cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Innermost Regions of Relativistic Jets: Wrapping Up the Enigma

What are relativistic jets like within a million Schwarzschild radii of the accreting black hole that powers them? A meeting in Granada, Spain in June 2013, organized by Jose L. Gomez and his conspirators brought together observers and theorists to survey the current state of observational data and efforts to inter- pret them. This conference summary reviews the results, insights, arguments, conflicts, and agreements that occurred during five sunny days spent in a windowless room in a hotel at the bottom of the hill that holds the heart of the beautiful city.
Phase behavior of random and ABC triblock methacrylic polyampholytes with poly(vinyl alcohol) in water: effect of pH and salt

Abstract ABC triblock and random methacrylic polyampholytes of molecular weight 4,000 g mol −1 with various base-neutral-acid compositions were examined for their phase separation behavior, each in an aqueous mixture with poly(vinyl alcohol) of molecular weight 10,000 g mol −1 . Potassium chloride concentration and solution pH were varied and the phase behavior was mapped on the pH-(KCl) space. The block copolymers presented a much broader phase separation region than the random copolymers. This difference may reflect the effect of the structure of the block copolymers which leads to the formation of micelles in solution. The two-phase region of the block copolymers extended over the whole range of potassium chloride concentrations employed in this study, from 0.0 to 0.75 M, and covered the pH range from two pH units below the polyampholyte isoelectric point up to two units above, with the exception of the points at alkaline pH without added salt. The two-phase region of the random copolymers extended from 0.0 to 0.1 M KCl and covered at most one unit in pH, centered near the isoelectric point. The two-phase region of the block copolymers comprised two regimes: the low salt concentration regime characterized by a compact polyampholyte precipitate in equilibrium with a low-viscosity poly(vinyl alcohol) phase; the high salt concentration and alkaline pH regime characterized by two coexisting low-viscosity phases. The one-phase region of the block copolymers extended in the acidic pH range and covered the whole salt concentration range. The ion type effect on the phase behavior of block polyampholytes was related to the position of the ion in the Hofmeister series: high concentrations of salt of low salting out ability resulted in a transition from a two- to a one-phase system.
Early effects of resident work-hour restrictions on patient safety: a systematic review and plea for improved studies

Background: Since the inception of the eighty-hour work week, work hour restrictions have incited considerable debate. Work hour policies were designed to prevent medical errors and to reduce patient morbidity and mortality. It is unclear whether work hour restrictions have been helpful in medicine in general and in orthopaedic surgery specifically. This systematic review of the literature was designed to determine the success of these restrictions in terms of patient mortality, medical errors, and complications. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed to determine if work hour rules have improved patient and systems-based outcomes and reduced physician errors as measured by mortality, medical errors, and complications. A random effects model was utilized to determine whether patient mortality rates were improved under the new rules. Results: The odds of patient death before implementation of the work hour rules were 1.12 (95% confidence interval, 1.07 to 1.17) times those after implementation. These differences were consistent across disciplines. The data concerning medical or surgical complications before and after the institution of the work hour rules were mixed. There was little information in these studies concerning direct medical errors. The odds of death in nonteaching cohorts were not significantly different from that in teaching cohorts. Conclusions: There appears to be a decrease in mortality following the institution of work hour rules. The difference seen in teaching cohorts is not significantly different from that in nonteaching cohorts. It is unclear whether this difference would have been observed even without work hour restrictions. No study has shown a reduction in mortality for orthopaedic patients in teaching cohorts that was greater than that observed in nonteaching cohorts. Because of methodological concerns and the lack of current literature linking physician fatigue and physician underperformance with patient mortality, it is unclear whether the goals of the work hour reductions have been achieved. Furthermore, because of a lack of a so-called dose-response relationship between work hour reduction and patient mortality, it is uncertain whether further reductions would be beneficial. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Learning Theory and Vocational Decisions

The theme is proposed that a learning theory of vocational behavior could contribute to both understanding and theory development in the area of vocational decisions. The discussion includes a definition of vocational decisions and specification of three functions of a theory. The functions are explanation, prediction, and control. The developmental, psychoanalytic, and trait approaches to theories of vocational decisions are contrasted with a learning approach in terms of the definition of decisions and the functions of theories. An example of vocational counseling illustrates the application of learning concepts to vocational decision behavior. The major advantages of a learning theory approach are that it has the potential for both accurate prediction and extensive control of decisions.
Signal transduction: aspirin, ubiquitin and cancer.

Tumours sidestep the body's rules and regulations in myriad ways. The latest discovery ties together a benign tumour syndrome with two hot subjects of biological research: the proteins NF-κB and ubiquitin.
Optimal Force Distribution for Tethered Climbing Robots in Unstructured Environments

One of the inherent problems of multi-limbed mobile robotic systems is the problem of multi-contact force distribution; the limbs in contact with its environment form closed kinematic chains, thus the contact forces and moments required to support it and those required by its tasks are indeterminate. A new computationally efficient analytical method for finding the optimal solution for the contact force distribution for a tethered multi-limbed robot climbing in unstructured environments is presented. The optimal solution is found by first finding the entire solution space for the contact force distribution for a statically stable stance under friction constraints, and then choosing an optimal solution in this solution space which maximizes the objectives given by the chosen optimization criteria. This approach will allow more options and freedom in choosing the final solution that not only satisfies the static equilibrium and friction constraints, but also can satisfy other special conditions under consideration at that instant. Finding the entire solution space first will give an intuitive visual map of how well the solution space is formed for the given conditions of the system, and choosing a solution in that space next will provide robustness against disturbances and indicate where this solution is positioned in the solution space to give insight into the quality of the chosen solution and the complex interactions of the many forces which are otherwise very difficult to see.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Diversion-resistance criteria for future nuclear power

Abstract In order for nuclear power to make a major contribution to global energy, it would have to be made not only safe and cost-effective but also highly diversion-resistant. For nuclear power developed on a large scale, the current system of international safeguards is inadequate to this challenge. What would be required are a redesign of nuclear technologies, to make them far less attractive sources of nuclear weapons-usable materials than existing and planned technologies, and an internationalization of sensitive nuclear facilities, as proposed in the 1946 Acheson-Lilienthal Plan. The nuclear industry must come to recognize that its long-term viability depends on its being able to offer a peaceful atom that is unambigously distinct from the military atom.
The local distribution of a perennial bunchgrass: biotic or abiotic control?

The present study was designed to investigate the relative importance of biotic versus abiotic factors in determining the distribution of species among heterogeneous environments. The composition of 70 quadrats of 0.25-m2, located in a 13-m × 40-m region of a mown field in Durham, North Carolina, was defined through two sets of principal component scores representing soil and vegetation gradients in the study area. The first principal component in each of the analyses exhibited a monotonic increase in value along an elevational gradient characterizing the field. This represents a one-dimensional correlation structure between the background soil and vegetation variables. Secondary soil and vegetation gradients, represented by the remaining principal component axes, were for the most part uncorrelated.
A two-season agricultural household model of output and price uncertainty☆

Abstract This paper presents a two-season model of a household's production, consumption, labor supply, and storage decisions in an environment of output and price risk. The analytical results in this study are markedly different from those of models prevalent in the mainstream of the agricultural household literature. The empirical analysis, that uses panel data from a village in India, provides support for the theoretical results and underscores the seasonal dimension of the farmers' choice problems. The results also show that ignoring risk or risk-averse preferences may introduce substantial downward bias in optimal response estimates.
Compound geometrical resonances in superconducting proximity-effect sandwiches

In superconducting--normal-metal sandwich structures in which the pair potential has abrupt spatial changes. andreev scattering occurs in which electronlike and holelike excitations are intermixed. The Tomasch effect, Rowell-McMillan oscillations, and de Gennes--Saint James bound states result from interference of these excitations within a single film. In this paper we discuss compound resonances which can occur in both films of a sandwich sturcture in which each film is clean and has a thickness on the order of its coherence length. Two of the compound-resonance effects have the following interpretations: (1) Below the energy gap, the de Gennes--Saint James bound states split into energy bands. (2) Above the energy gap, resonances occurring with different frequencies result in a beating of the oscillations of the density of states as a function of energy. A number of previously pussling or poorly understood features of published experimental data are shown to be consistent with compound-resonance effects. Suggestions are given for systematic experiments.
Electronmicroscopy and Circular Dichroism of the Dynamics of the Formation and Dissolution of Supramolecular Forms of Z-DNA

Abstract Previous electronmicroscopic studies had shown that N-acetylaminofluorene (AAF)- substituted poly(dG-dC)·poly(dG-dC) in the Z conformation, in lOmM Mg+ +, condensed into periodically banded, branched structures. We now show that similar structures are seen when poly(dG-dC) ·poly(dG-dC) is converted to the Z conformation by heating to 60°C in ImM Mn++ or to 65°C in the presence of 0.5mM Mn+ +. We demonstrate that these banded structures form in solution, i.e. they are not artifacts of the preparative procedures used for electronmicroscopy, by crosslinking the Z conformers in solution with DL-diepoxybutane (DEB), and then restoring the solution to conditions that favor return to the B conformation. Circular dichroism (CD) and immunochemical studies showed that the Z conformation was maintained and the banded supramolecular structures were still seen by electronmicroscopy. Electronmicroscopy and CD were also used to follow the dissolution of the supramolecular structures by controlled scission of th...
Smooth muscle differentiation and patterning in the urinary bladder

Abstract Smooth muscle differentiation and patterning is a fundamental process in urinary bladder development that involves a complex array of local environmental factors, epithelial–mesenchymal interaction, and signaling pathways. An epithelial signal is necessary to induce smooth muscle differentiation in the adjacent bladder mesenchyme. The bladder epithelium (urothelium) also influences the spatial organization of the bladder wall. Sonic hedgehog (Shh), which is expressed by the urothelium, promotes mesenchymal proliferation and induces differentiation of smooth muscle from embryonic bladder mesenchyme. Shh, whose signal is mediated through various transcription factors including Gli2 and BMP4, is likely also important in the patterning of bladder smooth muscle. However, it is not known to what extent early mediators of mesenchymal migration, other Shh-associated transcription factors, and crosstalk between the Shh signaling cascade and other pathways are involved in the patterning of bladder smooth muscle. Here we review the role of epithelial–mesenchymal interaction and Shh signaling in smooth muscle differentiation and patterning in the bladder. We also discuss emerging signaling molecules, transcription factors, and mesenchyme properties that might be fruitful areas of future research in the process of smooth muscle formation in the bladder.
Unusual behavior of isocyanate and halide complexes of copper(II)

Abstract Tetracyanato and tetrahalo complexes of copper(II) show interesting and heretofore unobserved properties in both the solid state and in various non-aqueous media. Various salts of the isocyanato and halocuprate(II) anion involving tetraethylammonium and other bulky cations were prepared. In the cases of tetraphenylphosphonium and tetraphenylarsonium salts of the tetraisocyanatocuprate(II) anion, geometric isomers (blue and yellow) were isolated from alcohol-water solutions of cupric nitrate, potassium cyanate, and tetraphenylphosphonium chloride or tetraphenylarsonium chloride upon evaporation at room temperature. All the tetraisocyanatocuprate(II) salts yielded greenish-yellow solutions when dissolved at room temperature in chloroform, dichloromethane, nitromethane, or acetone which became bright yellow when warmed and generally developed a blue color when cooled to dry ice temperature. Absorption spectra of these solutions from 320 to 1000 mμ were studied from −55°C to +45°C, and reflectance and infrared absorption spectra of the various solid compounds were recorded. Magnetic moments, obtained by the Gouy method, revealed that the blue and yellow forms of the tetraphenylphosphonium and tetraphenylarsonium tetraisocyanatocuprate(II) salts were distinctly different species of identical composition. It is proposed that the four NCO entities are arrayed about the copper in a square planar (or pseudo octahedral) manner in the blue isomer and in a tetrahedral (though probably distorted) fashion in the yellow form.
The effect of β-adrenergic stimulation on the bladder and urethra following radical hysterectomy

Abstract The effect of two β-adrenergic stimulating agents on bladder and urethral function was assessed in 16 patients 3 weeks after radical hysterectomy for carcinoma of the cervix. Urodynamic evaluation was performed before and after inhalation of metaproterenol by metered dose inhaler in 10 patients and injection of 0.25 mg of terbutaline sc in 6 patients. Although no change was observed following administration of metaproterenol, a significant decrease in maximum urethral pressure and urethral closure pressure, and a significant increase in volume of urine voided was found after administration of terbutaline. These results suggest that β-sympathomimetic agents may benefit those patients with bladder dysfunction following radical hysterectomy.
The knobbed acrosome defect in four closely related dogs

The knobbed acrosome defect (KAD) has only once been reported in dog sperm. This report describes the breeding history, clinical presentation and semen evaluation of four closely related miniature Schnauzer dogs that had between 8 and 44% sperm with KAD. Two of the dogs had no substantial reproductive or sperm defects other than the KAD and were of normal fertility.
The use of an MEG device as 3D digitizer and motion monitoring system

An algorithm is described that localizes a set of simultaneously activated coils using MEG detectors. These coil positions are used for continuous or intermittent head position registration during long MEG sessions, to co-registrate MR and MEG data and to localize EEG electrodes attached to the scalp, when EEG and MEG are recorded simultaneously. The algorithm is based on a mathematical model in which the coils are described as stationary magnetic dipoles with known source time functions. This knowledge makes it possible to detect and remove bad channels automatically. It is also assumed that the source time functions are orthogonal. Therefore, the localization problem splits into independent localization problems, for each coil. The method is validated in a phantom experiment, where the relative coil positions were known. From this experiment it is found that the average error is 0.25 cm. An error of 0.23 cm was found in an experiment where 64 electrode positions were measured four times independently. Examples of the applications of the method are presented. Our method eliminates the use of an external 3D digitizer and maps the MEG directly onto other modalities. This is not only a practical advantage, but it also reduces the gross registration error. Furthermore, head motions can be monitored and MEG data can be corrected for these motions.
Components of Correlation and Extensions of the Lens Model Equation.

By applying a general procedure for analyzing a correlation coefficient into components, the lens model equation is extended to a) analyze the effects of different types of variation and b) analyze the relations between judgmental systems that are not based on the same set of cues.
Transcription of the Yeast Iron Regulon Does Not Respond Directly to Iron but Rather to Iron-Sulfur Cluster Biosynthesis

Saccharomyces cerevisiae responds to iron deprivation by increased transcription of the iron regulon, including the high affinity cell-surface transport system encoded by FET3 and FTR1. Here we demonstrate that transcription of these genes does not respond directly to cytosolic iron but rather to the mitochondrial utilization of iron for the synthesis of iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters. We took advantage of a mutant form of an iron-dependent enzyme in the sterol pathway (Erg25-2p) to assess cytosolic iron levels. We showed that disruption of mitochondrial Fe-S biosynthesis, which results in excessive mitochondrial iron accumulation, leads to transcription of the iron transport system independent of the cytosolic iron level. There is an inverse correlation between the activity of the mitochondrial Fe-S-containing enzyme aconitase and the induction of FET3. Regulation of transcription by Fe-S biosynthesis represents a mechanism by which cellular iron acquisition is integrated with mitochondrial iron metabolism.
How many clusters are best?—an experiment

This paper reports the results of a Monte Carlo study on the relative effectiveness of two internal indices in estimating the true number of clusters in multivariate data. The two indices are the Davies and Bouldin(1) index and a new modification of the Hubert Γ statistic(2). Data in d dimensions are clustered to create sequences of partitions. Estimates are based on plots of the indices as functions of the number of recovered clusters. Neither index uses a-priori information. The effects of sample size, dimensionality, cluster spread, number of true clusters, and sampling window are examined. Clustered data are generated to assure a given number of distinct clusters. The degree of clustering in the data is verified by a separate Monte Carlo study based on the Jaccard and corrected Rand indices that exhibits the importance of correcting external indices for chance. The modified Hubert index, proposed here for the first time, is shown to perform better than the Davies-Bouldin index under all experimental conditions. Recovery of the true number of clusters gets better as the number of true clusters decreases and as the number of dimensions increases. No effect occurs due to sampling window. The complete link clustering method and a square error clustering method recognize the true number of clusters consistently better than the single link method. This study demonstrates the difficulty inherent in estimating the number of clusters.
The Role of CD8-positive Lymphocytes in the Control of HIV-1 Infection of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

The role of CD8-positive lymphocytes from HIV-1-seropositive individuals in the inhibition of HIV-1 replication in CD4-positive lymphocytes, either from HIV-1-seropositive or -seronegative individuals, has been described. It has been suggested that CD8-positive lymphocytes isolated from HIV-1-seropositive individuals are 'primed' against certain HIV-1 antigens, hence inducing HIV-1-specific resistance. In the present studies, we show that CD8-positive lymphocytes from HIV-1-uninfected individuals also induce a significant decrease in HIV-1 replication from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) acutely infected with HIV-1 in vitro. Unfractionated PBMC from 16 HIV-1-seronegative individuals were infected with HIV-1. In parallel experiments, PBMC from these individuals were depleted of CD8-positive lymphocytes. Viral replication was measured by a syncytia-formation assay, as well as by measuring HIV-1 p24 antigen levels in the culture supernatants on day 10 post-infection. Removal of CD8-positive lymphocytes resulted in the increased replication of HIV-1 in vitro. Reconstitution with syngeneic CD8-positive lymphocytes to CD8-positive lymphocyte-depleted wells resulted in significant decreases in HIV-1 replication. Reconstitution with allogeneic CD8-positive lymphocytes or supernatants from syngeneic or allogeneic CD8-positive lymphocyte cultures also resulted in some decrease in HIV-1 production, but it was not statistically significant. The status of HIV-1 replication in unfractionated, CD8-positive lymphocyte-depleted and CD8-positive lymphocyte-reconstituted PBMC cultures was further confirmed at the level of HIV-1 transcription. In situ hybridization of cultured cells, with a biotinylated HIV-1 gag probe, revealed increased numbers of cells actively transcribing HIV-1-specific RNA in the CD8-positive lymphocyte-depleted cell cultures, as compared with unfractionated PBMC. Thus, removal of CD8-positive lymphocytes from PBMC obtained from HIV-1-seronegative individuals resulted in a significant enhancement of HIV-1 replication in vitro.
Repetitive mechanical stretching modulates IL-1β induced COX-2, MMP-1 expression, and PGE2 production in human patellar tendon fibroblasts

While mechanical loading is known to be essential in maintaining tendon homeostasis, repetitive mechanical loading has also been implicated in the etiology of tendon overuse injuries. The purpose of this study was to determine whether cyclic mechanical stretching regulates inflammatory responses induced by interleukin-1β (IL-1β) treatment in human patellar tendon fibroblasts (HPTFs). HPTFs were grown in microgrooved silicone dishes, where they became elongated in shape and aligned with the microgrooves, which is similar to the shape and organization of tendon fibroblasts in vivo. Cyclic uniaxial stretching was then applied to silicone culture dishes with a 4% or 8% stretch at a stretching frequency of 0.5 Hz for a duration of 4 h in the presence or absence of 10 pM IL-1β treatment. Non-stretched cells in the presence or absence of IL-1β were used for controls, respectively. The expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), and the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) were measured. In the absence of stretching, it was found that 10 pM of IL-1β markedly induced higher levels of COX-2, MMP-1 gene expression, and PGE2 production than non-treated cells. Furthermore, cells with 4% stretching decreased the COX-2 and MMP-1 gene expression and PGE2 production that were stimulated by IL-1β, whereas cells with 8% stretching further increased these gene products and/or expression levels in addition to the effects of IL-1β stimulation. Thus, the results suggest that repetitive, small-magnitude stretching is anti-inflammatory, whereas large-magnitude stretching is pro-inflammatory. Therefore, moderate exercise may be beneficial to reducing tendon inflammation.
Presidential political silence: Rhetoric and the rose garden strategy

In recent presidential election years incumbents have employed the “rose garden” strategy, a refrain from political campaigning, confronting adversaries, and partisan issue‐taking. The rose garden strategy allows an incumbent to be isolated from the political arena and to role‐enact an idealized conception of the presidency. This essay examines the rhetorical and political requirements, maintenance, benefits, liabilities, and ethics of the rose garden strategy in presidential election campaigns.
A rapid colorimetric assay for carbamyl phosphate synthetase I.

Abstract A rapid, reproducible, and sensitive colorimetric assay for carbamyl phosphate synthetase I was presented. A four-fold increase in sensitivity and reduced assay time were afforded by this procedure. The method utilized the chemical conversion of carbamyl phosphate to hydroxyurea by the action of hydroxylamine instead of employing a coupling enzyme. The hydroxyurea was quantitated in 15 min by an improved colorimetric assay for ureido compounds by measuring the absorption of the resulting chromophore at 458 nm. Optimum conditions for both the formation and quantitation of hydroxyurea were established. Activity measurements of carbamyl phosphate synthetase I obtained by this uncoupled method were identical with those obtained by the ornithine transcarbamylase coupld assay.
An ICA-SCT-PHD Filter Approach for Tracking and Separation of Unknown Time-Varying Number of Sources

In this paper we present a solution to the problem of tracking and separation of a mixture of concurrent sources in a reverberant environment where the number of sources is unknown and varies with time: new sources can appear and existing sources can disappear or undergo silence periods. In order to deal with this challenging problem, we synergistically combine two key ideas, one in the front end and the other at the back end. In the front end we employ independent component analysis (ICA) to demix the mixtures and the state coherence transform (SCT) to represent the signals in a direction of arrival (DOA) detection framework. By exploiting the frequency sparsity of the sources, ICA/SCT is even effective when the number of simultaneous sources is greater than the number of sensors therefore allowing for minimal number of sensors to be used. At the back end, the probability hypothesis density (PHD) filter is incorporated in order to track the multiple DOAs and determine the number of sources. The PHD filter is based on random finite sets (RFS) where the multi-target states and the number of targets are integrated to form a set-valued variable with uncertainty in the number of sources. A Gaussian mixture implementation of the PHD filter (GM-PHD) is utilized that solves the data association problem intrinsically, hence providing distinct DOA tracks. The distinct tracks also make the separation task possible by going back and rearranging the outputs of the ICA stage. The tracking and separation capabilities of the proposed method is demonstrated using simulations of multiple sources in reverberant environments.
An innovative approach to orotracheal intubations: the Alexandrou Angle of Intubation position.

Abstract Visualization of the vocal cords is paramount during orotracheal intubations. We employed a novel patient position in this derivation study. The Alexandrou Angle of Intubation (AAI) position is defined as a 20°–30° incline where the supine patient's head is elevated in relation to the body and legs. Our study participants were blinded to the goals of the research as well as our novel technique. Using intubation manikins, our participants ranked their preference for visualizing the vocal cords between the Flat, Trendelenburg, and AAI positions. A majority (58.8%) of our study participants preferred the AAI for visualizing the vocal cords over the other two positions. Future studies will reveal whether AAI will play a significant role in emergent airway management.
New class of film-forming electrically conducting polymers

Conducting polymers consisting of a polycation, 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethan anions (TCNQ−) and neutral TCNQ are described. Polycations employed were derived from poly-4-vinylpyridine, atactic and isotactic poly-2-vinylpyridine, poly-N-vinyl-imidazole, polyethyleneimine, poly-4-dimethylaminostyrene, and a copolymer of 4-vinyl-pyridine and styrene. These materials have an unusual combination of properties, not reported before for organic semiconductors, in that they are of high molecular weight, are soluble in organic solvents, and have conductivity controllable over several orders of magnitude by varying their content of neutral TCNQ. The highest conductivity observed so far for these materials is 10−3 Ω−1 cm.−1. In the solid-state conduction proceeds through an electronic mechanism.
Natriuretic Peptide Measurements in Managing Heart Failure In Theory and in Practice

Many studies have described the role of B-type natriuretic peptide or its amino-terminal byproduct (NT-pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) in clinical practice, including several published or ongoing randomized clinical trials. However, the debate over natriuretic peptide testing continues, mostly related to the appropriateness of testing as decision support for the management of heart failure. The most accepted use is to improve recognition of heart failure when the diagnosis has been overlooked or questioned after consideration of clinical signs and symptoms.1,2 This is the basis of the class IIa recommendation for natriuretic peptide measurement in the urgent care setting when diagnosis is uncertain.3 It has been further suggested that serial natriuretic peptide measurement in the setting of known heart failure can help guide therapy, whereas critics have argued that evidence-based drug therapy for heart failure should be implemented and titrated similarly regardless of natriuretic peptide levels. Knowing the precise natriuretic peptide level on a routine basis has yet to be consistently proven to improve the delivery of care or to change outcomes for the better. This has led to a class IIb recommendation for serial B-type natriuretic peptide measurement in the latest guideline updates.3 Within the setting of this ambiguity, I will describe my own opinions (and biases) for measuring natriuretic peptide levels (Table 1). View this table: Table 1. General Guidelines Regarding the Use of Natriuretic Peptide Measurements in Managing Patients With Heart Failure First, the absence of information about a specific natriuretic peptide level on a patient does not necessarily interfere with my ability to diagnose heart failure clinically or to assess its severity. The knowledge of a particular natriuretic peptide level does not provide specific indications or contraindications to treatment recommended by the evidence-based clinical …
A Hybrid Architecture for Delay Analysis of Interleaved FEC on Mobile Platforms

Forward error correction (FEC) is the preferred way of coping with the error-prone nature of wireless links in broadcasting systems, because it can provide a bounded delay, which is a particular consideration for real-time multimedia applications. Additionally, controlling the variability of the delay, or jitter, is important in achieving seamless multimedia services. We show that error control using Reed-Solomon (RS) FEC in the medium-access control (MAC) layer can be a major source of jitter. We predict the expected delay incurred by RS decoding for varying levels of block interleaving in a mobile, under a range of channel conditions, using a hybrid simulation and analytic approach, which is based on the error statistics of data transmission over fading channels. The results allow us to determine the size of the buffer required to avoid frequent service interruptions.
Fully Informed and on the Road to Ruin: The Perfect Failure of Asymmetric Deterrence

Most theoretical and formal arguments about rational deterrence assume that war is a game-ending move. In the asymmetric case, the logic of deterrent threats then rests on the relative merits of war and submission. Perfectly informed rivals ensure that immediate deterrence always succeeds although general deterrence may not. Does this strong result survive the repetition of the standard one-shot deterrence game? We show that an unbundling of the war outcome, and the resulting possible recurrence of a challenge to the status quo, changes the very nature of deterrent threats and can lead to the failure of immediate deterrence. If the status quo can be challenged repeatedly, it is rational, in case of challenge, for the rivals to threaten probabilistic escalation of the crisis to war with the following consequences: the challenger will challenge the status quo now and then; the defender finds it rational to resist at least for a while; the resulting recurrence of challenge, resistance, and escalation can lead the rivals to threaten, with some likelihood, wars that are long enough to be catastrophic for all parties. Most theoretical and formal arguments about rational deterrence assume that war is a game-ending move. The logic of deterrent threats then rests on the relative merits of war and submission, and perfectly informed rivals will never fight, although the defender may fail to deter a challenger from upsetting the status quo if she cannot credibly threaten war. 1 Perfectly informed rivals therefore ensure that immediate deterrence always succeeds although general deterrence may not. Does this strong result survive the repetition of the standard one-shot deterrence game? In this paper, we show that an unbundling of the war outcome, and the resulting possible recurrence of a challenge to the status quo, changes the very nature of deterrent threats and can lead to the failure of immediate deterrence. If the status
Androgen-primed castrate males are sufficient for methamphetamine-facilitated increases in proceptive behavior in female rats

Methamphetamine (MA) is a psychomotor stimulant associated with increases in sex drive in both men and women. Women, however, are far more likely to face social disadvantages as a consequence of MA use, and their increased sexual motivation poses additional health concerns such as unplanned pregnancies. To better understand the mechanisms underlying MA-facilitated sexual motivation in females, we previously established a rodent model where a "binge"-type administration paradigm of MA to sexually receptive female rats significantly increases proceptive behavior in the presence of a sexually active, gonadally-intact male. Our previous work with this model has led us to consider whether the increases in proceptive behavior are truly indicative of increased sexual motivation, or instead a consequence of heightened motor responsivity. Here, we test whether MA-induced increases in proceptive behaviors are specific to a sexually relevant stimulus. Females' sexual, social, exploratory behaviors, and interaction times were scored during the exposure to stimulus males, including castrates, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-treated castrates. MA-treated females demonstrated significant increases in proceptive behaviors toward DHT-treated castrate males but not toward castrate males. While the non-MA-treated females did display proceptive behavior, there was no significant difference between behaviors elicited by DHT-CX males compared to CX males. Our results support the hypothesis that MA facilitates proceptive behavior only in response to specific, androgen mediated sexually-relevant cues.
An Analysis of the Interacting Roles of Population Size and Crossover in Genetic Algorithms

In this paper we present some theoretical and empirical results on the interacting roles of population size and crossover in genetic algorithms. We summarize recent theoretical results on the disruptive effect of two forms of multi-point crossover: n-point crossover and uniform crossover. We then show empirically that disruption analysis alone is not sufficient for selecting appropriate forms of crossover. However, by taking into account the interacting effects of population size and crossover, a general picture begins to emerge. The implications of these results on implementation issues and performance are discussed, and several directions for further research are suggested.
South east Missouri lead belt - A review 1987

Abstract The south-east Missouri Lead Belt is, and has been for many years, a major world producer of lead concentrate. This paper reviews the current mill operations in the area and presents detailed information on equipment, operating parameters and metallurgical performance.
Cigarette Abstinence Impairs Memory and Metacognition Despite Administration of 2 mg Nicotine Gum

The authors assessed the effects of cigarette abstinence (nonabstinent vs. minimum 8 hours abstinent) and nicotine gum (0 mg vs. 2 mg nicotine) on sustained attention, free recall, and metacognition using a within-subjects design. Moderate smokers (10 women and 22 men) received one training session followed by four test sessions on consecutive days. Nicotine gum improved sustained attention in both abstinent and nonabstinent states, but had no significant effect on predicted or actual recall levels. Cigarette abstinence significantly impaired free recall and reduced the magnitude of participants' predictions of their own performance. In addition, participants were significantly more overconfident about their future memory when abstinent. Thus, nicotine gum can improve smokers' performance in basic aspects of cognition (e.g., sustained attention) but may not alleviate the detrimental effects of cigarette abstinence on higher-level processes such memory and metacognition.
Bandwidth efficient PAM signaling using wavelets

In this article, we demonstrate a bandwidth efficient method of pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) signaling using a family of orthonormal wavelets as the baseband pulse. These wavelets can be transmitted using single sideband (SSB) transmission, since they have zero average value. We provide a comparison with raised-cosine signaling, with the wavelet approach offering 50% greater data rate at the same bandwidth.
Xylazine in Human Tissues and Fluids in a Case of Fatal Drug Abuse

A fatal case of multiple drug abuse In a 36-year-old veterinarian Involving Injection of xylazlne and Ingsetlon of alcohol and clorazepate Is presented. Quantitative analysis of xylazlne was by gas liquid chromatography with a nitrogen detector. Xylazlne concentrations (mg/L or mg/kg) were: blood, 0.2; brain, 0.4; kidney, 0.6; liver, 0.9; lung, 1.1; omentum adipose 0.05; and urine, 7.0. Blood ethanol and nordlazepam concentrations were 380 mg/dL and 2.5 mg/L, respectively. she found the decedent lying unresponsive on the kitchen floor. In the kitchen were two syringes and a 50-mL vial of xylazine only one-quarter full. Emergency medical personnel were immediately summoned but resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. The decedent had a five-year history of alcoholism and was known to have been self-administering xylazine for at least one month prior to death. He had been prescribed clorazepate (7.5 mg, three times daily) by his psychiatrist, but was known to routinely take larger doses of the drug. Although, his substance abuse resuited in personal and financial problems, he had never been institutionalized for treatment nor was he considered to be suicidal.
Stress, Coping, and Family Environment: The Adolescent's Response to Naturally Occurring Stressors

This study extended previous research by assessing the specific coping responses of adolescents as a function of age, type of stressor, and quality of family environment. The findings demonstrated that adolescents employ a range of coping strategies in response to stressors within and external to the family. These strategies varied as a function of age, type of stressor, and perceptions of the quality of the family environment. Specifically, among those who identified interpersonal conflicts as their primary stressor, younger adolescents were more likely to use emotion-based coping strategies than were older adolescents. Using emotion-based strategies, however, was associated with less adaptive family functioning. Further, these coping strategies were orderable on the dimension ofpreference. Thefindings underscored the importance of examining moderating factors and individual differences when studying coping responses to stressful situations.
Compartment syndrome following external iliac artery stenting and lower extremity thrombolysis.

Compartment syndrome is an infrequent yet very serious complication of endovascular revascularization of ischemic extremities. Believed to be a consequence of ischemic-reperfusion injury, postischemic compartment syndrome can lead to devastating consequences such as amputation, renal failure, or death. Therefore, when performing endovascular procedures, it is essential to have a thorough knowledge of the clinical signs and symptoms of developing compartment syndrome.
Planning models for parallel batch reactors with sequence‐dependent changeovers

In this article we address the production planning of parallel multiproduct batch reactors with sequence-dependent changeovers, a challenging problem that has been motivated by a real-world application of a specialty chemicals business. We propose two production planning models that anticipate the impact of the changeovers in this batch processing problem. The first model is based on underestimating the effects of the changeovers that leads to an MILP problem of moderate size. The second model incorporates sequencing constraints that yield very accurate predictions, but at the expense of a larger MILP problem. To solve large scale problems in terms of number of products and reactors, or length of the time horizon, we propose a decomposition technique based on rolling horizon scheme and also a relaxation of the detailed planning model. Several examples are presented to illustrate the performance of the proposed models.
Adaptive power amplifier linearization by digital pre-distortion using genetic algorithms

This paper investigates the application of genetic algorithms to PA linearization using digital pre-distortion with narrowband feedback. An algorithm is presented that adapts a polynomial pre-distortion function to minimize adjacent channel emissions. The paper describes the implementation of this algorithm and compares its performance with a random search technique. Results show nearly optimal performance in a limited number of iterations, suggesting that this technique can be employed as a low-cost solution to meet adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR) requirements.
Small Adrenal Glands in Cats With Feline Interstitial Cystitis

ABSTRACTPurpose: We documented the uncoupling of sympathetic nervous system activity from the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in cats with feline interstitial cystitis (FIC). Altered hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity was recently suggested in some humans with interstitial cystitis (IC) but to our knowledge no information exists on adrenal gland size and histopathology in this disease. To investigate further adrenal function in cats with FIC we determined cortisol responses to 125 μg synthetic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) as well as adrenal size and histology.Materials and Methods: ACTH stimulation studies were performed in 11 healthy cats and 20 with FIC. Adrenal glands obtained at autopsy in 8 healthy cats and 13 with FIC were weighed, measured and examined histologically.Results: Cats with FIC had significantly decreased responses to ACTH (2-way repeated measures ANOVA p <0.05). Mean weight ± SD (58 ± 50 vs 241 ± 60 mg) and volume (264 ± 72 vs 410 ± 115 mm3) of adrenal glands were signif...
Design of a prototype Multi-Frequency Recirculating Planar Magnetron

The Multi-Frequency Recirculating Planar Magnetron (MFRPM) is a type of Recirculating Planar Magnetron1,2 (RPM) designed for tunable or simultaneous oscillation at more than one primary frequency. Like the RPM, the MFRPM is a crossed-field, high power microwave source that integrates the same advantages over traditional cylindrical cavity magnetrons as UM's original RPM, such as a large cathode surface area for supplying higher electron current, with the added benefit of producing multiple frequencies using a single HPM device. Previous experimental research3 involved demonstration of the L-band RPM-12A, the first RPM prototype. The RPM-12A was specifically designed for use on the Michigan Electron Long Beam Accelerator with a ceramic insulator (MELBA-C), which drives the RPM by applying a −300kV, 0.3–1.0 µs pulse to the cathode.
Burnout assessment in house officers: Evaluation of an intervention to reduce stress

Background: Medical house officers are at increased risk for stress related symptoms leading to professional burnout. Aims: Measure burnout in house officers and establish whether utilization of a psychotherapeutic tool individually by physicians reduces symptoms characteristic of burnout. Method: Two groups of pediatric house officers at the University of California Davis Health System completed a Maslach Burnout Survey (MBS) at the beginning and end of a three-month period in 2003. An Intervention group (7 of 15 enrolled) was trained in the use of a self-administered psychotherapeutic tool. Outcome Measures were MBS scores and a qualitative interview of intervention group members. Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups, prior to the study or over time. Qualitative interviews revealed that subjects experience stressors in relation to their professional activities, but already utilize some elements of the tool and were too busy to implement the entire tool systematically. Conclusions: Pediatric trainees did not seem to manifest burnout symptoms based upon the MBS; interviews suggested that some do experience significant stress, although manifestations and responses were varied, some may be at risk. Methods identifying individuals at risk for burnout, and interventions to cope with stress may be valuable to their training.