cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Series Introduction: Inspirations on asthma

Asthma continues to challenge physicians and scientists. After declining for years, the prevalence, morbidity and mortality of asthma have increased over the last two decades. In keeping with the importance of this “epidemic,” significant attention has been focused on the pathogenesis of this disorder. These investigations have revised our concepts of the abnormalities that underlie the asthmatic diathesis and our understanding of crucial aspects of its natural history. They have also provided exciting insights into the cellular and molecular events that regulate airway inflammation and inflammation in other tissues. It is clear from these studies that a genetic predisposition plus an appropriate life event(s) conspire to generate the asthmatic diathesis and that often early life (and possibly in utero) events play a crucial role in disease pathogenesis. It is also clear that inflammation is the cornerstone of asthma and that, in the majority of cases, Th2 dominated tissue responses are responsible for this disorder. Recently, the non-inflammatory structural alterations in the asthmatic airway have received renewed attention and the roles these structural changes may play in generating symptomatology and altering natural history have begun to be elucidated. The first Perspective in this series, by Gern, Lemanske and Busse, deals with the early life origins of the asthmatic diathesis, and the second article, by Oettgen and Geha, highlights recent insights into the importance of IgE and new anti-IgE-based therapies in atopy and the asthmatic response. The third article by Ray and Cohn highlights the large body of data that has now been generated regarding the cellular and molecular events that regulate and the effector functions of Th2 inflammatory responses, and the fourth article by Lukacs and colleagues describes the organized chemokine network that is involved in the generation of airway inflammation. The last article in the series by Elias et al. deals with the structural changes and the concept of asthmatic airway remodeling, highlighting both our level of knowledge and the challenges for the future. When the information presented in this series is looked at in composite, one can easily be impressed by the depth and breadth of our knowledge. It is also easy to see how these studies will serve as a springboard for future investigations and the foundation upon which new and powerful therapeutic interventions for asthma can be developed. It is important to keep in mind, however, that the relationship between atopy and asthma and the cause of the asthmatic epidemic are still poorly understood despite significant investigation. Perspective is also provided by the fact that William Osler stated in 1892 that asthma “in many cases is a special form of inflammation of the smaller bronchioles.” It has taken us almost a century to fully embrace this concept and begin to carefully dissect this airway response. Although we have made impressive progress, we still have a long way to go.
Beyond satisfaction: Using the Dynamics of Care assessment to better understand patients' experiences in care

Patient perceptions of and satisfaction with care have become important indicators of the quality of services and the relationship of services to treatment outcomes. However, assessment of these indicators continues to be plagued by measurement problems, particularly the lack of variance in satisfaction data. In this article, we present a new approach to better capture patient perceptions of experiences in care, the Dynamics of Care (DoC) assessment. It is an in-depth approach to defining and assessing patients' perspectives at different junctures in care, including their decisions about whether and where to seek care, the barriers encountered, and the treatments and services received. The purpose of this article is to describe, validate, and discuss the benefits and limitations of the DoC, which was administered as part of a longitudinal study to evaluate the New York State HIV Special Needs Plan (SNP), a Medicaid managed care model for people living with HIV/AIDS. Data are from 426 study respondents across two time points. The results demonstrate the validity and value of the DoC. Help seeking decisions and satisfaction with care appear to be situation-specific, rather than person-specific. However, barriers to care appear to be more cross-situational for respondents, and may be associated with clients' living situations or care arrangements. Inventories in this assessment that were designed to identify potential deterrents to help seeking and difficulties encountered in care demonstrated clear principal component structures, and helped to explain satisfaction with care. The problem resolution index was found to be independent from satisfaction with care and the data were more normally distributed. DoC data were also associated with subsequent utilization and change in quality of life. The DoC was designed to be a flexible, integrated measure to determine individuals' salient service needs, help seeking and experiences in care. One of the many strengths of the assessment is its focus on specific problems in context, thus providing a more sensitive and informative way to understand processes in care from the patient's perspective. This approach can be used to direct new programs and resources to the patients and situations that require them.
Comparison of virulence of clones of two Trichomonas vaginalis strains by the subcutaneous mouse assay.

No statistical differences in virulence were found among five clones isolated from each of twoTrichomonas vaginalis strains JH31A and Balt 42. The former strain, isolated from a patient showing no cervical epithelial abnormalities, caused relatively small subcutaneous lesions in mice [mean volume for the noncloned strain, 75.45±4.43 mm3 (n=70); mean of means for cloned populations, 77.28±3.14 mm3 (n=230)]. The latter, Balt 42, isolated from a woman with an in situ carcinoma of the cervix uteri, produced large subcutaneous abscesses in mice [mean volume for the noncloned strain, 202.28±12.53 mm3 (n=55); mean of means for cloned populations, 200.48±13.72 mm3 (n=264)]. The apparent homogeneity ofT. vaginalis strains with regard to virulence reinforces the dependability of the subcutaneous mouse assay.
INTERNATIONAL STUDIES OF FACTOR INPUTS AND TOTAL FACTOR PRODUCTIVITY: A BRIEF SURVEY

This paper summarizes the results of several studies on total factor productivity of twenty-five countries over the period 1950–1965. Some methodological issues which underlie the derivation and calculation of the familiar partial and total factor productivity indices are discussed. Though evidence on labor productivity for a large number of countries is presented and discussed, the main thrust of the discussion is in terms of the determinants of total factor productivity. The quantitative and qualitative contributions of labor and capital to growth of income are assessed with special attention to the contrasting patterns of these contributions among developed and developing economies. The problems of acceleration and retardation of the growth rate of some economies are considered and possible explanations are offered. Variations in the magnitude and sectoral distribution of the growth rates in several countries over this period are examined. Finally, areas for further research in comparative economic growth are suggested.
Commonality analysis and selection of parents for within-boll yield components in upland cotton

Relationships between lint yield and within-boll yield components are important for genetic improvement of lint yield in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars. F2 plants derived from crosses between germplasm lines and high yielding cultivars were analyzed to determine the contributions of within-boll yield components to lint yield and to select parents with desirable combining ability for multiple within-boll yield components. Forty-five F2 hybrids were planted at two field sites in 2010 and 2011 with 4 and 3 replicates, respectively. There were a total of six yield components analyzed including lint percentage (LP), seed number per boll, lint weight per seed (LW_S), seed surface area per seed, lint weight per unit seed surface area (LW_SA), and lint number per unit seed surface area (LN_SA). The contributions of these yield components to lint yield were analyzed by commonality analysis that separated the contributions to lint yield into the unique contributions of single yield components and the common contributions of the single yield components with one or more other yield components. The unique contributions of the six yield components to lint yield ranged from 1.6 to 21 % of total variation for lint yield in the 2-year experiments. The greatest common contributions to lint yield among all combinations of the six yield components were identified for a combination of four components, LP, LW_S, LW_SA, and LN_SA with 67 and 44 % of the total variation of lint yield in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Results suggest that all four of these yield components should be considered simultaneously in breeding for genetic improvement of lint yield. The germplasm line SP225 was detected as a good combiner with positive general combining ability (GCA) for LP (1.4 %), LW_SA (0.03 mg mm−2), and LN_SA (14.3 no mm−2), and favorable GCA for fineness (−3.1 mg km−1).
What controls plant nutrient use in high elevation ecosystems

The importance of rock-derived mineral nutrients (P, K, Mn, Mg, and Ca) in plant physiological function is well established. However, one important and relatively unexplored question is whether or not the same rules of plant nutrient use efficiency apply to these essential elements even if they are not limiting to primary production. We examined conifer growth and nutrient use dynamics across sites with contrasting geologies (sedimentary and volcanic) that vary in both rock-derived mineral nutrient and N availability. Differences in bedrock geochemistry generally corresponded to differences in available soil nutrients, such that the volcanic site tended to have greater available nutrients. Foliar nutrient concentrations reflected both differences in bedrock chemistry and indices of available soil nutrients for P, K, and Mn. Aboveground biomass production did not follow expected patterns and was greater for trees growing on low nutrient sites, but only with respect to the annual woody increment. Fine litter production did not differ between sites. Finally, we found evidence for trade-offs between two commonly examined components of nutrient use efficiency (NUE): nutrient productivity (A n) and mean residence time of nutrients. However, we did not find evidence for higher plant NUE in soils with lower nutrient availability for N or rock-derived nutrients.
Reporting Mistreatment of Older Adults: The Role of Physicians

OBJECTIVE: To characterize elder mistreatment reporting patterns over time and by reporting source with specific focus on physician reporting. To determine whether demographic or socioeconomic factors influenced the reporting of elder abuse in Michigan between 1989 and 1993 and whether these factors affected physician reporting rates. DESIGN: Analysis of the State of Michigan's records of reported cases of suspected adult abuse for the years 1989–1993. MEASUREMENTS: Counties were categorized by size, urbanization, and average income. The study population was analyzed as four age groups: 18–64, 65–74, 75–84, and 85–99. Physician to population ratios were calculated for the county types and compared with physician reporting rates. MAIN RESULTS: A total of 27,371 cases of possible abuse were reported, 17,238 in persons older than age 65. Physicians reported only 2% of cases, and physician reporting rates did not increase over the 5-year period. Physician reporting rates were highest in small counties with low physician to population ratios. There was a high percentage of primary care physicians in these counties. Forty-seven percent of all reported cases were substantiated. There was no difference in substantiation rate for physician-reported cases compared with other professional reporting sources. CONCLUSION: Physician reports average only 2% of all reports of suspected elder mistreatment. Primary care physicians in counties with low physician to population ratios appear to be more active in reporting mistreatment of older people. Increasing physician awareness of the problem of elder mistreatment and providing physicians with the tools to screen for mistreatment should increase the number of cases that are reported to the agencies responsible for assisting mistreated older people. J Am Geriatr Soc 44:65–70, 1996.
Development of immunoblotting techniques for DNA radical detection.

Radical damage to DNA has been implicated in cell death, cellular dysfunction, and cancer. A recently developed method for detecting DNA radicals uses the nitrone spin trap DMPO (5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide) to trap radicals. The trapped radicals then decay into stable nitrone adducts detectable with anti-DMPO antibodies and quantifiable by ELISA or dot-blot assay. However, the sequences of DNA that are damaged are likely to be as important as the total level of damage. Therefore, we have developed immunoblotting methods for detection of DNA nitrone adducts on electrophoretically separated DNA, comparable to Western blotting for proteins. These new techniques not only allow the assessment of relative radical adduct levels, but can reveal specific DNA fragments, and ultimately nucleotides, as radical targets. Moreover, we have determined that denaturation of samples into single-stranded DNA enhances the detection of DNA–DMPO adducts in our new blotting methods and also in ELISA.
Economic institutions and individual ethics: A study of consumer attitudes toward insurance fraud

Abstract This paper explores the determinants of consumers' attitudes toward filing exaggerated automobile insurance claims. Using individual responses to a national survey, and building on the socioeconomic literature on attitude formation, the paper formulates and tests hypotheses regarding consumers' approval or disapproval of claims exaggeration. The study finds support for the hypotheses that the attitudes toward claims exaggeration of others' in one's state, one's own attitudes toward dishonesty in other settings, and perceptions of insurance institutions are related to attitudes toward filing exaggerated claims.
The saga of sigma: influences of illumination throughout optical generations

The optimization of illumination in optical lithography has been central to the progress toward λ/5 resolution now commonplace. The tailoring of source shapes to meet increasing demands of imaging has been commercially practiced for over twenty years. The influence of illumination in microscopy and micrography had been explored for centuries before an adequate description was developed in the late nineteenth century. By the mid-twentieth century, the mathematical foundation for the dependency of resolution on illumination was presented, leading to the parameterization of illumination through a partial coherence factor (σ). The role of partial coherence in microscopy, micrography, and microlithography has been critical to the extension of resolution in each of these fields and has allowed for the application of optical lithography toward sub-50nm resolution. Today, source customization, polarized illumination, and source/mask domain co-optimization have become critical tools used to achieve manufacturable lithography resolution at the edge of physical limits. This paper will provide a historical look into how illumination, partial coherence, and source shaping has influenced optical lithography. Aspects relative to future lithography generations are also explored, including illumination influences with 3D effects especially important for EUV wavelength applications.
Dynamic Pressure Metrology

According to the ANSI MC88.1-1972 standard A Guide for the Dynamic Calibration of Pressure Transducers, the properties to be determined when calibrating a dynamic pressure transducer are sensitivity, amplitude as a function of frequency, phase as a function of frequency, resonant frequency, damping ratio, rise time and overshoot. A static calibration yields only the sensitivity. The properties of dynamic pressure transducers and various methods for determining them are reviewed.
Yang-Mills radiation in ultrarelativistic nuclear collisions

The classical Yang-Mills radiation computed in the McLerran-Venugopalan model is shown to be equivalent to the gluon bremsstrahlung distribution to lowest (g{sup 6}) order in pQCD. The classical distribution is also shown to match smoothly onto the conventional pQCD minijet distribution at a scale k{sub {perpendicular}}{sup 2}{approximately}{chi}, characteristic of the initial parton transverse density of the system. The atomic number and energy dependence of {chi} is computed from available structure function information. The limits of applicability of the classical Yang-Mills description of nuclear collisions at RHIC and LHC energies are discussed. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
CCL18 in a multiplex urine-based assay for the detection of bladder cancer.

The early detection of bladder cancer (BCa) is pivotal for successful patient treatment and management. Through genomic and proteomic studies, we have identified a number of bladder cancer-associated biomarkers that have potential clinical utility. In a case-control study, we examined voided urines from 127 subjects: 64 tumor-bearing subjects and 63 controls. The urine concentrations of the following proteins were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); C-C motif chemokine 18 (CCL18), Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and CD44. Data were compared to a commercial ELISA-based BCa detection assay (BTA-Trak©) and voided urinary cytology. We used analysis of the area under the curve of receiver operating characteristic curves to compare the ability of CCL18, PAI-1, CD44, and BTA to detect BCa in voided urine samples. Urinary concentrations of CCL18, PAI-1, and BTA were significantly elevated in subjects with BCa. CCL18 was the most accurate biomarker (AUC; 0.919; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.8704-0.9674). Multivariate regression analysis highlighted CCL18 (OR; 18.31; 95% CI, 4.95-67.70, p<0.0001) and BTA (OR; 6.43; 95% CI, 1.86-22.21, p = 0.0033) as independent predictors of BCa in voided urine samples. The combination of CCL18, PAI-1 and CD44 improved the area under the curve to0.938. Preliminary results indicate that CCL18 was a highly accurate biomarker for BCa detection in this cohort. Monitoring CCL18 in voided urine samples has the potential to improve non-invasive tests for BCa diagnosis. Furthermore using the combination of CCL18, PAI-1 and CD44 may make the model more robust to errors to detect BCa over the individual biomarkers or BTA.
Telepsychiatry, the satellite system and family consultation.

A pilot telepsychiatry session was conducted with the US Department of Defense Satellite Communication System. The subjects were a family incompletely divorced many years before. There were two sat...
Med-vest: A wearable sensory platform

Sickle cell disease is a genetic mutation that causes sickling of the red blood cells, affecting between 90,000 and 100,000 Americans. Researchers must develop methods of data acquisition capable of maximizing both the amount of data being collected and types of data being collected to form the most accurate diagnosis and treatment for patients. Popular data acquisition forms are the use of mobile phones, sensory systems, and wearable technology. In this paper, we attempt to bridge the gap between the three, combining a wearable sensory system with the computation and communication power of mobile phones. We propose the application of sickle cell disease as a structure around which to design a textile-based data acquisition system.
In Vitro Hydrolytic Surface Degradation of Poly(glycolic acid): Role of the Surface Segregated Amorphous Region in the Induction Period of Bulk Erosion

The in vitro hydrolytic degradation of thin (ca. 100 μm) films of poly(glycolic acid) (PGA) has been studied, focusing on the kinetics of degradation of the near surface phases. The emphasis of this work is to describe the nature of the initial “induction” period of hydrolysis of biodegradable polyesters, where water absorption is initiating into the surface phase and weight loss is not detectable. The kinetics of surface degradation are shown to be related to the enrichment of amorphous PGA in the surface phases. This study presents results from both surface and bulk phase characterization of short-term (<10 h) exposures of PGA to buffered systems at physiological temperatures. The role of pH of the external buffer medium in influencing the rate of PGA hydrolytic surface degradation is quantified using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF SIMS), using previously developed methods to determine the rates of production of oligomeric reaction products. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studie...
Chronic neuropathic pain in mice reduces μ-opioid receptor-mediated G-protein activity in the thalamus

Neuropathic pain is a debilitating condition that is often difficult to treat using conventional pharmacological interventions and the exact mechanisms involved in the establishment and maintenance of this type of chronic pain have yet to be fully elucidated. The present studies examined the effect of chronic nerve injury on μ-opioid receptors and receptor-mediated G-protein activity within the supraspinal brain regions involved in pain processing of mice. Chronic constriction injury (CCI) reduced paw withdrawal latency, which was maximal at 10 days post-injury. [d-Ala2,(N-Me)Phe4,Gly5-OH] enkephalin (DAMGO)-stimulated [(35)S]GTPγS binding was then conducted at this time point in membranes prepared from the rostral ACC (rACC), thalamus and periaqueductal grey (PAG) of CCI and sham-operated mice. Results showed reduced DAMGO-stimulated [(35)S]GTPγS binding in the thalamus and PAG of CCI mice, with no change in the rACC. In thalamus, this reduction was due to decreased maximal stimulation by DAMGO, with no difference in EC(50) values. In PAG, however, DAMGO E(max) values did not significantly differ between groups, possibly due to the small magnitude of the main effect. [(3)H]Naloxone binding in membranes of the thalamus showed no significant differences in B(max) values between CCI and sham-operated mice, indicating that the difference in G-protein activation did not result from differences in μ-opioid receptor levels. These results suggest that CCI induced a region-specific adaptation of μ-opioid receptor-mediated G-protein activity, with apparent desensitization of the μ-opioid receptor in the thalamus and PAG and could have implications for treatment of neuropathic pain.
The mechanism of depression of plasma protein bound iodine by 2,4 dinitrophenol.

INTRODUCTION IT HAS previously been shown (Wolff et at., 1950; Goldberg and Chaikoff, 1951) that the administration of 2,4 dinotrophenol (DNP), a potent stimulant of oxygen consumption, results in a prompt and profound fall in the level of plasma protein bound iodine (PBI). A compensatory increase in thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) output by the anterior pituitary, however, could not be detected. This finding was somewhat surprising in view of the low PBI levels and the “homeostatic” relationship presumed to exist between this level and the anterior pituitary beta cells, the probable source of TSH. Two fundamental problems were thus presented: 1) by what mechanism did DNP influence the level of PBI and 2) is the presumed “feed-back” relationship between the level of plasma thyroid hormone and the anterior pituitary actually operative? Since in the earlier studies it was found that with two or three daily injections of DNP neither uptake nor conversion of radioactive iodide to organic form was materially...
Midline cancer of the floor of the mouth: role of suprahyoid dissection.

Of 37 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the floor of the mouth seen during a 5-year period, 28 were treated primarily by surgery. Ten of the 28 patients presented with midline cancers measuring between 1.0 and 3 cm (T1 and T2). Three of these patients had local excision only. Metastases to the submandibular lymph nodes later occurred in 1 of these 3 patients. The remaining 7 patients with midline lesions had wide excision of the tumour, marginal resection of the mandible and bilateral suprahyoid node dissection. Of these 7 patients 4 remained free of disease for periods ranging between 2 and 5 years. Two of these had lymph node metastases. These results suggest that en bloc excision of relatively small midline cancers (i.e. not exceeding 2 cm (T1) in largest diameter) with bilateral suprahyoid node dissection gives effective control of these lesions.
Foreign Object Damage Phenomenon by Steel Ball Projectiles in a SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composite at Ambient and Elevated Temperatures

Foreign object damage (FOD) phenomenon of a gas-turbine grade SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) was determined at 25° and 1316°C using impact velocities ranging from 115 to 440 m/s by 1.59-mm diameter steel ball projectiles. Two types of target-specimen support were employed at each temperature: fully supported and partially supported. For a given temperature, the degree of impact damage increased with increasing impact velocity, and was greater in partial support than in full support. The elevated-temperature FOD resistance of the composite, particularly in partial support at higher impact velocities ≥350 m/s, was significantly less than the ambient-temperature counterpart, attributed to a weakening effect of the composite. In full support, frontal contact stresses played a major role in generating composite damage; whereas, in partial support both frontal contact and backside tensile stresses were combined sources of damage generation. Formation of cone cracks initiating from impact site was also one of the key damage features. The SiC/SiC composite was able to survive higher energy impacts without complete structural failure, as compared with gas-turbine grade AS800 and SN282 monolithic silicon nitrides.
Observation of x-ray absorption magnetic circular dichroism in well-characterized iron-cobalt-platinum multilayers

Magnetic circular dichroism in the Fe 2p x-ray absorption is observed in multilayers of(Fe9.5{Angstrom}/Pt9.5{Angstrom}){sub 92}. The magnetization and helicity are both in the plane of this multilayer which is prepared by magnetron sputter deposition. This sample is part of a study to examine magnetization in the ternary multilayer system of FeCo/Pt. Lattice and layer pair spacings are measured using x-ray scattering. The atomic concentration profiles of the multilayer films are characterized using Auger electron spectroscopy coupled with depth profiling. Conventional and high resolution transmission electron microscopy are used to examine the thin film, growth morphology and atomic structure.
Faulty and Missing Body Sensor Data Analysis

With advance of mobile sensor and wireless communication technologies, it becomes more feasible to monitor daily lives than ever. A smart phone, capable of sensing human motion as well as tracking current location, can record motion behavior as well as motion boundary for pattern study of social life. A passive or active Radio-frequency identification (RFID) based location tracing systems provide the resourceful information of the wildlife habitats. Accelerometers and gyroscopes can help to monitor daily activities of certain patient such as exercise patterns of the obesity. Regardless of how good the sensor is, missing or noisy data can be generated at any time with any reason-caused by the nature of monitoring sensor (on-body sensor) or communication failure. In data analysis, missing or noisy data generates many problems. In the last few decades, many approaches have been proposed. However, traditional approaches of handling missing data may require very complicated method and computational power to estimate the missing data. In this paper, we propose the Canonical Correlation based k weighted Angular Similarity (CkWAS) to map the missing data with reference pattern data set. Our experimental results show that the precision of finding similar motion patterns is 92% with 5% missing data and 64% with 95% missing data.
Hematologic and immunologic effects of pulsed microwaves in mice

Mice were exposed in the far field in an anechoic chamber to 2,880-MHz pulsed microwaves 3 to 7.5 h daily, 5 days/week for 60 to 360 h. Three experiments were performed at average power densities of 5 mW/cm2 and six at 10 mW/cm2, corresponding to averaged specific absorption rates (SARs) of 2.25 and 4.50 mW/g, respectively. Each experiment consisted of eight mice, with a concurrently sham-exposed group of eight. In two of three studies at 5 mW/cm2, there was a significant increase in bone marrow cellularity in the microwave-exposed groups compared to the sham-exposed groups. Significant differences were occasionally seen in erythrocyte, leukocyte, and platelet values from microwave-exposed groups, but were not consistently observed. In one of six groups exposed at 10 mW/cm2, mean bone marrow cellularity was reduced significantly in the microwave-exposed mice; in another group, the lymphocyte count was increased. In only one exposure (10 mW/cm2 for 360 h) was any significant effect noted on serum proteins: a reduction to 5.1 +/- 0.3 g/dl in the exposed versus 5.6 +/- 0.4 g/dl in the sham-exposed mice. This was due to a decrease in alpha and beta globulins, with no effect on albumin or gamma globulin concentrations. No effectmore » on bone marrow granulocyte/macrophage colony-forming units (CFU) was revealed following exposure of mice to pulsed microwaves at 5 mW/cm2. In one of four exposures at 10 mW/cm2, there was a significant increase in CFU-agar colonies. No significant effects of exposures at 10 mW/cm2 were observed on in vivo and in vitro assays of cell-mediated immune functions. No exposure-related histopathologic lesions were found from examination of several tissues and organs. Results of these series of exposures of mice at SARs of 2.25 and 4.50 mW/g indicated no consistent effects on the hematologic, immunologic, or histopathologic variables examined.« less
COMPLEX: An Applesoft BASIC program to assess preference for visual complexity

Since Berlyne's classic work on preference for environmental complexity (e.g., Berlyne & Boudewijns, 1971), visual preference tests have been used widely in experiments dealing with a range of basic and applied research objectives. Research applications in the area of basic personality structure (Wiedl, 1977) are representative of the use of this technique in the study of adjustment and clinical psychology. Preference for complexity has also been incorporated into work on cognitive style and information processing (Frost & Lindauer, 1980), cognitive development in young children (Burton, 1981), and social-filial attitudes (Lohmann & Wiedl, 1977). The basic technique has proved to generalize well across disciplines, settings, and topic areas. The program described here can be used to obtain a range of behavioral measures related to visual preference. It can also be used to carry out experimental procedures involving a number of possible independent variables. The program also has potential use as an instructional tool for courses in information processing, cognitive psychology, personality, individual differences, and assessment.
Morphometric characterization of calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum) scale on reverse osmosis membranes

The axial development of calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum) scaling on selected reverse osmosis (RO) membrane surfaces was investigated experimentally in a plate-and-frame RO system. Scaling experiments with model solutions demonstrated progressive axial development of surface gypsum crystals along the membrane surface. The impact of surface crystallization was characterized via flux decline measurements and by both optical and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM) surface imaging. Surface coverage by gypsum scale (percent area covered and gypsum surface mass density) increased along the membranes (towards the membrane exit), consistent with the increase in concentration polarization. At the membrane channel entry, surface gypsum crystals were at their initial growth stage formed as primarily needle-like structures. With increasing axial distance from the entry, surface crystallization resulted in crystal structures that transitioned from the needle and plate-like structures, in the submicron size range, to partial rosettes to complete rosette structures in the mm size range. Significant differences were observed in the extent of surface scale coverage and surface crystal size among the membrane studied. Antiscalant addition to the feed solution led to progressive decline in the percent of area covered by scale with increasing antiscalant dosage and corresponding decrease in flux decline. Antiscalant addition resulted in perturbed surface crystal morphology of flattened and/or fused rosette crystal arms and to complete elimination of surface crystals at a sufficiently high antiscalant dosage. The present study demonstrates that gypsum scale development is affected by the formation of surface crystals on the membrane surface, thereby suggesting that there is merit to expanded research on the direct impact of surface topology and chemistry on surface crystallization of mineral salts.
Shared services—A recipe for cost-cutting in hospitals

Abstract This article is derived from a study the authors conducted during 1978–1979 to determine the extent of shared services participation by a group of metropolitan hospitals, the problems that occurred, and the recommendations that appeared realistic. It appeared from a survey of the literature that most writers on shared services had merely introduced the concept and some of its possible applications. Little had been done to study the actual incorporation of shared services into the management structure of the organization. This study is an attempt to look closer at the real, long-term acceptance of the idea by hospital administrators and to provide a clearer picture of the way in which shared services are being used or misused.
Neutron Science TeraGrid Gateway

The unique contributions of the Neutron Science TeraGrid Gateway (NSTG) are the connection of national user facility instrument data sources to the integrated cyberinfrastructure of the National Science FoundationTeraGrid and the development of a neutron science gateway that allows neutron scientists to use TeraGrid resources to analyze their data, including comparison of experiment with simulation. The NSTG is working in close collaboration with the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge as their principal facility partner. The SNS is a next-generation neutron source. It has completed construction at a cost of $1.4 billion and is ramping up operations. The SNS will provide an order of magnitude greater flux than any previous facility in the world and will be available to all of the nation's scientists, independent of funding source, on a peer-reviewed merit basis. With this new capability, the neutron science community is facing orders of magnitude larger data sets and is at a critical point for data analysis and simulation. There is a recognized need for new ways to manage and analyze data to optimize both beam time and scientific output. The TeraGrid is providing new capabilities in the gateway for simulations using McStas and a fitting service on distributed TeraGrid resources to improved turnaround. NSTG staff are also exploring replicating experimental data in archival storage. As part of the SNS partnership, the NSTG provides access to gateway support, cyberinfrastructure outreach, community development, and user support for the neutron science community. This community includes not only SNS staff and users but extends to all the major worldwide neutron scattering centers.
Chemical reaction in a turbulent flow field with uniform velocity gradient

A simplified statistical theory is developed which describes the chemically reacting, turbulent shear flows in a tractable manner. This theory, which is based on the concept of the generalized Brownian motion, instead of Navier‐Stokes equation, is completely self‐containing provided that the molecular Schmidt number is of order one and that the local turbulence Reynolds number is sufficiently large. The latter requirement restricts the theory to the flow region outside of the laminar sublayers. The homologous flow and concentration fields are first analyzed for the chemically frozen case. From the analyses, the relationships between the mean velocity and concentration gradients, and the Reynolds stress, turbulence energy, turbulent transport of chemical species, and the mean square fluctuation of the species concentration are established. Comparison of the present results with the available experimental data is made, which shows a satisfactory agreement. The nonequilibrium chemical reaction is then analyzed and is found to create an inhomogeneity in the concentration field which, among other things, causes the mean square fluctuation to vary nonuniformly with respect to the Damkohler number and the flow region.
The effect of scorpion venom on the neuromuscular junction of the frog.

The effect of venom of the Mexican scorpion Centruroides sufussus sufussus Pocock has been studied in the isolated frog sartorius nerve-muscle preparation. In the presence of the venom, single shocks applied to the nerve produced repetitive responses in both nerve and muscle. Reduction of the sodium concentration in the bathing medium abolished the repetitive activity; addition of calcium had no observable effect. Bathing the nerve in Ringer solution with venom occasionally produced repetitive activity. The results suggest that the site most accessible to the action of the venom is the exposed area of the axon near its termination.
Automated parallel synthesis of 5'-triphosphate oligonucleotides and preparation of chemically modified 5'-triphosphate small interfering RNA

A fully automated chemical method for the parallel and high-throughput solid-phase synthesis of 5'-triphosphate and 5'-diphosphate oligonucleotides is described. The desired full-length oligonucleotides were first constructed using standard automated DNA/RNA solid-phase synthesis procedures. Then, on the same column and instrument, efficient implementation of an uninterrupted sequential cycle afforded the corresponding unmodified or chemically modified 5'-triphosphates and 5'-diphosphates. The method was readily translated into a scalable and high-throughput synthesis protocol compatible with the current DNA/RNA synthesizers yielding a large variety of unique 5'-polyphosphorylated oligonucleotides. Using this approach, we accomplished the synthesis of chemically modified 5'-triphosphate oligonucleotides that were annealed to form small-interfering RNAs (ppp-siRNAs), a potentially interesting class of novel RNAi therapeutic tools. The attachment of the 5'-triphosphate group to the passenger strand of a siRNA construct did not induce a significant improvement in the in vitro RNAi-mediated gene silencing activity nor a strong specific in vitro RIG-I activation. The reported method will enable the screening of many chemically modified ppp-siRNAs, resulting in a novel bi-functional RNAi therapeutic platform.
Coupled-cluster theory in quantum chemistry

Today, coupled-cluster theory offers the most accurate results among the practical ab initio electronic-structure theories applicable to moderate-sized molecules. Though it was originally proposed for problems in physics, it has seen its greatest development in chemistry, enabling an extensive range of applications to molecular structure, excited states, properties, and all kinds of spectroscopy. In this review, the essential aspects of the theory are explained and illustrated with informative numerical results.
Daptomycin Dosing Strategies in Patients Receiving Thrice-Weekly Intermittent Hemodialysis

Objective: To determine the optimal dosing regimen of daptomycin in patients receiving thrice-weekly hemodialysis. Data Sources: Literature was accessed via PubMed using the terms daptomycin and hemodialysis through July 2013. Reference citations from publications identified were reviewed. Study Selection and Data Extraction: English language articles meeting the search criteria were evaluated. Studies were included if they addressed either thrice-weekly or intradialytic daptomycin administration. Data Synthesis: Daptomycin is approved for the treatment of bloodstream infections due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other Gram-positive organisms. Rapid bactericidal activity and limited potential for drug interactions make daptomycin an attractive agent. However, the daptomycin prescribing information recommends dosing every 48 hours in patients receiving hemodialysis, which results in dyssynchrony of dosing and dialysis sessions every other week. Studies evaluating a dosing regimen of dap...
Influenza in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

Objective:To review available data describing the epidemiology, outcomes, prevention, and treatment of influenza virus in the solid organ transplant population and to evaluate the strengths and limitations of the current literature, with a focus on literature reviewing annual influenza strains and the recent pandemic novel influenza A/H1N1 strain.Data Sources:A systematic literature search (July 1980-June 2011) was performed via PubMed using the following key words: influenza, human; influenza; novel influenza A H1/N1; transplantation; solid organ transplantation; kidney transplant; renal transplant; lung transplant; heart transplant; and liver transplantStudy Selection and Data Extraction:Papers were excluded if they were not written in English or were animal studies or in vitro studies. Data from fully published studies and recent reports from international conferences were included.Data Synthesis:The influenza virus presents a constant challenge to immunocompromised patients and their health care provi...
A general treatment of equilibrium copolymerization

A general theory of equilibrium copolymerization is developed. The theory is compared with published experimental results on sulfur-selenium copolymers. The equilibrium constants developed previously for sulfur and for selenium homopolymerization are utilized in this new copolymerization theory, and no other mathematical assumptions are made. The theory gives a quite remarkable agreement with the experimental results.
Bony avulsion injury of the pectoralis major in a 19 year-old male judo athlete: a case report.

Background and Purpose: Bony avulsion of the pectoralis major muscle is a rare but potentially devastating injury for athletes. Pectoralis major rupture typically occurs in 20 to 39 year-old males. The shoulder region is one of the most frequently injured areas in Judo athletes. The purpose of this case report is to describe diagnosis and treatment following a pectoralis major bony avulsion due to an atypical mechanism of injury in a young Judo athlete. Case Description: A 19-year-old military cadet and competitive judo athlete reported to a direct-access sports physical therapy clinic 7 weeks after incurring a shoulder injury during a judo match. He complained of shoulder pain and weakness with the inability to perform pushups. He presented with horizontal adduction weakness and visible discontinuity of the pectoralis muscle with resisted adduction. Outcomes: Radiographs demonstrated a bony avulsion of the pectoralis major from its humeral attachment. The patient underwent surgical repair of the lesion the next week and was able to resume most military cadet activities within 5 months post-operation. Discussion: Bony avulsions are exceptionally rare injuries, and are even more uncommon in athletes under the age of 20. It is important for clinicians to perform a thorough history and physical examination in order to avoid missing this diagnosis. Surgery is likely the best option for a young athletic population; while conservative management may be optimal for the older, inactive population.
A multi-protocol wireless multi-hop network employing a new efficient hybrid routing scheme

We have developed a cost-effective wireless multi-hop network system for accessing core networks. Cost-effectiveness can be provided to users by offering them a wireless multi-hop network in which a wireless link enables multiple hops between access points (APs) and reduces the number of APs connected to a wired network. The key issues of wireless multi-hop networks are routing and security. We proposed a hybrid routing for wireless multi-hop networks that combines on-demand and table-driven routing, a packet check scheme between APs, and an authentication scheme. To ensure both correct routing and security, the system makes use of a wireless multi-hop (WM) layer between the IP and medium access control (MAC) layers. This paper evaluates the system based on its FTP throughput, round-trip time, and route creation time. The FTP throughput was about 3.5 Mbps even when there were four hops in an 802.11b wireless LAN. We believe that our wireless multi-hop network system is useful for providing cost-effective broadband access service.
ON THE ANNUAL VARIATION OF THE MONTHLY MEAN MERIDIONAL CIRCULATION

Abstract Data for a 5-yr period from a dense network of upper air stations have been used to determine the annual cycle in the mean meridional circulation north of 15°S. Only during the transition months April, May and October, November is there some degree of symmetry with respect to the Equator. During the other months of the year, the Hadley cell of the winter hemisphere with a maximum strength of about 23 × 1013 gm sec–1 appears always to dominate the circulation. The Hadley cell of the summer hemisphere practically disappears, except possibly near the surface. Maximum meridional velocities connected with the winter Hadley cell are about 2.5 m sec–1 near 1000 mb and over 3 m sec–1 near 200 mb. Mean vertical velocities attain values of about 5 and 8 mm sec–1 in the downward and upward branches of the winter Hadley cells. A rather weak Ferrel circulation (about 4 × 1013 gm sec–1) and a very weak polar circulation (about 1 × 1013 gm sec–1) are computed in middle and high latitudes throughout the year. Wi...
Phospho-sulindac inhibits pancreatic cancer growth: NFATc1 as a drug resistance candidate.

Phospho-sulindac (P-S), a promising anticancer agent, is efficacious in pre-clinical models of human cancer and is apparently safe. Here, we studied the effect of P-S on pancreatic cancer growth. We found that P-S strongly inhibits the growth of human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro, is efficacious in inhibiting the growth of pancreatic xenografts in nude mice, and has an excellent safety profile. Microarray analysis revealed that P-S induced the expression of nuclear factor of activated T-cells, isoform c1 (NFATc1) gene. NFATc1, a calcineurin-responsive transcription factor associated with aggressive pancreatic cancer. The role of increased NFATc1 expression on the growth inhibitory effect of P-S on cancer growth was evaluated by silencing or by overexpressing it both in vitro and in vivo. We found that when the expression of NFATc1 was abrogated by RNAi, pancreatic cancer cells were more responsive to treatment with P-S. Conversely, over-expressing the NFATc1 gene made the pancreatic cancer cells less responsive to treatment with P-S. NFATc1 likely mediates drug resistance to P-S and is an unfavorable prognostic factor that predicts poor tumor response. We also demonstrated that NFATc1-mediated resistance can be overcome by cyclosporin A (CsA), an NFAT inhibitor, and that the combination of P-S and CsA synergistically inhibited pancreatic cancer cell growth. In conclusion, our preclinical data establish P-S as an efficacious drug for pancreatic cancer in preclinical models, which merits further evaluation.