cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stunted growth and hepatomegaly in diabetes mellitus

A 17-year-old girl was admitted for evaluation of short stature, delayed puberty, diabetes mellitus, and hepatomegaly. The patient was well until age 14 months when she presented with diabetic ketoacidosis. At five years of age, she was hospitalized twice for ketoacidosis with upper respiratory infections. She was noted to have hepatomegaly, but had normal liver function studies. The short stature had been recognized, but her parents were informed that subnormal growth was typical of children with diabetes. Because the family moved frequently, at least 12 different pediatricians were consulted. For the five years prior to our evaluation, the patient had been ireated With 12 units each of NPH and regular insulin daily. She and her parents claimed that mild ketonuria and increased glucosuria had been noted only over the past two months. physical examination showed (Fig. 1) a very small, younger appearing girl with a protuberant abdomen, weighing 31.5 kg with a height of 132 cm. Blood pressure measured 120/78 mm Hg; pulse rate was 84/minute. The fundi showed mild Venous dilatation but no other changes consistent with diabetic retinopathy. The thyroid, heart, and lungs were normal. The abdomen was distended by an enlarged smooth, nontender liver, 14 cm in vertical span. Pubertal development was at Tanner Stage II. Hair growth was increased on the extensor surfaces of all extremities, and the fourth and fifth fingers bilaterally had flexion contractures. Lipodystrophy was evident at the insulin injection sites. No neurologic deficit was apparent. The hemogram was normal. Glucose and ketones were present in the urine. The patient had normal serum electrolyte, creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen concentrations; blood glucose
Background noise: the experience of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Background A substantial portion of the 1.3 million persons diagnosed annually with cancer receive neurotoxic chemotherapy that may produce distressful symptoms and changes in functional ability. However, little is known about the symptom experience and daily life effects of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Objective To describe the CIPN symptom experience and the influence of symptoms on everyday life. Methods This was a qualitative, exploratory, interpretive, descriptive study with semistructured interviews. A purposive sample of 28 participants was recruited from a rural National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and imported into Atlas.ti software. Content analysis and constant comparative method were used to analyze the data. Results Participants represented diversity in age (46-81 years), cancer type, time since diagnosis (3-198 months), neuropathy severity, and neurotoxic chemotherapy agents received. Content analysis yielded a rich, thick description of CIPN symptoms and the influence of the symptoms on functional ability and everyday life. Further interpretive analysis provided a description of the symptom experience through an overarching metaphor, Background Noise, and four major themes: (a) Becoming Aware; (b) Learning New Lyrics; (c) Functional, Emotional, and Social Role Cacophony; and (d) Learning to Live With It. Participants described significant physical limitations, emotional distress, and social role impairments due to CIPN. Conclusions Having CIPN results in diverse symptom patterns and degrees of physical symptom distress from mild to severe, emotional distress, alterations in functional ability, and social role impairment. Comprehensive clinical and research measures are needed to assess the full spectrum of CIPN effects on everyday life.
Alternating Current Impedance Electrochemical Modeling of Lithium-Ion Positive Electrodes

Department of Chemical Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois, USAAn electrochemical model was developed to describe alternating current ~ac! impedance experimental studies conducted onlithium-ion positive electrodes. The model includes differential mass and current balances for the positive electrode’s compositestructure, as well as details of the oxide-electrolyte interface. A number of specialized experiments were conducted to help deﬁnethe parameter set for the model. The electrochemical ac impedance model was used to examine aging effects associated with thepositive electrode.© 2005 The Electrochemical Society. @DOI: 10.1149/1.1928169# All rights reserved.Manuscript submitted November 18, 2004; revised manuscript received January 19, 2005. Available electronically June 10, 2005.
The response of a non-linear n-degree-of-freedom system to pulse excitation

Abstract The response of a non-linear n-degree-of-freedom system subjected to pulse excitation is investigated. After the system is transformed such that the coupling takes place only in the non-linear terms, it can by proper transformation of the displacement variable be brought into a form for which Lighthill's extension of Poincare's perturbation method can be employed for the solution. The additive transformation function is a solution of the linear problem disturbed by the same pulses. The new displacement variables and the time for each coordinate are expanded into power series in ϵ with unknown coefficients of other variables ξλ. The method is applied to a non-linear two degree-of-freedom system of which one mass is subjected to a step function while the other mass is disturbed by an exponentially decaying pulse. The analytical results obtained are compared with the linear solution of the problem and illustrate the influence of the non-linearities.
The reproductive biology of a new species of sea cucumber, Holothuria (Mertensiothuria) arenacava in a Kenyan marine protected area : the possible role of light and temperature on gametogenesis and spawning

The sea cucumber Holothuria arenacava was discovered in the Mombasa marine reserve in 1997 and described by Samyn et al. (2001). The reproductive biology of this holothurian was investigated in order to (1) characterize the reproductive pattern, (2) examine the relationship among environmental parameters including temperature, light and lunar period, and (3) examine the relationship between the reproductive pattern and feeding of this new species. The gonad index method and microscopic examination of gonads was used to analyze samples collected for a period of 13 months. H. arenacava displayed an annual reproductive cycle with gametogenesis commencing in July during the south-east monsoons, when temperature and light intensity are lowest along the Kenyan coast. Gonad growth peaked in February–March at the end of the north-east monsoons when temperatures and light reach their annual maxima along the Kenyan coast. The higher correlation between light intensity and gonad growth (r=93) than temperature (r=0.71), coupled with the fact that temperatures continued to drop for a month after gametogenesis had already commenced, suggests that light intensity and not temperature is the cue for the onset of gametogenesis in this species. Spawning was synchronized between females and males and occurred during a short period between March and May (inter-monsoonal period) when both temperature and light intensity decrease along the Kenyan coast. Male and female gonad indices showed significant variation with lunar day and no lunar periodicity was observed in this sea cucumber. The sex ratio of the population of H. arenacava was skewed towards significantly more females than males, and females were significantly larger and had larger gonads and gonad indices than males. These life history strategies including spawning during a short discrete period, more and larger females that have larger gonads (i.e., typically more fecund), and spawning just prior to the peak in phytoplankton concentrations, a time that is probably more favorable for larval development, may serve to increase the reproductive success of this sea cucumber.
Spatially Restricted Activation of the SAX Receptor by SCW Modulates DPP/TKV Signaling in Drosophila Dorsal–Ventral Patterning

Abstract Dorsal–ventral patterning within the embryonic ectoderm of Drosophila requires two TGFβ ligands, DPP and SCW, and two type I TGFβ receptors, TKV and SAX. In embryos lacking dpp signaling, increasing the level of TKV activity promotes progressively more dorsal cell types, while activation of SAX alone has no phenotypic consequences. However, SAX activity synergizes with TKV activity to promote dorsal development. Functional experiments suggest the two receptors have different ligands: DPP acts through TKV, and SCW acts through SAX. Furthermore, SOG, a negative regulator of this patterning process, preferentially blocks SCW activity. We propose that spatial regulation of the SAX pathway modulates TKV signaling to create positional information over the embryonic ectoderm.
Distortionless Propagation of Light Through an Optical Medium

The equations describing the propagation of optical radiation through a medium of two-level atoms are presented in a way that emphasizes their relation to Poynting's theorem. Two classes of solutions which propagate without distortion are discussed. These solutions, together with the well-known hyperbolic secant solution, are analogous to the three possible types of motions of a simple pendulum.
Hydrocarbon emissions from a modern commercial airliner

Abstract We report selected carbon species emission indices (EIs) for a Rolls Royce RB211-535-E4 turbofan engine that were acquired during the NASA EXperiment to Characterize Aircraft Volatile Aerosol and Trace-species Emissions (EXCAVATE). Conducted during winter 2002, the mission focused upon characterizing the exhaust constituents of the NASA Boeing 757 aircraft during ground-based operation. Carbon species concentrations were determined by chromatographic analyses of whole air samples collected 10 m behind the engine exit plane as engine power was varied from ground idle to about 60% of maximum rated thrust. Ambient air samples were also collected and analyzed to facilitate correction of calculated EIs for background concentrations. Results are consistent with previous observations and indicate that, on a relative basis, turbine engines emit considerable amounts of light hydrocarbon species at idle, but significantly lesser amounts at higher engine powers.
Triplet exciton and ferromagnetic instability of a two-dimensional electron gas in a large magnetic field with filling factor v=2

Abstract We have investigated the phase diagram of a two-dimensional electron gas in a large magnetic field as a function of the difference between the cyclotron and the spin resonance splittings. For suitable values of this difference we find that when the two spin states of the lowest Landau level are fully occupied the paramagnetic ground state suffers a triplet exciton (spin-density-wave) instability. However our analysis shows that in the simplest case such an instability is preempted by a paramagnetic to ferromagnetic phase transition. The occurence of this transition and some of its consequences have been studied.
Interdisciplinary and Specialized Geoarchaeology: A Post- Cold War Perspective

Geoarchaeology is both an interdisciplinary and specialized science. This dichotomy does not weaken the discipline, although it does lead to debates over its boundaries and definitions. Despite diverse theoretical and methodological orientations influenced largely by academic training, geoarchaeologists should recognize the value of their specialized and interdisciplinary heritage and use geoarchaeology to help blend the sciences and humanities. Such an application of geoarchaeology will play a large role in the success of the discipline in the 21st century as economic competition drives science funding, applied research increasingly overshadows basic research, and the public increases its demand for greater relevance of science to their everyday lives. By emphasizing the value of both interdisciplinary and specialized approaches, geoarchaeology will continue to grow and mature as a discipline. 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Implementation of Public Policy Programs

AbstractPublic policy is rarely “self-executing”. Congress may legislate drug abuse control measures or the President may order the rescue of United States hostages held in Iran - but in the absence of effective implementation plans, it is unlikely that decisions of policy makers will be carried out with much success. Research into the outcomes of public policy designed to solve societal problems, such as drug abuse, is indeed necessary but not quite sufficient for understanding policy implications.
Sources of Information in Child Psychology Literature

--Citations from the bibliographies in the Third Edition of Carmichael's Manual of Child Psychology were examined to determine the nature and age of the sources. The results indicate greater emphasis on older research sources than is found in specified other fields of research. In addition, the 15 most frequently cited journals are listed and trends in references in these journals are analyzed.
Transfomation of the Agro-food Sector: Lessons from the Caribbean

As we approach the twenty-first century, concepts of "health food and "healthy food" remain paramount in American culture. Yet, what lessons have we learned? Transformation of the agro-food sector serves to demonstrate that we as consumers and social scientists need to expand our understanding of "health food" or "healthy food" to include production practices, local knowledge and technology, the political and economic milieu in which production and distribution are sustained, as well as their impact on humans and the biophysical environment. This article examines transformation of the agro-food sector in the Caribbean and its connections to the European Union and the United States markets from this perspective. In addition, this article examines the transformation of longstanding cash crops, such as sugar cane and bananas, to other food commodities. Political ecology is used to examine the agro-food sector to understand more clearly the relationship among food producers, local governments, transnational c...
A behavioral and neuroanatomical assessment of an inbred substrain of 129 mice with behavioral comparisons to C57BL/6J mice

The inbred 129 substrains have been characterized as poor learners that display hypoplasia of the corpus callosum. However, they are used extensively as a source of embryonic stem (ES) cells for creating mice carrying altered copies of a targeted gene ('knockout mice'). The present research investigated callosal agenesis and behavior in the 129/SvEvTac substrain and compared their behavior to that of C57BL/6J mice. In addition, the degree to which callosal agenesis affected behavior was assessed. Nearly 80% of 129/SvEvTac mice in the current sample exhibited callosal hypoplasia, although this was not subsequently found to be associated with any measure of cognition. They learned the Morris maze and a non-spatial pattern discrimination task, though at a level inferior to C57BL/6J mice. They were unable to learn shuttlebox avoidance or the Lashley III maze. The only measure on which they performed better than C57BL/6J mice was a simple water escape task. Thus, 129/SvEvTac mice, in addition to displaying aberrant neuroanatomy, perform poorly on many behavioral tasks, resulting in potential interpretational difficulties.
Using Drama Therapy to Explore Religion and Spirituality in Counselor Education

Exploring spirituality and religion continues to be an important component when considering multicultural issues. However, understanding how to incorporate spiritual and religious diversity into counseling courses continues to be a challenge for educators. An exercise using drama therapy was developed to explore religion and spirituality.
New limits on light scalar and pseudoscalar particles produced in nuclear decay

We present the results of a search for scalar and pseudoscalar particles produced in nuclear deexcitation. Measurements of the angular correlation of e+e- pairs emitted from excited states of 14N, 16O, and 8Be provided sensitivity to particles with lifetimes 10^-19 < τ < 10^-11 s within the mass range 2me < MX < 5 MeV. We find no evidence for such particles and set upper limits on the branching ratio to electromagnetic decay.
WFR-2D: an analytical model for PWAS-generated 2D ultrasonic guided wave propagation

This paper presents WaveFormRevealer 2-D (WFR-2D), an analytical predictive tool for the simulation of 2-D ultrasonic guided wave propagation and interaction with damage. The design of structural health monitoring (SHM) systems and self-aware smart structures requires the exploration of a wide range of parameters to achieve best detection and quantification of certain types of damage. Such need for parameter exploration on sensor dimension, location, guided wave characteristics (mode type, frequency, wavelength, etc.) can be best satisfied with analytical models which are fast and efficient. The analytical model was constructed based on the exact 2-D Lamb wave solution using Bessel and Hankel functions. Damage effects were inserted in the model by considering the damage as a secondary wave source with complex-valued directivity scattering coefficients containing both amplitude and phase information from wave-damage interaction. The analytical procedure was coded with MATLAB, and a predictive simulation tool called WaveFormRevealer 2-D was developed. The wave-damage interaction coefficients (WDICs) were extracted from harmonic analysis of local finite element model (FEM) with artificial non-reflective boundaries (NRB). The WFR-2D analytical simulation results were compared and verified with full scale multiphysics finite element models and experiments with scanning laser vibrometer. First, Lamb wave propagation in a pristine aluminum plate was simulated with WFR-2D, compared with finite element results, and verified by experiments. Then, an inhomogeneity was machined into the plate to represent damage. Analytical modeling was carried out, and verified by finite element simulation and experiments. This paper finishes with conclusions and suggestions for future work.
SIMPLE NONRELATIVISTIC MODEL FOR SINGLE MESON PRODUCTION

Single pseudoscalar meson production is assumed to be described by a transition matrix element taken between initial and final two-nucleon wave functions defined as solutions to Schr\"odinger's equation with a phenomenological potential included. The effective interaction is a linear combination of the two possible nonrelativistic invariants. The angular distribution and energy dependence is considered in detail for the reaction $p+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}+d$. Using the Jastrow potential to define the proton wave functions, the large anisotropy can be explained by including the $D$ state of the deuteron. Results become less satisfactory at increasing energies. The predicted energy dependence of the total cross section for proton beam energies from 311 Mev to 515 Mev agrees well with experiment. The strong dependence of the cross section on the incident proton momentum contributes to the agreement.An order of magnitude estimate of the alternate reaction, $p+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}+n+p$, predicts, at 340 Mev (laboratory system), a branching ratio slightly greater than one.Finally, the absorption rate of ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ mesons by deuterons from a $K$-shell orbit, i.e., ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}+d\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2n$, is calculated. This gives an estimate of the strength of the $S$ meson wave part of the interaction and is consistent with the restrictions imposed by the results obtained for the reaction $p+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}+d$.
Caregiver Reports of Serious Injuries in Children Who Remain at Home After a Child Protective Services Investigation

The study objectives were to examine serious injuries requiring medical attention among children who remain at home after a child welfare/child protective services (CPS) maltreatment investigation in the US and to determine whether child/caregiver characteristics and ongoing CPS involvement are related to injuries requiring medical attention. Using the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being, we analyzed data on the subsample of children who remained at home (N = 3,440). A multivariate logistic regression model included child characteristics, chronic illness and disability in the child, level of CPS involvement, subsequent foster care placement, caregiver characteristics, and caregiver/family psychological variables. Injuries requiring medical attention were identified in 10.6% of the in-home population over a15-month period, with no differences in rates by age. Children with a chronic medical condition (OR = 2.07; 95% CI, 1.20–3.58) and children with depressed caregivers (OR = 2.28; 95% CI, 1.45–3.58) were more likely to have an injury that required medical care. Older caregivers (>54 years) were less likely (OR = 0.15; 95% CI, 0.03–0.69) to have a child with an injury requiring care. Injuries were not related to further involvement with CPS after the initial maltreatment investigation. Children with chronic medical conditions who remained in their biological homes or whose caregivers were depressed were likely to experience an injury requiring medical attention. Older caregivers were less likely to report a child injury. Extending existing health policies for foster children to children who remain at home following referral to CPS may encourage more comprehensive injury prevention for this population.
Studies on the relationships between cell population and growth kinetics of root meristems

Abstract Experiments were performed with three varieties of Pisum sativum (Alaska, Weitor, and Witham Wonder), Helianthus annuus and Vicia faba to further study the relationship between cell population and growth kinetics of root meristems. The duration of the mitotic cycle, DNA synthesis (S period), pre-DNA synthetic period (G1), post-DNA synthetic period (G2) and mitosis were measured by simultaneously marking meristematic cells with colchicine and 3H-thymidine. Autoradiography was used to distinguish the cells labeled with 3H-thymidine. The number of proliferating cells was estimated mathematically from cell population kinetic data and cell counts; the number of cell files was determined from cross sections of the meristem; the growth rate was measured once daily. The results indicated that the mitotic cycle, S, G1, G2, and mitotic duration were very similar in all varieties of Pisum; that Helianthus had the shortest G2 period of all plants tested, and that Vicia had a longer S and cycle duration. Root growth rate was shown to be the reflection of the rate of cell proliferation per file and the average cell length at maturity and that the latter can be estimated by cell population and growth kinetics. The studies also demonstrated that neither mitotic cycle duration, root growth, cell counts, nor mitotic indices exclusively measure the growth and proliferative capacity of a tissue but rather a combination of all four parameters are necessary for an accurate estimation.
Rat trigeminal lamina I neurons that project to thalamic or parabrachial nuclei contain the μ-opioid receptor

Ligands of the μ-opioid receptor are known to inhibit nociceptive transmission in the dorsal horn, yet the cellular site(s) of action for this inhibition remain to be fully elucidated. Neurons located in lamina I of the dorsal horn are involved in distinct aspects of nociceptive transmission. Neurons projecting to the thalamus are thought to be involved in sensory-discriminative aspects of pain perception, while neurons projecting to the parabrachial nucleus are thought to be important for emotional and/or autonomic responses to noxious stimuli. The present study examined these two populations of lamina I projection neurons in the trigeminal dorsal horn to determine if the μ-opioid receptor protein (MOR1) is differentially located in these populations of neurons. Lamina I projection neurons were identified using the retrograde tracer FluoroGold (FGold). FGold was injected into either the contralateral thalamus (ventral posterolateral (VPM)/ventral posterolateral (VPL) thalamic region) or into the ipsilateral parabrachial nuclei. The distribution of MOR1 in these neurons was determined using immunocytochemistry. The distribution of MOR1-ir within these two populations of lamina I projection neurons was examined by both confocal and electron microscopy. We found that both populations of projection neurons contained MOR1. Immunogold analyses revealed the presence of MOR1-ir at membrane sites and within the cytoplasm of these neurons. Cytoplasmic receptor labeling may represent sites of synthesis, recycling or reserve populations of receptors. MOR1 was primarily found in the somata and proximal dendrites of projection neurons. In addition, these neurons rarely received synaptic input from MOR1-containing axon terminals. These results indicate that lamina I neurons in trigeminal dorsal horn that project to the thalamic and parabrachial nuclei contain MOR1 and are likely sites of action for MOR ligands that modulate sensory and/or autonomic aspects of pain transmission in the trigeminal dorsal horn.
Polyglot Dyslexia: A New Virus?

Bilingual students who also suffer from a learning disability require special techniques and attention.
A Forest Management Planning Model Integrating Silvicultural and Transportation Activities

This paper deals with the problem of integrating the analysis of timber management, forest road building and maintenance, and transporting logs. The aim of such analysis is to provide tools for the decisionmaking process in long-range forest planning. A mixed integer linear programming model is developed to maximize discounted revenues from the sale of timber net of road construction and maintenance, timber management, and transport costs. The main complexity of this model, which precludes a straightforward formulation, arises from the need to gain access to an area before it can be managed. Artificial variables and relations are introduced to avoid an unmanageably large number of 0-1 integer variables.
Selective inhibitors of platelet lipoxygenase: 4,7,10,13-icosatetraynoic acid and 5,8,11,14-henicosatetraynoic acid

Abstract Nine acetylenic acids were evaluated to determine what structural features are required for selective inhibition of platelet lipoxygenase. Both 4,7,10,13-icosatetraynoic acid and 5,8,11,14-henicosatetraynoic acid inhibited the synthesis of 12-L-hydroxy-5,8,10,14-icosatetraenoic acid (HETE) more than 95 percent without significantly altering the production of either thromboxane B2 or 12-L-hydroxy-5,8,10-heptadecatrienoic acid (HHT). The ID50 concentrations (μM) for inhibiting the synthesis of thromboxane B2 and HETE were respectively 51 and 0.46 with 4,7,10,13-icosatetraynoic acid while similar concentrations of 64 and 0.31 were found for 5,8,11,14-henicosatetraynoic acid.
Race, Isolation, and Exclusion: What Early Childhood Teacher Educators Need to Know About the Experiences of Pre-Service Teachers of Color

Historically, in the United States, early childhood teacher education has been a discursive space dominated by White, English-monolingual, middle class perspectives. By and large, this space has remained unexamined even as the field acknowledges the need for more early childhood teachers of color. This study seeks to gain insights into the perspectives of pre-service teachers of color as they navigate this Eurocentric space. To do so, it addresses the following question: In what ways does early childhood teacher education shape the experiences of pre-service teachers of color? By looking closely at the perspectives of four pre-service teachers of color in predominantly White private institutions of higher education in large urban centers, this study seeks to address the pressing need to illuminate the experiences of students of color in early childhood pre-service teacher education programs, especially regarding the ways in which they negotiate becoming teachers in such a normed space while battling both socially-imposed and self-internalized deficit conceptions of their own identities as individuals and developing teachers.
Efficient copackaging and cotransport yields postsynaptic colocalization of neuromodulators associated with synaptic plasticity

Recent data suggest that tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) influences long-term plasticity at hippocampal synapses by converting plasminogen into plasmin, which then generates mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (mBDNF) from its precursor, proBDNF. Motivated by this hypothesis, we used fluorescent chimeras, expressed in hippocampal neurons, to elucidate (1) mechanisms underlying plasminogen secretion from hippocampal neurons, (2) if tPA, plasminogen, and proBDNF are co-packaged and co-transported in hippocampal neurons, especially within dendritic spines, and (3) mechanisms mediating the transport of these neuromodulators to sites of release. We find that plasminogen chimeras traffic through the regulated secretory pathway of hippocampal neurons in dense-core granules (DCGs) and that tPA, plasminogen, and proBDNF chimeras are extensively co-packaged in DCGs throughout hippocampal neurons. We also find that 80% of spines that contain DCGs contain chimeras of these neuromodulators in the same DCG. Finally, we demonstrate, for the first time, that neuromodulators undergo co-transport along dendrites in rapidly mobile DCGs, indicating that neuromodulators can be efficiently recruited into active spines. These results support the hypothesis that tPA mediates synaptic activation of BDNF by demonstrating that tPA, plasminogen, and proBDNF co-localize in DCGs in spines, where these neuromodulators can undergo activity-dependent release and then interact and/or mediate changes that influence synaptic efficacy. The results also raise the possibility that frequency-dependent changes in extents of neuromodulator release from DCGs influence the direction of plasticity at hippocampal synapses by altering the relative proportions of two proteins, mBDNF and proBDNF, that exert opposing effects on synaptic efficacy.
Totally unimodular multistage stochastic programs

We consider totally unimodular multistage stochastic programs, that is, multistage stochastic programs whose extensive-form constraint matrices are totally unimodular. We establish several sufficient conditions and identify examples that have arisen in the literature.
Is obstructive sleep apnea syndrome a neurological disorder? A continuous positive airway pressure follow‐up study

Abnormal sensory responses have been found in the upper airway of obstructive sleep apnea patients, but no long-term study has been published previously regarding the evolution of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and persistence of abnormal pharyngeal sensory evaluation in response to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment. Over 5 years, we managed healthy, nonobese subjects compliant with nasal CPAP. Only 47 subjects completed this prospective study, due to protocol requirements. They underwent regular clinical evaluation, subjective scales, four polysomnographies without nasal CPAP, recalibration of nasal CPAP with polysomnography, regular downloading of home data, and a palatal two-point discrimination study. None of the subjects presented normal results at any checkpoint when they had been without CPAP for two or three nights. By the completion of the study, all subjects required an increase in nasal CPAP (1-7 cm H(2)O) and demonstrated abnormal two-point palatal discrimination compared with control subjects. Despite initial control of clinical symptoms with regular usage of nasal CPAP in subjects without weight change, abnormal sensory palatal evaluation was present at the conclusion of the study. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome involves abnormal upper airway sensory input, which may be responsible for the development of apneas and hypopneas. These neurological lesions are persistent despite nasal CPAP treatment.
Wellness Motivation Theory: An Exploration of Theoretical Relevance

Data were collected from 14 older, rural African American men and women to explore how individual motivation affects the initiation and maintenance of health-related behavior. The research consisted of an inductive exploration designed to examine the validity and cultural relevance of an existing theoretical framework for wellness motivation in health behavior change. Through the technique of constant comparative analysis, the basic social process of empowering potential was substantiated as a process of individual growth and goal-directed behavior that facilitated the initiation and maintenance of positive health patterns. The process of empowering potential consisted of three stages: appraising readiness, changing, and integrating change. Two categories provided a cultural context for the process: health value orientation and network affiliation. The data validated and expanded a developing theoretical framework for wellness motivation in health behavior change.
Design Methodology for Low Power and Parametric Robustness Through Output-Quality Modulation: Application to Color-Interpolation Filtering

Power dissipation and robustness to process variation have conflicting design requirements. Scaling of voltage is associated with larger variations, while Vdd upscaling or transistor up-sizing for parametric-delay variation tolerance can be detrimental for power dissipation. However, for a class of signal-processing systems, effective tradeoff can be achieved between Vdd scaling, variation tolerance, and ldquooutput quality.rdquo In this paper, we develop a novel low-power variation-tolerant algorithm/architecture for color interpolation that allows a graceful degradation in the peak-signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) under aggressive voltage scaling as well as extreme process variations. This feature is achieved by exploiting the fact that all computations used in interpolating the pixel values do not equally contribute to PSNR improvement. In the presence of Vdd scaling and process variations, the architecture ensures that only the ldquoless important computationsrdquo are affected by delay failures. We also propose a different sliding-window size than the conventional one to improve interpolation performance by a factor of two with negligible overhead. Simulation results show that, even at a scaled voltage of 77% of nominal value, our design provides reasonable image PSNR with 40% power savings.
A literature review: Nigerian and Ghanaian videos

The main purpose of this review of the published academic literature on Nigerian and Ghanaian video films is to foster self-awareness in this new field of study. This literature has been produced on three continents and out of many academic disciplines; in consequence, scholars tend to make few references to others working in the field, debates have been rare, and there has been a great deal of repetition. African Cinema studies, as it had already been constituted, has been slow to recognize and adapt to the video revolution, and film studies in African universities has suffered from the decline of those institutions. Anthropologists have done much of the groundbreaking work in describing the video phenomenon, though Nigerians from a variety of disciplines have also made valuable contributions. Theoretical analyses, cultural interpretations, reception studies, and detailed, extended readings of particular films are all on the agenda for the future.
Miniaturized UWB Bandpass Filters With Notch Using Slow-Wave CPW Multiple-Mode Resonators

In this letter, a miniaturized, ultra-wideband (UWB) filter with notch using a slow-wave co-planar waveguide (CPW) multiple-mode resonator (MMR) is presented. By employing a slow-wave CPW MMR, the resonator length is reduced by 40% at mid-band frequency compared to the conventional CPW MMR. The proposed UWB filter employs stub-loaded microstrip-CPW transitions that improve the rejection skirt and defected ground structures (DGS) to provide better stopband rejection. A novel bridge structure is proposed to create a notch in the filter passband to reject WLAN interference. A passband from 3.1 to 10.6 GHz (110% bandwidth around 6.85 GHz) with a rejection notch at 5.65 GHz is achieved with insertion loss of 0.9 dB and return loss better than 10 dB. Using DGS, a rejection greater than 22 dB is achieved from 11 to 16 GHz while still having a 25% reduction in filter size compared to the conventional case. Design, simulation and measurement of filter prototypes are presented.
Audio data hiding with application to surround sound

There has been a lot of interest recently in applying channel coding with side information (CCSI) concepts to data hiding. Part of the interest stems from the fact that information theoretic bounds can be derived for such systems. In this paper, we model the audio data embedding problem as a parallel CCSI problem. This is done by dividing the audio spectrum into frequency bins and then treating each bin as a separate CCSI channel. A perceptual mask is derived from the audio signal to determine the amount of power to use in each channel. It acts as a "water-filling" formula by determining the amount of distortion that can be introduced into each frequency bin without introducing audible distortion. As a result, our data embedding scheme will be imperceptible to the human ear. An exciting application for our audio data embedding solution is to embed data within the audio signal that will enable surround sound at the receiver. The resulting surround sound system will be better than existing surround sound systems that are based on manipulating two stereo channels to derive the other surround channels.
Non-coding sequence retrieval system for comparative genomic analysis of gene regulatory elements.

Background Completion of the human genome sequence along with other species allows for greater understanding of the biochemical mechanisms and processes that govern healthy as well as diseased states. The large size of the genome sequences has made them difficult to study using traditional methods. There are many studies focusing on the protein coding sequences, however, not much is known about the function of non-coding regions of the genome. It has been demonstrated that parts of the non-coding region play a critical role as gene regulatory elements. Enhancers that regulate transcription processes have been found in intergenic regions. Furthermore, it is observed that regulatory elements found in non-coding regions are highly conserved across different species. However, the analysis of these regulatory elements is not as straightforward as it may first seem. The development of a centralized resource that allows for the quick and easy retrieval of non-coding sequences from multiple species and is capable of handing multi-gene queries is critical for the analysis of non-coding sequences. Here we describe the development of a web-based non-coding sequence retrieval system.
Ankle arthrodesis after failed total ankle replacement: a systematic review of the literature.

Purpose: As the number of total ankle replacements (TARs) performed has risen, so has the need for revision. The purpose of this investigation was to perform a systematic review of clinical outcomes following a salvage ankle arthrodesis from a failed TAR to identify patient- and technique-specific prognostic factors and to determine the clinical outcomes and complications following an ankle arthrodesis for a failed TAR. Methods: We searched PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for studies that analyzed ankle fusion after failed TAR with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. Results: We included 16 studies (193 patients). The majority of patients (41%) underwent the index TAR for rheumatoid arthritis. The majority of these revision surgeries were secondary to component loosening, frequently of the talar component (38%). In the cases that were revised to an ankle arthrodesis, 81% fused after their first arthrodesis procedure. The intercalary bone graft group and the blade...
The effect of FDA approval of a generic competitor to OxyContin ® (oxycodone HCl controlled-release) tablets on the abuse of oxycodone

Controversy exists concerning whether abuse of oxycodone will increase after the introduction of generic controlled-release (CR) oxycodone. We evaluated the effect of FDA approval of generic CR oxycodone on the misuse/abuse of oxycodone, hydrocodone, methadone and morphine utilizing data from eight poison control centers (PCC). PCC intentional exposure (IE) reason codes were used as measures of abuse. Opioid-specific quarterly IE rates (per 100,000 population and per 10,000 patients) were calculated for 1 year before and after approval (March 24, 2004). Changes in regression slopes (1 year before to 1 year after) and in IE rates (1 quarter before to 1 quarter after) were analyzed using Poisson regression. The regression slopes for oxycodone, methadone and morphine did not change after approval but decreased significantly for hydrocodone. None of the prescription opioids' IE rates significantly increased after approval. When changes in oxycodone's IE rates were compared to the other opioids, no statistically significant differences were found, indicating a lack of time-opioid interaction. These results did not vary when population rates or patient rates were used. PCC data indicate that approval of generic CR oxycodone was not followed by an immediate unfavorable effect on the misuse/abuse of oxycodone.
Antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial isolates from 233 horses with musculoskeletal infection during 1979-1989

Bacterial culture and susceptibility results were analysed from 233 horses with septic arthritis/tenosynovitis or osteomyelitis that developed after fracture repair. Antibiotics were deemed highly effective, effective or ineffective if > or = 85%, 70-84.9% or < 70% of the isolates were susceptible respectively. In total, 424 bacterial types were isolated; 386 were aerobic or facultative and 38 were anaerobic. Enterobacteriaceae (28.8%) were the most common bacterial group isolated, followed by non-beta-haemolytic streptococci (13.0%), coagulase-positive staphylococci (11.8%), beta-haemolytic streptococci (9.4%), and coagulase-negative staphylococci (7.3%). The remainder of the organisms were other Gram-negative (15.8%), other Gram-positive (2.3%) and miscellaneous (2.6%) bacteria. Penicillin and ampicillin were highly effective against beta-haemolytic streptococci, but were ineffective against other bacteria. Ampicillin was no more effective than penicillin against most bacteria. Amikacin was the most effective antibiotic against the wide range of bacteria isolated in this study. Amikacin was highly effective against coagulase-positive staphylococci, Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas and was effective against coagulase-negative staphylococci and Actinobacillus. Gentamycin was not highly effective against any bacterial group; but was effective against coagulase-positive and negative staphylococci, Pseudomonas, Salmonella and Actinobacillus. Kanamycin was ineffective against all bacteria with the exception of Actinobacillus. Cephalothin was highly effective against beta-haemolytic streptococci, coagulase-positive staphylococci and Actinobacillus and was effective against coagulase-negative staphylococci.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Nonlinear data fusion

Consideration is given to a random process whose state is observed by N distributed sensors. Each sensor's measurements are supplied to a nearby local station. Each station processes its observation history to produce a local conditional density function. A coordinator must reconstruct the centralized (global) conditional density of the state process, conditioned on the distributed noise-corrupted observation histories of all the stations. The coordinator can only access the local conditional densities, not the observation histories themselves. The local processors' models can differ from the coordinator's model of the distributed observation dynamics. By constraining the choice of the local models, the coordinator reconstructs exactly the centralized conditional density (as if it has access to all the measurement histories). A nonlinear distributed estimation problem is solved using reduced-order local models that lessen the local processors' complexities or computational loads. >
Prenatal diagnosis of nonrhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata (Conradi-Hünermann syndrome).

Chondrodysplasia punctata has been classified into two major types including the rare autosomal recessive “rhizomelic type” and a more common but genetically heterogenous nonrhizomelic type (referrred to by some authors as “Sonradi-Hunermann (CH) type”). The former is typically lethal, manifesting serious anomalies, and allowing several instances of confident prenatal diagnosis. The latter being milder has more subtle anomalies and prenatal diagnosis has been uncommonly reported (confined to cases diagnosed incidentally by flat-plate X-ray examination of the mother in late third trimester, and a case found by directed ultrasound performed in a mandelian affected mother). Cases included (1) a young primigravida thought to be affected with Conradi-Hunermann syndrome presented at 16 weeks gestation for prenatal diagnosis and counseling. Ultrasound examination of the fetus detected assymetric limb shortness allowing the presumptive diagnosis of an affected fetus which was confirmed after delivery near term. (2) A normal 38-year-old multipara with unremarkable family history underwent routine fetal ultrasound evaluation at 18 weeks gestation. Disorganization of the spine, premature echogenicity of femorl epipheses, and frontal bossing with depressed nasal bridge were described. Neonatal examination confirmed suspicion of CH. Case 1 demonstrates the importance of solid clinical diagnosis in Mendelian malformation-affected parents for directing prenatal diagnostic efforts. Case 2 represents the first index case of CH diagnosed antenatally by ultrasound. Diagnostic clues which must be considered in establishing these diagnoses are discussed, as are some of the difficulties and limitations in antenatal counseling such cases. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Operating temperatures in mist lubricated rolling element bearings for gas turbines

In addition to geometry and environmental factors, the operating temperatures of bearings are directly affected by the applied load, the operating speed, the friction torque, and the lubricant type and viscosity. If heat dissipation is not adequate, the bearing system temperature will increase to the point that the lubricant is distressed, ultimately leading to bearing failure. Current studies are investigating both mist and vapor phase lubrication which have the potential to increase lubricant operating temperature from 200/spl deg/C for a conventional recirculating polyolester liquid to as high as 600/spl deg/C for a tertiary-butyl phenylphosphate. The primary benefit of these lubrication methods is the potential to reduce the lubricant on-board storage requirements, in particular for expendable engine applications. However, this technique removes the primary mode for heat rejection, and the bearing operating temperature may become the critical factor for life considerations. A process has been developed to numerically investigate the operating temperature of a rolling element bearing using the finite element method. Predicted steady-state temperature responses for a 30 mm ball bearing operating with mist lubricant delivered at 325/spl deg/C for three different shaft operating speeds are presented. This analysis process can be used to evaluate thermal conditions and to determine cooling requirements for future bearing system designs.
Our Known Everydayness: Beyond a Response to White Privilege

Our survival as African American women in a large, predominantly White research university has depended on us creating a time and space for sharing our daily experiences. In understanding the role ...