cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Future of end-of-life care: the managed care organization perspective.

THE VAST MAJORITY OF AMERICANS who die each year are elderly patients with a median age of 77 years, typically suffering from slowly progressive, chronic diseases.1 Most Americans will have lived with an average of 2.2 chronic conditions for 17 years by the time of their death.2 The effects of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes are felt physically, emotionally, and financially and place the patient at greater risk of serious health complications and disability.3,4 Our society’s ability to afford health care depends heavily on our ability to control long-term care costs incurred at the end of life. In turn, cost control depends on our ability to manage chronically ill patients effectively. This paper discusses the unique advantages of managed care organizations (MCOs) in developing and financing innovative systems for managing long-term and end-of-life care, presents an innovative model of end-of-life care pioneered by one MCO, and suggests future recommendations.
Protein kinase A regulates gene-specific translational adaptation in differentiating yeast

Cellular differentiation is driven by coordinately regulated changes in gene expression. Recent discoveries suggest that translation contributes as much as transcription to regulating protein abundance, but the role of translational regulation in cellular differentiation is largely unexplored. Here we investigate translational reprogramming in yeast during cellular adaptation to the absence of glucose, a stimulus that induces invasive filamentous differentiation. Using ribosome footprint profiling and RNA sequencing to assay gene-specific translation activity genome-wide, we show that prolonged glucose withdrawal is accompanied by gene-specific changes in translational efficiency that significantly affect expression of the majority of genes. Notably, transcripts from a small minority (<5%) of genes make up the majority of translating mRNA in both rapidly dividing and starved differentiating cells, and the identities of these highly translated messages are almost nonoverlapping between conditions. Furthermore, these two groups of messages are subject to condition-dependent translational privilege. Thus the "housekeeping" process of translation does not stay constant during cellular differentiation but is highly adapted to different growth conditions. By comparing glucose starvation to growth-attenuating stresses that do not induce invasive filamentation, we distinguish a glucose-specific translational response mediated through signaling by protein kinase A (PKA). Together, these findings reveal a high degree of growth-state specialization of the translatome and identify PKA as an important regulator of gene-specific translation activity.
Enhanced efficiency of ATP hydrolysis during nitrogenase catalysis utilizing reductants that form the all-ferrous redox state of the Fe protein.

The amount of MgATP hydrolyzed per pair of electrons transferred (ATP/2e) during nitrogenase catalysis (1.0 atm N2, 30 °C) using titanium(III) citrate (Ti(III)) as reductant was measured and compared to the same reaction using dithionite (DT). ATP/2e values near 2.0 for Ti(III) and 5.0 for DT indicate that nitrogenase has a much lower ATP requirement using Ti(III) as reductant. Using reduced Azotobacter vinelandii flavoprotein (AvFlpH2), a possible in vivo nitrogenase reductant, ATP/2e values near 2.0 were also observed. When the reaction was conducted using Ti(III) under N2, 5% CO in N2, Ar, 5% CO in Ar, or acetylene, ATP/2e values near 2.0 were also observed. With Ti(III) as reductant, ATP/2e values near 2.0 were measured as a function of temperature, Fe:MoFe protein ratio, and MoFe:Fe protein ratio, in contrast to measured values of 4.0−25 when DT is used under the same conditions. Both Ti(III) and AvFlpH2 are capable of forming the [Fe4S4]0 cluster state of the Fe protein whereas DT is not, suggesting...
Cervical decompression in mild mucopolysaccharidosis type II (Hunter syndrome)

Three cases of mild mucopolysaccharidosis type II (Hunter syndrome) who presented with cervical cord compression are reported, with emphasis on their clinical presentations and surgical management.
Development of some early sensorimotor behaviors in sodium-restricted rats

Abstract Rats exposed to low levels of dietary sodium throughout development exhibit reduced chorda tympani nerve taste responses to sodium stimuli during adulthood, apparently due to altered activity of some hormone(s) or growth factor(s) during early development. We were concerned that such an alteration in the activity of some humoral factor(s) could affect development globally. To test this possibility, we utilized a battery of morphological and behavioral measures in neonatal, sodium-restricted rats, expecting serious deficits to be reflected in altered onset and expression of these behaviors. As compared with control rat pups, preweanling sodium-restricted rat pups exhibited greatly diminished body weight gain and delayed acquisition of several morphological features. However, in terms of sensorimotor development, no significant differences between sodium-restricted and control rat pups were found. We interpret these results to indicate that despite significant somatic effects, sodium restriction may not influence the development of physical prowess or of early sensorimotor function in a global manner.
Exoerythrocytic Merozoites of Plasmodium berghei in Rat Hepatic Kupffer Cells

Liver biopsies of white rates infected by Plasmodium berghei sporozoites were examined by electron microscopy. Intrahepatocytic schizont development was confirmed. In addition, at 60 and 70 h after sporozoite inoculation, exoerythrocytic merozoites were noted in Kupffer cells of liver sinusoids. Although it is theoretically possible that this observation may be of merozoite development in Kupffer cells, the authors suspect that this example of phagocytosis would be one of the host's natural defenses against sporozoite-transmitted malaria.
An Estimator for the Standard Deviation of a Natural Frequency—Part 2

A method has been presented for estimating the variability of a system's natural frequencies arising from the variability of the system's parameters. The only information required to obtain the estimates is the member variability, in the form of second-order properties, and the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the mean system. It has also been established for the systems studied by means of Monte Carlo estimates that the specification of second-order properties is an adequate description of member variability.
A study of standardization of variables in cluster analysis

A methodological problem in applied clustering involves the decision of whether or not to standardize the input variables prior to the computation of a Euclidean distance dissimilarity measure. Existing results have been mixed with some studies recommending standardization and others suggesting that it may not be desirable. The existence of numerous approaches to standardization complicates the decision process. The present simulation study examined the standardization problem. A variety of data structures were generated which varied the intercluster spacing and the scales for the variables. The data sets were examined in four different types of error environments. These involved error free data, error perturbed distances, inclusion of outliers, and the addition of random noise dimensions. Recovery of true cluster structure as found by four clustering methods was measured at the correct partition level and at reduced levels of coverage. Results for eight standardization strategies are presented. It was found that those approaches which standardize by division by the range of the variable gave consistently superior recovery of the underlying cluster structure. The result held over different error conditions, separation distances, clustering methods, and coverage levels. The traditionalz-score transformation was found to be less effective in several situations.
Parity Nonconservation and the Theory of the Neutrino

The two-component neutrino theory of Lee and Yang and of Landau is discussed. It is shown that, for the free neutrino, their equations are equivalent to the Majorana equations, and thus are invariant under the full Lorentz group.
Current trends in the optimization of low band gap polymers in bulk heterojunction photovoltaic devices

Applications of low band gap polymers in solar cells have attracted intense attention due to their energetic overlap with the solar spectrum. Recently, low band gap organic photovoltaic (OPV) materials have shown an unprecedented ∼8% efficiency in solar cell devices. Although the energetic alignment is crucial in the optimization of these materials, the structural and kinetic effects are also important factors in the overall device performance. Here we focus on the morphology and charge separation kinetics of several energetically similar low band gap materials. Special emphasis will be on two polymers, PF and PTB, in this report.
EMPIRICAL FREEWAY QUEUING DURATION MODEL

An empirical, three-regime, freeway queuing duration model is developed from a database of 161 observations. The explanatory variable is the ratio of the annual average daily traffic volume to hourly capacity (AADT/C). The daily recurring queuing duration, in hours, is estimated to within 0.5 h of the actual at 51% of the 161 observations. The model potentially represents an improvement to the volume-delay function traditionally used in traffic assignment, because the entire peak period, not just the peak hour, is considered. The model may be useful where resources prevent the direct measurement of recurring congestion. The model's form may be considered for application in real-time traffic management. A residuals analysis indicates recommendations for model improvement, including additional explanatory variable, a larger database, careful identification of bottlenecks, circumstantial freeway capacity calculations, consideration for the day-to-day variability of recurring congestion, and nonlinear regression.
Femtosecond-assisted diagnostic corneal biopsy (FAB) in keratitis

Femtosecond laser technology (IntraLase, Irvine, CA, USA) has been introduced in corneal surgery, opening a new frontier and providing a new surgical modality. The purpose of this study is to present a series of patients with keratitis after Femtosecond-assisted diagnostic corneal biopsies (FAB). Four patients with progressive keratitis—despite intensive broad-spectrum topical antimicrobial therapy, or progressive stromal infiltration inaccessible to corneal scrapings—underwent femtosecond-assisted diagnostic corneal biopsy. A corneal specimen was obtained using the Femtosecond laser (IntraLase), including both clinically infected and adjacent non-infected clear corneal tissue. A combination of lamellar and keratoplasty treatment parameters were used. Corneal specimens of 3 mm diameter and 120 to 200 μm thickness were obtained in all patients. No intra- or early post-operative complications related to the procedure were found. In all patients, adequate specimens were submitted for cultures, smears, and permanent section staining. In this small case series of patients with undiagnosed keratitis, femtosecond-assisted diagnostic corneal biopsy (FAB) obtained adequate specimens without intra- or early post-operative complications, related to the procedure.
Effect of wall roughness on the flow through converging-diverging nozzles

An understanding of the effect of wall roughness on turbulent  ows is important in many engineering applications. The roughness can affect both skin-friction and pressure drag through such factors as the thrust ratios, discharge coef cients, and static pressure distributions. The effect of roughness height on the performance of two-dimensional, converging – diverging nozzles is studied computationally. It is observed that while the total thrust decreases as the wall roughness increases, there is a tradeoff between the losses associated with the shock system and those associated with the skin-friction. However, the normalized skin-friction coef cient is seen to be virtually independent of the Mach number variation. An empirical correlation is proposed to  t the observed variation of skin-friction coef cient as a function of the roughness height.
Cassini ISS observation of Saturn’s String of Pearls

We present the dynamics of the String of Pearls (SoPs) feature observed by the Cassini spacecraft’s Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) camera between 2007 and 2010. The SoPs was originally discovered in the 5 μm images captured by Cassini VIMS instrument, where it appeared as a chain of infrared-bright spots (Momary, T.W., et al. [2006]. The Zoology of Saturn: The Bizarre Features Unveiled by the 5 Micron Eyes of Cassini/VIMS. AAS/Division for Planetary Sciences Meeting Abstracts 38, 499). Using ISS images of Saturn, we found a chain of 23–26 dark spots at 33.2°N planetocentric latitude with characteristics that are consistent with those of SoPs. Our measurements imply that the feature propagated at −2.26 ± 0.02° day^−1 in longitude (−22.27 ± 0.2 m s^−1, negative values denote westward) during the observed period that spans three Earth years. Our measurements imply that the SoPs is a chain of cyclones, which we infer from the motion of clouds on the periphery of the individual pearls. We tracked the motion of 26 pearls for 6 months in 2008 and noted a few pearls appearing and disappearing, all near the east–west termini of the SoPs feature. During this period, a few of the pearls, varying between 6 and 10, harbored a small circular cloud at the center, which we call the central peaks. In general, a group of vortices with the same sign of vorticity tend to merge; however, our measurements did not detect merger of pearls. The interest in the feature was heightened when the latest planet-encircling storm erupted from the SoPs on December 5, 2010 (Sayanagi, K.M., Dyudina, U.A., Ewald, S.P., Fischer, G., Ingersoll, A.P., Kurth, W.S., Muro, G.D., Porco, C.C., West, R.A. [2013]. Icarus 223, 460–478). The storm severely disrupted the region; the SoPs was last seen on December 24, 2010 in the turbulent wake of the storm, and has not reappeared as of August 2013.
Stress analysis of a bulk‐filled class‐V chemical‐cured dental composite restoration

Clinical problems associated with the polymerization shrinkage of dental composite restorations include tooth sensitivity, crown fracture, discoloration, recurrent decay, and loss of restoration. Our goal was to determine whether these complications could be attributed to the transient stresses developed during contraction. Thus, a finite element model was used to calculate the transitory deformations and composite-tooth interface stresses produced during the shrinkage of a chemical-cured ideal Class-V composite restoration. It was found that the interface stress peaks moved with the polymerization front, and that in some instances, their intermediate magnitudes were higher than the final, fully cured, values. Therefore, the results indicate that clinical failure may be related to these transitory changes during the polymerization process. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Differential quadrature for static and free vibration analyses of anisotropic plates

Abstract The differential quadrature method is used to analyse the deflection, buckling and free vibration behavior of anisotropic rectangular plates under various boundary conditions. The roots of Chebyshev polynomials are used to obtain grid-point locations and a new approach is used to apply boundary conditions. Results compare very well with existing numerical data, and less computational effort is required for the problems considered.
The Criminal Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in China: Recent Developments and Implications

This article systematically introduces and analyzes a number of aspects of the criminal enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR) in China, focusing on recent trends and developments. China has been under tremendous pressure from the US to expand the criminalization of its IP infringement. The article first summarizes the substantive criminal law regarding IP offenses in China and describes the main enforcement agencies and judicial organs responsible for the investigation and processing of IP crimes. Analysis of the substantive criminal IP law and enforcement practices shows a steady pattern of rapid criminalization, not only on the books but also in action. Newly promulgated judicial interpretations and notices substantially expand criminalization of IP infringements. In addition, the enforcement rates of IP and related crimes have been rising consistently and rapidly. There have also been numerous joint meetings, information exchanges, issuance of provisions, collaborative “strike-hard” enforcement campaigns and other major efforts initiated by the police, the prosecutors, and administrative agencies to facilitate agency cooperation and strengthen the criminal enforcement of IPR. However, accompanying this rapid criminalization of IP infringement control are serious problems rooted in the Chinese criminal judicial system, including local protectionism, the lack of respect for procedural justice as well as the protection of defendants’ basic rights, and inadequate training, professional incompetence, misconduct, or corruption.
Nonclassical thermal effects in Stokes' second problem

The MCF model is used to study the nonclassical heat conduction effects in Stoke's second problem. The structure of the waves and the influence of the thermal relaxation time on the temperature and velocity fields are investigated. The displacement thickness, skin friction and the rate of the heat transfer at the plate are determined.
Formation of a N2-dG:N2-dG carbinolamine DNA cross-link by the trans-4-hydroxynonenal-derived (6S,8R,11S) 1,N2-dG adduct.

Michael addition of trans-4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) to deoxyguanosine yields diastereomeric 1,N2-dG adducts in DNA. When placed opposite dC in the 5′-CpG-3′ sequence, the (6S,8R,11S) diastereomer forms a N2-dG:N2-dG interstrand cross-link [Wang, H.; Kozekov, I. D.; Harris, T. M.; Rizzo, C. J. J. Am. Chem. Soc.2003, 125, 5687–5700]. We refined its structure in 5′-d(G1C2T3A4G5C6X7A8G9T10C11C12)-3′·5′-d(G13G14A15C16T17C18Y19C20T21A22G23C24)-3′ [X7 is the dG adjacent to the C6 carbon of the cross-link or the α-carbon of the (6S,8R,11S) 1,N2-dG adduct, and Y19 is the dG adjacent to the C8 carbon of the cross-link or the γ-carbon of the HNE-derived (6S,8R,11S) 1,N2-dG adduct; the cross-link is in the 5′-CpG-3′ sequence]. Introduction of 13C at the C8 carbon of the cross-link revealed one 13C8→H8 correlation, indicating that the cross-link existed predominantly as a carbinolamine linkage. The H8 proton exhibited NOEs to Y19 H1′, C20 H1′, and C20 H4′, orienting it toward the complementary strand, consistent with the...
Integration Near the Royden Boundary of a Riemannian Manifold.

In studying the properties of the space of energy-finite solutions of the equation A u = Pu(P ~0) on an oriented Riemannian manifold R attention has been focused on the integral of P over neighborhoods of the Royden boundary points of R. In particular in [1] it was shown that the points of the Royden harmonic boundary that possess a neighborhood over which the integral of P is convergent completely determine this space. Recently Nakai [3] introduced the descriptive term P-nondensity point for points with this property. Off hand one would expect to be able to find a P that grows so rapidly that the P-nondensity points of the Royden boundary of R form a small set from the topological viewpoint. The purpose of this paper is to prove the rather startling fact (Theorem 2) that for any nonnegative locally integrable n-form P on a Riemannian n-manifold R the P-nondensity points on the Royden boundary of R form a dense subset. The key to this result is the compactification introduced by Nakai-Sario [4] and in Theorem 1 we give some relations between the Royden boundary and the boundary of this compactification. For a detailed account of the terminology and auxiliary results useA here see Chapter III of [51, [2] and [4]. We begin by fixing our notations. Let R be a Riemannian n-manifold, M its Royden algebra and M~ the potential subalgebra. The maximal ideal space R* of M with the weak* topology is the Royden compactification of of R. We denote by F = R*\R the Royden boundary and by d its harmonic part, i.e., A = {pER*lf(P)=O for every feM~}. Let P denote an arbitrary nonnegative locally integrable n-form on R and denote by E the subalgebra of M given by E = l f ~ M{~ f2p < + ~}. Under
SOME CONSEQUENCES OF THE VALUATION MODEL WHEN EXPECTATIONS ARE TAKEN TO BE OPTIMUM FORECASTS

Vn(T) -ZD~,+ J=E (1+r) (l+r)T where, taking the assets to be shares, Vn(T) is the value of a share at time n,D*n,i is the expected dividend to be paid per share at time n + j, the expectation being made at time n,P*n,T is the expected price of the share at time n + j, where again the expectation is formed at time n, r is a discount rate, and T is the investor's horizon. The equation thus involves both the expected flow of dividends and the price at which one expects to sell the share at the end of the horizon period. If one further expects future prices to be equal to the expected future value of the share, it is sensible to put
Regulation must be revolutionized

Unjustified and impractical legal requirements are stopping genetically engineered crops from saving millions from starvation and malnutrition, says Ingo Potrykus.
The crowd in the Persian revolution

The Constitutional Revolution of 1905-09 was a major watershed in Persian history. It ended the traditional system of government in which the Shah, as the Shadow of God on Earth, ruled his people without any legal and institutional limitations. And it introduced the constitutional system of government in which "the people" were sovereign, and their elected representatives made and unmade ministers, laws, budgets, concessions and foreign treaties. In this revolution the political crowd played a prominent role.2 An organized procession in April 1905 raised the issue whether the Shah could freely choose his administrators. A larger assembly, nmne months later, initiated the demand to limit the monarch's arbitrary powers by creating a "House of Justice." Spontaneous riots in June 1906, and the killing of demonstrators, poured a stream of blood into the wide gap between the government (dawlat) and the nation (millat). A general strike in July, and the exodus of 15,000 from Tehran into the British Legation, forced the court to grant the country a written constitution with an elected House of Parliament. And mass meetings throughout the next three years, accompanied by demonstrations of force in the streets, helped preserve the constitution from conservatives determined to re-establish royal despotism. As a French contemporary, in discussing the advantages of the anarchist theory of revolution, argued: "Events in Persia prove that the general strike and mass action in the streets can produce a successful revolution."3
Kinetic energy effects in mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry using a sector/quadrupole tandem instrument

Abstract Using a new hybrid (magnet/quadrupole) tandem mass spectrometer the effects of ion kinetic energy and target mass upon energy deposition have been investigated. In the range 1–100 eV, the degree of fragmentation is very sensitive to changes in the translational energy of the parent ion. Comparisons with MS/MS spectra recorded for the same ions (protonated 5-indanol, protonated diethylamine) using other instruments show that less significant changes in spectra occur in the kV energy range. Plots of branching ratios for competitive collision-induced dissociation channels against collision energy (1–100 eV) resemble, qualitatively, breakdown curves displaying ion abundances versus internal energy. In addition, comparisons of the effect of collision energy are made with spectral changes resulting from selection of the scattering angle in kV energy collisions. It is evident that translational energy selection is a counterpart, for spectrometers operating at low translational energy, of angle-resolved mass spectrometry.
The enzymic synthesis of uridine diphosphate L-rhamnose.

Abstract It has been reported that an enzyme preparation from mung bean leaves (Phaseolus aureus) catalyzes the transfer of L-rhamnose from thymidine diphosphate (dTDP) L-rhamnose to 3-quercetin β-D-glucoside to form rutin (3-quercetin O-α-L-rhamnosyl-(1 → 6)-β-D-glucoside) ( Barber and Neufeld, 1961 ; Barber, 1962 ). The physiologic importance of this glycosylation is uncertain, however, since neither the occurrence nor the synthesis of dTDP-L-rhamnose has been demonstrated in plants. A recent observation in this laboratory that chemically synthesized uridine diphosphate (UDP) L-rhamnose functions more effectively than dTDP-L-rhamnose in the rhamnosylation of 3-quercetin β-D-glucoside suggested that the natural donor of L-rhamnose in the mung bean might be the UDP rather than the dTDP derivative of that sugar. Experiments were designed to test this hypothesis in which the system forming rutin was used to trap L-rhamnose produced in intermediate reactions. As a result of this investigation it has been found that a preparation from mung bean leaves catalyzes the conversion of UDP-D-glucose to UDP-L-rhamnose.
Initial Predation of Stocked Fingerling Largemouth Bass in a Texas Reservoir and Implications for Improving Stocking Efficiency

Abstract We assessed the importance of initial predation as a source of mortality of stocked fingerling Florida largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides floridanus (30–46 mm total length). Florida largemouth bass were tagged with coded wire tags and stocked (3,000 fish/site) at six sites in Elm Creek Embayment of O. H. Ivie Reservoir, Texas—the location of an earlier study in which the immediate mortality of stocked fish was found to be highly variable. Stocked fish were eaten by at least five species of predators that varied widely in size. Ninety-three percent of the stocked fish recovered from predator stomachs were consumed by juvenile and adult largemouth bass M. salmoides and smallmouth bass M. dolomieu. Assuming a capture efficiency of 8% for our predator sampling, losses of stocked fish to predation were as high as 27.5% within 12 h of stocking, and losses generally increased with predator density. In comparison, the mortality of stocked fish held in predator-free enclosures was only 3.5% at 84 h pos...
A class of time-varying wavelet transforms

The concept of the time-varying discrete-time wavelet transform is introduced. In the time-varying wavelet transform, the basic tiling of the time-frequency plane stays unchanged and only the properties of the analysis wavelets are changed in time. The authors' primary objective in designing such analysis-synthesis structures is to insure that the transform is invertible at all times. Two design procedures are developed based on the time-varying filter bank design. The first approach uses a time-varying two-band filter bank tree structure, and the second approach is based on parallel nonuniform filter banks. The concept can easily be extended to general tree structures and wavelet packets. >
Impact of location on outcome after penetrating colon injuries.

BACKGROUNDMost studies examining suture line failure after penetrating colon injuries have focused on right- versus left-sided injuries. In our institution, operative decisions (resection plus anastomosis vs. diversion) are based on a defined management algorithm regardless of injury location. The p
Optimization-Based Whole-Body Control of a Series Elastic Humanoid Robot

As whole-body control approaches begin to enter the mainstream of humanoid robotics research, there is a real need to address the challenges and pitfalls encountered in hardware implementations. This paper presents an optimization-based whole-body control framework enabling compliant locomotion on THOR, a 34 degree of freedom humanoid featuring force-controllable series elastic actuators (SEAs). Given desired momentum rates of change, end-effector accelerations, and joint accelerations from a high-level locomotion controller, joint torque setpoints are computed using an efficient quadratic program (QP) formulation designed to solve the floating-base inverse dynamics (ID). Constraints on the centroidal dynamics, frictional contact forces, and joint position/torque limits ensure admissibility of the optimized joint setpoints. The control approach is supported by an electromechanical design that relies on custom linear SEAs and embedded joint controllers to accurately regulate the internal and external force...
Pharmacological stress testing.

Pharmacological stress in conjunction with radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging has become a widely used noninvasive method of assessing patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. In the United States, over one third of perfusion imaging studies are performed with pharmacological stress. Pharmacological stress agents fall into two categories: coronary vasodilating agents such as dipyridamole and adenosine, and cardiac positive inotropic agents such as dobutamine and arbutamine. For both, in the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD), perfusion image abnormalities result from heterogeneity of coronary blood flow reserve. Vasodilating agents work directly on the coronary vessels to increase blood flow, whereas inotropic agents work indirectly by increasing myocardial work load, which then leads to an increase in coronary blood flow. Both classes of agents have high accuracies for diagnosing coronary artery disease, and they have excellent safety records with acceptably low occurrences of side effects. For dipyridamole planar thallium imaging, pooled analysis yields a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 87% for diagnosis of coronary disease, but there is a large variation in reported values depending on various factors, such as the extent of postcatheterization referral bias, the type of imaging (planar versus single photon emission computed tomography [SPECT]), the types of patients being studied (single versus multivessel disease, men versus women), and the imaging agent used (thallium versus one of the technetium-based agents). Diagnostic accuracies for adenosine are similar to those of dipyridamole, with reported overall sensitivities ranging from 83% to 97%, and specificities ranging from 38% to 94%. For dobutamine, pooled analyses yield a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 75%. There is some concern that dobutamine may interfere with uptake of technetium-99m sestamibi, lowering the sensitivity for detection of disease, and thus the vasdodilating agents are generally preferred. Pharmacological stress testing has high clinical use for risk stratifying patients with known or suspected CAD, in patients after myocardial infarction, and in patients needing noncardiac surgery. Vasodilating agents are particularly advantageous in assessing post-myocardial infarction patients, allowing testing as soon as 2 days after the event. Like patients undergoing exercise stress testing, patients with normal perfusion images by pharmacological stress have a
A Bayesian approach to the alignment of mass spectra

Motivation: The need to align spectra to correct for mass-to-charge experimental variation is a problem that arises in mass spectrometry (MS). Most of the MS-based proteomic data analysis methods involve a two-step approach, identify peaks first and then do the alignment and statistical inference on these identified peaks only. However, the peak identification step relies on prior information on the proteins of interest or a peak detection model, which are subject to error. Also numerous additional features such as peak shape and peak width are lost in simple peak detection, and these are informative for correcting mass variation in the alignment step. Results: Here, we present a novel Bayesian approach to align the complete spectra. The approach is based on a parametric model which assumes that the spectrum and alignment function are Gaussian processes, but the alignment function is monotone. We show how to use the expectation–maximization algorithm to find the posterior mode of the set of alignment functions and the mean spectrum for a patient population. After alignment, we conduct tests while controlling for error attributable to multiple comparisons on the level of the peaks identified from the absolute mean spectra difference of two patient populations. Contact: cavanr@biostat.umn.edu
Schools or Neighborhoods or Both? Race and Ethnic Segregation and Educational Attainment

Whites, blacks and Latinos in the United States tend to live in different neighborhoods and attend different schools. Does this segregation influence youth in the long run? This study used longitudinal data from the NELS to see whether neighborhoods’ or schools’ proportion black and/or Latino during the high school years influences educational attainment through age 26. The analyses indicate that concentrations of blacks and Latinos in schools, but not zip code areas, associates with lower attainment in the long run. Students in predominantly black and Latino schools are less likely to earn a high school diploma or equivalent and to earn a bachelor’s degree or more than similar students in predominantly white schools.
Fetal Electrocardiogram Monitoring via an Intrauterine Catheter

Currently, the invasive scalp electrode has proved to be a reliable technique for monitoring fetal status via heart rate (HR) during delivery. However, the scalp electrode has various limitations. These limitations include an inability to obtain fetal electrophysiological information and little flexibility for placing a biosensor on the scalp electrode to monitor maternal contractions from the electromyogram (EMG). A fetal electrocardiogram (FECG) obtained via an intrauterine catheter electrode during delivery has potential to convey fetal HR and electrophysiological information. Furthermore, the intrauterine catheter can be modified to contain a pressure sensor to monitor maternal contractions. The modified catheter would enable fetal HR and electrophysiological information along with contractions to be monitored with one biosensor. Finally, this paper presents clinical data from the intrauterine catheter to determine the feasibility of obtaining a FECG from this approach. The clinical data obtained from the five patients studied indicates that after maternal electrocardiogram (EGG) cancellation, a FECG with a good signal-to-noise ratio can be obtained in an ECG diagnostic bandwidth of 0.05 to 100 Hz. From the diagnostic bandwidth, fetal HR and electrophysiological information can be determined.
Spontaneous Spinal Subdural Hematoma: Case Study

Spinal cord hematomas are remarkably uncommon. Even more rare are spontaneous spinal subdural hematomas without underlying pathological changes. In some patients, compression of the spinal cord by spinal subdural hematoma has led to acute paraplegia. Spontaneous spinal subdural hematomas occur most often in the thoracic spine and are manifested by sudden back pain that radiates to the upper or lower extremities or to the trunk and variable degrees of motor, sensory, and autonomic disturbances. Clinicians should consider spontaneous spinal subdural hematoma when patients who are taking anticoagulants report back or radicular pain and the development of paraparesis, because early diagnosis is essential for preventing irreversible paralysis. Diagnosis of spontaneous spinal subdural hematoma requires prompt radiological assessment; magnetic resonance imaging is the preferred method. Treatment includes emergent decompressive laminectomy and evacuation of the hematoma to prevent or minimize permanent neurological damage caused by spinal cord compression, ischemia, and spinal cord injury.
Probabilistic Voting and Accountability in Elections with Uncertain Policy Constraints

We consider accountability in repeated elections with two long-lived parties that have distinct policy preferences and different levels of valence. In each period the government faces a privately observed feasibility constraint and selects a publicly observed policy vector. While pure strategy equilibria do not exhibit tight control on government policy making, complete control is possible in mixed strategies. In optimal equilibria voters use reelection functions which depend on policy in a manner that causes the governing party to internalize voter preferences. In these optimal equilibria the voters use different reelection functions for different parties.
Demonstration of a multipulse interferometer for quantum kicked-rotor studies

We implemented a multipulse interferometer scheme that allows us to study a quantum kicked rotor by observing dephasing of momentum coherence. Our study shows that momentum coherence can be nearly perfectly preserved under conditions where the mean energy as a function of the kick number is known to increase without bound. The accompanying width narrowing of these coherences may provide a new method for accurate measurement of the recoil frequency.
NanoParticle Tracking Analysis – The Halo™ System

A new technique for nanoparticle sizing that allows visualisation of nanoscale particles in liquids on an individual basis is described. The technology comprises a metallised optical element illuminated by laser beam at the surface of which nanoscale particles in suspension can be directly visualised, sized and counted in real time using only a conventional optical microscope fitted with a low cost camera and a dedicated analytical software package.
Theoretical framework for comparing several popular stochastic optimization approaches

This paper establishes a framework for formal comparisons of several leading optimization algorithms, establishing guidance to practitioners for when to use or not to use a particular method. The focus in this paper are five general algorithm forms: random search, simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation, simulated annealing, evolutionary strategies, and genetic algorithms. We summarize the available theoretical results on rates of convergence for the five algorithm forms and then use the theoretical results to draw some preliminary conclusions on the relative efficiency. Our aim is to sort out some of the competing claims of efficiency and to suggest a structure for comparison that is more general and transferable than the usual problem-specific numerical studies.
The differential effects of oestrogens and progestins on vascular tone

The purpose of this paper is to present reported findings of the effects of ovarian steroids on vascular tone. The medical literature was reviewed for relevant contributions. Oestrogen replacement therapy in postmenopausal women is associated with a reduction in mortality from coronary artery disease. Many different cellular actions have been described which help explain the cardioprotective effects of oestrogens, and among these are effects on vascular tone. Oestrogens induce vasodilation through mechanisms involving the arterial endothelium and through endothelial-independent actions. Progestins have varying effects on arterial tone, including induction of vascular smooth muscle relaxation as well as induction of smooth muscle constriction. The effects of oestrogens and progestins on vascular tone are clinically meaningful. Pathophysiological arterial conditions, including angina pectoris and migraine headaches, have been associated with oestradiol deficiency and improvement has been associated with oestradiol replacement. Women with coronary artery disease show improved arterial vasodilator responses after oestradiol treatment which can be reduced by the addition of progestin treatment. Androgens are also vasoactive. Study of the effects of ovarian hormones on vascular tone has become an important area for basic and clinical research.
Prucalopride for constipation

Importance of the field: Chronic constipation has a high prevalence, and current medical and pharmacological therapies do not restore normal bowel function in all patients.Areas covered in the review: A PubMed search (1965 – 2009) using the following terms alone or in combination: prucalopride, 5-HT4, R093877, safety, toxicity, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, transit, cardiac, hERG, arrhythmia, potassium current, elderly.What the reader will gain: Understanding of the mechanisms of action, safety, efficacy and indications for prucalopride in patients with chronic constipation.Take home message: Prucalopride is an efficacious and generally safe, new therapeutic option in the management of chronic constipation.
A computational model of a PEM fuel cell with finite vapor absorption rate

The paper presents a new computational model of non-steady operation of a PEM fuel cell. The model is based on the macroscopic hydrodynamic approach and assumptions of low humidity operation and one-dimensionality of transport processes. Its novelty and advantage in comparison with similar existing models is that it takes into account the finite-time equilibration between vapor and membrane-phase liquid water within the catalyst layers. The phenomenon is described using an additional parameter with the physical meaning of the typical reciprocal time of the equilibration. A computational parametric study is conducted to identify the effect of the finite-time equilibration on steady-state and transient operation of a PEM fuel cell.
Future approaches to food allergy.

Food allergy affects ∼2% of the general US population, and its prevalence seems to be increasing. Despite the potential for a fatal outcome, no definitive therapies are available for food allergy. This article reviews novel approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of food allergy. Improved diagnostic methods include more precise in vitro and in vivo tests for immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergies, in vitro assays for predicting development of oral tolerance, and novel noninvasive tests for cell-mediated food allergies such as patch testing, cytokine assays, and detection of eosinophil activation markers. Several promising novel immunomodulatory approaches to food allergy are discussed, including monoclonal anti-immunoglobulin E; probiotics; traditional Chinese medicine; and immunotherapy with modified food proteins, peptides, bacterial adjuvants, and immunostimulatory sequences.
Key factors in the successful application of quality function deployment (QFD)

In the product design and development process, quality function deployment (QFD) provides a comprehensive, systematic approach to ensure that new products meet or exceed customer expectations. This paper reports on the results of a survey of more than 400 companies in the United States and Japan using QFD. The objective of the study was to understand the key factors that result in the successful application of QFD. The research questions investigated in this study were developed both inductively from QFD case studies in the United States and Japan and deductively from the literature. Regression analysis estimates the effects of organizational characteristics, data sources, and QFD tools and techniques on QFD improvements in the product and process. The results show that QFD is most likely to have a positive impact when there is management support for QFD and new customer data specifically collected for the QFD study are used. The benefits of QFD are independent of the tools and techniques used as part of the QFD study.
Levels and correlates of LDL and VLDL particle sizes among children: the Bogalusa heart study

Levels of lipids and lipoproteins among children vary by sex and race/ethnicity, and are correlated with age, obesity, and other characteristics. There is, however, little information on the distribution and correlates of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) subclasses in early life. We used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to determine mean LDL and VLDL particle sizes among 10- to 17-year-olds (n=918) who participated in the 1992-94 examination of the Bogalusa heart study. As compared with girls, boys had a smaller (0.1 nm) mean LDL particle size and a larger (0.9 nm) mean VLDL size; furthermore, the average size of VLDL particles increased with age among white boys but not among other children. Although there were also black/white differences in particle sizes, with black children having larger LDL and smaller VLDL particles, these racial contrasts could be attributed to differences in lipid levels. Levels of triglycerides, insulin, and relative weight were associated with the size of VLDL (positive) and LDL (negative) particles. These results suggest that the analysis of lipoprotein subclasses may provide a better understanding of the role of various risk factors in the development of coronary heart disease
Tissue Culture of Cassava on Chemically Defined Media

Defined media that promote the initiation and undifferentiated growth of callus derived from stem explants of four cultivars of cassava, Manihot esculenta Crantz, are described. Growth rates and yields of cassava callus after 4 weeks of culture are shown to be comparable to those of callus of Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Wisconsin No. 38. Nitrogen sources of ammonium nitrate or of ammonium chloride plus succinate supported growth of all four cultivars. Sucrose was superior to glucose as a carbon source. The cassava cultivars differed in their response to increasing concentrations of sucrose between 0.5% (w/v) and 3%, two of them increasing in dry matter with increasing sucrose concentrations of up to 3%. When cultured in the light on defined media that contained higher ratios of cytokinin to auxin, callus of the latter two cultivars turned green. Roots but not shoots differentiated from the callus of all cultivars. The influence of hormone concentrations, sucrose level, and nitrogen source on greening and root formation is summarized.
A Theoretical Validation of the Substrate Depletion Approach to Determining Kinetic Parameters

The substrate depletion approach is an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional method (observing product formation) of determining the kinetic parameters (KM and Vmax) of an enzyme. Obach and Reed-Hagen (Drug Metab Dispos 30:831-837, 2002) used an empirical relationship between substrate depletion rate constants and initial substrate concentration to determine kinetic parameters for a number of cytochrome P450-catalyzed reactions. We present a proof that this relationship can be derived from the Michaelis-Menten equation and, therefore, that kinetic parameters obtained by the substrate depletion approach are equivalent and comparable to those obtained by the traditional product formation approach. Analysis of a simulated data set produced similar kinetic parameters regardless of which approach was used, confirming the theoretical result.
Multidimensional Cooley-Tukey Algorithms Revisited

The representation theory of Abelian groups is used to obtain an algebraic divide-and-conquer algorithm for computing the finite Fourier transform. The algorithm computes the Fourier transform of a finite Abelian group in terms of the Fourier transforms of an arbitrary subgroup and its quotient. From this algebraic algorithm a procedure is derived for obtaining concrete factorizations of the Fourier transform matrix in terms of smaller Fourier transform matrices, diagonal multiplications, and permutations. For cyclic groups this gives as special cases the Cooley?Tukey and Good?Thomas algorithms. For groups with several generators, the procedure gives a variety of multidimensional Cooley?Tukey type algorithms. This method of designing multidimensional fast Fourier transform algorithms gives different data flow patterns from the standard “row?column” approaches. We present some experimental evidence that suggests that in hierarchical memory environments these data flows are more efficient.