cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Population Model to Simulate Northern Bobwhite Population Dynamics in Southern Texas

ABSTRACT Models are important tools that can help managers and researchers understand the population dynamics of a species and how different habitat or population management scenarios impact that species. We used radio-telemetry data from northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) in southern Texas from 2000 to 2005 to develop a stochastic simulation model for bobwhite populations. Our model is based on difference equations, with stochastic variables drawn from normal and Weibull distributions. We simulated bobwhite populations to 100 yr and evaluated our model by comparing results with independent estimates of 4 population parameters (spring and fall density, finite rate of increase in the fall population [λ], and winter juv:ad age ratios). Using a quasi-extinction criterion of ≤40 birds (density = ≤0.05 birds/ha), probability of persistence to 100 yr was 88.3% (106 of 120 simulations) for the spring population and 96.7% (116 of 120 simulations) for the fall population. Using a less restrictive quasi-extin...
RADIATIVE DECAY OF COUPLED ATOMIC STATES.

The radiative decay of an atom with two excited states coupled by an external perturbation is investigated. The differential equations of motion are Fourier transformed and the probability amplitudes are obtained by contour integration. The real parts of the poles in the complex plane are the perturbed energies of the excited states, and the imaginary parts yield the decay characteristics. The decay probabilities of the excited states contain three different decay terms; two exponential decays and one modulated exponential decay. The probabilities of the final states give the frequency distribution of the emitted photons as a function of time. In an Appendix, the Heitler-Ma formalism is used to eliminate the final states of the system, and the resulting equations which contain damping terms are compared with the phenomenological method.
Development Agents And Nomadic Agency : Four Perspectives in the Development “Market”

Discourse between development agents and nomads implies that development for nomadic communities is a contradiction in terms. Two systems, the nomadic and the development system, interact and exist in conflict. Discourses of sedentarization and associative life threaten pastoral adaptive strategies. Within these discourses, a market-oriented subtext underscores investors' power, brokers' competition, and clients' opportunism. Semistructured and informal interviews focused on relations between Woδaaoe communities, local pastoral organizations, government technical services, and international agencies. This paper examines communication between these parties through approaches of agency, political ecology, and disequilibrium theory. How will the social change instigated by development affect cultural mechanisms that facilitate resource access and allocation? Will development become too costly for pastoral households, local ecology, and even the national economy?.
A meta-analytic review of work–family conflict and its antecedents ☆

Abstract This meta-analytic review combines the results of more than 60 studies to help determine the relative effects of work, nonwork, and demographic and individual factors on work interference with family (WIF) and family interference with work (FIW). As expected, work factors related more strongly to WIF, and some nonwork factors were more strongly related to FIW. Demographic factors, such as an employee’s sex and marital status, tended to relate weakly to WIF and FIW. Overall the analysis supports the notion that WIF and FIW have unique antecedents, and therefore, may require different interventions or solutions to prevent or reduce their occurrence. Lastly, the analysis suggests that demographic variables, such as sex and marital status, are alone poor predictors of work–family conflict. Researchers are advised to attend to more finely grained variables that may more fully capture employees’ likelihood of experiencing work–family conflict.
PLATELET ACTIVATING FACTOR (PAF) AND PAF-ACETYLHYDROLASE (PAF-AH) ACTIVITY IN NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS (NEC). † 1200

PLATELET ACTIVATING FACTOR (PAF) AND PAF-ACETYLHYDROLASE (PAF-AH) ACTIVITY IN NECROTIZING ENTEROCOLITIS (NEC). † 1200
A Microwave Method for Measuring Changes in Lung Water Content: Numerical Simulation

A numerical procedure to simulate several physiological and geometrical changes occurring during development of edema and to study their effects on the sensitivity of the microwave detection method is presented. The method of solution utilizes a model which consists of a two-dimensional cross section of a thorax. The model is based on an X-ray CAT scan taken with the microwave applicators in place. The electromagnetic boundary value problem is then solved numerically using the method of moments. Numerical results are presented to show the effects of several parameters, such as the uneven water distribution in the lung, the field distribution in the aperture of the microwave transmitter, and the location of the receiver on the sensitivity of the microwave detection method. Based on these results, several suggestions are made to help optimize the sensitivity of the microwave method of measuring changes in lung water content.
Consumer Response to Advertisements for Legal Services: An Empirial Analysis:

In the near future, advertisement of professional services will become a reality. This is especially true of the legal profession. On June, 27, 1977, in a historic though confusing decision, the Supreme Court lifted a ban on the advertising of legal fees and routine services. While several theoretical arguments may be advanced favoring professional advertising, there is a scarity of empirical studies supporting these claims. This study represents one modest attempt to rectify this lack of empirical research regarding the impact of advertising upon the demand for legal services.
Solid phase radioimmunoassay of properdin.

Abstract This report describes a solid phase radioimmunoassay for measuring properdin concentration, independent of other proteins in the properdin system. Polystyrene tubes are coated with mono-specific rabbit antiserum to human properdin. The competitive binding of increasing concentrations of unlabeled properdin (10–50 ng) and a constant amount of 125I properdin (40 ng) to the antiproperdin-coated tubes is a function of the concentration of the unlabeled properdin. Properdin concentration in unknown samples can therefore be calculated. Optimal conditions for each step of the assay procedure are described. The method is sensitive and reproducible at the nanogram level. Polystryrene tubes coated with antiproperdin serum fail to bind radiolabeled human IgG, C3, or C5. The quantitative validity of the assay has been established by compairing experimental and theoretical values for mixtures of serum and added purified properdin. By this method, sera from 19 normal individuals contained 17.2–29.4 μg/ml, with the mean and standard deviation of the mean at 24.7±3.9 μg/ml.
CONTACT CHEMORECEPTION IN THE TARNISHED PLANT BUG LYGUS LINEOLARIS

The rostral tip of the tarnished plant bug contains two sensory fields each containing eleven sensilla basiconica. Removal of the rostral tip or antennae abolishes a feeding preference for frego bract cotton squares, suggesting that receptors at these loci are essential for a normal behavioral choice. Electrical recordings from the rostral nerve show increased impulse activity to stimulation of the rostral tip sensilla with juice from frego bract and normal bract squares of three varieties of cotton, confirming their function as contact chemoreceptors. Histograms of impulse frequency against time exhibit differences among the three cotton varieties tested. RESUME CHIMIORECEPTION DE CONTACT CHEZ LYGUS LINEOLARIS Cette etude a ete entreprise pour determiner si les sensilles situees a l'extremite du labium chez Lygus lineolaris sont des chimiorecepteurs importants pour le comportement alimentaire de cet insecte. Des microscopies electroniques a balayage revelent deux champs sensoriels a l'extremite rostrale, chacun contenant 11 sensilles basiconiques d'environ 4 μm de longueur. Au-dessous se trouvent 2 sensilles trichoides (14 μm) situees ventralement, et un anneau de 6 sensilles trichoides (10 μm) situees proximalement par rapport aux precedentes. L'extirpation de l'extremite rostrale ou des antennes abolit la preference pour les carres de frego bractees de coton dans un test de choix. Des enregistrements electriques au niveau du nerf rostral confirment que les soies trichoides sont des mecanorecepteurs et les basiconiques des chimiorecepteurs de contact. La stimulation des basiconiques avec le jus provenant de carres de frego bractees et de bractees normales de 3 varietes de coton a eu dans tous les cas pour resultat une augmentation des niveaux de frequence des impulsions. Des histogrammes de frequence des impulsions/temps ont montre des differences dans les amplitudes de leurs parties phasees, dans les taux de baisse de la frequence et dans le temps auquel ce taux approchait de zero.
Pharmacokinetics of Salicylate Elimination in Man

Salicylate elimination kinetics was studied over a dose range of from 0.25 to 2.0 Gm. of aspirin. It was found that when the amount of salicylate in the body of normal adult test subjects exceeded approximately 360 mg. aspirin equivalent, conjugation of salicylic acid with glycine reached a maximum rate and thus proceeded by zero-order kinetics. The over-all elimination of salicylate was found to proceed by first-order kinetics at very small doses, and by parallel zero and first-order processes at higher doses. A kinetic model was developed, and values for appropriate rate constants were determined which make it possible to reconcile apparent half-lives for salicylate elimination ranging from about 3 hr. to over 20 hr. which have been reported in the literature. Unusual patterns in salicylate elimination kinetics observed by others, such as a change from zero to first-order kinetics upon concomitant administration of p -aminobenzoic acid, and zero-order elimination in a newborn infant, have been rationalized and interpreted by means of the kinetic model evolved from the present study. The pharmacokinetics of salicylate elimination were found to be unusual both qualitatively and quantitatively, and the results of the present study have potentially important therapeutic, toxicologic, and pharmacogenetic implications.
Thermodynamic Relations Along the Principal Hugoniot

Some thermodynamic relations are derived along the principal Hugoniot of materials for which the Gruneisen relation is a function of volume only. Rather than being expressed in terms of traditional thermodynamic variables, such as volume and temperature, the relations are expressed in terms of the shock-Hugoniot behavior and of a term grouping that is related to the Gruneisen function. By so doing, a new perspective is gained on the interrelation of thermodynamic quantities along the Hugoniot, which may be of use in developing analytical equations of state.
Imaging of crystal growth-induced fine surface features in zeolite A by atomic force microscopy

Abstract Atomic force microscopy was used to examine the crystal growth-induced fine surface features on the {1 0 0} faces of zeolite A. Features reported previously (terraces with ledges ∼1.2 nm in height, and small pyramidal structures composed of layers with thickness of ∼1.2 nm) as well as features not reported previously (polygonized growth spirals with step height of ∼1.2 nm) were observed. These features suggest that the layer growth of zeolite A can occur by both a “perfect” crystal two-dimensional nucleation mechanism, and by an “imperfect” crystal spiral growth mechanism. The origin of the observed small pyramidal structures and growth spirals as well as the mechanisms of their formation are hypothesized.
Stress management and child management with abusive parents.

This study investigated the effects of stress management training and child management training for abusive parents on self report, observational, and role play measures considered to be related to child abuse. Parents were randomly assigned to four conditions: stress management (n = 11), child management (n = 11), and combination stress/child management (n=9), and treatment‐as‐usual control condition (n = 10). Results indicate differential effects for treatment components. Parents who received the stress management component displayed more positive affect toward their child, their child demonstrated more positive affect toward them, and the parents delivered more commands during an observational period. Stress component parents also reported less negative affect associated with negative life events and less conflict among family members. Parents who received the child management components were more likely to talk to their child during a role‐played disciplinary situation, were less likely to verbally at...
Active Control of Axial-flow Fan Noise Using Magnetic Bearings

In this paper we present a novel approach to reducing blade-rate noise of axial-flow fans. By using magnetic bearings as a noise control actuator, it is possible to collocate the anti-noise source with the disturbance noise source. This approach allows for global noise reduction throughout the sound field. A DC motor connected to a fan by a short rigid shaft was used to demonstrate this approach. The shaft was supported in the radial and axial directions by magnetic bearings. The bearings provide position control of the shaft and fan; this position control can be used to vibrate the fan at a desired frequency and amplitude. Controlled vibration of the fan allows its use as a speaker in an active noise control scheme. Noise control was implemented on a dedicated digital signal processor using a least mean square algorithm. The output of the noise control algorithm supplies the position commands for the magnetic bearing controller. Experimental data showed that by actuating the axial thrust bearing, the noi...
Benchmarking energy performance of building envelopes through a selective residual-clustering approach using high dimensional dataset

Abstract Benchmarking energy performance of existing residential buildings’ envelopes remains a challenge due to the complex physical and non-physical interacting factors of buildings. Regression analysis with sufficient data samples can be attractive for benchmarking application due to its capability in neutralizing the effects of noise variables. However, multicollinearity effects among explanatory variables often lead to unreliable regression models, especially in cases of high-dimensional variables. Principal Component Regression can transform co-linear variables via principal component analysis to orthogonal components and simultaneously has the neutralization function of linear regression analysis of high dimensional dataset. A new benchmarking method is developed using multivariate linear regression analysis with principal component analysis to address the multicollinearity risk with high dimensional dataset. The method was applied to datasets of a real project. The results indicate that Principal Component Regression is able to address multicollinearity risk, through using fewer orthogonal principal components that are linear combinations of original variables. The benchmarking outcome using this method is validated through infrared thermography validation. The benchmarking result is superior to that of the traditional statistical rating method using average energy consumption of buildings.
Determination of mass accumulation rates and sediment radionuclide inventories in the deep Black Sea

Abstract Accumulation rates were determined from a detailed profile of 210 Pb excess in the top 3 cm of a box core from the deep waters of the western Black Sea. The data suggest a mass accumulation rate (MAR) of 69 ± 3g m −2 y −1 , less than half the MAR determined by varve counting. It is concluded that recognizable laminae couplets are not formed annually in these sediments. Further support for this conclusion is provided by the well documented fallout peaks of 239,240 Pu and 137 Cs from atmospheric nuclear weapons testing in the 1960s and the 1986 Chernobyl reactor accident. The 210 Pb derived MAR from the top 3 cm is significantly higher than the long-term MAR determined from 14 C data, suggesting an increase in accumulation rates within the past 1000–2000 years. The sedimen inventories of 210 Pb excess and 239,240 Pu match their expected supply, whereas most of the fallout 137 Cs remains in the water column. The measured increase in 226 Ra inventory in the top cm of this core matches the previously observed decrease in water column 226 Ra during the past 30 years.
Unified nonparametric data fusion

In several recent papers we demonstrated that classical single-sensor, single-source statistics can be directly extended to the multisensor, multisource case. The basis for this generalization is the finite random set, together with a set of direct parallels between random-set and random- vector theories which allow familiar statistical techniques to be directly transferred to data fusion problems. We previously showed that parametric point estimation theory can be thus generalized, resulting in fully integrated data fusion algorithms. However, parametric estimation is not appropriate when sensor noise distributions are poorly known. Also, since most data fusion algorithms are partially ad hoc constructions it is difficult to determine the overall statistical behavior of such algorithms even if the statistics of the sensors are well understood. This paper shows how a standard nonparametric estimation technique, the projection kernel approach to estimating unknown probability distributions, can be extended directly to the data fusion realm.
Caregiving and long-term health care in the People's Republic of China.

The growing proportion of frail elderly in the People's Republic of China has necessitated policy of the state toward their long-term care. In this decade, there has been an increase in the amount of data available on the care and needs of Chinese frail elders. This article synthesizes these data and traces the patterns of care of frail elders. It distinguishes between urban and rural patterns, and identifies the increasing role of the family and community in the caregiving of elders. State policy, evident from the data, suggests that the state's role in direct care of elders is minor but that it continues to influence and support eldercare as part of its policy of promoting the one-child per couple policy. This process can be seen in support programs for the childless elder, who symbolizes the expected condition of a large number of future elders under the one-child policy. The article identifies four factors that are influencing the changing patterns of long-term care of elders in China: (1) economic re...
Airpuff Startle Stress Elicited Fos Expression in Brain Cardiovascular Areas of Young Shr and Wky Rats

Prior studies comparing Fos expression in adult Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and Spontaneously Hypertensive rats (SHR) identified more Fos-positive neurons in a subset of brain regions following two stressors: placement in a startle chamber and presentation of an airpuff startle stimulus. The present study assessed Fos expression in five week old SHR and WKY rats in those same brain areas. Like adults, young SHR expressed more Fos-positive neurons than WKY in response to the startle chamber alone. Unlike adults, in the SHR only the locus coeruleus showed a increases in Fos expression following addition of the airpuff. Otherwise, startle chamber and airpuff startle treatments induced roughly equivalent Fos expression in the SHR, possibly reflecting a ceiling effect. Young WKY exhibited predominant airpuff-induced elevations. The present results demonstrate that certain brain regions are strain-differentially activated by stressors prior to overt hypertension and that differential Fos expression is an early developmental feature of these strains.
SAXS analysis of the thermal relaxation of anisotropic morphologies in oriented Nafion membranes

The current study uses variable temperature, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to examine the thermal relaxation behavior of oriented Nafion films as a means to evaluate the morphological stability of this ionomer at elevated temperatures. The SAXS patterns of uniaxially oriented films are characterized by strong equatorial scattering peaks which are attributed to scattering arising from the oriented ionic domains (ionomer peak ca. q = 2 nm-1). The intensity of the equatorial peaksobtained from integration in the azimuthal direction (χ)and the degree of orientationcalculated using the Hermans orientation function (f)were monitored as a function of temperature. At lower temperatures, a constant value of f and a correlation between the β relaxation and a slight decrease in the scattering intensity of the equatorial peaks are in agreement with our earlier assignment of the β relaxation to the Tg of Nafion. At temperatures in the vicinity of the β relaxation, the static electrostatic network inhibits long-r...
Measuring Group Efficacy in Virtual Teams New Questions in an Old Debate

Group efficacy has received renewed attention in the group literature. Although the relationship between group efficacy and group performance is well established, debate continues on how best to me...
Cinewrite: an Algorithm-sketch for Writing Novels Cinematically, and two Mysteries Therein

Autopoeisis, a cognitive science project aimed ultimately at getting a computer to write sophisticated fiction, has recently been launched at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. One ‘sub-push’ of Autopoeisis is the unabashed attempt, straight away, to cast the writing of novels in computational terms. This attempt (to be distinguished from the attempt at building a story generator, another aspect of Autopoeisis) though still in its infancy, has resulted in CINEWRITE, an algorithm-sketch for crafting genre novels in highly ‘cinematic’ fashion.1 One of the possible virtues of CINEWRITE is that reflection upon it brings one face to face with what may well be the two aspects of human story generation least amenable to computational analysis: dextrous manipulation of ‘temporally extended’ mental images, and adoption of a character's point of view. After CINEWRITE is sketched, these two aspects of narrative creation are examined from a theoretical point of view, which results in the humbling admission that handling them computationally is bound to be extraordinarily difficult.
A new humanized in vitro model of IgE-mediated rapid desensitization

Background Rapid drug desensitization (RDD) is widely used to re-introduce medications that have caused an IgEmediated hypersensitivity in allergic patients. However, RDD protocols are largely based on empiric experience and few in vitro models have explored the rationale guiding the rate at which the dose should be increased, what the starting dose should be and how the time elapsed between doses affect the effectiveness of desensitization. This study addresses these issues in a new humanized in vitro model of rapid desensitization.
A Generalized Agreement Measure

A subroutine is presented to calculate a generalized measure of agreement for multiple judges and multiple responses at any level of measurement, along with the associated probability value, under the null hypothesis.
A comparison of cook-medley hostility subscales and mortality in patients with coronary heart disease: data from the heart and soul study

ObjectiveHostility is associated with adverse outcomes in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). However, assessment tools used to evaluate hostility in epidemiological studies vary widely.MethodsWe administered nine subscales of the Cook-Medley Hostility Scale (CMHS) to 656 outpatients with st
The Hospital as a Training Ground for the Dental Specialties: A Digest

De n t i s t r y , the earliest formal specialty in medicine, has advanced from a limited restorative art to a complex service concerned with the whole oral cavity. Subdivisions of special practice have developed, which deserve an equal status with medical specialties. It is de­ sirable, however, to preserve the iden­ tity of these subdivisions as dental. The organized profession, accordingly, must win public confidence by setting high standards of qualification and de­ veloping training facilities for special­ ists. To preserve proper balance, of course, general practice must remain the backbone of dentistry. Specialization ■ should be encouraged only as it accel­ erates progress in general as well as in special practice. This it can certainly do if rightly approached. . The first thing needed is machinery for evaluating qualifications, certifying specialists and convincing the public that this certification is bona fide evi­ dence of outstanding skill. The second need is for the development of systematic and flexible training facilities for spe­ cialists. There is an obvious discrepancy be­ tween the formal training of the general surgeon and that of the oral surgeon. The latter is at a disadvantage in hos-' pital work, since he is subject to com­ parison with general surgeons who have had systematic training in all hospital procedures. Until opportunity for equal training and experience is available to the dental specialist, there can be no true parity here. Entirely aside from the ques­ tion of public esteem, the work of the
Some reproductive parameters of stumptailed macaques (Macaca arctoides)

Reproductive records kept from 1969 to 1981 were used to study menstrual cycles, pregnancies and births of eight colony-housed stumptailed macaques. The findings for annual distribution of births, pregnancy duration and infant sex ratio were consistent with previous reports. The interbirth interval after infant loss was significantly shortened from the interbirth interval when infants were maintained with their mothers. Vaginal bleeding during early lactation indicates that stumptails are not necessarily characterized by a prolonged period of postpartum amenorrhea. Complete copulation was observed prior to six months postpartum, but interbirth intervals indicate that conception did not occur prior to that time. Interbirth intervals tended to be shorter for dominant than for subordinate females and to lengthen as a function of increasing age.
Design and characterization of a small-scale azimuthing thruster for a mobile offshore base module

The mobile offshore base (MOB) will consist of a number of large semi-submersible modules connected together to form a runway approximately 2 km long. In order to conduct model-based testing of such a system with reasonably sized models, it is necessary to use models with a very small scale. In this paper, we outline the design and characterization of a 5 cm diameter azimuthing thruster unit designed for use on a 1:150 scale model of a MOB module. Experimental results are presented regarding thrust performance, thrust response dynamics, thrust level stability and repeatability, effects of pontoon proximity and azimuth angle relative to pontoon, and effects of advance velocity. The results indicate that the thruster performs well and is suitable for use in model-testing applications.
Chemical fractionations in meteorites. V - Volatile and siderophile elements in achondrites and ocean ridge basalts.

Eighteen achondrites and 4 terrestrial basalts (3 ocean ridge, 1 continental) were analyzed by radiochemical neutron activation analysis for Ag, Au, Bi, Br, Cd, Co, Cs, Cu, Ga, In, Ir, Rb, Se, Tl and Zn. Samples included 7 eucrites, 5 howardites, 2 nakhlites, 2 shergottites, an angrite, and an aubrite. Light and dark portions of the gas-rich meteorites Kapoeta and Pesyanoe were analyzed separately. Nakhlites and shergottites have volatile element abundances similar to those in ocean ridge basalts; eucrites, howardites, and angrites show greater depletions by an order of magnitude and less similar abundance patterns. In terms of a two-component model of planetary accretion, the parent planets contained the following percentages of low-temperature material: eucrites 0.8, nakhlites 38, shergottites 28. Shergottites may be genetically related to L-chondrites. The siderophile element pattern of achondrites resembles that of the moon, but with less extreme depletions.
Acute electrocardiographic pseudoinfarction pattern in the setting of diabetic ketoacidosis and severe hyperkalemia

aVF was observed during the procedure. No complications were encountered during and after procedure. Corticosteroid therapy 10 to 30 rag/day (prednisone for 6 months) was begun, with resultant normalization of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Follow-up treadmill testing 2 months after the procedure revealed electrocardiographic changes during moderate exercise (Bruce stage 5, 50 mph at a grade of 18%) and associated significant ST segment depressio n of 2 to 4 mm in leads II, III, aVF, and V2 to V6. Follow-up coronary angiography 27 months after the PTCA revealed no evidence ofrestenosis of the left coronary artery (Fig. 1, C). The post-PTCA clinical course was uncomplicated, and the patient has had no symptoms over a 2-year period after balloon angioplasty. Recently, balloon angioplasty of the aorta in Takayasu's arteritis has produced good results both immediately after the procedure and on long-term follow up. 4 No aneurysm at the site of angioplasty was found in these patients. Markedly thickened vessel wall resulting from inflammatory fibrosis of all three layers as observed in Takayasu's arteritis could reduce the risk of future aneurysm formation. 5 To our knowledge this is the first case of PTCA for coronary artery stenosis in Takayasu's arteritis. Hitherto, PTCA in Kawasaki disease has been reported. One patient with Kawasaki disease who had undergone PTCA for coronary artery stenosis died of obstruction of the left coronary artery immediately after balloon rupture caused by a high inflating pressure occurred. Two other patients underwent successful dilation. 6, 7 Acute obstruction is an inherent risk of PTCA and can be deleterious in left coronary artery main stem lesions. However, recent results of aortocoronary bypass grafting have not been satisfactory. Ohara et al. s reported a low graft patency rate (50%) in their six patients undergoing aortoc0ronary bypass grafting. Cippiano et al.9 stated that it was difficult to construct proximal anastomoses of the grafts because of extremely thickened aortic wall, and inflammation of the aortic wall may have contributed to the late proximal occlusion of bypass grafts. This case suggests that PTCA may well be an effective alternative method to aortocoronary bypass surgery for coronary artery stenosis in Takayasu's arteritis. REFERENCES
Pilot study of a protocol to administer inhaled nitric oxide to treat severe acute submassive pulmonary embolism.

Objective Inhaled nitric oxide has been reported to benefit patients with acute pulmonary embolism (PE). To date, all published literature has derived from case reports or case series conducted without a structured protocol. Here we report the results of a phase I trial with a predefined clinical protocol to treat patients with CT-demonstrated, submassive PE and moderate to severe dyspnoea. Methods Patients were recruited from the emergency department of an academic teaching hospital. Informed consent and the entire treatment protocol was administered by a study physician. Nitric oxide was administered using a commercial device (Inovent) and a custom-made non-rebreathing face mask. The NO concentration was increased at 1 ppm/min (parts per million) until a maximum of 25 ppm and continued for 120 min and then weaned at 1 ppm/min. Dyspnoea was assessed with the Borg score, oxygenation by pulse oximetry, and haemodynamic status by shock index (HR/SBP). Results Eight patients were enrolled. All patients tolerated the entire protocol without adverse events, and all had decreased numerical Borg score by >50%. The changes from baseline to 155 min were as follows: Borg score 7.5±2.5 to 2.3±1.9 (p=0.06, Signed rank test), SaO2% 93±5 to 97±3 and shock index 1.0±0.11 to 0.86±0.09. No patient experienced worsening during weaning. Conclusions Inhaled NO reduced dyspnoea without adverse events in eight patients with severe submassive PE. This protocol can serve as the basis for a phase II trial or for a compassionate use protocol.
Design of a Mini Heat Sink Based on Constructal Theory for Electronic Chip Cooling

New technological advancements in electronic circuits and computer engineering have increased the need for better cooling systems; liquid cooling of electronic components seems to offer a solution for this problem. An important part of such solution is to design a compact cooling channel system that offers a uniform temperature distribution over the part to be cooled. This work investigates the application of constructal theory for the design of a compact double sided cooling pad for such applications. Fluid enters the two networks, on the top and bottom of the pad, via a single inlet inside a separating layer between them. The heated fluid then collected at the periphery of the channel network. An exit port is then attached to a collection well for the exit flow. Numerical method is used to redesign flow passage dimensions inside the heat sink and optimize fluid outlet layout to ensure uniform heat removal and temperature distribution in the pad. A sample model of the actual device is built; using advanced 3D printing technology, for flow study. Flow pattern, temperature distribution, and the resulted pressure drop for the designed heat sink are presented for different flow rates.© 2014 ASME
FDG-PET in the selection of brain lesions for biopsy.

The CT-guided stereotaxic needle biopsy has become a widely used procedure in the diagnostic evaluation of intracranial lesions including tumors. Conventional CT or MR frequently defines the anatomic regions of abnormality, which may be multiple lesions or a single lesion that is heterogeneous in cellular composition owing to the topographic variation of cellular constituency or the combination of active disease, nonspecific inflammation, necrosis, and/or edema. In these cases, selection of the most appropriate site for a successful diagnostic needle biopsy can be difficult. In three patients, we have used (18F)fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) to determine the site most likely to provide a diagnostic biopsy result. In the first patient, who presented with confusion, multiple biopsies from the temporal lobe, based on MR abnormalities, revealed only reactive gliosis and edema. Repeat biopsy directed by PET revealed an anaplastic astrocytoma. In a second patient, PET allowed us to differentiate radiation effect from active metastatic breast cancer. In the third patient, who presented with a grand mal seizure, biopsy of a CT-defined hypodense region demonstrated lymphocytosis. Metabolism of FDG was normal or increased in areas of Aspergillus encephalitis at autopsy. These preliminary studies suggest a complementary role for FDG-PET and CTmore » or MR in selected patients for defining the intracranial site most likely to yield a positive biopsy result.« less
Neo-Pentecostal Spirituality and Theology of Creativity in the Work of Barbara A. Holmes

Abstract The works of black Pentecostal scholars who are members of classical Pentecostal denominations are well recognized. Less is known, however, about the work of black Pentecostal scholars from denominations rooted in different historical movements. One such Pentecostal scholar worthy of recognition is Barbara A. Holmes. While she self-identifies as Pentecostal/Charismatic, she is more accurately classified as neo-Pentecostal. The story of her spiritual journey reveals the complex routes and profound contributions of Pentecostalism toward the Charismatic movement in historic denominations like the United Church of Christ/Disciples of Christ Church. The influence of Pentecostalism on Holmes’s scholarship is most evident in her focus on spirituality and quest for a theology of creativity.
An instrument system for high-speed mapping of chlorophyll a and physico-chemical variables in surface waters

A device incorporating microprocessor control and flow-through sampling permits high-speed measurements of chlorophyll a, and physical and chemical variables in aquatic systems. Continuous sampling of chlorophyll a, conductivity, temperature, salinity, incident photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), underwater PAR, and pH facilitates multiple correlations and mapping of variables at both small and large spatial scales. The instrument is portable and can be installed in a small boat for “rapid response” sampling of large areas. The low-voltage DC power requirement and shallow draft make the device especially suitable for work in shallow coastal areas, tidal creeks, bayous, and physically complex aquatic landscapes where larger vessels cannot be operated. Examples of applications of the instrument are discussed. In Fourleague Bay, Louisiana, a shallow estuary on the Gulf of Mexico, we were able to detect horizontal chlorophyll a structure and transient fronts map spatial variations on the scale of a few meters to several kilometers, and follow movements of chlorophyll features through the estuary. These patterns were often not apparent when sampled at discrete stations.
Antisense Inhibition of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor mRNA Decreases Expression of Surfactant Protein A During Human Fetal Lung Development In Vitro • 278

Antisense Inhibition of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor mRNA Decreases Expression of Surfactant Protein A During Human Fetal Lung Development In Vitro • 278
Zooming, multiple windows, and visual working memory

Zooming and multiple windows are two techniques designed to address the focus-in-context problem. We present a theoretical model of performance that models the relative benefits of these techniques when used by humans for completing a task involving comparisons between widely separated groups of objects. The crux of the model is its cognitive component: the strength of multiple windows comes in the way they aid visual working memory. The task to which we apply our model is multiscale comparison, in which a user begins with a known visual pattern and searches for an identical or similar pattern among distracters. The model predicts that zooming should be better for navigating between a few distant locations when demands on visual memory are low, but that multiple windows are more efficient when demands on visual memory are higher, or there are several distant locations that must be investigated. To evaluate our model we conducted an experiment in which users performed a multiscale comparison task using both zooming and multiple-window interfaces. The results confirm the general predictions of our model.
A Prospective Study of Brooding and Reflection as Moderators of the Relationship between Stress and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence

This study examined rumination as a moderator of the relationship between stress and depressive symptoms in a sample of adolescents using a multi-wave prospective design. Stressors were analyzed by domain (independent/dependent and interpersonal/noninterpersonal) and both brooding and reflection subtypes of rumination were examined as moderators. At the baseline assessment, 111 adolescents (ages 14–19) reported rumination and depressive symptoms. Youth were subsequently asked to complete a weekly diary assessment for 8 consecutive weeks, and again at 12 weeks, during which stressors and depressive symptoms were reported. Results indicated that brooding, but not reflection, moderated the relationship between stress and depression, for nearly all domains of stress. All results were in the expected direction, suggesting that the greater tendency to brood exacerbates the effects of stress on depression, whereas the greater tendency to reflect does not.
A LARGE-SCALE MODEL OF SOME SPINAL REFLEX CIRCUITS

This paper reports the development of a large-scale model of some spinal reflex circuitry, useful for studying the dynamic interactions among neuronal populations during simple behaviors. The included populations and properties of the neurons and terminals were derived from the literature, mainly on cat spinal cord. The model was conceived as a symmetrical controller of a pair of antagonistic muscles, within the behavioral domain of the stretch and Golgi-tendon-organ reflexes, and was scaled to include realistic numbers of motoneurons. Inputs to the model were fiber populations providing random synaptic drive to some of the populations and sensory stimuli appropriate for the reflexes. The resulting model contained roughly 2300 neurons in six pairs of populations. The total number of connections in the model was about 600 000, and individual postsynaptic potentials were small (0.1–0.6 mV). Model responses were calibrated by examination of their ability to reproduce known aspects of the reflexes. Published algorithms were used to construct the environment, which is easily expandable, in terms of membrane channels, neuronal geometry, and synaptic properties. The system was built to combine a system-level perspective of spinal circuitry with the single-unit perspective common in electrophysiological investigation. It provides a computational tool for system-level investigations of spinal cord similar to the tools available at the level of membrane currents.
Epidemiology of Cancer of the Ovary

Etiology and epidemiology are often intertwined. Therefore an introductory discussion is devoted to these subjects.
Subcutaneous disruption of the chest wall from seat-belt trauma

We report a case of seat-belt injury in a 10-year-old girl who had total subcutaneous disruption of her anterior chest wall. She had a tear of her pericardium and subsequent herniation of her heart into the left hemithorax through the pericardial defect. The skin was intact, and masked the true extent of the problem. She also had injuries to her cervical spine, liver, spleen, and adrenal gland. The patient recovered completely except for mild upper extremity paresis secondary to cervical cord trauma.
A preliminary study of the relationship between discrimination reversal learning and performance tasks in yearling and 2-year-old horses

A study was conducted to determine the relationship between discrimination reversal learning and performance tasks in horses. Ten yearling and seven 2-year-old mares and geldings of Arabian (n = 4), Quarter Horse (n = 9), and Thoroughbred (n = 4) breeding were given a two-choice discrimination task in which either a black or a white bucket contained a food reward for ten trials per day during 19 test days. The spatial position of the buckets was varied on a random schedule. The rewarded bucket color was reversed each time a subject met criterion of eight correct choices per day for 2 consecutive days. Discrimination reversal testing was followed by 6 days of performance tasks: three crossing a wooden bridge and three jumping an obstacle to reach food and conspecifics, within a maximum allotted time of 15 min day−1. Total reversals attained by the horses were low (x = 1.5 ± 0.9). All subjects did attain at least one reversal, and six had two or more reversals. No differences (P > .05) were detected between ages or sexes, nor among breeds in discrimination reversal learning or performance test measurements. However, there was a trend towards a breed difference (P ≤ 0.09) in the mean number of correct responses to the first reversal criterion. Correlations between reversal learning results and performance task results were extremely low, indicating that the discrimination reversal learning test was not useful for predicting success at these performance tasks. Results from the two performance tasks also showed little correlation (r = 0.04, P < 0.91), indicating that horses might not use the same approach when solving the problem of crossing these two obstacles. The overall poor performance of the horses on the discrimination reversal task suggests horses may have difficulty reversing previously learned tasks.
On the possibility of large changes in the Earth's volume

Abstract Large changes of the Earth's radius, both expansions and contractions, have been postulated by various authors. Physical explanations involve either some form of Ramsey's hypothesis that the core is a high-density form of mantle material, or a variation of gravitational constant with time, or both. In the light of experiments reaching core pressures, Ramsey's hypothesis is not tenable. For the “real Earth” having chemically distinct mantle and core, the increase of radius for a decrease of the gravitational constant from 2 G to its present value G is about 370 km; this is a greater change of G than is allowed by other considerations. It appears that so long as the Earth has had its present mass, changes of external radius are limited to amounts of the order of 100 km.
Density cavity formation by large-scale shear Alfvén waves

Using two-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, we study the formation of density cavities in plasmas driven by transversely large-scale Alfven waves (LSSAWs) when they reflect from a boundary, like in the topside auroral ionosphere. The ponderomotive force, associated with the resulting standing waves, causes strong modification in the density distribution, including density cavities. Based on our findings we suggest that the ubiquity of density cavities in the auroral plasma is possibly a direct consequence of the ubiquity of the LSSAWs. In the cavities the amplitudes of the transverse wave electric (|E⊥|) and magnetic (|B⊥|) fields are, respectively, diminished and enhanced so that E⊥VAB⊥, where VA is the Alfven velocity, as recently reported from a statistical analysis of FAST data at an altitude of ~4000 km (Chaston C. C. et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 100 (2008) 175003).
Incentives for inventors: Theory of market and planned economies

Abstract There have been few reviews of the comparative incentives for inventors in market and planned economies. This theoretical analysis suggests that market economies provide the stronger incentives regarding generally unanticipated invention, while planned economies are the better for anticipated inventions. To achieve a preferred mix between types of invention, the incentives for the anticipated type may need supplementing with patents. Other implications for public policy under both autarky and trade are also examined.
Auditory and visual distractor decrement in older worker manual assembly task learning: Impact of spatial reasoning, field independence, and level of education

This study examined the impact of age on manual assembly task learning in the presence of visual and auditory distracters. Manual assembly task learning (e.g., number of learning trials needed to obtain consistently accurate assembly and near asymptote performance times) was studied in men and women between 18 and 65 years of age. Higher spatial reasoning capabilities were associated with fewer trials to reach the learning criterion, faster manual assembly times, and material prophylaxis for the type of distractors addressed in this study that are likely to be encountered in the workplace. Years of formal education and field independence showed no impact on distractor-based decrements in task learning. For the oldest group of subjects (>50 years), concomitant presentation of visual and auditory distractors that are commonly encountered in industry were associated with a greater number of learning trials that were needed to achieve asymptotic manual assembly task learning. Spatial reasoning and field independence measures were lower in the older than in the younger age groups (p < 0.05). When spatial reasoning was treated as a covariate, however, nearly all age differences found in learning performance in the face of distractors were removed. The findings suggest that selection of workers based on spatial reasoning ability, rather than age, would yield better manual task learning in the face of visual and auditory distraction. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.