cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cyclosporine Trough Concentrations in Predicting Allograft Rejection and Renal Toxicity up to 12 Months after Renal Transplantation

Study Objective. To evaluate the utility of cyclosporine (CsA) trough concentrations as a monitoring tool for acute graft rejections and CsA nephrotoxicity Design. Retrospective chart review. Setting. University-affiliated teaching hospital. Patients. One hundred thirty-seven adults who had undergone kidney transplantation. Measurements and Main Results. Clinical data extracted from the charts were CsA dosage, CsA trough levels (whole blood, HPLC method), biopsy findings to confirm acute rejections, and serum creatine to determine clearance by the Jelliffe method. Data were collected at up to 1 month, between 1 month and 3 months, and between 3 and 12 months after transplantation. For each time period, receiver's operating characteristics curves were generated to identify the optimum CsA concentration for avoiding acute rejection and CsA nephrotoxicity. At up to 1 month, the CsA therapeutic response threshold was 182 ng/ml (sensitivity 69%, specificity 84%, p 0.1) and the toxicity threshold for CsA nephrotoxicity remained relatively static at 204 ng/ml (sensitivity 100%, specificity 14%, p<0.0001). Conclusion. Early in CsA therapy it is essential to prevent graft rejection. Drug concentrations exceeding approximately 182 ng/ml threshold accomplish this goal. Later, successful therapy demands that CsA nephrotoxicity be avoided. This goal is accomplished by not exceeding a CsA concentration of 204 ng/ml.
Radio Interface Signaling Procedures

This chapter documents what is implemented in radio resource control (RRC) entities and tested in laboratory and first field trials. In these test scenarios, the setup of an RRC connection, initial attach, and default bearer setup to transmit some user plane data are sufficient. The chapter takes a closer look at LTE radio measurements scenarios and the mobility of user equipments (UEs), i.e., how UEs move from one cell to another or even change the radio access technology moving from 4G to 3G or 2G. It also illustrates how a particular UE measures signals of several neighbor cells and reports their signal strength to the eNodeB that hosts the serving cell. Finally, the chapter focuses on the errors that are the most common ones expected to be monitored on the Uu interface during the establishment of the RRC connection and the default radio bearer.
Ethics as Transformative Love: The Moral World of Etty Hillesum

Etty Hillesum, a Dutch Jew who died at Auschwitz at the age of twenty-nine, left behind a diary and letters written during the last two years of her life. In An Interrupted Life and Letters from Westerbork, Hillesum tells a deeply moving story of religious experience, evil and suffering, spiritual growth, and interior and exterior moral transformation. While current scholarship on Hillesum focuses almost entirely on her personal life and religious journey, this essay examines the moral vision that emerges in her writings. Hillesum's diaries and letters present an engaging vision of the moral life—one that points with clarity to the importance of love of God and love of neighbor. This essay proposes that a love ethic is at the center of Hillesum's worldview and examines major influences on her religious and moral thought.
Archetypal Identification: An Alternative for Spiritual Well-Being Assessment

A primary mission of social work is to assist clients who may be experiencing spiritual distress due to financial, social, emotional, or psychological crises. As a result, it is essential that social workers be able to competently address the spiritual needs of religious and nonreligious clients. Jungian and archetypal theorists have professed that there is a nexus between the spirit and archetypal energy since the origin of Jung’s collective unconscious theory. However, prior to this study, archetypal energy and spiritual well-being had never been examined to determine if a significant relationship exists between these two ostensibly powerful life forces. The results of this study show that there is a statistically significant relationship between the indicators of spiritual well-being and an individual’s identification with archetypal energy. As a result, this study provides a nonreligious alternative for assessing and addressing spirituality in a therapeutic environment.
Intractable bleeding from anorectal varices relieved by inferior mesenteric vein ligation

Intractable anorectal variceal bleeding is an uncommon manifestation of portal hypertension, distinct from simple hemorrhoids, that is managed with therapies as conservative as bedrest, stool softeners, and correction of coagulopathy and those as invasive as portosystemic shunt. In this case report, instant variceal decompression and cessation of bleeding followed a novel treatment: inferior mesenteric vein ligation.
The Real Estate Market in the Russian Federation in January-February 2015

116,300 residential apartments were built in the period of January 2014 thru February 2014, with a total residential floor space measuring 8.7m sq. meters, an increase 34.3%. year-on-year. According to the Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography (Rosregister), in 2013 the volume of registered title to land pots (6623502 registered title deeds) including individuals, overtook by 4.16% the results achieved in 2012. Comparing with January 2013, the volume of HMLs issued in January 2014 (47724 loans of Rb 79,294bn) increased 41.8% in quantity and 51.8% in monetary terms. As of February 1, 2014, overdue debt on ruble-denominated HMLs as percentage of the residual debt slid down by 0.49 p.p. against February 1, 2013 and stood at 1.0%. The weighted average interest rate on ruble-denominated HMLs was 12.3% in January 2014, being 0.4 p.p. higher than the lowest value in 2013.
Topology-Preserving Deletion of 1's from 2-, 3- and 4-Dimensional Binary Images

In digital topology, a 1 in a binary image is said to be simple if its deletion from the image “preserves topology”. Two (closely related) sets of necessary and sufficient conditions for a 1 in a 2-, 3- or 4-dimensional binary image to be simple are established. The 4-dimensional cases of these results may be regarded as the principal contribution of this paper. A different discrete characterization of simple 1's in 2-, 3-and 4-dimensional binary images, discovered by A. W. Roscoe and the author, is also presented (without proof).
Autoradiographic Study of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Synthesis in L Cells Infected with the Agent of Meningopneumonitis

Abstract Moore, Dorothy E. (University of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.), and James W. Moulder. Autoradiographic study of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis in L cells infected with the agent of meningopneumonitis. J. Bacteriol. 92:1128–1132. 1966.—L cells infected with the agent of meningopneumonitis were labeled with H3-cytidine at 5-hr intervals after infection, and cell samples were fixed every 5 hr after labeling. These preparations were then digested with ribonuclease, stained by the Feulgen procedure, and examined by autoradiography. Labeled meningopneumonitis inclusions were first seen 15 hr after infection. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was synthesized in both L-cell nuclei and meningopneumonitis agent for as long as 40 hr after infection. Nuclear DNA synthesis was unaffected until 25 hr after infection, at which time synthesis of agent DNA reached its peak. After 25 hr, both meningopneumonitis and L cell DNA synthesis declined.
Expert Systems for Forecasting

Expert systems use rules to represent experts’ reasoning in solving problems. The rules are based on knowledge about methods and the problem domain. To acquire knowledge for an expert system, one should rely on a variety of sources, such as textbooks, research papers, interviews, surveys, and protocol analyses. Protocol analyses are especially useful if the area to be modeled is complex or if experts lack an awareness of their processes. Expert systems should be easy to use, incorporate the best available knowledge, and reveal the reasoning behind the recommendations they make. In forecasting, the most promising applications of expert systems are to replace unaided judgment in cases requiring many forecasts, to model complex problems where data on the dependent variable are of poor quality, and to handle semi-structured problems. We found 15 comparisons of forecast validity involving expert systems. As expected, expert systems were more accurate than unaided judgment, six comparisons to one, with one tie. Expert systems were less accurate than judgmental bootstrapping in two comparisons with two ties. There was little evidence with which to compare expert systems and econometric models; expert systems were better in one study and tied in two.
Self-reported and pharmacy claims-based medication adherence in low-income older Medicare beneficiaries with type 2 diabetes (806.1)

Little is known about the validity of commonly used medication adherence measures in low-income older adults with type 2 diabetes. This study compared self-report of cost-related delaying (re)fills...
EPR Studies of Mn 2+ in Cd 1-x Mg x Te Mixed Single Crystals

The EPR for Mn 2+ (0.01%) in Cd 1- x Mg x Te (0≤ x ≤0.2) mixed crystals grown by the Bridgeman technique has been studied at the X -band. The hyperfine interaction constants A and g -factors have been found to be less dependent on the composition x than the crystalline field constants a . An empirical equation has been formulated in order to obtain the EPR parameters for Mn 2+ in II-VI compounds as a whole. This law shows an exponential dependence of the EPR parameters on the effective distance between the magnetic ion and the anion. This law is used to estimate unknown parameters for Mn 2+ in Cd 1- x Te as a function of x . Some lines in the EPR spectra showed a broadening with x . The temperature dependence of the constants A for these crystals has been found to be a little larger than those for ionic crystals such as MgO, CaF 2 , and NaCl. The composition dependence of the Debye temperatures has been determined from these data. Measurements were also made of the temperature dependence of the peak-to-pe...
Complex Dynamics in a Singular Delayed Bioeconomic Model with and without Stochastic Fluctuation

A singular delayed biological economic predator-prey system with and without stochastic fluctuation is proposed. The conditions of singularity induced bifurcation are gained, and a state feedback controller is designed to eliminate such bifurcation. Furthermore, saddle-node bifurcation is also showed. Next, the local stability of the positive equilibrium and the existence of Hopf bifurcation are obtained by analyzing the distribution of roots of the corresponding characteristic equation, and the hybrid control strategy is used to control the occurrence of Hopf bifurcation. In addition, some explicit formulas determining the spectral densities of the populations and harvest effort are given when the system is considered with stochastic fluctuation. Finally, numerical simulations are illustrated to verify the theoretical results.
Synthesis and Characterization of Wormlike Three-Arm Poly(n-hexyl isocyanate) Star Polymers

We have previously reported the use of titanium alkoxide complexes as initiators for the living polymerization of isocyanates. In this paper, we present the synthesis of a trimetallic initiator, 2, comprised of three titanium alkoxides connected to a central organic core and the use of this catalyst to form three-arm star polymers which contain rigid polyisocyanate arms. Kinetic and molecular weight experiments confirm that the trimetallic complex 2, like its monometallic analogue, 6, initiates the living polymerization of n-hexyl isocyanate and that the three-arm stars obtained from 2 are completely symmetrical. The number-average molecular weight of polymer obtained from 2 increases linearly with the monomer-to-catalyst ratio used, which indicates a lack of chain transfer during polymerization. A comparison of the rates of polymerization of n-hexyl isocyanate by 2 and 6 at fixed initial monomer and titanium concentrations (k 2 = (3.99 ± 0.2) x 10 -3 M min -1 , k 6 = (3.84 ± 0.1) x 10 -3 M min -1 ) demonstrates that all three titanium centers in 2 are active and propagate independently of one another. The solution properties of these new three-arm star polymers were examined through tandem GPC/light scattering and solution viscometry experiments. Light scattering shows that there is a 55% reduction in the mean-square radius of gyration (g = star / linear = 0.45 ± 0.05) of the three-arm star polyisocyanate from that of a linear polyisocyanate of the same molecular weight. The experimental value of g approaches the rod limit of g that indicates that the arms of the three-arm star can be construed as stiff, wormlike chains. Additionally, there is a 28% reduction in the intrinsic viscosity of three-arm polyisocyanate star from that of its linear equivalent. Finally, a 30% w/w solution of three-arm star polyisocyanate displays a nematic, lyotropic liquid crystalline mesophase.
Resolving magnetic and chemical correlations in CoPtCr films using soft X-ray resonant scattering

Resonant small-angle scattering at the 2p levels of 3d transition elements strongly enhances scattering from both magnetic and chemical structure in the plane of thin films, as recently demonstrated for Co/Pt multilayers having perpendicular anisotropy. Here this resonant enhancement is demonstrated for CoPtCr films having in-plane magnetic anisotropy. A simple formalism describing the spectral dependence of the kinematical scattering provides a means to distinguish between magnetic and charge scattering and to probe the chemical segregation processes yielding charge scattering, thereby providing new information about this structure. It is found that correlation lengths of magnetic scattering are roughly 5 times larger than those for chemical scattering in the as-deposited CoPtCr film studied, consistent with significant exchange-coupling between polycrystalline grains.
Short skirts and breast juts: cheerleading, eroticism and schools

Cheerleading, an American invention, has 3.8 million participants in the United States, 97% of whom are female. It is an adult‐sanctioned and typically school‐affiliated activity that remains popular in spite of the increase in sports' opportunities for girls in schools. Drawing from popular culture and a middle school ethnography, the authors document the enduring popularity of cheerleading and how it is a vehicle through which adolescent girls may try out various facets of what it means to be a contemporary American woman. The cheerleader represents both the ‘good’ girl as well as the sexy tease. Understanding the sexual tensions embedded in cheerleading in its nation of origin may provide educators in different national contexts ideas of how to use cheerleading as an educational tool.
Estradiol suppresses rapid eye movement sleep and activation of sleep-active neurons in the ventrolateral preoptic area

Studies from multiple species, including humans, suggest that gonadal hormones, and ovarian hormones in particular, influence the physiology of sleep, but the mechanisms by which these hormones influence sleep behaviors are unknown. Previously, we demonstrated a 50% reduction in lipocalin-prostaglandin D synthase (L-PGDS) transcript levels, following estradiol treatment, at the level of the ventrolateral preoptic area (VLPO), a putative sleep-active nucleus. Catalytic activity of L-PGDS produces prostaglandin D(2) (PGD(2)), an endogenous somnogen. Based on our previous studies, we hypothesized that estradiol is acting via PGD(2) to suppress neuronal activity in the VLPO of females. To begin to test whether this is true, we quantified the number of Fos-immunopositive cells in hormonally manipulated male and female rats. We found that in females during the light phase, estradiol suppressed Fos expression in VLPO neurons. Interestingly, protein expression of L-PGDS followed the same pattern. Surprisingly, changes in the hormonal milieu of males had no effect. Using telemetry to record electroencephalograms from gonadally intact females, we found, in the light phase of proestrus when estradiol levels are high, a marked reduction in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep compared with the other days of the estrous cycle. However, during the dark phase of proestrus when estrogen and progesterone levels are elevated, significantly less time was spent in both non-REM and REM sleep. Thus, it seems that hormones in females play a major role in the regulation of sleep and arousal via activation of neurons in key sleep and arousal centers.
HUMAN AND RAT OSTEOBLAST-LIKE CELLS EXPRESS STATHMIN, A GROWTH-REGULATORY PROTEIN

We used the differential display polymerase chain reaction method of Liang and Pardee (Science (1992) 257:967-971) to identify a growth-regulatory protein, stathmin or oncoprotein 18, in human and rat osteoblast-like cells. When messenger ribonucleic acid from human osteosarcoma (Saos-2) cells treated with 10−8M 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 was compared with that of cells treated with vehicle alone by this method, we observed an increase in the intensity of a band that on subsequent DNA sequence analysis was found to encode stathmin. We examined normal human osteoblast-like cells, transformed human osteoblast-like cells (HOBIT), human osteosarcoma cells (Saos-2), and rat osteoblast cell (ROS 17/2.8, ROS 25/1) lines for the presence of the messenger RNA for stathmin. All osteoblast-like cells examined expressed the RNA for this protein. Western analysis of the protein of these cells with a polyclonal antibody directed against stathmin showed the presence of a Mr 19,000 band. We conclude that human and rat osteoblast-like cells express stathmin and that this protein could play a role in regulation of the growth of these cells in response to various hormonal stimuli.
Whole-plant oils, potential new industrial raw materials

In an extensive screening program, 14 plant species have been identified which have good potential as hydrocarbon- and rubber-producing crops. These plants contain from 5 to 10% oil plus polymeric hydrocarbon on a dry weight basis. Since their dry matter yield should be 11,200 to 22,400 kg/ha/year, they would produce several times as much oil as conventional oilseed crops. In these plants, the oil is not concentrated in storage organs, i.e., seed or fruit tissue, but is distributed throughout the whole plant. Several species are lactiferous, with oil as a major component of the latex. A few which are of primary interest as potential new sources of natural rubber produce an equal yield of by-product oil. A prominent feature of most whole-plant oils is their large component of nonglyceride esters. Such oils could become valuable new feedstocks for production of plasticizers for rubber and plastics and new sources of waxes, long chain alcohols, sterols, terpenes, fatty acids, and other products. A petroleum refinery could be operated on whole-plant oils, and some species are being referred to as potential “gasoline trees.”
Ethnic and Sociodemographic Correlates of the Use of Proxy Respondents: The National Survey of Hispanic Elderly People, 1988

The goal of this research is to examine the ethnic and sociodemographic correlates of older Latino adults who report for themselves in survey research, and those who use a spouse, child, or other adult as a proxy respondent. Multivariate analysis of the National Survey of Hispanic Elderly People identifies specific ethnic and sociodemographic factors that are significant correlates to sources of information. Researchers collecting data on an older, immigrant population might consider use of a proxy respondent to reduce nonresponse rates.
Initial experimental results using the noise correlation radar

Experimental results from recent field testing with the noise correlation radar (NCR) are presented as a proof of concept. In order to understand the effectiveness of the NCR, a predetermined set of measures is established. We discuss the three experimental configurations used in evaluating the system’s range resolution/error, robustness to interference, and secure radio frequency (RF) emission. We show that the advanced pulse compression noise (APCN) radar waveform has low range measurement error, is robust to interference, and is spectrally nondeterministic. In addition, we determine that an improvement in range resolution due to phase modulation is achieved as a function of the random code length rather than the compressed pulse length.
TiO2-Graphene Nanocomposites. UV-Assisted Photocatalytic Reduction of Graphene Oxide

Graphene oxide suspended in ethanol undergoes reduction as it accepts electrons from UV-irradiated TiO2 suspensions. The reduction is accompanied by changes in the absorption of the graphene oxide, as the color of the suspension shifts from brown to black. The direct interaction between TiO2 particles and graphene sheets hinders the collapse of exfoliated sheets of graphene. Solid films cast on a borosilicate glass gap separated by gold-sputtered terminations show an order of magnitude decrease in lateral resistance following reduction with the TiO2 photocatalyst. The photocatalytic methodology not only provides an on-demand UV-assisted reduction technique but also opens up new ways to obtain photoactive graphene-semiconductor composites.
Mechanical analog for a quantum-chromodynamic phase transition

A simple mechanical model involving a pendulum and a spring is shown to give the same phase-transition behavior as that of either the effective chiral Lagrangian for one-flavor QCD or the massive Schwinger model. This model, which also has been studied in catastrophe theory, permits us to get a nice understanding of what at first appears to be a complicated system. We also construct and analyze a mechanical analog model for the two-flavor case. The latter has a similar behavior, in general, but does present some interesting new features. With this experience under our belts we are able to straightforwardly analyze the situation with an arbitrary number of flavors. We also discuss what the zero-flavor (i.e., pure QCD) limit of the effective Lagrangian should look like and give a formula for the ground-state energy as a function of the instanton angle $\ensuremath{\theta}$. A number of other questions related to the QCD effective Lagrangian are investigated.
Polarography of hydrogen peroxide in lanthanum nitrate solutions

The reduction of hydrogen peroxide at the D.M.E. is catalyzed in lanthanum, salt solutions. In. 0.01 M La(NO3)3 it has been shown that a cathodic hydrogen peroxide current appears at +0.2 V vs. S.C.E., followed by a depression in the current which extends to the main hydrogen peroxide wave at −0.3 V. Experiments on suspensions of lanthanum hydroxide in lanthanum nitrate-hydrogen peroxide solutions have shown that the reduction current at potentials more oxidizing than −0.3 V increased upon contact with the solid, while the height of the normal wave decreased. Filtration of these mixtures and tests with potassium permanganate and nitric acid on the filtrate indicated that the species responsible for the reduction current was soluble, oxidizable, and unstable to acid. Mercury in contact with the lanthanum nitratehydrogen peroxide test solution led to the more rapid production of this species along with the evolution of oxygen. A soluble complex between lanthanum ion and hydrogen peroxide, formed under mildly alkaline conditions, is postulated as the species being reduced. The suppression of the catalytic current in the potential range +0.1 to −0–2 V is interpreted as the result of adsorption of insoluble lanthanum hydroxide or polymeric lanthanum hydroxy-complexes on the D.M.E. Current-time curves consistent with this explanation have been obtained.
A map-reduce lagrangian heuristic for multidimensional assignment problems with decomposable costs

Data Association framed as multidimensional assignment with decomposable costs.Distribution of a Lagrangian relaxation heuristic using a map-reduce framework.Parallel computation of Lagrange multipliers.New feasibility procedure for the relaxed multidimensional assignment problem.High quality and scalable solutions to large data association problems. Data association is the problem of identifying when multiple data sources have observed the same entity. Central to this effort is the multidimensional assignment problem, which is often used to formulate data association problems. The nature of data association problems dictate that solution methods for the multidimensional assignment problem must return results promptly, and work on large data sets. The contribution of this work is to describe a Lagrangian relaxation based heuristic for the multi-dimensional assignment problem with decomposable costs that can be largely implemented in a map-reduce framework and thus easily distributed across a cluster of computers. Distribution allows the heuristic to address run time and large data requirements of data association. The developed algorithm is tested on a synthesized dataset, and shown to achieve an optimality gap ranging from 0.00008% to 0.6% for dense (no filtering) problems having 10,000 observation. Distribution of the algorithm was found to offer a significant reduction in run time on 30,000 observation problems for an 8 node computing cluster with 96 processors over a single node with 12 processors.
Expression of adrenal steroid receptors by newly born cells and pyknotic cells in the dentate gyrus of the postnatal rat

Neurogenesis and cell survival in the postnatal rat dentate gyrus are regulated by adrenal steroids. Increases in the circulating levels of glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids result in decreased cell birth and increased cell survival in the dentate gyrus during the first postnatal week. It is presently unknown whether the effects of these hormones on cell birth and survival are direct or indirect. The expression of adrenal steroid receptors by dentate gyrus neuroblasts and pyknotic cells would support the contention that adrenal steroids directly affect neurogenesis and cell death. To determine whether or not this is the case, immunohistochemistry for the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) was combined with short-survival [(3)H]thymidine autoradiography in rat pups during the first postnatal week. Light microscopic analysis revealed immunoreactivity for both GRs and MRs in the dentate gyrus. Approximately 50% of all pyknotic cells showed GR-like immunoreactivity, whereas no examples of MR-immunoreactive pyknotic cells were detected. In addition, some [(3)H]thymidine-labeled cells were immunoreactive for GRs (approximately 10%) but no [(3)H]thymidine-labeled MR-immunoreactive cells were observed. The relatively high percentage of pyknotic cells that were GR-immunoreactive suggests that adrenal steroids influence cell survival directly through GRs. In contrast, the relatively low percentage of [(3)H]thymidine-labeled cells expressing GRs indicates that adrenal steroids influence cell birth indirectly through an as yet unidentified mechanism.
A Roadmap for Comprehensive Requirements Modeling

Most large software systems result from weaving together many independently developed systems. Like Shelley's Frankenstein, such systems risk inheriting undesirable properties. Requirements monitoring can sound the alert should these creations fail to meet their obligations.
Diffusion processes in defective crystals and multistate diffusion

Abstract A stochastic theory of multistate diffusion on defective lattices is introduced via a defect-dressed continuous-time random walk propagator. The method is employed for periodic defective lattices to analyze: multistate diffusion; the effects of lattice structure on diffusion constants; and variations in quasielastic neutron scattering line-shapes due to migration mechanisms. A new interpretation of anomalous vacancy diffusion, deviating from Arrhenius behaviour, due to competition between different monovacancy migration mechanisms is given.
Electrochemical and Homogeneous Exchange Kinetics for Transition-Metal Aquo Couples: Anomalous Behavior of Hexaaquoiron(III/II)

Analyse et comparaison des donnees cinetiques relatives aux reactions redox electrochimiques et homogenes des couples redox Ru ap 3+/2+ , V ap 3+/2+ , Fe ap 3+/2+ , Eu aq 3+/2+ et Cr ap 3+/2+ (ou «ap» represente le coordinat aquo). Utilisation des relations cinetiques de Marcus en vue de determiner comment les cinetiques de l'echange d'electrons de la sphere externe dependent du site redox metallique
Holographic storage in pseudo-deep holograms

Denisyuk's pseudo-deep holograms exhibit angular and wavelength selectivity comparable to three-dimensional holograms. In a recent paper, Lohmann and Arrizon have derived a formula for the angular selectivity. We show that there are three ways of multiplexing data on pseudo-deep holograms: angular, wavelength and hologram tilt. Although combinations of these schemes do not increase the data storage limit of a two-dimensional medium, the fact that the data may be stored in a pseudo-deep hologram in a large variety of ways may be of interest in the design of optical storage using planar architectures.
The Body Weight Egg Production Paradox

Abstract COMMERCIAL poultry breeders strive to develop small-bodied varieties of chickens that lay eggs at a high rate and of satisfactory size. Small-bodied chickens require less feed for body maintenance. In a study of results from random sample egg laying tests, Leghorn-type entries intermediate in body weight, produced the highest average income, while heavy-type chickens from the lower third in body weight produced the highest mean income (Nordskog, 1960). On the other hand, Dickerson and Hughes (1964) reported that egg production declined 5 to 10 eggs per pullet housed for each one-tenth of a pound that hens were below an optimum body weight. Also, the lighter birds reached sexual maturity more slowly and had higher adult mortality. Thus, we have a seeming contradiction: Breeders favor small or intermediate size birds, but producers find the best performers among the birds having the heavier body weights. Because body weight is a function of . . .
Spectral identification of ozone-damaged pine needles

Needles were collected from ponderosa and Jeffrey pine trees at three sites in the Sierra Nevada, and were assembled into 504 samples and grouped according to five dominant live needle conditions-green, winter fleck, sucking insect damage, scale insect damage, and ozone damage-and a random mixture. Reflectance and transmittance measurements of abaxial and adaxial surfaces were obtained at ca 0.3 nm spectral resolution from 400-800 nm, and binned to simulate Airborne Visible and Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data. There were no significant differences in optical properties between the two surfaces. Ozone-damaged needles were collected from Jeffrey pine trees at one site, and exhibited significantly different (family-wise α = 0.01) reflectance and transmittance signatures-and significantly different signature slopes-at both spectral resolutions, from green and winter fleck needles from the same site. Ozone-damaged needles had significantly different (family-wise α = 0.01) abaxial surface reflectance and reflectance slope signatures from all other groups of needles, at both spectral resolutions. In comparison with three chlorophyll reflectance indices, a new red fall index (RFI) provides high classification accuracies for ozone-damaged and non-ozone-damaged pine needles (overall acc. = 94%; κ = 59%). Thus, ozone-damaged Jeffrey pine needles have a unique spectral signature in relation to dominant needle conditions of ponderosa and Jeffrey pine trees.
A new algorithm for stochastic optimization

Classical stochastic optimization algorithms have severe problems associated with them: they converge extremely slowly on problems where the objective function is very flat, and they often diverge when the objective function is steep. The author has developed a stochastic optimization algorithm that is more robust than the older algorithms in that it is guaranteed to converge on a larger class of problems. This algorithm is guaranteed to converge even when the iterates are not assumed a priori to be bounded. This algorithm is also observed to converge faster on a significant class of problems. As the parameters can be chosen so that the new algorithm behaves very much like the older algorithms (except that it converges on a larger class of problems), this algorithm should always be used in preference to the older algorithms. >
Professional Posttraumatic Growth After a Shared Traumatic Experience: Manhattan Clinicians' Perspectives on Post-9/11 Practice

Clinicians who live and work in natural and man-made disaster-prone areas are often exposed to trauma primarily as citizens and secondarily as a result of their professional practice. In an attempt to better understand this increasingly common experience of collective trauma, this study explored the long-term impact of September 11 on the professional lives of 201 Manhattan clinicians. Participants reported that 9/11 was the impetus for enhancing self-care, changing clinical modality, and forging new skills. Positive changes were also reported within the therapeutic relationship, including increased compassion and connectedness with clients. Negative effects included feeling ill-equipped to work in the gravity of 9/11, an increased sense of vulnerability, and disappointment with professional organizations.
Using spiral intensity profile to quantify head and neck cancer

During the analysis of microscopy images, researchers locate regions of interest (ROI) and extract relevant information within it. Identifying the ROI is mostly done manually and subjectively by pathologists. Computer algorithms could help in reducing their workload and improve reproducibility. In particular, we want to assess the validity of the folic acid receptor as a biomarker for head and neck cancer. We are only interested in folic acid receptors appearing in cancerous tissue. Therefore, the first step is to segment images into cancerous and noncancerous regions. We propose to use a spiral intensity profile for segmentation of light microscopy images. Many algorithms identify objects in an image by considering pixel intensity and spatial information separately. Our algorithm integrates intensity and spatial information by considering the change, or profile, of pixel intensity in a spiral fashion. Using a spiral intensity profile can also perform segmentation at different scales from cancer regions to nuclei cluster to individual nuclei. We compared our algorithm with manually segmented image and obtained a specificity of 83.7% and sensitivity of 61.1%. Spiral intensity profiles can be used as a feature to improve other segmentation algorithms. Segmentation of cancerous images at different scales allows effective quantification of folic acid receptor inside cancerous regions, nuclei clusters, or individual cells.
The contribution of hip fracture to risk of subsequent fractures: data from two longitudinal studies.

Background: The contribution of hip fracture to the risk of subsequent fractures is unclear. Methods: Data from the Baltimore Hip Studies and the Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly (EPESE) were used. Baltimore subjects enrolled at the time of hip fracture (n=549) and EPESE subjects without previous fractures at baseline (n=10,680) were followed for 2–10 years. Self-reported nonhip skeletal fracture was the outcome, and hip fracture was a time-varying covariate in a survival analysis stratified by study site. The model was adjusted for race, sex, age, BMI, stroke, cancer, difficulty walking across a room, dependence in grooming, dependence in transferring, and cognitive impairment. Results: The rate of all subsequent self-reported fractures after hip fracture was 10.4 fractures/100 person-years. The unadjusted hazard of nonhip skeletal fracture was 2.52 (95% confidence interval 2.05 to 3.12) for subjects with hip fracture compared with subjects without; when adjusted for other known fracture risk factors the hazard ratio was 1.62 (1.30 to 2.02). Men and women had a similar relative risk increase. The increased risk of secondary fracture after hip fracture persisted over time. Conclusions: A hip fracture is associated with a 2.5-fold increased risk of subsequent fracture, which is not entirely explained by prefracture risk factors. Careful attention to secondary prevention is warranted in these patients.
Scaled-up self-assembly of carbon nanotubes inside long stainless steel tubing

Abstract The self-assembly of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on the inside wall of a relatively long stainless steel tubing for applications such as separations and chromatography, is reported in this paper. The CNTs were deposited by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using ethylene as the carbon source and the iron nanostructures in the stainless steel as the catalyst. The coating consisted of a layer of CNTs aligned perpendicular to the circumference of the tubes, often with an overcoat of disordered carbonaceous material, which could be selectively oxidized by exposing the CNT layer below to pure O2 at 375 °C. Variation in uniformity in terms of the thickness and morphology of the deposited film and surface coverage were studied along the length of a tube by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of process conditions, such as flow rate and deposition time on the coating thickness, were studied. The catalytic effect of the iron nanostructures depended on surface conditioning of the tubing. It was found that the pretreatment temperature influenced the quality of the nanotube coating. The morphology of the CNT deposit supported the base-growth scheme and VLS (vapor–liquid–solid) growth mechanisms of CNTs.
Carbocyclic synthesis via boranes: stereochemical implications of boron annulation

Abstract Boron annulation, hydroboration-carbonylation, of substituted 1,5,9-decatrienes was utilized to prepare the cadinane sesquiterpene system. Stereochemical aspects of the triene hydroboration process and the carbonylation reaction have been analyzed through glc separation of boronate esters. Structural assignments for these esters and their oxidation (H 2 O 2 /NaOH) products were made through high field 1 H-NMR and other physical and spectral considerations.
Early mouse embryos: growth and differentiation in vitro.

Abstract Mouse blastocysts grown in a simple, easily controlled culture for 5 days developed into egg cylinder-like structures. The removal of zona pellucida and treatment with proteolytic enzymes promoted the development of blastocysts in vitro. Egg cylinders similarly cultured grew and showed signs of early organogenesis, i.e., beating heart, blood islands, somites and cephalization.
Healthcare professionals’ understanding of patient safety: relevance to the development of person-centered medicine

Aims and Objectives: The success of patient safety initiatives in the development of person-centered models of clinical care depends on the engagement of ‘frontline’ clinical staff. However, little is known about how such staff understand and act on notions of risk and safety. We aimed to explore this understanding through qualitative inductive analysis of interview data from healthcare staff in an acute hospital. Method and Results: We interviewed 43 members of staff and analysed the interviews using a grounded theory approach. ‘Patient safety’ was understood within each participant’s own work context. We noted discrepancies in that understanding, with ‘vertical’ differences (variations in experience and seniority) within one professional group and ‘horizontal’ differences between groups. Risk was generally seen as intrinsic to daily working life. Participants focus on managing rather than trying to avoid risk. An informal but complex conceptualisation identified ‘professional’ and ‘situational’ risk. Participants also distinguished ‘acceptable’ from ‘unacceptable’ risk and ‘avoidable’ from ‘unavoidable’ risk. These contrasts seemed to help them decide whether it is feasible, necessary and/or beneficial to intervene when a risk appears. Further, different individuals and groups were recognized to have understanding and ‘ownership’ of specific risks or groups of risks. Formal manifestations of safety systems, such as protocols and procedures, were recognised as useful, but concerns were expressed about the quantity and currency of protocols and about the difficulties caused by lack of resource. Conclusion: We suggest that an understanding of how health professionals deal informally with ideas about safety and risk should be used to shape and enhance formal safety initiatives in health services as an important contribution to the development of person-centered clinical care.
Biological Sealants and Knitted Dacron: Porosity and Histological Comparisons of Vascular Graft Materials with and without Collagen and Fibrin Glue Pretreatments

Woven Dacron used in extracardiac conduits tends to form a poorly adherent, obstructing layer of pseudointima. Knitted high-porosity conduits allow fibrous and vascular ingrowth and more secure anchoring of the pseudointima. However, at the time of insertion, the porosity rate must be sufficiently low to prevent excessive bleeding in the heparinized patient. Pretreatments with biological sealants are available to temporarily reduce the porosity of knitted Dacron at the time of implantation with subsequent resorption of the sealant. We compared in vitro water porosity rates of knitted Dacron pretreated with conventional techniques, fibrin glue, and collagen impregnation. Only the collagen-impregnated and fibrin glue-treated grafts decreased the porosity of knitted Dacron to an acceptable level. To assess the biocompatibility and resorption of biomaterials used in sealing conduits, pretreated Dacron was implanted subcutaneously in weaning rats. Foreign-body response of untreated Dacron was unchanged by conventional techniques. Fibrin glue also resulted in good capillary ingrowth as well as occasional punctate multifocal deposits of calcium phosphate. The collagen-impregnated grafts differed in the intensity of the inflammatory response and tissue adhesion, possibly related to the degree of collagen cross-linking. This may have important implications regarding structure of the pseudointima in vascular grafts sealed with these materials.
Gas chromatographic detection of diacetyl in orange juice

A GLC method was developed for detection of diacetyl (2,3-butanedione) and acetoin (3-hydroxy-2-butanone) in orange juice. Retention times for diacetyl and acetoin were 2.8 ± 0.03 and 6.8 ± 0.02 min, respectively. Concentration by distillation was essential to detect small quantities by GLC of diacetyl but was ineffective for acetoin. A linear response of diacetyl concentration to peak area was observed between 0.05 and 0.5 ppm. The peak areas at 0.05 and 0.5 ppm diacetyl were 1242 ± 203 and 20142 ± 1120, respectively. Elevating the column temperature and decreasing the carrier gas flow rate, increased the limit of detection for acetoin from ≥ 100 ppm to ≥ 10 ppm, but diminished the resolution of the diacetyl peak from juice volatiles.
Characterization of variable regions of monoclonal antibodies by top-down mass spectrometry.

A technique for rapid characterization of variable regions of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) is described. Several intact mAbs were analyzed on a Thermo-Fisher LTQ-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometer (MS) by in-source fragmentation. In-source fragmentation has the unique advantage of fragmenting all charge states of a protein at the same time and, thus, greatly improves the sensitivity of the fragment ions over a true MS/MS experiment, where a single charge state is isolated and fragmented. In addition, immediate fragmentation of the protein before tertiary structure formation may also facilitate protein fragmentation. This technique has been proved very useful for top-down analysis of large proteins. In-source fragmentation of mAbs generated a series of fragment ions. In addition to some small b and y ions from the light chain and heavy chain in the low m/z region, a series of b ions corresponding to N-terminal 106−120 residues of both heavy chain and light chain were observed. The cleavage sites for...
Effect of Distractive Auditory Stimuli on Exercise Tolerance in Patients With COPD

We tested the hypothesis that a distractive stimulus, such as music, introduced during exercise can reduce perception of respiratory effort at any given level of exercise, whereas sensory deprivation increases effort perception. Thirty-six patients with moderate COPD participated in four sessions of symptom-limited exercise. The first session familiarized the subject with the protocol. The other sessions were performed under partial visual isolation while listening to music (M), or to grey noise (GN), or in silence (SIL), presented in randomized order. Subjects graded their respiratory effort using the Borg rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale. Total exercise time (EXT) and external work (WT) were objective indices of exercise tolerance. EXT was 22% longer with M than with either GN or SIL (p < 0.001), and WT was 44% and 53% greater with M than with GN or SIL, respectively (p < 0.001). These increases occurred at a heart rate that was only a few beats higher than during GN or SIL (104 +/- 3 bpm for M and 101 +/- 3 bpm for GN and SIL), a minimal difference that was statistically significant (p < 0.001). At every level of exercise, perceived exertion with M was lower than for either GN or SIL (p < 0.001). Although the respective RPE was higher for SIL than for GN (p < 0.01) at every level of exercise, WT and EXT were no different. These data indicate that perceived effort can be significantly influenced by external factors. This in turn suggests that the use of distractive stimuli during exercise training programs with patients with COPD may significantly decrease perceived symptoms of respiratory discomfort, thus allowing the patient to exercise to a higher intensity, and potentially achieving more effective exercise reconditioning training.
Rupture complexity of the 1994 Bolivia and 2013 Sea of Okhotsk deep earthquakes

The physical mechanism of deep earthquakes (depth >300 km) remains enigmatic, partly because their rupture dimensions are difficult to estimate due to their low aftershock productivity and absence of geodetic or surface rupture observations. The two largest deep earthquakes, the recent Great 2013 Sea of Okhotsk earthquake (M 8.3, depth 607 km) and the Great 1994 Bolivia earthquake (M 8.3, depth 637 km), together provide a unique opportunity to compare their rupture patterns in detail. Here we extend a travel-time sub-event location method to perform full teleseismic P-waveform inversion. This new method allows us to explain the observed broadband records with a set of sub-events whose model parameters are robustly constrained without smoothing. We find that while the Okhotsk event is mostly unilateral, rupturing 90 km along strike with a velocity over 4 km/s, the Bolivia earthquake ruptured about half this distance at a slow velocity (about 1.5 km/s) and displayed a major change in rupture direction. We explain the observed differences between the two earthquakes as resulting from two fundamentally different faulting mechanisms in slabs with different thermal states. Phase transformational faulting is inferred to occur inside the metastable olivine wedge within cold slab cores whereas shear melting occurs inside warm slabs once triggered.