cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The biomechanics of torsional fractures. The stress concentration effect of a drill hole.

To determine the effect of a drill hole on the strength of long bones and on the fracture resulting from rapidly applied torsional loads, paired canine femora were tested, and the following results were obtained: 1. The presence of a 2.8-millimeter or a 3.6-millimeter drill hole in the femoral mid-shaft significantly weakens the bone as measured by a mean reduction in energy-absorbing capacity of 55.2 per cent. 2. The drill hole produces a significant increase in local stresses as demonstrated by a calculated stress concentration factor of 1.6. 3. Changes in the ratio of drill hole area to bone area from .12 to .28 are not accompanied by significant changes in the bone strength or in the stress concentration factor. 4. The resulting spiral fractures occur along planes of maximum tensile stress, and the drill hole does not alter their orientation. 5. In drilled specimens the fracture is localized to the region of the drill hole and is less comminuted.
Towards understanding visually guided locomotion over complex and rough terrain: A phase-space planning method

As legged robots maneuver over increasingly complex and rough terrains, designing motion planners with the capability of predicting future footsteps becomes imperative. In turn, these planners provide a valuable tool for understanding the fundamental principles underlying human locomotion [2, 3]. In this study, we use our previously proposed phase-space planning framework [1] to analyze human walking over complex terrain. In particular, we highlight (i) the center of mass (CoM) apex-state-based feature of the phase-space planning, and (ii) the role of vision in CoM apex state selection during human walking over complex terrain [2].
Integrating hinge axis approximation and the virtual facial simulation of prosthetic outcomes for treatment with CAD-CAM immediate dentures: A clinical report of a patient with microstomia.

Abstract This clinical report describes a digital workflow using extraoral digital photographs and volumetric datasets from cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging to create a 3-dimensional (3D), virtual patient with photorealistic appearance. In a patient with microstomia, hinge axis approximation, diagnostic casts simulating postextraction alveolar ridge profile, and facial simulation of prosthetic treatment outcome were completed in a 3D, virtual environment. The approach facilitated the diagnosis, communication, and patient acceptance of the treatment of maxillary and mandibular computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) of immediate dentures at increased occlusal vertical dimension.
Transplant Virus Detection Using Multiplex Targeted Sequencing.

Background: Viral infections are a major cause of complications and death in solid organ and hematopoietic cell transplantation. Methods: We developed a multiplex viral sequencing assay (mVseq) to simultaneously detect 20 transplant-relevant DNA viruses from small clinical samples. The assay uses a single-tube multiplex PCR to amplify highly conserved virus genomic regions without the need for previous virus enrichment or host nucleic acid subtraction. Multiplex sample sequencing was performed using Illumina MiSeq, and reads were aligned to a database of target sequences. Analytical and clinical performance was evaluated using reference viruses spiked into human plasma, as well as patient plasma and nonplasma samples, including bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, and tissue from immunocompromised transplant recipients. Results: For the virus spike-in samples, mVseq9s analytical sensitivity and dynamic range were similar to quantitative PCR (qPCR). In clinical specimens, mVseq showed substantial agreement with single-target qPCR (92%; κ statistic, 0.77; 259 of 282 viral tests); however, clinical sensitivity was reduced (81%), ranging from 62% to 100% for specific viruses. In 12 of the 47 patients tested, mVseq identified previously unknown BK virus, human herpesvirus-7, and Epstein–Barr virus infections that were confirmed by qPCR. Conclusions: Our results reveal factors that can influence clinical sensitivity, such as high levels of host DNA background and loss of detection in coinfections when 1 virus was at much higher concentration than the others. The mVseq assay is flexible and scalable to incorporate RNA viruses, emerging viruses of interest, and other pathogens important in transplant recipients.
Sudden infant death and sleep practices in the Black community.

Purpose A Black infant dies every 13 hours in the state of Indiana. The overall infant mortality rate in 2013 was 7.2 deaths per 1000 live births, but for Black infants, the rate was 15.3 deaths per 1000 live births. For over 20 years, placing an infant to sleep on his back has decreased the death rate from sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), but many Black families continue to advocate bed sharing, prone sleeping, and inappropriate bedding/sleep surfaces, predisposing an infant to a significantly higher risk for SUID/SIDS. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to understand why Black women are less likely than White women to follow safe sleep recommendations for their infants. Design A rigorous search of the literature was performed by searching the Web of Science, OVID, CINAHL, PsychINFO, and PubMed using the search terms: infant or child, death, loss, SIDS, SUID, qualitative, African American, Black, culture, safe sleep, experiences, and United States. A total of 217 articles were obtained. After review of inclusion and exclusion criteria and critical appraisal, only seven articles remained for the research study. Methods The meta-synthesis of these seven original qualitative studies was performed using the Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument from the Joanna Briggs Institute to assist with data management. Data were extracted and representative quotations were categorized. Categories were arranged into like themes. Themes were then synthesized with meta-aggregation. Results A total of 17 subthemes were identified and were formulated into three primary themes: convenience, safety, and culture. The final synthesized theme was that Black mothers are motivated by their beliefs. Practice Implications Black mothers tend to believe that SUIDS/SIDS is a random occurrence and is not preventable, so they see a little reason to make their infant sleep in a cold, hard crib, when they could sleep in a warm, comfortable bed with them. Nurses should work with Black mothers to understand their cultural beliefs while educating them about safe sleep practices.
Bourdieu and an Update of Health Lifestyle Theory

The purpose of this chapter is to update health lifestyle theory and in the process illustrate the importance of Pierre Bourdieu’s contributions to sociological research on this topic. Bourdieu never published work on health or medical sociology, yet many of his ideas, especially his concepts of habitus and various forms of capital (e.g., social, cultural), are increasingly utilized to provide theoretical models in health-related research (see, for example, Abel and Frohlich 2011; Carpiano 2006; Christensen 2011; Cockerham 2005, 2007, 2010; Williams 1995). The merit of his perspective is that it fully (perhaps overly in some instances) acknowledges the important role structure has in shaping and often determining human social behavior, including lifestyles. This return to a more structurally-aware approach comes decades after the demise of structural-functionalism and the ascendancy of agency-oriented theories in health sociology and sociology generally (Cockerham 2013; Mouzelis 2008; Smelser 1997).
Limits to Fuel/Coolant Mixing

The vapor explosion process involves the mixing of fuel with coolant prior to the explosion. A number of analysts have identified limits to the amount of fuel/coolant mixing that could occur within the reactor vessel following a core melt accident. Past models are reviewed and a sim plified approach is suggested to estimate the upper limit on the amount of fuel/coolant mixing pos sible. The approach uses concepts first advanced by Fauske in a different way. The results indicat that water depth is an important parameter as well as the mixing length scale D /SUB mix/ , and for large values of D /SUB mix/ the fuel mass mixed is limited to <7% of the core mass.
Problems of k-body Type

Our basic objective here is to illustrate how the results of Chapter XIII can be used in the study of problems of the k-body type. More specifically, we discuss two examples to show how our results relate to the studies of the 3- body type in [8, Bahri-Rabinowitz] and of the k-body type in [75, 76, 77, 78, Majer-Terracicni].
Dispersal Kernels may be Scalable: Implications from a Plant Pathogen.

Aim Understanding how spatial scale of study affects observed dispersal patterns can provide insights into spatiotemporal population dynamics, particularly in systems with significant long-distance dispersal (LDD). We aimed to investigate the dispersal gradients of two rusts of wheat with spores of similar size, mass, and shape, over multiple spatial scales. We hypothesized that a single dispersal kernel could fit the dispersal from all spatial scales well, and that it would be possible to obtain similar results in spatiotemporal increase of disease when modeling based on differing scales. Location Central Oregon and St. Croix Island. Taxa Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, Triticum aestivum. Methods We compared empirically-derived primary disease gradients of cereal rust across three spatial scales: local (inoculum source and sampling unit = 0.0254 m, spatial extent = 1.52m) field-wide (inoculum source = 1.52 m, sampling unit = 0.305 m, and spatial extent = 91.44 m), and regional (inoculum source and sampling unit = 152 m, spatial extent = 10.7 km). We then examined whether disease spread in spatially explicit simulations depended upon the scale at which data were collected by constructing a compartmental time-step model. Results The three data sets could be fit well by a single inverse-power law dispersal kernel. Simulating epidemic spread at different spatial resolutions resulted in similar patterns of spatiotemporal spread. Dispersal kernel data obtained at one spatial scale can be used to represent spatiotemporal disease spread at a larger spatial scale. Main conclusions Organisms spread by aerially dispersed small propagules that exhibit LDD may follow similar dispersal patterns over a several hundred- or thousand-fold expanse of spatial scale. Given that the primary mechanisms driving aerial dispersal remain constant, it may be possible to extrapolate across scales when empirical data are unavailable at a scale of interest.
On going the market one better: economic market design and the contradictions of building markets for public purposes

AbstractBefore the 1970s, no economists claimed an ability to fix markets; now economists make markets in a smorgasbord of shapes and flavours. Secondary commentary on market design fails to apprec...
Angiogenesis and Angiogenic Diversity in Lung Cancer Metastasis

Angiogenesis is a pervasive biological phenomenon that is at the core of many physiologic and pathologic processes. To be sustained, the increase in metabolic activity brought on with tissue proliferation must be accompanied by a proportional increase in blood supply. When pre-existing vasculature is insufficient to meet the demands of the proliferating cell population, signals for angiogenesis are generated by resident and infiltrating cells. Angiogenesis is a vital part of tumor biology and occurs in response to a wide range of molecular signals within the tumor microenvironment, and these signals need not arise directly from the tumor cell. This has given rise to the notion of diversity of the angiogenic mechanisms or a unique angiogenic signature of each tumor’s microenvironment [7, 8]. This chapter will focus on the basic cellular mechanisms of angiogenesis, followed by a discussion of various factors that are involved in lung cancer angiogenesis, and the clinical implications of the diversity of angiogenic pathways in cancer.
Performance and microbial ecology of methane-driven microbial fuel cells at temperatures ranging from 25 to 5 °C.

Abstract The effluent of mainstream anaerobic processes is saturated with dissolved methane, representing a lost energy source and potent greenhouse gas emission if left unmanaged. This study investigated the impact of operational temperature on methane-driven microbial fuel cells (MFCs) designed for continuous operation to mitigate dissolved methane emissions in anaerobic effluents. Two bench-scale, single-chamber MFCs were operated sequentially at 25, 20, 15, 10 and 5 °C. Voltage production from both MFCs ranged from approximately 0.463 to 0.512 V over 1 kΩ resistance at temperatures ≥15 °C, but abruptly dropped as temperature decreased to 10 and 5 °C, averaging just 0.156 and 0.190 V for the replicate systems. Dissolved methane removal efficiency remained relatively stable across all operational temperatures, ranging from 53.0% to 63.6%. High-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction indicated distinct distribution of methanotrophs (e.g., Methylomonas) and exoelectrogens (e.g., Geobacter) on the cathode and anode, respectively. Spearman's rank correlation suggested that an indirect interaction between methanotrophs and exoelectrogens via fermentative bacteria (e.g., Acetobacterium) may play a role in system function. Notably, diversity of the anode microbial community was positively correlated with both voltage production and Coulombic efficiency, suggesting overall diversity, as opposed to abundance or activity of exoelectrogens, was the primary factor governing performance at varying temperatures.
Accommodative tissues influence the shape of the cornea and potentially drive corneal morphogenesis

Abstract This study investigates whether the presence of accommodative tissues biomechanically influences the shape of the cornea and potentially drives corneal morphogenesis during embryonic ocular development. Porcine eyes were subjected to an internal pressure simulating intraocular pressure. Ocular geometry was evaluated using a corneal topographer and digital cameras before and after dissection of the accommodative tissues. A computational model of the porcine eye was constructed and loaded by an internal pressure representing intraocular pressure. Eye shape was evaluated in models with and without the ciliary body. The porcine model was generalized to the human model, simplified model, or embryonic model with different ocular tissue shapes, sizes, and stiffnesses. Experimental data showed that, even in the six-month-old pig eye, the average corneal radius of curvature increased after the removal of accommodative tissues compared to sham controls (p = 0.002). Computational results agreed with the experimental data and further suggested that the change in corneal radius is greater when the tissue stiffness is low and the intraocular pressure is high, regardless of the geometry and size of the eye components. Using a combined in vitro and in silico approach, this study explores the biomechanical influence of the accommodative tissues and related loads on the cornea and offers additional factors that might influence the shape of the cornea.
Speaking the Same Language: How the Kodály Method Promotes Disciplinary Literacy.

Educators are consistently asked to show their students’ literacy levels; however, the traditional definition of literacy is typically limited to a strict interpretation of reading and writing usin...
What is Understanding By Design (UbD)

This 5-page document discusses Understanding by Design, an approach to designing curriculum that allows instructors to focus on desired learning outcomes and provide structure for student learning. Written by Tyler L. D’Angelo, Andrew C. Thoron, and J. C. Bunch and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, January 2019. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc322
Polypharmacy Among Privately Insured Adults with Cerebral Palsy: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Adults with cerebral palsy (CP) have increased risk for developing various secondary chronic diseases, especially when they have other neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs). Multiple m...
SASIL: a domain-specific language for simulating declarative specifications of scheduling systems

SASIL is a domain-specific language to describe and execute the specification of scheduling systems. The language interpreter operates on time-dependent behaviors and reactive events to simulate the described system. Furthermore, the interpreter is capable of selecting the appropriate actions needed to automatically schedule necessary components of the system to resolve requests. The DSL was tested by implementing an elevator control system, which is defined as a series of button requests and the requirements needed to complete each request. A multi-elevator system described using the language allowed the interpreter to complete requests 1.04 times faster on average than the traditional elevator algorithm.
A User-Friendly Protocol for Mandibular Segmentation of CBCT Images for Superimposition and Internal Structure Analysis

Background: Since cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) technology has been widely adopted in orthodontics, multiple attempts have been made to devise techniques for mandibular segmentation and 3D superimposition. Unfortunately, as the software utilized in these methods are not specifically designed for orthodontics, complex procedures are often necessary to analyze each case. Thus, this study aimed to establish an orthodontist-friendly protocol for segmenting the mandible from CBCT images that maintains access to the internal anatomic structures. Methods: The “sculpting tool” in the Dolphin 3D Imaging software was used for segmentation. The segmented mandible images were saved as STL files for volume matching in the 3D Slicer to validate the repeatability of the current protocol and were exported as DICOM files for internal structure analysis and voxel-based superimposition. Results: The mandibles of all tested CBCT datasets were successfully segmented. The volume matching analysis showed high consistency between two independent segmentations for each mandible. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis on 20 additional CBCT mandibular segmentations further demonstrated the high consistency of the current protocol. Moreover, all of the anatomical structures for superimposition identified by the American Board of Orthodontics were found in the voxel-based superimposition, demonstrating the ability to conduct precise internal structure analyses with the segmented images. Conclusion: An efficient and precise protocol to segment the mandible while retaining access to the internal structures was developed on the basis of CBCT images.
Numerical simulation of hypersonic reaction flows with nonlinear coupled constitutive relations

Abstract As all known, there exists extremely thermal and chemical non-equilibrium phenomenon in hypersonic flows. Much effort has been put into the development of computational models for the prediction of such non-equilibrium flow. In order to obtain the real physical solution of the challenging non-equilibrium problems, Eu proposed a set of generalized hydrodynamic equations (GHE) from the viewpoint of generalized hydrodynamics. Based on Eu's GHE equations, Myong developed an efficient computational model, named as the nonlinear coupled constitutive relations (NCCR). The present study is based on the 3-D FVM NCCR model in conjunction with 7-species chemical reaction model to consider the reacting gas effect for hypersonic reentry vehicles. For further examining the performance of the proposed computational model, the typical engineering cases of Radio Attenuation Measurements (RAM)-C II vehicle are adopted. The flow contours, distribution profiles along stagnation line and surface properties are compared between nonlinear coupled constitutive model and those of the Navier-Stokes equation. The accuracy and physical consistency of the NCCR model are critically examined and validated for hypersonic reaction flow in the continuum region. For the near continuum region, the NCCR model can predict non-equilibrium phenomenon more accurately than NS equation through the comparison of shock stand-off distance and electron number density. The comparisons between NCCR model with one component perfect gas and multi-species reacting gas effect are also made to show the importance of chemical reaction source term.
Dynamic Modeling of Replicated Objects for Dependable Soft Real-Time Distributed Object Systems

Soft real-time distributed object systems that must be dependable typically replicate application objects on different processors within the distributed system. This paper presents an algorithm for determining the degree of replication of each application object, that aims to maximize the system utility while respecting the resource constraints. The system utility captures the relative importance of the individual objects for the application tasks and the relative rewards of executing the application tasks. The algorithm determines an initial replication degree for each application object and adjusts the replication degree dynamically at run time.
Macromolecular interactions: tracing the roots.

So, what is ‘new’ about ‘the new biochemistry’? Certainly not macromolecular interactions. Rather, it is the realization that the role of macromolecular interactions is fundamental to all of the currently ‘hot’ research areas in biochemistry, including the cell cycle, receptor activation, signal transduction, apoptosis and molecular chaperone action. However, in the rush to be first, it is important to avoid the tendency to do so on the backs of our predecessors, rather than, as used to be the case, on their shoulders.
Satisfying Information Needs of Food Science Research by Analyzing the Citation Patterns of Faculty and Graduate Students Research

The paper provides comparative information on the citation characteristics of theses and dissertations and research faculty publications in food science over an eleven-year period. These include: t...
Siblings and Interventions: How Siblings Influence Development and Why Practitioners Should Consider Including Them in Interventions

Despite the variety of positive influences siblings have on developmental outcomes, very few interventions targeting these outcomes include siblings. In this article, we argue that practitioners should consider including siblings in interventions. We provide evidence highlighting the positive influence siblings have on three developmental outcomes: prosocial behavior, communication, and literacy. Additionally, we explain the potential benefits of including siblings in interventions targeting these three outcomes, provide recommendations and examples regarding how to include siblings in these interventions, and present cautions to including siblings in interventions. Lastly, we include questions to guide practitioners as they consider including siblings in interventions. Based on the information presented in the article, we conclude that one way for practitioners to enhance interventions is to include siblings.
Design window for open-surface lithium divertor with helium-cooled substrate

Abstract This study for an open-surface flowing lithium (Li) divertor with a thin helium-cooled substrate includes a scaling analysis, numerical computations and an analytical solution to access the design window for a low vaporization divertor option where the maximum temperature at the Li free surface is limited to 450 °C. Three heat removal regimes were identified in the scaling analysis and then accessed in numerical computations: convection-dominated, diffusion-dominated and convection-diffusion. Of them, convection-dominated regime, in which all applied heat flux is removed by a high velocity Li layer, offers the highest heat removal capability. For a generic divertor, a high surface heat flux of 10 MW/m2 can be removed with the Li flowing at 7.3 m/s. Under the conditions of the US Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF), the required Li velocities are 6.5 m/s for the inner leg, and 15 m/s for the outer leg. The obtained analytical solutions for the diffusion-dominated regime, where the incident heat flux is removed by helium, suggests the lowest of the three regimes heat removal capability in the range of 0.5–1.2 MW/m2.
Social Theory of International Politics: Process and structural change

In chapter 6 I argued that the deep structure of an international system is formed by the shared understandings governing organized violence, which are a key element of its political culture. Three ideal type cultures were discussed, Hobbesian, Lockean, and Kantian, which are based on and constitute different role relationships between states: enemy, rival, and friend. The chapter focused on structure, mirroring the focus on agency in chapter 5. Little was said in either chapter about process – about how state agents and systemic cultures are sustained by foreign policy practices, and sometimes transformed. In this chapter I address these questions. Although this discussion of process comes after my discussions of structure and agency, there is a sense in which it is prior to both. Structures and agents are both effects of what people do. Social structures do not exist apart from their instantiation in practices. As structures of a particular kind this is true also of corporate agents, but even individuals are just bodies, not “agents,” except in virtue of social practices. Practices are governed by preexisting structures and entered into by preexisting agents, but the possibility of referring to either as “preexisting” presupposes a social process stable enough to constitute them as relatively enduring objects. Agents and structures are themselves processes, in other words, on-going “accomplishments of practice.” Ultimately this is the basis for the claim that “anarchy is what states make of it.” The import of this claim nevertheless depends partly on the ease and extent to which agents and structures can be changed.
CHAPTER 94 – Histidine Kinases

Autophosphorylating histidine protein kinases are predominantly found in bacterial organisms and to a more limited extent in archaebacteria and nonvertebrate eukaryotic organisms where they function in two-component signal transduction pathways. These signaling systems typically consist of a sensor histidine kinase (HK) and a response regulator (RR). HKs are responsive to extracellular stimuli and can undergo adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependentautophosphorylation of a conserved histidine residue. The phosphoryl group is then transferred to a conserved aspartic acid residue in the RR protein, which then acts as a molecular switch for activating an associated effector domain or triggering downstream signaling events. A large majority of RRs contain C-terminal effector domains that have DNA-binding activity and thus function in regulating gene expression. In some cases, expanded versions of the two-component system have evolved whereby additional response regulator domains and histidine-containing phosphotransfer (HPt) proteins have been incorporated, thus forming a multistep phosphorelay. It has been estimated that nearly 20% of all HKs are hybrid proteins that have a RR domain fused at the C-terminus. These additional signaling modules presumably allow for more regulatory checkpoints and flexibility of the signaling pathway.
Profound Bradycardia After Intrathecal Baclofen Injection in a Patient With Hydranencephaly

Abstract Background Intrathecal baclofen is often used to treat medically intractable spasticity of cerebral or spinal origin. Complications are rare but close monitoring is routinely performed with intrathecal test doses and before pump implantation. Methods We describe a 6 year-old girl with hydranencephaly who underwent an intrathecal baclofen test dose and developed severe bradycardia. Results A 6 year-old girl with hydranencephaly, quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and severe spasticiityn was a candidate for an intrathecal baclofen pump. She underwent an intrathecal baclofen test dose and within 4 hours developed a heart rate between 30-40 beats per minute and mild hypotension without neurological side effects. Vitals signs subsequently normalized, and she was discharged home within 48 hours of admission. Conclusions Although neurological side effects such as drowsiness and weakness are commonly associated with intrathecal baclofen test doses, attention should also be focused on possible hemodynamic complications including significant bradycardia, especially in vulnerable patients such as those with possible or known hypothalamic dysfunction.
Nuclear g factor of the 204-keV level in Mo 95

The ion-implantation\char22{}perturbed-angular-correlation technique (IMPACT) has been used to measured the $g$ factor of the 204-keV ${\frac{3}{2}}^{+}$ level in $^{95}\mathrm{Mo}$ nuclei recoiled into ferromagnetic iron and cobalt hosts. The observed angular precessions were $\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\tau}(Fe \mathrm{Mo})=0.32\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05$ and $\ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\tau}(Co \mathrm{Mo})=0.18\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03$. The available direct lifetime measurements for the 204-keV states and the NMR hyperfine field measurements for molybdenum solutes in iron and cobalt are used to obtain the gyromagnetic ratio $g(204)=\ensuremath{-}0.24\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03$. The sign of the hyperfine field for molybdenum in iron host was found to be negative.
Nitrogen Fixation and the Biosphere

Biological nitrogen fixation is discussed in terms of its possible evolution, its role in undergirding global agriculture and sustaining the World’s population, and its effects on air and water quality. Potential targets for enhancing biological nitrogen fixation in the future are discussed.
Characterization of left ventricular mechanical function during arrhythmias with two dimensional echocardiography. I. Premature ventricular contractions.

Abstract Two dimensional echocardiography was applied experimentally in the closed chest dog to quantitate left ventricular function during and immediately after single premature ventricular contractions induced through threshold stimulation at the apex. Coupling intervals were varied over a range from 35 to 85 percent of the R-R interval during normal sinus rhythm (920 to 980 ms). The quality of tomographic echocardiographic images during premature as well as postextrasystolic beats was found to be satisfactory for quantitating short axis section areas at end-diastole and end-systole. A systolic fractional area change was computed from two dimensional echocardiographic measurements to characterize mid ventricular cardiac function, which correlated significantly with peak left ventricular pressure and maximal first derivative of left ventricular pressure (dP/dt). Marked shortening of coupling intervals reduced fractional shortening during premature systole and enhanced the degree of potentiation during the postextrasystolic beat. By contrast, premature beats with relatively long coupling intervals caused less reduction in contraction and only minor postextrasystolic potentiation. Systolic shortening of left ventricular length as well as transverse diameters were studied in a two dimensional echocardiographic long axis cross section. During long coupling intervals contraction was normal except for distinct regional systolic outward “bulging” in the apical region. In contrast, short coupling intervals were associated with a more significant generalized derangement of ventricular wall motion during systole. It is concluded that the two dimensional echocardiographic method can be used to portray and quantitate global as well as regional left ventricular function during disturbances of cardiac rhythm.
Peptide-lipid interactions in supported monolayers and bilayers

Publisher Summary This chapter describes monolayer and bilayer techniques for measuring the insertion and structure of peptides in lipid membranes. Measurements of lipid monolayer expansion, together with molecular area measurements of the peptide yield binding isotherms, thermodynamic partition coefficients, and free energies of peptide insertion. Supported bilayers on solid substrates provide a relatively new membrane model system that has become particularly useful for measuring secondary structures and orientations of peptides in lipid bilayers by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy in physiological environments. The chapter also discusses the application of these and other techniques to determine the structure and interactions of the fusion peptide of the influenza hemagglutinin in lipid bilayers. Fusion peptides are an interesting class of peptides, which upon activation, become exposed from the ectodomains of fusion proteins and subsequently insert into the bilayer of target membranes, in order to fuse target and host membranes. The sequences of fusion peptides are generally highly conserved within a given class of fusion proteins. A widely studied prototype fusion peptide is that of influenza hemagglutinin, which fuses membranes at pH 5, but not at pH 7.
Kinetics of release from enteric-coated tablets

Controlled and localized release of drugs in the intestine can be achieved by enteric coating. The design of enteric-coated tablets has so far remained empirical, in part because of the lack of a quantitative description of the drug release kinetics. In this paper, a mathematical model is presented that describes the dissolution of the polymer coating and release kinetics of weakly acidic drugs from enteric-coated tablets in buffered media. This model can also be used to predict the time of onset of core disintegration. The model assumes that the release rate is limited by diffusion, and furthermore, all the reactions are considered as reversible and instantaneous. Dissolution and reaction are assumed to take place in the polymer layer and a hypothetical stagnant liquid film adjacent to the polymer layer (the classical film theory approach). The dissolution of the enteric coating is found to depend on the intrinsic solubilities and pKa's of the drug and polymer and the medium properties. The release rate of the drug is found to depend on the intrinsic solubilities and pKa's of drug and polymer, the medium properties, i.e., pH and buffer capacity, and a mass transfer coefficient. Explicit relationships between the release rates and all these factors are derived. Successful prediction of experimental data indicates that the model provides an adequate description of release from enteric coated tablets. Limitations of the model and its potential application to the design of appropriate in vitro testing conditions and to the formulation of enteric coated tablets are also discussed.
Cost allocation patterns between hospital inpatient and outpatient departments.

OBJECTIVE. This study examines changes in hospitals' cost allocation patterns between inpatient and outpatient departments in response to the implementation of the prospective payment system. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SETTINGS. The analysis was carried out using data for 3,961 hospitals obtained from the Medicare Cost Reports and from the American Hospital Association for the years 1984 through 1988. STUDY DESIGN. A total operating cost function was estimated on the two outputs of discharges and outpatient visits. The estimation results were instrumental in disaggregating costs into inpatient and outpatient components. This was done cross-sectionally for each of the five years. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS. Comparison of this cost breakdown with that of hospital revenue provides evidence of distinct patterns in which nonteaching, rural, and small hospitals increasingly allocated greater costs to outpatient departments than did large, urban, and teaching hospitals. CONCLUSIONS. The results suggest that small rural hospitals turned to the outpatient side in the face of tough economic challenges over the period of study. Because differences in cost allocation patterns occur by particular hospital category, analyses that rely on accounting cost or revenue data in order to identify cost differences among those same categories may come to erroneous conclusions. In particular, because teaching hospitals apportion costs more heavily on the inpatient side, cost allocation differences cause upward bias in the PPS medical education adjustment.
Microenzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Detection of Immunoglobulin G and Immunoglobulin M Antibodies to Legionella pneumophila

The microenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of immunoglobulin M and G (IgM, IgG) antibodies to Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 antigens was evaluated. IgM antibodies were measured by both double-sandwich and single-sandwich techniques. These assays were compared with the previously standardized indirect immunofluorescence test in four groups of subjects: (i) pneumonia patients with culture-proven Legionnaires disease with serogroup 1 isolates, (ii) pneumonia patients with serogroup 1 organisms detected by direct immunofluorescence testing of respiratory secretions but without culture confirmation, (iii) pneumonia patients with negative culture and direct immunofluorescence tests, and (iv) healthy hospital employees. In addition, the sensitivity and specificity of the IgG ELISA were evaluated with larger groups of controls and Legionnaires disease patients. The ELISA was more sensitive than the indirect immunofluorescence test. However, it detected antibody rises in pneumonia patients without culture or direct immunofluorescence evidence of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 infection, thereby suggesting that the specificity of the ELISA was slightly lower than that of the indirect immunofluorescence test. The double-sandwich ELISA was a sensitive method for detecting IgM antibodies and, as previously reported, appeared to be free from interference by rheumatoid factor. IgM anti-Legionella antibodies detected by the ELISA appeared earlier and were less persistent than IgG antibodies. In addition, the IgM ELISA was useful in detecting antibodies in necropsy serum samples obtained from patients dying acutely of Legionnaires disease. The data presented show that the ELISA is a reliable method for the detection of specific anti-Legionella antibodies.
Relative multiple space object tracking using intensity filters

Multitarget intensity filters, such as the probability hypothesis density (PHD) filter and cardinalized probability hypothesis density (CPHD) filter have been recently proposed as a means to track multiple space objects from both ground-based and space-based platforms. In many applications, the CPHD is chosen over the PHD filter, as it has been claimed to offer significant improvements in the accuracy of both its cardinality estimates and state estimates. To that end, in this study, Gaussian mixture implementations of both the PHD and CPHD filters are developed to track the relative states of nearby space objects with respect to an inspector spacecraft using angles-only measurements. The performance of each solution is evaluated over several metrics, including cardinality error, optimal sub-pattern assignment distance, and execution speed.
ASIC replacement for an SSI component design-a case study

This case study covers the practical issues of design for functionality, design for simulation, and design for testability in replacing aging SSI (small-scale-integration) component designs with ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) gate arrays. The replacement of a 169-TTL (transistor-transistor logic) component design with a CMOS ASIC gate array is presented. Existing functionality is maintained through a series of ordered conversion steps that minimize the probability of error in the conversion. Design modifications, such as the addition of initialization circuitry, were necessary to take advantage of CAE simulation tools. The faster ASIC technology coupled with design modifications allowed the time-to-simulate to be decreased by a factor of 10000. A unique pseudorandom number generation signature analysis technique is presented that interrogates highly sequential designs. The testability scheme and other design techniques improved stuck-at fault coverage by more than 640%. The economic advantages, knowledge gained, and tools developed that are applicable to future design work are discussed. >
Clandestine Accounting: Variable Interest Entity Consolidation, Financial Leverage and Tax Shelter Participation

We use event study techniques to investigate market participants’ ex ante perceptions regarding the benefits and burdens of Interpretation Nos. 46 and 46R, Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities, an Interpretation of ARB No. 51 (FIN 46/R). The evidence suggests investors believed the costs of complying with FIN 46/R would significantly outweigh any purported improvements in the quality of accounting information. However, investors also appear to have recognized that the standard would improve information quality for highly levered firms and appropriately limit managerial rent extraction through the use of tax shelters.
Carbohydrates associated with the cell coat surrounding cells of the rainbow trout saccular macula as revealed by lectin probes

Abstract The luminal surface of the saccular macula in the rainbow trout is covered with a glycoconjugate-rich cell coat. The aim of this study was to identify specific carbohydrate moieties present in this coat, using biotinylated lectins as probes. Saccular tissues were fixed in Karnovsky's fixative for 2 h at 1–2°C, followed by incubation with biotinylated lectins for 12–16 h at 25°C. Lectin binding was visualized by performing avidin-biotin-peroxidase reactions. As controls, specimens were reacted with solutions of lectins preincubated with their specific inhibitory sugars. Staining was observed that was consistent with the presence of glucose, galactose, fucose, mannose, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylneuraminic acid, and N-acetylgalactosamine in the cell coat. The variability in the intensity of staining associated with the lectin-carbohydrate complexes suggests quantitative differences among the various carbohydrate moieties detected. The presence of these carbohydrates in the cell coat of the trout saccular macula also suggests biochemical similarities between cell coats in teleost and mammalian inner ear structures.
Protein-tyrosine Kinase Activation Is Required for Lipopolysaccharide Induction of Interleukin 1β and NFκB Activation, but Not NFκB Nuclear Translocation

In human monocytes, interleukin 1β protein production and steady state mRNA levels are increased in response to lipopolysaccharide, predominantly as a result of increased transcription of the interleukin 1β gene. Expression of interleukin 1β and other cytokines, such as interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor α, has been shown to be dependent on the activation of the transcription factor, NFκB. Since recent studies have shown that lipopolysaccharide-induced tyrosine kinase activation is not required for NFκB nuclear translocation, we sought to determine whether NFκB translocated in the absence of tyrosine kinase activity was active in stimulating transcription. We have found that, in the human pro-monocytic cell line, THP-1, the lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of interleukin 1β is dependent on tyrosine kinase activation. Tyrosine kinases are not required for lipopolysaccharide-mediated nuclear translocation of NFκB. However, in the absence of tyrosine kinase activity, the ability of NFκB to stimulate transcription is impaired. This inhibition of transcription is specific for NFκB; in the absence of tyrosine kinase activity, AP-1-dependent transcription is enhanced. These results suggest that, while lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of inflammatory mediators requires tyrosine kinase activity, tyrosine kinase activity is not obligatory for lipopolysaccharide signal transduction.
Low Molecular Weight Amidoximes that Act as Potent Inhibitors of Lysine-Specific Demethylase 1

The recently discovered enzyme lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) plays an important role in the epigenetic control of gene expression, and aberrant gene silencing secondary to LSD1 dysregulation is thought to contribute to the development of cancer. We reported that (bis)guanidines, (bis)biguanides, and their urea- and thiourea isosteres are potent inhibitors of LSD1 and induce the re-expression of aberrantly silenced tumor suppressor genes in tumor cells in vitro. We now report a series of small molecule amidoximes that are moderate inhibitors of recombinant LSD1 but that produce dramatic changes in methylation at the histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4) chromatin mark, a specific target of LSD1, in Calu-6 lung carcinoma cells. In addition, these analogues increase cellular levels of secreted frizzle-related protein (SFRP) 2, H-cadherin (HCAD), and the transcription factor GATA4. These compounds represent leads for an important new series of drug-like epigenetic modulators with the potential for use as antitumor agents.
A developmentally significant antigen in the surface of frog embryo cells.

Abstract Data demonstrating the role of yolk pseudoglobulin in maintaining the integrity of frog neurula cells in hanging drop cultures were recalled. Evidence was presented to demonstrate that the cytolysis of these cultured cells by antineurula sera was preceded by in situ lysis of yolk platelets. It was shown that washed yolk platelets directly exposed to the cytolytic antisera as well as to other antisera were not lysed. This led to the conclusion that the cytolysis of the cultured cells must be attributed to the action of the antisera on cell membrane antigens with pseudoglobulin specificity rather than to the passage of antibody into the cells.
Some considerations concerning the functional form of earnings

Abstract The problem of choosing the correct functional form of earnings has plagued studies of social inequality and labor market segmentation. Although this choice has often been made on superficial grounds, the results presented in the current paper demonstrate that this choice has very significant implications for the empirical findings that emerge from the study of earnings determination. Four functional forms of earnings are compared: dollar earnings, earnings rank based on social perceptions as calibrated by P. Coleman and L. Rainwater (1978, Social Standing in America, Basic Books, New York) the natural logarithm of earnings, and the best-fitting power function transformation of earnings as estimated by the Box-Cox technique. Evaluation of a generalized earnings determination model on a sample of private sector employees produces very similar results across these four functional forms of earnings. More divergent results are obtained when the models are compared across subsamples based on class, economic sector, and gender. Significant contrasts between earnings coefficients across groups are much more likely when utilizing log earnings or the Box-Cox power transformation than when using either dollar earnings or perceived earnings. In addition, the contrasts observed for log earnings and Box-Cox earnings are frequently in the opposite direction of those observed for dollar earnings or perceived earnings. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for theoretical developments in the study of social inequality and labor market segmentation.