cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling Complexometric Titrations of Natural Water Samples

Complexometric titrations are the primary source of metal speciation data for aquatic systems, yet their interpretation in waters containing humic and fulvic acids remains problematic. In particular, the accuracy of inferred ambient free metal ion concentrations and parameters quantifying metal complexation by natural ligands has been challenged because of the difficulties inherent in calibrating common analytical methods and in modeling the diverse array of ligands present. This work tests and applies a new method of modeling titration data that combines calibration of analytical sensitivity (S) and estimation of concentrations and stability constants for discrete natural ligand classes ([Li]T and Ki) into a single step using nonlinear regression and a new analytical solution to the one-metal/two-ligand equilibrium problem. When applied to jointly model data from multiple titrations conducted at different analytical windows, it yields accurate estimates of S, [Li]T, Ki, and [Cu2+] plus Monte Carlo-based estimates of the uncertainty in [Cu2+]. Jointly modeling titration data at low-and high-analytical windows leads to an efficient adaptation of the recently proposed "overload" approach to calibrating ACSV/CLE measurements. Application of the method to published data sets yields model results with greater accuracy and precision than originally obtained. The discrete ligand-class model is also re-parametrized, using humic and fulvic acids, L1 class (K1 = 10(13) M(-1)), and strong ligands (L(S)) with K(S) >> K1 as "natural components". This approach suggests that Cu complexation in NW Mediterranean Sea water can be well represented as 0.8 +/- 0.3/0.2 mg humic equiv/L, 13 +/- 1 nM L1, and 2.5 +/- 0.1 nM L(S) with [CU]T = 3 nM. In coastal seawater from Narragansett Bay, RI, Cu speciation can be modeled as 0.6 +/- 0.1 mg humic equiv/L and 22 +/- 1 nM L1 or approximately 12 nM L1 and approximately 9 nM L(S), with [CU]T = 13 nM. In both waters, the large excess (approximately 10 nM) of high-affinity, Cu-binding ligands over [CU]T results in low equilibrium [Cu2+] of 10(-14.5 +/- 0.2) M and 10(-13.3 +/- 0.4) M, respectively.
Cyber Security for Personal Medical Devices Internet of Things

Personal Medical Devices (PMDs) are attached to the patient's body to assist his physiological processes and to monitor his medical condition. These PMDs communicate with programming devices for various reasons like monitoring, firmware update, and operational parameter updates. With wider proliferation of PMDs, their communication and connectivity features will improve enabling greater mobility for the patient. The PMDs will essentially become part of the Internet of Things (IoTs) for medical devices providing almost seem less communication capabilities. This will expose the PMDs to new cyber threats. In this paper, we present the cyber threats to these devices and limitations of the PMD IoTs that make addressing these cyber threats challenging. We then present some initial solution approaches to address the identified cyber threats.
The Algorithmic Foundations of Differential Privacy

The problem of privacy-preserving data analysis has a long history spanning multiple disciplines. As electronic data about individuals becomes increasingly detailed, and as technology enables ever more powerful collection and curation of these data, the need increases for a robust, meaningful, and mathematically rigorous definition of privacy, together with a computationally rich class of algorithms that satisfy this definition. Differential Privacy is such a definition.After motivating and discussing the meaning of differential privacy, the preponderance of this monograph is devoted to fundamental techniques for achieving differential privacy, and application of these techniques in creative combinations, using the query-release problem as an ongoing example. A key point is that, by rethinking the computational goal, one can often obtain far better results than would be achieved by methodically replacing each step of a non-private computation with a differentially private implementation. Despite some astonishingly powerful computational results, there are still fundamental limitations — not just on what can be achieved with differential privacy but on what can be achieved with any method that protects against a complete breakdown in privacy. Virtually all the algorithms discussed herein maintain differential privacy against adversaries of arbitrary computational power. Certain algorithms are computationally intensive, others are efficient. Computational complexity for the adversary and the algorithm are both discussed.We then turn from fundamentals to applications other than queryrelease, discussing differentially private methods for mechanism design and machine learning. The vast majority of the literature on differentially private algorithms considers a single, static, database that is subject to many analyses. Differential privacy in other models, including distributed databases and computations on data streams is discussed.Finally, we note that this work is meant as a thorough introduction to the problems and techniques of differential privacy, but is not intended to be an exhaustive survey — there is by now a vast amount of work in differential privacy, and we can cover only a small portion of it.
Automatic annotation techniques for gene expression images of the fruit fly embryo

We present an application of image analysis techniques to automatically annotate biological images depicting gene expression patterns in developing embryos of fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), a model organism to study gene interaction. The aim is to determine the view (lateral versus dorsal/ventral [non-lateral]), orientation (anterior-left or anterior-right), and the developmental stage of the embryo. We employed contour curvature analysis, symmetry of the gene expression patterns, and shape differences at the anterior and posterior ends of the embryo, among others, for these purposes. An analysis of a pilot database of 3500 images indicates that view was correctly identified in 62%, orientation in 85%, and developmental stage in 73% of the images. We observed that correct inferences had better separation in feature space than incorrect inferences. This means that, although these methods do not exhibit very high classification accuracy, they could be employed to identify images which need manual intervention, thereby reducing the target set for biologists. The novelty in this work is in the integration of well-established image analysis with the biological knowledge for annotating the embryos. Our examinations show that features that provide discrimination ability among different views, different orientations, and different developmental stages are often restricted to certain regions of the embryo, which agrees with the longstanding knowledge in the developmental biological community.
Estimated retinal ganglion cell counts in glaucomatous eyes with localized retinal nerve fiber layer defects.

Purpose To estimate retinal ganglion cell (RGC) losses associated with visible glaucomatous localized retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) defects. Design Observational cross-sectional study. Methods A multicenter study of 198 normal eyes (138 subjects) and 66 glaucomatous eyes (55 subjects) recruited from the Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study and the African Descent and Glaucoma Evaluation Study. All eyes underwent standard automated perimetry (SAP), spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, and fundus stereophotography within 6 months. Glaucomatous eyes were included if localized RNFL defects were detected by masked grading of stereophotographs. The number of RGCs in each sector of a structure-function map was estimated using a previously published model combining RGC estimates from SAP and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. The estimated percentage loss of RGCs (combined structure-function index) was calculated. Results In glaucomatous eyes, there were 136 sectors with visible RNFL defects and 524 sectors without visible RNFL defects. The most common sectors with visible RNFL defects were inferior and inferotemporal sectors, followed by superior and supertemporal sectors. Eyes with visible RNFL defects had a mean estimated RGC count of 657 172 cells versus 968 883 cells in healthy eyes ( P P P Conclusions Although visible localized RNFL defects often are considered an early sign of glaucoma, this study indicates that they are likely to be associated with large neuronal losses.
Managing software complexity in signal processing research

The author describes a large hierarchical software environment, based on C++, developed to support basic research into signal processing. There are two cornerstones of the environment: the signal object file and the math classes. From these, many useful higher-level abstractions have been built, including device-independent audio and modular speech recognition systems. This environment heavily embraces object-oriented programming philosophies and structured programming techniques. To date, it is one of the largest such environments implemented entirely in C++. >
Psychotherapeutic intervention in acute medical situations

Psychotherapy in the extreme medical situation is an extension of the interviewing process. The interviewer must expeditiously and sometimes briefly assist the patient in elaborating his complaint, obtain information about the development of the complaint, and assess the patient's reactions to it. Past history, developmental patterns, reactions to previous illness and crises, the patient's present life situation, and past and present relationships may all be relevant and require evaluation. The interactive process requires that the therapist call upon specific knowledge as he engages with the patient, facilitates the expression of concern, appropriately reassures, instructs, and prepares, clarifies, and leads the patient to some insight about his altered state. Attention to the affective correlates of acute illness can enhance convalescence and the rehabilitative process.
Race and commutes

Abstract This paper analyzes the effects of segregation on commute distances for a sample of workers employed at a single company. With a CBD workplace, both black and white commutes increase with income. Both black and white workers increase their commutes if they move. However, commutes for all blacks are less than those for similar whites. Furthermore, black commutes increase much less quickly with income. Lastly, moves by black workers increase commutes by much less. With a suburban workplace, high-income whites and whites who move choose longer commutes from more distant suburbs. All blacks reverse commute from the ghetto. High-income blacks and those who move commute from the ghetto boundary.
Molecular mechanisms of cell death and phagocytosis in Drosophila.

The genetic tools available in Drosophila have facilitated our understanding of how apoptosis is regulated and executed in the context of the developing organism. All embryonic apoptosis is initiated by the activity of three genes, rpr, grim and hid. Each of these genes is independently regulated, allowing developmental apoptosis to be finely controlled. These initiators in turn activate the core apoptotic machinery, including the caspases. Drosophila counterparts to other conserved components of the apoptotic machinery have been recently identified, and we discuss how these may be integrated into the process of normal developmentally regulated cell death. We also outline the role that phagocytosis plays in the final stages of apoptosis and consider the molecular mechanisms guiding the elimination of apoptotic corpses. Cell Death and Differentiation (2000) 7, 1027–1034.
Estimation of membrane diffusion coefficients and equilibration times for low-density polyethylene passive diffusion samplers.

Passive diffusion (PD) samplers offer several potential technical and cost-related advantages, particularly for measuring dissolved gases and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in groundwater at con...
Differential Regulation of Vitamin D Receptors in Clonal Populations of a Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Cell Line

Abstract RWLeu4 is a chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line that is sensitive to the antiproliferative and differentiation-inducing actions of 1α,25(OH)2-vitamin D3(VD3). The JMRD3cell line is a VD3-resistant variant of RWLeu4 that was selected by continuous passage of RWLeu4 in the presence of VD3. The isolation of a spontaneous VD3-resistant variant suggests that phenotypically different cells exist within the RWLeu4 cell population. Therefore, single-cell clones of RWLeu4 cells were isolated and characterized. Four clonal cell populations that fall into three groups differing in response to the antiproliferative and differentiation-inducing actions of VD3were examined. Surprisingly, the extent of response of the clones to VD3does not show a correlation with the basal level of the vitamin D receptor (VDR). RWLeu4-3 and RWLeu4-4 are the clones most sensitive to the antiproliferative actions of VD3(ED50≈ 1 nM); however, RWLeu4-3 expresses basal levels of VDRs similar to those found in the parental cells and the RWLeu4-2 clone, while in RWLeu4-4, VD3binding and VDR protein are below the limits of detection. Furthermore, RWLeu4-10 expresses the highest basal level of VDR protein but is relatively resistant to the antiproliferative actions of VD3(ED50≥ 30 nM). Like JMRD3, RWLeu4-10 is still capable of differentiating in response to VD3, as judged by the induction of biochemical processes and cell-surface antigen expression. Although VD3treatment increases VDR protein levels and DNA-binding activity in all clones, altered DNA–protein complexes are detected in RWLeu4-4. Our results suggest that sensitivity to the antiproliferative and differentiation-inducing actions of VD3is not dependent solely upon the level of VDR expressed, but may also require posttranslational modification of the VDR or complex interactions with other nuclear transcription factors.
Nuclear Raf-1 kinase regulates the CXCR5 promoter by associating with NFATc3 to drive retinoic acid-induced leukemic cell differentiation.

Novel functions of signaling molecules have been revealed in studies of cancer stem cells. Retinoic acid (RA) is an embryonic morphogen and stem cell regulator that controls the differentiation of a patient-derived leukemic cell line, HL-60, which is composed of progenitor cells with bipotent myelo-monocytic differentiation capability. RA treatment of HL-60 cells causes unusually long-lasting mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling, with the cells exhibiting the beginning of G0 cell cycle arrest and functional differentiation by 48 h after treatment with RA. This event coincides with the nuclear translocation of Raf-1, phosphorylated at serine 621. The present study shows how the novel localization of Raf-1 to the nucleus results in transcriptional changes that contribute to the differentiation of HL-60 cells induced by RA. We find that nuclear pS621 Raf-1 associates with NFATc3 near its cognate binding site in the promoter of CXCR5, a gene that must be up-regulated to drive RA-induced differentiation. NFATc3 becomes immunoprecipitable with anti-phosphoserine serum, and CXCR5 is transcriptionally up-regulated upon RA-induced differentiation. Inhibiting the pS621 Raf-1/NFATc3 association with PD98059 inhibits these processes and cripples RA-induced differentiation. In this novel paradigm for Raf-1 and RA function, Raf-1 has a role in driving the nuclear signaling of RA-induced differentiation of leukemic progenitor cells. Structured digital abstract NFATc3 physically interacts with Raf-1 by coimmunoprecipitation (1, 2)
United States trials of conservative surgery

From August 1971 to August 1974, almost 1700 patients with clinically curable breast cancer in 34 institutions in the United States and Canada were entered into the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast Project (NSABP) trial comparing the results of total (simple) mastectomy with those of radical mastectomy. Patients with clinically negative axillary nodes in the total mastectomy group were further randomized to receive postoperative regional radiotherapy or no radiotherapy, but the latter patients underwent an axillary dissection if clinically positive axillary nodes developed after operation. Patients with clinically positive axillary nodes in the total mastectomy group automatically received postoperative regional radiotherapy. After a follow-up period of 2 to 5 years, there are no significant differences in the results of the various types of treatment in either the groups of patients with clinically negative axillary nodes or those with clinically positive axillary nodes.
Toxicity following high-dose three-dimensional conformal and intensity-modulated radiation therapy for clinically localized prostate cancer.

Abstract Objectives. To report the toxicity profile of patients treated with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) or intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) receiving doses of 82 Gy or more to portions of their prostate. Methods. Forty-four patients treated with radiation therapy for prostate cancer between June 1992 and August 1998 at the University of California, San Francisco received a maximal dose within the target volume (Dmax) of 82 Gy or more. Eighteen patients were boosted selectively to a limited portion of their prostate using IMRT, whereas 26 patients were treated with 3D-CRT and had unselected “hot spots” within their prostate. The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) acute and late toxicity scales were used to score gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) morbidity. Results. Median follow-up and Dmax were 23.1 months (range 10.0 to 84.7) and 84.5 Gy (range 82.0 to 96.7), respectively. Of the patients, 59.1% and 34.1% developed some level of acute GU and GI toxicity, respectively. One patient experienced grade 3 acute GI toxicity. No other grade 3 or greater acute toxicity was observed. The 2-year actuarial rates for freedom from late GI and GU morbidity were 77.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 60.4% to 87.5%) and 79.5% (95% CI 62.7% to 89.3%), respectively. Although no grade 3 or greater late GU morbidity has been observed to date, 3 patients experienced grade 3 late GI morbidity. However, these cases involved rectal bleeding and were effectively managed with laser coagulation/fulguration. Conclusions. Doses of 82 Gy or more to a portion of the prostate gland can be tolerated with acceptable morbidity. This observation supports the continued investigation of IMRT as a means for improving disease control in prostate cancer.
Changes in the phenotype of polymorphic plasma proteins after liver transplantation - new data and medico-legal consequences.

The genetically inherited polymorphic plasma protein types have always been considered stable for lifetime in humans. Most of these proteins are synthetised in the liver. Phenotypes for 14 plasma proteins in donors and recipients of liver transplants prior to and after transplantation were determined in 15 patients who had undergone liver transplantation at the university hospitals Charite and Rudolf Virchow in Berlin. The plasma proteins investigated were HP, TF, GC, PI, ORM1, ITI, A2HS, PLG, FXIIIB, BF, C3, C6, C8 and FH. Evidence was provided of irreversible change from the recipient type to the donor type in at least one patient for all the systems investigated. This is the first time such data have been obtained for ITI, A2HS, C8 and FH. These results clearly support the point that the dogma of life-long stability of genetically determined protein phenotypes is merely of limited validity. Against the background of good long-term results of liver transplantation, there are consequences for the practice of legal medicine in the particular context of certification of parentage, identification and stain analysis.
Migrations of ethnic unmixing in the "New Europe".

"This article addresses a... neglected, link between migration and ethnicity or nationality in Europe. It explores migrations of ?ethnic unmixing' or ?ethnic affinity'. Ethnic unmixing and ethnic affinity have somewhat different connotations and call attention to two distinct respects in which ethnicity may figure in such migrations: (1) as a push factors at the point of origin, and (2) as a pull factor at the point of destination. "
State Highway Capital Expenditure and the Economic Cycle

Abstract The conventional wisdom on state and local budgeting suggests that policy makers are quick to cut capital spending during fiscal stress and that budgetary politics may create a bias against long-term capital investment. This study analyzes changes in highway capital spending of U.S. state governments between 1988 and 2000, and shows a contrary result. During economic recessions, states on average slow their capital spending growth, but do not impose significant cuts, and, during economic booms, they are quick to capitalize on the opportunity and raise capital spending significantly. The article draws from the results of the study to discuss implications for the current fiscal crisis and for future research on capital budgeting.
Eric Hobsbawm, On the Edge of the New Century: Eric Hobsbawm in Conversation with Antonio Polito. New York: The New Press, 2000. i + 192 pp. $14.95 paper.

This is not the book for which Eric Hobsbawm will be remembered. Readers of his many historical works will know better than to regard it as “a concise summary of the thinking of one of the century's preeminent historians,” as the flyleaf claims. But if you ever wondered about the intellectual fit between this brilliant historical talent and his erstwhile Stalinist “socialism,” this book may provide some answers.
Oil Spills: Measurements of Their Distributions and Volumes by Multifrequency Microwave Radiometry

Aircraft-borne multifrequency passive microwave observations of eight marine oil spills revealed that, in all cases, over 90 percent of the oil was confined in a compact region comprising less than 10 percent of the area of the visible slick. These measurements show that microwave radiometry offers a means for measuring the distribution of oil in sea-surface slicks; for locating the thick regions; and for measuring their volumes on an all-weather, day or night, and real-time basis.
Continuous infusion prochlorperazine: pharmacokinetics, antiemetic efficacy, and feasibility of high-dose therapy

Purpose: The purpose of these sequential phase I studies was to evaluate the antiemetic efficacy and pharmacokinetics of high-dose continuous infusion prochlorperazine. Methods: A total of 52 patients with advanced cancer were treated in two sequential phase I studies utilizing high-dose prochlorperazine. In study 1, designed to investigate the antiemetic effects of dose-intensive prochlorperazine, various cisplatin-based multiagent chemotherapeutic regimens were administered in combination with escalating doses of prochlorperazine. In study 2, a fixed dose of cisplatin (60 mg/m2) was administered over 24 h as a continuous intravenous infusion in combination with infusional high-dose prochlorperazine. Antiemetic efficacy in the first trial was assessed in terms of the number of episodes of nausea, retching, and/or emesis during the 24 h following cisplatin administration. The pharmacokinetics of high-dose prochlorperazine were evaluated in eight patients treated in study 2 at the two dose levels below those at which dose-limiting toxicity was noted. Results: The maximally tolerated dose of prochlorperazine in combination with cisplatin (60 mg/m2 administered as a continuous infusion over 24 h) was 24 mg/h. The dose-limiting toxicity was grade 4 agitation and confusion noted in one patient treated at 26 mg/h. This patient died 3 days following cessation of chemotherapy due to the toxicity of the regimen in combination with the debilitating pulmonary effects of the disease. The mean end of infusion prochlorperazine level at the 24 mg/h dose level was 1.1 µM, a concentration previously reported to be consistent with the reversal of the multidrug resistance phenotype. Two partial responses were observed in study 2. Conclusions: We conclude that the antiemetic efficacy of high-dose infusional prochlorperazine does not appear to be improved over more convenient bolus administration. However, prochlorperazine levels consistent with those required in vitro for drug resistance reversal are attainable within the dose range having a tolerable toxicity profile.
Nonideal Gas Effects for the Venturi Meter

A method for treating nonideal gas flows through a venturi meter is described. The method is an extension of a previous study. The method involves the determination of the expansion factor which may then be used to determine the mass flow rate through the venturi meter. The method also provides the means for determining the critical pressure ratio as well as the maximum flow rate per unit throat area.
Characterization of Culex pipiens complex (Diptera: Culicidae) populations in Colorado, USA using microsatellites.

Mosquitoes such as those in the Culex pipiens complex are important vectors of disease. This study was conducted to genetically characterize Cx. pipiens complex populations in the state of Colorado, USA, and to determine the number of genetic clusters represented by the data. Thirteen populations located among four major river basins were sampled (n = 597 individuals) using a panel of 14 microsatellites. The lowest-elevation sites had the highest Expected Heterozygosity (HE) values (range 0.54–0.65). AMOVA results indicated the presence of statistically significant amounts of variation within each level when populations were analyzed as one group or when they were grouped either by river basin or by their position on the east or west side of the Rocky Mountains. Most pairwise FST values were significant via permutation test (range 0–0.10), with the highest values from comparisons with Lamar, in southeast CO. A neighbor joining tree based on Cavalli–Sforza and Edwards’s chord distances was consistent with the geographic locations of populations, as well as with the AMOVA results. There was a significant isolation by distance effect, and the cluster analysis resolved five groups. Individuals were also assayed with an additional microsatellite marker, Cxpq78, proposed to be monomorphic in Cx. pipiens but polymorphic in the closely related but biologically distinct species Cx. quinquefasciatus. Low frequencies (≤3%) of Cx. quinquefasciatus alleles for this marker were noted, and mostly confined to populations along the Interstate 25 corridor. Pueblo was distinct in that it had 10% Cx. quinquefasciatus alleles, mostly of one allele size. The degree of population genetic structure observed in this study is in contrast with that of Cx. tarsalis, the other major vector of WNV in the western U.S., and likely reflects the two species’ different dispersal strategies.
Exploring the Dynamics of Middle-Aged and Older Adult Residents' Perceptions of Neighborhood Safety

This study examined what variables best predict concerns about neighborhood safety among middle-aged and older adults. Eighty-five participants were selected from a Midwestern urban area. Participants completed a 22-item questionnaire that assessed their perceptions of neighborhood safety and vigilance. These items were clustered as: (a) community care and vigilance, (b) safety concerns, (c) physical incivilities, and (d) social incivilities. Police crime data were also used in the analyses. Our findings suggest that aspects of the broken window theory, collective efficacy, and place attachments play a role in affecting residents' perceptions of neighborhood safety.
Mechanism of C. trachomatis attachment to eukaryotic host cells

A novel trimolecular mechanism of microbial attachment to mammalian host cells was characterized for the obligate intracellular pathogen Chlamydia trachomatis. Using purified glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and specific GAG lyases, we demonstrated that a heparan sulfate-like GAG present on the surface of chlamydia organisms is required for attachment to host cells. These observations were supported by inhibition of attachment following binding of heparan sulfate receptor analogs to chlamydiae and by demonstrating that chlamydiae synthesize a unique heparan sulfate-like GAG. Furthermore, exogenous heparan sulfate, as an adhesin analog, restored attachment and infectivity to organisms that had lost these attributes following treatment with heparan sulfate lyase. These data suggest that a GAG adhesin ligand mediates attachment by bridging mutual GAG receptors on the host cell surface and on the chlamydial outer membrane surface.
Energetics and Dynamics of Enzymatic Reactions

This review considers the advances made in using computer simulations to elucidate the catalytic power of enzymes. It is shown that some current approaches, and in particular the empirical valence bond approach, allow us to describe enzymatic reactions by rigorous concepts of current chemical physics and to estimate any proposed catalytic contribution. This includes evaluation of activation free energies, nonequilibrium solvation, quantum mechanical tunneling, entropic effects, and other factors. The ability to evaluate activation free energies for reactions in water and proteins allows us to simulate the rate acceleration in enzymatic reactions. It is found that the most important contribution to catalysis comes from the reduction of the activation free energy by electrostatic effects. These effects are found to be associated with the preorganized polar environment of the enzyme active site. The use of computer simulations as effective tools for examining different catalytic proposals is illustrated by t...
Hemodynamics of interposed abdominal compression during human cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Objective: Clinical studies of interposed abdominal compression CPR (IAC-CPR) have had diverse outcomes. This study compared the hemodynamics of standard CPR and IAC-CPR in humans. Methods: A 24-month prospective nonrandomized analysis of hemo-dynamic parameters was performed in a convenience cohort of 20 adults who had had out-of-hospital, nontraumatic, normothermic cardiac arrests. The study took place in the resuscitation unit of a large urban hospital. Thoracic aortic and right atrial catheters were inserted and pressures were recorded during standard CPR and IAC-CPR. Coronary perfusion pressures (CPPs) were determined during standard CPR and IAC-CPR. The patients were separated into two groups based upon their responses to IAC-CPR. Responders had increases in CPP during IAC-CPR; nonresponders had decreases or no change in CPP during IAC-CPR. Aortic relaxation, right atrial relaxation, aortic compression, and right atrial compression phase pressures were compared between the two groups. Results: CPPs increased in 13 patients and decreased in seven patients. The mean change in CPP with IAC-CPR was an increase of 5.8 ± 15.1 torr. An elevated right atrial compression phase pressure (RaComp) during standard CPR was predictive of an increase in CPP during IAC-CPR (p = 0.047). In those patients who showed improvements in CPP during IAC-CPR, mean aortic relaxation phase pressures (AoRelax) increased by 9.5 ± 14.2 torr (p = 0.026) and mean right atrial relaxation phase pressures (RaRelax) decreased by 2.6 ± 6.2 torr (p = 0.099) during IAC-CPR. Conclusions: The variable effects of IAC-CPR on CPP appear to be multifactorial. The improvement in CPP that occurred in responders to IAC-CPR was secondary to an increase in AoRelax as well as a decrease in RaRelax.
The effectiveness of currently enrolled student proctors in an undergraduate special education course.

Potential users of Keller's personalized college classroom method might find it impractical to provide student proctors from the ranks of those who had previously mastered the course material. An alternative is to let currently enrolled students proctor and tutor each other. Such a method imposes the burden of showing that its effectiveness is not a function of (1) student collaboration or (2) the effects of “practice” received by students who listen to the performance of others before their own performance. The present study compared students proctored by previously trained students (Control) with students who received proctoring from classmates (Experimental). Experimental group performance was superior to Control group performance. The effects of “practice” and collaboration were ruled out as determinants of the difference between groups. It is hypothesized that the superior performance of the Experimental students was related to their activities as proctors.
On the infinite differentiability of the free boundary in a Stefan problem

Abstract : For a Stefan problem for the heat equation, estimates for the derivatives of the free boundary are obtained in the form of recursion relations which show that the free boundary belongs to a specific differentiability class. (Author)
Self-Triggered Optimal Servicing in Dynamic Environments With Acyclic Structure

This paper considers a class of scenarios where targets emerge from some known location and move towards some unknown destinations in a weighted acyclic digraph. A decision maker with knowledge of the target positions must decide when preparations should be made at any given destination for their arrival. The decision maker faces a timing tradeoff: early decisions mean more time for preparation at the cost of higher uncertainty in the target's true destination while later decisions mean less uncertainty at the cost of having less time to prepare. We show how this problem can be formulated as an optimal stopping problem on a Markov chain. This sets the basis for the introduction of the best investment algorithm which prescribes when investments must be made conditioned on the target's motion along the digraph. We establish the optimality of this prescription and examine its robustness against changes in the problem parameters, identifying sufficient conditions to determine whether the solution computed by the best investment algorithm remains optimal. Based on this analysis, we develop the self-triggered acquisition&decision algorithm that allows the decision maker, under partial knowledge of the parameter dynamics, to schedule in advance when to check if the control policy in its memory remains optimal and, if this test fails, when to recompute it. Finally, we obtain worst case lower bounds on the maximum time that can elapse under arbitrary parameter dynamics before the optimal solution must be recomputed. Simulations illustrate our results.
Transportation Access: A Key Employment Barrier for Rural Low-Income Families

Findings from three sequential studies build an understanding of the transportation barriers facing poor rural families and the link between transportation access and economic outcomes. An in-depth, longitudinal qualitative study explored multiple dimensions of the role of transportation in family life. The results of this study yielded emergent themes and hypotheses used in the subsequent studies. The second study used multiple methods to analyze Census data, vehicle registration lists, and focus group interviews to identify transportation resources in a rural county and to assess transportation needs and barriers facing welfare recipients. The third study addressed the association between transportation and economic outcomes using a dual frame household survey in a cluster of five counties. The article concludes that although policies to provide access to transportation services for rural families may enhance employment opportunities, other related outcomes and longer term effects require additional study.
Estimating the Parameters of a Modified Poisson Distribution

Abstract Errors in observing and reporting sample data often complicate the problem of estimating parameters of the distribution being sampled. If neglected, such errors may lead to seriously biased estimates. There exits a large general class of such estimation problems involving numerous different distributions, different types and varying degrees of observational errors. This paper is limited, however, to maximum likelihood estimation in a Poisson distribution which has been modified to the extent that a proportion θ of the ones are reported as being zeros. An inspector who sometimes fails to see or at least fails to report items containing only a single Poisson distributed defect, while correctly observing and reporting results of inspecting items containing two or more defects, produces sample data of the type under consideration. Estimators are derived both for the Poisson parameter and for θ. Asymptotic variances and covariances are derived and an illustrative example is included.
Analysis of uroflow patterns in children with dysfunctional voiding.

Abstract Objective Although a staccato uroflow pattern is considered representative of dysfunctional voiding (DV), we recently found that only a third of children with staccato flow had an active pelvic floor electromyography (EMG) during voiding. Here, we analyzed the reverse, that is, how often a staccato flow pattern occurs in children with documented DV. In addition, we reviewed what other flow patterns are prevalent in this condition. Materials and methods We reviewed our LUT dysfunction registry for children with EMG-confirmed DV. Uroflow patterns were categorized as staccato, interrupted, mixed (i.e., staccato and interrupted patterns), or grossly normal. Results Of 596 children who underwent a uroflow/EMG examination, 121 had an active pelvic floor EMG during voiding, that is a finding consistent with the diagnosis of DV. The flow patterns identified in those diagnosed with DV were staccato in 70 (58%), interrupted in 22 (19%), mixed in 12 (10%), and a bell-shaped or depressed curve in 17 (14%). Staccato pattern became normal in 96% following successful treatment with biofeedback. Conclusions While a staccato uroflow pattern was the most common pattern seen in children diagnosed with DV by a uroflow/EMG, nearly a third had an interrupted or mixed flow pattern underscoring the importance of performing simultaneous pelvic floor EMG during a uroflow study, especially when trying to rule out DV. Failure of the staccato flow pattern to normalize after therapy strongly suggests either inadequate therapy or an incorrect diagnosis.
Approximation for a two-class weighted fair queueing discipline

This paper presents an approximating model for a 2-class weighted fair queueing (or random polling) model. The approximating system can be analyzed analytically to obtain mean performance measures such as expected delay. We show through a formal argument that the approximation works well when the overall utilization of the system @r is small. Based on simulation experiments, we develop a modified version of the approximation that is accurate for a wide range of @r. Finally, we extend the approximation to more complex queueing scenarios, such as the low-latency-queueing discipline and systems with more than 2 classes.
FACT: a framework for the application of throughput and power optimizing transformations to control-flow intensive behavioral descriptions

In this paper, we present an algorithm for the application of a general class of transformations to control-flow intensive behavioral descriptions. Our algorithm is based on the observation that incorporation of scheduling information can help guide the selection and application of candidate transformations, and significantly enhance the quality of the synthesized solution. The efficacy of the selected throughput and power optimizing transformations is enhanced by the ability of our algorithm to transcend basic blocks in the behavioral description. This ability is imparted to our algorithm by a general technique we have devised. Our system currently supports associativity, commutativity, distributivity, constant propagation, code motion, and loop unrolling. It is integrated with a scheduler which performs implicit loop unrolling and functional pipelining, and has the ability to parallelize the execution of independent iterative constructs whose bodies can share resources. Other transformations can easily be incorporated within the framework. We demonstrate the efficacy of our algorithm by applying it to several commonly available benchmarks. Upon synthesis, behaviors transformed by the application of our algorithm showed up to 6-fold improvement in throughput over an existing transformation algorithm, and up to 4.5-fold improvement in power over designs produced without the benefit of our algorithm.
Fizeau interferometry for large convex surfaces

Measurements of large convex surfaces are notoriously difficult because they require auxiliary optics that are larger than the surface being tested. Fizeau interferometry is well suited for these surfaces because the only surface required to be made to high accuracy is the concave reference surface, which is only slightly larger than the surface being measured. Convex surfaces which are spherical or aspheric can be measured using spherical, aspherical, or holographic test plates. The reference surfaces for these tests must be of good quality and measured to high accuracy. The optical systems that provide illumination and create an image of the interference pattern do not have to be made to high quality. The illumination systems can typically have errors several orders of magnitude larger than the allowable surface measurement errors, so these systems can be made at low cost. Several such systems using low cost aspheric mirrors and lenses for measuring convex spherical and aspherical surfaces are presented.
Effect of propranolol as antiadhesive therapy in sickle cell disease.

Sickle red blood cells (SSRBCs) adhere to both endothelial cells (ECs) and the extracellular matrix. Epinephrine elevates cyclic adenosine monophosphate in SSRBCs and increases adhesion of SSRBCs to ECs in a β-adrenergic receptor and protein kinase A-dependent manner. Studies in vitro as well as in vivo have suggested that adrenergic stimuli like epinephrine may contribute to vaso-occlusion associated with physiologic stress. We conducted both animal studies and a Phase I dose-escalation study in sickle cell disease (SCD) patients to investigate whether systemically administered propranolol inhibits SSRBC adhesion and to document the safety of propranolol in SCD. Systemically administered propranolol prevented SSRBC adhesion and associated vaso-occlusion in a mouse model. In patients receiving a single oral dose of 10, 20, or 40 mg propranolol, SSRBC adhesion to ECs was studied before and after propranolol, with and without stimulation with epinephrine. Propranolol administration significantly reduced epinephrine-stimulated SSRBC adhesion in a dose dependent manner (p = 0.03), with maximum inhibition achieved at 40 mg. Adverse events were not severe, did not show dose dependence, and were likely unrelated to drug. No significant heart rate changes occurred. These results imply that β-blockers may have a role as antiadhesive therapy for SCD. Clin Trans Sci 2012; Volume 5: 437–444
An Exploratory Study Into the Relationship Between Personality and Student Leadership

This study explores the relationship between personality as measured by the True Colors Word Sort and student leadership as measured by the Student Leadership Practices Inventory© (SLPI). By understanding personality, an instructor can open lines of communication with all students, thus helping the students to direct their focus on the tasks at hand. if students understand their behavior and the behavior of their peers, they will be able to increase their performance level within a group or within the classroom. Research studies have reported True Colors™ personality types and SLPI data for hospitality management students; however, no research has been conducted to compare the two. The link between personality and leadership is contentious, with some researchers stating a definitive link between the two and other authors stating no link between the two components. Results of data analysis suggest that the Green True Colors personality trait influences one component of the leadership profile. Recommendatio...
Comment on “Ophiomorpha irregulaire, Mesozoic trace fossil that is either well understood but rare in outcrop or poorly understood but common in core” by R.G. Bromley and G.K. Pedersen: [Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 270 (2008) 295–298]

Abstract Reliable identification of trace fossils in core is a significant challenge to applied ichnologists. Sedimentological models are commonly refined by the addition of ichnological datasets derived from core material. Unfortunately very few original descriptions and diagnoses of ichnological taxa include a full range of descriptions and cross sections to aid in core-based recognition. Ophiomorpha irregulaire is a case-in-point in that it is incompletely known in 3D from field specimens, and has become increasingly commonly recognised in core material based on pellet morphology. Recent work (Bromley & Pedersen 2008) has highlighted the fact that the meander maze of O. irregulaire cannot be seen in core due to a difference in scale of observation. This work highlights the need for a reassessment of pellet morphology in the type material, and makes direct comparisons of pellet morphology in O. irregulaire from the type area with material from other regions. We thereby consider that, contrary to earlier assertions, O. irregulaire is widely distributed in the Mesozoic, and reject palaeogeographic and stratigraphic criteria for restricting the use of the name to material from the Western Interior Seaway.
Planktonic Foraminifera: Differential Production and Expatriation off Baja CALIFORNIA1

The species composition, living : dead ratios, morphology, and size distribution of planktonic foraminifera were studied in 54 depth-controlled tow samples using a 333-p net (O3,000 m) from northwest of Guadalupe Island, Baja California, Paired sampling and replicate tows permitted the determination of confidence limits on concentration and percentage estimates. Average concentrations of living foraminifera range from about l/m’ in shallow water to less than l/1,000 ms at depth, Concentrations of empty shells are between 3 to lO/l,OOO m3 throughout. The depth of equal standing stock for live and empty individuals is between 5,000 and 10,000 m. The minimum replacement time for the living populations corresponds to the settling time through this column and is between 5 and 40 days. The apparent replacement times vary considerably between species and between sizes within species. The living assemblage consists of a mixture of northern, central, and southern species dominated by northern ones. Central water species are relatively abundant immediately below the surface water. The southern element has a maximum at about 1,000-m depth. This distribution is in agreement with physical measurements, suggesting shallow entrainment of central water into the California Current and indicating a countercurrent at depth. It is suggested that the fauna contained in the oxygen-poor intermediate water is expatriated and that its great proportion of specimens with small terminal chambers (“kummerforms”) is due to unfavorable living conditions during submergence. The notion that kummerform development indicates termination or slowing of growth is supported by a trend toward increase of kummerform proportions in living populations in large shell sizes and at subsurface depths and by the relatively high empty shell output of kummcrforms. Oceanic stability of past ages may be recognized in fossil foraminifcral deposits if oceanic mixing enhances kummerform development and if the effects of differential preservation can be accounted for.