cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effect of a High-Flow Nasal Cannula Titration Protocol on Patient Length of Stay in the Pediatric Population

Background: There is a current need for a protocol for high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy in the pediatric population. HFNC is fairly new to the pediatric population, and tolerated well. Although there has been an increase in its use, a protocol and a uniform process with practice has yet to be made readily available. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of a HFNC protocol on patient length of stay and readmissions in children. Methods: Development of a HFNC protocol for children with bronchiolitis began with a multidisciplinary team of respiratory therapists, hospitalists, nurses, and quality control personnel. The protocol was designed to set the initial flow based on patient weight. If the patient was 90%. After the patient was assessed with a scoring tool, the RN or RT would increase the flow by 2 L/min and reassess after each titration. The HFNC protocol was solely implemented in the pediatric ward at Dell Children’s Hospital. After obtaining IRB approval, the data collected included the length of stay for each patient with the HFNC protocol ordered. Inclusion criteria were infants age 0-12 months of age with moderate to severe respiratory distress diagnosed with bronchiolitis who failed to respond to low flow oxygen. Exclusion criteria included neonates in NICU, those with nasal obstruction, ingestion, life threatening hypoxia, hemodynamic instability, facial trauma, pneumothorax, or foreign body aspiration. The independent t-test and Pearson correlations tests were used to compare the HFNC protocol to the old standard of care and the P-value Results: The Table shows the means and standard deviations of patient age and length of stay. No significant difference was found between the old standard of care and the new HFNC protocol on age (P=0.98). Using the new HFNC protocol reduced patients’ length of stay from 63.97 h to 53.25 h (P=0.14). While 3 patients (4.5%) who received the old standard of care were readmitted to the hospital, only 1 patient (1.8%) in the new protocol group was readmitted. Age was negatively correlated with patient length of stay (r=-0.313, P=0.001) and was responsible for 9.79% of the variance in length of stay. Conclusions: Although non-statistically significant, the HFNC protocol reduces patient length of stay compared to the old standard of care in pediatrics. The older the child the shorter the length of stay in the ward.
Implicit security: A social cognitive model and assessment of attachment security in romantic relationships

Abstract Theoretical perspectives of the attachment system emphasize the situation-contingent nature of its operations. The present investigation sought to model these dynamic components through the use of situational descriptions of relationship-related events and challenges. After several stages of scenario development, participants in Study 1 (n = 148) were asked how they would respond to a series of situations and the relevant responses were then matched to a prototype of the securely attached relationship partner, resulting in implicit security index (ISI) scores. Participants who obtained higher scores were more satisfied with their relationships and reported lesser disagreement with their partners. Such findings were bolstered by Study 2, which showed that participants (n = 174) with higher ISI scores had romantic partners (n = 174) who were more satisfied and involved with them. Altogether, the findings provide support for a novel way of thinking about, and assessing, individual differences in attachment security.
Rotorcraft-borne 3D forward-looking MIMO SAR autofocusing

This paper considers the autofocusing problem for a rotorcraft-borne forward-looking multiple-input multipleoutput (MIMO) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system. Autofocusing is critically important for forward-looking MIMO SAR imaging, since the radar position errors due to the limited precision of navigation systems can severely degrade the imaging quality. In this paper, we propose a novel autofocusing method to address the radar position errors, resulting from both translational and rotational motion errors, for forward-looking MIMO SAR imaging. The effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed autofocusing algorithm are demonstrated by using several numerical experiments.
Operative mortality in adult cardiac surgery: is the currently utilized definition justified?

Background This study evaluated operative mortalities following adult cardiac surgical operations to determine if this metric remains appropriate for the modern era. Methods This was a retrospective review of Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) indexed adult cardiac operations that included coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), aortic valve replacement (AVR), CABG + AVR, mitral valve repair (MVr), CABG + MVr, mitral valve replacement (MVR) and CABG + MVR, performed at a single institution between 2011 and 2017. The primary outcome was the timing and relatedness of operation mortality, as defined by the STS as mortality within 30-day or during the index hospitalization, compared to the index operation. The secondary outcomes evaluated cause of death and the rates of postoperative complications. Results A total of 11,190 index cardiac operations were performed during the study period and operative mortality occurred in 246 (2.2%) of patients. The distribution of operative mortalities included 83.7% (n=206) who expired within 30-day while an inpatient, 6.9% (n=17) died within 30-day as an outpatient, 11.2% (n=23) expired after 30-day. The most common causes of operative mortality were cardiac (38.7%, n=92), renal failure (15.6%, n=37), and strokes (13.9%, n=33). Furthermore, 98.4% (n=242) of deaths were attributable to the index operation. Postoperative complications occurred frequently in those with operative mortality, with blood transfusions (80.1%), reoperations (65.0%) and prolonged ventilation (62.2%) being most common. Conclusions Most of the operative mortalities seemed to be attributable to the index cardiac operation. We believe that the current definition of mortality remains appropriate in the modern era.
Development of a Power Electronics-based Testbed for a Flexible Combined Heat and Power System

A flexible combined heat and power (F-CHP) concept, enabled by a power electronics-based power conditioning system (PCS), has been recently proposed as a cost-effective way for supporting the grid with high penetration of renewable energy sources. To verify the design, control, and performance of the overall system, a laboratory-scale testbed is essential. This paper focuses on the development of a power electronics-based testbed for such a F-CHP system. The developed testbed can test the control, grid-connected mode operation, islanded mode operation, and mode transitions, including planned/unplanned islanding and reconnection, of the F-CHP system. In the grid-connected mode, both the steady state and transients of the ac grid can be emulated, and various grid support functions can be tested with the help of the developed PCS converter. In the islanded mode, the external ac loads can also be supported by the F-CHP system. Also, the central controller, which is implemented in a NI CompactRIO, can be tested. Experimental test results for the grid-connected mode, islanded mode, and mode transitions are provided to validate the testbed design.
We Believe in Nothing

WE BELIEVE IN NOTHING By Sarah Bednarek, MFA A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2005 Major Director: Kendall Buster Professor, Department of Sculpture A discussion of the important aspects informing my work, including, ideology, and feminism among other issues.
Where are the lone-pair electrons in subvalent fourth-group compounds?

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a discussion on the lone-pair electrons in subvalent fourth-group compounds. The chapter presents a table listing of compounds in which subvalent group-four atoms occupy perfectly symmetrical sites. Only two discrete molecular forms are represented, the rest being extended lattices. Certain subvalent, fourth-group compounds undergo single or a series of first-order phase transformations at increasing temperatures from their expected distorted phases to give successively more symmetrical structures. If the material does not melt first, this may include a phase in which the subvalent group-four atom occupies a site of perfect cubic symmetry. The materials which contain perfectly symmetrical sites for the subvalent fourth-group atom have regular octahedral (six) or cubic (eight-) or dodecahedra1 (12-coordinated) environments consisting of equidistant halogen or chalcogen nearest neighbors. Evidence for the cubic symmetry can come from the observation of single lines in Mossbauer (Fortin), pure nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR), or electron-spin resonance (ESR) spectra, or from X-ray or neutron diffraction studies. The transformations to the cubic phase are accompanied by isotropic expansion of the lattices and large thermal parameters for the fourth-group atom. The resulting cubic phases are often intensely colored and electrically conducting.
Treatment of bleeding problems associated with progestin-only contraceptives: survey results.

Simple, well-documented, effective and inexpensive management approachesare needed for the short-term control of bleeding in progestin-onlycontraceptive (POC) users. Long-term continuation may improve if acceptableapproaches are found to ameliorate these short-term bleeding problems.Family planning providers and researchers were surveyed on the treatmentregimens they used for POC-associated bleeding disturbances. Results fromthis limited survey indicate that no clear indication exists regarding theduration and severity of bleeding and spotting requiring pharmacologicintervention. Counseling was seen as a critical factor when consideringtreatment for these problems. This report presents the results of thissurvey on the different treatment regimens being used by providersthroughout the world to treat POC-associated bleeding disturbances.
Biological studies of interferon. I. Suppression of cellular infection with eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus.

Abstract A simple, sensitive, and reproducible method for titration of interferon has been developed based on inhibition of plaque formation by Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) virus on monolayers of chick embryo cells. Interferon produced in the chorioallantoic sac of chick embryos actively infected with an influenza A virus did not inactivate extracellular EEE virus, nor did it affect the rate of virus adsorption on chick embryo fibroblasts. Interferon was absorbed by cells and was able to interrupt virus production even late in the course of a well-established infection. Susceptibility to infection could be restored by incubation of resistant cells in medium free of interferon. Interferon also protected intact chick embryos against the lethal effect of EEE virus. The action of interferon was found to be species specific as demonstrated by reciprocal cross tests between duck and chick.
Terahertz applications in the aerospace industry

Abstract: Aerospace applications for terahertz (THz) imaging will be examined in this chapter. The outer skin of the aircraft consists of thin (~ millimeter) sheets of fiber composites that are bonded to honeycombed composites for structural support. During the manufacturing process, quality-assurance inspections could be performed on these thin sheets using a transmissive THz system. A transmissive system can accurately determine the optical path length of the sheet which provides useful information regarding the epoxy homogeneity and regions of delamination. For inspections after the aircraft has been manufactured, reflective THz geometry is required because there are often structural components beneath the layer of interest that obstruct the penetration of the transmitted THz wave. Experiments demonstrating the utility of both of these techniques using both pulsed and continuous (CW) THz systems will be explained in detail. Results from CW THz experiments will also be presented and compared to the pulsed THz experiments. The chapter concludes with an experimental study comparing traditional non-destructive imaging techniques to THz imaging systems.
On s-Hamiltonian Line Graphs

For an integer s ≥ 0, a graph G is s-hamiltonian if for any ver- tex subset S � ⊆ V (G) with |S � |≤ s, G − Sis hamiltonian. It is well known that if a graph G is s-hamiltonian, then G must be (s + 2)-connected. The converse is not true, as there exist arbitrarily highly connected nonhamil- tonian graphs. But for line graphs, we prove that when s ≥ 5, a line graph is s-hamiltonian if and only if it is (s + 2)-connected. C
Effects of tag type on red snapper Lutjanus campechanus tag retention, growth and survival under hatchery conditions

Summary Management of red snapper stocks is one of the most controversial issues in the Gulf of Mexico fisheries. Fish tagging programs can help to address many management issues if an appropriate tag is selected. In the study three types of tags were tested to determine tag retention and effects on red snapper growth and survival. Hatchery-produced juveniles (43.7 ± 5.6 g) were either not tagged or given: internal anchor tags anchored in the abdominal cavity; passive integrated transponders (PIT) tags injected into the body cavity; or metal self-piercing fish tags clamped around the dentary bone. Fish were stocked at 25 m−3 in three replicate circular tanks/tag type, and fed a commercial feed for a 150 days period. Fish survival did not differ by treatment. Average weight gains after 150 days were similar. Tag retention differed by treatment (P = 0.0002), with 100% retention of PIT tags, 98.4 ± 2.8% retention of jaw tags, and 90.4 ± 1.6% retention of internal anchor tags. Loss of internal anchor tags occurred primarily within the first month. Inflammation was frequently observed at the internal anchor tag insertion site. Irritation and cell proliferation was sometimes observed in areas around the jaw tags.
FOLLOW-UP STUDIES OF WORLD WAR II AND KOREAN WAR PRISONERS II. MORBIDITY, DISABILITY AND MALADJUSTMENTS

US Army veterans taken prisoner (POW's) in World War II and in the Korean War are compared with controls as to hospital admissions from 1946 to 1965 (1954-1965 for Korean War POW's), and as to symptoms, disability, and maladjustments in 1966-1967. Sequelae of the POW experience are both somatic and psychiatric, and are of greatest extent and severity among Pacific World War II POW's. Among European World War II POW's only psychiatric sequelae are apparent. Somatic sequelae were most prevalent in the early years after liberation, but for Pacific World War II POW's they persist in the form of higher hospital admission rates for many specific causes in the most recent period. Nevertheless, persistent psychiatric sequelae (especially psychoneurosis but also schizophrenia) are the more notable and pervasive for both Pacific World War II POW's and Korean War POW's as seen not only in elevated hospital admission rates but also in VA disability awards and in symptoms reported on the cornell Medical Index Health Questionnaire. The excess morbidity appears to correlate well with retrospective accounts of weight-loss and nutritional deficiency diseases and symptoms during the POW period.
Improved performance of certain II–VI phosphors

Abstract Sunstone-IR and Sunstone-FL, proprietary II–VI phosphors, demonstrate superior fluorescent, phosphorescent and IR up-conversion properties. These characteristics are important for IR sensors, optical data storage, digital radiography and other applications.
3D Micro‐ and Nanostructures via Interference Lithography

Interference lithography (IL) holds the promise of fabricating large-area, defect-free 3D structures on the submicrometer scale both rapidly and cheaply. A stationary spatial variation of intensity is created by the interference of two or more beams of light. The pattern that emerges out of the intensity distribution is transferred to a light sensitive medium, such as a photoresist, and after development yields a 3D bicontinuous photoresist/air structure. Importantly, by a proper choice of beam parameters one can control the geometrical elements and volume fraction of the structures. This article provides an overview of the fabrication of 3D structures via IL (e.g., the formation of interference patterns, their dependence on beam parameters and several requirements for the photoresist) and highlights some of our recent efforts in the applications of these 3D structures in photonic crystals, phononic crystals and as microframes, and for the synthesis of highly non spherical polymer particles. Our discussion concludes with perspectives on the future directions in which this technique could be pursued.
Laboratory method to study mutational effects on human erythrocyte spectrin tetramerization.

We have developed a laboratory method combining a random mutagenesis method and a yeast two-hybrid system to study effects of mutation on human erythrocyte spectrin tetramerization. A PCR-based procedure was used to generate random mutations in DNA fragments of the first 55 residues of α-spectrin. Each of the DNA fragments from random mutagenesis was fused with a DNA fragment of native spectrin consisting of residues 56 to 368 to give a DNA fragment of the first 368 residues in α-spectrin. The α-spectrin DNA fragment and a DNA fragment containing the last 449 residues in β-spectrin were introduced into the yeast two-hybrid system for rapid screening of α- and β-spectrin interaction. Yeast colonies with interacting α- and β-peptides were blue, and those with non-interacting α- and β-peptides were white. Six single amino acid mutations (R27G, Y35N, F38S, L49H, Y53N, and Y53C) and a double amino acid mutation (K16M, I24N) were identified from 8 white colonies, but no mutations were found in the DNA fragments of 14 blue colonies. Thus this simple laboratory method allows us to study effects of mutation on interactions of α- and β-spectrin at the tetramerization site. Am. J. Hematol. 67:247–251, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Management of Osteoporotic Patients with Distal Radial Fractures.

This article was updated on May 13, 2014. The third bullet point, which had previously read “Patients who have or are at risk of sustaining a distal radial fracture generally are elderly, are female, and have lower bone mineral densities and lower serum vitamin-D levels” was redundant with the second bullet point. The third bullet point now reads as follows: “Patients with a distal radial fracture are at an increased risk for future falls, which can lead to further morbidity and mortality.” As a consequence of our aging population, the public health burden of osteoporosis has reached epidemic proportions1. In 2004, 10 million persons in the United States carried the diagnosis of osteoporosis, and the prevalence of osteopenia reached 34 million2. Every third postmenopausal woman and every fifth man older than fifty years is estimated to have osteoporosis3. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines osteoporosis as a bone mineral density more than 2.5 standard deviations below the young adult mean for a given population4. Patients with decreased bone mineral density have increased bone fragility and are at increased fracture risk, especially for distal radial fracture5. The incidence of osteoporotic fractures was greater than 2 million in 2005 …
Vardenafil Treatment for Erectile Dysfunction

OBJECTIVE:To review the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, clinical trial data, and adverse effects of vardenafil in the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED).DATA SOURCES:Literature searches were performed using the MEDLINE database (referenced citations through December 2002), and the references of all identified articles were scanned for additional publications of interest. Unpublished information provided by the manufacturer and proceedings of professional meetings were also evaluated.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:All available studies were utilized to obtain information regarding pharmacology. Only human studies were used to gather pharmacokinetic, drug interaction, efficacy, and safety data.DATA SYNTHESIS:Vardenafil is a potent and selective inhibitor of the phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) enzyme that has been shown to improve erectile function in several populations of men with ED. Vardenafil has a rapid onset of action, is hepatically metabolized, and has a half-life of 4–6 hours. Clinical trials i...
Influence of cereal leaf epicuticular wax on Diuraphis noxia probing behavior and nymphoposition

The effect of cereal leaf surface wax on Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko), the Russian wheat aphid, probing behavior and nymphoposition was evaluated. Ultrastructure of leaf epicuticular wax from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) c.v. ‘Arapahoe’ and ‘Halt’ was different from barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) c.v. ‘Morex’, and oat (Avena sativa L.) c.v. ‘Border’. Both wheat cultivars had similar rod-shaped epicuticular wax, while barley and oat plants had flakes. The chemical composition comparison of gas chromatograms also indicated that the extract of the two wheat cultivars had similar pattern of peaks, while the barley and oat leaves had similar peaks. Cereal variety significantly affected aphid probing behavior (P 0.05). Aphids initiated significantly more probes on Border oat leaves than on Morex barley irrespective of wax removal, although total probing duration per aphid was not significantly different among the four cereals examined. Accumulative salivation duration per aphid on oat leaves with wax was significantly longer than other cereal leaves with wax, while accumulative ingestion duration per aphid on Arapahoe wheat and Morex barley was significantly longer than on oat. Nymphoposition of D. noxia on cereal leaves maintained on the benzimidazole-agar medium showed that aphids produced a greater number of nymphs on Morex barley and less on Border oat leaves, although wax removal did not affect aphid nymphoposition. Removal of leaf epicuticular waxes from the 4 cereal genotypes using ethyl ether swab indicated that the influence of wax on plant resistance to D. noxia probing and reproduction was limited. Morex barley was the most favorable, while Border oat was the least favorable cereal host of D. noxia.
What Educational Psychology Can Contribute to Educational Philosophy

(2003). What Educational Psychology Can Contribute to Educational Philosophy. Educational Psychologist: Vol. 38, No. 3, pp. 183-185.
Genome-wide association analysis for quantitative trait loci influencing Warner-Bratzler shear force in five taurine cattle breeds.

Summary We performed a genome-wide association study for Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBSF), a measure of meat tenderness, by genotyping 3360 animals from five breeds with 54 790 BovineSNP50 and 96 putative single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within μ-calpain [HUGO nomenclature calpain 1, (mu/I) large subunit; CAPN1] and calpastatin (CAST). Within- and across-breed analyses estimated SNP allele substitution effects (ASEs) by genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) and variance components by restricted maximum likelihood under an animal model incorporating a genomic relationship matrix. GBLUP estimates of ASEs from the across-breed analysis were moderately correlated (0.31–0.66) with those from the individual within-breed analyses, indicating that prediction equations for molecular estimates of breeding value developed from across-breed analyses should be effective for genomic selection within breeds. We identified 79 genomic regions associated with WBSF in at least three breeds, but only eight were detected in all five breeds, suggesting that the within-breed analyses were underpowered, that different quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlie variation between breeds or that the BovineSNP50 SNP density is insufficient to detect common QTL among breeds. In the across-breed analysis, CAPN1 was followed by CAST as the most strongly associated WBSF QTL genome-wide, and associations with both were detected in all five breeds. We show that none of the four commercialized CAST and CAPN1 SNP diagnostics are causal for associations with WBSF, and we putatively fine-map the CAPN1 causal mutation to a 4581-bp region. We estimate that variation in CAST and CAPN1 explains 1.02 and 1.85% of the phenotypic variation in WBSF respectively.
Objective rapid delineation of areas at risk from block-and-ash pyroclastic flows and surges

Assessments of pyroclastic flow (PF) hazards are commonly based on mapping of PF and surge deposits and estimations of inundation limits, and/or computer models of varying degrees of sophistication. In volcanic crises a PF hazard map may be sorely needed, but limited time, exposures, or safety aspects may preclude fieldwork, and insufficient time or baseline data may be available for reliable dynamic simulations. We have developed a statistically constrained simulation model for block-and-ash type PFs to estimate potential areas of inundation by adapting methodology from Iverson et al. (Geol Soc America Bull 110:972–984, 1998) for lahars. The predictive equations for block-and-ash PFs are calibrated with data from several volcanoes and given by A = (0.05 to 0.1)V2/3, B = (35 to 40)V2/3, where A is cross-sectional area of inundation, B is planimetric area and V is deposit volume. The proportionality coefficients were obtained from regression analyses and comparison of simulations to mapped deposits. The method embeds the predictive equations in a GIS program coupled with DEM topography, using the LAHARZ program of Schilling (1998). Although the method is objective and reproducible, any PF hazard zone so computed should be considered as an approximate guide only, due to uncertainties on the coefficients applicable to individual PFs, the authenticity of DEM details, and the volume of future collapses. The statistical uncertainty of the predictive equations, which imply a factor of two or more in predicting A or B for a specified V, is superposed on the uncertainty of forecasting V for the next PF to descend a particular valley. Multiple inundation zones, produced by simulations using a selected range of volumes, partly accommodate these uncertainties. The resulting maps show graphically that PF inundation potentials are highest nearest volcano sources and along valley thalwegs, and diminish with distance from source and lateral distance from thalweg. The model does not explicitly consider dynamic behavior, which can be important. Ash-cloud surge impact limits must be extended beyond PF hazard zones and we provide several approaches to do this. The method has been used to supply PF and surge hazard maps in two crises: Merapi 2006; and Montserrat 2006–2007.
Topological characteristics of the visual evoked response in man.

Abstract The characteristics of the visual evoked response (VER) recorded from a multiple electrode array on the occipital scalp of man have been studied by means of a spatio-temporal mapping technique. Wave forms obtained from different spatial recording locations display different characteristics. These characteristics have been analyzed simultaneously by construction of a spatio-temporal map which allows simplified temporal observation of the evoked set of wave forms. The temporal variation of the spatial potential gradient defined by the summated VER appears to have a rotational tendency. Groups of potentials appear over large areas of the occipital scalp and rotate after presentation of a light stimulus, suggesting that underlying neuronal populations may be firing in synchrony. Two major sources are postulated that account for the prominent features of the spatially recorded VER.
On dealing with quantification in natural language utterances

This paper presents some preliminary and still quite rudimentary ideas growing out of on-going studies into the problem of representation of quantified information in English, in terms of linked and nested “attribute-value” structures. Specifically, we indicate how such representation can be accomplished within the kind of attributevalue framework provided by Heidorn's NLP (Natural Language Processor) system. A scheme for representing well-formed formulas of a sorted first-order logic (with descriptions) is first presented and serves as a bare conceptual framework for understanding the sequel. Then we indicate how certain commonly encountered forms of English language quantificational utterances may be reduced to canonical forms representable within such an underlying scheme. A few of many still outstanding logico-linguistic issues (viz.: ambiguities connected with ‘a’, ‘any’ and ‘some’; multiple predication; and anonymous quantification) are noted and discussed. Numerous examples are included.
The oxidation of dispersed refractory metal compounds and their behavior as carbon oxidation catalysts

Abstract The oxidation behavior of a number of finely dispersed refractory metal borides, carbides, nitrides and silicides has been studied in flowing air at temperatures up to 1000°C. Most of the materials investigated were rapidly converted to oxides under these conditions, but the carbide, nitride and silicide of chromium were more oxidation resistant. Several of these compounds (particularly those of V and Mo), were very active catalysts for the oxidation of graphite in this temperature range, but the presence of boron oxide reduced gasification rates in most cases. Compounds of Zr, Si, Al, Ti, Hf and Nb had little or no catalytic activity for graphite oxidation, whereas the borides of Zr, Si, Cr and Al exerted an inhibiting effect.
The Human Physiome as an Information Environment

Modern biology is rapidly laying the foundation necessary for integrated modeling of physiological processes in living organisms. The human physiome project attempts to model interactions between biochemicals, cellular organelles, cells, tissues, and organs within whole organisms. One of the first challenges that this project faces is the development of a database environment flexible enough to accommodate the diversity in structure and content of physiological data. This paper reviews the current state of database technology, presents our understanding of the physiome database problem, and proposes a preliminary strategy for addressing it. © 2000 Biomedical Engineering Society.
Ultrastructural evidence for division of cnidoblasts in Hydra

Abstract Interstitial cells derived from dedifferentiated gland cells in the isolated gastrodermis of Hydra are capable of dividing and redifferentiating into cnidoblasts. The present study shows that developing cnidoblasts are also capable of dividing, and as far as we are aware, this observation represents the first such definite evidence. The significance of this observation is discussed.
Initiation and post-initiation chemopreventive effects of diallyl sulfide in esophageal carcinogenesis.

Abstract Diallyl sulfide (DAS), one of a number of organosulfur compounds accounting for the flavor and smell associated with garlic, has been shown to inhibit a number of chemically induced forms of cancer. In this study, DAS was examined for its chemopreventive effects in both the initiation and post-initiation phases of nitrosomethylbenzylamine-induced esophageal carcinogenesis in the Sprague - Dawley rat. Although highly inhibitory during initiation, DAS is ineffective when given after the carcinogen. DAS, though not effective as a preventive in post-initiation, was not found to promote esophageal carcinogenesis.
Helicobacter pylori: gastric cancer and beyond

Helicobacter pyloricauses gastric adenocarcinoma in a minority of infected individuals. What have we learned about bacterial and host-specific factors that lead to malignancy, and what canH. pyloritell us about inflammatory carcinomas that develop beyond the gastric niche? Helicobacter pylori is the dominant species of the human gastric microbiome, and colonization causes a persistent inflammatory response. H. pylori-induced gastritis is the strongest singular risk factor for cancers of the stomach; however, only a small proportion of infected individuals develop malignancy. Carcinogenic risk is modified by strain-specific bacterial components, host responses and/or specific host–microbe interactions. Delineation of bacterial and host mediators that augment gastric cancer risk has profound ramifications for both physicians and biomedical researchers as such findings will not only focus the prevention approaches that target H. pylori-infected human populations at increased risk for stomach cancer but will also provide mechanistic insights into inflammatory carcinomas that develop beyond the gastric niche.
Convergent signal transduction pathways controlling cardiomyocyte survival and function: the role of PI 3-kinase and Akt

Effective cardioprotection in clinical settings requires not only cardiomyocyte survival but also preservation of function. Multiple growth factors protect the heart from ischemic and other injury. While the downstream signaling pathways of these cardioprotective factors are complex, activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) and its downstream effector, the serine-threonine kinase Akt (or Protein Kinase B), is a common feature in many cases. Genetic manipulations in cardiomyocytes both in vitro and in vivo suggest that acute activation of this pathway can promote both cardiomyocyte survival and function. Here, we review PI 3-kinase and Akt signaling, with a focus on their role in cardiomyocyte growth, survival, and function. Finally, the clinical implications of these studies will be considered.
Remote sensing applications to hydrology: soil moisture

Abstract Passive and active microwave remote sensing instruments are capable of measuring the surface soil moisture (0–5 cm) and can be implemented on high altitude platforms, e.g. spacecraft, for repetitive large area observations. The amount of water present in a soil affects its dielectric properties. The dielectric properties, along with several other physical characteristics, determine the microwave measurement. In addition, the significance of the dielectric properties depends upon the sensor design, especially the wavelength. Instruments operating at longer wavelengths (> 5 cm) have fewer problems with the atmosphere and vegetation, sense a deeper soil layer and maximize soil moisture sensitivity. Another instrument concern is whether to use an active or passive microwave approach. Active approaches, especially synthetic aperture radar, can provide extremely good ground resolution from space ( 10 km). The existing data inter...
Martial Virtue Civic Humanism as a Groundwork for American Military Ethics

The changing nature of modern warfare and consistent problems with ethical lapses have created significant problems in the administration of the U.S. military. The authors propose reengaging civic humanism in the form of martial virtue as the basis of a new military ethic. A more civically engaged military will be better equipped to manage the complexity and demands of modern warfare and, more important, do so in a more ethically prudent manner. Furthermore, martial virtue provides a bridge for the peculiar disjunction between military and public administration as well as a common normative ground from which to proceed. After providing a brief theoretical context, the authors propose six basic principles of martial virtue, followed by a more pragmatic discussion of the practical implications of such an ethic in the U.S. military.
The Cost of Sex: Quantifying Energetic Investment in Gamete Production by Males and Females

The relative energetic investment in reproduction between the sexes forms the basis of sexual selection and life history theories in evolutionary biology. It is often assumed that males invest considerably less in gametes than females, but quantifying the energetic cost of gamete production in both sexes has remained a difficult challenge. For a broad diversity of species (invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, birds, and mammals), we compared the cost of gamete production between the sexes in terms of the investment in gonad tissue and the rate of gamete biomass production. Investment in gonad biomass was nearly proportional to body mass in both sexes, but gamete biomass production rate was approximately two to four orders of magnitude higher in females. In both males and females, gamete biomass production rate increased with organism mass as a power law, much like individual metabolic rate. This suggests that whole-organism energetics may act as a primary constraint on gamete production among species. Residual variation in sperm production rate was positively correlated with relative testes size. Together, these results suggest that understanding the heterogeneity in rates of gamete production among species requires joint consideration of the effects of gonad mass and metabolism.
Performance of a Self-Administered Mailed Version of the Quality of Well-Being (QWB-SA) Questionnaire Among Older Adults

Objectives.The Quality of Well-Being questionnaire is a measure of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) that has several desirable properties. Its widespread use has been hindered because it is difficult to administer. To overcome this limitation, a new self-administered form has recently been dev
Multigrid methods for flow transition in a planar channel

Abstract A computational study of the temporal stability of planar Poiseuille flow in a channel is presented. Using a staggered grid, a basic second-order difference scheme is enhanced at interior point by a fourth-order central difference scheme in the cross-channel direction. A semi-implicit and a fully-implicit time-marching scheme using a multigrid solver is shown to produce a very effective algorithm. The computational results show good agreement in both amplitude and phase with the linear theory obtained by the Orr-Sommerfeld equations.
MUTATIONS OF THE HOMEOBOX GENES DLX-1 AND DLX-2 DISRUPT THE STRIATAL SUBVENTRICULAR ZONE AND DIFFERENTIATION OF LATE BORN STRIATAL NEURONS

The striatum has a central role in many neurobiological processes, yet little is known about the molecular control of its development. Inroads to this subject have been made, due to the discovery of transcription factors, such as the Dlx genes, whose expression patterns suggest that they have a role in striatal development. We report that mice lacking both Dlx-1 and Dlx-2 have a time-dependent block in striatal differentiation. In these mutants, early born neurons migrate into a striatum-like region, which is enriched for markers of the striosome (patch) compartment. However, later born neurons accumulate within the proliferative zone. Several lines of evidence suggest that mutations in Dlx-1 and Dlx-2 produce abnormalities in the development of the striatal subventricular zone and in the differentiation of striatal matrix neurons.
Electron crystallography of yeast RNA polymerase II preserved in vitreous ice

Two-dimensional (2-D) crystals of yeast RNA polymerase preserved in vitreous ice were studied by electron crystallographic and single-particle techniques. An electron density projection map of the enzyme was calculated from the data, which extended to a resolution of about 12 A, but was unexpectedly weak at resolutions higher than about 20 A. Multivariate statistics analysis revealed a large amount of variability in unit-cell structure in the polymerase crystals, partially related to high mobility of certain polymerase domains. Those same domains were previously identified as being involved in a conformational transition in the enzyme that controls DNA processivity and access to the active center cleft. Electron microscopic studies of other large multiprotein complexes are likely to require similar approaches to those described here.
Impact of usability on non-technical users: Usability testing through websites

Usability plays key role for any of user-centered system's success. Designing user's expectations is quite challenging job for any website designer. Users have different usability requirements based on their age group and experience level. Therefore, it is very challenging to gather and implement the diverse nature of expectations against different users. This study aimed to test the usability of websites. A total of 34 subjects participated in web-based experiment to examine the influence of selected website features with focus on online form filling by categorizing into two different groups (technical and non-technical user). The results reveal usability expectations in different age groups and also that their usage of internet strongly influenced the measured factors. The finding highlights the importance of user friendly website design in different contexts and provides practical consequences for the design of problematic website.
Calculation of bromine nuclear quadrupole coupling constants in gaseous state molecules

Abstract Several DFT and hybrid HF/DFT methods in conjunction with Pople (6-311G) and Ahlrichs (TZV) bases have been investigated for the calculation of 79Br and 81Br nuclear quadrupole coupling constants (nqccs) in gaseous state molecules. The molecules are HBr, BrF, BrCl, Br2, BrCN, BrBO, HCCBr, CH3Br, CH2Br2, CF3Br, CH2CHBr, and CH3CH2Br. Assessment of the various models was made by linear regression analysis of calculated electric fields versus experimental nqccs. The best results are obtained with the B1LYP, B3LYP, and LG1LYP hybrid methods combined with Ahlrichs' TZV bases plus polarization. With the B1LYP/TZV(3df, 3p) model, for example, the residual standard deviation for 79Br is 1.7 MHz (0.42%), and for 81Br, 1.5 MHz (0.42%). The effective nuclear electric quadrupole moments derived from the slopes of the regression lines are, respectively, 330.4 and 276.0 mb. This B1LYP model is applied to calculation of the 79Br nqccs in SiF3Br and SiH3Br for the purpose of investigation of the SiBr bond lengths.
Superdiffusivity in first-passage percolation

In standard first-passage percolation on \({\Bbb Z}^d\) (with \(d\geq 2\)), the time-minimizing paths from a point to a plane at distance \(L\) are expected to have transverse fluctuations of order \(L^\xi\). It has been conjectured that \(\xi(d)\geq 1/2\) with the inequality strict (superdiffusivity) at least for low \(d\) and with \(\xi(2)=2/3\). We prove (versions of) \(\xi(d)\geq 1/2\) for all \(d\) and \(\xi(2)\geq 3/5\).
Can We Replicate the European Post-War Transition?

International Relations Theory and Regional Transformation. Edited By Thazha V. Paul . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012. 308 pp., $34.99 paperback (ISBN-13: 978-1-107-60455-1). This volume tackles an important question in International Relations (IR), namely how regions transform from war to detente to an enduring peace. The goal of the volume is to evaluate the state of the current research in the security literature on this topic as well as present areas for further research. The volume largely succeeds at this task, providing thought-provoking essays from scholars in all the major schools of IR as well as suggesting fruitful approaches for future research. One of the main arguments of the volume is that taking an eclectic approach, drawing from all of the major paradigms, is likely to produce the most successful research. The volume is nicely organized around the three main paradigms in IR—Realism, Liberalism, and Constructivism—as well as presenting eclectic approaches to the question of regional transformation. This organization allows the reader to clearly understand the arguments of each paradigm as well as their strengths and weaknesses. At the end, the reader largely agrees that taking an eclectic approach will likely lead to successful research. Most of the essays present both the current literature on regional transformation in their subfield as well as a new theory for the phenomenon. As such, most are focused on explaining their theory and comparing it to the …
Functional theory of extended Coulomb systems

A consistent formulation is presented for a functional theory of extended quantum many-particle systems with long-range Coulomb interactions, which extends the density-functional theory of Hohenberg and Kohn to encompass the theory of dielectrics formulated in terms of electric fields and polarization. We show that a complete description of insulators in the thermodynamic limit requires a functional of density and macroscopic polarization; nevertheless, for any insulator the state with zero macroscopic electric field can be considered a reference state that is a functional of the density alone. Dielectric phenomena involve the behavior of the material in the presence of macroscopic electric fields that induce changes of the macroscopic polarization from its equilibrium value in the reference state. In the thermodynamic limit there is strictly no ground state and constraints must be placed upon the electronic wave functions in order to have a well-defined energy functional; within these constrained subspaces the Hohenberg-Kohn theorems can be generalized in terms of the density and the change in the macroscopic polarization. The essential role of the polarization is shown by an explicit example of two potentials that lead to the same periodic density in a crystal, but different macroscopic electric fields and polarization. In themore » Kohn-Sham approach both the kinetic and the exchange-correlation energy are shown to depend upon the changes in polarization; this leads to generalized Kohn-Sham equations with a nonlocal operator. The effect can be traced to the polarization of the average exchange-correlation hole itself in the presence of macroscopic fields, which is essential for an exact description of static dielectric phenomena. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}« less
The copper content of the isthmus mucosa and certain organs of the domestic fowl.

SummaryThe distribution of Cu in certain avian tissues has been studied. The isthmus mucosa contains significantly (p < .005) more Cu than the kidney, liver, or lung, when expressed either on a dry weight or nitrogen basis. Since the isthmus mucosa is known to contain the glandular apparatus concerned with the formation of the shell membranes of the egg, it appears that the high Cu level in this tissue may be a reflection of a high concentration of some cuproenzymes(s) which may be necessary for the formation of the shell membranes.
Simultaneous spectral analysis of multiple video sequence data for LWIR gas plumes

We consider the challenge of detection of chemical plumes in hyperspectral image data. Segmentation of gas is difficult due to the diffusive nature of the cloud. The use of hyperspectral imagery provides non-visual data for this problem, allowing for the utilization of a richer array of sensing information. We consider several videos of different gases taken with the same background scene. We investigate a technique known as “manifold denoising” to delineate different features in the hyperspectral frames. With manifold denoising, we can bring more pertinent eigenvectors to the forefront. One can also simultaneously analyze frames from multiple videos using efficient algorithms for high dimensional data such as spectral clustering combined with linear algebra methods that leverage either subsampling or sparsity in the data. Analysis of multiple frames by the Nystrom extension shows the ability to differentiate between different gasses while being able to group the similar items together, such as gasses or background signatures.
A stochastic model for cellular senescence. Part I. Theoretical considerations

Abstract At the present time there is a clear need to critically test several hypotheses of in vitro cellular senescence. In this report we present a mathematical formalism and related computer simulation which describes cellular senescence in terms of the loss of a particular class of self-replicating particles. The model's behavior is illustrated through several sample cases and the flexibility of the model is discussed in relation to: (1) several “in vitro” aging hypotheses, (2) the proliferation of stem cells and (3) the instability of gene amplified drug resistance.