cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Group Selection for Adaptation to Multiple-Hen Cages: Behavioral Responses,

Abstract Three stocks of White Leghorns were compared for behavioral traits when kept in single-bird (1H) and 12-hen (12H) layer-house cages. Genetic stocks consisted of a commercial strain (X), a randombred control (C), and a stock derived from C and selected on the basis of kin's group performance information for increased survival and egg production over seven generations (S). Experimental units consisted of four consecutive 1H cages or a single 12H cage. All birds within a unit had intact beaks and were of the same stock. Each stock was represented by hens in 48 units of both 1H and 12H cages, and by 48 males (C and S stocks only) in 1H cages. Birds that died were replaced. Observations involved hens in their home cages except for tonic immobility (TI) and pair contests. Observations carried out soon after birds were placed in layer-house cages indicated that avoidance of the observer was essentially absent after pullets were observed on the 1st and 2nd d. Behavioral profile frequencies differed for nearly all behaviors compared in 1H and 12H environments. Following initially high crouching and low feeding frequencies, apparently normal levels were present by Days 15 and 16 posthousing. During the initial adaptation phase, genetic stock differences were not found within 1H cages and were present in only 2 of 10 categories in 12H cages. Young adult profiles also indicated no differences among stocks in 1H cages, but stock differences were found in 6 of 12 categories in 12H cages. In those cases, X strain hens differed from hens of the C and S stocks, but C and S hens did not differ from each other. Comparisons carried out between hens in 1H and 12H cages revealed that fearfulness was greater in 12H cages. Genetic stock comparisons, involving relative fearfulness and feeding and movement in a frustrating situation indicated that the X stock frequently differed from both C and S, but C and S did not usually differ from each other. However, observations of hens’ agonistic activity in the 12H home cage environment revealed that the S stock had fewer agonistic acts than the C stock from which it was derived, and both C and S had less agonistic activity than the X stock. Pair contests carried out within and between C and S stocks in both sexes yielded results inconsistent with those for agonistic activity in 12H cages. The C and S hens did not differ, but S males were more aggressive and, in between-strain contests, were more dominant.
Multibody dynamics of aircraft occupants seated behind interior walls

To improve aircraft crash safety, conditions critical to occupants survival during a crash must be known. In view of the importance of this problem, studies of post-crash dynamic behavior of victims are necessary in order to reduce severe injuries. In this study, crash dynamics program SOM-LA/TA, incorporating a dynamic model of the human body with a finite element model of the seat structure was used. Modifications were performed in the program for reconstruction of an occupant's head impact with the interior walls or bulkhead. A viscoelastic-type contact force model was used to represent the compliance characteristics of the bulkhead. Correlated studies of analytical simulations with impact sled test results were accomplished. A parametric study of the coefficients in the contact force model was then performed in order to obtain the correlations between the coefficients and the Head Injury Criteria. A measure of optimal values for the bulkhead compliance and displacement requirements was thus achieved in order to keep the possibility of a head injury as little as possible. This information could in turn be used in the selection of suitable materials for the bulkhead, instrument panel, or interior walls of an aircraft.
Decaying, Swirling Flow in a Pipe: Axial Velocity Field Development With Reversed Axial Flow

Streamwise development of the axial velocity field in a confined, decaying swirling flow is explored in the present study. A tangential injection mechanism produces swirling flow at the inlet of a constant diameter pipe. Particle image velocimetry is employed for axial velocity measurements. Representative axial velocity profiles are presented for axial locations of 3 to 67 pipe diameters. The axial velocity profiles are asymmetric relative to the pipe centerline and the asymmetries persist as the flow develops in the axial direction. The eccentricity of the swirling flow spatially oscillates as the flow develops in the axial direction. The spatial oscillations of the axial velocity suggest that a vortex breakdown may be located near the inlet of the pipe and the entire pipe is the wake region of the vortex breakdown. The centerline axial velocity is also used to document the axial development of the flow. A comprehensive view of the flow field is provided by considering theoretical explanations presented in the literature for decaying, swirling pipe flows and for vortex breakdown.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Expression of a Ricin Toxin B Subunit: Insulin Fusion Protein in Edible Plant Tissues

Onset of juvenile Type 1 diabetes (T1D) occurs when autoreactive lymphocytes progressively destroy the insulin-producing beta-cells in the pancreatic Islets of Langerhans. The increasing lack of insulin and subsequent onset of hyperglycemia results in increased damage to nerves, blood vessels, and tissues leading to the development of a host of severe disease symptoms resulting in premature morbidity and mortality. To enhance restoration of normoglycemia and immunological homeostasis generated by lymphocytes that mediate the suppression of autoimmunity, the non-toxic B chain of the plant AB enterotoxin ricin (RTB), a castor bean lectin binding a variety of epidermal cell receptors, was genetically linked to the coding region of the proinsulin gene (INS) and expressed as a fusion protein (INS–RTB) in transformed potato plants. This study is the first documented example of a plant enterotoxin B subunit linked to an autoantigen and expressed in transgenic plants for enhanced immunological suppression of T1D autoimmunity.
Are environmental sentinels signaling

There is an increasing perception that environmental contamination by chemicals no longer poses a significant health threat and that relaxation of environmental regulations is warranted. However, many wildlife populations are showing signs of developmental, behavioral, and reproductive dysfunction due to environmental contamination by endocrine-disrupting chemicals. Scientists, regulators, and legislators must mobilize to identify current health threats posed by environmental pollutants, develop testing protocols that will detect such properties of new chemicals, and strengthen legislation designed to protect environmental health.
DOES INTERTIDAL VEGETATION INDICATE SPECIFIC SOIL AND HYDROLOGIC CONDITIONS

Six distinct plant zones were identified within a mesohaline tidal marsh in the Cape Fear Estuary, North Carolina. USA. All six vegetative zones were found within an 18-cm portion of the 1.35-m tidal range. Aerial photographs show that these six zones have existed within the marsh for the past 20 years. A monotypicJuncus roemerianus stand occupied soils with the highest salinity porewater (17 ppt), while stands dominated (>90%) by eitherScirpus robustus orTypha angustifolia were found associated with the least saline soil water (7 ppt) in areas of the marsh least flooded by tidal waters.Spartina cynosuroides dominated areas of the marsh at lowest elevations. In general, Eh was highest in theJuncus zone and lowest in theSpartina alterniflora zone. Four of the six vegetative zones represented distinct physical and chemical environments and could be statistically separated via canonical discriminate analyses. We suggest that established vegetation may be an accurate analog for specific hydrogeomorphic conditions.
Evaluation of Oceanic and Terrestrial Sources of Moisture for the North American Monsoon Using Numerical Models and Precipitation Stable Isotopes

AbstractThis work evaluates the oceanic and terrestrial moisture sources that contribute to North American monsoon (NAM) precipitation over a 30-yr period using the modified analytical dynamic recycling model. This computationally efficient modeling framework reveals previously overlooked moisture source regions such as Central America and the Caribbean Sea in addition to the well-known Gulf of California and Gulf of Mexico source regions. The results show that terrestrial evapotranspiration is as important as oceanic evaporation for NAM precipitation, and terrestrial sources contribute to approximately 40% of monsoonal moisture. There is a northward progression of terrestrial moisture sources, beginning with Central America during the early season and transitioning north into northern Mexico and the NAM region itself during the peak of the monsoon season. The most intense precipitation occurs toward the end of the season and tends to originate in the Gulf of California and the tropical Pacific, associate...
Rail Security After 9/11: Toward Effective Collaborative Regulation

Questions have been raised about how post-9/11 public policy might affect the deregulated rail freight industry's ability to control operations while ensuring security against terrorist events. The private sector rail industry and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security have adopted a response to the terrorism threat that attempts to optimize and implement a collaborative approach to regulation. This approach is predicated on open and continuous communications, voluntary security standards developed through dialogue between government and the railroads, greater capacity in government to work with the private railroad industry, and a network management approach to problem solving and innovation. Although it is possible that a catastrophic security breach or additional statutory requirements could move the pendulum back toward more traditional regulatory approaches, it seems unlikely that the collaborative approach would be jettisoned completely as long as satisfactory levels of rail security are being achieved.
How Robust are Bottlenecks to Unimolecular Fragmentation

Some properties of classical mechanical phase space resonances that serve as bottlenecks to the redistribution of internal molecular energy are investigated. Resonances of a two degree of freedom model van der Waals (vdW) molecule are subjected to a linear harmonic perturbation from an additional degree of freedom. The resulting effects on the phase portrait of the subsystem appear to be independent of the frequency of the third oscillator but relatively small coupling critically affects most quasi-periodic resonances. The approximate separatrix in the vdW degree of freedom is used as a dividing surface in an analysis of the vdW molecule fragmentation rate. The influence on the separatrix of coupling to a third oscillator supports the validity of the two degree of freedom model for systems with small to moderate coupling. The golden mean resonance remains the most robust resonance of the two degree of freedom phase portrait even when the third oscillator coupling is nonzero, an observation which supports the recognition of golden mean resonances as the main intramolecular bottlenecks.
Formation of Branched ZnO Nanowires from Solvothermal Method and Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Applications

Branched ZnO nanowires have been fabricated on conductive glass substrates via a solvothermal method for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). The 1D branched nanostructures can afford a direct conduction pathway instead of interparticle hops while using nanoparticles. Furthermore, the short-circuit current density and the energy conversion efficiency of the branched ZnO nanowire DSCs are 4.27 mA/cm2 and 1.51%, which are twice as high as the bare ZnO nanowire ones. The improvement was a consequence of the enlargement of the internal surface area within the photoelectrode and allowed us to achieve higher dye adsorption to significantly enhance the performance of the DSCs.
Captures of Wild Mediterranean and Oriental Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Jackson and McPhail Traps Baited with Coffee Juice

We examined captures of wild Mediterranean fruit flies, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), and oriental fruit flies, Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel), in Jackson and McPhail traps baited with juice from ripe coffee fruits. Both males and females of each species were captured. Jackson traps baited with coffee juice caught significantly more C. capitata females than did traps baited with water or trimedlure. Fewer B. dorsalis males and females were captured in traps baited with coffee juice compared with other traps. McPhail traps baited with coffee juice caught more C. capitata female and male flies than those baited with water, and they were equal to those baited with Nu-Lure or a water + sugar mixture. McPhail traps baited with coffee juice caught more B. dorsalis female and male flies than those baited with water or Nu-Lure, and they were equal to those baited with a water + sugar mixture. Findings are discussed with respect to the physiological condition of responding C. capitata females and development of a female attractant.
Optimal load sharing in soft real-time systems using likelihood ratios

We consider a load-sharing problem for a multiprocessor system in which jobs have real-time constraints: if the waiting time of a job exceeds a given random amount (called the laxity of the job), then the job is considered lost. To minimize the steady-state probability of loss with respect to the load-sharing parameters, we propose to use the likelihood ratio derivative estimate approach, which has recently been studied for sensitivity analysis of stochastic systems. We formulate a recursive stochastic optimization algorithm using likelihood ratio estimates to solve the optimization problem and provide a proof for almost sure convergence of the algorithm. The algorithm can be used for on-line optimization of the real-time system and does not require a priori knowledge of the arrival rate of customers to the system or the service time and laxity distributions. To illustrate our results, we provide simulation examples.
Factors affecting prophylactic oophorectomy in postmenopausal women.

Abstract Objective: Prophylactic oophorectomy performed concomitantly with hysterectomy may prevent ovarian cancer. Our goal was to better understand the basis for performing concomitant oophorectomy and to determine whether this procedure is associated with increased morbidity. Methods: Our cross-sectional study used a hospital discharge database to identify women 50 years and older who, between 1994–1996, had hysterectomies in Maryland for a benign condition. We used multiple logistic regression to examine the independent effect of physician and patient factors on the likelihood of receiving a concomitant oophorectomy. Results: Concomitant oophorectomy was performed in 61% of the 6227 women in our sample. Patients undergoing total abdominal hysterectomy (odds ratio [OR] 11.42; 95% confidence interval [CI] 9.65, 13.51) and laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (OR 11.34; 95% CI 8.13, 15.81) were substantially more likely to have an oophorectomy than patients treated with vaginal hysterectomy, after adjusting for diagnosis and other covariates. We also found significant variation in the likelihood of receiving oophorectomy for women undergoing vaginal hysterectomy in different geographic regions. Additionally, physicians who performed many vaginal hysterectomies were significantly more likely to perform a concomitant oophorectomy. After adjusting for type of procedure, diagnosis, comorbidities, and age, oophorectomy was not associated with increased surgical morbidity. Conclusion: These results suggest that there are marked variations in physician practice style for concomitant oophorectomy. The variation across geographic regions and with case volume suggests the influence of nonclinical factors on oophorectomy rates.
Pharmacokinetic modeling: prediction and evaluation of route dependent dosimetry of bisphenol A in monkeys with extrapolation to humans.

A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed for bisphenol A (BPA) in adult rhesus monkeys using intravenous (iv) and oral bolus doses of 100 μg d6-BPA/kg (Doerge et al., 2010). This calibrated PBPK adult monkey model for BPA was then evaluated against published monkey kinetic studies with BPA. Using two versions of the adult monkey model based on monkey BPA kinetic data from Doerge et al. (2010) and Taylor et al. (2011), the aglycone BPA pharmacokinetics were simulated for human oral ingestion of 5 mg d16-BPA per person (Volkel et al., 2002). Volkel et al. were unable to detect the aglycone BPA in plasma, but were able to detect BPA metabolites. These human model predictions of the aglycone BPA in plasma were then compared to previously published PBPK model predictions obtained by simulating the Volkel et al. kinetic study. Our BPA human model, using two parameter sets reflecting two adult monkey studies, both predicted lower aglycone levels in human serum than the previous human BPA PBPK model predictions. BPA was metabolized at all ages of monkey (PND 5 to adult) by the gut wall and liver. However, the hepatic metabolism of BPA and systemic clearance of its phase II metabolites appear to be slower in younger monkeys than adults. The use of the current non-human primate BPA model parameters provides more confidence in predicting the aglycone BPA in serum levels in humans after oral ingestion of BPA.
Phospholipase D Is Associated in a Phorbol Ester-Dependent Manner with Protein Kinase C-α and with a 220-kDa Protein Which Is Phosphorylated on Serine and Threonine☆

Many studies have shown that phospholipase D (PLD) is activated by protein kinase C (PKC)in vivoandin vitro.In this study, a PLD isoform (rPLD1) was shown to bind to PKC-α in Rat1 fibroblasts treated with phorbol ester. The PKC-α binding domain of rPLD1 was localized to its N-terminus. The phospholipase was shown to become associated also with a 220-kDa protein (p220) in the fibroblasts and in Sf9 cells infected with recombinant baculovirus coding rPLD1. This interaction was increased by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) treatment. p220 was phosphorylated on serine/threonine in PMA-stimulated Rat1 cells, and rPLD1 expressed in Sf9 cells was also serine/threonine phosphorylated in response to PMA treatment. These data suggest the PMA induces the formation of a RPLD1/PKCα/P220 complex in cells, some components of which undergo serine/threonine phosphorylation.
Distribution of dieldrin in the turtle.

Several investigators have reported on the concentration of dieldrin and the other chlorinated hydrocarbons in the fat depots and some of the other tissues of the body (HUNTER and ROBINSON 1968; EDMUNDSON et al 1969; GARRETTSON and CURLEY 1969; ROBINSON 1969; GUTHRIE and DONALDSON 1970; MDRGAN and ROAN 1970). Although these compounds have been monitored in a number of animals in nature (KEANE etal 1969; BRAUND et al 1969; HENDERSON et al 1969) there has been little experimental work done in the laboratory. Other than for the fat depots and brain, information has been sparse on the partition of pesticides in the other tissues of the body (CURLEY et al 1969; SELBY et al 1969)
Seizures are Common in the Acute Setting of Childhood Stroke: A Population-Based Study

In our large population-based cohort, 3.1% of adults had seizures within the first 24 h of acute stroke. The objective of our study was to determine a similar incidence in children and compare by stroke subtype. Stroke cases in children between July 1993 to June 1994 and January 1999 to December 1999 were retrospectively identified and abstracted. We identified 31 strokes during the two study periods, including 17 ischemic strokes, 12 intracerebral hemorrhages, and 2 subarachnoid hemorrhages. Seizures occurred within 24 h of the stroke in 58% (18/31) of children. No significant differences were found in the rate of seizure by stroke subtype. The relative risk (95% confidence interval) for seizure in the acute stroke setting in children versus adults is 18 (13, 26). As compared with adults, seizures within the acute setting of childhood stroke are common with an occurrence rate in our population of 58%.
Evapotranspiration calculated from remote multispectral and ground station meteorological data

Abstract Evapotranspiration was evaluated by combining remotely sensed reflected solar radiation and surface temperatures with ground station meteorological data (incoming solar radiation, air temperature, windspeed, and vapor pressure) to calculate net radiation and sensible heat flux. Soil heat flux was estimated as a fraction of the net radiation. Instantaneous values of ET were calculated for 18 wheat plots for 44 cloudless days over a growing season. Three of the 18 plots contained lysimeters which provided data to compare against the instantaneous values. For the remaining plots, daily ET was estimated from the instantaneous data and compared with values calculated from soil water contents measured with a neutron moisture meter. For generally clear sky conditions, the comparisons indicated that ET could be adequately evaluated using a combination of remotely sensed and ground based meteorological data. The results suggest that ET maps of relatively large areas could be made using this method with data from airborne sensors. The extent of the area covered appears to be limited by the distance that air temperature and windspeed data can be extrapolated.
Radioactive nucleides 79Ge and 82As

Abstract The irradiation of enriched 82 Se with 14.7 MeV neutrons was found to produce two new activities with half-lifes: 13.7±0.8 sec and 42±2 sec which were assigned to 82 As and 79 Ge, respectively. The decay characteristics of the two new nucleides were studied using a Ge(Li) spectrometer as well as with β- and γ-scintillation detectors.
Self-administered treatment in stepped-care models of depression treatment.

Stepped behavioral health care models have begun to receive increased attention. Self-administered treatments deserve consideration as an element in these models for some disorders and for some consumers. Features suggesting inclusion include low cost, wide availability, and evidence-based status. We present a stepped-care model for depression inclusive of a self-administered treatment component. We also discuss cautions such as depression severity and consumer preference. Evaluation of the efficacy and cost effectiveness of this approach to depression treatment is necessary.
Dynamic shadowgraph experiments and image processing techniques for investigating non-equilibrium fluctuations during free diffusion in nanocolloids

Abstract Colloids are made of particles of sizes from 1 to 1000 nm dispersed in liquid, or a gas phase dispersed in a liquid (foam), or a solid or liquid dispersed in a gas (fume and fog). Colloids are ideal systems for investigating both spatial and temporal processes using optical methods since they have particle sizes larger than the characteristic size of atomic or molecular systems. We performed small angle light scattering (SALS) experiments in order to investigate the crossover between viscosity and concentration-driven non-equilibrium fluctuations. Our SALS experimental setup involved a free diffusion cell filled with nanoparticle colloids with the concentration gradient oriented against the gravitational field and a low coherence superluminescent diode (SLD) instead of a laser as the light source. By appropriately designing the optics, the speckle size of the CCD sensor can be matched with the pixel size, which makes the CCD a large ensemble of intensity autocorrelators working in parallel. Nonequilibrium concentration-driven fluctuations in three different nanocolloidal suspensions (gold, silver, and silica) with a wide range of particle sizes were recorded using a SALS shadowgraph technique. We used both the static and dynamic structure factor algorithms for image processing in order to compute the structure factor and the correlation time of the fluctuations. The correlation time allowed us to estimate the diffusion coefficients of all three nanocolloids.
Effect of exogenous interferons on rhinovirus replication and airway inflammatory responses.

Abstract Background Human rhinoviruses (HRVs) are the most common cause of asthma exacerbations. In airway epithelial cells, the primary site of HRV infection, decreased production of interferons (IFNs) may result in greater susceptibility to HRV and worsened symptoms. Thus, exogenous IFN could supplement the innate immune response and provide a treatment for virus-induced asthma exacerbations. Furthermore, the effects of exogenous IFN could be type specific in part because of the cellular distribution of type 1 and type 2 IFN receptors. Objective To investigate the effects of exogenous IFNs on HRV replication in bronchial epithelial cells. Methods Frozen stocks of primary human bronchial epithelial cells from healthy donors were cultured in monolayers; pretreated (24 hours) with 0.1-ng/mL, 1-ng/mL, or 10-ng/mL doses of IFN-α, -β, -λ1, or -λ2; and infected with HRV-1A. Viral replication was quantified using real-time reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, and cytokine and chemokine secretion 24 hours after infection was measured by multiplex enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Compared with untreated samples, IFN-α, IFN-β, IFN-λ1, and IFN-λ2 (0.1 ng/mL) significantly reduced HRV replication after high- ( P P P P P P Conclusion These findings suggest that exogenous IFNs, IFN-λ1 in particular, warrant further study as a potential therapy for virus-induced asthma exacerbations.
HPLC-MS Examination of Impurities in Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate

Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) has trace homolog impurities that can be detected by high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. Consideration of observed impurity masses and candidate structures based on known pentaerythritol impurities allows identification of 22 compounds in the data. These are all consistent with either fully nitrated homologs or derivatives substituted with methyl, methoxy, or hydroxyl groups in place of a nitric ester. Examining relative impurity concentrations in three starting batches of PETN and six subsequently processed batches shows that it is possible to use relative concentration profiles as a fingerprint to differentiate batches and follow them through recrystallization steps.
Medicine without doctors : home health care in American history

Attempting to estimate a book's scope by its title can be as fruitless as judging the depth of a well by the length of the handle on the pump. Such is the case for Primary Care and the Practice of Medicine. John Noble, director of Primary Care at a university hospital, and contributing authors from various disciplines have assembled a text that far transcends the limitations of its title. For example, chapter 1 ("Concepts of Health and Illness") as well as others that follow hold interest for teachers and students of preventive (social) medicine. Chapter 2 ("Criteria by Which Patients Assess the Outcome of Care") convinces the reader that the book applies to all physicians, and further reading reinforces the conviction. Finally, as might be expected, for undergraduate and graduate students and their mentors who are devoting themselves to primary care specialties, particularly family practice, Noble and his colleagues have provided an instructional model. The 18 chapters of Primary Care and the Practice of Medicine are divided neatly into three sections: "I. The Patient and Primary Care," "II. The Primary Care Practice," and "III. Primary Care and Medical Institu¬ tions." The book's continuity and avoidance of repetition are evidence of Noble's wise selection of authors and his editorial skill. In addition, the writers clearly indicate the faults in
Losses of functional opsin genes, short-wavelength cone photopigments, and color vision—A significant trend in the evolution of mammalian vision

All mammalian cone photopigments are derived from the operation of representatives from two opsin gene families (SWS1 and LWS in marsupial and eutherian mammals; SWS2 and LWS in monotremes), a process that produces cone pigments with respective peak sensitivities in the short and middle-to-long wavelengths. With the exception of a number of primate taxa, the modal pattern for mammals is to have two types of cone photopigment, one drawn from each of the gene families. In recent years, it has been discovered that the SWS1 opsin genes of a widely divergent collection of eutherian mammals have accumulated mutational changes that render them nonfunctional. This alteration reduces the retinal complements of these species to a single cone type, thus rendering ordinary color vision impossible. At present, several dozen species from five mammalian orders have been identified as falling into this category, but the total number of mammalian species that have lost short-wavelength cones in this way is certain to be much larger, perhaps reaching as high as 10% of all species. A number of circumstances that might be used to explain this widespread cone loss can be identified. Among these, the single consistent fact is that the species so affected are nocturnal or, if they are not technically nocturnal, they at least feature retinal organizations that are typically associated with that lifestyle. At the same time, however, there are many nocturnal mammals that retain functional short-wavelength cones. Nocturnality thus appears to set the stage for loss of functional SWS1 opsin genes in mammals, but it cannot be the sole circumstance.
Quality Measures for Symptoms and Advance Care Planning in Cancer: A Systematic Review

Purpose Measuring quality of care for symptom management and ascertaining patient goals offers an important step toward improving palliative cancer management. This study was designed to identify systematically the quality measures and the evidence to support their use in pain, dyspnea, depression, and advance care planning (ACP), and to identify research gaps. Methods English-language documents were selected from MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, PsycINFO (1995 to 2005); Internet-based searches; and contact with measure developers. We used terms for each domain to select studies throughout the cancer care continuum. We included measures that expressed a normative relationship to quality, specified the target population, and specified the indicated care. Dual data review and abstraction was performed by palliative care researchers describing populations, testing, and attributes for each measure. Results A total of 4,599 of 5,182 titles were excluded at abstract review. Of 537 remaining articles, 19 contained measures for ACP, six contained measures for depression, five contained measures for dyspnea, and 20 contained measures for pain. We identified 10 relevant measure sets that included 36 fully specified or fielded measures and 14 additional measures (16 for pain, five for dyspnea, four for depression, and 25 for ACP). Most measures were unpublished, and few had been tested in a cancer population. We were unable to describe the specifications of all measures fully and did not search for measures for pain and depression that were not cancer specific. Conclusion Measures are available for assessing quality and guiding improvement in palliative cancer care. Existing measures are weighted toward ACP, and more nonpain symptom measures are needed. Additional testing is needed before the measures are used for accountability, and basic research is required to address measurement when self-report is impaired.
Input to State Stabilizing Controller for Systems With Coarse Quantization

We consider the problem of achieving input-to-state stability (ISS) with respect to external disturbances for control systems with quantized measurements. Quantizers considered in this paper take finitely many values and have an adjustable “center” and “zoom” parameters. Both the full state feedback and the output feedback cases are considered. Similarly to previous techniques from the literature, our proposed controller switches repeatedly between “zooming out” and “zooming in.” However, here we use two modes to implement the “zooming in” phases, which allows us to attenuate an unknown disturbance while using the minimal number of quantization regions. Our analysis is trajectory-based and utilizes a cascade structure of the closed-loop hybrid system. We further show that our method is robust to modeling errors using a specially adapted small-gain theorem. The main results are developed for linear systems, but we also discuss their extension to nonlinear systems under appropriate assumptions.
Quality of archived NDBC data as climate records

The National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) traces its beginning to the formation of the National Data Buoy Development Program in 1967, which consolidated approximately 50 individual programs conducted by a variety of ocean-oriented agencies. Today, NDBC operates three major buoy networks. First, the traditional weather fleet consists of over 100 moored buoys covering the coastal waters of the United States, including the Great Lakes, Hawaii and Alaska. Second, the Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunamis (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's DARTreg) Program operates 39 stations that detect and instantly report anomalies in ocean pressure associated with potential tsunami-generating seismic activity. Third, the Tropical-Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) array of climate monitoring platforms covers a wide swath of the equatorial Pacific. In this paper, we assess the traditional weather fleet as a resource for climate monitoring, and we do so in two ways. Both involve scrutinizing weather fleet records exceeding 20 years duration. We assess these according to the ten climate monitoring principles recommended by the U.S. National Research Council. We observe that NDBC has implicitly considered most, if not all, of these principles in the design, maintenance, improvement and expansion of the NDBC moored buoy fleet. Focusing on two stations in the Pacific Ocean, 46035 and 46042, we demonstrate NDBC's adherence to sound network management, careful archiving and description of metadata, steady development of comprehensive automated quality control procedures, giving users ease in data access, addressing issues of complementary data, historical significance and continuity of purpose. One area requiring strengthening remains a need for NDBC to build into its systems long-term climate requirements. Next, we propose a new method for reflecting climatic change over the oceans. The wave energy spectrum, which all NDBC weather buoys routinely report hourly, contain a significant amount of information regarding the origin, intensity and duration of ocean storms. Such measurements are produced from simple accelerometers coming from a mature, stable technology. We show that records of spectral energy density at low frequencies - for wave periods exceeding 20 seconds - suggest climate change signals. This is demonstrated with data collected from station 46042 in Monterey Bay, California. Both assessments clearly indicate that the NDBC network of weather monitoring buoys are a valuable national resource for climatologists, meteorologists and oceanographers interested in marine surface fluctuations on decadal and longer durations. We note areas where small improvements in calibration techniques will likely yield large gains in confident assessment of climate change.
Evolution of the Population of Precipitating Convective Systems over the Equatorial Indian Ocean in Active Phases of the Madden–Julian Oscillation

Three-dimensional radar reflectivity fields from a dual-wavelength Doppler polarimetric radar (S-PolKa) deployed in the equatorialIndian Ocean are used to evaluate the composition of the populationof convective cloud elements during active phases of the MJO. Rainfall in active periods was intermittent, occurring in 11 episodesofabout 2‐4days,separated byseveralnonrainydays.Dataforthese 2-dayperiodswerecomposited relative to the time of maximum rainfall. Analysis of the S-PolKa data shows the makeup of the convective population during the rainfall episodes. Four types of echo structures were analyzed statistically for the 11 rainfallepisodes:shallowconvectiveechoes(SCE),deepconvectivecores(DCC),wideconvectiveechocores (WCC), and broad stratiform (BSR) echo regions. SCE and DCC events were most frequent before the maximum rainfall, with the peak frequency of SCE leading that of DCCs. WCCs were most frequent during therainfallmaximum, and BSR regionswere most frequentinthe later part oftherainfallepisode.Composited ECMWF Interim Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim) data and 3-hourly atmospheric soundings indicate that the 2‐4-day episodes were related to the passage of equatorial waves. In the early part of a rainfall episode, the wave-passageconditionswereunstable,favoringdeeppenetratingconvectiveelements,whileinthelaterperiod the wave divergence profile was commensurate with convective systems in late anvil-producing stages. These results support the stretched building-block notion of the life cycle of tropical convection and confirm satellitebased interpretations of SCE, DCC, WCC, and BSR statistics in the composition of the convective population.
Stress Echocardiography. Part II. Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography: Techniques, Implementation, Clinical Applications, and Correlations

Objective To describe the rationale, methods, and clinical applications for dobutamine stress echocardiography. Design We review our experience with the first 1,000 Mayo Clinic patients who underwent this procedure and discuss studies from the literature that have assessed the accuracy of dobutamine stress echocardiography in determining the presence and extent of coronary artery disease. Material and Methods The Mayo protocol for dobutamine stress echocardiography is presented, and the indications for use of this test and comparisons of sensitivity and specificity with other tests are summarized. Results Although exercise stress testing is the usual noninvasive method for the detection and assessment of coronary artery disease, a substantial number of patients are unable to perform adequate exercise because of physical limitations. In these patients, dobutamine stress echocardiography has emerged as a feasible, safe, and accurate method for the evaluation of coronary artery disease. The test has been proved to be valuable in the noninvasive diagnosis of coronary artery disease and to have an accuracy comparable to that of tomographic perfusion imaging. Other indications for dobutamine stress echocardiog raphy include risk stratification before noncardiac surgical procedures, risk stratification after myocardial infarction, and identification of viable myocardium in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. Conclusion Dobutamine stress echocardiography is an accurate, safe, cost-effective, and portable procedure for the noninvasive diagnosis of coronary artery disease and for the preoperative assessment of patients with such disease, especially those who are unable to perform adequate exercise tests.
Computer Aids for Designing Effective Multiple Choice Questions

With minimal training in assessment design, professors must generate high quality examinations that fairly assess student accomplishment of course objectives. Multiple choice questions are frequently used for this assessment, but often do not address learning objectives, are misinterpreted, and if reused, may challenge the integrity of some students. It is proposed that computer aids for generating multiple choice tests might be of considerable use to an instructor. This study presents a first step in building such aids, that of demonstrating via a case study, the inadequacy of current multiple choice test item generation methods. The case study also uncovers the functionality to build into a computer test generation aid for instructors. Bloom’s taxonomy of learning objectives, discriminant analysis and student evaluations of questions is used to analyze the question data used in this study.
Deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease

For the last 50 years, levodopa has been the cornerstone of Parkinson’s disease management. However, a majority of patients develop motor complications a few years after therapy onset. Deep brain stimulation has been approved by the FDA as an adjunctive treatment in Parkinson disease, especially aimed at controlling these complications. However, the exact mechanism of action of deep brain stimulation, the best nucleus to target as well as the best timing for surgery are still debatable. We here provide an in-depth and critical review of the current literature on this topic.
Cuff Tear Arthropathy Humeral Head Replacement: When More Is Better

When confronted with the diagnosis of shoulder arthritis, it is incumbent on the treating physician to discern the complete nature of the pathology. Arthritic processes about the shoulder predictably involve disease both to the bony elements and to the soft tissues about the joint. While there are many options available for the surgical management of shoulder arthritis, the exact type of shoulder replacement depends on both the bone issues and the soft tissue issues as well. For the patient with a massive and irreparable rotator cuff tear, a cuff tear arthropathy (CTA) head may be most appropriate. Indications for humeral head replacement with the CTA head depend on specific anatomic and physiologic factors. For the patient with a massive and irreparable cuff tear who retains an intact coracoacromial arch, this type of prosthetic replacement provides predictable relief of pain while allowing significant improvement in function. Recovery of function requires a structured muscle re-education program.
Using string theory to study the quark-gluon plasma: progress and perils

Abstract I outline some of the progress over the past few years in applying ideas from string theory to study the quark-gluon plasma, including the computation of the drag force on heavy quarks and estimates of total multiplicity from black hole formation. I also indicate some of the main perils of the string theory approach.
Shape segmentation using local slippage analysis

We propose a method for segmentation of 3D scanned shapes into simple geometric parts. Given an input point cloud, our method computes a set of components which possess one or more slippable motions: rigid motions which, when applied to a shape, slide the transformed version against the stationary version without forming any gaps. Slippable shapes include rotationally and translationally symmetrical shapes such as planes, spheres, and cylinders, which are often found as components of scanned mechanical parts. We show how to determine the slippable motions of a given shape by computing eigenvalues of a certain symmetric matrix derived from the points and normals of the shape. Our algorithm then discovers slippable components in the input data by computing local slippage signatures at a set of points of the input and iteratively aggregating regions with matching slippable motions. We demonstrate the performance of our algorithm for reverse engineering surfaces of mechanical parts.
MicroRNA in situ hybridization in the human entorhinal and transentorhinal cortex

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play key roles in gene expression regulation in both healthy and disease brains. To better understand those roles, it is necessary to characterize the miRNAs that are expressed in particular cell types under a range of conditions. In situ hybridization (ISH) can demonstrate cell- and lamina-specific patterns of miRNA expression that would be lost in tissue level expression profiling. In the present study, ISH was performed with special focus on the human entorhinal cortex (EC) and transentorhinal cortex (TEC). The TEC is the area of the cerebral cortex that first develops neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the reason for TEC’s special vulnerability to AD-type pathology is unknown. MiRNA ISH was performed on three human brains with well-characterized clinical and pathological parameters. Locked nucleic acid ISH probes were used referent to miR-107, miR-124, miR-125b, and miR-320. In order to correlate the ISH data with AD pathology, the ISH staining was compared with near-adjacent slides processed using Thioflavine stains. Not all neurons or cortical lamina stain with equal intensity for individual miRNAs. As with other areas of brain, the TEC and EC have characteristic miRNA expression patterns. MiRNA ISH is among the first methods to show special staining characteristics of cells and laminae of the human TEC.
Why Do We Drink? A History and Philosophy of Heredity and Alcoholism

During the 20th century, many researchers studying heredity sought to apply their findings in the arena of mental health and human (mis)behavior. Many of these have examined, from the perspective of heredity and genetics, the desire to drink and its consequences. In this paper, the author examines hereditary explanations of alcoholism in two historical snapshots: the early decades of the 20th century and in the 1990s. Two things come to light. First is the persistence of an“entrepreneurial spirit,”and second is a remarkable failure to take into account the many-leveled heterogeneity in causes of alcoholism. The author describes some sources of this heterogeneity and showshow epistemological problems that arise from it suggest the failure of genetic accounts to consider the social dimensions of disease classification, observation, and diagnosis that form the very basis of the designation “alcoholic.”
Effects of Large-Scale Predator Reduction on Nest Success of Upland Nesting Ducks

Population growth for mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), and presumably other upland nesting ducks, in the Prairie Pothole Region of the United States and Canada is most sensitive to nest success, and nest success is most strongly influenced by predation. We evaluated the efficacy of reducing predator populations to improve nest success of upland nesting ducks on township-sized (93.2 km2) management units in eastern North Dakota, USA, during 2005–2007. We monitored 7,489 nests on 7 trapped and 5 nontrapped sites. Trappers annually removed an average of 245 predators per trapped site, and we found nest success to be 1.4–1.9 times greater on trapped sites than nontrapped sites, depending on year. Nest success was greater on both trapped and nontrapped sites when compared with a study conducted in the same areas in the mid-1990s, likely because of changes in red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and coyote (Canis latrans) population dynamics. Nests initiated midseason had higher daily survival rates (DSR) than those initiated earlier or later in the season. Daily survival rates for nests in the middle of the nesting cycle were higher than for nests that were early in laying or late in incubation. Nests near the periphery of trapped sites had slightly higher DSRs than nests in the center of trapped sites. Predator reduction at the township scale provides managers with an effective tool to improve nest success at large spatial scales.
The Effects of Time-Averaging and Taphonomy on the Identification of Reefal Sub-Environments using Larger Foraminifera: Apo Reef, Mindoro, Philippines

Abstract At Apo Reef, Mindoro, a small, isolated, moderate-energy platform reef in the central Philippines, foraminifera comprise a significant portion (c.40%) of the sediment. This study examines four assemlages of foraminifera: live foraminifera; dead, unabraded foraminifera; abraded and fragmented foraminifera; and the three data sets combined into a total assemblage in order to determine their relative usefulness in identifying reefal sub-environments. The time averaged assemblages, the product of taphonomic processes, prove to be much more effective in delineating reefal physiographic sub-environments than do the live assemblages. The abundance of live foraminifera, except for minute sediment-attached rotaliines, is strongly controlled by the distribution of algal turf and filamentous algal mat. Filamentous algae, with abundant live delicate species, occur in both high- and low-energy reef zones. The time-averaged assemblages are characterized by robust calcarinids in the shallow seaward zones; by fr...