cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Combined coronary artery bypass grafting and bilateral renal revascularization for unstable angina and impending renal failure

The purpose of our article is to describe a patient with severe hypertension and moderate renal insufficiency, unstable angina, and a 6 cm abdominal aortic aneurysm. A previous aortogram had demonstrated severe bilateral renal artery stenoses. Cardiac catheterization demonstrated severe coronary disease. After cardiac catheterization acute renal failure and pulmonary edema requiring dialysis developed in the patient. In addition, evidence of impending myocardial necrosis developed. Because of the critical nature of the myocardial and renal ischemia it was necessary to perform combined myocardial and renal revascularization rather than staged procedures. At the time of coronary artery bypass grafting, a vein graft was anastomosed to the right coronary artery vein graft and tunneled through the diaphragm into the abdomen to revascularize both renal arteries. After surgery renal function gradually improved, and no further dialysis was required. The abdominal aortic aneurysm was repaired at a subsequent operation. At 2-year follow-up all grafts remained patent. The serum creatinine is 1.2 mg/dl. Although most patients with combined coronary artery disease and renal artery disease can be treated with staged operations, our procedure may be of value in patients in whom staged procedure are not feasible and in whom the infrarenal aorta is severely diseased or aneurysmal.
A short review of dispersed flow heat transfer in post-dryout boiling

Abstract Convective boiling beyond critical-heat-flux (CHF) is encountered in a number of applications including steam generators, nuclear reactors, cryogenic systems, and metallurgical processing. At high void fractions (moderate to high vapor qualities) post-CHF heat transfer occurs with dispersed flow where the liquid phase is distributed as droplets entrained in the continuous vapor phase. It appears today that there is strong theoretical and experimental cause to believe that thermodynamic nonequilibrium is highly likely in dispersed flow, convective post-CHF boiling heat transfer. The experimental data base on the degree of nonequilibrium is very sparse and needs to be greatly expanded as the technical community seek to quantify this important phenomenon. Recently, experiments at Lehigh University and Idaho National Engineering Laboratory obtained measurements of vapor nonequilibrium superheat at various distances downstream from the dryout CHF point. This group of three experimental studies provide the most detailed measurements of nonequilibrium, dispersed flow, post-dryout boiling heat transfer available to date. In addition to the normal measurements of wall heat flux, wall temperature, system pressure, flow rate, and equilibrium quality, obtained in earlier experiments, these new experiments added the critical additional measurement of nonequilibrium bulk vapor temperature. With the availability of these new experimental results, it is now possible and in fact necessary to assess all nonequilibrium models not just for heat flux and wall temperature, but also for the vapor temperature. In fact, all proposed models and correlations should be required to satisfactorily predicts both the vapor temperature and the wall heat flux (or wall temperature) simultaneously and correctly.
Hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia after diversion of pancreatic venous drainage into vena cava

Abstract In both diabetic and normal dogs, hyperlipidemia and hypercholesterolemia developed after the venous drainage of the pancreas was diverted into the vena cava by anastomosis with the gastroduodenal and gastrosplenic veins. In the diabetic animals the glucose abnormality became more severe after the operation and the livers contained increased fat. Six of 8 nondiabetic animals showed mild to moderate increases in serum lipid concentrations following diversion of pancreatic venous drainage away from the liver into the systemic circulation.
Octave discriminability of musical and non-musical subjects

A subjective differential rating technique was used to determine differences in octave discriminability between musical and non-musical male college students. Ss rated 23 test tones to a standard tone by means of a seven point scale on a relative “similarity” criterion. The test frequencies extended two and one-fifth octaves above and below the standard 1,000 Hz tone at equal interval fifths, and were presented for 200 msec each at constant intensity. An analysis of variance performed on the 2 by 2 nested design data indicated highly significant differences between groups at octabe and non-octave test points. A significant interaction substantiates the existence of an “octave effect” with the musical group, and implications of the phenomenon are discussed.
Breakdown kinetics of the tri-chromium(III) oxo acetate cluster ([Cr3O(OAc)6]+) with some ligands of biological interest

Abstract Kinetics for the breakdown of the trinuclear chromium acetate cluster, [Cr3O(OAc)6]+, with a series of monoprotic and diprotic ligands in weakly acidic aqueous media (pH ∼ 4 or ∼5) have been investigated spectrophotometrically at 40–60 °C. The results point to an ion-pair equilibrium as the first step followed by associative interchange mechanism forming the mononuclear product of the reaction. Pseudo-first-order rates were determined from absorbance data and associated activation parameters were calculated using the Eyring equation. Enthalpy and entropy terms of the reactions (e.g., histidine, ΔH‡ = 75 ± 15 kJ mol−1, ΔS‡ = −130 ± 25 J K−1 mol−1; lactic acid, ΔH‡ = 66 ± 13 kJ mol−1, ΔS‡ = −155 ± 30 J K−1 mol−1; glycine, ΔH‡ = 31 ± 6 kJ mol−1, ΔS‡ = −225 ± 45 J K−1 mol−1) are consistent with an associative interchange (Ia) mechanism, and produce a linear isokinetic plot (slope = 50 °C). Rates and activation parameters are comparable to those of substitution reactions of the chromium(III) hexaaqua cation. Other ligands studied included malonic acid and the amino acid, aspartic acid. Observed rates are faster than water exchange rates, but typically slower than anion substitution rates, and indicate that trinuclear chromium(III) clusters are expected to be kinetically stable in neutral to slightly acidic conditions.
Effect of magnitude and timing of maternal pregnancy blood lead (Pb) levels on birth outcomes.

Associations between magnitude and timing of maternal pregnancy blood lead (Pb) levels (BLLs), birth weight, and total days of gestation were examined, as well as associations with related clinical diagnoses of low birth weight (LBW), preterm, and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth. Among a sample of 262 mother–infant pairs studied retrospectively, one-way analysis of variance and regression statistics were used to measure the relationship between level of maternal pregnancy BLLs and birth outcomes while controlling for key maternal and newborn factors. Women with maximum pregnancy BLLs (max-PBLLs) ⩾10 μg/dl tended to give birth earlier and their babies were at substantially increased risk for preterm and SGA birth. By holding other explanatory factors constant, each unit increase in max-PBLL above 10 μg/dl was found to be associated with a decrease of −0.3 in total days of gestation. Compared to women with lower levels, women with max-PBLLs ⩾10 μg/dl were at a threefold increased risk for preterm birth (adjusted OR=3.2, 95% CI 1.2–7.4) and more than a fourfold increased risk for having an SGA infant (adjusted OR=4.2, 1.3–13.9). Second trimester maximum BLLs ⩾10 μg/dl were associated with a steep decrease in total days of gestation (a decrease of −1.0 days per each unit increase above 10 μg/dl). These data provide evidence of the adverse effects of maternal pregnancy BLLs, particularly when levels are ⩾10 μg/dl. Prenatal Pb exposure at these levels was associated with significant decreases in total days of gestation and an increased risk of preterm and SGA birth.
Low-Complexity MIMO Detection Using Post-Processing SINR Ordering and Partial K-Best Search

Linear detectors such as zero-forcing (ZF) and minimum mean square error (MMSE) require only a small fraction of computational complexity compared to maximum likelihood (ML) detector. However, linear detections suffer from severe performance degradation. In this paper, we propose a novel detection scheme which obtains the initial symbol detection by MMSE detector and then perform symbol ordering by signal-to-interference-and-noise ratio (SINR). The MMSE detected symbols with higher SINR are retained as part of final solution and cancelled from the original received signals. The remaining symbols with lower SINR are detected by K-best algorithm, which selects K best nodes in each layer of the partial tree search. The small value of K is sufficient to achieve good performances, and therefore the extra computational complexity is minimal. Simulation results show the performance superiority of the proposed method compared to the conventional MMSE detection. Moreover, at the similar symbol error rates, the total number of nodes visited in the proposed approach is much smaller than the conventional K-best detection scheme.
Net sodium loss and mortality of three salmonid species exposed to a stream acidified by atmospheric deposition

Death of freshwater fish exposed to low pH is primarily due to failure of sodium regulation. Low pH reduces sodium influx and greatly increases efflux resulting in a net loss of sodium. Ionoregulatory failure may trigger circulatory collapse which finally causes death. A fish experiencing net loss of blood salts may be able to mobilize salts from elsewhere in the body; therefore, a study of concentrations of ions in the blood provides less information than one of net ion balance with respect to pH and/or aluminum toxicity. The present study was initiated to determine whether or not aluminum accelerates net sodium loss in fish exposed to pH 5.0 soft water (calcium <5 mg/L) and if so, to discover whether or not the magnitude of loss might account for mortality of fish in waters acidified by atmospheric deposition.
Sleep and GABA levels in the oral part of rat pontine reticular formation are decreased by local and systemic administration of morphine

Morphine, a mu-opioid receptor agonist, is a commonly prescribed treatment for pain. Although highly efficacious, morphine has many unwanted side effects including disruption of sleep and obtundation of wakefulness. One mechanism by which morphine alters sleep and wakefulness may be by modulating GABAergic signaling in brain regions regulating arousal, including the pontine reticular nucleus, oral part (PnO). This study used in vivo microdialysis in unanesthetized Sprague-Dawley rat to test the hypothesis that mu-opioid receptors modulate PnO GABA levels. Validation of the high performance liquid chromatographic technique used to quantify GABA was obtained by dialyzing the PnO (n=4 rats) with the GABA reuptake inhibitor nipecotic acid (500 microM). Nipecotic acid caused a 185+/-20% increase in PnO GABA levels, confirming chromatographic detection of GABA and demonstrating the existence of functional GABA transporters in rat PnO. Morphine caused a concentration-dependent decrease in PnO GABA levels (n=25 rats). Coadministration of morphine (100 microM) with naloxone (1 microM), a mu-opioid receptor antagonist, blocked the morphine-induced decrease in PnO GABA levels (n=5 rats). These results show for the first time that mu-opioid receptors in rat PnO modulate GABA levels. A second group of rats (n=6) was used to test the hypothesis that systemically administered morphine also decreases PnO GABA levels. I.v. morphine caused a significant (P<0.05) decrease (19%) in PnO GABA levels relative to control i.v. infusions of saline. Finally, microinjections followed by 2 h recordings of electroencephalogram and electromyogram tested the hypothesis that PnO morphine administration disrupts sleep (n=8 rats). Morphine significantly (P<0.05) increased the percent of time spent in wakefulness (65%) and significantly (P<0.05) decreased the percent of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep (-53%) and non-REM sleep (-69%). The neurochemical and behavioral data suggest that morphine may disrupt sleep, at least in part, by decreasing GABAergic transmission in the PnO.
Active suppression of aerodynamic instabilities in turbomachines

In this paper, we advocate a strategy for controlling a class of turbomachine instabilities, whose primitive phases can be modeled by linear theory, but that eventually grow into a performance-limiting modification of the basic flow. The phenomena of rotating stall and surge are two very different practical examples in which small disturbances grow to magnitudes such that they limit machine performance. We develop a theory that shows how an additional disturbance, driven from real-time data measured within the turbomachine, can be generated so as to realize a device with characteristics fundamentally different than those of the machine without control. For the particular compressor analyzed, the control increases the stable operating range by 20% of the mean flow. We show that active control can also be used to destabilize a compressor in an undesirable state such as nonrecoverable stall. Examination of the energetics of the controlled system shows the required control power scales with the square of the ambient disturbance level, which can be several orders of magnitude below the power of the machine. Brief mention is also made of the use of structural dynamics, rather than active control, to enhance stability.
Factors governing lactic acid formation in long term cultivation of hybridoma cells

Effect of glucose concentration and pH on lactic acid formation was investigated in batch cultures of a hybridoma cell line. Lactate formation increases with growth rate. High glucose concentration leads to extensive lactate formation only during growth phase and not during stationary phase. Lactate formation also may serve to regulate extracellular pH to pH 6.8, provided conditions are favorable to maintain viability and if sufficient nutrients are present in the medium.
Novel mutations in the NRL gene and associated clinical findings in patients with dominant retinitis pigmentosa.

Objectives To search for mutations in the neural retina leucine zipper (NRL) gene in patients with dominant retinitis pigmentosa and to compare the severity of disease in these patients with that observed previously in patients with dominant rhodopsin mutations. Methods Single-strand conformation analysis was used to survey 189 unrelated patients for mutations. The available relatives of index patients with mutations were also evaluated. In our clinical examination of patients, we measured visual acuity, final dark-adaptation threshold equivalent visual field diameter, and electroretinogram amplitudes among other parameters of visual function. We compared the clinical findings with those obtained earlier from similar evaluations of a group of 39 patients with the dominant rhodopsin mutation Pro23His and a group of 25 patients with the dominant rhodopsin mutation Pro347Leu. Results We identified 3 novel missense mutations in a total of 4 unrelated patients with dominant retinitis pigmentosa: Ser50Pro, Ser50Leu (2 patients), and Pro51Thr. Each mutation cosegregated with dominant retinitis pigmentosa. None of these mutations were found among 91 unrelated control individuals. The visual acuities among the 4 index patients and 3 relatives withNRLmutations who were clinically evaluated ranged from 20/20 (in a 9-year-old patient) to 20/200 (in a 73-year-old patient). All patients had bone-spicule pigment deposits in their fundi. Average rod-plus-cone and cone-isolated electroretinogram amplitudes were both decreased by 99% or more compared with normal amplitudes. The dark-adaptation thresholds, equivalent visual field diameters, and electroretinogram amplitudes (all corrected for age and refractive error) indicated that the disease caused by theNRLmutations was more severe than that caused by the dominant rhodopsin mutation Pro23His and was similar in severity to that produced by the rhodopsin mutation Pro347Leu. Conclusion The 3 novelNRLmutations we discovered bring the total number of reported mutations in this gene to 6. Five of the 6 mutations affect residues 50 or 51, suggesting that these residues are important in a structural or functional domain of the encoded protein. Clinical Relevance Rod and cone function is affected to a similar degree in patients with these mutations. The disease caused byNRLmutations found in this study appears to be more severe than that caused by the rhodopsin mutation Pro23His and is similar in severity to that caused by the rhodopsin mutation Pro347Leu, even after correcting for age.
Central limit theorems for the $L^{2}$ norm of increments of local times of Lévy processes

Let $X=\{X_{t},t\in R_{+}\}$ be a symmetric Levy process with local time $\{L^{ x }_{ t}\,;\,(x,t)\in R^{ 1}\times R^{ 1}_{ +}\}$. When the Levy exponent $\psi(\lambda)$ is regularly varying at zero with index $1<\beta\leq 2$, and satisfies some additional regularity conditions, $$ \lim_{t\to\infty}{ \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} ( L^{ x+1}_{t}- L^{ x}_{ t})^{ 2}\,dx- E\left(\int_{-\infty}^{\infty} ( L^{ x+1}_{t}- L^{ x}_{ t})^{ 2}\,dx\right)\over t\sqrt{\psi^{-1}(1/t)}}$$ is equal in law to $$(8c_{\psi,1 })^{1/2}\left(\int_{-\infty}^{\infty} \left(L_{\beta,1}^{x}\right)^{2}\,dx\right)^{1/2}\,\eta$$ where $L_{\beta,1}=\{L^{ x }_{\beta, 1}\,;\, x \in R^{ 1} \}$ denotes the local time, at time 1, of a symmetric stable process with index $\beta$, $\eta$ is a normal random variable with mean zero and variance one that is independent of $L _{ \beta,1}$, and $c_{\psi,1}$ is a known constant that depends on $\psi$. When the Levy exponent $\psi(\lambda)$ is regularly varying at infinity with index $1<\beta\leq 2$ and satisfies some additional regularity conditions $$\lim_{h\to 0}\sqrt{h\psi^{2}(1/h)} \left\{ \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} ( L^{ x+h}_{1}- L^{ x}_{ 1})^{ 2}\,dx- E\left( \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} ( L^{ x+h}_{1}- L^{ x}_{ 1})^{ 2}\,dx\right)\right\}$$ is equal in law to $$(8c_{\beta,1})^{1/2}\,\,\eta\,\, \left( \int_{-\infty}^{\infty} (L_{1}^{x})^{2}\,dx\right)^{1/2}$$ where $\eta$ is a normal random variable with mean zero and variance one that is independent of $\{L^{ x }_{ 1},x\in R^{1}\}$, and $c_{\beta,1}$ is a known constant.
Graphitic carbon content of aerosols, clouds and snow, and its climatic implications

Effect of graphitic carbon on radiative characteristics of aerosols, clouds and snow is investigated using a random internal mixture model in which most particles are randomly distributed throughout the volume of individual aerosols, cloud drops and snow grains. It is found that the specific absorption of carbon in aerosols, drops and snow grains is increased several times over the specific absorption of carbon in air. This leads to a decrease in the albedo of aerosols, clouds and snow, suggesting that graphitic carbon could exert a nonnegligible influence on regional and global climate.
Coronary sinus biomarker sampling compared to peripheral venous blood for predicting outcomes in patients with severe heart failure undergoing cardiac resynchronization therapy: the BIOCRT study.

Background A significant minority of patients receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) remain nonresponsive to this intervention. Objective This study aimed to determine whether coronary sinus (CS) or baseline peripheral venous (PV) levels of established and emerging heart failure (HF) biomarkers are predictive of CRT outcomes. Methods In 73 patients (aged 68 ± 12 years; 83% men; ejection fraction 27% ± 7%) with CS and PV blood samples drawn simultaneously at the time of CRT device implantation, we measured amino-terminal pro-B–type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), galectin-3 (gal-3), and soluble ST2 (sST2) levels. NT-proBNP concentrations >2000 pg/mL, gal-3 concentrations >25.9 ng/mL, and sST2 concentrations >35 ng/mL were considered positive on the basis of established PV cut points for identifying "high-risk" individuals with HF. CRT response was adjudicated by the HF Clinical Composite Score. A major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) was defined as the composite end point of death, cardiac transplant, left ventricular assist device, and HF hospitalization at 2 years. Results NT-proBNP concentrations were 20% higher in the CS than in the periphery, while gal-3 and sST2 concentrations were 10% higher in the periphery than in the CS (all P 11-fold adjusted increase for triple-positive CS patients compared to triple-negative patients (all P ≤ .04). PV strategies were not predictive of MACE. Conclusion Our findings suggest that CS sampling of HF biomarkers may be better than PV sampling for predicting CRT outcomes. Larger studies are needed to confirm our findings.
Functional analysis of different regions of the positive-acting CYS3 regulatory protein of Neurospora crassa

In the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa during conditions of sulfur limitation, CYS3, a major positive-acting regulatory protein, turns on the expression of an entire set of genes which encode permeases and enzymes involved in the acquisition of sulfur from environmental sources. CYS3 functions as a homodimeric protein and possesses a b-Zip domain that confers sequence-specific DNA binding. Expression of various hybrid GAL4-CYS3 fusion proteins in yeast was used to detect regions involved in gene activation. An amino-terminal serine/threonine-rich domain of CYS3 alone strongly activated expression of β-galactosidase, the yeast reporter. Moreover, mutant CYS3 proteins with amino-acid substitutions in this region that showed increased expression in Neurospora also displayed an enhanced activation potential in yeast. The cys-3 gene of the exotic N. crassa Mauriceville strain and of N. intermedia were cloned and demonstrated to be functional for gene activation and for sulfur-mediated regulation by complementation of a loss-of-function cys-3 mutation. The amino-terminal serine/threonine-rich region is highly conserved in these two CYS3 proteins, in agreement with the possibility that it serves as the activation domain. Surprisingly, an extended promoter region of the cys-3 gene in the Mauriceville strain and in N. intermedia was very well conserved with that of the standard N. crassa gene, including the presence of three CYS3-binding sites possibly involved in autogenous control. Results are presented which indicate that synthesis of the CYS3 regulatory protein is highly regulated and can be detected in the nucleus of cells subjected to sulfur de-repression, but is not found in the nucleus or the cytoplasm of S-repressed cells. The amino-acid substitutions of the CYS3 protein present in a temperature-sensitive cys-3 mutant and in a second-site revertant of a cys-3 null mutation are presented and are shown to affect their DNA-binding activities.
Influence of operational tolerances on HMA performance

Abstract This study focuses on determining the effects of variability on key mix design factors, such as asphalt content, gradation, and density, on the laboratory performance of different HMA samples that were produced in the laboratory. Mixture variables were kept within specified limits as per allowable operational tolerances, and performance was monitored through the evaluation of the results obtained from volumetric properties and laboratory tests, such as flexural fatigue test, Hamburg wheel-tracking test, and overlay tester. A series of statistical analyses were conducted to develop relationships between the key mix design factors and the observed laboratory performances of each type of mixture. From the analysis, the effects of the main variables on the results of the performance tests used in this study were found. Finally, a statistical sensitivity analysis was conducted to reveal the relationship between different tolerance levels and mixture performance. Based on the findings of this sensitivity analysis, recommendations to revise the current TxDOT operational tolerances and performance-based pay adjustment factors for contractual jobs were provided that not only commends high quality and a consistent end product but also promotes superior performing mixtures based on the analysis of laboratory data.
Modeling longitudinal change in motor and cognitive processing speed in presymptomatic Huntington's disease

Persons who have the genetic mutation responsible for Huntington's disease (HD) have been shown to exhibit lower cognitive test scores years prior to manifest HD. Most studies have examined cognitive performance in presymptomatic persons by using estimated times to manifest HD based on published algorithms. We followed 19 gene-positive persons who were presymptomatic using an objective criterion (i.e., Quantified Neurological Exam score ≤ 10) at baseline for up to 21 years (median = 5 years) with periannual neuropsychological assessments until a diagnosis of manifest HD. Results showed that our tests of information- and psychomotor-processing speed that place minimal demands on cognition, worsening performance became evident 5–10 years prior to the development of manifest HD. In conclusion, cognitive decline precedes motor signs in HD and may be an important target in clinical trials and early intervention. Cognitive test scores may also improve the ability to predict disease onset among gene mutation car...
The role of ATM in response to metformin treatment and activation of AMPK.

The GoDARTS and UKPDS Diabetes Pharmacogenetics Study Group & The Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 2 (WTCCC2) recently reported the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) for treatment response to the anti-diabetic drug metformin in European populations1. The rs11212617 SNP was found to reach the genome-wide level of significance in the discovery cohort (n = 1,024; P = 1.9 × 10−7; odds ratio = 1.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.37–1.99) and was also shown to be significant (P < 0.008) in two replication cohorts (UKPDS and WTCCC2). Among several genes in a 340-kb linkage disequilibrium block containing rs11212617, the authors proposed that ATM, encoding a member of the phosphatidylinositol 3/phosphatidylinositol 4 (PI3/PI4)-kinase family, was the causative gene due to its reported function. In particular, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), the energy sensor widely considered to be involved in the pharmacologic action of metformin, is one of the downstream targets of ATM2–4. The authors showed that an inhibitor of ATM, KU-55933, reduced metformin-stimulated phosphorylation of AMPK in H4IIE rat hepatoma cells, suggesting that ATM has a role in the therapeutic action of metformin.
Optical Matrix Algebraic Processors : A Survey

Optical processors performing a large number of multiplications and additions in parallel are ideally suited for matrix algebraic operations, such as vector-matrix and matrix-matrix multiplication. A survey is made of different algorithms and architectures for optical matrix algebraic processors. These architectures are then compared with respect to their hardware requirements and computational efficiencies.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Role of Access Surveillance and Preemptive Intervention

Vascular access dysfunction continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the end-stage renal patient. Thrombosis is the primary cause of prosthetic arteriovenous access (ie, graft) failure caused by the progressive development of neointimal hyperplasia, which eventually leads to a stenosis, usually at the venous anastomosis. More than 20 years ago, observational studies using a variety of surveillance techniques, coupled with preemptive angioplasty, convincingly demonstrated the ability to detect venous stenosis, and elective treatment of stenoses significantly decreased both thrombosis and access loss. Although multiple observational studies have shown a benefit from surveillance, these studies generally had no control population, used historical controls, or used incorrect statistical analysis. However, five randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effect of graft surveillance coupled with preemptive angioplasty have failed to demonstrate a benefit on graft outcomes, including prolongation of graft survival. This review will examine the role of access surveillance and preemptive angioplasty in achieving the goal of reducing vascular access thrombosis and prolonging access survival.
Comparison of Solid-Phase and Solution-Phase Chiral Auxiliaries in the Alkylation/Iodolactonization Sequence to γ-Butyrolactones

Five prolinol-based chiral auxilaries have been compared for the stereoselective synthesis of γ-butyrolactones via the sequence of N-acylation, Cα-allylation, and iodolactonization under both solution-phase and solid-phase conditions. Comparisons of stereoselectivity of both the Cα-allylation and iodolactonization processes indicate that incorporation of a non-C2-symmetric auxiliary as a polymer cross-link gives results superior to those obtained either in solution or with other non-C2-symmetric auxiliaries and comparable to those observed using a polymer-supported pseudo-C2-symmetric auxiliary.
Quantification of Particulate Mixing in Nanocomposites

Quality control has demanded methods to quantify the mixing state of nanoparticles imbedded in polymeric materials. Several quantification methods are reviewed based on the analysis of images from electron microscopy. This includes the quadrat-based skewness, nearest neighbor distance, the k-function and Monte Carlo method. A novel method in which the dispersion and distribution are evaluated respectively through aspects of the equivalent radius deviation and the distance between the gravity centers of particles or clusters is proposed. The efficacy of the method suggested is illustrated by the analysis of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of untreated and vinyl-silane treated 12.5 wt% nano-silica/XLPE. It is shown that the combined method provides complete information on the state of the composite, and is the most direct and convenient methodology.
Strategies for the visualization of multiple 2D vector fields

Strategies for effectively visualizing colocated 2D vector fields enable understanding of key physical structures of one vector field within the context of a related vector field. This article describes the range of effects possible by combining several existing flow visualization techniques for analyzing multiple vector fields. Our present efforts focus primarily on the investigation of methods for effectively visualizing multiple fields defined over a 2D domain; the problem of effectively visualizing multiple fields defined over a 3D domain is even more challenging, and an important area for future work
A generational genetic algorithm with dynamic population size

In this paper, a Generational Genetic Algorithm with Dynamic Population Size (GGAWD) is proposed. This algorithm and other Genetic Algorithms (GAs) are applied to F6* and F7* functions in order to find which algorithm is the best. The same evaluation times and runs are used to compare the effectiveness of the algorithms. For each algorithm, a wide range of parameters have been selected to find out which combinations give the best performance.
The human gene encoding GM-CSF is at 5q21-q32, the chromosome region deleted in the 5q- anomaly

Human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a 22,000-dalton glycoprotein that stimulates the growth of myeloid progenitor cells and acts directly on mature neutrophils. A full-length complementary DNA clone encoding human GM-CSF was used as a probe to screen a human genomic library and isolate the gene encoding human GM-CSF. The human GM-CSF gene is approximately 2.5 kilobase pairs in length with at least three intervening sequences. The GM-CSF gene was localized by somatic cell hybrid analysis and in situ hybridization to human chromosome region 5q21-5q32, which is involved in interstitial deletions in the 5q- syndrome and acute myelogenous leukemia. An established, human promyelocytic leukemia cell line, HL60, contains a rearranged, partially deleted GM-CSF allele and a candidate 5q- marker chromosome, indicating that the truncated GM-CSF allele may reside at the rejoining point for the interstitial deletion on the HL60 marker chromosome.
The Effects of Drinking Status and Believability of Ads Featured in a Social Norms Campaign on College Students' Estimation and Accuracy of Other Students' Celebratory Drinking.

This study examined estimation and accuracy of normative perceptions for students during one celebratory drinking occasion. Students who drank on St. Patrick's Day overestimated the percentage of others who also drank, whereas the students who did not drink on St. Patrick's Day underestimated the percentage of others who also did not drink. The students' drinking behaviors on St. Patrick's Day did not substantially differentiate their accuracy scores. However, of the students who drank on St. Patrick's Day, those who did not believe the ads showed stronger overestimation of others who drank than did those who believed the ads.
Dynamical Vanishing of the Order Parameter in a Fermionic Condensate

We analyze the dynamics of a condensate of ultracold atomic fermions following an abrupt change of the pairing strength. At long times, the system goes to a nonstationary steady state, which we determine exactly. The superfluid order parameter asymptotes to a constant value. We show that the order parameter vanishes when the pairing strength is decreased below a certain critical value. In this case, the steady state of the system combines properties of normal and superfluid states---the gap and the condensate fraction vanish, while the superfluid density is nonzero.
Synthesis and characterization of CpMn(dfepe)(L) complexes (dfepe = (C2F5)2PCH2CH2P(C2F5)2; L = CO, H2, N2): an unusual example of a dihydride to dihydrogen photochemical conversion

Abstract The synthesis and properties of perfluoroalkylphosphine manganese complexes CpMn(dfepe)(L) (dfepe = (C 2 F 5 ) 2 PCH 2 CH 2 P(C 2 F 5 ) 2 ; L = CO, H 2 , N 2 ) are reported. CpMn(dfepe)(CO) ( 1 ) was prepared by treatment of CpMn(CO) 2 (thf) with excess dfepe. The observed ν (CO) (1934 cm −1 ) and E 1/2 (ox) (+1.09 V) values confirm the very electron-deficient nature of the CpMn(dfepe) moiety. Photolysis of 1 under a H 2 purge produced a 6:1 equilibrium isomeric mixture of the hydride complexes CpMn(dfepe)(H) 2 ( 2a ) and CpMn(dfepe)(η 2 -H 2 ) ( 2b ). Photolysis of a mixture of 2a and 2b in benzene resulted in complete conversion of 2a to 2b , which slowly thermally reconverted to an equilibrium mixture ( k ∼ 2.3 × 10 −4 s −1 ). The dihydrogen complex 2b reacts with N 2 gas to produce CpMn(dfepe)(N 2 ) ( 3 ) ( ν (N 2 ) = 2113 cm −1 ). Attempts to isolate 3 resulted in production of the corresponding N 2 -bridged dimer, [CpMn(dfepe)] 2 (μ-N 2 ) ( 4 ) (Raman: ν (N 2 ) = 2015 cm −1 ).
DISTINCTIONS IN LYMPHOCYTE RESPONSES TO IL-2 AND IL-15 REFLECT DIFFERENTIAL LIGAND BINDING INTERACTIONS WITH THE IL-2Rβ CHAIN AND SUGGEST DIFFERENTIAL ROLES FOR THE IL-2Rα AND IL-15Rα SUBUNITS

Abstract More interleukin 15 (IL-15) than IL-2 was needed to generate comparable proliferative responses by phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) blasts and Tf-1β cells expressing high affinity and intermediate affinity IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) complexes, respectively. The focus of these experiments was to determine the contribution of the shared IL-2 and IL-15 receptor components to these dose-response differences. Some of this difference can be attributed to the role of the IL-2Rβ chain, in that HuMikβ1, a monoclonal antibody recognizing the IL-2Rβ chain, blocks 92.2±2.5% (mean±SE) of the IL-2 proliferative response by Tf-1β cells but only inhibits 57.9±3.7% of the IL-15 response, indicating that IL-2 and IL-15 may physically utilize the IL-2Rβ chain differently. Monoclonal antibody 341, which recognizes IL-2Rβ but does not inhibit IL-2 binding to the IL-2Rβ chain, blocks 35.4±2.3% of IL-15-stimulated proliferation of PHA blasts, while not affecting the IL-2-stimulated proliferation. Finally, although HuMikβ1 does not inhibit IL-2 responses by PHA blasts bearing high affinity IL-2 receptors, HuMikβ1 does block IL-15-stimulated proliferation by these same cells bearing high affinity IL-15 receptors (88.5±1.6% inhibition). This indicates that the role of IL-15Rα in the high affinity IL-15R complex is distinct from that of IL-2Rα in the high affinity IL-2R complex. Overall, these studies show that the physical interactions of the IL-2Rβγ c complex with IL-2 are different than the interactions with IL-15.
Convective instabilities induced by exothermic reactions occurring in a porous medium

A pseudohomogeneous model is developed and used to analyze the onset of reaction‐driven convection in an open rectangular box containing a porous medium. For exothermic reactions, the one‐dimensional conduction state exhibits multiplicity as well as oscillatory behavior. Singularity theory is used to classify the different possible bifurcation diagrams of conduction states, along with their stabilities. Linear instability theory is used to determine the stability of the conduction states to convective perturbations. The dependence of both simple zero and Hopf bifurcation neutral stability curves on various problem parameters is presented. It is shown that the Lewis number, Le (ratio of thermal to mass diffusivity), has a pronounced effect on the stability boundaries. Increasing the value of Le, shifts the stationary stability boundary toward higher Rayleigh numbers (Ra). It is also shown that in the region of multiple conduction solutions, there exists a critical value of Lewis number, Le1 (resp., Le2) be...
Part-Time Physicians…Prevalent, Connected, and Satisfied

Objective The health care workforce is evolving and part-time practice is increasing. The objective of this work is to determine the relationship between part-time status, workplace conditions, and physician outcomes.
Computer-printed labels for efficient processing of clinical specimens.

Abstract Computer-printed labels are useful in laboratory collection of clinical specimens to provide: (1) control of the collection; (2) verification of input request; (3) reporting of non-collected specimens; (4) intra-laboratory routing of specimens; (5) reduction in input errors; (6) improvement in reporting speed; (7) overall reduction of laboratory costs.
Sensing using eigenchannels in radio-frequency multiple-input, multiple-output communication systems

This paper describes the use of multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) communication technology as a radio frequency (RF) sensor. We suggest some possible measures for determining how the changes in MIMO channel are related to objects moving through the MIMO channel. Initially, we examine the singular values of the channel matrix. We further demonstrate the effects of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in conjunction with the target physical properties in the creation of eigenchannels. These eigenchannels represent the key factor in the ability of a MIMO system to perform as an effective sensor. Another important feature of MIMO technology is that it allows us to capture spatial information about the target, beyond the typical time and frequency information. Preliminary experimental results at 750 MHz demonstrate that targets can be detected and distinguished based on these simple measures. For example, a vehicular target is distinguishable from a person or groups of people. Our concept is closely related to a MIMO radar approach. However, a key difference is that we make use of the natural process of establishing a MIMO communication link rather than interrogate a specific physical region via a pulsed RF waveform. MIMO communications requires sounding of the physical environment and the creation of a channel matrix in order to maximize data throughput. We leverage this information about the area of interest already captured by the communication system. This allows the use of a MIMO system for both sensing and communication.
Visualization of large scale structure from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

We will discuss the challenges of visualizing large cosmological datasets. These include observational issues such as the masks and incomplete nature of the survey volume, cosmological issues such as redshift distortions and the difficulty of visualizing datasets that span cosmological epochs, as well as the inherent visualization challenges in presenting dense three-dimensional (3D) datasets. Two case studies will be presented. The first will feature the identification of filamentary structures in the large scale distribution of galaxies. The second case study will feature visualizations of the correlations between quasar absorption line systems and luminous red galaxies. Finally, we will give an overview of our visualization work-flow which features the use of the open-source 3D modeling program Blender.
The spatial distribution of rocks on mars

Abstract The spatial distribution of rocks exposed at the surface of Mars has been mapped using Viking Infrared Thermal Mapper (IRTM) observations. Overall, there are no regions on the surface of Mars at a scale of 1° × 1° in latitude and longitude that are rock free. The modal value of rock abundance is 6% areal coverage, with no areas having more than 30–35% rock cover. The model developed to determine rock abundance relates the thermal emission in each of the four surface-sensing IRTM bands to temperature contrasts within the field of view, non-unit thermal emissivity due to absorption bands in the surface materials, and the absorption and scattering of the outgoing energy by atmospheric dust and water ice. Each of these effects produce characteristic spectral and diurnal signatures, allowing them to be separated. The temperature contrasts provide a means to determine both the abundance of exposed rocks and the fine-component thermal intertia. Rock abundance alone does not produce the observed variation in bulk thermal inertia of the surface. Low-inertia (fine), bright surfaces have fewer rocks exposed than do high-inertia (coarse), dark surfaces. Rock abundance does not correlate well with the RMS slope nor reflectivity determined from delay-Doppler radar measurements. There is, however, a possible correlation between RMS slope determined from continuous-wave radar observations. Dual-polarization radar measurements, which provide the best radar measure of small-scale roughness, indicate that the Tharsis volcanic region is very rough, whereas thermal measurements indicate very few rocks and a covering of dust. Together these observations suggest an approximately 1-m-thick mantle of fines covering a very rough subsurface. This fine material may be an aeolian deposit of dust storm fallout. Valles Marineris, together with several major channels and chaotic terrains, have high rock abundances, as does the Acidalia Planitia basin. This observed distribution may reflect the initial deposition of coarse material associated with channel formation. Syrtis Major is unique in having a high inertia but a very low rock abundance, together with low radar roughness. These observations are consistent with mantling of rocks by sand. The observed distribution of rocks and fines indicates that aeolian processes, both erosional and depositional, play a dominant role in shaping the present Martian surface.
Multilevel Likelihood Ratios for Identifying Exudative Pleural Effusions

Study objectives To determine multilevel likelihood ratios for pleural fluid tests that are commonly used to discriminate between exudative and transudative pleural effusions. Design Meta-analysis of patient-level data. Patient data Selected studies included patients with diagnoses of exudative or transudative pleural effusions who underwent thoracentesis and laboratory analysis of their pleural fluid. Measurements and methods Studies were identified by searching MEDLINE and related bibliographies. Data were obtained for 1,448 patients from seven primary investigators or extracted from dot plots in published reports. Likelihood ratios were calculated from extracted data stratified across ranges of test result values. Results Sufficient data were available to calculate multilevel likelihood ratios for the elements of Light's criteria (pleural fluid lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], ratio of pleural fluid to serum LDH, and ratio of pleural fluid to serum protein), pleural fluid protein, ratio of pleural fluid to serum cholesterol, pleural fluid cholesterol, and gradient of pleural fluid to serum albumin. Each of these tests provided levels of likelihood ratios through the most clinically relevant range (0 to 10). Conclusion Multilevel likelihood ratios combined with a clinician's estimation of the pretest probability of an exudative effusion improve the diagnostic accuracy of discriminating between exudative and transudative pleural effusions. Likelihood ratios avoid the use of confusing terms, such as "pseudoexudates," that derive from the use of single cutoff points for pleural fluid tests.
Delayed-onset sensitization emerges after dishabituation in developing Aplysia.

A recent study of the development of nonassociative learning in the siphon withdrawal reflex of Aplysia showed that dishabituation (facilitation of an habituated response) and sensitization (facilitation of a nonhabituated response) emerge according to different developmental timetables: dishabituation precedes sensitization by approximately 60 days ( Rankin & Carew, 1988 ). Both forms of facilitation of the reflex were observed within 90 s of an electrical shock to the tail. However, more recent work by Marcus and colleagues (1988) in adult animals revealed that sensitization can have a delayed onset of 20–30 min after a strong tail shock. Since the developmental study of Rankin and Carew (1988) only tested the reflex for 10 min after tail shock, it is possible that sensitization was in fact present at earlier developmental stages, but was undetected. To examine this question, in the present study we utilized a longer (40–50 min) post-shock observation period to determine whether delayed-onset sensitization is exhibited in juvenile Aplysia, and if so, when it is expressed during development. In our first experiment, we found that Early Stage 12 juveniles (80–95 days after metamorphosis) showed significant delayed-onset sensitization 30–50 min after a strong tail shock. In a second experiment, we found that delayed-onset sensitization was absent in Stage 11 animals (20–70 days after metamorphosis). Thus delayed-onset sensitization emerges in Early Stage 12. The fact that the birthdate of delayed-onset sensitization is at least 30 days after that of dishabituation ( Rankin and Carew, 1987 , Rankin & Carew, 1988 ) supports the hypothesis that these two forms of nonassociative learning may have at least partly different underlying mechanisms.
Divalent ion-binding properties of the two avian β-parvalbumins

Birds express three parvalbumins, one a isoform and two p isoforms. The latter are known as avian thymic hormone (ATH) and avian parvalbumin 3. Although both were discovered in thymus tissue, and presumably function in T-cell maturation, they have been detected in other tissue settings. We have conducted detailed Ca 2 + - and Mg2 + -binding studies on recombinant ATH and the C72S variant of CPV3, employing global analysis of isothermal titration calorimetry data. In Hepesbuffered saline, ATH binds Ca 2 + with apparent microscopic binding constants of 2.4 ′ 0.2 x 10 8 and 1.0 ′ 0.1 x 10 8 M - 1 . The corresponding values for CPV3-C72S are substantially lower, 4.5 ′ 0.5 x 10 7 and 2.4 ′ 0.2 x 10 7 M - 1 , a 1.9-kcal/mol difference in binding free energy. Thus, the β-parvalbumin lineage displays a spectrum of Ca 2 + -binding affinity, with ATH and the mammalian β isoform at the high-and low-affinity extremes and CPV3 in the middle. Interestingly, despite its decreased Ca 2 + affinity, CPV3-C72S exhibits increased affinity for Mg 2 + , relative to ATH. Whereas the latter displays Mg 2 + -binding constants of 2.2 ′ 0.2 x 10 4 and 1.2 ′ 0.1 x 10 4 M - 1 , CPV3-C72S yields values of 5.0 ′ 0.8 x 10 4 and 2.1 ′ 0.3 x 10 4 M - 1 .