cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The vascular lesion of freezing as modified by dimethyl sulfoxide.

Summary Single cells and tissue fragments will survive after freezing with dimethyl sulfoxide or glycerol, but organ preservation in the frozen state has not been possible. Evidence that a vascular block occurs on replantation of a frozen, thawed organ has led to a study of the micro-circulation of the autotransplanted canine omentum protected with 15% dimethyl sulfoxide after freezing at −55° to −60°C for 24 hr. The degree of stasis was quantitated on a scale of 1 to 10 during a 3-hr period of observation prior to and immediately following replantation. Nonfrozen, control transplants demonstrated an essentially normal microcirculation. Stasis of 3+, 4+, and 5+ was noted in the frozen replanted omentum. This stasis was reduced to 1+, 1+, and 2+ when the animals were treated with 1 mg per kg of heparin prior to replantation of the omentum. Low molecular weight dextran (1.5 g per kg) was nearly equally effective in preventing stasis. Treatment with standard dextran or mannitol before replantation resulted in 9+ to 10+ stasis, while a combination of heparin and mannitol was effective in preventing this extreme stasis. Diffuse, severe swelling and weeping of the omentum was noted in all the frozen preparations, but was distinctly less in those treated with dextran or mannitol and essentially absent in the nonfrozen controls. It is postulated that the vascular lesion of freezing has two basic components. One is endothelial injury with adherence of the formed circulating elements leading to stasis and presumably thrombosis. Second, there is damage to the vessel with extensive leakage of plasma into the tissues. As the stasis is largely preventable with heparin or low molecular weight dextran, it would appear that edema and swelling, by virtue of compression of the intrinsic vasculature, is the more significant obstacle to organ storage in the frozen state.
An Evaluation of Deficits in Semantic Cueing and Proactive and Retroactive Interference as Early Features of Alzheimer's Disease

Objectives To determine the degree to which susceptibility to different types of semantic interference may reflect the initial manifestations of early Alzheimer's disease (AD) beyond the effects of global memory impairment. Methods Normal elderly (NE) subjects (n = 47), subjects with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI; n = 34), and subjects with probable AD (n = 40) were evaluated by using a unique cued recall paradigm that allowed for evaluation of both proactive and retroactive interference effects while controlling for global memory impairment (i.e., Loewenstein-Acevedo Scales of Semantic Interference and Learning [LASSI-L] procedure). Results Controlling for overall memory impairment, aMCI subjects had much greater proactive and retroactive interference effects than NE subjects. LASSI-L indices of learning by using cued recall revealed high levels of sensitivity and specificity, with an overall correct classification rate of 90%. These measures provided better discrimination than traditional neuropsychological measures of memory function. Conclusions The LASSI-L paradigm is unique and unlike other assessments of memory in that items posed for cued recall are explicitly presented, and semantic interference and cueing effects can be assessed while controlling for initial level of memory impairment. This is a powerful procedure that allows the participant to serve as his or her own control. The high levels of discrimination between subjects with aMCI and normal cognition that exceeded traditional neuropsychological measures makes the LASSI-L worthy of further research in the detection of early AD.
Impact of microbial tolerance in persistent secondary Klebsiella pneumoniae peritonitis.

Abstract Purpose and methods Microbial tolerance represents a diminished pro-inflammatory response following repeated stimulation by a host of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) of varying origins. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been centrally implicated in the development of tolerance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of tolerance in a previously described murine model. C57BL/6 mice were pretreated intraperitoneally with phosphate buffered saline (PBS), heat-killed Klebsiella 2 × 108 CFU (hkKlebsiella), LPS 10 mg/kg (LPS 10), or BLP 10 mg/kg (BLP 10). Following pretreatment, peritonitis was induced 24 h later using 103 intraperitoneal Klebsiella CFU. Peritoneal concentrations of TNF-α, IL-10 and nitric oxide (NO), as well as characteristic cell patterns, were determined. Long-term consequences of microbial tolerance were assessed by measuring survival and weight-loss. Results Following in vitro stimulation with Klebsiella 105 and 103 CFU, TNF-α and IL-10 secretion were diminished in macrophages harvested from mice pretreated with hkKlebsiella, LPS 10 and BLP 10. Pretreated animals had significantly lower bacterial counts. Conversely, local NO levels were elevated. Survival was not different between the groups. Conclusion Pretreatment with TLR ligands induced microbial tolerance, with reduced peritoneal cytokine concentrations and enhanced early bacterial clearance. However, this did not translate into improved survival.
The absorption spectra of plutonium ions in perchloric acid solutions

Abstract The absorption spectra of the four ions of plutonium have been measured in the region between 2000 and 12,500 A in perchloric acid solutions.
Logical Semantics for the Rewriting Calculus

The Rewriting Calculus has been proposed as a language for defining term rewriting strategies. Rules are explicitly represented as terms, and are applied explicitly to other terms to transform them. Sets of rules may be applied to (sets of) terms non-deterministically to obtain sets of results. Strategies are implemented as rules which accept other rules as arguments and apply them in certain ways. This paper describes work in progress to strengthen the Rewriting Calculus by giving it a logical semantics. Such a semantics can provide crucial guidance for studying the language and increasing its expressive power. The latter is demonstrated by adding support to the Rewriting Calculus for what we call higher-form rewriting, where rules rewrite other rules. The logical semantics used is based on ordered linear logic. The paper develops the ideas through several examples.
Effect of worked examples and Cognitive Tutor training on constructing equations

Algebra students studied either static-table, static-graphics, or interactive-graphics instructional worked examples that alternated with Algebra Cognitive Tutor practice problems. A control group did not study worked examples but solved both the instructional and practice problems on the Cognitive Tutor (CT). Students in the control group requested fewer hints and made fewer errors on the CT practice problems but required more learning time on the instructional examples. There was no difference among the four groups in constructing equations on a paper-and-pencil posttest or on a delayed test that included training and transfer problems. However, students who studied worked examples with a table were best at identifying the meaning of the equation components. The concept of transfer-appropriate processing (the overlap between instructional task and assessment task) aided our interpretation of the findings. Although the CT had a short-term effect on reducing errors and hint requests on CT practice problems, the worked examples were as effective on delayed paper-and-pencil tests. The subsequent construction of a new module for the Animation Tutor (Reed and Hoffman, Animation Tutor: Mixtures. Instructional software, 2011) used both the interactive-graphics and static-table worked examples to take advantage of the complementary strengths of different representations (Ainsworth, Learn Instr 16:183–198, 2006).
657 EFFECTS OF TPN ON INTESTINAL DEVELOPMENT

Parenteral nutrition (TPN) is vital in the nutritional support of infants with surgical GI tract lesions. Rat studies demonstrate decreased small bowel (SB) mucosal enzymes and intestinal atrophy. We studied the effects of TPN during the phase of rapid intestinal growth and development in piglets. Groups of three 6 wk old weaned piglet littermates received for 3 wks an amino acid(8gm/kg/day), glucose(35gm/kg/day), fat(2.5gm/kg/day) solution intravenously(TPN) or by gastrostomy(GF) or were given chow at an equivalent caloric value. No differences were noted in avg weight gain(13–15gm/kg/day), total serum protein(4.5-4.8gm/dl), BUN (9-12mg/dl) and Hct(30-35%). Comparing the TPN and GF to the chow-fed animals, there were: 1) decreased growth of the stomach, SB and pancreas, 2) decreased SB mucosal disaccharidases. The TPN group compared to baseline measurements demonstrated 1) decreased SB weight and length, 2) decreased pancreatic weight. Histology of SB mucosa in TPN animals showed decreased mucosal depth, villous height, crypt depth and epithelial cell number to the mid-villous area. These findings suggest 1) stomach, SB and pancreatic growth are dependent on route of administration and composition of diet 2) SB mucosa and pancreas atrophy in young piglets maintained on TPN 3) intestinal disaccharidases are decreased in the proximal SB in piglets maintained on both intravenous and intragastric infusion of a TPN solution.
U.S.-China Relations after the Sixteenth Party Congress: Prospects and Challenges:

The leadership changes carried out at the Chinese Party and Government congresses over the past year were widely perceived to have reinforced China’s recent moderate approach toward the United States. Few would have predicted such favorable U.S.-China relations given the poor state of relations only two years earlier. Specialists differed on what caused the shift. Some emphasized the change in the Bush administration policy; others, including this author, gave more emphasis to the design of the Bush administration policy. It effectively undercut the previous utility of Chinese pressure tactics toward the United States. Concurrent international circumstances—notably the unprecedented rise of U.S. power and influence throughout China’s periphery, as well as Chinese domestic preoccupations associated with incomplete leadership transition at the Party and Government congresses—reinforced good U.S.-China relations. Specialists appeared more uniform in warning that U.S.-China cooperation was contingent, as the ...
The role of apoptosis in normal and accelerated lung development in fetal rabbits.

Abstract Background/Purpose: During fetal development, the mammalian lung undergoes progressive parenchymal involution. Intrauterine tracheal occlusion induces accelerated architectural maturation of the fetal lungs associated with depletion of the surfactant-producing type II cells. This study investigates the spatiotemporal pattern of apoptosis during normal fetal lung development and its modulation in tracheal occlusion-induced accelerated fetal lung growth. Methods: Fetal rabbit lungs were studied at 25 to 31 days' gestational age (DGA; term, 31 DGA), corresponding to late pseudoglandular through terminal air sac stages of fetal lung development. Intrauterine tracheal ligation (TL) was performed at 24 DGA. TL fetuses were monitored until 29 DGA, a time-point previously shown to coincide with significant type II cell depletion. Apoptotic cells were identified by light and electron microscopy, as well as terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-FITC nick-end labeling (TUNEL). Epithelial (type I and II) cell apoptosis was studied by TUNEL labeling in conjunction with antisurfactant protein and anticytokeratin immunohistochemistry. DNA fragmentation was analyzed by gel electrophoresis. Sham-operated littermates served as controls. Results: The number of apoptotic cells progressively increased with advancing lung growth and architectural maturation (apoptotic index [Al] 1.2 ± 0.7 x 10 −3 at 25 DGA v 4.2 ± 1.4 x 10 −3 at 31 DGA; P −3 in TL v 2.6 ± 0.4 x 10 −3 in controls at 29 DGA; P t test). Apoptosis occurred in parenchymal cells and in isolated cells within the airspaces. The apoptotic activity of type II cells was significantly higher in TL fetuses than C fetuses at 29 DGA (type II Al 25.5 ± 6.3 x 10 −3 in TL v 2.3 ± 0.8 x 10 −3 in C; P Conclusions: Normal fetal lung development is associated with a progressive increase of epithelial and interstitial apoptotic activity, a process enhanced by TL. Tracheal occlusion induces a significant increase of type II cell apoptosis, which likely contributes to the observed type II cell depletion after TL. We speculate that fetal type II cell apoptosis after TL may be induced by mechanical distension (stretch) of the airspaces.
Phylogenetic and environmental lability of flavonoids in a medicinal moss

Flavonoids in the moss genus Plagiomnium were interpreted in the context of a molecular phylogeny to determine correlation with phylogenetic history and ecological context. Flavonoids are weakly correlated with evolutionary history. The rate of evolution of flavonoids is not significantly coupled with the rate of molecular evolution, probably because of high levels of lability and concomitant homoplasy in flavonoid presence–absence. Allopolyploid taxa have additive and intermediate flavonoid profiles. There is no significant correlation between phylogenetic independent contrasts of three indicators of flavonoid content (total phenolic content, number of flavonoids, % luteolin derivatives) and two environmental variables (elevation, latitude). The weak correlation of flavonoids to phylogenetic history and rate of molecular evolution, combined with their lack of correlation with broad-scale ecological features indicates that flavonoid production is labile. As such, flavonoid variation is reflective only of recent evolution (e.g., recent hybridization), and presumably also best correlated with fine-scale ecological features.
A Rabbit Irradiation Platform for Outcome Assessment of Lung Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Purpose To evaluate a helical tomotherapy–based rodent radiosurgery platform that reproduces human image-guided radiosurgery treatment to study radiobiologic effects of stereotactic radiosurgery on lung tissues using functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods and Materials Hypofractionated radisourgery (20 Gy × 3) was delivered to the right lung of three New Zealand rabbits using Helical TomoTherapy with MVCT image guidance. Contrast-enhanced MR perfusion, hyperpolarized helium-3 MR ventilation, and CT were obtained before radiation and monthly for 4 months after radiation. All MRI was performed on a 1.5-T whole-body scanner with broad-band capabilities. Results Precise dose delivery to 1.6 cc of the lower right lung was achieved without additional immobilization. No deficits were detected at baseline with respect to perfusion and ventilation. Lung perfusion deficits in the irradiated lung regions began at 2 months after radiation and worsened with time. No ventilation deficits were observed after radiation. Decrease in lung CT density in irradiated regions was observed after radiation, but the changes were less significant than those in perfusion MRI. Conclusions We demonstrated that highly conformal radiation can be reproducibly delivered to a small volume of rodent lung on a widely available clinical unit. The radiation-induced lung injury can be detected as early as 2 months after radiation with perfusion MRI. The primary pattern of injury agrees with previously reported endothelial damage to radiosurgical radiation doses. This experimental design provides a cost-effective methodology for producing radiosurgical injuries in rodents that reproduces current human treatments for studying radiation injury and agents that might affect it.
Assessment of Potassium Supply for Corn by Analysis of Plant Parts

Tissue testing of corn (Zea mays L.) ear leaves often is used to diagnose K deficiencies. However, little attention has been given to study how testing of different corn tissues evaluates K supply especially in the optimum to excess range. We evaluated tissue tests for corn based on the K concentration of young plants (V5 to V6), ear leaves at silking, lower stalks at maturity (sections cut from 15 to 35 cm aboveground), and grain. Twenty-eight field trials were conducted in Iowa during 2 yr with fertilizer rates of 0, 56, 112, and 168 kg K ha ―1 . Initial soil-test K (STK) by the ammonium acetate extractant (15-cm sampling depth, air-dried samples) was 80 to 266 mg K kg ―1 across sites. Fertilizer K increased grain yield at one site testing 84 mg K kg ―1 ; and increased the K concentration of plants, leaves, stalks, and grain at 11, 13, 21, and 5 sites, respectively. Published critical K concentrations for corn plants and leaves would have incorrectly indicated deficient soil K supply for yield in many sites. There were upper limits in plants, leaves, and grain K concentrations response to K supply that varied among sites. The limits occurred at STK values of 123, 140, and 148 mg kg ―1 , respectively, which are near STK values optimum for grain yield. The lack of an upper limit in corn stalks shows promise for using this tissue to assess K availability from deficiency to luxury uptake or excess. However, the large site-dependent variability in the stalk K concentrations should be recognized as a limitation.
Muscle fiber Type distribution in the normal human Levator veli palatini muscle

Abstract Objective: This study examined the muscle fiber type distribution within the normal adult levator veli palatini muscle. Method: Levator veli palatini muscle tissue was harvested from the palates of 12 (seven female, five male) adult noncleft cadavers. Adjacent sections were stained for adenosine triphosphatase at pH 10.4 or 4.2. After mounting, magnifying, and photographing, Type I versus Type II fiber types were differentiated by the intensity of, or by the inhibition of, staining of matched fibers at each pH level. Type I fibers stained light at pH 10.4 and dark at pH 4.2, while Type II fibers stained light at pH 4.2 and dark at pH 10.4. Main Outcome Measures: The number of fibers counted for each specimen ranged from 60 to 616. The numbers of Type I and Type II stained fibers appearing in each muscle tissue sample were determined and expressed as a percentage of the total number of fibers identified. A few identified fibers could not be labelled as either Type I or Type II. Results: The overal...
Civic Responsibility and the Environment: Linking Local Conditions to Community Environmental Activeness

In this article, we examine the extent to which variations in local social, economic, and spatial conditions might account for variation in community environmental activeness across 208 communities falling within nonmetropolitan areas in Mississippi. We use GIS technology to identify community boundaries, and use key informant and census data to measure community attributes. The findings indicate that community environmental activeness tends to be higher among communities that provide greater access to social capital. The level of community environmental activeness was also found to rest on the size of a community and its regional location. Community activeness increases with the size of community, but it decreases when a community is situated in an economically and socially disadvantaged region. Similarly, community activeness was found to be low in communities with low levels of education.
The Age of Optimization: Solving Large-Scale Real-World Problems

In the last decade, new advances in algorithms have been as important as the impressive advances in computer technology. Using the new interior-point algorithms and advanced implementations of simplex methods, we can now solve linear programs with more than one million variables and thousands of constraints. Preprocessing and polyhedral theory have yielded at least an order of magnitude improvement in branch-and-bound algorithms for solving mixed integer programs. Moreover, these algorithmic advances have been incorporated in commercially inexpensive software that is readily available, easily portable, and supported by a variety of systems that make it possible for unsophisticated users to input and check their models and obtain understandable outputs. This paper, based on the Morse Lecture given in May 1993 at the TIMS/ORSA meeting in Chicago, begins with some of the modem history of optimization, then surveys some recent developments illustrating them with an application in the airline industry, and closes with some remarks about the future.
A Historiography of Violence and the Secular State in Indonesia : Tuanku Imam Bondjol and the Uses of History

This essay is a revisionist history of the Padri War and the place of Tuanku Imam Bondjol in the intellectual history of the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra, of the Dutch colonial state, and of Indonesian nationalism. The Tuanku Imam is an official "national hero" from the early nineteenth century, a putative Wahhabi, and leader of the Padri War, the first Muslim-against-Muslim jihad in Southeast Asia. The essay examines the Tuanku Imam in contemporary sources and then his construction as a serviceable trope of controlled Islam, Minangkabau patriotism, or Indonesian nationalism by successive states. Using memoirs by the Tuanku Imam and his son, satan Caniago, the essay analyzes the Tuanku's renunciation of Wahhabism in the face of matrifocal opposition and the interplay of three connected texts that serve to secularize the story of the Padri War.
Mechanism of Microbiological Decomposition of Cellulose

Knowledge of the mechanism of microbial action on cellulose is important for the solution of problems not only in textile technology but also in agronomy, plant pathology, bacteriology, mycology, medicine, geology, and the wood, paper, photographic, and allied industries.Our present picture concerning the mode of breakdown of the cotton fiber is as follows: Upon germination, the microorganism secretes enzymes which first digest the cuticle. The hyphae of fungi then penetrate the secondary cellulosic wall directly into the lumen, where profuse growth ensues. Bacteria, on the other hand, adhere to the outer surface and pit their way inward. In both cases, digestion of cellulose occurs at the point of immediate contact with the organism.In submicroscopic regions of the fiber, the amorphous cellulose is more rapidly attacked than the crystalline. The native cellulose molecule is first converted by an enzyme (called cellulase by the author) into a linear polysaccharide. Another enzyme then hydrolyzes the linea...
Initial adhesion of microorganisms to polymeric membranes

Biofilms form in nearly every environment that provides a surface, nutrients, and water. They can be found, for example, in almost all natural aquatic environments; on teeth, bone interstices, and oral epithelia of animals and humans; on hulls of marine installations and ship bottoms; on prosthetic devices and medical implants; on water conduits and in filters; and even ion the "sterile" surfaces of the computer chip manufacturing industry. The generally accepted stages in the development of microbial biofilms are transport to the surface, initial attachment, "more permanent" adhesion, proliferation, and biofilm formation. In some of the systems described above transport is dominated by microorganism mobility (combination of thermal diffusion and motility), in others convective drag forces influence the transport of microbes toward the surface of interest. Once in close proximity to a surface, microorganisms may initially attach via any combination of intermolecular (van der Waals), electrostatic, or hydrophobic forces like simple colloids, and later become more permanently adhered by exuding extra-cellular polymeric substances (EPS).
What little do we know: content analysis of disability sport in sport management literature.

As the field of sport business management develops, it is critical to assess its literature. A content analysis of 34 sport business management journals between 2002 to 2012 was conducted relative to sports, physical activity, recreation, and leisure for individuals with disabilities. Journals were selected based on their alignment with sport management curriculum standards. Results show that of the 5,443 articles reviewed in this study, merely 89, or .016%, pertained to disability sport, leisure, recreation, or physical activity. Information insufficiency was found across all sport management curriculum domains. Similarities and differences are discussed relative to other content analyses conducted in sport management and disability sport. Results provide direction for future scholarship and advancement of studies in disability sport in sport business management.
Coherent choice functions under uncertainty

We discuss several features of coherent choice functions—where the admissible options in a decision problem are exactly those that maximize expected utility for some probability/utility pair in fixed set S of probability/utility pairs. In this paper we consider, primarily, normal form decision problems under uncertainty—where only the probability component of S is indeterminate and utility for two privileged outcomes is determinate. Coherent choice distinguishes between each pair of sets of probabilities regardless the “shape” or “connectedness” of the sets of probabilities. We axiomatize the theory of choice functions and show these axioms are necessary for coherence. The axioms are sufficient for coherence using a set of probability/almost-state-independent utility pairs. We give sufficient conditions when a choice function satisfying our axioms is represented by a set of probability/state-independent utility pairs with a common utility.
Towards automated planning for unsealed source therapy.

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a technique for unsealed source radiotherapy planning that combines the segmentation and registration tasks of single-photon emission tomography (SPECT) and computed tomography (CT) datasets. The segmentation task is automated by an atlas registration approach that takes advantage of a hybrid scheme using a diffeomorphic demons algorithm to warp a standard template to the patient’s CT. To overcome the lack of common anatomical features between the CT and SPECT datasets, registration is achieved through a narrow band approach that matches liver contours in the CT with the gradients of the SPECT dataset. Deposited dose is then computed from the SPECT dataset using a convolution operation with tracer-specific deposition kernels. Automatic segmentation showed good agreement with manual contouring, measured using the dice similarity coefficient and ranging from 0.72 to 0.87 for the liver, 0.47 to 0.93 for the kidneys, and 0.74 to 0.83 for the spinal cord. The narrow band registration achieved variations of less 0.5 mm translation and 1° rotation, as measured with convergence analysis. With the proposed combined segmentation–registration technique, the uncertainty of soft-tissue target localization is greatly reduced, ensuring accurate therapy planning.
Cardiotomy Suction: A Major Source of Brain Lipid Emboli During Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Abstract Background . Brain injury remains a significant problem in patients undergoing cardiac surgery assisted by cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Autopsy brain specimens of patients after cardiac operations with CPB reveal numerous acellular lipid deposits (10 to 70 μm) in the microvasculature. We hypothesize that these small capillary and arterial dilatations result from a diffuse inflammatory response to CPB or from emboli delivered by the bypass circuit. This study was undertaken to determine which aspect of CPB is most clearly associated with these dilatations. Methods . Thirteen dogs were studied in four groups: group I (n = 3), right-heart CPB; group II (n = 2), lower-extremity CPB; group III (n = 3), hypothermic CPB; and group IV (n = 5), hypothermic CPB with cardiotomy suction. All dogs in all groups were maintained on CPB for 60 minutes and then euthanized. Brain specimens were harvested, fixed in ethanol, embedded in celloidin, and stained with the alkaline phosphate histochemical technique so that dilatations could be counted. Results . All dogs completed the protocol. The mean density of dilatations per square centimeter for each group was as follows: group I, 1.77 ± 0.77; group II, 4.17 ± 1.65; group III, 4.54 ± 1.69; and group IV, 46.5 ± 14.5. In group IV (cardiotomy suction), dilatation density was significantly higher than in group III (hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass) ( p = 0.04) and all other groups ( p = 0.04). Conclusions . Blood aspirated from the surgical field and subsequently reinfused into dogs undergoing CPB produces a greater density of small capillary and arterial dilatations than CPB without cardiotomy suction, presumably because of lipid microembolization.
Viscous Simulation Method for Unsteady Flows Past Multicomponent Configurations

The present algorithm for the numerical simulation of flows about complex configurations (whose multiple and nonsimilar components have arbitraty geometries) employs a hybridization of the domain decomposition techniques for grid generation as well as to reduce computer-memory requirements. A fully vectorized, finite-volume, upwind-biased, approximately factored multigrid method is used to solve 3D Reynolds-averaged unsteady and compressible Navier-Stokes equations simulating supersonic flows past an ogive-nose-cylinder near or within a cavity. The time-averaged surface pressures obtained compare favorably with the wind tunnel data.
Electron transport in three-dimensional molecular complexes

This paper documents a coherent modeling method and its application to examine electron transport in molecular complexes for the envisioned molecular electronics. For nanoelectronics, these three-dimensional (3D) multi-terminal networked molecular complexes should exhibit desired characteristics as well as be interconnected. In addition to coherent study of electron transport in complex molecules, our analysis integrates contact-molecule interface. Modeling and analysis are based on the tight-binding Hamiltonian and Schrodinger equation. The reported results are applied and verified examining electron transport in functionalized two-terminal organic molecules.
Mean dynamics of transitional channel flow

© 2011 Cambridge University Press. Online edition of the journal is available at http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=FLM
QT interval adaptation to changes in autonomic balance

Variability in the RR interval has long been used to assess the state of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), with rapid changes being mediated by the action of the parasympathetic branch and slower variations through a combination of the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches. By contrast, the action of the ANS on QT variability may primarily be affected through the sympathetic branch. This motivates us here to assess QT interval variation during changes in autonomic balance.
Lower extremity minor amputations: the roles of diabetes mellitus and timing of revascularization.

Introduction Despite the frequent performance of minor foot amputations in patients with lower extremity vascular disease, little is known regarding the rate of conversion to major amputations and the role of bypass graft timing in relation to amputation. Methods Between January 1990 and December 2001, 670 patients underwent 920 minor amputations (interphalangeal, ray, or transmetatarsal) on 747 limbs. Results Of 670 patients, 468 were men (69.9%), 616 had diabetes mellitus (91.9%), and 137 (19.7%) had a serum creatinine level >2.0 mg/dL, of whom 92 were on dialysis (end-stage renal disease) (11.5%). Ipsilateral revascularization was performed ≤30 days before the initial amputation in 64.9% (485 of 747), whereas 9.8% (73 of 747) had a bypass ≤30 days postamputation. The initial amputation levels were 466 interphalangeal (62.4%), 159 transmetatarsal (21.3%), and 122 ray (16.3%). Operative 30-day mortality was 0.7% (6 of 920). Limb salvage was 89.8% at 1 year and 82.3% at 5 years. Diabetes mellitus had no impact on limb salvage ( P = .61). Limb loss predictors included end-stage renal disease (odds ratio [OR], 1.72, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12 to 2.83, P P P 2.0 mg/dL (5 years, 48.8% ± 2.3% vs 23.9% ± 4.2%, P P Conclusions Although minor amputations can lead to limb preservation in most patients, the performance of a revascularization subsequent to amputation, transmetatarsal as the initial amputation, and end-stage renal disease are poor prognostic indicators. Inferior long-term patient survival is most closely associated with renal insufficiency and conversion to major amputation early after the initial procedure.
Elimia Comalensis (Gastropoda: Pleuroceridae) from the Edwards Plateau, Texas: Multiple Unrecognized Endemics or Native Exotic?

ABSTRACT This research explored the distribution, morphological variation, and molecular systematics of Elimia comalensis (Gastropoda: Pleuroceridae) using geometric morphometrics (n = 565) and mitochondrial DNA sequences (n = 15). Elimia comalensis was originally documented as endemic to Comal Springs, Comal County, Texas, but recent collections found this species in multiple springs and drainages in Central Texas. Morphometric analyses showed a high amount of morphological overlap with no clear geographic patterning. Phylogenetic analysis of mt COI sequence data indicated that E. comalensis represents a single species, with no genetic divergence among isolated populations. We conclude that E. comalensis may be an unrecognized native exotic, a species endemic to one area that has been spread by humans and assumed to be part of the natural fauna.
Extension of the CPT theorem to non-Hermitian Hamiltonians and unstable states

Abstract We extend the CPT theorem to quantum field theories with non-Hermitian Hamiltonians and unstable states. Our derivation is a quite minimal one as it requires only the time-independent evolution of scalar products, invariance under complex Lorentz transformations, and a non-standard but nonetheless perfectly legitimate interpretation of charge conjugation as an antilinear operator. The first of these requirements does not force the Hamiltonian to be Hermitian. Rather, it forces its eigenvalues to either be real or to appear in complex conjugate pairs, forces the eigenvectors of such conjugate pairs to be conjugates of each other, and forces the Hamiltonian to admit of an antilinear symmetry. The latter two requirements then force this antilinear symmetry to be CPT , while forcing the Hamiltonian to be real rather than Hermitian. Our work justifies the use of the CPT theorem in establishing the equality of the lifetimes of unstable particles that are charge conjugates of each other. We show that the Euclidean time path integrals of a CPT -symmetric theory must always be real. In the quantum-mechanical limit the key results of the PT symmetry program of Bender and collaborators are recovered, with the C -operator of the PT symmetry program being identified with the linear component of the charge conjugation operator.
Using task descriptions for designing optimal task specific manipulators

Computing the optimal geometric structure of manipulators is one of the most intricate problems in contemporary robot kinematics. Industrial robotic manipulators are designed and built to perform certain predetermined tasks. It is therefore important to incorporate such task requirements during the design and synthesis of the robotic manipulators. Such task requirements and/or performance constraints can be specified in terms of the required end-effector positions, orientations along the task trajectory. In this work, we define, develop and test a methodology that can generate optimal manipulator geometric structures based on the task requirements. Another objective of this work is to guarantee task performance under user defined joint constraints. Using this methodology, task-specific optimal manipulator structures can be generated that guarantee task performance under a set of operating constraints.
Seismic Soil-Containment Interaction: Pipe Safety

The integrity of pipes penetrating the containment wall of a nuclear power plant may be threatened by seismic motions of the containment vessel. Within the context of an integrated accident and seismic containment reliability study, a methodology is presented for the determination of the probability of failure of a single pipe and of a system of pipes, as a function of the causative ground acceleration. Extreme rocking displacements of the containment under earthquake intensities well beyond the design level are estimated by means of simple model that takes into account the possibility for soil-base separation and the multidirectionality of the ground motion. The final reliability estimates reflect a large number of uncertainties, most of which are of statistical nature, i.e., stemming from the limited information about soil properties, details of the seismic motion, and resistance of the pipes. The correlation between failures of apparently redundant pipes that is introduced by the common dependence on system-wide uncertainties is illustrated.
Abstract 101: Association Of Cardiovascular Disorder Requiring Intubation To In-hospital Mortality And Discharge Status Of The Patients: Analysis Of 17,128 Hospitalizations

Introduction: Endotracheal intubations are a vital cornerstone of care for critically ill patients. The decision to intubate a critically ill patient is often complicated secondary to long term prognosis of underlying illness and extent of aggressive treatment a patient would desire. This study was done to identify association of cardiovascular disorder requiring endotracheal intubation to in-hospital mortality and discharge status of the patients. Methods: Nationwide Inpatient Sample data (which represents 20% of all the hospitals data in US) was used for the study and data related to all the intubations for the year 2011 was extracted. Patients with complete data on endotracheal intubations associated with primary cardiovascular diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (MI), cardiac arrest and ventricular fibrillation (CA/VFib), congestive heart failure (CHF), acute cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and cardiac dysrhythmia were included in the study. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS. Results: A total of 17,128 intubations associated with primary cardiovascular diagnosis were identified. In-hospital mortality for endotracheal intubations secondary to cardiovascular etiology was significantly higher than intubations secondary to non-cardiovascular etiology (58.5 % vs 29.43%, p value <0.001). CA/VFib (84.39%), MI (61.74%) and CVA (60.67%) were associated with significantly higher in-hospital mortality than cardiac dysrhythmia (49.44%) and CHF (42.11%) (p value <0.001). Patients with CHF were associated with significantly higher routine discharges (15.33%) or transfer to another short term hospital (12.53%) and patients with CVA were associated with discharge to another health care institution (23.42%) (p value <0.001). Conclusions: Our study reports that patients who are intubated secondary to cardiovascular etiology have higher in-hospital mortality. Among these patients, patients having cardiac arrest/ventricular fibrillation have high in-hospital mortality and patients with CHF have higher routine discharges. This data can help clinicians to have well informed discussion with the family and weigh the risk and benefits of aggressively treating certain populations of critically ill cardiac patients with endotracheal intubation.
Accelerating the translation of molecular fluorescence imaging

The translation of fluorescence molecular imaging is challenged by the “first-of-its-kind” drug (imaging agent) and device combination. Yet upon deploying principles of validation, standardization, and calibration, the translational process can be accelerated. Examples are highlighted.
Aerodynamics of Finite Cylinders in Quasi-Steady Flow

bodies, particularly at orientations other than the typical normal and axial ow conditions. This work addresses that gap through high-delity numerical experiments, employing large-eddy simulation in the wake, of nite cylinders over a broad range of yaw angles and Reynolds numbers. Though the approach is already well-validated for blu body ows, additional validation is performed for those cases in which experimental data are available, and sensitivity analysis of the results is also presented. Empirical modeling of the aerodynamics is performed to aid in the development of reduced-order models for pilot training, stability analysis, and ight certication. Key results include quantication of mean and uctuating force and moment coecients and shedding frequencies, empirical models of trends in shear layer behavior, and analysis of the sensitivity of these behaviors with respect to surface type, aspect ratio, and Reynolds number.
Has EU Accession Caused Structural Change in New Entrants? Intersectoral Linkage Analyses on Bulgaria and Romania

The European Union (EU) countries, especially the founders and earlier entrants (EU-15) are among the most-developed, post-industrial and innovation-driven economies in the world. Countries with different structures are expected to have progressive structural changes after their accessions to the EU by means of the intra-EU policies on socio-economic integration and monetary (euro) adoption. Starting from this convergence premise, this study aims to explore whether the latest member states, Bulgaria and Romania, that joined the EU in 2007, have experienced significant changes in their economic structures. To this end, with a general equilibrium approach and using input-output data of the countries, we conduct intersectoral linkage analyses covering all economic activities aggregated to 34 sectors for the years of 1995, 2002, 2007 and 2011. Backward and forward linkage coefficients calculated from inverse matrices based on the Leontief model and the Ghosh model reveal that there is no strong evidence found supporting the structural changes experiences in the fifth year of the EU accession for both countries.
Effect of composite Zr salt on solidification microstructure in Mg-1%Y alloy

Effect of composite Zr salt addition temperature and holding time on solidification structure in Mg-1% Y was investigated. The results show that the refining grain size in the alloy is obtained when the temperature is 760 ℃,adding 0. 31% Zr and holding time for 20 min,and the average grain size can be reduced from 4100 μm to 105 μm. The results also show that some Zr oxides in the alloy are brought after adding composite Zr salt,which is the reason of reducing Zr yield,and therefore the melt purification of the alloy is more different at the same time.
Improved facial nerve identification during parotidectomy with fluorescently labeled peptide.

Objectives/Hypothesis Additional intraoperative guidance could reduce the risk of iatrogenic injury during parotid gland cancer surgery. We evaluated the intraoperative use of fluorescently labeled nerve binding peptide NP41 to aid facial nerve identification and preservation during parotidectomy in an orthotopic model of murine parotid gland cancer. We also quantified the accuracy of intraoperative nerve detection for surface and buried nerves in the head and neck with NP41 versus white light (WL) alone. Study Design Twenty-eight mice underwent parotid gland cancer surgeries with additional fluorescence (FL) guidance versus WL reflectance (WLR) alone. Eight mice were used for additional nerve-imaging experiments. Methods Twenty-eight parotid tumor-bearing mice underwent parotidectomy. Eight mice underwent imaging of both sides of the face after skin removal. Postoperative assessment of facial nerve function measured by automated whisker tracking were compared between FL guidance (n = 13) versus WL alone (n=15). In eight mice, nerve to surrounding tissue contrast was measured under FL versus WLR for all nerve branches detectable in the field of view. Results Postoperative facial nerve function after parotid gland cancer surgery tended to be better with additional FL guidance. Fluorescent labeling significantly improved nerve to surrounding tissue contrast for both large and smaller buried nerve branches compared to WLR visualization and improved detection sensitivity and specificity. Conclusions NP41 FL imaging significantly aids the intraoperative identification of nerve braches otherwise nearly invisible to the naked eye. Its application in a murine model of parotid gland cancer surgery tended to improve functional preservation of the facial nerve. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 2016
Effect of CagA-positive Helicobacter pylori strains on coronary atherosclerosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Objectives To investigate the effect of CagA-positive Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) strains infection on coronary atherosclerosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome and possible mechanism.Methods All 144 acute coronary syndrome patients were divided into 3 groups, including H pylori-CagA-group(n=27), H pylori+CagA-group (n=63)and H pylori+CagA+ group(n=54).The severity of coronary heart disease was estimated by calculating the Gensini score.Concentrations of serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, high sensitive C-reactive protein(hsCRP)and oxidized low density lipoprotein(oxLDL) were examined and compared.Results Analysis of variance indicated that there was significant difference of Gensini score among the 3 groups (P0.05); Gensini score of H pylori +CagA + group was significantly higher than those of H pylori-CagA-group and H pylori +CagA-group [(69.02±42.52)score vs.(44.48±40.72)score,P0.05;(69.02±42.52)score vs.(44.91±37.65)score,P0.05].There was no significant difference of Gensini score between H pylori-CagA-group and H pylori+CagA-group [(44.48±40.72) score vs.(44.91±37.65)score,P0.05].Analysis of variance indicated that there was significant difference of concentrations of serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, hsCRP and oxLDL among the 3 groups (P0.05);Compared with H pylori-CagA-group,the above-mentioned indexes of H pylori+CagA-group and H pylori+CagA+ group were significantly higher,and those of H pylori +CagA + group were the highest (P0.05).Conclusions More serious coronary atherosclerosis was observed in acute coronary syndrome patients with H pylori +CagA + infection.H pylori +CagA + infection might be involved in coronary atherosclerosis by modifying serum lipids, enhancing low density lipoprotein oxidation and activating the inflammatory responses.
Study on the effects of vitamin B_(12) feeding rate in beef livers by different cooking treatments

Objective: To investigate the content variation of vitamin B12before and after cooking in the beef liver samples and use the simulation experiment to simulate reality cooking treatments such as deep- fried,fried,boiled food.Methods: Using HPLC combined with enzymatic hydrolysis,derivative and other pre- treatment technology to achieve the determination of vitamin B12in the beef liver samples. The effects of different cooking treatments on food vitamin B12were studied in the research. Results: The longer cooking temperature and time,the greater the loss of vitamin B12.Using boiling water to process beef liver,with the growth of the cooking time the vitamin B12was transferred to the soup. Conclusion: Different VB12feeding rate of beef liver samples were produced in different cooking treatments.The size of the loss rate has more contact with cooking temperature and cooking duration. It was recommended that the consumption of both Liver and broth could be achieved to the largest feeding obtain vitamin B12.