cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adverse in-hospital events are associated with increased in-hospital mortality and length of stay in patients with or at risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Abstract Objective To explore the effect of various adverse hospital events on short- and long-term outcomes in a cohort of acutely ill hospitalized patients. Patients and Methods In a secondary analysis of a retrospective cohort of acutely ill hospitalized patients with sepsis, shock, or pneumonia or undergoing high-risk surgery who were at risk for or had developed acute respiratory distress syndrome between 2001 and 2010, the effects of potentially preventable hospital exposures and adverse events (AEs) on in-hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) mortality, length of stay, and long-term survival were analyzed. Adverse effects chosen for inclusion were inadequate empiric antimicrobial coverage, hospital-acquired aspiration, medical or surgical misadventure, inappropriate blood product transfusion, and injurious tidal volume while on mechanical ventilation. Results In 828 patients analyzed, the distribution of 0, 1, 2, and 3 or more cumulative AEs was 521 (63%), 126 (15%), 135 (16%), and 46 (6%) patients, respectively. The adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) for in-hospital mortality in patients who had 1, 2, and 3 or more AEs were 0.9 (0.5-1.7), 0.9 (0.5-1.6), and 1.4 (0.6-3.3), respectively. One AE increased the length of stay, difference between means (95% CI), in the hospital by 8.7 (3.8-13.7) days and in the ICU by 2.4 (0.6-4.2) days. Conclusion Potentially preventable hospital exposure to AEs is associated with prolonged ICU and hospital lengths of stay. Implementation of effective patient safety interventions is of utmost priority in acute care hospitals.
Novel photoinitiated cationic copolymerizations of 4‐methylene‐2‐phenyl‐1,3‐dioxolane

Photoinitiated polymerization of 4-methylene-2-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane (1) was carried out using either tris(4-methylphenyl)sulfonium hexafluoroantimonate or 4-decyloxyphenyl phenyliodonium hexafluoroantimonate as initiators, 1 H-NMR analyses confirmed exclusive ring-opening while DSC and SEC were used to determine the glass transition temperatures (T g s) and molecular weights, respectively. Photoinitiated cationic copolymerizations of 1 were investigated with several acyclic and cyclic monomers. Copolymerization of 1 with vinyl ethers and a spiroorthoester resulted in copolymers whose thermal properties were dependent on comonomer ratios. Copolymers of 1 and dihydrofuran or dihydropyran afforded soluble polymers with T g s significantly higher than the homopolymer of 1.
Special Abstract Section: National Conference in Sales Management

Every year, Pi Sigma Epsilon sponsors a National Conference in Sales Management (NCSM) in conjunction with its annual convention. JPSSM is pleased to present a special section containing the abstracts of the papers presented at the 2004 NCSM, held April 15–17 in Reno, Nevada. The papers summarized below represent a broad collection of interesting and timely topics. Any queries regarding the papers may be sent to C. David Shepherd, NCSM Abstract Section Editor, at david_shepherd@coles2.kennesaw.edu.
Radiology goes back to school: presenting the face of radiology to school children.

THE PROBLEM Among health care professionals, the critical role of radiology in patient care is obvious. For example, most emergency department patients receive some form of imaging when presenting with abdominal pain [1]. Among the general public, however, the radiologist’s role is less clear. There is confusion as to the role of the radiologist, technologist, and even referring physician in image interpretation [2,3]. Furthermore, many people do not realize that radiologists are doctors [3]. The lack of general knowledge as to the importance of radiologists continues to have serious implications, particularly among policymakers [4]. One method of addressing this problem has been the ACR’s Face of Radiology campaign, designed to educate the adult public that radiologists are doctors who are highly trained and experts in image interpretation [2].
High Speed, Ultrahigh Resolution Optical Coherence Tomography

Summary form only given. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is an emerging imaging technology which can generate high resolution, cross-sectional images of materials and biological tissues. OCT is analogous to ultrasound imaging, except that it measures the echo time delay of backscattered or backreflected light. Recently there have been dramatic advances in OCT which enable ultrahigh resolution imaging on the micron scale using broadband femtosecond lasers. New detection techniques have been developed which measure echo time delays of light in the Fourier domain, enabling 10 to 100 times increases in imaging sensitivity or speed. These advances enable three dimensional imaging and visualization similar to that in MR imaging. OCT is rapidly becoming a standard clinical diagnostic in ophthalmology, where it enables imaging and measurement of retinal pathology with unprecedented resolutions. OCT is also being developed for many other applications ranging from cancer detection in endoscopy, to intravascular imaging in cardiology. This presentation will describe recent advances in OCT technology and applications.
Alteration of the ionosphere by man-made waves

In recent years powerful radio wave transmissions beamed at the ionosphere at frequencies somewhat below the penetration frequency of the F2 layer produced the following, mostly unexpected, spectacular effects: (1) artificial spread F seen on ionograms and implying the presence of large scale field-aligned irregularities in the ionospheric plasma density; (2) very strong additional absorption of probing waves reflected by the F2 layer; (3) field-aligned 'on frequency' scattering of UHF waves; (4) scattering of UHF waves by Langmuir waves which are believed to be parametrically excited; (5) the 630 nm airglow is artificially enhanced by a modifying wave of ordinary polarization but it is reduced in intensity by a modifying wave of extraordinary polarization; (6) the shape of the F2 layer is modified. The results of the observations are described and their tentative interpretation in terms of different parametric instabilities is outlined.
Determination of the electric field and anomalous heating caused by exponential pulses with aluminum electrodes in electroporation experiments

Electroporation is well known to depend non-linearly on the magnitude and duration of the change ΔU(t) in transmembrane voltage. In the case of cell suspension experiments, an electric field Ee(t) within the electrolyte causes ΔU(t), which is governed by both the size and shape of a cell, and also by Ee(t). It is therefore important to determine the magnitude and time dependence of the electric field to which cells are actually exposed in electroporation experiments. This can be significantly different from the nominal field En, which is calculated by using electrode voltages and geometries alone. Throughout we used single, nominally exponential pulses with time constants τpulse ranging from about 0.6 to 5 ms and found that Ee was always less than En. In order to determine the actual electric field pulse, we measured the voltage across the electrodes, the current through the cuvette, the temperature rise of the pulsing medium, and the voltage across two special electrodes placed within the cuvette. From these measurements we calculated the field strength inside the cuvette using two different methods. In addition, we compared the measured temperature rise with that expected from the electrical power dissipation. In some cases there was much larger (“anomalous”) heating, due to interfacial electrochemical heat production; for one pulsing solution Te(t) was about 30 K larger than expected. These effects are important for experiments aimed at elucidating the electroporation mechanism, comparing results obtained under different conditions, and guiding applications.
‘Wiped From the Map of the World’? Zanzibar, Critical Geopolitics and Language

This essay uses the case of Zanzibar in its complicated relationship with the United Republic of Tanzania (of which it is a part) as a lens on debates in political geography on empirical and conceptual approaches to critical geopolitics. We test the veracity of a multi-faceted critical geopolitics in the contemporary public contestation of Zanzibar's place in the United Republic from 2008–2012. We analyze Tanzanian media, the speech acts of Tanzanian leaders, and the key events and processes related to what is termed the ‘Zanzibar problem’ during the selected years, to make two points about a critical geopolitics approach: to strengthen critical geopolitics by broadening the analysis of language to engage political acts and languages beyond the Global North; and taking ‘subaltern geopolitics’ more seriously via engagement with critical geopolitical voices on discourses, events and processes from the Global South.
Drop Production in Coltette and Media Mill Devices

The media mill is a device used in the paint and pigment industry for mixing and dispersing solid/liquid mixtures. The media consists of spheres which are agitated in a vessel and the hydrodynamic interactions between these media spheres cause the fine-scale dispersion. The details of the flow are very complex. A technique to characterize the dispersion efficiency of a media mill is presented which involves monitoring the maximum drop diameters of a dispersed organic phase in an aqueous continuous phase. The largest surviving drops reflect the maximum shear and elongation fields that exist in the flow. The maximum drop size scales as impeller speed to the −0·82 power. This dependence is much lower than the dependence for a Rushton turbine in a tank, which would be −1·38. The mechanism of breakup is clarified by experiments in a Couette geometry for large drop size to gap ratios, where the dependence of drop size on shear rate also scales to the −0·82 power. An analysis of the hydrodynamics involved in two...
Fuzzy simplification of non-numeric expressions containing some intervals and/or floating point numbers

This article describes a Mathematica package that improves simplification of general non-numeric expressions containing any mixture of Gaussian rational numbers, symbolic constants, machine and arbitrary-precision floating-point numbers, together with intervals having any mixture of such endpoints. Such generalized numbers are not automatically all converted to floats or to intervals. Expressions can be multivariate and non-polynomial. Techniques include:• Recognition and unification of approximately similar and approximately proportional factors and terms.• The option of infinity-norm normalization that is more robust than monic normalization.• The option of a unit-normal quasi-primitive normalization that uses large rational approximate common divisors of mixed number types and intervals to nicely normalize sums.• A polynomial division algorithm tolerant of terms with coefficients that are float zeros or intervals containing 0.• The ability to round or underflow negligible terms while satisfying the inclusion property of interval arithmetic.The package and a more detailed version of this article will be posted at arXiv.org.
Evaluating the Dual Benefits of Rainwater Harvesting Systems Using Reliability Analysis

AbstractRainwater harvesting (RWH) is a decentralized practice that provides both water supply and runoff reduction benefits that are often difficult to assess. To assist in this evaluation, a model was developed that simulates a single RWH system in Richmond, Virginia, using storage volume, roof area, irrigated area, an indoor nonpotable demand, and a storage dewatering goal as independent design variables. Water supply and runoff capture reliability are assessed for a wide variety of cases. Tradeoff curves were developed to evaluate the design variable substitution when reliability was held constant. A reliability function was fit to the simulation results, and a solution method was developed to solve for an unknown variable as a function of the others. This method evaluates different design cases that provide the same water supply and/or runoff reliability, demonstrating that the design variables can be substituted for each other, using care to restrict substitutions between functional inputs or (separ...
Metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) regulation of ethanol sedation, dependence and consumption: relationship to acamprosate actions

Recent studies have demonstrated that metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) antagonists decrease alcohol self-administration and suggest that the anti-craving medication, acamprosate, may also act to decrease mGluR5 function. To address the role of mGluR5 in behavioural actions of ethanol and acamprosate, we compared mutant mice with deletion of the mGluR5 gene and mice treated with a mGluR5 antagonist (MPEP) or acamprosate. Lack of mGluR5 or administration of MPEP reduced the severity of alcohol-induced withdrawal (AW), increased the sedative effect of alcohol (duration of loss of righting reflex; LORR), and increased basal motor activity. The motor stimulation produced by ethanol was blocked by deletion of mGluR5, but not by injection of MPEP. Both acamprosate and MPEP increased ethanol-induced LORR and reduced AW. Importantly, the protective effects of both MPEP and acamprosate on AW were found when the drugs were injected before, but not after, injection of ethanol. This indicates that the drugs prevented development of dependence rather than merely producing an anticonvulsant action. No effects of acamprosate or MPEP on ethanol-induced LORR and AW were found in mGluR5 knockout mice, demonstrating that mGluR5 is required for these actions. mGluR5 null mutant mice showed decreased alcohol consumption in some, but not all, tests. These data show the importance of mGluR5 for several actions of alcohol and support the hypothesis that some effects of acamprosate require mGluR5 signalling.
Stamina in Adults: Is Attachment Style a Factor?

The study was designed to extend inquiry on adult attachment style to include the variable of personal stamina. The data were derived from an anonymous survey administered to 163 college students (82 women and 81 men) in introductory psychology classes. Attachment style was measured by the Close Relationship Questionnaire, based on a four-category scheme suggested by Bartholomew. Stamina was evaluated with a self-report scale developed by R. A. Hicks. The pattern of statistically significant differences (p < .001) in the relative frequency with which respondents self-identified with descriptions of each of the four attachment styles on the questionnaire diverged somewhat from those reported previously. Respondents who identified themselves as most accurately described by the questionnaire's alternative defined as characterizing secure attachment had significantly higher stamina scores than did those who self-endorsed the fearful or preoccupied alternatives in that categorical measure. No other pairwise comparisons of stamina scores were statistically significant. The results provide preliminary support for the hypothesis that secure attachment is more facilitative of personal stamina than are insecure styles. Methodological limits on inferences and corresponding alternative interpretations, the potential effectiveness of defensive suppression of the attachment system in dismissing-avoidant adults, and directions for research are discussed.
Frequency domain holography of laser wakefields

We report the first single-shot measurements of transverse and longitudinal structure of laser-generated wakefields. Real-time, non-averaged measurements of resonant wakes reveal detailed temporal and spatial features that depend on pulse energy and electron density.
Monitoring Local Safety-Net Providers: Do They Have Adequate Capacity?

The safety-net providers that serve the nation’s thirty-nine million uninsured residents are vulnerable organizations even in good economic times, yet efforts to monitor their capacity have been limited at best. This study of the safety-net in five cities found that capacity was strained for specialty services and that access to pharmaceuticals was difficult, while primary care capacity was more often adequate to serve those who presented themselves for care. Also, free clinics grew during the 1990s, while many other safety-net providers focused on improving their efficiency and collecting more fees from patients.
Effect of Doppler broadening on quantitative concentration measurements with degenerate four-wave mixing spectroscopy

The effect of Doppler broadening on degenerate four-wave mixing (DFWM) signal intensities in the regime of high pump and probe laser intensities is investigated theoretically. DFWM reflectivities are calculated by solving the time-dependent density-matrix equations for a two-level system interacting with three laser fields. The density-matrix equations are integrated directly in the time domain on a grid of spatial locations along the phase-matching axis; the DFWM signal level is then calculated by summation of the polarization contribution (with the appropriate phase factor) from each of the spatial grid points. For the case in which the Doppler and the collisional linewidths are comparable, the DFWM reflectivity is found to be inversely proportional to the factor 1 + (bΔωD/ΔωC)2, where ΔωD is the Doppler width, ΔωC is the collisional width, and b is weakly dependent on the pump and the probe laser powers. We developed an analytical expression for the reflectivity of a line that is both collision and Doppler broadened by dividing the widely used Abrams and Lind expression for homogeneous reflectivity Rhom by the factor 1 + (bΔωD/ΔωC)2. This modified reflectivity expression is found to give accurate results for the DFWM reflectivity over a wide range of values for the ratio of Doppler to collisional width. With this modified Abrams–Lind expression, strategies for quantitative DFWM concentration measurements in flames and plasmas are proposed and analyzed. We conclude that, by selection of the appropriate rotational transition, a DFWM reflectivity that is directly proportional to the square of the total species number density can be obtained over a wide range of temperature for constant-laser-intensity spatial profile mapping in flames.
Patterns of Knowing as a Foundation for Action-Sensitive Pedagogy

Graduate students in the health sciences often juggle full-time careers, demanding programs of study, and family responsibilities. Frustration, a perception of limited caring on the part of role models, and a sense of disengagement, or even despair, are common features of postbaccalaureate study for many of them. Nursing has long recognized the value of multiple perspectives in knowledge development. Previous work involving patterns of knowing not only has advanced the disciplinary knowledge base but has also encouraged innovative applications of the patterns to philosophy, evidence-based practice, and research aimed at reducing health disparities. In an effort to both extend the dialogue about ways of knowing and humanize the experience of graduate education for nursing students, the authors propose six patterns of knowing as a foundation for effective, action-sensitive pedagogy.
Attitudes of Urban and suburban residents in Indiana on deer management

The Indiana Division of Fish and Wildlife created urban deer zones in 1996 that liberalize opportunity and bag limits for Indiana (USA) hunters in areas experiencing increased conflict between humans and deer (Odocoileus virginianus); yet, no comprehensive survey of residents in these areas has been conducted to determine whether the regulations have been effective. A survey was distributed to randomly selected residents of Fort Wayne, Evansville, and Lafayette to determine their opinions on the local deer population, to assess their attitudes toward the present deer population levels, and to gather information on their preferences for deer management. Hunters residing in these areas were also surveyed. Over 87% of respondents indicated that the deer herd had either stayed the same or had grown since urban deer zones were established. Nearly 74% of respondents did not allow hunting on their property, despite it being the most acceptable form of management for white-tailed deer. There were noticeable differences in perceptions of the deer population and management techniques between hunters, former hunters, nonhunters who are pro-hunting, anti-hunters, and animal rights advocates. Additional opportunities (e.g., expanded crossbow use, expanded muzzleloader seasons) were supported by many, while nontraditional techniques (e.g., sharpshooting, trap-and-kill) were not supported. The lack of access to land by licensed hunters will continue to restrict opportunities for state management through traditional hunting and seasons. Nontraditional techniques may be needed in the future; however, substantial work must be done prior to implementation to increase public support for these approaches. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.
VR solutions for improving physical therapy

We present new solutions based on Virtual Reality technologies for improving the delivery of physical therapy and rehabilitation. Three main aspects are addressed: 1) the ability to allow therapists to create new exercises and therapy programs intuitively by direct demonstration, 2) automatic therapy delivery and monitoring with the use of an autonomous virtual tutor that can monitor and quantitatively assess the motions performed by the patient, and 3) networked collaborative remote therapy sessions via connected applications displaying the motions of both the therapist and the patient. We also provide 3D assessment tools for monitoring changes in the range of motion, and for allowing the visualization of a number of properties during or after the execution of exercises. The presented system has been implemented for a low-cost hardware solution based on Kinect and for a high-end immersive virtual reality facility.
High-frequency transformation of oat via microprojectile bombardment of seed-derived highly regenerative cultures

A highly efficient and reproducible transformation system for oat (A6ena sati6a L. cv. GAF:Park-1) was developed using microprojectile bombardment of highly regenerative tissues derived from mature seeds. Callus was induced under dim light conditions on medium containing 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and high cupric sulfate. Highly regenerative tissues, generated from embryogenic callus, were used as a transformation target. From 327 individual explants bombarded with the b-glucuronidase gene (uidA; gus) and a hygromycin phosphotransferase gene (hpt), 84 independent transgenic events were obtained after an 8‐12-week selection period on hygromycin. All events were regenerable, giving an effective transformation frequency of 26%; co-expression of GUS activity occurred in 70% of the independent events. Presence of the foreign genes in DNA from leaf samples of T0 and T1 plants was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and:or DNA blot hybridization. Fertility of the plants from the transgenic lines was 63% (24:38) and the transgene(s) was stably transmitted to T1 and T2 progeny. © 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
A Theoretic Framework for Object Class Tracking

Suppose we have a video, the first half of this video is capturing the images of a sedan and the second half is recording the moving of a truck, can we use the same video tracking algorithm to follow the moving of the object over the entire video sequence? We define this kind of problem as "object class tracking" problem. Instead of tracking a specific object, object class tracking is to track the moving of the object class. The challenge is how to locate the image element in the next frame by handling the large intra-class variance. In this paper, we propose a theoretic framework for object class tracking based on Kalman filter. A part-based statistical model is employed to solve the image element localization problem. We mathematically prove the soundness of the theoretic framework. The method has the potential to be applied in many application domains.
Impact of tricuspid valve regurgitation in patients treated with implantable left ventricular assist devices.

Background The progression of tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR) and the impact of preoperative TR on postoperative outcomes in patients having left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation has not been studied. Methods One hundred seventy-six consecutive implantable LVAD procedures were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 137 patients comprised the final study group with complete preimplant characteristics, before and after echocardiogram assessment of TR, and outcomes data. Patients were divided into two groups: insignificant TR (iTR) consisting of those with preimplant TR grades of none, trace, and mild; and significant TR (sTR) consisting of those with moderate and severe TR grades. Results Relative to patients with iTR, patients with sTR were younger (53.6 ± 12.8 versus 58.4 ± 10.0 years, p = 0.02) and more commonly had nonischemic cardiomyopathies (69% versus 38%, p p = 0.02), more commonly required a temporary right ventricular assist device, and had a longer postimplant length of hospital stay (27.0 versus 20.0 days, p = 0.03). There was also a trend toward decreased survival for sTR versus iTR (log rank=0.05). Conclusions Tricuspid regurgitation is not reduced immediately after LVAD implantation. Significant TR is associated with longer postimplant inotropic support and length of hospital stay.
Atmospheric compensation for uplink arrays via radiometry

Uplink arrays for communications applications are gaining increased visibility within the NASA and military community due to the enhanced flexibility and reliability they provide. When compared with the conventional large, single aperture antennas currently comprising the Deep Space Network (DSN), for example, smaller aperture antenna arrays have the benefits of providing fault tolerance (reduced single-point failure), reduced maintenance cost, and enhanced capabilities such as electronic beam-steering and multi-beam operation. However, signal combining of antenna array elements spaced many wavelengths apart becomes problematic due to the inherent instability of earth's turbulent atmosphere, particularly at the frequencies of interest to the DSN (i.e., Ka-band). Degradation in the power combining of the individual elements comprising the array arises due to uncorrelated phase errors introduced as the signals propagate through the troposphere. It is well known that the fundamental source of this error is due to the inhomogeneous distribution of water vapor in the atmosphere [1]. Several techniques have been proposed to circumvent this issue, including the use of phase calibration towers and a ‘moon bounce’ to generate a feedback loop which would provide a means of intermittent calibration of the system phase errors (thermal drifts, atmosphere) [2,3]. However, these techniques require repositioning of the antenna elements to perform this operation which ultimately results in reduced system availability. And, though they are sufficient for compensating for slow varying phase drifts, they are insufficient to compensate for faster varying phase errors, such as those introduced by the atmosphere. In this paper, preliminary radiometry and interferometry measurements collected by the NASA Glenn Research Center are analyzed and indicate that the use of optimized water vapor radiometers as a feedback system in a communications platform could provide the necessary atmospheric compensation technique to enhance the beamforming of uplink arrays.
The growth arrest-specific gene CCN5 is deficient in human leiomyomas and inhibits the proliferation and motility of cultured human uterine smooth muscle cells

Uterine fibroids (leiomyomas) are a major women’s health problem. Currently, the standard for treatment remains hysterectomy, since no other treatment modalities can reduce both symptoms and recurrence. As leiomyomas are benign neoplasias of smooth muscle cells, we sought to understand the regulation of uterine smooth muscle cell mitogenesis by CCN5, a growth arrest-specific gene in vascular smooth muscle cells which is induced and maintained by heparin treatment. Using autologous human myometrial and leiomyoma smooth muscle cells, we demonstrate that the proliferation and motility of both cell types are inhibited by the overexpression of CCN5. Surprisingly, we show that even though CCN5 is induced by heparin in vascular smooth muscle cells, treatment with heparin does not induce CCN5 expression in human uterine smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, we examine CCN5 mRNA expression in 10 autologous pairs of human myometrial and leiomyoma tissues and determine that CCN5 is down-regulated in 100% of the leiomyoma tissues analysed when compared to their normal myometrial counterparts. Thus, our data strongly suggest that CCN5 may exert an important function in maintaining the normal uterine phenotype and that loss of the anti-proliferative protein CCN5 from normal myometrium may account, at least in part, for tumorigenesis.
Percent Body Fat Measured by Bioelectrical Impedance is Not Associated with Colorectal Adenoma Status.

AIM: Obesity is a risk factor for colorectal neoplasia. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is a novel and convenient method to measure body fat mass. The correlation between BIA and adenoma risk is unknown. We aimed to conduct a cross-sectional study to evaluate BIA and other measures of obesity as risk factors for adenomas. METHODS: Participants underwent screening colonoscopy between 2006 and 2008. Waist-hip ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI) were measured. Percent body fat was calculated by BIA using a proprietary scale. Physical activity and other risk factors were assessed by telephone interview. RESULTS: 255 patients with adenomas and 679 non-adenoma controls were included. Increased age, male sex, and decreased physical activity were associated with adenoma prevalence. In multivariate analysis, WHR and BMI were independently associated with adenoma prevalence. Patients in the highest tertile of WHR had an OR of 2.0 (95% CI 1.2-3.2) compared to the lowest tertile. Obese white patients had significantly increased odds of having adenomas [OR 2.0 (95% CI 1.3, 3.2)] compared to whites with a normal BMI. Percent body fat measured by BIA was not associated with adenoma status: patients in the highest tertile of percent body fat had an OR of 1.0 (95% CI 0.7-1.6) compared to patients with the lowest tertile. CONCLUSIONS: Percent body fat calculated by BIA was not associated with adenoma prevalence. Although BIA is a quick and convenient measure of adiposity, it is not predictive of adenoma risk perhaps because it measures the amount of fat but not the distribution.
Role of Water Activity

Water is an important constituent of almost all foods. Its importance derives from: 1. It is the most important solvent for polar solutes and plasticizer for polymeric components. 2. It is necessary for life. 3. 3. It is highly volatile at normal conditions of food processing and storage and ubiquitous in the atmosphere. Therefore extraordinary measures are required if exchange of water (gain or loss) is to be controlled. 4. 4. Some water is indispensible to the activity of biological deteriorating agents.
Nonreceptor tyrosine kinases ITK and BTK negatively regulate mast cell proinflammatory responses to lipopolysaccharide

Background Mast cells are indispensable for LPS-induced septic hypothermia, in which TNF-α plays an essential role to initiate septic responses. ITK and BTK regulate mast cell responses to allergens, but their roles in mast cell responses in LPS-induced sepsis are unclear. Objective We sought to investigate the roles of ITK and BTK in mast cell responses during LPS-induced septic inflammation. Methods Mice (genetically modified or bone marrow–derived mast cell–reconstituted Sash ) were given LPS to induce septic hypothermia in the presence or absence of indicated inhibitors. Flow cytometry was used to determine LPS-induced cell influx and TNF-α production in peritoneal cells. Microarray was used for genomewide gene expression analysis on bone marrow–derived mast cells. Quantitative PCR and multiplex were used to determine transcribed and secreted proinflammatory cytokines. Microscopy and Western blotting were used to determine activation of signal transduction pathways. Results The absence of ITK and BTK leads to exacerbation of LPS-induced septic hypothermia and neutrophil influx. Itk −/− Btk −/− mast cells exhibit hyperactive preformed and LPS-induced TNF-α production, and lead to more severe LPS-induced septic hypothermia when reconstituted into mast cell–deficient Sash mice. LPS-induced nuclear factor kappa B, Akt, and p38 activation is enhanced in Itk −/− Btk −/− mast cells, and blockage of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase, Akt, or p38 downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase interacting serine/threonine kinase 1 activation significantly suppresses TNF-α hyperproduction and attenuates septic hypothermia. Conclusions ITK and BTK regulate thermal homeostasis during septic response through mast cell function in mice. They share regulatory function downstream of Toll-like receptor 4/LPS in mast cells, through regulating the activation of canonical nuclear factor kappa B, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase/Akt, and p38 signaling pathways.
Computational Simulation of Gas Turbines: Part II — Extensible Domain Framework

This paper describes the design concepts and object-oriented architecture of Onyx, an extensible domain framework for computational simulation of gas turbine engines. Onyx provides a flexible environment for defining, modifying and simulating the component-based gas turbine models described in Part 1 of this paper. Using advanced object-oriented technologies such as design patterns and frameworks, Onyx enables users to customize and extend the framework to add new functionality or adapt simulation behavior as required. A customizable visual interface provides high-level symbolic control of propulsion system construction and execution. For computationally-intensive analysis, components may be distributed across heterogeneous computing architectures and operating systems. A distributed gas turbine engine model is developed and simulated to illustrate the use of the framework.Copyright © 1999 by ASME
Integration of Ultraviolet Photodissociation with Proton Transfer Reactions and Ion Parking for Analysis of Intact Proteins

We report the implementation of proton transfer reactions (PTR) and ion parking on an Orbitrap mass spectrometer. PTR/ion parking allows charge states of proteins to be focused into a single lower charge state via sequential deprotonation reactions with a proton scavenging reagent, in this case, a nitrogen-containing adduct of fluoranthene. Using PTR and ion parking, we evaluate the charge state dependence of fragmentation of ubiquitin (8.6 kDa), myoglobin (17 kDa), and carbonic anhydrase (29 kDa) upon higher energy collisional dissociation (HCD) or ultraviolet photodissociation (UVPD). UVPD exhibited less charge state dependence, thus yielding more uniform distributions of cleavages along the protein backbone and consequently higher sequence coverage than HCD. HCD resulted in especially prominent cleavages C-terminal to amino acids containing acidic side-chains and N-terminal to proline residues; UVPD did not exhibit preferential cleavage adjacent to acidic residues but did show enhancement next to proli...
A Bilevel Parameter Tuning Strategy of Partially Connected ANNs

Partially connected ANN with Evolvable Topology (PANNET) is a non-fully connected recurrent neural network with proper number of context nodes. The structure of the network along with connection weights are determined through the evolutionary process of a customized genetic algorithm. In this paper, we develop an evolutionary bilevel optimization procedure for tuning the hyper-parameters of PANNET. In the upper level, an evolutionary algorithm optimizes the hyper-parameters, while the customized genetic algorithm is training the PANNET in the lower level optimization. Since executing the lower level optimization for each candidate hyper-parameters requires a high computational cost, fitness function approximation is performed using a regression model based on the Random Forest method. The proposed procedure provides more flexibility on choosing the hyper-parameters, and generate a smaller network with more accuracy in prediction.
Causal Relationship Between Military Spending and GDP Growth: Sequential or Instantaneous?

Prior literature includes vast discussion of sequential (Granger type) causality between GDP growth and military spending. Such causal relationship implies that reaction of one would come year(s) after the other. This may be true for longer term interactions (i.e. spin-off effect). However, economic interactions (i.e. crowding effect) would be expected much sooner, within the same year. Thus, complete causal analysis would require evaluation of instantaneous (Geweke type) causality (same year) in addition to sequential causality. Using common GDP model that includes military spending, this study provides evidence for the instantaneous as well as sequential causal relationship between GDP growth and military spending across 125 countries for the period between 1988 and 2009.
OPTIMAL RECONSTRUCTION FILTER PARAMETERS FOR MULTI-HEADED BRAIN SPECT : DEPENDENCE ON COUNT ACTIVITY

Objective: Reconstruction parameters must be optimized to approach the improved spatial resolution that is theoretically possible from modern SPECT imaging devices. One important reconstruction consideration is proper selection of the back-projection filter parameters. The aim of this study was to determine which Butterworth filter optimized image resolution for brain SPECT scans. Methods: Ten normal subjects underwent brain SPECT following an intravenous injection of 15–20 mCi 99mTc-HMPAO (5 subjects) and 30–35 mCi 99mTc-HMPAO (5 subjects). Subjects were separated into two groups based on the counts per pixel in the anterior projection image: 5 subjects with low-count images (10.4–13.9 counts/pixel) and 5 subjects with high-count images (18.3–21.5 counts/pixel). All subject projection data were reconstructed at cutoff frequencies (Fc) ranging from 0.15–0.3 Nyquist, with orders ranging from 2–12 at each frequency cutoff. Optimal image selection was determined by blinded subjective assessment by three nuclear medicine faculty capable of evaluating brain SPECT image quality. Results: Results demonstrated that for low-count images, optimum Butterworth filter reconstruction parameters were: Fc = 0.20, order 6. For high-count images, optimum parameters were: Fc = 0.225, order 7. Conclusion: The proper selection of Fc is the most critical parameter for optimization of image reconstruction quality.
A Student’s Guide to the Use of P and S Wave Data For Focal Mechanism Determination

The purpose of this paper is to serve as an introduction to the use of P and S wave data for the determination of focal mechanisms for those who are not familiar with the mechanics of the process. In particular the determination and plotting of the S-wave polarization angle is discussed in detail. An appendix gives some useful transformations for describing P, SV, and SH amplitudes on the focal sphere in terras of the orientation of the X, Y axes or the P, T axes, or in terms of the strike, dip and slip angles.
Reliability and validity of food frequency questionnaire and nutrient biomarkers in elders with and without mild cognitive impairment.

Introduction: There is great interest in the nutritional strategies forthe prevention of age-related cognitive decline, yet the bestmethods for nutritional assessment in the populations at risk fordementia are still evolving. Our study objective was to examine thereliability and validity of the 2 common nutritional assessments(plasma nutrient biomarkers and Food Frequency Questionnaire)in the people at risk for dementia.Methods: Thirty-eight elders, half with amnestic—mild cognitiveimpairment were recruited. Nutritional assessments were collectedtogether at the baseline and again at 1 month. Intraclass andPearson correlation coeﬃcients quantiﬁed reliability and validity.Results: Twenty-six nutrients were examined. The reliability was verygood or better for 77% (20/26, intraclass correlation coeﬃcientsor ICC Z0.75) of the plasma nutrient biomarkers and for 88% ofthe food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) estimates. Twelve of thenutrient biomarkers were as reliable as the commonly measuredplasma cholesterol (ICCZ0.92). FFQ and plasma long-chain fattyacids (docosahexaenoic acid, r=0.39, eicosapentaenoic acid,r=0.39)and carotenoids (a-carotene, r=0.49; lutein + zeaxanthin,r=0.48;b-carotene, r=0.43; b-cryptoxanthin, r=0.41) were correlated, butthese signiﬁcant correlations were present only in non-impaired elders.Conclusion: The reliability and validity of the FFQ and nutrientbiomarkers vary according to the nutrient of interest. Memorydeﬁcit attenuates validity and inﬂates reliability of FFQ reports.Many plasma nutrient biomarkers have very good reliability over1-month, regardless of memory state. This objective method cancircumvent sources of error seen in other less direct and subjectivemethods of nutritional assessment.Key Words: reproducibility, validity, nutrient biomarkers, foodfrequency questionnaire, elderly, mild cognitive impairment,Alzheimer’s, DHA, vitamin E, folate, beta-carotene, lutein, copper
Contributions of Correlated Acentric Atomic Displacements to the Nonlinear Second Harmonic Generation and Response

Group theory and ab initio electronic structure calculations are combined to formulate a general protocol called “SAFOR” to understand and predict how to improve the second harmonic generation (SHG) response in acentric nonlinear optical crystals. Using the prototypical SHG borate β-BaB2O4, we show how the SHG d-tensor can be formulated from mode effective dij coefficients obtained as a linear combination of symmetry-adapted displacement patterns that transform as irreducible representations of a centrosymmetric parent structure. Since this protocol does not require any constraints on the crystal topology or anionic moieties in the structure, we suggest it constitutes a powerful tool to understand and design new SHG compounds through atomic-structure governing principles.
What Happens in the Writers’ Room Stays in the Writers’ Room? Professional Authority in Lyle v. Warner Bros.:

After her termination as a Friends writers’ assistant, Amaani Lyle filed suit for harassment and discrimination. In response, writers defended their professional authority over the writing process,...
Development and Application of Location Distinguishing Ability for Rice Varieties Regional Test

Based on results of Fujian provincal rice cultivar trials of late maturing early indica rice group during the year of 2003- 2006, 9 rice locations were comprehensively evaluated using productive level, precision, distinguishing ability, representation and validity. The results showed that Shaowu and Nanjing location had high distinguishing ability, Ningde location had low distinguishing ability, Fuzhou and Putian location had low distinguishing ability. Therefore, Shaowu and Nanjing location were fit to distinguish rarity which had extensive adaptability, and they were fitting the double rice locations and breeding spot in Fujian.
Design of Coaxial Feeding Nozzle for Laser Cladding and Powder Feeding Simulation

A kind of coaxial feeding nozzle with matched powder segregator and feeder which can be disassembled vertically in laser cladding was designed.Powder was fed in four cone-shaped channels by gravity or carrier gas.The rendezvous point of powder can be adjusted continuously and interval of feeding channels can also be adjusted,which can feed powder with different particle sizes.Centrums with different wall angles can be attached on the end of nozzle and the nozzle can have a wide versatility.The two-phase flow of the feeding process was simulated and the results indicated that the coaxial feeding nozzle can generate powder flow with stable distribution and good convergence.The structure of the nozzle was proved to be rational and reliable.
Comprehensive pharmaceutical services in a medical intensive-care unit.

The clinical and distributive services that have been provided by clinical pharmacists for the past 14 years in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) of a 1600-bed urban teaching hospital are described. The MICU pharmacy staff consists of 4.3 full-time equivalent pharmacists who provide daily 24-hour services. The pharmacists are actively involved in all pharmacological decisions with hands-on control of drug distribution from preparation through delivery and administration. They maintain up-to-date patient medication records and monitoring flow sheets for each patients. The pharmacists identify adverse reactions, formulate contingency plans, and promptly intervene to prevent crises. They provide comprehensive pharmacokinetic services, select drug administration times and routes, and prepare and deliver all medications. All i.v. medications are custom-made to meet the patients' fluid, sodium, or potassium restrictions. The pharmacists set up infusion pumps and select the proper infusion rates for i.v. and intra-arterial drugs. They also recommend and monitor the patients' nutritional support therapy. The program has been well accepted by nurses and physicians; however, only 20% of the inpatient clinical pharmacists desire to work in the MICU. The skills and educational requirements for managing patients in an MICU are discussed. Pharmacists have become an integral part of this MICU by optimal drug therapy, increasing productivity and efficiency, providing prompt and accurate services, and participating in research.
AN INTEGRATED EXPERIMENTAL SYSTEM FOR SOLID-GAS-LIQUID ENVIRONMENTAL CELLS

The geochemistry of minerals in intermediate to deep sedimentary rocks (2–10 km depth) is not known sufficiently well to predict accurately the effect of human activities, such as carbon dioxide sequestration or fracking. To carry out real-time experiments, a high-pressure environmental chamber (HPEC) was constructed for in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies to 1000 bars and to 200°C. In the HPEC, a liquid, e.g. a brine, plus sample in suspension, is pressurized by gas, e.g. CH4 or CO2, or liquid, e.g. supercritical CO2. The unique aspect of this chamber is that the sample + liquid (~2 mL) form a dynamic system, and particles can move freely in the liquid while being illuminated by the X-ray beam. Several HPECs were constructed of Ti alloy, stainless steel, or carbon-fiber polyether ketone to be resistant to corrosion under basic or acidic conditions. These HPECs are compatible with standard transmission-mode diffractometers with sealed-tube X-ray sources (Mo radiation is being used at the University of Illinois at Chicago – UIC) or with brilliant X-ray sources. In addition, to allow long-duration studies or, for example, to study the effect of micro-organisms on these mineral reactions, a large-bore (~25 mL) reaction vessel system was devised that could be examined regularly at appropriate P/T conditions or off-line. Calibration of the HPEC and XRD pattern processing is discussed and illustrated. The potential significance of these devices goes beyond understanding the deep sedimentary environment, because materials and reactions can be studied while using nearly any liquid as an immersion agent. As an example, experimental results are given for the d 001 values of montmorillonite clay vs. temperatures to 150°C at P (CO2) = 500 bars in a NaCl-rich brine.