cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Manual measurement of QT dispersion in patients with acute myocardial infarction and nondiagnostic electrocardiograms.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether manually measured QT dispersion (QTD) may be a useful diagnostic adjunct for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in emergency department patients with chest pain (CP) and nondiagnostic initial electrocardiograms (ECGs). METHODS This was a retrospective review of a cohort of patients admitted to the coronary triage unit (CTU) at a large urban facility over a two-year period (1997-1999). Cases included all patients with nondiagnostic initial ECGs diagnosed as having AMI by enzymatic criteria. Controls consisted of patients admitted to the CTU who received a final diagnosis of "musculoskeletal pain" at discharge. The QT intervals were measured on the ECGs obtained on presentation. The ECGs were included only if the QT interval could be measured on at least eight out of 12 leads. The QTD was calculated as the difference between the longest and shortest QT intervals in all measured leads. All measurements and calculations were done by a single individual. The QTDs were compared for cases versus controls using 50 msec as a cutoff for the presence of AMI. RESULTS The study cohort consisted of 36 cases and 124 controls. The QTDs between the two groups were markedly different, with the mean for the cases at 85.5 msec [range: 40 to 200; +/-standard deviation (SD) = 39.6] and for the controls 47.1 msec (range: 0 to 120; +/-SD = 20.4). The unadjusted odds ratio (OR) of having a QTD greater than 50 msec in the setting of AMI and a nondiagnostic initial ECG in this cohort was 11.9 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 5.0 to 28.4; p < 0.0001] and was 12.5 (95% CI = 4.8 to 32.3; p < 0.0001) adjusted for age, gender, and ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS Manually measured QTD is significantly greater in patients with AMI and nondiagnostic ECGs versus healthy controls with musculoskeletal CP. Along with other data, QTD may serve as a useful diagnostic and decision-making tool in patients with acute CP and nondiagnostic ECGs.
Micrococcal nuclease as a DNA structural probe: its recognition sequences, their genomic distribution and correlation with DNA structure determinants.

Abstract We have analyzed micrococcal nuclease (MNase) DNA cleavage patterns at the sequence level by examining 2.3 × 103 base-pairs of data derived from the Drosophila melanogaster 44D larval cuticle locus. Within this region, MNase preferentially cleaved 140 sites. Clusters of these sites appear to generate the preferential MNase eukaryotic DNA cleavage sites seen on agarose gels at roughly 100 to 300 base-pair intervals. These clusters of preferential cleavage sites rarely occur within gene coding regions. The analysis revealed that duplex DNA sequences preferentially cleaved by MNase are generally determined by a single strand sequence: d(A-T)n, where n ⩾ 1, flanked by a 5′ dC or dG. Cleavage of the other strand is generally staggered 5′ by several nucleotides and occurs even if such sequences are absent on that strand. An empirical predictive DNA cleavage model derived from a statistical analysis of the sequence level data was applied to seven eukaryotic gene loci of known sequence. The predicted patterns were in good general agreement with the previously observed eukaryotic gene/spacer cleavage pattern. Statistical analysis also revealed that sites of predicted preferential DNA cleavage occur less frequently in protein coding regions than for randomized sequences of the same length and nucleotide content. Comparison of the MNase cleavage patterns to the sequence-dependent pattern of binding energies between duplex DNA strands indicates that MNase preferentially cleaves sequences with low helix stability.
Genomic structure and expression analysis of the mouse testis-specific ribbon protein (Trib) gene.

Abstract During our analyses of genes required for the development and function of the mouse gonads, we identified a novel testis-specific mRNA, transcribed from a gene that we have named testis-specific ribbon protein (Trib). In the mouse, Trib is located on chromosome 15, overlapping with and transcribed in the opposite orientation of the meiosis specific gene Smc1β. The deduced amino acid sequence of testis ribbon (TRIB) protein is highly conserved between human, mouse, and rat and contains the ribbon motifs found in the largely uncharacterized microtubule ribbon protein ribbon43a (RIB43A). We show by Northern blot analyses and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) that Trib mRNA is specifically expressed in the adult testis. In situ hybridization indicates that Trib is expressed solely in germ cells during the leptotene–pachytene stages of spermatogenesis. The high level of evolutionary conservation and the cellular and temporal expression suggest that Trib may be required for mouse spermatogenesis and male fertility. Here, we describe the genomic structure and expression profile of mouse Trib and compare its homology with other ribbon proteins.
Low-Temperature Ion Mobility in Fermi Liquids

The mobility of a large hard-sphere impurity in a Fermi liquid has been calculated by solving the transport equation for the quasiparticles exactly to order ${T}^{2}$. Using the Landau parameters known for ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$, the correction to the zero-temperature mobility, which was previously found to be proportional to ${T}^{2}$, turns out to be somewhat too small. The temperature dependence is in agreement with experiment.
SYNTHESIS AND MONOAMINE OXIDASE B CATALYZED OXIDATION OF C-4 HETEROAROMATIC SUBSTITUTED 1,2,3,6-TETRAHYDROPYRIDINE DERIVATIVES

The monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) catalyzed oxidation of amines has been proposed to proceed via a polar pathway, an initial single-electron transfer pathway and an initial hydrogen atom transfer pathway. Results from previous studies on selected N-cyclopropyl-4-substituted-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine derivatives have led us to consider a mechanism for these cyclic tertiary allylamines which may not necessarily involve the aminyl radical cation as required by an initial single-electron transfer step. The studies summarized in this paper were undertaken to explore further the structural features that determine the MAO-B substrate and/or inactivator properties of various 1,4-disubstituted tetrahydropyridine derivatives. We report here the results of our studies on the synthesis and MAO-B catalyzed oxidation of 1-methyl- and 1-cyclopropyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine derivatives bearing a variety of heteroaromatic groups at C-4. All of the N-cyclopropyltetrahydropyridine analogs were time and concentration dependent inhibitors of MAO-B while all of the N-methyltetrahydropyridine analogs and the N-cyclopropyl-4-(1-methyl-2-pyrryl)tetrahydropyridine analog were substrates. The substrate properties (Kcat/KM) covered a range of 6 to 1800 min-1 mM-1 while the range for the inactivator properties for which Kinact/KI values could be obtained was 0.1-1.0 min-1 mM-1. The partition ratios for the N-cyclopropyl analogs varied from 4 to 17 except for the 4-(1-methyl-2-pyrryl) analog, which had a partition ratio of 400. These results are discussed in terms of the putative allylic radical intermediate and in the context of the hydrogen atom transfer and single-electron transfer based mechanisms.
Chemotherapy disrupts activity of translational regulatory proteins in bone marrow stromal cells

Objective Bone marrow stromal cell function is a critical influence on hematopoietic reconstitution following progenitor or stem cell transplantation. Stromal cells support hematopoietic cell migration, survival, and proliferation. We have previously reported that stromal cell matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) is necessary for optimal support of pro-B−cell chemotaxis through its regulation of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (CXCL12) release. Following exposure to the topoisomerase II inhibitor, etoposide (VP-16), stromal cell MMP-2 protein expression is reduced. The current study investigated the mechanism by which VP-16 may alter translation of MMP-2 in bone marrow stromal cells. Materials and Methods Bone marrow stromal cells were exposed to chemotherapeutic agents etoposide, melphalan, and 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4HC) and evaluated for MMP-2 expression by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and support of pro-B−cell chemotaxis by chemotaxis assay. Western blot analyses were completed to evaluate phosphorylation of stromal cell translational regulatory proteins 4E binding protein-1 (4EBP-1), P70 S6K , and S6 or MMP-2 in the presence of chemotherapy, or the chemical inhibitors rapamycin or LY294002. Results Rapid dephosphorylation of 4EBP-1, P70 S6K , and S6 following VP-16 exposure was observed, consistent with blunted translational efficiency. We also observed that inhibition of stromal cell mammalian target of rapamycin with rapamycin, or phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase with LY294002, resulted in inhibition of stromal cell MMP-2 protein. In addition we found that the chemotherapeutic agents melphalan and 4HC disrupt bone marrow stromal cell MMP-2 protein expression and support of chemotaxis. Conclusions These data suggest that one mechanism by which chemotherapy may alter stromal cells of the bone marrow microenvironment is through disrupted translation of proteins.
Driving Behaviors in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

This pilot study investigated driving history and driving behaviors between adults diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) as compared to non-ASD adult drivers. Seventy-eight licensed drivers with ASD and 94 non-ASD comparison participants completed the Driver Behavior Questionnaire. Drivers with ASD endorsed significantly lower ratings of their ability to drive, and higher numbers of traffic accidents and citations relative to non-ASD drivers. Drivers with ASD also endorsed significantly greater numbers of difficulties on the following subscales: intentional violations, F(1, 162) = 6.15, p = .01, η 2 = .04; mistakes, F(1, 162) = 10.15, p = .002, η 2 = .06; and slips/lapses, F(1, 162) = 11.33, p = .001, η 2 = .07. These findings suggest that individuals with ASD who are current drivers may experience more difficulties in driving behaviors and engage in more problematic driving behaviors relative to non-ASD drivers.
Evaluation of the quality of N-detect scan ATPG patterns on a processor

This paper evaluates N-detect scan ATPG patterns for their impact to test quality through simulation and fallout from production on a Pentium 4 processor using 90 nm manufacturing technology. An incremental ATPG flow is used to generate N-detect test patterns. The generated patterns were applied in production with flows to determine overlap in fallout to different tests. The generated N-detect test patterns are then evaluated based on different metrics. The metrics include signal states, bridge fault coverage, stuck-at fault coverage and fault detection profile. The correlation between the different metrics is studied. Data from production fallout shows the effectiveness of N-detect tests. Further, the correlation between fallout data and the different metrics is analyzed.
State of strain in mylonites from the western Blue Ridge province, southern Appalachians: the role of volume loss

Abstract This study examines the state of finite strain in quartzo-feldspathic mylonites from two localities in the western Blue Ridge province of the southern Appalachians. Mineral shape fabric and whole-rock chemical and modal data suggest that the mylonites deformed by inhomogeneous shortening normal to the foliation and progressive shear parallel to the foliation. The deformation involved substantial bulk-rock volume loss. Strain was partitioned between solution transfer processes in feldspar and dislocation creep processes in quartz and micas at temperatures of between 300 and 450°C. Initially feldspars underwent grain-size reduction by cataclasis but at advanced stages of mylonitization alkali feldspar grains display subrounded oblate shapes (0 k k values (0.2 k 60%) bulk volume loss. Density changes were minor. On the basis of feldspar grain shapes and modal and whole-rock chemical data, volume loss was largely accommodated by fluid infiltration and incongruent dissolution of alkali feldspar (producing muscovite) and involved the loss of alkalis and silica to the fluid phase. The mylonites may have nucleated as solution zones which subsequently underwent strain softening and displacement parallel to the zone boundaries.
Transcoding HTML to voiceXML using annotation

A problem with trying to create voice interfaces to existing HTML Web pages is that most Web pages are designed and optimized for graphical browsing. Our approach has been to consider voice interfaces to Web information not as a replacement for desktop browsing using a graphical interface, but as a way to meet mobile users' needs for specific information. Such an interaction can be more directed and focused in nature than open-ended browsing tasks. In order to create usable voice interfaces to Web information, we have identified a set of information structures that are commonly found on Web pages and explored how they can be presented and navigated by voice. We have codified these structures in an XML annotation language called VXPL (VoiceXML Precursor Language) that can be used to annotate existing HTML code to indicate where these information structures exist. VXPL is designed so that it can be used for manual or automatic annotation of HTML code. In addition, we have implemented an automated transcoder that converts VXPL into VoiceXML with increased support for navigation and usability of the resulting interface.
Congenital Tracheoesophageal Fistula (H-type) in a Six-year-old

The case of a six-year-old boy with newly diagnosed tracheoesophageal fistula of the H-type is presented. This diagnosis is usually made in the neonatal period, but since the symptoms may mimic other respiratory illnesses and radiologic diagnosis may be difficult, the condition may go undiagnosed for years. Since correction of a tracheoesophageal fistula is curative, the diagnosis should be entertained in any child with recurrent respiratory symptoms, especially when associated with meals. A brief discussion emphasizes the importance of good communication between the clinician and radiologist and of careful radiologic evaluation.
Transnational Human Rights and Local Activism: Mapping the Middle

How do transnational ideas such as human rights approaches to violence against women become meaningful in local social settings? How do they move across the gap between a cosmopolitan awareness of human rights and local sociocultural understandings of gender and family? Intermediaries such as community leaders, nongovernmental organization participants, and social movement activists play a critical role in translating ideas from the global arena down and from local arenas up. These are people who understand both the worlds of transnational human rights and local cultural practices and who can look both ways. They are powerful in that they serve as knowledge brokers between culturally distinct social worlds, but they are also vulnerable to manipulation and subversion by states and communities. In this article, I theorize the process of translation and argue that anthropological analysis of translators helps to explain how human rights ideas and interventions circulate around the world and transform social life.
The condensation of mixed vapors

Although condensation from saturated mixed vapors upon a cold surface has been frequently explored experimentally, current theories describing this phenomenon have not been adequately tested. This work describes the condensation process in which two condensable components are involved and how, consequently, the mass transfer process is involved in their partial fractionation. A discussion of the Bedingfield correction (3) for the effect of molecular weight difference of the diffusing components upon the mass transfer coefficient leads to its necessary association with the Ackermann factor (4, 5) for the general mass transfer effect. Data from two sets of experiments using different apparatuses demonstrate the use of this net corrective factor and also demonstrate the general applicability of the Drew-Colburn mass transfer coefficient, for transfer processes in which more than one component transfers from one phase to another.
Effects of temporal clumping and payoff accumulation on impulsiveness and cooperation

Animals show impulsiveness when they prefer a smaller more immediate option, even though a larger more delayed option produces a higher intake rate. This impulsive behavior has implications for several behavioral problems including social cooperation. This paper presents two experiments using captive blue jays (Cyanocitta cristata) that consider the effects of payoff accumulation and temporal clumping on impulsiveness and cooperation. Payoff accumulation refers to a situation where the benefits gained from each choice trial accumulate from one trial to the next, and only become available to the animal after it has completed a fixed number of trials. We hypothesized that this would reduce impulsiveness because it removes the advantage of quickly realizing food gains. Clumping refers to situation in which the animal experiences several choice trials in quick succession followed by a long pause before the next clump. We hypothesized that if payoffs accumulated over a clump of trials this would enhance the effect of accumulation. We tested the effects of accumulation and clumping on impulsiveness in a self-control situation. We found a significant interaction between clumping and accumulation. Payoff accumulation reduced impulsiveness, but only when trials were clumped. Post hoc analyses suggest that clumping alone increases impulsiveness. A second experiment applied these results to cooperation. This experiment reveals an interaction between payoff accumulation and trial’s position within the clump. Jays were more likely to cooperate on the first trial of a clump, but the likelihood of cooperation dropped after the first trial. However, this drop was larger when payoffs did not accumulate. This observation suggests that the difference between accumulated and unaccumulated treatments that we reported previously (Science 198: 2216–2218) may be largely due to differences in how animals behave in the first trial of a clump. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Process-Driven Variability Analysis of Single and Multiple Voltage–Frequency Island Latency-Constrained Systems

The problem of determining bounds for application completion times running on generic systems comprising single or multiple voltage-frequency islands (VFIs) with arbitrary topologies is addressed in the context of manufacturing-process-driven variability. The approach provides an exact solution for the system-level timing yield in synchronous single-voltage (SSV) and VFI systems with an underlying tree-based topology and a tight upper bound for generic non-tree-based topologies. The results show that: 1) timing yield for the overall source-to-sink completion time for generic systems can be modeled in an exact manner for both SSV and VFI systems and 2) multiple-VFI latency-constrained systems can achieve up to two times higher timing yield than their SSV counterparts. The results are formally proven and are supported by experimental results on two embedded applications, namely, a software-defined radio and a Moving Pictures Expert Group 2 encoder.
Laboratory Measurements and Tentative Astronomical Identification of H2NCO

The rotational spectrum of H_2NCO^+, the ground-state isomer of protonated HNCO, has been measured in a molecular beam in the centimeter band with a Fourier transform microwave spectrometer and in a low-pressure laboratory discharge in absorption in the millimeter band. Spectroscopic constants, including the nitrogen-14 hyperfine coupling constant, derived from 30 a-type transitions between 20 and 367 GHz with J ≤ 18 and K_a ≤ 3 allow the principal rotational transitions to be calculated to 1 km s^(–1) or better in equivalent radial velocity well into the far IR. Two low-lying rotational transitions of H_2NCO^+ in the centimeter band (0_(0,0)-1_(0,1) and 1_(1,0)-2_(1,1)) were tentatively identified in absorption in the PRIMOS spectral line survey of Sgr B2(N) with the Green Bank Telescope. The lines of H_2NCO^+ arise in a region of the Sgr B2(N) halo whose density is low (n < 1 × 10^4 cm^(–3)). The derived column density of (6-14) × 10^(11) cm^(–2) implies that the fractional abundance is ~10^(–12). Owing to the ubiquity of HNCO in galactic molecular clouds, H_2NCO^+ is a good candidate for detection in sources spanning a wide range of physical conditions.
SIMCAL: the merger of Simula and Pascal

Simulation languages, although expressively powerful, usually require a large overhead to learn. In addition, compilers for the languages may be unavailable for a particular computer or may be too expensive. In this work, we develop a process-oriented simulation language, Simcal, based on standard Pascal and extended to directly incorporate the simulation primitives found in Simula. We show that the implementation of Simcal only requires a standard Pascal compiler. The combination of Pascal and Simula provides the simulation modeler with a readily accessible, powerful language for writing simulation programs. The language is currently implemented on a micro computer using a Pascal preprocessor.
Task-Unrelated Image and Thought Frequency during Chronic Auditory Sensory Deprivation: A Laboratory Study with the Severely Hearing-Impaired:

Earlier studies have reported an inverse relationship between information load and internally generated stimulation in the form of task-unrelated images and thoughts (TUITs). It was hypothesized, based on these studies and several theories of optimal stimulation levels, that auditory deprivation, as chronically experienced by the severely hearing-impaired, would result in more frequent TUITs. TUITs were reported, shortly after they occurred, while the participant was engaged in a visual sustained attention task. Both intentional and spontaneous TUITs were recorded. The hearing-impaired participants (n = 15, 20 to 26 years old) all had experienced severe or profound auditory loss prior to the age for normal acquisition of language. As hypothesized, the severely hearing-impaired participants had significantly, p < .05, more TUITs than normal-hearing participants (n = 17, 18 to 30 years old).
Patterns of gastrointestinal parasitism among five sympatric prairie carnivores: are males reservoirs?

Male vertebrates are believed to be disproportionately vulnerable to parasites, but empirical support for this contention is mixed. We tested the hypothesis of higher levels of parasitism in males with the use of counts of gastrointestinal helminths in 5 sympatric mammalian carnivores (American badgers, coyotes, red foxes, raccoons, striped skunks) from central Saskatchewan. Parasite burdens for females and males of each host species were compared with the use of prevalence (percentage of hosts infected), intensity (parasites per infected host), and overdispersion (proportion of heavily infected hosts that were male). Of 30 comparisons (13 each for prevalence and intensity, 4 for overdispersion), male bias was detected 8 times (27%), whereas female bias was detected only once (3%), adding some support to the notion that male mammals are more susceptible to parasitism. However, most of the statistical comparisons we undertook revealed no sexual bias (n = 21, 70%), suggesting that differential patterns of infection are not ubiquitous in mammals. Moreover, when detected, the magnitude and direction of bias varied among host species, helminth species, and metrics of infection. We conclude that sympatric and ecologically similar mammal species will not always share the tendency for males to be more susceptible to parasitism, and that studies incorporating multiple parasites and metrics of infection are more likely to detect sex bias.
Reduced-Intensity Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation in Children and Young Adults with Ultrahigh-Risk Pediatric Sarcomas

Some subsets of pediatric sarcoma patients have very poor survival rates. We sought to determine the feasibility and efficacy of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) in pediatric sarcoma populations with
The Mystery of the Skulls: What Can Old Bones Tell Us about Hominin Evolution?.

In this activity, students examine nine hominin skulls for specialized features and take measurements that will enable them to determine the relatedness of these species. They will ultimately place each specimen on a basic phylogenetic tree that also reveals the geological time frame in which each species lived. On the basis of their data, and using similar scientific methods as paleoanthropologists, students will come to evidence-based conclusions about hominin evolution similar to those accepted by the scientific community (e.g., Tattersall & Schwartz, 2001; Sawyer et al., 2007; Palmer, 2010).
Efficient Additive Statistical Leakage Estimation

Nominal power estimation is quick but gives minimal information. Statistical power analysis can provide information on yield, chip robustness, etc., but current methods are unnecessarily slow and complex. This is primarily because existing leakage-power models, which model leakage power as lognormal distribution and calculate chip leakage power based on Wilkinson's approach, are not directly additive. Hence, for each incremental change of the circuit, the covariances between each pair of circuit elements need to be recalculated, which is inefficient. In this paper, we proposed a simple additive polynomial leakage-variation model. With additivity, we can calculate chip leakage power and leakage power after incremental change very efficiently. Experimental results show that our method is five times faster than the existing Wilkinson's approach while having no accuracy loss in mean estimation and about 1% accuracy loss in standard-deviation and 99%-percentile-point estimations.
The effect of stepwise expansion on the mitotic activity and vascularity of subdermal tissue and induced capsule in the rat

This study proposes that the mitotic activity and morphology of a subdermal induced capsule in response to a tissue expander can be regulated by the application of stepwise pressure increases in the expander. Tissue expanders were introduced into the fascial plane beneath the panniculus muscle of the rat and expanded in a stepwise fashion. Biopsies were taken at 48, 96, and 144 hours postexpansion at each increased pressure level. The developing capsule exhibited an increase in mitotic activity in its innermost layer, which reached a maximum 96 hours postexpansion. Application of constant pressure beyond 96 hours resulted in a progressive decrease in mitotic activity of the capsule. These observations suggest that cell proliferation and the resulting growth and differentiation of the extracellular matrix of the capsule may be controlled by appropriate pressure changes in the expander.
Performance of a checklist to exclude pregnancy at the time of contraceptive initiation among women with a negative urine pregnancy test.

Abstract Objective Our objective was to measure the sensitivity and specificity of a six-item “pregnancy checklist” at excluding early- or luteal-phase pregnancy among women with a negative urine pregnancy test who were initiating contraception. Study design This was a secondary analysis of the Contraceptive CHOICE Project, a prospective cohort study of 9256 women in the St. Louis region. Women who had a negative urine pregnancy test on the day of enrollment were included in this analysis. Women with a positive urine pregnancy test or without urine pregnancy testing were excluded. We identified all luteal-phase pregnancies that occurred among women with a negative urine pregnancy test. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value (NPV) and likelihood ratios of the pregnancy checklist for excluding luteal-phase pregnancies. Results There were 6929 women included in this analysis; 69% of these women met at least one checklist criterion to exclude pregnancy (“negative screen”). There were 36 luteal-phase pregnancies (0.5%) subsequently diagnosed among women with a negative urine pregnancy test. The sensitivity and specificity of the checklist were 77.7% and 69.1%, respectively. The NPV of the checklist was 99.8% and the positive predictive value was 1.3%. Conclusion Among women with a negative urine pregnancy test, the pregnancy checklist can be used to safely exclude more than 99% of early pregnancies at the time of contraceptive initiation. Implications In patients with a negative urine pregnancy test, a pregnancy checklist using six criteria based on patient history has high NPV in excluding early pregnancy. This checklist can be used to facilitate same-day initiation of contraceptive methods, including long-acting reversible contraception. Although the checklist had a high false positive rate, initiation of contraception should not be delayed in women with a “positive screen.” Rather women who desire an intrauterine device or implant can be “bridged” with a shorter-acting method until pregnancy can be excluded.
Main-chain dynamics in metallo-supramolecular polymers: from solution to elastomeric fibres

Main-chain reversible coordination polymers were formed from bis-platinum pincer complexes 2 and bis-pyridine-terminated poly-THF-bis-Py 1. The properties of the polymers, both in solution and in fibres drawn from solution, are characterised. Structural perturbations that influence the ligand exchange (dissociation) rate of the defining metal–ligand bond have no measurable impact on either the viscosity of the polymer solutions or the ultimate yield behaviour of the fibres.
Billiard dynamics of bouncing dumbbell

Abstract A system of two masses connected with a weightless rod (called dumbbell in this paper) interacting with a flat boundary is considered. The sharp bound on the number of collisions with the boundary is found using billiard techniques. In case the ratio of masses is large and the dumbbell rotates fast, an adiabatic invariant is obtained.
Application of statistical mechanics to the analysis of various physical properties of elastomeric networks: a review

This paper examines the application of the statistical mechanics to the analysis of various physical properties of the elastomeric networks. The equilibrium properties of rubber-like networks are discussed, and also some dynamic properties, such as the relaxation spectrum of Gaussian networks. The paper covers a large spectrum of properties of polymer networks such as: fluctuations and chain dimensions in unimodal and bimodal network, effects of entanglements and constraints on the elastic properties of the network, segmental orientation, liquid-crystalline networks, small angle neutron scattering from networks, strain birefringence, elastic properties of filled networks, strain induced crystallization etc. The paper shows that the statistical mechanics can be successfully used to the analysis of almost all physical properties of rubber-like networks.
Social Recognition in Hermit Crabs

The types of social recognition shown by hermit crabs are reviewed. Three aspects of hermit crab behavioral ecology that are important in social recognition are discussed. First, movement patterns can increase the probability of repeated interactions between individuals, thus increasing the possibility of social recognition based on past experience. Second, the phenomenon of individuality and consistency in the execution of behaviors is a necessary feature for individual social recognition. And finally, the evidence for dominance hierarchies in hermit crabs and the linkage to social recognition are considered. The experimental evidence for social recognition in hermit crabs is reviewed. While most studies have demonstrated just binary or class recognition (e.g., familiar versus non-familiar), the work of Gherardi and coworkers provide good evidence for possible true individual recognition in the hermit crab Pagurus longicarpus. The special considerations arising from the use of gastropod shells for protection by hermit crabs are discussed as they relate to aspects of social recognition.
Design Strategies and Decoupling Techniques for Reducing the Effects of Electrical Interference in MixedMode IC's

A key issue in the successful integration of analog circuits is a stable analog power supply. Traditional on-chip decoupling methods exhibit transients in the supply or voltage drops and power losses. This paper introduces the RLC decoupling method that features an enhanced transient response while being especially suited for low-power, low voltage applications. Both a theoretical and a practical approach are presented together with measurement results. As the benefits of a stable local power supply can be lost by the inadequate connection of two subcircuits with relative variations on the local grounds, a differential approach of signal transfer is proposed. Furthermore, the effect of a good local decoupling can be deteriorated by substrate noise, so some attention is given to this problem too.
Claiming the past: Venezuelan historical films and public politics:

Since 2000, multiple historical films and documentaries have been released that reference different stages of Venezuelan history. This trend reflects a society persistently exploring its past, mirr...
Disease-Specific Outcomes Assessment for Dyspepsia

Dyspepsia has a high prevalence in the general population with significant health care costs. It remains one of the most common indications for upper endoscopy. This article reviews the role of endoscopy in the management of dyspepsia. In addition, this article reviews the published series of endoscopic findings in subjects with dyspepsia and evidence of the effectiveness of endoscopy in dyspepsia management. This article concludes with directions in endoscopic research and development for dyspepsia.
Communicating With Oncology Patients About Palliative Care

Achieving expertise in communication requires a long-term commitment. There are many strategies available for nurses seeking to accomplish this task. Many online resources (for example, http://www.conversationsincare.com/web-bookchapter05.html and http://www.breakingbadnews.co.uk/) and helpful pocket cards intended to assist in improving communication skills are available.
A broad-spectrum lipidomics screen of antiinflammatory drug combinations in human blood

Current methods of drug screening in human blood focus on the immediate products of the affected pathway and mostly rely on approaches that lack sensitivity and the capacity for multiplex analysis. We have developed a sensitive and selective method based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry to scan the effect of drugs on the bioactive eicosanoid lipidome in vitro and ex vivo. Using small sample sizes, we can reproducibly measure a broad spectrum of eicosanoids in human blood and capture drug-induced substrate rediversion and unexpected shifts in product formation. Microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) is an antiinflammatory drug target alternative to COX-1/-2. Contrasting effects of targeting mPGES-1 versus COX-1/-2, due to differential substrate shifts across the lipidome, were observed and can be used to rationalize and evaluate drug combinations. Finally, the in vitro results were extrapolated to ex vivo studies by administration of the COX-2 inhibitor, celecoxib, to volunteers, illustrating how this approach can be used to integrate preclinical and clinical studies during drug development.
Salivary Huntington Protein as a Peripheral Biomarker for Huntington’s Disease (P1.053)

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the current study was to assess the potential for salivary Huntington protein (Htt) to serve as an easy peripheral biomarker for HD. BACKGROUND: Peripheral biomarkers are greatly needed in the field of neurodegenerative disorders to anticipate onset of disease symptoms, monitor disease progression, and track potential therapeutic effects. Huntington’s disease (HD) is a fatal, inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the gene encoding Htt. Pathogenesis is associated with expression of the mutant Htt protein in the CNS; however, HD is also associated with abnormalities in peripheral tissues. The Htt protein is the most significant molecular target for disease modifying therapies, and several therapeutic approaches that target its production, processing, and/or turnover are under development or approaching clinical trials in patients. Measurement of Htt has broad potential as a biomarker. Since non-invasive methods to quantify Htt in the CNS do not exist, measuring Htt in peripheral cells represents an essential step in biomarker discovery for HD. DESIGN/METHODS: In the current study, we measured Htt protein levels in saliva from HD gene positive individuals (N=20) and age- and sex-matched normal controls (N=25) using ELISA and Western blot methods. RESULTS: Full-length soluble Htt protein levels detected by Western blot analysis were decreased in saliva samples from HD patients compared to normal controls. In contrast, ELISA using antibodies recognizing amino acids 802-940 of human Htt protein revealed significant increases in Htt expression in saliva from HD individuals compared to normal controls. Further, salivary Htt levels were higher in symptomatic HD patients compared to pre-symptomatic or transitional patients. No correlations were detected between Htt expression and age or sex in all subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of salivary Htt offers significant promise as a relevant, non-invasive disease biomarker for HD. Disclosure: Dr. Corey-Bloom has received research support from PRANA, Omeros, Teva, HSG, and CHDI. Dr. Aikin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Garza has nothing to disclose. Dr. Haque has nothing to disclose. Dr. Park has nothing to disclose. Dr. Herndon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Thomas has nothing to disclose.
Difficulty and Discriminative Ability of Core Versus Supplementary Questions—Can We Test for Competency and Excellence Simultaneously?

In theory, a competency-based medical school curriculum allows all students the prospect of answering every test question correctly. In practice, tests often include questions that may not assess core medical knowledge. A panel of five medical educators from diverse fields categorized the pre-clerkship multiple choice test questions as either core or supplemental. Core questions that were deemed essential for completion of the medical curriculum, licensing exams, or the practice of medicine were classified as core questions (C). The panel determined that the majority (85.9 %) of the questions tested essential medical knowledge (C) while a smaller percentage (14.1 %) tested material that was important but not essential to medical education, termed supplemental questions (S). Supplemental questions were found to be more difficult to answer and had a higher discriminative ability. Thus, these questions better differentiated strong performers from weak performers. This suggests that while core question performance measures whether students have met levels of basic knowledge competency, inclusion of supplemental questions may allow us to recognize academic excellence and may represent an additional variable when considering students in the resident selection process.
Laparoscopic surgery in the treatment of incarcerated indirect inguinal hernia in children

We aimed to explore the feasibility and the safety of the laparoscopic surgery for incarcerated indirect inguinal hernia (IIH) in children. From January 2012 to December 2014, 64 children were enrolled into this study. All 64 patients received laparoscopic surgery and we reviewed their perioperative and postoperative follow-up studies. In addition, we enrolled 60 cases of children who received traditional surgery of IIH administered through minimally invasive surgery as the control group. Results from the present study showed that the mean operation time for the laparoscopic group was 41.5 min (range, 15-80 min) which was significantly shorter than the control group. Nine cases developed incarcerated intestine necrosis, expanded umbilical incision and parallel resection anastomosis. They received laparoscopic hernia sac high ligation. Only 5 cases developed scrotum edema after the surgery. The postoperative length of the stay ranged from 2 to 7 days (average, 3.2). The postoperative follow-up was from 6 months to 1 year and no relapse or secondary testicular atrophy was observed in the laparoscopic group. The operation time, incidence of postoperative complications and length of stay in the laparoscopic group were decreased compared to the control group, and differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). In conclusion, laparoscopic surgery treatment for incarcerated inguinal hernia is safe and feasible and produced better results compared with the alternative.
Hematocrit Response and Risk Factors for Significant Hematocrit Elevation with Implantable Testosterone Pellets.

Purpose: We studied the incidence and risk factors for the development of erythrocytosis with implantable testosterone pellets.Materials and Methods: A multi-institutional retrospective database analysis was used to evaluate men treated with testosterone pellets between 2009 and 2014. Inclusion criteria consisted of adult, hypogonadal males who had a full complement of pretreatment and posttreatment surveillance studies. Pretreatment and posttreatment values were compared with Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Multiple linear regression was used to identify potential risk factors for significant hematocrit elevation.Results: A total of 97 patients were included in the study. The average age of the cohort was 52 years (range 24 to 80). Mean hematocrit before and after pellet implantation was 43.9% and 46.1%, respectively, corresponding to an increase of 2.2% (CI 1.4–2.9, p <0.001). The average increase in testosterone was 145.3 ng/dl from an initial mean of 278.9 ng/dl (CI 105.7–184.9, p <0.001). Multiple linear...
Statistical Algorithms for Sustainability Measurement and Decision Making

Sustainability assertions are holistic in nature because they represent commentaries on the impacts of process and products on three dimensions of sustainability: environmental, economic, and societal. A large number of indicators (or metrics) may be used to observe the sustainability behavior of a process or product system. Because of the complex way these indicators interact with each other in influencing system performance, it is useful to construct a holistic measure to observe sustainability performance. The Euclidean distance, composed of the indicator values representing a system, was introduced as such a measure, and has been called the sustainability footprint. In this chapter detailed computations are shown on a test system to illustrate how the sustainability footprint is calculated and how it is used to compare among competing alternatives of a system in terms of sustainability. This method based on Euclidean distance is compared with other proposed methods for indicator aggregation, such as Vector Space Theory, Canberra distance, zCanberra distance, and Mahalanobis distance. In addition, two other objectives are achieved. First, by applying the principal component analysis, the redundant indicators are identified, and second, the rank order of the indicators in terms of their contribution to sustainability is calculated. This information will be helpful in improving sustainability performance at the redesign stage based on the relative contributions of the indicators and their controllability.
Disaster Management- Case Studies in Chennai

The disasters that occur are sometimes man made, and sometimes natural. The disasters come in the form of tsunamis, earthquakes, floods, cyclones, drought and industrial. The tsunami on December 26, 2004 was a major disaster in India that affected mainly Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Pudduchari and Andhra Pradesh and Andaman Nicobar Islands. The natives in Andaman and Nicobar Islands smelled and forecast the event even before scientists and technology by using their indigenous knowledge. The Bhopal gas tragedy was happened three decades before and it was, till then, India’s worst industrial disaster. In 2005 Maharashtra floods were a major disaster and in 2008 cyclone Nisha caused major floods in Tamil Nadu while Koshi floods happened in North Bihar and floods at AP, Karnataka, Delhi, Orissa. In 2009, over 252 districts in ten states were affected by severe drought. In 2012 severely floods at Assam in 2013 Uttarakand floods, in 2014 Jammu and Kashmir floods, and 2015 west Bengal floods all this disasters are managed by National Institute of Disaster Management (NDMA). This paper focuses its attention on disaster management and case studies and prevention. The data collection is collected through primary and secondary sources and random sampling method is used.
Short communication: Heritability of twinning rate in Holstein cattle

Multiple births or twinning in cattle is a naturally occurring reproductive phenomenon. For dairy cattle, twinning is considered a detrimental trait as it can be harmful to cow and calf as well as costly to the producer. The objective of this study was to examine recent US calving records for the Holstein breed to determine a current estimate of heritability for twinning rate along with effects of season and parity. Two models were used in this study: a linear sire model and a binary threshold-logit sire model. Both were mixed models considering fixed effects and random effects. Analyses were conducted using a restricted maximum likelihood method. Heritability estimates were 0.0192 ± 0.0009 and 0.1420 ± 0.0069 for the linear and threshold models, respectively. Repeatabilities from the linear and threshold-logit models were 0.0443 ± 0.0012 and 0.2310 ± 0.0072, respectively. The nonzero estimates of heritability indicate the potential to select against this trait for genetic improvement of Holstein cattle.
Free Electrons in Uniform Magnetic Field: Landau Levels and Quantum Hall Effect

The Zeeman effect, which we discussed in some detail in Sect. 14.2, originates from the interaction between the magnetic moment of an electron bound to an atom and a uniform magnetic field. Experimentally this effect is often observed in atomic gases but can also manifest itself with bound electrons in semiconductors and dielectrics. What is important is that the quantum states of the electrons in all these cases belong to discrete energy eigenvalues. In metals and in the conduction band of semiconductors, on the other hand, the energy levels of electrons belong to the continuum spectrum, and in some instances, electrons can even be treated as free particles. The interaction between such unbound, almost free electrons and the uniform magnetic field results in some fascinating effects which had played and are still playing an important role in physics.
Digital Moda: Institutionalizing Legitimacy in the Fashion Industry

This Chapter details the organizational path of Digital Moda to institutional legitimization with fashion companies by applying the mechanism for institutional legitimization to the story of this institutional entrepreneur. The narrative presents the specific approach used by Digital Moda in gauging the “moral” fit for collaboration with prospective fashion companies, and the advancement by company executives of legitimizing narratives that enabled fashion brands to think operationally as well as aesthetically about their behavior. Further described are aspects of the internal organizational evolution in Digital Moda that enabled the transformation of moral into pragmatic legitimacy, and introduced approaches to institutionalizing influence legitimacy with fashion companies.