cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytologic features of vaping-induced lung injury: A case report.

Vaping-induced lung injury is a recently recognized phenomenon owing to the rising popularity of e-cigarette use. A cluster of cases of varying severity, including six deaths, was recently reported in the United States by the Centers for Disease Control. The objective of this report is to highlight the cytologic features suggestive of vaping-induced lung injury. A 20-year-old previously healthy man presented with a 7-day history of progressively worsening respiratory symptoms including dyspnea on exertion, cough, and fever, with no improvement after initiating a course of antibiotics. No relevant travel or occupational history was reported, but patient endorsed daily use of e-cigarette with a fluid containing both tetrahydrocannabinol and nicotine. Radiographic studies demonstrated scattered areas of interlobular septal thickening and diffuse ground-glass opacities in both lungs. Laboratory tests for HIV and influenza were negative. Bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage were performed, with cytologic study showing clusters of benign bronchial cells and an increase in lipid-laden macrophages by Oil Red O stain. Patient was placed on steroid and steadily improved for the next 2 days. He was discharged on a steroid taper and follow-up with respiratory clinic. Case reports and series have shown a variety of lung injury patterns in previously healthy patients who are frequent users of e-cigarettes and among them features suggestive of lipoid pneumonia with increased lipid-laden macrophages. The clinical utility of this finding is still unclear.
Prolonged Cardiopulmonary Bypass is Associated With Endothelial Glycocalyx Degradation.

Abstract Background The endothelial glycocalyx (EG) is involved in critical regulatory mechanisms that maintain endothelial vascular integrity. We hypothesized that prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) may be associated with EG degradation. We performed an analysis of soluble syndecan-1 levels in relation to duration of CPB, as well as factors associated with cell stress and damage, such as mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and inflammation. Methods Blood samples from subjects undergoing cardiac surgery with CPB (n = 54) were obtained before and during surgery, 4-8 h and 24 h after completion of CPB, and on postoperative day 4. Flow cytometry was used to determine subpopulations of white blood cells. Plasma levels of mtDNA were determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and plasma content of shed syndecan-1 was measured. To determine whether syndecan-1 was signaling white blood cells, the effect of recombinant syndecan-1 on mobilization of neutrophils from bone marrow was tested in mice. Results CPB is associated with increased mtDNA during surgery, increased syndecan-1 blood levels at 4-8 h, and increased white blood cell count at 4-8 h and 24 h. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive associations between time on CPB and syndecan-1 (rs = 0.488, P Conclusions Longer duration of CPB is associated with increased plasma levels of soluble syndecan-1, a signal for EG degradation, which can induce neutrophil egress from the bone marrow. Development of therapy targeting EG shedding may be beneficial in patients with prolonged CPB.
Enhanced CBM recovery

Abstract The conventional CBM recovery is accomplished by reservoir pressure depletion, which could be detrimental to the economic gas recovery. Enhanced coalbed methane (ECBM) recovery involves injection of nitrogen or carbon dioxide into a CBM reservoir to promote methane desorption without lowering the reservoir pressure. Carbon dioxide injection may provide greater methane recovery than nitrogen because carbon dioxide adsorbs in the coal and releases the methane molecules adsorbed on the coal micropores. CO2-ECBM has an added advantage that carbon dioxide gas can be stored in coal seams (CO2-storage). The field trials have demonstrated that enhanced CBM recovery and simultaneous CO2-storage can be achieved. However, the cost associated with the gas injection and separation is a major impediment to the application of the ECBM recovery processes. A better understanding the extreme complication of physical and thermodynamic phenomena involved in the CO2-storage/ECBM recovery processes is essential in order to establish full confidence in the technology.
AI-Powered Learning: Making Education Accessible, Affordable, and Achievable

We have developed an AI-powered socio-technical system for making online learning in higher education more accessible, affordable and achievable. In particular, we have developed four novel and intertwined AI technologies: (1) VERA, a virtual experimentation research assistant for supporting inquiry-based learning of scientific knowledge, (2) Jill Watson QA (ii) Jill Watson QA (iii) Jill QA and (iv). Agent Smith helps generate Jill Watson Q&A for a new syllabus within ~25 hours. Put together, these innovative technologies help make online learning simultaneously more accessible (by making materials available online), affordable (by saving teacher time), and achievable (by providing learning assistance and fostering student engagement).
PROPERTIES AND REGULATION OF LIVER PROTEIN PHOSPHATASES

Publisher Summary This chapter elaborates the properties and regulation of liver protein phosphatases. The specificity of rabbit liver protein phosphatase C has been examined in detail. Using a homogenous preparation of rabbit liver glycogen synthase, it was demonstrated that rabbit liver protein phosphatase C also has an intrinsic glycogen synthase phosphatase activity. Phosphatase activities toward Phosphorylase a and glycogen synthase D co-purified, comigrated on gel electrophoresis, and were cross-inhibited. The homogeneous preparation of liver protein phosphatase C was also able to dephosphorylate rabbit muscle phosphorylase kinase, bovine heart protein kinase R-subunit, and lysine-rich histone. In addition, hormone sensitive lipase is reversibly inactivated by the same enzyme preparation and also by preparation of bovine heart muscle protein phosphatase. The specificity of protein phosphatase C. Rabbit muscle glycogen synthase, rabbit muscle troponin I, histone and casein were all dephosphorylated by protein phosphatase C. It is found that in both studies, phosphorylase a was the most rapidly acted on of the substrates under the assay conditions used.
The Current State of m-Learning in Higher Education: A Survey Study of Mobile Technology Usage in the Classroom.

Existing research acknowledges the proliferation of mobile devices in society, but very few studies have sought to understand the demographics of the students who actually utilize mobile technology for their learning needs. Despite the pervasiveness and attention given to m-learning, there is still a lot of unknowns about how to integrate mobile technology into learning practices. Therefore, this paper describes an exploratory survey study that examined U.S. college and university students’ responses to collect data about current mobile technology use. Novel to this study, gaining a clearer picture of mobile technology from students, educators and researchers can better apply m-learning to target desired learning behaviors and outcomes. Results suggest students have access to many mobile devices, however, they tend to be very selective in what device they choose to use for their learning. The findings indicate that their use of mobile technology is highly dependent upon the characteristics of the learning activity they are engaging in, and the subject matter. Students also reported mobile devices having a positive impact on their learning for quick, just-in-time learning activities.
Always Already in Flux: A Response to Anne Freadman

Carolyn Miller’s rich and theoretically complex 1984 essay “Genre as Social Action” has been widely influential among scholars who have been variously identified as part of Rhetorical Genre Studies (Freedman, 1999), North American Genre Studies (Freedman & Medway, 1994; Artemeva, 2004), or American New Rhetorical Studies (Hyon, 1996). Despite being associated with each other, these loose congeries of scholars do not form a coherent whole with a commonly shared theory; nor have they taken up Miller’s essay in exactly the same way, to use the uptake term introduced into genre discussions by Anne Freadman (1987/1994). These scholars have a variety of understandings of how contexts configure perceived communicative opportunities within situations, how communicative actions are perceived by others, how social circumstances are relevant and articulated by the participants, the degrees of freedom of action by the writer and the interpreting reader, how mandatory certain elements of genres are and how those elements are realized in texts, as well as many other issues, including the natures of agency and exigency that Freadman (2020) considers in her current essay. Moreover, the theories or concepts advanced by these scholars are developed through empirical studies, each of a different character, although Freadman would like to distinguish sharply between genre theory and genre studies.
Does health insurance protect against risk of financial catastrophe for pancreatic tumor care? A cost-based review of patients undergoing pancreatic resection at an academic institution.

Abstract Background Pancreatic cancer is a leading cause of financial insolvency and cancer related deaths in the United States. The risk of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) was calculated for patients undergoing pancreatic resection at an academic institution. Methods Patients who underwent pancreatic resection between 2013 and 2017 were identified through an institutional cancer registry. A CHE was an out-of-pocket payment (OOP) > 10% of the estimated median household income. Results 319 patients met inclusion criteria. Hospital median charge was $76,700. 99% of patients had insurance and hospital bill adjustments. As a result, 61% (n = 193) made no OOP. Only 3 patients risked CHE. For all tumors combined there were no differences in survival outcomes by OOP. Conclusion This is the first study to use institutional financial data to calculate CHE risk for pancreatic resection patients. Insurance adjustments to hospital charges that accompany health insurance and voluntary hospital adjustments for the uninsured protect patients against CHE.
Tectonics from topography: constraining spatial and temporal landscape response rates to Teton fault activity using low-T thermochronology, quantitative geomorphology, and limnogeologic analyses

Understanding how landscapes respond to tectonic and climatic forcing over a range of timescales remains a top priority for studies in tectonics, geomorphology, and geodynamics. To examine this, we are attempting to separate signals that define uplift, drainage incision, and sediment flux at multiple timescales (107 to 102 yrs). The Teton Range serves as an ideal natural laboratory for filtering this interplay due to its comparatively small size and consistent along-strike climatic variation. Recent studies indicate that Teton fault motion first initiated near Mount Moran at ~13 Ma in the northern portion of the range and slip onset gets younger to the south. No major climatic variations occur along strike, so tectonic forcing is interpreted to be the primary driver of landscape evolution. To test this hypothesis, we are evaluating ‘lag’ between fault slip onset and incision of drainages using AHe techniques combined with quantitative landscape analysis to constrain long-term response and analyzing seismic reflection and core data from range front lakes to determine sediment volume flux over shorter intervals. Preliminary data from a seismic survey completed in August 2018 reveals multiple depocenters in Jackson Lake. Results from the seismic survey and AHe analysis should be available in Spring 2019. Featured photo by Gideon Rosenblatt on Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/2XjzYH
Integrating Computer Science and ICT Concepts in a Cohesive Curriculum for Middle School - An Experience Report

The paper elaborates on the experience gained during the first year of an intervention in the Middle Schools to implement a 3 year curriculum. The growing importance of computing knowledge in most professional fields has led many countries and stakeholders around the world to introduce Computer Science (CS) education in K-12 curriculum. These curricula replace the existing Information Communications Technology (ICT) curriculum by adding a new dedicated CS curriculum, adding topics of CS (predominantly "programming") to the ICT curriculum, or providing CS as an additional elective course. This paper aims to describe a new comprehensive curriculum that integrates topics of ICT with CS in a rich context to create need-based learning for the students (year 1 of the 3-year curriculum). The proposed curriculum has been designed to seamlessly replace existing ICT curriculum giving students added proficiency in CS along with ICT. This experience report provides the pedagogy behind the inclusion of ICT and CS topics, the detail of the curriculum, teacher training, and data collection methodology for impact evaluation. This paper goes into the detail of the 1st year of the curriculum and briefly explains the curriculum for the 2nd and 3rd year of Middle School grades.
Use of Vehicle Breathalyzers in the Reduction of DUI Deaths

For many years, there was a challenge of using detecting drivers who operated vehicles under the influence of alcohol. Getting tools that were accurate for measuring results was a major challenge. However, the innovation of Vehicle Breathalyzers assisted in boosting the reduction of Driving Under the influence [DUI] of alcohol or drug deaths. The existent errors in examining the DUI for drivers were resolved through the invention of the Breathalyzer whose capability to measure alcohol amounts has always helped to determine consuming alcohol amongst individuals. The Breathalyzer is one of the essential devices that identify whether a person being examined is drunk legal. This is because it provides the proportion of alcohol vapors that are exhaled into the air with a proportion that illustrates the alcohol content in the blood. The current Breathalyzer ignition systems usually require a driver to breathe into the device before starting the vehicle. If the driver alcohol content is above 0.08 percent blood concentration of alcohol, the driver can receive penalties according to the law. Studies have shown that the use of Breathalyzer has grown by a rate of 15 percent per year since their development. The Breathalyzer technology includes data systems which provide a recording of both driver and vehicle responses and rapid systems for monitoring the alcohol state in the driver. This paper provides a description of how these technologies can be applied by drivers to enhance safety in driving. This research will bring insight into how accidents are associated with drunk-driving crimes. It contributes also to the researchers who are looking for a way to reduce road accidents. Through the data collection, analysis, results, and findings, we will get the realization that using a breathalyzer to test drivers, especially at night will help police to identify drivers who have committed the crime easily.
Cancer-Associated Mutations Perturb the Disordered Ensemble and Interactions of the Intrinsically Disordered p53 Transactivation Domain.

Abstract Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are key components of regulatory networks that control crucial aspects of cell decision making. The intrinsically disordered transactivation domain (TAD) of tumor suppressor p53 mediates its interactions with multiple regulatory pathways to control the p53 homeostasis during the cellular response to genotoxic stress. Many cancer-associated mutations have been discovered in p53-TAD, but their structural and functional consequences are poorly understood. Here, by combining atomistic simulations, NMR spectroscopy, and binding assays, we demonstrate that cancer-associated mutations can significantly perturb the balance of p53 interactions with key activation and degradation regulators. Importantly, the four mutations studied in this work do not all directly disrupt the known interaction interfaces. Instead, at least three of these mutations likely modulate the disordered state of p53-TAD to perturb its interactions with regulators. Specifically, NMR and simulation analysis together suggest that these mutations can modulate the level of conformational expansion as well as rigidity of the disordered state. Our work suggests that the disordered conformational ensemble of p53-TAD can serve as a central conduit in regulating the response to various cellular stimuli at the protein–protein interaction level. Understanding how the disordered state of IDPs may be modulated by regulatory signals and/or disease associated perturbations will be essential in the studies on the role of IDPs in biology and diseases.
Leveraging In-Network Application Awareness

This paper describes a novel approach to Network-Application Integration that leverages ideas from the integration between the network and in-network programs written in languages such as P4. That integration relies on models of the resources that a network makes available on the one hand, and the needs of in-network programs on the other. This paper extends that integration to also include applications' needs on top of in-network programs. This approach thus integrates the network, in-network programs, and applications at the edge of the network, including clients and servers. We explore the properties of this integration, analyse the information on which such an integration can rely, describe a prototype implementation of this idea, and apply it to a network scenario that involves heterogeneous hardware and different applications.
A Patient-Specific Correspondence Model to Track Tumor Location in Thorax During Radiation Therapy.

In radiation therapy of tumors in the thorax and abdomen, respiratory-induced motion creates challenges in different steps of the treatment, such as simulation, treatment planning, and the daily patient positioning. Different methods are clinically applied to reduce the impact of respiration in radiation therapy. However, most techniques involve invasive procedures or expose the patient to extra radiation. In this thesis, first, the application of combining stereotactic body frames with a surface imaging system for patient positioning in stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) of lung cancer was evaluated. Stereotactic body frames are safe and non-invasive devices that reduce the impact of respiratory-induced motions by decreasing the range of the tumor motion. Surface imaging systems are also safe and dose-free technologies for patient positioning that have the ability to monitor the patient’s motion during radiation delivery with high precision. Combining the use of a surface imaging system with SBRT positioning frames adds another level of accuracy to patient setup and provides monitoring of the movements during treatment. The results of this evaluation indicated difficulty in using surface imaging with SBRT frames primarily due to the presence of the compression plate.Next, a patient-specific correspondence model was developed to track tumors in the thorax during radiation therapy treatments using surface displacement as the surrogate signal. The proposed model is made prior to the treatment for each patient. Two types of data are used for model construction: Four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) images of the patient and the displacement of two points on the patient’s skin on the thoracic area (surrogate signals). The two types of data are acquired simultaneously. The 4DCT images are sorted by the amplitude-binning algorithm to account for hysteresis and breathing irregularities. A deformable image registration algorithm is applied to the 4DCT images to calculate the deformation vector fields as the knowledge of the patient’s internal motion. Principal component analysis is used to fit the correspondence model. The model incorporates recorded surrogate signals during radiation delivery as an input and delivers the 3D trajectory of the tumor or other anatomy of the interest. This model accounts for hysteresis and irregular breathing. The accuracy of the proposed model was evaluated on a respiratory phantom and five lung cancer patients. The results showed a primary validation for localizing the tumors in the lung. Testing the model on a larger population of patients will examine the accuracy of the localization more precisely.
Tracking de novo protein synthesis in the activated sludge microbiome using BONCAT-FACS.

Abstract In order to ensure stable performance of engineered biotechnologies that rely on mixed microbial community systems, it is important to identify process-specific microbial traits and study their in-situ activity and responses to changing environmental conditions and system operational parameters. We used BioOrthogonal Non-Canonical Amino acid Tagging (BONCAT) in combination with Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting (FACS) and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to identify translationally active cells in activated sludge. We found that only a subset of the activated sludge microbiome is translationally active during the aerobic treatment phase of a full-scale sequencing batch reactor designed to enhance biological phosphorus removal from municipal wastewater. Relative abundance of amplicon sequence variants was not a reliable predictor of species activity. BONCAT-positive and -negative cells revealed a broad range of population-wide and taxa-specific translational heterogeneity. BONCAT-FACS in combination with amplicon sequencing can provide new insights into the ecophysiology of highly dynamic microbiomes in activated sludge systems.
Change Blindness, Attention, and Driving Performance

Concern over older driver high traffic fatality rates has resulted in an effort to identify risk factors and to develop methods of assessment. This study examines two attention-related tasks, Useful Field of View (UFOV) and Change Blindness (CB), in relation to vision and cognitive test batteries and driving performance measures collected using a simulator and an instrumented vehicle. Eight older adults with Alzheimer’s disease and nine comparison subjects between 64 and 81 participated. Factor analysis results indicate that UFOV and CB relate to different factors. While UFOV relates to memory, decision-making, attention, and visual spatial ability, CB relates to vision and attention. The type of images used on a CB task influence how the task relates to driving performance measures. Researchers should be thoughtful when selecting images to include in CB tasks to maximize insight into real-world driving.
Observing Classroom Instruction in Schools Implementing the International Baccalaureate Programme

The International Baccalaureate (IB) programme utilizes an inquiry-based multi-disciplinary approach and focuses on the teaching of critical-thinking skills. The IB programme is growing at a rapid rate within the United States, with the overall number of IB schools having more than doubled in the last five years. The purpose of the present study was two-fold: (a) to specifically focus on classroom instruction and students’ behavior within Texas IB schools, and (b) to highlight the importance of systematic classroom observation as an evaluative method; in particular, the simultaneous use of three observation instruments to illustrate the importance of examining instruction from multiple perspectives. Systematic observations of 85 classrooms from eight Texas IB schools revealed that instruction in most of the schools was active, with teachers often engaging students, exploring new skills and key concepts, explaining, elaborating, and evaluating. Overall, the general instructional practices and student behaviors/activities observed were favorable and were higher than those found in similar classrooms in Texas schools. The amount of time that students were observed as being on-task was dramatically higher than the amount of student on-task time measured in other observational studies.
A last‐saturation diagnosis of subtropical water vapor response to global warming

[1] We used boreal winter output from an IPCC AR4 GCM simulation to drive an atmospheric tracer transport model with water vapor last saturation tracers over the northern hemisphere in order to identify processes that contribute to the projected increase in specific humidity of the subtropical relative humidity minimum. Most of the increase in specific humidity at the relative humidity minimum can be attributed to last saturation within what will be a warmer free troposphere. The water vapor content of the relative humidity minimum is projected to increase in the 21st century primarily as a function of increased last saturation temperatures in the tropical lower troposphere, effectively yielding more water vapor via poleward transport. The increase in specific humidity is to a degree kept in check by a poleward and upward shift of baroclinic instability and saturation patterns that effectively yield drier air to the RH minimum via isentropic transport.
Assessing Governance: The Importance of Evaluating Policy Outcomes in National Mission Areas

This commentary responds to Fukuyama's (2013) rejection of “final outputs” as measures of government quality. It argues that public administration research should address policy outcomes in “national mission areas.” But public administration scholars should not simply become policy analysts. Rather, they should become policy analysts for policy areas that can benefit from expertise in organizations and management.
The Ocean as a Source of Atmospheric Sulfur Compounds

The impact of human activity on the global atmospheric sulfur cycle is easily seen in densely inhabited, industrialized regions: the degradation of visibility by haze, the acidity of atmospheric precipitation, and the damage to forest vegetation are among the more obvious symptoms of this impact. Atmospheric transport propagates these effects well beyond their source regions. The human perturbation of the atmospheric sulfur cycle results largely from the emission of sulfur dioxide (S02) from fossil fuel burning. A number of recent papers have reviewed these emissions and presented a detailed source allocation (e.g. Cullis and Hirschler, 1980; Moller, 1984). The estimates for man-made sulfur emissions fall into a relatively narrow range: about 2.5 ± 0.3 Tmol yr-1 (Tmol: 1 Teramole = 1012 mol = 32 x 1012 g).
Toolglasses, marking menus, and hotkeys: a comparison of one and two-handed command selection techniques

This paper introduces a new input technique, bimanual marking menus, and compares its performance with five other techniques: static toolbars, hotkeys, grouped hotkeys, marking menus, and toolglasses. The study builds on previous work by setting the comparison in a commonly encountered task, shape drawing. In this context, grouped hotkeys and bimanual marking menus were found to be the fastest. Subjectively, the most preferred input method was bimanual marking menus. Toolglass performance was unexpectedly slow, which hints at the importance of low-level toolglass implementation choices.
Programmable Placement Pressure in a Placement Head for Surface Mounted Devices

Due to the broad spectrum of lead configurations of surface mount components and the variation in adhesive viscosities, various placement pressures are required. A proper adhesive meniscus must be achieved during application of components to adhesive dots to insure good lead to pad contact. This paper focuses on the development of a programmable placement pressure system which is a feature of the 4621A Omniplace Surface Mount component Placement System. A commercially available pressure regulator is programmed with a DAC to produce the required back pressure for a piston activated compliant placement spindle. Coinciding with this, the Z axis servo system drives the placement spindle to the desired Placement location. When the component, which is held by vacuum on the placement spindle, makes contact with the printed circuit board, a switch is activated. The computer receives the switch input as a signal to stop the Z axis drive. Pressure overshoot is avoided by the fast response time of the pressure regulator which controls the piston and the unique control algorithm which was developed. Included in this paper is a detailed comparison of this system for programmed placement pressure with a previous design which used load cell feedback to the computer to close the Z-Axis servo loop. It will be shown that the feed forward design is a cost saving performance enhancement. Performance enhancements directly related to this scheme include improvements in the following; reliability, repeatability of placement pressure, vacuum pressure, throughput efficiency, and spindle eccentricities.
Barometric pressures on Mt. Everest: new data and physiological significance

Barometric pressures (PB) near the summit of Mt. Everest (altitude 8, 848 m) are of great physiological interest because the partial pressure of oxygen is very near the limit for human survival. Until recently, the only direct measurement on the summit was 253 Torr, which was obtained in October 1981, but, despite being only one data point, this value has been used by several investigators. Recently, two new studies were carried out. In May 1997, another direct measurement on the summit was within approximately 1 Torr of 253 Torr, and meteorologic data recorded at the same time from weather balloons also agreed closely. In the summer of 1998, over 2,000 measurements were transmitted from a barometer placed on the South Col (altitude 7,986 m). The mean PB values during May, June, July, and August were 284, 285, 286, and 287 Torr, respectively, and there was close agreement with the PB-altitude (h) relationship determined from the 1981 data. The PB values are well predicted from the equation PB = exp (6.63268 - 0.1112 h - 0.00149 h2), where h is in kilometers. The conclusion is that on days when the mountain is usually climbed, during May and October, the summit pressure is 251-253 Torr.
Crystalline memory effects in isothermal crystallization of syndiotactic polypropylene

Isothermal crystallization behavior after partial or complete melting of syndiotactic polypropylene was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). On partial melting, the total concentration of predetermined nuclei was found to decrease with increasing fusion temperature and increasing time period that the sample spent at a specific fusion temperature. A significant effect of the rate of heating to the fusion temperature was also observed. On complete melting, the total concentration of predetermined nuclei was found to approach a constant value, which is the concentration of infusible heterogeneous nuclei (e.g., impurities, catalyst residues) present originally in the sample. At a specific fusion temperature, the concentration of predetermined athermal nuclei was found to decrease exponentially with the time period spent in the melt. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 75: 337–346, 2000
The reverse spelling of an FPrt-universal word in two letters

ForX a set the expression Prt(X) denotes the composition monoid of all functionsf ⫅X ×X. Fork a positive integer the letterk denotes also the set of all nonnegative integers less thank. Whenk > 1 the expression rk denotes the connected injective element { ∶i e k − 1} in Prt (k). We show for every word w=w(x,y) in a two-letter alphabet that if the equation w(x, y)=rk has a solution =<x,y) e2Prt(k) then ¯w(x,y)=rk also has a solution in2Prt(k), where ¯w is the word obtained by spelling the wordw backwards. It is a consequence of this theorem that if for every finite setX and for everyf e Prt(X) the equation w(x,y)=f has a solution in2Prt(X) then for every suchX andf the equation ¯w(x, y)=f has a solution in2Prt(X).
The role of clinical nonfatal end points in cardiovascular phase II/III clinical trials.

Evaluating novel therapies in cardiovascular disease encompasses several goals, one of the most important of which is identifying treatments that improve a patient’s chances for survival. Some therapies have a neutral effect on death but improve quality of life, either by reducing symptoms, decreasing hospitalizations, or increasing functional status; for some disease states, these latter goals may be the only goals attainable. Before a therapy is selected, it is important, both from a physician’s and a patient’s viewpoint, that the various therapeutic strategies for the disease of interest be carefully analyzed and that the goals in each strategy be clearly defined. In clinical trials, several types of end points are used to evaluate the effects of a therapy. The most crucial of these is the effect of a therapy on total death, the total number of fatal events among patients in the study. Another end point comprises outcomes that affect functionality, typically referred to as nonfatal end points, or nonfatal events. A nonfatal event may be defined as a clinical event that a patient can describe and would clearly want to avoid, such as a myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, or hospitalization. A third type of end point is a true clinical end point, which describes a specific symptom that a patient can feel and wants to avoid or which describes some measure of quality of life by which a patient is significantly affected. Although these latter end points (nonfatal events and true clinical end points) constitute important variables in the testing of therapies, they do not serve as markers for death, nor do they reduce the importance of evaluating total death. Another end point used in evaluating therapies is a surrogate end point, or surrogate marker, which refers to a clinical end point that a patient typically cannot feel or identify but which has some correlation to true outcome. The use of surrogate end points derives from the basic theory that the effect of an intervention on a surrogate marker will predict the effect of the intervention on death (or other clinical end points). However, it has become clear in recent years that even if a surrogate
Resident and transient bacteria of the skin.

Although essential to a good understanding of human cutaneous infections, studies on long term carriage of skin bacteria are rare, perhaps because there are few adequate typing schemes with which to identify organisms accurately. A seven month qualitative study of two individuals showed that three groups of organisms – residents, “nomads” and transients – could be identified. Quantitative study of 12 individuals suggested that while the standard deviation of the mean count in a series of residents may reach 25% of the mean count, in transients it may be far higher. Statistical methods might therefore be employed in determining the status of cutaneous bacteria.
The interrelationship of the electrocardiographic complexes studied by simultaneous multiple recording

Abstract 1.1. The use of simultaneous recordings of six electrocardiographic leads in twenty-three normal subjects and in thirty-three patients with a variety of cardiac lesions has afforded the opportunity of studying the genesis of the different waves through comparison of simultaneous peaks. 2.2. Study of the precordial leads (V 1 through V 6 ) revealed the following: 2.1.A. There is a considerable variation in duration of the QRS complexes in the various precordial leads. 2.2.B. Peaks of the P and T waves occurred consistently earlier in V 1 than in V 6 unless the waves were inverted, in which case the peaks tended to be simultaneous. 2.3.C. Among the normal subjects, as contrasted to the patients with left ventricular hypertrophy and bundle branch block, the R wave in V 5 and V 6 did not represent the last portion of the left ventricle to be depolarized. 2.4.D. QS complexes in right ventricular leads were essentially similar in time to S rather than Q waves. 2.5.E. The peak of the R′ in bundle branch block represents the onset of the intrinsic deflection. 3.3. Study of the unipolar extremity leads and the standard leads revealed the following: 4.A. There is a phase difference between the peaks of the P, Q, R, S, and T waves in the various standard leads. 5.B. The peak of the R wave in the unipolar extremity leads was usually not simultaneous, particularly among normal subjects. 6.C. The QS complex in V R was similar in time to an S rather than a Q wave. 7.D. With a vertical heart, the nadir of the S wave in V L followed the peak of the R wave in V F ; the nadir of the S wave in V 1 followed the peak of the R wave in V 6 . 8.E. A phase difference in the peaks of the P and T waves existed in the different unipolar extremity leads. 9.F. Formulas for deriving the standard leads from the unipolar extremity leads are only approximations unless the leads are taken simultaneously.
Quasi-singular integrals in the modeling of nonlinear water waves in shallow water

Abstract The model by Grilli et al.,5,8 based on fully nonlinear potential flow equations, is used to study propagation of water waves over arbitrary bottom topography. The model combines a higher-order boundary element method for the solution of Laplace's equation at a given time, and Lagrangian Taylor expansions for the time updating of the free surface position and potential. In this paper, both the accuracy and the efficiency of computations are improved, for wave shoaling and breaking over gentle slopes, in domains with very sharp geometry and large aspect ratio, by using quasi-singular integration techniques based on modified Telles17 and Lutz11 methods. Applications are presented that demonstrate the accuracy and the efficiency of the new approaches.
Fractal renewal processes

Two relatively simple renewal processes whose power spectral densities vary as 1/f/sup D/ are constructed: 1) a standard renewal point process, with 0 >
Current treatment of pediatric empyema.

Pneumonia with complicated parapneumonic effusion and empyema is increasing in incidence and continues to be a source of morbidity in children seen in our institution. Current diagnostic modalities include chest radiographs and CT scanning with ultrasound being helpful in some situations. Exact management of empyema remains controversial. Although open thoractomy drainage is well accepted in children, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) drainage has become more prevalent in the current era. Over the last 4 years, we have treated 58 children with intrapleural placement of pigtail catheters and administration fibrinolytics consisting of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). Successful drainage and resolution of 54 of the 58 effusions was achieved with percutaneous methods alone. There was no mortality or 30-day recurrence. Mean hospital stay was 9.1 days (range 5 to 21) and mean chest catheter removal was 6 days post placement (range 1.5 to 20). Of the four patients that failed percutaneous tube therapy, 3 underwent video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), and one had open thoracotomy with decortication. Based on our experience, tPA administered through a small bore chest tube for drainage of complicated parapneumonic effusions has become our standard practice. We reserve VATS for treatment failures and open thoracotomy and decortication for patients with VATS failure.
Ethics and the Broader Rethinking/Reconceptualization of Research as Construct

The focus of this article is the conceptualization of a critical anticolonial social science that places ethics and concern for others at the forefront, while at the same time challenges the will to know others that so dominates social science research as construct. The authors propose that research examine and challenge social systems, support struggles for social justice, and construct a nonviolent revolutionary ethical consciousness.
Quantum resonances in chaotic scattering

Abstract This Letter summarizes numerical results from [J. Comp. Phys. (to appear)] which show that in quantum systems with chaotic classical dynamics, the number of scattering resonances near an energy E scales like ℏ −(D K E +1)/2 . Here, KE denotes the subset of the classical energy surface H=E which stays bounded for all time under the flow of H and D K E denotes its fractal dimension. Since the number of bound states in a quantum system with n degrees of freedom scales like ℏ−n, this suggests that the quantity (D K E +1)/2 represents the effective number of degrees of freedom in chaotic scattering problems.
The effects of attorney presentation style, attorney gender, and juror gender on juror decisions

Extralegal characteristics of attorneys may play a significant role in the decision-making behavior of jurors. Presentation style, for example, is one factor to which trial lawyers pay a great deal of attention. However, a given style of speech may not be perceived equivalently when used by different speakers. The present study examined the effects of the defense attorney's presentation style and gender, and juror gender on jurors' verdicts and evaluation of the attorney and witness. Undergraduate college students read a brief summary of an assault-and-robbery case, viewed a videotape of either a passive or aggressive male or female attorney interrogating a witness, then rendered a verdict and rated the witness and attorney on characteristics such as competency, credibility, and assertiveness. The results indicated that, overall, aggressive attorneys were more successful at obtaining an acquittal for their clients than passive attorneys, and that male attorneys were more successful than female attorneys; presentation style also interacted with gender of attorney and juror. Some possible mechanisms for these effects are discussed.
Two Coronaviruses Isolated from Central Nervous System Tissue of Two Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Two coronaviruses were isolated from brain material obtained at autopsy from two multiple sclerosis patients. The viruses were neutralized by serum and spinal fluid from these patients. Although most of the population have antibody to these virus isolates, multiple sclerosis patients have slightly higher concentrations of serum antibody than controls. The results suggest that coronaviruses should be considered as one additional virus with a potential implication in the etiology of multiple sclerosis.
Qualifying the quantifying: assessing the quality of life of lung transplant recipients.

A gaunt woman, weakened by years of lung disease, gasping for every breath, living tethered to an oxygen tank, and barely able to leave her bed, grimly acknowledges the doctor's confirmation that the end is near. At the same time, though, she holds on to the outside chance that another set of lungs might replace her almost useless ones. "As sick as I was, one part of me knew I was dying but there was another part of me that knew I wasn't going to die," reported Cheryl Maxham. "It was like two different people, one saying, 'Yeah, you're sick, you're going to die.' And the other side of me kept saying,'Something is going to come up, you're not going to die.'"' Sometimes the miracle of organ transplantation does occur, and someone like Maxham escapes from the brink of death. Most who undergo lung transplantation gain a few unexpected years of life. Seventy-seven percent transplanted in the mid-1990s survived at
Determinants of Sales Destinations of U.S. Multinational Firms' Affiliates in Developing Countries

This study examines the determinants of the sales of .U.S. multinational firms' affiliates to alternative destinations, including sales to other affiliate firms in a host country and a source country markets as well as sales to other non-affiliate persons in each market. Sample host countries are drawn from developing economies where U.S. multinational firms had affiliate firms during the period 1983–1998. The results of the study reveal that affiliates of multinational firms manipulate sales to minimize international taxation. This is supported by the finding that foreign corporate income taxes: affect sales between affiliate firms favorably, unlike its impacts on sales of affiliates to non-affiliate persons in both a host country and source country markets. Considering all markets together, economic volatility and political instability have minimal impacts on sales of affiliates to other affiliate firms compared to their impacts on sales to non-affiliate persons. The results also confirm that host count...
Annotations for streaming video on the Web: system design and usage studies

Abstract Streaming video on the World Wide Web is being widely deployed, and workplace training and distance education are key applications. The ability to annotate video on the Web can provide significant added value in these and other areas. Written and spoken annotations can provide `in context' personal notes and can enable asynchronous collaboration among groups of users. With annotations, users are no longer limited to viewing content passively on the Web, but are free to add and share commentary and links, thus transforming the Web into an interactive medium. We discuss design considerations in constructing a collaborative video annotation system, and we introduce our prototype, called MRAS. We present preliminary data on the use of Web-based annotations for personal note-taking and for sharing notes in a distance education scenario. Users showed a strong preference for MRAS over pen-and-paper for taking notes, despite taking longer to do so. They also indicated that they would make more comments and questions with MRAS than in a `live' situation, and that sharing added substantial value.
Finite perturbation theory for nuclear spin coupling constants

Abstract Nuclear spin coupling constants are calculated using approximate SCF wavefunctions and a finite perturbation method. The results reproduce many of the experimental features and trends of coupling constants for carbon and hydrogen.
Dobutamine-induced hypotension is an independent predictor for mortality in patients with left ventricular dysfunction following myocardial infarction

Dobutamine echocardiography was performed on 297 patients after acute myocardial infarction to assess the prognostic value of dobutamine-induced hypotension in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. Patients were divided into two groups according to ejection fraction (group I, ejection fraction or =0.45, n = 174) and were followed for 20+/-8 months. Hypotension was defined as a decrease in systolic blood pressure > or =20 mm Hg, compared with baseline values. The incidence of hypotension was similar in groups I and II (23.6% vs. 18.4%, P = 0.28), and the hypotension was not related to positive dobutamine echocardiography. Univariate analysis showed that the development of hypotension was associated with a higher incidence of cardiac death in group I but not in group II. Multivariate analysis showed that dobutamine-induced hypotension was an independent predictor only for cardiac death in group I and was not related to any other cardiac events in either group. In conclusion, the development of hypotension during dobutamine stress can identify a subgroup with poor ventricular functional reserve and at high risk for cardiac death among patients complicated with left ventricular dysfunction.