cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trajectories to death in patients with burn injury.

BACKGROUND: With unprecedented survival rates in modern burn care, there is increasing focus on optimizing long-term functional outcomes. However, 3% to 8% of patients admitted to burn centers still die of injury. Patterns in which these patients progress to death remain poorly characterized. We hypothesized that burn nonsurvivors will follow distinct temporal distributions and patterns of decline, parallel to the trimodality of deaths previously described for trauma. METHODS: We retrospectively identified all adult deaths from 1995 to 2007 in the National Burn Repository database (n = 5,975) and at our regional burn center (n = 237). We stratified patients by age and analyzed injury and death characteristics. We used objective criteria to allocate nonsurvivors to one of four trajectories: early rapid decline, early organ failure, late sudden death, or late-onset decline. RESULTS: The greatest concentration of deaths in both samples and age groups occurred within 72 hours of injury and decreased subsequently with no later mortality peak. Death was most often caused by burn shock within the first week of injury, cardiogenic shock or lung injury in Weeks 1 to 2, and sepsis/multiorgan failure after Week 2. In decreasing frequency, trajectories to death fit the pattern of early rapid decline (58%), early organ failure (20%), late-onset decline (16%), and late sudden death (6%). CONCLUSION: Most burn deaths follow a pattern of early rapid decline or early organ failure manifested by death or critical illness within several days of the burn. These findings indicate that more than three quarters of burn deaths are attributable to failure or significant decompensation beginning in the resuscitation phase. Sporadic deaths later in hospitalization are uncommon. Despite significant advances in burn resuscitation, our data indicate that ongoing efforts to mitigate deaths in modern burn care should still focus on care improvements in the resuscitation phase. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Epidemiologic study, level III. Language: en
A Generalized Infection of Newborn Hamsters with Type 2 Adenovirus

Discussion and Gcneval ConclusionsThese results indicate that adenovirus type 2 infection may be established in the newborn Syrian hamster as a result of parenteral injection of a relatively high virus dose. Virus was rapidly absorbed from the injection site and disseminated via the circulation and detected in blood. liver, and kidney before a single virus replication cycle had occurred. Prefelential distribution to these organ is consistent with the magnitude of their blood supply (8).Replication had occurred in liver and kidney by 48 hr and the infectivity of these organs continued to increase through 144 hr, generally parallel with infectivity of serum. Since gross pathological changes and virus particles were found in these organs only and viral inclusions were found in liver cells only it is concluded that the major sites of viral replication were in cells of these organs. The viremia which occurred after replication had been established in these organs probably was a reflection of this however, vira...
Conformational studies on parathion

Theoretical conformational studies have been carried out at the density functional theory (DFT) level on parathion (O,O-diethyl-O-p-nitrophenyl phosphorothioate), to correlate the conformational properties of this molecule with its biological activity. Different conformers of parathion have been taken into account, and the accuracy of our theoretical approach has been gauged against the results of the second-order Moller–Plesset perturbation calculations. The aqueous solvation of these molecules has been studied at the DFT level, using a polarized continuum model (PCM) with a conductor-like screening reaction field approach. The results show that parathion has high conformational flexibility in the gas phase, as well as in an aqueous medium, and the barriers to transition to different low-energy conformers are thermally allowed. The molecular electrostatic potential surfaces of the various low-energy conformers of this molecule have been compared with the related non-aged enzyme-bound organophosphorus structure to investigate the role of the calculated conformers on the biological activity of this molecule. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2006
Complement-Fixation in Experimental and Human Poliomyelitis.∗

ConclusionsThe experiments presented above show that complement-fixing antibodies can be demonstrated in the blood of rats immunized with formalized Lansing virus, in convalescent monkey serum, and in some convalescent human sera when concentrated Lansing virus from cotton rats is used as antigen. The results with rat sera are complicated by the presence of antibodies against components of normal brain and spinal cord in both immune and normal animals, but the evidence indicates that the primary reaction with immune sera is between antibody and virus. Immunization as a result of injection of formalized virus is, therefore, associated with the production of serologically detectable antibodies to active virus. The experiments with the convalescent monkey and human sera provide definite proof that positive complement fixation can be demonstrated when concentrated Lansing virus prepared as described2 is used as the antigen. These latter results further support the importance of the Lansing virus or an antigen...
A Simple Teaching Intervention Significantly Decreases Radiation Exposure during Transbronchial Biopsy

Abstract:The objective of this study was to assess the need for formal instruction on radiation safety and on a means to decrease radiation exposure during pulmonary procedures for healthcare workers and patients. Radiation safety is a major healthcare concern. No studies have examined the use of fl
Light-induced changes in phenolic inhibitors of indoleacetic acid oxidase in cotyledons of Pharbitis nil

Abstract Pharbitis cotyledons contain methanol-soluble substances which inhibit the oxidation of 3-indolylacetic acid (IAA) by peroxidase. Such substances are much more abundant in etiolated than in light-grown plants, and transfer of etiolated plants from dark to white light results in their prompt decrease. Surprisingly, transfer of a light-grown plant from white light to darkness also results in a marked decrease in the titer of such substances. Thus, it appears that there is a metabolic regulation such that the synthesis of IAA oxidase inhibitors proceeds best in darkness in dark-grown plants and best in light in light-grown plants. Approximately twenty phenolic compounds can be detected in methanolic extracts of cotyledons after two-dimensional paper chromatography. Only five are active as inhibitors of IAA oxidation, and of these, three are increased dramatically in quantity by far-red light. Red light itself produces only small effects, but when given prior to far-red, it greatly diminishes the effectiveness of the far-red. The possible relevance of such changes in photomorphogenesis are considered.
Cruelty to animals in normative, sexually abused, and outpatient psychiatric samples of 6- to 12-year-old children: relations to maltreatment and exposure to domestic violence

AbstractWe examined the associations of children's reported “cruelty to animals” and “touching animal's sex parts” with the reported presence of physical abuse and parental physical fighting for three groups of children. Maternal caregivers of 1433 6- to 12-year-old children completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Child Sexual Behavior Inventory (CSBI). These children were categorized into three groups: a normative sample screened for the absence of sexual abuse (n=540), a sexually abused sample (n=481), and a psychiatric comparison group (n=412) without a history of sexual abuse. The caregivers also provided information on comorbid physical abuse and domestic violence. Single items from the CBCL and the CSBI related to cruelty to animals and sexual contact with animals were examined across the three groups. Gender and maltreatment history were significantly related to cruelty and sexual contact, with physical abuse and domestic violence, in some cases, having an additive effect. Cruelty to ...
Conceptual Foundations of Crowdsourcing: A Review of IS Research

Crowd sourcing is a collaboration model enabled by people-centric web technologies to solve individual, organizational, and societal problems using a dynamically formed crowd of people who respond to an open call for participation. We report on a literature survey of crowd sourcing research, focusing on top journals and conferences in the Information Systems (IS) field. To our knowledge, ours is the first effort of this type in the IS discipline. Contributions include providing a synopsis of crowd sourcing research to date, a common definition for crowd sourcing, and a conceptual model for guiding future studies of crowd sourcing. We show how existing IS literature applies to the elements of that conceptual model: Problem, People (Problem Owner, Individual, and Crowd), Governance, Process, Technology, and Outcome. We close with suggestions for future research.
Effect of dietary arginine supplementation and environmental temperature on sow lactation performance

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate whether supplemental dietary arginine increases lactation performance in sows subjected to a hot environment. A total of 66 multiparous sows were allotted in a 2×3 factorial arrangement, consisting of two environments and three dietary treatments. Sows were maintained in a thermoneutral environment of 20°C (TN) or heat-stressed in a hot environment of 29.4°C (HS), starting on day 95 of gestation. From day 110 of gestation to weaning, sows were provided one of three corn–soybean meal based dietary treatments formulated to contain 0.96% arginine (1:1 arginine:lysine), 1.34% arginine (1.4:1 arginine:lysine), and 1.73% arginine (1.8:1 arginine:lysine), for control (C), medium (ME), and high (HI) dietary treatments, respectively. Respiration rate and rectal temperature increased in HS sows compared to TN sows (P 0.10) for either HS or TN sows. Arginine supplementation reduced feed intake (P
An analysis of Kohonen's self-organizing maps using a system of energy functions

In this paper a new method for analyzing Kohonen's self-organizing feature maps is presented. The method makes use of a system of energy functions, one energy function for each processing unit. It is shown that the training process is equivalent to minimizing each energy function subject to constraints. The analysis is used to prove the formation of topologically correct maps when the inherent dimensionality of the input patterns matches that of the network. The energy equations can be used to compute the steady-state weight values of the network. In addition, the analysis allows bounds on the training parameters to be determined. Finally, examples of energy landscapes are presented to graphically show the behavior of the network.
Rupture of Ovarian Cyst: Massive Hemoperitoneum in Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: Diagnosis and Treatment

Two women on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) developed recurrent episodes of hemoperitoneum while in the reproductive age group. Initially, both were thought to have mechanical problems with the peritoneal catheter system. A laparotomy was performed in the first patient, and a bleeding ovarian cyst was identified. The second patient had ovarian cysts documented by ultrasound. Thus, abdominal pain and bloody dialysate should not just be ascribed to catheter-related problems. The second patient's midcycle bleeding was suppressed with birth control pills.
The acid-producing potential of the various rock units associated with the mining of coal

Abstract Acid mine drainage is produced when iron disulfide-bearing rocks are exposed to the atmosphere during the mining of coal. The iron disulfide minerals oxidize and hydrolyze to produce acidic solutions. It is common knowledge among mine operators that certain rock units associated with coal, and the rock units associated with certain coal beds, produce more acid than others. However, no body of data exists which will allow the relative toxicities of individual rock units, or the rock units associated with certain coal beds, to be quantitatively compared. In this study, the potentially toxic rock units associated with coal are identified, collected over a wide region for five different coal beds, and experimentally evaluated for toxicity. Of the rock units, the organic-rich bone coals and rider coals immediately associated with the main coal bed produced the most acid, while the rock units contained within the overburden produced the least amount of acid. Although a positive correlation existed between the amount of acid produced and the total sulfur content of the rock, the magnitude of the correlation coefficient was not sufficiently great to allow total sulfur alone to be used as a predictor of potential toxicity. An inverse relationship existed between the rate of acid production and total sulfur content which cannot be explained with the present data. The data indicated that factors other than rock type and sulfur content affected the rate and amount of acid production from any rock unit; the most probably factors would be the morphology and size of the individual iron disulfide grains and the porosity and permeability of the rock.
National contaminant biomonitoring program: Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, and zinc in U.S. Freshwater Fish, 1976-1984.

From late 1984 to early 1985, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service collected a total of 315 composite samples of whole fish from 109 stations nationwide, which were analyzed for arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, selenium, and zinc. Geometric mean, maximum, and 85th percentile concentrations (μg/g wet weight) for 1984 samples were as follows: arsenic-0.14, 1.5, 0.27; cadmium-0.03, 0.22, 0.05; copper-0.65, 23.1, 1.0; mercury-0.10, 0.37, 0.17; lead-0.11, 4.88, 0.22; selenium-0.42, 2.30, 0.73; and zinc-21.7, 118.4, 34.2. The mean concentrations of selenium and lead were significantly lower than in the previous NCBP collection (1980–81). Mean concentrations of arsenic and cadmium also declined significantly between 1976, when elemental contaminants in fish were first measured in the NCBP, and 1984. Of greatest significance, lead concentrations declined steadily from 1976 to 1984, suggesting that regulatory measures have successfully reduced the influx of lead to the aquatic environment.
van der Waals interactions between molecular hydrogen and alkali-metal atoms

In this paper, we have calculated the values of the ${\mathrm{C}}_{6}$ coefficients and the anisotropy parameters $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ of the leading term of the van der Waals interactions between molecular hydrogen and alkali-metal atoms from Li to Fr. The uncertainties in our results are less than $2%.$
Interaction of raclopride and preparatory interval effects on simple reaction time performance.

In a series of three experiments, simple reaction time (RT) was characterized with respect to a variable preparatory interval (PI) in order to investigate the relationship between interval timing and RT. In Experiment 1, it was shown that RT decreases as a function of PI and that this effect varies with amount of training. In Experiment 2, RT was shown to increase during probe trials that used a novel 6.25 s PI, suggesting that the specific durations of the PIs encoded during initial training contribute to the PI effect on RT. In Experiment 3, 100 μg/kg i.p. of raclopride proportionally slowed RT as a function of the PI. These results are discussed within the context of neuropsychological models of interval timing and support an underlying role for cortico-striatal dopaminergic function in temporal processing and simple RT measurements.
The computation of CC and NN bond dissociation energies for singly, doubly, and triply bonded systems

The bond dissociation energies (D sub e) of C2H2, C2H4, C2H6, N2, N2H2, and N2H4 are studied at various levels of correlation treatment. The convergence of D sub e with respect to the one particle basis is studied at the single reference modified coupled-pair functional (MCPF) level. At all levels of correlation treatment, the errors in the bond dissociation energies increase with the degree of multiple bond character. The multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) D sub e values, corrected for an estimate of higher excitations, are in excellent agreement with those determined using the size extensive averaged coupled pair functional (ACPF) method. It was found that the full valence complete active space self consistent field (CASSCF)/MRCI calculations are reproduced very well by MRCI calculations based on a CASSCF calculation that includes in the active space only those electrons involved in the C-C or N-N bonds. To achieve chemical accuracy (1 kcal/mole) for the D sub e values of the doubly bonded species C2H4 and N2H2 requires one particle basis sets including up through h angular momentum functions (l = 5) and a multireference treatment of electron correlation: still higher levels of calculation are required to achieve chemical accuracy for the triply bonded species C2H2 and N2.
Synthesis of silicon-based polymerized films by excimer laser ablation deposition of hexaphenyldisilane

A new method of synthesizing silicon-based polymer films by excimer laser ablation of hexaphenyldisilane (HPDS) has been studied. The polymerized films were formed on a substrate by laser ablation deposition of HPDS at 248 nm. The structure of the polymerized films depended strongly on the laser fluence and repetition rates. The thermal stability and hardness of the deposited films were estimated by thermogravimetry and a Vickers microhardness meter. The films showed good thermal stability, depending on the laser processing parameters.
Viral biogeography revealed by signatures in Sulfolobus islandicus genomes

Viruses are a driving force of microbial evolution. Despite their importance, the evolutionary dynamics that shape diversity in viral populations are not well understood. One of the primary factors that define viral population structure is coevolution with microbial hosts. Experimental models predict that the trajectory of coevolution will be determined by the relative migration rates of viruses and their hosts; however, there are no natural microbial systems in which both have been examined. The biogeographic distribution of viruses that infect Sulfolobus islandicus is investigated using genome comparisons among four newly identified, integrated, Sulfolobus spindle-shaped viruses and previously sequenced viral strains. Core gene sequences show a biogeographic distribution where viral genomes are specifically associated with each local population. In addition, signatures of host-virus interactions recorded in the sequence-specific CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) system show that hosts have interacted with viral communities that are more closely related to local viral strains than to foreign ones. Together, both proviral and CRISPR sequences show a clear biogeographic structure for Sulfolobus viral populations. Our findings demonstrate that virus-microbe coevolution must be examined in a spatially explicit framework. The combination of host and virus biogeography suggests a model for viral diversification driven by host immunity and local adaptation.
VIBRATION OF A DOUBLE-BEAM SYSTEM

Abstract An exact method is presented for solving the vibration of a double-beam system subject to harmonic excitation. The system consists of a main beam with an applied force, and an auxiliary beam, with a distributed spring k and dashpot c in parallel between the two beams. The viscous damping and the applied forcing function can be completely arbitrary. The damping is assumed to be neither small nor proportional, and the forcing function can be either concentrated at any point or distributed. The Euler–Bernoulli model is used for the transverse vibrations of beams, and the spring–dashpot represents a simplified model of viscoelastic material. The method involves a simple change of variables and modal analysis to decouple and to solve the governing differential equations respectively. A case study is solved in detail to demonstrate the methodology, and the frequency responses are shown in dimensionless parameters for low and high values of stiffness (k/k0) and damping (c/c0). The plots show that each natural mode consists of two submodes: (1) the in-phase submode whose natural frequencies and resonant peaks are independent of stiffness and damping, and (2) the out-of-phase submode whose natural frequencies are increased with increasing stiffness and resonant peaks are decreased with increasing damping. The closed-form solution and the plots, especially the three-dimensional ones, not only illustrate the principles of the vibration problem but also shed light on practical applications.
A simple device to help re-embed thick plastic sections.

The removal of epoxy capsules cast on glass slides is facilitated by 1) partial polymerization and brief exposure to elevated temperature, and 2) use of a slide holder to support the hot slides and reduce the chance of breakage. With this procedure, plastic sections routinely dried onto glass slides are available for re-embedding and subsequent thin sectioning.
Effects of a sustained extension on arterial growth and remodeling: a theoretical study

Three recent studies reveal that the unloaded length of a carotid artery increases significantly and rapidly in response to sustained increases in axial extension. Moreover, such lengthening involves an "unprecedented" increase in the rate of turnover of cells and matrix. Although current data are not sufficient for detailed biomechanical analyses, we present general numerical simulations that are consistent with the reported observations and support the hypothesis that rates of turnover correlate with the extent that stresses are perturbed from normal. In particular, a 3-D analysis of wall stress suggests that moderate (15%) increases in axial extension can increase the axial stress to a much greater extent than marked (50%) increases in blood pressure increase the circumferential stress. Furthermore, such increases in axial stress can occur without inducing significant gradients in stress within the wall. Consequently, we use a new, 2-D constrained mixture model to study evolving changes in the geometry, structure, and properties of carotid arteries in response to a sustained increase in axial extension. These simulations are qualitatively similar to the reports in the literature and support the notion that the stress-free lengths of individual constituents evolve during growth and remodeling.
Serum C-reactive protein and problems of newborn infants

C-REACTIVE PROTEIN is known to be produced by the fetus ~4 and has been found in high concentrations in the sera of newborn infants with a variety of infections. ~,3.5 Because the serum level of this acute phase reactant rises rapidly, it has been proposed as an early indicator of serious bacterial infections in neonates? Unfortunately, serial examinations of sera were not done in most of the pertinent clinical investigations done to date and the methods used were usually semiquantitative. This study was undertaken to examine the usefulness of serial quantitative serum CRP determinations in the assessment of problems of newborn infants.
Control of arabitol formation in Schizophyllum commune development.

Dikaryotic cells of S. commune synthesized polyols throughout the life cycle when grown on glucose, cellobiose, or cellulose. Basidiospores contained arabitol and mannitol which were depleted during germination. The mannitol content of the young germlings rose to normal levels within a day; arabitol accumulation remained depressed for 5 to 7 days and then returned to normal levels characteristic of vegetative cells. Individual homokaryons differed in their production of intracellular polyols, which, unlike germlings, remained constant with cultural age. Homokaryon (str. 699) produced low levels of arabitol but high levels of glycerol while another homokaryon (str. 845) was the reverse. Mixtures of these homokaryons as well as the dikaryon (699×845) produced arabitol and glycerol levels intermediate between the parent homokaryons. High concentrations of glucose did not change the nature of the polyols produced. Arabitol formation could be induced prematurely in germlings or elevated in the dikaryon by growth on acetate or ethanol. Both homokaryons responded to growth on acetate with elevated arabitol production; acetate induction of arabitol formation was repressed in all types of cells if glucose were added simultaneously with acetate. Maltose, cellobiose, and trehalose also stimulated arabitol formation in young germlings, suggesting that glucose repression was the cause of decreased arabitol formation in basidiospore germlings. There was no correlation between the formation of arabitol and the derepression of isocitrate lyase or change in specific activities of alkaline and acid phosphatase in germlings grown on various carbon sources.
Linguistic psychotherapy research: new directions and promising findings.

Language configures experience and is our primary instrument of meaning making. Its central role in the construction of our subjective and interpersonal worlds provides the rationale for investigating its forms and functions, modality, and complexity) are outlined and several examples of linguistic variables on each dimension are defined. Linguistic studies of psychotheropy are then presented in terms of focal points of assessment: pretherapy, in therapy, and posttherapy. At each focal point, innovative applications of linguistic variables are presented, often in contexts that permit direct contrast with more traditional methodologies. Promising preliminary results suggest that linguistic research can help to better differentiate and describe patient psychopathology at pretherapy, therapist and patient processes in therapy, and patient gains at posttherapy.
Effect of terramycin on fecal microflora of rats. I. Interrelation of diet and terramycin.

Summary1. A study was made of changes in fecal microflora of albino rats engendered by changes in composition of diet, and by incorporation of terramycin in the 3 diets employed. The data were statistically analyzed as to ration effect, drug effect, interaction between ration and diet and reproducibility of experiments. 2. Diets per se, showed little or no effect in modifying the counts of total anaerobes and aerobes, L. acidophilus, or fecal streptococci. Nor was there a statistically significant interaction between terramycin and diet in these groups of organisms. Terramycin caused significant reductions of anaerobes, aerobes, and L. acidophilus and a marked increase of fecal streptococci regardless of ration. 3. The use of tergitol-7-agar containing T.T.C. was described for enumeration of E. coli in feces. The counts of E. coli were not affected by diet or terramycin per se, but a high degree of interaction between diet and terramycin obtained. The action of terramycin on the E. coli count was dependen...
Evidence for a characteristic EEG frequency response to thiopental.

Abstract A quantitative model commonly used to describe the rates of uptake and release of pharmacological agents by a tissue compartment was proposed to account for the electroencephalographic response elicited by the intravenous administration of thiopental sodium. Sixty-one such EEG responses were obtained from seventeen subjects. For each of 49 of these responses, the shape of the time course of average frequencies was predicted adequately by the model, suggesting that the EEG frequency changes were proportional to the concentration of thiopental or its products in some tissue compartment. The strength of the model lay not only in its implications concerning the specific relation of the EEG to biochemical activity, but especialy in its ability to predict unambiguously the EEG response once its parameters have been estimated.
Induction of paraoxonase 1 and apolipoprotein A-I gene expression by aspirin.

Low-dose aspirin therapy has become a standard in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Aspirin has been shown to inhibit atherosclerosis in mouse models. To determine the mechanisms by which aspirin might inhibit atherosclerosis, we incubated HEPG2 cells and rat primary hepatocytes with aspirin or salicylic acid and noted an increase in paraoxonase 1(PON1) activity in the medium, together with an induction of PON1 and apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) gene expression. Mice treated with aspirin also showed a 2-fold increase in plasma PON1 activity and a significant induction of both PON1 and apoA-I gene expression in the liver. The induction of the PON1 gene in cell culture was accompanied by an increase in arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR) gene expression. Accordingly, aspirin treatment of AhR−/− animals failed to induce PON1 gene expression. We previously suggested that aspirin might be hydrolyzed by serum PON1, which could account for its short plasma half-life of 10 min. Taken together with the current studies, we suggest that the antiatherosclerotic effects of aspirin might be mediated by its hydrolytic product salicylate and that the induction of PON1 and apoA-I might be important in the cardioprotective effects of aspirin.
Haploinsufficiency of chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor II in female reproduction.

The chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor II, COUP-TFII, is a member of the orphan nuclear receptor transcription factor family. Genetic ablation of COUP-TFII results in early embryonic lethality and demonstrates that this gene is required for cardiac and vascular development. Expression of COUP-TFII persists throughout postnatal life in various tissues including the female reproductive tract. However, the physiological function of COUP-TFII in female reproduction has not been extensively analyzed. Here, we provide phenotypic evidences that haploinsufficiency of COUP-TFII in mice demonstrates an important role of COUP-TFII for normal female reproduction. COUP-TFII +/− females show significantly reduced fecundity, irregular estrus cycles, delayed puberty, and retarded postnatal growth. Analysis of the reduced fertility revealed that although ovarian function was normal with respect to ovulation, the ovaries have reduced ability to synthesize progesterone in response to exogenous gonadotr...
Retention behavior of alkylated polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles on immobilized ionic liquid stationary phases

a b s t r a c t Polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASH) are prevalent components of fossil fuel-based pollutants, and their accurate analysis is of critical importance in risk assessment and hazardous waste site remediation. PASH, however, have a wide range of volatilities and polarities and, as such, often coelute with one another and other sample components on the non-polar gas chromatography (GC) columns commonly used in their analysis. Immobilized ionic liquid (IL)-based stationary phases have been shown to provide better separation of polar compounds than non-polar columns, while withstanding higher temperatures than typical polar columns. In this way, they offer the opportunity of improved performance in the analysis of PASH in complex environmental samples and as the “more polar” column in GC × GC/MS analyses. In this study, the retention behavior of 119 PASH on four commercially-available IL stationary phases is reported and compared to behavior on three polydimethylsiloxane-based columns of varying polarities (DB-5, DB-17, and DB-200). Additionally, the utility of IL columns in GC × GC analyses of PASH-containing coal tar samples is examined.
Stage Separation Failure: Model Based Diagnostics and Prognostics

Safety of the next-generation space flight vehicles requires development of an in-flight Failure Detection and Prognostic (FDP (ii) structural stability of the deformed nozzle in the presence of the pressure and temperature loads induced by the hot gas flow during engine start up; and (iii) the fault induced thrust changes in the steady burning regime. The diagnostic is based on the measurements of the impact torque. The prognostic is based on the analysis of the correlation between the actuator signal and fault-induced changes in the nozzle structural stability and thrust.
Development of optimum feeding rate model for white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)

Abstract Establishing the optimum feeding rate (OFR; % body weight per day) for a cultured fish is a significant step toward the success of the aquaculture operation. Therefore, the objectives of this study were 1) the estimation of OFR for 19 datasets with different initial body weights by applying broken-line and quadratic regression models and 2) an investigation of potential OFR prediction models using 19 estimated OFRs from objective 1. Objective 1) Nineteen datasets were obtained from five published studies (14 datasets) and one unpublished study (5 datasets) which were carried out to evaluate the effects of feeding rate on growth performance in white sturgeon of initial body weights varying from 0.05 g to 764 g. Each dataset, containing feeding rate (independent variable) and specific growth rate (% body weight increase per day; dependent variable) was used to estimate OFR by one-slope straight broken-line, two-slope straight broken-line, quadratic broken-line, and quadratic models for each body weight class. Calculations of model selection criteria, including the adjusted coefficient of correlation, Akaike information criterion, and corrected Akaike information criterion were performed to compare model performance on OFR estimation for each dataset. Three models (two-slope straight broken-line, quadratic broken-line, and quadratic models) were considered acceptable for the estimation of OFR, and the three sets of estimated OFRs obtained by these models were used in objective 2. Objective 2) Several regression models, including polynomial models of order from 1 to 6, a simple exponential model with a constant, and a bi-exponential model, were fitted to each set of the 19 estimated OFRs against transformed initial body weights. A power function model was also fitted to the estimated OFRs against untransformed initial body weights. The model selection criteria for objective 2 were the same as those for objective 1. Overall model performance on the estimation of OFR for the 19 datasets shows that the quadratic broken-line model performed best, followed by the quadratic, two-slope straight broken-line, and one-slope straight broken-line models. Given the overall performance of model fitness to the sets of the OFR estimates, the bi-exponential regression model emerged as the most favorable one. As a result, the bi-exponential model equation. OFR % body weight per day = 0.00344 ± 0.0123 e − 5.684 ± 2.309 ln ( body weight ) + 8.695 ± 0.606 e − 0.549 ± 0.065 ln ( body weight ) obtained by fitting the estimated OFRs derived from the quadratic broken-line model analysis, can be used to predict the OFR for white sturgeon from about 0.05 g to 800 g.
Efficiency modeling and comparison of switched capacitor, Luo, and interleaved switched capacitor converters for electric vehicle Energy storage systems

This paper presents the performance comparison and transfer efficiency modeling and analysis of a 2-quadrant switched capacitor converter (2-Q SCC), a 4-Q SC Luo converter and interleaved SCC, applicable for hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) Energy storage system (ESS) applications. SCCs offer essential features of voltage step-down, voltage step-up, and bidirectional power flow, associated with two or more HEV energy storage devices.
Applications of optimization techniques to medicine: diabetes and screening

A mathematical model of diabetes has been developed and used to analyze screening strategies for control of diabetes. The analysis has been performed under alternative assumptions about the person (or cohort) screened, the disease progression, and the screening modality. A general mathematical model of the disease progression and effects of screening on its behavior has been developed. The model incorporates the underlying principle of the progression of diabetes through a series of discrete states in such a way that a substantially different treatment is experienced for each of the states. The effect of the screening test is to decrease the probability of remaining in undetected states of diabetes. The problem of determining sequence lengths for repeated screening tests has been considered. >
Reply: β2-Agonists and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

From the Editorialists*: In their letter, Snyder and Johnson propose a mechanism to explain why the clinical trials evaluating β2-agonists as a treatment or preventive therapy for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) have failed. They suggest that extrapulmonary effects of β2-agonists on renal Na+ handling and the cardiovascular system might have caused an increase in total body water content, offsetting their beneficial effects on alveolar fluid clearance. Activation of β2-adrenergic receptors (β2ARs) may lead to increased total body water content by decreasing renal Na+ excretion (1). In addition, engagement of β2ARs on the vasculature may cause a drop in systemic vascular resistance, necessitating the increased administration of fluids and an increase in total body water content. Several factors argue against this hypothesis. Although the systemic administration of β2-agonists in the BALTI 2 trial (2) may have affected renal Na+ handling and cardiovascular responses, the inhalation administration of β2-agonist is unlikely to have done so (3–5). Indeed, Perkins and colleagues found that β2-agonist therapy decreased extracellular lung water content in a subgroup of patients receiving inhaled β2-agonists in the BALTI prevention trial (4). Snyder and Johnson point out that patients receiving β2-agonist therapy received more cumulative fluids compared with those who did not in the ALTA trial (2,988 ± 6,614 ml in the albuterol group vs. 1,905 ± 6,388 ml in the control group; not significant) (5). Although this may be due to the effect of β2-agonists on renal Na+ excretion and caon the rdiovascular system, this disparity more likely reflects the inclusion of more patients with shock in the ALTA trial compared with the previous study (approximately one half vs. one third) (5, 6). In summary, we agree with Johnson and Snyder that many mechanisms likely play a role in the unexpected outcomes with the use of β2-agonists for the treatment or prevention of ARDS (7). However, we think the bulk of the evidence from these trials and others suggests that β2-agonist therapy reduces lung water content. Despite this improvement, these agents failed to improve or prevent ARDS. Perhaps this is because only a fraction of patients with ARDS die directly as a result of hypoxemia. The majority of deaths occur due to development of multiple organ dysfunction, and only patients with severe ARDS benefit from therapies improving oxygenation (8, 9). Alternatively, the activation of β2ARs in other cells in the lung may negate the beneficial effects of their activation in the alveolar epithelium. For example, we have recently shown that β2-agonist therapy worsens lung inflammation in a murine model of lung injury via engagement of β2ARs on macrophages (10). We agree with the authors that additional studies will be needed to distinguish the beneficial effects of β2ARs from their unwanted and harmful effects.
INFLUENCES OF RESPONSE RATE AND DISTRIBUTION ON THE CALCULATION OF INTEROBSERVER RELIABILITY SCORES

We examined the effects of several variations in response rate on the calculation of total, interval, exact-agreement, and proportional reliability indices. Trained observers recorded computer-generated data that appeared on a computer screen. In Study 1, target responses occurred at low, moderate, and high rates during separate sessions so that reliability results based on the four calculations could be compared across a range of values. Total reliability was uniformly high, interval reliability was spuriously high for high-rate responding, proportional reliability was somewhat lower for high-rate responding, and exact-agreement reliability was the lowest of the measures, especially for high-rate responding. In Study 2, we examined the separate effects of response rate per se, bursting, and end-of-interval responding. Response rate and bursting had little effect on reliability scores; however, the distribution of some responses at the end of intervals decreased interval reliability somewhat, proportional reliability noticeably, and exact-agreement reliability markedly.
Changes in Gene Expression and Cellular Architecture in an Ovarian Cancer Progression Model

Background Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women. Early stage disease often remains undetected due the lack of symptoms and reliable biomarkers. The identification of early genetic changes could provide insights into novel signaling pathways that may be exploited for early detection and treatment. Methodology/Principal Findings Mouse ovarian surface epithelial (MOSE) cells were used to identify stage-dependent changes in gene expression levels and signal transduction pathways by mouse whole genome microarray analyses and gene ontology. These cells have undergone spontaneous transformation in cell culture and transitioned from non-tumorigenic to intermediate and aggressive, malignant phenotypes. Significantly changed genes were overrepresented in a number of pathways, most notably the cytoskeleton functional category. Concurrent with gene expression changes, the cytoskeletal architecture became progressively disorganized, resulting in aberrant expression or subcellular distribution of key cytoskeletal regulatory proteins (focal adhesion kinase, α-actinin, and vinculin). The cytoskeletal disorganization was accompanied by altered patterns of serine and tyrosine phosphorylation as well as changed expression and subcellular localization of integral signaling intermediates APC and PKCβII. Conclusions/Significance Our studies have identified genes that are aberrantly expressed during MOSE cell neoplastic progression. We show that early stage dysregulation of actin microfilaments is followed by progressive disorganization of microtubules and intermediate filaments at later stages. These stage-specific, step-wise changes provide further insights into the time and spatial sequence of events that lead to the fully transformed state since these changes are also observed in aggressive human ovarian cancer cell lines independent of their histological type. Moreover, our studies support a link between aberrant cytoskeleton organization and regulation of important downstream signaling events that may be involved in cancer progression. Thus, our MOSE-derived cell model represents a unique model for in depth mechanistic studies of ovarian cancer progression.
Television based fourier holographic system.

A system for recording Fourier transform holograms on a television camera for use with an existing real-time reconstruction device is described. Measurements of the system’s visibility, associated efficiency measurements, and a general procedure for determining the system’s optimum operating point are presented. Initial off-line reconstructions and a comparison of various optical synthesis systems for television based Fourier transform holograms are included.
LogGP in theory and practice – An in-depth analysis of modern interconnection networks and benchmarking methods for collective operations

Abstract Accurate measurement and modeling of network performance is important for predicting and optimizing the running time of high-performance computing applications. Although the LogP family of models has proven to be a valuable tool for assessing the communication performance of parallel architectures, non-intrusive LogP parameter assessment of real systems remains a difficult task. Based on an analysis of accuracy and contention properties of existing measurement methods, we develop a new low-overhead measurement method which also assesses protocol changes in the underlying transport layers. We use the gathered parameters to simulate LogGP models of collective operations and demonstrate the errors in common benchmarking methods for collective operations. The simulations provide new insight into the nature of collective algorithms and their pipelining properties. We show that the error of conventional benchmark methods can grow linearly with the system size.
An elusive challenge to the authorship account: commentary on Lawlor's "Elusive reasons"

Lawlor argues that social psychological studies present a challenge to the authorship account of first-person authority. Taking the deliberative stance does not guarantee that self- ascriptions are authoritative, for self-ascriptions might be based on elusive reasons and thus lack agential authority (i.e. they are no guide to the subject's future conduct). I argue that Lawlor's challenge is not successful. I claim that we can make sense of the nature and importance of agential authority only within the framework of the authorship account. Agential authority is part of the regulative ideal of the deliberative stance, but its lack does not undermine the first-person authority of self-ascriptions, since first-person authority is primarily a matter of deliberative authorship.
Infiltration in Arid Environments: Spatial Patterns between Subsurface Heterogeneity and Water-Energy Balances

Transient simulaƟ ons of an arid mountain system were conducted using a fully integrated model of subsurface and overland water fl ow and the land surface energy balance (ParFlow). An hourly atmospheric Ɵ me series was constructed and used to force a two-dimensional model containing detailed, stochasƟ c descripƟ ons of subsurface heterogeneity for alluvial and fractured units. Two cases were simulated for mulƟ ple years of simulaƟ on: a dry case based on a year with below-average precipitaƟ on, and a wet case with above-average precipitaƟ on. For each case, four realizaƟ ons of hydraulic conducƟ vity were simulated, along with a homogeneous domain and a domain with lower fracture density. Detailed analysis of water balances from each simulaƟ on indicated that recharge (change in subsurface water storage) over mulƟ ple years was signifi cant even for the dry case. The fractured model of subsurface heterogeneity, along with episodic infi ltraƟ on, combined to create localized regions of fully saturated (perched) water. This was shown to be even more substanƟ al in the wet case. By contrast, homogeneous simulaƟ ons did not exhibit this behavior and esƟ mated lower recharge than the heterogeneous simulaƟ ons. GeospaƟ al staƟ sƟ cs were subsequently used to evaluate correlaƟ ons in land-energy fl uxes. The land-energy fl uxes exhibited clear spaƟ al correlaƟ on and were infl uenced by both the shallow and deeper soil structures. This indicates that land–atmosphere fl uxes may provide an integrated measure of subsurface heterogeneity. Finally, the verƟ cal spaƟ al structure of soil saturaƟ on in the fractured system was shown to exhibit mulƟ scale behavior. AbbreviaƟ ons: ET, evapotranspiraƟ on.
Screening for Cervical Cancer in Low-Resource Settings in 2011

Context.—Cervical cancer remains the most common malignancy in women living in low- and middle-income countries, despite the decline of the disease in countries where cervical cytology screening pr...