cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robotic Adrenalectomy for Pheochromocytoma in a Patient with Fontan Physiology.

Abstract A strong association exists between cyanotic congenital heart disease and pheochromocytoma, with chronic hypoxia speculated as a likely pathogenic mechanism. Excess catecholamines secreted by the pheochromocytoma can induce heart failure and arrhythmias, particularly in patients with Fontan physiology. Minimally invasive (MIS) resection of pheochromocytomas can pose unique challenges in patients with Fontan physiology. Here we present a complex case of anesthetic management of a robotic transabdominal pheochromocytoma resection in a patient with Fontan palliation. A 36 year old female with prior Fontan palliation presented for robotic adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma. The patient remained hemodynamically stable throughout induction and insufflation. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiogram revealed pulmonic atresia with hypoplastic right ventricle, a non-restrictive secundum atrial septal defect, and normal systemic ventricular size and function. The patient experienced one episode of sudden and severe hypertension during clamping of the adrenal effluent vein, which responded to intravenous fentanyl, propofol, and nicardipine. The remainder of the procedure was uneventful. Pathology confirmed the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. Pheochromocytoma can have lethal consequences for Fontan patients. MIS adrenalectomy can offer faster recovery afforded by amelioration of pain and fluid shifts associated with laparotomy. While abdominal insufflation can cause negative hemodynamic derangements, these authors present a successful robotic approach to pheochromocytoma resection in a patient with Fontan physiology.
Species Differences in Cardiovascular Physiology that Affect Pharmacology and Toxicology

Abstract The accuracy with which preclinical studies performed on infrahuman mammals predict the efficacy and safety of potential new therapeutics intended for human use is a topic of interest and concern to preclinical scientists, physicians, veterinarians, regulators, and patients everywhere. Factors that impact the potential accuracy of preclinical assessments of safety and efficacy in surrogate species for humans include substantial differences in the mechanisms of cardiac repolarization and excitation-contraction coupling, as well as in the isoforms of the heart’s contractile proteins. Some species are so similar to humans that they suffer the same spontaneous heart diseases – and yet so different that toxic doses of drugs or interventions that would be instantly fatal to a human have literally no effect on them. These differences are in part explained by the sometimes enormous differences in size and scale among species, and in part by genetic and biochemical differences that we have only recently begun to understand. In reviewing some of the more striking species differences and similarities in cardiovascular physiology, this paper hopes to stimulate interest in and inform the choices of scientists involved in surrogate model selection as they work to improve both the positive and negative predictive value of preclinical drug studies.
Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) Control of a Novel Three Phase Multilevel Inverter

Multilevel inverters (MLIs) have gained wide usage in medium voltage applications due to their modular architecture, ability to use low voltage semiconductor devices and improved voltage harmonics. This paper presents a novel three-phase multilevel inverter design that does not require large DC-link capacitors and only requires each DC source to interface with two grid phases. A novel multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) control strategy is proposed to track DC link voltages and grid currents simultaneously. We derive the control law and show simulation in PLECS to demonstrate the steady state and transient operation of our design. We also show a simplified, distributed version of the controller that only requires each converter to measure its own PV voltage and phase current. Lastly, we present simulation of a 6-level 18-converter system to display the scalability of the design.
Multi-beam Dual-Polarized Windshield Antenna with Wide Elevation Coverage for 5G V2X Applications

A wideband multi-beam 5G antenna system for vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication is presented. The antenna is composed of three separate arrays with radiation patterns that covers the forward upper half elevation plane. The designed arrays maxima are located at angles 10°, −20° and −40° with respect to the windshield normal. Each array is composed of three-element dual-polarized patches. The gain of the beams varies from 11 to 9.6 dBi at 28 GHz and it covers the 28 GHz millimeter frequency range from 26.5 GHz to 29.5 GHz. A feeding network for each array is carefully designed for minimal beam deviation, as low as ± 5°, across the operating frequency range. Moreover, for interior placement of the antenna the challenging issues pertaining to the windshield is discussed.
Job transitions and mental health outcomes among US adults aged 55 and older during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: Adults around retirement age are especially vulnerable to the effects of the recent economic downturn associated with COVID-19. This study investigated disturbances to working life and mental health among Americans aged ≥55 during early months of the pandemic. METHODS: Using data from the nation-wide COVID-19 Coping Study (N=6,264), we examined rates of job loss, furloughs, hour/income reductions, and work-from-home, along with unchanged work status, by age, gender, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and occupation. We next described sources of worry by job transition group and tested the adjusted associations of COVID-19-related job transitions with life satisfaction, loneliness, depressive symptoms, and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: Most job loss occurred among respondents under age 65 and those without college degrees. Job loss and reduced hours/income were more common among Hispanics compared to other racial/ethnic groups, and work-from-home transitions were most common among respondents with high educational attainment and jobs in government- and education-related occupations. Workers who lost their jobs had the lowest life satisfaction and the highest loneliness and depressive symptoms, followed by workers who were furloughed and workers with reduced hours/income. Work-from-home was associated with more anxiety than unchanged work. DISCUSSION: COVID-19-related job transitions are detrimental to mental health, even when they might keep workers safe. These results enhance our understanding of the potentially long-term mental health effects of social and economic aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight the need for economic and mental health support for aging Americans.
The Impact of Regulation Fair Disclosure: Trading Costs and Information Asymmetry

In October 2000, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) passed Regulation Fair Disclosure (FD) in an effort to reduce selective disclosure of material information by firms to analysts and other investment professionals. We find that the information asymmetry reflected in trading costs at earnings announcements has declined after Regulation FD, with the decrease more pronounced for smaller and less liquid stocks. Return volatility around mandatory announcements is also lower but overall information flow is unchanged when mandatory and voluntary announcements are combined. Thus, the SEC appears to have diminished the advantage of informed investors, without increasing volatility.
Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L) dominance in the Great Basin Desert: History, persistence, and influences to human activities

Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L), an exotic annual, is a common, and often dominant, species in both the shadscale and sagebrush-steppe communities of the Great Basin Desert. Approximately 20% of the sagebrush-steppe vegetation zone is dominated by cheatgrass to the point where the establishment of native perennial species is nearly impossible. This paper discusses the historical factors that led to the establishment and dissemination of cheatgrass in the Great Basin, examines the processes that further cheatgrass dominance, provides examples of subsequent Influences of the grass to human activities, and links the ecological history with range condition models.
State-of-the-Art Airborne Gravimetry

The measurement of the Earth’s gravity from aircraft has been an ongoing subject of research for over 30 years. Over the past decade, advances in technology, especially the ability to precisely position the aircraft via Kinematic GPS, have made it possible to improve the accuracy, reliability and repeatability of airborne measurements. With these improvements, airborne gravimetry at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has developed from a research topic with proof-of-concept experiments to a tool that is being routinely employed in geophysical and geodetic investigations of remote, poorly understood regions of the world. This paper will present what it is possible to do today using as an example NRL’s airborne gravity system, and discuss some of the pitfalls involved in moving from a research system to an operational survey system. We will also discuss current research issues in the context of improving airborne gravimetry.
Asymptotic probability extraction for non-normal distributions of circuit performance

While process variations are becoming more significant with each new IC technology generation, they are often modeled via linear regression models so that the resulting performance variations can be captured via normal distributions. Nonlinear (e.g. quadratic) response surface models can be utilized to capture larger scale process variations; however, such models result in non-normal distributions for circuit performance which are difficult to capture since the distribution model is unknown. In this paper we propose an asymptotic probability extraction method, APEX, for estimating the unknown random distribution when using nonlinear response surface modeling. APEX first uses a binomial moment evaluation to efficiently compute the high order moments of the unknown distribution, and then applies moment matching to approximate the characteristic function of the random circuit performance by an efficient rational function. A simple statistical timing example and an analog circuit example demonstrate that APEX can provide better accuracy than Monte Carlo simulation with 10 samples and achieve orders of magnitude more efficiency. We also show the error incurred by the popular normal modeling assumption using standard IC technologies.
Free states or red states: the Supreme Court's role in recent election law disputes.

Professor Gardner's wide-ranging essay, Forcing States to be Free: The Emerging Constitutional Guarantee of Radical Democracy is in the best tradition of American legal scholarship. Gardner finds a common narrative in recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions involving the seemingly disparate doctrinal areas of free speech law, equal protection constraints on voting district lines, and election law. He then proceeds to criticize the Court's embarrassing performance in Bush v. Palm Beach County Canvassing Board, and its follow-up Bush v. Gore, not as a sui generis effort to manipulate political outcomes, but instead as a part of the mistaken trend he has identified. Finally, applying his analysis to a problem that arose surprisingly often in the 2002 election, Gardner concludes that the Constitution will seldom, if ever, require federal courts to interfere with a state's decision concerning late substitution of candidates on ballots for federal office.It is hard not to admire Gardner's effort to credit the Bush v. Palm Beach Court for sincerity, even as he argues convincingly that the Court has taken a wrong turn. And, the issues Gardner raises are provocative and should spark reaction beyond the fine commentary contributed by Professors Richard Pildes, Burt Neuborne, and Nathaniel Persily in this issue of the Connecticut Law Review. From my vantage point, however, three points mar Professor Gardner's otherwise insightful analysis and prevent him from persuading us that he presents the right way to think about recent judicial intervention in political cases. First, I am troubled by the complexity and ultimate instability within Professor Gardner's distinction between exclusions from politics (for which Gardner demands redress in the name of America's commitment to "radical egalitarianism") and limits within politics (which Gardner argues the contemporary court has mistakenly invalidated in the name of "radical democracy"). Second, I believe the trend Gardner claims to have identified is somewhat amorphous and more importantly is inconsistent with the Court's direction in other important areas of law. I thus have grave reason to doubt that the vision of radical democracy is motivating the Court as it confronts the cases Gardner discusses. Finally, Gardner's discussion of the U.S. Supreme Court cases that propelled George W. Bush into the White House leaves me unsure of his precise ground for disagreement with these cases and dissatisfied with his explanation that these cases are part of a trend toward radical democracy or any other replicable principle. I shall consider each of these points in turn, closing with a brief comment on how the cases involving candidate substitutions just prior to election day help us to better understand a small part of the significance of Bush v. Gore.
Low reserve kidney

Abstract We have presented a description of the present theories relating to the functions of the kidneys, and have attempted to indicate how these functions are affected in pathologic conditions. We have discussed the various types of nephritides, as well as general vascular conditions associated with hypertension and leading later to renal involvement. A follow-up study of 313 patients with low reserve kidney is presented. The evidence, as revealed in subsequent pregnancies, strongly supports the concept of low reserve kidney and speaks against a general vascular disease or condition, whether of sclerotic, nervous, chemical, or familial origin, as the basis for this entity. Furthermore, it appears to be an entity distinct from any of the known nephritides, whether of the hemorrhagic, degenerative, or sclerotic type. It also does not seem to fall into the category of a mild preeclampsia. That this entity cannot very well be explained on the basis of a general vascular condition is the opinion, expressed in personal communications, of both Van Slyke and Marshall. The former has had an opportunity, in his nephritic service in the Rockefeller Institute Hospital to study various phases of hypertension and of the different forms of nephritis, while the latter has been responsible for an important part of our newer knowledge relating to the functions of the kidney. These investigators concur with us in the view that the concept of low reserve kidney appears to be sound. It must be pointed out, however, that it is not our opinion that the existence of such an entity has been proved and much further investigative work, especially upon maximum excretion capacity, is needed before we can prove or disprove this theory. Richards and Landis have given us some very valuable suggestions along these lines and we hope, in the near future, to be able to follow these. We believe that in this group of low reserve kidney patients, one or other of the factors influencing glomerular and perhaps also tubular function, may be involved. Such factors are rate of blood flow through the kidney, permeability of glomerular membrane as well as tubular walls, extent of filtration surface (glomerular), and perhaps also the effective filtration pressure. Unfortunately, very little is known as to the factors influencing tubular reabsorption, except the factor of time of contact of the glomerular filtrate with the tubular epithelium. That the involvement of one or other or combination of these factors, bringing about the signs of this entity (low reserve kidney), is dependent on inherent or inherited differences from the normal, or on a specific pregnancy condition such as hormonal or chemical or vegetative nervous, cannot at present be decided. Pressure on the renal veins or kidney pedicle, as suggested by Marshall, in a personal communication, should also be borne in mind as a cause of the albuminuria, although this may not explain the hypertension. We have discussed at some length the nervous reflex mechanism, as well as the other factors influencing blood flow through the kidney.
Hard X-Ray Properties of Cataclysmic Variables

A brief summary is presented of results for AM Her, EX Hya, SS Cyg, and U Gem obtained with the high-energy detectors of the HEAO A2 experiment from 2-60 keV and the Solid State Spectrometer Experiment with the Monitor Proportional Control on the Einstein Observatory. It is found that the magnetic variable AM Her and the dwarf novae are similar in having bremsstrahlung of similar luminosity with temperatures for the dwarf novae that can approach that for AM Her and in flickering on a time scale of 5-15 min. But in general these dwarf novae temperatures are about 2-10 times lower. Only in Am Her is there evidence in the spectrum and eclipses for a small spot very close to the white dwarf surface. Most of the hard X-rays in SS Cyg, EX Hya, and U Gem are not pulsed, and the hard X-ray fluxes observed have never been significantly absorbed or degraded.
Biosynthesis and degradation both contribute to the regulation of coenzyme a content in Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli mutants [coaA16(Fr); Fr indicates feedback resistance] were isolated which possessed a pantothenate kinase activity that was refractory to feedback inhibition by coenzyme A (CoA). Strains harboring this mutation had CoA levels that were significantly elevated compared with strains containing the wild-type kinase and also overproduced both intra- and extracellular 4'-phosphopantetheine. The origin of 4'-phosphopantetheine was investigated by using strain SJ135 [panD delta(aroP-aceEF)], in which synthesis of acetyl-CoA was dependent on the addition of an acetate growth supplement. Rapid degradation of CoA to 4'-phosphopantetheine was triggered by the conversion of acetyl-CoA to CoA following the removal of acetate from the media. CoA hydrolysis under these conditions appeared not to involve acyl carrier protein prosthetic group turnover since [acyl carrier protein] phosphodiesterase was inhibited equally well by acetyl-CoA or CoA. These data support the view that the total cellular CoA content is controlled by modulation of biosynthesis at the pantothenate kinase step and by degradation of CoA to 4'-phosphopantetheine.
A system for production and rapid purification of large amounts of the Shiga toxin/Shiga-like toxin I B subunit.

Shiga toxin produced by Shigella dysenteriae type 1 is a potent protein toxin which has cytotoxic, neurotoxic and enterotoxic properties. The toxin inhibits eukaryotic protein synthesis by acting as an N-glycosidase, cleaving an adenine residue at nucleotide position 4324 of the 28S rRNA of the 60S ribosomal subunit. Some strains of Escherichia coli produce toxins which are biologically similar to Shiga toxin and are termed Shiga-like toxins (SLTs).
Sound intuitions on Moral Twin Earth

A number of philosophers defend naturalistic moral realism by appeal to an externalist semantics for moral predicates. The application of semantic externalism to moral predicates has been attacked by Terence Horgan and Mark Timmons in a series of papers that make use of their “Moral Twin Earth” thought experiment. In response, several defenders of naturalistic moral realism have claimed that the Moral Twin Earth thought experiment is misleading and yields distorted and inaccurate semantic intuitions. If they are right, the intuitions generated by Moral Twin Earth cannot be appealed to in arguments against externalist moral semantics. The most developed case against the Moral Twin Earth argument that follows this strategy is found in a paper by Stephen Laurence, Eric Margolis and Angus Dawson. Here I argue that their attack on the Moral Twin Earth thought experiment fails. Laurence, Margolis and Dawson have not shown that we have reason to distrust the semantic intuitions it generates
Acoustic velocity changes during shear enhanced compaction of sandstone

Abstract A series of triaxial compression experiments have been conducted on dry Berea Sandstone at confining pressures of 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, and 138 MPa to examine the stress-induced compressional and shear wave anisotropies. The results indicate that a significant compressional wave anisotropy and a marked lateral shear wave birefringence develop during both dilatant brittle shear failure and during shear-enhanced compaction. These anisotropies decrease in tests at successively higher confining pressures. Compressional wave velocity anisotropy continues to increase with increasing strain during shear-enhanced compaction, an effect not observed after brittle shear failure. Polarized shear wavess parallel to the principal stress axis do not exhibit birefringence until after brittle shear failure.
Tight glycemic control in critically ill adults.

ofintensiveinsulintherapyin surgical intensive care patients. Published in 2001,the study reported that targeting normoglycemia in venti-lated patients in a surgical intensive care unit (ICU) re-duced the risk of in-hospital death by one-third. Althoughthesizeofthetreatmenteffectseemedimprobable,theun-derlyingconcepthadfacevalidityasimprovedglycemiccon-trol had been proven beneficial in other patients with se-vere acute illness.
The operational geography of Great Britain

This article examines the operational geography of Great Britain in terms of six components: domestic context; student quality, preparation, and training; professional work environment; publications and productivity; conveniences and facilities; and employment. The goal of operational geography is to provide the basis for blending the strengths of different systems of geography which have much to offer one another. This article uses personal experiences and survey data to examine the strengths and weaknesses in Britain as compared to the United States. It finds that Britain has strong national support, a greater emphasis on geographic education, high-quality but narrowly trained undergraduates, and a productive academic faculty. The United States enjoys a more effective graduate curriculum, better funding, and more opportunity for personal advancement.
4.1.2 Reconciling Systems and Software Architecture

Large, complex systems are increasingly software-intensive or even information-centric. As a result, the total cost and development effort associated with software is an increasing fraction of the whole system, indeed a dominant fraction. The techniques of architecting, system and software, are one method for dealing with large and complex systems. Unfortunately, the techniques and models of systems engineering commonly used in systems architecture descriptions are not well suited to enabling effective software architecting. This paper discusses the mismatches and suggests tools for reconciling their needs.
A descriptive note on the interstate rates of return from schooling for males, 1960 and 1970

Rates of return from schooling became an important topic during the 1960's owing to their respective education and manpower implications. Currently (1970), it is important to determine whether the market returns to education as observed in 1960 are temporally constant, i.e., whether relative supply and demand circumstances have shifted. Decennial interstate comparisons of such rates for adult males offer an overview of possible regional changes for this stable segment of the labor force. The reported calculations show that the demand for education during the decade did not grow at a pace sufficient to absorb the increased supply with increasing or constant returns, i.e., the rates of return from schooling declined in each state. Moreover, the temporally separate results show the relative interstate positioning of the 1960 rate values to be mapped consistently onto the lower-valued 1970 matrix.
Image processing for flight crew enhanced situation awareness

Maximum utilization of national airspace resources requires the development of systems which provide adverse weather landing guidance and allow for continued operations in low visibility conditions. The overall system, known as an enhanced situation awareness system (ESAS), encompasses a broad range of functions including a forward vision system (FVS). The FVS, the part of ESAS on which the paper focuses, consists of forward-looking, imaging sensors, and associated processors which collectively penetrate the atmospheric conditions. The FVS provides a spectrum of services to the flight crew and the aircraft in general. A series of image processing techniques crucial to FVS operation have been developed and implemented at Honeywell. The techniques fall into three core categories: image enhancement, feature extraction, and object recognition and tracking. In this paper, the issues involved in each category of processing are described, the most promising algorithms are described, and preliminary results of the image processing are presented. The sensor types explored to date include visible band TV, FLIR, and 35 GHz radar; results are shown on data from the visible band and 35 GHz radar imaging sensors.
Phenotypic and phylogenetic analysis of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates recovered from diarrhea cases in Guangdong Province, China.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus has emerged as a common foodborne pathogen of global concern. In this study, 108 V. parahaemolyticus isolates that recovered from diarrhea cases (n = 96) and seafood products (n = 12) in Guangdong Province from 2007 to 2011 were characterized by serotyping, tdh and trh toxin gene detection and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The dominant serotypes from the cases were O3:K6, O4:K8 and O1: KUT (untyped). However, most isolates recovered from seafood products belonged to other serotypes. None of the isolates carried the trh gene, while the major isolates from the cases were tdh positive. MLST analysis revealed 31 sequence types (STs); 17 STs were unique in this study. eBURST analysis revealed four clonal complexes (CC), The majority of the isolates (n = 58, all from cases and tdh+) were grouped into the CC3, which included O3:K6, O4:K68 and O1:KUT isolates. The CC3 was the most prevalent clonal complex, and all of the CC3 isolates were recovered from clinical cases of geographically diverse origin. As to the CC345, which was completely constituted by O4:K8, was another important clonal complex affecting Guangdong Province. Ongoing surveillance of V. parahaemolyticus in diarrhea patients and seafood products remains a public health priority for Guangdong Province, China.
Inherited syndrome of infantile olivopontocerebellar atrophy, micronodular cirrhosis, and renal tubular microcysts: review of the literature and a report of an additional case

An 8-month-old male infant who presented in the neonatal period with failure to thrive, bilateral pleural and pericardial effusions, and hepatic insufficiency characterized by elevated liver functions tests and hypoalbuminemia was found at autopsy to have an unusual combination of olivopontocerebellar atrophy (OPCA), micronodular cirrhosis, and renal tubular microcysts. Metabolic evaluation was significant only for elevated urine dicarboxylic acids. In the brain, sections from the cerebellum showed marked atrophy of folia most severe in the vermal and paravermal regions. In addition, mild neuronal loss was present in the basis pontis and inferior olivary nuclei, accompanied by gliosis. Residual Purkinje cells in the cerebellar hemispheres exhibited greatly expanded and swollen arbors, which ultrastructurally were found to contain densely packed membranous cytoplasmic body-like inclusions that had the appearance of unwinding, lamellar coils. Review of the literature shows that this constellation of findings has been associated with carbohydrate-deficient transferrin. This biochemical marker along with the distinctive clinical presentation and pathological features clearly delineates a unique subset of OPCA.
Nonvariance of LD50 values of drugs in gravid and nongravid mice

This study showed that the LD50 values for morphine sulfate, cobalt chloride, and phenytoin sodium did not vary significantly on Day 9 of gestation in CF-1 mice when compared to values of nongravid animals.
Acculturation, gender, depression, and cigarette smoking among U.S. Hispanic youth: the mediating role of perceived discrimination.

Hispanic youth are at risk for experiencing depressive symptoms and smoking cigarettes, and risk for depressive symptoms and cigarette use increase as Hispanic youth acculturate to U.S. culture. The mechanism by which acculturation leads to symptoms of depression and cigarette smoking is not well understood. The present study examined whether perceived discrimination explained the associations of acculturation with depressive symptoms and cigarette smoking among 1,124 Hispanic youth (54% female). Youth in Southern California completed surveys in 9th–11th grade. Separate analyses by gender showed that perceived discrimination explained the relationship between acculturation and depressive symptoms for girls only. There was also evidence that discrimination explained the relationship between acculturation and cigarette smoking among girls, but the effect was only marginally significant. Acculturation was associated with depressive symptoms and smoking among girls only. Perceived discrimination predicted depressive symptoms in both genders, and discrimination was positively associated with cigarette smoking for girls but not boys. These results support the notion that, although Hispanic boys and girls experience acculturation and discrimination, their mental health and smoking behaviors are differentially affected by these experiences. Moreover, the results indicate that acculturation, gender, and discrimination are important factors to consider when addressing Hispanic youth’s mental health and substance use behaviors.
Higher-Order Subiteration-Free Staggered Algorithm for Nonlinear Transient Aeroelastic Problems

The objective of this note is to present a new subiteration free implicit/implicit staggered algorithm that has the same computational complexity as the CSS procedure and yet delivers a superior time accuracy that is similar to that of a monolithic implicit scheme or a strongly coupled (full subiterations) partitioned method. Hence, this algorithm retains the computational efficiency and implementation advantages of partitioned mthods while offering the higher time accuracy of fully coupled implicit schemes
Blogging on the Profession: A Closer Look into Personal Cataloging and Metadata Weblogs

In this article the author addresses a gap in studies of librarian bloggers by examining personal weblogs focused on cataloging and metadata topics. The author used descriptive statistics and content analysis to analyze the authorship, dynamics, and topical content of 24 blogs. Results indicated that the majority of weblogs were authored by women, and at least half of the bloggers were academic librarians. Weblogs displayed moderate activity. The upcoming Resource Description and Access rules and challenges faced by cataloging as a profession were themes addressed most often. In addition to cataloging and metadata topics, bloggers discussed issues related to general librarianship, technology, Web 2.0, professional development, and library services and operations, as well as personal topics.
Correlating the clinical actions and molecular mechanisms of general anesthetics.

Purpose of reviewTo summarize recent in-vitro and in-vivo research on molecular mechanisms of general anesthetics' actions.Recent findingsClasses of general anesthetics with distinct clinical profiles appear to induce amnesia, hypnosis, and immobility via different molecular targets. Propofol, etomi
Remote Sensing of Cloud-Top Pressure Using Reflected Solar Radiation in the Oxygen A-Band

An algorithm has been developed for using the reflection of solar radiation in the oxygen A-band to determine cloud-top altitude. Because of multiple scattering and molecular absorption inside the cloud, the reflection of clouds is substantially modified in comparison with a mirror cloud, which is assumed to have a 100 percent reflection. To infer true cloud-top altitude, therefore, it is necessary to accurately estimate the amount of 'photon penetration'. Theoretical calculations indicate that the amount of photon penetration depends on the altitude, the scaled volume scattering coefficient, and the scaled optical thickness of the cloud. Algorithms using the reflection in the oxygen A-band to determine the cloud-top pressure have been applied to an aircraft field experiment in conjunction with CCOPE, 1981. Results of this study are very encouraging, especially for extended clouds.
Expanding the Statistical Flowgraph Model Framework to Use Any Transition Distribution

Abstract Historically, parametric statistical flowgraph models (SFGMs) have exclusively used distributions with moment generating functions (MGFs). This is a significant limitation because it does not allow the use of some common distributions. This paper extends SFGM methodology by using the mathematical construct of a complex Laplace transform in lieu of MGFs. This extension enables modeling all “smooth” densities in SFGMs. We demonstrate this method using an illustrative and a real data example; both the frequentist and Bayesian approaches are considered. This enhancement of parametric SFGMs notably extends their use and flexibility. R-code is available from the authors.
Short- and Midterm Results of Iliac Artery Stenting for Flush Occlusion with the Assistance of an Occlusive Contralateral Iliac Artery Balloon

Background Endovascular treatment of flush iliac artery occlusion remains a challenge and is most often performed using open surgery. We report the outcomes of 10 cases that were successfully recanalized endovascularly with the assistance of a contralateral occlusive balloon. Methods A retrospective review of patients undergoing iliac artery stenting was performed at a single institution. Technical success, short- and midterm patency, and 30-day complications are reported. Results Ten patients were identified. Technical success was 100% when a brachial approach was used. Retrograde recanalization was attempted in 3 cases. Reentry into the aorta could not be achieved in 1 case. The aorta was entered above the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) in the other 2 cases, and the decision was made to attempt a brachial approach to avoid stenting above the IMA. There were no dissections or perforations. Two patients developed brachial access complications, but only 1 required operative repair for a pseudoaneurysm. Nine patients (90%) remained patent at a mean follow-up of 14.6 months (range 9–24 months). One patient presented 9 months later with iliac artery stent and lower extremity bypass thromboses, which resulted in an amputation. There were no deaths in this series. Conclusions Iliac stenting for flush iliac artery occlusion can be achieved with this technique with encouraging short- and midterm results and minimal morbidity.
Electrophysiological correlates of rest and activity in Drosophila melanogaster.

Extended periods of rest in Drosophila melanogaster resemble mammalian sleep states in that they are characterized by heightened arousal thresholds and specific alterations in gene expression [1, 2]. Defined as inactivity periods spanning 5 or more min, amounts of this sleep-like state are, as in mammals, sensitive to prior amounts of waking activity, time of day, and pharmacological intervention [1-3]. Clearly recognizable changes in the pattern and amount of brain electrical activity accompany changes in motor activity and arousal thresholds originally used to identify mammalian sleeping behavior [4-6]. Electroencephalograms (EEGs) and/or local field potentials (LFPs) are now widely used to quantify sleep state amounts and define types of sleep. Thus, slow-wave sleep (SWS) is characterized by EEG spindles and large-amplitude delta-frequency (0-3.5 Hz) waves. Rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep is characterized by irregular gamma-frequency cortical EEG patterns and rhythmic theta-frequency (5-9 Hz) hippocampal EEG activity [7]. It is unknown whether rest and activity in Drosophila are associated with distinct electrophysiological correlates. To address this issue, we monitored motor activity levels and recorded LFPs in the medial brain between the mushroom bodies, structures implicated in the modulation of locomotor activity, of Drosophila [8]. The results indicate that LFPs can be reliably recorded from the brains of awake, moving fruit flies, that targeted genetic manipulations can be used to localize sources of LFP activity, and that brain electrical activity of Drosophila is reliably correlated with activity state.
Supernumerary instars produced by chilled wax moth larvae: Endocrine mechanisms

Young last instar larvae of Galleria mellonella underwent supernumerary ecdyses within 3 to 6 days after being chilled at 0 to 1°C for 30 min. The frequency diminished from 89 ± 9.4% for the survivors of those that were chilled <16 hr after their last ecdysis, to 25 ± 11.2% for those 46 to 88 hr old, and was no longer evident beyond 123 hr. Irrespective of their ages, the larvae never became “superlarvae” unless they had fed after they had been chilled. This was unlike the requirement for metamorphosis, when a feeding period of 40 to 48 hr immediately following ecdysis allowed half the larvae that were subsequently chilled and starved to pupate. The propensity to become superlarvae could be extended by starvation. Chilling signaled the occurrence of the larval moulting program, but its expression was held in abeyance until the larvae had fed. Brains from chilled or unchilled donors were equally effective initiators of supernumerary larval apolyses. The capacity to respond to chilling was abolished following bilateral extirpation of the corpora cardiaca and corpora allata, but not after the corpus cardiacum and corpus allatum of one side were removed. This effect of bilateral cardiacectomy and allatectomy could be remedied by applying Altosid, a juvenile hormone analog. Potentiation of the larval-larval apolysis by chilling and by JH may involve separate mechanisms, for the analog was less effective on unchilled larvae than on those that had been chilled. The results are discussed with reference to the hypothesis that the brains of young larvae produce an “allatotropic hormone”.
Cross-language Babel structs—making scientific interfaces more efficient

Babel is an open-source language interoperability framework tailored to the needs of high-performance scientific computing. As an integral element of the Common Component Architecture, it is employed in a wide range of scientific applications where it is used to connect components written in different programming languages. In this paper we describe how we extended Babel to support interoperable tuple data types (structs). Structs are a common idiom in (mono-lingual) scientific application programming interfaces (APIs); they are an efficient way to pass tuples of nonuniform data between functions, and are supported natively by most programming languages. Using our extended version of Babel, developers of scientific codes can now pass structs as arguments between functions implemented in any of the supported languages. In C, C++, Fortran 2003/2008 and Chapel, structs can be passed without the overhead of data marshaling or copying, providing language interoperability at minimal cost. Other supported languages are Fortran 77, Fortran 90/95, Java and Python. We will show how we designed a struct implementation that is interoperable with all of the supported languages and present benchmark data to compare the performance of all language bindings, highlighting the differences between languages that offer native struct support and an object-oriented interface with getter/setter methods. A case study shows how structs can help simplify the interfaces of scientific codes significantly.
Convex extensions and envelopes of lower semi-continuous functions

We define a convex extension of a lower semi-continuous function to be a convex function that is identical to the given function over a pre-specified subset of its domain. Convex extensions are not necessarily constructible or unique. We identify conditions under which a convex extension can be constructed. When multiple convex extensions exist, we characterize the tightest convex extension in a well-defined sense. Using the notion of a generating set, we establish conditions under which the tightest convex extension is the convex envelope. Then, we employ convex extensions to develop a constructive technique for deriving convex envelopes of nonlinear functions. Finally, using the theory of convex extensions we characterize the precise gaps exhibited by various underestimators of $x/y$ over a rectangle and prove that the extensions theory provides convex relaxations that are much tighter than the relaxation provided by the classical outer-linearization of bilinear terms.
Oxygen-ion diffusivity in hypostoichiometric zirconium dioxide

Abstract Based on calculations applicable to unidirectional volume diffusion in two-phase systems it is possible to evaluate the diffusion coefficients for oxygen ions in zirconium dioxide. These calculations require the knowledge of both the thicknesses of the oxide scale and of oxygen diffusion coefficients in zirconium metal. The results conform to the relationship D = 2.88 × 10 −4 exp (−28.400/ RT ) cm 2 / sec for diffusion of oxygen in hypostoichiometric zirconium oxide within the temperature range of 600–850 °C. This value is in good agreement with those obtained by earlier studies.
Semiclassical Nonadiabatic Dynamics with Quantum Trajectories

Dynamics based on quantum trajectories with approximate quantum potential is generalized to nonadiabatic systems and its semiclassical properties are discussed. The formulation uses the mixed polar-coordinate space representation of a wave function. The polar part describes the overall time evolution of the wave-function components semiclassically using the single-surface approximate quantum potential. The coordinate part represents a complex``population'' amplitude, which in case of localized coupling can be solved for quantum mechanically in an efficient manner. In the high-energy regime this is accomplished by using a small basis determined by the coupling between surfaces. An illustration is given for a typical curve-crossing problem. The energy-resolved probabilities obtained from the time evolution of two wave packets for a wide range of energies are in excellent agreement with exact results for energies above the threshold of the diabatic reaction, including the case of total nonadiabatic transition.
Describing Nurses' Work: Combining Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis

Objective: To better understand nursing activities and working conditions. Background: Nursing practice involves astute clinical decision making and the competent delivery of nursing care procedures. To complete nursing procedures, nurses must simultaneously organize and reorganize priorities and manage changing clinical information for multiple patients. Few researchers have examined the specific nature of nurses' activities and the effect of the environment on their work. Methods: Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to collect data on 7 nurses engaged in nursing activities. Examples of methods include link analysis, subject matter expert, task analysis, cognitive pathway, and “stacking.” Data collection focused on how nurses managed priorities, changing clinical information, and interruptions. Results: The “cognitive pathway” graphically depicts the nature of nurses' work. Specifically, it reveals the shifting of the nurse's attention from patient to patient and the occurrence of interruption...
Isomerization of phenylcyclopropanes by a homogeneous rhodium catalyst

Abstract The homogeneous isomerization of the isomeric phenylmethylcyclopropanes in chloroform by di-μ-chlorotetracarbonyldirhodium (I) is discussed. The reaction yields conjugated phenyl alkenes; the rate of reaction and isomer distribution appear to be mainly influenced by conformational, conjugative, and steric interactions of the substituted cyclopropanes. Further evidence for the previously proposed rhodium-carbocation mechanism is discussed and the relationship of this pathway to analogous heterogeneous reactions is briefly examined.
Modified Multiple-Choice Items for Alternate Assessments: Reliability, Difficulty, and Differential Boost

Federal policy on alternate assessment based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS) inspired this research. Specifically, an experimental study was conducted to determine whether tests composed of modified items would have the same level of reliability as tests composed of original items, and whether these modified items helped reduce the performance gap between AA-MAS eligible and ineligible students. Three groups of eighth-grade students (N = 755) defined by eligibility and disability status took original and modified versions of reading and mathematics tests. In a third condition, the students were provided limited reading support along with the modified items. Changes in reliability across groups and conditions for both the reading and mathematics tests were determined to be minimal. Mean item difficulties within the Rasch model were shown to decrease more for students who would be eligible for the AA-MAS than for non-eligible groups, revealing evidence of differential boost. Exploratory ...
Toxoplasma gondii: polar staining in fluorescent antibody test.

Abstract A serum factor specific for the anterior pole of Toxoplasma gondii has been found in normal human sera. There seems not to have been any prior report of this as a tritable human serum factor. The factor is heat stable. It appears to be present in nearly all sera of humans above the age of 2 years. It apparently does not occur in the sera of infants less than 6 months of age. The factor has been designated as the Toxoplasma anterior polar (TAP) factor.
Designing the First Entry-Level Course in Power Systems Engineering: To Best Meet the Industry Needs

Teaching the first entry-level undergraduate course in electric power systems engineering and/or electrical machines and energy conversion in any electrical engineering curriculum, when opportunity arises, is a very difficult task at best. In order to maintain the interest levels with the students and to promote advanced level power engineering education, career opportunities in electric power and to meet the future industry needs and expectations, the course content must be very carefully designed and delivered. This paper discusses at length such a course successfully taught for many years.
CXCL1 excess stops neutrophils in their tracks.

In this issue of Blood , Yao and colleagues describe mice with vascular endothelial cell (EC) deletion of gp130, a signaling subunit for the interleukin-6 (IL-6) family of cytokines. 1 The authors postulated that such mice would exhibit an attenuated response to inflammatory stimuli but, surprisingly, the opposite phenotype was observed. These mice exhibited a dysregulated CXCL1 chemokine gradient in the endothelium, leading to neutrophils that stuck to the apical endothelial surface and were unable to exit the vessel lumen.