cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of pertechnetate in radiopharmaceuticals by high-pressure liquid thin-layer and paper chromatography

Abstract Pertevhnetate ion, considered a common impurity, is usually determined in technetium pharmaceuticals by paper or thin-layer chromotography. The results are often sensitive to variations in procedure, particularly with relatively unstable agents such as pyrophosphate. We have developed a method for determining partechnetate by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and compared it with previous methods, which include a commercially available kit. When applied to a variety of agents in clinical use (technetium pyrophosphate, methylene diphosphonate, glucoheptonate, diethylenetriaminepentaacetate) HPLC indicated lower concentrations of pertechnetate than did conventional methods. In fact, though pertechnetate was demonstrated in tin-free electrolytic preparations or in tin-labelled preparations' which had been exposed to air, HPLC showed no pertechnetate in fresh preparations containing excess tin. We conclude that: (1) the reaction of Sn(II)with pertechnetate is rapid enough under usual labelling conditions that the two species do not coexist, (2) when pertechnetate is found in preparation containing excess Sn(II) it is usually an artifact of the chromatographic procedure, (3) by careful choice of paper or thin-layer method (which must be verified for each formulation) this artifact can often be rendered neglible and (4) HPLC is useful as a reference method for determining pertechnetate in radiopharmaceuticals.
A reference web architecture and patterns for real-time visual analytics on large streaming data

Monitoring and analysis of streaming data, such as social media, sensors, and news feeds, has become increasingly important for business and government. The volume and velocity of incoming data are key challenges. To effectively support monitoring and analysis, statistical and visual analytics techniques need to be seamlessly integrated; analytic techniques for a variety of data types (e.g., text, numerical) and scope (e.g., incremental, rolling-window, global) must be properly accommodated; interaction, collaboration, and coordination among several visualizations must be supported in an efficient manner; and the system should support the use of different analytics techniques in a pluggable manner. Especially in web-based environments, these requirements pose restrictions on the basic visual analytics architecture for streaming data. In this paper we report on our experience of building a reference web architecture for real-time visual analytics of streaming data, identify and discuss architectural patterns that address these challenges, and report on applying the reference architecture for real-time Twitter monitoring and analysis.
PC-based workstation for three-dimensional visualization of ultrasound images

One of the main limitations of current 3D ultrasound (US) systems is that they cannot provide the real-time or interactive feedback that the sonographers and clinicians are accustomed to with conventional 2D clinical US machines. We have developed a low-cost high-performance interactive 3D US workstation that is suitable for use in a research and clinical environment.THis system employs a powerful programmable image processing board, the MediaStation 5000, to perform volume acquisition, reconstruction, and visualization. We have developed efficient reconstruction and visualization algorithms that allow our 3D US system to provide the same immediate feedback advantages as current 2D US technologies with the added advantage of presenting information in three dimensions. For acquired sequences of 512 X 512 US images, volumes can be reconstructed using a forward-mapped low-order interpolation scheme at 15 frame/s. A modified reconstruction algorithm that performs incremental reconstruction was developed for real-time volume visualization during acquisition. US volume visualization using shear-warp factorization and maximum intensity projection operates at 10 frame/s for 128 X 128 X 128 volumes.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Homology n-spheres as codimension-(n+1) shape msimpl-fibrators

This paper identifies a class of homology n-spheres that are codimension-(n+1) shape msimpl-fibrators but are not shape msimpl-fibrators (a concept introduced by the author). Actually, the main result (Theorem 4.4) provides more general description of n-manifolds that are codimension-(k+1) shape msimpl-fibrators for 2⩽k⩽n. It establishes that any closed orientable PL n-manifold homotopically determined by π1, with Hopfian fundamental group and Hi(N)=0 for 0<i<k⩽n, where k⩾2, is a codimension-(k+1) shape msimpl-fibrator.
Automated segmentation of routine cine-CMR for volumetric assessment of presence and severity of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction

Introduction DD alters LV relaxation and compliance, thereby changing timing profiles of LV filling. Cine-CMR provides volumetric data concerning LV filling but is not widely used to assess DD as manual planimetry of all images across all temporal phases requires tracing over one hundred images per exam. Thus, whereas cine-CMR is a reference for systolic function, additional testing using echo is typically necessary to identify DD. We tested whether automated segmentation of routine cine-CMR could be used to stratify presence and severity of DD.
The kindler syndrome protein is regulated by transforming growth factor-β and involved in integrin-mediated adhesion

Abstract Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) contributes to tumor invasion and cancer progression by increasing the motility of tumor cells. To identify genes involved in TGF-β-mediated cell migration, the transcriptional profiles of human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) treated with TGF-β were compared with untreated cells by cDNA microarray analysis. One gene up-regulated by TGF-β was recently named kindlerin (Jobard, F., Bouadjar, B., Caux, F., Hadj-Rabia, S., Has, C., Matsuda, F., Weissenbach, J., Lathrop, M., Prud'homme, J. F., and Fischer, J. (2003) Hum. Mol. Genet. 12, 925–935). This gene is significantly overexpressed in some cancers (Weinstein, E. J., Bourner, M., Head, R., Zakeri, H., Bauer, C., and Mazzarella, R. (2003) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1637, 207–216), and mutations in this gene lead to Kindler syndrome, an autosomal-recessive genodermatosis. TGF-β stimulation of HMEC resulted in a marked induction of kindlerin RNA, and Western blotting demonstrated a corresponding increase in protein abundance. Kindlerin displays a putative FERM (four point one ezrin radixin moesin) domain that is closely related to the sequences in talin that interact with integrin β subunit cytoplasmic domains. The critical residues in the talin FERM domain that mediate integrin binding show a high degree of conservation in kindlerin. Furthermore, kindlerin is recruited into a molecular complex with the β1A and β3 integrin cytoplasmic domains. Consistent with these biochemical findings, kindlerin is present at focal adhesions, sites of integrin-rich, membrane-substratum adhesion. Additionally, kindlerin is required for normal cell spreading. Taken together, these data suggest a role for kindlerin in mediating cell processes that depend on integrins.
Entrepreneurial business ethics: a special case or business as usual?

"Entrepreneurs pursue opportunities [for business success] without regard to resources currently under [their] control". Often cited as primary agents of economic growth, entrepreneurs have been extensively analysed. Many articles address the personal traits and behaviours of entrepreneurs, the elements of successful entrepreneurial firms, the role of entrepreneurs and their firms in society and their obligations to society. There seems to be general agreement that entrepreneurs are more comfortable with ambiguity and risk (than general corporate managers). But, it should be noted, that entrepreneurs are not necessarily more or less successful in business endeavours; they are just different. This paper has three parts: firstly, it briefly explores the definition of entrepreneurs, entrepreneurial practices and ethical decision making by entrepreneurs. Secondly, it describes a qualitative research project that investigated entrepreneurs and their ethical decision-making environment. Finally, it makes recommendations to entrepreneurs concerning their ethical decision making.
HELICOPTER EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES TRANSPORT OUTCOMES LITERATURE: ANNOTATED REVIEW OF ARTICLES PUBLISHED 2000–2003

Helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) and its possible association with outcomes improvement continues to be a subject of debate. As is the case with other scientific endeavors, debate over HEMS usefulness should be framed around an evidence-based assessment of the relevant literature. In an effort to facilitate the academic pursuit of assessment of HEMS utility, in late 2000 the National Association of EMS Physicians' Air Medical Committee prepared annotated bibliographies of the HEMS-related outcomes literature. As a result of that work, two review articles-one covering HEMS use in nontrauma and the other in trauma-published in 2002 in Prehospital Emergency Care surveyed HEMS outcomes-related literature published between 1980 and mid-2000. Given the broad interest in the earlier reviews, and the increasing rate of publication of HEMS studies, the current project was executed with the intent of updating the annotated HEMS outcomes-related bibliography, covering a three-year time interval (through 2003) since the prior reviews.
On the Influence of Steps on the Rotational Anisotropy of the Second Harmonic Generation from Ag Electrodes

The second harmonic generation (SHG) from stepped Ag(111) based surfaces in an electrolyte solution have been measured and analyzed. The rotational anisotropies from these surfaces show a pronounced effect due to the lowering of the surface symmetry relative to a (111) surface. The results from the stepped surfaces are interpreted in terms of a pseudo mirror plane. The SH response has also been measured during the underpotential deposition (UPD) of lead onto the stepped crystals and the results are compared to the well known Ag(111)/Pb2+ system. The SH response during adsorption on defect and terrace sites on Ag(111) are monitored separately and the contribution from the steps to the SH anisotropy is discussed.
Management of nondiagnostic thyroid fine-needle aspiration biopsy: survey of endocrinologists.

Objective: To evaluate the approach of endocrinologists in the setting of nondiagnostic thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsies. Methods: In 2002, we surveyed physicians attending the national annual meetings of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the Endocrine Society of North America, using a 13-item questionnaire. The responses were tallied and analyzed. Results: Of the 143 respondents, 139 were endocrinologists, with a male:female ratio of 2.5:1. Most respondents were involved in a medical practice in North America, but Europe, Asia, New Zealand, and Australia were also represented. Of those performing thyroid FNA biopsy, 31% used thyroid ultrasound guidance. Among the survey respondents, 16%, 49%, 20%, and 15% performed less than 2, 2 to 5, 6 to 10, and more than 10 thyroid FNA biopsies per month, respectively. Among the respondents, 13.5%, 44%, 28.5%, 10%, and 4% had non-diagnostic rates of less than 5%, 5 to 10%, 11 to 20%, 21 to 30%, and more than 30%, respectively. The...
Patch diameter limitation due to high chirp rates in focused SAR images

Polar-format processed synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images have a limited focused patch diameter that results from unmitigated phase errors. Very high chirp rates, encountered with fine-resolution short-pulse radars, exasperate the problem via a residual video phase error term. This letter modifies the traditional maximum patch diameter expression to include effects of very high chirp rates. >
Pair-edge approximation for heterogeneous lattice population models

To increase the analytical tractability of lattice stochastic spatial population models, several approximations have been developed. The pair-edge approximation is a moment-closure method that is effective in predicting persistence criteria and invasion speeds on a homogeneous lattice. Here we evaluate the effectiveness of the pair-edge approximation on a spatially heterogeneous lattice in which some sites are unoccupiable, or "dead". This model has several possible interpretations, including a spatial SIS epidemic model, in which some sites are occupied by immobile host-species individuals while others are empty. We find that, as in the homogeneous model, the pair-edge approximation is significantly more accurate than the ordinary pair approximation in determining conditions for persistence. However, habitat heterogeneity decreases invasion speed more than is predicted by the pair-edge approximation, and the discrepancy increases with greater clustering of "dead" sites. The accuracy of the approximation validates the underlying heuristic picture of population spread and therefore provides qualitative insight into the dynamics of lattice models. Conversely, the situations where the approximation is less accurate reveals limitations of pair approximation in the presence of spatial heterogeneity.
Linking Prevention Science and Social and Emotional Learning: The Oregon Resiliency Project.

This article reviews the contributions of the Oregon Resiliency Project, an effort to enhance positive social–emotional development of children and youth through social and emotional learning (SEL). The project was launched in 2001 as a collaborative effort between faculty and graduate student researchers at the University of Oregon. The primary aims have included training, outreach, and research in school-based mental health promotion. One of the major contributions has been the development of the Strong Kids programs, SEL curricula designed to be used by educators and mental health personnel at the pre-K through Grade 12 level as a brief and low-cost way to promote SEL. The Strong Kids programs and the process of developing and refining them are described. The yield of several feasibility, efficacy, and effectiveness studies are overviewed, as are the lessons learned in conducting this line of work. Additional efforts of the project are discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An Evolutionarily Informed Education Science

Schools are a central interface between evolution and culture. They are the contexts in which children learn the evolutionarily novel abilities and knowledge needed to function as adults in modern societies. Evolutionary educational psychology is the study of how an evolved bias in children's learning and motivational systems influences their ability and motivation to learn evolutionarily novel academic abilities and information in school. I provide an overview of evolved domains of mind, corresponding learning and motivational biases, and the evolved systems that allow humans to learn about and cope with variation and change within lifetimes. The latter enable the creation of cultural and academic innovations and support the learning of evolutionarily novel information in school. These mechanisms and the premises and principles of evolutionary educational psychology are described. Their utility is illustrated by discussion of the relation between evolved motivational dispositions and children's academic ...
Tropical Cyclone Formation in Environments with Cool SST and High Wind Shear over the Northeastern Atlantic Ocean

AbstractTropical cyclones with nontropical characteristics are being identified more frequently over the North Atlantic Ocean in recent years. These systems present forecasting challenges because of their hybrid structure. The authors analyze environmental conditions preceding the formation of 20 late-season northeastern Atlantic tropical cyclones identified during the 1975–2005 seasons. A recent tropical storm, Grace (2009), is discussed as a case study. Seventeen of the 20 systems originated from nontropical systems (surface low, frontal weak, and frontal strong). Three tropical cyclones experienced nontropical influences during development despite originating from tropical waves. Ambient sea surface temperatures, relative vorticity, vertical temperature profiles, and wind shear are investigated to identify conditions conducive to tropical cyclone formation. Tropical cyclones developing from nontropical precursors form in environments distinct from the classical tropical cyclone environment. For 17 syst...
On the Connection Between Law and Justice

What does it mean to assert that judges should decide cases according to justice and not according to the law? Is there something incoherent in the question itself? That question will serve as our springboard in examining what is - or should be - the connection between justice and law. Legal and political theorists since the time of Plato have wrestled with the problem of whether justice is part of law or is simply a moral judgment about law. Nearly every writer on the subject has either concluded that justice is only a judgment about law or has offered no reason to support a conclusion that justice is somehow part of law. This essay attempts to reason toward such a conclusion, arguing that justice is an inherent component of the law and not separate or distinct from it. Given the history of the topic, I start with a disclaimer. The issues involved in these questions are as vast as they are fundamental. I do not pretend to have a definitive solution. I do attempt a suggestive solution based on an extended hypothetical case.
Potential-dependent single molecule blinking dynamics for flavin adenine dinucleotide covalently immobilized in zero-mode waveguide array of working electrodes

Single molecules exhibit a set of behaviors that are characteristic and distinct from larger ensembles. Blinking is one such behavior that involves episodic transitions between luminescent and dark states. In addition to the common blinking mechanisms, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), a cofactor in many common redox enzymes, exhibits blinking by cycling between a highly fluorescent oxidized state and a dark reduced state. In contrast to its behavior in flavoenzymes, where the transitions are coupled to chemical redox events, here we study single FAD molecules that are chemically immobilized to the Au region of a zero-mode waveguide (ZMW) array through a pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) linker. In this structure, the Au functions both to confine the optical field in the ZMW and as the working electrode in a potentiostatically controlled 3-elecrode system, thus allowing potential-dependent blinking to be studied in single FAD molecules. The subset of ZMW nanopores housing a single molecule were identified statistically, and these were subjected to detailed study. Using equilibrium potential, Eeq, values determined from macroscopic planar Au electrodes, single molecule blinking behavior was characterized at potentials E Eeq. The probability of observing a reduced (oxidized) state is observed to increase (decrease) as the potential is scanned cathodic of Eeq. This is understood to reflect the potential-dependent probability of electron transfer for single FAD molecules. Furthermore, the observed transition rate reaches a maximum near Eeq and decreases to either anodic or cathodic values, as expected, since the rate is dependent on having significant probabilities for both redox states, a condition that is obtained only near Eeq.
Distance matrices and modified cyclic projections for molecular conformation

Biological compounds exhibit extraordinary functional specificity as a consequence of their precise spatial structure. Two signal recovery algorithms for computing molecular structure from noisy measurements of interatomic distances are presented. The problem is formulated as the minimization of a quadratic cost over the intersection of constraint sets. In a broader signal recovery context, a technique is utilized for iteratively computing the unique projection onto an intersection of closed convex sets, and the simplification possible with an appropriate choice of norm, despite a nonconvex constraint set, is illustrated. >
Atomic Energy Levels of Neutral Erbium

The wavenumbers of nearly 8000 transitions in Er i and Er ii lying in the visible and near ultraviolet have been measured to an estimated accuracy of ±0.015 cm−1. Of these lines, 385 are observed to show self-reversal at extreme excitation conditions. The high precision of the line list, along with these reversal data, have led to the identification of the seven lowest levels of the ground configuration of neutral erbium, 4f126s2. Furthermore, the classification of the eight lowest levels in singly ionized erbium, as reported by McNally and Vandersluis, has been well corroborated, and two more levels have been found.
Optimal Pricing and Return Policies for Perishable Commodities

This paper considers the pricing decision faced by a producer of a commodity with a short shelf or demand life. A hierarchical model is developed, and the results of the single period inventory model are used to examine possible pricing and return policies. The paper shows that several such policies currently in effect are suboptimal. These include those where the manufacturer offers retailers full credit for all unsold goods or where no returns of unsold goods are permitted. The paper also demonstrates that a policy whereby a manufacturer offers retailers full credit for a partial return of goods may achieve channel coordination, but that the optimal return allowance will be a function of retailer demand. Therefore, such a policy cannot be optimal in a multi-retailer environment. It is proven, however, that a pricing and return policy in which a manufacturer offers retailers a partial credit for all unsold goods can achieve channel coordination in a multi-retailer environment. This article was originally published in Marketing Science, Volume 4, Issue 2, pages 166--176, in 1985.
Gerrit J. Knaap (Ed.), Land Market Monitoring for Smart Urban Growth (Cambridge, Ma: Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, 2001).

Begin with truth in advertising. This is a book about urban land market monitoring. While there is some discussion of smart growth, the same principles and methods apply to traditional planning. Th...
MEGA4: Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis (MEGA) Software Version 4.0

We announce the release of the fourth version of MEGA software, which expands on the existing facilities for editing DNA sequence data from autosequencers, mining Web-databases, performing automatic and manual sequence alignment, analyzing sequence alignments to estimate evolutionary distances, inferring phylogenetic trees, and testing evolutionary hypotheses. Version 4 includes a unique facility to generate captions, written in figure legend format, in order to provide natural language descriptions of the models and methods used in the analyses. This facility aims to promote a better understanding of the underlying assumptions used in analyses, and of the results generated. Another new feature is the Maximum Composite Likelihood (MCL) method for estimating evolutionary distances between all pairs of sequences simultaneously, with and without incorporating rate variation among sites and substitution pattern heterogeneities among lineages. This MCL method also can be used to estimate transition/transversion bias and nucleotide substitution pattern without knowledge of the phylogenetic tree. This new version is a native 32-bit Windows application with multi-threading and multi-user supports, and it is also available to run in a Linux desktop environment (via the Wine compatibility layer) and on Intel-based Macintosh computers under the Parallels program. The current version of MEGA is available free of charge at (http://www.megasoftware.net).
Hypercoagulability after energy drink consumption

Abstract Background Energy drink consumption in the United States has more than doubled over the last decade and has been implicated in cardiac arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, and even sudden cardiac death. We hypothesized that energy drink consumption may increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular events by increasing platelet aggregation, thereby resulting in a relatively hypercoagulable state and increased risk of thrombosis. Methods Thirty-two healthy volunteers aged 18–40 y were given 16 oz of bottled water or a standardized, sugar-free energy drink on two separate occasions, 1-wk apart. Beverages were consumed after an overnight fast over a 30-min period. Coagulation parameters and platelet function were measured before and 60 min after consumption using thrombelastography and impedance aggregometry. Results No statistically significant differences in coagulation were detected using kaolin or rapid thrombelastography. In addition, no differences in platelet aggregation were detected using ristocetin, collagen, thrombin receptor–activating peptide, or adenosine diphosphate–induced multiple impedance aggregometry. However, compared to water controls, energy drink consumption resulted in a significant increase in platelet aggregation via arachidonic acid–induced activation (area under the aggregation curve, 72.4 U versus 66.3 U; P = 0.018). Conclusions Energy drinks are associated with increased platelet activity via arachidonic acid–induced platelet aggregation within 1 h of consumption. Although larger clinical studies are needed to further address the safety and health concerns of these drinks, the increased platelet response may provide a mechanism by which energy drinks increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular events.
Line bundles, rational points and ideal classes

In this note, we will use the term “arithmetic variety” for a normal scheme X for which the structure morphism f : X → Spec(Z) is proper and flat. Let V be a proper, normal (not necessarily geometrically connected) variety over Q. Let us choose a normal model for V over Z, that is an arithmetic variety X whose generic fiber is identified with V . Suppose that F is a number field and consider the F -rational points of V . These correspond bijectively to R-valued points of X, with R the ring of integers of F .I fP is an F -rational point of V , we will also denote by P : Spec(R) → X the corresponding R-valued point of X. Suppose that L is a line bundle on the arithmetic variety X. We say that L is trivial, when it is isomorphic to the structure sheaf OX. We will denote by P ∗ L the pull-back of L to Spec(R) via the morphism P ; then P ∗ L is a line bundle on Spec(R). It gives an element (P ∗ L) in the class group Pic(R )o fR. In what follows, we will identify Pic(R) with the ideal class group Cl(F ). This paper is motivated by the following question of the second named author: Question. Suppose that the line bundle L on X is not trivial. Is there a number field F and an F -rational point P of V such that the ideal class (P ∗ L) is not trivial? As a variant of this question, we could also ask: Is there a scheme Z which is finite and flat over Spec(Z) and a morphism P : Z → X such that (P ∗ L )i s not trivial in Pic(Z)? L. Szpiro has informed us that he independently raised this question earlier. If the answer to the question is always positive, then line bundles on arithmetic varieties are characterized by their restrictions to integral points. Here are some interesting facts about this question: 1. The answer is positive when X = P n . Indeed, restricting along any linear morphism P 1 → P n gives an isomorphism on Picard groups. Therefore, it is enough to show the statement for X = P 1 . Take L = OX(n), n � 0. There is a number field F with an ideal A whose ideal class is not n-torsion. We can always write A = aOF + bOF with a, b in OF . Consider the F -rational point (a; b )o fP 1 . This gives a morphism P :S pec(OF ) → P 1F → P 1 .
The association between physiologic dead-space fraction and mortality in subjects with ARDS enrolled in a prospective multi-center clinical trial.

Objective: To test the association between pulmonary dead-space fraction (VD/VT) and mortality in patients with ARDS (Berlin Definition, PaO2/FiO2 ≤ 300 mm Hg; PEEP ≥ 5 cm H2O) enrolled into a clinical trial incorporating lung-protective ventilation. Design: Prospective, multi-center study. Setting: Medical-surgical intensive care units in the United States. Subjects: 126 ALI patients enrolled into a phase III randomized, placebo-controlled study of aerosolized albuterol. Interventions: None Measurements and Main Results: VD/VT and pulmonary mechanics were measured within 4 hours of enrollment and repeated daily on study days 1 and 2 in subjects requiring arterial blood gases for clinical management. At baseline, non-survivors had a trend towards higher VD/VT compared to survivors (0.62 ± 0.11 vs. 0.56 ± 0.11 respectively, p = 0.08). Differences in VD/VT between non-survivors and survivors became significant on study days 1 (0.64 ± 0.12 vs. 0.55 ± 0.11 respectively, p = 0.01) and 2 (0.67 ± 0.12 vs. 0.56 ± 0.11 respectively, p=0.004). Likewise, the association between VD/VT and mortality was significant on study day 1 (odds ratio per 0.10 change in VD/VT [95% confidence interval]: 6.84 [1.62-28.84] p = 0.01; and study day 2: 4.90 [1.28-18.73] p = 0.02) after adjusting for VD/VT, PaO2/FiO2, oxygenation index, vasopressor use and the primary risk for ARDS. Using a Cox proportional hazard model, VD/VT was associated with a trend towards higher mortality (HR = 4.37 [CI: 0.99 – 19.32]; p = 0.052) that became significant when the analysis was adjusted for daily oxygenation index (HR = 1.74 [95% CI: 1.12 – 3.35] p = 0.04). Conclusions: Markedly elevated VD/VT (≥ 0.60) in early ARDS is associated with higher mortality. Measuring VD/VT may be useful in identifying ARDS patients at increased risk of death who are enrolled into a therapeutic trial.
A LC–MS/MS method for the specific, sensitive, and simultaneous quantification of 5-aminolevulinic acid and porphobilinogen

Abstract Accurate determinations of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) and porphobilinogen (PBG) in physiologic fluids are required for the diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of acute porphyrias. Current colorimetric methods are insensitive and over-estimate ALA and PBG due to poor specificity, while LC–MS/MS methods increase sensitivity, but have limited matrices. An LC–MS/MS method was developed to simultaneously determine ALA and PBG concentrations in fluids or tissues which were solid phase extracted, butanol derivatized, and quantitated by selective reaction monitoring using 13C5, 15N-ALA and 2,4-13C2-PBG internal standards. ALA was separated from interfering compounds on a reverse phase C8-column. For ALA and PBG, the matrix effects (87.3–105%) and process efficiencies (77.6–97.8% and 37.2–41.6%, respectively) were acceptable in plasma and urine matrices. The assay was highly sensitive for ALA and PBG (LLOQ = 0.05 μM with 25 μL urine or 100 μL plasma), and required ∼4 h from extraction to results. ALA and PBG accuracy ranged from 88.2 to 110% (n = 10); intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variations were
An integrated network resource and QoS management framework

We present an integrated network resource and QoS management framework based on the idea of decoupling the network control plane from the data plane. Our framework is capable of providing per-flow QoS guarantees using a scalable core-stateless packet forwarding mechanism at the network core. A virtual time reference system provides the abstraction of the data plane. A bandwidth broker performs all control and resource management functions while router functionality is kept minimal to make the performance of its main function, packet forwarding, efficient We present the bandwidth broker architecture, its modules and their implementations as well as the implementation of the packet forwarding mechanism at the routers. We describe also the design of the interface between the bandwidth broker and the routers as well as the interface between the bandwidth broker and the users (applications).
Turbo estimation of channel and symbols in precoded MIMO systems

We consider a block fading frequency selective multi-input multi-output (MIMO) channel in additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN). The channel input is a training vector superimposed on a linearly precoded vector of Gaussian symbols. To achieve a better performance over the conventional least-squares (LS), we utilize the linear mean square error (LMMSE) symbol estimate to improve the initial LS estimate and update the symbol estimation accordingly. We provide the guidelines to design training which minimizes the MSE of the initial LS estimate.
Linear processing of nonuniformly sampled signals

The authors describe a novel approach, based on a coordinate transformation, that can process nonuniformly sampled signals efficiently, in the sense that the number of computations for processing the nonuniformly spaced data will be the same as in the uniform sampling case for the same number of samples in both cases. In situations where the nonuniform sampling results in fewer samples compared to the uniform sampling case, a reduction in total computations may be realized. Numerical examples are examined which confirm that the technique is valid. >
The Birth and Early Years of the Storm Prediction Center

Abstract An overview of the birth and development of the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center, formerly known as the National Severe Storms Forecast Center, is presented. While the center’s immediate history dates to the middle of the twentieth century, the nation’s first centralized severe weather forecast effort actually appeared much earlier with the pioneering work of Army Signal Corps officer J. P. Finley in the 1870s. Little progress was made in the understanding or forecasting of severe convective weather after Finley until the nascent aviation industry fostered an interest in meteorology in the 1920s. Despite the increased attention, forecasts for tornadoes remained a rarity until Air Force forecasters E. J. Fawbush and R. C. Miller gained notoriety by correctly forecasting the second tornado to strike Tinker Air Force Base in one week on 25 March 1948. The success of this and later Fawbush and Miller efforts led the Weather Bureau (predecessor to the National Weather Service) to est...
Demonstrating Value: A Case Study of Enhanced Recovery

An enhanced recovery after surgery strategy will be increasingly adopted in the era of value-based care. The various elements in each enhanced recovery after surgery protocol are likely to add value to the overall patient surgical journey. Although the evidence varies considerably based on type of surgery and patient group, the team-based approach of care should be universally applied to patient care. This article provides an overview of up-to-date techniques and methodology for enhanced recovery, including an overview of value-based care, delivery, and the evidence base supporting enhanced recovery after surgery.
The Truth About the Past and the Future

This chapter is about The Truthmaker Problem for Presentism. I spell out a solution to the problem that involves appealing to indeterministic laws of nature and branching semantics for past- and future-tensed sentences. Then I discuss a potential glitch for this solution, and propose a way to get around that glitch. Finally, I consider some likely objections to the view offered here, as well as replies to those objections.
Preferential Associations of Invasive Lantana camara (Verbenaceae) in a Seasonally Dry Hawaiian Woodland

Abstract: Lantana camara L. is known to be one of the world's worst invasive species, yet in Hawai‘i, where it has been present for decades, little is known about factors influencing its establishment. This study examines influence of tree composition and disturbance, including fire and disturbance corridors, on its spread at the edge of its current distribution. We assessed whether lantana spreads in association with particular plants, disturbances, or environmental features within protected areas. Using 100 m2 plots, we measured vegetation cover, soil depth, evidence of pig disturbance, and presence of fallen trees in 105 plots (84 randomly generated and 21 selected for presence of lantana) across submontane woodland in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on Hawai‘i Island. We found that lantana was more common than expected in association with the native nitrogen-fixing tree Sophora chrysophylla, and less common than expected near the exotic nitrogen-fixing tree Morella faya. Fire also strongly predicted i...
Establishing the digital chain of evidence in biometric systems

Traditionally, a chain of evidence or chain of custody refers to the chronological documentation, or paper trail, showing the seizure, custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of evidence, physical or electronic. Whether in the criminal justice system, military applications, or natural disasters, ensuring the accuracy and integrity of such chains is of paramount importance. Intentional or unintentional alteration, tampering, or fabrication of digital evidence can lead to undesirable effects. We find despite the consequences at stake, historically, no unique protocol or standardized procedure exists for establishing such chains. Current practices rely on traditional paper trails and handwritten signatures as the foundation of chains of evidence. Copying, fabricating or deleting electronic data is easier than ever and establishing equivalent digital chains of evidence has become both necessary and desirable. We propose to consider a chain of digital evidence as a multi-component validation problem. It ensures the security of access control, confidentiality, integrity, and non-repudiation of origin. Our framework, includes techniques from cryptography, keystroke analysis, digital watermarking, and hardware source identification. The work offers contributions to many of the fields used in the formation of the framework. Related to biometric watermarking, we provide a means for watermarking iris images without significantly impacting biometric performance. Specific to hardware fingerprinting, we establish the ability to verify the source of an image captured by biometric sensing devices such as fingerprint sensors and iris cameras. Related to keystroke dynamics, we establish that user stimulus familiarity is a driver of classification performance. Finally, example applications of the framework are demonstrated with data collected in crime scene investigations, people screening activities at port of entries, naval maritime interdiction operations, and mass fatality incident disaster responses.
Single-particle SEM-EDX analysis of iron-containing coarse particulate matter in an urban environment: sources and distribution of iron within Cleveland, Ohio.

The physicochemical properties of coarse-mode, iron-containing particles and their temporal and spatial distributions are poorly understood. Single-particle analysis combining X-ray elemental mapping and computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy (CCSEM-EDX) of passively collected particles was used to investigate the physicochemical properties of iron-containing particles in Cleveland, OH, in summer 2008 (Aug–Sept), summer 2009 (July–Aug), and winter 2010 (Feb–March). The most abundant classes of iron-containing particles were iron oxide fly ash, mineral dust, NaCl-containing agglomerates (likely from road salt), and Ca–S containing agglomerates (likely from slag, a byproduct of steel production, or gypsum in road salt). The mass concentrations of anthropogenic fly ash particles were highest in the Flats region (downtown) and decreased with distance away from this region. The concentrations of fly ash in the Flats region were consistent with interannual changes in steel production. These particles ...
A New Approach To Gas Discharge Theory With Sheath Boundaries

Classical theories of gas discharges have concentrated on the microscopic properties of collisions and diffusion coefficients, but few have considered the macroscopic observables such as the density and temperature profiles. Since practical devices cannot be approximated by infinite cylinders, we consider finite cylinders with endplates. There, the short-circuit effect permits electrons to be Maxwellian even in the presence of a DC magnetic field. For uniform electron temperature Te and pressure p, the radial density profile is found to have a “universal” shape independent of p. A code EQM is developed to solve for radial profiles when all quantities vary with r and includes ionization balance and neutral depletion. The profile Te(r) depends on the type of discharge and is found for helicon discharges by iterating with the code HELIC. Resulting n(r) profiles are flat or peaked on axis, as found in experiment, even when ionization is localized to the edge.
Between superexchange and hopping: an intermediate charge-transfer mechanism in poly(A)-poly(T) DNA hairpins.

We developed a model for hole migration along relatively short DNA hairpins with fewer that seven adenine (A):thymine (T) base pairs. The model was used to simulate hole migration along poly(A)-poly(T) sequences with a particular emphasis on the impact of partial hole localization on the different rate processes. The simulations, performed within the framework of the stochastic surrogate Hamiltonian approach, give values for the arrival rate in good agreement with experimental data. Theoretical results obtained for hairpins with fewer than three A:T base pairs suggest that hole transfer along short hairpins occurs via superexchange. This mechanism is characterized by the exponential distance dependence of the arrival rate on the donor/acceptor distance, ka ≃ e–βR, with β = 0.9 A–1. For longer systems, up to six A:T pairs, the distance dependence follows a power law ka ≃ R–η with η = 2. Despite this seemingly clear signature of unbiased hopping, our simulations show the complete delocalization of the hole ...
Research and analysis of noise on operating personnel cardiovascular and hearing impact

Objective To understand auditory damage degree of noise to workers and its effect on their cardiovascular system.Methods From 18 units,501 noise-exposed workers were examined for blood pressure,ECG,pure tone air conduction hearing threshold.Results The detection rate of the normal,high value of normal blood pressure and hypertension were 16.8%,60.9% and 22.3%,respectively.The ECG mainly showed high voltage in the left ventricular and the left axis deviation,abnormalities of ST segment and T wave,changes of heart rhythm.The results of pure tone air conduction hearing threshold test showed that the detection rate of average binaural high-frequency hearing threshold equal or over 40 dB increased with the years exposure to noise,and the detection rate(11.7%) of exposure to noise equal or over 20 years was significantly higher than that without exposure history(1.8%).Conclusions Auditory damage of the noise to workers gets worse with the increase of exposure years.Meanwhile,more attention should be paid to those whose detection rate is higher among workers of the high normal blood pressure and pure tone threshold in the range of 26 to 39 dB.It is the key preventive measures to the noise-exposed workers.
Impact of dilution ratios on Listeria monocytogenes growth during University of Vermont medium enrichment of deli meats.

In the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) method for Listeria detection, a 25-g composite food sample is enriched in 225 ml of University of Vermont medium (UVM), giving a detection limit of 0.04 CFU/g. However, in a recent large-scale four-state deli meat survey for L. monocytogenes, 125-g samples enriched in 1,125 ml of UVM were requested to increase the detection limit to 0.008 CFU/g. To circumvent problems associated with large volumes of UVM, the impact on L. monocytogenes growth of lower dilution ratios used for enrichment and most-probable-number (MPN) detection was compared with the results obtained using the conventional 1:10 dilution. In this study, 125-g samples of cured turkey, uncured turkey, ham, and roast beef were inoculated with a six-strain L. monocytogenes cocktail to contain ∼1 × 103 CFU/g. This cocktail was then diluted 1:3, 1:5, or 1:10 in UVM, homogenized, enriched at 30°C, and periodically plated on modified Oxford agar to determine generation times during 24 h of incubation. Th...
Radioimmunoguided breast surgery using radiolabeled antibody NR-LU-10 FAB: a pilot study.

AIM AND BACKGROUND Radioimmunoguided surgery using radiolabeled NR-LU-10 Fab was evaluated as a method of intraoperative breast cancer detection. METHODS Breast cancer patients were injected intravenously with 125I (74 MBq) labeled NR-LU-10 Fab (5 mg) and then underwent tumor excision 2, 4 or 7 days later, during which time the gamma detector probe was used to evaluate the primary tumor for evidence of radioactive uptake. RESULTS Intraoperative probing revealed tumor localization in 7 of 10 patients (70%). Gamma probe counts of the excised tumor were elevated in all patients, although high counts in surrounding non-malignant tissue obscured the ability to detect the tumor in vivo in 3 patients. One patient with bilateral breast cancer was found to have a separate focus of occult tumor in each breast using the gamma detector probe. CONCLUSIONS Radiolabeled NR-LU-10 Fab possesses favorable pharmokinetics and tumor-binding ability as a targeting agent. However, binding to non-malignant tissue limits its role in the intraoperative evaluation of tumor margins in breast cancer patients. Its role in other malignancies should be explored.
CD4/CD8-negative T cells with αβ antigen receptors

Abstract A minor population of αβ T cells expresses neither CD4 nor CD8. These cells are probably heterogeneous. They are widespread in anatomical distribution, express an abnormal T-cell repertoire largely unaffected by selective processes that act on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and exhibit both cytotoxic and Th-2-like functions. Their role in normal immune function is completely obscure, but they are active in murine and human autoimmune disease.
Temperature measurements in a diffusion flame using thermally assisted fluorescence

Nonintrusive diagnostic techniques are required for measurement of temperature in flames and other high-temperature particulate-laden reacting flows, in the past few years, lasers have become art increasingly useful probe for combustion diagnostics yielding measurements of temperature and concentrations of major and minor flame species.
“Water Needle”—A New Phenomenon for Ink-Jet Printing

This paper describes a novel phenomenon “water needle”, which is generated by the self-focusing acoustic transducer (SFAT) that has an Al/ZnO/Al structure on top of a silicon-nitride diagram. The SFAT generates and focuses acoustic waves (through wave interference) on the air-liquid interface. The focused acoustic beam deforms the free liquid surface, and produces a needle-shaped water column on the free liquid surface when enough energy is applied to the SFAT with its water level continuously maintained at a level higher than the focal plane. The water needle (which is very steady, durable and reproducible) can be less than 5 µm in diameter at its tip and more than 400 µm in height.
Rhetoric’s diverse materiality: polythetic ontology and genealogy

ABSTRACTRhetoric is multiple and mutable in the sense that there is more than one kind of rhetoric and any particular rhetoric is highly adaptable to the point that what qualifies as rhetoric according to scholar A may be unrecognizable as such to scholar B. It is not safe to assume that we can account for rhetoric as a multiplicity or in its mutability. Despite an arsenal of terms to characterize rhetoric, how to talk about it as diverse?This essay first conceptualizes material “diversity” and presents a borrowed term, polythesis, to give some character to the problem of rhetoric as ontologically one and many. Second, the essay discusses genealogy as an approach that enables the sorting of different rhetorics without producing a fixed taxonomy. Parsing rhetoric’s multiplicity requires mobile discriminations and should be paired with a methodology sensitive to ontological flux. As historical ontologies, genealogies of different rhetorics can produce meaningful distributions while emphasizing impermanence ...