cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hepatitis B immunoglobulin and Lamivudine improve hepatitis B-related outcomes after liver transplantation: meta-analysis.

Background & Aims: HBV recurrence increases morbidity and mortality in HBsAg+ patients undergoing liver transplantation. We aimed to estimate the relative efficacy of combined therapy with hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and lamivudine (LAM) versus HBIG monotherapy for preventing HBV-related morbidity and mortality in this setting. Methods: We performed a meta-analysis of clinical trials that met the prespecified criteria and provided data for risk estimation of HBV recurrence in HBsAg+ liver transplant patients receiving HBIG and LAM versus HBIG alone. Databases searched until May 2007 included MEDLINE (Ovid), PubMed, Embase, Toxnet, Scopus, and Web of Science. Literature search and data extraction were conducted independently by 2 study investigators; then 2 other investigators reviewed and screened eligible studies. Odds ratios (ORs) for the risk reduction with HBIG and LAM versus HBIG alone were calculated by using a random-effects model. Results: Two prospective and 4 retrospective studies were included in the meta-analysis. The OR showing risk reduction in HBV recurrence with HBIG and LAM (n = 193) versus HBIG alone (n = 124) was 0.08 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.03–0.21). HBV-related death and all-cause mortality could only be assessed in 3 studies each. The ORs showing HBV-related death and all-cause mortality reduction with HBIG and LAM versus HBIG alone were 0.08 (95% CI, 0.02–0.33) and 0.02 (95% CI, 0.06–0.82), respectively. Conclusions: Although this meta-analysis was limited by small studies and varying levels of immunosuppression, it is apparent that adding LAM to HBIG improved HBV-related morbidity and mortality in HBsAg+ recipients of liver transplants.
Inferotemporal versus combined pulvinar-prestriate lesions in the rhesus monkey: effects on color, object and pattern discrimination.

Monkeys with inferotemporal lesions were compared to monkeys with combined lesions of the pulvinar and prestriate cortex on discrimination problems and on tests of sensory function. Inferotemporal lesions severely impaired discrimination of colors, objects, and patterns, but did not produce any sensory loss. By contrast, combined pulvinar-prestriate lesions impaired only discrimination of patterns, an impairment associated with sensory deficits and with degeneration of the lateral geniculate nucleus. Thus, inferotemporal lesions affected visual discriminations per se, whereas combined pulvinar-prestriate lesions affected discriminations related to specific dimensions of visual stimuli. These qualitatively different effects of inferotemporal and combined pulvinar-prestriate lesions are discussed in terms of current models of central processing of visual information.
Assessing Cognitive Similarities among Young Children of Different Ethnic/Cultural Backgrounds

This study used a multisample structural equations model to examine whether the underlying structure of a cognitive screening test was equivalent for African American, Hispanic, and White/NonHispanic preschool (N = 395) and kindergarten (N = 474) children. The results indicated that young children, regardless of their ethnic/cultural background, showed similar response patterns on the screening test. In addition, analyses found factor structures for male and female participants also to be similar. These results suggest that the screening test measures the same constructs across different ethnic/cultural backgrounds and for both genders.
Early Stutterings: Some Aspects of Their Form and Distribution.

The speech of five stutterers ranging in age from 3 years, 10 months to 5 years, 7 months was analyzed to determine the types and loci of stutterings. Word repetition was the most frequent feature in three cases and one of the two predominant features in the remaining two cases. Almost without exception, word repetitions occurred at the beginning of syntactic units. A greater proportion of stutterings of all types appeared on the initial words of sentences or clauses than on the other words. In most cases proportionately more function words than control words were stuttered, as were more monosyllabic than polysyllabic words--just the reverse of the usual pattern in older children and adults. The tendency of older stutterers to have more difficulty on initial consonants than initial vowels appeared in only one case. The findings on the properties of stuttered words were interpreted to mean that word-bound factors as such have little influence on the loci of early stutterings. The results as a whole were related to the hypothesis that early stuttering represents mainly a type of difficulty in either the formulation or the execution of syntactic units.
Knowledge-based system support for the information center's troubleshooting function

Abstract Knowledge-based systems support for the consulting/troubleshooting function within information centers was investigated. This function is defined and characteristics are identified which make it an appropriate target for knowledge-based systems support. A general architecture for a troubleshooting expert system was developed and its elements are described. A case is described which illustrates the application of an expert system in the provision of troubleshooting service by the information center of a major state university. The results illustrate the impact that such a knowledge-based system approach can have in the troubleshooting area, especially in relation to the efficient utilization of information center personnel.
Interpretation of Static Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectra of Adsorbed Protein Films by Multivariate Pattern Recognition

Multivariate analysis has become increasingly common in the analysis of multidimensional spectral data. We previously showed that the multivariate analysis technique principal component analysis (PCA) is an excellent method for interpreting the static time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) spectra of adsorbed protein films. PCA is an unsupervised pattern recognition technique that loses resolution between spectra of different proteins as more proteins are added to the data set due to large within-group variation. The supervised pattern recognition techniques discriminant principal component analysis (DPCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), which aim to control within-group variation while maximizing between-group separation to enhance discrimination between groups, were compared with PCA using data sets of TOF-SIMS spectra of proteins adsorbed onto mica and PTFE substrates. DPCA and LDA quantitatively improved discrimination between groups and provided different information about the data than PCA. LDA was able to classify unknown samples with a misclassification rate lower than PCA or DPCA. Both unsupervised and supervised pattern recognition techniques are useful for the interpretation and classification of static TOF-SIMS spectra of adsorbed protein films.
Nonparallel transition dipole moments and the polarization dependence of electroabsorption in nonoriented conjugated polymers films

Summary form only given. We present a comprehensive analysis of the polarization dependence of the field-induced absorption in nonoriented conjugated polymer films. The results demonstrate that the polarization anisotropy of the field-induced absorption is directly related to the relative angle, /spl Delta//spl phi/d, between the dominant one-photon and two-photon transition dipole moments responsible for the nonlinear effect. The polarization anisotropy has a maximum value of 3:1 for parallel transition dipole moments, and a minimum value of 1:3 for perpendicular transition dipole moments. We demonstrate that the predicted field-induced absorption anisotropy is consistent with Kleinrnann symmetry for any relative orientation of the dominant transition dipole moments.
Solid-State Photolysis of Azobis-3-Phenyl-3-Pentane. Crystal-Lattice Control of the Stereochemistry of Radical Disproportionation†

The 3-phenyl-3-pentyl radicals from photolysis of azobis-3-phenyl-3-pentane (APP) in solution give 3,4-diethyl-3,4-diphenylhexane and a photolabile product assumed to arise by para coupling. Photolysis of APP as a crystalline solid at −78° gives the disproportionation products 3-phenylpentane (PPH) and 3-phenyl-2-pentene (PP) as a 3:1 mixture of the E and Z isomers. This stereoisomeric ratio is surprising in terms of the solid-state molecular conformations, for which a topochemical scheme predicts predominance of the Z isomer. Isotopic distributions in PPH, Z-PP and E-PP from photolysis of solid APP which was 82% deuterated in its methylene groups shows: (1) that Z-PP is formed under strong lattice control; (2) that E-PP is formed in a process with greater, but not complete, molecular freedom; and (3) that there is often a dynamic competition for hydrogen-atom donation between the two radicals involved in disproportionation.
Long waves, technological innovation, and relative decline

The popularity of Kondratieff long waves fluctuates according to the economic climate. Periods of slow growth help make long wave explanations more attractive. While their popularity may oscillate, the evidence associated with the existence of long waves continues to be disputed. A review of the pertinent theoretical literature suggests that one reason for the disagreements about the existence of long waves is that much of the available evidence does not correspond as closely as it might to the theoretical foci. A new data series, one based on leading sector production growth rates from 1760 to 1985, is developed to remedy this lack of correspondence. The appropriate analysis of this series requires that particular attention be paid to the rise and relative decline of the world economy's lead state. The empirical outcome provides a close match to the long wave chronology developed by Joseph Schumpeter, Simon Kuznets, and J. J. Van Duijn. While this approach falls short of bringing closure to many of the theoretical and empirical questions concerning long waves, it does establish a solid empirical foundation for further analyses. The article concludes with some observations on the long wave implications for the relative economic decline of Britain in the nineteenth century and the United States in the twentieth century.
Left-handed materials have a positive refractive index

A theoretical analysis of the electromagnetic energy density in left-handed media shows that, contrary to prior assertions, such media do not exhibit negative refractive indices. The insight gained from this analysis resolves contradictory predictions about left-handed media in the literature.
Energy efficiency benefits of subthreshold-optimized transistors for digital logic

Using a simulation-based approach, the energy efficiency of the MIT Lincoln Laboratory xLP process was benchmarked against two commercial low power process technologies for a ∼40,000 gate DES enryption circuit to demonstrate the benefits of subthreshold-optimized transistors for minimum energy circuit design. Because the transistors are tuned for low voltage operation, the xLP process performs best relative to other technologies at subthreshold supply voltages, where most circuits achieve their minimum energy point. With 90nm feature sizes, the xLP process at showed a 57% percent energy efficiency improvement vs. IBM 90nm technology and a 9% energy efficiency improvement vs. IBM 65 nm. Scaling the xLP process to 65 nm should provide further energy efficiency benefit.
Immunochemical detection of fecal occult blood –. The fecal smear punch‐disc test: A new non‐invasive screening test for colorectal cancer

An immunochemical test for fecal occult blood was developed for use in colon cancer screening. The test employs high titer monospecific antisera to intact human hemoglobin in a radial immunodiffusion assay. Patient smears on specially treated filter paper allow screening procedures similar to those using Hemoccult slides. Minimum detectible hemoglobin was 0.3 mg/gm stool, and no cross reactivity with dietary constituents, drugs, or chemicals occurred. The accession of 150 consecutive cases of colon-rectal carcinoma was accomplished from three community hospitals. In each instance, at least one preoperative fecal specimen was obtained for companion smear testing with immunochemical punch-disc and commercial Hemoccult slides. Twenty-nine percent of the cases were found not to be bleeding by either test. Occult bleeding was detected by Hemoccult in 40% of the cases, and occult bleeding was detected by immunochemical testing in 65% of the cases. A surprising discovery was that rectal lesions had a much lower rate of of positiuity with both tests (Hemoccult-29%, Immunochemical-50%) than other locations. These results suggest that immunochemical screening for occult blood loss will provide a higher rate of detection of colon cancer.
Characterizing Traffic Demand Aware Overlay Routing Network Topologies

We introduce a traffic demand aware cost model for the creation of overlay routing networks. We investigate the effects on the created network topologies when the traffic demand between nodes is considered. The resulting network topologies often differ dramatically from topologies formed when traffic demand between nodes is not weighed. We found that the global network characteristics were changed as well as individual node placement in the topology. Our results clearly show that the overlay network topology is adapted to reflect the underlying traffic demand distribution. We conclude that overlay network topologies formed using a traffic demand aware cost model are better suited to carry the traffic demand between nodes.
Mammalian melanocytes do not use phenylalanine for melanin synthesis.

Abstract Hamster melanoma cells (RPMI 3460) were examined for theie ability to utilize phenylalanine for melanin biosynthesis. There was a small but significant incorporation of L -[U-14C]phenylalanine into hot acid-insoluble cellular material in the presence of cycloheximide. However, this radioactivity was removable from the acid-insoluble fraction of pronase digestion. A similar percentage of L -[U-14C]leucine incorporation was likewise resistant to cycloheximide inhibition. Residual protein synthesis is apparently responsible for the incorporation of both amino acids. Cycloheximide did not inhibit melanin synthesis. These results suggest that mammalian melanocytes do not use phenylalanine for melanin synthesis. Phenylalanine is not incorporated directly into melanin, nor do the cells appear to convert it to tyrosine via a phenylalanine hydroxylase.
Kerogen structure by stepwise oxidation: Use of sodium dichromate in glacial acetic acid

Abstract Green River shale kerogen was degraded by a careful five-step oxidation with sodium dichromate in glacial acetic acid. Products isolated from each oxidation step were examined by capillary gas chromatography and combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The analyses revealed the presence of several homologous series. Saturated normal monocarboxylic acids (C 6 C 35 ) and saturated normal α,ω-dicarboxylic acids (C 4 C 33 ) were the major constituent series, while isoprenoid acids (C 14 C 21 , except C 18 ), iso and anteiso acids (C 6 C 16 ), branched dicarboxylic acids (C 20 C 29 ), triterpenoidal acids (C 27 C 33 ), cyclic, and oxo-acids were the minor constituent series. Moreover, a few aromatic acids, branched ketones, heterocyclic compounds, as well as a series of (C 25 C 30 ) n -alkanes were identified. The results were discussed in terms of the qualitative and quantitative variations of the products with duration of oxidation. The data corroborate the conclusion of a predominantly open chain crosslinked aliphatic structure for Green River kerogen, and indicate that aromatic structures are mainly in the form of isolated phenyl and tolyl groups. The results further confirm the presence of etioporphyrin as a significant constituent in the kerogen studied.
Five-Year Experience with the Ionescu-Shiley Bovine Pericardial Valve in the Aortic Position

Abstract Between February, 1977, and April, 1982, 168 patients underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) with an Ionescu-Shiley bovine pericardial valve. Concomitant procedures were performed in 71 patients. There were 12 hospital deaths (7.1%). Among patients having AVR only, there were 5 deaths (5.2%). Assessment included valve durability, incidence of thromboembolism, clinical improvement, and patient survival. There was 100% follow-up. Actuarial freedom from intrinsic valve failure at 5 years was 96.3 ± 3.6%. Intrinsic valve failure occurred only once, 0.3 episodes per 100 patient-years. Four patients had thromboembolic complications. As for clinical status, 99.3% of surviving patients are in New York Heart Association Functional Class I or II, including 79 patients with valve sizes 17,19, or 21 mm (56%). Among 13 late deaths, 9 were related to the cardiovascular system. Overall patient survival is 84.9 ± 4.7%. Among the 92 patients with isolated AVR, 87.8 ± 5.9% are alive at the 5-year follow-up. If the incidence of valve failure is not altered in years to come, the durability of the Ionescu-Shiley bovine pericardial valve will surpass that of previous bioprostheses.
A scintillator hodoscope at the Tevatron collider

Abstract A plastic scintillator hodoscope for an experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron proton-antiproton collider is described. The hodoscope is used on-line to form a charged multiplicity trigger and off-line to study charged particle multiplicity distributions. The hodoscope consists of 240 counters covering the pseudorapidity range of ±3.25. It is designed to survive a radiation dose of up to 100 krad over the experiment's lifetime.
Electronic libraries and optical jukebox server scheduling

The economics of large electronic libraries requires a hierarchy of storage devices, where the lowest level contains the most data and has the poorest performance characteristics. In today''s electronic library systems, this is the role of the optical jukebox. Performance obtainable from an electronic library is a function of many system and application characteristics. We are addressing performance of client/server libraries where retrieval is the primary interaction of users with the library. When the documents to be retrieved reside on the optical media managed by the jukebox server, and nowhere else in the hierarchy, then the retrieval of these documents becomes a batch task. This is acceptable for many users and applications environments: for professionals who are simultaneously at various stages of many tasks and can anticipate the next ones, and for clerical workers in an environment controlled by work- flow (and not interrupt driven). Scheduling of batch retrievals of documents from archival storage need not be in the same order as requests. This paper proposes a cyclic scheduling for retrieval of documents from the optical jukebox, and shows by simulation that this cyclic scheduling can offer significant performance improvement over that obtained by FCFS scheduling of the jukebox.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
In defense of wordless thoughts about thoughts

: Bermudez (2003) argues that (T1) nonlinguistic creatures can think thoughts about protocausal conditional states of affairs and engage in rudimentary forms of reasoning, but (T2) they cannot ‘in principle’ think thoughts about thoughts (propositions)—in particular, they cannot have higher-order propositional attitudes (PAs). I reconstruct Bermudez’s argument for T2 and show that it rests upon an implausible empirical assumption and is, therefore, not a threat to current empirical research into nonlinguistic higher-order PAs. I argue that even on an interpretation of the argument that would pose a threat to this research, a parallel argument would seem to disprove T1. Finally, I argue that on an interpretation of Bermudez’s argument that would not pose a threat to the above empirical research but would still present a significant philosophical thesis about thought and language, the argument either appears to confuse thoughts with their representational vehicles or the representational vehicles of thoughts with those representations used to hold thoughts in mind.
Island Goes Dark: Transparency, Fragmentation, and Regulation

Responding to a September 2002 regulatory enforcement, the Island electronic communications network stopped displaying its limit order book in the three most active exchange-traded funds (ETFs) where it was the dominant venue. Island's share of trading activity and price discovery fell, fragmenting the market. ETF prices adjust more slowly when Island goes dark, and there is substantial price discovery movement from ETFs to the futures market. Trading costs increase on Island and decrease off Island, with higher trading costs overall. When Island later redisplays its orders, market quality improves, with transparency and the reduction in fragmentation both playing important roles. Copyright 2005, Oxford University Press.
Exploring the potential effects of emoticons

Instant messaging (IM) has shown signs of becoming one of the main stream communication applications for users, like e-mail. Many people maintain constant contacts with multiple friends and relations via IM simultaneously whenever they are online, whether working on other applications or not. In addition to allowing instant exchange of text information, a unique feature of IM is its use of graphical icons that express emotions, known as emotional icons or emoticons. We explored their potential effects. Our model, based on prior theory and research, was tested using data collected from student users; it was analyzed to reveal potential effects of emoticons on various factors related to the use of IM. Our study used structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis; the results showed that the user of emoticons felt a positive effect on enjoyment, personal interaction, perceived information richness, and perceived usefulness. Our results suggested, however, that emoticons were not just enjoyable to use, but also a valuable addition to communication methods.
The influence of sensory information on patch residence time in wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae)

Foraging models emphasize reward and/or prey capture rates as primary determinants of residence time. The influence of sensory information has rarely been examined experimentally, but may also be important in animal foraging decisions. This study examined the influence of sensory cues without food reward on residence time in wolf spiders, as well as the interaction of visual and vibratory information in foraging decisions. It also elucidated the eVects of prior sensory experience on foraging decisions in wolf spiders. Sixty mature females of the common wolf spider, Schizocosa ocreata (Hentz), were tested in a four-chambered artificial foraging patch. Patches varied in the type of sensory information provided by live prey as follows: visual stimuli alone, vibratory stimuli alone, visual and vibratory stimuli together and control (no stimuli). Spiders were allowed to move freely from chamber to chamber for one hour while the duration, number and sequence of patch visits were recorded. Sensory cues, even without food rewards, are suYcient criteria to influence residence time. Spiders tended to remain longer in patches with visual cues alone or visual and vibratory cues together over those with vibratory information alone. Individuals varied significantly in both residence time and sensory biases between individuals, but none showed evidence of using prior sensory experience to choose patches or modify patch residence duration. ? 1996 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour
Possible molecular mechanisms of cryoablation-induced impotence in a rat model.

Abstract Objectives. Cryoablation of the prostate has been reported to induce impotence as a consequence of cavernosal nerve injury. This study is designed to investigate the early and late effects of cavernosal nerve cryoablation on growth factor expression and erectile function in a rat model. Methods. Forty male rats were divided into two groups (n = 20 each). The first group underwent unilateral cavernosal nerve freezing (experimental group). Before their euthanization at 1 and 3 months (10 rats each), erectile function was assessed by electrostimulation of the cavernous nerves. The second group served as the control and was killed at the same time points. Western blot and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques were used to identify protein and gene expression of nerve growth factor (NGF), transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), epidermal growth factor (EGF), and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the rat penis and pelvic ganglia. Results. Electrostimulation of the frozen nerve after 3 months revealed a significantly higher maximal intracavernosal pressure and a shorter latency period than in the 1-month group. At 3 months, immunoblot showed upregulation of NGF, TGF-alpha, and the precursor form of IGF-1 protein expression in the penile tissue; RT-PCR showed downregulation of NGF gene expression in the pelvic ganglia of the frozen side. Conclusions. The results show that erectile function decreased at 1 month and then partially recovered 3 months after cavernosal nerve freezing. This alteration in erectile function was associated with differential gene and protein expression of the growth factors (NGF, TGF-alpha, EGF, and IGF-1). Further studies are required to elucidate the potential role of these growth factors in the prevention and treatment of cryoablation-induced impotence.
The effect of variable yield strength and variable fractal dimension on flocculation of cohesive sediment.

Abstract A new formulation for floc yield strength of cohesive sediment is theoretically derived and incorporated into a flocculation model based on variable fractal dimension. The new flocculation model is validated with existing data on the temporal evolution of floc size measured in the laboratory. Comparing with existing flocculation models using a constant yield strength, it is found that new flocculation model based on variable yield strength and variable fractal dimension is superior in predicting the temporal evolution of floc size. It is also demonstrated that the present model results are very similar to that using an empirical formulation of variable yield strength suggested by Sonntag and Russel (1987. Structure and breakup of floccs subjected to fluid stressses. II. Theory. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 115(2), 378–389) when the empirical coefficient is specified according to our theoretical value. Hence, it is concluded that the new variable yield strength formulation derived in this study and the variable fractal dimension are effective in improving the prediction of flocculation process.
Racial Politics in Contemporary Brazil

Racial Politics in Contemporary Brazil. Michael Hanchard. ed. Durham: Duke University Press, 1999.225 pp., tables, index.
Parametric regular path queries

Regular path queries are a way of declaratively expressing queries on graphs as regular-expression-like patterns that are matched against paths in the graph. There are two kinds of queries: existential queries, which specify properties about individual paths, and universal queries, which specify properties about all paths. They provide a simple and convenient framework for expressing program analyses as queries on graph representations of programs, for expressing verification (model-checking) problems as queries on transition systems, for querying semi-structured data, etc. Parametric regular path queries extend the patterns with variables, called parameters, which significantly increase the expressiveness by allowing additional information along single or multiple paths to be captured and relate.This paper shows how a variety of program analysis and model-checking problems can be expressed easily and succinctly using parametric regular path queries. The paper describes the specification, design, analysis, and implementation of algorithms and data structures for efficiently solving existential and universal parametric regular path queries. Major contributions include the first complete algorithms and data structures for directly and efficiently solving existential and universal parametric regular path queries, detailed complexity analysis of the algorithms, detailed analytical and experimental performance comparison of variations of the algorithms and data structures, and investigation of efficiency tradeoffs between different formulations of queries.
Vehicle detection from low quality aerial LIDAR data

In this paper we propose a vehicle detection framework on low resolution aerial range data. Our system consists of three steps: data mapping, 2D vehicle detection and postprocessing. First, we map the range data into 2D grayscale images by using the depth information only. For this purpose we propose a novel local ground plane estimation method, and the estimated ground plane is further refined by a global refinement process. Then we compute the depth value of missing points (points for which no depth information is available) by an effective interpolation method. In the second step, to train a classifier for the vehicles, we describe a method to generate more training examples from very few training annotations and adopt the fast cascade Adaboost approach for detecting vehicles in 2D grayscale images. Finally, in post-processing step we design a novel method to detect some vehicles which are comprised of clusters of missing points. We evaluate our method on real aerial data and the experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
An Educational Needs Assessment of Rural Family Physicians

BACKGROUND: A shortage of family physicians persists in rural and medically underserved areas of the United States. We explore the hypothesis that a definable set of educational needs should be addressed for rural family physicians, both during their formal education and as part of continuing education while in practice. METHODS: An educational needs assessment questionnaire was sent to 1096 family physicians who had finished residency and entered rural practice within the last 3 years. Six hundred twenty-seven (57.2 percent) of the questionnaires were returned. The demographic characteristics of the respondent physicians and their assessment of the appropriateness and adequacy of their educational process in preparing them for rural practice were analyzed by looking at individual items and groups of items or subject areas. RESULTS: We were able to define successfully a group of items that were important components of rural practice but were not adequately addressed in training programs. Theses groups included counseling, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, geriatrics, surgery and trauma, medical specialties, surgical specialties, community medicine and management, and a mixed factor that included rehabilitation, behavioral sciences, learning disabilities (in children), chronic childhood problems, and human growth. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to define a group of educational areas not covered adequately by standard family practice curriculum that should be included in preparation for rural practice. If these areas were included in the education of rurally oriented family practice medical students and residents, these physicians would be more adequately prepared to meet the demands of rural practice. If preparation for rural practice is improved, rural communities might be more successful in recruiting and retaining well-trained family physicians. Language: en
TGFBR2 mutations alter smooth muscle cell phenotype and predispose to thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections

Aims Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling is critical for the differentiation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) into quiescent cells expressing a full repertoire of contractile proteins. Heterozygous mutations in TGF-β receptor type II ( TGFBR2 ) disrupt TGF-β signaling and lead to genetic conditions that predispose to thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections (TAADs). The aim of this study is to determine the molecular mechanism by which TGFBR2 mutations cause TAADs. Methods and results Using aortic SMCs explanted from patients with TGFBR2 mutations, we show decreased expression of SMC contractile proteins compared with controls. Exposure to TGF-β1 fails to increase expression of contractile genes in mutant SMCs, whereas control cells further increase expression of these genes. Analysis of fixed and frozen aortas from patients with TGFBR2 mutations confirms decreased in vivo expression of contractile proteins relative to unaffected aortas. Fibroblasts explanted from patients with TGFBR2 mutations fail to transform into mature myofibroblasts with TGF-β1 stimulation as assessed by expression of contractile proteins. Conclusions These data support the conclusion that heterozygous TGFBR2 mutations lead to decreased expression of SMC contractile protein in both SMCs and myofibroblasts. The failure of TGFBR2 -mutant SMCs to fully express SMC contractile proteins predicts defective contractile function in these cells and aligns with a hypothesis that defective SMC contractile function contributes to the pathogenesis of TAAD.
Dissecting the anomaly: A closer look at the documented urban enhancement in summer season ground flash densities in and around the Houston area

[1] The Houston “lightning anomaly” was examined using nine years of cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning data (1995–2003). We find that the local Houston CG lightning anomaly, is a persistent feature, but statistically non-unique along the Gulf Coast. The results also suggest that although the Houston area sees an increased frequency of lightning producing storms, storms occurring further inland appear to produce more lightning on an event basis. Although hypotheses invoking anthropogenic influences have been offered to explain the Houston flash density anomaly, it seems equally plausible that mesoscale influences along the coastline may also be important.
CONTRIBUTION OF THE TYROSINES TO THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE HUMAN U1A N-TERMINAL RNA BINDING DOMAIN

RNA binding domains (RBDs) are members of a large family of proteins that share minimal sequence conserva- tion but adopt an a0 sandwich global fold. Defining the contributions of specific amino acids to RBD structure and RNA binding is critical to understanding the functions of these proteins. In these experiments with the hu- man UlA N-terminal RNA binding domain (RBDl), the contributions from each of its four tyrosines to protein structure, stability, and RNA binding were measured. Each tyrosine was substituted with phenylalanine and one other selected residue, and the resulting proteins were characterized by chemical denaturation to measure their unfolding free energy, by binding free energies to the wild-type RNA hairpin, and by I9F NMR to probe for struc- tural changes. Features of the protein identified in these experiments include a possible tyrosine/lysine contact in an a-helix, which may be an example of an energetically favorable aromatidamin0 side chain interaction. One long loop of the protein, which shows unusual I5N backbone and tyrosine side-chain dynamics, is implicated in protein:protein association. The diverse interactions of the four tyrosine residues in the organization of RBDl illustrate how each member of this family of proteins will have unique molecular details that contribute to function.
Use of a nerve stimulator does not improve the efficacy of ultrasound-guided supraclavicular nerve blocks

Abstract Objective To evaluate the efficacy of nerve stimulation as an adjunct to ultrasound-guided supraclavicular nerve blocks. Design Prospective database review. Setting Tertiary-care medical center. Measurements The records of 94 consecutive adult patients requiring surgery below the elbow and consenting to receive regional anesthesia were studied. The focus of this study was on supraclavicular nerve block using ultrasound guidance for nerve identification and needle localization. A nerve stimulator with a motor response lower than 0.5 mA was used for confirmation of findings. An ultrasound image was considered adequate if two trunks of the brachial plexus were visualized and if the needle was completely seen on the long axis. A successful block was defined as one that sufficed as the sole anesthetic without conversion to general anesthesia. Motor and sensory examination findings on the upper extremity were also evaluated. Results 74 patients had an adequate ultrasound image. Of the 64 patients with a positive motor response, 88% had a successful block, as compared with 90% of the 10 patients without a motor response (relative risk, 1.09; 95% confidence interval, 0.79-1.51; P = 0.52). Neither multivariate correction for baseline characteristics nor inclusion of the 20 patients with inadequate ultrasound images changed the results. Conclusion For adequately imaged ultrasound-guided supraclavicular nerve blocks, a positive motor response to nerve stimulation does not increase the success rate of the block. In addition, the high false-negative rate suggests that these blocks are usually effective, even in the absence of a motor response. Nerve stimulation as an adjunct to ultrasound guidance may have a limited role.
Established and potential physiological roles of bicarbonate-sensing soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) in aquatic animals

Soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) is a recently recognized source of the signaling molecule cyclic AMP (cAMP) that is genetically and biochemically distinct from the classic G-protein-regulated transmembrane adenylyl cyclases (tmACs). Mammalian sAC is distributed throughout the cytoplasm and it may be present in the nucleus and inside mitochondria. sAC activity is directly stimulated by HCO3−, and sAC has been confirmed to be a HCO3− sensor in a variety of mammalian cell types. In addition, sAC can functionally associate with carbonic anhydrases to act as a de facto sensor of pH and CO2. The two catalytic domains of sAC are related to HCO3−-regulated adenylyl cyclases from cyanobacteria, suggesting the cAMP pathway is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for sensing CO2 levels and/or acid/base conditions. Reports of sAC in aquatic animals are still limited but are rapidly accumulating. In shark gills, sAC senses blood alkalosis and triggers compensatory H+ absorption. In the intestine of bony fishes, sAC modulates NaCl and water absorption. And in sea urchin sperm, sAC may participate in the initiation of flagellar movement and in the acrosome reaction. Bioinformatics and RT-PCR results reveal that sAC orthologs are present in most animal phyla. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the physiological roles of sAC in aquatic animals and suggests additional functions in which sAC may be involved.
Effect of Finite Spatial Resolution on the Turbulent Energy Spectrum Measured in the Coastal Ocean Bottom Boundary Layer

The effect of finite spatial resolution on the measured energy spectrum is examined via a parametric study using in situ particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements performed in the bottom boundary layer on the Atlantic continental shelf. Two-dimensional (2D) box spatial filters of various scales are applied to the data, and these filtered distributions are used to compute 1D energy spectra in both frequency and wavenumber domains. It is found that energy levels are attenuated by more than 15% at all length scales that are smaller than 10 times the scale of the filter. Filtering both in the direction of the spectrum as well as perpendicular to it contributes to the extent of attenuation, the latter via implicit integration over all wavenumbers. At scales larger than that of the filter, Gaussian, nonlinear Butterworth, and median filters attenuate less energy than the box filter. When frequency spectra are converted using Taylor’s hypothesis, wave energy appears in wavenumber space at a location different than its true physical scale, which is much larger than the filter sizes. Consequently, wave energy is not attenuated and dominates over the turbulence through this spectral range. Because wave energy and turbulence respond differently to the filtering, modified spectral slopes at the transition between wave- and turbulence-dominated regions occur, resulting in inordinately steep spectral slopes. Finally, removal of the pressure-coherent part of the velocity signal is not sufficient to reveal the turbulence within the wave peak spectral range. Remaining energy in this range is still dominated by much larger scales.
The Science of Selecting Antimicrobials for Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP)

BACKGROUND: Among infectious diseases, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the leading cause of death in the United States and is associated with a substantial economic burden to the health care system. Initiating appropriate empiric therapy can be challenging given elevated resistance rates among Streptococcus pneumoniae strains. OBJECTIVE: To present current recommendations for management of CAP with respect to (a) choosing the appropriate site of care, and (b) antimicrobial selection based on bacterial etiology and the prevalence of resistance. SUMMARY: Mortality prediction tools, such as the PORT (Pneumonia Outcomes Research Team) Severity Index, CURB-65 (Confusion, Urea concentration, Respiratory rate, Blood pressure, and age > 65), or CRB-65 (Confusion, Respiratory rate, Blood pressure, and age > 65), can be invaluable in determining which CAP patients require hospitalization. These tools can help reduce overall costs for CAP by limiting hospitalizations of low-risk patients. S. pneumoniae remains the most common causative pathogen for CAP across all disease severities, and elevated rates of resistance to penicillin and macrolides can hinder selection of appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Antimicrobial resistance can impact clinical outcomes, including increasing the risk of treatment failure and breakthrough bacteremia. Current management guidelines recommend monotherapy with a respiratory fluoroquinolone or combination therapy with a β-lactam and a macrolide (for patients admitted to the general medical ward) or with a β-lactam and either a respiratory fluoroquinolone or a macrolide (for patients admitted to the intensive care unit [ICU] and who do not have risk factors for methicillin-resistant S. aureus or Pseudomonas). Optimized dosing regimens aim to ensure that pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic targets are met to achieve successful clinical outcomes and minimize resistance development. CONCLUSION: Effective management of patients with CAP requires selection of the proper site of care and appropriate empiric antimicrobial. Given the elevated rates of resistance among S. pneumoniae, local resistance patterns must be considered when choosing empiric therapy.
Measurement of Topological Parameters

The most rudimentary aspects of geometric form are those which are expressed by the topological parameters. Two of these will be discussed in the present paper, namely: (1) number of separate parts of the geometric entity, and (2) its connectivity, called genus. Topological parameters are typically independent of physical dimensions, such as length, area, volume, mean curvature and are unchanged by any deformation that may be performed upon the geometric entity, so long as the deformation does not involve cutting, or joining.
Detecting sybil attacks inwireless and sensor networks using cluster analysis

Wireless networks are vulnerable to sybil attacks, in which a sybil node forges multiple identifications to trick the system and conduct harmful attacks. The traditional approach to address sybil attacks is to employ cryptographic-related methods. However, conventional security approaches may not always desirable due to their infrastructural overhead. In this paper, we propose to utilize K-means cluster analysis for detecting sybil attacks based on the spatial correlation between the signal strength and physical locations. Our approach requires minimal overhead to wireless devices. We have evaluated our methods through experimentation using both an 802.11 (WiFi) network as well as an 802.15.4 (ZigBee) network in two office buildings. Our results show that the proposed sybil attack detector is highly effective with over 95% detection rates and under 5% false positive rates.
Appearance and Delinquency

This article examines the relationship between appearance and self-reported delinquency. Based on prior research, it is hypothesized that (1) unattractive individuals will be more delinquent, and (2) strain, labeling, and social control variables will mediate the relationship between appearance and delinquency Data from a national sample of adolescent boys support the first hypothesis. Only partial support is provided for the second hypothesis, with social control variables explaining from 9% to 31% of the association between appearance and delinquency. Theoretical and methodological reasons for the limited support of the second hypothesis are discussed.
Decision feedback blind symbol estimation by adaptive least squares smoothing

A decision feedback blind symbol estimation algorithm based on the least squares smoothing approach is proposed for single-input multiple-output finite impulse response systems. With the finite alphabet property, the input signal is estimated based on the past detected symbols and the least squares smoothing error of the observation. Implemented both time and order recursively, the proposed algorithm is adaptive to channel variation and has low complexity both in computation and in VLSI implementation. Based on a deterministic model, this algorithm has the finite sample convergence property, i.e., the input signal can be perfectly detected with a small set of data samples in the absence of noise.
Optimum shape construction of flexible manipulators with total weight constraint

This paper addresses the problem of optimum shape design of flexible manipulators that maximizes the fundamental frequency of vibration under a specified total weight constraint. Successive iteration schemes are developed to solve the unconstrained optimum shape design problem analytically using the variational approach, while nonlinear programming methods are used to solve the constrained optimum shape design problem numerically. In addition, since the tip load greatly influences the optimum frequency of a flexible arm and it is unavoidable for the arm to handle multiple tip loads, a minimax design method is proposed to construct the optimum shape under a finite range of tip loads. It is shown that the fundamental frequency of a flexible manipulator can be increased substantially through the optimum tapering of the cross section of its link. The results of this paper suggest a practical method of building flexible manipulators which can move faster under a given weight without causing serious vibration problems, thereby increasing productivity. >
Numerical Prediction of Tropical Weather Systems

Abstract A multilevel primitive-equation model has been designed for regional weather forecasting in the Tropics. Several experimental forecasts have been made on hurricane movement and development and on a nondeveloping tropical weather system. Forecasts of the movement of hurricane Celia were slightly slow and somewhat south of the actual track. Some intensification was forecast as Celia moved into the central Gulf of Mexico, but the model did not predict explosive deepening. Grid spacings of 75 and 150 km were used. In the nondeveloping case, no deepening was forecast. Areal distribution of the predicted rainfall was good, but the amounts were too light. Forecasts have been made with hand-analyzed input and with interpolated data extracted from the National Meteorological Center's objective analyses.
Kimura's disease: A clinical case related to a mosquito bite

Kimura's disease is a benign, but locally injurious disease with a marked predilection for the head and neck. Of uncertain etiology, its tendency to present as a discrete, enlarging mass with assoc...