cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Oxytocin augmentation in arrest disorders in the presence of thick meconium : influence on neonatal outcome

The objective of this report was to study the effect of oxytocin augmentation in arrest disorders in the presence of thick meconium on meconium aspiration and fetal acidosis. We evaluated 3,321 singleton, term deliveries with cephalic presentation at our institution. Eight percent (253/3,321) had thick meconium in labor, and these patients comprised the study sample. Of the 253 women with thick meconium, 84 had an arrest disorder in the active phase of labor with normal fetal heart rate tracing at the time of diagnosis. Seventy-four percent (62/84) of the women with arrest were treated with oxytocin (group 1) and 26% (22/84) delivered by cesarean section without augmentation (group 2). There was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the incidence of meconium aspiration (14.5 vs. 4.5%) and low ( < 7.20) cord arterial pH (27.8 vs. 4.5%) in patients who received oxytocin compared to those who did not. Of the women who received oxytocin, 36 delivered vaginally, and 2 neonates had meconium aspiration. The remaining 26 women had cesarean sections following oxytocin augmentation and had a significantly higher (p < 0.05) frequency of meconium aspiration (26.9 vs. 4.5%) and low cord arterial pH (38.5 vs. 4.5%) compared to women who had cesarean sections without oxytocin augmentation. The findings suggest that oxytocin augmentation in arrest disorders in the presence of thick meconium may be associated with a higher risk of meconium aspiration and low umbilical cord arterial pH.
Ehrenfest derivation of the mean forces acting in materials with nonuniform band structure: A canonical approach

Abstract In a recent paper of a similar title, LeCoz and Tiersten deny the existence of forces stemming from position-dependent kinetic energy (called by them “entropy force”) in graded composition or nonuniform heavily-doped materials, thus contradicting a consistent framework for carrier transport in such materials developed in a number of papers over the past 15 years by Marshak and Van Vliet, whose derivations are based on the Boltzmann transport equation and the Wannier-Slater theorem and concomitant equivalent Hamiltonian. The present paper shows that an alternate route, as followed by LeCoz and Tiersten, vested in a wave-packet description pertaining to Ehrenfest's theorem, fully upholds the Marshak-Van Vliet results, provided the unwarranted approximations made by LeCoz and Tiersten are removed and the procedure is based on the canonical form of Ehrenfest's theorem.
Transfer of information and its impact on medical practice: the U. S. experience.

Since 1977, the Consensus Development Program of the Office of Medical Applications of Research (OMAR), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has sponsored more than 50 consensus development conferences (CDCs) on the safety and efficacy of important biomedical technologies. The aim of these conferences, described fully elsewhere (4), is to inform the health care community, and to some extent the public, of the status of emerging biomedical technologies and the need for change in the use of existing health-related technologies. OMAR has therefore, worked diligently to publicize conference findings among these audiences. Further, OMAR has sought to improve the effectiveness of these transfer activities by conducting assessments of the impact of CDCs on their primary audience, U.S. physicians.
The aqueous outflow system and its response to autonomic receptor agonists.

This paper deals with the pharmacology of the outflow ehunnels in animals and man. A brief review of the anatomic and flow characteristics of the outflow system and the results of comparative studies of the outflow resistanee in living and dead eyes are presented. These studies indicate that the total outflow resistance in live eyes is higher than in dead eyes and reveal that the vascular eomponent significantly exceeds the mechanical component of the outflow resistance. In the living rabbit, primate, and human, the outflow system has been found to respond to both α and β adrenergic agonists, which may be differentiated using the appropriate α and β receptor antagonists. More detailed analysis of the responses to these agonists has shown that both act on the outflow system to cause biphasie changes in IOP. These apparently paradoxical findings are explained in terms of the vasoconstrictor and vasodilator aetivities of the α and β agonists acting on spatially differentiable loci in the outflow channels. The ability of cyclic AMP to induce direct effects on the trabeeular meshwork resistance is reviewed. The role of the parasympathomimeties and cholinergic-type drugs on the mechanical and vaseular components of the outflow resistanee remains unclear.
Imagining the American People: Strategies for Building Political Community

This study examined how the American electorate has been described by political campaigners, the mass media, and voters themselves between 1948 and 2000. Using a large (digitized) database of campaign addresses, news stories, and letters to the editor, the authors isolated 2,924 uses of the phrase, “the American people.” By examining these phrases for descriptions of the roles, actions, qualities, and circumstances of the people, and by noting their time orientation and the forces aligned against the electorate, the authors present a picture of the people as described by three different political voices. The article concludes by arguing that examining a people's self-conception provides a fresh way of understanding their most basic thoughts and values.
SDOCT Doppler velocimetry for investigating the morphological influences on blood flow in the developing chick embryo heart

The onset of congenital heart disease (CHD) is believed to occur at very early stages of development. Investigations in the initiation and development of CHD has been hampered by the inability to image early stage heart structure and function, in vivo. Imaging small animals using optical coherence tomography (OCT) has filled a niche between the limited penetration depth of confocal microscopy and insufficient resolution from ultrasound. Previous demonstrations of chick heart imaging using OCT have entailed excision of, or arresting the heart to prevent motion artifacts. In this summary, we introduce SDOCT Doppler velocimetry as an enhancement of Doppler OCT for in vivo measurement of localized temporal blood flow dynamics. With this technique, dynamic velocity waveforms were measured in the outflow tract of the heart tube. These flow dynamics correlate to a finite element model of pulsatile flow and may lead to a further understanding of morphological influences on early heart development.
Cefoxitin in Treatment of Obstetric and Gynecologic Infections

Cefoxitin was found to be an effective and safe agent for the treatment of infections of the female genital tract that were associated with a variety of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, including Streptococcus, Escherichia coli, and Bacteroides species. The overall clinical response was 91%. The major cause of failure was the presence of an abscess requiring surgical drainage. Both the intravenous and the intramuscular routes of administration for cefoxitin were tolerated well or moderately well by most patients.
235 EXPRESSION OF PLURIPOTENCY-ASSOCIATED GENES IN BOVINE FETAL FIBROBLAST CELLS AND ADIPOSE-DERIVED STEM CELLS

The extraordinary nature of embryonic stem cells (ESC) lends them the remarkable ability to give rise to all the cell types of a mammalian organism, an attribute known as pluripotency. The pluripotent state of ESC is dependent on the expression of the genes Oct-4, Nanog, and Sox-2, which have also been identified as the key transcriptional regulators of pluripotency. Until recently, Oct-4, Nanog, and Sox-2 were believed to be expressed solely in ESC; however, studies have reported the expression of these genes in some sources of adult stem cells (ASC) of both the mouse and pig. In the current study, we examined cells derived from bovine adipose tissue and fetal fibroblast for the expression of Nanog and Sox-2. Cells were isolated from the adipose tissue of an adult cow and the skin of 2 male fetuses, approximately 70 and 80 d old, and cultured through 6 passages. Total RNA was isolated from each of the 3 cell lines at passages 2, 4, and 6 using TRI Reagent®. Using the Bio-Rad iScript™ cDNA Synthesis Kit, the resulting RNA products were transcribed into cDNA 3 times for separate RT-PCR reactions. RT-PCR was performed with primers for Nanog, Sox-2, and Poly A Polymerase (PAP), as a reference gene for normalization. Primer sets for Nanog and PAP have previously been verified to amplify their respective transcripts in bovine embryos. Reaction products of PCR were subjected to electrophoresis and analyzed by Quantity One software (Bio-Rad). The number of pixels in each electrophoresis band was used to determine the relative transcript levels and was expressed as a ratio of Nanog or Sox-2 to PAP (Table 1). Both Nanog and Sox-2 were present in all cell lines at all 3 passages. Because Oct-4 is known to function synergistically with Nanog and Sox-2 to confer pluripotency, we are currently examining these samples for the presence of Oct-4. The presence of transcripts for the pluripotency-associated genes Nanog and Sox-2 in cells that are not inherently pluripotent suggests that there might be another level of regulation at the translational level for these genes. Table 1.Transcript abundance of pluripotency-associated genes relative to PA P in bovine fetal fibroblast (BFF) and adipose-derived adult stem cells (ADAS)
Climate and Ozone Response to Increased Stratospheric Water Vapor

Stratospheric water vapor abundance affects ozone, surface climate, and stratospheric temperatures. From 30-50 km altitude, temperatures show global decreases of 3-6 K over recent decades. These may be a proxy for water vapor increases, as the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) climate model reproduces these trends only when stratospheric water vapor is allowed to increase. Observations suggest that stratospheric water vapor is indeed increasing, however, measurements are extremely limited in either spatial coverage or duration. The model results suggest that the observed changes may be part of a global, long-term trend. Furthermore, the required water vapor change is too large to be accounted for by increased production within the stratosphere, suggesting that ongoing climate change may be altering tropospheric input. The calculated stratospheric water vapor increase contributes an additional approximately equals 24% (approximately equals 0.2 W/m(exp 2)) to the global warming from well-mixed greenhouse gases over the past two decades. Observed ozone depletion is also better reproduced when destruction due to increased water vapor is included. If the trend continues, it could increase future global warming and impede stratospheric ozone recovery.
An Algorithm to Calculate the Return Distribution of Portfolios with Option Positions

The use of options in altering the return distribution of stock portfolios has found increasing interest among investment managers. The potential of options in forming portfolio return distributions that are more consistent with investor preferences has been well developed, but determining the actual effect of options on portfolio returns remains a complex and unsolved problem. The purpose of this paper is to describe an algorithm for determining the return distribution that will result when option positions are taken on stocks in a portfolio. The distribution is determined for a finite time horizon, and does not rely on the assumption of continuous portfolio revisions. Simulation tests on the algorithm are also discussed. The algorithm is then used to illustrate the effect that several simple and well-known options strategies will have on portfolio return characteristics. This algorithm will be of practical value, giving a technique for generating and analyzing the expanded opportunity set that exists by using options in portfolio management.
Design and fabrication of VCSELs with Al/sub x/O/sub y/-GaAs DBRs

A procedure for fabricating vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with oxide-based distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) is presented. An in-depth analysis of parameters and behavior unique to oxide VCSELs determines the device design. The development cycle time for these devices is reduced through development of a method for post-growth analysis of the epitaxial stack reflectivity before device processing. Threshold currents as low as 160 /spl mu/A and resistances as low as 80 /spl Omega/ are demonstrated using different device designs. The total optical loss of low-doped oxide VCSEL structures is 0.163% which is comparable to VCSEL designs based on all-semiconductor DBRs. The thermal resistance of an 8/spl times/8 /spl mu/m VCSEL is measured to be 2.8/spl deg/C/mW, demonstrating that the presence of oxide layers does not act as a barrier to heat flow out of the active region.
Profiling of patterned metal layers by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)

Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was used for profiling patterned thin metal layers on a polymer/silicon substrate. The parameters of the laser and ICP-MS operating conditions have been studied and optimized for this purpose. A new laser ablation chamber was designed and built to achieve the best spatial resolution. The results of the profiling by LA-ICP-MS were compared to those obtained from a laser ablation optical emission spectrometry (LA-OES) instrument, which measured the emission of the plasma at the sample surface, and thus, eliminated the time delay caused by the sample transport into the ICP-MS system. Emission spectra gave better spatial resolution than mass spectra. However, LA-ICP-MS provided much better sensitivity and was able to profile thin metal layers (on the order of a few nanometers) on the silicon surface. A lateral spatial resolution of 45 μm was achieved.
Dynamical Symmetries of Schroedinger Equations and Geometrical Symmetries of Classical Total Energy Surfaces

A correspondence between dynamical groups of Schroedinger equations and dynamical groups of Hamilton's equations enables one to intrepret both quantal and classical dynamical symmetries as Lie symm...
RNA sequencing to study gene expression and single nucleotide polymorphism variation associated with citrate content in cow milk.

Abstract The technological properties of milk have significant importance for the dairy industry. Citrate, a normal constituent of milk, forms one of the main buffer systems that regulate the equilibrium between Ca 2+ and H + ions. Higher-than-normal citrate content is associated with poor coagulation properties of milk. To identify the genes responsible for the variation of citrate content in milk in dairy cattle, the metabolic steps involved in citrate and fatty acid synthesis pathways in ruminant mammary tissue using RNA sequencing were studied. Genetic markers that could influence milk citrate content in Holstein cows were used in a marker-trait association study to establish the relationship between 74 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in 20 candidate genes and citrate content in 250 Holstein cows. This analysis revealed 6 SNP in key metabolic pathway genes [isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (NADP+), soluble ( IDH1 ); pyruvate dehydrogenase (lipoamide) β ( PDHB ); pyruvate kinase ( PKM2 ); and solute carrier family 25 (mitochondrial carrier; citrate transporter), member 1 ( SLC25A1 )] significantly associated with increased milk citrate content. The amount of the phenotypic variation explained by the 6 SNP ranged from 10.1 to 13.7%. Also, genotype-combination analysis revealed the highest phenotypic variation was explained combining IDH1 _23211, PDHB _5562, and SLC25A1 _4446 genotypes. This specific genotype combination explained 21.3% of the phenotypic variation. The largest citrate associated effect was in the 3′ untranslated region of the SLC25A1 gene, which is responsible for the transport of citrate across the mitochondrial inner membrane. This study provides an approach using RNA sequencing, metabolic pathway analysis, and association studies to identify genetic variation in functional target genes determining complex trait phenotypes.
Fragrance material review on 1-(5,5-dimethylcyclohexen-1-yl)pent-4-en-1-one.

Abstract A toxicologic and dermatologic review of 1-(5,5-dimethylcyclohexen-1-yl)pent-4-en-1-one when used as a fragrance ingredient is presented. 1-(5,5-Dimethylcyclohexen-1-yl)pent-4-en-1-one is a member of the fragrance structural group Alkyl Cyclic Ketones. These fragrances can be described as being composed of an alkyl, R1, and various substituted and bicyclic saturated or unsaturated cyclic hydrocarbons, R2, in which one of the rings may include up to 12 carbons. Alternatively, R2 may be a carbon bridge of C2–C4 carbon chain length between the ketone and cyclic hydrocarbon. This review contains a detailed summary of all published and unpublished toxicology and dermatology papers that are related to this individual fragrance ingredient and is not intended as a stand-alone document. Available data for 1-(5,5-dimethylcyclohexen-1-yl)pent-4-en-1-one were evaluated then summarized and includes physical properties, acute toxicity, skin irritation, mucous membrane (eye) irritation, skin sensitization, and photoallergy data. A safety assessment of the entire Alkyl Cyclic Ketones will be published simultaneously with this document; please refer to Belsito et al. (Belsito, D., Bickers, D., Bruze, M., Calow, P., Dagli, M., Fryer, A.D., Greim, H., Miyachi, Y., Saurat, J.H., Sipes, I.G., 2013. A Toxicologic and Dermatologic Assessment of Alkyl Cyclic Ketones When Used as Fragrance Ingredients (submitted for publication)) for an overall assessment of the safe use of this material and all Alkyl Cyclic Ketones in fragrances.
Problem formulation and quantification in energy analysis

Conflicting practices in energy analyses are discussed in relation to the problem formulation. The information needed to choose between known production alternatives in order to save energy is not a thermodynamic description of energy flows. What is necessary to know, is how much the considered alternatives require of scarce resources, and what their yield of goods and services is and the possible environmental effects. Aggregation of inputs and aggregation of outputs in physical units, in particular energy units, are discussed. Aggregates which can not be given a rational interpretation in relation to energy conservation must be rejected. Inputs which cannot be aggregated, however, may still be important substitutes. Land for example can be used to produce biomass to substitute for fossil fuel and fuel can be used to substitute for land and labour. For substitution, it is important to consider energy use in relation to the use of other scarce resources. In order to choose between alternatives, we have to attach values to the physical consequences of actions. Values depend on the degree of scarcity of different resources, of how important we consider satisfaction of various demands and of our concern for future generations. These values vary through space and time, and between individuals and interest groups.
Recent advances in understanding the pathogenesis of Huntington's disease

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal, dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by abnormal involuntary movements (chorea), intellectual impairment and selective neuronal loss. The expansion of a polymorphic trinucleotide repeat (the sequence CAG that codes for glutamine) to a length that exceeds 40 repeat units in exon 1 of the gene, HD, correlates with the onset and progression of the disease. The protein encoded by HD, huntingtin, is normally localized in the cytoplasm, whereas the mutant protein is also found in the nucleus, suggesting that its translocation to this site is important for the pathogenesis of HD. Although several proteins that interact with huntingtin have been identified in vitro, the significance of these interactions with the mutant protein in the pathogenesis of HD has yet to be determined. Recent progress in the development of cellular and animal models for the disease have provided invaluable insights and resources for studying the disease mechanisms underlying HD, and will be useful for screening and evaluating possible therapeutic strategies.
T-cell homeostasis in HIV-1 infection.

Failure of T-cell homeostasis is an important feature of HIV-1 infection. Substantial evidence indicates that T-cell homeostasis is independent of CD4+ and CD8+ subsets, and this may contribute to the decline of CD4+ T cells to low levels in this disease. Moreover, failure of T-cell homeostasis appears to precede the development of clinically-defined AIDS by approximately 1.5 to 2 years and is thus an important milestone in HIV-1 disease progression. We argue that T-cell turnover and depletion of memory cells in HIV-1 infection can be viewed as the reverse of the process by which immune reconstitution occurs after stem cell transplantation, and that changes in the functional level of T-cell memory may be critical to both processes. An understanding of the relationship between T-cell memory and regeneration of lost T cells may help preserve and/or reconstitute immune system homeostasis in HIV-1-infected individuals.
Hysteresis loop with controllable shape and direction in an optical ring cavity

We have experimentally observed a 'backward' (clockwise rotating) hysteresis cycle in the system of an optical ring cavity containing three-level ({lambda}-type configuration) rubidium atoms. The shape and direction of the observed hysteresis cycles can be easily controlled with experimental parameters. Such an interesting phenomenon is caused by the greatly modified absorption, dispersion, and nonlinear optical properties of the three-level atomic medium, due to the induced atomic coherence.
The Affordances of Blogging as a Practice to Support Ninth-Grade Science Teachers' Identity Development as Leaders

Increasingly, teacher leadership is being recognized as an essential ingredient in education reforms; however, few teachers consider themselves leaders. Becoming a leader is not just acquiring knowledge and skills for leadership, but developing a new professional identity. As teachers become leaders, however, this identity might put them at risk with dominant school culture where norms of egalitarianism, isolation, and seniority persist. Luehmann emphasizes the value in offering safe spaces in which teachers can take risks as they “try on” new identities. We utilized an online environment to support ninth-grade science teachers in the development of common perspectives, commitments, and visions for teacher leadership as they implemented a new freshman physics curriculum. Our findings illustrate the potential benefits of blogging in terms of providing identity resources and opportunities for identity work. Specifically, by participating in pedagogical transactions, social interactions, and intellectual del...
The effects of sequential hormone treatment on ovalbumin synthesis in chick oviduct: a possible example of translation regulation.

Abstract We have administered steroid hormones in a sequential fashion to withdrawn chicks and measured their effects on ovalbumin synthesis in the oviduct. The rate of ovalbumin synthesis in chicks which had received progesterone or estrogen several hours after a first dose of estrogen was the same or greater than that observed in chicks which had received only the first dose of estrogen. These results are in marked contrast with the effects of these sequential hormone treatments on nuclear or cytoplasmic estrogen receptor levels [11], making it impossible to predict the effects of the sequential hormone treatments on ovalbumin synthesis from their effect on estrogen receptor levels. Following either sequential hormone treatment, ovalbumin mRNA levels were lower in the treated chicks than in the control chicks. The rate of ovalbumin synthesis was not correlated with ovalbumin mRNA levels. Usually the rate of ovalbumin synthesis is directly correlated with a change in ovalbumin mRNA levels. Our results are strong preliminary evidence that the sequential steroid hormone treatment regulates the translation of ovalbumin mRNA directly and perhaps specifically. There was some variation in the extent to which the second hormone treatment stimulated ovalbumin synthesis. This variation was not due to the amount of time between hormone treatments but due to the actual time in secondary stimulation at which the second hormone was administered.
Gradient bounds for plasma confinement

The problem of plasma confinement in a Tokomak machine has recently attracted considerable mathematical attention. In the present article, gradient bounds for the solution are obtained through the use of differential inequalities and the Hopf maximum principle. These estimates, which take slightly different forms in the plasma and vacuum regions, become exact in the one-dimensional case. An estimate is also given for the distance from the boundary of the interior point where the maximum of the solution is attained.
Structural specializations emerging late in mouse lens fiber cell differentiation.

Purpose To describe a previously uncharacterized structural specialization in the mouse lens fiber cell and to delineate its emergence relative to lens development and fiber cell differentiation. Methods Lens fixation efficiency was explored using (14)C-formaldehyde and autoradiography. Lens fiber cell architecture was examined by scanning electron microscopy and by DiI labeling of methacrylate sections in lenses ranging from 2 weeks to 8 months. Results Scanning electron microscopy identified an elaborate structural specialization that emerges late in fiber cell differentiation, largely after the cell has lost its nucleus. These elaborations project from the short side of the cell, are regularly spaced throughout the central region of the cell and are aligned with similar structures in adjacent cells. The structures are not found in fiber cells of lenses younger than two weeks of age, nor in the fiber cells that initially differentiate before that time. Conclusions Fiber cells that arise later than 2 weeks of age undergo a structural differentiation program that is different from that of cells that arise earlier in development. This program includes the assembly of a series of regularly spaced, complex, lateral projections from the fiber cell that align themselves with similar structures in adjacent cells. Most if not all of the structural specialization occurs in cells that have lost their nuclei and organelles, suggesting that this component of fiber cell differentiation may not require ongoing transcription/translation.
Nitration and oxidation of a hydrophobic tyrosine probe by peroxynitrite in membranes: comparison with nitration and oxidation of tyrosine by peroxynitrite in aqueous solution.

It has been reported that peroxynitrite will initiate both oxidation and nitration of tyrosine, forming dityrosine and nitrotyrosine, respectively. We compared peroxynitrite-dependent oxidation and nitration of a hydrophobic tyrosine analogue in membranes and tyrosine in aqueous solution. Reactions were carried out in the presence of either bolus addition or slow infusion of peroxynitrite, and also using the simultaneous generation of superoxide and nitric oxide. Results indicate that the level of nitration of the hydrophobic tyrosyl probe located in a lipid bilayer was significantly greater than its level of oxidation to the corresponding dimer. During slow infusion of peroxynitrite, the level of nitration of the membrane-incorporated tyrosyl probe was greater than that of tyrosine in aqueous solution. Evidence for hydroxyl radical formation from decomposition of peroxynitrite in a dimethylformamide/water mixture was obtained by electron spin resonance spin trapping. Mechanisms for nitration of the tyros...
Energy-optimizing source code transformations for operating system-driven embedded software

This paper proposes four types of source code transformations for operating system (OS)-driven embedded software programs to reduce their energy consumption. Their key features include spanning of process boundaries and minimization of the energy consumed in the execution of OS services—opportunities which are beyond the reach of conventional compiler optimizations and source code transformations. We have applied the proposed transformations to several multiprocess benchmark programs in the context of an embedded Linux OS running on an Intel StrongARM processor. They achieve up to 37.9p (23.8p, on average) energy reduction compared to highly compiler-optimized implementations.
Age-related digoxin effects in an intact canine model

Abstract The inotropic and electrophysiologic effects of digoxin were studied in anesthetized neonatal and adult dogs to test the hypothesis that digoxin had comparable effects in these groups. Recordings of the ECG and central arterial pressure were made starting at 5.75 hours after an intravenous injection of 50 μg/kg of the drug. Parameters measured were heart rate (HR); PR interval; mean, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure; preejection period (PEP); and ejection time (ET). Two indices of systolic function were calculated, the systolic time interval (STI = PEPET) and total electromechanical systole (TMS = PEP + ET), which was indexed for HR. There was no significant difference from control animals in either the adult or neonatal groups in the PR interval or blood pressure. In the neonatal dogs, HR and STI were also not significantly different from control. However, in the neonatal dogs, there was a significant decrease in the indexed TMS, 288 ± 7 vs 270 ± 11 msec ( p p p p p = 0.005), STI ( p = 0.018), and TMS indexed for HR ( p = 0.003) in neonatal compared to adult dogs. Pharmacokinetic studies showed a rapid distribution phase and equillibrium conditions at the time of physiologic measurements. At the conclusion of the experiments (6.25 hours), serum digoxin levels were 4.08 ± 1.08 ng/ml in the neonatal dogs vs 3.53 ± 0.57 ng/ml in the adult dogs. Left ventricular and right ventricular digoxin levels did not differ significantly; however, right atrial levels were significantly higher in the neonatal dogs, 421.7 ± 218.3 vs 81.83 ± 23.15 ng/gm. We conclude that in dogs, neonates are relatively insensitive to digoxin.
Myocardial infarction associated with inappropriate use of topical cocaine as treatment for epistaxis

Abstract A case of a 57-year-old man with hypertension and stable angina, on aspirin therapy, who was treated for epistaxis with intranasal cocaine, and who subsequently suffered a non-Q wave myocardial infarction is reported. Ot note, the cocaine was administered in a manner which differs from that advocated in standard references. Specifically, intranasal packing soaked with 4% cocaine was left in place with continuous nasal mucous membrane contact over 5 to 6 hours. The authors speculate that myocardial infarction occurred on the basis of coronary artery spasm. This case should alert practitioners to myocardial ischemia occurring as a complication of the therapeutic use of intranasal cocaine for the treatment of epistaxis.
A Simple Method for Determining Sphere Packed Bed Radial Porosity

Abstract A new and simple method is established to examine the radial porosity profile of mono-sized spheres in packed bed cylinders based on the sphere center coordinates. The method is derived from geometrical and analytical techniques and uses arc lengths to calculate the radial porosity profile at any given axial position, a given interval axial position, or the total axial position, thus evaluating the local, interval, or axially averaged radial porosity profile, respectively. The new method and analytical functions are simple and straightforward and provide an accurate representation of the radial porosity profile given the sphere center coordinates. The simple method is used to calculate the radial porosity profile for the fixed packing of identical spheres in cylindrical containers with D/d ≥ 1.0. The evaluated results for the radial porosity profile are benchmarked with existing analytical equations and available experimental and numerical data, respectively, for mono-sized spheres in cylindrical containers. A concise FORTRAN program for the new arc length-based technique is presented for this simple method for calculating radial porosity profiles.
Feedback from video for virtual reality navigation

Important preconditions for wide acceptance of virtual reality systems include their comfort, ease and naturalness to use. Most existing trackers suffer from discomfort related issues. For example, body-based trackers (such as hand controllers, joysticks or helmet attachments) restrict spontaneity and naturalness of motion, whereas ground-based devices (e.g., hand controllers) limit the workspace by literally binding an operator to the ground. Controls have similar problems. This paper describes using real-time video with registered depth information (from a commercially available camera) for virtual reality navigation. A camera-based setup can replace cumbersome trackers. The method includes selective depth processing for increased speed, and a robust skin-color segmentation for handling illumination variations.
Content-based Modeling and Prediction of Information Dissemination

Social and communication networks across the world generate vast amounts of graph-like data each day. The modeling and prediction of how these communication structures evolve can be highly useful for many applications. Previous research in this area has focused largely on using past graph structure to predict future links. However, a useful observation is that many graph datasets have additional information associated with them beyond just their graph structure. In particular, communication graphs (such as email, twitter, blog graphs, etc.) have information content associated with their graph edges. In this paper we examine the link between information content and graph structure, proposing a new graph modeling approach, GC-Model, which combines both. We then apply this model to multiple real world communication graphs, demonstrating that the built models can be used effectively to predict future graph structure and information flow. On average, GC-Model's top predictions covered 19\% more of the actual future graph communication structure when compared to other previously introduced algorithms, far outperforming multiple link prediction methods and several naive approaches.
Performance specifications and metrics for adaptive real-time systems

While early research on real-time computing was concerned with guaranteeing avoidance of undesirable effects, such as overload and deadline misses, adaptive real-time systems are designed to handle such effects dynamically. Various research efforts have addressed the characterization and improvement of the dynamic behavior of real-time systems. However, to the authors' knowledge, no unified framework exists for designing adaptive, real-time software systems based on specifications of desired dynamic behavior. We propose such a framework based on control theory. Using control theory, a designer can (i) specify the desired behavior in terms of a set of performance metrics that can be mapped to a dynamic response of the control system, (ii) establish an underlying control model of the real-time systems, and (iii) design a resource scheduler using feedback control design methods to guarantee runtime satisfaction of the specifications. This is in contrast to more ad-hoc techniques. We also show that simply using long-term average performance metrics is not sufficient in designing controllers. We then develop a new algorithm based on two PID controllers that meet both the transient and steady-state performance requirements.
The evolution of the natriuretic peptides - Current applications in human and animal medicine.

Abstract Although natriuretic peptides have played an important role in the fluid homeostasis of vertebrates for over several million years, their importance has only been noticed in the last few decades. Yet, the family of natriuretic peptides have since their discovery, drawn the attention of a broad spectrum of physicians and researchers involved in the maintenance of fluid homeostasis, including marine biologists, basic scientists, physicians and veterinarians. While all natriuretic peptides share a common phylogenetic background, due to differences in receptor-binding affinities, they have evolved into different hormones with clear distinct functions. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is the most studied member of the natriuretic peptide family, and together with its cleavage equivalent amino-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) these peptides have emerged as important cardiovascular serum markers. However, since their introduction, physicians involved in human or animal medicine have faced common but also different challenges in order to optimally interpret the diagnostic and prognostic value of these novel cardiovascular biomarkers.
Precisely Detecting Runtime Change Interactions for Evolving Software

Developers often make multiple changes to software. These changes are introduced to work cooperatively or to accomplish separate goals. However, changes might not interact as expected or may produce undesired side effects. Thus, it is crucial for software-development tasks to know exactly which changes interact. For example, testers need this information to ensure that regression test suites test the combined behaviors of changes. For another example, teams of developers must determine whether it is safe to merge variants of a program modified in parallel. Existing techniques can be used to detect at runtime potential interactions among changes, but these reports tend to be coarse and imprecise. To address this problem, in this paper, we first present a formal model of change interactions at the code level, and then describe a new technique, based on this model, for detecting at runtime such interactions with accuracy. We also present the results of a comparison of our technique with other techniques on a set of Java subjects. Our results clearly suggest that existing techniques are too inaccurate and only our technique, of all those studied, provides acceptable confidence in detecting real change interactions occurring at runtime.
Patterns and Predictors of Quality of Life at 5 to 10 Years After Heart Transplantation

Background Although studies have provided us with a cross-sectional analysis of long-term quality of life (QOL) after transplantation, relatively few longitudinal studies have been done that allow us to understand changes in QOL over time. The purposes of our study were to describe QOL over time and identify predictors of QOL longitudinally from 5 to 10 years after heart transplantation. Methods All 555 subjects enrolled in this study completed booklets of questionnaires. These patients had a mean age of approximately 54 years (range 21 to 75 years) at time of transplant. Seventy-eight percent were men and 88% were white. Participants completed nine self-report QOL instruments for this study. Statistical analyses included frequencies, means ± standard deviations (plotted over time), Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression coupled with repeated measures. Results At 5 to 10 years after heart transplantation, recipients reported high levels of satisfaction with overall QOL and with health-related QOL, which was stable over the 5-year period. Predictors of satisfaction with overall QOL (that individually accounted for 1% variance or more) were primarily psychosocial variables (overall model explaining 71% of variance), whereas predictors of satisfaction with QOL related to health and functioning (that also explained ≥1% variance) included symptom distress and physical function, as well as psychosocial variables (overall model explaining 72% of variance). Conclusions At 5 to 10 years after heart transplantation, QOL remained positive and stable. Bio-psychosocial variables predicted satisfaction with overall QOL and health-related QOL. Understanding of these bio-psychosocial variables provides direction for the development of long-term therapeutic strategies after heart transplantation so that patients can have good post-transplant outcomes.
3-D acoustic imaging of broadband SAS data

The difficult conditions encountered in the littoral region require development of flexible sonar processing technologies. One technical approach to increase the flexibility of active sonar has been the development of broadband sonar for multifrequency analysis. Physics based target models of acoustic backscatter use frequency as a prime variable, often defined in terms of radius, a, and acoustic wavenumber, k. For example, fluid filled spheres insonified at low frequencies exhibit sharp peaks and nulls in the acoustic backscatter. As ka increases, marine biologists have predicted and observed a frequency variation in target strength associated with shape in the acoustic return of biologics that conform to fluid filled and elastic object models. The broadband synthetic aperture sonar (BBSAS) at CSS enables one to add another dimension (frequency) to the target feature space without compromising resolution. The processing enables a user to construct a 3-D image description around targets of interest. A modified STFT, Choi-Williams, and binomial transformations are compared for the frequency decomposition stage of the beamformer. A trade-off between processing complexity and preservation of the target characteristics is discussed.
Should substance use disorders be considered as categorical or dimensional

Aims This paper discusses the representation of diagnostic criteria using categorical and dimensional statistical models. Conventional modeling using categorical or continuous latent variables in the form of latent class analysis and factor (IRT) analysis has limitations for the analysis of diagnostic criteria. Methods New hybrid models are discussed which provide both categorical and dimensional representations in the same model using mixture models. Conventional and new models are applied and compared using recent data for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders version IV (DSM-IV) alcohol dependence and abuse criteria from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Classification results from hybrid models are compared to the DSM-IV approach of using the number of diagnostic criteria fulfilled. Results It is found that new hybrid mixture models are more suitable than latent class and factor (IRT) models. Conclusion Implications for DSM-V are discussed in terms of reporting results using both categories and dimensions.
13C NMR relaxation studies of gluconate and magnesium-gluconate interactions

Abstract The effect of temperature and magnetic field strength on 13 C relaxation rates of gluconate and magnesium-gluconate solutions are determined at 7.0 and 11.7 Tesla. The primary component of relaxation along the gluconate backbone is dipolar in gluconate solutions with spin rotation relaxation a contributing factor in magnesium-gluconate solutions. Chemical shift anisotropy plays only a minor role in each case. The sites of metal-sugar interaction appear to involve primarily the Cl (CO) and C6 (CH 2 OH) ends of the gluconate chain.
Plugging the Leaky Pre-B Cell Receptor

Although it is expressed very transiently and at very low cell surface density, the pre-BCR plays a critical role in early B cell development ([1][1], [2][2]). The proteins that are required to assemble the pre-BCR, the signal transduction molecules Igα and Igβ, and the components of the surrogate
2-D Shape Recognition using Recursive Landmark Determination and Fuzzy ART Network Learning

In this Letter, 2-D shape recognition is done using a combination of recursive search of landmarks, landmark-based invariant features, and a fuzzy ART neural-network classifier. To make this novel combination work well, an upper limit is imposed on the number of total landmarks allowed, and this maximum size is then translated into fixed dimensions of invariant features and into the neural processing of the features. It is shown that the recursive landmark search approximates very well any smooth 2-D shape contour, that the shape features used are independent of perspective transformation, and that, when combinedwitha fuzzy ART classifier, unknown features can be efficiently learned on-line to identify multiple distinct objects. An illustrative example is used to demonstrate effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Associations of forest bird species richness with housing and landscape patterns across the USA.

In the United States, housing density has substantially increased in and adjacent to forests. Our goal in this study was to identify how housing density and human populations are associated with avian diversity. We compared these associations to those between landscape pattern and avian diversity, and we examined how these associations vary across the conterminous forested United States. Using data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey, the U.S. Census, and the National Land Cover Database, we focused on forest and woodland bird communities and conducted our analysis at multiple levels of model specificity, first using a coarse-thematic resolution (basic models), then using a larger number of fine-thematic resolution variables (refined models). We found that housing development was associated with forest bird species richness in all forested ecoregions of the conterminous United States. However, there were important differences among ecoregions. In the basic models, housing density accounted for ,5% of variance in avian species richness. In refined models, 85% of models included housing density and/or residential land cover as significant variables. The strongest guild response was demonstrated in the Adirondack-New England ecoregion, where 29% of variation in richness of the permanent resident guild was associated with housing density. Model improvements due to regional stratification were most pronounced for cavity nesters and short-distance migrants, suggesting that these guilds may be especially sensitive to regional processes. The varying patterns of association between avian richness and attributes associated with landscape structure suggested that landscape context was an important mediating factor affecting how biodiversity responds to landscape changes. Our analysis suggested that simple, broadly applicable, land use recommendations cannot be derived from our results. Rather, anticipating future avian response to land use intensification (or reversion to native vegetation) has to be conditioned on the current landscape context and the species group of interest. Our results show that housing density and residential land cover were significant predictors of forest bird species richness, and their prediction strengths are likely to increase as development continues.
Oscillatory Chemical Reaction in a CSTR with Feedback Control of Flow Rate

We present an experimental and numerical study of the chlorine dioxide-iodide (CDI) reaction in a single, well-stirred, flow-through reactor with feedback regulation of flow rate in three different arrangements. The control is accomplished through a computer-mediated sigmoidal dependence of the dynamic flow rate(s) on the iodide concentration. Numerical simulations predict interesting dynamics in the CDI reaction system, which, without control, displays only steady-state and/or simple periodic oscillations. Our experiments confirm that bursting emerges as a result of the feedback control. We attribute bursting to the coexistence of the stable steady state and oscillations in the uncontrolled system. A period doubling sequence leading to chaos results from the nonlinear dependence of the oscillatory period on the flow rate in the vicinity of a Hopf bifurcation point.