cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Airborne microorganisms in the African desert dust corridor over the mid-Atlantic ridge, Ocean Drilling Program, Leg 209

The objective of this study was to enhance our understanding of the fate and trans-Atlantic transport of dustborne microorganisms from Northern Africa to the Caribbean and Americas, and more specifically to determine if culturable populations could be detected at a mid-ocean site, closer to the source of dust relative to land-based Caribbean sites, during the early summer months of May and June. Between the dates of 22 May and 30 June 2003, daily air samples were collected and evaluated for the presence of culturable bacterial and fungal colony-forming units (CFU). Here we report a statistically significant correlation between daily atmospheric CFU counts at a mid-ocean research site (∼15°N, 45°W) and daily desert dust concentrations as determined by the U.S. Navy’s Naval Aerosol Analysis and Prediction System (NAAPS) Global Aerosol Model (Honrath et al. (2004). Journal of Geophysical Research, 109; Johnson et al. (2003). Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 17, 1063; Reid et al. (2004). Geophysical Research Letters, 31; Schollaert, Yoder, Westphal, & O’Reilly (2003). Journal of Geophysical Research, 108, 3191).
Fixed-Order Mixed Norm Designs for Building Vibration Control

This study investigates the use of H2, mu-synthesis, and mixed H2/mu methods to construct full order controllers and optimized controllers of fixed dimensions. The benchmark problem definition is first extended to include uncertainty within the controller bandwidth in the form of parametric uncertainty representative of uncertainty in the natural frequencies of the design model. The sensitivity of H2 design to unmodeled dynamics and parametric uncertainty is evaluated for a range of controller levels of authority. Next, mu-synthesis methods are applied to design full order compensators that are robust to both unmodeled dynamics and to parametric uncertainty. Finally, a set of mixed H2/mu compensators are designed which are optimized for a fixed compensator dimension. These mixed norm designs recover the H2 design performance levels while providing the same levels of robust stability as the mu designs. It is shown that designing with the mixed norm approach permits higher levels of controller authority for which the H2 designs are destabilizing. The benchmark problem is that of an active tendon system. The controller designs are all based on the use of acceleration feedback.
Models for metal-protein interaction: copper(II) complexes with some substituted cyclic dipeptides.

Abstract The substituted diketopiperazines (cyclic dipeptides) c-Gly-L-His, c-Gly-L-Asn, c-Gly-L-Gln, c-Gly-L-Asp, c-Gly-L-Glu, and c-Gly-L-Ser have been prepared and evaluated as models for metal ion interaction with protein side chains and amide linkages. These compounds, as protein models, have the advantage of completely eliminating terminal group effects. Copper complexes with substituted DKP's comply with all expectations derived from earlier studies of open-chain peptides, excepting the unusually high pH for Cu(II)-assisted deprotonation of the DKP ring amide nitrogen. Base hydrolysis of the DKP ring is inhibited by Cu(II); the L-Asn and L-Gln amide substituents are selectively cleaved in aqueous alkali to corresponding carboxylic acids, affording a simple model for metal-assisted L-Asparaginase and L-Glutaminase activity.
Impact of a hospitalist system on length of stay and cost for children with common conditions.

Objective This study examined mechanisms of efficiency in a managed care hospitalist system on length of stay and total costs for common pediatric conditions. Patients and methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study (October 1993 to July 1998) of patients in a not-for-profit staff model (HMO 1) and a non-staff-model (HMO 2) managed care organization at a freestanding children's hospital. HMO 1 introduced a hospitalist system for patients in October 1996. Patients were included if they had 1 of 3 common diagnoses: asthma, dehydration, or viral illness. Linear regression models examining length-of-stay-specific costs for prehospitalist and posthospitalist systems were built. Distribution of length of stay for each diagnosis before and after the system change in both study groups was calculated. Interrupted time series analysis tested whether changes in the trends of length of stay and total costs occurred after implementation of the hospitalist system by HMO1 (HMO 2 as comparison group) for all 3 diagnoses combined. Results A total of 1970 patients with 1 of the 3 study conditions were cared for in HMO 1, and 1001 in HMO 2. After the hospitalist system was introduced in HMO 1, length of stay was reduced by 0.23 days (13%) for asthma and 0.19 days (11%) for dehydration; there was no difference for patients with viral illness. The largest relative reduction in length of stay occurred in patients with a shorter length of stay whose hospitalizations were reduced from 2 days to 1 day. This shift resulted in an average cost-per-case reduction of $105.51 (9.3%) for patients with asthma and $86.22 (7.8%) for patients with dehydration. During the same period, length of stay and total cost rose in HMO 2. Conclusions Introduction of a hospitalist system in one health maintenance organization resulted in earlier discharges and reduced costs for children with asthma and dehydration compared with another one, with the largest reductions occurring in reducing some 2-day hospitalizations to 1 day. These findings suggest that hospitalists can increase efficiency and reduce costs for children with common pediatric conditions.
Gas phase synthesis and processing of silicon nanocrystallites: characterization by photoluminescence emission spectroscopy

A nonequilibrium vapor-phase approach to the synthesis and processing of semiconductor nanoparticles is applied to the deposition of self-supporting thin films of agglomerated Si nanocrystallites. Silicon nanocrystallites are created using a laser ablation supersonic expansion source. Average particle size is controlled through variation of process parameters, including relative ablation pulse/gas valve timing and nozzle length. As-deposited thin films of agglomerated Si nanocrystallites are passivated via a hydrofluoric acid (HF) etch/roomtemperature oxide growth process and then characterized using room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) emission spectroscopy. Clear spectral trends are seen in the PL emission data, which correlate with changes in mean particle size as controlled through process parameter variation or repeated HF etch/oxide regrowth cycles. Photoluminescence emission studies of gas-phase, isolated Si nanocrystallites reveal no visible emission. We conclude that quantum size effects play a necessary but not sufficient role in enabling the PL emission behavior of nanocrystalline Si. Passivation of the Si nanocrystallite surfaces is also necessary to kinetically allow the emission pathway.
The Intragroup Stigmatization of Skin Tone Among Black Americans

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which racial contexts moderate the importance and function of intragroup skin-tone stigma among Black Americans. One hundred and thirty-two Bl...
Crystal structures of acetate kinases from the eukaryotic pathogens Entamoeba histolytica and Cryptococcus neoformans

Acetate kinases (ACKs) are members of the acetate and sugar kinase/hsp70/actin (ASKHA) superfamily and catalyze the reversible phosphorylation of acetate, with ADP/ATP the most common phosphoryl acceptor/donor. While prokaryotic ACKs have been the subject of extensive biochemical and structural characterization, there is a comparative paucity of information on eukaryotic ACKs, and prior to this report, no structure of an ACK of eukaryotic origin was available. We determined the structures of ACKs from the eukaryotic pathogens Entamoeba histolytica and Cryptococcus neoformans. Each active site is located at an interdomain interface, and the acetate and phosphate binding pockets display sequence and structural conservation with their prokaryotic counterparts. Interestingly, the E. histolytica ACK has previously been shown to be pyrophosphate (PPi)-dependent, and is the first ACK demonstrated to have this property. Examination of its structure demonstrates how subtle amino acid substitutions within the active site have converted cosubstrate specificity from ATP to PPi while retaining a similar backbone conformation. Differences in the angle between domains surrounding the active site suggest that interdomain movement may accompany catalysis. Taken together, these structures are consistent with the eukaryotic ACKs following a similar reaction mechanism as is proposed for the prokaryotic homologs.
Massively parallel low-cost pick-and-place of optoelectronic devices by electrochemical fluidic processing.

We describe a novel electrochemical technique for the nonlithographic, fluidic pick-and-place assembly of optoelectronic devices by electrical and optical addressing. An electrochemical cell was developed that consists of indium tin oxide (ITO) and n-type silicon substrates as the two electrode materials and deionized water R=18 MΩ as the electrolytic medium between the two electrodes. 0.8–20‐µm‐diameter negatively charged polystyrene beads, 50–100‐µm‐diameterSiO2 pucks, and 50‐µm LED’s were successfully integrated upon a patterned silicon substrate by electrical addressing. In addition, 0.8‐µm‐diameter beads were integrated upon a homogeneous silicon substrate by optical addressing. This method can be applied to massively parallel assembly >1000×1000 arrays of multiple types of devices (of a wide size range) with very fast (a few seconds) and accurate positioning.
Heritability and Repeatability of Fertility of Dairy Sires

Abstract Heritabilities and repeatabilities were derived from nonreturn data of young sires in the sire sampling program and of the proven sires in the Eastern Artificial Insemination Cooperative, Inc., 1965 through 1974. Effects of season and time were minimized by deviation of monthly nonreturn rate for each sire from the monthly average of his contemporary group. The weighted average of deviations was the fertility rating. Heritabilities from half-sibs were for young sires .21 on 274 sons, .22 on 252 sons, for proven sires .35 and 28 sires (liquid semen), and from regression of son on sire .20 on 161 pairs. Repeatability was .12 on 34 sires which had fertility ratings with frozen semen as young sires and as proven sires. There was considerable selection of sires when frozen semen was from proven sires. Some sires had only 12% of their services to cows in Dairy Herd Improvement Associations while others had as high as 51%. Where random-like service exists as in a well-designed young-sire-sampling program, genetic differences among sires in nonreturns can be discerned.
NADH-Linked oxidative phosphorylation inNitrobacter agilis

A particulate cell-free fraction (144,000-X-g pellet) fromNitrobacter agilis catalyzes the acrobic or anaerobic oxidation of NADH. Phosphorylation coupled to the aerobic oxidation of NADH yields P/O ratios of 1.1. The net formation of ATP coupled to the anaerobic oxidation of NADH by nitrate yields P/NO3 ratios of 0.7. Phosphate esterification is uncoupled by carbonylcyanide-m-chlorophenyl-hydrozone and is sensitive to inhibitors of the electron transport system.
Infrared spectroscopy of the acetyl cation and its protonated ketene isomer

[C2,H3,O]+ ions are generated with a pulsed discharge in a supersonic expansion containing methyl acetate or acetone. These ions are mass selected and their infrared spectra are recorded via laser photodissociation and the method of argon tagging. Computational chemistry is employed to investigate structural isomers and their spectra. The acetyl cation (CH3CO+) is the global minimum and protonated ketene (CH2COH+) is the next lowest energy isomer (+176.2 kJ/mol). When methyl acetate is employed as the precursor, the infrared spectrum reveals that only the acetyl cation is formed. Partially resolved rotational structure reveals rotation about the C3 axis. When acetone is used as the precursor, acetyl is still the most abundant cation, but there is also a minor component of protonated ketene. Computations reveal a significant barrier to interconversion between the two isomers (+221 kJ/mol), indicating that protonated ketene must be obtained via kinetic trapping. Both isomers may be present in interstellar environments, and their implications for astrochemistry are discussed.
LXXIII. Some properties of resonance radiation and excited atoms

(1923). LXXIII. Some properties of resonance radiation and excited atoms. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: Vol. 45, No. 268, pp. 750-760.
Arterial morphology responds differently to Captopril then N-acetylcysteine in a monocrotaline rat model of pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an incurable condition inevitably resulting in death because of increased right heart workload and eventual failure. PH causes pulmonary vascular remodeling, including muscularization of the arteries, and a reduction in the typically large vascular compliance of the pulmonary circulation. We used a rat model of monocrotaline (MCT) induced PH to evaluated and compared Captopril (an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor with antioxidant capacity) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC, a mucolytic with a large antioxidant capacity) as possible treatments. Twenty-eight days after MCT injection, the rats were sacrificed and heart, blood, and lungs were studied to measure indices such as right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH), hematocrit, pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), vessel morphology and biomechanics. We implemented microfocal X-ray computed tomography to image the pulmonary arterial tree at intravascular pressures of 30, 21, 12, and 6 mmHg and then used automated vessel detection and measurement algorithms to perform morphological analysis and estimate the distensibility of the arterial tree. The vessel detection and measurement algorithms quickly and effectively mapped and measured the vascular trees at each intravascular pressure. Monocrotaline treatment, and the ensuing PH, resulted in a significantly decreased arterial distensibility, increased PVR, and tended to decrease the length of the main pulmonary trunk. In rats with PH induced by monocrotaline, Captopril treatment significantly increased arterial distensibility and decrease PVR. NAC treatment did not result in an improvement, it did not significantly increase distensibility and resulted in further increase in PVR. Interestingly, NAC tended to increase peripheral vascular density. The results suggest that arterial distensibility may be more important than distal collateral pathways in maintaining PVR at normally low values.
A statistical comparison of the blood lysozyme activity of normal adults and of patients with localized and generalized carcinomatosis.

The results indicate that patients with localized and/or generalized carcinoma have statistically a higher blood lysozyme activity which is neither diagnostic nor clinically significant. Attention is, however, directed to the finding that none of the 35 carcinoma patients had less than four micrograms of lysozyme per ml. of blood and that none of the normal individuals had over 12 micrograms of lysozyme per ml. of blood (Table 1). We believe this original observation significant enough to stimulate other investigations to repeat similar studies on larger series of classified carcinoma patients.
A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TIME SERIES APPROACHES TO MODELING INTERSECTORAL AND INTERCOUNTY EMPLOYMET LINKAGES IN RURAL REGIONAL LABOR MARKETS

. The performance of five criteria for identifying significant interregional labor market linkages is compared. The criteria suggest differential model specifications based on the implicit tradeoff between parsimony and specification bias. Models were specified using: Akaike's final prediction error; Schwarz's Bayesian information criterion; an input-output model; Aoki's time series algorithm; and a combined input-outputi/time series approach. Models of the changes in monthly employment for twelve industries in six regions in northeastern Utah were specified using each criterion. Models based on Schwarz's criterion and the input-output criterion were preferred to those based on other criteria.
Polyacylated Oligosaccharides from Medicinal Mexican Morning Glory Species as Antibacterials and Inhibitors of Multidrug Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus

Twenty-two convolvulaceous oligosaccharides selected from the tricolorin (1−7), scammonin (8, 9), and orizabin (10−22) series were evaluated for activity against a panel of Staphylococcus aureus strains possessing or lacking specific efflux pumps. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC values) for most of the amphipatic compounds ranged from 4 to 32 μg/mL against XU-212 (possessing the TetK multidrug efflux pump) and SA-1199B (overexpressing the NorA multidrug efflux pump), compared with 64 and 0.25 μg/mL, respectively, for tetracycline. This activity was shown to be bactericidal. Two microbiologically inactive members of the orizabin series (10, 20) increased norfloxacin susceptibility of strain SA-1199B. At low concentrations, compound 10 was a more potent inhibitor of multidrug pump-mediated EtBr efflux than reserpine. The wide range of antimicrobial activity displayed by these compounds is an example of synergy between related components occurring in the same medicinal crude drug extract, i.e., mi...
In search of the X2BO and X2BS (X = H, F) free radicals: ab initio studies of their spectroscopic signatures.

The F2BO free radical is a known, although little studied, species but similar X2BY (X = H, D, F; Y = O, S) molecules are largely unknown. High level ab initio methods have been used to predict the molecular structures, vibrational frequencies (in cm−1), and relative energies of the ground and first two excited electronic states of these free radicals, as an aid to their eventual spectroscopic identification. The chosen theoretical methods and basis sets were tested on F2BO and found to give good agreement with the known experimental quantities. In particular, complete basis set extrapolations of coupled-cluster single and doubles with perturbative triple excitations/aug-cc-pVXZ (X = 3, 4, 5) energies gave excellent electronic term values, due to small changes in geometry between states and the lack of significant multireference character in the wavefunctions. The radicals are found to have planar C2v geometries in the X2B2 ground state, the low-lying A2B1 first excited state, and the higher B2A1 state...
Synthesis of fluorinated tertiary diamines and diazanes

Abstract A variety of fluorinated and partially fluorinated tertiary diamines and diazanes have been prepared from 1-[bis(trifluoromethyl)amtno]tetrafluoro-2- azapropene, which is obtained from the dimerization of 2-azapropene in the presence of CsF. Addition of ClF results in the formation of the tertiary diamine (CF3)2NCF2N(Cl)CF3. Insertion of alkenes and nitriles into the nitrogenchlorine bond, as well as photolytic reactions with SF5Cl and CF3C(O)Cl, occurs readily. Attempts to prepare diazanes that contain polyfluoroalkyl groups from polyfluoroalkoxy imines, e.g., RfNC(ORf′)2 (Rf  CF3, SF5; Rf′  CH2CF3, CH(CF3)2) resulted in breaking of the carbonnitrogen double bond on reaction of the imine with ClF to give RfNCl2 and F2C(ORf′)2. Similarly (CF3)2NC(OCH2CF3)NCF3 with ClF gives CF3NCl2 and (CF3)2NCF2OCH2CF3.
Endoergic reactions of hyperthermal C(3P) with methane and acetylene

Endoergic reaction channels of C P with CH and C H have been studied by using free laser ablation of graphite for 42 2
Aspect Guided Text Categorization with Unobserved Labels

This paper proposes a novel multiclass classification method and exhibits its advantage in the domain of text categorization with a large label space and, most importantly, when some of the labels were not observed in the training data. The key insight is the introduction of intermediate aspect variables that encode properties of the labels. Aspect variables serve as a joint representation for observed and unobserved labels. This way the classification problem can be viewed as a structure learning problem with natural constraints on assignments to the aspect variables. We solve the problem as a constrained optimization problem over multiple learners and show significant improvement in classifying short sentences into a large label space of categories, including previously unobserved categories.
A genetic algorithm optimized fuzzy neural network analysis of the affinity of inhibitors for HIV-1 protease

A fuzzy neural network (FNN) was trained on a dataset of 177 HIV-1 protease ligands with experimentally measured IC(50) values. A set of descriptors was selected to build nonlinear quantitative structure-activity relationships. A genetic algorithm (GA) was implemented to optimize the architecture of the fuzzy neural network used to predict biological activity of HIV-1 protease inhibitors. Evolutionary methods were used to apply feature selection (FS) to this model. Results obtained on an external test set of 21 molecules, with and without feature selection, were compared. Applying feature selection to the GA-FNN resulted in a more accurate prediction of biological activity. Fuzzy IF/THEN rules were extracted from the optimized FNN. In the future the developed models are expected to be useful in the rational design of novel enzyme inhibitors for HIV-1 protease.
A method for determining the single scattering albedo of clouds through observation of the internal scattered radiation field

A method is presented for determining the single scattering albedo of clouds at selected wavelengths in the visible and near-infrared wavelength regions. The procedure compares measurements of the ratio of the zenith to nadir propagating intensities deep within a cloud layer with radiative transfer computations of the same. Analytic formulas are derived which explicitly show the dependence of the internal intensity ratio on ground albedo, optical depth, single scattering albedo and cloud asymmetry factor. The single scattering albedo and cloud asymmetry factor enter the solution in such a way that a similarity relationship exists between these two parameters. As a result, the accuracy with which the single scattering albedo can be determined is dictated by the accuracy with which the asymmetry factor can be estimated. A method of observation is described whereby aircraft measurements of the zenith and nadir propagating intensities can be used to determine the similarity parameter as a function of wavelength. Since the fractional absorption of a cloud depends on the similarity parameter and not on the single scattering albedo and asymmetry factor separately, this poses no severe limitation to the method. An accurate knowledge of the ground albedo and total optical thickness of a cloud are unnecessary for a solution, provided one associates the wavelength for which the intensity ratio is a maximum with conservative scattering. Under this internal calibration approach, uncertainties in the ground atbedo are very nearly compensated by uncertainties in the cloud optical thickness.
The Future Of Health Information Technology In The Patient-Centered Medical Home

Most electronic health records today need further development of features that patient-centered medical homes require to improve their efficiency, quality, and safety. We propose a road map of the domains that need to be addressed to achieve these results. We believe that the development of electronic health records will be critical in seven major areas: telehealth, measurement of quality and efficiency, care transitions, personal health records, and, most important, registries, team care, and clinical decision support for chronic diseases. To encourage this development, policy makers should include medical homes in emerging electronic health record regulations. Additionally, more research is needed to learn how these records can enhance team care.
Bidirectional tracking using trajectory segment analysis

In this paper, we present a novel approach to keyframe-based tracking, called bi-directional tracking. Given two object templates in the beginning and ending keyframes, the bi-directional tracker outputs the MAP (maximum a posterior) solution of the whole state sequence of the target object in the Bayesian framework. First, a number of 3D trajectory segments of the object are extracted from the input video, using a novel trajectory segment analysis. Second, these disconnected trajectory segments due to occlusion are linked by a number of inferred occlusion segments. Last, the MAP solution is obtained by trajectory optimization in a coarse-to-fine manner. Experimental results show the robustness of our approach with respect to sudden motion, ambiguity, and short and long periods of occlusion.
A theoretical and experimental investigation of explicit force control strategies for manipulators

This paper presents a complete overview of basic strategies that have been proposed for force control of robot manipulators. First, the model of the plant to be controlled is reviewed. Next, the strategies are divided into force-based and position-based categories, according to previously reported implementations. Each of the controller types within these categories is analyzed, and predictions of stability and efficacy are made. Then it is shown that these two categories are actually the same, and this recognition leads to the concept of a novel second order low pass filter controller. Finally, all of the controllers are experimentally tested on the CMU DD Arm II, confirming the theoretical predictions. Among the important results presented is the conclusive demonstration for the first time that integral gain control is the best basic strategy for force control of manipulators. >
Planar circular loop antennas with self-biased magnetic film loading

A circular loop antenna with self-biased magnetic film loading at 1.7 GHz is presented. The proposed circular loop antenna is realised by cascading a microstrip loop and a tuning stub. Self-biased NiCo-ferrite magnetic films were used to tune the working frequency of the loop antenna. Three different cases of antennas with films loading were designed and analysed. Antennas with self-biased magnetic films loading working at 1.7 GHz with a tuning range of 50–400% of the antenna bandwidth were achieved.
Enhancing data authenticity and integrity in P2P systems

Peer-to-peer systems let users share information in distributed environments because of their scalability and efficiency. However, existing P2P systems are vulnerable to numerous security attacks and lack a mechanism to ensure shared information's authenticity and integrity. A proposed general architecture enhances these aspects by leveraging trusted computing technology, which is built on a trusted platform module and provides a mechanism for building trust into the application layer. Preliminary experimental results show that the proposed scheme can ensure data authenticity and integrity in P2P systems with acceptable performance overhead.
Interagent communication and synchronization in DaAgent

This paper describes the design and implementation of interagent communication and synchronization models in the DaAgent mobile agent-based computing system. Eight models of interagent communication and synchronization are proposed. The paper evaluates these models based on their utility, performance, and applicability in an Internet computing environment.
A Framework for Structural and Dynamic Analysis in Cointegrated Systems

In recent years considerable effort has been focused on the link between shocks that impact the macroeconomy through time and the importance of these shocks in understanding aggregate behavior. As a result empirical research has been directed at disclosing the identity of fundamental structures that adequately described the behavior of the macro economy. To that end. many empiricists embraced the VAR methodology popularized in the work of Sims (1980) and others. This approach assumes that the dynamic behavior of the economy is indeed determined by fundamental structural innovations. The identity of these innovations is ascertained by expressing a vector process in a Wold representation and conducting “structural innovations analysis.” This consists of an examination of the response patterns of certain variables to innovations associated with the Wold structure. The relative importance of the innovations is ascertained by measuring the proportion of forecast error variance that is attributable to each structural innovation.
Deep Hypothermia and Circulatory Arrest

From the available studies concerning patients undergoing surgery with DHCA one can conclude that two major issues have been involved in the improvement of outcome: the application of selective ACP, and the recognition of cerebral ischemia during the rewarming phase.
Visiting Preferences of Patients in the Intensive Care Unit and in a Complex Care Medical Unit

• BACKGROUND Within the challenging healthcare environment are nurses, patients, and patients’ families. Families want proximity to their loved ones, but the benefits of such proximity depend on patients’ conditions and family-patient dynamics. • OBJECTIVES To describe patients’ preferences for family visiting in an intensive care unit and a complex care medical unit. • METHODS Sixty-two patients participated in a structured interview that assessed patients’ preferences for visiting, stressors and benefits of visiting, and patients’ perceived satisfaction with hospital guidelines for visiting. • RESULTS Patients in both units rated visiting as a nonstressful experience because visitors offered moderate levels of reassurance, comfort, and calming. Patients in the intensive care unit worried more about their families than did patients in the complex care medical unit but valued the fact that visitors could interpret information for the patients while providing information to assist the nurse in understanding the patients. Patients in the intensive care unit were more satisfied with visiting practices than were patients in the complex care medical unit, although both groups preferred visits of 35 to 55 minutes, 3 to 4 times a day, and with usually no more than 3 visitors. • CONCLUSIONS These data provide the input of patients in the ongoing discussion of visiting practices in both intensive care units and complex care medical units. Patients were very satisfied with a visiting guideline that is flexible enough to meet their needs and those of their family members. (American Journal of Critical Care. 2004;13:194-198)
Impact of Testosterone Replacement Therapy on Myocardial Infarction, Stroke, and Death in Men With Low Testosterone Concentrations in an Integrated Health Care System

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) on cardiovascular outcomes. Men (January 1, 1996, to December 31, 2011) with a low initial total testosterone concentration, a subsequent testosterone level, and >3 years of follow-up were studied. Levels were correlated with testosterone supplement use. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and stroke at 3 years. Multivariate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) comparing groups of persistent low ( 742 ng/dl, n = 1,694) achieved testosterone were calculated by Cox hazard regression. A total of 4,736 men were studied. Three-year rates of MACE and death were 6.6% and 4.3%, respectively. Subjects supplemented to normal testosterone had reduced 3-year MACE (HR 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.56 to 0.98, p = 0.04) compared to persistently low testosterone, driven primarily by death (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.90). HRs for MI and stroke were 0.73 (95% CI 0.40 to 1.34), p = 0.32, and 1.11 (95% CI 0.54 to 2.28), p = 0.78, respectively. MACE was noninferior but not superior for high achieved testosterone with no benefit on MI and a trend to greater stroke risk. In conclusion, in a large general health care population, TRT to normal levels was associated with reduced MACE and death over 3 years but a stroke signal with high achieved levels suggests a conservative approach to TRT.
Shock Wave Mechanics

Shock stresses in solids typically range from tens of kilobars to megabars. Such stress levels are produced in a solid for durations of the order of several microseconds when an explosive is detonated in contact with it, when a projectile traveling at high velocity impacts on it, or when energy is deposited in it at very high power levels. Most solids deform irreversibly or fracture at stresses typically of the order of a few kilobars; thus, the generation and propagation of shock waves are intrinsically violent and destructive processes, and this accounts for their traditional importance in military and mining technology.
Hate Speech and the Protection of Communities in the Hungarian Legal System

The Hungarian notion “gyűloletbeszed” is a literal translation of the applicable terminology (hate speech) originally used in the United States of America. According to Gabor Halmai, “this type of communication includes acts of speech by which the speaker — usually driven by prejudice or even hatred — expresses his or her opinion of various racial, ethnic, religious, or sexual groups in society, or of the member of such groups, which opinion may insult the members of the given group and may incite hatred in society against that group.” According to the Recommendation by the Council of Europe, “the term ‘hate speech’ shall be understood as covering all forms of expression which spread, incite, promote or justify racial hatred, xenophobia, anti-Semitism or other forms of hatred based on intolerance, including intolerance expressed by aggressive nationalism and ethnocentrism, discrimination and hostility against minorities, migrants and people of immigrant origin.” The term “hate speech” itself is not used in legislation; for the purposes of written law, this term is covered by the crime of incitement against a community (Article 269 of the Criminal Code), supplemented by the crimes of the use of symbols of despotism (Article 269/B of the Criminal Code), public denial of the sins of the National Socialist (Nazi) and Communist systems (Article 269/C of the Criminal Code), and violation of national symbols [Article 269/A of the Criminal Code]. Of course, these crimes are not specific to the media, meaning that they may be committed by means other than via the media, but they constitute certain limitations to the freedom of the press. Furthermore, the Press Freedom Act lays down various provisions against hateful expressions.
Education as a collective accomplishment: how personal, peer, and parent expectations interact to promote degree attainment

University enrollment rates have increased substantially both in the U.S. and internationally over the past 40 years. Unfortunately, university completion rates have not kept pace, causing scholars to project that international labor markets may face a deficit in qualified (i.e., bachelors-degree or equivalent) workers. In the U.S., this could begin as early as 2018. With this deficit looming, efforts to understand the factors that contribute to degree attainment have redoubled. This article is a piece of that effort. By analyzing data from 3279 individuals who participated in the Longitudinal Study of American Youth, this study examines the relative importance of personal, peer, and parent educational expectations in the degree attainment of students 15 years after high school graduation. Results suggest that all three of these factors are indeed predictive of educational outcomes, even when controlling for student background characteristics and high school achievement levels. However the relative importance of these variables varies across demographic groups. Implications of results will be discussed in terms of educational policy and practice.
The Body Mass Index-Mortality Link across the Life Course: Two Selection Biases and Their Effects.

In this study, we investigated two selection biases that may affect the obesity-mortality link over the life course: mortality selection and healthy participant effects. If these selection mechanisms are stronger among obese adults than among non-obese adults, they may contribute to the weakening obesity-mortality link over the life course. We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1988–2010 with linked mortality files from 1988–2011. We employed weighted Cox models to test and adjust for these two selection biases. We also used complementary log-log models, adjusted for a normal distribution of frailty, to test for mortality selection effects; accelerated failure-time models to mitigate the mortality selection effect; and ordinary least squares regression to test for healthy participant effects. The link between class II/III obesity and mortality weakens at older ages. We did not find evidence for significant mortality selection or healthy participant effects. Also, even if the healthy participant effects were stronger among obese adults, they are not strong enough to produce a weakening association between obesity and morbidity at higher ages at the time of the survey. Therefore, neither of these selection biases explains the diminishing effect of class II/III obesity on mortality over the life course.
Studies of the structure of lung surfactant protein SP-A

SP-A, a glycoprotein of pulmonary surfactant, consists of an NH2-terminal domain containing a collagen-like sequence and a COOH-terminal domain with sequence homology to several Ca2(+)-dependent lectins. We have compared the size, thermal stability, and secondary structure of recombinant SP-A, the product of a fibroblast line transfected with a single human gene encoding SP-A, with natural SP-A isolated from canine and human lungs. Our results suggest both recombinant and natural SP-A are assembled as large oligomers. More variability in the degree of oligomerization was observed with recombinant human SP-A than with natural canine SP-A. As shown by collagenase digestion, the full assembly of protein subunits was dependent on an intact collagen-like domain. The cysteines in the noncollagen domain of SP-A form intrachain bonds between residues 135-226 and 204-218. The circular dichroism spectra of both recombinant and natural SP-A were consistent with the presence of a collagen-like triple helix. As determined by the change in ellipticity at 205 nm, the thermal transition temperatures of canine, natural human, and recombinant SP-A were 51.5, 52.3, and 42.0 degrees C, respectively. These results suggest differences in the assembly and stability of the natural and recombinant proteins.
By Any Means Necessary: Using Violence and Subversion to Change Unjust Laws

This Article asks whether violence or subversion of the criminal justice system are morally acceptable tactics to change racially discriminatory laws. It examines two provisions of federal criminal law that some people perceive as discriminatory against African Americans. The relevant laws involve the death penalty and the differing punishments for crack cocaine and powder cocaine. The Article considers the permissible range of tactics that concerned citizens can use to change those laws, if the traditional methods of petitioning the political and judicial branches of government seem ineffectual, or to take too long. The Article rejects the instrumentalist approach inherent in Malcolm X's famous recommendation that blacks use "any means necessary" to combat discrimination. It recommends that minorities consider the full range of their powers, but that they be guided, and ultimately limited, by morality. Morality does not, however, mandate acquiescence to race discrimination, or even a moderate response to it. The Article advises that, for guidance on morally appropriate tactics, minorities consult the international law doctrine of "just war." In applying this doctrine to American race relations, interesting questions are raised. If, for example, the death penalty discriminates against African-Americans (and especially if some blacks are executed when similarly situated non-blacks are not executed), how far can concerned citizens go in preventing its administration? Should they lie to get on death penalty juries? Should they commit terrorist attacks against executioners? In the case of lesser discrimination, such as that perceived in the crack cocaine laws, would the same tactics of violence or subversion be acceptable? The Article considers whether a cost of being an unpopular minority in a democracy is that the minority must suffer some discrimination, even in those cases in which the minority believes it can end the discrimination by using radical means.
Use of nNIV in Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Modes, Flexes, and More

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common breathing disorder during sleep, characterized by recurrent upper airway obstruction resulting in physiologic perturbations and frequent nocturnal arousals. Nocturnal noninvasive ventilatory (nNIV) techniques utilizing positive airway pressure (PAP) devices delivered through a comfortable mask interface have provided effective and acceptable treatment for this disorder. Despite excellent clinical outcomes with PAP, lack of adherence remains a major issue in clinical sleep medicine. Innovations in the delivery of PAP have attempted to address a major cause of noncompliance—patient discomfort with PAP. In the following review, new delivery modes of PAP in patients with OSA is presented along with relevant data regarding their efficacy in altering patient adherence patterns and clinical outcomes. The methods of PAP delivery to be discussed include continuous PAP (CPAP), bi-level PAP (BPAP), autotitrating PAP (APAP), pressure relief (PR), and auto-bi-level PAP (Auto-BPAP).
RELAP5 Analysis of Two-Phase Decompression and Rarefaction Wave Propagation Under a Temperature Gradient

The capability of RELAP5 to model single- and two-phase acoustic wave propagation is demonstrated with the use of fine temporal and spatial discretizations. Two cases were considered: a single-phas...
Chemical Attribution of Fentanyl Using Multivariate Statistical Analysis of Orthogonal Mass Spectral Data

Attribution of the origin of an illicit drug relies on identification of compounds indicative of its clandestine production and is a key component of many modern forensic investigations. The results of these studies can yield detailed information on method of manufacture, starting material source, and final product, all critical forensic evidence. In the present work, chemical attribution signatures (CAS) associated with the synthesis of the analgesic fentanyl, N-(1-phenylethylpiperidin-4-yl)-N-phenylpropanamide, were investigated. Six synthesis methods, all previously published fentanyl synthetic routes or hybrid versions thereof, were studied in an effort to identify and classify route-specific signatures. A total of 160 distinct compounds and inorganic species were identified using gas and liquid chromatographies combined with mass spectrometric methods (gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry-time of-flight (LC–MS/MS-TOF)) in conjunction with ind...
Distributed normal faults in the Niobrara Chalk and Pierre Shale of the central Great Plains of the United States

Normal faults occur in the Niobrara Chalk and Pierre Shale in numerous localities in South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas. Lakeshore outcrops provide a window into strata that otherwise outcrop poorly. Various criteria were used to distinguish mass-wasting features from faults that formed at the subsurface. Locally, these faults have variable orientations and throws that vary from centimeters to tens of meters. In the Niobrara Chalk, the fault zones typically display well-developed striae, occasional slickensides, limited to absent damage zones, and dilational jogs with coarse, microvein calcite fill. In places, the faults are associated with gentle monoclines and folds, but elsewhere they occur in horizontal strata. A weathering bias suggests these faults are more common than observed. At any one locality, these faults have been or could be attributed to local tectonism, differential compaction, and/or glacial rebound. If due to tectonism, taken in aggregate, they indicate fairly widespread (albeit low-strain) activity, which is consistent with the idea of a critically stressed continental interior with migrating sites of faulting. An alternate and preferred hypothesis is that these are polygonal faults due to diagenetically driven deformation in fine-grained mud rocks. Subsurface polygonal fault systems have been described from the Niobrara Chalk and Pierre Shale in the Denver-Julesburg Basin area in eastern Colorado. Smectitic clays, associated with polygonal faulting elsewhere, are abundant in these units. The fault kinematics (extension in multiple directions), widespread character, and other traits are consistent with an origin by diagenetically driven deformation.
Bottomonia suppression in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

Using the two-component model that includes both initial production from nucleon-nucleon hard scattering and regeneration from produced quark-gluon plasma, we study the effect of medium modifications of the binding energies and radii of bottomonia on their production in heavy-ion collisions. We find that the contribution to bottomonia production from regeneration is small and the inclusion of medium effects is helpful for understanding the observed suppression of bottomonia production in experiments carried out at both the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider and the CERN Large Hadron Collider.
Transformation of irregular shaped silver nanostructures into nanoparticles by under water pulsed laser melting.

The ability to easily manufacture nanostructures with a desirable attribute, such as well-defined size and shape, especially from any given initial shapes or sizes of the material, will be helpful towards accelerating the use of nanomaterials in various applications. In this work we report the transformation of discontinuous irregular nanostructures (DIN) of silver metal by rapid heating under a bulk fluid layer. Ag films were changed into DIN by dewetting in air and subsequently heated by nanosecond laser pulses under water. Our findings show that the DIN first ripens into elongated structures and then breaks up into nanoparticles. From the dependence of this behavior on laser fluence we found that under water irradiation reduced the rate of ripening and also decreased the characteristic break-up length scale of the elongated structures. This latter result was qualitatively interpreted as arising from a Rayleigh–Plateau instability modified to yield significantly smaller length scales than the classical process due to pressure gradients arising from the rapid evaporation of water during laser melting. These results demonstrate that it is possible to fabricate a dense collection of monomodally sized Ag nanoparticles with significantly enhanced plasmonic quality starting from the irregular shaped materials. This can be beneficial towards transforming discontinuous Ag films into nanostructures with useful plasmonic properties, that are relevant for biosensing applications.