cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of surgical approaches to recalcitrant gastroesophageal reflux disease in the patient with scleroderma.

Background Scleroderma is associated with severe esophageal dysmotility and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Results after antireflux surgery have been suboptimal due to the profound esophageal dysmotility seen in this disease. We hypothesized that laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) would lead to less dysphagia and better control of GERD symptoms. This report summarizes our initial results of RYGBP compared with other surgical approaches. Methods A retrospective review identified scleroderma patients who underwent surgical management of GERD from 1995 to 2006. Complications and reinterventions were recorded. Symptom control was assessed by validated questionnaires that measured dysphagia (0 to 5; 0=no dysphagia), GERD–heartburn-related quality of life index (0 to 45; 0=best, 45=worst), and overall quality of life with the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey. Results Twenty-three scleroderma patients underwent surgical treatment for GERD (fundoplication, n=10; RYGBP, n=8; esophagectomy, n=5). One patient died after esophagectomy and major morbidity occurred in 3 of the remaining 4 patients. No major complications occurred in any patient undergoing either fundoplication or RYGBP. Eighteen patients underwent evaluation by questionnaire at a median of 21 months postoperatively. Decreased dysphagia (0.42 versus 1.86, p = 0.05) and improved control of reflux (GERD–heartburn-related quality of life index score 4 versus 15.6, p = 0.05) were observed in the RYGBP patients compared with those undergoing fundoplication. Conclusions A high complication rate was seen among patients undergoing esophagectomy. Both reflux control and dysphagia rates were improved in the RYGBP group compared with fundoplication. This finding suggests that RYGBP may be an option for the primary management of scleroderma-associated gastroesophageal reflux.
Examining the Clinical Correlates of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Youth by Ascertainment Source

To examine whether presentation of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and associated patterns of psychiatric comorbidity and dysfunction vary by referral source. ASD youth referred to a specialized ambulatory program for ASD (N = 143) were compared to ASD youth referred to a general child psychiatry clinic (N = 217). More ASD clinic youth met criteria for a more robust form of ASD (autistic disorder); more youth referred to the psychiatry clinic met criteria for broader spectrum ASD (pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified). General psychiatry clinic youth with ASD suffered from a greater burden of psychopathologies and higher levels of dysfunction. The presentation of ASD in psychiatrically referred youth differs between general and ASD-specialized clinics, though both referral populations have high levels of comorbidity and dysfunction.
The role of androgen deprivation therapy on biochemical failure and distant metastasis in intermediate-risk prostate cancer: effects of radiation dose escalation

To determine whether the effect of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) on the risk of biochemical failure varies at different doses of radiation in patients treated with definitive external beam radiation for intermediate risk prostate cancer (IRPC). This study included 1218 IRPC patients treated with definitive external beam radiation therapy to the prostate and seminal vesicles from June 1987 to January 2009 at our institution. Patient, treatment, and tumor information was collected, including age, race, Gleason score, radiation dose, PSA, T-stage, and months on ADT. The median follow-up was 6 years. A total of 421(34.6%) patients received ADT, 211 (17.3%) patients experienced a biochemical failure, and 38 (3.1%) developed distant metastasis. On univariable analyses, higher PSA, earlier year of diagnosis, higher T-stage, lower doses of radiation, and the lack of ADT were associated with an increased risk of biochemical failure. No difference in biochemical failure was seen among different racial groups or with the use of greater than 6 months of ADT compared with less than 6 months. On multivariate analysis, the use of ADT was associated with a lower risk of biochemical failure than no ADT (HR, 0.599; 95% CI, 0.367-0.978; P < 0.04) and lower risk of distant metastasis (HR, 0.114; 95% CI, 0.014-0.905; P = 0.04). ADT reduced the risk of biochemical failure and distant metastasis in both low- and high dose radiation groups among men with intermediate-risk PCa. Increasing the duration of ADT beyond 6 months did not reduce the risk of biochemical failures. Better understanding the benefit of ADT in the era of dose escalation will require a randomized clinical trial.
What Are the Most Common Errors in the Management of Renal Osteodystrophy

Summary Evaluation of renal osteodystrophy is always challenging and sometimes quite difficult. Clearly, a thorough understanding of the usefulness and limitations of the tests available in its assessment is of paramount importance. However, when the diagnosis is in doubt, a bone biopsy may yield critical information allowing effective therapy.
Interleukin-1β Induces Cyclooxygenase-2 Gene Expression in Cultured Endometrial Stromal Cells

Increasing evidence indicates that PGs may play an obligatory role in blastocyst implantation. Cyclooxygenase (also known as PGH synthase) isozymes 1 and 2 catalyze the rate limiting steps in the biosynthesis of PGs. The ubiquitous cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) subserves housekeeping functions, whereas the inducible cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is expressed by limited cell types and tightly controlled. Here we report the induction of COX-2 gene expression by interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) in cultured human endometrial stromal cells. COX-2 activity was induced by IL-1 beta (1 ng/mL); conversion of exogenous arachidonic acid to PGF2 alpha increased from 2.6 +/- 0.6 ng/well (mean +/- SEM; n = 6) to 22.2 +/- 5.6 ng, but was completely blocked (2.8 +/- 0.7 ng/well) by NS-398, a specific COX-2 inhibitor. Undetectable in quiescent stromal cells, messenger ribonucleic acid for COX-2 was induced 30 min after IL-1 beta treatment, reached a maximum at 4 h, and decreased after 15 h. Protein synthesis was not required for induction of the COX-2 gene, as it was blocked by actinomycin D but not by cycloheximide. The 70-kDa COX-2 protein was not detected in quiescent cells, became detectable 6 h after IL-1 beta treatment, and remained detectable even after 15 h. IL-1 beta (0.1-100 ng/mL) increased the luciferase activity in promoterless luciferase reporter containing the 900-bp 5'-flanking sequence (-891 to +9) of the COX-2 gene in a dose-dependent manner, with an ED50 of 0.1-1 ng/mL.
Space - A unique environment for process modeling R&D

Process modeling, the application of advanced computational techniques to simulate real processes as they occur in regular use, e.g., welding, casting and semiconductor crystal growth, is discussed. Using the low-gravity environment of space will accelerate the technical validation of the procedures and enable extremely accurate determinations of the many necessary thermophysical properties. Attention is given to NASA's centers for the commercial development of space; joint ventures of universities, industries, and goverment agencies to study the unique attributes of space that offer potential for applied R&D and eventual commercial exploitation.
Inhibition of β-Amyloid-Induced Neurotoxicity by Imidazopyridoindoles Derived from a Synthetic Combinatorial Library

Abstract Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the deposit of amyloid fibrils in the brain that result from the self-aggregative polymerization of the β-amyloid peptide (Aβ). Evidence of a direct correlation between the ability of Aβ to form stable aggregates in aqueous solution and its neurotoxicity has been reported. The cytotoxic effects of Aβ have been attributed to the aggregation properties of a domain corresponding to the peptide fragment Aβ25–35. In an effort to generate novel inhibitors of Aβ neurotoxicity and/or aggregation, a mixture-based synthetic combinatorial library composed of 23 375 imidazopyridoindoles was generated and screened for inhibition of Aβ25–35 neurotoxicity toward the rat pheochromocytoma PC-12 cell line. The effect of the identified lead compounds on Aβ25–35 aggregation was then evaluated by means of circular dichroism (CD) and thioflavin-T fluorescence spectroscopy. Their activity against Aβ1–42 neurotoxicity toward the PC-12 cell line was also determined. The most active imidazopyridoindoles inhibited both Aβ25–35 and Aβ1–42 neurotoxicity in the low- to mid-micromolar range. Furthermore, inhibition of the random coil to β-sheet transition and self-aggregation of Aβ25–35 was observed by CD and fluorescence spectroscopy, supporting the relationship between inhibition of the Aβ aggregation process and neurotoxicity.
The Railroads under Government Operation. II. From January 1, 1919, to March 1, 1920

I. Characteristics of this period, 30. — II. Labor policies. The national agreements, 35. — Extreme standardization of wages, 36. — Centralization in dealing with disputes and impairment of discipline, 39. — III. Relations with state commissions, 41. — Rate adjustments, 43. — Policy toward further advances in rates, 45. — Final refusal to make advances, 45. — IV. Upkeep of physical property. Provisions of the Control Act, 47. — Financial figures indicate adequate maintenance, figures in terms of physical units do not, 50. — The case of freight cars, 51. — V. Additions and betterments, 54. — VI. Financial result of the entire period of federal control, 57. — VII. How far the Administration policy of unification has proved permanent, 61. — VIII. Conclusion, 67.
Confirmatory factor analysis of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9: a study of the participants from the spinal cord injury model systems.

Objective To examine the factor structure of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, a measure of depression, in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Design Cross-sectional, confirmatory factor analytic study. Setting Community. Participants Data for 7296 persons with an SCI who had sustained their injury at least 1 year prior to assessment and who had complete Patient Health Questionnaire-9 data collected at a follow-up interview were drawn from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center Database. Interventions None. Main outcome measures Factor structure of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Results Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a marginal fit for the single factor solution (root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.086), whereas the solution with 5 somatic items and 4 nonsomatic items had the best fit (RMSEA = 0.054) among 2-factor models that used all 9 items. Of the models that used fewer than 9 items, the best fit was for the 6-item solution with 3 somatic items (sleep, appetite, and fatigue) and 3 nonsomatic items (feeling down, feeling bad about self, and suicidal ideation; RMSEA=0.043). Similar results were found across the strata except for the Hispanic group (for whom no model fit well). Conclusions Given the results of this analysis that support a 2-factor structure of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 in persons with SCI, the next step in this line of research is to validate each of these dimensions against other ways of measuring depression.
Interactive editing of digital fault models

We describe an application to interactively create and manipulate digital fault maps, either by tracing existing (paper) fault maps created from geological surveys, or by directly observing fault expressions and earthquake hypocenters in remote sensing data such as high-resolution (g100k × 100k elevation postings) digital elevation models with draped color imagery. Such fault maps serve as input data to finite-element-method simulations of fault interactions, and are crucial to understand regional tectonic processes causing earthquakes, and have tentatively been used to forecast future seismic events or to predict the shaking from likely future earthquakes. This fault editor is designed for immersive virtual reality environments such as CAVEs, and presents users with visualizations of scanned 2D fault maps and textured 3D terrain models, and a set of 3D editing tools to create or manipulate faults. We close with a case study performed by one of our geologist co-authors (Yikilmaz), which evaluates the use of our fault editor in creating a detailed digital fault model of the North Anatolian Fault in Turkey, one of the largest, seismically active strike-slip faults in the world. Yikilmaz, who was directly involved in program development, used our fault editor both in a CAVE and on a desktop computer, and compares it to the industry-standard software package ArcGIS. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Formation Of Electroplating Molds By Reactive Ion Etching

Polyimide, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and polyester-based polymers were investigated as potential electroplating mold materials. They showed high tensile stress (/spl equiv/10/sup 8/ dyne/cm/sup 2/) after heat treatment at temperatures /spl ges/ 200/spl deg/C. Conventional reactive ion etching techniques together with a trilevel masking scheme was used to delineate the polymer layers. The etch mask used was either spin-on glass or aluminum, and the etch gas was oxygen. With proper power density and etch gas pressure, aspect ratios >5 were obtained. Compatibility issues between RIE and the etch mask materials, as well as between RIE and the plating base materials are discussed.
Measuring and predicting eyelid spectral transmittance

The purpose of the present study was to objectively quantify the spectral transmittance of the eyelid. Reported here are data acquired using a technique that was developed to provide practical and accurate measurements of eyelid transmittance across the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. The empirical data were analyzed in terms of the absorption and scattering characteristics of the constituents of skin to develop a method for predicting eyelid transmission. Results showed that the eyelid has a much higher optical density at short wavelengths than previously published. The mean ± standard deviation (s.d.) optical density of the eyelid from 450 to 650 nm was 2.1 ± 0.3 with an optical density range among subjects of approximately 1.0. The study results indicate that skin pigmentation is poorly correlated with eyelid transmission; eyelid transmission is most affected by wavelength-independent macromolecules in the eyelid as well as its overall thickness.
The gender gap in computers and composition research: Must boys be boys?

Abstract Biological sex has become a common variable in studies analyzing participation levels in both traditional oral and computer classrooms. This article, however, argues for the overlay of the biological sex variable and one that measures a socially constructed gender (such as the Bem Sex-Role Inventory). This article reports on a study of male and female students' participation in class discussions (measured in word counts), which found that students (in general) participated more frequently in electronic than in face-to-face discussions. Overall, students participated more frequently in face-to-face discussions after they participated in Daedalus interchange sessions, but socially constructed variables such as gender led some students to participate less frequently in traditional oral·discussions after using interchange . These findings indicate that although the computer environment may not promote egalitarian discourse in which everyone participates equally, it does tend to produce more democratic discourse, in which everyone has an equal opportunity to participate.
THE AVIAN SALT GLAND

Summary 1. Since the electrolyte concentrating capacity of the avian nephron is insufficient to excrete all of the ingested electrolyte when the bird consumes hyperosmotic drinking water, an extra-renal pathway is necessary to maintain homeostasis. 2. In birds living in coastal and estuarine environments, and in terrestrial environments where the available drinking water is also hyperosmotic with respect to their body fluids, paired salt glands situated in the orbits have evolved as extra-renal excretory organs. 3. These excretory organs wax and wane functionally in species that migrate between these environments where there is an abundance of freshwater. 4. This functional development of the glands involves the synthesis of new protein and the differentiation of additional excretory tissue that is reflected in the overall growth of the gland. 5. When activated, the glands secrete a fluid containing high concentrations of Na+, Cl- and K+ and during prolonged periods of exposure to hypertonic drinking water the birds are able to excrete sufficient quantities of these ingested ions to permit them to remain in positive water balance. 6. The mechanisms responsible for producing the characteristic hyperoosmotic fluid discharged by the activated salt glands appear to be located at two sites: (a) in the principal cells of the secretory tubules, where there is a ouabain-sensitive Na+-K+-dependent ion transporting system located in the basolateral membranes and a furosemide-sensitive Na+ and Cl- co-transport mechanism located in the basal membrane, and (b) in the complex system of collecting ducts into which the secretory tubules discharge their fluid; the cells lining the duct also possess a ouabain-sensitive ion transporting system. 7. In the activated gland the Na+-transporting system operates intermittently to produce excretory fluid only during periods immediately following the ingestion of hyperosmotic drinking water, and secretion ceases when the bird has gained sufficient osmotically-free water to maintain homeostasis. 8. The initiation and continuation of salt gland secretion occurs in response to the stimulation of an osmoreceptor, probably located in the cardiac vasculature. 9. Sensory impulses arriving in the central nervous system are relayed via parasympathetic motor neurones to muscarinic receptors in the cells of the secretory tubules; the Na+-K+ dependent ATP-ase system located in the basolateral membranes is then activated by a cyclic GMP-mediated mechanism. 10. Sustained salt gland secretion is also dependent upon activation of the pituitary-adrenal axis. The corticosteriod hormones secreted as a result of this activation interact with specific cytosolic and nuclear receptor macromolecules in the cells of the secretory tubule. Transcriptional changes are presumed to be necessary for sustained extrarenal excretion. 11. Thyroid hormones and prolactin may also be involved indirectly to support continued extrarenal excretion via the salt glands.
Use of Glutaraldehyde as a Disinfectant in Immersion Chilling of Poultry

Abstract Laboratory tests were conducted to determine the efficacy of glutaraldehyde (1,5 pentanedial) as a disinfectant when used in simulated commercial chilling. Poultry carcasses were held in chillwaters (3 C) consisting of either 50 ppm glutaraldehyde, 50 ppm chlorine, or water (control) for 45 min. Chilling reduced the number of bacteria on all carcasses; those chilled in glutaraldehyde retained lower counts throughout 10 days of storage at 3 C. Glutaraldehyde-chilled carcasses had a shelflife 2 days longer than chlorine-chilled carcasses and 3 days longer than controls. There were no significant (P
Age-related changes in total protein and collagen metabolism in rat liver.

Liver collagen levels are determined by a balance between synthesis and degradation, processes known to have rapid rates in growing animals. We report age-related changes in liver collagen synthesis and degradation rates, as well as protein synthesis rates, in rats at five ages from 1 to 24 mo. Fractional collagen synthesis rates were determined after injection of [14C]proline with a flooding dose of unlabeled proline and its incorporation as hydroxy-[14C]proline into proteins. Fractional protein synthesis rates were based on the uptake of [14C]proline into proteins. Fractional collagen degradation rates were calculated from the difference between collagen fractional synthesis and deposition rates. Fractional rates of collagen synthesis were similar between 1 mo (23.0% ± 4.6%/day) and 24 mo (19.6% ± 3.4%/day) of age. Collagen deposition into the extracellular matrix was extremely low at every age studied; therefore degradation pathways accounted for the bulk of the collagen synthesized. The mean fractional synthesis rate for the total protein pool was unaltered between 1 mo (105.0% ± 7.2%/day) and 15 mo (89.9% ± 6.0%/day) of age, after which it increased to 234.9% ± 33.0%/day (p < 0.05) by 24 mo of age. These results indicate that liver collagen and total protein synthesis rates were maintained at relatively high levels during development and maturity but that protein synthesis rates were highest in senescent animals. (HEPATOLOGY 1991:14:1224–1229.)
Imitation: definitions, evidence, and mechanisms

Imitation can be defined as the copying of behavior. To a biologist, interest in imitation is focused on its adaptive value for the survival of the organism, but to a psychologist, the mechanisms responsible for imitation are the most interesting. For psychologists, the most important cases of imitation are those that involve demonstrated behavior that the imitator cannot see when it performs the behavior (e.g., scratching one's head). Such examples of imitation are sometimes referred to as opaque imitation because they are difficult to account for without positing cognitive mechanisms, such as perspective taking, that most animals have not been acknowledged to have. The present review first identifies various forms of social influence and social learning that do not qualify as opaque imitation, including species-typical mechanisms (e.g., mimicry and contagion), motivational mechanisms (e.g., social facilitation, incentive motivation, transfer of fear), attentional mechanisms (e.g., local enhancement, stimulus enhancement), imprinting, following, observational conditioning, and learning how the environment works (affordance learning). It then presents evidence for different forms of opaque imitation in animals, and identifies characteristics of human imitation that have been proposed to distinguish it from animal imitation. Finally, it examines the role played in opaque imitation by demonstrator reinforcement and observer motivation. Although accounts of imitation have been proposed that vary in their level of analysis from neural to cognitive, at present no theory of imitation appears to be adequate to account for the varied results that have been found.
Applications of the Space-Time Conservation Element/Solution Element Method to Unsteady Chemically Reacting Flows

In this paper, we report the application of the CE/SE method to unsteady, chemically reacting flows. As a contrast to the modern upwind schemes, Riemannn solver and reconstruction procedure are not the building blocks of the present method. Therefore, the logic of the method is considerably simpler. Due to chemical reactions, stiff source terms exist in the species equations. The source terms are treated by a volumetric integration over space-time regions. The treatment results in a locally implicit formulation and Newton's method is used to solve the equation. We also assess the numerical resolution of the contact discontinuity between flow streams with different chemical species. Three examples are reported in the paper: (1) a planar shock wave passes a straight fast-slow gaseous interface, (2) a planar shock wave passes one and two circular fast-slow gaseous interfaces, and (3) supersonic combustion ignited by an oblique shock.
A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Racial Disparities in Prenatal Care in California: How Much? Does Insurance Matter?

This meta-analysis compares California to 13 states with regard to adequacy of prenatal care in the context of the major Medicaid expansion. It shows a reduction in prenatal care inadequacy after 1992, especially in California. It also shows persistent racial ethnic disparities. By examining how California differed from other states, this study provides not only benchmarks for attaining the Healthy People 2010 goal of 90% adequacy but also possible strategies for achieving this goal. Attaining the Healthy People 2010 objective for prenatal care for California as a whole will require further efforts to understand and address racial/ethnic and insurance-related inequalities.
THE HOUSTON PARENT‐CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER: A Parent Education Program for Mexican‐American Families

This paper describes and evaluates a two-year parent education program designed to involve whole families. The program begins when the child is a year old, and includes in-home training of the mother, plus several weekend sessions for the entire family. In its second year, mother and child participate in a nursery school setting, and father is involved in evening meetings. Bilingual training is emphasized. Significant achievements on the part of both program children and program mothers, as compared to controls, are reported on a number of measures.
In vitro excision of adeno-associated virus DNA from recombinant plasmids: isolation of an enzyme fraction from HeLa cells that cleaves DNA at poly(G) sequences.

When circular recombinant plasmids containing adeno-associated virus (AAV) DNA sequences are transfected into human cells, the AAV provirus is rescued. Using these circular AAV plasmids as substrates, we isolated an enzyme fraction from HeLa cell nuclear extracts that excises intact AAV DNA in vitro from vector DNA and produces linear DNA products. The recognition signal for the enzyme is a polypurine-polypyrimidine sequence which is at least 9 residues long and rich in G.C base pairs. Such sequences are present in AAV recombinant plasmids as part of the first 15 base pairs of the AAV terminal repeat and in some cases as the result of cloning the AAV genome by G.C tailing. The isolated enzyme fraction does not have significant endonucleolytic activity on single-stranded or double-stranded DNA. Plasmid DNA that is transfected into tissue culture cells is cleaved in vivo to produce a pattern of DNA fragments similar to that seen with purified enzyme in vitro. The activity has been called endo R for rescue, and its behavior suggests that it may have a role in recombination of cellular chromosomes.
X-Ray Visualization and Analysis Using Spectral Infornation

An electronic X-ray system is described which allows more information to be obtained than do the usual radio-graphic methods which lump together the effects of different wavelengths. It gives high contrast images and allows otherwise unnoticeable detail to be detected with a quantitative evaluation of composition. The system has been used to visualize a normal thyroid and analyze it for normal iodine distribution, though a thyroid gland cannot usually be seen at all in a radiograph. An analogy with a new electrocardiographic method is noted.
Thermal and Economic Evaluation of Slab-on-Grade Insulation in Wood-Framed Buildings

This paper presents a new one-equation model, and case studies utilizing it, for evaluating the thermal effectiveness of slab-on-grade perimeter insulation in common wood-framed buildings for any time period such as a month, a season, or an entire year. Many previous studies focused on heat losses in very cold climates, but this new model can be effective for both heating and cooling in potentially any climate that has coefficients available. Two case studies, of residential and commercial buildings, are presented in this paper for three levels of foundation insulation and for three different, somewhat-warm to somewhat-cold, climates. Economic analyses of their heating seasons, cooling seasons, and annual performance are then presented, and the overall worthiness of the insulation, from energy cost and other perspectives, is discussed. The hand calculation method presented differs from previous efforts because it uses a new, single transient analytical equation and site-specific coefficients. The model gives designers, builders, and code officials, for example, the specific, defensible information needed to make decisions on whether insulation is needed. For the residential and commercial building examples presented at least a minimal amount of perimeter insulation is justified, both thermally and economically, for at least two of the three locations studied.
Low noise measurement of photocurrent from low impedance photodiodes

We have developed a data acquisition unit (DAU) for continuous, low noise measurement of photocurrent from low shunt resistance photodiodes. The system is intended for use with a glucose sensor as part of a continuous glucose monitoring system. This paper describes only the design of the photocurrent measurement system and biocompatibility issues are beyond the scope of this paper. The DAU is comprised of a glucose sensor, analog circuitry for signal conditioning, and delta-sigma analog to digital converters (Δ-Σ ADCs). The glucose sensor operates in the near infrared (IR) region where glucose has absorption features that allow concentration measurement. The sensor is comprised of two IR LEDs, a glass fluid chamber, a linearly variable bandpass filter, and a 32 element photodiode array. IR light propagates through the fluid chamber containing analyte and the filter, impinging on the photodiode array. Transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) convert the photodiode photocurrents into voltages that are sampled by the ADCs. We developed a noise model that predicts the noise characteristics of the system. In this paper we use low noise metal film resistors to verify the DAU noise characteristics in preparation for future use with glucose sensors. A high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is needed to accurately quantify the concentration of glucose. The SNR available is limited by the low luminosity available at the photodiodes and the low impedance of the photodiodes (Rpd)
An exploratory study on assessing feature location techniques

This paper presents an exploratory study of ten feature location techniques that use various combinations of textual, dynamic, and static analyses. Unlike previous studies, the approaches are evaluated in terms of finding multiple relevant methods, not just a single starting point of a feature's implementation. Additionally, a new way of applying textual analysis is introduced by which queries are automatically composed of the identifiers of a method known to be relevant to a feature. Our results show that this new type of query is just as effective as a query formulated by a human. We also provide insights into situations when certain feature location approaches work well and fall short. Our results and observations can be used to guide future research on feature location.
Implications of the Protestant work ethic for cooperative and mixed-motive teams:

Theinvestigationofteamsandteamworkincooperative(e.g.,groupbrainstormingandteamdecisionmaking)andmixed-motive(e.g.,negotiation)contextshasbeencarriedoutthroughavarietyoflenses anddisciplines.Onelensthathasnotbeenusedtorigorouslytheorizeaboutandempiricallyinvestigate teamsisthatofideologies.Inthisreview,wejuxtaposethestudyofaparticularstatus-relatedideology, the Protestant work ethic (PWE), in cooperativeand mixed-motive contexts. We begin with an analysis of PWE, and then discuss 3 sets of empirical findings. In particular, we consider the association of PWE with (a) motivational orientations; (b) greater perceptions of personal control; and (c) justification of status differences. Given these associations, we theorize how PWE might affect cooperative and mixed-motive teamwork, suggesting that PWE will exert largely positive effects among cooperative teams, but will produce more varied effects among mixed-motive teams.
Tritiated thymidine uptake in periodontal ligament cells of dogs' teeth stored in various media for extended time periods

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a new storage solution, Conditioned Medium, vs Hank's balanced salt solution and ViaSpan with respect to the viability of periodontal ligament cells of exarticulated teeth. Teeth were stored for periods of 6, 48, and 96 hours in Hank's balanced salt solution, ViaSpan (Dupont Pharmaceuticals), or Conditioned Medium. Teeth were cultured for 24 hours in Dulbecco's medium supplemented with tritiated thymidine. The cultured teeth were sectioned and evaluated with autoradiography. Control teeth were extracted and immediately treated as above without storage. Mitotic activity was indicated by clusters of five or more grains over the nuclei of fibroblasts in the remaining periodontal membrane. The ratio of labeled to unlabeled cells (labeling index) was calculated for each treatment group. When storage time was compared across all groups, 96 hours was significantly different from 6 and 48 hours (P 0.10). After comparison of the nine experimental groups with the control group, only Hank's balanced salt solution at 96 hours was significantly different (P < 0.004).
Costly Evidence and Systems of Fact-Finding

This paper compares the relative merits of adversarial and inquisitorial systems of civil procedure in the presence of evidence suppression. Each party has the incentive to suppress evidence that may damage her case, and to reveal any evidence that strengthens her case. I model the decision of a litigant to suppress evidence. The court conditions its action (transfers between the parties) upon the evidence which is revealed. Enforcement costs, which are the cost of suppression and the cost of requesting evidence, are a loss to the relationship and form the basis for my evaluation of the relative merits of each system. I find that neither system always outperforms the other. The strength of the inquisitorial system is that it allows for randomization over evidence requests, which leads to lower expected enforcement cost. Litigants cannot commit to randomize as they are motivated by the expected award in litigation. The strength of the adversarial system is that it sometimes allows litigants to utilize their information about the level of suppression.
Evoked cortical activity and speech recognition as a function of the number of simulated cochlear implant channels

Abstract Objectives (1) To determine if consonant–vowel–consonant (CVC) syllables [Hillenbrand J, Getty L, Clark M, Wheeler K. Acoustic characteristics of American English vowels. J Acoust Soc Am 1995;97:3099–3111] could be used to evoke cortical far field response patterns in humans, (2) to characterize the effects of cochlear implant-simulated channel number on the perception and physiological detection of these same CVC stimuli, and (3) to define the relationship between perception and the morphology of the physiological responses evoked by these speech stimuli. Methods Ten normal hearing monolingual English speaking adults were tested. Unprocessed CVC naturally spoken syllables, containing medial vowels, as well as processed versions (2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 spectral channels) were used for behavioral and physiological testing. Results (1) CVC stimuli evoked a series of overlapping P1–N1–P2 cortical responses. (2) Amplitude of P1–N1–P2 responses increased as neural conduction time (latency) decreased with increases in the number of spectral channels. Perception of the CVC stimuli improved with increasing number of spectral channels. (3) Coinciding changes in P1–N1–P2 morphology did not significantly correlate with changes in perception. Conclusions P1–N1–P2 responses can be recorded using CVC syllables and there is an effect of channel number on the latency and amplitude of these responses, as well as on vowel identification. However, the physiological detection of the acoustic changes does not fully account for the perceptual performance of these same syllables. Significance These results provide evidence that it is possible to use vocoded CVC stimuli to learn more about the physiological detection of acoustic changes contained within speech syllables, as well as to explore brain–behavior relationships.
Multi stage symbolic-based shape indexing and retrieval

In a number of applications, especially those consisting of digital images, searching through large, unstructured databases based on sample sequence is often desirable. This paper evaluates symbolic-based approach for shape description of image elements and shapes. The idea is to identify each shape and to describe the shape as time series function. Symbolic-based algorithm is used to convert time series into one or more symbolic words. The approach was modified to include multiple stages and research showed some interesting conclusion about defects of original approach, the effect of the size of alphabet, symbolic words and general usability of symbolic algorithms for image analysis.
Robust Optimization Models for Energy-Limited Wireless Sensor Networks under Distance Uncertainty

The actual performance of a wireless sensor network (WSN) can be severely influenced by uncertainty present in the environment where it is deployed. For example, the distance between nodes, the quality of the communication channel, and the energy consumed in transmission are all problem parameters that may be subject to uncertainty in real domains and can affect performance. In this paper we consider optimization models of WSN subject to distance uncertainty for three classic problems in energy limited WSNs: minimizing the energy consumed, maximizing the data extracted, and maximizing the network lifetime. We use robust optimization to take into account the uncertainty present. In a robust optimization model the uncertainty is represented by considering that the uncertain parameters belong to a bounded, convex uncertainty set U. A robust solution is the one with best worst case objective over this set U. We show that solving for the robust solution in these problems is just as difficult as solving for the problem without uncertainty. Our computational experiments show that, as the uncertainty increases, a robust solution provides a significant improvement in worst case performance at the expense of a small loss in optimality when compared to the optimal solution of a fixed scenario.
Measurement of Calcium Transients and Slow Calcium Current in Myotubes

The purpose of this study was to characterize excitation-contraction (e-c) coupling in myotubes for comparison with e-c coupling of adult skeletal muscle. The whole cell configuration of the patch clamp technique was used in conjunction with the calcium indicator dye Fluo-3 to study the calcium transients and slow calcium currents elicited by voltage clamp pulses in cultured myotubes obtained from neonatal mice. Cells were held at -80 mV and stimulated with 15-20 ms test depolarizations preceded and followed by voltage steps designed to isolate the slow calcium current. The slow calcium current had a threshold for activation of about 0 mV; the peak amplitude of the current reached a maximum at 30 to 40 mV a and then declined for still stronger depolarizations. The calcium transient had a threshold of about -10 mV, and its amplitude increased as a sigmoidal function of test potential and did not decrease again even for test depolarizations sufficiently strong (> or = 50 mV) that the amplitude of the slow calcium current became very small. Thus, the slow calcium current in myotubes appears to have a negligible role in the process of depolarization-induced release of intracellular calcium and this process in myotubes is essentially like that in adult skeletal muscle. After repolarization, however, the decay of the calcium transient in myotubes was very slow (hundreds of ms) compared to adult muscle, particularly after strong depolarizations that triggered larger calcium transients. Moreover, when cells were repolarized after strong depolarizations, the transient typically continued to increase slowly for up to several tens of ms before the onset of decay. This continued increase after repolarization was abolished by the addition of 5 mM BAPTA to the patch pipette although the rapid depolarization-induced release was not, suggesting that the slow increase might be a regenerative response triggered by the depolarization-induced release of calcium. The addition of either 0.5 mM Cd2+ + 0.1 mM La3+ or the dihydropyridine (+)-PN 200-110 (1 microM) reduced the amplitude of the calcium transient by mechanisms that appeared to be unrelated to the block of current that these agents produce. In the majority of cells, the decay of the transient was accelerated by the addition of the heavy metals or the dihydropyridine, consistent with the idea that the removal system becomes saturated for large calcium releases and becomes more efficient when the size of the release is reduced.
Manipulating the Illusion of Control: Variations in Gambling as a Function of Perceived Control over Chance Outcomes

The present study examined the ability to experimentally manipulate the cognitive heuristic entitled the “illusion of control.” Five adult human females gambled at roulette for the opportunity to earn course extra-credit points. An alternating treatments design was utilized whereby in one condition subjects were allowed to select the location on the roulette board they placed their bets, and in the other condition subjects had to give their chips to the experimenter to select the location. In addition, after subjects had played the game for a number of trials, inaccurate rules related to this “illusion of control” were introduced in a multiple baseline fashion across subjects, later followed by accurate rules. Results show that the control heuristic may exist for subjects, yet that it can be brought under experimental control through the use of experimenter delivered instructions. Implications for a behavioral treatment of gambling and for a within-subject approach to the study of rule-governed behavior are discussed.
To Be or Not to Be, that is the Question Contemporary MilitaryOperations and the Status of Captured Personnel

Using the illustration of several U.S. Army soldiers who were captured by the Serbian armed forces along the Serbian/Macedonian border during Operation Allied Force (the air campaign by NATO against Serbia), this article analyzes the applicability of the Geneva Convention for the Protection of Prisoners of War to contemporary military operations. The article demonstrates that how the determination of "who is and is not" a prisoner of war requires compliance with the de facto analytical framework established by the Convention. The case of General Manuel Noriega is used as an example of the invalidity of policy manipulation of this framework. The article then summarizes the fundamental protections that must be afforded to any individual qualifying for status as a prisoner of war.
Vibrations in amorphous silica

Abstract In this paper, we describe the vibrational properties of a realistic 648-atom model of SiO 2 ([1] Tafen and Drabold, 2005). The normal modes of the model are computed with the ab initio density functional code SIESTA ([2] Soler et al., 2002). The static structure factor and the electronic density of states are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data. The vibrational density of states is analyzed by evaluating the partial density of states and localization. The vibrational modes were further investigated by calculating phase quotient and stretching character, and constructing animations of specific nodes of interest. We have obtained a low temperature specific heat in qualitative agreement with experiments, including a feature resembling the Boson peak, and the modes that give rise to this feature.
Voting algorithms

This paper presents efficient n-way plurality and threshold voting algorithms based on the type of voting (exact, inexact, or approval), rule for output selection (plurality or threshold) and properties of the input object space (size and structure). Exact voting is the most common voting method and is the easiest to implement. Inexact voting algorithms are more complicated due to intransitivity of approximate equality. In approval voting, each input to the voting process consists of a finite or infinite set of values that have been "approved" by the corresponding computation channel and the value, or set of values, with the highest approval voting must emerge as output. Multiple approved values can result from a nonunique answer to a given problem or from uncertainties in the solution process. For exact voting, the complexity of an n-way voting algorithm depends on the structure of the input object space. Threshold voting often requires less time and space, except when the threshold is very small. The author extends the techniques for designing efficient exact voting algorithms to inexact and approval voting schemes. Results show that optimal linear-time (in n) voting algorithms are available when the input object space is small. Next in the time-complexity hierarchy is the case of a totally-ordered object space that supports worst-case order-[n/spl middot/log(n)]-time algorithms for both exact and inexact voting as well as for certain approval-voting schemes. >
Arterial stiffening, wave reflection, and inflammation in habitually exercising systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

BACKGROUND Chronic systemic inflammation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation and an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Currently few studies have evaluated the potential cardiovascular benefits of exercise in SLE. It is unknown whether the favorable effect of habitual exercise on arterial stiffness observed in healthy adults can be extended to SLE. Therefore, as an initial step, we determined the association between habitual exercise, inflammatory markers, central arterial compliance, and aortic wave reflection in healthy adults and SLE patients. METHODS We studied 41 adults, aged 33 ± 11 years (15 healthy controls, 12 sedentary SLE, and 14 physically active SLE patients). RESULTS Age, body mass index, and metabolic risk factors were not different between the three groups. Carotid arterial compliance was lower whereas augmentation index (AI) and inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-12, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)) were higher in sedentary SLE patients compared with healthy controls, but were not different between physically active SLE patients and healthy controls. Cardiac ejection fraction was lower in sedentary SLE than physically active SLE or healthy controls. In the pooled population, carotid arterial compliance was inversely associated with TNF-α (r = -0.38; P < 0.01), and AI was positively associated with both CRP (r = 0.33; P < 0.05) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (r = 0.28; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS SLE-associated stiffening of the central artery and wave reflection were not observed in habitually exercising adults with SLE. Furthermore, greater arterial stiffness was associated with higher inflammatory markers, suggesting that need for studies on inflammation and SLE-associated arterial stiffening.
Evaluation of Information Chain Timeliness Based on Markov Model

In order to improve the information domination in the war and make evaluation on the information superioritythis paper analyzes the characteristics of information chainand puts forward a Markov evaluation model with information processing function.The information delivery process in the chain of striking is givenand the timeliness is taken as an index for superiority evaluation.The factors that have influence on the timeliness are information accuracy and timeliness.The probability method is used to analyze the two factorsand the mathematical expressions of them are given.A specific information transmission of an example verified the validity of the model.The way to improve the information timeliness is given in the end.