cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prospective age-based comparison of behavioral reactions occurring after ketamine sedation in the ED.

Abstract The study objective was to prospectively evaluate the frequency and severity of behavioral reactions occurring in children receiving ketamine sedation in the emergency department (ED). A behavioral observational study was conducted. Ketamine was given in a standardized protocol with midazolam, atropine, and a prehypnotic suggestion. Descriptions of behavioral reactions were recorded immediately after the procedure, and longitudinal follow-up was made in 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month. A total of 301 patients were enrolled. Mild reactions described as not unpleasant occurred in 7/205 (3.4%, 95% CI 0.9-5.9%) of the younger age group, and 2/96 (2.1%, 95% CI 0-5.0%) of the older age group. Unpleasant reactions occurred in 2/205 (1.0%, 95% CI 0-2.4%) of the younger age group, and 4/96 (4.2%, 95% CI 0-8.2%) of the older age group. We observed no clinically important difference in the proportion of older versus younger children experiencing behavioral reactions after IV ketamine sedation. (Am J Emerg Med 2002;20:463-468. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.)
Mechanistic studies of the biomimetic epoxy ester-orthoester and orthoester-cyclic ether rearrangements.

The relative rates of acid-catalyzed rearrangements of epoxy esters to [3.2.1]bicyclic orthoesters, the subsequent rearrangements of these ortho esters to substituted tetrahydrofurans, and the rates of orthoester hydrolysis at pH 4.75 were measured in NMR kinetics experiments. The ease of formation and stabilities of these orthoesters compared favorably with the OBO-type [2.2.2]bicyclic orthoesters typically used as protecting groups of carboxylic acids. Studies with 13C NMR-detected 18O-labeling show that epoxy ester rearrangement takes place preferentially via 6-exo cyclization, although the 7-endo process competes when the distal center of the epoxide is disubstituted. The ortho ester−cyclic ether rearrangement was shown by 18O-labeling to occur exclusively via intermediacy of a five-membered dioxonium ion. The structures of the hydrolysis products also indicate the intermediacy of a dioxolanium ion during hydrolysis. The implications for a hypothetical biosynthesis of marine polyether toxins are discu...
Identification, cloning, and developmental expression of hepatoma-derived growth factor in the developing rat heart.

Hepatoma derived growth factor (HDGF) was identified as a developmentally regulated cardiac gene by mRNA differential display using 12-day rat fetal conotruncus vs. newborn aorta. The full-length rat HDGF cDNA was cloned from a rat fetal heart cDNA library and found to be 94 and 88% homologous to the mouse and human sequence, respectively. The rat sequence, like the human and mouse, contains a highly conserved amino portion and putative bipartite nuclear localization sequence. By Northern analysis, HDGF is highly expressed in the fetal conotruncus, heart, kidney, brain, and gut. By immunocytochemistry, HDGF was first detected only in atrial myocytes, hind gut epithelia, and notochord of the E10 rat with a nuclear expression pattern. By E12, expression had broadened to include the ventricular myocytes, endocardial cells, and cells of the ventricular outflow tract. HDGF is unique in that it is the first described nuclear targeted growth factor in the developing heart. The early expression of HDGF in embryonic heart and fetal gut suggests that HDGF may play a role in cardiovascular growth and differentiation. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
PMR and 13CH satellite spectra of monosubstituted cyclopropanes

Abstract The proton magnetic resonance and 13CH satellite spectra of eight monosubstituted cyclopropanes have been obtained and analyzed. The results permit a determination of substituent effects on the NMR parameters of the parent 3-membered ring system. The data have been compared with results for corresponding derivatives of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, and some of the factors influencing the parameter values have been considered.
Modified phasor pulse width modulation method for three-phase single-stage boost inverter

Three-phase single-stage boost inverter requires narrow pulses, thus a low resolution DSP can cause some pulse droppings which results in asymmetries in the output waveforms of the boost inverter. This leads to an increase in the total harmonic distortion (THD) of the output waveforms. In order to solve this problem, a modified version of the phasor pulse width modulation (PPWM) switching pattern is developed based on constant charging time over each sector and staircase pattern for the discharging times variation. Also, the boost inverter needs a relatively large dc-link inductor to boost and convert a small dc voltage to a nominal ac voltage. Due to the existence of the dc-link inductor, large voltage spikes appear across inverter switches. Thus, in the modified PPWM method an overlap-time is implemented in order to suppress the voltage spikes. A 2kW 208/230V laboratory-scale three-phase boost inverter has been designed, built and tested using reverse-blocking IGBTs. The behavior of the boost inverter along with the modified PPWM switching pattern and the overlap-time has been investigated, and the results are presented in this paper.
Models and Methods in Hospital Social Work Supervision

This is the first qualitative study of the perceptions of hospital-based social work supervisees regarding their hospital supervision. Seventeen social workers were recruited using a national listserv and snowball sampling techniques. According to the perception of the clinical social workers participating in the study, hospital social work supervision is organizationally driven rather than worker-focused. Implications for social work education and research are discussed.
The prevention of Lyme disease with vaccine

Lyme disease is a potentially serious and debilitating infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi that is endemic in North America, Europe, and Asia. Personal protective and environmental measures have not significantly impacted its increasing incidence. An adjuvanted recombinant vaccine (LYMErix) has been approved in the United States for the prevention of Lyme disease in adults, and has demonstrated both safety and efficacy. A clinical trial of over 10000 adults showed 76% efficacy following the third dose of a 0, 1, 12 schedule. Accelerated schedules demonstrate equivalent levels of protective antibody. Up to 100% of children 2-14 years of age achieve seroprotective levels of antibody. Booster doses induced protective levels of antibody in more than 96% of recipients when administered at months 12 and 24. Only mild or moderate, transient vaccine-associated adverse events have been reported after immunization. The vaccine is a safe and effective method of preventing Lyme disease.
Vapor phase nitration of ethane in a backmix molten salt reactor

titration of ethane with nitric acid in the vapor phase has been investigated in a molten salt reactor in which the react ants are ejected directly into the molten salt. Molten salt temperature was varied from 1|00° to 5^00° and mole ratio of hydrocarbon to nitric acid was varied from 3:1 to
Effects of aspirin on platelet aggregation as a function of dosage and time

There are reports on the effects of high doses of aspirin on the alteration of platelet aggregation. In our study single doses of aspirin ranging from 81 to 325 mg were given orally to 7 normal subjects. In vitro measurement of platelet aggregation was carried out as a function of time. Based on our data we conclude that low-dose aspirin (81 mg) inhibits platelet aggregation. Both the rate and extent of platelet aggregation are impaired with low-dose aspirin, but neither the rate nor extent of platelet aggregation depends on the size of the dose. Platelet aggregation inhibition by a single dose of aspirin orally (greater than or equal to 81 mg) may be expected to persist for the life of the platelets affected.
Pharmacokinetic analysis by linear system approach I: Cimetidine bioavailability and second peak phenomenon

The pharmacokinetics of cimetidine were evaluated using a linear system analysis that was formulated specifically to resolve the second peak in the blood drug concentration profile after oral dosing. The analysis exemplifies a new approach to pharmacokinetic modeling, which appears to be a valuable alternative to linear compartmental or physiological modeling. The formulation of linear system analysis according to a certain interpretation of a pharmacokinetic phenomenon avoids the complexity of conventional modeling, which often obscures the significance of the kinetic parameters. The new approach should result in a more rational analysis of pharmacokinetic phenomena because the less important pharmacokinetic processes are not specifically modeled but are still accounted for in the mathematical treatment. The bioavailability of cimetidine calculated by deconvolution agrees with previous findings. The model proposed to describe the second peak after oral absorption appears to agree well with the data and the hepatic recycling reported for cimetidine.
Forest tenure systems and sustainable forest management: the case of Ghana

Abstract Adoption and implementation of sustainable forestry practices are essential for sustaining forest resources, yet development of effective policies and strategies to achieve them are problematic. Part of the difficulty stems from a limited understanding of the interaction between obtrusive forest policies and indigenous tenure systems and how this affects sustainable forest management. This study uses a market framework to analyze the relationships between individual components of forest tenure and sustainable forestry practices. Data from 21 rural communities in the forest belt of Ghana are used to evaluate theoretical propositions. Logistic regression models are used to predict willingness to engage in the preservation of indigenous, economically valuable trees, conservation of natural forests, and establishment of forest plantations. The number of farmers engaged in sustainable forestry practices is small. While most tenure variables behaved as expected, security of tenure and exclusiveness are less important to the practice of sustainable forestry. Farmers, in their role as potential producers, perceive preservation of indigenous, economically valuable trees and conservation of forests as having a net cost to them, especially if compensation is not paid for damage to crops resulting from logging operations of concessionaires. Current statutes in Ghana provide few incentives for farmers to engage in sustainable practices. The study also provides recommendations for forest tenure systems to function effectively.
Explanation and Comparative Dynamics in Social Science

Among social scientists there is now an increasing interest in fundamental theory, in explaining social facts rather than merely describing them. At present the only social sciences possessing a well-developed systematic theory are economics and demography. But there is a clear trend towards greater emphasis on theoretical analysis in social and cultural anthropology, sociology, social psychology, social and cultural history, political science, legal theory, etc. There is also a growing realization of the fact that society is a causal mechanism so closely inter-connected as to require analysis to a large extent in terms of one basic theory common to all social sciences rather than merely in terms of independent theories particular to the various disciplines. The interest of social scientists in recent years has tended to centre upon problems which by their very nature require study by a cooperative effort of specialists in different social sciences, such as the problems of cultural change, economic development, the relation between culture and personality structure, comparative politics, etc.; and experience with interdisciplinary research projects in such fields has made even clearer to what an extent our understanding of social phenomena is restricted by the lack of an integrated explanatory theory of society.
DISTRIBUTION OF MICRONUTRIENT METALS IN LEAVES AND CHLOROPLAST FRAGMENTS

An investigation of the extracellular reactions of chloroplasts in the light (4) and in the dark (5) has focused attention on the possible catalytic role of one or more of the micronutrient metals: iron, manganese, copper, zinc, and molybdenum in the cellular activities of these cytoplasmic bodies. The consideration of a possible participation of one or more of the micronutrient metals involves the knowledge of their relative distribution in the leaf and chloroplasts. This communication reports results of analyses undertaken with this purpose in view. Methods Sugar beet and chard plants were grown in a greenhouse in aerated nutrient solutions of the composition previously described (2), supplemented with the micronutrients B, Mn, Cu, Zn and Mo (1). Large leaves from plants approximately 12 wTeeks old were used for chemical analysis and the isolation of chloroplast fragments. The chloroplast fragments were prepared by trituration of the leaves in the cold without dilution in a "Vitajuicer" (3) and subsequent differential centrifugation as previously described (2), except that the final centrifugation was carried out in a Sorvall Type SS-1 centrifuge, for two hours in the cold, at the maximum speed corresponding to approximately 20,000 g. (A special test disclosed that the Vitajuicer could contribute only insignificant amounts of metal contamination to the analysis.) The chloroplast fragments were dried in an all-glass lyophilizer, and the dried material was kept in the cold in screw-capped bottles. The analyses of the whole leaves were made on samples of fresh leaves which were heated in the autoclave at 5 lbs. pressure for five minutes to stop enzymatic activity and were subsequently dried at 70? C. The dry material was ground in a porcelain mortar and redried at 70? C prior to analysis. The analytical determinations were made on aliquots of the ground leaves and of the lyophilized chloroplast fragments. Chlorophyll was measured as previously described (2). The total nitrogen, found by the micro-Kjeldahl method, in the trichloracetic acid precipitate of a water suspension of the dried material wTas designated as protein nitrogen and was multiplied by the factor 6.25 to give protein values. The metals were determined by the procedures of Parks et al. (15) modified as follows: in the preparation of the "ash solution" the hydrofluoric acid step was omitted and sulphuric acid was used in the perchloric acid digestion;
Effects of load point velocity on frictional instability behavior

Abstract Triaxial experiments were conducted on sawcut Westerly granite specimens sandwiched with a simulated gouge layer of ultrafine quartz. Over a wide range of normal stresses (from 25 to 250 MPa) tens and sometimes hundreds of repeated stick-slip events were observed to persist over a total slip displacement up to 10 mm. A transition from stick-slip to stable sliding was observed as the result of cumulative slip displacement. The total slip displacement over which repeated stick-slip instabilities occurred before the transition to stable sliding decreases with increasing normal stress. The stress drop amplitude decreases with increasing load point velocity. The experimentally determined stress drop amplitude was also found to increase as a function of the time of stationary contact. The dependence of stress drop amplitude on load point velocity and on time of stationary contact can be characterized empirically by a power law. Preliminary data suggest that the two effects are coupled. The seismological implications of the experimental data are discussed. At relatively high normal stresses (above 250 MPa), no systematic dependence of stress drop amplitude on load point velocity was observed. An increase in gouge particle size stabilizes the frictional instability behavior. A mixed mode of velocity weakening and velocity strengthening behavior was occasionally observed.
Rent and the Evolution of Inequality in Late Industrial United States

In this article, the authors present the rent destruction explanation for recent increases in inequality, which can be seen as one facet of a broader sociological explanation focused on class-biased structural change. A sociological depiction of the growth of earnings inequality since the early 1980s is presented using alternative partitions of the labor market, including the dominant sociological class schema that (surprisingly) has been used rarely to describe these trends. Thereafter, the authors attempt to strengthen the evidence for the rent destruction explanation by examining the increase in wealth inequality in the 1990s. After presenting these empirical findings, they discuss the extent to which rent destruction can account uniquely for these patterns, as well as other complementary sociological research on the growth of inequality.
Investigation of the Lithiation and Delithiation Conversion Mechanisms of Bismuth Fluoride Nanocomposites

and LiF during lithiation and the reformation of BiF3 during delithiation. It has been shown that only the high-pressure tysonite phase of BiF3 reforms during the oxidation sweep and that no bismuth fluoride compound with an oxidation state of the bismuth lower than 3 is formed as intermediate during the lithiation or delithiation reactions. Finally, it has been demonstrated that the different plateaus or pseudo plateaus observed on the lithiation and delithiation voltage profiles stem from polarization changes brought about by the dramatic structural changes occurring in the nanocomposite upon cycling. A model, based on the variation of the electronic and ionic transport mechanisms as a function of the state of completion of the conversion and reconversion reactions, is proposed to explain those polarization changes.
Inhibition of [3H]Diazepam and [3H]3-Carboethoxy-β-Carboline Binding by Irazepine: Evidence for Multiple “Domains” of the Benzodiazepine Receptor

The binding of [3H]diazepam and [3H]3-carboethoxy-beta-carboline was examined in rat brain synaptosomal membranes treated with irazepine, an alkylating benzodiazepine. Under incubation conditions that resulted in a 25-33% reduction in the Bmax of [3H]diazepam binding, only modest (less than 8.5%) reductions in the Bmax of [3H]3-carboethoxy-beta-carboline were observed. The differential effects of irazepine on the binding of these two compounds may be explained by the presence of multiple areas or "domains" on the benzodiazepine receptor.
CaMKII is essential for the function of the enteric nervous system.

Background Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases (CaMKs) are major downstream mediators of neuronal calcium signaling that regulate multiple neuronal functions. CaMKII, one of the key CaMKs, plays a significant role in mediating cellular responses to external signaling molecules. Although calcium signaling plays an essential role in the enteric nervous system (ENS), the role of CaMKII in neurogenic intestinal function has not been determined. In this study, we investigated the function and expression pattern of CaMKII in the ENS across several mammalian species. Methodology/Principal Findings CaMKII expression was characterized by immunofluorescence analyses and Western Blot. CaMKII function was examined by intracellular recordings and by assays of colonic contractile activity. Immunoreactivity for CaMKII was detected in the ENS of guinea pig, mouse, rat and human preparations. In guinea pig ENS, CaMKII immunoreactivity was enriched in both nitric oxide synthase (NOS)- and calretinin-containing myenteric plexus neurons and non-cholinergic secretomotor/vasodilator neurons in the submucosal plexus. CaMKII immunoreactivity was also expressed in both cholinergic and non-cholinergic neurons in the ENS of mouse, rat and human. The selective CaMKII inhibitor, KN-62, suppressed stimulus-evoked purinergic slow EPSPs and ATP-induced slow EPSP-like response in guinea pig submucosal plexus, suggesting that CaMKII activity is required for some metabotropic synaptic transmissions in the ENS. More importantly, KN-62 significantly suppressed tetrodotoxin-induced contractile response in mouse colon, which suggests that CaMKII activity is a major determinant of the tonic neurogenic inhibition of this tissue. Conclusion ENS neurons across multiple mammalian species express CaMKII. CaMKII signaling constitutes an important molecular mechanism for controlling intestinal motility and secretion by regulating the excitability of musculomotor and secretomotor neurons. These findings revealed a fundamental role of CaMKII in the ENS and provide clues for the treatment of intestinal dysfunctions.
Market Values of Environmental Amenities: A Latent Variable Approach

Abstract This study presents a latent variable framework to provide consistent and efficient estimates of market values of amenities. A model for property values of residential housing using different indicators for neighborhood quality and property value is estimated using data from the U.S. American Housing Survey. The estimated effect of neighborhood quality on property values is positive and more significant compared to the estimates obtained by ordinary least squares and instrumental variable methods. Variances of errors of measurement and variances of the latent structures are shown to be positive and significant without imposing nonnegativity restrictions.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) workshop on research in neonatal and perinatal medicine.

National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) workshop on research in neonatal and perinatal medicine
Optimal time-activity basis selection for exponential spectral analysis: application to the solution of large dynamic emission tomographic reconstruction problems

The clinical application of dynamic ECT reconstruction algorithms for inconsistent projection (IP) data has been beset with difficulties. These include poor scalability, numerical instability of algorithms, problems of nonuniqueness of solutions, the need to oversimplify tracer kinetics, and impractical computational burden. The authors present a stable reconstruction algorithm with low computational cost that is able to recover the tracer kinetics of several hundred image regions at realistic noise levels. Through optimal selection of a small set of nonnegative basis functions to describe regional time-activity curves (TACs), the authors are able to solve for the first-order compartmental model kinetics of each region. A nonuniform resolution pixelization of image space is employed to obtain highest resolution in regions of interest. These spatial and temporal simplifications improve numerical conditioning, provide robustness against noise, and greatly decrease the computational burden of dynamic reconstruction. The authors apply this algorithm to IP phantom data whose source distribution, kinetics, and count statistics are modeled after a clinical myocardial SPECT dataset. TACs of phantom regions are recovered to within a mean square error of 6%, an accuracy that proves sufficient to allow for quantitative detection of a myocardial perfusion defect within healthy myocardial tissue.
Implementation of Static and Semi-Static Versions of a Bit-Wise Pipelined Dual-Rail NCL 2 S Complement Multiplier

This paper focuses on implementing a 2s complement 8×8 dual-rail bit-wise pipelined multiplier using the asynchronous NULL Convention Logic (NCL) paradigm. The design utilizes a Wallace tree for partial product summation, and is implemented and simulated in VHDL, the transistor level, and the physical level, using a 1.8V 0.18?m TSMC CMOS process. The multiplier is realized using both static and semi-static versions of the NCL gates; and these two implementations are compared in terms of area, power, and speed.
Modeling and Operation of Oil Removal and Desalting Oilfield Brines With Modular Units

Oilfield brine is the largest volume of waste generated by the oil and gas industry; typical produced brine volumes may easily exceed the oil production by 10 times with total dissolved solids ranging from 1,000 to over 250,000 ppm. Handling costs of produced brine may lead to the premature abandonment of many oil and gas wells. At the same time that oil and gas operators are trying to cope with excess produced water, many states are critically short of freshwater resources. This paper describes and validates a process to treat this brine to meet the standards for irrigation-quality water. Components of the proposed brine-conversion plant include both microfiltration and a pretreatment system for the removal of solid particles and oil using sorption pellets made of a modified clay material, and reverse osmosis (RO) units with a variety of interchangeable semipermeable membranes for the removal of dissolved salts. We collected experimental data for oil/water separation of controlled mixtures using packed columns with modified clay particles. The average oil loading capacity of these particles is better than activated carbon (over 60%) and our experimental results indicate that packed beds can remove over 90% of the oil. We screened a variety of RO membranes and selected one to conduct a series of experiments with brines with salinity up to 40,000 ppm, transmembrane pressures up to 1,000 psia, and various rates. Our experiments indicate salt rejections of 95 to 99% depending upon the initial salt concentration, transmembrane pressure, and rate.
Special Considerations in Early-stage Breast Cancer Patients and Survivors

Long-term outcomes for early-stage breast cancer have continued to improve, and more patients are becoming long-term survivors. In addition to patients' concern about risk of developing recurrent disease, they are also concerned about potential toxicities of treatment. Current guidelines for long-term follow-up are reviewed. Potential toxicities of tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors are reviewed. Management of menopausal symptoms, cancer-related fatigue, and cognitive function is discussed.
Psychosocial Factors Associated With Young Elementary School Children's Intentions to Consume Legumes: A Test of the Theory of Reasoned Action

Objective. The purpose of this study was to test the utility of the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) in explaining young elementary school children’s intention to consume legumes. Methods. A survey was conducted with children in an urban, multicultural community in Massachusetts. A total of 336 children participated. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the strength of the relationship between attitude and subjective norm and intention. Results. Although attitude was significantly associated with intention, the pseudo-R 2 for the regression model that included only the TRA constructs was extremely low (.01). Adding demographic factors and preference improved the model’s predictive ability, but attitude was no longer significant. Conclusion. The results of this study do not provide support for the predictive utility of the TRA with young elementary school children for this behavior, when demographic factors are accounted for. Hedonic factors, rather than reasoned judgments, may help drive children’s intentions. (Am J Health Promot 2006;21[1]:13–15.)
When the Truth Is Not Too Hard to Handle: An Event-Related Potential Study on the Pragmatics of Negation

Our brains rapidly map incoming language onto what we hold to be true. Yet there are claims that such integration and verification processes are delayed in sentences containing negation words like not. However, studies have often confounded whether a statement is true and whether it is a natural thing to say during normal communication. In an event-related potential (ERP) experiment, we aimed to disentangle effects of truth value and pragmatic licensing on the comprehension of affirmative and negated real-world statements. As in affirmative sentences, false words elicited a larger N400 ERP than did true words in pragmatically licensed negated sentences (e.g., "In moderation, drinking red wine isn't bad/good..."), whereas true and false words elicited similar responses in unlicensed negated sentences (e.g., "A baby bunny's fur isn't very hard/soft..."). These results suggest that negation poses no principled obstacle for readers to immediately relate incoming words to what they hold to be true.
On bounding energy consumption in dynamic, embedded real-time systems

We present a CPU scheduling algorithm, called the Energy-Bounded Utility Accrual Algorithm (or EBUA). EBUA is a polynomial-time algorithm that satisfies bounds on system-level energy consumption and activities' accrued timeliness utility. We analytically establish several timeliness properties of EBUA. Our simulation experiments using AMD's (DVS-enabled) k6 processor model confirm the algorithm's effectiveness and superiority.
Chronic tubal ectopic pregnancy: a rare but challenging diagnosis

A 34-year-old woman without any medical history presented to our hospital emergency unit with a history of 4 days of progressively increasing pain in the left iliac fossa, fever and vaginal bleeding for the past 3 weeks. Urine pregnancy test and serum bhCG were negative. CT scan showed a left pelvic mass compatible with a tubo-ovarian abscess. After transfer to our gynaecology unit, transvaginal ultrasound revealed an empty uterus with a heterogeneous mass in the left adnexal area. We performed a laparoscopy, which revealed an enlarged left haematosalpinx with firm adhesions to the surrounding organs, but no abscess. A total left salpingectomy was undertaken and the histopathological examination revealed the presence of chorionic villi, suggesting the diagnosis of chronic ectopic tubal pregnancy. The postoperative course was uneventful.
An expert system for incorporating design for testability in programmable logic arrays

The task of designing reliable very large-scale integrated (VLSI) chips is difficult, due to the small device geometries. This situation forces the designers to incorporate testability as part of design. Numerous techniques for incorporating testability in programmable logic arrays have been evolved. The selection of a testability technique which is viable for a particular design requires much decision making. Thus there is a potential of effectively utilizing the decision-making capabilities of an expert system in this domain. Here, an expert system which selects a testability technique for a given design and generates a modified version is presented. >
Pennsylvania's voluntary benefits program: evaluating an innovative proposal for increasing organ donation.

Solid organ transplants have saved thousands of lives since the development of effective immunosuppressants in the early 1980s. But transplantable organs are still desperately scarce. The number of persons needing transplants continues to grow faster than the supply of available organs. 1 For example, from 1990 to 1996 the number of liver transplants nationwide increased by 51 percent, and the number of donors increased by 55 percent. Yet during the same time period the number of persons added to the liver transplant waiting list increased by more than 500 percent, according to data from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). In the United States, cadaveric organ donation depends primarily on altruistic acts by next of kin. Many states encourage people to indicate their willingness to donate on their driver’s licenses. More recently states have begun to require transplant professionals to discuss donation with potential donors’ families. Nevertheless , only half of all potential donors in the United States become actual donors, despite vigorous and sustained private and government efforts to increase organ donation. 2 Demographic data indicate that persons of color and lower educational, socioeconomic, or health status are less enthusiastic about donation and, in turn, are less likely to consent to donation. 3
The Determinants of Full-Empty Truck Movements

A model is developed to explain full-empty movement decisions for motor carriers. The model is estimated for movements to Florida of carriers serving the Florida produce/ornamentals industry. The results indicate that carriers act rationally, basing their decisions on a wide range of factors. The findings also suggest that regulatory restrictions continue to result in unnecessary empty movements.
Gender Territories House Hunting on American Real Estate TV

House Hunters is an American lifestyle TV program that focuses on home buying. Across episodes, the program represents a wide range of buyers—singles and couples, married and not, with and without ...
DNA-Directed Mutations: Leading and Lagging Strand Specificity

The fidelity of replication has evolved to reproduce B-form DNA accurately, while allowing a low frequency of mutation. The fidelity of replication can be compromised, however, by defined order sequence DNA (dosDNA) that can adopt unusual or non B-DNA conformations. These alternative DNA conformations, including hairpins, cruciforms, triplex DNAs, and slipped-strand structures, may affect enzyme-template interactions that potentially lead to mutations. To analyze the effect of dosDNA elements on spontaneous mutagenesis, various mutational inserts containing inverted repeats or direct repeats were cloned in a plasmid containing a unidirectional origin of replication and a selectable marker for the mutation. This system allows for analysis of mutational events that are specific for the leading or lagging strands during DNA replication in Escherichia coli. Deletions between direct repeats, involving misalignment stabilized by DNA secondary structure, occurred preferentially on the lagging strand. Intermolecular strand switch events, correcting quasipalindromes to perfect inverted repeats, occurred preferentially during replication of the leading strand.
Simplified Procedure for Seismic Evaluation of Piles with Partial-Moment Connection to the Deck in Marine Oil Terminals

This paper presents development of a simplified procedure for seismic evaluation of piles with partial-moment connection typically used in marine oil terminals. The current seismic evaluation procedure of the piles in marine oil terminals includes monitoring material strains specified in the Marine Oil Terminal Engineering and Maintenance Standard (MOTEMS) during the nonlinear static pushover analysis to estimate the displacement capacity of piles. This investigation developed closed-form formulas for estimating the displacement capacity of piles by using a simple pile-deck connection system. The displacement capacity estimated from these formulas ensures that the material stain limits specified in the MOTEMS is not exceeded. These formulas are demonstrated to be "accurate" by comparing results from these formulas against those from the nonlinear finite-element analysis. The formulas developed in this investigation utilize the curvature ductility capacity of the pile section and rotation ductility capacity of the connection at the selected seismic design level, along with the parameter β which depends on the relative stiffness of the pile and the connection and the parameter η which depends on the relative strength of the connection and the pile.
Carbon-13 NMR spectra of saturated heterocycles: XI—Tetrahydropyrans (oxanes)

The 13C NMR spectra of 62 oxanes (tetrahydropyrans) with and without methyl substituents at various ring positions, some of them bearing in addition (or instead) ethyl, vinyl, ethynyl, carbomethoxy and methylol substituents at C-2, have been recorded, and the 294 resulting chemical shifts have been correlated by multiple linear regression analysis. Axial and equatorial α-, β-, γ-, δ-, gem- and vic-parameters for shifts caused by methyl groups at all ring positions, and similar parameters for Et,—CHCH2,—CCH, CO2Me and CH2OH groups at C-2, are reported. Standard deviations of the parameters are, in most cases, within 0.3 ppm and the agreement of calculated and experimental shifts is excellent. This is probably the largest parameter set of this type extant. 13C NMR spectra of a number of additional substituted tetrahydropyrans, and of 3,6-dihydro-2H-pyrans and 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrans, are tabulated and discussed.
Localization of Adrenergic Receptor Subtypes and Transgenic Expression of Fluorescent-Tagged Receptors

Although the adrenergic receptors have been cloned since the late 1980s and early 1990s, analysis of the expression of the subtypes in specific tissues and cell types has been hampered because of the lack of high-affinity and high-avidity antibodies. Most of the antibodies currently available have limited use in transfected systems in which receptor density is high but give poor results when used to determine endogenous expression. This limitation in antibody avidity is common in membrane proteins and in G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) because of poor protein purification and membrane epitope recognition. Although analysis of ligand binding to tissue homogenates yields an estimate of the tissue content of the various adrenergic receptor subtypes, it does not have sufficient resolution to determine cell type distribution. Currently, methods useful for determining receptor localization are in situ hybridization histochemistry and receptor autoradiography. This chapter reviews the localization of the various adrenergic receptors using these methods. I also introduce the concept and utility of using transgenic mice expressing fluorescenttagged adrenergic receptor subtypes to determine the cell type-specific localization of these receptors using the α1-adrenergic receptor as a model system.
Food and Beverages in Labor. Part II: The Effects of Cessation of Oral Intake During Labor

Since the 1940s women have been prohibited from eating and drinking during labor because of the danger of aspirating stomach contents should general anesthesia be necessary. This is a critical review of the research on which prohibiting oral intake during labor has been based and includes studies demonstrating delay of gastric emptying in pregnant and laboring women. Problems in defining the scope of maternal mortality from aspiration during anesthesia are discussed, as well as other effects of prohibiting women from eating and drinking during labor. These include physiologic effects from short-term deprivation of oral intake which has been largely overlooked in the literature and requires further investigation. Psychologic effects have been neglected altogether and should also be examined.
Ozone Exposure Affects Feeding and Locomotor Behavior of Adult Bufo Marinus

Ozone (O3), a reactive component of air pollution, depresses feeding and voluntary locomotor behavior in laboratory rodents, but the effects of O3 on amphibian behavior are not known. We evaluated the effects of 4 h of exposure to air or ozone (0.6 l/L), on two ecologically relevant behaviors of the toad Bufo marinus. Toads were offered five mealworms at 1, 24, and 48 h after exposure. One hour after exposure, O3-exposed toads ate fewer mealworms than did air-exposed toads (Fisher exact test, p 0.005). Within 24 h after exposure, all toads ate four or five mealworms. Because movement is a key component of toad feeding behavior, we tested additional toads (n 25) for voluntary locomotor behavior during three 1-h trials in a 2.9-m 2 open-field arena. Mean ( standard deviation) total distance moved was: pre-exposure, 29 19.5 m; 1-h postexposure, 13 15.6 m; and 24-h postexposure, 17 17.4 m. The means were not statistically different by repeated measures analysis of covariance. Therefore, our results suggest that a single 4-h exposure to O3 depresses toad feeding behavior after exposure but had little effect on voluntary locomotor behavior.
Sample Complexity Analysis for Learning Overcomplete Latent Variable Models through Tensor Methods

Author(s): Anandkumar, Animashree; Ge, Rong; Janzamin, Majid | Abstract: We provide guarantees for learning latent variable models emphasizing on the overcomplete regime, where the dimensionality of the latent space can exceed the observed dimensionality. In particular, we consider multiview mixtures, spherical Gaussian mixtures, ICA, and sparse coding models. We provide tight concentration bounds for empirical moments through novel covering arguments. We analyze parameter recovery through a simple tensor power update algorithm. In the semi-supervised setting, we exploit the label or prior information to get a rough estimate of the model parameters, and then refine it using the tensor method on unlabeled samples. We establish that learning is possible when the number of components scales as $k=o(d^{p/2})$, where $d$ is the observed dimension, and $p$ is the order of the observed moment employed in the tensor method. Our concentration bound analysis also leads to minimax sample complexity for semi-supervised learning of spherical Gaussian mixtures. In the unsupervised setting, we use a simple initialization algorithm based on SVD of the tensor slices, and provide guarantees under the stricter condition that $k\le \beta d$ (where constant $\beta$ can be larger than $1$), where the tensor method recovers the components under a polynomial running time (and exponential in $\beta$). Our analysis establishes that a wide range of overcomplete latent variable models can be learned efficiently with low computational and sample complexity through tensor decomposition methods.
Elateres Motiva: From the Good Will to the Good Human Being

Kant's ethics has long been bedevilled by a peculiar tension. While his practical philosophy describes the moral obligations incumbent on all free, rational beings, Kant also understands moral anthropology as addressing ‘helps and hindrances’ to our moral advancement. How are we to reconcile Kant's Critical account of a transcendentally free human will with his developmental view of anthropology, history and education as assisting in our collective progress towards moral ends? I argue that Kant in fact distinguishes between the objective determination of moral principles and subjective processes of moral acculturation developing human beings’ receptivity to the moral law. By differentiating subjective and objective dimensions of moral agency, I argue (1) that we better interpret the relationship between Kant's transcendental and anthropological accounts as a division of labour between principles of obligation and principles of volition, and so, as complementary rather than contradictory; and (2) that this counters the view of Kant's ethics as overly formalistic by recognizing his ‘empirical ethics’ as attending to the unsystematizable facets of a properly human moral life.
Investigation of phase change of flip chip solders during the second level interconnect reflow

The effects of phase change (from solid to liquid) of flip chip Pb-free solders during 2nd level interconnect reflow are investigated. Most of the current Pb-free solder candidates are Sn based solders and their melting temperatures are similar in the range of 30 degree C. Thus, flip chip Pb-free solders are melted again during subsequent 2nd level interconnect (BGA) reflow cycle. Like most of other metals, a solder expands its volume during the phase change as much as 4%. The volumetric expansion of solder in a confined space formed of chip, substrate, and underfill creates serious reliability issues. The issues include underfill fracture and delamination of the underfill from chip or substrate. This leads to the shorting of the neighboring flip chip interconnects by the interjected solder through the underfill crack or delaminated interfaces. Accordingly, Pb-free flip chip packages should have an additional reliability issue that is not a concern for Pb solder packages. In this paper, a typical flip chip package is modeled to quantify the impact of the volumetric expansion of Pb-free solder. Two possible cases are investigated. They are with and without existence of a micro crack between chip and underfill which lead to underfill crack and delamination, respectively. Parametric studies are carried out by changing material properties of underfill and interconnect pitch. Also, the impact of geometry of solder interconnect is explored. The volumetric expansions of Pb-free solders are experimentally quantified, and applied to the analyses.
THEOLOGICAL ETHICS AND TECHNOLOGICAL CULTURE: A BIOCULTURAL APPROACH

This article examines an orientation for thinking theo- logically and ethically about the cultural pattern of technology and a vision for living responsibly within it. Building upon and joining select insights of philosophers Hans Jonas and Albert Borgmann, I recommend the analytic and evaluative leverage to be gained through development of an integrative biocultural theological anthropology. The motivation for this article stems in part from a teaching experience. At a given point in a recent ethics course, I deemed that it would be help- ful to organize a discussion around Robert Nozick's famous thought ex- periment, "the experience machine." Nozick presents his experiment thus: Suppose there were an experience machine that would give you any experience that you desired. Superduper neuropsychologists could stimulate your brain so that you would think and feel you were writing a great novel, or making a friend, or reading an interesting book. All the time you would be floating in a tank, with electrodes attached to your brain. Should you plug into this machine for life, preprogramming your life's desires? Of course, while in the tank you won't know that you're there; you'll think it's all actually happening. . . . Would you plug in? What else can matter to us, other than how our lives feel from the inside? (Nozick 1977, 43) I assumed that my students would immediately affirm the greater moral worth of embodied agency and creative commerce with actual things, oth- ers, and places over the simulated pleasure or virtual happiness of hyper- reality. Teaching in a so-called "smart" online classroom to students cultured by the Matrix trilogy who needed to be reminded to turn off their cell
On the Use of Discretized Source Code Metrics for Author Identification

Intellectual property infringement and plagiarism litigation involving source code would be more easily resolved using code authorship identification tools. Previous efforts in this area have demonstrated the potential of determining the authorship of a disputed piece of source code automatically. This was achieved by using source code metrics to build a database of developer profiles, thus characterizing a population of developers. These profiles were then used to determine the likelihood that the unidentified source code was authored by a given developer.In this paper we evaluate the effect of discretizing source code metrics for use in building developer profiles. It is well known that machine learning techniques perform better when using categorical variables as opposed to continuous ones. We present a genetic algorithm to discretize metrics to improve source code to author classification. We evaluate the approach with a case study involving 20 open source developers and over 750,000 lines of Java source code.
Magnetic resonance safety

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has a superior soft-tissue contrast compared to other radiological imaging modalities and its physiological and functional applications have led to a significant increase in MRI scans worldwide. A comprehensive MRI safety training to protect patients and other healthcare workers from potential bio-effects and risks of the magnetic fields in an MRI suite is therefore essential. The knowledge of the purpose of safety zones in an MRI suite as well as MRI appropriateness criteria is important for all healthcare professionals who will work in the MRI environment or refer patients for MRI scans. The purpose of this article is to give an overview of current magnetic resonance safety guidelines and discuss the safety risks of magnetic fields in an MRI suite including forces and torque of ferromagnetic objects, tissue heating, peripheral nerve stimulation, and hearing damages. MRI safety and compatibility of implanted devices, MRI scans during pregnancy, and the potential risks of MRI contrast agents will also be discussed, and a comprehensive MRI safety training to avoid fatal accidents in an MRI suite will be presented.