cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RANKL inhibition with osteoprotegerin increases bone strength by improving cortical and trabecular bone architecture in ovariectomized rats.

Introduction: Ovariectomy (OVX) results in bone loss caused by increased bone resorption. RANKL is an essential mediator of bone resorption. We examined whether the RANKL inhibitor osteoprotegerin (OPG) would preserve bone volume, density, and strength in OVX rats. Materials and Methods: Rats were OVX or sham-operated at 3 mo of age. Sham controls were treated for 6 wk with vehicle (Veh, PBS). OVX rats were treated with Veh or human OPG-Fc (10 mg/kg, 2/wk). Serum RANKL and TRACP5b was measured by ELISA. BMD of lumbar vertebrae (L1–L5) and distal femur was measured by DXA. Right distal femurs were processed for bone histomorphometry. Left femurs and the fifth lumbar vertebra (L5) were analyzed by μCT and biomechanical testing, and L6 was analyzed for ash weight. Results: OVX was associated with significantly greater serum RANKL and osteoclast surface and with reduced areal and volumetric BMD. OPG markedly reduced osteoclast surface and serum TRACP5b while completely preventing OVX-associated bone loss in the lumbar vertebrae, distal femur, and femur neck. Vertebrae from OPG-treated rats had increased dry and ash weight, with no significant differences in tissue mineralization versus OVX controls. μCT showed that trabecular compartments in OVX-OPG rats had significantly greater bone volume fraction, vBMD, bone area, trabecular thickness, and number, whereas their cortical compartments had significantly greater bone area (p < 0.05 versus OVX-Veh). OPG improved cortical area in L5 and the femur neck to levels that were significantly greater than OVX or sham controls (p < 0.05). Biomechanical testing of L5 and femur necks showed significantly greater maximum load values in the OVX-OPG group (p < 0.05 versus OVX-Veh). Bone strength at both sites was linearly correlated with total bone area (r2 = 0.54–0.74, p < 0.0001), which was also significantly increased by OPG (p < 0.05 versus OVX). Conclusions: OPG treatment prevented bone loss, preserved trabecular architecture, and increased cortical area and bone strength in OVX rats.
The stimulation of phospholipid metabolism in mouse skin following phorbol ester treatment.

Abstract The incorporation of radioactive precursors into mouse skin phospholipids was examined after a single application of either croton oil or its most active component, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate. 1. 1. The incorporation of 32P1 into all phospholipids is stimulated by either croton oil or 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate but not by the parent compound phorbol. The stimulation of incorporation into phosphatidylcholine is largest and exhibits a biphasic pattern with two distinct peaks of incorporation. The first peak occurs 4–6 h after treatment while the second peak is observed at 2 days. 2. 2. Incorporation studies using [ME-14C]methionine and [ME-14C]choline suggest that the first peak represents synthesis of phosphatidylcholine through the methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine and the cytidinediphosphocholine pathway, while the latter peak involves synthesis mainly through the cytidinediphosphocholine pathway. 3. 3. During the first peak of the response an accumulation of phosphatidylcholine occurs due to either an increased permeability of cell membranes to plasma phosphatidylcholine or the activation of mouse skin enzymes which synthesize phosphatidylcholine. 4. 4. Pretreatment of mouse skin with cycloheximide before 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate application inhibits labeled leucine incorporation into protein but has little effect on the early stimulation of 32P1 incorporation into phosphatidylcholine. 5. 5. These early alterations in phospholipid metabolism after phorbol ester treatment support the concept that the effects of these phorbol esters are mediated through membrane interactions.
On Considering a Possible World as Actual: Robert Stalnaker

Saul Kripke made a convincing case that there are necessary truths that are knowable only a posteriori as well as contingent truths that are knowable a priori. A number of philosophers have used a two-dimensional model semantic apparatus to represent and clarify the phenomena that Kripke pointed to. According to this analysis, statements have truth-conditions in two different ways depending on whether one considers a possible world ‘as actual’ or ‘as counterfactual’ in determining the truth-value of the statement relative to that possible world. There are no necessary a posteriori or contingent a priori propositions: rather, contingent a priori and necessary a posteriori statements are statements that are necessary when evaluated one way, and contingent when evaluated the other way. This paper distinguishes two ways that the two-dimensional framework can be interpreted, and argues that one of them gives the better account of what it means to ‘consider a world as actual’, but that it provides no support for any notion of purely conceptual a priori truth. ‘Hell is paved with primary intensions’ English proverb
Comparison of risk adjustment methodologies in surgical quality improvement.

Background All hospitals are required to perform quality assurance activities. Many risk adjustment methodologies have been developed, and many medical centers use 1 or more than 1 risk adjustment program in an attempt to characterize their outcomes better rather than simply assessing unadjusted outcome statistics. The University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) and American College of Surgeons-National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) both produce risk-adjusted outcome data. Our institution recognized a large disparity between our UHC and NSQIP risk-adjusted mortality. The purpose of this study was to attempt to discover the cause of that disparity. Methods One hundred twenty consecutive NSQIP records were matched with their UHC submissions during 2006. All patients' comorbidities and outcomes were reviewed, and the 2 systems, UHC and NSQIP, were compared for degree of discordance. Results Approximately twice the number of comorbidities per patient were documented in UHC (2.85±2.52) submissions compared with NSQIP (1.38±1.52, P Conclusions We found significant differences in the reporting of both comorbidities and outcomes between our medical center's submissions to UHC and NSQIP in a consecutive series of patients. This may be at least partially responsible for the difference in the risk-adjusted mortality for our institution, as reported by UHC and NSQIP.
Gender differences in first year medical students' attitudes towards a discussion-oriented behavioral science course

We investigated gender differences among first year medical students’ attitudes towards a discussion-oriented behavioral science course, performance on an end of course essay, and locus of control. Female medical students generally evaluated the course more favorably than their male counterparts, and scored higher on the Rotter I-E scale (i.e., were more external). There were no gender differences in essay grades. Implications of the findings are discussed and future research directions are suggested.
The determination of glycosylated hemoglobins in rats using high pressure liquid chromatography

Abstract Glycosylated hemoglobins (GHb) or fast hemoglobins (FH) are minor components of hemoglobin that so far have been quantified in men, monkeys, and mice, and they are elevated in diabetic subjects of all these species. Since the rat is a useful model for experimental diabetic studies, hemolysates from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were analyzed for FH fractions using a high pressure liquid chromatography method. In a long-term study (3 mo), the maximal increment of the FH fractions was achieved after 5 wk of diabetes (from 5.67% ± 0.41% SD to 10.80% ± 0.74%) supporting the notion that the biosynthesis of these compounds occurs continuously during the lifespan of the red cell. In a short-term study. however, an elevation of the FH by 11% after 2 days and by 26% after 6 days of diabetes was noticed suggesting that a rapid increase of the FH may occur in relation to rapid changes of the glucose level.
Influence of cation type on structure and dynamics in sulfonated polystyrene ionomers

The structure and dynamics of Na-, Cs-, and Zn-neutralized sulfonated polystyrene (SPS) ionomers were investigated using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), X-ray scattering, and dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. Aggregates ∼2 nm in diameter were revealed by STEM and X-ray scattering. Additional information on aggregate diameter, radius of closest approach, and number density were determined by fitting the scattering data with a modified hard sphere model. A single broad segmental relaxation was identified in dielectric loss spectra for the ionomers neutralized with monovalent ions Cs and Na. The relaxation time of the segmental process was found to slow down systematically with increasing degree of sulfonation but is not significantly affected by monovalent ion type. For Cs-neutralized SPS, two high temperature relaxations associated with Maxwell–Wagner–Sillars and ion association/disassociation dynamics were identified.
Epidermal growth factor receptor expression and gene amplification in colorectal carcinoma: an immunohistochemical and chromogenic in situ hybridization study.

Recent data suggest that detection of epidermal growth factor receptor protein by immunohistochemistry (IHC) does not predict response to the antiepidermal growth factor receptor drug, cetuximab, in patients with colorectal carcinoma. In searching for foundation for further investigation to optimize patient selection for cetuximab therapy, this study sought to exploit the tissue microarray and chromogenic in situ hybridization techniques to evaluate the status of epidermal growth factor receptor gene amplification in colorectal cancer and its relationship with protein expression by IHC. The study included 158 primary or metastatic colorectal adenocarcinomas. Immunohistochemical results were scored as 0–3+ based on the intensity of membrane staining. The in situ hybridization signals were counted in 30 nuclei per tissue core. Overall, the rate of tissue loss was 7%, yielding 147 analyzable cases: 123 primary, 24 metastatic. Positive immunohistochemical staining of any intensity was detected in 85% (105/123) of primary and 79% (19/24) of metastatic tumors, whereas gene amplification (>5 gene copies/nucleus) was only seen in 12% (15/123) of primary and 8% (2/24) of metastatic tumors. Only 2/15 primary and 1/2 metastatic tumors that showed gene amplification were amplified at a high level (>10 gene copies/nucleus). Although a positive correlation was detected between the intensity of protein expression and the likelihood of gene amplification in both the primary (P=0.01) and the metastatic (P=0.05) tumors, IHC had a low specificity (17% in primary, 23% in metastatic) in predicting gene amplification. Conversely, all tumors that did not express the protein by IHC lacked gene amplification. Thus, this study shows that only a small fraction of epidermal growth factor receptor- positive colorectal carcinomas detected by IHC are associated with gene amplification. Additional studies are needed to determine whether epidermal growth factor receptor gene amplification bears any informative value in predicting response to cetuximab-based therapy.
A De-Construction of Wireless Device Usage

In this article, wireless technology use is addressed with a focus on the factors that underlie wireless interaction. A de-construction of the information processing theories of user/technol-ogy interaction is presented. While commercial and useful applications of wireless devices are numerous, wireless interaction is emerging as a means of social interactionâ€”an extension of the userâ€™s personal imageâ€”and as an object of amusement and play. The technology/user in-teraction theories that have driven the discussions of computer assisted communication media are information richness, communicative action, and social influence modeling. This article will extend this theoretical view of wireless devices by using flow theory to address elements of fun, control, and focus. Then, these technology/user interaction theories are used with respect to wireless devices to propose areas for future research.
Social Communication in Canids: Evidence for the Evolution of a Stereotyped Mammalian Display

The variability in the duration and form of the canid play bow was studied in infant coyotes, wolves, wolf-dog hybrids, beagles, and adult free-ranging dogs. Both duration and form showed marked stereotypy. It appears that the role of this context-specific social signal in the communication of play intention has been fostered by selection for "morphological" stereotypy.
Carbohydrate provision in the era of tight glucose control

Glycemic control in the critically ill patient has remained a controversial issue over the last decade. Several large trials, with widely varying results, have generated significant interest in defining the optimal target for blood-glucose control necessary for improving care while minimizing morbidity. Nutritional support has evolved into an additional area of critical care where appropriate practices have been associated with improved patient outcomes. Carbohydrate provision can impact blood-glucose levels, and the relationship between nutrition and glucose levels has become more complex in the era of improved glycemic control. This review discusses the controversy surrounding intensive-insulin therapy in the intensive care unit and explores the relationship with nutritional support, both in the enteral and parenteral form. Achieving realistic goals in both carbohydrate provision and glycemic control may improve patient outcome, and are not mutually exclusive practices.
Four identities related to third order mock theta functions in Ramanujan's lost notebook

Abstract We prove, for the first time, a series of four related identities from Ramanujan's lost notebook. The identities are connected with third order mock theta functions.
Kinematic Control of a Planetary Exploration Rover over Rough Terrain

Passive averaging suspensions have been proven highly effective on rovers for improving mobility by providing ground compliance. However, the passive degree of freedom poses an added challenge to the controls problem. This paper presents a controller design to increase the accuracy of straight line trajectories for rovers with passive suspension on rough terrain. The chosen approach uses only proprioceptive sensors, a 3D kinematic model, and a trivial ground plane estimator algorithm to adjust individual wheel velocities based on estimates of terrain slope. This has distinct advantages to other techniques that use global position sensors and dynamic models which inevitably lead to more complex and computationally intensive solutions. The proposed controller is simulated in Matlab and found to be successful through experiments conducted with ORYX 2.0, a planetary rover research platform. This paper presents the feed forward velocity controller design, simulations, and experimental results for validation.
A Study of Origins of the Time Dependencies of Scalp EEG: II-Experimental Support of Theory

Solutions of earlier published "brain wave equations" are modified to roughly account for the effects of boundary conditions. When a threshold parameter A 1, the theoretical waves are nondispersive, spatially damped, and have frequencies that depend on cortical geometry and the action potential velocity in the association fibers. The frequency of these theoretical oscillations is near 10 cycles/s, within a factor of about two, and decreases slowly with increasing A. When pyramidal cell thresholds are altered such that A 1, there is an abrupt decrease in the frequency. The theoretical waves are then dispersive, more wealdy damped, and have much lower frequencies than in the case A 1.
Reply to the discussion

The induced polarization (IP) effect is one of the most intriguing phenomena being studied in electromagnetic geophysics. It was emphasized in the original paper (Zhdanov, 2008) that a comprehensive model of the IP effect should include the electrochemical and electromagnetic aspects of the problem. Acknowledging the complexity of the IP phenomenon, I have considered also the importance of constructing a rigorous physical-mathematical model of heterogeneous, multiphase conductive media based on the effective-medium approach, which takes into account both the electromagnetic induction and induced polarization effects.
Simulation-based Bayesian optimal ALT designs for model discrimination

Accelerated life test (ALT) planning in Bayesian framework is studied in this paper with a focus of differentiating competing acceleration models, when there is uncertainty as to whether the relationship between log mean life and the stress variable is linear or exhibits some curvature. The proposed criterion is based on the Hellinger distance measure between predictive distributions. The optimal stress-factor setup and unit allocation are determined at three stress levels subject to test-lab equipment and test-duration constraints. Optimal designs are validated by their recovery rates, where the true, data-generating, model is selected under the DIC (Deviance Information Criterion) model selection rule, and by comparing their performance with other test plans. Results show that the proposed optimal design method has the advantage of substantially increasing a test plan׳s ability to distinguish among competing ALT models, thus providing better guidance as to which model is appropriate for the follow-on testing phase in the experiment.
Superconductivity above 20°K in stoichiometric Nb3Ga

Abstract Superconducting transition temperature data are presented as a function of the β- W lattice constant in NbGa alloys. T c is a maximum for the lowest lattice constant material observed; this is identified as stoichiometric Nb 3 Ga. The stoichiometric material is obtained by quenching from above a solidus followed by a low temperature anneal.
Metabolism of substituted diphenylether herbicides in plants. II. Identification of a new fluorodifen metabolite, S-(2-nitro-4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-glutathione in peanut

Abstract The herbicide, 2,4′-dinitro-4-trifluoromethyl diphenylether (fluorodifen), is eleaved in peanut to give the metabolite, S -(2-nitro-4-trifluoromethylphenyl)-glutathione. A comparison of the glutathione conjugate isolated from treated peanut leaves and from in vitro pea epicotyl glutathione S -transferase reaction showed that both metabolites were identical. Other polar metabolites were also isolated, but not identified. The structure of the glutathione conjugate was confirmed by amino acid analysis and by mass, NMR, and infrared spectroscopy. The p -nitrophenyl moiety is also conjugated to natural products and is released as the free p -nitrophenol upon acid hydrolysis.
Unit roots: Periodogram ordinate

Abstract The periodogram ordinate is used to define an asymptotic test for the testing problem H 0 : α = 1 vs. H A : | α | 1 under appropriate assumptions on the model Y t = α Y t - 1 + e t - θ e t - 1 , where θ is near one. A drift term is also included in the model. An independent and identically distributed error structure as well as one exhibiting long memory are studied.
The effects of adherence and persistence on clinical outcomes in patients treated with statins: a systematic review.

Background In clinical practice, medication adherence and persistence are important for disease management and can significantly improve outcomes and enhance the quality of patient care. Quantifying the relationship between medication adherence/persistence and clinical outcomes with statins can serve as an important therapeutic model and complement our understanding of the critical relationship between medication use and improved patient care. Methods and Results A PubMed search was conducted for literature published between 1999 and 2009 using the terms adherence, compliance, HMG CoA, nonadherence, noncompliance, persistency, persistence, and statin. Data on the direct relationship between adherence or persistence to statin monotherapy and clinical outcomes were extracted. A total of 19 articles met the inclusion criteria, including the clinical impact of adherence (n = 15) and persistence (n = 4). High levels of adherence were associated with reductions in adverse clinical outcomes, including all-cause mortality and fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events; the most consistent benefits were witnessed at adherence levels 80% or greater. In primary prevention cohorts, clinical benefits were seen after 1 year of therapy. Longer durations of treatment were associated with incremental improvements in clinical outcomes as length of therapy increased. Conclusions High levels of adherence and longer durations of persistence with statins are associated with progressively increasing clinical benefits in primary and secondary prevention patient populations at risk for cardiovascular events. Efforts to improve adherence and persistence are warranted.
Lessons learned from implementing a psycho-educational intervention for African American dementia caregivers

Despite the fact that African American, Latino, and Asian Americans represent the fastest growing segments of the population in the United States over the age of 65, they remain understudied in int...
Atmospheric dry deposition on pines in the Eastern Brook Lake Watershed, Sierra Nevada, California

Atmospheric dry deposition to branches of Pinus contorta and P. albicaulis was measured during summer 1987 in a sub-alpine zone at Eastern Brook Lake Watershed (EBLW), eastern Sierra Nevada, California. Results are presented as deposition fluxes of NO3−, SO42−, PO43−, Cl−, F−, NH4+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, Zn2+, Fe3+, Mn2+, Pb2+ and H+, and compared with other locations in California and elsewhere. Deposition fluxes of anions and cations to the pine branches were low, several times lower than the values determined near the Emerald Lake Watershed (ELW), another sub-alpine location in the western Sierra Nevada. The sums of deposition fluxes of the measured cations and anions to pine surfaces were similar, in contrast to the ELW location where the sums of cation fluxes were much higher than the sums of anion fluxes. A strong positive correlation between depositions of NO3− and NH4+, as well as SO42− and Ca2+, suggested that large portions of these ions might have originated from particulate NH4NO3 and CaSO4 deposited on pine surfaces. An estimated total N dry deposition (surface deposition of NO3− and NH4+ and internal uptake of NO2 and HNO3) to the forested area of the EBLW was 29.54 eq ha−1 yr− (about 414 g H ha−1 yr−1).
Intelligent Trip Modeling for the Prediction of an Origin–Destination Traveling Speed Profile

Accurate prediction of the traffic information in real time such as flow, density, speed, and travel time has important applications in many areas, including intelligent traffic control systems, optimizing vehicle operations, and the routing selection for individual drivers on the road. This is also a challenging problem due to dynamic changes of traffic states by many uncertain factors along a traveling route. In this paper, we present an Intelligent Trip Modeling System (ITMS) that was developed using machine learning to predict the traveling speed profile for a selected route based on the traffic information available at the trip starting time. The ITMS contains neural networks to predict short-term traffic speed based on the traveling day of the week, the traffic congestion levels at the sensor locations along the route, and the traveling time and distances to reach individual sensor locations. The ITMS was trained and evaluated by using ten months of traffic data provided by the California Freeway Performance Measurement System along a California Interstate I-405 route that is 26 mi long and contains 52 traffic sensors. The ITMS was also evaluated by the traffic data acquired from a 32-mi-long freeway section in the state of Michigan. Experimental results show that the proposed system, i.e., ITMS, has the capability of providing accurate predictions of dynamic traffic changes and traveling speed at the beginning of a trip and can generalize well to prediction of speed profiles on the freeway routes other than the routes the system was trained on.
NADPH oxidase enzymes in skin fibrosis: molecular targets and therapeutic agents

Fibrosis is characterized by the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix components eventually resulting in organ dysfunction and failure. In dermatology, fibrosis is the hallmark component of many skin diseases, including systemic sclerosis, graft-versus-host disease, hypertrophic scars, keloids, nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, porphyria cutanea tarda, restrictive dermopathy and other conditions. Fibrotic skin disorders may be debilitating and impair quality of life. There are few FDA-approved anti-fibrotic drugs; thus, research in this area is crucial in addressing this deficiency. Recent investigations elucidating the pathogenesis of skin fibrosis have implicated endogenous reactive oxygen species produced by the multicomponent nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase (Nox) enzyme complex. In this review, we discuss Nox enzymes and their role in skin fibrosis. An overview of the Nox enzyme family is presented and their role in the pathogenesis of skin fibrosis is discussed. The mechanisms by which Nox enzymes influence specific fibrotic skin disorders are also reviewed. Finally, we describe the therapeutic approaches to ameliorate skin fibrosis by directly targeting Nox enzymes with the use of statins, p47phox subunit modulators, or GKT137831, a competitive inhibitor of Nox enzymes. Nox enzymes can also be targeted indirectly via scavenging ROS with antioxidants. We believe that Nox modulators are worthy of further investigation and have the potential to transform the management of skin fibrosis by dermatologists.
Name entity recognition using language models

The paper presents a new statistical name entity recognition algorithm, which does not require the collection and manual annotation of domain-specific sentences to train the models. The models of the name entities are domain-independent and could be directly applied to other domains of applications. This technique can also be applied to decode a set of raw sentences iteratively, if available, and use the decoded output to improve the statistical models. Applied to the mutual fund trading application, this new technique achieves a performance comparable to that using the decision tree model, which is trained from an annotated corpus. Iterative decoding of a set of natural language utterances and training of the general language model decreases the sentence error rate by 11%.
Network Attack Scenarios Extraction and Categorization by Mining IDS Alert Streams

The past few years have witnessed significant increase in DDoS attacks on Internet, prompting network security as a great concern. With the attacks getting more sophisticated, automatically reasoning the attack scenarios in real time and cat- egorizing those scenarios become a critical challenge. However,the overwhelming flow of events generated by Intrusion Detection System (IDS) sensors make it hard for se- curity administrators to uncover hidden attack plans. This paper presents a semantic vector space model to extract and categorize attack scenarios based on First-order Log- ics (FOL) and linguistics. The modified Case Grammar is introduced to formalize the heterogeneous IDS alerts into uniform structured alert streams. The attack resolution is then used to generate attack semantic network. Afterwards, mutual information is used to determine the alert semantic context range. Based on the attack ontology and alert contexts, attack scenarios are extracted and the alerts are represented as attack semantic space vectors. Finally text categorization technique are used to categorize the intrusion stages. The preliminary results show our model has better performance than the traditional alert correlations.
Deterministically polarized, room temperature source of single photons based on single-emitter fluorescence in aligned liquid crystal hosts

We demonstrated for the first time to our knowledge deterministically polarized fluorescence from single dye molecules. Planar aligned nematic liquid crystal hosts provide deterministic alignment of single dye molecules in a preferred direction.
Tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis after total talectomy for treatment of osteomyelits of the talus.

Background: Outcomes after talectomy combined with tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis are variable, and there have been few reports of results for tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis after total talectomy using an ...
THE POLITICAL THOUGHT OF ROBERT PERSONS'S CONFERENCE IN CONTINENTAL CONTEXT

This article seeks to explain some political and theoretical layers of Robert Persons's Conference about the next succession (1595). By examining a Latin manuscript version of the text which appeared in Rome in 1596 and by analysing the context in which this Latin version was composed and the aims which it was intended to fulfil, this article elucidates the political and religious implications of Persons's text, not only in the context of English or British debates over the succession to Elizabeth, but also in a European-wide scenario. Such an approach, I argue, can allow historians of early modern England to gain a deeper and wider understanding of English Catholicism and of its relevance in European political and religious history.
Quetiapine in the successful treatment of schizophrenia with comorbid alcohol and drug dependence: a case report.

Background:Excluding nicotine and caffeine dependence, almost 50% of individuals with schizophrenia also meet the criteria for substance abuse or dependence. Comorbid drug abuse presents complications to the effective treatment of these patients because they have increased psychotic symptoms and poorer treatment compliance.Case Report:This report describes the case of a young man with schizophrenia and comorbid alcohol and cocaine abuse who was successfully treated with quetiapine. The patient was previously treated with olanzapine and developed priapism, which required emergency medical treatment.Conclusions:The possible utility of atypical antipsychotics in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia and comorbid substance abuse needs to be confirmed in clinical trials.
Waves on a shear flow

The propogation of disturbance when a shear flow with a free surface, in a channel of infinite horizontal extent and finite depth, is disturbed by the application of time-oscillatory pressure, is studied. The initial value problem is solved by using transform techniques and the steady state solution is obtained therefrom in the limit t → ∞. The effect of the initial shear on the development of the wave system is investigated.
Operational planning for electronic toll collection: a unique approach to computer modeling/analysis

The authors present a novel approach to modeling a toll plaza and evaluating a number of possible scenarios for an ETC (electronic toll collection) equipped toll plaza. Utilizing a spreadsheet based demand/capacity model (which was validated and created in a relatively short time frame) rather than using the traditional complex simulation language, the effectiveness of ETC technology was evaluated. For each scenario the modeling effort showed that the implementation of ETC technology should result in an improved toll plaza operation. For the majority of the toll plaza users considered the results from the modeling effort showed that, by implementing ETC technology, service levels would improve and in most cases, significantly so. >
Current status of minimally invasive radical cystectomy: an outcome-based comparison.

Minimally invasive approaches to radical cystectomy are 20 years old. Available data suggest that minimally invasive radical cystectomy can provide comparable outcomes to open radical cystectomy despite the scarcity of level 1–2 evidence. Perioperative, functional and early oncologic outcomes seem comparable between the two surgical approaches. Robotic technology has allowed more surgeons to perform minimally invasive radical cystectomy and has simplified technically demanding steps that posed problems in conventional laparoscopy. This is evident by the rapid dissemination of robotics in many bladder cancer centers worldwide and by the numerous emerging series of robot-assisted intracorporeal urinary diversion. Until more data are available regarding the oncologic performance of minimally invasive radical cystectomy, open radical cystectomy remains the gold standard procedure for now.
Building the business case for a culture of certification

Certification is a measure of distinctive, specialized knowledge in nursing and demonstrates competence beyond licensure to the public, the facility, and the professional. Certification not only is significant for nursing practice but is also essential for meeting the multiple standards within the American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Recognition Program, the international “gold standard” signifying excellence in nursing services. It is likely that organizations that promote a “culture of certification” are better positioned in a highly competitive health care job market. At Houston Methodist Hospital we created a culture of certification by developing the Clinical Career Path program providing on-site certification preparation courses, a campaign initiative, recognition programs, and financial support. Recent literature indicate mixed findings on whether such a culture positively impacts patient and staff outcomes such as job satisfaction, retention, patient falls, and hospital-acquired urinary tract infections. There are costs associated with building a culture of certification, and without a compelling business case, the necessary resources or funding may not be made available. There is a paucity of literature on building a business case to promote a culture of certification or the financial investment required. We examined this issue and found that the creation of a culture of certification resulted in improved patient and employer outcomes. Additionally, we found a benefit-to-cost ratio greater than 1, which supports that building a culture of certification is cost beneficial; every dollar spent generates more than a dollar in benefits. This article highlights that a business case exists to support building a culture of certification by linking to patient and employer outcomes.
Late effects of radiation on the eye and ocular adnexa

A clinically useful classification system is suggested that can be used in prospective trials to evaluate the effects of radiation on the visual system. We review radiation-induced pathophysiological and clinical changes of the various ocular structures as well as dose-response data and management of ocular complications. The rationale for the classification scheme chosen is also discussed.
Interchromosomal Recombination in Zea mays

A new allele of the 27-kD zein locus in maize has been generated by interchromosomal recombination between chromosomes of two different inbred lines. A continuous patch of at least 11,817 bp of inbred W64A, containing the previously characterized Ra allele of the 27-kD zein gene, has been inserted into the genome of A188 by a single crossover. While both junction sequences are conserved, sequences of the two homologs between these junctions differ considerably. W64A contains the 7313-bp-long retrotransposon, Zeon-1. A188 contains a second copy of the 27-kD zein gene and a 2-kb repetitive element. Therefore, recombination results in a 7.3-kb insertion and a 14-kb deletion compared to the original S+A188 allele. If nonpairing sequences are looped out, 206 single base changes, frequently clustered, are present. The structure of this allele may explain how a recently discovered example of somatic recombination occurred in an A188/W64A hybrid. This would indicate that despite these sequence differences, pairing between these alleles could occur early during plant development. Therefore, such a somatically derived chimeric chromosome can also be heritable and give rise to new alleles.
Harsh Environment Silicon Carbide Sensors for Health and Performance Monitoring of Aerospace Systems: A Review

The recent increase in transportation costs and the push for cleaner emissions demands advancements in aerospace technology. The current instrumentation used in aerospace applications is costly, and indirect measurement approaches are often employed due to the inability to locate sensors in harsh environments. Health monitoring technologies for the development of a distributed sensor network can be utilized to improve engine efficiencies and reduce emissions while maintaining safety. This paper reviews the recent advancements in silicon carbide (SiC) process technologies and demonstrations of SiC sensors and electronic circuits in hostile environments, which supports the use of SiC technology for health and performance monitoring of aerospace systems. Further development of this technology can ultimately improve the performance, reliability, and emissions of aerospace systems. However, challenges still remain for the realization of a distributed sensor network for harsh environment applications such as aerospace.
Role of oxidative stress in angiotensin-induced hypertension

Infusion of ANG II at a rate not sufficient to evoke an immediate vasoconstrictor response, produces a slow increase in blood pressure. Circulating levels of ANG II may be within ranges found in normotensive individuals, although inappropriately high with respect to sodium intake. When ANG II levels are dissociated from sodium levels, oxidative stress (OXST) occurs, which can increase blood pressure by several mechanisms. These include inadequate production or reduction of bioavailability of nitric oxide, alterations in metabolism of arachidonic acid, resulting in an increase in vasoconstrictors and decrease in vasodilators, and upregulation of endothelin. This cascade of events appears to be linked, because ANG II hypertension can be blocked by inhibition of any factor located distally, blockade of ANG II, OXST, or endothelin. Such characteristics are shared by other models of hypertension, such as essential hypertension, hypertension induced by reduction in renal mass, and renovascular hypertension. Thus these findings are clinically important because they reveal 1) uncoupling between ANG II and sodium, which can trigger pathological conditions; 2) the various OXST mechanisms that may be involved in hypertension; and 3) therapeutic interventions for hypertension developed with the knowledge of the cascade involving OXST.
Performance of Dairy Calves Weaned at 24 Days of Age and Fed Vegetable vs. Animal Source Protein in the Dry Starter

Summary In an experiment utilizing 39, three-day-old Holstein and Jersey calves, results indicate that calves can be weaned successfully from milk at 24 days of age. All calves were coaxed to eat starter prior to weaning, and all made acceptable growth rates. The addition of dried skimmilk provided little additional benefit over a vegetable source of protein in the starter of early weaned calves. There was no statistical difference between the starters for calf growth rate, feed consumption, or efficiency values. Calves on Starter I, which contained dried skimmilk, had significantly higher coefficients of apparent digestibility of dry matter, but no significant difference was encountered for crude protein digestibility or TDN values between the starters.
The enzymic phosphorylation of vitamin B6 derivatives and their effects on tyrosine decarboxylase.

Abstract A kinase system purified from yeast is capable of phosphorylating pyridoxal in the presence of ATP. This system has been found capable of phosphorylating other vitaminB6 derivatibes provided the 6 position of the pyridine ring is free and the 5 position contains a hydroxymethyl group. The compounds which are phosphorylated and reported in this paper are also found to inhibit the union of pyridoxal phosphate with tyrosine apodecarboxylase. The requirements for inhibition of this union and other methods of inhibiting the kinase are discussed.
Breaking the barriers to successful refactoring: observations and tools for extract method

Refactoring is the process of changing the structure of code without changing its behavior. Refactoring can be semi-automated with tools, which should make it easier for programmers to refactor quickly and correctly. However, we have observed that many tools do a poor job of communicating errors triggered by the refactoring process and that programmers using them sometimes refactor slowly, conservatively, and incorrectly. In this paper we characterize problems with current refactoring tools, demonstrate three new tools to assist in refactoring, and report on a user study that compares these new tools against existing tools. The results of the study show that speed, accuracy, and user satisfaction can be significantly increased. From the new tools we induce a set of usability recommendations that we hope will help inspire a new generation of programmer-friendly refactoring tools.
Mothers of young adults with intellectual disability: multiple roles, ethnicity and well‐being

Background Two opposing perspectives – role strain and role enhancement – were considered as predictive of women’s psychological and physical health. The authors examined the relation between multiple role occupancy (parenting, employment, marriage) and well-being (depression and health) among mothers of young adults with intellectual disability (ID). Methods Participants were 226 mothers aged 35–70 years old caring for a young adult aged 16–26 years old with moderate to severe/profound ID. Mothers were of either Latino ethnicity (n = 117) or Anglo (n = 109). Mothers’ ethnicity and degree of acculturation and young adults’ adaptive behaviour and behaviour problems were examined as potential moderators. Results Mothers who were employed, married, or both reported better well-being than mothers who were both unemployed and unmarried, especially when their offspring had relatively higher adaptive functioning. This relationship between role occupancy and well-being was fully mediated by socio-economic status (SES) factors. Results did not suggest a role enhancement effect, but instead indicated a role shortage effect; unemployed, unmarried mothers experienced markedly poor well-being, while all other mothers experienced comparable well-being. Well-being scores were higher for Anglo than for Latino mothers; this relationship was entirely accounted for by SES. In Latina mothers, the relation between role occupancy and well-being was moderated by degree of acculturation. Conclusions Findings suggest that multiple roles benefit mothers of young adults with ID primarily through their impact on socio-economic resources. For more acculturated Latina mothers, occupying more roles predicted better well-being even after controlling for SES. Latina mothers who were unemployed and unmarried had lower SES, and this group emerged as at particular risk. The latter group may benefit most from respite assistance and other interventions aimed at addressing their physical and mental health.
Providing Service Using A Virtualization Infrastructure

Services could be designed to be simple, atomic, and transparent to potential consumers who interact with providers to attain desired outcome. Providing the desired service, though, may involve a series of complex operations such as accessing multiples databases owned by multiple parties residing in multiple locations, complex queries to obtain desired outcome, transforming these queries for proper display, displaying the outcome in a format comprehensible to the consumer, et cetera. The development of service-oriented architecture (SOA) or service-oriented computing (SOC) allows organizations to exploit the services that may or may not belong to them to provide customized services to potential customers. Virtualization, viewed as the separation of a service request from the underlying physical delivery of that service, allows such services to be provided in a flexible and cost-effective manner. Virtualization is also seen as one of the green ITs which can help reduce infrastructure and maintenance cost especially for the organizations that may not be able to afford big capital investment upfront. In this paper we make a case for integrating SOA and virtualization technologies to provide desired services to the consumer in highly a flexible and cost effective manner.
Birt-Hogg-Dubé Syndrome: Clinicopathologic Findings and Genetic Alterations

Abstract Context.—Birt-Hogg-Dube (BHD) syndrome is a rare clinicopathologic condition transmitted in an autosomal dominant fashion. This complex entity is characterized by cutaneous fibrofolliculomas, kidney tumors, pulmonary cysts, and spontaneous pneumothorax. Recently, the gene possibly responsible for the clinical manifestations of BHD syndrome has been cloned and characterized. The few reviews of BHD syndrome found in the English literature mostly focus on the skin lesions or genetics, with limited information on other pathologic changes, particularly the kidney lesions. Objective.—To review the literature on this subject with a special emphasis on BHD syndrome-associated renal pathology as well as recent advances in molecular genetic discovery of the BHD syndrome. Data Sources.—We used all data available after performing a literature search using MEDLINE and searching under the headings “Birt-Hogg-Dube,” “hybrid oncocytic tumors,” and “folliculin.” Conclusions.—The presence of BHD syndrome should be...
Influence of Aphid Stage on Acquisition and Inoculation Phases of Pea Enation Mosaic Virus Transmission

Transmission of pea enation mosaic virus (PEMV) was accomplished more efficiently by nymphs of the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), than by adults. First-instar nymphs and adults acquired PEMV in 5 minutes or less and 10 minutes or less, respectively. The first-instars acquired virus more efficiently than the adults over a range of, acquisition periods, but the difference between the 2 stages decreased with an increase in length of feeding periods and was almost nonexistent after the 24 hour period. Inoculation of PEMV to peas was achieved in 1 minute or less by third instars and adults. Transmission over a 1- to 60-minute inoculation period range was irregular, but increased inoculation time increased the efficiency of both aphid stages; nymphs were more efficient inoculators than adults, particularly during short periods. Hypotheses are presented to explain the difference between nymphs and adults in these 2 transmission phases.
Experimental and numerical investigation of methane ignition and flame propagation in cylindrical tubes ranging from 5 to 71 cm – Part I: Effects of scaling from laboratory to large-scale field studies

Abstract A firmer understanding of the dependence of flame characteristics as a function of scale is needed to describe methane driven longwall coal mine explosions, which are among the largest industrial explosions. Toward this goal, experimental and numerical investigations of methane combustion and flame propagation in horizontal cylindrical tubes as a function of stoichiometry and tube diameter were carried out. The effect of ignition location was also investigated for stoichiometric air-fuel conditions with ignition at the closed–end of the reactor producing a significant increase in burning velocities on the order of 2–4 times faster as the diameter of the reactor was increased. In the experimental section, horizontal tubes were used with one end allowed to vent to the atmosphere, and the other end a solid wall. Tubes with diameters ranging from 5 to 71 cm were used. It is found that maximum laminar flame propagation velocity increases with tube diameter. 2-D numerical simulations for these tubes were carried out with ANSYS Fluent. A hot-wall was used as an ignition source, with burning velocity trends consistent with experimental data. A functional relationship between stoichiometric uniform burning velocity and tube diameter is presented.