cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social problem solving: A moderator of the relation between negative life stress and depression symptoms in children

The social problem-solving skill of generating effective alternative solutions was tested as a moderator of the relation between negative life stress and depressed mood in children. Boys (n = 25) and girls (n = 25), ages 8 to 12 years, from inner-city, lower socioeconomic group families, completed measures of depression symptoms, negative impact of life events, and quantity and effectiveness of alternative solutions to social problems. Results indicated that the effectiveness of alternative solutions children generate in response to peer social problems moderates the relation between stress and depression. Children who experienced a high impact of negative life events, with less effective social problem-solving skills, reported higher levels of depression compared to children who experienced a high impact of negative life events but exhibited more effective social problem-solving skills. Results are discussed in terms of alternative theoretical models for the mechanisms whereby effective social problem-solving skills moderate stress-related depression.
Multi-Institutional Review of Outcomes of Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Extravesical Ureteral Reimplantation

Purpose: We performed a multi-institutional assessment of the outcomes and complications of robot-assisted laparoscopic extravesical ureteral reimplantation for vesicoureteral reflux in children.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic extravesical ureteral reimplantation as done by 1 of 5 surgeons at Children’s Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, or Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 2010 to 2013. Procedure failure was defined as persistent vesicoureteral reflux on postoperative voiding cystourethrogram or radionuclide cystogram and/or the need for reoperation. Multivariate logistic regression was done to identify possible risk factors for failure using STATA®, version 11.Results: A total of 61 patients (93 ureters) with a mean age of 6.7 years (range 0.6 to 18.0) underwent a procedure, of which 32 (52%) were bilateral. Ten patients (16%) underwent previous subureteral injection for vesicoureteral reflux...
Friction between various self-ligating brackets and archwire couples during sliding mechanics.

Introduction The aim of this study was to evaluate the frictional resistance between active and passive self-ligating brackets and 0.019 × 0.025-in stainless steel archwire during sliding mechanics by using an orthodontic sliding simulation device. Methods Maxillary right first premolar active self-ligating brackets In-Ovation R, In-Ovation C (both, GAC International, Bohemia, NY), and SPEED (Strite Industries, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada), and passive self-ligating brackets SmartClip (3M Unitek, Monrovia, Calif), Synergy R (Rocky Mountain Orthodontics, Denver, Colo), and Damon 3mx (Ormco, Orange, Calif) with 0.022-in slots were used. Frictional force was measured by using an orthodontic sliding simulation device attached to a universal testing machine. Each bracket-archwire combination was tested 30 times at 0° angulation relative to the sliding direction. Statistical comparisons were performed with 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Dunn multiple comparisons. The level of statistical significance was set at P Results The Damon 3mx brackets had significantly the lowest mean static frictional force (8.6 g). The highest mean static frictional force was shown by the SPEED brackets (83.1 g). The other brackets were ranked as follows, from highest to lowest, In-Ovation R, In-Ovation C, SmartClip, and Synergy R. The mean static frictional forces were all statistically different. The ranking of the kinetic frictional forces of bracket-archwire combinations was the same as that for static frictional forces. All bracket-archwire combinations showed significantly different kinetic frictional forces except SmartClip and In-Ovation C, which were not significantly different from each other. Conclusions Passive self-ligating brackets have lower static and kinetic frictional resistance than do active self-ligating brackets with 0.019 × 0.025-in stainless steel wire.
Seven-year-old girl with joint stiffness, abnormal gait, and eosinophilia

HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS A 7-year-old girl presented to the UCLA Pediatric Immunology clinic with a 1-year history of elbow and hand stiffness and abnormal gait. She had gradual onset of intermittent joint pain of the hands, elbows, and ankles, but no joint swelling, warmth, erythema, or morning stiffness. The pain was worse in the afternoon and aggravated by cold weather. The hands and feet were always characterized as being cool. The parents noted that her grip strength had decreased, making writing difficult. She had lost 15 pounds over 6 months despite a good appetite. Recently, she had started to walk with her feet facing outward. Her physician diagnosed a toe-out gait with tibial rotation. Initial laboratory tests showed a white blood cell count of 13,500 cells/ L with 32% eosinophils, a normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate (16 mm/hour, Westergren method), and a negative stool examination for ova and parasites. Past Medical History She wore corrective shoes for weak ankles when she was younger. Immunizations are current.
Differential agonistic behavior in mice selected for brain weight.

Abstract Mice selected for high, medium and low brain weight were weaned at 21 days and placed with siblings for 10 days then isolated or isolated immediately after weaning. At seventy-two days of age pairs from the same line and condition were fought. Behavioral measures such as: fighting, tail lashing, defense posture, nosing, genital sniffing and latencies to contact, aggression and dominance were recorded. Results indicated significant line and interaction effects for agonistic behaviors only in the groups receiving no experience with siblings after weaning. The results are discussed with reference to differential developmental patterns in the lines.
ON THE POSSIBILITY OF AN INTERSUBBAND LASER IN SILICON-ON-INSULATOR

As thin Si quantum wells with oxide barriers have become an experimental reality in silicon-on-insulator technology, we discuss the feasibility of a terahertz laser based on an intersubband transition in such a Si quantum well. Electrons tunnel into an upper two-dimensional subband from a thin polysilicon gate through an ultrathin tunneling oxide and are extracted laterally from the Si well by diffusion. Population inversion arises because lateral diffusion to the contacts can be a faster process than intersubband relaxation and also because the in-plane diffusivity in the upper subband is suppressed by the interaction with a nearby subband characterized by a heavy in-plane mass. Thick oxide layers provide optical confinement and the main optical loss mechanism is the weak free-carrier absorption in thin doped regions in the polysilicon gate and substrate. A voltage on the substrate may provide some tunability of the gain peak.
Effects on bacterial transformation of single-strand breaks in DNA produced by deoxyribonuclease I and γ rays

Abstract The dependence of the transforming ability of DNA taken up by pneumococcus cells on single-strand breaks is determined. It is shown that the dependence of transformation on single-strand length is the same as that for double-strand length as previously reported by other authors. Since it is generally believed that in pneumococcus double-stranded transforming DNA is quickly reduced to a single strand, it appears that transforming activity is determined by the length of the surviving single strand. It is also shown than when DNA is irradiated with γ rays in dilute solution, the decrease in transforming activity is quantitatively accounted for by the single-strand breaks. No effect of bases which have been chemically modified by the actions of the γ rays is seen by this assay.
Oxidative metabolism of lipoamino acids and vanilloids by lipoxygenases and cyclooxygenases

The lipoamino acids and endovanilloids have multiple roles in nociception, pain, and inflammation, yet their biological reactivity has not been fully characterized. Cyclooxygenases (COXs) and lipoxygenases (LOs) oxygenate polyunsaturated fatty acids to generate signaling molecules. The ability of COXs and LOs to oxygenate arachidonyl-derived lipoamino acids and vanilloids was investigated. COX-1 and COX-2 were able to minimally metabolize many of these species. However, the lipoamino acids were efficiently oxygenated by 12S- and 15S-LOs. The kinetics and products of oxygenation by LOs were characterized. Whereas 15S-LOs retained positional specificity of oxygenation with these novel substrates, platelet-type 12S-LO acted as a 12/15-LO. Fatty acid oxygenases may play an important role in the metabolic inactivation of lipoamino acids or vanilloids or may convert them to bioactive derivatives.
Colloid carcinoma of the pancreas

Abstract Pancreatic colloid carcinoma, also known as mucinous non-cystic carcinoma or gelatinous carcinoma, is a carcinoma of ductal origin, characterized morphologically by well-circumscribed pools of mucin that contain detached floating epithelial elements. Its distinction from conventional ductal adenocarcinoma is important because beyond the morphological dissimilarities, there are molecular and biologic differences between colloid and ordinary ductal carcinoma of the pancreas. Clinically, patients with colloid carcinoma often present with abdominal/epigastric pain and diarrhoea. They usually have larger tumours than ordinary ductal adenocarcinoma at presentation. Often, an associated intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm is found. Macroscopically, colloid carcinoma is frequently well demarcated and characterized by gelatinous appearance. Microscopic examination reveals well-delineated mucin pools that contain detached and scanty malignant epithelial cells. In contrast with the mixed carcinomas, which may focally exhibit a similar pattern, pure mucinous carcinomas (those in which most of the tumour is composed of colloid pattern) seem to have a more indolent course with longer survival rates than conventional adenocarcinoma. Even in the presence of lymph node metastases, the patients can sometimes attain prolonged survival. There are certain characteristics of colloid carcinoma that are being recognized increasingly as the potential reasons for its distinctive clinicopathologic attributes. One distinctive feature of colloid carcinoma cells is that they exhibit altered cell polarity in which the secretory activity of the cell is manifested at its stroma-facing surfaces. In addition, it seems that production of MUC2 type mucin, which is specific for colloid carcinoma or its precursors, might act as a barrier limiting the growth and spread of the tumor and partially explaining the indolent nature of these cancers. The frequent association of colloid carcinoma with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms and also the observation that they share a similar profile of MUC1 and MUC2 expression have suggested that these neoplasms may be characterized by a different carcinogenetic pathway than ordinary ductal adenocarcinoma, which is believed to originate from pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia.
Nonholonomic Motion Planning Using Diffusion of Workspace Density Functions

This paper introduces a trajectory planning algorithm for nonholonomic mobile robots which operate in an environment with obstacles. An important feature of our approach is that the planning domain is the workspace of the mobile robot rather than its configuration space. The basic idea is to imagine the robot being subjected to Brownian motion forcing, and to generate evolving probability density functions (PDF) that describe all attainable positions and orientations of the robot at a given value of time. By planning a path that optimizes the value of this PDF at each instant in time, we generate a feasible trajectory. The PDF of robot pose can be constructed by solving the corresponding Fokker-Planck equation using the Fourier transform for SE(N). A closed-form approximation of the resulting time-dependent PDF is then used to plan a trajectory based on the observation that the evolution of this “workspace density” is a diffusion process. Examples are provided to illustrate the algorithm.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Disordered hydrogen bonding in N-(1-deoxy-β-d-fructopyranos-1-yl)-N-allylaniline

We report on a (13)C NMR and a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of N-(1-deoxy-beta-D-fructopyranos-1-yl)-N-allylaniline (D-fructose-N-allylaniline). In solution, an equilibrium of alpha-pyranose, beta-pyranose, alpha-furanose, beta-furanose, and acyclic keto tautomers of the carbohydrate was detected in the following respective proportions: 2.2%, 47.4%, 4.5%, 33.6%, and 12.3%. In the crystalline state, the compound exists exclusively as the beta-pyranose form, in the normal (2)C(5) chair conformation. Bond lengths and valence angles compare well with the average values from a number of beta-fructopyranose derivatives. The structure displays two unusual features for this class of compounds. First, the molecule assumes an eclipsed conformation around the C1-C2 bond, apparently stabilized by an intramolecular O2-H...N hydrogen bond. Second, the O3, O4, and O5 hydroxyl groups are involved in an intermolecular hydrogen bonding, which forms 12-membered homodromic cycles. In the cycles, each determined hydrogen atom site is half occupied, possibly due to the ...H-O...H-O...right harpoon over left harpoon...O-H...O-H... flip-flop type disorder.
Evidence for Strengthening of the Tropical General Circulation in the 1990s

Satellite observations suggest that the thermal radiation emitted by Earth to space increased by more than 5 watts per square meter, while reflected sunlight decreased by less than 2 watts per square meter, in the tropics over the period 1985-2000, with most of the increase occurring after 1990. By analyzing temporal changes in the frequency of occurrence of emitted thermal and reflected solar fluxes, the effects of El Nino-Southern Oscillation are minimized, and an independent longer-time-scale variation of the radiation budget is identified. Similar analyses of upper tropospheric humidity, cloud amount, surface air temperature, and vertical velocity confirm that these flux changes are associated with a decadal-time-scale strengthening of the tropical Hadley and Walker circulations. Equatorial convective regions have intensified in upward motion and moistened, while both the equatorial and subtropical subsidence regions have become drier and less cloudy.
A novel cell transformation with DNA-containing cytoplasmic Yaba tumor poxvirus.

Abstract Monkey kidney cells were morphologically transformed in vitro with uv-irradiated Yaba tumor poxvirus. Cell lines established were shown to be virus nonproducers and exhibited biological characteristics typical of transformed cells. These characteristics included increased saturation density, reduced serum requirements for growth, and ability to grow in soft agar. The morphological alterations of transformed cells were similar to Yaba virus-induced tumor cells and were characterized by loss of contact inhibition, multinucleated cells, and cytoplasmic lipid droplets. Southern blot hybridization revealed that sequences homologous to low-molecular-weight viral DNA (5.1, 4.8, 3.9 kbp) were present in the transformed cells. Yaba virus-specific antigens detected by immunofluorescence assays were found to be in the cytoplasm of transformed cells. Four virus-specific proteins, with molecular weights of 160,000, 140,000 107,000, and 74,000 daltons, were detected in transformed cells immunoprecipitated with sera from tumor-bearing monkeys. These results indicate that DNA-containing Yaba tumor virus, which replicates exclusively in the cytoplasm, is capable of inducing cell transformation in vitro .
The Rhetoric of Emotion, with a Note on What Makes Great Literature Great

Art and literature appeal to the emotions as well as to the intellect. The nature of that appeal, is not well understood; this is due, in part, to the fact that the emotions themselves are not well understood. Great literature, it is sometimes suggested, appeals to emotions that are basic to human nature. An alternative suggestion is that great literature refines, stretches, and ultimately transforms the emotions. These suggestions reflect two very different views of emotion: according to the first view, emotions…at least the so-called “basic” emotions…are innate responses that “in essence” remain invariant across time and culture; according to the second view, emotions are subject to creative change…fundamentally, not just in their outward expression. In this article, I present arguments in favor of the second view, and I propose that great literature challenges us to be creative in the emotional as in the intellectual domain…indeed, that these two domains of creativity are not distinct. Several sources ...
Tree species preferences of foraging insectivorous birds in a northern hardwoods forest

Birds searching for insects in the canopy of a northern hardwoods forest depart significantly from random in their use of tree species, even when these trees are generally similar in life form. All 10 foliage-dwelling bird species in the Hubbard Brook forest showed preferences for Yellow Birch, most had an aversion to Beech and Sugar Maple, and a few had special preferences for conifers or White Ash. Birds that glean prey from leaves had stronger tree species preferences than those that often hover for their prey, and were more influenced by tree species differences in foliage structure. The less common bird species and those for which northern hardwoods are marginal habitat had the most pronounced tree-species preferences. Food densities which are higher on Yellow Birch and specific adaptations to foraging in trees with particular foliage structures are considered major factors responsible for the observed tree species preferences. The implications of these findings for bird community structure and for forest management practices are discussed.
A comparison of methods of estimating ammonia volatilization in the field

Accurate estimation of the potential for NH3 volatilization from urea-based fertilizers is an important step in attaining optimum N-use efficiency from these fertilizers. Published estimates of NH3 volatilization losses from urea vary widely. Much of this variability may be due to the method of estimation and the degree of influence of the method on NH3 loss. This study compared two field methods of estimating NH3 volatilization in the field; a microplot-forced draft method, and a micrometeorogical method. Loss of NH3 was estimated in three experiments following urea solution application to bare soil, and in two experiments following urea-ammonium nitrate solution application to wheat stubble residue. Both methods were found to be sensitive to soil and climatic variables influencing NH3 volatilization. Cumulative N loss from the bare soil experiments ranged from 7 to 8 kg N ha−1 for the microplot method and from 5 to 20 kg N ha−1 for the micrometeorological method. Cumulative loss from wheat stubble residue ranged from 2 to 2.2 kg N ha−1 for the microplot method and from 15 to 33 kg N ha−1 for the micrometerological method. Loss of NH3 was especially influenced by soil or residue water content and the influence of water content on the rate of urea hydrolysis. Maximum rates of loss were generally observed near midday, when water content at the soil surface was just beginning to decline and the surface temperature was rapidly rising. The microplot method was found to have a greater potential for affecting the environment and thus influencing NH3 loss measurements than the micrometeorological method. Windspeed and mixing at the soil surface was influenced by the presence of the microplot cylinder and lid, especially in the wheat residue experiments. It is likely that the micrometeorological method, with its minimal influence on the field environment, more accurately reflects actual levels of ammonia loss. The primary advantage of the microplotforced draft method is its ability to easily compare relative NH3 losses from different treatments.
Adsorption enhancement mechanisms of silica-titania nanocomposites for elemental mercury vapor removal.

A novel nanocomposite that combines high-surface area silica with the photocatalytic properties of titania has been developed that allows for effective capture of elemental mercury vapor. The adsorption capability of the developed material has been found to improve after periods of photocatalytic oxidation. In this study, the mechanisms for adsorption enhancement were identified. BET nitrogen adsorption and mercury porosimetry were used to evaluate pore structure, and the results suggest that a decrease in contact angle was likely to be responsible for improved mercury capture over time. Contact angle measurements showed a significant change of more than 10°, indicating greater attraction to mercury for the used pellets due to deposited mercuric oxide. ICP and TGA analyses showed that mercury was captured as both elemental mercury (Hg0) and mercuric oxide (HgO). In addition, it was shown that pellets used for nearly 500 h still showed greater than 90% removal efficiency and had an average capacity of 10 m...
The Transcription Factor NFIA Controls the Onset of Gliogenesis in the Developing Spinal Cord

The mechanisms controlling the transition from neurogenesis to gliogenesis in the vertebrate CNS are incompletely understood. We identified a family of transcription factors, called NFI genes, which are induced throughout the spinal cord ventricular zone (VZ) concomitantly with the induction of GLAST, an early marker of gliogenesis. NFIA is both necessary and sufficient for GLAST induction in the VZ. Unexpectedly, NFIA is also essential for the continued inhibition of neurogenesis in VZ progenitors. This function is mediated by the requirement of NFIA for the expression of HES5, a Notch effector. However, Notch effectors are unable to promote glial-fate specification in the absence of NFIA. Thus, NFIA links the abrogation of neurogenesis to a generic program of gliogenesis, in both astrocyte and oligodendrocyte VZ progenitors. At later stages, NFIA promotes migration and differentiation of astrocyte precursors, a function that is antagonized in oligodendrocyte precursors by Olig2.
Mood and Helping

Summary In order to test (a) whether helping someone puts the helper in a better mood and (b) whether people in a good mood are more likely than controls to help with a task maintaining their positive mood but no more likely to help with a task leading to a negative mood, 80 female undergraduates participated in a study in which they (a) had an interaction with a confederate (C) designed to put them in a good or neutral mood, (b) rated their mood, (c) rated some neutral pictures, and (d) were requested to rate some potentially elating or depressing pictures. Ss who were induced to help C or who were given candy by her rated themselves as feeling nicer than these having a more neutral interaction. Neither their interaction with C, the type of pictures they were asked to rate, nor their self-reported mood, with the exception of happiness, was significantly associated with number of pictures rated or time spent helping. Those rating the depressing pictures became more depressed than those rating the cheerful...
Comparison of wind-stress algorithms and their influence on wind-stress curl using buoy measurements over the shelf off Bodega Bay, California

Abstract The main objectives of this study were to compare three wind-stress algorithms of varying intricacy and estimate the extent to which each method altered computed wind-stress curl. The algorithms included (1) a simple bulk formula for neutral conditions that is dependent only on wind velocity components; (2) a formula that in addition to dependence on wind components includes a simplified effect of thermal stability through differences in air and sea temperatures; and (3) an algorithm that includes full treatment of dynamics and atmospheric stability. Data for the analysis were from a field program that used a special buoy network off Bodega Bay during 28 June–4 August 2001. A diamond-shaped setup of five closely separated buoys in Bodega Bay allowed for one of the first attempts to compute wind-stress curl over the ocean using buoy measurements. Based on an analysis of the available dataset, the marine layer over Bodega Bay is characterized by positive wind-stress curl with a median value around 0.2 Pa (100 km) −1 and maximum values reaching 2.5 Pa (100 km) −1 . Positive wind-stress curl was observed for all wind speed conditions, whereas negative wind-stress curl episodes were associated mostly with low-wind conditions. Comparison of wind-stress curl computed using the three algorithms showed that differences among them can be significant. The first and third algorithms indicated similar stress curl (difference around 10%), but the differences between these two and the second algorithm were much higher (approximately 40%). The reason for the difference is the stability correction, which in the third algorithm strongly decreases with an increase in wind speeds, but stays at a similar level for all wind speeds in the second algorithm. Consequently, for higher wind speeds the variability of wind stress calculated using the second algorithm is greater than for the other two algorithms, causing significant differences in computed wind-stress curl (root mean-square error equal to 0.19 Pa (100 km) −1 ). Despite the apparent biases in computed wind stress and wind-stress curl among the algorithms, all of them show a significant trend of decreasing sea-surface temperature (SST) with increasing wind-stress curl. The bootstrapping analysis has revealed that both the along-shore wind stress and wind-stress curl have noticeable correlation with the changes in the sea-surface temperature as an indirect indication of the upwelling. An additional analysis, based on the low-pass filtered data, showed also significant agreement between the measured divergence in the cross-shore surface transport and the wind-stress curl computed for all three algorithms.
Food deprivation and the role of estradiol in mediating sexual behaviors in meadow voles

Female mammals are particularly sensitive to changes in food availability. The mechanisms that affect sexual behavior and food intake are closely related to one another; chief among the mechanisms that control sexual behaviors in females is estradiol. In order to understand how food deprivation results in inhibition of sexual behavior (attractivity, proceptivity, and receptivity), we measured the effects of food deprivation on circulating concentrations of estradiol. We also determined whether estradiol treatment was sufficient to restore sexual behaviors in food-deprived female meadow voles. We found that estradiol titers of food-deprived female voles are significantly lower than those of ad lib-fed female voles. Further, we found that estradiol treatment was sufficient to restore proceptivity and receptivity in food-deprived, ovariectomized female voles. However, estradiol treatment was not able to overcome the food deprivation-induced inhibition of attractivity. Thus, decreases in estradiol titer of food-deprived female voles may be related to the suppression of their proceptive and receptive behaviors, and may be a mechanism that allows females to avoid mating when conditions are not propitious for their survival and that of their offspring.
Desulfovibrio desulfuricans G20 Tetraheme Cytochrome Structure at 1.5A and Cytochrome Interaction with Metal Complexes

The structure of the type I tetraheme cytochrome c 3 from Desulfovibrio desulfuricans G20 was determined to 1.5 A by X-ray crystallography. In addition to the oxidized form, the structure of the molybdate-bound form of the protein was determined from oxidized crystals soaked in sodium molybdate. Only small structural shifts were obtained with metal binding, consistent with the remarkable structural stability of this protein. In vitro experiments with pure cytochrome showed that molybdate could oxidize the reduced cytochrome, although not as rapidly as U(VI) present as uranyl acetate. Alterations in the overall conformation and thermostability of the metal-oxidized protein were investigated by circular dichroism studies. Again, only small changes in protein structure were documented. The location of the molybdate ion near heme IV in the crystal structure suggested heme IV as the site of electron exit from the reduced cytochrome and implicated Lys14 and Lys56 in binding. Analysis of structurally conserved water molecules in type I cytochrome c 3 crystal structures identified interactions predicted to be important for protein stability and possibly for intramolecular electron transfer among heme molecules.
Health practices and illness cognition in young, middle aged, and elderly adults.

The present paper examines reported frequencies of 21 health practices, beliefs that these health practices can prevent six different illnesses, and beliefs about those illnesses in a community sample of 396 people: 173 young (20 to 39 years), 111 middle-aged (40 to 59 years), and 112 elderly adults (60 to 89 years). Elderly respondents report higher frequencies of health-promoting actions (e.g., regular medical check-ups, avoidance of salt, regular sleep, and eating a balanced diet) than younger respondents. Health practices aimed at reinterpreting stress and controlling emotions (e.g., avoiding emotional stress, staying mentally alert and active) also increased with age. Belief that these 21 practices prevent specific illnesses was consistent across the three age groups. Beliefs about the six illnesses were consistent across age with three exceptions: Elderly people considered themselves more vulnerable to disease, saw it as more serious for them, and were less likely to use chronic mild symptoms, like weakness and aches, as illness warnings.
Simultaneous occurrence of atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter.

Simultaneous Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter, Introduction: Early reports suggested that some patients with “atrial fibrillation/flutter” might have atrial fibrillation in one atrium and atrial flutter in the other. However, more recent conceptions of atrial fibrillation/flutter postulate that the pattern is due to a relatively organized (type I) form of atrial fibrillation. We report the occurrence and ECG manifestations of simultaneous atrial fibrillation and flutter in patients undergoing attempted catheter ablation of atrial flutter. Methods and Results: In patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation for atrial flutter, an attempt was made to entrain atrial flutter by pacing in the right atrium. The arrhythmias observed occurred following attempts at entrainment, or spontaneously in one case. Twelve transient episodes of simultaneous atrial fibrillation and flutter were observed in five patients. The atrial fibrillation was localized to all or a portion of one atrium, during which the other atrium maintained atrial flutter. In each case, the surface 12-lead ECG reflected the right atrial activation pattern. No patients had interatrial or intra-atrial conduction block during sinus rhythm, suggesting functional intra-atrial block as a mechanism for simultaneous atrial fibrillation/flutter. Conclusion: In certain patients, the occurrence of transient, simultaneous atrial fibrillation and flutter is possible. In contrast to prior studies in which it was suggested that left atrial or septal activation determines P wave morphology, the results of the present study show that P wave morphology is determined by right atrial activation. Functional interatrial block appears to be a likely mechanism for this phenomenon.
Dynamics of a Rocking Horizontal Pendulum Under High Frequency Excitation

In this work, we investigate the effect of high frequency excitation on a pendulum positioned at a given distance from a tilted platform. The tilted platform is subjected to high frequency excitation. The method of direct partition of motion is applied to the governing equation to obtain the slow dynamic equation. It is shown that two stable equilibria may coexist for certain parameter values. The analytical results are in a good agreement with the numerical investigations.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Evaluation of Influenza A/New Jersey/76 Split-Product Virus Vaccine in a Summer Camp

An evaluation of two doses of split-product A/New Jersey/76 virus vaccines was conducted at a boys' summer camp. Two doses of either 200 chick cell-agglutinating (CCA) or 400 CCA units of vaccine were administered four weeks apart. There were no significant side effects. Of 60 subjects, 59 developed a significant titer of serum antibody after two doses. There was no correlation between titer of antibody and total dose of vaccine. Younger subjects developed a higher titer than older subjects. A single dose of vaccine was insufficient to achieve a protective level of antibody.
Graphic displays in decision making — the visual salience effect

The study investigates the visual salience of information in making differential predictions for alpha-numeric versus graphic displays in consumer decision making. The experiment partially supports predictions that with alpha-numeric displays, information is acquired in correspondence with the importance weights of the attributes, whereas under graphic conditions, information is acquired in correspondence with the visual salience of the attributes. The information display form appears to have some effect not only on the temporal order in which information on attributes is acquired, but also on the relative attention given to information on attributes during the early phases of decision making.
Causality assessment of serious neurologic adverse events following 2009 H1N1 vaccination.

Background Adverse events occurring after vaccination are routinely reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). We studied serious adverse events (SAEs) of a neurologic nature reported after receipt of influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine during the 2009-2010 influenza season. Investigators in the Clinical Immunization Safety Assessment (CISA) network sought to characterize these SAEs and to assess their possible causal relationship to vaccination. Methods Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) physicians reviewed all SAE reports (as defined by the Code of Federal Regulations, 21CFR§314.80) after receipt of H1N1 vaccine reported to VAERS between October 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010. Non-fatal SAE reports with neurologic presentation were referred to CISA investigators, who requested and reviewed additional medical records and clinical information as available. CISA investigators assessed the causal relationship between vaccination and the event using modified WHO criteria as defined. Results 212 VAERS reports of non-fatal serious neurological events were referred for CISA review. Case reports were equally distributed by gender (50.9% female) with an age range of 6 months to 83 years (median 38 years). The most frequent diagnoses reviewed were: Guillain-Barre Syndrome (37.3%), seizures (10.8%), cranial neuropathy (5.7%), and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (3.8%). Causality assessment resulted in classification of 72 events as "possibly" related (33%), 108 as "unlikely" related (51%), and 20 as "unrelated" (9%) to H1N1 vaccination; none were classified as "probable" or "definite" and 12 were unclassifiable (6%). Conclusion The absence of a specific test to indicate whether a vaccine component contributes to the pathogenesis of an event occurring within a biologically plausible time period makes assessing causality difficult. The development of standardized protocols for providers to use in evaluation of adverse events following immunization, and rapid identification and follow-up of VAERS reports could improve causality assessment.
Blockade of the antidepressant-like effects of 8-OH-DPAT, buspirone and desipramine in the rat forced swim test by 5HT1A receptor antagonists

This study examined whether the antidepressant-like effect of serotonin (5-HT)1A receptor agonists in the forced swim test (FST) is mediated by 5-HT1A receptors. The 5-HT1A receptor agonists 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) and buspirone decreased immobility in the FST. The effect of 8-OH-DPAT was blocked by the 5-HT1A receptor antagonists NAN 190, BMY 7378 and pindolol. The effect of buspirone was blocked by NAN 190 and pindolol. The antagonists produced no effects on their own. The norepinephrine (NE) uptake inhibitor desipramine (DMI) also reduced immobility, and this was also blocked by NAN 190, BMY 7378 and pindolol. Theα1,β1 andβ2 adrenergic antagonists prazosin, betaxolol and ICI 118,551 did not block either 8-OH-DPAT or DMI, and produced no effects on their own. These results provide evidence that the antidepressant-like effects of 5-HT1A receptor agonists in the FST are mediated through 5-HT1A receptors, probably located postsynaptically. The finding that the 5-HT1A receptor antagonists blocked the effect of DMI suggests that the NE and 5-HT systems interact in the FST.
Holland's Theory Applied to Medical Specialty Choice.

The present study tested the hypothesis that medical specialties classified as technique oriented or patient oriented would be distinguished by RIASEC code, with technique-oriented specialists resembling Investigative-Realistic types and patientoriented specialists resembling Investigative-Social types. Using longitudinal data obtained from 447 college students who aspired to become physicians, the authors found that the predominant RIASEC code was the same in both groups of specialties, namely, Investigative-Social. The data suggested that most medical students could fit equally well in several different medical specialties. Thus, they should use Holland’s model to explore how well their personalities can be expressed in different specialties and practice environments, not use RIASEC codes to match themselves to particular specialties.
Complex perovskites: a chessboard at the nanoscale.

Nanoscale phase separation into a perfect two-dimensional chessboard structure is observed in a class of perovskite-based lithium-ion conductors. The periodicity can be controlled by varying the composition, which is an intriguing advance in materials design.
Optimal Decentralized Load Frequency Control

The paper presents a novel methodology for feasibility analysis and design of optimal decentralized load frequency control for multi-area interconnected electric power systems. Feasibility of the proposed decentralized control scheme is determined with a fixed mode evaluation algorithm based on eigenvalue dynamics. The eigenvalue sensitivity expressions are also used to determine decentralized feedback gains that will result in system transient performance similar to the one obtained with a centralized optimal control law. The methodology is illustrated with a two-area power system example.
Inverse Characterization of Composite Materials Using Surrogate Models

In recent years, methods for the inverse characterization of mechanical properties of materials have seen significant growth, mainly because of the availability of enabling technologies like full-field measurement techniques, inexpensive high performance computing resources, and automated testing. Unfortunately, as the complexity of the material system increases even the most advanced methods for inverse characterization produce results in compute times that are not practical for real time applications. To overcome this limitation we present a method that uses Non-Uniform Rational B-spline (NURBs) based surrogate modeling to generate a very efficient representation of the material model and the associated objective function. In addition, we present a method for identifying the global minimum of this objective function that corresponds to the elastic properties that characterize the material. Validation of this methodology is achieved through synthetic numerical experiments that include both isotropic and orthotropic specimens defined both analytically and numerically. Statistical analyses on the effects of experimental noise supplement these results. We conclude with remarks regarding the use of this technique to recover the elastic properties from materials tested utilizing multiaxial robotic systems.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
The Use of First Records versus the Average of All Records in Dam-Daughter Comparisons when Proving Sires*

Summary A comparison was made of first dam-daughter 305-day mature equivalent records, and the averages of all records on a similar basis, in reporting dam-daughter comparisons for dairy sires. A comparison of these data for 169 Ayrshire sires and 3388 dam-daughter pairs shows there is only a very small and insignificant difference in the results obtained by the two methods. The averages of dams’ and daughters’ records and the averages of sire indices calculated by the use of both types of comparisons show that the first records on a mature equivalent basis average slightly higher than the averages of all records on the same basis. It is suggested that a real saving can be made in the labor required to report dam-daughter comparisons by using first records only in dam-daughter comparisons.
Potential Role of Hyperactivation of Signal Transduction Pathways in Alzheimer’s Disease: Protein Kinase C Regulates PHF-like Phosphorylation of Tau within Neuronal Cells

Paired helical filaments (PHF) that accumulate in affected neurons in Alzheimer’s disease are comprised of hyperphosphorylated tau that exhibits electrophoretic and antigenic properties distinct from that of normal adult CNS tau (for reviews, see refs. 1–3). Accordingly, one approach towards understanding the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease is to determine the kinase(s) responsible for phosphorylating tau.
Steady-state characteristics of synchronous machine-line-commutated converter systems

A steady-state model of a synchronous machine-line-commutated converter pair is obtained from a dynamic average-value model of the system that accurately accounts for subtransient saliency of the machine. This steady-state model is comprised exclusively of linear and nonlinear algebraic equations that relate key variables of the system. Various algorithms for solving these equations to generate characteristics that relate two or three of these variables at a time are described. Specific characteristics that are illustrated include machine torque versus firing angle for constant dc current and dc voltage versus dc current for constant firing angle.
Can biomechanical variables predict improvement in crouch gait

Many patients respond positively to treatments for crouch gait, yet surgical outcomes are inconsistent and unpredictable. In this study, we developed a multivariable regression model to determine if biomechanical variables and other subject characteristics measured during a physical exam and gait analysis can predict which subjects with crouch gait will demonstrate improved knee kinematics on a follow-up gait analysis. We formulated the model and tested its performance by retrospectively analyzing 353 limbs of subjects who walked with crouch gait. The regression model was able to predict which subjects would demonstrate ‘Improved’ and ‘Unimproved’ knee kinematics with over 70% accuracy, and was able to explain approximately 49% of the variance in subjects’ change in knee flexion between gait analyses. We found that improvement in stance phase knee flexion was positively associated with three variables that were drawn from knowledge about the biomechanical contributors to crouch gait: (i) adequate hamstrings lengths and velocities, possibly achieved via hamstrings lengthening surgery, (ii) normal tibial torsion, possibly achieved via tibial derotation osteotomy, and (iii) sufficient muscle strength.
Media components influence viral gene expression assays in human fetal astrocyte cultures

In vitro neurovirological studies of viral infectivity or viral gene expression may be confounded by the multiple neural cell type and/or fibroblast contamination present in early passage culture prepared from dissociated human central nervous system (CNS) tissue. We have development highly enriched astrocyte cultures for neurovirological study by culturing in a serum-free defined medium, B16, supplemented with basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2). subculture in this medium selects against fibroblast proliferation and favors sustained proliferation of a highly enriched gliaf fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive cell population. These astrocytes suppory productive replication of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and transient expression of transfected CMV and human imunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) viral promoters. By comparison. CNS cultures developed in standard serum-containing medium initially contain predominantly astrcytes, but show increasing contamination with fibroblasts with sequential passage. The...
Immunohistochemical expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α and its downstream molecules in sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma

Purpose: Sarcomatoid renal cell carcinomas, highly aggressive variants of renal cell carcinoma subtypes, often present with or develop metastases soon after the primary diagnosis. Most metastatic cases do not respond to immunotherapy or aggressive chemotherapy. Recently targeted therapies, particularly those targeting hypoxia inducible pathway molecules, have been tested clinically on metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma with promising initial results. No such studies are available on sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma. We investigated the hypoxia inducible pathway marker immunohistochemical expression profile, and any potential therapeutic implications that such expression may have, in these tumors.Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemical staining for hypoxia inducible factor-1α, glucose transporter 1, carbonic anhydrase IX and vascular endothelial growth factor was performed in 22 clear cell and 12 nonclear cell sarcomatoid renal cell carcinomas. The immunoreactivity in the tumors was graded from ...
A tool for rapid configuration of a river model

A tool has been developed, the River Simulation Tool (RST), that allows the configuration of a two-dimensional hydrodynamic river model based on imagery-extracted information that defines model geometry and water depth, as available. The RST contains automated shoreline processing and mesh generation capabilities for unstructured grids and accommodates user-specified forcing and parameter values. Alternatively, the RST provides synthetic bathymetry and default forcing and parameter values for those situations in which observational data or information describing the river environment is unavailable. This manuscript describes the components of the RST in detail and its application to the upper East Pearl River, MS. Solutions for water level and currents from the RST-generated river model are compared to a "truth" solution for the same region. Implementation of the RST's ensemble creation feature allows an assessment of the sensitivity of river predictions to the specification of water depth, bottom type, and upstream discharge conditions.