cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiprocessor scheduling of elastic tasks

The elastic task model enables the adaptation of recurrent real-time tasks under uncertain or potentially overloaded conditions. The model was originally defined for sequential tasks executing upon a preemptive uniprocessor platform; it was later extended to include tasks with internal parallelism executing on multiple processors. This paper bridges a gap in the theory of elastic task scheduling by considering the multiprocessor scheduling of sequential tasks (i.e., tasks with no internal parallelism). We define algorithms for scheduling sequential elastic tasks under the global and partitioned paradigms of multiprocessor scheduling, and provide a simulation-based comparison of the different approaches.
Correlations between oxygen and positive pressure exposure in the neonatal intensive care unit and wheezing in preterm infants without bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

BACKGROUND Oxygen exposure has been associated with increased wheezing and respiratory morbidity after discharge in extremely preterm infants and those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. More mature preterm infants with less severe disease are also at risk for pulmonary complications, including rehospitalization for respiratory illnesses and wheezing disorders. Our aim was to evaluate associations between respiratory support and morbidity in preterm infants without bronchopulmonary dysplasia. METHODS A secondary analysis was performed on 300 infants born at 28-34 weeks gestation without bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Exposure included oxygen or positive pressure, (continuous positive airway pressure or mechanical ventilation). The primary outcome was recurrent wheezing. Secondary outcomes were respiratory medications, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations. RESULTS 50% of infants who received oxygen experienced recurrent wheezing compared to 42.4% of infants who did not (OR 1.15 CI 0.72-1.85 adjusted OR 1.15 CI 0.67-1.98). 51.1% of infants who received positive pressure experienced recurrent wheezing compared to 38.1% who did not (OR 1.57 CI 0.97-2.53 adjusted OR 1.58 CI 0.90-2.77). There were no significant associations between oxygen and positive pressure exposure and any primary or secondary outcomes in the adjusted analyses. CONCLUSIONS After adjustment for known risk factors the analyses showed no significant associations between oxygen and positive pressure with respiratory morbidity in this population. Further study of infants with mild disease is needed.
Endpoints for tricuspid regurgitation trans-catheter therapy trials

Tricuspid regurgitation (TR), particularly functional or secondary TR, is increasingly recognized in clinical practice and when at least moderate in severity is associated with significant increase in mortality. In recent years multiple new trans-catheter devices have been developed to treat tricuspid regurgitation and are now undergoing clinical trial evaluations. The choice of appropriate endpoints in TR trials is particularly challenging as the disease is complex, often co-exists with left heart disease and pulmonary hypertension, and has not been extensively studied. Endpoints utilized in left heart disease trials have been applied with success to TR trials, and innovative trial designs will allow the initiation of pivotal randomized trials. Ultimately the development of TR specific endpoints may provide for more specific and robust assessment of these novel therapies.
Simultaneous Multiple Features Tracking of Beats: A Representation Learning Approach to Reduce False Alarm Rate in ICUs

The high rate of false alarms is a key challenge related to patient care in intensive care units (ICUs) that can result in delayed responses of the medical staff. Several rule-based and machine learning-based techniques have been developed to address this problem. However, the majority of these methods rely on the availability of different physiological signals such as different electrocardiogram (ECG) leads, arterial blood pressure (ABP), and photoplethysmogram (PPG), where each signal is analyzed by an independent processing unit and the results are fed to an algorithm to determine an alarm. That calls for novel methods that can accurately detect the cardiac events by only accessing one signal (e.g., ECG) with a low level of computation and sensors requirement. We propose a novel and robust representation learning framework for ECG analysis that only rely on a single lead ECG signal and yet achieves considerably better performance compared to the state-of-the-art works in this domain, without relying on an expert knowledge. We evaluate the performance of this method using the “2015 Physionet computing in cardiology challenge” dataset. To the best of our knowledge, the best previously reported performance is based on both expert knowledge and machine learning where all available signals of ECG, ABP and PPG are utilized. Our proposed method reaches the performance of 97.3%, 95.5%, and 90.8% in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and the challenge's score, respectively for the detection of five arrhythmias when only one single ECG lead signals is used without any expert knowledge11This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number 1657260. Research reported in this publication was also supported by the National Institute On Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number U54MD012388. 22The copyright notice: 978-1-7281-1867-3/19/$31.00 ©2019 IEEE.
Predicting second-generation antidepressant effectiveness in treating sadness using demographic and clinical information: A machine learning approach.

Abstract Introduction Current guidelines for choosing antidepressant medications involve a trial-and-error process. Most patients try multiple antidepressants before finding an effective antidepressant. This study uses demographic and clinical information to create models predicting effectiveness of different antidepressants in treating sadness in a nationally representative sample of US adults. Methods A secondary analysis of the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Survey (CPES) was performed. Participants with or without a mental health diagnosis who reported sadness as a symptom, and were taking fluoxetine (n=156), sertraline (n=224), citalopram (n=91), paroxetine (n=156), venlafaxine (n=69), bupropion (n=92), or trazadone (n=26) within the past year were included. Two sets of principal component analyses (PCAs) and logistic regressions were performed: one determined associations between symptom clusters and antidepressant effectiveness for sadness, and the other created models to predict effectiveness. Both PCAs controlled for psychiatric and medical diagnoses, substance use, psychiatric medications, alternative treatments, and demographics. Results Anxiety was associated with ineffectiveness of fluoxetine in treating sadness. Low mood scores were associated with ineffectiveness of paroxetine and venlafaxine, and fatigue was associated with ineffectiveness of sertraline. The models for predicting drug effectiveness had a mean accuracy of 83% and internal validity of 72%. Limitations CPES data were collected from 2001-2003, so newer drugs were not included. Effectiveness was for sadness, so results are not directly comparable to studies using overall depressive symptom reductions as outcomes. Conclusion Since fewer than 50% of patients currently respond to their first antidepressant, this model could provide modest improvement to choosing starting antidepressants in treating sadness.
Writing Their Own History: Student Learning Outcomes in a Multilingual University Writing Classroom.

This paper describes a successful writing project with generation 1.5 college freshmen enrolled in a writing class. Generation 1.5 students may experience difficulties at universities when, despite being multilingual, the language they bring with them to college is often framed as a deficit. Students engaged in writing life histories experienced success using their multilingualism as a necessary strength, and they met specific student learning outcomes. Even while acknowledging the need for a more multicultural curriculum, linguistic difference that results in non-standard English is often treated as a problem at many universities. Yet most universities are experiencing increasing numbers of multilingual students, including, generation 1.5 students. Generation 1.5—or the transitional generation—is a label that refers to students who are either children of immigrants or immigrants themselves, who came to the United States as children. While they are often graduates of U.S. public schools, in many cases, generation 1.5 students may not have received enough formal instruction in English specifically geared for non-native speakers to adequately prepare them for the writing and reading they will do in college. Other generation 1.5 students might have started their U.S formal education in later grades, after experiencing a time of interrupted education. Usually, these students have more fluency in English than international students, but their language is not the same as a monolingual (Native English speaking) students. Many of these students end up in basic writing classes because of low test scores or because their English does not seem standard. Often the language they bring with them is seen as deficient – a problem to fix. Despite this view, students’ cultures and languages can be carefully positioned as assets for students, while providing real contexts for language learning. This study explores a life history project with community elders implemented in a freshman writing class that promotes English fluency and positively influences student status. The assignment builds on students’ cultural competencies rather than treating them as a problem. Importantly, For more information contact: Molly Rojas Collins| University of Minnesota | 233 Appelby Hall, 128 Pleasant Street SE | Minneapolis, MN 55455 | colli038@umn.edu | TLAR, Volume 4, Number generation 1.5 students are in the unique position of speaking the language of their elders and recording their stories in the language of future generations —English. This project uses the students’ multilingualism as a strength, putting a new frame on students’ multilingualism in the university context. A program for immigrant and refugee students at a large Midwestern university has developed and used such a project with considerable success, challenging the deficit model of student language while meeting academic language and writing goals. This life history project has made a place for students’ cultures in the classroom and given a real and meaningful purpose to student writing.
Transitioning between Libraries: It is All About Skills and Experience

Transitioning from one library setting to another library setting can be a daunting experience. This paper provides case studies from two librarians who transitioned to different library types. One...
Quality of Life after Laparoscopic and Open Abdominal Myomectomy.

Abstract OBJECTIVE To evaluate baseline and post-operative changes in quality-of-life and symptom-severity scores in women undergoing laparoscopic or open abdominal myomectomy for symptomatic fibroids. DESIGN Prospective cohort study of patients choosing myomectomy for symptomatic uterine fibroids. SETTING Academic medical center PATIENTS A total of 143 women enrolled in the study. Eighty women completed both a pre-operative questionnaire and at least one post-operative questionnaire between 6- and 27-months following surgery. INTERVENTIONS 52 women had an open abdominal myomectomy and 28 had a laparoscopic myomectomy between October 2014 and September 2017. MEASUREMENTS The results of the Uterine Fibroid Symptom and Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire (UFS-QOL) were compared before and after laparoscopic or open myomectomy. MAIN RESULTS Women undergoing open abdominal myomectomy had larger and more numerous fibroids than women undergoing laparoscopic myomectomy. Baseline quality-of-life scores were less adversely affected for women having laparoscopic myomectomy (mean 57 (SD 24) laparoscopic v 43 (SD 19) open abdominal, p=0.01). However, baseline symptom-severity scores were statistically similar (49 (SD 22) for laparoscopic and 57 (SD 20) for open abdominal, p=0.08). Six to twelve months following surgery, both open abdominal and laparoscopic surgery provided excellent and similar improvements in symptom-severity and quality-of-life (post-operative symptoms severity scores, mean 20 (SD 14) laparoscopic v 13 (SD 11) open abdominal, p=0.24, and quality-of-life scores (mean = 91 (SD 16) laparoscopic v 88 (SD 17) open abdominal, p=0.49). These improvements were sustained for women who returned questionnaires up to 27-months of follow-up. CONCLUSION Women with symptomatic fibroids have compromised quality-of-life and they experience a similarly dramatic improvement in quality-of-life and decrease in symptom severity following both laparoscopic and open abdominal myomectomy.
Peer Influence in Initiation to Heroin Use

Much research on heroin initiation shows that most people use heroin initially with friends or family. However, there is little research examining why those who use heroin would initiate others to ...
Preparing for wildfire evacuation and alternatives: Exploring influences on residents’ intended evacuation behaviors and mitigations

Abstract Understanding residents' intended evacuation behaviors is an increasingly important component of managing complex wildfire events in the United States and elsewhere. Growing evidence suggests that local populations consider a range of potential evacuation behaviors during fire events, yet fewer efforts explore rural residents' evacuation intentions or their relationship to wildfire mitigations that reduce risk or aid in fire suppression. This study explores evacuation intentions among wildland-urban interface residents in Pend Oreille County, Washington, USA. We explore how mitigation performance (e.g., fuel reduction efforts, structure improvements, active firefighting preparation) differs across three emergent categories of evacuation intentions and evaluate whether a range of factors correlate with participants’ evacuation intentions. Our results suggest that a relatively high proportion of residents in the study area intend to stay and defend their property from a wildfire, with smaller proportions intending to evacuate or shelter in place. Individuals who intend to stay and defend are more likely to implement fuel reduction and property mitigation strategies when compared to those intending to evacuate or shelter in place. We found that elements of residency status, sex, age, presence of children in the home, and perceptions of personal efficacy and whether the property was prepared enough to not need firefighting were significant influences on group affiliation. For instance, part-time residency was significantly correlated with intending to evacuate, while full-time residents were more likely to stay and defend. Greater agreement that firefighting was not needed because a property was well-prepared was significantly related to staying and defending over evacuating.
Treatment of Advanced-Stage Large Cell Neuroendocrine Cancer (LCNEC) of the Lung: A Tale of Two Diseases.

LCNEC of the lung comprises a small proportion of pulmonary malignancies. Traditionally, they have been classified based on histologic and immunohistochemistry characteristics with features of small cell and non-small cell lung cancer. The treatment outcome of advanced-stage LCNEC of the lung is poor with response rates ranging from 34 to 46% with platinum doublets, median progression-free survival (mPFS) ranging between 4.4 and 5.8 m, and median overall survival (mOS) ranging from 8 to 12.6 m. The optimal treatment strategy for LCNEC is debated given limited data and different outcomes based on chemotherapy type reported in the available literature. Recently, genomic profiling with Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) has been able to sub-classify LCNEC as SCLC-like or NSCLC-like. Treatment based on this sub-classification has improved outcomes by using SCLC and NSCLC regimens based on their genomic profile in retrospective analysis. Future studies in LCNEC of the lung should incorporate this new molecular sub-classification as stratification and possibly include SCLC-like LCNEC into SCLC studies and NSCLC-like into NSCLC studies.
The Effects of Strengthening Category-Brand Associations on Consideration Set Composition and Purchase Intent in Memory-Based Choice

An experiment was conducted to explore the effects of strengthening the association between particular brands and a superordinate choice category on the likelihood of those brands being included in the consideration set, and chosen in a memory-based choice context. Results showed that a brand was more likely to be present in the consideration set, and indicated as an intended choice, if the association between the brand and the choice category was strengthened vs. not strengthened. Attitudinal data suggest that the positive effects of a brand being strongly associated with the choice category operate independently of attitude toward the brand.
Putting On the Gas and Taking Off the Brakes: A Novel Combinatorial Strategy to Enhance Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes.

The advent of checkpoint blockade and use of cytokines to enhance immune responses have changed the field of immunotherapy. Yet, these approaches are not without drawbacks including systemic toxicities and acquired therapeutic resistance. In this issue, Xu and colleagues describe a novel biological molecule composed of a PD-1–targeting antibody linked to a mutated IL15 that induces better targeting of IL15 to tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) to decrease systemic toxicities and enhance antitumor responses. See related article by Xu et al., p. 1141 (1).
Contractile properties of the myotomal muscle of sheepshead, Archosargus probatocephalus

Swimming in fishes is powered by myotomal red, white and pink skeletal muscle. Slow swimming is powered by the red (slow-twitch muscle), fast speeds are achieved by the white (fast-twitch) muscle and pink muscle apparently serves an intermediate function. In recent years, the physiological properties and molecular composition of red (slow) and white (fast) muscle fibers have been well studied, while the intermediate pink muscle, which falls in a thin sheet between the superficial red muscle and deeper white muscle, has received less attention. The goal of this study is to determine the contractile properties of red, pink, and white muscle and to establish the molecular basis of fiber type variations in contractile properties in a sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus). Isometric and isovelocity muscle mechanics experiments demonstrated a general pattern of increasing contractile speed from red to pink to white muscle, although red and pink muscle did not differ significantly for most contraction kinetics variables. As myosin heavy chain (MyHC) is the most important structural protein found in the muscle fibers, MyHC content was examined through immunohistochemistry. Myosin antibodies suggest a gradient in myosin content corresponding to differences in muscle contraction kinetics. J. Exp. Zool. 323A: 169–178, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adjuvant Therapy of Renal Cell Carcinoma

A series of adjuvant studies are reviewed that have been conducted in patients with localized renal cell carcinoma following nephrectomy. The randomized studies available do not demonstrate an advantage for pre- or postoperative therapy. Patient selection criteria have varied, but generally high risk groups with T2–4 tumors and lymph node metastases (N+) disease have been included. In the future, adjuvant trials conducted in this group of patients must take into account histology, as well as selection of patients by pathologic stage. Trail design is of importance and randomized studies in which a control population is included are required. The issue of placebo controls will depend upon the agent utilized and its toxicity. External review of radiologic data will be of importance to validate results if a surrogate endpoint such as disease free survival is utilized. In view of our current knowledge of the biology of clear cell carcinoma, studies utiling medications such as sunitinib, sorafenib, or bevacizumab are considerations.
An Adaptive Parallel Distributive Join Algorithm on a Cluster of Workstations

In this paper, we present an adaptive version of the parallel Distributive Join (DJ) algorithm that we proposed in l5r. The adaptive parallel DJ algorithm can handle the data skew in operand relations efficiently. We implemented the original and adaptive parallel DJ algorithms on a network of Alpha workstations using the Parallel Virtual Machine (PVM). We analyzed the performance of the algorithms, and compared it with that of the parallel Hybrid-Hash (HH) join algorithms. Our results show that the parallel DJ algorithms perform comparably with the parallel HH join algorithms over the entire range of the number of processors used and for different join selectivities. A significant advantage of the parallel DJ algorithms is that they can easily support non-equijoin operations.
pH-Triggered Release of Macromolecules from Spray-Dried Polymethacrylate Microparticles

Purpose. pH-triggered microparticles release their therapeutic payloads at acidic pH (e.g., in the phagosome), making intracellular drug delivery more efficient. Here we modify lipid-based microparticles that are safe and efficacious in nerve and brain and are potentially inhalable, making them pH-triggerable by incorporating an acid-soluble polymethacrylate, Eudragit E100 (E100).
Coactivation of prefrontal cortex and inferior parietal cortex in working memory tasks revealed by 2DG functional mapping in the rhesus monkey

Functional studies of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the inferior parietal lobe of the rhesus monkey have implicated the former in spatial mnemonic function and the latter in visuospatial processing. We used the 14C-2-deoxyglucose (2DG) method to assess the contribution of these cortical regions to the cognitive performance of monkeys on working memory tasks. In these experiments, one group of monkeys (WORK) was trained to perform tasks (delayed spatial alternation, spatial delayed response, or delayed object alternation) that specifically engaged working memory processing. Local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) rates in the WORK group was compared with LCGU rates for a second group of monkeys (CONT) tested on one of two tasks (visual pattern discrimination or sensory-motor) that relied upon associative memory. The results showed that in comparison to the CONT group, working memory performance significantly enhanced LCGU by 19% in the principal sulcus region of prefrontal cortex and by 11-20% in regions of the inferior parietal cortex corresponding to areas 7A, 7B, 7IP, and 7M. By contrast, LCGU in the auditory cortex was similar for both groups. In all areas examined, metabolic activation peaked in lower layer III where the majority of associational and callosal neurons lie. Correlation analyses of LCGU and behavioral task parameters indicated that LCGU in the parietal subdivisions was significantly related either to the accuracy of performance or to the number of trials completed on the 2DG test. In contrast, LCGU in the principal sulcus was positively correlated with task difficulty. These findings suggest that the enhancement of LCGU in the principal sulcus was primarily influenced by the mnemonic components of the tasks whereas LCGU in the inferior parietal cortex was influenced by their sensory-motor demands. These are the first results showing concurrent metabolic activation of the prefrontal and parietal cortex in monkeys performing working memory tasks and they support the suggestion that these cortical regions represent two important nodes in a neural network mediating spatial working memory in the monkey (Goldman-Rakic, 1988). Further, the present report reinforces the power of the 2DG method for functional mapping as these areal and laminar results could not be readily appreciated at this resolution in any other methodological context.
Issues on simulation and optimization I: optimal experimental design for systems involving both quantitative and qualitative factors

Often in discrete-event simulation, factors being considered are qualitative such as machine type, production method, job release policy, and factory layout type. It is also often of interest to create a Response Surface (RS) metamodel for visualization of input-output relationships. Several methods have been proposed in the literature for RS metamodeling with qualitative factors but the resulting metamodels may be expected to predict poorly because of sensitivity to misspecification or bias. This paper proposes the use of the Expected Integrated Mean Squared Error (EIMSE) criterion to construct alternative optimal experimental designs. This approach explicitly takes bias into account. We use a discrete-event simulation example from the literature, coded in ARENA™, to illustrate the proposed method and to compare metamodeling accuracy of alternative approaches computationally.
Measurements of the binding energies for adsorption of 3 He and 4 He on various substances by dynamic gas diffusion techniques

Dynamic gas-diffusion techniques have been developed for measuring the binding energy for adsorption which are effective even when adsorbents of only small surface area are available. The first technique, first developed by Pollock et al., measures the diffusion time for a pulse of gas to pass in “molecular” flow through a narrow channel, the walls of which are composed of the adsorbent of interest, as a function of temperature. The second technique measures the changes of molecular flow rate out of such a channel when the temperature of the channel is abruptly altered by small increments. Both techniques yield the binding energy for adsorption and the results obtained with them for adsorption of 3He and 4He at low temperatures on copper, gold, and Grafoil surfaces are presented. It is found that the results are in good agreement with data obtained previously by conventional static methods which require much larger adsorbent surface areas.
The impact of litter and annual plants on recruitment from the seed bank of a lacustrine wetland

In an experimental marsh complex, 2 years of high water (1 m above normal) killed most of the emergent vegetation. During 1983, the first year of a 2-year drawdown, immediately following this period of high water, field experiments involving the removal of fallen emergent, filamentous algal and mixed (algal and emergent) litter were established at 6, 4 and 7 sites, respectively. All three indicated that the removal of litter significantly increased the number of species and the number of individuals of a species recruited from the seed bank. During 1984, the number of species and number of individuals in the removal treatment at emergent- and mixed-litter sites was again significantly higher than in the controls, but there was no longer a difference at algal litter sites. The addition of a mat of Typha litter in June 1983, at five sites that were free of litter, reduced seedling recruitment from the seed bank almost completely in both 1983 and 1984. The removal of 1982-standing litter, from sites at higher elevations that were invaded by Typha or Phragmites during the high water period, also increased the number of species and the number of individuals of a species compared with the controls in 1983. Removal of seedlings of the mudflat annual, Atriplex patula L., increased the number of grass shoots significantly in both 1983 and 1984. Grasses in the seedling removal treatment were also taller and flowered in 1983, the first year of the drawdown.
Underwater acoustic network with random access: a physical layer perspective

In this paper, we take a physical layer approach and investigate the outage probability in frequency selective underwater channels with uncoordinated multiple access and bursty transmissions. We first derive the statistical distribution of the interference as seen by a typical receiver, considering both burstiness of interference transmissions and spatial distributions of the interferers. We then derive expressions for the probability density functions of the frequency-dependent signal to noise and interference ratio. Expressions for the outage probability of a typical link between two nodes are obtained in the frequency selective scenarios and the flat fading special cases. The outage probabilities depend on the bursty transmission probability and the number of interfering transmitters. Simulation results are presented that validate the theoretical results and illustrate typical features of the interference in an underwater network.
Family Values and the Star Phenomenon: Strategies of Mutual Fund Families

We examine the extent to which a fund's cash flows are affected by the stellar performance of other funds in its family -- and consequences of such spillovers. We show that star performance results in greater cash inflow to the fund and to other funds in its family. Moreover, families with higher variation in investment strategies across funds are shown to be more likely to generate star performance. We argue that spillovers may induce lower ability families to pursue star-creating strategies. Consistent with our conjecture, families with high variation in investment strategies across funds significantly underperform low-variation families. Copyright 2004, Oxford University Press.
Test characteristics of the ankle-brachial index and ankle-brachial difference for medial arterial calcification on X-ray in type 1 diabetes.

Objective Medial arterial calcification (MAC) is common in diabetes, has a characteristic appearance on X-ray imaging, and has been linked with peripheral arterial stiffness and cardiovascular disease. However, few studies have measured X-ray MAC. It has been suggested that an ankle-brachial index (ABI) >1.30 or an ankle-brachial difference (ABD) >75 mm Hg may identify X-ray MAC, but test characteristics are unknown. We hypothesized that an ABI >1.30 and ABD >75 mm Hg would have high specificity but low sensitivity for MAC on X-ray imaging. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 185 community-living individuals with type 1 diabetes. The ABI and the ABD were assessed. The outcome was linear "tram-track" calcifications in the lower limbs characteristic of MAC. Results Mean age was 32 ± 6 years, and mean diabetes duration was 23 ±7 years. X-ray MAC was noted in 97 individuals (57%), 15 (8%) had ABI >1.30, and 14 (8%) had ABD >75 mm Hg. As assessed by the ABI, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for MAC was modest (0.65) and was slightly higher for the ABD (0.75). An ABI >1.30 had high specificity (99%) and positive predictive value (93%) but poor sensitivity (14%) and an overall accuracy of 55% for MAC. An ABD >50 mm Hg remained highly specific (98%) but had higher sensitivity (30%) and overall accuracy (62%). Conclusions Individuals with type 1 diabetes and an ABI >1.30 or ABD >50 mm Hg are very likely to have MAC on X-ray imaging, yet many with MAC will not have an ABI or ABD above these thresholds. Given the high specificity, evaluating high ABI or ABD may be useful to understand correlates of MAC but may underestimate MAC prevalence.
The Jupiter greenhouse

Abstract A step function nongray approximation to infrared absorption by H2, NH3, and CH4 on Jupiter implies a temperature at the lower clouds of 270 to 340°K. Such clouds are conjectured to be aqueous. No contradiction is implied by reported lower rotational temperatures.
Correct interpretation of a myocardial perfusion SPECT study in a patient with Ebstein's anomaly through recognition of septal artifact.

Quantitative assessment by use of polar maps and normal files increases the confidence of interpretation in most cases.4,5 However, when altered anatomy not accounted for in the normal database is present, the results can be misleading. This case illustrates the necessity for complete review of the patient’s history, rotating planar images, oblique slices, and polar maps to properly interpret a study.
Medium-polarization models and a realistic estimate of rescattering in the S-wave pion-nucleus optical potential

Abstract The rescattering contribution to the second-order S-wave pion-nucleus optical potential is calculated in a model of nuclear medium polarization which includes nucleon-hole-pair contributions as well as those of isobar-hole pairs. The resulting value for ( b 0 ) effective is found (for g ′= 0.6) to be in excellent agreement with that obtained in recent fits to pionic atom 1s level shift data for the fitting scenario which takes Re B 0 = 0.
Growth and uptake rates of P, K, Ca and Mg in wheat 1

Abstract The relation between plant age and nutrient absorption properties of red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) roots were investigated. Understanding the change in ion uptake parameters with increasing plant age is helpful in devising efficient fertilization systems. Such information can be used to determine the nutrient levels needed in the soil to supply nutrients rapidly enough to the root surface to minimize deficiencies. Wheat was grown for periods up to 40 days in solution culture in a controlled climate chamber. Sequential harvest and nutrient influx measurements were made. Shoot growth was exponential with time to 30 days and linear thereafter. Root dry weight increased linearly with time at a slower rate than shoot dry weight. Root length increased linearily with time. With increasing plant age there was a reduction in average P and K uptake rate while average uptake rates for Ca and Mg remained relatively unchanged. With increasing plant age, the maximum influx, Imax. for P and Mg remaine...
Mobility matrix evolution for an SIS epidemic patch model

Abstract Intercommunity disease spread can be modeled using a collection of discrete community “patches” with continuous population flow between them. In a susceptible–infected–susceptible (SIS) model residents of a community may either be classified as susceptible or infected. Infected individuals may heal and become susceptible again but are not permitted to die or become immune. The spread of disease can be controlled by modifying the rate and direction of resident movement across patch boundaries. In this work we use genetic algorithms to evolve optimal connections between patch boundaries such that the total number of infected individuals is minimized.
Solid-State Electrochemical Oxygen Sensor

Abstract A solid-state amperometric sensor with which oxygen can be determined electrochemically in a humid atmosphere is described. The sensor consists of three Pt electrodes screen-printed onto a 1 in × 1 in ceramic plate. One Pt strip is coated with Ag/AgCl to form a reference electrode. A thin coating of the hydrophilic polymer poly (dimethyldiallylammonium chloride), poly (DMDAAC), provides the ionic conductivity needed to carry charge within the electrochemical cell. Oxygen that diffuses into the polymer film is detected at a Pt electrode by reduction. The sensor has a steady state response tine to oxygen of less than 30 s when coated with a polymer film of >10 μm thickness and less than 15 s when coated with a 3 μm-thick film. The sensor response is linear in the range of 0-100% oxygen with a relative standard deviation between individual trials of 1% for up to three weeks, after which time the precision degrades. The sensor responds to oxygen over the temperature range of 25°C to 40°C.
Primary paraesophageal hernia in children.

Abstract Background Paraesophageal hernias are uncommon in children and are distinctively different from the more common sliding hiatus hernias and those occurring after antireflux surgery in anatomy, pathology, symptoms, complications, and management. We reviewed a single institution's experience with the pathology of paraesophageal hernias. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of patient records. Results Fifty-nine children with paraesophageal hernias were treated during a 42-year period. Their mean age at presentation was 23.4 months (range, 1 day to 11 years). Presenting complaints were recurrent chest infections (n = 32), vomiting (n = 24), symptomatic anemia (n = 20), failure to thrive (n = 18), and dysphagia (n = 6). Five children were asymptomatic, and their diagnosis was established when they were investigated for incidentally noted asymptomatic anemia (n = 3), scoliosis (n = 2), and mumps (n = 1). Radiology typically showed cystic masses in the posterior mediastinum in the right lower chest and occasionally had an air-fluid level in the cystic mass or a dilated esophagus. None presented with strangulation or hematemesis. All patients were operated on. Surgical findings included a peritoneal lined sac and herniation through a widened diaphragmatic hiatus, containing the stomach and at times the transverse colon, spleen, and small bowel. The hernial sac usually occurred on the right. Principles of surgery included reduction of the contents, partial excision of the sac, crural approximation, and a fundoplication in 39 patients. No fundoplication was done in the earlier years in 20 patients, of whom 12 had recurrent reflux symptoms. Postoperative complications were bowel obstruction (n = 6), intussusception (n = 3), dysphagia (n = 3), breakdown of the repair (n = 3), and pneumothorax (n = 1). There was one mortality caused by preoperative aspiration. Conclusion Paraesophageal hernias in children are uncommon and most likely caused by a congenital defect. They are associated with considerable morbidity. Strangulation is not a feature. Principles of repair are well established and should include an antireflux procedure.
Mediating and Moderating Effects of Racism-Related Stress on the Relation Between Poverty-Related Risk Factors and Subjective Well-Being in a Community Sample of African Americans

This study examined the mediating and moderating effects of racism-related stress in the relation between poverty-related risk factors and subjective well-being in a community sample of 283 African American adults. Participants were administered an inventory of biological, social, and psychological risk factors, the Index of Race-Related Stress–Brief Version, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life–Brief. Findings indicated that racism-related stress did not mediate the relation between poverty-related risk factors and subjective well-being. However, racism-related stress did moderate the relation between poverty-related risk factors and subjective well-being in our African American sample.
The experience and impact of intrusive thoughts in individuals with late bedtimes

There is increasing awareness of the interplay among sleep, circadian rhythms, and psychopathology. Recent findings show that obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with late bedtimes. Sleep disruption may exacerbate impairments in executive functioning in individuals with OCD, making these individuals vulnerable to experiencing intrusive thoughts that come from “out of the blue” (autogenous obsessions; AO) and to having difficulty dismissing them. The current study investigated types of intrusive thoughts experienced by individuals with (DB) and without (NDB) delayed bedtimes. Bedtime, and AO (uncued, affectively negative) vs. reactive obsessions (RO; triggered by environment, affectively neutral) were examined in 212 adults. As hypothesized, individuals with DB reported more frequent intrusive thoughts, as well as more AO, than NDB individuals. Additionally, DB participants reported a greater urge to neutralize intrusive thoughts than NDB participants. Future work should test the replicabilit...
The Intubating Laryngeal Mask: Use of a New Ventilating-Intubating Device in the Emergency Department

The intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILM) was introduced in 1997 as a modification of the classic laryngeal mask airway. In addition to serving as an elective or emergency ventilating device, it is designed to allow blind intubation. We report 3 cases of airway management in the emergency department of Yale-New Haven Hospital where the ILM was used to establish ventilation and intubation in patients in whom direct laryngoscopy had failed. The 3 cases are representative of situations commonly seen in the ED: the obtunded and apneic ("crash airway") patient, failed rapid sequence intubation, and the recognized difficult airway/awake intubation. In all 3 cases, a clear airway was established on initial placement of the ILM, and intubation was achieved on the first attempt at blind advancement of the endotracheal tube. Although the ILM may be an important addition to the armamentarium of the emergency physician, proficiency in its use requires practice under controlled conditions. We suggest that the emergency physician seek out elective practice in either a teaching workshop or hospital operating theater.
Key theoretical distinctions in community-based health interventions

The move to community-based practice is often accompanied by doubts about the veracity of the research or clinical data that might be generated. Critics contend that the introduction of subjectivit...
Brain tumor stem cells.

The concept of brain tumor stem cells is gaining increased recognition in neuro-oncology. Until recently, the paradigm of a tumor-initiating stem cell was confined to hematopoietic malignancies where the hierarchical lineages of stem progenitor cells are well established. The demonstration of persistent stem cells and cycling progenitors in the adult brain, coupled with the expansion of the cancer stem cell concept to solid tumors, has led to the exploration of “stemness” within gliomas. Emerging data are highly suggestive of the subsistence of transformed multipotential cells within a glioma, with a subfraction of cells exhibiting increased efficiency at tumor initiation. However, data in support of true glioma stem cells are inconclusive to date, particularly with respect to functional characterization of these cells. Ongoing work aims at the identification of unique pathways governing self-renewal of these putative stem cells and at their validation as ultimate therapeutic targets.
Evaluation of the Charge-Collection Efficiency of Dye-Sensitized Nanocrystalline TiO2 Solar Cells

Intensity modulated photovoltage spectroscopy (IMVS) and intensity modulated photocurrent spectroscopy (IMPS) are used to evaluate the charge-collection efficiency of dye-sensitized nanocrystalline TiO2 solar cells. The charge-collection efficiency of the photoinjected electrons from dye sensitization is estimated from the respective time constants for charge recombination at open circuit τoc and the combined processes of charge collection and charge recombination at short circuit τsc obtained by IMVS and IMPS measurements. Three models are developed for relating the charge-collection efficiency to τoc/τsc. The first model determines the charge-collection efficiency from τoc/τsc without considering the underlying physical processes measured by IMVS and IMPS. The second model obtains τoc/τsc by simulating the frequency response of IMVS and IMPS from the time-dependent continuity equation for simplified conditions. The third model determines the time constants for IMVS and IMPS from electron-concentration p...
In vivo effects of interferon-γ and indomethacin on murine alveolar macrophage activity

Abstract This study determined the effects of treatment with recombinant interferon-γ (rIFN-γ) and the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin (INDO), on alveolar macrophage (AM) immune function in AKR/J mice. Bactericidal activity, interleukin 1 (IL1) synthesis and antigen presentation by AM were enhanced at 24 hr after a single intravenous injection with 5 × 10 4 U of rIFN-γ. Concomitant treatment with 2 mg INDO/kg given subcutaneously did not further enhance the effects of a single injection of rIFN-γ, even though the prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) concentrations in lung airways were reduced by 50%. These results suggest that the stimulatory effects of rIFN-γ on AM are not altered by blocking potentially immunosuppressive cyclooxygenase metabolites such as PGE 2 with INDO. Mice given three consecutive daily intravenous injections of 5 × 10 4 U of rIFN-γ had suppressed AM bactericidal activity and IL1 synthesis, while PGE 2 concentrations in the lungs were increased. Concomitant treatment with INDO prevented suppression of these AM functions and elevation of PGE 2 concentrations in the lungs. Therefore, it appears that INDO can prevent suppression of AM activity induced by multiple injections of rIFN-γ and this effect may be by blockage of PGE 2 synthesis or other cyclooxygenase-derived products.
THE EFFECTS OF TEACHER PRESENTATION RATE AND PRAISE ON LD STUDENTS' ORAL READING PERFORMANCE

Summary. Four learning disabled students were taught beginning reading with a Direct Instruction programme. The teacher systematically varied the rate of instructional presentation (rapid pace vs. slow pace) and frequency of praising (praise vs. no praise). A modified reversal design was used to evaluate both the isolated and interactive effects of the individual instructional components. Experimentation lasted 25 school days. The results indicated that increases in teacher presentation rate and increased use of praise lead to improvement in levels of on-task behaviour and correct student responding. Each of the variables in isolation has an effect. Praise appears to be more powerful than presentation rate. The combination of the two variables has the most powerful effect. These findings extend the research of earlier studies to learning disabled students.
How Administrators Understand Learning Difficulties A Qualitative Analysis

AbstractSchool administrators in six school districts were interviewed. Each district had been identified previously as having increasing rates of retention in grade or transitional-grade placements and increasing incidence of the identification of students as having disabilities. School administrators offered a variety of explanations for students' learning difficulties and offered a number of suggested remedies. virtually all of the explanations and remedies placed the school outside the central sphere of influence. In other words, in these interviews administrators offered few ideas for altering the current general education programs as a potential strategy for addressing the problems of at-risk children.
Molecular determinants that mediate selective activation of p38 MAP kinase isoforms

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) group is represented by four isoforms in mammals (p38α, p38β2, p38γ and p38δ). These p38 MAPK isoforms appear to mediate distinct functions in vivo due, in part, to differences in substrate phosphorylation by individual p38 MAPKs and also to selective activation by MAPK kinases (MAPKKs). Here we report the identification of two factors that contribute to the specificity of p38 MAPK activation. One mechanism of specificity is the selective formation of functional complexes between MAPKK and different p38 MAPKs. The formation of these complexes requires the presence of a MAPK docking site in the N-terminus of the MAPKK. The second mechanism that confers signaling specificity is the selective recognition of the activation loop (T-loop) of p38 MAPK isoforms. Together, these processes provide a mechanism that enables the selective activation of p38 MAPK in response to activated MAPKK.