cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spontaneous smoking cessation during pregnancy among ethnic minority women: A preliminary investigation

Abstract This study examined the postpartum relapse rates and characteristics of pregnant women who stopped smoking without professional intervention. Baseline characteristics of women who spontaneously quit were compared to women who continued to smoke. Women who spontaneously quit were also randomized to a psychotherapy relapse prevention treatment, or to usual care. The sample was ethnically diverse, containing 141 low-income women who were predominantly Hispanic, 23% (n = 33) of whom spontaneously quit smoking. The variables that significantly differentiated between “spontaneous quitters” and ongoing smokers were entered into a regression analysis, which revealed that higher self-confidence, smoking fewer cigarettes per day, and younger age accounted for 25% of the variance in spontaneous cessation. Adding the psychotherapy intervention conferred no additional protection against relapse in this subgroup of spontaneous quitters. The six-month abstinence rate of 36% is similar to that found in Caucasian and higher-income populations. These results extend research with pregnant smokers to a new population and may have implications for healthcare providers and policy makers.
A novel iron sequestering agent: synthesis and iron-chelating properties of 1,1,1,-tris(3-hydroxy-2-oxo-1,2-dihydro-1-pyridylpropoxymethyl) ethane

Abstract A new hexadentate chelating agent with three 3-hydroxy-2-(1H)-pyridinone moieties combined through flexible aliphatic chains emanating from an apical carbon atom was found to have very high affinity for Fe(III). The synthesis of the ligand is described: the acid dissociation constants and the stability constants of its iron (III) complex were determined potentiometrically and through spectrophotometric competition with EDTA. The flexibility of the ligand and of its Fe(III) complex were confirmed by molecular mechanics.
Classroom assessment for critical thinking

(1995). Classroom assessment for critical thinking. Teaching of Psychology: Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 6-7.
Surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis

Debilitating abdominal or back pain remains the most common indication for surgery in patients with chronic pancreatitis. The surgical approach to chronic pancreatitis should be individualized based on pancreatic and ductal anatomy, pain characteristics, baseline exocrine and endocrine function, and medical co-morbidity. No single approach is ideal for all patients with chronic pancreatitis. Pancreatic ductal drainage with pancreaticojejunostomy targets patients with a dilated pancreatic duct and produces good early postoperative pain relief; however, 30%–50% of patients experience recurrent symptoms at 5 years. Resection for chronic pancreatitis should be considered (1) when the main pancreatic duct is not dilated, (2) when the pancreatic head is enlarged, (3) when there is suspicion of a malignancy, or (4) when previous pancreaticojejunostomy has failed. Re-sectional strategies include pancreaticoduodenectomy, distal pancreatectomy, total pancreatectomy, duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection (Beger procedure), or local resection of the pancreatic head with longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy (Frey procedure). Superior results are obtained when the pancreatic head is resected, either completely (pancreaticoduodenectomy) or partially (Beger or Frey procedure). Although pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy remains the gold standard resection procedure, there is evidence that newer operations, such as the Beger resection, may be as effective in regard to pain relief and better in respect to nutritional repletion and preservation of endocrine and exocrine function.
What is the Opportunity Cost of Mean-Variance Investment Strategies?

An analytical framework is set up to evaluate the foregone opportunity cost of mean-variance investment strategies. A parametric structure of the joint distribution of security returns, for which mean-variance investment strategy is suboptimal, is specified. For all constant absolute risk-aversion investors, the optimal strategy, its corresponding mean-variance alternative, and the foregone opportunity cost of mean-variance investment strategy are analytically derived and operationalized empirically. When the investor's opportunity set includes the riskless asset, the premium to replace the mean-variance investment strategy by its optimal one does not exceed 0.05 cents on an invested dollar regardless of the investor's risk aversion. When the riskless asset is denied, the opportunity costs of mean-variance investment strategies increase with the degree of risk aversion.
Three new Microctonus species indigenous to New Zealand (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Three new species of euphorine braconid, Microctonus zealandicus, Microctonus alpinus, and Microctonus falcatus are described. These are the first Microctonus species known to be indigenous to New Zealand, although the exotic species Microctonus aethiopoides Loan and Microctonus hyperodae Loan have been introduced for biological suppression of introduced pest weevils. A key separating the 5 species now known to occur in New Zealand is provided.
Aspirin, Dipyridamole, and Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Excerpt To the editor: The judgment as to what constitutes the best treatment for patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is based on empiric evidence rather than on the results of ...
On the Interpretation of EOF Analysis of ENSO, Atmospheric Kelvin Waves, and the MJO

AbstractEmpirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis is frequently applied to derive patterns and indexes used to identify and track weather and climate modes as expressed in state variables or proxies of convection. Individual EOFs or pairs of EOFs are often taken to be a complete description of the phenomenon they are intended to index. At the same time, in the absence of projection of the phenomenon onto multiple EOFs yielding multiple similar eigenvalues, each EOF is often assumed to represent a physically independent phenomenon. This project analyzed the leading EOFs of the earth’s skin temperature on the equator and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) anomalies filtered for atmospheric equatorial Kelvin waves. Results show that the leading two EOFs of the skin temperature data—including east Pacific El Nino and El Nino Modoki—frequently evolve as a quadrature pair during El Nino events, even though the first EOF explains roughly 6 times as much variance as the second. They together diagnose the longit...
Desalting geothermal brines

Abstract This paper describes geothermal desalination methods and how the differences between them and conventional desalination methods can be accommodated in process designs. The relation between plant performance and geothermal fluid conditions is considered for water-only plants and for dual-purpose water and power plants. The production of water and power that can be expected from a wide range of possible plant configurations can be rapidly determined from three simple calculation diagrams presented. Changes in thermodynamic conditions during desalting and power production processes can be read off directly from these diagrams. Since economic optimization depends largely on good thermodynamic performance, these aids should materially reduce the labor of performing initial cost estimates to establish the potential value of a geothermal reservoir. An example of its use in analyzing a dual-purpose multieffect distillation/power plant is given.
Efficient and accurate estimation of relative order tensors from λ-maps

The rapid increase in the availability of RDC data from multiple alignment media in recent years has necessitated the development of more sophisticated analyses that extract the RDC data’s full information content. This article presents an analysis of the distribution of RDCs from two media (2D-RDC data), using the information obtained from a λ-map. This article also introduces an efficient algorithm, which leverages these findings to extract the order tensors for each alignment medium using unassigned RDC data in the absence of any structural information. The results of applying this 2D-RDC analysis method to synthetic and experimental data are reported in this article. The relative order tensor estimates obtained from the 2D-RDC analysis are compared to order tensors obtained from the program REDCAT after using assignment and structural information. The final comparisons indicate that the relative order tensors estimated from the unassigned 2D-RDC method very closely match the results from methods that require assignment and structural information. The presented method is successful even in cases with small datasets. The results of analyzing experimental RDC data for the protein 1P7E are presented to demonstrate the potential of the presented work in accurately estimating the principal order parameters from RDC data that incompletely sample the RDC space. In addition to the new algorithm, a discussion of the uniqueness of the solutions is presented; no more than two clusters of distinct solutions have been shown to satisfy each λ-map.
Are public opinion polls self-fulfilling prophecies?

Psychologists have long observed that people conform to majority opinion, a phenomenon sometimes referred to as the ‘bandwagon effect’. In the political domain people learn about prevailing public ...
Aerogel commercialization: technology, markets and costs

Commercialization of aerogels has been slow due to several factors including cost and manufacturability issues. The technology itself is well enough developed as a result of extensive work over the past decade by an international community of researchers. Several substantial markets appear to exist for aerogels as thermal and sound insulators, if production costs can keep prices in line with competing established materials. In the present paper, the elements identified as key cost drivers are discussed, and a prognosis for the evolution of the technology leading to reduced cost aerogel production is given.
Optimizing regulation functions in gene network identification

This paper is concerned with the problem of identifying a discrete-time dynamical system model for a gene regulatory network with unknown topology using time series gene expression data. The topology of such a network can be characterized by a set of regulation hypotheses, one for each gene. In our earlier work, we formulated a convex optimization method to select the regulation hypotheses (and hence the network topology). In this paper, we further optimize the dynamics of the inferred network. Specifically, for a given topology, we minimize the l2 distance between the experimental data and the model prediction. We illustrate the performance of our algorithm by identifying models for gene networks with known topology.
Folk flu and viral syndrome: An epidemiological perspective

Abstract Public health officials and medical social scientists both recognize the importance of the relationship between culture and infectious disease. However, the divergence that exists between the medical model and the epidimiological model has not been well studied. During the course of enteric disease surveillance in the southwest United States, the categories ‘flu’ and ‘viral syndrome’ were identified. The relationship between ‘flu’, a popular illness category, and ‘viral syndrome’, part of the medical model, is discussed. From the standpoint of an epidimiologist, both of these concepts act as obstacles to disease investigation and control.
Thebesian Drainage in the Left Heart of the Dog

Direct left heart drainage from the common left coronary artery has been demonstrated in the normally beating dog heart by an isotope dilution technique. The major portion of this drainage has been shown to be through the left circumflex branch of the common left coronary artery. The left anterior atrial artery, a branch of the left circumflex, has in turn been shown to be the major pathway of drainage from the latter. Left heart drainage could not be demonstrated from isotope injections into the left anterior descendens artery, and in only one preparation could such drainage be documented from the septal branch of the common left artery. The magnitude of left heart Thebesian drainage has been estimated by analysis of time-concentration curves recorded from the aorta. An average of 2% of total common left coronary artery inflow drains directly into the left heart. Although the major drainage is probably into the left atrium, left ventricular drainage has not been excluded.
An Algorithm for a Class of Three-Dimensional Assignment Problems Arising in Scheduling Applications

Abstract A scheduling problem often arising in trade shows and conventions is modeled as a planar three-dimensional assignment problem having a special cost structure. A polynomial-time algorithm for solving this case of the planar assignment problem is presented. The algorithm can also be used to solve heuristically a variation of the m-traveling salesman problem which arises as a secondary problem in the original scheduling application. Computational experience with data from a tourism industry convention scheduling problem is given.
Adaptive agents in a persistent shout double auction

agents, double auction, electronic trading, negotiation, adaptive behaviour Cliff (1997) has demonstrated that simple, adaptive agents are able to trade in a form of double auction marketplace, in such a way that trade prices converge towards the equilibrium price of the marketplace. However, the marketplace within which the agents trade is unrealistic. In this paper, we consider a more realistic form of double auction market, the persistent shout double auction. We present agents based on the ZIP agents of Cliff (1997), but with an alternative set of heuristics for use within this auction. We demonstrate that the resulting agents achieve equilibrium significantly faster than ZIP agents do, maintain a more stable equilibrium, and are more robust to changes in learning rate.
Numerical continuation method for a system of parallel flow tubes.

Abstract Numerical solutions of the mathematical models of the kidney generally involve determining the roots of a nonlinear equation. Most iterative methods for the solution of nonlinear equations require a good initial approximation to the solution. One approach in overcoming this dependence is the use of the so-called continuation techniques. By taking an underlying physiological model of the kidney as our guide, we develop two such techniques for the efficient solution of these equations. These techniques do not require any prior knowledge of the solution.
Correction for martin and van mooy, fluorometric quantification of polyphosphate in environmental plankton samples: extraction protocols, matrix effects, and nucleic acid interference.

Volume 79, no. 1, p. 273–281, 2013. Page 279: The reported chlorophyll a concentrations were systematically too low by a factor of two and are corrected below. The relative variation between stations in chlorophyll a and in polyP/chlorophyll a ratios remains the same; thus, our conclusions are
Radioactive ion beams at the Bevalac: Greatly enhanced fragment separation for high energy beams

Abstract Radioactive beams are routinely produced at the Bevalac by the fragmentation process. High energy beams (energies ~ 800 MeV/u) produce fragments with nearly the original beam momentum, forming a radioactive ion beam. A new beamline is being constructed which will provide resolution for ions approaching the mass 100 region, compared to the present mass 20 capability, by strongly increasing the dispersion and also increasing the beam size for easier tuning and more effective collimation. In addition, the angular acceptance has been more than doubled. Details of the design will be presented.
How the brain folds: a new genetic mechanism involving a laminin gene.

Recessive LAMC3 mutations cause malformations of occipital cortical development Barak et al. (2011) Nature Genetics 43(6): 590–594. Epub 15 May 2011
Performance of the extended maximum average correlation height (EMACH) filter and the polynomial distance classifier correlation filter (PDCCF) for multiclass SAR detection and classification

The Extended Maximum Average Correlation Height (EMACH) filter and the Polynomial Distance Classifier Correlation Filter (PDCCF) are applied to the Moving and Stationary Target Acquisition and Recognition (MSTAR) database for detection and classification. Filter performance is evaluated for a ten-class problem. The generalization capabilities are examined by conducting tests for targets differing by serial numbers, in-plane rotation, and depression angle. For comparison, results were also obtained using the Maximum Average Correlation Height (MACH) filter, Distance Classifier Correlation Filter (DCCF), and Optimal Trade-off Synthetic Discriminant Function (OTSDF) filter.
Observations on the gross and microscopic anatomy of the sloths (Bradypus griseus griseus Gray and Choloepus hoffmanni Peters)

In this study observations are reported upon the morphological differences between the three-toed and two-toed forms of sloths, as well as a comparison made of some aspects between the sloths and the other groups of the Xenarthra. Much attention has been paid to the gross, as well as the histological examination of the viscera, musculature, and the vascular and lymphatic systems. The importance of the correlation of the morphological findings with physiological studies has been emphasized. For example, the probable correlation of the vascular plexuses of the extremities with the postures and muscular activity of the different members of the Xenarthra is discussed. Much new information has been gained concerning the placentation and development of the sloths, as well as concerning the structure of the male and female reproductive tracts.
Anesthetic management of the hybrid stage 1 procedure for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS).

Summary Introduction: Despite advances in the surgical and perioperative management of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), outcomes for this high-risk group of patients remains suboptimal. The hybrid approach [bilateral pulmonary artery (PA) banding, ductal stenting, balloon atrial septostomy], is an emerging alternative therapy for the management of HLHS, which defers the risks of a major surgical repair until the infants are older. This article will describe our experience providing the anesthetic management of patients undergoing the hybrid procedure. Methods: After Institutional Review Board approval, we retrospectively reviewed the records of 77 patients who underwent the hybrid procedure as neonates between July 2002 and August 2008. We reviewed both the anesthetic and intensive care records. Results: The hybrid procedure was performed in 77 patients (31 female and 46 male). The average age of the patients was 11.8 days with an average weight of 2.98 kg. Fentanyl was used for analgesia at an average dose of 5.7 mcg·kg−1. The average increase in the systolic blood pressure after placement of the right and left PA bands was 11.3 mmHg. The average drop in the systemic saturation after placement of the bands was 7%, with an average postband and stent SaO2 of 82%. Twenty-one patients received blood transfusion (27.3%) at an average dose of 43.5 ml (14.5 ml·kg−1). Forty patients received albumin during the case (51.9%) at an average dose of 23.2 ml (7.7 ml·kg−1). Seventeen patients arrived at the hybrid suite already intubated, and no attempt was made to extubate these patients at the end of the case. Thirty-six patients were extubated at the end of the procedure, and a total of 64.9% of patients were extubated within the first 24 h postoperatively. Patients had notably stable hemodynamics throughout the first 24 h in the intensive care unit. Discussion: Patients undergoing the hybrid procedure have relatively stable intraoperative and early postoperative hemodynamics. The procedure is performed without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and with minimal narcotic and anesthetic exposure. Patients typically do not require blood transfusions or inotropic support and are extubated at either the end of the procedure or within 24 h of ICU admission. In our experience, the anesthetic management of patients undergoing the hybrid procedure is straightforward and requires relatively few interventions when compared to traditional neonatal surgical repairs. Deferring the risks of anesthesia, CPB, hypothermic circulatory arrest, and prolonged postoperative sedation may yield developmental advantages to patients born with HLHS.
A nonminimal approach for the cosmological constant problem

Abstract In a theory where the cosmological constant is taken to be variable and where a nonminimal coupling of the form ξθ 2 R is considered, the wave function of the Universe can be used to get a bound on the value of the cosmological constant. It is shown that an upper limit exists for its present value, given by Λ θ i / θ p ) 2 ·10 −120 M Pl 4 . The factor ( θ i / θ p ) 2 appearing in this upper bound is, in some sense, related to the claim achieved in the Baum-Coleman-Hawking mechanism in which the probability distribution not only determines the vanishing of the cosmological constant but also a minimum value (different from zero) for the gravitational constant.
DEUTERON RADIUS AND NUCLEAR FORCES IN FREE SPACE

Experimental knowledge and theoretical understanding of the deuteron matter radius are reviewed. An experimental value of rm(exp)=1.9502 (20) fm is found by using the 1962 Stanford data, the 1973 Monterey data and the 1981 Mainz data for the ratio of electron-deuteron to electron-proton elastic scattering cross-sections, plus the 1979 Erevan data and the 1990 Saclay data on electron-deuteron elastic cross-sections. The theoretical radius is dominated by a model-independent part, 1.9557 (7) fm or 1.0028 rm (exp) in magnitude, determined by the triplet scattering length, the deuteron binding energy, and the triplet effective range. The remaining contribution to the theoretical radius is model-dependent. It gives about 0.0110 fm, or 0.0056 rm(exp), for the Bonn potentials which have relatively weak short-range tensor forces. Experiment and theory thus differ by 0.8%. This discrepancy cannot be understood in terms of known physical processes involving relativity, meson exchanges, and abnormal higher-mass components of the wave function. Interestingly, the five experimental results can be separated into two inconsistent groups: (a) The Stanford and Saclay results agree, giving a weighted average of 1.967 (5) fm in agreement with theory. (b) The Monterey, Mainz and Erevan results also agree, giving a weighted average of 1.9488 (21) fm in disagreement with theory. The possibility of obtaining nuclear-size information from atomic Lamb shift measurements is also reviewed. In particular, the latest deuterium-hydrogen isotope shift of the 1S-2S Lamb shift yields a deuteron matter radius of 1.963 (5) fm. New measurements of both deuteron and proton charge radii would be of great interest in both nuclear and atomic physics.
OPTICAL MAPPING OF DNA POLYMERASE I ACTION AND PRODUCTS

Single molecule approaches to the characterization of biochemical systems offer an intrinsically simple and direct approach to address difficult, previously unyielding problems. Optically based approaches have recently been used to construct high resolution, ordered restriction maps from a variety of clone types. Advancements in surface technologies have enabled the reliable elongation and fixation of large DNA molecules onto specially derivatized substrates with retention of biochemical accessibility. In this study, the addition of fluorescently labeled nucleotides to surface-mounted DNA molecules by the action of DNA polymerase I is investigated using fluorescence microscopy to image individual template molecules. Molecules undergoing nick translation and containing only a few fluorochromes are readily imaged. These novel results suggest that surface-bound molecules may serve as a substrate for a broad range of enzymatic actions, and may offer new routes to analysis when coupled to advanced imaging techniques.
Aging and cognition: facilitation of recent memory in aged nonhuman primates by nimodipine.

Abstract Impairments of recent memory are a common complaint associated with aging and especially with respect to certain neural pathological conditions that may accompany aging. While this is well recognized, there is little clear evidence for a viable therapeutic treatment. Recently, however, certain investigations have suggested that blocking neuronal calcium channels may be an effective treatment for the memory impairments that are associated with brain injury as well as the memory failures that may occur during aging. The present research supports this suggestion by demonstrating that the dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, nimodipine, will significantly improve the stabilized performance of 28–29-year-old rhesus monkeys when they are tested on a delayed-response task which depends upon trial-specific, or recent, memory.
Scientific data visualization and biological diversity: new tools for spatializing multimedia observations of species and ecosystems

Abstract Current knowledge of the biodiversity of protected ecosystems is often limited to museum collection specimen data, outdated or cursory inventories and anecdotal accounts. Beyond the inventory of biological diversity comes the need to monitor changes of many parameters and at many scales, and the need to incorporate this knowledge into an accessible information system for biodiversity management planning and conservation education. This paper briefly describes our continuing research efforts to develop new ways to collect, analyze, organize and distribute biodiversity data.
Ignition of hydrogen in unsteady nonpremixed flows

Abstract The effects of unsteady strain on hydrogen (H2) ignition in nonpremixed flows are investigated with both experimental measurements and numerical computations. A mixing layer is established in a counterflow configuration with a fuel stream containing N2–diluted H2 ( X H 2 = 0.08 ) flowing against heated air. A reproducible ignition process is initiated by introducing atomic oxygen into the mixing layer with a pulsed ArF excimer laser, which photodissociates heated O2 from the oxidizer stream. The temporal evolution of OH during ignition is measured by planar laser-induced fluorescence. Following the induction phase, the measured OH mole fraction increases rapidly to a super-equilibrium value that is 60% greater than the OH mole fraction in a steady diffusion flame. The peak OH mole fraction occurs at approximately 6 ms after the excimer laser pulse. To study the OH time history under transient strain, the fuel stream is pulsed at a fixed time after the initiation of ignition. The response of the ignition kernel is extremely sensitive to the time delay of the flow transient. The unsteady strain can delay the ignition time or extinguish the kernel. Comparisons between computations and experiments are made for the evolution of OH during autoignition both for steady and unsteady strain. For both steady and unsteady strain, the transient one-dimensional counterflow computations show excellent agreement with the experiment in terms of predicting ignition delays and the rate of OH accumulation during the induction period. The computations also capture the super-equilibrium OH during the transition to the formation of a steady flame, although not to the degree observed experimentally. The computations are further used to understand the influence of unsteady strain on the kernel evolution. It is found that the degree of super-equilibrium OH is sensitive to strain transients applied close to the time of thermal runaway.
ACTIVE CONTROL OF NOISE TRANSMISSION THROUGH AN AEROELASTIC PLATE INTO A CAVITY

This paper investigates the application of optimal, static rate feedback control toward the problem of noise transmission through an aeroelastic plate backed by a reverberant cavity. The modeling method is discussed for a simply supported plate backed by an acoustic enclosure and subjected to convected fluid loading. A static compensator is compared to a state feedback controller designed to minimize the cavity potential energy. Results indicate that significant reductions in noise transmitted to the cavity are possible.
Isolation of recombinant plasmids and phage carrying the lexA gene of Escherichia coli K-l 2

Abstract The lexA gene of Escherichia coli K-l 2 was cloned from the plasmid pLC44-14 into pBR322. Plasmids carrying lexA + were selected by their ability to complement a recessive tsl mutation, which is believed to be a mutation in lexA . The smallest lexA + recombinant plasmid, pJL21, contained an Eco RI- Pst I fragment 2.9 kilobases (kb) in length; two larger plasmids also contained this fragment, and genetic material to one or both sides of the Eco RI- Pst I fragment. Plasmids homologous to pJL21, but carrying a dominant mutation, lexA 3, or one of three recessive amber mutations in lexA , termed spr , were also isolated. To clone the Eco RI- Pst I fragment onto a λ vector, the Pst I end was first converted to an Eco RI end by attachment of a 100-base pair Pst I- Eco RI fragment isolated from the plasmid ColEl; the resultant Eco RI fragment was then cloned into the λ vector λ gt 4. A restriction map of pLC44-14 was obtained for nine restriction enzymes. The orientation of this map was determined relative to the E. coli genetic map by complementation of the gene ubiA + and by comparison with restriction enzyme digests of another plasmid, pLCl 1–9, which carries dnaB , a gene closely linked to lexA , but does not carry lexA .
A review of objective pain measures for use with critical care adult patients unable to self-report.

Abstract Critically ill patients experience significant levels of pain and discomfort from multiple intrinsic and extrinsic sources while in the intensive care unit (ICU). The use of objective pain measures in nonverbal patients is an essential alternative approach for pain assessment when self-reports are unavailable. This paper provides a critical review of the psychometric properties of 6 objective pain measures that were developed to assess pain in nonverbal adult patients in the ICU. The strengths and weaknesses of these objective measures are evaluated, as well as their applicability for use with this patient population. Although 2 of the 6 objective pain measures showed good evidence of validity and reliability, none has undergone vigorous validation or has been accepted as a standardized measure. Findings from the available studies of objective pain measures provide useful information to direct future research to develop and validate clinically useful pain measures for use with critically ill patients unable to self-report. Perspective This review provides clinicians with a summary of the psychometric properties of 6 objective pain measures and discusses their applicability for use to assess pain in critically ill adult patients unable to self-report.
Can serum pentosidine levels predict risk of vertebral fracture in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Can serum pentosidine levels predict risk of vertebral fracture in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus?
Exogenous Insulin Administration and Cardiovascular Risk in Non-Insulin-dependent and Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus

Purpose : It is currently unknown whether intensive insulin treatment of diabetes decreases the risk for cardiovascular complications by lowering glucose levels or increases the risk by postulated direct atherogenic effects. This article reviews published data from two long-term, randomized clinical trials that compared cardiovascular outcomes associated with different exogenous insulin treatment regimens. Study Selection and Data Sources : The University Group Diabetes Program (UGDP) and the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) were selected as the only available randomized intervention trials with long-term follow-up results. Data reviewed were from the major publications of these two trials. Results : The UGDP compared the effects of a fixed-dose standard insulin regimen, a variable-dose insulin regimen, and a diet plus oral placebo regimen in over 600 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) who were followed for up to 13 years (1962 to 1975). Plasma glucose levels were 1.7 to 2.2 mmol/L lower in the variable-dose insulin regimen group than in the other two treatment groups. No significant differences were found in the final prevalence or the cumulative incidence of total deaths, cardiovascular disease deaths, or myocardial infarctions among the three treatment groups, even when outcomes were adjusted for pertinent baseline cardiovascular risk factors. There was a slight suggestion only from post hoc analysis that patients in both insulin treatment groups, who were defined as having good glucose control, had fewer cardiovascular events than those with fair or poor control. The DCCT compared intensive insulin treatment with conventional insulin treatment (the mean hemoglobin A 1c [HbA 1c ] level was 7.2% and 9.0%, respectively) in over 1400 patients with insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM) followed for up to 10 years (1983 to 1993). Three major cardiovascular events occurred in the intensive treatment group as compared with 14 in the conventional treatment group (P > 0.05), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels were substantially lower in the intensive treatment group. However, body mass index increased substantially more with intensive than with conventional therapy. Conclusions : The UGDP trial was flawed by inadequate power, uncertainties in compliance with treatment regimens, insufficient separation of glycemic levels, and ignorance of smoking history as a possible confounder. In the DCCT, the number of cardiovascular events was few because the patients were young and had a relatively short duration of diabetes at baseline. In addition, total daily insulin doses were similar in the two DCCT treatment groups. For these reasons, neither trial provides a definitive answer to the question about the effects of intensive insulin therapy. A better designed clinical trial is needed to determine whether insulin treatment has beneficial or adverse effects, or even offsetting beneficial and adverse effects, on the risk for cardiovascular disease in NIDDM and IDDM.
Solution of the Pauli master equation via the lanczos algorithm

Abstract We present a numerical Green's function approach to solving the Pauli master equation which utilizes the recursive residue generation method (RRGM) developed by Wyatt and co-workers. In most practical applications, only a few Green's function matrix elements are required to express all physical quantities of interest. For such systems, computation time reductions of 102–103 over direct diagonalization algorithms are achieved even for systems of moderate size. An application to a simple model for trapping in polymers is given.
Smoker identity among social smokers: theory-based approaches for anti-smoking interventions

AbstractA large number of college smokers refuse to self-identify as smokers, instead referring to themselves as social smokers. With little or no information on how social smokers perceive risks and levels of efficacy related to smoking cessation, designing effective anti-smoking campaigns may be problematic. Based on the theoretical underpinning of the Risk Perception Attitude Framework, we investigated the impact of perceived risks and self-efficacy on the intention to quit smoking among social smokers and compared the findings to those who self-identify as smokers (i.e. admitters) and non-smokers (i.e. deniers). An online survey was conducted targeting college students who had smoked in the past 30 days. Of the 414 total participants, 111 self-identified as social smokers. Results show that deniers were no more willing to quit than admitters albeit with a greater self-efficacy. Deniers also tended to underestimate the risks of smoking and possessed greater feelings of self-efficacy. Admitters, in cont...
Genomic pathology: a disruptive innovation.

237 ISSN 1741-0541 10.2217/PME.12.5 © 2012 Future Medicine Ltd Personalized Medicine (2012) 9(3), 237–239 “...genomic pathology [is] founded on the premise that sequencing the human genome is rapidly becoming so routine and inexpensive that it will inevitably find its way into fundamental aspects of healthcare – not only in disease diagnosis and management, but also disease prevention, risk mitigation and health maintenance.”
Internal data management techniques for DOS/360

A technique for individual preassembly and linkage of input/outout program sections, which reduces overall assembly time, is described. Also discussed are two techniques used in generating channel programs for direct-access devices. One of the techniques is designed for random addressing of records, the other for indexed sequential addressing. The developmental work that led to these techniques was heavily influenced by the objective of effectively minimizing the amount of main storage required for the input/output control functions in DOS/360, the disk operating system for SYSTEM/360 configurations with intermediate amounts of main storage.
In situ growth of silicon carbide nanowires from anthracite surfaces

Abstract Silicon carbide nanowires (SCNWs) were grown from anthracite fine surfaces through a simple one-step carbothermal process with silicon powder as the Si precursor. This straightforward and fast formation of SCNWs made it possible to maintain the binding of briquetted waste anthracite fines at very high temperatures as an alternative fuel in foundry cupola furnaces. This SCNW mechanism could thus provide the crucial hot crushing strength in the cupola heat zone and melt zone. Progressive thermal tests exhibited that the formation of the SCNWs started from 1100 C, and was favored at 1400 C. No extra metal catalyst was needed for the growth of the SCNWs. Characterizations were performed by XRD, SEM, EDS, TEM, and SAED. The SCNWs were 30–60 nm in diameter and were typically grown by stacking the (1 1 1) lattice plane of 3C-SiC along the [1 1 1] direction. Many non-epitaxial branches of the nanowires were also formed through this one-step process as observed by TEM. The results suggest that the SCNWs were most likely grown through the vapor–solid mechanism.
Using social reminiscence to teach therapeutic communication skills.

The nursing profession universally accepts the premise that effective communication skills are essential for RNs to function in any health care environment. This article discusses the use of social reminiscence as a teaching tool to encourage the development of these skills. Various approaches to teaching effective communication skills that have been discussed in the literature are described and evaluated. The rationale for social reminiscence to enhance communication is presented, and the teaching/learning experience is described. Finally, the strengths and weaknesses of using social reminiscence as a teaching tool are discussed. (Geriatr Nurs 2000;21:315-8)
A visual system model and a new distortion measure in the context of image processing.

Underlying many techniques of image restortation, quantization, and enhancement is the mathematically convenient, but visually unsuitable distortion measure of squared difference in intensity. Squared-intensity difference has an indirect phenomenological correspondence in a model of the visual system. We have undertaken, therefore, an experiment that derives a new distortion measure from an acceptable visual system model and compares it in a fair test against squared difference in intensity in an image restoration task. We start with an eye–brain system model, inferred from the works of current vision researchers, which consists of a bank of parallel spatial frequency channels and image detectors. From this model we derive a new distortion criterion that is related to changes in the per-channel detection probability and phase angle. The optimal linear (Wiener) filters for each distortion measure operate in turn on the same noisy incoherent images. The results show that the filter for the new distortion measure yields a superior restoration. It is more visually agreeable, more sharply detailed, and truer in contrast compared to the squared-difference filter, and impressive in its own right. Its mathematical properties suggest that significantly increased efficiency in the storage or communication of images may be gained by its use.
EVIDENCE FROM NORMAL EXPRESSION AND TARGETED MISEXPRESSION THAT BONE MORPHOGENETIC PROTEIN-4 (BMP-4) PLAYS A ROLE IN MOUSE LUNG MORPHOGENESIS.• 1992

Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions are critical for the branching and differentiation of the lung, but the mechanisms involved are still unclear. To investigate this problem in mouse embryonic lung we have studied the temporal and spatial expression of factors implicated in the morphogenesis of other organs. At 11.5 days post coitum (p.c.) hepatocyte nuclear factor-3β (HNF-3β) is expressed uniformly throughout the epithelium; whereas Wnt-2 expression is confined to the distal mesenchyme. Sonic hedgehog (Shh) transcripts are found at low levels throughout the epithelium but at high levels in the distal tips of the terminal buds. Epithelial expression is also seen for bone morphogenetic protein-7 (Bmp-7), but transcripts are less dramatically upregulated at the distal tips. The Type I Bone morphogenetic protein receptor (Bmpr/TFR-11, Brk-1) is expressed at low levels in the epithelium and in the distal mesenchyme. Finally, Bmp-4 transcripts are localized at high levels in the distal tips of the epithelium and in the adjacent mesenchyme. To study further the role of Bmp-4 in lung development, we have misexpressed the gene throughout the distal epithelium of transgenic embryos using a surfactant protein C enhancer/promoter. From 15.5 days p.c. transgenic lungs are smaller than normal, with grossly distended terminal buds, and at birth, contain large airfilled sacs which do not support normal lung function. Labeling with bromodeoxyuridine reveals an inhibition of epithelial proliferation in 15.5 days p.c. transgenic lungs. A small but significant stimulation of proliferation of mesenchymal cells is also observed, but this is accompanied by an increase in apoptosis. In situ hybridization with riboprobes for the proximal airway marker, CC10, and the distal airway marker, SP-C, shows normal differentiation of bronchiolar Clara cells but a reduction in the number of differentiated Type II cells in transgenic lungs. A model is proposed for the role of Bmp-4 and other signalling molecules in embryonic lung morphogenesis
Student-Teacher Relationship Stability Across Early School Years for Children With Intellectual Disability or Typical Development

Student–teacher relationships of 37 children with moderate to borderline intellectual disability and 61 with typical cognitive development were assessed from child ages 6–8 years. Student–teacher relationship quality was moderately stable for the typical development group, but less so for the intellectual disability group. At each assessment these relationships were poorer for children with intellectual disability. Child behavior problems consistently predicted more conflict, whereas social skills predicted more closeness. Accounting for these child characteristics reduced the status group difference to nonsignificance. Earlier student–teacher relationships predicted subsequent changes in child behavior problems and social skills. Student–teacher relationships in the intellectual disability group were significantly lower for children in regular than special classes by age 8.
Thin film filter lifetesting results in the extreme ultraviolet

We present the results of the thin film filter lifetesting program conducted as part of the NASA Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE) satellite mission. This lifetesting program is designed to monitor changes in the transmission and mechanical properties of the EUVE filters over the lifetime of the mission (fabrication, assembly, launch and operation). Witness test filters were fabricated from thin film foils identical to those used in the flight filters. The witness filters have been examined and calibrated periodically over the past seven years. The filters have been examined for evidence of pinholing, mechanical degradation, and oxidation. Absolute transmissions of the flight and witness filters have been measured in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) over six orders of magnitude at numerous wavelengths using the Berkeley EUV Calibration Facility.
IN SEARCH OF A SECRETORY CYCLE

There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that the mechanisms underlying hormonal biosynthesis and release may not be tightly coupled within individual endocrine cells. Instead, a given cell may undergo alternating periods of gene expression/ hormone biosynthesis followed by release per se. The purpose of this chapter is to summarize evidence favouring the existence of such a secretory cycle within single, living, pituitary cells.
Optical metrology at the Optical Sciences Center: an historical review

The Optical Sciences Center (OSC) begun as a graduate-level applied optics teaching institution to support the US space effort. The making of optics representative of those used in other space programs was deemed essential. This led to the need for optical metrology: at first Hartmann tests, but almost immediately to interferometric tests using the newly invented HeNe laser. Not only were new types of interferometers needed, but the whole infrastructure that went with testing, fringe location methods, aberration removal software and contour map generation to aid the opticians during polishing needed to be developed. Over the last half century more rapid and precise methods of interferogram data reduction, surface roughness measurement, and methods of instrument calibration to separate errors from those in the optic have been pioneered at OSC. Other areas of research included null lens design and the writing of lens design software that led into the design of computer generated holograms for asphere testing. More recently work has been done on the reduction of speckle noise in interferograms, methods to test large convex aspheres, and a return to slope measuring tests to increase the dynamic range of the types of aspheric surfaces amenable to optical testing including free-form surfaces. This paper documents the history of the development of optical testing projects at OSC and highlights the contributions some of the individuals associated with new methods of testing and the infrastructure needed to support the testing. We conclude with comments about the future trends optical metrology.