cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of Acute Exacerbation of Severe Congestive Heart Failure: Quality of Life, Resource Use, and Survival

Background Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a common disease with high health care costs and high mortality rates. Knowledge of the health-related quality of life outcomes of CHF may guide decision making and be useful in assessing new therapies for this population. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted involving 1390 adult patients hospitalized with an acute exacerbation of severe CHF (New York Heart Association class III-IV). Demographic data and health-related quality of life were determined by interview; physiologic status and cost and intensity of care were determined from hospital charts. Results The median (25th, 75th percentiles) age of patients was 68.0 (58.2, 76.9) years; 61.7% were male. Survival was 93.4% at discharge from the index hospitalization, 72.9% at 180 days, and 61.5% at 1 year. Of patients interviewed at 180 days, the median health rating on a scale of 0 to 100 (0 indicates death; 100, excellent health) was 60 (interquartile range, 50-80), and 59.7% were independent in their activities of daily living. Overall quality of life was reported to be good, very good, or excellent in 58.2% at 180 days. Patients with worse functional capacity were more likely to die. Health perceptions among the patients with available interview data improved at 60 and 180 days after acute exacerbation of severe CHF. Conclusions Patients hospitalized for acute exacerbation of severe CHF have a generally poor 6-month survival, but survivors retain relatively good functional status and have good health perceptions. Furthermore, health perceptions improve after the acute exacerbation.
Flow tube kinetics investigation of the mechanism of detection in the sulfur chemiluminescence detector.

Rate constants and their temperature dependencies were measured for the chemiluminescent reaction of ozone with the flame and furnace effluents of two commercially available sulfur detectors, the Sulfur Chemiluminescence detector (registered trademark of Sievers Instruments, Inc.) and the Chemiluminescent Sulfur Detector (registered trademark of Antek Instruments, Inc.). The absolute rate constants and activation energies agreed within experimental error with the well-established values for the SO + O3 reaction in all detector configurations. When ozone was present in the reaction zone, the reaction of the furnace effluent with NO2 also was in good agreement with the rate constant for the SO + NO2 reaction. However, when ozone was not present in the reaction zone, little or no reaction occurred with NO2. These results imply that an unknown sulfur species, X, is formed in the combustion zone and/or transfer line of the instrument and converted to SO upon reaction with ozone in the chemiluminescence detecti...
Characterization of basal pseudopod-like processes in ileal and colonic PYY cells

The peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) is produced and secreted from L cells of the gastrointestinal mucosa. To study the anatomy and function of PYY-secreting L cells, we developed a transgenic PYY-green fluorescent protein mouse model. PYY-containing cells exhibited green fluorescence under UV light and were immunoreactive to antibodies against PYY and GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1, an incretin hormone also secreted by L cells). PYY-GFP cells from 15 μm thick sections were imaged using confocal laser scanning microscopy and three-dimensionally (3D) reconstructed. Results revealed unique details of the anatomical differences between ileal and colonic PYY-GFP cells. In ileal villi, the apical portion of PYY cells makes minimal contact with the lumen of the gut. Long pseudopod-like basal processes extend from these cells and form an interface between the mucosal epithelium and the lamina propria. Some basal processes are up to 50 μm in length. Multiple processes can be seen protruding from one cell and these often have a terminus resembling a synapse that appears to interact with neighboring cells. In colonic crypts, PYY-GFP cells adopt a spindle-like shape and weave in between epithelial cells, while maintaining contact with the lumen and lamina propria. In both tissues, cytoplasmic granules containing the hormones PYY and GLP-1 are confined to the base of the cell, often filling the basal process. The anatomical arrangement of these structures suggests a dual function as a dock for receptors to survey absorbed nutrients and as a launching platform for hormone secretion in a paracrine fashion.
Molecular photoionization using the complex Kohn variational method

We have applied the complex Kohn variational method to the study of molecular-photoionization processes. This requires electron-ion scattering calculations enforcing incoming boundary conditions. The sensitivity of these results to the choice of the cutoff function in the Kohn method has been studied and we have demonstrated that a simple matching of the irregular function to a linear combination of regular functions produces accurate scattering phase shifts.
Variational h‐adaption in finite deformation elasticity and plasticity

We ropose a variational h-adaption strategy in which the evolution of the mesh is driven directly by the governing minimum principle. This minimum principle is the principle of minimum potential energy in the case of elastostatics; and a minimum principle for the incremental static problem of elasto-viscoplasticity. In particular, the mesh is refined locally when the resulting energy or incremental pseudo-energy released exceeds a certain threshold value. In order to avoid global recomputes, we estimate the local energy released by mesh refinement by means of a lower bound obtained by relaxing a local patch of elements. This bound can be computed locally, which reduces the complexity of the refinement algorithm to O(N). We also demonstrate how variational h-refinement can be combined with variational r-refinement to obtain a variational hr-refinement algorithm. Because of the strict variational nature of the h-refinement algorithm, the resulting meshes are anisotropic and outperform other refinement strategies based on aspect ratio or other purely geometrical measures of mesh quality. The versatility and rate of convergence of the resulting approach are illustrated by means of selected numerical examples. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Theoretical Limitations for TM Surface Wave Attenuation by Lossy Coatings on Conducting Surfaces

In this work, we theoretically analyze the limitations for TM surface wave attenuation on lossy coated conducting surfaces containing electric and/or magnetic loss. We use both an analytical approach as well as numerical simulations, and find excellent agreement between them. We also find that the loss can be described by a simple approximate expression for a wide range of material properties. Furthermore, we analyze lossy slabs with simple equivalent circuit boundaries on top, such as may be provided by frequency selective surfaces or other patterned structures. We find that such composite lossy coating can exceed the attenuation of a simple lossy slab, but with limited bandwidth. We also find that only by increasing permeability, and not permittivity, can the peak absorption frequency be lowered for a given thickness without reducing the relative absorption bandwidth.
Increased α1-Adrenergic Activity in the Rat Bladder by Depletion of Ovarian Hormones

Purpose: It is possible that postmenopausal loss of ovarian hormones leads to sensitization and/or over expression of α1-adrenergic receptors. The objective of this study was to determine whether ovariectomy enhances efferent transmission and, hence, increases contractility in the rat bladder by increasing α1-adrenergic receptors.Materials and Methods: This hypothesis was tested in 4 urethane anesthetized groups of female rats, including regularly cycling rats in metestrus and proestrus, and rats 4 months after ovariectomy with and without estradiol replacement, respectively. The bladder was catheterized through the urethra to measure intravesical pressure. The left femoral artery was also catheterized for local delivery of the nonspecific α1-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine, the α1-adrenergic antagonist prazosin, the specific α1A antagonist 5-methylurapidil or dimethyl sulfoxide (Sigma®) in saline vehicle. In some rats bladder contractility was assessed by cystometry, followed by treatment with phenyleph...
Comparison of two next-generation sequencing technologies for resolving highly complex microbiota composition using tandem variable 16S rRNA gene regions

High-throughput molecular technologies can profile microbial communities at high resolution even in complex environments like the intestinal microbiota. Recent improvements in next-generation sequencing technologies allow for even finer resolution. We compared phylogenetic profiling of both longer (454 Titanium) sequence reads with shorter, but more numerous, paired-end reads (Illumina). For both approaches, we targeted six tandem combinations of 16S rRNA gene variable regions, in microbial DNA extracted from a human faecal sample, in order to investigate their limitations and potentials. In silico evaluations predicted that the V3/V4 and V4/V5 regions would provide the highest classification accuracies for both technologies. However, experimental sequencing of the V3/V4 region revealed significant amplification bias compared to the other regions, emphasising the necessity for experimental validation of primer pairs. The latest developments of 454 and Illumina technologies offered higher resolution compared to their previous versions, and showed relative consistency with each other. However, the majority of the Illumina reads could not be classified down to genus level due to their shorter length and higher error rates beyond 60 nt. Nonetheless, with improved quality and longer reads, the far greater coverage of Illumina promises unparalleled insights into highly diverse and complex environments such as the human gut.
Routing algorithms based on shortest paths

This talk is an overview of adaptive quasistatic routing algorithms for communication network that are based on shortest path computations. We first consider single path algorithms such as the one currently operating on the ARPANET and highlights their advantages and inherent limitations. We then focus on an algorithm that allows multipath routing. During the algorithm each node maintains a list of paths along which it sends traffic to each destination together with a list of fractions of total traffic that are sent along these paths. At each iteration a minimum marginal delay path to each destination is computed and added to the current list if not already there. Simultaneously the corresponding fractions are updated in a way that reduces average delay per message. The algorithm is capable of employing second derivates of link delay functions thereby providing automatic scaling with respect to traffic input level. It can be implemented in both a distributed and centralized manner, and it can be shown to converge to an optimal routing at a linear rate.
Evaluating climate field reconstruction techniques using improved emulations of real-world conditions

Abstract. Pseudoproxy experiments (PPEs) have become an important framework for evaluating paleoclimate reconstruction methods. Most existing PPE studies assume constant proxy availability through time and uniform proxy quality across the pseudoproxy network. Real multiproxy networks are, however, marked by pronounced disparities in proxy quality, and a steep decline in proxy availability back in time, either of which may have large effects on reconstruction skill. A suite of PPEs constructed from a millennium-length general circulation model (GCM) simulation is thus designed to mimic these various real-world characteristics. The new pseudoproxy network is used to evaluate four climate field reconstruction (CFR) techniques: truncated total least squares embedded within the regularized EM (expectation-maximization) algorithm (RegEM-TTLS), the Mann et al. (2009) implementation of RegEM-TTLS (M09), canonical correlation analysis (CCA), and Gaussian graphical models embedded within RegEM (GraphEM). Each method's risk properties are also assessed via a 100-member noise ensemble. Contrary to expectation, it is found that reconstruction skill does not vary monotonically with proxy availability, but also is a function of the type and amplitude of climate variability (forced events vs. internal variability). The use of realistic spatiotemporal pseudoproxy characteristics also exposes large inter-method differences. Despite the comparable fidelity in reconstructing the global mean temperature, spatial skill varies considerably between CFR techniques. Both GraphEM and CCA efficiently exploit teleconnections, and produce consistent reconstructions across the ensemble. RegEM-TTLS and M09 appear advantageous for reconstructions on highly noisy data, but are subject to larger stochastic variations across different realizations of pseudoproxy noise. Results collectively highlight the importance of designing realistic pseudoproxy networks and implementing multiple noise realizations of PPEs. The results also underscore the difficulty in finding the proper bias-variance tradeoff for jointly optimizing the spatial skill of CFRs and the fidelity of the global mean reconstructions.
Barriers to cadaveric renal transplantation among blacks, women, and the poor.

Context.—Cadaveric renal transplantation rates differ greatly by race, sex, and income. Previous efforts to lessen these differences have focused on the transplant waiting list. However, the transplantation process involves a series of steps related to medical suitability, interest in transplantation, pretransplant workup, and movement up a waiting list to eventual transplantation.Objective.—To determine the relative importance of each step in explaining differences in cadaveric renal transplantation rates.Design.—Prospective cohort study.Setting and Patients.—A total of 7125 patients beginning long-term dialysis between January 1993 and December 1996 in Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio.Main Outcome Measures.—Completion of 4 separate steps during each patient-year of follow-up: (A) being medically suitable and possibly interested in transplantation; (B) being definitely interested in transplantation; (C) completing the pretransplant workup; and (D) moving up a waiting list and receiving a transplant.Results.—Compared with whites, blacks were less likely to complete steps B (odds ratio [OR], 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61-0.76), C (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.48-0.65), and D (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.40-0.62) after adjustment for age, sex, cause of renal failure, years receiving dialysis, and median income of patient ZIP code. Compared with men, women were less likely to complete each of the 4 steps, with ORs of 0.90, 0.89, 0.80, and 0.82, respectively. Poor individuals were less likely than wealthy individuals to complete steps A, B, and C, with ORs of 0.67, 0.78, and 0.77, respectively.Conclusions.—Barriers at several steps are responsible for sociodemographic differences in access to cadaveric renal transplantation. Efforts to allocate kidneys equitably must address each step of the transplant process.
Performance Criteria for Current-Limiting Power Fuses - II

THIS PAPER is part of an analytical study conducted for the purpose of establishing a sound fundamental interpretation of observed performance characteristics of high interrupting-capacity power fuses of the current-limiting type. Some of the more important conclusions, which have been verified by a study of test performance, are presented and discussed in the foregoing part of this paper by C. L. Schuck. In another sense this paper is an application of the analytical methods developed in the two papers on “Geometry of Arc Interruption.”15,16 This application to fuse performance is particularly fitting since the interval from the inception of a short circuit until the arc voltage of the fuse is introduced, may be predetermined quite accurately from the melting characteristics of the fuse. Conductor heating and energy equations are presented for the first time which include all the essential variables to predetermine the arc energy to be developed by the interrupter for various magnitudes of arc voltage, degrees of circuit asymmetry, and melting times of the fuse.
Novel optical fibers for WDM transmission and dispersion management

For transmission fiber designs, dispersion needs to be controlled to a certain level and at the same time the larger the effective area the better. LEAF/sup R/ optical fiber is the first large effective area fiber with optimized non-zero dispersion. Large amounts of this fiber are being deployed all over the world. We will discuss the design tradeoffs and system performance using these fiber designs. We also will illustrate how different fibers can provide flexibility in network design and maximize network upgradeability for both terrestrial and submarine systems.
Postmodern Liberalism and the Expressive Function of Law

In 1992, the city of Boulder, Colorado, passed an ordinance forbidding discrimination against homosexuals in employment and housing. Two years later, voters in the state of Colorado passed a constitutional amendment forbidding the passage of local ordinances prohibiting this form of discrimination. The constitutional amendment did not mandate discrimination against homosexuals; it merely nullified ordinances such as Boulder's. The amendment was later struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court as unconstitutional.
Fixation and staining of the bacterial nucleus.

An examination of some early methods in bacterial cytology shows that technics for demonstrating the nucleus of the Eubacteriales were available for at least twenty years before the current era of investigation, which began in 1942. Although the bacterial nucleus reacts in many respects like the chromatin elements of higher plants, it shows certain peculiarities in its staining reactions. For example, hematoxylin, methyl green, and several preparations used to stain chromosomes, apparently do not exhibit the same affinity for the bacterial nucleus that they do for chromosomes in higher plants. Not only is the selection of a fixative important in nuclear studies, but also the manner in which the fixation is obtained. For example, when bacteria are fixed and processed in a completely wet state it is generally impossible to stain their nuclei. None of the special fixatives studied revealed any unusual organization in the bacterial cell or exhibited any advantage over the fixatives now in common use by bacter...
Preparing for Program Accreditation Review Under ABET Engineering Criteria 2000: Creating a Database of Outcomes and Outcome Indicators for a Variety of Engineering Programs

ABET Engineering Criteria 2000 require a selection of outcomes and outcome indicators for each educational objective adopted by an engineering program. This paper describes a database created using Microsoft Access 97 © linking choices of program outcomes and choices of program outcome indicators for all of the accredited engineering programs in an academic institution. With this database, benchmarking searches can be conducted by type of engineering program, by choice of outcome, or by choice of outcome indicator. Several example searches are presented using data describing the engineering programs at Clemson University. A web-site address is given where copies of the Clemson database can be downloaded.
Patient Practitioner Interaction: An Experiential Manual for Developing the Art of Health Care, ed 4

Davis CM. Thorofare, NJ 08086, Slack Inc, 2006, paperback, 304 pp, illus, ISBN: 1-55642-720-4, $42.95. The first edition of this book was published in 1988 as an attempt to fill a void in many health care curricula: the teaching of professional roles beyond hands-on care. Professionalism is now a standard element in health care curricula, but anyone who has tried to teach professionalism knows that it is easier said than done. Hence, there is a continuing need for this book. This fourth edition has expanded and evolved, but remains true to its original goal—guiding students toward developing the “art of health care.” This includes learning about ethics, values, and communication and acknowledging the emotional needs of patients. This book is clearly geared to beginning students with limited experience in patient interaction. Written in …
Nisentil (1,3,dimethyl-4-phenyl-4 propionoxy piperidine): a new supplement for nitrous oxide-oxygen, thiopentone (pentothal sodium) anaesthesia.

THE pharmacological approach to general has been used most widely for this purpose anaesthesia should be based upon the selective activity and controllability of the agents used. Such a method will allow the anaesthetist to avoid unnecessary depression of vital mechanisms and will enable (Mushin and Rendell-Baker, 1949; Brotman, Cullen and Wilkins, 1950; Cullen, 1950; Neff, Mayer and Thompson, 1950). Nisentil, 1, 3, dimethyl-4-phenyl-4 him to regulate the duration and degree of propionoxy piperidine, was first syntheanaesthesia to suit the needs of the operasized by Lee in 1947 (Ziering and Lee, tion. For muscular relaxation, this degree 1947) and is structurally similar to pethiof controllability has already been met by dine (see figure 1). the use of suxamethonium in continuous intravenous drip (Foldes, Machaj, Hunt and McNall, 1952; Foldes, McNall and Borrego-Hinojosa, 1952). The idea of combining various anaesthetic agents was first suggested by Crile and Lower (1914) and Lundy (1926). In recent years, various analgesic agents have been used in repeated small intravenous doses to supF io plement nitrous oxide-oxygen, thiopentone anaesthesia (Neff, Mayer and de la Luz N I CH..HCI NISENTIL CH,.HCI PETHIDINE
Reduced tumorigenicity of murine tumor cells secreting γ-interferon is due to nonspecific host responses and is unrelated to class I major histocompatibility complex expression

Abstract Spontaneous SP1 murine adenocarcinoma cells transfected with the murine γ-interferon (IFN-γ) gene expressed IFN-γ (SP1/IFN-γ) failed to grow in syngeneic hosts and grew in nude mice. The rejection of SP1/IFN-γ cells was related to the amount of IFN-γ produced and appeared to be mediated primarily by nonspecific cellular mechanisms, although some role for T-cells in the afferent arm of this response is possible. SP1 cells are H2-K k negative but express class I antigens when producing IFN-γ. However, class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) expression, while likely necessary, was insufficient in itself to prevent tumor growth since secretion of >64 units/ml IFN-γ was needed to inhibit tumorigenicity while only 8 units/ml IFN-γ could induce class I antigens. Similar results were obtained with the murine colon carcinoma CT-26, a tumor that constitutively expresses class I MHC antigens, further supporting the contention that class I MHC expression is not essential for the rejection response induced by IFN-γ. The failure of SP1/IFN-γ cells to protect against a challenge with parent SP1 cells argues that factors other than IFN-γ production or class I MHC expression are needed to induce a protective response against weakly or nonimmunogenic tumor cells.
Differentiation of alcoholic from brain-damaged patients by the Psychiatric-Organic (P-O) special scale of the MMPI.

The value of the Psychiatric-Organic (P-O) special scale of the MMPI for the separation of the alcoholic from brain-damaged patients was investigated. A sample of 55 males containing 30 braindamaged patients and 25 alcoholic patients, was administered the MMPI. Statistical analysis yielded significant difference. Clinical implications of the results are discussed.
On the rotation of porous ellipsoids in simple shear flows

We study theoretically the dynamics of porous ellipsoids rotating in simple shear flows. We use the Brinkman–Debye–Bueche (BDB) model to simulate flow within and through particles and solve the coupled Stokes–BDB equations to calculate the overall flow field and the rotation rate of porous ellipsoids. Our results show that the permeability has little effect on the rotational behaviour of particles, and that Jeffery’s prediction of the angular velocity of impermeable ellipsoids in simple shear flows (Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A, vol. 102, 1922, pp. 161–179) remains an excellent approximation, if not an exact one, for porous ellipsoids. Employing an appropriate scaling, we also present approximate expressions for the torque exerted on ellipses and spheroids rotating in a quiescent fluid. Our findings can serve as the basis for developing a suspension theory for non-spherical porous particles, or for understanding the orientational diffusion of permeable ellipses and spheroids.
Precision Battery Management System

The paper presents a new battery management system for a lithium ion battery pack for more efficient operation and sturdy. The new system contains an embedded microcontroller to track the energy content of cell battery, optimize the output current, and to provide extensive feedback of all the measurements taken. This system sends all data to a telemetry system so that the data can be relayed to a laptop via wireless signal. Two unique advance features of the BMS are its ability to optimize the battery pack energy and also to provide cell equalization. Since the BMS is used in an electric vehicle, very low power consumption is essential
Providing Dynamic Control to Passive Network Security Monitoring

Passive network intrusion detection systems detect a wide range of attacks, yet by themselves lack the capability to actively respond to what they find. Some sites thus provide their IDS with a separate control channel back to the network, typically by enabling it to dynamically insert ACLs into a gateway router for blocking IP addresses. Such setups, however, tend to remain narrowly tailored to the site's specifics, with little opportunity for reuse elsewhere, as different networks deploy a wide array of hard- and software and differ in their network topologies. To overcome the shortcomings of such ad-hoc approaches, we present a novel network control framework that provides passive network monitoring systems with a flexible, unified interface for active response, hiding the complexity of heterogeneous network equipment behind a simple task-oriented API. Targeting operational deployment in large-scale network environments, we implement the design of our framework on top of an existing open-source IDS. We provide exemplary backends, including an interface to OpenFlow hardware, and evaluate our approach in terms of functionality and performance.
Some Experineces of the Direct Approach to Spinal Tuberculosis

The radical operation by direct approach was made to 15 cases of spinal tuberculosis. 9 menand 6 women completed the study. Their age ranged from 17 to 73 years and the highest frequency appeared in 40 to 50 years old. The number of patients with diseased portion of cervical vertebrae was 2 cases, that of thoracic vertebrae 3, thoraco-lumbar transition 1, lumbar vertebrae 4 and lumbo-sacral parts 5 respectively. 2 cases with complication of spinal paralysis had the diseased portion of thoracic vertebrae.As a general rule, we did the spinal fusion after a meticulous debridement of the diseased portion and the transplantation of long and large bone fragment. Patients were allowed to get up and sit down about 3 months after the operation and to discliorge about six months after and to resume their regular work one year after.
A Low Permittivity Composite Substrate

エポキシ樹脂と微小中空球体を組み合わせて新規な複合基板を作った。中空球はマトリクス樹脂に比して比重が小さいので分離しやすく, これを防ぐために鉛直状態で樹脂を硬化させる方法を採用した。その結果, フィラーである中空球は基板の面内, 厚み方向とも均一に分散していることが分かった。基板の誘電率はテフロン/ガラス基板と同等の値を持ち, その他の一般性能もプリント配線板用としての性能を満たし実用に供しうる可能性を見い出した。
A Review of infrared spectroscopic studies of vapor-deposited dielectric glass films on silicon

Vibrational studies of a variety of thin dielectric glass films relevant to the silicon technology are reviewed. Attention is focused on those results and structural infor-mation obtained by direct transmission of materials vapor-deposited on single-crystal silicon substrates in the infra-red region 250 to 4000 cm-1. In particular, the structure and bonding in some simple CVD binary silicate films are discussed in some detail in light of the recent vibrational analyses performed on the borosilicate and phosphosilicate systems.
Relation of CD4~+T lymphocyte phenotype and ill state in multiple sclerosis

Objective To investigate the change of CCR7 and CD45RA in myelin-reactive CD4+T lymphocyte,and its relation with multiple sclerosis(MS).Methods CD4+T lymphocytes were isolated from 15 activated MS,15 INF-β-1b treated MS and 15 healthy controls by positive selection method with anti-CD4-coated magnetic beads,and the change of CCR7 and CD45RA in myelin-reactive CD4+T lymphocytes was detected by flow cytometry analysis.Results The most part of CD4+T lymphocyte phenotype in activated MS was CCR7-CD45RA-T cell,(49.5±2.2) % vs(30.6±4.0) %(P0.01) and the percentage was increased by myelin antigen stimulating,(59.9±4.3) % vs(42.5±3.4) %(P0.01),whereas the percentage of CCR7+CD45RA+T cell was decreased(8.8±2.3) % vs(29.5±3.7) %(P0.01).CCR7-CD45RA-was correlated with expanded disability status scale(EDSS) score(Rs=0.730,P0.05) in the perpherial blood of activated MS.Conclusion There is strong correlation between Tem phenotype and severity of MS,which may suggest CD4+CCR7-CD45RA-Tem phenotype as the marker to diagnosing MS and estimating the ill state.
Dehydrocyclization of peripheral alkyl groups in porphyrins at Cu(100) and Ag(111) surfaces

Abstract The self-assembly of organic and metal-organic species at metal surfaces is a topic of high interest for applications that can benefit from tunable surface functionalization through organic building block design. As the complexity of molecular building blocks increases to direct ordering and function, thermal stability of the adsorbate often increases opening up new surface-catalyzed reaction pathways. We report dehydrocyclization of octaethylporphyrin to tetrabenzoporphyrin on the Cu(100) and Ag(111) surfaces at 500–600 K. Dehydrocyclization of smaller species is not typically observed on these surfaces at low pressure due to short adsorption lifetimes. The dehydrocyclization of peripheral ethyl groups forms benzo groups which then undergo additional dehydrogenation. The reaction products are characterized by high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS), scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). These results extend our understanding of reaction pathways that may be encountered as molecular building blocks increase in size and complexity on relatively inert surfaces.
III. Costs of Equivalence Relations and Groups

14. Preliminaries 15. Countable Borel Equivalence Relations 16. More on Invariant Measures 17. Graphings of Equivalence Relations 18. Cost of an Equivalence Relation 19. Treeings of an Equivalence Relation 20. The Cost of a Smooth Equivalence Relation 21. The Cost of a Complete Section 22. Cost and Hyperfiniteness 23. Joins 24. Commuting Equivalence Relations 25. Subequivalence Relations of Finite Index 26. Cheap Equivalence Relations 27. Free and Amalgamated Joins 28. Costs and Free Actions 29. Cost of a Group 30. Treeable Groups 31. Cost and Amenable Groups 32. Generating Subgroups 33. Products 34. Subgroups of Finite Index 35. Cheap Groups 36. Free and Amalgamated Products 37. HNN-extensions 38. A List of Open Problems
Predation risk between cannibalistic aeshnid dragonflies influences their functional response on a larval salamander prey

In size-structured populations of predators, the threat of cannibalism can influence behavior of prey that are attempting to avoid predation by larger conspecifics, including reducing their foraging rates. Such behavioral responses subsequently release basal prey of both cannibal and non-cannibal predators from predation risk. However, whether the non-consumptive effects of cannibalism on conspecific predators varies with basal heterospecific prey density is relatively unexplored. I conducted a laboratory study in plastic containers to test whether cannibalism risk influenced the functional response of dragonflies while foraging on three different densities of larval salamander prey. Dragonfly predators foraged with a Type II functional response, and when exposed to cannibalism cues, per capita feeding rates were lower at high prey densities. Salamander prey mortality rates declined with increasing prey densities, but the presence of cannibalism risk did not influence this pattern. Overall, this study shows that functional response curves of predators can vary in response to whether cannibalism risk is present in their environment across a small range of prey densities. Incorporating synergistic effects of multiple processes, such as non-consumptive risk factors and prey density, may help further elucidate the processes that structure both predator and prey population dynamics.
„Habitus“ und „kulturelle Passung“

Differente und auch widerstreitende theoretische Annahmen und Modelle gehoren zum Geschaft der Wissenschaft dazu wie die leidenschaftlich-diffuse – also durch die ganze Person eines Wissenschaftlers erfolgende – Parteinahme fur einen jeweiligen theoretischen Ansatz. Darin – in der „vollstandige[n], ausschliesliche[n] Hingabe an die Sache“ – zeigt sich nach Oevermann (1996, S. 105) gerade ein Moment der Professionalisiertheit des Berufswissenschaftlers. Allerdings ist diese engagierte Parteinahme nur eine Seite der Medaille, denn es braucht auch das Vermogen der Distanzierung und spezifischen Begrenzung dieses diffusen Bezuges auf eine Sache.
Active surveillance for low-risk localized prostate cancer: what do men and their partners think?

Background Active surveillance (AS) is recognized as a reasonable treatment option for low-risk localized prostate cancer (LPC) but continues to be chosen by a minority of men. To date, limited data are available regarding reasons why men with low-risk LPC adopt AS. Purpose The aim of this study is to better understand conceptualizations, experiences and reasons why men with low-risk LPC and their partners adopt AS. Methods We conducted five focus groups (FGs), three among men with low-risk LPC who had chosen AS and two with their partners. FGs were video/audio recorded, transcribed and analysed using qualitative thematic analysis. Results A total of 12 men and 6 partners (all women) participated in FG discussions. The most common reasons for choosing AS were seeing the LPC as 'small' or 'low grade' without need for immediate treatment and trusting their physician's AS recommendation. The most common concerns about AS were perceived unreliability of prostate specific antigen, pain associated with prostate biopsies and potential cancer progression. Partners saw themselves as very involved in their husbands' treatment decision-making process, more than men acknowledged them to be. Multiple terms including 'watchful waiting' were used interchangeably with AS. There appeared to be a lack of understanding that AS is not simply 'doing nothing' but is actually a recognized management option for low-risk LPC. Conclusions Emphasizing the low risk of a man's LPC and enhancing physician trust may increase acceptability of AS. Standardizing terminology and presenting AS as a reasonable and recognized management option may also help increase its adoption.
Immunology of Surface Fungi Dermatophytes

The majority of cutaneous fungus infections in man are caused by a group of filamentous fungi known as dermatophytes. These fungi, species belonging to the genera Epidermophyton, Microsporum, and Trichophyton, usually infect only the nonliving superficial keratinized layers of skin, hair, and nails. Although they have occasionally been isolated from the bloodstream, they rarely have been reported to cause systemic disease.
Insights into the Mechanisms by Which Clostridial Neurotoxins Discriminate between Gangliosides.

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) and tetanus neurotoxin (TeNT) are the causative agents of the paralytic diseases botulism and tetanus, respectively. Entry of toxins into neurons is mediated through initial interactions with gangliosides, followed by binding to a protein co-receptor. Herein, we aimed to understand the mechanism through which individual neurotoxins recognize the carbohydrate motif of gangliosides. Using cell-based and in vitro binding assays, in conjunction with structure-driven site-directed mutagenesis, a conserved hydrophobic residue within the BoNTs that contributes to both affinity and specificity toward Sia5-containing gangliosides was identified. We demonstrate that targeted mutations within the Sia5 binding pocket result in the generation of neurotoxins that either bind and enter cells more efficiently (BoNT/A1 and BoNT/B) or display altered ganglioside binding specificity (TeNT). These data support a model in which recognition of Sia5 is largely driven by hydrophobic interactions bet...
Dynamic acousto-elastic testing of concrete with a coda-wave probe: comparison with standard linear and nonlinear ultrasonic techniques

The use of nonlinear acoustic techniques in solids consists in measuring wave distortion arising from compliant features such as cracks, soft intergrain bonds and dislocations. As such, they provide very powerful nondestructive tools to monitor the onset of damage within materials. In particular, a recent technique called dynamic acousto-elasticity testing (DAET) gives unprecedented details on the nonlinear elastic response of materials (classical and non-classical nonlinear features including hysteresis, transient elastic softening and slow relaxation). Here, we provide a comprehensive set of linear and nonlinear acoustic responses on two prismatic concrete specimens; one intact and one pre-compressed to about 70% of its ultimate strength. The two linear techniques used are Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) and Resonance Ultrasound Spectroscopy (RUS), while the nonlinear ones include DAET (fast and slow dynamics) as well as Nonlinear Resonance Ultrasound Spectroscopy (NRUS). In addition, the DAET results correspond to a configuration where the (incoherent) coda portion of the ultrasonic record is used to probe the samples, as opposed to a (coherent) first arrival wave in standard DAET tests. We find that the two visually identical specimens are indistinguishable based on parameters measured by linear techniques (UPV and RUS). On the contrary, the extracted nonlinear parameters from NRUS and DAET are consistent and orders of magnitude greater for the damaged specimen than those for the intact one. This compiled set of linear and nonlinear ultrasonic testing data including the most advanced technique (DAET) provides a benchmark comparison for their use in the field of material characterization.
Elevated Alkaline Phosphatase in a Cancer Patient: Think You Know the Source?

A 45-year-old male with recurrent metastatic Ewing sarcoma presented to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for potential enrollment in a clinical trial. Initial laboratory results were notable for increased alkaline phosphatase levels [(ALP2, 495 U/L; (reference interval: 33–97 U/L); Abbott Architect C8000] and γ-glutamyl transferase levels [GGT, 393 U/L (reference interval: 0–73 U/L); Abbott Architect C8000] but were otherwise unremarkable, including normal levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT). Elevations in ALP and GGT levels suggested liver disease, although the patient had no previous history of liver abnormalities. Given the patient's history of metastatic bone disease, it was suspected that the observed elevation in ALP was due to increased bone ALP isoenzyme. However, it was important to document the origin of the increased ALP as the patient was to be enrolled in an investigational trial that would define drug dosage and side effects. Elevations in ALP over the course of the trial that were attributable to liver-specific isoenzymes would be reported as a dose-limiting toxicity and could delay treatment or potentially exclude the patient from the clinical trial. Conversely, elevations in ALP originating from bone and secondary to disease would not be reported as toxicity. The laboratory was consulted regarding testing options to identify the specific isoenzyme(s) responsible …
Dams, Pipe Lines and Pumping

No attempt will be made to enumerate completely the large number of advances which have been made in design of dams, pipe lines and pumping, but a general picture of the progress being made should result by calling specific attention to a number of contributions recently made to engineering knowledge in this field. Further discussion may lead to a more complete statement of the important contributions.
Bionomics of the crapemyrtle aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae).

Populations of the crapemyrtle aphid, Tinocallis kahawaluokalani (Kirkaldy), in South Carolina develop from overwintering eggs which are distributed near new emerging leaves. Seasonal abundance is ...
Impressions of businesses with language errors in print advertising: Do spelling and grammar influence the inclination to use a business?

There has been minimal research investigating the effects of language errors (e.g., grammar or spelling errors) on persuasion or impressions of the source, and research on errors in business advertising is nearly non-existent. We examined whether language errors would reduce the effectiveness of a business advertisement. Participants were presented with an error-free or an error-laden advertisement for a “white collar” service or a “blue collar” service. It was predicted that errors would reduce the persuasiveness of an advertisement, especially for a white collar service. An interaction effect revealed that participants had less interest in using the business with the error-laden versus error-free advertisement only when the business was for a white collar service. However, advertisements containing language errors significantly decreased perceived employee quality and perceived business/advertisement quality regardless of the type of service offered. All of these effects held only for those participants who noticed at least one error in the error-laden advertisement. Future research could examine how language error effects may vary across different forms of media presentation, as well as compare the effects of different types of language errors.
Introduction to Experimental Bone and Cartilage Histology

Experimental and diagnostic histotechnology and histomorphometry are two consecutive steps that are essential for clinical work and research in bone or cartilage. Unlike routine histological or pathological laboratories, a laboratory for bone-tissue processing has unique characteristics, such as more demanding fixation, the challenging process of decalcification, media infiltration and embedding, the need for heavy-duty microtomes, diamond circular or wire saws for tissue sectioning, and grinders or grinding machines for section thinning and grinding. The existence of metal or other implants adds further complexity to the process. In addition to the routine microscopic evaluation of cellular and structural features, histomorphometry is a unique facet of bone and cartilage histology. A laboratory engaged in experimental bone and cartilage histology should have both basic and specialized equipment for its unique needs. Histotechnology and histomorphometry are both techniques and arts. They require patience and skilled hands as well as basic biological and anatomical knowledge at the level of organs, tissues, cells, and even molecules. Pre-employment and continuing education are necessary for maintaining adequate knowledge of biological tissues, basic and specific histological techniques, good laboratory practice, and laboratory safety issues.
The history of adipocyte and adipose tissue research in meat animals

Research in growth and development, accumulation of lean, and fat metabolism in farm animals was gaining attention principally from a carcass perspective by meat scientists and animal nutritionists about a century ago. Under the auspices of the USDA Cooperative State Research Service, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, and the Land Grant University system, researchers from various universities embarked on forming combined regional research projects (across states) with unifying specific aims. In the North Central region, this included states in the upper and lower Mid-West region. For those interested in improving production and eating quality of meats, initially a single multistate committee was formed in the North Central region which was active for many years. However, these efforts were later split into two committees with one addressing lipids and the other muscle biology. Herein we reviewed research of workers in the North Central region in the 1940s and 1950s and to a limited extent in the 2000s on meat animal's lipid metabolism. We further reviewed the history of meat animal carcass composition research and the influence of the Word War II (WWII) period on porcine carcass composition. The development and utilization of adipocyte cellularity research methodology in meat animals was demonstrated. The history of the progression of adipose tissue metabolism research in meat animals was also reviewed. Finally, the history of research on lipid deposition in muscle that ultimately precipitated the expanded marbling and the intramuscular research was delineated. By the 1970s, great interest had emerged on how to curtail excessive fat deposition in meat-producing animals. Thus, for some segments of the animal lipid metabolism community, the focus then shifted to exploring the processes of lipogenesis and lipolysis in farm animals. These efforts morphed into research efforts in fat cell biology and cellularity. Today adipocyte biology is studied by many in the biomedical and agricultural-life sciences communities. In this article, we present a history of this research and notable achievements up to the 1980s. Herein we revisit these research efforts and results that have become an important knowledge base for growth and development, nutrition, and meat science research.
A mHealth-based care model for improving hypertension control in stroke survivors: Pilot RCT.

Abstract Purpose Hypertension (HTN) is significantly under-treated in stroke survivors. We examined usability and efficacy of a mHealth -based care model for improving post-stroke HTN control (Funding: AHRQ R21HS021794). Methods We used a RCT design. Planned study duration was 90 days. Intervention arm (IA) participants measured their BP daily using a smart phone and wireless BP monitor. This was transmitted automatically to the study database. Investigators (Physician + PharmD) made bi-weekly medication adjustments to achieve the BP goal. Control arm (CA) participants received a digital BP monitor and usual care. We examined Usability (measured with Marshfield System Usability Survey) and HTN control efficacy using an ITT (intent-to-treat) and as-treated (AT) analyses. Results Fifty participants (IA = 28; CA = 22) completed the study. The Marshfield survey question, “I thought the system was easy to use” mean score was 4.6, (5 = strongly agree). Mean SBP declined significantly between enrollment and study completion in the IA. In ITT, IA SBP declined 9.88 mm, p = 0.005. In AT, IA SBP declined 10.81 mm, p = 0.0036. CA SBP decline was 5–6 mm Hg (not significant). In the ITT, baseline HTN control (SBP Conclusion A mHealth-based HTN care model had excellent usability and provided better HTN control than usual care in stroke survivors. Clinical Trial.gov : NCT01875094