cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of atopy in the natural history of wheeze and bronchial hyper‐responsiveness in childhood

The role of atopy in the development of asthma has become increasingly recognised. We have been prospectively following a birth cohort of children of atopic parents to document the development of atopic disease. Our aim in this study was to document the natural history of BHR and wheeze at 10 years of age and to relate this to atopy. We reviewed 47 of our original cohort of 79 infants at 10 years of age and documented their clinical history of atopic disease and performed allergen skin prick tests and BHR to histamine. Thirty-three (70%) children wheezed at some time during their 10 years of life, with 13 commencing in infancy. Twenty-two children (47%) had current wheeze at 10 years of age. Wheeze in infancy was a poor predictor (RR 1.23, CI95 0.66-2.23) of current wheeze while wheeze commencing after infancy was a good predictor (RR 2.89, CI95 1.45-5.2). In contrast both atopy in infancy (RR 2.94, CI95 1.92-4.53) and current atopy (RR 3.58, CI95 1.43-9.03) were strong predictors of current wheeze. Analysis of BHR confirmed the importance of atopy in predicting its occurrence and severity. Sensitisation to D. pteronyssinus appeared to be the strongest predictor of both current wheeze and BHR. These observations confirm the importance of atopy in predicting outcome in children with asthma and suggest that wheezing in infancy and wheezing in later childhood may have different pathogenetic mechanisms.
Malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the heart presenting as an atrial myxoma.

A 37-year-old woman presented with signs and symptoms suggestive of mitral stenosis and insufficiency. Subsequent evaluation demonstrated a left atrial tumor which was suspected clinically and at the time of initial surgery to be an atrial myxoma. Histologic examination revealed that the tumor was actually a malignant fibrous histiocytoma. Despite near total removal at surgery and subsequent radiotherapy, the tumor recurred within six months in the left atrium. Re-excision was followed by a third recurrence in the same site. Cancer 42:2466–2471, 1978.
Democratizing Academic Professionalism Inside and Out.

Academic professionals need to embrace and facilitate democratic modes of public problem solving while retaining traditional scholarly commitments.
Effects of lesions of the nucleus of the optic tract on optokinetic nystagmus and after-nystagmus in the monkey.

1. The nucleus of the optic tract (NOT) and the dorsal terminal nucleus (DTN) of the accessory optic system were lesioned electrolytically or with kainic acid in rhesus monkeys. When lesions involved NOT and DTN, peak velocities of optokinetic nystagmus (OKN) with slow phases toward the side of the lesion were reduced, and optokinetic after-nystagmus (OKAN) was reduced or abolished. The jump in slow phase eye velocity at the onset of OKN was smaller in most animals, but was not lost. Initially, there was spontaneous nystagmus with contralateral slow phases. OKN and OKAN with contralateral slow phases were unaffected. 2. Damage to adjacent regions had no effect on OKN or OKAN with two exceptions: 1. A vascular lesion in the MRF, medial to NOT and adjacent to the central gray matter, caused a transient loss of the initial jump in OKN. The slow rise in slow phase velocity was prolonged, but the gain of OKAN was unaffected. There was no effect after a kainic acid lesion in this region in another animal. 2. Lesions of the fiber tract in the pulvinar that inputs to the brachium of the superior colliculus caused a transient reduction in the buildup and peak velocity of OKN and OKAN. 3. In terms of a previous model (Cohen et al. 1977; Waespe et al. 1983), the findings suggest that the indirect pathway that activates the velocity storage integrator in the vestibular system to produce the slow rise in ipsilateral OKN and OKAN, lies in NOT and DTN. Activity for the rapid rise in OKN, carried in the direct pathway, is probably transmitted to the pontine nuclei and flocculus via an anatomically separate fiber path-way that lies in the MRF. A fiber tract in the pulvinar that inputs to the brachium of the superior colliculus appears to carry activity related to retinal slip from the visual cortex to NOT and DTN.
Understanding creep in nanocrystalline materials

Only a limited number of creep investigations have been carried out on nanocrystalline materials to-date. These studies have remained largely inconclusive in establishing the mechanisms of creep in nanocrystalline materials. The stress exponent and activation energy values obtained from nanocrystalline materials do not correlate well with conventional well established creep models. Furthermore discrepancies between experimentally determined deformation rates and theoretical predictions suggest that an entirely new mechanism of creep could be operational in these exotic materials. In this work we aim to develop an understanding of the creep behavior of nanocrystalline materials by considering a stress assisted grain growth mechanism that has been recently identified in these materials. In turn a model has been developed that provides a quantitative understanding of some of the observations made in creep literature.
Cerebellar output: motor and cognitive channels

The input to the cerebellum has long been known to originate from widespread regions of the cerebral cortex including the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes. The output of the cerebellum, however, was thought to project mainly to the primary motor cortex. Recent anatomical observations have challenged this view. It is now apparent that cerebellar output goes to multiple cortical areas, including not only the primary motor cortex, but also areas of premotor and prefrontal cortex. In fact, there is growing evidence that each of the areas of cerebral cortex that project to the cerebellum is also the target of cerebellar output. The cerebellar output to individual cortical areas originates from distinct clusters of neurons in the deep nuclei which we have termed `output channels'. The individual output channels to the cortical areas we have examined display little or no overlap. Physiological recordings in awake trained primates indicate that neurons in different output channels appear to be involved in distinct aspects of behavior, and in both motor and cognitive functions. These observations indicate that the cerebellar influence on the cerebral cortex is more extensive than previously recognized.
Arsine toxicity treated with red blood cell and plasma exchanges.

BACKGROUND: Acute toxicity due to inhalation of arsine gas (AsH3) has no known antidote. Exchange transfusion may be beneficial, and dialysis is often required because arsine may cause acute intravascular hemolysis and renal failure. A patient with arsine toxicity has recently been treated by both red blood cell exchange (RBC-E) and plasma exchange (PE) therapy and our experience is reported. CASE REPORT: A 46-year-old man was accidentally and unknowingly exposed to arsine gas while observing an industrial procedure. Within 6 hours he developed fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and tingling in his extremities and voided dark urine. He quickly developed renal failure secondary to acute arsine toxicity (arsenic level, 1250 µg/L). Laboratory findings were a hematocrit level of 24 percent; blood urea nitrogen and creatinine, 84 and 5.5 mg per dL, respectively; bilirubin, 9.1 mg per dL; indirect bilirubin, 6.8 mg per dL; haptoglobin, less than 6 (normal, 30-200); and lactic dehydrogenase, 10,413 units per L (normal, 265-580). An emergent 1-vol RBC-E transfusion by continuous-flow method revealed dramatic black, grossly hemolyzed plasma. After two additional RBC-E and two PE and daily hemodialysis, he completely recovered over the course of 1 month. CONCLUSION: Patients with arsine toxicity resulting in intravascular hemolysis should receive RBC-E as soon as possible. In addition, PE may be beneficial in removing the components of RBC lysis and further reducing arsenic levels.
Genetics of Stuttering: A Critical Review

The fact that stuttering runs in families has been documented over a long period and has led to speculations and research about the role of a genetic component to this disorder. Although the genetic factor cannot be proved by familial aggregation and twin studies alone, such research has continued to provide support for a relationship between stuttering and genetics. The purposes of this article are to review and critique the research in this area. The article first assesses research methodologies that have been employed in familial studies of stuttering. It proceeds to review and critique incidence, twin, and aggregation studies. In addition, it includes sections on subgroups, genetic models of stuttering, and implications for future research as well as for clinical work. With a focus on improved methodology and recent findings, a current perspective on our knowledge of the genetic component to stuttering is provided. Among other conclusions, the article emphasizes that failure to consider epidemiologic factors has probably biased previous results regarding the genetics of stuttering. New preliminary data also appear to provide evidence that spontaneous recovery and chronicity are influenced by genetic factors. Generally, however, the review of incidence and twin studies, as well as of evidence for the various inheritance models, confirms previous conclusions about the interaction between genetic and environmental factors in stuttering.
FGF9 regulates early hypertrophic chondrocyte differentiation and skeletal vascularization in the developing stylopod

Gain-of-function mutations in fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptors result in chondrodysplasia and craniosynostosis syndromes, highlighting the critical role for FGF signaling in skeletal development. Although the FGFRs involved in skeletal development have been well characterized, only a single FGF ligand, FGF18, has been identified that regulates skeletal development during embryogenesis. Here we identify Fgf9 as a second FGF ligand that is critical for skeletal development. We show that Fgf9 is expressed in the proximity of developing skeletal elements and that Fgf9-deficient mice exhibit rhizomelia (a disproportionate shortening of proximal skeletal elements), which is a prominent feature of patients with FGFR3-induced chondrodysplasia syndromes. Although Fgf9 is expressed in the apical ectodermal ridge in the limb bud, we demonstrate that the Fgf9-/- limb phenotype results from loss of FGF9 functions after formation of the mesenchymal condensation. In developing stylopod elements, FGF9 promotes chondrocyte hypertrophy at early stages and regulates vascularization of the growth plate and osteogenesis at later stages of skeletal development.
No-Till Proso Millet Production

Proso millet (Panicum miliaeeum L.) is well-adapted for the Central Great Plains and is commonly grown with a mechanical tillage production system in a winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.>milletfallow rotation. The use of tillage results in extensive wind and water erosion, however. Research was conducted on a mesic Aridic Paleustoll soil near Akron, CO, to determine proso millet response to a no-till production system. Eliminating tillage increased proso millet grain yields from 2290 to 2730 kg/ha in 1985 and from 1200 to 1610 kg/ha in 1986, compared to tilled proso millet production. Water use efficiency (W E) also increased in the no-till system. Nitrogen fertilizer at 22 or 44 kg N/ha increased grain yield, N concentration of grain, and WUE of no-till proso millet regardless of whether growing-season precipitation was near normal or 33% below the long-term site average of 212 nun. Atrazine [6-chloro-Nethyl-N'-(l-methylethyl)-l,3,5-triazine-2,4-diamine] applied either in the previous fall or 60 d before planting provided effective in-crop weed control for the no-till production system. Atrazine applied in the spring required two paraquat (l,l'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridinium ion) applications at 0.28 kg ai/ha to control weeds the previous fall. Nitrogen fertilizer did not affect the bioactivity or soil persistence of atrazine. Contribution from the USDA-ARS Northern Plains Area
Respiration of tissue as a medium of heterogeneous permeability.

Expressions are derived for the overall oxygen consumption and the O2 penetration depth into a tissue section in terms of the basic parameters, of the system under steady-state conditions. The approach differs from many previous analyses in so far as the oxygen molecules are regarded as reaching their sites of chemical assimilation by diffusion through extracellular fluid followed by bulk diffusion into irregular cells of significantly lower permeability. This “two-phase” model would seem to be compatible with the major experimental features of steady-state respiration, and gives a ratio of cellular to extracellular diffusion coefficients of the same low order as that found for inert gases under transient conditions. The greater oxygen penetration predicted by this model is discussed in relation to the survival of ischemic tissue and is shown to be consistent with data for myocardial infarction.
Sustainability of forest management under changing climatic conditions in the southern United States: adaptation strategies, economic rents and carbon sequestration.

The impacts of climate change on profitability and carbon storage in even-aged forest stands of two dominant commercial pine species, loblolly and slash pine, in the southern United States were assessed under alternative assumptions about the impact of climate change on forest productivity and catastrophic disturbance rates. Potential adaptation strategies to reduce losses from disturbance included: 1) alternative planting densities, and 2) planting slash pine instead of loblolly pine. In addition, the amount of sequestered carbon was used to develop an index of economic efficiency for carbon sequestration, which further helps rank the suitability of alternative adaptation strategies. Our results indicate that greater economic rents from forests occur with lower planting densities and the substitution of slash pine for high density loblolly pine. However, less carbon is sequestered by low density loblolly pine compared to slash pine and high density loblolly pine. Both adaptation strategies are economically more effective in terms of carbon sequestration compared to the baseline since they generate more economic revenues per Mg of sequestered carbon.
The political process of the revolutionary samurai: a comparative reconsideration of Japan’s Meiji Restoration

In the 1860s and 1870s, the feudal monarchy of the Tokugawa shogunate, which had ruled Japan for over two centuries, was overthrown, and the entire political order it had commanded was dismantled. This immense political transformation, comparable in its results to the great social revolutions of the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries in the West, was distinctive for lacking a major role for mass political mobilization. Since popular political action was decisive elsewhere for both providing the force for social revolutions to defeat old regimes and for pushing revolutionary leaders to more radical policies, the Meiji Restoration’s combination of revolutionary outcomes with conservative personnel and means is puzzling. This article argues that previous accounts fail to explain why a group of relatively low-status samurai—administrative functionaries with some hereditary political privileges but in fact little secure power within the old regime—was able to overcome far more deeply entrenched political actors. To explain this, it is necessary to distinguish clearly between two political processes: the long-standing political relations of feudal monarchy and magnate lords and the unprecedented emergence of independent samurai political action and organizations cutting across domain boundaries. It was the interaction of these two processes that produced the overthrow of the Tokugawa and enabled the revolutionary outcomes that followed it. This article’s revised explanation of the Meiji Restoration clearly places it within the same theoretical parameters as the major revolutions of the seventeenth century and later.
From ‘Image Gently’ to image intelligently: a personalized perspective on diagnostic radiation risk

The risk of ionizing radiation from diagnostic imaging has been a popular topic in the radiology literature and lay press. Communicating the magnitude of risk to patients and caregivers is problematic because of the uncertainty in estimates derived principally from epidemiological studies of large populations, and alternative approaches are needed to provide a scientific basis for personalized risk estimates. The underlying patient disease and life expectancy greatly influence risk projections. Research into the biological mechanisms of radiation-induced DNA damage and repair challenges the linear no-threshold dose–response assumption and reveals that individuals vary in sensitivity to radiation. Studies of decision-making psychology show that individuals are highly susceptible to irrational biases when judging risks. Truly informed medical decision-making that respects patient autonomy requires appropriate framing of radiation risks in perspective with other risks and with the benefits of imaging. To follow the principles of personalized medicine and treat patients according to their specific phenotypic and personality profiles, diagnostic imaging should optimally be tailored not only to patient size, body region and clinical indication, but also to underlying disease conditions, radio-sensitivity and risk perception and preferences that vary among individuals.
A connection between the Cantor---Bendixson derivative and the well-founded semantics of finite logic programs

Results of Schlipf (J Comput Syst Sci 51:64---86, 1995) and Fitting (Theor Comput Sci 278:25---51, 2001) show that the well-founded semantics of a finite predicate logic program can be quite complex. In this paper, we show that there is a close connection between the construction of the perfect kernel of a $\Pi^0_1$ class via the iteration of the Cantor---Bendixson derivative through the ordinals and the construction of the well-founded semantics for finite predicate logic programs via Van Gelder's alternating fixpoint construction. This connection allows us to transfer known complexity results for the perfect kernel of $\Pi^0_1$ classes to give new complexity results for various questions about the well-founded semantics ${\mathit{wfs}}(P)$ of a finite predicate logic program P.
Correlating matrix metalloproteinase-9 sinus secretion levels with tissue biopsy levels†‡

Background Collecting mucosal biopsies is invasive and creates additional inflammation, hampering a better understanding of nasal and sinus disease evolution and response to treatment. We examine whether sinus secretion collection can replace tissue biopsy for protein determination. Methods Prior to surgical intervention for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), a piece of gelatin foam was used to collect secretions from the ethmoid mucosa. A tissue biopsy was then taken from the same location. Matrix metallopro-teinase-9 (MMP-9) protein levels were measured in each sample. Results MMP-9 protein levels in secretions and tissues were significantly correlated (p = 0.0033, r = 0.52, by Pearson correlation). Conclusion Secretion collection can replace tissue biopsy for MMP-9 determinations, reducing morbidity. Furthermore, secretion collection allows sequential sampling from the same location. © 2011 ARS-AAOA, LLC.
Torsion of an Equilateral Triangular Prism with Longitudinal Holes

The paper presents two torsion solutions, based on method of images, for an equilateral triangular prism: (i) when the prism contains a central longitudinal hole, and (ii) when the prism contains three equal longitudinal holes situated symmetrically in two different ways. The two solutions differ from each other in their formulation. Numerical examples are given in each solution.
TYPE-II QUANTUM COMPUTERS

This paper discusses a computing architecture that uses both classical parallelism and quantum parallelism. We consider a large parallel array of small quantum computers, connected together by classical communication channels. This kind of computer is called a type-II quantum computer, to differentiate it from a globally phase-coherent quantum computer, which is the first type of quantum computer that has received nearly exclusive attention in the literature. Although a hybrid, a type-II quantum computer retains the crucial advantage allowed by quantum mechanical superposition that its computational power grows exponentially in the number of phase-coherent qubits per node, only short-range and short time phase-coherence is needed, which significantly reduces the level of engineering facility required to achieve its construction. Therefore, the primary factor limiting its computational power is an economic one and not a technological one, since the volume of its computational medium can in principle scale indefinitely.
Mbx, a novel mouse homeobox gene.

The homeobox gene Mbx is thought to play important roles in the development of eyes and tectum in zebrafish. We isolated mouse Mbx cDNA and analyzed its expression pattern during early mouse embryogenesis. Expression is predominantly restricted to the midbrain region at E9.5. At subsequent stages of development, Mbx transcripts were also found in the forebrain in addition to midbrain. Thus, the Mbx gene provides a useful molecular marker for early mouse midbrain development and may play a critical role in brain development.
The European UWB Radio Regulatory and Standards Framework: Overview and Implications

The European regulatory and standards processes for UWB radio technology are reviewed and their implications are discussed. On February 21, 2007, the Commission of the European Communities published its "Commission Decision" on the implementation of an UWB radio regulatory framework for the European Union. This milestone was reached after a rather complex technical evaluation process, guided by mandates issued by the European Commission, and difficult negotiations between many stakeholders with much diverging interests. This regulatory decision provides the needed foundation for ETSI, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, to establish harmonizing standards for a broad range of UWB radio applications. Both the power limits and usage constraints to be imposed in Europe differ in significant parts from those established in 2002 by the FCC in the USA. However, the unique properties and benefits offered by UWB radio remain a viable incentive for establishing a European ecosystem based on this technology. This view applies specifically to wireless sensor networks, including identification and location tracking systems operating above 6 GHz.
Validation of a head-neck computer model for whiplash simulation.

A head-neck computer model was comprehensively validated over a range of rear-impact velocities using experiments conducted by the same group of authors in the same laboratory. Validations were based on mean ±1 standard deviation response curves, i.e. corridors. Global head-neck angle, segmental angle and local facet joint regional kinematic responses from the model fell within experimental corridors. This was true for all impact velocities (1.3, 1.8 and 2.6 ms−1). The non-physiological S-curvature lasted approximately 100 ms. The present, comprehensively validated model can be used to conduct parametric studies and investigate the effects of factors such as active sequential and parallel muscle contractions, thoracic ramping and local tissue strain responses, as a function of cervical level, joint region and impact velocity in whiplash injury assessment.
Referential Communication Abilities of Learning Disabled Children

Disorders of spoken language have long been associated with learning disabilities. Recent research has focused less on linguistic characteristics and more on general communication effectiveness. This study investigated the referential communication ability of LD and non-LD elementary students. Developmental research has indicated that this language function tends to be well developed by early childhood and is a major precursor of later communication competence. Results of the present study indicated that LD students were less effective in providing descriptive information about objects than non-LD peers. Further analysis of LD communication revealed that such a lack of effectiveness was due to the LD students' limited use of labeling in their verbal descriptions.
Haarscheiben in the Skin of Sheep

ON the skin surface of many mammals, including man, there are mounds of epidermis, called ‘haarscheiben’, which are characterized by several layers of epithelial cells overlying an area of connective tissue that is highly innervated and vascularized1,2. The haarscheibe is an integrated part of the highly specialized tylotrich follicle3,4. Although the formation and morphology of sheep hair follicles are well known5, haarscheiben have not been found. The present communication describes haarscheiben in sheep skin and shows that they are associated with a particular type of hair follicle.
Changes in Mexican Family Law in the Nineteenth Century: the Civil Codes of 1870 and 1884

After independence, as Mexicans revised the legal structures inherited from Spain, they modified some provisions of family law in order to reduce the patriarchal dominance of the family, increase the rights of mothers and children, facilitate legal separations, and release family members from the traditional restrictions of inheritance law. This essay examines the major innovations in family law embodied in the Civil Codes of 1870 and 1884 and analyzes them as part of the overall changes taking place in the family because of the growth of the state, the expansion of the economy, and the spread of liberalism.
Weavability limit of yarns with thickness variation in shuttleless weaving

Theoretical weavability limit relationships of fabrics from regular warp yarns and fancy filling yarns with thickness variation in shuttleless weaving are reviewed. The relationships correlate maximum warp and filling cover factors, warp and filling yarn characteristics, the distribution of thick and thin places of filling yarn over the fabric surface, and the warp and filling weave factor. The research considers single filling feeder and multiple feeders cases. Additionally, comparisons between the weavability limit of regular yarns and fancy yarns in shuttle and shuttleless weaving are given.
The Enemy Within: A National Study on School Violence and Prevention.

This study investigated teacher, district, and site administrators' perceptions of school violence and violence prevention programs in 15 school districts of various sizes in 12 states located across the United States. The study focused on: (a) school personnel fears about violence, (b) frequency of school personnel as victims of violent actions over the past 2 years, (c) areas in the school environment that pose the greatest risk of violence for students or school personnel, (d) profiles of typical victims and perpetrators of violence, (e) strategies implemented by schools to deal with violence, (p9 perceptions regarding which strategies were considered to be the most and least effective in dealing with violence, and (g) the cost to school districts for violence prevention. The study concluded by providing a suggested plan of action to remediate and reduce violence in schools.
Strategy as practice: An activity-based approach

The article reviews the book “Strategy As Practice: An Activity-Based Approach,” by Paula Jarzabkowski.
Healthcare costs associated with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy among older adults in a defined community.

OBJECTIVES: The effectiveness of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) in older adults remains controversial. Although prior studies have examined the safety of PEG and its impact on nutrition, there are limited data on the economic costs. The purpose of this study is to describe the healthcare costs associated with PEG tube feeding over 1 year. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Small community of approximately 60,000 residents served by two hospital systems. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred five (70%) of 150 patients age 60 and older receiving PEG over a 24-month period in the targeted community who permitted access to their medical records. MEASUREMENTS: Patients were interviewed at baseline and every 2 months for 1 year to obtain information on use of enteral formula, complication rates, and health services use. We obtained inpatient charge data for all hospitalizations and PEG procedures for 1 year. RESULTS: Censoring patients at death or 1 year post-PEG, the mean number of days of PEG tube feeding was 180 (range 5–365). The average cost for PEG tube feeding for this cohort of patients was $7,488 (median $3,691) in 1997 and 1998. The average daily cost of PEG tube feeding was $87.21 (median $33.50). The estimated cost of providing 1 year of feeding via PEG is $31,832 (median $12,227). The main components of this cost include the initial PEG procedure (29.4%), enteral formula (24.9%), and hospital charges for major complications (33.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Direct charges associated with PEG tube feeding over 1 year are conservatively estimated at $31,832; there was considerable variation in charges because of the cost of rare but costly major complications. Also, feeding patients via PEG resulted in cost shifts in terms of the primary payor. The economic cost of PEG tube feeding is another consideration in decision making for long-term enteral feeding among older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc 49:1525–1529, 2001.
Nonexistence of a Taylor expansion in time due to cusps

In the usual treatment of electronic structure, all matter has cusps in the electronic density at nuclei. Cusps can produce nonanalytic behavior in time, even in response to perturbations that are time analytic. We analyze these nonanalyticities in a simple case from many perspectives. We describe a method, the s expansion, that can be used in several such cases and illustrate it with a variety of examples. These include both the sudden appearance of electric fields and disappearance of nuclei in both one and three dimensions. When successful, the s expansion yields the dominant short-time behavior, no matter how strong the external electric field, but agrees with linear-response theory in the weak limit. We discuss the relevance of these results to time-dependent density functional theory. © 2013 American Physical Society.
An L∞ blow‐up estimate for a nonlinear heat equation

On decrit une borne superieure au taux d'explosion des solutions de l'equation de la chaleur non lineaire u t =Δu+u p , ou u≥0, p>1
Hemodynamic Effects of Quantitatively Varied Experimental Aortic Regurgitation

Mitral regurgitation was produced in the open-chest dog by permitting blood to flow from left ventricle through a flow meter into the left atrium during systole. The hemodynamic effects of known amounts of regurgitation were studied. Two liters per minute of mitral regurgitant flow had relatively little effect on effective cardiac output, aortic pressure, left atrial pressure and on the left ventricular function curve.
Homeless Families’ Education Networks An Examination of Access and Mobilization

Purpose: This study sought deeper understanding of how sheltered families accessed and mobilized educationally related relationships and resources during periods of homelessness. Such work is posited to be especially relevant considering that there is a growing crisis of family homelessness in the United States and school- and community-based leaders need to develop more nuanced understandings of how to meet their needs. Research Design: The study was situated in a large urban region in the eastern United States, and data were collected through surveys of 151 sheltered homeless mothers, focus group interviews with 51 homeless mothers, and analysis of a countywide homeless management information system. Data analysis was informed by Lin’s network theory of social capital, which, among other relational issues, purposefully considers embedded resources, resource accessibility, and resource mobilization. Findings: The findings revealed several significant obstacles to homeless families’ access to and mobiliza...
Minimization of multiple-valued input multi-output mixed-radix exclusive sums of products for incompletely specified Boolean functions

The concept of a mixed-radix multiple-valued input exclusive sum of products (MRESP) is presented, and some possible circuit realizations for the concept are discussed. The algorithm starts from a Boolean function and generates an approximate MRESP form and the appropriate multioutput circuit. Such circuits can have smaller complexity than the EXOR forms with mixed polarity, the PLAs with decoders, and the networks with two-variable function generators. They are also easily testable. >
Agrobacterium VirE2 Proteins Can Form a Complex with T Strands in the Plant Cytoplasm

Wild-type VirE2 and VirD2 proteins from Agrobacterium tumefaciens contain nuclear targeting sequences (NLS) that are likely involved in directing transferred T strands to the plant nucleus. An A. tumefaciens virE2 virD2DeltaNLS double mutant was able to form tumors on VirE2-producing transgenic tobacco but not on wild-type tobacco. Because this mutant bacterial strain contains no known T-strand nuclear targeting signal, the data indicate that wild-type VirE2 proteins produced by the plant can interact with the T strands in the plant cytoplasm and direct them to the nucleus.
Evaluation of potential effects of federal land management alternatives on trends of salmonids and their habitats in the interior Columbia River basin

Abstract Aquatic species throughout the interior Columbia River basin are at risk. Evaluation of the potential effects of federal land management on aquatic ecosystems across this region is an important but challenging task. Issues include the size and complexity of the systems, uncertainty in important processes and existing states, flexibility and consistency in the analytical framework, and an ability to quantify results. We focused on salmonid fishes and their habitats as indicators of conditions in aquatic ecosystems and used Bayesian belief networks as a formal, quantitative framework to address the issues in our evaluation of land management alternatives proposed for the interior Columbia River basin. Because empirical information is limited at the scales relevant to our analysis, an ability to combine both empirical and more subjective information was key to the analysis. The representation of linkages through conditional probabilities made uncertainty explicit. We constructed two general networks. One represented the influence of landscape characteristics and existing and predicted management activities on aquatic habitats. A second represented the influence of habitat, existing biotic conditions, and for two anadromous species, ocean and migratory conditions, on the status of six widely distributed salmonid fishes. In the long term (100 years) all three land management alternatives were expected to produce positive changes in the status and distribution of the salmonids and their habitats. Trends were stronger for habitat than for the status of salmonids because of greater uncertainty in linking the fish and habitat networks and constraints outside spawning and rearing habitat on federal lands in the study area. Trends were stronger for resident salmonids than anadromous forms because of additional effects of the migratory corridor assumed for the latter. Alternative S2, which approached ecosystem restoration more conservatively, generally produced the strongest positive changes, and alternative S3, designed to promote more aggressive restoration, the weakest. Averaged across the basin, differences among the alternatives were small. Differences were greater at finer temporal and spatial scales. In the short term (10 years) alternative S3 was expected to lead to further degradation in some areas. By formalizing our understanding and assumptions in these networks, we provided a framework for exploring differences in the management alternatives that is more quantifiable, spatially explicit, and flexible than previous approaches.
Understanding cooperative co-evolutionary dynamics via simple fitness landscapes

Cooperative co-evolution is often used to solve difficult optimization problems by means of problem decomposition. Its performance for such tasks can vary widely from good to disappointing. One of the reasons for this is that attempts to improve co-evolutionary performance using traditional EC analysis techniques often fail to provide the necessary insights into the dynamics of co-evolutionary systems, a key factor affecting performance. In this paper we use two simple fitness landscapes to illustrate the importance of taking a dynamical systems approach to analyzing co-evolutionary algorithms in order to understand them better and to improve their problem solving performance.
A Two-Scale Nonperturbative Approach to Uncertainty Analysis of Diffusion in Random Composites

Many physical systems, such as natural porous media, are highly heterogeneous and characterized by parameters that are uncertain due to the lack of sufficient data. This uncertainty (randomness) occurs on a multiplicity of scales. We focus on random composites with the two dominant scales of uncertainty: large-scale uncertainty in the spatial arrangement of materials and small-scale uncertainty in the parameters within each material. We propose an approach that combines random domain decompositions and polynomial chaos expansions to account for the large and small scales of uncertainty, respectively. We present a general framework and use one-dimensional diffusion to demonstrate that our combined approach provides robust, nonperturbative approximations for the statistics of system states.
Adherence: a review of education, research, practice, and policy in the United States.

Objective: To describe the education, research, practice, and policy related to pharmacist interventions to improve medication adherence in community settings in the United States. Methods: Authors used MEDLINE and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (since 1990) to identify community and ambulatory pharmacy intervention studies which aimed to improve medication adherence. The authors also searched the primary literature using Ovid to identify studies related to the pharmacy teaching of medication adherence. The bibliographies of relevant studies were reviewed in order to identify additional literature. We searched the tables of content of three US pharmacy education journals and reviewed the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy website for materials on teaching adherence principles. Policies related to medication adherence were identified based on what was commonly known to the authors from professional experience, attendance at professional meetings, and pharmacy journals. Results: Research and Practice: 29 studies were identified: 18 randomized controlled trials; 3 prospective cohort studies; 2 retrospective cohort studies; 5 case-controlled studies; and one other study. There was considerable variability in types of interventions and use of adherence measures. Many of the interventions were completed by pharmacists with advanced clinical backgrounds and not typical of pharmacists in community settings. The positive intervention effects had either decreased or not been sustained after interventions were removed. Although not formally assessed, in general, the average community pharmacy did not routinely assess and/or intervene on medication adherence. Education: National pharmacy education groups support the need for pharmacists to learn and use adherence-related skills. Educational efforts involving adherence have focused on students’ awareness of adherence barriers and communication skills needed to engage patients in behavioral change. Policy: Several changes in pharmacy practice and national legislation have provided pharmacists opportunities to intervene and monitor medication adherence. Some of these changes have involved the use of technologies and provision of specialized services to improve adherence. Conclusions: Researchers and practitioners need to evaluate feasible and sustainable models for pharmacists in community settings to consistently and efficiently help patients better use their medications and improve their health outcomes.
Approaches to image binarization in current automated fingerprint identification systems

Some of the current approaches to fingerprint image binarization are investigated. The importance of the binarization phase of processing as it relates to the identification of accurate minutiae points is established. An overview of the most commonly used approaches in this area is then presented. The strengths and weaknesses of these approaches are explored and suggestions for future research and improvements are set forth.
A Family of Distributions for Modelling Non-Elliptically Symmetric Multivariate Data

SUMMARY The paucity of distributions that can be used as an aid to modelling the structure of multivariate data is a recognized limitation. We present a relatively simple family of distributions for use in describing data which are not elliptically symmetric. Properties of the family are discussed and it is shown that multivariate Pareto, Burr and Logistic distributions are special cases. In addition, simulation methods for applications in Monte Carlo robustness studies are outlined and, finally, the fit to a data set on uranium exploration is compared to that obtained using the usual bivariate normal distribution.
Scintigraphic Findings in Large-Cell Lymphoma of the Spleen: Concise Communication

The scintigraphic findings from eight patients who underwent splenectomy for splenomegaly secondary to diffuse large-cell lymphoma are described. Large focal photopenic areas were found in all cases, either solitary or multiple. The appearance is relatively typical for large-cell lymphoma, which should be strongly considered in a nontraumatized patient who presents with painful splenomegaly of unknown origin.
The Detection and Classification of Broadband Signals in Reverberant Dispersive Environments

The use of broadband waveforms has been suggested as a means of improving active sonar performance against slow moving or stationary targets in littoral waters. In principle, the use of a wide spectrum permits the design of waveforms with nearly ideal "thumbtack-like" ambiguity functions. However, the ocean has dispersive characteristics in both time and frequency that can prevent the idealized broadband gains from being realized. These dispersive effects or coherence losses result in nonidealized signal-echo cross-ambiguity function properties. At present, it is not well understood how coherence losses affect the cross-ambiguity function. The objectives of this paper are to investigate the study and quantify the effects of coherence loss on detection in reverberation-limited environments and provide insight into the maximum tolerable coherence losses and optimum sonar receiver design
Training neurocontrollers for robustness via nprKF

We are interested in training neurocontrollers for robustness on discrete-time models of physical systems. Our neurocontrollers are implemented as recurrent neural networks. A model of the system to be controlled is known to the extent of parameters and/or signal uncertainties. Parameter values are drawn from a known distribution. For each instance of the model with specified parameters, a neurocontroller is trained by evaluating sensitivities of the model outputs to perturbations of the neurocontroller weights and incrementally updating the weights. Our training process strives to minimize a quadratic cost function averaged over many different models. In the end this process yields a robust neurocontroller, which is ready for deployment with fixed weights. We employ a derivative-free Kalman filter algorithm proposed in Norgaard, N., et al. (2000) and extended in Feldkamp, L.A., et al. (2001, 2002) and to neural network training. Our training algorithm combines effectiveness of a second-order training method with universal applicability to both differentiable and nondifferentiable systems. Our approach is that of model reference control, and it is similar in this sense to the approach in Prokhorov, D.V., et al. (2001). We illustrate it with two examples.
The singlet oxygen reactivity of biliverdin.

— In 1, 1, 2-trichlorotrifluoroethane solution biliverdin physically quenches singlet oxygen at a rate of 8 × l0sM-1s-1 and reacts chemically at 6 × 10 5M-1s-1 to give a red product. In D, O solution the rate constants are PD dependent and range from 1.5–6 times 1010M-1s-1 for quenching and the chemical rate varies from 3–5 × 108 M-1 s-1 to give colorless products.
A 21st Century View of Asymmetry in the Human Brain

The Asymmetrical Brain. Kenneth Hugdahl and Richard J. Davidson (Eds.). 2003. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. 796 pp., $90.00.One of the most fundamental questions in cognitive neuroscience relates to the biological basis of functional hemispheric specialization and the relationship of structure to function. These important and controversial concepts are reviewed in The Asymmetrical Brain. Drs. Hugdahl and Davidson have selected core topics discussed by an impressive group of internationally recognized experts. This text was originally conceived as an update to the 1995 book Brain Asymmetry edited by Hugdahl and Davidson, but this text offers a completely reorganized approach to the topic that is both timely and comprehensive within a narrow focus on specific neural systems and neural syndromes. This book will appeal to students and experts in the broader field of human cognitive neuroscience and should be required reading to anyone with an academic interest in cerebral laterality and human cognition. Indeed, the field has advanced since 1995, and this book will surely become a major impetus to future research advancement in brain laterality.
Impact of phosphodiesterase 4D on cardiac β2 adrenergic receptor signaling

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is an important intracellular second messenger whose levels are tightly regulated within intracellular subdomains. Generation, detection, and degradation of cAMP is influenced by signaling complexes localized to specific regions of the cell by scaffolding proteins, such as muscle A kinase-anchoring protein (mAKAP). The distribution of cAMP within myocytes differs after β1 adrenergic receptor (β1AR) activation relative to β2AR activation as a result of differences in the interaction of these receptor subtypes with signaling complexes. β1AR stimulation generates a global increase in cAMP, whereas β2AR stimulation elicits a cAMP increase only within restricted areas of the cell. Phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D) plays an important role in this process.