cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Loose Cigarette Purchasing and Nondaily Smoking Among Young Adult Bar Patrons in New York City

Objectives. We examined loose cigarette (loosie) purchasing behavior among young adult (aged 18–26 years) smokers at bars in New York City and factors associated with purchase and use.Methods. Between June and December 2013, we conducted cross-sectional surveys (n = 1916) in randomly selected bars and nightclubs. Using multivariable logistic regression models, we examined associations of loose cigarette purchasing and use with smoking frequency, price, social norms, cessation behaviors, and demographics.Results. Forty-five percent (n = 621) of nondaily smokers and 57% (n = 133) of daily smokers had ever purchased a loosie; 15% of nondaily smokers and 4% of daily smokers reported that their last cigarette was a loosie. Nondaily smokers who never smoked daily were more likely than were daily smokers to have last smoked a loosie (odds ratio = 7.27; 95% confidence interval = 2.35, 22.48). Quitting behaviors and perceived approval of smoking were associated with ever purchasing and recently smoking loosies.Con...
Is managed care ethical

The author identifies ethical dilemmas inherent in fee-for-service medicine (grounded in patients' autonomous decision making) and managed care (grounded in the principle of efficiency). He argues that the moral legitimacy of the latter system of health care is more in question, and suggests a methodology for assessing its ethical status.
The interaction of d-tubocurarine with antiarrhythmic drugs.

The antiarrhythmics lidocaine, procainamide, propranolol, and diphenylhydantoin were tested in the cat anterior tibialis preparation. d-Tubocurarine neuromuscular blockade in the cat was increased approximately 10 to 25 per cent in intensity and prolonged 3 to 6 minutes when an antiarrhythmic drug w
Meteor wind data for global comparisons

Abstract A brief history and description of the University of New Hampshire meteor wind radar, located at Durham (43°N, 71°W) is presented. Winds measured for the periods 10–15 August 1974, 13–17 October 1975 and 16–22 January 1976, are discussed. In addition to prevailing winds, diurnal and semidiurnal tides, and their variation with height, the presence of a 48 hour component is discussed.
The vectorcardiogram in right bundle branch block coexisting with left ventricular focal block.

Abstract The vectorcardiograms of 4 cases in which left ventricular focal block coexisted with right bundle branch block were presented. In 3 cases there were initial conduction disturbances presumably due to abnormal propagation within an infarcted area (intra-infarction block). The vectorcardiographic characteristics of intrainfarction and peri-infarction block as well as their distinction from bundle branch block were emphasized. One case showed changes suggestive of intra-infarction block, but no evidence of infarction was found at necropsy. Instead there was diffuse myocardial fibrosis. The initial conduction delay was thus attributed to a nonspecific type of focal block. It is concluded that the various types of focal block with initial vectorial abnormalities can be adequately diagnosed in the presence of right bundle branch block.
Hemodynamic effects of acute atrioventricular sequential pacing in patients with left ventricular dysfunction

Abstract Acute atrioventricular (A-V) sequential pacing was compared with ventricular pacing in seven men with symptomatic left ventricular failure (New York Heart Association functional class III and IV) and depressed left ventricular ejection fraction (mean 29 percent, range 18 to 40). Cardiac index was higher during A-V sequential pacing than during ventricular pacing for every patient at paced rates of 75 to 100 beats/min. The mean increment was 17 percent (range 10 to 37) at a paced rate of 75 beats/ min, 23 percent (range 8 to 45) at a paced rate of 85 beats/min and 29 percent (range 19 to 55) at a paced rate of 100 beats/min. The increase in cardiac index in an individual patient did not correlate with baseline characteristics including functional class, cardiothoracic ratio, resting ejection fraction, cardiac index or balloon-occluded pulmonary wedge pressure. Arterial pressure varied from beat to beat during ventricular pacing because of the changing relation of atrial to ventricular systole. When an atrial contraction preceded a ventricular paced beat by a physiologic interval intraarterial pulse pressure uniformly increased. That increase correlated strongly (r = 0.993) with the increase in cardiac index that occurred during A-V sequential pacing. Measurement of the pulse pressure during A-V dissociation is a simple technique that may be useful for predicting the degree of improvement in cardiac output expected with methods of pacing that restore A-V synchrony.
Radioisotope Cisternography in Spontaneous CSF Leaks: Interpretations and Misinterpretations

A broadening of the clinical and imaging features of the spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks is now well recognized, far beyond what was thought only two decades ago. This has resulted in increasing number of patients with atypical and unusual features who, not unexpectedly, are directed to headache specialists and tertiary referral centers. In many cases, obviously the fundamental question of presence or absence of CSF leak will need to be addressed prior to proceeding with further and often more involved, more invasive, and more costly diagnostic and therapeutic considerations. Radioisotope cisternography often proves to be very helpful in these situations by demonstrating reliable, although indirect, evidences of CSF leak while it is less helpful in directly identifying the exact site of the CSF leakage. In this overview article, the expectations from and the limitations of this diagnostic method are described along with some personal observations in the past 25 years.
Control of strain relaxation in tensile and compressive oxide thin films

Tensile and compressive solid-solution thin films based on LaAlO3 and CaZrO3 compositions were grown on perovskite oxide substrates using pulsed laser deposition to study growth mode transitions and strain relaxation. A buried layer of SrRuO3 between the thin film and the SrTiO3 substrate was also introduced to provide an auxiliary embedded strain gauge, which helps identify the critical conditions for the onset of catastrophic strain relaxation events – cracking and dislocation cascades. The results are compared with theoretical predictions to provide guidelines on some general deposition conditions that may be used to obtain smooth, crystalline and defect-free thin films of interest to perovskite-based heterostructures.
Changes in Loneliness during Middle Childhood Predict Risk for Adolescent Suicidality Indirectly through Mental Health Problems

We investigated whether changes in loneliness during middle childhood as well as from middle childhood into adolescence were associated with adolescent self-harm behaviors and suicidal thoughts using a community sample of 889 participants. Multivariate logistic regressions indicate that the relationship between changes in loneliness and suicidality is no longer statistically significant once depression and externalizing behavior problems are included as controls. Follow-up analyses indicate that increases in loneliness indirectly affect self-harm behaviors and suicidal thoughts through depression and externalizing behavior problems. These findings are consistent with other studies on peer relationships and adolescent suicidality, suggesting that experiences with peers indirectly affect risk for suicidality through mental health problems. These findings highlight the importance of considering how experiences in middle childhood peer relationships affect risk for suicide in consecutive developmental periods, particularly adolescence.
Sea surface temperature measurements with AIRS: RTG.SST comparison

The comparison of global sea surface skin temperatures derived from cloud-free AIRS super window channel at 2616 cm-1 (sst2616) with the Real-Time Global Sea Surface Temperature (RTG.SST) for September 2002 shows a surprisingly small standard deviation of 0.44 K; however, sst2616 is colder than the RTG.SST by 0.67 K. About 0.35 K of the cold bias is due the expected bulk-skin gradient and the effect of using the day/night average RTG.SST for a nighttime comparison. The other 0.32 K is due to an absorbing layer in the atmosphere. There are large areas of the oceans where this absorbing layer is absent, and other areas where it is as large at 1.5 K. The layers persist regionally on a months timescale and might be related to some form of aerosol or marine haze. A correlation with major weather events, like the Monsoon season in the Indian ocean and, possibly, El Nino events is suspected, but has not been demonstrated. AIRS was lauched into polar orbit on the EOS Aqua spacecraft on May 4, 2002.
ERK signaling: duration, duration, duration

No Abstract AvailableKey Words:MAP kinase, Growth factor specificity, c-fos, Immediate-early genes, ERK
Pedagogy in prison: Teaching in maximum security institutions

Based on the actual experience of teaching in two maximum security institutions in the Midwest, this essay addresses some of the problems of delivering courses in the restrictive environment of prisons. Prisoner populations are regarded as sub‐cultures subjected to various internal and external constraints, which make incarcerated students unique actors in the pedagogical process. Although emphasis here is on the teaching of Media Studies, the discussion is relevant to anyone tempted to exercise professional skills behind bars.
Advanced Schottky Diode Concepts

Heterodyne radiometry with blackbody sources was used to determine the sensitivities of GaAs Schottky diode submillimeter receivers. At 500 μm an NEP of 10-18 watts/Hz was measured for the system. Application of these receivers to the characterization of radiation from high power pulsed submillimeter lasers has been demonstrated. Examples of the extension of this effort to planar devices, suitable for large area coherent detectors and imaging, are also presented. Recent studies have indicated that GaAs Schottky diodes could be used to construct extremely sensitive submillimeter heterodyne receivers. By carefully tailoring every phase of fabrication from material selection to optimization of the mixer environment, some of this potential performance has now been realized. In this paper we discuss heterodyne radiometry measurements which show more than two orders of magnitude improvement over our initial devices. An application of these low-capacitance, small-junction-area, Schottky diodes so frequency and linewidth measurements of a high power pulsed CH3F laser is discussed. Finally, our first test results and projections for all-planar diodes and arrays are presented. The diodes used in our studies have been recently developed at Lincoln Laboratory and are less than 1 micron in diameter and have cut-off frequencies approaching 10,000 GHz. In order to minimize waveguide losses at submillimeter wavelengths these diodes have been packaged in short sections of overmoded, reduced height, N-guide. Stripline filters, incorporated as an integral part of the coaxial studs of these diodes, supply dc bias to the diode and provide for an intermediate-frequency output. At the same time, these filters present an almost perfect reflecting circuit element at the signal and local-oscillator frequencies. The development of the complete diode package has required both theoretical calculations and experimental evaluation of scaled models. In order to determine the sensitivities of these diodes we have made heterodyne radiometric measurements of radiation from a blackbody. Three different receiver configurations were used in these experiments. The first used a horn-lens (TPX) system to couple submillimeter radiation into the diodes. A germanium beam splitter was then used to introduce local oscillator power from an optically pumped CH3F laser. The complete test setup is shown schematically in Fig. 1. Our second system replaced the hornlens with a focusing mirror and the third system used an additional orthogonal mirror to alleviate the need for the beam splitter.© (1977) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Generalized quantum theory of recollapsing homogeneous cosmologies

A sum-over-histories generalized quantum theory is developed for homogeneous minisuperspace type A Bianchi cosmological models, focusing on the particular example of the classically recollapsing Bianchi type-IX universe. The decoherence functional for such universes is exhibited. We show how the probabilities of decoherent sets of alternative, coarse-grained histories of these model universes can be calculated. We consider in particular the probabilities for classical evolution defined by a suitable coarse graining. For a restricted class of initial conditions and coarse grainings we exhibit the approximate decoherence of alternative histories in which the universe behaves classically and those in which it does not. For these situations we show that the probability is near unity for the universe to recontract classically if it expands classically. We also determine the relative probabilities of quasiclassical trajectories for initial states of WKB form, recovering for such states a precise form of the familiar heuristic $``J\ensuremath{\cdot}d\ensuremath{\Sigma}''$ rule of quantum cosmology, as well as a generalization of this rule to generic initial states.
The Kane fracture zone in the western Central Atlantic Ocean

Abstract A continuous, deep (∼6250 m) trough has been traced in the western Central Atlantic Ocean for approximately 900 km from the longitude 52°W to 62°W near latitude 25°N. This trough is continuous with that of the Kane fracture zone and has a left-lateral offset of 160 km, identical to that of the active portion of the Kane fracture zone. Major changes in the trend of the fracture zone are inferred near longitude 52.5′W (∼53–63 m.y. B.P.) and 55.5′W (∼72 m.y. B.P.). One possible explanation for this is changes in the direction of relative plate motion at those times.
Interactions between nonlinear spur gear dynamics and surface wear

In this study, two different dynamic models, a finite elements-based deformable-body model and a simplified discrete model, and a surface wear model are combined to study the interaction between gear surface wear and gear dynamic response. The proposed dynamic gear wear model includes the influence of worn surface profiles on dynamic tooth forces and transmission error as well as the influence of dynamic tooth forces on wear profiles. This paper first introduces the nonlinear dynamic models that include gear backlash and time-varying gear mesh stiffness, and a wear model separately. It presents a comparison to experiments for validation of the dynamic models. The dynamic models are combined with the wear model to study the interaction of surface wear and dynamic behavior in both linear and nonlinear response regimes. At the end, several sets of simulation results are used to demonstrate the two-way relationship between nonlinear gear dynamics and surface wear.
Temporal lobe anatomy and psychiatric symptoms in velocardiofacial syndrome (22q11.2 deletion syndrome).

ABSTRACT Objective To investigate the association between mesial temporal lobe morphology, ratios of prefrontal cortex to amygdala and hippocampus volumes, and psychiatric symptomatology in children and adolescents with velocardiofacial syndrome (VCFS). Method Scores on behavioral rating scales and volumetric measures of the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex based on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging were compared among 47 children with VCFS, 15 of their siblings, and 18 community controls. Results After covarying for whole brain volume, children with VCFS exhibited 11% greater volume of the left amygdala ( p =.002) and 8% greater volume of the right amygdala ( p =.01). Children with VCFS exhibited smaller volumes of the hippocampus, but not disproportionately to reductions in whole brain volume. Children with VCFS exhibited smaller volumetric ratios of prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortex to amygdala, but not prefrontal cortex to hippocampus. For children with VCFS, but not for the comparison sample, larger volumes of the amygdala and smaller ratios of prefrontal cortex to amygdala were associated with higher scores on the Internalizing, Externalizing, Anxiety, and Aggression scales of the Child Behavior Checklist and on the parent version of the Young Mania Rating Scale. Conclusions These findings suggest that the prefrontal cortex-amygdala circuit that underlies emotional processing is disrupted in children with VCFS and may be an important neurobiological substrate of psychiatric disorder in these children. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry , 2006;45(5):000-000.
Temporal evolution of the deep western boundary current where it enters the sub-tropical domain

Abstract Four repeat hydrographic sections across the Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) at 55°W, occupied between 1983–1995, are used to investigate the inter-annual variability of the deep flow. The sections include measurement of tracers (oxygen, CFCs) and absolute geostrophic velocity. All properties are interpolated onto a regular grid, both in depth space and density space. The analysis focuses on two of the water masses of the DWBC: the Denmark Strait overflow water (DSOW) and classical Labrador Sea water (CLSW), both of which are clearly revealed in the property sections. The mean volume flux of water denser than σ θ =27.8 kg/m 3 is 13.3(±4.2) Sv, comparable to that measured south of Greenland in the DWBC, suggesting that this is an accurate measure of the deep throughput into the sub-tropical North Atlantic. The largest property variability over the 12 yr period occurs in the CLSW, which in the 1990s became markedly colder, fresher, more weakly stratified, and higher in oxygen and CFCs – all indicative of new ventilation. By contrast, over this same period the deeper DSOW became less well-ventilated. Such opposite behavior of the two water masses is consistent with the large-scale atmospheric forcing in the North Atlantic. The deep absolute velocities were decomposed into a barotropic (CLSW) and baroclinic (DSOW) contribution. The DSOW flow intensified with the appearance of the new CLSW in 1991. An attempt is made to explain this, but it remains unclear to what extent the change could be due to local versus remote forcing.
The use of high pressure freezing and freeze substitution to study host-pathogen interactions in fungal diseases of plants.

This article reports on the use of high pressure freezing followed by freeze substitution (HPF/FS) to study ultrastructural details of host–pathogen interactions in fungal diseases of plants. The specific host–pathogen systems discussed here include a powdery mildew infection of poinsettia and rust infections of daylily and Indian strawberry. The three pathogens considered here all attack the leaves of their hosts and produce specialized hyphal branches known as haustoria that invade individual host cells without killing them. We found that HPF/FS provided excellent preservation of both haustoria and host cells for all three host–pathogen systems. Preservation of fungal and host cell membranes was particularly good and greatly facilitated the detailed study of host–pathogen interfaces. In some instances, HPF/FS provided information that was not available in samples prepared for study using conventional chemical fixation. On the other hand, we did encounter various problems associated with the use of HPF/FS. Examples included freeze damage of samples, inconsistency of fixation in different samples, separation of plant cell cytoplasm from cell walls, breakage of cell walls and membranes, and splitting of thin sections. However, we believe that the outstanding preservation of ultrastructural details afforded by HPF/FS significantly outweighs these problems and we highly recommend the use of this fixation protocol for future studies of fungal host-plant interactions.
Underestimation of dry deposition by throughfall in mixed northern hardwood forests

Abstract Throughfall and catchment mass balance approaches were used to estimate dry deposition inputs of SO 4 and Cl to the Bear Brook in Maine for the period November 1988–November 1992. For throughfall, dry deposition of SO 4 and Cl averaged 320 and 261 eq ha −1 year −1 , respectively, or 0.9 and 1.5 times the input in precipitation, respectively. The equivalent values for the catchment gave dry deposition of SO 4 and Cl as 616 and 380 eq ha −1 year −1 , respectively, or 1.7 and 2.2 times the input in precipitation, respectively. The lower estimates obtained by the canopy mass balance method are primarily attributed to an underestimation of the importance of conifers in intercepting dry and occult deposition, particularly in mixed hardwood-softwood canopies such as the Bear Brook. Although net throughfall is commonly used to estimate dry and occult deposition in forested catchments, dry deposition may be underestimated, particularly in uneven-aged, mixed hardwood-softwood forests characterized by occasional superdominant conifers. The uneven canopy architecture of such forests increases its aerodynamic roughness and thus its efficacy in capturing dry deposition. Mixed-species forests, resulting from both natural and anthropogenic disturbance, are a common component of the landscape throughout much of New England.
“Atypical” fibro-osseous lesions: diagnostic challenges and treatment concepts

Abstract The term fibro-osseous lesion is a generic designation of a group of jaw disorders (ranging from inflammatory to neoplastic) that microscopically exhibit, a connective-tissue matrix and islands/trabeculae of bone. Although the histologic appearance, and frequently the clinical and radiographic features, may be similar for many of these lesions, they demonstrate a wide range of biologic behavior. Treatment therefore is varied, and there are few well-established guidelines to help the surgeon. Five fibro-osseous lesions with atypical features are presented to demonstrate the diagnostic difficulties associated with these lesions and to show the need for accurate classification in order to help direct treatment and predict outcome. Final diagnoses for "atypical" fibro-osseous lesions included: multiple ossifying fibromas, unclassifiable fibro-osseous lesion, osteosarcoma with concomitant multiple ossifying fibromas, juvenile or psammomatoid ossifying fibroma, and central low-grade osteosarcoma. "Fibro-osseous lesion" should be viewed as a working diagnosis, and a definitive diagnosis should be actively sought; the addition of "atypical" to this designation suggests the likelihood of an aggressive lesion. Treatment of lesions having atypical and nonclassical microscopic features must be based on the biologic behavior of the tumor.
Adaptive color shifts.

Some experiments on chromatic adaptation are reviewed. The adaptive color shifts due to changes of chromatic adaptation are interpreted as linear mappings. The results show that the special type of mappings known as the von Kries coefficient law does not generally hold. One conclusion is that the processes connected with chromatic adaptation cannot take place at the first retinal stage of the visual pathway alone, but also at higher stages.
CMOS mobility degradation coefficients at low temperatures

An AC measurement technique is applied to NMOS and PMOS devices fabricated using a 1.25 ?m CMOS process. The parasitic resistance and mobility degradation coefficients have been extracted for temperatures between 25 K and 300 K. The NMOS parasitic resistance stays flat with temperature while the PMOS resistance rises sharply below 200 K, probably due to the light source/drain diffusion doping. The mobility reduction parameter ?, shows a clear 1/T behaviour between 100 K and room temperature, with ? approaching unity for the PMOS devices. This may have serious implications for the performance of highly scaled devices which operate at high transverse electrical fields.
Development of a high-performance liquid chromatographic-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-tandem mass spectrometric assay for β-tigogenin cellobioside in human serum

Abstract A specific high-performance liquid chromatographic-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometric assay for the quantitative determination of β-tigogenin cellobioside in human serum is described. Serum cleanup and acetylation of the analyte were required to achieve the desired lower limit of quantification, 10 ng/ml. The precision of the assay was better than 13% over a serum concentration range of 10–500 ng/ml.
Exchange rate flexibility, target zones, and policy coordination

At its meeting in April 1986, the Interim Committee "asked the [Fund's] Executive Board to consider further whether there are any modifications in the exchange rate system that could contribute to enhancing exchange rate stability and the mutual consistency of economic policies without sacrificing the essential flexibility of the system" (Interim Committee, 1986, para 5). This was interpreted by a part of the press as an official rejection of target zones, which was odd inasmuch as the target zone proposal can be regarded as a technique to limit misalignments and enhance policy consistency while retaining the very real benefits that exchange rate flexibility can bring. The present paper seeks to explain why I regard this intermediate regime between fixed and floating exchange rates as offering the most attractive combination of the features of the two systems. Section 2 of the paper explains briefly what I understand by the target zone proposal. Section 3 explains how the four dimensions of flexibility built into the proposal could satisfy all the real social functions that floating can further. Section 4 argues that the proposal could also help both to limit misalignments and to secure policy consistency. Section 5 explores the relation of the target zone approach to proposals for "objective indicators."
Smoking Increases Proteolytic Activity in the Human Abdominal Aorta

To determine the mechanism of smoking on the development of abdominal aortic aneurysms, the authors evaluated the proteolytic activity and quantity of matrix metalloproteinase enzymes in human aortic tissue. Abdominal aortic specimens of normal caliber were harvested from 13 organ donors, eight of whom had a history of smoking. Tissue samples were snap frozen in liquid nitrogen, pulverized, resuspended in a protein isolation buffer, and centrifuged to obtain the protein fraction. Gelatin substrate zymography was performed to determine proteolytic activity. Western immunoblotting using monoclonal antibodies directed against matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was also performed. A significant increase in proteolytic activity was noted on zymography at 68 kilodaltons (kDa) in samples from smoking patients. Proteolytic activity at 96 kDa was not different between smokers and nonsmokers. No differences in the quantity of MMP-2 or MMP-9 were noted on immunoblots between the smoking and nonsmoking groups. These data establish a link between smoking and increased proteolytic activity in the human aortic wall and implicate smoking in the etiology of aortic aneurysms.
Quantum Field Theory in Terms of Vacuum Expectation Values

Vacuum expectation values of products of neutral scalar field operators are discussed. The properties of these distributions arising from Lorentz invariance, the absence of negative energy states and the positive definiteness of the scalar product are determined. The vacuum expectation values are shown to be boundary values of analytic functions. Local commutativity of the field is shown to be equivalent to a symmetry property of the analytic functions. The problem of determining a theory of a neutral scalar field given its vacuum expectation values is posed and solved.
On the nature of the laplace–beltrami operator on lipschitz manifolds

We study the basic properties of the Laplace–Beltrami operator on Lipschitz surfaces, as well as abstract Lipschitz manifolds, including mapping and invertibility properties on scales of Sobolev spaces, being the infinitesimal generator of an analytic semigroup, the nature of the spectrum and the regularity of eigenfunctions. Much of this analysis is carried out in the more general case of second order, divergence-form, strongly elliptic differential operators with bounded, measurable, complex matrix-valued coefficients. Bibliography: 34 titles.
Macular changes detected by Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography in patients with hypotony without clinical maculopathy.

. Purpose: To investigate macular changes in eyes with postoperative hypotony without clinical maculopathy using high-resolution Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT). Methods: Fourteen eyes of 12 patients with postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) ≤ 6 mmHg for at least 4 weeks but with no detectable clinical features associated with hypotony maculopathy were imaged by FD-OCT prospectively. Images were analysed by two retina specialists masked to clinical findings. Results: Most patients were female (83%) and myopic (75%) with a mean age of 65 ± 17 [standard deviation (SD)] years (range 2–86 years). Mean central corneal thickness was 519 ± 34 μm [95% confidence interval (CI) 502–537] and mean IOP before surgery was 20 ± 8 mmHg (95% CI 15–24). During the period of hypotony (mean 15 ± 6 weeks), the average mean IOP was 4 ± 1 mmHg (95% CI 3–5). Abnormal FD-OCT findings (retinal folds and/or intraretinal fluid) were present in eight eyes. These patients had a higher rate of visual symptoms (75% versus 17%), visual acuity loss (≥ 2 lines; 63% versus 17%) and increased mean foveal thickness (250 ± 26 versus 210 ± 12 μm; p < 0.01, Mann–Whitney U-test) compared with those with normal FD-OCT. Conclusion: FD-OCT identified subclinical macular abnormalities in over half of the eyes with postoperative hypotony. These findings were accompanied by visual disturbances and central macular thickening. FD-OCT can be an important diagnostic tool for this disorder when clinical features are absent.
Hemodynamic Effects of Lysine-Vasopressin in Orthostatic Hypotension

Previous investigations have demonstrated that the postural stimulation of arginine vasopressin (AVP) release is reduced in patients with Shy-Drager syndrome. We studied the effects of lypressin nasal spray on hemodynamic parameters in ten patients with chronic orthostatic hypotension. Heart rate, blood pressure, and stroke volume were measured at 0°, 45° and 70° tilt before and one-half hour after two nasal sprays (four United States Pharmacopeia posterior pituitary pressor units, 7.4 μg) of lypressin. lypressin did not significantly alter the effect of tilt on heart rate, stroke volume, and cardiac output but increased the blood pressure and total peripheral resistance. AVP analogues should be tested for treating chronic postural hypotension.
NASA NRA NextGen advanced concepts and vehicles sample results

■ Surface issues far outweigh effects of larger arrival/departure separations - Create significant delays and costs for other users, especially at airports designed to Group V standards - When feasible, new airports likely to have SHT demand must be designed to accommodate SHTs - Existing airports with such demand must be partially re-designed for this purpose ■ The surface operation issues for large-span SHT aircraft that were identified in our study are a precursor for the surface issues for ultra-high L/D aircraft that could have much longer spans. - NASA's research to develop future, environmentally friendly, generations of SHT/HWB should include consideration of how such aircraft would be operated at airports
Factors influencing student perceptions of high-school science laboratory environments

Science laboratory learning has been lauded for decades for its role in fostering positive student attitudes about science and developing students’ interest in science and ability to use equipment. An expanding body of research has demonstrated the significant influence of laboratory environment on student learning. Further research has demonstrated differences in student perceptions based on giftedness. To explore the relationship between giftedness and students’ perceptions of their learning environment, we examined students’ perceptions of their laboratory learning environment in biology courses, including courses designated for high-achieving versus regular-achieving students. In addition, to explore the relationship between students’ perceptions and the extent of their experience with laboratory learning in a particular discipline, we examined students’ perceptions of their laboratory learning environment in first-year biology courses versus elective biology courses that require first-year biology as a prerequisite. We found that students in high-achieving courses had a more favourable perception of all aspects of their learning environment when compared with students in regular courses. In addition, student perceptions of their laboratory appeared to be influenced by the extent of their experience in learning science. Perceptions were consistent amongst regular- and high-achieving students regardless of grade level. In addition, perceptions of students in first year and beyond were consistent regardless of grade level. These findings have critical applications in curriculum development as well as in the classroom. Teachers can use student perceptions of their learning environment to emphasize critical pedagogical approaches and modify other areas that enable enhancement of the science laboratory learning environment.
Simulation of Kanban-based Scheduling for Systems of Systems: Initial Results

Abstract Systems engineering processes for evolving systems of systems (SoS) are often software-driven and software-intensive. At the same time, SoS have multiple levels of abstraction that correspond to the various levels in the SoS hierarchy where these SoS engineering processes take place. Multiple levels of management make it difficult to capture the actual state and relative value of work in these kinds of environments. The Kanban-based scheduling system (KSS) applies lean concepts to coordinate work queues to better to address these issues. The motivation to apply agile methodologies in multi-organizational multi-level environments is based on lean principles that encourage increased visibility of work in progress, limited work in progress, and identification of issues causing blocked work. Current research is focused on formulating the KSS principles and estimating expected performance of the KSS. This paper describes the KSS work flow, Kanban scheduling principles and a simulation model designed to estimate the KSS performance.
Modeling hybrid network dynamics under random perturbations

We define stochastic network models based on internal structural dynamics of individual nodes which undergo Markovian switching subject to noise and external shocks. Steady-state stability and reliability criteria are established in closed form and show explicit dependence on system parameters.
Truncated fractal basin boundaries in the pendulum with nonperiodic forcing

It is well known that oscillators such as the pendulum can have fractal basin boundaries when they are periodically forced with the consequence that the long term behavior of the system may be unpredictable. In engineering and physical applications, the forcing is often nonperiodic and eventually decays to zero, and simulation of the pendulum with decaying forcing (M. Varghese, J. S. Thorp, Physical Review Letters, vol. 60, no. 8, pp. 665–668, Feb. 1988) exhibits truncated fractal basin boundaries which also limit the system predictability. We develop a coordinate change for the pendulum with decaying forcing that allows us to apply standard qualitative methods to study the basin boundaries. We prove that the basin boundaries cannot be fractal and show by example how the extreme stretching and folding leading to a truncated fractal basin boundary may arise.
Open surgical management of complications from indwelling radial artery catheters

Background Cannulation of the radial artery is frequently performed for invasive hemodynamic monitoring. Complications arising from indwelling catheters have been described in small case series; however, their surgical management is not well described. Understanding the presentation and management of such complications is imperative to offer optimal treatment, particularly because the radial artery is increasingly accessed for percutaneous coronary interventions. Methods We conducted a retrospective review to identify patients who underwent surgical intervention for complications arising from indwelling radial artery catheters from 1997 to 2011. Results We identified 30 patients who developed complications requiring surgical intervention. These complications were categorized into ischemic and nonischemic, with 15 patients identified in each cohort. All patients presenting with clinical hand or digital ischemia underwent thrombectomy and revascularization. Complications in the nonischemic group included three patients with deep abscesses with concomitant arterial thrombosis, two with deep abscesses alone, and 10 with pseudoaneurysms. Treatment strategy in this group varied with the presenting pathology. Among the entire case series, three patients required reintervention after the initial surgery, all in individuals initially presenting with ischemia who developed recurrent thrombosis of the radial artery. There were no digital or hand amputations in this series. However, the overall in-hospital mortality in these patients was 37%, reflecting the severity of illness in this patient cohort. Three patients who were positive for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia antibody had 100% mortality compared with those who were negative ( P = .04, Fisher exact test). In-hospital mortality was higher in patients presenting with initial ischemia than in those with nonischemic complications (53% vs 20%; P = .06). Among 10 patients who presented with pseudoaneurysms, five (50%) were septic at presentation with positive blood cultures, and six (60%) had positive operating room cultures. Staphylococcus aureus was identified as the causative organism in all of these patients. Conclusions Complications of radial artery cannulation requiring surgical intervention can represent infectious and ischemic sequelae and have the potential to result in major morbidity, including digital or hand amputation and sepsis, or death. Although surgical treatment is successful and often required in these patients to treat severe hand ischemia, hemorrhage, or vascular infection, these complications tend to occur in critically ill hospitalized patients with an extremely high mortality. This must be taken into consideration when planning surgical intervention in this patient cohort. Finally, radial arterial cannulation sites should not be overlooked when searching for occult septic sources in critically ill patients.
Comparison of Airway Management Practices Between Registered Nurses and Respiratory Care Practitioners

Background Airway management, an essential component of care for patients receiving mechanical ventilation, is multifaceted and includes oral hygiene and suctioning, endotracheal suctioning, and care of endotracheal tubes. Registered nurses and respiratory care personnel often share responsibilities for airway management. Knowledge of current practices can help facilitate evidence-based practices to optimize care of patients receiving mechanical ventilation. Objectives To describe current practices for airway management of intubated patients and determine if practices differ between registered nurses and respiratory care practitioners. Methods A descriptive, comparative design was used. Registered nurses and respiratory care practitioners who provided direct care to intubated patients receiving mechanical ventilation were recruited to complete an online survey of self-reported practices. Results A total of 85 participants completed the survey. Most were experienced caregivers with a bachelor's degree and certification or registration in their field. Selected practices have improved, including increasing oxygen saturation before endotracheal suctioning, maintaining pressure of endotracheal tube cuffs, and providing oral hygiene and suctioning. The practices of registered nurses and respiratory care practitioners differed in many ways. The nurses assumed responsibility for oral antisepsis, whereas the respiratory care practitioners managed the endotracheal tube. The 2 groups shared responsibility for oral and endotracheal suctioning. Knowledge of current guidelines for endotracheal suctioning was lacking. Conclusions Practices in airway management have improved, but opportunities exist to develop shared policies and procedures based on current evidence.
Detecting climatic change signals: Are there any fingerprints'

Projected changes in the Earth9s climate can be driven from a combined set of forcing factors consisting of regionally heterogeneous anthropogenic and natural aerosols and land use changes, as well as global-scale influences from solar variability and transient increases in human-produced greenhouse gases. Thus, validation of climate model projections that are driven only by increases in greenhouse gases can be inconsistent when one attempts the validation by looking for a regional or time-evolving "fingerprint" of such projected changes in real climatic data. Until climate models are driven by time-evolving, combined, multiple, and heterogeneous forcing factors, the best global climatic change "fingerprint" will probably remain a many-decades average of hemi-spheric- to global-scale trends in surface air temperatures. Century-long global warming (or cooling) trends of 0.5°C appear to have occurred infrequently over the past several thousand years—perhaps only once or twice a millennium, as proxy records suggest. This implies an 80 to 90 percent heuristic likelihood that the 20th-century 0.5 ± 0.2°C warming trend is not a wholly natural climatic fluctuation.
Happiness as a Goal of Counseling: Cross-cultural Implications

The article examines the construct of happiness within the context of counseling and holistic health (body, mind and spirit). It discusses happiness as a goal of counseling as reflected in selected counseling theories that focus on humanistic principles, holistic health, positive psychology, personal growth and the client’s intentional choice-making in life. Moreover, the article considers within-cultural and cross-cultural implications of happiness, and presents recommendations for counseling professionals who counsel clients or train future counselors.
The inconsistent nature of symptomatic pancreatico-jejunostomy anastomotic strictures

Background Pancreatico-jejunostomy strictures (PJS) after pancreatiocoduodenectomy (PD) are poorly understood.
Teaching Neuroscience to Science Teachers: Facilitating the Translation of Inquiry-Based Teaching Instruction to the Classroom

In science education, inquiry-based approaches to teaching and learning provide a framework for students to building critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. Teacher professional development has been an ongoing focus for promoting such educational reforms. However, despite a strong consensus regarding best practices for professional development, relatively little systematic research has documented classroom changes consequent to these experiences. This paper reports on the impact of sustained, multiyear professional development in a program that combined neuroscience content and knowledge of the neurobiology of learning with inquiry-based pedagogy on teachers’ inquiry-based practices. Classroom observations demonstrated the value of multiyear professional development in solidifying adoption of inquiry-based practices and cultivating progressive yearly growth in the cognitive environment of impacted classrooms.
Immunology in influenza infection: A systematic review on the roles of autophagy, CD200 receptor, reactive oxygen species and secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor

Influenza A infection is accompanied by an effervescent immune response associated with a cytokine storm triggered towards annihilating the viral intrusion in the body. This aggressive reaction is accompanied with an intense cytopathology, ultimately proving fatal to the host. Recent researches gaining insight into the roles of autophagy, CD200 Receptor (CD200R), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) are suggestive of specialized roles exhibited by these biological molecules in influenza infection. Decreased autophagy serves to reduce the proliferation of the virus, thereby diminishing the viral titers. CD200R when activated, decrease the rate and extent of immunostimulation and hence abating the immunopathology under pathogenicity of influenza infection. Production of high levels of ROS owing to high activity of alveolar macrophages typically leads to an amplified lymphocytic infiltration exacerbating the pathology. Anti-proteases like SLPI indirectly decrease the entry of influenza virus into the target cells. Drugs or biologicals modulating all these immune components would defeat the strategy of consistent antigenic shifts and drifts exhibited by these viruses and promise to categorize themselves as potential non-conventional therapeutic agents not affected by the variations occurring in the glycoproteins over the viral envelopes.
Assessing the psychometric properties of smoking-related attitudes, self-efficacy, and intention among a diverse population of middle school students

Abstract Large-scale surveys frequently assess smoking-related attitudes, self-efficacy and intention to understand differences in smoking behavior. However, a critical assumption is that measures of these determinants should be equivalent across different subgroups of a target population. The current study examined the factorial invariance of measures of smoking-related attitudes, self-efficacy, and intention with a large sample (N = 13,733) of middle school students from 25 schools in Texas. We examined five levels of factorial invariance using a sequential process, in which increasingly constrained models assess the equivalence of a measure across subgroups. Strong factorial invariance provided a good fit for the model across all of the subgroups: race/ethnicity (CFI = .93), gender (CFI = .96), age (CFI = .95), and grade level (CFI = .95). Invariance results provide strong empirical support for the validity of smoking-related attitudes, self-efficacy, and intention measures across race/ethnicity, gender, age, and grade level for middle school students.
Studies on vitamin D3 metabolism. Discrete liver cytosolic binding proteins for vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3

Abstract Two separate liver cytosolic proteins have been partially purified and identified by their selectivity for binding either [1α,2α(n)- 3 H]vitamin D 3 or 25-hydroxy [26(27)-methyl- 3 H]vitamin D 3 . The chromatographic properties of the two proteins were not distinguishable by ion-exchange nor were they dependent upon the vitamin D 3 nutritional status of the birds. However, in molecular exclusion chromatography, the binding proteins can be successfully resolved into two discrete entities. Their binding properties suggest that they are not identical with plasma vitamin D 3 binding protein.