cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Validation of the systemic lupus erythematosus activity questionnaire in a large observational cohort

Objective To examine the reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness of the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Activity Questionnaire (SLAQ) in a large observational cohort of persons with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods We evaluated the reliability of the SLAQ using Cronbach's alpha and principal factor analysis and ascertained construct validity by studying the association of the SLAQ with other clinically relevant, validated patient assessments of health. We estimated responsiveness by calculating standardized response means and analyzing the association of changes in SLAQ scores with changes in other patient assessments of health. Results The SLAQ had excellent reliability, as reflected by Cronbach's alpha (0.87) and principal factor analysis (one factor accounted for 92% of the variance). SLAQ scores were strongly correlated with other health indices, including the Short Form 12 Physical Component Summary and the Short Form 36 Physical Functioning subscale. Scores were significantly higher for respondents reporting a flare, more disease activity, hospitalization in the last year, concurrent use of immunosuppressive medication, and work disability. The SLAQ demonstrated a small to moderate degree of responsiveness; standardized response means were 0.66 and −0.37 for those reporting clinical worsening and improvement, respectively. Across a range of other patient assessments of disease status, the SLAQ had a response in the direction predicted by these other measures. Conclusion The SLAQ demonstrates adequate reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness in our large, community-based cohort and appears to represent a promising tool for studies of SLE outside the clinical setting.
Absolute rate constants of alkene addition reactions of a fluorinated radical in water.

Absolute rate constants of ·RfSO3- radical addition to a series of water-soluble alkenes containing ionic, carboxylate substituents were measured by laser flash photolysis experiments in water. The observed rate constants were all considerably larger than those of structurally similar analogues in a nonpolar organic solvent, with rate factors of 3−9-fold being observed. It is concluded that such rate enhancements derive at least in part from stabilization of the polar transition state for addition of the electrophilic fluorinated radical to alkenes by the polar solvent water.
Visible emission of hydrogen flames

Abstract The common misconception that hydrogen flames are not visible is examined. Examples are presented of clearly visible emissions from typical hydrogen flames. It is shown that while visible emissions from these flames are considerably weaker than those from comparable hydrocarbon flames, they are indeed visible, albeit at reduced light levels in most cases. Detailed flame spectra are presented to characterize flame emission bands in the ultraviolet, visible and infrared regions of the spectrum that result in a visible hydrogen flame. The visible blue emission is emphasized, and recorded spectra indicate that fine spectral structure is superimposed on a broadband continuum extending from the ultraviolet into the visible region. Tests were performed to show that this emission does not arise from carbon or nitrogen chemistry resulting from carbon-containing impurities (hydrocarbons) in the hydrogen fuel or from CO2 or N2 entrainment from the surrounding air. The spectral structure, however, is also observed in methane flames. The magnitude of the broadband emission increases with flame temperature in a highly nonlinear manner while the finer spectral structure is insensitive to temperature. A comparison of diffusion and premixed H2 flames shows that the fine scale structure is comparable in both flames.
Resting metabolic rate in old-old women with and without frailty: variability and estimation of energy requirements

Objectives: To measure resting metabolic rate (RMR) in old-old adults living in the community and examine the association between measured RMR and frailty status and compare it with expected RMR generated by a predictive equation. Design: Physiological substudy conducted as a home visit within an observational cohort study. Setting: Baltimore City and County, Maryland. Participants: Seventy-seven women aged 83 to 93 enrolled in the Women's Health and Aging Study II. Measurements: Resting metabolic rate with indirect calorimetry, frailty status, fat-free mass, ambient and body temperature, expected RMR according to the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation. Results: Average RMR was 1,119 ± 205 kcal/d (range 595�1,560 kcal/d). Agreement between observed and expected RMR was biased and poor (between-subject coefficient of variation 38.0%, 95% confidence interval = 35.1�40.8). Variability of RMR was greater in frail individuals (heteroscedasticity F-test P = .02). Low and high RMR were associated with being frail (odds ratio 5.4, P = .04) and slower self-selected walking speed (P < .001) after adjustment for covariates. Conclusion: Equations to predict RMR that are not validated in old-old adults appear to correlate poorly with measured RMR. RMR is highly variable in old-old women, with deviations from the mean predicting clinical frailty. These exploratory findings suggest a pathway to clinical frailty through high or low RMR.
Ontogenetic shifts in habitat preferences in the three-spot damselfish, Stegasees planifions (Cuvier), in Roatan Island, Honduras

Abstract Habitat preferences have been described for different stages of the life cycle of reef fishes. The present study evaluates the effects that ontogenetic shifts in microhabitat preferences may have in the determination of the non-overlapping spatial distribution of the adults and juveniles of Stegastes planifrons (Cuvier) in a section of the Honduras Barrier Reef. A preliminary survey revealed that not only was Stegastes planifrons associated with a specific coral type, Agaricia tenuifolia (Dana), but also that the age classes were associated with a specific quality of this coral type (dead or living). Translocation experiments showed that adults exhibit a preference for living foliose coral heads, whereas juveniles exhibit a preference for dead foliose coral heads. These results suggest that ontogenetic shifts in habitat preferences can influence the spatial distribution of adults and juveniles. Since three-spot damselfish actively defend their territories against conspecifics, differential habitat preferences would serve as a mechanism to reduce competition for space between adults and juveniles.
Fusion of frog and tadpole erythrocytes.

THE development of cell fusion techniques has presented new possibilities in the study of nucleocytoplasmic relationships1. Where specific cell products can be traced, regulation of their synthesis by the heterokaryon nuclei can be elucidated. The switch from tadpole to adult frog haemoglobin in the bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana2,3, involves a change from synthesis of one predominant polypeptide subunit to another, or the inhibition of one structural gene and activation of the other (M. R., in preparation). I have fused tadpole and frog erythrocytes and followed the haemoglobin types synthesized by the heterokaryons.
Differential activation of CYP2C9 variants by dapsone

Abstract Studies have shown that CYP2C9.1 mediated metabolism of flurbiprofen or naproxen is activated by co-incubation with dapsone. However, dapsone activation has not been examined in the known variant forms of CYP2C9. Six concentrations of flurbiprofen (2–300 μM) or naproxen (10–1800 μM) were co-incubated with six concentrations of dapsone (0–100 μM) and with reconstituted, purified CYP2C9.1, CYP2C9.2 (R144C), CYP2C9.3 (I359L), or CYP2C9.5 (D360E), in order to assess degrees of activation. Dapsone increased the efficiency ( V m / K m ) of flurbiprofen 4′-hydroxylation by CYP2C9.1, CYP2C9.2, CYP2C9.3, and CYP2C9.5 by 8-, 31-, 47-, and 22-fold, respectively. In similar experiments using the substrate naproxen, dapsone increased the efficiency of naproxen demethylation 7-, 15-, 13-, and 22-fold, in CYP2C9.1, CYP2C9.2, CYP2C9.3, and CYP2C9.5, respectively. Also, dapsone normalized naproxen’s kinetic profile from biphasic (CYP2C9.1 and CYP2C9.2) or linear (CYP2C9.3 and CYP2C9.5) to hyperbolic for all variant forms. Thus, amino acid substitutions of CYP2C9 variants affect the degree of dapsone activation in a genotype-dependent fashion. Furthermore, the degree of effect noted across variants appeared to be dependent on the substrate studied.
Optical Teledetection of Chlorophyll a in Estuarine and Coastal Waters

A hand-held spectroradiometer was used for above-water determination of subsurface spectral irradiance reflectance in the Scheldt Estuary (Belgium/The Netherlands), the North Sea off the Belgian coast, and the Hudson/Raritan Estuary (New York/New Jersey). On the North Sea the measurement conditions were adverse, and elsewhere broken cloud caused considerable spectral variation. Despite this variation the retrieval of chlorophyll a (Chl-a) from three reflectance spectra at all sampling stations was stable. The algorithm calibrated for the freshwater IJssel Lagoon (The Netherlands) proved to be applicable to these estuarine and coastal waters (N = 30; standard error of estimate = 7 mg m-3 for corrected Chl-a ranging from 1 to 93 mg m-3).
A clinical review of the evidence for the role of ultraviolet radiation in the etiology of cutaneous melanoma.

INTRODUCTION The incidence of cutaneous melanoma is increasing at a greater rate than any other malignancy in men and is second only to lung cancer in women (1). In the United States the incidence of melanoma has been increasing 4% each year over the period 1973-1991 (2). There is strong epidemiological evidence that solar radiation is an important underlying cause of melanoma and is playing a role in the striking increase in incidence noted recently. It has been estimated that solar radiation is responsible for 96% and 92% of melanoma in Caucasian men and women in the United States, respectively (3). This review will outline the epidemiological evidence for the role of ultraviolet radiation in causing melanoma and emphasize the public health implications.
The Severe Autosomal Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa Rhodopsin Mutant Ter349Glu Mislocalizes and Induces Rapid Rod Cell Death

Background: The C-terminal rhodopsin mutation Ter349Glu causes rapid degeneration in humans. Results: Ter349Glu rhodopsin, with an additional C-terminal 51 amino acids, activates normally but is defective in subcellular localization. Conclusion: Loss of proper rod outer segment morphogenesis likely contributes to the severe human phenotype. Significance: The results point to a likely pathogenic mechanism for one of the most severe forms of hereditary retinal degeneration. Mutations in the rhodopsin gene cause approximately one-tenth of retinitis pigmentosa cases worldwide, and most result in endoplasmic reticulum retention and apoptosis. Other rhodopsin mutations cause receptor mislocalization, diminished/constitutive activity, or faulty protein-protein interactions. The purpose of this study was to test for mechanisms by which the autosomal dominant rhodopsin mutation Ter349Glu causes an early, rapid retinal degeneration in patients. The mutation adds an additional 51 amino acids to the C terminus of the protein. Folding and ligand interaction of Ter349Glu rhodopsin were tested by ultraviolet-visible (UV-visible) spectrophotometry. The ability of the mutant to initiate phototransduction was tested using a radioactive filter binding assay. Photoreceptor localization was assessed both in vitro and in vivo utilizing fluorescent immunochemistry on transfected cells, transgenic Xenopus laevis, and knock-in mice. Photoreceptor ultrastructure was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Spectrally, Ter349Glu rhodopsin behaves similarly to wild-type rhodopsin, absorbing maximally at 500 nm. The mutant protein also displays in vitro G protein activation similar to that of WT. In cultured cells, mislocalization was observed at high expression levels whereas ciliary localization occurred at low expression levels. Similarly, transgenic X. laevis expressing Ter349Glu rhodopsin exhibited partial mislocalization. Analysis of the Ter349Glu rhodopsin knock-in mouse showed a rapid, early onset degeneration in homozygotes with a loss of proper rod outer segment development and improper disc formation. Together, the data show that both mislocalization and rod outer segment morphogenesis are likely associated with the human phenotype.
Near-optimal message routing and broadcasting in faulty hypercubes

A distributed routing algorithm for faulty hypercubes is described. This algorithm uses a directed depth-first approach to find a path between the sender and receiver of a message whenever at least one non-faulty path exists. We show that, when an arbitrary number of elements of the hypercube can be faulty, the algorithm always routes messages using fewer than 2N hops, whereN is the number of nodes in the hypercube. This performance is shown to be within a factor of two of the optimal worst-case routing efficiency. Through foult simulations, we show that, even when up to half of the elements in the cube are faulty, complete the analysis, we prove that our algorithm is deadlock-free. Finally, we present two extensions of the algorithm. The first uses local storage to reduce the overhead of the algorithm while the second allows reliable broadcasting in the presence of an arbitrary number of faults.
Pathologic stage is most prognostic of disease-free survival in locally advanced rectal cancer patients after preoperative chemoradiation

BACKGROUND. Preoperative chemoradiation is the standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer. However, it is uncertain whether pretreatment clinical stage, degree of response to neoadjuvant treatment, or pathologic stage is the most reliable predictor of outcome. This study compared various staging elements and treatment-related variables to identify which factors or combination of factors reliably prognosticates disease-free survival in rectal cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant combined modality therapy. METHODS. From a prospectively maintained single institution database, 342 consecutive patients with locally advanced rectal cancer staged by endorectal ultrasound were identified. Patients underwent rectal resection 4 to 8 weeks after a 5.5-week course of pelvic radiotherapy/concurrent chemotherapy. The degree of tumor regression was histologically graded on each resected specimen using a previously reported response scale of 0% to 100%. Predictive models of disease-free survival were created utilizing available pretherapy and postoperative staging elements in addition to the degree of tumor regression noted histologically. Model accuracy was measured and compared by concordance index, with 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS. Stratifying patients by degree of tumor regression predicted outcome with a concordance index of 0.65 (95% CI, 0.59–0.71), which was significantly better than models using preoperative stage elements (concordance index of 0.54; 95% CI, 0.50–0.58). However, the model found to be most predictive of disease-free survival stratified patients by final pathologic T classification and N classification elements, with a concordance index of 0.75 (95% CI, 0.70–0.80). CONCLUSIONS. Tumor response to preoperative therapy is a strong predictor of disease-free survival. However, outcome is most accurately estimated by final pathologic stage, which is influenced by both preoperative stage and response to therapy. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.
Columbia supercomputer: architecture and interconnection network

A discussion is presented of the architecture and interconnection network of a special-purpose parallel supercomputer. The computer consists of a 256-node array processor, a host computer, and a controller. The host computer, DEC VAX 11/780, works as the front end of the system and is connected to the array processor by the controller. The 256 nodes of the array processor are connected in a two-dimensional mesh topology and work in a lock-step (SIMD) mode. >
Translational repression: A duet of Nanos and Pumilio

Abstract Recent studies have shed new light on translational repression by Nanos and Pumilio proteins. The ancestral function of this repression mechanism appears to be in early germline development; later, species-specific applications in embryonic patterning and spermatogenesis—oogenesis switching evolved.
Dynamics of pathological gait

Abstract This paper is aimed at applying tools of dynamical systems theory to the evaluation and treatment of movement disorders. A key notion in this approach is that qualitative changes in movement coordination emerge spontaneously as a result of unspecific and continuous changes in control parameters. Our research on the dynamics of gait indicates that gradually varying walking velocity as a control parameter results in systematic changes in the frequency and phase relations of arm and leg movements as well as in the phase relation of pelvic and thoratic rotation within the bipedal walking mode. Identification of these intrinsic dynamics of gait enables the classification of pathological coordination patterns. Stability and the ability to make transitions between patterns (adaptability) are important issues in the evaluation of movement disorders. For exercise therapy this implies that the patient must learn to tap the appropriate control parameter in order to facilitate spontaneous emergence of the desired coordination pattern. The use of perceptual information in the form of external auditory and visual rhythms can have positive influences on hemiplegic and Parkinsonian gait by synchronizing the movements of the body segments. The effects of rhythmic exercises are, however, very sensitive to the nature and magnitude of the rhythms manipulated. It is concluded that a systematic investigation of the role of perceptual control variables is a necessary prerequisite to understand and treat movement disorders.
Forkhead Transcription Factors Inhibit Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Neointimal Hyperplasia

Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and migration contribute significantly to atherosclerosis, postangioplasty restenosis, and transplant vasculopathy. Forkhead transcription factors belonging to the FoxO subfamily have been shown to inhibit growth and cell cycle progression in a variety of cell types. We hypothesized that forkhead proteins may play a role in VSMC biology. Under in vitro conditions, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB, tumor necrosis factor-α, and insulin-like growth factor 1 stimulated phosphorylation of FoxO in human coronary artery smooth muscle cells via MEK1/2 and/or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent signaling pathways. PDGF-BB, tumor necrosis factor-α, and insulin-like growth factor 1 treatment resulted in the nuclear exclusion of FoxO, whereas PDGF-BB alone down-regulated the FoxO target gene, p27kip1, and enhanced cell survival and progression through the cell cycle. These effects were abrogated by overexpression of a constitutively active, phosphorylation-resistant mutant of the FoxO family member, TM-FKHRL1. The anti-proliferative effect of TM-FKHRL1 was partially reversed by small interfering RNA against p27kip1. In a rat balloon carotid arterial injury model, adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of FKHRL1 caused an increase in the expression of p27kip1 in the VSMC and inhibition of neointimal hyperplasia. These data suggest that FoxO activity inhibits VSMC proliferation and activation and that this signaling axis may represent a therapeutic target in vasculopathic disease states.
Oxidatively modified RNA in mild cognitive impairment.

Studies show increased oxidative damage in the brains of subjects with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). To determine if RNA oxidation occurs in MCI, sections of hippocampus/parahippocampal gyrus (HPG) from 5 MCI, 5 late stage AD (LAD) and 5 age-matched normal control (NC) subjects were subjected to immunohistochemistry using antibodies against 8-hydroxyguanine (8-OHG) and 1-N2-propanodeoxyguanosine (NPrG). Confocal microscopy showed 8-OHG and NPrG immunostaining was significantly (p < 0.05) elevated in MCI and LAD HPG compared with NC subjects and was predominately associated with neurons identified using the MC-1 antibody that recognizes conformational alterations of tau, which are associated with early neurofibrillary tangle formation. Pretreating sections with RNase or DNase-I showed immunostaining for both adducts was primarily associated with RNA. In addition, levels of both adducts in MCI were comparable to those measured in LAD, suggesting RNA oxidation may be an early event in the pathogenesis of neuron degeneration in AD.
SU-GG-T-489: Impact of the Fraction Size on the Efficiency of Hypoxia-Targeting IMRTTreatment. Single Fraction Simulation Study

Purpose: To investigate the relative gain in local tumorcontrol that can be achieved by using a heterogeneous dose distribution designed to deliver higher doses of radiation to the hypoxic subvolumes as imaged with non‐invasive modalities. Here we are focusing on the single‐fraction effect of such heterogeneous doses as opposed to the whole multi‐fraction treatment.Method and Materials: Starting with a distribution of microvessels representative of tumor tissue and using planar simulation of oxygen diffusion, we created a microscopic 2D model of tumor oxygenation. To simulate targeting hypoxic areas with increased radiationdoses, we implemented a continuous adaptive, non‐linear modulation scheme where the dose boost derived from the oxygen partial pressure distribution is added to the baseline fraction prescription. Tumor cell radiation response was evaluated using linear‐quadratic model taking into account individual cell oxygenation levels. To determine relative effectiveness of a hypoxia‐targeting modulation scheme, corresponding tumor cell survival fraction was compared to that of treatmentsdelivering the same average dose to the lesion uniformly. Results: For the low‐dose range (2–3 Gy fraction) hypoxia‐targeting treatments did not perform better than the treatmentsdelivering the same average dose uniformly. That points to the fact that while assuming that normal tissue complications are constant over the two delivery strategies, there is no therapeutic gain from targeting hypoxic volumes alone versus escalating the tumor total dose, at low fraction doses. On the other hand, for higher prescription doses (6–8 Gy fraction and above) the effectiveness of hypoxia‐targeting treatment increases. Conclusion: The therapeutic gain that can be achieved by targeting hypoxia with increased doses of radiation depends greatly on the size of the radiationdose fraction. Our results indicate that this therapeutic gain would be higher for hypofractionated dose regimens with the dose per fraction exceeding 6 Gy than for conventional treatments utilizing 2Gy fraction.
WHIRLING DISEASE OF SALMONID FISH: LIFE CYCLE, BIOLOGY, AND DISEASE

Myxobolus cerebralis is the myxozoan parasite responsible for causing whirling disease in salmonid fish. Although the parasite was first described nearly 100 yr ago, it received relatively little attention until the discovery of its 2-host life cycle in the mid 1980s. This was the first, complete, myxozoan life cycle to be described, and it was greeted with some skepticism because it united 2 stages of M. cerebralis that were previously classified in 2 separate taxa. In the last decade, there has been a renewed interest in this parasite because whirling disease has been implicated in the decline of wild trout populations in several western states in the United States. Subsequent research efforts have dramatically increased the understanding of the biology of M. cerebralis and the numerous factors that affect the severity of whirling disease in salmonid hosts. These efforts also have provided a great deal of new information concerning interactions between M. cerebralis and its aquatic oligochaete host Tubifex tubifex. This review examines the current state of M. cerebralis in relation to 3 categories: the life cycle, the salmonid hosts, and the oligochaete host.
STATE GOALS GROUPS AND PRIVATE ENTERPRISE: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The Seventies have experienced a proliferation of citizen, city, state, national and international groups aiming at designing alternative futures for a better society. With few exceptions these groups have neglected to incorporate into their designs the private corporation as an important determinant of these futures. In this paper we provide a conceptual framework which identifies the role of the private corporation as an indispensable agent in future developments. The framework discards the contemporary form of a corporation and proposes a new organic firm.
Interval estimation of respiratory parameters using least-squares techniques

Abstract Relationships are determined that describe the bias inherent in point estimates of mean resistance and compliance obtained by applying least-squares to the respiratory equation P = RV + V C + P 0 over inspiration and expiration, assuming flow follows a sinusoidal pattern. If resistance and elastance vary linearly over time, the bias can be described by linear functions of their respective ranges. The application of least-squares, using flow as the dependent variable, produces point estimates whose bias is no worse than when pressure is used. A least-squares technique is developed to obtain a piecewise-linear interval estimate of resistance and a linear-interval estimate of elastance over time, from pressure, flow, and volume data. This technique was applied to experimental data obtained on three subjects, with results indicating their resistance variation closely approximates a piecewise-linear pattern during both inspiration and expiration, while their elastance pattern appears linear in each phase.
Breast Cancer Risk Prediction and Mammography Biopsy Decisions: A Model-Based Study

Background Controversy continues about screening mammography, in part because of the risk of false-negative and false-positive mammograms. Pre-test breast cancer risk factors may improve the positive and negative predictive value of screening. Purpose To create a model that estimates the potential impact of pre-test risk prediction using clinical and genomic information on the reclassification of women with abnormal mammograms (BI-RADS3 and BI-RADS4 [Breast Imaging–Reporting and Data System]) above and below the threshold for breast biopsy. Methods The current study modeled 1-year breast cancer risk in women with abnormal screening mammograms using existing data on breast cancer risk factors, 12 validated breast cancer single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and probability of cancer given the BI-RADS category. Examination was made of reclassification of women above and below biopsy thresholds of 1%, 2%, and 3% risk. The Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium data were collected from 1996 to 2002. Data analysis was conducted in 2010 and 2011. Results Using a biopsy risk threshold of 2% and the standard risk factor model, 5% of women with a BI-RADS3 mammogram had a risk above the threshold, and 3% of women with BI-RADS4A mammograms had a risk below the threshold. The addition of 12 SNPs in the model resulted in 8% of women with a BI-RADS3 mammogram above the threshold for biopsy and 7% of women with BI-RADS4A mammograms below the threshold. Conclusions The incorporation of pre-test breast cancer risk factors could change biopsy decisions for a small proportion of women with abnormal mammograms. The greatest impact comes from standard breast cancer risk factors.
Lung Transplantation for Cystic Fibrosis: Effective and Durable Therapy in a High-Risk Group

Abstract Background. The purpose of this study was to review our experience with lung transplantation in patients with end-stage cystic fibrosis. Methods. Eight-two patients with cystic fibrosis have undergone bilateral lung transplantation (n = 76) or bilateral lower lobe transplantation (n = 6) since October 1990. Results. Actuarial survival for the entire cohort is 79% at 1 year and 57% at 5 years. The development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome is the leading cause of death after the first year. Freedom from bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome is 84% at 1 year and 51% at 3 years. Pulmonary function tests improve dramatically in recipients. There was no association between death within 1 year and recipient age, weight, graft ischemic time, cytomegalovirus seronegativity, or the presence of panresistant organisms. Similarly, there was no association between the development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome within 2 years and ischemic time, number of rejection episodes, cytomegalovirus seronegativity, or the presence of panresistant organisms. Conclusions. Despite their poor nutritional status and the presence of multiply resistant organisms, patients with cystic fibrosis can undergo bilateral lung transplantation with acceptable morbidity and mortality.
Divertor materials evaluation system at DIII-D

The divertor material evaluation system (DIMES) at DIII-D is a collaborative program between General Atomics, Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). This program was initiated in response to the need for understanding the interaction between the plasma and divertor surface materials in tokamaks. Material erosion, tritium retention, disruption effects and material transport are very important topics for the design of ITER. The first phase of the DIMES study is integral material exposure measurements. The second phase of the study is the installation of the DIMES sample changer mechanism. The mechanical design goal for the second phase is to allow the insertion of test materials and instrumented samples into the bottom divertor plate region of DIII-D without venting the tokamak. Various samples can then be exchanged overnight after exposures as short as one plasma shot. This paper presents the results of the integral experiments, the design of the DIMES sample changer mechanism and the planning of material evaluation experiments at DIII-D using the DIMES mechanism.
Optical polymers: critical requirements for optical access applications

Optical access networks currently present some of the most exciting potential applications for integrated photonic devices, in particular those based on polymers. With fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) initiatives at leading metropolitan area carriers well underway, there is keen interest in the development of low cost, highly integrated components that can withstand an outside plant environment (-40°C to 85°C). As opposed to polymers that have been developed for complex highly integrated optical circuits, polymers suitable for optical access deployment will need to address numerous optoelectronic packaging integration issues, notably alignment with active devices, compatibility with high-volume electronics manufacturing and management of thermal loads. We discuss the critical requirements that optical polymers must meet to address optical access applications, and identify those that can be met by existing technologies and those presenting gaps to be bridged for successful development of optical access components.
Do point prevalence and prolonged abstinence measures produce similar results in smoking cessation studies? A systematic review.

Introduction: Many smoking cessation trials report either prolonged abstinence (PA) rates (i.e., not smoking since a quit date, with or without a grace period) or point prevalence (PP) abstinence rates (i.e., no smoking one or more days prior to the follow-up), but how these two relate is unclear. Methods: We located 28 pharmacotherapy trials that provided 76 within-study comparisons of PA versus PP. The first two authors independently coded all trials. Results: The two measures were highly correlated (r = .88) and PA averaged 0.74 that of PP. Equations for converting PP to PA and vice versa produced estimations that, in 90% of cases, were within 4%–5% of actual PP or PA values. The odds ratio and the relative risk for active versus control were identical when PA and PP were used; however, the difference in proportion abstinent for active versus control was somewhat less when PA was used than when PP was used (8% vs. 10%). Discussion: We conclude that PA and PP are closely related and can be interconverted with moderate accuracy. They also produce similar effect sizes when odds ratio and relative risk are used as effect sizes. When absolute difference in percent abstinent is used as an effect size, PA produces a smaller effect size than PP. We believe trials should continue to report both PA and PP outcomes to enhance comparisons across studies.
Objective Measures of Right Ventricular Function during Exercise: Results of a Pilot Study

Background A growing body of evidence seems to suggest that reduction in right ventricular (RV) systolic function is not only associated with both development of symptoms associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) but also increased morbidity and adverse clinical outcomes. Recent data suggest that supine bicycle stress echocardiography (sBEE) is feasible and provides realistic resistance and compliance estimations. Methods The study design was a retrospective analysis of sBEE obtained for clinical indications of dyspnea on exertion or unexplained exercise intolerance. A total of 30 sBEE studies were included. The first 10 sBEE studies served as a calibration cohort not only to establish objective measures of RV performance but also to determine feasibility and reproducibility. The following 20 sBEE served as a validation cohort. Results Our results demonstrate that tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion and tricuspid annular systolic velocity, even when measured by an untrained reader, are reliable and accurate measures of the RV response to exercise during a sBEE protocol. Furthermore, measurements of RV myocardial performance (Tei index) or peak RV strain during exercise not only are time consuming but also simply unreliable and should not be utilized to evaluate RV function during sBEE. Conclusion The results of our pilot study suggest that sBEE might be promising for detecting RV abnormalities during exercise. A larger prospective study is now needed to determine if TAPSE and tricuspid annular systolic velocity recorded during sBEE might be useful in assessing patients presenting with dyspnea during exercise or suspected of having PAH.
Rhabdomyosarcoma in children: Ultrastructural study of 31 cases

Thirty-one cases of rhabdomyosarcoma in children were studied by electron microscopy. All of the tumors examined fit into a continuum of progressive cellular differentiation mimicking that of normal myogenesis, with increasingly differentiated examples being decreasingly common. We conclude that all childhood forms of rhabdomyosarcoma are essentially embryonal tumors, with many not being sufficiently differentiated at the cellular level to allow positive ultrastructural diagnosis.
Robert Heinmiller to receive 1995 Ocean Sciences Award

The Ocean Sciences Award is presented for outstanding and long-standing service contributions to the ocean sciences. Robert Heinmiller will receive the award this year at the 1995 Fall Meeting for developing an electronic mail system for the oceanographic community that has dramatically changed our discipline. He and Susan Kubany founded OMNET Corporation 16 years ago, and they bravely led the way for oceanographers to enter the electronic mail era well before e-mail was fashionable. The OMNET linked oceanographers, helping to advance ocean sciences research projects and information exchange. The two collaborators made e-mail user-friendly—you did not have to be a computer guru to use OMNET. Their pioneering effort created a true sense of community for ocean scientists.
Two-way communication with adaptive dataacquisition

Motivated by computer networks and machine-to-machine communication applications, a bidirectional link is studied in which two nodes, Node 1 and Node 2, communicate to fulfill generally conflicting informational requirements. Node 2 is able to acquire information from the environment, for example, via access to a remote database or via sensing. Information acquisition is expensive in terms of system resources, for example, time, bandwidth and energy, and thus should be carried out efficiently by adapting the acquisition process to the needs of the application. As a result of the forward communication from Node 1 to Node 2, the latter wishes to compute some function, such as a suitable average, of the data available at Node 1 and of the data obtained from the environment. The forward link is also used by Node 1 to query Node 2 with the aim of retrieving suitable information from the environment on the backward link. The problem is formulated in the context of multi-terminal rate distortion theory and the optimal trade-off between communication rates, distortions of the information produced at the two nodes and costs for information acquisition at Node 2 is derived. The issue of robustness to possible malfunctioning of the data acquisition process at Node 2 is also investigated. The results are illustrated via an example that demonstrates the different roles played by the forward communication, namely data exchange, query and control.Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Percutaneous Tracheostomy: A Multidisciplinary Approach

Abstract The techniques of performing a tracheostomy has transformed over time. Percutaneous tracheostomy is gaining popularity over open tracheostomy given its advantages and as a result the numbe...
A Study of Humor and the Right Hemisphere

65 male and 65 female subjects rated 32 jokes for funniness and solved 14 visually displayed mental-rotation problems. Subjects with faster mental-rotation times tended to rate the jokes as funnier, which is consistent with previous evidence implicating the right hemisphere in the processing of humor. The hypothesis that right-hemisphere processing speed or problem-solving ability are the common factors in mental rotation and humor processing is discussed. Furthermore, sex differences suggest that gender-differentiating preferences for type of humor and mental-rotation abilities may involve basic cognitive functions.
The Effects of Time Pressure on Quality in Software Development: An Agency Model

An agency framework is used to model the behavior of software developers as they weigh concerns about product quality against concerns about missing individual task deadlines. Developers who care about quality but fear the career impact of missed deadlines may take "shortcuts." Managers sometimes attempt to reduce this risk via their deadline-setting policies; a common method involves adding slack to best estimates when setting deadlines to partially alleviate the time pressures believed to encourage shortcut-taking. This paper derives a formal relationship between deadline-setting policies and software product quality. It shows that: (1) adding slack does not always preserve quality, thus, systematically adding slack is an incomplete policy for minimizing costs; (2) costs can be minimized by adopting policies that permit estimates of completion dates and deadlines that are different and; (3) contrary to casual intuition, shortcut-taking can be eliminated by setting deadlines aggressively, thereby maintaining or even increasing the time pressures under which developers work.
Influence of arterial hypotension and intravenously administered non-colloid solutions on the incidence of spinal-cord lesions in experimental spinal anaesthesia.

SUMMARY A standardized technique was evolved for experimental spinal anaesthesia in the dog. Using this technique, it was found that severe arterial hypotension and/or intravenous administration of relatively large volumes of non-colloid solutions poor in electrolytes tended to increase the incidence of post-anaesthetic neurological symptoms. The most pronounced disturbances in spinal-cord function were noted in dogs which, during induced arterial hypotension, had received intravenous injections of fluid having a low electrolyte content (hypotonic saline or isotonic dextrose solution). The results are discussed with reference to elucidation of the pathogenesis of neurological complications of spinal anaesthesia. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG Fur die experimentelle spinale Anaesthesie beim Hund wurde eine stan-dardisierte Technik ausgearbeitet. Beim Gebrauch dieser Technik wurde fest-gestellt, dass starke arterielle Hypotension und/oder intravenose Verabreichung relativ grosser Mengen von nicht-kolloiden, an Elektrolyten armen Losungen das Auftreten post-anaesthetischer neurologischer Symptome begunstigen. Die ausgepragteste Storung der Ruckenmarksfunktion wurde bei Hunden wahr-genommen, die wahrend beabsichtiger arterieller Hypotension intravenose In-jektionen von Flussigkeit mit niedrigem Gehalt an Elektrolyten (hypotonische Salz- oder isotonische Dextroselosung) erhalten hatten. Die Ergebnisse werden mit Rucksicht auf die Beleuchtung der Pathogenese neurologischer Kompli-kationen der spinalen Anaesthesie diskutiert.
Impact of dementia on caring for patients' diabetes.

Objective: To explore caregivers’ challenges and quality-of-life issues managing diabetes in patients with dementia. Method: We conducted six focus groups with 21 caregivers of patients with dementia and type 2 diabetes. Focus groups were digitally recorded, transcribed, and translated using a software coding system. Emergent themes were identified and confirmed. Results: Three themes emerged. (1) Memory loss was the first identified cause of self-care neglect leading to caregiver intervention. (2) Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) disrupted the daily diabetes care routine, with ‘denial’ of having diabetes or memory loss (anosognosia) being the most disruptive. (3) Caregivers reported that caring for both diabetes and dementia was highly burdensome, felt overwhelmed with BPSD, and wanted more support from family and patients’ healthcare providers. Conclusion: Caregivers of patients with dementia and diabetes face extraordinary challenges managing both conditions and the accompanying...
Hydrological performance of extensive green roofs in New York City: observations and multi-year modeling of?three full-scale systems

Green roofs can be an attractive strategy for adding perviousness in dense urban environments where rooftops are a high fraction of the impervious land area. As a result, green roofs are being increasingly implemented as part of urban stormwater management plans in cities around the world. In this study, three full-scale green roofs in New York City (NYC) were monitored, representing the three extensive green roof types most commonly constructed: (1) a vegetated mat system installed on a Columbia University residential building, referred to as W118; (2) a built-in-place system installed on the United States Postal Service (USPS) Morgan general mail facility; and (3) a modular tray system installed on the ConEdison (ConEd) Learning Center. Continuous rainfall and runoff data were collected from each green roof between June 2011 and June 2012, resulting in 243 storm events suitable for analysis ranging from 0.25 to 180 mm in depth. Over the monitoring period the W118, USPS, and ConEd roofs retained 36%, 47%, and 61% of the total rainfall respectively. Rainfall attenuation of individual storm events ranged from 3 to 100% for W118, 9 to 100% for USPS, and 20 to 100% for ConEd, where, generally, as total rainfall increased the per cent of rainfall attenuation decreased. Seasonal retention behavior also displayed event size dependence. For events of 10‐40 mm rainfall depth, median retention was highest in the summer and lowest in the winter, whereas median retention for events of 0‐10 mm and 40C mm rainfall depth did not conform to this expectation. Given the significant influence of event size on attenuation, the total per cent retention during a given monitoring period might not be indicative of annual rooftop retention if the distribution of observed event sizes varies from characteristic annual rainfall. To account for this, the 12 months of monitoring data were used to develop a characteristic runoff equation (CRE), relating runoff depth and event size, for each green roof. When applied to Central Park, NYC precipitation records from 1971 to 2010, the CRE models estimated total rainfall retention over the 40 year period to be 45%, 53%, and 58% for the W118, USPS, and ConEd green roofs respectively. Differences between the observed and modeled rainfall retention for W118 and USPS were primarily due to an abnormally high frequency of large events, 50 mm of rainfall or more, during the monitoring period compared to historic precipitation patterns. The multi-year retention rates are a more reliable estimate of annual rainfall capture and highlight the importance of long-term evaluations when reporting green roof performance.
Optimality in Second Language Phonology: Codas in Thai ESL.

This study presents an Optimality Theoretic account of syllable codas in Thai ESL. To date, there is little research in the literature on the study of codas, and Thai ESL presents an interesting test case since Thai has a more restrictive set of constraints on what can occur syllable-finally than does English. Thai ESL learners thus need to resolve the conflict between what they know (their first language or L1) and what they are learning (their second language or L2 grammar). Optimality Theory provides the mechanisms to understand how this phonological conflict is resolved,and in what ways. The main findings of this study are that the native language constraint rankings interact with target constraint rankings in a specific way, allowing a restricted and predictable range of production types by intermediate Thai learners of ESL. The study argues that constraint rerankings occur in an ordered fashion:the constraints on which segments can appear in codas (CODA-AC) re-rank before the constraint disallowing ...
Evidence for shear failure in forming near-equatorial lineae on Europa

[1] Global stress models for Europa are unable to readily explain the orientations of lineae in the equatorial region of Europa's trailing hemisphere if lineae originate as tension cracks. Our analysis of two equatorial, trailing regions reveals that lineae are predominantly oriented NE and NW, and E-W lineae are rare, contrary to predictions of stress and formation models. The measured orientations are consistent with an origin by shear failure. The studied regions are located near the point of maximum differential stress and minimum surface tensile stresses, where shear faulting may surmount tension fracturing. Several types of lineae are recognized; their relative abundance is inferred to have changed with time, consistent with formation models suggesting lineae evolve from simple troughs to complex ridges. The opening of crevasse-like tensile fractures is not required for generation of all lineae; the observations are consistent with ridge formation models where troughs (formed in tension or shear) experience shear heating from tidal deformation, allowing warm ice to buoyantly uplift, creating ridges. The stratigraphic relationships indicate the following: ridged plains formed first, followed by continued formation of a wide range of lineae, and lastly emplacement of lenticulae and continued linea formation. This sequence is consistent with an early thin, brittle lithosphere that thickened with time and was subject to repetitive diurnal tides during ∼30°–90° of nonsynchronous rotation. Ultimately, the thickened shell underwent thermally induced solid-state convection, producing lenticulae. The young surface age of Europa implies that this entire stratigraphic sequence was emplaced in the geologically recent past.