cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enzymes of the lung. I. Detection of esterase with a new cytochemical method.

The esterases of rabbit lung have been investigated from two viewpoints, the cytochemical and the biochemical. To accomplish this objective, we designed and synthesized a series of ester substrates which provide both a cytochemical indicator of the location of the enzyme and a means of following the enzymatic activity in tissue homogenates and subfractions. The substrates are p-nitrophenylthiol esters which yield, upon hydrolysis, carboxylic acid and p-nitrothiophenol. The latter can react with aurous ions to give an electron-opaque deposit; in addition, the strong absorption of p-nitrothiophenol at 410 mµ permits continuous kinetic measurements. Thus, it is possible to correlate the intracellular site of action and the biochemical behavior of the esterases. The new substrates are the thiol analogues of the p-nitrophenyl esters frequently employed as esterase substrates. The rates of hydrolysis of the two series of esters are compared in vitro. During tissue fractionation, most of the esterase activity sediments with a particulate fraction. The effects of a number of common esterase inhibitors, such as diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate and eserine sulfate, are examined, and the effects of enzyme concentration and heat inactivation are shown with the use of the partially purified preparations. The cytochemical work shows that the esterase activity is most prominent in the lamellar bodies of the giant alveolar (type II, septal, or granular pneumatocyte) cells of the lung and to a lesser extent in squamous (type I, or membranous pneumatocyte) epithelial and endothelial cells. In both the cytochemical and biochemical studies, the enzymes are inhibited by diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate and phenyl methylsulfonyl fluoride but are insensitive to eserine sulfate.
Sub-Minute Response Time of a Hollow-Core Photonic Bandgap Fiber Gas Sensor

A hollow-core photonic bandgap (PBG) fiber sensing configuration for optical absorption spectroscopy of multiple-component gas samples absent of a vacuum environment is presented. Pressure-driven sensor response times that are shorter in duration compared to diffusion-limited filling times for fiber lengths >1 m are reported. Reduced filling times that approach the sub-minute regime are possible for a ~2 meter length of commercially available PBG fiber with a 12.5 micron core diameter at a pressure <15 Psi. The spectroscopy measurements were limited to the near-IR region for sample gases that include acetylene and carbon dioxide. Using the techniques presented, the detection of concentrations <100 ppm for acetylene gas at pressures <15 Psi is possible.
Accurate models for estimating area and power of FPGA implementations

This paper presents accurate area and power estimation models for implementations using FPGAs from the Xilinx Virtex-2Pro family. These models are designed to facilitate efficient design space exploration in an automated algorithm-architecture codesign framework. Detailed models for accurately estimating the number of slices, block RAMs and 18times18-bit multipliers for fixed point and floating-point IP cores have been developed. These models are also utilized to develop accurate power models that consider the effect of logic power, signal power, clock power and I/O power. In all cases, the model coefficients have been derived by using curve fitting or regression analysis. The modeling error for the IP cores is very small (average 0.95%). The error for fairly large examples such as floating point implementation of 8-point FFTs is also quite small; it is 1.87% for estimation of number of slices and 3.48% for estimation of power consumption.
Serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 3 (SRSF3) regulates homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair

Our previous work found that serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 3 (SRSF3) was overexpressed in human ovarian cancer and the overexpression of SRSF3 was required for ovarian cancer cell growth and survival. The mechanism underlying the role of SRSF3 in ovarian cancer remains to be addressed. We conducted microarray analysis to profile the gene expression and splicing in SRSF3-knockdown cells and employed quantitative PCR and western blotting to validate the profiling results. We used chromatin immunoprecipitation to study transcription and the direct repeat green fluorescent protein reporter assay to study homologous recombination-mediated DNA repair (HRR). We identified 687 genes with altered expression and 807 genes with altered splicing in SRSF3-knockdown cells. Among expression-altered genes, those involved in HRR, including BRCA1, BRIP1 and RAD51, were enriched and were all downregulated. We demonstrated that the downregulation of BRCA1, BRIP1 and RAD51 expression was caused by decreased transcription and not due to increased nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. Further, we found that SRSF3 knockdown impaired HRR activity in the cell and increased the level of γ-H2AX, a biomarker for double-strand DNA breaks. Finally, we observed that SRSF3 knockdown changed splicing pattern of KMT2C, a H3K4-specific histone methyltransferase, and reduced the levels of mono- and trimethylated H3K4. These results suggest that SRSF3 is a new regulator of HRR process, which possibly regulates the expression of HRR-related genes indirectly through an epigenetic pathway. This new function of SRSF3 not only explains why overexpression of SRSF3 is required for ovarian cancer cell growth and survival but also offers a new insight into the mechanism of the neoplastic transformation.
Behavioral approaches to the problems of obesity.

Obesity is a complex and increasingly prevalent disorder that can confer a number of medical, social, and psychological difficulties. As a result, an array of treatment strategies falling under the generic umbrella of “behavior therapy” have been developed and continue to be refined and expanded. In this article, different behavioral approaches to the problems of obesity are outlined and reviewed, specifically, those that target (a) body weight or composition, (b) lifestyle factors and other health-related variables, and (c) related psychological variables such as self-esteem and assertiveness, as well as negative attitudes toward obese persons held by nonobese individuals. For each of these targets of change, approaches to both individual- and group-level interventions are considered. Suggestions for future research and clinical work are offered. Throughout, the importance of conceptualizing obesity as a multifaceted problem is underscored. The necessity for explicit target goals when attempting to modify behavior is also highlighted.
Modeling Disruption Tolerant Networks with Random Geographical Barriers

In recent years, the need for increased connectivity has extended from urbanized areas to locations previously unreachable via standard telecommunication networks. As a result, packet transmission occurs in a store-and-forward fashion, where nodes relay packets to neighboring nodes as they come in contact with each other, until the packet ultimately reaches its destination. In this paper, we focus on the existence of geographical barriers in the physical network and the performance effects these barriers place on the network. We determine that a threshold exists for which the delay not only peaks, but begins to decrease from this point on.
Methylphenidate improves prefrontal cortical cognitive function through α2 adrenoceptor and dopamine D1 receptor actions: Relevance to therapeutic effects in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

BACKGROUND: Methylphenidate (MPH) is the classic treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), yet the mechanisms underlying its therapeutic actions remain unclear. Recent studies have identified an oral, MPH dose regimen which when given to rats produces drug plasma levels similar to those measured in humans. The current study examined the effects of these low, orally-administered doses of MPH in rats performing a delayed alternation task dependent on prefrontal cortex (PFC), a brain region that is dysfunctional in ADHD, and is highly sensitive to levels of catecholamines. The receptor mechanisms underlying the enhancing effects of MPH were explored by challenging the MPH response with the noradrenergic alpha2 adrenoceptor antagonist, idazoxan, and the dopamine D1 antagonist, SCH23390. RESULTS: MPH produced an inverted U dose response whereby moderate doses (1.0-2.0 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly improved delayed alternation performance, while higher doses (2.0-3.0 mg/kg, p.o.) produced perseverative errors in many animals. The enhancing effects of MPH were blocked by co-administration of either the alpha2 adrenoceptor antagonist, idazoxan, or the dopamine D1 antagonist, SCH23390, in doses that had no effect on their own. CONCLUSION: The administration of low, oral doses of MPH to rats has effects on PFC cognitive function similar to those seen in humans and patients with ADHD. The rat can thus be used as a model for examination of neural mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of MPH on executive functions in humans. The efficacy of idazoxan and SCH23390 in reversing the beneficial effects of MPH indicate that both noradrenergic alpha2 adrenoceptor and dopamine D1 receptor stimulation contribute to cognitive-enhancing effects of MPH.
Galactose Oxidase: Applications of the covalently immobilized enzyme in a packed Bed configuration

Galactose oxidase (E.G. 1.1.3.9) was covalently immobilized to chemically modified porous silica particles by reaction of the native enzyme with pendant benzoyl azide groups on the carrier. The enzyme loading on the carrier was 100–150 units per milliliter. The immobilized enzyme was incorporated into a hardware assembly suitable for the determination of galactose or lactose concentrations in complex biological fluids. The prototype instrument as described is suitable for continuous, on-line monitoring or discrete sample analysis. Reaction conditions can be readily provided which maintain global first order kinetics within the reactor and strict linearity of the procedure over a wide range of sample concentrations. Auto-inactivation of the immobilized enzyme can be prevented by K3Fe(CN)6 and long-term reactor stability can be achieved by the periodic application of the reagent to the enzyme reactor in situ.
Pose detection of 3-D objects using S 2 -correlated images and discrete spherical harmonic transforms

The pose detection of three-dimensional (3-D) objects from two-dimensional (2-D) images is an important issue in computer vision and robotics applications. Specific examples include automated assembly, automated part inspection, robotic welding, and human robot interaction, as well as a host of others. Eigendecomposition is a common technique for dealing with this issue and has been applied to sets of correlated images for this purpose. Unfortunately, for the pose detection of 3-D objects, a very large number of correlated images must be captured from many different orientations. As a result, the eigendecomposition of this large set of images is very computationally expensive. In this work, we present a method for capturing images of objects from many locations by sampling S2 appropriately. Using this spherical sampling pattern, the computational burden of computing the eigendecomposition can be reduced by using the spherical harmonic transform to "condense" information due to the correlation in S2. We propose a computationally efficient algorithm for approximating the eigendecomposition based on the spherical harmonic transform analysis. Experimental results are presented to compare and contrast the algorithm against the true eigendecomposition, as well as quantify the computational savings.
Smart lens antenna arrays

This paper describes a smart lens antenna array in which a portion of the signal processing is implemented at the analog front end, resulting in reduced processing load. The design of constrained lens arrays is described, and simulations of optimal receiver placement in the array are shown. As an example, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is calculated when a least-mean-square (LMS) adaptive algorithm is applied to different-size lens arrays. The complex weight trajectories are compared to those in a standard planar antenna array, and if is shown that fewer weights are needed in the case of a lens array. The resulting adapted radiation patterns in multi-user and multi-path communication environments are calculated for realistic antenna elements, and a reduction in processing load is shown as compared to standard arrays.
A history of ideas leading to virtual acoustic musical instruments

Some milestones toward the development of virtual musical instruments are outlined. Beginning with early musical acoustics, key developments in the literature deemed most enabling for virtual acoustic instruments are traced up to the mid 1980s, with an emphasis on string models. Selected follow-on efforts are mentioned.
Age as a prognostic factor for patients with osteosarcoma: an analysis of 438 patients

It is unclear whether age at diagnosis is an important prognostic factor in patients with osteosarcoma. Understanding this relationship could yield valuable insight into therapeutic rationale, focus patient selection for clinical trials, advance molecular concepts and theories, and expand current principles guiding prognosis. Our aim was to understand if age at diagnosis is a prognostic indicator for eventual outcome, as measured by disease-free survival and overall survival in patients with osteosarcoma. Our cohort consisted of 438 patients of all ages who were diagnosed with osteosarcoma between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 2000 and who underwent the majority of their treatment at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC). Patient and tumor specific variables were collected including patient demographics, patient history, primary tumor information (i.e., location, size, histology, extension, necrosis, etc.), treatment strategy (i.e., surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy), metastatic disease information, long-term follow-up, and eventual outcome. Statistical analyses, including univariate and multivariate analyses were performed, with overall survival and disease-free survival as the primary outcome measures. The median age at diagnosis was 18.1 years (range 2 months to 78.8 years). Median follow-up was 4.2 years (range 5 days to 22.8 years) for all patients and 12.3 years (range 1 month to 22.8 years) for 209 surviving patients. Survival rates at 5, 10, and 15 years were 54.1, 47.2, and 45.2%, respectively. On univariate analyses, age ≥ 40 was found to be a poor prognostic factor. Other prognostic factors included tumor size, metastasis at diagnosis, soft-tissue tumor extension, surgery type, chemotherapy group, and tumor necrosis. Age was not identified a statistically significant prognostic variable on multivariate analysis. Age at diagnosis does not appear to be a significant independent prognostic variable for overall survival or disease-free survival in patients with osteosarcoma. Although our data indicate that patients in the fifth decade and older fare worse than younger patients, other variables such as tumor necrosis, tumor extension, and tumor location are likely responsible for the observed decline in overall survival and disease-free survival.
Republics, Passions and Protests

David Hume and James Madison argued that large republics are more likely to survive than small republics because they are too large for factions to form and grow to a critical mass. But new forms of communication have undercut their argument and fundamentally altered the geography of relations between citizens and states.
The Influence of Economic Strain, Coping with Roles, and Parental Control on the Parenting of Custodial Single Mothers and Custodial Single Fathers

Abstract The purpose of the study was to develop and test a conceptual model, based on microstructural theory, that explained how sex of parent, economic strain, role coping, and parental control combined to predict the parenting behaviors of divorced custodial mothers and fathers. The sample consisted of 30 single mothers and 30 single fathers with custody of at least one child 6 to 10 years of age. The data were collected using standardized questionnaires that were administered during a two-hour interview in the respondents' homes. Results of a path analysis revealed that the higher economic strain of custodial mothers contributed to impaired role-coping strategies and loss of parental control, which ultimately interfered with parenting. These findings explain why low income has a pervasive negative effect on family functioning. Implications for family practice and policy are discussed.
Studies on the Lysozyme Concentration in the Egg White of the Domestic Fowl

Abstract DURING the last three decades considerable work has been expended in an effort to characterize the enzyme lysozyme and its action, details of which can be found in the excellent reviews by Thompson (1941) and Hartsell (1949). Although the egg white of the domestic fowl has long been accepted as a highly concentrated source of the enzyme, the variation existent in the egg white of different hens has not received attention. Indeed, some workers have used egg white as a standard reference in their quantitative measurements of lysozyme in other fluids and tissues. Recent evidence (Hawthorne, 1950; Feeney et al., 1952) suggests a primary role of lysozyme in the thinning of the egg white. All other avian species that have been tested thus far (Fleming and Allison, 1924; Smolelis and Hartsell, 1951) have been shown to have less lysozyme in the whites of their eggs than has the domestic fowl… .
Comparative effects of prolactin, perphenazine and reserpine on non-arteriosclerotic (virgin) vs arteriosclerotic (breeder) rats☆

Abstract Non-arteriosclerotic, virgin and arteriosclerotic breeder rats were subjected to chronic treatment with prolactin or prolactin-releasing drugs such as perphenazine and reserpine for 12 weeks. Males and females responded to the prolactin as evidenced by increased milk secretion, adrenal hyperplasia and thymus gland involution. Although the prolactin- and reserpine-treated animals gained weight and manifested pituitary gland basophilia, the perphenazine-treated animals showed considerable loss of body weight as well as involution of the pituitary gland, ovaries and testes, suggesting a condition of induced hypopituitarism. Chronic treatment with prolactin, both directly and indirectly, caused uniform increases in serum enzymes, e.g., CPK, SGOT, SGPT and LDH, lipids, e.g., triglycerides, free fatty acids and cholesterol, glucose and BUN. Corticosterone production was enhanced by prolactin, reduced by perphenazine and unaffected by reserpine. Prolactin did not induce any arterial disease in the arteriosclerosis-resistant, virgin rats but it did cause exacerbation of the usual severity of arteriosclerosis in the hilar renal arteries of the arteriosclerosis-prone, breeder rats as well as an increased incidence of “old” and “new” foci of myocardial necrosis, characteristically found in breeder rats. It is suggested that hypothalamic control of prolactin as well as ACTH release may play a role in the spontaneous arteriosclerosis which develops in repeatedly-bred, male and female rats.
Balance in lower limb child amputees

Postural stability of five unilateral above-knee amputee children was measured when wearing the SACH and the experimental Child Amputee Prosthetic Project (CAPP) prosthetic foot. Excursions of the centre of pressure of the supportive forces were recorded via force platform during sustained weight-shifting forward, backward, left, right, and during normal standing. Visual proprioception effects on upright stance were also demonstrated with these child amputees. Total base of support did not differ for the two types of prosthetic feet, but the functional base of support for SACH foot was significantly larger than CAPP. Fluctuations of centre of pressure about a mean position in normal standing were less when children used CAPP foot. Focusing on a static target had no effect on postural stability in either anterior-posterior or lateral direction for CAPP foot conditions, but lack of visual target had a deleterious effect on lateral stability when SACH foot was worn.Balance is one of the most difficult proble...
Calibration Technique for Polarization-Sensitive Lidars

Polarization-sensitive lidars have proven to be highly effective in discriminating between spherical and non-spherical particles in the atmosphere. These lidars use a linearly polarized laser and are equipped with a receiver that can separately measure the components of the return signal polarized parallel and perpendicular to the outgoing beam. In this work we describe a technique for calibrating polarization-sensitive lidars that was originally developed at NASA s Langley Research Center (LaRC) and has been used continually over the past fifteen years. The procedure uses a rotatable half-wave plate inserted into the optical path of the lidar receiver to introduce controlled amounts of polarization cross-talk into a sequence of atmospheric backscatter measurements. Solving the resulting system of nonlinear equations generates the system calibration constants (gain ratio, G, and offset angle, theta) required for deriving calibrated measurements of depolarization ratio from the lidar signals. In addition, this procedure also determines the mean depolarization ratio within the region of the atmosphere that is analyzed. Simulations and error propagation studies show the method to be both reliable and well behaved. Operational details of the technique are illustrated using measurements obtained as part of Langley Research Center s participation in the First ISCCP Regional Experiment (FIRE).
Anthropometric and Postural Variability: Limitations of the Boundary Manikin Approach

Human figure models are commonly used to facilitate ergonomic assessments of vehicle driver stations and other workplaces. One routine method of workstation assessment is to conduct a suite of ergonomic analyses using a family of boundary manikins, chosen to represent a range of anthropometric extremes on several dimensions. The suitability of the resulting analysis depends both on the methods by which the boundary manikins are selected and on the methods used to posture the manikins. The automobile driver station design problem is used to examine the relative importance of anthropometric and postural variability in ergonomic assessments. Postural variability is demonstrated to be nearly as important as anthropometric variability when the operator is allowed a substantial range of component adjustment. The consequences for boundary manikin procedures are discussed, as well as methods for conducting accurate and complete assessments using the available tools.
An allelic series of mutations in the Kit ligand gene of mice. II. Effects of ethylnitrosourea-induced Kitl point mutations on survival and peripheral blood cells of Kitl(Steel) mice.

The ligand for the Kit receptor tyrosine kinase is Kit ligand (Kitl; also known as mast cell growth factor, stem cell factor, and Steel factor), which is encoded at the Steel (Sl) locus of mice. Previous studies revealed that Kitl(Sl) mutations have semidominant effects; mild pigmentation defects and macrocytic, hypoplastic anemia occur in heterozygous mice, and more severe pigmentation defects and anemia occur in homozygotes. Lethality also occurs in mice homozygous for severe Kitl(Sl) mutations. We describe the effects of seven new N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU)-induced Kitl(Sl) mutations and two previously characterized severe Kitl(Sl) mutations on pigmentation, peripheral blood cells, and mouse survival. Mice heterozygous for each of the nine mutations had reduced coat pigmentation and macrocytosis of peripheral blood. In the case of some of these mutations, however, red blood cell (RBC) counts, hemoglobin concentrations, and hematocrits were normal in heterozygotes, even though homozygotes exhibited severely reduced RBC counts and lethality. In homozygous mice, the extent of anemia generally correlates with effects on viability for most Kitl(Sl) mutations; i.e., most mutations that cause lethality also cause a more severe anemia than that of mutations that allow viability. Interestingly, lethality and anemia were not directly correlated in the case of one Kitl(Sl) mutation.
Simultaneous switching noise evaluation of advanced CMOS logic (ACL)

Arguments surrounding the pinout strategy are considered for the advanced CMOS logic (ACL). A brief overview of the factors that contribute to switching induced noise is presented, along with a method by which measurements of the induced noise can be made. A review of the fixturing used by different manufacturers is presented and the differences described. Comparisons are made between ACL devices and vendors as well as comparable bipolar and CMOS technologies. >
On the moving average buy-sell trading rule

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to look at the power of the Student t-test applied to two independent samples when returns from AR(1) process are categorized into two samples by moving average buy-sell trading rule. Design/methodology/approach – Simulation and empirical study for returns from NASDAQ via bootstrapping resampling method are conducted. Findings – The authors conclude that applying the MA Trading Rule followed by Student t-test is not appropriate for analyzing market efficiency. Originality/value – Moving average buy-sell trading rule is widely used in finance to test if the market is efficient. In this paper, it is one of the first kind of research to examine the power of the test via simulation and empirical study.
Molecular simulations of supercritical fluid systems

Abstract Molecular simulation has become increasingly common as a means to study properties of pure supercritical fluids (SCFs) as well as their solutions. With the large number of studies, and wide range of properties reported, it is advantageous to summarize the current approaches. To this end, both Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics molecular simulation methods are briefly introduced together with important points of molecular models. Subsequently, water and carbon dioxide SCFs are focused on both neat and in mixtures, and an overview of reported properties, including select descriptions of the methods used to determine them, is given. This work serves as a starting point to understanding and carrying out molecular simulations on SCFs.
The Commission to Study the Organization of Peace

In the “battle of committees” which has raged over the foreign policy of the United States in recent months, the committees which have played the most active and most publicized roles have been such propaganda groups as the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies, the America First Committee, and the No Foreign War Committee. Such groups have left untouched an important task: careful, sober research into the problems which the organization of peace presents to the American people. This latter task, however, has not been wholly neglected. A Commission to Study the Organization of Peace, initiated by Professor James T. Shotwell of Columbia University in the fall of 1939, has undertaken at least a part of the task. Its methods of functioning, its work, and its objectives are of current interest to political scientists, and the present note is intended to call attention to the more important features of the Commission's work.
Observations on the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin.

SummaryFresh plasma, serum and platelet extracts contain a material which potentiates the action of tissue thromboplastin on stored plasma. Platelet extract apparently contains a greater degree of this activity than plasma or serum and potentiates the action of tissue thromboplastin on fresh plasma. This factor favoring prothrombin conversion apparently is present in the circulating blood.
Open versus minimally invasive ureteroneocystostomy: A population-level analysis.

Summary Introduction Open ureteroneocystostomy (UNC) is the gold standard for surgical correction of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). Beyond single-center reports, there are few published data on outcomes of minimally-invasive (MIS) UNC. Our objective was to compare postoperative outcomes of open and MIS UNC using national, population-level data. Method We reviewed the 1998–2012 Nationwide Inpatient Sample to identify pediatric (≤18 years) VUR patients who underwent either open or MIS UNC. Demographics, National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) complications, length of stay (LOS), and cost data were extracted. Statistical analysis was performed using weighted, hierarchical multivariate logistic regression (complications) and negative binomial regression (LOS, cost). Results We identified 780 MIS and 75,976 open UNC admissions. Compared with patients undergoing open UNC, patients who underwent MIS UNC were likely to be older (6.2 versus 4.8 years, p Discussion Strengths of this study are its large cohort size, long time horizon, national estimation, and cost data. Most prior studies are case-series limited to the size of the institutional cohort. Our analysis of 76,756 operative encounters revealed that open UNC continues to be performed at far greater frequency than MIS UNC, outpacing the latter modality by nearly 100:1. Children treated with MIS UNC had three times greater odds of developing postoperative urinary complications, and MIS UNC patients incurred average costs per admission that were nearly 1.5 times higher than those of children who underwent open UNC. These children were also likely to be older, publically insured, and treated in more recent years. On the other hand, patients treated with MIS UNC required substantially shorter postoperative hospitalization, with an average LOS roughly half that of open UNC cases. Limitations include the retrospective nature of the administrative database, lack of detailed patient-level data, and no available long-term postoperative outcomes. Compared with open surgery, MIS UNC was associated with shorter LOS but higher costs and possibly higher urinary complication rates. Table . Bivariate/multivariate analysis of postoperative complications for MIS UNC. NSQIP complications a Unadjusted OR (95% CI) Adjusted OR b (95% CI) p value b UTI 1.00 (0.37–2.72) 0.99 (0.40–2.44) 0.98 Urinary complications 2.63 (1.00–6.91) 3.13 (1.17–8.40) 0.02 All complications 1.15 (0.48–2.78) 1.27 (0.57–2.85) 0.56 a Using open UNC as reference. b After adjusting for age, gender, insurance, year, comorbidity, teaching status, hospital region, and hospital size.
Health Reform From the Perspective of a Small and Rural Hospital

Health care reform introduces new challenges and opportunities for small and rural hospitals across North Carolina. Successful transformation will require a new vision for the health system, the establishment of solid primary care networks, the implementation of an improvement engine, and the creation of new partnerships to support evolving payment mechanisms.
Quantitative bioassay to identify antimicrobial drugs through drug interaction fingerprint analysis

Drug interaction analysis, which reports the extent to which the presence of one drug affects the efficacy of another, is a powerful tool to select potent combinatorial therapies and predict connectivity between cellular components. Combinatorial effects of drug pairs often vary even for drugs with similar mechanism of actions. Therefore, drug interaction fingerprinting may be harnessed to differentiate drug identities. We developed a method to analyze drug interactions for the application of identifying active pharmaceutical ingredients, an essential step to assess drug quality. We developed a novel approach towards the identification of active pharmaceutical ingredients by comparing drug interaction fingerprint similarity metrics such as correlation and Euclidean distance. To expedite this method, we used bioluminescent E. coli in a simplified checkerboard assay to generate unique drug interaction fingerprints of antimicrobial drugs. Of 30 antibiotics studied, 29 could be identified based on their drug interaction fingerprints. We present drug interaction fingerprint analysis as a cheap, sensitive and quantitative method towards substandard and counterfeit drug detection.
Stochastic Models in Clinical Trials

In most analyses of clinical trials, the therapies being investigated are assessed on the basis of several time-dependent events. For example, in cancer clinical trials events such as drug toxicity, disease relapse, tumor remission, and death are common measures of therapeutic effect. These events are time-dependent in the sense that each can occur at various points in time after initiation of treatment. For those such as death which are certain to eventually occur, the interest is in the time until the event. For events such as tumor remission, which may or may not occur, both frequency and time until the event are of interest. Furthermore, knowledge of the relationships between events is often valuable. For example: How is remission related to survival? Does an elevated tumor marker signal impending failure? Is metastatic disease associated with early death?
Effects of GPR antenna configuration on subpavement drain detection based on the frequency-shift phenomenon

Abstract The water and clay content of subsurface soil can significantly influence the detection results obtained from ground penetrating radar (GPR). Due to the variation of the material properties underground, the center frequency of transmitted GPR signals shifts to a lower range as wave attenuation increases. Examination of wave propagation in the subsurface employing an attenuation filter based on a linear system model shows that received GPR signals will be shifted to lower frequencies than those originally transmitted. The amount of the shift is controlled by a wave attenuation factor, which is determined by the dielectric constant, electric conductivity, and magnetic susceptibility of the transmitted medium. This paper introduces a receiver-transmitter-receiver dual-frequency configuration for GPR that employs two operational frequencies for a given test - one higher and one slightly lower - to take advantage of this phenomenon to improve subpavement drain detection results. In this configuration, the original signal is transmitted from the higher frequency transmitter. After traveling through underground materials, the signal is received by two receivers with different frequencies. One of the receivers has the same higher center frequency as the transmitter, and the other receiver has a lower center frequency. This configuration can be expressed as Rx(low-frequency)-Tx(high-frequency)-Rx(high-frequency) and was applied in both laboratory experiments and field tests. Results are analyzed in the frequency domain to evaluate and compare the properties of the signal obtained by both receivers. The laboratory experiment used the configuration of Rx(400MHz)-Tx(900MHz)-Rx(900MHz). The field tests, in addition to the configuration used in the lab tests, employed another configuration of Rx(270MHz)-Tx(400MHz)-Rx(400MHz) to obtain more information about this phenomenon. Both lab and field test results illustrate the frequency-shift phenomenon described by theoretical calculations. Based on the power spectrum for each signal, the signal received by the lower frequency antenna typically received more energy (higher density values) at its peak frequency than the energy received by the higher frequency antenna.
Transcatheter closure of a small atrial septal defect with an Amplatzer™ patent foramen ovale occluder in a working dog with cyanosis and exercise intolerance at high altitude

A 6.5-year-old male Border Collie presented for transcatheter closure of an atrial septal defect due to exercise intolerance and cyanosis while working and training at altitude. A small, left-to-right shunting secundum atrial septal defect was confirmed with no evidence of significant right-sided volume overload. Pulmonary hypertension with subsequent right-to-left interatrial shunting occurring during exercise at high altitude was suspected and prompted the closure of the defect due to the dog's continued athletic requirements. The anatomy of the defect prompted use of a patent foramen ovale occluder rather than an atrial septal defect occluder, which was deployed using a combination of fluoroscopic and transesophageal echocardiographic guidance. The owner did not report continued exercise intolerance or cyanosis and the dog's lifestyle and residence at altitude was unchanged.
Telling better stories: Competence-building narrative themes increase adolescent persistence and academic achievement

Abstract The current studies investigate the power of competence-building narrative themes in adolescents' accounts of failures and successes to improve school outcomes. Study 1 (N = 62) shows a positive association between competence-building themes (agency in successes, redemption in failures) and adolescents' goal persistence and grades. In Study 2 (N = 183), a field experiment randomly assigned a treatment group of ninth-graders to include these competence-building themes in accounts of successes and failures. Compared to the control group, they reported increased persistence several weeks after the study and a better trajectory of academic achievement through the third quarter of the school year. In both studies, persistence mediated the association with grades. Further analyses revealed that these effects faded by the end of the school year. This study demonstrates the power and limitations of narrative to influence academic behaviors.
History-Dependent Mixed Strategies: Evidence From Major League Baseball:

This article analyzes to what extent baseball players adjust mixed strategies depending on the history by which the batting count is realized, then tests if these adjustments are aligned with best-...
Prognostic Value of EEG in Patients after Cardiac Arrest—An Updated Review

This paper aims to review and summarize the key contributions of EEG to prognostication after cardiac arrest (CA). While there are more EEG patterns predicting poor than good outcome, even EEG patterns previously considered to be “very malignant” may result in survival with a meaningful neurological outcome depending on their underlying etiology as well as the continuity and reactivity of the EEG background. Regardless of the potentially confounding factors, EEG patterns are highly specific with a relatively low false-positive rate. The development of more complex and comprehensive approaches to quantitative EEG analysis could help improve the prognostic value of EEG, but this approach has its own limitations. Seizures and status epilepticus in the setting of CA predict poor outcomes, but it is not clear whether treating them prevents additional brain damage and results in improved outcome. Either continuous EEG or frequent intermittent EEGs should be obtained within the first 12–24 h of return of spontaneous circulation in order to capture highly dynamic and prognostic patterns. Even though EEG has high predictive value for outcomes after cardiac arrest, it should not be the only prognostic tool. Rather, to improve prognostication, EEG should be used in combination with the neurological examination and other ancillary tests.
Ro-vibrational analysis of SiO in UV-irradiated environments

Abstract SiO emission lines are important probes of chemical processes in diverse astrophysical environments, commonly observed in shocks associated with the outflows of young stellar objects, both low- and high-mass, and in the envelopes of evolved stars. Modelling SiO emission for conditions of non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) requires collisional rate coefficients due to H2, H, and He impact, with the first of these of limited availability. Unknown collisional rate coefficients are often estimated from known systems. For the case of SiO-H2, rate coefficients have previously been adapted from a different collider, He, based on a reduced-mass scaling approach. Here, we construct comprehensive SiO collisional rate coefficients data with multiple colliders (H2, He and H) and rovibrational transitions up to v = 5 and J = 39 . A reduced-potential scaling approach is used to estimate unknown collisional data. Using RADEX and Cloudy, we investigate the rotational and rovibrational SiO emission in various astrophysical environments, including photodissociation regions (PDR) and the envelope of VY Canis Majoris.
Circadian Rest‐Activity Rhythms Predict Cognitive Function in Early Parkinson's Disease Independently of Sleep

Background Cognitive impairment is a common and debilitating symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD), and its etiology is likely multifactorial. One candidate mechanism is circadian disruption. Although there is evidence of circadian abnormalities in PD, no studies have directly assessed their association with cognitive impairment. Objectives Investigate whether circadian rest-activity rhythm is associated with cognitive function in PD independently of sleep. Methods Thirty-five participants with PD wore wrist actigraph monitors and completed sleep diaries for 7 to 10 days, then underwent neuropsychological testing. Rest-activity rhythm was characterized using nonparametric circadian rhythm analysis of actigraphy data. Objective sleep parameters were also estimated using actigraphy data. Hierarchical regression models assessed the independent contributions of sleep and rest-activity rhythm to cognitive performance. Results Less stable day-to-day rest-activity rhythm was associated with poorer executive, visuospatial, and psychomotor functioning, but not with memory. Hierarchical regressions showed that interdaily stability's contribution to cognitive performance was independent of sleep's contributions. Whereas sleep contributed to executive function, but not psychomotor or visuospatial performance, rest-activity rhythm stability significantly contributed to variance in all three of these domains, uniquely accounting for 14.4% to 17.6% of their performance variance. Conclusions Our findings indicate that circadian rest-activity rhythm is associated with cognitive impairment independently of sleep. This suggests the possible utility of rest-activity rhythm as a biomarker for circadian function in PD. Future research should explore interventions to stabilize behavioral rhythms in order to strengthen circadian function, which, in turn, may reduce cognitive impairment in PD.
A reduction in the rate of nerve injury after Latarjet: a before-after study after neuromonitoring.

Background Neurologic dysfunction is a known complication after the open Latarjet procedure. Although the reported clinical incidence is variable, a prior neuromonitoring study demonstrated a significant incidence of nerve dysfunction during surgery, presumably from nerve stretch. We aimed to determine whether a nerve stretch-reduction protocol reduced the incidence of neurologic injury after the open Latarjet procedure. Methods In a nonrandomized study, 38 patients (group 1) who underwent surgery before our neuromonitoring study were compared with 48 patients (group 2) who underwent surgery after this study. Follow-up was at least 3 months or until documented resolution of nerve dysfunction. Results There were no significant demographic differences between the groups. In group 1, there were 7 nerve injuries, of which all but 2 recovered. In group 2, there were 3 nerve injuries, of which all but 1 recovered. The overall incidence of nerve injury was 18.4% (group 1) vs. 6.3% (group 2); however, the incidence of permanent motor dysfunction was 5.3% (group 1) vs. 2.1% (group 2). These differences were not significant, likely due to the small number of patients included. Conclusions We observed a reduction of nerve injury with the implementation of a nerve stretch-reduction protocol during the Latarjet procedure; however, we could not demonstrate statistical significance. This trend represents an important finding that modification of surgical technique can reduce the incidence of nerve injury with the Latarjet procedure.
Responses of biological soil crusts to rehabilitation strategies

Abstract Biological soil crusts (biocrusts) are common to dryland ecosystems and can influence a broad suite of soil ecological functions including stability and surface hydrology. Due to long recovery times following disturbance, there is a clear need for rehabilitation strategies to enhance the recovery of biocrust communities. Essential to biocrust recovery are exopolysaccharides (EPS): secretions comprised mainly of high molecular weight polymers that protect cyanobacteria and other biocrust organisms from harsh environmental conditions. We examined whether biocrust rehabilitation strategies (combinations of inoculation with surface shading and artificial soil stabilization) promote EPS production. To test if responses varied by soil texture, we measured biocrust recovery on two fine-textured soils (clay and sandy clay loam) in a cool desert ecosystem. Shade coupled with inoculum addition resulted in the highest biocrust recovery, especially on clay soils. Independent of rehabilitation strategies, natural recovery of biocrusts occurred more rapidly on clay soils, reflected by greater increases in chlorophyll a (chl a). Chl a, a proxy for cyanobacterial biomass, was correlated to EPS amounts, suggesting that cyanobacteria are significant contributors to EPS production in biocrust development. Despite the role of EPS in biocrust establishment, EPS amounts had negligible effects on soil stability on the fine soil texture.
Sourcing Food Through Social Ties: A Case Study of Starbird Fish

In this exploratory case study, I examine how the embeddedness of alternative food networks shapes consumers’ purchasing behavior. Data include nine interviews, observation, and content analysis co...
Survey of Some General Properties of Meromorphic Functions in a Given Domain

The first classical results (principles) related to arbitrary analytic (meromorphic) functions w in a given domain were obtained by Cauchy in 1814–1831, while the next principles had arisen much later, in Ahlfors theory of covering surfaces created in 1935.
Spatial data software integration - Merging CAD/CAM/mapping with GIS and image processing

The integration of CAD/CAM/mapping with image processing using geographic information systems (GISs) as the interface is examined. Particular emphasis is given to the development of software interfaces between JPL's Video Image Communication and Retrieval (VICAR)/Imaged Based Information System (IBIS) raster-based GIS and the CAD/CAM/mapping system. The design and functions of the VICAR and IBIS are described. Vector data capture and editing are studied. Various software programs for interfacing between the VICAR/IBIS and CAD/CAM/mapping are presented and analyzed.
Disclosure of Financial Statement Line Items and Insider Trading Around Earnings Announcements

This paper examines the relation between voluntary disclosure of financial statement line items accompanying, and insider trading around, quarterly earnings announcements. We find that investors’ reaction to positive earnings news is temporarily heightened by financial statement line items disclosed during earnings announcements. We show that managers, apparently aware of investors’ reaction, disclose more financial statement line items along with earnings and profitably trade shortly after earnings announcements. These results are more pronounced for CEO/CFO trades and opportunistic insider trades. Overall, our results are consistent with managers’ strategically disclosing line items to exploit the short-term return effect to their private benefit. We integrate three previously disparate phenomena – stock returns around earnings announcements, insider trading around earnings announcements, and voluntary disclosures around earnings announcements – into pieces of one mosaic.