cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of RSM-Simulated Precipitation During CEOP

Precipitation simulated using the Regional Spectral Model (RSM) during the Coordinated Enhanced Observing Period (CEOP; July 1, 2001 to December 31, 2004) is evaluated by transferring the RSM to seven different regions of the globe and comparing the simulations with observations. These regions cover the eight Continental-Scale Experiments (CSEs) of the Global Energy and Water-cycle EXperiment (GEWEX) and encompass a broad variety of physical and dynamical meteorological processes. Gridded observations of the Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP) and the Global Precipitation Climatology Center (GPCC), as well as CEOP reference site precipitation observations are compared with the RSM simulated precipitation for the first half of the CEOP Enhanced Observation Period (EOP) III (October 2002 to March 2003). After estimating the uncertainty ranges of both the model and the observations, model deficiencies were obtained for almost all model domains in terms of the amount of simulated precipitation. Although the RSM is able to accurately simulate the seasonal evolution and spatial distribution of precipitation, the RSM has an almost uniform positive bias (i.e., RSM values are greater than observed values) over almost all the domains. Most of the positive bias is associated with convection in the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) or monsoonal convection in Southeast Asia. Predicted stratiform precipitation is also excessive over areas ofelevated topography. As the control simulations used a Relaxed Arakawa-Schubert scheme (RAS), sensitivity tests with three additional convection schemes were then carried out to assess whether the simulations could be improved. The additional convection schemes were: 1) the Simplified Arakawa-Schubert scheme (SAS); 2) the Kain-Fritsch scheme (KF); and 3) the National Centers for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Climate Model (CCM) scheme. The precipitation simulation was significantly improved for almost all domains when using either the KF scheme or the SAS scheme. The best simulations of ITCZ convective precipitation and Southeast Asian monsoon convective precipitation were achieved using the SAS convection scheme.
Measurements of S2QB− recombination by delayed thermoluminescence reveal heterogeneity in photosystem II energetics

Abstract The measurement of recombination kinetics from the S 2 Q B − state of photosystem II (PS II) in spinach thylakoids using a thermoluminescence technique is described. Such measurements reveal that PS II exists in at least two substates with distinct kinetic and thermodynamic behaviors. Since it is not affected by treatments to alter the formal redox state of the PS II centers it was concluded that the heterogeneity is heopably due to the existence of at least two conformational substates of the PS II proteins. The observed heterogeneity persists on a time scale or minutes at physiological temperatures, and thus is likely to be important for PS II function in vivo .
Confidence and decision type under matched stimulus conditions: overconfidence in perceptual but not conceptual decisions

Within the domain of metacognition, there is disagreement whether different processes underlie evaluations of confidence in perceptual versus conceptual decisions. The relationship between confidence and accuracy for perceptual and conceptual decisions was compared using newly created stimuli that could be used to elicit either decision type. Based on theories of Brunswikian and Thurstonian uncertainties, significant underconfidence for perceptual decisions and overconfidence for conceptual decisions were predicted. Three within-subjects experiments did not support this hypothesis. Participants showed significant overconfidence for perceptual decisions and no overconfidence for conceptual decisions. In addition, significant hard-easy effects were consistently found for both decision types. Incorporating our findings with past results reveals that both over- and underconfidence are attainable on perceptual tasks. This conclusion, in addition to the common presence of hard-easy effects and significant across-task correlations in over/underconfidence, suggests that confidence judgments for the two decision types may depend on largely shared processes. Possible contributions to confidence and over/underconfidence are explored, focusing on response time factors and participants' knowledge bases. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Indirect shareholding within Japan's business groups☆

Abstract A new measure of indirect shareholding is proposed and estimated for Japan's six major keiretsu groups. For these groups indirect shareholding by each firm in each other firm is about one fourth as great as direct shareholding on average. Where there are gains to firms from holding stock in other firms, there are also gains from indirect stockholding. Alignment of the firms into groups maximizes indirect shareholding.
Effects of gastric juice fractions on uptake of labeled vitamin B12 by rat liver slices.

Summary1. Gastric contents from 2 subjects without pernicious anemia have been chromatographed on an IRC resin column. Five more or less well defined protein peaks appeared in the effluent. Each peak was capable of enhancing uptake of Co60 Vit. B12 by the rat liver slice. 2. Prior to fractionation and after these gastric fractions have been reconstituted, these gastric juices produced inhibition of Co60 Vit. B12 uptake by the rat liver slice at all concentrations tested. 3. The effluent of these chromatographic separations of human gastric content produced 3 Co60 Vit. B12 binding peaks. Destroying proteolytic activity of one of these gastric juices decreased the binding of one of these but did not change the results with the liver slice. 4. The enhanced uptake on the rat liver slice produced by these gastric juice fractions did not seem to be related to proteolytic activity.
Effect of Ethanol on the Efficacy of Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure as a Treatment for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The effect of ethanol ingestion on the efficacy of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nasal CPAP) as a treatment for the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome was studied in ten obese male subjects undergoing this therapy. On the first night of polysomnography, the lowest level of CPAP that maintained airway patency was determined (critical level). On the second (control) night (C), subjects slept the entire night on this level of CPAP. On the third night (E), subjects ingested either 1.5 ml/kg (part A, N=6) or 2.0 ml/kg (part B, N=4) of 50 percent ethanol (100 proof vodka) over one half-hour starting 1 h before bedtime. A serum ethanol level was obtained at bedtime (part A: 63.7 ± 17.3 mg/dl; part B: 108.6 ± 20.6 mg/dl), and subjects were monitored on the critical level of CPAP. Comparison of nights C and E for parts A + B showed no difference in total sleep time (TST) or the amount of different sleep stages as an absolute time or a percentage of TST except that there was more stage 2 (as a percent of TST) on E nights. The apnea + hypopnea index and C and E nights did not differ and was quite low (3.6 ± 3.7/h vs 1.9 ± 2.7/h). Similarly, ethanol ingestion did not increase the number of desaturations to at or below 90 and 85 percent, or lower the mean arterial oxygen saturation in NREM or REM sleep. Analysis of parts A and B separately also showed no differences with respect to the apnea + hypopnea index or the number of desaturations on control and ethanol nights. We conclude that acute moderate ethanol ingestion does not decrease the efficacy of an optimum level of nasal CPAP.
Atomic layer deposition of boron nitride using sequential exposures of BCl3 and NH3

Abstract The atomic layer deposition (ALD) of boron nitride (BN) was demonstrated on ZrO2 particles. The BN ALD was accomplished by splitting the binary chemical vapor deposition reaction, BCl3+NH3→BN+3HCl, into BCl3 and NH3 half-reactions. BCl3 and NH3 were alternately applied in an ABAB… reaction sequence at 500 K. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy observed that the OH stretching vibration of the ZrOH* surface species on the initial ZrO2 particles was removed by the first BCl3 exposure. NH2 asymmetric and symmetric stretching vibrations attributed to BNH2* dihydride species and NH stretching vibrations assigned to B2NH* monohydride species were observed after the subsequent NH3 exposure. The BNH2* and B2NH* species were removed and added after the BCl3 and NH3 exposures, respectively. The surface species were monitored during the first 26 AB cycles. FTIR spectroscopy was also used to monitor the bulk BN vibrational feature that grew progressively throughout the 26 AB cycles. After the 26 AB cycles at 500 K, transmission electron microscopy studies revealed uniform and conformal BN films with a thickness of ∼25 A on the ZrO2 particles.
Dissociations across the dorsal–ventral axis of CA3 and CA1 for encoding and retrieval of contextual and auditory-cued fear

The present study was designed to dissociate the roles of dorsal CA3, dorsal CA1, ventral CA3, and ventral CA1 in contextual and auditory-cued classical fear conditioning. Rats received excitotoxic lesions of dorsal CA3, dorsal CA1, ventral CA3, or ventral CA3 prior to acquisition of classical fear conditioning. Dorsal CA3 and dorsal CA1, but not ventral CA3 or ventral CA1, lesions caused a deficit for the acquisition of contextual fear. Dorsal CA1, ventral CA3, and ventral CA1, but not dorsal CA3, lesions caused deficits for the retrieval/expression of contextual fear when tested either 24 or 48h after encoding. Ventral CA3, but not dorsal CA3, dorsal CA1, or ventral CA1, lesions caused a deficit for retrieval of auditory-cued fear when tested either 24 or 48h after encoding. The data suggest that dorsal CA3 mediates encoding of contextual fear, whereas ventral CA3 mediates retrieval of contextual fear. The data also suggest that dorsal CA1 mediates encoding and retrieval of contextual fear, whereas ventral CA1 mediates only the retrieval of contextual fear.
Constitutive expression and regulation of collagenase-3 in human breast cancer cells.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of secreted or transmembrane proteins that have been implicated in multiple physiological and pathological processes related to extracellular matrix turnover. Recent evidence strongly suggests a role for collagenase-3 (MMP-13) in tumor metastasis and invasion. We report here that collagenase-3 is constitutively expressed in the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB231 (MDA) and outline the molecular mechanism regulating its expression. Functional analysis of the collagenase-3 promoter showed that both the activator protein-1 (AP-1) site and the runt domain (RD) binding site were required for maximal constitutive expression of collagenase-3 in MDA cells. Determination of factors binding to those sites by Northern analysis and transient transfections identified the requirement of Fra-1, c-Jun, and Cbfa1 for basal collagenase-3 promoter activity in MDA cells.
Core-shell nanohydrogel structures as tunable delivery systems

Abstract Poly(acrylonitrile- co - N -isopropylacrylamide) (p(AN- co -NIPAM)) core–shell hydrogel nanoparticles were synthesized by microemulsion polymerization and their feasibility as a drug carrier was investigated. Highly monodispersed nanoparticles with desired size range – i.e., 50–150 nm – were prepared by adjusting the reaction conditions. The hydrophobic core of the composite which consists primarily of poly(acrylonitrile), can be easily made highly hydrophilic by converting the nitrile groups to the corresponding amidoxime groups. This provides a level of tunability in the hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity balance of the composite nanoparticle. The thermo-responsive feature of the shell was utilized for the release of a model drug, propranolol (PPL). It is shown that the loading/release capacity of nanoparticles was increased almost two-fold by the amidoximation of the core material.
Use of a tunable, Q-switched, pulsed-discharge CO2 laser to study individual rotational components

Abstract We describe a CO 2 laser which gives Q -switched operation on a chosen vibrational/rotational line, and with optical gain/loss to encourage weak lines. A diffraction grating is spun like a flywheel; the discharge is pulsed synchronously. We study time dependence effects for various lines, gas mixtures, etc.
Analysis of tin diffusion in the preparation of Nb3Sn superconducting wire and sheet

Abstract Both the external and internal methods of producing Nb 3 Sn/Cu superconducting wire have been modeled by experiments in which tin was diffused into copper from externally plated layers on copper sheet and wire and from internal cores in copper wire. The experiments were done at 200 °C where tin melting is avoided, and the times required to eliminate the tin layer were evaluated both experimentally and from numerical solutions of the diffusion equation. The sheet study allowed a re-evaluation of the tin diffusion coefficient and verification of the validity of the numerical technique. Reasonable agreement was obtained between the experimental and theoretically predicted times required to eliminate the tin layers in both external and internal wire geometries.
Salinity—stress and Desiccation in Intertidal Worms

SYNOPSIS. Intertidal worms (oligochaetes, polychaetes, sipunculids) inhabiting beaches and tidal fiats both on the open sea coast and in estuaries may be exposed to significant tidal as well as seasonal variations in salinity. However, there are very few measurements of the actual variations in salinity encountered by worms in nature. Behavior (irrigation of burrow, vertical movements in burrows, migration in gradients of salinity)may be important in determining to which of the available salinities in a tidal cycle the worms may be exposed. In response to rapid lowering of salinity, worms gain water and lose salts, these processes combining in diluting the internal fluids. Internal ilution occurs more slowly in euryhaline species than in stenohaline species. Worms fully adapted to salinities lower than 30 % sea water may be hyperosmotic (demonstrated for six species of Nereidae ). Mechanisms involved in hyperosmotic regulation include active transport of salts(demonstrated in Nereis diversicolor), reduction ofthe permeability of the body surface to salts and perhaps to water, and perhaps production of hypo—osmotic urine. Sipunculids can tolerate considerable loss of water rom dehydration and concomitant increases in osmotic concentration of the body fluids. It is suggested that worms exposed to significant tidal variations in salinity may seldom be in osmotic equilibrium with their external medium.
Structural and functional characterization of liver cell-specific activity of the human sodium/taurocholate cotransporter

Abstract Bile salts are rapidly removed from the circulation by the liver-specific sodium/taurocholate cotransporter ( SLC10A1 ). To understand factors controlling its liver-specific expression, we isolated human SLC10A1 from a YAC chromosomal clone. SLC10A1 spans ∼23 kb distributed over five exons. The major transcription start site is at 299 bp, and a minor start site is at 395 bp from the translational start site. A 1.2-kb portion of the 5′ flanking region was sequenced and shown to contain a number of liver-enriched elements, but no TATA box. Using secreted alkaline phosphatase reporter constructs liver-specific expression was examined. Transient transfection demonstrated that SLC10A1 promoter expression was selectively expressed eightfold in FAO and rat hepatocytes, while deletion mutants demonstrated liver-specific expression in a region extending from −5 to +198 bp, which contained putative sites for C/EBP and HNF3. Mutations of the C/EBP site resulted in loss of 77% of transcriptional activity. Cotransfection of C/EBP, but not other putative liver-enriched binding factors, increased SLC10A1 promoter activity. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated specific protein–DNA interactions that involved C/EBPα and β. These studies demonstrate that the TATA-less human SLC10A1 promoter exhibits liver-specific activity and its regulatory elements contain binding sites for C/EBP, which contributes specifically to its transcriptional regulation.
Dissociative electron attachment to the H2O molecule II: nucleardynamics on coupled electronic surfaces within the local complexpotential model

We report the results of a first-principles study of dissociative electron attachment to ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$. The cross sections were obtained from nuclear dynamics calculations carried out in full dimensionality within the local complex potential model by using the multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree method. The calculations employ our previously obtained global, complex-valued, potential-energy surfaces for the three ($^{2}B_{1}$, $^{2}A_{1}$, and $^{2}B_{2}$) electronic Feshbach resonances involved in this process. These three metastable states of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ undergo several degeneracies, and we incorporate both the Renner-Teller coupling between the $^{2}B_{1}$ and $^{2}A_{1}$ states as well as the conical intersection between the $^{2}A_{1}$ and $^{2}B_{2}$ states into our treatment. The nuclear dynamics are inherently multidimensional and involve branching between different final product arrangements as well as extensive excitation of the diatomic fragment. Our results successfully mirror the qualitative features of the major fragment channels observed, but are less successful in reproducing the available results for some of the minor channels. We comment on the applicability of the local complex potential model to such a complicated resonant system.
Flavonol content and composition of spring onions grown hydroponically or in potting soil

Abstract Two experiments were conducted as part of an effort to evaluate the suitability of onions as a candidate crop for testing in a closed, controlled environment, hydroponic-based plant facility designed for long-term manned space missions (NASA Engineering Development Unit). Composition and total flavonol content of the plants were determined as they matured in a hydroponic-versus a soil-based system. ‘Purplette’ onions (Allium cepa L.) were grown hydroponically in a greenhouse for as long as 77 days. Composition of the plant tissue was determined at weekly or biweekly intervals. Ca, Mg, K, and N (wet matter basis) all decreased as plants matured. Dry matter (DM) and S contents were constant regardless of age averaging 10.6% and 187 mg/100 g, respectively. Total flavonol (TF) content increased as plants matured (226–538 mg/100 g at 14 and 77 days, respectively). Onions grown in hydroponic units or in potting medium had similar composition for all constituents examined (10.38%, 0.550%, 4.15%, and 0.97% DM, N, C, and ash, respectively; and 126.0, 55.5, 270, 185 and 453 mg/100 g Ca, Mg, K, S and TF, respectively). Based on phenotypic characteristics and composition determined in this study, onions were well suited to hydroponic propagation.
Observations on the appearance of neuromuscular relationships in cultured mouse tissues

Somite preparations obtained from 10 to 16 day-old mouse embryos contained spinal cord, dorsal root ganglia and paravertebral myoblasts. These were explanted into Maximow slide assemblies and maintained for months in culture. Neurons with myelinating axons and contracting striated muscle fibers developed. In the living state, axons were observed to penetrate into areas containing mucle fibers where they appeared to terminate. Silver impregnations, histochemical demonstrations of cholinesterase activity and electron microscopic examinations of thin sections verified the development and differentiation of neuro-muscular synapses in the cultured tissue.
Evaluation of intrinsic chemical kinetics and transient product spectra from time-resolved spectroscopic data.

Abstract This communication is devoted to the evaluation of true spectra and intrinsic (microscopic) rate constants from apparent kinetics measured in time-resolved spectroscopic experiments monitoring complex relaxation dynamics of multi-intermediate systems. Retinal proteins, cytochrom c oxidase, phytochrome, hemoglobin, and photoactive yellow protein are examples of natural systems in which several transient states (intermediates) overlap so strongly, both in time and spectral domains, that their isolation and full characterization by classical biochemical methods is impossible, and mathematical evaluation of their true spectra and microscopic kinetic constants is required. Most of the popular methods for analysis of kinetic data, global fitting (GF), singular value decomposition (SVD), principal component analysis (PCA) and factor analysis (FA), are applicable to two-dimensional (2D, in time and spectral domains) arrays of data. All these methods produce only a phenomenological description of data, that approximates the measured data only with apparent kinetics. A fundamental limitation, namely, insufficient information in 2D data, does not allow any of these methods to reach the final goal: to recalculate from apparent to intrinsic values in any but the most trivial cases. A strategy was proposed (J.F. Nagle, Biophys. J.. 59 (1991) 476–487) to include an additional (third) information-rich dimension, temperature, into the simultaneous computer analysis. A simultaneous direct fitting of 3D data arrays to systems of differential rate equations allows recalculation of apparent kinetics into true spectra and intrinsic rate constants. In spite of its evident theoretical advantages, this strategy has not been successful on real data. Here we describe another custom-built program, SCHEMEFIT, developed for the same purpose: to fit measured kinetics directly to the system of coupled differential rate equations describing the photochrome's relaxation dynamics. Though sharing the main strategy with the previous approach, SCHEMEFIT is based on a different set of numeric algorithms, and its application requires different tactics. Its performance is illustrated on synthetic data, and compared with GF and SVD. An example of applying SCHEMEFIT to the photocycle of halorhodopsin is also reported.
Reactor-released radionuclides in Susquehanna River sediments

Three Mile Island (TMI) and Peach Bottom (PB) reactors have introduced 137Cs, 134Cs, 60Co, 58Co and several other anthropogenic radionuclides into the lower Susquehanna River. Here we present the release history for these nuclides (Table 1) and radionuclide concentration data (Table 2) for sediment samples collected in the river and upper portions of the Chesapeake Bay (Fig. 1) within a few months after the 28 March 1979 loss-of-coolant-water problem at TMI. Although we found no evidence for nuclides characteristic of a ruptured fuel element, we did find nuclides characteristic of routine operations. Despite the TMI incident, more than 95% of the total 134Cs input to the Susquehanna has been a result of controlled low-level releases from the PB site. 134Cs activity released into the river is effectively trapped by sediments with the major zones of reactor-nuclide accumulation behind Conowingo Dam and in the upper portions of Chesapeake Bay. The reported distributions document the fate of reactor-released radionuclides and their extent of environmental contamination in the Susquehanna–Upper Chesapeake Bay System.
Repeated and continuous exposures of laboratory animals to trichlorofluoromethane.

Abstract Rats, guinea pigs, monkeys, and dogs were exposed to the vapors of trichlorofluoromethane (TCFM) continuously for 90 days at a concentration of approximately 1000 ppm and repeatedly 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, for a total of 30 exposures in a 6-week period to a concentration of approximately 10,250 ppm. One monkey died on day 78 of the continuous exposure, but a necropsy failed to attribute this definitely to the inhalation of TCFM. No visible signs of toxicity were noted in any of the other animals, and there were no significant differences between experimental and control animals in weight gain during the exposures. Pre- and postexposure total leukocyte counts, hemoglobin concentrations, and microhematocrits did not reveal any abnormalities that could be attributed to the TCFM exposures. Dogs from both experiments showed increased serum urea nitrogen concentration following exposure; similar elevations were not seen in any of the other species. There were no significant differences between experimental and control sulfobromophthalein (BSP) retention in dogs; serum creatinine concentration, liver tyrosine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.5) activity, liver alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1) activity, and 24-hour urinary fluoride excretion in rats and guinea pigs; or serum alanine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.2) activity in all species. Nonspecific inflammatory changes were noted in the lungs of most of the animals examined histopathologically, but it was not possible to relate them or mild vacuolar changes in guinea pig livers to the inhalation of TCFM.
A segmentation system based on thresholding

The segmentation algorithm proposed in this paper is a complex form of thresholdingwhich utilizes multiple thresholds. The algorithm consists of two major components: a threshold selection component and a relaxation component. The threshold selection component is the primary focus of this paper. It automatically selects a threshold so as to maximize the global average contrast of edges detected by the threshold across the image. This algorithm for threshold selection compares favorably with other methods for automatic threshold selection. The threshold selection algorithm can be applied recursively to select additional thresholds by ignoring any edges which have already been detected by previously selected thresholds. The relaxation component utilizes the immediate spatial context of each pixel to update both the label at the pixel and the feature measurement at the pixel. The update function proposes a new feature value at the pixel defined by a weighted average of the central pixel and all of its neighbors. When the local evidence for shifting the feature value is consistent then the value adopted will be close to the proposed value; however, when the local evidence is inconsistent the value adopted will be close to the original value. The relaxation is independently performed for each threshold selected. The resulting binary images are intersected to produce the final segmentation. This algorithm not only works well for simple images but also produces reasonable segmentations for complex images.
Mucosal dendritic cells and immunodeficiency viruses

Dendritic cells [DCs] have been implicated in the pathogenesis of human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1). When skin was used as a model for mucosae, the cutaneous DC-T cell milieu allowed the growth of HIV-1 and much of the newly produced virus could be detected in multinucleated DC-T cell syncytia. Such virus replication occurs irrespective of the genetic subtype, the syncytium- and non-syncytium-inducing capacities of the viruses, and whether they are classified as T cell- or macrophage-tropic. Similar DC-syncytia have been identified within the mucosal surfaces of the tonsillar tissue of HIV-1-infected persons. More recently, it was demonstrated that DC-T cell mixtures from the skin, mucosae, and blood of healthy macaques similarly support the replication of simian immunodeficiency virus. In both the human and monkey systems, active virus replication requires the presence of both DCs and T cells. Further studies using the macaque model are underway to elucidate the role of DCs in the transmission and spread of HIV infection.
Catalase Enhances Growth and Biofilm Production of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Mycoplasma pneumoniae causes chronic respiratory disease in humans. Factors thought to be important for colonization include the ability of the mycoplasma to form a biofilm on epithelial surfaces and the production of hydrogen peroxide to damage host tissue. Almost all of the mycoplasmas, including M. pneumoniae, lack superoxide dismutase and catalase and a balance should exist between peroxide production and growth. We show here that the addition of catalase to cultures enhanced the formation of biofilms and altered the structure. The incorporation of catalase in agar increased the number of colony-forming units detected and hence could improve the clinical diagnosis of mycoplasmal diseases.
Synthesis of citrovorum factor from folic acid by liver slices; augmentation by ascorbic acid.

SummaryRat liver slices, normal or folic acid-deficient, are shown to form in the presence of pteroylglutamic acid a factor required for the growth of Leuconostoc citrovorum 8081. Ascorbic acid augments significantly the yield of the factor. The relationship of ascorbic acid to the metabolic activity of folic acid is discussed.
Selecting Critical Business Processes: A Case Study

(2001). Selecting Critical Business Processes: A Case Study. Engineering Management Journal: Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 41-46.
Trial effect: the road from efficacy to effectiveness

Trial effect: a sum of many effects A trial effect is considered a benefit that trial participants experience merely by the act of trial participation. The experimental treatment effect, protocol effect, care effect, Hawthorne effect and the placebo effect, are all potential components of an overall trial effect and the terms ‘participation benefit’ or ‘participation effect’ have been used to cover four out of the five effects (excludes treatment effect). Similarly, older studies referred to a trial effect as an ‘inclusion benefit’ [1,2]. The experimental treatment effect is thought to occur when treatment offered in a study is better than the current standard of care and would be expected to accrue only to subjects randomized to the experimental therapy. The protocol effect is a possible benefit arising from closely adhering to the treatment regimens and procedures that are clearly outlined in the clinical trial’s manual. The care effect arises from differences in care between trial and non-trial participants that may not be specifically codified in the protocol. The Hawthorne effect is due to changes in patient or clinician behavior as a result of being under close observation in a trial. The placebo effect arises from psychologically mediated benefits associated with the administration of a sham or simulated intervention. The components of a participation effect are hypothesized to accrue to trial participants regardless of study arm and result in improved outcomes when comparing trial with non-trial participants.
Palaeobotany: forests frozen in time.

Just over 300 million years ago, a forest was dropped below sea level by an earthquake and swiftly buried. Such rapid events provide snapshots of lost ecosystems, sometimes on a huge spatial scale.
Femtosecond and coherent effects in bulk CdSe and CdSexS 1-x doped glasses

Bulk CdSe and microcrystallites of CdSe x S 1−x embedded in a glass matrix are studied using femtosecond laser techniques. The ultrafast dynamics of the photogenerated carriers are measured. Spectral hole burning due to creation of a non-thermal carrier populations is observed in both types of materials. The carrier recombination lifetime is measured. Coherent interaction between the probe pulse and the polarization induced in the material as a result of band-to-band excitation by pump pulse is observed. This coherent effect manifests itself as oscillations in the frequency spectrum for very early times when the probe precedes the pump. A semiclassical theory is developed to analyse the observed behaviour. It calculates the transmission spectrum of a weak probe pulse which interacts with the pump-induced polarization of the medium. Qualitative agreement between theory and experiment is obtained Etude de la dynamique ultrarapide des porteurs photogeneres dans CdSe solide et pour des microcristaux de CdSe x S 1−x en matrice vitreuse. Observation de la saturation locale spectrale due a la creation d'une population de porteurs non thermalises dans les deux cas. Determination de la duree de vie de recombinaison. Observation de l'interaction coherente entre impulsion sonde et polarisation induite dans le milieu, due a l'excitation bande a bande par l'impulsion pompe et visible sous forme d'oscillations dans le spectre de frequence au debut quand la sonde precede la pompe. Interpretation par une theorie semi-classique
Influence of temperature on fresh performance of self-consolidating concrete

Abstract The results of a study dealing with the influence of temperature on the fresh performance of self-consolidating concretes (SCC) made with slump flow of 508, 635 and 711 mm are presented. Seven different temperatures, namely: 43, 36, 28, 21, 14, 7, and −0.5 °C, to simulate hot and cold temperatures were used to evaluate the unconfined workability, the rate of flow ability or viscosity per inference, and the dynamic stability of the trial matrices. The fresh performance of SCC was significantly affected by hot temperatures (i.e. 43, 36, and 28 °C) and marginally influenced by cold temperatures (14, 7, and −0.5 °C). The remediation method by way of admixture overdosing was successful to reverse the change in fresh properties of the self-consolidating concretes in elevated temperatures. The selected matrices did not require any remediation in cold temperatures.
Computation of wave drag for transonic flow

The paper develops a method for calculating wave drag for two-dimensional transonic flow, with particular application to the prediction of the drag rise Mach number of a supercritical wing section. The method is based on a transonic similarity model which is defined by a normalized small perturbation equation and represents shock waves by the addition of an artificial viscosity term in the region of supersonic flow to the partial differential equation. The drag formula obtained allows the computer simulation of transonic wind tunnel data taking account of boundary layer and wall effects.
19F NMR studies of changes in membrane potential and intracellular volume during dexamethasone-induced apoptosis in human leukemic cell lines

The induction of apoptosis in leukemic cells by dexamethasone is well known, but the mechanism of this type of cell death and of dexamethasone resistance by some variants is still poorly understood. Apoptotic cell death is preceded by many changes in cellular properties, such as glucose metabolism, cell size, cell density, and others. In this study, 19F-NMR has been used to characterize changes in cell membrane potential and intracellular accessible volume during dexamethasone induced apoptosis. One dex-sensitive (CEM-C7) and three dex-resistant variants (CEM-C1, CEM-ICR27, and CEM-4R4) were examined. We have observed separate intracellular and extracellular resonances for trifluoroacetate and trifluoroacetamide added to suspended leukemic cells. From the equilibrium distribution of these fluoro-compounds between intra and extracellular spaces, the changes in membrane potential and intracellular accessible volume were calculated. The membrane potential for CEM-C7 cells was found to significantly decrease in the presence of dexamethasone (9-mV decrease within 18 h of dexamethasone treatment), while that of CEM-ICR27 was found in some samples to increase on dexamethasone incubation. The membrane potential for CEM-C1 decreased slightly, while that of CEM-4R4 was not appreciably affected by dexamethasone. The reduction of membrane potential seems to be an early step in the mechanism of dexamethasone induced apoptosis. Although the intracellular volume varied with cell type and dexamethasone incubation (for CEM-C7), the fractional intracellular volume (α = Vin/Vcell was found to be the same (0.82 ± 0.06) for all the cell lines in the presence and absence of dexamethasone. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Enhancing health promotion during rehabilitation through information-giving, partnership-building, and teach-back.

Purpose and Conceptual Framework This clinical article explores how Street, Gordon, and Millay's framework of evidence-based communication strategies of information-giving and partnership-building can be used by rehabilitation nurses and other rehabilitation team members in their practice to help patients with health promotion. Method (Intervention Strategies) This clinical article gives practical suggestions for using the information-giving strategies of control, description, instructions, options, outlook, rationale, recommendations, and risks; and the partnership-building strategies of agreement, decision-making, questions, and requests to assist patients. Conclusion and Clinical Relevance Combined with the teach-back method, these strategies have been shown to increase the likelihood that patients will lose weight, adopt a regular exercise program, and bring chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes under control, which is also likely to increase patients' functional ability and independence. These strategies can be used by rehabilitation nurses and all members of the rehabilitation team in acute, sub-acute, out-patient, and in-home rehabilitation programs.
Abstract ES09-3: Symptom management and quality of life in metastatic breast cancer

Approximately 40,000 women in the US die each year of metastatic breast cancer. Because the disease is incurable at this stage, effective symptom management and preservation of quality of life are paramount for these patients. For those with brain metastases, consideration of cognition, quality of life, and overall survival are extremely important because some subsets of patients with breast cancer metastases to the brain may now enjoy prolonged survival of almost 2 years. For solitary brain metastasis, surgical resection followed by whole brain radiotherapy is known to prolong survival, though the addition of whole brain radiotherapy is associated with significant cognitive impairment and decreased quality of life without clear improvement in overall survival. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) shows promise as a therapeutic option for patients with asymptomatic, smaller brain lesions. SRS, as compared to open surgery, results in improved quality of life. Bone metastasis is another common management dilemma for breast cancer patients. Commonly used bone agents, such as bisphosphonates and RANK ligand inhibitors, are known to decrease bone pain and increase quality of life, as well as reduce skeletal-related events. However, safe and optimal duration of bisphosphonates or RANK ligand inhibitors remains unclear in the metastatic breast cancer population. Finally, we will discuss quality measures for delivering end of life care, trends in the country, and methods for improving end of life care with goals of earlier hospice referrals and less treatments at end of life which lead to hospitalizations or ICU stays. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr ES09-3.
Software synthesis using generic architectures

We describe a framework for synthesizing software systems based on abstracting software system designs, problem descriptions, and the design process. The result of such an abstraction process is a generic architecture and the customization knowledge for customizing the architecture for instances of a problem class. The customization knowledge is used to assist a designer in customizing the architecture as opposed to completely automating the design of systems. We illustrate our approach using an implemented example of a generic tracking architecture which we have customized in two different domains. We describe how the designs produced using KASE compare to the original designs of the two systems, discuss how our work relates to other approaches to software design, and describe current work and plans for extending KASE to other application areas.
The Los Alamos nuclear microprobe with a superconducting solenoid final lens

Abstract A nuclear microprobe beam line has been constructed for the Los Alamos National Laboratory vertical Van de Graaff accelerator. The final lens has a three-stage NbTi winding with a maximum field on axis of 8 T. It is able to focus proton beams up to 6.5 MeV with a focal length of 10 cm. The beam line is designed with single stage demagnification of 10. The calculated spherical and chromatic aberrations of the final lens are Cs = 14 cm and Cc = 9.3 cm as viewed from the image. The observed beam current density and spot sizes are consistent with these aberration coefficients. Chromatic effects dominate the loss of resolution in the final spot. A method of minimizing the chromatic effects by differential focusing is proposed.
Pitch Accent versus Lexical Stress: Quantifying Acoustic Measures Related to the Voice Source

In this paper, we explore acoustic correlates of pitch accent and main lexical stress in American English, and the interaction of these cues with other factors that affect prosody. In a controlled study, we varied presence or absence and type of pitch accent (L ∗ vs H ∗ ), boundary-related tone sequence (L-L% vs. HH%) and gender of the talker, for the sentence “Dagada gave Bobby doodads”. The measures were duration, F0 (fundamental frequency), H ∗ 1 −H ∗ 2 (related to open quotient), and H ∗ 1 −A ∗ (related to spectral tilt). Contour approximations were used to analyze time-course movements of these measures. For “Dagada” we found that, consistent with earlier literature, a) H ∗ and L ∗ pitch accents showed different F0 contours, b) pitchaccented syllables were longer than unaccented ones, c) stressed “ga” syllables had lower H ∗ 1 − H ∗ 2 values than surrounding unstressed syllables, and for male talkers, lower H ∗ 1 − A ∗ values, indicating lesser spectral tilt. Unexpectedly, F0 maxima associated with an H ∗ accent occurred most of the time later in the accented syllable than F0 minima associated with L ∗ . The cues to lexical stress were consistent with or without pitch accent (e.g. lower H ∗ − H ∗ 2 ), but they sometimes interacted with gender and/or boundary tones: for example, lower H ∗ − A ∗ in stressed “ga” syllables was only found for female talkers in unaccented cases, and some cues of both accent and stress were less pronounced in the final word “doodads”, which also carried boundary-related tones. Index Terms: voice source, prosody, voice quality
Naïve Bayes for microRNA target predictions—machine learning for microRNA targets

Motivation: Most computational methodologies for miRNA:mRNA target gene prediction use the seed segment of the miRNA and require cross-species sequence conservation in this region of the mRNA target. Methods that do not rely on conservation generate numbers of predictions, which are too large to validate. We describe a target prediction method (NBmiRTar) that does not require sequence conservation, using instead, machine learning by a naive Bayes classifier. It generates a model from sequence and miRNA:mRNA duplex information from validated targets and artificially generated negative examples. Both the ‘seed’ and ‘out-seed’ segments of the miRNA:mRNA duplex are used for target identification. Results: The application of machine-learning techniques to the features we have used is a useful and general approach for microRNA target gene prediction. Our technique produces fewer false positive predictions and fewer target candidates to be tested. It exhibits higher sensitivity and specificity than algorithms that rely on conserved genomic regions to decrease false positive predictions. Availability: The NBmiRTar program is available at http://wotan.wistar.upenn.edu/NBmiRTar/ Contact: yousef@wistar.org Supplementary information: http://wotan.wistar.upenn.edu/NBmiRTar/
Transesophageal Ultrasound Imaging During Stent Implantation to Relieve Superior Vena Cava–to–Intra-atrial Baffle Obstruction After Mustard Repair of Transposition of the Great Arteries

A 13-year-old girl who had complete transposition of the great arteries after Mustard repair at 2 months of age developed superior baffle obstruction. During cardiac catheterization and as a guide for balloon dilation, the obstruction was imaged by transesophageal ultrasound and angiography (Fig 1⇓). Before dilation, the mean pressure gradient was 8 mm Hg, and a small …
Psychological distress in Rome III functional dyspepsia patients presenting for testing of gastric emptying

Background There have been conflicting results from studies that have evaluated psychological disturbances in functional dyspepsia (FD). We conducted a comprehensive survey of psychological measures in patients undergoing gastric emptying testing (GET) in order to determine the relationship among psychological distress, gastric emptying, and dyspeptic symptoms. Methods Consecutive patients referred for GET were prospectively enrolled. Details regarding patient characteristics, health care utilization, dyspeptic symptoms, quality of life, and psychological dysfunction were obtained. Depression, anxiety, somatization, stress, positive and negative affect, and alexithymia were queried using validated questionnaires. We compared those dyspeptic patients who met Rome III criteria for FD to those who did not meet these criteria. Key Results Two hundred and nine patients (160 female; mean age 46.6 years ± 17.3 years) participated. Around 151 patients (72%) met Rome III criteria for FD. In the entire group, a high level of depression, anxiety, somatization, and perceived stress was present compared to population norms. Health care seeking behavior and symptom severity were greater in those with FD and quality of life was lower compared to non-FD. Gastric emptying did not differentiate the two groups and similar degrees of psychological distress were present whether emptying was delayed or normal. Conclusions & Inferences In patients referred for GET, substantial psychological distress is present. The degree of distress was similar regardless of whether the patient met Rome III FD criteria or not. Further evaluation of psychological dysfunction in FD patients may lead to improved diagnosis and determination of the most appropriate treatment.
Dos and don'ts of testing the geographic mosaic theory of coevolution

The geographic mosaic theory of coevolution is stimulating much new research on interspecific interactions. We provide a guide to the fundamental components of the theory, its processes and main predictions. Our primary objectives are to clarify misconceptions regarding the geographic mosaic theory of coevolution and to describe how empiricists can test the theory rigorously. In particular, we explain why confirming the three main predicted empirical patterns (spatial variation in traits mediating interactions among species, trait mismatching among interacting species and few species-level coevolved traits) does not provide unequivocal support for the theory. We suggest that strong empirical tests of the geographic mosaic theory of coevolution should focus on its underlying processes: coevolutionary hot and cold spots, selection mosaics and trait remixing. We describe these processes and discuss potential ways each can be tested.
A fuzzy approach to find Hirschberg points and to determine fixation in digital images of infants

Screening infants for eye problems is loaded with uncertainty. Babies are unable to describe symptoms and in general may not be cooperative. In an ongoing research project, we are developing methods to screen infants for amblyopia, a common, but treatable, eye problem. The approach consists of processing a sequence of digital frames of the baby, searching for the few images where the infant "fixes" on a light positioned by the camera. Measurements made on the detected pupils are used to produce fuzzy confidence values that are fused together to create an overall confidence of fixation (the key factor in determining amblyopia). One of the most important and difficult factors in this calculation is the determination of the Hirschberg points - points of reflection of the light source off the front of the eye- if they exist at all. The criteria for detection are best thought of as fuzzy rules and methods to score potential Hirschberg points are developed. Results are shown on a variety of imagery collected in a clinical setting.