cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social Insurance for Health Service

Implementation of social insurance for financing health services has yielded different patterns depending on a country's economic level and its government's political ideology. By the late 19th century, thousands of small sickness funds operated in Europe, and in 1883 Germany's Chancellor Bismarck led the enactment of a law mandating enrollment by low-income workers. Other countries followed, with France completing Western European coverage in 1928. The Russian Revolution in 1917 led to a National Health Service covering everyone from general revenues by 1937. New Zealand legislated universal population coverage in 1939. After World War II, Scandinavian countries extended coverage to everyone and Britain introduced its National Health Service covering everyone with comprehensive care and financed by general revenues in 1948. Outside of Europe Japan adopted health insurance in 1922, covering everyone in 1946. Chile was the first developing country to enact statutory health insurance in 1924 for industrial workers, with extension to all low-income people with its "Servicio Nacional de Salud" in 1952. India covered 3.5 percent of its large population with the Employees' State Insurance Corporation in 1948, and China after its 1949 revolution developed four types of health insurance for designated groups of workers and dependents. Sub-Saharan African countries took limited health insurance actions in the late 1960s and 1970s. By 1980, some 85 countries had enacted social security programs to finance or deliver health services or both.
Enduring Differences? France, Germany and Europe’s Middle East Dilemma

Abstract In an attempt to explain Europe’s lack of influence and policy inconsistency in the Middle East, the European foreign policy literature has consistently pointed towards the existence of a democratization–stabilization dilemma. According to this explanation, EU long‐term interests in a more democratic region have been consistently subordinated to short‐term preferences for security and regime stability. The outcome has regularly been a lack of vision and consistency. This article questions this explanation by demonstrating that European vacillation has not been informed by a static competition between realist and idealist approaches, but by different national foreign policy traditions that are based on divergent views of identity, interests and threats. Analysing continuity and change in French and German Middle East policy, the article argues that a solution to the democratization–stabilization dilemma remains close at hand.
Psychiatric nursing in troubled environmental contexts

During 1985–1991 state, federal and media investigations uncovered widespread fraud, patient abuse, and unethical conduct in investor-owned psychiatric hospitals. The purpose of this research study was to determine how nurses who were employed in these settings during this time experienced their work situations. Inquiry centered on ethical misgivings, sense-making, and patient advocacy. The experiences discussed in this article are the results of interviews with a theoretical sample of 30 Texas nurses. Their experiences have research, policy, education, and practice implications in that health care settings are becoming increasingly corporatized and are under great pressures to maximize profits to increase returns on investors' equity.
Superconducting microwave resonator for millikelvin magnetic resonance force microscopy

We have fabricated a superconducting resonator capable of generating a strong microwave magnetic field in a small (100 μm) volume for low temperature magnetic resonance experiments. While the resonator was specifically developed for use at millikelvin temperatures in a dilution refrigerator, where the total cooling power is limited to a few hundred microwatts, it is also useful at temperatures up to 5 K. The resonator consists of a 220 μm diameter, 2-1/2 turn niobium coil resonating with a short section of niobium microstripline. At a resonance frequency of 3 GHz, the loaded Q of the resonator was 780. The field strength was characterized by performing electron spin nutations. Operating at 100 mK with 320 μW of dissipated power, the resonator generated a field of 4 G at a distance of 100 μm from the coil.
Impact of human presence on the read zones of passive UHF RFID systems

In this paper, we study the impact of human presence on the read zones of passive UHF RFID systems using the finite-element method (FEM) with a full length model of a homogeneous human body, consisting of 8 mm tetrahedrals and a total of 334,733 tetrahedrals. The study presented analyses UHF RFID systems operating in the FCC allowed band of 902 MHz to 928 MHz with a typical 7.4 dB gain RFID reader patch antenna located at 0°, 45° and 90° angles in the front, back, top and side of the human body. This paper presents evidence for the first time that allows a visualisation of the deformation of the RFID reader antenna read zones when in the presence of a human body and derives theory using modelling techniques from experimental as well as simulation results.
A Mathematical Model of Cardiocyte Ca2+ Dynamics with a Novel Representation of Sarcoplasmic Reticular Ca2+ Control

Cardiac contraction and relaxation dynamics result from a set of simultaneously interacting Ca(2+) regulatory mechanisms. In this study, cardiocyte Ca(2+) dynamics were modeled using a set of six differential equations that were based on theories, equations, and parameters described in previous studies. Among the unique features of the model was the inclusion of bidirectional modulatory interplay between the sarcoplasmic reticular Ca(2+) release channel (SRRC) and calsequestrin (CSQ) in the SR lumen, where CSQ acted as a dynamic rather than simple Ca(2+) buffer, and acted as a Ca(2+) sensor in the SR lumen as well. The inclusion of this control mechanism was central in overcoming a number of assumptions that would otherwise have to be made about SRRC kinetics, SR Ca(2+) release rates, and SR Ca(2+) release termination when the SR lumen is assumed to act as a simple, buffered Ca(2+) sink. The model was sufficient to reproduce a graded Ca(2+)-induced Ca(2+) release (CICR) response, CICR with high gain, and a system with reasonable stability. As constructed, the model successfully replicated the results of several previously published experiments that dealt with the Ca(2+) dependence of the SRRC (, J. Gen. Physiol. 85:247-289), the refractoriness of the SRRC (, Am. J. Physiol. 270:C148-C159), the SR Ca(2+) load dependence of SR Ca(2+) release (, Am. J. Physiol. 268:C1313-C1329;, J. Biol. Chem. 267:20850-20856), SR Ca(2+) leak (, J. Physiol. (Lond.). 474:463-471;, Biophys. J. 68:2015-2022), SR Ca(2+) load regulation by leak and uptake (, J. Gen. Physiol. 111:491-504), the effect of Ca(2+) trigger duration on SR Ca(2+) release (, Am. J. Physiol. 258:C944-C954), the apparent relationship that exists between sarcoplasmic and sarcoplasmic reticular calcium concentrations (, Biophys. J. 73:1524-1531), and a variety of contraction frequency-dependent alterations in sarcoplasmic [Ca(2+)] dynamics that are normally observed in the laboratory, including rest potentiation, a negative frequency-[Ca(2+)] relationship, and extrasystolic potentiation. Furthermore, under the condition of a simulated Ca(2+) overload, an alternans-like state was produced. In summary, the current model of cardiocyte Ca(2+) dynamics provides an integrated theoretical framework of fundamental cellular Ca(2+) regulatory processes that is sufficient to predict a broad array of observable experimental outcomes.
Synaptic facilitation requires paired activation of convergent pathways in the neocortex

In associative learning, the activated neurones undergo a variety of concomitant functional alterations--increases or decreases of firing activity and modifications of membrane potential or resistance and of synaptic responsiveness. Synaptic transmission which can be strengthened only when there is paired activity in two pathways is of particular interest in relation to mechanisms for associative learning. For the neocortex, there are few observations of the plastic changes, induced by conditioning procedures, in the effectiveness of individual synapses. We now report that various regimes with joint stimulations of convergent excitatory pathways on to intracellularly recorded neurones in the motor cortex of the cat result in synaptic facilitation lasting for up to 30 min.
MODELING THE INFLUENCE OF INITIAL MATERIAL INHOMOGENEITIES ON THE FATIGUE LIFE OF NOTCHED COMPONENTS

This paper summarizes a fracture mechanics analysis developed to study the effect of initial size and spatial distribution of inherent material inhomogeneities on fatigue life. Calculations were performed for a set of experiments conducted previously to determine the influence of microporosity size and frequency on the fatigue life of notched 7050-T7451 aluminum specimens. The favorable comparison between the numerical and experimental results indicates the analysis method could be used to predict the benefits to fatigue life obtained by reducing the size and distribution of initial inhomogeneities such as those due to microporosity.
A Study Comparing the Efficacy of a Mole Ratio Flow Chart to Dimensional Analysis for Teaching Reaction Stoichiometry

Reaction stoichiometry calculations have always been difficult for students. This is due to the many different facets the student must master, such as the mole concept, balancing chemical equations, algebraic procedures, and interpretation of a word problem into mathematical equations. Dimensional analysis is one of the main ways students are taught to solve these problems. However, this methodology does not provide all students with a complete understanding of how to solve these problems. Introduction of alternative problem solving techniques, such as proportional reasoning, can help to improve student understanding. The mole ratio flow chart (MRFC) is a logistical sequence of steps that incorporates molar proportions. Students are able to begin analysis of a problem from many different starting points using this MRFC method. Analyses of data collected indicate that MRFC users performed as well on exam problems covering reaction stoichiometry calculations as students using dimensional analysis. Further, class sections exposed to both dimensional analysis and MRFC methods scored as well on exam problems as class sections exposed only to dimensional analysis. These results indicate that the MRFC is a viable alternative method for teaching reaction stoichiometry calculations and for helping to create a more complete understanding of the subject.
Assembly of myosin.

Abstract Myosin and its helical subfragments form bipolar “segment” aggregates which may be related to the bare zone of the thick filament. Two distinct modes of aggregation have now been observed: one with an overlap of 1300 A and another with an overlap of about 900 A. Both are consistent with a value of 1450 A for the length of the rod. The helical arrangement of the bridges on the thick filament has been determined by X-ray diffraction results. Placing rods of length 1450 A on this surface lattice generates the molecular overlaps found in the in vitro “segment” aggregates.
Uniform-phase uniform-amplitude resonant-load global clock distributions

This work presents a new approach to global clock distribution in which tree-driven grids are augmented with on-chip spiral inductors to resonate the clock capacitance. In this scheme, the energy of the fundamental frequency resonates between electric and magnetic forms, with the reduced admittance of the clock network allowing for significantly lower gain requirements in the buffering network. The substantial improvements in jitter and power resulting from this approach are presented using measurement results from two test chips, one fabricated in a 90-nm and the other in a 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS technology.
A Cost-Based Approach to Partial Scan

In this paper, we present a new method for selecting flip-flops for partial scan. Our method ranks all flip-flops based on a sensitivity analysis that determines the improvement in the testability of the circuit as a result of scanning a flip-flop. Testability is computed with respect to a given set of target faults. Our method can estimate the number of scan flip-flops needed to reach a good fault coverage.
Optimal harvesting with exponential growth in an environment with random disasters and bonanzas

Abstract The optimal discounted present value of an exploited population under constant effort harvesting in an environment with random disasters and bonanzas is investigated. The deterministic component of growth is density independent (also called Malthusian or exponential). The disasters and bonanzas are random, occurring at the times of events of a Poisson process. The density independent properties of the model and the constant effort open loop policy lead to an exact solution for the expected present value. The optimal expected present value is compared with those in deterministic models with and without deterministic type jumps. Both deterministic and random jumps can have a significant influence on the optimal present value. However, the effort to achieve the optimal is not sensitive to variations in the total jump frequency or in the discount rate. The average random jump model is much easier to apply than the deterministic jump model. Bonanzas can have much more of an effect on the present value than disasters given similar jump rates.
Role of n-Alkane Polydispersity on the Crystallization of n-Alkanes from Solution

The process of crystallization is of great interest in a wide range of industries. In the oil industry, a major interest is the deposition of wax onto subsea oil pipelines, a costly phenomenon that hinders the production of crude oil. It is known that these deposits are a volume spanning network of orthorhombic, lamellar wax crystals consisting primarily of n-alkanes that entrap some of the crude oil to form a gel. The presence of other materials in a crystallizing system can have an impact on both thermodynamic and kinetic parameters. To analyze the effects of how n-alkanes impact the crystallization of one another, three different types of apparatus (differential scanning calorimetry, densitometer, and a coldfinger apparatus) were used to explore a wide range of crystallization and deposition properties. The results of these experiments showed that longer chained n-alkanes greatly influence the crystallization properties of shorter n-alkanes, whereas shorter n-alkanes only slightly impact the crystalliz...
Tolerance and self-tolerance of trees

Abstract The fact that tolerant species survive better than intolerants in mixed stands does not mean that in pure stands tolerants have less mortality than intolerants. Tolerance is not necessarily associated with self-tolerance which can be defined as the ability of trees to grow and to survive under the stress of intraspecific competition. The relative rate of volume growth with respect to the decrease of the number of trees captures both processes involved in the definition of self-tolerance (growth and mortality) and can be used as its measure. A positive correlation was not found between this measure and tolerance as determined from tolerance tables for southern pines. Therefore, self-tolerance appears to be a quality of stands independent of tolerance.
Design of HIV Vectors for Efficient Gene Delivery into Human Hematopoietic Cells

Vectors derived from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) hold promise for efficient gene delivery into human hematopoietic cells. In this study, HIV vectors containing different combinations of cis-acting elements, including the HIV central flap sequence, and the woodchuck posttranscriptional regulatory element (WPRE) in combination with two different promoters, were used to transduce primary human lymphocytes and cord blood CD34+ progenitor cells. The effect of these elements on the transduction efficiency and transgene expression was systematically evaluated. The results demonstrate that with the combination of flap, WPRE sequences, and the promoter derived from spleen focus-forming virus (SFFV), a foreign gene can be efficiently delivered into primary human T lymphocytes and cord blood CD34+ cells. The study establishes the parameters for proper vector design to efficiently deliver foreign genes into human hematopoietic cells.
Identification of the requisite brain sites in the neuronal network subserving generalized clonic audiogenic seizures.

Abstract Comparative studies of neuronal networks that subserve convulsions in closely-related epilepsy models are revealing instructive data about the pathophysiological mechanisms that govern these networks. Studies of audiogenic seizures (AGS) in genetically epilepsy-prone rats (GEPRs) and related forms of AGS demonstrate important network similarities and differences. Two substrains of GEPRs exist, GEPR-9s, exhibiting tonic AGS, and GEPR-3s, exhibiting clonic AGS. The neuronal network for tonic AGS resides exclusively in brainstem nuclei, but forebrain sites, including the amygdala (AMG), are recruited after repetitive AGS induction. The neuronal network for clonic AGS remains to be investigated. The present study examined the neuronal network for clonic AGS in GEPR-3s by microinjecting a competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, d,l -2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid (AP7), into the central nucleus of inferior colliculus (ICc), deep layers of superior colliculus (DLSC), periaqueductal grey (PAG), or caudal pontine reticular formation (cPRF), which are implicated in tonic AGS networks. Microinjections into AMG and perirhinal cortex (PRh), which are not implicated in AGS, were also done. AGS in GEPR-3s were blocked reversibly after microinjections into ICc, DLSC, PAG or cPRF. However, AGS were also blocked by AP7 in AMG but not PRh. The sites in which AP7 blocks AGS are implicated as requisite components of the clonic AGS network, and these data support a critical role for NMDA receptors in clonic AGS modulation. The brainstem nuclei of the clonic AGS network are identical to those subserving tonic AGS. However, the requisite involvement of AMG in the clonic AGS network, which is not seen in tonic AGS, is surprising and suggests important mechanistic differences between clonic and tonic forms of AGS.
A T -sum bound of LR -fuzzy numbers

Abstract In this paper, we provide an upper bound and a lower bound of T-sum of LR-fuzzy numbers with different spreads where T is Archimedean t-norm, and also show in three examples how close they are to actual membership functions Furthermore, we study when the membership function of T-sum achieves the upper bound.
Use of calibration maneuvers for improved performance of strapdown attitude reference systems

Conventional strapdown configurations require precise knowledge of the orientation of the gyro input axes as well as a moderately large, fast computer to provide inertial attitude. This paper presents the mechanization and discusses the operation and performance of an omnidirectional, strapdown pointing control system called All Sky Pointer which does not require precise gyro alignment or a sophisticated computer. Errors caused by gyro-optical sensor misalignment, gyro-integrator bias, and scale factor error are compensated for by the use of calibration maneuvers. Control and computation are provided by an electronics package utilizing technology similar to that found in hand-held calculators. Simulation results indicate that sub arc-minute pointing performance is possible and pointing errors are reduced by as much as an order of magnitude compared with uncompensated systems.
One-Step Syntheses of Styryl Germatranes via Rhodium- or Palladium-Catalyzed Hydrogermylation of Arylacetylenes by HGe(OCH2CH2)3N

The addition of germatrane, HGe(OCH2CH2)3N (1), to terminal acetylenes is catalyzed by [Cp*RhCl2]2 and yields styrylgermatranes The stereochemistry of the double bond can be controlled by the choice of solvent. In methylene chloride, (E)-β-styrylgermatranes are the major products, whereas in toluene (Z)-β-styrylgermatranes are the major products. The addition is also catalyzed by Pd(PPh3)4, giving (E)-β-styrylgermatranes regardless of solvent.
Participative management in global transformational change

This article examines the empirical research on participative management approach both in public and private sectors. With the current trend toward globalization, the author highlights the concepts of interrelationships and complexity as key impediments that management scholars must struggle with in their search for a management approach suitable to global organizations.
Temporal resolution of uncertainty, disclosure policy, and corporate debt yields

Abstract In this paper, we study how risk-shifting incentives and the design of debt covenants are affected by the pattern of temporal resolution of uncertainty (TRU) in the underlying technology of the firm. We show that the extent of risk-shifting as well as the yield demanded on corporate debt are larger the later the resolution of uncertainty (thus providing one explanation for the empirical evidence of Reisz and Perlich (2006)). We allow for contracting based on verifiable information disclosed by the manager. In this context, we characterize optimal covenants restricting investment. The effects of these covenants on the firm's investment policy and corporate bond yields under different disclosure policies and patterns of TRU are studied. Empirical implications are derived and discussed.
The effect of suture technic upon the growth of arterial anastomoses

Summary Twenty arterial anastomoses were performed upon ten weanling pigs. A continuous end-on suture was used in sixteen anastomoses. The arterial cuff 'varied in width from o.5 to 1.5 mm. The continuous everting mattress suture technic was employed in four additional anastomoses, during the performance of which the suture was interrupted at one point. No narrowing of the anastomoses produced by the sutures was observed in any of these experiments performed in growing pigs.
Extrinsic Nonvalvular Mitral Obstruction due to Large Epicardial Hematoma

A case of extrinsic nonvalvular mitral obstruction due to a large epicardial hematoma in a patient with rheumatoid constrictive pericarditis is described. The patient had long-standing rheumatoid arthritis and a mitral diastolic murmur developed. Mitral obstruction was confirmed by a hemodynamic study. Coronary angiography and left ventricular angiography showed severely diseased coronary arteries and a distorted left ventricular cavity. Autopsy demonstrated rheumatoid arthritis, a normal mitral valve, thickened pericardium, and epicardial hematoma surrounding both ventricles at the atrioventricular junctional level.
The effects of NS gene exchange on the pathogenicity of H5N1 HPAI viruses in ducks.

Abstract Until 2002, H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses caused only mild respiratory infections in ducks. Since then, new viruses have emerged that cause systemic disease and high mortality in ducks and other waterfowl. Studies on HPAI virus pathogenicity in ducks have been limited, and there is no clear explanation of why the pathogenicity of some H5N1 HPAI viruses has increased. The nonstructural protein 1 (NS1 protein) is known to suppress immune responses in influenza virus–infected hosts affecting virus pathogenesis. In order to determine if the NS1 protein contributes to increased virulence in ducks, single-gene reassortant viruses were generated. Exchanging the NS genes from A/Ck/HK/220/97 (a virus that produces mild disease in ducks) and A/Dk/VN/201/05 (a very virulent virus for ducks) in the rEgret/02 background (a recombinant virus derived from A/Egret/HK/757.2/02, a highly pathogenic virus in ducks) resulted in decreased mean death times compared to infection with the rEgret/...
The Role of Anticipatory Postural Adjustments in Compensatory Control of Posture: 2. Biomechanical Analysis

The central nervous system (CNS) utilizes anticipatory (APAs) and compensatory (CPAs) postural adjustments to maintain equilibrium while standing. It is known that these postural adjustments involve displacements of the center of mass (COM) and center of pressure (COP). The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between APAs and CPAs from a kinetic and kinematic perspective. Eight subjects were exposed to external predictable and unpredictable perturbations induced at the shoulder level while standing. Kinematic and kinetic data were recorded and analyzed during the time duration typical for anticipatory and compensatory postural adjustments. When the perturbations were unpredictable, the COM and COP displacements were larger compared to predictable conditions with APAs. Thus, the peak of COM displacement, after the pendulum impact, in the posterior direction reached 28 ± 9.6 mm in the unpredictable conditions with no APAs whereas it was 1.6 times smaller, reaching 17 ± 5.5 mm during predictable perturbations. Similarly, after the impact, the peak of COP displacement in the posterior direction was 60 ± 14 mm for unpredictable conditions and 28 ± 3.6 mm for predictable conditions. Finally, the times of the peak COM and COP displacements were similar in the predictable and unpredictable conditions. This outcome provides additional knowledge about how body balance is controlled in presence and in absence of information about the forthcoming perturbation. Moreover, it suggests that control of posture could be enhanced by better utilization of APAs and such an approach could be considered as a valuable modality in the rehabilitation of individuals with balance impairment.
EFFECTS OF ACUTE EXPOSURE TO PHOSGENE ON PULMONARY HOST DEFENSES AND RESISTANCE TO INFECTION

AbstractPhosgene is a toxic gas widely used in industrial processes. The most sensitive endpoint for phosgene toxicity in mice is decreased resistance to challenge with bacterial infection or tumor cells. These effects were attributed to impaired alveolar macrophage (AM) and pulmonary natural killer cell (NK) function. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether similar effects occurred in Fischer 344 rats. Intrapulmonary killing of bacteria was impaired and the inflammatory response enhanced in rats infected by aerosol with Streptococcus zooepidemicus immediately after a 6-/1 exposure to 0.1 or 0.2 ppm phosgene as compared to air controls. Also, ingestion of latex beads in vitro by AM obtained from bronchoalveolar lavage (BAD fluid of rats exposed to 0.2 ppm phosgene was significantly less than controls. If infection or BAL were delayed until 18 h after exposure, there was no difference between phosgene and air exposed rats. In uninfected rats polymorphonuclear leukocytes were increased in BAL f...
Structural texture recognition using QMF bank based subband decomposition

An application of quadrature mirror filter (QMF) bank based subband decomposition to texture analysis is presented. Two-dimensional four bands QMF structure is used and the QMF features are introduced. The low-low band extracts the information of spatial dependence, and the low-high, high-low and high-high bands extract the structural information. This approach has the twin advantages of efficient information extraction and computation reduction. The classification abilities of QMF features are compared to those of Haralick features. The experiments demonstrate that the QMF features have better performance than the Haralick features. >
Stochastic stability and its application to the analysis of gene regulatory networks

As gene regulatory network design and implementation becomes more common, understanding the stochastic stability properties of these networks is increasingly becoming more of a necessity. A study of such properties would uncover regimes of stable behavior under both cellular intrinsic biochemical noise, and extrinsic uncertainty resulting from fluctuating environments and noisy interconnections between individual networks. In this paper, we revise and specialize common notions of stochastic stability to study two prototypical models of gene regulatory networks that have extensively been used in the biological literature.
Comparing Stability of Different Single- and Double-Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Techniques: A Cadaveric Study Using Navigation

Purpose The objective of this study was to analyze 2 different single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction procedures and compare their ability to reduce the pivot-shift phenomenon with an anatomic double-bundle (DB) technique. Methods Twelve fresh-frozen cadaveric hip-to-toe lower extremity specimens were used. ACL reconstructions were performed by conventional single-bundle, anteromedial (AM) single-bundle, and DB techniques. Anterior tibial translation was measured in the intact knee, ACL-deficient knee, and the 3 ACL reconstructions in response to a Lachman test and a mechanized pivot-shift test. A surgical navigation system (Praxim Medivision, Grenoble, France) simultaneously tracked kinematics. Results Intact knees were clinically graded as grade 0 (n = 12). ACL-deficient knees were graded as grade 1 (n = 10) and grade 2 (n = 2). With a mechanized pivot-shift test, anterior tibial translation was 1.7 ± 3.0 mm, 9.7 ± 3.8 mm, 4.4 ± 1.0 mm, 1.8 ± 1.5 mm, and −1.7 ± 3.3 mm for intact knees, ACL-deficient knees, conventional technique, AM technique, and DB technique, respectively. There was a significant difference between the DB technique and both single-bundle techniques tested ( P Conclusions The model used represents an isolated ACL injury without concomitant injury to the capsuloligamentous restraints or menisci. However, during the pivot shift, neither type of single-bundle ACL reconstruction stabilized the knee to the same degree as the DB ACL reconstruction. Clinical Relevance: In this cadaveric model a DB repair offers great anterior and rotational stability. Although this study suggests that the DB technique is biomechanically superior to a single-bundle technique using traditional transtibial tunnel positions, there appear to be minimal differences in knee kinematics during stability testing with the DB technique versus an AM graft position. Indeed, compared with the AM position alone, the DB technique "overconstrained" the kinematics of the knee during a pivoting maneuver at time zero in a cadaveric model with an isolated ACL injury.
ASP, The Art and Science of Practice: Elements of a Theory of the Practice of Operations Research: A Framework

The ultimate value of operations research (OR) is making real differences in organizations. Yet little has been written on how one becomes good at doing OR and successful in practice. I propose a framework for understanding what makes good practice and an expert practitioner that encompasses the technical skills required to do OR through the managerial and marketing skills necessary to run an OR enterprise. The potential for success with OR methods depends on the nature of the problem, whether the initial and goal states are well defined or ill defined. The tools of artificial intelligence are useful for organizing the expertise in being a successful practitioner.
SURGERY IN THE PREGNANT CARDIAC PATIENT.

Abstract Cardiac disease accounts for 4 to 5 per cent of all maternal mortality and ranks fourth in the causes of death during pregnancy. This mortality is largely in those mothers with rheumatic valvular disease, especially mitral stenosis, with appreciable functional incapacity prior to the pregnancy. The hazards rise as pregnancy progresses to reach a primary peak at about the thirty-second week, when the plasma volume is at a maximum, and then to a second peak during and shortly following delivery. Although the risk of surgery for such emergencies as acute appendicitis or ruptured viscus rises if the patient is pregnant, the indications for surgery are essentially unaltered. Many successful cardiac operations have been performed during pregnancy, justified on the grounds that maternal and fetal mortality, in selected patients, is less than under medical management. Evidence is accumulating that the mortality figures in the pregnant cardiac patient, medically managed, are much higher than they could or should be. The pregnant cardiac patient requires very special attention and management.
Parasexuality and Ploidy Change in Candida tropicalis

ABSTRACT Candida species exhibit a variety of ploidy states and modes of sexual reproduction. Most species possess the requisite genes for sexual reproduction, recombination, and meiosis, yet only a few have been reported to undergo a complete sexual cycle including mating and sporulation. Candida albicans, the most studied Candida species and a prevalent human fungal pathogen, completes its sexual cycle via a parasexual process of concerted chromosome loss rather than a conventional meiosis. In this study, we examine ploidy changes in Candida tropicalis, a closely related species to C. albicans that was recently revealed to undergo sexual mating. C. tropicalis diploid cells mate to form tetraploid cells, and we show that these can be induced to undergo chromosome loss to regenerate diploid forms by growth on sorbose medium. The diploid products are themselves mating competent, thereby establishing a parasexual cycle in this species for the first time. Extended incubation (>120 generations) of C. tropicalis tetraploid cells under rich culture conditions also resulted in instability of the tetraploid form and a gradual reduction in ploidy back to the diploid state. The fitness levels of C. tropicalis diploid and tetraploid cells were compared, and diploid cells exhibited increased fitness relative to tetraploid cells in vitro, despite diploid and tetraploid cells having similar doubling times. Collectively, these experiments demonstrate distinct pathways by which a parasexual cycle can occur in C. tropicalis and indicate that nonmeiotic mechanisms drive ploidy changes in this prevalent human pathogen.
3D Printing of Free Standing Liquid Metal Microstructures

This paper describes a method to direct-write 3D liquid metal microcomponents at room temperature. The thin oxide layer on the surface of the metal allows the formation of mechanically stable structures strong enough to stand against gravity and the large surface tension of the liquid. The method is capable of printing wires, arrays of spheres, arches, and interconnects.
Variation of surficial soil hydraulic properties across land uses in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina, USA

summary A full understanding of hydrologic response to human impact requires assessment of land-use impacts on key soil physical properties such as saturated hydraulic conductivity, bulk density, and moisture retention. Such properties have been shown to affect watershed hydrology by influencing pathways and transmission rates of precipitation to stream networks. Human land use has been shown to influence these soil physical properties as a result of erosion, compaction, and pore structure evolution. Our objective was to characterize soil physical properties under three land-use classes (forest, pasture, and managed lawn) in the southern Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern North Carolina. A total of 90 points were sampled (30 in each land-use class) throughout a 983 km 2 study area. Saprolitic and alluvial soils were emphasized, and sites were selected that showed consistent land-use history over a period of at least 30 years. Particle size distribution, in situ saturated hydraulic conductivity (measured using an Amoozemeter compact constant head permeameter), bulk density, and volumetric moisture content at field capacity were measured at each point. Forest soils demonstrated markedly lower bulk densities and higher infiltration rates, and water holding capacities, than lawn and pasture soils. No soil property significantly differed between pasture and lawn. Mean values for each property were as follows (forest = F, lawn = L, pasture = P): saturated hydraulic conductivity (mm h 1 )– F = 63, L =7 , P = 8; bulk density (g cm 3 )– F = 0.8, L = 1.2, P = 1.2; volumetric moisture content (%) – F = 72%, L = 42%, P = 39%. Particle size distributions did not significantly differ among land-use classes or parent materials, and the differences between the hydraulic properties of forest vs. nonforest soils were attributed to compaction associated with land management practices. The magnitudes of differences between forest and nonforest infiltration rates suggest that widespread conversion of forest to other land uses in this region will be accompanied by decreased infiltration and increased overland flow, potentially significantly altering water budgets and leading to reduced baseflows and impaired water quality. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Mitochondria-to-Nuclear Signaling Is Regulated by the Subcellular Localization of the Transcription Factors Rtg1p and Rtg3p

Cells modulate the expression of nuclear genes in response to changes in the functional state of mitochondria, an interorganelle communication pathway called retrograde regulation. In yeast, expression of the CIT2 gene shows a typical retrograde response in that its expression is dramatically increased in cells with dysfunctional mitochondria, such as in ρo petites. Three genes control this signaling pathway: RTG1 and RTG3, which encode basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper transcription factors that bind as heterodimer to the CIT2 upstream activation site, and RTG2, which encodes a protein of unknown function. We show that in respiratory-competent (ρ+) cells in which CIT2 expression is low, Rtg1p and Rtg3p exist as a complex largely in the cytoplasm, and in ρo petites in which CIT2 expression is high, they exist as a complex predominantly localized in the nucleus. Cytoplasmic Rtg3p is multiply phosphorylated and becomes partially dephosphorylated when localized in the nucleus. Rtg2p, which is cytoplasmic in both ρ+ and ρo cells, is required for the dephosphorylation and nuclear localization of Rtg3p. Interaction of Rtg3p with Rtg1p is required to retain Rtg3p in the cytoplasm of ρ+ cells; in the absence of such interaction, nuclear localization and dephosphorylation of Rtg3p is independent of Rtg2p. Our data show that Rtg1p acts as both a positive and negative regulator of the retrograde response and that Rtg2p acts to transduce mitochondrial signals affecting the phosphorylation state and subcellular localization of Rtg3p.
Residual Tumor Potentially Left Behind After Local Ablation Therapy in Prostate Adenocarcinoma

Purpose: We examined contralateral prostate cancer potentially left behind by focal therapy.Materials and Methods: We investigated 100 completely embedded radical prostatectomy specimens in which needle biopsy predicted limited disease (less than 3 positive cores, 50% or less involvement of any positive core, Gleason score 6 or less) and all positive needle cores were unilateral. Clinical stage was T1c in 85 and T2a in 15 cases with the palpable lesion on the positive biopsy side.Results: There was 1 positive core in 66 cases. On average 13.9% of each positive core was involved with tumor. The mean number of separate tumor nodules per radical prostatectomy was 2.9. In 65 radical prostatectomy specimens there was some tumor contralateral to the positive biopsy side. Total tumor volume in the radical prostatectomy contralateral to the positive biopsy side averaged 0.2 cm3 (largest 1.3). In 23 cases contralateral tumor volume was greater than biopsy positive side tumor volume. There were 13 cases in which mo...
Effects of the androgenic growth promoter 17‐β‐trenbolone on fecundity and reproductive endocrinology of the fathead minnow

Trenbolone acetate is a synthetic steroid that is extensively used in the United States as a growth promoter in beef cattle. The acetate is administered to livestock via slow-release implants; some is converted by the animal to 17-beta-trenbolone, a relatively potent androgen receptor agonist in mammalian systems. Recent studies indicate that excreted 17-beta-trenbolone is comparatively stable in animal waste, suggesting the potential for exposure to aquatic animals via direct discharge, runoff, or both. However, little is known concerning the toxicity of trenbolone to fish. Our goal was to assess the effects of 17-beta-trenbolone on reproductive endocrinology of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas). An in vitro competitive binding study with the fathead minnow androgen receptor demonstrated that 17-beta-trenbolone had a higher affinity for the receptor than that of the endogenous ligand, testosterone. Male and female fish were exposed for 21 d to nominal (target) concentrations of 17-beta-trenbolone ranging from 0.005 to 50 microg/L. Fecundity of the fish was significantly reduced by exposure to measured test concentrations > or = 0.027 microg/ L. The 17-beta-trenbolone was clearly androgenic in vivo at these concentrations, as evidenced by the de novo production in females of dorsal (nuptial) tubercles, structures normally present only on the heads of mature males. Plasma steroid (testosterone and beta-estradiol) and vitellogenin concentrations in the females all were significantly reduced by exposure to 17-beta-trenbolone. The 17-beta-trenbolone also altered reproductive physiology of male fathead minnows, albeit at concentrations much higher than those producing effects in females. Males exposed to 17-beta-trenbolone at 41 microg/L (measured) exhibited decreased plasma concentrations of 11-ketotestosterone and increased concentrations of beta-estradiol and vitellogenin. Overall, our studies indicate that 17-beta-trenbolone is a potent androgen and reproductive toxicant in fish. Given the widespread use of trenbolone acetate as a growth promoter, and relative stability of its metabolites in animal wastes, further studies are warranted to assess potential ecological risk.
Human Attentional Networks: A Connectionist Model

Recent evidence in cognitive neuroscience has suggested that attention is a complex organ system subserved by at least three attentional networks in the brain, for alerting, orienting, and executive control functions. However, how these different networks work together to give rise to the seemingly unitary mental faculty of attention remains unclear. We describe a connectionist model of human attentional networks to explore the possible interplays among the networks from a computational perspective. This model is developed in the framework of leabra (local, error-driven, and associative, biologically realistic algorithm) and simultaneously involves these attentional networks connected in a biologically inspired way. We evaluate the model by simulating the empirical data collected on normal human subjects using the Attentional Network Test (ANT). The simulation results fit the experimental data well. In addition, we show that the same model, with a single parameter change that affects executive control, is able to simulate the empirical data collected from patients with schizophrenia. This model represents a plausible connectionist explanation for the functional structure and interaction of human attentional networks.
Respiration of Escherichia coli in the Mouse Intestine

Mammals are aerobes that harbor an intestinal ecosystem dominated by large numbers of anaerobic microorganisms. However, the role of oxygen in the intestinal ecosystem is largely unexplored. We used systematic mutational analysis to determine the role of respiratory metabolism in the streptomycin-treated mouse model of intestinal colonization. Here we provide evidence that aerobic respiration is required for commensal and pathogenic Escherichia coli to colonize mice. Our results showed that mutants lacking ATP synthase, which is required for all respiratory energy-conserving metabolism, were eliminated by competition with respiratory-competent wild-type strains. Mutants lacking the high-affinity cytochrome bd oxidase, which is used when oxygen tensions are low, also failed to colonize. However, the low-affinity cytochrome bo3 oxidase, which is used when oxygen tension is high, was found not to be necessary for colonization. Mutants lacking either nitrate reductase or fumarate reductase also had major colonization defects. The results showed that the entire E. coli population was dependent on both microaerobic and anaerobic respiration, consistent with the hypothesis that the E. coli niche is alternately microaerobic and anaerobic, rather than static. The results indicate that success of the facultative anaerobes in the intestine depends on their respiratory flexibility. Despite competition for relatively scarce carbon sources, the energy efficiency provided by respiration may contribute to the widespread distribution (i.e., success) of E. coli strains as commensal inhabitants of the mammalian intestine.
Leading by Example: Supervisor Modeling and Officer-Initiated Activities

The present study examined the effect of field supervisor behavior modeling on patrol officer use of unassigned patrol time. Specifically, the study explored whether field supervisor engagement in proactive stops and checks resulted in an increased frequency of proactive stops and checks among patrol officers. Hierarchical analyses of computer-aided dispatch data from two municipal police departments were conducted with 320 shifts and 1,385 individual patrol officer tours of duty. After controlling for call for service workload, shift, agency, and officer demographic characteristics, the findings suggested that when field supervisors engage in proactive investigative activities, the volume of proactive activity by patrol officers approximately doubles. The policy implications and limitations of this study are then discussed.
The psychology of curiosity: A review and reinterpretation.

Research on curiosity has undergone 2 waves of intense activity. The 1st, in the 1960s, focused mainly on curiosity's psychological underpinnings. The 2nd, in the 1970s and 1980s, was characterized by attempts to measure curiosity and assess its dimensionality. This article reviews these contributions with a concentration on the 1st wave. It is argued that theoretical accounts of curiosity proposed during the 1st period fell short in 2 areas: They did not offer an adequate explanation for why people voluntarily seek out curiosity, and they failed to delineate situational determinants of curiosity. Furthermore, these accounts did not draw attention to, and thus did not explain, certain salient characteristics of curiosity: its intensity, transience, association with impulsivity, and tendency to disappoint when satisfied. A new account of curiosity is offered that attempts to address these shortcomings. The new account interprets curiosity as a form of cognitively induced deprivation that arises from the perception of a gap in knowledge or understanding. Curiosity is the most superficial of all the affections; it changes its object perpetually; it has an appetite which is very sharp, but very easily satisfied; and it has always an appearance of giddiness, rest
Signal-dependent regulation of transcription by histone deacetylase 7 involves recruitment to promyelocytic leukemia protein nuclear bodies.

Promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) nuclear bodies (NBs) are dynamic subnuclear compartments that play roles in several cellular processes, including apoptosis, transcriptional regulation, and DNA repair. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) 7 is a potent corepressor that inhibits transcription by myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) transcription factors. We show here that endogenous HDAC7 and PML interact and partially colocalize in PML NBs. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α treatment recruits HDAC7 to PML NBs and enhances association of HDAC7 with PML in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Consequently, TNF-α promotes dissociation of HDAC7 from MEF2 transcription factors and the promoters of MEF2 target genes such as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-10, leading to accumulation of MMP-10 mRNA. Conversely, knockdown of PML enhances the association between HDAC7 and MEF2 and decreases MMP-10 mRNA accumulation. Accordingly, ectopic expression of PML recruits HDAC7 to PML NBs and leads to activation of MEF2 reporter activity. Notably, small interfering RNA knockdown of PML decreases basal and TNF-α-induced MMP-10 mRNA accumulation. Our results reveal a novel mechanism by which PML sequesters HDAC7 to relieve repression and up-regulate gene expression.