cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The relationship of body mass index, belt placement, and abdominopelvic injuries in motor vehicle crashes: A Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) study.

OBJECTIVE Obesity has important implications for motor vehicle safety due to altered crash injury responses from increased mass and improper seatbelt placement. Abdominal seatbelt signs (ASBS) above the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) in motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) often correlate with abdominopelvic trauma. We investigated the relationship of body mass index (BMI), lap belt placement, and the incidence of abdominopelvic injury using computed tomography (CT) evaluation for subcutaneous ASBS mark and its location relative to the ASIS. METHODS A retrospective analysis of 235 Crash Injury Research and Engineering Network (CIREN) cases and their associated abdominal injuries was conducted. CT Scans were analyzed to visualize fat stranding. 150 positive ASBS were found and their ASBS mark location was classified as superior, on, or inferior to the ASIS. RESULTS Obese occupants had a higher incidence rate of belt placement superior to the ASIS, and occupants with normal BMI had a higher incidence of proper belt placement (p < 0.05). Trends of interest developed, notably that non-obese occupants with superior belt placement had increased incidence of internal abdominopelvic organ injury compared to those with proper belt placement (Normal BMI: 53.3% superior vs 39.4% On-ASIS, Overweight: 47.8% superior vs 34.7% On-ASIS). CONCLUSIONS Utilizing CT scans to confirm ASBS and lap belt placement relative to the ASIS, superior belt placement above the ASIS was associated with elevated BMI and a trend of increasing incidence of internal abdominopelvic organ injury.
Abjuring the Collateral Indemnity Exception to Insurer Contribution

In recent years, courts throughout the United States have sought unsuccessfully to clarify whether a contract requiring one party (the promisor) to obtain liability insurance in favor of another (the promisee) supplants a liability insurance policy procured by the latter. This issue educes markedly divergent judicial opinions. A dominant approach turns on whether the promisor also agreed to indemnify the promisee. If so, courts in most jurisdictions will find the issuer of a liability policy procured by the promisor solely liable for sums owed co-extensively by the issuer of a liability policy procured directly by the promisee. Drawing on the terms of an indemnity contract collateral to the operative insuring agreements to inform the reciprocal obligations of two (or more) insurers is an injudicious exception to the usual method of apportionment. Usually, coverage afforded by more than one policy of liability insurance is apportioned according to the doctrine of equitable contribution. Courts, exercising jurisdiction in equity, generally require insurers to contribute to a co-extensively insured loss according to a loosely defined, but reasonably discernible, range of judicially determined considerations. The conventional objective of such apportionment is to recognize and enforce the insurers’ co-extensive obligations, not excuse them.This Article provides a fresh perspective on a court’s exercise of equitable powers to relieve an insurer entirely of its contractual obligation based on a co-extensive obligation contractually owed by another to its insured. The competing claims that arise in these circumstances can be resolved only by understanding principles of tort and contract law as malleable in equity into a fused amalgam. The so-called “collateral indemnity” exception to equitable contribution instead dwells outside these fitting restraints. Unstated but inherently flawed views about equitable jurisdiction have roused in these instances a misguided theory of exculpation that was doomed from the outset to fail on both theoretical and practical grounds.
The role of prostaglandin I2 and biliary lipids during evolving cholecystitis in the rabbit

Abstract Background : Acute cholecystitis increases gallbladder prostanoid synthesis. The percent study examined the hypothesis that increased endogenous gallbladder release of prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) after bile duct ligation is caused by both increased ductal pressure and altered biliary lipids. Methods : Prostanoid release, biliary lipids, and in vitro fluid absorption of sham gallbladders were compared with those of gallbladders in which acute cholecystitis was induced after common bile duct ligation for 6, 24, and 72 hours. Results : Bile duct ligation for 6, 24, and 72 hours increased gallbladder PGI2 release twofold and increased gallbladder bile levels of lysolecithin and taurine-conjugated bile acids fivefold compared with sham groups (P Conclusions : Decreased gallbladder fluid absorption following bile duct ligation for 6 hours was caused by increased gallbladder release of PGI2. Decreased gallbladder fluid absorption following bile duct ligation for 24 and 72 hours was not a prostanoid-mediated process (not reversed by indomethacin) but was associated with increased bile levels of proinflammatory biliary lipids.
Precise positioning with the GPS

A review of current measurement reduction techniques for precise positioning using carrier phase observables from the Global Positioning System satellites is presented. The qualities of each are discussed. The main cause of data problems, cycle slips, is also given along with an example, and then a possible algorithm to correct slips over short time gaps when data from a single station are given. It is then argued that this algorithm will be useful for cycle slip detection in precise positioning of a moving platform as well as in a static relative positioning mode. Optimal estimation in the presence of unmodeled errors is discussed.
Can Random Coin Flips Speed Up a Computer

Random sampling relies on the law of large numbers. To see this, suppose 57% of the population supports Obama. Asking a random person whether they support Obama is the same as flipping a biased coin, which comes up “yes” 57% of the time and “no” 43% of the time. By the law of large numbers, the more people we ask, the smaller the error. Note that this argument doesn’t depend on the size of the population; the error would be the same regardless of the population of the United States.
Preparing Professionals to Serve Infants and Toddlers with Handicaps and Their Families: An Integrative Analysis across Eight Disciplines

This article summarizes the status of, and recommendations for, preparation programs for early intervention personnel across eight disciplines. Surveys were conducted to determine the extent to which entry-level students in each discipline receive academic preparation and clinical experiences to provide services to infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families. Although considerable variability was found across disciplines, the average student receives little specialized information—practical knowledge—relative either to the infancy period or to working with families. Alternative strategies for improving infant personnel preparation are discussed and policy implications of each are addressed.
A unique CD4+ large granular lymphocytosis occurring in patients treated with tumor necrosis factor α inhibitors: report of 2 cases.

Summary We report 2 cases of CD4 + large granular lymphocyte (LGL) lymphocytosis occurring in patients being treated with a monoclonal antibody against tumor necrosis factor α for underlying autoimmune disorders. CD4 + LGL lymphocytosis is a rare subset of LGL disease that has previously only been described in patients without underlying autoimmune disorders, and most demonstrate uniform coexpression of CD56 on the atypical T cells. The clinical features, with both cases occurring in patients with autoimmune disease, and immunophenotypic features, with both cases showing dim CD8 coexpression without CD56 in the CD4 + LGLs, suggest that the reported cases are distinct from those previously described and may represent a novel T-cell LGL lymphocytosis emerging from iatrogenic immune modulation of patients with underlying autoimmune disorders.
Covariate-adjusted response adaptive designs incorporating covariates with and without treatment interactions

The covariate-adjusted response adaptive (CARA) design has been shown to be better than traditional designs in terms of both ethics and efficiency. However, its mechanism for allocating subjects makes certain stochastic processes such as allocated response sequences very complicated. Consequently, the validation of statistical inference is usually challenging, and few theoretical results have been obtained. In this paper we systematically solve some fundamental problems for statistical inference with CARA designs. First, we obtain the conditional independence and distribution of allocated response sequences, which is the basis for further theoretical investigation. Second, we propose a new family of CARA designs, which is extensively applicable. We more importantly provide a framework for new CARA designs with unified asymptotic results for statistical inference. The numerical results demonstrate the advantages of the proposed CARA designs. Our findings are crucial in understanding the CARA design as well as its development and application. The Canadian Journal of Statistics xx: 1–20; 2015 © 2015 Statistical Society of Canada Resume La superiorite des plans d'experience adaptatifs dont la reponse est ajustee par des covariables (ARAC) a ete demontree tant au plan de l’ethique que de l'efficacite. Les mecanismes d'attribution des sujets rendent toutefois tres complexes les processus stochastiques comme les sequences de reponses attribuees. Par consequent, la validation de l'inference statistique est un veritable defi et peu de resultats theoriques ont ete obtenus. L'auteur aborde de facon systematique quelques problemes lies aux plans ARAC et les resout. Il montre d'abord l'independance conditionnelle des sequences de reponses attribuees et determine leur distribution, ce qui le mene a d'autres problemes theoriques. Il propose alors une nouvelle famille de plans ARAC largement applicables et developpe un cadre dans lequel il elabore une theorie asymptotique unifiee pour l'inference statistique. L'auteur presente des resultats numeriques demontrant l'avantage des plans ARAC proposes. Ces conclusions permettent une meilleure comprehension des plans ARAC et contribuent a leur developpement et a leur utilisation. La revue canadienne de statistique xx: 1–20; 2015 © 2015 Societe statistique du Canada
The Hadronization Transition in the Early Universe

Abstract The space-time dynamics, nucleation, and cosmological consequences of the transition in the early universe from quark-gluon plasma to hadronic matter are reviewed.
Understanding the Role of Identity in the Constraint Negotiation Process

Sociological theory related to identity was adapted to explore the influence of identity on respondents’ perceived leisure constraints and constraint negotiation. We hypothesized that perceived constraints to recreational golf and efforts to negotiate constraints would be predicted by the degree to which respondents embraced their leisure-related identity of “golfer.” It was also hypothesized that the perception of constraints and constraint negotiation would depend upon the degree to which respondents perceive that the identities they embrace facilitate or conflict. Findings showed support for the hypothesized model.
Nesting frequency and success: implications for the demography of painted turtles

Nesting ecology and reproduction of painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) in southeast Michigan were intensively studied from 1975 to 1978. The average clutch size of Michigan painted turtles was 7.55, with body size accounting for only 9-13% of the variance. Data on nesting frequency indicate that from 30 to 50% of the females possibly do not reproduce every year and that approx. =6% reproduce twice in a given year. Predation within 48 h of egg-laying is responsible for the failure of 20% of the nests. An additional 12% nest failure is due to various other causes. These data substantially alter the life table previously reported in this population of painted turtles.
Natural history of vascular calcification in dialysis and transplant patients

Background. The purpose of the present study was to determine the natural history of coronary artery and aorta calcification by spiral computed tomography (CT) in patients who undergo a renal transplant and patients on haemodialysis. Methods. Two cohorts were evaluated for the natural history of vascular calcification: (i) 23 patients who underwent a baseline CT scan at the time of renal transplant and a repeat evaluation 15–20 months later; and (ii) 33 chronic kidney disease, stage 5 haemodialysis subjects who underwent a baseline CT scan, all followed for a minimum of 15 months, and 17 of whom underwent a second CT scan. Results. In the patients undergoing a renal transplant, there was no net change in CAC with time, suggesting stabilization of calcification. In the haemodialysis patients, the median CAC increased by 1.27±1.88 score/days, P ¼ 0.013. There was a trend towards increasing AoC score in both groups. All patients without calcification at baseline remained calcification free at follow-up. In the 15 months following baseline, the six dialysis patients who died had a significantly greater CAC score at baseline compared with the 24 patients who remained alive. Similarly, those patients who were hospitalized had a greater baseline CAC than patients who were not hospitalized. Conclusion. In this preliminary study, renal transplantation appears to slow down or arrest CAC, whereas CAC progresses in haemodialysis patients. In haemodialysis patients, CAC was greater in patients who died or were hospitalized compared with those who remained alive or were not hospitalized.
Observations on the High Diversity of Native Ant Species Coexisting with Imported Fire Ants at a Microspatial Scale in Mississippi

A case study reporting a high diversity of native ants co-existing with imported fire ants is presented. Thirty-six species of ants were collected within one meter of the base and on the lower two meters of the trunk of a Quercus pagoda (cherry bark oak) in Tombigbee National Forest, Winston County, MS, on five dates during 2003 and 2004. Twenty-three of these species, including the imported fire ant hybrid, Solenopsis invicta x richteri, were nesting in the same area. A list of all species collected at the site is provided. Notes are given on the nesting habits of Polyergus lucidus longicornis and its slave, Formica dolosa, and also for other species in the area. Potential explanations for high diversity including the island effect of an isolated habitat, differing diets and foraging behaviors, habitat partition- ing, and seasonal activity are discussed.
Remarks on the follower problem and the Euler method in static stability

Der vorliegende Beitrag befast sich mit einer strengen mathematischen Begrenzung der Eulerschen Methode. Im Anschlus daran ergibt sich ein Kriterium zu Behandlung von Problemen mit Folgekraften.
Hardware systems for text information retrieval

As databases become very large, conventional digital computers cannot provide satisfactory response time. This is particularly true for text databases, which must often be several orders of magnitude larger than formatted databases to store a useful amount of information. Even the standard techniques for improving system performance (such as inverted files) may not be sufficient to give the desired performance, and the use of an unconventional hardware organization may become necessary.A variety of different organizations has been proposed to enhance processing of text retrieval operations. Most of these have concentrated on the design of fast, efficient search engines. These can be divided into three classes: associative memories, cellular pattern matchers, and finite state automata. The advantages and disadvantages inherent in each of these approaches are discussed, along with a number of proposed implementations. Finally, the text retrieval system under development at the University of Utah is discussed in more detail.
Patterning the differentiation of C2C12 skeletal myoblasts.

Mammalian cells are sensitive to the physical properties of their micro-environment such as the stiffness and geometry of the substrate. It is known that the stiffness of the substrate plays a key role in the process of mammalian myogenesis. However, the effect of geometrical constraints on the process of myogenic differentiation needs to be explored further. Here, we show that the geometrical cues of substrates can significantly influence the differentiation process of C2C12 skeletal myoblasts. Three different geometries including lines of different widths, tori of different inner diameters, and hybrid structures (linear and circular features with different arc degrees) were created by micro-contact printing of fibronectin on the surface of Petri dishes. The differentiation of C2C12 cells was studied over a period of seven days and was quantified; we report the differentiation parameters of (1) fusion index, (2) degree of maturation, (3) alignment, and (4) response to electrical pulse stimulation (EPS). Hybrid structures with the smallest arc degree (hybrid 30°) showed the best results for all four differentiation parameters. The hybrid 30° pattern exhibits an ∼2-fold increase in the fusion index when compared to the line patterns and an ∼3-fold increase when compared to the toroid patterns. The hybrid 30° also showed a higher maturation index compared to the line or the toroid patterns. In response to electrical stimulation (20 V, 50 ms pulse, 1 Hz), mature myotubes on hybrid 30° patterns showed an ∼2-fold increase in cellular displacement when compared to myotubes on the line and torus patterns. We tested the influence of C2C12 cell density on fusion and maturation indices, and the results suggest that density does not exert significant influence on cellular differentiation under these conditions. Our results can have important implications in engineering skeletal muscle tissues and designing muscle cell bio-actuators.
880 THE HYPERGLYCEMIA OF CYSTIC FIBROSIS

Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) separated 30 cystic fibrosis (CF) patients into those with normal OGTT (Group I-8), normal fasting but abnormal OGTT (Group II-14) and manifest hyperglycemia treated with insulin (Group III-8).Mean peak glucose in OGTT was 153 mg% and 229 mg% at 90′ and 526 mg% at 150′ in Groups I(G1), G2, and G3 respectively (p < 0.0005).Insulin response was delayed with mean peaks of 56 μU/ml at 120′ in G1, 72 μU/ml at 150′ in G2 and 10.9 μU/ml at 240′ in G3.Insulin responses to OGTT were higher than to intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTT) for G2.In G2 the mean plasma glucagon was suppressed by 25 pg/ml at 60 during both OGTT and IVGTT suggesting that abnormal OGTT may occur in the presence of normal glucagon suppression.Unlike previous studies G3 showed mean glucagon increase by 53 pg/ml at 120′ suggesting a paradoxical rise with significant insulin deficiency.Mean glucagon increased by only 66 pg/ml during arginine TT (ATT) in G3 which differs from previous reports for C.F. and from juvenile diabetes whose plasma glucagon rises excessively during ATT.At 120′ OGTT suppressed mean human growth hormone (HGH) by 5.08 ng/ml in G1 and by only 0.8 ng/ml in G3 (p < 0.05).At 40′ IVGTT suppressed mean HGH by 1.0 ng/ml in G2 and increased by 0.5 ng/ml in G3 (p < 0.05).During ATT HGH was higher in G3 (p < 0.05).In spite of impairment of their carbohydrate metabolism C.F.'s maintain peripheral tissue sensitivity to insulin resulting in significant decreases in glucose at 10′ during insulin TT in all groups.The difference from juvenile diabetes mellitus is probably due to the multi-hormonal abnormalities in C.F.
On perfect working-memory performance with large numbers of items.

Many popular models conceptualize working memory as consisting of three or four discrete slots or bins. This conceptualization, however, has been seemingly refuted by Bays and Husain (2009), who reported perfect performance on a working memory task with a large number of very simple items. We show, however, that this perfect-performance result likely reflects a design flaw rather than mnemonic structure. The flaw is that the test array itself in Bays and Husain’s study provides information about the correct answer without recourse to working memory. We show perfect performance on eight items for 18 participants when this information is present. We show that performance is poorer, however, when this information is removed. Hence, the Bays and Husain result does not threaten models that stipulate that working memory is composed of limited slots.
Detection Of Three Rotational Correlation Times For A Rigid Asymmetric Molecule Using Frequency-Domain Fluorometry

We measured the frequency-response of the polarized emission of Yt-base in propylene glycol at 10°C. Data were obtained for excitation wavelengths of 290, 312 and 346 nm, for which the fundamental anisotropies are 0.05, 0.19 and 0.32, respectively. Additionally, data were obtained using CC14, to decrease the mean decay time from 9.1 to 4.2 ns. These data were analyzed globally to recover the anisotropy decay law. Three correlation times were needed to fit the data, 0.8, 3.0 and 5.6 ns, a range of only 7-fold. We believe this is the first reported detection of three correlation times for a rigid molecule.
The Availability of Access Features in Children's Non-Fiction

This study analyzes the availability of access features in children's non-fiction as compared to their prevalence in adult non-fiction because such features are an important part of the research process increasingly demanded of younger and younger students in schools. Access features studied include: table of contents, index, bibliography, endnotes/footnotes, glossary, and suggestions for further reading list. This study found that children's non-fiction books were less likely to include bibliographies or endnotes, but more likely to include glossaries or suggested reading lists. Tables of contents and indexes were the two most popular access features in each section. Results are divided by Dewey Decimal Classification classes.
Fresnel zone structure in planetary occultations

In many planetary and satellite occultations, both at light and at radio wavelengths, there may exist two propagation paths around an occulting body. The shorter of these two paths traverses the nearest portion of the limb, supports a stronger signal, and accounts for all radio occultation measurements to date. If the atmosphere of the occulting body is sufficiently deep and the path beyond the body is sufficiently long, a weaker signal will propagate via the far limb. Both paths satisfy Format's principle; the short path lies at a minimum of delay, and the long path is shown to be at a stationary point. Others have pointed out that the Fresnel zone for the near limb is a compressed circle much like an ellipse. I show here that the Fresnel zone at the far limb is shaped somewhat like the letter X. In the immediate vicinity of the zone, the phase path variation with respect to lateral and vertical displacement may be represented in the form of a hyperbolic paraboloid resembling a saddle. Farther away, at least in the lateral direction, the variation can be represented by a tilted torus for which the general formula is derived. By use of parameters representative of Venus and Jupiter, the formula is evaluated and the zones are drawn for circumstances of one special, limiting case. This peculiar X-shaped zone structure may influence the prediction and interpretation of farside occultation signal strength and scintillation.
Towards a scalable and reliable real time in-network data analysis infrastructure

The smart grid applications requires real time analysis, response within the order of milliseconds and high-reliability because of the mission critical structure of the power grid system. The only way to satisfy these requirements is in-network data analysis and built-in redundancy routing for failures. To achieve this, we propose a data dissemination system that builds routes using network flow algorithms, have in network processing of the data and utilize data encoding to cope with high latencies.
Electron transfer between myoglobin and electrodes in thin films of phosphatidylcholines and dihexadecylphosphate

Myoglobin (Mb) in thin films of phosphatidyl cholines (PC) or dihexadecyl phosphate (DHP) gave direct, reversible electron transfer between pyrolytic graphite electrodes and the heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple of the protein. PC films incorporated much more Mb than DHP films. A model assuming several classes of electroactive sites in the films on the electrode with a dispersion of standard potentials successfully fit square-wave voltammetric data at pulse heights > 50 mV. Electron transfer rate constants in PC and DHP films were significantly larger than for Mb in thin films of an insoluble cationic surfactant. The pH dependence of the formal potential of Mb in the PC films suggested that protonation, possibly inducing conformational change, accompanies electron transfer to MbFe(III) between pH 5 and 11. Mb in PC films was used for catalysis of the reduction of trichloroacetic acid.
The Analytic Moment Doesn't Fit Analytic “Technique”: Commentary on Tony Bass's “When the Frame Doesn't Fit the Picture”

Tony Bass in his groundbreaking contribution to the analytic literature argues cogently that the frame remains an essential reference point throughout any psychoanalysis, a statement about which he and I are in agreement. He also argues that for a frame to be therapeutically useful it must be flexible enough to allow negotiation of enactments and their working through in an intersubjective field, another point about which we are in complete accord. He and I each hold a self-state perspective that informs and enriches our clinical work. Where we diverge slightly is in how this perspective shapes the way we think about the nature of the “frame” as it applies to the dissociated self-states of patient and analyst that emerge and engage each other subsymbolically as an ongoing aspect of the work, often in quite bewildering and sometimes confounding ways. This paper speaks to a number of issues that I hope will bring into relief some of the points of contrast that do exist, while underlining the core commonalit...
Assessing the Test Information Function and Differential Item Functioning for the TOEFL ® Junior™ Standard Test

The TOEFL Junior® Standard Test is an assessment that measures the degree to which middle school-aged students learning English as a second language have attained proficiency in the academic and social English skills representative of English-medium instructional environments. The assessment measures skills in three areas: listening comprehension, language form and meaning, and reading comprehension. This study focused on two specific psychometric characteristics of the assessment: (a) For which segments of its score scales does the assessment provide sufficient information to support the use of the scores in placement decisions? (b) Do items exhibit significant (or C-level) differential item functioning (DIF) when comparisons are made between test-takers from different countries? For the first question, both of the forms we analyzed appear to provide sufficient information to support placement decisions across the majority of the score scale for all 3 sections of the assessment. For the second question, we found that a moderate number of items exhibited significant DIF, while the linguistic analyses conducted on the DIF results showed plausible construct-relevant explanations for most of the findings.
RNA-binding protein Nrd1 directs poly(A)-independent 3'-end formation of RNA polymerase II transcripts

A eukaryotic chromosome contains many genes, each transcribed separately by RNA polymerase (pol) I, II or III. Transcription termination between genes prevents the formation of polycistronic RNAs and anti-sense RNAs, which are generally detrimental to the correct expression of genes. Terminating the transcription of protein-coding genes by pol II requires a group of proteins that also direct cleavage and polyadenylation of the messenger RNA in response to a specific sequence element, and are associated with the carboxyl-terminal domain of the largest subunit of pol II (refs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). By contrast, the cis-acting elements and trans-acting factors that direct termination of non-polyadenylated transcripts made by pol II, including small nucleolar and small nuclear RNAs, are not known. Here we show that read-through transcription from yeast small nucleolar RNA and small nuclear RNA genes into adjacent genes is prevented by a cis-acting element that is recognized, in part, by the essential RNA-binding protein Nrd1. The RNA-binding protein Nab3, the putative RNA helicase Sen1, and the intact C-terminal domain of pol II are also required for efficient response to the element. The same proteins are required for maintaining normal levels of Nrd1 mRNA, indicating that these proteins may control elongation of a subset of mRNA transcripts.
Tl-based films: A comparison of processing procedures

The structural, electrical and magnetic properties are compared for three superconducting Tl-Ca-Ba-Cu-O thin films prepared by different deposition and sintering protocols. One film containing a mixture of Tl{sub 2}Ca{sub 2}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub x} and Tl{sub 2}Cu{sub 1}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 2}O{sub y} structural phases has the best superconducting properties. Deposition of a Tl-free Ca-Ba-Cu-O precursor film followed by sintering in Tl-O vapor may be the preferred protocol to obtain a single structural phase.
Matrix obstruction of solitary kidney during pregnancy

Abstract A matrix calculus obstructed the ureter of a solitary kidney during pregnancy. Anuria and azotemia were reversed by extracting the calculus. The matrix was an amorphous mass of glycoprotein and mucopolysaccharide; there were only microscopic nests of calcium. Only electron micrographs demonstrated a tendency of the crystals and matrix to display lamellae. This unusual architecture suggests matrix calculi can grow without organized lamellae.
Some interrelations between ventilation and circulation.

Abstract 1. 1. Respiratory intrathoracic pressure variations can produce vascular pressure changes by modulating the stroke volume. 2. 2. Rhythmic vascular pressure variations, synchronous with respiration, can also be produced by a central mechanism through changes in vasomotion and/or stroke volume (Traube oscillator). 3. 3. Respiratory pressure variations vary in different segments of the vasculature, depending upon the physical characteristics of the vascular bed. 4. 4. The net effect of these pressure modulations can result in vascular pressure changes exceeding intrathoracic pressure changes. This seems to be the case in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Its effect upon vascular net pressures is discussed. 5. 5. Changes in the relation between vascular and intrathoracic pressure variations allow differentiation between ventilatory and circulatory changes in the lung. 6. 6. During diffusion respiration, “respiratory” pressure variations can be observed both in the peripheral and pulmonary vasculature. These changes may be coupled with sinus arrhythmia, demonstrating the influence of the respiratory center upon cardiac and vasomotor activity. 7. 7. The application of drugs during diffusion respiration demonstrates their effect upon pulmonary circulation in the absence of ventilation, and the influence of circulatory changes upon static intrapleural pressure (lung elasticity) and air exchange due to cardiac activity.
Trends in Nonemergent Use of Emergency Departments by Health Insurance Status

This article describes trends in nonemergent emergency department (ED) visits by insurance type, using the 2000-2009 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and Current Population Survey. We analyzed trends in the probability that an ED visit is nonemergent and in nonemergent ED visit rates per person. We found that visits for Medicare enrollees were least likely to be for nonemergent reasons, while uninsured visits were most likely to be nonemergent. When we accounted for total visits and population size by insurance group, we found nonemergent ED visit rates per person were largest among Medicaid enrollees. Trends in nonemergent ED visit rates were stable for all insurance groups. The findings suggest a reliance on the ED for nonemergent care by the Medicaid population. It will be important to continue to track patterns of nonemergent ED utilization after Medicaid expansions under the Affordable Care Act.
Evaluation of the anatomy of congenitally malformed aortic valves by orifice-view aortography.

Abstract Nineteen patients with congenital abnormalities of the aortic valve were studied by orificeview aortography and the anatomic configuration of each valve was determined. With one exception, all valves were bicuspid. The bicuspid aortic valves could be grouped into two distinct categories. Group 1 valves had unequal leaflet size and could be further subgrouped depending upon the spatial orientation of the leaflets. The commissural structure of this type of valve was such that, with but two exceptions, valvular configuration appeared essentially unicommissural. The valves comprising Group 2 exhibited essentially equalsized leaflets and thus are considered equally bicuspid. These valves displayed a central orientation of the orifice and thus are bicommissural in contrast to the unicommissural Group 1 valves which all had eccentric orifice position. The aortic valves examined by this technique exhibited close similarity to descriptions of valves at the time of pathological examination. Orifice-view aortography appears to be a reproducible method of determining the anatomy of the aortic valve which can be applied as a preoperative evaluation useful in determining whether relief of aortic stenosis by aortic commissurotomy as opposed to valve replacement is feasible. Four patients undergoing aortic valve surgery, one with commissurotomy and three with valve replacement, have revealed findings at the time of operation confirmatory of the anatomical configuration of the valve predicted by orifice-view aortography.
Fingerprinting and forensic analysis of multimedia

One of the prime reasons movie and music studios have ignored the Internet for open-networked multimedia content delivery, has been the lack of a technology that can support a secure digital rights management (DRM) system on a general purpose computer. The difficulty of building an effective multimedia DRM stems from the fact that traditional cryptograic primitives such as encryption or scrambling do not protect audio or video signals once they are played in plain-text. This fact, commonly referred to as "the analog hole," has been responsible for the popularity of multimedia file sharing which cannot be controlled, at least technically, by content's copyright owners.In this paper, we explore multimedia fingerprinting as an answer to "the analog hole" problem. We propose a new ase-shifted spread-spectrum fingerprinting paradigm particularly tailored for fast detection. Next, we present two techniques for fast maximum-likelihood audio and video synchronization designed to cope with typical de-synch attacks. We analyze the collusion resistance of a large class of spread-spectrum fingerprinting systems using a new, gradient attack. Surprisingly, we show that the collusion resistance of traditional spread-spectrum fingerprints is a small constant that does not depend on the object size.
Coping with life transitions

Life transitions are sharp discontinuities with the previous life events. They have identifiable beginnings, turning points, and endings. Coping skills learned earlier are mobilized during the transition to help the person manage the transition process. A process conception of transitions includes a series of stages from entry through final resolution and growth. The primary dynamic is the process of letting go of the old value, relationship, or belief to taking hold of a new one. Coping skills consisting of support networking, cognitive restructuring, problem solving, and stress management are key mediating variables that determine the course and emotional intensity of the transition. Attitudes that influence the process are extent of perceived control of the event, perceptions of challenge, and commitment to change. perceiving the change event as a normal part of living helps to alleviate much of the distress of the transition. Transition theory offers a kind of map that helps counsellors and their clients to conceptualize what is happening to them during intensive life changes.
Synthesis of multifunctional nanogels using a protected macromonomer approach

Nanoparticles possessing multiple functionalities provide synthetic handles for varied surface chemistries, making them useful for a range of applications such as biotargeting and drug delivery. However, the combination of interfering functionalities on the same particle is often challenging. We have employed a synthetic scheme involving chemical protection/deprotection to combine interfering functional groups on the same hydrogel nanoparticle. The synthesis of amine-containing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) nanogels was carried out via free radical precipitation polymerization by incorporating a Fmoc-protected amine poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) macromonomer. The Fmoc group was then removed to obtain free amines, which were shown to be available for conjugation. We further explored pNIPAm-co-acrylic acid nanogels with a protected amine-PEG, yielding zwitterionic particles. With careful attention to the order of the chemoligation and deprotection steps, these interfering functional groups can be forced to behave in a pseudo-orthogonal fashion, allowing for multiple chemoligation steps that employ both the amine and carboxylic acid groups.
Genetic variation of photosynthetic electron transport in barley : identification of plastocyanin as a potential limiting factor

Abstract Cultivated ( Hordeum vulgare ) and wild ( Hordeum spontaneum ) genotypes of barley were compared for differences in photosynthetic electron transport activity and chloroplast membrane composition. Plants were grown at 21°C in a controlled environment chamber (500 μmol photons m −2 s −1 ). Thylakoid membranes were isolated from vegetative and flag leaves and analyzed for uncoupled electron transport activity. Significant genetic variability in chloroplast electron transport was found with fourfold differences in activity observed in the genotypes tested. Quantitative measurements were made for each component of the chloroplast electron transport chain, including the development of an immunochemical assay for plastocyanin. The genetic differences in electron transport activity were related to the concentration of plastocyanin in the thylakoid membrane. The fivefold differences in plastocyanin content observed within the genotypes tested corresponded to a plastocyanin pool size of 0.8–3.8 mol of plastocyanin per mol of photosystem I reaction center. Therefore, plastocyanin was a significant limiting factor in barley genotypes expressing low photosynthetic electron transport activity.
Projecting the land cover change and its environmental impacts in the Cedar River Basin in the Midwestern United States

The physical surface of the Earth is in constant change due to climate forcing and human activities. In the Midwestern United States, urban area, farmland, and dedicated energy crop (e.g., switchgrass) cultivation are predicted to expand in the coming decades, which will lead to changes in hydrological processes. This study is designed to (1) project the land use and land cover (LULC) by mid-century using the FORecasting SCEnarios of future land-use (FORE-SCE) model under the A1B greenhouse gas emission scenario (future condition) and (2) assess its potential impacts on the water cycle and water quality against the 2001 baseline condition in the Cedar River Basin using the physically based soil and water assessment tool (SWAT). We compared the baseline LULC (National Land Cover data 2001) and 2050 projection, indicating substantial expansions of urban area and pastureland (including the cultivation of bioenergy crops) and a decrease in rangeland. We then used the above two LULC maps as the input data to drive the SWAT model, keeping other input data (e.g., climate) unchanged to isolate the LULC change impacts. The modeling results indicate that quick-response surface runoff would increase significantly (about 10.5%) due to the projected urban expansion (i.e., increase in impervious areas), and the baseflow would decrease substantially (about 7.3%) because of the reduced infiltration. Although the net effect may cause an increase in water yield, the increased variability may impede its use for public supply. Additionally, the cultivation of bioenergy crops such as switchgrass in the newly added pasture lands may further reduce the soil water content and lead to an increase in nitrogen loading (about 2.5% increase) due to intensified fertilizer application. These study results will be informative to decision makers for sustainable water resource management when facing LULC change and an increasing demand for biofuel production in this area.
Aldosterone-sensitive neurons of the nucleus of the solitary tract: multisynaptic pathway to the nucleus accumbens.

The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is part of a forebrain system implicated in reward, motivation, and learning. NAc neurons become activated during various ingestive activities, including salt intake. A subset of neurons within the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) shows c-Fos activation during prolonged sodium deprivation in rats. These neurons express mineralocorticoid receptors and the enzyme 11-β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (HSD2), which makes them selectively sensitive to aldosterone—an adrenal hormone that modulates sodium appetite. Here we tested whether these neurons project multisynaptically to the core or shell subregions of the NAc. Pseudorabies virus (PRV)—a retrograde transneuronal tracer—was injected into the NAc in rats and after 3–4 days PRV-infected HSD2 neurons were identified. PRV injections into the NAc core yielded greater numbers of PRV-labeled HSD2 neurons than did comparable injections into the NAc shell. Transneuronal labeling was also found in brainstem sites that receive direct projections from HSD2 neurons, namely, lateral parabrachial and prelocus coeruleus nuclei. In other experiments a retrograde neural tracer (cholera toxin β-subunit) was injected into the NAc. Extensive retrograde labeling was found in the midline thalamus and frontal cortical regions, but no cells were labeled in the NTS or parabrachial region. These findings indicate that the HSD2 neurons project via a multisynaptic pathway to the NAc, which may be relayed sequentially through two sites: the dorsolateral pons and the paraventricular thalamic nucleus. HSD2 neurons may be part of an ascending pathway involved in the salt-seeking behavior of sodium-depleted rats. J. Comp. Neurol. 501:274–289, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
DIETARY CHOLESTEROL AND ISCHAEMIC HEART DISEASE

Abstract In a cohort of 1824 middle-aged men followed for 25 years, intake of dietary cholesterol was associated with risk of death from ischaemic heart disease, from other cardiovascular diseases combined, from all cardiovascular diseases combined, and from all causes combined. The relative hazard of death from all cardiovascular diseases combined, associated with the difference between the mean of the first and fifth quintiles of cholesterol intake (a difference of 184 mg cholesterol/1000 kcal intake) was 1·46 (95% confidence interval 1·10-1·94) after adjustment for age, intake of other dietary lipids, and other coronary risk factors (including serum cholesterol). When stratified into three groups according to serum cholesterol (less than 220 mg/dl, 220-259 mg/dl, and 260 mg/dl or above), the corresponding relative hazards were 1·58, 1·50, and 1·41, respectively. These results are further evidence for the concepts that dietary cholesterol is atherogenic in man, and that the effect is partly independent of total serum cholesterol. They reinforce the recommendation that intake of dietary cholesterol should be low in people without overt hyperlipidaemia as well as those with raised serum cholesterol.
Small-sample properties of finite population ratios

Employing Bayesian finite population resampling techniques [referred to as finite population Bayesian bootstrap, FPBB, by Lo 1988], asymptotic posterior distributions of a linear combination of functions of stratum ratios and the corresponding confidence interval estimates are approximated. A straight forward algorithm is provided for the evaluation of the performance of the FPBB approximations to the asymptotic posterior distributions. Monte Carlo simulation is used to construct confidence interval estimates based on the FPBB method and to (graphically) demonstrate the performance of the FPBB method inapproximating the asymptotic posterior distributions of functions of ratios using Efron's (1982) Law School data. The results of the Monte Carlo investigations indicate that the FPBB based interval estimates compare favorably with the usual large-sample Bayesian interval estimates even for moderate bootstrap samples
Colonic necrosis subsequent to catheter-directed thrombin embolization of the inferior mesenteric artery via the superior mesenteric artery: A complication in the management of a type II endoleak * ** *

Abstract The optimal management of endoleaks after endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms remains to be established. In this report, we describe a persistent side-branch, or type II, endoleak 1 year after endograft implantation treated with catheter-directed embolization of the aneurysm sac and the inferior mesenteric artery via the superior mesenteric artery, with embolization agents including thrombin, lipiodol, and gelfoam powder. Shortly after the embolization procedure, colonic necrosis developed in the patient, manifested by peritonitis, which necessitated a partial colectomy. This case underscores the devastating complication of colonic ischemia as a result of catheter-directed embolization of the inferior mesenteric artery in the management of an endoleak. (J Vasc Surg 2001;34:1119-22.):
The reaction of the Ca-Mg endoauclease with the A-sites of rat nucleoprotein

A quantitative study has been made on the action of rat nuclear Ca-Mg endonuclease on rat liver nuclei. In a standard 30 minute digest 0.5-1.5% of the DNA was rendered acid soluble, 1.5-4% of the chromatin was rendered buffer soluble, 50-60% of the potential cleavage sites were actually cleaved, and these cleavages were distributed evenly throughout the bulk of the genome. During these standard digests there was no significant loss of histones either in aggregate or relative to each other. Trypsin digestion of the nuclei to a trypsin resistant core did not lower the specificity of the Ca-Mg endonuclease cleavages or expose other sites to its action. Evidence is presented that indicates Ca-Mg endonuclease and micrococcal nuclease attack the same sites rather than different sites with the same spacing.