cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of cardiac output on mitral valve area in patients with mitral stenosis: validation and pitfalls of the pressure half-time method.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The non-invasive evaluation of mitral valve area is often used in the assessment of patients with mitral stenosis. The pressure half-time method is commonly used to calculate valve area, but is inaccurate in many clinical scenarios. We sought to quantify the effects of changing cardiac output on the accuracy of mitral valve area determination. METHODS: Thirteen patients with mitral stenosis underwent routine stress echocardiography with resting and peak exercise results compared. A previously described and clinically validated mathematical model of the cardiovascular system was used to validate the clinical results. Seven different loading conditions for each of four different stenotic valve areas were modeled. RESULTS: In patients, with increasing cardiac output, pressure half-time decreased (-30.6+/-35.3 ms/l/min) and calculated valve area increased by 0.25+/-0.30 cm2/l/min. By continuity, it appeared that approximately half of this increase was due to actual valve orifice stretching, the remainder reflecting fundamental changes in the relationship between half-time and valve area. Mathematical modeling resulted in similar changes in pressure half-time and calculated valve area (0.06 to 0.12 cm2/l/min, p = 0.20 versus clinical results). CONCLUSION: Changes in cardiac output result in predictable changes in pressure half-time, and should be considered when performing serial examinations in patients with mitral stenosis.
Additive Macaulay Posets

An additive sequence of integers is a finite sequence in which the sum of any number of consecutive terms is less than or equal to the sum of the same number of initial terms in the sequence and greater than or equal to the sum of the same number of final terms in the sequence. If the final several terms in an additive sequence are greater than or equal to, in order, the initial several terms of a second additive sequence, then the juxtaposition of the two sequences is also additive. This simple fact has combinatorial corollaries.
The Effect of Catheterization on Susceptibility of Uropathogens After Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine whether bacterial uropathogens from positive urine cultures and uropathogen antibiotic susceptibility differ between catheterized (C) and noncatheterized (NC) patients after pelvic reconstructive surgery. METHODS This is a retrospective cohort study of patients with a positive urine culture within 1 year of pelvic reconstructive surgery. Patients were categorized as having an indwelling catheter placed for urinary retention or voiding dysfunction within 48 hours of specimen collection versus no catheter. Microbiology reports provided uropathogens and antibiotic susceptibility for each culture. Student t test, χ, and logistic regression were used to compare rates of non-Escherichia coli uropathogens and susceptibility to first-line antibiotics between C and NC groups. RESULTS A total of 427 positive urine cultures from 317 unique patients were identified. Positive urine cultures from C patients were less likely to contain E. coli (47.1% NC vs 29.2% C; P = 0.0009), with enterococcus being the most common non-E. coli uropathogen. The odds of non-E. coli uropathogens increased with age (adjusted odds ratio, 4.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.95-9.28; P = 0.0003 for the oldest patients). Cultures from C patients were more likely to have a uropathogen not susceptible to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (20.5% NC vs 32.1% C; P = 0.03), nitrofurantoin (19.2% NC vs 34.6% C; P = 0.002), and cefazolin (18.1% NC vs 49.4% C; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS After pelvic reconstructive surgery, patients with a positive urine culture who have undergone catheterization within 48 hours of specimen collection are more likely to have non-E. coli uropathogens, with 1 in 3 cultures being not susceptible to common first-line antibiotics. This highlights the importance of performing susceptibility testing rather than treating empirically after pelvic reconstructive surgery.
Association of AHI and Other Patient Factors with Calvarial Thickness

Background and Hypothesis: Temporal spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (sCSF) leaks occur when spinal fluid leaks through defects in the skull base bone. Patients with sCSF leaks have approximately 22% thinner skulls but no change in extracranial bone thickness, suggesting an intracranial process causes skull thinning and the development of sCSF leaks. Approximately 83% of sCSF leak patients have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) as measured by the apnea-hyponea index (AHI) and OSA is associated with spikes in intracranial pressure. We hypothesize that AHI is associated with isolated skull thinning in the general population. Experimental Design: High resolution head CT images from patients with diagnostic sleep studies at IU health from 2010 to 2017 were analyzed (IRB approved) using 3D slicer to measure skull thickness of the squamous temporal bone. Age, body mass index (BMI), race and diabetes recorded. Mixed model analysis was used to determine the effect of a number of factors on skull thickness. Results: 344 CT scans were analyzed. Increased AHI was significantly associated with thinning of the calvarium [2.68 mm - 0.003x, (x = AHI point) P<0.02], while thickening of the calvarium was associated with age [CI = 0.005 to 0.011 per year, P<0.001] and BMI [CI = 0.003 to 0.015 per mg/kg2, P<0.003]. Female gender (P=0.016) and diabetes (P=0.005) were linked to thickening of the calvarium. Hypertension had no effect on calvarial and zygoma thickness (P=0.244 and 0.575, respectively). The extracranial zygoma thickness was not associated with AHI (P=0.54) or BMI (P=0.811) but the zygoma thinned significantly with age [CI = -0.01 to - 0.002, P<0.002] and female gender (P<0.001). Conclusion and Potential Impact: OSA is associated with skull thinning and may play a pathologic role in the development of sCSF leaks over time.
Instability and nonlinear dynamics of the MJO in a tropical channel model with vertically varying convective adjustment

In the tropical atmosphere, weather and climate are influenced by dispersive equatorial waves and their coupling with water vapor, deep convection, and rainfall. The dominant mode of variability on intraseasonal time scales is the Madden–Julian Oscillation (MJO), which is still not fully understood. Here we investigate the question: Is the MJO a linearly stable wave or an unstable wave? The linearly stable (i.e., damped) MJO regime, in which case random stochastic forcing provides the source for MJO variability, was previously investigated in a linear version of a model that has a convective adjustment parameterization. Here, to assess the other alternative, nonlinearity is added to the model and allows the study of the linearly unstable MJO regime. Model simulations are performed and evaluated for their ability to generate MJO variability as well as the full spectrum of tropical variability such as convectively coupled equatorial waves (CCEWs). In simulations of unstable growth, nonlinear advection slows the growth, and the wave saturates with reasonable amplitude, structure, speed, and dynamics. In further tests, MJO instability can sometimes excite CCEW variability, but only in a subset of cases. Overall, both the stable and unstable MJOs appear to be reasonable and may arise in different situations due to different environmental conditions.
Fields and dialectics in social movement studies

In spite of the dialogue with and use of dialectics in Bourdieu’s foundational work on fields, recent work in social movements that employ fields and kindred concepts have generally abjured dialect...
Characteristics of transparent indium zinc oxide electrode prepared on poly(ethylene naphthalate) by radio frequency magnetron sputtering for flexible dye-sensitized solar cells

In this study, for the use as a transparent electrode in flexible dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), the indium zinc oxide (IZO) thin films on unheated poly(ethylene naphthalate) (PEN) substrate i...
Biskyrmion lattices in centrosymmetric magnetic films

This paper propose a mathematical framework to describe biskyrmion lattices. These structures have been recently observed in nonchiral magnetic films. The authors observe that the lowest energy, corresponding to a triangular lattice of bubbles, is lower than the energy of a magnetized film in a zero magnetic field.
Inefficient thermogenic mitochondrial respiration due to futile proton leak in a mouse model of fragile X syndrome

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the leading known inherited intellectual disability and the most common genetic cause of autism. The full mutation results in transcriptional silencing of the Fmr1 gene and loss of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) expression. Defects in neuroenergetic capacity are known to cause a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders. Thus, we explored the integrity of forebrain mitochondria in Fmr1 knockout mice during the peak of synaptogenesis. We found inefficient thermogenic respiration due to futile proton leak in Fmr1 KO mitochondria caused by coenzyme Q (CoQ) deficiency and an open cyclosporine-sensitive channel. Repletion of mitochondrial CoQ within the Fmr1 KO forebrain closed the channel, blocked the pathological proton leak, restored rates of protein synthesis during synaptogenesis, and normalized the key phenotypic features later in life. The findings demonstrate that FMRP deficiency results in inefficient oxidative phosphorylation during the neurodevelopment and suggest that dysfunctional mitochondria may contribute to the FXS phenotype.
The Kinds of Ordinary Materials

Life systems have evolved to use a wide variety of substances, for both structures and activities. Biological structures are built from molecules and mixtures of molecules in a number of different states and phases. The activity of life relies on protein systems acting as builders, renewers, dismantlers, catalysts, shepherds, facilitators, inhibitors, nano pumps and motors. This chapter reviews the underlying nature of atoms and molecules in materials important to life on Earth.
Abstract P070: Differential Gene Expression In Neointima Hyperplasia In Ucp2 Knockout Mice

Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) is an inner mitochondrial membrane protein which may control mitochondria-derived reactive oxygen species. Our previous study demonstrated that knocking out the Ucp2 gen...
Across regions: Are most COVID-19 deaths above or below life expectancy?

Introduction: Life expectancy varies across geographical and political landscapes for a multitude of reasons Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for the 2020 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and pandemic, is present in 215 countries, and is described as a pathogen that is most deadly to individuals 65 years and older However, it is unclear if the majority of COVID-19-related deaths are targeting individuals above or below life expectancy Methods: Through seven months of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, an association between life expectancy and COVID-19 related deaths was assessed The reported age of those suffering from COVID-19-related deaths was evaluated across eight countries (United States, Germany, Italy, Hungary, Poland, South Africa, Sweden, and Switzerland), and placed into binary categories depending on whether or not the death occurred above or below the country's life expectancy Results: Given this dataset, it was observed that there was a greater proportion of COVID related deaths above life expectancy (M=64 58%, SD=6 46) as opposed to below life expectancy (M=35 41%, SD=6 46), as these differences were significant (95%CI [18 518, 42 881], p<0 001) In contrast, an insignificant trend was observed when examining the relationship between deaths above life expectancy and Gini index (Pearson correlation coefficient r= -0 62, n=8, p=0 09) The disparity, or percent difference in death occurring above versus below life expectancy was greatest in the countries with life expectancies of 80+ (Sweden, Switzerland, Germany) Conclusions: Considering life expectancy may be an appropriate approach for reporting COVID-19-related deaths, as well as planning responses to localized COVID-19 outbreaks, prioritizing drug treatment, and assessing ICU capacity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Germs is the property of Asociatia Pentru Cresterea Vizibilitatii Cercetarii Stiintifice (ACVCS) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use This abstract may be abridged No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract (Copyright applies to all Abstracts )
Association of Hospital Safety Net Status With Outcomes and Resource Use for Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in the United States.

Purpose:Safety net hospitals (SNH) have been associated with inferior surgical outcomes and increased resource use. Utilization and outcomes for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a rescue...
Closing America's enormous fiscal gap: who will pay?

The US government has spent decades taxing current generations while also writing them huge IOUs for future benefits. This paper models the effect on everyday Americans of closing the true $210 trillion fiscal gap with an immediate and permanent 57 percent increase in all federal taxes or with a delayed increase of 69 percent. We examine the impact either method of smoothly closing the fiscal gap would have on five stylized households in three different cohorts. Raising the federal tax rate on all households, at all age and resource levels, increases each family's lifetime tax rate and decreases lifetime spending. The results show that delaying the tax increase lowers the burden on those now alive, particularly the elderly. Meanwhile, the burden on those left to pick up the tab grows larger with each passing year of congressional and presidential inaction.
Decoupling responsible management education: Do business schools walk their talk?

Abstract Corporate scandals in recent decades have prompted business schools to advance programs to better develop the next generation of responsible business leaders. Despite these efforts, some scholars have raised concerns about the effectiveness of responsible management education (RME), particularly that business schools have decoupled pedagogical practices from stated RME objectives. That is, a school's actual RME implementation does not match its stated commitment. Given limited empirical evidence verifying decoupling and its conditions, we surveyed undergraduate students at U.S. business schools, applying the theory of planned behavior to assess factors influencing student intentions to practice responsible management in their careers. We found some evidence of decoupling, including indication that a school's external commitment to RME as well as its level of RME curriculum integration do not reliably overcome decoupling to improve RME effectiveness. The results thus indicate that business schools may not fully walk their responsible management talk. We provide feedback on how to help resource-constrained schools combat decoupling, highlighting the need to particularly strengthen faculty subjective norm and student perceived behavior control to better influence student responsible management intentions.
Rilke’s “Primal Sound”: An Impasse of the Senses

This chapter is a close reading of Rilke’s “Primal Sound” essay. It derives imagery that will be used as a model for creative labor for the rest of the book. In his childhood science classroom, Rilke builds a phonograph out of simple things found around the room. They record themselves and listen, which creates a synesthetic moment for the young Rilke: he sees the scratches in the wax and hears them producing sound. It is also an early instance in his life of hearing a Thing speak, this time literally and not poetically. This inspires him for his later project, which is to allow Things to speak through poetry. Furthermore, Rilke wants to be like the phonograph, picking up vibrations around him and letting them flow through his pen.
The Value of Bank Capital and the Structure of the Banking Industry

The critical role played by financial institutions in the recent financial crises has generated renewed interest on the corporate finance of the banking firm and the impact of the banking sector on the real economy. This paper introduces the special issue of the Review of Financial Studies dedicated to "The Value of Bank Capital and the Structure of the Banking Industry." The special issue combines papers presented at the conference on "Corporate Finance of Financial Intermediaries" in September 2006, which was jointly organized by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Wharton Financial Institutions Center of the University of Pennsylvania, and the Review of Financial Studies, with other related papers. The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society for Financial Studies. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com., Oxford University Press.
Experiences with an addiction consultation service on care provided to hospitalized patients with opioid use disorder: a qualitative study of hospitalists, nurses, pharmacists, and social workers.

Background: In response to the opioid epidemic, addiction consultation services (ACS) increasingly provide dedicated hospital-based addiction treatment to patients with substance use disorder. We assessed hospitalist and medical staff perceptions of how the presence of 2 hospitals' ACS impacted care for hospitalized patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). We inquired about ongoing challenges in caring for this patient population.Methods: We conducted a qualitative study of hospital-based providers utilizing focus groups and key informant interviews for data collection. Transcripts were analyzed using a mixed inductive-deductive approach. Emergent themes were identified through an iterative, multidisciplinary team-based process using a directed content analysis approach.Results: Hospitalists (n = 20), nurses (n = 13), social workers (n = 11), and pharmacists (n = 18) from a university hospital and a safety-net hospital in Colorado participated in focus groups or key informant interviews. In response to the availability of an ACS, hospitalists described increased confidence using methadone and buprenorphine to treat opioid withdrawal, which they perceived as contributing to improved patient outcomes and greater job satisfaction. Participants expressed concern about inconsistent care provided to patients with OUD that varied by the admitting team's specialty and the physician's background and training. Nurses and hospitalists reported frustrations with achieving adequate pain control among patients with OUD. Last, pharmacists reported practice variations when physicians dosed buprenorphine for acute pain among patients with OUD. A lack of standardized dosing led to concerns of inadequate analgesia or return to opioid use following hospital discharge.Conclusions: An ACS reportedly supports hospitalists and medical staff to best care for hospitalized patients with OUD. Notably, care provided to patients with OUD may not be uniform depending on various physician-level factors. Future work to address the concerns reported by study participants may include education for OUD treatment, early involvement of the ACS, and incorporation of buprenorphine prescribing algorithms to standardize care.
Assessing interactions among native snails and the invasive New Zealand mud snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, using grazing experiments and stable isotope analysis

The New Zealand mud snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, is an invasive snail that can impact native snail populations. However, conflicting results from competition experiments between native snails and P. antipodarum have resulted in ambiguity about the type of impacts of P. antipodarum on native snails. We conducted grazing trials with the native North American snail, Fluminicola sp., and P. antipodarum to increase the understanding of possible impacts of P. antipodarum on this native snail. We also conducted stable isotope analysis for snails at two locations: one with P. antipodarum present and the other without this invasive snail. Based on treatment fecal mass, no significant difference was seen for grazing trials; however, single species treatments showed 4.8 times higher gram-specific fecal mass in P. antipodarum than Fluminicola sp., suggesting that P. antipodarum is a more efficient grazer. Carbon stable isotopes suggest that these snails share food resources at the invaded location. Strong overlap in food sources for P. antipodarum and Fluminicola sp. may indicate competition for food and a shift in the food resources used by Fluminicola sp. in invaded areas.
Lessons From the Iranian Experience: Impact on Loan Syndications and Other International Transactions

MR. NICHOLS: Let me first say that I think the deposit issues are really the more interesting issues, and I am going to come back to them. You donot want to listen to lawyers spout statistics, but in view of all the comments that have been made to the effect that the Eurodollar market is alive and well and living in your telex machine, I thought perhaps you should have at least a few statistics that may point in the other direction.
Paraspinous Myopathies: The Dropped Head and Bent Spine Syndromes

Paraspinous myopathy is also referred to as isolated neck extensor myopathy (INEM) (dropped head syndrome) and isolated trunk extensor myopathy (ITEM) (bent spine syndrome and camptocormia). This increasingly recognized entity may be isolated or be a feature of various neurological and neuromuscular disorders. This chapter discusses the causes and differential diagnosis of paraspinous myopathies including its diagnosis and management.
Polyhairesis: On Postmodern and Chinese Folds

This response to Polydoxy explores some of the resonances of “heretical choice,” or polyhairesis. I engage explicitly with two of the essays from the 2011 volume, Colleen Hartung's “Faith and Polydoxy in the Whirlwind” and Hyo-dong Lee's on the Neo-Confucian Great Ultimate. I read Hartung's suggestion of a theology that would not be predicated on God into Chinese thought, where instead of Lee's Neo-Confucianism, I offer a more Daoist interpretation of Hartung's faith. Hartung's mantra, “no news is good news,” taken from her mother, resonates with the idea that the dao that can be named is not the true dao.
Contribution of Urban Expansion and a Changing Climate to Decline of a Butterfly Fauna

Butterfly populations are naturally patchy and undergo extinctions and recolonizations. Analyses based on more than 2 decades of data on California's Central Valley butterfly fauna show a net loss in species richness through time. We analyzed 22 years of phenological and faunistic data for butterflies to investigate patterns of species richness over time. We then used 18-22 years of data on changes in regional land use and 37 years of seasonal climate data to develop an explanatory model. The model related the effects of changes in land-use patterns, from working landscapes (farm and ranchland) to urban and suburban landscapes, and of a changing climate on butterfly species richness. Additionally, we investigated local trends in land use and climate. A decline in the area of farmland and ranchland, an increase in minimum temperatures during the summer and maximum temperatures in the fall negatively affected net species richness, whereas increased minimum temperatures in the spring and greater precipitation in the previous summer positively affected species richness. According to the model, there was a threshold between 30% and 40% working-landscape area below which further loss of working-landscape area had a proportionally greater effect on butterfly richness. Some of the isolated effects of a warming climate acted in opposition to affect butterfly richness. Three of the 4 climate variables that most affected richness showed systematic trends (spring and summer mean minimum and fall mean maximum temperatures). Higher spring minimum temperatures were associated with greater species richness, whereas higher summer temperatures in the previous year and lower rainfall were linked to lower richness. Patterns of land use contributed to declines in species richness (although the pattern was not linear), but the net effect of a changing climate on butterfly richness was more difficult to discern.
Univalent mappings and invariant subspaces of the Bergman and Hardy spaces

In both the Bergman space A 2 and the Hardy space H 2 , the problem of determining which bounded univalent mappings of the unit disk have the wandering property is addressed. Generally, a function g in H∞ has the wandering property in X, where X denotes either A 2 or H 2 , provided that every g-invariant subspace M of X is generated by the orthocomplement of gM within M. It is known that essentially every function which has the wandering property in either space is the composition of a univalent mapping with a classical inner function, and that the identity mapping has this property in both spaces. Consequently, weak-star generators of H°° also have the wandering property in both settings. The present paper gives a partial converse to this, and shows that in both settings there is a large class of bounded univalent mappings which fail to have the wandering property.
Capacity Constraints and IPO Underpricing in the Property and Liability Insurance Industry

We analyze the impact of capacity constraints on IPO underpricing in the US property and liability (P&L) insurance industry. Our results show that insurer IPOs experience much less underpricing when insurers go public during capacity-constrained periods. Monte Carlo simulation shows that IPOs in other industries do not exhibit similar traits, suggesting our findings are specific to the P&L insurance industry. In addition, our regression analyses confirm that IPO underpricing is negatively associated with P&L insurance industry capacity measures. Going public provides P&L insurers with better access to the capital market, thus alleviating the constraint on their capacity to provide insurance coverage. However, going public after capital shocks may not be ideal for firms whose performance is adversely affected by shocks due to higher IPO costs and stricter disclosure requirements. IPOs during capacity-constrained periods are less underpriced since capacity constraints assist in screening out poor performers.
Hierarchical Bayesian space-time models

Space-time data are ubiquitous in the environmental sciences. Often, as is the case with atmo- spheric and oceanographic processes, these data contain many different scales of spatial and temporal variability. Such data are often non-stationary in space and time and may involve many observation/prediction locations. These factors can limit the effectiveness of traditional space- time statistical models and methods. In this article, we propose the use of hierarchical space-time models to achieve more flexible models and methods for the analysis of environmental data distributed in space and time. The first stage of the hierarchical model specifies a measurement- error process for the observational data in terms of some 'state' process. The second stage allows for site-specific time series models for this state variable. This stage includes large-scale (e.g. seasonal) variability plus a space-time dynamic process for the ’anomalies'. Much of our interest is with this anomaly proc ess. In the third stage, the parameters of these time series models, which are distributed in space, are themselves given a joint distribution with spatial dependence (Markov random fields). The Bayesian formulation is completed in the last two stages by speci- fying priors on parameters. We implement the model in a Markov chain Monte Carlo framework and apply it to an atmospheric data set of monthly maximum temperature.
Solitons Made Simple

Y.R. Shen Solitons are solitary waves, sometimes seen in water canals or as light pulses in optical fibers, that propagate for long distances without changing shape. This phenomenon is the result of a delicate balancing act between the tendency for waves to disperse and the nonlinear properties of the propagation medium. As a result of this interaction, the mathematical description of solitons can be highly complex. In his Perspective, Shen discusses a report in the same issue by Snyder and Mitchell that shows a much simpler way to mathematically approach solitons.
Appetites and Anxieties: Food, Film and The Politics of Representation By Cynthia Baron, Diane Carson, and Mark Bernard. Detroit: Wayne State UP, 2014, 312 pp. $31.95 paper.

At the risk of sounding cliched, I will be indulging in more than one food-related metaphor in this review of Appetites and Anxieties: Food, Film, and the Politics of Representation. This book is a...
On using mixed-layer transport parameterizations with radiometric surface temperature for computing regional scale sensible heat flux

Recent mixed-layer formulations for computing large-scale surface energy fluxes under daytime convective conditions do not require the estimation of surface-layer parameters, such as the roughness lengths for momentum and heat. This greatly simplifies approaches using operational satellite measurements of surface temperature for computing the surface energy balance at regional scales because the surface roughness parameters are not well known for many landscapes. The utility of such mixed-layer formulations is tested using data from several recent multidisciplinary field experiments (HAPEX-MOBILHY, FIFE and Monsoon 90). The results indicate that specific mixed-layer formulations adequately simulate surface sensible heat fluxes in the grassland and shrubland sites. However, use of the original values of proposed empirical coefficients for the forested site yield poor results. This is probably due to the fact that the forested site has significantly different surface geometry and associated distribution of temperature among the surface components (especially the relative importance of soil background temperatures) compared to the other sites. Therefore, the relationship between aerodynamic and radiometric surface temperature may have greatly differed between the forested site and the other locations. However, differences in aerodynamic roughness between the experimental sites were not correlated with changes required in the values of the coefficients. Instead, a two-source model which makes the distinction between aerodynamic and radiative temperature is proposed, as a means to determine which surface properties significantly affect the magnitude of the mixed-layer coefficients.
Cardiopulmonary responses to combined rhythmic and isometric exercise in humans.

A rhythmic (R) and an isometric (I) exercise were performed separately and in combination to assess their additive effects on arterial systolic (P as) and diastolic (P ad) blood pressures, heart rate (f c), and minute ventilation (V I). The isometric effort consisted of a 40% maximal voluntary handgrip contraction (MVC) performed for a duration of 80% of a previously determined 40% MVC fatiguing effort. The R effort consisted of a 13-min cycle effort at 75% maximum oxygen consumption (VO2maX). For the combined efforts, I was performed starting simultaneously with or ending simultaneously with R. Data on nine subjects yield statistically significant evidence (P<0.05) that the effects of I and R are not additive for the following three cases: (1)P as when I and R are ended simultaneously (I alone=4.9, SEM 0.5 kPa increase; R alone=no significant change from steady state; I+R=1.2, SEM 0.4 kPa increase), (2)P ad when I and R are started simultaneously (I alone=4.1, SEM 0.4 kPa increase; R alone=0.7, SEM 0.3 kPa decrease; I+R=1.9, SEM 0.4 kPa increase), and (3)P ad when I and R are ended simultaneously (I alone=4.1, SEM 0.4 kPa increase; R alone=0.3, SEM 0.5 kPa decrease; I+R=0.8, SEM 0.3 kPa increase). For all other variables and cases, there is not sufficient evidence to conclude that the effects of I and R are not additive. We conclude that R and I exercises do not invariably produce strictly additive cardiopulmonary responses. When R and I exercises are started simultaneously, however,P as,f c, andV I are additive. Finally, cardiopulmonary responses to I efforts superimposed on steady-state 75%VO2max R efforts suggest that cardiopulmonary controls already established during R efforts attenuate responses to the I effort.
Sunlight mediated inactivation mechanisms of Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli in clear water versus waste stabilization pond water

Abstract Escherichia coli and enterococci have been previously reported to differ in the mechanisms and conditions that affect their sunlight-mediated inactivation in waste stabilization ponds. This study was undertaken to further characterize these mechanisms, using simulated sunlight and single strains of laboratory-grown E. coli and Enterococcus faecalis , with a focus on characterizing the contribution of exogenous reactive oxygen species to the inactivation process. We found that direct damage by UVB light (280–320 nm) was not a significant inactivation mechanism for either organism. E. coli inactivation was strongly dependent on dissolved oxygen concentrations and the presence of UVB wavelengths but E. coli were not susceptible to inactivation by exogenous sensitizers present in waste stabilization pond water. In contrast, E. faecalis inactivation in pond water occurred primarily through exogenous mechanisms, with strong evidence that singlet oxygen is an important transient reactive species. The exogenous mechanism could utilize wavelengths into the visible spectrum and sensitizers were mainly colloidal, distributed between 0.2 and ∼1 μm in size. Singlet oxygen is likely an important endogenous species in both E. faecalis and E. coli inactivation due to sunlight. Although the two organisms had similar inactivation rates in buffered, clear water, the inactivation rate of E. faecalis was 7 times greater than that of E. coli in air-saturated pond water at circumneutral pH due to its susceptibility to exogenous sensitizers and longer wavelengths.
Clinical Features and Diagnosis of Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma

This article reviews the clinical features of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) in immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients. Clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, diagnostic testing, and staging evaluation in both immunocompetent and AIDS patients who have PCNSL are discussed. The differing role of biopsy in these two populations also is addressed.
Social rank and physiological traits of dairy cows as influenced by changing group membership.

Abstract Social behavior was observed in two groups of 17 cows during 13 wk to determine dominance rank. On the basis of dominance ranking during two biweekly intervals (wk 3 and 4, 7 and 8), a total of six cows was exchanged between groups (two during the first and four during the second exchange). The effect on milk yield, milk leucocyte concentration, and milk prolactin of dominance rank and introduction of “strange” cows into a group was studied. Dominance rank was greater for older, heavier, taller cows in a later stage of lactation. Fat-corrected-milk yield was greater for dominant cows but milk prolactin was lower. Dominance rank for cows moved to a new group did not change appreciably. Persistency of milk yield was associated negatively with dominance rank for five of six exchanged cows. Since the average persistency of milk yield for all cows dropped 5% from wk 7 to wk 8, it appears exchange of cows between groups affected both exchanged and nonexchanged cows in a random manner. Neither dominance rank nor exchanging cows between groups had a significant effect on leucocyte concentrations in milk. Milk-prolactin concentrations were most highly correlated with dominance rank, stage of lactation, body weight, and height at withers.
First experience with gamma probe guided sentinel lymph node surgery in penile cancer.

Because of the curative approach, the detection of lymph node metastases in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the penis is of significant clinical relevance. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) identification by means of lymphangiography has been proven to be insufficiently safe. However, the high morbidity of inguinal lymphadenectomy and the considerable individual variability regarding the location of lymph node metastases justify the necessity of a technique that enables the identification of SLNs. Since 1998, SLNs have been intraoperatively identified and selectively dissected, after peritumoral injection of technetium-99m nanocolloid and using lymphoscintigraphy, in three patients (one with malignant melanoma and two with SCC). At least one SLN could be detected in each patient. The maximum surgical time was 30 min. There were no severe complications. Lymph node metastases did not occur in any patient. Upon a mean follow-up of 10 months, all patients are currently free of tumor. Owing to the long-term results of sentinel lymphadenectomy in malignant melanoma of other locations and our preliminary results with respect to penile carcinoma, we consider the current method appropriate as the only primary operation for lymph node staging in early stages and, in combination with modified inguinal lymphadenectomy, in locally advanced stages.
The effect of thermoforming on the properties of fiber-reinforced composite wires

The effects of thermoforming on the instantaneous flexural properties and structure of thermoplastic fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) wires were studied to determine the preferred temperature range for clinical forming. Five different formulations of FRC wires were heated to clinically relevant thermoforming temperatures in a special mold that was designed to maintain their shape. In addition, one formulation was also heated without the restraining effect of the mold. Flexural properties were determined. A temperature above the Tg is necessary to allow sufficient softening and avoidance of distortion in shape during clinical forming. However, higher temperatures will result in significant structural disintegration of the wires with consequent decrease in flexural modulus. Thus, for every material, there is a heating range or “working range” where the material can be properly formed with minimal changes in the physical properties. This was primarily related to the Tg of the matrix used.
Characteristic MR spectroscopy in fucosidosis: In vitro investigation

Fucosidosis is a rare lysosomal storage disorder that results in the deposition of the sugar fucose within various organs, including the central nervous system. Neuroimaging abnormalities on MR, specifically T2 shortening in the basal ganglia, have been reported as suggestive of fucosidosis. A more recent report of MR spectroscopy (MRS) of one patient provided evidence that MRS is specific for fucosidosis. We present another confirmed case with nearly identical MR spectroscopic findings along with in vitro data that support the contention that MR spectroscopy, in the setting of typical clinical and imaging features, is characteristic for this rare disorder.
Directing Integrin-linked Endocytosis of Recombinant AAV Enhances Productive FAK-dependent Transduction

Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) is a widely used gene therapy vector. Although a wide range of rAAV serotypes can effectively enter most cell types, their transduction efficiencies (i.e., transgene expression) can vary widely depending on the target cell type. Integrins play important roles as coreceptors for rAAV infection, however, it remains unclear how integrin-dependent and -independent mechanisms of rAAV endocytosis influence the efficiency of intracellular virus processing and ultimately transgene expression. In this study, we examined the contribution of integrin-mediated endocytosis to transduction of fibroblasts by rAAV2. Mn++-induced integrin activation significantly enhanced (~17-fold) the efficiency of rAAV2 transduction, without altering viral binding or endocytosis. rAAV2 subcellular localization studies demonstrated that Mn++ promotes increased clustering of rAAV2 on integrins and recruitment of intracellular vinculin (an integrin effector) to sites of rAAV2 binding at the cell surface. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a downstream effector of integrin signals, was essential for rAAV2/integrin complex internalization and transduction. These findings support a model whereby integrin activation at the cell surface can redirect rAAV2 toward a FAK-dependent entry pathway that is more productive for cellular transduction. This pathway appears to be conserved for other rAAV serotypes that contain a capsid integrin-binding domain (AAV1 and AAV6).
EFFECT OF KETONE BODIES AND OTHER METABOLITES ON THE SURVIVAL AND MULTIPLICATION OF STAPHYLOCOCCI AND TUBERCLE BACILLI

A study has been made of the fate of staphylococci and tubercle bacilli resuspended in aqueous media at slightly acid reactions. The tests were carried out at several acid reactions in balanced ionic media containing 0.5 per cent serum albumin. These experimental conditions were selected in order to approximate those which are probably encountered by pathogenic agents in inflammatory areas and in the intracellular environment of the leucocytes after phagocytosis. The viability of the microorganisms at a given pH was markedly influenced by the composition of the medium, being decreased by addition to the latter of lactic, acetic, propionic, and butyric acids, and increased by the addition of certain ketone bodies such as dihydroxyacetone and pyruvic, β-hydroxybutyric, α-ketoglutaric, and oxalacetic acids. The presence of ketone bodies in the medium afforded to the microorganisms some protection against the bactericidal effect of lactic and acetic acids at acid reactions. The minimum and the optimum pH for growth were found to be dependent on the composition of the medium. Both were higher in the presence of lactic, acetic, propionic, and butyric acids than in the media without organic acids added. In contrast, the addition of ketone bodies to the medium allowed microbial multiplication even in acid media (approximately at pH 5.3 or even lower). The fact that lactic acid antagonizes, whereas ketone bodies favor, the survival and multiplication of staphylococci and tubercle bacilli at acid reactions, is discussed in relation to the high susceptibility to infection which is often associated with ketosis of various etiology.
An Exploratory Study of the Cyberbullying and Cyberstalking Experiences and Factors Related to Victimization of Students at a Public Liberal Arts College

This article shows the results of a study of the cyberbullying and cyberstalking experiences of students at a public liberal arts college. A survey was administered online to sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students at the college. The prevalence rates were 10% for cyberbullying and 9% for cyberstalking, shown in the sample of 471 respondents. Traditional college students under 25 years of age were experiencing and participating in cyberbullying at higher rates than older college students. Prior experience as a victim of cyberbullying in high school was a significant risk factor for cyberbullying and cyberstalking in college, which implies that students' roles in cyberbullying are maintained from high school to college. The majority of college students are handling cyberbullying incidents themselves rather than utilizing campus resources, but two-thirds of respondents would be more likely to consider reporting an incident if there was a central e-mail address available for reporting incidents.
Reduction of 30‐day postdischarge hospital readmission or emergency department (ED) visit rates in high‐risk elderly medical patients through delivery of a targeted care bundle

RATIONALE: Care coordination has shown inconsistent results as a mechanism to reduce hospital readmission and postdischarge emergency department (ED) visit rates. OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of a supplemental care bundle targeting high-risk elderly inpatients implemented by hospital-based staff compared to usual care on a composite outcome of hospital readmission and/or ED visitation at 30 and 60 days following discharge. PATIENTS/METHODS: Randomized controlled pilot study in 41 medical inpatients predisposed to unplanned readmission or postdischarge ED visitation, conducted at Baylor University Medical Center. The intervention group care bundle consisted of medication counseling/reconciliation by a clinical pharmacist (CP), condition specific education/enhanced discharge planning by a care coordinator (CC), and phone follow-up. RESULTS: Groups had similar baseline characteristics. Intervention group readmission/ED visit rates were reduced at 30 days compared to the control group (10.0% versus 38.1%, P = 0.04), but not at 60 days (30.0% versus 42.9%, P = 0.52). For those patients who had a readmission/postdischarge ED visit, the time interval to this event was longer in the intervention group compared to usual care (36.2 versus 15.7 days, P = 0.05). Study power was insufficient to reliably compare the effects of the intervention on lengths of index hospital stay between groups. CONCLUSIONS: A targeted care bundle delivered to high-risk elderly inpatients decreased unplanned acute health care utilization up to 30 days following discharge. Dissipation of this effect by 60 days postdischarge defines reasonable expectations for analogous hospital-based educational interventions. Further research is needed regarding the impacts of similar care bundles in larger populations across a variety of inpatient settings. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2009;4:211–218. © 2009 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Generation of Asymptotically Flat, Stationary Space-Times with Any Number of Parameters

A method is presented for generating stationary, axisymmetric, asymptotically flat, vacuum solutions of Einstein's equation with an arbitrary number of mass and angularmomentum parameters. As an example, a two-parameter asympotically flat solution, generalizing extreme Kerr, is generated from flat space. It is conjectured that the method, applied to the general static metric, can be used to generate all stationary, axisymmetric, asymptotically flat metrics.
Evaluating docked complexes with the HINT exponential function and empirical atomic hydrophobicities

Methods that predict geometries of ligands binding to receptor molecules can facilitate ligand discovery and yield information on the factors governing complementarity. Here, the use of atomic hydrophobicities in evaluating binding modes has been examined with four ligand-receptor complexes of known structure. In each system, hundreds of hypothetical binding orientations were generated with DOCK and evaluated using the HINT (Hydropathic INTeractions) exponential function and atomic hydrophobic constants. In three of the four systems, the experimental binding mode received the best HINT score; in the fourth system, the experimental binding mode scored only slightly lower than a similar, apparently reasonable orientation. The HINT function may be generally useful as a scoring method in molecular docking.
An evaluation of a self‐assessment test used to predict success in introductory college mathematics courses

Colleges and universities which admit students with diverse backgrounds in mathematics must devise ways to place these students in courses for which they are prepared. At Salisbury State College, a self‐assessment test is used. Although the test is far from perfect, it is beneficial in placing students in appropriate courses. The test appears to have acceptable levels of both validity and reliability.
Mucosal immunity to HIV: a review of recent literature.

Purpose of review This review summarizes recent literature in the field of mucosal immunology as it applies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission and pathogenesis.