cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of deletion of muscle LIM protein on myocyte function.

Muscle LIM protein (MLP) may serve as a scaffold protein on the actin-based cytoskeleton, and mice deficient in this protein (MLPKO) have been recently reported to develop dilated cardiomyopathy. T...
Time-domain analysis of power law attenuation in space-fractional wave equations

Ultrasound attenuation in soft tissue follows a power law as a function of the ultrasound frequency, and in medical ultrasound, power law attenuation is often described by fractional calculus models that contain one or more time- or space-fractional derivatives. For certain time-fractional models, exact and approximate time-domain Green's functions are known, but similar expressions are not available for the space-fractional models that describe power law attenuation. To address this deficiency, a numerical approach for calculating time-domain Green's functions for the Chen–Holm space-fractional wave equation and Treeby–Cox space-fractional wave equation is introduced, where challenges associated with the numerical evaluation of a highly oscillatory improper integral are addressed with the Filon integration formula combined with the Pantis method. Numerical results are computed for both of these space-fractional wave equations at different distances in breast and liver with power law exponents of 1.5 and 1.139, respectively. The results show that these two space-fractional wave equations are causal and that away from the origin, the time-domain Green's function for the Treeby–Cox space-fractional wave equation is very similar to the time-domain Green's function for the time-fractional power law wave equation.Ultrasound attenuation in soft tissue follows a power law as a function of the ultrasound frequency, and in medical ultrasound, power law attenuation is often described by fractional calculus models that contain one or more time- or space-fractional derivatives. For certain time-fractional models, exact and approximate time-domain Green's functions are known, but similar expressions are not available for the space-fractional models that describe power law attenuation. To address this deficiency, a numerical approach for calculating time-domain Green's functions for the Chen–Holm space-fractional wave equation and Treeby–Cox space-fractional wave equation is introduced, where challenges associated with the numerical evaluation of a highly oscillatory improper integral are addressed with the Filon integration formula combined with the Pantis method. Numerical results are computed for both of these space-fractional wave equations at different distances in breast and liver with power law exponents of 1.5 and ...
Engineering High Quality Medical Software: Regulations, standards, methodologies and tools for certification

No longer confined to medical devices, medical software has become a pervasive technology giving healthcare operators access to clinical information stored in electronic health records and clinical decision support systems, supporting robot-assisted telesurgery, and providing the technology behind ambient assisted living. These systems and software must be designed, built and maintained according to strict regulations and standards to ensure that they are safe, reliable and secure. Engineering High Quality Medical Software illustrates how to exploit techniques, methodologies, development processes and existing standards to realize high-confidence medical software. After an introductory survey of the topic the book covers global regulations and standards (including EU MDD 93/42/EEC, FDA Title 21 of US CFR, ISO 13485, ISO 14971, IEC 52304, IEEE 1012 and ISO/IEC 29119), verification and validation techniques and techniques, and methodologies and engineering tasks for the development, configuration and maintenance of medical software.
Reconstruction of Multiple-Scattering Complex Media by Iterative Optical Diffraction Tomography

We demonstrated the reconstruction of complex media beyond the weakly-scattering regime using iterative diffraction tomography. The accuracy and efficiency of the iterative reconstruction are numerically demonstrated.
Cost and Family Obligation in Everyday Sacrifice to Parents Among European American and Chinese Emerging Adults

Cultural studies on sacrifices made by emerging adults have given limited attention to the cost involved. We addressed this issue in studies among U.S. and Chinese emerging adults. Assessing real-l...
Autonomous driving with an agent: speech style and embodiment

A driving agent can be an effective interface to interact with drivers to increase trust towards the autonomous driving vehicle. While driving research on agent has mostly focused on the voice-agent, little empirical findings on the robot-agent were reported. In the present study, we compared three different agents (informative voice-agent, informative robot-agent, and conversational robot-agent) to investigate their effects on driver perception in Level 5 autonomous driving. A driving simulator experiment with an agent was conducted. Twelve drivers experienced a simulated autonomous driving and responded to Godspeed questionnaire, RoSAS questionnaire, and social presence. Drivers rated the conversational robot-agent as significantly more competent, warmer, and providing higher social presence than the other two agents. Interestingly, despite this emotional closeness, drivers' attitude toward the conversational robot-agent was contradictory. They mostly chose the conversational robot-agent as the best option or the worst option. Findings of the present study are meaningful as a first step of exploring the potential of various types of in-vehicle agents in the context of autonomous driving.
Intrinsic mitotic activity supports the human salivary gland acinar cell population.

To develop treatments for salivary gland dysfunction, it is important to understand how human salivary glands are maintained under normal homeostasis. Previous data from our lab demonstrated that murine salivary acinar cells maintain the acinar cell population through self-duplication under conditions of homeostasis, as well as after injury. Early studies suggested that human acinar cells are mitotically active, but the identity of the resultant daughter cells was not clear. Using markers of cell cycle activity and mitosis, as well as an ex vivo 5-Ethynyl-2´-deoxyuridine assay, we show that human salivary gland acinar cells divide to generate daughter acinar cells. As in mouse, our data indicate that human salivary gland homeostasis is supported by the intrinsic mitotic capacity of acinar cells.
Automatic segmentation of cardiac structures for breast cancer radiotherapy

Abstract Background and purpose We developed an automatic method to segment cardiac substructures given a radiotherapy planning CT images to support epidemiological studies or clinical trials looking at cardiac disease endpoints after radiotherapy. Material and methods We used a most-similar atlas selection algorithm and 3D deformation combined with 30 detailed cardiac atlases. We cross-validated our method within the atlas library by evaluating geometric comparison metrics and by comparing cardiac doses for simulated breast radiotherapy between manual and automatic contours. We analyzed the impact of the number of cardiac atlas in the library and the use of manual guide points on the performance of our method. Results The Dice Similarity Coefficients from the cross-validation reached up to 97% (whole heart) and 80% (chambers). The Average Surface Distance for the coronary arteries was less than 10.3 mm on average, with the best agreement (7.3 mm) in the left anterior descending artery (LAD). The dose comparison for simulated breast radiotherapy showed differences less than 0.06 Gy for the whole heart and atria, and 0.3 Gy for the ventricles. For the coronary arteries, the dose differences were 2.3 Gy (LAD) and 0.3 Gy (other arteries). The sensitivity analysis showed no notable improvement beyond ten atlases and the manual guide points does not significantly improve performance. Conclusion We developed an automated method to contour cardiac substructures for radiotherapy CTs. When combined with accurate dose calculation techniques, our method should be useful for cardiac dose reconstruction of a large number of patients in epidemiological studies or clinical trials.
Compatibility of Commercially Produced Protective Cultures with Common Cheesemaking Cultures and Their Antagonistic Effect on Foodborne Pathogens.

ABSTRACT The documented survival of pathogenic bacteria, including Listeria monocytogenes (LM), Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), and Salmonella during the manufacture and aging of some cheeses highlights the need for additional interventions to enhance food safety. Unfortunately, few interventions are compliant with the Standards of Identity for cheese. Protective bacterial cultures (PCs) represent actionable, natural interventions. However, supportive data for commercially produced PCs regarding their efficacy against pathogens and potential antagonism with each other and cheesemaking cultures are scant, thereby impeding their potential use by the cheese industry. The overall objective of this study was to identify commercially produced PCs that exert antimicrobial activity toward pathogens with minimal impact on beneficial cheese microbes. Direct antagonism and agar well diffusion assays were used to determine the impact of 10 commercially produced PCs on the growth of starter cultures and cultures of ripening bacteria and fungi. Deferred antagonism was used to evaluate the potential for antimicrobial effects against LM, STEC, and Salmonella. PCs and starter cultures were cocultured in ultrahigh-temperature-processed milk to determine the effects of coculture on starter acidification profiles when incubated according to a simulated cheesemaking temperature profile (4 h at 35°C followed by 20 h at 20°C). Compatibility assays suggest that PC antagonism is microbe and strain specific. Only one PC negatively impacted the acidification of the starters tested. PC antagonism of ripening bacteria and fungi growth varied but was consistent within species. All PCs displayed deferred inhibition of LM, STEC, and Salmonella growth, but to varying degrees. These data identify commercial PCs with potential for the control of pathogens and characterize their compatibility with cheesemaking cultures for future use by cheesemakers and investigations of their efficacy in the production of cheese. HIGHLIGHTS
Evaluation of Getter Metals in Na–Al–Si–O Aerogels and Xerogels for the Capture of Iodine Gas

In this paper, sodium aluminosilicate aerogels and xerogels were evaluated as scaffolds for a variety of different getters including Ag+, Cs+, Cu2+, Fe3+, K+, Li+, Rb+, Sb3+, Sn2+, and Sn4+ for the...
Manufacturing Process Design of a Microchannel Solar Receiver using Electrically-Assisted Embossing

Abstract Manufacturing process design (MPD) represents a design-oriented approach to manufacturing engineering. In this paper, Haynes 230 (H230), a solid solution strengthened Ni-based superalloy, was chosen to meet the material requirements of a microchannel solar receiver (MSR) needed to increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of solar thermal power generation. A MPD was developed to enable the cost-effective production of the MSR. This MPD revealed the need to increase the height-to-diameter aspect ratio of posts using electrically-assisted (EA) forming to reduce the mass and cost of MSR fluidic interconnects. Preliminary efforts to validate the MPD through fabrication of sub-scale MSR test articles resulted in several process failures. Among them, die and platen failure, accelerated creep during bonding due to grain refinement as a result of forming. This resulted in poorly formed channels in the final bonded devices. Suggestions for EA forming die material and adjusted forming setup geometry to reduce feature variability are discussed. Results suggest the need to perform solutionizing heat treatments of H230 after EA forming, prior to diffusion bonding, in order to meet the requirements of the MSR. Suggestions for EA forming die material and adjusted forming setup geometry to reduce feature variability are discussed
Green Exercise and Rural America: Cultural, Ecological, and Ideological Implications for Positive Social Change

As the global obesity pandemic continues to extend its epidemiological reach, its magnitude continues to transcend demographic boundaries. Increasingly, the extant literature highlights the myriad challenges experienced by socioeconomically disenfranchised populations to combat the insidious biopsychosocial impact of chronic health conditions. However, a counter argument suggests that rural Americans have wide ranging access to the natural environment—an intrinsic resource that offers a broad spectrum of health and wellness opportunities. Beyond its application as a tool for good health practices, green exercise—defined as physical activity in natural settings—can provide an existential platform for the ideals of self-sufficiency, solidarity, and sustainability. A call to capitalize on pre-existing prohealth resources represents an open window for social change dialogue as participants learn to reframe the idea of exercise—not as a task demand, but as an internalized lifestyle value. Invoking Astin and Astin’s (1996) social change model of leadership development, mentors of green exercise programs have opportunities to optimize their leadership and coalition skills, engender diversity-positive attitudes, and affect positive change in a widely underserved population. The following discussion highlights (a) cultural and ideological considerations, (b) theoretical foundations, (c) virtues of social change agency, and (d) the critical role of the program mentor as a facilitator of positive social change in the green exercise milieu. For a population that has been historically entrenched in perceived limitations, a revisionist view suggests that rural Americans have an abundance of naturebased prohealth resources at their disposal. Green exercise initiatives not only represent a practical health platform for rural Americans, but such opportunities can have a transformative impact on the timeworn socioecological dynamics that mediate positive social change.
Hepatitis C Virus Drugs Simeprevir And Grazoprevir Synergize with Remdesivir to Suppress SARS-CoV2 Replication

Effective control of COVID-19 requires antivirals directed against SARS-CoV-2 virus. Here we assess ten available HCV protease inhibitor drugs as potential SARS-CoV-2 antivirals. There is a striking structural similarity of the substrate binding clefts of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and HCV NS3/4A proteases, and virtual docking experiments show that all ten HCV drugs can potentially bind into the Mpro binding cleft. Seven of these HCV drugs inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Mpro protease activity, while four dock well into the PLpro substrate binding cleft and inhibit PLpro protease activity. These same seven HCV drugs inhibit SARS-CoV-2 virus replication in Vero and/or human cells, demonstrating that HCV drugs that inhibit Mpro, or both Mpro and PLpro, suppress virus replication. Two HCV drugs, simeprevir and grazoprevir synergize with the viral polymerase inhibitor remdesivir to inhibit virus replication, thereby increasing remdesivir inhibitory activity as much as 10-fold. Funding: This research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (R01-GM120574 to GTM) and RPI Center for Computational Innovations (to KB and GTM). This research was also partly funded by CRIP (Center for Research for Influenza Pathogenesis), a NIAID supported Center of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (CEIRS, contract #,HHSN272201400008C), by DARPA grant HR0011-19-2-0020, by supplements to NIAID grant U19AI142733 U19AI135972 and DoD grant W81XWH-20-1-0270, and by the generous support of the JPB Foundation, the Open Philanthropy Project (research grant 2020-215611 (5384)), and anonymous donors to AG-S. Conflict of Interest: A provisional patent application related to these, studies has been filed. GTM is a founder of Nexomics Biosciences, Inc. This, relationship has no conflict of interest with respect to this study. GTM and RMK are inventors in patents owned jointly by Rutgers University and the University of Texas at Austin concerning the use of specific compounds as antivirals against influenza virus. These patents have no conflict of interest for this study. AG-S is inventor in patents and patent application owned by the Icahn School of Medicine concerning the use of specific antiviral compounds. This inventorship has no conflict of interest with respect to this study.
Body-Biased Multiple-Gate Micro-Electro-Mechanical Relays

Micro-electro-mechanical relays with multiple gate electrodes ( i.e ., multiple input voltage signals), operated with a tunable body bias voltage, are investigated for more compact and energy-efficient implementation of digital logic circuits. Specifically, a relay design with three gate electrodes of equal area is demonstrated to be capable of performing different digital logic functions for the same input operating voltage ( ${V} _{\textbf {DD}}$ ), by adjusting the body bias voltage. Since the lower limit for ${V} _{\textbf {DD}}$ is equal to the switching hysteresis voltage ( ${V} _{\textbf {H}}$ ), the magnitude of ${V} _{\textbf {H}}$ is investigated for different combinations of transitioning input voltage signals. It is found that ${V} _{\textbf {H}}$ is larger for fewer transitioning input voltage signals, i.e. , reduced effective actuation area of the switching input voltage signal. This can set a practical upper limit for the number of independent gates in a single relay.
The cumulative incidence of dysphagia and dysphagia-free survival in persons diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

INTRODUCTION/AIMS Dysphagia worsens mortality and quality of life for persons diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), yet our understanding of its incidence and timing remains limited. In this study we sought to estimate dysphagia incidence and dysphagia-free survival over time. METHODS Using data from the Pooled Resource Open-Access ALS Clinical Trials Database, we compared characteristics of persons with and without dysphagia upon study entry. To account for competing mortality risk, we used Kaplan-Meier curves to estimate the cumulative incidence of dysphagia and the median number of days until the development of dysphagia or death in those without dysphagia at study entry. RESULTS Patients with dysphagia upon study entry were more likely to have bulbar onset and had faster rates of functional decline and shorter diagnostic delays. The cumulative incidence of new-onset dysphagia was 44% at 1 year and 64% at 2 years after trial enrollment for those with spinal onset, and 85% and 92% for those with bulbar onset. The median duration of dysphagia-free survival after trial enrollment was 11.5 months for those with spinal onset and 3.2 months for those with bulbar onset. DISCUSSION Our findings underscore the high risk for dysphagia development and support the need for early dysphagia referral and evaluation to minimize the risk of serious dysphagia-related complications.
Detection of ovarian cancer by elevated urinary levels of Bcl-2

2418 Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality among gynecological cancers. The lack of early symptoms and the absence of a reliable screening test to detect ovarian cancer result in over 70% of women being diagnosed after the disease has spread beyond the ovary so that the prognosis is poor (5-year survival is no better than 37%). Deregulation of apoptosis due to overexpression of anti-apoptotic proteins contributes to the malignant phenotype by supporting cancer cell growth and therapeutic resistance. To assess whether urinary levels of the anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2, could be used to detect ovarian cancer, urine was collected from normal healthy volunteers (N=18), patients with benign gynecologic disease (N=38) and patients with ovarian cancer (N=35) and measured for Bcl-2 by ELISA (mean ng/ml ± S.E.). The average amount of Bcl-2 in the urine of cancer patients was > 2 ng/ml and generally at least 10X greater than healthy controls or patients with benign disease (p 35 U/ml only identified 68% of ovarian cancer patients. Urinary levels of Bcl-2 decreased up to 100% in ovarian cancer patients following debulking surgery and remained low during chemotherapy, but increased significantly with recurrence of disease. Comparison of clinical parameters indicated that urinary levels of Bcl-2 correlated well with tumor stage and grade. However, urinary levels of Bcl-2 were not related to patient age or tumor size. Therefore, quantification of urinary Bcl-2 by ELISA-based assay appears to provide a safe, sensitive, specific and economical method to detect ovarian cancer, to monitor ovarian cancer throughout the course of disease and, possibly, to predict therapeutic and prognostic outcome. Clearly, the robust performance of urinary Bcl-2 as a marker of ovarian cancer warrants further investigation.
Analysis of a high-performance tubular solar collector

This article analyzes the thermal performance of a new vacuum tube solar collector. The assumptions and mathematical modeling are presented. The problem is reduced to the formulation of two simultaneous linear differential equations characterizing the collector thermal behavior. After applying the boundary conditions, a general solution is obtained which is found similar to the general Hottel, Whillier and Bliss form, but with a complex flow factor. The details of the two-dimensional thermal model of the solar collector at steady state is also presented to include the computer simulation and the performance parameterization. Comparison of the simulated performance with the manufacturer's test data showed good agreement at wide ranges of operating conditions.
Coronary Complications of Percutaneous Coronary Interventions

This chapter discusses common coronary complications encountered during percutaneous coronary interventions.
COSMOLOGICAL SYNTHESIS OF THE ELEMENTS

The results of improved calculations of the abundances of the nuclei produced in big-bang models of the early universe are presented. In addition to the standard model, other possible universes are considered, including the recent statistical bootstrap theory of Carlitz, Frautschi, and Nahm. Some conclusions which can be drawn about the nature of the early universe, depending upon whether the observed deuterium and helium are of galactic or cosmological origin, are presented.
Effect of Cryoprotective Additives and Cryopreservation Protocol on Sperm Membrane Lipid Peroxidation and Recovery of Motile Human Sperm

Sperm membrane damage during cryopreservation reduces the recovery of motile sperm. The present study investigates changes in sperm motility and membrane lipid peroxidation (LPO) in response to two changes in the standard sperm cryopreservation/thawing methodology: 1) the addition of platelet-activating factor (PAF) and pentoxifylline (PTX) as cryoprotective additives, and 2) the alteration of sample thawing time. PAF (1 microM) and PTX (3 mM) were added to fresh sperm samples prior to cryopreservation. After 2 weeks the samples were thawed either quickly (5 minutes at 37 degrees C) or slowly (30 minutes at 4 degrees C) and evaluated for sperm motility and LPO. Thawing time influenced both post-thaw motility and LPO. Samples thawed quickly exhibited a 31% increase in motility recovery (35.2 +/- 4.3% in quick-thaw samples; 24.3 +/- 3.9% in slow-thaw samples) and a 23% lower LPO level (23.3 +/- 3.4% in quick-thaw samples; 30.09 +/- 4.4% in slow-thaw samples) compared to samples thawed slowly. Results also demonstrated that PAF (49 +/- 1.7%) or PTX (42.6 +/- 1.5%) enhance post-thaw motility in comparison to control (35.8 +/- 1.2%), whereas neither PAF nor PTX affect post-thaw LPO (19.1 +/- 2.2% in controls; 20.2 +/- 1.7% in PAF samples; 20.5 +/- 1.4% in PTX samples). These results support observations that there is a negative correlation between sperm motility and LPO in cryopreserved samples. The results also discount the hypothesis that LPO protection is a result of the cryoprotective action of PAF or PTX.
Psychosocial interventions for adults with severe mental illnesses and Co-occurring substance use disorders : A review of specific interventions

Abstract A growing body of research supports the effectiveness of integrated treatment for people with co-occurring severe mental illness and substance use disorders (dual disorders), but the effects of specific interventions are less clear. This review focuses on the effects of specific psychosocial interventions for dual disorders, including individual, group, and family modalities, as well as structural (e.g., case management model), procedural (e.g., contingency management), residential, and rehabilitation (e.g., vocational) interventions, with an emphasis on randomized controlled trials. Controlled research on specific individual interventions has focused mainly on motivation enhancement approaches for clients in the earlier stages of treatment, and has reported improved retention in treatment and substance abuse outcomes. Group interventions have been most extensively studied, with findings indicating that a variety of different treatment approaches specifically designed for dual disorder clients (e...
Figurative Language: "Meaning" is Often More than Just a Sum of the Parts.

Although the field of natural language processing has made considerable strides in the automated processing of standard language, figurative (i.e., non-literal) language still causes great difficulty. Normally, when we understand human language we combine the meaning of individual words into larger units in a compositional manner. However, understanding figurative language often involves an interpretive adjustment to individual words. A complete model of language processing needs to account for the way normal word meanings can be profoundly altered by their combination. Although figurative language is common in naturally occurring language, we know of no previous quantitative analyses of this phenomenon. Furthermore, while certain types and tokens are used more frequently than others, it is unknown whether frequency of use interacts with processing load. This paper outlines our current research program exploring the functional and neural bases of figurative language through a combination of theoretical work, corpus analysis, and experimental techniques. Previous research seems to indicate that the cerebral hemispheres may process language in parallel, each with somewhat different priorities, ultimately competing to reach an appropriate interpretation. If this is indeed the case, an optimal architecture for automated language processing may need to include similar parallel-processing circuits.
Influence of atmospheric and climatic change on plant–pathogen interactions

Atmospheric change studies conducted in free air concentration enrichment (FACE) systems and open-topped chambers have increased understanding of how factors, such as rising CO2 and O3 levels, impact the development of plant disease epidemics. Using these systems, plant scientists have been able to study host/pathogen systems under real-world conditions where variations in multiple environmental parameters impact disease outcomes. Results from these studies are useful for evaluating earlier predictions on plant responses to climate-change parameters and the resulting impacts on plant disease epidemics. Some of these predictions have been verified, whilst others have yet to be tested. Significant interactions among climate-change parameters are highlighting the importance of conducting studies under real-world conditions. The development of molecular and gene expression tools is allowing the fine scale mechanisms responsible for the observed reactions to be determined, and should increase the ability to predict plant disease outcomes under future climatic conditions.
Constancy of functional residual capacity in the supine position during hypoxia and hyperoxic hypercapnia.

Because of the mechanical interrelationship of the respiratory muscles, changes in lung volume may affect the values of mouth occlusion pressures (P0.1). Because we wanted to verify the value of P0.1 in both research and clinical studies, we investigated the effect of hypoxia and hyperoxic hypercapnia on functional residual capacity (FRC) in 6 supine normal male subjects on five separate occasions. The P0.1 and minute ventilation were highly correlated, and there were no significant changes in FRC at any time. We concluded that P0.1 can be interpreted as a valid parameter of central respiratory drives in supine subjects during hypoxia and hyperoxic hypercapnia.
Effects of age on energy balance

The effects of aging on energy requirements and energy balance have been studied by several research groups using the doubly labeled water method. The weight of evidence from these investigations suggests that current recommended dietary allowances underestimate the usual energy needs of adults of all ages, including older adults. In addition, doubly labeled water studies have found a significant negative association between body fatness and energy expenditure for physical activity, and a significant positive association between energy expenditure for physical activity and fat-free mass. Further studies are needed to refine estimates of energy requirements for different population groups and to address the role of physical activity in the prevention and treatment of obesity.
Sculpture design [virtual environments]

The roles of computers, multi-media, virtual environments, and rapid prototyping in the design of abstract geometrical sculptures are explored. The techniques described in this paper are the outgrowth of a six-year collaboration between Brent Collins, a wood sculptor, and Carlo Sequin, a computer scientist. They are particularly applicable to abstract geometrical sculptures, where precisely defined and highly optimized shapes follow a clear underlying logic. The use of these techniques has resulted in several sculpture families, represented by virtual displays, many small physical maquettes, and by a few large-scale sculptures.
Ethical issues in clinical practice: cases and analyses.

Given the severity and complexity of the neurologic disordes that can affect infants and children, pediatric neurologists frequently encounter complex and challenging ethical issues. This discussion uses five cases to illustrate common ethical issues and dilemmas that are confronted by pediatric neurologists. These cases involve the provision of artificial nutrition and hydration to patients in vegetative or minimally conscious states, the use of mechanical ventilation for patients with spinal muscular atrophy, controversial therapies for autistic spectrum disorders, the use of medical information obtained over the internet, and genetic testing in children with suspected Huntington's disease. The ethical concepts discussed in these cases include autonomy, confidentiality, futility, surrogate decision-making, the best-interest principle, and the withholding and withdrawal of treatment.
Genetic variation in the green anole lizard ( Anolis carolinensis ) reveals island refugia and a fragmented Florida during the quaternary

The green anole lizard (Anolis carolinensis) is a model organism for behavior and genomics that is native to the southeastern United States. It is currently thought that the ancestors of modern green anoles dispersed to peninsular Florida from Cuba. However, the climatic changes and geological features responsible for the early diversification of A. carolinensis in North America have remained largely unexplored. This is because previous studies (1) differ in their estimates of the divergence times of populations, (2) are based on a single genetic locus or (3) did not test specific hypotheses regarding the geologic and topographic history of Florida. Here we provide a multi-locus study of green anole genetic diversity and find that the Florida peninsula contains a larger number of genetically distinct populations that are more diverse than those on the continental mainland. As a test of the island refugia hypothesis in Pleistocene Florida, we use a coalescent approach to estimate the divergence times of modern green anole lineages. We find that all demographic events occurred during or after the Upper Pliocene and suggest that green anole diversification was driven by population divergence on interglacial island refugia in Florida during the Lower Pleistocene, while the region was often separated from continental North America. When Florida reconnected to the mainland, two separate dispersal events led to the expansion of green anole populations across the Atlantic Seaboard and Gulf Coastal Plain.
Metabolism of alpha-alkoxy glyceryl monoethers in rat liver, in vivo and in vitro.

An investigation of the metabolism of14C and3H labeled α-isomers of C16 and C18 alkoxy monoethers, administered intravenously and added to liver slices, showed extensive cleavage of the ether bond in rat liver. Approximately 99% cleavage of the C16∶0 ether bond and approximately 94% cleavage of the C18∶0 ether bond occurred in rat liver within 6 hours after intravenous injection. With doubly labeled chimyl alcohol (3H and14C), acetylation and subsequent acetolysis demonstrated that less than 0.92% of the phosphatides and less than 1.52% of total lipid radioactivity were in the form of alkoxy ethers. Long-chain fatty alcohols and fatty acids were the principal products of the ether cleavage in the liver. The relative rate of14C incorporation from chimyl alcohol and batyl alcohol into triglycerides and phospholipids, respectively, demonstrates that the palmitic (from chimyl alcohol) and stearic (from batyl alcohol) acids formed after cleavage enter the free fatty acid pool. The liver contained most of the radioactive label in the lecithin and cephalin of the microsomal fraction. Incubation of the labeled batyl or chimyl alcohols with liver slices resulted in the same products as in the in vivo experiments. Less than 1.4% of the C16 and C18 alkoxy ethers was oxidized to14CO2 during a 3-hour incubation. In view of the extensive cleavage of the ether bond by liver, the hemopoietic and radioprotective activities reported for the alkoxy ethers should be reevaluated in terms of their metabolic products.
Local generalized Hermite interpolation by quartic C2 space curves

This paper develops and explains the construction of a piecewise quartic space curve that interpolates positional, tangent, and curvature data. The construction is local and explicit; that is, it does not involve the solution of equations. If only positional data are known, then the tangent and curvature data can he derived by simple local default rules. Another option is to reduce the degree of the curve or minimize the a-norm of its derivative by solving a diagonally dominant, banded, linear system.
The role of power in sexual harassment as a counterproductive behavior in organizations

Abstract We present sexual harassment (SH) as a counterproductive behavior and show how revealing the role of power as an underlying motive in SH and other counterproductive work behavior (CWB) incidents may help us to more fully understand these negative phenomena. We offer a model explicating the role of power in SH based on French and Raven's (French, J. R. & Raven, B. H. (1959). The bases of social power. In Cartwright, D. (Ed.), Studies in social power. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, Institute of Social Research) description of sources of power, and expanded to include individual, organizational, and societal levels of such influences. Specifically, we propose that: 1) Recognizing the various bases of power can help identify and rectify power issues in SH, as well as in other CWB incidents; 2) SH and related CWBs are symptoms of a culture of power issues (including abuse) in the organization.
Oxygen and carbon isotope ratios of Lampsilis cardium (Unionidae) from two streams in agricultural watersheds of Iowa, USA

Abstract Climate archives preserved as seasonal variation in oxygen and carbon isotope ratios (δ18O and δ13C) in unionid shells potentially provide records of pre-instrumental environmental conditions in mid- to high-latitude continental regions. This study measured δ18O and δ13C values of biogenic carbonate and δ18OWATER to investigate the timing of growth line formation and to examine the utility of Lampsilis cardium as an environmental archive. We tested the hypotheses that: (1) L. cardium precipitates its shell in isotopic equilibrium with the environment during biomineralization; and (2) growth lines form seasonally during winter months. These questions were addressed by monitoring water chemistry, by tagging L. cardium to record growth, and by combining sclerochronology and stable isotope geochemistry. Temperature and δ18OWATER were measured fortnightly from September 2002 to July 2004 with a break in sampling from December 2003 to February 2004 in two Iowa rivers, Boone River and Buffalo Creek. These data were used to calculate expected δ18O values to compare to measured shell values. One hundred fifty-four individuals were marked at the postero-dorsal margin in September 2002 and June 2003 to monitor growth. Seven recaptured shells collected in July 2004 were analyzed for shell δ18O and δ13C across three growth lines (including growth lines prior to the initial marking period) from the growing edge toward the umbo. Comparison of shell δ18O with expected values revealed precipitation of δ18O in equilibrium with the ambient environment from early spring to early fall. Winter values were not recorded due to winter growth cessation. Change in temperature or reaching a threshold temperature appeared to control the onset and cessation of growth. Moreover, the locations of seasonal growth lines corresponded to winter growth cessation allowing the assignment of calendar years to growth lines. Seasonal growth lines were distinguished from non-seasonal disturbance lines by their seasonal location inferred from the δ18O time series recorded in shell growth. Thus, we can faithfully reconstruct ontogeny through time and environmental and climate conditions from mid to high latitudes using L. cardium. Variation in δ13CSHELL followed a more or less sinusoidal trend similar to the seasonal profiles of δ18OSHELL, suggesting that seasonal processes influenced the variation in carbon isotopes. Reduced amplitudes and more negative δ13CSHELL values with increasing age suggest that kinetic and/or metabolic isotope effects become important through ontogeny as observed in other bivalves. The profiles of δ13CSHELL potentially record local differences in landscape vegetation. However, specific factors influencing δ13CSHELL are unknown, and further study of water quality are required to fully assess the variation of δ13CSHELL as an environmental proxy.
Reduction of plasma triglyceride concentration by acute stress in man.

Abstract Three different forms of stress all resulted in acute reduction of plasma triglyceride concentrations. Pyrogen reactions in two hypertriglyceridemic men resulted in the lowering of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglyceride levels by 93% and 73% due to decreased secretion of this lipoprotein into plasma. More modest reductions in plasma triglycerides were observed after 2-deoxyglucose-induced intracellular glucopenia and insulin-induced hypoglycemia. With hypoglycemia, the lowering of plasma triglyceride concentration correlated significantly with the stimulation of urinary epinephrine output ( r = 0.86) but with neither the urinary norepinephrine response nor with the increase in plasma immunoreactive glucagon levels. To further test whether these changes in plasma triglyceride levels were mediated via the sympathetic nervous system, hypoglycemia was evoked by insulin in subjects with traumatic spinal cord transections. Two such subjects, who demonstrated sympathetic stimulation in response to hypoglycemia, had evidence of reduced VLDL secretion into plasma, while in two who had no evidence of an adrenergic response, VLDL secretion was not inhibited. Thus, acute lowering of plasma triglyceride concentrations by certain forms of stress appears to be mediated via the sympathetic nervous system.
Procedures, Films, And Images In A Pediatric Radiology Image Archive: One Year's Experience And Projections

ABSTRACT A digital optical disk archive has been running continuously in the Pediatric Radiology Section at UCLA for over one year. During this year both the computerized patient registration system and the optical disk image archive have been accumulating patient and image data. Statistics derived from one year's operation are combined with a pediatric film library survey to summarize system use and to project departmental archive requirements. L INTRODUCTION Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) can succeed in a clinical environment if they are in­ troduced in a modular fashion and are carefully guided in their implementation and growth. The Department of Radiological Sciences at UCLA began full operation of its pediatric PACS acquisition and storage subsystems in November of 1986. The clinical* and technical^ aspects of this system are discussed elsewhere in this volume. This paper presents statistics derived from the pediatric patient and image databases in order to assess and project the growth of the pediatric module. These data are used to predict storage requirements for a department-wide PACS operation.The main databases employed by the clinical PACS are those associated with the Pediatric Radiology Patient Registration System (PRPRS) and the Clinical Radiology Imaging System (CRIS). The former is responsible for registering patient procedures and the latter for image tracking. An analysis of these two related databases provides insight into the patient population in pediatric radiology and the nature of images generated by pediatric procedures. Because pediatric radiology operated without the benefit of digital technology until a year ago, we draw upon a pediatric film library survey to provide additional information on long-term image storage. These three sources of information, PRPRS, CRIS, and the film library provide the basis for this study conducted on data for the year from December 1, 1986 to November 30, 1987.
Comparison of retinal pigment epithelium cell preparations from the bovine eye.

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells were collected from, bovine eyes using a new method. The cells were harvested by vortexing the RPE and underlying choroid in 0.05 M citrate phosphate buffer, pH 5. RPE cells recovered by this method were compared to a standard method by microscopic examination of cell integrity, estimation of total protein, and assay of 11-cis and all-trans retinyl ester hydrolase (REH) activities. Results suggest that this method collects RPE cells of good integrity and with a significantly higher protein yield than the conventional method. Additionally, a much higher retinyl ester hydrolase activity was noted. Therefore we propose that this procedure offers a new and convenient method in the collection of RPE proteins for certain purposes such as enzyme purification.
The role of future time perspective in career decision-making

Abstract The present study of two hundred and seven university students examined the structural relation of future-orientation (both valence and instrumentality), career decision-making self-efficacy and career indecision (choice/commitment anxiety and lack of readiness) in a sample of 218 college students. Future time perspective was viewed as a key input to career decision making. Structural equation modeling results indicated that valence was not significantly related to career decision-making self-efficacy, choice/commitment anxiety and lack of readiness. However, instrumentality completely mediated the relation between valence and career decision-making self-efficacy, choice/commitment anxiety and lack of readiness. Instrumentality was significantly related to career decision-making self-efficacy and lack of readiness. Career decision-making self-efficacy completely mediated the relation between instrumentality and choice/commitment anxiety; however, it only partially mediated the relation between instrumentality and lack of readiness. Although the proposed model was invariant across gender, the findings indicated that women reported higher instrumentality and lower lack of readiness than did men. No differences were found for career decision-making self-efficacy and choice/commitment anxiety across gender. The findings suggest that psychologists, counselors, and teachers should consider the role of future time perspective in university students' career development.
On the equations of the two-component theory in magnetohydrodynamics

(1984). On the equations of the two-component theory in magnetohydrodynamics. Communications in Partial Differential Equations: Vol. 9, No. 6, pp. 503-522.
A Power Delivery Network Aware Framework for Synthesis of 3D Networks-on-Chip with Multiple Voltage Islands

IR drops in a Power Delivery Network (PDN) on chip multi-processors (CMPs) can worsen the quality of voltage supply and thereby affect overall performance. This problem is more severe in 3D CMPs with network-on-chip (NoC) fabrics where the current in the PDN increases proportionally to the number of device layers. Even though the PDN and NoC design goals are non-overlapping, both the optimizations are interdependent, for instance, each new core mapping on the 3D die will change traffic patterns and have a unique distribution of IR-drops in the PDN. Unfortunately, designers today seldom consider design of PDN while synthesizing NoCs. If NoC synthesis is carried out without considering the associated PDN design cost, it can easily result in an overall sub-optimal design. In this work, for the first time, we propose a novel PDN-aware 3D NoC synthesis framework that minimizes NoC power while meeting performance goals, and optimizes the corresponding PDN for total number of Voltage Regulator Modules (VRMs), current efficiency, and grid-wire width while satisfying IR-drop constraints. Our experimental results show that the proposed methodology provides more comprehensive results compared to a traditional approach where the NoC synthesis step does not consider the PDN costs.
Role of the basal ganglia in a chemically induced dyskinesia in rat

A complex syndrome consisting of locomotor hyperactivity and a cervical choreoathetoid dyskinesia was produced in rats after 7 to 10 days administration of 3-3 -iminodipropionitrile. Attenuation of motor abnormalities after lesions of the basal ganglia (BG) but not cortical lesions suggests the importance of descending BG influences in this syndrome. Responses of this syndrome to pharmacologic manipulations further argues for BG involvement. This syndrome may be a possible animal model of human hyperkinetic basal ganglia disorders.
Our institutional memory at risk: collaborators to the rescue

Without reliable electronic records, colleges and universities will be unable to manage and defend themselves ‐ they will lose their memories and be at significant risk. The authors explain the problems associated with the continuing reliability of electronic systems, and define the difference between an “information system” and a “record‐keeping system”. Collaborative partnerships among information technology staff, archivists, records managers, auditors, lawyers, and others at each campus, and also among professional organizations, are proposed to address these needs.
Study of molecular reorientation in solid neopentane by quasielastic neutron scattering

Abstract Results of cold neutron scattering by plastic neopentane at several temperatures are presented. The measured quasielastic peak widths are compared with calculations for two simple models of molecular reorientation. An activation energy for reorientation of 0.88 ± 0.11 kcal/mole is derived.
Finite gap Jacobi matrices: An announcement

We consider Jacobi matrices whose essential spectrum is a finite union of closed intervals. We focus on Szego's theorem, Jost solutions, and Szego asymptotics for this situation. This announcement describes talks the authors gave at OPSFA 2007.