cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Near-Field Ultrasound Imaging During Radiofrequency Catheter Ablation: Tissue Thickness and Epicardial Wall Visualization and Assessment of Radiofrequency Ablation Lesion Formation and Depth.

Background Safe and successful radiofrequency catheter ablation depends on creation of transmural lesions without collateral injury to contiguous structures. Near-field ultrasound (NFUS) imaging through transducers in the tip of an ablation catheter may provide important information about catheter contact, wall thickness, and ablation lesion formation. Methods and Results NFUS imaging was performed using a specially designed open-irrigated radiofrequency ablation catheter incorporating 4 ultrasound transducers. Tissue/phantom thickness was measured in vitro with varying contact angles. In vivo testing was performed in 19 dogs with NFUS catheters positioned in 4 chambers. Wall thickness measurements were made at 222 sites (excluding the left ventricle) and compared with measurements from intracardiac echocardiography. Imaging was used to identify the epicardium with saline infusion into the pericardial space at 39 sites. In vitro, the measured exceeded actual tissue/phantom thickness by 13% to 20%. In vivo, NFUS reliably visualized electrode-tissue contact, but sensitivity of epicardial imaging was 92%. The chamber wall thickness measured by NFUS correlated well with intracardiac echocardiography ( r =0.86; P r =0.47; P P =0.0025). Lesion transmurality was correctly identified in 87% of atrial lesions. Conclusions NFUS catheter imaging reliably assesses electrode-tissue contact and wall thickness. Its use during radiofrequency catheter ablation may allow the operator to assess the depth of ablation required for transmural lesion formation to optimize power delivery.
Enhanced cellobiose fermentation by engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing a mutant cellodextrin facilitator and cellobiose phosphorylase

To efficiently ferment intermediate cellodextrins released during cellulose hydrolysis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been engineered by introduction of a heterologous cellodextrin utilizing pathway consisting of a cellodextrin transporter and either an intracellular β-glucosidase or a cellobiose phosphorylase. Among two types of cellodextrin transporters, the passive facilitator CDT-2 has not enabled better cellobiose fermentation than the active transporter CDT-1, which suggests that the CDT-2 might be engineered to provide energetic benefits over the active transporter in cellobiose fermentation. We attempted to improve cellobiose transporting activity of CDT-2 through laboratory evolution. Nine rounds of a serial subculture of S. cerevisiae expressing CDT-2 and cellobiose phosphorylase on cellobiose led to the isolation of an evolved strain capable of fermenting cellobiose to ethanol 10-fold faster than the original strain. After sequence analysis of the isolated CDT-2, a single point mutation on CDT-2 (N306I) was revealed to be responsible for enhanced cellobiose fermentation. Also, the engineered strain expressing the mutant CDT-2 with cellobiose phosphorylase showed a higher ethanol yield than the engineered strain expressing CDT-1 and intracellular β-glucosidase under anaerobic conditions, suggesting that CDT-2 coupled with cellobiose phosphorylase may be better choices for efficient production of cellulosic ethanol with the engineered yeast.
Item placement for questionnaire design for optimal reliability

This paper presents a methodology for placement of the items of surveys to obtain optimal reliability. A mathematical model is developed based on some specific structured assumptions for reliability and consistency. The problem is transformed into a mathematical optimization problem. We present solution methodology for the problem and also properties of the algorithm. An example is presented to illustrate our methodology.
Some Considerations in the State of the Art in Processing Crystalline Ceramics

During the race for the moon in the 1960’s it became readily apparent that the engineering properties of materials were critical to the development of space flight systems. In this period Government agencies, such as the Department of Defense (DOD) and the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA), developed sophisticated systems approaches to achieve the ultimate goal of manned space flight. From these systems came the realization that more reliable materials had to be developed with more carefully controlled physical properties. The three classes of materials; metals, polymers and ceramics were reassessed for possible utilization in space systems. Ceramic materials because of their unique properties thus became a target for the most intense study to date. Though many ceramic processing techniques had already been developed industrially they were reexamined to determine what variations in raw materials and processing could produce a more useful material.
2,4,6-Triphenyl­aniline

Individual mol­ecules of the title compound, C24H19N, do not participate in hydrogen-bonding inter­actions due to the steric bulk of the phenyl rings ortho to the amine. The dihedral angles between the central ring and the pendant rings are 68.26 (10), 55.28 (10) and 30.61 (11)°.
Optimal Hub-Spoke Network Design with Hub Reroute and Point-Point Connection: A Physical Perspective with Social Relevance

As a special type of network, the hub-spoke network uses a relatively smaller number of arcs to link many origin and destination points via its hubs, and thus, is often regarded as superior to its point-to-point counterpart by many network researchers. In this paper, however, it is argued that the superiority of a hub-spoke network is established solely from the cost minimization perspective and achieved at the very expense of flow (traffic, data, etc.) delay incurred to all flows rerouted via hubs. The paper also argues that a hub-spoke network may not be superior to its point-point counterpart when delay cost is considered. Therefore, the paper proposes that (1) a system-wide optimality, which considers investment cost and flow delay cost, be used for H-S network design, and (2) the tradeoffs for a point-point, hub-spoke, or a mix be investigated before the hub-spoke is selected. To formalize these arguments, a set of quadratic integer optimization programs based on O’Kelly are developed and linearized under a heuristic strategy, which utilizes the binary nature of the 0–1 integer decision variables.
Longitudinal Changes in Victimized Youth’s Social Anxiety and Solitary Behavior

This investigation’s aims were to assess normative trends in social anxiety and preference for solitude by gender from early childhood to late adolescence and examine the associations among the timing and duration of peer victimization and patterns of continuity or change in social anxiety and preference for solitude across this age period. A sample of 383 children (193 girls) was followed from kindergarten (Mage = 5.50) through grade 12 (Mage = 17.89), and measures of peer victimization, social anxiety, and preference for solitude were repeatedly administered across this epoch. Five victimization trajectory subtypes emerged, capturing individual differences in victimization frequency and continuity (i.e., high-chronic, moderate-emerging, early victims, low victims, and non-victims). Results supported the conclusion that chronic victimization, a key stressor in children’s peer environments, plays a different role in the development of social anxiety and preference for solitude. Whereas chronic victimization was associated with the maintenance of social anxiety, it accompanied gains in preference for solitude. The findings provide a more complete account of the overall prevalence, stability, and developmental course of victimized youths’ social anxiety and preference for solitude than has been reported to date.
Human Resource Development and Work Analysis

This chapter provides a context for understanding the field of human resource development (HRD), and presents a definition that is consistent with that context. There are at least three overriding perspectives of the field: the humanistic perspective, the learning perspective, and the performance perspective. In general, the performance perspective aligns best with work analysis since system theory provides an underpinning for that point of view. The chapter proposes that there are four major areas of HRD practice: employee development, organization development, career development, and performance support. Within the context of these areas of practice, HRD professionals make use of work analysis information more than any other profession does.
Efficient modeling of wave propagation in a vertical transversely isotropic attenuative medium based on fractional Laplacian

ABSTRACTTo efficiently simulate wave propagation in a vertical transversely isotropic (VTI) attenuative medium, we have developed a viscoelastic VTI wave equation based on fractional Laplacian oper...
Hygiene monitoring results of swimming pool water in Tuha Oilfield of Xinjiang from 2008-2011.

[Objective] To understand the sanitary condition of artificial swimming pool water in Tuha Oilfield of Xinjiang,find out the existing problems,to improve the situation and ensure the health of swimmers by strengthening management.[Methods]The samples of swimming pool water were collected based on the Technical rules of health monitoring for public places(GB/T 17220-1998),detected according to the Standard examination methods for public places(GB/T 18204-2000),and evaluated according to the Hygienic standard for swimming place(GB 9667-1996).[Results]During 2008-2011,the qualified rate of pH value,turbidity,coliform bacteria,total bacterial count and free residual chlorine in swimming pool water was 100%,100%,95.68%,88.27% and 73.46%,respectively.[Conclusion]The sanitary condition of swimming pool water in Tuha Oilfield should be further improved.In order to ensure the health of swimming pool water,it is necessary to strengthen the disinfection and increase the frequency of changing water.
The Neuropsychiatric Inventory: Development and Applications.

Reasons for the Study:The Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) has been used for studies of neuropsychiatric symptoms in neurodegenerative disorders for the past 25 years. This article reviews the hist...
Citizen Scientist: Frank Von Hippel’s Adventures in Nuclear Arms Control Part 6. A Global Agenda and Beginning the Handoff to the Next Generation

In this part, von Hippel discusses how his focus shifted in the first decade of the 21st century to a set of new concerns evoked by the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 and the G.W. Bush admi...
Using the Preparedness Assessment for the Transition Home After Stroke Instrument to Identify Stroke Caregiver Concerns Predischarge: Uncertainty, Anticipation, and Cues to Action.

Purpose The aim of the study was to better understand caregivers' concerns about long-term implications of stroke and the caregiving role after completing the Preparedness Assessment for the Transition Home After Stroke (PATH-s). Design/methods In this qualitative study, cognitive interviews were conducted with 20 stroke caregivers who completed the PATH-s tool as part of an instrument validation study. Data were analyzed for salient themes related to their perceptions about stroke and the caregiving role. Findings Interviews yielded robust narrative data describing how the PATH-s items aided caregivers in recognizing potential issues and concerns about stroke and the caregiving role. Caregivers experienced uncertainty about the long-term stroke prognosis, which provoked anticipation and cues to action to begin addressing their concerns. Conclusions/clinical relevance Completing the PATH-s helped caregivers identify concerns regarding the long-term implications of stroke and their caregiving role. It may serve as an important assessment tool to assist rehabilitation nurses to better understand and address caregiver needs predischarge.
How to find real-world applications of compressive sensing

The potential of compressive sensing (CS) has spurred great interest in the research community and is a fast growing area of research. However, research translating CS theory into practical hardware and demonstrating clear and significant benefits with this hardware over current, conventional imaging techniques has been limited. This article helps researchers to find those niche applications where the CS approach provide substantial gain over conventional approaches by articulating guidelines for finding these niche CS applications. Furthermore, in this paper we utilized these guidelines to find one such new application for CS; sea skimming missile detection. As a proof of concept, it is demonstrated that a simplified CS missile detection architecture and algorithm provides comparable results to the conventional imaging approach but using a smaller FPA.
Essential Facilities Doctrine: Access Regulation Disguised as Antitrust Enforcement

This chapter describes the emergence of the EFD and reviews its development against the background of major trends in the continuing evolution of federal antitrust law. It then analyzes recent Supreme Court cases that have questioned and thereby undermined EFD, even though lower courts claim to derive the doctrine from the Court’s earlier precedents. The main focus is on the emerging recognition by the Court that ongoing economic regulation of a monopoly business under the guise of antitrust is neither consistent with the fundamentals of the federal antitrust statutes, nor with basic institutional capacities of courts and antitrust enforcement agencies, as distinct from legislatures and the purpose-built agencies that engage in economic regulation pursuant to statute. The conclusion suggested by this analysis is that EFD is no more useful as a response to concerns about access to digital platforms than to the other situations that have led to the Court’s profound doubts regarding EFD. The asserted competitive problems targeted by EFD claims may change as technology and business practices evolve, but the fatal weaknesses of EFD persist. If and to the extent digital platforms can be objectively shown to demonstrate any need for mandatory access by customers, competitors or others, mandatory access remedies should be addressed—if justified by responsible and conscientious policy analysis—through rules and institutions distinct from those of antitrust.
Discovery of signatures of fatal neonatal illness in vital signs using highly comparative time-series analysis

Abstract Objective Signatures of illness in vital signs of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) patients can inform on future adverse events and outcomes. We implemented highly comparative time-series analysis to discover features and predictive analytics tools for all-cause mortality in the next 7 days, using the ubiquitous HR and SpO2 vital sign data from bedside monitors. Design We populated a Time Series Commons with the complete HR and SpO2 data from all infants in the University of Virginia NICU from 2009 to 2019. We calculated the results of applying over 80 members of 11 mathematical families to random ten-minute segments of 0.5Hz data each day for each infant, with varying parameter sets, resulting in 4998 algorithmic operations on each infant. We used an unsupervised mutual information-based method to cluster the results, and we selected a single representative operation from each cluster. We used our FAIRSCAPE framework to compute a detailed provenance of all computations, and we constructed a complete software library with links to the analyzed data for reproducibility and reuse. We made multivariable logistic regression models using the lasso to assay the usefulness of the algorithms. Setting Neonatal ICU Patients 5957 NICU infants, of whom 206 died. Measurements and main results 3555 algorithmic operations returned usable results. Twenty representative operations, selected from each of 20 unsupervised clusters, held more than 81% of the information predicting death. A multivariable model had an AUC of 0.81 for predicting death in the next 7 days. In addition, five algorithms outperformed others: moving threshold, successive increases, surprise, and a random walk model. Conclusions Highly comparative time-series analysis revealed new vital sign metrics to identify NICU patients at the highest risk of death in the next week. This approach can facilitate the discovery of signatures of impending, potentially actionable, clinical decompensation in monitored patients.
Disparities in Local Wellness Policies Implementation Across Maryland Schools

Background School-level implementation of district-level local wellness policies (LWPs) is needed to create school environments that promote nutrition and physical activity (PA). Disparities in classroom-specific LWPs implementation were examined. Methods An administrator survey (N = 756 schools; 24/24 districts) included 6 classrooms LWP best-practice items (fully/not fully implemented: restricting food celebrations or rewards, incorporating PA breaks or integrating PA in curricula, restricting withholding or using PA as punishment). A sum score (alpha = .71; elementary and middle/high examined separately) was used to examine associations with student body income (free-and-reduced priced meals (FARMS): ≤40%, 41-75%, ≥75%), race/ethnicity, and school location (rural/urban/suburban), accounting for district-level clustering, with moderation examined. Results Classroom implementation scores were: elementary = 3.1 ± 1.8 (range: 0-6/6 items) and middle/high = 2.3 ± 1.6 (range:0-5/5 items). Among elementary and middle/high schools, 65% and 55% had >40% FARMS, 39% and 46% had ≥50% white student body, and 24% and 23% were urban, respectively. Elementary schools with >40% of FARMS-eligible students and middle/high schools with Conclusions Disparities in classroom-specific LWP best practices implementation were observed by income and race/ethnicity. Tailored support may be needed to improve classroom LWP implementation in schools serving low-income students.
Bacillariophyceae: The Raphid Diatoms

This monophyletic group of diatoms has the evolutionary innovation of a raphe system, which has afforded its members the ability to move longer and faster, relative to their body size. Species within the 105 genera treated here occupy a wide range of habitats, including living adnate on substrates, being motile in benthic environments, living attached or in mucilaginous tubes, and even creating colonies to live in the plankton. We treat the following major groups of raphid diatoms: Eunotiales (6 genera), Achnanthales (11 genera), Naviculales (72 genera), Bacillariales (9 genera), Rhopalodiales (2 genera), and Surirellales (5 genera). For each group, we present scanning electron microscope images to illustrate valve morphology. For genera in each group, we provide original light microscope images, descriptions, and comments on ecological preferences.
Suppressive mechanisms in visual motion processing: From perception to intelligence

Perception operates on an immense amount of incoming information that greatly exceeds the brain's processing capacity. Because of this fundamental limitation, the ability to suppress irrelevant information is a key determinant of perceptual efficiency. Here, I will review a series of studies investigating suppressive mechanisms in visual motion processing, namely perceptual suppression of large, background-like motions. These spatial suppression mechanisms are adaptive, operating only when sensory inputs are sufficiently robust to guarantee visibility. Converging correlational and causal evidence links these behavioral results with inhibitory center-surround mechanisms, namely those in cortical area MT. Spatial suppression is abnormally weak in several special populations, including the elderly and individuals with schizophrenia-a deficit that is evidenced by better-than-normal direction discriminations of large moving stimuli. Theoretical work shows that this abnormal weakening of spatial suppression should result in motion segregation deficits, but direct behavioral support of this hypothesis is lacking. Finally, I will argue that the ability to suppress information is a fundamental neural process that applies not only to perception but also to cognition in general. Supporting this argument, I will discuss recent research that shows individual differences in spatial suppression of motion signals strongly predict individual variations in IQ scores.
A Long View of the Senate's Influence over Supreme Court Appointments

This Article offers the first empirical analysis of the Senate’s role in constraining presidents' choices of Supreme Court nominees over an extended historical period. It considers ideologies of Senates faced by nominating presidents and measures whether the ideologies of these Senates predict Justices' voting behavior. The analysis substantially qualifies earlier understandings of senatorial constraint. Earlier empirical studies consider only limited numbers of recent nominees. They suggest that the Senate has constrained presidents' choices, and many scholars theorize that the Senate has enhanced its role in the appointments process since the 1950s. Analysis of a larger group of nominees shows that the Senate’s ideology has had significant predictive power over Justices' votes in only two isolated historical periods. Senatorial ideology was last significant in the 1970s, shortly after the filibuster of Abe Fortas's nomination to be Chief Justice, but then it lost significance following rejection of Robert Bork’s nomination in 1987.
Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.)

Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) is an in-school drug education program created in 1983 by the Los Angeles Police Department, with assistance from the local school district. The program, taught by uniformed police officers, was later modified to include the topics of anger management, conflict resolution, and violence reduction. It is now used in about 75% of the school districts in the United States and in 43 other countries. Major developments in the rapid growth of D.A.R.E. are described, followed by a review of evaluation research findings, virtually all of which are negative and sometimes indicate that the program has been counterproductive in efforts to reduce drug use. For this reason a new curriculum, “Keepin' it REAL,” has been developed and implemented. However, this program needs to be tested systematically before conclusions about its effectiveness can be drawn. Keywords: adolescence; children; curriculum; drugs; education; evaluation; school; smoking; substance abuse; violence
Optical damage in fiber optic components

The introduction of Raman amplifiers and 100/sup +/ channel DWDM systems has enormously increased the optical power handling requirements of fiber optic components. This paper reviews optical power damage and observed failure modes for components such as couplers, switches, and polarization components.
Federalism, Pluralism, and Public Policy

It is not chauvinism or instinctive egocentrism that leads Americans to believe they have evolved a beneficent form of economic organization. For despite all its shortcomings, and, alas, they are all too many, our volitional economy has demonstrated a capacity to stimulate human effort, increase investment, improve productivity, and gradually erode diat greatest evil of all commonwealths, perceived since Plato's days: the coexistence of great wealth and abject poverty. It is therefore entirely appropriate this year, when we are commemorating two great experiments in democratic public policy, that we should examine once again the origins of our polity, for I am convinced that it was the conscious and unashamed acceptance of a system of politico-economic pluralism that made possible the vigor and the catholicity of our developing institutions. The play of these pluralistic forces again and again has saved us from hardened dogma, so that the real virtue of our history—political, economic, and intellectual—has been our flexibility, our capacity to adapt ideas and instrumentalities to tasks of high social urgency. In the process we have created an economy so complex that it almost defies description, but one so tolerant ideologically that it can be called essentially private by those who find happiness in that ascription although there can be no burking the very obvious fact that it is today inherently socialistic. For whereas one can demonstrate statistically that two thirds of all capital formation is private, by an equally plausible demonstration it can be shown that, adding corporate and personal income taxes only, more than two thirds of the revenues of American enterprise are socialized. This mixed economy is, therefore, the great, ever-improving American invention, based on the quintessential content of our variant of democracy whose trinitarian elements have been well defined as shared respect, shared power, and shared knowledge.
Wave-Particle Duality of Light: A Current Perspective

Ideas of wave-particle duality of light are traced through various stages, from Einstein to quantum optics and recent developments in the conceptual foundations of quantum mechanics.
Reaction of metalated nitriles with enones.

There have been a number of reports of the kinetic conjugate (1,4) addition of metalated arylacetonitriles to enones. Several proposals have been made to explain this behavior based on nucleophile structure or aggregation state or on the HSAB properties of the reactants. A reexamination of these studies showed that in each case the 1,4 adducts resulted from equilibration of the kinetically formed 1,2 adducts to the more stable 1,4 adducts. Thus, no conclusions about the origins of 1,4 selectivity can be drawn from these experiments. The 1,2 addition, retro-1,2 addition, 1,4 addition, and retro-1,4 addition of lithiophenylacetonitrile to benzylideneacetone were examined, and a free energy level diagram was constructed for the reaction.
Measurement of ATP-Induced Membrane Potential Changes in IVD cells.

Extracellular adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP) triggers biological responses in a wide variety of cells and tissues and activates signaling cascades that affect cell membrane potential and excitability. It has been demonstrated that compressive loading promotes ATP production and release by intervertebral disc (IVD) cells, while a high level of extracellular ATP accumulates in the nucleus pulposus (NP) of the IVD. In this study, a noninvasive system was developed to measure ATP-induced changes in the membrane potential of porcine IVD cells using the potential sensitive dye di-8-butyl-amino-naphthyl-ethylene-pyridinium-propyl-sulfonate (di-8-ANEPPS).The responses of NP and annulus fibrosus cells to ATP were examined in monolayer and 3-dimensional cultures. It was found that the pattern and magnitude of membrane potential change in IVD cells induced by extracellular ATP depended on cell type, culture condition, and ATP dose. In addition, gene expression of P2X4 purinergic receptor was found in both cell types. Inhibition of the ATP-induced response by pyridoxalphosphate-6-azophenyl-2′, 4′-disulfonate, a non-competitive inhibitor of P2 receptors, suggests that ATP may modulate the biological activities of IVD cells via P2 purinergic receptors.
Dynamic otolith stimulation improves the low frequency horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex.

The horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex was measured electrooculographically in four cats during sinusoidal rotations in the dark at frequencies from 0.01 Hz to 1.0 Hz in five body orientations. Vertical axis rotations in the prone and supine positions were used to stimulate horizontal canals only. Horizontal axis rotations, with the cat on the left or right side or nose down (pitched 90° from prone) were used to stimulate horizontal canal plus otolith organs. At frequencies below 0.05 Hz the horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex produced by horizontal canal plus otolith stimulation showed a more accurately compensatory response than the horizontal vestibuloocular reflex produced by horizontal canal stimulation alone. Canal plus otolith horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex gain and phase remained relatively constant across all frequencies, while the horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex gain and phase from orientations involving canal stimulation alone changed dramatically as rotation frequency decreased. In addition, the reflex in the supine position showed gain decreases and phase advances at higher frequencies than in the prone position.
An online system for metabolic network analysis

Metabolic networks have become one of the centers of attention in life sciences research with the advancements in the metabolomics field. A vast array of studies analyzes metabolites and their interrelations to seek explanations for various biological questions, and numerous genome-scale metabolic networks have been assembled to serve for this purpose. The increasing focus on this topic comes with the need for software systems that store, query, browse, analyze and visualize metabolic networks. PathCase Metabolomics Analysis Workbench (PathCaseMAW) is built, released and runs on a manually created generic mammalian metabolic network. The PathCaseMAW system provides a database-enabled framework and Web-based computational tools for browsing, querying, analyzing and visualizing stored metabolic networks. PathCaseMAW editor, with its user-friendly interface, can be used to create a new metabolic network and/or update an existing metabolic network. The network can also be created from an existing genome-scale reconstructed network using the PathCaseMAW SBML parser. The metabolic network can be accessed through a Web interface or an iPad application. For metabolomics analysis, steady-state metabolic network dynamics analysis (SMDA) algorithm is implemented and integrated with the system. SMDA tool is accessible through both the Web-based interface and the iPad application for metabolomics analysis based on a metabolic profile. PathCaseMAW is a comprehensive system with various data input and data access subsystems. It is easy to work with by design, and is a promising tool for metabolomics research and for educational purposes. Database URL: http://nashua.case.edu/PathwaysMAW/Web.
A single molecule view of gene expression

Analyzing the expression of single genes in single cells appears minimalistic in comparison to gene expression studies based on more global approaches. However, stimulated by advances in imaging technologies, single-cell studies have become an essential tool in understanding the rules that govern gene expression. This quantitative view of single-cell gene expression is based on counting mRNAs in single cells, monitoring transcription in real time, and visualizing single proteins. Parallel advances in mathematical models based on stochastic, discrete descriptions of biochemical processes have provided crucial insights into the underlying cellular mechanisms that control expression. The view that has emerged is rooted in a probabilistic understanding of cellular processes that quantitatively explains both the mean and the variation observed in gene-expression patterns among single cells. Thus, the close coupling between imaging and mathematical theory has established single-cell analysis as an essential branch of systems biology.
The classical Guyton view that mean systemic pressure, right atrial pressure, and venous resistance govern venous return is/is not correct

This series of debates was initiated for the Journal of Applied Physiology because we believe an important means of searching for truth is through debate where contradictory viewpoints are put forward. This dialectic process whereby a thesis is advanced, then opposed by an antithesis, with a
Germplasm Enhancement in Winter Wheat × Triticum tauschii Backcross Populations

Backcross populations derived from direct hybrids between common wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and the wild diploid T. tauschii (Coss.) Schmal. have utility for germplasm evaluation, but also can furnish genetic material directly into a germplasm-enhancement program. Three hundred ninety-one BC 2 F 2 -derived lines from winter wheat × T. tauschii crosses were selected on the basis of disease resistance and general phenotype from populations undergoing field evaluation to determine whether resistant lines agronomically similar or superior to their recurrent parents could be developed. The selected backcross lines were evaluated for yield and grain-quality traits under light to moderate infection by leaf rust (caused by Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici Rob. ex Desm.) and heavy infection by wheat soilborne mosaic and spindle-streak mosaic viruses at two locations in 1992, and three lines were entered in advanced yield trials in a total of eight environments in 1992 and 1993. At all stages of selection, BC 2 F 2 -derived lines were identified with disease resistance, grain yield, and grain quality superior to those of their recurrent parents. Lines differing from their recurrent parents in grain yield, either positively or negatively, occurred in both the disease-resistant and disease-susceptible classes. In advanced yield trials where leaf rust did not affect grain yield, leaf rust-resistant BC 2 F 2 -derived lines yielded similarly to their recurrent parents and to cultivars currently grown commercially over large areas. Despite the wide differences in phenotype between common wheat and T. tauschii, two backcrosses were sufficient to transfer resistance genes while almost completely restoring the wheat parent's phenotype
Evolution and speciation of cave‐dwelling Fulgoroidea in the Canary Islands (Homoptera: Cixiidae and Meenoplidae)

Ten new cavernicolous Fulgoroidea species of the families Cixiidae and Meenoplidae are described from the Canary Islands: Cixius palmeros, C. pinarcoladus, C. ratonicus, C. tacandus, Meenoplus claustrophilus from La Palma, C. ariadne, C. nycticolus, M. charon from El Hierro, and Tachycixius crypticus, T. retrusus from Tenerife. Notes on their ecology and distribution are given, and where possible, phylogenetic affinities to existing epigean species of the corresponding families are discussed. Despite the present-day relict status of the majority of cavernicolous species, it cannot be concluded with certainty whether their evolution has followed allopatric or parapatric modes of speciation.
Computational linkuistics: word triggers across hyperlinks

It is known that context words tend to be self-triggers, that is, the probability of a content word to appear more than once in a document, given that it already appears once, is significantly higher than the probability of the first occurrence. We look at self-triggerability across hyperlinks on the Web. We show that the probability of a word wj to appear in a Web document di depends on the presence of wj in documents pointing to di. In Document Modeling, we will propose the use of a correction factor, R, which indicates how much more likely a word is to appear in a document given that another document containing the same word is linked to it.
Compatibilization of Polymer Blends by Complexation. 3. Structure Pinning during Phase Separation of Ionomer/Polyamide Blends

The effects of strong intermolecular interactions on the phase behavior and phase separation kinetics of an ionomer/polyamide blend were investigated by light scattering and optical microscopy. The lithium salt of lightly sulfonated polystyrene (Li-SPS) ionomers (4.0-9.5 mol % sulfonation) and poly(N,N'-dimethylethylene sebacamide) (mPA) are miscible as a result of the formation of an ion-amide complex. The blends exhibit LCST-type phase behavior. Phase separation can be thermally induced and is thermodynamically reversible. The phase separation process stalls after a couple of hours due to structure pinning, which may be due to concentration of the ion-amide complexes in a ionomer-rich phase and/or the formation of microphase-separated ionic aggregates in the ionomer-rich phase.
Vapour pressure measurements and predictions for alcohol–gasoline blends

Abstract A simple method to successfully predict vapour-pressures of gasoline–alcohol mixtures is demonstrated. Vapour-pressures of mixtures of gasoline with methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, and t -butanol were measured at 37.8°C (100°F) as a function of mixture composition. Infinite dilution activity coefficients were found from this data and used to find constants in the Wilson equation, which predicted the vapour-pressure curves very accurately. For all systems, the vapour pressure of the gasoline was initially elevated by the addition of the alcohols, then lowered as the proportion of alcohol was increased. This shows that these solutions can be treated as pseudobinary solutions for prediction purposes.
Kinematical enhancements due to pion diffraction dissociation into K ¯ K * and K ¯ * K : Spinless treatment

We study pion dissociation into $\overline{K}{K}^{*}$ (or ${\overline{K}}^{*}K$) in $\ensuremath{\pi}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\overline{K}{K}^{*}p$ (or ${\overline{K}}^{*}\mathrm{Kp}$) at 16-GeV/c pion momentum, finding in multiperipheral-type models that a straightforward kinematical cut can be found to isolate the ${K}^{*}$ contribution to allow extraction of ${K}^{*}N$ scattering information. Here we use the spinless, Berger-type, Reggeized Deck model. We find that quantitative agreement with data follows in essentially parameter-free fashion for the cross section as a function of the $K{\overline{K}}^{*}$ mass (including the sharp rise above ${M}_{K}+{\overline{M}}_{{K}^{*}}$), for the momentum-transfer slope dependence as a function of mass, for the partial- (angular momentum) wave amplitudes, and for the $t$-channel helicity-conservation characteristics of the data. The success of this straightforward approach suggests contributions of other ${1}^{+}$ states coupled to the $K{\overline{K}}^{*}$ channel are not dominant effects in the $\ensuremath{\pi}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}K{\overline{K}}^{*}p$ (or $\overline{K}{K}^{*}p$) reaction.
Effects of lanthanum and gadolinium ions on cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum.

The tervalent rare earth cations lanthanum (La3+) and gadolinium (Gd3+) have been studied for their effect on canine cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum. At dose-related concentrations above 10 μM, La3+ and Gd3+ inhibit calcium binding non-competitively, decrease the velocity of calcium uptake (in presence of oxalate), and inhibit the Ca2+-activated Mg2+-ATPase. The tendency for sarcoplasmic reticulum inhibition by excess Ca2+ is accentuated by lanthanides. The effect of the lanthanides is time-dependent, inhibition diminishing during incubation. Since effects were observed in the presence of oxalate, the reactive lanthanide ion concentration is not as predicted from solubility-product considerations.
Hydraulic Compression of Mice to 166 Atmospheres

Hydraulic uniform compression elicited tremors, uncoordinated limb movements, and tonic convulsions in liquid-breathing mice at pressures ranging from 50 to 100 atmospheres. Such abnormal muscular activity was observed neither in control animals nor in mice caudally to a spinal transection. Uniform compression of isolated preparations of mouse muscle in saline failed to contract at pressures up to 200 atmospheres.
Serial digital video boards

An important video format for television broadcast and editing professionals is the 4:2:2 component digital video. This format is available in two forms-parallel and serial. However, the parallel form is on its way out. (The cables are quite bulky and awkward to deal with.) As a result, the serial form is becoming more and more the video format of choice. But, due to the high frequency of this serial version, several problems can arise when designing the supporting electronics. Several special techniques also exist to alleviate these problems, some of which are described.
Multi-sensor study of aerosols from 2007 Okefenokee forest fire

This paper uses multi-sensor remote sensing data to study the type and spatio-temporal variability of aerosols emitted from forest fires. The study is based on the Okefenokee Swamp fire that ravaged parts of Georgia and Florida between May and June of 2007. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data is used to study the aerosol type and its spatial distribution. Cloud Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) data is used to study the vertical distribution of aerosols. The results show that there is a high concentration of fine mode aerosols during the fire episode. It is also observed that the 24 hour averaged PM2.5 concentration was above unhealthy levels on several occasions, in some instances reaching values over 50µg/m3. The PM10 concentration on the other hand was below unhealthy levels although there were numerous instances of episodic non attainment of the PM10 air quality standard. The study shows that the vertical reach of the aerosol plume over the land ranged from 2 to 3 kilometers.
Animal models of bacterial gastritis: the role of host, bacterial species and duration of infection on severity of gastritis.

Summary Gastric bacteria from cheetahs with gastritis were used to inoculate specific-pathogen free kittens and conventional mice. Helicobacter sp. and Gastrospirillum sp. colonized kittens, while only Gastrospirillum sp. colonized mice. In kittens, both bacterial species induced mild lymphofolliclar gastritis which did not change over the course of the 11 months observation period. In mice, Gastrospirillum sp. induced lymphoplasmacytic and follicular gastritis which increased in severity over 6 months and persisted for the 12 month observation period. Gastric ulcers and gastric mucosal hypertrophy were present in chronically infected mice. These results indicate that host but not bacterial factors influence the severity of gastritis, and that in mice, bacterial gastritis increases in severity with time and may lead to gastric ulceration in some individuals.
Factors Associated with Improved MCH Epidemiology Functioning in State Health Agencies

This paper discusses characteristics that are associated with enhanced maternal and child health (MCH) epidemiology functioning in state health agencies. The concept of the "MCH Epidemiology Effort" is introduced as "the epidemiologic work carried out by multiple units and agencies aimed at informing program planning and policy development on behalf of women, children and families." This concept focuses attention on MCH epidemiology functioning at the organizational level rather than on individual MCH epidemiologists. The analysis used data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Each state participated in a telephone interview and submitted material that demonstrated the breadth, depth, and capacity of its MCH Epidemiology Effort. Several organizations, including the Council for State and Territorial Epidemiologists, the Health Resources and Services Administration/Maternal and Child Health Bureau, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided additional secondary data. The outcome for analysis was a three-category measure of MCH epidemiology functioning. The findings are consistent with, and add specificity to, those from prior assessments. In a multivariable model, agenda-setting by consensus, involvement of external stakeholders, the total of doctorally trained staff, and accessing CDC assignees or other staff were all significantly related to higher level MCH epidemiology functioning (ORs of 6.1, 6.6, 2.5, and 6.4, respectively; P<0.05). Organizational visibility of the MCH Epidemiology Effort and a data environment marked by routine data-sharing and data integration were marginally related. We provide recommendations for action at the state and federal level for advancing evidence-based decision-making in maternal and child health.
Nestedness of Ectoparasite-Vertebrate Host Networks

Determining the structure of ectoparasite-host networks will enable disease ecologists to better understand and predict the spread of vector-borne diseases. If these networks have consistent properties, then studying the structure of well-understood networks could lead to extrapolation of these properties to others, including those that support emerging pathogens. Borrowing a quantitative measure of network structure from studies of mutualistic relationships between plants and their pollinators, we analyzed 29 ectoparasite-vertebrate host networks—including three derived from molecular bloodmeal analysis of mosquito feeding patterns—using measures of nestedness to identify non-random interactions among species. We found significant nestedness in ectoparasite-vertebrate host lists for habitats ranging from tropical rainforests to polar environments. These networks showed non-random patterns of nesting, and did not differ significantly from published estimates of nestedness from mutualistic networks. Mutualistic and antagonistic networks appear to be organized similarly, with generalized ectoparasites interacting with hosts that attract many ectoparasites and more specialized ectoparasites usually interacting with these same “generalized” hosts. This finding has implications for understanding the network dynamics of vector-born pathogens. We suggest that nestedness (rather than random ectoparasite-host associations) can allow rapid transfer of pathogens throughout a network, and expand upon such concepts as the dilution effect, bridge vectors, and host switching in the context of nested ectoparasite-vertebrate host networks.
Extracranial aneurysms of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery.

Objective: Extracranial aneurysms of the distal posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) are extremely rare and sometimes difficult to diagnose without an adequate angiogram. We
High order approximation of the Frobenius-Perron operator

We formulate a general convergence theory for the finite dimensional projection approximation of the fixed point of a class of linear operators. In particular, we explore the relation with the standard framework of stability and consistency of the approximation imply convergence. Applications include the Frobenius-Perron operator P"S, corresponding to a nonsingular measurable transformation from [0, 1] to itself. Numerical experiments are also given to support the theoretical analysis.
Automatic recognition of fast and slow phases in nystagmic eye movements using a neural network

Abstract This paper presents an algorithm for the automatic classification of fast and slow phases during nystagmic eye movements, using a neural network. When a patient is presented with a nonstationary visual field, the resulting eye movements may be used to determine valuable clinical information about patients with vertigo and balance disorders. When the nonstationary visual field is induced by sinusoidally rotating the patient in a chair, the eye movements—collectively referred to as nystagmus—typically consist of short, high-velocity movements (fast phases) which are in the direction of the stimulus and longer, low-velocity movements (slow phases) which are in the direction opposite to that of the stimulus. The slow phases are produced to compensate for the moving visual field. By extrapolating over the fast-phase segments, the slow-phase segments can be pieced together to form a slow-phase response. When the stimulus is sinusoidal, the slow phase response is also sinusoidal and the magnitude and phase relationships between the stimulus and response may be used to help identify the source of the patient's disorder. Thus, the ability to accurately reconstruct the response from the slow-phase segments is extremely important. This, in turn, necessitates the ability to accurately determine the locations of the fast and slow phases of nystagmus. For the neural network used here, the optimal input feature set and number of hidden units are determined, along with the necessary preprocessing of the network inputs and the postprocessing of the network output data. It is also shown that an effective error-correction algorithm can be applied to the outputs of the neural network to improve its classification ability. Finally, results are presented for the performance of the network on independent sets of test data. The classifications obtained from the neural network when applied to the test data are much more accurate than those obtained using two current classifiers: an algorithm proposed by Wall and Black and an algorithm proposed by Jell, Turnipseed and Guedry