cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characteristics, hospital charges, and effects of road transportation injuries in Vermont ☆

We studied 470 crash- and noncrash-related road transportation injuries to vehicle occupants, bicyclists, and pedestrians seen at a trauma center in Vermont. Among primary care patients, crash and noncrash groups had similar AIS and average disability at one year. Hospitalized patients had longer disability, but a majority of overall disability days and ongoing disability was found among nonhospitalized patients. Seventy-four percent of hospital bills were paid by insurance, 16% by government, 3% by self, with 7% unpaid. Limiting the sample only to hospitalized patients, or including referred patients, markedly affected--but in different ways--distributions of event type, body area injured, charges, and other characteristics.
Rapid purification of chicken gizzard α-actinin

Abstract A method of purification has been developed which yields highly purified α-actinin and requires less than one day to complete. The α-actinin is extracted from washed chicken gizzard muscle with water at 37°. Actin and a 55,000 dalton protein are quantitatively precipitated from the extract with 20 mM MgCl2. The α-actinin is subsequently precipitated from the extract by 30% (NH4)2SO4 and fractionated on DEAE cellulose. Spontaneous protein aggregation is prevented by adding 10% glycerol.
Solution cleavage and its relationship to major structures in the Idaho-Utah-Wyoming thrust belt

Micrites of the Jurassic Twin Creek Formation in the Idaho-Utah-Wyoming thrust belt show spaced cleavage developed during folding and thrusting. Cleavage in each thrust sheet forms mainly by pressure solution, aided by elevated temperatures and pressures caused by increased overburden as a result of emplacement of earlier overriding thrust sheets. Within each thrust sheet, cleavage develops early and is contemporaneous with microscopic to mesoscopic buckle folds and faults. Large-scale ramp folds, formed during major motion on the thrust, postdate the cleavage and passively rotate it into major fans.
Hepatic metallothionein synthesis in neonatal mottled-brindled mutant mice

Mottled-brindled mutant mice did not display the elevated hepatic metallothionein synthesis normally observed in 2- to 6-day-old wild-type mice. This difference between normal and mutant mice was not due to a decreased ability to synthesize metallothionein in the liver, since hepatic metallothionein synthesis was inducible in response to copper, cadmium, zinc, or hydrocortisone administration to neonatal mutant mice. Hydrocortisone treatment resulted in increased metallothionein synthesis in liver of mutant mice but had no ameliorative effect on the mottled-brindled disease.
Research on Application of Buck Converter Based on Data-Driven Model-Free Adaptive Controller

State feedback exact linearization method in Buck converters have been widely recognized in the domestic, and it achieved a good control effect, but because the method is based on the accurate modeling, so when the model of controlled object is not accurate enough or circuit parameters in the application are changed, state feedback exact linearization method will be difficult to achieve the ideal control effect. In this paper we use the based on data-driven model-free adaptive controller (MFAC) on Buck Converter Applications for the first time. We analyzed the output characteristic of model-free adaptive control and the state feedback when load changes by simulation. Through the experimental platform of practical, we compared MFAC and the state feedback. Results show that, when the circuit parameter varies in a large range, MFAC has better robustness and resistance mismatch capability, high steady accuracy.
Estimating Allele Frequency from Next-Generation Sequencing of Pooled Mitochondrial DNA Samples

Background: Both common and rare mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variants may contribute to genetic susceptibility to some complex human diseases. Next-generation sequencing of pooled mtDNA samples may represent an cost-effective approach for large-scale genetic epidemiology studies. However, the performance of the different designs of sequencing pooled mtDNA has not been evaluated. Methods: We examined the approach of sequencing pooled mtDNA of multiple individuals for estimating allele frequency using the Illumina Genome Analyzer (GA) II sequencing system. In this study the pool included mtDNA samples of 20 subjects that had been sequenced previously using Sanger sequencing. Each pool was replicated once to assess variation of the sequencing error between pools. To evaluate the effect of different pooling strategies pooling was done at both the pre- and post-PCR amplification step. Results: The sequencing error rate was close to that expected based on the Phred score. However, there was significant variation of the base-calling errors for different types of bases or at different loci. Among a total of 298 variants in the sample, the allele frequencies of 293 variants (98%) were correctly estimated with post-PCR pooling, the correlation between the estimated and the true allele frequencies being >0.99, while only 206 allele frequencies (69%) were correctly estimated in the pre-PCR pooling, the correlation being 0.89. Conclusion: Sequencing of mtDNA pooled after PCR amplification is a viable tool for screening mitochondrial variants potentially related to human diseases.
On Call Cardiology

M. Gabriel Khan 486 pp. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2001. $28.00. ISBN 0-7216-9222-2 Another title for this book could be “The Survivor’s Guide to CCU Call.” Directed at medical students and residents, this book is intended for use as a quick guide to common, cardiology-related problems that may arise while on call. The premise is that young physicians in training are faced with difficult and intimidating clinical scenarios at night with limited back-up resources. This book is a quick “how to” on clinical cardiology in the acute inpatient arena. This is the second edition of this book. New features include expansion of new diagnostic and …
Air space studies with special reference to emphysematous air spaces.

SUMMARY 1.Forty-seven cases of emphysematous air spaces have been studied by introducing contrast media, taking pressures and doing intrapulmonary auscultation. 2.These studies have demonstrated blebs, bullae, alveolar spaces, basal emphysematous spaces, congenital cystic areas and solitary cysts. Blebs and bullae appear to be more frequent in apical portion and the larger emphysematous air spaces in basal portion of the lungs.
Magnetic-Induced Tricritical Points in Alloys

The existence of a spinodal for the ordered phase at the tricritical point has been demonstrated by Allen and Cahn.5,6 In the present study, the existence of a second spinodal for the disordered phase at lower temperatures is rationalized thermodynamically. The relative interplay of the chemical and magnetic contributions to the stabilities of various types of phase equilibria in binary alloys is also discussed.
IFN-γ production and astrocyte recognition by autoreactive T cells induced by Theiler's virus infection: Role of viral strains and capsid proteins

From mice infected with the DA strain of Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV), CD8 + cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) could be detected after stimulation with TMEV infected antigen presenting cells (APCs). These CTLs killed not only TMEV infected but also uninfected syngeneic cells. Killing was associated with interferon (IFN)-g production in ELISPOTassays. The CTLs were efficiently induced by vaccinia virus encoding DA virus capsid proteins, but not by APCs infected with the GDVII strain of TMEV. The CTLs produced IFN-g in response to TMEV infected, but not uninfected, astrocytes. The CTLs could be maintained in the presence of interleukin (IL)-2. We hypothesized that, in DA virus infection, CD8 + CTLs specific for viral capsid protein could recognize self protein on oligodendrocytes by molecular mimicry, leading to demyelination. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Phase field modeling of grain growth in thin films on rigid substrates

A phase field model of grain growth in thin films on rigid substrates is presented, in which the motion of grain boundaries is driven by curvatures as well as anisotropy in surface, interface, and strain energies. The match between the proposed model and the corresponding sharp interface model is demonstrated by asymptotic analysis. The effect of diffuse interface on grain boundary mobility is minimized. The parameters in the model are connected to the measurable properties of materials, and therefore can be obtained from experiments or atomic scale simulations. In numerical simulations, the influence of the texture dependent surface, interface, and strain energies on grain growth is illustrated. The effects of film thickness, strain level, and grain boundary grooving on grain size distribution and texture evolution are also investigated. The effectiveness as well as the limits of the present model are discussed, and the ways to extend it are proposed.
Mood-Dependent Retrieval: Commentary on Wetzler:

We comment on a failure to replicate mood-dependent retrieval of memories that was reported in this journal by Wetzler in 1985. Wetzler's procedures for obtaining the effect were reasonable so we attempt to explain Wetzler's result and integrate it with other recent work on mood-dependent retrieval.
Analysis of microwave ducting in an inhomogeneous troposphere

Theory for the transmission of electromagnetic waves in a non-uniform troposphere is presented. The atmospheric refractive index is allowed to vary both with height and range. The formulation is facilitated by the fact that the field within a piecewise (laterally) uniform section can be represented by a discrete sum of modes that are orthogonal in the transverse plane. Using the appropriate radial wave functions, mode conversion at a junction between two laterally uniform sections is considered. The analysis is then extended to multi-section structures. A few typical profiles of refractive index are examined numerically for both uniform and non-uniform models. One of the important findings is that the lateral non-uniformities in an elevated duct will enhance the overall transmission for ground-based transmitting and receiving antennas.
A revolution in education

A classroom is equipped with strategically placed cameras to show the instructor, a zoomed view of material chosen by the instructor, the board, and all students in the class. Enough cameras provide different views to closely observe all activities of interest in the classroom. The board itself may be electronic-a computer display as well as a tablet used for input to a computer. The combined system builds a model of the classroom at every instant and permits interactive viewing of it. In live mode, the system lets any person anywhere be telepresent in the class and participate in it. You can observe and explore as you wish, rather than relying on what the cameraman wants you to see. In a real classroom, you have a fixed location and cannot move around without disturbing the class. Not so in remote mode. A remote student can electronically copy the contents of the classroom material, including the board display. A remote student can ask questions in class at any time, and their video may be displayed to the class at any time. In fact, it is possible to display all remote students as a video gallery to provide feedback to the instructor. This classroom removes the requirement of physically being in a class to attend. In archive mode, the system can reconstruct the class proceedings in telepresence mode to let a student visit, or revisit, the class from any viewpoint. All class activities are archived for this purpose. Postprocessing can further enhance features as required. Many other information sources can be attached to provide all information at one place. The archival system lets students tele-attend a class at their own convenience and pace. This does not mean just viewing a talking-head video, but immersion in the classroom.
A de bruijn-type formula for enumerating patterns of partitions

We develop a formula for enumerating the partitions of a set up to the action of a group. We give some special cases of this formula and illustrate its use with an example. Some comments are made relating the formula to an earlier formula.
Minnesota Corn Breeding History: Department of Agronomy & Plant Genetics Centennial

A century of corn (Zea mays L.) breeding at Agronomy & Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, developed Minnesota 13 cultivar (Minn13) that enlarged the U.S. Corn Belt and also developed 273 corn inbreds. Minn13 was widely grown in 15 northern and higher elevation states for 40 yr before hybrid corn. Minnesota inbreds were used in 30.6% of the seed for the 1975 U.S. corn crop: Minnesota A632 15.2%, A634 7.8%, A619 4.2%, W117 (1/2 Minn13) 1.8%, A635 0.9%, A554 0.6%, and A654 0.1%. Our main objective is to measure the contribution of Minnesota corn breeding to today's corn. We define today's corn as the 305 proprietary corn inbred lines registered by U.S. Plant Variety Protection or utility patent 2004 to 2008. Minnesota developed corn inbreds contributing most to today's corn are C49 (A9), A509, A556, B164, and A237. These corn inbreds were sources of earliness that formed the Pioneer Early lodents (PEI) at Mankato, MN in the early 1960s. They average 1.1% of the genes and 137 (45%) of the descendents among today's corn. The Minn13 inbred line descendents contributing most to today's corn are DeKalb/Monsanto's (DKM) 3IIH6, PEI's PH207, PHG3BD2, Ohio Oh43, and Holden/ Monsanto's (HFM) LH82. Minn13 descendents have maintained about 4% genetic contribution 1984 to 2008. Clustering pedigree based genetic distance of Minn13 derived progeny in today's corn showed three major pedigree groups: HFM's LH82, PEI, and DKM's lodent. The latter two are Early lodent germplasm.
Computer decomposition of the ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum of the methyl viologen cation radical and its dimer in solution

Abstract The first reduction of 1,1′-dimethyl-r,r′-bipyridinium dichloride (methyl viologen, MV +- results in the formation of both a monomeric, MV ± , and a dimeric (MV +- 2 product. The molar absorptivities and the wavelengths of maximum absorption for both reduction products can be determined by computer decomposition of the u.v.-visible absorption spectra resulting from the chemical and in situ electrochemical reduction of MV 2+ . The FORTRAN computer program, SPECSOLV, is used to establish the spectral parameters of MV± and (MV±) 2 .
Determination of ζ-Potential and Tortuosity in Rat Organotypic Hippocampal Cultures from Electroosmotic Velocity Measurements under Feedback Control

Extracellular translational motion in the brain is generally considered to be governed by diffusion and tortuosity. However, the brain as a whole has a significant zeta-potential, thus translational motion is also governed by electrokinetic effects under a naturally occurring or applied electric field. We have previously measured zeta-potential and tortuosity in intact brain tissue; however, the method was tedious. In this work, we use a four-electrode potentiostat to control the potential difference between two microreference electrodes in the tissue, creating a constant electric field. Additionally, some alterations have been made to simplify our previous procedure. The method entails simultaneously injecting two 70 kDa dextran conjugated fluorophores into rat organotypic hippocampal cultures and observing their mobility using fluorescence microscopy. We further present two methods of data analysis: regression and two-probe analysis. Statistical comparisons are made between the previous and current methods as well as between the two data analysis methods. In comparison to the previous method, the current, simpler method with data analysis by regression gives statistically indistinguishable mean values of zeta-potential and tortuosity, with a similar variability for zeta-potential, -21.3 +/- 2.8 mV, and a larger variability for the tortuosity, 1.98 +/- 0.12. On the other hand, we find that the current method combined with the two-probe analysis produces accurate and more precise results, with a zeta-potential of -22.8 +/- 0.8 mV and a tortuosity of 2.24 +/- 0.10.
Lack of Effect of Fluoride on Urinary cAMP Excretion in Rats

The urinary excretion of cyclic 3'5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) was measured in rats provided a low fluoride diet (< 0.5 ppm) and drinking water containing either 0 or 25 ppm of fluoride. The pMole cAMP/μg creatinine ratio decreased with age but was not influenced by fluoride intake.
Improving the detection of preclinical organ damage in newly diagnosed hypertension: nocturnal hypertension versus non-dipping pattern.

The clinical relevance of nocturnal hypertension (NH) in comparison with non-dipping status has not been clarified yet, as regards subclinical target organ damage. We aimed to elucidate whether NH or dipping status reflects better organ damage. The study population included 319 newly diagnosed hypertensive patients. Subclinical organ damage was evaluated to all participants. On the basis of nocturnal blood pressure (BP) levels the population was divided into two groups: NH and nocturnal normotension. Also, individuals were defined as dippers and non-dippers according to systolic BP fall. Patients with NH were characterized by increased arterial pulse wave velocity (PWV; 9.1±1.7 vs 8.4±1.5 m s−1, P=0.0001) and carotid intima-media thickness (0.77±0.18 vs 0.69±0.15 mm, P=0.016) compared with normotensive subjects. Notably, they also exhibited higher values of left ventricular mass index (88.1±22.9 vs 82.8±16.6 g m−2 P=0.043). On the contrary, non-dipping status was associated only with differences in PWV (9.26±0.2 vs 8.64±0.2 m s−1, P=0.031, 8) and in creatinine clearance (95±3 vs 106±4, P=0.025) in the group of NH. The presence of NH is accompanied by subclinical atherosclerosis, as well as structural abnormalities of the left ventricle. Therefore, NH rather than non-dipping status could be preferably integrated with the risk of organ damage.
High-Capacity, Protein-Binding Membranes Based on Polymer Brushes Grown in Porous Substrates

The use of atom transfer radical polymerization to grow poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) brushes in porous alumina followed by functionalization of the PHEMA with nitrilotriacetate−Cu2+ complexes yields membranes that adsorb proteins via coordination of Cu2+ to histidine residues. Adsorption isotherms show that these membranes have binding capacities as high as 0.9 mg of bovine serum albumin (BSA)/cm2 of external membrane surface area (150 mg/cm3 of membrane), and breakthrough curves indicate that saturation of the membranes with BSA or myoglobin occurs in less than 15 min. The efficiency of protein elution with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) solutions is essentially 100%, and the membranes show no detectable decrease in capacity over nine cycles of binding, elution, and regeneration with Cu2+. The unusually high capacity of these membranes for rapid protein binding makes them attractive for applications such as purification of His-tag proteins.
Notes on the Presidency in the Political Order

The American presidency reflects nothing so clearly as the idiosyncrasies of personality and circumstance. The discrete dynamics of the men and their times are naturally pronounced; the general dynamics that define the institution in time, correspondingly obscured. This makes thematic analysis of the presidency peculiarly dependent on uncovering broad-ranging patterns in institutional history. By isolating different historical regularities we can locate different dimensions of the problem and significance of presidential action.
Relapsed Ovarian Cancer: Challenges and Management Strategies for a Chronic Disease

Advances in the treatment and early detection of ovarian cancer have led to gains in 5-year survival rates, with 52% of women diagnosed between 1992 and 1997 surviving 5 years or longer, compared with 41% of women diagnosed between 1983 and 1985. Although approximately 10%-15% of patients achieve and maintain complete responses to therapy, the remaining patients have persistent disease or eventually relapse. These patients will generally undergo a series of treatments, each associated with progressively shorter treatment-free intervals. Nevertheless, median survival of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer ranges from 12-24 months, demonstrating the chronic natural history of the disease. Advances in the treatment of ovarian cancer over the past decade have led to these improvements and have prompted oncologists to now view the management of patients with ovarian cancer as an ongoing, long-term challenge. This shift in approach has raised important new questions regarding patient management, including the need to define trigger points for initiating or changing treatment (e.g., sequential increases in serum cancer antigen 125 levels, appearance of symptoms, or cumulative toxicities), anticipation of impending treatment decision points, recognition that the overtreatment of patients early in the disease process may adversely affect future treatment opportunities, and a renewed emphasis on patient education and participation in decision-making. This review will discuss these important patient management issues and will conclude with case studies illustrating two distinct treatment strategies (planning and sequencing) for the long-term management of patients with ovarian cancer.
Perspectives on pediatric and adolescent gynecology from the allied health professional.

There are a couple of simple techniques that can render the education a teen receives in an office visit more effective. It is an accepted learning precept that utilizing more than one sense increases learning. The saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" certainly applies to educating teen patients. Whenever possible use pictures or illustrations to reinforce verbal education and printed educational materials. Any teen who is not visually impaired understands and remembers pictures. Printed materials require a certain level of reading comprehension. A particular grade level or a high school diploma does not necessarily confer any specific level of reading comprehension. Use a package of birth control pills to teach pill use. It makes more sense to the teen who has never used birth control pills to be looking at the package as you talk. Use a picture (or draw one) to demonstrate how a Fallopian tube might be affected by gonorrhea or chlamydia or PlD. Another technique is to have teens repeat what they think you have told them. Youll be amazed at what you hear. (excerpt)
Evidence of a high carbon abundance in the local interstellar cloud

The nature of the local interstellar cloud (LIC) is highly constrained by the combination of in situ heliospheric and line-of-sight data toward nearby stars. We present a new interpretation of the LIC components of the absorption-line data toward CMa, based on recent atomic data that include new rates for the Mg+ to Mg0 dielectronic recombination rate, and using in situ measurements of the temperature and density of neutral helium inside of the heliosphere. With these data we are able to place interesting limits on the gas-phase abundance of carbon in the LIC. If the C/S abundance ratio is solar, ~20, then no simultaneous solution exists for the N(Mg I), N(Mg II), N(C II), and N(C II*) data. The combined column density and in situ data favor an abundance ratio AC/AS = 47. We find that the most probable gas-phase C abundance is in the range 400-800 ppm with a lower limit of ~330. We speculate that such a supersolar abundance could have come to be present in the LIC via destruction of decoupled dust grains. Similar enhanced C/H ratios are seen in very low column density material, N(H) < 1019 cm-2, toward several nearby stars.
MDLab: a molecular dynamics simulation prototyping environment.

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation involves solving Newton's equations of motion for a system of atoms, by calculating forces and updating atomic positions and ve- locities over a timestept. Despite the large amount of computing power currently available, the timescale of MD simulations is limited by both the small timestep re- quired for propagation, and the expensive algorithm for computing pairwise forces. These issues are currently addressed through the development of efficient simulation methods, some of which make acceptable approximations and as a result can afford larger timesteps. We present MDLab, a development environment for MD simu- lations built with Python which facilitates prototyping, testing, and debugging of these methods. MDLab provides constructs which allow the development of propa- gators, force calculators, and high level sampling protocols that run several instances of molecular dynamics. For computationally demanding sampling protocols which require testing on large biomolecules, MDL includes an interface to the OpenMM libraries of Friedrichs et al. which execute on graphical processing units (GPUs) and achieve considerable speedup over execution on the CPU. As an example of an interesting high level method developed in MDLab, we present a parallel imple- mentation of the On-The-Fly String Method of Maragliano and Vanden-Eijnden. MDLab is available at http://mdlab.sourceforge.net.
Pneumococcal Resistance and Serotype 19A in Pittsburgh-Area Children With Acute Otitis Media Before and After Introduction of 7-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine:

Methods: Before and after introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7), the authors obtained nasopharyngeal (NP) specimens from 3 groups of children aged 6 to 23 months with acute otitis media (AOM): group 1 (pre-PCV7), group 2 (early post-PCV7), and group 3 (late post-PCV7). Results: Of the Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates, the proportion that were vaccine serotypes (VTs) declined progressively (60.4% vs 48.6% vs 5.2% in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively; P 0.1 µg/mL; 26.7% vs 37.8% vs. 38.5%; P = .12); the proportion of isolates that were serotype 19A (4.0% vs 0% vs 25.9%; P < .001); and the proportion of 19A isolates that were penicillin-nonsusceptible (0% in group 1, 68.6% in group 3; P = .004). Conclusion: Shifts in pneumococcal serotype distribution and increases in penicillin nonsusceptibility among pneumococcal isolates from children with AOM underscore the ...
Distortion in off-state arsenide MESFET switches

This paper presents the results of an investigation into the origin and level of distortion generated by the off-state gallium arsenide MESFET when used as a microwave semiconductor control element. The results show that the drain-gate and gate-source capacitance nonlinearities generate distortion in the device in its off-state. These nonlinearities, which reflect the capacitance-voltage characteristic of the capacitances, can be reduced in as-fabricated devices by increasing the gate reverse bias voltage. The level of distortion monotonically increases with frequency throughout the usable range of the MESFET when used in a series reflective switch. In an SPDT switch application, where both on and off-state devices are used, the distortion level is relatively constant at frequencies in the vicinity of the gate bias cut-off frequency. The nonlinear off-state model is compared with both a SPICE-based analysis, and with experimental data on a GaAs MESFET SPDT switch. The main conclusions to be drawn from the study are that the dominate distortion generated by a GaAs MESFET used in a switch application occurs in the on-state, and that off-state distortion can be only slightly improved in as-fabricated devices. >
A method for impact assessment of faults on the performance of field-oriented control drives: A first step to reliability modeling

In this paper, the effects of certain component faults on the performance of three-phase inverter-fed induction motors are analyzed under indirect field-oriented control. Simulations of faults in the current sensors, speed encoder, three-phase inverter, and motor are presented. Sample hardware faults verifying the simulation results are also presented. Performance requirements are set based on typical performance measures of electric vehicles. These requirements are then used to determine whether or not the system survives a fault. A simple fault detection and isolation scheme using multiple speed encoders is also tested. The construction of a Markov reliability model of the overall system is a direct application of the results, and allows quantifying global reliability measures.
Baseball studies: baseball bat testing protocol development

The performance testing of baseball bats for potential use in regulating bat performance is best completed using the same baseballs as are used in a game. In the current research, the effects of repeated use of baseballs in testing are explored. The batball performance is compared with ball performance off a rigid wall, and the consistency of both bat- and ball-performance metrics during bat-ball testing. The understanding of these conditions gives bat testers and regulatory bodies a basis for what test criteria to consider in the development of baseball bat test protocols.
Lagrange-distributed approximating-functional approach to wave-packet propagation: Application to the time-independent wave-packet reactant-product decoupling method

A connection is made between a recently introduced Lagrange-distributed approximating-functional and the Paley-Wiener sampling theorem. The Lagrange-distributed approximating-functional sampling is found to provide much superior results to that of Paley-Wiener sampling. The relations between discrete variable representation and Lagrange-distributed approximating functionals are discussed. The latter is used to provide an even spaced, interpolative grid representation of the Hamiltonian, in which the kinetic energy matrix has a banded, Toeplitz structure. In this paper we demonstrate that the Lagrange-distributed approximatingfunctional representation is an accurate and reliable representation for use in fast-Fourier-transform wavepacket propagation methods and apply it to the time-independent wave-packet reactant-product decoupling method, calculating state-to-state reaction probabilities for the two-dimensional ~collinear! and threedimensional (J50) H1H2 reactions. The results are in very close agreement with those of previous calculations. We also discuss the connection between the distributed approximating-functional method and the existing mathematical formalism of moving least-squares theory. @S1050-2947~98!07805-6#
Synthesis of linear poly(ethylenimine) containing nucleic acid pendants as polynucleotide analogs

Polynucleotide analogs with a linear poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) backbone and adenine, cytosine, and hypoxanthine pendants were synthesized. Linear PEI was synthesized by the cationic ring-opening polymerization of 2-H-2-oxazoline, followed by acid hydrolysis. 2-(Adenin-9-yl)- and 2-(N6-benzyladenin-9-yl)-, 2-(cytosin-1-yl)propanoic acids in addition to 2-(adenin-9-yl)-3-methyland 3-(cytosin-1-yl)butanoic acids were synthesized from their respective nucleic acid bases. 2-(Hypoxanthin-9-yl)propanoic acid and 3-(hypoxanthin-9-yl)butanoic acid were converted from the corresponding adenine derivatives by reaction with nitrous acid. Grafting reactions of pendant groups onto various molecular weight PEI backbones were carried out at room temperature, using the coupling agent norborn-5-ene-2,3-carboximido diphenyl phosphate (PPONB), generally resulting in percent graft values greater than 90%. PPONB showed selectivity against the amino group of adenine and cytosine rings. The appropriate model compounds were also prepared.
Randomized, Double-Blind Trial of Simultaneous Right and Left Atrial Epicardial Pacing for Prevention of Post–Open Heart Surgery Atrial Fibrillation

Background—The purpose of this study was to assess simultaneous right and left atrial pacing as prophylaxis for postoperative atrial fibrillation. Methods and Results—In a double-blind, randomized fashion, 118 patients who underwent open heart surgery were assigned to right atrial pacing at 45 bpm (RA-AAI; n=39), right atrial triggered pacing at a rate of ≥85 bpm (RA-AAT; n=38), or simultaneous right and left atrial triggered pacing at a rate of ≥85 bpm (Bi-AAT; n=41). Holter monitoring was performed for 4.8±1.4 days after surgery to assess for episodes of atrial fibrillation lasting >5 minutes. The prevalence of postoperative atrial fibrillation was significantly less in the patients randomized to biatrial AAT pacing when compared with the other 2 pacing regimens (P=0.02). An episode of atrial fibrillation occurred in 4 (10%) of 41 patients in the Bi-AAT group compared with 11 (28%) of 39 patients in the RA-AAI group (P=0.03 versus Bi-AAT) and 12 (32%) of 38 patients in the RA-AAT group (P=0.01 versus Bi...
Highly mobile users and paging: optimal polling strategies

We consider the problem of minimizing average paging cost subject to delay constraints in a wireless system. Previous work assumed the unit to be found did not move during the paging process whereas here the unit may change location during polling events. We show that the conditionally most probable locations, given that the unit has not yet been found, should be searched first. We find the optimal sequential paging strategies for given maximum delay constraints and compute both paging and delay costs as a function of the time between polling events. The results show that sequential paging strategies are beneficial in all but the extremely high-mobility cases where polling failures provide little information about the unit location. It is observed that optimal sequential paging strategies substantially lower the paging cost compared to the classical blanket polling at the expense of a small degradation in the average delay performance.
Smart data dictionary: a knowledge-object-oriented approach for interoperability of heterogeneous information management systems

A hybrid approach is taken for the interoperability of heterogeneous information management systems. The authors combine the federated (unified/global) view approach with the multidatabase approach to provide access to relational databases, object-oriented databases, and spatial databases. Case-based reasoning techniques are explored to semi-automate the schema integration process. In addition, the incompatibilities among the information systems that cannot be transparently supported by the federated approach are resolved using attached procedures. >
Protein conformational fluctuations and free-energy transduction

Non-equilibrium fluctuations, whether imposed externally or driven by an energy-releasing chemical reaction, can cause a protein to cycle through several conformations. This cycling can drive a process thermodynamically uphill even though any one conformation considered independently catalyzes the process in the downhill direction. This is because the different conformations have different rate constants (energy barriers) between the states in the catalytic cycle. Even though each conformation individually obeys detailed balance, the flashing between different energy profiles gives rise to a ratchet effect. Further, by exploiting protein conformational dynamics, a single stochastic input can be converted into two phase-shifted internal parameters (e.g. a kinetic barrier height and a binding well energy). This allows the output process to be driven nearly adiabatically, explaining in part the very high efficiencies observed for some biological energy-transduction processes. The results apply equally to driving a biochemical reaction away from equilibrium by an enzyme, to formation of an osmotic gradient across a membrane by a molecular pump, or to motion and generation of force by a molecular motor.
A Case of Kaposiform Hemangioendothelioma and Kasabach‐Merritt Phenomenon

Kaposiform hemangioendothelioma (KH) is a vascular tumor of intermediate malignancy that occurs in childhood, of which 50% are present at birth. The tumor has a predilection for the trunk, extremities, and retroperitoneum. It is commonly associated with Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon, a consumptive coagulopathy characterized by profound thrombocytopenia and hypofibrinogenemia. The histologic differential diagnosis of kaposiform hemangioendothelioma includes infantile hemangioma, tufted angioma, Kaposi's sarcoma, and spindle cell hemangioendothelioma. We present a case of a neonate with a soft tissue mass encompassing the proximal two-thirds of the right thigh. After delivery by Ceasarean section for failure to progress, the patient developed repiratory failure, consumptive coagulopathy and intracranial hemorrhage. The initial clinical differential diagnosis included KH, infantile hemangioma, and infantile fibrosarcoma, all entities which have been associated with Kasabach-Merritt phenomenon. An biopsy demonstrated a nodular vascular proliferation composed of grouped, spindled endothelial cells forming irregular, slit-like vascular lumens. There were associated fragmented red blood cells and hemosiderin deposits. The tumor cells were focally positive for D2–40, an antigen specific for lymphatic endothelium and expressed by KH, and were negative for GLUT-1, an antigen expressed in infantile hemangiomas but not KH. The histologic and immunohistochemical findings confirmed the diagnosis of KH.
Thermal Resistivity Dry-Out Curves for Three Sandy Soils

Thermal resistivity dry-out curves (TRDCs) are measured for three sandy soils representing a range of grain characteristics and size distribution. Experiments were conducted using an instrumented hanging column apparatus instrumented for automated measurement of specimen thermal resistivity, matric suction, and degree of saturation along an initial drainage path, thereby allowing both the TRDC and soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) to be obtained concurrently. SWCC and TRDC measurements are compared with independent measurements obtained using a conventional hanging column method and a multiple-specimen method, respectively. Fine-grained sand is shown to have higher thermal resistivity than coarse-grained sand over the complete range of saturation. Results provide information that may be used to estimate thermal properties of unsaturated coarse-grained porous media in applications such as the design of buried high-voltage power cables or near-surface geothermal heat exchange loops.
A longitudinal analysis of eye tracking dysfunction and attention in recent-onset schizophrenia

The effect of an attentional manipulation on eye tracking dysfunction (ETD) in the early stages of schizophrenia was examined in 34 recent-onset schizophrenic patients and 24 demographically matched normal subjects over a 1-year period. An attentional enhancement manipulation improved eye tracking performance of recent-onset schizophrenic patients more than that of normal subjects. Eye tracking level also was moderately stable for both groups over the course of 1 year. The possible role of attentional allocation in ETD highlights the need for further examination of the interface between attentional and eye tracking measures of vulnerability to schizophrenia.
Green’s function formulation for third-harmonic generation microscopy

We report a theoretical study of third-harmonic generation (THG) microscopy by use of a Green’s function formulation. The third-harmonic signal under a tight-focusing condition is calculated for samples with various shapes and sizes. Our results show that THG signals can be efficiently generated at a sizable interface perpendicular or parallel to the optical axis or from a small object with a size comparable to the width of the axial excitation intensity profile. The signal-generation mechanism of THG microscopy is explained by a modified phase-matching condition, |k3-3(k1+Δkg)|l≪π, where Δkg is the wave vector mismatch induced by the Gouy phase shift of the focused excitation field. The relation of the THG power and radiation pattern to the orientation of an interface is investigated. A comparison between signal generation in THG microscopy and that in coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy is given.
Focal lung disease: CT and high-resolution CT applications

Computed tomography (CT) and high-resolution CT (HRCT) play a central and important role in the evaluation and diagnosis of focal lung disease. Patients with known focal lung disease are usually best evaluated with CT of the entire thorax to exclude additional focal lung disease and to study the hilum and mediastinum. HRCT has superior spatial resolution, so that fine morphologic detail of lung disease can be better demonstrated. Care should be taken to select the patients most likely to benefit from CT or HRCT after appropriate evaluation with conventional modalities and comparison of the findings with those from previously obtained radiographs. CT or, when indicated, HRCT may obviate surgery or observation when the findings are diagnostic or may help in the selection of the most appropriate biopsy modality when the findings are indeterminate. If the findings are indeterminate after CT, HRCT may be helpful and cost-effective for diagnosis of focal infiltrative or nodular lung disease or abnormalities of ...
On Ocean Transport Diagnostics: The Idealized Age Tracer and the Age Spectrum

Abstract The idealized age tracer is commonly used to diagnose transport in ocean models and to help interpret ocean measurements. In most studies only the steady-state distribution, the result of many centuries of model integration, has been presented and analyzed. However, in principle the transient solution provides more information about the transport. Here it is shown that this information can be readily interpreted in terms of the ventilation histories of water masses. A simple relationship is derived, valid for stationary transport, between the transient evolution, τid(r, t), of the idealized age tracer and the “age spectrum,” G(r, t), the distribution of times t since a water mass was last ventilated. Namely, G(r, t) = −∂ttτid(r, t). Implications of the relationship are discussed, and the relationship is illustrated with an idealized model.
Registered nurses' experiences with caring for non-English speaking patients

Abstract Aim To explore registered nurses' experiences with caring for non-English speaking patients and understand how those experiences influence their clinical practice. Background There is limited literature that examines nurses’ perceptions on caring for non-English speaking populations and the impact this increasing population has on the nurse. Methods An exploratory, qualitative study was conducted. Content analysis was used to identify major themes. Results Two major themes emerged from 17 registered nurses responses: availability of resources and changes in nursing practice. Themes revealed the availability of resources provided supportive structure or could be a challenge to providing care. Changes in clinical practice included: increased awareness of patients' needs, personal development, increased knowledge of culture, and more time and resource management. Conclusions Continued efforts are needed to increase cultural competence and ensuring healthcare institutions have easily accessible resources to improve the patient–provider experience for this population.
Who Chooses and Why in a Universal Choice Scholarship Program: Evidence from Douglas County, Colorado

This article studies parental decision making in a unique school choice program—a universal voucher system in a middle- and upper-income suburban/rural school district. A survey of parents found th...
Reconciling WTO General Exceptions with China’s Accession Protocol

Every WTO accession protocol states that it “shall be an integral part of the WTO Agreement.” But what legal effect does this clause really have? Specifically, does it allow application of the general exceptions found in GATT Art. XX and GATS Art. XIV to accession protocol commitments? Understanding this relationship between the Multilateral Trade Agreements and accession protocols is a critical next step as Members seek to enforce these obligations in Dispute Settlement Body (“DSB”) proceedings. To date, few WTO disputes have addressed issues arising from accession protocols. However, Panel and Appellate Body reports have reached discordant results regarding how and when a Member’s rights under the Multilateral Trade Agreements, apply to accession protocol obligations. China’s Accession Protocol provides valuable insight into the emerging legal relationship between accession protocols and the Multilateral Trade Agreements, as it is the first non-standard, and most disputed, accession protocol. This Note concludes that permitting application of GATT Art. XX and GATS Art. XIV, simplifies legal issues underlying WTO disputes, comports with interpretation under the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (“VCLT”), and balances the obligations of existing WTO members with the expectations of entering members.
Toward eidetic distributed file systems

We propose a new point in the design space of versioning and provenance-aware file systems in which the entire operating system, not just the file system, supports such functionality. We leverage deterministic record-and-replay to substitute computation for data. This leads to a new file system design where the log of nondeterministic inputs, not file data, is the fundamental unit of persistent storage. We outline a distributed storage system design based on these principles and describe the challenges we foresee for achieving our vision.
Inclusion and the Gifts of Art

On a n early spring day in March 2015, I received the gift of song at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston Massachusetts. The gift was offered as part of Sonic Blossom, an exhibit created by internationally acclaimed artist Lee Mingwei . The concept is that a n opera singer wanders in the galleries and approaches random visitors asking, “ May I give you the gift of song?” If the museum go-er accepts, they take the prepared seat in the gallery and the song is sung .
Oral Proficiency Assessment of English‐Proficient K–8 Spanish Immersion Students

This cross-sectional study used assessments developed by the Center for Applied Linguistics to examine the oral proficiency of 218 K–8 English-proficient students in 4 Spanish immersion programs. Following a comprehensive review of assessment results for English-proficient immersion learners, the article reports findings from statistical analyses. Ratings of student proficiency were significantly higher between Kindergarten and Grade 2 and between Grades 2 and 5; however, no significant differences were found between Grades 5 and 8, lending empirical support to the plateau effect identified in earlier immersion studies. Furthermore, positive moderate to strong correlations were found between teacher ratings and ratings assigned by trained assessment administrators. The article discusses implications for assessment tools and practices, immersion program design, and pedagogy.