cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular typing of environmental and clinical strains of Vibrio vulnificus isolated in the northeastern USA.

Vibrio vulnificus is a ubiquitous marine bacterium that is responsible for infections and some seafood-related illnesses and deaths in the United States, mainly in individuals with compromised health status in the Gulf of Mexico region. Most phylogenetic studies focus on V. vulnificus strains isolated in the southern United States, but almost no genetic data are available on northeastern bacterial isolates of clinical or environmental origin. Our goal in this study was to examine the genetic diversity of environmental strains isolated from commercially-produced oysters and in clinical strains of known pathogenicity in northeastern United States. We conducted analyses of a total of eighty-three strains of V. vulnificus, including 18 clinical strains known to be pathogenic. A polyphasic, molecular-typing approach was carried out, based upon established biotypes, vcg, CPS, 16S rRNA types and three other genes possibly associated with virulence (arylsulfatase A, mtlABC, and nanA). An established Multi Locus Sequence Typing (MLST) method was also performed. Phylogenetic analyses of these markers and MLST results produced similar patterns of clustering of strains into two main lineages (we categorized as ‘LI’ and ‘LII’), with clinical and environmental strains clustering together in both lineages. Lineage LII was comprised primarily but not entirely of clinical bacterial isolates. Putative virulence markers were present in both clinical and environmental strains. These results suggest that some northeastern environmental strains of V. vulnificus are phylogenetically close to clinical strains and probably are capable of virulence. Further studies are necessary to assess the risk of human illness from consuming raw oysters harvested in the northeastern US.
Cancer incidence among pesticide applicators exposed to captan in the Agricultural Health Study.

Objective Captan is a widely used antifungal pesticide whose potential to cause cancer in humans is uncertain.
An extension of the kantorovich-rubinstein mass-transshipment problem

The classical Kantorovich-Rubinstein theorem for mass transshipment is generalized. For Borel measures μ on with zero mixed moments of order less than k, we obtain a dual representation of the norm where Гμ stands for the set of transshipment plans ψ satisfying the balancing condition and is the k-th difference with step h. We show that is an “ideal” metric in the space of probabilities on . Applications of generalized Kantorovich metrics in cancer radiotherapy and in collision resolution for multiple-access protocols are discussed.
Reasons for unsafe sex among a community sample of people with HIV/AIDS.

Abstract In a sample of 117 HIV positive men and women, 34 (29%) were identified as engaging in risky sexual behavior in the past six months and were asked for reasons they did so. Analysis using broad categories revealed that partner-related reasons and hedonistic reasons were the most frequent reasons overall (71%). More male (87%) than female (60%) responses were captured by those two categories. Differences by partner status, viral load and age were not as pronounced. Specific interventions and intervention frameworks are suggested.
“The Place of Dance in Human Life” : Perspectives on the Fieldwork and Dance Notation of Gertrude P. Kurath

This article provides a brief biographical sketch of Gertrude P. Kurath and introduces her as a central figure in twentieth century dance scholarship. Her role in the emergence of the field of dance studies in the academia is examined and her promotion of the connection between dance studies and anthropology and ethnomusicology is stressed. This article examines in detail two specific features of her scholarship: her forward-looking fieldwork and her innovation and use of movement notation. Both her fieldwork and her use of notation are contextualized within her extensive research on Native American dance.
Effect of calcium source and exposure-time on basic caviar spherification using sodium alginate

Abstract Gelation speed is directly proportional to the concentration of calcium. Although the kinetics of gelation are altered by the source of calcium, the final alginate gel strength nor the resistance to calcium diffusion are altered. Calcium chloride reaches a gel strength plateau fastest (~100 s), followed by calcium lactate (~500 s) and calcium gluconoate (~2000 s). Calcium chloride is the best option when the bitter taste can be masked and a fast throughput is required, while calcium gluconoate may have an advantage when the membrane thickness/hardness needs to be manipulated.
Psychological characteristics of individuals who put forth inadequate cognitive effort in a secondary gain context.

The current study sought to characterize the psychological architecture of individuals who put forth inadequate effort. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, 2nd Edition-Restructured Form was used to identify dimensions of psychological functioning in a mixed outpatientsampleofU.S.Veteransreferredforneuropsychologicalevaluationaspartoftheirclinicalcare.Afteraccountingforexternalfinancial incentive and symptom overreporting, results showed that the inadequate effort group (n ¼ 23, mean age ¼ 42.48) scored higher than the adequate effort group (n ¼ 29, mean age ¼ 44.31) on neurologic complaints (NUC) and lower on behavioral/externalizing dysfunction (BXD), antisocial behaviors (RC4), and disconstraint (DISC-r). Lower scores on BXD, RC4, and DISC-r could indicate higher behavioral constraint—a psychological characteristic that has been linked to the pursuit of high-value future rewards. Alternatively, lower scores on these scales could havereflected a self-presentation strategyaimed atminimizing externalizing and RC4 in order to appear morepsychological healthy. Implications of each of these interpretations are discussed.
Mutually coupled switched reluctance machine (MCSRM) for electric and hybrid vehicles

A mutually coupled switched reluctance machine (MCSRM) comparable with interior permanent magnet synchronous machines (IPMSM) and conventional switched reluctance machines (CSRM) have been designed for hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) applications. The MCSRM can utilize the standard six switch inverter. The designed MCSRM is capable of wide speed range operation and has power and torque densities comparable to IPMSM and CSRM.
Pediatric urinary tract infection

Abstract Urinary tract infections (UTI) are one of the most common and serious infections among pediatric patients in the emergency department. Detection of UTI requires a systematic approach to urine testing and an understanding of the limitations to common screening tests. Proper culturing techniques are essential to the diagnosis. Accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment can reduce morbidity associated with UTIs.
Model-Based Machining Force Control

Regulating machining forces provides significant economic benefits by increasing operation productivity and improving part quality. Machining force regulation is a challenging problem since the force process varies significantly under normal operating conditions. Since fixed-gain controllers cannot guarantee system performance and stability as the force process varies, a substantial research effort has been invested in the development of adaptive force controllers. However, adaptive controllers can be difficult to develop, analyze, implement, and maintain due to their inherent complexity. Consequently, adaptive machining force controllers have found little application in industry. In this paper, a model-based machining force control approach, which incorporates detailed force process models, is introduced. The proposed design has a simple structure and explicitly accounts for the changes in the force process to maintain system performance and stability. Two model-based machining force controllers are implemented in face milling operations. The stability robustness of the closed-loop system with respect to model parameter uncertainties is analyzed, and the analysis is verified via simulation and experimental studies.
Satiation of interest in words as a function of their familiarity

On the basis of Hebb's ideas it was hypothesized that interest would satiate faster for highly familiar words than for less familiar words. Satiation of interest was measured by recording the frequency of alternations of eye fixations during prolonged viewing of pairs of words. Pairs of highly familiar words produced significantly higher rates of alternation than did less familiar word pairs. This effect was more pronounced during the second halves of the exposure periods than during the first. The more familiar words also resulted in more fixations away from the words. Data from a questionnaire indicated that the highly familiar words were more interesting than the less familiar words under conditions of brief exposure. This finding supported an interpretation of the above results in terms of the initial interest value of the stimuli.
It Won't Happen to Me: The Role of Optimistic Bias in African American Teens' Risky Sexual Practices

Discovering why adolescents take sexual risks, despite knowing the consequences, is a vital first step in combating the problem. Optimistic bias, the misperception that one is less likely than others to experience negative consequences from health behaviors, offers a promising explanation for adolescents' sexual risk taking. Unfortunately, optimistic bias research has neglected adolescents and minorities, relying heavily on European American college students as study subjects. Results from a small-scale survey of "at-risk" youth indicate that African American adolescents exhibit optimistic bias, believing they are less likely than peers to become pregnant (or cause a pregnancy). Findings indicate that optimistic bias is linked to sexual risk taking in youth, sexual intentions, and attitudes toward sexual activity. Although the current study is one of the first to include minority youth and one of the first to confirm a relationship between optimistic bias and risk behaviors, the findings suggest a promisi...
SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH: ROLE OF LEFT VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION

Early studies from the Coronary Drug Project of sudden cardiac death in patients surviving an episode of myocardial infarction called attention to the importance of ventricular ectopic beats.' In that study, complex ventricular ectopic beats recorded on a 12-hour Holter electrocardiogram were found to be associated with an excessive risk of sudden cardiac death. When the relationship was examined between complex ventricular ectopic beats and other risk factors, such as age, number of prior infarctions, angina pectoris, hypertension, serum cholesterol, glucose intolerance, cardiomegaly seen on chest X-ray films, and cigarette-smoking, complex ventricular ectopic beats were found to be independent risk factors with respect to sudden cardiac death. The importance of ventricular ectopic beats as a predictor of sudden cardiac death during the convalescent or late hospital phase of acute myocardial infarction in this and other studies has led to the use of prophylactic antiarrhythmic therapy in an attempt to prevent or reduce these ectopic beats and hence to prevent sudden cardiac death. In a subsequent study by Schulze et al. patients surviving an episode of acute myocardial infarction underwent 24-hour Holter electrocardiographic recording and gated radionuclide left ventricular angiography prior to discharge from the hospital.? Several important findings emerged from this study: It was noted that 26 of 29 (90%) patients with complex ventricular arrhythmias (Lown Class 111-V) on Holter electrocardiographic recording had a left ventricular ejection fraction of <40% compared with only 19 of 52 (37%) without complex ventricular arrhythmias. During a mean follow-up period of 7 months, eight patients had documented ventricular fibrillation. All eight patients who suffered sudden death were in the subset of patients with complex late hospital phase ventricular arrhythmias and a left ventricular ejection fraction of <40%. This study was one of the first to call attention to the role of ventricular dysfunction in patients with sudden cardiac death after an episode of acute myocardial infarction. The failure of left ventricular dysfunction to be recognized as an important predictor of sudden death after myocardial infarction in the Coronary Drug Project and in other previous studies may be related to the use of the cardiothoracic (CT) ratio on chest X-ray film as an index of left ventricular function. Subsequent studies have pointed out that the CT ratio is a poor index of left ventricular function and that the correlation between the CT ratio and left ventricular ejection fraction is poor. Schulze et al. also found that the left ventricular ejection fraction and the percent of left ventricular akinesia on gated blood pool imaging were significantly better predictors of subsequent sudden cardiac death than was peak creatine phosphokinase (CPK) determined during the episode of acute infarction. Patients who subsequently died suddenly had
Application of ion thruster technology to a 30-cm multipole sputtering ion source

A 30-cm electron-bombardment ion source has been designed and fabricated for micromachining and sputtering applications. This source has a multipole magnetic field that employs permanent magnets between permeable pole pieces. An average ion current density of 1 ma/sq cm with 500-eV argon ions was selected as a design operating condition. The ion beam at this operating condition was uniform and well collimated, with an average variation of + or -5 percent over the center 20 cm of the beam at a distance up to 30 cm from the ion source.
Changes During Storage of Oranges Pretreated with Nitrogen, Carbon Dioxide and Acetaldehyde in Air

Hamlin, Pineapple and Valencia oranges were stored in controlled atmospheres (CA) of nitrogen, carbon dioxide or 0.1–0.7% acetaldehyde in air 8–24 hours and changes in seven volatiles during 0–8 days determined by gas chromatography. Increases in acetaldehyde, ehtyl acetate, ethyl butyrate and ethanol were noted in samples after nitrogen or carbon dioxide CA storage with maximum increase 1–2 days after treatment. Methanol, methyl butyrate and hexanal were unchanged. Flavor evaluations of control versus treated juice showed no consistent changes from any treatment. Acetaldehyde vapors had little effect on flavor or compositon, except for Hamlins, where acetaldehyde and ethyl butyrate levels increased.
Materials impacts on micro-opto-electro-mechanical systems

Micro-Optical-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MOEMS) employ batch fabrication processes to construct miniature devices with macroscopic functionality. Surface micromachiend MOEMS structures are manufactured by the deposition and patterning of thin films. In marked contrast with conventional fabrication processes, the thin film materials used in surface micromachiend structures are formed as the device is processed. In general, the material properties of thin films are not controlled during deposition, and are only measured after processing is completed. Characterization techniques currently wafer curvature measurements and a variety of test structures. None of the thin film characterization techniques currently employed is entirely satisfactory and all methods rely on process repeatability to be useful. The ultimate optical performance of MOEMS depends directly on the materials properties of the thin films employed. Differing residual material stresses and residual stress gradients cause curvature which degrades the optical performance of nominally flat reflecting surfaces. For multilayer structures like most micromirrors curvature due to the bimetallic effect can not be ignored. Recent work in which foundry processes were used to fabricate low-0cost deformable mirrors for adaptive optics illustrates the impact of residual material stress on system level optical performance. In other MOEMS devices residual material stress can be exploited to produce unique structures. More precise monitoring and control of film stress during deposition remains as a challenge for MEMS and MOEMS. This paper will address the principal materials issues for MOEMS and suggest both design and process control solutions.
Downregulation of 5‐HT1A receptors in rat hypothalamus and dentate gyrus after “binge” pattern cocaine administration

The effect of chronic cocaine exposure on the central serotonergic system in the rat was investigated using a selective 5-HT1A receptor agonist, [3H]8-hydroxy-2-(di-N-propylamino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), and a 5-HT2A receptor antagonist, [3H]ketanserin, as tritiated ligands in a quantitative autoradiography study. Rats were administered cocaine in a "binge" pattern, 15 mg/kg/injection, three times a day, at 1-h intervals for 14 days to mimic the pattern often seen in human cocaine addicts. A significant decrease in the binding of [3H]8-OH-DPAT was found in the ventromedial hypothalamus (P < 0.001) and the dorsal dentate gyrus (P < 0.01) in rats administered cocaine as compared with rats injected with saline. No significant difference in the binding of [3H]ketanserin was found in frontal, parietal, agranular insular, and piriform cortices, caudate-putamen, olfactory tubercle, nucleus accumbens, thalamus, septohippocampal nucleus, and claustrum. Several studies have shown that 5-HT1A receptor agonists have antidepressant properties. Other studies, in animal models, have shown that 5-HT1A receptor agonists stimulate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which is of interest, since chronic activation of this axis has been related to anxiety and depression. Our data show that the 5-HT1A component of the serotonergic system is altered following chronic "binge" pattern cocaine administration in an animal model and may be related to changes in the HPA axis and behavior.
Financial innovation and the boundaries of banking

The paper analyzes the interaction of the process of international innovation and the structure of the international banking sector. The advent of new instruments of financing resulted in the growth of disintermediation. This created pressure for the liberalization of banking with the resulting international competition. The banking sector in the USA is fragmented, and offers a widely differing range of services. Innovation has resulted in a change in structure, a reshuffling of participants and a consolidation of financial centers.
Cyclic AMP regulation of glucose transport in germinating Pilobolus longipes spores

Pilobolus longipes spores were activated by either glucose or 6-deoxyglucose. Glucose-induced spore activation was previously shown to follow an increase in intracellular cyclic AMP. Concurrent with glucose-induced spore activation, were shifts in 6-deoxyglucose transport kinetics towards higher V max and K m values. Cyclic AMP derivatives also caused spore activation and similar changes in the kinetic parameters of 6-deoxyglucose transport. The time course of activation was paralleled by changes in transport activity. Inhibition of phosphodiesterase alone did not cause activation or induce changes in transport activity, but in combination with sub-optimal levels of either 6-deoxyglucose or cAMP derivatives, it amplified the germination signals to produce large increases in both spore activation and 6-deoxyglucose transport activity. These results support the conclusion that glucose transport in germinating spores is regulated by cAMP.
The asymmetry of cyclic hardening in Ni3(Al,Nb) single crystals

There are numerous similarities in the mechanical behavior between L1/sub 2/ alloys and bcc metals, such as the breakdown of Schmid's law, a strong orientation and temperature dependence of the flow stress and changes of the slip geometry. (The details of these effects are different in the L1/sub 2/ and bcc materials, but the effects exists in both materials.) All these features originate from characteristic properties of the core structure of screw dislocations. When bcc single crystals are cyclically deformed, an increasing stress asymmetry is observed which was shown in both Nb and Mo single crystals to be orientation dependent. The purpose of the study reported here is to determine if such asymmetries of the flow stress can be observed in a pure ..gamma..' alloy during cyclic deformation. The cyclic hardening of Ni/sub 3/(Al, Nb) crystals tested under plastic strain control is anistropic. The mean stress is always non zero for the orientations and temperatures selected for this study. The fatigue hardening behavior of this material corresponds, in general, to the flow behavior under monotonic test conditions. The sense of asymmetry in cyclic hardening follows the same orientation dependence as that of samples tested monotonically. The mean stress, which ismore » a measure of asymmetry, is almost zero for plastic strains in the microyield region. The near-(011) orientation shows the largest asymmetry. The influence of cycling on the mean stress is very weak for the near-(001) sample, moderate for the near-(111) sample and very strong for the near-(011) sample.« less
Petrologic, geochemical and experimental constraints on models of chondrule formation

Abstract The petrologic and geochemical properties of chondrules as well as results of experimental studies provide strong constraints on chondrule-formation models. Nebular formation is indicated by the non-mass-fractionated oxygen isotopic compositions of bulk chondrules. Chondrule formation from a melt is required by the prototypical spheroidal shapes and the presence of euhedral phenocrysts and glassy mesostases. Incomplete melting is indicated by the abundance of porphyritic chondrules (which experiments demonstrate require relict nuclei) and coarse relict grains. The length of time that chondrules were hot is constrained by their retention of relict grains and moderately volatile elements. Rapid cooling of chondrules after formation is supported by the presence of zoned phenocrysts, isotopic anomalies and dynamic crystallization experiments. It is clear from the presence of relict grains, enveloping compound chondrules and igneous rims that many chondrules were heated again after cooling. The heating mechanism responsible for chondrule formation seems to have operated at varying intensities over large regions of the inner solar nebula for at least the time it took ambient nebular temperatures to cool from above ∼900 to below ∼600 K. The chondrule-formation mechanism provided a repeatable source of energy capable of highly localized melting, characteristic of flash heating. The occurrence of ferroan microchondrules with low melting temperatures within some chondrule rims indicates that chondrule formation did not occur exclusively in high-temperature regions near the Sun as required in bipolar outflow models. Mechanisms for forming chondrules that are consistent with the constraints include various flash-heating models: nebular lightning, magnetic reconnection flares, gas dynamic shock waves and radiative heating.
Windborne dispersal of foot and mouth virus.

SEVERAL papers1–7 have suggested that wind-carried foot and mouth virus (FMV) had helped to spread the disease during the 1967 epidemic. Most of the papers concentrated on the physical aspects of transport and deposition and two of them2,6 inferred that precipitation was involved in depositing the virus and that the deposited virus, which was subsequently ingested by animals, was capable of spreading the infection. Indirect support for this mechanism comes from the work of Chamberlain8.
Visibility enhancement of fluorescent objects hidden in animal tissues using spectral fluorescence difference method

Abstract The difference between the fluorescence spectra emitted from Cardio Green dye and chicken breast tissue in the near-infrared (NIR) region was measured and used to select a pair of fingerprint wavelengths for imaging. Using spectral fluorescence difference imaging method, an 1-mm tissue object stained with Cardio Green dye located 3.1 cm underneath the surface of the host chicken tissue was clearly imaged and identified. The spatial resolution and the contrast of the fluorescence difference image were found to be significantly improved over the conventional single wavelength imaging approach.
Effectiveness 2 Years Postexit of a Recently Established Mental Health Court

There are now more than 300 mental health courts in the United States; yet studies on their effectiveness in reducing criminal recidivism are relatively few, and most follow defendants after entry into the court, during their participation, and sometimes, for a short period following exit. Using a preenrollment-postexit design that follows participants of one mental health court for 2 years after exit, this article examines criminal recidivism of participants after they no longer receive the court's services, supervision, and support. It investigates participant demographic, clinical, and criminal history and key arrest characteristics as well as process measures and graduation as predictors of two measures of recidivism, arrests, and postexit jail days. Its findings support the hypothesis that mental health courts can reduce criminal recidivism postexit and point to criminal history, time in mental health court, and graduation as the main influences on recidivism. Language: en
Treatment of nosocomial postoperative pneumonia in cancer patients: a prospective randomized study.

Background:Nosocomial pneumonia continues to be associated with high morbidity and mortality in cancer patients.
HOPE VI, Colonization, and the Production of Difference

Between 1993 and 2010, the Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere (HOPE VI) Program sought to transform public housing by demolishing large spatially concentrated developments and replacing th...
The Web-based Community College Student: An Examination of Factors that Lead to Success and Risk

The author reports a quasi-replication of Osborn [Osborn, V.I. (2000). Identifying at-risk students: An assessment instrument for distributed learning courses in higher education. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of North Texas]. Factor analysis produced seven factors that were combined with seven background variables for further analysis. Discriminant function analysis was used to analyze the influence of 14 variables on the dependent variable successful completion of Web-based classes at the community college level. Results of the quantitative analysis suggest that grade point average (GPA), study environment, age, time since last college class, and background preparation were significant discriminating factors. Using qualitative analysis, 22 randomly selected students who dropped their Web-based course were interviewed about their reasons for dropping the course. The reason given most often for dropout was that the student could not obtain, access, or install all the required learning materials in a timely manner and that they dropped the course while they still had a chance to do so.
Effect of interface undulations on the thermal fatigue of thin films and scales on metal substrates

Oxide scales that form on superalloys eventually spall, especially upon thermal cycling. This phenomenon is motivated by the large residual compression in the oxide. Buckling and interface crack propagation are known aspects of this behavior, but the origin of the interface separation that precedes and activates buckling is not understood. One mechanism is described and analyzed in this article. It relies on the observation that the interfaces are typically non-planar. Such non-planarity can result in cyclic straining of the substrate, near the interface, leading to crack initiation by fatigue. The conditions that lead of cyclic plasticity are analyzed for a typical range of parameters.
Variations in atherosclerosis and remodeling patterns in aorta and carotids

Atherosclerosis is a progressive disease that causes vascular remodeling that can be positive or negative. The evolution of arterial wall thickening and changes in lumen size under current "standard of care" in different arterial beds is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine arterial remodeling and progression/regression of atherosclerosis in aorta and carotid arteries of individuals at risk for atherosclerosis normalized over a 1-year period. In this study, 28 patients underwent at least 2 black-blood in vivo cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) scans of aorta and carotids over a one-year period (Mean 17.8 ± 7.5 months). Clinical risk profiles for atherosclerosis and medications were documented and patients were followed by their referring physicians under current "standard of care" guidelines. Carotid and aortic wall lumen areas were matched across the time-points from cross-sectional images. The wall area increased by 8.67%, 10.64%, and 13.24% per year (carotid artery, thoracic aorta and abdominal aorta respectively, p < 0.001). The lumen area of the abdominal aorta increased by 4.97% per year (p = 0.002), but the carotid artery and thoracic aorta lumen areas did not change significantly. The use of statin therapy did not change the rate of increase of wall area of carotid artery, thoracic and abdominal aorta, but decreased the rate of change of lumen area of carotid artery (-3.08 ± 11.34 vs. 0.19 ± 12.91 p < 0.05). Results of this study of multiple vascular beds indicated that different vascular locations exhibited varying progression of atherosclerosis and remodeling as monitored by CMR.
Gender and Perceptions of Occupational Prestige: Changes Over 20 Years

Two studies compared perceptions of status for occupations based on the gender and race of the workers. In total, 387 college students participated in this research. Across studies, results indicated that participants did not differentially value occupations based on the gender or race of the workers in terms of prestige ratings or salary estimates. However, participants judged that occupations required more education when described as having predominantly male workers rather than female workers. In addition, the participants showed different levels of interest in the positions depending on the occupational gender. These results are compared with similar studies conducted 20 years ago, in which participants showed more overt forms of devaluing occupations associated with women.
ADAMTS13 Deficiency Exacerbates VWF-Dependent Acute Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Mice

Epidemiologic studies suggest that elevated VWF levels and reduced ADAMTS13 activity in the plasma are risk factors for myocardial infarction. However, it remains unknown whether the ADAMTS13-VWF axis plays a causal role in the pathophysiology of myocardial infarction. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that ADAMTS13 reduces VWF-mediated acute myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in mice. Infarct size, neutrophil infiltration, and myocyte apoptosis in the left ventricular area were quantified after 30 minutes of ischemia and 23.5 hours of reperfusion injury. Adamts13−/− mice exhibited significantly larger infarcts concordant with increased neutrophil infiltration and myocyte apoptosis compared with wild-type (WT) mice. In contrast, Vwf−/− mice exhibited significantly reduced infarct size, neutrophil infiltration, and myocyte apoptosis compared with WT mice, suggesting a detrimental role for VWF in myocardial I/R injury. Treating WT or Adamts13−/− mice with neutralizing Abs to VWF significantly reduced infarct size compared with control Ig–treated mice. Finally, myocardial I/R injury in Adamts13−/−/Vwf−/− mice was similar to that in Vwf−/− mice, suggesting that the exacerbated myocardial I/R injury observed in the setting of ADAMTS13 deficiency is VWF dependent. These findings reveal that ADAMTS13 and VWF are causally involved in myocardial I/R injury.
Clavicular fractures and acromioclavicular joint dislocations in lacrosse: Preventable injuries

Clavicular fractures and acromioclavicular joint dislocations occur frequently in high school lacrosse players. This injury is restricted to attackmen who are struck in the clavicular region by the stick of the defensemen. The conventional foam shoulder pads with or without flexible plastic inserts worn by the attackmen did not protect them from this injury. On the basis of this clinical experience, a new protective shoulder pad containing high-density polyethylene over the clavicle and acromioclavicular joint has been designed and manufactured to prevent these injuries. Our initial experience with this new shoulder pad indicates that it will protect lacrosse players from clavicular fractures and acromioclavicular joint dislocations.
An object-oriented program shell for integrating CAD software tools

Abstract The number of CAD programs and their capabilities have risen greatly in recent times. As well, the number of Application Programmer Interface (API) products and the number of representation standards for display, database storage and communication has also risen. These applications, API products and representation standards are generally not compatible except through specific, individually programmed interfaces. Incompatibility of API software products arises because of: (i) different representations for the same information, and (ii) different ways of communicating with the API products. This article describes the derivation of a generic software architecture to overcome the second source of incompatibility. The derivation employs the “box structure” (system engineering) software development methodology in a generic, high level manner; by considering activities performed with current CAD software, but without going into the details. The objective is to determine the types of software objects required and the types of messages that must be passed between them. The result is an architecture in which Tool objects embodying individual software tools are plugged into a Shell object which holds the Tool’s together as a single program, provides for interactions between Tool’s and controls when each Tool is active. In this way separately developed software tools can be combined seamlessly into a highly graphical and interactive environment.
Low temperature heat capacity of LaRu2 by a.c. technique

Abstract The low temperature heat capacity data of a small bulk sample of LaRu 2 show that the structural transformation occurring at T m ∼ 29.5K is rather spread out. The electronic heat capacity coefficient, γ, and Debye temperature, θ D , are found to be respectively 8.5 mJ g . atom K 2 and 164 K. The multiple anomalies below T m and T c (4.45 K) are discussed.
Propofol: an immunomodulating agent

Propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol) is a potent intravenous hypnotic agent widely administered for induction and maintenance of anesthesia and for sedation in the intensive care unit. Propofol is insoluble in water and therefore is formulated in a lipid emulsion. In addition, a preservative (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid [EDTA] or sodium metabisulfite) is added to retard bacterial growth. Propofol has antiinflammatory properties, decreasing production of proinflammatory cytokines, altering expression of nitric oxide, and inhibiting neutrophil function. Propofol also is a potent antioxidant. The added preservatives have biologic activity; EDTA has antiinflammatory properties, whereas metabisulfite may cause lipid peroxidation. The antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties of propofol may have beneficial effects in patients with sepsis and systemic inflammatory response syndrome.
MR‐visible lipids and the tumor microenvironment

MR-visible lipids or mobile lipids are defined as lipids that are observable using proton MRS in cells and tissues. These MR-visible lipids are composed of triglycerides and cholesterol esters that accumulate in neutral lipid droplets, where their MR visibility is conferred as a result of the increased molecular motion available in this unique physical environment. This review discusses the factors that lead to the biogenesis of MR-visible lipids in cancer cells and in other cell types, such as immune cells and fibroblasts. We focus on the accumulations of mobile lipids that are inducible in cultured cells by a number of stresses, including culture conditions, and in response to activating stimuli or apoptotic cell death induced by anticancer drugs. This is compared with animal tumor models, where increases in mobile lipids are observed in response to chemo- and radiotherapy, and to human tumors, where mobile lipids are observed predominantly in high-grade brain tumors and in regions of necrosis. Conducive conditions for mobile lipid formation in the tumor microenvironment are discussed, including low pH, oxygen availability and the presence of inflammatory cells. It is concluded that MR-visible lipids appear in cancer cells and human tumors as a stress response. Mobile lipids stored as neutral lipid droplets may play a role in the detoxification of the cell or act as an alternative energy source, especially in cancer cells, which often grow in ischemic/hypoxic environments. The role of MR-visible lipids in cancer diagnosis and the assessment of the treatment response in both animal models of cancer and human brain tumors is also discussed. Although technical limitations exist in the accurate detection of intratumoral mobile lipids, early increases in mobile lipids after therapeutic interventions may be useful as a potential biomarker for the assessment of treatment response in cancer.
A noise reduction method for chaotic signals

An iterative method for reducing noise in contaminated chaotic signals is proposed. This method estimates the deviation of the observed signal from the nearest noise-free signal satisfying the system dynamics in order to get a noise-reduced (or enhanced) signal. To calculate the deviation we minimize a cost function composed of two parts: one containing information that represents how close the enhanced signal is to the observed signal and another including constraints that fit the dynamics of the system. This method has a simple structure and is flexible in the choice of the parts of the cost function. The proposed method is compared with Farmer's method which is known to have good performance in mild signal-to-noise ratios but has a more complex structure.
Biometric and Forensic Aspects of Digital Document Processing

Signatures and handwriting have long played a role in dayto-day business transactions and in forensics, e.g., to authenticate documents, as evidence to establish crime or innocence, etc. The individuality of handwriting and signatures is the basis for their relevance to authentication and forensics. This very individuality makes them also potentially useful as a biometric modality. This chapter is concerned with automatic methods for verifying the writership of handwritten documents and signatures. The discussion consists of the individuality of handwriting, image pre-processing and interactive tools for forensic document examination, discriminating characteristics of handwriting, a statistical model of writer verification, and application of the model to signature verification.
Hiring pediatric hospitalists: the process matters.

Over the past 10 years, hospitals across the United States have increasingly adopted a hospitalist model of care.1 The field of pediatric hospital medicine is now the fastest growing pediatric specialty, with ∼3000 pediatric hospitalists currently practicing in the United States.2 Most programs are young and expanding. A survey of 112 pediatric hospitalist leaders by Freed et al3 in 2007 found that 55% of programs had been in existence for ≤ 5 years, and 48% reported some turnover in their pediatric hospitalist workforce over the preceding 2 years. Because demand currently exceeds supply, program leaders have been advised to “never stop recruiting” because a “hospitalist programs’ biggest challenge is accommodating growth.”4 These recruiting efforts apply for both career-committed hospitalists as well as people who may be more transient, such as those headed eventually for fellowships or residency graduates who have not yet decided on a permanent career path. When queried about how they hire a new hospitalist, leaders of other pediatric hospitalist programs usually recite a familiar story; there may (or may not) be a job posting, there may (or may not) be a detailed job description, and a determination is made as to whom to invite for interviews based on their curriculum vitae (CV) and cover letter. The interviews are conducted over a 1- or 2-day period, and candidates meet with various individuals who may have a connection with the applicant’s clinical or research interest or personal background (“She’s from Colorado, just like you!”). There is usually a dinner or two, and the people who are involved in this process have an opportunity to get a feel for how they like the individual. Of course, they probably review the candidate’s CV ahead of time, and they may have a rich discussion about the possibilities for …
On loop spaces of configuration spaces

This paper gives a brief introduction to the theory of conguration spaces. Some recent results about the homology of their loop spaces are also presented. We also discuss their relationship to Vassiliev invariants for knots.
Reducibility of linear dynamic equations on measure chains

The concepts of reducibility and kinematic similarity are of major significance in the theory of stability of linear differential and difference equations. In this paper we generalize some fundamental results on reducibility from the finite-dimensional differential equations context to dynamic equations on measure chains in arbitrary Hilbert spaces. In fact, we derive sufficient conditions for dynamic equations to be kinematically similar to an equation with zero right-hand side or to an equation in Hermitian or block diagonal form.
Nerve growth factor mRNA‐containing cells are distributed within regions of cholinergic neurons in the rat basal forebrain

It has been proposed that nerve growth factor (NGF) provides critical trophic support for the cholinergic neurons of the basal forebrain and that it becomes available to these neurons by retrograde transport from distant forebrain targets. However, neurochemical studies have detected low levels of NGF mRNA within basal forebrain areas of normal and experimental animals, thus suggesting that some NGF synthesis may actually occur within the region of the responsive cholinergic cells. In the present study with in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical techniques, the distribution of cells containing NGF mRNA within basal forebrain was compared with the distribution of cholinergic perikarya. The localization of NGF mRNA was examined by using a 35S-labeled RNA probe complementary to rat preproNGF mRNA and emulsion autoradiography. Hybridization of the NGF cRNA labeled a large number of cells within the anterior olfactory nucleus and the piriform cortex as well as neurons in a continuous zone spanning the lateral aspects of both the horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca and the magnocellular preoptic nucleus. In the latter regions, large autoradiographic grain clusters labeled relatively large Nissl-pale nuclei; it did not appear that glial cells were autoradiographically labeled. Comparison of adjacent tissue sections processed for in situ hybridization to NGF mRNA and immunohistochemical localization of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) demonstrated overlapping fields of cRNA-labeled neurons and ChAT-immunoreactive perikarya in both the horizontal limb of the diagonal band and magnocellular preoptic regions. However, no hybridization of the cRNA probe was observed in other principal cholinergic regions including the medial septum, the vertical limb of the diagonal band, or the nucleus basalis of Meynert. These results provide evidence for the synthesis of NGF mRNA by neurons within select fields of NGF-responsive cholinergic cells and suggest that the generally accepted view of “distant” target-derived neurotrophic support should be reconsidered and broadened.
An evaluation of clinical variables in determining the need for pelvic examination in the emergency department.

Study objective: To evaluate the ability of multiple clinical variables to predict an increased or decreased probability of pelvic pathology, therefore determining when a pelvic examination is needed. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: An urban emergency department. Type of participants: 246 female patients presenting with abdominal pain and undergoing pelvic examination. Measurements and main results: The patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of 99 patients without pelvic pathology (40%) and group 2 consisted of 147 patients with pelvic pathology (60%). Pelvic pathology was defined as presence of infective discharge (with confirmation on wet mount/potassium hydroxide smear), presence of adenexal mass and/or tenderness, cervical motion tenderness, uterine enlargement and/or tenderness, blood in the vaginal vault, and culture report positive for Neisseria gonorrhea. The following variables achieved statistical significance (P Conclusion: History of vaginal discharge, history of dysmenorrhea/menorrhagia, and left lower quadrant pain on physical examination act as risk variables predicting presence of pelvic disease. Right upper quadrant pain on physical examination acts as a protective variable to predict absence of pelvic disease. This information may aid the emergency physician in determining the need for a pelvic examination in women with abdominal pain.
Towards History-based Grammars: Using Richer Models for Probabilistic Parsing

We describe a generative probabilistic model of natural language, which we call HBG, that takes advantage of detailed linguistic information to resolve ambiguity. HBG incorporates lexical, syntactic, semantic, and structural information from the parse tree into the disambiguation process in a novel way. We use a corpus of bracketed sentences, called a Treebank, in combination with decision tree building to tease out the relevant aspects of a parse tree that will determine the correct parse of a sentence. This stands in contrast to the usual approach of further grammar tailoring via the usual linguistic introspection in the hope of generating the correct parse. In head-to-head tests against one of the best existing robust probabilistic parsing models, which we call P-CFG, the HBG model significantly outperforms P-CFG, increasing the parsing accuracy rate from 60% to 75%, a 37% reduction in error.
Peers, Patronage, and the Industrial Revolution, 1760-1800

… My Thoughts always return to the Necessity of exercising Politicks in cultivating & protecting & extending our Manufactures as the principal Source for improving our Lands, multiplying our People & increasing & establishing our Commerce & Naval Force.Samuel Garbett to the Marquess of Lansdowne, 2 October 1786.Students of the industrial revolution now generally admit what seemed obvious to Samuel Garbett, the Birmingham manufacturer and lobbyist, two hundred years ago; namely, that the state was an important participant in the early phases of the industrial revolution. Many scholars still emphasize the restraint of English government — a restraint which gave relatively free play to natural economic forces and to individual genius, a restraint which also aggravated the social repercussions of so momentous a transformation. But they recognize that entrepreneurs could obtain legal sanction for enclosures, canals, and a myriad of other “improvements' easily and at moderate cost by means of a private act of parliament, and they debate whether existing patent law stimulated invention by providing adequate rewards for the inventor or aimed primarily at discouraging stultifying monopoly. Because the processes of growth in the last decades of the century were so fundamental and pervasive, fiscal, commercial, colonial, and foreign policies were bound to have an impact on the embryonic industrial economy. Whether government by its various acts encouraged or impeded growth is open to debate at a number of levels. There can be no doubt, however, that politicians endeavored, if sometimes slowly and haphazardly, to adapt policy and law to changing conditions and that their decisions did affect the tempo and quality of growth.