natural killer (NK) cell activity, suppressed tumor angiogenesis and antioxidant properties also contribute to cancer inhibition. Preliminary studies in humans and case reports have indicated that IP6 is able to enhance the anticancer effect of conventional chemotherapy, control cancer metastases, and improve quality of life. A prospective, randomized, pilot clinical study showed that IP6 as an adjunctive therapy ameliorates the side effects and preserves quality of life in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.
Simultaneous aluminum, silicon, and sodium coordination changes in 6 GPa sodium aluminosilicate glasses

We present the first direct observation of high-coordinated Si and Al occurring together in a series of high-pressure sodium aluminosilicate glasses, quenched from melts at 6 GPa. Using ^(29)Si MAS NMR, we observe that a small amount of Al does not have a significant effect on the amount of ^VSi or ^(VI)Si generated, but that larger Al concentrations lead to a gradual decrease in both these species. ^(27)Al MAS NMR spectra show that samples with small amounts of Al have extremely high mean Al coordination values of up to 5.49, but that larger Al concentrations cause a gradual decrease in both ^VAl and ^(VI)Al. Although mean Al and Si coordination numbers both decrease with increasing Al contents, the weighted combined (Al+Si) coordination number increases. Silicon and Al resonances shift in frequency with increasing pressure or changing Al concentration, indicating additional structural changes, including compression of network bond angles. Increases in the ^(23)Na isotropic chemical shifts indicate decreases in the mean Na-O bond lengths with increasing pressure, which are more dramatic at higher Al contents. Recovered glass densities are about 10 to 15% greater than those of similar ambient pressure samples. However, the density increases due to the combined coordination changes of Al and Si are estimated to total only about 1 to 2%, and are roughly constant with composition despite the large effects of Al content on the individual coordinations of the two cations. Thus, effects of other structural changes must be significant to the overall densification. Apparent equilibrium constants for reactions involving the generation of high-coordinated species show systematic behavior, which suggests an internal consistency to the observed Si and Al coordination number shifts.
Synthesis of difluoromethyl substituted lysophosphatidic acid analogues

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA, 1- or 2-acyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate) displays an intriguing cell biology that is mediated via interactions both with G-protein coupled seven transmembrane receptors and with nuclear hormone receptor PPARγ. We describe a new and efficient route to enantiomerically homogeneous lysophospholipid analogues from (S)-1,2,4-butanetriol to give two 3-difluoromethyl substituted analogues of 2-acyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate. These compounds are migration-blocked analogues of the liable sn-2 LPA species. Preliminary studies were conducted on a nuclear reporter assay in which monocytic cells were transfected with a luciferase construct activated by a PPARγ nuclear receptor response element and have shown that the 3-difluoromethyl substituted analogues are fully active as natural LPA.
Circuit Profiling Mechanisms for High-Level ATPG

Our Mutation-based Validation Paradigm (MVP) is a validation environment for high-level microprocessor implementations. To be able to efficiently generate test sequences, we need to enable MVP?s ATPG to learn important details of the circuit under validation as a means to explore critical new circuit scenarios. In this paper, we present new profiling mechanisms that can exist either as a pre-processor that gathers circuit information prior to the circuit validation process, or as run-time entities that allow MVP to learn from its progressive experience.
Optimum Routing and Forwarding Arrangement in Bufferless Data Vortex Switch Network

Data Vortex networks with different routing and forwarding path arrangements are studied. To keep the bufferless routing nodes, the binary tree decoding stages in Data Vortex network are shown to achieve best combined routing performance in throughput and latency. When k is too large, the general k-ary decoding stages introduce too much deflection latency penalty, so this paper focuses on the performance comparison between the binary tree (k=2) decoding and 4-ary decoding (k=4) cases. The results have shown that even though a much smaller number of cylinder levels are required in a network of k=4, there is only slight reduction in the average packet latency within the network. On the other hand, the traffic backpressure induced throughput limit and the additional implementation cost in 4-ary decoding networks have proved that binary tree decoding stages offer the optimum performance under bufferless operations. The study has in part shown the advantages of Data Vortex network topology over many two dimensional multiple stage interconnection networks (MIN) if only deflection is allowed for bufferless operation.
A Chemical Display: Generating Animations by Controlled Diffusion from Porous Voxels

The concept of utilizing precisely patterned and chemically loaded 3D porous containers akin to chemical voxels to enable dynamic visual patterns via spatial and temporal control of both local and global chemical release is described. Using numerical simulations and experiments, it is shown how variations in porosity, volume, shape, and relative positioning of the chemical voxels can be used to control the types of images that are formed with control in both space and time. Moving images are generated via controlled chemical release from an array of voxels to create an animation of a running man thereby illustrating proof-of-concept for a chemical display.
Exercise-Induced Left Bundle Branch Block and Chest Pain in the Absence of Coronary Artery Disease: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Exercise-induced left bundle branch block (LBBB) is rare, but portends higher major cardiac events risk in the presence of coronary disease. It is more benign without coronary disease. We present a case of chest pain with exercise-induced LBBB with unusual features. A 59-year-old female was referred for evaluation of atypical chest pain. She was on medications for hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hypothyroidism. She denied tobacco or alcohol use. She underwent a Bruce protocol exercise treadmill test. Her resting heart rate was 76 beats per minute (BPM) and blood pressure was 150/85 mmHg. She was able to exercise for 8 min, achieving 9 METS. Her peak heart rate was 140 BPM without ischemic ST changes. At that heart rate, she developed LBBB, and complained of her usual chest discomfort. Her peak blood pressure was 209/83 mmHg. The test was terminated, and the patient was allowed to rest. Her rhythm continued to be LBBB for 2 min and 30 sec into recovery until, at a heart rate of 110 BPM, a premature ventricular contraction (PVC) resulted in resolution of LBBB. Shortly thereafter, her chest pain resolved. Subsequent cardiac catheterization revealed normal coronary arteries, ejection fraction (EF), and wall motion. Exercise-induced LBBB associated with chest pain may be a manifestation of underlying coronary disease and indicate poor prognosis. It renders the stress test uninterpretable and mandates its termination. However, certain clinical and electrocardiographic features may provide clues to non-ischemic etiology. J Med Cases • 2013;4(12):828-830 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4021/ jmc1576w
Pleiotropic Effects of Statins: Lipid Reduction and Beyond

There is accumulating evidence that statins have beneficial effects that are independent of their classical actions on lipoproteins. These effects include reductions in inflammation in the vasculature, kidney, and bone. Potential beneficial effects of these agents include enhancement of nitric oxide production in vasculature and the kidney. These agents appear to reduce bone fractures and may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the likelihood of persons progressing from impaired glucose tolerance to type II diabetes. Potential beneficial pleiotropic effects of statins are covered in this review.
Partial covering of hypergraphs

Let H be a hypergraph with m edges and maximum degree Δ. Given e ≥ 0, a (1 - e)-vertex-cover is a collection T of vertices which hits at least (1 - e)m edges. We denote min |T| by τe. Note that T = To is the (full) covering number of H.In this paper we study the performance ratio of the greedy cover algorithm for this "partial vertex cover" problem and compare it to random choice and to optimal fractional cover. For the first time, we prove a performance ratio bound depending only on e > 0 for an important class of hypergraphs.Let T* be the optimal fractional covering number (e = 0). Lovasz (1975) showed that To ≤ (1 + In Δ)T*, where Δ is the maximum degree, using the greedy cover algorithm; it follows that the greedy cover algorithm has performance ratio ≤ 1 + In Δ.Kearns (1990) introduced the partial vertex cover problem. He proved that the performance ratio of the greedy cover algorithm for the partial vertex cover problem is ≤ 5+2 In m regardless of e ≥ 0. Later, Slavik (1997a) improved the bound to 1 + In Δ. Kearns' and Slavik's bounds apply to weighted hypergraphs; in this paper we study the unweighted case only.Our main result is that for e > 0, the performance ratio of the greedy algorithm is ≤ 1 + In(ΔT*/em). As a corollary, we confirm Babai's conjecture that the greedy cover algorithm has a performance ratio ≤ 1+In(1/e) for regular and uniform hypergraphs. This special case has significant applications. On the other hand we present examples in which the performance ratio reaches In Δ if either one of the conditions of regularity and uniformity is dropped.We also show that the ratio of the greedy (1 - e)-cover to T* is ≤ 1/e for all hypergraphs. Note that this bound again does not depend on the parameters of the hypergraph and is the first such bound.We demonstrate the tightness of our bounds by presenting examples of regular and uniform hypergraphs that have performance ratio ≥ In(1/e) for partial vertex covering. We obtain similar matching upper and lower bounds for the integrality gap of partial covering.We compare the bounds attained by the greedy cover algorithm with random choice. We establish a counterintuitive gap of In(1/e) in favor of random choice for a class of regular and uniform hypergraphs.
Energy Cost Savings in Motive Power

Motive power accounts for over 65% of the average UK industrial electricity bill; however, in the water industry this percentage is nearer to 90%. During 1994, UK industry spent almost £3000 million on the energy used by motors – mainly attributable to AC induction motors, with pumps and fans being the most common motor applications. Many techniques can be used to reduce the cost of running motors, from simple good-housekeeping measures to sophisticated electronic controls. This technical note reviews a selection of these techniques using independent case studies from the Department of the Environment's ‘best practice programme’to illustrate the cost savings; the use of software to predict energy savings is also discussed.
In vivo hepatic volume determination using sonography and computed tomography: Validation and a comparison of the two techniques

Ultrasonography and computed tomography were used to determine hepatic volume in vivo. The data obtained were compared with the weight and volume of the same livers after surgical removal at the time of orthotopic hepatic transplantation. The relationship between hepatic weight and volume was found to be linear over a 16-fold range of weights and a 19-fold range of volumes. The sonographic results more closely paralleled the results obtained directly. These data demonstrate that both methods can determine, within acceptable limits, hepatic volume or weight. The sonographic technique, however, is more accurate than the computed tomography scan method as it allows the use of sagittal scanning of the liver, which is superior to the transverse scanning technique required by the computed tomography scanner. In addition, these results demonstrate that these methods might be applied in the future for better matching of donors and recipients of orthotopic liver transplants.
SANA: A Large Scale Multi-Genre, Multi-Dialect Lexicon for Arabic Subjectivity and Sentiment Analysis

The computational treatment of subjectivity and sentiment in natural language is usually significantly improved by applying features exploiting lexical resources where entries are tagged with semantic orientation (e.g., positive, negative values). In spite of the fair amount of work on Arabic sentiment analysis over the past few years (e.g., (Abbasi et al., 2008; Abdul-Mageed et al., 2014; Abdul-Mageed et al., 2012; Abdul-Mageed and Diab, 2012a; Abdul-Mageed and Diab, 2012b; Abdul-Mageed et al., 2011a; Abdul-Mageed and Diab, 2011)), the language remains under-resourced as to these polarity repositories compared to the English language. In this paper, we report efforts to build and present SANA, a large-scale, multi-genre, multi-dialect multi-lingual lexicon for the subjectivity and sentiment analysis of the Arabic language and dialects.
Trading in Ecosystem Services: Carbon Sinks and the Clean Development Mechanism

This article explores ecosystem service trading. To date, most of the literature on this topic has focused on programs in which those who purchase rights to ecosystems use them to replace other, damaged ecosystems. An example would be the Wetlands Mitigation Banking Program, about which much as been written. This article will focus on a less noticed category of ecosystem service trades in which those who purchase rights to ecosystem services use these services to replace pollution reduction technology. The leading example is the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). Under this program, those who expand or restore forests, and so sequester carbon, generate carbon reduction credits. They then sell these credits to regulated parties who can use them, rather than pollution reduction technology, to comply with Kyoto requirements. Here, the ecosystem service takes the place of technology-based reductions. The article will describe the CDM and will examine the heated policy debate over this young program. Drawing on the CDM example, it will show that trading systems in which ecosystems services take the place of pollution reduction technology are fundamentally different than those in which one ecosystem service simply replaces another. The article will develop a new analytical framework for evaluating the risks and benefits of this less discussed, yet highly significant, category of ecosystem service trading programs.
Smart assembly behaviors of hydroxypropylcellulose-graft-poly(4-vinyl pyridine) copolymers in aqueous solution by thermo and pH stimuli.

Thermo- and pH-sensitive graft copolymers, hydroxypropylcellulose-graft-poly(4-vinyl pyridine) (HPC-g-P4VP), were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and characterized. The ...
Serial analysis of gene expression in normal p53 null mammary epithelium

Much evidence has accumulated implicating the p53 gene as of importance in breast carcinogenesis. However, much still remains to be uncovered on the specific downstream pathways influenced by this important activator/repressor of transcription. This study investigated the effects of a p53 null genotype on the transcriptome of 'normal' mouse mammary epithelium using a unique in vivo model of preneoplastic transformation. We used SAGE for the comparative analysis of p53 wild type (wt) and null mammary epithelium unexposed and exposed to hormonal stimulation. Analysis of the hormone exposed samples provided a comprehensive view of the dramatic changes in gene expression as consequence of the functional differentiation of the mammary epithelium in an in vivo system. We detected the dysregulation in p53(null) epithelium of <1% of the transcriptome. Changes in expression affected not only known p53 target genes, but also several unexpected genes such as Expi (Wdnm1), Cyp1b1, Gelsolin, Ramp2 and class I MHC genes. The dysregulation of specific genes and their potential use as preneoplastic markers was further validated using an independent model of premalignant mammary outgrowth lines. This is the first study to examine the transcriptome of very early stages of preneoplastic progression in an in vivo model that mimics human breast cancer.
Single-site robotic cholecystectomy

Background Laparoscopic single-incision surgery is fraught with significant technical drawbacks but has witnessed increased growth mainly for its presumed aesthetic advantages. Recently, a single-site robotic platform has been introduced to alleviate some of the technical challenges with laparoscopic single-site surgery, although literature on this topic is scant. The aim of this study is to analyze the experience of a single surgeon with single-site robotic cholecystectomies since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave its approval in December 2011, and to evaluate the robotic platform's safety and short-term surgical outcomes. Methods From February 1st 2012 to February 28th 2013, patients who underwent single-site cholecystectomy at an academic institution in the United States were retrospectively reviewed from a prospectively maintained database. The following variables were analyzed: age, sex, body mass index, previous surgeries, total operative time, port insertion time, docking time, console time, estimated blood loss, closure time, conversion to open or multiport approach, postoperative outcomes for wound infection, bile leak, biliary ductal injury, right hepatic artery injury, reoperations, readmission, and mortality. Indication for cholecystectomy was symptomatic gallbladder disease. No exclusion criteria were used and no cost analysis was performed. Results During the study period, 31 patients were enrolled. The mean patient age, body mass index, weight, and operative time was 33.6 years, 32.2 kg/m2, 86.3 kg, and 81.4 minutes, respectively. There were no conversions to the open or traditional multiport approach, and no major complications of biliary ductal or hepatic artery injury, bile leak, reoperations, or mortality occurred. There was 1 case of superficial wound infection. Conclusions Single-site robotic cholecystectomy is feasible and safe and requires a minimal learning curve to transition from traditional multiport to single-port robotic cholecystectomy.
Plasma calcium, plasma and thyroidal calcitonin, and histomorphometric bone changes in parathyroidectomized rats.

AbstractThis study examined physiological and bone morphological changes resulting from parathyroidectomy (PTX) in male rats. Two diets were provided: one contained 1.2% calcium, 1% phosphorus; the other 0.4-0.6% calcium, 0.6% phosphorus. However, at 51/2 months post-PTX all rats were transferred to a diet containing 0.3% calcium. The daily ration for each rat was 16 g. The parameters examined were: (1) Plasma calcium concentrations; (2) plasma and thyroidal calcitonin levels; and (3) histomorphometry of metaphyseal trabecular bone. When maintained on the lower calcium diet, fasted plasma calcium concentrations of PTX rats stabilized between 5 and 6 mg/dl. In contrast, in rats fed the higher calcium diet, these values gradually rose to between 7 and 8 mg/dl (5 months post-PTX). After transfer to the 0.3% calcium diet, plasma calcium values fell to >6 mg/dl. Thyroidal calcitonin content following PTX rose to values three times those of age-matched controls regardless of the daily calcium intake. The volume...
Geography's role in general education in the United States

In the United States, geography is taught most frequently in the junior secondary schools, is somewhat more limited as a regular course in the senior secondary schools, and is a prominent discipline within many college and university programs of instruction. At the secondary school level, geography is usually integrated within the broader based social studies, while at the college and university level it has an important function both within general education as well as specialized training. At the pre-collegiate and collegiate levels geography has developed quite independently at times, and at other times there has been a close relationship that has benefitted both levels of education. At the end of the 1980s decade, considerable cooperation was underway in the United States between teachers of secondary school and tertiary level geography in order to upgrade and enhance the discipline. In the first part of this paper, a general history of geography within American education is presented. The second part of the paper discusses geography's role within general education at the secondary and tertiary levels, including the academic backgrounds for teachers. The way in which geographic education in the United States provides students with the opportunity to study holistic relationships between people and the environment and its importance to informed citizenship are discussed in the final section of the paper.
Integrated RFA/OCT catheter for real-time guidance of cardiac RFA therapy(Conference Presentation)

Currently, cardiac radiofrequency ablation is guided by indirect signals. We demonstrate an integrated radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) probe for directly monitoring of the RFA procedure with OCT images in real time. The integrated RFA/OCT probe is modified from a standard commercial RFA catheter, and a newly designed and fabricated miniature forward-viewing cone-scanning OCT probe is integrated into the modified probe. The OCT system is verified with the human finger images, and the results show the integrated RFA/OCT probe can acquire high quality OCT images. The radiofrequency energy delivering function of the integrated probe is verified by comparing the RFA lesion sizes with standard commercial RFA probe. For the standard commercial probe, the average width and depth of the 10 lesions were 3.5 mm and 1.8 mm respectively. For the integrated RFA/OCT probe, the average width and depth of the 10 lesions were 3.6 mm and 1.7 mm respectively. The lesions created by the two probes are indistinguishable in size. This demonstrates that our glass window in the integrated probe has little effect on the RF energy delivery. And the integrated probe is used to monitoring the cardiac RFA procedure in real time. The results show that the RFA lesion formation can be confirmed by the loss of birefringence in the heart tissue. The system can potentially in vivo image of the cardiac wall to aid RFA therapy for cardiac arrhythmias.
On-site calibration for TV of GIS

Based on the experience of on-site calibration,this paper analyzes and summarizes the on-site calibrating methods of non-totally enclosed type、totally enclosed type and unit type voltage transformer of GIS.
IgE-challenged human lung mast cells excite vagal sensory neurons in vitro

Substances released from immunoglobin (Ig) E-stimulated mast cells are likely to be among the chemical mediators responsible for changes in the vagal component of airway reactivity. We have attempted to identify a direct role for mast cell mediators in the control of visceral afferent excitability by examining intracellular electrophysiological changes in vagal neurons after application of extracts prepared from purified and IgE-stimulated human lung mast cells (HLMC). HLMC's, applied by superfusion or by focal pressure ejection from micropipettes, reversibly enhanced the excitability of a subpopulation of rabbit visceral sensory C-fiber neurons by 1) abolishing the slow Ca2+-dependent post-spike after hyperpolarization that uniquely resides in these neurons and controls their spike frequency, 2) depolarizing the cell membrane potential, and 3) increasing membrane input resistance. Control HLMC prepared by subjecting purified human lung mast cells to normal goat serum had no measurable affects on neuronal...