cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk stratification by quantitation of LV dyssynchrony: A new branch of the field of nuclear cardiology

Of the many accepted predictors of survival in an adult population, one is a measure of cardiac performance: ventricular ejection fraction. The effort to deepen the understanding of the predictors of death in different forms of cardiac disease or in non-cardiac diseases wherein cardiac death rate is increased, has led, of course, to deeper probing of underlying non-cardiac pathophysiology, e.g., of diabetes, as well as to correlations of survival with an observable for which there may have been no recognizable direct mechanistic significance at the time of the recognition of that observable’s significance. The contribution of Aggarwal et al brings to the discussion a new and highly unexpected data point. In end-stage renal disease, an important and epidemic disease where cardiac death, in the sum of many forms, takes a high toll, the authors study a nuclear cardiologic measure of ventricular performance, phase bandwidth, and surprisingly they find a significant correlation with survival in the largest series studied to date (close to a thousand patients). Adding to the significance of their findings, is the peculiar simplicity of the analysis, for they apply simple cut-offs to the FFT-derived first harmonic’s bandwidth, and discover a clear survival advantage of smaller bandwidth. (This appears particularly important in a field of imaging where the last word has not yet been written on data analysis and optimal technique for deriving meaningful bandwidth measures, a matter to which we shall return in Section 3.) To appreciate fully the significance of the singling out of phase bandwidth—a measure of ventricular performance quite independent of ventricular function—it is useful to start with a discussion of heart physiology. Classical determinants of cardiac performance include contractile state (contractility, or elastance in the framework of Sagawa and co-workers), ventricular myocardial mass, rate, afterload, preload and other optimizable atrial determinants of cardiac filling, and diastolic function as a ventricular determinant of ventricular filling. Contractility and optimized preload and afterload are all directly reflected in ventricular ejection fraction. To the systolic measures, we must add synchrony explicitly. For, independently of contractile state, enhanced synchrony improves stroke volume. Consider the patient with good contractility and a large compliant apical aneurysm, a portion of stroke work will be expended in filling the aneurysm, a useless cycle that reduces cardiac output. And in other patients with dilated heart and depressed contractility, more subtle inefficiencies are introduced by dyssynchrony that similarly reduce cardiac output, other things being equal. The pressure-volume relation that is the foundation of Braunwaldian cardiac performance analysis, does not directly reflect the presence or absence of synchronous contraction within the ventricle. In the patient with a See related article, pp. 739–746
Using direct linking capabilities in aggregated databases for E-reserves

Libraries looking to realize the full value of their electronic resource purchases have the opportunity to link directly to content within aggregated databases. An examination of direct linking tools provided by four major aggregators show a varied landscape of features and capabilities. Despite differences from one platform to another, direct linking has become an important feature for database subscribers and is becoming a more straightforward process. In light of advances in direct linking technology, libraries should compare the costs and benefits of direct linking in comparison to traditional e-reserve methods based on securing permissions and scanning hard copy.
Laparoscopic Fundoplication with or Without Pyloroplasty in Patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease After Lung Transplantation: How I Do It

Introduction Several studies have confirmed that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in lung transplant patients is a risk factor for the development and progression of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), a form of rejection after lung transplantation. Moreover, numerous reports indicate that surgical correction of GERD may control the decline in lung function characteristic of BOS. Although laparoscopic fundoplication is an accepted treatment option for these patients with GERD, the surgical technique, which often includes a laparoscopic pyloroplasty, has not been standardized.
Efficient solar photoelectrolysis by nanoporous Mo:BiVO4 through controlled electron transport

A detailed understanding of doping level, electron diffusion length and coefficient, as well as light capture and charge separation efficiencies in nanoporous Mo-doped BiVO4 (Mo:BiVO4) photoanodes is obtained using photoelectrochemical techniques. Efficient water oxidation is achieved by doping with 1.8% Mo, resulting in a several-fold enhancement in photooxidation rate versus non-doped BiVO4. Two techniques are used to study the effect of Mo doping on the electron transport: (1) an analysis of the front/back illumination ratio of incident photon-to-current efficiency and (2) intensity modulated photocurrent spectroscopy. These techniques show that Mo doping improves the diffusion coefficient four-fold and increases the diffusion length to ca. 300 nm (from 10 nm for the non-doped material), which is also the empirically-determined optimal Mo:BiVO4 film thickness for photoelectrolysis. These films are found to have a 90% charge separation efficiency and an 80% absorbed photon-to-current efficiency, excellent values for metal oxide photoabsorbers. Among the many oxygen evolution catalysts studied, surface modification with iron oxyhydroxide (FeOOH), a simple earth abundant catalyst, dramatically enhances the water oxidation performance of Mo:BiVO4 to an integrated IPCE of 2.41 mA cm(-2) and a photocurrent density of 2.77 mA cm(-2) in neutral phosphate at 1.23 V vs. RHE.
the paradox of planned weather modification

A paradox has developed involving on one hand sizeable reductions during the last two years in federal support of weather modification, as opposed to major scientific-technical advances in the field plus strong recommendations for increased federal support from the scientific community. The major recent advances include the capability to operationally dissipate cold fogs, to enhance snow from orographic clouds, and to increase rain from tropical clouds, plus the discovery of sizeable urban-related increases in rainfall. Other advances include special weather radars, aircraft with new cloud sensors and the capability to penetrate thunderstorms, new seeding materials and delivery systems, and new techniques for evaluation of projects. These have been coupled with the spread of weather modification around the world and with the initiation of major seeding projects in Colorado (NHRE, HIPLEX, and San Juan Project), Florida, South Dakota, and Illinois-Missouri (METROMEX). Several groups (NACOA, NAS, ICAS, NWC, ...
A suggested classification guide for PACS client applications: the five degrees of thickness.

This article defines and describes the numerous types of “clients” for picture archiving and communication systems (PACS). A radiologist uses a client to view images stored in the system. Many PACS are available in the market, and each offers different methods by which a client can view images from the server. The terminology used to describe these different methods can cause confusion and lead to poor choice for those imaging team members who are given the task of purchasing, implementing, and supporting the PACS. We propose a classification of clients with respect to their impact on client work stations, an effect often referred to as the application’s thickness. The thinner the client, the less effect it has on the hosting work station. In contrast, a thick client consumes the work station’s resources and often prevents a work station from being used to effectively run anything other than the client application. Functionality and supportability are highlighted as key and interacting metrics in determining optimal correct PACS solutions. The importance of a clear understanding of the needs and requirements of all users as well as the client application is emphasized. This relationship between supportability and functionality becomes increasingly important as the industry shifts to enterprise information technology solutions.
Acetone in the Urban Atmosphere: A Study in Denver, Colorado

We report 4-h average concentration data for acetone, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and carbon monoxide measured in downtown Denver, Colorado, USA from January through December 1993. The correlations between these carbonyl compounds and CO measurements suggest that motor vehicles are a significant source for all three carbonyls, particularly during the winter. The diurnal character of the concentrations of formaldehyde and acetaldehyde suggests that there is at least a small net photochemical source for these compounds during the summer. The diurnal character of the acetone concentration suggests that there is a significant net photochemical source for acetone during the summer. An analysis of the initial photochemical production and loss processes for these carbonyls under typical atmospheric conditions suggests that the production and loss processes for formaldehyde nearly balance. This same analysis for the other carbonyls suggests that there should be a large net photochemical source for both acetaldehyde and acetone. Such a large photochemical source is not observed for acetaldehyde. Acetone is relatively unreactive in the atmosphere on a timescale of urban or regional interest. Thus, atmospheric measurements of acetone concentrations may serve as a useful indicator of the photochemical age or degree of photochemical processing of an air mass.
Pleistocene forests preserved in Oregon coast sediments

Erosion on the Oregon coast has exposed several paleosols (ancient soil deposits) containing well-preserved tree trunks. Some trunks are of Holocene age [Hart and Peterson, 1997], while others are much older. These macrofossil deposits contain clues to tectonic activity, paleovegetation patterns, coastal erosion, and climate evolution. This article describes a paleosol located near Cape Perpetua, Oregon, containing trunks dated at prior to 50,000 B.P. The forest appears to have been buried during a catastrophic debris flow and preserved due to anoxia.
A PENALTY-LOGIC SIMPLE-TRANSITION MODEL FOR STRUCTURED SEQUENCES

We study the problem of learning to infer hidden-state sequences of processes whose states and observations are propositionally or relationally factored. Unfortunately, standard exact inference techniques such as Viterbi and graphical model inference exhibit exponential complexity for these processes. The main motivation behind our work is to identify a restricted space of models, which facilitate efficient inference, yet are expressive enough to remain useful in many applications. In particular, we present the penalty-logic simple-transition model, which utilizes a very simple-transition structure where the transition cost between any two states is constant. While not appropriate for all complex processes, we argue that it is often rich enough in many applications of interest, and when it is applicable there can be inference and learning advantages compared to more general models. In particular, we show that sequential inference for this model, that is, finding a minimum-cost state sequence, efficiently reduces to a single-state minimization (SSM) problem. We then show how to define atemporal-cost models in terms of penalty logic, or weighted logical constraints, and how to use this representation for practically efficient SSM computation. We present a method for learning the weights of our model from labeled training data based on Perceptron updates. Finally, we give experiments in both propositional and relational video-interpretation domains showing advantages compared to more general models.
Security of computer software

Due to the Multiplicity of risks to computer software as well as the time involved and expenses required to provide safety for the programs, protection for a firm's software has become a complex matter. Many security measures have been explored in recent years, especially with regard to general computer facility safety; the location of computer facilities, proper building construction and maintenance limited and controlled access to computer facilities, security clearance for personnel, and the creation of security policies are but a few of the general practices a company should consider when planning for total facility safety.
ASYMPTOTIC BAYES ANALYSIS FOR THE FINITE-HORIZON ONE-ARMED-BANDIT PROBLEM

The multiarmed-bandit problem is often taken as a basic model for the trade-off between the exploration and utilization required for efficient optimization under uncertainty. In this article, we study the situation in which the unknown performance of a new bandit is to be evaluated and compared with that of a known one over a finite horizon. We assume that the bandits represent random variables with distributions from the one-parameter exponential family. When the objective is to maximize the Bayes expected sum of outcomes over a finite horizon, it is shown that optimal policies tend to simple limits when the length of the horizon is large.
Being “in the Know” in a Participative Management System:

A primary advantage of employee involvement groups is assumed to be the development of knowledgeable workers who are better performers. Little research, however, has explored the processes by which involvement in participatory groups is related to the acquisition of organizational knowledge. This study, of a manufacturing plant using a sociotechnical system design, hypothesized that two factors (involvement in the communication system and leadership experience) directly influence the level of workers' knowledge. Surprisingly, involvement in the overall communication system did not contribute to the degree to which workers were informed about specific production and organizational issues. However, the development of strong links with managers was associated with the acquisition of organizational knowledge. Furthermore, the data indicated that hourly workers' leadership experience was associated with greater level of knowledge. The implications of these findings for participatory designs are discussed.
Our hero the buffoon: Contradictory and concurrent Burkean framing of Arizona governor Evan Mecham

Analyses applying Kenneth Burke's poetic frames connote that the categories operate in isolation of one another. This paper pushes further the use of Burkean framing devices by considering the simultaneous operation of opposing poetic categories. Analysis of letters to the editor in Arizona newspapers demonstrates the polar responses to former Arizona Governor Evan Mecham during the (successful) drive for a recall election. The study explains the use of the oft neglected epic category to frame Mecham as a hero of an intolerant breed of social conservatism while he was concurrently depicted as a buffoon in the burlesque frame to more traditional Republicans.
Capacity Building Needs of Farmers for Safe Agro-chemical Use/Application in Niger State, Nigeria

In order to determine the capacity building needs of farmers for safe agro-chemical use in Niger State, the study examined awareness of safety measures for agro-chemical usage, sources of awareness, practice of safety measures and training needs of farmers. One hundred and twenty farmers were randomly selected from three local government areas in the state. Validated interview schedule with reliability coefficient of 0.89 was used to collect data. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. All the respondents were aware of wearing of protective clothing and avoiding drinking/eating during spraying, safety measure such as avoiding off label use (7.50%) had low awareness level. The major sources of awareness were friend/relatives (55.00%). The most widely practised safety measure was avoiding ingesting or inhaling chemicals (91.67%), while the least practised safety measure was avoiding off label use (2.50%).Reasons given for not practicing some safety measures include heaviness of protective clothing (17.50%) and unreadable nature of instruction labels (14.17%). Major areas of training needs of the respondents were application (61.67%) and handling (52.50%) of agro-chemicals. A positive significant correlation existed between education (r = 0.461), farming experience (r = 0.337), farm income (r = 0.307) and practice of safety measures. It was therefore recommended that enlightenment campaign should be carried out in the State to raise awareness level for safe use of agro-chemicals in the agricultural transformation programme, while the characters of the instruction labels should be boldly written to facilitate reading and practice of safety measures.
Effects of extreme floods on trout populations and fish communities in a Catskill Mountain river

SUMMARY 1. Extreme hydrologic events are becoming more common with changing climate. Although the impacts of winter and spring floods on lotic ecosystems have been well studied, the effects of summer floods are less well known. 2. The Upper Esopus Creek Basin in the Catskill Mountains, NY, experienced severe flooding from Tropical Storm Irene on 28 August 2011, and peak discharges exceeded the 0.01 annual exceedance probability (>100 year flood) in some reaches. Three years of fish community data from pre-flood surveys at nine sites were compared to data from 2 years of post-flood surveys to evaluate changes in fish communities and populations of brown trout (Salmo trutta) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). 3. Basinwide, fish assemblages were not strongly impacted and appeared highly resilient to the effects of the flood. Total density and biomass of fish communities were greater at most sites 10– 11 months after the flood than 1 month prior to the flood while richness and diversity were generally unchanged. Community composition did not differ significantly between years or between the preand post-flood periods. 4. Although the density of mature brown trout was low at most sites (mean density = 146 fish ha 1 ), young-of-the-year brown trout reached their highest density (mean = 2312 fish ha 1 ) during 2012. In contrast, rainbow trout densities declined substantially during the 5-year study and the 2012 year class was small (mean density = 222 fish ha 1 ). 5. Late summer floods may be less damaging to stream fish communities than winter or spring floods as spawning activity is negligible and early life stages of many species are generally larger and less susceptible to displacement and mortality. Additionally, post-flood conditions may be advantageous for brown trout recruitment.
The Teaching of Philosophy: Renewed Rights and Responsibilities.

(2003). The Teaching of Philosophy: Renewed rights and responsibilities. Educational Philosophy and Theory: Vol. 35, No. 3, pp. 271-284.
A Test for the Differences between Two Groups' T-Distributed Statistics.

Researchers occasionally perform a statistical test for gains on two groups separately, and compare the results via significance for the two tests. While that procedure is incorrect statistically, there is a statistical test due to Ghosh (1975) that allows comparison of the difference between two independent t-distributed variables. It is presented here with a reanalysis of an incorrect result presented by Levy (1982).
Threshold-voltage recovery of a-Si:H digital circuits

— A-Si:H thin-film transistors demonstrate threshold voltage recovery of several volts after room-temperature rest with no applied voltage. The extent to which this phenomenon can be used to extend the operational lifetime of a-Si:H digital circuits is examined and is shown to be strictly limited.
Contoured edge slice generation in rapid prototyping via 5-axis machining

Abstract Rapid prototyping, though a relatively new discipline, has proven to be a valuable tool in the reduction of the time and cost associated with developing new products. The value of rapid prototyping shows the promise of increasing even further as it matures and offers higher quality parts, in less time, and for lower costs. Improvements in these areas are all addressed in current rapid prototyping research in various ways. This paper presents a method for greatly improving the geometric accuracy, and thus the overall quality, of rapid prototype parts by making use of 5-axis machining. An algorithm is presented to generate the contoured edge slices for the rapid prototype parts in several levels of complexity. A simple algorithm is presented to generate a single edge contour for each section of the slice, and a more complex algorithm is also presented to allow for the 5-axis machining of “sub-layers” within a slice. It will be shown that sub-layer 5-axis machining provides the possibility to produce the most accurate rapid prototype parts on the market today. The benefits and limitations of the process will be enumerated and summarized. An inexpensive design for the implementation of a 5-axis machine configuration for a proposed sheet-based rapid prototyping process will be presented. A novel characteristic of the proposed process is that it does not require that the sheets be produced independently and post-assembled via a registration system. The process allows for the parts to be built up on a platen as the layers are cut, thus removing the need for a registration system and eliminating post-assembly errors. Sample parts and algorithm verification will also be presented.
High-power 1320-nm wafer-bonded VCSELs with tunnel junctions

A new long-wavelength vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser structure is described that utilizes AlGaAs-GaAs mirrors bonded to AlInGaAs-InP quantum wells with an intracavity buried tunnel junction. This structure offers complete wavelength flexibility in the 1250-1650 nm fiber communication bands and reduces the high free-carrier losses and bonded junction voltage drops in previous devices. The intracavity contacts electrically bypass the bonded junctions to reduce threshold voltage. N-type current spreading layers and undoped AlGaAs mirrors minimize optical losses. This has enabled 134/spl deg/C maximum continuous-wave lasing temperature, 2-mW room-temperature continuous-wave single-mode power, and 1-mW single-mode power at 80/spl deg/C, in various devices in the 1310-1340 nm wavelength range.
The firm's trust in its university partner as a key mediator in advancing knowledge and new technologies

Although industry-university relationships (I/URs) are of growing importance for creating knowledge and new technologies, I/URs remain relatively understudied. We build a theoretical framework that examines communication frequency, a facet of communication effectiveness, the personalness of the communication form (i.e., face-to-face, telephone, e-mail, and written), the firm's trust in its university partner, and the I/UR's knowledge and new technology outcomes. Our theoretical framework is tested using primarily survey questionnaire data collected from senior managers in 189 industrial firms across 21 university research centers. While previous research demonstrates the important connection between the way partners communicate and various collaborative venture outcomes, our results suggest that trust is an important mediator between communication and knowledge and technological outcomes in I/URs. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for both research and practice.
Calcium dependence of rapid astrocyte death induced by transient hypoxia, acidosis, and extracellular ion shifts

Exposure to hypoxic, acidic, ion-shifted Ringer (HAIR) for 15-40 min has been shown to cause rapid astrocyte death upon reperfusion with normal media. The ion shifts of the HAIR solution included a rise in extracellular K(+) (e.g., [K(+)](o)) and a fall in [Na(+)](o), [Cl(-)](o), and [Ca(2+)](o), characteristic of ischemic-traumatic brain insults. We investigated the ionic basis of the HAIR-induced injury. After HAIR exposure, reperfusion in 0 Ca(2+)/EGTA media completely protected astrocytes. Preincubation of cells in BAPTA-AM ester was also protective, indicating that the injury was triggered by Ca(2+) influx during reperfusion. Neither nimodipine, CNQX, APV, nor TTX reduced injury. Astrocyte death could be blocked by 100 microM Ni(2+) or 100 microM benzamil, suggesting involvement of Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchange. KB-R7943, which preferentially inhibits reverse Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchange, also protected astrocytes. Elevation of [K(+)](o) was not necessary for astrocyte death. However, when [Na(+)](o) was maintained at 151 mM throughout the HAIR protocol, cell death was markedly reduced. We postulate that [Na(+)](o) shifts aid reversal of Na(+)-Ca(2+) exchange by favoring cytosolic Na(+) loading. Possible means of astrocytic Na(+) accumulation are discussed.
Bringing the Grid home

While grid computing promises unparalleled secure sharing of computation and resources in a heterogeneous environment, it has not yet found wide-spread adoption. Without a large user base, the promises of grid computing can not be fulfilled. One reason grid computing has lacked wide adoption because users are unwilling to suffer the cost of learning new paradigms or to modify applications to use grid resources. We address this issue by layering the simple and familiar paradigm of a filesystem atop of a grid-backend with G-ICING. G-ICING is a Windows installable filesystem that interacts with a Grid-backend using standards developed by the open grid forum. We have created a prototype of G-ICING using Genesis II as our grid backend. In our evaluation, we demonstrate that it is both practical and easy-to-use. With G-ICING, we can finally bring the promises of grid computing home.
Impaired Macromolecular Protein Pools in Fronto-Striato-Thalamic Circuits in Type 2 Diabetes Revealed by Magnetization Transfer Imaging

Previous research has shown that type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with white matter microstructural changes, cognitive impairment, and decreased resting-state functional connectivity and spontaneous brain activity. This study used magnetization transfer imaging to examine, for the first time, the integrity of macromolecular protein pools in fronto-striato-thalamic circuits and its clinical and cognitive correlates in patients with T2DM. T2DM patients without mood disorders (n = 20, aged 65.05 ± 11.95 years) and healthy control subjects (HCs; n = 26, aged 62.92 ± 12.71 years) were recruited. Nodes of fronto-striato-thalamic circuits—head of the caudate nucleus (hCaud), putamen, globus pallidus, thalamus—and four cortical regions—rostral and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and lateral orbitofrontal cortex—were examined. Compared with HCs, patients with T2DM had significantly lower magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) in bilateral anterior cingulate and hCaud. Reduced MTRs in the above regions showed correlations with T2DM-related clinical measures, including hemoglobin A1c level and vascular risk factors, and neuropsychological task performance in the domains of learning and memory, executive function, and attention and information processing. The impaired biophysical integrity of brain macromolecular protein pools and their local microenvironments in T2DM patients may provide insights into the neurological pathophysiology underlying diabetes-associated clinical and cognitive deficits.
Improved Ponderomotive Guiding Center Algorithm

The original implementation of the ponderomotive guiding center algorithm is not suitable for modeling the propagation of short laser pulses over long distances. An improved algorithm is given, which improves the accuracy of the calculation, allowing much longer propagation distances to be modeled.
Mechanical properties of rat soleus after long-term spinal cord transection

The effects of a complete spinal cord transection (ST) on the mechanical properties of the rat soleus were assessed 3 and 6 mo post-ST and compared with age-matched controls. Maximal tetanic force was reduced by ∼44 and ∼25% at 3 and 6 mo post-ST, respectively. Similarly, maximum twitch force was reduced by ∼29% in 3-mo and ∼17% in 6-mo ST rats. ST resulted in faster twitch properties as evidenced by shorter time to peak tension (∼45%) and half-relaxation time (∼55%) at both time points. Maximum shortening velocity was significantly increased in ST rats whether measured by extrapolation from the force-velocity curve (approximately twofold at both time points) or by slack-test measurements (over twofold at both time points). A significant reduction in fatigue resistance of the soleus was observed at 3 (∼25%) and 6 mo (∼45%) post-ST. For the majority of the speed-related properties, no significant differences were detected between 3- and 6-mo ST rats. However, the fatigue resistance of the soleus was significantly lower in 6- vs. 3-mo ST rats. These data suggest that, between 3 and 6 mo post-ST, force-related properties tended to recover, speed-related properties plateaued, and fatigue-related properties continued to decline. Thus some specific functional properties of the rat soleus related to contractile force, speed, and fatigue adapted independently after ST.
Software fault tolerance methodology and testing for the embedded PowerPC

In this paper we describe our software-based fault tolerance strategies for PowerPC devices embedded within Xilinx Virtex 4 FX60 FPGAs. Traditional FPGA fault tolerance techniques, such as scrubbing and TMR, cannot be applied to the embedded PowerPC. Our work targets scientific applications operating on space-based FPGA architectures consisting of an FPGA and a radiation-hardened controller. We use heartbeat monitoring, control flow assertions, and checkpoint/rollback to achieve high performance and low overhead fault tolerance. Our initial results show we are able to add our fault tolerance strategies with only 2% application overhead while recovering from 94% of the faults injected during testing.12
Multiple Shape-from-texture Into Texture Analysis And Surface Segmentation

This paper describes an approach to the classification and segmentation of textured imagery. The approach utilizes information derived during the recovery of surface shape parameters, which are generated by a system that integrates multiple shape-from cues. The robustness of this approach is illustrated by a system that integrates several shape-from-texture cues, recovering not only shape information but also segmenting images into surfaces and aiding in the classification of the surface textures. Two examples are given of the system operating on real, camera acquired imagery.
Venous thromboembolism prevention in acutely ill nonsurgical patients.

OBJECTIVETo review recent advances in the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in acutely ill nonsurgical inpatients.DATA SOURCESA MEDLINE search (1966–March 2005) was done to identify relevant articles relating to prevention of VTE in acutely ill nonsurgical inpatients.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTIONFour major prophylaxis trials, one registry, one guideline, and supporting articles representative of the subject matter from the last few years were included.DATA SYNTHESISEnoxaparin, dalteparin, fondaparinux, and unfractionated heparin 5000 units every 8 hours are effective in reducing the risk of VTE in acutely ill medical patients, but such prophylaxis is currently underused. Barriers to be overcome include recognition of the importance of VTE in this population, definition of the optimal strategy to assess risks, optimal timing of the risk assessment, optimal prophylactic regimen for a given level of risk or disease state, and optimal duration of prophylaxis. We recommend that acutely ill medic...
Dual atrioventricular nodal pathways: A benign finding in arrhythmia-free children with heart disease

The incidence and significance of dual atrioventricular (A-V) nodal pathways are described in 78 children with associated congenital or acquired heart disease. None of these patients had clinical or electrocardiographic evidence of arrhythmia. Dual A-V nodal pathways were observed in 35 percent of the preoperative group and in 33 percent of the postoperative group. Despite this substrate for A-V nodal reentry, supraventricular tachycardia was neither induced during electrophysiologic evaluation nor did it develop clinically over a follow-up period of 1 month to 15 years. It is concluded that dual A-V nodal pathways are common and may be a benign finding in arrhythmia-free children with heart disease.
schnurri is required for dpp-dependent patterning of the Drosophila wing

The BMP-related ligand Decapentaplegic (Dpp) has a well-characterized role in pattern formation during Drosophila embryogenesis and in larval development. Previous work has shown that transcription of Dpp-responsive genes requires the activity of the BMP-specific Smad, Mothers against dpp (Mad). In this study we investigated the role of the zinc finger transcription factor Schnurri (Shn) in mediating the nuclear response to Dpp during adult patterning. Using clonal analysis, we show that wing imaginal disc cells mutant for shn fail to transcribe the genes spalt, optomotor blind, vestigial, and Dad, that are known to be induced by dpp signaling. shn clones also ectopically express brinker, a gene that is downregulated in response to dpp, thus implicating Shn in both activation and repression of Dpp target genes. We demonstrate that loss of shn activity affects anterior-posterior patterning and cell proliferation in the wing blade, in a manner that reflects the graded requirement for Dpp in these processes. Furthermore, we find that shn is expressed in the pupal wing and plays a distinct role in mediating dpp-dependent vein differentiation at this stage. The absence of shn activity results in defects that are similar in nature and severity to those caused by elimination of Mad, suggesting that Shn has an essential role in dpp signal transduction in the developing wing. Our data are consistent with a model in which Shn acts as a cofactor for Mad.
Quantitative Gait Markers and Incident Fall Risk in Older Adults

Methods. We studied 597 adults aged 70 and older (mean age 80.5 years, 62% women) enrolled in an aging study who received quantitative gait assessments at baseline. Association of speed and six other gait markers (cadence, stride length, swing, double support, stride length variability, and swing time variability) with incident fall rate was studied using generalized estimation equation procedures adjusted for age, sex, education, falls, chronic illnesses, medications, cognition, disability as well as traditional clinical tests of gait and balance. Results. Over a mean follow-up period of 20 months, 226 (38%) of the 597 participants fell. Mean fall rate was 0.44 per person-year. Slower gait speed (risk ratio [RR] per 10 cm/s decrease 1.069, 95% confi dence interval [CI] 1.001 – 1.142) was associated with higher risk of falls in the fully adjusted models. Among six other markers, worse performance on swing (RR 1.406, 95% CI 1.027 – 1.926), double-support phase (RR 1.165, 95% CI 1.026 – 1.321), swing time variability (RR 1.007, 95% CI 1.004 – 1.010), and stride length variability (RR 1.076, 95% CI 1.030 – 1.111) predicted fall risk. The associations remained signifi cant even after accounting for cognitive impairment and disability. Conclusions. Quantitative gait markers are independent predictors of falls in older adults. Gait speed and other markers, especially variability, should be further studied to improve current fall risk assessments and to develop new interventions.
Bambuterol in the Treatment of Asthma: A Placebo-Controlled Comparison of Once-Daily Morning vs Evening Administration

Once-daily morning (7 AM) vs evening (10 PM) administration of the terbutaline prodrug bambuterol (20-mg tablet dose) was investigated in a double-blind, cross-over, randomized, and placebo-controlled study involving 29 diurnally active patients with asthma. Terbutaline plasma concentration, spirometry, and drug tolerance were assessed during 39-h inpatient studies. A 7-day washout period separated each treatment. Mean 24-h plasma concentration was comparable for morning and evening bambuterol (13.2 vs 14.0 nmol/L). The Cmax for evening vs morning dosing was 17.2 vs 15.5 nmol/L (p < 0.02). The 24-h mean FEV1 was greater (p < 0.001) for bambuterol (morning: 3.2 L; evening: 3.4 L) vs placebo (2.9 L) as it was for FVC, FEF25-75%, and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), with the maximum effect at 4 AM independent of medication time. Evening dosing, however, resulted in greatest 7 AM (awakening) FEV1, FEV25-75, and PEFR (p < 0.03). With reference to corresponding-in-time placebo values, improvement in FEV1 at the end of the 24-h dosing intervals amounted to 0.34 L (13.5%) (p < 0.0004) and 0.35 L (15.9%) (p < 0.0012) with evening and morning bambuterol dosing, respectively. Side effects were greater for bambuterol than placebo, but not significantly so. Once-daily bambuterol therapy proved to be an effective treatment for asthma, whether administered in the evening or morning. Evening dosing seems best for nocturnal asthma since airway patency overnight and on awakening at 7 AM is most improved.
Coordinating multi-media information support of a complex computing environment

A matrix approach is developed to assess the adequacy of information support and plan coordinated maintenance of documents in a mixed computing environment. The information support matrix (ISM) consists of a list of products and services on one axis and of types of information sources on the other axis. Each cell represents an opportunity for providing information on a specific topic by a specific means. The use of the ISM is described, and an example of an ISM for statistics software is presented. >
A Review of Extra-Terrestrial Mining Robot Concepts

Outer space contains a vast amount of resources that offer virtually unlimited wealth to the humans that can access and use them for commercial purposes. One of the key technologies for harvesting these resources is robotic mining of regolith, minerals, ices and metals. The harsh environment and vast distances create challenges that are handled best by robotic machines working in collaboration with human explorers. Humans will benefit from the resources that will be mined by robots. They will visit outposts and mining camps as required for exploration, commerce and scientific research, but a continuous presence is most likely to be provided by robotic mining machines that are remotely controlled by humans. There have been a variety of extra-terrestrial robotic mining concepts proposed over the last 100 years and this paper will attempt to summarize and review concepts in the public domain (government, industry and academia) to serve as an informational resource for future mining robot developers and operators. The challenges associated with these concepts will be discussed and feasibility will be assessed. Future needs associated with commercial efforts will also be investigated.
Dual reference frequencies for low spur and low phase noise fractional- N frequency phase locked loop

The fractional-N phase lock loop has been widely used in wireless communication systems due to the high frequency resolution and the short locking time. The spur and the phase noise are two main performances of this kind of phase locked loop, but it is very difficult to reach both of the low spur and the low phase noise. The paper describes the new structure with dual reference frequencies to solve the problem.
An efficient transactional memory algorithm for computing minimum spanning forest of sparse graphs

Due to power wall, memory wall, and ILP wall, we are facing the end of ever increasing single-threaded performance. For this reason, multicore and manycore processors are arising as a new paradigm to pursue. However, to fully exploit all the cores in a chip, parallel programming is often required, and the complexity of parallel programming raises a significant concern. Data synchronization is a major source of this programming complexity, and Transactional Memory is proposed to reduce the difficulty caused by data synchronization requirements, while providing high scalability and low performance overhead.The previous literature on Transactional Memory mostly focuses on architectural designs. Its impact on algorithms and applications has not yet been studied thoroughly. In this paper, we investigate Transactional Memory from the algorithm designer's perspective. This paper presents an algorithmic model to assist in the design of efficient Transactional Memory algorithms and a novel Transactional Memory algorithm for computing a minimum spanning forest of sparse graphs. We emphasize multiple Transactional Memory related design issues in presenting our algorithm. We also provide experimental results on an existing software Transactional Memory system. Our algorithm demonstrates excellent scalability in the experiments, but at the same time, the experimental results reveal the clear limitation of software Transactional Memory due to its high performance overhead. Based on our experience, we highlight the necessity of efficient hardware support for Transactional Memory to realize the potential of the technology.
In people with subclinical hypothyroidism, TSH level >10 mIU/l may predict increased risk of coronary heart disease and related mortality

Commentary on: N Rodondi, WP den Elzen, DC Bauer, et al..; Thyroid Studies Collaboration. Subclinical hypothyroidism and the risk of coronary heart disease and mortality. JAMA2010;304:1365–74.
Evaluating the effectiveness of slicing for model reduction of concurrent object-oriented programs

Model checking techniques have proven effective for checking a number of non-trivial concurrent object-oriented software systems. However, due to the high computational and memory costs, a variety of model reduction techniques are needed to overcome current limitations on applicability and scalability. Conventional wisdom holds that static program slicing can be an effective model reduction technique, yet anecdotal evidence is mixed, and there has been no work that has systematically studied the costs/benefits of slicing for model reduction in the context of model checking source code for realistic systems. In this paper, we present an overview of the sophisticated Indus program slicer that is capable of handling full Java and is readily applicable to interesting off-the-shelf concurrent Java programs. Using the Indus program slicer as part of the next generation of the Bandera model checking framework, we experimentally demonstrate significant benefits from using slicing as a fully automatic model reduction technique. Our experimental results consider a number of Java systems with varying structural properties, the effects of combining slicing with other well-known model reduction techniques such as partial order reductions, and the effects of slicing for different classes of properties. Our conclusions are that slicing concurrent object-oriented source code provides significant reductions that are orthogonal to a number of other reduction techniques, and that slicing should always be applied due to its automation and low computational costs.
Samarium diiodide-mediated deoxygenation of taxol: A one-step synthesis of 10-deacetoxytaxol

Taxol (1) has been approved by the FDA for the treatment ovarian cancer. The authors here present a single-step synthesis of 10-deacetoxytaxol via a SmI{sub 2}-mediated deoxygenation of taxol (1). 10-deacetoxytaxol has similar biological activity to that of taxol. 1 fig., 1 tab.
Estimating a composite measure of hospital quality from the Hospital Compare database: differences when using a Bayesian hierarchical latent variable model versus denominator-based weights.

Background: A single composite measure calculated from individual quality indicators (QIs) is a useful measure of hospital performance and can be justified conceptually even when the indicators are not highly correlated with one another. Objective: To compare 2 basic approaches for calculating a composite measure: an extension of the most widely-used approach, which weights individual indicators based on the number of people eligible for the indicator (referred to as denominator-based weights, DBWs), and a Bayesian hierarchical latent variable model (BLVM). Methods: Using data for 15 QIs from 3275 hospitals in the Hospital Compare database, we calculated hospital ranks using several versions of DBWs and 2 BLVMs. Estimates in 1 BLVM were driven by differences in variances of the QIs (BLVM1) and estimates in the other by differences in the signal-to-noise ratios of the QIs (BLVM2). Results: There was a high correlation in ranks among all of the DBW approaches and between those approaches and BLVM1. However, a high correlation does not necessarily mean that the same hospitals were ranked in the top or bottom quality deciles. In general, large hospitals were ranked in higher quality deciles by all of the approaches, though the effect was most apparent using BLVM2. Conclusions: Both conceptually and practically, hospital-specific DBWs are a reasonable approach for calculating a composite measure. However, this approach fails to take into account differences in the reliability of estimates from hospitals of different sizes, a big advantage of the Bayesian models.
Estimation of Propagating Phase Transients in EEG Data - Application of Dynamic Logic Neural Modeling Approach

Dynamic logic (DL) approach establishes a unified framework for the statistical description of mixtures using model-based neural networks. In the present work, we extend the previous results to dynamic processes where the mixture parameters, including partial and total energy of the components are time-dependent. Equations are derived and solved for the estimation of parameters which vary in time. The results provide optimal approximation to a broad class of pattern recognition and process identification problems with variable and noisy data. The introduced methodology is demonstrated on the example of identification of propagating phase gradients generated by intermittent fluctuations in non-equilibrium neural media.
Development of a Helping Relationship Inventory for Social Work Practice

The authors report the development of an instrument to assess the strength of the helping relationship in social work The Helping Relationship Inventory has both client (HRI:C) and worker (HRI: W) versions. The HRI:C measures the strength of the helping relationship m social work practice from the perspective of the client, and the HRI: W measures the strength of the helping relationship from the perspective of the worker. The HRI:C is composed of items that capture those aspects of the helping relationship that are most salient to clients. The HRI: W is composed of items that capture those aspects of the helping relationship that are most salient to workers providing help. Both the client and worker versions of the inventory have acceptable reliability and validity estimates.
Web Appendix for 'Optimal Tax Policy and the Symmetries of Ignorance'

This document is the web appendix for Optimal Tax Policy and the Symmetries of Ignorance (June 2011). University of Pennsylvania, Institute for Law & Economic Research Paper No. 11-19; U of Penn Law School, Public Law Research Paper No. 11-21. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1856123.