cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of the antioxidative capacity of an antioxidant complex and idebenone: an in vitro rapid and sensitive method.

Summary Background/aims The goal of this study was to determine the ability of two putative antioxidant solutions to suppress the formation of superoxide anion radicals created by optical excitation of a photosensitizer and measured by highly sensitive luminometric detection. Methods/results Solutions containing 3% antioxidant complex and 1% idebenone were tested.* The antioxidant complex is an aqueous combination of botanical extracts rich in ferulic acid, caffeic acid, and other polyphenols. Idebenone is a lower molecular weight analog of coenzyme Q10 (a potent antioxidant). Each was dissolved in lipid soluble reagents (solutions) and run through a Photochem® (photochemiluminometer system) device. Their antioxidant capacity was expressed as nmol equivalents of synthetic vitamin E. Nine aliquots of each compound were measured. The mean antioxidant capacities for the 3% antioxidant complex and 1% idebenone were 525 ± 23 and 213 ± 14 nmol, respectively, with a statistically significant difference between the two compounds (P < 0.001). Conclusion The 3% antioxidant solution possesses a significant antioxidative capacity, which was 2.5 times greater than the known antioxidant idebenone in a 1% solution as shown by the quenching of superoxide anion radicals measured by photochemiluminescence. This method provides rapid, accurate, and sensitive measurement of the antioxidant properties of lipid-soluble compounds.
Prosthetic heme modification during halide ion oxidation. Demonstration of chloride oxidation by horseradish peroxidase.

Myeloperoxidase (MPO), eosinophil peroxidase (EPO), and chloroperoxidase can oxidize iodide, bromide, and chloride, but most peroxidases, including the prototypical horseradish peroxidase (HRP), reportedly only oxidize iodide and, in some cases, bromide. We report here that incubation of HRP with Br- and H2O2 at acidic pH results in both bromination of monochlorodimedone and modification of the heme group. Mass spectrometry indicates that the heme 2- and 4-vinyl groups are modified by either replacement of a vinyl hydrogen by a bromide or addition of HOBr to give a bromohydrin. These reactions do not occur if protein-free heme and Br- are co-incubated with H2O2 or if the HRP reaction is carried out at pH 7. Surprisingly, similar prosthetic heme modifications occur in incubations of HRP with H2O2 and Cl-. A mechanism is proposed involving oxidation of Br- or Cl- to give HOBr or HOCl, respectively, followed by addition to a vinyl group. In the reaction with Cl-, a meso-chloro heme adduct is also formed. Thi...
Volume Hologram Formation in Photopolymer Materials

Holograms have been constructed in photopolymer materials which give bright, low-noise images. These holograms are of the volume type and have no surface variations in all but a few special cases. They are constructed in virtually real time and in situ, requiring no processing. Materials sensitive to both uv and blue-green radiation have been used. In this paper, the mechanism of hologram formation is examined. Experimental results on sensitivity, spatial frequency response, particle scattering noise, and nonlinearities are discussed. A few holographic applications of the material are presented.
Analysis of Internal Quantum Efficiency and Current Injection Efficiency in III-Nitride Light-Emitting Diodes

Current injection efficiency and internal quantum efficiency (IQE) in InGaN quantum well (QW) based light emitting diodes (LEDs) are investigated. The analysis is based on current continuity relation for drift and diffusion carrier transport across the QW-barrier systems. A self-consistent 6-band k ·p method is used to calculate the band structure for InGaN QW structure. Carrier-photon rate equations are utilized to describe radiative and non-radiative recombination in the QW and the barrier regions, carrier transport and capture time, and thermionic emission leading to carrier leakage out of the QW. Our model indicates that the IQE in the conventional 24-A In0.28Ga0.72 N -GaN QW structure reaches its peak at low injection current density and reduces gradually with further increase in current due to the large thermionic carrier leakage. The efficiency droop phenomenon at high current density in III-nitride LEDs is thus consistent with the high-driving-current induced quenching in current injection efficiency predicted by our model. The effects of the monomolecular recombination coefficient, Auger recombination coefficient and GaN hole mobility on the current injection efficiency and IQE are studied. Structures combining InGaN QW with thin larger energy bandgap barriers such as AlxGa1-xN, lattice-matched AlxIn1-xN, and lattice-matched AlxInyGa1-x-y N have been analyzed to improve current injection efficiency and thus minimize droop at high current injection in III-nitride LEDs. Effect of the thickness of the larger energy bandgap barriers (AlGaN, AlInN and AlInGaN) on injection efficiency and IQE are investigated. The use of thin AlGaN barriers shows slight reduction of quenching of the injection efficiency as the current density increases. The use of thin lattice-matched AlInN or AlInGaN barriers shows significant suppression of efficiency-droop in nitride LEDs.
Toxicity of intermittent chlorination to freshwater fish: Influence of temperature and chlorine form

Fingerling size Salmo gairdneri, Oncorhynchus kisutch, Notemigonus crysoleucas, Cyprinus carpio, and Ictalurus punctatus were exposed in the laboratory three times daily for up to seven days to pulses of either free chlorine or monochloramine. This regime simulated conditions often encountered in the outfall of steam electric generating plants which chlorinate intermittently. LC50's, LT50's and response isopleths giving various percentage mortalities, were computed from the bioassays. S. gairdneri, O. kisutch, and I. punctatus were the most sensitive to both types of chlorine. C. carpio were most resistant and the N. crysoleucas were intermediate in sensitivity. Temperature had relatively little effect on the toxicity of intermittent chlorine to the species tested. In this type of test regime, free chlorine was three to fourteen-fold more toxic (depending on the species) than monochloramine. Water quality criteria for the protection of fish should, in the future, take this differential toxicity into consideration.
Recent Research on Emergent Verbal Behavior: Clinical Applications and Future Directions.

This paper describes recent studies that have evaluated the functional independence of verbal operants. Procedures that facilitate the emergence of untrained verbal operants and important areas of future research to increase efficiency of language programs for children diagnosed with developmental disabilities are discussed.
Record low-threshold, single-strained-quantum-well, graded-index, separate-confinement heterostructure laser

Record low-threshold current density operation of a singlestrained-quantum-well graded-index separate-confinement heterostructure GaInAs/AlGaAs laser has been obtained. The device was grown by molecular-beam epitaxy on a GaAs substrate and uses a proton implant stripe geometry to achieve a threshold current density of 1.3 kA/cm2.
Schur-type stability properties and complex diagonal scaling

We introduce new classes of n-by-n matrices with complex entries which can be scaled by a diagonal matrix with complex entries to be normal or Hermitian and study the Schur-type stability properties of these matrices.
Evaluation's Second Act: A Spotlight on Learning

Imagine a world where evaluation is a social epidemic . . . where individuals, groups, organizations, and communities are constantly learning about and from evaluations. The author believes that we are well on our way to creating a “global cascade” of evaluative thinking and practice. Evidence of this phenomenon can be seen in the field's increasing commitment to evaluation capacity building and participatory evaluation approaches and the expanding applications of technology for accessing and disseminating information. If the old saying is “The second act is the best” then we might ask ourselves, “How can evaluation realize its potential for making a difference in our increasingly complex and changing world?” The author argues that addressing today's critical evaluation theory, practice, and policy issues requires us to understand the ways in which evaluation facilitates learning, how evaluators can maximize learning from and about evaluation, and what it would mean if the evaluation profession was a sust...
A solid-phase immunosorbent assay for the detection of protein kinase-specific monoclonal antibodies.

We describe two solid-phase immunosorbent assays that detect monoclonal antibodies against a cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase from Paramecium tetraurelia without the need for pure kinase preparations. A radiometric immunosorbent assay (RISA) previously described by E.A. Pierce, M. C. Dame, and H. F. De Luca (1986, Anal. Biochem. 153, 67-74) was adapted to detect monoclonal antibodies against cyclic AMP-binding proteins. The RISA identified antibodies against the regulatory subunit of the enzyme, but failed to detect antibodies against the catalytic subunit. We therefore developed a solid-phase assay for immunoadsorbed protein kinase activity (IPKA) in 96-well plates. Antibodies were adsorbed from hybridoma supernatants to wells coated with anti-immunoglobulin antibodies. The wells were then incubated with protein kinase, and bound protein kinase activity was assayed with histone as a substrate. Monoclonal antibody concentrations of 1 micrograms/ml were reliably detected in hybridoma supernatants. As little as 10 histone-phosphorylating units (picomoles of phosphate incorporated per minute) were required per assay. The IPKA detected not only catalytic subunit-specific antibodies, but also antibodies directed against the regulatory subunit of the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. Since crude preparations of protein kinase can be used in the IPKA, monoclonal antibodies raised against impure protein kinase can be identified.
A New Genus and Species of Phyllotine Rodent (Rodentia: Muridae: Sigmodontinae: Phyllotini) from South America

A new genus of phyllotine rodent is described. One species from northwestern San Luis Province and southeastern San Juan Province, Argentina is included. This new genus is compared with species of Eligmodontia, Calomys, Andalgalomys , and Graomys . External, cranial, and dental characters indicate that the new genus is most closely related to Calomys and Eligmodontia . The new genus may be distinguished using both quantitative and qualitative characters. The discovery of a new genus of Sigmodontine rodent specialized for desert environments in Argentina is the second in 15 years and underscores the need for further faunal work in arid areas of South America.
SELENIUM LEVELS IN NEW GROWTH HAIR AND IN WHOLE BLOOD DURING INGESTION OF A SELENIUM SUPPLEMENT FOR SIX WEEKS

Abstract Whole blood and new growth hair selenium (Se) values were measured in 8 subjects before and following daily ingestion of a selenium enriched yeast supplement (100 mcg/day) for six weeks. Selenium supplementation significantly (p
Latent Profiles Among Sexual Assault Survivors Understanding Survivors and Their Assault Experiences

Little guidance exists about how to tailor empowerment and resistance sexual assault programming to be responsive to varying groups of women. Using an investigation of 415 college women who completed a self-administered survey about a range of sexually aggressive experiences by a known male assailant, this investigation tested for distinct multivariate profiles of contextual factors among sexually assaulted women to discern how these factors may differentially combine to influence women's vulnerability to sexual assault. We applied latent profile analysis (LPA) to determine meaningful subgroups of women based on interrelationships among factors that contextualize women's vulnerability to sexual assault, including prior victimization, alcohol consumption, relationship expectancies of the assailant, and assertive precautionary habits. LPA established four significantly distinct multivariate profiles of substantively different groups of women. Group difference tests reinforced the findings and aided in group profile interpretations. Implications for the development of tailored resistance and empowerment programs are discussed.
Chylopericardium in adults: A literature review over the past decade (1996–2006)

Objectives We present a systematic overview of the literature on reported cases of chylous pericardial effusion in adults over the past 10 years, assessing clinical presentation, etiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Methods We conducted an evidence-based literature review searching for all reported adult cases of chylopericardium in the past 10 years (January 1996–December 2006). Results A total of 33 reported cases of chylopericardium were identified through a systematic literature search. There was no gender bias in the incidence of chylous pericardial effusion. Age at diagnosis varied from 18 to 68 years with a mean ± standard deviation of 36.78 ± 14.71 years. Time from symptom onset to diagnosis was variable (ranging from acute presentation to several years).The most common reported etiology was idiopathic. The diagnosis was made by pericardiocentesis in all patients. A search for secondary causes included computed tomography of the chest, lymphoscintigraphy, and lymphangiography along with radioactive oral 131I-triolein. Conservative therapy was prescribed in 28 patients and failed in 16, in whom subsequent surgery was necessary. Overall, 21 patients underwent various types of surgery. Thoracic duct ligation with creation of a pericardial window was the most common surgical procedure. Conclusion Chylopericardium is a rare entity. The fluid appearance, triglyceride content, cytologic characteristics, and negative cultures are crucial to make the correct diagnosis. Treatment is dependent on the etiology. Surgical management is the most successful. Conservative therapy is reserved for patients with idiopathic chylopericardium, those with an untreatable etiology, those considered at high risk for surgical treatment, or those with a predictably short lifespan.
Dual extraction of essential oil and podophyllotoxin from Juniperus virginiana

The leaves (needles) of eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana L.) contain two important natural products: essential oil and podophyllotoxin. The hypothesis of this study was that it may be possible to extract both essential oil and podophyllotoxin from the leaves of the tree, by using a dual extraction method. Podophyllotoxin was obtained from the leaves following steam distillation of the leaves to produce the essential oil, indicating that steam distillation did not degrade podophyllotoxin. Furthermore, a product with 6% purity podophyllotoxin was obtained from the steam-distilled plant material, demonstrating the possibility for the establishment of an industrially economic protocol for dual extraction of these two natural products. Our study demonstrated that J. virginiana leaves, currently a waste-product from the timber industry, could be sequentially extracted for essential oil and podophyllotoxin and utilized as a by-product instead. We also found that the J. virginiana heartwood (a traditional source for cedarwood essential oil) does not contain podophyllotoxin. This is the first study to report both podophyllotoxin and essential oil in J. virginiana, and the first report on the dual extraction of these two natural products from the same biomass samples. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Functional consequences of mutations in the myosin heavy chain at sites implicated in familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Abstract The primary cause of familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (FHC) has been attributed to mutations in the genes that encode the contractile proteins of the muscle cell. A majority of these mutations have been found in myosin, the principal component of the thick filament. Most in vitro studies have concluded that FHC mutations cause a loss of function in the biochemical and mechanical properties of myosin. Hypertrophy would then follow as a compensatory mechanism to raise the work and power output of the failing heart. Several recent studies, however, have thrown this mechanism into doubt by providing evidence that FHC mutations in the myosin heavy chain (MHC) can enhance the functional properties of myosin. This review discusses the problems encountered in reaching a definitive answer on the effect of MHC mutations. (Trends in Cardiovasc Med 2002;12:348–354).
Corneal redox fluorometry: a non-invasive probe of the redox states and function of corneal cells

Non-invasive redox fluorometry of the cornea measures the fluorescence of the oxidized flavoproteins (Fp) from the mitochondria and the reduced pyridine nucleotides (NADH and NADPH) from the mitochondria and the cytosol. Rates of tissue respiration and work loads may be monitored non-invasively by this 'consumer report ' of mitochondrial function. The corneal redox state is a function of: (1) the availability of oxygen and the rate at which oxygen is utilized by mitochondria; (2) the availability of substrates (glucogen or glucose) and; (3) the metabolic work load (ATPase activity of the endothelial pump). The redox states and function ~ of corneal cells can be studied by analysing the intrinsic fluorescence of the reduced pyridine nucleotides (PN) present in both the mitochondria and the cytosol and of the oxidized flavoproteins (Fp) present in the mitochondria 2. Answers to the following questions are crucial to an evaluation of cellular function. Are the tissue mitochondria receiving an adequate oxygen supply and is its utilization normal or impaired? Are the mitochondria functioning appropriately for their metabolic work loads? Non-invasive redox fluorometry, analyzed with the necessary calibrations (fully oxidized and fully reduced mitochondria) can provide excellent answers to these questions 3. Contact lenses that are designed to be worn continuously may affect oxygen transport and tissue respiration and the increasing popularity of these lenses makes it important to have a non-invasive method of monitoring corneal respiration and function.
Cooperative Learning: The Benefits of Participatory Examinations in Principles of Marketing Classes

Abstract In this article, we describe a method for achieving student collaboration—participatory examinations—in a principles of marketing class. Group examinations integrate many of the skills students need to become successful in life. Employers will benefit from a pool of future workers who have participated in a simulated decisionmaking process that stimulates intellectual and social development.
Reduced lung diffusion capacity in type 2 diabetes is independent of heart failure

In a case-control analysis comparing 303 patients with diabetes and 303 without (matched on age, race, sex and height), diabetics had reduced lung diffusion (DLCO) independent of smoking, obesity, clinical heart failure, asymptomatic left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction: DLCO (mean±SE: 15.5±0.9 vs. 16.4 ±0.9, p=0.01).
Acute Blood Pressure Elevations With Caffeine in Men With Borderline Systemic HyPertension

Whether the vasoconstrictive actions of caffeine are enhanced in hypertensive persons has not been demonstrated. Thus, caffeine (3.3 mg/kg) versus placebo was tested in 48 healthy men (aged 20 to 35 years) selected after screening on 2 separate occasions. Borderline hypertensive men (n = 24) were selected with screening systolic blood pressure (BP) of 140 to 160 mm Hg and/or diastolic BP 90 to 99 mm Hg. Low-risk controls (n = 24) reported no parental history of hypertension and had screening BP < 130/85 mm Hg. Participants were then tested on 2 occasions after 12-hour abstinence from caffeine in each of 2 protocols; this required a total of 4 laboratory visits. Caffeine-induced changes in diastolic BP were 2 to 3 times larger in borderline subjects than in controls (+8.4 vs +3.8 mm Hg, p < 0.0001), and were attributable to larger changes in impedance-derived measures of systemic vascular resistance (+135 vs +45 dynes.s.cm-5, p < 0.004). These findings were consistent and reached significance in both protocols. The percentage of borderline subjects in whom diastolic BP changes exceeded the median control response was 96%. Consequently, whereas all participants exhibited normotensive levels during the resting predrug baseline, 33% of borderline subjects achieved hypertensive BP levels after caffeine ingestion. Thus, in borderline hypertensive men, exaggerated responses to caffeine were: selective for diastolic BP, consistent with greater vasoconstriction, replicated in 2 protocols, and representative of nearly all borderline hypertensives. We suspect that the potential for caffeine to stabilize high resistance states in susceptible persons suggests that its use may facilitate their disease progression, as well as hinder accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Critical and crossover behavior in the double-Gaussian model on a lattice

The-double-Gaussian model, as recently introduced by Baker and Bishop, is studied in the context of a lattice-dynamics Hamiltonian belonging to the familiar phi/sup 4/ class. Advantage is taken of the partition-function factorability (into Ising and Gaussian components) to place bounds on the Ising-class critical temperature for various lattice dimensions and all degrees of displaciveness in the bare Hamiltonian. Further, a simple criterion for a noncritical and nonuniversal crossover from order-disorder to Gaussian behavior is evaluated in numerical detail. In one and two dimensions these critical and crossover properties are compared with predictions based on real-space decimation renormalization-group flows, as previously exploited in the phi/sup 4/ model by Beale et al. The double-Gaussian model again introduces some unique analytical advantages.
The Limits of Workplace Community: Jean-Luc Nancy and the Possibility of Teambuilding

Jean-Luc Nancy is a contemporary continental philosopher who argues that the hope of fully unifying a community through work is problematic. This is because people cannot be reduced to their function as workers. Thus, community is, at best, inoperative. This article takes Nancy’s ideas of community and applies them to the notion of teamwork in business. It shows how in some literature on business teamwork, there is a desire to build a team through shared work experiences. It then explains Nancy’s view as to why this cannot work, and it enters into Nancy’s positive account of how a community should be seen as a web of people communicating and sharing with each other in a variety of ways. The practical conclusion the study draws is that team members need to be careful about allowing goal orientation to obfuscate the richness of the relationships that occur among team members. People need to explore all of the ways in which people share with each other rather than just those ways that advance a narrow set of goals. If the richness of those relationships is recognized, many new directions for business and for general human development may appear,
Metabolism of tamoxifen and its uterotrophic activity

Tamoxifen is an estrogen agonist in mouse uterus, a partial estrogen agonist/antagonist in rat uterus, and a pure estrogen antagonist in chicken oviduct. Tamoxifen metabolism was examined both in vitro and in vivo to determine if differences in the species response to this drug resulted from the differential formation of metabolites with estrogenic or antiestrogenic activity. Animals were given a subcutaneous injection of [3H]tamoxifen, and 4 or 24 hr later tamoxifen and its metabolites were extracted from tissues and separated by TLC. The profiles of metabolites extracted from the livers of these species were qualitatively similar; the principle metabolite was 4-hydroxytamoxifen, which comprised 27, 14, and 16% of the radioactivity from mouse, rat, and chicken livers, respectively, at 24 hr. Tamoxifen, however, was the principal compound extracted from all three livers. Metabolites extracted from mouse and rat uteri were the same ones obtained from liver, although their abundance (relative to tamoxifen) was much lower in uteri than in liver. Metabolite E and bisphenol, two tamoxifen derivatives that we believed might account for the uterotrophic effect of tamoxifen in the mouse, were found not to be formed in either liver or uterus. Tamoxifen metabolism was also studied in vitro using liver microsomes from these same species; The same metabolites were formed in vitro as in vivo, although their relative abundances were lower in vitro. No clear-cut differences in metabolism were seen that would account for the disparate pharmacological effects of tamoxifen in these species.
Conceptual masking: how one picture captures attention from another picture.

Abstract When a masking picture follows some initial stimulus picture, subsequent memory performance for the stimulus is reduced, even when the mask is delayed by 300 ms following stimulus offset. Such a delay is sufficiently long that all perceptual traces of the stimulus have vanished, and therefore the inferred effect of the mask is to interrupt conceptual as opposed to perceptual processing of the stimulus. We define such a mask to be a conceptual mask, and we define its effect on a stimulus to be a conceptual masking effect. We report five experiments designed to investigate how conceptual masking operates, and to guide the development of a conceptual-processing model. We first tested the hypothesis that conceptual processing is continuously shared between stimulus and mask. This hypothesis was disconfirmed by the finding of an independent variable, conceptual mask duration, that influences memory for the mask itself, but not memory for the stimulus. We next tested the hypothesis that a mask captures conceptual processing from the target at the instant of mask onset. This hypothesis was disconfirmed by the finding that the conceptual-masking effect of a 50-ms mask can be removed if the mask is itself immediately followed by a second mask. These findings, along with many others in the literature, are consistent with a model which assumes that (1) conceptual processing cannot begin until acquisition of some criterion amount of perceptual information, (2) initiation of mask conceptual processing is a probabilistic event that is influenced by attention demands, and (3) initiation of mask conceptual processing causes cessation of stimulus conceptual processing, thereby constituting conceptual masking. We describe such a model along with its account of a large body of data.
Implementing electronic health records: implications for HR professionals

Purpose – This case study aims to report findings on the implementation of electronic health records (EHR) by a multi‐specialty physician group in the greater south central Pennsylvania area and offers implications for HR professionals.Design/methodology/approach – Sixteen employees from the physician group participated in a one‐on‐one interview. Interview questions were intended to identify actions that define successful EHR implementation, readiness to take the actions towards successful EHR implementation, pros and cons of EHR implementation, and strategies used for change.Findings – The findings describe the behaviors, readiness, pros and cons, and strategies involved for HR professionals looking to implement EHR.Research limitations/implications – The population of this study was limited to a physician group that is implementing or planning to implement EHR. This population is not representative of all medical offices implementing EHR, nor is it representative of other types of organizations.Practica...
A Lifestyle Approach for Primary Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Perimenopausal to Early Postmenopausal Women

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among women in the United States. A large proportion of deaths attributable to CVD occur in asymptomatic women, making early detection and diagnosis difficult. As a result, women tend to be diagnosed at later stages of disease when compared with men. In addition, women have not experienced as great a decline in CVD mortality in recent decades as have men. Therefore, the development of primary CVD prevention strategies to decrease the CVD risk in women has become a major public health priority and creates the need for alternate strategies to be developed to decrease CVD risk in women. The success of a nonpharmacological, lifestyle approach for primary CVD prevention has recently been demonstrated in perimenopausal to early postmenopausal women. Two clinical trials, the Women's Healthy Lifestyle Project (WHLP) and Women On the Move through Activity and Nutrition (WOMAN) study, examined the role of lifestyle to prevent unfavorable CVD risk factor cha...
Assessment of left atrial volume before and after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension

Impaired left ventricular diastolic filling is common in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), and recent studies support left ventricular underfilling as a cause. To investigate this further, we assessed left atrial volume index (LAVI) in patients with CTEPH before and after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE). Forty-eight consecutive CTEPH patients had pre- & post-PTE echocardiograms and right heart catheterizations. Parameters included mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), cardiac index, LAVI, & mitral E/A ratio. Echocardiograms were performed 6 ± 3 days pre-PTE and 10 ± 4 days post-PTE. Regression analyses compared pre- and post-PTE LAVI with other parameters. Pre-op LAVI (mean 19.0 ± 7 mL/m2) correlated significantly with pre-op PVR (R = -0.45, p = 0.001), mPAP (R = -0.28, p = 0.05) and cardiac index (R = 0.38, p = 0.006). Post-PTE, LAVI increased by 18% to 22.4 ± 7 mL/m2 (p = 0.003). This change correlated with change in PVR (765 to 311 dyne-s/cm5, p = 0.01), cardiac index (2.6 to 3.2 L/min/m2, p = 0.02), and E/A (.95 to 1.44, p = 0.002). In CTEPH, smaller LAVI is associated with lower cardiac output, higher mPAP, and higher PVR. LAVI increases by ~20% after PTE, and this change correlates with changes in PVR and mitral E/A. The rapid increase in LAVI supports the concept that left ventricular diastolic impairment and low E/A pre-PTE are due to left heart underfilling rather than inherent left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.
Scheduling dynamic dataflow graphs with bounded memory using the token flow model

The authors build upon research by E. A. Lee (1991) concerning the token flow model, an analytical model for the behavior of dataflow graphs with data-dependent control flow, by analyzing the properties of cycles of the schedule: sequences of actor executions that return the graph to its initial state. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the existence of a bounded cyclic schedule as well as sufficient conditions for execution of the graph in bounded memory. The techniques presented apply to a more general class of dataflow graphs than previous methods. >
A bidirectional beam propagation method for multiple dielectric interfaces

A novel approach to the bidirectional beam propagation method, which can treat multiple dielectric interfaces, is developed and implemented using iterative methods. Comparisons with two previously published results demonstrate its accuracy, as well as its efficiency in computation time and memory. Finally, its capability in simulating and designing complex structures is also demonstrated via a three-channel add-drop multiplexer.
An analytic approach to pheromone-based coordination

Stigmergetic coordination of large numbers of simple agents in natural agent systems yields complex and stable coordinated system-level behavior. The Pheromone Infrastructure, an enhancement of the runtime environment of software agent systems, supports the use of stigmergetic coordination mechanisms in synthetic ecosystems. This paper discusses how such mechanisms may be tuned and evaluated, employing a formal representation of the processes in the Pheromone Infrastructure.
Antiviral therapy after non-surgical tumor ablation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma associated with hepatitis C virus.

Background: Antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has led to a reduction in the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The purpose of the present paper was to assess whether antiviral therapy might suppress tumor recurrence and influence overall survival in patients with HCV-related HCC who had complete ablation of nodules by non-surgical treatments. Methods: Twenty patients with three or fewer nodules of HCV-related HCC who were treated with percutaneous tumor ablation and/or transcatheter arterial embolization received combined interferon (IFN; 3 or 5 million units of IFN α-2b thrice weekly) plus ribavirin (1000–1200 mg per day) therapy for 24–48 weeks after complete ablation of lesions. During the same period, an additional 40 age- and sex-matched control patients with similar characteristics of tumors (sizes, numbers and treatment modalities) and severity of liver disease were recruited from the HCC database. Both recurrence-free survival and actuarial survival were evaluated. Results: Of the 20 patients, 16 completed therapy and 10 showed a sustained response with normalization of alanine aminotransferase and negative HCV-RNA at 6 months after therapy completion. Due to severe side-effects experienced by Child B patients, who mostly discontinued antiviral therapy, clinical outcome was analyzed in the Child A treated (n = 16) and control (n = 33) patients. There was no significant difference in the incidence of local recurrence in sustained responders compared with non-responders or control patients (P = 0.174, 0.1284, respectively); but the second recurrence-free interval in the sustained responders was significantly longer than that of non-responders and the control group (P = 0.0141, 0.0243, respectively). Survival in sustained responders was better than in non-responders and control patients (P = 0.0691, 0.0554, respectively). Conclusions: These results indicate that successful antiviral therapy after non-surgical tumor ablation for HCV-related HCC may lower tumor recurrence rate and prolong survival. © 2005 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd
Synthesis of high specific activity tritium labelled 1S,2S‐(‐)‐trans‐2‐isothiocyanato‐N‐methyl‐N‐[2‐(1‐pyrrolidinyl)‐cyclohexyl]benzeneacetamide, a specific irreversible ligand for kappa opioid receptors

Optically pure tritium labeled 1S,2S-(-)-trans-2-isothiocyanato-N-methyl-N-[2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexyl]benzeneacetamide, an affinity ligand specific for the kappa opioid receptor was synthesized from optically pure 1S,2S-(-)-trans-2-amino-N-methyl-N-[2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexyl]benzeneacetamide via the sequence of dibromination (57%) followed by catalytic tritiation of the dibromide. The resulting tritium labelled aniline (14% yield, specific activity 31.2 Ci/mmol) was transformed to the title compound in 13.3% yield and 99+% radiochemical purity by treatment with thiophosgene.
Estimation of Crack-Arrest Toughness Transition and NDT Temperatures From Charpy Force-Displacement Impact Traces

A force-displacement trace of a Charpy impact test of a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steel in the transition range has a characteristic point, the so-called “force at the end of unstable crack propagation”, Fa . A two-parameter Weibull probability function is used to model the distribution of the Fa in Charpy tests performed at ORNL on different RPV steels in the unirradiated and irradiated conditions. These data have a good replication at a given test temperature, thus, the statistical analysis was applicable. It is shown that when temperature is normalized to TNDT (T-TNDT ) or to T100a (T-T100a ), the median Fa values of different RPV steels have a tendency to form the same shape of temperature dependence. Depending on normalization temperature, TNDT or T100a , it suggests a universal shape of the temperature dependence of Fa for different RPV steels. The best fits for these temperature dependencies are presented. These dependencies are suggested for use in estimation of NDT or T100a from randomly generated Charpy impact tests. The maximum likelihood method is used to derive equations to estimate TNDT and T100a from randomly generated Charpy impact tests.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Prepartum Antibiotic Treatment of Heifers: Milk Production, Milk Quality and Economic Benefit

Prepartum intramammary antibiotic infusion of heifer mammary glands at 7 or 14 d before expected parturition is an effective procedure for eliminating many infections in heifers during late gestation and for reducing the prevalence of mastitis in heifers during early lactation and throughout lactation. Mastitis pathogens were isolated from 76% of samples obtained from untreated control quarters 7 d before expected calving, from 47% of samples obtained 3 d after calving, and from 29% of samples obtained 10 d postpartum. Mastitis pathogens were isolated from about 30% of control quarters through 240 d of lactation. A similar percentage of samples (70%) was positive for mastitis pathogens at C-7 before antibiotic treatment. However, only 8% of samples obtained at 3 d after calving and 4% of samples obtained at 10 d postpartum from quarters of antibiotic-treated heifers contained mastitis pathogens. Throughout the remainder of lactation, mastitis pathogens were isolated from an average of about 11% of quarters. The percentage of samples with mastitis pathogens was higher in untreated controls than in antibiotic-treated quarters at all sampling intervals during lactation. A similar response was observed in heifers that were treated with antibiotics at 14 d before expected parturition. Prepartum antibiotic-treated heifers produced significantly more milk than control heifers and had significantly lower somatic cell count scores than untreated control heifers. These observations are likely associated with or due to the lower prevalence of mastitis pathogen isolation in prepartum antibiotic-treated heifers throughout lactation. Prepartum antibiotic-treated heifers produced 531 kg more milk than heifers in the untreated control group. Multiplying this increase by a milk price of $0. 407/kg yielded a $216.24 per-heifer increase in gross revenue. The cost of treatment, including the cost of testing for antibiotic residues, was estimated at $15.60 for a net revenue of $200.64 per heifer. Prepartum antibiotic treatment to reduce the rate of mastitis in heifers during lactation was highly effective and economically beneficial.
Oxygen dissociation and content of blood from Alaskan burbot (Lota lota), pike (Esox lucius) and grayling (Thymallus arcticus)

Abstract 1. 1. Oxygen dissociation curves of whole blood were determined for northern pike, burbot and grayling from interior Alaska. 2. 2. Temperature was either 5,10 or 15°C, and CO 2 tensions were in the physiological range of 0–7·0 torr. 3. 3. P 50 values ranged from 3·2 to 30·6 for burbot, from 2·7 to 7·3 for pike and from 10·0 to 25·0 for grayling. 4. 4. P 50 was 6·8 for three long-nosed suckers at 10°C.
Effect of Variations in Stoichiometry on the Surface Structure of SrTiO3 (001)

Variations in stoichiometry of SrTiO{sub 3} (001) surfaces with high-temperature exposure to reducing environments were quantified with Rutherford backscattering and Auger electron spectroscopies. In addition to the expected oxygen loss, cation-cation ratios varied systematically. Specifically, the surface becomes Ti- and O-deficient at all temperatures. The associated surface structures determined by scanning tunneling microscopy showed that the surface accommodates nonstoichiometry by adopting periodic structures of characteristic suboxides with the formula Sr{sub n+1}Ti{sub n}O{sub 3n+1}. The chemical and structural variations are discussed in terms of mass transport models for sublimation and segregation. Since previous surface studies had been concerned with effects of sputtering or the behavior of stoichiometric surfaces, the results presented here represent the first systematic study of compositional variations upon annealing of the (001) surface.
Seismic response of bearings for quasi-isolated bridges- Testing and component modeling

In areas of moderate seismicity, such as Mid-America, there is interest in developing alternate bridge design and construction methodologies to the typical approaches that are employed in high-seismic regions. One such method is to design so that various bearing components will exceed their ultimate capacities during a major seismic event in a specific sequence, leading to a global bridge structure response similar to a seismically-isolated system. Because the bridge would typically exhibit a stiff response, only developing an isolated response during major earthquakes, the bridge superstructure response may be described as quasi-isolated. This paper presents results for elastomeric bearing components obtained for an experimental program performed to investigate and characterize various bearing types that are being used for quasi-isolated designs. The elastomeric bearings investigated displayed approximately linear elastic response before sliding with a friction coefficient in the range of 0.3 – 0.45, at a shear strain in the range of 150 – 250%. The experiments also investigated the response of anchored retainer brackets used to prevent transverse motion for service loads and small earthquakes to characterize the combined effects of shear and overturning up to and including rupture of the concrete anchor. The test data indicate that the required horizontal force delivered by a bearing to a retainer to cause a failure of the anchor is slightly higher than the ultimate pure tensile strength of the anchor.
The New Principal Managing Human Resources

This case focuses on some of the considerations and activities involved in human resource management that confront a principal at the beginning of the school year. The principal, who was an assistant principal in a neighboring district last year, is faced with a number of questions and unfamiliar procedures that accompany the new work context. By identifying and addressing the challenges faced by this novice principal, aspiring educational leaders can model her skills in prioritizing, communicating, and strategically implementing human resource responsibilities in a school setting.
Inflammatory markers and cardiovascular health in older adults.

In the past decade inflammatory markers have emerged as strong independent risk indicators for cardiovascular disease. Even though adults over the age of 65 experience a high proportion of such events, most epidemiologic data are from middle-aged populations. In this review we examine the role that inflammatory markers play in the prediction of incident cardiovascular disease specifically in older adults. In studies of adults < 65 years, IL-6, TNFα and IL-10 levels have been shown to predict cardiovascular outcomes. The data on C-reactive protein are inconsistent, but CRP levels appear to be less useful in old-age than in middle-age. Fibrinogen levels predict mortality but in a non-specific manner. In the elderly inflammatory markers are non-specific measures of health and predict both disability and mortality even in the absence of clinical cardiovascular disease. Thus it is possible that, in older age-groups, interventions designed to prevent cardiovascular disease through the modulation of inflamation would also be helpful in reducing disability and mortality.
Value-Based Insurance Design: Aligning Incentives and Evidence in Pulmonary Medicine

When consumers are required to pay the same out-of-pocket amount for pulmonary services for which clinical benefits depend on patient characteristics, clinical indication, and provider choice, there is an enormous potential for both underutilization and overutilization. Unlike most current one-size-fits-all health plan designs, value-based insurance design (V-BID) explicitly acknowledges clinical heterogeneity across the continuum of care. By adding clinical nuance to benefit design, V-BID seeks to align consumer and provider incentives with value, encouraging the use of high-value services and discouraging the use of low-value interventions. This article describes the concept of V-BID; creates a framework for its development in pulmonary medicine; and outlines how this concept aligns with research, care delivery, and payment reform initiatives.
On Multiple Solutions of Singularly Perturbed Systems in the Conditionally Stable Case

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the multiple solutions of singularly perturbed systems in the conditionally stable case. Problems concerning singularly perturbed systems can be considerably more complicated when eigenvalues of g cross or approach the imaginary axis. The strict eigenvalue stability assumptions can be weakened in boundary layer regions. The two-point problems arise naturally in optimal control theory, among many other applications. Moreover, the asymptotic behavior of solutions is extremely helpful in developing schemes for the numerical solution of stiff boundary value problems. With the assumed hyperbolic splitting, solutions to feature nonuniform convergence as e 0, that is, boundary layers near both endpoints must be expected. The limiting boundary conditions for initial values can be solved with two boundary layer correction terms, which are represented by u0 and v0. However, the solutions must lie on the stable manifolds I and T for the corresponding boundary layer systems. This will certainly be impossible when the limiting boundary conditions A(x(0),y(0),0 ) or B(x(1),y(1),0 ) are independent of y.
The Problem of the Average Speed of the Simplex Method

Our goal is to give an exposition of our work on the average speed of the simplex method. Detailed proofs are in Smale 1982. Here we concentrate on the main ideas, with concepts emphasized. Some new things are added.
Gender and racial differences in unstructured learning groups in science

Co‐operative learning means shared leadership where there is not just one leader in a group but where each member of the group is a leader. A leader demonstrates academic as well as collaborative skills in helping the group achieve a goal. Some academic skills are verbal interactions such as initiating ideas, responding by summarizing or suggesting procedures. Collaborative skills that build and maintain a good working relationship within the group include verbal interactions of praising group members and inviting others to get involved. The purpose of this study was to examine the verbal interactions and non‐verbal behaviours within unstructured learning groups. The verbal interactions were classified as positive if they aided the group to accomplish its goal and negative if they inhibited the group accomplishing its goal. Twenty‐eight students from seven intermediate‐grade level classrooms, grouped heterogeneously for sex and race and homogeneously for their ability in science, were selected for observa...
Thermally-actuated, phase change flow control for microfluidic systems

An easy to implement, thermally-actuated, noninvasive method for flow control in microfluidic devices is described. This technique takes advantage of the phase change of the working liquid itself—the freezing and melting of a portion of a liquid slug—to noninvasively close and open flow passages (referred to as a phase change valve). The valve was designed for use in a miniature diagnostic system for detecting pathogens in oral fluids at the point of care. The paper describes the modeling, construction, and characteristics of the valve. The experimental results favorably agree with theoretical predictions. In addition, the paper demonstrates the use of the phase change valves for flow control, sample metering and distribution into multiple analysis paths, sealing of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) chamber, and sample introduction into and withdrawal from a closed loop. The phase change valve is electronically addressable, does not require any moving parts, introduces only minimal dead volume, is leakage and contamination free, and is biocompatible.